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Saturday, January 8, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 92

P25.00 nationwide | 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

OLIVIER LE QUEINEC | DREAMSTIME.COM

VERSUS CYBER OFFENSE

By Roderick L. Abad | Contributor

YBERCRIMINALS are again on the loose. These felons lurking on the web recently mounted another series of attacks—this time victimizing several customers of a leading bank, who posted on social media that their accounts were hacked. Such alarming event clearly shows that even well-established organizations like Domestic Systemically Important Banks are not exempt from hacking and data breaches that can cost them huge financial loss and tarnish their good image. If these illegal activities remain unabated, online theft will just continue again and again. Per the Philippine business associations’ estimate last March, their adverse effects on the economy could reach up to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Concerned about this perennial problem, cybersecurity experts called for a collective effort to deter the unstoppable illicit acts of these offenders. They agreed that a strong collaborative cyber defense among industry players themselves, including but not limited to government bodies, the banks, fintech firms, industry groups and consumer-driven communities, could mitigate if not totally end these cybercrimes.

Man-made crime

ONLINE attacks are being done by

DIGITAL Pilipinas Convenor Amor Maclang: “Collective security is not a field for competition, but for collaboration.”

criminals who steal vital pieces of information from a state, an industry, an organization, a firm, and even an individual in exchange for a favor, which in most cases means money. Elsewhere in the world, cyber felons operate unlawfully underground, compromising data of their target victims, with the help of their sophisticated technology and other tools. In a recent webinar dubbed “Cybercrime: a Collective Defense,”

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 51.1310

Raymund Liboro, former commissioner of the National Privacy Commission (NPC), gave an overview of the situation that banks and other financial institutions face when it comes to cyber attacks. “Highly technological heists and systematic attacks exploit vulnerabilities in human beings and the banking systems. It is not a question of whether a breach is possible—but rather when it will happen,” he said. “Cybercrimes are man-made, so they can be prevented and mitigated. The NPC has a responsive regulatory framework and provides [organizations] data privacy resilience by giving correct advice, engaging stakeholders and mitigating risk,” he added. Since these offenses are intentionally conducted by the bad guys, only the good ones can stop them. Digital Pilipinas Convenor Amor Maclang identified the “new allies” that could counter the illegal undertakings of the Black Hat Hackers: “The White Hat Hackers” or cybersecurity professionals who employ the methods of online attackers to find flaws in a company’s system and then fix them, the “advocates of Open Finance, the academe, and media.”

Open system

A TRANSPARENT system is among the many ways that can protect anyone from becoming prey to predators hiding on the web. According to Atty. Arvin Razon, director for legal compliance and regulatory affairs of Brankas, the rising threats posed by cybercriminals need an open environment where the industry players

and their allies can discuss issues and come up with strategies to solve them together. “All of us can adapt quickly and work collectively to close holes in the system that cyber criminals can exploit. We need to advocate for interoperability and collaborative partnerships in data protection,” he noted. To help jumpstart these industry dialogues, Razon suggested Open Finance being a model of data-sharing that allows users to share their financial information, not necessarily from a bank, but also from other sources, with third parties. Together with this, PDAX Chief Executive Officer and founder Nichel Gaba also recommended Open Banking, which enables both mainstream and non-bank financial institutions, as well as other third-party service providers, to get access to sensitive customer data via details of their online payment accounts. For him, fintech systems like Open Banking and Open Finance can also help see to it that “finance institutions have a standard security measure.” Nascent technology, likewise, can further develop industry transparency which can keep the cybercriminals at bay. “Businesses use technologies to talk to each other using a common language. Tech has made it easy for us to do banking. Because we are more connected than ever, we have to work together,” Razon said. At present, Gaba cited that “we have the tech to have [financial] products much more accessible. Crypto currency and blockchain

are integral in helping make these products accessible and safe.”

Act like a community

BATTLING cybercrimes is not an individual’s fight or just by a few others. Just like the hackers who tend to band together in groups, creating a strong cybersecurity system takes a community effort. “One thing is absolutely clear: we will only be stronger if we work together. Sharing our security issues will allow us to learn and adapt much faster. When one of us is victimized by cybercrimes, all of us are victimized. Collective security is not a field for competition, but for collaboration,” Maclang

pointed out. The whole industry must step up when it comes to its cybersecurity initiatives for its own protection and their customers who own tons of valuable data that are attractive to identity thieves and other digital invaders. “Cybersecurity and cyber defense is a whole-of-nation, whole-ofsociety concern. Black hackers work in groups—can we survive their attacks as individual actors? But sharing security issues will allow us to learn and adapt faster. We will never be done when it comes to security as the world will change in increasing speed. We have to admit that we can’t do it alone,” she stressed.

n JAPAN 0.4415 n UK 69.2058 n HK 6.5547 n CHINA 8.0105 n SINGAPORE 37.5825 n AUSTRALIA 36.6098 n EU 57.7525 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.6193

Source: BSP (January 7, 2022)

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Capitol riot anniversary highlights deep partisan division By Billy House & Erik Wasson

Bloomberg News

VENTS marking the first anniversary of the storming of the Capitol demonstrated the deep scars left by the day that have deeply divided Congress— and the country.

They also illustrated the continuing grip of former President Donald Trump on the Republican Party. As lawmakers gathered in the House chamber for recollection of the insurrection one year ago today, the only Republicans spotted were Representative Liz Cheney, who has become isolated in her party because of her persistent criticism of Trump, and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney. Liz Cheney, who was ousted from her role earlier this year as the No. 3 House Republican, said the absence of other GOP lawmakers was “a reflection of where our party is. It’s very concerning.” “A party that is in thrall to a cult of personality is a party that is dangerous for the country,” she said in a reference to Trump’s influence, “and I clearly think we have got to get to a

WITH the Washington Monument in the background, people attend a rally in support of President Donald Trump near the White House on January 6, 2021, in Washington. AP/JACQUELYN MARTIN

place where we are focused on substance and issues of policy.” Cheney and her father, who served in three Republican presidential administrations, were greeted warmly by some Democrats in the chamber despite sharp disagreements over policy in the past. The former vice president, who once represented Wyoming in the House as his daughter does now, criticized current Republican leaders for not being present. “It’s not a leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years,” he said. Aside from the commemorations, the typically bustling Capitol was mostly quiet on Thursday, a stark contrast from January 6 last year when a violent mob of Trump supporters overwhelmed police to storm the building and disrupt certification of the Electoral College vote. Lawmakers, staff and journalists were forced to flee to secure rooms of the Capitol as the crowd invaded offices and attempted to break into the House chamber. Neither the House nor the Senate planned votes and many Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, were in Georgia for the funeral of former Senator Johnny Isakson, who died December 19. During a half day of speeches to mark the anniversary on the Senate floor, no Republican spoke. Some House Republicans held unrelated events in their districts. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris delivered speeches in the Capitol rotunda, the start of a series of events featuring historians and lawmakers giving often solemn or emotional first-hand recollections and views. A town hall to be televised Thursday night by CNN from the Capitol was to punctuate it all. “One year later, the sacred place where members legislate, children learn, visitors are welcomed, was defiled and damaged— we know that,” Pelosi said on the House floor. “As we reflect on that darkest day, we remember that the insurrectionists sought not only to attack the building, but to undermine Democracy itself.” But the conspiracy theories and false claims of election fraud that sparked the insurrection persist. Across the street from the Capitol, staunch Trump allies Representatives Matt Gaetz of Florida

‘A

party that is in thrall to a cult of personality is a party that is dangerous for the country, and I clearly think we have got to get to a place where we are focused on substance and issues of policy.” —Rep. Liz Cheney and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia staged some counterprogramming with a news conference they billed as a “Republican response to January 6.” They presented a bizarre and unfounded far-right conspiracy theory that the FBI instigated the riot. “What I want to know, was our government involved and why? Why would they do that?” Greene said. As the House events were taking place, Trump issued a statement reiterating his claim the 2020 election was rigged. “Never forget the crime of the 2020 Presidential Election. Never give up!” he said. Most Republican elected officials avoided repeating the lie of a rigged election but they went out of their way to avoid mentioning Trump’s role in January 6 in their statements about the violence. Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham accused Biden of politicizing January 6 in a tweet and subsequent statement to distract from his failed economic and foreign policies. It was a departure from Graham’s statements a year earlier where he denounced Trump’s role in the protest. Some other Republicans, such as Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise, the chamber’s No. 2 Republican, decried the violence on that day while also accusing Pelosi and other Democrats of using the anniversary for partisan purposes. “Instead, she has turned it into political theater designed to distract from the many crises and failures of the Biden Administration that are hurting American families like inflation, high gas prices, the border crisis, and Covid mismanagement,” Scalise said. McConnell in his statement was clear in denouncing the violence. But he quickly pivoted to attacking Democrats for using the event to try to push through their voting rights bill, which McConnell said is a partisan attempt to

federalize elections and build in advantages for Democrats. He said attempts to use January 6 to try to vitiate the Senate filibuster tradition are wrong. “It is especially jaw-dropping to hear some Senate Democrats invoke the mob’s attempt to disrupt our country’s norms, rules, and institutions as a justification to discard our norms, rules, and institutions themselves,” McConnell said. By contrast, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, one of seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump last January at his second impeachment trial, was one of the few Republicans to lay blame on the former president, saying in a statement that he “incited” the mob that stormed the Capitol. “A year later, the sadness and anger of knowing that it was Americans who breached the center of our democracy, to thwart certification of a lawful election, remains with me,” Murkowski said in her statement. Utah Republican Senator Mitt Romney, who also voted to convict Trump after the insurrection, warned that the lessons of that day shouldn’t be forgotten. “Democracy is fragile; it cannot survive without leaders of integrity and character who care more about the strength of our Republic than about winning the next election,” Romney, a vocal critic of Trump, said in a statement. Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, said it was “tragic” that many Republicans are trying to downplay the significance of the day. “What happened on January 6th was very clear—there was a violent attack on the Capitol that was led by insurrectionists whose explicit goal was to overturn the free and fair election of President Biden and they were exhorted to go to the Capitol by then-president Trump,” she said on Bloomberg radio. “That is a direct attack on our democracy; we’ve never seen anything like it before.”

News

BusinessMirror Barmm reaps ₧200-M fresh investments for new year Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

By Manuel T. Cayon

AVAO CIT Y—Two investment projects worth P200 million landed on the lap of the Bangsamoro region on the first week of the new year. The regional Bangsamoro Board of Investments (RBOI) convened on Wednesday, January 5, to approve the registration of Pagana Kutawato Corp. and Hanabana Construction and Equipment Corp., which would pour P200 million to their respective projects. The RBOI said the two investors would be granted fiscal incentives accordingly. The investment project of Pagana Kutawato Cor p. would cost P100,190,000 for hotel services and tourism promotions. It has a 3-storey hotel and a Halal certified restaurant and around the premises are amenities like mini grocery store and laundry shop. The RBOI said the project would generate 118 jobs. The Hanabana Construction and Equipment Corp. is a project that would provide bulk supply and treatment facility of water in Cotabato City and nearby municipalities. The RBOI said the project is worth P96,258,978 and would generate 83 jobs. “The project would alleviate the problem of low water supply in the city and uplift the living conditions of the

community,” the RBOI said. “These newly approved investments at the beginning of the year indicate the continuing improvement and recovery of the investment environment in the region and the economy is humming back to life with industry conditions becoming stable despite the Covid-19 pandemic,” said lawyer Ishak Mastura, chairman of the RBOI. “ This is a good start for the year and we hope that more investments will come to Barmm [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] this year in order to make up for the jobs lost and economic activity curtailed by the pandemic. We a lso hope that the Chief Minister and responsible officials of the Barmm can provide us with more personnel to address any surge in investments this year since we foresee that after elections there will be more interest in investing in the Barmm,” he added. A total amount of P2.8-billion investments was approved last year. “Last year, Cotabato City generated almost P400 million investments so we see Cotabato City as a potential game changer in the investment profile of the Barmm, particularly if banks and other financial institutions would focus on Islamic banking and finance [and] use the city as their gateway to the Philippines,” Mastura said.

BBM: Free Edsa Carousel rides a priority program of UniTeam

TRESSING that the program has been very beneficial to millions of essential workers and commuters, presidential aspirant and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will make the free rides at the Edsa Carousel Bus route permanent once he and his running mate, Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, are elected in the coming May 9 national elections. In a recent interview, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard bearer said that he is always on the lookout for programs and initiatives that will benefit millions of Filipinos and become major game changers as far as governance is concerned, just like what his father the late strongman and former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. did for millions of Filipino workers who now get to enjoy their 13th month pay every Christmas. The younger Marcos stressed that the government should continue the Free Ride Program at Edsa Carousel because it is “a big help for essential and frontline medical workers, especially now that there is a resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the country.” “I am appealing to the government to institutionalize the free bus rides and give our kababayans a leg up in their journey towards recovery. For some, this has become a lifeline, a means to augment their income,” said Marcos. According to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), up to 31 million commuters have benefited from the program. “The savings people will get from this would allow them to spend more on their daily needs such as food for their families. I hope that the government will be able to give this ‘gift’ to the people,” he added. “Mahal na mahal po namin ni Inday Sara ang taga-Metro Manila kaya pareho kaming nananawagan sa pamahalaan na sana’y ituloy uli ito. Ipinapangako naman namin na sakaling kami ang palarin ay hinding-hindi namin ito ihihinto dahil napakagandang legasiya nito para sa administrasyon ng Pangulong Duterte,” said Marcos. Last week, the LTFRB announced that the “Libreng Sakay Program” for essential workers and authorized persons outside residence (APOR) on the Edsa Carousel bus ended on December 22. According to the LTFRB, the program has already used up the funds

allocated from the 2021 General Appropriations Act. The Department of Transportation (DOTr) even tried to request another P10-billion fund for the continuation of the free rides and service-contracting program for 2022, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) rejected the appeal. The Edsa Carousel is a bus route with select stations and dedicated bus lanes with concrete barriers that spare them from the usual heavy traffic along Edsa. Its regular route runs along the entire length of Edsa from Monumento to PITX-Parañaque and vice versa. Its operation started on June 1, 2020 when the entire Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine. Because it is free and convenient, the program is enjoyed by commuters who are also grateful because they can arrive in their respective destinations faster. Each carousel bus commuter saves an average P100 in fare per day, which is an equivalent of P3,000 per month. “Kung mabibigyan po ako ng pagkakataon ng makapaglingkod bilang pangulo ay titiyakin ko po na lahat ng aking iisipin at gagawin ay para sa ikabubuti lamang ng sambayanan,” Bongbong pointed out. “Katulad din po ng aking ama na ang mga ginawa sa panahon ng kanyang panunungkulan ay nakikita at napapakinabangan pa ng ating bansa at mga kababayan hanggang ngayon gaya na lang nang isabatas niya ang 13th month pay law,” Bongbong added. To recall, the elder Marcos is universally recognized as the man who mandated and required all employers to pay their employees their 13th month pay by virtue of his Presidential Decree 851, which he signed on December 16, 1975. In his explanatory note, the former president said that it is necessary to protect the level of real wages from the ravages of worldwide inflation; as there has been no increase in the legal minimum wage rates since 1970. He added the Christmas season is an opportune time for society to show its concern for the plight of the working masses so they may properly celebrate Christmas and New Year. As a result, millions of both government and private sector workers from then on until now are still reaping the benefits brought by PD 851.

Saturday, January 8, 2022

PHL manufacturing output jumps 25.3% in November By Cai U. Ordinario

he countr y’s manufacturing output posted a growth of 25.3 percent, according to the results from the November 2021 Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI). The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed the Volume of Production Index (VoPI) growth in November was higher than the 25.2 percent in October 2021 and the contraction of 21.8 percent in VoPI in November 2020. The growth in the VoPI was largely due to the growth in 12 industries led by growth in manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products, and manufacture of wood, bamboo, cane, rattan articles and related products were the

major contributing factors with 84.8 percent and 83.9 percent growth rates, respectively. On the contrary, the remaining 10 industry divisions recorded decreases, which was led by the manufacture of tobacco products with a contraction of 20.4 percent annual growth rate. In terms of the Value of Production Index (VaPI) for manufacturing, PSA said, it grew 26.5 percent in November 2021. This was higher than the 25.9 percent in October 2021 and the contraction of 25.4 percent in November 2020. The growth in VaPI for November 2021 was attributed to the increases in 15 of the 22 industry divisions. These industries were led by the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products

with a 123.4 percent annual growth rate. On the other hand, the remaining seven industry divisions recorded decreases with the manufacture of tobacco products, registering the fastest annual decline of 19.8 percent. Meanwhile, PSA data showed the average capacity utilization rate for manufacturing slightly increased. Based on responding establishments, PSA said the average capacity utilization rate for the manufacturing sector in November 2021 was reported at 67.4 percent, from 67.2 percent in the previous month. There were 20 out of 22 industry divisions with more than 50 percent average capacity utilization rate, led by the manufacture of furniture with a growth of 88.3 percent.

This was followed by the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products at 81.8 percent and manufacture of tobacco products at 77 percent. The PSA said the proportion of establishments that operated at full capacity was 26 percent of the total number of responding establishments. The data also showed that 37.2 percent operated at 70 to 89 percent capacity, while 36.8 percent operated below 70 percent capacity. The MISSI is now termed the Production Index and Net Sales Index. It is a report that monitors the production, net sales, inventories, and capacity utilization of selected manufacturing establishments to provide flash indicators on the performance of the manufacturing sector.

DOH records 21,819 new Covid-19 cases: positivity rate at 40 percent By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

he Philippines reported on Friday additional 21,819 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 2,910,664. There were also 973 recoveries and 129 deaths. Covid hospitalizations also rose as 32 percent (from 31 percent on January 6) of intensive care unit beds were utilized, 35 percent (from 34 percent) of isolation were beds occupied, 31 percent (from 27 percent) of ward beds. Meanwhile the utilization of ventilators remained at 14 percent. The DOH said that 94.0 percent are asymptomatic and mild cases. Forty percent of the 70,049 number of tested persons turned positive based on the data collected on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 but was only made public on Friday. Of the 21,819 reported cases, 21,656 (99 percent) occurred within the recent 14 days (December 25, 2021 to January 7, 2022). The top regions with cases in the recent two weeks were National Capital Region (13,634 or 63 percent), Region 4A (4,129 or 19 percent), and Region 3 (2,084 or 10 percent). Of the 129 deaths, eight occurred in January 2022 (6 percent), 34 in December 2021 (26 percent), 14 in November 2021 (11 percent), 26 in October 2021 (20 percent), 32 in September 2021 (25 percent), 10 in August 2021 (8 percent), 4 in July 2021 (3 percent), and one in April 2021 (1 percent) due to late encoding of death information to COVIDKaya. This issue, the DOH said, is currently being coordinated with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Units to ensure information is up to date. Of the total number of cases, 2.7 percent (77,369) are active, 95.6 percent (2,781,424) have recovered, and 1.78 percent (51,871) died. Seventy-two duplicates were removed from the total case count. Of these, 51 are recoveries and a single death case. Moreover, 111 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation. All laboratories were operational on January 5, 2022, but 10 labs were not able to submit their data to the Covid-19 Document Repository System. Based on data in the last 14 days, the 10 labs contribute, on average, 0.8 percent of samples tested and 1.5 percent of positive individuals.

Airlines, virus test disruptions

A surge in Cov id-19 cases has prompted airlines in the Philippines to cancel flights, while the health department warned of delays in virus test results amid staff shortage in laboratories. “Some cancellations or schedule adjustments are likely,” billionaire Lucio Tan’s Philippine Airlines Inc. said in a news statement on Friday. Many employees in ticket offices, contact centers and support teams can’t report to work, it said. Rival Cebu Air Inc. said it preemptively canceled some flights through January 10, and is reviewing schedules

and monitoring manpower as some staff are on quarantine. Covid test results are taking longer to be released due to high demand and as workers in laboratories get sick, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a televised briefing Friday. This will also delay the reporting of infections, she said. St. Luke’s Medical Center, in a Facebook post,

said its turnaround time for RT-PCR test results is within two days. To avoid staff shortage, hospitals will also be allowed to shorten health workers’ quarantine to five days, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said late Thursday. Four in 10 persons checked for Covid-19 in the Philippines tested positive, according to health department

data. Reported daily infections were 21,819 on Friday, compared to 2,961 a week before. The government tightened movement restrictions in the capital and nearby provinces this week, limiting capacity in some businesses. Economic managers estimate the move may cost the economy in 3 billion pesos ($58.4 million) per week. With Bloomberg News

News BusinessMirror

Saturday, January 8, 2022

Pandemic curbs likely to cost economy ₧3B a week–DBCC

By Cai U. Ordinario

ighter mobility restrictions in the National Capital Region (NCR) and its surrounding provinces would cost the economy P3 billion a week, according to the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC). The DBCC admitted that the shift to Alert Level 3 from Alert Level 2 will delay the country’s goal to shift to Alert Level 1, but the President’s economic managers consider this a “temporary setback.” The economic managers said they are now closely monitoring the impact

of the elevated number of Covid-19 cases, especially in the NCR and its neighboring provinces. “We believe that this is a temporary setback and is a necessary adjustment in view of the new Covid variant. As we previously said, we are in a better position to manage possible spikes—

we have enough vaccines and funding for booster shots; we have increased hospital capacity; we now resort to granular lockdowns; and, from all indications, the Omicron variant results in less severe cases, especially to those who are fully vaccinated,” the DBCC said in a joint statement. The DBCC said as of Wednesday, January 5, a total of 110.9 million doses have been rolled out. Of this, 57.3 million and 51.1 million doses were administered as the first dose and complete dose, respectively, while 2.5 million doses were administered as booster doses. They added that with the recent signing of the FY 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which is the country’s main fiscal stimulus and was crafted with Covid response and recovery in mind, they expect to see government spending increase that will boost the economy. “The FY 2022 GAA will prioritize programs, activities and projects that seek to sustain the administration’s efforts to effectively respond to the challenges brought about by the pandemic. Alongside this, the extended validity of the FY 2021 GAA will serve as an added fiscal stimulus that will support NGAs [National Government Agencies] and LGUs [local government units] in continuing to accelerate the implementation of Covid-19 recovery measures,” they added. The DBCC said the economic prospects for 2022 remain promising but they urged everyone to play their part in the recovery by getting vaccinated, availing of booster shots, and strictly adhering to the minimum public health standards to help support the gradual and safe reopening of the economy.

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Alert Level 3 in Metro, provinces geared to ensure economic recovery–Neda chief

he imposition of Alert Level (AL) 3 in Metro Manila and surrounding areas will still be useful in terms of ensuring the country’s economic recovery, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda). Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said the stricter quarantine level in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, and other areas until January 15, will help contain the spread of Covid-19. He assured AL 3 will be imposed with granular lockdowns and would remain useful in managing virus transmission in the 3Cs: closed spaces, crowded places and close contact activities, while allowing the rest of the economy to operate safely. “To contain the spread of the Omicron variant, the government is taking a proactive step back by shifting to Alert Level 3. Business establishments and public transport will remain operational at lower capacities to allow the people to safely earn a living, while reducing the risks associated with the 3Cs,” Chua said. Chua assured the government would also continue accelerating the vaccination program amid the imposition of AL 3. On November 3, 2021, the vaccination program was expanded to children aged 12 to 17 years. Vaccinations will soon roll out for children aged 5 to 11 years following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval on December 23, 2021. Moreover, Chua said, the Department of Health shortened the interval for the administration of booster shots to three months.

“We continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and strictly follow health protocols. We also encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated and register for their booster shots. With the recent approval of the FDA of vaccinations for 5 to 11 year olds, and the shortened gap between the second dose and the booster, we expect a more accelerated roll out of our vaccination program to protect more people against the Omicron variant and sustain our recovery in 2022,” Chua said.

Employment data Over a million Filipinos found jobs in November 2021, according to the latest Labor Force Survey (LFS) results released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In a briefing on Friday, National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa reported that there were 45.48 million employed Filipinos in November 2021, a 1.65 million increase from the 43.83 million recorded in October 2021. Data also showed that November saw a higher 1.89 million higher employment than the 43.59 million recorded in September 2021. Mapa stressed data for November 2021 can only be compared to the national estimates for October and September 2021. “Patuloy naman ang pagtaas ng employment rate sa loob ng 14 na buwan simula Abril (2020) hanggang Nobyembre 2021, mula 82.4 percent nung Abril 2020, ito ay naitala sa 93.5 percent nitong Nobyembre 2021. Ngunit nagkaroon lang ng bahagyang pagbaba noong Pebrero 2021, Abril 2021, Agosto 2021, at Set yembre 2021,” Mapa said. However, Mapa said, there was a significant increase in the number of the visibly underemployed in November. The PSA defined the visibly underemployed as those who are working for less than 40 hours during the reference period and want additional hours of work.

Based on the PSA data, a total of 7.617 million Filipinos were underemployed. And the majority or 5.24 million of these workers were considered visibly underemployed. This represented the addition of 534,000 Filipinos in the ranks of the visibly underemployed. This increase between October and November was almost twice the increase in the September to October period at 293,000. “Yes, yung unemployment rate tumaas, significant yan. Yung underemployment rate hindi naman significant if i-test natin from the previous month but of course may point estimate meron siyang dagdag and nakita natin dahil ito sa visible underemployed, ibig sabihin medyo tumaas yung number of employees na less than 40 hours ang kanilang tinatrabaho o ginugugol sa negosyo,” Mapa explained. The country’s unemployment rate of 6.5 percent in November was the lowest since January 2021. There were a total of 3.16 million Filipinos who were unemployed in November. The unemployment rate in November was the second lowest in July 2021 at 6.9 percent, while the third lowest was in March 2021 at 7.1 percent. Unemployment rate was highest in the month of September 2021 at 8.9 percent. The labor force participation rate (LFPR) in November 2021 was estimated at 64.2 percent, translating to 48.64 million individuals aged 15 years old and above who were either employed or unemployed. Some 1.31 million Filipinos rejoined the Labor Force bringing the total number of Filipinos aged 15 years old and above employed and unemployed in the country to 48.64 million. This LFPR was higher from the January to October 2021 period except in March and June 2021, both at 65 percent, and May 2021 at 64.6 percent. Cai U. Ordinario

Davao biz exceeds record of first 2 days of renewal By Manuel T. Cayon

AVAO CITY—The city’s Business Bureau expressed optimism of a still healthy business climate here following a record-breaking turnout of businesses applying for annual renewal of their permits. Business Bureau Head Maribel Paguican said a total of 4,225 business owners in Davao City have already registered as of the second day of the One Stop Shop Business Permit renewal, which is higher than last year’s record in the same period. Each day also broke the day-by-day record of the previous year, she added, “For the first day, we had 1,845. Last year we had 1,480. For the second day we had 2,380 compared to 2, 128 last year,” she said. “These are an indication that we are surviving, in fact, I can say that we are recovering because of the increasing trend during the two days of the application for renewal,” Paguican said. The city would expect at least 46,000 clients that renewed their permits last year to apply again this year. She said they would expect new and more establishments to register this year as residents became entrepreneurs during the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are happy to note that the pandemic, somehow, did not affect our economy. In fact it provided another opportunity because many businesses have sprouted, conforming to the situation,” Paguican said. The city has designed the onestop shop payment system to cater to online, manual and hybrid system, “where one can do it partially online and also manual,” she added. “We are proud to announce that the city is complying with our RA 11032, the ease of

doing business, we have an online platform and we also implement one-time assessment and payment.” She said that with the one-time assessment and payment system, fees for the Bureau of Fire Protection and Barangay Clearance are already incorporated in one receipt, and the office will just remit the fees due to the agency and barangay concerned. Paguican added that they considered the clamor of the clients who cannot do purely online payment and extended their services in 10 satellite areas for the manual processing of renewal. “As much as possible we really encourage they do it online, but since this is implemented for the first time, there would be hesitation on the part of our clients. We dwell with that. In fact, it’s very tedious on our part because there are 10 locations, as far as Marilog and Paquibato. We co-locate there, imagine the area is far, but we are there because we want to give services as near as possible to our clients so that they will not be burdened to travel in order to make the process faster),” she added. Paguican said that the assigned areas are divided to cater to clients per district: Sangguniang PanlungsodPoblacion District, SM Ecoland-2nd Floor Annex Building-Talomo and Agdao Districts; Calinan Gym-Calinan District; Bunawan Gym-Bunawan District; Buhangin Gym-Buhangin District; Tugbok District Treasury Office-Tugbok District; Toril District Treasury Office-Toril District; Marilog District Treasury Office and Paquibato District Treasury OfficePaquibato District.; Baguio District Treasury Office- Baguio District. The sites are open Mondays to Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The World BusinessMirror

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

China sees coronavirus cases across country after Xi’an drop

T C

hina’s delta variant-fueled Covid-19 outbreak isn’t show ing signs of easing, with cases now cropping up elsewhere in the country and technolog y hub Shenzhen on high alert, despite a dropoff in the latest epicenter X i ’an. The National Health Commission on Friday reported 116 new domestically-transmitted cases for the previous day, including 57 in the city of Xi’an and 56 in central Henan province. Three asymptomatic infections were found in Shanghai. Shenzhen discouraged people from leaving the city after separately announcing two new infections, according to a local authorities’ statement. Those who need to exit will be required to provide a

negative Covid test result starting from Saturday. The latest flareups, creating the most protracted stretch of infection in China since the virus first emerged in Wuhan two years ago, have posed challenges to Chinese authorities as they prepare to host the Winter Olympics in Beijing next month. China—one of the world’s last Covid Zero holdouts—has enacted strict measures to curb Covid’s spread, including locking down some 13 million residents in Xi’an and halting flights in and out of the western city. While cases continue to crop up, the country has not yet seen local transmission of the Omicron variant even as it fuels record surges across the globe. Bloomberg News

Supermarkets have been struggling to keep food fully stocked throughout the pandemic as a result of labor shortfalls in ever y part of the food system, from farms to manufacturers to distributors. Now Omicron is bringing the problem to a new level. The variant is raging across the US and raising health concerns that many thought vaccines had put to rest. Schools and daycares are seeing closures again, keeping more Americans from work. All of that will help fuel wage increases and price surges for consumers, as well as 2020-style food outages. “ We’re already seeing bare shelves,” said Bindiya Vakil, chief executive officer of supply-chain consultant Resilinc Corp. “Labor

shortages due to omicron are going to exacerbate the issue.” G r a nd R a p i d s , M i c h i g a n based grocery distributor and store operator SpartanNash Co. is seeing a tripling of cases in recent weeks among its staff. About 1 percent of its 18,000-person work force reported having the virus in recent weeks, compared with about one-third of a percent a couple of months ago. The company has been able to fulfill orders, but with delays. The employees who are available are working more. “It’s harder because we’re asking people to work overtime,” CEO Tony Sarsam said in an interview. “We’re stretching ourselves.” On the receiving side, the company is having trouble getting

supplies from food manufacturers, especially processed items like cereal and soup, Sarsam said. “The manufacturers can’t get labor,” he said. Meat companies are in focus because major outbreaks at plants in 2020 led to shortages and spikes in prices. Currently, beef and pork producers aren’t reporting significant operations issues, but there are signs of declining productivity. For instance, the number of hogs slaughtered so far this week was down 5.5 percent from a year ago, and cattle slaughter was down 3.6 percent, according to US Department of Agriculture data Thursday. More food inspectors are calling in sick, too, said Paula Soldner, chair of the National Joint Council of Food Inspections Locals. “The Delta variant didn’t have a whole lot of impact on the work force,” she said, but “Omicron is nailing us.” This comes at a time when inspectors are already in short supply throughout the country. In central Nebraska, for example, vacancies are as high as 35 percent, she said. Inspectors are integral in meat plants, where they look at every processed animal by law. Food makers Conagra Brands

Inc. and Campbell Soup Co. are seeing upticks in Covid-driven absenteeism among workers. Both companies are framing it as another disruption among many, and have been aggressively hiring for some time now. “If people are out or people are quarantined as they’ve been since the beginning of Covid, we’ve got backup plans,” said Sean Connolly, CEO of Conagra Brands. When it comes to farms, the story is the same: Omicron is making it harder to produce food. Egg Innovations, one of the biggest US producers of free-range eggs, has been short-staffed for about a year due to the pandemic, according to Chief Executive Officer John Brunnquell. Now, Omicron is making it even more difficult to keep workers both in his business and across the industry. There’s seemingly no solution. Brunnquell said he can’t mandate vaccinations without taking a hit to his operations. “Because it’s such a tight labor market, and because we’re already short of people, I don’t feel I have the ability to mandate it without losing a couple more,” he said. Bloomberg News

Travel on, Manong Frank

E cannot grieve enough for his dying, in a time when divisiveness tears across hearts and minds of kith and kin in the written word.

His views, like a crashing wave among the jagged rocks of argument, made their way to the shore of public discourse, oblivious to the sands of gritty comments. For he was Francisco Sionil Jose, National Artist and witness for 97 years to the history, developments, and challenges that have shaped much of what is Philippine Literature today. Born on December 3, 1924, he has seen through the highs and lows of Filipino writers and their writings, across a World War and 16 Presidents of the Republic—from the time of President Emilio Aguinaldo to the years of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Starting his career in 1949, he has written more than 35 books, translated into more than 20 languages and published from continent to continent. The Rosales Saga was his best-known epic work, a series of five novels covering a hundred years of Philippine history and Filipino life.

Omicron’s spread means more food outages at US grocery stores he highly contagious Omicron virus variant is disrupting already stressed food supply chains, sickening so many workers that more shortages at grocery stores are all but certain.

Residents queue to receive Covid-19 coronavirus tests as part of a mass testing program in Zhengzhou, in China’s central Henan province on January 5. STR/CNS/AFP/Getty Images

Saturday, January 8, 2022

He has worked as a journalist, established a bookshop, a publishing house, and an art gallery. His involvement in the world of writers spans the International PEN—the World Association of Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, and Novelists. He founded its Philippine Center in 1958. Manong Frank was not afraid to bare his soul; a soul that pulsed with his politics. In 1966, he established Solidarity, a monthly magazine on current affairs, ideas, and the arts. Southeast Asia’s leading writers, poets, scholars, and political activists counted as its contributors. When Martial Law was declared in 1972, Solidarity got closed and F. Sionil Jose was not allowed to travel, until 1976, when he went to Europe. He kept on writing: My Brother, My Executioner (1973), Mass (1973), and Tree (1978)—all part of the Rosales Saga. Jose received awards of recognition throughout his lifetime. Five of his literary works won in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature beginning in 1959. In 1980, Jose received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Arts. By 2001, he was awarded the Philippine National Artist for Literature. This was followed by the Pablo Neruda Centennial Award in 2004 in Chile, and the Officer in the French Order of Arts and Letters in 2014. As reported on the Facebook page of the Philippine Center of International PEN—“Jose died Thursday evening (January 6) at the Makati Medical Center where he was supposed to undergo an angioplasty Friday January 7, according to his wife, Tessie Jovellanos Jose. Tessie said Jose apparently died in his sleep. He was declared dead at 9:30 p.m.” That he died a little more than a month after his 97th birthday—three years short of turning 100—is a heavy burden to bear for us who knew him well. More than being a National Artist and illustrious writer, F. Sionil Jose was our friend.

Travel on, Manong Frank! Travel to the constellation of writers past who are as brave and bright and as daring to be different as you.

Deepest sympathies to his family and all those left bereft by his passing. The Cabangon Family | ALC Group of Companies

BusinessMirror

Saturday, January 8, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

AGENTINFINITY INC. No. 4 United Street, Cor. First Street, Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

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

LAI, SENMING Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 15.

PITERKOVA, LUCIA Technical Consultant - Support Services

Brief Job Description: Serve as Consultant/Technical SME, engaging with Manila team to ensure requirements are understood and that software being implemented/ configured to meet the business requirements; Produce new ideas, approaches or insights; create innovative product solutions or designs; produce a range of solutions to problems; Focus on customer needs and satisfaction; set high standards for quality and quantity; monitor and maintain quality and productivity; Provide complete documentation, which may include various analysis and design specification documents. Ensure documents are technically accurate, timely, and client orientated; Research and provide competitor information, tools, best practices and market trends; identify business growth opportunities for the organization.

WU, SIRAN Medium Financial Specialist For Philippine Device Business Department Basic Qualification: Native of Central Europe, Fluent in English, Working Proficiency in A European Language

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

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

PENG, JUN Project Finance Controller For Philippines Osp Project

STRUHAR, ZOLTAN Technical Consultant - Support Services

9. Basic Qualification: Native of Central Europe, Fluent in English, Working Proficiency in A European Language

Brief Job Description: Accountable for plan and scope commitments as well as for quality timelines, budgetary constrains,

NAG, SUDEEP Technologies Line Manager 4.

Brief Job Description: End-2-End Responsibility and accountability for infra/IT projects/activities for region/cluster

Brief Job Description: Collaborates with projects stakeholders to identify products and technical requirements; Conducts analysis to determine integration needs

YE, HUIBIN Mandarin Customer Support Representative 10.

Basic Qualification: Bachelors degree and have expertise in leading and managing testing engagement Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree have expertise in experience in software development and infrastructure/It dimension

NAING NAING AUNG Myanmari Customer Support Representative 11.

Brief Job Description: Onsite program management of digital projects in Hospitality clients, Banking & Financial clients; Business development in Philippines region for Digital Experience service lines

Brief Job Description: Responsible for medium-term planning, objective setting, and development of new procedures within area of responsibility, through interpretative judgment of overall policies and goals

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

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

HATORI, HIROYUKI Senior Marketing Officer With A Rank Of Assistant Vice President

Basic Qualification: Relevant experience as Assistant Vice President

Brief Job Description: Leasing and finance specialist

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

17.

Basic Qualification: w/ knowledge in Computer

LI, QIJIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: with high Chinese Speaking Skills

18.

19.

20.

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

Basic Qualification: w/ knowledge in Computer

WU, MINDA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: with high Chinese Speaking Skills

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

Basic Qualification: w/ knowledge in Computer

YU, SUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: with high Chinese Speaking Skills

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in BURMESE and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience. Good in oral communication and written

SHIBUYA SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 903-c Vicente Madrigal Bldg., 6793 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: w/ knowledge in Computer

ZHANG, ZHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: with high Chinese Speaking Skills

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

21.

Basic Qualification: w/ knowledge in Computer

ZHENG, RUIKUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: with high Chinese Speaking Skills

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

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

LEE, JIN Customer Service Representative 12.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative to manage customer queries and complaints.

Basic Qualification: At Least 4 years solid experience in software testing domain; Debugging Knowledge to troubleshoot the issue JANG, KEUNBYEOL IT Support Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: Technical Program Management on digital projects - Mobile, Web, Content Management, QA.

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

Brief Job Description: IT support specialists provide organizations with information technology support to optimize operational efficiency.

Basic Qualification: Must be bachelor’s / college degree in any fields, at least 2 yrs. of working experience in the related positions, ability to maintain high level of confidentiality Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SUTHERLAND GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. 12th Floor Philplans Corporate Center, Kalayaan Avenue & Triangle Drive, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

KITPRAMUAN, SUPATSARA Associate - Cs Internet 22.

Brief Job Description: Process requires candidate to work on the content uploaded on social media

THAWORN, WIPAPHAT Associate - Cs Internet 23.

Brief Job Description: Process requires candidates to work on the content uploaded on social media and reviewing posts.

Basic Qualification: Ability to work both independently Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Ability to work both independently and within a team of similar or different functional departments. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

*Date Generated: Jan 7, 2022

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

Basic Qualification: Graduate / Post Graduate of any 4yr course and 12+ years relevant experience as a Sr. Manager level with a major portion in team leading responsibilities

Basic Qualification: must be bachelor’s / college degree in any fields, at least 2 yrs. of working experience in the related positions, ability to maintain high level of confidentiality Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

PARK, YONGMIN Marketing Assistant

14.

DUTTA, RANA Deputy General Manager

16.

MAGKING SERVICES CORPORATION Unit 5d Rose Industries Bldg., #11, Pioneer Street, Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

13.

RAMASAMY, MOHANKUMAR Associate Director - Projects

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

PNB-MIZUHO LEASING AND FINANCE CORPORATION 5/f Pnb Makati Bldg., 6754 Ayala Ave. Cor. Legaspi St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor, Eight West Campus Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

VIGNEESH, NAMBIYAR SELVI Associate - Projects

Brief Job Description: 1. In charge of project delivery in technical side. 2. Conduct trainings for project delivery skill in fixed networks. 3. Participate in the pilot plan for the integrated talent in the - engineering and finance domains. 4. Responsible for the implementation of financial management thru engineering and finance integration solutions in engineering projects.

Basic Qualification: 1. Must have experienced working as a manager for project delivery. 2. Knowledgeable on financial and technical control of project delivery risks. 3. Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechatronics Engineering. 4. Highly proficient in Chinese and English language.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help customers. Give customers information about product and services

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

AMDOCS PHILIPPINES INC. 23rd, 25th, And 26th Floors Eco Tower, 32nd St. Cor. 9th Ave. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

GOEL, VIJAY Software Test Manager

Brief Job Description: 1. Organize and conduct building internal control system. 2. Support Chief Finance Officer to manage internal control action in owned business scope. 3. Publicize internal control tool, methodology, assess and report internal control system, full circle management for internal control and risk in regional headquarter scope.

Basic Qualification: 1. With good communication and analytical skills. 2. With expertise in internal risk control methodology and tools. 3. Must have a Bachelor’s Degree Business Administration or other related courses. Graduated with honors an advantage. 4. Highly proficient in Chinese and English language.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Marketing assistant support marketing managers and executives on project such as developing sales strategies. Must be bachelor’s / college degree in any fields, at least 2 yrs. of working experience in the related positions, ability to maintain high level of confidentiality

NEO INCORPORATED North Tower Centrum Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on January 5, 2022, the name of GONZALES ARIAS, DENIS JAVIER under MAERSK GLOBAL SERVICE CENTRES (PHILIPPINES) LTD., should have been read as GONZALEZ ARIAS, DENIS JAVIER and not as published. In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on January 5, 2022, the name of MULDERS, MARCEL under BAYER PHILIPPINES, INC., should have been read as MÜLDERS, MARCEL 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

OurTime BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

US nursing home workers urged to get boosters as infections soar

ASHINGTON—Federal health officials on Thursday pressed nursing home workers to get their booster shots amid a spike in Covid-19 cases among staffers and a concerning lag in booster vaccination for residents and staff. The Omicron variant “is lightning fast, and we can’t afford another Covid-19 surge in nursing homes,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a livestreamed appeal to the industry. “You know that. I know that. Higher numbers of Covid cases would likely once again have a devastating impact on our loved ones...and we know we just have to work doubly hard to keep them safe.” Nursing homes are a testing ground for President Joe Biden’s assertion that the United States is much better prepared to handle a surging virus than it was last winter. Although residents are a tiny proportion of the population, they represent a disproportionate share of Americans who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this year the advent of vaccines brought the virus under control in nursing homes and allowed them to reopen to visitors. But that return to normalcy could be in jeopardy as Omicron pushes Covid-19 cases to new highs for the nation. Cases among nursing home staffers jumped to 10,353 for the week ending December 27, a rise of nearly 80 percent from the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Staff deaths increased to 58, tripling from the previous week. Among residents, who are more heavily vaccinated, cases went up slightly and the data showed no increase in deaths. With medical experts advising that a booster shot is critical to defend against Omicron, Becerra said only 57 percent of nursing home residents and 25 percent of staff and have gotten boosters. That’s clearly behind a booster rate of nearly 66 percent among people age 65 or older and about 45 percent for adults of all ages, according to statistics from the White House. “We’ve got to change that,” Becerra said. The administration is urging some 1,400 federally funded community health centers across the land to partner with local nursing homes in a renewed vaccination campaign. Nursing home workers were supposed to be fully vaccinated by Janu

ary 4 under an earlier order issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which required staff at health care facilities that receive government money to get their shots. That directive got ensnared in litigation and the Supreme Court has set a special session next week to hear arguments on it, along with the much broader Biden administration vaccine mandate for workers at larger companies of all kinds. Together the orders would affect about 100 million employees. “Once again nursing homes are really the ground zero,” said Harvard health policy professor David Grabowski, who has tracked the impact of the pandemic on residents and staff. “How well we do in combating this virus can often be discerned by just looking at the nursing homes.” Grabowski said the Biden administration is right to raise the alarm now. “We see this time and time again: When staff [infection] rates go up, resident rates go up,” he explained. Staffers unwittingly bring in the virus from surrounding communities, a common trigger for nursing home outbreaks. Vaccines enabled nursing homes to weather the delta variant surge earlier this year, and timely booster shots should go a long way toward blocking Omicron. “The more vaccines and boosters we have, the more lives we are going to save over the course of the winter,” Grabowski said. But some states are already seeing trouble. Covid-19 outbreaks in Mississippi nursing homes have almost doubled in the past week, and officials say that indicates the state is probably heading into another major surge of virus cases and hospitalizations. There were 63 outbreaks in Mississippi nursing homes Monday, about twice the number reported last week, state epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers wrote in a midweek memo to Mississippi hospitals and health care providers. Along with other data, that points to “very rapid growth of Covid-19 infection and transmission...we have now entered our 5th wave of Covid-19 in the state,” Byers wrote. One of the major nursing home industry groups is backing the administration’s push on boosters. The American Health Care Association said in a statement it’s asking members to “double down on their efforts to get as many residents and staff fully vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.” AP

Solon urges LGUs to allow walk-in vaccinations for seniors and PWDs By Filane Mikee Cervantes

ANILA—A party-list lawmaker on Tuesday urged local government units (LGUs) to allow walk-in vaccinations for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and immunocompromised individuals. Senior Citizen Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes made the call after Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire reported that 1.5 million seniors have not yet received any vaccine. “Every unvaxxed senior must be allowed to walk in at vax centers. Instead of online registration, they should register manually onsite. Same with the PWDs and A3 [adults with comorbidities],” Ordanes said. Citing the DOH vaccination tracker, Ordanes said there are only 5.63 million seniors who are fully vaccinated, 4.924 million seniors who have received their first dose, while only 499,361 have got their booster shot. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country has over 12.3 million Filipinos aged 60 years old and above as of May 2020. “Clearly, much more must be done to keep seniors from getting hospi-

AMPA, Florida—Detectives in Tampa are asking Uber to help solve a “grandparent scam” that conned $10,000 from a 75-year-old man who was told his granddaughter needed the money to get out of jail. Uber also is helping the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office find suspects in a long-running con that scammed an 82-year-old woman out of $700,000, nearly her entire life savings. In both cases, someone told the elderly victims to withdraw money and then used the ride-sharing service to pick it up. Detectives want names of Uber account holders and credit card information along with their ride histories, and Uber says it’s cooperating. In this latest case, the North Tampa man was contacted by someone claiming to be his granddaughter’s lawyer,

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

‘B

PNA PHOTO

talized because of Covid-19. I have said many times over that online registration is a barrier to seniors getting vaxxed,” he said. He, however, noted that some LGUs insist on online registration for all seeking Covid-19 vaccines. “Please, let the seniors, PWDs

and A3 get ahead because they are at higher risks of suffering and death than most others,” he said. He said seniors, PWDs, and adults with comorbidities deserve this walk-in treatment access because they are vulnerable to the Omicron and Delta variants of Covid-19.

“They should be allowed to walk in and they should have a separate line in the vax site,” he said. He also said there is no need for the return of mandatory face shields, noting that the current voluntary use of face shields should be kept in place. PNA

Uber helps detectives solve Israel will administer fourth Florida ‘grandparent scams’ Covid shot to people over 60

Invasion of the brain snatchers

ABY Theresa” was born without brains. She had a hollow head. She was able to live for 10 days. This was the gist of the news item I read. It’s a rare condition called anencephaly. She had a brain stem but no brain or skull. When asked about it, her mother was self-composed and stoically said: “I don’t feel sorry for her. She accomplished a lot in 9 days.” Many of us are born supposedly with brains and yet live as if we didn’t have any? Don’t you wish some people with brains accomplished as much as that brain-less infant? Time and again, I keep reading articles about research findings that tell us that we use only a tenth of the total capacity of our mind. Still, we prefer activities that are termed as “no-brainer,” which is a term used to describe some-

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, January 8, 2022 A7

thing that requires or involves little or no mental effort. We are predisposed to shun or avoid challenges that require the mind to work. If there’s something that moves us to use our brains, it is mainly to gain instant gratification or do a short cut to the accomplishment of something. It’s not surprising that we have all kinds of gadgets that require no heavy brain lifting: idiot cameras, automatic washing machines, automatic cars, touch screens, power tools and so on. I still encounter books and videos that go by such titles as “Computer Guide for Dummies,” “Idiot’s Guide to Video Camera Recording,” “House Repair for Dummies,” and similar other brainfriendly blurbs. There’s now a pejorative slang term TABOGO a portmanteau for three

expletives that basically describe someone who doesn’t use his “coconut.” I’m afraid that’s what many of us will end up becoming. Come to think of it. Do you really use your brain? So how come you are glued to your smart TV or cellphone when you’re at home? How come you hate reading? I know this for a fact, because based on my years as a marketing communications specialist, I have learned the sad truth that people don’t read the text of any ad or promo material, especially if it’s a long text. Even if the details are all spelled out in the ad or poster, people would still call to ask for details which they could have known had they read the material. My wife and I know at least two senior friends who don’t want to use cellphones. Why? They say they are too old to learn how to use them. They are too lazy to use them is most probably the real reason. I’m sure you have probably noticed that your social media followers don’t really read what you post there. How many times my wife would just shake her head in dismay when she receives messages

asking him to withdraw $10,000, the Tampa Bay Times reported. At first he was instructed to go to a bail bonds business, but then was told that someone would come for the money in a silver Toyota with an Uber plate on the front dashboard. Uber confirmed the trip, and now a search warrant seeks more information to follow the money. “Uber strictly prohibits the use of the Uber app to commit crimes and regularly works with law enforcement to assist with investigations,” Uber told the Tampa Bay Times. Uber’s guidelines say the service maintains user data as described in its privacy notice and terms of use, disclosing information to law enforcement “in accordance with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act.” AP wishing her a happy birthday even when it’s not her birthday simply because she sent birthday greetings to a friend? Try posting up a message with more than three sentences. How many would bother to read it beyond the first or two lines? By the way, I heard that sales of books have been on a steady decline for years now. That’s because reading along with having to learn a new skill exerts too much effort on the brain. Too taxing for the mental muscles. No wonder, our supposedly educated children are not articulate. They can’t even compose or construct a straight sentence. They have not acquired reading skills in spite of having passed the primary and secondary grades. Reading is what promotes brain development and literacy. But here’s something to wake up your brain. If at your age you have been neglecting your brain, time is not on your side because human mental decline typically begins before 40. Due to brain neglect, many people around the world suffer from brain sickness in one form or another. In fact brain health is becoming an issue in today’s world. Scientists estimate that in 15 years, we are going to have millions of

SRAEL will administer a fourth dose of coronavirus vaccine to people over the age of 60 and medical personnel, becoming the first nation in the world to do so on such a widespread basis as the Omicron variant barrels across the world. “The citizens of Israel were the first to get the third vaccine and we are continuing to lead with the fourth vaccine,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement late Tuesday. He’s ordered authorities to prepare for a nationwide inoculation drive. Israel’s handling of the coronavirus has been studied by other countries, because of aggressive steps it took to contain the virus at the outset, its botched reopening after the first lockdown, and its early administration of vaccines and boosters. It launched the world’s leading vaccine people entering retirement with deteriorating brain function, unless we commit resources and effort into the research and maintenance of brain health. We need to address the issue of brain health now or we will see a new generation that will be mentally weak. What happens if you neglect your brain or if you abuse it? The answer is: unused parts of your brain stop working. Remember that old movie “Invasion of the body Snatchers” in which aliens took over the bodies of people? Well what we have is an invasion of “brain snatchers” in the form of modern gadgets and conveniences that take over the mind and puts the brain to sleep. We might as well be the walking brain-dead. Look at what social media have done to manipulate our thinking regarding some candidates running in the next elections. Our brains have been continuously fed with falsehoods, half truths, and fake narratives that have warped and distorted our thinking. Our minds have been so lulled to zombie-like condition that we never bother to think logically or bother to do a little factual digging. Even when we are faced with the objective facts, we prefer to believe our own facts.

drive a little less than a year ago when inoculations first became available, and in August, became the first country to offer boosters to much of its population after the Delta variant sent infections soaring. As Israel’s caseload shrank dramatically within weeks and researchers rolled out data on vaccine efficacy, other countries followed suit with aggressive booster campaigns. While Omicron has been a dominant strain in countries including the US, South Africa and England, Israel has been less hard hit, in part because it clamped down fast with travel restrictions. The nation of 9.3 million people had 341 confirmed cases, including 95 unvaccinated people, and 807 suspected cases, according to a Health Ministry statement Tuesday afternoon. Bloomberg News

What is most worrisome is that from the looks of it, people will not be making intelligent choices in the coming elections. As before, it seems that many will not be using their “coconuts” at the voting booths, lured by easy-to-remember names and even lately by the lure of gold! The “Brain Snatchers” are apparently doing a good job at it. The ranks of the living brain dead are growing. Do something about your brain now or you will soon join them. Take steps to keep your brain in shape, no matter what age you are. Challenging the brain with new activities wakes up new areas. Try things you don’t already do: study a new language, learn accounting, have a spelling contest at home. Challenging your brain creates new pathways that appear to become alternate routes when neurons die off in middle and old age. Just as exercise is good for the body, mental activity is a kind of “flexing” that is good for the brain. Avoid using your calculator. Swap TV for mind games (number or word puzzles) or a book. Play games that involve memory (trivia quiz) or thinking ahead (chess). When you read a paper, consider your own version of the editorial. Stay mentally sharp through age. Remember, the sharp one gets ahead.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Saturday, January 8, 2022 A9

The sun still shines at San Vicente

Sunlight Air offers travel bubbles for the safety of their passengers.

Early flight to San Vicente, the longest white sand beach in the Philippines.

Café Lily at Club Agutaya, the boutique resort in San Vicente, Palawan.

Story & photos by Ardee P. de los Angeles

eople have been drawn to beaches like a moth to a candle flame for a long while. The attraction is much more after the lockdowns brought about by the pandemic. Fallen trees and power cables put the island life to a halt.

We were in a rut and we needed a change of pace and scenery. There was also the concern on how to travel safely and with ease. We were looking for safety, and fun under the sun. The answer after a quick research online is, Sunlight Air. Their service is a one-stop shop for travelers. From personal experience, their services go beyond your typical airline travel. It’s like having your own concierge before and while you’re on vacation.

The travel bubble

The team at Sunlight Air offers travel bubbles for the safety of their passengers. They can also arrange accommodations with their partner resorts. With that in mind, it’s not hard to make the decision to go for a short vacation to Club Agutaya,

a boutique resort in San Vicente, Palawan. We started early in the day for a morning flight. While waiting to board the aircraft, we had light snacks and beverages at Sunlight Air’s Manila lounge. Everything is peaceful and comfortable and not much thought was put into the coming storm, inconspicuously named “Odette.” The flight to the San Vicente airport was on schedule. The sun was out and the longest white sand beach in the Philippines was waiting. We won’t have time to explore all 14.5 kilometers of it, but experiencing even just a small part would be wonderful. We arrived at Club Agutaya in time for lunch. We were welcomed by the staff and the resort’s director of operations, Icy Mariñas and CEO Chef Maria Evangelista.

Locals and guests wake up to the storm’s aftermath.

This day is pleasant and the closest thing to a pre-pandemic vacation. The following days, however, would be entirely different.

Typhoon Odette

We were cautious and prepared yet we still underestimated this super typhoon and almost paid dearly for it. This was the first time San Vicente experienced a storm of this magnitude. The next day was bleak and windy. The rains came when we were on our way to have breakfast at the resort’s Café Lily. Today will be spent preparing for Odette’s landfall in the afternoon. The winds picked-up and it was also raining. There was no electricity, no Internet and we could not make nor receive calls at this time. We were just advised by the resort to stay in our rooms

to avoid being hit by flying debris. Food and water were just brought to us by the resort’s reliable and hard-working staff. They still provided impeccable service even while thinking about their friends and family outside of the resort. Odette made landfall in the late afternoon and we felt it. The sound of the winds made was unnerving. How will the people survive this? Especially the folks near the beach with houses made of light materials? We knew our villa was solidly built and I was not too concerned about our safety when we were inside. We were just waiting for the storm to pass with only our flashlights from our cell phones to illuminate our surroundings. We’re thankful that we had food and water even if there is no power and no way of communicating to people outside and in Manila.

The morning after typhoon Odette’s landfall.

Total darkness seemed to swaddle us as we closed our eyes and tried to sleep.

The morning after

Fallen trees, detached roofs and many other debris were all around. We managed to survey the damage after breakfast. We rode around to the different barangays on motorbikes. Vehicles with four wheels wouldn’t be able to pass through because of the fallen trees and posts on the road. We sometimes had to pull cables over our heads just to get through. About 30 percent of the houses in San Vicente were completely destroyed. The ones left standing are in bad shape as well. No electricity, no cell phone signals and no Internet. The people needed help but with no way to communicate to the outside world, we felt helpless.

There were certain areas where we got a weak signal and it enabled us to seek help and notify friends and family of the situation. We also received word that a rescue flight to Manila is coming for us. This is good news since the San Vicente airport is damaged with limited communication capabilities. We were leaving, but I have to think about the fate of the people left behind. Our rescue does not change anything. All that we can do is to get more help and assistance once we are in Manila. Our friends that were left behind are fighters and survivors. They are hopeful they will rebuild and recover with help from the national government and kindhearted individuals. It will only be a matter of time and the people will rise. Yes, the sun still shines bright in San Vicente.

Bus company adapts by going the digital route By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

igital is the way to go as far as promoting and marketing the offerings of Victory Liner is concerned. In an e-mail interview with the BusinessMirror, Victory Liner marketing PR Superintendent Mark Conrad Salvador said the iconic bus company opted to pursue the digital road map in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. “Yes, definitely. The pandemic has forced everyone to go digital, that’s why it is now the new normal in marketing. We are currently focusing on enhancing our digital marketing because that is the direction we see in promoting our services,” Salvador said. Salvador added social media played a great role in the success of Victory Liner for its Drop&Go Cargo Padala, opening of new routes, trav-

el advisory, promos and much more. The result was it gave Victory Liner the capability to reach and engage more with their customers and passengers, as social media has become a primary tool in informing the public. Moreover, Victory Liner is currently upgrading its online booking platform for bus tickets and cargo. Aside from being contactless and safe, Salvador said the company chose this initiative to provide a seamless and convenient experience to their customers and passengers. “We are also offering cashless payments through GCash and our Victory Liner Premiere Prepaid Card,” Salvador said. “ Tour ism activ ities in t he routes that we serve pre-Covid are still very limited because of ensuing travel restrictions. That’s why we are adamant in promot-

ing it outright in our social-media pages,” Salvador added. Further, Salvador said Victory Liner is still active in its Know Your North campaign, a video documentary series that is uploaded in Facebook and YouTube that showcases the untold stories and features of Northern Luzon. He said the campaign intends to give the viewers and passengers to appreciate and experience the beauty of the North despite the ongoing travel restrictions because of the pandemic. Salvador said Victory Liner is optimistic and already anticipating the slowly easing of the travel restrictions in the provinces. He said one initiative of the company is to boost their existing online booking platform and cashless transactions (through GCash) to provide seamless and safe travel. In response to the lower demand, Victory Liner shifted its busi-

With the regular sanitation of buses, strict adherence to health protocols, and Victory Liner’s vaccination drive for employees, passengers can rest assured that they can travel safely and securely to their destination each time.

ness model into providing terminalto-terminal cargo service through its Drop&Go Cargo Padala. “We saw that there is a large demand in transporting goods and products from Metro Manila to the provinces and vice versa, because of the community quarantine that limits their transportation,” Salvador said. Moreover, Drop&Go enabled their customers to send and receive their cargo within two days in all of their branches in Metro Manila, Central and Northern Luzon. Currently Victory Liner is operating 34 branches and still expanding. Salvador admitted that the Drop&Go Cargo Padala service sustained the operational expenses of the company during the pandemic. “We will definitely provide promos once tourism is allowed in the north,” he said.

Education BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, January 8, 2022

Editor: Mike Policarpio

Tesda to conduct construction-based training programs for ‘Odette’ survivors

By Roderick L. Abad

OLLOWING relief operations in Typhoon Odette-hit areas, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) is conducting construction-related skills training for affected residents.

Tesda Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña reiterated in a memoran-

dum his previous order to all its offices nationwide to quickly

LAPEñA

prepare training programs in places affected by disasters

and natural calamities, especially those which absorbed

the wrath of Ty phoon Odette (international name R ai). According to Lapeña, field offices will provide community-based training and training-cum-production on construction-related qualifications to capacitate the affected residents in rebuilding their houses. “I have directed our regional and prov incial offices to ex ped ite t he prov i sion of t ra i n i ng on construction-related courses such as car pentr y and electrical inst a l l at ion so [t h at d ispl aced resident s c a n i m med i ate ly re build their homes. They will also receive P160 allowance per day],” the Tesda chief said.

“Since it will also take some time before [electricity is restored in these areas, there will also be training on solar-panel and] photovoltaic systems installation, so that solar power can be generated,” he added. “Despite the pandemic, Tesda is here to provide relevant training programs as part of the collective action to support the rehabilitation of t hese d isaster-str ic ken areas, and ensure the well-being of all affected Filipinos,” Lapeña declared. T he skills-training prov ision forms part of the “ TESDAmayan” activities by the agency’s regional and provincial offices in communities affected by the howler.

Degree in cyber security now offered in Benilde Mapúa is among Asia’s best

ACHELOR of Science in Cyber Security, which is the newest program of the School of Management and Information Technology (IT) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), is now accepting first-year college applicants for the first term of Academic Year 2022 to 2023. This is the institution’s timely response to the growing demand in the cyber security departments of industries such as banking and finance, education and health care, online retail and manufacturing, as well as government offices. The degree, which delves on courses in cryptography and analytics, digital forensics and penetration testing, focuses on the discipline’s fundamental areas of network security and vulnerability assessment, information-security policy and

2022 Japan Govt Scholarship now receiving applications

HE Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) of the Embassy of Japan is now accepting applications for the Teacher Training and Japanese Studies categories of the 2022 Japanese Government (Monbukagakusho) Scholarship Program. Filipino citizens who meet the qualifications below are eligible to apply, according to category, requirements, age, years of study, and fields of study. Teacher Training: Teacher in elementary or secondary level, or an academic staff at a teacher-training institution; 5 years of teaching experience; good academic standing; below 35 years old; 1.5 years of study; education management, methods of education, special subjects and observation study, among others. Japanese Studies: Must be a Japanese Studies major, good knowledge of the Japanese language; good academic standing; 18 to 29 years of age, 1 year of study; Japanese language, life and culture, and other related subjects. Application forms and information on prerequisites are available at the JICC Library, or may be viewed and downloaded from the embassy’s web site: https://www.ph.embjapan.go.jp/itpr_en/00_000193. html. Deadline for submission of applications is on January 21. Only hard copies printed on A4-size paper and mailed through courier to the embassy will be accepted. The application process consists of a document screening, set of written exams, and an interview.

A WIDE career horizon awaits cyber security degree holders.

governance, ethical hacking, incident response and security/ threat assessment. Students will learn ways on implementing a security plan b y i n st it ut i ng process a nd technology controls to protect infor mation assets, execute recover y strategies by using methods and tools to resume m i s s i o n - c r it i c a l f u n c t i o n s while manifesting ethical and

social responsibility by having relevant standards in the practice of the profession. Graduates will become qualified and leading professionals, with career options in security policy, vulnerability testing, risk management, cloud security and malware analysis; as IT and security auditors, data privacy and cyber security officers, cyber security trainers,

infor mat ion-assura nce spe cialists, security developers and programmers, penetration testers and network-security engineers. For this, DLS-CSB has waived the Benilde Entrance Exam and will base application results on meticulous assessments of submitted transcripts of records. The program will run for 10 trimesters and will foster a balance of combined class lectures, laboratory sessions and application site visitations. For more information about the program, other courses and application procedures, visit benilde.edu.ph. Reach the Benilde Center for Admissions Office v i a admis sions @benilde.edu . ph or through Viber: +63945 278 8877, +63949 668 3082 or +63945 278 5612 from Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

LPU multimedia artists land on Rotary PSA Festival semis

IX multimedia arts majors from the Lyceum of the Philippines Universit yManila competed for top prizes after they made it to the semifinals of the 5th Rotary PSA (Public Service Announcement) Festival. Eunice Angelica G. San Juan’s “Boto Para sa Pagbabago” (Vote for Change), Mark Wilson S. Catindig’s “Kain-Basura” (Food for Trash), Dan Enrico P. Picardal’s “Billiards,” Rikki Lou Bonifacio’s “Laro Tayo, Resiklo” (Let’s Play, Recycle), as well as Venus Mariel Orbon and Lovely Rose Veroya’s “Hide and Seek” were selected among 355 submissions from 27 different high schools and colleges nationwide. Semifinalists were chosen for each of the seven Rotary International Areas of Focus: Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Supporting the Environment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Economic and Community Development, Disease Prevention and Treatment, as well as Basic Education and Literacy. All 35 contenders will automatically receive P2,000 each from the Rotary Club of Circuit Makati (RCCM). San Juan’s PSA focuses on victims of extrajudicial killings, “as violence and killings are still alarmingly increasing,” she said. “We might not see [them often in the news, but they are] still present. I want people to never forget about…innocent victims who died during this admin-

istration, and still haven’t got justice yet.” “As Election 2022 is slowly approaching, we are hoping for a change to avoid injustices and abuse of authority. We are [hoping for a competent administration],” San Juan pointed out. “Voting wisely starts with the Filipino. We should always be reminded that no one is above the law—even the President. So we have to speak and fight for the victims whose voices are silenced.” Meanwhile, Orbon and Veroya—both advocates of women empower ment—shared that t hei r PS A w a s i n s pi red by “friends and family who have suf fered g reat ly because of failed marriages and domestic violence, [as well as friends who have had] traumatic experiences from being physically abused.” “We wanted this entry to be an eye-opener to the public; that not everyone has the same childhood experiences, not every child has the same safe environment, and not all [women’s] dreams come true when they get married,” Veroya said. Meanwhile, Catindig believes that developing opportunities for the community is a small step in building a better nation: “Listening and creating solutions for the neighborhood is one of the many ways to develop a self-sufficient community. In creating this call for action, I didn’t need to seek inspiration; I just laid the platform for the voice of the community.”

On the other hand, Bonifacio noticed his nephews playing with pinwheels made from plastic bottles while he was conceptualizing for a project. He was able to come up with an idea of recycling plastics to reduce pollution for the Supporting Environment category. He wants to persuade people not just to throw their trash everywhere, but to use them creatively in coming up with useful projects. Picardal, for his part, commented on his concept: “Since the start of the pandemic, we all miss going out, doing things we normally do. I waited for the time [when we will get the vaccines for this pandemic. As we experience more variants, people still seem to resist… being vaccinated, now that we have them].” Top 5 winners were awarded P35,000 (first prize), P25,000 (second place), P15,000 (third), P10,000 (fourth) and P5,000 (fifth), plus a digital certificate of recognition from the organizers. A special award for Best Direction was also given P5,000 and a plaque to the director of a video entry. Aw a r d c e r e mo n i e s w e r e streamed via Facebook Live on December 11 (https://www.facebook.com/RotaryPSAFestival). The RCCM has been holding the video-making contest for amateur and student filmmakers since 2017. In 2020 LPUManila had four semifinalists in the tilt.

in 2022 QS Asia Univ. Rankings

A P ÚA U n i v e r s i t y h a s demonstrated the strength and effectiveness of its educational programs and system despite the pandemic by retaining its 501-550 spot in the 2022 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) A sia Universit y R ankings. This is the second consecutive year that the Philippines’s premier eng i neer i ng a nd tec h nolog ic a l school has claimed the rank. “[Our] latest QS Asia University Ranking is a landmark achievement… as it validates the quality of our educational programs, learning-delivery system, as well as faculty and staff,” said Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea, president of Mapúa. “It is also an assurance that our students still [get the best education amid] current limitations.” The QS ranking is based on the school’s academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, international research network, citations per paper, papers per faculty, staff with doctorate degrees, international faculty and students,

as well as inbound and outbound exchange students. The university’s first entry in the QS Asia ranking was in 2019 and has been a consistent name on the list of esteemed academic institutions since then. Aside from its top rank, Mapúa is also a 4 Stars-rated university under the QS Intelligence Unit’s QS Stars Rating System. Coming from 3 Stars in 2017, the Yuchengco-led university managed to attain an overall rating of 4 Stars in 2020, and garnered high scores under various performance categories. Quacquarelli Symonds (qs.com) is the world’s leading provider of services, analytics, and insight to the global higher education sector, with a mission to enable motivated people anywhere in the world to fulfill their potential via educational achievement, global mobility, and career development. Fourteen other Philippine colleges and universities joined Mapúa in the 2022 QS Asia rankings.

PLDT, Smart, sustain aid for deserving students

HE PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF) recently provided education grants to more than 200 dependents of PLDT and Smart employees through the Manuel V. Pangilinan Academic Excellence Awards (MVPAEA). In its 17th year the MVPAEA continues to cite academically gifted learners. One-time grants of P50,000 for college students, P30,000 for high school, P20,000 for elementary, and P50,000 for special education, will be given to the awardees. PSF Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan lauded the graduates in a virtual rite: “I salute you, dear awardees, for your diligence and determination to focus and excel amid the pandemic’s challenges....Your unwavering love for learning has paid off. You have survived and thrived—passing your subjects with flying colors.” Josh Edward Pagtalunan, an electrical engineering student at Bulacan State University and son of Eduardo Pagtalunan who is a PLDT revenue protection specialist, is one of the MVPAEA grantees this year. The former expressed his gratitude to “MVP” and the PSF, as he pointed out that the

awardees “are fortunate to be selected out of the many who applied for the MVPAEA.” He advised other students to just strive hard, and continue to exert efforts to learn. Congratulating the grantees, PLDT and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio said, “Despite the unprecedented shift to online learning, we are proud of our awardees who continue to soar high and embody excellence amid adversities....I encourage all of you to become leaders in digital education and ambassadors for PLDT and Smart’s superior connectivity all over the Philippines.” A total of 3,462 MVPAEA grants have been awarded to employees’ dependents since the program started in 2004. According to Ma. Esther O. Santos, who is PSF’s president: “This help from PLDT and Smart serves not just as a reward, but an incentive for our students to do even better.” Smart Chief People Officer Gina Ordoñez underscored the importance of education: “It gives the youth a chance to be successful, not only to benefit families but more [important], to help better the nation.” Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

A10 Saturday, January 8, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

Choosing practicality over joy when buying a new gadget PHOTOS BY JULIANA MAXINE VASQUEZ

OR financial reasons, I don’t change my phone every year but my iPhone XR was nearly three years old and it was overworked and starting to become slow. The battery health was still OK at 83 percent. However, my whole life is in my phone. I write on Notes, chat on WhatsApp and Viber, check my e-mail often, and am social media a lot. Even prescriptions for my dogs, my mom and our house helpers are all in my phone. My prayers are there, too. Anyway, when it was time for me to get a new phone, I seriously considered an iPhone 13 or a Samsung Z Flip 3, which is being endorsed by super boy group BTS and used by a number of K-pop stars. I deliberated for weeks. The Z Flip 3 seems so cool. It’s called a flip but it’s really a phone that’s foldable. When it’s unfolded, you see the crease in the middle. My daughter uses a Z Flip 3 and I’m not going to lie, every time she uses it, I get really jealous. I used to be an Android user and I know how easy it is to open files and download pictures and videos on a Samsung. My favorite part of the Samsung Z Flip 3, aside from its foldability, is the new black bar that encompasses almost half the phone’s front. The Z Flip 3 has a new and more durable construction and is IP waterresistant. The Z Flip 3 runs the same Samsung-customized version of Android 11 called OneUI 3.1 as the rest of the company’s phones. In the Philippines, the Samsung Z Flip 3 comes in 128GB and 256GB and four colors—Phantom Black, Lavender, Cream and Green. For obvious reasons, Lavender is the blockbuster color. Watching videos on the Z Flip 3, which is 5G-ready, is an amazing experience, especially when you’re about to sleep and the phone is resting on your tummy or chest. The screen inside is superior and fits the description of a flagship phone. One of the other things I love about it is the size. Folded, the Z Flip 3 fits into a jeans pocket. Unfolded, it is 6.7 inches. Everything really looks good except for the selfie camera and my attachment to the iPhone’s Notes. One thing I can’t ever used to is the beauty filter used by Android front cameras. This isn’t to say that the cameras aren’t good because they are. (Those filters, which phone companies turn on by default, can typically be turned off on the camera app settings.—Ed.) By the way, reviewers are comparing the Z Flip 3 to another foldable from another brand. My fearless forecast is that in terms of sales, the Z Flip 3 will do better when it comes to sales because of the K-pop association. Anyway, to make a long story short, I did what was expected of me and I bought an iPhone 13. The new iPhone costs the same as the Samsung Z Flip 3. I chose practicality over my desire to have a really nice and cool phone. Maybe I will be more impractical the next time I buy a new phone.

Scaled-back CES gadget show returns to Las Vegas Strip

A crowd waits to enter the main show floor at the CES tech show Wednesday, January 5, 2022, in Las Vegas. AP

LAS VEGAS—Thousands of people have gathered in Las Vegas for a tech conference that’s been scaled back because of Covid-19 pandemic precautions. The floors of the CES gadget show opened Wednesday with conference attendees required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination. “We know that this CES is going to be different,” said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Technology Association, the event’s organizer. He spoke during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch the show. The trade group hasn’t disclosed attendance numbers but said it expects tens of thousands of people for the multi-day event, though not nearly as many as the 170,000 who showed up for the last physical CES two years ago. This year’s expo features 2,300 exhibitors from 19 countries, CTA said. A number of big tech companies pulled out ahead of the show amid concerns about the rapid

spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Some of those companies are still participating digitally. General Motors CEO Mary Barra spoke virtually from Detroit for a keynote talk Wednesday. A last-minute cancellation took celebrity Paris Hilton off the schedule for an in-person panel discussion Wednesday about the digital assets known as nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. “Some people were surprised” that Hilton wasn’t there, said Amy Stroud, an NFT enthusiast who was in the standing-room-only crowd. No explanation was given for the absence, Stroud said. Over the last two weeks, Nevada has reported an average of 2,029 new coronavirus cases per day—the highest 14-day moving average in more than a year. The number of people hospitalized with confirmed or suspected Covid-19 cases rose 76 percent over the preceding two weeks to 1,184 on Tuesday. About one in six hospital beds in the state are taken up by Covid-19 patients. Kyra Morgan, Nevada’s state biostatistician, noted last week in an update about the pandemic in Nevada that while most indoor mask requirements remain in place, businesses are subject to fewer restrictions than at this time last year. CES organizers encouraged but did not require attendees to get tested for Covid-19 before arriving. But attendees got an extra when picking up their conference badges—a complimentary test kit made by Abbott Laboratories, whose CEO Robert Ford is scheduled to give a keynote talk Thursday. The conference is also providing on-site testing for people with symptoms and reporting those results to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. AP

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AT&T, Verizon reject US request to delay 5G wireless plans WASHINGTON—Verizon and AT&T have rejected a request by the US government to delay the rollout of next-generation wireless technology. A joint letter Sunday from the telecommunications giants to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Steve Dickson, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, sought to dismiss concerns brought by US airlines that a new 5G wireless service could harm aviation. But Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon Communications, and John Stankey, CEO of AT&T, also wrote that they were willing to accept some temporary measures over the next six months to limit the service around certain airport runways. Airlines had asked the Federal Communications Commission to delay this week’s scheduled 5G rollout, saying the service, set to launch Wednesday, could interfere with electronics that pilots rely on. Airlines for America, a trade group for large US passenger and cargo carriers, said in an emergency filing that the FCC has failed to adequately consider the harm that 5G service could do to the industry. The group wants more time for the FCC and the FAA, which regulates airlines, to resolve issues around aviation safety. Those are related to a type of 5G service that relies on chunks of radio spectrum called C-Band, which wireless carriers spent billions of dollars to buy up last year. Siding in part with airlines, Buttigieg and Dickson wrote late Friday to the CEOs of AT&T and Verizon to propose a delay in activating 5G C-band service near an undetermined number of “priority airports” while the FAA studies the potential for interference with aircraft operations. AT&T and Verizon previously agreed to a onemonth delay in 5G, which provides faster speeds when mobile devices connect to their networks and allows users to connect many devices to the internet without slowing it down. But the telecommunications executives said Sunday that further delays requested by the government would harm their customers. “Agreeing to your proposal would not only be an unprecedented and unwarranted circumvention of the due process and checks and balances carefully crafted in the structure of our democracy, but an irresponsible abdication of the operating control required to deploy worldclass and globally competitive communications networks that are every bit as essential to our country’s economic vitality, public safety and national interests as the airline industry,” the executives wrote. AP

Four technologies to support hybrid work in 2022 By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes WITH the pandemic drastically changing the setup in the workplace, ManageEngine, the information technology division Zoho Corp., said in its recent year-end analysis that other branches of digital technology will play an important role in 2022 “Following the pandemic, hybrid work will be an expectation if not the norm in most organizations across the world. That means cybersecurity, AI, automation, and analytics will play increasingly significant roles in organizational efforts to support this way of working,” Rajesh Ganesan, Vice President of Products at ManageEngine, told BusinessMirror. Ganesan also revealed the company’s top 5 predictions in the IT management space for 2022. Ganesan said 2022 will see the rise of contextual analytics. He said the need for contextual analytics will rise when project managers will look for findings that can tell them on how to achieve project efficiency. “The way we train and deploy AI models is expected to change significantly in the coming year. With more sustainable techniques like meta learning, transfer learning, and causal AI expected to complement deep learning, AI and ML [machine learning] will eventually become fullfledged, embedded elements of contextual analytics workflows,” he said. As the hybrid work model will continue to thrive in 2022, Ganesh said the security landscape will continue to evolve due to the accelerated shift to the cloud and usage of unvetted personal devices, resulting in many organizations becoming highly

susceptible to cyberthreats and insider attacks. He added a cybersecurity mesh model, with its central principle of Zero Trust, will become more popular. The cybersecurity mesh model is a distributed approach in which smaller, individual security perimeters are built around people or objects acting as access points, thereby offering IT teams better security control. With employees preferring hybrid work long term, Ganesh sees further changes need to be introduced in operating models to ensure hybrid work is streamlined and sustainable. In the era of hybrid work, Ganesh said aspects like zero-touch service management that can handle machine-solvable incidents, digital experience monitoring to ensure high availability and constant improvements to end users, and increased adoption of desktop as a service and VDIs will be more important in the new operating environment. Ganesh pointed out that the growing application of artificial intelligence, backed by operational improvements means AI will continue to further cement itself as a cornerstone in the technology architecture of organizations. IT leaders will depend more on AIOps and intelligent automation to ensure productivity or network operations will be maintained. “AIOpsdriven monitoring will play a significant role in forecasting, capacity planning, combating alert fatigue, and maintaining the security posture of an organization,” he said. Ganesh said organizations will tap the services of the managed security service providers (MSSPs) and managed detection and response providers to address the dearth of security experts.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, January 8, 2022 A11

Seamless eSIM conversion at all Smart Stores offered AS part of its thrust to provide a world-class customer experience to Filipino mobile users, leading mobile services provider Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) is now offering eSIM conversion among all Smart Signature subscribers at all Smart Stores nationwide. An eSIM is an embedded chip inside a smartphone or an Apple device that enables subscribers to conveniently activate their cellular network with their carrier. Through this, subscribers may easily activate a mobile plan between multiple operator profiles without having to switch out their physical SIM. The Smart eSIM can store the subscribers’ network settings and allows them to use the Smart network and services. All new, existing and recontracting subscribers availing of a Smart Signature Device and SIM-Only Plans can easily apply for an eSIM at the nearest Smart Store. Upon successful application, subscribers shall be given a printed QR code to scan using their device while online. The eSIM works on compatible devices available with Smart Signature Device Plans, such as the iPhone 13, 12, and 11 Series, the Galaxy Z Series, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Series, and the Galaxy Note 20 Series, among others. Subscribers may also sign up for any of the Signature+ Plans, which come with unlimited features for a worry-free postpaid experience. Starting at P999 per month, Signature+ Plans comes with Unli 5G, Unli Calls & Texts to All Networks, Unli Calls to All Landline Numbers, and a 12-month Netflix Mobile Plan subscription for unlimited enjoyment of thousands of award-winning shows, series, and more.

O Jab or Not to Jab. That is the question. Regardless of your views or personal choice, 2021 will be remembered as the Year of the (Covid) Vaccine. If Merriam-Webster selected “pandemic” as the word of the year for 2020, this year, that distinction goes to the word “vaccine”, a word that holds particular significance both as a medical term and a vehicle for ideological conflict. It symbolizes a possible return to the lives we led before the pandemic but also the center of debates about personal choice, political affiliation, professional regulations, school safety, healthcare inequality, and so much more. While Filipinos searched for “Covid-19 Prevention” the most, making it the most searched topic on Google terms related to vaccines like “VaxCertPH” and “Covid-19 vaccine” ranked high coming in at No. 4 and No. 6. Filipinos’ online activity was still at an all-time high as they sought out both passions and distractions online. The other six on the top trending searches were for entertainment with NBA Games coming in at No. 2, followed by Squid Game at No. 3, Miss Universe at No. 5, the Pacquiao vs Ugas match at No. 7, Pagsamo Lyrics at No. 8, and True Beauty at No. 9, and rounding up the list is the topic of Metro Manila area floods. Over at Yahoo, athletes and celebrities continued to dominate headlines, while politics and catastrophes remained some of the most-searched topics in 2021. Boxing legend, senator and now-presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao topped headline searches for multiple reasons, beginning with his unanimous decision loss to reigning WBA welterweight champ Yordenis Ugas in August, to his decision to run for president in September. Politics are clearly on Pinoys’ minds, in light of the upcoming 2022 elections with Bongbong Marcos’ announcement of his presidential bid coming it at No. 3; President Rodrigo Duterte was No. 5, while daugh-

Most searched in the Year of the Vaccine ter Sara Duterte-Carpio was No. 7; the late president Benigno Aquino III was No. 6. Covid aside, Filipinos also concerned themselves with major events: the threat of Taal Volcano (No. 2) continued from last year; updates on Typhoon Maring (No. 9) after it ravaged parts of northern Luzon; and the tragedy of the Philippine Air Force C-130 crash in July that took the lives of 53 (No. 10). Historical events also topped searches in 2021 with Hidilyn Diaz, our first Olympic Gold medalist being the fourth biggest newsmaker, and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa at No. 8, for being the first Filipino individual Nobel laureate. Twenty-twenty one was also a big year for cryptocurrency in the Philippines, as interest surged in the country. Binance Coin (1st), Bitcoin (2nd), Tether (3rd), Ripple (4th), and Uniswap (5th) topped crypto searches, while “meme coins” Shiba Inu (6th) and Dogecoin (8th) also made the list.

FOLDABLES IN 2022

If the reveal of the Huawei P50 Pocket and the Oppo Find N is any indication, then we might be seeing a lot more foldable phones coming in 2022—hopefully at more accessible prices. But if I had P90,000 to spend on a phone, I’d have no second thoughts about getting a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. Currently the best foldable phone in the market, the Z Fold 3 delivers a more durable design, better multitasking features, S Pen support (that sadly made the Note series extinct) and water-resistance as well. I have been using it for the past month, and while it remains a niche device, I’d say it’s an excellent choice for power users who want a phone and tablet in one device and something that will always get attention. The Z Fold 3 weighs 271 grams and is about as heavy as a regular tablet of its size and is as thick as two phones when folded so I doubt it would fit comfortably in your pocket especially if you love wearing tight pants. It does feel sturdy and is built quite well so you don’t have to worry about folding and re-opening it during your daily use. The Z Fold 3 has a stronger armor aluminum body and Gorilla Glass Victus for display protection. I also liked that it has IPX8 water resistance, which means it can withstand up to 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. The Z Fold 3 flaunts two displays—a 6.2-inch OLED cover display and a 7.6-inch main screen when you unfold the device. Both screens are bright with crisp and vibrant colors. The panels also offer a 120Hz adaptive refresh rates that guarantee smooth scrolling and overall performance. The cover screen’s

aspect ratio, however, is not for watching videos, and is best used for quick tasks such as responding to messages, and checking notifications. Besides, why would you settle for a narrow screen when you paid for a device that can unfold for a bigger display. Audio quality is excellent thanks to the Dolby Atmos stereo speakers, and sounds are loud and clear when watching videos, listening to music, or playing games. As for the cameras, Samsung again included a trio of 12MP lenses: an f/1.8 wide-angle shooter, an ultrawide f/2.2 camera with a 123-degree field of view, and a 12MP telephoto camera. They are pretty good and capable, but I do prefer the shooters on the S21 series. With a screen that big, Samsung made sure you’ll be able to maximize it with a number of multitasking features like Multi-Active Window and App Pair. There’s also the new Taskbar that lets you switch between apps on the fly just like the Windows taskbar. When you use the Galaxy Z Fold 3 like a laptop, apps that support Flex mode like YouTube and the Camera app, will show the content up top and controls on the bottom portion on the display. Then there’s S Pen support that makes the experience more immersive. I just wish they’d include it instead of being another separate pricey purchase. Foldables may still be in their infancy, but the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is an amazing device and something you’d always want to use and show off—even if it’s just to let everyone know you can afford it.

TERRIBLE NAME, TERRIFIC SOUND

OVER the last couple of years, Sony’s WF-1000XM range of wireless earbuds have been recognized as one of the best in its category, but instead of playing it safe and going for the usual refinements, Sony’s engineers decided to do an overhaul for the XM4. The result? The WF-1000XM4 has an all-new design, a new audio processor, charging case and even a unique eco-friendly packaging. The good news is that the gamble paid off, and the WF-1000XM4 is by far the best sounding pair of wireless earbuds I’ve ever tested (and also the most comfortable). Let’s start with the packaging. Sony decided to go plastic-free following low toxicity design principles and a “Made to be remade” philosophy. To produce lower waste, 99% of the paper packaging, other than labels, are produced using recycled and sustainable materials developed specially for Sony. It might not give you that premium vibe that goes with the P14,000 price tag, but at least you can sleep well knowing it’s good for the environment. Flip open the magnetic case and you’ll notice the all-new earbud design of the WF-1000XM4. Sony said

it’s 10 percent smaller and lighter than the previous generation and based on a combination of customer feedback and research about the human ear, that rounder body sits more inside the ear opening. As soon as it touches your ears, you’ll feel the difference of those noise-isolation earbud tips. These tips are made from a unique polyurethane foam material that is soft and elastic, maximizing the surface contact area. This eliminates gaps to insulate sound and reduce noise, as well as improve adhesion to the ear canal for a more stable fit. Download the Sony Headphones Connect App to help you find the ideal size of Noise Isolation earbud tips to ensure maximum sound quality and minimum outside noise. Among the notable features of the WF-1000XM4 are its industry-leading noise cancellation technology with the Integrated Processor V1 and Sony’s acclaimed QN1e chip. It has support for High-Resolution Audio Wireless with LDAC, Sony’s industry-adopted audio coding technology. Speak-to-Chat lets you have short conversations without having to take out the earbuds. As soon as you speak to someone, Speak-to-Chat automatically pauses the music and lets in ambient sound so you can conduct a conversation. There’s also Quick Attention mode, so if you want to listen to an announcement or say something briefly, you simply place your finger over the left earbud to decrease the volume instantly and let ambient sound in. The WF-1000XM4 also features Adaptive Sound Control that senses where you are and what you’re doing—for example, travelling, walking or waiting—then adjusts ambient sound settings for the ideal listening experience. Pairing is quick as it supports Google’s Fast Pair feature. In one tap, the WF-1000XM4 enables quick, effortless Bluetooth pairing with your Android devices. Google’s Fast Pair feature lets you easily locate your headphones and how much battery you have left. The WF-1000XM4 can last for a full 8 hours of use and 16 hours more with the case. If you are in a hurry, a 5-minute quick charge gives you up to 60 minutes of play time. You can also wirelessly charge it with Qi technology. Lastly, it has IPX4 water-resistance rating, so you don’t have to worry about splashes and sweat. As for the sound quality the WF-1000XM4 is absolutely terrific. Sony does everything right, from the comfortable fit of the new tips to the classleading battery life, superb noise canceling, and again the sound quality is just amazing. It’s pricey, yes, but you won’t find many true wireless earbuds that could match the overall superiority of the Sony WF-1000XM4. Let’s just hope they come up with a better sounding name next time.

Globe waives data charges on UNICEF’s SaferKidsPH platform TELECOM giant Globe (www.globe.com.ph) is giving customers free access to UNICEF’s SaferKidsPH platform, in line with efforts to democratize information on proper data protection and reporting cases, when witnessed, as well as curb online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). When visiting the SaferKidsPH online platform, Globe and TM customers will not incur any data charges. The web site offers plenty of information about OSAEC—what it is, ways to fight it, and the different channels to report such cases. “As a strong advocate of child online safety, we want to keep Filipino children safe even as they are constantly exposed to the Internet. Our partnership with UNICEF for SaferKidsPH is not only a commitment, but also a call for our customers

to join us in fighting OSAEC together,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications. Globe and UNICEF, through SaferKidsPH, have been working hand-in-hand to promote online safety and security among children since 2019. SaferKidsPH is an Australian Government initiative delivered through the consortium of Save the Children Philippines, The Asia Foundation and UNICEF to reduce the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the Philippines. Likewise, Globe collaborates with local and international organizations like the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation to take down webpages, keywords, hash lists, and digital fingerprints containing child abuse materials. Another part-

ner is the Canadian Center for Child Protection (CCCP) which helps Globe identify illegal web sites and block them out of its network. The CCCP is known for its capabilities to constantly search the web for harmful platforms. Globe is also supporting UNICEF’s Child Protection and Child Rights and Business Programs in the Philippines as part of its #MakeITSafe campaign. Both camps aim to develop an awareness and education campaign on OSAEC and online child protection, which includes the expansion of the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), a series of capacitybuilding workshops organized by Globe to educate the youth and other stakeholders about digital citizenship and the responsible use of technology. Under the #MakeITSafePH agenda, Globe is

also investing in infrastructure that will support the government’s efforts to combat online child pornography. To date, the company has already spent $2.7 million to establish an effective content filtering system and has blocked 9,329 sites containing illegal content. Globe also helps in maintaining support hotlines such as Bantay Bata #163, Hopeline, as well as other initiatives on mental health through KonsultaMD and HealthNow.

Sports BusinessMirror

POC resets General Assembly by 2 weeks

HE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) rescheduled its first General Assembly (GA) from January 12 to 26 because of the sudden surge of infections from Covid-19’s Omicron variant. POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Friday that the body doesn’t want to risk its members and officials from the spike in infections which were recorded after the holidays. The hybrid GA was scheduled at the Grandmaster Hotel in Tagaytay City. The postponement, Tolentino said, deferred the GA’s ratification of the recommendations of the POC Ethics Committee topped by the declaration of Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association President Philip Ella Juico as persona non grata.

A12

| Saturday, January 8, 2022 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Banned by IOC, North Korea puts blame elsewhere

“We just cannot risk everybody’s health and although we have a stacked agenda to start the year, we have to heed protocols,” Tolentino said. Tolentino said the stacked agenda includes updates and finalization of tasks on the Winter Olympics which start on February 4 and the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games in May and Hangzhou 19th Asian Games in September. “The Paris Olympics are just already only two years away but we’re putting priority on the Games,” Tolentino said. Tolentino added that the GA will also be provided with updates on the POC’s financial aid program on athletes and coaches who were severely affected by Typhoon Odette.

WORKERS deliver a cart loaded with equipment to a commercial plaza at the Winter Olympic Village in Beijing. AP

NOVAK: CRISIS DOWN UNDER

Gintong Gawad awardees on ‘Rise Up! Shape Up!’

HE Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) web series “Rise Up! Shape Up!” returns on Saturday with highlights from the Gintong Gawad (GIGA) Awards that features the inductees and their invaluable contribution to sports. Launched late last year through the PSC Women in Sports program, the GIGA Awards recognized outstanding Filipinas who helped in the promotion and development of women and sports especially at the grassroots level. “We acknowledge the women athletes, coaches, trainers and sports officials who demonstrate excellence in their respective fields for their presence and outstanding performances contribute to an improved quality and state of our country’s sports industry,” PSC Commissioner Celia Kiram said. The PSC received more than 200 nominees from various cities and provinces which conducted a two-month local search within their communities. The GIGA Awards were held online last December 12 and on Saturday, “Rise Up! Shape Up!” will highlight the eight personalities and institutions who were accorderd the Gintong Ina ng Isport; Babaeng Atleta, Modelo ng Kabataan; Babaeng Atletang may Kapansanan, Modelo ng Kabataan; Babaeng Tagasanay ng Isport; Babaeng Lider ng Isport sa Komunidad; Kaagapay ng Isports sa Komunidad; Produktong Pang-Isport na Natatangi at Makabago; and Proyektong Isport Pang-Kababaihan. PSC Acting Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr., Deputy Executive Directors Merlita Ibay and Christine Abellana, para-athlete and disability advocate Adeline Dumapong Ancheta, sports legend Elma MurosPosadas, University of the Philippines-College of Human Kinetics Dean Prof. Francis Carlos Diaz, research editor Dr. Edessa Flordeliz and Marilou Cantancio, policy and program developer and branding and communications strategist on the panel of judges.

Santisima vs American in Top Rank undercard

ORMER world title challenger Jeo Santisima fights American Joet Gonzalez in a non-title featherweight duel in a Top Rank promotions undercard on February 5 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. Santisima finally recovered from an 11thround technical knockout defeat to World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight champion Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico last February 23, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He won his next two fights—Marjon Piencenaves on December 17, 2020, and Allen Alberca last July 16 both by knockout—on Philippine soil after that. “We are now training since we arrived here last December 30,” the 25-year-old boxer from Masbate told BusinessMirror via Internet call. Santisima already sparred with reigning International Boxing Federation super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas at the Wild Card gym. Santisima (21-3 record with 18 knockouts) said he couldn’t be complacent against the durable and clever 28-year-old Gonzalez (24-2 win-loss record with 14 knockouts). “I’ll give my very best against him,” he said. “I cannot relax against a boxer of his caliber.” Former unified champion Jose Ramirez and Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza face each other in the 12-round super featherweight main event. Josef Ramos

NOVAK DJOKOVIC waits at an Australian Border Force desk on his arrival at Melbourne Airport on Wednesday. AP

JAPETH AGUILAR feels secured with Ginebra.

YDNEY—On a tennis court, Novak Djokovic’s timing is perfect. But when he arrived in Australia to play the first Grand Slam of the year holding documents allowing him to enter the country without a Covid-19 vaccine, his timing hardly could have been worse. When Djokovic landed in Melbourne on Wednesday he found himself in a city beset by surging virus cases. Border officials rejected Djokovic’s documentation, canceled his visa and ordered him out of the country in a move that many Australians cheered. The tennis star’s outspoken opposition to the Covid-19 vaccine struck a wrong note in a city where 92 percent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated. Djokovic is appealing the order to leave and for now remains in Melbourne. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had not objected to the decision of Tennis Australia and the Victoria state government to grant Djokovic a vaccine exemption, quickly embraced the decision to deny him entry, raising questions about whether the world’s top male tennis player—and the reigning Australian Open champion— was being made a scapegoat. “No one is above these rules,” Morrison said. “Our strong border policies have been critical to Australia

having one of the lowest death rates in the world from Covid. We are continuing to be vigilant.” Former Australian Open tournament director and Davis Cup player Paul McNamee said the treatment of Djokovic was unfair. “The guy played by the rules, he got his visa, he arrives, he’s a nine-time champion and whether people like it or not he’s entitled to fair play,” McNamee told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “There’s no doubt there’s some disconnect between the state and the federal government. “I hate to think politics are involved but it feels that way.” For the first two years of the pandemic, under Morrison’s leadership, Australia pursued a Covidzero policy, seeking to eliminate the virus through strict border controls and local lockdowns. Australians weren’t able to travel overseas except in extraordinary circumstances and many living abroad couldn’t return, creating hardships for separated families. In recent months, Morrison’s government has pivoted to a living-with-Covid approach that includes open borders and a lighter touch on domestic restrictions. He implemented the changes just as the highly contagious omicron variant started to take hold. AP

AGUILAR HIGH AND DRY IN GIN KINGS UNIFORM J

By Josef Ramos

APETH AGUILAR will remain in an Ginebra San Miguel uniform for the next three years, a decision the high-leaping swingman made with nary an apprehension, his manager Marvin Espiritu told BusinessMirror on Friday. “The bottom line is he [Aguilar] decided to stay with Ginebra because he feels more secured here,” said Espiritu as he again quashed rumors the 6-foot-9 Aguilar could be headed for the Japanese professional league where eight Filipinos are currently playing. The many-time national team player signed a three-year contract extension at year’s end worth the maximum P420,000 a month. Espiritu confirmed there were offers thrown on Aguilar’s lap from J.League teams, but said his ward didn’t entertain them. “It’s very complicated and there are many factors why he decided to stay,” Espiritu said. “He’s more secured here, that’s the best thing to say.”

Aguilar is one of the PBA’s elite big men and is a six-time PBA champion. He started playing for Ginebra in 2013 after a brief stint with Burger King (2009) as its top overall pick, TNT Tropang Giga (2009 to 2013) and NorthPort (2013). His skills improved under Ginebra Coach Tim Cone and had averages of 15.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22 games in the 2020 season Philippine Cup which the Gin Kings won at the Clark bubble. Aguilar sat out Ginebra’s last four games and the playoffs in the Philippine Cup last September after suffering a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his left foot in the semi-bubble in Bacolor, Pampanga. He recovered and played four games in the shuttered Governors’ Cup where he averaged 11.25 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. “We’re so happy that he chose us. He’s been such a huge part of our success over the last few years. It would have been devastating to lose him,” said Cone of Aguilar’s decision to remain with the Gin Kings. Ginebra also signed stocky playmaker Nards Pinto for three years on Friday to fill up the void left by injured Stanley Pringle.

“We wanted to provide depth to our guard position because of Stanley’s absence,” Cone said. “We like him because he brings a lot of toughness and experience to the position. Cone said that just like all the other teams, the Gin Kings are forced to train virtually. “We’re back to doing [zoom] workouts at this point, awaiting the next step from the PBA,” he said. Pinto averaged 9.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two games at the start of the conference with Meralco, but the Bolts declined a contract extension and he became an unrestricted free agent last December 31. Pringle suffered a serious left knee injury that would put him out for three months. The defending champion Gin Kings are 3-1 won-lost before the PBA games were suspended because of the sharp surge in Covid-19 infections. San Miguel Beer, meanwhile, signed unrestricted free agent John Rodney Brondial from Alaska also on Thursday to boost its frontline. The Beermen were on a three-game winning streak for a 3-2 record when play was aborted.

EOUL, South Korea—North Korea on Friday said it would skip next month’s Beijing Olympics because of the Covid-19 pandemic and “hostile forces’ moves,” a largely redundant statement since the country has already been banned from the Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In September, the IOC suspended North Korea through 2022 for refusing to send a team to the Tokyo Summer Games, citing the pandemic. IOC President Thomas Bach said at the time that individual athletes from North Korea who qualify to compete in Beijing could still be accepted. There is no word of that happening. On Friday, North Korea’s state media said its Olympic Committee and Sport Ministry sent a letter to their Chinese counterparts to formally notify its last major ally and economic pipeline that it cannot attend the Olympics. The Games open on February 4. “We could not take part in the Olympics due to the hostile forces’ moves and the worldwide pandemic,” the letter said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The KCNA dispatch didn’t elaborate on what the hostile forces are. But Cheong Seong-Chang, analyst at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea, said they likely refer to the IOC, or the US, France and Britain, which North Korea believes is behind the IOC suspension. Despite the IOC decision, there was still hope in Seoul and elsewhere that the Games could serve as a venue for reconciliation between the rival Koreas with the support of the IOC. In the 2018 Winter Games held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, athletes from the rival countries marched together in the opening ceremony and fielded a single team in women’s icy hockey. Such hopes were setback last week when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster his armed forces and retain the strict virus restrictions, but didn’t disclose any new policies toward Washington and Seoul during a key political conference. On Wednesday, North Korea conducted what it called a hypersonic missile test in its first weapons test in two months. “There is no reason for Kim Jong Un to take part in the Beijing Olympics and South Korea’s push for a political declaration to end the Korean War on the occasion of the Olympics has fizzed,” Cheong said. North Korea has maintained one of the world’s toughest restrictions to guard against Covid-19, including two years of border shutdowns. The country has been skipping major international sports events, including Olympic preliminary events, since the pandemic began. The North Korean letter also accused the United States and its allies of trying to hamper the successful hosting of the Games. “The US and its vassal forces are getting more undisguised in their moves against China aimed at preventing the successful opening of the Olympics,” the letter said. “[North Korea] resolutely rejects those moves, branding them as an insult to the spirit of the international Olympic Charter and as a base act of attempting to disgrace the international image of China.” The letter likely refers a diplomatic boycott of the Games, led by the United States, to protest China’s human rights records. Under the boycott, athletes will compete in the Games but no official delegations will be sent to Beijing. China has called the US action an “outright political provocation.” AP