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Saturday, July 2, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 267

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SUNSET YEARS

By Cai U. Ordinario

ECEIVING a senior citizen card is not a ticket to a life of dependence and forgetfulness as the elderly can still become assets to the economy, according to a study conducted under the Philippine APEC Study Center Network of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). In a policy note, University of the Philippines-Cebu College of Social Sciences Associate Professor Ma. Rowena V. Mende said allowing Filipinos to flourish later in life can reduce health expenses of the government and increase productivity. Mende said senior citizens aged between 60 and 75 who are still able and willing to work “remain a valuable human resource.” This improves their individual agency making them flourish even in their twilight years. “The main idea is to keep older adults active, productive and engaged. This is in line with the policy framework by the World Health Organization dubbed ‘Active Ageing’, which aims to inform discussion and formulate action plans to promote healthy and active aging,” Mende said. “Ultimately, this will positively impact the nation as a whole, as the economic burden brought

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines-Cebu College of Social Sciences Associate Professor Ma. Rowena V. Mende: “First and foremost is to have positive perceptions of being old. It will be to everyone’s advantage if this is cultivated as early in life as possible. Perhaps, depictions of the elderly in textbooks, television, movies and social media can be changed from being frail and forgetful to being agentic, capable and wise.” CSS.UPCEBU.EDU.PH/FACULTY/

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 54.9700

about by aging will be mitigated, perhaps, even avoided,” she added. Mende explained, citing data from available studies, that flourishing among older adults means they are people who feel good and function well; experience positive emotions; enthusiastic about life; and contribute actively and productively to the world. With this, Mende measured flourishing levels among 165 older adults aged between 60 and 88. The levels of flourishing were measured according to the seven-point Flourishing Scale and the 10-point Secure-Flourish Index. The Flourishing Scale measures eight dimensions—meaning and purpose; social relationships; engagement; contribution to others’ well-being; competence; goodness; optimism; and respect for others. The average flourishing scale score of the respondents was 6.125 out of 7. The highest was in respect for others at 6.38 out of 7, while the lowest was in contribution to others’ well-being at 5.89 out of 7. For the Secure-Flourish Index, it measured six items—happiness and satisfaction; physical and mental health; meaning and purpose; character and virtue; social relationships; and financial and material stability. Based on the results, the average Secure-Flourish Index score of the respondents was at 8.2752 out of 10. The highest score was in meaning and purpose at 8.997 out of 10; while the lowest was in financial and material stability at 6.6515 out of 10. “First and foremost is to have positive perceptions of being old.

It will be to everyone’s advantage if this is cultivated as early in life as possible. Perhaps, depictions of the elderly in textbooks, television, movies and social media can be changed from being frail and forgetful to being agentic, capable and wise,” Mende said. “Another important insight from these results centered on retirement issues, considering that older adults usually encounter financial declines. This study shows that satisfaction with finances leads to higher levels of flourishing,” she added. Mende explained that one side of retirement needs psychological preparation since people who used to work all the time might “struggle with feelings of needing to be productive when he or she retires.” This means, Mende said, it is important to determine activities individuals can engage in after retirement. Institutions, organizations and companies can include retirement assistance in their employee development programs. This, she said, may not necessarily involve financial assistance but could be extended in the form of educational activities such as seminars and workshops. “Flourishing is an important contributor to the lengthening of older people’s health span or the period that a person is healthy— not just alive. In turn, lengthening the health span may help ease the economic burdens not only of families but the nation as a whole,” Mende said. In January, a consultant of the PIDS said the poorest senior citizens should receive more under the country’s monthly social pension

for the elderly in order to lift them up from poverty. In a policy note, PIDS consultant and associate professor at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Jennifer D. Monje said the poorest lolos and lolas should get P1,000-worth monthly pensions from the government from the current P500 a month stipend. Monje said these recommendations were based on a study made by PIDS Senior Research Fellow Jose Ramon G. Albert. She added this is just one of several proposed changes to improve the social pension for senior citizens nationwide. Monje said Albert’s recom-

mendation proposed that the monthly assistance of P500 could be given to those low-income but not poor elderly or those with incomes between the poverty line and twice the poverty line. Albert also proposed a social pension of P750 a month to be given to poor but not subsistence poor seniors or those with incomes between the subsistence poverty threshold and the poverty line. The elderly who are among the subsistence poor should receive the largest social pension of P1,000 a month. Subsistence incidence in poverty is the proportion of the population who could not provide for their basic food needs.

n JAPAN 0.4050 n UK 66.9535 n HK 7.0060 n CHINA 8.2044 n SINGAPORE 39.5667 n AUSTRALIA 37.9348 n EU 57.6251 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.6513

Source: BSP (July 1, 2022)

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Sri Lanka faces humanitarian crisis C By Bharatha Mallawarachi & Paul Wiseman The Associated Press

OLOMBO, Sri Lanka—Chamila Nilanthi is tired of all the waiting. The 47-year-old mother of two spent three days lining up to get kerosene in the Sri Lankan town of Gampaha, northeast of the capital Colombo. Two weeks earlier, she spent three days in a queue for cooking gas—but came home with none. “I am totally fed up, exhausted,’’ she said. “I don’t know how long we have to do this.’’

Utter state of collapse

A FEW years ago Sri Lanka’s economy was growing strongly enough to provide jobs and financial security for most. It’s now in a state of collapse, dependent on aid from India and other countries as its leaders desperately try to negotiate a bailout with the International Monetary Fund. What’s happening in this South Asian island nation of 22 million is worse than the usual financial cri-

ses seen in the developing world: It’s a complete economic breakdown that has left ordinary people struggling to buy food, fuel and other necessities and has brought political unrest and violence. “It really is veering quickly into a humanitarian crisis,’’ said Scott Morris, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development in Washington. Such disasters are more commonly seen in poorer countries, in sub-Saharan Africa or in war-torn Afghanistan. In middle-income countries such as Sri Lanka they are rarer but

A MAN rides a bicycle with a boy, as empty gas canisters are seen placed in a queue by the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, June 28, 2022. AP/ERANGA JAYAWARDENA

not unheard of: 6 million Venezuelans have fled their oil-rich home country to escape a seemingly unending political crisis that has devastated the economy. Indonesia, once touted as an “Asian Tiger’’ economy, endured Depression-level deprivation in the late 1990s that led to riots and political unrest and swept away a strong man who’d held power for three decades. The country now is a democracy and a member of the Group of 20 biggest industrial economies. Sri Lanka’s crisis is largely the result of staggering economic mismanagement combined with fallout from the pandemic, which along with 2019 terrorism attacks devastated its important tourism industry.

How it all started

THE Covid-19 crisis also disrupted the flow of payments home from Sri Lankans working abroad. The government took on big debts and slashed taxes in 2019, depleting the treasury just as Covid-19 hit. Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves plummeted, leaving it unable to pay for imports or defend its beleaguered currency, the rupee. Ordinary Sri Lankans—especially the poor—are paying the price. They wait for days for cooking gas and petrol—in lines that can extend more than 2 kilometers. Sometimes, like Chamila Nilanthi, they go home with nothing. Eleven people have died so far waiting for gasoline. The latest was a 63-year-old man found dead inside his vehicle on the outskirts of Colombo. Unable to get gasoline, some have given up driving and resorted to bicycles or public transportation to get around.

Austerity and inflation

THE government has closed urban schools and some universities and is giving civil servants every Friday off for three months, to conserve fuel and allow them time to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Food price inflation is running at 57 percent, according to government data, and 70 percent of Sri Lankan households surveyed by Unicef last month reported cutting back on food consumption. Many families rely on government rice handouts and donations from charities and generous individuals.

WOMEN wait in a queue to buy kerosene in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, June 11, 2022. AP/ERANGA JAYAWARDENA

Unable to find cooking gas, many Sri Lankans are turning to kerosene stoves or cooking over open fires. Affluent families can use electric induction ovens for cooking, unless the power is out. But most Sri Lankans can’t afford those stoves or higher electric bills. Sri Lankans furious over fuel shortages have staged protests, blocked roads and confronted police. Fights have broken out when some try to jump ahead in fuel lines. Police have attacked unruly crowds. One night last week, a soldier was seen assaulting a police officer at a fuel station in a dispute over gasoline distribution. The police officer was hospitalized. The police and military are separately investigating the incident.

Decimation of the middle class

THE crisis is a crushing blow to Sri Lanka’s middle class, estimated to account for 15 percent to 20 percent of the country’s urban population. Until it all came apart, they enjoyed financial security and increasing standards of living. Such a reversal is not unprecedented. In fact, it looks like what happened to Indonesia in the late 1990s. The US Agency for International Development—which runs aid projects for poor countries—was preparing to close up shop in the Indonesian capital Jakarta; the country didn’t seem to need the help. “As one of the Asian Tigers, it had worked its way off the aid list,’’ recalls Jackie Pomeroy, an economist who worked on a USAID project in the Indonesian government before joining the World Bank in Jakarta. But then a financial crisis— triggered when Thailand suddenly devalued its currency in July 1997

to combat speculators—swept across East Asia. Plagued by widespread corruption and weak banks, Indonesia was hit especially hard. Its currency plummeted against the US dollar, forcing Indonesian companies to cough up more rupiahs to pay back dollar-denominated loans. Businesses closed. Unemployment soared. Desperate city dwellers returned to the countryside where they could grow their own food. The Indonesian economy shrank more than 13 percent in 1998, a Depression-level performance. Desperation turned to rage, and demonstrations against the government of Suharto, who’d ruled Indonesia with an iron fist since 1968. “It very quickly rolled into scenes of political unrest,’’ Pomeroy said. “It became an issue of political transition and Suharto.’’ The dictator was forced out in May 1998, ending autocratic rule. Although they live in a democracy, many Sri Lankans blame the politically dominant Rajapaksa family for the disaster.

Who’s to blame?

“IT’S their fault, but we have to suffer for their mistakes,” said Ranjana Padmasiri, who works as a clerk at a private firm. Two of the three top Rajapaksas have resigned—Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa, who was finance minister. Protestors have been demanding that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also step down. They’ve camped outside his office in Colombo for more than two months. Resignation, Padmasiri said, isn’t enough. “They can’t get away easily,’’ he said. “They must be held responsible for this crisis.’’

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Softer progress for manufacturing as May PMI dips slightly to 53.8

HE countr y’s manufacturing sector improved, albeit at a slower rate in June this year—mirroring the region’s trend of softer improvement during the month. In a report published on Friday, S&P Global announced that the Philippines’ Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) “slipped marginally” to 53.8 in June from 54.1 in May. A country’s PMI is meant to gauge the health of its manufacturing sector. It is calculated as a weighted average of five individual subcomponents. Readings above 50 show growth in the industry while readings below the 50 threshold signal a contraction in the manufacturing sector. A reading of 50, meanwhile, showed no change to the sector. The movement in the country’s PMI mirrored that of its neighboring countries. Vietnam, for example, also continued to post a PMI above 50 at 54, but was lower compared to its level in the previous month. The Philippines’s PMI was the third fastest in the Southeast Asian region, with Singapore topping the bloc followed by Vietnam. Following the Philippines are Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Myanmar was the only country to register a PMI below the 50 threshold during the month. According to S&P Global’s report, despite a loss in growth momentum for the second month running, operating conditions have now improved for five successive months in the Philippines, with the headline PMI figure “signaling solid overall growth” in the manufacturing sector. “The Philippines manufacturing sector continued to note solid growth in June. Production levels rose, driven by a faster increase in new orders,” Maryam Baluch, Economist at S&P Global Market

Intelligence, said. “Domestic demand remained strong as the lifting of pandemic restrictions allowed customer activity to pick-up. In contrast, foreign client demand contracted for the fourth month running, and at a sharper pace,” the economist added. In particular, production levels increased at the second-fastest pace since November 2018 while factory orders received at goods producers also increased at an accelerated pace in June.

Inflation woes

Despite the positive performance of the manufacturing sector, producers showed increasing concern over the effect of rising prices in their industry. “Businesses were more hesitant in their output expectations for the year ahead as downside risks to growth remain. The degree of confidence hit a 26-month low as firms highlighted concerns surrounding supply-side challenges, persistent inflation, energy price increases and peripheral global uncertainties that continue to spill over and restrain the Filipino manufacturing sector,” Baluch said. On the price front, the report said average cost burdens rose further as companies continued to register higher energy and raw material prices. “With average cost burdens rising, firms continued to pass greater input prices on to their customers. Output prices also markedly, albeit at a softer pace compared to May,” S&P Global said. “However, concerns regarding the outlook for output over the coming year were apparent. Rising fuel prices and inflationary pressures weighed on business expectations,” the report added. Bianca Cuaresma

Lower capital placement in May causes FPI $270-M net outflows

By Bianca Cuaresma

HORT-TERM investments made by foreign investors reverted to the net outflow territory in May this year, owing mainly to lower capital placement during the month. Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that foreign portfolio investments (FPI)—or more popularly known as “hot” money—yielded net outflows of $270 million in May, resulting from the $1.2-billion gross outflows which outpaced the $966 million gross inflows for the month. The month’s FPI yield is a reversal from the net inflows of $1.4 billion recorded in April 2022. It is also a reversal of the net outflow in May last year of $416.74 million. FPIs are known as “hot” or “specu l at ive” money because they are easily pulled in and out of the local platforms in the slight change of global and local sentiment. The $966-million registered investments for May 2022 reflected a decrease of 55.7 percent compared to the $2.2 billion recorded in April 2022. A c cord i n g to t he C e nt r a l Bank, 80.1 percent of the registered investments during the period were in listed securities, or investments mainly in the sectors of information technology; banks; property; holding firms; and Telecommunications. Meanwhile, the remaining went to investments in Peso govern-

ment securities, comprising 18.3 percent of the total and other portfolio investments comprising 1.7 percent. Investments for the month mostly came from the United Kingdom, United States (US), Singapore; Luxembourg; and Hong Kong with a combined share of 76.2 percent. The $1.2 billion gross outflows for the month were larger by 50.1 percent than the $823 million recorded in April 2022. The US received 80.7 percent of total remittances. For the first five months of the year, FPIs yielded net inflows of $1.1 billion, a turnaround from the $441 million net outflows noted for the same five-month period last year.

Volatility to continue

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said volatility in global markets could continue in the coming months, which could reflect in the country’s hot money performance. “For the coming months, if the Russia-Ukraine conflict drags on/ continues, global oil and commodity prices would linger at multiyear highs, leading to elevated inflation, and more aggressive Fed rate hikes,” Ricafort said. “These could lead to risks of economic slowdown or even recession in the US, which is the world’s biggest economy, thereby could lead to continued volatility in the global and local financial markets,” he added.

Saturday, July 2, 2022

NG debt dipped to ₧12.5T by end-May

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

HE national government’s (NG) debt stock dipped to P12.5 trillion as of end-May, a month before the end of former President Duterte’s term.

From a record high of P12.76 trillion as of end-April, the NG’s outstanding debt was trimmed by 2.1 percent or P267.41 billion, mainly due to its full repayment of its P300-billion short-term, zero-interest loan from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Bureau of the Treasury said on Friday. However, the debt stock ballooned by 12.9 percent year-onyear from P11.07 trillion. Cornering the bulk of the government’s gross borrowings,

domestic debt slipped by 3 percent to P8.67 trillion from P8.94 trillion in the previous month. Net issuance of government securities partially tempered the government’s repayment of its provisional advances from the Central Bank. These provisional advances, which were paid ahead of the June 11 maturity date, were used to finance the government’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic given its lower revenue collections due to the imposition of lockdowns.

Me a nw h i le , go v e r n me nt ’s foreign debt inched up by 0.1 percent to P3.83 trillion as of end-May from P3.827 trillion as of end-April because of the local and foreign currency f luctuations against the US dollar. As of end-May, the Treasury said the peso depreciated against the greenback to reach P52.412 from P52.335 as of end-April. Despite this, the Treasury said these more than offset the effect of the net repayment of foreign debt amounting to P12.05 billion. Outstanding guaranteed debt of the NG as of end-May also stood at P399.72 billion, down by 3.3 percent from P413.43 billion recorded in the previous month, owing to the repayment of both domestic and external guarantees amounting to P8.41 billion and P6.48 billion, respectively. By the end of this year, the government expects the country’s outstanding debt to soar to P13.42 trillion.

The NG’s debt-to-GDP ratio as of the first quarter of the year rose to 63.5 percent, above the internationally recommended 60-percent threshold by multilateral lenders for emerging markets like the Philippines. It is also the highest since the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio hit 65.7 percent in 2005 under the Arroyo administration. Finance Secretary-designate Benjamin Diokno earlier vowed to keep the country’s debt-toGDP ratio within the “sustainable threshold” while balancing the need to sustain the country’s economic recovery. Diokno, who is set to leave his post as BSP Governor, said the Marcos Jr. administration will be “opportunistic” on foreign borrowings and will continue to keep its bias on domestic borrowings as the peso crossed the P55 territory last Wednesday, reaching its weakest level against the US dollar in more than 16 years.

PBBM appoints career diplomat Manalo to top DFA post, Cruz as chief presidential protocol By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

resident F e r d i n a n d “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has named Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Enrique Manalo as his Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SFA), high-ranking sources revealed to the BusinessMirror. T he President, meanwhile, picked another career diplomat, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretar y Adelio Cruz, as chief of protocol. Manalo f lew from New York and took his oath in Malacañang on Friday morning to take over the post vacated by Teodoro Locsin Jr. Manalo, 69, rose from the ranks of the Foreign Ser v ice and retired in 2018. For mer President Rod r igo Duterte appointed him acting SFA

Newly-appoint Secretary Enrique Manalo DFA.GOV.PH

in 2017 after the appointment of the late former Secretary Perfecto Yasay was rejected by the Commission on Appointments. Manalo’s brief tenure as acting SFA earned him the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Gold Cross, one of the highest

civilian orders in the countr y. Duterte later named Manalo as Phi l ippine ambassador to Germany and then to the UN in New York in 2020. He came from a family of diplomats—being a son of the late former Ambassador Armando Manalo

and stepson of Ambassador Rosario Manalo—who both served in the administration of the late strongman and former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. Sources said Cruz took his oath at the Malacañang as chief of presidential protocol after Manalo also on morning Friday. Cruz will also serve as the presidential assistant for foreign affairs, vice Robert Borje, who was appointed as Climate Change Commission vice chair last March. As chief of presidential protocol, Cruz will be in charge of the visits of foreign dignitaries to Malacañang and assist President Marcos Jr. and his delegation during official visits overseas. Prior to this new post, he was the assistant secretary of the DFA for civilian security. He also served as the consul general to Los Angeles, USA and Xiamen, China.

PBBM: PHL relying on PAF’s power to secure borders, fight insurgents By Samuel P. Medenilla

resident Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. on Friday said he is banking on a modernized air force to secure the West Philippine Sea and combat insurgency. In his speech during the 75th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Marcos Jr. stressed the importance of the ongoing modernization program of the country’s air force to protect

the country’s borders from internal and external threats. He vowed his administration would continue the said initiative. “A more modern aerial and surveillance capability is all the more felt given the territorial disputes that we in the Philippines are involved in,” Marcos said. “This enhanced capability is also proven to be very critical in the Philippine military’s effort to protect the nation from local communist

insurgents and extremist groups in the South,” he added. Likewise, he also recognized the role of the PAF in providing relief in times of disasters. “Transport aircraft, helicopter and the like are important facilities that only PAF can suitably and sufficiently provide especially during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations,” Marcos Jr. said.

Marcos thanked the PAF for its continued service during its 75th anniversary celebration with the theme “Patuloy sa Paglipad Tungo sa Mas Matatag at Maaasahang Hukbong Himpapawid para sa Diyos, Bayan at Pilipino” (Continuing to Fly Towards a More Stable and Reliable Air Force for God, the Country, and Filipinos). During the event, he led the presentation of awards to distinguished PAF units and personnel.

Naval mines ‘problematic’ for Pinoy sailors in Black Sea ships–source

By Lito U. Gagni

AVAL mines floating in the Black Sea apparently remain a problem for Filipino sailors and others as dozens of ships “marooned” need to ensure a safe landing at Kyiv ports. The mines, according to Russian sources, have been left there floating by Ukraine in order to influence the Philippines’s stance in respect of the Ukraine crisis. The Philippines was one of 160 countries that signed the United Nations resolution condemn-

ing Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, but it has so far continued to engage Moscow diplomatically. The Russian sources asserted that Kyiv is deliberately blocking the Black Sea and continues to evade the liberation of its controlled harbors in the sealane. In contrast, sources claimed that Russia has completed the de-mining of Berdyansk and Mariupol ports to ensure the safe passage of ships, especially those carrying grains that other countries need. Russia and Ukraine have been

accusing each other over who is to blame for the late deliveries of cargo due to the mined sea routes. Food prices have already spiked, leading to inflationary spirals that have affected many countries that include the Philippines. In early June, a UN alert was cited in a Bloomberg report as saying that the Pinoy seafarers account for a third of the 450 sailors trapped in 80 ships stranded near the Black Sea ports. The other sailors come from Syria, Azerbaijan and Turkey. The naval mines problem in the

Black Sea was earlier the focus of attention of UN Maritime Security Adviser Peter Adams who expressed worry over the disastrous effects of the mines to cargo ships. Adams said that it will take some time before the sea routes can be safely navigated on, and this will have disastrous effects on shipping, especially of grains, of which both Russia and Ukraine are key producers. This, at a time when global supply chains have already been reeling from the logistics problems that began in the pandemic.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Covid cases continue to rise in NCR, other regions–DOH By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

he Department of Health (DOH) on Friday reported that national and all regions in the country have registered continued rise in new Covid-19 infections in recent weeks with 88 percent of provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs) across all island groups showing an upward growth in cases. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, however, stated in a report to the media on the Covid situation in the country as of July 1, these increases have “not” translated to increases in other metrics as average daily attack rates and hospital utilization rates remain at low risk in majority of these areas. For June 25 to July 1, the DOH said that there are 6,399 new Covid cases, placing to 3,705,649 the total number of cases in the country as of July 1. “Most areas show sharp increase

in cases with National Capital Region [NCR] reaching almost 450 cases daily,” Vergeire said. Vergeire said that Mindanao showed a slight uptick in mid-June 2022, “but currently shows signs of plateau with 50 cases per day.” There are a total of 3,636,378 recoveries after 3,761 new recoveries were recorded. “Severe and critical cases remain less than 1.5 percent among total hospital admissions nationally. Active case surveillance must be done to address these case increases, maintain minimal transmission, and keep severe and critical cases low,” Vergeire said. Fifty-eight deaths were recorded. A total of 60,565 have died from Covid-19. “Deaths on a continued decline from January peak, averaging about 1 death/day in May 2022,” the DOH official added.

National case trend

Vergeire said that national case trend show continuous increase

Top regions of new cases are: 1. NCR 2. Region 4A 3. Region 6 4. Region 3 5. Region 7

3,097 1,170 537 464 318

Top areas of new cases are: 1. Quezon City 2. Cavite 3. City of Manila 4. City of Makati 5. Laguna

730 446 443 432 293

w it h s e v e n d ay mo v i n g av e r a ge ( DM A ) c a s e s , w h ic h i s h ig her by 53 percent f rom t he pre v iou s w e e k . “National weekly positivity rate increased to 6.0 percent,” she noted adding that NCR has a weekly positivity rate of 8.2 percent. “NCR, Regions 4A, 4B, and 6 with positivity rates greater than or equal to 5 percent,” she said. Vergeire reiterated, “National and all regions continue to show

increases in cases but remain at low risk case classification with average daily attack rates at low risk; healthcare utilization rates also remain at low risk in all regions; national severe and critical admissions remain to be only about 1 percent of total hospital admissions.”

Areas outside NCR

Vergeire said that 89 (86 percent) of areas outside NCR report case has increased. Of these, 57 areas showed both positive oneweek growth rate (OWGR) and two-week growth rate (TWGR). “Thirty-two remaining areas have either positive OWGR or TWGR; Lucena City, Bohol, and Tawi-Tawi at moderate to critical risk health-care utilization; All areas have low risk average daily attack rates,” she said. “As we maintain mobility, we must ensure safeguards such as vaccination and boosters as well as minimum public health standards remain in place,” Vergeire reminded.

Palace coterminous appointees, contractuals told to vacate posts By Samuel P, Medenilla

r e sid e nt F e r d i n a n d “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has ordered all coterminous officials from the previous administration to vacate their posts. The President issued the order by issuing Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 1, through Executive Secretary Victor D. Rodriguez, last Thursday. MC 1 took effect on noontime of June 30, 2022. Among those to be affected by the new issuance are presidential appointees whose appoint ments a re c l assif ied as co-terminus; presidential ap-

pointees occupy ing positions created in excess of the author i zed st a f f i ng pat ter n; nonCareer Executive Ser vice Officials (CESO) occupying Career E xec ut ive Ser v ice posit ions; and contractual and/or casual employees. Positions, which would be left vacant because of MC 1, shall be filled up by the next in rank and most senior official as officers-incharge (OIC). The OICs will continue to head their concerned department, office, agency, and bureau until July 31, 2022 or until their replacements have been appointed or designated.

For non-CESOs, they will continue to discharge their duties on a hold over capacity until August, their resignation has been accepted, or they are officially replaced, whichever comes first. Affected contractual and/or casual employees whose contracts will expire on June 30, 2022 will continue their service only until the end of next month, or until their contracts are terminated or renewed as the case may be. The said non-CESO, contractual and/or casual employees are mandated to turnover their documents, equipment and properties related to their jobs to their successor or their concerned heads.

They will receive their compensation based on existing civil service, budgeting, accounting and auditing laws and rules. In a related development, Marcos Jr. also issued his MC No. 2 reiterating the Complete Staff Work (CSW) in the processing and evaluation of requests for presidential issuances, authorizations and approvals stated in MC No. 77 dated November 15 2019. Requests, which violate the said requirement will not be acted upon or returned by the Office of the President to the applicant. Both MC 1 and 2 took effect last Thursday, July 1, 2022 after Marcos assumed the presidency.

New Senate leader ‘open’ to consider construction of nuclear power plant By Butch Fernandez

ncoming Senate President Miguel Zubiri said Friday he is “personally open” to consider allowing a nuclear power plant in the country after a survey showed majority of Filipinos favor the construction and activation of such a facility. “I personally am open to it,” Zubiri told the BusinessMirror, but indicated they have yet to do a headcount to get the pulse of the majority. “I am not sure about our colleagues yet,” he admitted. The incumbent majority leader who is expected to take the helm of the Senate, however, clarified he cannot yet speak for his peers as senators would have to consult each other when the 19th Senate opens on Monday, July 25, 2022. “We will ask them [the senators] when we hold a caucus soon,” Zubiri said. This developed as a recent PH-PUBLiCUS survey result showed at least 59 percent of respondents “support allowing construction

of a nuclear plant in the country.” In a news statement, it reported the latest PUBLiCUS survey results “suggest that a majority of Filipinos support the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Philippines,” referring to the 59 percent of respondents to the 2022 PAHAYAG Second Quarter Survey conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia Inc. between June 16 and 22, 2022. The survey showed the respondents “approve” or “strongly approve” of “allowing the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Philippines.” It also noted that 22 percent of respondents said they “disapprove” or “strongly disapprove” of the construction of a nuclear plant, noting this is the thirdhighest total disapproval rating among all 14 issues tested on the survey, behind “allowing the construction of more coal plants in the Philippines” (26 percent) and “accreditation of bloggers/vloggers in Malacañang” (24 percent).

“Our survey numbers suggest that proposals to add nuclear power to the Philippine energy mix may enjoy considerable support among the general public,” Atty. Aureli Sinsuat, Executive Director of PUBLiCUS said, noting that “at the same time, nuclear energy’s relatively high disapproval rate indicates that it could be a polarizing issue in future policy discussions.” Moreover, he added only 47 percent of respondents said they “approve” or “strongly approve” of the construction of additional coal power plants in the Philippines. Sinsuat suggested “it is interesting to note that our respondents appear to view nuclear power as a more appealing continuous energy source than coal,” adding that “this could provide an opening for advocates to lobby more aggressively for the addition of nuclear power to the energy mix.” In addition, Sinsuat stressed it would be reasonable to expect “significant policy

continuity” between the Duterte and Marcos Jr. administrations in the field of nuclear energy. He recalled that “this February, President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order No. 164 adopting a national position for the introduction of nuclear power into the country’s energy mix that saw President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. lauding EO 164 during the campaign period and voiced clear intent to follow through with the national nuclear energy policy.” “Thus, we can expect significant policy continuity in favor of nuclear power between the Duterte and Marcos Jr. administrations,” he pointed out. This, as the 1,500 registered Filipino voters respondents who participated in the 2022 PAHAYAG Second Quarter Survey were randomly sampled by PureSpectrum, a USbased panel marketplace with multinational presence, from their national panel of more than 200,000 Filipinos. The sample-wide margin of error is +/- 3 percent.

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Consumers more confident than bizmen in Q3–BSP poll By Bianca Cuaresma

HE local business community and the average Filipino consumer shared mixed views on their economic prospects in the coming months, with consumer confidence outshining that of the business sentiment in the local scene. The results of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) quarterly survey showed that consumers are more optimistic about prospects for the third quarter of the year. The overall confidence index (CI) of Filipino consumers increased to 11.2 percent from 6.4 percent for the third quarter of the year. Meanwhile, the business sentiment, while remaining positive, weakened as the overall CI declined to 46.4 percent from 59.7 percent a quarter ago. The CI is computed as the percentage of optimistic respondents minus the percentage of pessimistic respondents in the local economy. A lower confidence index means the pessimists increased versus the optimists during the survey period while a higher confidence index means more optimists from the survey group. Consumer respondents attributed their more favorable outlook in the near term to expectations of more available jobs, good governance, positive developments in the Covid-19 situation, and additional

and high income. The positive outlook of the consuming public is somewhat a contrast of the sentiment of the business community for the third quarter of the year. According to the survey, the respondents’ less optimistic outlook for the next quarter was attributed primarily to the “uncertainties” during the leadership transition; continuing public health risks posed by Covid-19; and concerns over rising inflation and its impact on business operations. The BSP said seasonal downturn in production due to weather disturbances also contributed to the lower optimism. Other respondent firms also cited higher production costs of automotive components, the adverse effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and lockdowns in China due to Covid-19, as reasons for their less upbeat sentiment for the third quarter of 2022. The sentiment of both groups may linger until the end of the year, as businesses’ CI was also less optimistic for the next 12 months while consumers’ CI was more optimistic. For the next 12 months, firms’ CI decreased to 59.9 percent from the previous quarter’s survey result of 69.8 percent. For consumers, however, their CI increased further to 32.4 percent from 30.4 percent.

DA lifts temporary import ban on Belgian poultry products By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

he Philippines lifted its temporary import ban on Belgian poultry products after the European country regained its bird flu freedom status. The removal of the trade restriction is expected to ease raw material supply problems of local meat processors, allowing them to temper price increases on processed meat products, an industry group said. The Department of Agriculture (DA) issued Memorandum Order (MO) 52 that formally lifted the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen from Belgium. The DA lifted the ban after Belgium submitted its final report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) that its highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks were already closed and resolved. Belgium has been banned from exporting poultr y products to the Philippines since December last year. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2021/12/23/da-bans-belgianpoultry-imports/). “Based on the evaluation of the Department of Agriculture [DA], the risk of contamination from importing poultry meat, day old chicks, eggs and semen is negligible,” MO 52, which was signed by outgoing Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar last June 30, read. “All import transactions of the above bird species shall be in accordance with existing rules and regulations of the DA,” MO 52 added. The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) hailed the DA’s decision, explaining that the lifting of the ban would help the industry to cushion

the impact of rising costs of raw materials brought about by various global economic challenges such as the ongoing RussiaUkraine war. “This will help ease supply and temper price increases of our vital chicken meat materials and mitigate the impact of the fuel cost increases, global supply chain challenges and other issues brought about by the Russia-Ukraine crisis,” PAMPI said in a news statement issued on Friday. PAMPI expressed optimism that President and Agriculture Secretar y Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. would consider “resuming” poultry trade with other “disease-free countries” to open more sources of raw materials. “We hope that the DA under President Marcos’ leadership will facilitate the resumption of trade with other disease-free countries, as it will help stabilize meat prices and address the country’s food security,” PAMPI added. Belgium is one of the country’s key sources of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken, which is a vital raw material for the manufacturing of processed meat products like hotdogs and canned meat. Last year, Belgium was the country’s second top largest supplier of chicken MDM, accounting for more than a fifth of total import volume or about 54,516.709 metric tons (MT). The local meat processing industry has been scrambling to source chicken MDM after the Philippines imposed temporary import bans on poultry products coming from European countries due to concerns of bird flu. For instance, the Netherlands, the country’s top supplier of chicken MDM, remains banned from shipping any poultry product to the Philippines until today.

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

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Oil heads for worst run of losses this year on recession concern

il headed for a third weekly drop, its longest losing run this year, on concern that a potential recession will cut into energy demand. West Texas Intermediate traded below $106 a barrel after tumbling on Thursday as commodities were pummeled. The US benchmark has shed more than 1 percent this week despite signs that the physical crude market remains tight. Data this week showed weakness in US consumer spending, which is by far the biggest contributor to gross domestic product. That follows a pivot by the Federal Reserve to aggressively tighten policy to quell raging inflation. Oil fell about 8 percent in June as investors fretted over a potential global slowdown, eroding a rally spurred by the war in Ukraine, interruptions to supplies and rising demand. The jump in prices alarmed President Joe Biden, who’s spearheading efforts to get producers in the Middle East to boost crude output. “Oil may remain choppy,” said Zhou Mi, an analyst at Chaos Research Institute in Shanghai, which is affiliated with Chaos Ternary Futures Co. Deepening recession fears would hurt oil products and squeeze refining margins, although high run rates are offering support with fundamentals still tight, said Zhou. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies ratified an oil-production increase this week, completing

the return of supplies halted during the pandemic. Biden will travel to the Middle East later this month to urge Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to increase supplies further. In a sign that US demand remains robust for now a record number of drivers are expected to hit the road this weekend for Independence Day travel, buttressing gasoline consumption. Average retail pump prices have eased slightly in recent weeks after hitting a record above $5 a gallon in June. Oil’s time spreads, which traders track for indications on the strength of underlying demand, continue to flash broadly positive signals. Brent’s prompt spread— the difference between its two nearest contracts—was $3.42 a barrel in backwardation, up from $2.73 a month ago. Economic d ata f rom A sia, however, pointed to weakening conditions. Purchasing manager indexes from across the region eased in June, with South Korea and Thailand among those showing the biggest declines, according to S&P Global. “For oil, it is clear that macro developments are still the key driver for price direction at the moment,” Warren Patterson, the Singapore-based head of commodities strategy at ING Groep NV, said in a note. “Fundamentally, the market is still tight, so we expect only limited downside in prices.” Bloomberg News

Putin offers to finance railway project in new Indonesian capital

resident Vladimir Putin offered to have Russian Railways invest in Indonesia’s new capital, in a sign of warming ties with Southeast Asia’s biggest economy as the US and its allies seek to isolate Moscow. Putin said Moscow could take part in President Joko Widodo’s plan to move Indonesia’s capital to the island of Kalimantan from Jakarta, according to a statement by the Russian Embassy in the country. He made the comments during Jokowi’s visit to Moscow on Thursday, it said. Nusantara, as the new capital will be called, is set to begin construction in August after the pandemic stalled its development.

Jokowi has courted investors, including Abu Dhabi and Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group to help build a renewable energypowered city from scratch. Russian energy companies are also keen to operate in Indonesia, especially in developing nuclear power, Putin added. Atomic energy is a key part of Indonesia’s net-zero emissions plan. Indonesia has come under pressure by the US and other countries to prevent Putin from joining the Group of 20 summit, which is set to take place in Bali. The Russian leader made no comment on whether he’ll attend in person. Bloomberg News

Tunisian ruler makes latest power gambit as local economy crumbles

u nisia’ s p r e s i d e n t u n v e i l e d constitutional changes that’ll be put to a referendum in July, risking riling opponents with a move dubbed a power grab just as the country needs consensus to secure help from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The draft reform of the constitution was published in the official gazette on Thursday, with a presidential decree linking it to plans to set up a “new republic.” The revisions will update a 2014 charter that was the result of painstaking negotiations between the North African nation’s myriad factions in the aftermath of its Arab Spring revolt. In contrast, the proposals were drafted by a panel picked by President Kais Saied, who critics accuse of seizing powers that threaten to tip Tunisia back into dictatorship after he suspended parliament almost a year ago. The proposed reforms boost presidential prerogatives and dilute those of both the assembly and the judiciary. The text introduces a national council of regions and provinces to share legislative duties with the assembly of representatives. The President, said the text, assumes “executive functions” and is “helped” by a government and a prime minister he names. The draft also relegates the status that the legislative and judiciary branches had under the current constitution to a role

akin to public servants. Judges, security and customs officials will also be banned from striking. The draft document “provides for an unbridled presidential system,” said Benarbia, the Middle East and North Africa regional director at the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists, said on Twitter. The July 25 vote comes at a crunch time for Tunisia, which is in talks with the IMF for a rescue package seen as key to staving off a default after years of economic malaise and intermittent political crises. Central bank officials have warned the Ukraine war is causing greater turmoil than the pandemic as inflation hits its highest since 2018, calling for an import curb to protect foreign reserves and ensure the country can afford crucial grains, fuel and medicine. Saied, a former constitutional law professor, is presenting the revised charter as the cornerstone of what he calls a “new republic.” The surprise winner of 2019’s presidential election on an antiestablishment ticket, he’s been ruling by decree since last year while sidelining the judiciary, asserting he’s acting to save Tunisia from chaos and corruption. His moves initially found support among Tunisians struggling with the economic impact of Covid-19 and frustrated by years of bickering between lawmakers in the country’s divided parliament. Bloomberg News

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Biggest forex rout since ’97 puts Asia central banks in a dilemma

he surge in the dollar has set Asian currencies on course for their worst quarter since the 1997 financial crisis and created a dilemma for central bankers. Policy makers already grappling with the fastest inflation in decades now face stark choices: forcefully raise borrowing costs to defend currencies and risk hurting growth, spend reserves that took years to build to intervene in foreign exchange markets, or simply step away and let the market run its course. The Bloomberg JPMorgan Asia Dollar Index is poised for a 4.8 percent drop this quarter, the steepest since the crisis pummeled currencies almost 25 years ago. Central banks in the region have lagged emerging-market peers in raising rates as they seek to boost the recovery from the pandemic, and that more patient policy stance is weighing on their currencies as the Federal Reserve pushes ahead with big hikes. “Central banks are thrust into a difficult position to tighten, even as the recovery from the pandemic is not yet complete and with the specter of a US recession ahead,” said Eugenia Victorino, head of Asia strategy at Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB in Singapore. “Complicating the picture is the strong greenback, which adds to the pressure to tighten as weak currencies exacerbate imported inflation.” South Korea’s won is set for

its largest monthly decline in 11 years, while the Philippine peso is headed for its worst quarter in 14 years. In India, the central bank is fighting on several fronts to slow the rupee’s decline to fresh records. Meanwhile, the yen, which is not part of the index, has lost 11 percent of its value against the dollar since the end of March amid a growing yield differential with the US as the Bank of Japan sticks to its ultra-easy monetary policy.

Change tack

But Asia’s central banks may have to change tack as consumer prices steadily move up and weaker currencies add to concerns about imported inflation. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has said it will consider larger rate increases after two quarter-point moves, while Bank of Korea has kept the door open for a largerthan-usual hike in July. “Inflation is proving to be persistent and central banks may have to move ahead of schedule and be even more aggressive than expected,” said Eddie Cheung, senior emerging-markets strategist at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong. “Growth is still holding up for the time being and that gives

Japanese yen, US dollar, and euro notes are arranged for a photograph in Tokyo, Japan.Tatsunori Misawa/Bloomberg

them leeway to focus on fighting inflation.” Currency depreciation could cause regional central banks to tighten “if it adds to import-led inflation on top of the supply-side inflation already seen,” Morgan Stanley economists led by Deyi Tan wrote in a report published Sunday. The analysts expect rate hikes to continue on surging inflation expectations. Central banks have already drawn billions of dollars from their reserves to slow the declines in their currencies. Stockpiles in Thailand and Indonesia have fallen to their lowest since 2020, as officials pledge to curb volatility in their currencies, while thus far holding off on raising rates. South Korean authorities sold a net $8.3 billion of reserves to ease the won’s weakness in the first quarter, according to data released Thursday. The region is in a much stronger position than in 1997, and in 2013 during the Taper Tantrum, after

accumulating trillions of reserves. India’s authorities have built up a stockpile of almost $600 billion, while South Korea’s stash exceeds $400 billion. But the worst may be yet to come for Asian currencies as the Fed has signaled another big increase in July, with traders pricing a 75 basis-point hike. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has warned high-yielding currencies such as the Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah may reel amid deteriorating external finances and as the Fed tightening spurs risk-off sentiment. To be sure, even with currencies tanking, “central banks across the region are unlikely to go anywhere near matching the Fed’s rate hikes like-for-like,” Miguel Chanco, chief emerging Asia economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics Ltd., wrote in a report Monday. “Reserves remain ample, and are likely to continue to be used to lean against excessive currency volatility.” Bloomberg News

India bans some single-use plastic as part of broader plan

EW DELHI—India banned some single-use or disposable plastic products Friday as part of a federal plan to phase out the ubiquitous material in the nation of nearly 1.4 billion people. For the first stage, it has identified 19 plastic items that aren’t very useful but have a high potential to become litter and makes it illegal to produce, import, stock, distribute or sell them. These items range from plastic cups and straws to ice cream sticks. Some disposable plastic bags will also be phased out and replaced with thicker ones. Thousands of other plastic products— like bottles for water or soda or bags of chips—aren’t covered by the ban. But the federal government has set targets for manufacturers to be responsible for recycling or disposing of them after their use. Plastic manufacturers had appealed to the government to delay the ban, citing inflation and potential job losses. But India’s federal environment minister Bhupender Yadav said at a news briefing in New Delhi that the ban had been in the pipeline for a year. “Now that time is up,” he said. This isn’t the first time that India has considered a plastic ban. But previous iterations have focused on specific regions,

Workers of a helmet store paste degradable plastic substitute material on a glass in Hyderabad, India, on Thursday, June 30, 2022. India banned some single-use or disposable plastic products Friday as a part of a longer federal plan to phase out the ubiquitous material in the nation of nearly 1.4 billion people. AP resulting in varying degrees of success. A nationwide ban that includes not just the use of plastic, but also its production or importation was a “definite boost,” said Satyarupa Shekhar, the Asia-Pacific coordinator of the advocacy group Break Free from Plastic. Most plastic isn’t recycled globally and millions of tons pollute the world’s oceans, impact wildlife and turn up in drinking water. Scientists are still trying to assess the risks

posed by the tiny bits of broken-down plastic, known as microplastics. In 2020, over 4.1 million metric tons of plastic waste was generated in India, according to its federal pollution watchdog. The creaky waste management system in the country’s burgeoning cities and villages means that much of this waste isn’t recycled and ends up polluting the environment. Nearly 13 million metric tons of plastic waste was either littered or

not recycled by the South Asian nation in 2019—the highest in the world, according to Our World in Data. “Given the magnitude of the plastic crisis, this is too little. And it’s too little both in its scope as well as the coverage,” said Shekhar. Ravi Agarwal, the director of Toxics Link, a New Delhi-based advocacy group that focuses on waste management, added that the ban was “a good beginning,” but its success will depend on how well it is implemented. The actual enforcement of the law will be in the hands of individual states and city municipal bodies. India said that the banned items were identified while keeping in mind the availability of alternatives: bamboo spoons, plantain trays, wooden ice-cream sticks. But in the days leading up to the ban, many vendors said that they were confused. Moti Rahman, 40, is a vegetable vendor in New Delhi. Customers at his cart carefully picked out fresh summer produce Tuesday before he tipped them into a plastic bag. Rahman said that he agrees with the ban, but added that if plastic bags are stopped without a readily available and equally cost-effective replacement, his business will be impacted. “After all, plastic is used in everything,” he said. AP

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Xi defends vision of Hong Kong Trump’s vulnerabilities for ’24 polls climb after new testimony as 25-year anniversary marked S

ONG KONG—Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday defended his vision of the “one country, two systems” framework against accusations by the US, UK and others that Beijing has undermined the freedoms and autonomy promised to Hong Kong for 50 years.

China’s President Xi Jinping, right, looks on as Hong Kong’s incoming Chief Executive John Lee is sworn in as the city’s new leader, during a ceremony to inaugurate the city’s new government in Hong Kong on Friday, July 1, 2022, on the 25th anniversary of the city’s handover from Britain to China. AP

In a speech marking 25 years since the city became a semiautonomous Chinese region following its handover from Britain in 1997, Xi said the “one country, two systems” framework—which allows Hong Kong to have its

own laws and government—had achieved “universally recognized success.” “There is no reason for such a good system to change, and it must be maintained for a long time,” he said, in what appeared to be an at-

tempt to reassure residents that Hong Kong could retain their relative freedoms even after 50 years. But Xi also emphasized that Beijing had “comprehensive jurisdiction” over Hong Kong, and that Hong Kong should respect Chinese leadership, even as Beijing allows regions like Hong Kong and Macao to maintain their capitalist system and a degree of autonomy. He warned that there would be no tolerance for foreign interference or traitors to meddle in Hong Kong’s affairs, and that “safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests” is of the highest priority. “Nobody in any country or region in the world will allow foreign countries or even traitorous forces and figures to seize power,” he said, adding that only by having patriots governing Hong Kong, can Hong Kong ensure long-term stability. Xi last visited Hong Kong in 2017 for the July 1 celebrations, during which he warned that there would be no tolerance for any activities seen as threatening China’s sovereignty and stability. The months of pro-democracy protests in 2019 were seen by China’s ruling Communist Party as just such a threat. Since the protests, Beijing and Hong Kong authorities drafted a national security law that was then used to arrest scores of activists, media figures and democracy supporters; introduced a more “patriotic” curriculum in schools; and revamped election

laws to keep opposition politicians who are deemed not patriotic enough out of the city’s Legislature. The changes have all but eliminated dissenting voices in the city and have driven many to leave. Xi’s two-day trip to Hong Kong is his first outside of mainland China since the pandemic took hold in January 2020. Security in Hong Kong has been beefed up for his arrival, with designated security and no-fly zones. Thousands of guests were required to take daily coronavirus tests and ordered to check into quarantine hotels ahead of their attendance of events with Xi on Thursday and Friday. Xi also officiated the swearing-in ceremony of Hong Kong’s new leader John Lee, a former security official who oversaw the crackdown on dissent in the city since 2019 pro-democracy protests. Lee pledged to uphold the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, and bear allegiance to Hong Kong. He also pledged to be accountable to the central government in Beijing. At a morning flag-raising ceremony—attended by Lee, his predecessor Carrie Lam and other officials but not Xi—police officers carrying the Chinese and Hong Kong flags marched into Golden Bauhinia Square for the ceremony with the Chinese “goose-stepping” style, replacing a British-style march. Guests stood at attention as the Chinese national anthem was played. AP

Wuhan sees virus return days after Xi reinforces Covid zero

ovid-19 has returned to the central Chinese city where it first emerged, with two cases reported in Wuhan and a swelling outbreak in a neighboring province, just as Beijing and Shanghai appear to have quelled the virus once again. Two port workers in Wuhan came down with asymptomatic Covid infections, authorities said Friday. They’re the first cases there in more than a month and come just days after President Xi Jinping’s symbolic visit to the city, where he reiterated China’s pursuit of a zero-tolerance pandemic policy that’s leaving the country isolated and subject to unpredictable restrictions. Meanwhile, Anhui province to the east reported a significant increase in cases, to 107 on Fri-

day from 14 a day ago, mostly in a small county of some 763,000 people that has already been locked down. The county will undergo a fourth round of mass testing to weed out infections, with positive cases and their close contacts sent to government quarantine, in line with China’s ongoing approach. Beijing and Shanghai reported zero Covid cases on Friday, with the leader of China’s top financial hub declaring victory over Covid earlier in the week and describing a grueling two-month lockdown where millions were confined to their homes and suffered food shortages as “completely correct.” Beijing managed to avoid a full lockdown with more targeted restrictions, such as work-fromhome orders.

China reported a total of 163 infections for Thursday, the most in three weeks. China is now deploying an updated Covid Zero playbook which halves quarantine periods for close contacts and incoming travelers to a week, but standardizes the more extensive deployment of mass testing and lockdowns. The aim is to use stepped-up sur veillance via ubiquitous testing and early, aggressive restrictions to avoid the significant economic hit of lengthy lockdowns, like the one in Shanghai.

China’s way

While the rest of the world chooses to live with endemic Covid, accepting higher caseloads and fatalities given widespread

vaccination, China is going its own way. Xi and his government have used China’s Covid death rate, one of the lowest in the world, as proof of the Communist Party’s heft, with the President saying this week the population is too large for “such strategies as ‘ herd immunity’ and ‘ lying flat”’ and that deploying them in China would have “unimaginable” consequences. Most China watchers have long expected the country will look to exit Covid Zero once Xi secures a third term later this year, but his comments this week and the establishment of a brick-and-mortar network of testing stations has raised questions over whether it could be deployed much longer, with tweaks to limit economic fallout. Bloomberg News

N. Korea suggests balloons flown from South brought coronavirus

EOUL, South Korea—North Korea suggested Friday its Covid-19 outbreak began in people who had contact with balloons flown from South Korea—a highly questionable claim that appeared to be an attempt to hold its rival responsible amid increasing tensions. Activists for years have flown balloons across the border to distribute hundreds of thousands of propaganda leaflets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and North Korea has often expressed fury at the activists and at South Korea’s leadership for not stopping them.

Global health authorities say the coronavirus is spread by people in close contact who inhale airborne droplets and it’s more likely to occur in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces than outdoors. South Korea’s Unification Ministry said there was no chance South Korean balloons might have spread the virus to North Korea. Ties between the Koreas remain strained amid a long-running stalemate in US-led diplomacy on persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions in return for economic and political benefits.

The state media report said North Korea’s epidemic prevention center had found infection clusters in the town of Ipho near the southeastern border and that some Ipho residents with feverish symptoms traveled to Pyongyang. The center said an 18-year-old soldier and a 5-year kindergartener had contact with “alien things” in the town in early April and later tested positive for the omicron variant. In what it called “an emergency instruction,” the epidemic prevention center ordered officials to “to vigilantly deal with alien things coming by wind and other climate phenomena and balloons” along the border and trace their sources to the last. It also stressed that anyone finding “alien things” must notify authorities immediately so they could be removed. The reports did not specify what the “alien things” were. But laying the blame on things flown across the border likely is a way to repeat its objections to the ballooning activities of North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea. AP

IOUX CENTER, Iowa—Stunning new revelations about former President Donald Trump’s fight to overturn the 2020 election have exposed growing political vulnerabilities just as he eyes another presidential bid. A former White House aide this week described Trump as an unhinged leader with no regard for the safety of elected officials in either party as he clung to power on January 6, 2021. The testimony from the congressional panel investigating the Capitol attack provided a roadmap for prosecutors to potentially charge Trump with a crime, some legal experts say. Republican voters—and Trump’s would-be rivals in the 2024 presidential race—took notice. Here in Iowa, the state expected to host the first presidential nominating contest in roughly 18 months, several voters signaled Thursday that they were open to another presidential candidate even if Trump were to run again. At the same time, some conservative media outlets issued scathing rebukes of the former president. Aides for multiple GOP presidential prospects also indicated, publicly and privately, that they felt increasingly emboldened to challenge Trump in 2024 following the explosive new testimony. Nikki Haley, Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, drew roughly 350 conservative activists to a congressional fundraising barbecue on Thursday in Sioux County, where Trump won 82 percent of the vote in 2020. There was ample evidence of Trump fatigue. Interviews with a dozen attendees revealed strong interest in a 2024 alternative, even if Trump is on the ballot. “You’d be hard-pressed to find people in this area who support the idea that people aren’t looking for someone else,” said Dave Van Wyk, a transportation company owner. “To presume that conservative America is 100 percent behind Donald Trump is simply not the case.” For some Republican voters, that was the feeling even before this week’s stunning new testimony. Former White House staffer Cassidy Hutchinson on Tuesday offered previously unknown details about the extent of Trump’s rage in his final weeks of office, his awareness that some supporters had brought weapons to the city on January 6 and his ambivalence as rioters later laid siege to the Capitol. Upset at the size of the crowd at his “Stop the Steal” rally— many supporters avoided entering because they were armed and didn’t want to go through metal detectors—Trump said words to the effect of, “I don’t care that they have weapons. They’re not here to hurt me,” according to Hutchinson. She recalled hearing about a separate incident after the rally in which Trump tried to grab at the steering wheel of the presidential vehicle to go to the Capitol to join his supporters. That detail has caused some pushback. The agent who was driving the vehicle and another official were reportedly prepared to testify under oath that Trump never lunged for the wheel. But the renewed concern was evident. The conservative Washington Examiner’s editorial board said Hutchinson’s testimony “ought to ring the death knell” for Trump’s political career. “Trump is unfit to be anywhere near power ever again.” The often Trump-friendly New York Post blasted the headline: “Tyrant Trump.” And the conservative editorial page of the Wall Street Journal wrote, “Just when it seems as if Donald Trump’s behavior after his 2020 loss couldn’t possibly look worse, a new piece of wild testimony arrives.” To be sure, conservatives have shared serious concerns about Trump repeatedly in recent years. And in every case, the former president has emerged largely unscathed, sometimes stronger. He has been caught on video bragging about sexual assault; he instigated a violent attack on the Capitol; and he has been twice impeached. Yet Trump is sitting on campaign funds that exceed $101 million and remains deeply popular with many Republican voters. Lest there be any question, Republican candidates from Arizona to Pennsylvania to Georgia have been battling one another this midterm season for his support. “The American people remain hungry for his leadership,” Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich said, citing Trump’s strong endorsement record and fundraising success. “And as another witch hunt is blowing up in the faces of Democrats, President Trump is in a stronger position now than at anytime before.” But even before this week’s revelations, a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 48 percent of US adults say Trump should be charged with a crime for his role in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Views on Trump’s criminal liability break down predictably along party lines, with 86 percent of Democrats and 10 percent of Republicans saying Trump should be charged. Still, the fact that nearly half the country believes he should be prosecuted is a remarkable position for the former president, pointing to the difficulties he could face if he makes another run at the White House. Meanwhile, Trump’s fundraising has fallen off dramatically over the last two months. He reported raising just over $19,000 in May and June combined after taking in nearly $9 million in March and April. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, eyeing a presidential bid in 2024, says he was hearing concerns about Trump from donors and voters alike before this week’s testimony, which adds to the “cumulative weight” of the former president’s political shortcomings. “People are concerned that we could lose the election in ’24 and want to make sure that we don’t nominate someone who would be seriously flawed,” Christie said. AP

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Pasig village distributes ₧1-M midyear cash gifts to seniors

BARANGAY in Pasig City over the weekend started distributing P1 million worth of midyear cash gifts to its senior citizens and additional incentives to those turning 90 and 100 years old. Barangay San Antonio Chair Raymond Lising said a total of 976 senior citizens in their barangay will each get a P1,000 midyear cash gift. He said the barangay is eyeing to finish distributing the cash gift before the month ends. “We have allocated P976,000 to fund the midyear cash gift program of our barangay as we currently have 976 registered senior citizens in our barangay,” he said. Lising said the staff of the barangay would personally deliver the cash gifts to ensure the safety of the senior citizens, especially since there

is still a pandemic. “For their safety and convenience, our barangay personnel will deliver the P1,000 midyear cash gift right at their doorstep. We want them to be safe from Covid-19,” he said. Lising also announced that the barangay will give a P5,000 cash gift to senior citizens who will be turning 90 and 100 years old this year. The additional cash incentive will be released in August. “OurbarangaywillalsogiveP10,000 to one of our senior citizens who recently turned 100 years old,” he said. The centenarian of the barangay is Luisa Quintana. Lising said providing senior citizens with cash gifts is a way for their barangay to show their gratitude to seniors who have contributed to the growth of the community over the years. PNA

Nursing home owner who made elderly residents suffer arrested By Kevin McGill

kilometers) northwest of New Orleans. There, authorities said they found ill and elderly bedridden people on mattresses on the wet floor, some crying for help, some lying in their own waste. Some had arrived without their medicine, according to one doctor. Civil suits against Dean’s corporation said the ceiling leaked, toilets overflowed at the sweltering warehouse and there was too little food and water. On Wednesday, Dean was in custody in Tangipahoa Parish, facing charges of Medicaid fraud, cruelty to the infirm and obstruction of justice.

The Associated Press

EW ORLEANS—The owner of seven Louisiana nursing homes who sent more than 800 of his elderly residents to a crowded, ill-equipped warehouse to ride out Hurricane Ida last year was arrested Wednesday on fraud and cruelty charges arising from the squalid conditions. Bob Glynn Dean Jr., 68, had already lost state licenses and federal funding for crowding his residents into a facility in the town of Independence, roughly 70 miles (110

O give back to the elderly population, Sen. Risa Hontiveros is set to refile the “Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act” in the 19th Congress. The senator began pushing this priority legislation during her first term, the last three years of which were made more complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The measure calls for the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to continue providing free treatment for senior citizens who are undergoing dialysis. “Ramdam pa rin natin ang epekto ng pandemya. Ngayon ay may mga panibagong pasanin pa ang ating ekonomiya dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng gasolina, kaya kailangan nating patuloy na alalayan sila,” said Hontiveros. The senator explained that senior citizens are perhaps the “most vulnerable” among those with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Aging often comes with conditions that compromise kidney function such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

By Kirsten Grieshaber The Associated Press

ERLIN—A 101-year-old man was convicted in Germany of more than 3,500 counts of accessory to murder on Tuesday for serving at the Nazis’ Sachsenhausen concentration camp during World War II. The Neuruppin Regional Court sentenced him to five years in prison. The man, who was identified by local media as Josef S., had denied working as an SS guard at the camp and aiding and abetting the murder of thousands of prisoners. In the trial, which opened in October, the centenarian said that he had worked as a farm laborer near Pasewalk in northeastern Germany during the period in question. However, the court considered it proven that he worked at the camp on the outskirts of Berlin between 1942 and 1945 as an enlisted member of the Nazi Party’s paramilitary wing, the German news agency dpa reported. “The court has come to the conclusion that, contrary to what you

The science that can save mankind By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

Each patient needs a total of 156 dialysis sessions for a complete year of treatment. Without the PhilHealth subsidy, they would be paying around P12,000 weekly for dialysis sessions. With most senior citizens dependent on their meager pensions and with no other source of income, they need all the help they can get. Hontiveros disclosed, “Since then, we’ve been calling on PhilHealth to continue the free dialysis service. Every year, senior citizens would keep asking us if the free dialysis sessions would continue. Kaya sa tingin ko ay dapat nang gawing batas ito para mabigyan ng kapanatagan ang mga lolo at lola nating umaasa rito. This isn’t just any privilege. It’s literally their lifeline. Dapat automatic na ’yung pagiging libre ng kanilang dialysis sessions.” To recall, in November 2020, Hontiveros helped push PhilHealth into increasing the number of free dialysis sessions covered, from 90 to 144. In 2021, Hontiveros filed Senate Bill No. 2053 or the “Free Dialysis for Senior Citizens Act of 2021” to

SEN. Hontiveros said senior citizens are perhaps the “most vulnerable” among those with Chronic Kidney Disease.

ensure that seniors would keep getting 144 dialysis sessions for free. This was a landmark development, especially since PhilHealth heeded the plea amid the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic. The senator is now also urging the Department of Health (DOH) to focus on disease prevention awareness by in-

tensifying its campaign for health promotion,includingtheearlydetectionof possible renal problems in senior citizens and even in children. Hontiveros said: “Mas mabuti kung makapag-focus din tayo sa prevention aspect. Ideally, dapat maiwasan natin ang paglala ng mgasakitnamangangailanganngregular treatment gaya ng dialysis.”

Germany: Former Nazi guard, 101, jailed for aiding murder

WAS a dismal student when it came to the sciences. I was dull in Arithmetic and Mathematics, Algebra or Geometry. I barely passed Physics and Chemistry. But if there’s one branch of science that sparked my interest, it was Biology, the study of living things. Plants, insects, animals—they were something that my non-linear mind could grasp, not abstract theorems, axioms or formulas. My interest in biological matters was rekindled when I read a book entitled Lives of A Cell written by Dr. Lewis Thomas, a research pathologist, physician, poet, etymologist, essayist, administrator, and educator who died

Hontiveros bares plan to refile Free Dialysis for Seniors Act T

A BARANGAY San Antonio worker starts the door-to-door delivery of the midyear cash gift of close to 1,000 senior citizens residing in said Pasig village. It is also scheduled to give out additional P5,000 cash gift to senior citizens who will be turning 90 and 100 years old in August. PHOTO COURTESY OF BARANGAY SAN ANTONIO

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, July 2, 2022

in 1993 at age 80. His first book, a bestseller, hooked me. It is so readable, even for sciencephobic people like me, because it is written in his own inimitable simple, elegant and poetic writing style. I couldn’t get enough of it. Later, I bought the author’s two other books Medusa And The Snail and The Late Night Thoughts On Listening To Mahler’s Ninth Symphony. They got me deeper in love with the world of living matters. Just from the title of his third book, you would get a sense that Dr. Thomas is not only a physician and researcher, he is also into music, and other arts. It’s not surprising that he

was convinced that medicine is “a hybrid of science and art.” Calling himself a “biology watcher,” Dr. Thomas has been able to share his fascination with the endless secrets of nature through his writings. His vision of the world is one of symbiotic cooperation among the species. He believed that nature is essentially benign. My take home from reading his highly engaging books is that study and practice of medicine should put more focus on biology because by harnessing the secrets of nature, we can discover surprising and serendipitous solutions to many of the diseases that have hounded mankind since time immemorial. For instance, we can learn much from animals, insects, and plants that can help foster better immunity, develop sturdier bones, enhance mental health, and improve longevity. Perhaps we need to adopt the attitude of an artist in promoting and maintaining the health condition of the human body. That’s because an artist is focused on creation not

claim, you worked in the concentration camp as a guard for about three years,” presiding Judge Udo Lechtermann said, according to dpa, adding that in doing so, the defendant had assisted in the terror and murder machinery of the Nazis. “You willingly supported this mass extermination with your activity,” Lechtermann said. “You watched deported people being cruelly tortured and murdered there every day for three years.” Prosecutors had based their case on documents relating to an SS guard with the man’s name, date and place of birth, as well as other documents. The five-year prison sentence was in line with the prosecution’s demand. The defendant’s lawyer had demanded an acquittal. Defense attorney Stefan Waterkamp said after the pronouncement of the sentence, that he would appeal the verdict, dpa reported. Germany’s leading Jewish group welcomed the verdict. “Even if the defendant will probably not serve the full prison sentence due to his advanced age, the verdict

destruction. So, in the same way, medical researchers and medical practitioners need to be pro-life, even towards disease carriers. Consider micro-gens and microbiotics such as bacteria, germs and viruses. Instead of devoting and dedicating much time and money on killing them, why not find a way to transform them into “positive” agents of health. I long to see the day when cancer viruses can be morphed from malignancy into something more beneficial to the body. If we can grow so called probiotics to nurture gut health, why can’t we change the configuration of parasitic microgens and make them allies of our bodies. I call this symbiology. Living in harmony with life’s elements. That way we can do away with dis-ease and bring in pro-ease. I was watching this neuro doctor who was talking about regenerative cells that can repair some of the damaged wiring of the brain related to neurological diseases such as dementia, parkinson’s disease and others. Apparently, the brain can regenerate itself. This is where we should now focus on. Rewiring, recalibrating,

is to be welcomed,” said Josef Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany. “The thousands of people who worked in the concentration camps kept the murder machinery running. They were part of the system, so they should take responsibility for it,” Schuster added. “It is bitter that the defendant has denied his activities at that time until the end and has shown no remorse.” For organizational reasons, the trial was held in a gymnasium in Brandenburg/Havel, the 101-yearold’s place of residence. The man was only fit to stand trial to a limited extent and was only able to participate in the trial for about two and a half hours each day. The trial was interrupted several times for health reasons and hospital stays. Efraim Zuroff, the head Nazi hunter at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s office in Jerusalem, told The Associated Press that the sentence “sends a message that if you commit such crimes, even decades later, you might be brought to justice.” “And it’s a very important thing because it gives closure to the rela-

reprogramming and regenerating cells in the human body. Giving old cells a new role, infusing new cells to spark new growth, and so on. This is where biomedical research should look at animals and see how they do these biological “miracles and wonders. Biology has lagged behind. So focused are we in killing, exterminating, eradicating living organisms that are the cause of many diseases. What if we can live with them, learn from them, and live side by side on a win-win interactive, interconnected relationship? So many of these living organisms that remind us how little we know about nature. As a species we are still too young and too juvenile to be trusted. We have spread across the face of the earth on just a few thousand years, covering all livable parts of the plant, endangering other forms of life and now threatening ourselves. As a species we have everything in the world to learn about living. It is a living system, an immense organism, still developing itself, making its own oxygen, maintaining its own temperature.

tives of the victims,” Zuroff added. “The fact that these people all of a sudden feel that their loss is being addressed and the suffering of their family who they lost in the camps is being addressed...is a very important thing.” Sachsenhausen was established in 1936 just north of Berlin as the first new camp after Adolf Hitler gave the SS full control of the Nazi concentration camp system. It was intended to be a model facility and training camp for the labyrinthine network that the Nazis built across Germany, Austria and occupied territories. More than 200,000 people were held there between 1936 and 1945. Tens of thousands of inmates died of starvation, disease, forced labor and other causes, as well as through medical experiments and systematic SS extermination operations including shootings, hangings and gassing. Exact numbers on those killed vary, with upper estimates of some 100,000, though scholars suggest figures of 40,000 to 50,000 are likely more accurate.

Keeping all its infinite living parts connected and interdependent, including us. There is everything in the world to learn if we can learn not to meddle and not to destroy. Instead of investing in arms to destroy each other, let us invest our GDP in biological research. Now biology has branched out into various fields of specialization such as biomedical science, biochemistry, biopaleontology and others. I am all for biological research as long as it is always undergirded by heart and humanity and the interconnectedness of nature. Let us not forget that the accent should be on bio not logy. One promising area is pre biotics that support the cells’ ability to renew their powerplants, the mitochondria, during the aging process. Other research is into cell regeneration in the brain, which can benefit those afflicted with dementia. Apparently, the focus is on reconnecting cells that provide insulation. A reverence for the natural world was the foundation of education. Dr. Thomas loved trees, and in one of his poems wrote: “Trees are the earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.”

Education BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, July 2, 2022

DepEd receives early-grade learning resources from US

HE United States recently handed over to the Department of Education (DepEd) teaching and learning resources to support early-grade learning initiatives.

US Agency for International Development Director of the Reg iona l Financia l Ser v ices Center Bret Campbell led the turnover to Education undersecretaries Nepomuceno Malaluan and Diosdado San Antonio. The resources included USAID-developed teacher training tools, literacy and numeracy packages, early-grade reading materials, and various collateral supporting literacy assessment. “We are happy to accept the materials, which [are] symbolic of the strong partnership between DepEd and USAID,” said Malaluan. “In this partnership, we have sought common aspirations, as well as shared commitments.” The ceremonial handover was

held during the National Consultation for Philippine Participation in the 2022 United Nations Transforming Education Summit. Slated in September, TES will bring together global, national, and local education stakeholders to discuss solutions that can transform education. The DepEd organized the national consultations during its recent Education Forum in Baguio City to discuss the policy, planning and budgetary changes needed to recover learning losses; actions needed to get back on track to meet UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 of inclusive education for all; and steps required to reimagine education systems for the future.

EDUCATION undersecretaries Diosdado San Antonio (from left) and Nepomuceno Malaluan, with USAID Director Bret Campbell and ABC+ Chief of Party Ina Aquino EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES

“I have no doubt…the Education Forum will play a key role in ensuring inclusion, consensus, and most important, continuity and action,” said Malaluan. USAID expressed its support for the department’s national consultations, then called on partners to find solutions and actions helping transform education. “[Through USAID, we remain committed to strengthening

and reimagining global education systems while] revitalizing national and global efforts to ensure every child has access to free, equitable, and quality education,” said Campbell. Through its ABC+: Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines project, USAID has trained more than 23,000 teachers and distributed more than 11.5 million early-grade reading materials to support Filipino learners.

P&A Grant Thornton scholars top CPA exams

HE pandemic may have stalled many of their plans, but it did not deter three of P&A Grant Thornton’s scholars from pursuing their dreams of being Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). The firm’s scholars Emmanuel Jerusalem of Bicol, Christian Dominic Amoncio of Davao, and Ron Niño Loon of Cebu placed sixth, seventh, and ninth, respectively, in the CPA Licensure Examination (CPALE) held last May. Part of its continuing support for accounting and audit professionals in the country, P&A Grant Thornton provided scholarship grants to the three CPA topnotchers. Under its “Go Beyond” campaign, P&A not only aids clients transcend industry standards through its audit and assurance, tax and compliance, advisory, as well as outsourcing and managed services; it also helps open new avenues for the growth of its people, which have grown to a thousand-strong, with 24 partners across its nationwide network. The newly minted CPAs joined P&A Grant Thornton, one of the leading audit, tax, advisory and outsourcing firms in the country, as tax and audit associates across its different provincial offices. Amid an abundance of offers from other firms and private companies, they have chosen P&A mainly for the corporate culture they saw and feedback from peers. “I’ve seen this culture at work as early as my student days. University partnerships show P&A Grant Thornton cares about students and

TOP-RANKED: Emmanuel Jerusalem (from left), Christian Dominic Amoncio and Ron Niño Loon their future in the industry,” relates Loon, who aspires to build an emergency fund, travel to various places, and expand his mother’s house from his own earnings. “Experience-wise, I know I’ll learn a lot from the firm.” Behind their successful trek to the Top 10 of the CPA board exams, the three scholars each had to contend with their own personal struggles that almost scuttled the pursuit of their dreams. Loon, for instance, postponed full-time studying for the CPA exams to work online as a financial-planning assistant. “When you think of financial difficulties and just the overall pressure to perform well, the pandemic really had a strong effect on mental health,” said Loon, magna cum laude graduate of accountancy from University of San Carlos, who was solely supported

by his mother. This was also true in the case of Jerusalem who had to earn his keep as an online tutor after his father stopped working as a vendor due to quarantine restrictions. For Amoncio, mental exhaustion creeped in after the exam got canceled twice in October 2020 and May 2021, as cancellation rumors started swirling again in late 2021 due to rising Covid-19 cases in the country. “Being self-motivated personally helped me get through the challenges of [the pandemic by becoming] more productive and effective in my review and work,” said Amoncio, a summa cum laude from Ateneo de Davao University. As auditors, “it’s crucial that we are able to adapt to new situations, like what recent lockdowns taught us,” Loon added.

It’s not just disruptions in health and mobility that the board topnotchers are anticipating in the field: In the age of automation, they also recognize technological disruptions and potential threats that artificial intelligence (AI), as well as other forms of digitization, pose to the profession. For Jerusalem, a cum laude graduate of Bicol University in Daraga, Albay, the automation of mundane tasks and repetitive actions in accountancy is already well underway. Still, “accountants offer the ability to make informed decisions, which AI cannot,” he said. Auditors remain relevant, as a person cannot fully automate problem solving and critical thinking, more so in ways they lend credibility and integrity to the financial reports of companies and organizations, said Amoncio, who highlighted the current need for ethical human pros in the industry amid robotic and digital tools, as well as processes. In the coming years P&A Grant Thornton expects demand for digitalization from its clients to exponentially grow. This is where the three newly minted CPAs and board topnotchers can play a big role. “By going beyond number crunching, we add more value to our clients’ businesses and become a force for social good,” said Jess Obana, senior managing consultant of the firm’s Advisory Services Division. The national passing rate in the May 2022 exam was at 22.29 percent: a 7.01-percentage-point increase from October 2021’s 15.28 percent.

Redefined, industry-led tourism mngt degree program now offered in Benilde

ACHELOR of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM), the newest program of the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB), is now accepting college freshmen applicants for the first term of Academic Year 2022-2023. This is the institution’s timely response to the increased demand for relevant educational courses and professionals in the tourism and hospitality scene, as businesses begin to open up again amid the pandemic. Envisioned as a “redefined” program, BSTM aims to produce new age experts knowledgeable in the foundations of the discipline, skilled in applicable competencies, and innovators of products and services.

The program offers three specializations. Tourism Relations is in collaboration with the School of Diplomacy and Governance, with courses such as International Tourism Relations, Foundations of Tourism Diplomacy, as well as Current Issues and Trends in Tourism. Tourism Creations is in association with the School of Design and Arts. Subjects will include Fundamentals of Tourism Documentary and Nonfiction Production, Business Ventures in Tourism Multimedia, and Writing for New Tourism Media. Tourism Entrepreneurship is a tieup with the School of Management and Information Technology, with classes in Business Process Applied in Tourism, Fundamentals of Tourism Business Analytics and Advance

Tourism Entrepreneurship. Undergrads will be mentored to evaluate the country’s competitiveness as a destination and develop a comprehensive study in line with the trust of the Department of Tourism, recognize the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals, and promote national pride in Filipino heritage and culture. BSTM graduates will showcase their unique talents and strengths in business and administration through the discipline of tourism. Equipped to be both innovative and creative, they will be leading professionals with career options as entrepreneurs of tourism and transport enterprises, public governance executives in tourism, tourism development managers, foreign-service associates, airline

crew, hospitality professionals and travel writers, among many others. Classes will be conducted under the mentorship of seasoned academic educators and licensed or experienced practicing professors, with occasional sharing from industry leaders and movers. Senior high-school graduates with the general education program are welcome to apply. The curriculum offers micro credentialing, which allows students to build their qualifications and acquire certifications within the course of completing the program. BSTM will require a total of 170 units and will run for 10 trimesters. For more details about the program, other courses and application procedures, visit www.benilde.edu.ph.

Editor: Mike Policarpio

Youth org pushes for K-12 review By Roderick L. Abad

ITH the incoming administration of president-elect Ferd i n a nd “ Bongbong” Marcos Jr., progressive youth organization Spark has called for the reconsideration of the K-12 program after nine years of its implementation. “We, in Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan [Spark], urge the review of this failed program that sent the education system down the drain,” the group said in a press statement dated June 26. This came after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) expressed four days prior its interest to review the current education system’s effectiveness as the new government commenced on Thursday. Vice President-elect Sara DuterteCarpio, who will assume the leadership of the Department of Education (DepEd), earlier revealed that Marcos Jr. has already ordered the program’s reassessment. According to Spark, the K-12 program has made the worsening education crisis in the country more inaccessible since its introduction in 2013, under former president Benigno Aquino III’s term. “While it aimed to provide more opportunities for the youth, its voucher program lacked the compensation for other fees like food, allowance and transportation, which worsened the poverty that both students and…parents sought to get out of,” Spark said. “The gaps widened even more with the lack of facilities, schools, and even educators to

address the needs of the students. The program…pushed through even in the midst of frustrations coming from both parents and students.” The group noted that apparent failures of K-12 became even more pronounced recently with the ensuing pandemic. It cited complaints and problems arising from “erroneous learning materials, unbalanced curriculum, lackluster subsidies, and low enrollment turnouts” that have surged. “Ultimately, the DepEd has failed to [prove the] program’s earlier assumptions that K-12 graduates are ‘ job-ready’ and ‘globally competitive,’” it said. To address issues on the current education system, Spark pressed the demand for students, particularly the first generation that underwent the program, and parents to “have a voice in this review.” It likewise asserted the revision and adjustment of the curriculum to suit today’s requirements “with the inclusion of climate science, sex education, modern Philippine history, and labor rights.” “Students are treated as mere lab rats during the whole implementation of the K-12 curriculum. Now that the DepEd, CHED and the government are coming to their senses [and realizing] the flaws brought about by its rash implementation, students should be given a proper seat in the discussion, as they are the main stakeholders and the ones [who] directly experienced learning under this curriculum,” Spark emphasized.

TOPNOTCHER Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila’s College of Architecture and Urban Planning alumna Mikko Joyce Bustamante finished Top 6 in the Architect Licensure Examination with a score of 81.30 percent, as 26 other CAUP graduates hurdled the examination, yielding a 77.14-percent passing rate for the university—higher than the national passing rate of 63.74 percent. The university’s president Emmanuel Leyco congratulated the success of its new licensed architects, as he hoped that they “always keep the greater good and public interest in mind” while practicing and further honing their craft. The passers form part of the 3,037 licensed architects who hurdled the June 2022 examination. The Professional Regulation Commission will announce the schedule of the oath-taking ceremony at a later date.

T.I.P. among pioneers to offer BS Data Science and Analytics

HE Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) is opening School Year 2022-2023 with a new undergraduate degree offering: Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Analytics (BSDSA). This comes two years after T.I.P. launched Metro Manila’s first-ever Professional Science Master’s Degree in Data Science (PSMDS) back in 2020. “The substantial number of enrollees we’ve had for PSMDS [not only confirms] that the market is informed and keenly aware of the growing need for data scientists; it also affirms the relevance of the program. We therefore deemed it necessary to offer BSDSA.” said Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz, T.I.P.’s president. BSDSA is a four-year program designed to equip students with theoretical, practical and comprehensive knowledge to manage and analyze

complex data. It covers fundamental and advanced computer programming, predictive modeling, machine learning, statistical techniques, algorithms, methodologies, business intelligence, data visualization and its applications across multiple disciplines. To ensure global competitiveness, T.I.P. said it benchmarked its BSDSA curriculum with top universities abroad. “Data scientists are among the most in-demand professionals in the world today,” Dr. Quirino-Lahoz added. “With big data having a tremendous impact on [ways] industries make major decisions, we need experts who can analyze and translate these numbers into positive business outcomes.” Application and enrollment for T.I.P’s BSDSA are now ongoing. For more information about the program, visit bit.ly/TIP_BSDSA.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Saturday, July 2, 2022 A9

So much to see in Cebu Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort is a four-star property located in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu.

Buwakan ni Alejandra is also known as the “Little Tagaytay of Cebu.”

The serene Our Lady of the Manaoag Rosary Sanctuary is a must-visit for tourists.

As the second-largest airport in the Philippines, the Mactan International Airport is back in business.

Story & photos by Benjamin Locsin Layug

ong before Covid-19 alert levels went down to their lowest this year, Cebu, ranked as one of the islands in the world by the international travel web site Big 7 Travel and the best island in Asia by renowned magazine Conde Nast, has been jumping the gun on other tourist destinations in the race to reopen local tourism. In fact, for two years now, they have been hosting the “I Love Cebu Summer Sale,” sponsored by the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu Inc. (HRRACI). Not even the onslaught of Supertyphoon Odette, in December 2021, could derail these efforts. In fact, just five months after Odette, media was invited to see for themselves how Cebu rose, just like the phoenix, from these double setbacks. Cebu Pacific Air, one of the sponsors of this event (as well as Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort and DOT Region 7), offered to fly us in for the 3-day media familiarization tour. Despite our early morning flight, Naia 3 Terminal was, as described by Roxanne M. Gohuico, the Cebu Pac executive who joined us, a scene of happy chaos, with people out for “revenge travel.” Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, a pillar of Cebu’s resort industry for over three

decades now, was to be our home for this 3-day media tour. The resort was “ground zero” during the onslaught of Odette yet, in spite of the devastation, epitomized the Cebuano’s bayanihan spirit, offering power from their generators to town folks so that they could recharge their phones and portable lamps. Though they still show some of the scars from Odette, they are now up and about, with tourist numbers now picking up. After a two-year hiatus from domestic and international travel due to the Covid-19 lockdown, it was nice to be back to this luxurious setting with its chic lodging, private beach, posh spa and multiple F&B outlets. After a delightful breakfast and lunch at the resort, it was also nice to again ex-

plore what Cebu has to offer. Lapu-Lapu City happens to be the center of Cebu’s traditional guitar-making industry and we dropped by the well-known Alegre Guitar Factory, one of the best. Here, a guide showed us how quality guitars are made by hand using imported as well as indigenous wood. Aside from the famed Santo Niño, Cebu has a second devotion, that of the image of Nuestra Señora De la Regla (Our Lady of the Rule) whose shrine was just a 6.5-km drive from the guitar factory. The image of the Virgin, carved from the trunk of dark Philippine hardwood, was patterned after the original located in Chipiona, Spain. The Feast of the Virgin is celebrated, with much solemnity, every November 21. We arrived in Cebu just five days before the upcoming “Kadaugan sa Mactan” and we visited some of the activities that were part of the celebration. First, we made a short visit to the Kadaugan Trade Fair and Art Fest at Central Mall which just opened that morning. We then proceeded to the Mactan Shrine (also known as the Liberty Shrine) where we joined Lapu-Lapu City First Lady Cindi King-Chan and other guests in witnessing an advanced reenactment of Lapu-Lapu’s victory over Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Back at the resort, I indulged in some pampering at Anuma Spa prior to seaside dinner at the Cove. The next day, after breakfast at the resort, we proceeded to Bukawan ni Alejandra (BNA for short), Cebu’s newest pride and a must-see for flower lovers. BNA

Adlawon Vacation Farm is a farm land located in the mountain range of Adlaon, Cebu City.

Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway Pete Dacuycuy

(buwak is Bisaya for “flower”), known as the “Little Tagaytay of Cebu,” features a vibrant, 740-sq-m flower garden on a mountainside. The stunning landscape of this breathtaking and charmingly peaceful attraction is home to more than 200 varieties of colorful, locally grown flowers. Unlike the celosia flower farms in Sirao, this botanical garden takes pride in its colorful varieties of dahlia. A short drive away was the Our Lady of Manaoag Rosary Sanctuary which, during Holy Week, was included in the Highland Pilgrimage Tour. It was built by Edna O. Toral who wanted to propagate the devotion of Our Lady of Manaoag (who she credits with curing her complicated ulcers) in the Visayas. This quiet place has a prayer room, a museum and an outdoor chapel. Lunch was to be at Kusina Luche at the 15-hectare Adlawon Vacation Farm, owned by Atty. Danilo Ortiz and Dra. Melinda “Peluche” Ortiz (after whom the restaurant was named). Here, we dined on cabcab, chicken buko soup, bistek, binukadkad na tilapia, pandan chicken and crispy pata followed by guyabano ice cream for dessert. To burn the calories, some of us joined a 30-minute tour of the farm’s facilities as well as walking down the “Celebrity Walk” and feeding some of the animals in their pens. After lunch at the farm, a long 45 min. drive took us back to downtown Cebu, to Robinson’s Galleria Cebu where we dropped by The Chocolate Chamber. Welcomed by president and founder Raquel Toquero-Choa and managing partner du

The Alegre Guitar Factory is a tourist spot on its own.

Pantino, we tried a select set of tablea, a thick Filipino hot chocolate, creations to die for—Whole Cacao Nib Praline, the Tartufini, Choco-Mango Nugget, and the Chocolate Sweet Rice Surprise. Raquel also gave us her take on the country’s growing chocolate industry. Prior to dinner, we made a photo stop, as near as we could possibly be, to Cebu’s newest iconic landmark—the P30-billion, 8.9-km (5.5-mi) long Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX). The third road link between Cebu and Mactan Islands was inaugurated on April 27 and is the longest and tallest bridge as well as the longest cable-stayed bridge in the country. Dinner was to be at the Glasshouse, the fine dining area of the sprawling, spankingly new Marina Seaview Restaurant beside the Cebu Yacht Club. Here, we listened to a live band while dining on delectable, mouthwatering dishes. “So much to see with so little time” is how I would describe this journey. Still, it was nice to see the “Never-Say-Die” attitude of the Cebuanos whose optimism, hardiness, religiosity and sense of coherence are indicators of their resilience. Using the words of the Star Trek Vulcan salute—may Cebu “Live Long and Prosper.”

Beach fest revived as marine biodiversity effort A

Crown of Thorns collection at Sarangani Bay

Mangrove planting in Malapatan

fter being sidelined for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sarangani Bay (SarBay) Festival made a soft come back albeit in a toneddown environmental initiative to help preserve the bay’s fragile ecosystem. Regarded as the biggest beach party in the archipelago with a variety of sporting and wellness events and over 100,000 visitors, the fest highlighted the underwater collection of crown of thorns (COT) which prey on the coral reefs of Sarangani Bay, one of the country’s most biodiversity-rich protected seascapes. Volunteers scuba divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units of Sarangani Province, and the Philippine National Police led the four-day environmental effort, where they were able to collect some 47,000 COTs in the beach resort towns of Maasim and Glan in Sarangani. Dubbed as Wake Up Sarbay, the scaleddown festivities also featured the SarBay Sea-kad Bike and Plant ride where cyclists pedaled from the provincial capitol complex in Alabel town to the mangrove forest in Malapatan and Mt. Sabrina Resort in Glan.

Bike and Plant participants at Provincial Capitol

Counting collected Crown of Thorns

Moreover, the Department of Tourism Region 12 also launched its Dive Sox program to promote the Soccsksargen Region as alternative dive spots in southern Mindanao. The current dive haven in the region is Maasim town because of the presence of the Lemlunay Resort, the only dive center in Sarangani. The DOT dive program aims to expand the dive areas to Glan, which launched its own program last year, and to the coastal municipalities of Sultan Kuda-

rat province. Wake Up Sarbay drew to a close with a Touch Mobile-sponsored evening concert at the famed Gumasa white beach featuring Daybreak band and Kakang of Virgu. Named in 1996 by Presidential Proclamation 756 as a Protected Seascape, Sarangani Bay’s coral resources cover more than 2,293 hectares spread over 20 areas with about 60 important live hard coral genera, 411 reef species in 46 families. Its seagrass cover is placed at 912 hectares, with 11 species. Marine mammal species, which include spinner dolphins, risso’s dolphins, and dugong or sea cow, are often sighted which attests to the bay’s healthy marine life. The bay has been experiencing occasional outbreaks of COTs over the past few years due to the loss of its natural predators such as the Triton trumpet, Napoleon wrasse, white-spotted pufferfish, and titan triggerfish which keep its population in check. The rise in sea surface temperature due to climate change and deterioration of water quality also contribute to the growth of COTs across various bodies of water across the country.

A10 Saturday, July 2, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

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Puregold beefs up digital presence BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES LOCAL retail giant Puregold has embarked on an online content expansion program to reach out to more customers. “We want to share nostalgic and engaging stories online that appeal to the organic audience we’ve built. Its first series, ‘GVBOYS,’ garnered millions of views on social media as well as international critical acclaim. It has since earned a feature in Euromonitor International, highlighting Puregold’s pioneering of a megatrend in the Philippines,” Vincent Co, president of Puregold Price Club Inc., told reporters in a recent online press briefing. Speaking of the latest successful undertaking on

its digital Puregold Channel, Co said it is expanding its reach through its “retailtainment” concept with a series of original content as a way to reach out to multitudes of digital users and spur them to a unique shopping experience. With 435 stores nationwide, more than a million app downloads and over 3 million social-media followers, Co said the digital pivot is very timely with its Puregold Mobile app, complemented with original content in the Puregold Channel. Moreover, Co pointed out the initiatives are poised to entertain consumers while leaving them with a strong brand perception. Puregold is bullish the initiative appeals to new and broader demographics stressing that the brand’s

distinct online presence is vital for staying ahead of the curve. Co is optimistic on the new strategy. “Storytelling is a powerful tool. Combining content with modern retailing gives us more opportunities to connect with our customers,” Co explained Following up with an all-new offering, Co also said Puregold Channel has begun airing its new digital series, “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Face Mask.” In this fresh romantic comedy series, the iconic sari-sari store will be highlighted again. He stressed that it is Puregold’s way to uphold its advocacy and support to small and medium enterprises—crossing over the digital space. Also as part of enhancing its digital footprint,

Korean actor and idol Rowoon meets Filipino fans again ROWOON beams at the meet-and-greet. PHOTO BY GLOBE KMMUNITY PH

OWOON is said to be one of the tallest idols in K-pop. I first “met” Rowoon in 2019 during his group SF9’s concert here and I was face-to-face with him for a second during the hi-touch, a mini event where you get to touch palms with K-pop idols and actors. By my estimate, the top of my head reached Rowoon’s chest. Of course, I was not that close to him, hence the word “estimate.” Anyway, thanks to Globe Kmmunity PH, I saw Rowoon for the second time. This time, it was as actor Rowoon: the brooding leading man of Extraordinary You, the scholar in the sageuk The King’s Affection, and, more recently, the compassionate employee among grim reapers in Tomorrow. Rowoon has been in many other Korean dramas. He was also in the 2018 drama Where Stars Land as the second lead, last year’s She Would Never Know and School 2017. My mom had actually been watching Rowoon on TV long before I even knew of him. In 2018, she watched him in the drama About Time and the variety show Cafe Amor. During the Globe Kmmunity PH fan meet with Rowoon at the Mall of Asia Arena, the crowd was a mix of K-drama fans and Fantasy, the name of SF9’s fandom. One of the things I like about Rowoon is his humility. During the Globe Kmmunity PH fan meet, he was genuinely shocked to see so many fans at the Arena. During the 2019 concert here, Rowoon arrived on the day of the concert unlike his group members who arrived the day before. But he was a professional up to the hi-touch. During his fan meet, Rowoon played games, including sipa. He ate Filipino food including taho (which he loved) and turon (he had two, one of which he ate without a wrapper). He also wore a barong Tagalog. Rowoon, who was born in 1996, also shared life lessons with his fans by answering their questions. “If we are having a hard time now, next time it will be good,” he said in reply to one question. He also gave a very relatable answer to one question. “I really like struggles, and there will be bigger struggles ahead.

Just have courage and trust yourself, which is most important, then you will have success.” Rowoon also customized a bayong, on which he drew a hand and flowers. He also autographed it. The bayong was given as a gift to lucky fan. At the end of the night, Rowoon took a we-fie (obviously a group version of the selfie) with the audience. Before that, he sang the ballad “No Goodbye in Love” from the original soundtrack of The King’s Affection. Globe Kmmunity PH is a multi-channel community where Korean culture fans can enjoy exclusive content and promos. To score tickets to the Rowoon event, fans needed to download the New GlobeOne App and pre-register. Successful registrants got a code from Globe, which they used to register to a promo. Aside from the event, there was also a livestream option. ■■■ I RECENTLY received the Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station for review and I have used it for a week. Here are my honest thoughts about it: This is an 8-in-1 power station with three AC outlets, two USB-A and two USB-C ports. The unit I have is black. It’s not heavy nor lightweight but it’s

small and can easily fit into any corner of your desk. I place it by my bed so I can charge my gadgets and reach them easily. I used the MagSafe charging for the iPhone 13 and it worked well except for one thing: You needed to charge the phone at a certain angle. I’m not sure if I didn’t do it right or I need a special case for my phone. Otherwise, charging via its usual port is fine. My daughter charged her Samsung Z Flip 3 via one of the USB-C ports and she said charging was quicker by 20 percent than usual. There are tons of ports, which is one of the things I love about the Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station. Wireless charging only works for MagSafe phones, including iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. I doubt that you’ll need to charge eight devices all at the same time but it’s nice to know that you can. I’m curious about whether it can charge a laptop along with other gadgets but I am too scared to try. The Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station comes in different colors. I have the black one. It’s a bit expensive but if you’re the type who has multiple gadgets and limited outlets where you live, then this is a good buy. The charging station is also okay for traveling. ■

Amazon’s Alexa could soon mimic voice of dead relatives AMAZON’S Alexa might soon replicate the voice of family members—even if they’re dead. The capability, unveiled at Amazon’s Re:Mars conference in Las Vegas, is in development and would allow the virtual assistant to mimic the voice of a specific person based on a less than a minute of provided recording. Rohit Prasad, senior vice president and head scientist for Alexa, said at the event Wednesday that the desire behind the feature was to build greater trust in the interactions users have with Alexa by putting more “human attributes of empathy and affect.” “These attributes have become even more important during the ongoing pandemic when so many of us have lost

ones that we love,” Prasad said. “While AI can’t eliminate that pain of loss, it can definitely make their memories last.” In a video played by Amazon at the event, a young child asks “Alexa, can Grandma finish reading me the Wizard of Oz?” Alexa then acknowledges the request, and switches to another voice mimicking the child’s grandmother. The voice assistant then continues to read the book in that same voice. To create the feature, Prasad said the company had to learn how to make a “high-quality voice” with a shorter recording, opposed to hours of recording in a studio. Amazon did not provide further details about the feature, which is bound to spark more privacy concerns and ethical questions about consent.

Amazon’s push comes as competitor Microsoft earlier this week said it was scaling back its synthetic voice offerings and setting stricter guidelines to “ensure the active participation of the speaker” whose voice is recreated. Microsoft said Tuesday it is limiting which customers get to use the service—while also continuing to highlight acceptable uses such as an interactive Bugs Bunny character at AT&T stores. “This technology has exciting potential in education, accessibility, and entertainment, and yet it is also easy to imagine how it could be used to inappropriately impersonate speakers and deceive listeners,” said a blog post from Natasha Crampton, who heads Microsoft’s AI ethics division. AP

Puregold also recently launched the Aling Puring App as its newest Ka-Asenso platform that aims to expand the membership of Aling Puring member store into an Always Panalo one-stop shop! Co said he expects the move to enhance Puregold’s position to help sari-sari store and small business owners and promote entrepreneurship in the country. The Aling Puring App provides exclusive benefits and e-negosyo opportunities including telco load, bills payment and cash-in so entrepreneurs can further grow their businesses. The new app is also connected to the Puregold Mobile app for easy ordering and replenishment of stocks and exclusive deals and offers.

THE HOME EXTENSION YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED

IF there’s one thing that people will likely never get enough of, it’s space. Everything that we avail requires occupying a piece of our homes. Since not everyone has the luxury of constantly expanding their living area to accommodate all their belongings, Keepr has been providing storage solutions for Filipinos all over the metro. The early stages of the pandemic resulted in a nationwide closure due to tightening restrictions. Businesses were forced to close up shop and Filipinos residing in cities returned home to their respective provinces. The effect was heavily felt throughout the country, and as a result people had to find temporary storage while awaiting advisories and minimizing unnecessary payments. Since then, Keepr has continuously adapted to the storage needs of Filipinos all over the major cities around Metro Manila. Whether for personal needs or business inventory purposes, Keepr is equipped to handle and provide business owners and city dwellers with convenient self-storage facilities. Also, decluttering and making the most of limited spaces has been a concept that’s been constantly promoted in shows and videos online. The positive impact of this content genre paved the way for Filipinos to see the potential and convenience of selfstorage. Keepr’s wide range of storage units is perfect for catering to all customers regardless of intent. To give a better visualization of the options available at Keepr, here are some of the following units offered that are perfect for business and home: ■ SELF-STORAGE LOCKERS. Recently launched at Bonifacio Ridge in Bonifacio Global City, Keepr’s self-storage lockers are perfect for people who are constantly on the go and need temporary storage space. With subscription plans that offer daily, weekly and monthly storage rates starting at ₱699, customers can choose from a wide range of locker options—the medium locker with 60 x 45 x 63 cm, the large locker with 90 x 60 x 92 cm space, and the room locker with 110 x 130 x 270 cm. ■ MEDIUM STORAGE UNIT. The medium storage unit is a 20 cubic meter space by Keepr that is capable of storing 152 large balikbayan boxes, perfect for storing excess household items to free up space within the home. ■ LARGE STORAGE UNIT. The large storage plan is a 30 cubic meter unit suitable for established businesses with excess products that occupy a large portion of their existing space. To emphasize the essence of convenient storage, Keepr also offers to pick up the items directly from your doorstep and deliver them to the designated warehouse where the items will be safely stored. Customers may also avail of Keepr’s Packing Services to save time and effort. The service available throughout Metro Manila, and the official app is available for download on Google Play and the App Store.

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• Saturday, July 2, 2022 A11

Geeks on a beach develop effective materials that highlight the impact of the play-to-earn community and future expansions in the lives of the “new heroes”—ordinary Filipinos who found opportunities in the metaverse to support their families. Buenaventura said the Playhouse is a way for the community to get to know the YGG All Stars behind their indivitual streams. For the All Stars, it gives them the chance to collaborate with each other and come up with new and more interesting content for their subscribers. “We are honored that YGG values the work that we do for the community, and we are very excited to work with them to achieve the same goal. We have always enjoyed creating content for the community, but it is even more meaningful now knowing that we can contribute to a strong advocacy,” said Boarknock. Buenaventura added that YGG is dedicated to finding opportunities for Filipinos to thrive in the metaverse, stressing that Web3 can enable a robust working economy. “YGG is working hard to forge paths in the metaverse that can benefit Filipinos. The YGG Playhouse is a crucial step for us in this direction, and we hope that with our efforts, the community will be in a much better position to maximize the potential of Web3.” The series had its first public-viewing premiere in Baguio last weekend and can be viewed on all of YGG channels—YGG Pilipinas Facebook Page, YGG Pilipinas Youtube Channel, YGG Facebook Page, YGG YouTube Channel, YGG Twitter, and YGG Twitch— with new episodes every other week. ■

AN JUAN, La Union—Located 277 kilometers north of Manila, the province of La Union is considered as the surfing capital of Northern Philippines. It has also been called the “Garden Coast” due to its bountiful botanical gardens. Recently, however, tourists and surfers aren’t the only ones thriving in this community. “There’s a mini migration happening here,” Luis Buenaventura, YGG Pilipinas country head, told us during an afternoon chat when we visited their new HQ here, called the YGG House. Because of the pandemic a lot of people have chosen to move away from the crowded cities and La Union has become one of the preferred options. “It just became this thing [for several startups]. La Union [or ELYU as the millennials prefer to call it] is just a four-hour drive from Manila [via the new tollways]. You dont have to fly here, the best general hospital in Northern Luzon is just a few minutes away, there’s bigger space, and rent is certainly a lot cheaper,” he noted. “Now, if you go to places, like Kermit, or the coffeeshop El Union, it’s just like being in Pobla [Poblacion in Makati] because you run in to the same crowds, the same startup founders. Plus, it’s more informal here and you can just walk around in slippers. The first time I met Luis was via a Zoom event, and I think he was calling in from the beachfront, just a few steps away from the water.

Etiqa PHL unveils digital platform for shorter Letter of Guarantee process

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE

IF this trend continues, it looks like the future (of gaming/streaming at least) would be shaped not in the towering skyscrapers of Makati, but here in the beaches of La Union. YGG, or Yield Guild Games (yieldguild.io), is a decentralized gaming guild acquiring non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that generate rewards from active play in blockchain games. YGG’s mission is to onboard millions of players around the world to the “play-toearn” revolution that brings the benefits of blockchain technology to those who need them the most. As an effort to help the community power through the crypto winter, this Filipino-led gaming guild is creating a space for content creators to collaborate and develop effective content to enrich the community through the launch of this new content hub, the YGG Playhouse. Alongside the launch of the YGG Playhouse is the YGG Playhouse Series, a show featuring developed content through the hub, with the pilot episode airing last June 27. Think Pinoy Big Brother—but with gamers/ streamers/creators and less orchestrated drama. Buenaventura said the YGG Playhouse is just one of the many initiatives they are organizing to help bind the community by upholding empowerment and inclusivity while gearing up for better opportunities. The challenge is to come up with ways to empower and get the community involved, not just to get more views, but create lots of unique content. YGG’s sense of community includes what we call the YGG All Stars, which include the top players, streamers and influencers within the community. The first season of the YGG Playhouse will prominently feature four of their All Stars including

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor

LUIS BUENAVENTURA, YGG Pilipinas country head

Vittorio Miguel “VMG” Gonzales, their first scholar who ranked No. 1 in the world for Axie; popular shoutcaster Jomari “ArcherPerez” David, Enrico Jerome “Boarknock” Toliongco, and Gerald Rivera “Jobols” Domingo, while other top YGG streamers like Een Mercado, Tricia Potato, Charess, KAFI, Sheila Snow might even do some guest appearances. Buenaventura said toying with the idea of putting the four streamers in the beach was an interesting idea, as they could do gamer or web things without even being in Manila. He said the community can expect content hinging on community events, joint streams, showdowns, financial literacy, and everyday life with crypto, among others. “We let the guys live here and we shoot them like a reality show, and give them challenges to do,” he explained. Each three-episode stream will have a one-story arc that involves how they are able to accomplish the tasks given to them. But instead of doing JackAss wild stunts to get views, the challenges will focus on those that will help enrich the community yet still be interesting and fun. In the first three episodes, for example, the task of the All Stars was to organize a community meetup using very limited funds. The YGG Playhouse is in line with YGG’s direction to nurture a democratic and collaborative environment where members can thrive beyond gaming. It will act as a studio where content creators

Life-enabling vouchers via new GlobeOne app GREAT news for Globe subscribers, who can now use them to redeem life-enabling GCash vouchers via the new GlobeOne app. Easily redeem GCash Pay QR vouchers to enjoy bill discounts with partner merchants like Generika Drugstore and Shell. They can also save money with the P20 GCash Buy Load voucher to top up their prepaid account. If they prefer a cash equivalent, just choose GSave Coins for 10 Rewards points or P50 GCash Credits for 50 points. “Globe does not just power connectivity but also extends to its customers’ life-enabling offers. Using

the new GlobeOne App, customers can maximize their well-earned Rewards points by redeeming GCash Load, QR payments, or GSave coins,” said Globe Reward head Jerome Patalud. GCash enables even unbanked Filipinos to use digital currency, venture into investments and savings, and apply for loans and insurance. A portfolio company under Globe’s 917Ventures, GCash is now the largest mobile wallet platform in the country with 55 million registered users, 4.5 million merchants and social sellers, 290 GLife merchant partners, and around 174,000 cash-in and cashout agents.

To redeem GCash vouchers, subscribers must download the new GlobeOne app, which the telco touts as their digital companion that allows subscribers to monitor their Globe Postpaid, Globe Prepaid, TM, and Home Prepaid WiFi accounts, and their Rewards. Through the new GlobeOne app, Globe helps Filipinos become more empowered by giving them Rewards offers for their day-to-day needs, including special discounts, exclusive treats, and cool surprises. More information is available at www.glbe.co/ NewGlobeOne.

ETIQA Philippines has kicked off an online credit facility that reduces the turnaround time for issuing the promissory document for coverage. The insurance company’s newly-launched Letter of Guarantee (LOG) Portal boasts of three steps only to shorten the entire process from 24 hours to four hours now, with a daily cut-off time of 2 pm on weekdays. This initiative resulted from a surge of demand for quick health-care services and ensuing delays experienced by the Philippines’s insurance industry in processing these letters amid the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Etiqa Philippines medical director Dr. Maria Luisa Mamaril, the health crisis has accelerated the “digitalization of industries” and enabled businesses to embrace “digital strategies.” “This transition also significantly transformed customer expectations, including in the Philippines, as many are growing accustomed to digital interactions. Through Etiqa’s new LOG Portal’s three-step process, we hope that this service will provide added convenience and ensure that customers receive the required health service in the quickest time,” she said. With this platform, customers need not have to call Etiqa’s hotline to request a LOG. They just have to access the portal via a QR code or URL found on the firm’s Facebook page. Next, they have to provide basic information such as their name, Etiqa Philippines card number, name of company, e-mail address, type of request, date of availability, name of facility, and doctor’s request form, if applicable. Upon completion, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to them, indicating that the request is now being processed. Clients will then receive the LOG through their e-mail. “This is a new era where customers are actively looking for user-friendly, simple, and efficient services. We are committed to enhancing our services to give them a richer digital experience that addresses their concerns about insurance claims and Letters of Guarantee,” said Mamaril. The LOG portal may be accessed by scanning the QR code on Etiqa Philippines’s web site or visiting etiqaph.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new.

A WORK setup that is a gamer’s dream

Sports BusinessMirror

A12 Saturday, July 2, 2022

Covid-19: IT JUST WON’T GO AWAY BELGIUM’S Kirsten Flipkens kisses the grass at the end of her second round women’s single match against Romania’s Simona Halep on day four on Thursday. Halep won the match, 7-5, 6-4. AP

IMBLEDON, England— Reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic famously decided not to get vaccinated against Covid-19—which prevented him from playing at the Australian Open in January following a legal saga that ended with his deportation from that country, and, as things currently stand, will prevent him from entering the United States to compete at the US Open in August. More than two years after the pandemic began, coronavirus cases are on the rise around the world lately, due mostly to certain variants, and the health—and vaccination status—of individual athletes is once again a key issue. At Wimbledon, where the All England Club is following British government guidance that requires neither shots nor testing, three of the top 20 seeded men have withdrawn over the first four days of action because they got Covid-19, with No. 17 Roberto Bautista Agut pulling out Thursday. T h a t ’s r a i s e d t h e s p e c t e r o f a n outbreak among players at the Grand Slam tournament, where there essentially is an honor system: If you don’t feel well, you’re encouraged to get a test on your own; if you test positive, you’re encouraged to reveal that and take yourself out of the bracket. “I won’t lie: When I have a cough or something, I get paranoid. It’s what we kind of have to learn to live with. I feel bad for people who test positive. A place like Wimbledon is definitely not where you want to have it,” said Ajla Tomljanovic, a 29-year-old from Australia who is ranked 44th and won Thursday to set up a thirdround match against 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova.

“If you have symptoms or you’re feeling under the weather, it’s your responsibility. I think we all travel with home kits; at least I do. And then once you’ve tested positive, that’s where it comes in that you just say you have it,” Tomljanovic said. “Because you could have lower symptoms and try to play, but that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.” At Roland Garros last month, Krejcikova lost her opening match in singles, then withdrew before trying to defend her doubles championship after saying she tested positive for Covid-19. Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, said after his second-round victory Thursday that he is not doing much other than coming to the tournament site and staying at the house he is renting in the area, “not going out at all anymore.” This is not just a tennis issue, of course. It’s something people are grappling with in all lines of work: how worried to be, when to test, whom to tell. In sports, it’s arisen in Major League Baseball, where some players have been unable to travel for games at the Toronto Blue Jays because of Canada’s rule against allowing entry to unvaccinated foreigners—the same sort of restriction that kept Djokovic, a 35-year-old from Serbia with 20 Grand Slam titles, from participating in tournaments in California and Florida earlier this season and would stop him from going to the US Open, because he says he will not get a shot against Covid-19. In the NBA, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving appeared in only 29 of 82 regular-season games this past season, largely because of his decision not to get vaccinated. Nearly all women and men in the top 100 of the Women’s Tennis Association or Association of Tennis Professionals tour rankings did get vaccinated. For some, it

was all about wanting to avoid getting sick. “Pretty easy: Vaccines work. Everyone has a right to choose, but more or less, the reason we don’t die from diseases from 50 years ago is because we got vaccines,” said eighth-seeded Jessica Pegula, who is from Buffalo and won Thursday to reach Wimbledon’s third round for the first time. “Of course, it came out really fast, so, sure, there’s always that thought: ‘I hope nothing happens.’ Some people had bad experiences. But for me, I thought it was worth the risk.” For others tennis players, it was more about ensuring they could continue to make a living. “The ATP, similar to the NFL, the NBA, MLB, they’re kind of making you get it, in a way. They’re saying: If you don’t get it, you might not be able to play certain tournaments or in these games, and we’re going to kind of make things so miserable that you’re going to have to get it,” said Sam Querrey, an American who reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 2017. “So for me, it was a combination that I think it was good to get it, and it makes your life a lot easier from a professional standpoint.” Some players say they respect the choice by Djokovic, who has said he got Covid-19 twice, to stick to his no-vax stance even if it hurts his ability to keep pace with Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, in the major trophy count. “The sport needs him—needs him in the sport and at big events,” said Denis Shapovalov, a 23-year-old Canadian seeded 13th at Wimbledon who said he did not have an easy time deciding whether to get the shots himself but in the end, “I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.” All has been back to pre-pandemic “normal” at Wimbledon this year after 2020, when the tournament was canceled

altogether, and 2021, when players were in a bubble-type environment and needed to take Covid-19 tests, and stadium capacity was kept low in Week 1 and spectators were required to wear masks. An All England Club spokesperson said Covid-19 policies are “under constant review” and pointed to updates made this week, such as increased cleaning, enhanced ventilation, making masks available to players and recommending that masks be worn on official tournament transportation. “I didn’t even know that people were testing positive,” said Coco Gauff, the 18-year-old American who was the runnerup at Roland Garros this year, “until I saw another player wearing a mask.” Bautista Agut wrote on Twitter on Thursday that his symptoms weren’t very bad but that withdrawing was “the best decision.” One of his coaches, Tomàs Carbonell, said in his own social media post in Spanish: “Roberto could have tried to play the match because his symptoms aren’t bad. Out of respect to his colleagues and to the tournament, we decided not to go on court, even if the rules would have allowed it.” Bautista Agut’s Covid-19 departure followed those of No. 8 Matteo Berrettini, the runner-up to Djokovic a year ago, on Tuesday, and of No. 14 Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion and 2017 Wimbledon runner-up, on Monday. Asked after her victory Thursday what her level of concern is after the recent run of positive tests, No. 4 seed Paula Badosa replied quickly: “Zero.” That, the 24-year-old who represents Spain explained, is both because she is vaccinated and already came down with, as she put it with a laugh, every “type of Covid possible.” AP

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph • Editor: Jun Lomibao

Gilas vs India in FIBA qualifiers on Sunday By Josef Ramos

HE national men’s squad goes all out against winless India in the third window of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup Asia qualifiers at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Sunday. Three days after suffering a 60-106 rout at the hands of New Zealand in Auckland, the team, now ranked 34th in the world, is back in Manila with hardly an ample time to prepare for their No. 82-ranked opponents in Group A. The game is set at 7 p.m. Serbian-Kiwi Vucinic,—tasked to coach the team in the window, told his players to move on from that loss to the Tall Blacks. “We have to eliminate the negative things that we had,” said Vucinic, adding that India will definitely be a strong opponent. “India is going to be another

Avaricio tries to extend run at Eagle Ridge

HANELLE AVARICIO expects to come out better and stronger three weeks after logging her third win in five Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) events, targeting another top podium finish in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Eagle Ridge at Aoki Invitational unfolding July 5 at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club complex in Gen. Trias, Cavite. Opting to pass up a planned sortie in the US, Avaricio worked on her game during the break, focusing on her iron play and putting, thus making her ready for another crack at the crown in the 54hole championship serving as the seventh leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. and held simultaneously with the men’s tour. “I’ve learned a lot at Pradera [Verde], especially on shots that I needed to do [in necessary situations],” said Avaricio after romping off with a six-stroke victory over Sarah Ababa and Chihiro Ikeda at Pradera, whose sleek surface likewise brought out the best in the former Alabama State U mainstay. “I was able to learn on how to play on Pradera’s greens, which are very fast. And I hope to keep on improving—and produce more wins,” she added. But Eagle Ridge’s Aoki, one of the four championship courses inside the

Beginners gear up Akari backs PNVF’S national for Bohol triathlon women’s volleyball program

EGINNERS wanting to race without having to worry about long periods of training and those seeking to immerse themselves into triathlon brace for a spirited duel in Go for Gold’s Sunrise Sprint on July 10 in Panglao, Bohol. The short-distance event, featuring a 750-meter open-water swim, 20-km bike ride and a 5-km run, is back with a promise of a more exciting edition among over a hundred participants from at 23 teams, all ready and raring to get going following a two-year hiatus due to the global health crisis. Dubbed as S2, the sub-category to the centerpiece Sun Life 5150 Triathlon is also aimed at providing a venue for those making a comeback in the ever-growing sport and at the same time provide quality triathlon experience on an Olympic-style course setup. Nicole Adlawan (25-29), Raven Alcoseba (20-24), Frances Erediano (15-19), Dato Arroyo (45-49), Earol Belonguil (15-19), Kate Borja (20-24), Renz Corbin (20-24), Philip Geniston (45-49), Lui Besa (25-29), Sui Besa (15-19) and Justine Hermosa (1519) head the bidders in various age-group categories of the Sunrise Sprint. “As we leave behind this time of uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is my hope that the start of the Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint series will symbolize strength and hope—hope for everyone that things will eventually get better and time to draw strength from each other as we heal around the world,” Go for Gold PH founder Jeremy Go said. Go for Gold is a sports CSR (corporate social responsibility) arm of Powerball Marketing and Logistics Corp., the licensee of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, which aims to promote nation-building

through sports development and create ways to encourage young individuals to pursue excellence through physical literacy. Also on tap are the men’s and women’s relay and the mixed relay. The Sunrise Sprint wave start is set at 8 a.m. for the male side and 8:05 a.m. for the women’s at the Bellevue Resort beach. “Sunrise Sprint is a great opportunity to welcome new and upcoming triathletes, showcasing the growth of the sport,” said Princess Galura, general manager of the organizing The Ironman Group and Sunrise Events Inc. The triangular, clockwise swim course starts with a 250-meter race before turning right for next 250m and a final right turn for the last stretch of the 750-meter event back at the Doljo beach in Panglao. Water safety personnel will be on hand before and during the race with aid stations at the finish line. The bike loop will start from Transition I at the Bellevue Resort with the turnaround point at KM 10 before ending at Transition 2, also at the Doljo beach, with aid stations on approximately every 10km. Since the field is practically made up of beginners, no drafting rules are in place although draft marshals will call them out and ask to separate in case they are dangerously close to each other. The closing single loop run course will start and end at Transition 2, passing through well-paved and some country roads with the turnaround point along Circumferential Road. Aid stations are approximately at 1 km to 1.25 kms apart. The swim cut off is 30 minutes on a rolling start while the bike and run legs will have cut-off times of two hours and three hours, respectively.

HILIPPINE volleyball got another shot in the arm following the entry of lighting giant Akari as a principal partner of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s (PNVF) national women’s team program. The Akari-PNVF partnership was formally forged in a luncheon-press conference in a Pasay City restaurant on Friday with PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara expressing gratitude to Akari’s support for the national team that will see action in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup the country is hosting from August 21 to 29 at the PhilSports Arena. “Today is a milestone for the PNVF. This is just the start with new, young fresh players for the AVC Cup,” Suzara said in the event graced by Akari Sports Director Russell Balbacal and team manager Mozzy Ravena. PNVF Secretar y- Don Caringal, Deputy Secretary General for International Affairs Ricky Palou, National Team Committee chairperson Tony Boy Liao and national team coaches Jorge de Brito, Odgie Mamon, George Pascua, Tina Salak and national women’s team manager Fe Moran. “We are looking forward to help the national team the every way we can,” said Balbacal, who represented Akari President Christopher Tiu. With Akari’s support of the national team, Ravena emphasized the company’s slogan for its volleyball campaign that started with a juniors program in 2016. “Alagang Akari,” Ravena said.

tough opposition, maybe not at this level, but they have experience and they have size as well.” Gilas could play the Indians without 6-foot-7 Carl Tamayo, who posted 16 points and grabbed five rebounds against the Kiwis, sprained his ankle in that game. “We have injuries and we’re shorthanded. We have a lack of size too. So it’s going to be, again, a difficult night for us, but we cannot play the way we played the other night,” Vucinic, he added. Rhenz Abando and Francis “Lebron” Lopez are hoping to lead the Philippines again after finishing with 11 points and eight, respectively, against New Zealand. Six-foot-8 Geo Chiu, 6-foot-7 Kevin Quiambao, Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos, Dave Ildefonso, RJ Abarrientos, SJ Belangel and William Navarro are to step up against India, which hasn’t won in three games as against the Philippines 1-2 record.

CHANELLE AVARICIO focuses on her iron play and putting. sprawling golf complex, is more than a test of putting with challenges and dangers abound in almost every corner of the long but well-maintained layout, especially if the winds come into play in all three days. That should make the rest of the compact 16-player field wary but motivated to prick Avaricio’s bubble, including Ikeda, Ababa, Pamela Mariano, Marvi Monsalve, Florence Bisera, Gretchen Villacencio and rookies Martina Miñoza and Lesley Icoy. While last year’s Tagaytay Highlands leg winner Sunshine Baraquiel, who also tied for second at Mt. Malarayat last May, won’t be around to train in the US, Harmie Constantino is back on a course so dear to her, having nailed two victories at Aoki on her way to snaring the Order of Merit title in her rookie season last year. But the former national champion’s game somewhat took a downswing this season. She struggled to finish tied for eighth in the kickoff leg at Luisita ruled by amateur Rianne Malixi, settled for third place at Hallow Ridge, ended up joint fourth at Caliraya Springs, placed third again at Mt. Malarayat. But her joint second place effort at Splendido Taal should all the more bolster her drive at the par-72 Isao Aoki-designed course, where she humbled multi-titled Princess Superal by two in her debut in March 2021 and reigned again, this time over amateur Mafy Singson, when the LPGT returned in November.

Cuarto easily makes weight for title fight By Josef Ramos

PHILIPPINE National Volleyball Federation President Ramon “Tats” Suzara and Akari Sports Director Russell Balbacal with national women’s coach Jorge de Brito and national pool members Faith Nisperos, AC Miner, Trisha Genesis and Louie Romero. De Brito and Liao also jointly announced a 22-member pool that will compete in the AVC Cup, the second major international volleyball tournament that the PNVF is hosting in two months after the highly successful men and women tournament of the Volleyball Nations League last week. “It will be an almost all-UAAP [University Athletic Association of the Philippines] team that we are fielding in the AVC Cup,” de Brito said. Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos and AC Miner and Adamson University’s Trisha Genesis and Louie Romero are part of the pool. They also attended the contract signing ceremony on Friday. The other members of the pool are De La Salle’s Alleiah Jan Malaluan, Thea Allison Gagate, Leila Jane Cruz,

Mereophe Aevangelin Sharma, Jolina de la Cruz and Marionne Angelique Alba; National University’s Jennier Nierva, Alyssa Jane Solomon, Ivy Keith Lacsina, Michaela Belen, Camille Victoria Lamina and Camille Cal; University of Santo Tomas’s Maria Bernadeth Pepito, Ejiya Laure and Imee Kim Gabriela Hernandez; Ateneo’s Vanessa Gandler; and University of the Philippines’ Alyssa Bertolano; The non-UAAP players in the pool are California Precision Sports’ Casiey Dongallo and Jelaica Gajiero. Akari, which has committed to the sport of volleyball with its grassroots work since 2015, as well as its support of the Adamson University sports program, particularly with women’s volleyball, men’s basketball and cheerdance.

NTERNATIONAL Boxing Federation (IBF) minimumweight champion Rene Mark Cuarto defends his title against Mexican Daniel Valladares on Saturday at Monterrey in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. It will be the second title defense for the 25-year-old boxer from Zamboanga del Norte, who tipped the scales at exactly 105 pounds with the 28-year-old Valladares also posting the same required weight. “I’m ready to fight in any given situation,” said Cuarto, who was tasked to defend his belt on a week’s notice. “I will do my best to give the challenger a tough fight despite the short preparation. But that’s fine.” Cuarto (20-2-2 win-loss-draw record with 11 knockouts) expects Valladares to be a hungry challenger after his title fight with former Filipino IBF champion Pedro Taduran wound up a technical draw last February 2020. Cuarto has already proven himself over Taduran whom he beat twice—a unanimous decision on February 27, 2021, in General Santos City and a seventhround technical knockout last February 6 in Digos, Davao del Sur. Cuarto is accompanied by trainer and coach Nonoy Neri.

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

2MG INCORPORATED 64 Unit 3c Gloria Diaz St., Bf Resort Village, Talon Dos, City Of Las Piñas

BISHNOI, NARESH KUMAR General Manager Brief Job Description: Design strategy and set goals for growth

Basic Qualification: Exposed in Pharmaceutical industry is advantageous

ANNISA CANDRA LUTFIA Customer Support (multi-lingual) 13.

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

3D ANALYZER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INC. 7-8/f Double Dragon Plaza, 255 Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City CHIN KON YIN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 2.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format. DANG THI PHUONG THAO Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format. HENG HAK KWENG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format. NGUYEN THANH TRUONG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format. PHAM THI O SA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format. QUACH VAN HAN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format. TRAN THI SAO MAI Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Brief Job Description: Customer service agent interacts with the customer on behalf of the organization. Provide information about the products and services, responds to customer complaints as well.

14.

10.

Brief Job Description: Leads the business development within the organization within the organization

Brief Job Description: Conduct Customer Support to Indonesian Nationality Speaking by Online Chat, email and Telephone

VIRGIE ELIZABETH MANGARE Customer Support (multi-lingual) 15.

Brief Job Description: Conduct Customer Support to Indonesian Nationality Speaking by Online Chat, email and Telephone

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

ROY, PRAN KISHORE Cluster Exams Lead

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

16.

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

Brief Job Description: Act as figurehead for operation and manage relationships with external stakeholders; ensure right capability in place through leadership development, succession planning and career coaching; act as a key member of the country leadership team; assess size and shape of market and agree 1-3 year commercial strategy (channel/audience/geography) based on market and customer intelligence; build professional and personal networks with relevant stakeholders as well as the key buyers across the region.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

17.

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

Basic Qualification: Legal age and an owner of at least one share of the corp.

Brief Job Description: The one responsible to “get the sale” using various customer sales methods

CUI, JIANCHUN Project Coordinator 18.

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

FENG, CHUNLIN Project Coordinator 19.

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

LI, SHUCHEN Project Coordinator 20.

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

Brief Job Description: The primary function of a project coordinator is to make sure projects run smoothly. Coordinating project schedules, resources, equipment and information.

ASIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, INC. 123, Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

ROCHE, OLIVIER PIERRE Associate Professor 11.

Brief Job Description: The qualified candidate will teach in degree and special courses and conduct research in their specific fields with an emphasis on sustainability, digital transformation, and other specialized topics; and serve in administrative functions as required

Basic Qualification: Must have a Doctorate Degree in said areas, with at least 5 years of teaching experience in AACSB accredited schools, and experience in curriculum planning, and managing programs is highly desirable.

12.

DIRATIAN, RAZVAN-ALEXANDRU President, General Manager Philippines And Managing Director APAC Brief Job Description: Co Creating & Partnering with the ELT in managing the company’s overall operations

CHENG, XI Chinese It Support Specialist 21.

BAYVIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 43/f Yuchengco Tower, Rcbc Plaza Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. WANG, QIRAN Chinese It Support Specialist

22.

Basic Qualification: Strong leadership skills with experience in business management and at least 10 years. Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Must be a Indonesian National with at least 1 year Experience in Customer Service

24.

25.

26.

Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments; Must be willing to work on field.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. WU, YUEBIN Chinese It Support Specialist

23.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. JULIYANTO It Support Specialist

27.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. LY VAN DUNG It Support Specialist

28.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. TAN HAO JIE It Support Specialist

29.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. VAN CONG PHI It Support Specialist

30.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware.

MISHRA, DINESH General Manager - PEX Brief Job Description: End to End study of business processes using VSM approach to identify Value/Non-Value add activities

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments; Must be willing to work on field.

LLOYDE, SAM MICHAEL PAGE Operations Manager 32.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking).

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the success of company’s operations across all revenue-generating business units. This includes planning, directing and controlling operational activities and contributing to the strategic direction of the business

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

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Excellent analytical skills using statistical tools to analyze problem and come up with solution Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: At least 7-10 years’ experience within the Receivables Management or Consumer Lending Industries; Advanced awareness of collection strategies, tools and techniques; Extensive experience in operational leadership and managing high performing sites; Previous experience in front / middle and backend workflows including birth to grave and dialer / sms / letter campaign strategies; Exceptional time management and organisational skills

DL MANILA BRANCH 12th Flr. Menarco Tower, 32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig SEO, JEONG WOOK General Manager 33.

Brief Job Description: Manage finance matter and support business development SHIN, JINHO Senior Manager

34.

Brief Job Description: Evaluate and assess bids and project costs in the light of independent estimates and available data.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with 4 years of management experience sufficiently Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with 4 years of management experience sufficiently Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503, Nueva St., Barangay 289, Binondo, City Of Manila

JIANG, MAN Marketing And Sales Agent 35.

Brief Job Description: Researches and develops various marketing strategies for products and services and implements marketing plans and works to meet sales quotas

Basic Qualification: Can Contributes Information, Ideas, and Research to Help Develop Marketing Strategies; Can Help to Detail, Design, and Implement Marketing Plans for Each Product or Service Being Offered Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

EASTVANTAGE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 2400 24/f Fort Legend Tower, 3rd Ave. Cor. 31st St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language (writing and speaking).

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

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

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

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

CREDITCORP INCORPORATED 4th Floor, Mse Centre, Ayala, Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be willing to attend meeting, sales events and trainings to keep abreast of the latest developments; Must be willing to work on field.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

31.

Basic Qualification: Can Research Accounts and Generate or Follow Through Sales Leads; Can Valuate Customers Skills, Needs and Build Productive Long Lasting Relationships; Can Meet Personal and Team Sales Targets

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. ZHAO, JUNSU Chinese It Support Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: Experienced in managing a large-scale commercial business across multiple centers/geographies; has extensive team management experience some of which should be in challenging contexts; expert in testing and assessment sector and the positioning of British council products and services; skilled in commercial decision-making and resource allocation for business benefit at center and country level; has extensive and detailed knowledge of examinations operations across a range of product areas and the ability to lead teams focused on operational excellence and service delivery in large scale b2c markets.

Brief Job Description: Shall answer incoming phone calls from Chinese clients and troubleshoot customer technical problems with computer software and hardware. ZHANG, LIPING Chinese It Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be a Indonesian National with at least 1 year Experience in Customer Service

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION YUAN, QUAN Chinese It Support Specialist

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

CAPSLOCK INC. 7th & 8th Flr. Y Tower Bldg., Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Ave., Barangay 76, Pasay City

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

AVON COSMETICS, INC. 22/f Pacific Star Bldg., Sen. Gil J. Puyat Ave. Cor. Makati Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

No.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Basic Qualification: Native speaker

Basic Qualification: Must be a Indonesian National with at least 1 year Experience in Customer Service

C’EST LA VIE EVENT MANAGEMENT INC. 230, Narra Street, Marikina Heights, City Of Marikina

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

FU, YEGE Field Sales Consultant

A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

BRITISH COUNCIL SERVICES (PHILIPPINES) INCORPORATED The Curve 32nd Street Corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

ACCESSPOINT INTERNATIONAL TRADING INC. 14b Topaz St., Greenheights Vill,, San Isidro, City Of Parañaque AWAN, HASSAN JAVED Director

Brief Job Description: Conduct Customer Support to Indonesian Nationality Speaking by Online Chat, email and Telephone

CHAIWONG, WATCHARAKIT Customer Support (multi-lingual)

3O BPO INCORPORATED 2/f Lcs Bldg South Super Highway, San Andres Cor Diamante St., 087, Barangay 803, Santa Ana, City Of Manila SALARIS, MICHELE ANTONIO Customer Service Agent Swedish

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Saturday, July 2, 2022

RADHAKRISHNAN, LAKSHMI NARAYANAN Associate Project Manager 36.

Brief Job Description: Assists lead project managers in running large projects and interactions with client and stakeholders.

Basic Qualification: 5 or more years of experience in project management support; should have prior expertise in managing a team or more than one team. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

BusinessMirror

A14 A6 Saturday, July 2, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

ELECTRONICS EXTREME COMPANY LIMITED Unit 2401-2403 & 2410, Emerald Ave.,, Raffles Corporate Centre, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

37.

LEE, SANGSOO General Manager Brief Job Description: Managing overall Business Operation

Basic Qualification: Strong Leadership Skills. Bachelor’s degree, can speak Korean, Thai and English

MERYTA Customer Service Representative 53.

38.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for administering and enforcing the game’s rules & policies and provides in-game support & general customer service to ultimately ensure user satisfaction. MAMBETALIYEVA, ROZA Russian-English Bilingual Customer Support-game Master

39.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the day to day operations and production of online game titles that requires both English and Russian language.

Basic Qualification: Experience in business administration.

NGUYEN HUU NHAT Customer Service Representative 54.

40.

Brief Job Description: The project manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Experience in business administration.

NGUYEN VAN SU Customer Service Representative 55.

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

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

56.

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

41.

42.

43.

44.

Brief Job Description: Customer Service

HUANG, JIANHAO Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

SONG, SHA Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

ZHAO, JIANHONG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

CALVIN Customer Service Representative 45.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

CRISTIANSEN Customer Service Representative 46.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

ELVIANA TAN Customer Service Representative 47.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

HENDRIX JOSEPH Customer Service Representative 48.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

I KETUT RUSTIKA Customer Service Representative 49.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

I NYOMAN KARIASA Customer Service Representative 50.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

ILYN GIOVANNI SHANDRA Customer Service Representative 51.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

JULIANTO Customer Service Representative 52.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin/basic English

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

NI LUH PUTU BUDIARI Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

NINH VIET HUONG Customer Service Representative

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. Ri Rance Ii Bldg., Block 2 Lot 3 Aseana City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque GAO, XIONG Call Center Agent

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

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

ENOVELL-TECH Unit 506, The Boni Tower, Plainview, City Of Mandaluyong THOMAS, AUBREY TREVOR Project Manager

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

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

ELITE GLOBAL SOURCING PHIL. INC. 6/f Units 607-610 Raffles Corporate Center, F. Ortigas Jr. Ave., Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig ZUNZUNEGUI, LEANDRO OSCAR Portuguese-English Bilingual CSR Game Master

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

57.

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate / Level Fluent in Mandarin / Basic English

PHAM TIEN CONG Customer Service Representative 58.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin/basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate /Level and Fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

59.

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

TAO, WEN Chinese Project Manager Brief Job Description: Planning and defining scope of the project

HOANG PHUONG LINH Customer Service Vietnamese Speaking 60.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written com. Both English and Mandarin Chinese

69.

Brief Job Description: Employee shall perform duties such as reports on a daily operations of call center activities

70.

SHAO, GUANGTAO Customer Service Representative

61.

Brief Job Description: A customer service representative supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints. They’re the front line of support for clients and customers and they help ensure that customers are satisfied with products, services, and features

71.

ENY Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 62.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

72.

TIEN, HUNG-PIN Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 63.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills.

CHEN, DONG Call Center Agent Mandarin Speaking

LIU, ZIYANG Mandarin Cost Control Officer 65.

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

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

PAN, XIANG Mandarin Electrical Foreman Specialist 66.

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Electrical Foreman Specialist will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

74.

75.

Brief Job Description: Coordinating & partnering w/ clients

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems MEGA PUSPITA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

76.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems SESILIA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

77.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems HARTONO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

78.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Mechanical And Electrical Maintenance Supervisor, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Operation Specialist, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Senior Project Supervisor, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Site Officer, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Sr. Human Resources Officer, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Structural Maintenance Supervisor, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Project Executions, Technologies Like Net, MSSQL, etc. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems

Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English) Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English) Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English) Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, speaks and write fluently (Mandarin & English) Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 25/f Robinsons Summit, Jg Summit Center, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

PENG, SHU-HUA Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

HO THI PHUONG THUY Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 80.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Cost Control Officer, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

YADAV, LOKESH Project Manager

ZHOU, QINGSONG Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Electrical Foreman Specialist, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Head Operation Project Supervisor, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Cantonese & Mandarin speaking/ know how to read & write Chinese

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

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Structural Maintenance Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

INFOSYS BPM LIMITED - PHILIPPINE BRANCH 19th-23rd Flr., Bgc Corporate Center, 11th Ave. Corner 30th Sts., City Of Taguig

79.

GUANGXI HYDRO ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION BUREAU (GHCB PHILIPPINES CORPORATION) #58, Road 1, Project 6, Quezon City

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling inbound calls, e-mails and or chat with the goal of ensuring resolution of customer issues effective communication

73.

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

GOLDENSKY INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC. Midas Hotel, 2702 Roxas Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

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

CHEN, HANJUN Mandarin Structural Maintenance Supervisor

Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Site Officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals. LU, SICHENG Mandarin Sr. Human Resources Officer

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

GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. 26th And 27th Flr. Eastwood Cyber One Bldg., Eastwood City Cyberpark, No. 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. 3, Bagumbayan, Quezon City

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Senior Project Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals. TANG, YUNYI Mandarin Site Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls

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

YANG, SHENGWEN Mandarin Senior Project Supervisor

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

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above with customer service experience

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Mechanical And Electrical Maintenance Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals. WEI, ZHUANG Mandarin Operation Specialist

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

68.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Head Operation Project Supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals. CAO, MOUYING Mandarin Mechanical And Electrical Maintenance Supervisor

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

64.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

67.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ZHAO, WEIGUO Mandarin Head Operation Project Supervisor

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

No.

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

GATEWAYSOLUTIONS CORP. Unit 2306 Antel Global Corporate Center, Julia Vargas Ave., San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

GAMMA INTERACTIVE INC. 21/f Alphaland Makati Place, 7232 Ayala Ave. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

FUJIAN ELECTRIC POWER ENGINEERING COMPANY 5, West Lawin, Phil-am, Quezon City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, Preferably with Customer Service or Sales Experience, Fluent in Mandarin and Basic English

Brief Job Description: Supports Customers by Providing Helpful Information, Answering Queries and Responding to Complaints

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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

HOANG VAN MINH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 81.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent n Chinese Mandarin is an advantage. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for; fluent in chines/ mandarin is an advantage. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for; fluent in chines/ mandarin is an advantage. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

JVD GLOBAL CONSULTANCY INC. 20th Floor Picadilly Star Building 27th Street Corner 4th Avenue,, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SAN-E, ASMA Thai Customer Support 82.

Brief Job Description: Will be in-charge of helping the customers with complaints and questions, give customers information about products and services, take orders, and process returns.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months experience in the said field With good oral and communication skills, specifically English language Knowledgeable in basic computer applications and software

83.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for designing, building, testing, deploying, and maintaining the Company’s various systems.

98.

Basic Qualification: 8+ years of experience in business/core banking platforms; Advanced SQL and TalendETL toolset skills. Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION WANG, KE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

XU, HAO Chinese Customer Service

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

MACQUARIE GROUP SERVICES (PHILIPPINES), INC. 29/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati HUYNH, CONG MINH Senior Data Platforms Developer (business Banking Specialist)

No.

99.

100.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

DESIANA Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati HASIM Indonesian Customer Service Representative 84.

85.

86.

87.

88.

89.

90.

91.

92.

93.

Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems ALBERT WIJAYA Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems ANGGI PRATIWI Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems BENNY SUSANTO Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems CALVIN APRILLIO Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems DANIS Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems KELVIN Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems KORINTUS SUTEJA Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems YANTO Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems YULI YANTI Indonesian Language Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 Years Bachelor Degree With Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

94.

Brief Job Description: Part of MSCI Equity Data Management Team. Review content and data points and help in enhancing data methodology and resolution of client queries.

102.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 Years Bachelor Degree With Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

103.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 Years Bachelor Degree With Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

104.

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

105.

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

106.

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills

107.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 Years Bachelor Degree With Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

108.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 Years Bachelor Degree With Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

95.

96.

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

CHEN, ZEMIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

JIA, HONGCHENG Chinese Customer Service 97.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

HENGKI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

KELVIN ANDREAS Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

SUBENDI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SYOFIYANTI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WATI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

LEE MUN KIAT Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

LEONG SUNG WAI Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

ONG JIE KAI Malaysian Customer Service 109.

Basic Qualification: Excellent verbal & written communication skills in English and Korean. 0-2 years of relevant work experience in the Financial Services or Capital Market industries. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

110.

111.

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 1331 Pearl Plaza Bldg., Quirino Ave., Tambo, City Of Parañaque Sky Garage Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f, Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque CHEN, JIAN Chinese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

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

MSCI HONG KONG LIMITED U-1,2,3,4,7 & 8 29/f Zuellig Bldg., Makati Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Urdaneta, City Of Makati PARK, DA CHAN Equity Data Management Analyst - Korean Language Specialist

101.

FERNANDO Indonesian Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

112.

AUNG WIN MYINT Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

KHIN KHIN CHO Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

MYINT ZAW OO Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

113.

MYO PA PA HLAING Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

114.

NANG HLAING Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Saturday, July 2, 2022

A15

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

No.

115.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

116.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION NAY TUN WIN Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PHOO PWINT Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills

117.

SAI NAW Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

118.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

119.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

120.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

121.

122.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills

123.

124.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills

125.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

YIN KHOT KWAL Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YIN YIN SOE Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZIN NYEIN AYE Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

BUI DUC LOC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

BUI HONG HANH Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TSAI, YU-LING Taiwanese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

YA MIN AYE Myanmari Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

DANG ICH DAO Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

DANG THAI SANG Vietnamese Customer Service 126.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills

127.

DANG THI PHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

DANG VAN HANH Vietnamese Customer Service 128.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

DAO THANH CUONG Vietnamese Customer Service 129.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

DAO THI LINH Vietnamese Customer Service 130.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

131.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

DINH THI HUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Applications with Good Oral and Written Communications Skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

A16 A6 Saturday, July 2, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HOANG SOI CHAN Vietnamese Customer Service

132.

133.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

HOANG VAN NAM Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

KHONG XUONG LONG Vietnamese Customer Service 134.

135.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents

LAO VAN BO Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

LE THI ANH THI Vietnamese Customer Service 136.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LE TUAN ANH Vietnamese Customer Service 137.

138.

139.

140.

141.

142.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

LE VAN NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LU VI HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LY THI QUYNH NGA Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN CONG VINH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN DUC ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN NGOC NHAT Vietnamese Customer Service 143.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NGUYEN QUOC THINH Vietnamese Customer Service 144.

145.

146.

147.

148.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NGUYEN THI HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN THI HUYEN TRANG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN TRONG VUONG TRIEU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN VAN DUC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

No.

NHAN HAO TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service 149.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

NONG THUY KIEU Vietnamese Customer Service 150.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language)

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

151.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

PHUNG THI HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

TRAN DINH TAM Vietnamese Customer Service 152.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

153.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and inquiries, handling complaints, provide solutions, process customer accounts and file documents.

TRINH VAN BINH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

154.

VI VAN QUOC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

No.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

155.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills.

Brief Job Description: Field incoming help requests from end users via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner CHUN, WOOJIN Korean Research Analyst

156.

157.

158.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

159.

160.

Brief Job Description: Extensive knowledge of online marketing, media, and revenue management KANG, HYOJIN Korean Technical Support Staff Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting KIM, DAEWON Korean Technical Support Staff Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting KIM, JUNHO Korean Technical Support Staff Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting LEE, WONWOONG Korean Technical Support Staff Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting

CAI, MIAOZHU Mandarin Technical Support

GUAN, ZHANDI Marketing Specialist 161.

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

Brief Job Description: Provide specialized services to assist end-users in technology needs

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin, both oral and written

YAN, HONGPING Chinese Project Manager Brief Job Description: Lead the planning and implementation of project; facilitate the definition of project scope, goals and deliverables.

CHENG, DINGQIANG Civil Work Technologies Brief Job Description: Conduct surveys to collect data on site conditions and inspect structures; test appropriateness of construction materials and soil samples.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal; with working knowledge in construction.

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

162.

YU, LEI Payments Associate (multi-lingual) Brief Job Description: Handling Deposit / Fund Transfer Transactions Able to perform daily reconciliation of accounts

Brief Job Description: Responsible for coordinating with other marketing and sales professionals to implement innovative campaigns for branding or product launches

CHONG XIN YUAN Chinese/mandarin-language Customer Support Staff Brief Job Description: Serves as primary contact for problem resolution and information gathering customer complaints and work assignments

163.

FION NG BOON YEE Chinese/mandarin-language Customer Support Staff Brief Job Description: Serves as primary contact for problem resolution and information gathering customer complaints and work assignments

164.

Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider KIM, SUNGDOO Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider LIM, JONGSEOK Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider PARK, JAESANG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Both Oral and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Both Oral and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Both Oral and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SKYLUCK CORPORATION #360, Unit 243 Shaw Center Mall, Shaw Blvd. Penthouse Shaw I.t. Center, Addition Hills, City Of Mandaluyong CHOI, KYOUNGJUN Korean Customer Support Staff Brief Job Description: Field incoming help requests from end users via both telephone and work orders in a courteous manner

Brief Job Description: Creating and implementing data management collection techniques

Brief Job Description: Develop Operational plans, Implement strategies, Generate progress report

CAO, XIHUI Computer System Analyst 165.

Brief Job Description: Analyze and Evaluate Present Computer Business Systems, Procedures and Processes

HUANG, JUNHANG Computer System Analyst 166.

Brief Job Description: Analyze and Evaluate Present Computer Business Systems, Procedures and Processes

XU, GUOXIONG Computer System Analyst 167.

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Ability to work under pressure and motivation to succeed in a competitive environment; Should have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, marketing, communications or a related field; Good communication and interpersonal skills

Basic Qualification: At Least 10 Years of Work Experience in Railways, Construction, Metallurgy, Locksmith and Civil Works Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Analyzing data to determine better ways to implement Japanese corporate guidelines Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With extensive experience as a Manager, Bilingual English and Mandarin Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Brief Job Description: Analyze and Evaluate Present Computer Business Systems, Procedures and Processes

Basic Qualification: At Least Two (2) years of Working Experience in the related , field in Mandarin Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At Least Two (2) years of Working Experience in the related , field in Mandarin Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At Least Two (2) years of Working Experience in the related , field in Mandarin Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

TELUS INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINES, INC. Units 23/f, 31st/f - 37th/f Discovery Centre, Adb Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Both Oral and Written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

SUPREME CHENGHAO MANAGEMENT OPC Level 26-a Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

SKY DRAGON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 2f-5f, Unit 710 Shaw Blvd., Global Link Center, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong CHOI, YONGDONG Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Responsible for ballast placement and distribution manual and with proper equipment

BAI, WENXUAN Director And Country Manager/ President

Basic Qualification: A native speaker of the Chinese/Mandarin language (spoken and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language

SUNGROW POWER RENEWABLES CORP. Level 6 Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, Makati Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: A native speaker of the Chinese/Mandarin language (spoken and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DA CONCEICAO FERREIRA DIAS, FLORENTINO JOAQUIM Track Officer

SAKURABA, TAKUTO Japanese Program Analyst

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 RUNNINGMAN CORPORATION 8/f Techzone Bldg., 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

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

STRAIGHT LOGIN INCORPORATED Unit 506 & 507 Avida Cityflex, 7th Street Corner Lane T Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

RICECASH ASIA PHILIPPINES, INC. 26/f Yuchengco Tower, Rcbc Plaza, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Fluent in Native Mandarin and English, Experience in Handling Deposit / Fund Transfer Transactions Able to perform daily reconciliation of accounts, College Graduate

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language

STECONFER PHIL CORP. Unit 203 A 2nd Flr., One Felicity Center Commonwealth Ave., Holy Spirit, Quezon City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal; with working knowledge in construction.

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

POWERCHINA PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2101 21/f Bdo Equitable Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language

STC BUILDERS AND DEVELOPMENT CORP. 38 Atok St., 1, Santo Domingo, Quezon City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

KIM, WONSU Korean Customer Support Staff

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

OCTAGON PRIME OUTSOURCING SERVICES INC. Ub 111 Paseo De Roxas Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SANGANA, BERTH KABASELE French Operations CSR II 168.

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French Speaking clients and customers.

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

*Date Generated: Jul 1, 2022 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on Jun 7, 2022, the name of NGAN THIN PHUC under MOA CLOUDZONE CORP., should have been read as NGAN THIN PHUC and not as published. Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR