BusinessMirror February 11, 2022 by BusinessMirror

Pandemic spurs big shifts in jobs generation By Cai U. Ordinario

economy. He said this shift in jobs is one of the major changes in the past two years. “What I wanted to call attention to is the fact that we have indeed a changed economy. [When] comparing your data from October 2019 to October 2021, first let’s look at jobs. There was a dramatic decline in jobs between those two periods in transport and storage, food, and of course in industry, particularly manufacturing and construction,” Habito explained. “ W here d id t hese jobs go? Well, it turns out, the displaced work, the displaced workers in industry, and in services massively shifted to either farming, fishing, or trading,” he added. Based on a presentation, Habito

@caiordinario

HE pandemic leaves in its wake a Philippine economy that is changed in terms of industry winners and job quality, according to a former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary. In an economic forum of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) on Thursday, former National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Director General Cielito F. Habito said there has been a dramatic shift in job generation in the country as a result of the pandemic. However, as a result, Habito said this has led to greater informality in terms of the jobs created in the

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said between October 2019 and October 2021, agriculture and fisheries gained 650,000 workers. This has made the sector the “biggest single provider of jobs in the economy.” Further, the data showed some 1.151 million workers became part of the wholesale and retail trade sector. This, however, increased informality in the work force. This happened as the industry lost 324,000 jobs composed of 288,000 jobs in manufacturing and 70,000 jobs in construction. Habito also said tourism saw a decline of 663,000 jobs, including 524,000 jobs in accommodation and food industries.

“In terms of change in jobs, again, the quality of jobs obviously suffered. Why? because there’s been a 2.8, almost 2.9-million gain in workers who are working less than 40 hours a week; in other words, part time.” —Former Neda chief Cielito Habito

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Jobless rate up to 6.6%; Palace sees Q1 rebound

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

ONG-TERM investments made by foreign investors to the Philippines grew strongly in November last year as global and local economic activity improved during the period, bringing the cumulative January-November 2021 FDI net inflows to $9.2 billion, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday.

By Samuel P. Medenilla

‘DIGITAL DIASPORA’ Foreign tourists show their documents to Philippine Coast Guard personnel screening foreigners coming in at NAIA Terminal 2 in Pasay City. The Philippine government on Thursday (February 10) reopened its borders to vaccinated foreign tourists as Covid-19 alert levels are eased. Stories on page A3 Nation, “IATF further eases entry rules for foreign nationals” and “Canadian tourists are first through the PHL’s doors.” NAIA MEDIA AFFAIRS DIVISION

ALACAÑANG is confident the country’s employment rate will rebound during the first quarter of the year as the government eases the Alert Level in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other parts of the country. Acting Presidentia l spokesman K arlo B. Nograles issued the statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday that the unemployment rate in December rose to 6.6 percent compared to 6.5 percent the month before. “With the easing [of restrictions] up in Febr uar y, we expect, bottom line, more of our citizens will be going back to the labor force,” Nograles said. He said the increase in unemploy ment rate i n t he sa id month was actually a sign that more workers were finally ret ur ning to t he l abor ma rket. Labor Secretary Silvestre H. October 2021. Bello III attributed the higher labor The National Economic and Deforce participation rate in Decemvelopment Authority (Neda), howber to the increased economic activever, cited the larger increase in ities brought about by the holidays the labor force participation rate, and the Alert Level 2 which was imwhich improved to 65.1 percent posed in many parts of the country. from 64.2 percent. The Inter-Agency Task Force Ned a sa id t his meant t hat for the Management of Emerging around 800,000 more people were showsofofproducts, products,with withhosts hostsand and shows Infectious Disease (IATF) hoisted able to find work as mobility reguestsproviding providingmore moredetails detailsand and guests an Alert Level 3 in NCR and other strictions were relaxed in Decemgivingtestimonies, testimonies,Zalora Zalorasaid. said. giving parts of the country last month ber. This brings net employment wouldalso alsohelp helpbrands brandsininItItwould amid the surge in Covid-19 infeccreation to 3.7 million above prenovateon onflexible flexiblesales salespromopromonovate tions, triggering the closure of more pandemic levels. tions,such suchasasgiving givingdiscounts, discounts, tions, establishments brought about by loand offering offering easier easier and and attracattracand See “Unemployment,” A2 cal spread of the Omicron variant. tivepayment paymentoptions optionssuch suchasasthe the tive buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) opbuy-now-pay-later (BNPL) opSee “Jobless,” A2 tion,which, which,ititsaid, said,emerged emergedasas tion, themost mostpopular popularoption optionamong among the Asian shoppers. Asian shoppers. 36.8784 n EU 58.7034 n SAUDI arabia 13.6947 Source: BSP (February 10, 2022) Indonesia, for for example, example, InIn Indonesia, Google saw saw a a “10x “10x increase increase inin Google searchesfor fore-wallet e-walletservices servicesand and searches 15xrise riseininBNPL BNPLservices servicesininthe the 15x lastfive fiveyears. years.Other Otherappealing appealing last payment options options like like monthly monthly payment installments,toto00percent percentinterinterinstallments, estfees feeson oncredit creditcards, cards,provide provide est access toto quality quality products products and and talsavviness savvinessand andtaste tastefor forluxury luxury access tal serviceswhile whilealso alsoimproving improvingfi-fiandsustainability. sustainability. services and nancialinclusion. inclusion. “Thereport reportisispositioned positionedasasa a nancial “The Zalora,for forinstance, instance,offers offers21 21 referencepoint pointthat thathelps helpsZalora’s Zalora’s Zalora, reference paymentmethods methodsacross acrossthe therere900brand brandpartners partnersnavigate navigatethe the payment 900 gion, including including cash-on-delivery cash-on-delivery region’sdiversity diversityand andevolving evolvingreregion, region’s andBNPL BNPLoptions optionsacross acrossthe themarmartaillandscape,” landscape,”Zalora’s Zalora’sCEO CEOGunGunand tail kets.ItItlaunched launchedits itsfirst firstco-brandco-brandjanSoni Sonisaid. said. kets. jan creditcard cardininpartnership partnershipwith with Aside from from digital digital partners partners ededcredit Aside RCBCand andMastercard Mastercardininthe thePhilPhillike Google, Google, Mastercard, Mastercard, H&M, H&M, RCBC like ippines,the thefirst-ever first-everfashion fashionand and Lush,Paula’s Paula’sChoice, Choice,HABIB, HABIB,AtAtippines, Lush,

AVAOCITY—A CITY—Aleading leading AVAO onlinebrand brandretailer retailerin inAsia Asia online seeingaasharp sharpbehavioral behavioral isisseeing online presentation of its Trender shiftamong among consumersand andbrand brand shift Continued onconsumers A5 Report2021. 2021. Report Shedescribed describedthe the“shoppers “shoppersofof She makersthat thatmay mayreinvent reinventand andinnovate innovate makers tomorrow”asas“digital “digitaland anddiverse diverse tomorrow” approaches, especially from the latter, approaches, especially from the latter, across Southeast Asia.” across Southeast Asia.” PESO exchange rates n US 51.3770 n japan 0.4449 n UK 69.5439“It’s n HK 6.5949 n CHINA 8.0751 “It’s a a digital digital diaspora,” diaspora,” she she asdata dataanalytics—since analytics—sincethe theonset onsetof ofthe the as said,citing citingGoogle Googletrend trendmonitormonitorsaid, ingthat thatshows shows40 40million millionnew newInIning pandemic—indicatethe theemergence emergenceof of pandemic—indicate ternetusers userscame cameonline onlineinin2021, 2021, ternet morediscerning discerningconsumers consumersadaptive adaptiveto to more “bringingthe theinternet internetpenetration penetration “bringing in Southeast Asia to 75 percent.” in Southeast Asia to 75 percent.” electronic, or online, shopping experience. electronic, or online, shopping experience. “Infact, fact,eight eightout outofof10 10InterInter“In

For one, one, the the Southeast Southeast Asia Asia For Trender Report Report 2021 2021 byby Zalora Zalora Trender showsthat that40 40million millionAsians Asiansmade made shows theirdebut debutininInternet Internetuse useand and70 70 their millionhave havemade madetheir theirfirst firstonline online million purchasewithin withinthe the2020 2020and and2021 2021 purchase period, many many ofof them them attracted attracted period, anddrawn drawninto intoactual actualpurchase purchasebyby and productsales salespromotion promotionand anddisdisproduct countofferings. offerings. count

netusers usersininthe theregion regionare aredigidiginet talconsumers. consumers.Recognizing Recognizingthis this tal shiftininadoption, adoption,brands brandsquickly quickly shift expandedtheir theironline onlinepresence presencetoto expanded reachthese thesenew newdigital digitalconsumconsumreach ers,and andZalora Zalorareported reporteda a19-per19-perers, centincrease increaseininnew newbrands brandsthat that cent joinedthe theplatform platforminin2021,” 2021,”she she joined added. added. Withmore moreSoutheast SoutheastAsians Asians With browsingnow nowand andgetting gettingthemthembrowsing selves more more online, online, the the average average selves

and 1.5 million more” Mapa said, speaking partly in Filipino. In December 2021, there were 3.27 million unemployed Filipinos, an increase of 110,000 from November’s 3.216 million. This is, however, a decrease of 230,000 from the 3.5 million posted in October 2021. In terms of underemployment, there was a decrease of about 810,000 to 6.81 million in December 2021 from the 7.62 million recorded in November 2021. There was also a decrease of 230,000 from the 7.04 million posted in

n singapore 38.2982 n australia

Internetand andelectronic electroniccommunicommuniInternet cationgadgets gadgetsbybytheir theirside. side.Google Google cation trendshows showsMalaysian Malaysianshoppers shoppers trend spendclose closetoto99hours hoursonline onlineon on spend average,“and “andare arethe themost mostlikely likelytoto average, value-driven.” bebevalue-driven.” Singaporean shoppers shoppers are are Singaporean mostlikely likelytotoinvest investininluxury luxurypurpurmost chases, with with Google Google search search data data chases, showinga a21-percent 21-percentyear-on-year year-on-year showing increaseininSingaporeans’ Singaporeans’searches searches increase

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in 2021, or 2.1 percentage points below 2019 level. For unemployment, Mapa said, there were 3.7 million unemployed Filipinos in 2021, which is still 1.4 million more than the 2.26 million recorded in 2019. There were 7 million underemployed Filipinos in 2021, 2.8 million higher the consumers become morethan discernconsumers become more discern5.8 million recorded in 2019. ing and connected, we are seeing ing and connected, we are seeing “If you innovations look at the pre-Covid sitincredible innovations happening incredible happening uation in 2019, unemployment rate theretail retail sector thatcompletely completely inin the sector that was really low, 5.1 percent only, reimagine theat shopping experireimagine the shopping experiso now in 2021 it’s at 7.8 percent ence,” Gunjan Soni, chief executive ence,” Gunjan Soni, chief executive whichof isofquite high. In my estimate, officer theZalora Zalora Group, toldan an officer the Group, told we still have to regain 1.4 online presentation ofbetween its Trender

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UNEMPLOYMENT IN DECEMBER RISES TO 3.27M–PSA Onlineshopping shopping platform notes behavioral shift Online platform notes behavioral shift D amongconsumers, consumers,brand brandmakers makersamid amidCovid Covid among

Fore ig n d i rec t i nvest ment ESPITE the recent economic (FDI) net inflows posted a 96-pergains notched by the Philcent increase in November 2021 ippines following the easto reach $1.1 billion during the ing of mobility restrictions, the country still needs to create more month. jobs for the unemployment rate to FDI are investments made by return to prepandemic levels, acforeign players to the Philippines cording to the Philippine Statistics in the hopes of long-term return. Authority ByManuel ManuelT.T.Cayon Cayon (PSA). By Since these are in the counIn a briefing on Thursday, Natry for a longer-term compared tional Statistician Claire Dennis to their short-term counterpart, S. Mapa said full-year unemploythe foreign portfolio investments ment rate is pegged at 7.8 percent, (FPI), FDI usually create jobs for which is 2.7 percentage points Filipinos and have a multiplier efbelow 2019 levels while underfect on the economy. employment is at 15.9 percent

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Comelec junks consolidated case vs BBM; only 1 of 7 cases left By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

N LY o n e c a s e against presidential candidate Ferd i n a n d ``B o n g bong" R. Marcos, Jr. remains pending with the Commission on Elections, after the First Division unanimously voted to junk the consolidated case against the former senator on Thursday. “The consolidated petitions of Ilagan v. Marcos Jr., Akbayan v. Marcos Jr, and Mangelen v. Marcos Jr. have been dismissed for lack of merit,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a post in his Twitter account.

In the decision penned by Commissioner Aimee P. Ferolino and signed by Comelec Commissioner Marlon S. Caquejo, the First Division said the petitioners failed to prove that the Court of Appeals penalized Marcos with perpetual disqualification from public office for his several counts of tax violation. It said the consolidated case did not show any proof that Marcos was convicted for a crime involving moral turpitude, citing the Supreme Court ruling on the case of Philippines vs Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos. "We see no legal infirmity in adopting the said dictum in the hopes of finally putting the issue on moral turpitude to rest," the

Unemployment... “By accelerating the vaccination program and safely reopening more sectors of the economy, we were able to generate more and better jobs for the people. We look forward to building on these gains in 2022 now that we have contained the spread of Omicron and have reverted back to alert level 2 in the National Capital Region and several

Continued from A1

provinces,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said. The government’s progress in implementing the 10-point policy of the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) will help bring back more employment opportunities, especially in hard-hit sectors like tourism and education. Under Inter-Agency Task Force

First Division said.

Apply the law

In his separate opinion on the case, Casquejo defended the validity of their decision. "The Commission is confronted with legal issues subject to strong public scrutiny. But no matter how unpopular our findings and appreciation of facts and the law is, we must remain unperturbed and apply the law as it is," Casquejo said. Following the decision of the Comelec First Division on the consolidated case, only the case filed by Pudno Nga Ilokano against Marcos is left of the seven original cases seeking to remove the former lawmaker from the 2022 Resolution 159, the Covid-19 risk classification of countries under “green,” “yellow,” and “red” categories was temporarily suspended. Starting February 10, fully vaccinated Filipinos and international tourists from visa-free countries are only required to show a 48-hour negative RT-PCR test result prior to departure from their country of origin. International arriving passengers who meet these requirements are no longer required to undergo facilitybased quarantine to support tourism’s

presidential race. The Second Division earlier junked the petition of Danilo Lihaylihay to have Marcos declared as a nuisance candidate; and the petition of Christian Buenafe et al., as well as that of Tiburcio Villamor to have the former senator's COC cancelled.

New Division compositions

The case of Salandanan will now be handled by the Second Division, with Casquejo now serving as its new presiding commissioner. Acting Chairman Socorro B. Inting decided to reshuffle the members of the Comelec Division following the retirement of Comelec chairman Sheriff M. Abas and commissioners Rowena V. Guan-

zon and Antonio T. Kho Jr. The First Division now has Inting as its new presiding commissioner and Ferolino as its member. Meanwhile, Casquejo was assigned as presiding commissioner of the Second Division with Commissioner Rey E. Bulay as its member. Inting decided that cases not yet raffled to a Division or those filed after Feb. 9. 2022 will be given to the newly constituted Divisions. Cases, which were a lready raffled prior to last Wednesday, will remain in the Division it was assigned "to ensure its orderly, speedy, and judicious disposition."

recovery and return tourism-related jobs. Chua said the expansion of the vaccination program to the pediatric population will help pave the way for resuming face-to-face classes and restore employment in education. “While employment outcomes are expected to slightly deteriorate in January 2022 due to the higher alert levels, this will only be temporary as we vigorously pursue the implementation of the EDC’s 10-point policy. This will set the stage for our full recovery in 2022,” said Chua.

Low job creation

Ibon Foundation Inc. said that given the latest jobs data released by the PSA that the Duterte administration will leave behind a legacy of having the biggest increase in joblessness among all post-Marcos administrations. Ibon blamed the administration’s “over-reliance” on lockdowns which hindered the economy’s recovery and prevented the creation of more employment. On top of this, Ibon said the government also failed to provide cash assistance for millions of poor households and subsidies for small enterprises and producers grappling through the pandemic and economic crisis. “ The unemployment crisis under Duterte is even more stark when looking at preliminary annual labor force figures and comparing these to previous governments,” Ibon said. Comparing December 2021 jobs data to those at the start of the Duterte administration, Ibon noted that the number of unemployed significantly grew by 940,000 from 2.3 million in July 2016 to 3.3 million in December 2021. The unemployment increase under the Duterte administration from 2016-2021 grew by a huge 1.3 million from 2.4 million in 2016

Jobless...

to 3.7 million in 2021, the biggest among all post-Marcos regimes. The next biggest rise in unemployment was under the Arroyo administration from 2001-2010 (632,000), followed by Estrada from 1998-2001 (611,000) and Ramos from 1992-1998 (449,000). Under Corazon Aquino from 1986-1992 unemployment grew by 68,000 while under Benigno Aquino III from 2010-2016 it decreased by 261,000. The group said the least jobs were created under the Duterte administration from 2017-2019 at a 313,338 annual average compared to the other post-Marcos administrations of Arroyo (858,250 jobs were generated), Benigno Aquino III (827,167), Corazon Aquino (810,042), Ramos (489,208); and Estrada (410,750). “Relatedly, the real wage has fallen at the start of the Duterte administration and is at its lowest since 2014, which is no longer simply due to the long and stringent lockdowns. Pre-pandemic the government was already giving the least number of wage hikes and the smallest amount in the postMarcos period,” Ibon said. “To jumpstart real economic recovery, the government needs to understand that it is aggregate demand that most of all has to be boosted especially with substantial cash assistance to poor households and subsidies to production sectors and small businesses,” it added. Based on the latest data, the average monthly wage of timerated workers on full-time basis was recorded at P16,486 in 2020, a contraction of 9 percent from the P18,108 posted in 2018. PSA said the highest average monthly wage rate was recorded for mathematicians, actuaries, and statisticians in insurance, reinsurance, and pension funding except compulsory social security at P63,368 in 2020. Cai U. Ordinario

Continued from A1

It only started downgrading the Alert Levels in the said areas, including NCR, this month as Covid-19 cases finally started to decline allowing more businesses to resume operations. Nograles said the reopening of the country to foreign tourists on Thursday will help bring back more workers not only in the tourism sector, but also to other sectors, which depend on it such as food and transportation. “We will be able to bring economic growth and development since we will be able to revive the tourism industry and all other industries are dependent on it,” Nograles said.

Pandemic... Continued from A1

“In terms of change in jobs, again, the quality of jobs obviously suffered. Why? because there's been a 2.8, almost 2.9-million gain in workers who are working less than 40 hours a week, in other words, part time,” Habito said. “But [there was a] 2.9-million decline in people who are working 40 hours or more per week. So the informal sector work is likely to be the dominant kind of work now,” he added. With the jobs came the shift in the growth of the economy with agriculture, fishery, and forestry’s (AFF) share to GDP increasing to 9.6 percent from 9.2 percent in 2019. In 2020, Habito noted, the share of the AFF sector reached as high as 10.2 percent. If it weren’t for the decline in the growth of the livestock sector, which was ravaged by the African swine fever (ASF), Habito said, agriculture growth may have reached 2.4 percent in 2021. “If you look at agriculture, if you look outside of livestock, which was subject to an unusual disturbance, or this African Swine Fever—it was the pandemic for swine like our own Covid pandemic for humans—agriculture actually showed significant growth,” Habito said. “I think the Philippines has this inner capability to grow much faster than it has shown in the past years. Agriculture alone, my favorite, because you know I’ve shown how it’s really the backbone, has so great potential, has much scope for further growth if only we would have a much more outward looking orientation in the sector,” he also said.

Invest in people

In order to address the ill effects of these changes, Habito said there’s a need to invest in people first, which means investing in health, nutrition, and education as well as copy the country’s neighbors to strengthen the economy’s backbone which is agriculture and agribusiness. Habito added the government must also become more aggressive in terms of exporting the country’s products. This will boost income growth and improve the country’s foreign direct investments. Apart from these, World Bank Philippines Senior economist Rong Qian said efforts to implement structural reforms should become a priority for the Philippines. Qian said the Philippine economy’s growth over the last 15 to 20 years was mainly productivity-driven growth. But this type of growth usually tapers off without structural reforms. “The Philippines has been experiencing fast growth for the last 15 to 20 years and a lot of that is productivity growth. As we know from global experience, productivity growth tends to slow down if there are no new reforms. So to go back to 6 percent, we need to implement those structural reforms,” Qian said. Neda Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon said if not for the pandemic, many more reforms would have been implemented by the current administration. However, some of the notable reforms, such as the e-government and digitalization efforts in the public sector, would pave the way for greater transparency in government. These are the creation of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the National ID. In 2020, the President tapped ARTA, along with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Budget and Management, and other government agencies, to lead the transition to a paperless government through e-governance. In September 2020, the Authority launched a series of webinars featuring the E-Governance Agency of Moldova, the Embassy of New Zealand, and the Republic of Serbia to showcase their best practices in terms of e-governance. Earlier, the national government aimed to register 92 million of the country’s population in the National ID system by year-end, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said this would include some 31.3 million Filipinos who are set to receive their physical IDs by the end of 2022. As of February 4, Mapa said some 54.956 million Filipinos have already completed Step 1 and 2 of the National ID. Step 1 is the provision of demographic information, while Step 2 is the provision of biometric data.

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IATF further eases entry rules for foreign nationals

HE government eased the entry, testing and quarantine protocols for more foreign nationals (FN) planning to visit the country. In a news statement issued on Thursday, Acting Presidential Spokesman Karlo B. Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) issued Resolution 160-D exempting some FNs from the requirement of presenting valid return journey tickets. The exemption will cover foreign spouses and/or children of Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens with balikbayan privilege including their foreign spouse and/ or children who are not balikbayans and who are traveling with them to the Philippines. Foreign spouses and children of Filipino citizens who are not nationals of Executive Order (EO) 408 (series of 1960) countries, and posses a 9 (a) visa with appropriate notation, will also no longer be required to present entry exemption document (EED) to enter local ports. IATF Resolution 160-B also allowed FNs, who intend to stay beyond 30 days for purposes other than tourism or leisure, to enter the country on the condition they secure an EED. All of the aforementioned FNS must be fully vaccinated and possess acceptable proof of vaccination, except only for minor children below 12 years of age traveling with their fully-vaccinated parents. They must also present a negative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test taken within 48 hours prior to date and time of departure from country of origin or first port of embarkation in a continuous travel to the Philippines excluding layovers. “They must not have also left the airport premises or been admitted into another country during such layover,” Nograles said. In a related development, Nograles said the IATF also approved the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to recognize the Covid-19 vaccination certificate of Brazil, Israel, South Korea and Timor Leste for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for interzonal and intrazonal movement. “As such, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation—One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF,” Nograles said. IATF’s Resolution 160-D, which amended the provisions of its Resolution 160-B, was approved last Thursday. Samuel P. Medenilla

BFAR and NTC told: Enforce VMM rule to control unregulated fishing

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

ISHERFOLK groups urged the government to fast-track the implementation of the mandatory installation of vessel monitoring measures in commercial fishing boats to boost efforts to curtail illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) in the country. The Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan (PKSK), Pangingisda Natin Gawing Tama (PaNaGaT), ANAK KO Fisherfolk Association and Oceana called on the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to fulfill their mandate under the law of mandatory installation of vessel monitoring measures (VMM) in all commercial fishing vessels

weighing 3.1 gross tons and higher. “We condemn the continued violations committed by commercial fishing vessels and call on enforcement agencies to include non-compliance to vessel monitoring measures in the list of violations of apprehended vessels,” the coalition of fisherfolk and civil society organizations said in their statement issued on Thursday. Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos reiterated that the

installation of VMM on commercial fishing vessels is mandated by Republic Act 10654 or the amended Fisheries Code. “FAO 266 is the implementation of this absolute requirement to strengthen the monitoring, control and surveillance system required by the law to encompass all Philippineflagged fishing vessels,” Ramos said. “Agriculture Secretary William Dar already vowed to implement vessel monitoring measures. The recent reversal in the position of the Office of the Solicitor General on FAO 266 implementation is baffling, to say the least,” Ramos added. The groups said BFAR’s records showed that only half or about 1,526 of the 3,077 total commercial fishing vessels with license have already installed VMMs. “Illegal fishing has remained a problem even if we have the law. The intrusion of commercial fishers in municipal waters caused this problem of overfishing. Our fish stocks are continuously decreasing at an alarming rate,” Ramos said. “This has caused unjust suffering to

poor artisanal fisherfolk that’s why the government has to abide by its mandate to protect the coastal communities’ livelihood and the food security of the Filipino people,” she added. Oceana noted that the use of VMM has been a welcome development to municipal fisherfolk and government officials as it helped in monitoring and apprehending vessels that illegally fish in municipal waters. The municipal water is the critical 15-kilometer zone from the shoreline of our oceans that is the spawning ground of fish and their habitat, according to Oceana. Commercial fishing vessels are prohibited from entering the municipal water, according to the Amended Fisheries Code. The groups issued the statement following recent news reports wherein Solicitor General Jose Calida was quoted urging both BFAR and NTC to comply with the ruling of the Malabon City Regional Trial Court that the FAO 266 is unconstitutional. Oceana and PaNaGaT argued that RA 10654 prohibits trial courts from issuing injunctions, as provided un-

der Section 134. “Prohibition on the Issuance of Temporary Restraining Orders, Preliminary Injunctions, and Preliminary Mandatory Injunctions. – No injunction or restraining order from the Municipal Trial Courts and Regional Trial Courts shall lie against the Department and BFAR upon the ex parte motion or petition filed by any person or entity in the exercise by the Department and BFAR of its regulatory functions in support of the implementation of this Code,” Section 134 read. The prohibition against the enforcement of environmental laws is further reiterated in the Supreme Court’s own rules on environmental cases, and the Office of the Court Administrator’s Circular 87-2016, according to the groups. “Nananawagan kami sa BFAR at NTC na ipatupad ang vessel monitoring measures para masugpo ang commercial fishing sa municipal waters at makasuhan ang mga lumalabag sa batas,” Norlan Pagal, President of ANAK KO Fisherfolk Association, said.

Canadian tourists are first through the PHL’s doors Duterte ‘not wasting time’ DOT thumbs down aid to hotels waiting for June 30 to exit By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

,CANADA! Foreign tourists and business travelers from Vancouver were among the first to arrive in Manila on Thursday as the Philippines reopened its doors to the world. The first foreign tourists arrived via Philippine Airlines PR117 from Vancouver at 4:30 a.m. at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), followed by PR103 from Los Angeles at 7:30 a.m., according to a news statement from the carrier. There was no formal welcome ceremony from the Department of Tourism (DOT), which had long been pushing for the lifting of travel restrictions to foreign leisure travelers with the local tourism losing over P1 trillion in terms of tourism direct gross value added in 2020. Manilahasdecidedtoallowtheentry fully vaccinated foreign tourists from 157 visa-free countries and two Chinese territories,withouthavingtoquarantine inahotel.In2019,priortothepandemic, thePhilippineswelcomedsome8.26million foreign tourists.

#LoveNotTourism

AMONG those who arrived later in the afternoon was Keith Saunders,

Peza revives 100% WFH proposal for IT-BPO continued from a12

“The proposal of Peza is merely temporary in consideration of the ongoing pandemic,” Peza Director General Plaza said. “The approval of the Peza Board of our proposed temporary measure was submitted to the FIRB for further approval as required under the rules. We have yet to receive formal notice on the FIRB’s decision regarding our recommendation,” she added. Plaza also asked that penalties not be imposed under the FIRB resolution covering the mandated WFH arrangements. “Peza-registered companies are coping with or recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. If it’s supposed to be a relief measure, we should not penalize the companies; rather, we must continue to assist our registered companies as much as possible given that protecting

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, February 11, 2022 A3

livelihoods of millions of Filipinos is an important national interest,” she said. In November last year, Plaza told the BusinessMirror that they were no longer appealing their bid to implement a revenue-based WFH scheme for the IT-BPO industr y because the FIRB was not responding to their request. (Related story: Peza backs down on revenue-based WFH, https://businessmirror. com.ph/2021/11/30/peza-backsdown-on-revenue-based-wfh/) The Peza proposal, which seeks to base the threshold on gross revenues, will allow locators to have 100-percent WFH arrangement for the work force. However, it also means that only 90 percent of the revenues of the activity will be subject to incentives.

53, from the United Kingdom, via Cebu Pacific. He told reporters that he came to the Philippines to visit his girlfriend. “It’s been a long journey for 18 months, away from my girlfriend, family. Glad to be back,” he said in a video shared by the DOT. “I’m going to Subic and hopefully I can share tea with my girlfriend.” Saunders said he camped out in a Bangkok hotel while waiting for the Philippines. “It’s been a stressful two year for everyone,” he noted, as Covid-19 forced countries to shut their borders. #LoveNotTourism was among the popular hashtags on the Internet as Covid-19 made its way into many countries, and couples were separated by travel restrictions. The Philippines, however, does not have “fiancee” visa category. Speaking from the Naia during the Laging Handa news briefing, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said, among the tourism markets being targeted is South Korea: “They were our number one tourists before the pandemic, and they are a visa-free country. We are also looking at our neighboring countries, and of course, our balikbayan (homecoming Filipinos) from the US. They’ve long been wanting to come home, but couldn’t because of the quarantine restrictions.”

TO the request of hotels for financial assistance, she said, “I was surprised with that, because I always talk with the Philippine Hotel Owners Association [PHOA] and the hotel owners themselves. So in my view, those asking for the financial assistance are just a few, because when it was announced that the Philippines would reopen quarantine-free, the hotel owners I spoke with said they were happy with this development.” She added, “What the hotel owners have asked from us is to keep promoting [the country] abroad so the reopening would continue and everybody gets back their jobs.” PHOA asked for financial aid to tide their members over due to the loss of quarantine rooms. (See, “Hotels losing quarantine guests ask for ‘lifeline,’” in the BusinessMirror, February 9, 2022.) Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the DOT and the its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) launched Virtual Destination Videos and 360�� ° Virtual �� Reality (VR) Experiential Tours, under its SmarTourism program, to promote the country’s top tourist spots and attractions. SmarTourism is one of the key strategic directions of TPB that aims to market the Philippines via the digital platforms to foreign and local tourists.

DMI NIS T R AT ION Sen. C h r i s to phe r L aw re nce “Bong” Go assured Thursday President Duterte is “not wasting time” waiting to end his term and is continuing to serve Filipinos even as he prepares for his looming exit from Malacañang after formally turning over power to his elected successor on June 30. A trusted long-time Duterte ally, Go affirmed in a statement that the outgoing Chief Executive “did his best serving the country and will continue to fulfill his duty as President, making sure that no time is wasted” in serving the people until his last day in office. The administration lawmaker issued the statement recalling President Duterte’s Talk to the People address on Monday, February 7, disclosing he already packed his belongings ready to vacate Malacañang Palace even as there were still four more months left in his official term. “That’s life. All things have an ending. That is why President Duterte is getting ready to go as we all know his term is ending” the senator said, “He (Duterte) did his job to the best of his abil-

ity.” Duterte started serving his six-year term on June 30, 2016, when he was sworn into office as the Philippines’ 16th President. Go recalled Duterte earlier saying: “I am packing my things... So I should be out...by March. I won’t be here anymore by April. I won’t sleep here anymore. Wherever God will bring me, I will practice sleeping there.” This, even as the administration senator added that Duterte is also moving to ensure “a smooth transition of power for the next elected top leader of the country. “Gusto rin niyang siguraduhing maayos ang transition patungo sa susunod na administrasyon ng kung sino man ang pipiliin ng taumbayan sa halalan,” Go said, adding, “Until that day comes, the President will keep on serving the Filipino people. He will definitely continue to work until the last day of his term.” However, the trusted presidential ally claimed he still had no idea who among the presidential wannabes would likely win the President’s coveted endorsement. “Abangan na lang po natin at magtiwala tayo sa kanyang pagpapasyahan,” Go said. Butch Fernandez

Neda chief’s To-Do list for next admin: Keep fiscal discipline, liberalization push continued from a12 “If the wealth is fixed then we should at least tax it equitably,” Chua said. “If the wealth can run away, then that’s (wealth tax) not how we should do it. That’s how I think we should look into this wealth tax.”

Priorities

CHUA said part of Neda’s proposals to the next administration is to place climate change as the core of the government’s development planning. This means, he said, whether policies and plans are in the agriculture, infrastructure, or energy sectors, these will be anchored on the need

to mitigate or adapt to the impact of climate change. Apart from this, Chua said efforts to innovate would also be crucial. Instead of simply copying the ideas or research and development of the country’s neighbors, efforts must be made to create new ideas, products, and ways of doing things in the country. These need not be limited to hightechnology products in basic sectors such as agriculture and in the provision of basic public services. Efforts to create smart infrastructure in the country are also included in the priorities. This means creating in-

frastructure that improves the mobility of Filipinos, bearing in mind that roads are not always the best projects to do this since there are times this could just lead to more emissions. These infrastructure projects should also be evenly distributed nationwide. While the government has implemented many projects, some regions and provinces have not benefited from them, he said. He pitched more equity in the allocation of the infrastructure budget, based on an objective assessment that’s not only based on how well a region or a province, or politicians,

fight or lobby for the projects. “We are preparing the foundation for this and I hope the next administration will continue the work. And we are thinking about how we can improve productivity over the medium term and we think that we need to focus on a number of important thematics,” Chua said. “These are some of the important priorities that we, in Neda think, should form the foundation of the next administration so that we can further accelerate and sustain growth after we address the Covid 19 pandemic threat,” he also said.

Senators grill DA execs for importation of 60K MT fish continued from a12 The BusinessMirror earlier reported that the government could earn as much as P30 million from the 60,000 MT importation of small pelagic fishes as it required importers to pay P500 for every metric ton of fish that they will import.

The DA issued Administrative Order (AO) 01 of 2022 outlining the guidelines for the implementation of the 60,000 MT importation of small pelagic fishes to boost local supply and prevent price spikes in the first quarter.

Dar have earlier cited the factors he considered in issuing the 60,000 MT Certificate of Necessity (CNI): the P3-billion losses incurred by the fisheries sector, the need to curb the contribution of fish to rising food inflation, and persisting logistical

problems hindering the smooth transport of food products. “The fisheries subsector is the number one subsector badly hit by Odette. The capacity of our fishermen to catch will be in question,” he said.

Economy BusinessMirror

A4 Friday, February 11, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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PHL, Japan ink $2.2-B loan accord on 2nd tranche fund for MM subway By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

HE Philippines signed on Thursday a JPY 253.31 billion (about P112.87 billion or $2.2 billion) loan agreement with Japan, assuring the country’s second tranche funding from the bilateral partner for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and Japan Internationa l Cooperation Agenc y (Jica) Chief Representative Eigo Azukizawa signed the loan accord for the Philippines’ first-ever underground railway.

The second tranche loan extended by Japan for the project is payable in 27 years with a grace period of 13 years, for a total maturity period of 40 years. Back in March 16, 2018, the Philippines and Japan signed the JPY 104.53 billion (about P47.58 billion or $933.73 million) first tranche loan agreement for the subway project. This accord also has a 40-year total maturity period. For the remaining three to four tranches of the total loan, the Department of Finance said in a statement that Jica will release the funds based on the project requirements and will be subject to further discus-

sions between Jica and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the project’s chief implementing agency. Dominguez thanked the government and the people of Japan for continuing to extend financial support for the construction of the Metro Manila Subway, one of the flagship projects under President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program. Also present at the signing ceremony was Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa and Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan. The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Board

chaired by the President approved the revised total project cost of P488.48 billion (about JPY1.08 trillion or $9.58 billion) for the Metro Manila Subway on September 23 last year. Jica will finance 75.9 percent of the project through a time-sliced loan totaling P370.77 billion (about JPY804.46 billion or $7.27 billion), while the Philippine government will fund the remaining 24.1 percent or P117.71 billion (about JPY273.66 billion or $2.31 billion). Utilizing cutting-edge Japanese tunneling technology, the Metro Manila Subway involves the construction of a 27.5-kilometer (km) railway

line from Valenzuela in Bulacan to Bicutan in Taguig City and the Naia Terminal 3 in Pasay City with a 33.1km electromechanical system. The project will also cover the physical integration segment with the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) System (i.e., FTI to Bicutan). It also involves the construction of a depot and 17 stations (two of which will be constructed through a separate loan under the NSCR System), and the procurement of 30 train sets. The preparation of the detailed engineering design and bidding documents for the project started in November 2017, financed by a grant from Jica.

DOLE to employers: Allow workers to accompany kids for vaccination

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is pushing to excuse the absence of employees from work if they would have to accompany their children for inoculation against the virus during the third round of the National Vaccination Day (NVD). In his Labor Advisory (LA) No. 4 (Series of 2022), Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III urged employers to grant the exemption to help in the government target of vaccinating 15 million children aged 5 to 11. “Employers are highly encouraged to allow their employees to accom-

pany their children for vaccination, without considering them as absent from their work, provided they present proof of vaccination of their children,” Bello said. He said the excused worker could use their available credits to cover their absences during the NVD, subject to company policy or collective bargaining agreement granting the same. LA No. 4 will only apply to workers in the private sector. The third NVD coincides with the ongoing government vaccination drive for children aged 5 to 11 years old,

which started last Monday initially in some pilot areas in Metro Manila and then in Regions 3 and 5. National Task Force Against Covid-19 Adviser Teodoro J. Herbosa said they plan to start the inoculation of children in the said age group outside of Luzon by February 14, 2022. The government is targeting to administer 5 million Covid-19 jabs during the third NVD on February 10 and 11, 2022. Herbosa said the latest round of NVD is part of the government’s measure to fully vaccinate 70 million individuals by March. Samuel P. Medenilla

Rubber tree farmers get support from DAR By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

HE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has provided members of four agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBO) who are into rubber tree farming in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay to boost their production. Bags and sacks of fertilizers and herbicides amounting to P2,815,400 were distributed by DAR to members of the Timbabauan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization in Timbabauan,Tungawan;SilinganRubber Farmers Association in Silingan, R.T Lim; Tambanan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization in Tambanan, Naga and Goodyear Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Goodyear, Kabasalan. DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Mohammad Dassan Adju said the fertilizers and herbicides would spur rubber production in the province. “The DAR is not just about giving lands to landless farmers, we also provide support services to uplift the economic lives of our agrarian reform beneficiaries,” he said. T he fer ti lizers and herbicides they receive would be a big help to increase the quantity and quality of their products. The farm inputs, provided under Project ConVERGE (Convergence on Value Chain Enhancement for Rural Growth and Empowerment), were directly delivered to the ARBO’s respective warehouses under the supervision of DAR provincial office personnel.

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Verification stamp issued to 393 YouTube channels By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has verified around 393 YouTube channels as credible source of information for several candidates in the 2022 polls. This after the said channels from the popular video-sharing platform were able to comply with the verification process set by the poll body. “Verification of accounts is a step towards ensuring the availability of trusted and credible sources of information for the public, a vital part of the fight against disinformation,” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a brief statement last Thursday. The poll official said they coordinated with YouTube to verify the said channels “regardless of the number of subscribers” just before the start of the campaign period last Tuesday.

“All official candidates, both national and local, party-list groups and political parties who have submitted their YouTube channel to the Commission on Elections now have a verified badge,” Jimenez said. Comelec Resolution 10730 mandates web sites and other social-media platforms used for the endorsement or candidacy of all registered political parties/ coalitions and bona fide candidates to be registered with Comelec. Some candidates expressed concern over the said requirement especially for their YouTube channels, since they expected it would require them to have a minimum number of subscribers. “We have worked with YouTube to verify these channels, regardless of the number of subscribers, and we will continue to work in close coordination as we strive to push out information that will be helpful to the voters through these reliable channels,” Jimenez said.

Friday, February 11, 2022 A5

Lawmaker urges LTO to halt driving test as requisite for license renewal By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

HOUSE deputy speaker on Thursday urged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend an eight-hour-long driving education test requirement for people renewing their driver’s license. Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, in a news statement, said imposing the requirement when the Covid-19 Omicron variant is still spreading poses a risk to the health of tens of thousands who will renew their licenses this year. Rodriguez said the start of the election campaign period has already caused supporters of candidates to gather in large numbers in sorties and rallies. “This is already a cause for concern for all of us and for health officials in particular. Let us not exacerbate the situation by having people converge in LTO offices,” he added.

“The convergence of people at this time in LTO offices, many of which are just cramped spaces in malls, could be a virus ‘superspreader.’ I’m sure LTO officials and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade are aware of this,” he said. Also, he said while drivers have the option of taking the test in LTO-accredited driving schools, they would have to pay P3,000 to P5,000 for it. “How can we expect public utility vehicle [PUV] drivers to pay that sum when they are even asking for financial assistance from the national government and local government units?” he asked. He said the huge amount would be an added financial burden not only to PUV drivers but also to employees as well who drive their own vehicles. Rodriguez reminded the LTO that it would be suspected of corruption again if it insists

on the requirement by having drivers comply with it through its accredited driving schools. Rodriguez stressed that the imposition “is also unfair and unjust to millions of vehicle owner-drivers, especially the law-abiding ones, because the government should not be making it hard for them to renew their licenses.” “The vetting of drivers should be conducted when people apply for driving permits for the first time. After that, renewal should be ministerial on the part of the LTO, except for those with infractions,” he said. In the case of offenders, the LTO has a system of punishment and reeducation whenever they violate traffic rules and the conditions of their permits, he said. “Repeat offenders whose licenses are confiscated are even required to attend a seminar on complying with driving and traffic rules before their licenses are released. So the renewal test is clearly superfluous,” he added.

Comelec told to resolve pending election cases expeditiously By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

HE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday to abide by its own rules in the expeditious resolution of election cases. In a four-page statement, IBP clarified that it is not referring to any particular candidate or intends to dwell on the merits of pending petitions for cancellation of certificates of candidacy (COC) or disqualification of a candidate for

President in the forthcoming May 2022 elections. “The IBP’s only concern is to urge the Comelec to abide by the rule of law in the disposition of such cases pending before it,” the group said. It explained that under the Omnibus Election Code and Article IX-C of the 1987 Constitution, the Comelec is given the mandate to enforce and administer all laws to ensure free, orderly, honest and peaceful elections. Pursuant to this, the Comelec had promulgated its own Rules of Proce-

dures in order to expedite disposition of election cases that are brought before it. Based on its own rules, special actions namely petitions for cancellation of COC against nuisance candidates and disqualification of candidates are required to be “heard summarily after due notice.” As for issuing decisions, the ponente has 15 days, from the last date of deliberations to prepare the decision and to furnish the other commissioners copies of the draft for their review. “Any pending petition for can-

Defensor promises to open QC public library 24/7 if elected mayor

O serve as breeding ground for Bar and licensure exam topnotchers, Rep. Michael Defensor of Anakalusugan has vowed to open the Quezon City Public Library 24/7. In a news statement, Defensor, who is running for Quezon City mayor, said a 24/7 library will provide students a safe and quiet place to study. According to Defensor, Bar topnotcher Marcley Augustus Natu-el credited the Cebu City Public Library for providing him a good environment to study and review. Natu-el posted on social media a photo of him studying at the Cebu City Public Library a year before he would rank 2 in the 2018 Bar exams. Justine Lei Ramos, who ranked No. 1 in the 2019 Architecture licensure exams, also recognized the Cebu City Public Library for giving her space to focus on her review. “We want the Quezon City Public Library to serve as a breeding ground for future topnotchers in the Bar exams and other professional licensure exams, just

like the Cebu City Public Library that is also open 24/7,” said Defensor. “On our watch, the Quezon City Public Library will never close, because we want it to be always ready to accommodate students who want to concentrate on their studies or in their reviews for their eligibility exams,” Defensor added. Defensor said he intends to expand the Quezon City Public Library and improve its high-speed Internet connectivity to draw in more students looking for a peaceful place to study. At present, Defensor said he Quezon City Public Library is open only from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m., Monday to Friday. It is closed on weekends and public holidays. In contrast, Defensor added that the 24/7 operations of the Cebu City Public Library has drawn national attention for helping to produce topnotchers. “We will allow students to bring their own food or snacks while they are studying in the library, which will also provide free charging for their laptops, tablets or mobile phones,” Defensor said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Nov FDI up 96% to $1.1B, 11-mo. total hits $9.2B continued from a1 The strong November performance of FDI inflows to the country brought the cumulative FDI net inflows in January to November 2021 to $9.2 billion, a 52.5-percent growth from the $6.1-billion net inflows in the same period in 2020. Broken down, foreign investors’ net investments in debt instruments climbed 82.1 percent to $6.8 billion in the first 11 months of the year, from the $3.8 billion in the comparable period in 2020. Reinvestment of earnings, meanwhile, rose by 12.8 percent to $1 billion from the $907 million recorded in the first 11 months of 2020. Meanwhile, the growth in FDI inflows could have been larger, if not moderated by the contraction in foreign investors’ net investments in equity capital by 1.2 percent to $1.4 billion. The BSP said the bulk of the equity

capital placements during the period were sourced from Singapore, Japan, and the United States. These were invested mostly in the manufacturing; financial and insurance; electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning; and real estate industries. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the country’s strong FDI performance has been vital to the economy’s recovery from the pandemic-related disruptions. “FDIs remain one of the bright spots and one of the major pillars of the economic recovery program from Covid-19,” Ricafort said. “Encouraging more FDIs into the country is a pillar in the country’s economic recovery program since they create more employment and other business activities in the country.”

cellation of COC or disqualification of a candidate for president must be resolved at the earliest opportunity and within the prescribed period by the Comelec itself in order to encourage the people’s confidence in the electoral process,” IBP said. Among the official presidential candidates, only former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has a pending disqualification case before the Comelec. “Surely, a timely resolution of any dispute will allow everyone to focus on ensuring that the

people are able to express their sovereign right in choosing the country’s next President through an informed and free exercise of their vote. Vox populi, vox dei! The voice of the people is the voice of God,” IBP added. There is also a pending motion for reconsideration for nuisance and a pending partial motion for reconsideration for cancellation of COC of two other candidates. The IBP stressed that it recognizes Comelec’s independence as a constitutional body tasked to administer free and credible elec-

tions as well as to resolve election disputes in accordance with the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code. “Such dual function of the Comelec is essential to the preservation of our democracy in upholding the sovereign people’s right to suffrage,” it said. It can be recalled that the Philippine Bar Association (PBA) also issued a similar statement calling for the Comelec to resolve expeditiously and with transparency the pending election cases filed against candidates.

BusinessMirror

Friday, February 11, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque Basic Qualification: JASON Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Customer Service Chinese Language 1. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street, Salcedo Vill., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: ANSELMUS ARIO DIMANTORO FUDDIN degree holder; must fluently Bahasa Indonesian Language-manager Marketing speak and write in Bahasa Indonesian language to cater 2. Brief Job Description: foreign market identify, develop and implement new strategies for selling products or services Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: TJONG ROMY Degree holder, must fluently Bahasa Indonesian Language-manager Marketing speak and write (Bahasa Indonesian) to cater foreign 3. Brief Job Description: market Identify, develop, and implement new strategies for selling products Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: HERNAWATY Degree holder, must fluently Bahasa Indonesian Language-marketing Officer speak and write (Bahasa Indonesian) to cater foreign 4. Brief Job Description: market Create specific promotions for affiliate, promote business and product Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: degree holder; must fluently SUNADEE, PRAPAPRON speak and write any of the Thai Language-officer Customer Service following languages (Bahasa 5. Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai) Brief Job Description: to cater foreign market initiate conversation to uncover customer needs, promote business product Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: degree holder; must fluently VO THI MY LE speak and write any of the Vietnamese Language-supervisor Customer Service following languages (Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, 6. Brief Job Description: mandarin) to cater foreign initiate conversation to uncover customer needs, promote market business product Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: DEGELING, RENE MARK Superintendent experience Spraying Superintendent in working with excavators and dry earth movement in Brief Job Description: international dredging land 7. Manages and Supervises the execution of a part of the reclamation and rock works project according to the contract in a safe timely, qualitatively projects , optimal and cost-efficient manner and occasionally stands in for the works manager during their absence Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230, Narra Street, Marikina Heights, City Of Marikina Basic Qualification: can work as an independent consultant to provide GUO, TIANSHANG marketing expertise to clients; General Trade Marketing Specialist Consultant can research industries, markets, demographics, 8. Brief Job Description: trends, sales results, and other Responsible for developing and executing commercial data related to the client’s strategies. products or services.

MOHAMAD ABDELJABBAR SH. F. SAMARA General Trade Marketing Specialist Consultant 9.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for developing and executing commercial strategies.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: can work as an independent consultant to provide marketing expertise to clients; can research industries, markets, demographics, trends, sales results, and other data related to the client’s products or services.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 COMMUNICATION AND RENEWABLE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE CREI PHILS INC. Unit A, 7th Flr., Clipp Center 11th Ave. Cor. 39th St. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: REY RODRIGUEZ, RICARDO ENRIQUE 15 years plus experience Consultant in a similar field. Excellent presentation and people’s 10. Brief Job Description: skills. BSc in Civil/Electrical/ Ensure operational and strategic objectives are achieved. Telecom Engineering Achieve set of KPIs, objectives and roadmap as defined by the CEO and the Group management team Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: Can contributes information, CUI, TIANPENG ideas and researches to help Marketing And Sales Agent develop marketing strategies; Can help to detail, design and 11. Brief Job Description: implement marketing plans for Researches and develops various marketing strategies for each product or service being products and services and implements marketing plans and offered. works to meet sales quotas. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can contributes information, ZHENG, MIN ideas and researches to help Marketing And Sales Agent develop marketing strategies; Can help to detail, design and 12. Brief Job Description: implement marketing plans for Researches and develops various marketing strategies for each product or service being products and services and implements marketing plans and offered. works to meet sales quotas. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 FIBERHOME PHILS., INC. U-19d 19/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati XIANG, QI Project Manager 13.

Brief Job Description: the project manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long-term goals.

Basic Qualification: proven experience as project manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. 4th-11th Floor Aseana 3 Building, Aseana Avenue Corner Diosdado Macapagal, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION AGUSTIAN GUSNADY Customer Service Representative

14.