BusinessMirror July 25, 2024 by BusinessMirror

THE national government’s budget balance recorded a narrowed deﬁcit in June, expanding the budget shortfall to P613.9 billion in the ﬁrst half of the year, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

e state’s budget deﬁcit in June 2024 is lower by 7.24 percent at P209.1 billion than the P225.4billion deﬁcit posted in the same month a year ago, as revenue collection outpaced government expenditures.

e budget gap from January to June 2024, at P613.9 billion, was 11.27 percent or P62.2 billion higher year-on-year than the sixmonth 2023 ﬁgure of P551.7 billion.

Total revenues collected by the government in the ﬁ rst half of the year reached P2.149.5 trillion, up by 15.56 percent or P289.4 billion, compared to the P1.860 trillion generated in the same period last year.

Broken down, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) raised P1.362 trillion, up by 10.05 percent from the P1.667.7 trillion collected in the same period in 2023.

e BIR, however, missed the P1.40-trillion midyear program by 2.92 percent or P41 billion, based on the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) quarterly ﬁ scal program for 2024.

Bureau of Customs (BOC) collections grew by 5.10 percent, or P22.1 billion, to P455.5 billion from January to June 2024, which also exceeded the P442.6-billion, six-month program by 2.91 percent or P12.9 billion. Meanwhile, six-month nontax revenue collections expanded 63.30 percent to P314 billion from P192.4 billion recorded in the same period in 2023.

January to June 2024 income from the BTr surged to P163.9 billion by 76.26 percent from P93 billion on the back of higher dividend remittance, interest on advances from state-run corporations and national government share from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s income. Although the Treasury exceeded the P129.2-billion revised midyear program by 26.91 percent or P34.8 billion, it is still P23.1 billion short of the P187 billion revised FY 2024 target. Other non-tax revenues, such as privatization proceeds and fees and charges grew half, or 51.18 percent, to P150.3 billion in the ﬁ rst half of 2024 than the P99.4 billion posted in the same period last year. Meanwhile, the national government disbursed a total of P2.763.5 trillion as of end-June 2024, faster by 14.58 percent or P351.6 billion than its P2.411 trillion spending in the same period in 2023.

‘Super typhoon’ Carina turns Luzon streets into rivers

THE Philippines has improved its ranking according to the latest Henley Passport Index, with particular strength in access around South East Asia.

According to the recent 2024 Henley Global Passport Index, the Philippine passport still ranks 73rd as compared to January of this year, giving access to 67 countries without applying for a visa.

e current Philippine passport ranking of 73 is still a signiﬁcant improvement from last year’s ranking of 78, the company said.

“From 2015 until now, besides Covid-19, the general trend is up for the Philippines passport ranking. e Philippines is viewed as quite stable right now, and as the Philippine economy continues to grow, it should continue to see improvements on the passport’s visa-free access,” Scott Moore, managing director of Henley and Partners, said.

Globally, Singapore has reclaimed its position as the world’s most powerful passport, allowing visa-free access to 195 destinations. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan were all tied at

close second with 192 countries and Austria, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea and Sweden were all at third place with 191.

e latest report highlights a growing gap between the most and least powerful passports, with topranked Singapore able to access 169 more destinations visa-free than Afghanistan, which remains the weakest passport with access to only 26 countries, the company said.

e Henley Passport Index is

THE country’s weather bureau reported late Wednesday that Carina intensi ed into a super typhoon even as it moved to exit the Philippines towards Taiwan. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Carina, the third severe weather disturbance to a ect the Philippines this year, is expected to hit and make landfall in northern Taiwan, based on its forecast position. Still, it continued to dump rains over Luzon, causing severe ooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Some streets in low-lying areas a ected by the typhoon were turned into rivers, reminiscent of Ondoy’s devastating impact in the country’s National Capital Region back in 2009. The rampaging oods prompted the Metro Manila Mayors’ Council to declare a state of calamity in the NCR. In its weather Bulletin issued at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, Pagasa said the Southwest Monsoon and Carina will bring heavy to intense rains (100-200 mm) over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Abra,

and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program from the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with a loanable amount of up to P25,000 payable in three years at zero interest. The department also noted that available funds from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) would be disbursed to indemnify a ected farmers.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) recently reported that typhoon Carina slightly intensi ed as it progressed northward over the Philippine Sea. It is the third severe weather disturbance to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this year and continues to induce rain over Luzon.

The state weather bureau said typhoon Carina will remain far from the Philippine landmass and it is also forecast to make landfall over the northern portion of Taiwan between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, nally exiting the PAR.

DOF eyeing $500-M loans for disaster relief, rehab

AS typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon persists, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto said the Department of Finance (DOF) is ready to tap US$500 million in a loan agreement to provide disaster relief and rehabilitation eﬀorts in areas aﬀected.

In a statement on Wednesday, Recto said the funds will be withdrawn and released immediately once President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declares a state of calamity. Metro Manila was declared to be in a state of calamity on Wednesday due to strong rains and ﬂoods caused by the monsoon intensiﬁed by the typhoon.

“ is will allow us to rapidly deliver critical services like healthcare, shelter, and food to those affected by typhoon Carina as well as fund post-disaster emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction eﬀorts,” Recto said. e national government will

obtain a loan from the World Bank’s Philippines Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Climate Development Policy Loan (DPL) with a Catastrophe-Deferred Drawdown Option (CAT-DDO5), which grants it access to funds during emergencies.

A presidential declaration of a state of calamity or a public health emergency is needed before the release of funds under the standby credit facility, the DOF explained.

e CAT-DDO5 is part of the Philippines’ Disaster Risk Financing Insurance (DRFI) strategy. is aims to maintain a sound ﬁ scal health at the national level, devel-

op sustainable ﬁ nancing mechanisms for local government units (LGUs) and reduce the impact on the poorest and most vulnerable, the DOF said.

In a recent development, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board approved US$1 billion worth of climate adaptation and mitigation projects, including a research and development business (R&DB) program for Filipino entrepreneurs to promote climate-resilient development.

A total of 17 funding proposals for adaptation and mitigation projects and six new accredited entities, were approved by the Board including sectors such as coastal resilience, sustainable agricultural systems, ecosystem restoration and climate technologies.

e Collaborative Research and Development Business (R&DB) Programme for Promoting the Innovation of Climate Technopreneurship is among the approved projects involving the Philippines. is aims to facilitate technological transfer and improve the local ecosystem for climate technology by empowering local entrepreneurs in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Vietnam.

e DOF said the US$221.215million program will be divided

among the recipient countries and allow Filipino green entrepreneurs to leverage global technological expertise and accelerate climate-resilient development in the country.

e GCF will cover US$104.471 million of the total cost through grants and equity while the US$116.744 million will be earmarked by the co-ﬁ nancer’s contributions.

is newly approved funding brings the GCF’s total grant to the Philippines to US$137.7 million for nine projects. e country is also currently implementing four readiness activities with the GCF.

e DOF, as the national designated authority of GCF in the Philippines, also met the GCF Asia Paciﬁc Regional Team Secretariat during the 39th Board Meeting held in Incheon, Korea from July 13 to 18, 2024.

Discussions have been done on expediting the country’s projects with the GCF by developing a steady pipeline of priority projects totaling approximately US$306.29 million across four projects. Also discussed were the next actions needed to access the US$10million Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, which provides direct access to entities and implementing agencies of GCF projects in the country.

during the onslaught of Ondoy in 2009.

Calamity in Metro Manila

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is still hoisted over Batanes, while the TCWS No. 1 remains over Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga), and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Burgos, Bangui, Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Adams).

Dams watched PAGASA is also monitoring water levels in some of the country’s dams, including Angat, Ipo, La Mesa, Ambuklao, Binga, San Roque, Pantabangan, Magat, and Caliraya.

At least three ﬂoodgates in Ipo Dam and one in Binga Dam have been opened. As of 4 p.m., the water level at La Mesa reached 80 meters. is is just .15 meters short of spilling or overﬂow level.

Based on Pagasa’s Flood Information, at least four of the 18 major river basins are under Flood Watch Status. ese are Pampanga, Agno, Cagayan and Marikina Laguna de Bay.

e Marikina River reached 20.3 meters as of 2 p.m. and the water level continued to rise due to heavy, intermittent rains.

Meanwhile, Pagasa warned that excess ﬂood waters in La Mesa Dam will overﬂow if the dam elevation reaches 80.15 m.

“Water from La Mesa Dam is expected to aﬀect the low-lying areas along Tullahan River from Quezon City, particularly Fairview, Forest Hills Subdivision, Quirino Highway, Sta. Quiteria, and San Bartolome; and Valenzuela City, particularly Barangay Ligon, North Expressway, La Huerta Sudbidivison, and the low-lying Malabon City in Northern Metro Manila,” Pagasa’s public advisory said.

Meanwhile,the level at the Marikina River is reportedly reaching alarming levels, reaching a high of 20.3 m. Under this situation, the local government unit of Marikina is compelled to initiate forced evacuation to safely evacuate communities in low-lying areas.

Excess waters overﬂowing from the Marikina River had caused severe ﬂooding in Metro Manila

HEAVY rains and ﬂooding prompted Metro Manila mayors to declare a State of calamity on Wednesday.

e mayors agreed with the recommendation of Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr., who also presided over the emergency meeting at the MMDA New Building in Pasig City.

Earlier, Abalos gave his recommendation to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., citing the eﬀects of Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

But Marcos said the declaration will be up to the local chief executives of the NCR.

A state of calamity declaration enables the local government to access emergency funds swiftly and implement relief operations.

Class suspensions

TORRENTIAL rains and heavy ﬂooding caused by the Southwest Monsoon and Typhoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi) in Metro Manila prompted Malacañang to suspend government ofﬁces and classes at all levels in the region for the second day.

e Oﬃce of the Executive Secretary approved the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to declare the suspension. NDRRMC said the measure aims to prevent untoward incidents and ensure the safety of the general public, e order does not cover agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital services shall continue with their operations and render the necessary services. As for the private sector, they are given the discretion to suspend work.

Pagasa’s forecast says Metro Manila, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Cavite, Batangas, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, and Laguna will experience moderate to intense rains with possible fl ash floods or landslides on Wednesday due to the intensified Typhoon Carina and the effects of the southwest monsoon.

President Marcos Jr., mobilized all concerned government agencies to respond to areas devastated

Southwest Monsoon and typhoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi).

“I have instructed all concerned agencies to provide swift assistance to all those aﬀected by Typhoon #CarinaPH and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon,” the chief executive said in a social media post Wednesday morning. He said the government has prepositioned P2.88 million worth of aid and placed close to 4,500 personnel on standby for search, rescue, and retrieval operations.

e President also reported the concerned government agencies already released P43.15 million worth of in assistance to over 770,000 individuals affected by the Southwest Monsoon in Visayas and Mindanao. “I will be holding a situation briefi ng this morning [July 24] to assess the current situation and ensure that all necessary support is provided promptly and effectively,” Marcos said. In its report on Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Tropical Cyclones Carina and Butchoy, as well as the Southwest Monsoon resulted in eight confi rmed deaths.

Red Cross rescue THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) provided assistance to the displaced families. For the displaced families of Isla Puting Bato and Brgy. 649 in Manila, the Red Cross distributed hot meals to over 440 individuals in the Delpan and Baseco evacuation centers on July 23. Vehicles and other assets such as 6x6 multi-purpose response trucks were mobilized and deployed to Malabon to help residents in ﬂooded areas. On July 24, the Red Cross’ Emergency Response Unit (ERU) rescued stranded individuals in Brgy. Addition Hills, Mandaluyong. e Red Cross and its local chapters are on alert for relief operations nationwide.

Sa ating mga kababayan, mag-ingat po kayong lahat. Be vigilant and prepared. In case of emergency, don’t hesitate to call us, dial hotline 143 for immediate assistance. Umasa po kayo na we are always ﬁ rst, always ready, and always there sa anumang sakuna at kalamidad,” reminded PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon.

With Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Some Metro areas below nearly-3 feet of floodwater

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported last Wednesday that 25 major roadways in the metropolis were flooded with water reaching between eight inches up to 45 inches as rain continued to pour down the country beginning Tuesday.

In a report, the MMDA said eight major thoroughfares in the City of Manila were below eight inches up to 24 inches (halftire) deep in water; the latter notably along España Boulevard to Antipolo Street.

By 9:30 a.m., the MMDA said nine major thoroughfares in Quezon City, with Victoria TM Street gutter deep or eight inches under water. The MMDA said the worst flooding was reported at E. Rodriguez-Araneta area and G. Araneta Street south-bound to Ma. Clara Street, where floodwater was above the chest or 45 inches.

At the Edsa-Quezon Avenue Tunnel and from Edsa north-bound to Oliveros Street, the MMDA said water were waist-high or 37 inches. Marcos highway, on the SM Marikina, side, water was gutter deep or eight inches, according to the MMDA.

In Pasay City, five major thoroughfares were inundated with the worst at the Airport Road (13 inches).

Water along C5 in Taguig City was above the knee while it was 13 inches along the MacArthur route in Valenzuela City.

San Juan MEANWHILE , Mayor Francisco Javier “Francis” M. Zamora announced last Wednesday the San Juan City’s “rescue cluster has already been activated since Monday afternoon and continues to respond to the needs of our constituents.”

“Rescue teams have already been deployed and ask residents who are experiencing flooding to follow the instructions of our responders,” Zamora said.

As of 11:00 a.m. of July 24, there were 59 individuals from 118 families have been evacuated to the San Juan City Gym, which has been open since Tuesday to accommodate displaced residents, the mayor said through a statement.

Floodwater reached chest-deep in some places, according to city officials. The most affected areas include Barangays San Perfecto, Batis, Kabayanan, and Balong Bato, where rescue operations have been launched.

“Prepositioned rescue boats in these high-risk areas have been deployed to expedite the evacuation and ensure that residents are brought to safety,” the statement read.

The water level in the San Juan River continue to increase and remains at a critical level of 14.34 meters as of 10:40 a.m., according to the office of the mayor.

Zamora attended a briefing with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Camp Aguinaldo, which began at 10:00 a.m. of Wednesday, to coordinate further actions and resources needed for the ongoing rescue and relief efforts.

Sen. Go asserts vigilance in upholding PHL rights in the West Philippine Sea

Offices, classes in 3 regions closed as govt acts on ‘Carina’ aftermath

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

& Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

NOTING the continuous rainfall brought about by the southwest monsoon and Typhoon “Carina,” and to aid in the rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector, Malacanang suspended work in government offices and classes at all levels in Region 3, Region 4-A and the National Capital Region (NCR) on July 25.

“However, those agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/ response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital services shall continue with their operations and render the necessary services,” said the order issued by the Office of Executive Secretary (OES) Lucas Bersamin.

The suspension of work for private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their respective heads.

The Department of Labor and Employment re-issued early Wednesday its 2022 circular setting guidelines for private sector offices and workers during severe circumstances such as those brought on by ‘Carina’ and ‘habagat.’

The OES noted the suspension aims to help facilitate the rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector in the typhoon-hit areas.

During his situation briefing on the effects of typhoon Carina and the Southwest Monsoon in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City last Wednesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sought updates on the status of the government relief efforts.

“I told them to focus [relief efforts] in areas, which, until now, still can’t be accessed,” Marcos said.

The Chief Executive reportedly instructed heads of the agencies to closely monitor the situation in Calabarzon and Central Luzon since he expects the floodwaters in these areas to persist in the coming days.

Stockpile distribution

MARCOS also directed the the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to adjust the distribution of relief items, particularly in areas with the highest numbers of affected families.

“Adjust the distribution of your stockpile. We can already see the trend of where the hardest-hit areas are. As much as possible, let’s start prepositioning our response to these areas to make it easier for us,” the President told DSWD officials

present during the briefing.

There, Special Assistant to the Secretary (SAS) for Disaster Response and Management Group and Concurrent Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau (NRLMB) Leo L. Quintilla told Marcos that his agency has a total of around one million FFPs and with a total standby funds and stockpiles funds of P2.6 billion.

The DSWD also maintains more than P1.2-billion worth of other food and non-food items, the NRLMB OIC added.

Quintilla said the stockpile is in the agency’s disaster response centers, regional offices and in the last-mile warehouses in local government units, especially in the geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas.

The boxes of FFPs and other relief items have been prepositioned even before Typhoon Carina entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

“We still have around 1.6 million available FFPs through our framework agreement with different suppliers that are ready to be drawn down anytime we need additional relief goods to augment the LGUs,” Quintilla said.

More than 800,000 persons OFFICE of Civil Defense Director Ceasar M. Idio reported there were 12 rain-induced landslides and 423 flooded areas

is ours is ours. Ang importante ay maproteksyunan ang buhay at kabuhayan ng bawat Pilipino.”

as of Wednesday morning. Documents showed that the DSWD, LGUs and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (NDRRMO) have released a total of P29-million worth of assistance to the affected families.

Based on the report of the DSWDDisaster Response Operations Management, Information Center (Dromic) at 6:00 a.m. of July 24, a total of 45,328 families have been affected by the weather disturbance. The Dromic report said the figure is equivalent to 91,062 individuals in 225 barangays in the following: National Capital Region (NCR); Region 1 (Ilocos); Region 2 (Cagayan Valley); Region 3 (Central Luzon); Calabarzon;

NCR, Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 6, Region 7, Calabarzon and Mimaropa. Idio added there were eight reported deaths as well as 183,454 affected families, totaling to 882,861 persons. The DSWD has earlier set

Marcos had passionately reinforced the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea in his address, emphasizing its territorial significance and as an enduring element

Thursday, July 25, 2024

IPOPHL sees surge in trademark applications

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

THE Intellectual Property Of -

fice of the Philippines (IPOPHL) expressed confidence that the number of trademark applications for this year will surpass the 41,953 recorded in 2023.

“For this year, trademark filings from January to June have hit 21,751, comprising 86 percent of the total IP filings of 25,263 for the same period,” IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba said in his speech at the firstever Philippine Trademark Conference on Wednesday.

Because of this, Barba said the

number of trademark applications for this year will “soar even higher.”

In 2023, Barba said trademark applications reached 41,953 or 84.2 percent of the overall intellectual property filings of 49,832.

“Ultimately, this goes to show that individuals, businesses, and organizations are valuing the protection given to their brands by their registered trademarks,” he said.

He also underscored the importance of having a trademark, which he described as “the heart of a brand”, adding that this “protects the signs that distinguish your products and services from your competitors— including ensuring the exclusivity

of your brand.”

As the parent agency of IPOPHL, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the country’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), can “significantly” benefit from robust trademark protection.

“Trademarks level the playing field, allowing small businesses to compete with more prominent, wellestablished brands,” said Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual.

“By protecting their unique identities and products, MSMEs can enhance their market presence, attract investments, and expand their reach,” he added.

This, in turn, translates into job

creation, increased exports, and overall economic growth for the Philippines, according to Pascual.

Madrid e-Filing system

IPOPHL also launched during the Trademark Conference, the Madrid e-Filing system which will “empower” local businesses with streamlined processes, cost savings and broader global reach.

“The Madrid e-Filing system is a cutting-edge online platform designed by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to streamline the filing of international trademark applications under the Madrid System,” said IPOPHL in

‘’Online enterprises boost biz name registrations in H1’

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said business name registrations grew 6 percent to 679,118 in the first half from last year’s 640,244 on the back of the “growing popularity” of online businesses.

“The surge is attributed to several factors, including the growing popularity of online businesses, the sustained resilience of traditional businesses like sari-sari stores, and the thriving entrepreneurial environment in the Calabarzon region,” the DTI said in a statement.

According to DTI’s Business Name Registration System (BNRS) website, as of July 23, business name registrations reached 748,157, of which 660,177 are new registrations. Per industry, the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods accounted for the biggest chunk of the business name registration pie with 424,162 registrations.

This was followed by accommodation and food service activities with

104,343 business name registrations; Manufacturing with 41,871; and Real Estate activities, 37,287. Per region, Region 4-A or Calabarzon had the contribution with 141,531, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 116,470. Region 3 or Central Luzon came in third, with 98,837 business name

registrations followed by Region 6 or Western Visayas which recorded 50,865 business name registrations.

At the bottom of the list was the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) which posted 8,582 business name registrations.

“These impressive figures dem -

onstrate the strong entrepreneurial spirit of Filipinos and the effectiveness of our initiatives to foster a business-friendly environment,” said Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual.

“The DTI remains committed to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs and existing businesses alike, providing them with the resources and assistance they need to succeed,” he added.

The Trade department said the “remarkable” growth in business name registrations signals a “growing economy, increased job opportunities and a brighter future for the Philippines.”

Meanwhile, 2023 was dubbed by DTI as the “banner year” for business as the agency was able to register 984,330 business names, a 5-percent increased compared to the previous year.

The DTI said it “continues to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities available and contribute to the nation’s economic growth.”

Andrea E. San Juan

House appropriations panel backs Marcos programs

TBy Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

HE House Committee on Appropriations has vowed to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s development agenda outlined during the Chief Executive’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) through a strategic budget allocation.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Zaldy Co of Ako Bicol Party-list has emphasized the chamber’s commitment to ensuring the necessary funds are allocated to bring the President’s comprehensive plans and initiatives to fruition, underscoring the crucial role of strategic budget allocation in achieving the administration’s vision for the nation.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is expected to submit the P6.352trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP)

to the House of Representatives on July 29, following its review by the Cabinet.

“President Marcos again demonstrated his unwavering dedication to uplifting the lives of every Filipino,” Co said.

“His comprehensive plans and initiatives are testaments to his vision for a brighter future for our nation. As chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, I will ensure that necessary funds for his priority projects are properly allocated,” he added.

Co stressed the pivotal role that budget allocation plays in the success of the president’s programs.

“An integral part of the success of the President’s vision lies in our ability to judiciously allocate funds where they are most needed. The President has set clear priorities that will drive our nation forward, and it is my duty to ensure these priorities are met with the

appropriate financial support to turn them into reality,” he added.

In his latest SONA, President Marcos highlighted several key initiatives aimed at advancing the lives of Filipinos.

Co affirmed his support for the administration’s legacy projects, particularly in the areas of food security, healthcare, and housing, as well as other priority initiatives like education and infrastructure development.

Food security and the lowering of food prices are critical issues for many Filipinos, the president said.

Co echoed the importance of agricultural development and modern farming methods in achieving food self-sufficiency and lowering the price of rice and other prime commodities. He said that, upon the instructions of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the House budget panel is allocating funds for irrigation and fertigation, contract farming, seed distribution, and farm mechanization.

“We also support initiatives like handing out the Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) and infrastructure projects that include solar irrigation, farm-to-market roads, and other programs to give farmers a better life,” he said.

Healthcare remains a top priority for President Marcos, and Co pledged that specialty hospitals will receive the funding they need to provide quality care to all Filipinos.

“Per the instruction of President Marcos, we will continue building Legacy Specialty Hospitals in various regions. We’re also upgrading existing medical facilities to safeguard the health of the people,” Co said.

Infrastructure development, vital for economic growth and connecting communities, was also underscored by President Marcos in his speech, along with education.

“Quality education is the foundation of our country’s future. We will make the necessary allocations to improve schools and educational facilities, give more scholarships, and develop our teachers to better educate our youth,” he stressed.

In addition, Co said he will continue to support the president’s Legacy Housing projects designed to build decent and affordable homes for Filipinos.

Overall, the Bicolano lawmaker expressed optimism about the new targets of the administration.

“President Marcos can count on the support of the House of Representatives to deliver the best public service to our citizens,” he said.

a statement on Wednesday.

The agency said this “innovative” tool simplifies the process for applicants, enabling them to electronically submit applications, monitor their status and manage trademark portfolios across multiple countries through a single, user-friendly interface.

This tool features two primary modules: the Applicant Filing Module, which simplifies application processes, and the Office of Origin Module, customizable for IP offices to manage filings.

“With these modules, stakeholders can not only submit trademark applications online but also directly communicate with their Office of Origin and promptly address any irregularity notices issued by the WIPO,” said IPOPHL. Barba also said this will reduce complexity and costs, enhance global reach allowing businesses to protect trademarks in multiple countries with one application, and provide support for small and medium-sized enterprises to expand internationally through a user-friendly interface and integration with IPOPHL.

“In all, this improves document exchange and overall intellectual property infrastructure that entices others to safeguard their IP without fear of hurdles in the process and bolsters global competitiveness,” he added.

Govt banks on distribution of more lands to hike rice output

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) continues to distribute land and provide various support services to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in support of the Marcos Jr. administration’s food security thrusts. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. credited the agency’s land-distribution effort during his third state-of-nation address (SONA) last Monday, as he expressed confidence in stabilizing the prices of basic commodities, including the food staple with the increase in production areas through DAR.

In a statement, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III reported that the distributed 135,392 titles—comprising of electronic land titles (e-titles) from Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, Emancipation Patents (EPs) and Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs), 43,617 titles covered freshly distributed 53,860 hectares of farmlands and were handed to 39,853 ARBs from January to July 2024.

The previous administration distributed a total of 17,640 e-titles, EPs, and CLOAs, covering 26,403 hectares of farmlands to 17,549 ARBs over its last 16 months in office, from March 2021 to June 30, 2022.

“This is a clear testimony that the Marcos administration is determined to fasttrack the distribution of farmlands to CARP beneficiaries with the end in view of enhancing farm

productivity,” Estrella said. Of the total 135,392 land titles distributed under the PBBM administration, 83,293 were individual e-titles derived from the collective CLOAs subdivided under the Project SPLIT, which is meant to empower and inspire ARBs to work doubly hard on their respective farmlots now that their property rights and security of tenure is protected.

During his SONA, Marcos Jr. expressed confidence that prices of basic commodities would stabilize as the number of hectares of farmlands awarded to beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) under his administration increased by more than threefold compared to his predecessor.

Marcos said he expects prices of basic goods to stabilize soon after the country produced last year more than 20 million tons of palay or 20.06 tons to be exact, “the highest since 1987.”

The President attributed the increase in palay production to the fasttracking of land distribution.

With more farmlands distributed and more hands to till them, Marcos said, it translates to greater productivity, the primordial concern of his administration in a bid to meet the ever-growing demand for basic goods, especially rice, which costs nowadays at P45 to P60 a kilo depending on the quality.

The government has recently rolled out a program that offers cheaper rice at P29 per kilo.

Group warns against hazardous kiddie raincoats

WHILE raincoats can protect children from the rain, the materials used to make them may be hazardous to children, too.

The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition alerted consumers about a highly hazardous chemical in some plastic raincoats for children.

In a statement, the group raised the toxic alert after screening 12 plastic raincoats for cadmium, a chemical that “exerts toxic effects on the kidneys, the skeletal system and the respiratory system and is classified as a human carcinogen,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The group purchased the raincoats costing P39 to P250 each from retail stores in Caloocan, Las Piñas, and Pasay Cities. The purchased items were screened for cadmium.

Out of the 12 raincoats, which are mostly made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, four were found to contain cadmium at levels above 100 parts per million (ppm), the European Union’s limit for cadmium in all plastics. The group used a handheld Olympus M Vanta Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device to check the samples.

A light blue raincoat with a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse design was found to contain 691 ppm of cadmium, while three pink raincoats with Peppa, Princess, and Princess Mica designs had 371 ppm, 317 ppm, and 220 ppm, respectively. Cadmium was not detected on the eight other kiddie rain gears. None of the 12 analyzed plastic raincoats provided complete product labeling information. None of the samples were labeled “with cadmium” or “cadmium-free,” for the guidance of consumers. Jonathan L. Mayuga

The group’s activities are part of its continuing campaign to promote children’s health and safety against undisclosed hazardous chemicals lurking in some common school materials.

PHOTO FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY'S REGIONAL OPERATIONS GROUP

ERC report on delayed power projects out soon; breaching outage limits probe within ‘24

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said on Wednesday its findings on delayed power projects will be out next week while an ongoing probe on power firms for breaching the allowable number of outage days will be finished within the year.

“I just don’t want to preempt… but the commission has already resolved this issue. We should be coming out with our decision in

the next week; the actual print of the decision in the next few days. Penalties were imposed by the commission for those projects

883 families evacuated in Zambales as ‘Carina’ exits

By Henry Empeño

IBA, Zambales—A total of 883 families composed of 2,374 individuals were evacuated to safety on Wednesday as Typhoon Carina in the last three days whipped up incessant monsoon rains that flooded areas in at least nine of the 13 towns of Zambales.

The Zambales Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported that 30 barangays in the province experienced flooding, with the deepest recorded at 7.68 feet in the coastal village of Naulo in Santa Cruz town.

In view of the continuing inclement weather, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. on Wednesday ordered the suspension of work in all government offices, as well as private agencies and offices and of classes throughout the province due to the continuing inclement weather brought about by the typhoon.

PDRRMO Head Rolex Estella said that as of 6 p.m. on Monday, the greatest number of evacuees was recorded in Botolan with 825 individuals from 349 families in 15 barangays; followed by Iba town with 561 individuals from 170 families in six barangays, Cabangan with 369 individuals from 123 families in eight barangays; Subic with 263 persons from 80 families in seven barangays, and San Narciso with 245 persons from 116 families in four barangays.

The other towns that recorded residents sheltering temporarily in evacuation centers are: Santa Cruz with 58 families composed of 162 individuals; Masinloc, 48 families with 107 persons; Castillejos, 27 families, 78 persons; and Candelaria, 1 family of 3 individuals

Most of the still-flooded communities were in Botolan town, with 11 areas under two to three feet of floodwaters; Palauig with seven areas; the capital town of Iba with six barangays under water; Cabangan with five; Santa Cruz with four; and Subic with three.

Estella said Ebdane ordered the preventive evacuation of residents in low-lying areas to reduce the chances of having to mount risky search and rescue operations amid flooding at nighttime.

The evacuees, who are mostly housed in school rooms and barangay halls, also received food packs from the office of the governor.

Estella added that PDRRMO operatives also evacuated the remains of a deceased person when floodwaters threatened to disrupt the wake held at Barangay Paco in Botolan. The rescue team braved waist-deep floodwaters to bring the casket to the Botolan People’s Plaza, more than a kilometer away.

Besides forcing the evacuation of residents, heavy rains also caused a minor landslide at Sitio Itanglew, Barangay San Rafael, damaged slope protection in Barangay Linasin, and a dike and bridge approach in Barangay Santa Fe, all in in San Marcelino. A hanging bridge was also partially destroyed in Santa Cruz town.

In Sitio Tektek, Barangay Laoag, San Felipe town, raging swells along the coast destroyed the sea wall and eroded the coastal road that was built to protect the seaside community.

The MV Hyperline 988, a foreign aggregate carrier that ran aground in the area after being detained by the Philippine Coast Guard for deficiencies and unauthorized anchorage, was also reported to have floundered at the coast of Tektek due to heavy seas.

where there were unjustified delays because we have to also understand that in some instances delays were justified,” said ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta during the Post Sona (State of the Nation Address) panel discussions.

The agency is also investigating 37 generation companies that exceeded their allowable outages.

“We investigated around 139 units that went on outage. Out of those 139 units, we found 37 generation companies that have exceeded their allowable outages based on the resolution of the commission.

Once we have completed the evaluation of these explanations for those that were not justified, we

will also be imposing penalties,” she said.

The ERC, she said, is mandated to review the performance of stakeholders concerned to ensure compliance with reporting requirements, maintenance and technical standards, as well as observance of allowable outage limitations.

Dimalanta emphasized the critical importance of ensuring a steady and adequate power supply to meet consumer demands.

“We are fully aware of the difficulties brought about by these power disruptions and affirm our commitment to a thorough investigation.”

Attempted murder raps filed vs. suspect in Laguna media attack

ACASE for attempted murder was filed recently against a suspect in the shooting a week before of a local journalist based in San Pablo City, Laguna, the Presidential Task Forde on Media Security (PTFoMS) announced.

“Over this positive development, we commend the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) under the able leadership of PM/ Gen. Leo Francisco, for immediately responding to the task force’s request for a deeper probe of the incident involving Marc Angelo Barrios of Laguna Patrol,” said Undersecretary Paul M. Gutierrez, PTFoMS executive director.

“This again showed that the established mechanism by the government to address any violation in the right to life, liberty, and security of all members of the press is working efficiently,” he added.

Information reaching the task force disclosed that Francisco immediately instructed the concerned CIDG field unit to conduct a parallel probe in the late evening shooting of Barrios while he was on his way home to Bgy. San Gregorio by two motorcycle-riding suspects last July 15.

The initial police report said the suspects fired seven times at Barrios but he

was miraculously unharmed although his motorcycle was damaged by the attack. The suspects then sped off towards unknown destination.

The local police booked the incident as a case of “threat and malicious mischief,” prompting Gutierrez to seek the help of the CIDG and the Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management (DIDM) for a deeper probe of the incident.

“As the government’s principal agency to address all violations of media’s rights, we are always ready to render assistance to any member of the press in need of help,” Gutierrez stressed.

The CIDG accompanied Barrios last Monday in the filing before the Prosecutor’s Office of a case for frustrated murder against the principal suspect, a son of a barangay chairman and former city councilor, based on the result of its own probe. Gutierrez also cited the local police under P/LtCol. Will Saldivar for its immediate assistance to Barrios right after the incident.

However, he declined to name the suspect pending the result of the evaluation of the complaint by the attending prosecutor.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

THE Department of Education (DepEd) said that a total of 45 schools were damaged by the southwest monsoon and Super Typhoon Carina and that the estimated cost for repairing, reconstructing, and rehabilitating the damaged schools will amount to P308.50 million.

Regions that reported school damage are: Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, DepEd said that as of 11 a.m. of July 24, there were 21 schools currently being used as evacuation centers.

These schools are in National Capital Region and Region 4-A.

Malacanang ordered anew the suspension of classes in three regions—Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Central Luzon—to allow for continued rescue, relief and rehabilitation work.

Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian revived his bill for the setting up of permanent evacuation centers so as not to disrupt classes in schools that are used for evacuation centers during calamities.

Pointing out that during calamities, the common practice is to use public schools as evacuation centers, the lawmaker lamented that this “disrupts learning continuity,” citing Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 37 s. 2022, which says the use of schools as evacuation centers shall not exceed 15 days.

In filing the remedial legislation to protect pupils and teachers, Sen.Gatchalian signed up as one of the co-authors of the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act (Senate Bill No. 2451), aiming to establish evacuation centers in all cities and municipalities nationwide.

The proposed legislation provides that “these evacuation centers shall provide immediate and temporary evacuation for people displaced by humaninduced disasters, calamities, or emergencies such as floods, typhoons, earthquakes, fire, and the outbreak of diseases, among others.”

Demand for Pinoy seasonal workers up in Korea–DMW

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

DEMAND for Filipino seasonal workers (FSW) in South Korea rose even after the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) took over their processing from local government units (LGU) this year.

During the 2024 Post-State of the Nation Address (Sona) Discussions in Pasay City on Wednesday, DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac disclosed they already deployed around 5,000 seasonal workers to South Korea in the last six months.

The figure was higher compared to the 3,400 seasonal workers, who were already in South Korea and were deployed without going through the DMW.

"The deployment of 5,000 workers who went through the DMW...essentially means, we review their contracts. We ensured that there is insurance arrangement, medical insurance and other types of insurance arrangement for the workers and also, that they are OWWA (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration) members," Cacdac said.

"Thus far, due to our monitoring effort, we have not incurred at least major complaints as in the past. So, I should say that...it’s so good in so far as this program is concerned," he added. With the continued interest

from South Korean employers to hire FSWs, Cacdac reiterated their plan to craft an agreement with the national government of South Korea to cover the said category similar to the Employment Permit System (EPS).

The EPS of the DMW is used by the South Korean government to hire factory workers, and recently caregivers.

Cacdac also wants South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor to be involved in the processing of FSWs and not just the Ministry of Justice.

Prior to DMW, the processing of the Filipino seasonal workers was done between Philippine and South Korean local government units (LGU) through an illegal broker system. The scheme has led to incidents of abuse and mistreatment of FSWs in South Korea and prompted DMW to take over their processing and deployment.

DMW said the Department of Justice has helped in the filing of charges of illegal recruitment against 58 individuals involved in the deployment of FSWs—49 of them Filipinos and nine, Korean nationals.

"I looked at the status matrix and noticed that many of the cases have been forwarded to their respective provincial prosecutors for perhaps finalization of the DOJ finding," Cacdac said.

A PDRRMO team evacuates the remains of a resident after floodwaters threatened to disrupt the wake in Barangay Paco, Botolan, Zambales.

PHOTO BY ZAMBALES PDRRMO

Bangladesh crawls back to normalcy after violent clashes that killed nearly 200 people

By Julhas Alam The Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh— Bangladesh was crawling back to normalcy with limited internet and office hours Wednesday after more than a week of chaos triggered by student protests over government job quotas. Nearly 200 deaths were reported in just over a week of violence.

Most of the country remained without internet access, but thousands of cars were on the streets of the capital Dhaka after authorities relaxed a curfew for seven hours.

Offices and banks opened for a few hours Wednesday, while authorities restored broadband internet in some areas in Dhaka and the second-largest city of Chattogram. Authorities said the curfew would continue in Dhaka and elsewhere until the situation improves.

Since July 16, at least 197 people have been killed in violence, the leading Bengali-language Prothom Alo daily reported Wednesday. The Associated Press could not confirm the death toll from any official sources.

Mohammad Ali Arafat, the country’s junior minister for information and broadcasting, told a news conference on Wednesday that official casualty figures would

be announced after a judicial inquiry. He said a committee had been formed with a Supreme Court judge as its head to look into it. He made the remarks to reporters as they visited the site of arson and destruction at the state-run Bangladesh Television headquarters in Dhaka.

While the government has pledged student protesters would not face legal action or harassment, media reports said that nearly 2,700 people had been arrested in recent days across the country. Many of the detainees, including opposition supporters, were sent to prison pending further legal procedures as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pledged that perpetrators would face justice.

Schools and other educational institutions have remained closed until further notice.

Clashes have taken place since

The world’s hunger problem is barely improving, UN says

By Agnieszka de Sousa

THE world has made little progress in combating global hunger as conflict, extreme weather and economic challenges restrict people’s access to food, according to the United Nations.

About 733 million people—or 9.1 percent of the global population—were undernourished in 2023, little changed for a third straight year, UN agencies said in a report Wednesday. That’s still 152 million more than in 2019, putting the world off track to reach key goals, including zero hunger, by the end of this decade.

“While we have made some progress, improvements have been uneven and insufficient,” the UN said in the annual flagship study.

“Vulnerable populations, particularly women, youth and indigenous peoples, are disproportionately affected.”

While hunger is still on the rise in Africa, it has remained relatively unchanged in Asia, according to the report. Latin America and the Caribbean have made notable progress in securing regular access to adequate food.

More than 20 percent of people in Africa faced hunger last year, the largest proportion of the population among all regions. That compares with 8.1 percent in Asia and

6.2 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean. Still, Asia remains home to more than half of all those dealing with hunger.

About 2.8 billion people— roughly a third of the world’s population—couldn’t afford a healthy diet in 2022, the latest year available for that particular metric, the UN said. Some improvements have been made in child and maternal nutrition. This includes lower rates of stunted growth and higher numbers of mothers who exclusively breastfed infants.

However, rising trends in adult obesity, and anemia among women aged 15-49 are worrying, the UN said. Increasing women’s access to financial services would help improve food security and nutrition for households and communities, it added.

Overall, the number of undernourished people globally—defined as those regularly without enough calories to lead a normal and healthy life—is a midrange of estimates between 713 million and 757 million people.

The UN’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report was jointly produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Unicef and the World Health Organization. Bloomberg News

July 15 between the police and mainly student protesters demanding an end to a quota that reserved 30 percent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971. The chaos became deadly after the country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and right wing Jamaat-e-Islami party extended their support to the protests. While violence spread across the country, many government establishments were also under attack in Dhaka.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court ordered that the 1971 war veterans’ quota be cut to 5 percent. Thus, 93 percent of civil service jobs will be merit-based while the remaining 2 percent are reserved for members of ethnic minorities as well as transgender and dis -

abled people.

On Tuesday, the government issued a letter accepting and widening a Supreme Court ruling that reformed the quota system for government jobs. Hasina’s government welcomed the ruling and said it was ready to implement it.

The protesters took time to respond to Sunday’s decision, and on Tuesday they said the Supreme Court decision and the subsequent government circular were in favor of the protesters, but the government should answer for the bloodshed and deaths involving the protests.

The protests have posed the most serious challenge to Bangladesh’s government since Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in January elections that the main opposition groups boycotted. Universities have been closed, the in -

ternet has been shut off and the government has ordered people to stay at home.

Protesters had argued the quota system was discriminatory and benefited supporters of Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and wanted it replaced by a merit-based system. Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans who fought, who died and the women who were raped and tortured in 1971 deserve the highest respect regardless of political affiliation.

The Awami League and the BNP have often accused each other of fueling political chaos and violence, most recently ahead of the country’s national election, which was marred by a crackdown on several opposition figures.

On Wednesday, the government relaxed the curfew from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and opened offices and banks from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. while garment factories that export mainly to Western countries also opened. Some major roads in Dhaka were clogged with traffic.

Law Minister Anisul Huq has repeatedly said that the violence became grave as the armed cadres of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and right wing Jamaat-e-Islami joined the protests and attacked many government installations including the headquarters of the state-run Bangladesh Television, two toll plazas of a flyover and an expressway, two stations of metro rail in Dhaka.

Hundreds government-owned vehicles were also torched.

The headquarters of the main opposition party was raided and

sealed off. Police said they recovered sticks and iron rods and locally made weapons from the opposition party’s headquarters in Dhaka.

Bu Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the main opposition, rejected the allegations and blamed the government for the huge number of deaths.

On Tuesday night, authorities restored only broadband internet service partially in Dhaka and Chattogram after six days, said Zunaid Ahmed Palak, junior minister for Information Communication Technology.

He blamed the protesters, calling them miscreants, for the days of internet outage as a main data center was set on fire and fiber optic connections were cut. He said the internet would gradually be restored across the country, but for now corporate businesses, banks, diplomatic zones and some other areas would get internet access.

On Wednesday, Palak said internet users would have broadband access at home by nighttime but that social media sites including Facebook and Instagram would not likely be back online for days. Palak had earlier asked people to trust mainstream media rather than social media, and not to believe rumors.

This comes after a curfew with a shoot-on-sight order was installed days earlier and military personnel could be seen patrolling the capital and other areas. Authorities said about 27,000 soldiers were deployed across the country to assist in the civil administration maintain law and order.

Germany bans a group accused of links to Iran

BBy Geir Moulson The Associated Press

ERLIN —The German government on Wednesday banned an organization accused of being an “outpost” of Iran’s theocracy, promoting the ideology of its leadership and supporting Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group. Police raided 53 properties around the country, including a prominent mosque in Hamburg.

The ban on the Islamic Center Hamburg, or IZH, and five suborganizations around Germany followed searches in November.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said evidence gathered in the investigation “confirmed the serious suspicions to such a degree that we ordered the ban today.”

The IZH “promotes an Islamistextremist, totalitarian ideology in Germany,” while it and its suborganizations “also support the terrorists of Hezbollah and spread aggressive antisemitism,” Faeser said in a statement.

Her ministry said that “as the direct representative of Iran’s ‘Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution,’ the IZH disseminates the ideology of the Islamic Revolution in an aggressive and militant way and seeks to bring about such a revolution in the Federal Republic of Germany.”

The distinctive blue-tiled Imam Ali Mosque in Hamburg, the group’s most prominent facility, was among the properties raided by police early Wednesday. There were also raids in Berlin and six other German states.

The IZH has long been under observation by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, which said in its annual report for 2023 that it is Iran’s most important representative in Germany beside the country’s embassy.

It said there were no reliable figures for members or supporters of the group, founded in 1962. There have been calls for it to be banned for years.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded to the closure by sum -

moning Germany’s ambassador to Tehran, Hans-Udo Muzel, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The ministry’s director for western European nations, Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, “strongly objected” to the ban and called it “a hostile act” that contradicts “basic principles of human rights,” the report said.

Germany’s Interior Ministry said that, because of the ban, four Shiite mosques in the country will be closed. The IZH’s assets are also being confiscated. There are an estimated 150 to 200 Shiite congregations in Germany, according to the ministry, which stressed that it wasn’t acting against a religion.

The IZH said last fall that it “condemns every form of violence and extremism and has always advocated peace, tolerance and interreligious dialogue.”

The Interior Ministry said that, while the group tries to present itself as a tolerant and purely religious organization without political ties or a political agenda, “investigations have

confirmed without a doubt that the IZH’s activities are not simply religious in nature.” It said the group’s purpose and activities are opposed to Germany’s constitutional order. The top regional security official in Hamburg, Andy Grote, declared that the group is now “history.” He said that “the closure of this outpost of the inhuman Iranian regime is a really effective hit against Islamic extremism.”

Germany’s main Jewish organization welcomed the ban. “Iran’s mullah regime and its proxies are in position worldwide—their aim is the destruction of democracy and our way of living,” Josef Schuster, the president of the Central Council of Jews, said in a statement. Hezbollah is banned in Germany. The Iranian-backed group and Israel have been trading neardaily exchanges of fire across the Lebanon-Israel border since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out in October.

Wall Street donors plan get-rich-quick ideas for Harris bid

By Amanda Gordon & Isis Almeida

BANGLADESHI army patrols in an armored vehicle the Dhaka-Chittagong highway on the fourth day of curfew imposed by the government amidst the countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, July 23, 2024. AP/RAJIB DHAR

The recent inclusion of Manila in Forbes Advisor’s list of “Most Risky Cities for Tourists” raises concerns about the accuracy and fairness of such rankings. While it is important to prioritize the safety of travelers, it is equally crucial to examine the flaws in survey methodologies that can unfairly portray a city like Manila in a negative light. Manila’s ranking, based on questionable metrics, fails to reflect the ongoing efforts and improvements made by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other agencies to ensure the safety and security of visitors. (Read the BUSINESSMIRROR story: Manila listed among riskiest tourist sites, July 17, 2024).

Forbes Advisor’s assessment relies on various metrics, including crime risk, personal security risk, health security risk, infrastructure security risk, and digital security risk. However, these metrics are subjective and susceptible to biases and limitations. It is imperative to examine the flaws in these criteria that may have led to an inaccurate portrayal of Manila.

Firstly, the crime risk assessment, which ranked Manila at 9 out of 60 countries, fails to consider the positive developments in crime prevention and law enforcement efforts in the city. The DOT has been actively partnering with law enforcement agencies and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to enhance security measures and ensure the safety of tourists. The presence of tourist police in Manila further demonstrates the commitment to safeguarding visitors.

Secondly, the personal security risk assessment overlooks the comprehensive protocols and initiatives implemented by the DOT to address emergencies and disasters. The Tourism Disaster Risk Reduction Management Operations Manual provides detailed guidelines for handling unforeseen situations, while programs focusing on safeguarding women and children in the tourism industry prioritize the well-being of vulnerable individuals.

Additionally, the health security risk assessment fails to acknowledge the progress made in healthcare services and infrastructure in Manila. The government has been working diligently to improve the quality and accessibility of healthcare facilities, ensuring that tourists have access to adequate medical assistance when needed.

Furthermore, the assessment of infrastructure security risk neglects the extensive efforts to strengthen city infrastructure and its resilience against both man-made and natural disasters. Manila has made significant strides in enhancing infrastructure development to provide a safe and reliable environment for both residents and visitors.

It is crucial to recognize that rankings such as the one provided by Forbes Advisor do not reflect the complete picture of a city’s safety and security. The survey’s flaws and limitations must be acknowledged to avoid misleading conclusions. Foreign tourists today rely less on government advisories and more on firsthand experiences shared through social media and recommendations from friends and family. These personal accounts often provide a more accurate and balanced depiction of a city’s safety.

Manila, like any other bustling metropolis, faces challenges, but it is unfair to solely focus on its shortcomings without acknowledging the significant efforts undertaken to improve the safety and security of tourists. Travelers should consider a holistic view of Manila, including its vibrant culture, warm hospitality, and the vast array of attractions it has to offer. It is important to approach risk assessments with caution and skepticism, considering the limitations and biases inherent in such surveys. Manila’s inclusion in Forbes Advisor’s list should not overshadow the ongoing enhancements in peace and security in the city. The DOT’s commitment to ensuring the safety of travelers, along with the positive experiences shared by many visitors, should encourage tourists to explore and appreciate the wonders that Manila has to offer.

Good companies with bad stocks

I817-2807. (Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news.businessmirror@gmail.com www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

T is difficult to sit at my keyboard and not write about the nonsense called “American Politics”. I do not think that most Filipinos care that much about the current US drama. however, it is notable that this American political chaos makes Philippine politics look like a church fiesta, where the greatest controversy is who should win the barangay beauty contest.

The fun part is all the conspiracy theories that have erupted, which is understandable considering that the American public trusts its government about the same amount as they trust eating oysters covered in green fuzz.

Speaking of which, did China get Typhoon Gaemi (locally Carina) to move past the Philippines to Taiwan after the provisional arrangement for the resupply of the BRP Sierra Madre, forcing Taiwan to curtail its Han Kuang war

games, designed to prepare for a Chinese invasion?

Another subject though is more important as it may make us some money: the Philippine stock market.

After President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address and the announcement that the Chinese POGOs were supposedly to be shut down, there was concern about what might happen to property stocks particularly with the REITs (Real Estate Investment Trust).

How will I know that the uptrend is real and will continue? When I see the prices of good/great companies with bad/terrible stocks starting to rally higher.

The PSE index on Tuesday was basically unchanged. However, property developers SM Prime Holdings and Robinson’s Land did fall more than two percent, justified or not.

April Lee Tan, head of COL Financial Research, posted an excellent analysis on ‘X’ showing that potential problems from POGO exposure to the REITs was relatively minor with one exception. DoubleDragon Corporation closed down five percent and its subsidiary, DDMP REIT (DDMPR), also dropped the same percentage. I was told, although I have not confirmed the accuracy of the information, that DDMPR is highly exposed with 60 percent of its total office Gross Leasable Area with POGOs. We will wait to see how this plays out.

Tuesday’s close on the PSE Composite Index (PSEi) was 6,753. I still have prudent confidence in the PSE continuing its current uptrend.

The President’s speech was, in general, fairly well received despite the political baggage that he has not been able to shake off since being elected.

International Monetary Fund

(IMF) estimates for Real GDP Growth (adjusted for inflation) in 2024 remain favorable at six percent versus Indonesia/5 percent, Malaysia/4.4 percent, and Thailand/2.9 percent. Inflation is still sticky—3.7 percent—above our Asean neighbors: Thailand/0.62 percent, Malaysia/2.0 percent, and Indonesia/2.51 percent. The next inflation data will be released on August 6, with GDP growth to follow on August 8.

But it is the internals—not the fundamentals—of the stock trading that are giving me some happiness.

As of last Friday, the PSEi has been higher for four weeks. Going up is better than going down most of the time. The simple technical indicators that I follow continue to be brighter. Nonetheless, as I have said before, the two key levels are 6,800 and 7,000 for any sort of sustained long-term movement. Then again, with the performance of the PSEi and the difficulty making profits in 2024, I will take any sort of green shoots I can get. After four months of lower monthly closings, a higher month in July would be extremely welcomed. Here also the simple technicals are starting to smile. We have effectively been stuck between PSEi 6,200 and 6,800 for four years. Therefore a break and hold above 6,800 would almost make me believe in Santa Claus again. Except, it is not Christmas season.

See, “Mangun,” A9

Malaysia’s AI push lures stock investors after years of outflows

By Ivy Chok

AFTER years of getting shunned, Malaysia’s stock market is regaining favor with global investors.

International funds turned net buyers of the equities this year as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim drove policies to boost foreign investments in the semiconductor industry and artificial intelligence data centers. Foreigners had sold about $11.5 billion of their holdings on a net basis in the previous six years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The inflows reflect growing conviction among investors that Malaysia is turning a corner after years of lackluster growth and policy confusion due to a rapid turnover of leadership. The benchmark equity

Malaysia is emerging as a key bet on AI-related services in the region, while its position as a hub in the global chip supply chain boosts exports. The country also stands to gain from companies relocating operations amid escalating trade tensions between the US and China.

index is leading peers in Southeast Asia with a 12% advance this year, while the number of initial public offerings have surged. More gains await if Anwar is able cut more subsidies and reduce the fiscal deficit, investors said.

“We see a number of policies with clear objectives that offer direction on where the country is heading,” said Ernest Chew, Asean

portfolio manager at BNP Paribas Asset Management. “We also expect overall earnings growth of Malaysian companies to start accelerating from here with all the policies in place.”

Foreigners bought $172.5 million of Malaysian equities so far this year, while selling their holdings in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines on a net basis. Construction firm Sunway Bhd. and utility provider YTL Power International Bhd are the top gainers, as investors laid bets on the major beneficiaries of the tech and datacenter boom.

Malaysia is emerging as a key bet on AI-related services in the region, while its position as a hub in the global chip supply chain boosts exports. The country also stands to gain from companies

relocating operations amid escalating trade tensions between the US and China.

“Malaysia offers exposure to some interesting domestic and regional structural growth trends within emerging markets,” said Soo Hai Lim, head of Asia ex-China equities at Barings. “More concrete fiscal reform could be positive for the long-term outlook of the economy and stock market.” At the same time, the nation’s institutional funds have deployed more money into the market after the finance ministry and the central bank called on them to increase domestic investments, to shore up the ringgit when it fell to a 26-year low in February this year. The ringgit has recovered 2.6% since. See, “Malaysia,” A9

Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

Poland leverages China’s rail link in Europeto rein in Belarus

By Natalia Ojewska, Aliaksandr Kudrytski & Colum Murphy

POLA n D has threatened to choke off a key Chinese rail export route to the European Union in a diplomatic gambit to slow escalating the migration crisis on its eastern border.

President Andrzej Duda used his state visit in Beijing in late June to link the issue of migration and freight transit on the Belarusian border, according to people briefed on the talks. The number of irregular crossings from Belarus into Poland has dropped significantly since.

Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian leader of Belarus, has spent the last three years trying to stir up a migration emergency on his country’s 400-kilometer (250 mile) frontier with Poland.

Tensions escalated in May when a Polish border guard was attacked and killed by a migrant, after which the government in Warsaw pledged to spend around $2.5 billion to fortify the area.

It also found a diplomatic pressure point. As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shuttered trade routes, Belarus has emerged as the sole railway link for Chinese goods heading to the EU with the volume of containers increasing by 89% in the first quarter of 2024, according to the Eurasian Rail Alliance.

Lukashenko welcomed the jump in Chinese rail transit, eager to offset Belarus’ near-total dependence on Russia for cheap energy and loans.

On July 2, after Duda had returned from Beijing, Poland signaled that it would effectively shut rail transit through the Malaszewicze checkpoint on the Belarus border for 33 hours by slowing security and customs checks.

Poland’s leveraging of freight transit in discussions with China “could be a factor” in the lower numbers of border crossings since Duda’s visit, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told Bloomberg. “We are still very angry about the killing of our soldier on the border,” he said.

Leveraging China

A TTEMPTS to breach Poland’s border have ebbed and flowed in recent years, but began to rise sharply in the weeks before Eu -

ropean parliamentary elections in June. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the migrants were predominantly from Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria and Iran and accused Belarus and Russia of weaponizing migration.

The Polish president’s trip to China caught Lukashenko’s attention. In a speech on July 2, the Belarusian leader said that Duda “asked Xi Jinping to influence Lukashenko and Putin so that they would end migration.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a reply to July 11 questions from Bloomberg news that Beijing “hopes that relevant parties can properly resolve differences through dialog” and “ensure the security and smoothness of international logistics channels.”

Irregular border crossings from Belarus have plummeted by 70% since early June, Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told public broadcaster TVP Info on Tuesday. More than one hundred such cases were reported by the Polish border guards on June 27, the last day of Duda’s state visit.

Even if a tiny part of China’s exports to the EU go via Belarus, the shipping crisis on the Red Sea and its consequences for maritime trade mean that Eurasian rail links are enjoying a renaissance, said Konrad Poplawski from the Centre for Eastern Studies, a Warsawbased think-tank.

Warsaw’s so-far successful leverage of a strategic vulnerability against China can serve as a lesson for policymakers. Beijing, which Poplawski said is the EU’s “trade partner but also a competitor and systemic rival,” can change tack if the bloc is “ready to bear economic costs” when its core interests are at stake. With assistance from Maxim Edwards and Slav Okov / Bloomberg

Malaysia . . .

continued from A8

The number of IPOs have also surged, with 27 debuts raising a combined $723 million in proceeds so far this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That money raised is 43% higher than the tally for the same period of 2023.

“Domestic investors investing in the local market is very important,” said Mark Mobius, veteran emerging markets investor. “More important than just liquidity is the fact that they could encourage new listings, IPOs. This is where the institutions can really play a big role.”

These positive factors have prompted analysts to lift their targets for the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI gauge and revised earnings estimates. JPMorgan Chase and Co.’s analysts this month upgraded the market to neutral from underweight.

CIMB Securities expects KLCI company earnings to grow by 11% in 2024 and 8% in 2025, compared to just 5% last year, while Kok Lin Teoh, chief investment officer at Singular Asset Management, sees earnings per share growth of up to 25% for export-oriented sectors in

Modi budget prioritizes jobless voters who spurned him at polls

By Dan Strumpf & Ruchi Bhatia

Prime minister Narendra modi’s new government outlined vast spending on unemployment and projects favored by key political allies, in the most high-profile acknowledgment to date by the ruling party of india’s changed political landscape following a punishing election setback last month.

In an 83-minute speech before India’s parliament on Tuesday, Finance Minister nirmala Sitharaman said the government would deploy 2 trillion rupees ($23.9 billion) to create new jobs and boost skills for its vast young population — top issues of concern for voters in India’s recent elections, and one the government had largely brushed aside for years.

Modi’s government is also lining up financial support for two regional parties that have emerged as key allies of his governing coalition. The spending plan is his government’s first since voters denied his Bharatiya Janata Party a majority in parliament for the first time in 10 years — and ahead of key regional elections later this year.

Despite economic growth of more than 8% that makes it the fastest-growing major economy, India continues to suffer from deep economic woes like persistent unemployment, widening inequality and elevated inflation. Jobless -

ness, particularly among India’s huge and growing pool of young people, has emerged as a top challenge. The Center for Monitoring Indian Economy, a private research company, estimates a jobless rate of more than 40% for people between the ages of 20-24.

“There was a clear focus toward employment generation, which clearly remains the biggest challenge,” said Kunal Kundu, India economist at Societe Generale SA. “This is also a clear departure from the earlier narrative of unemployment not being a big challenge.”

Sitharaman pledged to lower the budget deficit to 4.9% of gross domestic product in the current fiscal year from her February projection of 5.1%. The new spending would be funded by surging tax revenues spurred by India’s expanding economy, as well as a record $25 billion dividend from the central bank.

The budget serves as one of the most concrete indications so far for

The budget serves as one of the most concrete indications so far for how Modi plans to accommodate the demands of voters and of his much-needed allies following the disappointing election outcome. Up until now, Modi’s government had yielded little to his new coalition partners: His party retained most of the powerful positions in cabinet, even as his allies kept up demands for funding for their financially troubled states.

how Modi plans to accommodate the demands of voters and of his much-needed allies following the disappointing election outcome.

Up until now, Modi’s government had yielded little to his new coalition partners: h is party retained most of the powerful positions in cabinet, even as his allies kept up demands for funding for their financially troubled states.

the next one to two years.

All eyes are now on the government’s fuel subsidy rationalization plan, which is expected as soon as this year. While a rollback in support for the country’s cheapest and most commonly used gasoline—which makes up the bulk of Malaysia’s subsidy bill—may trigger inflationary fears and cost the administration some political mileage, a delay would make it a challenge to meet its 2024 deficit target, according to Citigroup Inc.

The government cut blanket diesel subsidies in June as it sought to pare down an annual 81 billion ringgit ($17 billion) subsidy bill. The removals are seen as crucial for Anwar to meet his target of narrowing the fiscal deficit to 4.3% this year from 5% in 2023.

“Malaysia has a problem in terms of execution and sustainability of policy drives,” said Alan Richardson, a portfolio manager at Samsung Asset Management. “I am hoping the policy drive to attract new economy investments is not just a blip but the start of a trend.” (With assistance from Ram Anand, John Cheng and Filipe Pacheco / Bloomberg)

Kundu, of Societe Generale, noted that the budget’s heavy focus on joblessness stood in contrast to the BJP’s election manifesto, which contained scant references to India’s employment shortcomings.

Among the measures announced by Sitharaman on Tuesday were employment-linked incentives for businesses to create jobs, as well as measures to boost employee skills. To lift consumption, Sitharaman also announced a series of income tax breaks that she said would result in savings of up to 17,500 rupees a year for salaried Indians. For two key Modi allies—the Telugu Desam Party in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar—Sitharaman said Modi’s government would direct billions of dollars toward key projects, including for the development of Andhra Pradesh’s new capital.

Rahul Gandhi, who leads India’s opposition in parliament, on Tuesday said Modi’s budget was full of “hollow promises” aimed at appeasing allies with promises that come at a cost to everyday Indians. he also said the budget was a “copy and paste” of the opposition’s own campaign manifesto.

“Modi appeasing allies shows he has no choice but to adapt to the needs of coalition politics,” said Yamini Aiyar, a former president of the Centre for Policy Research, a think tank in n ew Delhi. “ h e has shown a degree of accommodation, even though he still has the upper hand.” With assistance from Preeti Soni/Bloomberg

Previous budgets have sought to juice growth by ramping up infrastructure spending, an approach applauded by businesses and foreign investors as they seek out India as a destination to diversify their supply chains away from China. But opposition parties have criticized the measures for neglecting poor Indians and for failing to deliver jobs. In its economic survey released Monday, India’s government said the country will need to create an average of 8 million non-farm jobs a year until 2030.

Thailand bets on $14 billion cash handout to revive economy

By Suttinee Yuvejwattana

Th AILA n D expects the rollout of a long-delayed cash handout to most adult citizens to help reverse a slump in economic activities and tackle the highest household debt in Southeast Asia.

The distribution of 10,000 baht ($277) each to all Thais 16 years and older under a certain income threshold in the fourth quarter will fire up purchasing power, revive manufacturing and boost overall confidence in the economy, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said at a briefing in Bangkok Wednesday.

Beneficiaries can sign up for the so-called digital wallet from Aug. 1 to Sept. 15 through an application called “Tang Rath.” Consumers can spend the cash at more than 2 million retail outlets, convenience and mom-and-pop stores under the scheme, aimed at helping both individuals and small businesses, though strict curbs include a ban on using the money to buy alcohol or cannabis.

The handouts, the centerpiece of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s efforts to revive growth and the fortunes of the ruling coalition, were originally intended

Mangun . . .

continued from A8

for early 2024, but were delayed by wrangling over how Thailand would pay for the stimulus. But lawmakers last week backed plans for an additional 122 billion baht of spending this fiscal year to fund the digital wallet.

“This is not just a normal cash handout,” Pichai said. “It’s a stimulus that encompasses all levels of economic activities, which will lead to more income generation and generate additional tax revenue for the government to do other things.”

Key details of the program:

n Cash can’t be used for pur -

chase of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, lottery, gold, diamond, natural gas, fuel, electronic devices and some other goods.

n More than 2 million shops can join the program; registration opens Oct. 1.

n Citizens have to buy products in shops located within districts where they reside.

n Money can’t be used for online purchases of goods.

n Registered merchants and vendors allowed to transact among themselves without any restrictions.

n Annual income limit set at 840,000 baht as of last year for participants.

n People with more than 500,000 baht in savings in banks as of March 31 can’t participate in the digital wallet.

The government originally expected to spend about 500 billion baht on the stimulus as there are 50.7 million people eligible for the program. But officials have since said they only expect a take-up rate of at most 90%, lowering the cost to about 450 billion baht.

The funding will come from the state budget over two fiscal years.

Of the total, 165 billion baht will come from the current fiscal year

A sustainable uptrend

and the

sues are increasingly showing

budget, which will end Sept. 30 and the remaining 285 billion baht will come from the next fiscal year. Issuing a supplementary budget is also among the government’s options to raise funds, according to Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat. If effective, authorities predict the stimulus will lift the growth rate in Southeast Asia’s secondlargest economy, which has averaged less than 2% annually for the past decade. Thailand’s recovery from pandemic had been hurt by a slump in manufacturing and exports with tourism being the sole bright spot in the economy.

While headline inflation has stayed below the central bank’s target range in the past year, prompting repeated calls for a rate cut from the government, the Bank of Thailand has cited household debt levels above 90% of gross domestic product as among the reasons to hold the cost of borrowing at the highest level in a decade.

Thailand’s household debt has soared about a fifth to 16.37 trillion baht, or 90.8% of the nation’s GDP as of end-March, from less than 14 trillion baht before the pandemic, central bank data show. Bloomberg News

ing

Farm damage from ‘Carina’ at P157M, DTI freezes prices

THE agricultural damage caused by the onslaught of Typhoon Carina has reached an initial total of P156.79 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In its latest bulletin, the DA said the volume of production losses in Mimaropa, Western and Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccsksargen, and Caraga regions was pegged at 1,096 metric tons (MT), with rice sustaining a chunk of the damages at 856 MT.

Other agricultural commodities like high-value crops (219 MT) and corn (21 MT) also suffered damage.

“Most of the damage and losses on rice are in newly planted and vegetative stages,” the DA said. According to the report, the production losses are equivalent to P145.36 million for rice, P8.50 million for high-value products, P2.85 million for corn, and P80.90 thou-

sand for livestock.

Typhoon Carina has also aﬀected 7,677 farmers and 8,821 hectares (ha) of agricultural areas.

DTI: Price freeze in NCR

MEANWHILE , the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced a price freeze on basic necessities in the National Capital Region following the declaration of a state of calamity by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) due to the devastating eﬀects of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon.

“ e price freeze, eﬀective immediately, aims to protect consumers from unjust price increases during this time of crisis,” said DTI Secretary Fred Pascual.

Stable power, connectivity,

“We are committed to ensuring that basic goods remain affordable and accessible to all affected residents,” he added. e price freeze will be in effect during the state of calamity. e DTI is closely coordinating with its NCR regional office in NCR to monitor the situation and guarantee the availability of essential goods. is price control includes essential goods such as rice, corn, bread, fresh vegetables, roots crops, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, coffee, sugar, cooking oil,

salt, laundry soap, detergent, fi rewood, charcoal, candles, and certain medicines classified as essential by the Department of Health. Pascual warned businesses that may attempt to exploit the situation: “We have activated our monitoring teams to strictly enforce the price freeze. ose found violating the law will face severe consequences, including imprisonment and substantial fi nes. We urge all establishments to comply with the price freeze and prioritize the wellbeing of our fellow citizens during this difficult time.”

e DTI, in coordination with other relevant government agencies, will closely monitor the prices of these items to ensure compliance.

DA provisions

MEANWHILE, the DA said it will provide 72,174 bags of rice seeds, 39,546 bags of corn seeds, 59,600 pouches and 1,966 kilos of vegetable seeds to the aﬀected farmers, with the Quick Response Fund (QRF) to cover the rehabilitation of aﬀected areas.

It said aﬀected farmers could avail themselves of the Survival

remote areas is very important,” the Ibpap head also told this paper. Zooming in on education reform, Marcos stressed in his SONA on Monday, “The IT and creative sectors are burgeoning industries, knowing no territorial bounds, and hold great promise for our talented and hardworking people.”

“This is the call of our times, and we are moving to answer that call, The schools will serve as the preeminent incubators of the innovative and creative energies of all Filipinos,” said the President. With this, the country’s chief executive unveiled his plan: “Advanced learning systems and technologies, in the areas of robotics, arti cial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, shall be made available in TVET Innovation Centers nationwide.”

In a statement in March, Ibpap revealed that it hosted a multi-stakeholder dialogue with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other agencies, recognizing the need to tighten cybersecurity and confront the rising incidents of cybercrime including fraud. Moreover, Celeste Ilagan, Ibpap Chief Policy O cer, said in the statement issued in March, “It is to the country’s advantage that we, as an industry with the di erent subsectors, di erent BPO players and individually, contribute to the resolution of this problem a ecting the growth of the industry,” Ilagan said. She underscored the signi cance of addressing the issue: “If we do not address this problem, our target of creating 1.1 million jobs by 2028 and contributing US$59 billion of export revenue will not happen.”

2 KEY LABOR ACCORDS WITH SAUDI UNDER REVIEW–DMW

TWO of the country’s major bilateral labor agreements with the top destination country for overseas Filipino workers (OFW), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), are now undergoing a review, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

DMW Secretary Hans J. Cacdac disclosed they initiated the review of the 2013 Domestic Worker Agreement and the 2017 General Labor Agreement upon the orders of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“So, we both agreed, my [Saudi] counterpart and I, that it’s time to review in the context of the many, many other factors that aﬀect domestic workers/OFWs in general in this day and age,” the DMW chief said during the 2024 Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Discussions in Pasay City on Wednesday.

“And the President deﬁ nitely has directed us to add on, to highlight, to modify or emphasize greater protection for our OFWs in Saudi Arabia,” he added.

e 2013 Domestic Worker Agreement contains provisions to protect the rights of employers and Filipino domestic work-

ers through a mutually acceptable recruitment and deployment system, which includes a standard employment contract. As for the 2017 General Labor Agreement, it contains safeguards for employers and OFWs, who are working in KSA through the regulation of recruitment costs and streamlining of the recruitment system.

Based on the latest Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data, KSA is the leading destination of OFWs in 2022. Of the 1.96 million OFWs during the said period, 23 percent or 450,800 of them are in KSA. In another development, Cacdac gave updates on the payouts of delayed salaries for over 9,000 OFWs, who were displaced by bankrupted Saudi ﬁ rms in 2015 and 2016. e DMW chief said the Saudi government already paid P1.95 billion to settle the claims of 2,500 of the aﬀected OFWs. “We’ve also been told that there will be at least around 1,800 more forthcoming in the next few weeks. We’re hoping that it will come in August, and so the number will go up to around 4,300,” Cacdac said.

He said another 2,200 of the aﬀected OFWs are expected to get their payments in the succeeding months.

THE government can oﬀset the potential revenue losses from the operations of Philippine Oﬀshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) by allowing gaming Business Process Outsourcing in export processing zones to ensure strict regulations, according to the former chief of the Presidential AntiGraft Commission (PAGC).

Atty. Nicasio Conti, now chief executive oﬃcer of Capstone-Intel Corp., lauded the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ban Pogo operations as these have been linked to serious crimes of human traﬃcking, kidnapping, tax evasion and other national security concerns.

“ e ban on Pogos is a commendable step towards safeguarding our national interests and ensuring a more secure and regulated gaming industry,” said Conti. He added that, “the negative implications of Pogos on our economy and society have been evident, and this decisive action will help mitigate these risks.”

Conti was reacting to the concerns raised by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda on the potential revenue losses from Pogo operations.

He proposed a strategic shift towards allowing gaming BPO operations in Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza), the Author-

ity of the Freeport Area of Bataan (Afab) and the Aurora Paciﬁc Economic Zone and Freeport (Apeco). ese government-attached agencies have separate mandates from Pagcor.

e former cabinet oﬃcial explained that gaming BPO in export processing zones can be regulated since these areas are considered as “controlled environments.”

“ e transition to gaming BPOs within designated Economic Zones can oﬀset the revenue loss from POGOs. ese zones are equipped to handle such operations eﬃciently and with greater regulatory oversight,” Conti explained in a press release on Wednesday.

Conti said Pagcor must step up monitoring and regulations, should it decide to issue licenses and allow Philippine Inland Gaming Operators (Pigos).

Earlier, Conti called for the strict prohibition of gambling advertisements across all platforms to mitigate the social impact of gambling within the country.

“If Pagcor continues to oversee Pigos, there must be rigorous monitoring and enforcement of regulations to ensure compliance. Additionally, gambling advertisements should be strictly banned in all media to protect our citizens from the potential harms of gambling,” he said.

TRADE Secretary Fred Pascual

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

SteelAsiA said it will put up five steel plants worth P82 billion in the next four years to replace imports, generate new businesses, create local jobs, and stimulate the local economy.

The company said in a statement on Wednesday the upcoming plants in Lemery, Batangas will cost P18 billion, Candelaria, Quezon, P30 billion; and Davao City, P8 billion. These three plants are expected to be completed by 2026. Meanwhile, the two plants in Concepcion, Tarlac are projected to cost P26 billion and will be completed in 2027.

SteelAsia Chairman and CEO Benjamin Yao said the new plants will churn out new products that are all being imported at the moment.

to “revitalize” the local steel industry and pledged government support for the company’s expansion plans.

“Over 70 percent of all infrastructure, housing, power, industrial and other business developments in the country use SteelAsia rebar.”

At a briefing in Cebu held last May, SteelAsia Vice President Rafael Hidalgo said the local steel industry can be “70 percent self-sufficient” with SteelAsia’s expansion and potential foreign investments in as early as four years.

“We are building the mother industry for manufacturing. We are way behind our neighbors but we will catch up. And as we do so, our mills and steel products will create new manufacturing industries that will result in more jobs and higher skilled workers, and economic growth, among others.”

Yao said these projects were disclosed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. who inaugurated SteelAsia’s “cutting-edge” P10-billion plant in Compostela, Cebu earlier this month. The President stressed the need

In 2022, the company noted that the Philippines spent over $3 billion to import steel products like wire rods, billets, sections and sheet piles. Yao said steel products from these new plants will have “applications” in infrastructure and construction and in various downstream steelintensive manufacturing industries.

Asked how much the steel firm would need to raise for its expansion plans, Hidalgo said, “excluding Lemery,it’s still around P65 billion.The total project cost is P65 billion.”

SteelAsia has existing plants in Batangas, Bulacan, Davao, and Cebu. The steel firm said this is a “deliberate geographic strategy” of Yao to cut transport costs and sell to customers at the same price across the country.

According to Hidalgo’s presentation in May, the Philippines is largely import dependent. More than 60 percent of the country’s billet requirements are imported, while (except for rebar) 86 percent of finished steel is imported.

SteelAsia: New factories to reduce PHL steel imports QMC water network gets upgrade

MA n ILA Water is carrying out the construction of the 110-millimeter mainline extension pipelaying project to support the rehabilitation of the Quezon Memorial Circle (QMC) in Quezon City.

As the redevelopment works in the 27-hectare national park are ongoing, the East Zone Concessionaire is upgrading the park’s water network by providing additional 54 meter service assemblies in its facilities and recreational areas to boost business and visitor activities. Completion and energization of the new waterline is expected by August this year.

With a project cost of over P8.7 million, the pipelaying project involves installation of the 110-millimeter-diameter high-density polyethylene pipes spanning 1,880

linear meters throughout the Quezon Memorial Circle. These pipes will also be interconnected to the existing 200-millimeter water line to further boost the water pressure around the area.

“We are always glad and eager to collaborate with local government units, especially when it comes to sustainability and greening projects. We share the belief with the Quezon City government that green spaces such as the Quezon Memorial Circle will contribute to better physical and mental health for its citizens,” Manila Water’s Corporate Communication Affairs Group Director Jeric Sevilla said in a statement.

Currently, excavations and pipelaying works are done at night to minimize disruption to the park’s operations.

Manila Water holds the right to provide water and wastewater services to the eastern side of Metro Manila under a concession agreement entered into between the company and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in August 1997 (Manila Concession). The original term of the concession was for a period of 25 years to expire in 2022.

The Manila Concession was extended by another 15 years or up to May 2037 by MWSS and the government in 2009.

On December 10, 2021, the franchise of Manila Water (Republic Act 11601) was signed into law and became effective on January 25, 2022. It granted Manila Water the franchise to establish, operate, and maintain a waterworks and sewerage system in the East Zone

“The development of downstream manufacturing and other industries is hampered by the lack of domestically produced steel products.”

At the inauguration of SteelAsia’s Compostela plant in Cebu last July 9, Marcos called on the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Energy along with other concerned agencies and stakeholders to “resolve the industry’s concerns regarding high power and logistics costs, which make up the bulk of its production inputs.”

“So I look forward to the formulation and submission of a concrete and feasible plan to improve our steel trade balance over the next years.”

Marcos also ordered the DTI to update the Iron and Steel Roadmap to guarantee its “continued stability and relevance amid regional and global trends and challenges.”

Heeding the president’s call, Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said, the DTI “will thoroughly review the Iron and Steel Industry Roadmap.”

“Our goal is to develop a comprehensive and sustainable strategy that strengthens the domestic steel industry and enhances our steel trade balance,” Pascual said in a statement earlier this month.

RECk ITT Benckiser Group Plc plans to sell some of its homecare brands and review options for its infant formula business as it seeks to revive growth following a period of poor performance.

The United k ingdom consumer company said its slower-growing homecare products, which include Cillit Bang and Airwick, generate almost £2 billion ($2.6 billion) in revenue and a sale will help streamline the business.

The beleaguered Reckitt said it’s also considering all options for its infant formula unit, which has been hammered by legal woes in the United States and a recent tornado in Mount Vernon, Indiana which damaged a warehouse storing ingredients.

Service Area of Metro Manila and the province of Rizal for 25 years.

The company provides water treatment, water distribution, sewerage and sanitation services to more than seven million people in the East Zone, comprising a broad range of residential, semi-business, commercial and industrial customers.

The East Zone encompasses 24 cities and municipalities spanning a 1,400-square kilometer area that includes Makati, Mandaluyong, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan, Taguig, Marikina, most parts of Quezon City, portions of Manila and Parañaque, as well as the following towns of Rizal: Angono, Antipolo, Baras, Binangonan, Cainta, Cardona, Jala-Jala, Morong, Pililia, Montalban, San Mateo, Tanay, Taytay, and Teresa.

Tesla profit falls short again as Musk demands investor patience

TESLA Inc. reported its fourth straight quarter of disappointing profits on Tuesday, and Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk made clear that better days are still a ways off.

The electric vehicle giant won’t unveil a highly anticipated robotaxi until October 10—and that will only be a prototype. A new, lower-cost car that could juice sales won’t go into production until the first half of next year at the earliest. A planned factory in Mexico is on pause at least through the US presidential election on november 5. And a humanoid robot that Musk claims will send Tesla’s valuation soaring won’t be ready anytime soon, either. That’s left the company’s investors in a holding pattern. While they wait for Tesla’s long-term plans to come to fruition, they’re stuck enduring weaker vehicle output and sales. The carmaker, the world’s largest seller of battery-powered vehicles, is far off the pace of the 1.8 million cars it sold last year and warned for a

second time Tuesday it expects to see a “notably lower” growth rate in 2024. “The whole story here is about what else is to come,” said Gene Munster, a managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management. At the moment, shareholders seem to be at least somewhat willing to wait out the dark days. Tesla shares fell 8 percent in extended new York trading at 7:20 p.m., eating into the stock’s recent rally but not fully erasing it. Things have improved since a tumultuous start to the year, when

Tesla reported its biggest-ever sales miss in the first quarter, spurring mass firings across the company and at one point sending the stock down 40 percent from the end of 2023. Musk responded by talking up the promise of autonomy and AI at the company, and shares began to surge back. “The value of Tesla overwhelmingly is autonomy. All these other questions are in the noise relative to autonomy,” Musk said Tuesday, urging anyone who disagrees to sell the company’s stock. Even amid the lower-than-ex-

pected quarterly profits, which reached 52 cents a share on an adjusted basis, sales still surpassed expectations. Revenue hit a record $25.5 billion, partly buoyed by $890 million in regulatory credits. Tesla, which sells the credits to other carmakers seeking to comply with emissions mandates, recorded less than half as many credit sales in the first quarter.

Its automotive gross margin, excluding regulatory credits—a closely watched metric by investors—fell to 14.6 percent in the second quarter, compared with 16.4 percent in the first quarter. That reflects stepped up operating expenditures on AI and other projects, as well as restructuring charges from sweeping job cuts. Musk said Tesla will manufacture its newer, lower-cost car at its plant in Austin starting in the first half of next year. It will also make both the robotaxi, which Munster expects to be ready no sooner than 2026 or 2027, and the Optimus robot in Austin. Bloomberg News

Shares of Reckitt rose as much as 5 percent in early trading in London Wednesday. The stock is down about 22 percent in the last 12 months.

The move to reshape the company comes as Reckitt cut its sales growth outlook this year to between 1 percent and 3 percent, down from between 2 percent and 4 percent, after delivering flat comparable sales growth in the second quarter.

Chief Executive Officer k ris Licht said the company wants to focus on “powerbrands” like Strepsils, Mucinex, Gaviscon and Durex, some homecare products like Harpic, Vanish, and Dettol and Lysol — disinfectants which boomed during the pandemic.

After a period of high inflation which ate into profitability, consumer goods groups are under pressure to boost growth and justify having

AIR A SIA Move is partnering with RCBC to offer exclusive travel deals in the RCBC Travel Fair happening from July 25 to 28 at the Shangri-La Plaza Grand Atrium in Mandaluyong City.

Participants can avail of discounted fares for their next destination abroad with more than 700,000 airlines available on the app. They can access special flight promo codes that will only be available at the fair.

Also, AirAsia Move will be selling accommodations from over 900,000 options. Attendees can join in activities and games at the booth for a chance to win prizes. Both for cardholders or not, they can apply for an AirAsia Credit Card on-site for a chance to win 500,000 AirAsia points. Applicants may get their approval in as fast as one hour.

Successful applicants will automatically receive 8,000 AirAsia points as a welcome gift. They can double the

very different businesses under one roof. By jettisoning slower growing brands, Reckitt could boost growth but it may need to move quickly.

The strategic changes should be “quite well-received,” said James Edwardes-Jones, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets. “It’s evidence of management getting a grip.”

However, analysts at Barclays said while the proposed rejig of Reckitt’s portfolio “should more than offset any disappointment over nudging down topline guidance,” there will be concerns over how quickly the company can make the changes. Reckitt is in no rush to sell its formula business, which is currently fighting a string of state and federal lawsuits in the US, said Licht. In March, Reckitt shares plunged 15 percent in one day after a jury said that one of the company’s Enfamil products led to the death of a premature baby, awarding an Illinois mother $60 million in damages.

Licht acknowledged that Reckitt’s infant formula unit, which was swelled by an expensive purchase of rival Mead Johnson, hasn’t always fit naturally within the group.

“Do I think that nutrition was a neat fit? no I don’t,” he said on a media call. “But that was in the past. I don’t see the need to dwell on it any further.” Licht, who was president of Reckitt’s health unit before taking the top job, is also facing increased scrutiny from activist investors. In June, Bluebell Capital Partners said it was in talks with management, recommending that Reckitt separate its hygiene unit from the rest of the group. Bloomberg News

points on any spend made on the app. AirAsia Credit Card holders get automatically upgraded to Platinum membership status for priority check-in, boarding, and baggage. They can also spread out payments conveniently with flexible installment options with unlimited three months installment on all purchases, plus they are entitled to no annual fee in the first year. The first day of the travel fair is exclusively open for RCBC VIP Card holders, RCBC Hexagon Club members, and Wealth VIP clients only.

“We are excited to partner with RCBC for the Travel Fair. This collaboration allows us to offer our customers exclusive deals and offerings, making travel more accessible. We look forward to meeting everyone at the travel fair and helping them plan their next adventure with AirAsia Move,” said Weng Rivera, head of travel at AirAsia Move Philippines. Roderick L. Abad

Reckitt Benckiser Group products. PhotograPher: hollie adams/BloomBerg

BSP-backed crypto soon to be launched

By Reine Juvierre Alberto

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would soon follow the Swiss National Bank as it nears launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) issuance through the use of distributed ledger technology (DLT) said it is on track to launch Project Agila.

“This is an innovative payment instrument. In fact, there’s no central bank in the world that has already launched wholesale CBDC, with the exception of the Swiss National Bank,” BSP Payments and Currency Management Sector Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan said. The proof of concept for the CBDC, under the so-called “Project Agila,” is already about to be concluded, according to Tangonan.

Chiming in, BSP Director of Payments Policy and Development Department Bridget Rose Mesina-

‘High

DRomero said the BSP has completed the first phase of the project by tapping the “HyperLedger Fabric” platform in using a sandbox, a regulatory tool where ideas and programs are run sans fear of repercussions or adverse impact on real-time ecosystems.

To note, the “Hyperledger Fabric” is credited to The Linux Foundation, which created the open source, permissioned blockchain framework in 2015.

Mesina-Romero said the central bank tested the DLT and the tokeni-

fees, lengthy process

ESPITE the high inbound and outbound remittances in the Philippines, equallyhigh fees and lengthy processing pose barriers to money movement, according to the local executive of Visa Inc.

Ranking fourth globally as the biggest remittance-receiving nation, Visa Country Manager for Guam and the Philippines Jeffrey V. Navarro said high fees topped the money movement barriers in the Philippines.

Hard-earned money of over 12 million Filipinos living and/or working abroad is very particular about ensuring that “most of it, if not 100 percent of it, we want our receivers to receive. But the barrier there is a portion of it needs to be paid in terms of fees and effects,” Navarro said.

Manual remittance is considerably higher in terms of cost as a percentage of principal compared to digital channels, which is much lower, according to Navarro.

“Hopefully, if the industry moves towards more digital then we can see more progress on the costs’ side and the prices’ side,” Navarro said.

Navarro cited that more Filipinos prefer digital money movement methods, with 58 percent of senders and receivers planning to use digital remittance in the future for its speed, convenience and security. Only 24 percent chose physical remittances.

Digital remittances enable transactions to be processed in real-time, online channels for both senders and receivers create a seamless customer experience and hardearned money is secured to reach

RCBC offers new auto loan after Moody’s flags ‘risk’

THE Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has launched its latest automotive loan product days after Moody’s Ratings changed in its outlook on the Yuchengco-led lender to “stable from positive.”

Moody’s Ratings announced last Saturday “the outlook change also considers the moderation in its asset quality improvement, given the bank’s accelerated growth into riskier retail loans.”

The new product called “Auto Loan FlexiLite” is part of the bank’s strategic initiative to expand its consumer lending portfolio and continue driving growth within the consumer sector, according to Ramil M. de Villa, head of RCBC’s consumer lending group.

The “FlexiLite represents a breakthrough in our auto loan offerings,” De Villa was quoted in a statement as saying. “Designed to provide flexibility, this product allows customers to enjoy lower monthly amortizations without the need for a downpayment.”

At the term’s conclusion, borrowers have the option to either settle the residual value with a balloon payment or refinance the balance for an additional three years. “This product is designed to meet the needs of a diverse clientele, offering them the freedom to manage their finances more effectively while planning for future vehicle upgrades,” De Villa said.

According to the lender, the auto loan variant is designed to be inclusive

zation of wholesale CBDC from May to June. The lawyer added the BSP is currently conducting two test runs of its sandbox experiments.

By testing these technologies, Mesina-Romero said they aim to determine if there is business use case viability to make payment systems more efficient and safer.

The programmability feature of the CBDC technology will also be assessed to enable the automation of BSP’s processes.

“We will be able to make it more efficient and streamline; even the number of institutions that are intermediating right now, and the back office arrangements of our payment systems,” Mesina-Romero said.

This would result in the reduction of settlement risks by cutting counterparty risks as well as minimizing the cause of liquidity present in national payment systems, according to Mesina-Romero.

Meanwhile, Tangonan said if a proof of concept shows the literacy of the BSP and banks that they are adequately prepared, then the BSP will decide on the implementation of the CBDC.

“This an entirely new thing and we have to make sure that we can

offer it, maintain it and operate it safely, and that the banks can do likewise and that they have a business use case for it,” Tangonan said, adding that liquidity management has been identified already.

The wholesale CBDCs will make possible transactions of customers or banks with other banks even on weekends or holidays, Tangonan said.

The CBDC will also expedite securities settlement, which usually takes two days for equities and three days for fixed-income, and be offered to investors to help stimulate capital markets, Tangonan added.

It would also allow cross-border payments, aligning with global initiatives, such as the “Project mBridge” by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

Last June, the BIS said that the project aims to explore a multi-CBDC platform shared among participating central banks and commercial banks, built on DLT, to enable instant crossborder payments and settlement.

The BIS added that “Project mBridge continues its development and has reached the minimum viable product stage, while broadening its international reach.”

hobble money movement’

its receivers, Navarro added.

The process of remittance was inconvenient to complete placed second among Filipinos’ remittance pain points tied to the long process it takes to send money. Other barriers to sending money include administrative issues accessing the money and the need to go to a physical location to make the transfer.

Physical claiming of remittance topped the pain points in receiving money, followed by high fees, long travel to access the money, issues with calculating the exchange rate, and the long process of sending the money.

Moreover, the Philippine global money movement is a $264 billion market opportunity, according to a 2023 research commissioned by Visa to Euromonitor International Ltd.

briefs

to enable young professionals to own their first car, enhanced mobility for start up families, and offer flexibility for business owners.

The product recently won two awards from the Asian Banking and Finance Retail Banking Awards for the Automobile Lending Initiative of the Year - Philippines and the Consumer Finance Product of the year-Philippines.

Last March, RCBC announced its goal to boost its total loan portfolio to P160 billion this year from P126 billion in 2023, fueled by strategic campaigns and innovative special programs.

The 27-percent increase in TLP will be driven by targeted marketing campaigns and programs, analytical-based selling strategies, the introduction of new products, enhancements to the existing loans management system, ongoing process improvements, and internal sales expansion.

Moody’s said it projects the RCBC’s capital ratios “will remain below 14 percent over the next 1218 months, in line with our expectation of accelerated loan growth over the period.”

According to Moody’s, RCBC’s nonperforming loan (NPL) ratio, despite its improvement, “will likely stabilize at around 3.5 percent-3.7 percent” over the next 12 months to 18 months, “higher than its pre-pandemic levels, as it continues to rebalance its portfolio towards the higher-yielding and riskier retail and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) segments.” VG Cabuag

Inbound remittance represents 43 percent, or $113 billion in volume, of the $264 billion market opportunity. About $79 billion accounts for business-to-business (B2B) payments while $34 billion is for business-to-consumer (B2C).

The remaining 57 percent accounts for outbound remittances at $151 billion in volume, with $146 billion from B2B and $4 billion for B2C in the Philippine market outbound opportunity.

Emerging use cases for consumer outbound remittance include sending money to overseas Filipino workers in need, increasing small and medium enterprise procurement for goods or items purchased abroad and the growing number of Filipinos studying abroad. Reine Juvierre Alberto

BDO rai S e S P55.7B in t H ir D BO n D iSSue

BDO Unibank Inc. announced last Wednesday having successfully raised P55.7 billion in fresh funds in its third Peso-denominated Asean Sustainability Bond issue, more than 11-times oversubscribed versus the original offer of P5 billion. “The issuance was supported by strong demand from both retail and institutional investors that also prompted the early closing of the offer period on July 16, 2024,” the lender said through a statement. The latest bonds have a tenor of one-and-a-half years and bear a coupon rate of 6.325 percent per annum. The issue, settlement, and listing date is on July 24, 2024. The net proceeds of the issuance are intended to finance and/or refinance eligible assets and diversify the bank’s funding sources, BDO said.

e W C ite S O f C re D it C ar D ’ S S e C urity feature

THE East West Banking Corp. (PSE: EW) recently touted the security features of its credit card. Senior Vice President Aylwin Herminia P. Tamayo was quoted in a statement as saying that the EW credit cards “are packed with powerful security features that ensure customers can confidently” use the credit cards issued by the lender “without becoming a victim of budol (fraud).” “As stolen cards usually lead to fraud, EW did away with the need to carry a physical credit card. The bank, in partnership with Visa Inc., has pioneered the first NFC-enabled (Near Field Communication) payment app in the Philippines. The tap-to-pay feature in its mobile app enables credit cardholders to make seamless transactions with just a few taps on their smartphones by linking their EW Visa credit cards.

SSS tO O ffer lOan tO ‘Carina’-affeC te D mem B er S

THE Social Security System (SSS) announced last Wednesday it is set to provide calamity loan assistance to members who have been affected by Typhoon “Carina” in the National Capital Region and in areas that may soon be declared under a state of calamity. A statement said that SSS members can borrow a loan equivalent to their one monthly salary credit or up to a maximum of P20,000. To qualify, typhoon-affected members must meet certain criteria, including having at least 36 monthly contributions, six of which must be posted within the last 12 months before the month of filing of application. The members must also be living or residing in the declared calamity area. Members could pay the calamity loan in two years or 24 equal monthly installments with an annual interest rate of 10 percent, the SSS said.

Central bank nudges entities on foreign borrowings plan

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) advised all public and private resident entities to submit not later than September 30, 2024, their foreign borrowings plan (FBP) for the last quarter of 2024 and the whole year 2025.

The BSP reminded the entities on their respective FBP via a public advisory it issued last Monday. The central bank reminded all resident entities intending to obtain mediumterm and long-term foreign loans from non-residents, including offshore issuances of debt instruments, to submit their borrowings plan.

The prescribed reporting form, Annex D.3 (Medium and Long-term Foreign Borrowings Plan) of the FX Manual, may be downloaded from the BSP’s website.

The accomplished form shall be submitted to the central bank, through the International Operations Department’s email addresses at iod-iog1@bsp.gov.ph for public sector loans, or iod_loans@bsp.gov. ph for private sector borrowings.

The BSP said it issued the reminded in line with its mandate on external debt management and pursuant to Section 22.7 of the Manual of Regulations on Foreign Exchange Transactions (FX Manu -

al), as amended.

Submitting the FBP would allow the central bank to determine the possible magnitude of foreign funding requirements of the economy for the succeeding year.

Data from the BSP showed the country’s total external debt reached $128.7 billion in the first quarter of 2024, higher by 2.6 percent or $3.3 billion, from $125.4 billion as of endDecember 2023. Private sector debt rose to $49.8 billion at the end of the January to March period in 2024. This is a 4.7-percent increase, or $2.2 billion more, from the $47.6 billion recorded from the end-2023 level. Meanwhile, public sector loans rose by 1.4 percent, or $1.1 billion, to $78.9 billion in the three-month period compared to the $77.8 billion posted in the same period in 2023. Private sector debt comprised 38.7 percent of the total external debt of the country while the bulk, or 61.3 percent, accounted for public sector loans. All reported data are covered by strict confidentiality rules and shall be used for the BSP’s internal purposes only pursuant to Section 23 of Republic Act (RA) 7653 (as amended by RA 11211). Reine Juvierre Alberto

THE Manulife Financial Corp., the local arm of insurer Manulife Global or The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co., announced it has appointed Rachel Marie P. Vizcarra as the company’s new chief operations officer.

Vizcarra has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, particularly in operations and business transformation

Under her leadership, the Philippine operations team will continue its key initiatives to transform and elevate the company’s claims experience, enhance operational performance and overall customer satisfaction efforts and drive innovation, the company said. These include streamlining processes, managing risk, improving productivity, and driving strategic initiatives to achieve sustainable growth and market leadership, it said.

Rahul Hora, the company’s president and CEO, was quoted in a statement as saying he welcomes to “our senior leadership team.”

“Her extensive experience and

expertise in driving operational excellence amid a rapidly evolving insurance landscape, while solidifying health protection proposition and business transformation, will be instrumental in our efforts toward digital customer leadership. I am confident that she will deliver on our priorities and ongoing initiatives with our long-term strategic goals, as we further strengthen our position as one of the leading global life insurers in the Philippines,” Hora said.

Vizcarra has held various operations leadership roles covering policy administration, customer service, IT project management, quality management and process re-engineering. Prior to joining Manulife, she was the head of operations of a leading non-life insurance company specializing in health, travel, and accident insurance. She has also

Vizcarra

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Govt may cut price of rice sold at Kadiwa–DA

TBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia

HE government could reduce the price of rice sold at Kadiwa stores if global market trends become favorable, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said he expects a potential adjustment based on market trends, including expectations of India lifting its non-basmati rice export ban and improved production in countries like Thailand and Vietnam following El Niño.

“We will extend (the P29/kilo rice) program for as long as possible and hopefully—supply and global developments permitting—we could even lower rice prices for those who need this targeted government intervention the most,” he said in a statement.

The DA also made an assurance that vulnerable sectors in the country will have access to cheaper rice as it continues to expand the program’s footprint nationwide.

The agency said Wednesday it added Kadiwa centers in Laguna and Cavite to sell P29 rice through its subsidized rice program.

DA Assistant Secretary for Consumer and Legislative Affairs Genevieve Guevarra said the rapid expansion of the cheaper rice program is a “well-considered” action.

“We’re progressing ahead of schedule but with careful planning to maximize the program’s impact on disadvantaged Filipinos.”

Guevarra noted the “overwhelming demand” for subsidized rice from vulnerable sectors like indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents in the cities of San Pedro, Laguna, and Bacoor, Cavite.

“Other LGUs are requesting that Kadiwa bring the P29 rice program to their areas but we have to do this on a calibrated manner. We want to

ensure this program succeeds to extend its benefits to the most number of vulnerable Filipino households.”

The DA said its P29 rice program facilitates the sale of affordable rice sourced from the National Food Authority (NFA).

Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), a government corporation under the purview of the DA, purchases the NFA’s aging stocks and sells them through Kadiwa centers at subsidized prices. The program is now operational in 15 sites.

Envoy: Israel agritech to

FTI President and CEO Joseph Rudolph Lo affirmed government support for DA’s initiatives, including the Rice-for-All program aimed at offering well-milled and fancy rice at discounted rates through Kadiwa centers.

“Rice-for-All is already making strides in selected centers, with phased roll-outs planned to ensure its success.”

The P29 rice program targets 6.9 million households, equivalent to about 34 million Filipinos, and is currently undergoing a large-scale trial to gather essential data on demand, supply, and logistics.

“In the first two weeks of the largescale trial, more than 12.7 tons of rice were sold in Kadiwa centers than to more 25,000 households,” the DA said.

Last Monday, Laurel said the government is banking on Kadiwa stores to reduce food prices and temper inflation.

“[Kadiwa] ang pinaka epektibong paraan para ma -stabilize yung presyo at mabigyan ng mas murang bilihin,” he said in a radio interview ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

He said the department plans to build at least one Kadiwa store per municipality. “Initially, we’re targeting about 300 [Kadiwa stores] hopefully by the middle of next year […] every year magdadagdag tayo and sana by 2027 meron na tayong 1,500.”

move Filipino farms from subsistence to commercial farming

By Lolly Acosta DWIZ

HILIPPINE farms can move

Pfrom subsistence farming to commercial farming with agricultural technology offered by Israel to Filipino farmers.

Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss said the Philippines is “a blessed country where plants shoot up easily with its good climate.”

“Israel had more serious problems like ‘being a small country mostly desert, with not enough soil, not enough water, but now producing the best bell peppers, melons, more dairy farming per cow.”

Interviewed on radio station DWIZ’s “Sulong Na Bayan” on the runup to the recently held Israel Agricultural Tech Road Show in Makati, Fluss told program host Lolita Acosta that with its

leadership in agritech, or smart farming, Israel can help the Philippines make the shift from farming for food on the table to farming as income earning business activity.

“We understand the challenges in Philippine agriculture and if we bring Israeli agritech in different areas, we can create together amazing challenges,” Fluss said.

Eleven Israeli companies took part in the roadshow to sell and introduce smart technologies to the Philippines. About 100 Philippine-based firms and agri-tech startups joined a businessto-business session with the Israeli companies.

Fluss disclosed that in their meeting, President Marcos Jr. said he was aware of Israel’s leadership in agricultural technology and asked him to bring Israeli agritech into the Philippines.

“If we can do that, we can make local production of food instead of importation happen.”

To start this agrotech partnership, Israel is recruiting 550 Filipinos to undergo a year-long program for agritech in Israeli farms. Five days a week trainees would work in Israeli farms.

On the sixth day they will present a written report on what happened during the five days and present business proposal.

The training program is being implemented with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Agriculture (DA).

Filipino caregivers are also highly appreciated by Israeli employers, said Fluss, whose father-in-law has a Filipina caregiver. “They feel at home, they are fully integrated into Israeli

families. They are treated well, enjoy social benefits, are not exploited. We are happy that by being there, they allow us to continue with our lives.”

Besides caregivers, the some 28,000 overseas Filipino workers in Israel include hotel workers and professionals.

Philippine-Israeli relations have a long history, Fluss recalled. There is now a monument to President Manuel Quezon in Israel known as the Friendship Monument for he allowed Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution into the country. The Philippines is also the only Asian country that allowed United Nations membership for Israel in 1949.

The Israeli ambassador looked forward to the strengthening of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Israel with the transfer of agricultural technology to Filipino farmers.

FAO: Forests face increasing climate-related stress

CLIMATE change is increasing the susceptibility of the world’s forests to stressors such as wildfires and pests, according to a new flagship publication by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that emphasizes the role of innovation in achieving a sustainable future for the forestry sector.

The report, titled “The State of the World’s Forests 2024: Forest-sector innovations towards a more sustainable future,” was released last Monday at the 27th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), which is being held at FAO’s headquarters in Rome until Friday.

COFO is FAO’s top forestry governing body, tasked with identifying emerging policy and technical issues, seeking solutions, and advising FAO on appropriate action. This year’s meeting is themed “Accelerating forest solutions through innovation.”

The State of the World’s Forests 2024 (SOFO 2024) report said there is evidence to suggest that climate change is making forests more vulnerable to stressors such as wildfires and pests.

Wildfire intensity and frequency are increasing, including in areas

not previously affected, with fires in 2023 releasing an estimated 6,687 megatons of carbon dioxide globally. Boreal fire was previously responsible for about 10 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. In 2021, such fires reached a new high, mainly driven by extended drought causing an increase in fire severity and fuel consumption, and accounted for nearly one-quarter of total wildfire emissions.

Climate change also makes forests more vulnerable to invasive species, with insects, pests and disease pathogens threatening tree growth and survival. Pine wood nematode has already caused significant damage to native pine forests in some countries in Asia, and areas of North America are projected to experience devastating damage due to insects and disease by 2027. Global wood production, meanwhile, remains at record levels. After a brief dip during the Covid-19 pandemic, production is back at about 4 billion cubic meters yearly.

Nearly 6 billion people use non-timber forest products, and 70 percent of the world’s poor rely on wild species for food, medicine, energy, income, and other purposes. Projections

indicate that global roundwood demand could increase by as much as 49 percent between 2020 and 2050.

Faced with such challenges, the report said forest-sector innovation is “a crucial enabler” of progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

“FAO recognizes that science and innovation are crucial ingredients for achieving forest-based solutions,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu wrote in the report.

“This edition of SOFO will inform FAO’s work to scale up evidence-based innovation in forestry. I believe it will also support FAO Members and other stakeholders in enabling responsible, inclusive, and essential innovation in the forest sector to strengthen sustainability and the resilience of agrifood systems for a better world and a better future for all.”

‘Innovative solutions’ THE report identifies five innovation types that enhance forests’ potential to address global challenges: technological, social, policy, institutional, and financial.

Examples include the potential for AI to facilitate the automated analysis

Agencies to ink agreement on project for milkfish hatcheries

THREE government agencies are set to sign a memorandum of agreement for a project that seeks to address environmental challenges in milkfish hatcheries.

The Department of Science and Technology-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC), National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-National Fisheries Development Center (BFAR-NFDC) will implement the “HATCH: Heat-Assisted Temperature Control and Monitoring System for Hatchery Management of Milkfish” project.

The NFRDI said the project is a “costeffective and reliable” heating system that would maintain optimal water temperature in broodstock tanks during cold months.

“The production of milkfish in hatcheries in the Philippines is affected by seasonal variations, particularly during colder months when environmental changes result in lower or no egg production by the milkfish broodstock. This poses a challenge for hatcheries as they incur operational costs without generating output,” NFRDI Executive Director Lilian Garcia said in a statement.

“Through this tripartite initiative, we will be able to address environmental challenges in milkfish hatcheries. The proposed design involves a Recirculating Aquaculture System equipped with a heat pump and an electric heater, with automation systems for water quality monitoring. This R&D intervention aims to create a conducive breeding environment for milkfish broodstock by maintaining optimum water quality in tank-based facilities.” The agency said the HATCH project will be implemented in 18 months, starting from January 1 to June 30, 2025 with a P5-million funding support under DOST-Grants-In-Aid (DOST-GIA). It added that the project will be implemented in BFAR-NFDC in Dagupan City. The NFRDI said the project is expected to benefit the aquaculture industry in the country, consumers of milkfish, and metals, engineering, and allied industries involved in aquaculture.

“Economically, it will create job opportunities and contribute to local employment; enhance the productivity output and profit of milkfish hatcheries; and contribute to technological advancement within the aquaculture industry.” Ada Pelonia

Singapore’s homegrown farming dream is beginning to fade

BY most measures, Karthik Rajan’s farm in Singapore is a success story. Run from a two-hectare plot of land in the island’s north, LivFresh has been supplying major supermarkets with spinach, lettuce and other Asian green vegetables since 2022. The firm turned profitable in March. It may still close down by the end of the year. Rajan is one of a small number of entrepreneurs attempting to farm in a country smaller than New York City. Like most of his peers, he’s facing an uncertain future as funding runs dry, with investments in homegrown agricultural startups cratering over the past few years. Since the start of 2023, at least half a dozen large farms have shut down or scaled back operations.

The result is a significant setback for the Singapore government’s ambitious campaign to create a high-tech agricultural sector that can meaningfully reduce the country’s heavy reliance on food imports.

In 2019, the Asian financial hub announced a plan to produce about one-third of its nutritional needs by the end of this decade—dubbed “30 by 30”. Now about halfway to the deadline, it’s harvesting less than 10 percent of its seafood and vegetables, two out of three food sources closely tracked by officials.

of a vast volume of existing and future optical, radar, and lidar data collected daily by drones, satellites and space stations; the adoption of mass timber and other wood-based innovations that can replace fossil-based products in the building sector; policies aimed at engaging women, youth and Indigenous Peoples in developing locally led solutions; and innovations in publicand private-sector finance to enhance the value of standing forests.

Since innovation can create winners and losers, the report pushes for inclusive and gender-responsive approaches to ensure the fair distribution of benefits among men, women and youth in all socioeconomic and ethnic groups. Promoting innovation must consider and integrate all stakeholders’ local circumstances, perspectives, knowledge, needs and rights.

The report lists five enabling actions that will help scale up innovation in the forest sector: raising awareness, boosting innovation skills, capabilities, and knowledge, encouraging transformational partnerships, ensuring more and universally accessible finance for innovation, and providing an incentivizing policy and regulatory environment.

“It’s a vicious cycle because costs are currently high and avenues to scale are limited,” said Rajan, 46, a business consultant for nearly two decades before venturing into farming. Within the next six months, he must secure $10 million in funding or exit the market. “Investors get the sense that ‘30 by 30’ is dead.”

Singapore’s experience, including its struggle with the limits of technology and a tiny domestic market, is becoming a cautionary tale for smaller nations hoping to improve food security at a time when geopolitical tensions and a changing climate pose a constant threat to supply chains. It has also exposed what urban farming can—and can’t—do.

The Singapore Food Agency acknowledged the challenges farmers face, including high operating costs and a lack of demand, but said support was on offer. It added, in an emailed statement, that the city-state’s land and sea-based farms have remained “relatively stable” at about 250 since 2019.

“The ‘30 by 30’ vision is a stretched ambition but an important one,” said the SFA, the main government body overseeing food security.

In Singapore’s race to develop after independence in 1965, soaring skyscrapers and sprawling housing projects sprang up, pushing out smallholders. As the financial hub grew in stature, the farming industry

became collateral damage. Today, most of the sliver of land set aside for agriculture—about 1 percent of the total—has to be bid for and leased for just 20 years. As a result, Singapore, with a densely packed population of nearly six million, imports the vast majority of its food, often across large distances. That leaves it more vulnerable when shocks such as global pandemics or natural disasters disrupt transportation or reduce food supply elsewhere.

The government has made no secret of the problem—a mismatch between space and demand. It planned to lean on technology to close the gap. A S$309 million ($230 million) research fund created in 2019 to support “30 by 30” is dedicated to facilitating innovative farming solutions. Another S$60 million fund launched in 2021 aims to help farms with technology and expansion—though less than half of that sum had been awarded as of end-April. For Singapore’s farmers, though, techfocused funding cannot solve far more practical problems.

“Running a farm here is barely sustainable,” said Kai Wong, who rears fish from wooden platforms off Singapore’s coast. “If you have no output, it’s impossible to start inventing and implementing new tech.” To boost demand for his produce and ensure his fish is used, Wong had to expand beyond farming, setting up a restaurant and seafood soup stall.

90 percent down A GLOBAL plunge in private funding has weighed heavily, helping to drag the value of deals in Singapore’s food and agriculture technology sector down almost 90 percent from a peak in 2021 to just $187 million last year, according to data from venture capital firm AgFunder.

Apollo Aquaculture Group, touted as Singapore’s tallest fish farm and backed by Temasek Holdings Pte., is now under judicial management. Sustenir, a vertical vegetable farm that’s also backed by the heavyweight institutional investor, is on track to be profitable in the next six months, the firm says—but only after years of losses. The state-owned investor is not retreating from the sector, but opportunities have declined, according to Chia Song Hwee, deputy chief executive officer for Temasek International Pte.

All the while, Singapore’s red tape is adding to the pain, say farmers and agricultural executives. David Tan, chief executive of agricultural engineering firm Netatech, estimates that in extreme cases approval from as many as 10 agencies is required to obtain a single farming license, saying the process can be “painful.” Bloomberg News

PHOTO FROM WWW.DA.GOV.PH

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

Allied states consistently back arbitral award as ‘final, binding’

FOREIGN governments have reaffirmed their support to the South China Sea (SCS) Arbitral Tribunal ruling on its eighth year, as they asserted that it is “final and binding” on all parties.

At the recent forum organized by Stratbase ADRI, the United States, Japan, Australia, France and Canada vowed to work closely with the Philippines in various areas to help boost the latter’s capabilities and contribute to maritime security in the disputed waters.

The ambassadors acknowledged that challenges remain as the Philippines continues to confront “dangerous actions” within its actual maritime zones. They referenced China’s disruptions on resupply operations to troops manning the outpost in Ayungin Shoal.

Amb. David Hartman, who conveyed Ottawa’s consistent backing of the ruling, said Canada has increased its naval presence in the Indo-Pacific. This includes their participation in joint maritime undertakings with the US, Japan, and the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“[Canada] has been constant and consistent in its emphasis that the 2016 Arbitral Ruling is both final and binding on the parties,” Hartman said. “Rest assured [my country] will continue to work with the Philippines, as well as with our allies and partners, including here in the Asean Region, to provide meaningful support to regional peace and security, and to uphold the rule of law in the maritime domain.”

Amb. Kazuya Endo of Japan said while the 2016 Arbitral Award “showed crystal-clear directions in navigating the SCS’ turbulent waters, the actual situations on the sea remain “challenging and complex.”

“As international law, [it] has

FOSTERING a sustainable and bright future via international cooperation, the Taiwan International Trade Administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and executed by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, recently activated the “Go Green with Taiwan” campaign. Through a competition, the initiative invites Filipinos, including representatives of companies, research institutions, universities, nongovernment organizations, public groups, and others to submit innovative project proposals anchored on protecting the environment while promoting economic sustainability. Entries have to incorporate products or solutions from Taiwanese businesses to promote Taiwan’s green industries.

Taiwan has long been known worldwide as a hub for innovative yet environment-friendly products. Its “green industry” boasts of modern technologies, infrastructure and related services, a vibrant research and development environment, and highly-skilled technological talent. From electronics to everyday products, it produces stable, high value-added green materials and related products, making Taiwanese manufacturers and companies invaluable partners for global green energy and sustainable economic development.

Open for submissions online, proposals will undergo a rigorous qualification process and extensive review by a panel of experts from the prelimi-

not been fully equipped with centralized mandatory enforcement mechanisms,” Endo explained.

“The cornerstone lies in fostering the respect for the rules-based international order.”

The Japanese diplomat noted, however, that the power of global voices is key in shaping outcomes: “The Philippines has the support and backing of many like-minded countries who are…here today. As allies, partners and friends, we stand united in navigating these uncertain waters, and uphold the fundamental principles that safeguard our shared waters.”

He added that, “in this regard, Japan is undeterred to fulfill its commitment. [With the Philippines as] neighboring maritime nations, we have a shared responsibility in upholding and protecting the peace and stability across the region.”

Amb. HK Yu PSN of Australia said Canberra will continue helping the Philippines build its capacity, and contribute to the latter’s maritime security: “The Philippines is not facing this challenge alone. It is a challenge that cannot be faced alone, not by any one country in this room.”

Yu added: “We will continue to pursue, collectively, maritime security in the [WPS]. And as…Australian ambassador to the Philippines, I can tell you this: You can count on Australia.”

‘Anchored on respect’

FOR her part, Amb. Marie Fontanel of France reaffirmed that Paris regards the Arbitral Tribunal as a significant tool in upholding a rule-based order in the region: “As increasing tensions

become the new normal, the risk of uncontrolled escalation with regional or even global repercussions cannot be underestimated. When it comes to these issues, France shares with the Philippines a non-confrontational approach firmly anchored in the respect of international law and multilateralism.”

Fontanel furthered that “the 2016 Arbitral Award sends to the world a powerful message, for which we must thank the Philippines.”

She reiterated that Paris is committed to the region, as reflected in its growing role in defense and security partnerships in Asia Pacific, including with the Philippines: “The partnership between…two maritime blue nations of the Pacific… who share the values of democracy, the rule of law, and promote multilateralism in international law, is stronger and stronger…You can count on us.”

On the other hand, Amb. MaryKay Carlson of the US emphasized the ruling’s contribution to the economic activities in the region: “[It] has memorialized vast maritime areas, where all nations enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight under international law, providing the legal foundation for trade, investment, and economic activity to thrive in the Indo-Pacific Region.”

Carlson described the SCS as “one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, facilitating over $3 trillion in

naries, semi-finals, and finals. They will be judged for their excellence in four criteria, namely, environmental and economic sustainability, feasibility, innovation, and connections via the utilization of Taiwan-made products or solutions.

Tripartite partnership

TO create and raise awareness about the global contest both in academia and corporate sectors, Go Green with Taiwan has tied-up with Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA).

“We are incredibly grateful to [ADMU and the PMA] for partnering with us in this purposeful program in the Philippines,” Alex Lai, director of Taiwan External Trade Development Council-Manila, said during the media launch. “Together,

we can empower Filipino minds and intelligence that not only benefit the Philippines but serve as a beacon of hope for a greener future on a global scale.”

Ateneo School of Management dean Roberto Galang noted that the campaign is aligned with the university’s firm commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, as enshrined in their “‘Laudato Si’ Plan of 2022-2029.”

“The ‘Go Green with Taiwan’ competition is aligned with the profound mission of Ateneo: It ignites the spark of creativity in young minds, inspiring them to bridge the gap between environmental sustainability and economic progress,” according to Galang. “Imagine Filipino ingenuity, combined with cutting-edge solutions from Taiwan: a global leader in green technology. This is the kind of

JULY 30 is “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons,” and this year’s theme is: “Leave no child behind in the fight against human trafficking.”

annual trade. It is also home to abundant biodiversity, and accounts for 12 percent of the global fish catch, supporting the livelihoods of millions. So, the stakes and the impacts are extremely high.”

‘Solemn occasion’

THE Philippines brought the arbitration case against China in 2013, and secured a historic win in 2016 after the Arbitral Tribunal firmly rejected Beijing’s expansive claims under its so-called “nine-dash line.”

In the forum, Foreign Affairs undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro insisted that the award has “settled with finality the unlawfulness” of the line and the “imaginary historic rights [they are] based on.” She also emphasized on the status of the features within the Philippines’s exclusive economic zone or EEZ.

“Shortly thereafter, it was clear that China is not inclined to recognize or comply with the decision, and that it is prepared to put the weight of its political and economic might behind repudiation of the award,” Lazaro recalled.

“Today’s eighth anniversary…provides a solemn occasion for us to reflect on the challenges that we face in the direct enforcement of the award, with a view to securing China’s compliance with the decision,” she added. “But we also have the opportunity to identify creative solutions to reinforce [such].” Joyce Ann

L. Rocamora/PNA

collaboration that can truly propel us toward a brighter future.”

For PMA’s part, its director Faye Martinez shared that, apart from promoting sustainability, the competition also aims to unlock a future full of innovation: “Sustainability doesn’t have to be a burden—it can be an engine for growth. This is where the campaign comes in. It’s [a chance] for all of us, as seasoned marketing practitioners, to unleash our creativity and develop groundbreaking ideas to save the environment.”

Martinez urged attendees, especially students, to produce creative ideas in protecting Mother Earth with sustainable business models using environment-friendly products or solutions: “Remember, the future is green; the power to shape it lies in our creative hands. Let’s all join hands and redefine what’s possible.”

Interested parties may log on to the Go Green with Taiwan online submission form and input details of the proposal to join that will serve as an official entry to the contest: https:// gogreen.surveycake.biz/s/eLGWV. Deadline for submission is until August 31. Six global finalists will have an all-expense paid trip to Taiwan to present their entries. Announcement of the three winning proposals worldwide is in December 2024. Each will receive $20,000. Visit https://gogreen.taiwanexcellence.org/ to learn ways to participate. For more details and updates about the campaign’s activities, follow “Taiwan Excellence” on Facebook and Instagram. Roderick L. Abad

Australia is committed to protecting and advancing the rights of children across the Philippines and beyond, and we are partnering with government agencies, nongovernment agencies, and the private sector to achieve this.

Alarmingly, one in three identified victims of trafficking globally are children, according to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. The drivers of child trafficking are wide-ranging: They can include poverty, marginalization, and lack of access to decent work. Children are vulnerable to all forms of trafficking—including sexual or labor exploitation, forced marriages, begging and armed conflict. They are also particularly vulnerable to online sexual abuse and exploitation, and their increasing online activity is often unaccompanied by the necessary safeguards. The rapid uptake of technology in the Philippines has brought benefits and opportunities for Filipino children, but there are also risks. We must continue to work to ensure our children are protected wherever they are, including online.

Improving the legal environment

SADLY, more Filipino children are being abused and exploited on the Internet. The Philippines is among the top sources of child sex abuse or exploitation materials, with most perpetrators coming from foreign countries.

That is why Australia and the Philippines have been working together since 2019 to combat child trafficking in all its forms, including online sexual abuse and exploitation of children or OSAEC through the SaferKidsPH consortium and the Asean-Australia Counter Trafficking (Asean-ACT) partnership. My country has provided technical assistance and conducted consultations that have helped improve the Philippines’s legal environment for children—including passage of the Anti-OSAEC Law and its implementing rules, adoption of the Philippine National Police and the Department of Education’s child-protection policies, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s child online safeguarding policy. Through Asean-ACT, Australia is also supporting Philippine government agencies in handling trafficking-inpersons cases in ways that are sensitive and trauma-informed. These include special measures to identify and support children who have experienced exploitation and abuse. These measures are being formalized through a new guideline developed by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council, spearheaded by the Supreme Court of the Philip -

pines with Asean-ACT support. The guidelines feature a set of eight victim-sensitive indicators, and special provisions to prevent further harm and re-traumatization of children. In practical terms, this keeps children out of courtrooms, and allows them to testify virtually in a safe and supported environment.

Facing challenges

ANOTHER challenge we face is the identification of child victims of trafficking due to underreporting, lack of awareness, and limited resources. It is even more difficult for authorities to intervene when traffickers control victims by coercion and threats. Our programs provide capacity-building and technical assistance to frontliners, including police, social workers and educators. They learn to screen potential victims of trafficking and make necessary referrals to facilitate access to justice and support services.

No one group, nor one country, can tackle these challenges alone. We have to seek cooperation—including from local and foreign private sector companies, to respond to these crimes against children.

The Australian-Filipino business community plays a key and unique role in preventing and responding to child exploitation and abuse in their operations or supply chains. In partnership with nongovernment organization Supplier Ethical Data Exchange or Sedex and its 85,000 global members, we had a briefing in March 2024 on the risks of trafficking and forced labor in Southeast Asia. In May 2024, a knowledge-sharing session was also held to discuss protecting and safeguarding migrant rights. It also provided recommendations to businesses sourcing or operating in the region on mitigating risks.

I commend the Philippine government in their ongoing efforts to raise awareness, coordinate strong responses, and advocate for policy reforms to tackle this heinous crime against children. In April 2024, when President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued a firm directive that the government is committed to intensifying the fight against OSAEC, Australia offered its support and active involvement as a Strategic Partner. I wrote to him our firm commitment to support the Philippine government in planning, developing, and implementing initiatives that will address gaps in the system and protect children from online and offline violence.

While we can take a moment to celebrate our collective progress, we cannot rest for long. There are still so many children who need protection. We must still work together across various groups of our society, because protecting children is everyone’s business.

(HK Yu is Australia’s ambassador to the Philippines. Follow her on X: @AusAmbPH.)

STRATBASE ADR Institute president Victor Andres Manhit (left) and National Security adviser Eduardo Año (center), with Amb. David Hartman, Amb. Kazuya Endo, Amb. HK Yu PSN, Amb. MaryKay Carlson, and Amb. Marie Fontanel. ROBERT ALFILER/PNA

ATENEO School of Management dean Roberto N. Galang PhD (from left), Ateneo School of Science and Engineering dean Raphael A. Guerrero PhD, Taiwan External Trade Development CouncilManila director Alex Lai and manager Christine Kuo, with Philippine Marketing Association director Faye Martinez

Sta. Lucia Land Inc. execs recognized at the CEO UK C-Suite Awards 2024

UK based digital publication CEO Monthly has revealed its list of recipients for its annual C-Suite Awards. Among the winners were top executives of Sta. Lucia Land Inc.

With this, Sta. Lucia Land Inc. (SLI) which is part of the Sta. Lucia Group bagged most of the awards under its real estate categories for any Philippine developer. The team of winners was led by Exequiel Robles who was recognized as the Beal Real Estates CEO of the Year (Philippines) and Vicente Santos received the Best Real Estate Chairman of the Year (Philippines). Also joining in this recognition is David Dela Cruz being awarded as the Best Real Estate CFO of the Year (Philippines).

For more than 50 years in the industry, the Sta. Lucia Group has received several accolades and recognition for its quality real estate products and services. With over 300 projects nationwide covering more than 12,000 hectares of land, Sta. Lucia is one of the Philippines’ biggest real estate developers.

Apart from its extensive portfolio of master planned residential developments, Sta. Lucia also has premium properties with unique concepts such as lake communities, condotel towers, tourismthemed resorts, commercial areas and

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TUMI unveils Fall 2024 Tegra-Lite®, Alpha Bravo campaign

with

Son Heung-Min behind-the-scenes sensibility to TUMI’s latest campaign. “I was personally excited for this campaign to be set in my home away from home,” said pro footballer Son Heung-Min. “I always value that TUMI is there for me and has my back, whatever journey I’m on.”

In his three years as a TUMI Global Ambassador, Son has worked day in and day out to make his dreams a reality – from competing in the FIFA World Cup, to receiving the esteemed Golden Boot, to being named club Captain of the Tottenham team and more, all the while, with TUMI alongside. The new campaign sheds light on the discipline required to succeed, with TUMI’s trusted and sleek Tegra-Lite and Alpha Bravo collections as Son’s steadfast companions. Seen throughout the campaign, the collection products are showcased in an elevated and authentic manner, captured behind the scenes at the iconic stadium and throughout Son’s journey on the road. From his biggest wins to his moments of relentless pursuit, TUMI is there to help him endure and to perform at his highest level.

“Few may know that Son’s signature ‘camera’ celebration pose is symbolic of his desire to capture that moment and hold onto it. Our latest campaign draws creative inspiration from that concept; we are

consistently alongside Son’s fast-paced life, and TUMI is made to carry those moments that make us,” said Jill Krizelman, SVP, of Global Marketing & eCommerce. “As two of TUMI’s iconic collections, Tegra-Lite® and Alpha Bravo represent the brand’s signature strength, functionality, and endurance. This campaign brings these pillars to life, showing exactly how TUMI is made for each step of the journey.”

Each case in TUMI’s Tegra-Lite® collection (P68,990 to P100,990) is made with Tegris® material, a durable yet lightweight material used in lifesaving armor, race cars, and professional athletic gear. The Tegra-Lite® shell is composed of consolidated layers of material, making it a resilient choice for many miles to come.

The Alpha Bravo collection (P16,990 –80,990) features hyper-functional bags for a fast-paced life. Each Alpha Bravo bag is made with ballistic nylon, TUMI’s signature fabric for over three decades. The Tegra-Lite® and Alpha Bravo are tried and true TUMI collections that encapsulate the brand’s DNA and elicit customer love time and time again.

Packed with function, designed with purpose, and built to endure, TUMI is made for the moments that make us. Shop the TegraLite® and Alpha Bravo collections at TUMI.com and TUMI stores worldwide.

golf projects across the nation. Sta. Lucia also has the most number of golf projects developed in the Philippines totaling 11.

Going into its latest venture, Sta. Lucia is set to deliver its real estate expertise to new locations outside the Metro Manila including Bauan Batangas with Catalina Lake Residences, Jaro Iloilo with SotoGrande Hotel Iloilo and Lipa Batangas with Summit Point Golf and Residential Estates.

Having a vision centered upon Filipino families, Sta. Lucia continues its innovation and its constant pursuit to align with the recent preferences when it comes to quality living and property features that would complement and further enhance the experience and satisfaction of our valued property owners.

Such a pursuit has come into fruition with several international agencies and institutions recognizing Sta. Lucia, particularly its experienced leadership of Robles including the Property Man of the Year award given by the FIABCI – Philippines International Real Estate Federation Awards in 2019. Sta. Lucia

Land was also recognized as one of the high growth companies in Asia Pacific by Nikkei Asia & The Financial Times in 2022. Sta. Lucia’s recent win with CEO Monthly serves as testament to its ongoing efforts to implement strategic approaches that would open opportunities both for the company and its clients. This is also

2GO Travel Tickets Now Include Manila North Port Terminal Fees

commitment to enhancing convenience and the overall experience for Manila outbound passengers. Now, passengers purchasing tickets for any of 2GO Travel’s routes departing from the North Port Passenger Terminal will no longer need to pay terminal fees separately. This integration simplifies the boarding process and reduces

TRAVELERS going to Hong Kong have a new attraction to watch out for; the Doraemon and Friends at Ngong Ping 360.

Preparations for this major project of Ngong Ping 360 Ltd. started months ago, including a flash mob of Doraemon’s portraits at Ngong Ping, where the entire company came together with 1,500 students and volunteers to achieve this feat. The team, likewise, tailored a series of activities and “photo spots” for Doraemon. For example, they have a themed cable car, the giant capsule toy machine in the background, the Fat Tiger singing scene in the open space, and the charity “100% Friends Summoning Bell” set. James Tung, managing director of Ngong Ping 360 Ltd., is confident of the events’ contents. Since Doraemon is widely popular worldwide, the team hopes this project will resonate not only with local guests but also attract overseas fans. They aim to contribute to making Hong Kong a city of grand events. In addition to promoting the event on local online and offline platforms, the Ngong Ping 360 team has made special efforts to enhance international promotion. For example, in the Greater Bay Area, they have partnered with key

Want to spur your child’s intellectual development?

By Andrey Vyshedskiy Boston University

IT’S not uncommon today to see children glued to their screens. In fact, 80 percent of parents with children 11 or younger say their kids watch YouTube videos, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center poll. Half of these parents say their kids watch videos every day—some even several times a day.

But staring at a screen for too long can negatively impact children’s well-being—even creating dependency. According to research, kids demonstrate less curiosity, self-control and emotional stability when their screen time surpasses one hour a day. They are also more likely to experience anxiety and depression and suffer from sleep disruptions, obesity and impaired social skills. Even short, fast-paced videos have consequences, impacting the selfregulation and working memory of young children.

I believe it is essential to explore how to use technology in a way that can positively impact children’s ability to think and communicate. Audiobooks present a compelling case.

Starting around three and a half years of age, most children can comprehend simple stories and fairy tales. Audiobooks can be particularly useful during car rides, bedtime routine and quiet playtime. For school-aged children, they can engage reluctant readers by providing an alternative way to experience books. And most importantly, they can nurture kids’ intellectual growth—much more than videos. Here are five ways that audiobooks can enhance children’s ability to learn:

n Enhances imagination and intelligence. Unlike videos, which provide visual and auditory stimuli, audiobooks rely solely on listening. This encourages children to visualize the story in their minds, training them to use their voluntary imagination. In contrast, passive videos provide preformed images that require no voluntary imagination.

Unlike involuntary imagination, which happens spontaneously and unintentionally, such as in a dream during sleep, voluntary imagination is the deliberate effort to create new images in the mind.

People are not born with this ability. Rather, it must be actively developed during childhood through conversations and engagement with stories and fairy tales. Research indicates that voluntary imagination leads to improved problem-solving skills. In fact, training voluntary imagination is crucial for intellectual development.

n Expands vocabulary and language skills. Audiobooks are a valuable tool for expanding a child’s vocabulary and enhancing language skills. Exposure to rich and varied language allows children to encounter new words and phrases in context, which aids in understanding and retention.

Compared with print books, audiobooks feature

THE second half of the year has kicked off and before we know it, a new school year is about to begin. After a fun summer full of rest and hanging out with friends, it’s time to prepare the kids’ backpacks with school essentials.

Worry no more because Robinsons Department Store has parents covered with the back-to-school needs of their kids. Their catalog features a wide selection of products that will surely be useful for the new school season, ranging from uniforms, leather shoes, school bags, and other accessories you can bring to class. School shopping is made even more fun and affordable with Robinsons Department Store’s promos and prizes during the ongoing Back-to-School Midyear Sale.

Go Rewards members have a chance to be one of 50 lucky winners of P20,000 cash for a minimum singlereceipt purchase of P3,500 with their Go Rewards. The raffle period lasts until August 31.

Shoppers also get a Free GoTyme Shopping Bag with a minimum purchase of P3,000 using their GoTyme Bank Visa debit card. The inclusive promo dates are from July 26 to 28, from August 16 to 18, 30 and 31, and September 1.

Besides securing your kids’ back-to-school essentials, you can also get up to P500 free gift certificates when you shop using your BPI Credit

Cards until August 31. You can get a P300 Gift Certificate for a minimum single-receipt straight spend of P5,000 and a P500

self-directed learning approach can improve selfesteem and study skills and lay a strong foundation for future academic success.

n Preserves eyesight. Excessive screen time can strain children’s eyes, leading to discomfort and potential long-term vision problems, including nearsightedness. Audiobooks, on the other hand, eliminate the need for screens, giving children’s eyes a much-needed break.

Audiobooks are a powerful tool for enhancing a child’s cognitive and linguistic development, and many are available for free at local libraries or on apps like LibriVox. As parents and educators seek to nurture smarter and more well-rounded children, audiobooks can play a significant role. THE CONVERSATION

By Tom Murphy The Associated Press

Proud, strong Team Philippines in Olympics opening–Tolentino

NESTHY PETECIO and Carlo Paalam will be at the forefront as flag-bearers of a 16-member Philippine representation in the never-donebefore opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics on Friday.

“We’ll be a proud and hopeful 16-strong Team Philippines in the opening ceremony,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino from Paris who won’t be joining the parade of countries and will be sitting in the Olympic Family section on a bank along the Seine River.

Joining the two boxing silver medalists at Tokyo 2020 are their

Sports BusinessMirror

B8 Thursday, July 25, 2024 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

fellow boxers Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan, hurdlers Lauren Hoffman and John Cabang Tolentino, swimmers Kayla Sanchez and Jarrod Hatch, gymnast Aleah Finnegan and fencer Samantha Catantan. Chef de Mission Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla and sports officials Michael Angelo Vargas (swimming), Marcus Manalo (boxing), Cynthia Carrion Norton (gymnastics), Patrick Gregorio (rowing) and Agapito “Terry” Capistrano (athletics) will also be on the boat assigned for the Philippines in the lavish ceremony that starts at 7:30 p.m. (1:30 a.m. in Manila).

Tolentino said that boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, gymnast Carlos Yulo and rower Joanie Delgaco will open

their campaign on Saturday and won’t be joining the parade as well as pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, who wanted to focus more on his pre-games preps in Normandy.

The three weightlifters—Vanessa Sarno, John Febuar Ceniza and Erleen Ann Ando—have yet to conclude their training in Metz and are due at the Olympic Village on Aug. 6, according to Tolentino.

“The schedule of our Olympian athletes have been meticulously crafted by their coaches so there won’t be hitches as they approach their competition days,” said Tolentino, who made the rounds of the Athletes Village after arriving in Paris on Wednesday and got to meet former multiple pro boxing champion Gennadiy

Guiao eyes no less than semis in Governors’ Cup

By Josef T. Ramos

AIN OR SHINE coach Yeng Guiao

Ris confident he has the materials to make it to the semifinals again and he will accept nothing less in the Governors’ Cup of the Philippine Basketball Association Season 49.

“It’s a minimum of semifinal finish which is our goal and then let’s see how far we go from there. When you have experienced semifinals, it’s either you sustain or surpass it,” Guiao told BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

“We are just waiting for our rookie Caelan Tiongson to sign up, but everything is good.”

The Elasto Painters will be parading 6-foot-6 high-flyer Aaron Fuller, positive

PArena in Pasig. Akari’s surprise victory over AllFilipino finalist Choco Mucho and

that the American can quickly adjust to the team’s style of play.

“He [Fuller] is not explosive or offensive-minded import, but he’s surely fit to our system because of his rebounding and defense. We really need an import that can get a lot of rebounds, but Aaron can score around 20 points,” Guiao added. Guiao is also counting on Fil-Swede Felix Lemetti, a guard who played for Fairfield, Omaha and Southern Utah, and 6-foot-2 former La Salle guard Francis Escandor.

“We are very happy with the rookies we have so far,” he said.

Six-foot-five Caelan Tiongson, the No. 7 pick overall, is expected to sign this week after his stint in the William Jones Cup for Strong Group Athletics.

Capital1’s upset against two-time champion Petro Gazz serve as warnings to the favorites in the league organized by Sports Vision. PLDT and Chery Tiggo, with their strong lineups and talented reinforcements, are keen to maintain their dominance in Pool A following consecutive wins.

PHINMA and tennis

WHO cares if it was Duck Weather to the extreme yesterday. It’s a great time for tennis.

Our national darling Alex Eala achieved great things in Spain over the weekend, winning both singles and doubles titles at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women’s 100 Tennis Tournament in Vitoris-Gasteiz, Spain.

It was a special achievement in Spain for Alex, a rare double crown, won over former adversary, 7th-ranked Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, 6-4, 6-4 in the finale. And

Despite a 0-4 start in the Philippine Cup, the Elasto Painters made it to the semifinals where they lost to eventual runner-up San Miguel Beer in four straight games.

Guiao also said that 6-foot-8 Luis Villegas will not be able to suit up when the season starts, and he needs Keith Datu, Mark Borboran and veteran Beau Belga to step up in the shaded lane.

The season opens August 18.

Guiao expressed excitement for the coming season with Rain or Shine competing in a pocket tournament in Davao City along with Phoenix Super LPG, Converge and De La Salle University from Thursday to Sunday at the University of Southeastern Philippines gym.

Completing the 22-athlete Team Philippines are gymnasts Emma Malabuyo and Levi Ruivivar, golfers Bianca Pagdangan and Dottie Ardina and judoka Kiyomi Watanabe.

The Paris Games organizers describe the opening ceremony as “bold, original and unique” that for the first time in Olympic history, the opening will not take place in a stadium but on the Seine River.

The organizers said that the parade of athletes will cover six kilometers on the Seine with boats for each national delegation—the boats will be equipped with cameras to allow television and online viewers to see the athletes up close.

Tamayo, Mendoza, Saban lead winners in JPGT Davao Apo leg to get there and then three-putted.

BRITTANY TAMAYO overcame a dramatic finish to clinch the girls’ 10-12 category title in the ICTSI Junior Mindanao Series I, saving par on the 18th and edging Kimberly Barroquillo in sudden death Wednesday at the Apo Golf and Country Club course in Davao. Tamayo saw her three-stroke lead evaporate with two holes left in regulation but held her nerve in the playoff to secure the victory and gain ranking points needed for the Match Play Championship in October.

“I was very happy that I won the playoff,” Tamayo, who plans to compete in next week’s Mindanao Series 2 at South Pacific, said. Davelyn Dy from Cebu finished third with an 87 for

The High Speed Hitters take on the Farm Fresh Foxies at 1 p.m., while the Crossovers battle Galeries Tower Highrisers at 5 p.m. Led by the dynamic Lena Samoilenko and supported by a strong local crew including Fiola Ceballos, Mika Reyes, Erika Santos, Majoy Baron and Kim

that was after a masterful doubles championship where she and erstwhile French partner Estelle Cascino conquered the duo of Bulgaria’s Lia Karatancheva and Latvia’s Diana Marcinkevika, 6-3, 2-6,10-4

As a result, the scintillating young tennis heroine of these Isles jumped in Women’s Tennis Association world rankings—from 155th to 143rd, a clear 12 places better.

What she also brought home was her fifth pro singles title and her third in the doubles. This is her best achievement yet,

But lest we forget, Alex Eala, together with young tennis pro Niño Alcantara, the young tennis sensation from Bukidnon, John Bryan Otiuco; now US-based Arthur Craig “Iggy” Pantino and Khim Iglupas all had their first big push in a tennis tournament here in the Philippines.

All were previous winners of the PHINMA-sponsored tournament called the J30 PHINMA International Junior Tennis Championships that also took place over the weekend at the Manila Polo Club Upper Tennis Courts. Running from July 14-21 and July 21-28, the tournament is back after several years’ absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ITF-recognized international tennis tournament for players 18-and-under is for Filipino and foreign junior players.

And guess what? The Philippines won all the championships in the first week of the PHINMA Group’s international junior tennis event. Filipino netters dominated both the boys’ and girls’ singles finals a day after

Fajardo, the High Speed Hitters are fa vored in their match against the Foxies. Farm Fresh (0-2) remains hope ful, relying on import Yeny Murillo, who scored 26 points in their previous match, and support from Caitlin Viray, Trisha Tubu, Louie Romero, Aprylle Tagsip, Chinnie Arroyo and Rizza Cruz.

The 12-year-old from Notre Dame University in Marbel, South Cotabato seemed poised for an easy win despite losing a five-stroke lead heading into the back nine. However, a triple-bogey on the par-3 16th resulted in an 85, allowing Barroquillo, who parred the last four holes for an 81, to force a playoff at 163 after 36 holes. In the playoff on the par-5 No. 18, Tamayo reached the green in two, while

sweeping the doubles categories.

Last Sunday, July 21, Miguel Iglupas bagged his second championship at the Junior Tennis Championships by defeating John Benedict Aguilar in the boys’ singles category 6-2, 6-0. Filipina Tennielle Madis edged out Taipei’s Yu Tsen Ko and emerged the girls’ singles champion after winning 6-2, 6-3.

In the earlier doubles finals, wildcards Iglupas and Aguilar teamed up to defeat Hung-jui Cheng and Yu-Hsiang Chuang from Taipei, 7-5, 6-1.

The pair eliminated top-seeded Chinese Zi Yi Ou and Zheng-Wei Wang, 1-6, 6-2, 11-9, in the first round; Chinese Taipei’s Ming Yu Ko and Kwong Wai Aengus Ma, 6-1, 6-2, in the quarterfinals; and Thailand’s Ratham Laosakulporn and Napat Narongdej, 6-2, 6-3, in the semifinals. Positive thinking helped them to win, Iglupas said. And what made it feel so good was that they were representing the Philippines, to whom they dedicated their efforts, and the win.

In the girls division, second seeds Stefi Marithe Aludo and Kimi Aiyana Brodeth outplayed their fellow Filipinas, Jana Jelena Nicole Diaz and Tennielle Madis to win, 6-4, 1-6 (10-5) and win the crown.

Fourth seeds Yu-Ching Hsieh and Yu Tsen Ko of Chinese Taipei were downed by Aludo and Brodeth, 7-5, 2-6 [10-4]; while Diaz and Madis stunned top seeds Lee Su Been of Korea and Zheng An-Jie of Chinese Taipei,

7-5, 0-6, 10-7 in the semifinals. In his remarks at the end of the tournament, PHINMA Chairman Emeritus and Philippine Tennis Academy (PTA) Chairman Oscar J. Hilado thanked the ITF and underscored the importance of holding such tournaments to nurture and highlight Filipino

Gennadyevich Golovkin, or Triple G, who’s part of the Kazakhstan boxing team.

LDT and Chery Tiggo aim to extend their winning streaks to three as they face struggling teams in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference on Thursday at the Philsports

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino with former pro boxing champion Gennadiy Gennadyevich Golovkin, or Triple G, at the Athletes Village.

Health& Fitness

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

1 in 3 Pinoy children stunted, says study; poor investment in quality childcare services blamed

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes Contributor

Government think tank

Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) recently issued a bleak scenario, saying that one in three Filipino children are stunted due to severe underinvestment and insufficient access to high quality childcare services

In its study “Behind the Slow Start: a n a ssessment of e arly Childhood Care and Development ( e CCD) in the Philippines” authored by Valerie Gilbert T. Ulep, lyle Daryll D. Casas, a aron Carols G. Manuel, John Paulo D. Mendoza, Joy Bagas, and Kim l eonard G. Dela l una observed that inadequate and untimely access to high-quality early childcare and prenatal interventions were factors that pushed the alarming levels of stunting among Filipino children. Furthermore, the study also found that the severe underinvestment for early childhood care and development, weak institutions, and fragmented governance also become stumbling blocks in the implementation of early childhood care development interventions.

The study was published in support of the Second Congressional Commission on e ducation ( e DCOM 2). “ e DCOM 2 welcomes the findings of the study conducted by PIDS. Our recommendations on the programmatic and legislative reforms to our education systems are based on empirical evidence from these kinds of studies,” said e DCOM 2 e xecutive Director Karol Mark yee.

Low access to early education

T H e authors pointed out that participation in early education among Filipino children aged three to four years old is low, despite the implementation of legislations such as the Kindergarten e ducation a ct, the e nhanced Basic e ducation a ct, and the e arly years a ct. “There was a drastic decline in the percentage of children aged three to four years old attending school during the pandemic. While it recovered to 20 percent in 2022, it still fell below pre-pandemic levels,” according to the authors.

The study also explained how child health outcomes are impacted by maternal and child undernutrition and exposure to infections, which directly contributes to chronic malnutrition and increased risk of mortality. a ccording to the authors, roughly 14 percent of Filipino women of reproductive age are undernourished and evidence proves that malnourished mothers have a high possibility of giving birth to infants with low birth weights, resulting in both short term and long-term consequences.

Furthermore, the authors said access to most basic health services including prenatal care, child immuni -

zation, postnatal care and other maternal and child services are quite far from the target of universal coverage.

Required energy intake

r e SU lTS of the study also show that only one out of four Filipino children meet the recommended energy intake ( re I). This shows the pertinacious challenges in addressing nutritional needs of children, especially among those aged six to months from low income households.

By using the re I, the preliminary analysis shows no difference in terms of meeting total energy and protein intake between children who received supplementary feeding programs compared to those who did not, even after adjusting for selection bias. This finding recommends further investigation and potential adjustments to the program to ensure effectiveness in addressing the nutritional needs of children.

a ccording to the 2022 a nnual Poverty Indicator, only 23 percent of children benefited from schoolbased feeding programs. “Despite government efforts, access remains limited. We observe a higher percentage of children aged four years old receiving government feeding programs, which reflects the implementation of school feeding initiatives in daycare centers and kindergarten schools,” said Ulep, PIDS Senior r esearch Fellow.

To improve participation rates in early education and access to essential health and nutrition services, the study recommends the roll out of innovative financing mechanisms such as piloting public-private partnership models and investing in science-based behavioral change communication campaigns and strategies to effectively reach and engage

target audience.

Severe underinvestment

aNOTH er general observation of the study is the hard underinvestment in e CCD, further aggravated by the prioritization of services with limited effects on nutrition and education outcomes.

“Overall, the current supply of capital investments for e CCD in the country falls short of meeting the goal of universal access for children aged three to 34 to e CCD services. The country’s current facilities are insufficient by around 33,000 to meet the 96,000 daycare/child development centers required to meet 100 percent of the demand,” the report reads.

Based on the authors’ findings, it was learned that the government allocates only P3,870 per child for health, significantly below the average government spending per person on health in lower- middle-income countries, which is $150.

“We acknowledge the benefits of school feeding programs, but we need to start investing more deeply, and intervening, in the earlier years,” said yee.

Moreover, the authors recommend increasing public spending on e CCD and investing resources in services that would dramatically affect health, nutrition, and early education outcomes by strategically allocating resources to influence e CCD spending of local governments, investing in primary health care through the implementation of the Universal Health Care a ct, reevaluating the implementation framework of government led school feeding programs, and increasing the investment in health care workers to enhance their capacity to monitor mothers and children.

Early detection, education is key in combating CKD

By Rory Visco Contributor

TH e body has two kidneys that are about the size of a human adult’s fist and located on either side of the spine just below the rib cage, according to New york, US abased National Kidney Foundation (NKF). These hardworking organs perform many functions, particularly in helping remove waste and excess fluid from the body, regulate blood pressure as well as the amount of nutrients in the body like calcium and potassium, among others.

How do the kidneys perform their life-sustaining job? The kidneys filter and return fluid to the bloodstream, a portion of which are retained in the body, and another portion is discarded through urine. So why do many people suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD? e xperts say the cause of kidney diseases are mostly lifestyle related such as consumption of unhealthy food, alcohol, smoking, that may lead to risk factors that can cause CKD like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, old age, or even family history. Unfortunately, symptoms of CKD are hardly noticeable until it reaches an advanced stage or as more complications develop. The NKF said about 37 million adults in the US are living with CKD, with approximately 90 percent of them not even knowing they have it. In the Philippines, CKD is one of the leading causes of death as the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) said that one Filipino develops chronic renal failure every hour, estimated to be at least 2.3 million Filipinos currently diagnosed with

H E a Lt H leaders and representatives from patient organizations join together to raise awareness for kidney health. In the photo are, from left, Dr. Maaliddin Biruar, Nephrologist; Dr. Rose Marie Rosete-Liquete, NK tI Executive Director; Dr. Greta Cortez, Head of Medicine of Human Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines; Karen alparce-Villanueva, President, Philippine alliance of Patient Organizations; Reynaldo abacan Jr., President & Founder of Dialysis PH; and Marimel Lamsin, Internal Vice President, Kidney transplant a ssociation of thehilippines, Inc. Joining them was journalist Doris Birognia, who was the event’s host.

CKD. Other recent projections show that one in 10 Filipinos will develop this deadly disease.

Various stakeholders unite vs CKD TO help spread awareness about CKD, patient organizations and medical societies came together to celebrate National Kidney Month by helping Filipinos detect the early symptoms of CKD and educating them on prevention.

This was done through an event titled “It Starts with U: Get CheCKD” that was supported by Boehringer Ingelheim (Philippines), Inc. Several experts and partner organizations were present during the event like r ey a bacan Jr., President and Founder of Dialysis PH; Marimel l amsin, Internal Vice President of the Kidney Transplant a ssociation of the Philippines, Inc. (KIT a P);

Karen a lparce-Villanueva, President of the Philippine a lliance of Patient Organizations (Pa PO); and Dr. r ose Marie r osete- l iquete, e xecutive Director of NKTI.

The experts who attended the event shared with the audience the prevalence and dangers of CKD, and how Filipinos can adopt simple yet effective measures to protect themselves. They said CKD is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the Philippines and part of its danger is the difficulty in early detection since its symptoms don’t manifest until it’s too late.

However, renowned nephrologist Dr. Maaliddin Biruar, who was the key expert of the talk, said this condition can be easily mitigated by regular testing and adapting a few lifestyle changes. e arly detection and regular medi -

UN says nearly 40 million people had HIV in 2023

Nearly 40 million people were living with the HIV virus that causes a IDS last year, over nine million weren’t getting any treatment, and the result was that every minute someone died of a IDS-related causes, the United Nations said in a new report launched July 22, 2024.

While advances are being made to end the global a IDS pandemic, the report said progress has slowed, funding is shrinking, and new infections are rising in three regions: the Middle e ast and North a frica, e astern e urope and Central a sia, and l atin a merica.

In 2023, around 630,000 people died from a IDS-related illnesses, a significant decline from the 2.1 million deaths in 2004. But the latest figure is more than double the target for 2025 of fewer than 250,000 deaths, according to the report by UN a IDS, the UN agency leading the global effort to end the pandemic.

Gender inequality is exacerbating the risks for girls and women, the report said, citing the extraordinarily high incidence of HIV among adolescents and young women in parts of a frica.

Marginalized communities

T H e proportion of new infections globally among marginalized communities that face stigma and discrimination—sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs also increased to 55 percent in 2023 from 45 percent in 2010, it said.

UN a IDS e xecutive Director Winnie Byanyima said: “World leaders pledged to end the a IDS pandemic as a public health threat by 2030, and they can uphold their promise, but only if they ensure that the HIV

response has the resources it needs, and that the human rights of everyone are protected.” a s part of that pledge, leaders vowed to reduce annual new HIV infections to below 370,000 by 2025, but the report said in 2023 new infections were more than three times higher at 1.3 million. l ast year, among the 39.9 million people globally living with HIV, 86 percent knew they were infected, 77 percent were accessing treatment, and for 72 percent the virus was suppressed, the report said Progress in HIV treatments

Cé S ar Núñez, director of the UNa IDS New york office, told a news conference there has been progress in HIV treatments. Injections that can stay in the body for six months, but the two doses cost $40,000 yearly, out of reach for all but the richest people with the virus. He said UN a IDS has been asking the manufacturer to make it available at lower cost to low and middleincome countries.

Núñez said there have also been seven cases where people with HIV who were treated for leukemia emerged with no sign of the HIV virus in their system.

He said injections and the seven cases will be discussed at the 25th International a IDS Conference which began July 22 in Munich. a t present, he said, daily treatment with pills costs about $75 per person per year. It has allowed many countries to increase the number of people with HIV to receive treatment. Núñez said UN a IDS will continue advocating for a vaccine to prevent a IDS. Edith M. Lederer, AP

DOH celebrates national CPR day with hands-on demonstrations

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

ardiopulmonary r esuscitation

C(C pr ) is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating.

cal consultations will help prevent the progression of CKD in our patients, ensuring better quality of life and productivity. By addressing the risk factors of CKD such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, we can also reduce the socioeconomic burden of treating end-stage CKD,” Dr. l iquete pointed out.

The event also enabled Boehringer to launch their new disease awareness website ItStartsWithyou.com.ph, a web page that contains data and information on CKD that patients and the public can freely access.

a ccessible tools and education are essential in combating CKD. With tools like this websit e, we can empower Filipinos with the knowledge and understanding for detecting CKD early and managing it effectively. e arly detection through accessible testing can significantly improve outcomes and enhance the quality of life for those affected by this silent but serious condition,” according to Dr. Greta Cortez, Head of Medicine for Human Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim Philippines.

Throughout the duration of the event, families enjoyed educational and entertaining activities at different zones where they checked for CKD and learned the importance of adopting healthy habits to prevent the disease.

“We are happy to see that more Filipinos are taking a proactive step towards taking care of their kidneys. We are committed to improving the lives of Filipinos with interconnected cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic disease, which CKD is a part of. The best way to make lasting change is by educating our communities, healthcare providers, patients, and their families,” concluded Dr. Cortez.

To promote this lifesaving skill, the d epartment of Health ( do H) through its Health Emergency m anagement Bureau (HE m B) and Communication o ffice (C om ) celebrated the inaugural n ational Cardiopulmonary r esuscitation d ay. The celebration is in line with p roclamation n o. 511, signed by p resident Ferdinand “Bongbong” m arcos Jr., which declares July 17 of each year as “ n ational Cardiopulmonary r esuscitation d ay.”

The event aimed to raise awareness about C pr as a critical lifesaving technique in emergencies such as cardiac arrest and near drowning.

p articipants, including media partners, received hands-on demonstrations of Hands- o nly C pr using high-fidelity mannequins led by do H a ssistant Secretary d r. a lbert Francis E. d omingo.

Event goal

T HE goal of this event is to educate the public until each and every household member has the capacity, knowledge and skills necessary for this lifesaving technique.

Key attendees in the event included do H-HE m B d irector d r. Bernadette Velasco, d epartment of Education ( d epEd) oi Cd irector a tty. Suzette T. Ganaban- m edina, p hilippine r ed Cross ( pr C) Secretary General d r. Gwendolyn p ang, p hilippine Heart a ssociation ( p H a ) p resident d r. r odney Jimenez, p hilippine College of Emergency m edicine ( p CE m) p resident d r. Jeremy a . Cordero, and a merican Heart a ssociation (a H a) Southeast a sia r egional Faculty d r. Vicente d e l ima.

This initiative supports the d epartment’s 8- p oint a ction a genda— l igtas, d ekalidad at m apagkalingang Serbisyo, aiming to ensure the provision of high-quality, safe, and people-centered services, including access to affordable medicines, across all life stages.

“Empowering individuals with C pr skills is a crucial step towards building a resilient and health-conscious community. By equip -

ping every household with this lifesaving knowledge, we can significantly increase the chances of survival in emergency situations, advancing our vision of a Bagong p ilipinas kung saan Bawat Buhay m ahalaga,” said Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa. First aid knowledge saves lives T HE pr C , meanwhile, said that 15,000 participants across 90 of their chapters nationwide, engaged in the hands-only C pr demonstrations to underscore its lifesaving potential.

pr C Chairman and CE o r ichard Gordon emphasized that while C pr is crucial, it is just one facet of a comprehensive first-aid training.

With over 900,000 individuals already trained by the pr C in C pr , Gordon stressed the necessity of equipping every citizen with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to effectively respond to medical emergencies.

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

Cardiac arrest

Cardia C arrest remains a pressing health concern in the p hilippines, claiming thousands of lives annually. a larmingly, only one percent of victims receive the urgent medical attention required within the critical first minutes of cardiac arrest. Gordon reiterated that timely intervention, especially through C pr , significantly improves survival rates. a dministered promptly, C pr can double or even triple a person’s chances of survival, highlighting its critical role beyond a medical procedure—it is a life-saving skill accessible to all.

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

The r ed Cross reaffirms its commitment to expanding not just C pr education,

PhilHealth digitalization on track

In a bid to make services truly accessible and within reach by as many Filipinos as possible, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) introduced another innovation in the field of digital transformation system through its new ePhilHealth platform.

t he Department of Information and Communications technology (DIC t ) and PhilHealth co-developed and launched ePhilHealth platform, an integration platform that plays a crucial role in PhilHealth’s digital transformation to support streamlining of government processes.

for the benefit of our members who are increasingly getting digital,” PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel r . Ledesma, Jr. said.

FEU launches new healthcare programs to meet growing demand

Ft his platform aims to gradually move all PhilHealth legacy systems into new and secure systems through the establishment of a National Health Data r epository (NHD r ) and integration with the DIC t ’s eGovernment Data Exchange Platform (eGovDX). New features such as members profiles, beneficiaries, contributions, claims history, and eKonsulta registration were successfully launched to allow members to enjoy PhilHealth services at ease, even from the comfort of their homes.

t he initiative is in line with the aggressive digitalization program of the government that aims to improve member experience as mandated by r epublic a ct No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Law and as directed by President Ferdinand r . Marcos, Jr. to accelerate digitalization initiatives to improve public service delivery.

Being one of the first agencies to integrate in eGovPH Super a pp and Digital National ID, PhilHealth assures the public that more responsive and client-centric health insurance services are expected.

“Digitalization plays an important role in efficient government service delivery for our members. I assure everyone that PhilHealth will continuously enhance, update, and expand its digital solutions and innovations

CPD echoes recent World Bank findings to invest in early formative years

tHE Commission on Population and Development (CPD) acknowledges the recent findings from the Human Capital r eview (HC r ) of the World Bank emphasizing the need to invest in early formative years to accelerate socioeconomic growth potential from its huge labor force.

With the country’s working age population comprising 63.9 percent of its total population, the Philippines is poised to harness this advantage and fully utilize the human capital potential of the country.

Yet the human capital in the country is still underutilized, the World Bank states, that a Filipino child born today will only reach 52 percent of her/his potential productivity compared to a child provided with full health and good quality education. a ccording to Undersecretary for Population and Development (POPDEV) Lisa Grace S. Bersales Ph.D., the report validates the importance of investing in human capital, which is a key strategy spelled-out in the Philippine Population and Development Plan of a ction or PPD-POa 20232028, approved by Pres. Marcos via Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 40 on November 14, 2023 as a blueprint for interagency collaboration to optimize demographic opportunities and address prevailing population issues to accelerate socioeconomic development in the country.

Understanding human capital in the country

aS defined by the World Bank, human capital refers to the “knowledge, skills, health, and experience that people accumulate throughout their lives.”

Bersales, who is also CPD’s executive director, echoed the HC r ’s results which showed that the Philippines is projected to achieve upper-middleincome country status by 2026 due to a significant increase in gross national income (GNI). She cautioned, however, that “despite the upward trajectory of GNI per capita, the country is currently utilizing less than half of its human capital potential.”

“Based on the World Bank r eport, the Philippines has the lowest Human Capital Index (HCI), among its neighboring countries, highlighting significant limitations to the productivity potential of future workers due to poor conditions or outcomes in health, education, and employment” the POPDEV undersecretary pointed out. “a s of 2020, the Philippines’ HCI stands at 0.52, indicating that a child born today can only achieve slightly

over half of their potential productivity by the age of 18.”

Human capital development: Urgent.

B E r S a LES expressed alignment of the recommendations of the HC r with the PPD-POa strategic actions.

In optimizing demographic dividend, the PPD-POa called for the (1) urgent actions to improve investments for human capital development; (2) improved utilization of its labor force through creation of more job and economic opportunities (i.e., particularly the improvement of youth employment), (2) implementing a life cycle approach to human capital development emphasizing the strategic importance of investing for early years development; and (3) improving governance at all levels.

t he Undersecretary for Population and Development emphasized that the demographic opportunity created by increasing the working age population is too narrow, such that delay in needed actions may cause us to miss such opportunity . “ t he Philippines may be the last a sian country to benefit from demographic dividend. If we would not be able to urgently create the preconditions and prerequisites for demographic dividend within around four to five decades, which has already commenced, we may possibly miss out on such opportunity.”

“Investing in our people means putting them in our minds as we develop plans and policies,” she explained. “It is crucial that we ensure Filipinos will acquire and cultivate adequate human capital, equipped with the tools necessary to enhance productivity, innovate, and capitalize on opportunities presented by new technologies.”

Moreover, reiterating the recommendations of World Bank, Bersales is also calling the local government units to intensify and strengthen their initiatives in building the capacities of their human capital. t he CPD official also underscored the need to address increasing adolescent pregnancies especially among young girls aged 10 to 14 years as it seriously threatens the wellbeing and capacities of young people as the foundation of the future human resource.

She emphasized that “as CPD pursues its mandate to enable institutions toward people centered development, ultimately, the goal is to empower the important asset of the nation—its human capital—toward developed families, communities and country.”

Successful integration of the new PhilHealth Platform to the National ID eVerify also streamlined and secured members verification and identity.

t he new eKonsulta r egistration

will allow users to register to any Konsulta Package Provider nationwide. t hrough the eGovPH Super a pp, members can now check their members profiles and beneficiaries; contributions and payment history; access and manage their health insurance details including policy information and coverage; including claims history.

Before the end of the year, more exciting features will be added to the new platform as PhilHealth journeys towards its digital transformation.

Ledesma appealed to the members to start using the eGovPH app as part of the a gency’s commitment to deliver strategic nationwide digitalization for the benefit of Filipino citizens. “Let us continue to work hand in hand to deliver the promise of a digitally empowered nation. together, we can build a future where public service is synonymous with excellence, efficiency, and empathy”, the PhilHealth Chief added.

Specialists say there are benefits to couples sleeping separately

OL ende R and his wife

Mhave been together for 42 years. They slept in the same bed for the first 10, taking to separate rooms after that.

Their sleep separation was due to his developing chronic and heavy snoring that eventually led to a diagnosis of sleep apnea and his use of a CPa P machine.

a fter the machine eliminated his snoring, they continue to sleep apart in their Charlotte, n orth Carolina, home because of other issues. He’s typically warm at night and she’s usually cold.

“For us to maintain separate rooms for sleep just makes for a healthier relationship and a better relationship,” said Solender, 66. “There’s no shame attached to that. There’s no stigma.”

Sleeping issues

Sn OR ing , temperature variations, cover stealers, and tossing and turning often lead to partners sleeping separately. Other issues are also in play, including illness, different work shifts, and partners who go to bed and get up at different times.

More than one-third of a mericans said they occasionally or consistently sleep in another room to accommodate a bed partner, according to an a merican a cademy of Sleep Medicine study last year. Men are the ones who usually hit the sofa or guest room.

a nd, perhaps surprisingly, it’s millennials who do it most, rather than older people.

d r. Seema Khosla, a pulmonologist and spokesperson for the academy, said achieving adequate sleep, which is usually seven to eight hours for adults, is important for healthy relationships.

Poor sleep and conflict

S TU die S indicate that people who consistently experience poor sleep are more likely to experience conflict with their partners, said Khosla, who is the medical director of the n orth d akota Center for Sleep, in Fargo.

“ i t’s really a question of people prioritizing their sleep,” Khosla said. “ i have had patients who have been married like 60 years and they swear that separate bedrooms is a reason.”

Sleeping separately, she said, “is probably more common than we think.”

The same goes for sleep apnea, a leading cause of heavy snoring, Khosla said. Solender said he went to a sleep specialist after realizing the impact sleep deprivation had on himself and his wife.

“ i would wake her up and would wake myself up,” he said. “ i never knew i had sleep apnea. i would say close to 20 years ago, i started falling asleep at red lights. i started falling asleep watching TV or sitting up and reading a book. i felt tired constantly. That’s when i knew i had an issue.”

Talking is key

T H e key to making separate sleep spaces work is talking about it beforehand, as So -

ar Eastern University (FEU) is expanding its healthcare programs to address the growing demand for healthcare professionals in the Philippines. Starting this academic year 2024-2025, FEU Manila will offer a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, while FEU Cavite will introduce a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

a ccording to the Department of Health, the Philippines currently lacks around 190,000 healthcare professionals.

“ a ddressing the gaps in our healthcare industry requires the collaboration of many relevant stakeholders. FEU wants to do its part by equipping more future healthcare professionals with practical skills and global perspectives that will enable them to address various healthcare challenges effectively,” says Moira Uy, Dean of Nursing at FEU’s Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing.

lender did with his wife.

“ i t’s not about avoiding intimacy. i t’s about recognizing that you can have intimacy, you can have that time together, but then you just sleep apart. That’s a really important part of the conversation. Both partners need to understand and agree,” Khosla said.

She has seen some reluctance among her patients when she suggests sleeping apart.

“Usually it’s somebody’s spouse who is snoring or someone who has a spouse’s alarm that wakes them up at four in the morning or something like that. We’ll talk about it. a nd people will push back right away saying, oh, no, no, that’s not gonna work for me,” she said.

Some, Khosla said, “will sit with it for a minute and they’ll think about it, and you can tell that they’re kind of like, i would love to do this but how do i tell my partner?”

Horrible snorer

T R a C ey d anie LS and her husband have been sleeping apart for about four years. i nitially, there was no big talk. She just headed to the guest room.

“ i t started because my husband is a horrible snorer. But also ’m a very light sleeper. He could drop a paperclip on a carpeted floor and i would wake up,” said d aniels, who lives in Tryon, n orth Carolina.

Later, she said, she initiated a conversation after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through surgery.

“He comes and tucks me in and gives me a kiss,” d aniels said. They rotate their three dogs at night.

d r. Phyllis Zee, chief of sleep medicine at n orthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and director of a sleep clinic at n orthwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said sleep separation is common in her practice.

i t would be a great idea to discuss sleep compatibility before you get married. i tend to see it when couples have been married and/or they’ve been together for some time and have been trying to negotiate this for a while,” she said.

Less robust

C OM e middle age, Zee said, sleep is less robust.

“ i n general, you’re more prone to getting things like insomnia or sleep apnea. a nd so that begins to be bothersome,” she said.

While there’s no shame in sleeping apart, Zee said technology has helped make sharing a bed easier in some ways. White noise machines, cooling pillows and bedding, mattresses with dual temperature controls and dual control electric blankets can help, Zee said. Some couples have given up sharing blankets, using their own, to make sleep easier.

“There’s a whole market out there to mitigate some of these issues,” she said. Leanne Italie, AP

“FEU actively participates in the goals of the transnational Higher Education a ct by facilitating the exchange of information, personnel, and academic programs. t his joint venture promotes innovation and collaboration, positioning FEU as a competitive force in nursing education on a global scale,” added Uy. r ecent accomplishments highlight FEU’s status as a top-tier healthcare education provider. In the most recent Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination, FEU Manila ranked as the third-best performing school with a 91.84 percent passing rate. FEU also performed well in recent Medical technology Licensure Examination with 92.86 percent passing rate for first time examinees. FEU’s continued investment in healthcare education, both locally and globally, aligns with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being.

“FEU shall serve as principal instrument for generating nursing knowledge, innovation, and technology to develop relevant and technical higher order skills needed to compete in the international knowledge economy. FEU has been and still is actively making its contribution in quality healthcare resource generation,” said Uy.

A global perspective W I t H an aspiration to position Philippine healthcare education in the global landscape, FEU achieved a significant milestone through its international branch campus in Brunei, JPMC College of Health Sciences. t his pioneering endeavor makes FEU the first Philippine university to receive a transnational permit for nursing from the Commission on Higher Education.

Pru Life UK advocates climate, mental health resilience through employee learning session

Leading life insurer Pru Life UK tackled the intersection of climate change and health, with focus on mental health, during an employee session held on its PRUCommunity d ay last July 2, 2024. The PRUCommunity d ay is Pru Life UK’s initiative to gather employees and celebrate diversity through various communities or advocacy groups that promote a sense of belonging and inclusion.

Led by its Sustainability Changemakers community, with members advocating positive change and long-term resilience for Filipinos, the session prompted critical challenges and opportunities, discussing concerns on climate health.

Financial security

dUR ing the learning session, d r. John Jamir Benzon a ruta, a ssociate Professor of Psychology at d e La Salle University and expert on environmental psychology, and mental & planetary health, highlighted the profound impact of climate-related events on mental health, particularly among agricultural workers. He emphasized the urgent need for accessible mental health support, underscoring the debilitating effects of climate-induced adversities on vulnerable communities. e choing concerns raised by the Philippine Mental Health a ssociation i nc. (PMH a ), d r. a ruta further stressed that mental health care should be accessible to all Filipinos, regardless of their socio-economic status. Recent data reveals a severe shortage of mental health professionals for every 100,000 Filipinos, strengthening Pru Life UK’s commitment to impelling sustainable solutions.

Maricel e stavillo, Pru Life UK’s VP for g overnment Relations & Sustainability, stated, “a s one of the frontrunners in uplifting climate health for Filipinos, Pru Life UK is dedicated to creating sustainable solutions that address both financial and health

challenges posed by climate change. Our initiatives are designed to support our lasting commitment to making financial and health solutions accessible to all Filipinos, ensuring they are equipped to face the future with resilience and confidence.”

Climate resilience, support P RU Life UK has long since integrated climate education into its community-based financial programs, prioritizing mental wellbeing in its initiatives. This introduction of climate-smart insurance products aims to bolster financial resilience during climaterelated health crises, bridging crucial gaps in community preparedness. The company also launched a pioneering study in 2021 entitled “How Climate Change Will i mpact Filipino Health in the n ext d ecade,” led by d r. Renzo g uinto, a renowned expert on planetary health. The study highlighted proactive measures to mitigate climate change’s looming health effects. His insights also underscored the importance of financial security and mental health interventions as critical adaptations to a changing climate. Through initiatives like the Climate and Health Session for its employees, Pru Life UK continues demonstrating proactive leadership in climate resilience and community support. By integrating climate education into community-based financial programs and launching climate-smart insurance products, Pru Life UK continues to lead in equipping Filipinos with the tools needed to thrive amidst a changing climate landscape. Such commitment deeply emphasizes Pru Life UK’s ongoing efforts to ensure that financial security and mental health support are readily available, reinforcing their role as a catalyst for community resilience. For more information about

& Fitness

Handwashing best way to beat hand, foot, mouth disease–health expert

Frequent and proper handwashing with soap and water prevent the transmission of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), a health expert said recently.

“We teach children to wash their hands after using the toilet, especially before eating. In fact, in a study in China, nakita nila na (they saw that) handwashing is an effective way to prevent h FMD outbreak,” University of the Philippines-Philippine General h ospital Community Dermatology

Vice Chair Maria Christina Filomena Batac said in a media forum.

h FMD is a mild and contagious infection caused by human enteroviruses species A and enterovirus 71. It is common among children 10 years old and below manifesting as vesicles or blisters on palms, soles, tongue, and buttocks. Adults also acquire h FMD but they may have no or very few blisters.

Fever, malaise

Pr IO r to the eruption of blisters, which takes seven to 10 days, infected

children and adults may experience low grade fever, malaise, abdominal pain, cough colds and sore throat for one to two days.

“ h and-foot-mouth disease can be seen in countries where weather changes every summer or autumn,” Batac said.

“ h and-foot-mouth disease is only from humans, this is not from animals, this is not similar to the foot and mouth disease affecting cows, pigs, sheep, and goats,” she added. It can be spread through fecaloral transmission and respiratory inhalation.

Symptoms may take three to six days to show once a person is exposed to an h FMD patient.

Contagious

The patient is contagious for five weeks because the virus can still be

present in the feces from four to eight weeks, and for two weeks in throat secretions.

Batac said children younger than six years old sometimes develops onychomadesis or loss of nail, one to two months after h FMD.

She said some cases lead to severe neurologic disease like encephalities, encephalomyelitis, and polio-like syndromes; and other complications like myocarditis, pulmonary edema,

pulmonary hemorrhage and death. There are no antibiotics and no antivirals for h FMD. It can only be managed through supportive treatment including medicine for fever and pain, hydration, proper nutrition, and sleep and rest.

In addition to handwashing, parents, guardians and carers are advised to disinfect commonly touched surfaces and toys to prevent h FMD transmission. Ma. Teresa Montemayor, PNA

Three men: ‘No regrets! Vasectomy was the best decision for my family’

Three men had vasectomy in the last eight weeks, in the wake of the May 8, 2024 launch of the SOD e X (Service Outreach and Distribution e xtension Program) Mobile Clinic run by DKT Philippines Foundation and made possible by T rUST r eproductive h ealth Choices. r on Domingo, Keith r eyes, and Azell Cagampan were all looking to get non-scalpel vasectomy when the mobile clinic landed near their respective homes.

They all went through the process of receiving the free permanent contraception procedure and were all individually interviewed about why they decided to get it and how it is changing their family life for the better.

All three (two millennials and one zoomer) have already been planning to get a vasectomy and have been looking for a safe way to get it.

Enough children

All of them have decided they already have the right number of children, with Azell having six, r on having four, and Keith having one. They all saw how their wives suffered during their pregnancies, even more so during childbirth. r on explained, “My wife miscarried twice, and this took an emotional toll on both of us. We have four kids already

sll

OWI n G a handful of pills is a daily ritual for many people, from young adults coping with anxiety to older adults managing chronic conditions. Overall, 13 percent of people in the u nited states take five or more prescription drugs. f or those 65 and older, that number is 42 percent.

If you’re taking multiple meds, it’s smart to be aware of potential problems. One pill can lead to a side effect, leading to another pill and another side effect in what experts call a “prescribing cascade.”

s ome drugs can cause harm if taken for years. Others stop working or interact badly with a new drug. A drug tolerated well at first can cause side effects later, leading to cognitive decline and injuries from falls.

and that’s enough for me and my wife to raise them properly. Also, I do not want further complications for my wife who is already 45 years old.”

Keith’s ordeal is no less difficult. This working student witnessed how much his young wife, also a student, struggled while pregnant. Their backbreaking experience during those difficult months dealing with their parents, their classes, and work led them to consider vasectomy as the right option and to stop having more babies in the future. “I got a vasectomy for my partner. We’re focused on raising our firstborn who’s one year and eight months old now,” Keith definitively asserted.

Azell has been researching vasectomy since 2023 and it was only this June, by chance, that the traveling SOD e X Mobile Clinic stopped by in Moncada (Tarlac), near his residence. Because Azell and his wife are okay with having six children, they both trooped to the site. After a 30-minute consultation with the healthcare staff, Azell had his procedure which took only 20 minutes. “Sobrang bilis,” (real fast) he exclaimed. r on said that after two days, he was able to go back to work since he didn’t feel uncomfortable anymore. h e swears it is a safe procedure and is better than spending more on other forms of contraceptives.

Manhood, sexuality

C O n T r A ry to the common misgivings among men, vasectomy does not affect one’s manhood or sexuality. Keith observed that most men do not get a vasectomy for this reason, fearing that their masculinity will be “on the line”.

The SOD e X Mobile Clinic offers free non-scalpel vasectomy, which is as effective as conventional vasectomy, while also being less invasive and having a shorter recovery time. It is one of the best contraceptive methods due to it being permanent, having 99.9% success rate, and being easier on the body compared to ligation (a procedure for women).

Consultations and briefings are being given to all those who go to the SOD e X Mobile Clinic for vasectomy. The counseling includes information about the procedure, what to expect before and after the procedure, and post-procedure care.

The mobile clinic is led by Dr. l uis Garcia who specializes in voluntary surgical contraception and has 20 years of experience under his belt. h e said, “We’ve visited seven provinces in l uzon, so far, having tended to 34 vasectomy patients. Vasectomy is a very minor procedure; we give anesthesia to dull the pain. Patients can go back to work and regular activi -

ties after a day or two. n o nerves or blood vessels that affect erection are touched, and testicles are still intact after the procedure. So, to the men out there, macho pa rin kayo (you’re as macho as ever). r emember this, vasectomy is an act of love for your wife and your family. It is responsible family planning.”

More intimate partners

All three men swear that vasectomy also helped them become more intimate with their partners. “There is more bonding between us, and it even increased my own sense of sensuality,” Azell revealed.

For r on, vasectomy will help a family, since it will empower parents to better care for their children. Drawing from his own experience growing up, he quipped that in large families, it can happen that parents will forget the names of some of their children and will not have enough resources to care for them.

The SOD e X Mobile Clinic will travel around l uzon this year and will be offering free non-scalpel vasectomy to men among other services. The clinic will stay in one area for a maximum of two days from 8 am to 6 pm.

By next year, the mobile clinic will cover communities in the Visayas and Mindanao areas.

Empower yourself! Essential tips for a mother’s pursuit of health and wellness

Intens I ve mothering, a term coined by sociologist s haron Hays, refers to a cultural norm and set of expectations emphasizing the idea that mothers devote a significant amount of their time, energy, and resources for their child’s upbringing.

t he concept of intensive mothering, where public opinion influences the “right way” to be a mother, describes mothers as the primary and preferred caregivers by default, leaving little to no time for themselves.

“It is a common thing for mothers to deprioritize self-care during their pregnancy and even after delivery,” said Dr. e merita Rilloraza, an OB-Gyne from Manila Doctors Hospital. “Mothers often feel the need to put their healthcare on hold to focus on others”. While this may be true for some people, this should not be the norm.

During a forum for expectant mothers, Dr. Rilloraza enumerated the major milestones and changes during pregnancy and early stages of motherhood. to help mothers of all ages, Rilloraza offered significant health advice to help guide mothers and moms-tobe on their journey to motherhood.

Before the baby is born “Du RI n G your pregnancy, your body changes, as well as your outlook in everything so it’s important to have the support of your loved ones”. Rilloraza added. During pregnancy, it is crucial to pay attention to health issues that may arise. t hese include pregnancyrelated diabetes or high blood pressure and other complications. to prevent those, the doctor advised women to be wary of their daily food and fluid intake.

“Pregnant women should be getting enough nutrition during their pregnancy as it supports fetal growth and development, reduces the risk of complications, supports lactation, and maintains the mother’s health”, the OB-Gyne said.

Apart from nutrition, moms-to-be should also be getting proper sleep, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, practicing yoga and meditation, and keeping themselves stress-free. “ s ocial connection is very significant during this life stage. Having a supportive social network—be it with your family, friends, and community is essential to maintain your overall well-being”, she added.

Danger signs and high-risk pregnancies

W HI le certain body changes are inevitable, expectant mothers should know the danger signs if they have high-risk pregnancies. According to Dr. Rilloraza, certain factors may add to a more complicated pregnancy.

Pregnant women are more prone to having high-risk pregnancies if they belong in the young primigravid (age less than 17 years), old primigravid (age more than 35 years), and grandmultiparity (with five or more children) groups. Additionally, women may have more high-risk pregnancies if they have poor OB history, hypertension, diabetes, bronchial asthma, heart disease, thyroid disorders, renal disease, with malignancies like cancer, had multiple pregnancies, and with previous C-section delivery.

Life as a new mom

Afte R delivery, care is as crucial as the early

stages of pregnancy as it requires critical attention to ensure the health of the mother and child. Most new moms also experience postpartum baby blues after childbirth, which can range from having mood swings, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. t his usually begins within the first two to three days after delivery and may last for up to two weeks. However, when a new mom experiences a more severe, long-lasting form of postpartum baby blues, it can be considered already as postpartum depression or peripartum depression (if it started during pregnancy and continues until childbirth). Most common symptoms of postpartum depression are severe mood swings, attention withdrawal, difficulty bonding with the child, intense irritability and anger, severe anxiety and panic attacks, overwhelming tiredness, and recurring thoughts of harm and death. “If you have any of these symptoms after childbirth, it is best to seek immediate medical care from your healthcare provider or your OB-Gyne”, Rilloraza added.

Celebrating self-care and well-being

M A ny people struggle with making time for themselves, especially with new moms after childbirth. Dr. Rilloraza emphasized the need for self-care for both the mom and child’s well-being. “ s elf-care doesn’t have to be expensive. you just need to find the right balance in parenting your child and taking care of yourself too.” f rom getting more sleep, meeting with friends, decluttering your home to doing and learning new hobbies, self-care positively impacts one’s mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social health.

“ l earning to prioritize yourself amidst your life as a mom also has its health benefits. It reduces your risks of future medical issues such as heart disease. Caring for yourself is often the first step to caring for others,” she said.

As the old saying goes, you cannot pour from an empty cup. It is important to also prioritize yourself so you can provide the best possible care for your baby and your family. to know more about women’s health and wellness services and the new Maternity Packages of Manila Doctors Hospital, contact (02) 8558-0888 local 2382, 0998-9955625 or visit www.maniladoctors.com.ph and www. facebook.com/maniladoctorshospital.

If your daily pill routine is getting out of hand, ask for a medication review. Here’s how to get started with a process called “deprescribing.”

Ask for a prescription checkup s tAR t with a professional you trust, like a doctor or pharmacist, said l isa McCarthy, a pharmacist and deprescribing expert at the u niversity of toronto.

If you’re asking your doctor, don’t wait until the end of a 15-minute visit. Instead, make a dedicated appointment and tell them when booking you want to talk about your

“Our metabolism changes as we get older,” said Dr. e lizabeth Bayliss, who studies deprescribing at Kaiser Permanente’s Institute for Health Research in Aurora, Colorado. “ e veryone’s ability to metabolize the medications they’ve been taking for a long time may change.” t he nonprofit l own Institute calls the whole situation a medication overload that will cause 4.6 million hospital visits this decade.

medicines, McCarthy said. your doctor may not have the full picture of what you’re taking if other prescribers are involved, and some doctors hesitate to manage drugs prescribed by others. t hat’s when a pharmacist can help by reviewing everything and writing up suggestions you can share with your doctors, said pharmacist Bradley Phillips of the u niversity of f lorida College of Pharmacy.

“We’re considered the medication experts,” Phillips said.

Could my medicine be causing a problem?

sW ell I n G , incontinence, restlessness, insomnia—all are side effects caused by common medications that sometimes get treated with new drugs. McCarthy wants people to ask their doctors a simple question: Could this symptom be related to one

of my medications?

“If we could teach the public to ask that question it would be very powerful,” McCarthy said. And for a follow-up question, she suggested: Do I still need this medicine?

Pharmacist Barbara farrell sees dramatic changes in many people she helps at an outpatient geriatric center in Ottawa, Ontario. s ome have emerged from a drug-induced dementia after their meds are reduced. A 77-year-old woman was able to leave her wheelchair and walk with a cane after cutting her daily pills from 32 to 17. s he had arrived sedated and unable to communicate, and a few months later, she was back to her hobby of knitting.

Weaning off medication takes time sOM e meds can be stopped abruptly but others require a slow taper to prevent un -

comfortable withdrawal symptoms or even life-threatening seizures. tapering to progressively lower doses is particularly important with drugs for depression, insomnia and anxiety.

After two decades on various pills for these conditions, therapist Molly Bernardi of s pokane, Washington, began tapering down her doses.

t he 45-year-old suspected the pills were the cause of her worsening problems with digestion, balance, memory, stiff muscles and flickering dots across her field of vision. When scans ruled out other illnesses, she gradually stopped each of four medications.

“It’s been by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Bernardi said.

One of the final drugs she stopped was the toughest: a benzodiazepine, a class of sedatives that can be harmful if taken long term. Over the course of three months, she used a kitchen knife and a nail file to cut her 1 milligram daily pill into eversmaller pieces.

s he listened to her body, found support groups on facebook and used breathwork and prayer to get through withdrawal symptoms. n ow when I have a good day, a good hour, a good moment, it’s peace and presence like I’ve never known since before I was medicated,” Bernardi said. “I’m just experiencing a little bit of great. And a little bit of great is so great that it keeps me going.”

Be in charge of your medication list e ven in the best-connected health care systems, McCarthy said, information about prescriptions isn’t always shared among doctors. And they won’t know about your over-the-counter drugs, vitamins or nightly CBD gummy.

t he only person who knows everything you

KEEP THEM CLEAN. A man washes his hands in this undated photo. Frequent and proper handwashing with soap and water prevent the transmission of hand, foot and mouth disease, a health expert said.

stage.

Health& Fitness

#FunOfAKind: Volunteer Your Time, Talent, Treasure for Kids with ChildFund

By Candy P. Dalizon Contributor

ChildFund Philippines, a childfocused non-governmental organization, recently launched #FunOfAKind campaign that encourages people to volunteer their time, talent, and treasure to ChildFund’s programs that support children and youth. The campaign seeks to engage corporations, their employees, and customers in making meaningful changes in the lives of Filipino children.

The creation of the #FunOfAKind campaign will allow the organization to improve culturally relevant and developmentally appropriate learning experiences for indigenous children in BARMM through an inclusive education program called Bajau Ongkakumpit for Access and Transition to School (BOAT School). it will also enhance social and emotional learning for children and promote safe learning environments, withdraw more children from the worst form of child labor, engage more youth in leading their own Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) initiatives, and rally for wide adoption of the RAM dAM disaster response app by national agencies.

Moreover, the campaign will benefit the organization’s programs in health, education, climate, and livelihood through the following categories: h ealthy Mom and Baby Fund, Play and l earn Fund, Growth Fund, and d igital Jobs Fund.

Mom, baby fund

T h E h ealthy Mom and Baby Fund aims

to create a safe, nurturing environment for both parents and infants, focusing on early stimulation for optimal growth and development. The main program that will benefit from this fund is the E nh A n CE-RPP (Ensuring n utrition, h ealth and Children’s Early l earning Strengthened with Responsive and Protective Parenting).

The Play and l earn Fund gives children the best start in life by providing them with opportunities to play and learn in a safe, supportive and responsive environment. This helps create a learning environment that not only helps children develop essential skills but also makes it enjoyable. Similar to the h ealthy Mom and Baby Fund, the main project that will benefit from this fund is the E nh A n CE-RPP.

As children and youth enter the critical phase of young adulthood, the organization strives to give them the best opportunities to become functional and well-adapted young adults. Through the growth fund, ChildFund

will push for programs and projects focusing on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive h ealth (ASR h ), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Climate Action, Social Emotional l earning and the like.

Through the d igital Jobs Fund, ChildFund invests in the well-being of children and youth and helps provide the necessary tools that will help them succeed in life. The main program benefiting from this is Job Opportunity Building for Youth (JOB for Youth).

Sharing time, talent

A S idE from donating funds, employees of ChildFund’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partners may choose to share their time and talent through organized activities. Examples of these activities include tree-growing, Brigada Eskwela, employee-led workshops on Artificial i ntelligence, Social Emotional l earning, and Financial l iteracy, among others. ChildFund is also open to creating more customized experiences with their CSR partners to include activities related to education (Online safety tips, l ife skills, sessions, etc.), health (virtual run, healthy plates, parenting sessions, etc.), climate (coastal clean up, urban gardening, project e-waste, etc.) and youth and livelihood (career talks, job search strategies, digital literacy sessions, etc.).

“The challenges faced by Filipino children are complex,” said Anand Vishwakarma, Country d irector of ChildFund Philippines.

“By working together, government, businesses, non-government organizations, and concerned citizens, we can

Mahintana Foundations partner to improve healthcare services in far-flung community

MORE residents of G id As (Geographically i solated and d isadvantaged Areas) in Polomolok, South Cotabato will be able to avail of quality healthcare services at the Polomolok East Community Clinic and the Polomolok FTS Center & Animal Bite Clinic with the turnover and inauguration of the renovated health center to the local government unit by SM Foundation recently.

The Polomolok East Community Clinic (PECC) serves as the annex facility of the Polomolok Municipal h ealth d epartment. The renovation was undertaken in partnership with the local government unit and the Mahintana Foundation, i nc. based in Polomolok. The Mahintana Foundation was established on August 12, 1977 and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 12, 1977. i ts programs benefit communities in Region 12 and other provinces in

Mindanao. i t has programs in public health, livelihood and housing as well as environment protection. Through the years, it has established networks and linkages with local and international organizations giving rise to its myriad programs and projects that benefit many residents of G idAs. h istorically, SM Foundation’s programs and projects have benefitted many individuals from G id As and members of the i P community such as the Aetas and the T’bolis.

With the renovation, the center has been repainted, consultation rooms were provided with partitions for privacy, the pharmacy was upgraded and provided with needed drugs and medicines; and lighting as well as ventilation were improved. SM Foundation also created hydration and nebulization areas. For nursing mothers, the center now has a comfortable breastfeeding area with a couch, a new airconditioning unit and a refrigerator for milk storage.

New facilities SM Foundation also included new facilities, such as the Felicidad T. Sy area for Elderly and Children, handwashing Area, Rainwater Catchment System, and a Mobile Play Cabinet that will better suit the needs of the community.

With the renovation, greater comfort for patients and healthcare providers is assured and healthcare delivery is improved. The center services the barangays of Maligo, l andan, Kinilis, Silway 7, u pper Klinan, Klinan 6, Cannery 1, Cannery 2, l amcaliaf and Palkan whose inhabitants predominantly belong to the i P community.

Present during the inauguration and turn over ceremony was d r.

Aristides C. Tan, d O h X ii Regional d irector, who hailed the project as a “foundation of health and prosperity” for the community.

SM Executive d irector for h ealth and Medical Programs Connie Angeles led the SM Foundation team who

achieve far better outcomes for them.” i nterested parties may send an email to childfundph@childfund.org to talk about possible collaborations and partnerships. For more information on how to get involved, visit https://childfund. org.ph/get-involved/.

Global goal

i n a related development, ChildFund Philippines has announced that they plan to reach five million Filipino children and families by 2026 and every year thereafter. This effort will contribute to ChildFund i nternational’s global goal of reaching 100 million children and families by 2030.

“We aim to scale up our efforts to address the evolving challenges faced by Filipino children and youth. Together with our partners, we are driven by the urgent need to create broader and more sustainable impacts through collaborative efforts,” said Vishwakarma. i n 2023, the organization reached 21 provinces, 35 cities and municipalities, 365 barangays, and in partnership with 11 local partners, supporting a total of 54 million children, youth, and adults.

ChildFund supports children and youth through various life stages, focusing on education, health, skilling and livelihoods, child protection and participation, and climate action.

“From birth to age five, children should be healthy and secure. From six to their teenage years, they need proper education to build personal agency. By young adulthood, they should have developed skills for employment,” said d ong Waña, Program and Sponsorship d irector of ChildFund Philippines.

travelled to Polomolok for the event. i n her remarks, she expressed SMF i ’s appreciation for the support of the l G u and the Mahintana Foundation in delivering healthcare services to the needy through its health programs.

Mahintana’s health programs include the Task Force Polomolok Kalikasan, Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (TFP3K), and the h ealthPlus shopin-a-shop, which is now located in the PECC in collaboration with d olefil. Also in attendance were d ole Philippines i nc., represented by Yohei Kajikawa, VP of d olefil, Mary Jane d Cruz, d olefil h R d irector, and Raquel J. Ramirez, d olefil h R Manager; d r. Eva B. h ormigos, Board Member of Mahintana; John l icayan, d epartment of the i nterior and l ocal Government Chief of Staff; and Capt. Rogie Munoz of the 10th SF Company; Gen. Gerardo Barrientos (Ret), Municipal Administrator representing l Gu Polomolok; l eo Cordova, SB Committee Chairperson on Peace d evelopment and Agriculture; Jerome Ante, Municipal i PMR, Tribal Chieftain of Brgy. l andan; Calixto B. Salada, Municipal Councilor; Rogen Ermitanio, Brgy. Captain of Cannery Site, and captains of eight other barangays.

rBy Roderick L. Abad Contributor

ASIN g a special child is no easy task. Besides having the financial means to cover the medical and other modalities of treatment, it also requires the physical, mental, emotional and psychological strengths of the family or caretakers to attend to them especially when needed.

As a show of support to families rearing children with disabilities, the Muntinlupa City g overnment has formed a dedicated support group for parents. t his monthly gathering provides a safe and healthy space for parents to share their experiences, gain insights, and find encouragement from one another.

For Jhen, a mother of a child with special needs, the support group has been a lifeline for parents like them.

“ Nakatagpo kami ng bagong pamilyang makakatulong sa aming mga anak (We’ve found a new family here who understands and supports our journey),” she said. “ t he sharing sessions with fellow parents are a source of inspiration and practical ideas for our children.”

Another parent named Dan could not agree more with her.

Napakalaking relief para sa aming magasawa, at sa mga tulad kong magulang kasi sa pamamagitan nito, nailalabas namin ang matagal na naming kinikimkim na pagsubok sa aming pamilya ( t his support group has been a tremendous relief for my wife and me.

It allows us to open up about the challenges we face and find solace in knowing we’re not alone),” he said.

Project AGAP

MAyor r uffy Biazon’s pioneering program called Project A g AP (Agarang g abay at Alalay na Pambata) is aimed at the early detection and intervention of developmental delays in children.

t hrough this initiative, children with special needs receive free assessments and therapy sessions from developmental-behavioral pediatricians, guaranteeing timely support and care for them.

t he support group was established as an extension Project A g AP. It underscores more the commitment of the local government unit of Muntinlupa to fostering an inclusive community that embraces and supports all its members, regardless of their abilities.

“ t his initiative highlights our unwavering dedication to the well-being of every family

Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) intensifies the global expansion of mWell, the Philippines’ premier health and wellness mega app, aimed at providing healthcare services for o verseas Filipino Workers (o FWs) and their families across the globe. t his initiative marks a significant step in MPIC’s strategy to offer innovative, accessible, and affordable healthcare solutions on an international scale. t he expansion of mWell is designed to cater to the unique healthcare needs of o FWs, ensuring they have access to quality healthcare services regardless of their location. t his initiative aligns with MPIC’s vision of leveraging technology to bridge healthcare gaps and improve the quality of life for millions of Filipinos abroad. As the only Philippine health and wellness app available globally, mWell is being used in 140 countries worldwide with over 84,000 app users from South America, Africa, Asia, North America, o ceania and e urope.

“In keeping with our commitment to make health and wellness accessible, affordable, and available to anyone, anytime, anywhere, mWell continues to find ways to bring worldclass healthcare closer to our fellow Filipinos abroad. We are here to help our o FWs conveniently consult online with Pinoy doctors who understand their needs and can provide the medical advice that they need right away. Filipino migrant workers can also share the gift of health to their families back home through affordable health passes which they may send as a gift,” said Chaye Cabal- r evilla, mWell C eo and President, and MPIC Chief Finance, r isk and Sustainability o fficer.

mWell’s platform extends beyond telemedicine, offering a holistic approach to health and wellness. t his fully integrated digital platform enables o FWs to consult with family doctors, specialists, and mental health experts 24/7. Services include consultations with internal medicine specialists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, ophthalmologists, and more.

Cabal- r evilla further emphasized, “ r ecognizing that health is their biggest investment, our fully integrated platform goes beyond telemedicine and offers wellness features, enabling migrant workers to take care of both their physical health and mind health. Using the mWell app empowers them to become healthier and more productive as they provide for their family’s future.”

Health passes

in Muntinlupa,” the local chief executive said. “We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and we are committed to providing the resources and support they need to reach their full potential.”

Since its inception, the support group has already made a great impact on the lives of parent-participants, offering a much-needed sense of community and empowerment.

“ t his program has given us hope and strength to continue advocating for our children,” Jhen said.

t he L g U of Muntinlupa is dedicated to provide its residents with a high quality of life, ensuring their safety, well-being, and progress. With its different programs, the city strives to create an inclusive and sustainable community where everyone can thrive.

P Ay IN g of mWell Pins through Ding, an international mobile recharge service provider is now available. t hanks to the partnership of PLD t g lobal, it is now possible to access mWell passes globally with Ding. o FWs can also book video consultations, see doctors immediately, and pay for services within the app. Ding, a service that enables anyone to securely send prepaid value to a mobile phone anywhere on the globe in three seconds, makes it safe, fast, and easy for migrant workers to send health passes to their families in the Philippines. t he mWell Healthsavers Plan 499 may be used for one check-up, while Plan 899 comes with two doctor consultations.

Access to Health Passes

For Filipinos working in the UA e comprising one of the largest expat communities with over 700,000 individuals, the gift of accessible and affordable healthcare is now within reach with mWell and PLD t g lobal’s partnership with SandBox Middle e ast. mWell health passes will be available for purchase at SandBox’s sari-sari convenience stores in Al Karama and Port Saeed, Dubai, with a flagship store opening in Burjman this August, featuring an mWell Kiosk for teleconsultations. to mark the launch of this partnership, a medical mission for o FWs will be organized, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the UA e “SandBox Middle e ast through its partnership with PLD t g lobal is proud to be a selected partner

said Lito g erman, C eo Wellness check A S o FWs leave the country, a partnership with the o verseas Workers Welfare Administration (o WWA) and t INB o ( t indahan ni Bossing), PLD t g lobal’s online marketplace for overseas Filipinos has been established to support their health needs. A wellness check held last Independence Day offered lab tests and free online consultations to o FWs to ensure they are in good health as they leave the country. In 2022, t INB o partnered with mWell to deliver affordable telemedicine health passes with free accident insurance tailored for families of o FWs. At present, o FWs can access mWell health passes that they can purchase and send to their families as vouchers for 24/7 online consultation with thousands of doctors via the mWell app. o ur partnership with mWell reflects PLD t g lobal’s commitment to empowering overseas Filipinos through t INB o by providing access to essential services. t his allows them to take care of their families’ health and wellness needs