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Thursday, February 24, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 139

P.  |     | 7 DAYS A WEEK

IMPACT PHL PESO, PRICES’ Over 500K children in ‘hazardous work’—PSA

B B C @BcuaresmaBM

 T J C. P

@Tyronepiad

EVERAL local banking economists said the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine are set to put pressure on the local economy, particularly through rising inflation and weakening of the currency in the near-term.

ESPITE the pandemic, over half a million children were engaged in “hazardous work” in 2020, according to the latest data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The data showed the total number of working children considered engaged in child labor was estimated at 597,000 in 2020. This magnitude of working children considered engaged in child labor, however, was lower than the 640,000 child laborers in 2019. “Child labor referred to in this report were those children 5 to 17 years of age engaged in hazardous work identified in the DOLE [Department of Labor and Employment] Administrative Order No. 149 or long working hours only,” the PSA said. In terms of proportion, some 68.4 percent of the working children were engaged in child labor in 2020. This was higher than the estimate of 61.2 percent in 2019. Of the estimated 597,000 working children engaged in child labor in 2020, some 435,000 or 72.8 percent of them were boys while 162,000 or 27.2 percent were girls. Across age groups, the largest proportion (73.3 percent) of working children considered engaged in child labor in 2020 were in the ages

In separate responses to the BM, ING Bank economist Nicholas Mapa, UnionBank economist Carlo Asuncion and C  A

WTO pushes resort to TFA to ease supply chain woes

HE Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) among World Trade Organization (WTO) members has helped global supply chains to carry on, but more needs to be done to allow economies to recover from the pandemic. This is according to WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who highlighted the role of TFA— which entered into force five years ago—in supply chain resilience. “WTO members’ efforts to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement over the past five years have been vital for global supply chain resilience, which is more than ever important amid the demands for a sustainable recovery from the pandemic,” she said. Among the TFA commitments include streamlining of trade procedures, expediting approvals for perishable goods, opening of information portals, she enumerated. S “WTO,” A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Officer-In-Charge and Gen. Manager Atty. Romando Artes shows the Metro Manila Council Resolution indicating the consensus among the 17 mayors to de-escalate the alert level in the National Capital Region to AL 1 starting March 1, 2022. Story on page A3. NONIE REYES

S “O,” A

ADB COUNSELS ASIAN COUNTRIES: PUSH REFORMS TO AVERT DEBT CRISIS B C U. O @caiordinario

OLICY-MAKERS from Asian countries, including the Philippines, were advised to undertake reforms and tap new instruments to diff use a debt crisis in the future, according to a report released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). In the report, titled “The Sustainability of Asia’s Debt,” ADB experts said governments across Asia have much to be proud of in terms of public debt management. However, the report said, certain risks could potentially in-

crease debt levels in the region such as the Covid-19 crisis, shrinking fiscal spaces, rising contingent liabilities, and other “real and present dangers.” “This leaves the region’s policymakers with a mix of praise and homework. They deserve credit for their laser focus on growth, for creating enough confidence in their national currencies, and for developing their domestic capital markets,” the report stated. “But their work is far from done. Reforms are needed to balance fiscal accounts in the medium term and make them more stable thereafter,” it added. The ADB experts

stated that the region’s policymakers must become more transparent when it comes to corporate borrowings and rein in “excessive lending to households.” Instituting reforms are also crucial. The report said some reforms have already been on the table since before the Covid-19 pandemic. The current crisis, the report added, could lend more relevance to these reforms that have been pending for years. These include social security system reforms that could address aging concerns. The accelerating pace of aging C  A

■ US 51.4450 ■ JAPAN 0.4471 ■ UK 69.9189 ■ HK 6.5941 ■ SINGAPORE 38.2462 ■ AUSTRALIA 37.1381 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 13.7121 ■ EU 58.2769 ■ CHINA 8.1309

Source: BSP (February 23, 2022)

News BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 24, 2022

WTO...

C  A

All these measures were deemed crucial in delivering food, vaccines, medical products and other essential supplies across the borders. But “there is more work to be done,” Okonjo-Iweala, citing the need to extend help to small businesses and developing economies, both of which were seen as the most adversely affected by the pandemic. “The full implementation of the TFA, supported by aid for capacity building from partners, will be necessary to help economies bounce back and better withstand future shocks,” she added. TFA entered into force on February 22, 2017 following the acceptance of two-thirds of the members, including the Philippines. It contains commitments in expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including those in transit. The measure also has provisions catering to developing and least-developed countries (LDC) for capacity building to implement the agreement. WTO said its members have committed to implement 74.3 percent of their TFA obligations as of February 22. For the Philippines, its current rate of implementation is at 98.3 percent. “The TFA is the first WTO agreement in which developing and LDC members can determine their own implementation schedules and seek to acquire implementation capacity through the provision of related assistance and support,” WTO noted. In an event earlier this month, WTO Deputy Director-General Anabel González stressed that trade facilitation is strongly linked with economic resilience, which was revealed during the pandemic. “Throughout the pandemic, trade facilitation has played a life-saving role in keeping trade in food and other essential supplies flowing,” she said. “Trade facilitation enabled complex supply chains—some spanning as many as 19 countries—to be stitched together in record time, to provide the specialized inputs and capital goods needed for large-scale production of life-saving Covid-19 vaccines.” Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

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BIR shuts down 18 unregistered POGO licensees in Cagayan

B B D. N

@BNicolasBM

IGHTEEN unregistered Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) entities in Cagayan were temporarily shut down by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). In a statement on Wednesday, the BIR said nine POGO licensees and their respective Support Service Providers were temporarily closed during the enforcement operations conducted by the BIR’s POGO Task Force last February 11. “May these closure operations against unregistered POGO entities, along with our other tax enforcement activities like filing of tax evasion cases and intensified tax audit and investigation, serve as a deterrent for those who would commit tax violations. We urge all taxpayers to comply with the Bureau’s registration requirement, filing and payment of taxes, and oth-

er tax obligations in order to avoid facing business closure, penalties and possible criminal charges before the court,” BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay said. The erring POGO entities are all offshore-based and duly licensed by Cagayan Export Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) to engage in interactive gaming. These include Asian BGE Ltd.; Fine Day Holdings Ltd.; Hana Talk Inc.; NCGAC Ltd.; NEO Kingdom Ltd.; Oak Tree Services Ltd.; Succeed Asia Ltd.; Wealthy Leap; and WUS Technologies Holdings Ltd. Likewise, their Support Service Providers which are all registered

enterprises in Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Freeport (CSEZFP) are also suspended: Alpha Fortune Management Solutions Inc.; Empire Group International & Management Tech Services Inc.; HiSource Services Inc.; Kui Business Services Inc.; Lyndhurst Services Inc.; Pacific Solutions Management; Rimrock ICT Services Inc.; Succeed Asia Ventures Inc.; and Top Asia Leisure and Entertainment Corp. Prior to this, the BIR said it has also closed seven POGOs since the effectivity of the POGO law which set up a clearer tax regime for the sector took effect in October last year. The most common violations committed by the said POGO entities were non-registration of business and tax types to which POGOs are subject to pay as well as non-payment or underpayment of taxes. As of January 31 this year, the BIR said there are 40 POGO licensees and 168 POGO service providers registered with the BIR. Since the effectivity of the

POGO law, a total of P1.22 billion in taxes has been collected by BIR from POGOs from October 9 to December 31, 2021. Under the POGO law, an Offshore Gaming Licensee shall be considered engaged in doing business in the Philippines, therefore, they are required to register with the BIR. Failure of POGOs to register with the BIR is a fraudulent act that will prompt the BIR to implement the closure orders as well as to their respective accredited service providers. Business operations of POGO licensees and service providers will remain suspended until they comply with the BIR’s registration requirements and other tax regulations and pay the corresponding deficiency taxes and penalties. A POGO licensee is a firm that operates the online games of chance or sporting events via the internet using a network and software or program, and taps service providers to provide technical services, such as live-streaming of games for offshore customers/players who are non-Filipinos.

‘UKRAINE CONFLICT MAY IMPACT PHL PESO, PRICES’ C  A

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) economist Michael Ricafort said oil prices will start to escalate, which, in turn, could affect the peso’s value against the dollar.

This, as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said that while it is still studying the impact of the Ukraine-Russia tensions on trading, its concern stems more from how the situation can disrupt the global supply chains and poten-

tially drive up prices. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told reporters on Wednesday they are still looking into how the current situation in Eastern Europe will affect the imports and exports of goods, but he assesses that it will have “less direct impact.” The DTI official noted that the Philippines’s trade with Ukraine is “only around” $200 million, making it the country’s 40th biggest trading partner. As for trade with Russia, Lopez said “nothing has changed.” He noted that the total export and import receipts with that country is around $2 billion. A pressing concern now, he stressed, is how the Ukraine-Russia tensions can cause bottlenecks to global supply chains. “But it’s disruption in the prices and supply chain of oil and key commodities like wheat, iron ore, and the high degree of uncertainties if such crisis worsens are the factors that can impact global recovery efforts,” Lopez explained.

Pressure on inflation

to cover pricier oil,” he added. Asuncion said the peso could weaken to P52 to a dollar. On Wednesday, data from the Bankers’ Association of the Philippines (BAP) showed that the peso closed trade at P51.1 to a dollar. “Any further fireworks sparked by US-Russia tensions will impact the Philippines [as it could] cause oil prices to spike, including natural gas. [This is] bad for net oil importing emerging markets like the Philippines [as it could] spill over into more cost-push inflation for us,” Asuncion said. “A prolonged conflict will stall any upbeat growth momentum. Consumer and business sentiment will turn cautious and worry over the broadening of the conflict in Europe,” he added. Ricafort also said the higher inflation could nip growth momentum in the bud. “Higher inflation would slow down the economic recovery, amid the reduction in the purchasing power or disposable income amid more spending for oil and to pay for higher prices of affected goods services,” Ricafort said.

ON top of the likely impact on overall sentiment, the escalating tensions on the Russia Ukraine border will likely ratchet up pressure on Philippine inflation, ING Bank’s Mapa said. “A protracted period of elevated energy prices will definitely filter through to higher imported energy inflation with the double whammy of fomenting PHP depreciation pressure as firms need more dollars

story: War-fueled oil price inflation impact eyed, https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/02/22/war-fueled-oil-priceinflation-impact-eyed/)

Over...

This represented 3.4 percent of the total number of children aged 5 to 17 years old.

C  A

15 to 17 years. In the same manner, PSA data showed child laborers aged 15 to 17 years old comprised the largest share in 2019 at 71.2 percent. By broad industry group in 2020, about 63.6 percent of child laborers were in the agriculture sector, 28.6 percent were in the services sector, and 7.9 percent were in the industry sector. PSA said there were a total of 872,000 children below 18 years old who had jobs as of October 2020. This represented 2.8 percent of the 31.17 million children in this age group. However, PSA said this was lower than the 1.05 million children in the same age bracket who were working as of October 2019.

The oil factor

LOCAL economists earlier expressed worry that the international crisis will lead to higher oil prices for the Philippines. (Related

Working hours, regions

THE data also showed that 53 percent or 462,100 of the total number of working children worked 20 hours or less per week, while 6,100 children worked over 60 hours per week. The PSA noted an increase in the number of children who worked 21 to 40 hours a week; 41 to 60 hours a week; and over 60 hours a week. The data showed 232,700 children worked 21 to 40 hours a week in 2020 compared to 155,200 in 2019; while 144,600 children worked 41 to 60 hours a week in 2020 compared to 120,700 children in 2019. PSA also said 26,800 children worked more than 60 hours a week in 2020, compared to 26,700 children who worked the same hours in 2019.

ADB COUNSELS ASIAN COUNTRIES: PUSH REFORMS TO AVERT DEBT CRISIS C  A

in the region, the report said, is worth noting as this could make the public debt burden in the region “impossible to carry” in the next two decades.

Aging not a PHL risk

HOWEVER, in the case of the Philippines, the report said aging is not a major risk factor. Due to the country’s young population, the country is still expected to carry its debt problems. “There is no sense of imminent explosion [the debt problem]. The key word is ‘imminent,’ as the irreversible and accelerating pace of aging will make public debt in East Asia impossible to carry in a couple of decades from now,” the report stated. “In a nutshell, they [policymakers] should build on their successes, put in motion today the reforms that will defuse a crisis in the future, and tap into new instruments,” it also read. Earlier, the national government’s total outstanding debt by the end of December 2021 shrank to P11.73 trillion from the previous month’s level, still higher than the debt stock as of end-2020. The Bureau of the Treasury reported that the debt stock dipped by 1.7 percent or P203.28 billion from P11.93 trillion as of end-November 2021. The decline was caused by net redemption of government securities. While the December debt figure fell within the government’s projected level for the year, it still meant a 19.7-percent surge from the P9.795 trillion posted at the end of December 2020. However, the Treasury said December’s number is lower than the 26.7-percent year-onyear growth in outstanding debt in the previous year “due to better fiscal performance and lower financing requirements.” The country’s debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio stood at 60.5 percent, rising from 54.6 percent in the previous year and slightly higher than the 59.1 percent projected by the government for 2021. The internationally-accepted threshold for emerging markets, including the Philippines, is at 60 percent. Across the regions, Calabarzon with about 4.22 million, National Capital Region (NCR) with nearly 3.35 million, and Central Luzon with around 3.26 million had the largest population of children 5 to 17 years old in 2020. In terms of proportion of working children, Northern Mindanao posted the highest at 7.2 percent in 2020 and 10 percent in 2019. In terms of the share of the working children, for every 100 working children in the country in 2020, around 12 or 12.4 percent lived in Northern Mindanao; 11 or 11.1 percent resided in Bicol Region; and 9 were residents in Calabarzon. The data showed that Cordillera Autonomous Region with 1.2 percent; Metro Manila, 1.6 percent; Davao Region, 2.1 percent; and Cagayan Valley, 2.6 percent had less than 3 working children for every 100 working children in the country. Cai U. Ordinario

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, February 24, 2022 A3

Metro mayors recommend Alert Level 1 in NCR starting March 1

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

@claudethmc3

HE Metro Manila Council (MMC) has recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to place the National Capital Region (NCR) under Covid-19 Alert Level 1 starting March 1.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Officerin-Charge and General Manager Atty. Romando Artes said that all NCR mayors, through MMDA Resolution No. 22-06 (Series of 2022), unanimously agreed to “deescalate” the capital region to Alert Level 1 by next month. Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, for his part, said, “It is a must that we bring NCR down to Alert Level 1.” “ With positiv it y rates in the NCR now below the levels set by the W HO [World Hea lth Organization], the NCR is ready.

We hope that the I ATF will consider this recommendation,” he said. Concepcion shared data from OCTA Research showing the positivity rate in the NCR decreasing to 4.9 percent as of February 21, or below the WHO’s recommended 5 percent levels for governments to consider reopening.

For job generation

“THE resolution was already sent to the IATF earlier today [Thursday]. The basis of the MMC to ease the restrictions in the region is to open up the economy to ensure job generation,” said Artes during a news

briefing at the MMDA headquarters in Makati City. “The NCR’s positivity rate for Covid-19 is now at 4.64 percent, way below the 5 percent standard of the WHO,” he said. Citing Department of Health’s Covid-19 Situationer in the NCR, as of February 21, the region accounts for 32 percent of the confirmed cases nationwide; the distribution of RT-PCR tests done and positivity rates by local government units (LGU) showed a Regional Average Positivity Rate of 4.64 percent; the Risk Classification and Health System Capacity by LGUs that out of 17 Metro Manila LGUs, only one LGU remains at moderate risk classification, while the rest are already at lowrisk classification based on the two-week growth rate and average daily attack rate (ADAR). As of February 20, the DOH Health Care Capacity Utilization Status in the NCR showed that the Health Care Utilization Rate (HCUR) and Covid-19 Bed Utilization Rate in the region are both on a downward trend and equally stand at 24.8 percent. Artes also assured that local chief executives of the NCR are

ready and fully capable of implementing the I ATF-prescr ibed health and safety protocols under Covid-19 Alert Level 1. He added that despite the conduct of political activities such as motorcades and caravans, no notable spike of Covid cases were recorded in the past two weeks.

NCR at low-risk classification

OCTA Research observed that this is the first time since December 26 and prior to the Omicron wave that the positivity rates fell below the WHO recommended levels. The independent research group also reported that the NCR remains at very low risk, with ADAR (or the seven-day average of new cases per 100,000) decreasing to 2.85, while the reproduction number remains stable at 0.21, or at very low levels. Another key indicator, HCUR, remains very low at 25 percent. Neighboring provinces in Calabarzon are also remaining at low risk levels, with Quezon province even improving to very low risk levels. “Easing restrictions here will be instrumental in how the country will recover and achieve a 6.5 percent GDP growth rate in the

first quarter,” he said. With the new data from OCTA Research, he said that an earlier easing of restrictions is becoming more feasible. “As mobility happens, economic activity follows. We already saw how it can improve our GDP to 7.7 percent when we opened up in the fourth quarter. If we hit the high 5’s or even 6 in the first quarter, that would be great. And with the elections in the second quarter, there will be even more activity,” Concepcion said. “We cannot allow our debt-toGDP ratio to go beyond 60 percent, and for that to happen we have to have mobility,” he said. He expressed optimism that alert levels may eventually be lifted altogether, saying that a state of public health emergency may no longer be necessary given there are currently no variants of concern, the country has achieved a higher vaccination rate, and health-care utilization rates remain low. Concepcion reiterated, though, that even with easing of rest r ic t ions, vacc i n at ions shou ld cont inue, a nd people should obser ve the minimum

public health and safety protocols to prevent key indicators from going up again.

Number coding scheme

MEANWHILE, Artes announced that the agency is studying the possibility of implementing a modified Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (U VVRP) or number coding scheme during the morning rush hours. At present, the number coding is implemented on weekdays, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., except during holidays, and only covers private vehicles. “We are studying to widen the coverage of our modified number coding scheme from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. I have met with the district heads of our Traffic Discipline Office. Based on their assessment, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., light traffic situation is observed on m ajor t horoug h fa res,” A r tes said. He disclosed that the MMDA does not want to impose the number coding for the whole day due to lack of public transportation. The MMC, composed of the 17 Metro Manila mayors, is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.

A4 Thursday, February 24, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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Subic sparks investors’ interest in Dubai trade quest

By Henry Empeño | Correspondent

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—Subic sparked strong interest among businessmen and venture capitalists during a trade mission conducted by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) until last week in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said in a February 16 report to President Duterte that the Subic agency successfully pushed the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a sus-

tainable and competitive business and industrial center in the Philippines during business meetings in Dubai from February 9 to 14. “As a result, Subic has sparked

strong investor interest in the fields of cargo logistics, renewable energy, aviation, vaccine manufacturing, and compliance solutions,” Eisma said in her report. She said the SBMA team discussed business potentials in Subic with officials of Abu Dhabi Ports Company, a logistics operator and manager of industrial zones and ports in the UAE, and the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and Northern Emirates, which promotes cooperation among business communities in Dubai, the Northern Emirates and the Philippines. Eisma said they also offered the Subic airport as an alternative hub for the UAE flag-carrier Emirates during a meeting with Orhan Abbas, the firm’s senior vice president for

the Far East, in the hope of increasing the number of commercial flights from Dubai to the Philippines and vice versa. The SBMA team, likewise, attended the Philippine Country Business Briefing headed by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on February 11, and participated the following day in the Philippine National Day, which was attended by thousands of Filipinos in Dubai. “We have high hopes that Subic got the attention of major industry members in the UAE, especially with the endorsement we received from the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and the Northern Emirates,” Eisma said on Tuesday. SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Operations Ronnie Yam-

bao, who joined Eisma in Dubai, said SBMA team had a productive meeting on February 9 with Suchit Kapoor, business director of the Abu Dhabi Ports Company, and Dogus Durhan, business manager of the Abu Dhabi Ports Group. This meeting tackled cargo expansion, integrated technology, and a business model design through partnership, Yambao said. Next, Eisma met with Jon Salazar, founder and president of Gazelle Wind Power, a Dublin-based producer of hybrid floating offshore wind platform, for a possible project to drive Subic’s renewable energy program. Eisma then went on to talk with Stephan Thomas, senior director and CFO of Group 42 (G42), an artificial

intelligence and cloud computing firm, which is looking for partners for a joint venture to manufacture and distribute Covid-19 vaccines in the Philippine and the Southeast Asian region. The SBMA team also met with Angeline Rivera, sales and marketing manager of Prime Group, a leading quality and compliance solutions provider in Asia, Middle East and Africa, which is considering Subic for its expansion program. Lastly, Eisma coordinated promotion of the Subic Bay Freeport in the UAE with Prof. Gau G. Raganit, chairman of the Philippine Business Council of Dubai and Northern Emirates, which promotes trade among business communities in Dubai, the Northern Emirates and the Philippines.

Better standards, conditions for Filipino workers among priorities of a BBM govt

NSURING better labor conditions for the country’s work force shall be among the priorities of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. if he is elected president in May. Meeting with officials of the labor-focused party-list groups, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and the Associated Labor Unions (ALU), Marcos discussed the problems and issues besetting the sector and outlined his plans and programs to address them. While he supports the creation of a separate department for migrant workers, Marcos said all the other agencies that deal with the labor sector should be streamlined. “I will have to put the layout in

detail because the issue has become so involved. So many things need fixing, structurally. We should streamline the agencies, because there are too many of them; and our workers are confused as to where they should go,” he said, partly in Filipino. TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza, for his part, conformed with Marcos’s plans to streamline agencies, noting that overseas workers have met difficulties in their overseas employment, especially among household contract workers in the Middle Eastern countries. Meanwhile, Marcos also expressed interest in making into a priority bill the Security of Tenure Act, which aims at amending the Labor Code to further protect workers’ rights by prohibiting labor-only

contracting in the private sector. However, he pointed out that the version of the bill that President Duterte vetoed in 2019 for “unduly broadening” the scope of labor-only contracting, and effectively banning other forms “that are not particularly unfavorable to employees,” should be amended to ensure that it will live up to its aim of further protecting workers’ rights. “That measure needs to be studied thoroughly in terms of how it can be amended to really give protection to workers when it is legislated. This needs to be remedied so that our countrymen won’t be forced to go abroad because of the poor labor conditions here,” he said, partly in Filipino. Meanwhile, Mendoza, who is

also TUCP president, raised the need to hire additional manpower for agencies such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration to enable these agencies to better serve the welfare of at least 10-million migrant Filipino workers. “In one day, they must process a thousand contracts, yet they have few employees. They lack foreign language interpreters to help OFWs [overseas Filipino workers] facing problems in their jobs. Our OFWs are in the millions and they contribute a lot to our economy, so it’s only right that enough people are deployed to attend to them,” he said. The presidential candidate said this is why he sees the need to stream-

line the agencies concerned so that there will be an agency focused solely on local workers and another one on overseas workers. However, he stressed that the end goal should be to make overseas employment merely an option for Filipinos. Aside from Mendoza, also at the meeting were House Majority Speaker Martin Romualdez and his wife, Tingog Sinirangan Party-list Rep. Yeda Marie Romualdez, ALUTransport Vice President Michael Mendoza, and ALU National Executive Vice President Gerard Seno, among others. TUCP, the country’s largest labor group, earlier endorsed the candidacy of Marcos and his running mate Inday Sara Duterte in the upcoming

2022 national elections. This, even though it is a member of the Nagkaisa labor coalition that backs the Leni-Kiko tandem. TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said there was an overwhelming response from their 1.2 million-strong members to support the UniTeam tandem (Marcos and Duterte) when they held a string of consultation meetings with TUCP members all over the country recently. Founded in 1975 by 23 labor federations, it is currently the Philippines’s largest alliance of labor federations. Most of its members come from major industries such as service, agriculture, and manufacturing from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, February 24, 2022 A5

Solons want probe into sugar import program By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

PARTY-LIST group has filed a resolution asking the House Committee on Agriculture and Food to look into the importation of 200,000 metric tons (MT) sugar during harvest season. In House Resolution 2495 filed last Monday, Bayan Muna Reps. Carlos Isagani Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat said the decision of Department of Agricul-

ture (DA) to import 200,000 MT of refined sugar is “questionable.” “While the country is still in the midst of sugar harvest and milling season, the DA’s decision to import refined sugar therefore impedes the interests of our local sugar producers and poses a threat to our sugar industry,” the resolution read. The SRA approved Sugar Order (SO) No. 3 allowing the importation of 200,000 MT of refined sugar to plug the gap in domestic production caused by Typhoon Odette which

wreaked havoc on Negros, Panay and Eastern Visayas, which are all sugar-producing regions. The lawmakers noted, however, that the SRA released a report last February 6 indicating that refined sugar output rose by 42 percent to 353,779.10 MT from the previous year’s 249,515.8 MT. The SRA also reported a 2.3-percent increase in raw sugar supply with six more months remaining in the sugar crop year. According to the partylist group, local sugar producers in Negros

Occidental—the Philippines’s top sugarcane-producing province which generates about 60 percent of the country’s sugar output—aired their concerns over the issuance of Sugar Order No. 3 of SRA branding it as “ill-timed and ill-planned.” On February 15, Bayan Muna said Regional Trial Court Branch 73 of Sagay City, Negros Occidental issued a 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by the Negros Occidental-based United Sugar Producers Federation and Rural Sugar

Planters Association Inc. against the sugar importation program. The Regional Trial Court of Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental also issued a TRO against the sugar import program. The petition for TRO was filed by the Negros Occidental Federation of Farmers Associations represented by Enrique Tayo. The SRA has stood pat on its decision to import 200,000 MT of standard and bottler’s grade refined sugar to boost supply and

mitigate price spikes. SRA administration Hermenegildo Serafica said the country’s current sugar situation triggers the issuance of the Sugar Board SO 3 for Crop Year 2021-2022, saying the importation is needed after considering the shortfall on the ending balance of refined sugar. He said 200,000 MT of refined sugar will cover the shortfall on the supply and will leave the country with enough buffer stock to tide over until the start of the next milling season.

Group asks govt to create web site for monitoring RCEF use Task force seizes ₧650M

worth of smuggled farm goods

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

FARMERS’ group has called on the government to create a web site that would detail how the annual P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) is being used. Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (MASIPAG) noted that the creation of the website is stipulated in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law. “We don’t know where all that money is going, or if it is being used properly. RTL didn’t improve the lives of our farmers,” MASIPAG regional coordinator Rowena Buena said in a recent statement. The six-year RCEF was created by RA 11203 which deregulated the rice industry in 2019. The RCEF, which will be in place until 2024, seeks to improve Filipino rice farmers’ competitiveness through the provision of high-yielding seeds, training and farm machinery. Under rule 13.13 of the IRR of the RTL law, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is required to create a website that would show the progress of every component of the RCEF. Under the same rule, the DA shall also set up a “Rice Fund Impact Monitoring System” within one year after the issuance of the IRR to “provide a solid empirical basis” in determining the impact of the RCEF to the rice industry. The IRR added that the Rice Fund Impact Monitoring System shall include the RCEF’s impact on rice

THIS BusinessMirror file photo shows prices of assorted varieties of rice at the San Andres public market in Manila.

farmers’ income and consider broad range of variables that are central to “understanding the impact” of the RCEF on farmers’ welfare. MASIPAG joined the call for the abolition of the RTL in anticipation of the RCEF’s mid-year review this year, claiming that the law was a “failure.” The Pambansang Kilusan ng Samahan ng Magsasaka (PAKISAMA) also supports the abolition of the RTL law, arguing that “not all” Filipino rice farmers “received assistance.” “Three years ago, our opinion

towards RTL was to review the policy first. Now, looking at how it affected our farmers, we want this law to be abolished. It did not fulfill any of the promises made. Not all farmers received assistance from RTL,” Rene Cerilla, legal and policy advocacy officer of PAKISAMA, said. Food security advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan also called on the DA to make the progress and impact report of the RCEF public to determine if the RTL law fulfilled its promise of “breaking decades of inefficiency of

the country’s rice sector.” “Three years after the passage of RTL, what have our farmers gained from it? We were promised that this law, quoting the Department of Agriculture, is a game-changing reform policy that will break decades of inefficiency of the country’s rice sector and enhance its prospect of being globally competitive, but are we on target?” it said. “Again, as we always say this, it is critical to act with foresight when it comes to our food security and sovereignty.”

HE government’s joint task force against smuggling has confiscated illegally imported farm and fishery products worth P650 million, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday. The DA said the Sub-Task Group on Economic Intelligence (STG EI) and the Compliance and Regulatory Enforcement for Security Trade Office (CREST-O) confiscated the items in April 2021 to February 2022. The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are members of the STG EI. “We are relentless in our joint efforts to confiscate all illegal imported farm, fishery and food products to protect not only our farmers and fisherfolk, but also our agri-fishery sector from transboundary diseases, and our countrymen from unsafe and unhygienic food items,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in statement. “We commend the men and women of the DA, BOC, DTI, and the composite teams of STG EI and CREST-O for their continued intelligence gathering and vigilance to prevent smuggling and apprehend offenders.” Citing the report submitted by Agriculture Assistant Secretary Federico Laciste Jr. to Dar, the DA said the value of items apprehended by STG EI in April 2021 to November 2021

amounted to P548.56 million while P109 million worth of illegal imports were confiscated this year. The P109-million worth of confiscated farm goods this year included P46 million worth of smuggled agri-fishery products and frozen meat from China last February 8, 9, 15 and P42 million worth of misdeclared fishery products from Vietnam at a cold storage facility in Meycauayan, Bulacan last January 31. The government also seized P11-million worth of misdeclared frozen meat products in Antipolo and Quezon City on February 8 and 9 while another P10 million worth of smuggled fresh vegetables were confiscated at Manila International Container Terminal last January 21. In 2021, the STG EI made the biggest seizure on April 5 when it intercepted P121.3 million worth of undervalued imported rice in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Iloilo. This was followed by the P101.5 million worth of smuggled red onions seized in Subic last July 8, 12 and 19, the DA said. The DA said the STG EI also confiscated P100 million worth of African swine fever-infected meat products and assorted agri-fishery products in Navotas last year as well as P72 million worth of assorted vegetables and red onions at Cagayan de Oro port. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

BFAR sets sights on hiking fisheries output via new industry development plan

THIS BusinessMirror file photo shows the catch of the day by fishermen of San Enrique, Negros Occidental. NONIE REYES

HE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched a new fisheries industry development plan that will promote the sustainable management and development of the country’s fisheries and aquatic resources. BFAR said the government, in partnership with fisheries sector stakeholders, has successfully inked a new Comprehensive Na-

tional Fisheries Industry Development Plan (CNFIDP) covering the years 2021 to 2025. The five-year CNFIDP will serve as a guide to both policymakers and program implementers “toward the sustainable management and development of the country’s fisheries and aquatic resources.” The attached agency of the Department of Agriculture said in a

statement that the new development plan was the result of extensive consultations with hundreds of stakeholders and industry players from four major fisheries subsectors: aquaculture, marketing, postharvest and capture fisheries. “The main thrust of this development framework for the fisheries sector is anchored on the key strategies that the DA wants to establish and

strengthen, with emphasis on largescale production, commercialization and consolidation,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in his message during the launch last February 22. “This endeavor shall serve as an impetus in improving the productivity of the fisheries sector, while empowering stakeholders, especially fisherfolk, towards food security, inclusive growth, and global competitiveness.” BFAR said capture fisheries stakeholders are targeing to increase the production of commercial fisheries by 4 percent while municipal fishers have set their sights on hiking their output by 5 percent under the CNFIDP. “This is to be achieved through the implementation of effective management interventions as part of the key strategies and action plans outlined in the CNFIDP,” it said. “The aquaculture sector has curbed its targets for tilapia, shrimp and seaweed, meanwhile, the target for bangus has increased to 6 percent. The targets for shellfish and mangrove crab, however, have been increased by 2.5 times and five times respectively, as both aquaculture commodities have exceeded the targets set in the CNFIDP 2016-2020.” Under the CNFIDP, the fisheries industry also seeks a 10-percent reduction in post-harvest losses within five years and an 80-percent compliance with hygiene and sanitation standards of all fish processing establishments nationwide. “Lastly, the trade and marketing subsector agreed to prioritize interven-

tions, such as market linking, capability development and improving access to credit, which are recognized to be

advantageous in weakening, if not, eliminating challenges in the subsector,” BFAR said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 24, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

21TH CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION #28 Lot 12 Blk 94, R. Papa Ave. Cor. P. Garcia St. Phase 6, Afpovai, Western Bicutan, City Of Taguig

LIU, CHUNGUANG Accounting Assistant 1.

Brief Job Description: Support the accounting department by performing clerical task including processing and recording transactions, preparing reports and budgets, fielding communication with clients and vendors, fact checking filling

Basic Qualification: Associates degree in related field in related field work experience, more education, experience or additional certification and licenses may be required. Proficiency with computers and bookkeeping software, strong typing skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LI, SHENGHUI Accounting Asst. 2.

Brief Job Description: Support the Accounting department by performing clerical tasks, including processing and recording transactions, preparing reports and budgets, fielding communications with clients and vendors, fast-checking, filing

Basic Qualification: Associate’s degree in related field with work experience. More education, experience, or additional certifications and licenses may be required. Proficiency with computers and bookkeeping software, strong typing skills

DONG, YI Purchaser 10.

HE, YANGCHAO Admin Assistant 3.

Brief Job Description: Provide administrative support to ensure efficient of office. Answer phone calls, schedule meetings and support visitors. Carry out administrative duties such as filing, typing, copying, binding, scanning, etc.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HUA, SHAOSHUAI Admin Assistant 4.

Basic Qualification: Performs clerical and administrative work which pertains to the provision of secretariat support to the personnel selection boards and search committees and performs other related functions as directed by immediate supervisors Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

XU, YUNLIANG Document Controller 5.

Brief Job Description: Keeping track of important project documents like project plans, blueprints, vendor contracts and drawings; creating reports for construction managers.

11.

YAO, SHANFA Document Controller 6.

Brief Job Description: Keeping track of important project documents like project plans, blueprints, vendor contracts and drawings; creating reports for construction managers.

12.

YOU, MINGDE Marketing Assistant 7.

Brief Job Description: Support the work of marketing managers and executives or projects directed at maximizing company profits and developing sales strategies or marketing campaigns

ZHANG, HUIYU Marketing Assistant 8.

Brief Job Description: Support the work of marketing managers and executives or projects directed at maximizing company profits and developing sales strategies or marketing campaigns

DENG, RUISHAN Purchaser 9.

Brief Job Description: Compile requests for materials, prepare purchase orders, keep track of purchases and supplies, and handle inquiries about orders, gather information and records to draw up purchase orders

13.

Brief Job Description: Junior-level administrative employees who report directly to the company manager or team leader , provide both administrative and technical support

SUZAWA, HIDEKI Service Delivery Operations Team Lead 14.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for activities assigned by the service delivery manager, coordinate all escalation for potential client issues

YAMASHITA, HITOSHI Service Delivery Ops Associate Manager 15.

Brief Job Description: Manages a team of leads or supervisors in the procure to pay tower.

ABE, MISAKO Transaction Processing Analyst 16.

Brief Job Description: Performs accounts payable transactions with medium to high complexity

INOMATA, MAMI Transaction Processing Analyst 17.

Brief Job Description: Performs accounts payable transactions with medium to high complexity

KOIKE, TATSUMI Transaction Processing Analyst 18.

Brief Job Description: Performs accounts payable transactions with medium too high complexity; provide subject matter expertise on procedure-to-pay processes, initiate assessment and escalation to resolve issues.

Basic Qualification: Administration or sales and marketing assistance experience. Effective written and verbal communication skills. A high-level attention to detail. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Computer proficiency, particularly with spreadsheet programs, experience in supply chain management (preferred), time management & organizational skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Computer proficiency, particularly with spreadsheet programs, experience in supply chain management (preferred), time management & organizational skills

No.

PAN, QIUMEI Chinese Customer Service 21.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency with basic computer programs including MS Office and database systems. Working knowledge of email systems, and peripherals

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries

GONG, JUNSE Customer Service Representative 22.

Brief Job Description: To assist customers regarding their queries, complaints, and promotions JEONG, SEONGYUN Customer Service Representative

23.

Brief Job Description: To assist customers regarding their queries, complaints, and promotions

19.

Brief Job Description: Performs accounts payable transactions with medium to high complexity

SHIMODA, SATORU Transaction Processing Analyst 20.

Brief Job Description: Performs accounts payable transactions with medium to high complexity

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

KWON, WONSEUP Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above, fluent in Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above, fluent in Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above, fluent in Korean language

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

24.

Basic Qualification: proficiency with basic computer programs including MS office and database system, working knowledge of email systems and peripherals

BEST RELIABLE RESOURCES CORP. Ub 111 Paseo De Roxas Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: To assist customers regarding their queries, complaints, and promotions

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: JLPT N2 certified or equivalent with F&A SAP ERP skills

SHMOSHKOVICH BACHAR, SAPIR Operations Manager 25.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: Ensure all systems operate smoothly and align with quality standards. Maximize the efficiency of all business procedures. Establish production KPIS and conduct quality assessments. Monitor daily operations and address potential issues when they arise.

Basic Qualification: Open to both degree and college holders managerial experience is required. BACHAR, YAKOB KOBI Sales Manager

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Open to both degree holders and college undergraduate with relevant experience Japanese proficiency

26.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Open to both degree holders and college undergraduate with relevant experience Japanese proficiency

Basic Qualification: Open to both degree holders and college undergraduate with relevant experience Japanese proficiency

Brief Job Description: Perform incisive and insightful market and competitive research. generate leads and grow existing relationships. Maintaining an accurate, detailed client BOOMK and developing an active, repeat customer base qualify, develop and maintain thorough company and product knowledge research consumer needs and identify how our solutions can meet them. Inform, assist a customer regarding technical and specialized merchandize.

27.

28.

JUNAIDI Bahasa Indonesian Language- Officer Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer’s needs, promote business and products.

LIEM VANIA PRANCA WINATA Bahasa Indonesian Language- Supervisor Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer’s needs, promote business and products.

29.

RIDWAN CRISTANDA Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer needs, promote business and product

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Open to both degree holders and college undergraduate with relevant experience Japanese proficiency Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in operations management or related field. Experience in management, operations and leadership. Understanding of general finance and budgeting including profit and loss, balance sheet and cash-flow management. Ability to build censensus and relationships among managerss, partners and employees. Excellent communication skills. Solid understanding of financial management.

Basic Qualification: Bachelors degree in marketing com buss mgmt or related experience in cosmetics is a must. Proven sales experience sector specific sales excellent mgmt and leadership and organizational skills hebrew speaker english speaker Salary Range: 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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Accounting, finance or any business related course, graduates are preferred; open to college undergraduates with related work experience; must be fluent in both Japanese’s (al least JLPT N3 N2 certified or equivalent) and English; BPO experience is an advantage; willing to be assigned in Cubao and have a shifting schedule.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MITSUKAWA, TAKATO Transaction Processing Analyst

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

ASIAN TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, INC. 11/f Tower 2, Double Dragon, Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: proficiency with basic computer programs including MS office and database system, working knowledge of email systems and peripherals

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

ACCENTURE, INC. 7f, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1, Pioneer St, City Of Mandaluyong

Brief Job Description: Junior-level administrative employees who report directly to the company manager or team leader , provide both administrative and technical support

MA, JUN Technical Assistant

Basic Qualification: Knowledge of document management systems like Sharepoint, OnlyOffice, DocuWare Cloud, rubex Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Junior-level administrative employees who report directly to the company manager or team leader, provide both administrative and technical support

LYU, HUIQIANG Technical Assistant

Basic Qualification: Knowledge of document management systems like Sharepoint, OnlyOffice, DocuWare Cloud, rubex Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LU, YONGJUN Technical Assistant

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Performs clerical and administrative work which pertains to the provision of secretariat support to the personnel selection boards and search committees and performs other related functions as directed by immediate supervisors

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

DEWI CUTMIANNIE Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Risk Manager 30.

Brief Job Description: Communicate risk policies and processes for an organization

Basic Qualification: Degree holder, must fluently speak and write any of the following languages (Vietnamese, Bahasa Indonesian, Thai) to cater foreign markets. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder, must fluently speak and write any of the following languages (Vietnamese, Bahasa Indonesian, Thai) to cater foreign markets. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder, must fluently speak and write any of Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai to cater foreign market Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, and other relevant courses, must fluently speak Bahasa Indonesian to cater foreign market Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

31.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ANGELINA Bahasa Indonesian Language-supervisor Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer needs, promote business and product

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Degree holder must fluently speak and write any of Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai to cater foreign market at least 24 months of relevant experience.

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

HE, PEISEN Chinese Speaking IT Specialist 44.

Brief Job Description: Resolving all issues coworkers have with their systems and software

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

WU, FENG-CHENG Mandarin Language-marketing Officer 32.

Brief Job Description: Create specific promotions for affiliates, promote business and product

Basic Qualification: Degree holder must fluently speak and write any of Bahasa Indonesian, mandarin, Thai to cater foreign market at least 5 years of relevant experience.

HUANG, JIAWEI Chinese Speaking IT Specialist 45.

Brief Job Description: Resolving all issues coworkers have with their systems and software

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NGUYEN THI TAM Vietnamese Language- Officer Customer Service 33.

Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer’s needs, promote business and products.

Basic Qualification: Degree holder, must fluently speak and write any of the following languages (Vietnamese, Bahasa Indonesian, Thai, Mandarin) to cater foreign markets.

LI, HUAHUI Chinese Speaking IT Specialist 46.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

ONSMAN, BART JACOBUS Package Manager Fleet And Equipment 34.

Brief Job Description: Ensures the agreed availability and reliability of the designated Equipment and Fleet in the most efficient, safe and environmental way

BRONS, PIETER KLAAS Technical Works Manager 35.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for resolving all technical issues at equipment during complex / large projects

Basic Qualification: Extensive technical and operational experience of at least 20 years in maritime industry in an international dredging and Land reclamation project environment

SONG, JIANCHAO Chinese Speaking IT Specialist 47.

Brief Job Description: Resolving all Issues co workers have with their system and software

SU, MINGHAO Chinese Speaking It Specialist 48.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above Basic Qualification: Extensive experience of at least 15 years in international dredging and land reclamation projects Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Brief Job Description: Resolving all issues coworkers have with their systems and software

ZHANG, PEISHAN Chinese Speaking It Specialist 49.

Brief Job Description: Resolving all issues coworkers have with their systems and software

CAPSLOCK INC. 7th & 8th Flr. Y Tower Bldg., Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Ave., Barangay 76, Pasay City LI, JIA Chinese IT Support Specialist 36.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist shall answer incoming phone calls from clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. LONG, MEIQI Chinese IT Support Specialist

37.

38.

39.

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist shall answer incoming phone calls from clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. YONG HO GIE IT Support Specialist

40.

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist shall answer incoming phone calls from clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking)

ZHANG, CONG Mandarin Speaking Project Supervisor 50.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking)

51.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking)

52. Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking)

41.

Brief Job Description: Plan organize, and manage business projects for clients

HU, XIAOYU Chinese Speaking Business Consultant 42.

Brief Job Description: Plan organize, and manage business projects for clients

ZHOU, SHUNZHI Chinese Speaking Business Consultant 43.

Brief Job Description: Plan organize, and manage business projects for clients

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English and Mandarin Language and with analytical mind and analysis skill Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in English and Mandarin Language and with analytical mind and analysis skill

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English with Good Communication skills and preferably 2 years of experience as Chinese speaking IT Specialist Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English with Good Communication skills and preferably 2 years of experience as chinese speaking IT Specialist

56.

57.

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Business Development Officer will be strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal.

LEE, SANG HYUB Business Development Manager Brief Job Description: Manage the development team

OWENS, KEITH BERNARD Consultant Brief Job Description: Identify business challenges and solutions

XIA, CAN Technical Manager 58.

Brief Job Description: The technical 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.

ZHAO, WEI Technical Manager 59.

FUJII, MAKOTO General Manager

60.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the overall management of the manila branch. Design strategy and set goals for growth overseeing daily business operations. Creating % managing budgets. Improving revenue / overseeing performances and productivity. Analyzing accounting and financial data overall strategy managing people and establishing of policies.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Business Development Officer, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

PONNUSWAMY, MITHUNESH Programmer Analyst 53.

Brief Job Description: To analyze the Business Requirements and Prepare Test Plan Documents by defining test strategy assumption, scope and schedule; Assessing risks associated with the project and preparing Mitigation plan for the risks identified

KIMURA, JUN Branch Manager 61.

Brief Job Description: Managing and overseeing branch personnel supervising branch operations and ensuring efficient operation on a day to day basis improving productivity and streamlining branch activities to maximize results and achieve peak performance levels

KUO, YUAN-KAI Deputy Manager 62.

Brief Job Description: Coordinates branch internal auditor and external auditor on risk related issue.

LIAO, JIA-CHI Senior Associate 63.

54.

Brief Job Description: Oversee overall operations of the company

Brief Job Description: Manage information technology and computer systems.

LUO, TAO Network Assurance And Management Service Manager 64.

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 3, Pasay City

55.

PHAM THI NGA Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

Brief Job Description: 1. Design the delivery solution of Huawei’s self-produced telecom products. 2. Supervise installation, commissioning, and data configuration.

Basic Qualification: Master’s degree and extensive knowledge in management Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in economics and or bachelors of civil engineering preferably with Masteral degree in civil engineering with professional affiliation as certified civil engineer 1st class- Japan and as certified concrete diagnostic inspector preferably fluent in Japanese with excellent English communication.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business accounting management or engineering ( preferred) advance degree preferred 10 + years experience in construction and machinery and industry Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: More than 10 years of experience and bachelors’ degree. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: More than 10 years of experience and bachelor’s degree. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES PHILS. INC. U-5302, 53/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave., Cor., V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

CONTROL UNION PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 1 12/f Mdi 10th Ave. Cor. 39th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

VAN RAVENHORST, WOUTER MELIS President/chairman Of The Board And Country Manager

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as technical manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

HUA NAN COMMERCIAL BANK, LTD. MANILA BRANCH 26/f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Should have strong experience to create, review the Test Cases and test conditions Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY ASIA AND PACIFIC PTE. LTD. PHILIPPINE BRANCH Unit 1116 High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower 2, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Basic Qualification: Has an excellent managerial experience Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English, college graduate

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate outstanding leadership skills, fluent in mandarin and english preferably with 5 years of experience as project supervisor

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FUJITA CORPORATION-PHILIPPINE BRANCH OFFICE U-14a Chatham House, 118 Valero St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English with Good Communication skills and preferably 2 years of experience as chinese speaking IT Specialist

Brief Job Description: Converse and interact with the customer

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

FIBERHOME PHILS., INC. U-19d 19/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English with Good Communication skills and preferably 2 years of experience as chinese speaking IT Specialist

TRIEU A KEO Customer Service Officer

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

FDM FREEWORLD MARKETING INC. 501 Alabang, Zapote Rd., Almanza Uno, City Of Las Piñas

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English with Good Communication skills and preferably 2 years of experience as chinese speaking IT Specialist

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 2nd, 3rd, And 4th Floors, Science Hub Tower 4 Bldg., Mckinley Hill Cyberpark, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English and Mandarin Language and with analytical mind and analysis skill

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

CJ SE ASIA PTE. LTD. PHILIPPINE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE Unit 16 (1716) 17th Floor High Street South Corporate Plaza, Tower 2, 26th Cor. 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

CHINA COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 21st Floor Menarco Tower, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

FU, ZHENNING Chinese Speaking Business Consultant

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English with Good Communication skills and preferably 2 years of experience as Chinese speaking IT Specialist

No.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Rm 501 Ramon Magsaysay Center, 1680 Roxas Blvd., 076, Barangay 699, Malate, City Of Manila

CHEN, HAIMEI Mandarin Business Development Officer

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking)

Brief Job Description: Act as Communication Liason between low-levek employees and senior management

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Basic Qualification: 1. With experience in independent maintenance and commissioning of wireless products. 2. Must have basic 2G+3G/4G+5G working capabilities, including but not limited to the integration service delivery capabilities of base stations, base stations, controllers, CloudRANCUs/DUs, NMSs, APs/ACs, SVAs, antennas, and other wireless related systems. 4. Highly proficient in Chinese and English language. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

INTEGRITY GLOBAL GROUP, INC. 2/f-3/f Ayala Malls Circuit, A.p. Reyes Ave., Carmona, City Of Makati

65.

HE, TIANMING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide the customers of an organization with guidance and information

Basic Qualification: 18-50 y/o, good organizational skills, proficient in relevant computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 24, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg., #48 President Avenue, B. F. Homes, City Of Parañaque

HUANG, YUXIN Chinese Customer Service 80.

RYU, SEHOON Korean Customer Service Representative 66.

Brief Job Description: Track man industry trends in Korean through blogs Micro and Forums

Basic Qualification: College Graduate SPeaks and Write fluently KOrean and ENglish Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

67.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company LOH SIN YEE Strategic And Facilitation Officer

68.

Brief Job Description: your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company REN, LIANG Strategic And Facilitation Officer

69.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language

81.

82.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

70.

Basic Qualification: must be fluent in Chinese language

83.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language.

Basic Qualification: Drives the control agenda for the Corporate Centers, Philippines. Manages governance, reviews, firm-wide programs which impact the location, and cultural awareness initiatives. Candidate needs to be very strong in the following areas: - risk and control management experience - data analytics - project management - senior stakeholder management

84.

Brief Job Description: • Reach out to relevant coordinators for more information if required • Process the amendment in core systems for accept processing • Communicate to customer • Record complete root cause on reason or dispute

86.

AH CHONE Chinese Customer Service 72.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries BIAN, SHUAI Chinese Customer Service

73.

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHEE WENG HONG Chinese Customer Service

74.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHIOO WEI XIN Chinese Customer Service

75.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

87.

76.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

FENNY Chinese Customer Service 77.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

88.

78.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HARTONO VICTOR Chinese Customer Service 79.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHENG, XIONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TALLENT, JEREMY AARON Exploration And Geology Manager 90.

Brief Job Description: Bachelor’s degree in geology, at least 10 yrs’ experience in underground mining practices & 2 yrs of which having held a managerial position.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

NAYO, KOUADJO KOUNALESSE Operator It Service Desk (French) 91.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for first line support in their designated geographic zone through agreed support channels - handling relevant incidents or service requests.

LIM, SO MYUNG Country Manager Brief Job Description: Ensure optimal allocation of resources for the attainment of business goals.

LIAO, YU-CHI Construction Admin

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

Brief Job Description: Arrange project schedules, supervise workers, site inspection of construction progress.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

96.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

97.

HOANG DUY PHAT HR Officer 98.

99.

MA, JING Construction Admin 94.

Brief Job Description: Arrange project schedules, supervise workers, site inspection of construction progress.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

REED, RUSSELL ROBEY Country Manager II

100.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible for all aspects of the business for a small core or emerging country, or a group of maintenance countries; Directly manages Small Package, Freight Forwarding, and Contract Logistics operations to achieve business objectives while ensuring business continuity

Basic Qualification: 2+ years’ experience in a customer support role for an Operator role. Customer-service focused and able to handle challenging customer conversations

ZHANG, QIAOHONG Chinese IT Specialist 101.

Brief Job Description: maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

DO BA THANH IT Specialist 102.

Brief Job Description: maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management, excellent communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management, excellent communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management, excellent communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (Verbal and written skills) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Thai (Verbal and written skills) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Education: Masters Degree - Preferred, Bachelors Degree Required – Required. At least five years management experience and four to five years of experience in an international environment. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Basic Qualification: 100 vacancy/college graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 100 vacancy/college graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in mandarin and english speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

VISSIONARIES INC. 16/f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

103.

WEN, XIN Recruitment Marketing Specialist (Chinese Speaking) Brief Job Description: Assigned to the company for planning and implementing recruitment marketing strategy.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Basic Qualification: Mba and extensive pharmaceutical and broader healthcare business knowledge.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

VERTEX DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1439 Adriatico Cor. Sta. Monica St., 072, Barangay 669, Ermita, City Of Manila

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: At least 10 yrs’ experience in the operations of large mining or mineral processing site, especially in mine development & staff recruitment, relevant trade qualification, 3yrs’ experience holding a supervisory position.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management, excellent communication skills

UPS SCS (PHILIPPINES) INC. 2nd Floor Cargohaus Bldg., Naia Complex, Vitalez, City Of Parañaque

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services. JANTHASEN, KANNIKA Thai Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Material submission, ordering, procurement, measure and value work done on site.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

SOMI UNLIMITED SOLUTIONS, INC. 10/f Tower 2 Double Dragon Plaza Bldg., Edsa Corner Macapagal Ave. St. Zone 10, District 1, Barangay 76, Pasay City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Maintain logs of all products and supplies, files all delivery & inventory receipts.

WU, JINHONG Quantity Surveyor Supervisor

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Maintain logs of all products and supplies, files all delivery & inventory receipts.

CAI, KAIFA Logistics And Inventory Staff

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

REDLADDER CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Rm. 252 6/f Sitio Grande Bldg., 409 A. Soriano Ave., Barangay 654, Intramuros, City Of Manila

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

95.

104.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

PENG, LITING Logistic And Inventory Staff

PFIZER, INC. 19/f-20/f 8 Rockwell Bldg., Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center, Poblacion, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

ORICA SINGAPORE PTE LTD Level 11, Tower 2, Rockwell Business Center, Ortigas Avenue, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

OCEANAGOLD (PHILIPPINES), INC. 2/f Cjv Bldg., 108 Aguirre St., Legaspi Village, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

93. FRENKY Chinese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN DINH HUNG Chinese Customer Service

92. ERWIN Chinese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries NGUYEN VAN CANH Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MOE MOE THIN Chinese Customer Service

89.

71.

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries MAUNG MAUNG THET Chinese Customer Service

MAERSK GLOBAL SERVICE CENTRES (PHILIPPINES) LTD. Levels 6-8 North Wing, Estancia Offices, Capitol Commons, Meralco Ave., Oranbo, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnam and English Customer Focus & Owning the customer Understand Customer requirement and focused on customer outcome Attitude to go across defined job boundaries for customer resolution

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LU VINH KIET Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

PHAN NGOC TU QUYEN Disputes With Voice Coordinator

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LI, BIN Chinese Customer Service

85.

Brief Job Description: Drives the control agenda for the Corporate Centers, Philippines. Manages governance, reviews, firm-wide programs which impact the location, and cultural awareness initiatives.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries KELLY KLEIN Chinese Customer Service

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.- PHILIPPINE GLOBAL SERVICE CENTER 23/f Net Plaza, 31st St. E-square Zone, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

HARSHWARDHAN, ANSHUMAN Control Manager

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquiries JOHAN Chinese Customer Service

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House, Magallanes St. 069, Barangay 655, Intramuros, City Of Manila CHAO, PO-CHAO Strategic And Facilitation Officer

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

WU, MIN Recruitment Marketing Specialist (Chinese Speaking) Brief Job Description: Assigned to the company for planning and implementing recruitment marketing strategy.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese language and with extensive experience in recruitment marketing. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ANCHOR LOGISTICS FACILITIES CORP. 23, Brixton St., Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

105.

OGAWA, JUMPEI Treasurer/Assistant Manager

*Date Generated: Feb 23, 2022 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on February 10, 2022, the name of LIU, LI-TZU under LOVE TRAVEL AGENCY, INC., should have been read as LIU, LI-TZU a.k.a. RAE LIU and not as published. In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on February 17, 2022, the name of MENG, CHING-HAN under SHOPEE PHILIPPINES INC., should have been read as MENG, CHING-HAN a.k.a. CHARLIE MENG 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 National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

BusinessMirror

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

Putin escalation leaves Xi with tough balancing act

hile m o s t d i p l o mats at an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting condemned Vladimir Putin’s government for escalating tensions with Ukraine, China’s envoy carefully avoided any mention of Russia. “All parties concerned must exercise restraint and avoid any action that may fuel tensions,” Ambassador Zhang Jun said late Monday as part of a six-sentence statement. “The current situation in Ukraine is a result of many complex factors,” he added. “China always makes its own position, according to the merits of the matter itself.” The brief remarks contrasted with a lengthy joint statement earlier this month following Putin’s first in-person meeting with Xi Jinping in two years. Afterward the Chinese leader backed Russia’s demand for binding security guarantees from the US and Nato in the standoff over Ukraine—providing vital support for Putin as he confronted the West. Yet now Xi’s government is striking a more nuanced tone as fears of an invasion grow despite repeated Russian denials. Over the weekend, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China upheld Ukraine’s right to “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity” even while blasting the West for “creating panic.” Follow ing Putin’s move on Monday to recognize two selfproclaimed separatist republics in eastern Ukraine, Wang Yi urged all parties to protect the principle of the United Nations charter during a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Chinese Foreig n Ministr y spokesman Wang Wenbin later called on all involved to “deescalate the situation through dialogue and negotiation.” “China will have to walk a fine line in this crisis,” said Noah Barkin, an expert on Europe-China relations at US research firm Rhodium Group. “It will want to avoid openly criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine, while affirming its support for the principles of territorial integrity and noninterference. The hotter the conflict in Ukraine gets, the more difficult it will be for Beijing to walk this line.” Beijing is making clear it doesn’t want to be directly associated with Moscow’s moves, said Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “The costs of doing so, in terms of relations with the US and Europe, and its global reputation, are too high,” she said. For Xi, the crisis marks a test of his efforts to portray China as a responsible global leader. While Putin is known for military adventurism, China has regularly claimed to uphold an international order backed by UN agencies while condemning the US and its allies as rogues for imposing targeted financial sanctions. US President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s sale of

sovereign debt abroad and the country’s elites, while warning of more to come if Russia takes more territory. Earlier the White House cautioned Beijing that a destabilizing conflict between Russia and Ukraine would affect Chinese interests around the world.

Political sensitivities

One major concern for China is stability in a sensitive political year. Later in 2022, Xi is expected to secure a precedent-breaking third term in office at a twicea-decade party meeting at which top Communist Party leaders are vying for promotions. Crude oil prices have rallied to near $100 a barrel, and sanctions on Russian oil exports will only push prices higher. China is the world’s top consumer of commodities, while Russia is a major producer of oil, gas, aluminum and wheat. “Beijing has little desire to see $100/barrel oil, any effects from secondary sanctions or a deterioration in its relations with key trading partners in Europe,” said Christian Le Miere, founder of strategic advisory firm Arcipel who was formerly a senior fellow at London-based research group IISS. China also doesn’t want to appear to be supporting separatist movements. Xi’s government has long blamed the US for fomenting unrest in places like Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, and regularly calls on the West to avoid supporting independence backers in Taiwan.

‘Awkward situation’

The situation in Ukraine creates a potentially messy precedent for China’s own claims to Taiwan, which is governed as a de facto sovereign nation. W hile China may support Russia’s move to incorporate lost territory, Moscow’s recognition of independence for two breakaway areas of Ukraine could also create a precedent for Western nations to recognize Taiwan, according to Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore. “Russia’s actions and statements create an awkward situation for the PRC,” he said, referring to China. “Beijing seems to be very cautious about how it frames these issues, emphasizing instead the need for peace.” The comments by China’s foreign minister backing Ukraine’s sovereignty should be interpreted as Beijing having “major reservations” about Putin’s actions, according to Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Beijing’s Renmin University. But, he added, China won’t publicly criticize Russia or downgrade the relationship. It’s “pretty obvious” that China isn’t ready to bear all the diplomatic costs if Russia invades, said Jakub Jakobowski, a senior fellow with the China Programme at the Centre for Eastern Studies in Warsaw. “Still, their general support for Moscow’s demands and a lack of condemnation is certainly a wink to the Russians.” Bloomberg News

Thursday, February 24, 2022

West hits back with sanctions for Russia’s actions in Ukraine

RUSSELS—Responding swiftly to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order sending troops to separatist regions of Ukraine, world leaders hit back with non-military actions Tuesday in hopes of averting a full-blown war in Europe. Germany made the first big move, taking steps to halt certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia—a massive, lucrative project long sought by Moscow but criticized by the US for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy supplies. And in Washington, US President Joe Biden announced financial sanctions on banks and Russian officials close to Putin and their sons as punishment for what he called “the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” He said the US would impose “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt. “That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western finance,” Biden said. “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.” Biden promised that more sanctions would be coming if Putin proceeds further. T he Eu ro p e a n Un ion a n nounced sanctions taking aim at the 351 Duma legislators who voted in favor of recognizing separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking world. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets. “This package of sanctions… will hurt Russia and it will hurt a lot,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Paris. “We will make it as difficult as possible for the Kremlin to pursue its aggressive policies,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Outside the EU, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson named five Russian banks and three wealthy Russian businessmen whom the UK hit with sanctions on Tuesday. Australia on Wednesday said it would align with the US and Britain by targeting two Russian banks. It also imposed sanctions and travel bans on eight members of Putin’s Security Council. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said these are a first batch of measures in response to Russian aggression toward Ukraine. Japan also announced sanctions, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida saying Wednesday that his government will ban

new issuance and distribution of Russian government bonds in Japan. He said Japan will also ban travel by people linked to the two Ukrainian rebel regions and freeze their assets in Japan, and will ban trade with the two areas. And if Putin pushes farther into Ukraine, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted, “there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay.” The US and other Western nations have pressed daily for diplomatic efforts to head off a dangerous military confrontation. But the failure of that effort was underscored Tuesday as Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled plans for a Thursday meeting in Geneva with his Russian counterpart, saying Russia’s actions showed there was no point. Wester n powers have long made clear the fate of Ukraine must not lead to a direct militar y confrontation with Russia and the potential of a world war, so sanctions were the limited option. “No lows too low, no lies too blatant, no red lines too red to cross,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said in summing up the political disgust for Putin’s actions felt by nations from Europe to North America and the democracies hugging Russia’s borders in Asia such as Japan and South Korea. However, Putin continued to knock the world off-kilter with a strategy that has led to confusion about his plans and possible actions. Russia said it was sending what it called “peacekeepers” into eastern Ukraine, but EU foreign policy chief Borrell stressed they were “troops” on sovereign Ukrainian territory. “I wouldn’t say that’s a fully f ledged invasion, but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil,” Borrell said. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace didn’t mince words. “Russia has already invaded Ukraine. They did it in 2014, occupied illegally Crimea and Donbas. This is a further invasion of their sovereign territory,” Wallace said. Whatever the description, the latest developments were enough to push the 27-nation bloc into a mode of high alert, and the EU’s foreign ministers stressed the sanctions announced Tuesday were done in close consultation with the United States and other

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a media conference after a meeting of the Nato-Ukraine Commission at Nato headquarters in Brussels on February 22. World leaders are getting over the shock of Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering his forces into separatist regions of Ukraine and they are focusing on producing as forceful a reaction as possible. Germany made the first big move Tuesday and took steps to halt the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia. AP/Olivier Matthys

Western allies. They stopped short of the “massive” package threatened by the EU and Washington for a full military invasion into national territory that Kyiv still controls. “The way we respond will define us for the generations to come,” Simonyte said. Too much too soon, though, could hurt the international response, said Britain’s Johnson. “This is the first tranche, the first barrage of what we are prepared to do, and we hold further sanctions at readiness to be deployed,” he told British lawmakers. “This is a first step,” agreed French Foreign Minister JeanYves Le Drian. “We have more ammunition.” Biden’s announcement ap peared to hold in reserve some of the broadest and toughest of the penalties considered by the United States. Those include an export ban that would deny Russia US high technology for its industries and military, and more sweeping financial bans that could cripple Russia’s ability to do business with the rest of the world. Still, US Secretary of State Blinken said the sanctions announced are in line with “start high, stay high” approach. White House deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh added that the initial sanctions send the message that “no Russian financial institution is safe if the invasion proceeds.” “No one should think that it’s our goal to max out on sanctions,” Singh said. “Sanctions are not an end of themselves. They serve a higher purpose, and that purpose is to deter and prevent.” The two major Russian banks targeted by the US sanctions are Vnesheconombank ( V EB) and Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company (PSB). VEB is crucial to Russia’s ability to raise funds, and PSB is critical to Russia’s defense sector. The two hold more than $80 billion in assets combined and will be cut off from carrying out transactions in the US and European banking systems. Ukrainian Foreign Minister

Dymtro Kuleba said after a meeting with Blinken in Washington on Tuesday that US and Western sanctions against Russia in escalating waves can work, but he urged allies to be aggressive. Kuleba argued that Putin should not have a “single moment” when he feels sanctions have reached a ceiling. Among those cited for sanctions are Denis Bortnikov a deputy president of state-owned VTB Bank, and Petr Fradkov, chairman and CEO of PSB. The VTB official’s father, Alexander Bortnikov, director of the Federal Security Service and a permanent member of the Security Council, was also cited in the sanction lists. Fradkov is the son of Mikhail Fradkov, a former Russian prime minister and former director of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, who already was under US sanctions. Sergei Kiriyenko, Putin’s first deputy chief of staff, and his son Vladimir Kiriyenko, who is the CEO of the parent company of Russia’s top social media platform, VKontakte, were also designated. Hopes are dwindling that a major conflict can be averted. Putin’s directive came hours after he recognized the two Ukrainian separatist regions as independent, setting up Russian military support and antagonizing Western leaders who regard his actions as a breach of world order. Putin has blamed Nato for the current crisis and called the US-led alliance a threat to Russia. T he g lob a l cond e m n at ion came amid rising skirmishes in the eastern regions of Ukraine that Wester n powers believe Russia could use as a pretext for an attack on the Europeleaning democracy that has defied Moscow’s attempts to pull it back into its orbit. With an estimated 150,000 Russian troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, the US has warned that Moscow has already decided to invade. Still, Biden and Putin tentatively agreed to a possible meeting brokered by French President Emmanuel Macron in a last-ditch effort to avoid war. AP

Vietnam hit by fuel shortages as hundreds of retailers run dry

ietnam i s s u f fe r i n g from fuel shortages with hu nd re d s of ret a i lers forced to halt sales, prompting Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to order an investigation of the market including imports and exports of gasoline. Nearly 300 petrol and oil retailers across the country have

stopped product sales, according to the trade ministry, which carried out a round of inspections. Reasons ranged from insufficient supplies from wholesalers and distributors to workers contracting Covid-19, it said. Local media have published photos of shuttered petrol stations displaying signs that they had run out

of gasoline. The dislocation in Vietnam comes as a rally in crude oil to a multiyear high has boosted the prices of gasoline and diesel, fanning inf lationar y pressu res a nd posi ng c h a l lenges for governments worldwide. In addition, Vietnam’s largest refiner y, Nghi Son, was recently

forced to reduce capacity from mid-Januar y due to financial difficulties, according to the VnExpress news website. Chinh has ordered the finance and trade ministries to provide a proposal to adjust the environmental protection tax on gasoline and other oil products, according to a statement. Extra inspections

of suppliers, distributors and retailers are under way to prevent hoarding or other violations. The trade ministry, meanwhile, plans to auction about 102 million liters of RON-92 gasoline from national reserves, with a starting price of about 14,058 dong (62 US cents) a liter, according to a separate VnExpress report.

Oil refiners throughout Asia have been increasing run rates, but that’s done little so far to alleviate the problem as unplanned outages from the US to Asia crimp output. Product supplies may remain tight in Asia, with several refineries set to undertake scheduled maintenance in the second quarter. Bloomberg News

A10 Thursday, February 24, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Will there ever be a CoC for the SCS?

oreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) met for an annual retreat last week in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. This is the first time that the Asean foreign ministers gathered on an in-person interaction since the pandemic started in 2020. For the past two years, ministerial meetings are regularly held via video conference call, or a hybrid video call with limited in-person attendance. Although the deepening crisis in Myanmar overshadowed the informal meeting, during his intervention, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. steered the discussion on the Code of Conduct (CoC) for the South China Sea (SCS) that would identify specific actions of claimant-states to de-escalate tension and prevent war from erupting. “We want an early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that excludes no country or power in the rest of the world,” Locsin declared. (Read, “PHL rejects China’s move to exclude US, other powers in SCS Code of Conduct talks,” in the BusinessMirror, February 18, 2022). It could be recalled that Asean and China first began discussions on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea after China occupied Panganiban Reef (also called Mischief Reef) in 1995. This created tensions in the region and heightened concern throughout much of the maritime world. The reef is located some 130 nautical miles from Palawan, well within the 200-mile limit of the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as proclaimed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China seized Panganiban Reef in a surreptitious manner by building structures—four octagon-shaped huts and a rectangular two-story building. When the Ramos administration lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry initially denied the presence of structures on the reef. Later, they claimed that local fishing authorities had allowed their construction as shelters for Chinese fishermen, adding that Filipino fishermen would be allowed to use the facilities. Alarmed by this development, Asean members prodded China to formulate with Asean a Code of Conduct calling for the peaceful settlement of disputes through consultations. The CoC is expected to be a regional framework establishing rules and standards for peace and stability in the region. On August 3, 2018, the 10 Asean foreign ministers and their Chinese counterpart announced agreement on a Single Draft South China Sea Code of Conduct Negotiating Text (SDNT), which will serve as the basis for the adoption of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The SDNT was structured according to the previously adopted Framework Agreement on the Code of Conduct with three main sections—preambular provisions, general provisions, and final clauses. The document was color-coded—black for text taken from the COC Framework, blue for the consolidated text, and green to identify the input by the 11 parties. The SDNT repeats the wording in the Framework Code of Conduct that it is “not an instrument to settle territorial disputes or maritime delimitation issues.” While the SDNT formed the basis for discussions, the parties remain stalemated on many issues. China has always wanted to exclude the US and other countries from the CoC negotiation process. For example, China wants all signatories to be able to veto naval exercises with any non-signatory, but this is unacceptable to Asean members that rely on relations with other world powers to counterbalance China’s growing regional dominance. It has been 20 years since Asean and China formally agreed to have a Code of Conduct. Until now the only progress so far on the draft agreement is the Preamble. “We appreciate initiatives to finally advance the negotiations beyond the provisional approval of the Preamble,” Secretary Locsin said. In the meantime, China continues to expand its occupation in the South China Sea by building military facilities on seized reefs.

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John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

‘W

E know that 2,500 years ago, a Babylonian astronomer realized that eclipses come in cycles that are 6,585 days long. Babylon is long gone but the eclipse cycles, which we call the saros, continue to beat.”

At one saros period after an eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and Moon return to approximately the same relative geometry and a nearly identical eclipse will occur. It will not, however, occur in the exact same location because the saros cycle is actually 6,585.32 days long. That extra 0.32 of a day means that the earth moves an extra ⅓ of a spin on its axis. Solar eclipse facts. The longest total solar eclipse during the 11,000year period from 3000 BC to at least 8000 AD will occur on July 16, 2186, when totality will last 7 minutes 29 seconds. The Book of Joshua 10:13 describes the sun staying still for an entire day in the sky; a group of

University of Cambridge scholars concluded this to be the annular solar eclipse that occurred on October 30, 1207 BC. Cycles are inevitable, consistent, and just as applicable to humans and stars, moons, and plants. And yet we treat events as extraordinary occurrences. But with a historical perspective and view, we can see the pattern as clearly as backtracking the biblical eclipse. The political chaos turning point came in October 2015 followed by the economic/monetary chaos turning in January 2020. The next will be a political panic chaos turn in March 2022, and what we see happening in Ukraine is just the precursor, as

is the chaos in Canada. Note this. Russia says it will not allow Ukraine to be a part of Nato because the defense alliance could then put its troops and armaments at the Russian border. Sixty years ago—October 1962—the world nearly suffered a nuclear war because the US would not allow Soviet missiles in Cuba as part of a proposed Cuba-USSR defense pact. “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes”—Mark Twain. The large cycles are always dotted with “panic periods,” which we think are all economic related and that is primarily true. But the nastiest ones are the political panics. France, Australia, South Korea, and the US have major elections this year. Canada will elect critical provincial leaders in Ontario and Quebec. Other significant national elections will take place in the Philippines and Brazil, and regional elections in Germany. What do politicians do when their economies are falling apart? They look for a foreign conflict in order to rally the ignorant masses around the flag. Further, because political divides are so strong and pronounced in these elections, and with the panic cycle coming, we could

easily see a considerable breakdown of order. It is also interesting to note that six weeks ago governments were still saying, “we’re all going to die.” Now its “Pandemic over. Thanks for playing.” In March, the US Federal Reserve is set to start increasing interest rates. Against the backdrop of the current beginning of the political chaos, the economic picture will potentially be like something out of a nightmare. The US and Europe have been talking big about “the most punishing sanctions ever” on Russia. But Russia also is the largest wheat exporter in the world by double over both Canada and the US, not to mention mineral fuels and oil. China is Russia’s largest export buyer, so Putin is not too worried about these sanctions. However, if the US economy takes a hit from the Ukraine chaos, what does the Fed do about interest rates? In March of 1918, the Spanish flu reared its head in America when more than 100 soldiers fell sick at Fort Riley, Kansas. March 2020 is when Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, triggering the first lockdowns in the Philippines and the US. And of course, Julius Caesar is to have been assassinated on March 15th.

Putin weighs his next move after recognizing Ukraine rebels

By Vladimir Isachenkov | The Associated Press

OSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised the stakes in the Ukraine standoff by recognizing the independence of rebel regions in the country’s east, and a key question now is whether he will stop at that or try to move deeper into Ukraine.

T. Anthony C. Cabangon

Senior Editors

Creative Director Chief Photographer

Moving into March

Putin signaled his readiness to up the ante in an hour-long address to the nation that cast Ukraine as an artificial construct, a US “puppet” that has “robbed” Russia of historical lands lost in the Soviet collapse. But at the same time, the Russian leader appeared to keep the door open for diplomacy if the West agrees to Moscow’s security demands. Russia wants the US and its allies to keep Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations from joining Nato, halt weapons deployments there and roll back alliance forces in Eastern Europe— demands the West has dismissed as nonstarters. On Tuesday, Putin offered a streamlined version of his top demands, saying that Ukraine should renounce its bid to join Nato, partially demilitarize and recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Given Nato’s position to keep an open door to potential new members, Putin said, one way out of the impasse would be for Ukraine to drop its plans to join the alliance and

adopt a non-aligned, neutral status. Putin, who quickly received permission from the Kremlin-controlled parliament to use military force in Ukraine, also insisted that he has not yet sent troops into the rebel regions, despite Western leaders’ claim to the contrary. Asked how far Russian troops could push if sent to the rebel east, Putin responded coyly that “it’s impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action—it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.” The US and its allies have responded to Moscow’s latest move with new sanctions and threatened even more crippling penalties in case of an all-out invasion, including tough financial restrictions and draconian bans on technology imports. But Putin shrugged off the threats and said that Washington would inevitably ramp up sanctions anyway to contain Russia. “Putin has grown tougher, more intransigent and aggressive,” said Moscow-based political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin, explaining that

Putin could ponder a future offensive to capture territories in southern Ukraine all the way to the Black Sea port Odessa, but that he probably would not rush it. Putin sees himself as a “great collector of Russian lands” a view that drives him to take brazen steps that would harm national interests, Oreshkin added. The Russian leader’s no-holdsbarred approach comes as Russia has amassed over 150,000 troops that surround Ukraine on three sides in what the US sees as a sign of an imminent invasion. In a long rant, Putin scathingly described Ukraine as a creation of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin and other Communist leaders of the Soviet Union that unfairly included big swaths of land that once belonged to Russia. He derided Ukraine’s effort to shed the Soviet-era legacy in the “decommunization” effort, and said sarcastically that the country should be named after Lenin. “We are ready to show you what the real decommunization would mean for Ukraine,” Putin added ominously in an apparent signal of his readiness to level new land claims against the neighbor. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also openly questioned Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said Tuesday that those principles are only valid in relation to governments that represent

entire nations and contended that the “Ukrainian regime” falls short of that standard because it does not represent the whole country. In a potential precursor of more land claims, Putin emphasized that Russia has recognized the rebel regions in the borders that existed when they proclaimed their independence in 2014. Ukraine has retained control of about two thirds of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including the major port of Mariupol on the Azov Sea, following the eight-year separatist conflict that has killed over 14,000. Putin himself said the rebels should negotiate with Ukraine to determine their regions’ borders, but separatist leaders held open the prospect for a future offensive to seize more territory. Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin said Tuesday that “time will show what next moves we will take.” Russian troops around Ukraine include forces that were deployed to Moscow’s ally Belarus for joint military drills, which were to end Sunday but were instead extended indefinitely. Those exercises offer the Kremlin a convenient vantage point for a potential attack on the Ukrainian capital, which is just 75 kilometers (less than 50 miles) south of the Belarusian border. Even as Russia has ratcheted up its rhetoric and kept its troops in combat See “Putin” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

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Ukraine’s economy is another victim of Russia’s ‘hybrid war’

By Lori Hinnant | The Associated Press

YIV, Ukraine—One by one, embassies and international offices in Kyiv closed. Flight after flight was canceled when insurance companies balked at covering planes arriving in Ukraine. Hundreds of millions of dollars in investment dried up within weeks.

With Russian troops encircling much of the country, Ukrainian businesses large and small no longer plan for the future—they can barely foresee what will happen week to week. It is Ukraine, not Russia, where the economy is eroding the fastest under the threat of war. Even before Russian troops rolled into rebelheld areas in the country’s east and Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatist region, Ukraine was the biggest loser in the agonizing, slowmotion aggression. “Why is it that we are suffering consequences already? And Russia, who is actually threatening the whole world, in Europe, is not suffering any consequences?” asked Andrey Stavnitser, CEO of the port operator TIS Group. The squeezing of Ukraine’s economy is a key destabilizing tactic in what the government describes as “hybrid warfare” intended to eat away at the country from within. The Ukrainian president is also juggling state-sponsored cyberattacks, a Russia-backed separatist movement and the threat of 150,000 Russian soldiers surrounding his country on three sides. The economic woes include restaurants that dare not keep more than a few days of food on hand, stalled plans for a hydrogen production plant that could help wean Europe off Russian gas and uncertain conditions for shipping in the Black Sea, where container ships must carefully edge their way around Russian military vessels. Stavnitser said the Black Sea ports are operating as usual for now, but it’s only a matter of time before the same insurance problems that cut off commercial flights start to hit the shipping industry. Ukraine is one of the world’s top grain exporters, loading container ships that carry 12 percent of the world’s wheat supply and 16 percent of its corn. Alex Riabchyn is a former member of Ukraine’s parliament who now spearheads a project to set up hydrogen plants for the national Naftogaz energy company. The idea is to give Europe—and especially its largest economy, Germany—a stable new source of hydrogen, which can be used to produce low-emission energy for transport, industry and other uses. What he hears from European investors now is “we can buy everything that you can produce, but to come and invest to build these plants, it’s too risky.” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock over the weekend acknowledged that the constant threat against Ukraine is “having very real effects—on investments, on air traffic, on jobs and on the daily life of people.” She said the Group of Seven ministers of leading industrial nations promised to ensure Ukraine gets

Putin . . .

continued from A10

posture, Putin hinted that he was still ready for more talks with the West. Before the Kremlin made its latest move, French President Emmanuel Macron had sought to broker a meeting between Putin and US President Joe Biden provided that Russia does not launch a full-fledged invasion, but the prospect of such an encounter appears dim after Putin’s recognition of the rebel territories. Ivan Timofeev, the program director at the Russian International

help for financial stability. Since the beginning of the crisis in January, the national currency, the hryvnia, has steadily lost value, and it plunged 1 percent Tuesday after Russia recognized the two breakaway regions led by Russia-backed separatists. The United States last week offered a $1 billion loan guarantee, and the European Parliament approved $1.3 billion in loans for Ukraine to cover financing needs this year. But by late January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that $12.5 billion had been withdrawn from accounts in the country. Last week, he called on members of parliament and businessmen who had fled to return. More than 20 charters and private jets left Kyiv last week, carrying some of the country’s most prominent executives. “The more the government urges not to panic, the more nervous businesses are,” said Volodymyr Sidenko, an analyst with the Razumkov Center. In Russia, Margarite Simonyan, the head of the state-owned Russian RT news network, gloated last week that “Kyiv’s economy is in tatters,” calling it “a small but pleasant thing.” But Deputy Prime Minister Olga Stefanishyna said the destabilization of Ukraine’s economy isn’t a side effect of the Russian threat, but the point. It saps faith in the government, and it forces Ukraine to divert attention and resources from needed reforms. It is, she said, an essential pillar of the “hybrid war” Russia is waging. “It’s really important that we are resilient as we have never been before and we do our best to preserve the stability. But the longer this tension and escalation is taking place, the weaker Ukrainian economy can become,” she said. The Centre for Economics and Business research estimated this month that the conflict with Russia cost Ukraine $280 billion in lost gross domestic product between 2014 and 2020—with those loses expected to climb this year. The United States and Europe worked out a series of limited sanctions on Tuesday, including targeting several Russian officials and banks financing the Russian armed forces, and putting limits on Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets. Additional plans to target trade from the breakaway regions are unlikely to have much of an effect on them or Russia as they’ve been largely isolated from the international community since 2014. Daniel Fried, a former US diplomat who helped write sanctions in 2014, said the challenge in designing any new sanctions is that Russia is already succeeding in what he called “the slow strangulation of Ukraine.” Yuras Karmanau contributed to this report

Affairs Council, noted that Putin’s actions effectively put on hold any further negotiations with the US and Nato. “There still will be a room for diplomacy, but there will be no talk about any sort of negotiations on European security,” he said in a commentary. Most observers expect Putin to keep forces around Ukraine to maintain pressure on Kyiv and the West. “Paradoxically, Russia is trying to reverse its status of a power that has lost the Cold War by creating a Cold War-style crisis,” Alexander Baunov of the Moscow Carnegie Center said.

Thursday, February 24, 2022 A11

Biden, Putin signal bigger confrontation ahead over Ukraine

By Vladimir Isachenkov, Yuras Karmanau, Aamer Madhani & Eric Tucker | The Associated Press

OSCOW—The East-West faceoff over Ukraine escalated dramatically Tuesday, with Russian lawmakers authorizing President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside his country and US President Joe Biden and European leaders responding by slapping sanctions on Russian oligarchs and banks.

Both leaders signaled that an even bigger confrontation could lie ahead. Putin has yet to unleash the force of the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of Ukraine, while Biden held back on even tougher sanctions that could cause economic turmoil for Russia but said they would go ahead if there is further aggression. The measures, accompanied by the repositioning of additional US troops to the Baltic nations on NATO’s eastern flank bordering Russia, came as Russian forces rolled into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin said he was recognizing the independence of the separatist regions in defiance of US and European demands. Speaking at the White House, Biden said the Kremlin had flagrantly violated international law in what he called the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” He warned of more sanctions if Putin went further. “We are united in our support of Ukraine,” Biden said. “We are united in our opposition to Russian aggression.” When it comes to Russian claims of a justification or pretext for an invasion, Biden said, “None of us should be fooled. None of us will be fooled. There is no justification.” Hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the threat of invasion, which US officials have for weeks portrayed as all but inevitable, appeared to evaporate. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled plans for a Thursday meeting in Geneva with his Russian counterpart, saying it would not be productive and that Russia’s actions indicated Moscow was not serious about a peaceful path to resolving the crisis. Western nations sought to present a united front, with more than two-dozen European Union members unanimously agreeing to levy their own initial set of sanctions against Russian officials. Germany also said it was halting the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia—a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow but criticized by the US for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

The US, meanwhile, moved to cut off Russia’s government from Western finance, sanctioning two of its banks and blocking it from trading in its debt on American and European markets. The administration’s actions hit civilian leaders in Russia’s leadership hierarchy and two Russian banks considered especially close to the Kremlin and Russia’s military, with more than $80 billion in assets. That includes freezing all of those banks’ assets under US jurisdictions. Biden, though, did hold back some of the broadest and toughest of the financial penalties contemplated by the US, including sanctions that would reinforce the hold that Germany put on any startup of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; an export ban that would deny Russia US high tech for its industries and military; and sweeping bans that could cripple Russia’s ability to do business with the rest of the world. Biden said he was moving additional US troops to the Baltics, though he described the deployments as purely “defensive,” asserting, “We have no intention of fighting Russia.” The US is sending about 800 infantry troops and 40 attack aircraft to Nato’s eastern flank from other locations within Europe, according to a senior defense official. In addition, a contingent of F-35 strike fighters and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters will also be relocated. Earlier Tuesday, members of Russia’s upper house, the Federation Council, voted unanimously to allow Putin to use military force outside the country—effectively formalizing a Russian military deployment to the rebel regions, where an eight-year conflict has killed nearly 14,000 people. Shortly afterward, Putin laid out three conditions to end the crisis that has threatened to plunge Europe back into war, raising the specter of massive casualties, energy shortages across the continent and global economic chaos. Putin said the crisis could be resolved if Kyiv recognizes Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the Black

If Putin pushes farther into Ukraine, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. “If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,” he said.

Sea peninsula that Moscow annexed after seizing it from Ukraine in 2014, renounces its bid to join Nato and partially demilitarizes. The West has decried the annexation of Crimea as a violation of international law and has previously flatly rejected permanently barring Ukraine from Nato. Asked whether he has sent any Russian troops into Ukraine and how far they could go, Putin responded: “I haven’t said that the troops will go there right now.” He added that “it’s impossible to forecast a specific pattern of action—it will depend on a concrete situation as it takes shape on the ground.” The EU announced initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian lawmakers who voted for recognizing the two separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defense and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets. With tensions rising and a broader conflict looking more likely, the White House began referring to the Russian deployments in the region known as the Donbas as an “invasion” after initially hesitating to use the term—a red line that Biden had said would result in severe sanctions. “We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser, said on CNN. “An invasion is an invasion, and that is what is underway.” The White House announced limited sanctions targeting the rebel regions on Monday evening soon after Putin said he was sending in troops. A senior Biden administration official, who briefed reporters about those sanctions, noted “that Russia has occupied these regions since 2014” and that “Russian troops moving into Donbas would not itself be a new step.” Western leaders have long warned Moscow would look for cover to invade—and just such a pretext appeared to come Monday, when Putin recognized the independence of the

Donetsk and Luhansk separatist regions. The Kremlin then raised the stakes further by saying that recognition extends even to the large parts of those two regions now held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol. He added, however, that the rebels should eventually negotiate with Ukraine. Condemnation from around the world was quick. In Washington, lawmakers from both parties in Congress vowed continued US support for Ukraine, even as some pushed for swifter and even more severe sanctions on Russia. Senators had been considering a sanctions package but held off as the White House pursued its strategy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would consider breaking diplomatic ties with Russia, and Kyiv recalled its ambassador in Moscow. If Putin pushes farther into Ukraine, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg insisted the West would move in lockstep. “If Russia decides once again to use force against Ukraine, there will be even stronger sanctions, even a higher price to pay,” he said. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would slap sanctions on five Russian banks and three wealthy individuals. He warned a full-scale offensive would bring “further powerful sanctions.” Zelenskyy said he was calling up some of the country’s military reservists but added there was no need for a full military mobilization. In an address to the nation, Zelenskyy said his decree applied only to those assigned to the so-called operational reserve, which is typically activated during ongoing hostilities, and covers “a special period of time,” without clarifying what that means. “Today there is no need for a full mobilization. We need to quickly add additional staff to the Ukrainian army and other military formations,” he said. The head of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksii Danilov, said earlier this year that Ukraine can call up up to 2.5 million people. Karmanau reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Madhani and Tucker reported from Washington. Jill Lawless in London; Lorne Cook in Brussels; Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal; Dasha Litvinova in Moscow; Geir Moulson and Frank Jordans in Berlin; Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations; Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

Omicron ripping through cargo ships to worsen shipping woes By K. Oanh Ha & Ann Koh Bloomberg Opinion

micron is ripping through cargo ships, raising concerns that a surge in cases, coupled with China’s tightened quarantine requirements for vessels, could delay supply chain stabilization for the shipping industry. Covid outbreaks are hitting ships globally, with cases increasing “exponentially,” said Francesco Gargiulo, CEO of the International Maritime Employers’ Council Ltd., which represents shipping companies. AngloEastern Univan Group, which has an active crew of about 16,000, is seeing infections on five to seven vessels a month compared with only one or two a month last year, the company said. Meanwhile, Wilhelmsen Ship Management Ltd. has had infections on four of its ships since January after less than a dozen vessels were struck with Covid in all of 2021, said Carl Schou, chief executive officer at the shipmanager. “Everyone has had cases onboard,” said Mark O’Neil, the CEO of Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd., which operates a crew pool of about 15,000 and has seen a few of its ships struck down. “You’ll probably see the number of vessels worldwide affected by Omicron increasing for sure because it’s so contagious. That’s despite measures and precautions being taken.” Though ship managers say the

problem has been manageable so far, a sustained jump in cases adds pressure to supply chains already strained by the pandemic. Ports from Shenzhen to Los Angeles and Rotterdam are contending with long lines of cargo ships, while a shortage of workers and drivers are adding to the snarls. The disruptions are being made worse by strict controls at ports in China, which shows no signs of backing away from its policy of trying to eradicate Covid as the rest of the world resolves to live with it. While cases are mostly mild among crew, who in most instances must be vaccinated, Omicron spreads quickly through ships. That often triggers a quarantine of the vessel for as long as two weeks, although the length of a ship’s quarantine can vary from shipmanagers, ports and countries. Wilhelmsen quarantines ships for two weeks in cases where infections have become widespread.

China challenges

Chinese ports are especially challenging, with authorities requiring the entire ship to be quarantined if a single seafarer tests positive. Vessels stopping in China must also have been free of Covid for at least three weeks. On top of that, crew changes in China are still near impossible for foreign seafarers. China’s tightened Covid-19 quarantine requirements for vessels and reduced manpower at ports are adding to delays. It’s taking a week to 10 days longer to deliver iron ore supplies into China versus before the pandemic, charterers and shipowners say. ing to delays. It’s taking a week to 10 days longer to deliver iron ore supplies into China versus before the pandemic, charterers and shipowners say. According to data from project44, average shipment delays from China to the US West Coast increased 114 percent in 2021 compared with a year earlier. The route to Europe recorded a 172 percent surge. “Supply chain disruption persists,” said Bjorn Hojgaard, AngloEastern CEO and chairman of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association. “China’s done a good job in preventing deaths and serious outbreaks but

the reality is the international supply chain is suffering. There’s no working around it.” China’s zero-Covid approach could prove increasingly problematic at ports as more countries switch to living with the virus. Key seafaring countries including India, the Philippines and parts of Europe are being hit by big rises in infections, according to a report this month from the Neptune Declaration coalition of shipowners and charterers.

Larger, faster

“This has caused large numbers of crew being infected, leading to postponed crew changes and increased local restrictions further complicating crew changes,” it found. Last month, about a hundred of Anglo-Eastern’s seafarers tested positive right before embarkation, a jump compared to just a handful in the last quarter in 2021, said Hojgaard. One bright spot: seafarer vaccinations are rising, helping to keep symptoms mild. Many ship charters are now requiring that seafarers on vessels carrying their cargo be vaccinated, said Schou at Wilhelmsen, which also requires seafarers be inoculated. “Luckily, no crew have needed to be hospitalized and it’s just influenza-like symptoms that pass in a few days,” he said. “As the world opens up, we’ll get much larger, much faster waves of Omicron.”

A12 Thursday, February 24, 2022

2 SENIOR U.S. MILITARY COMMANDERS IN PHL T

WO senior US military commanders are currently in the country, visiting units and conferring with their Filipino counterparts on wide ranging issues, including bilateral security, training and military cooperation. The visits of General Charles Flynn and Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, commanders of the United States Army Pacific Command (USARPAC) and US Navy 7th Fleet respectively, came as the US and the Philippines worked to further solidify their defense and military relations. On Tuesday, Flynn made a courtesy call on Major General Andrew Costelo, commander of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division (7th ID) in Nueva Ecija as he checked on the sites of this year’s “Salaknib,” a military exercise involving armies of both countries. After his call on Costelo where the 7th ID accorded him arrival honors, Flynn visited the facilities of the division, including its firing range, battalion retraining facilities and division training school and the Pahingahan Dam. For t Magsaysay, where the 7th ID is located, is among the military camps eyed to house rotating American forces and their equipment under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Last year, the government recalled the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) which governs the presence of American forces in the country, thus strengthening the relations between the two countries and reinstituting in full their yearly military exercises. “We are committed to the success of this year’s Exercise as we will strengthen our counter-terrorism expertise to address all forms of threat including the local communist insurgency,” Costelo told Flynn as

they discussed the 20-day Salaknib. Before going to Nueva Ecija, Flynn, who had been in the country for a couple of days, made separate courtesy calls on the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Andres Centino and the Army where cooperation and assistance, and bilateral and regional security issues were discussed. At the Philippine Navy, Thomas, who flew in days after Flynn’s arrival, conferred with Philippine Navy chief Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado following a courtesy call where both affirmed the relations between the two navies. Thomas, commander of the biggest US Navy force outside the mainland US, said the high-level discussion with Bordado “is some of the things that we can do together to try to improve our interoperability and improve our strong alliance.” On the other hand, Bordado told the US commander that they should always keep their lines of communications open “so that whenever we need something and you need help also, we can extend things the best way as an ally.” Several days ago, Lt. Gen. Bryan Fenton, commander of the US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), was also in the country and visited the headquarters of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom). During his talk with Westmincom commander Lt. Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., Fenton talked about the need to maintain the strong relations and cooperation between the two militaries. “Our partnership is grounded on our iron-clad commitment to shared security. We will continue to work hand-in-hand to eradicate the extremists and terrorists,” he told Rosario. Rene Acosta

Exec: Delivery of 32 more Black Hawks starts in 2023 P

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

OLISH defense contractor PZL Mielec is expected to start the delivery of 32 additional units of S-70i Black Hawk helicopters to the military next year following the signing of the procurement contract on Tuesday, further cementing the status of the country as the largest user of the utility chopper. “[T he] add itiona l 32 S -70i Black Hawk utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force will be delivered in batches in similar [fashion as the last contract] by 2026 starting 2023,” said Janusz Zakrecki, PZL Mielec’s president and general director. PZL Mielec, which is part of the behemoth US defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin, signed on Tuesday with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana the agreement covering its supply of the 32 additional choppers for a total contract price of $624 million.

The polish manufacturer of the famed military helicopter completed last year its supply of 16 Black Hawks that were ordered by the Air Force under a first contract, and acquired under the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. The defense department said it would use the same template of the first contract in procuring the additional 32 helicopters, by delivering them to the Air Force in batches. “We already have experience in delivering to the Philippines Air Force from the previous contract

for 16 S-70i helicopters. In that contract, we delivered a maximum of six Black Hawks at one time,” Zakrecki said in an e-mail interview with the BusinessMirror. “We will therefore use our good experiences and proven solutions,” he added. The PZL Mielec president said the delivery of the additional 32 choppers by 2026 will “dramatically increase the operational capacity” of the Air Force to “perform search and rescue missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and troop transport across the archipelagic country.” “We can only say that Black Hawk provides the Philippine Air Force with the ability to transport troops, equipment and supplies quickly and safely to any location in the Philippines, even those that are difficult to reach,” Zakrecki said. Even without the additional order from the firm based in Poland, Zakrecki said the Philippines is already the biggest user of S-70i as a

result of the previous acquisition of 16 units of such choppers. “With fifteen S-70i helicopters delivered to the Philippine Air Force throughout 2020-2021, the Philippines is the largest operator of S70i Black Hawks helicopters in the world,” Zacrecki said. “And this new contract for an additional 32 helicopters confirms the relationship of trust and teamwork that we have built between PZL, Sikorsky and the Philippine Air Force. This is very important for us,” he pointed out. Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, is the original manufacturer of Black Hawks. According to Zakrecki, a total of 82 Black Hawks have been delivered to customers worldwide since 2009, and 10 countries, including the Philippines, already operate the helicopter that was made in Poland. PZL Mielec has also signed a contract for the delivery of 12 Black Hawks to Romania, the latest country that will acquire the Polish-made chopper.

Salceda assures DA House ready to pitch anti-avian flu funding By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

CO-CHAIRMAN of the House Economic Stimulus and Recovery Cluster on Wednesday vowed to help the Department of Agriculture (DA) fight a fresh outbreak of the H5N1 strain of avian flu among duck and quail farms in Bulacan and Pampanga. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said the House leadership is ready to allocate funds to help the agency. “Any endorsement your department may require, either to the President, the Chairman of the Economic Development Cluster, or the House leadership, to fund or support your efforts to fight this potential outbreak,” he said “I am aware of the gravity of this threat and its possible impact on economic recovery if left unchecked,” Salceda wrote Dar. According to Salceda, he will request the Bureau of Customs, which he oversees as House Committee on Ways and Means chairman, to strengthen efforts to fight avian flu and ensure that smuggled poultry is condemned immediately upon apprehension. “I write to you to offer my full support, as Co-Chair of the House Economic Stimulus and Recovery Cluster, for the Department of Agriculture’s efforts to contain the recently discovered H5N1 strain of influenza among duck and quail farms,” Salceda told Dar. Salceda also said he will request the Philippine Ports Authority and the Department of Transportation to work with DA to craft guidelines to strengthen avian flu prevention measures. The Philippines lost its bird-flu free status after the government reported its first confirmed outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Type A subtype H5N1 that killed over 42,000 quails and ducks in four Central Luzon farms. The Philippines made the formal notification of its first recorded HPAI A(H5N1) outbreaks to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) last February 18, which was made public

by the international body on Monday, February 21. T he Philippines’s notification showed that a total of 78,280 quails and ducks were susceptible to the disease, with 98 confirmed cases across four outbreaks in Bulacan and Pampanga. The notification revealed that H5N1 killed 42,245 birds while the remaining 36,035 birds were “killed and disposed of” by the government as part of its control measures.

Virology Institute charter

MEANWHILE, Salceda reiterated his call for the Senate to approve the charter of the Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP), the proposed research institute for non-human viral infections and prevention. “The VIP is clearly critical to ensuring recovery in the agriculture sector. Vietnam has a similar institute, and it helped them recover from the African Swine Fever outbreak rather quickly,” Salceda said. “Having a virology institute for non-human contexts would have been a significant help in keeping the recent avian flu outbreak in check,” Salceda explained. Last year, lawmakers unanimously passed House Bill 9599 or the proposed Virology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act. “Viruses among animals and plants is just as common an occurrence as they are among humans. And, of course, zoonotic viruses that affect humans begin among animals anyway. So, we really need to be ahead of the curve and be able to research viruses that are specific to our context and to our national needs,” Salceda said. “This is also a presidential priority and hopefully a legacy that President Duterte can bequeath to the country before his term ends. I am still optimistic that there is time in the Senate to complete this. My fellow principal author of this bill in the Senate, Senator Bong Go, also reiterated his call for the measure’s passage a few days ago, signifying that we can still realistically have this enacted before the administration turns the government over,” Salceda added.

A WORKER is silhouetted in the sunset at Pico de Loro Cove in Batangas in this recent photo. Many tourism hubs are upbeat about recovery prospects, after reporting robust numbers of visitors taking advantage of eased Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, including prior RT-PCR tests. NONIE REYES

SC asked to strike down ‘no vax, no ride’ policy By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

HE Passengers and R iders Organization (Pasahero) Partylist on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional the “no vaccination, no ride” policy and other government measures that tend to discriminate against Filipinos who remain unvaccinated against Covid-19. In a 41-page petition filed through lawyer Rufino Policarpio III, the partylist group and several other individuals specifically questioned the constitutionality of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Resolution No. 148-B, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Resolution No. 22-01 and Department of Transportation (DOTr) Department Order No. 2022-001 that took effect on January 17, 2022. T he pet it ioners sa id I AT F

Resolution No. 148-B, among ot hers, has a l lowed t he d iscrimination of unvaccinated individuals by encouraging public and private establishments to either refuse entry and/or deny service to individuals who have yet to be vaccinated or are merely partially vaccinated. These issuances bar unvaccinated individuals from boarding and riding public transportation subject to certain exceptions. On the other hand, MMDA Resolution 22-01 prohibits unvaccinated individuals in the National Capital Region in domestic travel via public transportation by land, sea and air except for procurement of essential goods and services. On Januar y 11, 2022, the DOTr Department Order 22-001 was issued prohibiting unvaccinated persons from using public transportation, in reference to MMDA Resolution No. 22-01. Named as respondents in the

petition are IATF Chairman and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, MMDA OIC Chairman Romando Artes and DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade. “PASAHERO represents ordinary Filipino commuters who simply want to provide for their family and perform their usual day to day activities,” the partylist group pointed out. “ T hrough the existence of MMDA Resolution No. 22-01 and DOTr D.O. No. 2022-001, they will always stand to be deprived of their most basic rights to travel and earn a living by reason of them being unvaccinated,” it added. As immediate relief, the petitioners are asking the high court to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to stop the DOTr and MMDA from enforcing their directives, pending resolution of the petition. Pasahero said the assailed measures violate the petitioners’ most basic right to life, liberty and prop-

erty, and to their right to travel as enshrined in Article III, Sec. 6 of the 1987 Constitution. Such provision states: “Neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law.” It argued that the “no vaccination, no ride” policy “caused serious and grave hardships to Filipinos who are unvaccinated.” “This case involving the most basic right to refuse any invasive form of medical treatment, including the introduction of a vaccine, poses serious questions for the public welfare and is demanded by the broader interest of justice,” the petitioners stressed. “Even though one can argue that vaccines are safe and will aid in preventing serious symptoms on the part of the vaccinee, a greater principle involving the right to choose which medicines to take or inject, takes precedence over such policy,” they added.

Companies

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Thursday, February 24, 2022

‘Allow other motorcycle taxi firms to join pilot program’

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

he chair of the House Committee on Transportation on Wednesday urged the government to expand the motorcycle taxi pilot program, citing a projected “high demand” for public transportation. In a radio interview, Rep. Edgar Sarmiento of the 1st District of Samar said the government should allow at least four motorcycle taxi

firms to participate in the pilot program. “As we reopen the economy, we’ll need public transportation. The

land sector—rail, buses, jeepneys— aren’t ready yet for a sharp rise in demand from the commuting public,” he said. Sarmiento said he will “ask” the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board “to explain why only two firms…are currently in its motorcycle taxi pilot program,” citing Angkas and JoyRide. MoveIt, he said, “has a too insignificant footprint in the business to count.” He added that the expansion of the program will gill the gap in supply for trains, buses, and jeepneys, given that they are still operating at limited capacity. “That means 30 percent are dislocated. How are they going to com-

mute? While we’re reopening the economy, everyone should be ready, including those on two wheels, the motorcycle taxis,” Sarmiento, the main author of the bill to legalize motorcycle taxis, said. The Philippines has about 7 million motorcycles on the road and a fraction of that number can be transformed into motorcycle taxis, he said. Currently, the Philippines is still pilot testing the motorcycle taxi’s viability as a public transport mode. Just recently, Congress approved a bill that seeks to regulate motorcycle taxis in third reading. The Senate version of the bill has yet to move forward.

Philippine Airlines ends special flights in Subic

Overseas Filipino workers from Palau arrive on Tuesday aboard the last repatriation flight of the Philippine Airlines to the Subic Bay Freeport. Photo by Henry Empeño By Henry Empeño Correspondent

ubic Bay Freeport—After flying home overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and other returning Filipinos via this free port for almost nine months, flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) landed its last “Bayanihan” repatriation flight here on Tuesday. Halting the special flights ends a windfall that has sustained the Subic airport and quarantine hotels here in the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic. The last flight into Subic brought home 77 passengers from Koror City in Palau, the last of more than 20,000 passengers who arrived in Subic since July last year under the government’s repatriation program. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the OFW flights to Subic Bay was stopped after aviation authorities increased the capacity of inbound international passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) following the recent easing of Covid-19 restrictions. This means that PAL no longer needs to reroute OFW flights via Subic to comply with restrictions, Eisma said. “It is a bittersweet moment for us because PAL’s repatriation flights here somewhat revived our airport operations and brought much-needed income to Subic hotels during the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said. “Still, the lifting of passenger capacity limit at the NAIA is a sign that we are going back to normal and this is most welcome.”

Eisma recalled that at the height of the government OFW repatriation program, Subic was connected to 10 cities and major destinations in the Indo-Pacific area. These are Riyadh and Dammam in Saudi Arabia; Bahrain; Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates; Doha in Qatar; Macau, Palau, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Diego Garcia. She added that the use of Subic as an alternate port of since July last year has resulted in increased international aircraft and passenger movements. Zharrex Santos, manager of the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA), said PAL made a total of 82 repatriation flights here since July 2021. These did not include the nine flights diverted to the nearby Clark Airport due to inclement weather. Santos said that with the 82 Bayanihan flights, a total of 20,522 passengers were processed through the Subic airport and were brought to Subic hotels for mandatory quarantine. As of February 6, the SBIA has generated more than P4.2 million in direct income from the PAL repatriation flights, Santos said. PAL consultant Charlie Yu expressed his gratitude to the SBMA, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Overseas Workers Welfare Association, and the Bureau of Quarantine for handling the repatriation program via the Subic airport. He also thanked quarantine hotels and other tourism stakeholders in the Subic Freeport for their support and service to the inbound OFWs and other returning Filipinos who flew home through Subic.

PSE will return to 5-hour trading By VG Cabuag @villygc

he Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) will revert to its normal 5-hour trading starting March 1, according to a memorandum it released on Wednesday. The market will pre-open at 9 a.m., while market recess is at 12 noon. It will close at 3pm, according to the new memorandum posted on the PSE website. The said memorandum was released after Metro Manila mayors indicated that they want to downgrade the quarantine status of the country’s major cities and municipalities to Alert Level 1 starting March 1 due to the decline in Covid cases. The PSE was supposed to return to its normal trading hours on February 2 as indicated in a memorandum it sent out to trading participants, but it was forced to suspend its implementation as Metro Manila remained under more stringent

alert levels. The said memorandum was not posted on the PSE website. Last month, the PSE issued a memorandum which stated that the exchange will implement shortened trading hours—from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.—starting January 14, as Covid-19 cases spiked. In December, the PSE adjusted its trading hours to up to 3 p.m. as authorities lowered the Covid-19 classification of Metro Manila and nearby provinces to Alert Level 2. In its previous circular, however, the PSE said: “We will await further updates from the IATF-DOH [InterAgency Task Force For The Management Of Emerging Infectious Diseases-Department of Health] on the status of Covid cases and quarantine situation in Metro Manila a few days before January 31, 2022 and make the appropriate announcement on PSE’s trading hours after said date.” The IATF still has to announce the new alert level classification for Metro Manila for March.

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 24, 2022

AllHome aims to hike sales of construction materials

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

llHome Corp., the Villar Group’s listed retail arm, has set its sights on boosting the sales of its hard categories as it expects construction activities to resume during the dry season. The company said it saw a resurgence in its hard categories, such as construction materials, hardware, tiles and sanitary wares, during the nine months of 2021, when the Philippines was under a series of strict lockdowns. “Over the last two years, AllHome has demonstrated resilience in the face of unprecedented adversity,”

company chairman Manuel B. Villar Jr. said. “Through agility in responding to opportunities presented and the constant evaluation of operational strategies, we were able to steer AllHome towards sustained growth.” “It is with pleasure that we report that we see the coming year with optimism, as construction ac-

tivities are slowly returning to prepandemic levels, to which we attribute our improved hard categories’ performance.” AllHome said it wants to bring its hard category performance to a 50-50 split with its soft categories in the coming years, as the company continues to improve on its initiatives to grow its share in the builders’ market. In 2020, soft categories contributed as much as 62 percent of the company’s revenues and the rest came from the hard categories, which declined during the pandemic. Aside from focusing on individual buyers through its loyalty programs, the company is also introducing innovations aimed at improving business customers’ experience in-store with the recent launch of InteriCAD T6 capabilities

in select branches. The said software is a business solution for interior design and furnishing industries. By utilizing these, AllHome is able to provide access advanced and accurate design software for on the spot design work, shortening the sales cycle, the company said. “With the construction climate slowly normalizing, we want to create even more awareness among professional builders of the vast potential of a partnership with AllHome. Our product offerings are at par, if not more than those offered by leading construction retailers” company president Benjamarie Therese Serrano said. “Our nine months 2021 performance was remarkable when viewed in the light of the pandemic, and our B2B customers were key in bringing these results to our stakeholders.”

AG&P to lease floating storage unit from UAE firm

tlantic, Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P) will lease a floating storage unit (FSU) from a state-owned oil company of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which would be used for the first Philippines LNG (liquefied natural gas) import terminal (PHLNG) in Batangas Bay. AG&P signed a long-term charter agreement with ADNOC Logistics and Services (ADNOC L&S) for the supply, operations, and maintenance of the vessel named ISH, a 137,512-cubic meter FSU. The FSU is being chartered for 11 years with an option to extend by another four years. “PHLNG will store LNG and dispatch natural gas, providing a criti-

cal, clean transition fuel for the Philippines. We are privileged to have ADNOC Logistics and Services, a foremost global leader in LNG logistics, as our partner to transition the Philippines to cleaner fuel through AG&P’s PHLNG import terminal,” said Joseph Sigelman, chairman and CEO of AG&P Group. Capt. Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC L&S said the project with AG&P will contribute to the economic growth of the country by leveraging the potential of clean LNG for power generation. “This agreement with AG&P builds on our existing partnership and demonstrates ADNOC L&S’ continued focus on maximizing value from its assets. By providing AG&P with another flexible storage solution for their new LNG terminal, we are able to extend the operational life of this vessel, unlocking surplus value and new opportunities for growth. Furthermore, as the provider of world-class shipping, offshore logistics, and onshore services, we are growing our global footprint, delivering cutting-edge technology and services to our partners,” he said. ADNOC L&S will provide a Japan-built, Mosstype containment vessel as FSU for the project from its fleet of eight LNG ships. The FSU is part of the combined offshore/ onshore terminal that will have an initial capacity of 5 million tons per annum and provide its customers with the resiliency of supply, even in storms. The PHLNG import terminal is under construction and commercial operation is scheduled to commence in early third quarter of this year. The hybrid-designed PHLNG import terminal will be commissioned in two phases. The first phase will be commissioned with the FSU storage in the third quarter, and the two additional onshore storage tanks will be integrated by the end of the second phase in 2024. PHLNG will then have a scalable onshore regasification capacity of 504 mmscfd and 257,000 cbm of storage that will

ensure the high availability and reliability of natural gas for its customers. The terminal will also act as a gateway in providing breakbulk LNG supply to various islands across the country.

AG&P had said it could spend P14.6 billion for the planned LNG import terminal. Once completed, it is expected to supply the LNG requirements of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGPH). Lenie Lectura

mutual funds

February 23, 2022

NAV

One Year Three Year

Five Year

per share Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

237.44

9.61%

-3.68%

-1.35%

1.87%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.5802

19.31%

-0.22%

2.4%

-5.05%

-7.2%

-4.06%

1.73%

-7.04% n.a.

0.89%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2939

10.39%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7632 -0.2% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7493 7.46% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

5.2966

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

91.65

-4.49% n.a.

-2.8%

12.51%

-1.39%

0.48%

2.2%

0.7955

13.87%

-3.26%

-2.9%

-9.58% n.a.

-2.94%

-9.3%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

48.7129

9.2%

-2.23%

0.21%

1.22%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

509.82

9.38%

-2.21%

-0.22%

1.82%

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.4018

24.34%

2.22%

2.66%

3.35%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

37.2859

11.94%

-1.22%

1.2%

1.89% 3.44%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.9738

12.59%

-1.94% n.a.

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

5.0388

10.38%

-1.48%

0.85%

1.57%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

839.16

9.88%

-1.55%

0.77%

1.29%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7639

10.66%

-5.45%

-2.16%

1.5%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.842

11.31%

-3.75%

-0.5%

1.76%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.9559

9.38%

-1.87%

0.53%

United Fund, Inc. -a

9.81%

-1.71%

1.4%

1.81%

3.4995

1.56%

1.21%

Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a

1.2087

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

14.56% n.a. n.a.

3.96%

1029.53 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Exchange Traded Fund (shares) First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

113.0643

10.32%

-1.29%

1.27%

1.42%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1065

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.6866

-18.42%

3.34%

3.93%

-1.78%

-5.69%

10.77%

9.1%

-8.65%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6831

1.61%

-0.75%

-0.45%

-0.53%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.3104

4.34%

0.2%

0.25%

1.27%

7.37%

1.12%

1.68%

1.41%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.7289

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.2126 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

10.79% n.a. n.a.

2.0281

4.98%

2.05%

2.04%

0.57% 0.58%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.7871

3.29%

1.36%

0.88%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.9692

3.37%

1.03%

0.88%

0.73%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.1422

5.15%

-0.05%

0.76%

0.98%

6.02%

-1.3%

0.34%

0.87%

12.93%

0.14%

0.96%

2.06%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.679 Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

0.9739

1.72%

Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a

0.9788

-0.77%

-0.39% n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a

0.9454

-1.42% n.a.

-1.11% 0.1%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a

0.9365

4.99%

-1.71% n.a.

0.28%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.036

-6.44%

0.27%

0.42%

-5.11%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

-11.5%

2.75%

2.89%

-0.15%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.4863 -5.39%

7.62%

6.67%

-6.58%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,2 $1.1394 -5.37%

3.56%

3.11%

-4.94%

$1.0655

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

373.94

0.66%

2.66%

2.46%

-0.1%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.8859

-0.97%

0.42%

0.04%

0.06%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2451

0.85%

2.74%

3.75%

0.03%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2295

-2.4%

1.26%

1.25%

-0.98% -0.31%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4185 -0.66%

2.78%

1.78%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.46%

1.25%

4.343

-5.47%

-1.2%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

1.3193

0.03%

3.6%

2.82%

0.02%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9507

-0.36%

3.37%

2.58%

-0.38%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0219

-0.68%

3.96%

1.87%

-0.61%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1797

-0.33%

3.94%

3.18%

-0.24%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

-0.94%

3.12%

2.49%

-0.36%

1.7243

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$487.37

0.77%

2.6%

2.29%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є217.81

-0.74%

0.49%

0.76%

-1%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1439

-7.78%

-0.19%

0.62%

-4.98%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0254 -2.68% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$0.9729

-9.94%

-0.45%

0.53%

0.4%

-2.31%

-2.55%

-1.76%

-4.88%

$2.3851

-4.7%

2.39%

1.68%

-4.81%

$0.0615088

-1.67%

2.28%

1.62%

-1.26%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $2.9991 -4.96%

0.75%

0.45%

-6.17%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

131.39

1.02%

2.57%

2.54%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

1.0594

0.99%

1.86% n.a.

0.15%

Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3185

1.49%

2.46%

2.52%

0.16%

0.22%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0615

0.7%

1.35% n.a.

0.08%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a

45.9854 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a 1.3004

7.6% n.a. n.a.

-5.97%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.9249

-6.58% n.a. n.a.

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago.

c - Listed in the PSE.

-4.65%

d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.). 2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last November 25, 2021.

"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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PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

February 23, 2022

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL IREMIT MANULIFE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

75,650 409,222,634 112,278,683 1,939,145 3,554,214 308,198,195 494,645 3,156,450 397,760 88,765 66,847,019 2,837,056.50 1,617,730 605,360 3,950 4,750 93,500 837,350

75,650 -139,432,403 12,143,320 105,625 21,032,805.50 -116,128 397,760 10,741,569 -40,555.50 4,060.00 19,890 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 8.65 8.7 8.8 8.8 8.6 8.65 8,711,300 75,702,538 ALSONS CONS 1.02 1.05 1.03 1.05 1.02 1.05 218,000 223,470 35.9 36 36 36.4 35.65 36 993,400 35,659,825 ABOITIZ POWER BASIC ENERGY 0.53 0.54 0.51 0.53 0.51 0.53 8,078,000 4,185,060 26.95 27 26.25 27.25 26.25 27 172,800 4,658,755 FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG 70.8 70.9 70.9 70.95 70.8 70.9 215,310 15,265,167.50 364.8 366 365 366 361.2 366 203,520 74,292,062 MERALCO 21.4 21.45 21.45 21.95 21.35 21.45 852,600 18,319,380 MANILA WATER PETRON 3.34 3.35 3.39 3.39 3.33 3.34 688,000 2,306,910 4.2 4.32 4.2 4.3 4.2 4.3 107,000 459,490 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 10.22 10.74 10.78 10.78 10.22 10.22 300 3,178 12.48 12.6 12.5 12.6 12.44 12.6 2,015,800 25,217,648 SYNERGY GRID PILIPINAS SHELL 19 19.1 19.16 19.2 18.84 19 376,100 7,156,846 14.94 15 15 15.2 14.92 14.94 64,700 969,184 SPC POWER 1.91 1.92 1.9 1.97 1.86 1.92 80,386,000 153,861,250 SOLAR PH VIVANT 14.32 16.06 16 16 16 16 1,900 30,400 5.21 5.25 5.16 5.33 5.16 5.25 4,520,400 23,455,698 AGRINURTURE AXELUM 2.77 2.8 2.79 2.8 2.77 2.8 178,000 496,080 25.35 25.45 25.6 25.6 25.3 25.35 459,800 11,663,410 CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE 15.82 15.9 15.9 15.94 15.62 15.82 114,700 1,813,284 8.17 8.2 8.08 8.29 8.08 8.19 266,500 2,167,998 DNL INDUS 20.05 20.2 20.35 20.45 19.9 20.2 4,953,800 99,771,297 EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV 67.95 68 68.3 68.3 67.85 67.95 270,000 18,348,315.50 0.71 0.72 0.75 0.78 0.72 0.72 57,444,000 42,187,050 FIGARO COFFEE ALLIANCE SELECT 0.59 0.62 0.6 0.64 0.6 0.62 207,000 125,160 1.19 1.2 1.24 1.24 1.2 1.2 4,378,000 5,279,790 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 109.6 111.9 109.1 111.9 109.1 111.9 4,520 494,033 246.2 246.8 247 249 244.2 246.2 482,730 119,134,122 JOLLIBEE 1.37 1.38 1.37 1.38 1.36 1.38 2,603,000 3,567,980 KEEPERS HLDG LIBERTY FLOUR 20.35 26.2 26 26 26 26 1,000 26,000 6.5 6.6 6.45 6.5 6.42 6.5 104,500 674,367 MAXS GROUP MG HLDG 0.152 0.159 0.151 0.16 0.151 0.16 240,000 36,370 15.64 15.8 15.5 15.8 15.2 15.8 13,539,100 209,556,046 MONDE NISSIN SHAKEYS PIZZA 8.5 8.9 8.45 8.6 8.45 8.5 77,800 664,425 0.64 0.67 0.64 0.68 0.64 0.68 4,000 2,680 ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP 4.61 4.65 4.65 4.65 4.6 4.6 7,000 32,500 SWIFT FOODS 0.104 0.105 0.102 0.106 0.101 0.106 3,050,000 312,610 121.5 122 124.8 125 121.4 121.5 2,845,960 347,046,018 UNIV ROBINA VITARICH 0.66 0.67 0.66 0.67 0.66 0.67 473,000 312,500 2.42 2.54 2.54 2.54 2.54 2.54 2,000 5,080 VICTORIAS CEMEX HLDG 0.99 1 1 1.01 0.99 0.99 2,159,000 2,143,660 13.8 14.18 13.74 14.18 13.74 14.18 18,000 248,066 EAGLE CEMENT 6.09 6.1 6.1 6.24 6.1 6.1 86,100 525,922 EEI CORP HOLCIM 6.15 6.25 6.28 6.28 6.14 6.25 510,800 3,184,392 5.27 5.3 5.23 5.33 5.12 5.27 146,200 763,336 MEGAWIDE PHINMA 20.65 20.8 20.8 20.8 20.8 20.8 25,500 530,400 0.8 0.82 0.8 0.81 0.8 0.8 551,000 441,070 TKC METALS VULCAN INDL 1.04 1.05 1 1.08 1 1.05 19,926,000 20,865,770 1.72 1.75 1.69 1.75 1.69 1.75 56,000 97,240 CROWN ASIA EUROMED 1.26 1.36 1.27 1.28 1.26 1.26 60,000 75,830 MABUHAY VINYL 4.31 4.43 4.31 4.43 4.3 4.43 18,000 78,160 5.83 5.86 5.88 5.88 5.86 5.86 18,300 107,464 PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION 22 22.55 22.6 22.6 22.55 22.55 1,000 22,575 1.93 1.95 2 2.01 1.89 1.96 9,940,000 19,326,300 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 8.67 8.68 8.45 8.67 8.35 8.67 203,000 1,742,421 0.72 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 22,000 16,500 IONICS 6.09 6.12 6.08 6.12 6.08 6.09 82,500 502,578 PANASONIC SFA SEMICON 1.19 1.2 1.21 1.22 1.18 1.2 558,000 666,370 3.71 3.72 3.83 3.83 3.69 3.72 2,619,000 9,796,340 CIRTEK HLDG

172,080 1,230,750 -63,750 683,295 370,030.50 17,536,708 -5,011,055 -210,900 7,774,446 -4,509,880.00 39,000 4,101,300 -16,332,258 5,886,915 97,960 817 3,815,467 -5,290,087 -9,630 -94,800 36,000 -75,658 -26,154,996 -187,690 -175,615 -25,842,278 -535,672 -4,600 -165,797,093 -9,900 -1,529,680 -2,800 24,400 -781,037 2,059 -16,200 19,590 -5,960,220 7,500 3,600 173,230

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES WELLEX INDUS

44,860 2,832,635 -7,808,019 -22,815,646 172,605 -20,100 -260,160 1,694,391 -4,832,995 8,578,000 20,759,271.50 2,087,532 -40,549,550 45,895,935 -644,657 -

HOLDING & FRIMS

44.5 134.8 98.35 26.15 9.31 59.85 9.5 19.96 56.5 20.6 117.2 101.1 2.03 4.03 0.79 960 220 2,610

0.91 5.04 859 61.8 13.1 8.55 1 0.69 0.69 5.18 8.4 7.1 590 3.75 63.6 0.6 2.96 9.14 0.36 3.82 1.19 2.91 880 108.3 2.4 0.28

44.95 134.9 98.4 26.2 9.35 60 9.9 19.98 57 21.1 117.6 101.8 2.1 4.07 0.83 1,000 224 2,650

0.92 5.77 860 62.25 13.12 8.61 1.01 0.7 0.71 5.19 8.41 7.24 590.5 3.85 63.8 0.61 3.01 9.16 0.375 3.83 1.24 3.05 890.5 109 2.76 0.3

44.5 135 98.9 26.25 9.47 60.2 9.75 20.1 56.5 20.55 117.8 99.1 2 4.04 0.79 950 221 2,650

0.9 5.02 860 63 13.24 8.34 0.98 0.62 0.62 5.2 8.4 7.11 588.5 3.75 62.9 0.62 2.96 9.15 0.36 3.82 1.2 2.99 893 108.4 2.4 0.3

44.5 135 98.9 26.5 9.49 60.5 9.9 20.4 56.5 21.3 117.8 104 2.05 4.06 0.79 950 224 2,650

0.93 5.02 860 63.25 13.24 8.65 1.02 0.71 0.75 5.2 8.44 7.25 590 3.75 64.1 0.62 2.96 9.2 0.36 3.85 1.2 3 898.5 109.2 2.4 0.3

44.5 133.5 98.15 26.15 9.3 59.4 9.5 19.94 56.5 20.55 116 99 1.95 3.98 0.79 950 220 2,610

0.88 5.02 854.5 61.05 12.92 8.34 0.98 0.61 0.6 5.1 8.37 7.1 580 3.75 61.05 0.59 2.96 9.08 0.36 3.81 1.19 2.99 877 108.3 2.4 0.28

44.5 134.8 98.35 26.15 9.31 59.85 9.9 19.98 56.5 20.6 117.2 101.1 2.03 4.06 0.79 950 220 2,610

0.92 5.02 860 61.8 13.1 8.55 1.01 0.7 0.71 5.18 8.4 7.1 590 3.75 63.8 0.61 2.96 9.14 0.36 3.83 1.2 3 880 108.3 2.4 0.28

1,700 3,048,060 1,140,700 73,900 379,500 5,140,290 50,300 157,400 7,040 4,300 571,580 28,310 800,000 150,000 5,000 5 420 320

18,407,000 100 88,740 440,690 2,854,400 165,600 3,945,000 16,325,000 5,755,000 1,126,400 3,027,500 32,900 103,780 6,000 1,607,590 1,487,000 40,000 6,127,000 40,000 22,809,000 115,000 36,000 259,010 45,320 10,000 1,070,000

16,626,960 502 76,136,855 27,437,673.50 37,191,172 1,405,235 3,971,580 10,984,580 3,909,270 5,800,683 25,446,623 233,836 60,757,375 22,500 102,399,825.50 881,130 118,400 55,947,292 14,400 87,291,820 137,790 107,710 230,465,765 4,925,837 24,000 319,400

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.61 0.63 0.61 0.61 0.61 0.61 106,000 64,660 AYALA LAND 38.2 38.8 39.3 39.3 38.2 38.2 6,932,200 268,894,245 4.82 4.84 4.58 4.88 4.53 4.84 3,487,000 16,572,590 AYALA LAND LOG ARANETA PROP 0.96 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 1,000 1,020 52.3 52.35 52 52.35 51.65 52.35 1,266,430 66,022,355.50 AREIT RT A BROWN 0.88 0.92 0.93 0.94 0.88 0.92 1,633,000 1,489,810 0.71 0.73 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 1,000 710 CITYLAND DEVT CEB LANDMASTERS 2.93 2.95 2.95 2.95 2.93 2.95 472,000 1,387,360 CENTURY PROP 0.42 0.425 0.42 0.425 0.42 0.425 370,000 155,900 2.83 2.84 2.84 2.93 2.8 2.84 117,886,000 337,440,830 CITICORE RT DOUBLEDRAGON 10.3 10.32 10.46 10.56 10.3 10.32 1,556,600 16,169,422 1.79 1.8 1.79 1.8 1.78 1.8 2,873,000 5,138,480 DDMP RT DM WENCESLAO 6.82 6.9 6.87 6.87 6.82 6.82 26,800 183,631 0.25 0.255 0.255 0.26 0.255 0.255 70,000 17,950 EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO 0.3 0.31 0.305 0.31 0.3 0.31 3,920,000 1,195,150 FILINVEST RT 7.51 7.52 7.55 7.55 7.49 7.52 2,477,100 18,611,022 1.09 1.1 1.11 1.11 1.1 1.1 9,330,000 10,273,600 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE 0.92 0.95 0.92 0.92 0.92 0.92 15,000 13,800 13.56 13.72 13.6 13.8 13.4 13.7 311,400 4,256,028 8990 HLDG GOLDEN MV 590 638 610 638 600 638 1,730 1,076,170 1.03 1.04 1.04 1.04 1.02 1.04 199,000 206,200 PHIL INFRADEV CITY AND LAND 0.83 0.86 0.83 0.87 0.83 0.83 4,000 3,360 MEGAWORLD 3.31 3.32 3.27 3.32 3.24 3.31 30,148,000 98,871,200 0.295 0.3 0.28 0.305 0.28 0.3 69,720,000 20,691,750 MRC ALLIED MREIT RT 19.98 20 20 20 19.8 19.98 2,337,500 46,437,686 0.34 0.385 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.35 10,000 3,500 OMICO CORP PHIL ESTATES 0.475 0.48 0.465 0.485 0.465 0.475 2,180,000 1,035,700 2.07 2.1 2.09 2.1 2.03 2.1 1,747,000 3,631,590 PRIMEX CORP 8.1 8.13 8.15 8.16 7.97 8.13 7,903,300 64,137,359 RL COMM RT ROBINSONS LAND 19.12 19.3 19.3 19.42 19 19.3 5,756,100 110,485,400 0.247 0.255 0.242 0.255 0.242 0.255 5,360,000 1,339,250 PHIL REALTY ROCKWELL 1.45 1.49 1.45 1.45 1.45 1.45 38,000 55,100 2.58 2.62 2.62 2.62 2.6 2.6 2,000 5,220 SHANG PROP STA LUCIA LAND 2.73 2.93 2.9 2.94 2.85 2.93 388,000 1,126,970 38.7 39 39.45 39.45 38.7 39 6,693,600 261,627,750 SM PRIME HLDG 3.58 3.65 3.63 3.63 3.55 3.58 74,000 265,160 VISTAMALLS VISTA LAND 3.19 3.21 3.25 3.25 3.16 3.2 7,148,000 22,755,520 SERVICES ABS CBN 12.84 13.2 12.7 13.2 12.68 13.2 107,600 1,384,876 GMA NETWORK 14.66 14.68 13.96 14.7 13.96 14.68 937,200 13,535,382 0.405 0.425 0.41 0.41 0.4 0.41 150,000 61,200 MANILA BULLETIN GLOBE TELECOM 2,700 2,702 2,686 2,740 2,682 2,702 41,670 112,587,210 1,804 1,810 1,790 1,812 1,783 1,810 90,315 162,699,525 PLDT APOLLO GLOBAL 0.064 0.065 0.063 0.065 0.063 0.065 33,330,000 2,126,940 28.2 28.3 27 28.4 26.9 28.3 5,128,700 142,762,750 CONVERGE 2.29 2.31 2.26 2.34 2.26 2.29 163,000 372,400 DFNN INC DITO CME HLDG 6.59 6.6 6.92 7.06 6.56 6.6 57,851,000 389,508,170 1.41 1.48 1.48 1.48 1.48 1.48 7,000 10,360 IMPERIAL JACKSTONES 1.62 1.65 1.64 1.64 1.64 1.64 5,000 8,200 1.26 1.27 1.27 1.28 1.24 1.27 499,000 625,780 NOW CORP TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.37 0.375 0.365 0.37 0.355 0.37 8,380,000 3,037,750 7.35 7.6 7.35 7.6 7.34 7.6 30,500 224,653 2GO GROUP 14 14.4 14 14 14 14 1,000 14,000 ASIAN TERMINALS CHELSEA 1.78 1.81 1.81 1.87 1.76 1.81 648,000 1,167,330 49 49.2 47.4 49.35 47.2 49.2 537,200 26,135,520 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 216 219 220 220 216 216 866,820 188,929,120 21.75 23.45 21.7 21.7 21.7 21.7 100 2,170 LBC EXPRESS MACROASIA 6.19 6.2 5.59 6.19 5.54 6.19 7,149,900 42,783,624 0.99 1.03 1.02 1.03 1 1.03 514,000 515,470 METROALLIANCE A HARBOR STAR 0.82 0.84 0.81 0.84 0.81 0.84 111,000 91,590 ACESITE HOTEL 1.5 1.58 1.45 1.59 1.45 1.59 7,000 10,850 1.72 1.75 1.76 1.76 1.72 1.72 9,000 15,680 DISCOVERY WORLD CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.6 6.88 6.88 6.88 6.6 6.6 3,100 21,182 531 593 593 593 593 593 70 41,510 FAR EASTERN U IPEOPLE 6.89 7.29 7.29 7.3 7.28 7.29 6,300 45,898 0.345 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.34 0.35 410,000 141,900 STI HLDG 1.33 1.35 1.33 1.35 1.33 1.33 287,000 381,730 BELLE CORP BLOOMBERRY 7.41 7.42 6.85 7.56 6.72 7.42 38,010,100 276,808,327 1.76 1.84 1.77 1.77 1.76 1.76 16,000 28,230 PACIFIC ONLINE LEISURE AND RES 1.33 1.38 1.35 1.4 1.32 1.33 1,682,000 2,253,050 1.14 1.15 1.03 1.17 1.03 1.14 11,229,000 12,497,450 PH RESORTS GRP PREMIUM LEISURE 0.44 0.45 0.435 0.445 0.435 0.445 27,980,000 12,353,250 2.34 2.36 2.26 2.36 2.26 2.36 2,195,000 5,098,530 PHILWEB 0.52 0.53 0.53 0.54 0.51 0.53 56,500,000 29,590,470 ALLDAY BERJAYA 5.66 5.86 5.67 5.67 5.66 5.66 5,500 31,135 8.48 8.6 8.6 8.64 8.48 8.48 429,700 3,653,112 ALLHOME METRO RETAIL 1.42 1.43 1.42 1.43 1.42 1.42 514,000 729,910 35.2 35.3 36 36 35.2 35.2 2,125,500 75,280,285 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 58.75 58.8 59.2 59.5 58.5 58.8 516,280 30,348,367.50 79.5 80 82.5 82.5 79 80 21,530 1,722,980 PHIL SEVEN CORP 1.12 1.13 1.12 1.13 1.1 1.13 964,000 1,071,880 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 28.3 28.35 28.25 28.7 27.95 28.3 1,514,900 42,965,445 0.255 0.265 0.255 0.27 0.255 0.265 150,000 38,800 APC GROUP IPM HLDG 6.65 7 6.7 7 6.65 7 3,400 22,660 1.12 1.13 1.13 1.15 1.11 1.12 9,955,000 11,251,550 MEDILINES PRMIERE HORIZON 0.84 0.85 0.77 0.85 0.77 0.85 61,629,000 50,073,650 3.91 4 4.1 4.1 4 4 12,000 48,500 SBS PHIL CORP MINING & OIL ATOK 5.84 5.96 5.94 5.96 5.94 5.96 90,000 535,777 1.71 1.74 1.7 1.76 1.7 1.74 9,218,000 15,969,160 APEX MINING ATLAS MINING 6.74 6.76 6.6 6.78 6.6 6.76 669,600 4,479,740 5.2 5.34 5.21 5.21 5.2 5.2 6,000 31,220 BENGUET A COAL ASIA HLDG 0.255 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.27 0.27 100,000 27,000 2.66 2.68 2.65 2.8 2.6 2.68 245,000 640,900 CENTURY PEAK 2.61 2.62 2.59 2.63 2.53 2.62 10,390,000 26,896,360 FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE 0.199 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 350,000 70,000 0.165 0.166 0.166 0.168 0.162 0.166 32,070,000 5,278,630 LEPANTO A LEPANTO B 0.163 0.168 0.163 0.163 0.163 0.163 750,000 122,250 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.01 42,200,000 422,000 MANILA MINING A MANILA MINING B 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.01 13,200,000 135,700 1.72 1.74 1.73 1.8 1.72 1.74 3,987,000 6,981,410 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.12 1.03 1.05 1,027,000 1,096,370 NICKEL ASIA 7.61 7.64 7.63 7.77 7.54 7.64 13,407,900 102,399,199 0.95 0.96 0.95 0.96 0.94 0.95 443,000 419,430 ORNTL PENINSULA PX MINING 5.6 5.63 5.79 5.82 5.6 5.63 1,060,700 6,098,429 26.25 26.3 26.9 26.9 26.3 26.3 1,237,900 32,698,075 SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON 0.0075 0.0077 0.0074 0.0077 0.0074 0.0077 70,000,000 530,900 26 26.25 26 26.4 25.65 26.25 217,600 5,642,020 ACE ENEXOR 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 6,700,000 80,900 ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 900,000 11,300 0.0095 0.0097 0.0094 0.0094 0.0094 0.0094 1,000,000 9,400 PHILODRILL PXP ENERGY 5.84 5.85 5.78 5.88 5.75 5.85 488,700 2,830,096 PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 99.55 101.9 101 101 101 101 460 46,460 AC PREF B1 504 515 504 504 503 503 550 277,030 512.5 515 512.5 512.5 512.5 512.5 100 51,250 ALCO PREF D AC PREF B2R 514 519 514 514 514 514 2,800 1,439,200 104 105 105 105 105 105 1,510 158,550 BRN PREF A CEB PREF 48.1 48.3 47.6 48.1 47.6 48.1 9,200 439,960 101.6 102 102 102 102 102 1,000 102,000 CPG PREF A DD PREF 100 100.7 100.2 100.7 99.9 100.7 54,890 5,492,501 EEI PREF A 106.5 105.6 106.5 105 106.5 16,800 1,774,182 110 110.2 110 110 110 110 900 99,000 EEI PREF B JFC PREF A 990 1,020 1,002 1,002 1,002 1,002 40 40,080 100.5 101 101 101 101 101 9,630 972,630 PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 982 990 990 990 980 990 2,220 2,185,135 1,050 1,069 1,050 1,065 1,045 1,065 895 938,545 PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B 1,079 1,090 1,090 1,090 1,090 1,090 5 5,450 SMC PREF 2F 78.6 78.8 78.7 78.7 76.7 78.6 4,410 338,464 75.8 76 75.8 75.8 75.8 75.8 44,620 3,382,196 SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I 77.5 78.95 76.4 76.4 76.4 76.4 10,000 764,000 76.5 77.25 76.4 76.4 76.4 76.4 7,000 534,800 SMC PREF 2J SMC PREF 2K 76 76.05 76.05 76.05 76 76 1,880,500 142,918,010 53.15 53.45 53 53.15 53 53.15 3,940 208,910 TECH PREF B2C TECH PREF B2D 55 55.95 54.5 55 54.5 55 200,600 10,933,000 PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 12.02 12.48 12 12 12 12 400 4,800 GMA HLDG PDR 14.14 14.3 13.92 14.14 13.92 14.14 99,100 1,393,044 WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 0.81 0.82 0.86 0.88 0.79 0.81 6,402,000 5,190,700

-7,967,445.00 1,010,470 34,923,574.50 -764,400 7,215,700 -2,241,166 1,235,100 -227,403 28,600 525,494 -13,170,960 103,500.00 -24,803,894 531,000 -2,452,900 36,855,964 -5,386,476 -49,600 -53,650 81,200 155,286,980 10,740 -17,115,690 -31,735,520 23,740,690 70,400 22,424,120 -180,800 97,869,742 194,700 21,600 13,890 -625,305 23,563,774 -1,599,897 -5,160 11,860 7,000 69,934,125 -28,230 -1,633,530 -9,393,950 23,500 214,340 2,835 2,177,890 -19,602,360 6,550,042 -1,545,105 22,400 12,097,055 15,300 239,230.00 -899,620 -463,640 137,037 66,110 4,538,620 296,800 48,449,438 74,429 -3,192,535 45,000 26,190 201,550 11,988 -63,630 32,220

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ALTUS PROP HAUS TALK ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH MERRYMART XURPAS

16.84 1.03 1.07 2.85 2.31 0.415

17 1.04 1.09 2.94 2.32 0.42

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF

112.1

112.2

16.86 1.01 1.06 2.76 2.19 0.405

16.86 1.04 1.09 2.76 2.32 0.42

16.82 1 1.06 2.76 2.15 0.405

16.82 1.04 1.09 2.76 2.31 0.42

24,600 1,293,000 317,000 1,000 7,920,000 410,000

414,532 1,323,970 339,590 2,760 17,806,020 169,250

-6,040 -720,340 -4,050

113 113 111.8 112.1 10,730 1,203,106 149,008

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Banking&Finance

EU lends 30M euros to fund PHL projects

HE Philippines signed a combined €30-million (about 1.71 billion) worth of financing agreements with the European Union (EU) for two new programs to boost the country’s disaster preparedness and improve Bangsamoro region’s local agricultural production and investment climate. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and EU Ambassador Luc Véron exchanged last Wednesday the signed financing agreements that will support the “National Copernicus Capacity Support Action Programme for the Philippines,” or CopPhil and the “Bangsamoro AgriEnterprise Programme,” or Baep. The CopPhil is a nationwide 3-year program expected to reduce vulnerability from natural disasters while the Baep is a new 5-year program to boost local agricultural production and improve the investment climate in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm). Slated to begin this year, both programs are expected to address the most pressing needs in the country: disaster preparedness and poverty reduction and the cycle of vulnerability linking the two. With a budget of €10 million (about P570 million), the CopPhil will support the Philippine government’s objectives of developing and leveraging space science and technology applications to strengthen the nation’s resilience to natural disasters and climate change. This is the first of its kind in the region, according to documents furnished by the Department of FInance. The Baep, which has a budget of €20 million (about P1.14 billion), is part “of a broader EU objective of a peaceful, cohesive, secure and inclusively developed Bangsamoro.” Both programs are also seen to contribute to the Philippines and EU’s commitment to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals to support peace, development and prosperity, reduce inequality and fight climate change.

CopPhil

TOUTED as an innovative approach to disaster reduction and climate adaptation, the CopPhil will use data from the EU Copernicus Earth Observation satellites and groundbased data collection systems. It will also support the Philippine government’s “capacities for decisionmaking and monitoring of policy implementation based on timely and accurate data.” The European Space Agency, the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Space Agency were assigned to implement the program. In the long term, the program is expected to contribute to the effective management of the environment and the natural resources of the Philippine ecosystems and improve the resilience of all livelihoods against natural hazards and climate change-related threats. Building on the Philippines’ expertise in space technology applications, the program is also designed to address technical and infrastructure needs for enhanced satellite and ground-based data acquisition and processing, information sharing and applications development that are critical for evidence-based policy and decision-making in response to disasters. Enhanced satellite data exchange and processing capacities initiated under the pioneer cooperation with the Philippines are intended to be

later up-scaled at the regional level under a Phase II of the program (currently under consideration). This will facilitate access to Copernicus data and the development of applications, products and services from the Philippines for the benefit of Government authorities and stakeholders in the highly disaster-vulnerable regions in Asia-Pacific and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

Baep

THE Baep will assist the agri-business sector in the Bangsamoro region to establish itself as an effective and recognized regional player and attractive investment opportunity, by facilitating the export of agriproducts and processed food within the Brunei Darussalam-IndonesiaMalaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area, or Bimp-Eaga, trade corridor. Moreover, the quality and diversity of local agricultural production are expected to be improved to respond to market needs and it will also support the transitional administration to elaborate a strategy to develop and attract investments in agri-business. The program also aims for cooperation with local farmers and cooperatives to adopt more integrated farming systems using a value chain approach, thus improving their capacities to increase quantity, quality and consistency of produce throughout the year. It will also support the establishment of product standard quality systems for halal and seaaqua products. Other aspects including ensuring quality control, development of certification procedures and processes as well as the physical infrastructures, such as setting up well-equipped modern laboratories and processing facilities will also be put in place. With the program, the EU also aims to support local competence and skills development focusing on climate change-resilient, agroecological farming systems, local craftsmanship, better hands-on farm management tools, improved farmer-centered and farmer-driven extension systems, improved conservation processes and respect for traditional and indigenous knowledge. It will also increase women’s participation in business, open new employment opportunities and improve incomes. The EU will also engage a technical assistance support service provider to work directly with local governmental bodies within the Bangsamoro region to improve their institutional capacities.

Inclusive growth

THE Finance Secretary was quoted in a statement as saying that the assistance from the EU will support government’s “already-heightened efforts to boost farm productivity and achieve inclusive growth” in the Barmm “and further strengthen the country’s climate resilience in the face of global warming.” Véron, on the other hand, emphasized that working with an innovative public sector, competitive business sector and civil society is crucial “in order to succeed in achieving sustainable economic growth and food security.” “In line with the principles of the European Green Deal, [the CopPhil and Baep] will enhance climate change resilience in the Philippines while strengthening key productive sectors including agriculture and ecosystem management,” the diplomat added. Bernadette D. Nicolas

BusinessMirror

@caiordinario

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Directors has approved a proposal to conduct a two-stage Annual Meeting this year. The ADB said its 55th Annual Meeting will first be done virtually on May 5. The second stage will be conducted physically in Colombo, Sri

Lanka between September 5 and 8. The ADB Board of Directors approved the proposal in view of the continuing challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). “This (first stage) will enable the Board of Governors to consider ADB’s financial statements and net income allocation in line with ADB institutional requirements,” the multilateral lender

Treasury to auction additional ₧50B in debt papers in March

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Bureau of the Treasury is set to borrow P250 billion from the local debt market in March, slightly higher than the P200 billion it programmed to borrow for February.

In calibrating the March domestic borrowing program, National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon told the BusinessMirror that several factors, including government’s liquidity condition, revenue collection and disbursement performance, the

country’s inflation rate as well as the current benchmark rates were considered. The February dom estic borrowing program, to note, came before the Treasury’s announcement of its 27th Retail Treasury Bond (RTB) of-

fering that is expected to last until February 28. To give way to the RTB offering, the Treasury decided to cancel two slated Treasury Bond (T-Bond) auctions in February. During the ratesetting auction last week, the Treasury raised an initial P120.76 billion from its RTB sale. To raise P250 billion in March, the Treasury will be offering P175 billion in T-bonds and another P75 billion in Treasury bills. Based on the schedule released by the Treasury on Wednesday, a combined P15 billion worth of 91day, 182-day and 364-day T-bills per day will be auctioned off on February 28 and on each of the four Mondays of March.

On the other hand, P35 billion worth of T-bonds per auction day are slated to be offered on all five Tuesdays of the month. Three-year Tbonds will be auctioned off on March 1 while 7-year debt papers will be offered on March 8 and 22. Meanwhile, 4-year and 10-year T-bonds will be up for auction on March 15 and March 29, respectively. For this year, the government is expected to borrow a total of P2.2 trillion, around 75 percent of which is expected to come from domestic sources. As of end-2021, the government’s outstanding debt has already reached P11.73 trillion while the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio soared to a 16-year-high of 60.5 percent.

Know your rights when using online lending apps–NPC By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @Tyronepiad

HE National Privacy Commission (NPC) reminded the public of their rights when using online lending applications (OLA), which have been on the rise as an alternative access to loans amid the accelerated digital shift in pandemic. NPC Privacy Policy Office OICDirector Ivy Grace T. Villasoto said in a webinar last Wednesday that the public has authority over their personal information and the consumers can control how such data will be processed. Villasoto stressed that OLAs can only process the customers’ data upon giving a specific consent according to the Data Privacy Act. It should be an informed consent and the data subject should

have indication of will, she stressed, which includes signature and verbal agreement. If personal data are being used outside the agreed parameters, Villasoto said this constitutes privacy violations, urging the public to report such incidents. NPC Data Security and Compliance Office OIC-Director Rainer Anthony, meanwhile, emphasized the need to learn about the OLA before installing it to one’s mobile phone. This is to assure that the application is legitimate and follows the appropriate regulations. The privacy officials also raised the need to check carefully the app permissions, as agreeing to them all immediately may provide them access to other personal information that are not necessary for loan application. Such data, including contact list,

location and photos, can be illegally processed at the disadvantage of the consumers.

Red flags

ACCORDING to Privacy Commissioner John Henry D. Naga, protecting the privacy rights of data subjects is the NPC’s priority above all else. “However, it is still the primordial responsibility of these online lending companies to incorporate data protection policies in conducting their operations,” Naga said. “In the same vein, it is also important to the NPC that would-be clients of OLAs are aware on how confidential and sensitive their personal data are,” the official added. “We want them to recognize red flags in choosing and using online lending apps.” In a statement last year, the NPC and financial institutions called on online lending application operators

BDO Life starts campaign to promote life insurance By VG Cabuag

@villygc

DO Life Assurance Co. Inc. has launched a campaign called “Plan B” for the public to appreciate the value and use of life insurance, especially during the pandemic. Renato A. Vergel De Dios, president and CEO of BDO Life, explained “Plan A” consists of savings and investments while “Plan B” takes the form of life insurance, which takes into effect when the first one fails. “Life insurance is your Plan B, the safety net that will enable your family to recover from the grief after you pass away without being burdened by immediate financial worries,” Vergel De Dios said. “It is in those crucial moments when BDO Life unleashes Plan B to help your family and keep their financial dignity intact.” The company, a unit of the Sy family-led BDO Unibank Inc., has not yet launched a product. But it wants first to campaign the use of life insurance among Filipinos, which has remained low. Data showed that life insurance penetration in the country fell from 1.75 percent in 2015 to 1.63 percent in 2018. “This industry has not communicated enough how a life insurance purchase is an expression of love for family and responsibility to provide for them beyond this life,” Vergel De Dios said. Among adult Filipinos, it was found

that the total life insurance ownership was only at 9 percent. Common reasons why people don’t buy life insurance are: they can’t afford it; they don’t see the need; they get nothing from it; and, they don’t trust insurance companies, he said. Insurance products are mostly geared towards the middle-income earners. He said the pandemic may have pushed people to buy life insurance products as the probability of dying unexpectedly was higher due to Covid-19. “The first quarter of 2021, we overshot what we were doing pre-pandemic. That will give you and idea that more people are more concerned,” he said. “As we move to (Alert) level 1, I anticipate that there will be an uptick (on life insurance). There’s this pent-up desire maybe to (spend), there’s also liquidity in the market place for those who did not lose their jobs and for those who continued that did not spend on anything,” Vergel de dios said. He said, however, mobility curbs due to another stricter lockdown to slow down the infection rate may again dampen all of that growth prospects. BDO Life said it has slowly advanced its standing in the industry. During the third quarter last year, the insurer said it joined the top five companies in terms of new sales measured in annual premium equivalents, posting a 61 percent yearon-year hike during the period versus the industry’s 16-percent growth.

ADB to hold annual gab online, then face-to-face By Cai U. Ordinario

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, February 24, 2022

said in a statement. “The meeting will then be adjourned and reconvene on 5–8 September 2022 for a second stage that will comprise a full-scale annual meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka,” the ADB added. ADB annual meetings serve as a forum for the discussion of economic and social development issues in Asia and the Pacific.

The meetings create opportunities for interaction among finance ministers, central bank governors, and senior officials from member governments. Also expected to attend are ADB management and senior staff; civil society; media; and, representatives from the private sector, observer countries and international organizations.

to refrain from harassing their borrowers through unauthorized use of their personal data. Some pieces of information are harvested “without legitimate purpose”, they said, citing the clients’ contact list and photo gallery, both of which are unnecessary in determining creditworthiness. “We likewise reiterate our appeal to non-compliant operators of online lending apps to refrain from exploiting borrowers by using the borrowers’ personal data to shame and coerce them into paying their loans through unauthorized and unfair use of their personal data,” they said. The privacy watchdog banned four online lending apps last year amid the complaints of unauthorized use of personal data. In 2019, it also banned 26 lending apps for the same reason.

Insurer launches product with protection ‘points’ By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

AY a policy premium, receive points. This is how the Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.) Inc. packaged its new product its CEO said “provides customers with multiple rewards and bonuses to help them achieve their life goals and enrich their future.” Manulife Philippines President and CEO Richard Bates further explained that the product they call “FutureBoost” includes life and financial protection integrated into one plan. Bates said the product offers buyers a number of benefits, including: • potential income through a premium bonus equivalent to 5 percent of their basic premium, if paid on time; • an additional bonus equivalent to 2 percent of their basic premium, if they opt to add to their premium by extending the number of years they put funds into their policy; and, • an annual loyalty bonus equivalent to either 0.5 percent or 0.75 percent of their account values upon completion of their policy’s 10th year. Bates said that “FutureBoost” will have no upfront premium charges, and payments are automatically invested in the customers’ chosen funds, allowing them to start building their investments quickly. “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Filipinos have become more empowered to take charge of their health and financial well-being,” Bates said. “‘FutureBoost’ offers Filipinos

a flexible life insurance plan with built-in investments that they can tailor to their needs. Through this product offering, we hope to help more customers secure every stage of their life journey, accelerate growth in their finances and achieve their financial goals quicker.” In Manulife’s third Asia Care Survey, Covid-19 has had a significant impact on Filipinos’ attitudes to financial planning, with 91 percent of respondents saying they had developed greater appreciation of insurance since the start of the pandemic. Moreover, 86 percent said they plan to buy insurance in the next 12 months and 76 percent are looking for simple and affordable insurance products. “Filipinos are looking for new ways to build financial resilience through savings, investments and insurance,” Manulife China Bank Life Assurance Corp. President and CEO Sandeep Deobhakta said. “We remain committed to offering innovative solutions that provide our customers with financial security and help sustain their well-being.” According to the insurer, the product is available for as little as P20,000 a year in premiums, payable over a minimum of 5 years or 10 years. Customers also have the flexibility to increase their coverage anytime and to enhance protection no matter their life stage – starting their careers as young professionals, growing their family, legacy-building for children or grandchildren, or growing their money while securing optimum protection coverage.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

Thursday, February 24, 2022

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, Singapore to boost security, education ties

HE Philippine and Singaporean governments are eager to further enhance bilateral relations in education, security and defense. These were subjects tackled during a recent bilateral meeting between Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SFA) Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. and his Singaporean counterpart, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. “[Both noted the flourishing people-to-people ties between the two countries, and looked forward to the restoration of travel links once the pandemic] situation has eased,” the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “They also discussed ways to enhance existing [mutual ties in the areas of security and defense, as well as] education.” It will be recalled that the two nations had agreed last year to intensify synergies in maritimedomain awareness, counterterrorism, defense-industry development, intelligence exchange, joint military training and law enforcement. They cited global and regional security issues re-

quiring a concerted response by partner-states. Meanwhile, on travel and tourism, Singapore is among 157 countries that enjoy visa-free entry to the Philippines. Based on new government pronouncements, fully vaccinated Singaporean tourists were allowed entry to the country starting February 10, subject to protocols. The two top diplomats also had a “fruitful exchange of views” on efforts to uphold Asean centrality, unity and credibility, with focus on the Myanmar situation. In a tweet, Locsin said: “It was great talking to [Balakrishnan.] I always learn something new and important. I am not comfortable until I see his reaction to what I say. It has been such a privilege to know and work with him.” He last visited Singapore when the repainted Alkaff Bridge in Rob-

LOCSIN (left) and Balakrishnan SINGAPORE MOFA, PNA

ertson Quay was reopened in 2019.

Passport renewal goes electronic

SPEAKING of travel, the SFA led the inauguration of the new Philippine ePassport Renewal Center (ePARC) in Singapore on January 28 in the presence of other distinguished dignitaries.

In a bid to ease the ePassport renewal process for Filipino nationals living overseas, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and VFS Global signed a contract on August 6, 2021 to extend Philippine ePassport Renewal services to eight other countries aside from Singapore.

PHL, UK hold inaugural consular dialogue

HE Philippines and the United Kingdom successfully conducted an inaugural consular dialogue on consular concerns that affect their respective citizens. Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for European Affairs Jaime Victor Ledda and British Commonwealth and Development Office Director for Consular Affairs Jennifer Anderson led the initial exchanges between both countries on February 16 regarding the proposed Philippines-UK Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement, particularly those relating to passports, civil registry and assistance

NTERING the third year of what has been an extremely difficult pandemic, we face a growing economic crisis. With an additional menace coming from our eastern neighbor, Vladimir Putin is effectively and cynically exploiting European weaknesses and crises. Today Europe is on the verge of war. Military conflict is no longer an unlikely scenario: It is a real option. For many generations of young Poles and Europeans, this is the closest they will have come to seeing such a scenario play out. For years the West wanted us to believe that the 21st Century would be free of armed confrontation. Recently however, it has provided sufficient evidence that Russia’s aggressive actions— including in Georgia and Ukraine—are not an illusion, but rather a sign that a new chapter is opening in the history of the West. Russia is trying to violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity once again. Questioning the borders of a sovereign state can only mean one thing: an assault on European stability and security. The world as we know it: the world of European values, freedoms, democracy, and welfare, has been targeted by Russia’s political and military leadership. It is not just the future of Ukraine that is at stake, but also the security and economic prosperity of Europe. This is the greatest political crisis since the end of the Cold War, and is a direct challenge to the principles adopted by the Euro-Atlantic Community in the years following 1989.

Examining our conscience

WE have to confront the truth. Russia has posed an increasing threat to peace in recent years, and for the most part European governments have reacted passively. Many leaders have lacked the courage or determination to cut

like to thank the [DFA] for its continued faith in us. Our passport and consular services have been growing from strength to strength, and we look forward to bringing those best-in-class services to Filipino nationals here in Singapore with this new center.” Key benefits of the renewal center include improved passport services to Philippine nationals living overseas; reduced crowding at consulates and embassies, with greater convenience for the customer submitting their application with VFS Global; strict verifiable processes to ensure accuracy of biometric-data collection; flexible “prime time” services at select locations for submissions beyond regular office hours; optional two-way courier services for safe delivery of passports; applicationtracking facility with short messaging system or SMS service; and form filling support. Filipinos can submit their passport renewal requests from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.. Managed and operated by VFS Global, the Philippine ePARC is at 79 Anson, 15-02, Singapore 079906. With a report from Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/PNA

DND chief: Despite territorial tussle, friendship with China is true to form

AMBASSADOR Laure Beaufils (left), Assistant Secretary Jaime Victor Ledda and Director Jennifer Anderson DFA-OEA

to nationals. The Philippines and the UK committed to sustain this new mechanism for dialogue as a venue for exchanging views and crucially, its role in expanding the scope of consular cooperation and further strengthening bilateral relations. The consular dialogue is one of

the five pillars of the “Enhanced Partnership” between both nations, which aside from consular, include political, economic, climate, and defense matters. Under it, both countries aim to drive forward joint activities in pursuit of shared priorities leading toward prosperity, security and people-to-people

exchanges in the future. The Enhanced Partnership was officially launched in London in November 2021 by Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. and UK’s Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss, coinciding with the 75th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries. AMBASSADOR Huang Xilian (left) and Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana inspect various military equipment donated by Beijing. DND/PNA

We need European unity By Mateusz Morawiecki Prime Minister, Republic of Poland

The launch of the VFS Global ePassport Renewal Center in Singapore marked the first time the DFA outsourced its ePassport renewal process for Filipinos living in Asia Pacific. Following the success of the operations in the pilot location in Dubai which operates 12 hours every day, VFS Global said it successfully expanded its services to one more city in the United Arab Emirates. This was followed by the opening of centers in other countries like Ireland, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States amid the pandemic. Commenting at the launch, Locsin said: “The establishment of [the ePARC in various parts of the world is an attestation of President Duterte’s] commitment to ensuring that government services are accessible and convenient to every Filipino. Singapore is certainly a priority for this service, as over 200,000 Filipinos [there] will benefit from having the option to renew their passport in another location, aside from the Philippine Embassy.” Jiten Vyas, Regional Group COO of VFS Global, added: “We would

business ties with the Kremlin. The noose is tightening around Europe’s neck, not Moscow’s. The desire to engage in opaque business dealings with a regime that has had no qualms about waging war against smaller states, engaging in political assassinations, and employing special forces in subversion inside the territory of European Union (EU) member-states cannot be simply perceived as short-sighted. This is a deliberate act of political cynicism. This is coming at an increasing cost to Europe: We are losing the battle not only in economic terms (e.g., through high gas prices—thanks to Moscow’s policy of blackmail), but also politically. Last year Gazprom hiked its gas exports to China and Turkey. At the same time it sharply cut deliveries to Europe. Its sales to the continent’s customers were down by 10 billion cubic meters in 2020, and as much as 27 billion cubic meters lower than in 2019. This artificial escalation of the energy crisis is a deliberate attempt to exert pressure aimed at forcing through the launch of Nord Stream 2 (NS2). The people who will have to pay the price for this mistaken policy are not the ones signing the contract, but rather ordinary Europeans. For all its madness, Russian policy is painfully rational. We are entering the third year of what has been an extremely difficult pandemic and facing a growing economic crisis. Now there is an additional menace coming from our eastern neighbor. Putin is cynically and effectively exploiting European weaknesses and crises. Unfortunately, many members of the European elites have become adept at blindfolding themselves to the dazzling rebirth of Russian imperial ambitions. The list of political leaders who have opted for Russian rubles and lucrative stakes in Kremlin’s businesses is shocking and disheartening. We are all aware of the case of Gerhard Schroder, who exchanged his political career for cash

in Russian energy companies. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Among many European collaborators of Gazprom, Lukoil, Rosneft, and firms building NS2 are former chancellors, prime ministers, senior diplomats, presidential advisors and ministers. Those who try to justify such a path speak of the free market and the right of these individuals to accept such jobs after years of public service. But these people have not gained positions by chance. Their knowledge and skills have become tools in the Kremlin’s hands. As leaders of states, they helped forge European policies on energy, economy, and security. They had access to secret data, and to the materials drafted by special forces. They made strategic decisions that determined the future of the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization communities. Let us call them what they really are: Trojan horses used by Russia across Europe.

NS2 geopolitical dimensions

MOSCOW’S intentions leave no room for doubt. Back in July last year Putin published an article on the historical relations between Russia and Ukraine. Its main thesis is the belief that there is no such thing as a separate Ukrainian nation, and that the Ukrainian people are part of what he terms the “Ruthenian nation,” in which the Russians play the dominant role. According to Putin, Ukraine is an inseparable part of the Russian world. In line with these optics, the efforts of Ukraine to assert its independence and a separate identity are not only an error. Even more so, they are a provocation. There is no place in Putin’s vision for a free and independent Ukraine. This in turn means that Putin’s Russia has no respect for peace and international law. Putin’s objective seems clear: to make the West withdraw its support for Ukraine, and allow Russia a free rein. The NS2 gas pipeline is evidence

MORAWIECKI that Putin’s scenario has its advocates across Europe. This project, which is suicidal for Europe’s energy future, casts a long shadow over German policy. Thanks to the pipeline, Gazprom will control gas flow across Europe, making deliveries contingent on political decisions. Such an arrangement is unacceptable not simply from a geopolitical perspective, but also in terms of the economy. We can already see that Russia is drastically cutting the transit of this resource via existing gas pipelines. Only a small proportion of the available throughput via Ukraine is currently being used, with Gazprom making no bookings of gas transit from the Yamal pipeline. Russia’s energy monopoly, thus, gives it a monopoly over any decisions on Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Europe needs unity

IN the face of this menace, what is needed is solidarity and cooperation throughout the continent. Europe and its Transatlantic Partners should treat the events currently taking place on the eastern border of the EU as perhaps a final warning. The most effective bargaining chip that Europe and the USA can bring to the negotiation table are potential economic sanctions and a clear intention to block NS2. This should not just be the stance of Poland and other Central European countries. In these critical times, we need true leadership that will eliminate the present menace and restore Europe on its path of security and development.

AVING contrasting positions on territorial issues notwithstanding, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said the Philippines and China remain friends and partners in various areas of cooperation. Lorenzana made the remark following the turnover of donated military equipment worth 130 million (around P1.05 billion) Chinese renminbi (RMB) by China’s Ministry of National Defense to the Department of National Defense (DND) in a ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on February 9. “This military grant from China speaks volumes on [ways] our two nations can be civil, diplomatic and friends despite…issues on territorial claims,” the DND chief said, referring to Manila and Beijing’s territorial claims over the West Philippine Sea (WPS). The first batch of military equipment worth RMB76 million arrived in Manila on January 16. The donation consisted of various military equipment such as rescue and relief equipment, drone systems, detectors, water-purification vehicles, ambulances, firetrucks, Xray machines, explosive ordnance disposal robots or EODs, bomb-disposal suits and transport vehicles; as well as engineering equipment such as backhoes, dump trucks, forklifts and earthmovers. A second batch worth RMB54 million will be delivered on a later date. Under the terms of the grant, China will support the capacity-building activities of the Presidential Security Group, Marawi City rehabilitation efforts, as well as other humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief undertakings.

“Even as a nontraditional partner, China paid special attention to Marawi at the height of the rebellion in 2017 by providing P370 million worth of firearms and ammunition,” Lorenzana confirmed. “We’re happy that after…five years, [the place has risen from…chaos, with peace and order in place for Filipinos who call] it home.” Present during the event were Ambassador Huang Xilian, acting Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Dou Xuding, Secretary to the Defense Attaché Maj. Lin Xinhong and delegates from the Chinese Diplomatic Corps. Lorenzana was also joined by other DND officials, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino, as well as other military officers, as well as enlisted and civilian personnel. “In 2020 Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe and I agreed to sustain closer cooperation between our nations amid the WPS dispute. Both of us unequivocally committed to the primacy of peace in [tackling] this complex issue,” Lorenzana said. As partners, the secretary believes the Philippines gains much in trade, infrastructure, technology, and people-to-people exchange with China: “Indeed, there is more we can achieve by working together. As we enter a new cycle in the Chinese Lunar Calendar Year, I wish for prosperity for both our peoples, good health, and mutual respect for our sovereignties.” On behalf of President Duterte and the Filipino people, the DND chief thanked China for its support to the defense and security sector. Priam Nepomuceno/PNA

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, February 24, 2022

ENJOY coffee with MINI Family Sports Ceramic Mug set with stirrer.

COFFEE time with Minisau and Penpen of the MINI Family Series.

PHOTO BY JERRY WANG ON UNSPLASH

Want better child care? Invest in entrepreneurial training for child-care workers

By Anne Douglass UMass Boston

hrIstIne heeR—a veteran preschool teacher—had long harbored a passion to run a nature-based preschool. So in 2015 she opened Sprouts Farm and Forest Kindergarten in central Massachusetts. Diana Stinson did something similar in 2018 when she cofounded Nature Explorers Preschool, which is housed on a wildlife sanctuary on Cape Cod. Five months into the Covid-19 pandemic, Dottie Williams, a Boston child-care provider, was invited to testify before Massachusetts lawmakers. She spoke about how child-care providers were helping children adapt during the pandemic. In the fall of 2021, as very young children exhibited anxiety about playing with other children without a mask—something they had previously been taught was unsafe—Emilee Johnson wrote a children’s book about how to stay safe. All of these early educators have one thing in common—they were all trained in entrepreneurial leadership. A Different kinD of leADership As a researcher who studies how to develop effective leadership skills among early childhood educators, I

know that entrepreneurial leadership training is not like other kinds of leadership training. For instance, it doesn’t emphasize hierarchy. Rather than elevate the expertise of administrators and authorities, it recognizes the expertise of those who work directly with children—that is, the child-care providers, educators and parents. When directors and administrators of early learning centers are trained in entrepreneurial leadership, innovation becomes a bigger part of what they do. They build relationships that value “curiosity, questions and reflections about current practices,” according to a 2021 federal report. staff members contribute ideas to improve teaching practices, enhance program quality, implement strategies for improving workplace culture, promote equity and welcome feedback from parents. Benefits to chilDren CHILDREN benefit when early educators are trained in entrepreneurial leadership, research shows. This is largely because classroom quality is connected to the improved workplace culture, parental engagement and support for experimentation—all things brought about by entrepreneurial leadership. The quality of leadership and the organizational climate set by early educational leaders are “critical variables” for the quality of early education.

Entrepreneurial leadership training transforms how early educators think. It leads them to redefine leadership. they begin to see leadership as collaborative and purpose-driven rather than hierarchical. Some early educators use their new skills and confidence to open new schools, as stinson and heer did. Some develop new resources for educators, as Johnson did. some become highly effective advocates, as Williams has. But most early educators trained in this form of leadership return to their programs to make seemingly small but powerful changes that result in better care and education for children.

TAKE ON SOME SPORTING FUN JAPANESE lifestyle retailer Miniso brings sporting fun and cuteness to homes and offices with its new MINI Family Series (shop.minisoph.com). The MINI Family Series is an original collection from Miniso, featuring MINI Family pals: Minisau, the Dino: Memo, the kitten; Shiba Inu, the puppy; Bunbun, the rabbit; Piglet, the piggy; and Penpen, the penguin. These warm and comfy, cuddly and adorable plushies believe that “Life and Sports is Fun.” The Miniso x MINI Family Sports Series features functional yet playful items that will get you fitspired. These include gadget accessories such as desk and mouse pads in Team Red and Team Blue designs; as well as wireless speakers with night lights for cool-downs. Play some hoops with its storage bins and keep home tidy with a floor mat. there are also coasters and ceramic mugs for coffee breaks.

opportunities limiteD DESPITE the positive effects of entrepreneurial leadership training, it’s not widely available. One survey found only 35 leadership programs for early educators in the entire country. Of those, 32 focus on the “positional responsibilities” of directors and administrators. As the pandemic continues to disrupt early care and education programs, with reduced student enrollment and teachers leaving the profession because of fears of exposure to Covid-19, resources must be used wisely. Investing in entrepreneurial leadership training for early educators is one way to make sure that happens. THE CONVERSATION

MINI Family Sports Team Blue.

Fostering the champion spirit

THESE past few weeks seem to have been more hopeful for us parents. More schools are introducing hybrid learning, which allows our kids into a bit of school normalcy. I have noticed my son’s occasional weariness and wariness toward online learning due to the lack of interaction and challenge. I feel this is why kids are also engaging more in online gaming. This is why I believe sports or any fun physical activity is essential to supplement the reality of today’s Philippine learning environment. Whether it is a short 15-minute family jog, training online or faceto-face for a hobby sport, I have personally seen how both my kids’ disposition has improved even amid the anxieties brought about by the pandemic. More than this, as an educator I am aware of how learning has been compromised by this prolonged distance learning in the Philippines. This is why I resolved as a parent to ensure that learning is happening in other facets of their lives. In joining sports, kids learn to develop goals, practice and gain a sense of achievement in every point and in every game. And even when they miss those goals, they learn to handle defeat and be proud of themselves for knowing not to give up.

My daughter Meagan and I just got back from Ormoc, Leyte, this week. I salute her efforts in winning two Golds for Cadet (Under 16) and Junior (Under 20) Saber Fencing. More than the medals, I am prouder of her consistent hard work, her fighting spirit and her deep gratitude to those who teach and support her, like SEA Games medalists Jylyn Nicanor and CJ Concepcion, and her big brother in fencing, Saber National Team Sandro Sia. I am very grateful for the whole PFA and Mayor Richard Gomez for supporting Philippine fencers, as well as inspiring young fencers like Meagan to aim higher. As a parent, I am truly grateful for Eric Brando II of Republic Fencing Club for coaching her to be a strong fencer and even a stronger person. This is why I have always admired Milo Philippines’s efforts to promote sports at a young age. Their recent activity, titled Milo Champions League Poster Adventure, rewarded kids for their creativity, storytelling and champion spirit. Winners Michael John Leysa, Alfonso Boydon Jr., Ruby Jane Castillon, Ma. Charly Diaz, and Aleli Faith Cabahug each won the grand prize of a laptop, basketball, mug, and a year’s supply of Milo products. Each item was handpicked to enable children with the tools and nourishing energy to continue their champion journeys at home. “The gadgets are just what my daughter needs to comply with her online school requirements, and I’m so happy to receive all these Milo products. We drink it every day for breakfast and snack time to get the energy we need for our daily activities,” said Castillon. The Milo Champions League Poster Adventure challenged kids to create their own active worlds using character cutouts collected from specially marked 24g sachets. Weekly prizes, such as tablet,

VARIOUS scenes from Meagan’s fencing journey, including with Ormoc Mayor Richard Gomez and family, head coach Amatov Canlas, fencing idols SEA Games medalists Jylyn Nicanor and CJ Concepcion, her fencing big brother Saber National Team Sandro Sia and coach Eric Brando II from Republic Fencing Club.

sports equipment and a month’s worth of Milo products, were also awarded. “We congratulate each of our weekly and grand prize winners who excitedly shared their active lifestyle and imagination with us,” said Lester P. Castillo, head of Milo Sports and assistant vice president, Nestlé Philippines, Inc. Faced with disrupted routines and more

responsibilities, children are feeling more stressed and restless than ever before. Committed to providing them with nourishing energy, Milo Philippines advocates the importance of having a nutritious breakfast every day and encourages parents to level it up. So as we help our kids “champion” this next normal, let’s all try to inject more active play today.

B6 Thursday, February 24, 2022

ABS-CBN‘s Operation Odette serves 200k families

Globe ambassadors made it to Tatler’s list of 2021 Asia’s Most Influential

TENNIS Grand Slam champion Alex Eala AWARD-winning actor John Arcilla

HREE Globe ambassadors have made it to the 2021 Asia’s Most Influential list of lifestyle and luxury magazine Tatler, recognition that reflects how members of “Team Globe of Good” from various fields are shaping the Asian region, aligned with the company’s ideals. Tennis Grand Slam champion Alex Eala, TV personality Kim Atienza, and award-winning actor John Arcilla are part of the power roster in the inaugural list, which Tatler said “brings together the region’s most innovative changemakers, industry titans and powerful individuals who are shaping the region through positive impact.” “We are very proud to see our ambassadors continuing to make an impact in society through their individual

TV personality Kim Atienza

contributions, embodying Globe’s vision of building an admired Philippines, and creating a Globe of Good,” said Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu. Meanwhile, Cu and GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon are also part of the list. Tennis wonder Eala has been rising in the international scene, ending a long Philippine drought in the sport through a victory in 2020, the start of a stellar streak. She became the first Filipina player in over a quarter of a century to bag the World Junior Tennis title at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and participate in a Grand Slam tournament in 28 years. Eala made it to the semifinals of the French Open girls’ singles competition. The Rafa Nadal Academy scholar then moved up

to the second spot in the ITF Girls’ Junior rankings in 2020. She won the Australian girls’ doubles event championship with Priska Madelyn Nugroho and reached the semifinals of the juniors’ singles event. Last year, she won her second Grand Slam championship after dominating the French Open girls’ doubles title with Oksana Selekhmeteva. Atienza, popularly known as Kuya Kim, joined GMA Network after years of presenting the weather report and sharing trivia on newscast TV Patrol, as well as hosting several programs on ABSCBN. Tatler feted the multi-hyphenate TV personality, also a triathlete and motorcycle enthusiast, for being one of the country’s most famous dispensers of facts and forecasts. Tatler also cited Arcilla for bringing old-school charisma to a new golden age of Philippine Cinema. John was awarded Best Actor at the 78th Venice International Film Festival for his role in “On the Job: The Missing 8” by director Erik Matti. He also drew raves for his epic portrayal of revolutionary Filipino general Antonio Luna in the titular film “Heneral Luna.” The list was launched on December 6, 2021, selecting 300 influential individuals from the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Indonesia.

MBC, Foodpanda present ‘Doing Business Online Series’ to save and create businesses, generate more jobs

E all know e-commerce boomed during the pandemic, saving and creating businesses, generating jobs, and making life more convenient. Now is the time to fuel and build on this momentum. Starting February 14 to March 23, 2022, industry players, government, and other private sector leaders discuss key trends and the policy changes needed to keep helping businesses, workers, and households. SESSION 1: E-Commerce 2022 Trends held on February 14 discussed about the importance of online presence. It is no longer a “nice to have” element for businesses but it has become essential for companies especially during this pandemic. The session discussed e-commerce trends businesses must consider when scaling up their online presence. SESSION 2: Supporting MSMEs in E-Commerce, held on February 23 dealt on the COVID-19 pandemic deeply impacting business operations, especially MSMEs. Sudden drop in revenues due to weaker consumer demand led to a liquidity crisis especially for smaller businesses. This, in turn, may affect their operations and lead to closures. This session, featured Shopee PH Director Martin Yu as keynote

speaker with Resto PH President Eric Teng, SB Finance and President Abigail Casanova and BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier as panelists. The session highlighted examples of support to sellers by e-commerce platforms, and open a discussion on how to sustain said businesses. SESSION 3: Ease of Doing Business in E-Commerce will take place on March 23. This session will cover key policy proposals affecting e-commerce such Digital Economy Taxation Act and Internet Transactions Act, and open a

discussion on how an enabling policy and regulatory environment can be built by the government and its stakeholders. Attendees to the online series include the MBC members, Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., Philippine Franchise Association, Philippine Retailers Association, Viber Group: #EcomPHL2022 Community, Fintech Philippines Association, FinTech Alliance Philippines, and the Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines. Business Mirror is a media partner.

CCP‘s online Pasinaya 2022 celebrates the EDSA spirit

WO years into the pandemic, the CCP Pasinaya Open House Festival continues on the online platform on February 26-27 with the theme Sana All Lumilikha, Lumalaya. Celebrating the 36th anniversary of EDSA People Power, Pasinaya 2022 embodies the spirit of EDSA and demonstrates the power of arts in social transformation and empowerment. Pasinaya 2022 is a two-day virtual event that will showcase various activities in the performing arts, literary arts, visual arts, film and broadcast arts. It will feature an exhibit, a forum, a digital timeline and the lighting of the CCP façade. The Festival will highlight special video premieres, among them: Radyo Malaya: Soundbites of a Revolution by pumapodcast is a radio drama re-enactment of the events during the EDSA Revolution in 10 bite-size episodes;

Pagsamo: Gabay at Pagbabago aims to awaken the minds and hearts of the viewers about the importance of the Malolos Congress, the freedom fought for in 1898 and the lessons from the EDSA People Power; Edsa playlist 1: revolu-tunes is medley playlist of 3 songs sung and/or used during the People Power Revolution to be sung by the Akapela Collective (Astrafellas, Calafellas, ConChords, KNKTD, Phisix, Sayil and Vocalmyx); Isang Harding Papel is a storytelling session by Kara David as the book talks about a girl and her mother during Martial Law. Kwentuhang sining para sa pagbabago. A round table live discussion with leaders known and recognized as active agents of social change. Pangamuyo is a prayer of gratitude and

supplication presented by Kaisa sa Sining - Visayas Network as we celebrate culture, environment and society that continue to give meaning in our existence. Paglaya yarn?! Freedom and dissent: a book talakayan of F. Sionil Jose’s mass by Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books Book Club headed by Jayson Vega; One can also reminisce the EDSA Revolution days through social media by tuning in to various posts such as People Power 1986: Where Were You? Mga Saysay Mula Sa Sining Biswal; Edsa 36: An Intimate Retrospective On The CCP During The People Power Revolution; Banned! Valerio Nofuente Collection - Online Exhibit and the Kalayaan Book Fair. For more details, follow the CCP’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or visit the CCP website (www. culturalcenter.gov.ph).

ITH the continued support of partners and donors, over 200,000 families affected by Super Typhoon Odette have already received relief goods through ABS-CBN Foundation. As many of the survivors remain in evacuation centers after their houses got destroyed, ABS-CBN Foundation now aims to also deliver house repair kits that they need in fixing their homes as they rise from the tragedy they experienced. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, around 432,199 homes were totally damaged by Super Typhoon Odette while there are 1,462,899 partially damaged homes as of February 11. A donation of P13,200 to ABS-CBN Foundation for one house repair kit will provide a family with 8 pcs. of GI sheet (12 ft.), 6 pcs. plywood (.5 thickness), 2 pcs. plain sheet (4x8), 1 kilo roofing nail, and 1 kilo ordinary nail (2 inches). As of February 18, ABS-CBN Foundation has raised P94.04 million in cash donations and P16.012 million worth of in kind donations. It has brought food packs to 203,110 families and delivered house repair kits to 330 families. Donors can also help by availing Tulong Vouchers on Lazada and Shopee worth P100

or P400 that will add to the funds for the house repair kits, or through participating in the “Isang Daang Hakbang Sa Pagtutulungan: Kapamilya Virtual Run” of SKY and channel partners HBO and History Channel, where participants can donate money and do the “100 Hakbang Challenge” to help provide aid to Odette survivors. This campaign is under ABS-CBN Foundation DSWD Authority/Solicitation Permit, DSWD-SB-SP-00026-21, valid nationwide until May 28, 2022.

UniTeam receives warm welcome in Ilocos Sur

ED by Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson and League of Municipalities of the Philippines president Luis “Chavit” Singson, the northern province recently laid out a warm welcome for the UniTeam ticket of presidential race frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and their senatorial candidates. Governor Singson expressed his full support to the UniTeam electoral slate, adding

that LMP President Chavit, his father, firmly backs the Ilocos Sur chief executive’s political decisions. Displaying their unity on stage following the grand rally in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur last February 17 are (pictured from left) senatorial bets Robin Padilla and Harry Roque, VP candidate Sara Duterte, LMP chief and Narvacan Mayor Singson, presidential bet Marcos Jr., Governor Singson, and senatoriables Larry Gadon, Dante Marcoleta, and Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro.

Ding’s Global Prepaid Index: Bypassing banks, Filipinos turn to alternative financial services

ING, the fastest way to send international mobile top-up, launched the second Ding Global Prepaid Index (GPI) in which Filipinos top the global tables when it comes to prepaid products, preferring them to billpay options. Mark Roden, CEO of Ding, said: “Filipinos are astute consumers who see prepaid products as a smart way to budget and manage their finances. The trends we’re seeing in the Philippines indicate that people who have not had access to traditional banks may now choose to avoid them altogether. Lower than the average, only 30% of Filipinos surveyed are bank account holders while 19% use crypto, a high percentage of crypto adoption. This is a hugely interesting contrast.” Albert V. Villa-Real, President and CEO of PLDT Global Corporation, said: “The acceleration of digital adoption among Filipinos is something we are very optimistic about, because this paves the way for a more digitally-enabled Philippines. During this time, we know that remaining connected is important among Filipino families. We at PLDT Global Corporation want to enable our fellow kababayans - especially our Overseas Filipino Workers - to connect to their loved ones not only through internet but also through financial solutions that will allow them to send prepaid mobile load or digital vouchers for their loved ones or pay utility bills on behalf of their families.” Virtual connections are especially important to Filipino culture, where “kumustahan” and social gatherings are now held online. With the dynamic changes in priorities, Filipinos are now turning to digital services.

Climate change replaces COVID-19 as top concern

AS the world sees the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are highly conscious of the next big global challenge: climate change. In the Philippines where the population is extremely vulnerable to natural calamities and frequent extreme weather events, climate change is the main concern for 46% of respondents. This was the highest of all countries surveyed. Mark Roden said: “As an archipelago and a country that relies heavily on income

from tourism, it is no surprise that Filipinos are deeply concerned about climate change. Citizens have seen the successes and failures of their governments in handling global catastrophes during the COVID-19 pandemic. As climate-related weather events occur more frequently, it’s natural that they will wonder what lessons their government has learned.” With growing concerns on climate change, digital banking is becoming a sustainable option to manage finances.

Social media and society

AT a time where physical interaction is limited, digital media keeps Filipinos connected virtually. Facebook and Instagram are the most used apps, while Whatsapp has not yet penetrated deeply into the market (21%). The Philippines tops the all-markets average for levels of misuse seen and experienced on both Facebook (68%) and TikTok (25%). This compares with just 26% on Instagram. Despite this, Filipinos place a high level of trust in social media (81%), a dominant platform for Filipinos to communicate virtually.

Finance and tech trends

FOR the second year running, a core theme of the report is the value Filipinos place on family. While groceries are the highest expense (33%), looking after family (29%) is placed as the second highest priority above education, rent, and utility bills. Cash is still a dominant payment option in the Philippines where 68% of Filipinos surveyed use it as their main form of payment — higher than any other market surveyed. Prepaid products remain a preferred option as Filipinos view it as a smarter way to budget. While Filipinos are less likely to have a bank account (30%) than the average for the global markets surveyed (52%), digital banking is slowly becoming an attractive option for Filipinos. As a country with over 2.2 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), online banks offer a more accessible and convenient option for OFWs to send money to their family back home and to other kababayans. Filipinos also show an acute awareness of the risks of accessing financial services online, from expressing concerns about data theft and fraud to awareness of the possibility of government surveillance of digital transactions.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Despite fall in cases, Pinoys urged to remain vigilant vs Covid-19

By Rory Visco | Contributor

he past few weeks saw the emergence of a surreptitious subvariant of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which experts called “stealth.”

Stealth, often synonymous to sneaky, was used to describe this sub-lineage called BA.2 since its genetic mutations are harder to differentiate from the deadly Delta variant. And since BA.2 is Omicron, it has been declared a variant of concern as well by the World Health Organization (WHO). The recent “Stop Covid Deaths” webinar on Covid-19 organized by the University of the Philippines together with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and UPPhilippine General Hospital, featured a number of international speakers led by Dr. Martin Hibberd, a Professor on Emerging Infectious Diseases Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to talk about this new subvariant. He said the virus that is most numerous is Omicron, which appeared at a very early stage during the virus evolution, even before March 2020. This means that this variant has long been in the background and is starting to suddenly expand only now. “This virus is not very good at transmitting but suddenly acquired a new set of mutations that generated a more transmissible variant, and the variations happened in a rush.”

More testing

He emphasized that more testing has allowed a more accurate estimation of the number of infections. Citing the case of the virus in the

United Kingdom, by the looks of it, Dr. Hibberd said the Omicron is spreading much more than the original Wuhan or the Alpha strain. However, when compared with the other strains, Omicron had the higher number of cases compared to Alpha and Delta, but had fewer hospitalizations and even deaths than Alpha. “However, we had less deaths in Delta that time due to lockdowns and we had effective vaccines where recently, we vaccinated more than a million people a day with the booster doses,” Dr. Hibberd emphasized. Right now, Dr. Hibberd said the UK is going with its third booster dose because of what Omicron’s immune escape can do, citing tests in the UK that showed Omicron is most likely to re-infect more than Delta. As to whether the world will shift from pandemic to endemic stage, Dr. Hibberd said that Covid-19 is a nasty disease that is here to stay because it is so widespread globally, in humans and also in animals. He also predicted that it was likely that new variants would emerge every year and that these should be monitored in the same way as influenza. “With influenza, we take a sample of the dose and make a new vaccine each year, which protects vulnerable people from a new influenza strain, and we have to do that with Covid-19 as well.”

Yearly vaccination

Vaccination also needs to be

updated every year, hoping that a new, longer lasting and broader response vaccines are on the way. The good news, Dr. Hibberd said, is that there are now direct, antiviral therapies that will offer help to people who are not yet vaccinated, or who got the disease despite vaccination. “To make the most of those, we need to test, find out early and treat patients early.” For Dr. Hsu Li Yang, Vice Dean for Global Health and Program Leader for Infectious Diseases at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore, he said the first Omicron case was discovered in December 2021, with Omicron BA.2 cases happening by January 2022. Between January 2022 up to now, the number of BA.2 cases has jumped by over 50 percent. Dr. Hsu noted that with all their strategies in facing Covid-19, what would be the way forward? He said they realized they cannot keep the virus from affecting the economy and they have done their best to protect the population by encouraging people to be vaccinated. “We are still one of the very few countries that have not relaxed restrictions; we don’t think that would change yet. But everyone is now looking forward to seeing the restrictions removed and reintegrate with the rest of the world again in the future.” On the other hand, Dr. Cynthia Saloma, Executive Director of the Philippine Genome Center, she said the earliest Omicron (BA.1) was detected in December 22, while the earliest BA.2 was a local case detected in Mindanao. With the rapid rise in cases, Omicron eventually overtook Delta as the dominant variant at the beginning of 2022.

Peak in Omicron cases

However, Dr. Saloma said it seems the country has reached its peak in Omicron, since we are earlier than some of the country’s

Asian neighbors in terms of having Omicron cases with a rapid rise that peaked in Week 2 of January with about 39,000 cases but rapidly declined to about 2,000 at present. She also credited the move to vaccinate people, the medical frontliners and the vulnerable sectors starting March of last year. “Although we had more cases with Omicron, the number of deaths were lower because of vaccination.” In the case of the Philippines, Dr. Saloma noted that 98 percent are under Omicron BA.2 sublineage. Globally, she said there is observed increase in the proportion of BA.2 but as BA.2 sees a rise in percentage share in Omicron cases, it is still overshadowed by the BA.1 and even its subcluster BA.1.1. She said, however, that Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs), including some international travelers, bring the BA.1 sublineage. “But what we observed in our community transmission was BA.2, which is why it is also part of the reason why the country opened its borders because the transmission of the virus is not so much because of fresh introduction events from the airport but it’s really driven by local community transmission of BA.2.” So, will Omicron be the last of the variants? Is it the endgame for this pandemic? Probably not, Dr. Saloma said, because the virus continues to mutate and that other variants will continue to emerge but will these be more transmissible, will they be more severe, or could they mutate to a more benign form, or mutate with other symptoms? “These we don’t know yet but some experts say the pandemic is already on an evolutionary decline, a slide towards endemism where the virus and humans co-exist. This coronavirus continues to surprise us, and we’re not really sure how this pandemic will play out. What’s important is we continue to monitor and be vigilant and not put our guards down.”

Innovation, digital transformation to secure future of hospitals

HE idea of hospitals surviving the almost two years of this debilitating pandemic was something for the record books. Everyone knows how hospitals, the medical frontliners worked hard to care for those who contracted the dreaded Covid-19 and other ailments despite the challenges in mobility, sanitation, better understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the corresponding Covid-19, and other circumstances. It was totally understandable because even the global medical community never knew what hit them. No one really knew. But they remained unperturbed; in fact, they soldiered on regardless of the situation and circumstances. They fought and continued to fight in the service of Filipinos’ medical needs, now and in the future. That is why during the 5th Innovation Summit organized by the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, the event discussed how the future of hospitals will be secured even as this pandemic continues to rage on. What the future of health care holds in a post-pandemic world? Dr. Harish Pillai, Chief Executive Officer of Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc., said that there are some post-Covid possibilities in providing accessible, affordable and quality health care after this pandemic like telemedicine, rapid diagnosis or treatment of diseases, lower costs and convenience, and quick response to pandemic situations, plus increase of patient education and awareness platforms.

Self-health management

Dr. Pillai is looking at self-health management enablers, which can lower the cost of care by avoiding hospitalization; affordable medical devices; and innovation through automation to increase efficiencies in the health-care ecosystem. “That’s

why we are making significant investments to ensure the hospitals in our group are future-proof. We believe that digital transformation is a fundamental paradigm shift in healthcare services delivery.” He also noted some of the lessons learned during the pandemic that may be applied in the future like collaboration and self-reliance, to embrace technology, consideration of hospital design and infrastructure, human resources, and finance and cost management. Andrew Pearce, Senior Digital Health Strategist, Analytics for Asia Pacific of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), on the other hand, talked about “Improved Health System Performance through Investment in Digital Maturity and Transformation Activities.” HIMSS, he said, engages in partnerships with 67,000 health-care institutions worldwide to support their digital health transformation. The current pandemic totally altered the health-care delivery landscape, where every health-care organization had to adapt to new methods and modalities of care. “But we all know the pandemic’s not going to be here forever so certain aspects like financial challenges, patient safety, access to care and personnel shortages need to be addressed in a post-pandemic world.”

sustainability and equity, which is essentially access to health care across the world.” He said HIMSS’s vision is to realize the full health potential of every human everywhere. “We will do this by reforming the global health ecosystem through the power of information and technology.” To descr ibe how Philippine health care will proceed into the future, Hennesy Lou Miranda, Asian Hospital’s Director for Customer Experience and Engagement, who talked about “Humbled by Change, Grateful for Tomorrow: Serving YOU a Deeper Brand Purpose,” she said the hit song from the popular Disney animated movie “Frozen” titled “Into the Unknown” pretty much summed up what we have experienced. “We were frozen when the pandemic hit and we treaded our way right into the unknown. For us in healthcare, it is like surviving the unknown but in 2021, it was more adapting to what is known.” Asian Hospital and Medical Center (AHMC), she said, braved the uncertainties of the times and continuously adapted to make its brand purpose even more relevant to patients and customers in committing to value-based health care. As there were numerous changes in the health-care industry due to the pandemic, AHMC was also forced to adapt.

Meeting more needs

Adaptability

W ith dig ita l transfor mation, Pearce said health-care organizations will be able to meet more needs of the communities, realize greater operational efficiencies, adhere to new regulatory and security demands, and grow across practices and populations. “Digital transformation is about outcomes, whether clinical, work force and operational, and impact on person-enabled care,

When the world was at a standstill, Miranda said they were expected to act fast, when the world was unsafe, they made sure AHMC facilities were also safe; when a big chunk of the population was sick, they had to stay well physically and mentally, and since there were less patients, less collection, they had to learn to become sustainable. To adapt, AHMC stuck to its core

values, to become a “FITER:” Fairness, Integrity, Teamwork, Excellence and Respect. “We know that our customers deserve more. That is why we will work hard to deliver our brand purpose of value-based health care, excellent outcomes at the lowest possible cost of care in the safest environment to give the most unforgettable and delightful experience through the Tatak Asian, Pusong Asian kind of care.” In securing the future of hospitals today, Miranda said they need to embrace change and innovate with it, to engage customer and know what their needs and wants, measure interventions and act on certain areas for improvement, and automate while still being compassionate. Finally, Dr. Nina Gloriani, Chairperson of the Vaccine Experts Panel and the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), discussed “The Future of Pandemics and the Roles of Hospitals.” When looking at how delivering a better normal can be achieved, Dr. Gloriani posed the question: What will be the future of the health-care sector in 2022 and beyond? The good news, she said, that the current scenario, at least in the National Capital Region (NCR) seems bright with lower reproduction rates, and with the way diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines are developed, hope remains. But the key fact, Dr. Gloriani stated, is that hospitals’ resiliency and flexibility are essential in the country’s ability to cope with uncertainties that come with an evolving virus. “As we strengthen public health and hospital systems, and health care professionals’ capabilities, we remain optimistic that Covid-19 will reach a more manageable state very much like the seasonal flu.” Rory Visco

Thursday, February 24, 2022 B7

NICCA gives hope to children with cancer, says support groups By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

“W

e are often asked why do we do what we do and and always, our answer would be to give every child the chance to fight cancer, win and live their dreams.” This was the message of Arleen S. Aportadera, Fundraising Manager, House of Hope Foundation for Kids with Cancer, Inc. during the 3rd Anniversary of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) held at Acacia Hotel Davao on February 14, 2022. The NICCA was signed into law by President Duterte on February 14, 2019. Aportadera recalled that they started as Davao Children’s Cancer Fund Inc. in 2004 and was founded by Dr. Mae Concepcion Dolendo. In April 2016, it became a foundation and was named after House of Hope, a transient home for children with cancer and their families, the only foundation in the region catering to children with cancer all over Mindanao. “From a humble beginning of a fourbed pediatric ward at Southern Philippines Medical Center 17 years ago, we now have a 44 bed capacity building we call the Children’s Cancer Institute headed by Dr. Mae Dolendo, and I’m very proud to share that she is the Philippine Society of Pediatric Oncology representative to the Technical Working Group of the Implementing Rules and Regulations Committee of NICCA,” Aportadera said.

Rocks the whole world

She lamented that when a child is afflicted with cancer, “it rocks the whole world surrounding this little one.” “Families come together and occasionally they fall apart from the strain of dealing with this catastrophic illness,” she reiterated. For his part, Dr. Rojim Sorrosa of the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS), said that the Republic Act 11215, also known as the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, is a landmark law which is really good and essential because it obligates the state to “adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which includes the strengthening of integrative, multi-disciplinary, and patient and family cancer control policies, programs, and services at all levels of the existing health-care delivery system.” “The Philippine Cancer Society was actually a proponent and supporter of this dream for so many years. We have been clamoring for a law that would embody all the principles of cancer care and prevention including my specialty, palliative and hospice care. We were advocating and

lobbying for it, until it came into fruition,” Dr. Sorrosa said.

Healthy lungs

This is why, Health Justice Philippines, a nongovernment organization, stressed the importance of keeping the lungs healthy and strong by not smoking to prevent cancer. Health Justice, who also attended the 3rd Anniversary celebration of NICCA, noted that lung cancer ranked second among the most common type of the disease in the Philippines and is the leading cause of mortality in the country among all types of cancer, recent data from GLOBOCAN 2020, the online database of Global Cancer Observatory (GCO), showed. According to GLOBOCAN 2020, lung cancer ranked second among the most common type of the disease in the Philippines after recording a total of 19,180 or 12.5 percent of the total 153,751 new cases in both males and females in all age groups in 2020. Breast cancer ranked first with 27,163 new cases last year. Lung cancer is the leading cause of mortality among all types of cancer in the country in 2020, recording 17,063 cases. Health Justice is also one with the health experts, youth groups, and other NGOs calling on President Duterte to veto the proposed Vaporized Nicotine Products Regulation Act (SBN 2239) or Vape Bill, authored by Sen. Ralph Recto. Health experts, NGOs and youth groups stressed that Vape Bill is a huge step backward in protecting Filipinos’ health.

Go vows to support cancer patients

During the event, Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go vowed to support organizations or groups prioritizing the health of the people like the House of Hope Foundation. Go recalled that in 2011, no less than President Duterte offered his house to be the temporary shelter for cancer patients. “I’m always with you in the fight against this disease. In fact, during the budget deliberations last year, I pushed for the cancer assistance funds to subsidize the cost of cancer treatment , including the needed diagnostics and laboratory tests,” Go said in a recorded message during the event. Also present during the event were representatives from House of Hope Foundation for Kids with Cancer Inc., Philippine Cancer Society, Parents Against Vape HealthJustice Philippines, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Department of the Interior and Local Government-Region 11, and Department of Health Davao Center for Health Development.

Party-list to elevate maternal, infant health, state of midwives By Roderick L. Abad | Contributor

ORMER Senator Joey Lina bared that the party-list he is representing for the 2022 national and local elections will champion the plight of the impoverished Filipino mothers and their children, as well as the marginalized midwife sector. In their proclamation e-rally via Zoom last February 19, the first nominee of Ang Komadrona underscored that their battle cry of “Malusog na Ina, Bata at Bayan” will be their guiding principle in working for legislative reforms to lessen maternal and infant deaths and address the alarming malnutrition crisis in the Philippines if given a Congressional seat in the upcoming polls on May 9. Lina, who authored the Philippine Midwifery Act of 1992 (RA 7392), said he accepted the clamor of the Philippine League of Government and Private Midwives Inc. (PLGPMI) for him to run for Congress under the party-list system, to also improve the state of midwifery in the country and to strengthen the vital role of midwives in the front lines of the pandemic. Even before the health crisis, Filipino midwives were considered heroes in areas where they are the only health-care workers the poor could turn to. They are forced to play multiple health-care roles given the shortage of doctors and nurses, especially in distant places. “Tumutulong bilang ‘ doktor’ at ‘nars’ ang mga komadrona sa mga liblib na pook sa ating bansa. Kasama na sila ngayon sa pagbabakuna at tumutulong sa quarantine at isolation centers ng Covid-19 patients, maliban sa pagtulong sa mga buntis, sanggol at kalusugan ng buong pamilya [The midwives are helping like a ‘doctor’ or ‘nurse’ in far-flung

areas in the country. They are now one of those administering vaccines and assisting in quarantine and isolation centers for Covid-19 patients, apart from helping pregnant women, babies and health of the families],” Lina explained.

No recognition

Despite their vital roles, however, their dedication has not been recognized. Working conditions for midwives remain tough and wages are not commensurate for the work that they do. “Malungkot ang katotohanan na kulang sila sa pansin ng gobyerno at lipunan [It’s a sad reality that they lack attention from the government and society],” he said. “Tulungan natin maitaas ang kabuhayan ng mga komadrona at mapaunlad pa ang antas ng kanilang propesyon [Let’s help elevate the livelihood of midwives and develop further their level of profession].” Other nominees of the Ang Komadrona Party-list are Cecille Banca Santos, president of Ang Komadrona and the first midwife who became an assistant secretary of the Department of Health (DOH); Elizabeth Dumaran, vice president of Midwives Foundation of the Philippines, program manager on maternal and child health and nutrition of DOH National Capital Region, and midwife representative to World Health Organization. United Nations Children’s Fund and United Nations Population Fund; Janet Cabrera, clinic administrator and private practice registered midwife who was a 2020 recipient of the local government unit recognition for 10 years of healthcare service in Cebu; and Hanz Angus, Covid nurse and midwife frontliner in Zamboanga City, and founder of the Male Midwives Confederation of the Philippines.

Sports

OBIENA PICKS ANOTHER GOLD

BusinessMirror

| Thursday, February 24, 2022 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Keg great Coo immortalized in PHL stamp

OWLING living legend Olivia “Bong” Coo will be immortalized by the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) in a commemorative stamp to be launched on Saturday during its 75th anniversary celebration at the Philippine Post Office in Intramuros, Manila. “I am honored to be selected by PHLPost to become part of the Living Legends Series commemorative stamp,” Coo said. “I thank the Lord for this blessing, I am humbled and grateful.” Coo chairs the Women in Sports Commission of the Philippine Olympic Committee and is the secretary general of Philippine Bowling Federation. Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Norman Fulgencio confirmed Coo’s selection for a commemorative stamp last February 7 through a letter, stating that she would be part of the 75th anniversary of the issuance of the first postal stamp in the country. “It’s a great pleasure to inform you that we’ll honor you with your own commemorative stamp as an outstanding Filipino,” Fulgencio said in his letter to Coo. “This is in line with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the first Stamp of the Philippine Republic.” The event and will feature the issuance of the Outstanding Filipino stamp series, which is part of the ‘SALAMAT-Pagpupugay sa mga Alamat’ series. The event starts at 4 p.m. “We seek to give honor and respect to you and nine other honorees, who helped build our good nation, as well as recognize your great contribution to our culture, TV, and film industry during this occasion,” Fulgencio said. Coo was inducted into the International Bowling Hall of Fame in 1993 at the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame in Arlington, Texas. In 2018, she was inducted into the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame and the Philippine Sportswriters Association honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. She played for the national team for 28 years and is the most decorated Filipino athlete in any sport, regardless of gender, with a total of 78 medals earned in regional and world events, including back -to-back All Events titles at the World Championships. Coo also won gold medals in Singles, Masters, and AllEvents at the Asian Games, as well as two team gold medals and an AMF Bowling World Cup. She is also the first Filipino athlete to be recognized twice by the Guinness Book of World Records. Coo has a total of 137 titles highlighted by at least one Masters title. She was named one of the “Greatest International Bowlers of All-Time” during the Bowlers Journal International’s 100-year anniversary.

NO KOREA, NO BATTLE ROYALE I

By Josef Ramos

T would have been a battle royale twice over had South Korea stayed a hundred percent healthy for the second window of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) 2023 World Cup Qualifiers that starts Thursday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. For the now retired Marc Pingris, now a big men coach of the national men’s team, the Koreans’ withdrawal after at least one of them tested positive for the coronavirus was regretting. “It was very shocking to hear it and of course sad because we really prepared for South Korea,” the 6-foot-5 Pingris told BusinessMirror during a break in training on Wednesday. “They’re the first team in our preparation, but we respect their decision.” Pingris, now 40, keeps in touch with Ricardo Ratliffe, South Korea’s naturalized player, a bond they established when the American played import for Magnolia years back. “I thought only Ricardo Ratliffe and a Korean were infected,” Pingris said. “I speak with Ricardo most of

SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas Chairman Emeritus and PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan and PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio pose with the International Basketball Federation World Cup trophy. the time since we’re friends.” “Even Robert [Bolick] was disappointed when we heard the news,” Pingris added. Gilas Pilipinas will be composed mostly of Head Coach Chot Reyes’s players at TNT Tropang Giga with a sprinkling of cadet players and Bolick, who’s on loan from NorthPort. “You cannot blame the Koreans

SBP WELCOMES NAISMITH TROPHY

HE prestigious International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Basketball World Cup trophy has arrived in the Philippines as part of a series of global appearances. Marking the milestone event were Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Chairman Emeritus and PLDT Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio, Senior Vice President and Head of Consumer Wireless Business Jane Basas, Head of Sports Jude Turcuato, and Chief Commercial Advisor Noel Lorenzana at the PLDT headquarters in Makati City. The Naismith Trophy captures the

prestige and tradition of Fiba’s flagship competition. Unveiled in 2017, the international basketball league’s ultimate prize is made almost entirely out of gold and features a roll of honor listing all the world champions. “To see the trophy up close and in person is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for basketball fans,” Panlilio said. “For us at PLDT and Smart, we’re not just here to witness basketball history unfold right before our eyes. We’re here to make sure Filipinos get to experience the games and root for the Philippine team.” Filipinos can view the trophy at the Smart Store in SM Mall of Asia. “All of us here wish Gilas all the best in their quest to have a very active

because of the many cases in their country,” Pingris said. There are more than 170,000 active cases in Korea as of Tuesday. Pingris played a significant role when Gilas Pilipinas defeated the Koreans, 86-79, in the semifinals of the 2013 Fiba Asia Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena, a win that sent the Philippines to the 2014 World Cup and successful participation in these qualifying rounds to the Fiba Basketball World Cup 2023,” Pangilinan said. When asked about the importance of having the Naismith trophy in the Philippines, Pangilinan candidly said, “It is our fondest hope that we keep it here next year, right?” Smart joins international brands Bitci, Ganten, J9, Molten, Nike, TCL, Tencent, Tissot and Wanda in supporting the Fiba Basketball World Cup 2023. The global event will be jointly hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. The Fiba Basketball World Cup 2023 will hold its final phase here in the Philippines in August next year. Basketball fans can watch the games by downloading GigaPlay on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Barredo, 2 others wield broom in MVP badminton tournament SARAH BARREDO is serving her way to the crown.

Alaska’s sweet science AFTER the Alaska Aces play out their remaining days in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), the amazing franchise that achieved a Grand Slam just 10 years into its league membership, will be no more. Its illustrious existence that spanned three decades will be just a memory for those who witnessed the team’s campaigns. For those who will come later, the Aces—who

ARAH BARREDO swept her matches to lead the winners on opening day of the MVP Second Badminton Cup on Wednesday at the Olympic Badminton Center in Ugong, Pasig City. Barredo closed out her day with a comfortable win over Anthea Marie Gonzalez, 21-8, 21-13, to go undefeated in three matches. The National University senior earlier took down Christel Rei Fuentespina, 21-6, 21-9, and dominated Angel Valle, 21-13, 21-11, to lead the women’s singles race. Barredo, 22, was happy to compete again after almost a year. “I’m glad because we’re back playing in

debuted as the Alaska Milkmen in 1986, became the Hills Brothers Coffee Kings in 1987, gained altitude as the Alaska Air Force in the 1990s and morphed into the Alaska Milk Kings at one time before settling down as the Alaska Aces— will just be an exciting page in the PBA history book. But they can’t totally fathom why. Whether you rooted for the Aces or not, to know them is to love them. Alaska introduced a different brand of competitiveness to the game. They played by the rules, practiced enviable discipline and relied on science and precision to solve the challenges of the game. For a while there, pundits and spectators described Alaska as not very exciting to watch because they played with more method than madness. Compared to other PBA teams that would do virtual backflips, kamikaze runs and crowd pleasing moves and, yeah, Alaska would seem to be a coldhearted war machine just looking to fulfill its mission. But hey, it’s beautiful too when you can destroy opponents with logic even better than passion. The Triangle Offense and The Swarming Defense. You associated those terms first with Alaska. Okay, the TO was really first made famous by Phil Jackson who used it heavily

a tournament as we prepare for the Southeast Asian Games,” she said. Her fellow University Athletic Association of the Philippines standouts Jaja Andres and Mikaela De Guzman joined the league’s Season 81 Rookie of the Year atop the standings also at 3-0 won-lost. University of the Philippines’s Andres defeated Valle, 21-17, 21-10; Gonzalez, 2113, 21-13; and Fuentespina, 21-12, 21-13. Ateneo’s De Guzman opened her tournament with a win over Gonzalez, 21-17, 21-15; Fuentespina, 21-8, 21-7; and Valle, 21-8, retired. The three will again compete on Thursday for a place in Friday’s final.

ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA is back atop the podium.

in Spain. The last time the country played in the worlds was in 1973. According to news reports, South Korea has 150,000 new Covid-19 cases as of Tuesday. “We really need to play a team like Korea,” he said. “We need them to further solidify our own players.” The Philippines and South Korea were supposed to open the qualifiers at 6 p.m. on Thursday and again on Monday. Thursday’s other matches pit India against New Zealand. On Friday, world No. 33 Philippines faces No. 80 India at 6 p.m. and No. 27 New Zealand on Sunday at 7 p.m. Gilas team manager Butch Antonio said the pool is composed of Dwight Ramos, naturalized big man Ange Kouame, Thirdy Ravena, Juan Gomez de Liaño, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel, Will Navarro, Lebron Lopez, Bolick, Kelly Williams, JP Erram, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Kib Montalbo and Gab Banal. The Philippines is automatically seeded to the 2023 World Cup as main host besides Japan and Indonesia.

RNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA picked up another men’s pole vault gold medal on Wednesday this time at the Orlen Copernicus Cup at the Torun Arena in Poland. Obiena, 26, cleared 5.81 meters to match his season best he won first in ruling the Orlen Cup in Lodz also in Poland only 10 days ago. Belgium’s Ben Broeders wound up second with 5.71 meters via countback over Brazil’s Thiago Braz da Silva. Obiena jumped 5.41 meters in his first run before struggling in his second jump at 5.6 meters. The world No. 5 then made 5.71 before clearing 5.81 in his last jump to get the gold. Obiena’s gold medal leap offset his 10th-place finish in the Meeting Hauts-De-France in Lievin, France, last week. Obiena continued to train and compete in the indoor season in Europe despite having been stricken off the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association national pool. The Asian men’s record holder still has unresolved issues with the national sports association concerning liquidation issues on his Ukranian Coach Vitaly Petrov’s salaries. He has so far competed in five tournaments this year after undergoing surgery in January to fix a left knee injury. Obiena is training for the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, set from March 18 to 20. Josef Ramos

YUKA AND THE GIRLS World

No. 7 Yuka Saso (center) holds her huge US Women’s Open trophy as she poses with fellow Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) campaigner Dottie Ardina (second from left), former US Girls’ Junior champion Princess Superal (second from right) and young International Container Terminal Services Inc. players Arnie Taguines (left) and Mafy Singson during a visit to The Country Club on Tuesday. The many-time spearhead of the national team is on a 13-day break, renewing ties with relatives, former teammates and friends while acclimatizing as part of her buildup for the resumption of her LPGA campaign in Singapore and Thailand starting next week.

Ayala establishes center for sports

YALA Corp. announced on Wednesday the creation of the Ayala Center for Excellence in Sports which aims to deploy the resources of the Ayala Group of Companies in support of the next generation of Filipino athletes. “The Ayala Group has long seen the impact that sports can have on many facets of its businesses,” said Jan Bengzon, the center’s program director. “In fact a number of our senior executives have represented the country on national teams in different sports.” Ayala Land’s Chris Macasaet in men’s volleyball and AC Energy’s Jaime Urquijo in rugby are two of the company’s very own athletes. “We believe strongly that Filipinos

on his Chicago Bulls of the 1990s and his Los Angeles Lakers of the 2000s. It was in fact invented by Hall-of-Fame coach Sam Berry, however, and simply developed further by Jackson and Tex Winter, another Hall of Famer. But locally, nobody did it better than Tim Cone when he was riding high on the Alaska bench. He was Mr. Triangle Offense. Swarming defense? Alaska was the master of that, too. They suffocated the opponent’s offense and rendered them useless without committing fouls. They called it The Alaska Swarm. And you can’t do harm with that unless you live and die by discipline everyday. Putting in the hard work does have its amazing rewards. So to call Alaska unexciting because of its deliberate and relentless method is to not appreciate the game—at least Alaska’s manner of doing things. Their way, their brand is probably the most exciting thing there is if you analyze games with the eye of a Marie Curie about to discover radium, Or if you are able to see the intricate beauty in mathematics. Alaska did bring a distinct character and personality to PBA basketball. This team was the antithesis of go-forbroke, give-it-all-you’ve-got teams. Thankfully, for fans who prefer not to be too analytical

deserve better access to world-class sports facilities across the country and will continue to work to find ways to support the next generation of Filipino athlete to achieve their full potential,” Bengzon added. The center’s initial programs will include the redevelopment of the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite, into a world-class training center for national athletes in partnership with Ayala Land. The center will also launch the Atletang Ayala program, which will provide support and opportunities for individual national athletes who are aspiring to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. These programs are expected to be launched in the first quarter of this year.

of the game, Alaska dazzled too. The team was able to capture fan attention—both love and hate—with engaging tandems like The Bruise Brothers. In 198788, two burly and rock-solid gladiators—Ricky Relosa and Elpidio “Yoyong” Villamin—closed the gates of the kingdom on all who would dare enter their sacred shaded lane. Their grunts and body banging were king. This was pre-Tim Cone era and the deliberateness and precision were not yet there. The crowd absolutely loved or detested this duo, depending on what side they cheered on. When Alaska flew as The Alaska Air Force in the early 1990s, they were a crowd favorite too. Their young star, Jojo Lastimosa, was in the house and was a genuine crowd attraction. Not just his game, but also his then most prominent features—Jolas’s legs, strong and solid like trees—were much appreciated by fans. Paul “Mr. Excitement” Alvarez dunked, swung from the goal and did fancy stuff that often brought the house down. Alaska would then win their first PBA title in 1991. And then go on to dominate the league like no other with 14 championships in all and a Grand Slam in 1996. Alaska’s days are now truly numbered in the PBA. But their sweet science is forever.