BusinessMirror July 16, 2021 by BusinessMirror

PHL Treasury eyes 1st Retail Dollar Bonds NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION/S FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT/S (AEP/S) Notice is hereby given that the following companies/Employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s: ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1 Pitx Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City BI, RUYU Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 1.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

See “dole ncr” on A8-A11

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) eyes offering its firstever Retail Dollar Bonds (RDBs) in a bid to raise funds for the Philippine government’s recovery and resilience programs amid the prolonged Covid-19 pandemic. Like the Retail Treasury Bonds being offered by the BTr, RDBs will also allow investors to mobilize their savings and earn while helping the government fund its programs. However, RDBs are US dollar-denominated instruments unlike the RTBs. At a minimum placement of just $300, the potential RDB of-

fering is also seen to be far more accessible than the traditional US dollar-denominated global bonds issued by the Philippine government which require a minimum subscription of $200,000. On top of relatively higher returns, the RDBs are also expected to attract US dollar earners as the structure mitigates foreign exchange risk on the part of investors by maintaining the original currency of their investment. Should the RDB offering push through, the BTr said investors can choose whether to do a straight USD placement or through PesoClear wherein cash flows in RDBs are paid and received by an investor in PHP with the currency conversions done by

the selling agent bank. “We would like to increase investors’ capacity to further diversify their investments by offering us dollar-denominated instruments that can match the natural cash flows, especially by Filipinos in the USA. Investors are not only guaranteed a safeguard from potential FX risk or foreign exchange risk but more importantly, an opportunity to maintain the value of their hard-earned dollar savings,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said in a virtual financial literary briefing in line with the intended offering of RTBs. The national government will also assume the withholding tax on interest income to allow investors to

earn full interest on their principal. While the BTr has yet to finalize the details regarding the potential offering, de Leon said they plan to hold the auction for RDBs in August wherein the coupon rate is expected to be set. “Again for our countrymen, these RDBs [will earn you] more than your usual time deposit with your banks because interest is low; you’re looking at US Treasuries, it’s just about 1.3 to 1.4 percent so similarly with our RTBs, this hardearned money will also be earning more income and this time around we are offering new dollar-denominated bonds to preserve the value of your hard-earned money,” she said. See “PHL,” A2

EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

(2017, 2018, 2019)

Friday, July 16, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 275

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 22 pages |

‘LOCAL CONTEXT TO GUIDE MONETARY POLICY MOVES’ n

By Bianca Cuaresma

‘REVIEW OF BBB, TAX REFORM SHOULD BE PRIORITY IN LAST YEAR’

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) should not be expected to move its monetary policy levers solely because of external developments, including the US Federal Reserve’s potential normalization, the Central Bank governor said on Thursday.

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

EVIEWING tax reforms and its multibillion-peso infrastructure initiative should be top of mind for the outgoing administration in order to boost the country’s recovery efforts, according to a study released by the Ateneo de Manila University. In an Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) working paper, titled “Review of the Philippine economic situation and analysis of the State of the Nation in 2021,” ADMU Department of Economics Professor Philip Arnold P. Tuaño underscored the

See “Local,” A2

need for the Duterte administration to address its shortcomings in its last year in office. Tuaño said the government should also focus on strengthening fiscal spending and ensuring that policies accommodate small and medium enterprises. “At the start of its term, the Duterte administration reaped the benefits of the Philippines’s momentum of economic growth and poverty reduction; the country’s GDP continued to expand at above 6 percent during the 2016 to 2019 period while poverty incidence significantly declined to 16 percent in 2018,” Tuaño explained. See “Review,” A2

Covid cases rising but it’s GCQ for NCR till July 31

ESPITE the rising cases of Covid-19 in some of its cities, Metro Manila will remain under general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the month. On Thursday, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed seven cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) a positive twoweek growth rate of new Covid-19 cases. However, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Duterte opted not to impose a tighter community classification for NCR. This, even if health officials are still trying to determine the reason for the spike in new cases in the said areas. See “Covid,” A2

To accommodate workers who are unable to get their vaccination during regular working hours, the local government of Taguig City launched the Taguig Bakuna Nights at BGC High Street Mega Vaccination Hub in Fort Bonifacio on Wednesday night (July 14, 2021). The operation ran until midnight, with the city providing small entertainment for waiting vaccinees. The city plans to expand its operations to 24 hours to accommodate more people. NONIE REYES

PESO exchange rates n US 50.1780

FIRST GOVT PARTNER TO HIT 1-M JABS SM Supermalls, in collaboration with the IATF, the city government of Mandaluyong, and T3’s Ingat Angat Bakuna Lahat, awards the 1 millionth jab receiver, Sarah Louise Gabriel-Corpuz, with P10,000 worth of SM gift certificates during the 1 Millionth Jab event held at the SM Mega Trade Hall on Wednesday (July 14). In photo: Mandaluyong City Councilor Charisse Abalos-Vargas, McDonald’s Philippines Managing Director Margot Torres, Inter-Agency Task Force Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Sec. Vince Dizon, Mandaluyong City Mayor Carmelita Abalos, Sarah Louise Gabriel-Corpuz, SM Supermalls President Steven T. Tan, MMDA Chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr., and SM Supermalls SVP for Operations Bien C. Mateo. Story on page B2. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

n japan 0.4564 n UK 69.5567 n HK 6.4605 n CHINA 7.7567 n singapore 37.0810 n australia 37.5331 n EU 59.4007 n SAUDI arabia 13.3794

Source: BSP (July 15, 2021)

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, July 16, 2021

Covid...

Continued from A1

“Like what I said, we look at the capacity of LGUs [local government units] to isolate [infected individuals] and their contact tracing ratio and it appears these are improving so we opted to maintain GCQ in Metro Manila,” said Roque, who also serves as spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). Roque ruled out the Delta variant of the Covid-causing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2), which is being blamed for the surge in cases in several countries. Citing the surveillance being conducted by the Philippine Genome Center, he noted there is currently still no confirmed community transmission of the Delta variant.

New list of classifications

Aside from NCR, other areas also placed under GCQ are Baguio City and Apayao in the Cordillera Administrative Region; City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino in Region 2; Bulacan in Region 3; Cavite, Rizal, Quezon and Batangas in Region 4A; Puerto Princesa in Region 4B; Guimaras and Negros Occidental in Region 6; Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga and Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9; Davao Oriental in Region 11; General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani,

Cotabato and South Cotabato in Region 12; Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur in Caraga; and Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). These areas will remain under GCQ from July 16 to 31, 2021. Meanwhile, the following areas will be placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions from July 16, 2021 until July 31, 2021: Cagayan in Region 2; Laguna and Lucena City in Region4A; Naga City in Region 5; Negros Oriental in Region 7; Zamboanga del Sur in Region 9; and Davao City in Region 11. Aklan, Bacolod City, Antique, and Capiz in Region 6 will also be placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions, but only until 22 July 2021. Areas which are under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ ), the second strictest community quarantine classification, include Bataan in Region 3; Cagayan de Oro City in Region 10; Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao del Norte in Region 11; and Butuan City in Caraga from July 16, 2021 until July 31, 2021. Iloilo City and Iloilo in Region 6 shall also be placed under MECQ but only until 22 July 2021. All other areas in the country, which are now included in the aforementioned lists, will be placed under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ ) from July 16, 2021 until July 31, 2021. Samuel P. Medenilla

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Senate starts tackling reform bills PHL... on property valuation, assessment

Continued from A1

By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

HE Senate Committee on Ways and Means opened on Thursday deliberations on the third key plank of the multi-package tax reform program, this time focused on updating the real property valuation system to shore up revenue for both the national and local governments.

Senator Pia S. Cayetano, panel chairman, called the public hearing on Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform in a bid to get stakeholders from both the government and the private sector, to review the issues bugging the system. The updated system comprises Package 3 of the Duterte administration’s Comprehensive Ta x Reform Program. Summarizing the issues, she said, “this proposed reform package, which is part of the Comprehensive Ta x Reform Package, is meant to address” the problems on real property valuation and assessment. She then listed them as: rampant outdated valuations used for government purpos-

es, especially for national and local taxation; cost overruns and foregone revenues due to local valuations used; multiple overlapping valuation of different government agencies; and absence of a comprehensive real property electronic database; Package 3 proposes, among others, to adopt internationally accepted real property valuation standards and rationalize the process of valuation, establish a single valuation base for taxation, and for the LGU to continue to set, adjust and regulate

Review...

Continued from A1

“However, the Covid-19 pandemic shock in 2020 has dented this trajectory and impaired the shortrun prospects of the country; at the same time, the lack of a robust fiscal response to the social and economic impacts of the pandemic may have further diminished the ability of the country to immediately continue its prepandemic growth trajectory,” he said. Tuaño said Covid-19 eroded the economic gains in the past decade. The impact of the pandemic plunged the economy to its lowest in the postwar period in the second quarter of last year. Millions of jobs were lost and consumption spending plummeted. Even government spending was not enough to keep the economy afloat. Tuaño said that with this, poverty increased. Citing previous studies, he said, the “borderline poor” increased to 36 percent in December 2020, 13 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in November 2019. Further, these studies stated that more than half of households saw a drop in income while around three quarters had reduced access to markets; more than a third suffered from reduced meals. Foremost in government’s efforts to recover is the vaccination program. However, supply constraints have prevented the smooth administration of vaccines. “The lack of a robust response to the pandemic has also affected the growth momentum in the country; the government has now downgraded its growth projections for 2021 while private analysts are even expecting that we can only recover our 2019 output in 2022 or beyond,” Tuaño said. In order to address these challenges, Tuaño recommended that a review of the tax reforms and the Build, Build, Build program is necessary. By revisiting these, Tuaño said, the government can better respond to the crisis. He said that, for one, economists have expressed their criticism of the tax reform, particularly the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprise Act (CREATE).Tuaño said the tax relief provided under CREATE only benefited “large incorporated firms” already receiving credit assistance from the Central Bank.

tax rates and assessment levels. “So, I wanted to emphasize this last point because in early 2019, when the entire package was presented—the initial concerns I received, because we did hear this in totality in passing—the early reactions were on the LGUs’ sense of control over this.” “So, I am pointing that out, that based on Package 3, the LGU shall continue to set, adjust, and regulate ta x rates and assessment levels. Cayetano included in the panel’s agenda the following bills: Senate Bill 246 filed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson; Senate Bill 519 by Sen. Miguel Zubiri; Senate Bill 894 by Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., and House Bill 4664. “So, basically, obviously, like any tax revenue measure, there are issues surrounding them, there are people who support and there are those who don’t,” said Cayetano. “So, we will dive into the issues surrounding this topic, but basically, we want to start with hearing from the government on the administration side on why there is a need for this, why this is a priority and why we must take time to work on this in the remaining months that we have.”

Uncertainty

He also stressed that the reform creates uncertainties among investors in export processing zones because of the limitations on the use of their incentives. “While there seems to be less wiggle room that the administration has given [now] that the country is close to the election period, the government might still press on to undertake the other parts of the tax reform, given a large part of the broader package—mining tax, real property valuation, passive income tax,” Tuaño said. In terms of the BBB, Tuaño said only 11 of the 75 flagship projects were under way during the first half of President Duterte’s administration in 2019. This prompted the administration to modify the list of BBB projects by dropping big and unattainable projects for smaller and more feasible ones. He also pointed out that issues also hounded the developmental assistance or loans the Philippines planned to get from China amid the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea. “Given the constraints in the movement of workers during the pandemic period, the number of infrastructure programs may further fall. One of the areas where the government may be able to invest in would be in strengthening human development,” Tuaño said. He recom mended t h at t he Duterte administration prioritize, in its final year, strengthening the Internet backbone as more and more laborers, especially professionals, as well as those in online retail and services, will continue to work from home. This will raise demand for Internet services, e-commerce, ICT products and logistics. Tuaño also cited a need to improve the quality of public transportation systems to bring them to their places of work and the security and safety in the use of digital money and banking transactions, as these will dominate in the coming years. The government, he said, should also strengthen local value chains, including urban agriculture and home food production; and provide greater opportunities for more distance education, online learning. He also flagged a need to address climate vulnerabilities of the country and their effects on business and employment and the issues of sustainability in the country.

Aside from over-the-counter transactions for the possible offering, the BTr said it is looking to continue its digital push and explore the suitability of previous online channels such as its Online Ordering Platform, Bonds. PH and the Overseas Filipino Bank Mobile Banking Application, among others. The national government programmed to borrow a total of P3.1 trillion this year, of which 80 percent is expected to be raised through domestic sources and the remaining 20 percent from foreign sources. Outstanding debt of the national government as of end-May this year has already ballooned to a record P11.07 trillion, up by 13 percent from P9.795 trillion as of end-2020.

Local... Continued from A1

In a press briefing, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said while other central banks, including the Fed, could potentially be considering normalizing their monetary policy stance, the Philippines’s monetary policy “should remain supportive until recovery is firmly under way.” “The timing as well as the conditions under which the BSP will start unwinding monetary stimulus will continue to be guided by the domestic inflation and growth outlook over the medium term and the risks surrounding such outlook, as well as a broad set of economic and financial indicators,” Diokno said. “Broadly speaking, the BSP can consider withdrawing monetary support when there are indisputable indications of a strong recovery in real sector activity, as well as a sustained dow nt rend in communit y transmission of the virus,” he added. The BSP has been keeping its record low monetary policy rate steady for the entire year, even amid inflation pressures earlier this year. “We would like to emphasize that while the BSP takes into consideration the policy actions of major central banks, including that of the Fed, the BSP does not need to recalibrate its policy setting based on these external factors. The BSP’s decisions on the monetary policy stance are based primarily on domestic conditions, particularly the outlook for inflation and demand,” Diokno said. The governor, meanwhile, said that major external developments, such as the Fed’s policy actions, may be taken into account as factors in driving capital flows to the Philippines. “As we monitor the developments on the global front, the Philippines is still in a favorable position to withstand adverse shocks that may emanate from abroad, including the potential spillover effects of the unexpected tightening in US monetary policy,” the governor said. “We will be able to navigate tightening global financial conditions, given a manageable fiscal position, stable investment grade credit rating, and robust external payments position,” he added. The BSP is expected to have their next monetary policy meeting on August 12. This will be their fifth monetary policy meeting for the year.

Economy BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, July 16, 2021 A3

Rice stocks fall 7.5 percent to 2.5 MMT in May–PSA

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

hilippine rice stocks inventory as of May 1 declined by 7.5 percent to 2.5 million metric tons (MMT) from 2.7 MMT recorded a year ago, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

Ho we ve r, t he P S A , i n it s monthly stock report published recently, said May’s rice stocks inventory grew by 5.8 percent to 2.5 MMT from April’s level of 2.4 MMT. The PSA also said the bulk, or about 55.1 percent of the rice inventory as of May 1, was stored in households, while 35.5 percent were in commercial warehouses. The remaining 9.3 percent were stored in National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses. Data also showed that total rice inventory held by households dur-

ing the said period reached 1.42 MMT while commercial warehouses and NFA accounted for 918,670 metric tons (MT) and 241,130 MT, respectively. Relative to the previous year’s level, the PSA said decrements in rice stocks were noted in all sectors. In the households, it went down by 6.2 percent, commercial warehouses by 4 percent and NFA depositories by 24.2 percent. Month-on-month, rice stocks in the households dropped by 2.7 percent, while stocks in commercial warehouses soared by 24.5

percent. Stocks in NFA depositories remained almost the same from their previous month’s level. In the same report, the PSA said the country’s total corn inventory as of May 1 fell by 1.6 percent to 826,730 MT from 840,520 MT recorded last year. In contrast, PSA said May’s corn inventory increased by 15.8 percent to 826,730 MT from the previous month’s level of 713,680 MT. The agency said the bulk or about 65.5 percent of the total corn stocks inventory was held by commercial warehouses while the remaining

34.5 percent were in households. It added that total corn stocks held by households reached 285,020 MT while the remaining 541,710 MT were stored in commercial warehouses. “Relative to the previous month’s record, corn stocks in households and commercial warehouses went up by 10.4 percent and 18.9 percent, respectively,” the agency said. “Year-on-year, corn stock in the households rose by 81.3 percent. However, stocks in the commercial warehouses dropped by 20.7 percent,” it added.

DTI crafts modules to aid MSMEs’ pandemic recovery By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

he government and the private sector are taking steps to adapt to the disruption caused by the pandemic. Secretary Ramon M. Lopez of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said his agency has taken steps to create modules designed to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) cope in a digital present. Industry groups such as the Philippine Constructors Association (PCA) are also keen on equipping young professionals and students in the industry with skills needed in the new normal.

“We’d like to reiterate that every job that we restore is a step toward beating poverty not only for that worker but also for his or her entire family,” Lopez said in a speech on Wednesday. “This restoration of their income will bring them closer to achieving a more comfortable and greater quality of life in the post-pandemic future,” Lopez added. The trade chief said that a recent survey by the DTI showed that 73 percent of micro, small and medium enterprises respondents said they needed capacity building related to digitizing their business. Based on the data, Lopez said, those who are engaged in e-commerce prefer to focus on the digital

skills while those who are not engaged in e-commerce prefer skills on how to get started in an online business. Lopez said the top needed skills identified by the respondents are financial marketing and content management basics of e-commerce as well as starting an online business. “With these in mind, the DTI ecommerce group has crafted modules specific to the needs of MSME’s based on their level of digitization,” Lopez said. He added the DTI is also looking forward to the result of the case studies to be done on MSMEs through the project by the International Labour Organization and the

Japanese government. The case studies, Lopez said, would provide more insights on how the DTI can help MSMEs recover from the pandemic. This, he said, is crucial if the country is to regain the jobs lost due to the lockdowns. Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Lopez said the country’s unemployment rate in May of 2021 was down to 7.7 percent from 8.7 percent in April. Further, the total number of unemployed individuals 15 years old and over decreased by 408,000 and the total number of employed persons within that same period increased by 1.45 million. “The improved employment figures reflect the easing of quarantine

restrictions and the calibrated and safe reopening that the government is doing to revive the business sector and bring back more jobs,” Lopez said. Meanwhile, the PCA said their own survey showed that one of the biggest challenges the industry is facing is the shortage of skilled personnel. PCA President Wilfredo L. Decena said this has been a long-standing problem for their industry and could not be addressed overnight. Given the disruption caused by the pandemic and advances in technology, Decena said the PCA decided to reach out to students and young professionals to create a more sustainable and robust construction industry.

“We cannot just build, we have to build better and in order to do that, and we need to have a more skilled workforce and Filipino construction firms that can compete globally with international firms. This is why PCA continues to be bullish in creating regular webinars that will help impart new knowledge on processes and skills to the industry,” Decena said. PCA said it recently conducted a free online webinar series for students and young professionals from all over the country. The webinar series aimed to guide the next generation of nation builders to start their career in the construction industry on the right footing.

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See “Franchise,”

A4 Friday, July 16, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

The Nation BusinessMirror

Pandemic leads to backsliding of childhood vaccinations–UN

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

he Philippines is among the top 5 countries with the biggest increase in children who did not receive the first dose of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combined vaccine (DTP-1) in 2020, according to the United Nations.

The UN said disruptions in immunization services were widespread in 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) said this could lead to resurgence in vaccinepreventable diseases such as measles. Based on their data, half a million or 557,000 Filipino children missed their DTP-1 vaccines last year. This was a 23.78-percent increase from the 450,000 Filipino children who missed their DTP-1 vaccines in 2019. “Even as countries clamour to get their hands on Covid-19 vaccines, we have gone backwards on other vaccinations, leaving children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases like measles, polio or meningitis,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a news statement. “Multiple disease outbreaks would be catastrophic for communities and health

systems already battling Covid-19, making it more urgent than ever to invest in childhood vaccination and ensure every child is reached,” he added. Based on the data, in terms of DTP-1, other countries with the greatest increase in children not receiving a first dose were India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Mexico. The UN said the number of children who failed to get their first inoculation increased in all regions. As compared with 2019, 3.5 million more children missed their first dose of DTP-1, while 3 million more children missed their first measles dose. “This evidence should be a clear warning—the Covid-19 pandemic and related disruptions cost us valuable ground we cannot afford to lose—and the consequences will be paid in the lives and well-being of the most vulnerable,” Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.

“Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight to immunize children against preventable child illness, including with the widespread measles outbreaks two years ago. The pandemic has made a bad situation worse. With the equitable distribution of Covid-19 vaccines at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we must remember that vaccine distribution has always been inequitable, but it does not have to be,” she explained. The preliminary UN data showed that as of 2020, the coverage of children vaccinated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the Philippines, which is primarily used against tuberculosis was down to 64 percent from 69 percent in 2019. DTP-1 coverage in the country was at 74 percent in 2020; Diphtheria-tetanuspertussis (DTP3), 71 percent; Hepatitis B (HepB3), 71 percent; Hepatitis B, 53 percent; Haemophilus influenzae type b third dose (Hib3), 71 percent; and Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV1), 69 percent. The preliminary data also showed Measles-containing-vaccine first-dose (MCV1) coverage is at 72 percent in 2020; Measles-containing-vaccine second-dose (MCV2), 68 percent; pneumococcal conjugate (PCV3), 66 percent; polio (Pol3), 72 percent; and Rubella-containing vaccine (RCV), 72 percent. “These are alarming numbers, suggesting the pandemic is unraveling years of progress in routine immunization and

exposing millions of children to deadly, preventable diseases,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “This is a wake-up call—we cannot allow a legacy of Covid-19 to be the resurgence of measles, polio and other killers. We all need to work together to help countries both defeat Covid-19, by ensuring global, equitable access to vaccines, and get routine immunization programmes back on track. The future health and well-being of millions of children and their communities across the globe depends on it.” The UN said that even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, global childhood vaccination rates against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles and polio had stalled for several years at around 86 percent. This rate is well below the 95 percent recommended by WHO to protect against measles—often the first disease to resurge when children are not reached with vaccines—and insufficient to stop other vaccine-preventable diseases. With many resources and personnel diverted to support the Covid-19 response, there have been significant disruptions to immunization service provision in many parts of the world. In some countries, clinics have been closed or work hours reduced, while people may have been reluctant to seek health care because of fear of transmission or have experienced challenges reaching services due to lockdown measures and transportation disruptions.

10 Navy officers cleared of admin liability in 1995 death of Pestaño By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Supreme Court has nullified the order of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) dismissing from the service the 10 Philippine Navy officers linked in the controversial death of Ensign Philip Andrew Pestaño in September 1995. In a 14-page decision issued by the Court’s First Division, the Court also reversed and set aside the Court of Appeals (CA) ruling issued in October 2013, which affirmed the Navy officers’ dismissal by the Ombudsman after they were found guilty of grave misconduct. The SC held that the OMB failed to state the facts and the law that became its basis in resurrecting the cases against the 10 Navy officers.

“A decision with absolutely nothing to support it is a nullity. The 0MB failed to support its conclusion of administrative liability with sufficient factual and legal basis. In view of the foregoing, the November 22, 2011 Joint Order [JO], as it relates to the administrative aspect of the complaint, must be struck down for being violative of petitioners’ right to due process,” the SC said. Cleared by the SC of administrative liability were Capt. Ricardo Ordoñez, Cdr. Reynaldo Lopez, Cdr. Alfrederick Alba, Lt. Cdr. Luidegar Casis, Lt. Cdr. Joselito Colico, Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Sandy Miranda, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Welmenio Aquino, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Mil Leonor Y. Igacasan. Aside from the eight Navy officers, also affirmed by the CA in its 2013 decision was the OMB’s dismissal order against Lt. Cdr. Ruben Roque and Petty Officer 1st Class Carlito Amoroso. However, Roque and Amoroso’s names did not appear as among the petitioners who questioned the 2013 CA ruling. The 2013 CA ruling denied the petition filed by the Navy officers seeking to set aside the joint order issued by then Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, which reversed the earlier ruling of her predecessor dismissing the criminal complaint for murder and administrative complaint for grave misconduct filed against them by Pestaño’s parents. Morales, in the said JO issued on November 22, 2011, directed the filing of an information for murder against petitioner-appellants and held them guilty of grave misconduct for which they were ordered dismissed from the service. This prompted the appellants to elevate the issue before the Court, insisting that the CA erred when it held that the Pestaños were able to present newly discovered evidence that warranted the resurrection of the cases against them. They further contended that the Ombudsman failed to identify the specific acts of each of the petitioners that would constitute grave misconduct to justify their dismissal from the service. The petitioners argued that the dismissal of the charges ordered in the June 15, 2009 Joint Resolution (JR) was final, executory, and unappealable by operation of Section 7 of the Rules of Procedure of the Office of the Ombudsman. In ruling in favor of the petitioners, the Court held that the Ombudsman erred when it ruled that the June 15, 2009 JR did not attain finality since it failed to make any finding that the petitioners were innocent of the charges. The SC noted that Section 7 of Administrative Order 07 does not require a finding that the respondents are innocent of the charges against them. “However, nothing in Section 7 requires that a specific finding of innocence be made. The only determination that needs to be made is whether or not the [petitioners] were absolved of the charge. Ubi lex non distinguit nee nos distinguere debemos—when the law makes no distinction,

[We] also ought not to recognize any distinction,” the SC ruled. “The Joint Order concluded that the totality of circumstances points to a prima facie conclusion that Philip’s death was not a case of suicide, that there was an attempt to cover it up, and that there was a prima facie conclusion that petitioners conspired to kill him, hence probable cause for murder lies against them,” the SC explained. Likewise, the SC agreed with the petitioners’ argument that the Ombudsman failed to specify the individual acts committed by the petitioners to warrant the finding of grave misconduct and their subsequent dismissal from the service. “However, the Joint Order does not state how this finding of probable cause ties into the finding that petitioners are guilty of grave misconduct. There was no attempt in the Joint Order to establish the parameters of what constitutes grave misconduct, much less if such parameters applied to the petitioners,” it stressed. Records of the case showed that BRP Bacolod City, a Philippine Navy cargo ship, left Tawi-Tawi on September 20, 1995. After seven days, the ship made a last stop over Sangley Point in Cavite and departed the same day for its final destination, the Navy headquarters in Manila. Before the ship reached Manila, Pestaño was found dead inside his cabin, lying on the bed with a single gunshot wound on his right temple with a purported suicide note to his family. Based on the investigation conducted by the Senate and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, it was ruled out that Pestaño committed suicide. It was also discovered that Pestaño had knowledge of illegal activities on board the BRP Bacolod City, which posed as a possible motive behind his death. Investigations revealed that the ship reportedly carried “undocumented” lumber from a certain Tawi-Tawi politician, which was allegedly intended for a ranking Navy official, in exchange for the politician’s request for drums of fuel oil. Prior to his death, Pestaño reportedly confronted Ordonez, his immediate superior about the shipment. Pestaño’s parents, spouses Felipe and Evelyn, filed cases before the OMB against those involved in their claim that their son was killed. In a resolution dated June 15, 2009, the OMB dismissed the criminal and administrative charges against the 10 Navy officers with a ruling that there was “no substantial evidence to show that [their] actions transgressed some established and definite rule of action or constitute unlawful behavior or gross negligence.” Pestaño’s parents filed a motion to reconsider the dismissal of the charges. On November 22, 2011, then Ombudsman Carpio-Morales reversed the 2009 resolution issued by then Deputy Overall Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro. The CA affirmed Morales’s order in a decision issued in 2013.

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Asian Security and Investigation Agency marks 40th anniversary

n its 40th year, Asian Security and Investigation Agency Inc. pledges to stay true to its commitment of being “the better protector” to its growing clientele across the nation. Asian Security started its operations on July 16, 1981 under the leadership of Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua. Since then, it has been providing reliable security and investigative services to a significant number of institutional clients in different parts of the country. Among the basic services offered by Asian Security are installation security, executive protection, family protection services, public safety, and security consultancy. On top of these, the company also offers specialized services, including physical security survey, personnel security investigation, security escort services, intelligence operations, and freight security. The pool of highly-trained personnel are serving different institutions, including some of the big companies in various industries like Metrobank, PS Bank, Planbank, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, Devex Inc., Sunwest Development Corporation, Philfoods, Isuzu Gencars, Citystate Tower Hotel and 45 Group of Companies in Baguio City. Asian Security personnel undergo regular trainings to maintain the quality of service that they provide to their clients, as well as their level of trustworthiness. Likewise, the company consistently adheres to the standards of its regulatory bodies to ensure uninterrupted service and protection to its trusting patrons. According to Mr. D. Edgard A. Cabangon, Chairman/President of Asian Security, the company’s resilience despite the challenging times is attributable to the dedication and determination of all its members to give excellent service to its clients. “Maintaining the trust of our clients is our utmost priority. With this in mind, Asian Security is focused on keeping abreast with the latest standards and techniques in providing security and investigative services,” he added.

Loyal and dedication employees

Other than the skills and expertise, Asian Security also values the loyalty and dedication of its personnel, like Arlene Durante, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, who has been with the company for 32 years. According to her, one of the reasons why she chose to stay with the company was the great support extended to her by the founder, Ambassador Cabangon Chua, as well as the trust and confidence in her of the company’s Board of Directors. “I am grateful for the trust and support given to me by our bosses, the kind of trust that I know they don’t easily give away. I am also thankful to our previous and present officers for their support throughout my stay with the Asian Security,” she said. Durante also shared how working at Asian Security helped develop not only her career but also her character as a person. “As an employee of Asian Security, I learned how to be more patient, to trust myself more, and have the humility to seek help when needed. Working in this company also helped me improve my interpersonal skills and taught me to have the courage to face any problems, work-related or otherwise, head-on,” she shared. Another longtime employee of Asian Security is Erma Dimalanta, Senior Treasury Supervisor, who has been with the company for 31 years. “I stayed with Asian Security for more than three decades because of the great benefits and the good relationship between the management and the employees,” she said, adding that working at Asian Security has also helped her in supporting her family for many years. Throughout her stay, Dimalanta has learned to “love your job and give it importance in order to last long in the company. You should always focus on your work, be honest all the time, and show respect to both your superiors and subordinates.”

Advocate of security education

More than providing protection, Asian Security is an advocate of security education as it aims to train, develop, and influence its clients to put great weight and importance to their respective security protocols. Thus, it also offers security and protection training programs, which are taught by competent and credible professionals. Among the programs offered are firearms training course, which provides individuals with the basic gun safety and firearm handling skills; and family protection and defense course, which teaches individuals the skills necessary for home and self-defense, including firearm proficiency and marksmanship training. After four decades, Asian Security and Investigation Agency stays committed to its mission to “enforce the client’s rule and regulations; prevent and control crimes; maintain discipline, law, and order, and protect lives and properties”, all while adhering to the demands of the new normal way of life. As it strives to realize its vision, the company also vows to strengthen its work force so that they may continue to protect their clients in the best way. Asian Security and Investigation Agency is a proud member of the ALC Group of Companies under the leadership of Mr. Cabangon.

News

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, July 16, 2021 A5

Metro Manila mayors to craft EO on ‘child-friendly’ zones

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

@claudethmc3

ollowing the government’s latest policy allowing children aged five and above to go outdoors in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the Metro Manila Council (MMC) has approved a resolution urging local government units (LGUs) of Metro Manila to issue executive orders and/or enact ordinances. “With reference to the children below 18 years of age, it should be clear whether adults should accompany them. There should be marshals to monitor certain limits,” said Chairman Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). On July 8, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases issued Resolution 125, Series of 2021, allowing children five years old and above to go to outdoor areas under GCQ and MGCQ, except areas under heightened restrictions, subject to the

observance of minimum public health standards. All the local chief executives of Metro Manila unanimously approved the resolution on July 14. The Council, by virtue of Resolution 2111, Series of 2021, urges the LGUs of Metro Manila to issue executive orders and/or enact ordinances setting forth the following: n Listing and identifying allowable outdoor areas or parks, which areas shall be made known to the public through publication by the LGUs of Metro Manila and by MMDA;

Energy dept sees ₧87 million potential revenues from PCECP By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE Department of Energy (DOE) expects over P87 million in potential revenues from the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP). The PCECP is a new and transparent petroleum service contract awarding mechanism that allows the government to develop and utilize indigenous petroleum resources under a service contract with qualified local and international exploration companies. Awarding of service contracts is conducted either through the competitive selection process or via nomination. The agency has received five applications to conduct exploration works at four pre-determined areas (PDAs) in East Palawan, Cotabato basin and two within Sulu Sea Basin. The potential revenue that the DOE could generate could amount to P26,748,561.00. For nominated areas, revenues could amount to P60,984,000.00. The agency has received applications from the private sector to pursue oil and gas exploration activities within Sulu Sea Basin, Northwest Palawan basin, Southwest Luzon basin, East Palawan basin, Mindoro-Cuyo basin, Recto Bank basin. Tot a l re v e nu e s a mou nt i n g t o P87,732,561.00 would be realized upon

Operational. . . continued from A14

DTI said the Japanese companies have chosen the Philippines as the manufacturing site of their most competitive products, leveraging mostly on the country’s highquality human resources. Collectively, these companies represent $2.5 billion in investments, $6.9 billion in exports, and employ over 83,000 Filipinos. In 2020, Japan was the country’s top export market and second-biggest import supplier at $10.03 billion and $8.62 billion respectively, bringing total bilateral merchandise trade to $18.65 billion. It maintained its No. 1 position in 2021,

PPA. . .

continued from A14

She added that earlier this week, Calsedeco workers figured in a standoff with port police and the employees of the new service provider trying to assume operations in the port. Hontiveros warned that if the Duterte administration fails to streamline and fix existing rules on awarding concession

contract signing. “These are processing fee, signature bonus, development assistance, training commitment and scholarship assistance, which are all stipulated in the service contract,” it explained. Aside from the potential revenue, P11.6 million in application fees was received by the agency. Proceeds from the PCECP will be turned over to the National Treasury. Udenna Corp. of Davao businessman Dennis Uy earlier nominated to explore Areas 7 and 8 blocks that are within Reed Bank, also known as Recto Bank. The Pangilinan-led PXP Energy Corp. also submitted a nominated bid for Area 6 block, which falls North of Reed Bank area of South China Sea. PXP and Philodrill Corp. also submitted a bid to conduct oil and gas exploration activities in Area 7, one of the 14 PDAs offered by DOE. To help attain energy security, as well as cushion the country from the volatility of global oil price markets, the DOE established the PCECP to help reinvigorate petroleum exploration and development activities in the Philippines. The DOE is hoping that the contracting round would result in finding another Malampaya, the offshore Palawan project that fuels five power plants in Batangas province. with exports to Japan hitting $2.69 billion from January to April 2021. Japan has also traditionally ranked among the leading sources of foreign direct investments into the Philippines. In the first quarter of 2021, Japan topped foreign investment commitments, accounting for 54.8 percent of total approved foreign investments in the first three months of the year. As the country’s biggest exporter, the electronics industry accounted for 62 percent of all Philippine exports to the world, at $39.7 billion in 2020. Despite heavy reliance on imports, experts project the Philippine medical devices sector to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3 percent to $744.7 million in 2021. agreements soon, similar disputes might start to emerge in other port areas around the country. This scenario, she added, will likely trigger tension and paralyze more ports. “If we have tensions in our ports, shipping operations and cargo delivery will surely be paralyzed, and our economy affected,” she said. The senator prodded authorities concerned to act quickly before the situation worsens, noting that “we are now in the midst of a pandemic.” Butch Fernandez

n Defining “parks” so as to pertain to al fresco or to those areas which are without roofs, even though they are beside an establishment or outside of malls so long as the air is free-flowing; n Imposing a 50 percent limit in the venue capacity in order to avoid overcrowding; n Providing for the deployment of marshals in privately-owned outdoor areas or parks to ensure compliance with the minimum public health standards and protocols;

and

Minors must be accompanied by adults;

n Other conditions which are reasonable under the circumstances as may be determined by the LGUs of Metro Manila in order to ensure the promotion and protection of the welfare of the minors. “These are the conditions that Metro Manila mayors could adopt in issuing executive orders or crafting their respective ordinances in their localities,” Abalos said.

Abalos stressed it is important that guidelines and protocols are in place for outdoor places accessible to children aged five and above amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Another important factor to be considered is the capacity of the outdoor area as overcrowding in open spaces can lead to Covid-19 super spreader events. The MMC, composed of the 17 Metro Manila mayors, is the governing and policy-making body of the MMDA.

Friday, July 16, 2021

The World BusinessMirror

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

Dispiriting setback: Coronavirus deaths, cases rise again globally

ovid-19 deaths and cases are on the rise again globally in a dispiriting setback that is triggering another round of restrictions and dampening hopes for a return to normal life.

The World Health Organization reported Wednesday that deaths climbed last week after nine straight weeks of decline. It recorded more than 55,000 lives lost, a 3-percent increase from the week before. Cases rose 10 percent last week to nearly 3 million, with the highest numbers recorded in Brazil,

India, Indonesia and Britain, WHO said. The reversal has been attributed to low vaccination rates, the relaxation of mask rules and other precautions, and the swift spread of the more-contagious Delta variant, which WHO said has now been identified in 111 countries and is expected to be-

come globally dominant in the coming months. Sarah McCool, a professor of public health at Georgia State University, said the combination amounts to a “recipe for a potential tinderbox.” “It’s important that we recognize that Covid has the potential for explosive outbreaks,’’ warned Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University. Amid the surge, the death toll in hard-hit Argentina surpassed 100,000. Daily coronavirus deaths in Russia hit record highs this week. In Belgium, Covid-19 infections, driven by the Delta variant among the young, have almost doubled over the past week. Britain recorded a one-day total of more than 40,000 new cases for the first time in six months. In Myanmar, crematoriums are working morning to night. In Indonesia, which recorded almost 1,000 deaths and over 54,000 new cases Wednesday, up from around 8,000 cases per day a month ago, people near Jakarta are pitching in to help gravediggers keep up. “As the diggers are too tired and do not have enough resources to dig, the residents in my neighborhood decided to help,” Jaya Abidin said. “Because if we do not do this, we will have to wait in turn a long time for a burial.” In the US, with one of the highest vaccination rates in the world, newly confirmed infections per day have doubled over the past two weeks to an average of about 24,000, though deaths are still on a downward trajectory at around 260 a day. Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the US, reported its fifth straight day Tuesday of more than 1,000 new cases. Tokyo is under a fourth state of emergency ahead of the Summer Games this month, with infections climbing fast and hospital beds filling up. Experts have said caseloads could rise above 1,000 before the Olympics and multiply to thousands during the games. The spike has led to additional restrictions in places like Sydney, Australia, where the 5 million residents will remain in lockdown through at least the end of July, two weeks longer than planned. South Korea has placed the Seoul area under its toughest distancing rules yet because of record case levels. Parts of Spain, including Barcelona, moved to impose an overnight curfew. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said masks will be required on buses and trains even after other restrictions in England are lifted next week. Italy warned all those going abroad that they might have to quarantine before returning home. Chicago announced that unvaccinated travelers from Missouri and Arkansas must either quarantine for 10 days or have a negative Covid-19 test. Connecticut lawmakers voted Wednesday to again extend Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s

emergency declarations, despite pushback from Republicans and some Democrats who argued it is time to get back to normal. Among other things, the move keeps in place orders requiring masks in certain settings. An Alabama military base has ordered troops to show proof of vaccination before they can go maskless as the state sees an uptick in Covid-19 cases, a rise attributed to low vaccination rates. The measure was put in place Tuesday at Fort Rucker, home to the Army’s aviation program. As troubling as the figures are around the world, they are still well below the alarming numbers seen earlier this year. Seven months into the vaccination drive, global deaths are down to around 7,900 a day, after topping out at over 18,000 a day in January, according to Johns Hopkins data. Cases are running at around 450,000 a day, down by half since their peak in late April. W HO a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t many countries are now facing “considerable pressure” to lift all remaining precautions but warned that failing to do it the right way will just give the virus more opportunity to spread. Pressure is growing worldwide to boost vaccination rates to counter the rise. “If you have been waiting, if you have been on the fence, sign up and get that shot as soon as possible,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi pleaded. Eighteen-year-old actress and singer Olivia Rodrigo appeared at the White House on Wednesday as part of an effort by President Joe Biden to persuade more young people. Getting a vaccination is something “you can do more easily than ever before,” she said. While nearly 160 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, or over 55 percent of the population, young adults have shown less interest. Ohio is planning another prize program to encourage vaccinations, and Gov. Mike DeWine urged the government to give the vaccines full approval instead of just emergency authorization to ease people’s doubts. “ The reality is we now have two Ohios,” said Bruce Vanderhoff, the state’s chief medical officer. “An Ohio that is vaccinated and protected on the one hand, and an Ohio that is unvaccinated and vulnerable to Delta on the other.” Michigan already started a Covid-19 vaccine sweepstakes and announced the first four $50,000 winners Wednesday. Bigger prizes, including a $2 million jackpot, are coming. In Missouri, second only to Arkansas with the worst Covid-19 diagnosis rate over the past week, political leaders in and around St. Louis have stepped up efforts to get people vaccinated through gift cards and by enlisting beauty salons and barbershops to dispense information. AP

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Friday, July 16, 2021

Argentina logs 100,000 Covid deaths as Delta variant looms B UENOS AIRES, Argentina— Argentina on Wednesday reported more than 100,000 deaths from Covid-19 since the pandemic began, a heavy blow to a country that intermittently imposed some of the most severe lockdowns in the world, only to see erratic compliance by many people. Some 614 people died from the disease in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 100,250, the Health Ministry said. “I feel bad, it’s not what we thought would happen. This is a hard, very hard statistic,” said Luis Cámera, a doctor who specializes in gerontology and is an adviser on the pandemic to the government of President Alberto Fernández. Cámera attributed the high toll to “some errors” during periodic lockdowns as well damage inf licted by virus variants that swept

through the region. “The Argentine quarantine was prolonged on paper but not on how people behaved,” Cámera said. He was alluding to large gatherings of people that defied social distancing guidance and may have helped spread the virus in late 2020. There were demonstrations over the death of soccer star Diego Maradona and the approval in Congress of a law allowing abortion in most instances. Cámera added that a second wave of the coronavirus at the end of March “came earlier than it should have come,” in part “due to the misconduct of the people and with new, very aggressive variants.” Moreover, Argentina was struggling economically even before the pandemic and many citizens ignored quarantine regulations so they could make a living and support their families.

Then restrictions on gatherings were relaxed over the Christmas holidays and Argentina’s southern hemisphere summer, encouraging people to let down their guard and spend time together. The vaccination effort has also been lagging. The United States has confirmed the most Covid-19 deaths at about 608,000, followed by Brazil (536,000), India (411,000), Mexico (235,000) and Peru (195,000). France, Russia, Britain, Italy and Colombia have each reported well over 100,000 deaths, according to the coronavirus resource center of Johns Hopkins University. The center said about 4,052,000 people around the world are confirmed to have died from Covid-19. The death toll is believed to be much higher in many countries because of misdiagnoses, inadequate testing and other factors. Argentina has reported more than

4.6 million coronavirus infections. Doctors say many of those who are dying are between 40 and 60 years old and were infected about two months ago, before they had the chance to get vaccinated. The longer the hospital stay, the more likely the chance of increasing health complications and death. Edgardo Alvites Guerrero, head of intensive therapy at Llavallol Hospital in Buenos Aires, said the pace of the first doses of various vaccines had advanced well lately. But, he said, “it is far from ideal” because it would be best for most people to get two vaccine doses ahead of the expected spread of the more contagious Delta variant. So far, 15 cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus have been identified in Argentina and were linked to “international travelers” or people related to them, according to the

Ministry of Health. Nine cases were detected in the last week and came from the United States, Mexico and Paraguay. Argentina has a population of about 45 million. Some 20.6 million people have received a first dose of the three available types of vaccines—Sputnik, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm—and about 5.1 million have received two doses, according to official figures. “It is to be expected that a new wave will come...we are in the calm before the storm,” said therapist Gubby Auza while monitoring several Covid-19 patients in an intensive care room at Llavallol. They were all under 60 years old. Argentine Paola Almirón was hospitalized last year with Covid-19 and survived. Her mother, sister, aunt and brother-in-law died of the disease. On Tuesday, she wept while visiting a

cemetery to lay flowers at the graves of her lost family members, a year after their funerals. “My mother died first, two days later my sister and three days later my aunt. It was terrible going to the cemetery with my brother three times in a week, “said 38-year-old Almirón, a nursing supervisor at the Luisa Cravenna de Gandulfo Interzonal General Hospital in the town of Lomas de Zamora, south of Buenos Aires. In an interview with The Associated Press, Almirón said she feels some satisfaction whenever she vaccinates someone against Covid-19 and hopes that people will observe masking and social distancing until the pandemic subsides. “We waited so long,” she said. “We were locked up, we went out, we locked ourselves up again; let’s wait a little longer, in a few months, we should all be vaccinated and get out of this.” AP

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1 Pitx Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City

DENG, HAIFENG Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts) Brief Job Description: Assist Clients with all their concerns

CHEN, PENG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 2.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

CHEN, XIN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 3.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

DANG THU LOAN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 4.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

JIANG, XIAOMING Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 5.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

LYU, JIE Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 6.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

VAY MUN SANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 7.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

XIE, YUANQIANG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 8.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

XU, BIN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 9.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

YANG, LIMEI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 10.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking.

ZHU, WENCHENG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 11.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin Speaking

ZHOU, YANFEI Marketing Staff Mandarin Speaking 12.

Brief Job Description: Monitor, review and report on all Marketing activity and result.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs.

13.

Brief Job Description: Manage Korean customer queries/complaints.

KIM, YEONGSEUNG I.t Consultant 14.

Brief Job Description: Maintain, manage IT systems.

AVANTICE CORPORATION 19/f Pbcom Tower Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

15.

Brief Job Description: Analyse and collate data and trends

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College degree, any field: must be native Singaporean/ Indonesian / Vietnamese / Taiwanese / Chinese/ Korean / Japanese, Fluent in English and respective native language; with at least a year experience in similar field. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs.

Basic Qualification: Vocational / College degree, any field: must be native Thai / Indonesian / Vietnamese / Taiwanese / Chinese/ Korean / Japanese, Fluent in English and respective native language; with at least a year experience in similar field.

LAPOM, RON Operations Executive 16.

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

WATTANASAMBUT, MANCHARI Operations Executive 17.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs.

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments and ensures that basics CS function are performed.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs

NEOU, SARITH Operations Senior Executive 18.

Brief Job Description: Assist in responding to customer inquiries and resolving issues or complaints

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

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs.

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

NGUYEN VIET DONG THUY Operations Senior Executive 19.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs.

LE TRUC HOANG Operations Supervisor 20.

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments and ensures that basics CS function are performed.

RICKY DECSEN Operations Supervisor 21.

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments and ensures that basics CS function are performed.

BELINDA Payment Senior Supervisor 22.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in overseeing day - to -day in operation and undertake coaching and performance monitoring

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs

HENA Payment Senior Supervisor 23.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in overseeing day - to -day in operation and undertake coaching and performance monitoring

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

NINLAPAN, PAKSARAN Risk And Compliance Senior Executive 24.

27.

Brief Job Description: Assist in analysing new customer process and policies

Basic Qualification: College degree of any course; must be Thai / Vietnamese / Chinese fluent in English and native Language ; with at least 2 years’ experience in similar function

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City GONG, LE Mandarin Customer Relations Officer 25.

Brief Job Description: Perform quality audit and translations in technical and non-technical issues reported by users or systems

LIU, ZHUANG Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

28.

29.

30.

26.

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company's products or services.

31.

32.

HOANG VAN VU Vietnamese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read, write and type fluently in Vietnamese language.

Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.

BIGPAT DOS DEVELOPMENT HOLDINGS, INC. 405 Virginia Barangay 128 Pasay City PHELAN BARROSO, IGNACIO MICHAEL Chief Operating Officer 36.

Brief Job Description: Providing leadership and strategic vision, bringing operational, managerial and administrative procedures, reporting structures and operation controls to the company.

BOWENHILLS TECH INC. 19/f Lepanto Bldg. 8747 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City CHEN, JINFU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Officer 37.

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Chinese-speaking markets GU, QI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Officer

38.

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Chinese-speaking markets SU, YUESHU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Officer

39.

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

Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.

PHAM THI TUYET Vietnamese Customer Service 35.

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.

NGUYEN VAN NGA Vietnamese Customer Service 34.

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

DANG THI TRUC LINH Vietnamese Customer Service

NGUYEN THI THUY Vietnamese Customer Service 33.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in MANDARIN, with related BPO experience.

DANG THI TRUC LINH Vietnamese Customer Service

NGUYEN THI MONG VAN Vietnamese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Delivers day to day operational marketing activities to the Chinese-speaking markets

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read, write and type fluently in Vietnamese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read, write and type fluently in Vietnamese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read, write and type fluently in Vietnamese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read, write and type fluently in Vietnamese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read, write and type fluently in Vietnamese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, solid understanding and working knowledge of all areas related to company growth, including marketing, finance, sales, information technology and human resources. excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Strong English and mandarin communication skills (both oral and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Rm 501 Ramon Magsaysay Center 1680 Roxas Blvd. 076, Bgy. 699 Malate Manila XIANG, YONGJUN Mandarin Asset Management

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin language and has excellent communication skills both in written and oral.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Asset Management, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company's products or services.

NGUYEN MINH NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service

40.

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

ZENG, JIKAI Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing Korean and English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION WANG, JIAN Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

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

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing Korean and English.

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

Basic Qualification: Analyse the productivity of the Marketing plans and projects, recommend to Senior Management.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs.

Brief Job Description: Assist in responding to customer inquiries and resolving issues or complaints

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs

No.

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analysing customer needs. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments and ensures that basics CS function are performed.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

ALL OUT MULTI-MEDIA SOLUTIONS CORP. Unit 2302-a West Tower Pse Centre, Exchange Road Ortigas Center, San Antonio Pasig City LEE, GA RAM Customer Service Representative

DINH DUC TAI Business Intelligence Senior Executive

Friday, July 16, 2021

XIANG, CHUANG Mandarin Assistant Project Supervisor 41.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Assistant Project Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

A9 Friday, July 16, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION XIANG, SHUANGSHUANG Mandarin Bidding Administrator

42.

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

LI, JIANKUI Mandarin Construction Management Analyst 43.

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

FU, SHENGJIANG Mandarin Contract Administrator 44.

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

YANG, CHANGFEI Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Coordinator 45.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Bidding Administrator, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

46.

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

47.

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

48.

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

56.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Project Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

WEI, DUNHUANG Mandarin Project Supervisor 57.

49.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Contract Administrator, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Technical Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

LI, YI Mandarin Technical Supervisor 58.

50.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Coordinator, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Finance Supervisor Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Hydro Structural Coordinator, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Mechanical Project Analyst, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

TUO, ZHUOYI Mandarin Technical Supervisor 59.

51.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Mechanical Works Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LIU, SHUHUI Mandarin Operation Analyst 52.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Operation Analyst, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg. Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St. Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months GAO, BO customer service Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk experience/good in oral communication and 60. Brief Job Description: written Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 LI, BAOGUI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 61.

LIU, HUANRUI Mandarin Operation Analyst 53.

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

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

WU, JU Mandarin Operations Supervisor 54.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Operations Supervisor, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

62.

XIANG, PAN Mandarin Procurement Officer 55.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information

MO, ENMING Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 63.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

SHEN, MENGMENG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 64.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

SHI, KANGWEI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 65.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

SONG, GANG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 66.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information WANG, YUWEN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

67.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information WANG, LEI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

68.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information YANG, GANG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

69.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information ZHAI, HUIQIN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

70.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information

ZHAO, JUN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 71.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

ZHAO, YARONG Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 72.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Procurement Officer, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information

LIN, CHENG-YUAN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Operations Analyst, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

No.

Brief Job Description: Maintain database by entering new and updated customer and account information

EGIS INTERNATIONAL S.A. - PHILIPPINE BRANCH OFFICE Unit 708, 7/f Citystate Center 709 Shaw Blvd. Oranbo Pasig City FRAGNOLI, CLEMENT THOMAS Team Leader Assistant 73.

Brief Job Description: Liaising and negotiating with implementing agencies and corporate HQ in France.

GAUCHO AGRI DEVELOPMENTS INC. Suite 2a 2/f Basic Petroleum Bldg. 104 C Palanca St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience / Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience / Good in oral communication and written

74.

HITACHI SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 12/f Marajo Tower 26th St. West Cor. 4th Ave. Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree, MBA or equivalent desired, FUJII, KENTARO At least 15 years of work Senior Vice President - Executive Office experience in general in the ICT field, and General Brief Job Description: knowledge of Finance, HR, 75. To be able to develop policies and procedures for corporate governance and operational processes to ensure optimization and compliance compliance with established standards and regulations. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor Eight West Campus Mckinley West Fort Bonifacio Taguig City Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write ROYCE LIM in Indonesian and at least Indonesian Customer Support Representative college level with related BPO experience. 76. Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, Salary Range: answering questions, and responding to complaints. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

CHEN, YOUSHUI Mandarin Customer Support Representative 77.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience / Good in oral communication and written

78.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints. ZHANG, LIANGCHENG Mandarin Customer Support Representative

79.

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

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

80.

HOOIJSCHUUR, HENDRICUS JOZEF JOHANNES MARIA Project Manager

Basic Qualification: Master's Degree

Brief Job Description: Leadership and Health and Safety Planning

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

KMC SAVILLS, INC. 11th Floor, Sunlife Center 5h Ave. Cor. Rizal Drive Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

DRAGE, JOSEPH WILLIAM Assistant Manager For Transaction And Advisory Services

81.

Brief Job Description: The key role is to meet 100% of individual target of the team; update CRM; attend business development events twice a month; allow to cross sell services of different business lines of the company Customer Perspective, follow sales process and Work on KMC leads. This role is also responsible to chase and acquire leads; update Transaction and Services Manual; follow process of documentation; attend Transaction and Services Trainings and pass Transaction and Services Exam

Basic Qualification: 2+ years’ experience (Non-Real Estate) 2+ years’ experience (Real Estate) Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Real Estate or any Business-related course Good Communication skills Adaptability Good organization and planning skills Excellent analytical skills; Expert in forwarding thinking & market research Team player Excellent interpersonal skills including strong effective verbal and writer communications skills Basic computer skills with the ability to use variety of software; including MS office Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

KONGANBUDDIES MARKETING INC. 48/f Lower Ground Pbcom Tower 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. Bel-air Makati City Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin, FRANSISCA Bahasa, English and Indonesian Customer Service Representative any other multi-lingual language. 82. Brief Job Description: Responds to telephone and/or on cam inquiries and Salary Range: complaints using standard scripts and procedures. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 STEVEN Indonesian Customer Service Representative 83.

Brief Job Description: Respond to telephone and/or on cam inquiries and complaints using standard scripts and procedures.

Basic Qualification: Proficient to Mandarin, Bahasa, English and any other multi-lingual language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LIZARDBEAR TASKING INC. 17th To 20th Floors, Twenty Four Seven Mckinley Building 24th Street And Seventh Avenue Fort Bonifacio Taguig City KALARICKAL, BINISH GEORGE Learning Experience Senior Director 84.

Brief Job Description: Act as the in-house expert in handling the product training branch of one of the biggest campaigns in TaskUS across multiple sites

Basic Qualification: College graduate (of any relevant field), at least 3-5 years’ experience as a Learning Experience Director, Senior Director in a call center Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

LOVE TRAVEL AGENCY, INC. 2f-9 Gateway Bldg. Cartimar, Taft Ave. Brgy. 039 Pasay City LI, SHUROU Chinese Speaking-marketing Operations Manager 85.

Brief Job Description: Manage technical aspects of key marketing systems; present analysis and findings to a variety of audience

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and Cantonese; excellent communication skills; proven track record building Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

M AND J SOLUTIONS PROVIDER INC. Ub 111 Paseo De Roxas Bldg. Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City

WORKMAN, JUSTIN Sales Director 86.

Brief Job Description: Developing key growth strategies tactics and action plans to reach financial targets

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in marketing or related courses / A minimum of 10 years sales and marketing exp 5 years sales environment level 5 diploma (ismm) Advance cert in sales (cim) fluent in English oral and written communication skill Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Degree in Engineering Spec. in Management of Public Water service.

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

JACOBS PROJECTS (PHILIPPINES), INC. 16/f South Tower Rockwell Business Center Sheridan Highway Hills Mandaluyong City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written

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

JIANG, YI Mandarin Customer Support Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for building and maintaining GIS databases and utilizing the GIS software to analyse the spatial and non-spatial information in the databases.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: High analytical thinking to effectively analyse information and databases. Profound GIS knowledge, as a GIS specialist is expected to work with various GIS tools. Several years of proven work experience either professionally or through an internship. A Bachelor’s degree in a discipline such as Computer Science, Geography, or Engineering. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

AGOTE, JORGE AGUSTIN GIS Software Specialist

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

LI, XIANGWEI Mandarin Mechanical Works Supervisor

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

ZUO, BEIYANG Mandarin Mechanical Project Analyst

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

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

ZENG, XIANMING Mandarin Mechanical Project Analyst

Brief Job Description: The Mandarin Project Planning and Design Coordinator will be strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goal.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Construction Management Analyst, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

WU, CHAO Mandarin Mechanical Project Analyst

YANG, ZHONG Mandarin Project Planning And Design Coordinator

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin Project Planning and Design Coordinator, Familiarity, knowledge and awareness on Machinery and Heavy Equipment use by company, Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

HU, KAITAO Mandarin Hydro Structural Coordinator

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

WANG, HAIYANG Mandarin Finance Supervisor

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower C4 Rd. Edsa Ext. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

87.

HU, ZONGGANG Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

88.

89.

90.

91.

92.

93.

94.

95.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

97.

98.

99.

100.

101.

102.

103.

104.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

HUANG, ZUXIAN Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

KELVIN PITRA Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

LI, WEIWEI Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

LI, HAO Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

LI, YINGCHAO Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

LIU, PEIJIE Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

PENG, ZHANZHONG Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

TANG, GUOFEI Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

WANG, CHAOHU Chinese Customer Service 96.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Basic Qualification: able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

WANG, GUOLIN Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

XIE, XIANQIN Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

YAO, QIULING Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

YU, SHIHAI Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires

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

ZENG, LINGJIAN Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

ZHANG, TIANQI Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

ZHONG, ZHIFENG Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

HE, JIANGXIANG Chinese Customer Specialist

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

No.

HUANG, YAOXIN Chinese Customer Service 111.

112.

105.

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

113.

GAO, SUYUN Chinese Customer Service 106.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

114.

HOU, JIAHUI Chinese Customer Service 107.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HU, QIGANG Chinese Customer Service 108.

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

HU, XIAOSHUI Chinese Customer Service 109.

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

HUANG, ZHIJIE Chinese Customer Service 110.

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

115.

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGUYEN QUANG LINH Chinese Customer Service 116.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SONG, XINGHUA Chinese Customer Service 117.

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

ZHANG, XIANCHENG Chinese Customer Service 118.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHANG, KAI Chinese Customer Service 119.

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

ZHAO, XUEQIANG Chinese Customer Service 120.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHENG, HAOJIE Chinese Customer Service 121.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHENG, SHANJUN Chinese Customer Service 122.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHENG, XIAHUA Chinese Customer Service 123.

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

CHOI, HANCHUL Korean Customer Service 124.

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

IN, JOON Korean Customer Service 125.

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

PARK, DAEHEE Korean Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

WOO, SEUNGWAN Korean Customer Service 127.

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

ONG VOON LOONG Malaysian Customer Service 128.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TAN HING HOCK Malaysian Customer Service 129.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HO DINH BAC Vietnamese Customer Service 130.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HO MAN KHIN Vietnamese Customer Service 131.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications with Good Oral and Written communication skills

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LYU, SHAOWEN Chinese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LU, FENGMING Chinese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

LIU, ZHONGBO Chinese Customer Service

126.

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HUANG, ZEBIN Chinese Customer Service

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg. Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City CHEN, YIJUN Chinese Customer Service

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

LE VAN SON Vietnamese Customer Service 132.

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

Friday, July 16, 2021 A10

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

MOC PHAT DAN Vietnamese Customer Service 133.

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

134.

135.

136.

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

137.

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

138.

139.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications with Good Oral and Written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications with Good Oral and Written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications with Good Oral and Written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications with Good Oral and Written communication skills

PARK, JONG WOOK Korean Customer Service Representative 140.

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

Brief Job Description: To respond and resolve customer service and technical support concerns via chat and email.

141.

142.

143.

144.

145.

146.

147.

148.

149.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications 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 communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications 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 communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: High school graduate. Fluent in Korean and English. Can help maintain clients’ internal and external knowledge bases. Can perform other task as required.

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Technical support service

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

XU, YU Mandarin Team Leader

Basic Qualification: Knowledge of performance metrics

Brief Job Description: Maintain and drive program knowledge for the team

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

FU, TAO Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Troubleshoot hardcore/software issues

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

HONG, DA Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Troubleshoot hardcore/software issues

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

HUANG, WUJIE Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Troubleshoot hardcore/software issues

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

LENG, XIAOHUI Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in Computer Networking and Hardware

Brief Job Description: Troubleshooting hardware/Software issues

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

LI, YAN Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Technical support service

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

LI, FEIFEI Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Troubleshoot hardcore/software issues

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

YANG, FENGHUI Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Troubleshoot hardcore/software issues

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

SA RIVENDELL GLOBAL SUPPORT, INC. 9-11 Flr., The Biopolis Bldg. Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City LI, SHIJUN Chinese Customer Service 150.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

PENG, YEH-HSUAN Chinese Customer Service 151.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

XIANG, JING Chinese Customer Service 152.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable computer applications with Good Oral and Written communication skills

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

LIU, AIFANG Mandarin Operations Specialist

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

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

PRANCING DESEN TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INC. Unit 1620 Burgundy Transpacific Place Taft Ave. 079, Bgy. 727 Malate Manila

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

OAMPI INC. 8/f 6780 Ayala Ave. Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City

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

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

VOONG A DUONG Vietnamese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and Data Base Services

UNG HUNG VANH Vietnamese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

UNG HUNG PHUNG Vietnamese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Base Services

TRAN NGOC ANH Vietnamese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support And data base Services

TAY DUY PHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

NGO CHI QUYNH Vietnamese Customer Service

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ENG POH LING Malaysian Customer Service 153.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications 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 communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications 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 communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

A11 Friday, July 16, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION AR LON Myanmari Customer Service

154.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

KYAN ASHWE Myanmari Customer Service 155.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

VONG MY VAN Vietnamese Customer Service 156.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

159.

Brief Job Description: To make initial prospecting and qualifying of leads via consultative approach. CHA, JUNGHOON Korean Technical Support Staff

160.

161.

162.

163.

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language.

Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting.

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

LEE, JUNSEONG Korean Technical Support Staff

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean Language.

Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to and in troubleshooting.

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

UN, HYEONGYU Korean Technical Support Staff

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language.

Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting.

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

OOKA, AKIRA Manager, Civil Engineering Department 166.

Brief Job Description: In-charge of construction planning and engineering matter TADA, HIROMITSU Manager, Civil Engineering Department

167.

Brief Job Description: In-charge of construction planning and engineering matter

Basic Qualification: 20+ years of project experience working in the construction industry

Basic Qualification: 15+ years of project experience working in the construction industry

Brief Job Description: Perform market analysis.

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

THE NIELSEN COMPANY (PHILIPPINES), INC. 24/f & 25/f Wynsum Corporate Plaza Don F. Ortigas Jr. Rd. Ortigas Ctr., San Antonio Pasig City Basic Qualification: MATEI, OANA RALUCA Graduate of Business Associate Director, Retail Vertical course. 171. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Driving engagement with FMCO retailer partners. Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

172.

Brief Job Description: Communicating changes in an order process to relevant parties

UBIQUITY GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES INC. 10th Floor Bench Tower 3rd Ave. Cor. Rizal Drive Fort Bonifacio Taguig City SONI, BHAVESH PRAKASH Vice President, Banking Operations 173.

Brief Job Description: Lead all operational aspects of our dispute and chargeback business. This key leadership role is responsible for meeting and exceeding business objectives ensuring consistent achievement of all financial and operational KPIs for global Banking Operations.

VERTEX DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1439 Adriatico Cor. Sta. Monica St. 072 Bgy. 669 Ermita Manila CAO, HUAJUAN Chinese IT Specialist 174.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

CHEN, YULIANG Chinese IT Specialist 175.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

HUANG, XIAOLONG Chinese IT Specialist 179.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

JIANG, YANHUI Chinese IT Specialist 180.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent job experience in comparable role, MBA preferred. 10+ years banking operations expertise with regulatory compliance experience

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

181.

JIANG, JILU Chinese IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

JIN, AODONG Chinese IT Specialist 182.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

KUAI, LINGUO Chinese IT Specialist 183.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking

Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking

194.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

OU, DEDAO Chinese IT Specialist 195.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

SU, HAIJUN Chinese IT Specialist 196.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

WANG, LINZHAN Chinese IT Specialist 197.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English Speaking

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

XU, CHENG Chinese IT Specialist 198.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

YANG, XIAOLONG Chinese IT Specialist 199.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

KUAI, SHENGLONG Chinese IT Specialist 184.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

LEI, SHENGJIE Chinese IT Specialist 185.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

LEI, XINGZHI Chinese IT Specialist 186.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

LI, WENPING Chinese IT Specialist 187.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

ZENG, WEI Chinese IT Specialist 200.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ZHANG, DONGHUI Chinese IT Specialist 201.

188.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

202.

LIN, ZUOXING Chinese IT Specialist 189.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 LIN, MENG Chinese IT Specialist 190.

191.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

LU, GUANGXU Chinese IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

LYU, JINGZHAN Chinese IT Specialist 192.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

MAO, JUN Chinese IT Specialist 193.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

ANDI KURNIAWAN IT Specialist 203.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

CHOH ZHEN TONG It Specialist 204.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ERIK ERIANTO It Specialist 205.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

ZHAO, CONG Chinese IT Specialist

Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking

Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English Speaking

Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

LI, DAFU Chinese IT Specialist

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English Speaking

OU, CUI Chinese IT Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above Basic Qualification: College graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in Mandarin and English Speaking

Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking

No.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledge and experience in organizational effectiveness and operations management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Professional experience in related field.

XIE, XIAO Operations Manager

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

WU, TAO Mandarin Marketing Specialist

TIANMEX CORPORATION G/f No. 3 F. Concepcion St. San Jose Pasig City

178.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

TELOQUET OUTSOURCING SERVICES INC. Upper 2/f Unit B 2444-a Burgundy Transpacific Place Taft Ave. 079, Bgy 727 Malate Manila Basic Qualification: TAN, XUESI Fluent in Mandarin both Mandarin Customer Service oral and wirtten. 168. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Business process outsourcing Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: WANG, FENGJI Fluent in Mandarin both oral Mandarin Customer Service and written. 169. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Answer products and service questions. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

170.

GAO, RENQIANG Chinese IT Specialist

Basic Qualification: 20+ years of project experience working in the construction industry Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operation of electronic gaming devices

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

Basic Qualification: Preferably six months experience in office staff.

KIM, CHANGIN Korean Technical Support Staff

Brief Job Description: Preparation of bidding documents and in-charge of construction planning

177.

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

KASHIWAGI, SHIGERU General Manager, Project Management Section, International Projects Management Dept. 165.

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Korean language.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

GAO, JINGLUN Chinese IT Specialist

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

Brief Job Description: Apply diagnostic utilities to aid in troubleshooting.

TAISEI CORPORATION - PHILIPPINE BRANCH OFFICE U-902 9f Bdo Equitable Tower 8751 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City HIBIYA, YUTAKA General Manager, Project Management Section, International Projects Management Dept. 164. Brief Job Description: Preparation of bidding documents and in-charge of construction planning

176.

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

SKYLUCK CORPORATION #360, Unit 243 Shaw Center Mall Shaw Blvd. Penthouse Shaw It Center Mandaluyong City Basic Qualification: LEE, YONGHEE Can speak and write fluent Korean Customer Support Staff Korean language. 158. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Build support and elicit problem details from help desk Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 customers.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHEN, WEIPENG Chinese IT Specialist

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

SBT PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit W-1603 B West Tower Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City Basic Qualification: OSADA, TAKUYA Fluent in Japanese & Vice President / General Manager (Japanese Speaking) English. Has strategic leadership skills 157. Brief Job Description: Office management, oversee smooth operation and Salary Range: productivity of company Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

JEON, GANGHO Korean Marketing Consultant

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

LAM SENH CHAU It Specialist 206.

Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

WEAVENET INT'L., INC. Unit 1604 The Centerpoint Condo. Julia Vargas Corner Garnet Road, Ortigas Center San Antonio Pasig City Basic Qualification: YOON, JONG IL Bachelor's degree in Technical Advisor computer science or a related field. Brief Job Description: 207. Provide technical advice as well as expertise to systems Salary Range: development technical project. Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 WUHAN FIBERHOME INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES PHILS., INC. U-19d 19/f Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St. San Lorenzo Makati City Basic Qualification: LI, HONGYU Fluent in Mandarin Project Manager Language , College degree 208. Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Responsible for managing technical issues on Materials, Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Equipment being used on Projects *Date Generated: Jul 15, 2021

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

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-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

Basic Qualification: 300 Vacancy/College Graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices fluent in mandarin and English Speaking

Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate; Preferably with experience in maintaining gaming devices and fluent in Mandarin and English speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A12 Friday, July 16, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

The great adobo challenge of 2021

‘F

ilipino Food: It’s greasy, all tastes the same except for the occasional bird’s eye chili and shows the culinary creativity of a tribe of Hunter-Gathers that just discovered fire.”—European food blogger. “I, too, reached the sad conclusion that the food in the Philippines simply isn’t good. I researched, I tasted and then I found the answer I’d been looking for: the Sofitel Manila Sunday Brunch.”—IndianaJo.com. “I think sisig is perfectly positioned to win the hearts and minds of the world. Filipino cuisine is underrated.”—Anthony Bourdain. “The Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Philippine Standards has established the Technical Committee on Filipino Dishes [BPS/ TC 92] to develop Philippine National Standards on popular Filipino dishes such as Adobo, Sinigang, Lechon, and Sisig taking into consideration the variations observed in all regions of the country.” Let the controversy begin. WHY? WHYYY???!!!” “Authentic Filipino adobo taste? Who has the right to say a taste is authentic Filipino?” “That will be the death of our cuisine” and we know that an important part of any people’s culture is their cuisine. #DontTouchMyAdobo. “What’s the point of ‘standardizing’ the Filipino #adobo when I will always maintain that my lola’s adobo is the best.” DTI clarified that the standards were not mandatory and would only “define what we will promote internationally.” Almost immediately a netizen came up with this slogan, which we think is great: “We have more variations of adobo than we have islands, but each one is guaranteed to give you a taste of the varied, rich culture and traditions of the Philippines. Adobo, the flavors of the Philippines.” “Culinary diplomacy” is actually a thing. The basic premise is that “the easiest way to win hearts and minds is through the stomach,” at least that is what Taiwan said when they took bubble tea and oyster omelets to the world. Taiwan spent $25 million. “Taiwan has sought to boost its tourism sector.” We are not too sure about the tourism sector but who has not had a “bubble tea”? Thailand, as usual, went full serious with their “gastro-diplomacy” in 2002 with the “Global Thai” program. The purpose was to increase the number of Thai restaurants worldwide to 8,000 by 2003 from about 5,500. By 2011, that number had increased to more than 10,000 Thai restaurants worldwide and now is up to about 30,000. Concurrently with the promotion and recipe and ingredient standards, the Export-Import Bank of Thailand offered loans to Thai nationals wanting to open restaurants abroad, and set up an infrastructure for loans of up to $3 million for overseas food industry initiatives, including Thai restaurants. South Korea launched its own culinary program in 2009 with a $77 million investment in “Korean Cuisine to the World” or “Global Hansik” to promote Korean cuisine (hansik), as well as to increase the number of Korean restaurants worldwide to 40,000 by 2017. It worked. Since 2010 Malaysia has undertaken a similar project by running the “Malaysia Kitchen” program to promote Malaysian cuisine in Australia, United States and United Kingdom. Is this plan from DTI a good idea? We will probably never know. We love our freedom of individual choice and apparently there are a hundred wonderful recipes for adobo. How can we pick just one standard by consensus? There are 15 presidential hopefuls—plus “I don’t know”—on the latest Pulse Asia survey and we know how incredibly difficult it is going to be to get that down to one person by May 2022. Are we sure we want to try to pick one adobo recipe? Since 2005

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business ✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

A pensionado program for our bright youth Sonny M. Angara

Better Days

ighteen-year-old Dominic Navarro graduated with honors from the Ilocos Region campus of the Philippine Science High School last May. Dominic is one of several who went through the PSHS system and were offered admission to some of the world’s most prestigious universities. This is no easy task, as getting in is already a huge achievement in itself.

Sadly, not everyone who is offered admission actually gets to set foot in those campuses. In the case of Dominic, his school of choice: the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was offered direct admission to the very competitive BBA Actuarial Science program of the Wisconsin School of Business, required him to shell out $55,000 or close to P2.7 million to keep his slot. With his family’s meager income, Dominic knew they alone would not be able to pay for the hefty price. For now, Dominic has decided to postpone his aspirations of studying abroad and will for the meantime enroll in a mathematics or actuarial science course in one of the country’s top universities. Financial constraints often end up as the primary reason for students giving up on their dreams of a foreign education especially with most families earning just enough

Editor in Chief Associate Editor News Editor

T. Anthony C. Cabangon Lourdes M. Fernandez Jennifer A. Ng Vittorio V. Vitug

Senior Editors

Lorenzo M. Lomibao Jr., Gerard S. Ramos Lyn B. Resurreccion, Dennis D. Estopace Angel R. Calso

Online Editor

Ruben M. Cruz Jr.

Creative Director Chief Photographer Chairman of the Board President Advertising Sales Manager Group Circulation Manager

Eduardo A. Davad Nonilon G. Reyes D. Edgard A. Cabangon Benjamin V. Ramos Aldwin Maralit Tolosa Rolando M. Manangan

BusinessMirror is published daily by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing, Inc., with offices on the 3rd floor of Dominga Building III 2113 Chino Roces Avenue corner De La Rosa Street, Makati City, Philippines. Tel. Nos. (Editorial) 817-9467; 813-0725. Fax line: 813-7025. (Advertising Sales) 893-2019; 817-1351, 817-2807. (Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news@businessmirror.com.ph.

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creating a database of all the scholarships and financial aid programs and will later on coordinate and negotiate with the organizations or host governments involved on behalf of the candidates. In some instances, the State can also share some of the cost as the need arises. A foreign education can offer so much to the growth of young individuals. They get to see the world, meet people from diverse cultures, build their networks, learn about being independent, and gain knowledge and insights into how things are done in developed nations. Like the envisioned post-graduate Pensionado program, the counterpart for tertiary education will also benefit the Philippines by ensuring that the Pensionados will bring back and share the knowledge they gained from their international studies. For instance, the program could ensure that returning scholars teach or train others in their respective fields of specialization or render actual service in government. This proposed program is but one way we can facilitate honest-to-goodness technology transfer and manpower development—which in turn redounds to immeasurable benefits to the rest of the country. Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 17 years. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate. E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

How vaccine chaos left a Covid-zero haven locked down and exposed

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to make ends meet. Apart from tuition, parents will also have to deal with board and lodging for their children. While this usually means living on campus, it still translates to a considerable amount. If one is lucky enough to have family based anywhere near campus, then that is one less thing to worry about. In my case, I was fortunate to have parents who financed my college education in the United Kingdom. But for most Filipino families, the cost is just too prohibitive and would mean asking their children to give up on their dreams of studying abroad. When I read about Dominic’s story, I thought about how government could help in fulfilling the dreams of brilliant young Filipinos like him who deserve to study in the best universities of the world. Back in August 2019, I filed Senate Bill 961 or the Pensionado Act of

2019. Under the bill, a Pensionado Program will be established under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in coordination with non-government organizations, the private sector and other government agencies. This fellowship program is meant to assist Filipinos already employed, either in government or the private sector, with pursuing advanced studies overseas. The term Pensionado is based on the Pensionado Act of 1903, which was passed by the United States Congress shortly after US’s annexation of the Philippines. It was a scholarship program for Filipino students, who were called “Pensionados,” to attend universities in the US. With our version of the Pensionado Act, the fellows will be granted scholarships not exceeding three years in priority disciplines or areas of specialization identified by the CHED. Since the bill only covers post-graduate studies, we are now studying the possibility of expanding its coverage or coming out with a separate measure to cover college education for deserving high school graduates. There are many existing scholarship and financial assistance programs for tertiary education but one has to dig deep to get information about them. An applicant would also be competing with a lot of aspirants from different countries for very limited slots. With the Pensionado program for incoming college students, government will provide assistance by

By Jason Scott | Bloomberg Opinion

ust a few months ago, Australia’s virtually Covid-free status made it the envy of the world. Then the Delta variant flipped the script. After about half a year of relatively normal daily life, Australia’s biggest city is now in the third week of a strict lockdown that on Wednesday was extended until at least July 30. Sydney’s normally bustling central business district is all but deserted, schools are closed and households are forbidden from mixing for fear of further spread among the 6 million population. Even as the US and UK reopen, Australia seems to be stuck in place. And it’s all for a daily caseload a third the size of New York’s and less than 3 percent of what London is currently encountering. About 900 cases have been recorded in Sydney since an unvaccinated chauffeur was infected while transporting airline crew last month. New South Wales state recorded 65 new infections on Thursday, with a higher number expected on Friday. Arguably the most devoted adherent of the “Covid Zero” strategy followed by a few Asia-Pacific economies, Australia has limited the pandemic’s health impacts with strict quarantines, snap lockdowns and a closed-border policy that even bans citizens from leaving.

But a slow vaccine rollout has left the country exposed to outbreaks as newer, more virulent strains slip through border curbs. Like other Covid Zero economies from Singapore to Taiwan, Australia is finding its elimination strategy increasingly difficult to maintain. And the government’s early successes against Covid meant it was slower than other nations in securing and rolling out what looks to be the only real, long-term solution to the pandemic: vaccinations. Back in March, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said of the vaccine rollout: “It’s not a race.” Now he’s increasingly being criticized by health experts and political rivals for failing to quickly secure enough vaccines from a wide range of drug-makers

as the country’s rollout lags behind those of other major economies. “The government drank their own Kool-Aid and thought that they had the answers, when other comparable countries spread the risks by backing many options,” said Bill Bowtell, an adjunct professor in infection and immunity at the University of New South Wales. “Morrison boasted about Australia’s Covid-zero status, but did nothing effective or in time about vaccination or quarantine before Delta hit,” he added. “Nature creates viruses; bad politics prolong pandemics.” Australia has administered enough doses for 18 percent of its population, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker, compared with 52 percent in the US and 61 percent in the UK. The AstraZeneca inoculation has comprised the bulk of the nation’s rollout so far—it is one of two options available to Australians —but mixed messaging over giving the jab to under-40s has caused some vaccine hesitancy, a problem faced by other Covid Zero economies too. Morrison’s critics also point to failures in the quarantine system, which requires returning residents to isolate in a hotel room for two

weeks after re-entering the country. About 20 community cases this year can be traced back to hotel quarantine breaches, according to one measure—a significant rise in the number of “leaks” compared to last year. Sydney’s lockdown is likely to drag on for weeks and could trigger an economic contraction for the country in the short term, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia said Wednesday. Australians outside of Sydney are nervous they will be next: Last year the city of Melbourne spent three months in one of the world’s longest and harshest lockdowns, which successfully stamped out infections but at significant economic cost. The state of Victoria, which includes Melbourne, confirmed 10 new locally acquired cases on Thursday. The escalation of the outbreak has led to additional restrictions including stricter mask rules, while Western Australia state has reintroduced a hard border to keep out residents of the city. “Australians are constantly on tenterhooks worrying that an outbreak is going to force their lives into these huge disruptions,” said Marion See “Vaccine,” A13

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A bright spot in a gloomy economy

Philippine education: Once more with feeling Tito Genova Valiente

annotations

Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes, Ph.D.

EAGLE WATCH

(For My Mother, Liliosa Genova Valiente and all those teachers who had to cross streams and rivers to teach young children in distant barrios.)

ast week, space was devoted to discussing the tourism industry, which, by all accounts, appears to have been severely affected by the pandemic. This time, though, space will be devoted to another services subsector that has performed quite well.

he World Bank, it appears, has apologized, for the “early” release of the dismal report on the state of Philippine education. The Department of Education and its officials are, it seems, happy now that their demand for respectability was heeded.

Business-process outsourcing, as a casual Google search would reveal, is defined as the act of outsourcing an aspect of the operations of a business to a third-party vendor or service provider. A BPO call center is a team of outsourced agents who handle incoming and outgoing customer calls for other businesses. In this pandemic situation where community quarantines and work-fromhome arrangements have become the norm, the BPO industry has proven to be highly essential in ensuring the continuation of many economic transactions. In fact, the most recent data from the National Income Accounts published by the Philippine Statistics Authority show that, despite the ongoing pandemic, “Information and Communication” (where the BPO industry is categorized) has consistently exhibited positive growth rates from the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021. In particular, it posted +4.7 percent in Q1-2020, +10.7 percent in Q2-2020, +3.0 percent in Q3-2020, +1.9 percent in Q4-2020, and +6.3 percent in Q1-2021. Only two other services subsectors have exhibited the same positive trend: 1) “Financial and Insurance Activities” and 2) “Public Administration and Defense; Compulsory Social Activities.” Perhaps, just for comparison, it should also be noted that the services sector posted the following quarterly growth rates: +0.1 percent in Q1-2020, -17.1 percent in Q2-2020, -10.6 percent in Q3-2020, -8.0 percent in Q4-2020, and -4.4 percent in Q1-2021. Gross domestic product (GDP), in turn, posted the following quarterly growth rates: -0.7 percent in Q1-2020, -17.0 percent in Q2-2020, -11.6 percent in Q3-2020, -8.3 percent in Q4-2020, and -4.2 percent in Q1-2021. Now, in terms of shares, the contribution of the “Information and Communication” subsector to the services sector increased from 4.76 percent in 2019 to 5.50 percent in 2020. In Q1-2021, its contribution to the services sector was 5.78 percent. The contribution of the subsector to GDP also increased from 2.87 percent in 2019 to 3.34 percent in 2020. In Q1-2021, its contribution to GDP was 3.45 percent. Recent news reports about the BPO industry appear to cohere with broad macroeconomic trends. According to a statement released by Leechiu Property Consultants, office space demand has recently surged to its highest level since the start of the pandemic, and such demand is backed by growing interest from outsourcing firms. From Q1-2021 to

As for the state of our Philippine education, nothing has changed. As that other tramp, Estragon, in Beckett’s masterpiece on despair, moans: “Nothing happens, nobody comes, nobody goes, it’s awful!” But, at least something happened to me. In my search for documents to write about, I found a copy of what comes across as a simple but radical approach to education. Elementary education. The document, more than 200 pages all in all, tackles language education for Grades I to IV. Its title is Course of Study for Primary Grades. The first chapter opens with “Model Programs” treating the subject of language. First of all, the document has a very specific bias—that of using English as a mode of instruction. The introduction opens with this sentence: “In making programs as well as in outlining courses of study for our primary pupils, we must give first consideration to our language problem.” Fair enough. Then it continues: Since the language that the Filipino child hears out of school is his own native language and since he enters school with the vocabulary and the modes of speech of that language pretty established, the problem of teaching him in English presents peculiar difficulties.” Immediately, we sense a colonial crisis in the offing, but as this is about pedagogy, let us proceed and listen to the solution. The idea being that what must work for an

Vaccine. . .

continued from A12

Maddox, an honorary professor of politics at Macquarie University. “We had this aura of everything being under control,” she said. “But now we’ve earned a reputation of being ill-prepared to vaccinate our people, who are becoming more frustrated.” The contrast with the US and Europe is stark. Those places are reopening their economies despite thousands of new infections every week. While the risk of fresh outbreaks is inevitably heightened, with about 40% of the EU population fully vaccinated many nations are deciding it is time to “live with the virus,” as one French minister put it.

Q2-2021, demand for office space has increased by 38 percent to 169,000 square meters. Total office space demand in the first half of 2021 has reached 291,000 square meters—already 75 percent of the demand for 2020. The BPO industry accounts for about 92,000 square meters—more than half of second quarter demand. According to LPC, the 160-percent growth since Q1-2021 is being driven by increasing economic stability in Western countries. LPC also claims that investor sentiment has improved amid the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines. In connection with ongoing vaccination programs, there have been some changes to the priority categories, one of which is the inclusion of BPO workers in the A4 priority group. Included in the A4 priority group are the following: 1) private sector workers required to be physically present at their designated workplace outside their residences; 2) employees in government agencies and instrumentalities, including governmentowned and controlled corporations and local government units; and 3) informal sector workers and selfemployed individuals who may be required to work outside their residences, as well as those working in private households. Indeed, the inclusion of BPO workers in the A4 priority group is a welcome development, in light of the reported vulnerability of BPO companies to Covid-19 outbreaks. News items reveal that not all BPO employees are given the chance to work from home. Some BPO employees who work on-site claim that they have often failed to observe physical distancing by sitting close to co-workers, sharing headsets, and sleeping on mattresses spread on the floor. What is deeply ironic is that the government itself is even seeking the help of BPO companies to augment contact tracing efforts. In sum, the country is fortunate to have a strong BPO industry that has significantly contributed to its economic resiliency. In the immediate term, it is only fair that both BPO employers and the government strictly ensure BPO workers’ health and safety. In the long term, there should be a stronger commitment to invest on human and physical capital to ensure the viability of the BPO industry. A well-educated, highly-skilled workforce will ultimately be crucial for the survival of this economy. Dr. Ser Percival K. Peña-Reyes is the Associate Director of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development.

Australia remains among the top 10 places to be during the pandemic according to Bloomberg’s latest Covid Resilience Ranking, but has fallen four places due to its inability to loosen border restrictions. The prime minister has defended his government’s vaccine strategy, saying an accelerated rollout puts it on track to provide enough jabs for all Australians who want them by the end of the year. Still, he’s yet to offer a time-line for reopening, or to indicate how many Australians will need to be vaccinated before that can happen. With elections due by May, the conservative government now narrowly trails the main Labor opposition in one major poll, and Morrison’s personal popularity has slumped.

Friday, July 16, 2021 A13

instruction done in English may also function with efficacy when other languages are employed. The next paragraph offers an approach: “To overcome these difficulties, we must surround him [the pupil] with an environment in which he hears and speaks English as many hours a day as is compatible…” A practical proposition, if you may. It is, however, when the programs are further explained that the liberal notion of this material comes to the fore. It explicitly says that “the model programs should not be followed slav ishly [underscoring mine] nor should they be used without modification if modification is thought desirable.” Each year, we hear about “new” and “progressive” methods of educating the young. Prep schools, massively expensive by reputation, are at the forefront of many experimentations and state-of-the-art technologies. This document I have with me seems to be singular as well with its pedagogical tool. It has a very firm stand on where to begin language learning and instruction and this it affirms in its solid belief that ev-

The Lacson-Sotto tandem

erything begins with oral instruction. It states thus: “A large amount of oral language work must be done by children in their early years of their school life in order to give them even a fair speaking vocabulary.” It even goes out to emphasize how “no amount of word drill will accomplish the same purpose.” How do we accomplish what it sets out to do? The document enumerates the modalities, which include conversation or plain talking, telling stories, playing and using words in games, and getting into “dramatization.” Clear about the necessary technologies, the makers of this instructional material declare how “little attention has been given to oral composition” and “too much formal work has been done.” With emphasis, they say: “Subject matter other than the child has been made central.” Then it proceeds to

underscore a most practical aspect of language learning and that is to recognize and use language that is “vitalized” or alive. Introduced to the Filipino child, the English language should reflect the realities of the child both in and out of the academic space: “Language activity in the schoolroom should be as nearly like that of life as possible.” The next paragraph that follows are most impressive: “The Filipino child’s interests, emotions, and social life outside of school are in his

The Lacson-Sotto tandem is an ideal partnership. It constitutes a geographical balance representing the north and the south. Lacson hails from Cavite, while Sotto’s roots are from Cebu. The two provinces have the largest voting population in the country, and together make up a total of 5.2 million registered voters during the 2019 elections.

When others hem and haw and disavow any ambition to seek the top two positions only to make a complete turnaround when the filing for the candidacy begins, the Lacson and Sotto tandem is more forthright and open with their goals. Lacson had been there before. In 2004, he ran for president as an independent candidate when he was disowned by his own party, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino. Despite being partyless, Lacson finished third garnering more than 10 percent of the total votes cast. He edged out Senator Raul Roco and Bro. Eddie Villanueva who wound up fourth and fifth, respectively, in that presidential derby. Lacson has lived without “pork” since he became a senator, and it proved healthy for his political career. When he was the PNP Chief, he was the nemesis of “kotong cops” and he whipped the police force to become respected law enforcers once more. On the other hand, Sotto has a phenomenal career in politics. From holding the Vice Mayor post in Que-

man who wants to enter an elective public office. The Lacson-Sotto tandem is an ideal partnership. It constitutes a geographical balance representing the north and the south. Lacson hails from Cavite, while Sotto’s roots are from Cebu. The two provinces have the largest voting population in the country, and together make up a total of 5.2 million registered voters during the 2019 elections. That’s bigger than the entire Davao Region or Northern Mindanao. While Sotto launched his political career in QC, his ancestors are the powerhouse Sottos of Cebu who produced two outstanding Senators before and shortly after the war. Lacson, as an adopted son of Cebu for his outstanding service as a police officer in the province in the 1990s, is also Cebu’s favorite son. Their ticket constitutes a geographical balance. This balancing model is what a possible “DuterteCarpio-Duterte” or “Go-Duterte” ticket would direly lack. Even if we assess the Lacson-Sotto tandem under the so-called “partnership model” or choosing a running mate based on the ability to complement and help the standard bearer in managing the complex affairs of the state, the Lacson-Sotto pair is a formidable combination. For instance, Lacson

Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES here must be some truth in the aphorism “the early bird catches the worm.” He who moves early has a good chance of success. That’s true in any human undertaking—in pursuing a career, business or even politics. Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III must have seen wisdom in it that the two who have declared their serious interest to seek the presidency and vice presidency, respectively, have now started touring the provinces to get the pulse of the people. Baring one’s intention to serve the people by openly aspiring for the highest two positions in our government is admirable. zon City, he jumped to a national office when he was elected as the No. 1 Senator of the Republic in the 1992 senatorial election. He is now serving his 4th term as a Senator. In 2017, he was elected Senate President by his colleagues, succeeding Senator Koko Pimentel. To his credit, despite overwhelming reports that President Duterte will slide down to the vice presidency, Sotto is not daunted by such prospect. He remains undeterred and has expressed readiness to do battle with the President. It’s now less than three months before the Comelec opens up its offices for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC) for all elective positions in the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections. The campaign period for the President and Vice President starts on February 8, 2022, or less than seven months from today. An earnest candidate who truly wants to offer his or her services to the people must now make his or her move and send an unmistakable signal of his or her intention. Time waits for no

native dialect. Therefore, our surest way of getting results in developing speech power in English is to bring home and community life into the schoolroom. We must study the child’s interest; that is, we must find out what he thinks and talks in his own language. We must bring these interests into the classroom and we must talk about them in English. Only in this way can we give the child a usable vocabulary in English.” This is followed by what I call a punch line: “Formal schoolroom English should be avoided.” What can be more progressive than that! There are nuggets of teaching wisdom in this document. One reminds of what many teachers do, which is to craft sentences with grammatical errors and let the pupil spot them. This is for the Grade III and Grade IV, where writing is introduced. The document warns how the “teacher should never teach good usage by giving the children incorrect forms to correct.” The book goes on to more specific exercises. It suggests the use of Mother Goose Rhymes but where there are local tales, then the latter should be used for learning. There are more exciting cases and startling classroom exercises from this document. I could go on and on but it is pathetic that this book, from which I have been quoting these wise instructions, came out when there was no Department of Education yet but a Department of Public Instruction, under which was the Bureau of Education. And the year was 1924. What happened between those years and now? I rest my educated case.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

can focus on corruption and venalities in government while Sotto can address the drug problems, which have been their lifelong advocacies. Lacson can zero in on crimes and peace and order. He can formulate and submit a national budget that is free of pork barrels and illegal insertions, which do not support our country’s development. Sotto can look into the local government concerns and promote effective collaboration with Congress, as well as attend to legislative issues. This will resolve gridlock between the administration and Congress, which most often causes severe dysfunction and paralysis in government. Their ongoing consultative meetings should yield valuable inputs from the people to enable them to craft a peopleoriented platform of government. In a recent press conference while visiting the Northern Luzon provinces, the two have announced that they will make their official announcement regarding their candidacies on August 5. If this happens and they launch their respective bids for the presidency and the vice presidency for the next presidential elections, Lacson and Sotto will have a significant lead over those who continue to play coy and seemingly uninterested for the posts. While others may have a legitimate reason for not yet throwing their hat in the political ring, we can only surmise what kind of prodding and convincing they need before they cross the Rubicon. Or, to borrow a colloquial phrase, is it a case of “hele hele, bago quiere”? Why not settle for Lacson and Sotto who are willing to run for the posts and ready to serve and assume office if elected? They are willing to risk themselves to early attacks by potential rivals, but they also get the attention that all candidates crave.

A14 Friday, July 16, 2021

Operational, fiscal woes bug Japan investors’ $3-B plans

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

APANESE firms are keen on investing $3 billion for expansion and diversification projects but are concerned about the operational and fiscal bottlenecks that could hamper their plans.

In a recent dialogue with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the 10 Japanese firms who were in the meeting raised concerns regarding the timely issuance of travel visas for their executives and engineers. They also expressed concern over the processing and release of permits and licenses by regulatory agencies, VAT and other additional taxes by LGUs, and access to COVID-19 vaccinations. “They inquired if foreign investors with significant investment and expansion plans could be assisted by way of green or express lanes similarly provided by host governments in Asean for foreign

investors struggling to remain competitive under the challenges of a Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 environment,” DTI said in a statement. “As critical members of the global supply chain, locators are constantly reeling from the pressure of pandemic-related restrictions that have negatively impacted their bottom-line, production, and delivery schedules,” it added. DTI said the locators also expressed their desire to transition to renewable energy sources and bring their operations in line with the United Nations sustainable development goals. One locator that employs over 23,000 Filipinos across its three

plants shared that a major customer is requiring its suppliers to switch to full renewable energy sources by 2023 and requested assistance to comply with this requirement. DTI said Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez replied that these matters are already being discussed with concerned government agencies in a whole-of-government approach. Lopez said this is being done in order to ensure the realization of their business plans in the Philippines. He also reiterated the country’s efforts to deepen its economic relationship with Japan. “As the Philippines builds back better from the pandemic, we will strengthen trade and investment ties with other countries, particularly Japan. After all, Japan has been a strong and important trading partner and investment source of the Philippines. The country is an ideal host for Japanese manufacturing and R&D activities in electronics, printers, and medical devices,” Lopez said. The 10 Japanese locators that participated in the roundtable discussion organized and moderated by Commercial Counselor Dita An-

gara-Mathay included the biggest names in global image solutions, electronics components, and medical device manufacturing. The locators are Brother Industries, Canon Inc., and Seiko Epson Corporation, which are among the top five vendors in the global multifunction printer market, according to a study by tech and advisory research firm Technavio. The list included Terumo Corporation and JMS Co. Ltd., market leaders in the Asia Pacific medical device industry, specifically in the infusion therapy device segment. Other firms are ROHM Co., Ltd. which commands an 80-percent share of the isolated gate driver integrated circuits market and NIDEC Corporation and MinebeaMitsumi Inc. which holds a leading position in the micro DC motors market. The dialogue also included Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. which commands about 40 percent of the global multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) market, a key component of consumer electronics devices and automobiles, as well as IBIDEN, a market leader in the diesel particulate filter market. Continued on A

PPA ORDER’S IMPACT ON PORT WORKERS PROBED

HE Senate is poised to mount an inquiry into a Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) directive that some quarters fear would render jobless “thousands of port workers and cargo handlers.” In filing Resolution 775, Senator Risa Hontiveros paved the way for Senate probers to review implementation of a recent PPA administrative order that could “eliminate the livelihood of thousands of port workers and cargo handlers in the country.” The administrative order embodied in PPA-AO No. 122018, threatens the livelihood of small stakeholders in the shipping industry, the senator said. “We the need to protect the livelihood of thousands of port workers, cargo handlers and other shipping industry employees,” she added. The beleaguered port workers, she pointed out, also play a vital role in the economy, more so now that the country is reeling from the Covi19 pandemic. The senator pointed out that PPA-AO No. 12-2018 intends to implement a so-called “Port Terminal Management Regulatory Framework” that, in part, mandates that contracts for operation and management of

ports under PPA jurisdiction must be awarded to parties offering the highest concession fees in a public bidding. In a statement, she asserted that implementation of the Administrative Order should be examined to “ensure that economic disruption to the dockworkers is minimized and that the public bidding was fair and above board.” The senator asked, “Was there a consultation with stakeholders prior to the AO implementation?” and added: “Because this new framework may unduly favor large corporations who have the capital to offer drastically higher concession fees than cooperatives and local small businesses.” She also noted that the framework effectively threatens to “displace thousands of workers from these existing concessionaires who are no match to big businesses.” She recalled the experience of hundreds of cargo handlers and other port workers from the Calapan Labor Service Development Cooperative (Calsedeco) in Oriental Mindoro, who are “now in danger of losing their jobs after the PPA entered into a new contract with a private firm for services formerly provided by Calsedeco.” Continued on

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Holcim sets aside ₧210M to upgrade cement plants

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ement firm Holcim Philippines Inc. on Thursday said it will invest some P210 million in initiatives that will reduce fuel consumption and increase mineral additive usage in its plants in Bacnotan, La Union and Lugait, Misamis Oriental. Horia Adrian, Holcim president, said the projects are part of the company’s commitment to upgrade its facilities. “More efficient operations will help us deliver better financial results and improve our environmental footprint. We look to continue implementing these improvements to meet our objectives of delivering greater value to our shareholders and

business partners while becoming better stewards of the environment.” Holcim held a ceremonial signing ceremony earlier this month to award the contract to Sinoma CBMIPH Construction Corp. for the installation of a drying facility in La Union. The project will reduce the fuel consumption of the La Union plant by reusing hot gases from operations to dry materials instead of a separate

equipment. Holcim also tapped the same company to install a drying facility at its Misamis Oriental plant, which will reduce the moisture of raw materials to improve grinding operations. This will enable the Misamis Oriental plant to increase mineral additives, which will cut its carbon footprint and save natural resources in making cement. The La Union and Misamis Oriental projects are scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of 2022 and October, respectively. Sinoma CBMIPH is the local unit of China-based Sinoma CBMI, which has participated in a number cement plant projects all over the world. In January, Holcim also started projects worth P121.5 million to raise the efficiency of converting qualified waste materials of its Norzagaray, Bulacan plant into alternative fuels. These will enable its Geocycle unit to support the Bulacan plant in using more qualified postconsumer and municipal solid wastes

as alternative fuels instead of coal. The company said it is one of the pioneers in using qualified wastes, such as non-recyclable plastics and biomass as alternative fuels in cement manufacturing through coprocessing technology since 2003. In co-processing, qualified waste materials are pre-processed as alternative fuel and fed into the hightemperature kilns along with other traditional fuels to produce cement. This process transforms wastes to alternative fuel and converts these into energy for cement production. The technology is recognized globally and is approved by the Philippine authorities due to its proven advantages in environmental and safety performance. In 2020, Holcim Philippines coprocessed close to 130,000 tons of qualified wastes from local governments, industry partners and agricultural processors in its plants in Luzon and Mindanao led by its Geocycle unit.

PHL Seven allots ₧1B for capex P

hilippine Seven Corp., the operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores in the country, said it has set aside a capital expenditure (capex) budget of P1 billion for this year to put up more stores in residential areas. Jose Victor Paterno, the company’s president and CEO, said the company is set to build more of its modular stores, a smaller type of 7-Eleven that will occupy about 120 to 150 square meters, in residential areas. These modular stores can be built in about 30 days and will only work for land-leased branches. These stores can easily be transferred somewhere else when needed. Paterno also said 7-Eleven stores now carry more essential products. “We’re trying to get a larger share of that [essential goods] as many customers are looking for those products. We spend much of this year working on that it requires

more skus [stock-keeping unit], more items. We’ve gotten a new warehouse to house those [items],” he said in a media briefing. “We believe we are better prepared to face today’s situation and tomorrow’s. The earnings will reflect that,” Paterno said, adding that the company may post an income this year. The company recorded a P419.71million loss in 2020. This year’s capex, which was 41 percent lower than the previous year’s P1.7 billion, will be spent mostly on opening some 200 stores, a chunk of which will be modular branches in residential areas. The company has so far opened 75 stores this year, largely in residential areas as it stopped expanding into commercial business districts (CBDs). In 2019, it spent some P3 billion in capex as it opened 350 stores. Last year, the company managed to open 174 new stores, bringing its

December 2020 total to 2,987. The 174 new stores opened last year was a 50-percent drop in new store openings compared with the 2019 record. The majority of the new stores can be found in areas where competitors continue to expand. The company, however, permanently closed 100 stores due to the pandemic. Earlier this week, the company opened its 3000th store in Lawa Road, Meywoods Subdivision, Meycauayan, Bulacan. “We are experimenting with modular stores. We see it as a platform to expand our considerable payments business. We have barcode-capable ATM, where you can withdraw as long as you have KYC [know-yourcustomer]. We will be launching a KYC service this quarter in partnership with digital KYC provider. It is also our bet on financial inclusion,” Paterno said. VG Cabuag

Radius eyes expansion to Bacolod, Iloilo By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

adius Telecoms Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), said on Thursday it plans to expand its fiber footprint to key cities in the Visayas this year. Jenevi L. Dela Paz, the company’s COO, said his group is “looking at Bacolod and Iloilo” as the company’s next growth areas to offer its fiber-to-the-home services called Red Fiber. “We’ve been doing our expansion in Metro Manila mostly in the last mile. We should be able to cover by the end of the year, half-a-million homes passed. Our capacity should be able to reach 500,000 subscribers,” he said during a press briefing on Thursday. Within the next two or three years, Dela Paz added, the company should be able to reach as much as 2 million homes passed. “We are very deliberate in our expansion plans because we don’t want to expand very immediately and tax the network and affect consumer experience,” he said. Currently, Red Fiber is available in Mega Manila, Batangas, Quezon, Bulacan, Clark, and Cebu. Radius Telecom President Exequiel C. Delgado noted that this year’s capital expenditures will

Radius Telecom President Exequiel C. Delgado

be “very, very substantial because telecoms is a very capital intensive venture.” He did not disclose the exact amount. During the press briefing, the Red Fiber executives also announced a partnership with Cignal TV to offer its residential customers Internet connectivity paired with IPTV content. Radius Telecoms is a 100 percent

Meralco company, delivering its services on an end-to-end full fiber optic network covering more than 5,000 kilometers in the Mega Manila and nearby provinces. The company claimed it is one of the preferred connectivity providers in the Mega Manila area, offering dedicated internet access, global networking, managed and cloud services including SD-WAN and zero trust networking solutions.

Friday, July 16, 2021

‘LPG bill to plug regulatory gaps’ P

etron Corp., the country’s lone oil refiner, on Thursday welcomed the passage of the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) Industry Regulation Act after it was approved by the bicameral conference committee. The proposed measure seeks to create a national energy policy and regulatory framework to strengthen and restructure regulations governing the LPG sector. Through this landmark bill, stronger and more stringent penalties will be in place for offenses like illegal refilling, underfilling, hoarding, use of sub-standard cylinders, and operating without a valid license. “LPG is a staple product in many homes and establishments. The passage of the LPG Bill will address regulatory gaps in the industry, strengthen consumer protection, and increase public safety against accidents resulting from illegal LPG trade practices. We are very pleased with this development and look forward to the positive changes it will create in the industry and among LPG users,” Petron said. Petron has consistently expressed its support for the bill as a means to curb illegal activities in the LPG sector that endanger lives

and undermine consumer rights, while acknowledging efforts of law enforcement agencies to target illegal sources of LPG products. Petron Gasul cylinders are often replicated or illegally refilled by unauthorized LPG refillers. These fake cylinders are dangerous, of substandard quality, and most of the time, underfilled. The company has also issued reminders to the public to source their cylinders only through authorized sellers to ensure their safety and security. LPG explosions from product leakages in non-compliant cylinders are a common cause of fire incidents in the country. Petron LPG products are manufactured according to stringent safety standards by the Department of Trade and Industry including wall thickness, weld integrity, and valve fitting. Each cylinder passes through rigorous testing and inspection before they are refilled and distributed in the market. A laser-printed quality seal with “unique QR-code” serves as an assurance that each Petron Gasul has passed safety and quality testing. At end-2020, Petron captured 21 percent of the LPG market share. Lenie Lectura

Companies BusinessMirror

Friday, July 16, 2021

Lucio Co liquor unit to raise ₧7.5B from follow-on offer

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

he Keepers Holdings Inc., Lucio Co’s liquor distribution arm, has filed its registration statement to raise some P7.5 billion in fresh cash through its follow-on offering tentatively set for September. In the registration statement it submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, The Keepers, formerly Da Vinci Capital Holdings Inc., will sell to the public some 3 billion common shares at an offer price of up to P2 to P2.50 per share. Da Vinci, formerly Mariwasa Manufacturing Inc., is already listed on the PSE but as a shell company with no operations. Co has carved out its three his liquor, wine and specialty beverage distribution busi-

nesses and placed it in the company. The businessman, who also owns Puregold grocery chain, has infused Montosco Inc., Meritus Prime Distributions Inc. and Premier Wine and Spirits Inc. into The Keepers. The three firms were previously owned by Cosco Capital Inc., Co’s holding firm. “We are excited by the opportunity to bring our company to the investing public,” The Keepers President Jose Paulino Santamarina said.

“This is like an IPO [initial public offering] because we are actually introducing a new business, one that is rife with huge potential. The Keepers is poised to become the only pure play, imported spirits distribution listed company in the Philippines,” he said. Stockholders of the listed company gave their go signal to the issuance and listing of up to 3 billion common shares through a follow-on public offering, or a “reIPO”, during their annual meeting last May 28. Its shares will be listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KEEPR. Proceeds from the public offering will used to fund the company’s expansion, horizontal and vertical integration, alternative distribution channels and new geographic territories’ particularly into the high-growth alcoholic beverage market, the company said. More than half of the proceeds

or about P4 billion will be used to acquire other liquor companies, some P1 billion will be used to expand its portfolio of brands, P1 billion will be invested in the distribution and logistics network, and P500 million will be used as working capital. The rest of the funds will be used for general corporate purposes. The company engaged China Bank Capital Corp., PNB Capital and Investment Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. as the joint issue managers, joint lead underwriters and joint bookrunners for the transaction. Collectively, The Keepers is the largest distributor of imported spirits in the Philippines with a market share of 74 percent based on volume and 66.9 percent based on retail sales value in 2020, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis Ltd. Its brands include Alfonso brandy, Johnnie Walker whiskey, Jose Cuervo, Jim Beam and Jinro.

SM gives jabs to two-thirds of its work force

he SM Group on Thursday said it has intensified its vaccination drive as it has inoculated two-thirds of its work force. SM ordered over 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines for its employees and for donation to the national government, in support of the concerted response to boost national recovery. Apart from its own employees, SM’s shopping malls have also been hosting the vaccination program of various local government units. Its giga vaccination center at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, with its cathedral-high ceiling and 8,000 square meters of floor space to allow for proper air flow, accommodates over 2,000 persons. “With its commitment to promote safe and healthy communities, SM provides comfortable, convenient, safe and accessible vaccination venues all over the country,” the company said. Around 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses were administered in over 60 malls around the country. SM malls have also launched the Vax, Shop and Dine rewards program to give incentives to the vaccinated.

Several SM malls have also earned their safety seals from their respective local governments which affirm their compliance with public health standards set by the government. “Doing the vaccination here in the malls is a good thing because the goal is to reach as many people as you can and we all know that Filipinos love to go to the malls,” said Khatrina, 36. She is into the second trimester of her pregnancy and was vaccinated at the Galleon in SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay. Christie, who works as a cashier at SM Hypermarket at the Mall of Asia, received her first dose from the company last June 27 as soon as the Covid-19 vaccine doses arrived. “We got vaccinated for the safety of our families, our colleagues at work and the people we deal with,” she said. Jack Conrado Dones, who works as a bagger for SM Hypermarket, said he also feels safer after getting inoculated. “There is a big benefit to getting vaccinated. I feel I can work better and my family is safe,” he said. VG Cabuag

mutual funds

July 15, 2021 NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

219.58

8.58%

-4.42%

-4.39%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.4329

37.96%

-0.13%

1.2%

9.13%

11.17%

-8.64%

-6.73%

-3.05%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7679 10.82%

-4.48% n.a.

-4.48%

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7593 12.61%

-2.93% n.a.

2.39%

First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

11.64%

-2.31%

-2.57%

-1.94%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.7148

4.3%

-5.62%

-6.65%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.0374

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

4.8455

-3.36%

102.16

28.47%

-1.15% n.a.

0.22%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

44.9618

10.39%

-2.58%

-3.33%

-4.03%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

472.23

8.56%

-2.59%

-3.71%

-3.43%

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5

1.0808

22.43% n.a. n.a.

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.1386

10.97%

-2.51%

-2.76%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

33.7794

11.87%

-1.97%

-2.19%

-2.85%

9.27% n.a. n.a.

-4.07%

-1.5% -2.53%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.8758

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.6095

11.07%

-1.96%

-2.56%

-3.79%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

771.73

11.11%

-1.86%

-2.68%

-3.73%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7065

12.41%

-5.77%

-5.62%

-1.72%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.5177

10.02%

-4.1%

-3.93%

-2.93%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8813 10.6%

-2.22%

-2.82%

-3.97%

United Fund, Inc. -a

-2.71%

-1.99%

-3.15%

-1.64%

-2.12%

3.2144

11.12%

-5.92%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

103.6242

11.12%

-3.65%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

$1.2412

20.47%

6.82%

7.64%

3.18%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.8199

26.51%

12.25%

12.3%

8.79%

1.22%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.689

7.26%

0.69%

-1.87%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.2214

6.97%

-0.36%

-1.35%

-2.8%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.5908

6.34%

0.53%

-0.68%

-1.38%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.194 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

1.9456

5.04%

3.8% n.a. n.a. 2.02%

-0.94%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.6669

4.19%

1.19%

-1.24%

-3.2%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.4376

4.88%

1.32%

-1.22%

-2.95%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.0464

5.76%

-0.14%

-0.94%

-2.28%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.5096 6.18%

-0.92%

-2.18%

-1.78%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.983

2.84% n.a. n.a.

-3.87%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.8997

4.88% n.a. n.a.

-5.21%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8863

6.35% n.a. n.a.

-5.02%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

7.56%

-1.16%

0.8774

-1.42%

-2.52%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03822

-1.19%

2.89%

1.27%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1226

9.97%

3.85%

4.27%

-2.3% -2.4%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.7813 19.67%

9.35%

8.59%

5.95%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.2232 9.79%

5.39%

4.65%

1.76%

0.34%

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

372.32

1.49%

3.17%

2.4%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.9219

-1.13%

1.03%

0.17%

1.14%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2321

1.17%

3.71%

4.29%

0.54%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2615

-1.92%

2.19%

1.19%

-1.5%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4405 -0.6%

3.27%

1.64%

-0.52%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

4.25%

1.06%

-3.59%

-2.32%

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

July 15, 2021

Net Foreign Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Stocks Buy (Sell) FINANCIALs

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND IREMIT MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH

46 109.5 85 24.9 9.83 48.35 10.6 21.1 56 20.6 116.2 76.8 1.51 4.29 2.99 7.36 1.29 0.38 0.69 247

47 109.7 86.3 25 9.84 48.4 10.98 21.15 57.5 20.9 116.9 76.95 1.52 4.3 3.14 8.61 1.32 0.39 0.72 249

46 111.5 86.7 25 9.9 48.9 10.72 21.3 56 20.9 118 76.8 1.5 4.38 3 7.36 1.3 0.38 0.72 250

47 111.8 86.7 25.4 10 48.9 10.72 21.5 58 21 118 77.05 1.55 4.38 3 7.36 1.3 0.39 0.72 250

46 109.2 85 25 9.81 48.25 10.72 21.15 56 20.6 116 76.2 1.5 4.3 3 7.36 1.3 0.38 0.69 247

47 109.5 85 25 9.84 48.4 10.72 21.15 57.9 20.6 116.9 76.95 1.51 4.3 3 7.36 1.3 0.39 0.69 247

15,100 1,140,260 301,870 48,000 197,600 469,400 3,700 328,900 4,240 138,700 424,410 36,230 20,000 173,000 20,000 600 3,000 120,000 52,000 3,510

704,395 125,142,923 25,748,047 1,200,350 1,947,515 22,752,210 39,664 6,987,165 238,260 2,889,980 49,537,832 2,787,968 30,360 748,140 60,000 4,416 3,900 45,700 35,940 875,522

-422,970 -70,345,330 -16,908,638.50 -65,040 -607,522 -7,166,355 389,880 -11,580 -8,883,261 1,466,097.50 -78,120 -4,416 34,500 -114,238

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 8.78 8.8 8.76 8.94 8.65 8.8 43,890,300 386,486,344 1.29 1.3 1.29 1.3 1.28 1.3 106,000 136,260 ALSONS CONS 24.4 24.45 24.7 24.8 24.45 24.45 2,326,100 57,109,335 ABOITIZ POWER 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.73 0.71 0.71 18,945,000 13,527,510 BASIC ENERGY 29.4 29.5 29.65 29.7 29.25 29.5 467,000 13,765,405 FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG 77.3 77.5 77.5 77.7 77.3 77.3 252,470 19,566,267 MERALCO 273 274 275.2 278 273 273 104,670 28,675,136 MANILA WATER 17.96 18 18.02 18.2 17.7 18 611,700 11,051,836 PETRON 3.41 3.43 3.49 3.5 3.41 3.41 1,787,000 6,165,940 4.04 4.05 4.04 4.06 4.04 4.05 24,000 97,130 PETROENERGY 12.42 12.72 12.72 12.72 12.72 12.72 25,500 324,360 PHX PETROLEUM 20.2 20.3 20.2 20.3 20.2 20.2 248,300 5,023,705 PILIPINAS SHELL 12.12 12.44 12.7 12.7 12.02 12.12 369,200 4,571,774 SPC POWER VIVANT 16.16 18.46 16.16 17.5 16.16 17.5 600 10,366 AGRINURTURE 6.05 6.1 6.1 6.16 6.03 6.14 283,700 1,734,584 AXELUM 2.89 2.93 2.87 2.93 2.87 2.93 457,000 1,329,030 BOGO MEDELLIN 69.65 71.95 72 72 72 72 20 1,440 14.3 14.7 14.3 14.76 14.28 14.7 6,300 91,726 CNTRL AZUCARERA 24.75 24.8 24.9 24.9 24.05 24.8 1,339,800 33,137,225 CENTURY FOOD 15.32 15.4 15 15.4 14.72 15.4 418,600 6,333,542 DEL MONTE 8.3 8.34 8.11 8.37 8.11 8.34 1,089,300 8,993,924 DNL INDUS EMPERADOR 12.6 12.62 12.5 12.8 12.5 12.6 2,425,000 30,758,748 SMC FOODANDBEV 83.5 84.5 84.5 84.95 83.5 83.5 75,600 6,342,399 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.65 0.66 0.67 0.67 0.64 0.67 27,000 17,860 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.37 1.33 1.34 4,344,000 5,816,720 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 96.9 97 97.5 98.5 95.3 97 9,560 929,512 209.2 209.6 209.6 209.8 208.8 209.6 353,250 73,967,448 JOLLIBEE 7.59 7.9 7.59 7.99 7.59 7.59 5,100 38,909 MACAY HLDG 6.62 6.75 6.61 6.85 6.61 6.75 122,600 825,488 MAXS GROUP 0.26 0.27 0.26 0.27 0.26 0.26 230,000 60,550 MG HLDG MONDE NISSIN 16.38 16.4 16.36 16.6 16.22 16.4 6,353,200 104,011,926 SHAKEYS PIZZA 7.95 8 7.98 8 7.94 8 39,300 312,628 ROXAS AND CO 1.01 1.02 1.02 1.04 1.01 1.01 5,310,000 5,409,860 RFM CORP 4.59 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 6,000 27,600 0.142 0.145 0.141 0.148 0.141 0.142 7,010,000 1,010,090 SWIFT FOODS 135.2 136.4 140.8 140.8 135.1 135.2 895,910 122,215,181 UNIV ROBINA 0.83 0.84 0.82 0.84 0.82 0.83 406,000 338,200 VITARICH 2.31 2.49 2.5 2.5 2.31 2.31 86,000 211,670 VICTORIAS CONCRETE A 52.6 52.95 52 53 52 53 670 35,003 59.85 62.95 59.9 59.9 59.9 59.9 190 11,381 CONCRETE B 1.29 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.28 1.3 2,930,000 3,785,420 CEMEX HLDG EAGLE CEMENT 15.48 15.5 15.62 15.62 15.48 15.48 1,004,200 15,565,326 8.15 8.2 8.4 8.4 8.2 8.2 44,500 367,912 EEI CORP 7.48 7.5 7.15 7.56 7.07 7.48 6,743,400 50,260,836 HOLCIM 6.6 6.63 6.73 6.73 6.55 6.6 708,800 4,698,250 MEGAWIDE 14.52 14.54 14.8 14.8 14.5 14.54 149,200 2,187,148 PHINMA TKC METALS 1.06 1.1 1.05 1.12 1.04 1.1 468,000 517,340 2.34 2.36 2.7 2.75 2.3 2.36 83,125,000 206,922,390 VULCAN INDL CHEMPHIL 145 173.8 144.4 145 144.4 145 150 21,744 1.71 1.73 1.7 1.73 1.7 1.7 106,000 180,870 CROWN ASIA EUROMED 1.91 1.97 1.92 1.92 1.92 1.92 21,000 40,320 5.3 5.38 5.3 5.38 5.3 5.38 1,800 9,676 MABUHAY VINYL 5.4 5.48 5.4 5.48 5.4 5.48 121,300 657,218 PRYCE CORP 20.65 21.85 21.4 21.4 20.6 20.65 9,500 202,300 CONCEPCION 3.44 3.45 3.6 3.63 3.45 3.45 7,241,000 25,458,390 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 9.52 9.55 9.95 9.98 9.5 9.52 1,668,200 16,158,272 IONICS 1.05 1.06 1.11 1.11 1.06 1.06 229,000 242,790 PANASONIC 6.1 6.27 5.93 6.3 5.75 6.27 113,100 693,131 1.34 1.36 1.34 1.38 1.34 1.34 274,000 370,870 SFA SEMICON 5.28 5.35 5.36 5.38 5.15 5.35 11,468,300 60,332,911 CIRTEK HLDG

-14,834,311 9,719,080 2,319,860 -1,085,680 253,243 -4,738,612 539,374 2,465,210 -60,770.00 -323,088 -684,595 -917,588 -1,750 -7,292 1,291,100 3,299,180 -346,694 5,871,456.00 2,692,496 -210,723 -36,140 -217,244 17,087,938 -19,734 -12,528,980 7,976 -990,300 -27,600 -22,500.00 -76,332,679 109,360 -434,260 -232,500 -149,276 6,039,347 -358,583 1,201,940 34,200 -449,820 -165,920 738,550 -464,101.00 8,480 8,040 -4,380,099

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.02 1.03 1.06 1.06 1.02 1.03 3,821,000 3,916,270 7 7.29 7 7.29 7 7.29 900 6,503 ASIABEST GROUP 774 780.5 785 785.5 774 774 99,460 77,409,370 AYALA CORP 40 40.45 41.3 41.3 40 40 1,992,200 79,980,095 ABOITIZ EQUITY 10.06 10.12 10.3 10.3 10.04 10.06 4,029,200 40,684,754 ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG 4.38 4.4 4.45 4.65 4.38 4.38 3,906,000 17,587,640 ANSCOR 6.96 7 6.96 7 6.96 7 3,200 22,320 0.96 0.98 1 1.01 0.94 0.96 3,768,000 3,655,500 ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A 0.68 0.69 0.69 0.7 0.68 0.68 564,000 387,680 5.16 5.18 5.2 5.21 5.16 5.16 458,800 2,376,539 COSCO CAPITAL 6.49 6.5 6.39 6.55 6.39 6.5 5,507,700 35,524,560 DMCI HLDG 8.09 8.19 8.2 8.2 8.2 8.2 100 820 FILINVEST DEV 0.285 0.3 0.285 0.31 0.285 0.3 140,000 40,400 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL 604 607.5 607.5 608 601 607.5 76,130 46,123,355 HOUSE OF INV 4.07 4.14 4.08 4.14 4.07 4.14 98,000 404,900 JG SUMMIT 59.8 60.65 61.65 61.65 59.8 59.8 370,720 22,313,885.50 LODESTAR 0.8 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.8 0.82 337,000 271,770 3.27 3.3 3.32 3.32 3.27 3.3 742,000 2,458,800 LOPEZ HLDG 11.1 11.12 11.18 11.24 11.06 11.1 21,227,900 236,137,566 LT GROUP 0.51 0.53 0.52 0.53 0.51 0.53 527,000 271,270 MABUHAY HLDG 3.79 3.85 3.86 3.86 3.79 3.79 6,251,000 23,893,680 METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG 3.52 3.55 3.6 3.6 3.55 3.55 27,000 96,350 2.86 2.89 2.86 2.9 2.82 2.89 157,000 450,460 PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS 2.85 2.89 2.88 2.88 2.88 2.88 50,000 144,000 1.21 1.26 1.22 1.22 1.22 1.22 20,000 24,400 SOLID GROUP 989 990 1,000 1,009 989 990 88,675 87,877,365 SM INVESTMENTS 117.8 117.9 117.3 117.9 117.3 117.9 176,070 20,752,609 SAN MIGUEL CORP 0.73 0.77 0.73 0.77 0.73 0.77 22,000 16,500 SOC RESOURCES 0.275 0.285 0.28 0.28 0.275 0.28 400,000 111,350 WELLEX INDUS 0.23 0.235 0.24 0.24 0.23 0.23 870,000 202,220 ZEUS HLDG

962,780 5,103 -50,894,350 -5,844,830 3,102,800 382,390 -29,020 -952,913 6,116,511 -17,978,755 281,400 -10,266,845 -802,120 -171,284,722 -11,832,850 37,380 -34,359,842.50 7,962,150 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.66 0.67 0.65 0.68 0.65 0.67 196,000 128,280 7.46 7.95 7.46 7.46 7.46 7.46 400 2,984 ANCHOR LAND 35.5 35.7 35.85 35.9 35.5 35.5 7,585,900 270,174,540 AYALA LAND 35.95 36 36.2 36.3 36 36 1,479,900 53,347,610 AREIT RT 1.42 1.44 1.42 1.43 1.41 1.42 148,000 210,420 BELLE CORP A BROWN 0.91 0.92 0.91 0.93 0.91 0.92 482,000 440,780 0.98 1 1 1 0.98 1 660,000 651,970 CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES 0.131 0.132 0.132 0.135 0.131 0.132 30,350,000 4,006,030 CEBU HLDG 6.41 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 100 670 3.07 3.08 3.2 3.2 3.05 3.08 7,466,000 23,121,220 CEB LANDMASTERS 0.49 0.51 0.51 0.52 0.485 0.51 64,490,000 32,198,995 CENTURY PROP 11.54 11.56 11.56 11.68 11.52 11.56 527,600 6,103,826 DOUBLEDRAGON 1.97 1.98 1.98 1.99 1.97 1.97 7,129,000 14,103,790 DDMP RT DM WENCESLAO 7.05 7.08 7.18 7.18 7.05 7.05 62,000 441,000 0.295 0.3 0.295 0.295 0.295 0.295 390,000 115,050 EMPIRE EAST 0.445 0.45 0.47 0.475 0.435 0.45 39,190,000 17,781,850 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.16 1.13 1.14 15,695,000 17,942,450 0.88 0.89 0.88 0.89 0.88 0.89 83,000 73,120 GLOBAL ESTATE 7.13 7.29 7.16 7.34 7.13 7.13 69,700 497,375 8990 HLDG 1.32 1.35 1.33 1.33 1.32 1.32 589,000 780,940 PHIL INFRADEV 1.63 1.64 1.62 1.68 1.62 1.63 485,000 801,480 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 3.03 3.04 3.03 3.08 3.03 3.04 6,877,000 20,975,810 MRC ALLIED 0.375 0.38 0.375 0.38 0.37 0.38 7,590,000 2,840,700 PHIL ESTATES 0.66 0.67 0.69 0.7 0.66 0.67 9,850,000 6,656,080 2.46 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.5 780,000 1,922,520 PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND 16.36 16.38 16.74 17.08 16.38 16.38 4,573,500 75,630,126 0.34 0.345 0.34 0.35 0.335 0.345 2,620,000 886,100 PHIL REALTY 1.56 1.59 1.55 1.56 1.55 1.56 34,000 52,750 ROCKWELL 2.64 2.66 2.68 2.68 2.65 2.65 20,000 53,300 SHANG PROP 3.15 3.16 3.21 3.31 3.12 3.16 943,000 3,000,690 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 34.75 34.8 35.3 35.3 34.6 34.75 9,252,000 322,665,280 VISTAMALLS 3.81 3.91 3.91 3.91 3.91 3.91 3,000 11,730 1.58 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.57 1.6 420,000 665,290 SUNTRUST HOME 43.1 59.9 43.1 43.1 43.1 43.1 100 4,310 PTFC REDEV CORP 3.6 3.64 3.63 3.68 3.6 3.6 1,228,000 4,445,760 VISTA LAND SERVICES ABS CBN 11.82 12.12 12.04 12.1 11.82 11.82 575,600 6,874,712 13.22 13.24 12.88 13.32 12.54 13.22 2,405,000 31,209,062 GMA NETWORK 1,933 1,944 1,974 1,978 1,933 1,933 45,870 89,496,655 GLOBE TELECOM 1,260 1,261 1,270 1,290 1,260 1,260 101,550 128,301,055 PLDT 0.168 0.169 0.169 0.171 0.167 0.168 95,980,000 16,221,090 APOLLO GLOBAL CONVERGE 23.4 23.5 23.9 24 23.4 23.4 2,028,500 48,030,205 DFNN INC 4.36 4.43 4.38 4.49 4.36 4.44 104,000 458,870 DITO CME HLDG 8.58 8.59 8.69 8.71 8.56 8.59 4,436,100 38,227,844 IMPERIAL 1.55 1.59 1.55 1.55 1.55 1.55 4,000 6,200 2.16 2.24 2.15 2.2 2.15 2.2 4,000 8,700 JACKSTONES 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.39 2.35 2.37 865,000 2,042,620 NOW CORP 0.475 0.48 0.485 0.49 0.475 0.475 9,670,000 4,619,700 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.39 2.42 2.39 2.43 2.38 2.43 58,000 138,920 PHILWEB 2GO GROUP 8.29 8.35 8.33 8.35 8.28 8.35 23,700 196,996 ASIAN TERMINALS 14.6 14.7 14.98 14.98 14.56 14.7 2,000 29,582 CHELSEA 3.01 3.04 3.07 3.09 3 3.04 105,000 319,400 47.85 47.95 48.3 48.3 47.7 47.95 261,200 12,522,590 CEBU AIR 162.7 162.8 167.6 167.7 162.6 162.8 1,210,620 198,935,996 INTL CONTAINER 17.24 17.94 17.7 17.94 17.7 17.94 400 7,104 LBC EXPRESS 4.96 4.98 5.12 5.14 4.8 4.98 3,882,000 19,357,540 MACROASIA 2 2.06 2.03 2.06 2 2.06 249,000 502,780 METROALLIANCE A HARBOR STAR 1.21 1.22 1.2 1.22 1.2 1.22 161,000 194,300 2.01 2.04 2.1 2.1 2.01 2.04 28,000 57,640 ACESITE HOTEL 0.138 0.139 0.14 0.141 0.136 0.139 201,870,000 27,919,130 BOULEVARD HLDG DISCOVERY WORLD 2.88 2.9 2.95 2.95 2.9 2.9 151,000 440,270 0.56 0.59 0.59 0.59 0.56 0.56 154,000 87,730 WATERFRONT 565 570 583 583 570 570 610 349,750 FAR EASTERN U 7.17 7.49 7.16 7.49 7.16 7.49 2,300 16,897 IPEOPLE 0.375 0.385 0.375 0.39 0.375 0.375 1,750,000 664,500 STI HLDG 5.25 5.5 5.49 5.5 5.25 5.5 2,700 14,224 BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY 6.62 6.78 6.53 6.78 6.53 6.78 803,100 5,340,586 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.03 2.04 2.03 2.03 2.03 2.03 20,000 40,600 1.58 1.64 1.59 1.62 1.56 1.62 193,000 305,810 LEISURE AND RES 1.81 1.82 1.83 1.86 1.81 1.82 1,076,000 1,968,630 PH RESORTS GRP 0.445 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.435 0.45 7,710,000 3,411,750 PREMIUM LEISURE 7.85 7.89 7.75 7.93 7.75 7.85 352,800 2,772,638 ALLHOME 1.39 1.4 1.39 1.4 1.39 1.4 375,000 521,520 METRO RETAIL 39.2 39.4 39.7 39.7 39 39.2 970,900 38,219,615 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 54.9 55 56.25 56.25 54.8 55 724,960 39,934,424.50 PHIL SEVEN CORP 94.9 97.5 97.5 97.5 94.9 97.5 4,070 387,602 SSI GROUP 1.24 1.26 1.24 1.26 1.23 1.26 1,004,000 1,249,840 21 21.3 21.75 21.75 21 21 1,112,500 23,418,815 WILCON DEPOT 0.375 0.385 0.39 0.39 0.375 0.375 360,000 137,000 APC GROUP 5.91 6 5.9 6.09 5.9 6.09 600 3,597 EASYCALL 435.2 448 434.2 448 434.2 448 1,360 607,866 GOLDEN MV 2.3 2.47 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 1,000 2,300 PAXYS PRMIERE HORIZON 1.65 1.66 1.77 1.78 1.66 1.66 35,809,000 61,556,230 SBS PHIL CORP 4.37 4.69 4.77 4.77 4.69 4.69 5,000 23,690

6,182,880 -25,866,510 -83,000 3,960 -670 45,180 24,450 -1,487,936 -132,880 -372,000 -993,340 3,320 -3,971,050 -93,750 124,000 4,044,996 -88,750 15,500 136,090 -49,768,410.00 -964,080 -39,475,685 3,566,160 43,400 -7,460,275 262,020 -583,412 -87,080 -176,100 -3,332 -11,746 -2,175,970 -12,642,684 1,365,424 -130,250 8,550 11,660 -621,526 142,740 -283,250 1,606,272 2,780 -4,684,595 -32,014,066.50 5,703 -7,542,100 -1,844,580 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 7.99 8 8 8.31 7.98 8 53,900 432,867 -22,436.00 1.69 1.7 1.74 1.74 1.69 1.7 1,676,000 2,848,070 APEX MINING 6.06 6.07 6.13 6.13 6.02 6.06 585,300 3,538,393 544,234 ATLAS MINING 1.3166 1.2% 4.01% 2.68% -0.35% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 5.16 5.27 5.1 5.27 5.1 5.27 35,400 182,312 BENGUET A COAL ASIA HLDG 0.3 0.31 0.31 0.315 0.31 0.315 200,000 62,900 Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9886 0.57% 4.55% 1.94% -0.31% 2.82 2.85 2.82 2.85 2.82 2.85 12,000 34,140 34,140 CENTURY PEAK Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0337 -0.56% 4.67% 1.48% -0.8% DIZON MINES 6.33 6.4 6.44 6.44 6.32 6.32 1,600 10,132 2.51 2.52 2.5 2.52 2.47 2.52 1,478,000 3,695,850 -55,050 FERRONICKEL Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.212 0.99% 5.33% 2.11% 0.19% 0.32 0.325 0.325 0.325 0.32 0.325 60,000 19,350 GEOGRACE 0.159 0.16 0.156 0.159 0.156 0.159 7,110,000 1,119,450 LEPANTO A Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7479 0.06% 4.61% 1.41% -0.4% 0.16 0.164 0.161 0.164 0.16 0.16 1,430,000 229,820 LEPANTO B 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 10,100,000 111,100 MANILA MINING A Primarily invested in foreign currency securities MANILA MINING B 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 100,000 1,200 1,200 MARCVENTURES 1.16 1.19 1.15 1.2 1.15 1.19 28,000 33,050 ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $486.27 2.41% 3.16% 2.15% 0.5% 1.35 1.4 1.38 1.4 1.32 1.4 416,000 558,080 NIHAO ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220.1 2.07% 1.09% 0.96% 0.42% 5.52 5.53 5.51 5.56 5.42 5.52 3,018,300 16,606,358 3,759,894 NICKEL ASIA 0.395 0.405 0.395 0.395 0.395 0.395 70,000 27,650 OMICO CORP ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1963 -2.42% 2.43% 1.24% -6.57% 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.96 0.96 0.96 1,000 960 ORNTL PENINSULA 6.32 6.35 6.3 6.37 6.22 6.32 439,200 2,766,330 578,682 PX MINING 1.85% 0.78% -1.88% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0261 0.38% 17.54 17.58 17.12 17.6 17.04 17.58 4,841,000 84,546,294 12,352,296 SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON 0.0094 0.0096 0.0094 0.0097 0.0094 0.0094 27,000,000 256,000 PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $1.0478 -2.4% 0.43% -1.06% -4.11% 18.32 18.34 17.3 18.4 17.3 18.32 242,300 4,361,340 -1,730 ACE ENEXOR Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.5067 2.17% 5.1% 1.76% -1.14% ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 24,900,000 300,700 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 700,000 8,400 ORNTL PETROL B Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0630174 3.82% 3.57% 2.15% 1.12% 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 9,900,000 112,700 PHILODRILL 7.6 7.66 7.55 7.73 7.5 7.66 240,400 1,819,934 -58,148 PXP ENERGY Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1832 -0.33% 3.38% 0.66% -1.25% PREFFERED Money Market Funds HOUSE PREF B 100.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 10 1,015 -1,015 100.7 101 101 101 101 101 5,010 506,010 HOUSE PREF A Primarily invested in Peso securities 46.75 47 46.55 47 46.55 47 46,400 2,169,350 -167,960 CEB PREF ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 130.36 1.53% 3.02% 2.53% 0.42% 100.9 102 101.5 102 101.5 102 120 12,185 -10,150 DD PREF 505 516 505 505 505 505 3,800 1,919,000 GLO PREF P First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0534 1.06% n.a. n.a. 0.51% GTCAP PREF A 994 1,010 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 80 80,000 101 101.1 101.1 101.1 101.1 101.1 4,350 439,785 MWIDE PREF 2.83% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.306 1.67% 2.55% 0.72% 101.8 102 101.8 101.8 101.8 101.8 910 92,638 MWIDE PREF 2B 105.9 106.5 106.6 106.6 106.1 106.6 3,530 374,578 PNX PREF 3B Primarily invested in foreign currency securities 1,005 1,006 1,006 1,006 1,006 1,006 880 885,280 PNX PREF 4 Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0579 1.17% 1.66% n.a. 0.52% 1,020 1,029 1,029 1,029 1,029 1,029 10 10,290 PCOR PREF 2B 1,155 1,165 1,165 1,165 1,155 1,155 3,680 4,250,450 PCOR PREF 3B Feeder Funds 1.62 2 1.62 1.62 1.62 1.62 12,000 19,440 SFI PREF SMC PREF 2C 77.9 78 78.95 78.95 78 78 144,720 11,335,774.50 10,920 Primarily invested in Peso securities SMC PREF 2E 76.15 77.8 76.8 76.8 76.15 76.15 47,830 3,648,264 76.95 78.5 77.5 77.5 77 77 230,530 17,752,200 SMC PREF 2H Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.3313 31.6% n.a. n.a. 17.86% 78.2 79 78.5 78.5 78.2 78.2 35,000 2,737,700 SMC PREF 2I 75.65 76 76 76 76 76 840,500 63,878,000 63,840,000 SMC PREF 2J Primarily invested in foreign currency securities 76.45 76.5 76 76.45 76 76.45 99,850 7,633,012.50 - SMC PREF 2K ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2 $1 7.53% n.a. n.a. 2.04% PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 11.54 11.7 11.7 11.7 11.52 11.52 4,200 48,924 -13,824 a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU). 12.02 12.3 11.92 12.3 11.9 12.02 123,500 1,483,560 -361,718 GMA HLDG PDR WARRANTS 1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019. LR WARRANT 1.46 1.48 1.53 1.53 1.43 1.48 890,000 1,310,740 - SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 16.88 17 16.94 17 16.86 17 68,300 1,160,042 4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019. 2.32 2.34 2.32 2.37 2.31 2.34 129,000 299,670 ITALPINAS 5 5.1 5.11 5.11 4.95 4.95 31,100 156,362 KEPWEALTH 3.97 3.98 4.04 4.04 3.97 3.98 3,336,000 13,328,290 -1,597,170 MERRYMART 6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund). 7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020. "While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF 102 103.5 104.7 104.7 102 102 24,810 2,554,506 480,222 newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

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Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

BSP plans to tap rural banks for financial line to MSMEs

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is working on a framework that will improve rural banks’ ability to provide necessary financial services to the agricultural sector and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said last Thursday the central bank is currently reviewing current rural bank data in the country and will conduct an in-depth study on rural banks to identify areas of intervention. Diokno said in an online briefing they expect that by the end of this year, the Inter-Agency Working Group (IWG) would come up with “policy recommendations and strengthening programs.” The effort is part of the recently launched “Rural Banking Industry Strengthening Program,” or RBSP, in March this year. The RBSP is the latest initiative carried out by the central bank after several ones: the Consolidation

Program for Rural Banks (CPRB); CPRB Plus; Strengthening Program for Rural Banks (SPRB); SPRB Plus; and, the Rural Bank Rehabilitation program. “The RBSP aims to improve the operations, capacity, and competitiveness of rural banks. It also aims to enhance rural banks’ ability to provide necessary financial services to the agricultural sector and MSMEs in rural areas,” Diokno said. The RBSP IWG is headed by a Steering Committee chaired by Monetary Board Member V. Bruce J. Tolentino. Aside from the BSP, the Department of Agriculture and the Small Business Corp. under the Department of Trade and Industry are also members of the steering committee. In the last two years, Diokno said 30 rural banks were part of merger and consolidation transactions. Of the 30, 16 were absorbed by thrift banks. The rest were absorbed or merged with other rural banks. Bianca Cuaresma

BlackRock’s Fink raises salaries on view inflation ‘not transient’

LACKROCK Inc. CEO Larry Fink says he sees the highest US inflation in recent memory as more than a transient phenomenon. He backed up that view with a blanket raise for employees. The world’s largest asset manager will increase the base salaries of all staff at the director level and below by 8 percent, starting in September, according to a memo he and the firm’s president Rob Kapito issued Wednesday, coinciding with the company’s second-quarter earnings release. Historic monetary and fiscal stimulus helped the US economy rebound from the depths of the Covid-19 crisis. That recovery has also bolstered BlackRock, which had about $9.5 trillion under management at the end of June. Shares fell 3.3 percent to $877.85 at 11:27 a.m. in New York. A giant in indexed products, the company saw its exchange-traded funds exceed the $3-trillion threshold in the second quarter for the first time as investors continued to pile into buoyant global markets. The policy response has also raised concern that the world’s largest economy could overheat. The US consumer price index (CPI) surged 5.4 percent in June relative to a year earlier, and core CPI, which excludes food and energy, jumped by the most since November 1991.

lifted base salaries to $100,000 for first-year analysts, joining the likes of Barclays Plc, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Guggenheim Partners.

‘Epic change’

Fund flows

FINK said in an interview with Bloomberg following the company’s earnings release that inflation will bring about “epic change,” and though that’s not necessarily a cause for concern just yet, it’s not as transitory as some market strategists have assumed, either. “Government policy is more focused on domestic jobs than the cheapest prices today, and I do believe that that will be one of the fundamental changes,” Fink said. “Companies are focusing on their employees more, and I do believe you’re going to see more wage growth that will be above trend line.”

Opening day of the World Economic Forum 2020

Larry Fink, chief executive officer of BlackRock Inc., speaks during a Bloomberg event on the opening day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. World leaders, influential executives, bankers and policy makers attend the 50th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos from January 21 to January 24. BlackRock is joining a widespread bidding war on Wall Street for younger workers as the firms compete to attract and keep talented employees. Earlier this month, Citigroup Inc.

Powell’s view

MEANWHILE, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated inflation is likely to remain high in coming months and that the central bank doesn’t plan to scale back its asset purchases yet, in remarks prepared for the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. Fink said the possibility that inflation could persist at as high as 3.5 percent poses questions for central bankers about historically easy monetary policy and their bond-buying programs. “If indeed inflation is a little more permanent, how do we evaluate that? Do they raise rates without changing quantitative easing? Do they change how they do quantitative easing? What they do and how they implement it -- to me those are the details that are really going to matter,” Fink said. BlackRock reported adjusted earnings per share of $10.03 for the second quarter, beating analysts’ estimates of about $9.48 per share. Its revenue of $4.82 billion was higher than projections of $4.6 billion and 32-percent higher than the same period a year ago. A bellwether for the assetmanagement industry, BlackRock’s results highlighted how investors are adjusting to the current market environment, including a continued appetite for low-cost, easy-to-trade products. The New York-based company saw a net $75 billion flow into its ETFs, up from about $51 billion in the year-ago period, when individuals began wading back into markets after the worst of the Covid-related shocks in March 2020.

The firm surpassed $3 trillion in ETF assets for the first time

Yet BlackRock has also worked on scaling up its actively managed fund business. Those products, which make up roughly one-quarter of its assets under management but draw about half of its fees, took in a net $62.8 billion in the second quarter. Another long-term area of focus for BlackRock is China, where the company received a green light from regulators to run a mutual fund business. President Joe Biden’s administration has stepped up a hard-edged policy toward China in recent days, including a plan to warn US companies about operating in Hong Kong, new import controls for the Xinjiang region and talks about a digital trade agreement that would exclude Beijing. Bloomberg News

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Friday, July 16, 2021

Standard Chartered cuts growth forecast by 2.5%

By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Philippine economy is expected to perform lackluster this year, as the Duterte administration is unlikely to meet its target of reaching herd immunity for the population by the end of the year, economists from Standard Chartered Bank said.

In an online news briefing last Thursday, Standard Chartered announced that it has cut its growth forecast of the Philippines from their assumption of 6.1 percent in January down to 4.6 percent for this year. Standard Chartered Economist Chidu Narayanan said local private sector demand will likely remain subdued on soft consumer and business sentiment. The economist also said domestic consumption will likely remain modest for the rest of the year. Narayanan said the slow pace

of vaccination roll out exposes the country to potential new waves of Covid-19 cases and poses risk to their current 4.6 percent forecast. “New Covid infections declined following nationwide lockdowns in May; but they remain elevated and above 2020 highs. New cases have increased recently following the relaxation of restrictions; a sharp increase in the coming weeks could lead to the re-imposition of lockdowns, further dampening sentiment and growth,” the economist said.

“The Philippines’s low-vaccination rate increases the risk of new Covid waves. Less than 2 percent of the population is fully vaccinated; only 4.3 percent of people have received at least one dose. At the current rate of vaccination, the Philippines is unlikely to meet its target of reaching herd immunity by end2021,” he added. In its Philippine assessment earlier this year, Fitch Ratings also said the government’s target of vaccinating up to 70 percent of the eligible population by end-2021 is an “ambitious goal” the current status of inoculation in the country. Narayanan also warned of a risk scenario that growth could dip to the 3 percent territory if the government fails to pick up investment spending towards the end of the year. “Consumption is going to be very very soft. Private investment is also likely to be very subdued. Given that most corporates are still at overcapacity and demand outlook is very sober, that puts the onus on the government,” the economist said. “We do not expect a substantial increase in infrastructure investment. We think that the earliest Build,

Build, Build infrastructure [spending] will pick up substantially will be the middle of the third quarter. If we do not see investment pick up by October or November, then we think that the likelihood that there is no significant investment pickup is very very likely and that puts risk to our forecast to the downside,” he added. For 2022, Standard Chartered sees growth hitting 6.6 percent before stabilizing to 5.9 percent in 2023. With the gloomy growth outlook for this year, Standard Chartered said they do not see the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) pulling back its accommodative stance anytime soon. “BSP is likely to maintain its accommodative policy for the next few quarters to support growth. Declining inflationary pressure should enable BSP to prioritize growth, especially in the absence of substantial fiscal support. We expect it to keep the policy rate at the current record low,” Narayanan said. “Further cuts are unlikely in 2021, in our view; BSP may wait for sentiment to improve before considering further rate cuts in order to maximise the impact of any further easing,” he added.

Insurance firms get respite from meeting reporting rule By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

HE Insurance Commission (IC) once again extended regulatory relief on admittance of Premiums Receivable account for all non-life and professional reinsurance companies as the country’s Covid-19 cases continue to remain at 4-digit levels. Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa signed Circular Letter 202143 adjusting the basis for admitting the “Premiums Receivable” account for all these companies from 90 days to 180 days from the date of issuance

of policies for reporting year 2021. Funa emphasized the need to further extend the said regulatory relief previously imposed last year as nonlife insurance companies continue to provide relief to the insuring public by extending the grace period and allowing installment payments on insurance premiums up to this year. “Extending the grace period and allowing installment arrangements may result to non-admitted Premiums Receivable, which would have an unfavorable impact on the net worth of the insurance companies,” Funa said in the copy of the circular letter dated July 11.

In the same circular letter, he said undue installment premiums shall be considered admitted assets as long as the issuance of the policy is within 180 days from the cut-off date. “However, in case of default in any installment due, all remaining unpaid installments shall be treated as non-admitted assets,” he added. In case of any deficiency in the Net Worth, Funa said collections during the first quarter of the following year of the over 180-day Premiums Receivable shall be considered as after-date transactions. The relaxation on the admittance of Premiums Receivable shall be ap-

A VISUAL experience framework for associations

tendees) at the center of everyne of the trends I wrote thing you do in organizing and about in my January 1, delivering the program. 2021, column was that A for Audio: Nothing beats virtual engagement with memgreat visuals plus great sounds bers through e-conventions and Association World and acoustics for any event, esexpos, webinars, meetings, hypecially virtual events. brids and the like will continue Octavio Peralta L for Learning focus: In the to be a part of an association’s end, attendees have to have service offerings. great takeaways from the educational sessions of As we in the association community now know in the event. organizing virtual events, it is not the delivery platIn the last 16 months, many virtual associaform that matters most; it is the content, design and tion events saw increased attendance, attracting production woven into a total member experience. members and non-member participants alike in Associations that conduct virtual events need to redifferent time zones around the globe. Part of this think, redesign and reimagine how online programs growth – which has improved the reach and brand can enhance knowledge dissemination, attendee asset of association-organizers – can be significantly participation and peer networking. Simply plugattributed to free or reduced registration pricing, as ging in your “old” face-to-face program agenda into well as to continuing innovation in event design, a virtual platform will no longer work as attendees content and production systems. nowadays have become discerning and demanding. Last year, attendees, sponsors and exhibitors This quest for great attendee experience reminds were more forgiving of virtual events of associame of the webinar, “Redesigning for Engagement in a tions than they will be this 2021. This is because Virtual Environment,” organized by the Asia-Pacific they have already experienced “screen fatigue” and branch of the Chicago, Illinois-based Professional will have a much higher expectation this year, esConvention Management Association last Septempecially virtual events that demand investment in ber 2020. The resource person, Elaine Ann, founder time, energy and money. Thus, it is imperative for and director of Kaizor Innovation, a strategic innoassociations to design their virtual events to attract vation consultancy, provided a framework using the attendees who will help improve their long-term acronym “VISUAL” to emphasize the need to further sustainability. boost attendee experience. So use this opportunity to re-assess your virtual “VISUAL” stands for: event offerings by considering this simple “VISUAL” V for Visual: The attention span of an attendee is experience framework. getting less and less. Based on studies, presentations with graphics and visuals are much better retained by attendees than text-heavy ones. The column contributor, Octavio ‘Bobby’ Peralta, is concurI for Interactive: Having attendee participation rently the secretary-general of the Association of Development via Q&A, polls or games is also found to be an efFinancing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific, Founder & CEO of the fective way of drawing and retaining attention. Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives and S for Surprise: An element of surprise, e.g., audiPresident of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizaence participation, breakout room ‘meet and greet,’ tions. The purpose of PCAAE—the “association of associations”— giveaways and others, provides attendees with more is to advance the association management profession and to make memories of the event. associations well-governed and sustainable. PCAAE enjoys the supU for User-centricity: The whole virtual event port of Adfiap, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the Philippine needs to have users (your members and other atInternational Convention Center. E-mail: obp@adfiap.org.

plied to annual and quarterly financial reports for the year 2021 unless extended or changed as deemed necessary by the Insurance Commission. Last year, the Insurance Commission also relaxed the admittance rule over Premium Receivable account in a bid to provide the necessary relief to companies and ensure they are “considered solvent and compliant with the Net Worth requirements of the IC.” Under Republic Act 10607 or the Insurance Code, insurance companies must have a minimum net worth of P900 million by end-2019 and P1.3 billion by end-2022.

Mobile-based lender hits 1M borrowers

OCAL mobile phone-based lender Tala Financing Philippines Inc. announced its borrower base has hit a million in the Philippines. Worldwide, the technology company based in Santa Monica, California, US has disbursed over $2-billion worth of loans to over six million customers, according to a statement by its Philippine office. To note, Tala has been flagged in a Bloomberg story (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-12/ tech-startups-are-flooding-kenya-with-apps-offering-highinterest-loans?srnd=premium-africa&sref=0GcdEyL2) as “flooding Kenya with apps offering high-interest loans.” The company cited an “Aimee” who “is just one of Tala’s one million customers in the Philippines.” The company, which is not in the list of accredited firms by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said that apart from providing accessible loans, it also “offers other services to help its customers grow in all aspects of their financial lives.” “The personal finance service app has free financial education through its robust library of tailored educational content. It also hosts in-person and online communities to help Tala users connect and learn from each other.” “We want to position ourselves as the unbanked Filipino’s safe and trusted partner in achieving financial autonomy,” Tala Country Manager Angelo Madrid was quoted in the statement as saying. “Through our commitment to fair and ethical lending, we hope to give everyone the opportunity to pursue life’s greater goals and advance their financial health.” According to Madrid, while “more than 5.2 billion Filipinos own mobile phones and more than 4.6 billion are connected to the internet.” “And yet only 12 percent of mobile phone owners use their devices to perform financial transactions,” according to Madrid. ”We believe that everyone needs access to financial systems and for them to be in control of their money. By making loans simpler and more accessible, we can promote financial agency and autonomy for more Filipinos.” Tala Financing said it offers a “minimal, upfront and one-time fee.”

Friday, July 16, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

Relationships BusinessMirror

So what’s in your adobo?

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Gareth Bale, 32; Tenika Davis, 36; Corey Feldman, 50; Will Ferrell, 54.

THE author’s own adobo. No soy sauce—just vinegar, garlic, salt, and peppercorn, simmered for two to three hours and then pan-fried the next day. STELLA ARNALDO

Happy Birthday: You’ll require discipline if you want to get things done this year. Letting emotions take over will be costly and counterproductive. Manipulate your mindset to engage in positive projects that boost your ego and make you feel good about your accomplishments. Optimism and faith in what you do will not let you down. Strive to reach your goal. Your numbers are 9, 15, 23, 25, 31, 34, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Bend a little when dealing with emotional situations at home that require getting along with others. Do your part without complaint, and you will set the stage for a beautiful day filled with peace, love and happiness. HHH

HEF Robby Goco is a distressed man these days. Once dubbed the enfant terrible of Philippine cuisine, this talented chef, trained in the ways of French cooking and behind popular restaurants, such as Cyma, Green Pastures, and Tequila Joe’s, has been quite busy answering his phone and fending off critics because of government’s plan to “standardize” the recipe of adobo. Yes, nothing quite grates and has the galvanizing and unifying power of food. Whether you are Dilawan or DDS, a Marxist or Leninist, Ilonggo or Ilocano, many have spoken out on this Department of Trade and Industry-initiated project. “All we are doing is coming up with a baseline recipe. You know, I was trained in French cuisine, and one of their mother sauces is béchamel sauce. The basic recipe for béchamel sauce is milk, flour and butter. And you can use that and add cheese if you want, it will still be béchamel sauce but with cheese. So that’s what we’re trying to do with adobo and other traditional Filipino dishes. We’re writing down the basic recipe for adobo, and using ingredients common to all adobos, which are meat, vinegar, salt and pepper. If you want to put soy sauce, go ahead. Or bayleaf, or gata (coconut cream), it will still be adobo, but for foreigners, we just want to give them the basic recipe,” Rob explains. He is vice chairman of the technical committee formed by the DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) to draw up these “standard,” OK, basic recipes. I get his point. It was French culinary genius Auguste Escoffier, who simplified the béchamel sauce into just three ingredients and published it in the groundbreaking Le Guide Culinaire in 1903. Since then, it’s not just French who have benefited from using these so-called mother sauces, but the entire gastronomy world. I tell Rob I understand where he’s coming from, but he must understand where all the hate is coming from as well. You mess with my adobo, you’re dead. And, frankly, his group’s cause wasn’t helped by a sloppily written press release from the DTI-BPS. So much so that Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez had to issue a statement on Sunday, the day after some media picked up the news, and then once more tried to clarify the aim of the project in a news conference on Monday.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An unexpected change will catch you off guard. Refuse to let anger or physical affront step in and turn your day or a relationship with someone into a disaster. Take a step back, rethink your options and choose to keep the peace. Romance is encouraged. HHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Play to win. Gather information, formulate a plan and set your sights on the results you want to achieve. Personal and home improvements will encourage you to take better care of yourself and meaningful relationships. Romance is in the stars. HHHHH

“Obviously, it’s not [a] mandatory standard because there are thousands or millions of different lutong adobo,” Lopez stressed. But precisely because it is the BPS undertaking the “standardization” of these well-loved Filipino recipes, it wasn’t “obvious” to the rest that it wasn’t going to be “mandatory” recipe to follow. After all, it is the BPS that sets the standard for products, like Christmas lights, imported seatbelts, motorcycle helmets, cement and the like. Criteria for quality have to be met before these products are allowed in the market. If they don’t, these are deemed “substandard” and retailers are penalized. So excuse us for thinking that when the neighborhood carinderia puts an egg in their adobo, the BPS then decides the dish as substandard and closes down the eatery. Surprised at how much flak they were receiving, DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Ruth Castelo was on DZMM Teleradyo’s SRO a few days ago and went on the offensive, saying, “It doesn’t have to be a national issue.” She added that because of the different adobo versions across the country (e.g. with egg, dried or with sauce, with soy sauce or not, etc.), “what are we going to promote for food tourism?” But why is DTI involved in food tourism in the first place? It is the Department of Tourism (DOT) that has purview over food or gastronomy tourism. This is why it tirelessly attends food expos and travel trade exhibits abroad to showcase Philippine cuisine.

Being a lawyer, Castelo probably realized the root of the problem was the word “standards.” So she explained, “It’s not exactly standards [for recipes], it is a guidance document that will contain the recipes. It will contain the history [of the dish]. We just really wanted to promote Filipino cuisine. It’s part of the job of the DTI to promote this and the guidance document that the technical committee will come out with.” She added, “The guidance documents are part of BPS’s job and food is included; it’s not limited to ordinary consumer products, cuisine is also included. And of course DOT is included in the technical committee because of food tourism, but this is all for creative industry exports.” No, Usec Ruth, the DOT is not part of the technical committee. Check your agency’s own press statement, which has since disappeared from the DTI web site. Well, this is what happens when celebrated foreign chefs and food critics keep branding the Philippine cuisine as the “next big thing,” but our dishes have yet to really make it, unlike those made by the Thais, Vietnamese, Japanese, etc. Our cuisine might not be a global phenomenon yet, but it is already well-loved by many here and abroad. At the foreign travel trade and food expos I’ve attended, delegates often make a beeline to the Philippines booth to scarf down our pancit,

Continued on B5

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Take pride in what you do, and refuse to let an emotional incident hinder progress. Arguing is a waste of time; rise above conflict and avoid disagreements. Focus on using your intelligence to navigate your way to victory. HH

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): A change may not be welcome, but it will be the push you need to start the next chapter. Look at the possibilities; do your part to ensure that what takes place heads in your chosen direction. HHHH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Handle money matters, your professional duties and emotional spending with care. The wrong move will have lasting effects on the way you live. Common sense will help you maintain a stress-free lifestyle. HHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Choose your battles wisely. Focus on what’s doable, affordable and challenges you to be at the top of your game. Refuse to let anyone use emotional tactics to push you in a direction you don’t want to go. Be good to yourself. HHH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Contracts, negotiations, investments and personal lifestyle are enhanced. Refuse to let negativity or a lack of energy set in; follow your heart and pursue your dreams. It’s up to you to make things happen. Take responsibility for your happiness. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t wait for an opportunity to come to you. Jump in and do your part to get ahead. Turn on the charm, and show everyone how proficient you can be. Refuse to let anyone steal your thunder or make you look inadequate. HHHH

Weekends get jam-packed with fun BAZAARS, sales and more await mall guests this month at popular leisure destination Shangri-La Plaza (www.facebook.com/shangrilaplazaofficial). Enjoy wonderful and delicious finds while supporting local businesses and helping make dreams come true. The Proud PinoyPreneur Fair ongoing until July 18 showcases a bevy of local treats and eats, stylish home décor, and gadget accessories, as well as the poignant success stories of the participating Filipino entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, stay Red, White and True as everyone’s favorite haunt True Value mounts its anticipated sale from July 20 to 25. Browse exciting deals and buy hardware and must-have items for the kitchen, dining, bedroom, garden and everything in between

at up to 50-percent off. Those looking for some peace and enlightenment, the Chapel of Saint Padre Pio is offering devotional mass and novena in honor of its namesake. Seats have been made available for reservation every mass through bit.ly/PadrePioRegistration. On Thursdays, get the chance to see the first-class relic of Saint Padre Pio, authenticated by Fr. Florius Alexander Tessari in November 2008. Canonized in 2002, Padre Pio is one of the most venerated saints in the world and is known to help people during difficult situations. Finally, a free parking promo lets everyone get more out of the Shang on weekends. Spend better days to Dine Al Fresco at social media post-perfect and safe settings like The Ledge and Streetscape.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Set goals that are doable. Don’t let ego or your emotions interfere with doing what’s correct or best. Pay attention to what others say and the promises made, and hold yourself and others accountable to fulfill their responsibilities. Run a tight ship. HH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A joint venture will entice you. Maintain control of how much you spend, and do not go overboard to impress others. Unreliability will surface if you are too accommodating or gullible. HHHHH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You’ll have a unique way of processing what’s going on around you. Your intuition will not let you down. Follow your instincts, and you’ll know when to say no to someone likely to let you down. HHH Birthday Baby: You are steadfast, innovative and opportunistic. You are original and expressive.

‘getting up for the day’ by david p. williams The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 It often thickens 5 Outstanding, financially 9 Cranberry source 12 Steamy room 13 Curve in math class? 15 Play designed to circumvent the offensive line 16 Paradoxically named bet 17 Falls apart 19 ___ port in a storm 20 Traditional or SIMPLE plan 21 Live, but not really live 23 Country that dissolved in 1991 26 Part of a hereditary pool 28 What “I’ll be,” in an expression 30 Longtime British sports cars 32 Suits actress Torres 33 Not feel well 34 Fire crime 37 Like a serpentine road 39 Energy 40 Password creator 44 One, to Gianluigi Buffon 45 2010s Anthony Bourdain show, familiarly

8 Meh 4 52 Punch for practice 53 Adrift on the ocean 54 “I’m good, thanks” 55 Chihuahua’s greeting 57 Early-morning sight, or a hint to the word that turns up in 17-, 28- and 45-Across 60 Keister 63 Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch chip 64 Scantron smudges 65 Digital party notice 66 Garden state? 67 What the wicked don’t get 68 12/1/21, for one DOWN 1 Monica who co-hosts the “Armchair Expert” podcast 2 It may tempt a trout 3 Burden 4 Bi-cycles? 5 Unfilled space 6 Paddle-propelled surfboard 7 “Able was I ___ I saw Elba...” (famous palindrome) 8 Carvey who does Biden impressions

9 Invasive preflight check 10 Long in the tooth 11 Neon, for instance 12 Nocturnal noise 14 Extra payment for an employee 15 Juul, e.g. 18 Mango slicer brand 22 Decimal base 24 Moved smoothly 25 Count (on) 27 Mopey music genre 29 What seeing this answer may make you do (sorry, not sorry!) 31 Antelopes with beards 34 iPhone downloads 35 Harvest 36 Source of an artificial bronze glow 38 Apple’s mobile platform 41 Jamaican music genre 42 Logbook listings 43 Most optimistic 44 Helpless? 46 Halves of sextets 47 Jazz guitarist Montgomery 49 Where to meet a contractor 50 Fry quickly

51 “Good grief!” 56 Serve, as Chardonnay 58 Suddenly bright star 59 Particle of sand 60 Dispensable candy 61 “___ you sure?” 62 Three, on Capri

Solution to Wednesday’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Friday, July 16, 2021

The barber, the tailor and the governor Jennylyn Mercado and Paolo Contis headline this Sunday’s episode of Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko.

ARJO ATAYDE in Bagman is compelling.

Jennylyn, Paolo in exciting new adventure

Prepare for more magical Sundays filled with exciting adventures and values worth keeping as GMA’s awardwinning weekly magical anthology Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko airs the special episode “Last People on Earth” this Sunday, July 18, at 7:05 pm. For its initial fresh offering, the top-rating show features two of the network’s top artists, Jennylyn Mercado and Paolo Contis, in a gripping, action-packed story that wades through the supernatural and occult with the human race’s existence on the line. Jennylyn teases viewers on what to expect from their story as it also marks the return of the show’s airing of fresh episodes: “Nakakatuwa na finally may new content na maipapalabas ang show, and it’s such an honor to start that out. Expect nila na mapapangiti sila while watching. Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, minsan kailangan mo talagang malibang sa mga pinapanuod mo, at isang halimbawa ang episode namin ito.” Paolo describes his working relationship with the actress and admits also feeling honored to be chosen as one of the stars in the episode: “Matagal ko nang naka-work si Jen and it has always been a pleasure. She’s very professional and she knows what she’s doing. Magaan siya ka-work. Masaya and honored din ako na kami ’yung na-cast sa pagbabalik ng fresh episodes for Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko. Napakasaya nung episode. We made sure of that.” Angel (Jennylyn), a tomboyish local baker, meets Migs (Paolo), the cocky engineer of the new resort project in town. Migs is instantly attracted to Angel but she rebuffs him. Not one to give up, Migs stays in Angel’s transient home where she lives with her mom, Selma (Shyr Valdez), a mangkukulam. Selma warns Migs that cutting down the trees in the site where he’ll be building his resort will anger the sombras, dark creatures who dwell in the forest. Migs doesn’t believe in the occult and nor does Angel, but it turns out that Selma is right. At night, the sombras emerge from the stumps of the felled trees. Their leader, Oscura, wants to eliminate all humans and take over the world with darkness. The special episode of Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko also features Maxine Medina, Nico Antonio, and Skelly. It is directed by Rico Gutierrez.

So what’s in your adobo? Continued from B4 lumpia, sinigang, adobo, coffee, sorbetes, etc. The long lines at Bad Saint in Washington, D.C., the packed Romulo Cafe in London, and popularity of Pinoy restaurants and food trucks in the US and Canada, show that Philippine cuisine is already “made.” It is proof that we don’t need a standard recipe, baseline recipe, or guide document, whatever government wants to call it, to show how much Philippine cuisine is appreciated. Chef Robby said the next dish their committee is taking up is sinigang. Is bulalo a sinigang? How about kansi? Good luck.

HERE is a major actor on-screen and he is Arjo Atayde. The sterling proof is in this on-demand TV series, called Bagman, where this young man dominates the narrative of corruption, corruption and corruption gilded as an action film turned cautionary tale turned parable. Bagman follows the tradition of all of those dark and gory films that have been suffusing our screen from its celluloid days to the present. In another period, or mostly from the 1950s to the 1990s, Bagman would have been the natural heir to the so-called detective stories of yore. Indeed, as with its progenitors, this series has all the elements of those screen capers where one man has the licensed to kill or be killed, and where bosses hide behind shadows, and henchmen are as disgusting as they are thoroughly dispensable. But the legacy ends there. Bagman soars away from its vicious origins as it explores the tripartite process of initiationseparation-return that noble heroes follow. Think of Daniel Barrion but with a twist because our hero is close to a heel, a twisted good man embedded in a bad, sad man trying to make good while being evil. But like all heroes, he undergoes a kind of test, is separated from his family, with a questionable return. Atayde is Benjo, not yet the Bagman, but a husband ready to work and die for his family. Those are ethos for living that in Benjo’s newfound life becomes an ethos for dying. Benjo is also a barber whose shop sits atop a stretch of a sidewalk up. According to the law of the barangay and the city, the sidewalk is supreme. That barbershop therefore, which doubles as Benjo’s home while he takes care of his pregnant wife, has to give way to the sidewalk. In the many events that transpire in and out of that small, poor barbershop, the greater good is proffered, the bigger picture is painted. And Benjo and all those living near his barbershop are implicated in the quest for that greater “good.” Something is going for Benjo though: He is a good barber, perhaps one of the best, and the governor makes him his personal “barber.” Before Benjo gets to meet his customer Numero Uno, he encounters other characters (other monsters?) and goes through challenges, which are more like tasks meant to test his agility, ability and loyalty. Instead of hermits or beggars, able-bodied men are the harbingers of puzzles to be solved, and the barber gets to provide the solution. Cliché and more cliché abound in Bagman but in those templates of causes and effects lie the charm and danger of this series. The fact that we consider the evil machinations of the assistant to the Governor as

cliché does not remove the fact that, in real life, those factotums and minions are organically evil elements in politics. The fact that soft-spoken avuncular personalities who can plot murder have become cliché means that we have become inured about certain lies in life. Rendered cinematic, these lies are turned into addictive truths. The truth is Bagman makes the cliché of moral deprivation acutely persuasive because of performances that eschew the stereotypes. A political opponent, for example, is represented by a genial “sastre” or tailor. The governor, played by Raymond Bagatsing, has a menace that he appears to check constantly, careful not to disclose in public what he really is. His gestures given to goons who seldom share a space with him are rendered in codes as we guess what his next action will be. That uncertainly about the harm a powerful man can inflict on the man of small status gets reflected on the face of Benjo. The latter’s uncertainly becomes our anxiety. Two other characters have delineations delicious to watch: Allan Paule as Cito, the governor’s special man, and Jeff Pangan, as Big Boy, the small fry imagining his own gravitas. Pangan is Benjo’s entry point to the criminal world. Pangan’s Big Boy is easily the common man’s ideal villain. He appears to help out Benjo but we know he is duping this young man he now makes into his delivery boy. Paule’s Cito is more complex. He dispenses advice like “a man without principles is dangerous,” when we know his is a life without principle. Cito does not stop there; he compares the

initiation of Benjo into this precarious career as the governor’s bag man to no less than “fatherhood,” which resonates with the young man about to be a father soon. Mention must be made of Yayo Aguila whose caring words cloak a mind reeking of the naively officious. And yet, we know, Big Boy, Cito and even “Pastora,” the woman-leader of a religious group being blackmailed to submission by the governor through Benjo, are not villains. How can they be bad when there are no good men in this tale? Well, maybe the father-in-law of Benjo? His wife? But both are not really keen in questioning where Benjo’s wads of cash come from. Amid all these exemplary actors, Atayde stands out. He is practically in all the scenes, a taut and barbed thread in the tapestry of deceit. Innocent at the start, Benjo knows he is employed for the greater evil. Then he gets the hang of it; then we wait for any sign of redemption. But then he flashes his doe eyes and goes back to that hound-dog look. Atayde is so good we wonder if it is the fresh direction or the screenplay that pushes him to depict this extraordinary character. What we are sure of in this encounter is seeing an actor of the first order. An iWant original series, Bagman is produced by Dreamscape Digital and Rein Entertainment. It is directed by Shugo Praico. Now streaming via Netflix, the film is getting a new traction and a new audience. Atayde, by the way, was named best actor at the 2020 Asian Academy Creative Awards for Bagman. n

Starry-eyed hopes and dreams

Strength comes in numbers. This year, Star Magic’s strategic partnerships with Rise Artists Studio, Star Hunt, and the different production units of ABS-CBN, as well as the forging of co-management deals with various independent managers, among others, have made it possible to welcome some of the network’s most reliable actors, reality-show alumni, and promising new faces under its fold. John Arcilla could very well be considered as one of the pillars of character acting of his generation. He has given life to countless roles that have stirred audiences here and abroad. Now that the FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano actor is joining Star Magic is fellow castmate Marc Solis. Meanwhile, Angeline Quinto is continuing her ties with the Star Magic with a hopeful heart. She is seen nightly in Huwag Kang Mangamba. Sandino Martin is also signed with the agency and will soon be seen in The Broken Marriage Vow. Putting her

international modeling dreams aside in the meantime is Lou Yanong, who was first introduced in Pinoy Big Brother. Lou joins other Pinoy Big Brother alums Kiara Takahashi and Ashley del Mundo, who is now seen in top-trending show He’s Into Her. A number of fresh faces also inked a talent management contract with Star Magic and these include Tan Roncal, who dreams to work with Daniel Padilla; Richard Juan, who is now making waves as a model and host; Kobie Brown, who is half-British and into football but has recently opened his mind to acting; and Andi Abaya, a model and upcoming actress who booked her first gig in the upcoming movie Caught in the Act, intended for this year’s Metro Manila Filmfest. Promising singer Jayda, the daughter of singer Jessa Zaragoza and balladeer Dingdong Avanzado, hopes Star Magic can help her hone her singing and songwriting skills even more. YouTube sensation Gigi de Lana, who is a product of Tawag ng Tanghalan, also joins Star Magic. Star Magic is also putting their bets on young actresses Shanaia Gomez, Karina Bautista and Alyssa Muhlach. Meanwhile, future heartthrobs JC Alcantara (of Hello Stranger fame), Aljon Mendoza (of Hoy! Love You), Zach Castañeda (famed Kumu streamer) and Kiko Estrada (of recently concluded soap opera Bagong Umaga) also join the growing Star Magic family. Their contract sigining will be aired on July 18, 9:30 pm, on A2Z and Kapamilya Channel.

nnn A huge and unexpected but welcome check on her long bucket list. This is how 17-year-old Francine Diaz summed up her feelings about the fact that her first-ever suspense thriller Tenement 66 will be participating in the 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), under the Bucheon Choice category. “Napakalaking blessing, napakalaking opportunity,” Francine shared. Francine takes on the role of the quiet but angsty Lea, costarring with Francis Magundayao and Noel Comia, in the second Rae Red-helmed flick. Tenement 66 follows the story of three teens, Lea (Francine) and her neighbors (Francis and Noel), who execute a plan to rob the apartment of a man named Nando (Lou Veloso), whom she also caught stealing a large sum of money. But their plan goes awry and their lives are put in peril after they’re held hostage by the gruesome homeowner and his aid. Having been in the business for only six years, Francine admits that she has a long list of dream projects and dream roles. “Gusto kong ma-try ’yung role na secret agent ako or ako naman ’yung medyo ma-action. ’Yung parang si Al Pacino sa Scarface or si Angeline Jolie sa Salt,” she said. Despite her tender age, Francine proves that she’s got what it takes to make it in this business that demands a lot of flexibility and passion. Tenement 66 can be seen commercial-free and in high-definition on SKY Pay-Per-View until August 9.

Francine Diaz

B6 Friday, July 16, 2021

BPI awarded for sustainability, investment banking

HealthNow enables 1M vaccinations through Ayala Group’s COVIDShield

N support of the country’s ongoing vaccination drive, HealthNow houses COVIDShield, the COVID-19 vaccination program of the Ayala Group and its partners, to fully inoculate about 500,000 employees and their loved ones, translating into one million COVID-19 vaccinations. The all-in-one healthtech app is jointly owned by Globe’s 917 Ventures and AC Health. It offers patients a convenient way to talk to a licensed physician through video teleconsultation, buy medicines online for delivery, and soon, schedule clinic and diagnostic appointments. “We’re currently rolling-out our COVIDShield vaccination program to support the country’s fight against COVID-19. In the pipeline, we are looking at administering over a million doses in the next couple of months. This is a big opportunity for the Ayala Group to ensure the safety and health of our community,” said Beia Latay, HealthNow Chief Executive Officer. Through the HealthNow platform, employees and dependents of the Ayala Group and partners can register for COVIDShield, book their vaccinations at their preferred location and schedule, receive pre-vaccination health screening, and post-vaccination medical care.

Likewise, healthcare providers from AC Health’s subsidiaries Healthway and Qualimed, can use HealthNow's electronic medical record (EMR) to safely store vaccination information and provide patient monitoring, both for the individual and the Department of Health’s (DOH) record keeping. Individuals inoculated through COVIDShield will receive a vaccination passport which may be used for workforce re-entry and travel purposes.

Following the arrival of the initial vaccine doses, AC Health has started conducting vaccinations, using HealthNow as the digital backbone to facilitate the end-to-end process. HealthNow came in amid the pandemic and has garnered over 400,000 app users and more than 600 healthcare providers nationwide since launching in August 2020. To learn more about HealthNow, visit https://www.healthnow.ph/.

FEDERAL LAND TOPS OFF MI CASA IN BAY AREA, PASAY. Federal Land, Inc. celebrates another milestone with the topping off ceremony of Mi Casa Hawaii Tower. The event marks the structural completion of the first tower of the development. Mi Casa is a tropical-inspired residence that features resort-style amenities and a central location within Metro Park, Federal Land’s master-planned community in Bay Area. In photo are Federal Land, Inc. executives and partners (from left to right): Mr. Aris A. Cuevas, DMCI vice president and head building business unit; Engr. Richard Naval, head of external construction management group; Mr. Antonino Aligaen, head of technical execution group; Ms. Cherie Fernandez, head of project development group; Mr. John Cabato, head of Metro Park and Grand Central Park township business unit; Engr. Roy Lachica, head of construction management group; and Mr. Allen Mindalano, head of Federal Land sales channel group.

All SMHCC properties get Safety Seal certification

LL properties under SM Hotels and Conventions Corp (SMHCC) portfolio have recently obtained the Department of Tourism Safety Seal given to accommodation establishments who faithfully comply with the Minimum Public Health Standards (MPHS) set by the government and integrate StaySafe.ph with their contact tracing. Taal Vista Hotel, Pico Sands Hotel, Conrad Manila, Radisson Blu Cebu, Park Inn by Radisson Hotels (North Edsa, Clark, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao), and SMX Convention Centers (Manila, SM Aura, and Davao) have successfully complied and passed the Safety Seal Certification Program led by the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Complementing DOT’s Safety Seal, Radisson Blu Cebu, Park Inn by Radisson Davao, and Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo have likewise been conferred the world’s first-ever global safety and hygiene seal, the Safe Travel Stamp, issued by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in recognition of the hotels’ compliance with WTTC’s safe travel protocols.

The issuance of the DOT Safety Seal manifests SMHCC’s commitment to ensure the utmost comfort and safety of its guests and employees. With its stringent protocols under the ‘SustainablySafe’ Program, SMHCC leaves no stone unturned and follows intensive sets of policies, while applying efficient and methodical procedures. “The DOT’s Safety Seal literally serves as a stamp of approval, giving our guests

the assurance that they need when staying in our properties, and is a testament to SMHCC’s uncompromising health and safety standards. Strengthened by our very own ‘SustainablySafe’ Program, we have ably primed our properties for the new normal and gained our guests’ confidence, making their safety our topmost priority,” said Ms. Peggy E. Angeles, SMHCC Executive Vice President.

INANCEASIA, one of the region’s leading finance publications, recognized the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) for its forward-looking sustainability initiatives and excellence in investment banking. BPI was named as the Best Sustainable Bank in the country, while its investment banking arm, BPI Capital Corporation, was recognized as the Best Investment Bank, Best Equity Capital Market House, and Best Debt Capital Market House. The four awards made BPI the most awarded Philippine bank in the recently-held 2021 FinanceAsia Country Awards. “This award is a welcome validation of what we are determined to achieve. BPI’s sustainability formula is distinct because we go beyond environmental, social and governance goals by adding economic targets to our green and social endeavors. Thus, BPI’s formula for sustainability, ESG+E, is unique.” said Tere Marcial, BPI Chief Finance Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer. “BPI strives to be an inclusive, innovative and trusted leader in responsible banking. This is our sustainability vision. Sustainability is front and center in how we operate as a bank,” said Ms. Marcial. BPI Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BPI, has maintained leadership in the debt and equity capital markets, project finance, structured finance, advisory and mergers and acquisitions. “We continue to value the trust given to us by our clients. These recognitions prove that we are able to maintain our position as are liable financial partner, transaction advisor, credit sponsor, and financing originator to the most respected names in business and major stakeholders in the country,” said Chiqui

Huang, President of BPI Capital Corp. In the Equity Capital Markets, BPI Capital was ranked in March 2021 as number one among both local and international investment houses based on the Philippines Bloomberg League Table. From April 2020 to March 2021, the Company had successfully participated in two Preferred Share Offerings, one Stock Rights Offering, and led two Initial Public Offerings, including the listing of AREIT, the first Real Estate Investment Trust (“REIT”) in the Philippines. BPI Capital’s leadership in investment banking is further exemplified in its proven placement power and formidable track record in the Debt Capital Markets. It is the lead arranger and underwriter for ASEAN ESG bonds in the Philippines, participating in three of the five ASEAN ESG Bond issuances from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. From April 2020 to March 2021, BPI Capital has actively arranged, underwritten and participated in three corporate notes issuances in addition to twelve PHP denominated and six US$ denominated bond issuances. “Our commitment to sustainability and investment banking go hand in hand,” said Marcial. “This commitment compels us to align all our operations—what we offer our clients and how we serve them—towards creating a more sustainable society.”

GBP STARTS CONSTRUCTION OF 115 MW PEAK SOLAR PLANT IN RIZAL. PH Renewables, Inc. (PHRI), a subsidiary of Global Business Power Corporation (GBP), recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of its first solar power plant in Baras, Rizal. With a capacity of 115 MW peak, the project is expected to commence commercial operations in 2022. PHRI’s solar project marks GBP’s entry in the renewable energy market. As a leading power generator in the Visayas and with operations in the fast-growing Mindanao market, the solar plant located within a 135-hectare area inside the Philippine Communications Satellite Corporation (PHILCOMSAT) grounds in Rizal, allows GBP to finally service the three major islands of the country. Attending the event are, from left: PHILCOMSAT project management consultant Horacio B. Yalung, Solenergy president and CEO Thomas H. Peebles, China Energy Engineering Co. Ltd. Philippine Branch Office general manager Wu Linlin, Mitsui & Co. (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd. Manila Branch general manager Shinichiro Shimada, GBP president Jaime T. Azurin, H&WB Asia Pacific (Pte Ltd) Corporation president and CEO Antonio A. Ver, PHILCOMSAT property and asset maintenance supervisor Raul B. Baria, and GBP executive vice president and chief operating officer Dominador M. Camu, Jr.

Global PR Alliance elects PH executive to executive board

HE Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (Global Alliance), the world’s top federation of independent PR agencies, recently elected PR executive Ana Pista as Director of Communications, Content & Digital Asia Pacific, India and Africa. Switzerland-based Global Alliance is a confederation of the world's major PR and communication management associations and institutions and represents more than 300,000 practitioners and academics around the world. Its mission is to unify the PR profession, raise professional standards all over the world, share knowledge for the benefit of members and be the global voice for public relations in the public interest. Pista’s appointment as the first representative from the Philippines gives the opportunity for Asian countries to partake in developing a comprehensive strategy that would promote Global Alliance’s objectives to uplift the PR and communications industry Global Alliance President & CEO Justin Green stated, “Global Alliance is delighted to welcome Ana Pista as the first representative from the Philippines to join the Global Alliance Board. We are now more than ever before a global diverse and multicultural organization. The board and I look forward to working much more closely with the PR professionals and academics form the Philippines.” Pista, who founded top digital PR and communications agency Ardent Communications in 1997, served as Vice President External of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) for two consecutive years and chaired the 26th and 27th National PR Congress held in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

[KV] Ana Ruby B. Pista PRSP is the country’s premier organization for public relations professionals. Its membership roster comprises practitioners from the business and industry, government, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, schools, hotels and professional services. “I am honored to be elected to the Global Alliance Board of Directors. I am excited about what the Philippine PR and communications community can contribute to the global efforts to improve the practice and improve the exchange of ideas across our different cultures. I look forward to broadening my knowledge and experience and then sharing all the best practices I will learn in this new role with our PR and communication practitioners in the Philippines,” Pista said. Pista, along with other newly elected board of directors, will commence her appointment this July 2021.

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Superal sizzles with 2-under 70, closes in on 2nd straight crown

RINCESS SUPERAL sizzled coming off a one-hour delay due to lightning and thunderstorm, hitting three birdies in the last seven holes to fire a two-under 70 and grab a two-stroke lead over Chihiro Ikeda as erstwhile leader Daniella Uy floundered in the second round of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Eagle Ridge Ladies Classic in General Trias, Cavite, on Thursday. Superal came out smoking in tough conditions after the break, overcoming a one-over card with birdies on Nos. 13, 15 and 17 to wrest control as Ikeda wavered at the finish in the flight ahead. The multi-titled campaigner then came through with a superb pitch shot after overshooting the No. 1 green, banging in a par from three feet to preserve a 37-33 round. Counting her earlier 72, Superal thus stormed ahead in a topsy-turvy day with a 142 as she moved 18 holes away from scoring a back-to-back title feat after holding off Chanelle Avaricio at Sherwood last week. Ikeda actually surged ahead after birdying two of the first eight holes and held sway despite a bogey on the par-5 11th as she rolled in a six-footer for birdie on 13th. But she cracked coming home on errant shots and fatigue, bogeying No. 17 and then dropping a stroke on the finishing No. 1 for the second straight day. She also overshot the green like Superal and pitched to within six feet. Unlike the latter, however, the Fil-Japanese, who alongside Avaricio and amateur Arnie Taguines, flubbed the putt and ended up with a second 72 for a 144. Avaricio birdied the 17th then parred the first hole to save a 73 for third. But with a 147, she fell five strokes off Superal, who lined herself up for a third Ladies Philippine Golf Tour crown in pandemic-hit 2020-21 seasons after winning at Riviera late last year. Daniella Uy, who showed up the field with a 71 Thursday, failed to get going in challenging conditions, bogeying three of the first eight holes against a bogey to drop off the leaderboard. She never recovered and ended up with a 77 marred by three straight bogeys from No. 15. She slipped to fourth at 148. Harmie Constantino, who marked her pro debut with a victory at the adjacent Aoki course last March, bounced back with birdies from a pair of two-bogey miscues to draw level par but ran out of holes for another rebound after bogeying Nos. 16 and 18. She finished with a 74 for joint fifth with Taguines at 149, seven strokes off Ikeda. Taguines, meanwhile, zeroed in on the low amateur honors despite a 76 as Sherwood winner Burberry Zhang skied to an 82 for a 158. Sunshine Baraquiel, who put herself in early contention with an opening 72, likewise lost her momentum and made two bogeys to submit a birdie-less 80, ruined by a quadruple 8 on No. 16. She fell to seventh at 152.

By Josef Ramos

TRIPLE-HEADER marks the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) return to action with a compact Philippine Cup on Friday at the Ynares Center. And how game-ready the players from six teams seeing action on opening day are is high on the list of fan interest. The league’s 12 members hardly had any tune-up game in the last seven months or since after Season 45 which was played with only one conference, the all-Filipino, in the last quarter of pandemic year 2020. Meralco coach Norman Black, whose Bolts are facing Pido Jarencio and his NorthPort Batang Pier in the 6 p.m. nightcap, could only rely on what he sees in his team in practice. “It’s hard to know exactly how to answer that question,” said Black when asked if the Bolts would be playing with high intensity on Friday. “But the evaluation of my team is we’re okay, ready to play, we’re in good shape and we’re healthy,” Black added. PRINCESS SUPERAL birdies three of her last seven holes.

Friday, July 16, 2021 B7

ALL EYES ON PBA RETURN

Meralco tweaked its roster early this year, trading point guard Baser Amer and big man Bryan Faundo to Blackwater Bossing for do-it-all forward Mac Belo, who averaged 11.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 11 games at the last bubble season in Clark. The Bolts also have a legitimate rookie scorer in Alvin Pasaol, their ninth overall pick in this year’s rookie draft, and sophomore 6-foot-4 Michael Cañete. But for Black, he said he couldn’t say precisely if the Bolts have the power to electrocute the Batang Pier. “I cannot gauge our team because we haven’t played any tune-up or preseason game,” Black said. “But we just have to wait and find out until we play them. It’s one game at a time.” Jarencio, on the other hand, said they are ready to play 70 to 80 percent although they haven’t seen 7-footer Greg Slaughter during their practices. “We are ready to play despite

PHILIPPINE Basketball Association Commissioner Willie Marcial (left) makes a courtesy call on Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto (center) and Pasig City Administrator Atty. Jeron Manzanero.

some distractions,” Jarencio said. “I haven’t talked with Greg yet and know about his whereabouts.” Slaughter was acquired by Northport in exchange for Christian Standhardinger last

March. But the behemoth center has yet to report for duty at NorthPort. Amer, meanwhile, debuts in a Blackwater when the Elite take on the Alaska Aces in the 12:30 p.m. first game that follows a simple 11

a.m. opening ceremony denied of the traditional fiesta atmosphere typical of the league. Chris Gavina also returns to the league as head coach of Rain or Shine which battles NLEX at 3 p.m.

MARCIAL REPLACES OBIENA AS TEAM PHL FLAG BEARER

OXER Eumir Felix Marcial will replace Ernest John “EJ” Obiena as the Philippines’s male flagbearer alongside judoka Kiyomi Watanabe in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23 at the National Stadium. Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Tuesday that it would be more convenient for Marcial to carry the country’s colors because he will be arriving in

Tokyo this weekend. “He [Marcial] has the most flexible schedule before and after the opening ceremony,” Tolentino said “We have already informed Eumir about his task and we are very thankful to EJ for understanding. He cannot rebook his flight anymore.” Marcial took multiple flights from his training camp in Colorado Springs in the US on Thursday and is expected to land in Tokyo on Saturday, six days before the opening ceremony. Obiena, on the other hand,

is coming in from Italy and will be in Japan just hours before the opening ceremony. “Because of protocols, EJ should be expecting delays at the airport and that would make it impossible for him to catch the opening ceremony,” Tolentino said. Marcial, who turned professional last year, will make his Olympic debut on July 25 in the men’s middleweight roundof-32. He will join female -63 kg judoka Watanabe as the other

flag bearer. Watanabe, who is based in Japan, will compete in women’s -63 kgs of judo on July 27. Six Filipino officials are joining the parade of countries— chef de mission Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, Philippine Judo Federation President Dave Carter, boxing Coach Nolito Velasco, skateboarding Coach Daniel Velasco, Philippine Swimming Inc. President Lani Velasco and Gymnastics Association of the Philippines head Cynthia Carrion-Norton.

Perasol resigns as Maroons coach

MIDDLETON, BUCKS TIE SERIES

OLREICH “BO” PERASOL resigned as head coach of the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons amid uncertainty on the return of collegiate basketball with the Covid-19 pandemic still prevailing. “It’s my personal decision…a very hard decision…because we started this program,” Perasol told BusinessMirror from Anilao, Batangas, where he went scuba diving on Thursday. “My wife and I also need to focus on our pre-school in Biñan.” Perasol’s wife Reina owns the Haven of Learning Development Inc. in San Jose Village in Biñan. “I really have to [resign]. So we agreed to move on and move for-

ILWAUKEE—Khris Middleton is an AllStar with unwavering confidence in his shot, always believing that no matter how poorly he starts he can turn things around. “Khris has no fear and he never has,” Milwaukee guard Jrue Holiday said. Middleton’s big shots— and throw in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s big block—may have turned around the course of these National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals. Middleton scored 40 points, including 10 straight for the Bucks down the stretch to send them past the Phoenix Suns, 109103 on Wednesday night to tie the series 2-2. “We wanted this bad and the team showed it tonight,” Antetokounmpo said. Middleton’s hot hand and a big block from Antetokounmpo gave the Bucks their second straight victory in the first close game of the series. Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. His streak of 40-point games ended

ward,” Perasol added. UP and the seven other members of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines are maintaining their varsity teams although the league has yet to clarify whether or not it would hold its 84th season this year. Season 83 was canceled in pandemic year 2020. Perasol said the decision to leave his alma mater, which he coached for five years, was a difficult choice. The pandemic, he stressed, was a huge impact on his decision citing the absence of collegiate leagues for almost two years. “I already wanted to resign in Season 81, I wanted to rest, but they requested me to stay until Sea-

Olympics-bound Israeli swimming team impressed with NCC facilities

WIMMERS and coaches from the Israel national team lauded the New Clark City Aquatics Center, citing worldclass facilities and exceptional swimming pools that are instrumental in their preparation for the Tokyo Olympics. The 17-member team from the Israel Swimming Association began their preparations for the Olympics

using facilities at the internationallycertified pool last Saturday. This is the first time that the Aquatics Center is hosting an event since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus in the country and the enforcement of community lockdowns. “I travelled all around the world and saw thousands of aquatic complexes. New Clark City’s facility is among the best in the world!” said David Marsh, former US Olympic swimming coach and professional adviser of the Israeli team. Swimmers from the Israeli team were also impressed with the worldclass aquatics center in Capas, Tarlac. “It’s a really nice pool with really nice surrounding views. And the bright color of the pool makes it look even better. More importantly, I like how the pool is really fast. Thank you for having us here!” said Andrea Murez, a

PERASOL son 82, and then they asked me for another year,” he said. “But it’s been more than one year that there’re no collegiate leagues.” Perasol has a 30-32 win-loss record in his four years with UP. He coached the Maroons to the Season 81 UAAP Finals—the school’s first championship appearance in 21 years—but lost to Ateneo. A season later, he steered the Maroons to the semifinals but lost to the University of Santo Tomas Tigers. Josef Ramos 29-year-old who will compete in the 100-meter freestyle in Tokyo. BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon, also the deputy chief implementer of the country’s pandemic response, said the event will not only boost the Filipinos’ confidence in New Clark City’s world-class facilities, but also “showcase the capability of the country to recover from the pandemic.” “We are thrilled yet humbled at the same time to host our friends from Israel in New Clark City’s first-ever sports bubble,” Dizon said. “Israel is one of the leading countries in the world for Covid-19 vaccination and response.” Nir Balzam, Chargé d’Affaires of the Israel Embassy in the Philippines, joined Dizon in the visit. “We’d like to extend our thanks to Secretary Vince, the BCDA and the Philippine government for being a true friend of Israel and also for hosting our swimmers,” Balzam said. “Having them here, training in this bubble setting where they can train freely, get acclimated to the region and the time zone, we really appreciate it.”

BASES Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon and Israel Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires Nir Balzam visit the Israel swimming team’s pre-Olympic training camp at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Tarlac.

at two but the only number that matters for the Bucks is on the series scoreboard. Devin Booker scored 42 points for the Suns, but his foul trouble cost them a chance to build a big lead in the second half. Chris Paul struggled through a 5-for-13 night, finishing with 10 points and five turnovers. Game 5 is Saturday night in Phoenix. “This is a tough one but we’ve got to bounce back,” Paul said. “That’s why we fought all season to get home court.” Phoenix led by two with two-and-a-half minutes left before Middleton made the next two baskets to give Milwaukee a 101-99 edge with 1:28 to play. It appeared the Suns would tie it with a lob pass to center Deandre Ayton but Antetokounmpo swooped in to block it, flexing his muscles to the crowd behind the basket as the Bucks broke the other way on the fast break. “That’s an NBA Finals special moment right there, and we’re going to need more of them,” Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer said. AP

KHRIS MIDDLETON scores 40 points, including 10 straight for the Bucks down the stretch to send them past the Phoenix Suns, 109-103 on Wednesday night. AP

B8 Friday, July 16, 2021

Motoring BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Cleanfuel inaugurates its newest station in Las Piñas G

Story by Randy S. Peregrino

ROWING fuel company Cleanfuel finally brought “Quality Fuel for Less” to Las Piñas City.

Clean and air-conditioned restrooms.

The newly-opened Cleanfuel station in Las Piñas City.

Cleanfuel

The aggressive stance of the leading independent oil company to tap new market is being exercised anew with the recent opening of its premier station in the city. The inauguration of the newest Cleanfuel Alabang-Zapote station has provided easy access to affordable yet quality fuel products to private motorists, public utility, and commercial transport. “This is such an important occasion for us

as we open our first branch in one of the busiest commercial districts in the South. We’re excited to provide motorists a new level of customer service, quality fuel, and world-class facilities,” said Atty. Jesus “Bong” Suntay, president of Cleanfuel Group of Companies. Suntay explained, “With businesses slowly opening up and our economy recovers, we at Cleanfuel, through our continuously-growing station network, will be ready to provide the

Cleanfuel

most competitive pricing in the market to help motorists. Our vision is to help our customers maximize their earnings by providing quality fuel at the lowest price possible.” The latest location of Cleanfuel serves as one of the gateways in the South Metro Manila, catering to the large volume of vehicles coming to and from Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Bacoor, Cavite. Located along the busy stretch of Alabang-Zapote Road in Barangay Pamplona Tres, this 2,400-square-meter retail station will benefit all types of motorists. It offers top-notch fuel products, including Clean91, Premium 95, and high-grade diesel, as part of its mission to offer outstanding yet affordable products. Aside from petroleum products, the company also prides itself on the firstclass amenities offered to customers. For example, there are clean and spacious

air-conditioned restrooms, commercial space for leasing, air-and-water services, cashless payment options, and loyalty rewards program. This newly-opened fuel station covers the nine-kilometers stretch of the main road connecting Alabang, Muntinlupa, and Las Piñas City. Moreover, the property will have added amenities from its leasing tenants, such as a carwash bay area, food store outlets, and motorcycle stores. Providing more value to its patrons is one of Cleanfuel’s best offerings. The VIP Rewards card (which is being offered FREE in all branches) can make the most out of every top-up as customers earn points; redeem exciting items and discounts from its establishment partners. “In the coming weeks, we are opening more stations in the North (Olongapo and San Ilde-

Blast from New Zealand

Y dear friend, Danny “Sir John” Isla, writes about his new home that is Auckland, New Zealand. He was the founding president of Lexus Manila, Inc. in 2009, ending his tour of duty in 2018. He titled his moving piece, “Transition.” Here: “WE have been in New Zealand for 16 months now—the longest my wife, Joy, and I have ever been out of Manila. “We arrived here in March last year with the intention of flying back home in July 2020. We never made it. NZ borders closed and PAL even ceased its operations here. I felt quite anxious then but, in many ways, our stay has been a blessing. “Our new home base is relatively safer than anywhere else and best of all, we are with our family—all three children and their spouses, 8 grandchildren and one more coming soon. “Let me share a few of my observations and experiences. “So far, I have seen how NZ shows compassion for its people. During this pandemic, businesses required to shut down during lockdowns are instantly

provided with financial support. Clear systems and guidelines are in place for every alert level so there is no confusion. With just a population nearing 5 million, one can say that number is significantly easier to manage but what I have much respect for is the level of discipline among the people in adhering to rules. “I have witnessed how Health Care works. Our doctor provides us access to health providers for our specific concerns. “I had a laser peripheral iridotomy to prevent the risk of glaucoma while Joy had a knee surgery owing to a meniscus tear. Both were government-funded and we experienced care and kindness even from the Kiwi medical staff. I noticed that there are many Filipino health workers here who are highly and positively regarded for their genuine care and concern for patients. Prescription medicines are free and we even get persistent reminders to take regular laboratory tests or vaccines and to secure our maintenance meds. “As an automotive man, I look at vehicle situations with a keen eye (it is

fonso in Bulacan), East (Tanay), South (Los Baños), as well as in some key areas in the NCR. We will continue to expand and open more stations as part of our commitment to the growing demands of the motoring public, which is to provide top-notch and affordable fuel products,” Suntay revealed. Meantime, while the threat of the pandemic is still within the horizon, Cleanfuel customers can expect the same safe and risk-free environment. Its workforce continuously upholds safety health precautions such as wearing face masks and face shields, thermal scanning of personnel, social distancing, disinfection of workstations, and hand washing. More so, cashless payments are also made available. To know more about Cleanfuel’s products, services, and latest offers, customers may visit www. cleanfuel.ph and its social media pages. right-hand drive here). People generally follow traffic rules and road courtesy, like staying in the lane, following the zipper merging etiquette at all times, observing speed limits and following traffic signs. I had experienced paying stiff penalties for over-speeding. Quite painful to the pocket. “Car registration is quick and easy. It can be done through phone or online. Securing a driver’s license is not to be taken for granted. I had to thoroughly study the traffic rules and road codes before taking the theoretical exam. Thereafter, I had to do a practical test that ran for 20 minutes. I was issued a temporary license right after the test. My permanent driver’s license came soon by mail bearing validity of 10 years. “Buying a second-hand car gives one confidence because registration cannot be done without the Warrant of Fitness. It is a deal purely between seller and buyer—no Deed of Sale, no Police Clearance, no stencils. Every information about the car can be secured online through the vehicle plate number. Payments are done online as well. “I am in a pleasant transition but I do miss Manila…only that the cherished homecoming has to wait.” Nowhere man is in no hurry, SJ.

PEE STOP

RTR’s Jade B. Sison says Lexus has extended its sales promos to July 31. NX 300 at P3,218,000; NX 300 F Sport P3,718,000; NX 300 Hybrid P3,688,000; and, LS 500h P9,458,000. Visit lexus.com.ph for more details.