2020 GAA funds to be available till Dec. 2021 By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie
& Samuel P. Medenilla
T A group of jeepney drivers and operators held a protest beside the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City to oppose the phaseout of public transport and demanded the restoration of their jeepney routes. ROY DOMINGO
@sam_medenilla
O support economic stimulus efforts as well as pending infrastructure projects of the government, the House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading the bill seeking to extend the availability of the funds appropriated under the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Voting 221 affirmative, 6 negative with no abstension, lawmakers approved House Bill 6656 to amend Section 60 of the General Provisions of the FY 2020 General Appropriations Act, which provides for a one-year validity of all appropriations, thereby extending the availability of appropriations until December 31, 2021. The bill, which was certified urgent by President Duterte, will now be transmitted to the Senate for its own deliberations.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 Vol. 16 No. 68
Delays possible
Malacañang said the signing of the 2021 budget could now face delays since it has yet to be reviewed by President Duterte. As of noontime on Monday, the bicameral conference of Congress has yet to submit the copy of the legislation to the Office of the President (OP) for consideration. This, even after the House of Representatives and the Senate already ratified the final version of the legislation last week. The Palace wants the legislation
to be submitted to the President before December 15, 2020 so he could still review its provision and exercise his power to implement a line veto if necessary. “It has to be received soon [by the OP] first since it still has to go through a review,” Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. He said this was necessary if the government wants the legislation to comply with the 15-day publication rule and take effect before January 2021. Continued on A2
BAYANIHAN 2 EXTENSION SEEN; 73% OF FUND OUT w
n
P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 16 pages |
STUDY: MARKET SHIFTS IN EUROPE MAY BENEFIT LOCAL FOOD EXPORTERS By Cai U. Ordinario
H
Trucks along R-10 Road in Manila queue up ahead of the lifting of the truck ban hours on Monday, December 14. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reimposed its ban on trucks on Metro Manila’s streets in order to ease vehicular congestion during the holiday season. With the ban in place, trucks will again not be allowed on main roads from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Saturday. NONIE REYES By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
M
ORE than a week before the expiration of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reported that it has so far released a total of P105.775 billion.
Broken down, the DBM has disbursed 73.24 percent or a total of P102.53 billion of the P140-billion allocation under Bayanihan 2, according to the status of Covid-19 fund releases reported by DBM as of December 11. Meanwhile, the remaining P3.24 billion was charged from regular funds under the 2020 national budget in line with Bayanihan 2. Nonetheless, the two chambers are already planning to extend the validity of appropriations under Bayanihan 2, which is set to expire on December 19. Should there be no extension,
unobligated funds will revert to the Bureau of the Treasury. Apart from the P140 billion in regular appropriations provided under Bayanihan 2, a standby fund of P25 billion was earmarked to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The budget department has released special allotment release orders (Saros) for Bayanihan 2 to 17 government agencies. Saros are issued by DBM to authorize agencies to incur obligations not exceeding a given amount during a specified period for the purpose indicated.
@caiordinario
EALTH-CONSCIOUS Europeans could be the next top market for Philippine products, such as coconut sugar, pili nuts, and dried fruits, according to a study by the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO). The reports also indicated that natural ingredients from the Philippines, which are needed in food, cosmetics, and health products, have high export potential in European markets. T he study aims to help maximize the potential of the free trade agreement between the Philippines and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). “ We are conv inced that the Philippines can find the means, talent, and energy to position the country in the international stage as a supplier of innovative, attractive, and sustainable items especially in the markets of certified and ecological products. I expect to find more Philippine products on our supermarket shelves in the near future,” Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines Alain Gaschen said. Based on the study, the presence of natural sweeteners
in the European market have increased, particularly in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany and Italy. While natural sweeteners are more expensive, there is a growing number of health-conscious consumers who are always on the look out for alternatives to white sugar. “If producers and exporters invest in organic and/or Fairtrade certification processes, access to premium market segments and grocery stores offering dietetic food is an option for exporters,” the report read. The report stated that nuts are experiencing a resurgence in Europe. The need for alternative sources of healthy fats and proteins are now turning consumers’ attention to hazelnuts, macadamia, cashew, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. The authors said pili nuts coming from the Philippines have “excellent nutritional characteristics” which make it marketable, even in high-end markets. However, the report indicated that producers, processors, and exporters of pili nuts must strictly follow food safety rules. The products must not be contaminated with pesticides, aflatoxins, mycotoxins, and microbiological alterations. Continued on A2
See “Bayanihan 2,” A2
Amid pandemic, household savings rise slightly By Bianca Cuaresma
F
@BcuaresmaBM
I L IPI NO hou sehold s i n the middle- to high-income group are now able to set aside money for future needs despite the economic disruptions caused by the pandemic, but households in the lower-income group, especially those in the rural areas of the country, are still struggling to save.
This was gleaned from the results of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) survey, which was conducted in October. It showed that Filipino households with savings grew slightly larger from the level seen in the July survey. The percentage of households with savings slightly rose to 25 percent from 24.7 percent. This, however, does not mean all Filipino households are starting to see
PESO exchange rates n US 48.0720
improvement after the peak of the pandemic-induced lockdowns. The BSP traced this slight increase in the number of savers mainly to the higher number of households with savings in the high- and middle-income groups. This more than offset the decline in the number of savers in the lowincome group. The highest income group had the highest leap in savings during
the period, with 46.4 percent of respondents saying they have savings in October. This is a 5-point rise from the 41.1 percent in the previous survey round. The middle-income group was stable: about 27.4 percent of middle- income respondents were able to save during the period, slightly up from the 27.3 percent in the previous survey round. Continued on A2
n japan 0.4622 n UK 64.2675 n HK 6.2019 n CHINA 7.3434 n singapore 35.9793 n australia 36.2751 n EU 58.3594 n SAUDI arabia 12.8175
Source: BSP (December 14, 2020)
News
BusinessMirror
A2 Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Coco farmers trust fund bill hurdles House final reading
T
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
@joveemarie
HE House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading House Bill 8136 or the Coconut Farmers and Development Trust Fund Act.
Voting 221 affirmative, 6 negative with no abstention, lawmakers passed the House Bill 8136, one of the prority bills of the 18th Congress and President Duterte. The bill will now be transmitted to the Senate for its own deliberations. AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin, who chaired the technical working group, said passage of the bill is a much-needed relief for the families of coconut farmers who have long waited for their share and were hammered by the adverse economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Garin, a key proponent of the bill since the 15th Congress, said while the country remains as one of the largest producers and exporters of coconut products globally, many coconut farmers and farmworkers still live below the poverty line. Citing the 2013 report of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, she added that 41 to 60 out of 100 coconut farmers have higher poverty incidence estimates. With the Covid-19 pandemic
Bayanihan 2... Continued from A1
The Department of Agriculture (DA) topped the list of agencies receiving the biggest amount under Bayanihan 2 at P23.29 billion. Next to DA is Department of Health (P21.77 billion), DepartmentofLaborandEmployment (P16.4 billion), Department of Finance (P11.62 billion), and Department of Transportation (P9.5 billion). To date, the DBM disbursed P498.5 billion to fund the government’s fight against the pandemic, including the P105.775 billion under Bayanihan 2. The government has also released P386.14 billion under Bayanihan 1 and P6.589 billion under Post-Bayanihan 1.
Drilon: Funding problem
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon prodded President Duterte on Monday to realign P33-billion “parked” funds in the Philippine International Trading Corp. to address government’s “lack of funds,” saying resources are badly needed for the continuing pandemic response measures. Drilon affirmed support for an option to extend the 2020 budget law and Bayanihan 2, but doubted “whether a cash-strapped national coffers can absorb additional spending” on top of the programmed P4.5trillion expenditures for next year once Congress extends the validity of appropriations under Republic Act 11494, or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” (Bayanihan 2) and the 2020 General Appropriations Act. In a statement, the Minority Leader signaled support for an extension of the expiring Bayanihan 2, as well as the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA), par-
choking agricultural supply chains, Garin said the situation of small coconut farmers will continue to worsen should enactment of the bill be delayed. House Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairman Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga, sponsor of the bill, said it will consolidate all assets and benefits emanating from the coconut levy, and creating a Trust Fund, to be used to rehabilitate and modernize the coconut industry for the ultimate benefit of coconut farmers and farmworkers. He added the utilization of the Trust Fund created under this proposal shall be in accordance with the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan which shall be prepared by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), in consultation with stakeholders, and approved by the President of the Philippines. The Plan shall be subject to mandatory annual review. Under the bill, the lawmaker said the Plan shall set the directions and policies for the development ticularly “in light of reports by the Asian Development Bank [ADB] that the country’s Covid-19 war chest is relatively small compared to its neighboring Asia countries such as Malaysia and Thailand.” Drilon, however, noted that the “funding remains the biggest problem of the government,” adding, “I support extending the validity of the spending authorization under GAA 2020 and Bayanihan 2. The problem is where to source the funds to back up these authorizations.” Drilon reminded his peers that “to provide authorization is one thing but to fund it is another.” He said the “current fiscal space makes us doubt whether the level of unspent amount under Bayanihan 2 and 2020 GAA is something the government can absorb on top of the programmed expenditures for next year.” He said the President is expected to sign the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021 with a programmed deficit of 8.9 percent of GDP. The administration, he said, “must do another cash sweep” in order to raise funds. He proposed that President Duterte “must realign idle funds including the P33billion ‘parked’ funds in the Philippine International Trading Corp., where the spending authority already lapsed, including the interest earned, to fund these authorizations. We have no option but to do a ‘cash sweep’ and that should cover idle funds and interest income being held illegally by PITC.” A bill seeking to extend the validity of appropriations under Bayanihan 2 until June 30, 2021 was endorsed by a House of Representatives committee last week. The chamber had earlier approved on second reading a bill seeking to extend the validity of 2020 GAA until December 31, 2021.
and rehabilitation of the coconut industry within 99 years. Enverga, citing the Bureau of the Treasury, said the cash component of coco levy assets now stand at P76.4 billion as December 2020. Per the Presidential Commission on Good Government, the coco levy assets, including its properties, are now at P300 billion, he said. The bill directs the PCA to submit the development plan to the Office of the President within 120 days from the effectivity of this Act, and complete the Coconut Farmers Registry. Under the bill, the annual utilization of the trust fund include: 10 percent for shared facilities program, 10 percent for farm improvement through diversification and/ or intercropping such as projects on livestock, dairy, poultry, coffee, and cacao production, 10 percent for development of hybrid coconut seed farms and nurseries, to encourage self-sufficiency. The bill also allocates the 10 percent of the trust fund for empowerment of coconut farmer organizations such as scholarship program, 10 percent for Health and medical program and 10 percent for their cooperatives. It also provides 10 percent for credit provision through the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), 10 percent for infrastructure development, 10 percent for training of farmers in farm schools through the Technological Education and Skills
Development Authority (Tesda), and 10 percent for planting and replanting. The bill, meanwhile, reconstitutes the Philippine Coconut Authority to ensure the participation of coconut farmers in the crafting and implementation of the Plan. Under the bill, the PCA Board shall now be composed of the Secretaries of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as chairman; of the Department of Finance (DOF) as vice chairman; and as members, the Secretaries of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM); of Science and Technology (DOST) of Trade and Industry (DTI); three representatives from the coconut farmers sector, one each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; and one representative from the coconut industry sector. The bill also creates the Coconut Levy Advisory Board, and directs all government agencies holding Coconut Levy Funds and/or assets to transfer any and all monies to the Trust Fund within a period not exceeding five years from the effectivity of this proposal. Immediately upon the enactment of this proposal, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) shall transfer P5 billion to a separate Trust Fund Account. It mandates making available an initial allocation of P5 billion to the PCA, which shall include disbursements for the formulation of plan. However, any unexpended portion of the said fund by the end of each year shall revert to the Trust Fund.
STUDY: MARKET SHIFTS IN EUROPE MAY BENEFIT LOCAL FOOD EXPORTERS Continued from A1
“If the way to the end consumer is as straight as described above, then a price estimation for the end consumer price of +50-75 percent on top of the CIF [Cost, Insurance and Freight] price can be made,” the report stated. “If nuts are processed by being salted, sweetened, coated with cocoa, mixed with other nuts, composed with other ingredients into fruit bars, then it is very difficult to give price indications,” it added. The report also noted that Europeans are now consuming more fruits and vegetables to replace meat, sugar, and fast food. However, the Philippines will face tough competition from other countries that are already exporting dried fruits to Europe, such as those in West Africa, South Africa, India, Thailand, Bangladesh, Peru, Colombia and Mexico. Europe is also consuming more fruit purees, which are being used for beverages consumed at home or out of home as well as in ice cream, jam,
and baby food production. The study indicated that exporters of fruit purees would do well to communicate directly with manufacturers of beverages and other similar products in Germany, France, Belgium and the UK. Further, if exporters of fruit purees invest in product certifications, such as food safety and corporate social responsibility, more buyers will be keen on purchasing their goods. “If additionally, the products have an organic certification, importers in the EU and end-buyers, processors in EFTA countries will develop increased interest towards such products,” the report stated. Switzerland and the Philippines tied up to promote exports for processed food, natural ingredients, and value-added textiles to countries in the EFTA and larger Europe. The study is an example of the close economic cooperation between Switzerland and the Philippines, and is anchored on the EFTA-Philippines Free Trade Agreement implemented since June 1, 2018.
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Ople Center warns of rise in trafficking as pandemic cuts jobs A MIGRANT advocate group warned of a possible surge in human trafficking and illegal recruitment cases as the pandemic has disrupted the employment of about a million overseas Filipino workers (OFW). “Half of which, are already at home,” Blas F. Ople Policy Center Executive Director Jerome A. Alcantara said in an online press briefing on Monday. Last week, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported the government already repatriated around 350,000 OFWs since the pandemic hit Philippine shores in February. Alcantara noted many of these OFWs are now desperate since they were either displaced or suffered a reduced pay or benefits due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Because of the pandemic, we expect it will exacerbate the vulnerabilities of many Filipinos,” Alcantara said. To prevent the exploitation of these workers, Ople Center in cooperation with San Miguel Corporation (SMC) on Monday officially launched its OFW Community Reselling Program.
Ople Center head Susan Ople said the initiative aim to provide vulnerable OFWs, particularly household service workers, a chance to earn a living without the need to leave their homes. Ople thanked SMC and said its support for their program is “offering a leg up to those who have fallen somehow in their journey as overseas workers.” Aside from being given a P4,000 capital to purchase SMC’s Magnolia chicken products for reselling, the beneficiaries of the program will also be trained by SMC. “They will be providing partnership and training to our distributors—to the OFW beneficiaries so they could sustain and even expand the start up capital that we provided them,” Alcantara said. The program will initially benefit an initial 200 OFWs from Bulacan and the National Capital Region from December 2020 to the first quarter of 2021, according to Alcantara. He said they hope to expand the program once they can the necessary partnership with other individuals and corporations. Samuel P. Medenilla
2020 GAA funds to be available till Dec. 2021 Continued from A1
“My concern now, is we may not have a Christmas [holiday] since we have yet to receive [a copy] of the budget it could be scrutinized [by the President],” Roque said. “So it might be [that] while everybody [is] celebrating Christmas, we are reviewing the national budget,” he added. He reiterated that the government could not afford a reenacted national budget next year since it will have no provisions for the government’s Covid-19 response next year. Under the 2020 GAA extension bill, principally authored by Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte and House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Eric Go Yap, all appropriations authorized in this proposal shall be available for release and obligation for the purpose specified,
and under the same special provision applicable thereto, until December 31, 2021. The measure also said infrastructure projects funded under the 2020 GAA that have been subjected to the procurement process shall be issued the corresponding special allotment release orders by the Department of Budget and Management, subject to budgeting, accounting and auditing laws, rules and regulations. The bill said a report on these releases and obligations shall be submitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Philippines, the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance. Under the measure, the bill shall take effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Amid pandemic, household savings rise slightly Continued from A1
The low-income group bucked the trend. The percentage of households that had savings declined from 15.3 percent to 15 percent. By geographical area, the number of savers in the country’s capital rose while the percentage of respondents with savings in areas outside the National Capital Region (NCR) declined. From the average of 22.7 percent in the July survey, 26.7 percent of Metro Manila respondents reported having savings in the October survey. In contrast, 25 percent of households
ADB loan… Continued from A8
“The project, to be built with cutting-edge technology for cantilever overhead walkways, will provide safe, inclusive, and equitable access for commuters while lowering CO2 emissions,” Kimura added. ADB said the project is part of the government’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure development program which aims to address the country’s infrastructure constraints and
outside Metro Manila reported having savings in July. This declined to 24.7 percent in the October survey. According to respondents, they saved money for the following reasons: emergencies, health and hospitalization, education, retirement, and business capital and investment. Among savers, 74 percent kept their money in a bank—a record high since 2013. Meanwhile, 57.5 percent kept their savings at home and 47.9 percent considered other institutions such as cooperatives, paluwagan, other credit/ loan associations, or in investments like insurance, microfinance, and stocks.
spur economic growth. Last week, data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said infrastructure spending declined by 18.4 percent in the January-to-October period due to quarantine restrictions imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19. DBM said infrastructure and capital outlays reached P508.5 billion in January to October 2020, P114.3 billion lower than the P622.9 billion posted in the same period last year. In March, the government imposed strict community quarantines nationwide to avert the spread of Covid-19. The move limited mobility and halted various construction projects, including the government’s Build, Build, Build program.
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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Tuesday, December 15, 2020 A3
BI backs DOT bid for Covid-19 passports to revive tourism By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573
& Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
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HE Bureau of Immigration is eyeing the use of Covid-19 passports in a bid to lure foreign tourists back into the country. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, in a news statement, expressed belief that once it is introduced, Covid-19 passport will result in speedy immigration processing at the airports, which could spark the revival of the tourism and travel industry. The BI chief made the statement
in support of the initiative of the Department of Tourism (DOT) to create a global Covid-19 passport that would open the door anew for the arrival of more tourists with the shortening of entry procedures. Morente said current procedures which require arriving international travelers to be tested at the airport could pose problems to the BI in the near future as the country reopens its borders to more foreigners, especially tourists. “The anticipated influx of more international travelers could result in longer queues and overcrowding in our immigration counters as
all of these passengers should be tested at the airport before they are allowed to enter the country,” Morente explained. A Covid-19 passport, Morente said, serves as that a traveler has been vaccinated and is free of the virus and the conduct of immigration formalities for arriving passengers would be faster and easier. Congestion at the airports would be also lessened, if not avoided, he added. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat earlier pushed for the use of Covid-19 passport to facilitate international travel with stringent health and safety measures in place
as it will assure countries that visiting tourists have been vaccinated and Covid-free. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is also eying the issuance of IATA travel pass, which was described as a global and standardized solution to validate and authenticate country regulations on Covid-19 passenger travel requirements. The IATA explained that the project aims to create a digital system that will enable passengers to verify that their test or vaccination meets existing Covid-19 travel regulations. “The importance of this proposed Covid-19 passport cannot be under-
estimated when our country fully reopens its borders to all international travelers,” Morente said. Morente added the bureau is anticipating the influx of foreign travelers in the country once Covid-19 vaccines are already available in the country. In a related development, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go sought to assure adequate funds are available to bankroll the government’s Covid-19 response, allocating P70 billion under “unprogrammed fund,” even as lawmakers sought to extend the effectivity of Bayanihan 2 and the 2020 budget law.
Moving to guarantee timely availability of crucial Covid response funds, Go prodded President Duterte to certify as urgent the need to pass the twin remedial legislative measures embodied in House Bill 8063 extending the effectivity of the Bayanihan 2 until March 27, 2021, and House Bill 6656 extending availability of the 2020 appropriations until December 31, 2021. Go reminded, however, that unused funds from the 2020 national budget law automatically reverts to the National Treasury when the legislation expires on December 31, 2020.
Maritime News–good and not so good Bill lists health risks in TFA consumption
By Henry J. Schumacher Good news from the Philippines: The Seafarers’ Identity Document (SID) Card of Filipinos is now used as the standard SID template by foreign seafaring nations. This comes after the International Labor Organization (ILO) officially whitelisted the Philippines for fully meeting the minimum requirements of the Revised SID Convention 185. The Philippines was the first ratifying member-state to comply with the convention. “We are very proud to be the first country to comply with the Revised SID Convention and that other seafaring nations are using our best practices as a model in their own SID,” said Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) Administrator Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad. Excellent news from India: Indian shipping policy-makers have set the stage for a regulatory framework to create greater trans-
parency into ocean carrier pricing for export-import and domestic cargo transportation—a complex and acrimonious issue. That intent is part of a November 25 draft law released by the Ministry of Shipping for stakeholder feedback. “Every service provider or agent, in respect, of any Indian ship, or other ship operating in coastal waters, in relation to import, export or domestic transportation, shall specify the all-inclusive freight in the bill of lading or any other transport document, in such mode and manner as may be notified,” the document said. “No service provider or agent shall levy any freight charges other than the all-inclusive freight specified in the bill of lading or other transport document.” Not surprisingly, the Container Shipping Lines Association (CSLA)—the local representative voice of foreign carriers in India— was quick to question the wisdom of the government’s regulatory approach to the industry. As expected, the Indian National Shipowners Association, has a different take on the proposal. “We do not see why it should be difficult to fix an all-inclusive freight rate and charge [the shipper] just that; has anybody stopped to ask the views of the poor exporter or importer who has to face the blunt end of the uncertainty in [freight] charges and a complete lack of transparency on the total cost of exporting or importing cargo?” No good news from the Philippines on the shipping cost issue: The Philippine importers
and exporters are suffering from a similar issue. While the Philippine Authorities (i.e. Department of Transportation and Department of Trade and Industry) have recognized the bad behavior of international shipping lines, no effective action in support of the Philippine import and export industry has been taken.
Another unsatisfactory news regarding the Philippine maritime potential: Marina is correct in stating: The maritime industry is being an essential logistics and services support sector to sustain economic growth and competitiveness. Maritime transport is the backbone of Philippine trade and a key engine driver to the Philippine economy. The Philippines counts on the maritime industry as a vital component in attaining inclusive growth. Shipping remains the major infrastructure linking islands and connecting the country to Intra-Asia/ Asean and international commerce. The question is, however, when will Marina harvest the opportunities and transform the Philippines into the world’s best maritime service provider in partnership with the private sector and allow Philippine flag vessels to operate domestically and internationally in one registration to enhance their competitiveness. The Philippines needs its international shipping line NOW. Feedback is welcome; contact me at hjschumacher59@gmail.com
Govt remains keen on acquiring China-made vaccines–Galvez So they are probably confident [that] its adverse effect is controllable.
Chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
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HE government on Monday affirmed its decision to include vaccines developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech for the country’s Covid-19 immunization drive. This despite previous reports that the vaccine candidate may be facing some development issues. In an online news briefing, Chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 Carlito G. Galvez said the Sinovac vaccine was approved by the vaccine expert panel (VEP) for making use of classical and traditional inactivated virus. “So they are probably confident [that] its adverse effect is control-
BM
lable,” Galvez said. The vaccine czar said he conducted a “substantial” meeting with Sinovac representatives last Friday for the government to acquire doses of the vaccine by March 2021. He said they are targeting to finalize the negotiations for the purchase this week. Aside from Sinovac, he said, they are also considering purchasing vaccines from China National Pharmaceuticals Group. Co. Ltd. (Sinopharm) and another Chinese company. This despite reports of Sinovac alleged involvement in bribery incident for the approval of its vaccine in China and the Sinopharm suspending its clinical trial in Peru af-
ter some of its participants suffered neurological problems. Galvez assured the said issues will be considered by the VEP and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), when the said Chinese developers apply for the local use of their vaccine. For his part, Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Sta. Romana defended the government decision to consider Sinopharm since it is yet to be established that in has indeed caused neurological problems among its recipients. As for Sinovac, he noted, since the Chinese government started administering it last July to a million people and its military for emergency use, none have yet to report to have suffered any “adverse incident.” In fact, he said, Sinovac is now applying for the approval of the Chinese government to have its vaccine now considered for general use after it already completed the Phase 3 of it clinical trial in some countries. He did admit, however, that the said trials are still ongoing in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Brazil. To note, Sinovac is also applying to conduct the third phase of its clinical trial in the country. The said application has yet to be approved by FDA.
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O protect Filipinos from death and diseases linked to high trans-fatty acid (TFA) consumption, lawmakers on Monday moved for the early approval in the plenary a bill prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and sale of high TFA in the country. Ang Probinsyano Reps. Alfred delos Santos and Ronnie Ong, authors of the measure, made the call as the House Committee on Health already approved the consolidation of measures seeking to protect Filipinos from the harmful effects of TFA. Delos Santos said the proposal seeks to curb TFA adverse effect on health that could also complicate cases of Covid-19 infection.
He said the bill seeks to curb the use of what has been dubbed as the “tobacco of nutrition.” He underscored the need for the government to actively help Filipinos have healthier options when food shopping since comorbidities make a person more vulnerable to Covid-19 infection, which has claimed the lives of about 8,700 Filipinos as per DOH report as of December 11. “Since the pandemic, we have seen the importance of health. It is not only the [Covid-19] that we need to think about, but also the care and prevention of diseases. So I am happy with the development of the bill we passed because it is a step towards healthier Filipinos. They say health
is wealth,” delos Santos said. The proposed Trans Fat-Free Philippines Act, seeks to prohibit the manufacture, distribution and sale of partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) and oils and fats with high transfatty acids (TFA) content, as well as processed and prepackaged food with PHOs and high TFA content. It also punishes false “TFA-free” claims and material misrepresentation in applications with the Food and Drug Administration for a Certificate of Product Registration. The measure provides for the imposition of penalties on the manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) or oils and fats with high TFA.
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24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 5th-6th-7th Flr. 81 Newport Bl Newport City Brgy. 183 Pasay City 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
CHI, JINGWEN Chinese
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LI, YANZHANG Chinese
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LIU, NA Chinese
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LIU, SHENG-HAO Canadian
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CHINESE ACCOUNTS)
PAN, MINGCHAO Chinese
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SHI, LITIE Chinese
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TENG, AO Chinese
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8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5th-10th/f Tower 3, Pitx #1 Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City
NO.
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NO.
49.
LIU, XINCHAO Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
99.
ZHU, WANGXIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
50.
MIAO, TINGTING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
100.
ZHUANG, DAGAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
51.
PHAWE HTET HTET Myanmari
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
ASIAN TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, INC. 11/f Tower 2 Double Dragon, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City
52.
QUAN, FEN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
101.
53.
SAI KHUN KHAM Myanmari
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
54.
SHA, HONGKANG Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
55.
SHANGGUAN, MEIYAN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
56.
SU, JUNYONG Chinese
57.
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
103.
WU, YUDAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)
WANG, QUANMING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
58.
WANG, JIAN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
BAOLONG TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED INC. 20-29th/f Century Diamond Tower Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St. Poblacion Makati City
59.
WANG, QIUXIA Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
60.
WANG, MENGMENG Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
61.
WEI, WENBEI Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
62.
WU, GUIWEN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
63.
XU, MINGMING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
64.
YAN, CONGHUI Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
65.
YAO, JIANGLONG Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
66.
YE, ZHIMING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CHEN, XIUYI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
11.
CHEN, XUHAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
12.
HUANG, YUJIAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
13.
HUO, PEINING Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
14.
LANG, YANYIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
15.
LIANG, LICHUAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
16.
LING, KANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
67.
ZHAN, QINGXIU Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
17.
QIN, JIE Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
68.
ZHAN, XIAOMEI Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
18.
SUN, JIABIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
69.
ZHANG, BINGSEN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
19.
WANG, BINGYING Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
70.
ZHANG, KUNJIANG Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
20.
XIE, XIYU Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
21.
ZHENG, SHIQING Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CHEN, HUAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
ADVISOR II, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower Moa Coral Way Brgy. 076 Pasay City 144.
CHI HOA HUNG Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
145.
CHOO JIAN SHUNG Malaysian
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
JIA, MINGHUI Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
146.
GOH TECK KEONG Malaysian
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
105.
LIU, YANQING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
147.
LE THI KIM NHI Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
148.
LE VAN THANH Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
149.
NGUYEN HOANG YEN Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
150.
TAN, BAO Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
151.
TRAN THE NGHIA Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE(CSR)
BARISTA COFFEE COMPANY, INC. Tao Corporate Center 90 P.e. Antonio St. Ugong Pasig City 106.
DEJAGER, STEVEN LUC G. Belgian
GENERAL MANAGER
BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City 107.
CHEN, TINGTING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE
108.
ZHANG, SHUAI Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE
109.
GU, XUELAI Chinese
MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST
110.
TANG, TING Chinese
MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST
BILLION DRAGON OUTSOURCE PHILS., INC. 3/f Ayala Mall Southpark National Road Alabang Muntinlupa City
FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal Tambo Parañaque City 152.
HUANG, XIAOMING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
153.
LIN, ZIBO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
113.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
156.
ACCIONA AGUA, S.A. PHILIPPINES BRANCH #49 National Road Putatan Muntinlupa City
LI, ZONGBO Chinese
WANG, YAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
114.
LIN, XIAOJIE Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
157.
TOMAS VILLAFAÑEZ, ADRIAN, Spanish
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
115.
LIU, YUAN Chinese
WANG, ZHEN Chinese
158.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
WU, YONG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
116.
ZHANG, NINGJIE Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
159.
117.
ZHOU, BEIJIE Chinese
XU, XIAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
ZHOU, YINGCHAO Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
160.
118.
YU, JIAOYAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
161.
ZHOU, HENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
71.
BIM MANAGER
ACCIONA CONSTRUCTION PHILIPPINES INC. 21/f Tower 2, The Enterprise Center 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City 72.
LOCATELLI, ALBERTO Italian
WU, GUIQIN Chinese
PRECAST MANAGER
C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230 Narra Street Marikina Heights Marikina City ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR
ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City
119.
KE, LINGYUAN Chinese
CHINESE - GENERAL TRADE MARKETING SPECIALIST CONSULTANT
120.
SHE, XIAOWEN Chinese
CUSTOMER SUPPORT TRAINOR - MANDARIN SPEAKING
GLOBALLGA BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Ground Level, Level 2-5 Floor Silver City 4, Ortigas East Ugong Pasig City 162.
CHEN, ZHIHONG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT
163.
ZHANG, JIAMIN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT
164.
BI, SIYU Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
165.
CUI, ZHENQIANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
166.
DANG QUANG NAM Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
167.
DENG, LAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
168.
DU, SONGQI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
74.
AUNG KYAW KYAW Myanmari
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
75.
GUAN, WENTAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CAPSLOCK INC. 7th & 8th Flr. Y Tower Bldg. Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Brgy. 076 Pasay City
76.
HOANG TUAN ANH Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
121.
CONG, HUITAO Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
77.
HUANG, XIAOQIANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
122.
GAO, FENGWEI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
78.
NIU, PENGXIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
123.
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
79.
OOI BENG KEONG Malaysian
GU, HAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
124.
HUANG, JIANXIN Chinese
80.
PAN, FEI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
81.
PHAN TRUNG DAO Vietnamese
125.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
JI, YUHAO Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
82.
QUACH MY VAN Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
126.
MIAO, HONG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
169.
FU, LEI Chinese
83.
RUAN, FANHAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
127.
TONG, YING Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
TRAN CAM DAT Vietnamese
128.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
HAN, LIAOFEI Chinese
84.
WANG, WENDI Chinese
170.
WANG, YUANYUN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
129.
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
171.
85.
WANG, LIYAN Chinese
HU, JUNFENG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
86.
WANG, FUGEN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
130.
WANG, MEIXIA Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
172.
HUANG, YEBEN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
131.
WU, YAOGANG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
173.
HUANG, NAHONG Chinese
132.
YANG, WENBIN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
133.
YU, JIAWEI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
174.
JIANG, PENGLIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
134.
ZENG, YUAN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
175.
KU, SEONGHYEON South Korean
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
135.
ZHANG, HAIFAN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
176.
KWON, YEONGJAE South Korean
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
177.
LA THI HUYEN TRANG Vietnamese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
178.
LEE, HYUNGI South Korean
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
179.
LEI, HEYING Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
180.
LI, JIAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
181.
LI, YA-WEI Taiwanese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
YE, WEI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
33.
YU, XINGJIANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
34.
ZHANG, LINGLING Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
35.
ZOU, ZHIQIANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
36.
AUNG MYO THU Myanmari
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
87.
WEI, ZHONGKUN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
37.
CAI, JIAHAO Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
88.
WU, XIUAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CHEN, QINGAN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
89.
XIAO, JINLIANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
39.
CHEN, QUANJIN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
90.
XIE, LIANGGUI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
40.
CHEN, YONGPAN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
91.
XU, RUIYUAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
41.
HUANG, CHANGAN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
92.
YANG, JINGYUE Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
42.
LI, TONGBO Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
93.
ZHANG, XIAOLONG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
136.
ZHU, JUNWEI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
43.
LI, XILIN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
94.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
137.
44.
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
LIM MUN TONG Malaysian
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
LIN, YU-CHAN Taiwanese
ZHAO, XIANG Chinese
95.
45.
LIU, YONGQIANG Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
ZHENG, YONGMAN Chinese
PHILIP LAU Malaysian
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
LIU, ZHENTIAN Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
96.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
46.
ZHENG, KANG Chinese
47.
LIU, GUOQING Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
97.
ZHOU, CANGUI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CHROMELAB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 25/f Techzone Bldg. 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. San Antonio Makati City
48.
LIU, YAZHOU Chinese
MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
98.
ZHU, JING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
140.
38.
NDAKWI, ACHAMBA EMMANUEL Cameroonian
104.
WU, XUEFENG Chinese
32.
143.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
KANG, HAIYAN Chinese
31.
ADVISOR II, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
WANG, CHUNYAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
PENG, CHUAN Chinese
LIENGU ETAKA LIOTE Cameroonian
155.
25.
30.
142.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
73.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC. 25/f Ayala North Exchange Tower 2, 6796 Ayala Ave. Cor. Salcedo & Amorsolo Streets Makati City
LI, HAOQI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
SENIOR PROCESS EXECUTIVE
112.
HE, MOUXU Chinese
LIU, YI Chinese
GALINDO ROMERO, JOSE LUIS Honduran
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
ALATONE PLASTICS, INCORPORATED 7 Industry St. Portero Malabon City
29.
141.
TANG, FANGXU Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
LIN, YUXING Chinese
COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 5th And 6th Floors, 8/10 Upper Mckinley Building Mckinley Hill Cyberpark Fort Bonifacio Taguig City
154.
FENG, ZHANTAO Chinese
28.
POSITION
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)
24.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
CHE, ZHONGHUI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
NO.
111.
FAN, XIAOXIAO Chinese
LI, JIAN Chinese
AVIA MANAGEMENT GROUP INC. 6th-10th Flr. Southkey Hub Indo-china Drive Northgate Cyberzone Alabang Muntinlupa City CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)
10.
27.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
HAN, XIAOLEI Chinese
9.
26.
KIM, JOOHYUN South Korean
POSITION
102.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
23.
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
BAI, JIRONG Chinese
22.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
138. 139.
TEE SINCHAI Malaysian
LIM YIN YEH Malaysian
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
BI-LINGUAL SPEAKING DATA ANALYST OFFICER
BusinessMirror
www.businessmirror.com.ph
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION
NO.
182.
LI, LAILUN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
183.
LIU, YANGBIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
184.
LIU, JUAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
185.
LIU, XIAORONG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
186.
LU, LINLIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
187.
LU, WENXIANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
188.
LUO, FAYIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
189.
LYU, ZHENG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
190.
LYU, GUANGHUI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
191.
PENG, YANLI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
192.
QIN, WEI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
193. 194.
SHEN, YU Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
SHI, ZHE Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
195.
SONG, ZHIQIANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
196.
SUN, SHUAI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
TANG, JINGYUE Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
198.
WANG, ZONGQING Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
199.
WANG, SHAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
197.
200.
WANG, DAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
201.
WU, DUANZHEN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
202.
XIANG, JINGANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
203.
XU, JIALONG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
204.
XU, GUILIN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
205.
XUE, XIAODONG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
206.
YAN, HONGYU Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
207.
YE, FENG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
YIN, BAOQIANG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
209.
ZHANG, SHUFENG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
210.
ZHANG, JIANLONG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
ZHAO, YUANNENG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
ZHAO, CHUANGHAO Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
213.
ZHONG, TONG Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING
214.
LIU, KAI Chinese
MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING
208.
211. 212.
HAMMERTIME CONSTRUCTION INC. Unit 203-s3 2nd Flr. Fbr Arcade Bldg. #317 Katipunan Ave. Loyola Heights 3 Quezon City 215.
XIONG, WU Chinese
216.
XIONG, ZHENGHUA Chinese
CHINESE EQUIPMENT SUPERVISOR CHINESE FINANCIAL MANAGER
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES PHILS. INC. U-5302, 53/f Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave., Cor., V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City 217.
WANG, MIN Chinese
DITO FULL TURN KEY (FTK) PROJECT OPERATION MANAGER
218.
LUO, CHENG Chinese
WIRELESS DIRECTOR FOR SMART 5G MOBILE BROADBAND PROJECT
IDNPLAY CORPORATION 8/f Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil J.puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City 219.
ANDREAS ARIEL SARIF Indonesian
INDONESIAN-SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE
INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Floor Six West Campus Mckinley West Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 220.
GUAN, YUNXIONG Chinese
INFORMATION SECURITY ANALYST
221.
LI, GANGNIAN Chinese
INFORMATION SECURITY ANALYST
222.
MENG, CAIXIA Chinese
INFORMATION SECURITY ANALYST
ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 9/f 100 West Building Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 A5
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
POSITION
NO.
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
POSITION
228.
LIU, QIANG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
291.
TANG, YI, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
229.
LYU, WEIJIAN Chinese
292.
WANG, KAILIANG Chinese
293.
WANG, RUI, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
230.
SU, DUNXIN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
294.
WEI, XING, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
295.
WU, JINYU, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
231.
TIAN, YUAN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
296.
YANG, MINGHUANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
232.
WANG, PENGYU Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
297.
YUE, RONGFAN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
298.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
233.
WEI, WENLIN, Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
ZENG, WEICHENG Chinese
299.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
234.
ZHENG, YUNLONG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
ZHANG, DONGYANG Chinese
300.
ZHANG, XIANGYANG Chinese
235.
LINH TU VAN, Vietnamese
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
301.
236.
LOC VAN THIEU Vietnamese
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
NGUYEN THI THAM Vietnamese
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
237.
JINSHENGLONG BUSINESS SUPPORT, INC. 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Filinvest Bay City Brgy. 076 Pasay City
POSITION
GAO, YONGGUO Chinese
EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION SPECIALIST
RIGHT CHOICE FINANCE CORP. 5e-1 Electra House Bldg. 115-117 Esteban Street San Lorenzo Makati City CHEN, SHAOHUANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SUPPORT
359.
PAN, WEIJIAN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SUPPORT
360.
TONI Indonesian
INDONESIAN CUSTOMER SUPPORT
361.
CHEN, JINTING Chinese
MANDARIN FINANCIAL ANALYST
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
362.
ZENG, HUANYAN Chinese
MANDARIN FINANCIAL ANALYST
ZHAO, WANTING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
363.
CHEN, JIASEN Chinese
MANDARIN MORTGAGE ANALYST
302.
ZHOU, XUNIAN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
303.
ZHOU, ZHIYONG, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
304.
ZHU, TINGYONG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
SH&HS GLOBAL SYSTEM INC. Unit B 7/f 8 Rockwell Bldg. Hidalgo Drive, Rockwell Center Poblacion Makati City
305.
CAI, YANQI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CHAN KIEN SEONG Malaysian
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
306.
CHEN, BINGQIAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
239.
HUANG, WEIYI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
307.
CHEN, JIAXIONG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
240.
HUANG, WEICAN Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
308.
CHEN, LI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
241.
HUANG, YUDA Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
309.
CHEN, HAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
242.
LAU KAH WENG Malaysian
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
310.
CHEN, BIAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
243.
QIU, YUMEI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
311.
DING, XIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
244.
WU, ZHENCHAO Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
312.
GUO, YING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
245.
YANG, KAIWEI Chinese
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
313.
HE, LIU Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
314.
HU, LIANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
315.
HU, HAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
316.
HUANG, JIAN Chinese
364.
LEE, JUNHYUK South Korean
PROGRAMMER CONSULTANT
SINOMA CBMIPH CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION 37b Rufino Pacific Tower Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. San Lorenzo Makati City 365.
LIU, SHENGQIANG Chinese
MANDARIN OPERATION & MAINTENANCE RECORDING SYSTEM ANALYST
366.
MENG, QING Chinese
MANDARIN POWER PLANT PLUMBING MAINTENANCE SPECIALIST
SKYLUSTER TECHNOLOGY, INC. 28/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City 367.
CHI COOC MINH Vietnamese
MANDARIN FINANCE STAFF
368.
TEH YOUNG SIANG Malaysian
MANDARIN FINANCE STAFF
369.
CHEN, HSIEN-CHIH Taiwanese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
370.
CHEN, YULING, Chinese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
371.
CHEN, XUE, Chinese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
372.
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
DONG, QINGQING Chinese
373.
FENG, XINXIN, Chinese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
374.
GAO, JIANING, Chinese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
375.
HAN, XIAOTONG,Chinese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
376.
MENG, HANJIE, Chinese
MANDARIN MARKETING STAFF
246.
KIM, JEONGYUN South Korean
OPERATIONS MANAGER
247.
LEE, SASMLULEE South Korean
SALES ASSOCIATE (KOREAN MARKET)
317.
JIA, FEIFEI Chinese
248.
LEE, BYUNGYONG South Korean
SOFTWARE CONSULTANT (KOREAN MARKET)
318.
JIN, YUANYUAN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
319.
LI, RONGKE Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
320.
LI, TAO Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
MARKETROLE ASIA PACIFIC SERVICES, INC. 26/f, 27/f, 28/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City
357.
FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY
358.
238.
LERIB SERVICES CORPORATION U-3d Rose Industries Bldg. Choice Market Ortigas Kapitolyo Pasig City
NO.
SUPERANTS INC. Unit 2802 The Trade And Financial Tower 7th Ave. Cor. 32nd St. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City
249.
CHEN, ZIPENG Chinese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
321.
LI, CHEN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
250.
LI, XIAOLI Chinese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
322.
LIANG, TINGTING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
251.
LI, YANG Chinese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
323.
LIAO, PING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
252.
LUU XUAN VAN Vietnamese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
324.
LIN, XUFENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
253.
TO NGOC LINH Vietnamese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
325.
LING, YUMING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
254.
WANG, MIN Chinese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
326.
LIU, QIPENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
WU, YANMEI Chinese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
327.
255.
LIU, CHENGLIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
256.
YANG, BING Chinese
CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF
328.
LOU, JUNJIE Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
TIANYU TECHNOLOGY INC. 42/f Pbcom Tower Ayala Avenue Cor. V.a Rufino Street Bel-air Makati City
329.
LUO, HONGJUN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
381.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
330.
MA, CHAOFENG Chinese
HE, SHUN Chinese
382.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
HUANG, HUAN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
331.
MA, SHUAI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
383.
LI, PENGCHENG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
384.
LI, XIAOPING Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
385.
LUO, MIN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
MASTERLINK CORP. 7/f Ba Lepanto Bldg. 8747 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City 257.
ZHANG, XIAOTONG Chinese
BILINGUAL HR MANAGER
377.
NGUYEN TRAN MEN Vietnamese
ADMIN OFFICER (MANDARIN SPEAKING)
378.
LE VAN TRINH Vietnamese
TECHNICAL SPECIALIST (MANDARIN SPEAKING)
SUTHERLAND GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. 12th Floor Philplans Corporate Center Kalayaan Avenue & Triangle Drive Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 379.
VERMA, RAJESH KUMAR Indian
ASSOCIATE MANAGER TECHNICAL TRAINING
380.
JOSEPH, KYLE RACER American
SENIOR DIRECTOR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
258.
LI, JINHUI Chinese
CHINESE MARKETING SPECIALIST
332.
MA, YUANSHUAI Chinese
259.
WU, XIXI Chinese
CHINESE MARKETING SPECIALIST
333.
MENG, MIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
334.
MO, ZHENGPENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
335.
PANG, CHENGLEI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
386.
MU, JU Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
336.
REN, JING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
387.
SHEN, HAILONG Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
337.
SUN, XIAOPENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
388.
TAO, FEN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
338.
TANG, HONGFA Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
389.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
339.
WANG, PEI Chinese
XIAO, MIN Chinese
390.
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
XU, TIANYU Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
340.
WANG, YAHUI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
391.
341.
WANG, YANG Chinese
YANG, CUILIAN Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
392.
342.
WEI, ZHENG Chinese
YU, HUOPEI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
343.
XIA, PENGQING Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
393.
YONG CHIRN FEI Malaysian
IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
260.
LI, LONG Chinese
MANDARIN IT ANALAYST
261.
LU, YUAN Chinese
MANDARIN IT CONSULTANT
262.
SHENG, DINGHAO Chinese
MANDARIN IT TECHNICIAN
263.
SHI, LEI Chinese
MANDARIN IT TECHNICIAN
264.
ZHAN, SAI Chinese
MANDARIN IT TECHNICIAN
MERCK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS ASIA INC. 36th To 39th Floor, The Finance Centre Condominium 26th Street Corner 9th Avenue Bonifacio Global City Taguig City 265.
RYANDA SUVITRA HADINATA Indonesian
HR SPECIALIST
MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City
TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Tower 4 Bayport West Naia Garden Residence, Naia Road Tambo Parañaque City
266.
NGUYEN VAN THANH Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
344.
YANG, BENHUI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
267.
BAO, JIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
345.
YANG, HUI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
394.
268.
CHEN, BO, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
KENNY WONG LI FEI Malaysian
269.
FEI, XIAHUI, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
346.
YANG, WENLEI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
395.
270.
HE, YU, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
MELISSA JIP LYE SAN Malaysian
271.
JIANG, BO, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
347.
ZHANG, ZHENMIN Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
272.
JIAO, XIAOFEI, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
273.
LI, WEI, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
348.
ZHANG, MENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
ZEEHANS TECHNOLOGY INC. 9/f Bpi-philam Life Bldg. 6811 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City
274.
LI, YAN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
349.
275.
LIANG, ZHENLANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
ZHANG, TONGFEI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
276.
LIAO, TAO, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
350.
ZHANG, YAKANG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
277.
LING, RONGPENG Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
351.
278.
LIU, XIA, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
ZHAO, JIAHUI Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
279.
LIU, DAN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
352.
ZHOU, HUANHUAN Chinese
280.
LIU, YAN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
281.
LIU, QIANG, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
353.
SAING MON KHAM Myanmari
MYANMARI CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
282.
LYU, QUANZHOU Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
283.
MEI, DONG, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
NICE INCONTACT PHILIPPINES, INC. 18th Floor Twenty-five Seven Mckinley 25th St. Cor 5th Ave. Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City
284.
MO, YAJUN, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
354.
THELOESEN, MICHIEL MARTIJN, Dutch
COUNTRY MANAGER
223.
CHEN, LI-WEI Taiwanese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
285.
NGUYEN DUONG TRANG DAI, Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
224.
FANG, YI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
286.
NGUYEN THI VAN Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
OB OPTIMA BUILDERS CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION #28 Lot 12 Blk. 94, R. Papa Ave. Cor. P Garcia St. Phase 6 Afpovai Village Western Bicutan Taguig City
225.
HSU, JUI-LIN Taiwanese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
287.
NGUYEN VAN DINH Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
355.
226.
LI, HUI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
288.
NGUYEN XUAN HIEN Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
289.
NI, BIWEI, Chinese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
227.
LIANG, ZHI Chinese
CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST
290.
SU VAY SENH Vietnamese
CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE
YU, XUEGONG Chinese
BAI, YUFENG Chinese
CHAROENSUK, NEERANUCH Thai
JUNIOR CUSTOMER SUPPORTTHAILAND
397.
HEMATHULIN, WALUKSUDA Thai
SENIOR CS MANAGERTHAILAND *Date Generated: Dec 14, 2020
In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 28, 2020, the position of WONG CHU YI under ALFANET GLOBAL SOLUTIONS, INC., should have been read as MALAYSIAN SPEAKING CUSTOMER ACQUISITION SPECIALIST and not as published. In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on December 11, 2020, the nationality of JOHAN BIN TAHAR under BEC SPECIALIST PHILIPPINES INC., should have been read as SINGAPOREAN and not as published. Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.
MANDARIN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SPECIALIST
POWERCHINA PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2101 21/f Bdo Equitable Tower 8751 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City 356.
396.
EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION SPECIALIST
ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR
A6 Tuesday, December 15, 2020 • Editor: Angel R. Calso
Opinion BusinessMirror
www.businessmirror.com.ph
editorial
Still pork
Y
ou would be lucky to find a Filipino who still believes Congress no longer has any pork barrel just because the Supreme Court in 2013 declared the legislators’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional.
Of course, it is no longer called PDAF today but congressional insertions, in the same manner that PDAF used to be called by other names, like CDF or Countrywide Development Fund. Any kind of budget allocation for legislators—items that would be spent at their discretion and behest—are pork barrel funds. Essentially, these congressional insertions in any form and manner are pork barrel. Of course, not a few legislators would be quick to disagree in a “you say tomato, I say tomato” kind of back and forth. Sen. Panfilo Lacson said infrastructure projects submitted by the Department of Public Works and Highways to Congress contain many of these insertions even before amendments were introduced to the budget bill. He has flagged P28.3 billion worth of such insertions in the DPWH budget for 2021. Earlier, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission alleged that certain congressmen were pocketing substantial commissions from the budget of anomalous DPWH infrastructure projects after influencing the award of these to their favored contractors. Now it is up to President Duterte to approve or veto the proposed P4.5trillion budget for 2021 with these congressional insertions included. The President vowed to solve systemic corruption in government and named the DPWH as one of its hotbeds. This may be a good start for him to carry out his noble intention. Lacson said he was willing to help the President identify the double and overlapping appropriations in the Congress-approved budget that are worth billions and must be vetoed. “It is clear that questionable items such as double and overlapping appropriations should be vetoed, along with at least 793 line items for multipurpose buildings with a uniform P1-million appropriation each,” he said. These billions could certainly be better spent on the government’s Covid response, to buy vaccines, for instance, or for an honest-to-goodness economic stimulus program. The money can actually do a lot of good. Used wisely and without corruption, the billions could be spent on much-needed but otherwise neglected government projects, those that direly need more funds during this pandemic. Of course, the government also needs to spend on infrastructure. But we would like to see its infrastructure budget spent in a responsible manner, according to the right priorities, not just according to the whims of select government officials and politicians, even anomalously as Lacson alleges. Corruption has long bedeviled the budget system and no less than a thorough exorcism is required. It does not matter if congressmen would point out that they have no direct participation in the implementation of these DPWH projects for their districts—these so-called budget insertions are still pork barrel and as such they mean corruption, in particular, kickbacks, bribery, bid rigging and collusion in public bids. The problem facing any administration, however, is that if it wants to pass its sponsored measures, including the proposed national budget, it needs to keep members of Congress happy and satisfied. And what this entails has not really been a big mystery. This is precisely why, politically and realistically, it has been somewhat impossible to strip the national budget of pork barrel (again under various names) and force each member of Congress to vote solely on the merits of any proposed measure. Most members of Congress, as do most politicians, tend to act in their best personal interest. But surely the tough-talking President Duterte can forge a new status quo and a different dynamic of conflict and cooperation between the executive and legislature? We urge the President to put an end to all kinds of pork barrel corruption once and for all. He can start by purging the national budget of congressional insertions and giving the money back to the government agencies in charge of implementing basic social services such as housing, education and health. The President won’t have the moral authority to talk about fighting corruption if his administration would continue this pork barrel system in the form of congressional insertions.
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T
he pandemic can be likened to a powerful typhoon or a calamity that left a trail of destruction in its wake. Like a natural disaster, Covid-19 rendered millions of Filipinos jobless, halted the transportation system and shuttered many business establishments. Restoring jobs to millions of Filipinos, along with the widespread distribution of vaccines, should be the country’s priority in the coming year. We can only fully reopen and revive the economy if millions of Filipinos are able to reclaim their jobs. Workers are the lifeblood of the economy. They keep factories moving, run small businesses and retail outlets, and fuel the economy through their purchasing power. The pandemic has robbed many Filipinos of their jobs, worsening the poverty problem in the process, and kept many people, and students as well, away from hubs of activity like shopping malls, cinemas university belts and amusement parks. These centers of activities are the microcosm of the economy. They generate jobs, feed the family of market players and keep the economic cycle spinning. The World Bank last week noted
that some 2.7 million Filipinos would join the ranks of the poor this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the job losses arising from quarantine rules to contain the disease and the recent series of devastating typhoons. World Bank senior economist Rong Qian sees the Philippine economy contracting 8.1 percent for the entire year, after shrinking 10 percent in the first three quarters. The contraction of the economy simply means more will become unemployed and that it will slow down the pace of government’s poverty reduction programs. She noted that the quarantine and lockdown measures disrupted economic activity and resulted in income loss, decline in wage incomes, a slowdown in entrepreneurial activities and a drop in remittances. “The poor and vulnerable are especially likely to experience significant welfare losses given their
Covid 2020 bad; 2021?
T. Anthony C. Cabangon Lourdes M. Fernandez
John Mangun
OUTSIDE THE BOX
Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso Ruben M. Cruz Jr. Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes D. Edgard A. Cabangon Judge Pedro T. Santiago (Ret.) Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan
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Restoring millions of PHL jobs should also be a priority
‘E
swatini Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini, who tested positive for Covid-19 four weeks ago, has died at age 52 after being hospitalized in neighboring South Africa, the tiny absolute monarchy’s government said late on Sunday.” Immediately come the comments: “See! Covid-19 is real!” While that is a fact and not in doubt, here are some further realities. On December 2, Dlamini was transported to a hospital in South Africa “aimed at fast-tracking his recovery.” Since few outside of Africa have ever heard of the Kingdom of Eswatini much less of its Prime Minister, no mention is made of his prior health. Neither is there any mention of what the cause of death was, only that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and was asymptomatic then and feeling well while isolating at home. Here are some further realities. Plague of Athens. Plague of Cyprian.
Plague of Justinian. Black death. Cocoliztli epidemic. Great plague of London. Great plague of Marseille. Russian plague. Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic. American polio epidemic. Spanish flu. Asian flu. Swine flu. West African Ebola epidemic. Zika virus epidemic. The Antonine Plague, suspected to have been smallpox or measles, claimed an estimated 5 million lives. About 1,350 years later Spanish forces, led by Hernán Cortés, delivered the gift of smallpox as they conquered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. About a decade later, Spanish conquerors spread the plague to the Incas. An estimated 90 percent
limited capacity to manage risks,” she said. “The expected growth contraction in 2020 is likely to increase poverty in the short-term, resulting in 2.7 million additional poor people in 2020 compared to 2019 estimates, measured against the lower middleincome poverty line of $3.2 a day.” As I have been writing in this column before, we should reopen the economy further given the discipline and health protocols being seriously observed by our population. Generating and restoring jobs will keep the government on track in reducing poverty incidence in the Philippines. The National Economic and Development Authority has already conceded that the government’s initial target of reducing poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2021 from 16.7 percent in 2018 is no longer realistic due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I fully agree with Economic Planning Acting Secretary Karl Chua. The key to economic recovery and reducing poverty is to open the economy more in order to recover the lost income of the displaced. The latest labor report reminds us of what an economic reopening can do in terms of employment. The unemployment rate in the country improved to 8.7 percent in October from 10 percent in July and 17.6 percent in April after the Philippines allowed more economic activities to resume. Neda has admitted that the unemployment rate could have been reduced if the economy were opened
further and sufficient public transportation allowed. But the latest unemployment rate as of October is still not encouraging—the number of unemployed is higher by 2 million compared with the figure in the same period a year ago. About 3.8 million Filipinos were unemployed as of October, down from 4.57 million in July and 7.23 million in April. The figure, though, is still higher than the 2 million jobless individuals in October last year when the unemployment rate settled at 4.6 percent. I still believe, however, the contraction in the economy and the job losses along the way are not longterm problems. Our solid macroeconomic fundamentals—a manageable inflation rate, stable currency, high foreign exchange reserves and skilled labor force and a young population—and a stable political climate will enable the nation to overcome the pandemic and achieve economic recovery soon. But we must ease the containment measures quickly and allow provinces and local government units to open their borders more to encourage domestic tourism. We have to reopen further the economy as we increase the distribution of the vaccine—with the generation of millions of jobs as our main guiding principle.
of the native population was killed off. Aztec and Inca civilizations were swiftly wiped off the map. The death toll from these local and regional epidemics, as well as the pandemics, were in the tens of millions and more. The future was changed forever. Just ask the Aztecs and the Incans. The economic impacts were just as severe, even without whole civilizations disappearing off the face of the Earth. But, obviously, this was because of the number of dead. It might be well to note that of the minimum 25 million that died in Europe during the Black Plague, only one member of a royal family—King Edward III of England’s daughter Joan who was in France at the time of her infection—succumbed to the illness. Why only one Royal? Because little has changed in 700 years. In 2020, the wealthy work remotely and flee to resorts or second homes, while the urban poor are packed into small apartments and are compelled to keep showing up to work. Following the 1348 Black Death in Italy, the Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio wrote a collection of 100 novellas titled, The Decameron. Here is a commentary on Boccaccio’s
writings. “Boccaccio describes the rich secluding themselves at home, where they enjoy quality wines and provisions, music and other entertainment. The very wealthiest deserted their neighborhoods altogether, retreating to comfortable estates in the countryside, “as though the plague was meant to harry only those remaining within their city walls.” Meanwhile, the middle class or poor, forced to stay at home, “caught the plague by the thousands right there in their own neighborhood, day after day” and swiftly passed away.” CNBC on April 30, 2020: “Coronavirus: Wealthy New Yorkers flee Manhattan for suburbs and beyond.” Now that it appears that the Covid-19 vaccine will soon be available in quality—and God forbid there are no problems with it—we need to start thinking about a post-Covid economic future. If you think that 2020 was difficult, the 2021 Covid “fun” has not yet started.
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Tax highlights in 2020 and Is Santa coming to town? some year-end reminders Manny F. Dooc
TELLTALES
Atty. Rodel C. Unciano
Tax Law for Business
I
N response to Covid-19 pandemic, two significant laws were enacted providing certain tax reliefs on certain activities. One significant tax relief is the extension of the application of the net operating loss carry over (NOLCO) to five years, as provided under Republic Act (RA) 11494 or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” and as implemented by Revenue Regulations (RR) 25-2020. Thus, a business or enterprise that incurred net operating loss for taxable years 2020 and 2021 shall be allowed to carry over the same as a deduction from its gross income for the next five consecutive taxable years immediately following the year of such loss. Also, under RA 11494, retirement benefits received by officials and employees of private firms from June 5, 2020 until December 31, 2020 shall be excluded from gross income and shall be exempt from taxation, provided that any re-employment of such official or employee in the same firm within the succeeding 12-month period shall be considered proof of nonretirement and shall subject the benefits received to appropriate taxes. Under RR 29-2020, the amount received should be in accordance with a retirement plan duly registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). During the middle part of the year, the BIR introduced and prescribed the use of BIR Form 1709 under RR 19-2020 to ensure that proper disclosure of related party transactions are made and that the transactions are conducted at arm’s length. This Form is a required attachment to the Annual Income Tax Return for fiscal year ending March 31, 2020 and onwards. This requirement is aimed at improving and strengthening the BIR’s transfer pricing audit. The regulations provided some rules to be considered in determining whether a person or entity is a related party. So that if there are related party transactions based on the criteria laid down in the regulations, it must be reported in BIR Form 1709. In all cases, the substance of relationship between the entities shall be taken into account. In another development, the BIR modified the due process requirement in the issuance of deficiency tax assessment pursuant to RR 222020. Under this regulation, the BIR again deleted the issuance of Notice for Informal Conference (NIC) as part of due process requirement in tax investigation cases but replaced it with a document called Notice of Discrepancy (NOD). In essence, the NOD is similar with the NIC as to purpose whereby the taxpayer is given the opportunity to present and explain his defenses on the findings of the BIR. The discussion of discrepancy should be conducted within 30 days from the taxpayer’s receipt of the NOD. What is crucial here is that the taxpayer is likewise required to submit supporting documents within the 30-day period. There was no similar provision on this under the old rule. But what is important to note here is that the NOD, similar to the NIC, is not yet an assessment. However, within 10 days from the conclusion of the discussion, the case shall be endorsed for review and approval for issuance of deficiency assessment in the form of Preliminary Assessment Notice (PAN), if warranted. In August, the BIR issued its Voluntary Assessment and Payment Program (VAPP) under RR 21-2020, offering taxpayers to avail themselves of voluntary payment of additional taxes which the BIR could otherwise collect through audit and enforcement effort. The program shall apply to all internal revenue taxes covering taxable year ending December 31, 2018 and fiscal year 2018 ending on the last day on the months of
June to July 2019, including taxes on one-time transactions such as estate tax, donor’s tax and capital gains tax. Any person, natural or juridical, including estates and trusts, may avail of this program except those taxpayers who have already been issued a Final Assessment Notice (FAN) that have become final and executory, persons under investigation as a result of verified information filed by an informer, those with cases involving tax fraud and those with pending cases involving tax evasion and other criminal offenses. A taxpayer who validly avails of the program and issued a certificate of availment shall not be audited for the taxable year 2018 for the tax types covered by the availment. Note that qualified taxpayers can still avail of the benefits of the VAPP until December 31, 2020, unless extended by the Secretary of Finance. Another significant development is the approval by the Senate of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act or “CREATE,” which proposed to reduce corporate income tax effective July 1, 2020. Once the bill is signed into law, corporate income tax shall be reduced from the current rate of 30 percent to 25 percent and the lower 20 percent rate for domestic corporations with total assets of P100 million and below (excluding land on which the business office, plant and equipment are situated), and total net taxable income of P5 million and below. Other proposed changes would be the reduction of the Minimum Corporate Income Tax (MCIT) rate to 1 percent, reduction of the percentage tax rate to 1 percent and the repeal of the Improperly Accumulated Earnings Tax (IAET). Finally, under the latest extension of availment of the tax amnesty on delinquencies (TAD), taxpayers may still avail TAD until December 31, 2020. Recall that pursuant to Section 19 of RA 11213 or the Tax Amnesty Act of 2019, taxpayers who have delinquent accounts for taxable year 2017 and prior years may avail themselves of the TAD within one year from the effectivity of the implementing rules and regulations of the Act. As RR 4-2019, the implementing rules and regulations of the law, became effective on April 24, 2019, the original deadline for the availment thereof was until April 23, 2020. However, in consideration of the effect of Covid-19 pandemic, the BIR made several extensions for the availment of the same. And under the latest extension in RR 15-2020, taxpayers still have until December 31, 2020 within which to avail themselves of the TAD. The author is a partner of Du-Baladad and Associates Law Offices (BDB Law), a member-firm of WTS Global. The article is for general information only and is not intended, nor should be construed as a substitute for tax, legal or financial advice on any specific matter. Applicability of this article to any actual or particular tax or legal issue should be supported therefore by a professional study or advice. If you have any comments or questions concerning the article, you may e-mail the author at rodel.unciano@bdblaw.com.ph or call 84032001 local 140.
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he promise of a Covid-19 vaccine is enough reason to give us hope this Christmas. There may be less food, the Christmas tree may be bare of the usual gifts around it and there may be an empty chair as we gather around the dining table. The saddest part of Christmas is celebrating the traditional noche buena and media noche this holiday season with a missing family member. Nothing has prepared us for the loss of a son, daughter, parent or grandparent due to the coronavirus. Despite this, there is no stopping Christmas. With or without an RFID sticker, Santa’s sleigh full of gifts will breeze through Nlex and Slex. Christendom will celebrate the birth of the Child Jesus with the collective wish that the scourge will soon be over with the coming new year. We are gripped by a financial panic since the pandemic hit us the likes of which we have not experienced before. We are into a deep recession, loan defaults have been highest in 7 years, credits are tightening despite the low interest rate at historic levels, businesses are plummeting, large and small companies are retrenching and job losses are mounting. Foreign direct investments are significantly reduced. Business expansions are deferred, if not totally called off. With the economy down and with declining revenues, businesses have contracted, if not completely shuttered. Borrowers fall behind their mortgages and credit card payments. There is hardly any purchase of new homes and cars. Families put off their travel plans and vacations. The hapless poor who lost their jobs have resorted to begging, even if they are young and able-bodied. When chari-
ties have run out, others have resorted to petty crimes to feed their family and buy medicines for their sick loved ones. When one finds himself in wretched situations, expect him to adopt desperate measures. The burden of the pandemic has been exacerbated by the series of storms and floods that have greatly devastated many regions of our country. The destructive weather disturbances have severely damaged our agriculture and destroyed our roads, bridges and infrastructures. It will take years and hundreds of billions to rehabilitate them, money that could have been productively spent on other worthy uses. It’s a catastrophe amid a pandemic -- a double whammy for a struggling country like ours. It’s a gift that our people’s capacity for pain and suffering seems inexhaustible. But as one critic has bitterly pointed out,
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 A7
“resilience should not be an excuse for ineptitude.” Our government has adopted programs to address the lethal health emergency confronting us. The Philippines has the longest and strictest lockdown in the world. Only this week, our favorite Chinese restaurant in BGC, which we have patronized for years, has refused to accept us as dinner guests. So we ended up ordering food for take-out. The last time I saw my barber was on March 4 this year. I have been consulting my personal physician online and he charges me the same amount. Our Bayanihan laws are worthy legislation and I credit the administration and Congress for enacting them. They have been passed to extend direct financial assistance to the poor and provide economic stimulus to shore up our declining economy. We are spending billions of taxpayers’ money and borrowed funds to rescue our impoverished people and provide free Covid-19 vaccine to them. Let’s cross our fingers that not a single centavo of the vaccine money, as vowed by President Duterte, will go to corruption. We need a more coherent response to meet the challenge. Our government has created all kinds of task forces to combat the scourge but the pandemic is still very much with us. And our economy continues its decline. It seems that our best efforts have not arrested its downward slope. Our government is not oblivious of our people’s plight. An economic agenda and a recovery blueprint that focus on the ordinary people who bear the brunt of the current economic dislocation are steps in the right direction. Giving free Covid-19 vaccines to the poor and the
vulnerable reflects this policy. The interest of the wealthy and the powerful should not be our priority. Reopening business establishments to provide more job opportunities to the workingmen will bring food on their tables and boost consumer spending. Supporting small and medium enterprises to re-start their operations will enliven our economy. Adopting monetary and fiscal policies that will stimulate business expansion and investments should be continuously pursued. In short, we should bend the projected L-shape trajectory to follow a U-shape recovery. Christmas is just 10 days away and the kids can now count the remaining days in the fingers of their hands. The kids all over the world are all agog about the gifts that they expect to receive from Santa. I have my own Christmas wish. The vaccine alone, while soon forthcoming, is not sufficient. We need more than that to bring economic recovery fast enough before the situation gets hopeless. I hope that Santa, when he comes to town, will bring us good people with bright and dynamic ideas to win the war for us. We need managers who understand the nuts and bolts of our problems; leaders with strong character not necessarily in the physical sense. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a cripple when he robustly led his country to economic recovery after the Great Depression. Maybe what we need is a New Deal under a decisive leadership to lift our people from misery. We cannot give dole outs till the end of time. Our resources are finite and we cannot borrow forever. 2020 is a year of infamy, which we would all rather forget. While we welcome the New Year, we cannot survive another horrible year.
Violence against women and girls: A pandemic we must end now By Gustavo Gonzalez
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S we near the end of the year, the Philippines, as many other countries in the world, has been in quarantine for more than nine months to stave off a global pandemic that has stolen lives, mobility, precious time for education and economic security from millions of people. The end is not yet in sight. In a July 23, 2020 Op-Ed that I wrote, I said that “one of the most insidious consequences of the pandemic is the rise of gender-based violence (GBV). Children and adolescents, particularly girls, are confronted with violence and abuse, as a result of prolonged lockdowns.” We recently marked the intensive 18 Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women, a global call to action, and a powerful reminder that our work to end GBV is unfinished. For survivors of gender-based violence locked down in their homes with an abuser, the Covid-19 pandemic is only one of the compounding crises that threaten their physical and mental condition. Even before this global health crisis, violence against women (VAW) was plaguing 1 out of every 4 Filipinas who is married or has been married at least once in their lives. We know the incidence and numbers escalate during disasters but one can only estimate what impact this might have on the whole country. The United Nations Population Fund estimated that there had been a 20 percent increase in domestic violence globally. A study commissioned by UNFPA approximates that intimate partner violence will increase by 16 percent in the country. By the end of the year, there will be an estimated 839,000 women who are married or who has been married at least once in their lives who would experience GBV during this pandemic. It is our moral responsibility to elevate the plight and needs of GBV survivors even as we talk about the perils and risks of Covid-19. We have growing evidence, however, that we may be failing individuals most at risk of GBV during this pandemic. UNFPA’s State of World Population Report revealed that across the globe, from 2020 to 2030, there could be an additional 13 million girls under 18 who would marry, resulting from the disruption of programs and services, and economic challenges brought by
Covid-19. When parents from lowincome families are unable to find jobs, the deepening poverty bought by the pandemic can push families to consider marrying off their daughters in the hopes of a better life for their children. We also know that perpetrators and human traffickers are taking advantage of the economic hardships of families. In the Philippines, where 73 million Filipinos, or some 67 percent of the population, use social media, the Internet is a platform for cybercriminals preying on women and young people. In particular, social media provides much room for abusers to engage in sexual exploitation of women and young people behind closed doors and in front of a webcam. Gender-based online sexual harassment continues to rise especially targeting young women and girls. Widespread are rape jokes, rape threats, and other sexist remarks that negatively impact women and girls. It is important to note that gender-based online sexual harassment is punishable by law, under RA 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act. We cannot sacrifice or endanger vulnerable survivors by rendering them invisible, minimizing, or denying their pleas for help and assistance. The Commission on Human Rights has received reports that requests for rescue and assistance from GBV survivors were allegedly dismissed by local duty-bearers. This despite a series of policy issuances requiring and mandating the continuity of GBV services – medical management of rape, mental health and psycho-social services, legal services, safety planning and case management, safety or security services, and/or residential shelter.
UN mandate
The Philippine government, the United Nations agencies, and civil society organizations have forged strong partnerships in combatting VAW with renewed vigor—harness-
ing our collective tools, intelligence, and resources to adapt, innovate and continue to ensure that GBV services will be available to survivors when they need it. For example, UNFPA, with its implementing partner Coalition Against Trafficking of Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP), designed six GenderBased Violence (GBV) digital training modules as part of capacity-building projects in BARMM. Such modules have been presented and used with local partners in Maguindanao and Lanao Del Sur, and have received incredible reception. As an expansion of this project, the modules are now part of the certification courses on Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation’s iADAPT e-learning platform. This move will strengthen and expand the GBV response capacity in humanitarian settings. Similarly, in partnership with the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, UNFPA held an online concert to call on the public’s support to ask our duty bearers for the continuity of life saving care and support to GBV survivors amid emergencies like the Covid-19 pandemic. In other initiatives, the Philippine Commission on Women, DSWD, CHR, UNFPA, Oxfam, and PLAN International organized a Data Roundtable that will map out how VAW data is collected across multiple agencies and consolidated to generate an analysis of how survivors utilize VAW services and where the possible gaps in the delivery system are. Better data gathered can lead to better programming and service provision. GBV and Covid-19 heatmaps can identify where GBV and Covid-19 cases are converging to direct and maximize human and financial resources to where the highest incidence of reports might be. Or also an indication where GBV reporting is limited and outreach and awarenessraising might be more helpful. In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) region, there is continuous, productive, and assured coordination and collaboration among multi-sectoral agencies and organizations to strengthen their GBV response and prevention education systems. Co-led by UNICEF and UNFPA, more than 30
organizations work closely with the Ministry of Social Service and Development (MSSD) to respond rapidly to emerging and dynamic cases of GBV such as internally displaced women fleeing armed clan feuds or returning migrants from Sabah. Whoever is in need, their coordination table works to ensure that their traumatic experiences are met with psycho-social support, life-saving goods, and essential services. This year we also commemorate the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. The provisions of the resolution are classified into “three Ps”: protection of the human rights of women and girls during times of conflict, the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, and the equal participation of women in peace building and reconstruction. In BARMM, UN agencies provide technical assistance and support in pushing women’s meaningful participation in and contributions to the process and substance of peace and security decisionmaking will improve the chances of attaining viable and sustainable peace. This increased GBV incidence and need for stronger attention on GBV cases coincide in a year where the United Nations system celebrates two significant milestones: the 25th anniversary of the Beijing 4th World Conference on Women’s Rights and the 75th anniversary of the UN. These celebrations can be important reminders to the international community, rights holders, and duty-bearers that our work remains unfinished AND that we have the tools that we need to do better—to assure that GBV services continue no matter the disaster, that vulnerable women and girls will receive life-saving information and protection commodities as they need it. The United Nations is doubling down and renewing our commitment to Ending GBV, targeting Zero Harmful Practices to Women and Girls by 2030. We will not waver in this commitment and continue to ensure that vigorous prevention and response systems are a hallmark of the Covid-19 response in this country and beyond. The author is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines.
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Mactan Cebu airport deal broke anti-dummy law: NBI T
By Joel R. San Juan
@jrsanjuan1573
HE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday said it has filed before the Department of Justice a case against Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) General Manager Steve Dicdican and 15 others, including 11 foreign nationals, for Anti-Dummy Law provisions. Aside from Dicdican, named respondents in the complaint were GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) Filipino officers Manuel Louie Ferrer, Edgar Saavedra, Oliver Tan and JZ Dela Cruz. The foreign nationals named in the complaint were eight Indian nationals Srivinas Bommidala, Vivek Singhai, Ravi Bhatnagar, Ravishankar Saravu, Sudarshan MD, Kumar Gaurav, Magesh Nambiar and Rajesh Madan. The other foreigners mentioned in the complaint were Singaporean national P. Sripathy, Ghanaian An-
drew Acquaah-Harrison and Irish national Michael Lenane. NBI Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Director Eric B. Distor said the case stemmed from a complaint over the awarding of the P14.4-billion operation and management contract of Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to GMCAC under a 25-Year Concession. The concession is for the expansion and operation of MCIA, consisting of the construction of a new passenger terminal with all associated infrastructure facilities; rehabilitation and expansion of the existing terminal along
with all associated infrastructure and facilities; installation of the required information technology and other equipment commensurate with the operations; and operation and maintenance of both passenger terminals during the concession period. GMCAC is a consortium between Megawide Construction Corporation (Megawide), a company incorporated under Philippine laws, and GMR Group, a foreign infrastructure company.
No comment, for now
Sought for comment, Megawide, GMR, and GMCAC said they “have not yet received any official communications from the Department of Justice regarding the case. For this reason, we decline to comment on this matter and will address this in the proper forum.” The NBI-Anti-Fraud Division (NBI-AFD) claimed that the respondents “connived, colluded, schemed and acted together to violate the 1987 Constitution and the Anti-Dummy Law.”
It noted that based on the evidence, the MCIA is operated, administered, and managed by non-Filipinos more particularly by an Irish, a Ghanaian and several Indians who have profound control, enjoyment, and control over a Philippine public utility, with the knowledge and approval of the Filipino officers of CMIAA and GMCAC. “Evidence submitted by the complainant and gathered by the investigators showed that the foreign nationals were actually performing executive and managerial positions,” the NBI said. Specifically, the NBI is seeking to prosecute the respondents for violation of Section 2-A of the AntiDummy Law. Dicdican was also charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, being a government official. The DOJ will conduct its preliminary investigation on the complaint in January.
$123-M ADB LOAN WILL FUND EDSA WALKWAYS By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
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HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a new loan to build elevated walkways for pedestrians along Edsa, Metro Manila’s main thoroughfare. In a statement, ADB said the $123-million loan will finance the Edsa Greenways Project, which will construct 5 kilometers of covered walkway linked to mass transit stations along Edsa. These walkways will link the Balintawak, Cubao, Guadalupe and Taft stations. These will be equipped with elevators and monitoring systems and will be accessible for all including the elderly, pregnant women, young children and persons with disabilities. “The Edsa Greenways Project is an integral part of the government’s transport strategy to make Metro Manila a better place to live, work, and visit,” said ADB’s Southeast Asia Transport and Communications Director Hiroaki Yamaguchi. “This project is an important part of our contribution to helping make that vision a reality for Filipinos.”
ADB said an international consulting firm has been hired to work on the project’s feasibility study with the Department of Transportation, with funding from ADB’s Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (IPIF). It will also be supported by a $15-million loan from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Catalytic Green Finance Facility, to be administered by ADB. The project aims to support Metro Manila’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. It is expected to create jobs during the construction period, with P3 billion ($61 million) to be spent on local raw materials. The civil works contracts for the project are expected to be awarded during the first half of 2021. “This project will encourage more Filipinos to switch from private vehicles to public transport, which is being strengthened with the North–South Commuter railway, the Metro Manila subway, and the upgraded Light Rail/Metro Rail Transit systems,” said ADB Senior Transport Specialist for Southeast Asia Shuji Kimura. See “ADB loan,” A2
CA asked: Void power deal that has no CSP
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PETITION has been filed before the Court of Appeals seeking to enjoin the implementation of a power supply contract that petitioners allege did not pass the Competitive Selection Process (CSP). In its 52-page petition, the United Filipino Consumers and Commuters Inc. (UFCC) argued that allowing power supply contracts without a CSP will prejudice all electricity end-users. Thus, the UFCC sought the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction to stop the Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, National Electrification Administration and National Power Corp. from approving the 15-MW, 15-year power supply contract agreement entered into by respondents Bantayan Island Electric Cooperative (Banelco), Consortium of Vivant Integrated Diesel Corporation and Gigawatt Power Incorporated, through its subsidiary Isla Norte Energy Corporation (INEC). The UFCC , through its president Rodolfo Javellana Jr., insisted that CSP is a form of public bidding that must be observed in the purchase of electricity by distribution utilities to ensure a fair, reasonable and cost-effective generation charge for consumers. “If the TRO and writ of preliminary injunction are not issued by the Honorable Court, grave injustice and irreparable injury would have already been incurred by petitioner, as end-consumers would be forced to pay for power supply at a rate obtained in violation of the principle of competitiveness, transparency, and most affordable prices…,” the petitioner said. Javellana said the PSA awarded by Bantayan Island INEC did not meet the two-bidder standard of CSP. He cited DOE Circular DC201802-0003 which considers a bid failed when “competitive offers of prospective generation companies failed to meet the requirements prescribed in the bid documents.” Banelco called for the CSP bid in July 2019 to replace its power supply contract expiring in Novem-
ber 2021 and two bidders qualified, Bantayan Island Power Corp. (Bipcor) and the Vivant-GigaWatt consortium. Conducted under a two-envelope format, the first envelope consisted of the technical proposal and the second, the financial or price offer. At the opening of bids on September 20, 2019, according to UFCC, Bipcor was disqualified after its first envelope was declared non-compliant by the bids committee because an Equipment Supplier certificate was not notarized. Bipcor is the sole power supplier of Banelco, whose contract expires next year. After Bipcor’s disqualification, the petition said, the consortium now represented by INEC “remained as the sole participant as there was no other bidder sanctioned to compete.” Consequently, the contract was given to INEC which is now being sought to be set aside by UFCC. In its petition, UFCC raised the recent Supreme Court decision that upheld CSP as mandatory for all power supply procurements. It said even if Bipcor’s disqualification was warranted, the bids committee should have declared a failure of bidding instead of awarding the PSA to INEC. “Despite the fact that there was only one remaining offer on the table, respondent committee refused to declare a failure of bidding—a clear violation of the CSP Rules,” the petitioner claimed. “When a bid is pursued with only one offer on the table as is the case now, how can that be competitive?” Javellana asked. “How do we determine the least cost with only one bidder?” he added. The UFCC said the DOE, ERC and NEA were named as respondents since they are the lead implementing arms and institutions in the implementation of CSP. “When something like this Banelco award to INEC happens under the nose and within sight of these agencies without any challenge, the consumers are in big trouble,” Javellana warned. Joel R. San Juan
Mayor Francis Zamora stands in front of the Giant Christmas Tree at Pinaglabanan Shrine in San Juan City, which City Hall officials lit up recently. San Juan City landed first place in the recently concluded Digital Governance Awards 2020 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), a feat which Zamora said fulfilled his promise to make San Juan a Smart City. NONOY LACZA
‘Gradual, small-scale’ registration for National ID’s Step 2
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HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) will not meet its targets for Step 2 of the National ID registration, as the start of the process was moved to next year. In a statement, the PSA said the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Step 2 Registration is scheduled to start on January 4, 2021, on “a gradual, small-scale basis.” Initially, the PSA aimed to register 5 million Filipinos in Step 2 of the National ID registration this year. Step 2 is the validation of supporting documents and capturing of biometric information at registration centers. “[We aim to focus on] nine small provinces starting on the first week of January; then three provinces
starting on the third week and three more [provinces] in the fourth week,” Deputy National Statistician Rosalinda P. Bautista told BusinessMirror on Monday. “This is of course subject to successful implementation during the whole month of January.” With Step 2 requiring the physical presence of registrants in PSA offices, the agency said it is necessary to schedule appointments. This is part of the health and safety measures PSA put in place as a protection against Covid-19. In the meantime, PSA said, Step 1 registration will continue. “The PSA wants to ensure that we deliver a safe, secure, and seamless PhilSys registration experience to the Filipino people. We encourage
all Filipinos to participate once we open the registration activities to the public,” PSA said. As of December 7, the PSA reported that Step 1 National Registrations have reached 8.139 million Filipinos. This is 113.9 percent of the target as of this date. A total of 116,181 Filipinos were registered on December 7. This accounts 72.8 percent of the target for this day. After 49 days of implementation, the PSA has already registered 82.6 percent of its year-end target for the Step 1 registration for the National ID. “Our current pace for Step 1 Registration also allowed us to increase our initial commitment of 9 million Filipinos to 11 mil-
lion Filipinos before the end of the year,” PSA said. The PhilSys will allow more Filipinos access to basic banking services and make them less vulnerable to informal lending practices that charge onerous interest rates. Formal identification will also help Filipinos access government and financial services. Data shared by PSA showed that 1 in 5 of the poorest 40 percent of Filipinos have been unable to apply for government services because they lacked the required IDs. PSA also said that 1 in 6 of the poorest 40 percent of Filipinos have been unable to receive government financial support because they lacked the required IDs. Cai U. Ordinario
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Companies BusinessMirror
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
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PLDT ramping up spending to meet demand for data
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By Lorenz S. Marasigan
@lorenzmarasigan
ELCO giant PLDT Inc. plans to spend as much as P92 billion in capital outlays in 2021 to meet the “surge in demand for data” and heed the government’s call to “elevate” the local telecommunications industry and deliver services that meet global standards. Alfredo S. Panlilio, the company’s CFO and the president of subsidiary Smart Communications Inc., said his group is increasing its capital expenditures (capex) by as much as 25 percent in 2021 to expand both its fixed and wireless networks. "With the surge in demand for data, we are prepared to invest between P88 billion and P92 billion
next year to meet the requirements of all our mobile and fixed line customers. Providing good customer experience remains to be our 'North Star', as we aim to elevate PLDT and Smart to the level of global operators,” he said. PLDT has programmed roughly P70 billion in capex this year, but Panlilio noted that his group may
“end this year with approximately the same level of capex spend” in 2019, when it spent P73 billion to modernize its networks. In the last five years, PLDT has invested P260 billion in its networks, with its wireless network now reaching 96 percent of the population and covering 95 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities, while its fiber infrastructure now running at 422,000 kilometers. "We want to benchmark ourselves, not just with local competition, but with our neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam, as we would want our network performance to ultimately be at par with global companies," Panlilio said. "This is our aspiration, to really bring that level of service to the Filipino people." Last month, PLDT and subsidiary Smart said they are ramping up their capacities to meet the growing demand for Internet connectivity, with their chief honcho saying the group will prioritize 5G and the ad-
dition of more cable landing stations to increase capacity. Manuel V. Pangilinan, who chairs both companies, said the two firms are considered an “integrated network” that are able to “invest in international connectivity like nobody else can.” These, he explained, include investments in fiber submarine cables and 5G technology. Its backbone network currently has a capacity of 55 terabits per second, and with ongoing works, PLDT will be able to increase this by another 37 terabits per second. This increased capacity will help the telco group meet the demand for services such as 4G, 5G, and fiberto-the-home. President Duterte, during his State of the Nation Address this year, threatened the incumbent telcos of a government takeover should they fail to improve telecommunications services this month. Duterte did not provide a benchmark as to how much improvement he wants to see from the two incumbents.
Globe, Isoc edotco ink tower deal T
OWER company Isoc edotco Towers Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. have signed a contract to build roughly 100 towers in Southern Luzon, concretizing a memorandum of understanding they signed last year. Alan B. Fernandez, who heads the business development department of Isoc edotco, said over the phone: “The contract covers a little over 100 towers for Southern Luzon.” He noted one has already been built, and is now ready for the installation of radio equipment, while 11 others are “in the works.”
All 12 towers are in Cavite. “The telecommunications industry in the Philippines has great potential for advancement, and this milestone is just the beginning of our nation-building efforts towards meeting the country’s digital transformation aspirations. The successful deployment of this tower is proof of Isoc edotco’s capabilities as an independent tower company capable of serving local operators,” Isoc edotco Country Managing Director William Walters said. The towers being built will not be exclusive to Globe. Other telcos may
also install their radio equipment on the towers of Isoc edotco. “Globe’s partnership with tower companies like Isoc edotco will facilitate faster site builds needed to improve the network experience of our customers. The tower companies will significantly support our aggressive builds and expansion plans,” Globe CFO Rizza Maniego-Eala said. The government has decided to create an environment for shared telco infrastructure—similar to neighboring countries—to improve the tower density of the Philippines and provide better
telco services to Filipinos. “We are working closely with the government, the Department of Information and Communications Technology [DICT], regulators and mobile network operators to bridge connectivity gaps and shape a landscape that provides seamless connectivity. By creating a robust and future-ready telecommunications landscape that connects all parts of the nation, we will pave the way for reliable mobile connectivity and next-generation solutions for over 108 million Filipinos,” Walters said. Lorenz S. Marasigan
CPG to float Ayala’s manufacturing unit bets on digitization fixed-rate O peso bonds
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HE board of Century Properties Group Inc. (CPG) on Monday said its board of directors approved the company's float of P3 billion in unsecured fixed-rate peso retail bonds. The company said in its disclosure that it will file for a registration statement for the said bond float, P2 billion of which will be its principal amount and P1 billion will be its oversubscription option. CPG earlier reported that it recorded a net income of P1.1 billion in January to September, flat from last year, as its affordable horizontal development and leasing segments supported its operations despite the lockdown measures. The company's revenues, however, were still down for the period, reaching P8.23 billion, a 15-percent decline from last year's P9.79 billion. Ponciano S. Carreon Jr., the company's CFO and head for investor relations said that despite a dip in revenues, the company’s results for the period are at "better-than-expected levels," reflecting the well-timed mitigating measures that it had put in place to avert unfavorable business impacts given the present situation. “CPG is well-positioned to take on the business challenges in this new normal and navigate through this period while we plan for new launches and continue with our business expansion into our high-margin segments,” he said. The company's high-margin businesses posted combined contributions of 25 percent or P1.98 billion of its total revenues, 35 percent higher than P1.46 billion last year. Out of the company’s net income, both segments saw a spike in combined contributions to 66 percent at P723 million versus 38 percent in the same period last year. The higher contributions of Phirst Park, its unit for horizontal developments, and leasing further improved the company’s gross profit margin at 37 percent for the period of January to September, compared to 36 percent last year. VG Cabuag
PTIMISTIC about the country’s recovery in 2021, the Ayala Group believes the manufacturing sector can help accelerate this by investing more in digitization and pivoting toward changing global demands. Last Thursday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Board of Investments held its annual Manufacturing Summit, where senior leaders from the Ayala Group were invited to talk about the conglomerate’s innovations under the theme “Rebuilding Towards a Smarter and Resilient Manufacturing Sector.” “What this pandemic has brought upon to the world and specifically to the manufacturing industry is a reset button. So opportunities that were previously not available to our country, to participate into that global supply chain, are now available. But at the same time, challenges of the status quo that we were able to live with under the old regime has also transformed...,” said Arthur R. Tan, President and CEO of AC Industrials and CEO of Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. (IMI). “So how the Philippines will be able to play within that sphere of changes as it evolves, I think it is going to be very important for us to manage. Within the Ayala group, we have chosen to invest in the manufacturing and localization of selected technologies that are aligned with these macro and industry developments, such as in electric mobility, connectivity and IoT, and smart energy.” This year, AC Industrials, which holds Ayala’s industrial technologies businesses, created several relevant and impactful solutions to adapt to changing market needs that have arisen from the pandemic. IMI is accelerating its digital transformation to build resiliency against future disruptions. It is investing in data engineering and expanding its real-time analytics capability that could help provide more value to customers and reduce overall operating costs. As the world gradually shifts toward
AYALA Corp. Chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (leftmost) and AC Industrials President and CEO and IMI CEO Art Tan (second from left) observe a prototype of IMI’s UCL Ventura Flow Generator. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
cleaner, more sustainable living, AC Industrials has invested in manufacturing critical components from power modules and EV charging infrastructure to high-value specialty solar gridded cells and panels. It is also looking into the potential expansion of its motorcycle business into the electric space. AC Motors, meanwhile, is reimagining its retail model post-pandemic. It seeks to satisfy consumers’ automotive demand in the digital space through virtual showrooms, online sales platforms, and mobile after sales capabilities. Five years after partnering with Europe’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, the KTM joint venture factory in Laguna has manufactured over 20,000 motorcycles, exporting the majority of these to China. Domestically, 60-percent growth in Philippine KTM sales during the second half of 2020 due to the increased demand for personal transportation.
Pivoting to meet demands
IMI’s Laguna facility, which focused solely on electronics manufacturing prior to the pandemic, now produces up to 2 million face masks per month. The company also developed solar-powered hands-free sani-
tizing booths, which have been rolled out in various AC Industrials sites in the Philippines. IMI also heeded the call of government for the local production of critical medical equipment. In May, the company introduced the localized UCL Ventura Flow Generator, a noninvasive ventilatory support device designed to help Covid-19 patients avoid the need for intubated treatment. This FDA-approved device is the first breathing aid solution to be manufactured in the Philippines. “Establishing a solid, globally competitive manufacturing sector can diversify and strengthen the country’s economic base… This [pandemic] now opens a fleeting window for countries like ours to serve as alternative manufacturing locations, and consequently demonstrate the potential to host global firms who seek to build footholds in Asia…,” said Ayala Corp. Chairman and CEO Jaime Zobel de Ayala, who in his keynote address called this a “rare opportunity.” “As we collectively forge past the pandemic, both the public and private sectors thus have vital roles to play—not only in rebuilding the country’s manufacturing capacity but transforming it for greater global relevance.”
Cebu Pacific: Flexible booking options until end of March 2021
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S the Philippines’s leading carrier continues to keep its passengers in mind, Cebu Pacific (CEB) has once again extended its flexible options for passengers traveling until March 31, 2021. The airline said these options include Unlimited Rebooking and a Travel Fund valid for two years. “We will continue to monitor the operating environment and listen to the concerns of our passengers. We are encouraged by the reopening of domestic tourism and we will do our part in ensuring that our passengers travel with peace of mind,” said Candice Iyog, CEB VP for Marketing and Customer Experience. “We understand that it may take time before trust and confidence in air travel is restored, that is why we have decided to extend our flexible booking options until the first quarter of 2021.” Passengers traveling until March 31, 2021 may rebook their flights as many times as they want, or put the full cost of their ticket into a Travel Fund valid for 2 years, with rebooking and cancellation fees waived. A minimal fare difference may apply for rebooking of flights. The two-year Travel Fund may be used not only to book new flights, but also to purchase add-ons, such as baggage allowance, preferred seats, pre-ordered meals, hygiene kits, and travel insurance. Those with canceled flights will continue to have the following options: Travel Fund valid for two years; Unlimited rebooking—both rebooking fee and fare difference are waived if new travel date is within 90 days from the original departure date; or
Full refund. “Everyjuan may conveniently manage their bookings online and choose their preferred option through the Cebu Pacific website: bit. ly/CEBmanageflight. Log in using your Getgo account, if applicable, or enter the Booking Reference to access the booking online to easily make desired changes. Bookings can be modified up to 2 hours before the flight.” Passengers may also easily update their contact information, addresses and correct misspelled names, nationality, birthdays and salutation through the same portal. Those who booked their CEB flights via travel agencies must coordinate requests through their respective agents. “We will continue to improve our services in order to provide a seamless and hassle-free experience for everyJuan. We are accelerating our digitalization efforts in line with our safe and contactless processes under this new normal, so we all feel confident to travel again,” Iyog said. CEB has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its Covid-19 compliance as it continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, in accordance with global aviation standards. These include contactless procedures, thorough cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and facilities, mandatory wearing of masks and face shields for passengers and crew, as well as Antigen testing for CEB frontliners before duty. On top of these, CEB said its aircraft are also equipped with hospitalgrade HEPA filters with 99.99 percent efficacy, keeping viruses at bay.
Solon: Grant of new franchise to ABS-CBN hinges on reforms
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BS-CBN has to go through major reforms, including a change in the management and facilities, before they are given a new congressional franchise under the new leadership of the House of Representatives, a senior lawmaker said. Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta of SAGIP Marcoleta, the main proponent in blocking the renewal of franchise for ABS-CBN, said the network has to implement reform measures, including the appointment of new management. “It’s a long and circuitous process,” said Marcoleta as he disputed claims of Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza on the grant of a new franchise for ABSCBN television network under the leadership of House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco next year. According to the lawmaker, the TV network "has to address the various violations of securities and labor laws, and the constitutional provision mandating the 100 percent Filipino ownership of a media company."
Penalties
MEANWHILE, the Federation of International
Cable TV and Telecommunication Association of the Philippines (FICTAP) said ABS-CBN has to pay penalties amounting to P1.6 trillion for alleged violation of its franchise provisions. “Before a new franchise could be issued, a broadcast network should first pay whatever penalties that it is supposed to pay,” said FICTAP President Estrellita Tamano. She said cable operators are also required to pay penalties imposed by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) before permits are renewed. Earlier, Atienza said that the return of ABS-CBN on air is possible under the leadership of Velasco in 2021. “I am really confident justice will prevail by next year. They [ABS-CBN] were maltreated, they were maltreated, they were eventually assassinated, so they should be given justice. I am just giving the new Speaker time to settle. Hindi naman natin puwedeng biglain, major battle, kauupo lamang niya. But I am not shying away from the responsibility and for the opportunity to come—that I’m working on—para maibalik natin ‘yung floor discussion," he said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
B2
Companies BusinessMirror
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS
December 14, 2020
Net Foreign Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Stocks Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS
BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE VANTAGE
113.4 113.5 110.3 113.6 110.3 113.5 3,291,000 371,568,682 9,883,496 82 82.45 82.7 83.5 82 82 2,858,570 235,416,561.50 -75,350,566.50 25.75 25.85 25.75 25.85 25.65 25.85 171,200 4,409,185 -10,300 11.64 11.66 11.34 11.72 11.32 11.66 2,103,700 24,165,696 -3,273,524 50.95 51 51.5 51.7 50.75 51 10,306,500 527,315,529 -60,285,222 11.44 11.48 10 11.5 9.83 11.44 137,600 1,478,346 21 23.15 20.85 20.85 20.85 20.85 200 4,170 30.7 30.9 30.7 31.2 30.6 30.7 892,300 27,522,950 -21,017,125 53.25 53.85 53.8 53.8 53.2 53.2 420 22,584 97.05 103.9 104.6 104.6 95 95 1,460 139,104.50 19.3 19.36 19.2 19.38 19.18 19.34 72,500 1,396,660 -44,310 148 148.8 139 148.9 139 148.8 2,900,850 422,719,318 112,527,554 68.8 69 69 69 68 69 20,910 1,440,798.50 62,795 0.92 0.98 1 1 0.92 0.98 189,000 186,590 28.5 29 28.9 29 28.5 29 9,100 263,700 0.65 0.67 0.66 0.67 0.63 0.65 177,000 112,850 4.75 4.77 5 5.05 4.55 4.75 2,842,800 13,516,293 -47,900 6.9 7.49 7 7.05 7 7.05 800 5,610 1.3 1.32 1.3 1.31 1.3 1.3 100,000 130,100 0.345 0.355 0.345 0.345 0.345 0.345 290,000 100,050 800 820 800 800 800 800 350 280,000 280,000 0.77 0.78 0.65 0.78 0.65 0.77 4,007,000 2,900,110 -65,700 155 155.4 155.1 157 154.8 154.8 4,680 725,597 -671,114 2,000 2,030 2,044 2,044 2,044 2,044 5 10,220 1.04 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1,000 1,100 -
INDUSTRIAL
AC ENERGY ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG MERALCO MANILA WATER PETRON PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER VIVANT AGRINURTURE AXELUM CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE DNL INDUS EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP MG HLDG SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP ROXAS HLDG SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VICTORIAS CONCRETE A CONCRETE B CEMEX HLDG DAVINCI CAPITAL EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP HOLCIM MEGAWIDE PHINMA TKC METALS VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA EUROMED LMG CORP MABUHAY VINYL PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR IONICS PANASONIC SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG
6.2 6.23 6.33 6.39 6.15 6.2 25,692,100 160,420,352 -4,986,191 1.4 1.41 1.4 1.42 1.4 1.41 1,557,000 2,190,580 27.2 27.25 27.1 27.5 27.1 27.2 1,221,600 33,313,165 -12,954,090 0.405 0.41 0.305 0.425 0.3 0.405 546,440,000 201,800,700 4,353,550 28.1 28.2 28.1 28.35 28.05 28.2 853,000 24,057,410 -9,225,690 77.9 77.95 79 79.1 77.7 77.9 308,600 24,174,570 -19,888,389.50 287 288 294.6 295 287 287 537,370 155,600,994 -67,460,736 16.44 16.5 16.3 16.52 16.24 16.5 1,109,200 18,251,696 3,960,274 4.03 4.04 4.12 4.12 4.01 4.04 5,404,000 21,976,910 -3,729,850 3.58 3.59 3.52 3.58 3.52 3.58 125,000 444,880 -24,920 12.78 13.14 12.8 13.3 12.7 13.14 167,400 2,175,256 -159,720 22.45 22.55 22.8 22.85 22.1 22.45 1,376,900 30,896,585 -829,495 11.06 11.1 11.08 11.1 11 11.06 962,800 10,634,254 33,060 14 14.16 14 14 14 14 7,800 109,200 106,400 8.4 8.5 8.32 8.5 8.25 8.5 1,672,300 13,908,424 1,094,511.00 3.76 3.79 3.85 3.87 3.7 3.79 2,151,000 8,098,020 19,280 15.66 15.68 15.1 15.72 15.1 15.66 24,600 377,924 17.66 17.7 17.66 18 17.66 17.7 2,397,800 42,663,218 -37,307,224 7.95 7.98 7.06 8.5 7.06 7.95 1,653,100 12,879,593 984,849 7.56 7.57 7.65 7.65 7.52 7.56 1,258,400 9,563,260 -892,998 10.02 10.06 10.06 10.1 10 10.06 5,836,100 58,503,140 802,772.00 71 71.2 69.6 71.6 69.6 71 266,310 18,891,975.50 -760,310 0.73 0.74 0.7 0.75 0.7 0.74 11,144,000 8,078,420 -55,500 1.66 1.68 1.67 1.7 1.65 1.68 22,438,000 37,414,450 -26,030 50.55 50.95 51 52 50.5 50.95 28,590 1,453,537.50 -272,316 207 207.4 206.8 208 206 207 603,610 125,048,608 -50,589,924 50 51.65 50.2 51 49 50 155,090 7,731,265 7,500 8.78 8.8 8.27 8.78 8.27 8.78 3,700 31,961 20,092 8.14 8.15 8.19 8.2 8.05 8.15 685,600 5,579,719 712,191 0.237 0.238 0.22 0.255 0.219 0.238 64,750,000 15,468,190 -99,550 8.45 8.5 8.5 8.59 8.45 8.45 66,100 561,597 1.4 1.41 1.35 1.44 1.33 1.41 17,656,000 24,586,180 991,610 4.64 4.7 4.7 4.79 4.7 4.7 134,000 629,890 -42,210 1.79 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 186,000 339,120 0.12 0.125 0.123 0.125 0.117 0.124 2,860,000 349,580 -8,680 155.7 157 150.3 157 150.2 157 1,369,110 212,393,995 124,969,309 1.04 1.05 1.04 1.06 1.03 1.04 4,349,000 4,534,260 -45,760 2.48 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 5,000 12,500 53.3 54.5 55 55 53 53.3 2,610 140,107.50 55 57.6 54.5 57.8 54.5 57.65 160 8,872.50 1.69 1.7 1.7 1.73 1.69 1.69 9,175,000 15,654,610 -953,010 5.1 5.14 5.06 5.14 5 5.13 140,000 712,658 14.82 15.02 14.92 15.02 14.82 15.02 134,100 2,005,750 7,232 7.71 7.75 7.85 7.85 7.6 7.75 864,800 6,630,824 -61,964 7.74 7.75 7.47 7.75 7.35 7.75 4,441,600 33,909,019 -1,405,563 9.24 9.25 9.4 9.48 9.25 9.25 9,382,600 87,685,718 -14,941,390 8.51 9.4 9.4 9.4 9.2 9.4 48,600 451,300 0.93 0.94 0.95 0.97 0.88 0.94 1,181,000 1,082,620 1.28 1.3 1.32 1.32 1.25 1.28 7,206,000 9,193,440 152,200 1.84 1.87 1.87 1.88 1.84 1.84 385,000 713,530 29,640 2.64 2.65 2.72 2.72 2.62 2.65 1,981,000 5,254,520 41,310 4.59 4.68 4.59 4.6 4.59 4.59 7,000 32,140 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 2,000 9,400 5.32 5.35 5.4 5.45 5.35 5.35 154,800 835,818 -497,340 22.7 22.75 22.9 23 22.7 22.75 133,200 3,031,325 -2,405,435 2.6 2.62 2.66 2.69 2.6 2.62 6,498,000 17,080,750 -140,570 7.05 7.1 7.12 7.24 7.03 7.1 1,444,800 10,248,903 144,674 1.13 1.15 1.11 1.15 1.1 1.15 1,093,000 1,234,300 5.3 5.31 5.2 5.3 5.2 5.3 30,100 157,530 1.54 1.55 1.61 1.61 1.54 1.55 3,679,000 5,720,850 113,520 7.3 7.31 7.12 7.35 7.08 7.3 4,975,500 36,002,880 948,320
HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 0.7 0.71 0.72 0.74 0.7 0.7 66,596,000 47,690,590 -311,800 ASIABEST GROUP 8.45 8.65 8.6 8.65 8.35 8.65 55,900 474,675 844 845 840 849 840 844 254,730 215,129,005 -81,915,775 AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY 47.4 47.5 46.95 47.6 46.85 47.4 1,017,500 48,159,845 19,400,040 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 10.64 10.68 10.48 10.68 10.4 10.64 4,606,200 48,878,284 17,807,722 3.16 3.17 3.13 3.17 3.13 3.17 5,175,000 16,290,200 248,840 AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR 6.52 6.78 6.8 6.8 6.5 6.52 42,300 278,132 73,940 0.76 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.76 0.77 556,000 423,980 ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A 0.98 0.99 0.95 0.99 0.95 0.98 13,438,000 13,019,900 ATN HLDG B 0.94 0.99 0.93 0.99 0.93 0.99 442,000 432,790 -102,960 5.73 5.74 5.73 5.82 5.64 5.73 4,401,000 25,276,761 -12,797,856 COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG 6.12 6.15 6.11 6.2 6.1 6.12 6,743,000 41,443,513 7,404,616 FILINVEST DEV 9.97 10.1 9.6 10.1 9.6 10.1 126,800 1,258,424 -327,330 0.21 0.217 0.209 0.217 0.208 0.215 120,000 25,370 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL 644 644.5 650 650 642.5 644 373,400 240,960,295 -51,055,775 4.36 4.48 4.46 4.63 4.31 4.48 89,000 399,890 HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT 70.3 70.65 69 70.7 69 70.65 1,345,630 94,760,820.50 -20,614,444.50 JOLLIVILLE HLDG 5 5.15 5.05 5.15 5 5 29,600 149,315 4.96 5.2 4.6 5.04 4.6 5.04 2,800 13,672 KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR 0.82 0.84 0.84 0.84 0.82 0.83 128,000 106,350 LOPEZ HLDG 3.72 3.73 3.74 3.74 3.72 3.73 3,902,000 14,545,680 -1,811,180 13.98 14 13.5 14.08 13.5 14 3,883,800 54,009,830 -14,270,402 LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG 0.52 0.53 0.53 0.53 0.52 0.53 299,000 157,450 4.4 4.43 4.42 4.45 4.38 4.4 27,331,000 120,592,080 -22,737,030 METRO PAC INV 3.58 3.6 3.78 3.8 3.6 3.6 772,000 2,838,180 79,200 PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA 0.88 0.91 0.91 0.91 0.87 0.9 201,000 178,820 1,760 2.95 3 2.95 3 152,000 455,750 -204,000 REPUBLIC GLASS 2.95 3 1.2 1.21 1.17 1.2 1.16 1.2 367,000 431,520 176,160.00 SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID 253.6 261.8 265 265 250 253.6 1,680 426,252 1,060 1,065 1,068 1,085 1,040 1,065 108,300 115,359,715 8,020 SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP 139.2 139.3 138 139.2 138 139.2 147,520 20,473,535 -630,886 SOC RESOURCES 0.8 0.82 0.8 0.84 0.75 0.82 1,264,000 995,510 -57,400 145.2 147.2 149.9 149.9 145.2 145.2 8,060 1,172,780 -964,818.00 TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS 0.233 0.238 0.23 0.24 0.23 0.238 730,000 170,370 0.193 0.194 0.196 0.214 0.193 0.193 28,710,000 5,778,060 695,63000 ZEUS HLDG PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.7 0.71 0.71 0.72 0.7 0.7 974,000 685,010 ARTHALAND CORP 0.7 0.71 0.7 0.73 0.69 0.71 2,503,000 1,785,550 41.3 41.5 41.05 42.1 40.6 41.5 9,649,800 400,561,615 -14,078,295 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.31 1.34 1.35 1.35 1.31 1.31 196,000 259,890 AREIT RT 29 29.1 29 29.2 28.95 29 966,500 28,110,505 2,393,595 1.71 1.74 1.65 1.74 1.65 1.74 1,581,000 2,652,700 -1,046,740 BELLE CORP A BROWN 0.89 0.9 0.89 0.9 0.87 0.89 3,470,000 3,074,950 -57,350 0.82 0.84 0.82 0.84 0.82 0.84 296,000 246,730 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.169 0.17 0.159 0.169 0.159 0.169 49,030,000 8,025,360 CEBU HLDG 6 6.18 6.19 6.19 6 6.18 22,200 133,237 CEB LANDMASTERS 5.02 5.05 5.04 5.05 5.01 5.05 1,584,300 7,959,774 51,796.00 CENTURY PROP 0.47 0.475 0.475 0.485 0.47 0.475 13,150,000 6,257,300 37,000 CYBER BAY 0.36 0.365 0.365 0.365 0.35 0.365 7,970,000 2,852,450 -36,000 15.22 15.24 15 15.4 15 15.24 3,349,200 51,112,826 -14,837,248 DOUBLEDRAGON DM WENCESLAO 7.7 7.74 7.74 7.8 7.52 7.7 654,600 5,017,912 512,362 0.335 0.34 0.35 0.355 0.335 0.34 10,460,000 3,565,800 17,250 EMPIRE EAST 0.095 0.096 0.098 0.098 0.092 0.095 7,530,000 716,920 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND 1.17 1.18 1.17 1.19 1.16 1.17 11,483,000 13,479,970 -6,560 0.98 0.99 0.98 1 0.97 0.98 492,000 482,230 GLOBAL ESTATE 8990 HLDG 8.84 8.87 8.69 8.84 8.69 8.84 59,900 525,346 PHIL INFRADEV 1.64 1.65 1.66 1.67 1.62 1.64 3,138,000 5,162,450 36,830 2.97 3.33 3.36 3.36 3.35 3.35 3,000 10,070 KEPPEL PROP CITY AND LAND 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.78 372,000 287,370 4.11 4.12 4.02 4.15 4.02 4.12 56,790,000 233,513,750 -82,134,340.00 MEGAWORLD 1.57 1.59 1.54 1.7 1.52 1.57 4,714,000 7,584,180 31,400 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND 21.5 21.85 20.5 21.85 20.05 21.85 6,853,000 145,105,590 -31,337,500 0.31 0.315 0.3 0.32 0.295 0.315 2,940,000 911,650 -100 PHIL REALTY 1.67 1.68 1.75 1.75 1.67 1.68 955,000 1,608,790 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.68 2.69 2.7 2.71 2.68 2.69 933,000 2,507,570 2.17 2.19 2.18 2.24 2.15 2.19 1,512,000 3,283,920 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 38.05 38.4 39 39.5 38.05 38.05 17,303,800 667,147,000 -242,054,370 VISTAMALLS 4.67 4.69 4.67 4.7 4.65 4.69 88,000 412,220 1.78 1.8 1.81 1.87 1.72 1.8 9,235,000 16,570,180 9,450 SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND 5.28 5.29 5.12 5.29 5.12 5.29 6,969,500 36,562,395 8,787,392 SERVICES ABS CBN 12.1 12.16 12.1 12.2 12.02 12.1 402,400 4,872,712 GMA NETWORK 5.99 6 6.02 6.02 5.9 6 1,503,700 8,946,000 0.45 0.46 0.45 0.46 0.435 0.46 450,000 204,650 MANILA BULLETIN MLA BRDCASTING 11.6 12.18 11.62 12 11.6 12 11,500 134,458 GLOBE TELECOM 2,038 2,040 2,040 2,050 2,030 2,038 38,195 77,857,920 -56,627,890 1,349 1,350 1,350 1,359 1,343 1,350 125,305 169,356,580 9,157,660 PLDT APOLLO GLOBAL 0.072 0.073 0.074 0.078 0.072 0.073 486,470,000 36,208,880 -5,296,890 15.7 15.72 15.7 15.88 15.66 15.7 1,827,500 28,732,464 -1,477,444 CONVERGE 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.98 5.5 5.6 1,541,300 8,620,115 270,450 DFNN INC DITO CME HLDG 7.73 7.74 7.55 7.83 7.55 7.74 42,637,800 329,116,703 11,371,255 1.41 1.46 1.4 1.46 1.4 1.46 26,000 36,540 IMPERIAL ISLAND INFO 0.121 0.125 0.128 0.128 0.123 0.125 6,250,000 785,580 32,000 JACKSTONES 2.15 2.18 2.08 2.18 1.95 2.18 548,000 1,152,230 4.72 4.73 4.8 4.87 4.68 4.72 8,526,000 40,463,620 4,640 NOW CORP TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.37 0.375 0.31 0.375 0.31 0.37 108,210,000 37,207,750 -1,132,550 3.19 3.2 3.17 3.25 3.08 3.19 2,952,000 9,318,510 -61,200 PHILWEB 9 9.01 9.1 9.1 9 9.01 247,300 2,233,145 -601,634 2GO GROUP ASIAN TERMINALS 15.5 15.6 15.4 15.6 15.4 15.6 102,600 1,600,080 -781,560 5.45 5.46 5.46 5.56 5.44 5.45 3,078,500 16,891,639 1,364,429 CHELSEA CEBU AIR 50.45 50.5 50 51 49.6 50.5 876,100 44,054,515.50 -3,580,007 INTL CONTAINER 124.6 125 124.4 126.5 124 125 1,591,700 199,498,447 -72,089,735 16 16.2 16.46 16.46 15.82 16 7,400 118,768 LBC EXPRESS LORENZO SHIPPNG 1 1.02 1.03 1.03 0.96 1.03 59,000 58,350 7.97 7.98 7.92 8.15 7.92 7.98 5,754,600 46,243,007 -7,995,633 MACROASIA 2.15 2.17 2.17 2.21 2.13 2.15 1,132,000 2,448,060 METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B 2.01 2.22 2.15 2.15 2.15 2.15 2,000 4,300 7.1 7.2 7.2 7.21 7.2 7.2 55,100 396,785 92,160 PAL HLDG 1.63 1.64 1.68 1.68 1.62 1.63 4,217,000 6,908,860 34,310 HARBOR STAR ACESITE HOTEL 1.38 1.48 1.48 1.48 1.33 1.48 33,000 48,270 0.043 0.044 0.043 0.045 0.041 0.044 249,200,000 10,730,200 77,500 BOULEVARD HLDG DISCOVERY WORLD 2.11 2.15 2.05 2.11 2.05 2.11 821,000 1,689,140 WATERFRONT 0.64 0.65 0.66 0.67 0.64 0.65 15,155,000 9,937,180 -23,100 574 639 650 650 558 558 390 220,380 FAR EASTERN U STI HLDG 0.445 0.45 0.46 0.465 0.44 0.45 17,510,000 7,928,700 544,000 5.16 5.18 4.92 5.18 4.84 5.17 1,044,000 5,294,020 25,900 BERJAYA 8.71 8.72 8.58 8.75 8.58 8.71 4,743,400 41,231,072 -28,078,114 BLOOMBERRY PACIFIC ONLINE 2.15 2.16 2.14 2.15 2.09 2.15 75,000 158,510 1.96 1.98 1.91 1.97 1.91 1.97 498,000 968,250 84,040 LEISURE AND RES MANILA JOCKEY 2.38 2.45 2.37 2.45 2.37 2.45 8,000 19,280 PH RESORTS GRP 3.22 3.23 3.17 3.25 3.11 3.23 21,599,000 69,031,090 -3,694,670 805,500 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.425 0.43 0.42 0.43 0.42 0.425 14,200,000 6,029,800 ALLHOME 8.75 8.8 8.7 8.9 8.7 8.75 3,298,300 28,895,666 3,458,754 1.7 1.72 1.64 1.72 1.64 1.72 11,047,000 18,696,510 -5,096,960 METRO RETAIL 41.95 42 42 42.4 41.9 41.95 3,131,800 131,593,980 -87,208,980 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 66.95 67.45 68 68.45 66.95 66.95 444,290 29,974,431.50 -10,484,455.50 119.9 120 115 122 115 119.9 21,130 2,515,843 654,207 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 1.72 1.73 1.7 1.75 1.69 1.73 15,004,000 25,910,560 -8,062,590 WILCON DEPOT 17.1 17.18 17.7 17.7 17.1 17.1 1,123,900 19,443,332 -9,489,922 0.45 0.455 0.42 0.455 0.42 0.45 16,040,000 7,102,750 -173,550 APC GROUP EASYCALL 8.18 8.24 8.24 8.26 8.1 8.18 191,500 1,572,447 82,200 449.8 450 450 450 439.6 450 650 291,606 GOLDEN BRIA PRMIERE HORIZON 1.04 1.05 1.05 1.11 1.02 1.05 326,180,000 346,802,870 984,320 SBS PHIL CORP 5.9 5.97 5.7 5.9 5.7 5.9 43,000 248,747 MINING & OIL ATOK 9.98 10 10.2 10.88 9.95 10 932,700 9,616,097 -27,940 1.74 1.75 1.79 1.8 1.72 1.75 13,507,000 23,723,310 35,010 APEX MINING ABRA MINING 0.0025 0.0026 0.0025 0.0028 0.0023 0.0025 41,675,000,000 106,694,700 -1,032,300 ATLAS MINING 6.69 6.7 6.61 6.73 6.61 6.7 193,700 1,295,915 73,770 3.04 3.13 3.14 3.14 3.04 3.13 139,000 426,470 BENGUET A BENGUET B 3.01 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 10,000 31,000 0.31 0.315 0.33 0.33 0.305 0.31 3,530,000 1,133,000 COAL ASIA HLDG CENTURY PEAK 2.56 2.57 2.5 2.56 2.42 2.56 995,000 2,496,420 515,630 DIZON MINES 8.3 8.4 8.51 8.51 8.32 8.4 20,700 173,721 -51,240 2.65 2.66 2.68 2.77 2.64 2.66 15,873,000 43,236,970 3,301,120 FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE 0.285 0.3 0.29 0.3 0.27 0.295 6,910,000 2,026,350 LEPANTO A 0.155 0.156 0.157 0.157 0.153 0.156 22,670,000 3,526,680 0.153 0.157 0.156 0.158 0.156 0.157 1,060,000 165,810 LEPANTO B MANILA MINING A 0.01 0.011 0.0098 0.011 0.0098 0.011 57,100,000 584,700 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 6,600,000 68,600 MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES 1.46 1.48 1.31 1.49 1.31 1.48 12,490,000 17,764,370 -32,520 NIHAO 3.15 3.16 3.13 3.21 3.1 3.16 1,093,000 3,456,900 -25,700 5.26 5.27 5.19 5.33 5.17 5.26 13,940,600 73,246,701 7,130,268 NICKEL ASIA OMICO CORP 0.38 0.385 0.375 0.385 0.365 0.38 760,000 283,450 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.79 0.8 0.81 0.81 0.79 0.79 2,206,000 1,773,220 16,100 4.92 4.93 4.89 4.97 4.88 4.92 2,364,000 11,647,570 1,521,820 PX MINING SEMIRARA MINING 13.74 13.76 13.84 13.92 13.7 13.76 4,049,200 55,734,132 14,898,478 0.0063 0.0064 0.0063 0.0063 0.006 0.0063 85,000,000 524,600 -25,200 UNITED PARAGON 11.48 11.5 11.12 11.5 11.02 11.5 243,000 2,760,332 ACE ENEXOR ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.01 0.012 317,400,000 3,541,300 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 1,069,000,000 11,767,600 ORNTL PETROL B PHILODRILL 0.0097 0.0098 0.0095 0.0099 0.0095 0.0097 25,000,000 243,100 PXP ENERGY 13 13.08 13.16 13.16 12.74 13.08 1,433,500 18,499,266 -1,352,230 PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 100.1 101 100.1 100.1 100.1 100.1 1,260 126,126 AC PREF B1 513 515 515 515 515 515 450 231,750 501.5 509 501.5 509 501.5 509 1,010 506,590 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A 102 102.2 102 102 102 102 8,800 897,600 DD PREF 101 102.5 100.4 100.7 100.4 100.7 30 3,018 110 113 113 113 113 113 30 3,390 FGEN PREF G GLO PREF P 506 515 506 508 506 506 600 304,580 -299,520 1,029 1,030 1,029 1,029 1,029 1,029 100 102,900 GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF 100.9 101.5 100.9 101.6 100.9 101.6 310 31,489 MWIDE PREF 2A 99.8 99.9 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 1,300 129,740 99.05 99.9 99.95 99.95 99 99.9 3,260 323,749 51,748 MWIDE PREF 2B PNX PREF 3B 103.1 104.6 104 104 104 104 220 22,880 PNX PREF 4 1,000 1,003 1,004 1,004 1,000 1,000 190 190,040 1,005 1,029 1,005 1,029 1,005 1,029 15 15,195 PCOR PREF 2B PCOR PREF 3A 1,069 1,071 1,070 1,070 1,060 1,060 5,000 5,329,580 1,095 1,115 1,110 1,110 1,110 1,110 290 321,900 PCOR PREF 3B SFI PREF 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 52,000 93,600 SMC PREF 2C 79 79.4 78.8 79 78.8 79 16,240 1,282,939 75.9 77.25 77 77 77 77 6,910 532,070 SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F 78.5 78.95 78.8 78.8 78.5 78.5 6,400 502,406 -502,406 SMC PREF 2G 76.3 76.7 76.7 76.7 76.7 76.7 370 28,379 75.6 76 75.3 75.6 75.3 75.6 3,050 230,120 SMC PREF 2J SMC PREF 2K 75.1 75.5 75.95 75.95 75.1 75.1 9,790 736,292 -290,136 PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 12.04 12.48 12.02 12.02 12.02 12.02 2,200 26,444 GMA HLDG PDR 5.7 5.8 5.68 5.7 5.68 5.7 4,500 25,620 -10,244 WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.08 1.09 1.02 1.09 1 1.08 1,008,000 1,065,620 40,800 SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 15.12 15.14 15.16 15.36 15.04 15.12 253,000 3,852,668 85,552 ITALPINAS 3.01 3.02 3.06 3.06 2.95 3.01 3,099,000 9,332,230 -61,320 6.44 6.5 6.6 6.75 6.43 6.44 167,900 1,101,274 KEPWEALTH MERRYMART 5.98 5.99 6 6.09 5.96 5.99 14,717,800 88,641,665 -2,271,468 EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF 109.8 110 109.2 110 108.7 109.8 18,280 2,004,707 47,202
www.businessmirror.com.ph
SEC wins lawsuit against real estate investment scammers
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By VG Cabuag
@villygc
HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday said it won a case it filed more than a decade ago against the officers of RJF Construction and Development Corp., which operated an investment scam involving a property development in San Miguel, Tarlac. In a decision dated November 27, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 90 found guilty RJF officers Rolando R. Pascua Jr., Celia Pascua and Mary Jane P. Recto for violations of the Securities Regulation Code. RJF claimed to be a land developer accredited with the Home Development Mutual Fund or PAG-IBIG Fund. It took in investments from individuals, enticing them with a guaranteed monthly interest rate of 5 percent or 60 percent per year. The investors were allegedly given post-dated checks as proof of their investments, as well as other documents, such as original copies
of land titles that serve as security for the loans. RJF issued a total of 16 promissory notes, supported by multiple post-dated checks, to the 22 investors. The company claimed that the money raised will be used to finance its PAG-IBIG housing project worth about P2.5 billion, or 1,016 housing units for about P200,000 each. The checks eventually bounced, but RJF said it was affected by the slowdown of fund releases from PAGIBIG, which at that time faced its own scam involving dummy borrowers. As a result, affidavits were filed on September 14, 2009 by 22 inves-
tors with the SEC’s then Enforcement and Prosecution Department, now the Enforcement and Investor Protection Department. RJF initially was able to give the promised returns to investors, but it eventually failed to pay them the guaranteed interest and principal, prompting investors to seek relief from the commission. The company explained that the said money were mere loans from the individuals and not selling of securities. The court, however, ruled that the post-dated checks issued by RJF assumed the character of “evidences of indebtedness,” which are among the securities mentioned at the Securities Regulation Code (SRC). Section 3 of the SRC defines securities as “shares, participation or interests in a corporation or in a commercial enterprise or profit-making venture and evidenced by a certificate, contract, instrument, whether writer or electronic in character.” Meanwhile, Section 8 of the SRC provides that securities shall not be sold or offered for sale or distribution in the Philippines without a registration statement duly filed with and approved by the commission. “In the instant case, the checks were issued by RJF in lieu of the se-
curities enumerated under the [SRC] in an attempt, to take the case out of the purview of the law, which requires prior license to sell or deal in securities and registration thereof. The arrangement was designed to circumvent the law,” according to the decision. The court also noted that the RJF is not a registered issuer of securities based on SEC records, and is therefore not licensed to offer or issue securities to the public. “It is one thing for a corporation to issue checks to satisfy isolated individual obligations, and another for a corporation to execute an elaborate scheme where it would comport itself to the public as a pseudo-investment house and issue postdated checks instead of stocks or securities to evidence the investments of its clients,” the lower court said. “Accused adopted this system in an attempt to circumvent the Revised Securities Act, which requires a prior license to sell or deal in securities.” “Winning cases against perpetrators of fraudulent investment schemes affirm the commission’s commitment to holding them accountable for their actions against our fellow Filipinos,” SEC Chairman Emilio B. Aquino said.
ICTSI share sale yields ₧4.7 billion
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NTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) has raised P4.7 billion in fresh capital from the sale of 40 million common shares from its treasury. In a statement, ICTSI SVP and CFO Rafael D. Consing Jr. said the share sale initiative was “well received and oversubscribed by high quality foreign and local institutional investors.” It was the first equity follow-on offering of the company since 2013. “This opportunistic reissuance of our treasury shares culminates the execution of the capital management strategy that we conveyed to investors in early April,” he said. ICTSI sold 40 million treasury shares at P117 apiece on November 25. This represents a 3.9-percent discount to the closing price on the same day. “With $800 million raised in senior debt, hybrid equity, and common shares from both existing and new stakeholders, ICTSI enters 2021 focused on a 5-year horizon through the same lens of achieving growth organically and through value-accretive acquisitions,” he said.
Proceeds of the initiative will be used to bankroll the company’s capital expenditures, including acquisitions and general corporate requirements. ICTSI booked $182.6 million in net income attributable to equity holders in January to September, almost flat from the $184.9 million it booked the year prior. The company’s revenue from port operations stood at $1.1 billion, also flat from the year prior, as it handled 7.59 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in cargo volume in the said period. It also maintained lower cash operating expenses during the period, when it spent $331.6 million for its global port operations, representing a 3-percent decline from the year prior. As of end-September, the company has spent P128.6 million in capital expenditures to continue to expansion of its key ports in Manila, Mexico, Ecuador, Iraq, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. For the year, it plans to spend a total of $160 million in capital outlays to complete its ongoing expansion initiatives. Lorenz S. Marasigan
Arroyo to CIAC: Focus on logistics, service industries
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LARK Freeport—Former President and newly-appointed Presidential Adviser on Clark Flagship Projects Gloria Macapagal Arroyo recently advised the Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) to shift from a mere real estate developer to being the most competitive service and logistics center in the Southeast Asian region. “When you do a masterplan, maybe you can think of how that service and logistics center vision can be promoted operationally. It is an exciting challenge because there’s something that you’re going to do to make the Clark airport area really different from the rest of the country,” Arroyo told CIAC President Aaron Aquino during an executive briefing at Clark held late last week. The former president urged the agency to start working on plans to further develop the government-owned prime land surrounding the Clark International Airport as service centers of airlines, for logistics and warehouses, and transport hubs.
“We are honored by the specific paradigm shift advice by Madame PGMA as it is consistent with our mandate to develop and attain a world-class civil aviation complex inside Clark,” Aquino said. CIAC is committed to develop a niche for service industries and logistics centers as advised by former President Arroyo, he added. Last June, President Duterte appointed Aquino to head CIAC, several months after the Clark airport’s operations and maintenance were privatized. The CIAC chief’s first directive was to immediately tap around 277 hectares of underutilized land at the Clark civil aviation complex for commercial use in the next two to three years. “CIAC shares the same direction envisioned by both President Duterte and President Arroyo, to forge several strategic partnerships for landside business development projects that will readily create revenue sources for the national government,” he added.
MUTUAL FUNDS
December 14, 2020
NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 230.54 -7.55% -7.04% -0.83% -8.46% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.3257 -5.1% -5.92% 2.78% -4.07% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 3.1929 -12.61% -10.78% -2.32% -13.19% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.82 -7.88% -6.78% N.A. -8.69% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.7657 -8.94% N.A. N.A. -9.84% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.0286 -4.83% -5.2% -0.56% -5.62% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,4 0.7743 -8.51% -7.58% N.A. -9.29% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 100.42 -4.71% N.A. N.A. -2.71% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 47.562 -6.43% -4.77% 0.99% -7.25% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 496.02 -6.12% -4.86% 0.17% -6.9% PHILEQUITY ALPHA ONE FUND, INC. -A,D,5 1.1059 10.68% N.A. N.A. 7.36% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.1812 -7.49% -5.03% 0.58% -8.21% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 35.1255 -6.56% -4.55% 1.3% -7.31% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A 0.9257 -8.31% N.A. N.A. -9.08% PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 4.8641 -6.05% -4.26% 1.68% -6.88% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 813.53 -5.8% -4.15% 1.61% -6.7% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.7362 -13.18% -8.06% -2.47% -13.53% -6.43% -0.21% -12.69% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 3.6749 -11.71% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 0.9313 -6.07% -4.48% 1.45% -6.94% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.3778 -6.5% -3.84% 2.02% -7.54% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C 109.1589 -5.75% -3.91% 2.37% -6.67% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $1.1959 20.62% 3.34% 6.39% 16.29% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.6322 21.44% 9.31% N.A. 18.39% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.6747 7.86% -2.97% -0.26% 7.16% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.2994 5.55% -1.75% 1.8% 5.42% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6576 1.65% -0.96% -0.11% 0.99% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN F.O.C.C.U.S. DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A,1 0.2008 -12.08% N.A. N.A. -12.12% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9797 1.28% 0.33% 2.37% 0.92% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.8152 1.4% -0.34% 1.76% 0.69% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 17.059 1.27% -0.47% 1.68% 0.58% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.1074 -0.07% -1.66% 1.35% -0.69% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.6017 -5.9% -2.98% 0.42% -6.78% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D 1.0288 2.09% N.A. N.A. 1.29% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D 0.9621 -2.55% N.A. N.A. -3.44% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D 0.9466 -3.82% N.A. N.A. -4.69% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.898 -6.85% -3.63% -0.31% -7.88% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES 1.99% COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.039 2.59% 1.94% 2.09% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -B $1.1382 13.28% 3.14% 5.35% 12.47% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $4.4217 15.06% 6.91% 7.29% 13.07% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A,3 $1.1883 6.38% 3.27% N.A. 5.28% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 370.23 3.71% 3.21% 2.79% 3.43% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A 1.8983 -0.05% 0.18% 0.15% -0.19% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.2112 3.3% 4.54% 4.84% 2.99% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.2927 3.34% 2.9% 2.39% 3.12% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.4505 4.2% 3.44% 2.12% 3.87% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.6273 6.29% 4.56% 3.12% 5.82% PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A,6 1.3184 5.19% 4.44% 2.61% 4.91% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.9848 6.06% 4.54% 2.92% 5.19% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 1.0378 8.3% 4.06% 2.58% 7.62% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.1947 4.46% 4.73% 3.6% 3.87% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.7484 3.41% 4.06% 2.93% 2.78% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $482.97 3.26% 2.73% 2.94% 3.12% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є218.96 -0.4% 0.75% 1.19% -0.38% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.2705 5.44% 3.86% 3.01% 5.24% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0265 2.71% 1.96% 1.75% 2.71% PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -B -0.47% 0.41% 0.61% -0.36% $1.0897 PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.5245 5.06% 3.95% 3.63% 5.03% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.06227 3.24% 2.75% 2.34% 3.27% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $3.1944 0.46% 1.99% 2.39% 0.6% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 129.69 3.26% 3.34% 2.57% 3.07% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.0474 1.66% N.A. N.A. 2.06% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2954 2.59% 2.98% 2.62% 2.4% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0519 1.5% 1.74% N.A. 1.31% FEEDER FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD EQUITY INDEX FEEDER FUND, INC. -A,D,7 1.1101 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM GLOBAL MULTI-ASSET INCOME FUND INC. -B,D,2 $0.98 -1.01% N.A. N.A. -1.01% A - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY. B - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO. C - LISTED IN THE PSE. D - IN NET ASSET VALUE PER UNIT (NAVPU). 1 - LAUNCH DATE IS SEPTEMBER 28, 2019. 2 - LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER 15, 2019. 3 - ADJUSTED DUE TO STOCK DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST OCTOBER 9, 2019. 4 - RENAMING WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST OCTOBER 12, 2018 (FORMERLY, ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.). 5 - LAUNCH DATE IS DECEMBER 09, 2019. 6 - RE-CLASSIFIED INTO A BOND FUND STARTING FEBRUARY 21, 2020 (FORMERLY A MONEY MARKET FUND). 7 - LAUNCH DATE IS JULY 6, 2020. "While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."
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Banking&Finance BusinessMirror
Tenders for T-bills hit nearly quadruple of ₧20B offered By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM
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he Bureau of the Treasury fully awarded P20 billion in Treasury Bills (T-bills) as rates went sideways on the back of market expectations that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas would keep policy rates unchanged. The tenors attracted total tenders of P76 billion, nearly four-times the P20-billion offering. National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon told reporters after the auction that liquidity is “bountiful with more than adequate bid cover across tenors.” “Minimal movement in rates as market sees MB [Monetary Board] on a ‘stay’ mood [at the] Thursday policy meeting,” De Leon said. The next policy meeting comes nearly a month after BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno announced a surprise 25-basis-point cut in its main policy rate, pushing the country’s overnight reverse repurchase facility to its lowest at 2 percent. The interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were, likewise, reduced to 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively. The last rate cut has put BSP’s total cuts to 200 basis points for the entire year. On Monday, the 91-day T-bills fetched an average rate of 1.022 percent, higher by 0.7 basis points from 1.015 percent previously. Bids for the tenor amounted to P16.218 billion, more than thrice the P5-billion offer. The 182-day T-bills’ average rate inched up to 1.4 percent from 1.399 percent in the previous auction. It attracted a total of P14.84 billion, nearly thrice the P5-billion offer. Lastly, the 364-day tenor settled at an average rate of 1.686 percent,
a 0.9-basis-point drop from 1.695 percent in the previous auction. Total bids for the security reached P44.943 billion, four times the P10billion offer. For this month, the Treasury aims to borrow P120 billion from the local debt market. Gross borrowings of the national government from January to October this year had already reached P3.22 trillion, breaching the P3 trillion borrowing program set by the national government this year. Government said it needs cash to finance its spending requirements and the budget deficit after lockdown measures pushed the economy into a recession. But since the government expects an increase in revenue collections and disbursements, the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee earlier this month announced that it has narrowed down its projection for this year’s budget deficit from 9.6 percent of gross domestic product to 7.6 percent of GDP this year. The country’s outstanding debt as of end-October has already amounted to P10.028 trillion, which is just over P100-billion shy of the P10.16 trillion outstanding debt level that economic managers had earlier projected for this year. The DBCC also earlier projected the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio this year to increase to 53.91 percent of GDP—a level it hasn’t seen in over a decade—from a record low of 39.6 percent of GDP last year. For next year, the government has also programmed to borrow another P3 trillion. Economic managers are also expecting outstanding debt to further swell to P11.98 trillion and the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio to rise to 58.28 percent.
Finances amid the Pandemic
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UST like many other countries, the Philippines has been hit hard by Covid-19. Aside from being a health pandemic, it has also proven to be an economic pandemic. Gross domestic product has fallen. Many businesses have either permanently or temporarily ceased operations. Unemployment levels have risen. Many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have returned home. Given all of these, it would be interesting to find out how finances of Filipinos have been affected and what adjustments have been done in order to cope. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas conducts a quarterly survey called the Consumer Expectations Survey. For 2020, the latest version is as of the third quarter. It is a quarterly survey of a random sample of about 5,000 households in the Philippines. The results of the Consumer Expectations Survey provide advanced indication for the current quarter, next quarters and year ahead. In this light, there are key survey highlights with respect to finances that reveal the state of finances in terms of opportunities and issues. The Confidence Index is at an alltime low of -54.5 percent in the third quarter. This means that there is high pessimism among Filipinos. The key reasons cited for the negative sentiment are Covid-19, high unemployment, low income and fast increase in the prices of goods. The pessimism spills over to the fourth quarter but a more optimistic outlook is seen for 2021. Future expectations matter. The challenge therefore is to bring back consumer confidence in the economy as soon as possible so that incomes and jobs are supported. In terms of savings, the survey found that only 24.7 percent of Filipino households in the Philippines have savings as of the third quarter and there is a big drop from 37.8 percent in the first quarter. The number is worse for the National Capital Region at only 22.7 percent. A low savings proportion can mean that funds for consumption will be lower. A low savings proportion can mean that funds for investment will also be lower. If consumption and investment lower, aggregate spending in the economy will be affected and recovery might be slow. Why do Filipino households save? For the households that mentioned that they save, the top reasons pro-
Genesis Kelly S. Lontoc
personal finance vided are emergencies, health, retirement, education and business capital. Where do Filipino households save? The top preference revealed in the survey would be the bank. It would be followed by savings at home, cooperatives, paluwagan and investments. The presence of Covid-19 leads to the reality that there is volatility, uncertainty, change and ambiguity; so a practical buffer is to have ample savings. In terms of economic indicators, the survey revealed that Filipinos expected both the inflation rate and interest rate to increase. A higher inflation rate can make it more difficult for households to make ends meet given the weak economy. Investment portfolios should therefore be reviewed to ensure that the returns will still be able to beat inflation. A higher interest rate can make fixed instruments more attractive but will also imply that those who borrow money to augment income will have to deal with higher costs. The Consumer Expectations Survey also studied how OFW households have responded to Covid-19 in terms of remittance usage. The patterns are mixed. In the third quarter of the year, usage increased for food and other household needs, debt payments and investments. Meanwhile, usage decreased for education, medical expenses, savings, purchase of consumer durables, purchase of house and purchase of vehicle. The big decline in savings and education might have dire implications on the overall development of the country. The Consumer Expectations Survey gives good insights on how Filipinos manage finances during a crisis like Covid-19. A heightened sense of personal finance is key to economic recovery. Thus, government and financial literacy movers have to collaborate well to promote the importance of financial freedom. Gemmy Lontoc is a registered financial planner of the RFP Philippines. To learn more about personal financial planning, attend the 87th RFP program this January 2021. To inquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text <name><e-mail> <RFP> at 0917-6248110..
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 B3
Credit card loan defaults rise to 11.5%, nearly 3x than 2019
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By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad
@Tyronepiad
he Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) reminded the public to be responsible credit card holders as loan defaults surged by more than twofold because borrowers are having a hard time meeting payment deadlines during the crises.
The industry group said in a statement released last Monday that credit card delinquency rate rose to 11.5 percent as of end-September, which is over 2.5 times than what was registered a year ago. The CCAP explained that credit card delinquency occurs when credit cardholders have poor payment history because they settle loans after the due date. In addition, these cardholders usually maximize the balance of their credit lines as cash flows are constrained. CCAP Executive Director Alex B. Ilagan said that the credit card loan defaults were “caused primarily by
loss of income and unforeseen major expenses, as well as the lockdowns [that] resulted in travel restrictions and difficulties in making payments on time.” With the imposition of lockdown measures amid the pandemic, several businesses closed temporarily while some were forced to shut down, prompting the surge in joblessness in the country. This caused major concerns over the revenue channels of many households. Ilagan, however, pointed out that by exercising financial discipline, Filipinos can still use their credit cards amid an economic crisis with-
out having loan defaults. For example, he said credit cardholders should avoid unnecessary purchases, should pay the amount due on time and make sure their future cash flow will be enough to settle the credit card balance. “Paying bills on time also helps cardholders avoid their balance from growing out of control, as well as the payment of penalties and interest charges,” CCAP stressed. For big-ticket purchases—including appliances, furniture and electronic devices—the industry group advised cardholders to pay in installments, so that the payment is spread out over a longer period of time. The pre-computed monthly amortization also helps borrowers to make the regular payments more predictable, the group said. It would be beneficial for the cardholders to maximize the available reward points or cash rebates, CCAP said, noting that most banks are allowing borrowers to use them to settle a portion of credit card balances. In addition, the industry group said that cardholders may ask assistance from their banks when necessary. It noted that most financial institutions are offering “more lenient repayment arrangements,”
such as lower interest or extended payment deadlines, during this pandemic.
Good credit position
Ilagan emphasized that having a good credit history is beneficial for the credit cardholders in the long run. Banks and other financial institutions, after all, are conducting credit verifications before extending loans to borrowers, he added. The review involves looking into a borrower’s credit card history with other credit bureaus, including CCAP, the Credit Management Association of the Philippines, the Bankers Association of the Philippines and the Credit Information Corp. Apart from creditworthiness, having a good credit position also affects “other aspects of cardholder’s life,” CCAP said. “Some major companies check the credit history of their job applicants. In some banks, bad credit behavior can also affect possible promotion to higher positions,” Ilagan explained. “In the future, other non-financial institutions that provide credit lines for the use of their services, like a post-paid mobile phone connection, may also start accessing credit history before providing service to a new customer.”
Japan’s financial industry solidifies footprint in Asia
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apan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) will be rolling out an initiative aimed at attracting more asset management firms into its shores as the country makes its way toward becoming a global financial center in Asia. In an advisory by the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), the FSA and local finance bureaus (LFB) said they will be establishing a “financial market entry office” in January next year. The office is set to handle pre-application consultation, registration and supervision for new entrants. It is a single point of contact and with all communications available in English, the advisory read. The FSA is set to amend relevant
regulations to allow documents written in English. At the same, the agency and LFBs will have to improve their capacities. The proposed amendment on the policies was published on November 6; public consultations were held until December 7, it said. The amendments will take effect in January next year. The JICC noted that the types of business eligible to apply in English are investment management, investment advisory and agency and other categories mentioned under Japan’s Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. “These measures are expected to accelerate the registration process for newly entering asset management
PNB to sell insurance arm to Alliedbankers
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hilippine National Bank is selling its shareholdings in PNB General Insurers Co. Inc. (PNBGen) to Alliedbankers Insurance Corp. for P1.52 billion. In a disclosure on Monday, the Tan-led bank said that the board of directors approved and confirmed the sale of its ownership, along with PNB Holding Corp.’s stake, to the insurance company. The transaction is still subject to regulatory and other necessary approvals. PNB shares inched up by 0.82 percent, or 25 centavos, to end at P30.70 each amid the 0.49-percent rise for the benchmark index last Monday. To recall, PNBGen began operations in 1991 after the Tan-led bank subsidiary PNB Holdings acquired Charter Insurance Co. Inc., which was renamed to its present company name. This is not the first time the bank sold a portion of its assets in 2020. PNB in September announced the sale of its prime real estate properties in exchange for P46.68-billion of additional stake in PNB Holdings. The bank would be subscribing to 466.77 million shares of the holding firm for P100 per share. The subscription price was based on the par value per share
of PNB Holdings Corp. The shares to be issued are coming from the increase in the holding company’s authorized capital stock, which is subject to the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Upon approval of the transaction, the additional subscription will be equivalent to 99.46 percent of PNB Holdings’ outstanding shares. The listed bank said that the sale was in line with its initiative of realizing the market value of its low-earning prime properties to strengthen its financial position amid the pandemic. Earlier, PNB said that the sale of its properties is expected to generate P80-billion worth of new loans. PNB saw its nine-month profits drop by around 39 percent to P3.87 billion from last year’s P6.34 billion because of higher provisioning for potential credit losses. The bank has set aside loan loss reserves of P9 billion in the first nine months, which is six times more than it booked last year for the same period. Its capital adequacy ratio and common equity tier 1 stood at 16.40 percent and 15.67 percent, respectively, as of end-September. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad
firms and a part of initiatives [in relation to, for example, taxation, human capital, business environment and administrative services in English] to promote Japan’s financial market and to attract more foreign financial business operators and professionals to Japan,” the JICC said. “We believe strengthening Japan’s functions as a global financial center will help global financial markets become more resilient against crises such as natural disasters through geographical diversification of business headquarters and therefore the FSA is making its utmost effort to improve the business environment in Japan for foreign asset managers,” it added. In a speech, Japanese Prime Min-
ister Suga Yoshihide said that the measure is seen creating new employment and business opportunities, which can boost economic growth in the country. Suga has said before the Diet session ended last week they would “decide upon economic measures that will open up a new path for economic growth by maintaining employment, continuing businesses and restoring the economy in order to protect people’s lives and livelihoods.” “What Japan needs is a source of economic growth in the post-coronavirus world,” the Prime Minister said in a news conference last December 4. “Going green and going digital will be the major pillar for this.” Tyrone Jasper C. Piad
SCB PHL notes on track with digital innovation
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tandard Chartered Bank (SCB) Philippines has been investing to enhance its digital infrastructure in a bid to provide better customer experience, especially at a time when most transactions are accomplished online. The bank said in a statement last Monday that it is on track with its digital innovation strategy, which is aimed at delivering convenience and security to online banking transactions. “The banking industry has been going through digital acceleration to meet the evolving requirements of our clients,” SCB Philippines Chief Executive Officer Lynette V. Ortiz said. “Over the years, the bank has invested heavily on digital infrastructure to support this shift, and to enable us to deliver better, more secure and user-friendly capabilities to our clients.” Recently, SCB launched Straight2Bank Foreign Exchange (FX), which is an integrated FX payment service included in the payment processing workflow. The bank said payment can be done from a single centralized account and settled across over 15 payment currencies, making it an “efficient option” for FX settlement. The bank also has implemented a digital upgrade that “offers a wide range of technical and functional capabilities which includes stan-
dardization across its markets, an enhanced user interface and additional interest pricing options, among others.” In addition, SCB said it was currently working on a digital infrastructure to host its core banking application in a public cloud. This month, Union Bank of the Philippines, along with SCB, completed a retail bond offering via a digital platform using blockchain technology for bond tokenization. SCB said that the digital solution was aimed at providing retail investors a secure and direct access to bonds. “The bond infrastructure around the world has been designed primarily for institutional investors and involves a number of intermediaries to buy and subsequently trade bonds, making it less accessible to retail investors. To an average investor, providing direct access to issuers is critical in allowing them to reap the full benefits of their investment,” said Aaron Gwak, SCB Head of Capital Markets, ASEAN. The dual-tranche transaction raised P9 billion at the end of offer period. The bond offering, which has an original issue size of P3 billion, includes three-year and 5.25-year securities with interest rates of 2.75 percent and 3.375 percent, respectively. Tyrone Jasper C. Piad
B4
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos
Art
BusinessMirror
www.businessmirror.com.ph
Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last
z
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Daniel Ezra, 29; Adam Brody, 41; Julie Taymor, 68; Don Johnson, 71. Happy Birthday: A steady pace forward will get you where you want to go. Put your energy where it will bring the highest returns. An aggressive, no-nonsense approach to the way you do things will help you reach your goal. Don’t let uncertainty deter you from reaching your full potential. Trust and believe in yourself, and reach for the stars. Your numbers are 4, 16, 21, 29, 36, 40, 49.
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ARIES (March 21-April 19): Put emotional differences aside, and aim to get things done. Your energy is best spent concentrating on what’s at stake and taking physical action. Working alongside someone you love will bring you closer to one another. Romance is encouraged. HH
❶ ❶ Non-
vanishing, Nasser Lubay, 2020, graphite and acrylic on paper, 114 x 167.7 cm
❷ Glint, Nasser Lubay, 2020, graphite and acrylic on canvas, 122 x 122 cm
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TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Set the pace, and put the changes you want to make in motion. Run the show, and you will reach your goal. Refuse to let red-tape issues get to you. An emotional revelation will encourage personal growth. HHHHH
❷
Nasser Lubay steps into the shadows
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INCE breaking into the art scene just over a decade ago, visual artist Nasser Lubay has established an oeuvre rich in stories that are rendered in saccharine shades. His unique visual aesthetic, forged by the desire to create something new, has taken him across the world by inviting audiences to his own. In his latest solo show, however, the artist, ever the experimental mind, presents pieces that are sapped of his signature bright shades. While the move may be considered as a bold deviation from his multicolored style, Lubay makes the case that this is in no way the first time that he is dealing with darkness. “Kahit ’yung mga colorful paintings ko, ’yung mga components niya, may pagka-dark na rin ’yun,” Lubay said in a recent Zoom interview. “Nilalagyan ko lang ng kulay para magkaroon ng positive effect.” Titled Shadowplay, the show attempts to mirror the darkness of the times through eight muted
artworks. Lubay played with different materials to carry the effect and ended up using acrylic and graphite for its reflective properties, wherein the images only fully reveal themselves under specific lighting conditions. The subjects comprise of Lubay’s more familiar semi-figurative doodles of human form outlines, tentacles, and bubble clusters. All these remain informed by the artist’s fascination with science and its manifold systems and structures. “’Yung flow ng mga ugat, internal organs, at buong system ng katawan, lumalabas siya sa doodles ko,” Lubay said. “As for the darkness of the show, I want to send the message na kahit madilim na madilim na ang sitwasyon, may makakapitan ka pa rin. You can always find the light.” Climbing trees, reaching his dreams THAT spirit of optimism lives in all of Lubay’s works. The artist values the power of being driven by a goal, having risen from his own set of challenges early in life. Lubay lived with different relatives when he was a child as his mother worked abroad. One of his many stops was in Mindanao, where he worked as a farmer. He often climbed coconut trees to escape the harsh realities of poverty on the ground, seeking solace from the overlooking view of rice fields and the distant horizon. “Dun ako nagsimula mangarap,” he said. Lubay traveled to Manila for college and took up mechanical engineering. Feeling constricted by laws
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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t trust hearsay. When in doubt, go directly to the source and find out where you stand. Romance is on the rise, but it’s best to have a plan in mind before you venture down that path. Don’t make empty promises. HHH
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CANCER (June 21-July 22): Channel emotional energy into love and romance, not arguments and accusations. You’ll get much further if you are mindful of what others expect and you are willing to work with personal and professional partners. Let your intuition guide you. HHH
and formulas, he shifted to programming before ultimately deciding to pursue full artistic freedom with a career in visual arts as a self-taught artist. He has always been captivated by the science of colors, and he experimented with different shades to understand how they react to one another by understanding their backgrounds. “For example,” he said, “there are many ways to play with black through mixing colors. There are different shades, different effects.” Lubay then used his mastery of colors in visualizing the many stories he wants to share. “Gusto ko laging nakaka-kita ng fresh ideas. Masaya ko pag nakaka-likha ako ng di ko pa nakikita,” he said. The artist went on to create unique pieces marked with captivating storytelling and colors. In 2009, a 26-year-old Lubay received what he considers as the biggest breakthrough of his artistic career, winning the prestigious Celeste International Art Prize. The winning work, titled Rebirth, was exhibited at the Second Animamix Biennial at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, Taiwan. The win put Lubay on the global art map and traveled to many countries to present his creations. At 38, the artist says he has no plans of stopping from sharing his stories on canvas any time soon. “Tuloy-tuloy ’yung ideas,” he said. “Ang dami ko pa gusto ipakita.” Presented by Virtual ArtistSpace and District Gallery, Lubay’s Shadowplay is a virtual exhibition that can be accessed at bit.ly/37bt3dF. The show opened on December 4 and is on view until December 24. n
UK homeowner delays sale of home after Banksy mural appears LONDON—Banksy’s latest mural has delayed a homeowner’s plans to sell in England after it recently appeared on the house’s exterior wall. The elusive British street artist’s piece titled Aachoo!!—depicts an elderly woman sneezing, sending her dentures flying out of her mouth. It’s painted on the side of the house on a steep street in the southwestern city of Bristol. The resulting effect is that her sneeze appears to be knocking down buildings. The creation was discovered on the wall
of the semidetached house on Thursday. British media reported that the owners, who had previously put a “sold” sign outside, were pulling out of the sale, because Banksy’s art could send the property’s value soaring. However, Nick Makin told the BBC on Saturday that it wasn’t true his mother, Aileen Makin, had taken the house off the market. “It does increase the value, and you have to take a moment to think about it, but it’s not changing anything in terms of the
house sale for us,” Makin said. He said the sale has been put on hold for 48 hours and the family was trying to ensure the artwork would be protected. Banksy has posted the piece on his web site and Instagram page and his publicist confirmed he created the artwork. He began his career spraypainting buildings in Bristol and has become one of the world’s best-known artists. Some of his art sells in the millions. AP
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LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Give others freedom, and they will grant you the same in return. Don’t let someone’s uncertainty unnerve you. Channel your energy into whatever will get you closer to your goal. HHH
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VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Be sure to get approval before making domestic changes that will affect others. Being upfront and enthusiastic regarding your plans will encourage others to pitch in, and help instead of interfering with your goals. Learn from experience. HHHHH
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LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Keep an open mind, but don’t let anyone railroad you into something that makes you feel insecure. Channel your energy into something that matters to you. Do something you enjoy or spend time with someone who brings out the best in you. HH
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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Alter the way you live, and it will enhance your personal life. Don’t feel you have to spend money; you don’t have to make an impression. If intelligence and charm aren’t enough, you may be hanging out with the wrong people. HHHH
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SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The grass may look greener on the other side of the fence, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to make a life-altering change. Take a closer look and consider if the picture you envision is valid. HHH
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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Embrace change, and put your plan in motion. Use your energy wisely, and you will accomplish what you set out to do. Don’t waste time arguing with someone who will never see things your way. HHH
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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to let an unexpected change throw you off guard. Make whatever adjustment is necessary to compensate, and keep moving forward. An energetic approach will lead to positive attention and support. You’ll receive information that will give you a competitive edge. HHH
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take a practical path when dealing with matters that influence your earning potential. If you trust someone’s word, you will have to make difficult decisions and changes. Go directly to the source, and you’ll find out exactly how to proceed successfully. HHHH Birthday Baby: You are focused, enthusiastic and flexible. You are aggressive and reliable.
‘loud and clear’ by jessie bullock The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg
ACROSS 1 Cook, like a turkey 6 Qty. 9 Liner or schooner 13 Time ___ time 14 Joy to watch? 16 Large-scale conflicts 17 35-Across overseeing athletic drills? 19 Teeny-weeny 20 Less rough 21 “Have a sample!” 23 Cookie often dunked in milk 24 35-Across overseeing a Lakers game? 28 Born, in Paris 29 Who Wants to ___ Millionaire 30 Dog sound 31 Singer Winehouse 32 Add to the mix 34 Falco of the big and small screen 35 Employee who calls out bad practices, say 40 Adzuki or black morsel 41 Color of a mole’s fur 42 Little chap 43 French for “they”
6 Online chats, briefly 4 47 Mothers 50 35-Across overseeing a busy intersection? 53 Large freshwater fish 54 ___ and Herzegovina 55 Kampala’s land 57 Amazonian berry 59 35-Across overseeing an obedience class? 61 Window ledge 62 From scratch 63 Spiner of Star Trek: T.N.G. 64 Friends 65 Sign of success on B’way 66 Kinda DOWN 1 Teases 2 In the olden days 3 Money lost to get more money? 4 Short argument 5 Laurel or linden 6 Circumference segment 7 Orchestra conductor Zubin 8 ___ del Fuego 9 Hogs and such
10 “Drink” for those with a thirst for criticism 11 W-9 distributor: Abbr. 12 “Gangnam Style” rapper 15 Clothesline alternative 18 Will of BoJack Horseman 22 Taking vacation days 25 Cancel your plans, slangily 26 Leader of Qatar 27 Iris’s place 29 Field trip vehicle 32 Save, as a location in Google Maps 33 Cafeteria hairpiece 34 Female animal such as Dolly 35 Sign of use 36 Lived it up 37 Chris of Vampire Weekend 38 Kuala ___ 39 Word after “special” or “photo” 40 Crispy sandwich, briefly 43 Hypotheticals 44 Photographer McCartney 45 Descendants 47 Certain way 48 Passionate 49 Greek city-state that was known for
its army 1 Some hair highlights 5 52 Basketball player, in old slang 53 Boutros Boutros-Ghali’s Egyptian birthplace 56 Runs one’s mouth 57 Egyptian snake 58 Secretive org. 60 A pair of Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:
Show BusinessMirror
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Editor: Gerard S. Ramos
• Tuesday, December 15, 2020
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Despite bleak 2020, celebrities make effort to brighten year By Jonathan Landrum Jr. The Associated Press
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OS ANGELES—Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. It’s been filled with gloom and doom (scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. Some like singer Dolly Parton donated money to fight the coronavirus, John Krasinski put a spotlight on good news at a crucial time, and DJ D-Nice played music to dance away your anxiousness about the unfolding pandemic. Here are a few examples of those efforts to make 2020 a little better for others: DOLLY’S VACCINE DONATION. In April, shortly after the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, country music icon Dolly Parton donated $1 million toward researching the virus at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The singer’s donation was used to help fund the development of Moderna’s vaccine, the second experimental Covid-19 drug to yield extraordinarily strong early results during trials. Parton didn’t stop there. She starred in Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square, playing an angel in the Netflix musical. She also put out new holiday music, A Holly Dolly Christmas, with a sametitled TV special where she sang hymns, holiday pop classics and tunes from her new album, and shared her personal and faith-based Christmas memories. And if that wasn’t enough, she had time to help Cyndi Lauper’s annual concert to combat youth homelessness, too. SERENADE TO NEIGHBORS. In the second week of France’s lockdown, Paris-based opera singer Stephane Senechal serenaded his neighbors with renditions of the French national anthem. He along with musicians—professional and amateur—sang from their balconies or windows to uplift neighbors. During France’s second lockdown, Senechal was back at his window, sharing his strong vocals a couple times a week. CLUB QUARANTINE. During the pandemic’s early stage, DJ D-Nice created a virtual remedy for anyone dealing with the lockdown blues. He hosted Homeschool at Club Quarantine on his Instagram Live, where he spun popular tunes on the turntables at his home. His sets started with just a few hundred viewers—mainly friends—then blossomed to hundreds of thousands. An array of celebs even tuned in: from Rihanna and Janet Jackson to Jimmy Fallon and Mark Zuckerberg. Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey popped in for a listen, and even Stevie Wonder tried to use the “join” feature to be onscreen with D-Nice and interact with him. DANCING IN THE RAIN. Anthony Mmesoma Madu gained fame through a simple cellphone video of him performing the pirouette without shoes in the drizzling rain in Nigeria earlier this year. The 11-year-old Nigerian boy thought the footage would be used for a common film study session, but the video spread on social media thanks to his trainer, Daniel Ajala, who posted it. By the end of August, the video garnered more than 20 million views on social media including by actors Viola Davis and Cynthia Erivo. Impressed by his dancing, Erivo decided to sponsor Madu’s training and helped bring the video to the attention of the New York-based American Ballet Theater, who offered him a scholarship.
FASHION’S FRONT-LINE GEAR. When Covid-19 initially spread throughout the US, it resulted in a face mask shortage. Fashion designer Christian Siriano met the shortage with his own solution. After seeing the cases skyrocket, the Project Runway star tweeted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo about doing his part. Siriano and his team pivoted from crafting gowns to making masks. He reassigned his 10 seamstresses in New York to produce thousands daily for health-care workers on the frontlines. Separately, actors Nicole Ari Parker and her husband Boris Kodjoe gave away thousands of face masks to essential workers and first responders during the pandemic. Parker’s apparel company, Gymwrap, turned its attention from making headbands to crafting masks for the couple’s Help Our Heroes campaign. For every Gymwrap mask sold, they donate masks to frontline and essential workers who need them. SING TO FATHER. In March, Israeli opera singer Irit Stark brought comfort to her father who had been quarantined in his apartment for two weeks in Tel Aviv. Stark along with her son stopped by her father’s home for an improvised performance of “Habanera” from Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen. Stark’s father looked on from his second-story balcony, and some neighbors were brought to tears. He called her performance “absolutely refreshing.” VERZUZ SERIES. A friendly competition between music producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland on social media started off to entertain homebound fans during the pandemic. But their platform eventually evolved into a place where some of music’s biggest stars could compete against each other in the same fashion. The two Grammy-winning legends created the “Verzuz” series, which faces off two musicians in a songagainst-song battle on Instagram Live. The series has grown from a novel event to bridging music’s past and present. Some of the most epic battles have
included John Legend vs Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott, Gladys Knight vs Patti LaBelle, Gucci Mane vs Jeezy, Brandy vs Monica and Snoop Dogg vs DMX. An April battle between Babyface vs. Teddy Riley ended abruptly due to audio issues but was completed another night. GLORIA ESTEFAN HELPS HEALTH WORKERS. Gloria Estefan took action to help those in need. The singer and husband Emilio Estefan’s restaurant Estefan Kitchen served up homemade meals for healthcare workers in Miami. For a month, the restaurant prepared, packaged and delivered to workers in what Gloria Estefan said was a “small way of thanking you.” She also participated in a star-studded benefit virtual concert to honor nurses on Thanksgiving. The concert, called Nurse Heroes Live, which was co-produced by Emilio Estefan, was a benefit that provided money for a variety of programs including scholarships for nurses and their children. WALLER-BRIDGE’S SUIT. Fleabag creator and actor Phoebe Waller-Bridge auctioned off her Golden Globes suit for Australia brushfire relief. She placed her Ralph & Russo pantsuit up for auction, calling it an “incredible piece of art.” The tuxedo was praised as one of the fashion hits of the red carpet. She shared the news in the press room after accepting her award for best actress in a comedy or musical television series. An anonymous buyer bought the suit for $27,000. SOME GOOD NEWS. John Krasinski wanted to create a place where people could smile. In late March, the actor tweeted to his 2.6 million-plus followers using the hashtag #SomeGoodNews, asking them to share feel-good stories that recently brought a smile to their face. He received thousands of heartwarming videos. His idea became so popular that Krasinski created a YouTube web series, “Some Good News,” focusing on positive and inspiring
CCP ‘SIMBANG GABI’ GOES DIGITAL IN the last 15 years, it has been a tradition at the Cultural Center of the Philippines to hold Simbang Gabi when the Christmas season comes. For the center, holding the novena (nine) masses is no ordinary program but a special event that needs careful and meticulous planning. In partnership with the Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay City and several business establishments around the CCP Complex, the dawn masses held at the CCP Main Ramp gathers a daily audience averaging close to a thousand mass-goers, while the Misa de Aguinaldo (Christmas Eve Mass) at the Main Theater draws a full-theater capacity, which spills over to the Main Theater Lobby. The CCP Christmas Eve Mass is traditionally led by performances from the resident companies such as Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company, the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, and the Philippine Madrigal Singers, plus the participation of various performers including a 100-Voice Chorale, among others with no less than the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in full force. While this year has been shrouded with concerns over safety and fears of contracting the Covid-19 virus, which have upended many traditions that draw large gatherings including holding dawn masses, nothing should shake the fundamental pillar of the Catholic
faithful and hinder the Filipino traditions. In these trying times, the CCP has taken a different course to conform to the emerging normal. Like its other programs, the CCP Simbang Gabi 2020 migrates to the digital platform. Through the online platform, the CCP seizes the opportunity to ambitiously celebrate Simbang Gabi across the archipelago, and lift up the spirits of a number of communities devastated by the recent typhoons. It also allows the center to reach out to Filipinos and other Catholics from around the world through this time-honored tradition. The virtual Simbang Gabi will start on December 15 to 23, 9 pm (anticipated masses), and December 16 to 24, 5 am (dawn masses), and will be streamed via the official CCP Facebook page and YouTube Channel. It will also be broadcast on CNN Philippines. Bringing the rituals of life from the regions, the center partners with various parishes all over the country: Our Lady of Sorrows in Pasay City; St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Loboc, Bohol; Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Redemptorist) Church in San Miguel, Iligan City; Holy Cross Parish (Margot) in Sapang Bato, Pampanga; Our Lady of Montserrat Parish in Jaro, Iloilo City; San Pedro Cathedral (also known as the Davao Cathedral) in Davao City, Davao; Our Lady of Piat Basilica in Piat, Cagayan; Sto. Niño de Tacloban
stories. He produced eight free episodes including an Office reunion, a Hamilton performance, a virtual prom and online graduations. His channel garnered more than 2.5 million subscribers before he sold the web series to CBS. ROSIE RAISES CASH FOR BROADWAY. Rosie O’Donnell brought her talk show The Rosie O’Donnell Show back for one night to raise more than $600,000 for virus victims. O’Donnell hosted the March streaming special. It featured numerous appearances from Broadway, including Kristin Chenoweth, Gavin Creel and Gloria Estefan. The money went to The Actors Fund to help those in need during the pandemic. ALL IN CHALLENGE. In April, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio united to offer a fan the chance to win a walk-on part in Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon—starring both actors— as part of Michael Rubin’s online charity auction, the All In Challenge. The challenge coordinated offers by celebrities and athletes to raise funds to feed those in need during the pandemic. Beneficiaries included America’s Food Fund, launched by DiCaprio and others to help ensure people have reliable access to food. WAITITI’S CELEB READING. Filmmaker Taika Waititi led a celebrity read-along of Roald Dahl’s novel James and the Giant Peach. He teamed up with the Roald Dahl Story Company to raise money for Partners in Health, a medical and social justice organization fighting Covid-19 and supporting public health systems in vulnerable areas around the world. Those joining Waititi included Meryl Streep, Chris and Liam Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Ryan Reynolds, Mindy Kaling, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lupita Nyong’o, Billy Porter, Sarah Paulson, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, all reading and performing characters in the story from their homes. n
Prince William thanks pandemic workers at Christmas show Parish in Tacloban City; and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Pueblo de Oro, Cagayan de Oro City. On December 24, 9 pm, the Misa de Aguinaldo will be celebrated from St. Gregory the Great Cathedral Parish (also known as the Albay Cathedral) in Legazpi City with rector/pastor Rev. Msgr. Noe Thomas. The CCP Simbang Gabi will culminate with a special Christmas Day Mass (December 25, 10 am) with Cardinal Luis Tagle celebrating all the way from Rome, Italy. As a premass event, there will be a 10- to 15-minute video clip of the past Simbang Gabiactivities. “In the times of crises and pandemics, art and spirituality help us rise from despair. And supported by the Filipino’s close ties to familial bonds, we get to form psychic sanctuaries...much-needed and most timely in this season,” said CCP Production and Exhibition Department head Ariel Yonzon. As an expression of gratitude, the CCP will also arrange for small token offerings to the parish communities which have been instrumental in bringing the message of hope and love this holiday season in spite of their current limitations and difficulties. More information is available at www.culturalcenter. gov.ph. When sharing one’s CCP Simbang Gabi experience, the center encourages the use of hashtags #CCPSIMBANGGABI2020 #CCPSIMBANGGABI.
LONDON—Britain’s Prince William and his family attended a Christmas show in London on Friday night, where he paid tribute to medical staff and other frontline workers for their efforts during the pandemic. William, his wife Kate, and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, watched a traditional British pantomime performance at the Palladium organized to thank the city’s essential workers and their families. It was the first time the family of five has appeared together at a “red carpet” event. William noted the contributions of health service staff, teachers, emergency services workers, and researchers, among others. “You have given your absolute all this year, and made remarkable sacrifices,” he told the audience before the show began. Earlier in the week, the couple took a three-day train tour of Wales and Scotland to spread Christmas cheer and thank frontline workers there for their hard and dangerous work. However, they received a frosty welcome from leaders in those regions, with one Welsh official saying he would rather “no one was having unnecessary visits” during the coronavirus pandemic. Britain has Europe’s deadliest Covid-19 outbreak, with more than 61,000 reported dead. AP
John Krasinski (from left), Dolly Parton and Christian Siriano are among those in the entertainment industry who took the initiative to make the best out of a challenging year. AP
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BDO, SM held first virtual ‘Pamaskong Handog 2020’ in honor of overseas Filipinos
ACTOR and celebrity endorser Piolo Pascual led the virtual SM-BDO for the OFs.
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VEN amid the new normal, BDO and SM Supermalls are finding ways to continue its annual tradition of paying tribute to overseas Filipinos (OFs) and their families during the Christmas season. The companies' “Pamaskong Handog” was held online but still full of starstudded guests and performers and exciting activities that it has been known for all these years.
Streamed through Facebook live on the BDO Kabayan Facebook page and simulcasted on the BDO Unibank YouTube channel on December 13, the event featured Piolo Pascual, Christian Antolin, Marcelito Pomoy, Beks Batallion, and Donekla. “Our overseas Filipinos have been through a lot this year. We hope that by keeping the tradition of Pamaskong
Handog alive, even under the rules of safety, we can still give a sense of optimism, that hope that we will get through this and we will all bounce back,” said BDO Unibank Senior Vice President Genie T. Gloria. Apart from the celebrities joining the event, viewers from all over the world were treated to enjoy virtual games with many prizes.The number of OFs is estimated to number 12.5 million across more than 150 countries and continents. The event is one of the many initiatives of BDO, which has been actively engaging with OFs and their families, as many of them depend on the Bank for their financial-related transactions. BDO Remit has become one of the nation’s lifeblood for years and during these trying times. It provides a safe, trusted, and reliable remittance channel for millions of Filipinos. Another service, BDO Cash Agad, provides bank services in remote locations of the archipelago. Meanwhile, BDO Network Bank, the rural bank subsidiary of BDO, takes care of the underserved and unserved customers, including the remittance beneficiaries who live in far-flung areas.
Gov‘t eyes citizen groups to audit COVID 19-related expenses
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OMMISSION on Audit disclosed its plan last week to team up with members of civil society organizations to comply with the procurement regulations mandated under the Bayanihan Act. COA Chair Michael Aguinaldo said that online capacity-building activities for citizen-led auditors will be conducted and they will be assigned to specific audit teams as citizen partners. Aguinaldo was a guest speaker at the online Pilipinas Conference organized by Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute. He presented his revolutionary concept aligned with the theme "Opportunities within the Covid-Crisis: Towards Transparent and Accountable Governance". Aguinaldo said CSO members authorized by the COA as citizen-auditors will perform auditing and related works in the comfort of their homes using digital technology. He said the voluminous number of funding
recipients is very difficult to monitor because there are millions of them and the government have difficulty in doing the liquidation works. "They (government auditors) always rely on the liquidation done by the distributing government agencies," he said, adding that private citizens engagement will be valuable in auditing the actual receipts as prescribed by law. In the same forum, Legal International Foundation for Electoral Systems senior global adviser Katherine Ellena said the pandemic has required a large amount of government spending and very rapid response to around US$9 trillion globally. "At the same time, there was a loss of transparency and accountability whether that was from emergency procurement procedures, interruption to access to information processes, various social distancing requirements and lockdowns.” Ellena said She said that civil society can play a role in
helping develop judicial independence protections that can weather political pressures even during future emergency. In the same forum, International AntiCorruption Conference Council chairperson and former Transparency International chairperson Huguette Labelle said that in crisis situations, “the need to act promptly on several fronts is vital but can become multiple opportunities for corruption and loss of needed resources though all kinds of things, especially money laundering.” “Mexico did something very interesting a few years ago because they did establish an independent, totally independent, oversight group that would look after, do oversight of all their major projects from the specifications right to the final delivery. They have identified how many tens and tens of millions of dollars that they have saved because of that, and have gained more trust by their population.” Labelle said.
Metro city's annual gift-giving shifts to ‘Ayuda Style’ of distribution for 2020 to Mandaleño families
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HE City Government of Mandaluyong is set to continue its annual gift giving activity today despite the ongoing pandemic. But to prevent the queueing and crowding of people at the City Hall Complex and avoid the spike of COVID-19 cases, Mayor Menchie Abalos has ordered that the gift packs be delivered to the doorsteps of residents similar to how food relief packages were distributed at the height of
the enhance community quarantine (ECQ). Mayor Abalos said the 200,000 Christmas gift packs were prepared at the City Hall and were sent to all barangays in the city for proper distribution following the minimum health protocols. "Wala na pong pilang mangyayari dito sa City Hall. At lahat po ng pamilyang nakatira sa lungsod ay mabibigyan kahit na kayo ay renter, sharer, o nakatira sa condo o subdivision. Lahat ng pamilyang
Mandaleño ay bibigyan natin," Mayor Abalos said. Instead of handing out stubs to get the Christmas gift packs, it will be distributed by barangay officials simultaneously at the doorstep of every Mandaleño household. Because of the method of distribution, the annual Pamaskong Handog will exceed the previous number of receipients last year which was placed at 65,000 individuals or beneficiaries.
DOLE ROLLS OUT TUPAD IN SARANGANI. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) recently rolled out its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program in Sarangani to provide emergency employment to the province’s displaced, underemployed and seasonal workers. The 939 qualified beneficiaries were composed mostly tricycle drivers, vendors, construction workers, and overseas Filipino workers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Beneficiaries in Alabel and Malapatan towns were assigned to work at the Sarangani National Sports Academy (SaNSA) facilities, and will receive P5,000 each at the end of the work period. With a budget of P5 million, the provincial TUPAD program was facilitated by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Sarangani Rep. Rogelio Pacquiao, governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, with the help of DOLE Region 12 and DOLE Field Office - Sarangani.
Pinoy-Zealander introduces new digital platform
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HE global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated the adoption of fintech solutions across a wide swath of industries as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) granted its initial endorsement Smart Asset Managers (SAM) to proceed with the registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other government agencies for amenabilities. The SAM Digital E-wallet is a subscription-based platform, shares and provides economic opportunity that has recently expanded its operations to the Philippines. SAM Digital Technologies is the parent entity of SAM and it’s registered as digital currency exchanger in Australia under AUSTRAC. SAM is into digital and conventional businesses. Rommel Santos, SAM founder said he “wants to widen the company base in the country to help his fellowmen,” as he sees how financial technology or fintech is slowly becoming more inclusive in recent years. Santos said he has a vibrant outlook for e-commerce in the Philippines, specifically
for online businesses, which is expected to grow approximately five times from US$1.1 billion in 2015 to US$4.6 billion by 2025. Subscribers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and other southeast Asian countries along with those in Europe and Saudi Arabia, have active participation in SAM. Santos, a Philippine-born New Zealander based in Australia says that with a minimum subscription of $20 or P1k, a subscriber gets to be rewarded daily with up to 15% monthly reward from one’s subscription. SAM aims for economy sharing in which a subscriber can directly engage in conventional business if he so desires.
Security Bank Foundation donates printing equipment in Misamis Occidental to support online learners
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ECURITY Bank Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Security Bank Corporation, donated printing equipment and supplies to Usocan Elementary School, a far-flung public school in the municipality of Plaridel, Misamis Occidental in Mindanao, to support the education of its Kinder to Grade 6 pupils during this COVID-19 pandemic who can only rely on modules for learning due to unavailability of gadgets. Usocan Elementary School received a printer, ink refill sets, ring binder and accessories, as well as bond papers that can help the school produce 40,000 pages of modules enough for its 194 pupils for academic year 2020-2021. The donations were turned over last November 7 at Security Bank branch in Dipolog City, Zamboanga Del Norte facilitated by its Business Manager Leslie Te and Branch Channel Manager Gina Bel Senining. “Our deepest gratitude to Security Bank Foundation for donating the essential
printing equipment needed by the school to ensure learning is uninterrupted for its pupils during this pandemic. With the Foundation’s generosity, we now have enough supplies to produce modules and deliver quality education. This is really great help to our learners,” expressed Maria Erica Ligason, Principal of Usocan Elementary School. “We are glad to have worked with the Security Bank Foundation in providing the much-needed resources to a far-flung public school near our area which will help them carry their mission of building the dreams of the young generation through better education,” said Leslie Te, Business Manager of Security Bank Dipolog Branch. “It is absolutely necessary to invest in teachers, students, and the school as a whole. The progress of our nation is in their hands, and it is up to us to support them by giving them the tools they need,” expressed Rafael F. Simpao, Jr., Chairman of Security Bank Foundation.
AT TURNOVER RITES, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Security Bank Dipolog Branch Channel Manager Gina Bel Senining, Business Manager Leslie Te, Usocan Elementary School Principal Maria Erica Ligason, Financial Solution Consultant Ina Radaza, and Sales Associate Jeff Steven Lampinez
www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso
The World
Italy surpasses UK for worst Covid-19 death toll in Europe
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OME—Italy on Sunday eclipsed Britain to become the nation with the worst official coronavirus death toll in Europe. Italy, where the continent’s pandemic began, registered 484 Covid-19 deaths in one day, one of its lowest one-day death counts in about a month. Still, those latest deaths pushed Italy’s official toll up to 64,520, while Britain’s stood at 64,267, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Both numbers understate the true toll of the pandemic. Counting criteria differ in the two countries, and many coronavirus deaths, especially early in the pandemic, are believed to have gone undetected, including those of elderly people in nursing homes who were not tested for Covid-19. Among the reasons cited for Italy’s high death toll was that it was the first country in Europe to be slammed in the pandemic, leaving health workers to grapple with a largely unknown virus. Italy also has a lower ratio of medical staff to patients compared to other European nations. Germany, a nation much bigger than Italy,
has a death toll one-third of Italy’s or Britain’s. A little more than half of Italy’s known Covid-19 deaths were registered in the first surge. On Sunday, Italy reported another 17,938 coronavirus infections to raise its official tally to 1.84 million. By far, the region registering the highest number of new infections was the northern region of Veneto. Italy’s Lombardy region has the highest number of cases and deaths overall. Largely heeding the advice of medical experts, Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte has tightened travel rules for the period straddling Christmas, New Year’s and Epiphany Day holidays. Starting on December 21 and running through January 6, people in Italy won’t be able to travel between regions except for work or urgent reasons such as health problems. On the holidays themselves, under the nationwide restrictions, Italians can’t leave their towns, as the government seeks to discourage families and friends from gathering in large numbers indoors. AP
US government agencies attacked by hackers during software update
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S government agencies were hit by a “global intrusion campaign” of cyber-attacks that exploited a flaw in the update of a software company, according to cyber-security firm FireEye, which discovered the hack. “We have identified a global campaign that introduces a compromise into the networks of public and private organizations through the software supply chain,” FireEye said in a blog post late Sunday. “This compromise is delivered through updates to a widely-used IT infrastructure management software —the Orion network monitoring product from SolarWinds.” The series of attacks could rank it among the worst in recent memory, as Austin, Texas-based SolarWinds Corp. sells technology products to a Who’s Who list of sensitive targets. These include the State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, the FBI, all five branches of the US military, and 425 corporations out of the Fortune 500, according to the company’s website and government data. “The United States government is aware of these reports and we are taking all necessary steps to identify and remedy any possible issues related to this situation,” John Ullyot, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said in a statement. According to FireEye, t h e h a c ke r s h i t o rg a n i z at i o n s a c ro s s t h e globe—in North America, Europe, Asia and in the Middle East—and in multiple sectors including government, technology, consulting telecommunications, as well as oil and gas. The company believes that this list will grow. The attacks included snooping on e-mails at the US Treasury Department and an arm of the Commerce Department, Reuters reported. An infamous hacking group backed by the Russian government is suspected of being behind the breach, the Washington Post reported.
‘Top-tier tradecraft’
“ T he c a m p a i g n d e m o n s t rate s to p - t i e r operational tradecraft and resourcing consistent with state-sponsored threat actors,” FireEye said in the blog. “Based on our analysis, we have now identified multiple organizations where we see indications of compromise dating back to the Spring of 2020.” All this suggests that as the US government was focused over the last several months on detecting and countering possible Russian interference in the US presidential election—an effort that was largely viewed as successful— suspected Russian hackers were quietly working their way into the computer networks of American government agencies and sensitive corporate victims undetected. “If it is cyber espionage, it is one of the most effective cyber espionage operations we’ve seen in quite some time,” said John Hultquist, a senior director at FireEye. SolarWinds issued a statement appearing to confirm that the software update system for one of its products had been used to send malware to customers. “We are aware of a potential vulnerability which if present is currently believed to be related to updates which were released between March and June 2020 to our Orion monitoring products. We believe that this vulnerability is the result of a highly-sophisticated, targeted and manual supply chain attack by a nation state,” SolarWinds President and Chief Executive
Officer Kevin Thompson said in the statement Sunday evening.
FBI ‘appropriately’ engaged
Thompson said his company was working with the FBI as well as others on the investigation. The FBI said it’s “appropriately engaged,” declining further comment. Two people briefed on the probe said that because just about any SolarWinds customer that used the product got the manipulated software, the number of victims could eventually reach into the thousands. The hackers appear to have concentrated on the most attractive and sensitive targets first, so that the harm suffered by various victims may vary widely, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the information isn’t public. FireEye told clients on Sunday that it was aware of at least 25 entities hit by the attack, according to people briefed by the company. The quickly broadening investigation broke into public view on December 8 when FireEye announced that it had been breached in a highly sophisticated attack that it attributed to hackers backed by US adversaries. FireEye uncovered the hack in the course of investigating the breach.
First victim
A s investigators followed the attackers’ digital tracks, it now appears that FireEye may have simply been the first victim to detect the attack. US government investigators are now racing to determine which agencies may have also been breached and to what extent the hackers accessed sensitive information—a process that could take days or weeks. FireEye said last week the attackers took extreme care not to be detected, and in its case had managed to steal tools the security firm uses to test the security of its clients networks. FireEye also said the hackers sought information related to government customers but didn’t appear to steal customer data. A Commerce D epar tment spokesman confirmed there was a breach “in one of our bureaus,” which Reuters identified as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The attacks were so concerning that the National Security Council met at the White House Saturday, Reuters reported. The Treasury Department didn’t respond to requests for comment. The Washington Post reported that the Russian hacking group known as Cozy Bear, or APT 29, was behind the campaign. That is the same hacking group that was behind the cyber-attacks on the Democratic National Committee going back to 2015. It was also accused by US and UK authorities in July of infiltrating organizations involved in developing a Covid-19 vaccine. The last time the US government was caught so thoroughly by surprise may have been five years ago, when Chinese hackers stole information related to anyone who had applied for or received a national security clearance from the computers of the Office of Personnel Management. That investigation lasted for months, cost some US officials their jobs, and resulted in a massive and expensive push to increase the security of unclassified US government computer networks. This attack—and the next several weeks—will tell to what extent those measures were successful. Bloomberg News
BusinessMirror
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
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Covid vaccine shipments begin in historic US effort
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ORTAGE, Michigan—The first of many freezer-packed Covid-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday, as the nation’s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000. The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in US history—one that health officials hope the American public will embrace, even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry. Shots are expected to be given to health care workers and nursing home residents beginning Monday. Quick transport is key for the vaccine, especially since this one must be stored at extremely low temperatures—about 94 degrees below zero. Early Sunday, workers at Pfizer—dressed in fluorescent yellow clothing, hard hats and gloves—wasted no time as they packed vials into boxes. They scanned the packages and then placed them into freezer cases with dry ice. The vaccines were then taken from Pfizer’s Portage, Michigan, facility to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, where the first cargo plane took off amid what airport officials called a “jubilant” mood. “This is a historic day,” said Richard W. Smith, who oversees operations in the Americas for FedEx Express, which is delivering 630-some packages of vaccine to distribution sites across the country. United Parcel Service also is transporting a share of the vaccine. Helping with the transport of the vaccine has special meaning to Bruce Smith, a FedEx package handler at the Grand Rapids airport, whose older sister, Queen, died after she contracted the coronavirus in May. She was hospitalized in Georgia one day after he saw her on a video chat, and they never spoke again. “I think she would be ecstatic to know that something that has ravaged our family—that a family member is going to be part of such a big project,” said Smith, 58, whose nephew, Queen’s son, also got sick and is still undergoing therapy for stroke-like symptoms. “It is very, very important.” Tracked with GPS-enabled sensors, the initial shipments were expected to contain about 3 million doses, with many more to come. Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with another 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. Doses of the vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, are given out based on each state’s adult population. Then the states decide where they go first. In California, where health care workers will be among the first to be vaccinated, state health officials are prioritizing hospitals that have adequate storage capacity, serve high-risk populations and have the ability to vaccinate people quickly. Initial surveys have found that even some health care workers don’t want to be first in line. Dr. Graham Snyder, who’s led the vaccine task force at Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC, estimates
that about half of its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered. But many health officials expect enthusiasm to grow. “There’s that thought that maybe they don’t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune,” said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, medical director of hospital quality at the 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi. Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and e-mails directing them to schedule their initial injection, she said. Enough vaccine is being saved so that each person who gets the first dose of vaccine can get a second required shot a few weeks later. Senior US government officials, including some White House officials who work in close proximity to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, are among those who will be offered coronavirus vaccines as soon as this week, two people familiar with the matter confirmed. A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Another quarter aren’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the vaccines have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes. Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the FDA, which approved the Pfizer vaccine Friday, has repeatedly insisted that the agency’s decision was based on science, not politics, despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn’t approved before Saturday. Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed, a US effort to get vaccines developed quickly, also said he is “very concerned” about the skepticism about the vaccine in some circles. “Unfortunately ... there’s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is, and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners...,” Slaoui said. “I can guarantee you that no such things have happened, that we follow the science.” He called the development of vaccines from several pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna and AstraZeneca, “a remarkable achievement of science, academia, the industry ecosystem and the US government, working together.” While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients. The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel on Thursday and soon afterward could be allowed for public use. AP
Boxes containing the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are prepared to be shipped at the Pfizer Global Supply Kalamazoo manufacturing plant in Portage, Michigan on December 13, 2020. AP/Morry Gash
Sports BusinessMirror
B8 Tuesday, December 15, 2020
mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph / Editor: Jun Lomibao
MARCIAL READY FOR U.S. DEBUT By Josef Ramos
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LETHAL punching combination by Eumir Felix Marcial will decimate Andrew Whitfield in his professional debut on Thursday in the US, the Tokyo Olympics-bound boxer’s handlers told BusinessMirror on Monday. Marcial is fighting in a non-title middleweight undercard at the Microsoft Theater on FS1 in Los Angeles, California. “He is very, very strong, very relaxed in the ring. He trains great, very, very disciplined in the ring,” Justin Fortune, Manny Pacquiao’s longtime strength and conditioning coach, said of the 25-year-old Marcial. “Eumir would stop Whitfield in the early rounds with his power-packed punches.” “He is an [Philippine] Air Force guy, so discipline is what they do,” Fortune
said. “So I predict he will knock this guy [Whitfield] out.” “I don’t know exactly what round but he’ll stop Whitfield,” added Fortune, who helped manage eight-division champion Pacquiao for the last 18 years. Fortune explained Marcial’s relentless power before arriving at his gym and at the Wild Card gym of Freddie Roach is something unnatural. “I saw him spar and put his deadly combinations together very well against different quality sparring partners,” he said, adding that when Marcial jumps into the ring, he is there to fight with his heavy hands. “But sometimes, he is a little bit wild and needs to control himself,” he said. “But he believes he would surely learn from it.” Fortune also praised Marcial’s awesome footwork and speed. “Eumir puts together his power and that’s hard because every single punch of
it hurts, and that’s what he does when he enters the ring,” he said. Fortune is confident Marcial has a great chance of winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo next year. “He has that power and he is a southpaw. As far as he is handling himself, I think he can,” said Fortune, noting that Marcial has a bright professional career ahead of him after his Olympic campaign. “He will be a new breed. He is an accomplished amateur and you know what I mean.” International matchmaker and Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons confirmed that Team Marcial has entered the bubble in Los Angeles, including assistant trainer Marvin Somodio. “Easy work,” said Gibbons, adding head trainer Freddie Roach will join them on fight night. Fortune though will not join them inside the bubble to attend to other priorities.
PBA thanks Clark for successful bubble
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HE Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) expressed thanks to Clark executives and personnel for hosting a successful bubble event in the freeport. In a video greeting, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial extended his gratitude to Clark Development Corpo. (CDC), Bases Conversion
and Development Authority (BCDA) and all of the freeport’s stakeholders for their efforts and support throughout the duration of the PBA Philippine Cup bubble. Marcial also mentioned the suitability of the freeport as the ideal choice for conducting the bubble set-up.
“Thank you Secretary Vince Dizon [BCDA], CDC and Quest Hotel for your support,” Marcial said. Marcial also shared how they were well taken care of during their stay in the freeport. He also cited the standard safety protocols and procedures that they follow to keep them safe.
VINCENT JUICO @VJuico Instagram vpjp_j, vince.juico@gmail.com
SPORTS WITHOUT BORDERS
Gerry Peñalosa
EUMIR FELIX MARCIAL takes a selfie with MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons as he registers for the Los Angeles bubble.
“Clark was the perfect choice,” he said. NLEX Road Warriors Coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao expressed his delight as he also took pride in all the potentials of the freeport. “As a Kapampangan and a committed advocate for the development of Clark Freeport Zone and its environs, I am delighted and proud in the conduct and successful hosting of the recently concluded Clark PBA Bubble,” Guiao said. “I express my gratitude and appreciation to the tireless and competent service of all the
personnel and staff of the CDC, Quest Hotel, AUF [Angeles University Foundation] and the local government of Angeles City,” Guiao added. Joe de Vance of Philippine Cup champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel thanked the state-owned firm and its personnel for their support to the league. “Thank you guys for all your support and you did a great job in everything to keep everybody safe. So I appreciate you and you guys take care,” de Vance mentioned.
BPC candidate Pringle praises Cone’s wizardry
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TANLEY PRINGLE looks prime for the Best Player of the Conference title—an award that replaces the Most Valuable Player trophy because of the Covid-19 pandemic—but heaps praises for his coach Tim Cone at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. Ginebra beat TNT Katropa in five games to win the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup at the Clark bubble six days ago with Pringle thanking Cone, the most successful PBA coach with 23 titles, for acquiring him in a trade before the shortened season. “Great man, he is like a Hannibal Lecter when it comes to executing plays, just getting prepared for a battle is already at a certain level,” Pringle told BusinessMirror, noting Cone’s wizardry of the game is unpredictable. “Words can only describe so much you know with his preparation and everything like you’ll have to be a part of the team to fully understand and to know everything coach Tim does and establishes,” he said. “It’s hard to explain and unbelievable. It’s a great mind.” The Gin Kings acquired Pringle in a trade with Northport year involving Sol Mercado, Jervy Cruz and Kevin Ferrer before they won the Governors’s Cup last January. Pringle was consistent inside the bubble especially in the Finals where he averaged 19.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in five games of the best-ofseven championship series. “I appreciate that they considered me for the award or anything—and that’s really a blessing just to be a basketball player especially during this time,” the 33-yearold Pringle said. “It’s a great conference,
successful and Covid-19-free bubble.” The other BPC candidates include TNT’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Phoenix Super LPG’s Calvin Abueva and Matthew Wright, Terrafirma’s CJ Perez and NorthPort’s Christian Standhardinger. The 6-foot-1 Pringle—who averaged 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 11 games in the eliminations—is assessing his body particularly his knees that felt sore after a tough battle in the best-of-five semifinals with Meralco. “It feels like I went to war, just recovering right now. I was definitely beat up last game in Game Five of the Finals and I have to treat my knee problems and rest for a couple of days,” he said. Josef Ramos STANLEY PRINGLE is thankful Ginebra took him in.
DURING the virtual sidelines of the Second Professional Sports Summit last weekend, we were able to interview one of the two fighting Peñalosa brothers, two-division world champion Gerry Peñalosa. According to Peñalosa, he has young pugilists who are potential Philippine and world champions who had to stop training because of the outbreak. When Gerry was a boxer, he took on all comers, he never dodged anyone. He took on the best, the two divisions he won had to offer. I asked Peñalosa about Luisito Espinosa’s court case which he won therefore ordering the heirs of the late Rodolfo Nazario to pay Luisito $130,349 (P6.6 million) plus interest. According to Gerry, it may have been an issue of trust or a broken agreement, there may have been deliverables that the promoter didn’t deliver. There’s a saying that, “When you honor your word, you honor yourself.” Nobody wants to live a life filled with broken agreements. Anyway, back to Gerry Peñalosa, his brother is a former two division boxing world champion Dodie Boy Peñalosa. What’s remarkable about Dodie Boy is that he’s had polio since birth, so you have a guy who’s whole boxing career, has been fighting at a disadvantage. Gerry also said that boxing has come to a grinding halt as a result of the pandemic. No fights means no sponsors, no advertisers and no pay-per-views so it’s been a challenge for him. Boxing’s protocols will have to be strict if it is to return to relevance and prominence. One infection can ruin a challenger’s hard earned opportunity for a shot the title. For the champion, weeks and months of training and preparation all for naught because of infection.
Forum on tennis
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HE impact of the International Tennis Federation’s suspension on the Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) will be discussed in the weekly webcast edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) on Tuesday. To talk about the issue are Philta President Atty. Antonio Cablitas and Vice President Martin Misa, who are both going to tackle too, the plans and programs of the federation for 2021. The 10 a.m. sessions is presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Golf, Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. Games and Amusement Board Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra makes up the other half of the public sports program powered by Smart and Upstream Media as official webcast partner. He will discuss the recent Second Professional Sports Summit. The forum is live-streamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and also shared by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.
US Women’s Open delayed by heavy rains
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OUSTON—The latest US Women’s Open on the calendar will last one more day because of relentless rain that drenched Champions Golf Club and forced the US Golf Association (USGA) to suspend the final round until Monday. Hinako Shibuno of Japan, who had a oneshot lead as she goes for a second major, never teed off. The USGA moved up tee times as early as possible Sunday because of the forecast, and the final round was just over an hour old when thunderstorms in the area caused play to be stopped. It never resumed, with about threequarters of an inch of rain falling before there was no point in trying to restart. The turf in the December climate doesn’t drain as quickly. Plus, heavy rain soaked the course Friday after the second round. There
was standing water across Champions even during spells when the rain subsided. The US Women’s Open was postponed from early June because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will be the first Monday finish for the US Women’s Open since So Yeon Ryu won at The Broadmoor in Colorado in 2011. Shibuno won the Women’s British Open last year in her major championship debut— and her first tournament outside Japan—and is bidding to become the third woman to win two majors the first time playing them. Se Ri Pak was the most recent in 1998 at the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Championship and US Women’s Open. She was at four-under 209, one shot ahead of Amy Olson, the 28-year-old from North Dakota who has not won in her seven years on the LPGA
Tour. Only two other players, Moriya Jutanugarn and Ji Yeong Kim2, were under par. Ariya Jutanugarn, a two-time major champion and former No. 1 player in the world, made birdie on her first hole before play was stopped. That pulled her within five shots of the lead. Forty-two players from the 66 who made the cut had finished at least one hole. The most anyone played was six holes. They will pick up where they left off on Monday; the USGA decided against calling the final round a wash and starting over. The Philippines’s Yuka Saso carded a sixover 77 in the third round and dropped out of contention. The 19-year-old Filipino-Japanese carded a 77, her worse in three days following earlier efforts of 69 and 77, to fall into a share of 25th place with a 277. AP