Trade gap widens 38%; exports, imports grow slower
THE country’s lackluster external trade performance in December 2022 left exports and imports posting slower full-year growth compared to last year, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The data also showed the country’s trade deficit reached $53.318 billion in 2022, a 38.1-percent growth from the $42.2 billion in 2021.
In December 2022, the deficit reached $4.6 billion, a 10.2-percent decline from the $5.1 billion in December 2021. The balance of trade in goods (BoT-G) is the difference between the value of export and
import, PSA said. PSA data showed exports contracted 9.7 percent while imports declined 9.9 percent. As a result, export earnings only grew 5.6 percent while the growth in import receipts slowed to 17.3 percent.
In 2021, PSA data showed exports posted a full-year growth of 14.5 percent while imports grew 30.1 percent.
The year-to-date annual total export earnings from January to December 2022 amounted to $78.84 billion. The year-to-date annual total import value amounted to $137.16 billion.
As a result, the country’s total external trade in goods amount -
ed to $215.99 billion in 2022, a 12.8-percent growth from the $191.536 billion in 2021.
For December 2022, the country’s total external trade in goods amounted to $15.93 billion, a contraction of 9.9 percent from its level in the same period of the previous year.
Electronics
M E ANWHILE , P SA data showed electronic products continued to be the country’s primary export and import in December and the full year of 2022.
Exports of electronic products reached $45.58 billion in the January to December period while in
December, export earnings reached $3.17 billion.
Imports of these products amounted to $32.79 billion from January to December and reached $2.42 billion in the last month of 2022.
Meanwhile, the top gainers in terms of exports for the full year of 2022 were Iron and Steel, with an average growth of 97.1 percent; Seaweeds and Carrageenan, 56.6 percent; Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis, 49.9 percent; Coconut Oil, 46.7; and Mangoes, 37 percent.
See “Trade,” A2
On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) disclosed t hat the economy grew 7.6 percent, the fastest in 46 years or in 1976 when GDP rose 8.8 percent.
In the last quarter of 2022, the PSA reported, the economy grew 7.2 percent, marking the seventh consecutive month of growth since the second quarter of 2021.
“It’s not enough that our economy is growing,” National Economic a nd Development Authority (Neda) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said. “On a per capita basis, we actually haven’t recovered yet the
2019 per capita income level. So, we are not there yet.”
Based on data shared by National Statistician Claire Dennis S. M apa, the country’s GDP in current prices reached P22.02 trillion in 2022 from P19.41 trillion in 2021; P17.95 trillion in 2020; and P19.52 trillion in 2019.
In constant prices, which is adjusted for inflation, GDP was at P 19.95 trillion from P18.54 trillion in 2021; P17.54 trillion in 2020; and P19.38 trillion in 2019.
By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM
Special to the BusinessMirror
REVENGE travel in most parts of the world will lead a number of regions to return to pre-pandemic tourism levels this year, but global political and economic realities could impact on plans.
theless expected to increasingly seek value for money and travel closer to home in response to the challenging economic climate.”
Sen. risa hontiveros, and house Speaker Martin romualdez, among others. In photo, from left : house Speaker Martin romualdez, SM Supermalls President Steven tan, First lady liza araneta Marcos, and Iloilo city Mayor treñas. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
In its latest report, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said, “After stronger-than-expected recovery in 2022, this year could see international tourist arrivals return to pre-pandemic levels in Europe and the Middle East. Tourists are none -
The UNWTO projects international tourist arrivals could reach some 1.2 billion to 1.4 billion this year, “depending on the extent of the economic slowdown, the ongoing recovery of travel in Asia and the Pacific, and the evolution of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, among other factors.”
Latest data compiled by UNWTO show over 900 million international arrivals in 2022, double the number recorded in 2021.
MALACAÑANG on Thursday attributed the 7.6 percent fullyear economic growth last year to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “economic stewardship.”
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) noted the policies which were implemented by Marcos since he assumed the presidency in July, particularly in handling the pandemic, helped accelerate the country’s economic development.
See “Palace,” A2
THE Philippine economy may have breached P20 trillion for the first time, but per capita incomes of Filipinos are not yet back to what they were before the pandemic.
Tourism...
Continued from A1
Last year’s numbers, however, were still just 63 percent of prepandemic levels. In 2019, international tourist arrivals reached almost 1.5 billion.
Largest arrivals growth in Mideast
Ev E ry re gion recorded significant increases in international tourist arrivals, with the Middle East leading the way, at 83 percent of prepandemic numbers (60.3 million tourists); followed by Europe, at nearly 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels (585 million) in 2022. Africa (45 million) and the Americas (142.4 million) both recovered about 65 percent of their pre-pandemic visitors, while Asia and the Pacific reached only 23 percent, at 84.4 million arrivals, “due to stronger pandemic-related restrictions which
Palace...
Continued from A1
“The administration’s improved Covid-19 [novel coronavirus disease] risk management and the easing of mobility restrictions have created a positive economic outlook, boosting economic activity and creating more jobs despite external headwinds,” the PCO said.
have started to be removed only in recent months.”
In a news statement, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “A new year brings more reason for optimism for global tourism. UNWTO anticipates a strong year for the sector even in the face of diverse challenges including the economic situation and continued geopolitical uncertainty. Economic factors may influence how people travel in 2023 and UNWTO expects demand for domestic and regional travel to remain strong and help drive the sector's wider recovery.”
The recovery of international tourism this year is expected to be strengthened with the recent reopening of mainland China to international travel, which the UNWTO described as a “significant step.” China was the largest outbound travel market in 2019, with 155 million trips taken, generating some US$255 billion in expenditures.
“In the short term, the resumption of travel from China is likely
On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last year accelerated to 7.6 percent—the highest in 46 years since the recorded 8.8-percent growth in 1976.
Among the top performing industries last year were wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 8.7 percent; manufacturing, 5.0 percent; and Construction.
to benefit Asian destinations in particular. However, this will be shaped by the availability and cost of air travel, visa regulations and Covid-19 related restrictions in the destinations. By mid-January a total of 32 countries had imposed specific travel restrictions related to travel from China, mostly in Asia and Europe,” noted the UNWTO.
Russia, inflation still weigh heavy Americans continue to be the current drivers of international travel, especially with the strong greenback, and will thus keep boosting travel flows in many regions, including Europe this year.
Higher spending by international travelers has been also recorded by most destinations, the tourism organization noted, “… in several cases higher than their growth in arrivals. This has been supported by the increase in average spending per trip due to longer periods of stay, the willingness by travelers to spend more
To note, PSA already reported in November that the country's GDP in the second quarter of 2022, when former President r o drigo r Duterte was still in power, was already at 7.5 percent.
With the positive developments, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is hopeful the country is on track for reaching its economic targets by 2028, including an annual GDP growth rate of 6.5 percent to 8 percent.
in their destination and higher travel costs due to inflation.”
Highest increases in tourism receipts above pre-pandemic levels last year were recorded by Turkey (+40 percent), r o mania (+25 percent), Mexico (+13 percent), Portugal (+15 percent), Latvia (+14 percent), Pakistan and Morocco (both +6 percent), and France (+1 percent).
Still, global economic and political developments could result in a more cautious attitude among travelers, who may spend less, take shorter trips, and travel closer to home. Economists from the UN have projected global inflation to reach 6.5 percent this year, with growth slowing to 1.9 percent.
“Furthermore, continued uncertainty caused by the r u ssian aggression against Ukraine and other mounting geopolitical tensions, as well as health challenges related to Covid-19 also represent downside risks and could weigh on tourism’s recovery in the months ahead,” said the UNWTO.
Minimal impact
DESPITE t he much touted economic growth last year, labor groups lamented how most people did not “feel” its benefits.
Partido Manggagawa (PM) chairman r e nato Magtubo said minimum wage rates could barely keep up with soaring inflation despite the economic growth enjoyed by the business sector.
“Simply put, the growth went more to the employers’ profit and less to workers’ benefits. Evidence of this inconvenient truth is the fact that workers' average wage today is considered starvation wages due to high prices of goods and basic services and the country,” Magtubo said.
Last year, the regional wage boards finally implemented P16 to P110 minimum wage hikes in their respective jurisdictions after they failed to grant similar increases in 2020 and 2021 due to the onset of the pandemic.
For his part. Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) v ic e President Luis Corral pointed out how workers for forced to deal with high inflation and unemployment despite the reported economic growth.
“Inflation remains high at 8.1 percent in December 2022, driven by food inflation at 10.2 percent wherein vegetable inflation is as high as 32.4 percent. While unemployment continues to drop, underemployment remains in double digits at 14.4 percent in November 2022,” Corral said.
“Growth, to be fully meaningful, must be inclusive. Growth, to be genuinely felt by all, must also trickle down more quickly. As it is, what is still being felt by the poor is the surge in the prices of basic goods and services,” he added.
Sustainability
L A BOr groups also expressed concern on the sustainability of the economic gains last year.
Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENT rO) Secretary General Josua Mata said existing challenges in the global economy could hamper economic growth in the coming months. The government, he said, could offset the impact of such external factors by providing a conducive environment for business and labor.
“Without a significant source of stimulus we might see slower GDP growth this year. This will slow down employment creation this year unless the government rolls out active labor market policies like jobs guarantee, etc.,” Mata said.
Federation of Free Workers President Sonny Matula also echoed Mata’s calls for systemic reforms especially for sectors with high employment potential such as agriculture and manufacturing.
“We look at agro-industrialization as a source of quality jobs. Agriculture and manufacturing need to be integrated,” Matula said. He said both sectors still suffer from rampant incidents of precarious jobs, where workers suffer exploitative contractual arrangements.
Samuel P. MedenillaGrowth...
Continued from A1
However, per capita gross national income in current prices reached P209,012 in 2022. This has exceeded the per capita gross national income of the country at P200,135 in 2019.
Per capita gross national income in constant prices, nonetheless, showed Filipinos only earned P188,939 in 2022. This is lower than the P198,522 per capita gross national income in 2019.
‘Policy biases’ C U rr E NT pr ices are different from real prices, and population has likewise increased,” Action for Economic r e forms (AE r ) Coordinator Filomeno Sta. Ana told the BusinessMirror . “ r e al prices are adjusted to inflation.”
Sta. Ana also said per capita incomes remain below the 2019 level because some of the “policy biases” of the administration are “exacerbating the food crisis.”
He called “half-baked” measures to address the affordability and accessibility of goods like sugar and onion. He noted that instead of focusing on creating new sources of funding for taxes, the government wanted to create a Maharlika Fund.
“Government policy making is astray. Government is not focused on addressing the high prices and the need for fiscal consolidation without impairing essential spending for health, education, climate change,” Sta. Ana said.
Ateneo de Manila University’s Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr.agreed with Balisacan when the latter said the economy’s near-8 percent growth in 2022 was not enough to increase per capita incomes.
Lanzona said the country’s recovery is slower than expected and “does not benefit everyone equally.” He said much of the country’s growth in 2022 was base effects and can only be felt by a number of sectors in the population.
“The inability to have reached prepandemic rates is due to the fact that GDP decreased by a very large amount during the pandemic so that even a growth rate close to 8 percent is not enough,” Lanzona said.
Given that base effects are expected to wear off, Lanzona said, the government’s efforts should not be “business as usual.”
Government programs and plans, he said, need to be more aggressive, particularly in responding to the scarring effects caused by the pandemic.
Simply inviting investors to come to the Philippines will not fulfill the country's economic goals. “Inviting foreign investors will be futile unless we place the economy in much better standing. All those con -
gratulatory remarks given in Davos are for nothing.”
Exceeding targets B A LISACAN s aid the performance of the economy exceeded the target set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) of 6.5 to 7.5 percent in 2022.
The fourth-quarter GDP growth, Balisacan added, also exceeded the median analyst forecast of 6.8 percent.
He noted that performance in the last quarter of 2022 made the Philippines the fastest-growing economy in the region. It is trailed by v i etnam which grew 5.9 percent and China, 2.9 percent.
“We also observed an improvement in the quality of employment relative to the same period last year, as more workers found stable work in private establishments and became employed in full-time jobs,” Balisacan said.
“With the resumption of face-to-face classes, the boost in the activity of the small and large enterprises alike, and the resurgence of local tourism causing ripple effects towards the recovery of all the other sectors affected by the pandemic, we are confident that we will remain in our high growth trajectory,” he added.
The PSA said the main contributors to the fourth-quarter 2022 growth were: Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 8.7 percent; Financial and insurance activities, 9.8 percent; and Manufacturing, 4.2 percent.
For full-year 2022, industries which contributed most to the annual growth were: Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 8.7 percent; Manufacturing, 5 percent; and Construction, 12.7 percent. Among major economic sectors, Industry and Services posted positive growths in the fourth quarter of 2022 with 4.8 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, Agriculture, forestry, and fishing (AFF) shrank by -0.3 percent. On an annual basis, AFF, Industry, and Services all posted positive growths with 0.5 percent, 6.7 percent, and 9.2 percent, respectively.
On the demand side, Household Final Consumption Expenditure (HFCE) grew by 7 percent in the fourth quarter. Government Final Consumption Expenditure (GFCE), 3.3 percent; Gross capital formation, 5.9 percent; Exports of goods and services, 14.6 percent; and Imports of goods and services, 5.9 percent were other sources of growth for the quarter.
In 2022, HFCE grew by 8.3 percent; GFCE, 5 percent; Gross capital formation, 16.8 percent; Exports of goods and services, 10.7 percent; and Imports of goods and services, 13.1 percent.
Trade...
Continued from A1
The other exports that posted the highest growth in 2022 were Copper Concentrates which grew 34.8 percent; Telecommunication, 31.4 percent; Baby Carriage, Toys, Games, and Sporting Goods, 23.2 percent; Petroleum Products, 21.5 percent; and Control and Instrumentation, 16.5 percent.
Products that saw the steepest decline in exports in 2022 were Other Coconut Product which contracted 30.9 percent; Abaca Fibers, 28.8 percent; Basketworks, 27.6 percent; Other Agro-based, 25.2 percent; and Office Equipment, 20.3 percent.
The list also included Woodcrafts and Furniture which contracted 17.9 percent; Electronic Data Processing, 17.4 percent; Plywood, 16.9 percent; Christmas Decor, 16.2 percent; and Metal Components, 14.1 percent. Cai U. Ordinario
The Nation
Army readies court martial proceedings vs Durante, 6 soldiers, over Chua-Plaza killing
By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM & Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chiefof the 10th Infantry Division while some others remain at large.
T he police charged nine suspects in the killing of Plaza, seven of them soldiers, including Durante, who had been tagged by self-confessed gunman, Sgt. Delfin Sialsa Jr. as the mastermind and who ordered the murder through Licyayo.
Investigators tagged Plaza’s killing as a crime of passion since Durante and Plaza were reportedly into a relationship in the past.
I n a radio interview, Brawner assured Durante and his men will not be given special treatment while under the custody of the Army.
T he police charged Durante, who has been relieved as commander of the 1001st Infantry Brigade, his former deputy, Col. Michael Licyayo, and five other soldiers, on Wednesday with murder over Chua-Plaza’s killing.
The Army relieved Durante, Licyayo and their five subordinates of their posts after the charges were filed before the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office.
Brawner said Durante and his men will face the administrative side of the criminal charges filed against them before a civilian body by way of a court martial proceedings, where,
if proven guilty, will drop them from the service and would result in the forfeiture any of their benefits as Army soldiers.
He said the Army would take custody of the soldiers while the civilian court is hearing their criminal cases.
Durante, also former commander of the Presidential Security Group during the term of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, and Licyayo, have are already been restricted at the headquarters of the Army, while some of the suspects, including the alleged gunman, are with the police. Others suspects are in the custody
We will not tolerate these kinds of wrongdoings or criminal acts, regardless of the ranks of our soldiers,” Brawner assured. “Officers or enlisted personnel, we will treat them equally.”
“ We will have custody over them. We have a Custodial Center, this is also like a detention center, it is possible that they will be held there for safekeeping while the charges against them are being heard,” Brawner added.
T he Army chief said a military court would carry out the court martial proceedings against Durante and his men, while the criminal cases will undergo civilian court trial in Davao City.
Since those involved in the killing of Plaza are soldiers and were apparently ordered by Durante through Licyayo, who provided the logistics, Brawner cautioned soldiers to always be discerning of their superiors’ orders and be ready to beg off them when they know such orders were illegal.
He said the soldiers could always report to the headquarters if they have been given directives that they knew are somewhat out of order.
Awaiting for prosecutor’s resolution
DAVAO policemen, meanwhile, said they are awaiting the resolution of the prosecutor’s investigation into the murder of Chua-Plaza before it would proceed with effecting the arrest of a Durante and his accomplices.
C hief of Police Col. Alberto Lupaz said Durante and his cohorts have been detained at Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio pending the resolution of the case filed at the City Prosecution Office.
He said the police would wait for the resolution of the case, which would be followed by the issuance of a warrant of arrest.
Regional Police Commander, Brig. Gen. Benjamin Silo Jr., said they would also await the resolution so that his office would also issue a local bulletin
PBBM to bare ‘Build Better More’ project list next week
leading to a hold departure order when the arrest warrant would be issued.
Lupaz described the incident was a “crime of passion.”
T he police’s Special Investigation Task Group has identified Durante as the mastermind of the killing of Plaza, after the hooded gunmen confessed to the killing, pointing at Durante as the one who ordered to kill Chua-Plaza.
T he police traced and identified the motorcycle-riding gunmen who all turned out to be soldiers under the 1001st Brigade.
T he SITG identified the gunmen as Staff Sergeant Gilbert Plaza, the team leader, Corporal Adrian Cashero, motorcycle driver and Private First Class Delfin Sialsa who was seen in a closed circuit television camera as shooting Chua-Plaza at close range.
T he police also identified Cpl. Longakit and Cpl. Cabal as involved in the case, saying they were assigned to conduct the surveillance on the victim.
T he SITG said Sialsa pointed at Durante as the mastermind, and Cashero pointed at Col. Michael Licyayo, deputy brigade commander as the one who pointed to them the location of the victim’s house.
T he victim was shot dead on December 29.
Loyzaga shuffles key DENR officials, creates new posts
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayugaDEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga has issued a series of special orders on January 23, 24 and 25, creating new positions and designating key officials with specific tasks and functions.
Some of officials were named to newly created positions or office, somehow, duplicating existing the functions of other offices or officials who already have multiple functions under their present designation.
On January 23, invoking “in the interest of the service,” Loyzaga assigned Undersecretary Ignatius Loyola A. Rodriguez as undersecretary for Special Concerns and Legislative Affairs.
T he function of the newly created
position is to maintain an awareness of development that might affect the DENR, its property, personnel and prepare reports for the DENR chief.
It was noted that this is may have the same function of the existing Office of the Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and Administration.
With his new designation, Rodriguez will also assist in the review of documents for the signature of the Secretary, including correspondences, certifications, memos, circulars, orders, permits, contracts, and agreements, to ensure that they comply with relevant statutes and regulations.
A s the undersecretary for the said office, Rodriguez will also handle priority areas, which necessitates special and immediate attention.
Meanwhile, Carlos Primo C. David has been assigned as undersecretary
for Integrated Environmental Science, another newly created position, to supervise the Geospatial Database Office; lead discussions in policy formulation, and required changes in the regulatory functions of DENR bureaus and attached agencies.
A s undersecretary for Integrated Environmental Science, he will also be tasked to promote the use of science in the performance of all DENR bureaus and attached agencies; in policy formulation in the regulatory functions of the DENR, and liaise with the different National Government Agencies on scientific and technical matters.
A ssistant Secretary Joan A. Lagunda, meanwhile, is reassigned to the Office of David.
T he DENR currently has the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), the agency’s princi-
pal research and development unit.
In another order, Loyzaga has designated Undersecretary Marilou G. Erni as undersecretary for Strategic Communications who will supervise the Strategic Communication and Initiative Service (SCIS) on top of her present assignment as chief of staff of DENR.
Subsequently, Loyzaga has named Karmela Beatriz L. Galura as Director for Strategic Communications. The DENR chief has also directed the Financial Management Service to allocate funds for the SCIS.
O n January 11, Loyzaga has given Undersecretary Augusto D. dela Peña the assignment as Supervising Undersecretary of the Human Resource Development Service, formerly assigned to Undersecretary Ernesto D. Adobo Jr.
A s such, dela Peña is now the
DENR’s undersecretary for Organizational Transformation and Human Resources.
Meanwhile, in view of the retirement of Director Tirzo P. Parian, Loyzaga has named Arleigh J. Adorable as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Assistant Secretary for Field Operations-Western Mindanao.
A ssistant Secretary Marcial C. Amaro Jr. has been named as Director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) replacing former OIC Director Natividad Bernardino. Armida P. Andres was named as OIC Assistant Director of the BMB.
For the EMB, Loyzaga has named Gilbert Gonzales as director. He will be performing the function as EMB Director in concurrent capacity as OIC Assistant Secretary for Luzon and Visayas. Esperanza A. Sajul was named as Assistant Director of the EMB.
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinarioTHE administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expected to release a list of Build Better More (BBM) projects, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
O n the sidelines of a briefing on the country’s economic performance on Thursday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the President would announce the BBM projects list next week.
B alisacan said the list, which is still being firmed up by the government, would include projects inherited from the previous administration as well as new ones that will be undertaken under the Marcos government.
“Many of these are coming from [the] previous [administrations]. As we’ve mentioned, we will continue programs and projects, activities that were left by the previous government, if these are productive [and] useful, especially if they have already passed the Neda screening process, then we have more reason to believe that these are productive projects and so they should be continued,” Balisacan said.
In Frankfurt, Germany earlier this week, Balisacan mentioned that government agencies have identified over 3,600 projects worth $372 billion that will be included in the Public Investment Program (PIP) and the Three-year Rolling Infrastructure Plan (TRIP).
B alisacan said included in this list are 206 projects worth $159 billion that will be included in the Marcos administration’s own “flagship” projects. H e said the bulk of these projects or 136 of them are on physical connectivity; 42 are in water resources; nine in digital connectivity; eight in health; two in power and energy; and another nine in other sectors.
Balisacan said by the end of December 2022, the government has identified 87 projects worth $54 billion that will be undertaken via Public Private Partnership (PPP). A number of these projects will be included in the Marcos administration’s flagship list.
SC orders start of trial proceedings in Chingkoe, Andutan tax fraud case
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573THE Supreme Court (SC) has given the Sandiganbayan the go-signal to proceed with the trial and disposition of the graft and estafa charges filed against textile company owner Grace Chingkoe and a former official of the Department of Finance in connection with the multimillion-peso tax credit scam more than two decades ago.
In a 26-page decision penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the Court’s Second Division held that the Sandiganbayan did not commit grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in denying the petition filed by Chingkoe and Uldarico Andutan Jr.’s motions to quash or dismiss the cases against them on the ground of violation of their constitutional right to due process and speedy disposition of cases.
C hingkoe was the corporate secretary of Filstar Textile Industrial Corp. that was incorporated in 1989. The company is a manufacturer and importerexporter of yarns, threads, laces and fabrics.
A ndutan was the former deputy executive director of the OneStop-Shop Inter-Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center of the
Department of Finance (DOF).
T he Court held that although a case may be dismissed on the ground of violation of the accused right to speedy disposition cases, the petitioners failed to invoke this constitutional right in a timely manner.
“ Here petitioners filed their motion to quash after the lapse of almost six years, after their arraignment, and only after public respondent rendered its resolutions. It can be reasonably assumed that the filing of the motion is a mere afterthought, and not because they experienced ‘vexatious, capricious, and oppressive delays’ during the preliminary investigation before the Office of the Ombudsman,” the SC said.
“For failing to follow the rules and sleeping on their right for almost six years, thereafter waiting until the information were filed with the respondent, after finding out that the cases against the other accused were dismissed on the basis of their violation of their right to speedy disposition of cases, petitioners evidently failed to timely assert their right to speedy disposition of cases. They are deemed to have assented to the delay,” it added.
T he Court also rejected the
petitioners’ claim of violation of their right to equal protection as the cases against other individuals implicated in the tax credit scam have already been dismissed.
T he SC pointed out that the accused failed to prove that they committed similar acts with the other accused for which they were charged with.
T he petitioners, according to the Court, also failed to show that they have the same arguments and evidence and that they went through the same proceedings but the outcome was different.
“Accordingly, there is no merit to their argument that their constitutional right to equal protection of the law has been violated,” the SC declared.
Accordingly, the petitions for certiorari are denied. The Sandiganbayan is hereby directed to dispose of Criminal Case nos. SB-09-CRM-0087, 0097, 0098, 0101, 0102, 0107, 0118, 0127, and 0128 with reasonable dispatch,” the Court ordered.
T he Ombudsman claimed the Chingkoes conspired with government officials in causing the issuance of the tax credit certificates (TCC) in favor of Filstar, even if it is not qualified to receive tax credit incentives under the Omnibus Investment Code of 1987.
T he TCCs were supposed to be used by Filstar to pay its tax and duties obligations but were instead transferred to oil companies Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell as payment for fuel excise tax.
C ourt records showed that on March 18, 2003, the Special Task Force 156 filed a complaint against officials of the One-StopShop Inter-Agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center, as well as private individuals, in connection with the irregularities in the issuance of TCCs.
A mong those accused were Chingkoe and Andutan.
A ndutan was accused of giving “unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference” to Filstar, Petron Corporation and Pilipinas Shell, by recommending approval of the evaluation reports of the tax credit application of Filstar and for subsequently recommending the approval and transfer of the TCCs from Filstar to Petron and Shell.
On the other hand, Chingkoe, the corporate secretary of Filstar, allegedly used and submitted spurious and falsified documents relative to the issuance of TCC in favor of Filstar, as well as the subsequent transfer of the TCCs to Petron and Pilipinas Shell in conspiracy with some government officials and employees.
ARMY Commanding General Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. reported on Thursday that Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante and his six men would undergo court martial proceedings over the killing of Davao City businesswoman and model Yvonnette Chua-Plaza.
www.businessmirror.com.ph
BusinessMirror Economy
Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, January 27, 2023
‘PHL on high economic growth path after 7.6% growth in ‘22’
By Andrea E. San Juan Speaker Martin G.HOUSE
Romualdez said Thursday
the Philippines could remain on the “high economic growth path,” and could even improve its 7.6-percent full-year expansion in 2022.
With the right policies that will continue to implement President Marcos’ Agenda for Prosperity roadmap, and with the existing close cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, we can build on our stellar economic performance,” Romualdez said in a news statement issued on Thursday.
T he Speaker made the statement after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced on Thursday that gross domestic product (GDP) in the October to December 2022 period grew by 7.2 percent, resulting in a full-year 7.6-percent growth in 2022.
T he growth rate exceeded the government’s GDP growth target for 2022, which is 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent, the Office of the Speaker said in the same statement.
R omualdez also stressed that the nation’s “economic showing” means that the prosperity roadmap
of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is on the “right track.”
T he Speaker also highlighted that the President’s decision to reopen the economy despite the pandemic “boosted” growth.
“ Under the able leadership of the President, the nation’s GDP has been above 7 percent for the first six months of his term,” Romualdez said.
PSA said Industry and Services posted positive growths in the fourth quarter of 2022 with 4.8 percent and 9.8 percent, respectively.
However, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AFF) posted a contraction of -0.3 percent.
In 2022, AFF, Industry, and Services all posted positive growths with 0.5 percent, 6.7 percent, and 9.2 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Speaker called on Congress to continue supporting the Agenda for Prosperity with the needed legislation, including the Maharlika Investment Fund bill and measures to speed up the country’s digital transformation.
Romualdez stressed “the enactment of these proposed pieces of legislation will further enhance our economic performance.”
I n a news statement in December 2022, Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said the Maharlika bill, which has been certified as an urgent measure, is designed to mobilize savings for augmenting funds for big-ticket infrastructure works and other priority programs meant to help the government improve the lives of all Filipinos.
Romualdez also said recalled that in December 2022, he stated that wealth fund “is intended to benefit future generations of Filipinos.”
Marcos endorsed House Bill 6608 as an urgent bill in December, enabling the House to pass it on second reading and then on third reading (by a 279-6 vote) before Congress went on its annual Christmas break from December 17 to January 22,2023.
Salceda ‘bullish‘
DESPITE fears of a global economic slowdown, House Ways and Means chair and Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said he is “bullish” about 2023 prospects for the Philippines.
“ The 2022 full year [gross domestic product] GDP growth rate of 7.6 percent, which exceeds the [Development Budget Coordinating Committee] DBCC targets, is a triumph
for the administration’s policy of allowing the recovery momentum to proceed in full swing,” Salceda said.
T he lawmaker attributed this “achievement” to affirmative policies to scale back Covid-19 restrictions following a reduction in risk, a recovering tourism sector and major leaders such as the business process outsourcing (BPO), electronics, and mining sectors.
S alceda also noted that this growth rate can be attributed to the continuation of a policy of opening up the country to investments and “reaffirming the country’s traditional economic partnerships with the world.”
However, the lawmaker stressed that what “catches” his attention in the GDP figures is “not the usual growth and recovery in consumption,” which he said is to be expected.
T he lawmaker also noted that what he’s excited for 2023 and for the medium-term is the growth in gross capital formation, saying that businesses are investing and their expenditures for those investments “reflected well” on the figures.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimates, gross capital formation grew by 16.8
percent year-on-year.
That bodes very well for 2023 and beyond. That means the business sector is optimistic about the need for more production in the coming years. Don’t bet against the Philippines in 2023,” Salceda said.
Meanwhile, Salceda is also seeing “a sliver of hope in the agriculture sector.”
Last year saw negative growth in breeding stocks and orchard development. That figure is now a very slight positive, at 0.3 percent,” the lawmaker said.
Salceda also pointed out that the energy sector appears to have some “momentum” based on the figures.
The liberalization of the energy generation sector has yielded some benefits already, and I expect those benefits to grow in the mediumterm. The growth in acquisition of power-generating equipment at 36.9 percent is staggering. This is the largest growth in expenditures on durable equipment except for water transport, which grew by an eye-popping 190.2 percent,” Salceda stressed.
In contrast, Salceda said that he expects inflation “to taper off in 2023 to more ‘normal’ levels. On the
elevated side of normal, at around 4 to 4.3 percent. We can do better with policies that undercut the cartels in the sugar, onion, frozen meats, and other key food sectors.”
“ That’s why we are doing work in the House Committee on Ways and Means to make policy and procedural reforms at the enforcement side so we can pop the price bubbles in the agri import sector,” the lawmaker said.
Salceda said, without a doubt, the country will “grow” in 2023. However, the best way to make that growth felt in the “most basic” sectors is to lower food prices.
T he lawmaker also explained that while the output of the BPO and electronics sectors is “not too dependent” on domestic conditions, how that output translates to household welfare is “dependent” on food prices in the country. We are now a service-driven economy. That means our people are our single most important economic asset. In such an economy cheap food, housing, reliable internet and public transportation are the fuel of sustained economic growth. That’s what our people need to keep going at it,” Salceda pointed out.
Pascual pushes ‘responsible globalization’ in WEF forum
TRADE Secretary Alfredo
THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the country imported almost 14,000 metric tons (MT) of galunggong, or round scad, during the closed fishing season to keep the price of the commodity stable in the market.
In a news statement issued on Thursday, BFAR said 13,856.64 MT or about 55 percent of the programmed 25,056.27 MT of galunggong have entered the country since the import program started in November last year.
“ The importation of frozen round scad, bigeye scad, mackerel, bonito, and moonfish for wet markets is consistent with the certificate of necessity to import signed by the DA on November 10 last year and is effective until January 31 this year,” it said.
“ The current 13,856.64 MT of imported fish augments the market demand for galunggong, whose supply is expected to be limited due to the annual implementation of the galunggong closed fishing season in
JTI Philippines has been certified as Top Employer for 2023 marking the second time that it has received the prestigious national accreditation. The award as the number two Top Employer in the country, further cements the JTI the company’s reputation where its people come first for the second consecutive year.
This achievement confirms JTI’s status as an employer of choice where its people are its priority and showcases its commitment to building a business for the long term in the Philippines.
J TI General Manager John Freda said the certification sends a strong message to current and future employees: investing in its team is the cornerstone of JTI’s strategy in the Philippines as the company recognizes that its people are its greatest assets.
“Putting people at the heart of everything we do is what makes JTI Philippines a unique Top Employer. We truly care about all our employees and they in turn also care about the company. We will always continue to make progress in improving our people’s well-being, supporting greater diversity and inclusion, and give all
the Northeast of Palawan,” it added.
T he BFAR pointed out that because of the import program the price of local galunggong has remained stable at P280 per kilogram (kg) while imported stocks fetched between P220 per kg to P240 per kg.
T he closed fishing season in the Northeast of Palawan is set to be lifted on February 1st. The government has been implementing the closed fishing season since 2015 to allow fish species to reproduce and grow during their spawning season and ensure sufficient supply in the country.
Since 2015, the periodic closure of commercial fishing activities in Palawan has continuously yielded significant positive outcomes in the production of galunggong. In 2021, the National Stock Assessment Program [NSAP] recorded an annual catch of 1,146 MT using ring, purse seine, and bagnet—an almost triple increase from the 453.89 MT annual catch logged in 2015,” BFAR said.
Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalasour colleagues the opportunity to develop a fulfilling career at JTI,” Freda said.
He added: “Being certified as #2 Top Employer in the Philippines for the second year in a row is a celebration of everyone at JTI who brings their passion and commitment to work, every single day. Our people are the ones who made us who we are today. And they are the ones who will continue to define us tomorrow.”
T he award recognizes JTI Philippines for its excellence in people practices covering the entire employee lifecycle. JTI employees benefit from the highstandard conditions created for them. More specifically, Top Employers Institute highlighted JTI’s implementation of diverse initiatives to promote employee well-being, ranging from informative webinars, sponsored sports activities and even the digital platform, LifeWorks, which is a confidential employee assistance program available 24/7 to support the mental, physical, emotional, and financial wellbeing of its Philippine team.
Furthermore, JTI was recognized for its focus on diversity and inclusion, which
E. Pascual participated in several forums at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that tackled crucial post-pandemic challenges such as “responsible globalization” and realizing the full potential of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), among others.
Apart from the investment pitches made to several business executives of companies during the WEF held in Davos, Switzerland from January 16 to 20, 2023, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Pascual also attended several forums and discussions.
One of the discussions, DTI said in a news statement issued on Thursday, was on Trade and Investment Leadership, which convened corporate CEOs and trade ministers to address uncertainties for continued global economic cooperation, climate issues, geopolitical polarization, supply concentration risks, and supply chain disruptions. T he trade department added that
the agenda in the said engagement included ensuring “open and resilient” markets in a fragmented world, easing physical and digital flows, and supporting “equitable and sustainable value chains.”
F urther, Pascual said, “ongoing reconfiguration of global value chains creates opportunities for emerging economies like the Philippines to attract foreign investments and participate in the supply and value chains of global industries.”
Meanwhile, the DTI also noted that Pascual participated in the workshop on realizing the full potential of RCEP. “ The full implementation and utilization of the Agreement will fuel the recovery and sustained growth of the region,” Pascual said.
Moreover, the trade chief said RCEP, which is touted as the world’s largest trade pact, “will also complement the economic recovery efforts implemented by the Philippine government, thereby ensuring the continuity of our upward economic
growth trajectory.”
Pascual, along with other DTI officials, have been pushing for the country’s accession to the said regional trade pact. In fact, they are hopeful that the Senate would approve RCEP within the first quarter of 2023.
D TI Assistant Secretary for Industry Development and Trade Policy Group (IDTPG) Allan B. Gepty said on the sidelines of the 2023 Economic Outlook Forum organized by the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) on Tuesday in Makati City that while the Philippines has not yet ratified its membership to the regional trade deal, RCEP parties are already enjoying the benefit of having a wide area for accumulating raw materials.
Gepty added that sourcing raw materials from the 14 members of the trade deal is “one big advantage” for the Philippines.
I n a message sent to reporters on Thursday through Viber, Pascual said the regional trade deal is
“pending with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, awaiting additional comments from stakeholders prior to drafting of Committee Report.”
Pascual added that once the Committee Report is completed, it could go to the plenary.
Meanwhile, the trade department said Pascual also engaged in the multilateral meeting on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Going Global which brought together the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, the Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, industry ministers, executives of financial institutions, and MSME advocates to discuss the challenges faced by small merchants in accessing global markets.
D uring the engagement on MSMEs, Pascual shared that DTI’s continuous efforts to facilitate the digital transformation of MSMEs and their access to modern technology, affordable financing, and wider markets. Andrea E. San Juan
Bohol LGU asks DENR, NWRB to settle spring water extraction issue with neighboring town
includes among others, its innovative Bright Start program that supports individuals from socially disadvantaged communities by giving them the opportunity to attain a college degree while simultaneously earning a salary and developing their careers at JTI. These programs, alongside its other world-leading initiatives, reinforce JTI Philippines’ status as a Top Employer.
Besides its Top Employer award last year, JTI was also accredited in 2021 by Investors in People for the third consecutive year and its factory was also presented with the Outstanding Employer Award by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).
“Top Employer is much more than just a certification we have won: it’s about our culture, and the people who live it every day here in the Philippines. It is a genuine employee celebration while also demonstrating the company’s commitment to enriching the world of work at JTI Philippines,” Freda concluded.
Internationally, JTI has also been recognized as one of only 15 Global Top Employers for the ninth consecutive year.
THE town of Sevilla in the province of Bohol has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to stop its neighboring town Balilihan from extracting water from a spring located in one of its barangays.
I n a letter to DENR Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga dated January 18, 2023, Sevilla town Mayor Juliet Dano said Balilihan’s P95million waterworks project “intruded our political jurisdiction in the installation of their infrastructure in Bugwak Spring… [which] is situated at Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol.”
A s indicated in their water permit, Dano stressed that the Balilihan local government unit should be extracting water from Bugwak
Jonathan L. MayugaSpring, Sto. Niño, Balilihan, Bohol. Instead, the neighboring town has been siphoning water from Bugwak Spring in Magsaysay, Sevilla, “contrary to their approved water permit.”
T he Sevilla town mayor sought DENR Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga’s “utmost attention and immediate action,” saying the implementation of Balilihan’s waterworks project is a clear violation of DENR rules for having no valid water and building permits.
D ENR’s National Water Resources Board (NWRB), which coordinates and regulates all water development and management in the country, has given the LGU of Balilihan permit to extract water within its own territory.
A side from DENR, Dano formally petitioned NWRB to stop Balilihan from extracting water from her municipality. She noted that Balilihan’s water permit is to appropriate water from its own territory, not Sevilla.
“
The actual [water] diversion point is located at Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol as evidenced by the installations made by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Bohol 1st Engineering District,” Dano said in her petition before the NWRB.
“
The requirements of Posting and Sending of Notice Under Section 9 of the Amended Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Water Code of the Philippines were not followed,” the petition read.
PHL imports 14,000 MT of ‘galunggong’ during closed fishing season–BFAR
Brief Job Description: Responsible for the development of customers in the management department, According to the marketing plan and the company’s established goals, lead the team to complete the department’s performance requirements and achieve the department’s established performance income, Comprehensively assist department employees to communicate with potential customers, and cooperate with relevant departments to formulate and complete the plan for customer requirement, Be forward-looking to the trend of the industry and the direction of customers, and be able to put forward constructive development directions and suggestions for the company, Able to manage the team and train the department staff.
global working experience and understand the different country culture; Highly organized with strong project management skills; Meticulous attention to detail; Proficiency in English and Chinese.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Widow of activist killed in ‘Bloody Sunday’ ops files MR on junked murder raps vs cops
By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573THE wife of slain activist Emmanuel “Manny” Asuncion asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday to reconsider its resolution which found lack of probable cause to charge 17 policemen for the crime of murder in connection with his killing during the so-called “Bloody Sunday” raids in Calabarzon provinces on March 7, 2021.
In a 20-page motion for reconsideration (MR), Liezel Asuncion, through her lawyer Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), maintained that the evidence her camp submitted were sufficient to indict the policemen for murder.
T he DOJ panel of prosecutors led by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan Parrocha earlier ruled that Asuncion was killed during a legitimate police operation after he exchanged gunfire with operatives.
A suncion was one of the nine human rights activists killed by the police during the “Bloody Sunday” raids.
T he panel also pointed out that Liezel failed to establish the identities of her husband’s alleged assailants, which led to the dismissal of the case.
T he DOJ said it considered the evidence presented by the complainant against the policemen as mere “circumstantial evidence.”
Complainant humbly requests this Honorable Office to take a second hard look at the pieces of evidence presented for its consideration,” the motion for reconsideration read.
She insisted that all the elements of murder—treachery, abuse of superior strength and evident premeditation— were present in the case.
The circumstances surrounding the case show clear conspiracy and evident premeditation. The fact is that nine unarmed activists were summarily killed on the same date and almost the same time, within minutes of purportedly serving the search warrant issued by the same Vice Executive Judges of the same court, on exact same charges. This came after former President Duterte gave orders to ‘kill all the activists’ in a public hearing,” the MR stated.
Liezel claimed that her husband was targeted pursuant to a virtual kill list under “COPLAN ASVAL.”
As the implementers of this police operation, all of the respondents must be held accountable for Manny’s untimely and brutal killing. All of the foregoing clearly shows that the 17 fully armed respondents killed the defenseless and unarmed victim,” she added.
T he MR also claimed that the respondent policemen’s defense “are general denial and alibi,” which should not be given credence.
T he motion also said positive identification can still be made even in the absence of eyewitness or direct evidence and that the DOJ should have considered all the evidence that it added is enough to find probable cause to indict the policemen for murder.
“It is [the] complainant’s humble submission that the circumstantial evidence, when taken altogether and following the guidelines laid down by jurisprudence in analyzing extrajudicial killings, inevitably point to the respondent-police officers, who acted in conspiracy with one another,
as the persons responsible,” the MR read.
T he same motion also asked Parrocha to inhibit from handling the case. Liezel pointed out that Parrocha is the head of the six-member Panel of Prosecutors of the Counter-Terrorism Task Force of the National Prosecution Service (NPS) of the DOJ.
She said the Counter-Terrorism Task Force of the NPS has been tasked to actively prosecute cases hurled against suspected and alleged members of the communist terrorist groups (CTGs).
Considering that Complainant’s husband, Emmanuel ‘Ka Manny’ Asuncion was targeted under the COPLAN ASVAL that was devised to neutralize and impair the alleged criminal operation of suspected members of CTGs, this taints the impartiality of the head of the panel of prosecutors from objectively considering the evidence presented by both parties,” the MR added.
“It is [also the] complainant’s humble submission to seek the voluntary recusal of Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Rodan G. Parrocha from further resolving this case,” the MR said.
service firearm
By Claudeth Mocon Ciriaco @claudethmc3A12 YEAR- OLD son of a policeman died after he accidentally shot himself with his father’s service firearm inside a comfort room of a school in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
B ased on the initial police investigation, at around 5:40 a.m., the Grade 6 pupil brought to Benito Nieto Elementary School, the Beretta pistol service firearm of his father and played with it inside the comfort room when he accidentally fired it, hitting his chin and the bullet exited his nose portion.
H e was rushed at Kairos Hospital and later on transferred at Skyline Hospital.
Police Colonel Ronaldo Lumactod, San Jose del Monte police chief, confirmed to the BusinessMirror that at 1:01 p.m., the boy was declared dead.
Mental health issue
DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) spokesperson Atty. Michael Tan Poa, when asked to comment on the incidents of violence in schools said, “We can see from the circumstances surrounding such incidents that they are related to mental health issues.”
It may be noted that last Friday, a Grade 7 student from a Quezon City high school was stabbed dead by his 15-yearold schoolmate.
The Department commits to seek out mental health experts and advocates to be able to formulate and implement effective programs to address such issues at the school level,” Poa said.
However, Lumactod contradicted the statement of Poa that the boy had mental health issue.
“Mali ang premise ng school o ng DepEd na may mental issue ang bata...,” he said in an interview over the phone.
T he boy, he said, is just curious about
firearm because he loves to play the computer game Counter Strike.
“Nakikita niya kasi naglalaro siya kaya siguro na curious siya pinaglaruan niya ’yung baril,” he added.
L ater, Poa clarified, “As a response to violence related to mental health concerns, the DepEd will seek experts to strengthen our mental health programs at the school level.”
Bomb threats
MEANWHILE , students and teaching and non-teaching personnel were evacuated to safer ground on Thursday as classes were temporarily halted at the Ponciano Bernardo High School in Kaunlaran, Cubao, Quezon City after a bomb threat sent through social media.
T he Quezon City Police Station 7 said they received the report at past 9 a.m. from school authorities that got the initial information through one of the teachers who read about the bomb threat from the
school’s Facebook page.
Members of the police explosives and ordinance division immediately responded to the school.
Last week, two similar incidents were also reported last week, at the New Era Elementary School in Culiat and at the San Francisco High School in Bago Bantay.
T he responding police officers found no explosives in the said schools.
In response to incidents related to security concerns, Poa said they will be coordinating with their counterparts in the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Z. Duterte has instructed our Field Operations to issue a directive for all Regional Offices and Schools Division Offices to coordinate with their PNP counterparts in the Region, Cities and Municipalities in identifying schools, which require spot inspections of weapons among personnel and learners, and subsequently, a report on the actions taken,” he said.
AFTER providing them with emergency rescue, evacuation, medical services, among others, in October last year, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) returned to Aklan on January 19, to provide food items and jerry cans, or water containers, to families hit by typhoon “Paeng.”
PRC Chairman and CEO Richard J. Gordon said that the move of the PRC is to help the affected families get back on their feet.
“Ginagawa po ng inyong Red Cross ang lahat ng aming makakaya para tulungan ang ating mga kababayan nang pangmatagalan, hanggang sila ay makabawi mula sa mga pinsala ng sakuna, kagaya ng Paeng, na tumama sa ating bansa noong Oktubre
[Your Red Cross is doing everything that we could to provide our countrymen long term help, until they can be able to recover with the damages brought about by Paeng that hit the country in October],” Gordon said.
A klan was among the provinces severely affected by Paeng, which made landfall on October 29 2022, and inundated several parts of the country, causing landslide and displacement.
Five hundred families from Barangays Cortes, Guanko, and Oquendo in Balete municipality were the recipients of the latest humanitarian assistance given by the Red Cross to people affected by Paeng. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau ChiefDAVAO CITY—The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) here said it would make the rounds among private hospitals and clinics in the region to add to its list of accredited health and medical facilities for a wider implementation of the Universal Health Care program.
Filbert Bryan Sollesta, chief of PhilHealth-Region 11 field operations division, said the agency has covered many of the regional health units and city health centers in the Davao Region last year, and has started to accredit also some of the private health facilities.
This year we will focus on having more private hospitals and health facilities accredited for the Universal Health Care program,” he told a regular Wednesday news conference sponsored by the Mindanao Development Authority at the Abreeza Mall here.
K leah Guevara, information officer of PhilHealth-11, said the agency would encourage private hospitals and medical facilities to apply for accreditation now. She said
the process would be easy “because we have an assessment tool in evaluating them.”
The PhilHealth already accredited 77 health and medical centers and facilities in the region, almost all of them operated and managed by the national and local government units. They have registered 520,247 beneficiaries and could accommodate as many as 1.6 million persons.
T he region is composed of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley), Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental (formed by the southern towns of Davao del Sur) and Davao City.
A PhilHealth powerpoint presentation said the agency has made headway in registering Filipinos to the program, which is designed to cover all Filipinos, including the indigents and senior citizens and others who could not afford the amortization required by the agency.
U nder its Konsulta program, it has registered some 100,930,678 nationwide from out of 113,118,255 total population. This is 89 percent coverage.
In the Davao Region, some 5,042,161 or 92.49 percent have been
registered from the region’s population of 5,451,448.
Davao City has the highest registration reaching 2,006,953, exceeding the city population of 1,913,809.
This could be explained by the option of non-residents to register here as they live with their relatives or have been working here.
D avao del Norte has 1,001,583 registrants from out of its population of 1,069,992 (94 percent). Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental have combined registered beneficiaries of 880,516 of out their combined total population of 1,065,848 (83 percent). Davao de Oro has 657,965 registered beneficiaries out of 787,004 (83 percent) and Davao Oriental registered 492,539 beneficiaries out of its population of 614,795 (80 percent).
T he PhilHealth said its Konsulta program is “the expended primary care benefit package available for all Filipinos and covers check-up and consultations with a primary care physician, laboratory tests and medicines for common illnesses like hypertension, asthma and diabetes.”
12-year boy dies after accidentally shooting self inside school with dad’s
The World
Friday, January 27, 2023
Editor: Angel R. Calso • www.businessmirror.com.ph
U.S. ECONOMY LIKELY SLOWED BUT STILL POSTED SOLID GROWTH IN Q4
By Paul Wiseman AP Economics WriterWASHINGTON—The US economy likely rolled out of 2022 with momentum, registering decent growth in the face of painful inflation, high interest rates and rising concern that a recession may be months away.
Economists have estimated that the gross domestic product—the broadest measure
of economic output—grew at a 2.3 percent annual pace from October through December, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.
The Commerce Department will issue its first of three estimates of fourth-quarter GDP growth at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time Thursday.
Despite a likely second straight quarter of expansion, the economy is widely expected to slow and then slide into a recession sometime in the coming months as increasingly high
interest rates, engineered by the Federal Reserve, take a toll. The Fed’s rate hikes have inflated borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, from mortgages to auto loans to corporate credit.
The housing market, which is especially vulnerable to higher loan rates, has been badly bruised: Sales of existing homes have dropped for 11 straight months. Investment in housing plunged at a 27 percent annual rate from July through September.
And consumer spending, which fuels roughly 70 percent of the entire economy, is likely to soften in the months ahead, along with the still-robust job market. The resilience of the labor market has been a major surprise. Last year, employers added 4.5 million jobs, second only to the 6.7 million that were added in 2021 in government records going back to 1940. And last month’s unemployment rate, 3.5 percent, matched a 53-year low.
Ukraine lauds Western move on tanks, while Russia attacks
FROM Washington to Berlin to Kyiv, a Western decision to send battle tanks to Ukraine was hailed enthusiastically. Moscow sought to downplay it.
The Kremlin has previously warned that such tank deliveries would be a dangerous escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, and it has strongly denounced the watershed move by Germany and the United States to send the heavy weaponry to its foe.
But it insists the new armor won’t stop Russia from achieving its goals in Ukraine.
“The potential it gives to the Ukrainian armed forces is clearly exaggerated,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “Those tanks will burn just like any others.”
Moscow played down the move in an apparent attempt to save face as the West raised the stakes in Ukraine. Some Russian experts also emphasized that the supply of the deadly armor will be relatively limited and could take months to reach the front.
On Thursday, Russia launched a new wave of missile and self-exploding drone attacks across Ukraine. The attack initially appeared to be a continuation of previous attacks rather than retaliation for the announcements on the tanks.
President Vladimir Putin, his diplomats and military leaders have repeatedly warned the West that supplying long-range weapons capable of striking deep inside Russia would mark a red line and trigger a massive retaliation.
While other weapons like tanks and certain air defense systems have drawn warnings from Russian officials, the wording has been deliberately vague, perhaps to allow the Kremlin to avoid getting cornered by making specific threats.
Poland, the Czech Republic and other Nato allies have provided Ukraine with hundreds of smaller Soviet-made tanks from the Cold War era when they were part of the Soviet bloc. Ukrainian armed forces, who have used similar aging weaponry, needed no extra training to use them. They played an important role on the battlefield, helping Ukraine reclaim broad swaths of territory in 11 months of fighting.
As Ukraine’s armored units suffered attrition and stockpiles of the old T-72 tanks ran dry in the arsenals of its allies in Central and Eastern Europe, Kyiv has increasingly pushed for delivery of German-made Leopard 2 and US M1 Abrams tanks.
After weeks of hesitation, Germany said Wednesday it will provide Ukraine with 14 Leopard 2 tanks and allow other allies willing to follow suit to deliver 88 Leopards to form two tank battalions. The U.S. announced it will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his officials, who long have said the country needs hundreds of tanks to counter a foe with a far superior number as well as other weapons, greeted the Western decision as a major breakthrough, voicing hope that more supplies will follow.
“The deliveries of Leopard 2 will take our ground forces to a qualitatively new level,” Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov told The Associated Press. Even though Leopard 2s are heavier than Soviet-designed tanks, they have a strong edge in firepower and survivability.
“One Leopard 2 could be equivalent to three or five Russian tanks,” Zhdanov said.
But he noted that the promised number of Western tanks represents only the minimum that Ukraine needs to repel a likely offensive by Moscow, adding that Russia has thousands of armored vehicles.
“Kyiv is preparing for a defensive operation, and its outcome will determine the future course of the conflict,” Zhdanov said.
Russian military analysts were more skeptical about the Western tanks, arguing that while Abrams proved clearly superior to older models of Soviet-built tanks during the war in Iraq, newer Russian models are more closely matched. They also charged that Leopard 2 tanks used by the Turkish army against the Kurds in Syria proved vulnerable to Soviet-era anti-tank weapons.
Some Russian online media quickly posted diagrams of the vulnerable points of the Leopard 2. “Hit Leopard as your grandfather hit Tiger and Panther!” one headline said, referring to Nazi tanks in World War II.
Andrei Kartapolov, a retired general who heads the defense affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament, argued that both Leopard 2 and Abrams are inferior to Russia’s T-90, a modified version of the T-72.
The latest Russian tank, the T-14 Armata, has been manufactured only in small numbers and so far hasn’t been used in the war. The British Ministry of Defense said in its latest intelligence update that Russia has worked to prepare a small batch of T-14s for deployment in Ukraine, but said it had engine and other problems.
Russian observers, meanwhile, noted it could take a significant time for the Western tanks to reach Ukraine, adding that training Ukrainians to use them and properly maintain them would add to the challenge.
“It likely means that the Ukrainian military will probably receive a few small batches of tanks that could be incompatible with each other,” Moscow-based defense analyst Ilya Kramnik said in a commentary.
Zhdanov, the Ukrainian military analyst, argued that by agreeing to provide Ukraine with tanks, the West crossed an important psychological barrier and could eventually follow up by supplying even more deadly weapons.
“Handing over Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine marks a major change in the policy of Western allies, who stopped fearing escalation and are now ready
to challenge Russia in the war of resources,” he said. “The West is forced to more widely open the doors to its military arsenals to Ukraine.”
Speaking in a video address late Wednesday, Zelenskyy hailed the creation of what he called a “tank coalition” and said Ukraine now will seek more artillery and push for unlocking supplies of long-range missiles and, ultimately, warplanes.
Ukrainian officials long have expressed hope for getting US F-16 fighter jets and long-range rockets for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, to hit targets far behind the front lines.
Such desires drew ominous remarks from Russian diplomat Konstantin Gavrilov, similar to the kind voiced earlier by Putin and others.
“If Washington and Nato give Kyiv
weapons to strike peaceful cities deep inside Russia and try to seize the territories that constitutionally belong to Russia, it will force Moscow to take harsh retaliatory action,” Gavrilov told a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “Don’t tell us then that we haven’t warned you.”
T he Associated Press reporter Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed.
How to kill PHL’s coconut industry
For the longest time, Federation of Philippine Industries Chairman Dr. Jesus L. Arranza has been fighting smuggling and other illicit trade that threaten local industries. recently, he sent a letter to President Marcos expressing grave concern over the alleged illegal use of imported palm olein, which threatens the country’s coconut industry.
In his letter to the President, Arranza said his group obtained verified information about unscrupulous palm olein traders, who allegedly are declaring their palm olein importations as animal feeds additives to avoid payment of value-added tax, among other duties.
On Tuesday, Arranza said the Office of the President has directed the Department of Agriculture to probe the illegal use of imported palm olein. “This response from the Office of the President is like receiving 10 doses of booster shots and strengthens our resolve to continue with the fight,” said Arranza, who also chairs the Fight Illicit Trade group. (Read, “Illegal use of imported palm olein robs govt of revenues,” in the BusinessMirror, January 25, 2023).
Arranza earlier wrote in his BusinessMirror column that a study done by the Center for Research and Communication Foundation, Inc. of the University of Asia and the Pacific found that palm oil is one of the products being smuggled into the Philippines in huge volumes. The study said the impact and multiplier effects of the smuggled goods from the eight industries studied resulted in P495.5 billion losses in the country’s gross domestic product, P1.1 trillion losses in gross output, P77.2 billion losses in household income, and 291,070 displaced workers.
“Coconut industry players have been complaining to me that imported palm olein has been flooding the market. Palm olein is the liquid fraction obtained during fractionation of palm oil, which involves crystallization under controlled temperature and removal of crystals by filtration. After this process, the oil product can be used for cooking. If this smuggled oil is sold in the country as such, it will kill the coconut oil industry,” Arranza said.
Since coconut oil is always priced much higher than palm olein, Arranza said these importers are allegedly “receiving another windfall of cash from substituting coconut oil with palm olein. This is naturally hurting the coconut farmers and industry.”
He added: “Our coconut oil is currently being used as biodiesel additive. Some of the complaints I received was that palm olein products are not only sold as cooking oil in the country; they are also being used as biodiesel additives, giving unfair competition to our coconut oil.”
What Arranza finds incredulous is the fact that importation of palm olein being declared as animal feeds additives has been growing by leaps and bounds despite the fact that the Philippine hog sector has been devastated by African swine fever outbreaks. In 2017, inspected net weight of palm olein imports was recorded at 2,781,370 kilograms; the figure went up to 8,515,376 in 2018.
“Here’s what I find anomalous: The Food and Agriculture Organization said that since the Department of Agriculture confirmed the first outbreak of African swine fever in the Philippines in July 2019, as of July 2022, 53 provinces, 704 cities and municipalities, and 3,832 barangays have experienced ASF outbreaks. There was an unresolved ASF outbreak until July 2022, but imports of palm olein being declared as additives to animal feeds surged to 14,281,972 kilograms in 2021,” Arranza said.
Arranza said he raised the issue before the Bureau of Animal Industry, which regulates the entry of palm olein for feed use, but did not get a satisfactory answer. The agency was not able to explain properly why the country’s imports of palm olein, as certified by BAI, rose last year despite hog farms still reeling from the effects of African swine fever.
Now that President Marcos has directed the Agriculture department to probe the illegal use of imported palm olein, we hope the agency will act with dispatch. This anomalous situation can cause a triple whammy to the country: First, the government will continue to lose billions of pesos in foregone revenues as a result of the misdeclaration of palm oil imports as animal feeds additives; second, palm olein imports unjustly compete with our coconut oil products in the market, which may ultimately kill the coconut industry; third, millions of jobs will be lost if coconut farmers stop planting the crop and coconut oil mills are forced to stop operations.
BusinessMirror
Caring for children with disabilities
sonny M. angara
Better Days
For couples blessed with children, there is nothing more gratifying than watching them grow up and become productive members of society with their own unique and individual personalities. But, in many instances, having a child could also be very challenging—especially when they are born with or end up acquiring a disability. Depending on the financial status of the parents, raising a child with disability could be extremely costly and oftentimes overwhelming for the couple.
A study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on the cost of raising children with disabilities in the Philippines was released in September last year, providing policymakers with very useful insights into what many Filipino families are dealing with and what steps need to be taken to help them deal with their unique circumstances.
Done in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Australian Aid, the study showed that raising a child with disabilities in the Philippines would entail expenditures 40 to 80 percent higher compared to raising a child without disabilities. This is due in large part to the additional costs for health expenditures considering the special needs of the disabled child. On top of this is the cost of education that could very well be higher
than what is required from families with children without disabilities.
The study estimated that there are around 325,000 children with disabilities across the country. The estimates were based on the number of children who have persons with disabilities identification cards (PWD ID). It also noted that as many as 1.27 million children with disabilities do not have PWD IDs. This means that one in every five children with disabilities do not have a PWD ID card.
Under Republic Act 9442, which my father, the former Senate President Ed Angara, introduced back in 2007, PWDs are entitled to a 20-percent discount on goods and services including medicines, domestic land, sea and air transport, restaurants, and medical and dental services. Educational assistance is also extended
to PWDs for them to pursue primary, secondary, tertiary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education, in both public and private schools, through the provision of scholarships, grants, financial aids, subsidies and other incentives.
In order to avail themselves of these benefits, qualified beneficiaries are required to secure PWD IDs. Hence, the huge number of children with disabilities who do not have PWD IDs is something that must be addressed swiftly.
Poor households obviously suffer the most in dealing with the financial requirements of raising children with disabilities. Without the necessary interventions, the medical needs of the children could easily be neglected and any hope for them to rehabilitate, become productive members of society or even to live long and fruitful lives would be extinguished.
It is also very likely that they will be out of school. There are almost 4 million out-of-school youths (OSYs) in the country and the reasons they have for dropping out vary. But around 50 percent of the OSYs belong to families whose income fall within the bottom 30 percent of the population based on their per capita income. For households with children with disabilities, the educational requirements would most likely be higher and more specialized so the costs would also be greater than what other children would incur.
This is where the special educa-
tion (SPED) program of the Department of Education plays a key role, and as we have done in the national budgets in the past, we ensured that this will continue to be funded this year. Under the 2023 General Appropriations Act, P580 million was allocated for the SPED, an amount that has gradually gone up every year—from P107 million in 2020 to P329.2 million in 2021 and P560.2 million in 2022.
There is clearly a need to go the extra mile in accounting for all the unregistered children with disabilities. This starts by raising awareness and with the help of the local government units, finding out how many households are covered, registering them and coming up with a centralized database that can be accessed by the national government agencies.
In the coming months we will be meeting with various stakeholders to see what can be done to address these issues. It is easy for these children to fall through the cracks, which is something that we must not allow to happen. Our laws and health care system should always be progressive and inclusive to ensure that no one is left behind.
Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate. E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara
China’s economic slowdown and why it matters for the PHL
Julian thomas B. alvarezeaGLe WatCH
CHInA, the world’s second largest economy, is experiencing economic slowdown. This poses spillover effects to Asia and the Pacific region, including the Philippines. China grew by 3 percent in 2022, short by 2.5 percentage points from its target. Even before the pandemic, China’s growth has already been on a gradual decline—from an average of 10 percent in 1980-2010 to single-digit growth rates in the last decade.
A confluence of factors hampered China’s economic prospects CHINA S slowdown partly reflects the trajectory of economies as they mature. However, this shift is hastened by a confluence of domestic and external factors, such as the real estate crisis, trade conflict with the USA, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, monetary tightening by major economies, and China’s stringent zero Covid policy. It also reflects China’s ongoing demographic transition.
China already reported a decline in its population, while India is expected to surpass it in terms of population size later this year. As the workingage population increasingly becomes lean, savings to support a growing base of elderly dependents would also most likely decline.
Why does China’s economic slowdown matter for the Philippines?
C H INA is one of the Philippines’s
major trading partners. The Philippines exports $11.5 billion worth of merchandise to China. Including Hong Kong and Macau, this figure goes as high as $21.5 billion, or 29 percent of our total merchandise exports. China is the Philippines’s second largest importer of goods next to USA. Meanwhile, the Philippines imports $28.2 billion worth of goods from China. China supplies 23 percent of Philippine goods imports, making it the largest trading partner of the country in terms of imports. In terms of services trade, the Philippines’s exports to China was at $3.1 billion, significantly larger than the country’s imports of services from China at $1.6 billion.
China’s role in the global value chains
AS the global manufacturing hub, China has been the “poster economy” for GVCs, which involve trade in parts and in tasks. While this international trade paradigm allowed countries to achieve higher growth rates, GVCs also made them vulnerable to economic shocks.
Failure in any segment of the assembly line could create ripple effects. The increasingly complicated chains of production imply that disruptions in China will not just affect its direct trading partners, but also the other economies that have direct and indirect trade relations with its networks, including the Philippines.
Chinese tourists in the Philippines
T H E Department of Tourism reported that there were 1.74 million Chinese visitors who travelled to the Philippines in 2019. This figure accounts for 21 percent of the total international arrivals in the country. The Covid-19 pandemic hit tourism-related sectors the hardest. Chinese visitors plummeted to 170,000 in 2020, to less than 10,000 in 2021. Consequently, the inbound tourism expenditure nosedived to P27.6 billion in 2021, down from P600 billion in 2019. The tight restrictions in international mobility in China continues to impede the recovery of tourism sector in the country.
See “Eagle Watch,” A17
Children learn better in a safe environment
By Shirley OnzaONe of the supreme responsibilities of educators is shaping young minds, and part of that responsibility is setting the tone for our students to make them feel safe and comfortable inside and even outside the classroom.
A safe learning environment goes beyond the classroom, it’s the intangible space that supports our students in the pursuit of knowledge that inspires curiosity, and that makes them feel empowered to participate in class discussions.
To achieve this, all stakeholders in the community need to do their share of the responsibility. From the school principal, teachers, parents, school staff and students, there must be mutual collaboration in order to have a model school where every learner can freely move about, play and learn without any worries from their parents of any violence or untoward happening in school.
When the threat of violence becomes part of the educational setting, all learners are affected in adverse ways.
even though your child may not be the actual victim of violence in school, there is a very good chance that he or she will witness violent acts throughout the educational years.
To provide a secure, caring, and peaceful environment that promotes learning that is conducive to the development of the whole studentry, school administrators must address several areas that may affect the learning condition of every learner in school—these include bullying, outside threats, and confrontational student-teacher relationship.
Over the years, the Department of education (Deped) has been very active in its campaign to promote child-friendly schools.
Eagle Watch . . .
continued from A16
Huge remittance inflows from Hong Kong and Macau
W HILe the total OFW remittances from mainland China is dwarfed by the remittances from other parts of the world, the strong economic interconnectedness between China and its special administrative regions also affects the volume of remittances received by the Philippines. Hong Kong alone employs 122,000 Filipinos, or 6.7 percent of the total OFWs in 2021. Cash remittances from Hong Kong amounted to $722.2 million, while remittances from Macau and mainland China amounted to $93.1 million and $24.2 million, respectively. Overall, remittances account for 9 percent of the Philippines’s GDP, which serve as a cushion against the impacts of economic shocks. Remittances also broaden the base of middle-income households and are significant source of financing human capital investments.
Guarded optimism amid China’s clouded economic prospects
U NC eRTAINTI e S still cloud the economic prospects of China. Given its sheer size and its significant economic links with the Philippines, the economic slowdown in China could create dents in the country’s growth potential.
In December 2022, China already eased up on its zero Covid policy. China’s growth is then expected to pick up, but the long-term structural challenges will linger and will continue to dampen its economic growth. The opening up of China’s economy is a welcome development as it will boost external demand of our goods and services. However, this also exerts upward pressure on the already soaring prices. Looking ahead, the Philippines must therefore retain its guarded optimism, and must prepare for headwinds that could result from our direct and indirect economic ties with China.
Mr. Julian Thomas B. Alvarez is a lecturer at the Department of Economics under the School of Social Sciences of Ateneo de Manila University.
For safety to become part of the climate of the school, the key is communication and consistency. Rules must be strictly observed for learners, while teachers must show model behavior for students to emulate.
There is nothing better than practicing kindness and showing genuine concern for the welfare of the students. For example, a simple act of removing a stone along the pathway can inspire a child to do the same wherever he goes. ex perts say that in order for learners to feel they belong, they must be encouraged to interact and join in all school activities. This is one way of nurturing camaraderie and improving teamwork with their classmates. When our learners feel that they are loved, they will start caring for others too.
Students are better prepared for learning when they are healthy, safe and happy. It is therefore every stakeholder’s paramount concern and responsibility to improve the learning environment in schools. Setting high academic expectations will only work if we provide positive reinforcement for our learners.
Research has shown that an engaged learning environment increases students’ attention and focus, promotes meaningful learning experiences, encourages higher levels of student performance, and motivates students to practice higherlevel critical thinking skills.
By modeling and encouraging a safe learning environment, teachers can help produce world-class graduates from a child friendly school. Our young learners are, after all, our best investment for the country’s future.
The author is Assistant Principal Designate at Ballesteros National High School, Senior High School Department in Ballesteros, Cagayan.
Tito Genova Valiente annoTaTionsAdeAr close friend passed on this week. We knew each other from elementary. He is best remembered as kind and sensitive, intelligent as well. Unlike most of us, who experienced the gross declaration of martial rule and lost bits of our dreams and ambitions under the dictatorship, he left the country quietly for the United States a few months after our high school graduation. We would learn later on that even in high school, the plan was already final for him to be in the Midwest.
He came back with much aplomb with a thick twang that turned off some of his acquaintances, but for those who knew him as a friend his newfound character and language were merely veneer. He remained the grounded, practical person we knew from way back, the individual who could amuse us no end. To our youthful timidity in high school before adults, he was sociable, and displayed great conversational skills.
We held on much longer to our adolescence compared to him who then seemed to rush into professional life. While we were grappling with career paths, he came back to the country with a tony trajectory in corporate banking. He provided us with a template for a success story that we may not have followed but nevertheless admired from afar.
His death still came as a surprise to those who knew him even after long reclusive years due to some unforeseen circumstances only he, in solitude, made sense of. At first we questioned what had become of this man, this friend who was the last person I, we, ever thought would opt for isolation after decades of bright existence. In the last six or more years, he had refused to see any one of us. Between him and those who
cared about him, there was nothing left but a respect for what we thought to be his desire for aloneness. But during class reunions or gatherings of friends, we would think of him. We talked about him and thought of ways to draw him from his cave and life with shadows. For me, there was not a day when I looked to that moment when he would reappear before us and in that loud, gregarious voice greet us again as if he just came from an aberrant affliction.
I was there on the second night of the wake. The first thing I noticed was the profusion of flowers and wreaths, the colors all in white except for one or two arrangements with yellow blooms among the designs. I wondered if he would be loving these expressions of sympathy; I almost was about to ask his only brother if the sky blue casket was his choice. These thoughts may come across as odd but I knew so much about my good friend; he was particular about his home, the antiques he collected, the paintings he curated for himself, the tidiness of his surroundings, and most of all, how outstanding are these material elements that pertained to his life.
You might say, but he is dead and the dead cannot care anymore for
earthly matters.
Did my generation talk about death or did we bracket our living by considering only life? In one of those amusingly loud conversations we engaged in, did my friend and I find the time, and did we offer ourselves the leisure of a pause, to quietly tackle the discourse of dying?
As a writer, I have mined wakes and funerals for the insights of humanity that could be drawn from those events. The end-results were essays that were piquant, saddled with irony and bristling with faithless sarcasm. The truth of the matter, however, is that there is nothing to be learned about death by the living. Pardon the absurdity of this idea: if there is one person that should learn about death, it should be the dead person. Here is the most obvious lesson: living has nothing to do with dying, and Life cannot learn anything from Death. This is the most merciless equation to solve and yet it is not open to any resolution.
We spend our life wondering about life, wandering in life. The life of a person is a never-ending quest for the meaning of life. We may not directly own this aim but this is what happens to all of us. Then death comes and all that search that should make life matter is dissipated. An end takes over. Some call this the Un-
Bidding goodbye to passing on Agrarian crisis rooted in failure to fulfill CARP’s triple tasks
meaning. A blank slate. A vanished horizon. Nothing of the surplus of emotions, the effusion in e.e. cummings’s “here is the root of the root, and the bud of the bud/and the sky of the sky of a tree called life…”
My good friend’s brother must have been surprised when I asked him, what about the properties?
The social beings in us have been persuaded by religions of all forms how we should not treasure material objects because we could never carry them to our grave. But precisely because we cannot bring these benevolent things of the earth that we should value them. Not of course the flippant things but the writings, the home, the garden, the dogs and cats that were our companions, the tiny candles from the cake your parents had gifted you, and many more. These define us in our life.
There is one more important thing to remember when we bid farewell to friends, to kin, to loved ones: let us not say, Rest in Power
That is a troubling goodbye. It burdens the dead with the most mortal of condemnations. Let us say, Rest in eternal happiness, and allow the unknown to take care of the business of sleep from then on.
Kaya, pahingalo na, amigo
E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com
TH e present food and agricultural crisis haunting the nation is rooted in the failure of the government to implement fully the agrarian reform program as envisioned by the framers of the Constitution and the Comprehensive Agrarian reform Law (CA r L) of 1988. This failure is one major reason for the persistence of mass poverty in the countryside and the continuous expansion nationwide of the army of landless rural poor, meaning those without land rights (excluded from the coverage of land transfer) and without stable or secure jobs.
What does the Constitution and CARL say about the goals of agrarian reform?
Section 1, Article 12, of the Constitution states: “The State shall promote industrialization and full employment based on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform.” CARL (Republic Act 6657) re-states the foregoing as follows:
“The welfare of the landless farmers and farmworkers will receive the highest consideration to promote social justice and to move the nation toward sound rural development and industrialization”.
A cursory look at the work of the Department of Agrarian Reform from the time of President Corazon Aquino up to the present shows that the overwhelming preoccupation of DAR has been on the acquisition and distribution of land for the benefit of eligible landless farmers. LAD is the imagined “social justice” component of CARP.
And yet, 35 years after CARL’s passage, LAD is unfinished. Many agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) are still not able to reach a higher level of economic well being, that is, to become full and capable owners of the land awarded to them. A big number of would-be beneficiaries have not received their land
titles. This is due primarily to legal bottlenecks and compensation issues in the land transfer process. DAR also has no coherent program to help transform the ARBs to become progressive and productive farm producers. Worse, there are CARP reversals such as the pawning, mortgaging and selling by some ARBs of their lands to old and new land-owning elites such as the rich land developers, speculators and “land bankers”.
Amazingly, DAR has also no program to address the concerns of the landless farm workers who cannot be accommodated under the LAD program. Many of these landless farm workers are children and grandchildren of ARBs and nonARB small farmers owning one hectare or less. Being ineligible under LAD, these landless and “most numerous” rural poor have to scrounge for jobs, no matter how marginal or low-paying, wherever these jobs can be found. In the process, they become what some sociologists call as the cheap “reserve army of labor” in commercial farms, fish canneries, sweatshop factories, informal construction sites and so on.
And yet, the solutions to the economic plight of the landless rural poor are not being addressed. As the
charter and CARL put it, agrarian reform has triple tasks: delivery of land justice, development of progressive rural communities, and promotion of agri-based industrialization. The fulfillment of these triple tasks means the transformation of ARB and non-ARB communities into stable and strong communities able to generate productive investments and jobs for all.
We have difficulty looking for policies and programs developed by DAR and Neda to address the foregoing agrarian reform triple tasks in a coherent or coordinated manner. What we see instead are limited gains and many weaknesses in the LAD implementation.
As to the promotion of sound agricultural development in rural communities, success is even more limited, as reflected in the present productivity crisis engulfing both the so-called agrarian reform communities (ARCs) and non-ARC areas. The truth is that DAR officials have been cognizant of the importance of transforming the ARCs into productive farming communities by proposing to funders projects to link the ARCs to markets and “support services”. But where are these successful ARCs today? Is there a genuine transformation of these ARCs? If so, what is the national impact of ARC transformation?
What is their contribution in easing the country’s hunger for food sufficiency at affordable prices for the consuming public?
The third agrarian reform task is linking or fusing agricultural development and industrialization. In the post-war development of Japan (and later in South Korea and Taiwan), this linkage was proven to be critical in the national development of a country. After all, the government can only distribute so much land. The creation of good quality jobs for the excluded landless lies in the industrialization of the country, with the progressive rural communities serving as an initial
We have difficulty looking for policies and programs developed by DAR and Neda to address the foregoing agrarian reform triple tasks in a coherent or coordinated manner. What we see instead are limited gains and many weaknesses in the LAD implementation.
base for industrial transformation and takeoff. In fact, the so-called needed strengthening of the value chains for various agricultural products requires the availability of supporting agri-industrial products and facilities.
Again, DAR and other government agencies such as Neda have very little to report on what they have done to ensure the country’s success in the agri-industrial transformation of ARC and non-ARC communities as well as in the overall industrialization of the country.
Note that in the 1970s, the Philippines was a leader in Southeast Asia in the development of fertilizer and agri-chemical industry, manufacture of tractors and agricultural machinery and the establishment of various agri processing facilities. But today, the industrial edge is eroded. The country has become more and more dependent not only in the importation of agricultural produce but also of various agriindustrial products.
The point is that if President Bongbong Marcos is serious in initiating reforms in the agricultural sector, a good starting point is a review of the 35-year-old CARP and the failure of past administrations in fulfilling the CARP’s triple tasks.
To summarize, the following need to be done:
First, the LAD component of CARP should be completed and CARP itself should move upward to a higher level of implementation:
—the transformation of ARBs and other small landowners-cultivators
into modern and productive agribusiness farmers (not to be confused with the big agribusiness corporations). Next, the ARCs and other farming communities should be transformed into modern agricultural and agri-processing communities led by empowered ARBs, small farmers and yes, landless workers. This means not only an extension of CARP but also its expansion in accordance with this vision.
This re-thinking and re-visioning of CARP also requires a strengthening of the organization of ARBs and other small farmers in the pursuit of common goals such as higher outputs through consolidated and cooperative land production. In the new Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, there are general proposals for land consolidation in order to address land fragmentation that is being blamed for low productivity in agriculture. We agree.
However, such consolidation should not be done by the big agribusiness corporations who have managed to buy the land rights of indebted ARBs and small farmers, as what has been happening in some banana plantations through the socalled agribusiness venture agreement (AVA) modality. We support the call of the Foundation for Agrarian Reform Cooperatives (FARM-Coop) of Mindanao to halt the “splitting” or “parcellization” of lands that are under collective titles and are able to compete with the big agribusiness companies and multinationals. Such a splitting or parcellization can only lead to the break-up of farmer organizations and the eventual takeover of lands by the big agribusiness firms who take advantage of the financial weaknesses of ARBs and small farmers.
To reiterate, what the country needs now is the fuller and higher implementation of agrarian reform, not a reversal of the program.
A18 Friday, January 27, 2023
MEAT GROUP TELLS DA: ADOPT ‘SCIENCE-BASED’ TRADE POLICIES
THE Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to adopt more “science-based” trade policies to ensure access of the industry to global raw material supplies and keep processed meat products “affordable.”
PAMPI and high-ranking officials of the DA met recently to discuss the concerns of the domestic meat processing industry.
I n a statement, PAMPI said the group assured the DA that it will support the efforts of the government to improve the country’s food security.
As we represent 85 percent of the country’s meat processors and food chains, we are committed to provide safe and affordable meat protein to the vast majority of consumers,” the group said on Thursday.
A mong the topics discussed by the parties was the DA’s guidelines on imposing temporary import bans on countries with reported animal disease outbreaks.
PAMPI has been pushing for the government to adopt international rules on region -
alization and zoning in terms of animal disease outbreaks.
DA can help us with its science-based food safety and inspection systems, access to safe and nutritious meat materials from both local & global sources and constant collaboration to further refine food safety standards,” the group said.
T he DA said Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo
F. Panganiban has already instructed the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) to address the local meat processing industry’s concerns.
T he other topics discussed by the parties involve the review of first border inspection policies, regulation of processed meat products, and the establishment of a Cold Examination Facility in Agriculture, according to the DA.
P resent during their recent meeting were Panganiban, PAMPI Vice President Jerome Ong, BAI Director Paul Limson, NMIS Director Clarita Sangcal, Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa, and other key officials of the DA and PAMPI.
Jasper Emmanuel Y. ArcalasTop business groups back protests vs PPA order No. 4
By Andrea E. San JuanMAJOR stakeholders in the maritime industry, with backing from top business groups, have united in asking President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. to immediately revoke a Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) order imposing an additional container monitoring system in the current ports operations. Implementation of the order will “result in an almost 50 percent increase in the logistics cost of imported goods,” according to them.
In an urgent open letter to the President, 17 groups said there is no need to implement PPA Administrative Order No. 04-2021 or the proposed additional container monitoring system.
T he stakeholders warned that the Trusted Operator Program-Container Registry Monitoring System (TOPCRMS) and Empty Container Storage Shared Service Facility (ECSSSF) may “end up derailing the (Marcos) administration’s economic recovery efforts.”
The implementation of the TOPCRMS/ECSSSF has consistently and
vehemently been opposed by various stakeholders since the first public consultation held on June 15, 2021,” the group said in its open letter published in major dailies.
T he group underscored that its estimates show that implementation of the Order will “result in an almost a 50-percent increase in the logistics cost of imported goods.”
“ The PPA fails to consider that the ultimate victims of these additional costs is the ordinary Filipino consumer, who is already bleeding from an inflation rate of 8.1 percent,” the group told the President.
T he stakeholders also pointed out that the implementation of TOPCRMS/ECSSSF was not designed to address smuggling in the country.
In a Trucking Summit organized by the PPA on January 16, 2023, it was categorically admitted by PPA officials that the TOP-CRMS
was not designed to address smuggling, and that its relationship to smuggling is merely incidental,” the groups claimed.
T hey said the “real focus (of the PPA order) is the return of empty containers and container deposits.”
T he 17 signatories also recalled that the PPA held only one public consultation on June 15, 2021, before it issued PPA AO 04-2021, and that this consultation “only involved select stakeholders.” In radio intrviews, however, PPA officials have strongly denied the lack of consultations, saying stakeholders were repeatedly reached out to the past months.
T he complaining groups also had an ominous warning: “PPA’s failure to analyze the impact of TOPS-CRMS and coordinate with stakeholders could lead to a repeat of the 2014 port congestion fiasco.”
I n 2014, the stakeholders recalled, “the lack of rigorous analysis of policy options and lack of proper coordination with stakeholders resulted in (a) disastrous port congestion with an economic cost of at least P43.8 billion.”
W ith this, the groups said the country cannot afford a repeat of the fiasco nine years ago, especially in these “already troubled times.”
T he groups warned that the PPA order “threatens to cripple the transport and logistics industries and the national economy as a whole.”
A mong the major business alliances who signed the open letter were Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (PCCI) President George T. Barcelon, Federation of FilipinoChinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc., (FFCCCII) President Dr.
Henry Lim Bon Liong and Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport).
A lso signing the open letter to the President were the heads of the Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP), Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) , Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association Inc., Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations, Alliance of Container Yard Operators of the Philippines, Association of International Shipping Lines Inc., Association of Off-Dock CFS Operators of the Philippines, Custom Brokers Federation of the Philippines, Pasig Port Users United, Philippine Liner Shipping Association, Philippine Ship Agents’ Association, Port Users Confederation of the Philippines, Practicing Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines, and the United Port Users Confederation of the Philippines. T he group sent copies of the open letter to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Bureau of Customs Commissioner Filemon Ruiz, and House Committee on Transportation chairperson Rep. Romeo Acop. I n May 2022, some 14 trade, industry and transport and logistics group issued a solidarity statement seeking the “immediate revocation” of the policy, as it “threatens to cripple the transport and logistics industries and the national economy as a whole.”
By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalasAFRAMER of the 1987 Constitution said Thursday that amending the current Charter is not part of the administration’s Philippine Development Plan (PDP), and lawmakers should instead focus their efforts on passing legislative measures supported by the government.
C hristian Monsod, a former Commission on Elections Chairman and one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, emphasized at a House hearing that it is a “lame excuse” to blame the Constitution for the country’s current political climate.
Monsod took a swipe at the lawmakers for not passing key measures that would curb political dynasties in the country such as an anti-dynasty law or amendments to the party-list law.
“ Real change cannot happen if we do not strike at the roots and not at the branches of the problem. Congress has not passed an anti-dynasty law for 35 years, and blames the Con -
THIS time, conglomerate San Miguel Corp. failed to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) that could have prevented the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) from enforcing its September 2022 order.
O n late Thursday, the ERC said the Sixteenth Division of the Court of Appeals (CA) denied the petition for a TRO or preliminary injunction filed by San Miguel Energy Corporation (SMEC) that was meant to suspend implementation of ERC’s September 29, 2022 order.
T he ERC order denied the joint motions of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and SMC Global Power units for price adjustments to serve as temporary relief covering a combined P5.2-billion losses incurred by South Premier Power
stitution for the lapses. That is a lame excuse,” he told the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments during its first public consultation regarding the bills that seek to amend the Constitution.
M onsod pointed out that the country must succeed in four areas of asset reforms to achieve social justice in the country: agrarian reform, fisheries reform, urban land reform and ancestral domains.
We are a country of inequalities for generations where the starting positions of the rich and the poor are not equal. Social justice is about adjustment of the starting positions through education and health in four asset programs,” he said.
“All these programs are underperforming either by non-enactment of enough law, underfunding programs or loopholes in the laws by the legislative [branch],” he added.
Monsod emphasized that amending the 1987 Constitution is not mentioned or even referenced in the Marcos Jr. administration’s PDP Plan
Corp. (SPPC) and San Miguel Energy Corp. (SMEC) from January to May 2022 due to the unprecedented spike in fuel prices.
SPPC and SMEC sought a TRO before the CA, which earlier ruled in favor of SPPC.
I n a resolution dated January 13, 2023, copy of which was received by the ERC on January 26 and the Office of the Solicitor General, the CA ruled that SMEC failed to prove its right to a restraining order.
A ccording to the appellate court, ERC’s denial of SMEC’s motion for price adjustment already preserves the status quo—which is the contract price in SMEC and Meralco’s power supply agreement (PSA).
A s a result, according to the CA, the grant of SMEC’s TRO will “not serve its purpose, since it will have
2023-2028.
“ There is no single reference or mention of any amendment of the Constitution as a means to achieve any objectives or strategies. None either in the Duterte Development Plan,” he said.
Monsod also pointed out that inserting the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” in the economic provisions of the Constitution is “dangerous.”
He explained that this could lead to “transactional” legislation as the legislative branch would have the power to amend business ownership rules in the country through legislation. Once inserted, the constitutional provisions become meaningless and the door is open wider for transactional legislation at which corrupt politicians and greedy business are very adept,” he said.
The insertion is insidious because it is made to appear as harmless since it only gives Congress flexibility to determine the actual percentages at the appropriate time,” he added.
the effect, not of maintaining the Contract Price, but of setting aside the assailed Order itself, thereby rendering the main case, the petition for certiorari, moot.”
T he CA stressed that, if granted, “the writ of injunction will give SMEC the unrestricted power to terminate, at its own will, the PSA to the detriment of public consumers.”
T he 16th Division of the CA said that a TRO should not be issued since there is a need for an extensive determination of the merits of SMEC’s case. However, the same court granted SMEC’s motion that the subject case be consolidated with another case with similar facts filed by SPPC pending before the Thirteenth Division of the CA. A s of press time, SMC has not issued any comment. Lenie Lectura
Chacha nowhere in PHL devt plan for ’23-’28, says Monsod
Companies
B1
Friday, January 27, 2023
Monde Nissin buys stake in Figaro to boost growth
By VG Cabuag @villygcabroad,” henry Soesanto, Monde Nissin’s CeO, said.
“Additionally, we believe our scale may help enhance the procurement capabilities of the Figaro Group which is rapidly growing. We look forward to working with the Figaro Group management team and potential future collaborations that this new relationship may offer.”
In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock exchange, Monde Nissin, which manufactures Lucky Me! noodles and Skyflakes biscuit, is buying 820.26 million unissued common shares of Figaro for P1 apiece, a premium from its trading price of P0.90 per share.
Proceeds of the subscription will
be used by Figaro to finance its expansion plans, the companies said.
“We are excited with the opportunity to become shareholders in the Figaro Coffee Group as it provides a greater exposure to the food service sector which we view as a potentially attractive avenue for further growth both here in the Philippines and
“We welcome this partnership with Monde Nissin as we believe a combination of their leadership in the food sector, strength in manufacturing and timeless brand equity, combined with our fast-growing store network and brand strength will yield excellent opportunities for Figaro Coffee Group to solidify its position as a very strong and stable F&B
German firm allots $16M for new facility
[food and beverage] company,”
Figaro Chairman e m eritus Jerry Liu said.
Figaro wholly owns Figaro Coffee Systems Inc., a company that operates and franchises a network of restaurants. These include Figaro Coffee, a coffee shop with domestic and international branches; Angel’s Pizza; Tien Ma’s, a Taiwanese cuisine restaurant; The Figaro Group (TFG) ex press outlet, a multi-brand kiosk selling the top products of FCSI’s other restaurants; and Café Portofino, an outlet which primarily serves beverages and bakery items.
Monde Nissin, meanwhile, is a global F&B company headquartered in the Philippines, with a portfolio of iconic and market leading brands across fast-growing categories.
WESM-Mindanao starts operation
By Lenie Lectura @llecturaThe commercial operation of the Wholesale e lectricity Spot Market (W e S M) in Mindanao finally happened on Thursday, more than five years after it was launched.
The Department of energy (DOe) sa id the commercial operation “commenced today, 26 January 2023, at 005h dispatch interval.”
The Independent e l ectricity
Market Operator of the Philippines (IeMOP) will oversee the market operations of W e SM Mindanao.
It will utilize two main systems-the Market Management System (MMS) and the Central Registration and Settlement System (CRSS)--for monitoring.
The MMS will determine the optimal dispatch schedule of all generators and customers in the grid, including their respective locational prices. Meanwhile, the CRSS will facilitate the registration of market
participants and the settlement of W eSM transactions. The W eSM is the country’s trading floor of electricity. It is a centralized venue for buyers and sellers to trade electricity as a commodity, where prices are based on actual demand and supply. Through it, power generation companies can sell their excess capacities not covered by contracts, while customers can also buy additional capacities on top of their contracts.
W eSM started commercial op-
erations in the Luzon grid in June 2006 and in December of 2010 in the Visayas grid.
The DOe had declared January 26 as the commercial operations date of W eSM in Mindanao.
The DOe had published a draft department circular proposing to declare the commercial operations of the W eSM in Mindanao on December 26, 2021. It did not push through, and the launch date was previously moved to June last year, which also did not happen.
Megawide bags 3 contracts AF Payments launches new service
LIST e D Megawide Construction Corp. has secured three new supply-and-build contracts from affordable residential developer Phirst Park h o mes Inc., a unit of Century Properties Group Inc. Megawide’s precast and construction solutions will supply precast materials for housing units in three new sites of Phirst Park subdivisions in Naic, Cavite; Baliuag, Bulacan; and Tayabas, Quezon.
Through its unit, Megawide said it continues to expand its precast order book by securing more projects in the horizontal housing segment. The company now has 11 projects with Phirst Park and is building a total of about 19,000 units for these sites across Luzon.
As of end-December, the total number of houses turned over by the company has reached more than 9,000 since it started its partnership with Phirst Park in 2018.
“The challenge in addressing the country’s housing backlog is not in the supply but the speed in which we can build. Our proprietary precast technology allows us to deliver cost-effective units with greater speed and efficiency than conventional methods,” Markus he nnig, Megawide executive vice president for pre-cast, said.
For greater efficiency and faster turnover, Megawide said it will build an onsite plant for precast molding and concrete batching. VG Cabuag
AF Payments Inc., provider of contactless electronic payment system beep cards, introduced on Thursday a service that will allow passengers to purchase bus tickets ahead of their preferred travel date.
The consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp. said the Advance Booking System will initially be implemented by Davao Metro Shuttle (DMS) in its Metro Manila-Davao route, the longest bus route to date, starting January 27.
Passengers can purchase and rebook tickets ahead at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal exchange (PITX) Terminal using their beep card or thru their advance booking hotline: Davao-PITX (09391351349) or PITX-Davao (09813313389).
“With our new Advance Booking System feature, AF Payments Inc. is expanding the roster of solutions to
continuously support the business needs of our partner transport operators nationwide.
We work on these innovations in fulfillment of our shared end goal of improving the commuting experience of the riding public. This 2023, we hope to be able to bring our technology to more routes by doubling our efforts at reaching out to interested partners,” said Sharon Fong, Chief Commercial Officer of AF Payments Inc.
AF Payments said it is looking to expand the adoption of its payment solutions among buses and jeepneys in more provinces this year. It targets to partner with transport operators completing their compliance with the government’s PUV (public utility vehicles) modernization program.
At present, the stored value beep card used in transportation and select retail establishments can be bought online on Shopee, Lazada, and Facebook Marketplace. It is avail-
able for use in LRT-1, LRT-2, MRT, eDSA buses, P2P buses, and select PUVs, tollways, and retail partners. The card is reloadable and valid for four years.
DMS, which has been a beep partner since November 2019, operates inter-provincial buses that implement an automated fare collection system (AFCS). These are Davao City-Arakan; Davao CityKidapawan; Davao City-Butuan City; C.P. Garcia-Roxas; Catalunan-Roxas; Ormoc City-Sogod; and Tacloban City-Calbayog City. Its latest route— PITX-e coland Terminal in Davao City—was launched in June 2022.
Apart from DMS, Annil Transport Service Inc., operating a Davao City-Calinan route, has also been an AFCS partner since February 2020. It features modern low-floor city buses equipped with closed-circuit television cameras, LCD TVs, leather seats, Wi-Fi, and global positioning system.
Lenie Lectura, Manuel T. Cayon
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuanGeR MAN firm Zama Precision Industry Manufacturing Philippines Inc. will build a $16-million facility to expand its operations in the Philippines, according to German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI).
GPCCI said the world’s largest diaphragm carburetor manufacturer is adding an 11,000-square-meter facility in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The company recently broke ground for the new factory.
Zama, a member of the German business group, is also a major supplier of chain lubrication solutions and tensioning kits for chainsaws and a technology leader in those fields with operations in Japan, China, Philippines, United States, and the headquarters in hongkong.
Zama Philippines President and Managing Director Ronald Wienholts said the new facility is expected to generate more jobs.
“Through this new facility we will be able to amplify our efforts in producing electro mechanicals technologies, wire harness and textile materials, as well as explore other business ventures,” he said.
GPCCI said the $16-million facility will start operations in February 2024.
For his part, GPCCI e xecutive Director Christopher Zimmer said Zama is a “great example” of how companies from eu rope approach the diversification of their business.
“We see a lot of efforts with the China plus-one policy here with the geostrategic way of going forward and we do see a lot of chances here for the Philippine companies to (get) a boost also from other companies in europe, not only from Germany,” Zimmer told reporters in a chance interview last week.
According to a Bloomberg report published on June 20, 2022, which cited a report by the european Union Chamber of Commerce in China, “Some 23 percent of the businesses that responded to the survey are thinking of moving their current or planned investments away from China.”
The Bloomberg report indicated that Asean and europe are “among the most considered alternatives.”
GPCCI is the official representation of German firms in the Philippines, a bilateral membership organization with around 300 members, and a service provider to companies in their market entry and expansion.
PROP e R T y developer J e G D evelopment Corp. (JDC) and Vivant COR e nergy Inc. (COR e n ergy) on Thursday announced their partnership for a solar power project.
COR energy and JDC launched the 37kWp (kilowatt peak) rooftop solar installation that powers the daytime energy demand of 22-storey JeG Tower, One Acasia, the first commercial high-rise building in Cebu.
JeG General Manager Tomas Tan said during an online briefing that the JeG did not have to spend for the project.
“That’s what makes it attractive for us as developers that we don’t put any capex [capital expenditure] into the facility. So, it’s actually COR energy builds the plant for us... and we’re just buying power from them at a much cheaper rate than the utility provider is charging us. No capex for us on our side,” he said.
The J eG tower grid-tied solar project is expected to produce 77 megawatt hour of energy annually while avoiding 30 metric tons of carbon dioxide emission each year.
It utilizes 93 units of 405Wp Canadian solar PV modules and 27kW Solaredge grid-tied inverter.
Also, the building is fueled by a 37 kWp grid-tied solar PV system
designed to offset the electricity consumed from the grid by converting the available solar energy to serve daytime energy demand. The solar panels power the ground floor up to the sixth-floor common area of the tower.
Al Douglas Villaos, COR energy President, said the solar project will immediately deliver financial benefits in terms of cost saving to JDC.
“Our aspiration is replicate the same arrangement in future projects of JDC… If there is an opportunity to deploy new solar projects for JDC, we will definitely do it.”
The JeG tower solar project is the fifth operating distributed solar project of COR energy in Cebu. JeG, according to its President Marko Sarmiento, is interested to collaborate with COR energy for its future projects. “Definitely, we will look into doing more of these types of partnerships with COR energy.”
Tan said a fixed-price arrangement with COR energy for the supply of solar power is more favorable because “it’s stable unlike the utility company which gives us fluctuating prices.”
“Our rate in COR energy is fixed for the next 20 years. It translates to our tenants getting a lower rate,” he added. Lenie Lectura
Listed Monde Nissin Corp., maker of instant noodles and biscuits, has acquired a 15 percent stake in Figaro Coffee Group inc. for P820.26 million.
ADB lends PHL $0.5B for growth
THE Philippine government has secured a new loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) worth $500 million to address the impact of the pandemic on jobs and livelihoods.
The new policy-based loan, the ADB said, will help the government a liberalized business and investment environment to encourage the private sector to grow and create more jobs.
The program will also support government initiatives to expand labor market programs that address the skills mismatch and promote training to reskill and retool workers to meet new demands in the postpandemic jobs market.
“With the economy slowly moving towards a sustainable growth path, it is important to ensure private enterprises are supported with policies that make it easier for them to do business and generate employment,” said ADB Senior Public Management Economist Sameer Khatiwada.
“This program is expected to help create jobs, get businesses back into action, and pave the way for displaced workers, youth, and women to return to the labor market by enhancing their skills through training and linking them to good quality jobs,” he added.
The new loan program will help the government implement the “National Employment Recovery Strategy,” or NERS, and achieve its targets to raise employment by 2025.
The ADB already assisted the government in facilitating dialogue with key industry stakeholders on designing the NERS, which was launched at the height of the pandemic to improve workers’ access to jobs.
The NERS also helps create livelihoods and provide training to support the private sector in creating sustainable work opportunities.
The new loan program draws on ADB’s experience since 2010 in supporting the government’s employment facilitation, secondary education, and social protection programs.
In particular, it expands the ADBfinanced “Facilitating Youth Schoolto-Work Transition” program, which helped the government introduce and strengthen active labor market programs through public employment service offices nationwide and JobStart Philippines life skills training for at-risk youth.
ADB said the Philippine workforce was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the country recording the steepest decline in employment rates among Southeast Asian countries in 2020.
While the unemployment rate declined to 4.2 percent in November 2022 from 6.5 percent a year earlier, labor market recovery remains uneven.
For example, wage employment in private establishments remains lower than pre-pandemic levels. Similarly, informal employment remains higher, even though it has declined in recent months. Cai U. Ordinario
briefs
➜ Grab taps GCash
Hot money inflow inched higher in ’22
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario“These investments were predominantly investment in PSE-listed securities [78.2 percent] mostly in: electricity, energy, power and water; property; holding firms; banks; and, food, beverage and tobacco, while the balance was invested in Peso GS [21.6 percent] and other investments [less than 1 percent],” the BSP said.
The data showed that on a per investment instrument level, transactions in PSE-listed shares resulted in net inflows of $179 million which is a reversal from the $956 million net outflows last year.
BSP said total inflows reached $886.7 million, which was also a turnaround from the $574 million net outflows noted for the same period last year.
“Hot money” is usually the reference for portfolio investment “since the investor’s motive is short-term as opposed to a direct investor’s
significant degree of influence in a company.”
BSP said those for Peso GS recorded net inflows of $694 million, higher compared to last year’s $398 million net inflows.
In December 2022, net inflows of $93 million, lower compared to the $489 million net inflows recorded in November 2022. This resulted from the $1.09 billion gross inflows and $999 million gross outflows for the month.
The $1.09 billion registered investments in December 2022 reflected an increase of 3.6 percent or by $38 million compared to the $1.05 billion registered in November 2022.
The majority of investments or 74 percent were in PSE-listed securities which was invested mainly in holding firms, telecommunications, banks, property and food, beverage & tobacco.
(UK), Singapore, United States (US); Luxembourg and Netherlands with combined share to total at 80.5 percent.
Meanwhile, the gross outflows for the month worth $999 million was larger by 76.6 percent or $433 million more than the $566 million recorded in November 2022. The US received 72 percent of total outward remittances.
“The UK, Singapore, US, Luxembourg, and Hong Kong were the top five [5] investor countries during the year, with combined share to total at 81.8 percent,” BSP said.
The remaining went to investments in peso government securities at 26 percent and other instruments or less than a percent.
Investments for the month mostly came from the United Kingdom
The data showed registered investments in December 2022 decreased by 18 percent or by $240 million from the $1.3 billion recorded in December 2021. Gross outflows were also lower by 25.2 percent or $337 million than the outflows recorded for the same period last year at $1.3 billion. The $93 million net inflows in December 2022 is a reversal of the $4 million net outflows recorded in December 2021.
Groups urged to invest wisely ROI and COI: A tale of two metrics
By Roderick Abad @rodrik_28Contributor
PHILANTHROPIC organizations are encouraged to have careful investment planning of their financial resources in order to sustain their respective causes or endeavors today and in the future.
The data showed foreign investments registered with the BSP, through Authorized Agent Banks (AABs), aggregated $12.3 billion, reflecting a 9.4 percent or P1.3 billion decrease compared to the $13.6 billion level in 2021. Octavio
1Filipino Foundation Chairman Jose AR U. Bengzon III gave this piece of advice to entrepreneurs, financial managers and leaders of nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups with the aim of managing cash flow, assets and risks to achieve sustainability as the country recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Bengzon, these groups need to know first what assets and liabilities, as well as expenses, that they have so that they can plan ahead.
“If your expenses exceed your receivable or your income, [then you will have a] deficit. So now you have to look at how are you going to fund that deficit,” he said during the 2nd Financial Planning Forum organized by Spring Rain Global (SRG) last Thursday.
To do so, Bengzon recommended these groups not just spend the money wisely but also put these in the right investment where the money can potentially grow. Among the manifold options, put funds or resources to the money market in the interim, he said.
“That’s 30 days. Maybe you can park your money there for the meantime,” Bengzon said. “And if you have extra savings, then you can look [into] longterm [investments].”
To remain elevated
IN an interview with the BusinessMirror, Bengzon pointed out financial instruments considered “safe” or less risky.
“For example, government securities: five years [of its term] now will probably [be] giving five percent annually,” Bengzon said. He cited the report of the Trust and Investments Group (TIG) of BDO Unibank Inc. that shows the 10-year peso government securities yield was at 7 percent and projected at 6.6 percent this year.
He said that yields are likely to remain elevated in 2023 but easing Philippine inflation could trigger a pullback in the latter part of the year.
Investors ought to also bet on corporate bonds that, Bengzon said, give higher interest rates since they are considered more risky compared to the former.
“They have different rates. Some corporates pay higher because their investment grade rated by the rating agencies is lower than other companies. If your investment grade is lower, then you will need to pay higher interest rate to attract investors,” said Bengzon.
For philanthropic groups, such as religious
Grab PH Holdings Inc. and Gcash e-wallet operator Globe Fintech Innovations Inc. announced last Thursday a deal for a cashless payment option to users of the transportation network vehicle service (TNVS) provider. The option would be made available beginning February and allow users to avoid transfer fees that can go as high as P50, GFII President and CEO Martha Sazon said during a news briefing. “We look forward to this partnership and we will continuously innovate and build more partnerships that will improve the lives of the Filipinos,” Sazon added. Grab PH’s Marie Grace T. Vera Cruz expressed optimism on the deal. Lenie Lectura
➜ LandBank lends to Sarangani LGU
THE Land bank of the Philippines announced it would provide the Provincial Government of Sarangani P1 billion worth of loans to fund the province’s various development projects. Landbank President and CEO Cecilia C. borromeo and Sarangani Governor rogelio D. Pacquiao signed the term sheet for the proposed loan last January 19 in General Santos City. The loan was approved by the Landbank board last January 25. Of the P1-billion loan, Sarangani eyes to allocate P500 million for the acquisition of heavy equipment, P200 million for hospital and medical equipment and P300 million for the establishment of the Provincial agri-Fisheries Complex. Rizal Raoul S. Reyes
congregations and educational institutions, he suggests to stick to blue chip companies that have corporate bonds paying higher rates than the government. Bengzon said these bonds “have been around for some time, well managed and can pay on time.”
Bank on the dollar
WITH the constant downfall of the peso, he said it’s timely to invest in foreign currencies, especially in the greenback.
Citing again the BDO TIG, Bengzon said that the exchange rate of the peso against the US dollar was P55.73 as of December 31, 2022, and is seen to reach the P59 mark. He said the local tender will continue to come under pressure as the current account deficit continues to widen and the US dollar remains strong.
“Buy dollars. Do not only sit on US dollar cash but invest also in a fund that is low risk that gives you dividends in dollars,” Bengzon said.
At this point of time, potential investors, especially philanthropic groups or individuals, must put on hold their plan to turn to the stock market.
“This is because you’re right there in the middle of the 7,000 level. The high during this Covid era in the last three years was 7,500 [while] the low in the last year was 5,800. So you’re basically there near the top,” Bengzon said. He added that the 2023 bottom-up target of 7,600 implies 14-times forward-earnings multiple, which is still a discount from its 10-year historical mean.
Cut spending
GRANTED that the interest rate increases are not yet over, he explained that probably inflation is in check and the US Fed will not be aggressively raising rates anymore.
“I think the global economy has not fully experienced the effects of interest rate hikes. So there might be a delay in disinflation spending. People are spending now,” Bengzon said. “But maybe they are wise enough to know that they need to cut their spending to reserve and to save for a rainy day. We’ll never know when the next pandemic will come.”
“Again, sitting on cash, totally it’s not also good. Because what it is earning sitting on cash [account] and savings account is less than a percent. So that’s why they need to probably assess the situation and their expense needs in the future,” he added.
Given that cause-oriented organizations in general have their expenses, advocacies and community service to support, transparency, good governance and accountability must always be in place, Bengzon said.
“That’s exactly why they need that so that their donors will keep coming back,” he said. “They might have donor for one time and might lose that donor if they do not have transparent and accountability boards.”
MOST of us are familiar with the term “return on investment,” or ROI, a metric that helps us understand the profitability of an investment. ROI is the ratio of net income (over a period) to investment (costs of investing a resource at a certain point in time).
A high ROI means the investment has made significant gains compared to its cost.
In a recent vlog, Australian-based Futurist Gihan Perera introduced the concept of “cost of inaction,” or COI. “When creating a plan, you calculate the ROI for taking action but, unless you also calculate the COI, your plan lacks context,” Gihan says.
“ROI answers the question, ‘What are the benefits of this change?’ while COI answers the question, ‘What is the cost of not changing?’ Unless you ask both questions, you are making the decision with only half the information.”
In general, COI not only relates to financial or economic matters, but also includes impacts on health, education, social and other factors needed to make a good decision. Gihan makes this point:
“If you’re driving on a highway and meet heavy traffic, you can calculate the ROI of taking a slower but less congested side road. But if the highway is taking you directly into the path of a bushfire, the COI is so high that the ROI becomes irrelevant.”
It is important to note that COI is often higher than you think and can hurt your and your organization’s performance in different ways. Consider these questions:
1. Friction and Leakage. What inefficiencies are you tolerating and how much do these inefficiencies end up costing you in the short, medium and long term?
2. Quality Overheads. What preventable er-
rors and mistakes are you making and how much does it cost to inspect, detect, review and rework because of these errors?
3. Opportunity Lost. What opportunities are you missing because you spend too much time, money and other resources battling your current systems?
4. Sunk Costs. What are you doing poorly because you have invested so much in your existing systems which might no longer be the best options for the future?
5. Emotional Toll. What is the emotional cost to people who have to work with slow, cumbersome, complex and flaky systems, especially when they know that better solutions exist?
6. Competitive Weakness. Where are you losing ground with branding, positioning, market share and growth because your competitors are investing in better systems?
ROI is a valuable indicator but don’t stop here. Always ask questions about your COI so you can fairly assess the decision although this is not easy to do. Most of us have never been taught to count the cost of doing nothing, so it doesn’t come naturally. At first, you will have to consciously force yourself to calculate COI for every important decision. To help assess your COI, ask yourself and your team: (a) What is the cost of not changing?; (b) What is the cost of not doing anything?; and, (c) What is the cost of keeping things the same?
Octavio Peralta is currently the executive director of the Global Compact Network Philippines and founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” E-mail: bobby@ pcaae.org.
DESPITE posting outflows in half the year, “hot money” still managed to end the year on a positive note, according to the latest data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
A HONG KONG roast feast from Tai Koo HK Roast including pork, chicken, and vegetable specials.
The urge to travel
ATICKLE in your feet? Are you constantly watching online travelogues? Do you keep checking airline websites and online hotel booking agents for sales and discounts?
We get it. You’ve got wanderlust.
Wanderlust: Is there anything more efficient as a German word to depict our passion for travel? And with pandemic travel restrictions around the world practically nil, everyone wants to just jump on a plane and seek out new adventures in stunning locations.
It turns out, those feelings of wanderlust are actually hot wired in our brains. In 2015, scientists were able to identify a genetic variant, DRD4-7R, that could be related to our desire to travel and be amazed with new destinations and experiences. The theory goes, this gene also makes one likely to pursue risky behavior in order to experience something novel. People with this gene are often curious and restless.
But it also appears to be tied to how our ancestors had the propensity to migrate from one location to another. Modern humans, according to a piece in Bustle.com, “lived in nomadic communities for as much as 99 percent of our history, following the seasons, hunting, opportunities, and ritual patterns.”
But when agriculture came into being, human settlements cropped up around the farming areas, and eventually evolved into the villages and towns we have today.
That, however, didn’t stop humans to stop exploring. In fact, by the 1400s, Europeans started searching for new lands to inhabit (or exploit), going on expeditions via land and sea. Of course, one could argue that money was more the primary motivation for this activity, but we also cannot dismiss the sense of excitement these explorers may have felt in discovering new territories and peoples.
This urge to travel or migrate has even pushed a number of governments to race to the moon, send probes to outer space to check out what neighbors we may have in the solar system, and do experiments to see if it’s possible for human life to exist in places other than Earth.
Of course, traveling will involve some expense, and with the depreciated peso, it may cost more to travel overseas these days. Hopefully, the higher costs due to the weak peso will be mitigated by the discounts given
by hotels and resorts, especially in other countries. I haven’t taken a look at how AirBnB rates are going these days, but if you are traveling, it would be best to compare their rates with hotels. It could be that staying in hotels will come out cheaper compared with booking in private homes, especially with the online discounts being offered in a number of online booking agents like Agoda or Booking.com
(Unfortunately, I’m getting reports that numerous local accommodation establishments are now back to charging the same rates as they were prepandemic. Which doesn’t bode well for government’s efforts to attract more foreign tourists to come to the Philippines. Our expensive hotel and resort rates— compared to other countries in Asia—has always been one of the complaints of foreigners about the Philippines. I mean, why pay P10,000 a night for a hotel room in Boracay, for instance, when the same amount can already get you a villa with a plunge pool in Bali?)
The good news is that domestic and international air tickets purchased here will likely be priced the same or cost lower. The Civil Aeronautics Board, for one, recently issued an advisory lowering the cost of fuel surcharge air carriers can impose on tickets
Feasts for families
ONE of the highlights of Chinese New Year is families getting together to celebrate.
The “Nian Ye Fan” or Chinese New Year dinner, also called as “Reunion Dinner,” is said to be the most important meal of the year as family members gather together to celebrate the coming year. Considered as the most-loved aspect of the Spring Festival, the dinner is set to share food and time with each other.
The Podium (www.thepodium.com. ph) restaurants join in the celebration with a variety of authentic and mouth-watering Chinese cuisines. Paradise Dynasty definitely sets the mood with its exquisite flavors from northern and southern China.
HOROSCOPE
Eugenia LastCELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS
DAY: Patton Oswalt, 54; Alan Cumming, 58; Bridget Fonda, 59; Cris Collinsworth, 64.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Make your money work for you this year. Invest in something that protects you from being heavily taxed. Make upgrades to your home that will motivate you to spend less on travel and expensive entertainment and more time enjoying the comfort of your home. Being a good listener and observer will play in your favor when someone tries to make a questionable change. Your numbers are 7, 12, 19, 23, 31, 35, 43.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Size up situations and summarize what others want from you. If you have a plan, you’ll find it easier to take care of business and have ample time to enjoy friends or family. A personal change will lead to efficiency and
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Haste makes waste; rushing around will result in mistakes, misunderstandings and misfortunes. Pay attention to the way you present your ideas to others. Don’t give the impression that you will do the work yourself. Delegate responsibilities to the most appropriate person. ★★★
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look for opportunities. Reconnect with people you enjoy working with and you’ll learn something valuable. Your hard work will pay off, but don’t let it debilitate you.
Know when to take a break and protect your health and
CANCER (June 21-July 22): You’ll make headway if you follow your heart and do what matters to you most. Practice makes perfect; hone your skills and display your accomplishments. Use your attributes to bring about positive change.
★★★
starting February. This means that, in the meantime, the cost of aviation gas appears to be on a downtrend, so it will cost less to operate an airline.
And as we all know, local carriers have been announcing a succession of seat sales since last year, as government eased up on local and international travel restrictions. They have also started beefing up their capacities and increasing their number of domestic and international routes.
Just on Wednesday, Cebu Pacific announced a “special seat sale” from January 27 to 31, offering international fares as low as P499 one-way base fare, as well as more affordable fares on select domestic destinations. This will be for travel between June 1 and November 30, 2023.
The demand for travel has been so dramatic it seems, that the carrier is confident that it will fully recover this year, and expects to restore to 100 percent of its pre-Covid network and flight capacity by March, according to its officials.
With many people giving in to their wanderlust this year, after having been stuck at home for two to three years due to the pandemic, it will certainly be a busy year for the global tourism and travel industry. So pack up and go. After all, it’s in our nature. ■
These include its famous specialty Xiao Long Bao as well as La Mian with Braised Pork Belly and Poached Beef in Szechuan Chili Oil.
Experience modern China with Shanghai Saloon’s cosmopolitan cuisine. Indulge in their unlimited Yum Cha and specially curated set menus. Or dig into Mann Hann’s bestsellers Lechon Macau, dim sum Radish Cake, and Fried Noodles with Seafood. Tai Koo, a Hong Konginspired restaurant, serves roast meats, noodle soups, and dim sum. Try Tai Koo’s Soy Chicken Tai Koo Plate, which has a bit of everything in one plate. At Healthy Shabu Shabu, with fresh
meat, vegetables and spices, you can “cook your own” way of dining. Likewise, Shi Lin, a chain serving authentic Taiwanese epicurean delights, offers a friendly and efficient service on top of reasonably priced, heartwarming dishes like Braised Beef Noodles and Sesame Peanut Noodles that warm the heart and soul.
For desserts, try healthy Taiwanese treats including Red Bean Soup from the Hot Taro Ball Series of Meet Fresh. With the aim to give customers delicious treats filled with traditional and authentic tastes, Meet Fresh prioritizes serving healthy desserts without preservatives made fresh daily.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Treat money and shared expenses responsibly. Decline to get involved in joint ventures. Pay only for what you want, and be blatant regarding money matters and overindulgence. Learn to say no. ★★★★★
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Make unique plans for two. A getaway will bring you closer together and give you time to map your goals. Don’t neglect your work responsibilities. Take care of business first; you’ll ease stress and enjoy your time off more. ★★★★★
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Speed things up and leave nothing incomplete. An opening you’ve been waiting for will unfold, but you’ll have to act fast, or someone will snatch what rightfully belongs to you. Organization and preparation will be necessary but also emotionally draining. Replenish your energy. ★★★
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Speak up, find out where you stand and clarify your objective. Dealing with people who don’t share your opinion will require compromise. Know what you are willing to give up before you enter negotiations. You’ll have to earn respect. ★★★
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You may feel competent, but someone’s waiting for you to slip up. Be ready to defend your beliefs and plans, regardless of what or who tries to intervene. Taking a trip may entice you, but clear up personal matters before you take off. ★★★★★
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t expect to slip under the radar if you do things differently. Someone will question what you are doing. Be prepared to use charm and persuasive tactics to win acceptance. ★★
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Keep your intentions and feelings to yourself. Don’t jump from one thing to another. Being consistent and passionate about what you want to accomplish will make it easier to get things done without interference.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll have to read between the lines if you want to know what will happen next. Don’t expect others to be upfront or accommodating. Look out for your interests, do your own thing and refuse to let anyone take advantage of you.
BIRTHDAY BABY:
You are charming, intelligent and disciplined. You are helpful and curious.
The
Show BusinessMirror
Cooking fate and contradictions in ‘Makanai’
YOUNG girls cooking for other young girls ruled by women who are ruled by men— that should describe Kore-eda Hirokazu’s
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
But that is not fair to this series, which evokes almost a lost era even when we are reminded that all these events are happening now. There is more density to a narrative that attempts to describe this phenomenon of maiko or geiko, which, when articulated, should be framed within one of the most contentious cultural phenomena in Japanese society: the geisha. Japanologists would tell you the geisha is the most misunderstood being in Japanese culture, second only if not equal to the samurai. Which brings us to the immediate crisis—Makanai the series could suffer through similar contentions. Or misunderstanding. But first we have to deal with social or cultural boundaries—those unseen lines that bracket certain gestures or plots that not even the subtitles could solve or crystallize. But these are beautiful problems, the solutions to which are part of the magic and power of cinema. The film is about two friends, Kiyo and Sumire, both from the cold North, Aomori. Their story begins with a long trip to Kyoto, a journey that takes them from the quintessential inaka or countryside, a term that connotes “rural” or “countryside”. It also is used pejoratively. Place that journey against the destination and you have a distinct polarization, for Kyoto is nearly the de-facto cultural center in Japanese social geography while the countryside has nothing of the accoutrement of civilization or lifestyle.
Kyoto is also the place for the geisha tradition, which has persisted from the 17th century up to the present, in particular the Gion area, which has been preserved by heritage-conscious Japanese.
To Kyoto, Kiyo and Sumire travel to become maiko. But what is a maiko? Things are easily lost in translation. Early on, as these two girls begin their training in dance, which is called “mai,” the dance master insists that it be not called “odori.” Why nitpick? Why not? As with any other Japanese artistic pursuit, being a maiko or a geisha means you belong to an “Ie,” (literally a house) which can be translated into a “House” or “School of Thought.” The “mai” is closer to the Noh movement, spare, meditative, while “odori” is compared to the Kabuki dance, brisk and flashy.
The rigidity of the training thus puts a brake to the quick dismissal that a maiko is nothing but a training phase for young hostesses in a bar. In a culture where female prostitution is embedded in histories, it has several terms for a woman: the oiran is the label for the top courtesan while down the tier of exploitation is the yūjo, the mere woman of pleasure. Consider even the function of the women of the night disguised amusingly in the double meaning of mizu shobai, which literally means “water business.” The moralist therefore in this context can always say a
GMA Network and ABS-CBN Corp. have sealed a new historic partnership for the co-production of a groundbreaking teleserye, titled Unbreak My Heart, with a stellar cast top-billed by artists from both companies: Joshua Garcia, Gabbi Garcia, Richard Yap, and Jodi Sta. Maria.
The romantic-drama series, which will be filmed in Switzerland, will air on GMA this 2023 and stream in 15 territories outside of the Philippines on Viu, PCCW’s leading pan-regional over-the-top video streaming service.
The partnership was made official during a contract-signing and story conference event held at ABS-CBN with top officials from the three companies, led by GMA senior vice president for programming, talent management, worldwide and support groups
Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes, ABS-CBN COO for broadcast Cory Vidanes, and Viu Philippines deputy country manager Vinchi Sy-Quia.
GMA officials who were welcomed at the signing event were first vice president for program management department Joey Abacan and assistant vice president for Sparkle Joy Marcelo.
Representing ABS-CBN in the historic event were group CFO Rick Tan, TV Production and Star Magic head Lauren Dyogi, international sales and distribution head Pia Laurel, and Dreamscape
geisha or a geiko is nothing but an elaborate cover for prostitution. Perhaps, yes. Perhaps, no. that transpire in the maiko house: young girls being groomed to entertain men following a training that includes not merely initiating games but moving with a particular grace as to elicit nothing but admiration from men. These customers are not merely clients also; they need to know how to behave before the young girls and the Mother (Okaasan, literally Mother) who accompanies them.
How will Kore-eda Hirokazu, the poet of rawness in Japanese civilization, portray the maiko?
Remembering his works like Dare mo shiranai (Nobody Knows), the 2002 film on child abandonment, which broke people’s hearts and questioned the level of humanity in a huge city like Tokyo, what bleakness and mundane cruelty will be in Makanai?
There is an early subtle sign of meanness in this quiet retelling of youth’s quest for dreams, when Kiyo fails to convince the dance teacher she can ever be a maiko, the geiko apprentice. This streak of spitefulness is underscored by the fact that her childhood friend becomes that rare girl who is seen as the next great geiko. And let us not forget Momoko, played with such haute elan by Ai Hashimoto, who cannot be happy because she cannot be in love, and questions all the peregrinations of intimacy, togetherness and security.
This is not, of course, the first time the geisha is adored and problematized on screen by filmmakers.
Kore-eda follows an illustrious list of masters—from Kenji Mizoguchi’s Sisters of the Gion to Kinji Fukasaku’s The Geisha House. Think of The Sea was Watching, a film by Kei Kumai based on the screenplay by Kurosawa some four years after the latter’s demise. Who can forget the visual splendor in Hideo Gosha’s Yoshiwara Enjo (Yoshiwara was a licensed pleasure quarter set up by the shogunate in the 17th century), where violence and erotica were fused to frame the tragic and sexual character of the geisha. In one scene from the film, Gosha, the exponent of yakuza films, shows a despondent geisha, old and unwanted, as she
Makanai. If you feel they exist, they are hidden in the innocence of the maiko apprentice, or you walk past their giggling and ignore the inarticulate resignation of these young girls—a wondrous subterfuge to how indentured slavery has evolved to become part of the unsaid narratives of Japan regarding their women. Unforgettable is Makanai despite its touchy politics. Or have you missed that conversation between Kyoko and her mother (Mother Azusa to the entire group of maiko apprentices) about whether WHO is looking at the exploitation of young girls in their house? Or when Mother (Chiyo), the older house mother, opens the door from her room to correct the two by bringing in the organization, Unicef?
Who was it who said that cinemas do not comment on histories but rather insert themselves at certain points in the histories of a society? This insertion or filmic intervention appears to be the boon of Makanai. When Kiyo-chan, the makanai or in-house cook, has finished converting bread crusts or pan no mimi (or ears of the bread) into sweet delicacies, and discovered the varieties of bonito flakes and special kelps to make into Kyoto udon; when the cuisines have been consumed and celebrated, there is the Sumire becoming Momohana, the girl into a maiko. But in that rite of passage, we are reminded that men (in this film, a father and son) take care of the dressing for the young girl, even the special oshiroi, the white face powder mixed with water to highlight the main features of the person’s face. Men who are called otokoshi, not women, are tasked with how to tie the darari obi, the long waist sash that can dangle up to 7 meters. Such is the irony of this age-old tradition. Moments do not make a cinema but what is a Japanese cinema without those breathtaking scenes conducted in silence? I believe I watched with my mouth agape as Momoko, the pride of the maiko house, opted to dance a mai called “Kurokami” or
about the story of a woman lamenting how her man never came to be by her side. It was a dance of regret and loss, and it was also a declaration of independence by a woman whose art freed her from a society of families and yet imprisoned her in a different tradition.
The view of the hatsuyuki, the first snowfall, visible from the maru-mado or round window; the performance of four geiko belonging to three generations in the cramped space of the teahouse; and the door opening to reveal the new maiko stepping out to greet and be seen the world, with her father standing with mixed emotions—these images and more stop the world for us and make us believe in the ethos and beauty of the ephemeral. But Kore-eda Hirokazu, true to Japanese tradition, reserves the best for last—when Sumire, returning home as a maiko this time, goes to the kitchen and sees the back of Kiyo, the perfect quotidian in a perfect kitchen. There in the solitude of friendship and childhood memories, the makanai san and the maiko paint a human eternity which may exist only in their simple minds but nevertheless a warm reassurance for all of us.
Outside of Mori Nana as Makanai-san and Deguchi Netsugi, the new maiko and the loveliest in her generation, Takako Tokiwa as Azusa and Keiko Matsuzaka as Chiyo, two of the Mothers (Okaasan, as in mother, not Mama san, the latter used in regular bars and clubs), can steal your attention and hearts. With them are the other stars of the series, Taneda Yohei, the production designer, and Kondo Ryuto the cinematographer (he worked with Kore-eda on the 2018 Palme d’Or-winning Shoplifters).
Makanai is based on the best-selling manga written by Koyama Aiko. The film is directed by Kore-eda with Tsuno Megumi, Okuyama Hiroshi, and Sato Takuma. Produced by Kore-eda and Kawamura Genki, the film is now streaming on Netflix. n
team. We never imagined that this was going to happen,” said Cory.
Joining the ensemble cast of Unbreak My Heart are Maey Bautista, Will Ashley, Bianca de Vera, Nikki Valdez, Eula Valdez and Laurice Guillen, with Emmanuel Q. Palo and Dolly Dulu directing.
Viewers can expect an exciting collaboration as the teleserye marks the first project of Jodi with young stars Joshua and Gabbi, who will also be paired together for the first time ever. Meanwhile, Jodi reunites with Richard, her former onscreen partner.
“This collaboration will really bring in opportunities not only to the networks, but for the people working in the networks, for the people in the industry,” said Jodi.
“I’m really proud, honored and excited to be part of this show which is history in the making since this is the first time that two network giants will be working together. Of course I’m also excited to be working with Jodi again and all the other people in the cast,” said Richard.
Entertainment with head Deo Endrinal, creatives head Rondel Lindayag, creatives manager Joel Mercado, and business unit head Carlina Dela Merced. The event was also graced by Viu Philippines senior project manager Mil Alcain and content partnerships head Garlic Garcia.
“It’s a first for Philippine TV and I’m sure
it’s the audience that will be the winners in this collaboration. We’re very excited to be working with ABS-CBN on TV for the first time,” said Annette at the story conference held on the same day.
“This is a milestone in the industry. We’re thankful for this opportunity and we’re very happy to work with GMA to serve our audiences. We unite as one
“I’m really honored talaga na makasama dito, na pinili nila ako na maging parte ng proyektong ’to. Excited ako na gawin ’yung character,” said Joshua. Meanwhile, Gabbi shared: “It’s my first time doing this kind of role.
Grabe ’yung growth and ’yung depth ng character ko dito sa show na ’to.”
GMA, ABS-CBN, VIU announce TV collab to co-produce ‘Unbreak My Heart’A SCENE from the Japanese limited series The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, which is now streaming on Netflix. FROM left: Joshua Garcia, Gabbi Garcia, Jodi Sta. Maria and Richard Yap.
Caritas Manila Celebrates 15 Years of Segunda Mana donated goods program
MPIF, TMO partnership strengthens Tubbataha marine conservation activities through funding
METRO Pacific Investments Foundation. Inc.’s (MPIF) commitment to support the conservation of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and World Heritage Site (TRNP) has reinforced its Biodiversity and Habitat Protection, Research, Monitoring, and Restoration program by providing the necessary funding to mobilize ecosystem research, monitoring, and enforcement.
From January to September 2022, MPIF has funded two of three of the six annual relieving trips for marine park rangers, including their corresponding subsistence allowance. MPIF’s financial support has also allowed for the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) to pursue its water quality monitoring and beach forest reforestation initiatives, as well as its equipment and supplies procurement.
“MPIF’s commitment to Tubbataha recognizes that strengthening its marine conservation includes supporting the stewards who work in service of the environment,” said MPIF President Melody del Rosario. “Safeguarding the Philippines’ Crown Jewel entails a collective effort inclusive of all stakeholders and thus benefiting the common people.”
TO mark the 15th year anniversary of its Segunda Mana donated goods program, Caritas Manila has lined up plans to open more Segunda Mana outlets nationwide as well as bring back its celebrity backed events.
The year 2022 saw gross sales of P77 million signaling a comeback from a pre-pandemic high of P70 million. To better offer affordable pre-loved items to a greater number of people, Segunda Mana for 2023, is set to open an outlet in Cebu City and more kiosks such at the Catholic Women’s League Parañaque and Archdiocese of Manila. There are also plans to open a 500 sqm outlet in Tondo, Manila and a future outlet in Davao City. Two celebrity bazaars are also set to launch this year.
To date, there are 43 Segunda Mana outlets nationwide. The most popular stores are in Caritas Manila, Pandacan; Ayala Fairview Terraces; New Farmers Plaza; Ali Mall; Ayala Mall Marikina; Starmall EDSA; Riverbanks Mall, Marikina; Sta Lucia Mall, Cainta; Greenfield MRT, Mandaluyong; Isetann Recto, Manila; Feliz Ayala Malls, Pasig; 500 Shaw Zentrum, Mandaluyong; Victory Mall, Pasay; Sun Valley Drive, Sucat Parañaque; JBI Building, Iloilo; Victory Lacson Underpass, Quiapo; Victory Mall, Caloocan; Market Market; and Ayala Malls The 30th, Pasig. Other outlets are located in Greenbelt and Glorietta Malls in Makati; Shoppesville, Greenhill, San Juan; Taguig, Muntinlupa, Laguna, Batangas and Bulacan. It was in 2008 when the then newly appointed Executive Director Fr. Anton C.T. Pascual was thinking of how to rebrand the name of what was internally
known as Materials Donations Program. Even at that time, they were able to raise P3.8 million through rummage sales of donated items.
Segunda Mana was officially launched in 2009. The auditorium in Caritas Manila’s main office along Jesus Street in Pandacan was converted into the official Segunda Mana Charity Outlet. It is open to the public from Monday to Friday. The sales in 2009 more than doubled to P8.1 million compared to the previous year.
“Buying is the New Way of Giving” became the campaign slogan of Segunda Mana. The aim is to encourage the public to donate pre-loved items. Furniture and appliances, kitchen and dining accessories, clothes, bags and luggage, school items, toys and books. Caritas Manila can pick up items from its donors for free.
To reach more people, the first mallbased outlet was opened in Makati Cinema Square in 2010. Generous donors shouldered half of the cost of building a two-storey mega warehouse which was inaugurated in 2011. By 2012, there were 14 charity outlets. The carpool continues to add to its fleet of light trucks and vehicles to accommodate requests for donation pickup.
Segunda Mana mounted its own relief and rehabilitation operations when Typhoon Yolanda hit in 2013. Despite the reduction of performing outlets from 14 in 2012 to 11 in 2013, Segunda Mana still reached a total gross revenue of P20.7 million. In 2014, this reached P30.6 million.
By 2015, eight new charity outlets were opened in Laguna, Rizal and Bulacan bringing the total outlets to 24
nationwide. The first Segunda Mana Grand Celebrity Bazaar was held in 2015 with then reigning Ms. Universe Pia Wurtzbach as the event ambassador. That event alone raised P2,060,203. In the same year, 26 outlets were operating, leading to a gross revenue of P42,494,941.
Segunda Mana opened three more outlets on its 10th year in 2018. The Iloilo outlet was inaugurated, the first outside of Luzon. Segunda Mana also started to make cost effective repairs and refurbishing of donated damaged items. The second Celebrity Bazaar was spearheaded by celebrity ambassador Heart Evangelista in October 2018. The gross revenue in the same year reached P62,536,647. By 2019, gross revenue reached P70 million.
Even with a robust P91 million in donations in 2020 and P115 million in 2021, gross revenues went down P39.15 million and P42.6 million. These are the years when the pandemic was in full swing.
According to Caritas Manila Executive Director Anton CT Pascual, “Segunda Mana has taught us how to part with material things we no longer need but still has value that can be used by others.” It enables people to buy affordable quality items and the proceeds help fund our numerous projects. Always remember that buying is the new way of giving.
To know how you can donate and where to find the Segunda Mana outlet nearest you, call hotlines 8562-8556 or 8562-0020 (to 25) loc. 141 or 142, 0905428- 5001 or 0929-834-3857.
Log on to www.caritasmanila.org.ph, visit www.facebook.com/OfficialCaritasManila, Instagram @officialcaritasmanila and Twitter @CaritasManila.
Experience a different kind of love at Las Casas this February
This partnership between MPIF and TMO envisions to result in the improved conservation and protection of Tubbataha by determining ecosystem health, generating sound scientific information, serving as a basis for formulating proactive strategies, measuring biophysical indicators of management effectiveness, and ensuring the Park’s integrity and safety.
TRNP was named a Ramsar site, or a wetland site of international importance, by the Ramsar Convention or “The Convention on Wetlands”, an intergovernmental environmental treaty established in 1971 by UNESCO. The Convention provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
Placing more importance to this integral biodiversity location, enforcement is one of the key elements in protecting and conserving the TRNP. Beyond funding three relieving trips conducted last April 11, June 8, and December, MPIF financed the subsistence allowances for 51 marine park rangers who were assigned to the park from January to December.
Aside from law enforcement, they were tasked to monitor the population of giant clams, deploy and check the hydrophone, monitor the reefs for bleaching and crown-ofthorns starfish infestation, conduct monthly turtle surveys, check the status of the seabird nesting structures, conduct monthly distance and quarterly direct counts of seabirds, conduct surface and coastal clean-ups, maintain equipment and lighthouse in South Islet, repair and maintain the ranger station, and maintain moorings.
Water quality monitoring and beach reforestation initiatives were conducted to
fulfill their ecosystem research and monitoring initiatives. With the assistance of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) staff, water samples and situated water parameters were collected from the 20 monitoring sites on the reef, inside the lagoon, and in the buffer zone of the park.
The parameters collected included temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids, conductivity, and salinity. Water samples were taken to the PCSD Environmental Laboratory for analysis.
Since the saplings planted in Bird Islet in 2021 did not thrive due to the lack of fresh water, excessive pressure from seabirds, and disproportionate amount of sea spray due to rough seas, TMO partnered with residents of Cagayancillo to propagate beach forest trees for planting in Tubbataha during the season. MPIF defrayed the costs of propagation, transportation, and planting of the saplings.
“Our partnership with MPIF has ensured that we continuously value Tubbataha as an integral site for Philippine marine biodiversity. The initial stages of our collaboration have already resulted in beneficial initiatives and we look forward to pursuing equally important efforts for the coming years,” said Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Protected Area Superintendent Angelique Songco.
At Christmastime, monster waves and winds battered the 23-year-old ranger station so that marine park rangers had to be evacuated to safety by the Western Command. MPIF committed to provide an additional P1M this year for the repairs of the heavily-damaged Tubbataha Ranger Station.
The new ranger station complex will include the ranger quarters, a research station, and a helipad.
Shore It Up!’s commitment to Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is aligned with Gabay Kalikasan, one of the MVP Group’s Gabay Advocacies for a Sustainable Philippines. It is also in line with MPIC’s efforts to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 14 Life Below Water, 15 Life on Land, and 17 Partnerships for the Goals.
This partnership bolsters MPIF’s role alongside MPIC, as the largest catalyst for a Sustainable Philippines, aimed to improve the lives in the country through providing essential services and mobilizing advocacies that uplift the quality of life of all Filipinos.
DLSU, St. Scholastica’s College to offer joint programs, to develop dual degrees, courses
DE La Salle University and St. Scholastica’s College Manila will soon offer joint courses and will develop dual degrees, certificate courses, or minor programs.
In a memorandum of agreement signing ceremony held on January 24, 2023 at DLSU, the institutions agreed to foster mutual opportunities to harness academics, research, and the overall student life.
The partnership will also include interactions of faculty members and researchers, exchange of research materials and publications, active participation in seminars, lectures and academic meetings, and other academic undertakings.
SSC was represented by President Sr. M. Christine Pinto, OSB, Vice President for Academic Affairs Virginia Fornias PhD, School of Arts and Sciences Dean Faye Rafael, and Marketing Officer Kevin Hernandez.
Representing DLSU were President Br. Bernard Oca FSC, Provost Dr. Robert Roleda, Associate Provost Dr. Elenita Garcia, Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education (BAG CED) Dean Dr. John Addy Garcia, BAG CED Associate Dean Dr. Rochelle Lucas, College of Liberal Arts Dean Dr. Rhoderick Nuncio, and University Registrar Dr. Nelson Marcos.
In his message, Br. Bernie said he looks forward to “more future endeavors and a more robust cooperation between the DLSU and SSC in the next five years.”
Sr. M. Christine, for her part, said that the agreement will lead to a deeper engagement and interaction between the two educational institutions. “We see this partnership as a blessing and a way to further our mission.”
Among the pilot programs that will be developed by DLSU and Scholastica’s College are joint courses in education and women studies.
THE Philippines’ premier heritage destination for all occasions, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, will be hosting romantic stays, food, and historic adventures this Love Season.
Celebrate all kinds of love in any property of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, in Bataan or Quezon City. Spend quality time with families or an intimate moment with a loved one through Las Casas Quezon City's Valentine Specials offer of dinner or lunch.
Satisfy your heart with a romantic dinner set-up at Las Casas Quezon City's Plaza Juico for only P3,500 per person and savor a special dinner prepared by their Executive Chef while enjoying a live performance from the string quartet of the
Scala Chamber Orchestra. Guests may also wish to have an outdoor dining by the gardens or poolside area for P3,000 per person and be serenaded by their in-house violinist. For families or groups who opt to celebrate the love day for lunch, their Valentine Lunch Special is at P800 per person.
Las Casas Quezon City is also open to guests who wish to see replicas of different heritage houses and the must-try Puto Bumbong or Bibingka. Experience their Tour & Dine for only P300 or get access to the Plaza Juico, perfect for picture-taking, and more for only P100. Reserve a table, contact their reservations at 0917.1366796 or 0933.8224522, contact@lascasasqc.com.
For a Romantic Getaway, avail of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Bagac Bataan's Sweet Escape. Las Casas Bataan offers a romantic stay that starts at P11,000.00 with dinner and live entertainment from their in-house entertainers. This historic adventure includes a heritage walking tour, kalesa ride, balsa night tour, and access to their Batis-inspired Swimming Pool. For more information about this Valentine’s offer, visit their website, www. lascasasfilipinas.com, or contact their reservations hotline at 0917.872.9361, reservations@lascasasfilipinas.com. You may also visit their Facebook and Instagram pages @LascasasBataan and @ LascasasQC.
ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA is off to a promising start in the indoor season.
Editor: Jun Lomibao
EJ SETTLES FOR SILVER IN COTTBUS
By Josef Ramos ERNEST JOHN “EJ”OBIENA settled for a silver medal in his first indoor campaign at the Internationales SpringerMeeting on Thursday in Cottbus, Germany.
But no regrets for the world No. 3 as his 5.77-meter effort was second-best to the 5.82 meters of American
By Howard Fendrich The Associated PressMELBOURNE—Novak Djokovic was still in the first set of his Australian Open quarterfinal against Andrey Rublev when the guy who would face the winner of that match, Tommy Paul, sat down for a news conference.
Probably have a better chance of winning if it’s Rublev,” Paul said with a smile, “but to play Novak here in Australia would be awesome.”
Well, he’ll get that chance Friday at Rod Laver Arena in the semifinals.
Two-day qualifiers for aquatics team to Cambodia SEAG up at New Clark City
AN open qualifying competition that will determine the composition of the country’s aquatics team to the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games will be conducted on February 18 and 19 at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac.
Th is was announced on Thursday by the Stabilization Committee that was tasked by the World Aquatics (formerly FINA) Bureau to oversee aquatics (swimming) in the country.
The FINA, in a directive dated December 3, 2022, ordered the creation of the Stabilization Committee to take over swimming in the country after it withdrew its recognition on the Philippine Swimming Inc.
The Stabilization Committee is composed of POC legal head Atty. Wharton Chan and deputy secretary general Valeriano “Bones” Floro and Bases Conversion and Development Authority senior vice president Arrey Perez.
“ The Stabilization Committee will supervise and manage the qualifiers or tryouts which is open to all athletes, clubs and stakeholders,” Floro said.
F loro said qualifiers will be in swimming, diving and water polo. Artistic swimming (synchronized) and open water swimming are not in the program of the May 5 to 17 Cambodia SEA Games.
For inquiries, email the POC Cambodia SEA Games Secretariat at aquatics.stab.comm@gmail.com
F loro added that the qualifiers will be conducted based on the swimming technical handbook provided by the Cambodia SEA Games Organizing Committee.
I n the handbook, a total of 20 events will be contested in swimming, two in water polo (men and women) and the individual 3-meter springboard and platform for men and women in diving.
The swimming events for men and women are freestyle 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,500; backstroke 50, 100 and 200; breaststroke 50, 100 and 200; butterfly 50, 100 and 200; individual medley 200 and 400; and freestyle Relay 4x100 and 4x200.
There are also freestyle events in the 800 meters for women and 1,500 for men, as well as a 4x100 meters medley relay for men, women and mixed team.
Sam Kendricks, a two-time world champion and bronze medalist at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics.
I think it’s a great start to the season against a world-class field,” Jim Lafferty, Obiena’s confidante and coach, said. “Only Sam Kendrick, an Olympic medalist and former world champion, beat him.” Obiena’s father Emerson, himself a former pole vaulter, agreed with Lafferty.
I think there will be more
adjustments to make although his performance is not bad as he only used 18 steps,” the elder Obiena said. “If he adds some few steps, I think he can do better.”
Obiena, 27, targeted 5.82 but missed thrice.
If you look at his last attempt at 5.82, which is ahead of the Olympic qualifying standard, it’s just some minor adjustments which will come as the season progresses,” Lafferty said. “It’s a great start to the indoor season.”
B elgium’s Ben Broeders and Gillian Ladwig cleared 5.72 meters but Broeders clinched bronze after the countback.
Ten male pole vaulters participated at the Cottbus meet which also featured a women’s long jump competition.
Up next for Obiena is the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships set February 10 to 12 in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan.
Obiena has yet to win a medal at the Asian indoors although he owns a gold and a bronze medal from the Asian championships in Doha 2019 and Bhubaneswar, India, in 2017.
DO WE HEAR N0-LE, NO-LE?
D jokovic was never really tested en route to beating No. 5 seed Rublev, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, on Wednesday night to extend his winning streak at Melbourne Park to 26 matches, tied with Andre Agassi for the longest run by a man there in the Open era, which dates to 1968.
I f he makes that 28 in a row with victories over the unseeded Paul and then either No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas or No. 18 Karen Khachanov in Sunday’s final, Djokovic would earn his 10th championship at the Australian Open, adding to a mark he already owns, and his 22nd from all Grand Slam tournaments, equaling Rafael Nadal’s record for men.
There was, of course, a pause during Djokovic’s streak: He did not play in last year’s Australian Open, which is part of what he calls the “something extra” that made made him want “to really do well” this time around.
Here’s a look at why Djokovic was not at the tournament in 2022, why he is back in 2023, and whether anyone can prevent him from leaving town with the trophy:
WHY WASN’T DJOKOVIC AT LAST YEAR’S AUSTRALIAN OPEN? THE short answer: He wasn’t
SAN MIGUEL Beer’s June Mar Fajardo leads the Most Valuable Player (MVP) race but not far behind is Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s do-it-all Scottie Thompson.
A c lose battle between a six-time Philippine Basketball Association MVP Fajardo who led the Beermen to the Philippine Cup title and the reigning Thompson who was instrumental in the Gin Kings’ domination in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Fajardo garnered 28.9 statistical points (SPs)—front-running numbers built around averages of 18.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the Philippine Cup and 17.0 points and 10.4 rebounds in Commissioner’s Cup.
Fajardo was named Finals MVP in the all-Filipino tournament where he also emerged as the Best Player of the Conference.
Thompson, on the other hand, was only five points behind in second place with 24.9 SPs. He normed 15.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the Philippine Cup and 11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the Commissioner’s Cup.
San Miguel Beer’s CJ Perez was third with 24.6 SPs followed by NorthPort’s Robert Bolick with 23.2 at fourth and Jamie Malonzo, also of Ginebra, was fifth with 21.9 SPs.
THE Sun Life Cycle PH, a fun ride open to all ages and skill set, wheels back into the mainstream after a three-year hiatus with two venues hosting its much-awaited return in April.
The Vermosa Sports Hub in Cavite will serve as the event’s venue for the main event on April 23 with Manila hosting the pre-event bike camp for kids on April 16 at the Quirino Grandstand where youngsters will learn
The Country Club caters to big field as Junior PGT holds inaugural tourney
ATOTAL of 91 junior golfers—a mix of leading players in the ranks and siblings and offsprings of former and current touring pros—make up the cast in the Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) launch on Sunday at The Country Club (TCC) in Laguna.
vaccinated against Covid-19. The longer answer: Novak Djokovic sought, and initially obtained, an exemption that would allow him into the tournament—and the country— even though there were strict rules requiring shots.
B ut after his flight landed, he was detained at the airport, his visa was canceled and he was sent to an immigration hotel. A judge later reinstated the visa and ordered Djokovic’s release, ruling he wasn’t given enough time to speak to his lawyers.
Australia’s immigration minister then took away the visa again, based on “public interest.” Djokovic’s appeal of that ruling was denied by a threejudge panel, and he was deported. He faced a possible three-year ban from the country as someone whose visa was revoked.
WHY IS HE PLAYING
THERE THIS YEAR?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC, a 35-year-old from Serbia, is still not vaccinated against the illness caused by the coronavirus—and has said he won’t get inoculated, even if it means missing tournaments.
B ut Australia had a change of government, the country’s pandemic border rules changed, and the
current immigration minister granted him a visa this time. (As of now, the United States still bars unvaccinated foreigners, which could prevent Djokovic from competing at the US Open for the second year in a row.)
HOW HAS HE BEEN RECEIVED BY SPECTATORS?
FROM the moment he arrived in Melbourne, Novak Djokovic has been showered with affection (other than from the occasional persistent heckler).
Dozens of Serbian flags dot the stands during this matches. So do signs proclaiming him the sport’s “GOAT”—“Greatest of All-Time.”
C hants of his two-syllable nickname, “No-le! No-le!” fill the air repeatedly.
HOW IS HE PLAYING?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC got off to a slow start, hampered by an injured left hamstring that was taped for each match.
But after playing at something less than his best, what he has said is a rigorous treatment regimen and “a
NOVAK DJOKOVIC, after missing last year’s Australian Open, obviously wants this one very badly. AP
lot” of pain-killing pills helped him look superb lately: He has won 11 consecutive sets and ceded just 27 games. Here was Alex de Minaur’s takeaway after losing to Djokovic 6-2, 6-1, 6-2: “If that’s the level, I think he’s definitely the guy that’s going to take the title.”
O n Wednesday, Djokovic called his last two performances “something that sends a message to all my opponents remaining in the draw.”
Fajardo, Thompson in 1-2 position in MVP race
aims for back-to-back wins when it battles Rain or Shine on Friday in the Governor’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The Tropang Giga are coming off a 123-119 win over Phoenix Super LPG last Wednesday behind Jalen Hudson’s 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists that also gave debuting coach Jojo Lastimosa a rousing welcome.
Phoenix and Blackwater collide in a battle of losers in the first game at 3 p.m. Josef Ramos
R eese Ng, Mikha Constantino, Gabie Rosca and Anya Cedo banner the field in the girls’ 15 to 17 age group while Zachary Villaroman, Zachary Castro, John Bernis and Santino Pineda headline the boys’ cast in the premier division of the four age category tournament put up by International Container Terminal Services Inc. to boost junior golf under a different program setup.
The drive, chip and putt competition—managed and conducted by professional tour directors, rulesmen and marshals—is also being held to provide youngsters a venue where they could harness their talent and skills with the top products earning the chance to compete abroad and gain exposure in international competitions.
The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. said 16 other events will be held in Luzon in the coming months with plans to bring the new junior golf circuit to Visayas and Mindanao where talents abound.
The JGPT offers no membership fees and is not in any way associated with other existing junior golf organizations.
Hostilities in the 13-14 age bracket is expected to be fierce with Shinichi Suzuki, Tristan Padilla, Gabriel Handog, Patrick Tambalque, Aaron Chua and Kristoffer Nadales leading the chase in the boys side and the likes of Celine Abalos, Frances Duque and Marie Isabelle Tang bracing for a furious battle in the girls’ category.
K eira Que, Precious Zaragosa, Eona Padilla and Samarah Torres make up the core of the girls’ 11-12 division that includes Kendra Galao, Tiffany Bernardino, Levonne Talion and Giulian Ballado, while Rafael Hernandez, Matthias Espina, John Gomez, Nathan de Leon and Andrew Chua head the cast in the boys’ category.
Focus will also be in the youngest 9-10 division with Race Phoenix Manhit, Gerard Handog, Ryuji Suzuki, Cade Santos and Jacob Casuga bannering the boys’ class and Kelsey Bernardino, Brianna Macasaet, Margauz Namoco, Georgina Handog and Amanda Ynson tipped to dispute top honors in the girls’ division of the circuit. For details, contact tournament administrator Jhiue Castillo at +639283165678), or Event Captain, Inc.’s Joy Pangadlo at +639179222445 (WhatsApp), or e-mail pilipinasgolftournamentsinc@ gmail.com
Strong Group vs UAE national squad
R ounding out the top 10 are Commissioner’s Cup Finals MVP Christian Standhardinger at sixth with 21.1, Mikey Williams of TNT at seventh with 20.6, Japeth Aguilar of Ginebra at eighth with 20.4, Don Trollano of NLEX at ninth with 20.30 and TNT’s Roger Pogoy at 10th with 20.28 SPs.
T NT Tropang Giga, meanwhile,
etiquettes and bike activities, including mounting, turning and skills.
The Sun Life Cycle PH Vermosa at the sprawling Cavite complex will also feature the kids (2-3 years old) 100m ride, criterium (30 minutes solo ride) and criterium with parents, and the individual 30K and 40K and 60K corporate/team ride.
The event also encourages group rides with the 3+1 promo for the individual 30K and individual 45K.
R egistration is ongoing. For details, contact secretariat@cycleph.com
This event is a great help, because after the pandemic, people now really want to do more outdoor activities,” said Imus Mayor Alex Advincula during Wednesday’s photo-op for the resumption of the event. “The city will continuously promote this event for the benefit it provides, especially in the physical aspect, including the youngsters.”
STRONG Group opens its title campaign in the 32nd Dubai Basketball International Championship against host United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) national team Friday at the Al-Nasr Club Hall.
The game—the curtain raiser to the nine-day tournament—is set at 11 p.m. (Manila time) with Strong Group owner Jacob Lao and head coach Charles Tiu hoping to give Filipino migrant workers a spectacle to enjoy.
“ We’re looking forward to playing different international teams and we’re excited to showcase our talents to our fans in Dubai and we hope we can live up to their expectations and defend the crown that we came here for,” said Lao, the young team owner who played for University Athletic Association of the Philippines champion Ateneo last season.
The team, Lao said, is determined to keep the crown won by Mighty Sports three years ago. M ighty Sports and Acto City are
backing the team led by National Basketball Association (NBA)-caliber imports Nick Young and Shabazz Muhammad.
Tiu’s minor concern is how soon his players can adjust to the time zone—UAE is four hours behind that of Manila—after arriving in Dubai only on Thursday.
The rest of our team members are arriving 5 p.m. Thursday and we play 7p.m. Friday,” Tiu said. “So it’s a short turnaround plus jet lag. Tight schedule for us but hopefully we can find a way.”
Young, who won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors, is eager to prove he’s still got plenty of gas left in the tank as he tries to hold fort for the team which missed the services of big man Ange Kouame.
“ Nick slowly getting there but his knee is a bit banged up. We are a small team basically a college team with some imports against pro teams. Let’s see how it goes,” said added Tiu.
Fun bike ride back in April in Cavite after 3-year hiatusPhilippine Basketball Association 3x3 Third Conference Season 2 on Thursday at the Robinsons Place Antipolo. Platinum sweeps Pool B to make the quarterfinals for the first time this conference. PBA IMAGE
Motoring
Friday, January 27, 2023
Editor: Tet Andolong • www.businessmirror.com.ph
HONDA PHILIPPINES DEBUTS THE ALL-NEW HONDA CIVIC TYPE R
& photos
Story by Randy S. PeregrinoHONDA Cars Philippines,
Inc. (HCPI) has officially launched its high-performance icon—the 6th Generation Civic Type R. According to Honda the latest model is by far the most powerful in Type R’s 30-year history. None other than HCPI president Masahiko Nakamura presented their latest halo model embodying the brand’s challenging spirit with the latest innovations.
“We welcome 2023 with the launch of the All-New Civic Type R. Throughout several generations, Honda’s halo model was celebrated worldwide as a symbol of extreme performance and desirability. It embodies Honda’s DNA, demonstrating the brand’s strong determination to craft machines that attain the ultimate speed and the joy of driving,” said Nakamura.
Nakamura further explained that the Civic Type R profoundly represents Honda’s challenging spirit. Since the 5th generation first set foot in the Philippines in 2017, it has redefined the meaning of motorsports, given that it is globally recognized as one of the fastest front-wheel-drive sports cars.
A more mature design approach
THE designed input is from the aerodynamic development members of the HRC Sakura Super GT race team. The
latest generation model is more aerodynamically efficient, generating significantly more downforce and improving high-speed stability. Based on the Civic Hatchback has a new bumper that reduces side wake, functional front fender air outlets, and side sill garnishes that enhance efficiency, contributing to a lower overall coefficient of drag.
In contrast, the latest model is 0.8 inches longer, 0.6 inches wider, and 0.5 inches lower. A-pillars have been pulled rearward by 1.96 inches to improve visibility. The sports hatch now has a more elongated hood, and a more aggressive front bumper design featuring a sporty honeycomb grille mesh, complementing the intricate honeycomb trim inside the cabin. The rear doors are wider, and a reshaped rear bumper reveals its updated signature three-round exhaust outlets. The rear spoiler has been redesigned
with aluminum stanchions and a new rear diffuser.
Moreover, there are redesigned LED headlamps and taillamps, and Matte Black finished 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 265/30 high-performance
tires, a tailgate spoiler, its tri-tip tailpipe diffuser, and the Type R badges found both on the front grille and tailgate along with the red Honda logo. Changes to the exterior and interior are about driver performance and engagement with thinner pillars. Outer mirrors relocated to the doors, and a lower hood. Further, blind spots have been minimized, and reflective elements reduced.
Immersive and techy cabin
ACCORDING to Honda, the cabin design supports intense driving experiences, which enhances the exhilaration of driving with emotive, performancefocused details. Interior ergonomics were developed based on two core principles, including “instantaneous recognition” and “intuitive operation,” combining easy-to-understand information with natural-feeling controls providing the ultimate pleasure for the driver.
Sharing similar elements with the standard Civic, there are exclusive essentials such as an aluminum shift knob, a serialized Type R plate on the dashboard, black and red motif interior. The red color dominates the racing-inspired Type R bucket seats treated in Alcantara, including carpeting and other finishes in the cabin. Those new lightweight, heavily bolstered front sports seats with suede-effect upholstery offer
exceptional support and comfort on the track and during long drives.
For in-car entertainment, a nineinch touchscreen supports various multimedia functions such as Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Crisp audio sound is courtesy of a 12-speaker Bose sound system. Other features include a 10.2-inch fully-digital instrument cluster, automatic air-conditioning, smart entry with a smart key card and one push start system, and a wireless charging pad.
Honda LogR Performance
Datalogger
EXCLUSIVE to the All-New Civic Type R is a new enhanced version of the Honda LogR Performance Datalogger. It combines its onboard computer and sensors with a unique built-in vehicle app to aid drivers monitor and recording various performance parameters in real time.
Key features are as follows:
n Performance Monitor- provides vehicle information to the driver, such as 3D Display, Tire Friction Circle, cornering G-forces, the status of oil and coolant temperatures, oil pressure, and more.
n Auto Score-Shows how the car behaves and helps you improve your driving skills. Autoscore measure your driving performance using key driving parameters.
n Data Log-analyzes driving data to help you understand your driving habits. It also scores your track performance and provides lap time and Heat Map.
Type R power
UNDER the hood is a 2.0-liter 16-valve
DOHC VTEC, Turbocharged In-line 4 Cylinder engine generating 315 hp and 420 N-m of maximum torque—the most powerful model in Type R’s 30year history. This potent mill is paired
with a six-speed manual gearbox with an improved Rev Match Control System for more precise and smoother shifting. There are even four driving modes— Comfort, Sport, +R, and a new individual mode customizable by the driver.
Honda Sensing
MEANWHILE , the standard Honda Sensing® suite of driver-assistive and safety technologies has been thoroughly reengineered for the 2023 Civic Type R. The system uses a single camera mounted behind the windshield and a high-speed processor and sonar sensors. The new single-camera system features a field of view that is twice as wide (100 degrees vs. 50 degrees) and can see farther down the road. Given the new mechanism, the system now has better recognition than the previous version. Honda SENSING features include Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), and Auto-High Beam (AHB). Other standard safety features are a multiview rear camera, walk-away auto lock, driver attention monitor, airbags (front, side, side curtain, knee), rear seat reminder, Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), Hill Start Assist (HSA), ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor, security alarm, and an Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold (ABH).
The All-new Civic Type R retails at P3.880 million and is available in the iconic racing-heritage color Championship White and Racing Blue Pearl. According to HCPI, only 39 units are up for grabs.
TMP’S DIFFERENT BRAND OF CSR
THIS is a different kind of corporate social responsibility (CSR). With Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) becoming a chief partner of the FIBA (World Basketball Federation), Toyota will play a hugely significant role in the country’s hosting of the World Cup in August-September that features the Top 16 basketball powers in the world.
It is another first for the world’s No. 1 automaker as Toyota debuts in a project never before undertaken by any local car company in the history of the sport.
As FIBA partner, Toyota becomes the exclusive land carrier of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), which will co-host the twoweek tournament with Indonesia and Japan.
Here is Toyota’s story of the TMP-SBP-FIBA collaboration:
“ Toyota Motor Philippines is taking part in this year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup as a local
major sponsor, carrying with it a partnership as well with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) and Gilas Pilipinas.
“’It is with great appreciation and warmth that we welcome Toyota Motor Philippines to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 family,’ said SBP Chairman Emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan.
“We are honored to be part of this momentous global sporting event as we endeavour to support local athletes and improve the level of basketball in the country when they play in front of thousands of Filipino fans,” said TMP Chairman Alfred V. Ty.
Said SBP president Al Panlilio: “Even as we thank Toyota Motor Philippines for agreeing to be part of this once in a lifetime experience, we are also inviting others to share in this global activity that is truly a merger of world caliber sports and big business.”
Atsuhiro Okamoto, TMP president, said: “By being part of the 2023 FIBA Basketball
World Cup, we aim to further inspire and encourage more Filipinos to use the power of movement to reach their full potential.
This is the spirit of our START YOUR IMPOSSIBLE global sports campaign. With this partnership with FIBA and SBP, we are always moving closer to our goal of producing happiness for all.”
“Unknown to many, Toyota has been already assisting in various SBP basketball clinics and coaches camps, including at the grassroots level.
“The Philippines will be in their seventh stint in the FIBA World Cup from August 25 to September 10, hoping to clinch a Top 16 slot that will play in Manila in the Finals phase capped by the championship match at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
“This is the country’s second hosting of the event after the 1978 edition in Manila.”
Here’s to a snappy salute to Toyota for wrapping up the rare privilege of being a major player to such prestigious event. It is a distinct honor reserved only to an entity deserving of respect, and whose global reputation is beyond reproach.
PEE STOP
The remains of Benny Gopez, whose son Lovell is a major investor in the Toyota dealerships at Calamba, Laguna, and Silang, Cavite, will be interred today (January 27) at Heritage Park in Taguig City. Goodbye, my beloved Benny. Our memories, mostly happy, will remain etched forever in my heart.