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Troubling trend in marriage data More children getting hitched were added to the statistics before law enacted, but marriages in total are at 50-year low in Philippines, per PSA

Number and Percent Change of Registered Marriages, Philippines: 1970-2020

By Cai U. Ordinario

ILIPINOS are known to celebrate many milestones in life, most especially marriages. But the passage of the law prohibiting the practice of child marriage last year apparently was no longer able to prevent the marriage— legally dubious—of 51 girls and boys under 15 years old who tied the knot in 2020, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Moreover, it seems a combination of factors is also working against marriage in a country that remains the most predominantly Catholic in the Far East. Data show the marriages contracted in 2020, the first pandemic year, were down to the same level of 50 years ago. The latest PSA marriage statistics showed that the number of registered marriages in 2020 only reached 240,775, a decline of 44.3 percent from the total registered marriages of 431,972 in 2019. “This was also the lowest number of marriages since 1970,” PSA noted in a statement. The child marriages, meanwhile, pose another concern. Based on the marriage statistics of PSA, a total of 49 girls and two boys under the age of 15 got married to partners older than them in 2020. Two of these under-15 year olds were married to men twice their age, with partners aged 30 to 34 and 35 to 39 years old. The two under-15 boys were married to women aged 15 to 19 years old and 20 to 24 years old. “Those marriages should not have been allowed from the beginning, but civil registrars have been turning a blind eye because there was no punishment,” Undersecretary for Population and

Development Juan A. Perez III told the BusinessMirror. “With the law, those are now illegal acts. Child marriages covered by the law cover both male and female children.” The data also showed nine girls aged 15 to 19 years old were married to men 60 years old and over. Of the 3,217 marriages among men aged 60 and over, 2,248 of these were to women below 60 years old. Some 2,524 boys aged 15 to 19 years old got married in 2020. These included 18 who married

under-15 girls; 1,486 in their same age group; 905 to women who were 20 to 24 years old; 86 to women 25 to 29 years old; 20 to women 30 to 34 years old; six, to women 35 to 39 years old; and two, to women 40 to 44 years old. Based on the data for 2020, the median age of marriage, or the age at which half of the population were younger/older upon marriage, was 27 years old for women and 29 years old for men. The median ages were the same as in the previous year.

“Marriages involving adolescent girls were four times than that of adolescent boys,” the PSA said. In 2020, some 4.4 percent of females or 10,485 in their teenage years were married, a decrease of 56.2 percent from 2019 when 23,928 of females or 5.5 percent got married. This was about the same decrease also observed in marriages involving teenage males in the past year. A total of 2,526 or 1 percent were married in 2020, a contrac-

Number and Percent Distribution of Registered Marriages by Age of Male and Age of Female, Philippines: 2019-2020

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 51.1150

tion of 53.9 percent from 2019, reaching 5,479 or 1.3 percent of the total. More than half or 5,746 representing 54.8 percent of teenage females married men in ages 20-24, and two out of 10 or 2,387 or 22.8 percent married men aged 25-29 years. The data also showed that registered marriages between teenage men and women account for 0.6 percent or 1,505 of the total marriages in the country. The Commission on Population (Popcom) recently welcomed the passage into law of Republic Act 11596, otherwise known as “An Act Prohibiting the Practice of Child Marriage,” which criminalizes the union of an adult with a minor.

Rise of ‘live-in’

HOWEVER, Perez cautioned that one of the dangers of making child marriage illegal is a further rise in “live-in” arrangements. He said “live-in” arrangements have been increasing over the past 20 years. “People will just live in and avoid marriage, even with this law. Which is why the proposal to increase age of consent to 16 would be a greater deterrent,” Perez said. Last year, the bicameral conference committee report approved a

measure that increases the statutory rape age to 16 from 12, which is considered the lowest in Asia and one of the lowest in the world. The bicameral conference committee report resolved differences between House Bill 7836 and Senate Bill 2332. However, the bill has yet to be signed into law as of press time. Popcom has long advocated for the strong protection of Filipino children, being one of the most vulnerable sectors of our society. In 2021, during a meeting on the State of the World Population, the commission acknowledged that Filipino girls in particular are currently subjected to another kind of “pandemic.” This other pandemic is the unplanned and unintended pregnancies due to abuse, early marriage and cohabitation of adult males, all of which may be deterred by the new law. Perez believes that marriages involving minors will also expose them to further unintended pregnancies, lead them to produce families and unions that are illprepared to face the challenges of rearing children, and lock them into the vicious cycle of intergenerational poverty. “We have likewise noted that marriages and unions involving minor children diminish the bodily autonomy of girls, and are incompatible with basic human rights as enshrined in Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the Philippines signed in 1948,” Perez said in a statement. “With the enactment of RA 11596, Popcom is confident our Filipino children are better protected from abuse and exploitation, hence, enabling them to achieve their aspirations and potentials as the future leaders of our nation, and where hopes of our country’s brighter tomorrow rests upon,” he added. He stated further that RA 11596 is a strategic policy measure Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4477 n UK 70.0684 n HK 6.5642 n CHINA 8.0367 n SINGAPORE 37.9811 n AUSTRALIA 37.2322 n EU 58.5573 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.6202

Source: BSP (January 14, 2022)

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UK virus hunting labs seek to bolster global variant network By Danica Kirka

The Associated Press

ONDON—The air conditioners hum constantly in the lab at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, countering the heat thrown off by rows of high-tech sequencing machines that work seven days a week analyzing the genetic material of Covid-19 cases from throughout the UK.

The laboratory is one example of how British scientists have industrialized the process of genomic sequencing during the pandemic, cutting the time and cost needed to generate a unique genetic fingerprint for each coronavirus case analyzed. That made the UK a world leader in Covid-19 sequencing, helping public health authorities track the spread of new variants, develop vaccines and decide when to impose lockdowns.

The new mission

BUT now researchers at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge and labs around the UK have a new mission: sharing what they’ve learned with other scientists because Covid-19 has no regard for national borders. The Omicron variant now fueling a new wave of infection around the world shows the need for global cooperation, said Ewan Harrison, a senior research fellow at Sanger. Omicron was first identified by scientists in southern Africa who

quickly published their findings, giving public health authorities around the world time to prepare. Since dangerous mutations of the virus can occur anywhere, scientists must monitor its development everywhere to protect everyone, Harrison said, drawing a parallel to the need to speed up vaccinations in the developing world. “We need to be prepared globally,’’ he said. “We can’t just kind of put a fence around an individual country or parts of the world, because that’s just not going to cut it.’’ Britain made sequencing a priority early in the pandemic after Cambridge University Professor Sharon Peacock identified the key role it could play in combating the virus and won government funding for a national network of scientists, laboratories and testing centers known as the Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium. This allowed the UK to mobilize academic and scientific expertise built up since British researchers first

identified the chemical structure of DNA in 1953. The consortium is now backing efforts to bolster global sequencing efforts with a training program focused on researchers in developing countries. With funding from the UK government, the consortium and Wellcome Connecting Science plan to offer online courses in sampling, data sharing and working with public health agencies to help researchers build national sampling programs. “There is inequity in access to sequencing worldwide, and [the project] is committed to contributing toward efforts that close this gap,” the group said, announcing plans to offer the first courses early this year. By sequencing as many positive cases as possible, researchers hope to identify variants of concern as quickly as possible, then track their spread to provide early warnings for health officials. The UK has supplied more Covid-19 sequences to the global clearinghouse than any country other than the US and has sequenced a bigger percentage of its cases than any large nation worldwide. Researchers in the UK have submitted 1.68 million sequences, covering 11.7 percent of reported cases, according to data compiled by GISAID, which promotes rapid sharing of information about Covid-19 and the flu. The US has supplied 2.22 million sequences, or 3.8 percent of its reported cases. Most countries are doing some sequencing but the volume and speed varies greatly. While 205 jurisdictions have shared sequences with GSAID, more than half have

RESEARCH assistants work at sequencing machines analyzing the genetic material of Covid-19 cases at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, England, on Friday, January 7, 2022. The laboratory is one example of how British scientists have industrialized the process of genomic sequencing during the pandemic, cutting the time and cost needed to generate a unique genetic fingerprint for each coronavirus case analyzed. AP

sequenced and shared less than 1 percent of their total cases. Over the past two years, labs around the UK have refined the process of gathering and analyzing Covid-19 samples until it resembles just-in-time manufacturing strategies. Specific protocols cover each step—from swab to sequence to reporting—including systems to ensure that supplies are in the right place at the right time to keep the work flowing. That has helped slash the cost of analyzing each genome by 50 percent while reducing the turnaround time from sample to sequence to five days from three weeks, according to Wellcome Sanger.

Essence of surveillance tool

INCREASING sequencing capacity is like building a pipeline, according to Dr. Eric Topol, chair of innovative medicine at Scripps Research in San Diego, California. In addition to buying expensive sequencing machines, countries need supplies of chemical reagents, trained staff to carry out the work and interpret the sequences, and systems to ensure that data is shared quickly and transparently. Putting all those pieces in

place has been a challenge for the US, let alone developing countries, Topol said. Genomic sequencing “as a surveillance tool worldwide is essential, because many of these low- and middle-income countries don’t have the sequencing capabilities, particularly with any reasonable turnaround time,” he said. “So the idea that there’s a helping hand there from the Wellcome Center is terrific. We need that.” At Wellcome Sanger’s stateof-the-art lab, samples arrive constantly from around the country. Lab assistants carefully prepare the genetic material and load it onto plates that are inserted into the sequencing units that decipher each sample’s unique DNA code. Scientists then analyze the data and compare it with previously identified genomes to track mutations and see if new trends are emerging. With Covid-19 constantly mutating, the priority is to check for new more dangerous variants, including those that may be resistant to vaccines, Harrison said. The information is critical in helping researchers modify existing vaccines or develop new ones to combat the

ever-changing virus.

Lessons from S. African experience

HARRISON praised South Africa for its work on the highly transmissible Omicron variant and quickly sharing its research with international authorities. Unfortunately, many countries then restricted travel to South Africa, harming its economy. Harrison said developing nations must be encouraged to publish data on new variants without fear of economic repercussions because punishing countries like South Africa will only hamper information sharing that is needed to combat Covid-19 and future pandemics. “The key thing, obviously, is this constant routine surveillance,” he said. “And I think the most important step now is increasing that globally.’’ For now, it also means lots of work, every day, to keep watch. But such vigilance has its benefits, said Tristram Bellerby, the lab’s manager. “It’s been good to see that our work has been valuable in finding these new variants,’’ he said. “I hope at some point it could aid us in getting out of this situation we find ourselves in.”

Troubling trend in marriage data Continued from A1

supportive of the Social Protection Program for Adolescent Mothers and their Children (SPPAMC), which Popcom and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are mandated to develop and implement under the 2021 and 2022 General Appropriations Act. The SPPAMC is now being implemented on a pilot basis to protect adolescent mothers from the risks and vulnerabilities of early pregnancies.

Getting hitched

THE latest PSA marriage statistics also showed that the number of registered marriages in 2020 only reached 240,775; it declined 44.3 percent compared with the total registered marriages of 431,972 in 2019. “This was also the lowest number of marriages since 1970,” PSA said in a statement. In 2020, Calabarzon recorded the highest number of registered marriages, which accounted for 32,822 or 13.6 percent of the total. It was followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 32,689 or 13.6 percent, and Central Luzon with 28,183 or 11.7 percent. These regions comprised nearly 40 percent or 38.9 percent of the total registered marriages in the country. The same regions also registered the highest number of marriages and maintained their respective ranks in 2019. Most of the marriages in 2020 occurred in February at 44,349 or 18.4 percent of the total daily average of 1,529 marriages per day.

This was followed by the months of December which accounted for 16.3 percent and January at 15.5 percent. Meanwhile, the pandemic cast a dark cloud over marriages in April and May in 2020 as the government imposed its strict lockdowns to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Based on the data, April recorded the least number of marriages at only 866 or only 0.4 percent of the average of 29 marriages per day, while the month of May accounted for the second least number of registered marriages with 4,135 at 1.7 percent. “The low number of marriages in these two months were due to the quarantine measures implemented throughout the country,” PSA said. In terms of nationality, there were 235,785 marriages or 97.9 percent of unions were between Filipino men and women, while 4,837 marriages or 2 percent were between Filipinos and foreign nationals. Among intermarriages with foreign nationals, a total of 4,500 Filipino women or 93 percent married non-Filipino men, while 337 or 7 percent of Filipino men married women of foreign nationals. Intermarriages between Filipinos and American nationals registered the highest number with 1,193 or 24.7 percent of the total. This was followed by marriages involving Filipinos and Japanese nationals with 353 or 7.3 percent share of the total. Other nationalities of men and women who were married to

Filipinos were Canadian at 336 or 6.9 of the total; Chinese, 317 or 6.6 percent; and Indian, 267 or 5.5 percent. Most Filipino females in intermarriages were married to American nationals at 25 percent. This was followed by Japanese at 6.8 percent, as well as Canadian and Chinese nationals posting 6.5 percent each. Meanwhile, one in five Filipino males married Americans, representing 20.2 percent of the total, while 14.2 percent and 13.4 percent married Japanese and Canadian nationals, respectively.

Half of rites civil

IN terms of the ceremony, PSA data showed that about half or 49.8 percent of the total registered marriages in 2020 were contracted through civil ceremony, an 11.2percentage point increase from 2019 or 38.6 percent. Despite being predominantly Catholic, only one in four marriages was officiated in the Roman Catholic Church at 67,233 marriages or 27.9 percent of the total. Meanwhile, marriages solemnized in Muslim tradition comprised 1.3 percent of the total. Moreover, 0.9 percent were performed in tribal ceremonies while the remaining one in five marriages was performed in other religious rites accounting for 48,155 or 20 percent of the total. Amid the pandemic, the age of Filipinos when they get hitched, and the many ceremonies that are now available, Filipinos continue to say “I do” and celebrate weddings as a major milestone in life.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

News BusinessMirror

UN downgrades PHL growth forecast for 2022 and 2023 By Cai U. Ordinario

he Un ited Nat ions (UN) downgraded its growth forecast for the Philippine economy this year as the global recovery continues to struggle with new Covid-19 infections, supply chain challenges, and rising inflation. In its World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2022, the UN said the Philippine economy will post a growth of only 5.5 percent this year before posting a growth of 7.7 percent next year. For 2021, the official data of which will be released later this month, the UN projects GDP growth to average 4.9 percent. UN GDP estimates for last year and this year were both downgraded from 6.2 percent and 6 percent, respectively. “Without a coordinated and sustained global approach to contain Covid-19 that includes universal access to vaccines, the pandemic will continue to pose the greatest risk to an inclusive and sustainable recovery of the world economy,” Liu Zhenmin, undersecretarygeneral of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said. In terms of inflation, the UN estimates that the rise in commodity prices this year will average 3.9 percent and 3.4 percent next year. The forecast for inflation in 2022 was initially pegged at 2.8 percent in the WESP 2021. The UN said inflation in some countries have posted above-target inflation such as the Republic of Korea which saw higher prices of petroleum, housing rentals and services. The report also cited the Philippines as experiencing “a spike in food inflation caused by adverse weather conditions” in 2021. Average inflation in 2021, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

was at 4.5 percent, which is above the initial target set by the central bank. “A combination of supplychain bottlenecks, energy price increases and the release of pent-up demand, however, has pushed inflationary pressures in many parts of the world, presenting an additional challenge,” the report stated. The UN said the average GDP growth in East Asia is estimated at 6.7 percent in 2021 as well as projected at 4.9 percent in 2022 and 5.4 percent in 2023. Among the Asean-5 countries, Vietnam is projected to post the fastest growth at 6.8 percent followed by Malaysia at 5.6 percent and the Philippines and Cambodia at a growth of 5.5 percent. Singapore will post the slowest growth of 3.8 percent this year. For 2023, the UN projects the Philippines to post the fastest growth in the Asean-5 at 7.7 percent. This will be followed by Cambodia at 6.2 percent and Indonesia at 6 percent. “ Ea st a nd Sout h A si a n economies are also vulnerable to the uncertainties and risks imposed by the pandemic, especially those countries with low vaccination rates,” the UN said, however. “In addition, accelerated g loba l monet a r y t ig htening could increase volatility, trigger capital outflows and disrupt credit growth, especially in countries with elevated debt and large financing needs,” UN added. The report also stated that in East Asia, a possible sharper-than-expected slowdown in China and the unresolved trade tensions between China and the United States could also constrain economic recovery. A fter ex panding by 5.5 percent in 2021, the global output is projected to grow by only 4 percent in 2022 and 3.5 percent in 2023.

Saturday, January 15, 2022

OFW remittances up 5.1% in Nov, bring 11-month total to $28.43B

By Bianca Cuaresma

ONEY sent by Filipino migrant workers continued to grow in November, supporting recovery efforts for the economy towards 2021’s close. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Friday that overseas Filipino workers (OFW) sent $2.502 billion in cash remittances in November 2021, growing by 5.1 percent from the volume they sent in the same month in 2020. Broken down, land-based workers’ cash remittances grew 6.3 percent to hit $1.97 billion during the

month, while sea-based workers’ remittances increased by 1.2 percent to hit $527 million.

Holiday boost

ING Bank economist Nicholas Mapa said the strong remittance flows sent by migrant workers ahead of the holidays will boost spending and help with the recovery of the economy.

ilipino workers can soon enter Taiwan, probably after Chinese New Year on the second week of February barring any Covid-19 surge in Taiwan, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) announced Thursday. De facto Ambassador to Taiwan Wilfredo Fernandez said he spoke recently with Taiwanese Labor Minister Hsu Ming-Chun about the clamor to allow Filipino workers to Taiwan, and was assured of the resumption of deployment of OFWs to Taiwan soon. Taiwan had earlier restricted the entry of foreign workers in 2020 and lifted it on May 19, 2021. However, recruitment agencies said OFWs are still not allowed entry, although other nationals like Indonesians have already resumed deployment in November 2021 and Thailand in December 2021. “Fernandez said he reiterated during the meeting his request to Hsu to allow the return of the OFW who have been seeking deployment for the past eight months,” MECO said in a statement. In a Facebook Live, Labor Attaché Cesar Chavez Jr. said Taiwan would most likely have more available quarantine facilities after the Chinese Lunar New Year on February 7. This year, Taiwan declared Chinese New Year’s public holiday from January 29 to February 6. During this holiday season, many Taiwanese from overseas come to Taiwan and hotels and other

“A steady dose of overseas Filipino remittances and business-process outsourcing [BPO] receipts has helped support the local unit throughout most of 2021, a year that saw the Peso tumble like most in the region. We can expect these two structural types of flows to continue to flow in 2022, helping steady the Philippine peso yet again,” Mapa said. “However, we expect external events to overtake real sector flows as the Fed prepares its eventual rate liftoff this year. Remittances and BPO receipts will likely be relied on heavily to steady the currency,” he added.

11-month total: $28.4B

T h e No v e m b e r c a s h re m it tance volume brought the total cash rem it t a nces sent to t he

cou nt r y to $28.43 bi l l ion in Januar y to November 2021, up 5.2 percent f rom t he $27.013 bi l l ion in t he sa me 11-mont h per iod in 2020. The growth in cash remittances from the United States (US), Taiwan, and Malaysia contributed largely to the increase in remittances in Januar y to November 2021. Meanwhile, in terms of country sources, the US posted the highest share of overall remittances at 40.7 percent in the first 11 months of 2021, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Taiwan, Qatar, and South Korea. The combined remittances from these top 10 countries accounted for 78.9 percent of total cash remittances during the period.

PHL keeps curbs but eases travel rules amid record-high Covid spike

he Philippines will keep movement restrictions in its capital from January 16 to 31, while allowing quarantinefree entry for some foreign arrivals even as daily Covid-19 infections and the percentage of positive tests hit record highs. Metro Manila, which accounts

for a third of economic output, will remain under Alert Level 3, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a briefing on Friday. Outdoor restaurants can operate at half capacity, while cinemas, gyms and other indoor businesses are limited to 30 percent capacity. Fully vaccinated travelers from

low-risk areas, including China, India and Japan no longer need to quarantine, as long as they have a negative RT-PCR test 48 hours before departure. Arrivals from high-risk areas are also now allowed subject to quarantine and testing protocols. The post-holiday spike in infec-

tions has led to tighter limits on businesses in the capital, disrupted airlines and banks, and shortened stock trading. Hospital beds in the capital are again filling up, with the unvaccinated accounting for most severe and critical cases, prompting the government to restrict movement. Bloomberg News

BBM to govt: Give free meds, vits to families of health-care workers

HE government must provide free vitamins and medicines to the immediate relatives of all health-care workers in the country, as they are the most vulnerable in contracting Covid-19, according to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Health workers, he stressed, have accepted the danger they face in this pandemic, but what weighs them down the most, aside from the low wages and delayed ben-

efits, is when their loved ones get sick because of them. “When they come home they bring with them whatever virus they picked up in the hospital. We don’t see the enemy, but chances are, they carry the viruses from the hospitals they work in,” Marcos said, partly in Filipino. “Even if they wear PPEs, this is no guarantee that they are completely safe and won’t infect others,” he added. He then recommended that

OFWs can enter Taiwan next month–MECO By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

accommodation are always full. Chavez said as far as the government is concerned, it has already complied with the additional requirements of the Taiwanese government for health protocols of incoming OFWs. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III submitted a letter of concurrence last November 2021 agreeing to the Taiwanese demand for OFWs to undergo quarantine three days before their flight to Taiwan on top of the 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Taiwan. Pilipino Manpower Agencies Accredited To Taiwan Inc. (PILM AT) earlier asked permission from DOLE and MECO to charge OFWs the predeparture accommodation, which costs ranging from P4,500-P6,000 because their business too had been hit by the pandemic. They said recruiters in Indonesia and Thailand have been doing this to their workers. MECO insisted that recruitment agencies should shoulder the cost of accommodation for isolating OFWs in Manila prior to flight to Taiwan, as this is in compliance with the memo circular issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in January 2021. Manila has also committed to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to adhere to the principles of ethical recruitment. “Kung magmamatigasan po ang agency na OFW ang gagastos sa pre-departure accommodation cost, eh papatawan po sila ng karampatang parusa ng POEA,” Chavez explained. “Ang hirap naman po

na hindi pa nagtatrabaho ang mga OFWs natin, may utang na.” Ambassador Fernandez also threatened to suspend the license, delist from accreditation the agencies of OFWs who force to pay for their pre-deployment expenses. Chavez explained that the deployment of OFWs to Taiwan still depends on the readiness of Taiwan to accept more foreign workers amid the pandemic. He said Taipei prioritized Indonesia because they need domestic helpers and caretakers to take care of their disabled and elderly population. Indonesia is the number one labor supplier of domestic helpers to Taiwan, around 200,000, whereas Philippines has at least 26,000. Thailand came in second among the foreign expat workers because they need 200 construction workers and engineers to work at the construction of Taiwan international airport. He said he also heard from his Thai counterpart that they are having trouble deploying their Thai workers this month because of lack of accommodation for quarantine in Thailand. Chavez said they have spoken with the Taiwanese employers of direct-hire OFWs and recruitment agencies of Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) mostly in semiconductor industries. They have agreed to pay for all pre-departure expenses of OFWs, Chavez said. Direct hires and RBA-hires make up 40 percent of OFW deployment to Taiwan, he estimates.

both the national and local government units immediately ensure a sufficient supply of essential medicines and vitamins, not only for the frontliners but also for their immediate relatives. “It’s hard to accept that you as a frontliner might have infected your family member. It’s even harder to accept knowing you can’t do much when their condition has worsened,” he explained. “The irony is, while you’re caring for others, you can’t do much

for your own family,” he added. According to the Department of Health, around 29,609 healthcare workers have already tested positive for Covid-19 since the pandemic broke out in 2020. About 97 percent of that number were reported to have recovered, but there was no firm number of how many of their relatives became infected, ill or died. “I pray our health workers remain healthy—along with their families,” he stressed.

BusinessMirror

Saturday, January 15, 2022

G.S.I.S. offering emergency loan to members in storm-hit areas

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overnment Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet announced that the pension fund is now granting emergency loan to members and pensioners in six regions in the country who bore the brunt of Typhoon “Odette.” Active members residing or working, as well as old age and disability pensioners residing, in Regions 4B (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan or Mimaropa), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 10 (Northern Mindanao), and 13 (Caraga) may apply for the loan. Qualified loan borrowers with existing emergency loan may borrow up to P40,000 to pay off their previous emergency loan balance and still receive a maximum net amount of P20,000. Those without existing emergency loan may apply for P20,000.

The loan is payable in 36 equal monthly installments at 6-percent interest rate computed in advance. It is also covered by a loan redemption insurance, which deems the loan fully paid in case of the borrower’s demise, provided that loan payment is up to date. Qualified to apply are members who are in active service and not on leave of absence without pay; have no pending administrative or criminal case; and have a net take-home pay of not lower than P5,000 after all required monthly obligations have been deducted. Interested parties may visit the GSIS web site (www.gsis.gov.ph) or Facebook page (@gsis.ph); e-mail gsiscares@gsis. gov.ph; or call the GSIS Contact Center at 8847-4747 (if in Metro Manila) or 1-800-8847-4747 (for Globe and TM subscribers) or 1-800-10-847-4747 (for Smart, Sun, and Talk ’N Text subscribers).

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PHL shatters daily Covid-19 record as DOH logs addl 37,207 new cases By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

he Philippines on Friday reported its highest single-day tally after 37,207 additional cases were logged by the Department of Health (DOH). The total number of Covid-19 cases in the country stood at 3,129,512. There were also 9,027 recoveries and 81 deaths. Of the 37,207 reported cases, 36,577 (98 percent) occurred within the recent 14 days (January 1 to January 14, 2022).

The top regions with cases in the recent two weeks were National Capital Region with 16,824 or 46 percent, Region 4A (8,580 or 23 percent) and Region 3 (4,052 or 11 percent). Of the 81 deaths, 21 occurred in January 2022 (26 percent), five in December 2021 (6 percent), 14 in October 2021 (17 percent), 12 in September 2021 (15 percent), nine in August 2021 (11 percent), five in July 2021 (6 percent), three in June 2021 (4 percent), one in May 2021 (1 percent), three in April 2021 (4 percent), four in March

2021 (5 percent), three in February 2021 (4 percent), and one in November 2020 (1 percent) due to late encoding of death information to COVIDKaya. “This issue is currently being coordinated with the Epidemiology and Surveillance Units to ensure information is up to date,” DOH reiterated. Of the total number of cases, 8.5 percent (265,509) are active, 89.8 percent (2,811,188) have recovered, and 1.69 percent (52,815) died. 104 duplicates were also removed from the total case count. Of these, 67

are recoveries and two were recorded as deaths. Moreover, 58 cases that were previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation. All laboratories were operational on January 12, 2022 but 8 labs were not able to submit their data to the Covid-19 Document Repository System. Based on data in the last 14 days, the eight labs contribute, on average, 1.7 percent of samples tested and 2.5 percent of positive individuals.

SC resets Bar exams as virus affects examinees and court staff

HE Supreme Court has postponed the holding of the Bar examinations to February 4

and 6, noting the surge in Covid-19 cases that affected many examinees and Court personnel alike.

At least 16.8 percent of the 8,546 Bar examinees who have responded to an e-mail sent by the Office of the Bar Chairperson are under any of these situations, according to a Bar Bulletin issued on Friday: positive for Covid-19; living with someone positive for Covid-19; or under quarantine due to a direct contact. They are at risk of not being able to take the Bar Examinations if the original schedule of January 23 to 25, 2022 were to push through, said Justice Marvic Leonen, 2020/21 Bar Examinations chairperson. “Also, given the current infection rate and quarantine situation of the Bar personnel, 16 of the 31 teams that will be deployed will be critically understaffed if the current schedule were maintained,” the court’s Bulletin reported. “Considering these numbers, as well as the projections of the Court’s expert consultants on the progress of this current Covid-19 surge, the Supreme Court En Banc has unanimously decided that the Bar Examinations

be rescheduled to February 4, 2022, Friday; and February 6, 2022, Sunday. The Court thanked the local governments that helped it assess the situation of the examinees, including those from the cities of Makati, Pasay, Manila, Quezon and Taguig in Metro Manila; Baguio City; San Fernando, La Union; Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya; Angeles, Pampanga; Lipa City, Batangas; Calapan City, Mindoro; and Naga, Camarines Sur in Luzon; T he c it ies of I loi lo, Bacolod, Cebu, Dumaguete City and Tacloban in Visayas; and the cities of Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Davao City and General Santos in Mindanao. The Court also thanked the schools that will host the Command Center and serve as local testing centers. All existing instructions in previous Bar Bulletins not affected by the court decision remain effective, Leonen said. All examinees will be advised to strictly undergo quarantine by January 20, 2022, Thursday.

A mass for Francisco Sionil Jose in a chapel with a thread to his life By Psyche Roxas-Mendoza

Editor in chief, Philippines Graphic

HE Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat in Mendiola, Manila came to existence as an Abbey in 1924, the same year that the late National Artist Francisco Sionil Jose was born. The Church serves as the college chapel of the Colegio de San Beda, where Jose’s daughter Brigida “Jette” Jose Bergkamp used to teach. On Januar y 14, at the Abbey Church of Our Lady of Montserrat, the Jose family offered a mass commemorating the ninth day of F. Sionil Jose’s death last January 6 and the 40th day of Jette’s passing. F. Sionil Jose and his wife Maria Teresa “Tessie” Jovellanos married in 1949. Their children include Jette, Evelina Cichy, Antonio, Eddie, Eugene, Alex, and Nikko, as well as 11 grandchildren, and seven greatgrandchildren. At the mass, the Jose children said their mother wished to thank all their friends, from here and abroad, who offered prayers for their father. “Our mother wants you to remember our father and how much he loved this country.” They added that their father died without finishing his last novel, “Esperanza.” The mass was officiated by Rev. Tarcisio Ma. H. Narciso OSB, chairman of the Board of Trustees of San Beda University. Fr. Narciso was the seventh abbot of the Abbey from 2001 to 2013. He served as principal of San Beda High School and rector of San Beda College Alabang. “Let us pray that Sir Frank and Jette may now live happily,” Fr. Narciso said. He mentioned that “Frank and Tessie were married for 70 years” and that their love was not weakened, adding that the two addressed each other as “Honey” or “Babe” and would hold hands going to church.

Rev. Tarcisio Ma. H. Narciso OSB, chairman of the Board of Trustees of San Beda University Fr. Narciso also said that Frank and Tessie encouraged their children to love books and encouraged them to write. “They exposed their children to different neighborhoods like Tondo. Frank told his children to give back to their country.” The Zoom mass was attended by many of Jose’s friends, including writers, entrepreneurs, artists, university professors, and members of the diplomatic and publishing community. Perhaps, in summing up the life of F. Sionil Jose, Fr. Narciso recited the theme song, “Fill the world with love” from the film “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” about a teacher who loved his students so much. …In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise At the moment of my life when the world is new And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me To be brave and strong and true And to fill the world with love my whole life through In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset At the moment of my life when the night is due And the question I shall ask only God can answer Was I brave and strong and true? Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

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

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Saturday, January 15, 2022

UN sees lower global economic growth for 2022 and 2023 amid Covid-19 woes By Edith M. Lederer

The Associated Press

NITED NATIONS—The United Nations forecast lower global economic growth for 2022 and 2023 on Thursday, saying the world is facing new waves of coronavirus infections, persistent labor market challenges, lingering supply chain issues and rising inflationary pressures.

The UN said that after expanding 5.5 percent in 2021— the highest rate of global economic growth in more than four decades—the world economy is projected to grow only 4 percent in 2022 and 3.5 percent in 2023.

Liu Zhenmin, the UN undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs, said at a news conference releasing the economic report that two years after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic “we are still living in a time of

great uncertainty.” “At the start of 2022, the global economic picture in the market is still murky,” he said. “Job creation has not yet made up for the earliest losses with the employment deficits disproportionately affecting women and youth. At the same time, the spread of a new Covid-19 virus, supply challenges, rapidly rising inflation in many parts of the world, and the looming debt challenges are clouding the economic outlook.” Last year’s robust recover y was largely driven by consumer spending, some increase in investments and trade in goods surpassing levels before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2022 report. But t he momentum for growth “slowed considerably by the end of 2021, including in big economies, like China, the European Union and the United

States” as the impacts of monetary and financial stimuli from the pandemic began to recede and major supply chain disruptions emerged, the report said. The United Nations forecast is similar to the World Bank ’s. released on Tuesday. The 189-nation global financial institution that provides loans and grants to low and middle-income countries downgraded its forecast of worldwide economic growth to 4.1 percent this year from the 4.3-percent growth it was forecasting last June. It blamed continuing outbreaks of Covid-19, a reduction in government economic support and ongoing bottlenecks in global supply chains. T he U N repor t sa id l abor shortages in developed economies are adding to supply chain challenges and inflationary pressures, and growth in most developing countries and economies

in transition has generally been weaker. W h i l e h i g h e r c o m m o d it y pr ices have helped countr ies reliant on commodity exports, rising food and energy prices have triggered rapid inflation, particularly in the nine-member Commonwealth of Independent States, formed after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, and in Latin America and the Caribbean, the UN said. “Recovery has been especially slow in tourism-dependent economies, notably in the small island developing states,” it said. Hamid Rashid, chief of the UN’s Global Economic Monitoring Branch, said at the news conference that the UN projections of global economic growth are contingent on several assumptions. “One assumption is that the vaccination progress that we have been making will continue,

that there will be no more major disruptions, or pandemic-related disruptions again in the near term, in the next few quarters,” he said, “And, of course, there’ll be no major surprises with the monetary policy stances that we have in advanced economies.” Rashid said looking beyond GDP numbers, the world has to take into account the rising poverty and inequality in developed countries but mostly in developing countries. He called it worrisome that 64 million more people are living in extreme poverty in 2022 than in 2019, before the pandemic. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “The time is now to close the inequality gaps within and among countries.” “If we work in solidarity—as one human family—we can make 2022 a true year of recovery for people and economies alike,” he said.

China’s trade surplus surges Biden chooses 3 for Fed board, including first Black woman to record $676.4B in 2021 W

EIJING—China’s politically volatile global trade surplus surged to $676.4 billion in 2021, likely the highest ever for any country, as exports jumped 29.9 percent over a year earlier despite semiconductor shortages that disrupted manufacturing. The country’s monthly trade surplus in December swelled 20.8 percent over a year earlier to a record $94.4 billion, Customs data showed Friday. China piled up a series of monthly export surpluses in 2021 but they prompted less criticism from the United States and other trading partners than in earlier years while their governments focused on containing coronavirus infections. Exports rose to $3.3 trillion in 2021 despite shortages of processor chips for smartphones and other goods as global demand rebounded from the coronavirus pandemic. Manufacturers also were hampered by power rationing in some areas to meet government efficiency targets. The surplus with the United States, one of the irritants behind a lingering US- Chinese trade war, rose 25.1 percent in 2021 over a year earlier to $396.6 billion. Trade envoys have talked since President Joe Biden took office in January but have yet to announce a date to resume faceto-face negotiations. Exports to the United States gained 27.5 percent over 2020 to $576.1 billion despite tariff hikes by Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, that still are in place on many goods. Chinese imports of American goods rose 33.1 percent to $179.5 billion. In December, China’s monthly trade surplus with the United States rose 31.1 percent over a year earlier to $39.2 billion. Exports to the US market rose 21.1 percent to $56.4 billion while imports of American goods edged up 3.3 percent to $17.1 billion. This month, China’s global export volumes are likely to weaken due to congestion at ports where anti-coronavirus restrictions are imposed and to changes in global demand as shippers clear backlogs, said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics.

“We’d still bet on export volumes being lower rather than higher by the end of this year,” said Evans-Pritchard in a report. Chinese imports in 2021 rose 30.1 percent to $2.7 trillion as the world’s second-largest recovery rebounded from the pandemic. Economic growth weakened in the second half of the year as Beijing carried out a campaign to reduce what it sees as dangerously high debt in the real-estate industry, but consumer spending was above pre-pandemic levels. Manufacturing activity edged higher in December but new export orders contracted, according to survey earlier by the government statistics bureau and an industry group, the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing. Chinese exporters benefited from being allowed to resume most normal business in early 2020 while foreign competitors faced anti-coronavirus restrictions on travel and trade. That advantage carried into 2021 as other governments renewed controls in response to the spread of new virus variants. Earlier, forecasters said Chinese exporters would benefit from the spread of the latest variant, Omicron, which Beijing appeared to be keeping out of the country. More recently, however, China has responded to outbreaks within its own borders by imposing travel restrictions on major cities including Tianjin, a manufacturing center where omicron was found. China’s global trade surplus was a 26.4 percent increase over 2020, which economists said then was among the highest ever reported by any economy. They said the only comparison as a percentage of the economy’s size likely was Saudi Arabia and other oil exporters during their price boom in the 1970s, but their total revenues were smaller. The swollen trade surplus has strained the ability of China’s central bank to manage the exchange rate of its yuan, which has risen to multi-year highs against the US dollar as money flows into the country. The People’s Bank of China has tried to limit the ability of banks and other traders to speculate on the currency’s movement. AP

A SHINGTON—President Joe Biden will nominate three people for the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors, including Sarah Bloom Raskin, a former Fed and Treasury official, for the top regulatory slot and Lisa Cook, who would be the first Black woman to serve on the Fed’s board. Biden will also nominate Phillip Jefferson, an economist, dean of faculty at Davidson College in North Carolina and a former Fed researcher, according to a person familiar with the decision Thursday who was not authorized to speak on the record. The three nominees, who will have to be confirmed by the Senate, would fill out the Fed’s seven-member board. The nominees would join the Fed at a particularly challenging time in which the central bank will undertake the delicate task of raising its benchmark interest rate to try to curb high inflation, without undercutting the recovery from the pandemic recession. On Wednesday, the government reported that inflation reached a four-decade high in December. Inflation has become the

economy’s most serious problem, a burden for millions of American households and a political threat to the Biden administration. Raskin’s nomination to the position of Fed vice chair for supervision—the nation’s top bank regulator—will be welcomed by progressive senators and advocacy groups, who see her as likely to take a tougher approach to bank regulation than Randal Quarles, a Trump appointee who stepped down from that post last month. She is also viewed as someone committed to incorporating climate change considerations into the Fed’s oversight of banks. For that reason, though, she has already drawn opposition from some Republican senators. A Har vard-trained law yer, Raskin, 60, previously served on the Fed’s seven-member board from 2010 to 2014. President Barack Obama then chose her to serve as deputy Treasury secretary, the No. 2 job in the department. As Fed governors, Raskin, Cook and Jefferson would vote on interest-rate policy decisions at the eight meetings each year of the

Oil heads for fourth weekly advance as traders shrug off Omicron surge

il headed for a fourth straight weekly gain, the longest winning streak since October, on signs that the market is tightening as global consumption withstands the impact of the Omicron virus variant. West Texas Intermediate dipped below $82 a barrel in Asian trading, but was almost 4 percent higher this week. The American benchmark has made a strong start to the year as US nationwide inventories fell to the lowest since 2018. Crude has now clawed back most of the losses late last year that were driven by Omicron and the White House-led releases from national reserves. Although it’s proved to be fast-spreading, the variant is also milder, lessening the impact on energy consumption. The International Energy Agency said earlier this week that global oil demand has proven stronger than expected. Oil prices have benefited from a confluence of other supportive factors, including interruptions to supplies in producers such as Libya and Kazakhstan. There’s also concern the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies

are unable to deliver their planned monthly increases in output in full. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said the demand impact on oil from Omicron “has been modest,” according to a Jan. 13 report from analysts including Jeffrey Currie. In addition, the bank said OPEC production increases this year will likely test spare production capacity for the first time since 2004. Optimism about the outlook is reflected in the market’s bullish backward-dated pricing structure, with near-term contracts above those further out. The spread between WTI’s two nearest December contracts has expanded for six weeks and is now more than $6 a barrel, up from less than $3 in early December. Despite the broadly positive mood, there are notes of caution. China has maintained its strict approach to the virus, while India and some other Asian countries have introduced partial restrictions and seen a drop in mobility. Next week, China is likely to post its weakest economic growth in more than a year when it releases quarterly data on Monday. Bloomberg News

Fed’s policy-making committee, which also includes the 12 regional Fed bank presidents. Raskin’s first term as a Fed governor followed her work as Maryland’s commissioner of financial

regulation. Before her government jobs, Raskin had worked as a lawyer at Arnold & Porter, a high-profile Washington firm, and as a managing director at the Promontory Financial Group. AP

Saturday, January 15, 2022

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Supreme Court blocks Biden’s shot-or-test rule for workers

divided US Supreme Court blocked the centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s push to get more people vaccinated amid a Covid-19 surge, rejecting an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule that would have required 80 million workers to get shots or periodic tests. The court let a separate rule take effect requiring shots for workers in nursing homes, hospitals and other facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid payments from the federal government. The ruling on OSHA limits Biden’s options for increasing the country’s vaccination rate as the Omicron variant propels a spike in cases. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says only 63 percent of the country is fully vaccinated and of that group just 37 percent have received a booster shot. More than 800,000 people in the US have died from the virus. “Although Congress has indisputably given OSHA the power to regulate occupational dangers, it has not given that agency the power to regulate public health more broadly,” the court said in an unsigned opinion. The Court’s three liberals—Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor—dissented. The decision “stymies the federal government’s ability to counter the unparalleled threat that Covid–19 poses to our nation’s workers,” they said in an unusual joint opinion. Biden said in a statement that he was disappointed the court blocked “common-sense life-saving requirements for employees at large businesses that were grounded squarely in both science and the law.” He said it was now up to states and private employers to determine whether to institute such requirements to keep their workplaces safe. The ruling is a victory for 26 business groups, led by the National Federation of Independent Business, and 27 Republican-led states. They sued to challenge the OSHA policy, saying it exceeded the workplace-safety agency’s authority. “Today’s decision is welcome relief for America’s small businesses, who are still trying to get their business back on track since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Karen Harned, executive director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center.

Emergency Rule

The OSHA rule required employers with 100 or more workers to make them get vaccinated or be tested regularly, potentially at their own expense. Although the rule had partially taken effect, OSHA had said it wouldn’t issue citations until at least February 9 to employers who were trying in good faith to comply with the testing requirements. OSHA issued the rule as a so-called emergency temporary standard, or ETS. Under federal law, the agency can put an ETS in place immediately for six months but must meet a more demanding legal test by showing it is

“necessary” to protect employees from “grave danger.” OSHA estimated before the Omicron variant emerged that the standard would save more than 6,500 worker lives over six months. The SC had been receptive to targeted vaccine mandates issued by state and local officials, repeatedly rejecting religious objections. But the OSHA case centered not on religious rights but on the power of a federal agency whose governing statute doesn’t explicitly authorize vaccine requirements. The health-care vaccination rule, issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will apply to 15 different kinds of health facilities. The rule, which provides exemptions for medical and religious reasons, was challenged by separate groups of states led by Missouri and Louisiana. In permitting that rule in a separate unsigned opinion, the court said Congress had authorized the agency to take steps to protect the health and safety of Medicaid and Medicare recipients. “Ensuring that providers take steps to avoid transmitting a dangerous virus to their patients is consistent with the fundamental principle of the medical profession: first, do no harm,” the court said. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett dissented. “These cases are not about the efficacy or importance of Covid–19 vaccines,” Thomas wrote for the group. “They are only about whether CMS has the statutory authority to force health-care workers, by coercing their employers, to undergo a medical procedure they do not want and cannot undo.” Biden said the health-care ruling “will save lives: the lives of patients who seek care in medical facilities, as well as the lives of doctors, nurses, and others who work there. He added: “It will cover 10.4 million health-care workers at 76,000 medical facilities. We will enforce it.” The OSHA cases are National Federation of Independent Business v. Department of Labor, 21A244, and Ohio v. Department of Labor, 21A247. The CMS cases are Biden v. Missouri, 21A240, and Becerra v. Louisiana, 21A241.

Significant victory

Many large corporations were silent on Thursday’s ruling by the high court to block a requirement that workers at businesses with at least 100 employees be fully vaccinated or else test regularly for Covid-19 and wear a mask on the job.

Target’s response was typical: The big retailer said it wanted to review the decision and “how it will impact our team and business.” The Biden administration argues that nothing in federal law prevents private businesses from imposing their own vaccine requirements. However, companies could run into state bans on vaccine mandates in Republican-controlled states. And relatively few businesses enacted their own rules ahead of the OSHA requirement, raising doubt that there will be rush for them now. In legal terms, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority said the OSHA lacked authority to impose such a mandate on big companies. The court, however, let stand a vaccination requirement for most health-care workers. The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade organization and one of the groups that challenged the OSHA action, called the Court’s decision “a significant victory for employers.” It complained that OSHA acted without first allowing public comments, although administration officials met with many business and labor groups before issuing the rule. Chris Spear, the president of the American Trucking Associations, another of the groups that fought the OSHA rule, said it “would interfere with individuals’ private health care decisions.” Karen Harned, an official with the National Federation of Independent Business, said that as small businesses try to recover from nearly two years of pandemic, “the last thing they need is a mandate that would cause more business challenges.” But mandate supporters called it a matter of safety for employees and customers. Dan Simons, co-ow ner of the Founding Farmers chain of restaurants in the Washington area, said vaccine mandates are “common sense.” He requires his 1,000 employees to be fully vaccinated; those who request an exemption must wear a mask and submit weekly Covid test results. “If your priority is the economy, or your own health, or the health of others, you would agree with my approach,” Simons said. Administration officials believe that even though the OSHA rule has been blocked, it drove millions of people to get vaccinated. But companies that used mandates to achieve relatively high vaccination rates may decide that they have accomplished enough. Ford Motor Co. said it was “encouraged by the 88 percent of US salaried employees who are already vaccinated.” The carmaker said it would review the court decision to see if it needs to change a requirement that most US salaried workers get the shots. Labor advocates were dismayed by the ruling. “ This decision w ill have no impact on most professional and white collar workers, but it will endanger millions of frontline workers who risk their lives daily and who are least able to protect themselves,” said David Michaels, who led OSHA during the Obama administration a nd now teac hes at t he George Washington University’s School of Public Health. For their part, labor unions had been divided all along about Biden’s

attempt to create a vaccine mandate, with many nurses and teachers groups in favor, but many police and fire unions opposed. Some unions wanted the right to bargain over the issue with companies. The United Auto Workers, which encourages workers to get vaccinated, said the decision won’t change safety protocols such as face masks, temperature checks and distancing when possible for more than 150,000 union members at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis factories. The Service Employees International Union, which represents more than 2 million service industry workers, said the Supreme Court’s decision is a relief for health-care workers but leaves others without critical protections. “In blocking the vaccine-or-test rule for large employers, the court has placed millions of other essential workers further at risk, caving to corporations that are trying to rig the rules against workers permanently,” the union said. The union called on Congress and states to pass laws requiring vaccinations, masks and paid sick leave. Workers also need better access to testing and protective equipment, the union said. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), the largest union for grocery workers and meatpacking plants, said that the Supreme Court decision fails to recognized the “extreme health risks” America’s front-line food and retail workers face on the job. “Frontline workers need to be protected and this decision needlessly ignores that there was a better way to address this issue without negating this mandate,” said Marc Perrone, CEO of the UFCW International in a news statement. Meanwhile, employers have been split on what to do with their unvaccinated workers. Among 543 US companies surveyed in November by insurance broker and consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, fewer than one in five required vaccination. Two-thirds had no plans to require the shots unless the courts upheld the OSHA requirement. Jeff Levin-Scherz, an executive in the firm’s health practice, said most companies with mandates would keep them because they are working. He said nothing short of a mandate can get vaccination rates to 90 percent, and “you really need a very high level of vaccination to prevent community outbreaks.” United Airlines was one of the first major employers to announce a mandate, back in August. CEO Scott Kirby has said that 99 percent of United employees either got vaccinated or submitted a request for exemption on medical or religious grounds. Un ited dec l i ned to com ment Thursday, but in earlier comments Kirby has sounded committed to the mandate for his employees because “it was the right thing to do for safety.” A irlines fall under a separate Biden order that required federal contractors to get their workers vaccinated. That requirement was not part of Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling, but it has been tied up separately since early December, when a federal district judge in Georgia issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of the mandate.

Bloomberg News and AP

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Hundreds of millions of Covid vax doses risk going to waste

undreds of millions of Covid-19 vaccine doses purchased by wealthy countries are at risk of going to waste, a new analysis shows, while large parts of the world remain unprotected amid the spread of the Omicron variant. About 240 million doses purchased by the US, UK, Japan, Canada and the European Union are expected to go unused and expire by March, Londonbased analytics firm Airfinity Ltd. said Thursday in a report. The number of potentially wasted doses could climb to 500 million by that point if other countries receiving donated doses don’t have enough time to administer them, it said. “Even after successful booster rollouts, there are surplus doses available that risk going to waste if not shared very soon,” Rasmus Bech Hansen, Airfinity’s chief executive officer, said in

a statement. “The emergence of Omicron and the likelihood of future variants shows there is no time to waste.” Squandering doses of precious Covid vaccine threatens to exacerbate shortfalls, especially in Africa and other parts of the developing world. Donated supplies often arrive with little notice and short shelf lives, making it even harder for stretched health systems in poorer countries to turn them into inoculations. As shipments ramp up for billions of people left behind last year, health groups have been calling for donated doses to be delivered in a more reliable and predictable way. The stakes are rising as Omicron drives case counts higher even in rich countries like the US, where the variant accounts for about 98 percent of new sequenced cases.

Bloomberg News

N. Korea fires fresh missiles in response to US sanctions

EOUL, South Korea—North Korea on Friday fired two shortrange ballistic missiles in its third weapons launch this month, officials in South Korea said, in an apparent reprisal for fresh sanctions imposed by the Biden administration for its continuing test launches. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles came from an inland area in western North Pyongan province. Japan’s Prime Minister’s Office and the Defense Ministry also detected the launch, while its coast guard urged vessels to pay attention to falling objects. Hours earlier, North Korea issued a statement berating the Biden administration for imposing fresh sanctions over its missile tests and warned of stronger and more explicit action if Washington maintains its “confrontational stance.” The sanctions targeted five North Koreans over their roles in obtaining equipment and technology for the North’s missile programs in its response to the North’s missile test this week. Washington also said it would seek new UN sanctions. The previous test-launch of a hypersonic missile on Tuesday—the second a week—was overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, who said it would greatly increase his country’s nuclear “war deterrent.” North Korea has been ramping up tests of new, potentially nuclear-capable missiles designed to overwhelm missile defenses in the region. Some experts say Kim is going back to a tried-and-true technique of pressuring the world with missile launches and outrageous threats before offering negotiations meant to extract concessions. Following an unusually provocative run in nuclear and long-range missile tests in 2017 that demonstrated the North’s pursuit of an arsenal that could target the American homeland, Kim initiated diplomacy with former President Donald Trump in 2018 in an attempt to leverage his nukes for economic benefits. But the negotiations derailed after Kim’s second summit with Trump in 2019, when the Americans rejected his

demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of the North’s nuclear capabilities. Kim has since pledged to further expand a nuclear arsenal he clearly sees as his strongest guarantee of survival, despite the country’s economy suffering major setbacks after it shut its borders during the pandemic as well as persistent US-led sanctions. His government has so far rejected the Biden administration’s open-ended offer to resume talks, saying Washington must abandon its “hostile policy” first—a term Pyongyang mainly uses to describe the sanctions and joint US-South Korea military drills. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said North Korea appears to be signaling it will not be ignored and will respond to pressure with pressure. “North Korea is trying to lay a trap for the Biden administration,” Easley said. “It has queued up missiles that it wants to test anyway and is responding to US pressure with additional provocations in an effort to extort concessions.” In a statement carried by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency, an unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday defended the launches as a righteous exercise of self-defense. The spokesperson said the new sanctions underscore hostile US intent aimed at “isolating and stifling” the North. The spokesperson accused Washington of maintaining a “gangster-like” stance, saying that the North’s development of the new missile is part of its efforts to modernize its military and does not target any specific country or threaten the security of its neighbors. Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds in excess of Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, could pose a crucial challenge to missile defenses because of their speed and maneuverability. Such weapons were on a wish-list of sophisticated military assets Kim unveiled early last year along with multi-warhead missiles, spy satellites, solid-fuel long-range missiles and submarine-launched nuclear missiles. AP

RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan denied parole by California Gov. Newsom By Don Thompson

The Associated Press

ACR A MEN TO, Ca l ifor nia— Sirhan Sirhan, who assassinated presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, was denied parole Thursday by California’s governor, who said the killer remains a threat to the public and hasn’t taken responsibility for a crime that altered American history. Kennedy, a US senator from New

York, was shot moments after he claimed victory in California’s pivotal Democratic presidential primary. Five others were wounded during the shooting at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has cited RFK as his political hero, rejected a recommendation from a two-person panel of parole commissioners, who said Sirhan, 77, should be freed. The panel’s recommendation in August had divided the

Kennedy family, with two of RFK’s sons—Douglas Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—supporting his release, and their siblings and mother vehemently opposing it. In his decision, Newsom said the assassination was “among the most notorious crimes in American history,” Aside from causing Kennedy’s then-pregnant wife and 10 children “immeasurable suffering,” Newsom said the killing “also caused great harm to the American people.”

It “upended the 1968 presidential election, leaving millions in the United States and beyond mourning the promise of his candidacy,” Newsom wrote. Mr. Sirhan killed Senator Kennedy during a dark season of political assassinations, just nine weeks after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s murder and four and a half years after the murder of Senator Kennedy’s brother, President John F. Kennedy. He said Sirhan still lacks insight,

refuses to accept responsibility and has failed to disclaim violence committed in his name. That adds “to his current risk of inciting further political violence,” Newsom wrote. In 1973, terrorists took 10 hostages at an embassy in Sudan, demanding the release of Sirhan and other prisoners and killing three diplomats when their demands weren’t met, he noted. Sirhan, who will be scheduled for a new parole hearing no later than February 2023, will ask a judge to

overturn Newsom’s denial, defense attorney Angela Berry said. “We fully expect that judicial review of the governor’s decision will show that the governor got it wrong,” she said. State law holds that inmates are supposed to be paroled unless they pose a current unreasonable public safety risk, she said, adding that “not an iota of evidence exists to suggest Mr. Sirhan is still a danger to society.”

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New round of Covid-19 vaccination urged for elderly, health personnel By Filane Mikee Cervantes

last year, or eight months to nine months ago. By this time, the immunity of the priority sectors might have already waned, if not dissipated,” he said. He argued that if health personnel, the elderly, and those with comorbidity are given a third dose or a booster, it may not be sufficient to restore the protection they had when they received their full twodose course and to shield them even from the “mild” Omicron. “There may be nothing to boost in a vaccinated person’s system,” Barzaga said. He cited studies in Hong Kong and the Dominican Republic showing that two doses of a vaccine with lower efficacy followed by a booster did not generate enough immunity against Covid-19. Barzaga said those who received a full two-dose primary course may need two additional booster shots to attain protective levels against the virus. “The pandemic response task force can start a new round of vaccination by offering these people two additional doses of Sinovac, of which the government reportedly has ample supply,” he said. He said Sinovac is the vaccine of choice of many, who claim it does not give rise to side effects similar to those caused by western-made jabs like headache and fever. The Philippines has so far administered 113,364,030 doses of coronavirus vaccines nationwide, including second doses for 52,393,229 and 3,327,416 booster shots. PNA

ANILA—A lawmaker is urging the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to roll out a new round of vaccination drive to protect more Filipinos against Covid-19 and its highly transmissible Omicron variant. In a statement on Monday night, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said the government’s pandemic response task force should consider giving additional two doses, considering that some countries are already administering the fourth dose on their population to increase their level of protection. Barzaga particularly noted the case of Israel wherein officials are elated by their initial findings on the administration of a fourth shot, which their health experts have found to have significantly boosted the immunity of a vaccinated person. “If the pandemic response task force decides to undertake a new round of vaccination, it should start with those belonging to the A1, A2 and A3 priority groups composed of health workers, senior citizens and those with comorbidity,” Barzaga said. He said these groups received either China’s Sinovac or the United Kingdom’s AstraZeneca, the first two Covid-19 vaccines available in the country during the early stage of the pandemic. “That was in April and May

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, January 15, 2022

Binay proposes benefits for family members caring for elderly parents S

ENATORIAL aspirant and former Vice President Jejomar C. Binay Thursday said benefits should be given to family members who are caring for their elderly parents. “Since the pandemic began, more and more Filipinos have been caring for their elderly parents. Not only have they lost income, but the op-

pressive situation under this pandemic places them under enormous emotional strain,” Binay said. Binay said family caregivers should be given additional paid leaves, free medicine and hospital care for their loved ones, or reimbursement for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Those who are unemployed should be given financial and

other assistance, he added. “’Yung nag-aalaga, dapat ding alagaan [Those who provide care should also be cared for],” Binay said. The former vice president said family caregivers have been forced to take more time off from work, or have resigned to care full time for their elderly parents. They often pay for medicines and other costs

for treatment, line up at drugstores, and bring their parents to doctors or to hospitals. “Mahirap ang dinadaanan nila lalo na’t may pandemya, pero ginagawa nila ito dahil sa pagmamahal sa kanilang magulang [The pandemic has made their situation more difficult, but they do these out of love for their parents],” Binay said.

Worldwide dementia patients set to triple by 2050–study By Irina Anghel

EMENTIA will ravage the minds of 153 million people globally in 2050, about three times more than in 2019, according to a study that shows the rising stakes for public-health policy along with successful therapies from drugmakers. The tripling of cases of cognitive illnesses that include memoryrobbing Alzheimer’s disease is tied to national trends in risk factors including obesity, diabetes, low education and smoking, according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Published Thursday in the Lancet Public Health journal, the analysis looked at 195 of the world’s countries and territories. Government and public health officials are looking to design tar-

BLOOMBERG PHOTO

geted policy to tackle the risk of debilitating dementia, the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Drugmakers are also trying to design therapies to take on the Al-

zheimer’s threat, such as Biogen Inc.’s Aduhelm, which has seen just minimal uptake since its approval in June. “Even modest advances in pre-

venting dementia or delaying its progression would pay remarkable dividends,” said lead study author Emma Nichols of the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle. “To have the greatest impact, we need to reduce exposure to the leading risk factors in each country.” Sought by numerous companies, Alzheimer’s drugs have so far shown limited effectiveness in countering dementia. Biogen’s Aduhelm was approved on the basis of its ability to remove a disease-linked protein from the brain; its impact on thinking still isn’t clear. Meanwhile, other companies including Eli Lilly & Co. and Roche Holding AG are working on similar therapies. Biogen also has another protein-clearing drug in development. Bloomberg News

Indonesia starts Covid booster campaign for senior citizens, other people at risk By Edna Tarigan & Fadlan Syam

The government hopes to provide 21 million booster shots in January to people who received their second jabs at least six months ago. Some 117 million people in Indonesia have already received two doses of the vaccine. “This effort is important to increase the immunity of society, considering the Covid-19 virus keeps

The Associated Press

AKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesia kicked off a Covid-19 booster campaign for the general public on Wednesday, prioritizing third shots for the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

mutating,” President Joko Widodo said Tuesday. Indonesia has reported more than 4.2 million cases and more than 144,000 deaths since the pandemic began. During the peak of the last surge in July, the country recorded 56,757 cases per day as hospitals were overwhelmed by sick patients and ran out of beds

The pestilence in us By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

ONCE came across a microbiologist who made an insightful comment about people: that whatever we find to be gross, monstrous, parasitic, and chaotic in ourselves, we seem to project on to unseen microbes, creeping and crawling tiny insects and scavengers that we categorize as pests. When we encounter these “pests,” be it a cockroach, rodent, a mosquito, termite, or an infectious germ, our natural instinct is to eradicate them as quickly and efficiently as possible, driven by our common hatred, fear and disgust of them. Yet many times that’s what we are to others. Pests. When I looked at the dictionary definition of pest, here’s what I found: a person or thing that causes trouble, annoyance, discomfort, etc.; nuisance; specif., any destructive or troublesome insect, small animal, weed, etc. Disgusting pest is what came to my mind when I saw a viral video of a notorious lawyer ranting angrily, spewing vitriol and obscenities against a journalist. Thankfully he has been called out and widely denounced for it. And

he has the gall to run for a Senate seat? Maybe that lawyer is an extreme case. But are we not all guilty of getting on someone’s nerves at one time or the other? Maybe we don’t set out to be annoying, but still it happens. Here are common occurrences that can bring a person to the boiling point: Clearing one’s throat in public and spitting it on pavement, driving slow in the fast lane on the expressway, taking time to decide on what food to order at the counter while holding up a long line of hungry customers, slurping food and other noises stemming from eating, failing to turn off cell phones in a movie or a piano concert and other turn-off behavior. There’s more. Just a week ago, when my wife and I were lining up to have our booster shots, a few tried to jump the line when the “marshall” was not looking. Never mind that we had been waiting already for half an hour. Annoyingly, they were senior citizens who are supposed to be more mature and responsible. Perhaps feeling “entitled” or “connected” they were brazen about it.

How about your neighbor listening to extremely loud music at two o’clock in the morning? What an especially obnoxious and detestable specimen of humankind. Extremely unpleasant, offensive, very annoying, odious or contemptible. In food courts, we just leave our leftovers, empty plastic utensils and other trash on the table with absolutely no consideration for the next batch of eaters. How about supermarket customers who leave their grocery carts at the parking lots, next to cars or where accidents can occur and cause injuries and damage to innocent shoppers and their vehicles. Many times, I made the effort to point it out to security guards. He will just shrug it off. Like pests, people don’t know it but they are monstrous in the eyes of others. How many of our intimates are too polite or courteous to tell us how many times we’ve acted obnoxiously? Subordinates may keep quiet about it for fear of losing favor but they talk among themselves. Zooming out to macro scope, we Filipinos are becoming a pestilential society. Just like germs and viruses, we are becoming parasitic to the point of doing great harm to the host. Our parasitic nature is becoming more and more evident. For instance, more and more of our countrymen are making a living off politics. Second and third generation members of political dynasties are now using their respective family names and en-

and oxygen supplies. The country provided the Moderna vaccine as a booster for health-care workers starting in July last year. Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority on Monday approved emergency-use authorization for the Sinovac, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Zifivax vaccines, all of which will be used as booster

trenched resources, to catapult themselves to prominence, at local and national levels, thus making politics as now a principal channel for advancement. And guess who is the host body for these parasites: the tax-paying public. We shouldn’t wonder why our country is not progressing as fast as it should be. It is infested with parasites who feed on the nation “whose decisions supposedly taken for the public good, are in truth motivated by a desire for private gain and result in policies and projects that impoverish rather than enrich our country,” as one social analyst puts it. Did we not just make the disgusting discovery that people are taking advantage of the epidemic to gain millions for themselves? Who were the 70 minions in Congress who pushed for the closing down of a major network just to gain points with someone who can give them largesse, without thinking of the consequences? Now the same people are complaining about the lack of reporting during a natural calamity. These parasitic public servants will bite the hand that elected them as long as it’s to their benefit. Corruption and graft have been a longtime national pestilence that we have failed to eradicate and it will never go away as long as the virus thrives in each of us. We are adaptable and changeable when things are in the way, such as when it comes to rule of law. Like a smart parasite, we mutate and adjust to go around obstacles. No such thing as dura lex sed lex for

shots. Several other vaccines are also being examined for emergency-use authorization. Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the government would consider the availability of vaccines in determining which boosters people will receive and that the boosters might be different from what people received in

us. Flexible is more like it. We will find the most obscure legal point or technicality to bring down our target adversaries or to absolve ourselves. Never mind the spirit of the law. Forget the noble ends of justice. Our laws can be turned upside down or even used as a weapon to destroy perceived rivals and enemies. Many times it’s done so brazenly and with impunity by those who have been entrusted to enforce it. Mutability is an ability we Filipinos seem to have acquired. Abilidad and diskarte are terms we use to express our admiration for individuals who have the cunning and sly and impudence to try and outsmart the government or to get around the state or the law. Those who have the gall to do it are even richly rewarded and attain “celebrity” status. Aren’t we all guilty? How many of us can honestly say that we have not bent the rules, paid off a local official or government lackey or functionary to obtain a permit or license using a go between. Favors are exchanged all the time. If you want something done, you ask a friend, a contact, a politician who can fix things for you of course with a mutually agreed-upon gratuity, locally known as padulas. My wife cynically once said: dapat magunaw na ang mundo para mawala lahat ang tao (I wish the end of the world would happen to eliminate humans). It’s her way of venting out her frustration and disgust when we encounter people with extremely odious behavior. On the other hand, think about this: take humankind out of cre-

their first two doses. People who received the Sinovac vaccine as their primary doses will receive half a dose of the Pfizer vaccine or half a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a booster, while those who received AstraZeneca’s vaccine as their primary doses will receive half a dose of the Moderna vaccine as a booster.

ation and nature will probably thrive by itself. If we want to build a more progressive world, we need to be vaccinated against ourselves. The first step to stop yourself from being a pest to others is recognition. My wife is honest enough to tell me there have been times when I have acted in an annoying manner, sometimes making her cringe in embarrassment in the presence of acquaintances. I have to thank her for being frank. It helps put me back on the track of striving to be a better, more considerate person. This reminds me about the time when there were not enough vaccines and a relative of my wife called to brag about getting their vaccines ahead of everyone else, even front liners, because they were close to the town mayor. Were we impressed by this brazen show of galling one-upmanship? No, we shamed them to let them know about their offensive behavior. We need more and more of us to call out people who “cross the line” with their self-centered, offensive, and destructive behavior. Perhaps that disgusting lawyer who made that utterly offensive viral video will regret his impulsive behavior. That moving image of himself at his worst will be there on the Internet forever, serving as a mirror for him one day when he would hopefully rediscover his moral center. Even for the rest of us, it’s a cautionary tale. Remember the golden rule: don’t be to others what you don’t want them to be to you.

Education BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, January 15, 2022

Law providing 1% preferential tax relief to private schools inked

HE Chief Executive has signed a law reducing the preferential tax rate of 10 percent to 1 percent imposed on proprietary educational institutions.

President Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11635 last month, amending Section 27 (B) of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997. “Hospitals which are nonprofit and proprietary educational institutions shall pay a tax of 10 percent on their taxable income, except those covered by Subsection [D] hereof: Provided, that beginning July 1, 2020 until June 30, 2023, the tax rate herein imposed shall be 1 percent,” the law read. Proprietary education institutions refer to any private school maintained and administered by

PLM sets web registration for AY 2022-23

HE Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) is now accepting online applications for undergraduate admissions in Academic Year 2022-2023 until February 28. This year applicants will be evaluated using the PLM Admission Ranking, which considers senior high school academic performance, socioeconomic and geographic factors, as well as personal statement, among others, to determine successful applicants. Read posters for application requirements, details and frequently-asked questions. To apply, log on to bit.ly/PLMadmissions.

private individuals or groups with an issued permit to operate from the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, as the case may be, based on existing laws and regulations. Representative Joey Salceda of Albay, chair of the Lower House’s Ways and Means Committee who authored the bill, earlier said the new law is expected to aid private schools in hiring more teachers and keeping existing staff through tax relief. “It will help private schools keep

PRESIDENT Duterte

their teachers. They already had to fire [some] due to the pandemic. I think the whole committee agrees we should provide them relief,” Salceda explained. He noted that applying the reduced 1-percent preferential rate under RA 11534 or the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises, known as CREATE Act, until 2023 would al-

low schools to save an equivalent of 3.43 percent of compensation expenses, which could help them rehire some 13,000 teachers at the start of the next school year. R A 116 35 w a s pa s se d a s Senate Bill 2407 on September 27, 2021, and adopted by Congress as an amendment to House Bill 9913 two days later. Azer Parrocha/PNA

Security Bank, College of the Holy Spirit, KCFI distribute portable media libraries

SSISTING schools w ith their challenges in distance learning, Security Bank’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm Security Bank Foundation Inc. (SBFI), the College of the Holy Spirit Manila (CHSM) High School (HS) Batch of 1973, and the Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) joined forces to distribute portable media libraries with educational resources to five public schools. Dubbed as “Gift of Knowledge” kits, the portable media libraries are plug-and-play external hard drives loaded with over 1,500 KCFI-produced video lessons, e-games, and e-session guides for Kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and alternative-learning system students. The modules are aligned with the Department of Education’s K-12 curriculum. Funded by the CHSM HS 1973 under their batch legacy project “Agapay sa Kalusugan at Pag-aaral” or “AKAP,” one portable media library was given each to Camarines Sur National High School in Naga City, Laguna Resettlement School in San Pedro City, San Jose City National High School in Nueva

Ecija, San Pablo Central School in Laguna, and Tuguegarao West Central School in Cagayan. The donation is expected to benefit over 25,000 students. “Our batch is celebrating its golden jubilee in 2023. To pay it forward in gratitude to God, our country and the school, we decided to pursue this legacy project which secures education for the underprivileged,” explained Maria Theresa Abeleda-Llave, president of CHSM HS 1973. Beneficiary schools are also part of SBFI’s “Build a School, Build a Nation: The Classrooms Project.” To ensure continued support, SBFI will conduct regular training sessions on teaching strategies and other learner support interventions. “In 2020 the foundation partnered with the Knowledge Channel and the Ateneo de Manila University to produce 20 videos on English-reading competencies, and complement these with teachers training,” said Melissa Aquino, SBFI trustee and corporate secretary. “The program ‘Ready, Set, Read!’ aims to address the identified weakness of Filipino students

in reading based on recent international assessments.” “However, access to the videos was limited due to Internet-connectivity issues,” she added. “The portable media libraries hope to [address] that, as students or parents can now access educational resources offline and enjoy interactive learning at home.” “Our teachers have really been challenged to produce educational materials that will excite students and effectively improve their learning competencies,” expressed Principal Aldrin Baloc of San Jose City National High School. “With the portable media library, we are now confident that we will be able to provide quality distance-learning delivery to our students.” To expand the reach of the project, Security Bank has provided additional funding for the distribution of portable media libraries to 59 more SBFI classrooms project-beneficiary schools. Know more about SBFI, as well as its CSR and sustainability initiatives by visiting www.securitybank. com/sustainability or via Facebook: SecurityBank.

Editor: Mike Policarpio

Coursera 2021 PHL learner trends: Interest Up in language courses, business skills

ILIPINO learners were particularly enthusiastic about online language courses, and also strived to hone their business skills needed to thrive in the global economy—including professional English-language competency, and an understanding of financial markets, according to 2021 data from Coursera Inc. One of the largest online learning platforms in the world, Coursera has just released its annual study of learner trends across the Philippines. The data, based on choices from more than 1.3 million registered learners, offered insights into the skills, competencies, and subject matter most desirable to Filipinos. The study said Filipino Coursera learners recognized the shifting nature of work, while prioritizing mental health and well-being. They explored the human brain through courses like “Learning How to Learn,” and “Introduction to Psychology and The Science of Wellbeing.” Last year Coursera noticed a rising uptake of courses related to professional certificates designed to prepare learners without a college degree or technology experience for a wide range of high-demand digital jobs. The growing emphasis on these certificates will also help to reduce a skills gap that saw the Philippines rank 60th and 77th globally for data science and technology proficiency, respectively, in the latest Coursera Global Skills Report. Google’s “Foundations: Data, Data Everywhere,” which forms part of its Data Analytics Professional Certificate, ranked seventh this year. “It’s inspiring to see learners make strong progress on their learning goals, even as challenges persist around the world,” said Raghav Gupta, Coursera’s managing director for Asia Pacific. “This year’s…trends suggest that Fili-

GUPTA

pino learners are recognizing the needs of the digital economy, while simultaneously striving to gain control of their mental health.” Gupta added, “Filipino learners are preparing themselves for success, seeking ways to build futureproof professional skills, especially across business and data science. This…year we look forward to working together to make online learning even more effective and equitable…[with] new, world-class content and tools.” Other new trending courses illustrate that 2021 was a year of continued personal and professional growth as the world adapted to the new normal. The 10 most popular courses in the Philippines in 2021 were: (1) “Covid-19 Contact Tracing” by Johns Hopkins University; (2) “First Step Korean” by Yonsei University; (3) “English for Career Development” by University of Pennsylvania; (4) “The Science of Well-Being” by Yale University; (5) “Learn to Speak Korean 1” by Yonsei University; (6) “Introduction to Psychology” by Yale University; (7) “Foundations: Data, Data, Everywhere” by Google; (8) “Learning How to Learn: Powerful Mental Tools to Help You Master Tough Subjects” by Deep Teaching Solutions; (9) “Japanese for Beginners 1” by Saint Petersburg State University; and (10) “Financial Markets” by Yale University.

Applications now accepted for 2022 YSEALI Workshop

Benilde now gathering senior HS applications for next academic year

E La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) is now a c c e pt i n g s e n ior h i g h school (SHS) applicants for Academic Year 2022 to 2023. Benilde SHS serves as a head start to respective college-degree programs and future careers. Offered strands include Accountancy and Business; Arts and Design; Technical, Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) Culinary; TVL Hospitality; TVL Tourism Management; and General Academic. The Accountancy and Business Management strand equips students with basics in International Business Management via modern systems and technologies. It is ideal for those who will venture in export management, human-resources management, computer applications or business intelligence and analytics. The Arts and Design strand centers on visual arts specifically in digital and media arts. Those interested in the creative and artistic processes from conceptualization, hands-on art making, art produc-

tion and post-production to exhibition are guided to choose their expertise among multimedia arts, animation, photography or digital filmmaking. Leaning toward humanities and social sciences, the General Academic strand equips enrollees with critical thinking and widened perspective on the structure of society. It is designed to train political, economic and social leaders on the local and global scale, and are planning to pursue paths in diplomacy and international affairs, as well as governance and public affairs. Best for those who wish to take culinary arts, the TVL Culinary strand hones not just their foodpreparation skills, but also equips them with the knowledge and experience on kitchen management, finance, costing and entrepreneurship. The TVL-Hospitality Management strand combines theory and practice to provide strong service orientation and global perspective of hotel and restaurant operations and promotions, while the TVL-

Tourism Management strand focuses on the social, cultural and economic phenomenon of tourism and its respective fields. All students are guided in their transition to college under the mentorship of licensed, experienced, practicing professors; seasoned educators; plus exposure and dialogues with industry leaders and movers. In pursuit of a more inclusive society where no one gets left behind, Benilde SHS welcomes students with special learning needs. The school has prepared dedicated facilities and offices to provide instruction and services to facilitate innovative learning. To ensure the safety of the Benildean community amid the pandemic, Benilde SHS is initially delivered on full online modality through BigSky Benilde—the college’s official Integrated Learning Platform. Students likewise have access to state-of-the-art facilities—including the wide array of online academic resources at the multimedia library of Br. Fidelis

Leddy Center for Learning Resources. Graduates who maintain minimum-grade requirements have seamless entry in the college’s undergraduate programs. Those who wish to pursue advanced certification or diplomas may opt to enroll in the School of Professional and Continuing Education. DLS-CSB has waived the traditional Benilde Entrance Exam, and will base application results on the meticulous assessment of the submitted transcript of records. Application period is until Saturday, April 30. Benilde SHS will follow the DLS-CSB’s trimestral schedule. Classes will start in August 2022. For more information on Benilde SHS and the application procedures, visit https://www.benilde. edu.ph/shs.html. Reach the Benilde Center for Admissions via e-mail: admissions@benilde.edu.ph or Viber: +63945 278 8877, +63949 668 3082 or +63945 278 5612 Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

HE United States Embassy in the Philippines and USbased implementing partner Cultural Vistas have launched a call for applications for the 2022 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Regional Workshop: Guardians of Good Governance, in support of the recently concluded Summit for Democracy. The workshop will be held in Manila from July 6 to 10, 2022 and is open to Southeast Asian leaders 18- to 35-years old who work on issues related to civic engagement, transparency, accountability, and good governance. The 2022 YSEALI Guardians of Good Governance workshop will train youth leaders from A sean member-countries and Timor Leste on innovating civiceducation initiatives to promote good governance and strengthen democracy in their communities, countries and the region. Participants will take part in

online learning activities on civiceducation theory, lifelong learning, and digital-engagement strategies before gathering in Manila for a four-day in-person workshop in July 2022. As a follow-on, they will implement initiatives in their own countries, applying lessons learned from the workshop. Interested young leaders can apply for the workshop on or before January 24, at bit.ly/YSEALIPH. Since its launch in 2013 YSEALI has provided capacity-building programs and funding support for youth initiatives promoting civic engagement and good governance. The initiative develops the capabilities of Southeast Asian youth on civic engagement, environmental and natural-resource management, education, as well as economic development through a variety of programs, including US educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding. For more information, visit https://yseali.state.gov.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Saturday, January 15, 2022 A9

Have a rainbow-colored journey in Burano

From Venice, tourists can spend the day in nearby Burano island.

Burano is known for its rainbow-colored houses.

Burano presents another side of life in the Venetian lagoon.

Local fishermen recognize their homes through its colors.

As a traditional fishing village, Burano’s attractions have vintage charms.

Aside from fishing, Burano boasts of its hand crafted laces.

Story & photos by Catherine Kaiser

we missed all the action.

Lacey town

f you’re planning on a day trip and want to see something unique and colorful away from Venice, Italy, then Burano is your sure next destination. Just a boat away from the city, Burano is a charming island town with picturesque postcard-ready, rainbow-colored houses that attract millions of tourists every year.

After spending a couple of days in Venice, my husband and I didn’t want to do the same activities as it was already our third time in the city; hence he looked up and found Burano. This island in Venice instantly made me fall in love with it, and I couldn’t stop taking pictures here and there!

Multi-colored houses

Most visitors are captivated by Burano’s brightly colored houses, and its boat-filled canals. Burano has a genuine feel, offering another side of life in the Venetian lagoon through its historic fishing village. Since the Roman times, fishing has been the main livelihood in Burano as the marshlands are not suitable to farming.

Nets, harpoons and the “chebe,” a type of cage, were the traditional fishing tools used by the local fishermen. During the early times, fish was bartered for products such as wheat, wood, and wine and this kind of trading has been in practice for centuries. But why paint the houses with bright colors, you may ask. This custom is said to portray the island’s heritage as a fishing village; the vivid colors help the fishermen recognize their homes through the thick fog in the lagoon upon returning home from a long day out in the sea. Moreover, the Burano residents utilize the bright colors to mark one’s property. While fishing nowadays is still the primary means of livelihood for the locals

The author by the leaning bell tower of San Martino Church.

in Burano, the number of fishermen has decreased on the island, and around 450 are congregated in a cooperative. Fresh fish caught by the fishermen are sold at Buranelli in the lagoon at Rialto Market daily, which we happened to pass by during our trip. Unfortunately, the sun was high, the fish were already sold, and the market had already been closed, so

Burano is also known for intricate laces, something unknown to most tourists. Lacemaking is very famous craft in Burano, which dates back to 1500s. Beautiful laces were made by noblewomen in the privacy of their homes and even become their signature laces that were recognized in banquet halls and courts across the continent. In the following centuries, these handmade pieces had to compete with machine-made ones, lower quality items, and fashion trends. In the 18th century, the beautiful laces competed against the Flemish and French designs. Nowadays, while laces are mostly machine made, you can still see local women quietly handcrafting laces, driven by passion. When in Burano, I highly recommend a visit to the lace museum, Museo del Merletto. After your visit, you’ll know what type of lace you can purchase as a souvenir, from Barbole of the 1600s-1800s to the blonde or bobbins, originally from France, dating back in mid-1700s, among many others.

Leaning Bell Tower

Another go-to spot in Burano is its leaning bell tower. Although not as renowned as the one in Pisa, the former bell tower of the 17th century San Martino Church

can be an excellent site for awesome pictures, too! Local stories tell that during a storm in 1867, an angel fell on top of the leaning tower and it was crowned by that angel. Now, an iron cross had been installed in its place. The leaning bell tower has a square plan of 6.20 meters wide at the bottom and 63 meters high, and is attributed to the architect Andrea Tirali who built it between 1703 and 1714. I really like Burano. For me, it’s one of the prettiest little villages I’ve been to in Italy. So the next time you plan a trip to Italy, try to get lost on one of the most colorful islands of Burano.

Side trips

After Burano, you can take a side trip to Murano that is just one stop away and only around 10 minutes by the ferry bus. Murano is known for its glassmaking factories, where you can take home some exquisite glasses. Or, you can also check out some glass-making factories where they offer some workshops. You can also cross the wooden bridge and drop by Mazzorbo, a small island located next to Burano. The place is remarkably less crowded and quieter than its more known neighbor, Murano. This will give you an opportunity to explore the vicinity for its distinctive charm. In Mazzobo, do try dining in or tasting some of the country’s most delicious wines.

LUXE TRAVEL BUBBLE: PRIVATE FLIGHTS TO BANWA PRIVATE ISLAND

Banwa Private Island—Southwest Villa

a k e of f and breeze t hrough the skies in a private jet, helicopter or single-engine aircraft by Ascent Flights Global (“Ascent”) to the exclusive and all-villa Banwa Private Island. Banwa Pr ivate Island ’s prefer red aviation partner, Ascent features more private air options for a truly luxurious

Ascent—Cessna Grand Caravan EX seaplane

and seamless experience, whether flying directly to the island or through any of Palawan domestic airports. Every charter flight is tailored to the guest’s needs, meticulously organized from enquiry until well after arrival. The most favored and convenient charter f light from Manila to Banwa Private Island is through an 8-seater

Cessna Grand Caravan EX seaplane, landing directly on the doorstep of the exclusive sanctuary. Complementing the seaplane and multiple helicopter options, newly available Ascent aircraft include the Cessna Turbo 206H suitable for small groups of up to five passengers and perfect for adventure travels with its versatility and cargo

Ascent—Pilatus PC-12NG

space. While the Cessna 172SP Skyhawk for three passengers is considered as the most successful aircraft for its reliability and comfort. For groups of up to eight passengers, the Swiss crafted Pilatus PC-12NG offers the ultra-modern cabin experience, equipped with all you need to relax, work or share in-flight moments. For guests wishing

to share a private island experience with larger parties of up to 14, the Gulfstream jet is the aircraft of choice. Roundtrip private flight rates start from $5,700 from Manila to San Vicente, closest airport to the island, with onward journey in a premium sports utility vehicle followed by a short and scenic speedboat transfer to the island.

A10 Saturday, January 15, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Most people want something more from their streaming services

PHOTO BY ALIN SURDU ON UNSPLASH

OST people who are connected to the Internet are subscribed to at least one streaming service. These streaming services, which can include Netflix and Viu, have helped kept us sane during the world’s

longest pandemic in modern history, a pandemic that is still ongoing. But are they happy with the streaming services they use and pay for? A recent study showed that consumers increasingly found streaming to be complicated,

ADDRESSING CYBERSECURITY THREATS By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes CYBERSECURITY threats will remain a big challenge in 2022 as cybercriminals step up criminal activities with an added degree of sophistication. In a recent webinar, Nathaniel Gleicher, head of Security Policy for Facebook, said its platform is currently expanding its Facebook Protect, the company’s security program, said, “We’re expanding our security program for groups of people that are more likely to be highly targeted by malicious hackers, such as human rights defenders, journalists, and government officials. No action is required unless you’re prompted to enroll. We’re also making it easier for these groups of people to set up two-factor authentication.” Gleicher added: “These people are at the center of critical communities for public debate. They enable democratic elections, hold governments and organizations accountable, and defend human rights around the world. Unfortunately, this also means that they are highly targeted by bad actors.” He said Facebook Protect helps these vulnerable groups of people adopt stronger account security protections, like two-factor authentication, and monitors for potential hacking threats. Gleicher said Facebook Protect had a pilot test in 2018 and expanded it ahead of the 2020 US election. The global expansion started in September 2021. Since then, more than 1.5 million accounts have enabled Facebook Protect and of those, nearly 950,000 accounts newly enrolled in two-factor authentication. Gleicher said the two-factor authentication— particularly by using third-party authentication apps—significantly improves the security of online accounts. He encouraged everyone to enroll in two-factor authentication. However, he noted this important feature has been historically underutilized across the Internet—even by people who are more likely to be

targeted by malicious hackers, such as journalists, activists, political candidates and others. With Facebook Protect, he said the socialmedia giant has worked to make enrollment and use of two-factor authentication as frictionless as possible for these groups of people by providing better user experience and support. He added this is an important step forward for these highly targeted communities. He said the initial results have been encouraging so far with adoption rates breaching the 90 percent level in one month for these groups. Meanwhile, major local systems integration technology company Radenta Technologies Inc. recently launched its enhanced Global Reconnaissance Intelligent Defense System (GRIDS) designed to strengthen the security posture of any client. In an e-mail interview with BusinessMirror, Radenta’s chief executive officer Randalle Lozano said its fully managed security operations allow organizations to benefit from using the most advanced security information and event management (SIEM) technology, which does not require a company to own and require such a system. With a security operations center (SOC) functioning as a service, Lozano said Radenta collects security logs, detects indicators of attack or compromise, and gives actionable alerts, remediation guidance, and incident response services. Meanwhile, Radenta co-manages the client’s SIEM and offers advanced content and SOC services. Strategic services provide add-ons to custom-tailor the SOC-as-a-Service component. This means that individual solutions are crafted to address specific needs. “GRIDS lets you experience the most advanced and world-class SIEM technology that deals with the complexity and constant change in the cybersecurity landscape,” said Radenta Business Development Officer for Security Operations Center Christopher Christian Flores.

expensive and hard to use. They also found streaming to be impersonal. Three in five subscribers to multiple streaming services expressed frustration with their viewing experiences, according to a new report from Accenture, and 44 percent of those surveyed indicated they spend more than six minutes searching for something to watch. The “Streaming’s Next Act: Aggregators to play a starring role in making consumers happier” report surveyed 6,000 consumers globally to understand their preferences, beliefs and behaviors on their video content streaming experiences. Those surveyed also think more than 60 percent of the content they are paying for is not relevant to them. More than half (56 percent) said they wish their profile from one service could easily be shared with another service that may offer them better, more personalized content. Those surveyed described the video streaming experience as “somewhat unwieldy, unfriendly, and expensive for many them,” said Andrew Walker, global communications and media industry group leader at Accenture. “A big change to the streaming ecosystem is needed to give consumers greater control over their experience—the addition of a smart content

aggregator, sitting across multiple platforms.” Accenture’s research also showed that while consumers care more about the content delivered by streaming services, they find the navigation experience with the growing number of services to be increasingly frustrating. “Content aggregators can address this concern by unifying access across streaming services through application software, services and datasharing agreements. Aggregators can also foster flexibility and personalization for viewers by serving as a single platform with curated content that enables them to select exactly what they want to watch,” said Accenture. “Consumers didn’t express a strong preference for a particular company to give them a better user experience,” said John Peters, managing director in the media and entertainment industry group at Accenture. “People expect innovation and improvement in this space and are looking for a company to come up with new and better ideas for delivering content to them in a way that makes their lives easier and their viewing experiences more enjoyable.” The report offered the following suggestions for companies in the streaming entertainment ecosystem, from video, music and podcasts to gaming: n Invest in data privacy and make that known to your consumers, so they are okay with sharing data that is critical for integration and personalization services. n Think beyond SVOD and AVOD services to consider music services, podcast and e-book services, video games, home security, food delivery services and more. n Streaming players with data-driven experimentation at the core of how they operate will be far more ready and nimble to adapt to changing consumer preferences.

OPPO unveils first-ever foldable flagship smartphone, other smart devices WE are constantly on the lookout for technologies that will make our lives easier, and every year tech companies introduce new products to suit our ever-evolving needs and wants. Global smart device brand OPPO recently held its annual OPPO Inno Day, a yearly presentation to introduce its groundbreaking gadgets and software. The two-day global event, themed “Reimaging the Future,” was packed with keynote speeches from OPPO executives including CEO Tony Chen and CPO Pete Lau, presentations for the highly anticipated new AR glasses and OPPO’s own foldable smartphone. All these were made accessible through a virtual reality gathering in OPPO Inno World where tech-heads could meet and celebrate the new innovations together. Here are some of the technologies first unveiled during OPPO Inno Day: Launching its first-ever foldable flagship phone, OPPO introduces the Find N, the result of four years of hard work and prototyping. Unveiled during the second day by OPPO’s Chief Product Officer Pete Lau, the Find N is a sleek device which promises a seamless 7.1” display when unfolded (5.49” when folded), grounded on the Flexion Hinge, which Lau calls “the best hinge design available today,” as it practically eliminates the gap between displays. The company customized the user interface to operate better and more efficiently in compatible apps. For example, in the Notes app, the OPPO Find N can convert into a mini laptop allowing you to take notes without needing to hold the device. Since the Find N can freely stand at various angles, the device also serves as its own tripod, making 4K HD time-lapse imaging, video calls and online meetings easy and hands-free.

Global tech brand OPPO introduces the Find N.

The software of the OPPO Find N is optimized to allow users to smoothly and naturally switch between the folded and unfolded screens, relaying content seamlessly between the inner and outer displays. The Find N also supports a range of keyboard customizations, allowing users to use a split keyboard to make typing easier when the smartphone is unfolded. Meanwhile, its first commercially available AR glasses, OPPO Air Glass, is a lightweight monocle that acts as an extension of your smartphone, projecting images as if it is front of your eyes thanks to its Spark Micro Projector. With a unique cicada wing design, the OPPO Air Glass uses the compact projection system— just about the size of a coffee bean—to deliver bright and sharp content, whether indoors or outdoors. Controlled via a Color OS11-powered OPPO phone or OPPO Watch 2, the Air Glass allows you to view and clear notifications, get weather updates, monitor health data and even access real-time translation with just touch, voice, head movements and hand motions. More information OPPO Inno Day 2021 and the brand’s new innovations can be found at www. oppo.com/ph.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, January 15, 2022 A11

Revamped tvN delivers more premium K-content The realme Pad, a real value-formoney that is available in three configurations.

INCE it launched in September, the Smart GigaPlay App has delivered some of the most exclusive sports and entertainment content for subscribers. Last month, it transported subscribers to New York City and Seoul, as I watched the iHeart Jingle Ball and the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) that featured Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, the Jonas Brothers, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, as well as K-pop stars ENHYPEN, TXT, aespa, ATEEZ, and many others via the live streaming app. Also, through Smart Hallyu Hangouts, Pinoy fans were able to enjoy a virtual meet-and-greet with their favorite Korean celebrities such as Hyun Bin, Son Ye Jin, and Park Seo Jun. Now, GigaPlay brings even more Korean content with the revamped tvN premium channel that will provide more and faster access to Korean dramas, variety programs, and movies. In partnership with CJ ENM HK and WILBROS Entertainment, the first linear channel service brings the best Korean pop culture and entertainment onto the GigaPlay app. Subscribers will be able to join the global fandom of tvN’s tentpole drama Jirisan with daily marathons while fans of oppa Rain and Kim Bum won’t want to miss the new fantasy/medical drama Ghost Doctor; or the action/romance drama Military Prosecutor Do Bar Man, which stars Ahn Bo-Hyun and Cho Bo-ah. Fans of the trendiest variety programs are also in for a treat with the latest season of Idol Dictation Contest S2, while the new reality show Love Catcher in Seoul is a dating psychological game played by “love catchers” who participate in the search true love, and “money catchers” who only aim for money. GigaPlay is powered by Smart, which touts the fastest and most reliable 5G mobile network as reported by Ookla. To date, Smart has already fired up 6,400 5G base stations nationwide making it the country’s first, fastest, and widest 5G network.

REALME PAD: FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

TWENTY TWENTY-ONE has been nothing short of incredible for realme Philippines as it achieved countless milestones that solidify its position in the industry. The country’s No. 1 smartphone brand for the past three consecutive quarters once again showcased real strength with a successful 12.12

performance on both Lazada and Shopee. The brand’s first-ever tablet, the realme Pad, emerged as the No. 1 best-selling tablet during the one-day sale on Shopee. The realme Pad is available in three configurations; the one we are using for this review is the 3GB+32GB priced at P10,990. There’s also a 4GB+64GB which sells for P14,990, and the 6GB+128GB priced at P16,990. I have to say, the realme Pad is one of the most premium-looking tablets in its segment because of its fresh design and solid build. The slate is made up of an aluminum alloy body design with a matte finish back panel. Measuring just 6.9mm it is one of the slimmest tablets in its segment, though it has a bit of heft at 440g. The front-facing camera is placed on the top bezel of the tablet when you hold the tab in landscape mode, the most convenient position for online classes and video meetings. For now, there are no first-party accessories, so good luck finding a TPU case keyboard cover or compatible stylus online. As an entertainment device, the realme Pad’s main selling point is its 10.4-inch WUXGA+ LCD screen that has a resolution of up to 2000x1200, a pixel density of 224ppi, and up to 360 nits of peak

brightness. The display looks sharp with vibrant colors and acceptable viewing angles. It is obviously not as nice as an AMOLED panel, but compared to other tablets in its price segment, it still has one of the best-looking displays. I lost track of time watching YouTube videos, spent the nights catching up on the latest NetFlix releases, and my new favorite guilty pleasure on Discovery+, Naked and Afraid of Love. I’ve also used it to read some magazines and comic books and the size is just right, so I don’t have to keep zooming in and out to read the text. If you are getting the realme Pad mainly for classes and entertainment purposes in indoor conditions, it won’t disappoint. The realme Pad complements its display with quad speakers that have Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res high-quality sound certification. That said, the speakers can easily fill up a small room and you don’t need to use those Bluetooth speakers. Dolby Atmos also delivers stunning bass and rich detail, giving you a cinema-like audio experience in the palm of your hands. The realme pad has an 8MP rear camera that captures decent photos in good lighting, while the 8MP front snapper has a wide 105-degree FOV that works great for video calls and Zoom meetings. Both

cameras can record Full HD video should you need it. The realme Pad comes equipped with a Helio G80 processor. It’s a fairly capable processor for light to moderate use and with only a few apps open, but because it only has 3GB of RAM it struggles when multitasking. If you are planning to use the realme Pad mostly for online schooling or working from home, it would be better to go with the higher 4GB or 6GB RAM variant. Also, the entry-level realme Pad only has 32GB storage which isn’t much especially if you are going to use it for gaming as games like Genshin Impact would pretty much use up half of the storage. As for the battery life, the realme Pad has a massive 7100mAh battery. In real-life usage, it lasted me for more than a day of moderate use. It supports 18W supercharging but fully charging the large battery takes almost two hours. Final word: The realme Pad is a solid first offering from the No. 1 smartphone brand in the Philippines. It has a sleek premium build, a nice display that’s paired with an impressive set of speakers that help it fulfill its promise of being an entertainment machine. As a work/school device, however, you might need to pay a bit more for the higher spec’d option as the base model might leave you wanting.

Parents, teachers encouraged to collaborate for students’ upskilling TEACHERS are often seen as a source of inspiration, courage, and hope when it comes to students’ education. But it is often forgotten that parents also play a critical role in the holistic development of a child’s schooling. In the second part of the “Exploring Parental Engagement Practice in the School” session of the 4th Professional Development Series for Teachers on Parental Engagement, it discussed how both teachers and parents need to work hand-in-hand in identifying the areas for growth, as well as the strengths they need to reinforce in their students. The webinar was presented by Globe, through its Global Filipino Teachers (GFT) program, in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP). Through the session, the different types of parents were discussed by the educators. If you are a parent, you may even see yourself in the list: n Kabute Parent—if you’re this kind of parent, you know that you are sometimes present or absent…just like mushrooms n Nega Star Parent—dubbed as “nega” for negative, this one always has alibis and thinks that things aren’t easy as they may seem n Bibong Parent—if we have the “nega star”, this one is the opposite. This type is always “positive” and always available n Business-minded Parent—it’s the one who always sees opportunities in things and

circumstances n Lutang Parent—parenting is indeed not an easy task especially if you have a lot of things on your plate, so it is understandable that there is this type who always says, “Ay ano nga po ’yun, Ma’am?” or “Ay nand’yan po pala kayo, Ma’am...ano nga po ang sinasabi niyo?” Parents experience numerous challenges when it comes to balancing their household priorities,

jobs, and volunteering time for their children’s schooling. A big factor is time, which could often limit one’s attention and energy in being more involved in their child’s schooling. That said, it becomes a concern for educators to face parents, most especially if they are experiencing concerns with household expenditures, are overprotective and controlling of their children, have exposure to unsafe communities, and have

lack of awareness of current school systems. Keeping these challenges in mind, participating teachers were taught how to address the barriers through the 3Cs (Communicate, Collaborate, Create) and ENGAGE the parents: E-licit parent’s concerns, N-ever judge, G-ain their trust, A-ctive communication, G-rowth Mindset, and E-mpower. “The collaboration we have with DepEd is one that helps catalyze the learning community to imbibe technology and new methods of learning to keep abreast of the times,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications. She added, “We are glad to share knowledge and widen the perspective of our educators through this program, as we help them establish a better working relationship with parents for their students’ well-being and learning—especially now, as we adjust to a blended learning environment.” Being a strong advocate of 21st-century learning, Globe has lined up a modified training series under its Global Filipino Teachers (GFT) program that covers digital literacy, parental support on digital learning, responsible online behavior, effective 21st-century approaches to early language literacy, and psychological first aid. Those interested can access the third and fourth session on Parental Engagement: Building a Strong Culture of Parent-School Partnership on DepEd NEAP’s official page (facebook.com/DepEdNEAP).

Sports BusinessMirror

A12

‘The Flash’ PSA best performer for December

| Saturday, January 15, 2022

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

ELBOURNE, Australia—Tennis star Novak Djokovic faces deportation again after the Australian government revoked his visa for a second time. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said Friday he used his ministerial discretion to revoke the 34-year-old Serb’s visa on public interest grounds three days before the Australian Open is to begin. Djokovic’s lawyers are expected to appeal the cancellation in the Federal Circuit and Family Court as they successfully did after the first cancellation. Hawke said he canceled the visa on “health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.” “The Morrison Government is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders, particularly in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Hawke said in a statement, referring to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. It is the second time Djokovic’s visa has been canceled since he

DJOKOVIC’S VISA REVOKED, AGAIN

DOUBLE FAULT

arrived in Melbourne last week to defend his Australian Open title. His exemption from a Covid-19 vaccination requirement to compete was approved by the Victoria state government and Tennis Australia, the tournament organizer. That apparently allowed him to receive a visa to travel. But the Australian Border Force rejected the exemption and canceled his visa upon arrival in Melbourne. Djokovic spent four nights in an immigration detention hotel before a judge on Monday overturned that decision. Melbourne-based immigration lawyer Kian Bone said Djokovic’s lawyers faced an “extremely difficult” task to get court orders

over the weekend to allow their client to play next week. “For Djokovic to get the outcomes he needs to play would be extremely difficult to obtain over the weekend,” Bone said. Hawke’s delay in reaching a decision bordered on punitive, Bone said. “If you left it any later than he has done now, I think from a strategic standpoint he’s [Hawke’s] really hamstringing Djokovic’s legal team, in terms of what sort of options or remedies he could obtain,” Bone said hours before the

decision was announced. The lawyers would need to go before a duty judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court or a higher judge of the Federal Court to get two urgent orders. One order would be an injunction preventing his deportation, like the order he gained last week. The second would order Hawke to grant Djokovic a visa to play. “That second order is almost not precedented,” Bone said. “Very rarely do the courts order a member of the executive government to grant a visa.” AP

NOVAK DJOKOVIC’S lawyers are expected to appeal the cancellation in the Federal Circuit and Family Court as they successfully did after the first cancellation. AP

SPORTSWRITING DOYEN, TATA GUS VILLANUEVA, 83

OURNAL Group of Publications publisher and editor-in-chief Augusto “Gus” Villanueva, considered the doyen of local sportswriters and a pillar in Philippine journalism, passed away at home early Friday morning. He was 83. “We at the Journal group and I personally feel devastated by the loss of this great good man. We will miss ‘Tata’ Gus dearly,” said Journal Group managing editor Tess Lardizabal in a statement. On behalf of the Philippine Sportswriters Association, PSA President and Tempo Sports Editor Rey Lachica issued the following statement: “Tata Gus was a revered and wellliked member of the sportswriting fraternity. He was a mentor to a generation of sportswriters and journalists. He was humble, approachable and an inspiration to us all. The PSA mourns the passing of our much-admired and respected colleague.” There was an outpouring of tributes and praised from friends and acquaintances in the sports community whose lives were touched by the late great journalist after being informed of the death of Villanueva, a former PSA President and who received the PSA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. “He [Villanueva] was an amiable man and friendly. He was full of ideas, especially in sports. He was one of our sources of inspiration and guidance when we became commissioner of the PSC in 2000,” recalled PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez. “I have received a lot of pieces of advice from Gus. We will miss him. Goodbye my friend and see you in heaven,” Ramirez added. Former Philippine Olympic Committee First Vice President and volleyball chief Joey Romasanta also had kind words for the Journal Group editor. “Gus was a great help me when I became the Project: Gintong Alay Executive Director, very generous with his wisdom and insights into local sports. He was not only a superb editor but also wrote sports very well and had a heart for it,” Romasanta remembered. “He was in a class of his own and we really learned a lot from him.” POC Chairman Steve Hontiveros, one of Villanueva’s closest friends in sports, credits the late editor for promoting and popularizing

tenpin bowling during its heydays in the 1970s and 1980s during his term as Philippine Bowling Congress president. “We and Gus really go a long way and his writing was responsible in making bowling a popular sport through his well-written articles and features on our bowling heroes like Bong Coo and Paeng Nepomuceno,” Hontiveros said. “We became very good friends, and in fact, I served as the godfather at the weddings of his son Mandy and daughter Baby,” Hontiveros added. “His passing is a great loss to Philippine sports.” Bowling greats and Philippine Sports Hall of Fame Nepomuceno and Coo were also effusive in their praise for Villanueva. “Gus has done so much for sports and most specially the sport of bowling. He has covered most of bowling’s prestigious tournaments and we have a lot of fond memories together in our travels overseas,” Nepomuceno, a four-time World Cup champion, said. “I am saddened by the passing of my good friend, Gus Villanueva. Rest in peace, you are in a better place now.” “Gus was actually the sportswriter who believed in my talent and built me as an outstanding athlete in media. He was my mentor and best friend,” said Coo, multi-titled bowler and World Cup winner like Nepomuceno, said with a tinge of emotion. “I will be thankful for Villanueva forever for making me what I am now. He was instrumental to my success as an athlete and will always have a place in my heart.” Eugene Torre , Asia’s and the country’s first chess grandmaster, also cited Villanueva as a consummate sportswriter and professional. “He and the late Fide President Florencio ‘Campo’ Campomanes were quite close. Gus was low-key yet very efficient so this was why he was the media chief of the 1992 Manila World Chess Olympiad,” said Torre of the event that is considered as one of the best-organized Fide tournaments. “If we were to compare him with chess players, Gus was a Super GM [Grandmaster] in sportswriting. He was that good,” Torre said. “This is terrible news to hear,” said former POC treasurer and rowing chief Benjie Ramos upon learning of Villanueva’s demise. “We had good relations with him when he was the POC media relations officer during the term of late POC Presidents Gen. [ret.] Rene Cruz and [Celso] Cito Dayrit.” While as a student of what was then known as the University of Santo Tomas College Philosophy and Letters, Villanueva began as sports scribe at the age of 17 with the Manila Times under sportswriter Ricky Llanos in 1955. Among his international coverages was the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games when boxer Anthony Villanueva bagged the country’s first Olympic silver medal. When martial law was declared in 1972, Villanueva was one of the

founding editors of the broadsheet Times Journal that same year and whose first office was at the Lopezowned Benpres building in Pasig City before transferring to the Port Area in Manila. He is credited as the man

behind the popular and pioneering English tabloid People’s Journal and sister publication People’s Tonight in 1978 and 1979, respectively, which both became hits with Filipino readers with their focus on crime and sensational news. When the Journal Group was sequestered by the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino in 1986, Villanueva and some other former employees organized the shortlived News Today as a rival tabloid. As PSA President in the early 80s, he initiated the forming of the weekly PSA Forum, which began its first sessions at the Manila Hotel. He was the media relations officer of the POC under the terms of Cruz and Dayrit, serving as the media attache of the Philippine delegation in the 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics. Villanueva served in the same capacity for the national squad that competed in the 1999 Brunei, 2001 Malaysia and 2003 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games as well as the 2002 Busan Asian Games in South Korea. He was back at the helm of the Journal Group in 2004 and served as its publisher and editor-in-chief at the time of his death. Villanueva, who was married to the late Arlyne Magsaysay Romero, is survived by his children, Dr. Armando “Mandy” Villanueva, Antonette “Baby” Villanueva-Rodriguez, their respective spouses, and two grandchildren. Interment will be announced later.

CARLOS YULO (right) poses with his idol, the newly retired Kohei Uchimura, at the AllJapan Senior Championships in September 2019 in Tokyo.

‘King Kohei’ played a big part of my Olympic dream—Yulo

By Josef Ramos

OULD this be the changing of the guard? Legendary Japanese gymnast Kohei Uchimura announced his retirement on Tuesday, opening the door wide open for heirs apparent from the continent. And one of them could be Carlos Yulo, a two-time world champion who’ll turn 22 on February 16. But Yulo’s not about to jump on the opportunity. The young man from Leveriza in Pasay City has idolized Uchimura since he started embracing the sport. “He [Uchimura] is a big part of my decision to be a gymnast and for me building up on my Olympic dream,” Yulo told BusinessMirror in a oneon-one virtual interview arranged by his long-time Japanese Coach Munehiro Kugiyama from his Tokyo apartment on Thursday evening. Who wouldn’t be immensely impressed by Uchimura? The gymnast is called “King Kohei” for nothing—the 33-year-old won the men’s all-around gold first in his second Olympics in London 2012 and Rio 2016, got a team gold also in 2016 that went with his four

PLDT picks Pascua as coach

HE PLDT Home Fibr High Speed Hitters named George Pascua as its new head coach for the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) 2022 season. Pascua said coaching the storied volleyball franchise is both a challenge and an honor. “I’m happy and excited because I’ll be coaching one of the pioneer teams in Philippine volleyball,” Pascua said. “I’m happy because

PLDT values its players.” Pascua replaced Roger Gorayeb, PLDT’s head coach since 2013. “It’s been a really good relationship between PLDT and Coach Roger,” Smart and PLDT head of sports Jude Turcuato said. “It wasn’t just because of the championships that he has won but he was also a father figure to the group with all his experiences. We are really grateful for those eight years.”

Olympic silver medals—plus 10 gold medals at the world championships. “After watching him in the 2012 London Olympics, my quest for an Olympic gold began,” said Yulo, who owns gold medals in the floor exercise at the Stuttgart world championships in 2019 and vault at the same tournament in Kitakyushu, Japan, only last year. The Tokyo Olympics turned sour for both though, with Uchimura failing to qualify in his signature highbar event and Yulo crashing out of the floor exercise and missing the bronze in vault at fourth place. “Uchimura performs as if he never goes wrong in his routines, that’s why he’s called the ‘King.’ And I really wanted to be like him,” Yulo said. “I idolize him so much, he’s one of the reasons why I want to excel in world gymnastics.” “I’m happy for him,” said Yulo of his idol deciding to retire. “I don’t know if he is satisfied with what he has achieved, but I’m pretty sure he did well in our sport. He’s an amazing athlete, with a lot of impressive memories to ponder.” Uchimura, Yulo said, will always be a legend in the gymnastics world.

Pascua won titles in the Philippine Superliga in the 2014 Grand Prix and 2015 All-Filipino and guided Cignal to the 2017 Invitational championship. He coached Sta. Lucia in 2018. He is the current head coach of Far Eastern University, a position he has held since 2017, and is also an assistant coach of the national women’s team. Pascua tapped Raffy Mosuela, Mike Santos and Manolo Refugia as assistant coaches and Paolo Escaño as strength and conditioning coach. The 2022 PVL Open Conference is tentatively starts on February 16.

ONITO “THE FLASH” DONAIRE JR. emerged as the finest performer for the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) for the merry month of December. Although there were shining moments in chess, karate and golf, boxing took the main spotlight with Donaire, 39, pulling off another breakthrough win in Carson City, California, to retain his World Boxing Council bantamweight crown last December 11. The Filipino-American puncher was in full control over mandatory challenger Reymart Gaballo, whom he floored with a wicked body shot in the fourth round. It wasn’t all too sparkling for boxing though as John Riel Casimero couldn’t defend his World Boxing Organization bantamweight jewel after getting sick on the eve of his fight in Dubai where Jayson Mama faltered in winning the International Boxing Federation flyweight crown. Also, Robert Paradero was knocked out in an attempt to win the super World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight belt in Phuket during the month, and Vic Saludar lost his WBA strap in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic three days before Christmas. Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna also made a lot of heads turn. Frayna outplayed Shania Mae Mendoza to capture the National Women’s Championship title to solidify her status as the country’s top female chess player. Karate also provided fireworks heading into the last few days of 2021 with Junna Tsukii and Jamie Lim bringing home silver medals from the Asian Karate Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Tsukii bowed to hometown entry Moldir Zhangbyrbay in the -50 kgs division, while Lim lost to Sarah Almeri of the United Arab Emirates in the -61 kgs class. Sam Dizon topped the girls division of the Singapore Junior Golf Championships at the Keppel Club to put golf inside the radar. In the local front, Manila Southwoods ran away with the Fil Championships, while Time Cargo ruled the Am Championships at the Fil-Am Invitational at the Baguio Country Club. The Philippine Basketball Association, meanwhile, got a sense of normalcy when it kicked off the Governors’ Cup in Metro Manila.

Bornea takes on Obbadi in Mexico

NBEATEN Jade “Hurricane” Bornea battles ItalianMoroccan Mohammed Obbadi on Saturday in a world title eliminator bout for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight belt at the Auditorio in Jacales in Monterrey, Mexico. Bornea, 26, of General Santos City, tipped the scales at 114.5 pounds during the formal weighin on Friday, while his 28-year-old opponent weighed 113.8 pounds to make it to their 10-round showdown co-promoted by Probellum and BXSTRS. “I have worked so hard in the gym since my amateur career. This is my chance of a lifetime,” Bornea, undefeated in 16 fights with 10 knockouts, said. “I can’t afford to let it slip away. I will represent my country in Mexico and I will come home with the win.” A win by the IBF’s No. 7 Bornea will make him a mandatory challenger to IBF world super flyweight titleholder Jerwin Ancajas, who is presently training in Los Angeles for his upcoming showdown with Daniel Martinez of Argentina next month. Obbadi has 22 wins and one loss with 13 knockouts. Josef Ramos