BusinessMirror January 31, 2025

By Cai U. Ordinario

CRUNCHING Q4

On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) disclosed that the economy only posted a growth of 5.2 percent in the last quarter of 2024, leaving fullyear growth to average 5.6 percent, the second consecutive year that the country failed to meet its minimum GDP growth target. (See: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2025/01/30/q4-gdp-growth-at5-2-as-typhoon-battered-farm-sectorshrinks/).

“Annual Growth for 2025 is expected to be higher but will still barely miss the 6 per-

growth and the Covid-19 setbacks suffered by the economy could delay the country’s exit from the middle income trap, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda). In a briefing on Thursday, Neda Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon told reporters that while attaining Upper Middle Income Country status remains feasible this year or early next year, the AmBisyon2040 goals may be delayed. The AmBisyon 2040 is the national long-term mission-

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto @reine_alberto

DESPITE falling short of its growth target, easing inflation would allow the government to lower interest rates and boost consumption in 2025, according to Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto. Recto said he remains bullish this year due to lower inflation, higher consumption and investments.

This, after the Philippine economy posted a full-year growth of 5.6 percent in 2024. The country’s GDP growth was at 5.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 while full-year GDP growth averaged 5.5 percent in 2023.

“While this is below our target,

we continue to be one of the fastest-growing economies in both the region and the world. This is despite external and local challenges such as extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions, and subdued global demand,” Recto said.

“We remain optimistic about our outlook for 2025. A lower inflation rate gives us more room to ease interest rates, which will further boost consumption. With Create More taking full effect, we anticipate more investments materializing,” the Finance chief added.

Global investors were enticed with the recently enacted Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (Create More) Act during the World Economic Fo -

rum and Philippine Business Dialogue in the Netherlands. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/01/23/recto-usescreate-more-to-entice-globalinvestors/).

The interim Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Create More were issued in December 2024 while the final IRR is set to be signed in February 2025.

Moreover, Recto said the P6.326-trillion 2025 national budget is the government’s “most powerful tool” to mitigate risks and provide economic benefits to Filipinos.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. continues to lead meetings to identify gaps in the appropriations of national government agencies, ensuring that funds are used effectively for maximum im-

pact,” Recto said. Meanwhile, the extension of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) until 2031 and its increased allocation of P30 billion is seen to enhance local rice production, support rice farmers and stabilize rice prices.

The government is also strengthening its efforts to control African Swine Fever (ASF) and administer vaccines to mitigate disruptions in pork supply, Recto added.

Moreover, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is finalizing the Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Plan or the administration’s 10-year employment roadmap to improve workforce employability.

Apart from enhancing labor market governance, the initiative

vision of the country to have a predominantly middle class society after a 25- period which began in 2015.

“With respect to the AmBisyon [2040], our setback was quite substantial because of Covid in terms of productivity loss, so we are still trying to catch up on that.

That’s really important that we are able to quickly recover the lost ground so we can still meet it,” Edillon told reporters. Edillon said that while their assessments in Neda estimate that the delay in attaining the AmBisyon2040 will not reach

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos announced he will meet with United States Presi-

dent Donald Trump to discuss trade, security and immigration policies, which has resulted in the deportation of Filipinos.

In an interview with reporters in Lapu-Lapu City last Thursday, the chief executive said he hopes the meeting will help prevent the mass deportation of Filipinos in the US.

“So, this is something that we have to work through and hopefully resolve. Because the Filipinos in the United States, especially, have really formed a very important part already of their workforce,” Marcos said.

Last Monday, Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez reported that 24

Filipinos were deported for allegedly engaging in illegal activities.

The deported Filipinos were among the 956 people affected by the nationwide immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.

Trump has been vocal about his intention to go after undocumented migrants in the US.

Last November, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported there were an estimated 370,000 undocumented Filipino immigrants in the US.

During the first term of Trump, 3,500 Filipinos were deported from the US from 2017 to 2020. Aside from immigration issues, Marcos said he will also discuss trade, defense and security, and the effect of the announcement by the US State Department of the decision to suspend almost all of US foreign aid by 90 days.

HONORARY LEADERSHIP Hans T. Sy, SM Prime Holdings Inc. Chairman of the Executive Committee, is conferred the title of Adopted Son and Honorary Mayor of the City of Bacolod as part of its Chinese New Year celebration and in recognition of his 18 years of contributions to economic development, business leadership and philanthropy in the City of Bacolod. In photo: Honorary Mayor Hans T. Sy, with

also aims to generate at least three million jobs by 2028.

“As domestic and external headwinds persist in 2025, the government will continue implementing growth-enhancing strategies to ensure that the Philippines remains on track with its medium- to long-term goals set under the Philippine Development Plan [PDP] 2023-2028,” Recto said.

Weather disturbances, extreme natural disasters, an acute and protracted global economic slowdown in major economies, ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflicts, trade wars and protectionist trade policies, especially in the US, were identified as key domestic and external risks this year.

from A1

Last Monday, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said it is still determining how the suspension affects the Philippines.

Marcos said he hopes to get a clarification from Trump on what US aid will be affected by the suspension.

“But I’m sure that with time, these policies will crystallize and will become clearer. And by which time, I will have a chance to visit with President Trump and we can discuss it with a better understanding of what the policies are,” he said.

PBBM links suit vs GAA ’25 to alleged destabilization plot

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENTFerdinand Marcos on

Thursday linked the legal challenge in the high court against Republic Act (RA) No. 12116 or the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA)—which can result in a government shutdown—to the alleged destabilization plot against his administration.

The chief executive, however, assured the public that his administration through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has a “strong” case to defend Constitutionality of the 2025 GAA before the High Court. In an interview with reporters in

Continued from A1

Lapu-Lapu City last Thursday, Marcos said they have no contingency plan if the SC will favor the petitioners, who are questioning the Constitutionality of the 2025 GAA. In such a scenario, he said the government will be forced to shut down its operations.

cent target,” Ateneo de Manila University economist Luis Dumlao told BusinessMirror on Thursday. Despite the conduct of local and national elections in May, economists like former

“I guess that’s what they want, they want the government to cease working. So their destabilization can push through,” Marcos said partly in Filipino.

The petitioners, who filed last Monday the 25-page petition for certiorari and prohibition for the 2025 GAA include former Executive Secretary and now senatorial aspirant Victor “Vic” D. Rodriguez, Davao City 3rd District Rep. Isidro T. Ungab, Rogelio Mendoza, Benito Ching Jr., Redemberto Villanueva, Roseller dela Peña, Santos Catubay, and Dominic Solis.

They claimed the 2025 GAA violated the following provisions of the 1987 Constitution: protecting and promoting the right to health, in relation to the Universal Health Care Act; rules on increasing appropriations recommended by the President for government operations as specified in budget; assigning the highest budgetary priority to education; and presentation of bills passed by Congress

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante B. Canlas said the impact of the polls on GDP growth would be “minimal.”

“Elections are wealth redistributing not wealth creating. Impact on GDP growth is minimal,” Canlas told this newspaper on Thursday. Canlas said headwinds such as isolationism over multilateralism in the global trade environment “is not a reason for dancing in the streets.”

He added that the anti-budget protests are also expected to be a factor in preventing the economy from posting faster and more sustainable growth.

In the view of Jonathan Ravelas, senior adviser at professional services firm Reyes Tacandong & Co., the only way for the elections to boost GDP growth is low inflation.

“Govt infrastructure spending and tailwind spending from the elections could provide the lift. Key is recovery of consumption. Addressing inflation is key. Numbers are down but the people do not feel it,” Ravelas told BusinessMirror

Ravelas said apart from inflation, the country also faces the impact of higher Trump tariffs and currency volatility. He added that climate change hazards are also bound to reduce growth.

Climate change-related calamities in 2024, Ravelas said, made 2024 economic growth “quite disappointing.” Initially, he expected faster growth compared to the actual GDP figures for the last quarter and full year 2024.

“Quite disappointing. Was looking at 5.8 percent for both 4Q24 and full year. Higher inflation and elevated rates as well as calamities were factors that slowed the economy,” Ravelas said. “2025 remains challenging. I’m looking at 6 to 6.3 percent—best and base forecast.”

Nonetheless, University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) economist Victor A. Abola said growth this year may be better due to low base effects.

Combined with the local and national elections as well as continued infrastructure and consumption spending, full-year GDP growth could post a growth of 6.3 percent this year.

In her opening statement on behalf of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon said the economy in 2024 was fraught with economic challenges.

These challenges included extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions, and subdued global demand which were similar to the challenges faced by the economy in 2023.

“This suggests that these conditions may represent the new normal. While some challenges affect the en-

to the President.

Marcos admitted he has yet to read the petition against the 2025 GAA, but he said he was assured by Solicitor General (SolGen) Menardo I. Guevarra on the legality of the 2025 GAA.

“Well, the SolGen of course, will be the ones who will argue for the government and he tells me—SolGen Menard tells me that we are on solid footing in terms of constitutionality,” the President said.

“We will let the SolGen make the argument before the Supreme Court and we are very confident that our case is strong,” he added.

Before signing the 2025 GAA last month, Marcos said he and his Cabinet painstakingly reviewed its contents to remove provisions, which are not part of his administration’s priorities.

After the assessment, Marcos vetoed P200 billion worth of items in the P6.326-trillion 2025 national budget.

tire economy, others exert pressure on specific sectors,” Edillon said.

She said the performance of the Philippine economy suffered under the weight of the impact of these factors on various sectors.

What is important for the economy today, Edillon said, is mitigating the negative effects of these factors to enable a swift economic recovery.

It is crucial for the economy today to become resilient, she stressed. This means that the country cannot just aim for better and faster economic growth, but sustained economic growth.

“The challenges of 2024 have underscored the importance of resilience, adaptability, and strategic action. As we move forward, the government remains committed to building a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient society,” Edillon said.

“Guided by sound policies and a clear vision, we are poised to overcome uncertainties and sustain and boost our momentum in the year ahead,” she added.

Realign spending–Salceda

A leader of the House of Representatives on Thursday underscored the need to realign government spending and prioritize food security.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said, in rreaction to the PSA report: “5.6 percent is solid growth considering the global challenges.”

However, he pointed out that government spending lagged behind nominal GDP growth targets, which could pose challenges in sustaining economic momentum.

He emphasized that food security should be the top agenda for the government, noting that shifting consumer behavior indicates a prioritization of basic necessities over discretionary spending.

“There are signs that consumers have shifted away from discretionary expenses that cause economic growth and towards more basic food items like rice,” he explained.

To address this, Salceda highlighted the importance of the Murang Pagkain SuperCommittee, which aims to ensure affordable food prices and increase agricultural productivity.

“That is why the work of the Murang Pagkain Supercommittee is critical to achieving faster growth in 2025. People need to be able to afford food first before they feel confident to spend on other things,” he said.

Members of the Murang Pagkain Super Committee recently decried the alleged lack of urgency on the part of concerned agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and National Food Authority (NFA) to bring down rice prices. With Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Slow growth, Covid could…

Continued from A1

“Our initial runs showed the delays won’t take a decade, but nonetheless, we’re not happy with that and what we want is to better improve it, so that’s why we have all these programs, in particular, recovering the learning losses,” Edillon said. In order to attain these goals, the country must find new sources of economic growth as the country’s traditional growth drivers have already “matured” and prevented it from attaining faster and more sustainable economic growth needed to attain the AmBisyon2040, she added.

She noted that in the Philippine Development Report (PDR), the Neda took stock of the administration’s accomplishments and compared these against the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) targets.

The Neda also identified the lessons learned and how the country can move forward to attain its development targets. Based on the PDR, Edillon said the government fell short of the country’s economic growth targets; quality employment; and food inflation.

“To achieve resilient economic growth, we need to diversify our sources of growth. For inclusive quality employment, we must encourage more investments in sectors that require workers with higher-level skills and further develop an agile workforce. To keep food inflation low and stable, we need to anticipate potential shocks and continue to employ multipronged approaches,” Edillon said.

Edillon said some of the programs include efforts to boost economic competitiveness which can be done by enhancing operational efficiency and streamline business processes.

She said the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) will expand partnerships to accelerate the adoption of the Electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) across local government units.

Meanwhile, key legislative measures including the Foreign Investor’s Long-Term Lease Act, amendments to the Right-of-Way Act, the Konektadong Pinoy bill, and the EGovernance Act will be crucial in attracting investments in infrastructure and priority sectors. The Neda official also said the government intends to position the manufacturing sector as a key player in sustainable industries.

Efforts will focus on expanding the domestic manufacturing base and attracting investments in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, electronics, and other green technologies. Further, reforms to the mining fiscal regime will be prioritized to capitalize on the rising demand for critical minerals needed for the energy transition. Cai U. Ordinario

For his part, House Committee on Labor and Employment Chairman Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles vowed to work on securing final approval of the measure. The bill will now move to the House plenary for further deliberation.

Historic DEPUTY Speaker and TUCP Party-list Rep. Democrito Raymond Mendoza called the committee approval a historic moment, noting that it could be the first legislated wage hike since 1989. Mendoza emphasized that the Philippines “demands and deserves a raise,” citing the longstanding struggle of workers to obtain fair wages. He recalled that in 1989, Congress raised the minimum wage by 40 percengt without triggering massive inflation or unemployment, despite political instability at the time.

“There were two coup d’états in 1989; economic fundamentals were so bad during the time of Cory Aquino. But there was no wave of unemployment, no collapse of businesses,” Mendoza said. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz a decade, she said the government is “not happy” with this and more needs to be done to catch up.

SM City Iloilo stages events for Dinagyang 2025

THIS year’s celebration of Dinagyang was extra special as SM City Iloilo became the centerstage of the festival’s activities and events.

With its campaign, “AweSM Iloilo,” SM City Iloilo welcomed locals and visitors for the much-anticipated Dinagyang Festival 2025. Derived from the Hiligaynon word for revelry, “Dinagyang” the event embodies the spirit of joy and celebration through exhibiting the Ilonggo culture, craftsmanship, and culinary heritage.

Over the years, Dinagyang Festival has showcased impressive choreography, colorful costumes, and cultural significance – proving its unique fusion of tradition and modernity. This year, the festival took the celebration to a new level with a wide array of events at SM City Iloilo.

On its kick off day last January 15, SM Cinema 3 hosted a special screening of the highly anticipated Ilonggo film, Cande’. The movie was produced by Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida and Ms. Rhea Peñaflorida and was directed by awardwinning Ilonggo filmmaker and UPV professor, Mr. Kevin Piamonte.

On January 17, career opportunities arrived at Iloilo with the Dinagyang tRAIbaho PESO Job Fair 2025 at the SM’s Event Center. Job openings came from 97 local companies, 14 BPOs, and 9 international firms. The job fair interviewed a total of 3,451 applicants, with 2,566 qualified, 1,545 selected for further interviews, and 220 hired on the spot.

The Dinagyang Fun Ride then followed on January 18, at South Point from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM participated by almost 500 riders.

From January 19 to 26, visitors explored the AweSM Iloilo Dinagyang Festival Costumes Exhibit at the Event Center. At the same time, the AweSM Tourism Booth at North Point and the AweSM Festival Sale mallwide were also available during the same period. The Best of Iloilo Fair also opened at both the Event Center and North Point during these dates.

The festival continued with the Dinagyang Arnis Competition at Cyberzone from January 23 to 25, while meet-and-greet and parades with the Dinagyang Warriors happening daily from January 23 to 26 around the mall, between 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

Culinary highlights included the Grand Iloilo Food Festival, the Batchoy Festival, and the South Point Party, all happening at South Point from January 23 to 26, from 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM. Highlighting Iloilo’s reputation as a gastronomic haven, the Grand Iloilo Food Festival and Batchoy Festival delighted food enthusiasts, offering a delectable showcase of the region’s culinary excellence.

From January 23 to 27, visitors enjoyed the Music and Arts Festival at South Point from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, showcasing vibrant performances and creative displays.

The Dinagyang ILOmination Grand Opening took place on January 24 at the mall façade at 7:00 PM. SM City Iloilo was the official venue and main judging area of the event. A Grand Fireworks Show lit up the sky last January 25 at South Point at 9:00 PM. The celebration culminated on January 26 with a starstudded South Point Party, featuring performances by Darren Espanto and Horizon along with other artists from 2:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas assured that this year’s Dinagyang prioritized safety and inclusivity. With no signal jamming and

enhanced security measures, together with the Philippine National Police and Philippine Army, the city was committed to creating a secure environment for everyone. “I trust in the capability of our police force to uphold safety and order without the need for signal jamming,” said Treñas.

Dinagyang 2025 was a celebration of Ilonggo resilience, creativity, and unity.

With the community and key partners like SM City Iloilo, coming together, everyone in Iloilo City joined and experienced the heart of the festivities.

PAF, US Pacaf inaugurate new fuel storage facility

THE Air Force (PAF) and the US Pacific Air Forces (Pacaf) on Thursday formally inaugurated a newly-completed fuel oil storage facility at the Brig. Gen. Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.

Turnover and blessing ceremonies were witnessed by the Pacaf commander, Gen. Kevin Schneider, and the PAF Air Mobility Command chief, Maj. Gen. Ramil Oloroso.

Built by Himalayan Builders and Engineers Pvt. Ltd. and ACE Builders, the newly constructed facility features two above-ground storage tanks, each with a capacity of 75,708 liters.

“It also features a modern fuel handling system, a covered parking area for refueling trucks, and a secured perimeter, designed and constructed compliant to security

and safety standards. The project construction started on June 22, 2022 and was completed on September 6, 2024,” the PAF said in a statement.

It added that this project, undertaken under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca), will significantly improve the PAF’s fuel storage and distribution capabilities, enhancing operational readiness and logistical efficiency.

“It will support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, strengthen national defense capabilities, and sustain a wide range of PAF flying missions, including airlift, internal security, and territorial defense operations, thereby reinforcing the Air Force’s ability to respond to various operational demands,” the PAF said. Rex Anthony Naval

Highway Patrol makes presence felt at Tanay’s ‘killer’ mountain road

By Rex Anthony Naval

FOLLOWING a spate of fatal accidents involving motorcycles on the mountain road at Tanay, Rizal, the National Police Highway Patrol Group on Wednesday afternoon conducted a surprise inspection at the Marilaque Highway in that town.

The highway patrol troopers’ inspection was meant to prevent a repeat of the January 26 deadly motorcycle crash that killed a rider and severely injured another, the HPG officer-incharge, Brig. Gen. Eleazar Matta, said in a statement.

The same statement said the inspection was done at around 3:00 p.m.

The inspection, Matta said, was aimed at evaluating the deployment of personnel from the Highway Patrol Group on the highway in addition to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, the Tanay police, and the town’s Traffic Management Office.

The Marilaque (Marikina, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon) Highway is the favorite road of motorcycle riders who are fond of racing and displaying their riding skills. As a result, at least

one fatal accident occurs on the highway weekly. He also highlighted  the importance of strategic deployment in ensuring the safety and security of travelers along the Marilaque Highway. Matta also added that the primary objective of the operation was to avoid more accidents and enhance the overall safety on the highway, which is a popular route for both locals and tourists.

Aside from the inspection, Matta also talked with the photographers based in the Marilaque area, urging them to continue supporting the HPG’s advocacies and programs.

He encouraged local photographers to help raise awareness on the importance of road safety, law enforcement, and the HPG’s ongoing efforts to protect the public.

“We will continue to intensify our efforts in working closely with the local government unit and other partners to implement the law effectively. Our collaboration with the force multipliers and local stakeholders ensures that we can create a safer environment for the public, particularly along critical roads like Marilaque,” Matta said.

Peza, BuCor start ‘master planning’ Palawan Mega Ecozone

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority

T(Peza) has entered into an agreement with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to begin the “master planning” of the Palawan Mega Ecozone, the first mega ecozone in the country, which is seen to be operational before the term of President Marcos ends in 2028.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the investment promotion agency said Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga and

Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. officially sealed the agreement on January 24, allocating an initial area of more than 2,000 hectares of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, to be developed as the Palawan Mega Economic Zone (Pmez).

Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga said with this agreement, the two parties have now entered the next “important” step for the ecozone development in Palawan.

“We look forward to beginning the

See “Peza,” A5

Marcos to China: Stop aggression, I will order Typhon missiles out

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Marcos said he is ready to order the removal of Typhon missiles brought by the US military in the country if China will agree to stop its aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Marcos issued the strongly worded statement in response to the opposition to the presence of the missiles in the Phlippines expressed by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Chinese foreign ministry commented on the missiles follow -

ing the relocation of the launchers from the Laoag airport to an undisclosed location in Luzon.

The missile system has a range of 370 kilometers or 200 nautical miles and can help protect the Navy (PN) and Coast Guard (PCG) vessels in the WPS.

Beijing slammed the government for allowing the deployment of the US mid-range missiles within its territory branding it a threat to regional security.

“I don’t understand their comments on the Typhon Missile system–we don’t make any comments on their missile systems and their missile systems [which] are a thousand times more powerful than what we have. So I don’t understand,” Marcos told reporters in an interview after the inauguration ceremony of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport alternate runway in LapuLapu City on Thursday.

Despite his frustration on the latest comment from China, Marcos said he is ready to negotiate with Beijing for the removal of said missiles if it will agree to his conditions.

“Let’s make a deal with China–stop claiming our territory, stop harassing our fishermen and let them have a living, stop ramming our boats, stop water-cannoning

our people, stop firing lasers at us, and stop your aggressive and coercive behavior, and I’ll return the Typhon missiles [to the US],” Marcos said.

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ships continue to encroach at the WPS, parts of the South China Sea with Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), even after Beijing agreed to continue talks with Manila on how to stop maritime tension in the said area.

Among the said encroachment incidents was CCG’s deployment of its vessel 5901, which was dubbed as “monster ship” owing to its sheer size, around the waters of Bajo de Masinloc earlier this month.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed a diplomatic protest to counter the said illegal action by China.

The agency noted that it already filed 193 diplomatic protests against China under the Marcos administration.

Erwin Tulfo, Tito Sotto lead Stratbase-SWS Senate poll

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

INCUMBENT lawmakers, mostly leaning toward the administration, continued to dominate the race for Senate seats this May, according to the latest SWS survey commissioned by think tank Stratbase.

ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo continues to lead the race with 45 percent preference of voters.

He is followed by former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III in second place with 38 percent. In December, Sotto ranked fifth with 31 percent in the Stratbase poll.

The biggest gainer in the latest survey is former senator Lito Lapid, who jumped from 11th place in December 2024 (23 percent) to 3rd-4th place (37 percent), solidifying his spot among the frontrunners.

Lapid is tied in the 3rd-4th place (37%) with Sen. Bong Go, whose rating also increased by 5 percent since last December.

Former senator Panfilo Lacson also went up two spots from seventh in December with 27 percent to fifth in the January survey with 35 percent. Broadcaster Ben Tulfo, brother of incumbent lawmakers Erwin and Raffy, retained his position in 6th place.

Meanwhile, Sen. Pia Cayetano went down from 3rd-4th in December with 32 percent to 7th-8th this month with 33 percent.

She is currently tied with former senator Manny Pacquiao, who climbed one spot from 8th-9th last month.

Makati Mayor Abby Binay went up from 10th to 9th, while Sen. Ronald dela Rosa gained ground, ranking 10th with 30 percent,

from 12th-14th last month.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. fell the hardest this month after falling 10 places, from 2nd in December 2024 with 33 percent to 11th-13th in January 2025 with 29 percent.

TV Host Willie Revillame, likewise, went down several notches from 8th -9th (26 percent) to 11th13th in one month.

Former senator Francis Pangilinan was able to enter the

winning circle after his rating went up from 20 percent in December to 29 percent in January. He is currently tied with Revilla and Revillame in the 11th-13th spot, Stratbase said. However, incumbent Sen. Imee Marcos dropped out of the top 12, slipping to 14th place with 28 percent, a notable decline from her previous standing among potential winners, Stratbase added.

Marcos to lawyers: Help shape challenging legal landscape

PRESIDENT Marcos said lawyers play a crucial role in protecting the legal rights of the public amid emerging challenges posed by technological advancements such as artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change.

In his speech during the 20th National Convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cebu City on Thursday, the Chief Executive called lawyers as “agents of justice,” whose role is “to help in shaping the country’s challenging legal landscape.”

He said lawyers can provide guidance in the “technical and moral dilemmas” arising from the spread of new technology such as cybercrime, data privacy, and AI.

“And therefore, they [new problems] demand our continued commitment to protect human dignity

in an increasingly digital world,” Marcos told the 3,962 IBP members, who attended the convention.

The President explained that while the existential threat from climate change is usually discussed among the scientific community, it also has legal implications, where lawyers can help shed light into.

“Your field plays a vital role in this endeavor—crafting and upholding stronger environmental policies that protect our shared home, developing the concept of environmental justice,” Marcos said.

He stressed the need for law schools to include the said new challenges in their curricula together with human rights and international law to prepare future lawyers on the real-world application of legal theory.

“Our challenge is to ensure that these principles are not con -

fined to the pages of textbooks or the halls of courtrooms, but are lived and breathed—always guided by the Constitution and the values that it upholds,” Marcos said.

The IBP, he said, is already making strides in ensuring lawyers are accountable for their actions through its recent adoption of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, but grounded in their communities through its initiatives such as its SecureJustice Hubs, Pro Bono Portal and Unified Legal Aid Service Rules (ULASR).

The ULASR requires lawyers to render at least 60 hours of free or pro bono legal aid every three years for indigent Filipinos.

“We must embrace a simple but profound truth: The law must serve all Filipinos—not just a privileged few. Justice must find its way to the margins, where it is

most needed—reaching the underserved, the unseen, [and] the unheard,” he added. Marcos said his administration will implement measures to support lawyers in ensuring the swift delivery of justice with the passage of 14 new laws establishing additional first- and second-level courts across the country.

“This Administration remains your partner in nurturing the environment where our lawyers excel—where justice is swift, where it is fair, and where it is impartial, and where the rule of law remains the cornerstone of all progress,” Marcos said.

“And as we move forward, I encourage everyone to enrich your commitment to truth and to fairness. Embrace the highest standards of professionalism and embody the ideals of integrity and of service,” he added. Samuel P. Medenilla

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Developers looking for growth outside Metro Manila–Colliers

By VG Cabuag @Villygc

REAL estate developers are looking for growth opportunities outside Metro Manila, as the supply glut of condominium units worsened to 70 months worth of unsold inventory, or about six years in the metropolis.

Joey Roi Bondoc, research director of Colliers Philippines, said developers are seeing lackluster sales in Metro Manila. Its recent figures showed there were about 75,000 units, some 27,000 of which were completed units, or ready-for-occupancy, worth about P154.4 billion.

“So what developers have been doing right now is that they’re looking for growth opportunities outside of Metro Manila. You have Calabarzon [Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon], Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, Davao region. And these regions account for about 90 percent of total residential real estate loans granted by Philippine banks,” Bondoc said.

From about an average of 13,000 completed units per year during 2017 to 2019 in Metro Manila, Colliers said it would drop to an about an average 8,000 units between 2024 and 2026, with 2026 will be the lowest at 5,300 units.

“The trend right now this is the norm that we are seeing is that developers are launching golf courses that are complementing resort theme developments and even residential lotonly and house and lot developments,” Bondoc said.

He said what will further drive the Philippine property market were the master planned communities being developed outside of Metro Manila.

“What’s interesting here is that house and lot and lot only projects, their prices grew by an average of 7 percent to 8 percent annually from 2016 up to 2023, aggressively differentiating working resort or leisure team development outside Metro Manila,”Bondoc said.

“Interest rate cuts will be continued to [be] cut by the central bank, and hopefully that results in lower mortgage rates and that will further stoke demand in the residential sector, as [overseas workers’] remittances continue to increase,” he added.

He said there is a lot of optimism, confidence and the positivity in the market that will be infused by the infrastructure projects implemented by the government.

“When you go down south, you have the LRT1 Cavite Extension, the Cavite Laguna expressway. You have toll road phase four. Of course, you have Metro Manila subway. It is only within Metro Manila, but just imagine the connectivity and faster commute and travel that it will provide once it is completed in 2029 so obviously here we see a lot of challenges,” he said.

“Still, [the] office sector [is] likely to see the highest office vacancy in Metro Manila in 2024 because of the Pogo [Philippine Overseas Gaming Operations] exodus. But there are opportunities, and these are supported by the countryside developments that we are seeing right now,” he said.

Economy CREATE More to spur demand for flexible workspaces in PHL

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

CREATE More Law will help fuel demand for flexible workspaces in the Philippines, a senior official of the International Workplace Group (IWG), a global workspace provider, said.

“It is one of many drivers. It will absolutely fuel and accelerate demand further, which we are delighted about. I’m delighted to see that the government really have appreciated the value of flexible workspace and how important it is to the private companies and industries to be able to attract and retain talents,” Lars Wittig, IWG’s Senior Vice President for Asia Pacific (Apac) North told the BusinessMirror in a recent interview.

Under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enter -

Approve Konektadong Pinoy bill, Senate asked

IBy Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

NDUSTRY stakeholders are urging the Senate to swiftly approve the Konektadong Pinoy bill, following President Marcos’ certification of Senate Bill 2699 as urgent.

In a joint statement that Better Internet Philippines sent to the media, business chambers and technology groups called on lawmakers to make use of the remaining session days of the 19th Congress to “immediately pass” the bill.

“Stakeholders look forward to Senate President Francis Escudero leading the passage of the bill now that it has been certified as urgent,” the groups said.

The measure, also known as the Open Access in Data Transmission Bill, seeks to overhaul the country’s digital infrastructure landscape by simplifying licensing processes for network providers and shifting regulatory authority to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

The groups that support the bill include the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (JCCIPI), the Alliance of Tech Innovators for the Nation (Atin), the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association Inc. (PCTA), the Fintech Alliance, and the Internet Society (Isoc), among many others.

Marcos tagged the bill as urgent on January 27.

Collectively, the groups expressed gratitude to the President for his decisive action in backing the

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bill. They also lauded key government agencies, such as the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Bangko Sentral, and the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC), for championing its passage.

Versions of the bill have passed the House of Representatives three times since the 17th Congress, only to stall in the Senate.

The groups argue that the bill will address the Philippines’ persistent digital divide and enhance competition in the telecommunications sector, ultimately improving Internet speed and affordability.

They said the Philippines has consistently struggled in global digital rankings, reflecting persistent challenges in its technological landscape.

“The Philippines has consistently ranked poorly in global and regional ICT rankings, including the Digital Competitiveness Index and Network Readiness Index. Philippine Internet is one of the slowest but also one of the most expensive in the world. Poor digital connectivity in the country can be attributed to outdated laws that discourage investment and prevent new players from putting up much-needed Internet infrastructure, especially in the countryside,” the group said.

In the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, the country has remained in the lower tiers, placing 59th out of 64 economies in 2023 and dropping further to 61st in 2024, indicating sluggish progress in innovation, digital infrastructure, and talent development.

processing, nano tech, knowledge-based and AI-driven industries, medical-related industries, and blue industries, among others.

Meanwhile, in the Network Readiness Index (NRI), the Philippines showed slight improvements, rising from 69th in 2023 to 63rd in 2024.

Last year, the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators (PCTO) raised red flags over the bill’s potential impact on national security and consumer protection.

In a 17-page position paper submitted to the Senate, the group warned that removing the requirement for legislative franchises and Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCNs) for data transmission industry participants (DTIPs) could create a regulatory loophole.

The group emphasized that radio frequency spectrum is a finite and critical national resource that requires strict regulation. They warned that easing entry barriers could allow unscrupulous players into the industry, potentially exposing Filipinos to cybersecurity threats.

The PCTO also argued that the bill could create an uneven playing field, as public telecommunications entities (PTEs) would still be required to secure legislative franchises and CPCNs, while DTIPs would be exempt.

The PCTO also cited examples from Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore, where governments have tightened control over digital infrastructure instead of relaxing regulations.

Moreover, the PCTO flagged provisions on administrative penalties, arguing that they are excessively punitive and could disproportionately impact smaller industry players.

prises Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE More) Law, business enterprises registered in any investment promotion agency (IPA) are now allowed to implement work from home (WFH) for not more than 50 percent of total workforce without losing tax benefits.

In the CREATE Act, enterprises registered within the ecozones were not allowed to implement the work from home policy.

However, Wittig told this paper that CREATE More “should not be

overlooked” as he noted that the work arrangement has evolved.

He added that “It was historically assumed that production tax benefits have something to do with machines. It was always attached to a certain location because it had to be a factory. That’s outdated today.”

“So it’s very timely and very relevant that CREATE More have considered the need and ability of companies to not lose any tax benefits from allowing employees to work from home,” Wittig said.

He noted that this specific provision in the said law “will just further fuel the already accelerating demand for flexible workspace.”

The IWG official further explained that the flexible workspace industry benefits from the “dynamic situation” brought about the evolving work setup in the country.

“You have the traditional workplace, that could be a government office or a private head office, and then you have the home.But what about everywhere in between? It’s a dynamic situation anyway. What about working on the go? I mean, you also have government employees who are out and about,”

Wittig said.

“Shouldn’t they have access to professional workspace? And working from home is not ideal always, and you do not necessarily want to have to return to your head office every time you need to update an expense report or whatever else. So you know, avail of the network,” Wittig also told this paper.

At a recent briefing, IWG revealed that in the Philippines alone, IWG operates 33 centers, including recent launches in Cagayan de Oro, Baguio and Mandaluyong cities.

Additional openings are planned in Carmona in Cavite, Makati and Lipa in Batangas in early 2025.

The global workplace provider said it is set to achieve its plan of over 50 percent growth from 33 centers in 2024. This means that by the end of 2025, IWG is seen to be present in more than 50 locations.

“So going from 33 today to over 50 by the end of December this year alone,” Wittig said. He also noted that within less than 10 years, almost 30 percent of all commercial office space is expected to be flexible.

master planning and immediately start the development of this ecozone which will create more employment opportunities for Filipinos, most especially persons deprived of liberty [PDL],” the Peza chief said. Catapang said with the development of this mega ecozone, “Palawan is the new frontier and we want to generate income for social development and food security.” Panga said that this ecozone will help in attracting “emerging and high-value industries” like electric vehicle production, advanced manufacturing, green ores

to address “key obstacles hindering our country’s FDI growth and bid to become the top investment destination in the region, such as the availability of renewable energy sources, high power rates, land availability, cost, tenure, and size, as well as the ease and cost of doing business.” (See: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2024/01/31/ mega-ecozone-to-make-phl-aseanstop-investment-hub/) Peza and BuCor entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the project on January 30, 2024. Both parties eye that the Palawan Mega Ecozone will be proclaimed within the year and be operational before the term of President Marcos ends in 2028. Peza. . .

“The impact of this project will be felt all across the Region to include an immediate heightened trade within the context of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-MalaysiaPhilippines East Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Growth Area international framework,” added Panga. In an earlier story published by the BusinessMirror, Peza said establishing a mega ecozone in the Philippines will enable the country to become the top investment destination in the Asean region. Panga said in January 2024 that this mega ecozone will enable the country

Travel trade fairs generate over ₧11B in sales leads for TPB

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special

to the BusinessMirror

SOME P11.3 billion in sales leads were generated from various travel trade events attended by private tourism stakeholders last year, some 45 percent higher than the sales leads in 2023.

At its recent thanksgiving event, Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles described 2024 as “a year of transformation for Philippine tourism. Together, we have worked to bring more travelers to our shores and elevate the Philippines as a destination of choice.”

The bulk of last year’s sales leads, at P918 million, were accounted for by global travel fairs like ITB Berlin and the World Travel Market in London, she added.

The TPB is the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), and is tasked with promoting the country to 13 key market destinations abroad, primarily by organizing the Philippines’ participation in international travel trade fairs and collaborations with foreign media, event organizers, influencers, and the like. It also markets local destinations

to domestic travelers via travel exchanges, destination-specific events, along with various campaigns.

Last year, 4.57 million foreign tourists arrived from these 13 key markets South Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia, exceeding the TPB’s 3-million target committed under the General Appropriations Act of 2024. This year, the TPB aims to attract 6.3 million visitor arrivals from these key markets. (See, “DOT marketing arm gets lift with P40-M subsidy,” in the B usiness M irror , January 13, 2025.)

More tourists from Asean eyed THIS developed as Nograles sees more tourists from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), after Philippine travel sellers at the recent Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) in Malaysia registered an 8.4 percent rise in sales leads to P463.33 million.

The ATF is the biggest annual tourism event in Asean, attracting key tourism stakeholders including policymakers, industry leaders, and tourism-related

service providers. The Philippines showcased a wide range of travel options through 17 local exhibitors representing travel agencies, hotels, resorts, MICE (Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions) venues, and an airline, which engaged with 355 international buyers at the ATF’s Travel Exchange. “We are optimistic about the quality of connections made and the immense potential for meaningful business opportunities to drive tourists to the Philippines. The recordbreaking sales leads reflect not just the interest in our destinations but also the trust international buyers have in the Philippines as a tourism hub, which represents a strong foundation for sustained collaboration and growth in the years to come,” said Nograles in a news statement.

Data from the DOT showed 437,363 arrivals from Asean last year, accounting for 83 percent of prepandemic arrivals in 2019. Based on 2023 figures, the Philippines received 427,210 visitors from the region, which represented less than one percent of the 43.2 million intra-Asean visitors.

Marketing strategies

MEANWHILE during TPB’s Pasasalamat event, Nograles enumerated their

successful marketing projects, which include partnerships with local and foreign media outlets such as Bloomberg, CNN, and Euronews, “crafting engaging content that captures the essence of our destinations.” Also, the TPB collaborated with online travel platforms like Agoda and Tripzilla that have “ensured that the Philippines remains accessible and captivating to global audiences.”

In addition, TPB hosted tours for international celebrities through its Global and Local Influencer Program. Among them were Timothy Granaderos (13 Reasons Why), Nico Santos (Superstore/Crazy Rich Asians), Mark Dacascos (Iron Chef/ Hawaii Five-O), Josh de la Cruz (Aladdin), and Korean actor Kim Jii So (Abot Kamay ang Pangarap), to name a few. “ These influencers shared their unique experiences in the Philippines with their global followers, inspiring others to explore our country,” said Nograles.

Through its Destination Music Festival Program, the TPB collaborated with entertainment company and concert promoter Live Nation Philippines in bringing in global artists like LANY, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, and Sandara Park.

The TPB is currently in the midst of the final preparations for the World Expo in Osaka, which opens on April 13.

Marcos administration maintains solid 59% satisfaction rating, despite dip in net score

By Bless Aubrey Ogerio

THE Marcos administration maintained a solid but not majority-level satisfaction rating among Filipinos as of December 2024, according to a recent survey.

The latest Social Weather Survey (SWS) found that 59 percent of adult Filipinos were satisfied with the administration’s overall performance, giving it a net satisfaction rating of +36, which falls under the “good” category.

Although this percentage remained unchanged from September 2024, the net satisfaction score dipped slightly from +40 in June 2024. The rating had previously seen a steep decline from a “very good” +52 in December 2023 to a “moderate” +29 in March 2024.

The pollster also revealed that 17 percent of respondents were neutral, while 23 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

The notable increase in net satisfaction in Visayas, where the score improved from a “good” +31 to +44, was the primary driver for the rating’s stability from September to December. In Balance Luzon, satisfaction levels remained relatively stable despite a slight dip from +46 to +44.

Mindanao, meanwhile, slipped from a “moderate” +23 to +16, while Metro Manila’s rating barely changed, moving from +32 to +31.

Rural areas saw a slight decline, going from +42 to +39, while urban areas experienced a marginal improvement, from +31 to +33. Among women, the rating inched up from +33 to +36, whereas it slightly declined among men, from +39 to +35.

Sen. Gatchalian pushes for stronger learner, teacher foundations after EDCOM II report

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

& Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing to have both learners’ and teachers’ foundations strengthened in the wake of the submission of the “Edcom Two,” the second comprehensive report by a congressional panel highlighting the weaknesses and gaps in the Philippine education system.

Following the release of the Second Congressional Commission on Education’s (EDCOM II) Year Two Report, Gatchalian said strengthening learners’ foundation is crucial to improve their performance and address the crisis in the education sector.

G atchalian, EDCOM II Co-Chairperson, emphasized the importance of prioritizing children’s nutrition during the first 1,000 days, early childhood education, and literacy by Grade 3.

The EDCOM II’s Year Two Report titled “Fixing the Foundations” highlights the vulnerability of Filipino children during their formative years. The report found that only 25% of Filipino children, particularly 6 to 12-month-old infants, meet the recommended energy intake. The commission’s report also pointed out that one in four Filipino children under 5 years old is stunted.

The lack of access to child development centers (CDCs) is one of the reasons families do not enroll their children in Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programs. Despite the mandate of the Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of Children Act (Republic Act 6972) to construct a daycare center in every barangay, there are still no CDCs in 5,822 barangays.

According to Gatchalian, the enactment of the

₧200 wage. . .

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House Rep. Arlene Brosas previously pointed out that since 1989, when the boards were established, they have only implemented minimal increases.

“They’ve been in charge of wage hikes for decades, but workers are only getting crumbs,” Brosas said.

The RTWPBs, along with the National Wages and Productivity Commission and the 10-point wage hike criteria, were created under the Wage Rationalization Act, signed into law by former President Corazon Aquino. These boards are responsible for determining minimum wage rates at regional, provincial, and industry levels.

Neda, which is part of the RTWPB, said it will assess the potential impact of the proposed wage hike on inflation, employment, and economic growth.

“We recognize that many stakeholders are involved in this issue—employers, minimum wage workers, non-minimum wage workers, job seekers, and the government. There are existing mechanisms to ensure a balanced discussion and solution,” Neda Undersecretary for Planning and Policy Rosemarie G. Edillon said.

Public, not private sector

To address concerns about minimum wages falling

Young adults aged 18-24 showed the biggest boost in satisfaction, rising from +38 to +43. However, ratings dropped among those aged 45-54, from +36 to +28. O ther age groups saw minor shifts, with 25-34-year-olds increasing from +36 to +37, 35-44-year-olds dipping from +38 to +36, and those 55 and older staying relatively stable between +36 and +37.

Marginalized helped, inflation unchecked

OUT of 17 key governance areas assessed in the survey, the Marcos admin received a “very good” rating for helping disaster victims, improving children’s education, assisting the poor, developing job policies, and advancing science and technology. Inflation control, however, remained a weak spot, earning a “poor” rating.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported Thursday that the economy grew by 5.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, as the farm sector, battered by consecutive typhoons, contracted. (S ee: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2025/01/30/q4-gdp-growth-at-5-2-astyphoon-battered-farm-sector-shrinks/) T he government scored a “good” rating on housing programs, food security, public transport efficiency, disaster preparedness, climate change response, transparency, and defending the West Philippine Sea. It received a “moderate” rating for efforts to ensure no family goes hungry, while it was rated “neutral” on crime prevention, preventing oil companies from overpricing, and fighting corruption.

T he SWS survey was conducted from December 12 to 18, with respondents distributed as follows: 13 percent from Metro Manila, 45 percent from Balance Luzon, 19 percent from Visayas, and 23 percent from Mindanao.

Early-Childhood Care and Development Act (Senate Bill No. 2575) will help address these issues on ECCD. The measure seeks to achieve universal ECCD access to all children below five years old by expanding the application of the National ECCD System to all cities, municipalities, and provinces.

The commission also flagged that far too many students enter Grade 4 with skills equivalent to Grade 2 or 3. The EDCOM report cited a forthcoming UNICEF study, which found that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Filipino students exiting Grade 3 were a year behind in terms of literacy. Because of the pandemic, the gap widened to three years.

G atchalian cited the need to effectively roll out the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, a learning recovery intervention created under the ARAL Program Act (Republic Act No. 12028).

“All of these findings point to a clear and singular message: we must act to fix the foundations of our education system. It is imperative that as we face an avalanche of concerns, we sift through the list and prioritize those that are foundational for our students,” said Gatchalian.

T he Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) expressed their support and readiness to implement the recommended reforms following the release of the EDCOM 2 Year Two report. “ We welcome the roadmap provided by the EDCOM 2 report to strengthen the technical-vocational education and training [TVET] sector. With the recently passed landmark EBET [Enterprise-Based Education and Training] Law, we have been actively engaging with various industries to ensure that our technical education system is resilient, inclusive, and adaptive,”TESDA Director General Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, emphasizing the significance of the findings. Benitez underscored the importance of aligning TVET programs with industry needs.

“ TESDA is working with the Commission alongside other stakeholders in both the public and private space to ensure our training programs produce employable graduates who will meet the current demands of the evolving labor market,” the former EDCOM 2 Commissioner explained.

below the livable threshold, Lanzona argued that the private sector should not bear the responsibility of bridging the gap.

“It should be shouldered by the public sector, by the government. The failure of the government to control inflation has resulted in lower real wages. Therefore, workers cannot provide for their basic needs,” he explained.

He urged the government to ensure that all workers—regardless of employment status or sector—receive adequate social protection.

Lanzona also stressed that one-time financial aid programs, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong Program (AKAP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD), are insufficient to support distressed workers.

“We need to come up with an effective social protection safety net program that will not make the person dependent on the cash subsidy,” he added.

Last week, think tank IBON Foundation estimated that real wages have been steadily declining, with

Brief

Brief

CHINA WUYI CO., LTD. 4/f Commodore Bldg., 422 Arquiza St., 072, Barangay 667, Ermita, City Of Manila

16. LU, ZHANGWEN Mandarin Field Service Coordinator

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Field Service Coordinator will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Field Service Coordinator, familiarity, knowledge and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.

Salary Range: Php

COING PH CORP. Unit 2816 28th Floor Spaces World Plaza 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

17. BOZOVIC, ANJ Software Developer

Brief Job Description: Responsible for implementing the internal tooling and integrations based on team requirement and specification, writing of web and command-line application and for maintaining their CI/CD processes. Basic Qualification: College graduate, with previous work experience in a similar role and with excellent technical and communication skills. Salary Range: Php 90,000

BusinessMirror

59. ZHANG, HAOLIANG Mandarin Team Leader

Brief

60. ZHANG, XIAORAN Mandarin Team Leader

Brief Job Description: Develop a strategy.

61. LIU, HUI Mandarin Technical Support

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer systems and networks.

OPTUM GLOBAL SOLUTIONS (PHILIPPINES), INC. 1st To 4th Floors, Science Hub Tower 3, Blk 38, Campus Ave. Cor. Turin St., Mckinley Hill Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

62. SHARMA, YOUBARAJ Director For Operations

Brief Job Description: Responsible for all aspects of Project/Business Management, including but not limited to. Initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring and controlling including change control and project closure – ensuring predictable and successful delivery.

PASCO PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 2302 To 2307 Raffles Corporate Centre, F. Ortigas Jr.

63. DEGUCHI, ICHIRO Marketing Advisor/Consultant

S-W TRADING CORP.

Unit 101, #393 Mindanao Ave. 6, Talipapa, Quezon City

66. GOHAL, BALDEV SINGH Hindi Account Manager

Brief Job Description: Stay on top of accounts, making sure they receive those that are within their budget and meet their needs.

Basic Qualification: Any nationality with excellent verbal communication skills, especially in Bahasa Indonesia and English languages.

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

67.

GAO, HANFEI Mandarin Document Controller

Brief Job Description: Perform regular audit on corporate documents to ensure that all documents are properly submitted to other department.

68. HOU, GUIYING Mandarin Document Controller

Brief Job Description: Perform regular audit on corporate documents to ensure that all

Basic Qualification: Any nationality with excellent verbal communication skills, especially in Mandarin & English languages.

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

The World

Hamas frees first of 8 more hostages as Gaza truce holds; Israel set to release 110 prisoners

By Mohammad Jahjouh, Wafaa Shurafa & Joseph Krauss

KThe Associated Press

HAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip— Hamas-led militants freed the first of eight hostages on Thursday in the latest release since a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip took hold earlier this month. Israel was expected to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners.

The truce is aimed at winding down the deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas, whose October 7, 2023, attack into Israel sparked the fighting. It has held despite a dispute earlier this week over the sequence in which the hostages were released.

Hamas handed female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, to the Red Cross after parading her in front of a crowd in the heavily destroyed urban refugee camp of Jabaliya in northern Gaza. The Israeli government later confirmed

that Berger was with its forces. Berger was among five young, female soldiers abducted in the October 7 attack.

The other four were released on Saturday. People cheered, clapped and whistled at a square in Tel Aviv where supporters of the hostages watched Berger’s handover on big screens next to a large clock that’s counted the days the hostages have been in captivity. Some held signs saying: “Agam we’re waiting for you at home.”

Another handover point was prepared in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, in front of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Hundreds of militants from Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group arrived with a convoy in a show of force, and thousands of people gathered to watch, some from the tilted rooftops of bombed-out buildings.

The other two Israelis set to be released Thursday are Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man. Five Thai nationals are also expected to be freed, but have not been officially identified.

A number of foreign workers were taken captive along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamas’ attack. Twenty-three Thais were among more than 100 hostages released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.

Israel says eight Thais remain in captivity, two of whom are believed to be dead.

Of the people set to be released from prisons in Israel, 30 are serving life sentences after being convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis. Zakaria Zubeidi, a prominent former militant leader and theater director who took part in a dramatic jailbreak in 2021 before being rearrested days later, is also among those set to be released.

Israel said Yehoud was supposed to have been freed Saturday and delayed the

opening of crossings to northern Gaza when she was not.

The United States, Egypt and Qatar, which brokered the ceasefire after a year of tough negotiations, resolved the dispute with an agreement that Yehoud would be released Thursday. Another three hostages, all men, are set to be freed Saturday along with dozens more Palestinian prisoners.

On Monday, Israel began allowing Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, the most heavily destroyed part of the territory, and hundreds of thousands streamed back. Many found only mounds of rubble where their homes had been.

Ceasefire holds for now but next phase will be harder

IN the first phase of the ceasefire, Hamas is set to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, older

adults and sick or wounded men, in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israel says Hamas has confirmed that eight of the hostages to be released in this phase are dead.

Palestinians have cheered the release of the prisoners, who they widely see as heroes who have sacrificed for the cause of ending Israel’s decades-long occupation of lands they want for a future state.

Israeli forces have meanwhile pulled back from most of Gaza, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to return to what remains of their homes and humanitarian groups to surge assistance.

The deal calls for Israel and Hamas to negotiate a second phase in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages and the ceasefire would continue indefinitely. The war could resume in early March if an agreement is not reached.

Israel says it is still committed to

destroying Hamas, even after the militant group reasserted its rule over Gaza within hours of the truce. A key farright partner in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition is already calling for the war to resume after the ceasefire’s first phase.

Hamas says it won’t release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Tens of thousands killed HAMAS started the war when it sent thousands of fighters storming into Israel. The militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250.

Israel’s ensuing air and ground war among the deadliest and most destructive in decades. More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed, over half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were militants.

The Israeli military says it killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence, and that it went to great lengths to try to spare civilians. It blames civilian deaths on Hamas because its fighters operate in dense residential neighborhoods and put military infrastructure near homes, schools and mosques.

The Israeli offensive has transformed entire neighborhoods into mounds of gray rubble, and it’s unclear how or when anything will be rebuilt. Around 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, often multiple times, with hundreds of thousands of people living in squalid tent camps or shuttered schools.

Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Krauss from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel contributed.

Passenger jet with 64 aboard collides with Army chopper while landing at Reagan Airport near DC

By Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp & Eric Tucker

Press

Associated

The

ARLINGTON, Va.—An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided Wednesday with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River. There were multiple fatalities, according to a person familiar with the matter, but the precise number of victims was unclear as rescue crews hunted for any survivors.

Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the collision, but all takeoffs and landings from the airport were halted as dive teams scoured the site and helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in methodical search for bodies.

“We are going to recover our fellow citizens,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a somber news conference at the airport Thursday morning in which she declined to say how many bodies had been recovered.

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.”

President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident” and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.”

Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,”

US Figure Skating said in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred before 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on a training flight while on approach to an airport runway. It occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol.

Investigators will try to piece together the aircrafts’ final moments before their collision,

including contact with air traffic controllers as well as a loss of altitude by the passenger jet.

American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan National at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to data from its radio transponder.

The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twinengine jet, manufactured in 2004, can be configured to carry up to 70 passengers.

A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National and the pilots said they were able.

Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway.

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided.

The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.

Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center showed two sets of lights consistent

with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.

“I know that flight. I’ve flown it several times myself,” said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas. He said he expected that many people in Wichita would know people who were on the flight.

“This is a very personal circumstance,” he said.

The collision occurred on a warm winter evening in Washington, with temperatures registering as high as 60 degrees Fahrenheit, following a stretch days earlier of intense cold and ice. On Wednesday, the Potomac River was 36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts of up to 25 mph were possible in the area throughout the evening.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” for the crash and said the company was focused on the needs of passengers, crew, first responders and families and loved ones of those involved.

Some 300 first responders were on scene. Inflatable rescue boats were launched into the Potomac River from a point along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport, and first responders set up light towers from the shore to illuminate the area near the collision site. At least a half-dozen boats were scanning the water using searchlights.

“It’s a highly complex operation,” said D.C. fire chief John Donnelly. “The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders.”

The US Army described the helicopter as a UH60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The helicopter was on a training flight. Military aircraft frequently conduct training flights in and around the congested and heavily-restricted airspace around the nation’s capital for familiarization and continuity of government planning.

The crash is serving as a major test for two of the Trump administration’s newest agency leaders. Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as defense secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched immediately” by the Army and the Defense Department. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, said at a somber news conference at the airport early Thursday that his agency would provide all possible resources to the investigation.

The last fatal crash involving a US commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. Everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane was killed, including 45 passengers, 2 pilots and 2 flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50. An investigation determined that the captain accidentally caused the plane to stall as it approached the airport in Buffalo.

Reagan Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced. The FAA has previously said it would be closed until 5 a.m. Friday.

Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city. Reagan National is a popular choice because it’s much closer than the larger Dulles International Airport, which is deeper in Virginia. Depending on the runway being used, flights into Reagan can offer passengers spectacular views of landmarks like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall and the US Capitol. It’s a postcard-worthy welcome for tourists visiting the city.

The incident recalled the crash of an Air Florida flight that plummeted into the Potomac on January 13, 1982, that killed 78 people. That crash was attributed to bad weather.

Associated Press writers Zeke

and

in Washington contributed to this report.

Former US Senator Bob Menendez gets 11 years in prison for bribery and acting as foreign agent

By Larry Neumeister

& Michael R. Sisak

The Associated Press

EW YORK—Former US Sen. Bob

NMenendez was sentenced Wednesday to 11 years in prison for accepting bribes of gold and cash and acting as an agent of Egypt—crimes his lawyer said he’s been mocked for as “Gold Bar Bob.”

The judge delivered the sentence after Menendez tearfully addressed the court, saying he’d lost everything he cared about, except his family. The Democrat resigned last year after becoming one of only a handful of US senators ever convicted while in office.

“You were successful, powerful, you stood at the apex of our political system,” US District

Judge Sidney H. Stein told Menendez in a packed Manhattan courtroom. “Somewhere along the way, and I don’t know when it was, you lost your way and working for the public good became working for your good.”

The ex-senator was convicted of selling his once-considerable clout for bribes worth a fortune. FBI agents who searched his house found $480,000, some of it stuffed inside boots and pockets of clothing, and gold bars worth an estimated $150,000.

Prosecutors said that in exchange for the loot, which also included a luxury car, Menendez did corrupt favors for three New Jersey businessmen. They said he tried to protect associates from criminal investigations, helped two of them in business deals with foreign powers, and also met with Egyptian intelligence officials and took steps to help that country access millions of dollars in US military aid.

“What’s been the result?” Stein said.

“You lost your Senate seat. You lost your chairmanship and you lost your good name.” Menendez, 71, portrayed himself to the judge as a sympathetic figure, stressing his decades of public service and declaring that he was chastened by the experience. Afterward, talking to reporters with TV cameras and microphones outside, he turned defiant.

“I am innocent,” he proclaimed, vowing to appeal.

Menendez, who beat a prosecution in another corruption case a decade ago, aligned himself with President Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of the judicial system, particularly in New York City.

“This process is political and it’s corrupted to the core. I hope President Trump cleans up the cesspool and restores the integrity to the system,” Menendez said, reading from a sheet of paper.

The judge ordered him to report to prison June 6.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, said that despite Menendez’s accomplishments, “he will be remembered for putting his own interests and financial gain ahead of the public interest.” Menendez’s successor, Democratic US Sen. Andy Kim, said the sentencing is a reminder that nobody should be above the law, “no matter your title or the power you hold.”

Two of the men convicted of bribing Menendez also got substantial prison terms Wednesday. The judge sentenced real estate developer Fred Daibes to seven years in

prison. Wael Hana, an entrepreneur, was sentenced to eight years. Daibes, 67, tearfully told Stein his conviction had left him “borderline suicidal.”

Hana professed that he was innocent.

The World Ontario leader calls snap election to fight Trump’s threatened tariffs

A third businessman pleaded guilty and testified against Menendez at a trial last year. Menendez’ wife, Nadine, faces a March trial on many of the same charges.

A dozen US senators have been indicted while in office, but only four before Menendez were convicted and had those convictions stand up on appeal.

Menendez resigned last August, a month after his conviction, but he’d been sapped of his power by then. After he was charged in 2023, he was forced to surrender his powerful post as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

His trial traced his dealings with Egyptian officials and his quest to aid three men who showered him with lucrative gifts found during a 2022 raid on his home in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Prosecutor Paul Monteleoni said Menendez committed a “truly grave breach of the trust” by serving Egypt’s interests as he worked to protect a meat certification monopoly Hana had established with the Egyptian government.

“His time in the Senate was a privilege. It should have been its own reward—or would have been if he wasn’t corrupt,” Monteleoni said.

Among other things, Menendez provided Egyptian officials with information about US Embassy staff in Cairo and ghostwrote a letter to senators encouraging them to lift a hold on $300 million in military aid to Egypt.

For other bribes, prosecutors said, Menendez attempted to persuade a federal prosecutor in New Jersey to go easy on Daibes, a politically influential real estate developer accused of bank fraud.

Businessman Jose Uribe testified that he helped Nadine Menendez get a MercedesBenz convertible after the senator sought to pressure state prosecutors to drop criminal probes of his associates.

Menendez has insisted that his interactions with Egyptian officials were normal for the head of the Foreign Relations Committee and that he always put American interests first. He denied taking any bribes and said the gold bars belonged to his wife.

“Your honor, I am far from a perfect man. I have made more than my share of mistakes and bad decisions,” Menendez told the judge.

“I’ve done far more good than bad. ask you, your honor, to judge me in that context.”

Stein said he took Menendez’s public service, age and health into consideration when deciding his punishment, which could have been as much as 24 to 30 years in prison under sentencing guidelines.

Menendez’s lawyers described how the son of Cuban immigrants emerged from poverty and the trauma of his father’s suicide when he was 23 to become “the epitome of the American Dream”—rising from mayor of Union City, New Jersey, to decades in Congress—before his conviction “rendered him a national punchline.”

“Despite his decades of service, he is now known more widely as Gold Bar Bob,” defense lawyer Adam Fee told the judge.

US aid freeze halts hospital care services to 106,000 Myanmar refugees in Thailand

By Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul & Grant Peck

The Associated Press

BANGKOK—A 90-day freeze on foreign assistance programs announced by US President Donald Trump has led to cuts in services to refugees from war-torn Myanmar, including the shutdown of hospital care in camps in Thailand where more than 100,000 are living, activists and Thai officials said Wednesday.

About 106,000 long-term refugees live in nine camps along Thailand’s western border with Myanmar, according to the Border Consortium, which coordinates and supplies food, shelter and other support to most of them. The consortium’s mid-year report last year said the US State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration was its largest donor, contributing 69% of its funding. Around 80% of the camps’ residents are from the Karen ethnic minority, whose

homeland in eastern Myanmar is embroiled in combat. The Karen have been battling for greater autonomy from Myanmar’s central government for more than seven decades. Intermittent fighting escalated sharply after Myanmar’s army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, causing more to flee across the border.

Karen News, an online news site serving the Karen community, reported Wednesday that several charity groups and NGOs providing assistance for refugees from Myanmar suspended operations after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last Friday issued an order halting nearly all existing and new foreign aid. On Tuesday, Rubio agreed to at least temporarily keep spending money on humanitarian programs that provide lifesaving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance, but it was not immediately clear which programs if any affecting refugees from Myanmar would be included.

VBy Jim Morris The Associated Press

ANCOUVER,

British Columbia—

The leader of Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, on Wednesday triggered a snap election, saying he needs a strong four-year mandate to fight the tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump.

Doug Ford, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, said the 25 percent tariffs threatened by Trump would devastate Canada’s economy and cost Ontario thousands of jobs.

“The people of our province, like people across Canada, are facing unprecedented times,” Ford said in Windsor, Ont. “I am asking the people of Ontario for their trust. I’m asking (...) for a strong, stable, four-year mandate to do whatever it takes to protect Ontario.”

The move would send Ontarians to the polls on Feb. 27, more than a year before the June 2026 fixed election date. Ford already has a large majority government, with 79 of the 124 seats in the Ontario legislature.

Trump has threatened to introduce tariffs on Canadian goods starting Saturday. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that the plan was “still on the books” for that day.

“This is a game to the president,” said Ford, who is the equivalent of a US state governor. “He seeks to divide and conquer.”

Ford said the provincial government is prepared to spend “tens of billions of dollars” to protect jobs and the economy of Ontario, Canada’s manufacturing and automobile hub.

“We’ll fight these tariffs with every tool in our toolbox,” he said.

Ford has said there would be a dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation on American goods entering Canada. He has also said that if Trump applies tariffs, he will instruct Ontario’s liquor control board to pull all American-made alcohol from shelves.

Trump has said that Canada can avoid tariffs if it becomes the 51st state and he has incorrectly claimed that the US has a $200 billion deficit with its major trading partner.

Opposition parties accuse Ford of calling an early election before any potential charges emerge from a police investigation into his nowscrapped plan to develop lands under environmental protection. Elections Ontario, the independent office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario responsible for the administration of provincial elections and referendums, said Wednesday the election will cost about $189 million Canadian dollars ($131 million).

That money, said Bonnie Crombie, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, would be better spent on health care and affordable housing.

“This isn’t a necessary election,” Crombie told a news conference on Wednesday. “He is trying to cling to power.”

Daniel Beland, a political science professor at Montreal’s McGill University, said Ford is taking “a calculated risk.”

“The opposition is divided between the Liberals and the New Democratic Party, which is very

likely to allow him to stay in power, at least if he runs an effective campaign,” said Beland.

The Ontario election is being held at the same time as the federal Liberal Party is selecting a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who announced his resignation Jan. 6. Trudeau will remain prime minister until a new Liberal Party leader is chosen on March 9. The next Liberal leader could be the shortest-tenured prime minister in the country’s history.

“We need a strong leadership that is prepared to do whatever lies ahead despite the chaos we now see in Ottawa,” said Ford.

All three opposition parties have vowed to bring down the Liberals’ minority government in a noconfidence vote after parliament resumes on March 24 which would trigger a spring election.

“Trump’s threats are not going away at a time when the federal government has left Canada drifting, exposed and vulnerable. We need a mandate that will outlive and outlast the Trump administration.”

ONTARIO Premier Doug Ford dons a toque following a press conference with Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation at Queens Park, the provincial legislature, in Toronto, Tuesday, January 28, 2025. CHRIS YOUNG/THE

Keeping our children safe online: The need for Internet safety education in schools

The Internet can be a powerful resource for learning, exploration, and connection, but it also presents a variety of risks, from cyberbullying and misinformation to online predators and inappropriate content. By equipping our children with the skills to identify these risks and handle them appropriately, we can assist them in building the digital literacy and resilience they need to thrive in the online environment.

Empowering our children with Internet safety knowledge and tools has myriad benefits. It can help them avoid potentially harmful or traumatic experiences, build healthy online habits and relationships, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to evaluate the information and content they encounter. That’s why Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada’s proposal to introduce Internet safety education in the curriculum of elementary and high school students is a timely and crucial step in the right direction. (Read the BusinessMirror story: “Bill equips children with knowledge and tools to navigate risky digital world safely, responsibly,” January 28, 2025).

The alarming rise of online dangers, including cyberbullying, online predators, and fake news, necessitates a proactive approach to educate our children on how to navigate the virtual world safely and responsibly. By incorporating Internet safety education into the school curriculum, we can empower our young people with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves from these risks.

Estrada’s Senate Bill No. 2934, also known as the Internet Safety Protection Act, is a comprehensive measure that aims to create a safer online environment for our children. The proposed program will focus on educating students about safe usage, privacy protection, and responsible Internet use, as well as how to identify and avoid online threats. By doing so, we can prevent online-related crimes and promote a culture of digital responsibility among our youth.

The bill’s emphasis on professional training for teachers and staff, as well as public education campaigns for parents, is also a vital component of this initiative. By equipping educators with the necessary knowledge and resources, we can ensure that our children receive consistent guidance and support in navigating the online world.

Moreover, the bill’s coordination with other agencies, such as the Department of Information and Communication Technology, will provide a collaborative approach to addressing online risks and promoting Internet safety. This multi-stakeholder effort is essential in staying ahead of the evolving threats of the virtual world.

The introduction of Internet safety education in our schools is a necessary step in protecting our children from the dangers of the online world. We commend Senator Estrada for his proactive approach to addressing this critical issue, and we urge our lawmakers to support this bill.

Empowering children with the knowledge and tools to navigate the Internet safely is essential in today’s digital age. This empowerment not only enhances their safety but also cultivates resilience, as children learn to navigate challenges and seek help when needed. Ultimately, by investing in their digital education, we prepare them to become responsible, informed digital citizens who can thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

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Urban legend of Robina’s half-human half-snake twin and the missing women

TKuwentong Peyups

he current Chinese Lunar Year is considered as the year of the Wood Snake that starts January 29, 2025 and ends February 16, 2026.

Snake is the 6th animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac signs, coming after the Dragon and before the Horse. Recent years of the Snake include 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, and 1941. According to Chinesenewyear.net the snake is most commonly associated with intelligence, introspection, resilience, love, and calmness— traits seen as important for “guiding one’s life with wisdom and grace. Snakes are known for their wisdom, intuition, and mystery. Naturally strategic, they are excellent problemsolvers and skilled communicators.”

Snake is an auspicious sign for inner work, whether it’s releasing unrealistic expectations of loved ones or getting rid of bad habits. It’s shedding the ego, letting go of the past, of anger and of love lost. Specifically, this year is that of the wood snake, with the wood element holding profound meaning across the three major organized Chinese religions. In Daoism, the wood is a sign of returning to one’s natural state or true nature, while in Confucian-

ism it symbolizes becoming a more polished person. In Buddhism, it’s associated with letting go for growth.

On Facebook, businesswoman Robina Gokongwei Pe posted a photo with snake decorations inside the family owned Robinson’s mall in celebration of the Chinese New Year: “Look who finally decided to come out of hiding, My shining, shimmering golden twin (with his pretty in pink girlfriend)! Here’s to a (slithering] good Year of the Snake!”

One of the urban legend in the ’80s and ’90s was about her halfman-half-snake twin, also called Taong Ahas, hiding underneath the Robinsons Department Store and who preyed on beautiful ladies who get trapped while using the fitting room. Her family supposedly took care of the python because it laid golden eggs. Robinsons Mall can be found in 59 locations nationwide.

The urban legend also had it that Alice Dixson was a victim who managed to escape through an underground corridor that led to a nearby hotel.

Robina even included this urban legend during her speech given to the students of the University of the Philippines (UP) School of Economics, where we are both alumni:

“It’s about the theory of market competition. There’s such a thing as fair competitors, and there’s such a thing as desperate competitors. Both are troublesome, but you know fair competition is part of free enterprise. As for desperate competitors, you worry if this country is retrograding.”

“You were not born yet when the story of my kakambal na ahas who was half-woman, half-snake came out when we opened our second Robinsons Department Store branch in Cebu in 1985. My kakambal was supposed to be the source of our wealth as she laid golden eggs. She was supposed to be hiding under the floor of the fitting rooms, and every time a beautiful woman would enter, the floor would open and she would land right inside the mouth of my kakambal na ahas. I have no idea who started this incredible story, but I have to tell you that some people believed it and even started staring at my legs to see if there were any signs of snakeskin. A few people still ask me about it, and I have to tell them na naging handbag na ho sa Robinsons Department Store.

“Thank goodness there was no Internet yet at that time, or you would start receiving photos of me with a snake’s body and my kakambal na snake with a woman’s legs. How do you deal with these dirty tricks? Nothing, just keep quiet and let the story fade away. Or better still, make

a joke out of it. And that is what you are going to face on a regular basis once you step out of school. Someone will be out to kill your product, out to get your job, out to grab your boyfriend. And if you’re an unlucky bitch, maybe all at the same time! But in the end, you will come out a stronger person.”

In local pop culture, Galema is a fictional character from the Anak ni Zuma comics series and its film adaptations. Galema is a part-goddess with two snakes on her shoulders (hidden inside her long thick hair) that have the power to poison her father, Zuma. Valentina is a supervillain based upon the eponymous Greek mythological figure and was archenemy of the superhero Darna. Referred to as the “Goddess of Snakes”, she has command over all kinds of serpents and has venomous snakes in her head instead of hair.

Robina is one of the sponsors or “ninangs” of the Fighting Maroons since 2010. UP reclaimed on December 15, 2024 the championship title at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). This is the fourth UAAP men’s basketball championship title by UP since 1938 as one of the UAAP founding members: first in 1939 (Season 2) then 1986 (Season 49) then 2022 (Season 84). Kong Hei Fat Choy! Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho is the Junior Partner of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com, or call 09088665786.

Congolese civilians caught in a growing rebellion face a terrible choice

By Ignatius Ssuuna & Rodney Muhumuza The Associated Press

GISeN YI, Rwanda—Many of the millions of people trapped in eastern Congo’s escalating rebellion face a terrible choice: Retreat into Congo’s interior and seek the protection of a weak army in disarray, or cross into nearby Rwanda, which is accused of backing the rebels.

The largely unchecked rebel advance that seized Goma, the region’s largest city, this week has raised fresh questions about the inability of Congolese troops and their allies to protect civilians as a decades-long African war revives almost 1,000 miles from Congo’s capital—and a short walk from Rwanda.

“On one hand, you have a foreign force that you cannot trust fully. On another side, you have a weaker army, corrupt,” said Imani Zawadi, who fled into Rwanda from a village in the outskirts of Goma, a city of 2 million. “So you have nobody to trust.” Her fears encapsulated those of

many Congolese uprooted by the M23 rebels’ violence over the years. Already. more than 1,200 Congolese—including some surrendering soldiers—have sought refuge in Rwanda since the rebels marched into Goma, closing the airport and overwhelming hospitals with casualties. This time, there are concerns that the M23 will hold Goma as a sort of buffer zone as Rwanda essentially redraws the border with its vastly bigger neighbor in a region estimated to have trillions of dollars in largely untapped mineral wealth like cobalt and gold. Rebel leaders say they plan to set up an administration in the city.

The rebels have claimed multiple victories at the expense of a larger Congolese army that has the support of a 14,000-strong UN peacekeeping force as well as troops from African countries deployed under a regional bloc. There are even Romanian military contractors that Rwandan authorities describe as mercenaries.

One of the Romanians knelt on the ground, hands behind his head, as rebels sought to usher him and others toward the border crossing.

“We are fighting for the future of our children. Sit down. On the ground,” M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma told him. Ngoma said 289 mercenaries were escorted into Rwanda and sent “home,” as a line of U.N. peacekeepers watched. The M23 spokesperson called the rebels “a people’s army” that would bring peace.

The rebel advance shatters a 2024 ceasefire and echoes the M23’s capture of Goma over a decade ago, which didn’t last long as the international

community pressured Rwanda to back off.

Rwanda, which has long denied supporting the M23 despite evidence collected by United Nations experts, says it wants to protect ethnic Tutsis in Congo—even as rebel commanders stand accused of exploiting minerals and other natural resources in areas they control. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who has led the country’s recovery from its 1994 genocide that killed some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, told diplomats at a luncheon this month in Kigali that his concerns about the perceived threat in Congo remain strong.

“The very people who murdered people here in Rwanda, those who carried out the genocide, still exist, are still armed, are still practicing the ideology of genocide in our neighborhood, in eastern Congo,” Kagame

Dennis Gorecho

My sentimental journey Trump’s transactional foreign policy leads to flurry of pledges

By Iain Marlow

PreSIdenT donald Trump has boasted about bringing a more transactional approach to his relationship with world leaders. Just over a week into his second term, many have shown they are eager to make the deals he treasures.

Saudi Arabia offered to invest more than $600 billion in the next four years while European governments will look to purchase more US-produced liquefied natural gas. Vietnam’s leader suggested his country might buy more Boeing Co. planes. India raised the possibility of importing more oil.

The rush to curry Trump’s favor makes clear just how much global leaders learned their lesson from his first term, when the quickest way to the president’s heart was to offer investment and other deals. Very early in his second term, they’re doubling down on that strategy.

The offers are often accompanied by reassurances that such decisions are in their national interest. Beyond trying to get in Trump’s good graces, nations want to avoid being in the crosshairs of the tariffs he’s already threatened — not only against adversary China but also against US partners Canada, Mexico and Colombia.

“What he’s basically tried to do is create something like a global bidding war for America’s favor— which means Trump’s favor,” said Hal Brands, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington who’s advised US government agencies.

The big challenge for Trump is that while such an approach might succeed in attracting more investment, there’s no sign it will help on bigger, more intractable problems, like ridding the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons or resolving the war in Ukraine.

It’s also too early to say whether the approach will pull poorer countries out of the orbit of China, which for years has offered low-interest loans and massive infrastructure investment. Trump’s combination of carrots and sticks may even spur countries to hedge their bets against the US in the long run.

“The danger is that the larger project of American global leadership over the past 80 years has been premised on the idea that the US will not weaponize its power to the fullest in search of narrow transactional gains,” Brands said.

After Trump took office for the second time, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman offered his vow to expand investment and trade by $600 billion. Ever the negotiator, Trump said he wanted the crown prince to push that to $1 trillion.

Later, speaking at a rally in Las Vegas, Trump made clear why he thought Saudi Arabia had made the offer. “It’s because of the election,” he said.

Congolese. .

. continued from A12

said on January 16. “Supported by government, supported by leaders in that place, on the watch of this international community that talks about values, that talks about interests.”

Kagame has said the question of how to protect Congolese Tutsis is one of two that Congo’s leaders must answer in any negotiations with the M23, along with Rwanda’s fears that other rebel groups among the dozens active in eastern Congo pose a security risk.

Rwandan authorities assert that a rebel group known by its acronym FDLR, whose members include alleged perpetrators of the genocide, “is fully integrated into” the Congolese military, which denies the charges.

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has previously ruled out direct negotiations with M23, and peace talks leading to last year’s ceasefire were between Congo and Rwanda,

SCanada also pledged to spend almost $1 billion on border security after Trump threatened 25 percent tariffs over what he alleged were excessive flows of illegal drugs and migrants over the northern border—figures which, in fact, pale in comparison to the southern border with Mexico.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, told a crowd at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he was “working on solutions” to try and rebalance his country’s trade surplus with the US, including buying more Boeing planes and other high-tech items.

“If playing golf can help bring benefits to my country and my people, then I can play golf all day long,” Pham said, invoking Trump’s favorite hobby.

At the moment, countries are trying to parse the logistics of how they can offer Trump big economic and investment packages to win his favor, one diplomat from an allied country said, asking not to be identified to discuss private deliberations.

El Salvadorean leader Nayib Bukele received praise from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as a “very great and strong partner” after he offered “tremendous degrees of cooperation” on migration.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is planning to get off on the right note with Trump in a meeting planned for February by pledging to increase imports of American shale gas, Nikkei has reported.

Trump’s transactional approach and penchant for big deals has led to criticism. During their presidential debate, the Democratic nominee Kamala Harris warned that autocrats would try to “manipulate you with flattery and favors.”

There’s also a possibility that threatened countries have already figured out how they might handle him. In Canada, long one of America’s closest allies, politicians vying to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have discussed how to deal with the American president’s threats.

Chrystia Freeland, the finance minister who renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement during the first Trump administration, told Bloomberg this week that the US president “has come to the conclusion that if he can show the rest of the world how mean and tough he can be with his closest partners and allies,” then that will send a message to America’s foes. She warned that “for Trump, weakness is a provocation. I think capitulation is not a negotiating strategy with him.” With assistance from Stephanie Lai /Bloomberg

with Angola mediating. But the seizure of Goma, which sparked violent demonstrations in the capital, Kinshasa, as locals protested what they called the international community’s inaction, could force his hand.

Kagame’s strong stance on policing eastern Congo has led some proKagame intellectuals in the region to suggest that Rwandan authority over the region would be a better outcome for civilians.

Some of those civilians fleeing into Rwanda felt otherwise.

“The truth is that Rwanda is trying to take our territory, but this will not be possible no matter how long it takes,” said one, Rose Clemency.

The electrical engineer acknowledged that “of course our army is weak, and we do blame the government for not empowering the army to defend our territory against Rwandan soldiers.” But she said Congolese believe that the “intruders” must be chased out before assigning blame. Muhumuza contributed from Kampala, Uganda

Tito Genova Valiente annoTaTions

ome sixty-plus years ago, we left the island: Ticao Island. It was an unusual trip because, instead of taking the boat leaving for Bulan, Sorsogon, my father opted for a circuitous colorful route. First, we took the small bus (or was it a jeep?) that took us from the town of San Fernando to the southern point of the island, Batuan. In that small municipality, we were stopped by grandmothers and aunts on the grandfather’s side so that they could hug us, perhaps, for the last time. In those days, departures seemed to mean being away for a long period of time.

That first leg of the trip terminated at the southwestern port of Lagundi, where we took a small boat to mainland Masbate. There on the big island, we were described as coming from the “isla” – the island, as if Masbate were not a huge island itself. We spent the night with another dear cousin, the Badillos. The next day, we took the plane to Legazpi, and from there transferred to the train in the afternoon. By evening of that day, we were in Naga, our new home.

From the old train station in Tabuco, I believe we took a calesa (or I’d like to believe we did) to the house of an aunt who was married to a Chinese, living in that part of the town noted for a significant concentration of Chinese settlement.

We were across the river, we would find out the next day. Then it was time to transfer to our rented house. It turned out to be a cramped, ground floor of an unpainted structure. We missed our rambling place behind the old church back on the island of our birth. We, however, did not spend a month there because we moved immediately to a bigger home, closer to the Catholic elementary school we would be attending, and facing the Jesuit high school we would graduate into.

our grandparents’ home. Most of all, we brought with us the language of the island.

I do not remember now how we

side us who regaled us with all the absurd fantastic tales; the grand-aunt who sang with the dulcet tone who, with other grand-aunts sang during the special feasts in the church; and, the many aunts boisterous and loud who would bring us stories about murder and crimes of passion from all over the four towns of the island.

Months passed by and spending summers on the island were soon forgotten. Our trip to Ticao became rarer.

My father’s work with the government insurance office, however, maintained the connection with the mostly teacher and other government workers from the island. Our home became a small hotel for those applying for loans at my father’s office. These persons were our link to the island as my father and mother, including our grandparents, would always introduce us to them, explain-

ments about the places we were not seeing anymore being refreshed over and over again. Then there was the language brought wholesale to us by these intrepid representatives of the island and the childhood we left behind.

When my father retired from the service, these individuals stopped coming to us. There were also bureaucratic changes in the government: workers did not need to come all the way to Naga. Legazpi and Sorsogon, two cities closer to the island, were servicing their needs.

The passing of my father did not mean though the cessation of memories from the island; we, the children, had become the bearer of the tales from Ticao. We never tired telling others about the island. We told each other stories of the island and we made sure we always remembered the kin and their narratives. There was also our mother who kept the memories of the land alive. Even when her mind waned, she was always dreaming of going back to that home behind the church, where the wind whistled through its wide windows and became songs about our lives.

land. For us, knowing that piquant language made us feel special. And different.

Except for the table that our father masterfully crafted in a few days, we brought everything mostly from

I did not miss in particular the town where I grew up but I longed to see the familiar faces around our home there: the funny modiste be-

system to which we belonged.

It was as if the entire island was related to us. The stories from them were familiar strands about life, marriage, and death. Tales were being spun day in and day out, the pride in the island intact, the embellish-

I went further – I wrote down the stories told by my kin. Where the tales were going nowhere, I imagined new paths of resolutions, new roads of conclusion. Nothing was ever more fantastic, no thread was impossible, no unwanted element in the storytelling.

Stories began in my mind and as I translated them into the language that people would understand, I saw myself going back to the island, tracing back the length of remembering.

On February 25, 2025, I am going home once more. The province tells me they will honor me and my arts. I will tell them how, after more than sixty long years, I can write not only in the language that I dream but also with the soul of this humble island I long have kept in my heart.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

A letter of appeal to the Sugar Regulatory Administration

LaST year, the Sugar regulatory administration (Sr a) issued Sugar order (So) no. 06, series of 2023-2024, basically mandating importers of “other sugar” to get clearance from the Sr a first before their shipments could be allowed to enter the country. The order is due for implementation in February.

The Philippine Confectionery Biscuit Snack Food Association (PCBSA) and Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines (BIAP), both members of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), conveyed their concerns to me as chairman of the FPI.

We agreed to write letters to SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Ascona and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appealing for reconsideration of the order’s implementation due to its foreseen ill effects to the local makers of confectioneries and beverages, and ultimately the consumers due to its inflationary impact.

The SRA order, we believe, also contradicts the pronouncements of President Marcos to remove bureaucratic red tape that affects the competitiveness of businesses in the country, subsequently hindering the inflow of investments here.

Below is my letter to Administrator Ascona, with high hopes that he would consider our appeal and sit down with the affected industries and other stakeholders for a dialogue:

27 January 2025

HON. PABLO LUIS AZCONA

Administrator and CEO

Sugar Regulatory Administration

North Avenue, Quezon City, M.M.

Dear Administrator & CEO Azcona:  One of our industry associationmembers has sought the help of the

Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), i.e., the Philippines Confectionery Biscuit & Snack Food Association (PCBSA), in requesting the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to take a second look at the recently issued Sugar Order No. 6, and consider in the meantime the suspension of its implementation.

As announced to the tri-media by your office, the objective of the Order is to enable the SRA to gather information and data on the importation of “other sugars” and “confectionery sugar” such as but not limited to sucrose, specialty sugar, flavored syrups, fructose, lactose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, maltodextrin, maple sugar and maple syrups, sugar syrups, coconut sugar, palm sugar, coconut sap sugar, honey, caramel, and sugar confectionery. The principal reason cited is the fact the 2022 ASEAN Unified Tariff Nomenclature covers such materials as “other sugars” or “confectionery sugar.” FPI submits, and it fully agrees with the PCBSA, that if SRA’s purpose is merely to gather information and data on importations made by manufacturers and other third person of the said “other sugars” and “confectionery sugars,” the SRA can simply ask the Bureau of Customs (BoC) for data on such importations. It is quite easy for the BoC to obtain this given the fact that data on all importations is closely monitored by the BoC and data on the importations of “other sugars” and “confectionery sugar” can easily be filtered out and collated

especially because of the data computerization at the BoC.

We note that both the SRA and BoC are agencies belonging to the Executive Department, and surely, the appropriate arrangement on data gathering and/or exchange can be worked out and agreed upon by both agencies. Moreover, only minimal costs shall be incurred by SRA, relative to the proposed data gathering on the part of the SRA as the data will be directly provided by BoC to the SRA.   Your office also points out that the said Order does not intend to regulate the entry of “other sugars” and “confectionery sugar.” But a reading of the specific provisions of the Order reveals otherwise. Fees are even required to be paid to the SRA for clearances that SRA shall issue to importers relative to the importation into the country of said “other sugars” and “confectionery sugars” as well as the shipment thereof within the country.

We note that the Beverage Industry Association of the Philippines (BIAP) has, in its position paper, pointed out the said Order appears to be violative of the of Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) and contrary of the objective of law in facilitating business transactions especially those involving the government. The BIAP and other sectors have likewise stressed that the Order is actually an “over-reach” on the part of the SRA, and is inconsistent with the authority given to SRA under its charter, which is simply and basically to monitor and regulate only the production or importation of raw or refined sugar.

A reading of the Order in its totality, further reveals that the objective of the Order is actually to regulate the importation and shipment within the country of “other sugars” and “confectionery sugar,” which are clearly non-sugar materials as envisioned under SRA’s charter. This is contrary to the earlier pronouncements of SRA itself.

The FPI fully concurs with this view, and it appears that the end goal of the Order is once again to protect the local sugar industry, which the SRA readily admits especially in the 6th and 7th whereas clauses of the Order.

The FPI, PCBSA, and BIAP are in

agreement with the SRA that the sugar industry needs support. To be meaningful and long-lasting, this support should come in the form of technological upgrades that will allow our planters, millers, and other stakeholders of the industry to improve their planting and manufacturing methods and processes to attain efficiency, resulting in higher supply and lower prices, in the process benefiting the end-users as well.

PCBSA further points out that: Glucose is not being utilized by manufacturers to replace sugar, but is needed on the recipe to make candies hard such as MAXX Mentholated Mint. It also prevents crystallization and it acts as a texturizer and improves the shelf-life of candies. Maltodextrin, on the other hand, is bland in taste, has no sweetness, so it does not replace sugar. It is made from corn and not from sugar cane.

PCBSA members have been importing glucose for the last 30 years, and recent importations are not intended to shift away from the use of sugar.

It is FPI’s submission that implementing the Order will -- 1) merely result in bureaucratic inefficiencies, 2) increase the cost of doing business especially on the part of PCBSA members, 3) increase the selling prices of beverage and confectionery products, and 4) ultimately adversely affect the Filipino consumer. We thus urge the SRA to set a dialogue or meeting with the beverage, food and confectionery industry so that their position can really be heard, studied, and evaluated by the government. We reiterate our request that in the meantime, the SRA suspends the implementation of the Order.

Trusting, the SRA will be open to this suggestion on the part of the FPI.  Very truly yours, Jesus Lim Arranza Chairman

Dr. Jesus Lim

Dr. Jesus Lim arranza

MaKE sEnsE

Friday, January 31, 2025

‘P200 wage hike can lead to job losses, higher inflation’

By Justine Xyrah Garcia

WHILEa P200 daily increase in the minimum wage nationwide may seem like a much-needed relief for workers, a labor economics expert warned that it could have serious consequences for the country’s economy.

Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo A. Lanzona told BusinessMirror on Thursday that a wage hike of this scale could drive up unemployment and inflation.

“It’s going to result in greater cost of production. So a lot of the businesses in the Philippines are laborintensive, mainly because the firms will not invest in capital or in automation. Now, with higher wages, they’ll be induced or incentivized to adopt a more capital-intensive technology in their production,” he explained.

Among the industries most vulnerable to mass layoffs are food and meat processing, agriculture, and

textiles—sectors largely composed of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In 2023, the Department of Trade and Industry estimated that there were around 1.2 million MSMEs in the Philippines, employing more than 6.3 million workers or roughly 66.97 percent of the country’s overall employment figures.

While some small enterprises may be exempt from minimum wage laws, Lanzona noted that keeping wages artificially low traps them in small-scale production, making it harder for them to grow and modernize.

“You see, we cannot let them con-

tinue to be small-scale and medium-scale. We want them to exploit the so-called economies of scale, which leads to lower production. But if minimum wages are going to be imposed on them once they start expanding their operations, they’ll just remain MSMEs,” he added.

Lanzona’s warning followed the approval by the House of Representatives of a proposed measure mandating a P200 daily across-theboard wage increase for private-sector workers.

Proponents of the bill argue that the hike would provide much-needed financial relief amid rising living costs and inflation.

However, Lanzona cautioned that any benefits could be short-lived, as higher wages might ultimately drive inflation even higher.

He explained that businesses would have to pass on the additional labor costs to consumers by raising prices on goods and services.

“For these companies that have to pay for higher labor costs, they’ll have to increase their prices. And also because assuming that you raise the wages, workers will now basically have more money in the process that raises the aggregate

demand,” the expert said.

‘Follow RTWPBs instead’ MEANWHILE , the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop) believes the government should stick to wage increases set by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) rather than imposing a nationwide hike.

ECOP President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. told BusinessMirror that the regional boards had already been adjusting wages effectively in recent years.

“It’s not a perfect system, but it has worked so far. The wage boards have been increasing the minimum wage,” he said.

Ortiz-Luis warned that a drastic, across-the-board hike could discourage investors from coming to the Philippines, further weakening job creation.

“Among Asean countries, we’re already lagging in job generation. If we impose this kind of wage hike, no investors will come here—it’ll only get worse,” he said partly in Filipino.

However, some lawmakers have criticized the RTWPBs, arguing that their wage adjustments fail to match the rising cost of living.

THE House Committee on Labor and Employment on Thursday approved a bill granting a P200 daily across-the-board increase in the salary rates of employees and workers in the private sector.

Under the measure, titled the P200 Daily Across-the-Board Wage Increase Act, all private sector employers, whether in agricultural or non-agricultural industries, are mandated to implement the wage increase regardless of their capitalization or workforce size.

Several key provisions are included to protect workers’ rights and ensure proper implementation.

The measure said any previous wage hikes shall not be credited as compliance with the increase mandated by this Act unless explicitly stipulated in collective bargaining agreements. Wage increases due to regularization, promotion, merit, or anniversary raises shall not be considered part of the required P200 hike.

The bill guarantees that existing allowances and benefits under current laws, executive orders, contracts, and agreements will not be reduced as a result of the wage hike.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be tasked with inspecting payrolls and financial records to ensure that businesses comply with the wage increase. In unionized companies, DOLE inspectors must be accompanied by a union representative, while in non-unionized companies, a workers’ representative shall be present.

Under the bill, employers found violating the provisions of this proposal will face fines ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 and/or

imprisonment of two to four years. If the violation is committed by a corporation or firm, its responsible officers, including the president, CEO, or managing director, will be held accountable. Employers who fail to comply will also be required to pay double the amount of unpaid benefits to affected workers.

According to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the House is considering mechanisms such as wage subsidies and exemptions for struggling MSMEs to mitigate any negative economic impacts of the wage hike.

“Our MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, and they must be protected even

By John Eiron R. Francisco

THE Pag-IBIG Fund aims to enroll at least 100,000 more overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and 300,000 additional members from other income-earning sectors this year through its new initiative, the “One Plus One Raffle Promo.” Florencio O. Galang Jr., Vice President of the Internal Operations Group at Pag-IBIG Fund, told BusinessMirror their current priority is reaching out to “Filipino workers who are not salaried” to make them aware that they can still save with the staterun home development fund.

“We aim for inclusivity and want them to enjoy the same benefits that salaried Pag-IBIG members receive,” Galang said at Thursday’s launch event and inaugural draw of the PagIBIG One Plus One Raffle Promo.

The initiative allows active Pag-IBIG members who have saved in their Regular Savings in the last three months— called “PagIBIGfluencers”—to invite an OFW or informal sector worker to become a new member or reactivate an existing membership (“Plus 1”). Both the Pag-IBIGfluencer and the Plus 1 are eligible for savings and housing loan programs, with a chance to win up to P500,000 in the Grand Draw.

Galang said that this initiative enables them to connect with a wider group of Filipino workers, offering them opportunities to save for their future and attain affordable homeownership. He specifically pointed out the “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program” under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which mandates beneficiaries to be members of Pag-IBIG.

“Remember, this is not just about the raffles; we are advocating for savings so that, in the future, they have something to fall back on,” Galang added. “We all know that the money we save with Pag-IBIG Fund earns substantial returns, with significant dividends every year, and it’s taxfree.”

Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Marilene Acosta shared that over 7,000 new and reactivating members have signed up for the promotion in its first month. As of December 2024, the Pag-IBIG

Fund boasts a total of 16.5 million active members nationwide.

‘1 Plus 1 Raffle Promo’ DURING the program’s inaugural draw held at the City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati City, it was revealed that 4,984 electronic tickets were registered by OFWs for the first draw. The National Capital Region led with 2,893 e-tickets, followed by North Luzon with 3,754, South Luzon with 2,409, Visayas with 4,093, and Mindanao with 4,479 e-tickets. These numbers accumulated from November 21, 2024, to January 24, 2025. The winners of the first draw hailed from various regions, including South Luzon, North Luzon, NCR, and predominantly from Mindanao. The prizes included P50,000 for the first prize, with both the winner and their plus-one or Pag-IBIGfluencer receiving the same amount. Similarly, the second prize offered P25,000, the third prize P10,000, and five lucky winners received P5,000 each as consolation prizes, all following the same reward system.

The next batch of preliminary draws is scheduled for March 2025, covering transactions from December 21, 2024, to February 28, 2025. Preliminary Draw 2, set for June 2025, will include transactions from December 21, 2024, to May 31, 2025. Meanwhile, Preliminary Draw 3, in September 2025, will cover transactions from December 21, 2024, to August 31, 2025. Raffle prizes include P50,000 for the first prize, with both the winner and their plus-one or PagIBIGfluencer eligible for the reward. The second prize will be P25,000, followed by P10,000 for the third prize, and P5,000 consolation prizes for 30 lucky winners.

The grand draw is set for December 2025, covering transactions from December 21, 2024, to November 30, 2025. Prizes include P500,000 for the first prize, which will be awarded to both the winner and their plus-one or Pag-IBIGfluencer individually. The second prize will be P250,000, followed by P100,000 for the third prize and a P10,000 consolation prize for 30 lucky winners.

STATE-RUN Philippine Amusement

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

JG Summit petrochem unit shuttered as losses mount

By VG Cabuag @villygc

Gokongwei-led Jg Summit Holdings Corp. has shut down its petrochemical business as its losses continued to widen amid “challenging market conditions.”

“Given persisting unfavorable market conditions in the global petrochemical industry, JG Summit Olefins Corp. (JGSOC) is now on an indefinite commercial shutdown,” the company said in a statement.

During the shutdown, JG Summit said JGSOC will continue to sell from existing product inventory. Mean-

while, the LPG trading operations of Peak Fuel Corp., a subsidiary of JGSOC, will remain unaffected by the shutdown.

“JGSOC continues to evaluate various options to mitigate the adverse effects of challenging market conditions, and will make the appropriate decision in due course,”

‘Scrap bill expanding

THE Nor thern Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. (Nordeco) is calling for the scrapping of House Bill 11072, a measure that aims to expand the franchise areas of Davao Light and Power Co. (DLPC) to its coverage areas.

“The bill in its original and its amended form is anti-people. To recall at the House of Representatives, the simulation of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) proved that there will be an increase in power bill in either original version or amended version. It is thus appropriate the bill should be disapproved,” Nordeco Acting General Manager Elvera S. Alngog said in a statement.

The electric cooperative is demanding for “an impartial deliberation” of the bill as it stressed that Senator Miguel Zubiri should “do fact checks before making statements at the Senate.” “We pity how this bill has gone from being vetoed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to its amended form. Hopeless and baseless as it is, we don’t see any improvement in the proposed amendment to the bill which expands the targeted areas to the whole of Davao de Oro for the franchise takeover as it is in itself unconstitutional in its entirety,” said Alngog.

The bill seeks to expand the DLPC’s franchise area to include Maco in Davao de Oro, and Tagum City, the Island Garden City of Samal, and municipalities of Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, San Isidro, and Talaingod in Davao del Norte.

The amended bill provides for a two-year transition period of operations from Nordeco to DLPC.

“The areas of Nordeco are mostly vegetated as compared to Davao Light which are highly urbanized. In case it is unknown to our good Senator, among the reasons for brownouts are electricity lines disturbed by falling objects, vegetation.

But we deliver our best in responding quickly to reports of brownouts. Even in the farthest areas, such as Datu Davao in Laak, Boringot in Pantukan and Talaingod, we make it a point to respond quickly,” Engr. Benedicto D. Ongking, technical services department manager of Nordeco said.

Nordeco also categorically denied the Nordeco’s System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) and System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI) that were presented during the deliberations.

“The figures cited—242.33 minutes for SAIDI and 4.99 for SAIFI (July 2024)—were a gross misrepresentation of actual performance met-

the company said.

The JG Summit unit operates the first and only naphtha cracker plant in the country, which produces the olefin raw materials ethylene and propylene used as feedstock by JGSPC’s polymer plants. The cracker’s products also include pygas and mixed C4, which are all exported.

The company said unfavorable global market conditions continued to prevail for JGSOC, undermining the larger volumes it saw from last year.

For the third quarter of 2024, the consolidated revenue of JG Summit was flat at P89.1 billion compared with the previous year’s P87.94 billion. Net income fell 38 percent to P3.1 billion, from last year’s P4.99 billion primarily caused by larger losses from JGSOC with the pro -

rics. The data cited actually covers the period January to June and not July alone. Such error undermined the integrity of public discourse and betrayed the commitment to truth and fairness that all stakeholders must uphold,” Alngog said. Nordeco also clarified that the Distribution, Supply, and Meter -

longed trough in the global petrochemical industry cycle, lower sugar profits from Universal Robina Corp. due to price corrections and highpriced inventories and reduced average fares from Cebu Air Inc. to stimulate demand during the typical lean period in Philippine aviation.

However, its net income in January to September 2024 rose by 16 percent to P17.9 billion from the previous year’s P15.37 billion, despite high inflation.

“While the overall macro environment is expected to rebound with the easing inflation, most of our businesses are still affected by the weaker consumer sentiment that has dampened demand for products and services,” Lance Y. Gokongwei, the company’s president and CEO, said last November.

DLPC franchise area’

ing Charge (DSM) of Nordeco is at P1.5372 per kwh compared to the P2.3552 per kwh of DLPC.

While the compared rates are seen higher for Nordeco, it said that not a single centavo goes to the coffer of the EC because the rate is composed of pass-through charges. The DSM goes directly

to cover labor, line maintenance and other operation expenses of Nordeco.

SCIENCE Park of the Philippines Inc. (SPPI), a leading private industrial estate developer in the Philippines, is investing P30 billion to develop a 100-hectare industrial park in New Clark City, according to state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

In a statement on Thursday, BCDA said it signed a 50-year lease agreement with SPPI last January 23 to develop the industrial park within the metropolis.

This industrial park, it added, is seen to create 30,000 jobs and generate more revenue for the national government. Meanwhile, BCDA

President and CEO Joshua M. Bingcang said this project is expected to open thousands of job opportunities across a variety of industries.

“At the heart of this partnership is a common goal: to create jobs and empower the local economy. By developing this industrial park, the project is set to open up thousands of job opportunities, not just in construction and manufacturing but across a variety of industries.”

The state-run agency said the project is expected to create approximately 30,000 new jobs, spanning various sectors such as food production, textiles, automotive parts, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and data centers. BCDA said it is also poised to generate an estimated P1.9 billion in income tax for the national government, “contributing substantially to the national economy by supporting public funds for nationbuilding projects.”

SPPI Chairperson Guillermo D. Luchangco expressed gratitude to BCDA for awarding the project. The state-run agency said Luchangco “reaffirmed his firm’s goal of delivering a development that would not only meet, but ideally exceed the standards set forth.”

“We feel that in our own modest way, we have been able to contribute to the economic growth of the Philippines by putting up world-class industrial estates which enable us to attract manufacturing and technology companies to set up shop in our country.”

Andrea E. San Juan

Lenie Lectura

Banking&Finance

NG jacks up borrowings amid market uncertainty

By Reine Juvierre Alberto @reine_alberto

AMID market uncertainty,

the Marcos administration jacked up its borrowings in January through the issuance of debt papers, raising almost a fifth of government’s financing program for this year.

In January alone, the state borrowed a total of P423.607 billion from the domestic and foreign debt market through government securities.

The amount represents 18.14 percent, or nearly one-fifth, of this year’s P2.334-trillion programmed offering of debt papers.

Broken down, the government raised a total of P104.8 billion through short-term Treasury bills, higher than the P88 billion planned issuance for the month.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) upsized the amount it awarded during the three previous auctions this January due to strong investor demand and yields declining for consecutive weeks since the start of the year.

Meanwhile, the Treasury also generated the programmed P125 billion through issuing Treasury bonds (T-bonds) as it also auctioned off its first dual-tranche on January 28. In the offshore bond market, the Treasury capitalized on the current market momentum, raising $2.25 billion (P131.917 billion) from its dual-tranche dollar-denominated bonds and €1 billion (P61.89 billion) through euro-denominated bonds.

The government currently follows an 80:20 borrowing mix, in favor of domestic debt sources, to limit its foreign exchange risks in foreign

borrowings as the peso is still facing volatility.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Michael L. Ricafort told the BusinessMirror that “front-loading of government borrowings could be one way to hedge its borrowings if there is an opportunity to do so.”

This is done “if there is a slightly downward correction in borrowing costs as seen recently in the benchmark US Treasury yields, amid some market uncertainties and/or volatility,” Ricafort said adding that hedging is considered “being prudent.”

As uncertainties on United States President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies linger, the cost of imported goods could rise and lead to higher inflation in the US, Ricafort added.

Trump’s proposed tax cuts and economic stimulus could also increase the US budget deficit, requiring the government to borrow more, according to the RCBC executive. He said more US government borrowing means issuing more US Treasury bonds, which could increase bond yields, thereby, making borrowing more expensive.

Debt servicing has been increasing over the past three years, which would push interest payments up further, due to the weaker peso, Ricafort added.

The government’s debt service bill increased by 27.33 percent year-onyear to P1.954 trillion as of the end of November 2024.

The Philippines’s outstanding debt reached a record-high P16.090 trillion as of the end-November 2024.

The government will borrow a total of P2.545 trillion from the domestic and foreign debt market to finance its fiscal deficit.

Metrobank taps UK firm for communication devt

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

THE Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. announced recently it has tapped London, United Kingdom-headquartered Infobip Ltd. to enhance its customer communication strategy through a secure digital messaging platform.

According to Metrobank Performance Marketing Head Ramon Martin F. Rodriguez, the Ty-family controlled bank was able to integrate business messages via Viber Media Sàrl’s eponymous platform into its existing processes and with minimum additional work. Viber business messages allow brands to send personal 1-2-1 messages to their existing client base who gave consent to receive brand notifications. Rodriguez added. After only two days of set-up and a week of testing, Metrobank was able to create a unique customer experience by sending rich content such as images and videos in promotional Viber business messages with special offers to millions of Filipinos, he said.

According to Metrobank, with the use of Viber, the lender has since been able to achieve up to 50-percent cost reduction on what otherwise would have required multiple SMS messages to convey its latest offerings.

“Infobip provided a solution that enabled us to quickly start benefiting from using Viber rich business messaging for sending marketing messages, using both a portal and an integration with our customer relationship management (CRM) system. The integration with Salesforce was extremely easy to set up and with no disruption to our business processes, and no requirement to involve technical resources from other departments. We have been very satisfied with the entire process and appreciate the ease of working with a partner with a local office in the Philippines,” Rodriguez said. Infobip notes how customers continue to evolve with technology, according to Rodriguez. While short messaging services (SMS) remains

PHL secures another ₧500M policy-based loan from ADB

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Philippines has secured another P500 million worth policy-based loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the second for the year.

On Thursday, the ADB said the new loan will finance the expansion of the government’s under the Business and Employment Recovery Program-Subprogram 2.

The program aims to improve the productivity and employability of Filipino workers, while supporting reforms that will transform the investment environment to become more conducive to job creation.

“While job recovery in the Philippines has been encouraging in the post-Covid-19 period, the quality of jobs remains a critical concern, with many workers still facing challenges

such as underemployment, informality, and limited access to decent work opportunities,” said ADB Country Director for the Philippines Pavit Ramachandran.

“This new program addresses that need and will help in preparing Filipino workers for higher-skilled jobs such as in analytics and artificial intelligence, software development and security, and business process management—industries where Filipinos have a proven potential to excel,” he said.

The program assists the government in pursuing reforms and

a fundamental component of many companies’ omnichannel strategies, Infobip’s “Messaging Trends 2023” report posted a notable rise in messages sent through messaging apps like Viber, highlighting the increasing adoption of enriched channels facilitating conversational interactions. Viber Media’s 2023 Philippine statistics also show a 52 percent yearover-year increase in business messages delivered on its platform and an impressive 377 percent increase in conversational business messages exchanged between users and brands (around-sales support, collecting customer feedback, and more).

“The current business landscape, including that of the banking industry, has entered the era of conversational everything—whether for marketing, support, or sales. Customers across the globe want a conversation with a brand on the channels they already use. These conversations are getting richer, more convenient, and more personalized,” explained Cecile P. Tizon, Infobip director for sales in Asia and the Pacific. With Metrobank, Tizon adds that conversational marketing uses a combination of marketing and promotional campaigns to interact with customers on their favorite channel, to inform, educate and re-engage based on previous interactions. By providing customers with information in a format and style that appeals the most to them, Metrobank is able to offer its customers a more efficient and rewarding banking experience.

“Today, chats are humanity’s preferred medium for conversation,” Viber Media Senior Director Noa Bar Shay said. “With Filipinos spending almost four hours on social media and messaging apps on average daily, these channels have become primary places for brands to reach and engage with their customers. With solutions such as Viber’s rich business messaging, businesses can connect with these audiences, build targeted marketing campaigns, and create conversational experiences.”

SWING CUTS A customer enters a branch of Deutsche Bank AG in Wolfsburg. Deutsche Bank AG said it plans to reduce management roles and cut headcount over coming years, after higher-than-expected costs marred its results in the final months of last year. Expenses rose 14 percent from a year ago, overshadowing a better-than-expected performance in the investment bank, where fixed-income traders record their best fourth quarter on record. “Our clear ambition is to operate the bank with a lower headcount, and we aim to run a much leaner platform,” CEO Christian Sewing said in prepared remarks Thursday. PhotograPher: Krisztian Bocsi/BloomBerg.

Security Bank to squeeze profits from 3-year spend

THE spending this year of Security Bank Corp. would be slower than what the market witnessed last year as key executives said the lender seeks to squeeze profits from its 3-year investment beginning in 2022.

Security Bank President and CEO Sanjiv Vohra told reporters last Thursday that they see capital expenditure for this year would be about 17.5 percent of total revenue.

Vohra said during a round-table discussion at the Nielson Tower, Nielson Field in Makati City, the lender would also spend for the establishment of additional 54 physical branches at a cost of P50 million each.

“Half of those will be in Visayas and Mindanao and majority of the balance would be in provinces in Luzon and just a handful in NCR (National Capital Region),” he said. “And the reason is if you look at our branch network I think 54 percent of our branches are in NCR. We did open four or five branches last year in Metro Manila.”

According to Vohra, their focus “to go into the provinces for a couple of reasons.”

“One is we’re actually seeing a migration of businesses outside of NCR in terms of projects and in terms of spend per capita,” he said adding that the lender is also “following our own clients and businesses as they are expanding beyond Metro Manila and NCR.”

Secondly, Vohra said, “we also have gaps in addressing our customer segments that are located outside” the NCR.

However, Chief Financial Officer Eduardo M. Olbes, said spending on these branches form “a mixed bag” for Security Bank.

“There are areas where we are growing our spend, like in branches this

year,” Olbes said. “It’s kind of a mixed bag. In areas where we made big investments, we are now moving to ensure that we monetize those investments. But, overall, when you look at the total pie, the total gross rate is the one we’re managing downwards just to make sure that we support the bank’s profitability.”

Indeed, Security Bank’s profits have not been that exciting since 2023 as the bank’s net income after tax slid to P9.1 billion in 2023 from P10.5 billion the previous year.

In response to BusinessMirror, Olbes said that “the factors that drove the 2023 results were largely two things.”

“We had, in a sense, taken the cost in the investments that we’re making. We see that continuing in 2024; meaning those investments are ongoing but our hope to decelerate our rate of growth in terms of investment. But those are still there,” he explained.

Olbes added: “What will definitely be not there is the second factor to the impact of 2023, which was the elevated credit cost related to the credit card portfolio, which we undertook in 2023.”

“Those actions were substantially completed in the first quarter of this year; so the drag from that aspect is not there,” he said.

According to Olbes, the lender has actually seen that already in the second quarter and third quarter of last year where there was an uplift in terms of return on equity (ROE).

“We closed off 2023 with 6.9 percent; we’re not in the neighborhood of 8 percent, which is an improvement,” he added. “What we shared with the market is our desire to continue to grow our ROE this year.” Dennis D. Estopace

initiatives to achieve inclusive economic growth by equipping the country’s labor force, including vulnerable youth, with the skills required to meet evolving industry needs.

It also aims to increase women’s participation in the workforce via technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and provide better access to livelihood and employment opportunities through government job facilitation programs.

Under the program, the government targets to increase the formal employment in the private sector by an average of 600,000 to 700,000 jobs per year.

The share of private sector jobs to total employment rising to 51 percent against 49 percent in 2019, or prior to the Covid-19 pandemic which led to massive job losses and contraction in industry output.

The government also aims to include skills training for 5,000 workers, including those displaced during the Covid-19 pandemic, through private sector-led programs such as the

SkillsUpNet Philippines or similar workplace skills training program piloted by the government with ADB support.

The government also wants to raise the number of job placements through public employment service offices (PESOs) in local government units (LGUs) across the country by 120,000 annually and expand the number of LGUs implementing the JobStart Philippines skills training program for the youth not in education, employment, or training. This program builds on the ADBfinanced Facilitating Youth Schoolto-Work Transition Program, which supported previous labor market reforms and initiatives, including JobStart Philippines and the institutionalization of PESOs. It also complements the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine TVET System, which is helping upgrade and modernize TVET training institutes managed by the government’s Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Cebu’s MICE assets and alliance

CONTINUING on my column last week on MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) alliances, I had the honor and privilege of facilitating recently the first strategic planning workshop of the Cebu MICE Alliance, a multi-stakeholder group involved with and/or supportive of a shared goal to raise Cebu’s profile as a premier destination for MICE events.

Rightly so, Cebu has what it takes to be a world-class MICE destination. Known as the “Queen of the South,” Cebu combines rich cultural heritage, breathtaking natural beauty, and burgeoning infrastructure, making it a prime destination for MICE events.

Strategic location and accessibility: Positioned at the center of the Philippine archipelago, Cebu serves as a gateway to both domestic and international markets.

The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA), the country’s second busiest, offers direct flights to major Asian cities, including Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Seoul, as well as key domestic hubs.

World-class venues and accommodations: Cebu boasts a wide array of state-of-the-art venues tailored for various MICE activities. With over 20,000 hotel rooms catering to all budget ranges, Cebu can accommodate a diverse group of attendees. Many of these accommodations are conveniently located near major event venues, easing logistical concerns for event planners.

Rich culture and unique experiences: As the site of the first Catholic mass in the Philippines and home to the iconic Magellan’s Cross, Cebu offers a fascinating glimpse into the country’s history. The vibrant Sinulog Festival, held annually in January, provides an unforgettable cultural experience that can be seamlessly integrated into incentive programs or postevent activities.

For those seeking relaxation and adventure, Cebu’s natural attractions are unparalleled. Delegates can unwind on pristine beaches, such as those in Mactan and Bantayan Islands, or embark on thrilling adventures like canyoneering in Kawasan Falls and swimming with whale sharks in Oslob.

Growing infrastructure and support services: Recent enhancements, such as the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) and the

expansion of the MCIA terminal, have significantly improved mobility and accessibility within the province. Cebu’s local government and private stakeholders are committed to fostering a businessfriendly environment. The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for example, actively collaborates with event organizers to ensure successful MICE events and is spearheading the organization of the Cebu MICE Alliance. Cebu’s professional service providers, including event planners, audiovisual specialists, and catering companies, offer world-class expertise to support events of any scale. Their attention to detail and focus on innovation further solidify Cebu’s reputation as a top-tier MICE destination.

Cost-effective alternative: Competitive pricing for venues, accommodations, and services makes it an attractive choice for budgetconscious organizations without compromising on quality or experience. This cost-effectiveness, combined with the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino people, ensures a welcoming and memorable experience for all attendees.

Sustainability and future readiness: Cebu is also making strides in sustainable tourism and event management. Many hotels and venues have adopted eco-friendly practices, such as reducing singleuse plastics and utilizing renewable energy sources. These initiatives resonate with the increasing global demand for sustainable MICE options, positioning Cebu as a forward-thinking destination. As the MICE industry continues to evolve, Cebu stands out as a dynamic and versatile destination capable of hosting world-class events. Whether for a high-stakes conference, an exhilarating incentive trip, or a vibrant exhibition, Cebu truly has it all!

Octavio Peralta is founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine

Octavio Peralta Association World

I wake up with David Muir

SINCE last year, I’ve been starting my morning by watching American broadcast journalist David Muir report on current events on ABC’s World News Tonight.

No matter how serious or grave the news all over the world may be, the pain and frustration one might feel watching all these are somehow eased by Muir’s chiseled handsome face and no-nonsense tone of his delivery. Whether at his newsdesk or on the field reporting remotely on some raging issue, Muir is a master of his craft and has deep insights of the topics at hand. I especially appreciated his brilliant moderation of last year’s US Presidential Debate between then nominees Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

After ABC’s World News Tonight

The View with the smart and rambuctious co-anchors Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, journalist Ana Navarro, lawyer Sunny Hostin, former news correspondent Sara Haines, and former assistant to Trump Alyssa Farah Griffin. Whoever started describing a group of women as a “gaggle” like noisy geese didn’t know what he was talking about.

These women offer broad insights on a variety of “hot topics” that reflect all spectrums of political beliefs and share opinions shaped by their ages and wide-ranging upbringings and colorful personal experiences. Of course, with that many individuals as co-anchors, interviews with the day’s featured guests can get unwieldy. (Too many questions, too little time.)

Then I just basically let YouTube run the entire day with feeds from ABC News Live, NBC News Live, Hot Ones, Family Feud, The Graham Norton Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Club Random with Bill Mahr, and, lately, The Mary Tyler Moore Show has been popping up automatically as well. I usually leave the TV on while I work.

On occasion, whenever there is an important House or Senate hearing on an urgent topic, I watch those too. But other than that, I’ve deliberately stayed away from streaming local news, especially since my favorite hosts on the former DZMM Teleradyo have been reorganized under its new DWPM management. Sadly, this has disrupted my daily routine, thus necessitating to create a new one.

When comparing notes with family members or friends, we would always note how we always felt exhausted or frustrated by what’s going on around us. Somehow, my new routine has liberated me from being consumed all day everyday with our local current events especially regarding the eff-ups by our government.

I’ve posted/commented less on X (formerly Twitter) or on Facebook about the latest antics of our absurd lawmakers (or of their brilliant children), or even if I do, my posts sound less fervid.

I’m still plugged into local news, but I guess reading the daily/hourly headlines in written form, instead of watching the images of the events being actively reported on TV has given me some level of detachment. It’s reduced the rage factor, although it doesn’t mean I feel less empathy for the victims of, say, the politicians’ stupidities.

These days, I mostly vent in small chat groups with friends instead of loudly doing so on social media. And my usual go-to account is on Instagram, where

personally, I try to post more on food, pets, music, sunsets, vacations...like how Facebook was in the beginning.

Meanwhile, Variety reported the top-streamed shows of 2024 as listed by Nielsen:

■ Bluey (an Australian animated series) on Disney+

■ Grey’s Anatomy (Hulu/Netflix)

■ Family Guy (Hulu)

■ Bob’s Burgers (Hulu)

■ NCIS (Netflix/Hulu/Paramount+)

■ Young Sheldon (Max/Netflix/Paramount+)

American viewers, but it’s interesting to note that among the top 10, four of them are animated series for kids or adults. (Personally, I still don’t understand why people are still watching Grey’s Anatomy. I got bored with it 11 seasons ago.) Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a Nielsen list for the Philippines; I suspect, these would be largely Korean series or movies, judging from the popularity rankings of some platforms like Netflix, Max, and Disney+ . So my day begins with the guwapong David Muir, and ends with shows on the streamers. It’s all good. ■

CDC, TESDA boost skills training, expand job prospects

THE synergy between Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has provided skills training, helping graduates find better job opportunities. Graduates of the recent Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC I program, a collaboration between CDC and Tesda, are optimistic about applying their new skills to improve their livelihoods.

Fifteen trainees completed the 33-day program, benefiting from this manpower development initiative. This effort is part of CDC’s ongoing mission to bridge the gap between industry needs and the workforce pool, ensuring employees have the right skills and mindset to succeed.

During the graduation ceremony at the HSD Training Hall on December 17, CDC president and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera emphasized the importance of these programs in empowering employees.

Marami ang nakakapagtapos pero hindi lahat ay nabibigyan ng pagkakataon na makapagtrabaho. Kayo ay iskolar din ng bayan kaya ito ay pahalagahan ninyo. Ang hinahanap ng mga employers, hindi lang skills kundi pati rin ’yung right attitude,” Devanadera said.

Albert Laxamana Capiz, a completer and the top of his class, highlighted the new opportunities the training has created for him and his family.

“Para sa akin, malaking bagay po ang ganito dahil first time na nakasama kaming mga IPs sa ganitong training. Sa Clark kasi, napakadaming trabaho, isa na doon ang welding, at marami na kaming pwedeng pasukan. Malaking bagay talaga kasi ’yung nasanayan kong buhay noon, mag-iiba,” said Capiz, who is also a member of the Ayta Mag-Antsi Indigenous Cultural Communities.

In addition to the SMAW NC I graduates, 23 other trainees completed the 15-day Driving Course NC II, further expanding the manpower development efforts of CDC and Tesda. Key officials present at the event included PMGen. Lina Sarmiento, vice president for security services group and former Tesda deputy director general; Rommel Narciso, assistant vice president for external affairs; Armando Aquino, representing Baron Lagran, regional director of Tesda Region 3; Atty. Eric Ueda, provincial director of Tesda Region 3; and Engr. Andy Cabalu, officer in charge of the provincial training center of Guagua, Pampanga.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Stay actively involved in learning. Stretch your imagination, and you’ll devise a plan that offers the freedom to do something you enjoy. Traveling, getting together with old friends or exploring new possibilities and places that spark your imagination will lead to opportunities. ★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Less talk and more action is your ticket to success. Sign up for something engaging, and you will thrive. Put your energy where it counts and go above and beyond the call of duty, and you’ll make a stellar impression, gaining the support you need to pursue your objective. ★★★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Someone will try to back you into a corner. Keep your wits about you and your eyes and ears open for any hint of unfair play. Avoid shared expenses or getting stuck paying for someone else’s mistake. You’ll do your best to look out for yourself and do your own thing. ★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Put your time and effort into relationships, investments and what you aim to do next. A healthy plan that properly utilizes your connections, strengths and skills will point you in the right direction. Don’t wait for things to come to you.

(Jan.

Show BusinessMirror

Gloria Romero: 1933-2025

IT was often said that her father took the entire family for a vacation in Pangasinan in the 1930s. It could have been just a vacation but her father, as the tale went, kept postponing their return to the United States, her birthplace. Just as they were about to make their journey home, World War II came. Gloria Romero would spend her youth in Mabini, Pangasinan.

Gloria’s mother would die in an accident during the war. Moving to Manila, her father was said to have consented for her to join the movies. The late 1940s saw her entering showbusiness. Unthinkable it is now to imagine that she began her career as a bitplayer— an extra. But when she finally landed her big role, that glorious face was no hindrance as she became in the collective consciousness of her fans and critics alike our Dalagang Ilocana in 1954. She would win the Famas for Best Actress, a rare feat for a comedy being recognized for any stellar award.

A series of dramatic roles, tearjerkers they were called then, would establish her as the prime movie star. She was loveliest even when crying; she was supreme in sorrow; grand in displaying grief. She was our Drama Queen, when the title meant sincerely the actress who could affect people, make them shed copious tears.

Gloria Romero came into our lives when exceptional beauty had a premium. She graced magazine covers and ads, where her personality was almost unreal and beyond reproach. In the 1957 film Sino ang Maysala?, there is a scene that immediately follows the suicide of the pater familia, where Gloria is seated beside Rosa Mia, she who was noted for her lacrymose portrayal of the mother. They are flanked by Lolita Rodriguez on the left and Paraluman on the right, both symbols of 50s dignity and distinction, but it is the quietly dolorous face of Gloria that pulls us in. It did not take long for tradition to cast her in Passion Plays, onscreen as Virgin Mary. She was the

NEW BOYFRIEND

THE influencer is dating a politician right now but she used to be in a relationship with another politician who is more powerful than her current beau. According to rumors, the former boyfriend paid for the place she is living in now and financed her lifestyle so that she could flex it on social media and become a famous influencer. There are also talks that the influencer’s family benefited financially from the relationship because the powerful politician was very generous to the influencer.

TOO SEXY

THE sexy starlet went to a conservative country to do a show and she reportedly earned the ire of citizens there because of her inappropriate attire and her way of dancing. The attire and the dancing may be normal for Western countries and those that are Westernized but at that moment, these were deemed scandalous. There were even demands that the sexy starlet be deported for her behavior, which they deemed lewd. But cooler heads intervened and the sexy starlet was advised to lie low. She was able to go back to the Philippines peacefully.

UGLY

DUCKLING

THE celebrity has never been close to her family because they allegedly treated her like an ugly duckling before she got into show business. When she became famous, the celebrity distanced herself from her family even if in public events they seemed close. Her then boyfriend, who became her husband, also made sure that her family did not get too close to her to avoid any more incidents. Before their wedding, the guy’s family had a difficult time understanding the situation because they are very close to each other. It was strange to them that the girl and her immediate family were like that.

JUST FRIENDS

THIS guy became a celebrity and everybody’s friend through hard work and perseverance. He is not a household name but he is well-known and respected in his field. Pretty soon, he met a foreigner and they fell in love. The foreigner wasn’t rich but that didn’t matter to the celebrity. Their relationship seemed fine. They lived together and all was well until they broke up last year. However, because their lives and work are already so entangled, they decided to just continue living together as friends for convenience.

us her skill in turning an unsympathetic character into a sympathetic one. The same genius she would quietly exhibit in another film, Bilangin Natin ang mga Bituin sa Langit, where her termagant hacendera implies an almost incipient kindness, which then vanishes to allow the undercurrent cruelty, only for that gentle face to reappear in the deathbed. It is an image that is too late for forgiveness and yet a great challenge for any human to feel guilty about.

Starring opposite the great Nora Aunor as in Bilangin, in Condemned, which she considered a turning point in her acting career, Gloria turned her allure into a vicious image as head of a syndicate. Dark and demented, this role would leave many with the impression that she was, after all, a mighty mean actor.

The 1990s saw her in more roles, offbeat they were, and while she assumed supporting roles, the awards were central and big. By the turn of the millennium, she would even garner a Best Actress for Tanging Yaman. Never too late, Gloria, who saw the gilded age of Philippine cinema when big studios determined the lives of actors, had moved on to witness the age of realism.

Top award-giving bodies in succession recognized her contribution to the industry. In 2004, the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino honored Gloria with the Natatanging Gawad Urian, the equivalent of the lifetime achievement award. Writing about the award, Lito Zulueta, a member of the critics’ group then, said: “With her stately beauty, impeccable grace, and regal bearing, Gloria is the quintessential Philippine movie star. She is as beautiful as they come, but she could have been waylaid by the vagaries of fate that usually attend those who aspire for renown: dissipation, dissolution, and loss of audience and fame. But she has avoided all of these, and even if she is not anymore the superstar that she was in the 1950s, when she became queen of the movies, she is at least the figure against whom every star, aspiring or established, measures herself. She is not only admired for her longevity, she is also respected for her accomplishments. She is not only a survivor—she is an icon.”

Gloria Romero would remain relevant, a beloved presence. She was the face of films when the line between artifice and fact were blurred. And, in her passing, she will be, finally, among those up there in the firmament with the real, bright stars—an incandescent memory promising never to dim at all for anyone who thinks of her as the Queen of Philippine Cinema. n

CNN announcing layoffs as part of further shift to digital business

CNN announced a restructuring on Thursday that includes some 200 layoffs, an accelerated pivot to digital operations and new TV roles for personalities like Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper and Audie Cornish. It’s the boldest revamp yet in the 18-month tenure of CEO Mark Thompson, a former chief executive at The New York Times and BBC called upon by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery to revive the news outlet’s flagging fortunes.

The layoffs are concentrated in CNN’s TV business, where ratings have tumbled as consumers cut off cable and seek other news sources. They will eventually be offset by new hires in digital, where Warner Bros. Discovery is making a $70 million investment, CNN said. “This is not a cost-saving exercise,” Thompson said in an interview. “We’re actually leaning in

with increased investments.”

Layoffs have either taken place or are anticipated across the news industry. CNN’s ratings have taken a hit since the election of President Donald J. Trump, a longtime critic of the network. CNN averaged 1.7 million viewers for Trump’s inauguration this week, compared to 8 million for Joe Biden’s inaugural four years ago, though audience can fluctuate based on the political stance of the person being inaugurated.

CNN also took a financial hit—how much is unclear—when a Florida jury last week found the network liable for defaming a US Navy veteran on a story involving a paid effort to extract endangered Afghans following their country’s Taliban takeover. The network settled the case before the jury could fully decide damages.

CNN announced on Thursday it

IN a democracy, elections work when voters are free to make choices and when they are informed. This is where debates play a crucial role—giving citizens the chance to hear candidates explain their positions on issues and enabling them to make informed choices at the polls.

As the country braces for the May 12 midterm elections, GMA Public Affairs and a bold step in educating and empowering Filipino voters with a multi-platform television special, GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025

1, at 9 pm on GMA.

Hosted by country’s most credible and most-awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho, GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025 time the 2025 senatorial candidates on one stage to engage in a meaningful debate on the pressing issues of the nation. Over 30 top senatorial candidates—based on Pulse Asia and SWS surveys from December 2024—were invited to participate in the event. While some declined, did not respond, withdrew or backed out at the last minute, 12 candidates accepted the challenge to take the stage and share their visions in running.

was developing a product that would allow consumers to watch a TV-like video stream on any device, although it won’t be TV simulcast. There was no estimated launch date.

Under Thompson, CNN has quietly redesigned and offered new features on its CNN.com website. Late last year, it instituted a $3.99 monthly and $29.99 yearly subscription for its heaviest users, and is working on new online products in areas like lifestyle, weather and sports.

In some respects, Thompson is trying to do for CNN what he did at the Times, where its digital products modernized the newspaper’s business. Executives are hoping CNN’s video component and international presence offers growth opportunities that won’t duplicate the Times

CNN’s transformation “isn’t and can’t be a single set of changes

but a process of investment, experimentation and adaptation that will last years,” Thompson said in a memo to CNN staff. “Our objective is a simple one: to shift CNN’s gravity towards the platforms and products where the audience themselves are shifting.”

CNN is looking for savings in television with a leaner staff and a transfer of some of its technical operations to its Atlanta office.

Thompson said he wanted CNN to distinguish itself with hard-hitting journalism and fact-checking to let viewers make up their own minds on issues. He noted Abby Phillip’s primetime program as one of the few in cable news that allows people with widely divergent views to debate issues.

“I think we need to quietly and patiently get on with our jobs as journalists,” he said. AP

anong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off llows candidates to engage and discuss their positions and articulate their stand on various key issues. It also offers an opportunity to learn about the individuals seeking their GMA Public Affairs and GMA Integrated News, as lead organizers of the event, believe that debates are vital because they enable Filipino viewers and voters to make informed In addition to the debate segment, candidates are set to face tough questions from a powerhouse panel of GMA Public Affairs and GMA Integrated News personalities Vicky Morales, Kara David, Pia Arcangel, and Emil Sumangil. The candidates also have the opportunity to directly address the public and present their solutions to Tanong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025 this February 1, 9 pm, on GMA with a simulcast on GMA Pinoy TV and DZBB. Netizens can catch it via livestream on GMA Public Affairs and GMA Integrated News YouTube www.gmanetwork.com.

Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs Opens New Laguna Branch

IN a significant milestone for the firm, Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs officially inaugurated its new Laguna office on January 22, 2025. The new office is located at G/F Alfredo V. Mance Sr. Building, 2nd St. Hi-way Homes, Platero, Biñan City, Laguna, Philippines 4024, near the boundary of Sta. Rosa and Biñan, Laguna.

The event was highlighted by a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and a blessing of the office, officiated by Rev. Father Michael Loza, Parish Vicar of Sta. Rosa de Lima Parish. Key figures in the celebration included the firm’s newest partner, Rodel Bascon, Partner-in-Charge of the Laguna branch, and Rhoda Bascon, Director. Also present were Donnies T. Alas, Chairman

and Founding Partner; Glesie Martinez, Senior Partner; Christian Martinez, Partner; and Mary Ann Duguran, Director. In his speech, Bascon shared the inspiring journey of the firm’s growth and expressed his enthusiasm for the future of the Laguna branch, highlighting its potential contributions to the local business community. He concluded his

message with a quote: “Determination and trusting yourself plays a vital role in one’s life.”

Alas, voiced his confidence in the new branch, emphasizing that the Laguna office will play a pivotal role in the firm’s continued growth, offering valuable support to businesses in the region.

The opening of the Laguna office marks a major step forward for Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs, underscoring its commitment to expanding its services and enhancing its reach across the Philippines. The firm remains dedicated to providing outstanding client service, promoting business growth, and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.

The event represents a new chapter for Alas Oplas & Co., CPAs, where credibility and honor, defined, are core values that guide every step of the firm’s journey.

BPI, Ayala Museum foster creativity through photography workshops

THE Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), through its social development arm, BPI Foundation (BPIF), hosted “Everyday Photography,” a free photography workshop held on January 11, 2025, at the 3F Studios, Ayala Museum, Makati City.

Led by Aly De Leon Reyes, a member of the Ayala Alabang Camera Club and a featured photographer-artist in the “In the Name of Progress: Selections from the BPI Art Collection” exhibit, the workshop offered participants an engaging session on the principles of composition.

Reyes shared valuable insights on transforming ordinary snapshots into compelling visual narratives by mastering

Sun Life’s

Bframing, balance, and visual storytelling.

“Everyday Photography” ties into the concept of the exhibit, which not only showcased pieces from the BPI Art Collection but also featured photographs from the partner photography club, reflecting a collaborative celebration of art and creativity.

“We at BPI Foundation are committed to fostering creativity and promoting a deeper appreciation for art and photography.

Through initiatives like this workshop, we aim to inspire individuals to see the beauty in everyday moments and empower them to tell their own stories through visual art.

This collaboration with the Ayala Museum and the Ayala Alabang Camera Club, and the

exhibit featuring both our art collection and their works, is a testament to the power of partnership in bringing art closer to the community,” said Carmina Marquez, BPIF Executive Director.

BPIF and the Ayala Museum held a second workshop, “Explore the Art of Street Photography” with Jasper Tejano, an international street photographer whose works have been shocased globally, from Manila to Miami, Paris, Milan, and other countries.

Held on January 18, 2025, the event provided participants with insights into capturing compelling street photography. Tejano shared techniques for observing and framing everyday moments, helping attendees elevate their photography skills.

The two events drew photography enthusiasts and aspiring storytellers, aged 14 and up, who brought their personal cameras, ranging from digital and film cameras to smartphones. It also provided a fitting conclusion to the “In the Name of Progress” exhibit, which explored the intersections of progress and heritage through photography and visual art. Presented by BPIF in partnership with the Ayala Museum, the exhibition was on display at the Ayala Museum from November 19, 2024 to January 19, 2025.

This initiative underscores BPIF’s commitment to fostering creativity and cultural appreciation, aligning with its broader mission to inspire positive change and empower communities through the arts.

Macaulay Club donates P4.5 M to light up Last Mile Schools in Sarangani

RIGHTER days are coming to Last Mile Schools in Sarangani as the Macaulay Club, comprised of Sun Life’s top-performing financial advisors, collaborates with Solar Village Foundation to tackle education challenges caused by lack of access to electricity. In a ceremony organized by Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation), the Macaulay Club turned over a P4.5 million grant to the Solar Village Foundation. This will fund the installation of solar-powered lighting and printing systems, and the provision of solar lanterns to teachers in 13 Last Mile Schools. These are schools located in remote areas facing various resource challenges including lack of electricity, scarce educational materials, makeshift classrooms, and limited teaching staff. They also typically serve marginalized communities, such as indigenous peoples. The joint project aims to improve learning conditions for students and enhance the safety and comfort of teachers, who not only reside in dark quarters, but also travel on foot for hours over dangerous terrain.

Gracing the ceremony were Sun Life Philippines CEO & Country Head and Sun Life Foundation Chairman Benedict Sison, Sun Life Foundation President Alex Narciso, Sun Life Philippines Chief Distribution Officer Al Quitangon, Macaulay Club President Owdylyn Lee, Solar Village Foundation Chairman Jimmy Ayala, and Solar Village Foundation Trustee Carla Villacorta.

“This grant from the Macaulay Club is

our top financial advisors’ way of giving back and contributing to building a brighter future for our fellow Filipinos,” said Al Quitangon, Sun Life Philippines Chief Distribution Officer. “Sun Life has a long and rich history in the Philippines, having been operating

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street fare tusok-tusok consisting of skewered and deep-fried treats are also featured: kwek-kwek, fish balls, chicharong bulaklak, kalamares, lumpiang shanghai, tokwa, crispy crablets and dynamite lumpia, served with a selection of sawsawan, bringing the popular street food experience to a deluxe setting. Mouthwatering appetizers also take centerstage at the buffet, consisting of various kinilaw, the Philippines ceviche, with choice of tuna, tanigue, or oysters soaked in a medley of vinegar, chilies, coconut milk, red onion, ginger, coriander, and cucumber. Pares and mami, and gotong Batangas are the comforting choices for soups, while pansit batil, a savory combination of miki noodles,

PARTICIPANTS of the “Everyday Photography” workshop listen intently as Aly De Leon Reyes talks about mastering composition and visual storytelling. (Photo courtesy of Ayala Musuem)

Benedict Sison, Sun Life Philippines CEO & Country Head and Sun Life Foundation Chairman; Owdylyn Lee, Macaulay Club President; Jim Ayala, Solar Village Foundation Chairman; Carla Villacorta, Solar Village Foundation Trustee; Norly Worrell, Solar Village Foundation Finance Manager;

Editor: Tet Andolong

Motoring

DONGFENG ALABANG INTRODUCES SME PARTNER PROGRAM

Story & photos by Randy S. Peregrino

DONGFENG Alabang, under Autoflare Corp., recently introduced the “SME & Dongfeng Philippines Partner Program,” which aims to fuel growth in the automotive sector. This program also aims to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to succeed in the fastgrowing automotive industry by providing the right tools, resources, and opportunities. Autoflare Corp. president Rachel Villanueva and Dongfeng dealer principal Dexter Co were present during the program launch.

SUV

façade design and the signage. Based on the business development plan,

the proposed showroom layout would accommodate up to two vehicles on display, including the reception and holding areas.

But Autoflare explained that any available commercial space accommodating one car is a great start. They are committed to providing the necessary support, including but not limited to needed merchandising materials and front signage.

When acquiring a specific Dongfeng model to sell, the SME dealer partner will get an exclusive discounted price point. This way, the SME dealer partner can maximize the profit margin compared to the retail selling price. The brand’s current EV lineup with their respective price points are the Nanobox Mini Hatchback EV (P888,000), Nammi Subcompact Hatchback EV (P1.238 million), Forthing Friday SUV EV (P1.980 million), and M Hero Premium Off-

(P1.358 million), Forthing U-Tour

New approach to decongest traffic; Lexus line-up

THonda Civic has won awards for half a century now, and the Civic Hybrid brings Honda’s superb and fuel-efficient hybrid system into one of the market’s best compact sedans. Fun, fuel-efficient, and more

elegant than its predecessors, it’s a hands-down winner.”

Hat’s off.

Lexus line-up

LEXUS has started the year with a big bang, literally, by presenting a line-up of models serving as a testament to the brand’s commitment of creating vehicles that redefine every moment on the road.

With the youthful Carlo Ablaza now at the helm of Lexus Manila, expect a new energy to impact on the ever growing industry in the luxury segment.

“The market is getting younger each day so that we need to focus on tweaks that can create futuristic platforms for our brand to continue flying, soaring, to the skies,” Carlo said to me during a lull in the 2023 Tokyo Mobility Show in Japan. “We need to be on our toes to be abreast with the ever-changing times.”

Good point, Carlo. Bring it on.

N ow, let’s give Joaquin Guevara the floor:

“The Lexus IS F Sport, priced at P4,228,000, embodies the spirit of dynamic performance and bold design. Its aggressive stance, precision handling and powerful engine make it a perfect companion for those who seek a thrilling and connected driving experience.

“You want serenity and sophistication, the ES Premier is for you.

“Priced at P4,878,000, it offers a seamless blend of refined luxury and advanced technology. With a whisperquiet cabin, it is the ideal choice for drivers who value comfort and elegance.

“The LBX, starting at P2,558,000, is a compact luxury SUV that combines stylish design and urban versatility. With its modern aesthetic and efficient performance, the LBX is designed

for those who need agility without compromising on premium features.

“For a more sustainable yet luxurious option, the UX, starting at P3,898,000, is a forward-thinking compact SUV that embodies Lexus’s commitment to electrification and innovation. Its bold design and exceptional efficiency make it the perfect choice for eco-conscious drivers seeking a premium experience.

“Each model embodies the elegance, performance and cutting-edge technology that Lexus is renowned for. This limited-time offer provides exceptional value and makes it the perfect opportunity to upgrade to a new level of driving experience. Don’t miss out on experiencing luxury and innovation first hand.”

A Lexus (SUV or whatever)

Road

EV (P7.380 million). Other models in the lineup are the Aeolus Huge Five-Seater Hybrid SUV (P1.880million), Aeolus Mage 1.5-liter Turbocharged Crossover SUV (P1.248 million), Forthing U-Tour Lux Seven-Seater MPV

Noble Seven-Seater MPV (P1.558 million), Rich 7 4x2 Upper Crew Cab Pick-up (P1.388 million), and Rich 7 4x4 Upper Crew Cab Pick-up (P1.488 million).

Partner

branch

7, Spectrum District, Filinvest Avenue, Alabang, Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila.

(FROM left) Autoflare Corp. General Manager Dante Calma, Autoflare Corp. Managing Director Dexter Co, Dongfeng Motors Philippines Brand Ambassador Janno Gibbs, Autoflare Corp. president Rachel Villanueva, and Autoflare Corp. executive vice president Ralph Aldrin Ong

THE Dongfeng Alabang branch representing close to an SME partner dealership at a smaller scale

TWO of Dongfeng’s EV frontrunners: the Nammi Subcompact Hatchback EV and Forthing Friday SUV EV

Van der Valk two shots clear entering final round at TCC Sports

UE goes 2-0 in PNVF U-21

Championship

UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST (UE) scored its second straight win, beating Umingan, 25-22, 25-15, 25-14, on Thursday in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Under-21 Championship National Men’s Division at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Red Warriors, a mix of high school and collegiate players under coach Jerome Guhit, blasted City of Naga-Cebu Volleyball Club, 25-12, 25-17, 23-25, 25-17, in Wednesday’s opener. UE leads Group B with a 2-0 record in the first U-21 event organized by the PNVF headed by President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, also the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) president and FIVB executive vice president. Notre Dame of Dadiangas University bounced back from five-set loss to Umingan, taking down City of NagaCebu Volleyball Club, 27-25, 2025, 18-25, 25-18, 15-11, for a 1-1 record in Group B. Umingan dropped to a 1-1 slate while City of Naga-Cebu Volleyball Club remained winless in the tournament supported Akari, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Meralco, PLDT, S mart, AyalaLand, Nuvali, Mikasa, Senoh, Asics, Rebisco, Cignal, OneSports, OneSports+ an d Pilipinas Live.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Jun Lomibao

SBy Aldrin Quinto

ANTA ROSA, Laguna—Eagle was not enough to propel Guido van der Valk all the way to the top but a late birdie provided the extra lift as he shot the day’s best two-under 70 on Thursday for a two-stroke lead after the third round of The Country Club Invitational.

Four strokes off the pace at the start of the day, Van der Valk vaulted to the top at one-over 217 as Lloyd Jefferson Go fired a 74 for solo second spot at three-over 219.

S econd-round leader Clyde Mondilla had a tough round of 77, marred by a disastrous triple-bogey on the front nine and a doublebogey on the back, but that was enough for third spot at four-over 220.

A ction continues Friday as One Silay battles Lingayen Volleyball Club at 9 a.m., and Zamboanga City meets Volleyball Never Stop (VNS) at 11:30 a.m. in Group A.

UE e yes a 3-0 record on Friday when it squares off with Notre Dame of Dadiangas University at 2 p.m. before Umingan clashes with City of Naga-Cebu Volleyball Club at 4:30pm. Josef T. Ramos

A M anila-based Dutchman, Van der Valk boosted his bid to add to TCC Invitational titles won in 2020 and 2023, but noted no lead is safe at the demanding course.

This golf course is hard to run away with because it’s so easy to make mistakes and it’s so hard to make birdies, so everyone has the same problems,” Van der Valk said.

“I ’ve been lucky that I’ve won it twice but that’s no guarantee that that it would go again my way, there’s too many good golfers in contention.”

A fter finding the back edge of the green on No. 10, Van der Valk bumped his ball out with a wedge and rolled 20 feet into the hole for eagle that moved him to the top of the leaderboard.

He hit a snag with bogey on No. 15 but regained the lead on the picturesque par-3 No. 17 when he sank a 25-footer for birdie, the ball nearly moving past the hole before breaking just

enough to drop on the right side.

Go h ad two birdies against a double-bogey on the first nine but for the second straight day, made no birdies coming back and even suffered two bogeys.

“The finishing holes are hard, for me at least,” Go, leader after the opener and second through the middle rounds.

Two maybe three shots behind, it’s still doable. It’s hard, everyone makes bogeys,” Go said.

“ The goal in the final round is to shoot under par.”

Mondilla had to re-tee on the par-4 No. 4 after his first ball faded to a cliff and he wound up with a seven. He double-bogeyed No. 16 but remained within striking distance in the P6 million tournament also known as the Don Pocholo Razon Memorial Cup.

A idric Chan and Reymon Jaraula shot 76s for a share of fourth spot at 221, while Minwook Gwon carded a 73 and was tied for sixth with Jay Bayron at 222.

Tony Lascuña continued to fight despite gout in the left elbow and now sits in the top half of the elite 30-man field after a second consecutive 75. Keanu Jahns and Kakeru Ozeki of Japan shot 76s and were tied for eighth at 224.

Jh onnel Ababa and Albin Engino had identical 75s for a share of 10th at 226 with Nilo Salahog, who shot 78.

The defending champion, Tony Lascuna enters the final round tied for 13th place at 227 with Japan’s Suzuki Daiya, who carded a 74.

T hree-time TCC winner Angelo Que shot a 77 marred by a triple-bogey seven on No. 7 for joint 15th at 228 with Asian Tour rookie Sean Jean Ramos and South Korea’s Hyun Ho Rho, who submitted 76s.

UST notches third straight win in UAAP Jrs

By Josef T. Ramos

ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA did well even on a runway that was shorter than most stadiums, earning silver in the Springer International Jump Indoor Meeting at the Lausitz Arena in Cottbus, Germany. Obiena, a two-time Olympian, vaulted 5.65 meters after easily clearing 5.40 and 5.55 meters but the World No. 4 failed in three attempts at 5.75 meters.

Paris Summer Olympic Games silver medalist American Sam Kendricks secured the gold medal with a 5.75-m vault, ruling the eight-man field.

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas rallied late to defeat University of the East, 69-59, on Thursday for its third consecutive victory in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 87 boys’ basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

F ar Eastern University-Diliman bounced back with an 84-60 victory over University of the Philippines.

The Tiger Cubs and the Baby Tamaraws hold 3-1 records, sharing second place behind National University (4-0).

Senegalese forward Racine Kane led the way for UST, scoring a game-high 24 points.

Gilas Youth standout Wacky Ludovice was the only other Tiger Cub to score in double digits, chipping in with 11.

The 6-foot-7 Kane also had 12 rebounds and three blocks, while Ludovice had five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

UST co-captain Kirk Cañete had eight points, eight assists, seven rebounds, and four steals, while Charles Esteban chipped in seven points and five rebounds.

UE dropped to an even 2-2 record.

Ethan Aguas paced the Junior Warriors with 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Ivorian center Jean Bana had 15 points, seven rebounds, five blocks, and two steals.

Edry Alejandro had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds and Lance Sabroso chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.

Liam Salangsang led five Baby Tamaraws in double figures, scoring 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, while making four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Marc Burgos had with 15 points and nine

rebounds, Jheremy Godoy also chipped in 15 points, while Cabs Cabonilas tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds. UP remains winless at 0-4.

“At 5.75 meters EJ had good clearances but simply clipped the bar coming down,” Obiena’s adviser Jim Lafferty told BusinessMirror via chat message. “These are technical adjustments and also due to the 16 versus 20 step approach.” ened very strong, clearing his first two heights with ease. The concern was always the short track in Cottbus. Because of EJ’s stride length, EJ was limited to 16 steps,” Lafferty added. afferty expressed satisfaction with Obiena’s performance in his first event appy with a second-place finish, behind Olympic silver medalist Sam Kendricks and we are on to the next competition.” ome bet Bo Kanda Lita Baehre of Germany bagged the bronze medal with a 5.65-m vault.

Obiena is expected to take part in an indoor competition in Metz, France.

Lafferty noted Obiena and the competitors in Cottbus are still far from top form. very vaulter looked like it was early season. A strong field and yet many of the world’s best were having technical issues and missing at the early heights.  And a winning vault of 5.75m is well below what you would expect from such a strong field,”

ROY GABRIEL PIOJO of University of the East finds a way past the Umingan defense. ROY DOMINGO

SENEGAL’S Racine Kane shows the way for UST.

EJ OBIENA is off to a fine start.

GUIDO VAN DER VALK looks to add to his 2020 and 2023 TCC Invitational titles. NONIE REYES