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China’s experimentally bred hogs could help save nation from pork apocalypse

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By Kristine Servando | Bloomberg News

NSIDE a fortress-like megafarm on the outskirts of Beijing, dozens of pink-and-black pigs forage and snooze, unfazed by the chilly spring air. These experimentally bred hogs are fortified with a gene for regulating heat, buffering them against northern China’s hypothermia-inducing winters.

THREE-MONTH-OLD pigs stand in a pen at the Paustian Enterprises in Walcott, Iowa, April 17, 2018. DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG

“The most burning question for scientists is how to make the pig more healthy,” says Zhao, 45, who heads a 20-strong group of researchers and technicians at the state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Zoology in Beijing, where he’s become a superstar in the world of swine genomics.

China’s ambitions, though, extend well beyond farm animals. In dozens of labs across the country, scientists are racing researchers

in the US and Europe to develop superior lines of food and fiber crops, while others are pushing the boundaries of medical science—sometimes facing criticism—by editing the human genome to correct disease-causing mutations, or susceptibility to infections like HIV. It’s a biotechnology arms race happening against the backdrop of a disruptive trade war with the US, a rapidly aging population,

Beyond the bottom line

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By VG Cabuag

HE Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. announced recently that it will use much deeper criteria for its annual Bell Awards, an awardgiving body that it created within the Exchange, recognizing the efforts of listed firms that follow good practices.

The PSE, the operator of the country’s equities market, said that for the 2020 edition of the awards, it will now use the comprehensive set of standards that also measures how a listed firm cares for the environment and its people, on top of how well it governs the company.

The framework is otherwise known as environmental, social and governance, or ESG, which can be a curved ball for some of the previous recipients of the award.

Some camps had said earlier that the awards were only given to almost the same entities during the

past years, as these were benchmarked only corporate governance principles.

A conglomerate, which has a power unit, for instance, has been consistently winning the Bell Awards in past years, but it may have a hard time snagging the recognition in the 2020 edition as it needs to show how it cared for the environment. Another is a shopping mall operator, also a consistent awardee, also needs to prove that it cares for its employees, the people around its business and its surroundings.

“For five years, the PSE con-

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.8590

ferred the Bell Awards on PLCs [publicly listed companies] and trading participants that demonstrated excellence in corporate governance. The global push for ESG metrics in investing prompted the Exchange to adopt this as its main assessment standard for the PSE Bell Awards,” PSE president and CEO Ramon S. Monzon explained.

The last time the PSE held the event was in 2017, when it announced that it will now become a biennial event, which should be this year. The PSE committee, however, decided to instead put in more work in revising the criteria to adopt the ESG framework and pushed the awards next year, using 2019 as the basis.

“The shift in focus is also a concrete step for us to advocate sustainability among our stakeholders. This is part of our commitment to the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative when we became a member of this global organization this year,” Monzon said.

The PSE said its goals for the 2020 edition of the awards are to recognize companies that are helping create a sustainable society; to provide effective guidance to all

and diminishing resources to feed China’s 1.4 billion people. Soaring pork prices prompted the State Council, China’s Cabinet, in September to call for the greater use of science and technology, among other measures, to boost production of the country’s staple meat.

China’s investment in research and development has already catapulted the world’s most populous nation from relative obscurity in biomedical science to behemoth in

less than two decades.

China outspends every other country barring the US on research and development—$445 billion in 2017. Chinese firms have also stepped up acquisitions of foreign biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, with $25.4 billion in deals since the start of 2014, according to data compiled

by Bloomberg.

But teams in the US and Europe currently have a critical edge,

including something China desperately needs: protection from major pig-killing diseases.

China has sought to redress that by sending abroad promising scientists, like Zhao, to learn from the world’s best, then bringing them home and furnishing them with industrial-scale resources. The campus that houses Zhao’s gene-edited pigs is ringfenced by three layers of security Continued on a2

PSE tweaks its annual Bell Awards to encourage business to care for people, the environment, alongside SEC’s implementation of sustainability reporting rules.

NONIE REYES

The gene that researcher Jianguo Zhao inserted into the pigs’ DNA is among dozens of examples of genetic engineering underway in China—and in rival laboratories across the world—to create super pigs. For years, the quest was for better-tasting, stronger, and faster-growing swine. Now, in the wake of a devastating global outbreak of African swine fever, the more crucial need is to safeguard food security, and keep hogs alive.

Continued on a2

n JAPAN 0.4676 n UK 66.9304 n HK 6.4965 n CHINA 7.2198 n SINGAPORE 37.3771 n AUSTRALIA 34.7418 n EU 56.4687 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5631

Source: BSP (December 6, 2019 )

News

MUTANT PIGS BusinessMirror

A2 Saturday, December 7, 2019

Continued from a1

checkpoints and can accommodate 4,000 hogs.

“The powerhouse these days is China,” said Simon Lillico, 47, a scientist at the University of Edinburgh’s historic Roslin Institute, where Dolly the sheep became the first mammal cloned from an adult cell in 1996. “They are spending so much money and throwing so much resource at science that we can’t even come close to competing with the amount of money that they are investing in this sort of science, so we need to be smart about what we do.”

Anxiety in Washington

CHINA’S market for biologic drugs and agricultural biotechnology remains a fraction of the US’s estimated $228-billion industry, but the upsurge in Chinese investment is already causing anxiety in Washington. In July, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission pledged to investigate the potential risks of America’s growing reliance on Chinese biotechnology and medicines.

Of concern “is the potential for the US to become dependent on China for important pharmaceuticals or other health-care technologies,” said Mark Kazmierczak, a molecular biologist with consulting firm Gryphon Scientific who wrote a report on the industry for the US security review panel. “China’s ac-

cess to personal information of US citizens, including DNA sequence data, also poses privacy concerns.”

Zhao, who grew up in rural Shandong province, embodies the zeal with which China is pursuing genomics, the science of analyzing an organism’s complete DNA sequence. After receiving his doctorate in animal genetics and breeding from an agricultural university in Harbin in 2003, he worked for a few years as an assistant researcher at a medical genetics institute in Shanghai.

Techniques for modifying genomes were slow at the time, he recalls. To expedite his research, he headed to the University of New Orleans a few months after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 to train under reproductive physiologist Barry Bavister. Decades earlier, work by Bavister had led to the first successful in vitro fertilization of a rhesus monkey, paving the way for the world’s first test-tube baby in 1978.

After that, Zhao spent three years at the University of Missouri in a lab run by Randall Prather, another swine geneticist. Prather, 60, helped Zhao refine his geneediting skills, which the Chinese scientist then used after he returned home in 2010 as a principal investigator with the Institute of Zoology’s State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology in Beijing.

“He’s been a friend, and col-

league—and competition,” said Prather, a 30-year animal-science veteran and head of the National Swine Resource and Research Center in Columbia, Missouri. “He’s competing to be the first to make genetic modifications in pigs and beat us. And I’m trying to beat him.” Prather and Zhao say the rivalry is friendly.

Zhao says he started using Crispr after needed materials were donated to labs in China and other nations by a team led

by Feng Zhang, a Chinese-American biochemist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who pioneered development of the genome-editing tool.

The technique put Zhao’s research into hyperdrive. In 2016, he led the Chinese team that demonstrated for the first time it was possible to use Crispr to knock out three pig genes in one step, speeding the development of animals that can serve as models for studying human diseases.

The following year, Zhao and colleagues showed they could make pigs less susceptible to cold weather by using Crispr to endow the animals with the so-called UCP1 gene, which is found in most mammals and helps them form heatproducing brown fat. The genealtered porkers also have almost 5 percent less white fat, making their meat leaner, the scientists found.

Chinese researchers have used the gene-editing tool to develop

mildew-resistant wheat, musclier police dogs and woollier goats.

More controversially, a Chinese scientist used the tool to genetically alter twin babies in an effort to make them resistant to HIV, igniting a global outcry. China has embraced the technique like no other nation, publishing twice as many Crispr-related agricultural papers as the second-place country, the US, according to the journal Science.

It’s also spawned the world’s largest commercial genetic sequencer, Shenzhen-based BGI Group, and China’s scientists are behind a string of world-first genetinkering experiments.

In pigs alone, Chinese researchers have successfully made 40 different genetic modifications with Crispr, Science reported in July. Zhao has been among those leading the way.

“He’s doing great stuff,” Prather told the journal. “I’ve trained all my competition over there, and I’ve trained them well.”

Livestock modified by Crispr may take longer to develop and face significant regulatory hurdles.

Still, “whoever can capitalize on this technology will have a distinct economic advantage as the technology will likely enable large gains in productivity,” said Kazmierczak, the Gryphon molecular biologist.

Scotland’s work

FIVE thousand miles away from Beijing, at Scotland’s Roslin Insti-

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tute, scientists have been working on genetically edited animals for more than two decades. Lillico and colleagues, based at Midlothian, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, reported in 2016 pigs that could potentially resist African swine fever. The work was done by manipulating a gene called RELA in farm-bred pigs to resemble one in warthogs that’s associated with their ability to survive infection.

There’s no treatment or vaccine for the virus, which has spread from Africa to Europe and now Asia, where it’s led to the deaths and destruction of about a quarter of the planet’s hogs. Creating pigs that can naturally thwart the disease would represent the holy grail of porcine genetic engineering.

Results from a test that would show whether the gene-edited pigs resist infection from the hemorrhagic virus could be published next year, Lillico said. He referred further questions to Genus Plc, one of the world’s largest livestock genetics companies, which co-funded the study with a British government agency. Genus did not respond to requests for comment.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, also known as PRRS or blue ear disease, killed 400,000 pigs in China in 2006, and infected millions. The virus, which leads to stillborn piglets and lung infections, infects swine by targeting a protein on the surface of white blood cells called CD163.

Prather and colleague showed in

2015 that by editing the gene that makes the CD163 protein, they were able to produce pigs resistant to the virus. Further research demonstrated that the resistance can be inherited by offspring of genealtered sows.

It was a game changer for the pork industry, which China dominates with a market worth about $118 billion a year that represents about half of global demand. While genetically modified food-animals are yet to be approved for sale there, Genus is betting that barrier will eventually be lifted.

The gene-edited hogs developed by Prather were licensed to Genus’s pig improvement unit. It announced a pact in May with a breeder that’s part-owned by the Beijing municipal government to research, develop and secure regulatory approval for virus-resistant pigs in China. Genus said it expects to earn as much as $160 million and additional royalties if that happens.

Chinese researchers are racing to close the gap. At Jilin University, located in the northeastern province bordering North Korea, scientists last year developed geneedited pigs that are protected from classical swine fever virus. The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing is starting trials of an African swine fever vaccine.

Zhao said he and other Chinese scientists are lobbying the government to reconsider its policies on gene-edited animals, starting by distinguishing between animals with and without genes from non-pig organisms. Still, he doubts that his leaner pigs will be consumed as bacon anytime soon.

“Right now in China, it’s so rigid,” Zhao said. “It will maybe take several years.”

But China doesn’t have years to make up a disease-induced, 10 million-ton shortfall in pork supply that’s sent prices to a record.

It’s possible there are hogs in the wild, or even on commercial farms, that are naturally resistant to certain viruses, said Christine Tait-Burkard, a cellular biologist at Roslin.

But finding that “one-in-amillion pig” is difficult because nobody tests for them, she said.

“You either find a mutant, or make one yourself.”

Beyond the bottom line Continued from a1

publicly listed companies so they can successfully adopt a more sustainable business practice; and to steer all publicly listed companies toward creating a more sustainable capital market and, by extension, a more sustainable economy.

The PSE also inked a memorandum of agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to secure its endorsement and collaborate with the regulator for the Bell Awards. Among the materials to be reviewed for the assessment of PLCs will be their reports in compliance with the SEC’s Sustainability Reporting guidelines.

Parallel with 2020 SEC requirement

AS a result, the awards now run parallel with the SEC’s sustainability reporting guidelines, which it will start implementing in 2020.

Starting next year, all publicly listed companies must accompany their annual financial reports with a report on how they have made their business operations sustainable.

“The ESG factors are now material considerations alongside financial factors in the investment decision-making processes. In this

light, the relevance of the current model of the PSE Bell Awards is clear and your Commission supports this laudable initiative of the PSE in advocating good governance and sustainability through the promotion of good ESG practices among Philippine PLCs,” SEC chairman Emilio B. Aquino said.

The PSE and the SEC have been in tandem in educating the listed firms on the value of ESG as its new metric on sustainability, since some investment funds overseas have in recent years been inclined to pour in their money only in those firms that follow the metrics of sustainability reporting.

The SEC is using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, which are a set of metrics for sustainability reporting.

“The SEC has been our partner since Day One of the Bell Awards and we are pleased that the SEC continues to support the Bell Awards.

This program complements SEC’s SR requirement among PLCs, as well as the sustainability-related seminars and workshops that PSE co-organized with the SEC since October last year,” PSE director and Bell Awards committee chairman Edgardo G. Lacson said.

The PSE also said it is working with MSCI Inc. to develop the

framework that will cover the key ESG issues to be used for evaluating listed firms.

As in the previous Bell Awards, all firms will be screened based on the ESG framework and principles relevant to the pertinent industry of the publicly listed companies.

“The PSE wants to give recognition to companies that have contributed significantly to the creation of a sustainable society. Our PLCs have an extensive footprint across the nation so if they have sustainable business practices, then we can create a sustainable capital market and a sustainable economy,” Monzon said.

“The Exchange recognizes that the risks managed by the finance industry differ from manufacturing and mining. The criteria for the Bell Awards will be industry-based to equally recognize the contributions of all publicly listed companies. The themes listed above are not definite and may change as we finalize the industry-based criteria for the PSE Bell Awards,” the PSE said.

By recognizing ESG industry leaders in Bell Awards 2020, the PSE said it will not just increase awareness, but also inspire listed firms to adopt sustainability programs in their operations and core business.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso

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BusinessMirror

Saturday, December 7, 2019

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Dropping poverty incidence shows PHL can eradicate extreme poverty by 2030

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By Cai U. Ordinario

HE national government is open to lowering its poverty targets further in the medium term given the latest data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday.

The preliminary PSA data revealed the country has almost achieved its targets under the current administration with poverty incidence nationwide hitting only 16.6 percent in 2018, only 2.6 percentage points away from the 14-percent target by 2022.

This translates to 17.6 million Filipinos who lived below the poverty threshold estimated at P10,727, on average, for a family of five per month in 2018.

“It’s a good thing that we have not yet released the midterm update [of the Philippine Development Plan] so we will take this time to go over the targets once again because as you said, we almost met the targets so we will try to set for ourselves more ambitious targets. Of course, this will have to be cleared with our principals.

But I’m sure they will go for the more ambitious target,” National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon said.

Edillon said if the country sustains at least a 1-percentagepoint reduction in poverty reduction annually, the Philippines can meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.

A decade after meeting the SDG targets, Edillon said she expects the countr y to eradicate poverty, which is part of the AmBisyon Natin 2040, the long-term vision of Filipinos.

The annual poverty incidence reduction of 2.23 percentage points between 2015 and 2018, Edillon said, gives the government confidence that meeting

these targets are feasible.

“If we can sustain the same poverty reduction as we have in the past three years, 2.37 percentage points per year, that will be a very, very good legacy,” Edillon said. “We are very, very confident that we will meet that [SDGs] goal.”

Neda Undersecretary and Officer in Charge Adoracion M. Navarro said the country has almost reached its target of lifting 6 million Filipinos out of poverty by 2022.

Navarro said with the country’s performance in 2018, around 5.9 million have already been lifted out of poverty.

She sa id t his success was brought about by higher incomes given that mean salaries and wages increased 22.8 percent to P156,114 in 2018, from P127,122 in 2015.

For those in the bottom 30 percent of the population, Navarro said the mean per-capita income increased by 31.87 percent, which outpaced the 18-percent income growth experienced by the top 20 percent of households.

Navarro added that various cash transfer programs of the government including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino, Unconditional Cash Transfer, Pantawid Pasada, and Social Pension, also improved the lives of the poor.

“This is a good sign that our

programs targeting the poor are working well,” Navarro said. “Notable improvements in poverty incidence and mean per-capita income across regions were also reflected in other measures of poverty, validating improvements in lagging areas and those who are below the poverty line.”

Managing expectations

BUT amid the success of the government in reducing poverty incidence nationwide, Navarro said the work must continue to sustain these gains and exceed targets.

Navarro said the government must further invest in human capital development and expand economic opportunities to hasten poverty reduction.

T hese inc lude improv ing reg iona l connect iv it y, in accord a nce w it h t he Nat ion a l Spatia l Strateg y, as well as creating oppor tunities for higher p r o du c t io n a nd i n c r e a s e i n e mp l o y m e nt a n d l i v e l i ho o d oppor t u nit ies in reg ions outside Met ro Ma ni l a a nd u rba n g row t h centers.

Efforts to address “insecure property rights brought about by conf lict” especially in the Bangsamoro region must be sustained. These will encourage more businesses to invest and create employment in Mindanao.

Based on the latest poverty data, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) remains the poorest nationwide.

The average poverty incidence of the region is 61.3 percent.

The poorest provinces in ARMM and, consequently, nationwide is Sulu with a poverty incidence of 81.8 percent followed by Basilan with 72.8 percent and Lanao del Sur with 71.2 percent.

“One reason is the higher increase in food prices there. If you may remember, that’s where our rice prices reached P70 per kilo and another is persistent armed conflicts,” Navarro said.

“The Marawi incident is one of them, but even after we have won in the Marawi conflict, there are still persistent local conflicts because of the presence of armed groups there,” she added.

As far back as 2017, the BusinessMirror reported that the Marawi conf lict would aggravate poverty in Lanao del Sur, which was the poorest province in the country in 2015. (See the story here: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2017/05/28/violenceto-worsen-poverty-in-lanao-delsur-experts/) Apart from these, Navarro said efforts to address the country’s dismal performance in the Programme for International

S t u d e nt A s s e s s m e nt ( P I S A ) must be exerted.

She said the reading literacy of 15-year-old Filipino learners is 340, the lowest among 79 countries. The countr y also scored t he second lowest i n m at hem at ic a l a nd sc ient i f ic literacy in the PISA. “It is also important to pay attention to other factors affec t i ng educ at ion outcomes.

We need to reduce stunting, which results in poor cognition and educational performance among Filipinos. We also need an effective strateg y to reduce teenage pregnancy, which reduces the chances of completion of education,” Navarro said.

With this, Navarro said more should be done in terms of addressing stunting in the Philippines. Stunting can seriously prevent children from reaching their full potential when they become adults.

Stunting could compromise children for life. Once they reach two years old and they have not received ample nutrition, the impact will be irreversible.

This means their brain development has not been maximized and this will prevent them from succeeding in school and becoming truly productive workers in the future.

UN climate talks aim to pave way for global carbon market FDA says Mekeni pork-based products tested negative for ASF

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ERLIN—On a cold afternoon in late November, Jan Gerrit Otterpohl eyes the chimneys of Berlin’s Heizkraftwerk Mitte, a state-of-the-art power plant that supplies the city with heat and electricity. It’s not the billowing steam he’s interested in, but the largely invisible carbon dioxide that the power station exhales as it burns natural gas.

Under European Union rules, the plant’s operator, Vattenfall, needs a permit for each ton of carbon dioxide it emits. Otterpohl’s job is to keep costs low by making sure the company buys only as many permits as necessary, at the current market price.

Economists say that carbon markets like the one Otterpohl uses can become a powerful tool in the fight against climate change, by giving emitters a financial incentive to reduce greenhouse gases. But despite making progress in other areas, governments have for years been unable to agree on the rules that would allow truly global trade in carbon permits to flourish.

Negotiators at a UN meeting in Madrid this month are aiming to finally tackle the issue, after last year agreeing on almost all other parts of the rule book governing the 2015 Paris climate accord. Observers said a fresh draft agreement circulated on Thursday was clearer than past versions, but major disagreements will likely be left to ministers arriving in the Spanish capital next week.

“There are reasons to be optimistic and to think that there could be some progress because of the political attention that it’s getting,” said Alex Hanafi, a lead counsel at the New York-based Environmental Defense Fund.

Many governments are struggling to make the emissions cuts necessary to meet the Paris accord’s goal of keeping global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) by the end of the century.

The hope is that putting a price on carbon will unlock billions of dollars in investments as countries and companies seek the most cost-effective way to cut emissions. By capping the number of permits in the market and reducing it steadily, the incentive to save on emissions would grow over time.

“There is tremendous potential for carbon markets to contribute to the achievement of the Paris agreement goals,” said Hanafi.

But he warned that a bad deal on carbon markets would be “worse than no deal at all.”

That would be the case, for example, if a system currently being established by airlines to offset their emissions is linked to markets that sell questionable permits; or if countries protect large areas of carbon-absorbing forests, sell the resulting permits to other nations and simultaneously count them toward their own emissionsreduction efforts.

SMOKE billows out of a chimney stack of the heating power plant at the district Mitte in Berlin, Germany, Thursday. Under European Union rules, the plant’s operator, Vattenfall, needs a permit for each ton of carbon dioxide it emits. MARKUS SCHREIBER

Brazil has long pushed back against some of the stricter accounting rules demanded by the EU and the United States. The Latin American nation, criticized by environmentalists for failing to properly protect the Amazon rainforest, also insists that it should be allowed to keep vast amounts of carbon credits amassed under a now-discredited system, a stance shared by China and India.

“It’s very important to really avoid these kind of negative impacts,” said Claudia Kemfert, a senior energy expert at the German Institute for Economic Research.

Kemfert noted that it took more than a decade to tweak the emissions trading system that so far only covers the power and heavy industry sectors in 27 European Union countr ies—a l l, except Britain—plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein—a region with well-functioning markets and low levels of corruption.

Otter poh l, who oversees emissions at Vattenfall ’s Berlin power plant, agreed.

“As far as the EU [emissions trading system] is concerned, there’s now a mature and functioning market in the areas it covers.”

Ex panding that market to cover other sectors in the EU, such as transportation and home heating, or linking it up with other existing emissions trading systems in China, California and elsewhere should be possible, said Daniel Wragge, the director of political and regulatory affairs at the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig, Germany.

“Technically speaking, it’s not a challenge,” said Wragge, whose company manages the marketplace for European emissions, where a ton of carbon dioxide is currently traded for about €25 ($27.70). “But, of course, there are certain conditions and the key is, of course, that the certificates are mutually recognized.” AP

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AMPANGA-BASED Mekeni Foods Corp.

(Mekeni) will soon resume selling its porkbased products after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared its facilities from African swine fever (ASF) virus.

In a letter to Mekeni President Prudencio S. Garcia, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the meat processor can now start distributing its pork-based products after it proved that they are free from the fatal hog disease.

“Upon due evaluation of the submitted documents and as agreed in our meeting, please be advised that this Office allows the redistribution of these processed pork meat products that tested negative for ASF,” Domingo said in his letter dated November 26.

In a statement, Mekeni said it submitted and presented to health undersecretary and FDA Officer in Charge Rolando Enrique Domingo the corrective actions taken by the company, as well as the results of the independent test conducted by Standard Global Services (SGS) on November 22.

The need for FDA clearance arose when specific batches of Mekeni Picnic Red Classic Hotdog 500g and Skinless Longaniza 200g tested positive for DNA traces of ASF.

“The FDA clearance and SGS results give assurance that all Mekeni pork-based products to be released in the market, as well as its facilities, equipment and raw meat materials, are 100 percent negative for ASF virus DNA,” Mekeni said.

It could be recalled that Mekeni “voluntarily withdrew all its pork-based products to help resolve the problem on the continuous spread of ASF.” “During that difficult time, even if we knew that the business will be greatly affected, we chose to uphold our core values and put the welfare of the general public above all else,” said Garcia.

“Even though the Department of Health [DOH] has stated that ASF posts no risks to humans, we take the issue seriously and have spared no expense to further bolster our processes,” Garcia said.

To further improve its measures, Mekeni said it is “committing 100 percent of all incoming raw meats sourced both locally and abroad to undergo thorough testing for ASF.” “A periodic environmental swabbing of its facilities will also be conducted to prevent potential contamination. A dedicated food safety and quality officer has also been appointed to head a second layer of testing,” Mekeni added.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

A4 Saturday, December 7, 2019

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

Export Congress 2019 focuses on technology and innovation

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XPORTERS were encouraged anew to equip themselves with new technologies and technology-based solutions to expand internationally, as industry stakeholders gathered on Friday, December 6, 2019, to tackle the importance of digitalization in business growth.

This year’s National Export Congress (NEC) carrying the theme “Driving Exports Through Digital Transformation” focused on technology and innovation initiatives to grow exports and promote collaboration among businesses.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez delivered the keynote address of the event. The Congress held at the Philippine International Con-

vention Center in Pasay City, held panel discussions on various topics, such as the critical role of technology and collaboration in growing exports, and enabling exports through digitalization.

Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba, Department of Information and Communications Technology Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Caintic, Bangko Sentral ng Pili-

pinas Managing Director-Center for Learning Pia Roman-Tayag, Department of Public Works and Highways “Build, Build, Build” Committee Chairman Anna Mae Lamentillo, Department of Finance Director Angelica Sarmiento, and Food and Drug Administration Officer in Charge Undersecretary Rolando Enrique Domingo, Ionics EMS Inc. Vice President Earl Qua, Academy of Developmental Logistics Inc. President and Chief Learning Officer Samuel Bautista, Microsoft Technology Strategist Dale Jose, Cecilia Intal of VESL, and Brilliant Skin Essentials Chief Executive Officer Glenda Victorio will discuss ways how to enable exports through digitalization. Top exporters for 2018 were also recognized during awarding ceremony.

The 2019 NEC came at a time when the Fourth Industrial Revolution is evolving at an exponential pace.

The possibilities of billions of

people connected by mobile devices with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge are unlimited. And these possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage and quantum computing.

Already, AI is all around us­— from self-driving cars and drones to virtual assistants and software that translate or invest. Impressive progress has been made in recent years which raised the quality of our lives. IoT can exclude human errors from various sectors. For example, irrigation and farm inputs, such as drone-enabled fertilizers, climate conditions can be integrated by the use of IoT to ensure better yields. It can also be used in power generation and distribution as timely control of

these systems in an automated way can reduce losses.

Moderators and panelists also tackled the best of what these technologies have to offer, specifically for the Philippine export sector. The panel sessions focused on “The Critical Role of Technology and Collaboration in Growing Exports” and “Enabling Exports through Digitalization.”

The NEC was the highlight event of the National Exporters’ Week, which is celebrated every first week of December per Presidential Proclamation 931, Series of 1996 and House Resolution 33.

Another activity for the National Exporters’ Week was the “Usapang Exports,” held at the Novotel Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City, on December 5.

The EMB of the DTI invited exporters to attend “Usapang Exports: Market Opportunities and Trends in Africa-The Next Frontier.”

PHL artificial-intelligence road map in the works, DTI chief Lopez says Demand for ‘healthier’ drinks in Japan rises

PHOTO shows (from left) Director Maria Lourdes A. Yaptinchay of the Bureau of Trade and Industrial Policy Research, DTI-Competitiveness and Innovation Group Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba, Dr. Christopher P. Monterola and Dr. Erika Fille T. Legara following the signing of the artificial-intelligence road map study contract signing.

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HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sets the wheels in motion for the crafting of the country’s artificial-intelligence sector road map as testament to the Philippine potential as an AI powerhouse in the Asean region.

Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba of the Competitiveness and Innovation Group led the formal signing of an agreement with distinguished data scientists, Dr. Christopher P. Monterola and Dr. Erika Fille T. Legara, for the formulation of an AI road map early this month.

With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) where technology becomes more en-

meshed with everyday life, AI advancement is seen as one of the key factors to help keep our country competitive. AI’s importance is underscored as it is emerging to be a potential bright spot for our country with wide opportunities for growth for our competent work force.

“The formulation of the AI road map is very important and timely.

This effort provides the impetus that will move the country forward to keep up with the rapidly changing times,” Aldaba emphasized.

She also noted that the Philippines ranked third in the Southeast Asian region in the Government Artificial

Intelligence Readiness Index 2019.

For their part, Monterola and Legara from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (ASITE), presented the framework for the formulation of the road map, which shall primarily be data-driven and consultative in nature.

An AI task force consisting of academicians, government officials and industry stakeholders will be created to support this initiative.

The road map will conduct an analysis of AI’s impact on the country’s industries and work force, and recommend policies and programs that are necessary for success such as AI trainings and AI labs.

The DTI affirms its commitment to look at the interests of the sectors concerned to capitalize on the opportunities, as well as address the challenges faced by the country in the ongoing AI transformation, in the wake of 4IR that is projected to affect the country’s economic trajectory.

Aldaba remarked that the road map is a definite way forward to realize the goal of making the country an AI powerhouse in the region. “With all of us [government, academe, industry] working together, our aspiration to become an AI Center of Excellence would be achieved,” she concluded.

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HERE has been a significant market shift toward healthier products with cleaner labels across beverages, including tea and coffee, in Japan, as consumers become more health-conscious.

“With younger consumers placing high value on natural and organic, more brands are highlighting the use of inherently good-for-you ingredients in their products,” said the Market Intelligence Digest released by the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB).

The report cited barley tea with deep sea water, almonds rich in vitamin E and fiber, and beverages with low, no or reduced claims. “Sugarfree was the most prominent claim in RTD [ready-to-drink] coffee, and low/no calorie in RTD tea. Caffeinefree and low/no allergen claims are growing,” it said.

The report also underscored the key innovative trend in gourmet.

“Brands are becoming more daring in their product development process, with new products featuring more bold, indulgent flavors. At the same time, effort is being made by companies to shift the focus back to ingredients, brewing methods and authentic flavors,” it said.

While other markets are moving away from sugary and flavored products, in favor of more natural and premium tea and coffee, the opposite trend is unfolding among a small segment.

“Brands are introducing richer, bolder flavors, to entice and engage younger consumers in hopes of getting them to write about the products on social media,” it added.

The report also highlighted an effort that is being made by companies to shift the focus back to ingredients, brewing methods and authentic flavors.

“Catering to coffee/tea aficionados, more products feature premium or speciality beans/tea leaves, and there has also been a rise in products said to be free from artificial flavors and colors, especially in RTD tea,” it said.

Companies are adding ingredients with unique textures and so-called mouth feels, such as chewy, slippery or rough, to provide enhanced eating and drinking experiences as texture is becoming a distinguishing point.

More brands, likewise, are experimenting with a mix of coffee and tea, or tea and fruits/fruit juices aimed at untapped spaces to see if those products can attract more consumers who are less disposed to drinking straight coffee or tea.

“Tea plus fruit RTD tea is a versatile base with which to mix other flavors and ingredients. While fruit flavored iced tea is common, a new genre of tea plus fruit is emerging, made with tea as the base, juice and fruit. When packaged in a transparent cup, it has the potential to attract Instagrammers with its colorful, photogenic appearance,” it said.

Diversifying PHL exports portfolio amid Industry 4.0

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HE country needs to diversify export portfolio covering complex and simple global value chains (GVCs) to manage global risks under Industry 4.0.

A discussion paper released by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies said the new globalization is characterized by economic restructuring which saw the rise of GVCs over the past three decades.

“Value chain participation of developing economies is now on the whole shifting away from complex toward simple GVCs,” it said of GVCs under the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The paper said disruptions of mega-value chains need to be addressed, noting the new patterns of GVCs contribute to the way the global economy will look in the future.

“The country needs to pay attention to the new patterns that have emerged; reevaluating the strategies solely focusing on upgrading to participate in complex GVCs as simple GVCs may be another strategy that needs to be explored,” it added.

The paper underscored the need to equip domestic industries to participate in evolving GVCs through innovation support, reskilling and retooling of employees, and strengthening business matching and international partnerships.

It is, likewise, imperative to reduce unit labor costs, improve logistics and connectivity, and provide an efficient process for meeting international requirements and standards, it said.

“Take advantage of the possible trade diversion by attracting businesses and FDI [foreign direct investments] to locate in the Philippines,” the paper said.

To address economic restructuring, there is a need to strengthen the digital trade of services and new technologies to improve trade and investment, it added.

“Levering new technologies requires that technical and regulatory challenges to the adoption of new technologies in government processes and procedures be addressed,” it added.

Likewise, transport and other logistics services should remain competitive; while investment, both public and private, in basic infrastructure should be mobilized, particularly those related to information communications technology.

OurTime BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, December 7, 2019 A5

Love for life, creation and the courage The long-life diet: to defend it binds the 10 SUN awardees Nutrition for longevity

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EDITA T. BURGOS (second from right, seated) shares the stage with the other SUN awardees PHOTO FROM PEACHY BURGOS FACEBOOK PAGE)

HERE are no accidents nor coincidences in life—all are part of a bigger plan with the unsung conductor making events happen, directing with His rhythm and His timing, whatever the case. It may be the abduction of a son, like my Jonas, or a rescue from near death.”

It may also be the burning of a village, or the threats from environmental predators.

With these words, educator Edita Tronqued Burgos mused on the occasion that found her sharing the stage recently with nine other outstanding elderly Filipinos who were bestowed the Sampung Ulirang Nakatatanda or SUN Awards, by the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (Cose) in simple, ethnic-themed at SM North’s Skydome in Quezon City.

The 76-year-old widow of journalist Jose Burgos Jr., whose trailblazing Mosquito Press publications during the Marcos dictatorship led the International Press Institute (IPI) to honor him in year 2000 as one of the 10 World Press Freedom heroes of the 20th Century, was being recognized for work, not in journalism, but in her steadfast advocacy of the cause of the families of desaparecidos.

Since her middle child Jonas, a farmer-

activist, was snatched in April 2007 by six people whom the Burgoses insist were military men acting on an extrajudicial operation, Burgos has stormed all gates possible to get him back. She has raised his case before a regional trial court, the Court of Appeals and even the Supreme Court, where her lawyer Ricardo “Boyet” Fernandez submitted a rare, sealed petition in 2013 to prove the military’s role in Jonas’s disappearance.

Burgos has gone to further lengths abroad, speaking before lawmakers in the US and in the UK, before various international groups; and even graced the screening in several countries of a documentary on her son and the work of the Free Jonas Burgos Movement.

For her work, she was nominated by the Asian Federation Against Invol-

untary Disappearances (Afad) for the Cose’s SUN awards.

The nine other recipients of the SUN Awards had equally interesting stories as Mrs. Burgos.

Among the most applauded was the 86-year-old Bai Bibyaon Ligkayan Bigkay, the only woman chieftain in the history of the Manobo tribe. The feisty leader, dubbed by some as the “Gabriela Silang of Mindanao,” has never buckled down in her fight against illegal loggers in her place in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Speaking in her dialect with the help of a young translator, Bai Bibyaon told the audience why she continues the campaign, despite the threats and the ravages of old age: if the illegal loggers succeed in destroying the Pantaron Mountain Range, it would do irreversible damage, forever depriving future generations of the bounty of nature.

The other SUN awardees:

Fu Martha Ancheta, 70-year-old health worker, nutrition scholar, agricultural extension worker, clan leader and craft master in their place in Polomolok, South Cotabato for 47 years;

Marietta Andrada, 70-year-old leader of the Bagong Sikat Elderly Association in Caloocan;

Tomas Añonuevo, 86, leader of the Social Protection Community-based Advocacy and Monitoring Group for senior citizens in Bobon, Northern Samar;

Estelita Dy, 90, a former “comfort woman” who lent a voice to other victims of serial sexual and physical abuse during the Japanese occupation in World War II:

Nenita Gonzaga, 78, human-rights advocate, former political detainee in the ’70s and the first woman vice president of the labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno;

Soning Guinang, 77, who organized basket weavers in Malapatan, Sarangani, in a bid to sustain the age-old craft of using buri for baskets and weaving igam, or native mats, using natural dyes;

Emon Osano, 80, of Malungan, Sarangani, who organized her fellow B’laan women who have kept alive the craft of making the traditional B’laan attires;

Florencio Ramos, 83, who encouraged senior citizens in Flora, Apayao, to be active in community work, tending vegetable gardens, doing medical missions; and erecting a Senior Citizens Building.

The keynote speaker at the awards rites, former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, said it so aptly when she hailed the honorees: “Mabuhay kayong lahat! Lodi namin kayo!” Lourdes Molina Fernandez

Duterte commends Taguig for its programs for senior citizens

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RESIDENT Duterte personally visited the Taguig City Center for the Elderly, the country’s pioneer wellness hub for senior citizens, on November 21, 2019.

Commending the efforts of the local government in taking care of its senior citizens, the President said: “I join the City Government of Taguig in its mission to alleviate the plight of the elderly population. As one of the country’s highly urbanized cities, Taguig’s efforts in securing the welfare of this vulnerable sector must be recognized.”

The Chief Executive said the Taguig Center for the Elderly and the programs of the Taguig local government for its seniors “will surely make them healthier and more productive as they endure old age. These also can be their source of strength and inspiration as they continue to enjoy their lives and share in our collective task of developing a nurturing society.”

The President encouraged the local officials to carry on the city’s banner of malasakit for the elderly even as they continue to sustain Taguig’s rapidly booming economy.

He also considered Taguigeños as “very lucky” because they are blessed with resources used for the common good.”

“Pumunta sila [investors] dito because Taguig is now a place [where it is] safe to invest, and it is clean and there is less crime,” the President said, adding that he appreciated the city government’s commitment “in ensuring that no constituent—regardless of gender, status or age—will be left behind as your city continues to grow and prosper.”

“For me, this program is an honest proof of your solidarity with the nation-

al government in promoting inclusivity, fairness and good governance. May you continue to support this administration’s development agenda and I wish that your pursuit to uplift the lives of our senior citizens will be emulated by other city and municipal governments in the country,” he said.

“So congratulations on the success of this project. And mabuhay ang Taguig!” the President concluded.

Taguig City Center for the Elderly

THE new hub, which opened in April, is a five-story building on Ipil-Ipil Street, North Signal Village, offering rest and relaxation to Taguigeño elders raring to recharge.

As a ‘probinsyudad,’ Taguig does not leave its value behind even as the city continues to aim high. “This center means that our elders have an esteemed place in this city; that they have a place where they can enjoy, pamper themselves and build their circles,” Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano said.

Around those descriptions, the building was designed with grand facilities to accommodate all the needs of senior citizens.

The first floor features a therapy pool, where seniors can do exercises for pain relief, strength and flexibility, and improved balance.

Also on the level are offices, a conference room, clinic, pantry and PWD-friendly restrooms.

The second floor greets the seniors with a massage room and two saunas. They can get their groove on in the ballroom, which can also double as a zumba or yoga room and gym. A waiting lounge can also be a place where they can do their readings, or just relax while waiting.

The third floor houses a dialysis center for seniors, which can cater to 15 patients at a time.

The fourth floor houses the multipurpose halls that can be repurposed for town hall events but, on regular days, are used for boardgames, such as all-time favorites chess and scrabble. The lighting makes it an ideal place for knitting and a host of other crafts fancied by those wanting to pass the time in bliss—or for selfies for the more contemporary lolos and lolas. Here, city programs like diabetes orientation and laboratory testing can also be hosted.

The fifth floor has a cinema with cozy couches, for the enthusiasts of the pinilakang tabing. The exit door empties into the rooftop garden that makes one appreciate life in the probinsyudad.

The building is senior citizen-friendly, and there are ramps for those coming in wheelchairs. Stairs connect the floors, but there is an elevator for those with mobility challenges. The center is manned by friendly and hospitable staff eager to serve their elderly clients. A clinic is also set up in the building manned by medical personnel who are to respond to the medical needs of the elderly.

The services come at no cost to the senior citizens of Taguig. City buses and coasters even carry them for free to and from the center.

In Taguig, senior citizens are loved and cared for. They receive a yearly birthday cash gift of P3,000 to P10,000, depending on their age. They also get P100,000 when they reach the age of 100, and receive the same amount yearly as long as they live.

By Angel R. Calso

TRIPLE DIGITS (Continued from last week) In the current focus on the dangers of cholesterol related to fats in the diet, the authors of Stopping the Clock said it’s important to remember that your body needs a certain amount of some kinds of fat. Natural fats provide a concentrated form of energy and create the environment in which fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A and vitamin E, can be digested. Fats also provide the essential fatty acids that your body needs to maintain its cellular structure.

Fats come in two forms: Saturated (from dairy, meat and fish products) and unsaturated (from vegetable and fish oils). The authors enumerated the following sources of fat that can be useful to your body:

Cod liver oil—This form of fat contains essential fatty acids that convert into chemicals that protect your heart.

Evening primrose oil—Available in health food stores, this substance also contains essential fatty acids, including gammalinolenic, which lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, heals eczema, eases hangovers and premenstrual tension, and helps to control weight.

Olive oil—This is probably the most beneficial form of fat to use for cooking, as olive oil lowers LDL cholesterol without affecting HDL cholesterol. It is known as a monounsaturated fat. The best olive oil is extra-virgin and hand-pressed, as hydraulic presses may generate heat that, in turn, damages the oil.

Polyunsaturated fats, such as sunflower seed oil and sesame seed oil—Like their cousin, the monounsaturated olive oil, both these fats lower LDL cholesterol, but they also lower HDL cholesterol. They are also more susceptible to turning rancid than olive oil—a process known as autoxidation, which, as the name suggests, introduces those free radicals that antioxidants must then combat.

The authors said: “Olive oil especially has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

A study published in the British Medical Journal found that the traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil and moderate amounts of wine, may have significant long-life benefits.

The six-year study of 182 rural Greek men and women over age 70 found that those who consumed a diet, including olive oil, wholegrain breads, and fresh fruits and vegetables significantly reduced their chances of dying during the study, compared to those who ate diets rich in red meats and saturated fats.

The study broke down the Mediterranean diet into these components:

A high ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fats.

Moderate alcohol consumption.

High consumption of cereals, fruits and vegetables.

Low intake of meats and dairy products.

Dr. Ronald Klatz and Dr. Robert Goldman said several types of commonly used fat are relatively dangerous to your system and should be avoided. These include: Hydrogenated fats, such as margarine and shortening—These are fats created through the process of hydrogenation, which converts a liquid (unsaturated) fat to a solid (saturated) fat by exposing the fat molecules to hydrogen. Hydrogenated fats interfere with your body’s production of prostaglandin, a substance that helps create a resistance to pain and helps produce healthy cells and tissues. Hydrogenated fats also tend to deposit fats in your arteries, interfering with the circulation of your blood.

Highly heated or reheated fats—Unless you are buying cold-pressed oils (available in health food stores and gourmet stores), you are buying fat that has already been heated, which oxidizes it and increases the oil’s ability to oxidize in your body. Fats heated to more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit are more likely to be highly oxidized.

The authors said observations of the diet and lifestyle of Greenland Eskimos show that

a high-fat diet composed of Arctic foodstuff and low in cholesterol results in a population with very low incidence of heart disease; very low incidence of hypertension; and very low platelet aggregability. The reason? Fish oil.

“Actually, it’s because of eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, which is found in high concentrations in fish and marine life. Unlike the damaging prostaglandins found in animals (like thromboxane, which constricts arteries), when we consume EPA we experience less vasoconstriction in arteries and less platelet aggregation. Therefore, we reduce chances of blood clots, atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack. Consuming fish oil can also help lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels,” the authors explained.

However, a word to the weight conscious: The authors said fish oil is not calorie-free.

If you want to start taking fish oil daily, you might want to reduce your daily food consumption by about 300 calories, or else you’d be putting on about 25 extra pounds per year.

The cholesterol issue

CHOLESTEROL remains a somewhat mysterious term to many people. We’ve all heard about the dangers of this bodily substance: Its relationship with heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders, its dangers to the immune system, and its possible correlation with certain types of cancer. What many people do not know, according to the authors, is that more than 90 percent of blood cholesterol is actually manufactured by our own body. Reducing dietary cholesterol will therefore have relatively little effect on blood cholesterol levels.

The authors said: “This is not to say that your blood cholesterol levels are outside of your control. On the contrary, many factors tend to increase your cholesterol level—smoking, high blood pressure, liver problems (exacerbated by a diet high in toxic additives and preservatives), inadequate exercise, carrying too much body fat, stress and depression.”

Because consuming too much fat tends to aggravate these other factors, it will indirectly raise your cholesterol level.

On the other hand, the authors said you have many options for reducing your cholesterol level: substituting vegetable for animal protein (vegetable proteins contain sterols, which block your blood’s ability to absorb cholesterol from your intestines and may also help the liver better regulate cholesterol production); eating more fiber (fiber blots up excess fat); making sure you get essential fatty acids that will regulate your blood fat; and exercising regularly.

The authors said a high-fiber diet can be an effective antiaging tool because fiber helps improve your digestion, relieving the strain on your liver and gallbladder, and reducing the risk of colon cancer, gallstones, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, colitis, hemorrhoids, hernia and varicose veins. Fiber, they explained, is the structural material that gives plant cell walls their integrity. Hence, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes are all good sources of fiber. Pectin is a type of fiber found in apple peel and carrots. It is known to lower cholesterol, and acts as an antitoxin. Mucilage, found in legumes and seeds, also lowers cholesterol, as well as speed up the process of food through the digestive system. Lignin, found in wheat bran and apples, helps bind the heavy metal trace elements in our food, preventing their oxidizing effects, as well as producing other antitoxic effects.

The authors, however, said that “if you’re depending on bran as your major source of fiber, be aware that it can leach calcium, magnesium and zinc from your system. As with most nutritional elements, it’s a good idea to get fiber from many sources, and to avoid megadoses of any one type of food.”

(Next week—Mind over Matter: Anti-stress tips for antiaging)

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Saturday, December 7, 2019 | Editor: Mike Besa

IN THE PIPELINE SpeedZone Xtreme driver possess a larger footprint than its less extreme sibling. But it’s not grotesque. Optically, it’s a bit of a longer profile face-to-back, and the topto-bottom look is a bit shallower. Other than that, both drivers look quite similar and since the F9 was one of the more handsome clubs of 2019, this is a very good thing.

Look for a brace of fairway metals to compliment Cobra’s new big dogs.

Callaway Mavrik driver

THE faux jet exhausts are actually aerodynamic aids

Written by Mike Besa

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IS the season.

Not the Christmas season but the season of new releases of golf clubs. Fall usually sees most of the new releases for the coming year in advance of the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. This year sees more of the same, so let’s see what the equipment manufacturers have in store for us for 2020.

COBRA SPEEDZONE AND SPEEDZONE XTREME DRIVERS

FRESH off its remarkable success with its F9 Speedback driver and fairways, Cobra is back with the new SpeedZone and SpeedZone Xtreme drivers.

The F9 Speedback was generally regarded as Cobra’s best driver ever, so how do you follow a product like that?

The F9 Speedback was a very low CG, high MOI, and a precision milled face. All three have become the foundation of Cobra metal woods across the board.

For 2020, Cobra Golf has done something completely unique to the market with the SpeedZone and SpeedZone Xtreme drivers.

The Zones tackle all the hotbeds of driver performance speed, stability, weight, CG, and overall performance.

The Zones

POWER Zone—Cobra has used CNC milling in its woods for a few years now and with great success. The SpeedZone twins offer Cobra’s new Infinity Face, which expands the milling even more—95 percent more.

With the milling crawling all the way over

the topline, the SpeedZone now offers even more consistency across the face and ensure that each face is exactly the same. Quality control is taken a step further with 100 percent of the heads inspected.

Strength Zone—Both drivers are equipped with a Titanium T-Bar Speed Chassis that allows R&D to remove weight from the crown (25 grams total) and utilize it in the hot spots of the golf club (i.e., the perimeter and discretionary placements).

The goal here is an even lower CG and higher MOI. Low CG Zone—A really low, dead-center CG made the F9 a winner. In the SpeedZone, Cobra went even further. 69 grams of mass (an increase for 40 grams in F9) have been strategically placed around the head to fine-tune launch conditions for any type of player.

Aero Zone—This is the airflow portion of this machine. In the rear end of the crown, you will find what appears to be an exhaust area. This addition limits air drag, which in turn means increased clubhead speed.

SpeedZone Xtreme

THE 2020 Cobra SpeedZone Xtreme carries with it a slightly larger profile that allows more weight around the perimeter and a 17-gram weight that is placed behind the exhaust in the rear of the clubhead.

Additional weighting and in contrast to its sibling, the Xtreme has only one visible weight placed at the back end of the sole creating the highest MOI Cobra has ever had and a high launch/low spin profile for the player.

Being more forgiving, it’s natural that the

CALLAWAY’S new Mavrik and Mavrik Sub Zero drivers have been spotted on the USGA’s Conforming List, which for those that don’t know, is a publicly available database that allows tournament committees to check the conformity of any club that might be put into play during an event. Every single OEM has to submit each variation of a club to the USGA before it gets deemed legal for competition.

Callaway stays true to form with the release of a “standard” model along with a lower-spinning, lower-MOI Sub Zero version. It isn’t apparent from the images how the Mavriks differ from the Epic Flash twins. But it would be safe to assume that the Mavrik will employ all the existing tech also present in the Epic Flash in a slightly more forgiving package.

The most noticeable difference so far compared to the 2019 Epic Flash is the lack of any movable weight track along the back of both Mavrik driver models. They look to have the same adjustable hosel but no adjustable CG, beyond the potential of moving a heavier weight to the rear of the Sub Zero head.

Callaway will also offer fairway metals to complement the Mavrik drivers. A standard and a Sub Zero model, and that unlike the previous Epic Flash fairway woods, the Mavrik heads will not be adjustable at the hosel. The interesting thing about the hosel is that Callaway has been producing non-adjustable versions the standard retail (adjustable) heads on tour for a few years now, and this could mean that as far as fairway woods go, there is potential for increased forgiveness from freed up mass when the adjustability is removed—at that point it becomes a fitting want versus a performance need with either one being the better option depending on the player.

Titleist Vokey SM8 wedges

HAS it been two years already? The SM7, which we reviewed much earlier in the

year, was seemingly the quintessential wedge. It had it all, good looks, some of the spiniest, most consistent grooves on the market and the greatest variety of sole grinds on the market today. It’s hard to conceive how Titleist and wedge god Bob Vokey continue to improve what already is the gold standard in the wedge game today.

Titleist isn’t helping matters, this year. They’re playing coy, not releasing product details or a white paper on the SM8 just yet.

They will when the wedge hits the market or by the PGA Show but for now you know about as much as we do.

There’s no question there have been some tweaks to the grinds that many players know and love. These subtle tweaks are all about keeping up to the demands of the modern game and turf conditions. Technology in turf management is just as advanced as modern golf club manufacturing and as we continue to see it change, the short game tools like Vokey wedges will continue to evolve with it.

Titleist Vokey wedges have utilized variable groove shaping based on loft to maximize short game performance in the past and it would be safe to surmise that the Vokey team looks to improve on that with the SM8.

The SM series has made its name on the efficacy of their grooves, so it behooves Titleist to look at how tool changes and draft angles can now bring each and every face right to the limit of conformity and increase control, as long as Titleist works with machine shops to constantly check parts. Titleist’s quality control is already one of the best in the business and if there is improvement to be had, they’re the one company that’s sure to find it.

COBRA Speed Zone driver

CALLAWAY Mavrik Subzero driver

TITLEIST Vokey SM7 Wedge

Ernie Els blog #5

By Ernie Els

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International Team captain

ITH a couple of weeks to go, I’m really pleased with the team that I’ve assembled for the Presidents Cup. I believe we’ve got a wonderful blend of experience and new blood, with six players set to make their Presidents Cup debuts and represent emerging golf regions such as China, Chinese Taipei, Chile and Mexico for the first time in this competition.

I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that the team I will take to Royal Melbourne Golf Club will be the youngest ever to compete in the Presidents Cup, with an average age of 29.3 years. From our perspective, I think this is terrific and it bodes well for the future of the International Team.

From what I’ve observed through our team meetings and gatherings over the past year or so, I know our rookies—Abraham Ancer, C.T. Pan, Joaquin Niemann, Haotong Li, Cameron Smith and Sungjae Im—are all fired up and ready for the challenge. Despite their young ages, they have proven themselves to be world-class golfers and I can see them doing really well.

Whether it is in the day and age that we are living in, I definitely wasn’t that good when I was 20, 21 years old, I can promise you that, but these kids, these guys are world class and they have proven themselves. They have one hell of a big future in this event.

As for the established team members such as Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Adam Hadwin, Hideki Matsuyama and Louis Oosthuizen, I have confidence they will give every ounce of their energy, effort and determination against the United States Team. As none of them have tasted victory, this can be a massive motivating factor as we try to overcome the Americans.

Recently, we had to replace Jason Day, who withdrew from the team and we wish Jason well and hope his back recovers quickly. We were eager to have Jason as part of the team at Royal Melbourne and his experience will be missed.

The good news is that there were a number of strong and qualified players available to choose from when I made my captain’s selections. Hence I was pleased to

pick Byeong Hun An of Korea and to have someone as steady and talented as him puts us in a great position to succeed. Ben played extremely well this fall and throughout the year and he will fit in nicely on this team.

Our team is solid and certainly very capable of winning the Presidents Cup, but we all know we need to produce our best golf over four days of competition.

Leading the International Team for the first time is an incredible honor and I’m going to try and play my part to get this team over the line. Needless to say, this is the players’ mission, as well—get enough points to regain the Cup. I am optimistic this Cup at Royal Melbourne can be an icebreaker on a lot of fronts.

Recently, we finalized our captain’s picks which wasn’t an easy task. I had to make some tough phone calls to several players as I knew how much they all wanted to be on the team.

At the end of the day, we went for guys who have played the best since our qualifying process began last year.

I made calls to Branden Grace, Corey Conners and some of the other guys, Erik van Rooyen, guys who were really, really close. It was difficult to tell them they were not on the team.

I didn’t go all out the statistical way, but yes, I had to look at guys’ long-term form. Guys who have played well for a while, and looking at all the stats, I wanted good driving, good ball-striking obviously, and putting was also

very important to me. In my experience, it comes down to pressure putting in a lot of instances.

All my 12 guys have great character and they are showing a lot of willingness to lead and to learn. My picks Sungjae Im and Joaquin Niemann, for example, are the quiet young guys, and they are listening and learning. They’ve gone out and shown me what they are capable of doing and they are going to be great for our team.

As for Adam Hadwin, he was such a great member of our team the last time under Captain Price’s leadership in New York. I loved the way he interacted with the team.

He’s got an all-around great game, especially for our team formats in the first four sessions, and he’s had a very consistent year and lately he’s been playing well—second at Safeway and fourth at Shriners.

With help from my captain’s assistants Geoff Ogilvy, Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir and K.J. Choi, I know we will need nothing short of our very best to pull off a win. I know our 12 players are capable of delivering the points and I’m also very much counting on some really strong support from the Aussie and international fans at Royal Melbourne to be the 13th member of our team.

I can assure everyone that we will be fighting for our honor, our pride and hopefully by the end of four days, we will win the Presidents Cup.

www.pinoygolfer.com | Saturday, December 7, 2019

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LI READY FOR INTERNATIONAL TEAM IN PRESIDENTS CUP I NTERNATIONAL Team member Haotong Li is planning to showcase the growing strength of Chinese golf to the world by producing a winning display against a Tiger Woods-led United States Team in the Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia, next week.

The 24-year-old Li will become the first golfer from mainland China to feature in the biennial team competition from December 9 to 15, an accomplishment he hopes will add further spark for the game to reach greater heights in his home nation.

A two-time European Tour winner, Li qualified automatically as one of the top 8 golfers for the Ernie Els’s International Team and he is determined to ensure a memorable debut by helping the team lift the Presidents Cup. Since 1994, the International Team has won the Cup only once previously in 1998 when it was played at Royal Melbourne.

“Everyone in the team must play as best as we can. Then we may have a chance to win. It definitely means a lot to me to be on this team,” said Li. “I was quite close to be in the team in the last edition. I feel I put a lot of effort to get into this team. I just want to go there [Royal Melbourne] and show my golf to the world.”

After launching his career by winning the inaugural PGA Tour Series-China Order of Merit in 2014 following a three-win season, Li has blossomed into a leading international star. One of his triumphs on the European Tour came at the 2018 Omega Dubai Desert Classic where he defeated reigning FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy with a final-hole birdie after battling head-to-head in the final round.

Earlier this year, the tenacious Chinese showed his match play prowess by progressing into the knockout phase at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play after defeating Ryder Cup star Alex Noren and World No. 1 Brooks Koepka in the group stage.

When he represented Asia in the 2018 EurAsia Cup in Malaysia, he was unbeaten in three matches, owning a 2-0-1 record.

He knows all eyes will be on him in Australia.

“As Chinese golfers, it is our responsibility and obligation to promote Chinese golf to the world and I’m proud to be one of them. I think we should try hard with better performances to show Chinese golf,” he said.

Li has forged a close friendship with South African legend Els, whom he played with during the final round at the 2017 Open Championship and shot a closing 63 to finish third for his best result in a major.

“Ernie is a very special person to me personally. He has a lot of experience and I can learn a lot of great things from him. It’s my honor to be part of his team,” said Li. “Hopefully, I can get some points, especially against Tiger and the best golfers in the world. I’m very excited to get there. To be fair, our team is not as strong as the US Team. So we just want to play our best and, hopefully, beat them.”

With C.T. Pan of Chinese Taipei also making his debut for the International Team, there is every likelihood that Li and Pan will be paired

by Els in either the Four-ball or Foursomes sessions at Royal Melbourne. Li is looking forward to returning to Melbourne where he received plenty of local support when China finished joint second in the ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf in 2016.

“I have talked a lot with C.T. during tournaments. It would be great [to play together],” he said. “I’ve been there to Melbourne a couple of times and I just want to be back again. It will be incredible for sure and the people will support us.”

Li is looking forward to the day when China has the opportunity to host the Presidents Cup. Since the event’s inauguration, South Korea remains as the only Asian nation to have hosted the prestigious team event in 2015.

“I think such events will help promote Chinese golf a lot. I’m looking forward to having the Presidents Cup in China one day.

Chinese golf should be impacted positively,” he said.

TIGER WOODS posing in front of a murial in Melbourne’s CBD.

Tiger ready for biggest roar in Presidents Cup I

N years to come, linguists may well need to reword the old adage “Rising from the ashes like a phoenix” if golf legend Tiger Woods puts an exclamation point to an amazing 2019 by leading the United States Team to victory at the Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club next week.

Turning 44 later this month, Woods plans to head into the holiday season on another high note by becoming only the second playing captain to triumph in the prestigious biennial competition against the International Team, led by Woods’s old foe, Ernie Els. In the past 12 months, Woods has defied his detractors where his battle with careerthreatening injuries has seen him producing two remarkable wins for the ages, first a 15th major victory at the Masters Tournament in April and a record-tying 82nd PGA Tour triumph at the inaugural Zozo Championship in Japan in late October.

They say good things come in threes and after unsurprisingly picking himself for the Presidents Cup, Woods now has a golden opportunity to put the cherry on the cake to conclude a stirring 2019.

Interestingly, the latest narrative that has golf fans gasping in sheer admiration could not have been better scripted. It was during the 2017 Presidents Cup that Woods, then a captain’s assistant, painted a bleak scenario of him potentially never playing competitive golf again following a fourth back surgery which included spinal fusion.

“I don’t know what my future holds for me,” he told the media at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey.

But like all great sporting comebacks,

HAOTONG LI GETTY IMAGE

Woods first claimed a sensational victory at the 2018 Tour Championship and riding the wave of his new-found confidence and invincibility, he produced an improbable triumph at Augusta National a few months later that many had thought would never happen again. Fans chanted “Tiger, Tiger” as he walked off the 18th green.

“I had serious doubts after what transpired a couple years ago. I could barely walk. I couldn’t sit. Couldn’t lay down. Luckily, I had the procedure on my back, which gave me a chance at having a normal life. But then all of a sudden, I realized I could actually swing a golf club again. I felt if I could somehow piece this together that I still had the hands to do it. The body’s not the same as it was a long time ago, but I still have good hands,” said Woods.

Woods limited himself to six more tournaments after his Masters win and when he failed to progress into the FedExCup season-finale at the Tour Championship, he announced from out of the blue that he had undergone a fifth knee surgery to repair minor cartilage damage in his left knee.

Some wondered if this was another setback but, in his return to tournament play two months later, Woods was back at his prowling best, rewriting PGA Tour history along the way at the Zozo Championship where he won by three strokes from Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama.

“It’s a big number,” said Woods after achieving his 82nd win on a glorious Monday morning following a weather-hit week. “I’ve been very fortunate to have

had the career I’ve had so far. To have won this tournament in Japan, it’s just so ironic because I’ve always been a global player. I didn’t really know that I would come back and play at this level. Swing-wise, my speed started coming back. Ironically, my back has been less sore because of it. I’ve been able to rotate better, but still, it’s always going to be sore but it’s just less sore.”

US Open champion Gary Woodland, who had a front-row seat playing alongside Woods in the final two rounds in Japan, tipped his cap to the game’s icon and predicted the world will see more wins by Woods.

“Eighty-two’s just a crazy number. You look at the guys who have won 10 times and it’s pretty special, let alone to come out here and win 82 times. To battle through the injuries he’s dealt with, gosh, he’s young and he’s playing unbelievable. The ballstriking exhibition I’ve seen the last two days is a joke. I don’t see him stopping anytime soon. I think there’s a lot more in store,” said Woodland, who will make his debut in the Presidents Cup. Next up for Woods is to extend the US dominance in the Presidents Cup, which the team has won the last seven editions. At Royal Melbourne, site of US Team’s lone defeat in 1998, Woods will be assisted by Fred Couples, Zach Johnson and Steve Stricker.

Woods acknowledged that leading as a playing captain will present different challenges, but he is confident of emulating Hale Irwin’s victorious feat in 1994. “It’s an honor and a tremendous responsibility to be able to be captain and represent our country. We’re going to have a pretty solid team going down there against the Internationals,” said Woods.

“I’m going to be getting ready as the same time, it’s going to be a lot of work, but something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. On paper, we certainly have the advantage in the world rankings. When it comes right down to it, like I told the guys, when you start out on Thursday, it’s 0-0. We have to go out and win this Cup. Doesn’t matter what the world ranking is. You have to go and beat the other guys, and that’s what we’re going to try and do.”

And should Woods go on to rewrite another piece of golf history in Australia, it may well be time to change the old saying to: “Rising from the ashes like a Tiger.

Els names An to Presidents Cup International Team following Day withdrawal M ELBOURNE, Australia—Presidents Cup Captain Ernie Els today announced that Korean An Byeong-hun will join the International Team following the withdrawal of Australian Jason Day. Day, who recently was selected by Els as a captain’s pick to be a part of the International Team for the fifth time, announced that he has been forced to withdraw from the 2019 competition due to a back injury. The Presidents Cup will return to Melbourne, Australia, and The Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the third time, from December 9 to 15, 2019.

“We wish Jason well and hope his back recovers quickly. We were eager to have Jason as part of the team at Royal Melbourne and his experience will be missed,” Els said. “The good news is that there were a number of strong and qualified players available to choose from when I made my captain’s selections. To have someone as steady and talented as Ben An puts us in a great position to succeed. Ben played extremely well this fall and throughout the year and he will fit in nicely on this team.”

With An’s inclusion, the International Team will now feature two Korean players as 2019 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Sungjae Im is also on the team as one of Els’ picks.

During the 2018-2019 PGA Tour Season, An enjoyed three top-10s and eight top-25 finishes including a third-place result at the Wyndham Championship in August.

He finished 15th on the International Team standings to miss out on automatic selection for the Presidents Cup but put together a strong case for a captain’s pick by starting the 2019-2020 PGA Tour season on a strong note. This start included top-10s at the Sanderson Farms Championship (third), The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges (T6) and Zozo Championship (T8).

He also finished T14 at the World Golf ChampionshipsHSBC Champions.

“I’m sorry to hear that Jason has been forced to withdraw from the International Team and I wish him a speedy recovery. It was a huge surprise to receive a call from Ernie who told me that I was in the team,” An said. “It has been a goal of mine all season to be on the

AN BYEONG-HUN

GETTY IMAGE

International Team and I am honored to play in my first Presidents Cup. I’m looking forward to joining Ernie and the rest of the team in Melbourne and, more important, contribute to the International Team’s goal to win the Cup.” Day said: “I’m quite disappointed I won’t be coming home to play in either the Australian Open in Sydney or the Presidents Cup the following week in Melbourne. I was quite looking forward to both events. I had been prepping all week in Palm Springs when I was injured. Frustratingly, I’ve been through back problems before and my medical team decided it best to shut down all practice and play.

Therefore, I wanted to inform Golf Australia, as well as provide Ernie as much time as possible to best prepare our International Team for Royal Melbourne.

I look forward to playing at home in the near future.

My best to all the competitors in Sydney, and my teammates in Melbourne.”

Day finished No. 9 in the International Team standings and owns a 5-11-4 Presidents Cup record.

A8 Saturday, December 7, 2019

Sports BusinessMirror

Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

GOLD FOR BIANCA! B THE Philippines’s Daniela Reggie de la Pisa performs in rhythmic gymnastics’ ball event at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

NONIE REYES

FROM one marathon queen to another, it’s a 1-2 finish for the Philippines with Christine Hallasgo (left) winning gold and Mary Joy Tabal settling for silver. ROY DOMINGO

HALLASGO, NOT TABAL, WINS MARATHON TIARA

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

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UBIC Bay Freeport—As the New Clark City officially got baptized with the opening of athletics events on Friday, the world-class facility also witnessed the birth of a new marathon star in Christine Hallasgo.

Shadowed by the Rio Olympian, Boston Marathon veteran and six-time Milo Marathon National Finals queen Mary Joy Tabal, Hallasgo introduced herself with a stirring performance in the women’s 42-km footrace of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

The extreme heat, the challenging route and the mere presence of the defending champion did not rattle the 26-year-old native of Malaybalay, Bukidnon, when she clocked two hours and 56.56 seconds to snatch the gold from the Cebuana pride Tabal.

It was a fitting revenge that took one year to complete.

And it happened in a place so symbolic she deserved the title as the new queen of marathon, crowned at the sparkling new stadium.

Almost a year ago, December 9, Hallasgo was running late in the Milo National Finals in Laoag City. In front of her was Tabal, at that time gunning her sixth straight title. Not too far was Cristabel Martes, the ageless champion of the 2001 and 2005 SEA Games editions.

The mother of a three-year-old daughter did finish on the podium in third place, but with a staggering 10-minute difference from Tabal.

For the months that passed, Hallasgo ran on the slopes

of Malaybalay, a known high ground in Mindanao. She worked, persevered and trained without the perks that go with being a member of the national team.

Eventually, she got noticed by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and was ferried to Lingayen in Pangasinan—the national athletics training center—to prepare for Games.

The mountains of Bukidnon gifted her legs of steel, so important that the up-and-down route of Friday’s race was just a piece of cake for Hallasgo.

The trio of Hallasgo, Tabal and Hong Le Thi Pham of Vietnam was pacing the field of eight runners from gun start. They reached the 30-km mark almost at the same time.

With just a kilometer left and the humongous stadium in their line of sight after an exhausting trip at the service road of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Hallasgo zoomed past Tabal who just couldn’t bear the morning heat.

At the finish line, with no one behind her and the gold medal just waiting to be wrapped around her neck, Hallasgo took one heavy breath. She raised her arms, realizing she is the new champion.

Tabal, who trained in Japan for two months, slowly

crossed the line at 2:58.49. She had to be stretchered out of the track after collapsing just meters from the finish line. Pham settled for bronze with 3:02.52.

“Hindi ko po akalain na mananalo ako. Tinignan ko lang kung sino maaabutan ko,” Hallasgo said.

Tabal, who was gracious in defeat, said she was just happy that the host nation got a 1-2 finish in their category.

“Sa sarili ko po, I just wanted to finish no matter kung anong mangyayari. Alam ko wala na because I am so exhausted. I am just happy that I finished second.

Nakapag 1-2 kami [ni Hallasgo],” Tabal said.

In the men’s side, Jerald Zabala (2:37.20) and Anthony Nerza (2:39.28) just faded from the strong competition and landed in fifth and sixth spots, respectively. Thailand’s Agus Prayogo took the gold in 2:26.48.

Pinays snatch beach volleyball bronze medal

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By Henry Empeño

UBIC Bay Freeport—Finally!

The Philippine women’s beach volleyball team emerged from the limbo of uncertainty with a rousing victory over Singapore on Friday to snatch bronze, the first medal for the country in volleyball since 2005.

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons first claimed the must-win game by overpowering Singapore’s Ishan Lao and Serene Ng, 21-17, 21-13, in the last round-robin match at the Subic Sand Court, followed by a 21-18, 21-16 conquest

by Dzi Gervacio and Dij Rodriguez over Eliza Chong and Gladys Lee. The Philippine team came out of the shadows after being humiliated by powerhouse Thailand on Tuesday, 26-24, 21-15, over Rondina and Pons and 21-16, 21-14 over Gervacio and Rodriguez.

The Philippines advanced to the medal round after defeating Vietnam last Sunday and Malaysia the following day.

After Friday’s games where undefeated Thailand also ended Vietnam’s hope for a podium finish 23-21, 21-17, the Philippines claimed the bronze finish,with the silver going to Indonesia and the gold to undisputed champion Thailand.

N

the par-5 No. 5 to draw level, only to reel back with that missed green miscue on the sixth until Bunnabodee hit an errant drive again on the eighth into the rough, played out and three-putted for 6.

“The game plan was to just keep the ball in play,” said Pagdanganan, who parred Nos. 7 and 8 after going one down with three holes left.

The gold medal feat also augurs well for the Gonzaga U product’s debut on the lucrative LPGA 2020 season after gaining a full membership card on her very first try by surviving a grueling four-stage qualifiers and finishing among the top 45.

“I want to thank everyone who watched and supported me. Today’s [yesterday] round was pretty okay but I didn’t hit shots as good as yesterday [Thursday] although I did come out good in the last few holes,” she said.

While Pagdanganan basked in glory, Bunnabodee rued her poor finish that marred what could’ve been a great comeback against the Philippines’s top gun and on a hostile turf. She settled for silver with a 212 while compatriot Pimpina Panthong took the silver with a 213 after a 71.

Atthaya Thitikul, current holder of the world amateur No. 1 ranking, also finished with a 71 and wound up fifth with a 215 in a tie with Lois Kaye Go, bronze medalist the last time out in Kuala Lumpur, who squandered a solid backside 34 with a 38 for a 72.

Abby Arevalo finally broke par with a 71 after a 79 and 73 and wound up with a 223.

Like Pagdanganan, Singapore’s James Leow foiled the Thais in men’s individual play, firing a stirring bogey-free seven-under 65 to snare the gold with a 203 total. Tanapat Pichaikool, who led after 36 holes, failed to match Leow’s hot 33 start with a 36, carded a 68 and lost by one with a 204 for silver while Nopparat Panichphol bagged the bronze with a 205 also after a 68.

The Thais, who won all but one of the four golds staked in the sport in the 2017 Games in Malaysia, try again in team competition to be played under the match play format starting today.

The Philippines and Thai will take a bye in the first round in women’s match play with the No. 3 Malaysia

(437) clashing with No. 6 Vietnam (499) and No. 4 Indonesia (440) taking on No. 5 Singapore (454) with the winners facing the top 2 teams. The hosts emerged as the top seed with 423 with the Thais finishing with 424.

In men’s match play, the top 8 countries after the classification will dispute the crown in a pair of matches with the Philippines placing No. 4 for a first-round clash with Malaysia.

SUBIC Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma congratulates triathletes John Chicano (left) and Kim Remolino after the duo won gold and silver medals, respectively, in men’s triathlon of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Chicano will receive P200,000 in cash incentives from the SBMA.

Blu Girls, men’s baseball squad close in on golds EW Clark City—The Blu Girls made it to the goldmedal round with usual ease, while the Blu Boys got delayed by a loss to Singapore Friday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games softball competitions.

The national women’s squad, unbeaten in the past nine SEA Games, blew out Malaysia, 12-0, Friday in the semifinals at The Villages in Mabalacat town in Pampanga.

The Blu Girls will play against the winner between Indonesia and Singapore for the gold medal.

But for Amateur Softball Association-Philippines top official Jun Veloso, it’s already a done deal.

IANCA PAGDANGANAN snatched victory from the clutches of defeat, pouncing on Thai Kan Bunnabodee’s late mishap to turn a one-stroke deficit in the last two holes into a rousing three-shot triumph to claim the coveted women’s individual gold in the 30th Southeast Asian Games golf competitions at Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac on Friday.

The Asian Games bronze medalist lost a two-stroke lead in the face of Bunnabodee’s fiery charge in the last nine holes at the front and fell by one with a costly bogey on the par-3 No. 6.

But it was Bunnabodee who cracked in a pressurepacked finish as the Thai double bogeyed the par-4 No. 8 that enabled Pagdanganan to regain control with a routine par and the Filipina ace completed her romp with a kind of finish that wins big-time championships.

The Thai went for broke on the closing par-5 ninth in a desperate attempt to net a birdie and possibly force a playoff but paid dearly for it as she hit it into the rough twice and ended up with a bogey instead for a 72.

In contrast, Pagdanganan kept her poise and calmly sank a birdie putt from an eagle-putt distance for a twoshot swing as she closed out with a 71 that capped her run of under-par scores that included a 70 and a 68 for a 54-hole total of seven-under 209.

“I feel very happy to see my teammates on the final hole watching,” said Pagdanganan after delivering the first SEAG golf gold for Team Philippines since Princess Superal dominated the 2013 Games in Myanmar. “I felt like we won as a team.”

She almost blew her bid in individual play.

Holding sway with a 36 at the back, Pagdanganan saw her twostroke lead wipe out by Bunnabodee’s two-birdie binge in the first three holes with the Thai surging ahead with another birdie on the fourth.

But the former Philippine Ladies Open titlist birdied

“It’s in the bag no matter who we are facing,” he said.

But things were that easy for the Blu Boys, who absorbed a shock 4-3 loss to Singapore in the semis.

Singapore stunned the Philippines earlier this year in the Worlds, but the Blu Boys scored an 8-0 decision last Wednesday at the end of the eliminations.

Singapore on Friday scored on a two-run homer— with two outs—in the third for a 4-1 lead that it never relinquished. The Blu Boys, however, still have a chance for the gold medal through the Page system.

The format allows them to face the winner between ranked 3 and 4 teams (Indonesia and Thailand) for a

chance to challenge Singapore in the final.

The Philippines also moved one win away from the men’s baseball gold medal.

The Filipinos pulverized Indonesia, 14-1, at The Villages to make the finals of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

It was another dominating win for the Philippines which scored four runs each in the first and 9th innings to seal the win.

They also pulled off three runs in the fourth, two in the second and one in the fifth, while the Indonesians only managed to score in the fourth.

The Philippines will battle Thailand for the gold medal on Sunday after the Thais clobbered the Cambodians, 14-0. The Filipinos earlier beat Thailand en route to sweeping the eliminations.

THE gods of golf smiles on Bianca Pagdanganan, who runs away with golf’s gold medal for women’s individual play. ROY DOMINGO

BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Saturday, December 7, 2019 A9

Intellect Design Arena to facilitate bank’s digital transformation

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor INTELLECT Design Arena Ltd. will facilitate the shift to digitization of the Philippines Business Bank (PBB) with its digital core solution, IDC 19.1, to help drive its dream to build a wide economic base for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and make banking services accessible to them.

“After multiple evaluations for replacing our existing core banking solution, we chose the latest in technology, IDC 19.1, that would strengthen our operations ensuring higher efficiency and drive our digital transformation agenda,” said Rolando R. Avante, president and CEO of PBB. Based on the latest study from the Department of Trade and Industry, SMEs account for 99.6 percent of total registered enterprises in Philippines.

PBB believes that they are the lifeblood of the country’s economy, providing trade, manufacturing and outsourcing services, thereby contributing to local development.

Nonetheless, SMEs also seem underserved as financial institutions are mostly focused on big companies. Poised to become the bank of choice in this sector, PBB has been aggressive in expanding its branch network nationwide.

To help accelerate this is a powerful solution like Intellect Digital Core, IDC 19.1, which offers the bank the leverage to innovate on offering unique lending products and solutions.

It will empower PBB to become integral to its customers across corporate and SMEs by being a catalyst for efficient delivery of short, medium and long-term credit facilities.

IDC’s built-in product configurator and pricing engine will allow the bank to create and immediately launch tailored products for specific customer segments. The solution would allow growth of the retail loan market while sustaining the bank’s SME credit segment.

“We are delighted and geared to empower PBB with our fully integrated IDC 19.1 that will support their vision of becoming the bank of choice in the market,” said Rajesh Saxena, CEO, global consumer banking, Intellect Design Arena.

“The Intellect Digital Core banking suite is a unique combination of product innovation, technology optimization, streamlining operations, transformational customer experience and lower total cost of ownership for the bank. Our modular and scalable solution is equipped to meet the challenges of technology, regulations, and growing business and customer demands,” he added.

VIDEO APP TIKTOK UNBLOCKS TEEN WHO POSTED ON CHINA’S MUSLIMS

SAN FRANCISCO—Chinese-owned video app TikTok says it has unblocked a US teenager and restored her viral video condemning China’s treatment of its Muslim minority.

The video was removed for 50 minutes Wednesday due to a “human moderation error,” according to a statement from Eric Han, an American who heads TikTok’s US contentmoderation team. The site’s guidelines don’t preclude the video’s content, Han said.

TikTok is popular with millions of US teens and young adults but several US senators have raised concerns about data collection and censorship on the site of content not in line with the Chinese government. The US government has reportedly launched a national-security review of the site.

The 40-second video, which news reports identified as the work of 17-year-old Feroza Aziz of New Jersey, starts off as an innocuous tutorial on how to get long eyelashes.

It then segues into an appeal for viewers to inform themselves of plight of the Muslim minority in China. “This is another holocaust, yet no one is talking about it,” Aziz says.

China is estimated to have detained up to 1 million minority Muslims Uighurs in prisonlike detention centers.

China’s government insists the detention sites are “vocational” centers aimed at training and skills development.

It has sharply criticized Western countries that called for an end to mass arbitrary detentions and other abuses of Uighurs, and other Muslims in the Xinjiang region.

TikTok has said its data is not subject to Chinese law and that it does not remove content based on “sensitivities related to China.”

Han said Aziz was locked out of her account because of an earlier video she posted featured a photo of Osama bin-Laden, which violated polices against imagery related to terrorist figures.

Aziz asked rhetorically on Twitter if she believed she was blocked after posting the video about Uighurs because of the unrelated earlier “satirical” video. “No,” she said. AP

Amazon Web Services tunes up high-frequency enterprises in PHL PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

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N 2017, the data of over 55 million registered voters was leaked in what is now known as the COMLEAKS incident. There have been many reported cases of public data breaches in recent years. This year, a financial services company reportedly exposed about 885 million records of mortgage transactions dating back to 2003 due to what it claimed was a design defect.

In April 2019, a cyber-security company revealed that more than 540 million Facebook user IDs, account names, likes and comments have been exposed on a publicly accessible server.

Even the game “Fortnite” was not spared. In January 2019, about 200 million gamers were hacked on the Epic Games’s online platform.

According to Amazon Web Services (AWS) Enterprise Strategist Mark Schwartz, security breaches happen because of two things.

The first thing is letting too many people have access to production infrastructure. The second is not patching software often enough. For both issues, Schwartz recommended DevOps and the cloud.

To limit access to production and remove insider threats, Schwartz said that IT staff can

adapt an “immutable infrastructure” in the cloud using DevOps, where they test a new piece of infrastructure—like a copy of their running application—that has all their desired changes.

The idea is to build a “test dummy” while keeping a running instance of the application unchanged. Once the test is successful, they can delete the old version and deploy the new one.

AWS said cloud technology enabled companies to adapt to the constantly changing demands of digital transformation.

With the rise of digital transformation, technology leaders are being called upon to play an increasingly bigger role in the creation of business value.

As more and more enterprises adapt to the technology revolution, Schwartz said local companies should avoid pursuing digital transformation as a one-time overhaul. “It just doesn’t work. You can’t periodically do a big change and then not make a change again because you get out of sync with the needs of your organization.”

Schwartz said enterprises capable of very fast innovation have the upper hand when it comes to meeting changing market and business demands, calling them “high-frequency enterprises.”

AWS is positioned to help businesses transform into high-frequency enterprises through cloud technology. The cloud enables quick innovation in four ways. First, it can immediately provide enterprises with resources to experiment on ideas at a small scale. Second, it provides them with powerful technologies, like artificial intelligence and machine learning, at low cost so they don’t have to invest heavily on resources, talent and development.

Third, the cloud can automate basic day-today operations, and let enterprises focus more

on generating and testing new ideas. Last, if the ideas work, the cloud can scale them up quickly for deployment. According to Schwartz, these are possible because the cloud lets enterprises innovate very quickly. “A high-frequency enterprise knows that it has to constantly change. Change is just always happening, and so it has to learn to quickly do small things. Just constantly do new small things that it can release,” he said.

The Philippines ranked ninth among Asia-Pacific countries in the Asia Cloud Readiness Index (CRI) 2018, indicating that the country has room for growth in cloud adoption.

However, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2018 shows that cloud computing would soon become a trend in the Philippines, with 72 percent of companies across different industries expected to adopt the technology.

Many local companies are already using the cloud to not just lower costs, but provide better customer experiences. Globe Telecom uses Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS and AWS Lambda to raise the quality of customer service with better Web and mobile applications. Ayala Land leverages AWS cloud services to streamline data maintenance and resource provisioning. Schwartz said speed is of the utmost importance when it comes to identifying, and later responding to, cyber threats.

“At AWS—and we help our customers learn this—we automate a lot of our security. Automation recognizes a security breach very quickly and responds very quickly. It’s much less likely to miss. It’s a very different way of thinking. It is more efficient— it doesn’t take too much effort—but it’s also so much more effective and a much faster way to respond to security breaches.” ■

Spotify Wrapped 2019 reveals streaming trends from 2010 to now IN 2019, millions of people around the globe came to Spotify once again to listen to the music and podcasts that they love, while discovering new favorites along the way.

This year, the streaming service is not only giving users their personalized Spotify “Wrapped,” it is taking a look back at listening throughout the decade with “My Decade Wrapped,” which provides listeners access to the songs, albums, artists and podcasts they discovered and listened to the most throughout 2019 and the decade. So who was your top artist of 2019? What was your top song through each season?

To find out, simply log in to your Spotify app—or head to www.spotify.com/wrapped to access your personalized Spotify Wrapped. Once you’re in, you’ll discover

your top artist, top song through each season, top podcasts, genres, total minutes streamed in 2019. This year, the service is also showing how global your listening is by highlighting where some of your top artists hail from on a world map. Spotify users who have been with the platform for at least two years will get a personalized recap highlighting their top artist and total minutes streamed throughout the decade, as well as top artist and song for each year.

Spotify Premium users will even get to go a little deeper, with access to additional personalized data stories and insights about their year in listening that includes the number of artists they discovered and the top artist they discovered this year.

Spotify Premium and Free users alike

can share the results with friends, family, and followers through Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or Facebook with a personalized 2019 Wrapped or My Decade Wrapped share card. These are complete with a summary of their top tracks, artists and genre from their listening history on Spotify.

Relive your top tracks in a personalized playlist or take a look at the most-streamed songs on Spotify in the Philippines this year and throughout the decade.

Artists and podcasters can also do the same to discover how their music and podcasts connected with fans across the world for 2019 Artist Wrapped and 2019 Podcaster Wrapped. Find out more about the Wrapped experience on Spotify’s For the Record blog post (bit.ly/351K5aZ).

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, December 7, 2019

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SpaceX launches 60 more mini satellites for global Internet CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida—SpaceX launched 60 mini satellites Monday, the second batch of an orbiting network meant to provide global Internet coverage.

The Falcon rocket blasted into the morning sky, marking the unprecedented fourth flight of a booster for SpaceX. The compact flat-panel satellites—just 575 pounds (260 kilograms) each— will join 60 launched in May. SpaceX founder and chief executive Elon Musk wants to put thousands of these Starlink satellites in orbit, to offer high-speed Internet service

everywhere. He plans to start service next year in the northern US and Canada, with global coverage for populated areas after 24 launches.

Last month, Musk used an orbiting Starlink satellite to send a tweet: “Whoa, it worked!!”

Employees gathered at company bases on both coasts cheered when the first-stage booster landed on a floating platform in the Atlantic.

“These boosters are designed to be used 10 times.

Let’s turn it around for a fifth, guys,” company’s launch commentator said.

This also marked the first time SpaceX used a

previously flown nose cone. The California-based company reuses rocket parts to cut costs.

Stacked flat inside the top of the rocket, the newest satellites were going to maneuver even higher following liftoff, using krypton-powered thrusters. SpaceX said there was a potential problem with one of the 60 that could prevent it from moving beyond its initial 174-mile high (280 kilometerhigh) orbit. In that case, the faulty satellite will be commanded to reenter and burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

Each satellite has an autonomous system for

dodging space junk. In September, however, the European Space Agency had to move one of its satellites out of the way of a Starlink satellite. SpaceX later said it corrected the problem.

SpaceX is among several companies interested in providing broadband Internet coverage worldwide, especially in areas where it costs too much or is unreliable. Others include OneWeb and Jeff Bezos’s Amazon.

According to Musk, Starlink revenue can help SpaceX develop rockets and spacecraft for traveling to Mars, his overriding ambition. AP

FOSSIL INTRODUCES NEWEST GENERATION SMARTWATCH

GLOBAL lifestyle brand Fossil has unveiled the latest addition to its wearables assortment: the Gen 5 Fossil Touchscreen Smartwatch.

The watch offers users the recently launched Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform alongside the latest software by Wear OS by Google.

Boasting of the latest design, new speaker functionality, smart battery modes, and double the storage, Gen 5 speaks to both the tech-savvy and the fashion-forward. The newly redesigned and revolutionized Gen 5 Smartwatch features tech that’s audible, lasts longer, and optimizes performance.

Thanks to its sleek design and updated technology, the next-generation smartwatch from Fossil is built to be a best-in-class technology experience for new and experienced tech enthusiasts alike.

“For several years, the health and wellness industry has been converging with smartwatch technology—and Fossil knew there was a tremendous opportunity to provide a connected option for the design-conscious consumer looking to bring style to their wrist. It’s always been a top priority to listen to our consumers and address these big market share opportunities when it comes to technology innovation,’’ said Steve Evans, executive vice president of the Fossil Group.

“As a direct result of that feedback, we’re incredibly excited to be able to offer our first-ever proprietary apps that offer an extended battery life and increased iPhone compatibility, which is always top of mind with our consumers around the globe.’’

The new smartwatch launches with six colorways in stunning combinations of black, smoke and rose gold. With a 44-mm case size and endless strap options, Gen 5 provides consumers with additional technology in designs and styles they have come to expect from Fossil. Personalization has never been more accessible, from customizable pushers to watch faces to notifications, allowing users to make the connected experience their own.

New features include: ■ EXTENDED BATTERY MODE. With four battery life pre-sets, the user is in control over battery life to extend to multiple days on a single charge while still enjoying essential features like notifications and heart rate.

■ SWIMPROOF SPEAKER. Thanks to the inclusion of a swimproof speaker, in addition to the existing microphone, users can enjoy audible functionality, and hear responses from the Google Assistant—when you ask a question or tell it to perform an action, you can hear your Google Assistant speak back to you.

With the addition of a speaker, users also have the ability to take calls on their smartwatch.

The new Gen 5 Fossil Touchscreen Smartwatch is now available at Fossil stores nationwide.

More information is available at bit.ly/2PhO5gL.

Paging Dr. Robot: Artificial intelligence moves into care T

BY TOM MURPHY The Associated Press

HE next time you get sick, your care may involve a form of the technology people use to navigate road trips or pick the right vacuum cleaner online.

Artificial intelligence is spreading into health care, often as software or a computer program capable of learning from large amounts of data and making predictions to guide care or help patients.

It already detects an eye disease tied to diabetes and does other behind-the-scenes work like helping doctors interpret MRI scans and other imaging tests for some forms of cancer.

Now, parts of the health system are starting to use it directly with patients. During some clinic and telemedicine appointments, AI-powered software asks patients initial questions about their symptoms that physicians or nurses normally pose.

And an AI program featuring a talking image of the Greek philosopher Aristotle is starting to help University of Southern California (USC) students cope with stress. Researchers say this push into medicine is at an early stage, but they expect the technology to grow by helping people stay healthy, assisting doctors with tasks and doing more behind-the-scenes work.

They also think patients will get used to AI in their care just like they’ve gotten accustomed to using the technology when they travel or shop.

But they say there are limits. Even the most advanced software has yet to master important parts of care like a doctor’s ability to feel compassion or use common sense.

“Our mission isn’t to replace human beings where only human beings can do the job,” said University of Southern California research professor Albert Rizzo.

Rizzo and his team have been working on a program that uses AI and a virtual reality character named “Ellie” that was originally designed to determine whether veterans returning from a

deployment might need therapy.

Ellie appears on computer monitors and leads a person through initial questions. Ellie makes eye contact, nods and uses hand gestures like a human therapist. It even pauses if the person gives a short answer, to push them to say more.

“After the first or second question, you kind of forget that it’s a robot,” said Cheyenne Quilter, a West Point cadet helping to test the program.

Ellie does not diagnose or treat. Instead, human therapists used recordings of its sessions to help determine what the patient might need.

“This is not AI trying to be your therapist,” said another researcher, Gale Lucas. “This is AI trying to predict who is most likely to be suffering.”

The team that developed Ellie also has put together a newer AI-based program to help students manage stress and stay healthy.

Ask Ari is making its debut at USC this semester to give students easy access to advice on dealing with loneliness, getting better sleep or handling other complications that crop up in college life.

Ari does not replace a therapist, but its designers say it will connect students through their phones or laptops to reliable help whenever they need it.

USC senior Jason Lewis didn’t think the program would have much for him when he helped test it because he wasn’t seeking counseling.

But he found that Ari covered many topics he could relate to, including information on how social media affects people.

“Everybody thinks they are alone in their thoughts and problems,” he said. “Ari definitely counters that isolation.” Aside from addressing mental health needs, artificial intelligence also is at work in more common forms of medicine.

The tech company AdviNOW Medical and 98point6, which provides treatment through secure text messaging, both use artificial intelligence to question patients at the beginning of an appointment.

AdviNOW CEO James Bates said their AI program

decides what questions to ask and what information it needs. It passes that information and a suggested diagnosis to a physician who then treats the patient remotely through telemedicine.

The company currently uses the technology in a handful of Safeway and Albertsons grocery store clinics in Arizona and Idaho. But it expects to expand to about 1,000 clinics by the end of next year.

Eventually, the company wants to have AI diagnose and treat some minor illnesses, Bates said.

Researchers say much of AI’s potential for medicine lies in what it can do behind the scenes by examining large amounts of data or images to spot problems or predict how a disease will develop, sometimes quicker than a doctor.

Future uses might include programs like one that hospitals currently use to tell doctors which patients are more likely to get sepsis, said Darren Dworkin, chief information officer at California’s Cedars-Sinai medical center. Those warnings can help doctors prevent the deadly illness or treat it quickly.

“It’s basically that little tap on the shoulder that we all want to get of, ‘Hey, perhaps you should look over here,’” Dworkin said.

Dr. Eric Topol predicts in his book Deep Medicine that artificial intelligence will change medicine, in part by freeing doctors to spend more time with patients. But he also notes that the technology will not take over care.

Even the most advanced program cannot replicate empathy, Topol said. Patients stick to their treatment and prescriptions more and do better if they know their doctor is pulling for them.

Artificial intelligence also can’t process everything a doctor considers when deciding on treatment, noted Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Isaac Kohane. That might include a patient’s tolerance for pain or the desire to live a few more months to attend a child’s wedding or graduation.

“Good doctors are the ones who understand us and our goals as human beings,” he said. ■

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Facebook removes Conservative Party ad with BBC presenters L ONDON—Facebook says it has removed a Conservative Party ad that used BBC news footage on the grounds that it infringed on intellectual-property (IP) rights.

The BBC had complained about the ad last week, arguing material involving some of its well-known presenters was taken out of context and could damage its impartiality.

Facebook said Monday that whenever it receives “valid IP claims against content on the platform, in advertising or elsewhere,’’ it will “act in accordance with our policies and take action as required.”

Britain’s election laws were written for a time when campaigns pushed mass-produced leaflets through mail slots, rather than flooding Facebook and Twitter accounts with individually targeted messages. As a consequence, political parties are pushing the boundaries of the Internet campaigning in the upcoming general election. AP

CHANCELLOR of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove (left) at a media conference with Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London on November 29. AP

AudioWAV Media rolls out WAV Flow 2.0

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES

a major store has recently signed up with AudioWAV provide content for their 800 stores nationwide.

“We are pretty confident we will be able to roll this out looking at maybe 100,000 locations by 2020 which will include outside Southeast Asia,” he said.

He said AudioWAV is bullish because every generation loves music. Furthermore, Hinolan said it is also platform that promotes Filipino talent. It has specific channels that promote Filipino music. It has a partnership with the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in promoting the works of the composer.

The newest WAV Flow comes is a tamper-proof hardware box for uninterrupted music and messaging playback in-store. It delivers great sound quality, optimized storage capacity, gapless transition of music and messaging, and the power to operate both offline and online content.

Furthermore, WAV Flow’s backend gives businesses the option to personally manage and take full control of the device through its user-friendly interface online. The interface offers music licensing if a user prefers licensed music playing inside the store.

It also offers content creation, advertising and messaging management.

Saturday, December 7, 2019 A11

Bea Alonzo finds the right X with new endorsement deal NOTHING seems to stop box-office actress Bea Alonzo. With her new movie, Unbreakable, doing solid business in theaters and a new coffee shop venture, she takes the momentum even further by signing a deal with local appliance brand Xtreme.

“I am really excited to be Xtreme’s new ambassador. Home has always been my sanctuary, and now that I have the brand’s appliances to come home to, I will always have something to look forward to at the end of the day,” Alonzo shared.

Xtreme recognizes how Filipinos continuously work hard to achieve their aspirations despite setbacks. Alonzo, who has constantly sought her dreams and is unafraid to take on new ventures, is the perfect embodiment of what Xtreme stands for as a brand.

“We are glad to have Bea on board. As one of the country’s leading actresses, her talent leaves no room for doubt, but it is because of her ability to keep on moving forward and not settle for anything less is the main reason why we just had to have her on board,” said Stephen Cheng, head of marketing for Xtreme.

“This is also Xtreme’s vision for the Philippines.

For many Filipinos, premium-quality appliances have always seemed out of reach, and so they settle for what they can afford. With our line of products, they never have to compromise quality and move on from the idea that good products are only for those who earn more. With Xtreme, they can finally start over,” Cheng added.

Under the Suntouch Technology Corp. Xtreme (www.xtreme.com.ph) aims to be Filipinos’ one-stop shop for all your appliance needs. From Smart TVs, inverter air-conditioners and refrigerators, to multipurpose gas ranges and small appliances, Xtreme promises to have it at the best price.

With over 150 accredited service centers nationwide, premium quality of life is now even more attainable.

AUDIOWAV Media Inc., a business-to-business platform provider, recently launched WAV Flow 2.0 designed to provide greater in-store experiences for its customers.

“We released WAV Flow 2.0 in response to the demand of the market that demands better and more convenient customer experience,” Carlos Jose Hinolan, CEO of AudioWAV Media Inc. told BUSINESSMIRROR in a recent interview.

“This product empowers businesses to control music and messaging inside their stores,” Hinolan added. With its more than 600 music channels, Hinolan said WAV Flow 2.0’s music channels are designed for different businesses, such as food, hospitality, retail, mall, supermarkets, health and wellness, casino and gaming centers, convenience stores and a broad spectrum of industries.

“We specifically curated the content and now have given this platform to businesses so that they can maximize and increase revenues by providing their customers the best experience,” Hinolan said.

A user can assign a music channel of his or her choice in the box containing musical content from

Japan, the United States, China, and the Philippines, among others.

Although the platform has been launched in the Philippines, Hinolan said WAV Flow 2.0 is also going to be launched in Southeast Asia, as well, after its market launch in the country.

He said WAV Flow 2.0 allows a user to use his or her device individually without interruption.

Other platforms don’t have such functionality. By downloading the WAV Flow 2.0 app, a user is allowed to connect his or her mobile phone to the music box for listening pleasure.

Being a plug-and-play device, a user just needs to attach the box to the amplifier for listening.

Subscription starts at P999.

“The rate will be different if clients ask us to produce musical content for them. Basically, when a client asks for advertisements like a typical radio advertisement, that is a different rate,” Hinolan said.

He said businesses with large chains or branches that want control over the content inside their stores are good potential clients. “That is what WAV Flow is all about,” he said.

Having curated content, Hinolan said their content is filtered, wholesome and family-oriented. He said

PANASONIC LEAVES SEMICONDUCTOR BUSINESS WITH TAIWAN SALE

Garmin unveils Instinct Tactical Edition for demanding outdoors

TOKYO—Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic Corp. is abandoning the semiconductor business with the sale of its last business in that sector to a Taiwanese company. Panasonic said on Thursday it was transferring the semiconductor business operated by Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions Co. to Nuvoton Technology Corp.

In recent years, Panasonic has sold its semiconductor plants in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Terms were not disclosed for Thursday’s move, set to be completed next year.

Panasonic’s chip-making has been struggling in recent years amid competition from cheaper rivals in South Korea and the rest of Asia. Japanese media reports said the recent US-China trade war, which has slowed sales in China, added to those pressures. The move highlights Panasonic and other Japanese electronics makers’ efforts to focus on more lucrative businesses.

“The competitive environment surrounding the semiconductor business has become extremely severe due to aggressive expansion of competitors, huge investments in the focused area and industry reorganization,” Panasonic said in a statement.

The company said it believed Nuvoton appreciates the strengths of Panasonic’s technology and will steer the business to stable growth. Panasonic has also transferred another part of its semiconductor business to Japanese rival Rohm Co., scheduled to be completed this year.

Some Japanese companies remain in the business, including Toshiba Corp., Fujitsu and Sony Corp.

BUILDING on the proven reliability of the Instinct series, Garmin Philippines has announced the Instinct Tactical Edition, a rugged, outdoor GPS smartwatch with tactical functionality. The Instinct Tactical Edition adds enhanced features of Garmin’s tactix series including night-vision compatibility mode, Jumpmaster, dual-position GPS formatting, preloaded tactical activity and waypoint projection. The Instinct Tactical Edition also includes a new stealth mode for off-grid functionality.

“The Instinct series has quickly proven itself to be the watch for individuals who need a piece of equipment as tough as the conditions they face,” said Engelhard (Al) Sundoro, managing director of Garmin South Asia and India.

“Incorporating tactical features from the Garmin tactix series, the Instinct Tactical Edition combines the best of both product lines to provide tactical and multisport features for people who spend their time outdoors and demand a watch they can depend on in even the most arduous terrains.”

Packed with features for navigation and training, the Instinct Tactical Edition includes multiple features specific to tactical operations including Jumpmaster and tactical preloaded activities, projected waypoints, dual-position GPS formatting and night-vision compatibility. For airborne operations, use Jumpmaster for three jump types: HAHO, HALO and Static. Set the watch to dual-positioning mode, and the watch will simultaneously display two sets of coordinate systems, such as MGRS and latitude/longitude,

on a single data screen. When night-vision mode is activated, the backlight settings of the screen will reduce to a level that won’t interfere with the function of night-vision goggles.

The Instinct Tactical Edition is constructed to military standards (MIL-STD-810G) for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters) with a fiber-reinforced polymer case.

It’s built with a chemically strengthened and scratchresistant display that’s easy to read, especially in direct sunlight. Plus, the fully vented silicone bands include two independent, removable keeper loops to ensure a secure fit.

While in the field, feel confident exploring new paths thanks to the Instinct Tactical, which features multiple GNSS satellite networks to help track a user’s location in more challenging environments than with just GPS alone. Before venturing out, use the Garmin Explore app to plan the trip in advance and when it’s time to head back to camp, the TracBack feature on the watch can navigate the same route back to the original starting point.

The Instinct Tactical Edition is available in four color options—Black, Coyote Tan, Camo-Graphite and CamoCoyote Tan. The Instinct Tactical Edition is the latest solution from Garmin’s expanding outdoor segment, which focuses on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ outdoor experiences.

More information is available at bit.ly/34Sz9vU.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

BusinessMirror

Saturday, December 7, 2019 A12

The best smartphone cameras of 2019 TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

T

HE DxOMark results are in, and unless there’s going to be a surprise contender launching in the last few weeks of the year, I guess this list for 2019 is final.

Throughout the course of the year, the photography experts from DxOMark reviewed every flagship smartphone you can possibly imagine, putting its sensors through a series of excruciating tests before awarding them a final score based on performance.

And we have a tie.

The Huawei Mate 30 Pro has been sitting comfortably in the top spot since it launched in September earning a score of 121 edging out the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G (117), Huawei P30 Pro (116), Samsung Galaxy S10 5G (116) and OnePlus 7 Pro (114). Even the iPhone 11 Pro Max couldn’t dethrone it, settling for second place also with a score of 117.

So who is the biggest challenger to the Mate 30 Pro? It’s none other than Xiaomi. who almost beat its fellow Chinese brand with the Mi CC9 Pro, a.k.a. the Mi Note 10.

The award for best all-rounder is now shared by the Huawei Mate 30 Pro and Xiaomi Mi Note 10, while best video goes to the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max (102) and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ 5G claims the best ultra wide category. The Mi Note 10 received the best for zoom, while the Huawei Mate 30 Pro is still the king of night photography.

I know that tech experts would always tell you that it’s not always about the megapixels, but in the case of the Mi Note 10, I think its 108 MP sensor has a lot to do with it.

The Mi Note 10 may have been quietly released earlier in the week via a Facebook Live event, but it’s been generating a lot of attention not only for having the world’s first 108MP penta camera setup, but also because of its massive 5260 mAh battery, curved display and several other features.

WELCOME TO THE PENTA-CAMERA ERA JUST when you thought that 64MP cameras were going to be the next big trend.

The Mi Note 10 encompasses five different lenses—a 108MP wide-angle lens, 5MP telephoto lens, 12MP telephoto lens, 20MP ultra wide-angle lens and a macro lens.

The 108MP main camera marks an industry first with the Samsung ISOCELL Bright HMX 108MP sensor. The Mi Note 10 features the highest resolution of any smartphone on the market—12032 x 9024— and, for the first time ever, this 108MP camera can produce billboard-level prints up to 4.24 meters high.

I’m pretty sure, though, you’d rather get a professional to shoot such a large investment.

The device offers a 1/1.33” large image sensor that supports 4-in-1 pixel binning to capture more detail in low-light conditions, while the 4-axis OIS enables unmatched clarity.

For portrait photography enthusiasts, the Mi Note 10’s 12MP 2x telephoto lens at 50mm focal length, one of the most popular focal lengths used by professional portrait photographers, can produce the most naturallooking portrait photos. The other 5MP 5x telephoto lens, meanwhile, is also capable of 10x hybrid and 50x digital zoom to complete the epic zoom range.

Capture those epic travel landscapes and large group photos without having to cut people out with the Mi Note 10’s 20MP ultra-wide angle with 117 degrees field of view and, finally, for those closeups, it also has a dedicated macro lens.

The Mi Note 10’s rear camera setup supports allnew Night Mode 2.0 which allows for greater light capture and combines multiple shots of the same scene for increased versatility. ShootSteady video technology allows for a smooth and steady video experience, along with 960 frames-per-second macro slow-motion video and 4K video with the ultra-wide angle, making it a great choice for aspiring vloggers/ YouTubers.

For selfies, the Mi Note 10 has a 32MP front camera with AI beautify, AI portrait selfies, AI scene detection, and AI face unlock, panorama selfie, and palm shutter feature.

Mi Note 10 has a huge 6.47” 3D curved AMOLED display offering slimmer bezels than ever before for a totally immersive experience, while the 400,000:1 contrast ratio allows for deeper blacks and higher color fidelity. Mi Note 10 offers the all-new 88 percent thinner in-screen optical fingerprint sensor, with a 10 percent larger fingerprint detection area which is responsive under strong light, cold conditions and dry fingers.

Matching the Mi Note 10’s massive megapixel count is its long-lasting 5260 mAh battery which can last for more than two days and supports 30W fast-charge. Last, the device sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor with 8nm process technology for smooth operation.

The Mi Note 10 comes in three colors (Midnight Black, Glacier White, Aurora Green), and is now available at Mi stores for P25,990 (6GB+128GB) starting December 12 on Lazada.

SMART VIDEOKE FROM smartphones, we go to another indispensable device for Filipinos—the videoke.

Just as certain as the numerous Christmas parties you’ll be attending in the coming days, I’m pretty sure a lot of them would involve singing. A Pinoy party would never be complete without a videoke singoff. All it takes is a beer or two to make anyone feel like a singer—or some practice time with the Grand Videoke.

Since 2013, Grand Videoke has been developing and honing singing skills through their lineup of videoke systems. With new innovations and technology, the brand continues to introduce unique features that will make every customer’s entertainment experience worth the price of their purchase. The latest series of Grand Videoke— Rhapsody 3 Pro Plus, Symphony SE Pro Plus, and Symphony 3 Pro Plus—now have a built-in Perfect Pitch system that can actually have users sing better.

The Perfect Pitch system shows them what areas to follow and improve through the four-point scoring system. This scoring system helps users monitor key elements while they sing, namely, Key Rhythm, which makes sure you hit the right note at the right time; Vibrato, which helps develop your vibrato for that seamless change of pitch; Upband, for that smooth shift when hitting those high notes; and Downband, which checks how you shift to low notes.

It’s just like playing those rhythm games and having your own vocal coach.

Other smart features of the Grand Videoke are the Voice Command and Social Media Sharing technologies. Voice Command can be accessed through the GV Smart App that comes along to pair with the system. Besides its control functions, the app also allows you to search and choose your next song by simply activating the Voice Command function.

Users can also type messages while the song is played, and it will appear on the screen of the monitor, thus adding more visual entertainment to the experience.

Users can also record their songs or take screenshots of their scores directly from Grand Videoke to their phone and share it on social media. ■

ELEVATE YOUR ‘STAR WARS’ LOVE WITH GLOBE’S FAN FORCE WEEKEND WITH one of the most beloved storylines in the cinematic universe about to come full circle, show how big a Star Wars fan you are by joining Globe’s Fan Force Weekend this coming December 7 and 8 at the Bonifacio High Street Amphitheater at Bonifacio Global City.

Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker, which is set to hit movie screens worldwide on December 20, is the latest and last chapter of one of the most iconic sagas in movie history. The Star Wars original trilogy, prequels and standalone movies in between have made the Star Wars stories among the most-followed movie events in the last 40 plus years. Fan following has crossed over generations and has inspired genres, tech, games, merchandise, toys, music, philosophical thoughts and even ways of life.

And Globe will take its loyal customers and Star Wars fans to one more unforgettable run with the beloved characters, droids, ships and the closing chapter of the beloved Skywalkers this December with its Fan Force Weekend. Adults and kids will surely enjoy the different activities set this coming weekend, such as games and promos. Kids will definitely get the experience of their young lives with the Jedi Academy Training which will leave their parents wanting to join, as well as they get to wield the iconic lightsabers in real life.

But Globe Fan Force Weekend is not only for kids and padawans in training. Customers can also share their Globe Rewards to benefit Virtualahan. Why? Because Star Wars is for all to experience especially to our differentlyabled communities.

To make the experience more memorable, fans can have photo sessions with iconic Star Wars characters during the two-day event.

Moreover, they can do this while an orchestra is playing all-time favorite Star Wars songs and accompanied by a one-of-a-kind light show.

So book the dates, gather your loved ones and friends, and share the ultimate Star Wars experience with Globe’s Fan Force Weekend at BHS Amphitheater.

More information is available at www.globe.com.ph/ starwars and cutt.ly/oe8iEFc.

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If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A24 Saturday, December 7, 2019

UP SEMen celebrates Golden Anniversary

Marriott’s Christmas offers are brimming with enticing treats and grandest feasts

I

T’S the season of festivities, from endless family gatherings and get-togethers to countless lunches and dinners. Marriott Manila has got you covered for the busiest yet most wonderful time of the year, from Christmas hampers and sweet treats, a scrumptious on-the-go feast ideal for Noche Buena, holiday staycation packages to grand and flavorful gatherings!

Cake in can makes the perfect go-to gift this holiday season. This can of happiness comes in various flavors such as Carrot Cake in Can (Php 550), a dense and moist pound cake generously topped with mascarpone flavored cream cheese frosting, and crunchy bits of caramelized walnuts. If you are looking for something more sinful and

indulgent, try the Chocolate Fudge Cake in Can (Php 550), a chocolate moist cake with salted caramel Belgian dark chocolate ganache, strawberry confit, and chocolate cocoa glaze. If you’re craving for a taste of home, there’s the traditional Dark Fruit Cake in Can (Php 450) covered with fondant and loaded with mixed nuts, glazed fruits, and four kinds of spices or the Banana Bread with Walnuts in Can (Php 450), the Marriott signature moist, sweet cake-like quick bread.

How does edible Christmas Baubles sound like? These baubles are not for the eyes only, Marriott Café Bakery has opulent 120g Christmas Baubles (Php 300), truffles filled with salted caramel, strawberry or pistachio

ganache and 30g Holiday Hemispheres (Php 70 for a set of 2) which are hollowed milk and white Belgian chocolates.

There’s also a Christmas Praline Selection (Php 550 for a box of 9), an elegant box filled with Manila Marriott’s homemade Belgian chocolates, and 120g Christmas Chocolate Blocks (Php 300), handdecorated Belgian milk or dark chocolate.

It isn’t Christmas without gingerbread. The smell of mixed spices creates a sensation of warmth. In Marriott Café Bakery, this popular spiced biscuit comes in a 715g Gingerbread Chalet (Php 780), hand-decorated with snow-covered roof peak, arched door, and candy icing decorations, a 60g Gingerbread Man (Php 65), and a local version of the treat, a 70g Gingerbread Carabao (Php 90).

Make way for more Christmasthemed chocolates such as the 90g Santa Claus in Sleigh (Php 250), 75g Chocolate Christmas Tree (Php 220), 75g Big Belly Chocolate Santa (Php 220), and 90g Chocolate Christmas Elements (Php 250) in dark, milk, and white Belgian chocolates. Don’t miss out on the chewy 100g Holiday Nougat Bites (Php 250) made with honey, roasted nuts, chopped candied fruit, the perfect gift for family and friends. Start filling up your Christmas baskets with these treats until December 26, 2019!

For more information on Marriott’s Christmas offers please call (02) 8988 9999 or visit www.manilamarriott.com.

To join ongoing conversations, follow @ manilamarriott at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Midori Honors Top Spenders and Partners through an Appreciation Party

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ELEBRATING Thanksgiving Day, Midori Clark Hotel says “Thank You” to all its top spenders and partners through an Appreciation Party last November 29, 2019 at the Midori Clark Hotel’s Baccus Lounge.

Dubbed as the Gratitude, the said event aims to recognize, show appreciation and strengthen the relationship of all individuals and entities that provided valuable contribution in attaining the success of Midori for 2019.

Recognized during the event were Midori Clark Hotel’s Top Corporate Accounts, Top Travel Agencies and Top Online Travel Agencies.

Showing support through media mileages, Midori Clark Hotel’s Local and National Media Partners were also awarded during the event. Various event suppliers were also recognized for their unending support to Midori Clark Hotel’s in-house events.

“This party is a way to show our gratitude and to be personally acquainted with our top clients and industry partners. We are always thankful for your support in so many ways. Our success would not have been possible without you and our most valued patrons.” said General Manager Vic Chan.

As it opened its majestic doors to provide exceptional facilities, providing hospitality beyond borders and high standard services to guests all over the globe, Midori Clark Hotel and Casino became one of the top-notch hotels choice in Central Luzon. Raising the bar

in the hospitality scene, Midori Clark Hotel and Casino proves that this 111-hotel room is always a place and a second home in providing green living in luxurious ways.

Service and hospitality beyond borders results to back to back awards from notable Online Travel Websites. Receiving a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor – the world’s largest travel site for three consecutive years, laudable review ratings from booking sites such as Booking.com, Agoda and Expedia. Plus, tons of positive reviews from new and loyal patrons.

Aside from showing gratitude to all top spenders, Midori Clark Hotel and Casino is set to give back to the community this Yuletide season with the Angels’ Dream Year 4.

Angels’ Dream is the Corporate Social Responsibility Program of Midori Clark Hotel and Casino every Yuletide season which started in 2016. This program aims to provide a Christmas celebration even brighter, more meaningful and something that always leaves a jolly mark in the heart of every Angel.

Now in its fourth year, the campaign became bigger and even merrier as it aims to fulfill 1000 wishes coming from unprivileged communities in the province. Few days before Christmas, the little angel’s dream will come true. Santa Claus will come a little bit early as the gift-giving day will take place on December 10, 2019.

L-R Celine Cayanan, Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Amir Medina Public Relations Officer, Mr. Vic Chan Midori Hotel General Manager poses for a group photo with Media Partners..jpg

McDonald’s champions equal employment opportunities for SC, PWD in City of Pasay

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OLDEN Arches Development Corporation (McDonald’s Philippines) reinforces its commitment in being a responsible employer through a memorandum of agreement signing between the City of Pasay and McDonald’s Philippines.

Representatives are Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano and McDonald’s Philippines President and CEO Kenneth Yang.

The contract stated that McDonald’s

will open its doors to 50 more senior citizen (SC) and PWD employees in 14 participating stores in the city. The partnership will provide them the opportunity to earn and develop new skills as they experience the same world class training as an order presenter, drink drawer, table manager or overall guest relations.

The quick service restaurant has hired close to 100 SCs and PWDs since September and has rolled out in the cities of Manila and Pasig.

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HE University of the Philippines Society of Emancipated Men (UP SEMen) will hold its 50th Anniversary celebration entitled “Ganito Kami Noon, Ganito Pa Rin Kami Ngayon” on December 07, 2019, 3:00 in the afternoon, at the UP Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City.

The UP SEMen was founded 50 years ago at the UP College of Business Administration.

It credits former Senate President Manuel Villar and former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri as founding members. Founding member Vicente “Nonoy” Quimbo, acknowledged as the father of the Philippine wine industry, served as the first president.

The UP SEMen was created mainly because women then greatly outnumbered the men in the college with a 4:1 ratio. In this regard, the men wanted “emancipation” from being outnumbered as well as have a

social organization for fun and relaxation.

According to Eduardo Francisco, BDO Capital & Investment Corporation president and current UP SEMen president, the group was not a fraternity but a closely-knit brotherhood where friendships withstood the test of time.

He added that the organization was also a seed, in reference to its name, that helped develop leaders in government and business.

It hoped to continue this tradition for the many years to come.

Some of the more illustrious members of UP SEMen, among many, include H.E. Charles Jose, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia; former Agrarian Reform Under secretary Atty. Anthony Parungao; former Atty. Press Secretary Michael Toledo; KIA Philippines president Emmanuel Aligada. 30 For more information, please contact Jico Cruz at 0917-7140809.

G2E Asia @ the Philippines Makes Debut

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2E Asia @ the Philippines, the newest addition to the G2E Asia event series, mades its official debut today at the Marriott Grand Ballroom. The two-day show was supported by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), including an expo, educational conference, and unprecedented networking opportunities.

Josephine Lee, chief operating officer of Reed Exhibitions Greater China, noted: “G2E Asia will build a firm bridge between Manila and the world, bringing new opportunities for growth and innovation in local gamingentertainment. G2E Asia’s renowned valueadded event platform, including high level conference program, interactive onsite events and business matchmaking offerings, provide unparalleled networking opportunities and brand exposure to exhibitors keen to tap into the ASEAN gaming market.

Ms. Andrea Domingo, Chairman and CEO of PAGCOR kicked off the event with her opening keynote address.

Meanwhile, Roberto P. Alabado III, Assistant Secretary, Tourism Development Planning, Department of Tourism, Republic of The Philippines, deliveed Day two's keynote speech.

The G2E Asia @ the Philippines Conference Program featured a robust education schedule delivered by a lineup of renowned leaders and

influencers. The program centered around the themes of “ASEAN Market Perspectives: Opportunities and Threats” and “Beyond Gaming.”

G2E Asia @ the Philippines offered its participants a wide range of networking opportunities with gaming operators and professionals from the Philippines and neighboring countries such as: • The Gaming Executives’ Reception: This exclusive, invitation-only gathering convened the industry’s most prominent leaders, offering senior-executive networking opportunities and brand exposure at the highest level.

• The G2E Asia @ the Philippines Product Awards and Gala Dinner: This event recognized the exhibition’s most popular products and services across four categories: best bingo solution, best electronic gaming solution, best sports betting solution, and best online gaming solution.

Additional show features included the G2E Asia Matchmaking Program, which provided pre-arranged, one-on-one business connections to further maximize time and ROI, and the invitation-only G2E Asia Privileges Program, which provided access and amenities to senior-level executives, buyers, and decision-makers in ASEAN gaming and entertainment.

2019 National Export Congress Features Digital Transformation Tools for MSME Adaption

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HE Fourth Industrial Revolution is evolving in an exponential pace.

The possibilities of billions of people connected by mobile devices with unprecedented processing power, storage capacity, and access to knowledge are unlimited.

These possibilities will be multiplied by emerging technology breakthroughs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, 3-D printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science, energy storage, and quantum computing.

Already, AI is all around us - from selfdriving cars and drones to virtual assistants and software that translate or invest.

Impressive progress has been made in recent years which raised the quality of our lives. IoT excluded human errors from various sectors.

For example, irrigation and farm inputs such as drone-enabled fertilizers, climate conditions are now integrated by the use of IoT to ensure better yields. It is also used in power generation and distribution as timely control of these systems in an automated way can reduce losses.

These are just some of the technological breakthroughs that were featured in the upcoming National Export Congress (NEC) held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on December 6, 2019.

Moderators and panelists tackled the best of what these technologies have to offer, specifically for the Philippine export sector.

The panel sessions focused on “The Critical Role of Technology and Collaboration in Growing Exports” and Enabling Exports through Digitalization” Session 1 discussed the following topics: 1) Making it Easy to Export (National Single Window, Self-certification, E-CO), 2) Innovative Financing to Grow Exports (Digital Payment, Fintech, Policies on Digitalization, Blockchain, 3) Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Breakthroughs, 4) Build, Build, Build for the Digital Economy, and 5) Innovation Programs for Exporters.

Meanwhile, Session 2 focused on: 1) Emerging Technology Breakthroughs (3D Printing and Internet of Things, 2) Logistics

in the Digital Era, 3) Exports in the Digital Economy, 4) Financing Platform: Trade Credit Insurance.

The NEC gathered various stakeholders from the government, academe, industry and the civil society not only to strengthen but also to forge better collaboration to discuss the dynamic transformation of the economy into the digital era.

As such, this year’s theme “Driving Exports Through Digital Transformation” put forward the government’s thrust for the exporting community to adapt to the fast-paced technological advancements and embrace the era of digital economy.

DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez stressed that “these technological advancements and innovations can pave the path of our Filipino entrepreneurs to be more globally-competitive and open access to new markets for their products and services. These modernizations can give people more opportunities to learn and earn in new ways.”

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman of DTI-Trade Promotions Group (TPG) added that “digital technology can enable transparent business environment and a robust industrial strategy that can free entrepreneurs and their people from certain tasks. They can now concentrate on addressing more complex business issues, thereby giving them more autonomy and better solutions for their company’s possible issues.

Conducted every first week of December, the NEC is an annual event led by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), in collaboration with the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT), and the Export Development Council (EDC). The annual event is celebrated to obtain total commitment from the government and the private sector to continuously work together to sustain export promotion and development.

Moreover, the Congress is capped with the recognition of outstanding exporters who have achieved not only a stellar record of export revenue performance for their respective sectors but more so of their outstanding international success in penetrating global markets.