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With the “Big One” knocking on the doorstep of Metro Manila, how do we prepare ourselves for such a natural eventuality?

By Rory Visco

N July 27, 2022, Wednesday, at 8:43 a.m., a Magnitude 7 earthquake jolted an otherwise sunny and casual morning for the people of the province of Abra.

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DIFFERENTLY abled Filipinos attend the SM Cares Emergency Preparedness Forum at the SkyDome of SM City North Edsa. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The powerful temblor left four people dead and about 64 people injured, and damaged hundreds of establishments and homes, including centuries-old churches and heritage sites. More than 50 landslides occurred in the area. According to the Aftershock Count of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), as of 8 a.m. of July 28, 2022, there were 815 total number of recorded earthquakes, 168 total plotted earthquakes, and around 24 felt earthquakes, all within a Magnitude range of 1.5 to 5. The Philippines is no stranger to natural disasters, the country being located in the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire,” and regularly experiences earthquakes of varying magnitudes. Survival and disaster management expert Dr. Ted Esguerra said that when preparing for a disaster before it strikes, there are two things that have to be considered: behavioral and structural.

Shift in response

IN terms of behavioral aspects, there is an old paradigm that no longer applies to today’s settings, which is “you should be helped.” He said that the new Sendai

Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 encourages everyone, regardless of age and physical abilities or the lack of it, to be capacitated based on his or her understanding when it comes to emergencies. “When I say emergencies, these involve all hazards. It can be acts of terror or gunfights, or structural collapse because of earthquakes or hydro-meteorological events. So, whether it’s natural or man-made disasters, they have to understand what the situation is, but there is a baseline to that,” said Dr. Esguerra on the sidelines of the recently concluded Emergency Preparedness Forum for PWDs and Senior Citizens held at the SkyDome of SM City North Edsa in Quezon City. The forum, which was organized by SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Prime Holdings, aims to teach these most vulnerable groups on how to become prepared and resilient in times of emergencies and disasters. One, Dr. Esguerra said it has to be determined first whether the individual has a mobility impediment; then something must be done about it.

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EARTHQUAKE and flood simulation drill led by Dr. Esguerra (in glasses). CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The approach should involve capacitating persons individually, be site-specific, hazard-focused, adopt culturally amenable practices, and everything should be time bound.

‘YOYO’

“THIS means a one-size-fits-all approach will not work; it should be customized. How can a person who is hearing impaired understand instructions verbally, unless a form of nonverbal communication is adopted? How would people with developmental disorders, like those with Down’s Syndrome, understand instructions? So you have to be repetitive, there is a process, and we review it before, during and after.” When empowering people, it should include a primary support group and the community. Today, a person should teach himself how to survive, he said, and during his talk at the forum, Dr. Esguerra

Dr. Esguerra also shared these basic tips in terms of disaster preparedness, not just for the differently abled and the elderly but for the general population as well. One is to increase one’s situational awareness by anchoring it to one’s worth, especially for the differently abled or those with problems on mobility who may not be able to move as fast as the others. Two, have what Dr. Esguerra called an “everyday carry,” a bag that contains basic essentials: firstaid kit, maintenance medicines for those who need it or even simple, over-the-counter medicines, potable water, flashlight, signaling device like a whistle. Three is what Dr. Esguerra calls “life skills” such as basic life support, how to administer first aid like bandaging, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), even firefighting. Fourth is a “contacts list” that contains contact details of important institutions like police, fire department, poison control, more of like a small handbook, preferably wrapped in waterproof or resilient material, or it can be reading materials posted in strategic places such as schools, churches and of course, even homes, or transport vehicles like jeeps, buses or tricycles. “People can store this list in their cellphones, like what many

people do, but what if the phone runs out of battery or falls into water? It’ll be useless already, so this list has to be separate and carried by the person in his body like in a bag, or for those who are wheelchair-bound, it can be placed at the pouch behind the wheelchair.” Fifth is to train people on whether to evacuate or “shelter in place,” especially for those with mobility problems or developmental disorders, which should be done repetitively since they cannot discern whether to evacuate or shelter in place so they would understand.

More to learn

IT was 32 years ago, or July 16, 1990, when a powerful Magnitude 7.8 tremor hit the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and left an estimated 2,412 people dead, scores injured, with damage worth an estimated P20 billion. To many, that was the longest 45 seconds in their lives where many Filipinos called practically every god and saint in their vocabulary and prayed fervently for survival. And of course, there’s the “Big One” that many have been talking about. Does the country already have a recipe to counter disasters, which should be all about preparedness? It will certainly take a lot of work.

mentioned that in a disaster, one should learn “you are on your own” or “YOYO.” “When a person is empowered to learn what to do during a disaster, even when left alone, that person will survive on his or her own. That’s what I call the ‘Starfish Principle,’ where if you cut one portion of the starfish, it will grow back, unlike the ‘Spider Principle,’ where if you cut one, it will die. I believe that an empowered person is a very dynamic person,” he explained. When it comes to teaching people disaster preparedness, Dr. Esguerra said there has to be a champion who will propagate the message of being prepared mentally and physically for disasters. It can be the government or the private sector, but the best part is for these two institutions to collaborate, adding that such will certainly reap benefits.

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Climate migration growing but not fully recognized by world By Julie Watson The Associated Press

IJUANA, Mexico— Worsening climate from the burning of coal and gas is intensifying a range of disasters and uprooting millions of people, with wildfires overrunning towns in California, rising seas overtaking island nations and drought exacerbating conflicts in various parts of the world.

Each year, natural disasters force an average of 21.5 million people from their homes around the world, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). And scientists predict migration will grow as the planet gets hotter. Over the next 30 years, 143 million people are likely to be uprooted by rising seas, drought, searing temperatures and other climate catastrophes, according to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel

WORKERS walk to work at an export processing zone early in the morning after crossing the Mongla River in Mongla, Bangladesh, March 3, 2022. This Bangladeshi town stands alone to offer new life to thousands of climate migrants. AP/MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

on Climate Change report published this year. Still, the world has yet to officially recognize climate migrants or come up with formalized ways to assess their needs and help them. Here’s a look at climate migration today.

WHO ARE CLIMATE MIGRANTS?

MOST climate migrants move within the borders of their homelands, usually from rural areas to cities after losing their home or livelihood because of drought, rising seas or another weather calamity. Because cities also are facing their own climate-related problems, including soaring temperatures and water scarcity, people are increasingly being forced to flee across international borders to seek refuge. Yet climate migrants are not afforded refugee status under the 1951 Refugee Convention, which provides legal protection only to people fleeing persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or particular social group.

DEFINING CLIMATE MIGRATION

IDENTIFYING climate migrants is not easy, especially in regions rife with poverty, violence and conflicts. While worsening weather conditions are exacerbating poverty, crime and political instability, and fueling tensions over dwindling resources from Africa to Latin America, often climate change is overlooked as a contributing factor to people fleeing their homelands. According to the UNHCR, 90 percent of refugees under its mandate are from countries “on the front lines of the climate emergency.” In El Salvador, for example, scores each year leave villages because of crop failure from drought or flooding, and end up in cities where they become victims of gang violence and ultimately flee their countries because of those attacks. “It’s hard to say that someone moves just because of climate change. Is everyone who leaves Honduras after a hurricane a climate migrant?” Elizabeth Ferris, a research professor at the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University, wrote in an email to The Associated Press. “And then there are non-climate related environmental hazards— people flee earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis—should

“T

here is still this idea in the Global North [industrialized nations] that people come here because they are fleeing poverty and seeking a better life, the American Dream. In Europe, it’s the same spin of the same story. But no one wants to leave their home. We’ve got to approach climate displacement as a human security issue and not a border security issue.”

—Amali Tower, founder and executive director of Climate Refugees, an advocacy group focused on raising awareness about people displaced because of climate change they be treated differently than those displaced by weather-related phenomena?” Despite the challenges, it’s vital that governments identify climatedisplaced people, Ferris added. “The whole definitional issue isn’t a trivial question—how can you develop a policy for people if you aren’t clear on who it applies to?” she wrote.

INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS

WHILE no nation offers asylum to climate migrants, UNHCR published legal guidance in October 2020 that opens the door for offering protection to people displaced by the effects of global warming. It said that climate change should be taken into consideration in certain scenarios when it intersects with violence, though it stopped short of redefining the 1951 Refugee Convention. The commission acknowledged that temporary protection may be insufficient if a country cannot remedy the situation from natural disasters, such as rising seas, suggesting that certain climate displaced people could be eligible for resettlement if their place of origin is considered uninhabitable. An increasing number of countries are laying the groundwork to become safe havens for climate migrants. In May, Argentina created a special humanitarian visa for people from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean displaced by natural disasters to let them stay for three years. Shortly after taking office, President Joe Biden ordered his national security adviser to conduct a months-long study that included looking at the “options for protection and resettlement of individuals displaced directly or

indirectly from climate change.” A task force was set up, but so far the administration has not adopted such a program. Low-lying Bangladesh, which is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, has been among the first to try to adapt to the new reality of migration. Efforts are underway to identify climate-resilient towns where people displaced by sea level rise, river erosion, cyclonic storms and intrusion of saline water can move to work, and in return help their new locations economically.

TRANSFORMING DEBATES ON MIGRATION

POLICY debates on migration have long centered on locking down borders. Climate change is changing that. With hundreds of millions of people expected to be uprooted by natural disasters, there is growing discussion about how to manage migration flows rather than stop them, as for many people migration will become a survival tool, according to advocates. “One problem is just the complete lack of understanding as to how climate is forcing people to move,” said Amali Tower, founder and executive director of Climate Refugees, an advocacy group focused on raising awareness about people displaced because of climate change. “There is still this idea in the Global North [industrialized nations] that people come here because they are fleeing poverty and seeking a better life, the American Dream. In Europe, it’s the same spin of the same story. But no one wants to leave their home. We’ve got to approach climate displacement as a human security issue and not a border security issue.”

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STUDY: HOTEL SECTOR RISES AS FOREIGN, LOCAL TOURISTS EMBARK ON TRAVEL ANEW By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

OURISM is back on its feet again as the country starts to welcome anew foreign tourists, and domestic travelers go out and explore different places again after being stuck at home due to lockdown periods over the past two years, driving hotel occupancies and leisure-related spending nationwide. Based on the latest Colliers Hospitality Insights report, hotel occupancies in Metro Manila averaged at 47 percent in the first half of 2022, up from 44 percent in the second quarter of 2021. Average daily rates (ADRs), on the other, rose by 5.4 percent from 4 percent during the two periods in review. “The Philippines is starting to lure tourists back to its shores. We are seeing a rise in foreign arrivals while improving consumer confidence is propelling the domestic market,” Colliers Philippines Associate Director for Research Joey Roi Bondoc said during their webinar on Thursday. Citing data from the Department of Tourism (DOT), he bared that foreign arrivals reached 814,144 from January to June of this year, representing a whopping 1,299 percent increase from the 58,177 international tourists posted a year ago. The growth in foreign arrivals could be attributed to the ease of travel restrictions for foreigners starting February 10, including the dropping of the Covid-19 test requirement before entering the country. Such tourism spike in the country was also due to the gradual return of business travel, especially among investors conducting due diligence. The growing propensity of local guests to spend on leisure likely supported the strong demand in the staycation market from April to June. Tourism surge in the metro, per the study of Colliers, was handled well by a robust accommodation supply, with the delivery of additional 834 new rooms to the total inventory in the first six months of this year,

following the expansion of Kabayan Hotel (307 rooms) in Pasay City, Lime Resort Manila (305 rooms) and opening of Hop Inn in Ortigas CBD (231 rooms). As the DOT expects foreign arrivals to hit 2 million by end of 2022 from last year’s 163,879, recovery of the hotel sector will be sustained in the second half, providing a solid base for 2023 and beyond. Because of this, the professional services and investment management firm projects occupancy to surpass the 50 percent mark at the close of the year on the back of holidayinduced spending and the return of overseas Filipino workers. Colliers also sees ADRs to expand by 8 percent for the whole year supported by growth in foreign arrivals and expansion of the domestic market. This could be accommodated by an estimated 1,830 rooms coming online by end of 2022 as Red Planet Hotel The Fort (245 rooms) and Lansons Place Hotel (250 rooms) are among the hotels due to be finished soon. With the continued revenge travel, the average room completion is seen at 2,650 annually up to 2024, with the Bay Area and Quezon City accounting for more than 60 percent of the new supply, including from upcoming opening of foreign-branded hotels, namely, Ibis, Pullman, Lansons Place, Westin, and Mandarin Oriental. “Higher-than-expected economic growth in Q1 [first quarter of] 2022 and further easing of travel restrictions should support the sector’s recovery beyond 2022. However, hotel operators should be mindful of the offsetting impacts of rising inflation and peso depreciation,” Bondoc said. He also advised them and other stakeholders to prepare for the gradual resumption of MICE or meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions events; create flexible packages for business and leisure travelers; and leverage on the efforts of both the public and private sectors to attract foreign tourists, while improving tourism infrastructures in the country such as airports and expressways.

SATELLITE SPECIALTY HOSPITALS PUSHED IN REMOTE LOCALITIES By Butch Fernandez

ONGRESS is being prodded to frontload passage of a law establishing satellite specialty hospitals in remote areas. In filing the enabling legislation, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara vowed to press for timely enactment into law of Senate Bill (SB) 93 intended to “provide all Filipinos with easier access to specialized medical care,” particularly those residing in far-flung countryside barangays. Once passed, SB 93, lined up as a priority legislation for the 19th Congress, will pave the way for establishing satellite specialty hospitals in remote provinces geographically isolated from their regions’ tertiary care hospital. All operated by the Department of Health (DOH), these specialty hospitals including the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center are located in the National Capital Region. “In going around these so-called specialty hospitals,” Angara noticed “most of the patients came from far-flung regions, including some from Maguindanao and General Santos City.” He observed that this entails “huge expenses for the patients and their relatives who also need to travel far to get medical treatment.” The lawmaker lamented, “There are still many more provinces that remain underserved when it comes to health services,” referring to isolated barangays yet to hear of regional tertiary care hospitals. “Because of that, we are hoping the government would also put up specialty hospitals attached to existing provincial hospitals.” Angara recalled he already earlier filed the same bill unpassed in the previous 18th Congress, but added he is now banking on the backing of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., making him “optimistic the measure will have a better chance of being enacted into law.” He reminded that in his State of the Nation Address, “The President said medical services must be brought to the people and not the other way around.” Quoting the President, he said: “Napakinabangan natin nang husto ang malalaking specialty hospitals gaya ng Heart Center, Lung Center, Children’s Hospital at National Kidney and Transplant Institute. Kaya maliwanag na hindi lang dapat dito sa National Capital Region, kundi maging sa ibang parte ng bansa kailangan madagdag ng ganitong uri ng mga pagamutan,” as the President said. As provided in the bill, the existing four specialty hospitals will be required to establish satellite hospitals among identified regions to

be managed and operated pursuant to their respective charters. Prioritization in the selection of locations for the satellite specialty hospitals will be based on the top burden of disease in the region; the legal mandates of laws such as the Integrated Cancer Control Act, Mental Health Act, and the Expanded Senior Citizens Act; and provinces that are geographically isolated from the region’s tertiary care hospital. Apart from the efforts to put up satellite specialty hospitals, Angara asserted the “need to produce more medical personnel, particularly specialists, to serve in these facilities.” The senator suggested that one way to address this is through Republic Act 11509, referring to the Doktor Para sa Bayan law wherein the state-supported medical scholars will undergo a mandatory return of service at public health institutions, including the specialty hospitals. As one of the co-authors of the law, Angara assured the Doktor Para sa Bayan will serve as a long-term solution to the manpower issues of the country’s public health facilities. He added that another initiative could also help in addressing this issue is the proposed establishment of hospitals in state universities and colleges (SUC) that offer medical degrees. Filed as Senate Bill 92 under the present Congress, the proposed Health Facility Augmentation Act will not only increase the hospital bed capacity, but will also provide medical students with the training they require within the SUCs where they are enrolled. Angara asserted, “we would like to see more SUCs offering medical degrees so that more Filipinos who want to pursue a career in medicine would have a greater opportunity to do so wherever they are situated.”

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Razon’s Prime Infra acquires operating stake in Malampaya By Lenie Lectura

SUBSIDIARY of Razon-led Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) has moved to acquire Malampaya Energy XP Holding Pte. Ltd. (MEXP) from Davao businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation (UC), effectively making it the new operator of the Malampaya deep-water gas-topower project. On Friday, Prime Exploration Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Prime Infra, said it recently signed a share purchase agreement acquiring MEXP. MEXP previously signed an agreement with Shell Petroleum N.V. (Shell) acquiring Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX) from the latter. However, PNOC Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC), which own 10 percent participating interest in Malampaya, did not give its consent to the deal. SPEX owns a 45 percent participating interest in the gas project and is the operator of the project’s consortium. UC38 LLC, another subsidiary of Udenna, has 45 percent interest in the project.

UC38 acquired the shares of Chevron Malampaya LLC in October 2019, which was approved by the Department of Energy (DOE). Through UC38 and MEXP, Udenna used to control 90 percent of Service Contract (SC) 38, the license that covers the Malampaya project. While SC38 will end in 2024, supply from the Malampaya gas field has been projected to be depleted by 2027. The change in control of SPEX from Shell to Prime Infra is subject to the consent of PNOC-EC and the DOE. If and when the consents are given and the transition process for a safe and seamless handover of operations is completed, Prime Infra will assume full ownership and control of SPEX. “Prime Infra’s acquisition of MEXP reflects our shared commitment with the national government to help maintain energy security and independence as we transition to a renewable energy-fueled Philippine economy,” said Prime Infra Chairman Enrique K. Razon Jr. The Malampaya project is one of the country’s most important power assets, as

New GSIS chief Veloso eyes more infra deals for revenue generation By Bernadette D. Nicolas

TATE-RUN Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is eyeing to continue investing in infrastructure not only to generate higher returns for the benefit of its members but also to support the country’s economic growth. New GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso said on Friday that they are currently looking at investment opportunities but he said they would like to invest in implementation-ready infrastructure projects. “Kailangan po nating tulong makainvest kami dito sa mga bagay na mag papasulong sa Republika ng P ilipina s. Kung meron p ong mga mag pupush for the industrialization of the countr y and health for example, various industries that I have mentioned…gusto po namin malaman para makapag-invest…,” Veloso told reporters in his first news conference at the GSIS Head Office in Pasay City. GSIS Executive Vice President for Suppor t Ser v ices Sector Dionisio Ebdane Jr. also said their maximum investment limit is P104 billion, of which P35 billion has already been released for private equity and infrastructure. Ebdane said a lot of investment opportunities are being considered, which may include those in the stock market. “So pag-aaralan po ng bagong administrasyon kung papasok ulit tayo sa infrastructure projects,” Ebdane said. “So sabi ko nga, meron pang pondo so paguusapan po ito sa board, investment committee, kung nararapat bang ipagpatuloy itong investment,” he added.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said in his first State of the Nation Address that infrastructure development would remain a “very high priority in our drive for growth and employment,” as he vowed to build on and expand his predecessor’s infrastructure program. State infrastructure spending under the Marcos administration will also be sustained at 5 to 6 percent of the country’s GDP. Meanwhile, as the new GSIS chief vowed to ensure that their members’ premium contributions are invested wisely and safely and to grow the pension fund’s insurance business, while making sure that government assets are insured. On top of this, he also aims to make GSIS the benchmark for public sector digitalization. The GSIS Board of Trustees elected Veloso GSIS president and general manager last July 21. He is a veteran banker with close to 40 years of banking experience and a multi-awarded CEO who was responsible for the financial success of the Philippine National Bank and HSBC-Philippines, among other banking institutions.

it produces natural gas to power plants in Batangas City that account for around 20 percent of the Philippines’s total electricity requirements. It began operations in 2001, with the consortium’s license for the project set to expire in 2024. Operating since 2001, the Malampaya project is the only local producer of indigenous natural gas. It supplies fuel to around 40 percent of gas-fired plants in Luzon, powering around 3,457 megawatts (MW) of power plants that provide power supply to the Luzon grid. “We believe that gas is an important transition fuel in the near-term, reducing the need for baseload fossil fuels like coal. Hence, we intend to accelerate investments on the Malampaya gas field to improve the output of existing wells and, if possible, develop new wells in the area once the license extension is secured from the government,” added Razon. P r i m e I n f r a ’s i n v e s t m e n t i n t h e expansion of Malampaya operations will also be critical to provide the necessary infrastructure that would support the development of natural gas in the area, one of the key points defined in the

administration’s energy agenda. Prime Infra, Shell and Udenna are currently working together to achieve a smooth transition of SPEX to Prime Infra. “We look forward to this opportunity to partner with Prime Infrastructure and PNOC-EC, as we explore more ways to fulfill our common vision to make Malampaya continue to operate safely and reliably to strongly support our country’s need for indigenous and sustainable energy for many years to come,” said Uy. Earlier, Senate Energy Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian welcomed Prime Infra’s offer to buy into Malampaya. “I want to commend Prime Infra for abiding with Presidential Decree [PD] 87 and abiding with DOE department circular 2007. That is the right direction because these are well established laws and the jurisprudence will tell us that these laws have been followed in the past,” he said. “I don’t know if Prime Infra is qualified or not, but the mere fact that they are subjecting themselves to evaluation of government is the right step. It gives us comfort that they themselves want to be evaluated,” Gatchalian had said.

DOH logs first PHL monkeypox case By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

HE Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Friday the detection of the first monkeypox case in the country—a 31-year-old Filipino national who arrived from abroad last July 19, 2022. The case had prior travel to countries with documented monkeypox cases and was tested and confirmed positive for monkeypox via Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction or RT-PCR at the DOH Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) on July 28. “Our surveillance systems immediately detected Monkeypox. We immediately took care of and isolated the patient to keep the disease from spreading,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH Officer-in-Charge. Vergeire said that fast contact tracing has identified the close contacts to halt transmission. The DOH said that they have already completed its case investigation and identification of close contacts. Ten close contacts were recorded, of which, three were from the same household. All have been advised to quarantine, and are being monitored by the DOH. The DOH also assured that public health surveillance systems are able to

detect and confirm monkeypox cases. “Let us continue to be vigilant, to follow our health protocols, and to get the right information only from DOH and its partner agencies,” Vergeire said.

Strict isolation

THE DOH said the case has been discharged and is undergoing strict isolation and monitoring at home. A different microorganism from Covid-19 causes monkeypox. The DOH said investigation of recent monkeypox cases in non-endemic countries indicates potential transmission through sexual contact. It spreads mostly by intimate sexual contact with those who have rashes or open lesions. It is not like Covid-19 that spreads mostly through the air. Monkeypox symptoms are mild and the disease is rarely fatal. While it is now a public health emergency of international concern, the DOH stressed that everyone can help prevent the spread of monkeypox by minimizing close sexual contact with suspected cases, especially those with rashes or open wounds. “Keep hands clean. Wear a face mask; cover coughs using the elbow, and choose areas with good airflow,” the DOH said.

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Saturday, July 30, 2022

Rido or vengeance? Father of Ateneo shooting suspect Yumol shot dead in Lamitan, Basilan By Rene Acosta

TILL unknown gunmen shot and killed on Friday the father of the suspect in the killing of three people, including the former mayor of Lamitan City, Basilan, inside the campus of the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. Reports reaching Camp Crame said that two men who were riding a motorcycle shot and killed Rolando Yumol, 69, at around 6:45 a.m. in front of his house at Barangay Maligaya in Lamitan City. Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao police director Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona said Yumol, a retired member of the defunct Philippine

Constabulary, sustained four gunshot wounds in the body. He was rushed to the Lamitan City District Hospital but was declared dead upon arrival by doctors as a result of the wounds inflicted by bullets from a .45 caliber pistol. Yumol was the father of Dr. Chao Tiao Yumol, the self-confessed suspect in the killing of former Lamitan City Mayor Rose Furigay and two others inside Ateneo’s campus in Quezon City on Sunday. The younger Yumol has admitted to the killing and had been charged by the police with three counts of murder, frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms. Furigay, accompanied by her executive assistant, Victor Capistrano, was at the

Ateneo to attend the physical graduation of her daughter, Hannah, from her law studies, when she was attacked by the younger Yumol. Capistrano and a security guard of the school were also killed while Hannah was wounded. It was not known whether the killing of the elder Yumol has anything to do with the murder of Furigay and the two others as the motive of the attack is still being investigated. There were reports that the killing of Rolando could have been a “rido” or clan war between the Furigay and Yumol families, or it was exacted as a vengeance for the murder of Furigay, but this was dismissed by the police pending the results of the ongoing

investigation. “Our police personnel in Lamitan City are already conducting an investigation regarding the case. So far, it is speculative to assume its direct relation to the shooting incident that happened last Sunday at the Ateneo de Manila University,” PNP Public Information Office chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Balba said. Cabalona said Rolando has death threats and he had been provided with security. However, the gunmen got their chance on him after he strayed outside of his house early in the morning. The police director did not say the source of the death threats or the people who wanted the elder Yumol dead.

SEN. IMEE SEEKS TO UPLIFT PHL DISASTER RESPONSE By Butch Fernandez

TRESSING it is time to level up “from disaster response to resiliency,” Senator Imee Marcos moved to upgrade the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), enhancing the powers under the Office of the President for “a more significant budget, rather than the creation of a full-scale department.” In filing an earlier Senate Bill 1125 way back in October 2019 in a previous congress, Marcos already pressed for the creation of a National Resilience and Disaster Management Authority in the 18th Congress and refiled it as Senate Bill 186 this July soon after the start of the 19th Congress.

“Let us move forward from chaotic disaster response to year-round resiliency,” Marcos stressed, as her proposed remedial legislation was taken up during Thursday’s Senate committee hearing presided by her brother, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., with national and local officials from Abra. “The required presence of the President, DSWD Secretary, NDRRMC, AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways], and Phivolcs [Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology] in disaster zones simply to coordinate adequate assistance and repairs underlines the urgency of empowering the NDRRMC,” Sen. Marcos said.

She clarified though that “the NDRRMC can be upgraded from its present status as a council to an authority or administration, instead of being converted into a full-scale department requiring a larger budget just for the salaries of the typical five undersecretaries and countless assistant secretaries.” Moreover, she explained that the upgraded agency will exercise command and control over concerned departments, agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations, and local government units, including the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP), to provide immediate response “in times of disaster, armed conflict, and other man-made hazards.” Marcos said the delay in mobilizing

resources during times of disaster was due to the current practice of having to go through different government agencies, various chains of command in the PNP and branches of the AFP, “often even requiring the President to personally mobilize frontline departments.” For instance, she cited the evolution of the Department of Budget and Management which started out as a mere office, until it was elevated afterwards to a commission during the term of her father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. “Only many years later,” she added, “when its workload necessitated its enlargement and its personnel had received extensive training, did it finally become the department it is today.”

CEBU PACIFIC VACCINE DELIVERY CONTINUES

HE Philippines’s leading airline, Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB), has airlifted 76,935,820 Covid-19 vaccine doses across the country, reaching another delivery milestone as the government pushes for the administration of fourth dose. The fourth dose may now be administered to adults aged 50 years old and above, and individuals aged 18 years to 49 years with comorbidities. Since March 2021, CEB has transported life-saving vaccines to 31 provinces namely: Bacolod, Basilan, Boracay, Bohol, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cauayan, Cebu, Coron, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Jolo, Kalibo, Legazpi, Masbate, Naga, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, San Jose, Siargao, Tacloban, Tuguegarao, Tawi-Tawi, Virac, and Zamboanga. Among the provinces, Legazpi received the highest number of vaccine shipments,

followed by Cagayan de Oro, Tacloban, and Zamboanga. “We support our country’s continuous fight against Covid-19 through the safe and timely delivery of vaccine doses across our domestic network,” said Alex Reyes, Chief Strategy Officer at Cebu Pacific in a news statement. “Our assistance to the government is meant to make booster shots as conveniently available as possible.” All vaccines were subjected to the most stringent procedures to guarantee potency and efficacy until arrival at the designated stations. CEB has attained 100 percent vaccination rate for its active flying crew through its very own employee vaccination program, JG Summit Covid Protect, and various partnerships with local government units in the country. About 95 percent of the active flying crew has been boosted to ensure the continued safety of employees and passengers.

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DHSUD intensifies post-earthquake shelter assistance program in Ilocos and Cordilleras By Cai U. Ordinario

EARLY 5,000 families living in Ilocos and Cordillera Autonomous regions need to repair and rebuild their houses after the July 27 earthquake, according to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). DHSUD said a total of 4,969 families or the earthquake affected 20,091 persons. These families were living in 358 houses, nine of which were completely destroyed, particularly in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra and Mountain Province. Almost half or 2,312 families or 8,314 individuals are currently living in temporary shelters in 31 evacuation centers, while 413 families are staying with relatives or friends in Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra and Mountain Province. “Upon instruction of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council [NDRRMC] to activate its shelter cluster yesterday [July 27] afternoon, we promptly alerted our concerned regional offices to put into motion the regional clusters so that we can monitor and facilitate emergency response and humanitarian assistance to those in need,” DHSUD OIC Assistant Secretary Melissa Aradanas said

in a news statement. The activation of Shelter Clusters in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera regions was in compliance with the directive of the President to fast track government assistance to the families affected by the strong earthquake that shook the northern part of the country. As a quick response measure, Assistant Secretar y Aradanas said DHSUD is also coordinating with the International Organization for Migration to provide 3,000 shelter-grade tarps for the affected families. “We are mobilizing our partners as well as all members of the shelter clusters to harmonize our efforts and facilitate faster response,” Aradanas said. The regional shelter clusters were tasked to develop an emergency implementation plan on the appropriate interventions, such as response, early recovery, rehabilitation and sustainable recovery for the affected families. DHSUD leads the Shelter Cluster of the NDRRMC and will soon take over the government’s Emergency Shelter Assistance Program with the Department of Social Welfare and Development. DHSUD regional offices have earlier started constant monitoring of updates on the extent of damages to aptly provide the needed support to the victims.

PBDN pushes program to bolster PWD participation in workplaces

ORE than a billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s total population, are living with some form of disability. In the Philippines, results of the National Disability Prevalence Survey showed that in 2016, around 12 percent of Filipinos aged 15 and older experienced severe disability. Yet, even until today, Persons with Disability (PWD) are still often stereotyped, stigmatized, and discriminated against. PWDs face a number of societal barriers, which includes lack of access to opportunities to quality education and employment. In recent years, however, positive movement toward inclusivity in the workplace has become more evident. In line with the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, the Philippine Business and Disability Network (PBDN), together with its members, partners, and sponsors, held “Working Beyond Barriers,” a two-day online conference on July 20 and 21, 2022. The event shed some light about the opportunities and challenges in disability inclusion in the workplace, and also

tackled current and potential policies and practices that further promote participation and representation of PWDs. As a country-level platform, PBDN is a group for and by businesses that works toward more inclusive and barrier-free workplaces for Persons with Disability. It is currently a 22-member network, led by its current Steering Committee, which are JPMorgan Chase & Co., IBM, PayPal, Asurion, and Citihub. It believes that anyone—especially businesses—can open more opportunities for Persons with Disability to participate in, and productively contribute to their communities through its 3Cs mission: “Connect, Capacitate, and Collaborate.” “We Connect companies to Person with Disability talents; we Capacitate companies to promote and build disabilityinclusive workplaces; and we Collaborate with different stakeholders to improve the workforce participation of Persons with Disability,” said Pixie Javier-Gutierrez, representing JPMorgan Chase & Co., the present chair of the PBDN Steering Committee.

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Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, July 30, 2022

Elderly, PWDs get 5% special discount for online purchases I

NFLATION places a very high burden on poor households that are largely hand-to-mouth consumers. Skyrocketing food prices force low-income households to avoid starvation by eating lower quality food, potentially affecting the health of family members. For millions of senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) nationwide, paying more for essential goods like food and medicine can be devastating. That’s the reason why the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is encouraging senior citizens and PWDs to maximize the use of their 5 percent special discount for Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities (BNPCs) on their transactions made online, and via phone, text or call. This came about following the release of the Joint Memorandum

Circular (JMC) No. 01, series of 2022, or the “Guidelines on the Provision of the Mandatory Statutory Benefits and Privileges of the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities on their Purchases through Online [e-commerce] and Phone Call/SMS.” This discount is on top of the 20 percent regular discount that covers different goods and services. DTI-Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said: “These benefits and privileges under the said Circular, including the 5 percent discount on BNPC purchases, are meant to be utilized especially by senior citizens and persons with disabilities all year round, and not only amid the pandemic.” Under the 5 percent discount, senior citizens and PWDs have a maximum purchase amount of P1,300 a week for both online and offline

transactions, without carryover of the unused amount. The amount shall be spent for the personal and exclusive consumption of the senior citizen and the PWD, and must be spent on at least four kinds of items of BNPCs. The Trade department said in a statement on Wednesday that in order to receive the discount, one must inform the merchant that he or she is a senior citizen or PWD before placing orders. Upon doing so, the person must submit supporting documents such as a scanned copy or screenshot of the ID, as well as the front and last pages of the purchase booklet. The same proof of discount entitlement should be presented upon the delivery of goods and orders, if the purchase was made online or through a text or phone call. Under the Basic Necessities speci-

fied in the amended Price Act are: All kinds and variants of rice; corn; all kinds of bread (pastries and cakes not included); fresh, dried and canned fish and other marine products (including frozen and in various modes of packaging); fresh pork, beef and poultry meat; all kinds of fresh eggs (excluding quail eggs); potable water in bottles and containers. Fresh and processed milk (excluding milk labeled as food supplement); fresh vegetables including root crops; fresh fruits; locally manufactured instant noodles; coffee and coffee creamer; all kinds of sugar (excluding sweetener); all kinds of cooking oil; salt; powdered, liquid, bar laundry and detergent soap; firewood; charcoal; all kinds of candles are also among the basic necessities. Household liquefied: petroleum gas, not more than 11kgs. LPG con-

tent once every five months bought from LPG dealers; and kerosene, not more than 2 liters per month, are also included. Meanwhile under the Prime Commodities are: flour; dried, processed and canned pork, beef and poultry meat; dairy products not falling under Section 1(a) of the DTI-DA-DOE JAO or the dairy products that do not fall under the basic necessities category mentioned above. Also included in the Prime Commodities are: onions and garlic; vinegar, patis, and soy sauce; toilet/bath soap; fertilizer; pesticides; herbicides; poultry feeds, livestock feeds and fishery feeds; veterinary products; paper, school supplies; nipa shingle; sawali; cement, clinker, GI sheets; hollow blocks; plywood; plyboard; construction nails; batteries (excluding cell phone and automotive batteries); electrical supplies and

light bulbs; and steel wires. The DTI-CPG, through its Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) issues the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) list for BNPCs. Under its jurisdiction, the Trade department monitors the price and supply of Basic Necessities such as canned sardines and other marine products; processed milk; coffee; laundry soap; detergent; candles; bread; and salt. The DTI also monitors the price and supply of Prime Commodities such as flour; canned pork; beef, and poultry meat; noodles; vinegar; soy sauce; patis; toilet soap; paper, school supplies; cement, clinker, among others. For more information on JMC 22-01, click: https://bit.ly/3AC6ez8 For consumer-related concerns and queries, you may send an e-mail to ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph or call One-DTI (1-384) hot line.

‘PinasLakas’ eyes 97,000 elderly, 102-year-old World War II veteran 1.6M for booster in W. Visayas from segregated mail unit honored By Perla Lena

By Jay Reeves

The Associated Press

LOILO CITY—The Department of Health (DOH) 6 (Western Visayas) is eyeing more than 97,000 senior citizens in the region for the primary series vaccines and more than 1.6 million individuals due for their booster dose, for the simultaneous nationwide launch of the “PinasLakas” vaccination campaign on July 26. “The Department of Health, in coordination with our local vaccine operations centers and implementing units, is revitalizing our Covid-19 vaccine campaign to achieve 90 percent primary coverage series among senior citizens and 50 percent first booster coverage among the general population within the first 100 days of the new administration,” Dr. Ma. Sophia S. Pulmones, officer in charge and assistant director of DOH-6 Center for Health Development, said in her message during the launch at the Robinsons Place Jaro. Pulmones said 5,188,247 individuals or 80 percent of the 6.4 million target population have been fully vaccinated. However, the booster coverage is only at 12.16 percent or only 788,183 of the target population while 564,663 or 76.81 percent of the A2 population or the elderly are fully vaccinated out of the 735,157 target individuals.

ILONGGOS avail themselves of their Covid-19 shots during the launch of the “PinasLakas” vaccination campaign at the Robinsons Place Jaro on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. The campaign seeks to reach more than 97,000 senior citizens in Western Visayas for the primary series vaccines and more than 1.6 million individuals due for their booster dose, during the first 100 days of the new administration. PNA PHOTO BY PGLENA

“ The uptake of vaccination among our senior citizens is declining while boosters, which provide additional protection against severe Covid-19, are slowest since the start of our vaccination campaign,” she added. In an interview, Pulmones said with the “PinasLakas” campaign, they would be employing the “settings-based approach” where the vaccination would be done not only at the health facility but also in schools, plazas, malls, offices, and other public places to make the primary shots and booster doses

more accessible. She noted that in addition to vaccines, the DOH augments vaccinators and vaccination teams. In his message, Rodley Desmond, the OIC chief of the Policy Planning Standards and Research Division of the central office of the DOH, said the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccines could be felt as the economy, commerce, tourism, and education reopen in the country. Submitting to booster shots is one strategy to ensure protection against Covid-19 and continuous recovery. PNA

The nose knows more than we know By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

ITH their keener sense of smell, dogs are good at detecting bombs, drugs as well as following the trails of criminals on the run. At the height of the pandemic, trained dogs were put into service as sniffers of the Covid-19 virus in infected people. One persistent dog who kept scratching its owner’s chest helped reveal she had an incipient breast cancer and because of early detection, she was able to get immediate treatment that saved her life.

Intriguing isn’t it?

BUT here’s the case of a woman who

can also smell the onset of an illness long before the appearance of the first visible symptoms. An article entitled “The Woman Who Can Smell Parkinson’s,” written by Alix Spiegel and published online tells the story of Joy Milne, a Scottish former nurse who developed an uncanny ability to spot the “musky” scent of the said disease. She can detect Parkinson’s even in persons who have yet to manifest the telltale symptoms associated with it just being in a room with a group of people or by sniffing clothes they have worn. Joy’s amazing sense of smell is help-

ing scientists identify certain specific compounds that may contribute to the smell that she noticed on Parkinson’s patients. It may also help medical researchers find new ways to diagnose other diseases. Joy belongs to a rare breed termed as “super smellers” who may be genetically wired to smell better. Can this “superpower” be learned or developed? Why not? Some train themselves to enhance their sense of smell, such as wine connoisseurs and perfume experts. There are armpitsniffing professionals who work for deodorant manufacturers; they spend their day smelling up to 60 armpits an hour to rate the quality of the deodorants. There’s more to odors than meet the nose. It seems that we can literally smell danger. Serious studies have found out that human beings have a bundle of nerves connected internally to our nose that takes just milliseconds to send messages to our brain if something smells fishy or is amiss. These nerves not only sense the danger but also tell our brain on the course of action

ONTGOMERY, Ala.—Millions of letters and packages sent to US troops had accumulated in warehouses in Europe by the time Allied troops were pushing toward the heart of Hitler’s Germany near the end of World War II. This wasn’t junk mail—it was the main link between home and the front in a time long before video chats, texting or even routine longdistance phone calls. The job of clearing out the massive backlog in a military that was still segregated by race fell upon the largest all-Black, all-female group to serve in the war, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. On Tuesday, the oldest living member of the unit is being honored. Romay Dav is, 102, w ill be recognized for her service at an event at Montgomery City Hall. It follows President Joe Biden’s decision in March to sign a bill authorizing the Congressional Gold Medal for the unit, nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight.” Davis, in an interview at her home Monday, said the unit was due the recognition, and she’s glad to participate on behalf of other members who’ve already passed away. “I think it’s an exciting event, and it’s something for families to remember,” Davis said. “It isn’t mine, just

to take. Fight or flight. Our nose can also detect an impending death. When animals die, they release an unpleasant pungent smell. Medical experts say that under certain circumstances, some odors will be produced prior to dying and may indicate that an individual is close to death. There are documented reports that say some people smelled a certain odor when a loved one or patient was near death, while others haven’t had the same experience in the presence of someone in the process of dying. What this tells us is that the functioning of the olfactory sense is quite complex, and we have barely scratched the surface. Maybe that incredible biological gift is there but, like the so-called third eye, most of us have overlooked it or neglected to use it. People like Joy Milne with their super normal smelling abilities suggest to us that there is an untapped latent power right under our noses. If true, it opens up a whole new realm of potential uses and benefits. Can you smell the

mine. No. It’s everybody’s.” The medals themselves won’t be ready for months, but leaders decided to go ahead with events for Davis and five other surviving members of the 6888th given their advanced age. Following her five brothers, Davis enlisted in the Army in 1943. After the war the Virginia native married, had a 30-year career in the fashion industry in New York and retired to Alabama. She earned a martial arts black belt while in her late 70s and rejoined the workforce to work at a grocery store in Montgomery for more than two decades until she was 101. While smaller groups of African American nurses served in Africa, Australia and England, none matched the size or might of the 6888th, according to a unit history compiled by the Pentagon. Davis’ unit was part of the Women’s Army Corps created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943. With racial separation the practice of the time, the corps added African American units the following year at the urging of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune, according to the unit history. More than 800 Black women formed the 6888th, which began sailing for England in February 1945. Once there, they were confronted not only by mountains of

possibilities? Perhaps in the near future, we can have a new branch of medical specialization in which trained doctors would be able to sniff out diseases such as cancer or heart disease ahead of symptoms so time can be bought to prevent it or avert the arrival of debilitating symptoms. Why limit it to sniffing out diseases? Why not use the nose to smell an impending earthquake? If animals can smell the odors of gases released by the earth when an earthquake is about to happen, why can’t we have in the future a special team of geologists with super ability to smell earthquakes or volcanic eruptions before they occur. A well-developed sense of smell can even help us size up people better. Note that the odor we emit are like fingerprints. Our individual pheromones can convey valuable information about us. These are molecules released by our respective sweat, skin oils, and other secretions, the same molecules that help animals communicate. So it is possible to predict certain

undelivered mail but by racism and sexism. They were denied entry into an American Red Cross club and hotels, according to the history, and a senior officer was threatened with being replaced by a white first lieutenant when some unit members missed an inspection. “Over my dead body, Sir,” replied the unit commander, Maj. Charity Adams. She wasn’t replaced. Working under the motto of “No Mail, Low Morale,” the women served 24/7 in shifts and developed a new tracking system that processed about 65,000 items each shift, allowing them to clear a six-month backlog of mail in just three months. “We all had to be broken in, so to speak, to do what had to be done,” said Davis, who mainly worked as a motor pool driver. “The mail situation was in such horrid shape they didn’t think the girls could do it. But they proved a point.” A month after the end of the war in Europe, in June 1945, the group sailed to France to begin working on additional piles of mail there. Receiving better treatment from the liberated French than they would have under racist Jim Crow regimes at home, members were feted during a victory parade in Rouen and invited into private homes for dinner, said Davis. “I didn’t find any Europeans against us. They were glad to have us,” she said.

personality traits just by smelling odor samples taken from an individual. I am even willing to take it beyond the beneficial possibilities for health and survival. Why not harness our scent faculty to help us sniff out the most rampant diseases in our present society: corruption, dishonesty, greed, and cruelty, especially in those in power. And, conversely, a super scent that can detect innate goodness, honesty and other virtues to help us choose the most worthy and meritorious. Someone once quipped: “You can dress up greed, but you can’t stop the stench.” Who was it that said that he wouldn’t condone transactions that have “even just a whiff of corruption?” But when unsavory and suspicious deals were being done right under his nose, there was not even a hint of condemnation. If our other senses have made us blind and deaf to the mediocrity and misconduct around us, how I wish, to borrow a phrase, our sense of smell would shiver us awake.

Education BusinessMirror

A6 Saturday, July 30, 2022

Tesda bats for industry linkages addressing job-skills mismatch

By Roderick L. Abad

HE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) is beefing up publicprivate partnerships (PPP) to create a more vibrant employment framework.

The agency said it will help equip Filipinos, especially the youth, with proper knowledge and skills for their prospective professions. According to Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Aniceto D. Bertiz III, Tesda has been implementing enterprisebased training programs through

its “EBT to the Max” campaign, which focuses on five learning modalities. They include programs on Accelerating Farm School Establishment, Learnership, Apprenticeship, Supervised Industry Learning (SIL), and Dual Training System (DTS). To date a total of 1,876 technical-vocational (tech-voc) institu-

tions and their partner-companies have enforced the training programs under “EBT to the Max.” One of its implementers, Dualtech Training Center (DTC), has been conducting a DTS program with instructional mode, wherein learning takes place alternately in two venues: the school or training center, and the company. DTC President Arnold Morfe said their coordination with the institution under this initiative will enable tech-voc students not only to learn the job, but also the required work attitude in the industry. He said in Filipino that, more than technology, they will have passion for work, and will acquire work attitudes fit for the industry’s need. For Fr. Gaudencio Carandang

Jr., tech-voc education and training director of Don Bosco Youth Center, the PPP is important because its complements their SIL program: “It is good for private institutions like us to have a partnership with the government, because we don’t do it for ourselves, but we do it for young people.” Bertiz expressed his gratitude to their partner-firms in implementing “EBT to the Max,” as he urged others to do the same in order to address skills-job mismatch: “We are very grateful to the private companies who partner with us. And we hope that more…will join us in helping our work force.” He added, “We have to expand the services of Tesda…to reach the unreached, serve the underserved, and assist those in the fringes of society.”

UP-Mindanao produces second summa cum laude By Manuel T. Cayon Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—In its 27th year, the University of the Philippines-Mindanao was able to produce another summa cum laude graduate. Klarisse Cruzado from the Bachelor of Science in Food Technology program became the university’s second Latin honors graduate, just three years since the university first had one. A Cotabato City resident, Cruzado also generated the highest cumulative weightedaverage grade of 1.0612, which set a record. It topped previous summa cum laude Pete Maverick Nicole Estudillo’s 1.1971, who was also from the program. Cruzado led the 2022 graduating class during the constituent unit’s 24th Commencement Exercises on July 19, at its campus in Mintal. The biggest challenge for her during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 was “the loss of boundaries, routines, and privacy” as she was studying. She said it was about her struggles with online classes, including deadlines, unstable Internet connectivity, as well as the blurring of boundaries between school work and domestic situations. In her valedictory address, the honoree shared that she fortunately overcame these struggles with the support of her friends and family by remembering her motivations, and by staying disciplined. She mentioned the importance of being surrounded by people who support and encourage her. “Through our hearts, we can also extend that same benevolence to others, especially those in need,” she said. Despite conflicting feelings about graduating and worrying about the next step in her life, Cruzado cherished her major lessons. “You are not alone,” she stated, saying that people who went through the same struggles and experiences were present to encourage and motivate her. According to the top graduate, character-building was another lesson: “The exhilarating joy of achievements is only temporary, while a person’s character will remain the same. The people we encounter will remember our kindness, compassion, and generosity.” Cruzado was a member of the Philippine Association of Food Technologists-Lambda Chapter, UP Dance Ensemble, and a group called “The Smuggled Ones.”

CONSTRUCTING CLASSROOMS IN CATARMAN BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, has inked an agreement with the Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC) for the construction of a three-classroom school building in Baybay Elementary School in Catarman, Northern Samar. Supportive of the Department of Education’s “Adopt-A-School” program, the project aims to address the need for more classrooms in the school. The initiative is also in line with the partners’ shared advocacy of supporting underserved communities affected by disasters, as Catarman was severely affected by typhoons in recent years. BDO Foundation’s trustees Ismael Estela Jr. (from left) and Lucy Co Dy, as well as president Mario Deriquito, along with PGPC’s president Napoleon Saporsantos Jr., chief finance officer Ian Jason Aguirre and director for Legal and Corporate Affairs Ma. Fe Guirnalda-Lucero signed the memorandum of agreement.

Editor: Mike Policarpio

Benilde Deaf School welcomes 1st batch of Jr. high graduates

(FRONT row, from left) Alyssa Kae Segura, Nicos Christian Zurita, Mharck Daniel Carreon, Alex Handig and Caean Hilario; (back row, from left) Jaelene Talania, Ariane Jane Española, Rochelle Mae Dimaiwat, Methusela Abdullatip, Jane Anne Apolin and Lyka Marie Jarlega.

ENILDE Deaf School (BDS), the pioneering bilingualbic u lt u ra l prog ra m for deaf high school students in the Philippines, recently conducted face-to-face completion rites as it welcomed its first batch of graduating Grade-10 scholars. The students are now set to pursue their studies in Benilde Senior High School under the General Academic Strand. Deaf educator, BDS full-time faculty and English teacher Ruth Reyes congratulated the pioneering batch of graduates: “It’s been an amazing journey watching you grow, discover yourselves, and become confident young people. We know you will continue to do great things!” Inaugurated in 2018, BDS is one of the many innovative programs of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde to develop and strengthen the identity of deaf students and prepare them for college life and future career.

Motivated to provide quality education and better learning access to deaf learners, the secondary-education institution follows an enhanced curriculum with special subjects, such as Deaf Studies and Filipino Sign Language (FSL), in addition to those mandated by the Department of Education. To develop and instill language and sense of self, the school advocates the use of FSL, which is the natural language of the deaf Filipinos, as the primary language of instruction in the classroom, with written English and Filipino as secondary languages. All students are guided under the mentorship of deaf educators, who are licensed teachers, Master’s degree-holders in the Philippines and abroad, as well as industry experts in their respective fields. BDS is accepting deaf applicants for Grades 7 and 8 for Academic Year 2022-2023. For more information, visit https://www.benilde. edu.ph/benilde-deaf-school/.

EDUCATORS SPEAK

Taiwan Scholarship Awards Teaching health-care pros under new normal setup fete deserving Pinoy students By Rory Visco

HE Covid-19 crisis has disrupted many sectors, particularly the medical field, where the training of doctors, nurses, dentists, and other health professionals experienced unprecedented roadblocks. Pandemic or not, it is still vital to produce health-care professionals skilled and equipped to do more than just respond. Thus, the University of the Philippines-College of Medicine (UPCM), UP-College of Nursing (UPCN), and UP-College of Dentistry (UPCD) came up with collective efforts on ways up-and-coming clinical professionals can be trained without jeopardizing the need for knowledge and skills using a synergistic roadmap for medical, nursing and dental education; internship; and even residency; using best practices and innovative teaching strategies. All these are made possible while keeping with guidelines set forth by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Health (DOH) in a joint memorandum circular. For Dr. Charlotte Chiong, dean of the UPCM, it was really an unnerving experience since the early days of the pandemic, where many of their colleagues succumbed to the disease. “That propelled us to really work hard and think of innovative ways [to produce medical graduates] our country really needs,” Dr. Chiong said during the recent “Stop Covid Deaths” webinar: “Ang Pagtuturo ng Medisina, Nursing, at Dentistry sa New Normal” organized by UP, in partnership with UP-Manila NIH National Telehealth Center, and in cooperation with UPPhilippine General Hospital. She said UPCM came up with several adjustments during the pandemic, particularly on the academic schedule, where semesters in the UP system were shortened to 14 weeks from the original 16, all off-campus elective rotations were canceled with electives shifted to midyear, and course dura-

tions were also reduced. “Learning outcomes were reviewed and adjusted to essentials: the ‘must know, must do,’ especially in the clinical years,” Dr. Chiong explained. She added that teaching-learning methodologies were transformed to have them delivered to UPCM’s learning-management systems (LMS): the Canvas and the UP Manila Virtual Learning Environment. Other changes, she said, involved the increased usage of asynchronous learning, and more use of meeting platforms such as Zoom, MS Teams and Google Meet: “We even offered honor students free enrolment in Harvard Medical School online courses on biochemistry and pharmacology. We’ve been doing this for 450 students in the past two years, and we plan to enroll 220 more before the next academic year.” The dean also pointed out that assessments were done online using the Neuro Objective Structured Clinical Exams, while psychosocial support were also provided to students, faculty and employees with more mentoring sessions, mindfulness-training sessions, and even leniency in academic course requirements and rules, plus virtualization of medical education using equipment provided by several donors. “For Academic Year 2022-2023, we will combine remote-technology enhanced learning, online assessments, blend of in-person and online lectures, and also a blend of performance-based evaluations and in-person examinations,” Dr. Chiong said. Dr. Sheila Bonito, UPCN dean, noted that there were similarities and also variations in changes in teaching in the said college. She likewise lamented the fact that many schools closed and clinical practicum was stopped, while faculty development got delayed because of the pandemic. “This also exposed some issues, such as under-investment on nursing education,” Dr. Bonito shared. “With not enough investments, how can we continue producing quality nurses?”

The dean said the UPCN has already been doing that even before CHED mandated flexible learning for tertiary education, and that they have redesigned their courses, developed course packs, as well as designed learning activities and planning assessments given the new modes of teaching and learning. “We also did de-coupling of courses to be able to deliver remotely lectures, some laboratory work, and even clinical practicum,” according to her. “Most important, faculty members also had to undergo training in terms of how to redesign their courses, which we also shared with other nursing schools, us being a CHED Center of Excellence.” Just like UPCM, the UPCN used online technologies like LMS, Zoom meetings, video-based learning, and creation of virtual clinics that can give students the scenario for clinical practicum exposure: an imagined hospital setting where students perform various nurses’ tasks. “We believe there’s no more going back to the old ways of teaching and learning. The threat of infection will still be there, and there will be other challenges in the future,” she said. Finally, Dr. Danilo Magtanong, UPCD dean, pointed out that some in the college, plus other schools in the country, still hope that education will go back to the old ways once the pandemic ends, or “back to normal.” “Personally, I wouldn’t want to go back—because there’s nothing to go back to. Our so-called response to the pandemic, such as retrofitting and renovation of the entire college facilities, must not be viewed as our preparations for the new normal. This is the environment necessary for dentistry training long before.” He said the pandemic revealed inadequacies, incapacities, and disregard to real situations in clinical training, along with risks, perils and dangers that go with them: “Our hard lesson here is: We were just lucky to have gone this far.”

REPRESENTATIVE Michael Peiyung Hsu (center) with the Taiwan ICDF Scholarship recipients TECO IN THE PHILIPPINES

MPLEMEN T ING its “ New Southbound Policy” that aims to enhance cooperation with neighboring countries, the Republic of China’s (Taiwan) Ministry of Education (MOE) and its International Development and Cooperation Fund (ICDF) have once again selected outstanding Filipino students as scholarship recipients to study there. This year 18 students were awarded with the MOE scholarship, 41 students will study Mandarin through the Huayu (Mandarin) Enrichment Scholarship, while nine others were given the Taiwan ICDF scholarship. On July 22 the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines (Teco) staged the 2022 Scholarship Awards Ceremony for the 68 scholarship-recipients. During the program, Representative Michael Peiyung Hsu warmly congratulated the scholars and their families for their achievements. Some of the scholars shared their motivations for choosing Taiwan as their study destination. ICDF scholar Jardene Marie de Leon, who will be studying at the National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University this September, said:

“A community that is peaceful and can be a leader in advancing technology, yet still keep hold of culture and tradition—this is one of the reasons…I chose Taiwan. It is the epitome of a quality health system and outstanding education programs worth emulating.” MOE scholars John Michael Marquez and Kenneth Perez’s reason for studying in Taiwan is because of its “robust economy, modern infrastructures, efficient transportation system, efficient Covid-19 response, good reputation of universities globally,” as well as its “safe environment, outstanding quality of education and friendly people.” Both will pursue their individual Master’s degree in the republic. Sabrina Ponce and Jianne Uy had both visited the island-nation. This year they will be coming back as Huayu scholars and learn Mandarin for three months. The Filipino scholars said they are all excited to try Taiwan’s authentic food, visit night markets, and experience its rich culture. Teco-Philippines wishes all scholars a pleasant stay in Taiwan, and is determined to attract more Filipino students to study there.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Saturday, July 30, 2022 A7

Budapest: The Pearl of the Danube

Walk along the river to get beautiful views of the Buda side of the city.

Fisherman’s Bastion is a popular destination for both locals and tourists.

The Hungarian Parliament Building is one of the most remarkable structures in the city.

Buda Castle, now a museum, is a centuries-old complex that used to be the home of Hungarian kings.

Walk around the city and admire Budapest’s unique and beautiful buildings.

Buda is pretty too

Story & photos by Joshua Berida

t was a long trip and border crossing from Zagreb, Croatia to Hungary, however, Budapest was one of the cities on my European bucket list and I was eager to explore it. The Pearl of the Danube

Buda and Pest used to be separate towns until their unification in the 1870s. The city has a storied past that includes stories of kings and queens, conquests, defeats, humiliations, and the coming together and falling apart of an empire (Austro-Hungarian). All of these stories collide with the modern façade and history of the city. The old and new intermingle to create a vibrant cityscape and interesting culture for all sorts of travelers. Whenever I travel to a new city, I

Eat dessert or dine in one of Hungary’s most beautiful cafes, the New York Café.

Visit Central Market Hall to taste various Hungarian dishes or buy souvenirs.

either take long walks or take public transportation, both of which are viable options whenever one explores Budapest. The trams and metro connect visitors to different parts of the city, whether they want to see the Buda or Pest side. Since attractions are within walking distance, visitors can buy a 24, 48, or 72 hours pass for the metro and trams. The 24 hours pass costs 1650 Hungarian Forint and the 72 hours pass costs 4150 Hungarian Forint as of this writing.

Pest looks pretty

To explore the city, it’s better to group attractions in Buda and another one in Pest to get around Budapest. I decided to stay some-

Matthias Church was the location for some of Hungary’s ceremonies, one of which was the coronation of Franz Joseph I and Elisabeth.

where in the Pest side so walking from there to the city provides you with a slow and steady way of experiencing and admiring the city’s architecture. The most attention-grabbing structure is the Hungarian Parliament Building that opened in 1902. Its striking Gothic style features made me stop and stare and visit the building multiple times both day and night time. As a result, I took multiple pictures of this magnificent piece of architecture. Budapest has plenty of small and large churches scattered in different parts of the city. One you shouldn’t miss at Pest is the St. Stephen’s Basilica. The church got its name from Hungary’s first king,

St. Stephen’s Basilica was named after Stephen, Hungary’s first king.

Stephen. Coincidentally, Stephen is also my first name, but I barely use it; only for official documents. I’m not a king, though I would’ve like to be one in a past life. The Central Market is a popular stop for visitors who want to try local food or shop for souvenirs. There are plenty of food kiosks and some restaurants where you can try langos (deep fried bread with toppings) and of course, Hungarian sausage. If you don’t feel like entering another church or museum, Budapest is a great city to just walk around in. For the untrained eyes who can’t tell the difference between Art Nouveau and Baroque, one can just simply admire the

random buildings and take a picture of anything that looks pretty. Speaking of pretty, the cafes in the city stand out. One of the most famous cafes I included in my itinerary was the New York Café. I was able to walk in without a reservation; the perk of traveling during the winter and a pandemi). I immediately noticed the artwork depicting angels and people on the ceiling and the elaborate interior design. The café looked like an art gallery. Again, for untrained eyes like mine, everything just looked pretty. Already full with dinner, I settled for dessert and had some ice cream and it was not cheap. It costs as much as a meal served in a restaurant in the Philippines.

After exploring the Pest side of the city, make your way to Buda. Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and Buda Castle are some of the destinations you can visit. The castle has a history that dates back to the 13th century. However, the complex that visitors see today was constructed in the 18th century. Matthias Church is both striking and historically significant; one of the kings crowned in its premises was Franz Joseph I. Just a walking distance from Matthias Church and Buda Castle is Fisherman’s Bastion. The latter is an ideal spot for overlooking views of Pest and its landmarks such as the Hungarian Parliament Building and St. Stephen’s Basilica. After a few days in Budapest and I came to a realization that it is indeed the Pearl of the Danube. The historic sites such as St. Stephen’s Basilica, Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle, Matthias Church, and Fisherman’s Bastion among other places, add to the richness of the city. The cafes are great places are remarkable because of their ambiance and desserts. The “walkable” city with its beautiful pieces of architecture can’t be condensed into a few hundred words, it is best experienced.

A new adventure awaits travelers with Fly Gangwon V

isa-free entry begins for travelers from the new Clark International Airport (CRK) going to South Korea through Yangyang International Airport. South Korean low-cost airline, Fly Gangwon, resumed its operations at CRK, which was temporarily halted due to the pandemic. Fly Gangwon only operates in CRK making Clark Fly Gangwon’s first and only Philippine destination. Leading the inaugural is Baek Seungyong of Fly Gangwon Sales and Seung Hyun Kim, Fly Gang-

In photo (from left), Fly Gangwon Sales representative Baek Seungyong, LIPAD CEO Bi Yong Chungunco, and Fly Gangwon Station Manager Seung Hyun Kim.

Fly Gangwon plane gets a water salute.

won Station Manager, together with Bi Yong Chungunco, Chief Executive Officer of Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp. or LIPAD, operator of CRK. Travelers arriv ing through Yangyang International airport can visit Gang won and Seoul City center for up to 15 days under the Visa Waiver Program, provided they are part of a group tour. Tourists should also be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and must also be booked through accred ited travel agencies.

BusinessMirror

Saturday, July 30, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

E-commerceenabler launches fulfillment hubs BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor HOMEGROWN digital trade-enabler Great Deals E-commerce Corp. has continued to develop its information-technology infrastructure, warehouse capabilities, technology research, and capital expenditures as it aggressively expands its presence in the country. The company announced it has already started the development of its 70,000-square meter fulfillment center in San Rafael, Bulacan, where it will introduce the use of robots to scale up to a million orders in a day. To further enhance its logistics efficiency and widen its reach, the firm also has kicked off a similar facility in Cebu and is set to open another hub in Davao this month, in partnership with Lazada. “Lazada supercharged the way Filipinos shopped in Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, even at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Now, we want to help replicate and bring that to Visayas and Mindanao [VisMin] to reach a bigger portion of our Filipino consumers,” said Great Deals founder and chief executive officer Steve Sy. These new fulfillment hubs in the VisMin regions showcase their advanced logistics, storing and end-to-end solutions, pioneering hyperlocalization in terms of using nationwide geomapping technology in the country’s online shopping industry. Expediting deliveries that previously could take five days to a week, customers can receive their parcels in as fast as three days after placing an order and at lower shipping fee costs. “Building these fulfillment centers is a testament to our commitment in providing a better customer experience. We are always looking to help our kababayans experience online shopping not only in the major cities but also in key urban or rural areas,” he said. Grateful for the continued support of their partners like Lazada for making this happen, the e-distributor constantly seeks to improve customer experience, lessen shipping fees, and fast-track delivery time, according to him. “We look forward to onboarding more brands in this new project,” Sy said. “We wish to reach more Filipinos and let them experience the power of online shopping.” Great Deals is an all-around service provider, handling everything from digital content, web design, analytics, chat support, warehousing, and fulfillment to logistics. It made headlines in 2019 for breaking its own record as it processed 233,038 orders in one day.

LEVEL-UP YOUR OVERSEAS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE LOOKING for a sign to travel? Top telecoms company Globe is providing just that, as subscribers can now enjoy exclusive perks and discounts with the leader in mobile roaming partnering with go-to travel brands to make their stay abroad even more delightful. As the world opens up to travel, Globe empowers its customers with exclusive perks and privileges, making their much-awaited adventure even better. Through its partnership with Klook and Shopback, the company has special offers and discounts for customers to make the most out of their long-awaited trips abroad. Enjoy 10-percent off on overseas attractions and services booked on Klook’s app or web site when subscribers use the special voucher code ROAMWITHGLOBE upon check out. This promo is valid until September 30 and can only be redeemed once per Klook account. Additional P200 cashback on AGODA, Booking.com, Klook or Trip.com bookings can also be redeemed via ShopBack. Subscribers can go to the Rewards Catalog of the New GlobeOne app and claim the voucher code. The cashback can be redeemed via app.shopback.com/phl/ partner/globerewards. Customer must have the Shopback app to redeem. The code is valid until December 31, and can only be used once for a one-time extra cashback. “Globe is excited to be with our customers as they go on adventures and make new memories once again,” said Coco Domingo, Globe VP for Postpaid and International Business. “This partnership with Klook and Shopback is just the beginning. More rewarding experiences await our customers when they use Globe Roaming,” he added. Through providing reliable and affordable roaming services, Globe also hopes to inspire travelers to share their experiences with loved ones and family real-time. Whether for 3 days or up to 30 days, data roaming is now within reach with the Globe Roam Surf Longer Stay offers that get more discounted the more you use it. Now, customers can enjoy data roaming for as low as P200/day. Even better, the promo works in multiple destinations so customers only need to subscribe to just one promo for their cross-country trips. More information is available at bit.ly/3oAV32q.

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Philippine eSports scene alive and well a�ter pandemic-related restrictions T

HERE is no doubt that as far as eSports is concerned, the Philippines has a deep pool of talent. The Philippine gaming scene has witnessed constant growth with many Filipino gamers widely respected in the global eSports arena. In the Philippines, there has been growing support for professional gaming leagues and in 2017, the Philippine Games and Amusements Board recognized eSports as an officially recognized sport, allowing players to secure licenses. To show support, local governments started sponsoring tournaments, while businesses financially supported professional teams. Industry pioneer Predator aims to strengthen eSports and gaming in the years to come, supporting pro gaming while continuing to search for and support young and fresh talents. The Predator brand has the most complete line of gaming devices ranging from laptops, desktops, monitors, tablets and projectors. The series offers the latest technology in gaming, made especially to enhance the gaming experience of hardcore gamers. “Gaming flows in Predator’s bloodstream. It is in our hands to build this community for generations to come, and no global crisis will make us falter in this goal,” said Acer Philippines general manager Sue Ong-Lim. Since 2018, Predator has staged Predator League, an event that reinforces the commitment of Predator in supporting the gaming industry, particularly in the Asia Pacific region. Predator League, which began in Jakarta in 2018, has received participation of more than 9,000 teams in Asia Pacific regions. The 2019 staging was in Bangkok. The tournament would have been held in Manila at the Mall of Asia Arena in 2020 but it was pushed back the following year and held fully online due to the continued threat of the pandemic. Current champions TNC Predator copped back-to-back Predator Shield championships in Dota 2 (2019, 2020/21) after beating fellow Philippine team Neon eSports in the last regional competition. The Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals returns in person and will take place from November 11-13 in Japan. Qualified teams across 15 countries and territories will participate in the regional tournament. “After two years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, we are so excited to meet the eSports teams in-person again. ‘Become One’ is the theme for Predator League 2022, emphasizing the need to reconnect with fellow gamers and demonstrating Acer’s commitment to the gaming community,” said Andrew Hou, president of Acer Pan Asia Pacific Regional Operations. Predator has also announced the search for the Philippines Dota 2 representatives to the Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022. The Philippine finals will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Central Atrium from September 17-18. Open qualifiers for featured game Valorant will take place on August 4, 11 and 18, while Dota 2’s qualifiers will start on August 7 and will continue on August 13 and 20. Some teams, including the defending champion TNC Predator, have been invited to compete but the Philippine finals is open to all gamers.

Players will be fighting for the league’s biggest prize pool yet: P1 million (split between the Dota 2 and Valorant winners) while the winners of the Dota 2 event will represent the country in the Asia-Pacific Predator League Grand Finals 2022. “We have seen so much growth and potential in the country’s eSports landscape and that is what the Asia-Pacific Predator League is all about. But more than that, we are very happy to see the stakeholders in eSports hopeful about the future after two years of restrictions,” said Sue Ong-Lim. Since its inception and maiden run in 2018, Predator League has expanded to include participants from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. More information can be found at www.facebook. com/PredatorGamingPhilippines. ■■■ MUSICIANS and podcasters Jim Bacarro and Saab Magalona, who are parents to Pancho (3 years old) and Vito (2), are sharing their musical creations with other kids and their parents via their new YouTube channel Puddy Rock. Jim and Saab have always sang to their own kids, unknowingly building a world featuring diverse characters. “We saw how our kids loved the songs and decided to share it with everyone,” said the couple. The music channel features nursery rhymes for learning and promoting inclusivity. With newfound Animal Friends like Arfist the Dog, Jonesy the Cat and Waffy the Giraffe, rocking to favorites has never been this fun. Kids can now learn their ABCs and their numbers like never before. In collaboration with online content creator and merch brand Linya-Linya, the characters are brought to life. “We saw the opportunity to create original Filipino content that is more accessible to parents and kids, so we decided to take the opportunity to work on this special project,” said Ali Sangalang, LinyaLinya cofounder and creative director. The public can subscribe to the Puddy Rock YouTube channel and listen to all Puddy Rock songs and future releases on all music streaming platforms. ■

YouTube to remove videos spreading abortion falsehoods SAN BRUNO, California—YouTube will begin removing misleading videos about abortion in response to falsehoods being spread about the procedure that is being banned or restricted across a broad swath of the US. The move announced Thursday by the Googleowned video site comes about a month after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the case that had protected the legality of abortion in the country for nearly 50 years. YouTube said its crackdown will expunge content promoting unsafe at-home abortions, as well as misinformation about the safety of undergoing the procedure in clinics located in states where it remains legal. The purge of misleading abortion videos will ramp up over the next few weeks, according to YouTube. The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade has increased pressure on technology companies to take steps so that their devices and digital services can’t be used to shadow women seeking abortions or steer them in directions that could threaten their health. Earlier this month, Google announced it will automatically purge information about users who visit abortion clinics or other places that could trigger legal problems in light of the Supreme Court’s court’s ruling. But some members of Congress have been pushing Google to limit the appearance of anti-abortion pregnancy centers in the results of its influential search engine—a step that 17 Republican attorneys general on Thursday warned would expose the company to potential legal repercussions. AP

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, July 30, 2022

Browser cookies make people more cautious online, study finds Q-COMMERCE PLAYER DART TO GROW PRESENCE IN UNDERSERVED ONLINE GROCERY MARKET BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES A MANILA-BASED quick-commerce (Q-commerce) provider, DART plans to tap the underserved online grocery market to grow its presence in the country. With its 110 million people and an annual grocery spend of above $50 billion, the Philippines represents one of the most attractive markets in Southeast Asia. According to the e-conomy study by Google, Bain & Company and Temasek, the penetration level is only at 2 percent compared to 25 percent in the nongrocery space. Founded in early 2022 by Harm-Julian Schumacher and Tommy Campos, DART offers a wide assortment of goods, covering a range of popular snacks, drinks, fresh produce, dry and frozen goods as well as local partnership brands. To attract a critical mass of online shoppers, DART will bank on its 15-minute promise. “Delivering grocery goods to customers in 15 minutes represents a great opportunity,” says DART CEO Schumacher. “Our model allows gratification of instant needs and cravings while simultaneously saving time and money—with this, we are creating tremendous value for our customer.” Currently, the start-up is now serving the cities of Makati and Mandaluyong. “We have tested many orders in the last months to better understand our customer, operations and fine-tuning our offering. We have seen that 99 percent of our orders are getting delivered within 15 minutes and are now confident to scale our business to more customers,” says Campos, DART’s COO. Campos and Schumacher said DART plans to broaden its market coverage by expanding to other cities within the year. In order to provide customers a wide array of products at affordable prices, DART entered into an investment partnership with Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI). “The partnership with Robinsons is providing an extreme value to our business—from the access to a large assortment, advantageous prices as well as leveraging Robinsons’ existing supply chain infrastructure.” The two co-founders running DART have a wide background in the Q-commerce and on-demand delivery industry, as well as venture-building across several continents. Schumacher was the deputy general manager for Germany of Gorillas, Europe’s largest Q-commerce player, and previously worked with Bain & Company, Rocket Internet and TruVenturo. Meanwhile, Campos worked with Uber and Postmates. With its huge potential in the online grocery market, DART was able to attract Robinsons Retail Holdings and Kaya Founders in the pre-seed funding stage. Moreover, an investment firm led by Paulo Campos (cofounder and chairman of Zalora Philippines) and Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng was DART’s earliest backer. The final round saw participation of business angels and advisors including Constantin Robertz (cofounder and CEO of Locad), Alexander Friedhoff, (founder and CEO of Etaily) and other senior executives from Gorillas, Zalora and Lazada. “Q-commerce provides a unique opportunity to address the needs of consumers that are complementary to our traditional supermarket offering,” said Robina Gokongwei, president and CEO of RRHI. “We are excited to team up with DART and together push forward the digital transformation of the grocery industry.”

THE two cofounders Tommy Campos (left) and Harm-Julian Schumacher in one of DART’s dark stores.

BY ELIZABETH STOYCHEFF Wayne State University

EB SITE cookies are online surveillance tools, and the commercial and government entities that use them would prefer people not read those notifications too closely. People who do read the notifications carefully will find that they have the option to say no to some or all cookies. The problem is, without careful attention those notifications become an annoyance and a subtle reminder that your online activity can be tracked. As a researcher who studies online surveillance, I’ve found that failing to read the notifications thoroughly can lead to negative emotions and affect what people do online.

HOW COOKIES WORK

BROWSER cookies are not new. They were developed in 1994 by a Netscape programmer in order to optimize browsing experiences by exchanging users’ data with specific web sites. These small text files allowed web sites to remember your passwords for easier logins and keep items in your virtual shopping cart for later purchases. But over the past three decades, cookies have evolved to track users across web sites and devices. This is how items in your Amazon shopping cart on your phone can be used to tailor the ads you see on Hulu and Twitter on your laptop. One study found that 35 of 50 popular web sites use web site cookies illegally. European regulations require web sites to receive your permission before using cookies. You can avoid this type of third-party tracking with web site cookies by carefully reading platforms’ privacy policies and opting out of cookies, but people generally aren’t doing that. One study found that, on average, Internet users spend just 13 seconds reading a web site’s terms of service statements before they consent to cookies and other outrageous terms, such as, as the study included, exchanging their first-born child for service on the platform. These terms-of-service provisions are cumbersome and intended to create friction. Friction is a technique used to slow down Internet users, either to maintain governmental control or reduce customer service loads. Autocratic governments that want to maintain control via state surveillance without jeopardizing their public legitimacy frequently use this technique. Friction involves building frustrating experiences into web site and app design so that users who are trying to avoid monitoring or censorship become so inconvenienced that they ultimately give up.

HOW COOKIES AFFECT YOU

MY newest research sought to understand how web site cookie notifications are used in the US to create friction and influence user behavior.

To do this research, I looked to the concept of mindless compliance, an idea made infamous by Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram. Milgram’s experiments—now considered a radical breach of research ethics—asked participants to administer electric shocks to fellow study takers in order to test obedience to authority. Milgram’s research demonstrated that people often consent to a request by authority without first deliberating on whether it’s the right thing to do. In a much more routine case, I suspected this is also what was happening with web site cookies. I conducted a large, nationally representative experiment that presented users with a boilerplate browser cookie pop-up message. I evaluated whether the cookie message triggered an emotional response—either anger or fear, which are both expected responses to online friction. And then I assessed how these cookie notifications influenced Internet users’ willingness to express themselves online. Online expression is central to democratic life, and various types of Internet monitoring are known to suppress it. The results showed that cookie notifications triggered strong feelings of anger and fear, suggesting that web site cookies are no longer perceived as the helpful online tool they were designed to be. Instead, they are a hindrance to accessing information and making informed choices about one’s privacy permissions.

And, as suspected, cookie notifications also reduced people’s stated desire to express opinions, search for information and go against the status quo.

COOKIE SOLUTIONS

LEGISLATION regulating cookie notifications like the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and California Consumer Privacy Act were designed with the public in mind. But notification of online tracking is creating an unintentional boomerang effect. There are three design choices that could help. First, making consent to cookies more mindful, so people are more aware of which data will be collected and how it will be used. This will involve changing the default of web site cookies from opt-out to opt-in so that people who want to use cookies to improve their experience can voluntarily do so. Second, cookie permissions change regularly, and what data is being requested and how it will be used should be front and center. And third, US Internet users should possess the right to be forgotten, or the right to remove online information about themselves that is harmful or not used for its original intent, including the data collected by tracking cookies. This is a provision granted in the General Data Protection Regulation but does not extend to US Internet users. In the meantime, I recommend that people read the terms and conditions of cookie use and accept only what’s necessary. THE CONVERSATION

Twitter, in Musk fight, posts surprising drop in revenue BY KELVIN CHAN & MATT O’BRIEN The Associated Press LONDON—Twitter reported a quarterly loss on Friday and declining revenue caught Wall Street off guard with the number of people using the platform on the rise. The latest quarterly earnings figures offered a glimpse into how the social-media platform has performed during a months-long negotiation with billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk after he said that he would buy the company, and then changed his mind. It was worse than industry analysts had anticipated. The company lost $270 million in the April-June period, or 8 cents per share. Wall Street was expecting a per-share profit of 14 cents, according to a poll by FactSet. Inflation has crimped advertising spending and that was a huge drag on Twitter’s quarterly revenue, which slid 1 percent to $1.18 billion. The company also cited “uncertainty” over the acquisition by Musk. Twitter is holding no calls with analysts and will not publish a letter to shareholders, as is the norm, because of the pending acquisition.

The underlying numbers at Twitter, however, were good. The number of daily active users rose 16.6 percent to 237.8 million compared with the same period a year before. Those numbers are particularly impressive in the wake of a quarterly earnings report late Thursday from the social-media company Snap. Snap also saw advertising tumble in the highinflationary environment and shares plunged more than 30 percent Friday before the opening bell. “When compared to the nightmare quarter of SNAP last night, it shows digital ad spending is not falling off a cliff like feared which is a positive for others in the space such as Facebook, Pinterest, and Google,” wrote Dan Ives, who covers technology for Wedbush. Shares of Twitter Inc. rose 1 percent at the opening bell Friday as the clash with Musk overshadowed almost everything. Twitter is attempting to force Musk to make good on his April promise to buy the company for $44 billion. Twitter last week sued Musk to complete the deal and both sides are bracing for an October courtroom trial to resolve the dispute. The April-June fiscal quarter encompassed a

tumultuous three months for Twitter, starting with the April 4 disclosure that Musk had acquired a huge stake in the company, paving the way for his takeover bid later that month. It didn’t take long for the relationship to fray as Musk publicly tweeted his concerns about Twitter and its employees and signaled he was having second thoughts. Twitter argued in court that Musk’s actions and his “repeated disparagement of Twitter and its personnel” created uncertainty that harmed Twitter’s business operations, employees and stock price. It called for an expedited trial so the company could carry on with important business decisions, while Musk sought to wait until next year because of the complexity of the case and his demands for more of Twitter’s internal data about how it counts fake and automated “spam bot” accounts—which he’s cited as a chief reason for trying to terminate the deal. A judge this week set the trial for October, siding with Twitter’s concerns that too much delay could cause the company irreparable harm. It will be held in Delaware’s Court of Chancery, which handles many high-profile business disputes, unless Musk and Twitter settle the case before then.

PHOTO BY ZYRO ON UNSPLASH

A10 Saturday, July 30, 2022

TheWorld BusinessMirror

China’s Xi warns Biden over Taiwan, calls for cooperation

EIJING—President Xi Jinping warned against meddling in China’s dealings with Taiwan during a phone call with his US counterpart, Joe Biden, that gave no indication of progress on trade, technology or other irritants, including Beijing’s opposition to a top American lawmaker’s possible visit to the island democracy, which the mainland claims as its own territory.

Xi also warned against splitting the world’s two biggest economies, according to a Chinese government summary of Thursday’s unusually lengthy, three-hour call. Businesspeople and economists warn such a change, brought on by Chinese industrial policy and US curbs on technology exports, might hurt the global economy by slowing innovation and increasing costs. Meanwhile, Xi and Biden are look ing at t he possibi lit y of meeting in person, according to

a US official who declined to be identified further. Xi has been invited to Indonesia in November for a meeting of the Group of 20 major economies, making it a potential location for a face-toface meeting. The Chinese government gave no indication Xi and Biden discussed possible plans by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan, which the ruling Communist Party says has no right to conduct foreign relations. But Xi rejected “interference by external forces”

that might encourage Taiwan to try to make its decades-old de facto independence permanent. “Resolutely safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity is the firm will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people,” said the statement. “Those who play with fire will perish by it.” The tough language from Xi, who usually tries to appear to be above political disputes and makes blandly positive public comments, suggested Chinese leaders might believe Washington didn’t understand the seriousness of previous warnings about Taiwan. Taiwan and China split in 1949 following a civil war that ended with a Communist victory on the mainland. They have no official relations but are linked by billions of dollars of trade and investment. Both sides say they are one country but disagree over which government is entitled to national leadership. A Ministry of Defense spokesman said ahead of Thursday’s call that Washington “must not arrange for Pelosi to visit Taiwan.” He said the ruling party’s militar y wing, the People’s Liberation Army (PL A), would take “strong measures to thwart any

external interference.” Xi called on the United States to “honor the one-China principle,” the statement said, referring to Beijing’s position that the mainland and Taiwan are one country. The United States, by contrast, has a “one-China policy” that says Washington takes no position on the question but wants to see it resolved peacefully. “Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China,” the statement said. T he statement cited Biden a s say i ng t he Un ited St ates doesn’t support independence for Taiwan. Coverage of t he conversation in China’s entirely statecontrolled media on Friday was limited to repeating government statements. Pelosi has yet to confirm whether she will go to Taiwan, but if she does, the Democrat from California would be the highest-ranking elected American official to visit since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997. Beijing criticized Gingrich for saying the United States would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack but did little else in response to his three-hour visit to the island. AP

China backs away from growth goal, sticks to strict virus curbs

EIJING—China’s leaders effectively acknowledged the strug gling economy won’t hit its official 5.5 target growth this year and said Thursday they will try to prop up sagging consumer demand but will stick to strict anti-Covid-19 tactics that disrupted manufacturing and trade. T h e a n n o u n c e m e nt a f t e r a Communist Party planning meeting ref lected the high cost President Xi Jinping’s government has been willing to incur to stop the virus in a politically sensitive year when Xi is widely expected to try to extend his term in power. The party promised to “strive to achieve the best results” in

the second half. It didn’t directly address the growth goal but dropped references in earlier statements about targets, effectively acknowledging the economy will fall short after growing just 2.5 percent over a year ago in the first half. “ Po l i c y m a k e r s i m p l i c i t l y walked back from the original growth target,” said Larry Hu of Macquarie Group in a report. “It means that they no longer view 5.5 percent, or even 5 percent, as achievable for this year.” Party leaders promised to “actively act in expanding demand” and to make up for lack of consumer and business spending. Retails sales, a major driver of growth, were off 0.7 percent from

a year earlier in the first half after plunging 11 percent in April following the temporary shutdown of Shanghai and some other major cities to fight virus outbreaks. T hu r s d ay ’s s t at e me nt a f fir med support for the antiCov id-19 strateg y despite its rising economic cost and social disruption. “We should resolutely and conscientiously implement the policies and measures for the prevention and control of Covid-19,” the statement said. “We should do a good job in tracking virus mutations and developing new vaccines and drugs.” Forecasters don’t expect Beijing to ease anti-virus controls until at least after a ruling party congress

in October or November, when Xi is expected to try to break with tradition and award himself a third fiveyear term as party leader. China rebounded quickly from the pandemic in 2020, but activity weakened as the government tightened controls on use of debt by its vast real estate industry, which supports millions of jobs. Economic growth slid due to a slump in construction and housing sales. Repeated shutdowns and uncertainty about business conditions have devastated entrepreneurs who generate most of China’s new wealth and jobs. Small retailers and restaurants have closed. Others say they are struggling to stay afloat. AP

US Congress approves bill to aid computer chip firms

ASHINGTON—The House on Thursday passed a $280 billion package to boost the semiconductor industry and scientific research in a bid to create more high-tech jobs in the United States and help it better compete with international rivals, namely, China. The House approved the bill by a solid margin of 243-187, sending the measure to President Joe Biden to be signed into law and providing the White House with a major domestic policy victory. Twenty-four Republicans voted for the legislation. “Today, the House passed a bill that will make cars cheaper, appliances cheaper, and computers cheaper,” Biden said. “It will lower the costs of every day goods. And it will create high-paying manufacturing jobs across the country and strengthen US leadership in the industries of the future at the same time.” As the vote was taking place, Biden was discussing the economy with CEOs at the White House. During the event, he was handed a note informing him it was clear the bill would pass—a development that produced a round of applause before the tally was final. Republicans argued the government should not spend billions to subsidize the semiconductor industry and GOP leadership in the House recommended a vote against the bill, telling members the plan would provide enormous subsidies and tax credits

“to a specific industry that does not need additional government handouts.” Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, RepublicanPennsylvania, said the way to help the industry would be through tax cuts and easing federal regulations, “not by picking winners and losers” with subsidies—an approach that Rep. Joseph Morelle, Democrat-New York, said was too narrow. “This affects every industry in the United States,” Morelle said. “Take, for example, General Motors announcing they have 95,000 automobiles awaiting chips. So, you want to increase the supply of goods to people and help bring down inflation? This is about increasing the supply of goods all over the United States in every single industry.” Some Republicans viewed passing the legislation as important for national security. Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was critical to protect semiconductor capacity in the US and that the country was too reliant on Taiwan for the most advanced chips. That could prove to be a major vulnerability should China try to take over the self-governing island that Beijing views as a breakaway province. “I’ve got a unique insight in this. I get the classified briefing. Not all these members do,” McCaul said. “This is vitally important for our national security.”

The bill provides more than $52 billion in grants and other incentives for the semiconductor industry as well as a 25 percent tax credit for those companies that invest in chip plants in the US. It calls for increased spending on various research programs that would total about $200 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO also projected that the bill would increase deficits by about $79 billion over the coming decade. A late development in the Senate— progress announced by Wednesday night by Democrats on a $739 billion health and climate change package—threatened to make it harder for supporters to get the semiconductor bill over the finish line, based on concerns about government spending that GOP lawmakers said would fuel inflation. Rep. Frank Lucas, Republican-Oklahoma, said he was “disgusted” by the turn of events. Despite bipartisan support for the research initiatives, “regrettably, and it’s more regrettably than you can possibly imagine, I will not be casting my vote for the CHIPS and Science Act today,” Lucas said. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, likened the bill’s spending to “corporate welfare to be handed out to whoever President Biden wants.” Leading into the vote, it was unclear

whether any House Democrats would join with Sen. Bernie Sanders, IndependentVermont., in voting against the bill; in the end, none did. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo talked to several of the most progressive members of the Democratic caucus in a meeting before the vote, emphasizing that the proposal was a critical part of the president’s agenda and that Democrats needed to step up for him at this important moment. Some Republicans criticized the bill as not tough enough on China, and GOP leaders emphasized that point in recommending a “no” vote. Their guidance acknowledged the threat China poses to supply chains in the US, but said the package “will not effectively address that important challenge.” But, as McCaul pointed out, China opposed the measure and worked against it. The bill includes a provision that prohibits any semiconductor company receiving financial help through the bill from supporting the manufacture of advanced chips in China. Zhao Lijian, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, commenting before the House vote, said the US “should not put in place obstacles for normal science, technology and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation” and “still less should it take away or undermine China’s legitimate rights to development.” AP

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

IMF downgrades Asia Pacific forecast as shocks keep rolling

HE Inter nationa l Monetary Fund has lowered its growth forecast for the Asia Pacific region this year to 4.2 percent—0.7 percentage point lower than it expected in April, and well below the region’s 6.5 percent growth in 2021. The fund also cut its 2023 forecast for the area to 4.6 percent down by 0.5 percentage point. Much of the downgrade reflects the ongoing spillover from shocks, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s economic slowdown and rising global interest rates. “Risks that we highlighted in our April forecast—including tightening financial conditions associated with rising central bank interest rates in the United States and commodity prices surging because of the war in U k ra ine—are mater ia l izing ,” Krishna Srinivasan, director of the Asia and Pacific Department wrote in a blog post Thursday. “That in turn is compounding the regional growth spillovers from China’s slowdown.” China is tipped to expand by 3.3 percent, according to the IMF, down from its 4.4 percent growth projection in April. The IMF expects the world’s second-largest economy to record 4.6 percent

growth next year, a reduction of 0.5 percentage point that reflects the hit from Covid Zero and the real estate slump. The IMF warned there will be sizable spillovers on regional trading partners. “Japan and Korea, the two largest regional economies integrated closely with global supply chains and China, will also see growth slow on weaker external demand and disruptions to supply chains,” Srinivasan wrote. Increased trade polic y uncertainty and a fraying of supply chains are also “expected to delay the economic recover y and exacerbate scarring from the pandemic in Asia,” Sriniva sa n w rote. “ W h i le g row t h is weakening, Asian inf lation pressures are rising, driven by a global surge in food and fuel costs resulting from the war and related sanctions.” Still, the fund notes some signs of a rebound in economic activity in the region as some pandemic restrictions on mobility are gradually eased. “The resilience of manufacturing and rebound in tourism is supporting a gradual rebound in Malaysia, Thailand and the Pacific island countries,” Srinivasan wrote. Bloomberg News

Oil set for weekly gain as tight markets offset slowdown fears

IL headed for the first weekly advance in four after another period of choppy trading in which investors juggled signs of tightening markets against concerns of an economic slowdown. West Texas Intermediate futures edged toward $97 to extend this week’s gain to around 2 percent. Prices are more likely to rise than fall as tight supply outweighs any risks to demand, Shell Plc Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden said on Thursday after the company posted record profit in the second quarter. Futures are still poised for the first back-to-back monthly decline since 2020 after fears over a slowdown fueled bearish sentiment across markets. The US economy shrank for a second quarter as rampant inflation undercut consumer spending. The Federal Reserve also hiked interest rates this week. While oil has given up most of the gains seen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February, the US benchmark is still up almost 30 percent this year. The

surge in energy prices have underpinned record second-quarter earnings for Shell and TotalEnergies SE, and other supermajors are likely to follow. The market is “weighing the trade off between recessionary risks and demand destruction as the global economy slows versus being fundamentally under-supplied,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. “The potential shortfall in supply signals higher prices ahead.” The spread between WTI and Brent has widened as a reduction in Russian crude flows tightened markets in Europe. The global benchmark was at a premium of $10.33 to US crude, compared with $6.01 at the start of the month. The US is optimistic that there could be some positive announcements from the OPEC+ meeting next week, a senior Biden administration official said. The meet will determine whether President Joe Biden will get the additional crude he requested for the global market during his visit to Saudi Arabia in mid-July. Bloomberg News

Senate deal should make it easier to buy electric vehicles

ETROIT—The surprise deal by Senate Democrats on a slimmed-down bill to support families, boost infrastructure and fight climate change also is likely to jump-start sales of electric vehicles (EV). The measure agreed to by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and holdout Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia would give EV buyers a $7,500 tax credit starting next year, through the end of 2032. There’s also a new $4,000 credit for those buying used EVs, a move to help the middle class go electric. But as things often go in Washington, there are a bunch of strings and asterisks. To be eligible, the electric vehicle has to be assembled in North America, and there are limits on annual income for buyers. There also are caps on the sticker prices of new EVs—$80,000 for pickups, SUVs and vans, and $55,000 for other vehicles—and a $25,000 limit on the price of used electric vehicles. Still, even with the restrictions, the credits should help stimulate electric vehicle

sales, which already are rising as automakers introduce more models in different sizes and price ranges, said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst for Edmunds.com. “The tax credits for electric vehicles in the bill will benefit consumers and cut costs for low- and middle-income families,” the Sierra Club said of the measure, which still must be approved by both chambers. “We’re hoping for swift adoption.” For the first half of this year, electric vehicles accounted for about 5 percent of US new vehicle sales, with 46 models on sale. S&P Global Mobility expects that to hit 8 percent next year, 15 percent by 2025, and 37 percent by 2030. At present, many new EVs, including two of sales leader Tesla’s four models, wouldn’t be eligible for the credits because they’re priced higher than the bill’s limits, Caldwell said. But the number of eligible vehicles will grow as automakers roll out more mainstream EVs during the next few years, she said. AP

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

COOPER, ALEX Quality Construction Specialist 1.

Brief Job Description: Reviews, inspects, and documents all construction projects during the construction period of the current Bond Program.

Basic Qualification: Skilled in identifying local construction technologies and construction material sources; Can carry out and monitor testing and inspection of products and materials to ensure the finished product meets quality standards Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LI, CHANGLI Quality Construction Specialist 2.

Brief Job Description: Reviews, inspects, and documents all construction projects during the construction period of the current Bond Program.

LI, DONGHUI Quality Construction Specialist 3.

Brief Job Description: Reviews, inspects, and documents all construction projects during the construction period of the current Bond Program.

GORDIENKO, ANDREI Chief Executive Officer 16.

CAO, LONG Chinese Customer Service Representative 4.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SU, JINGUO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires TANG, BO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TANG, SHIHONG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHERN YIK YEE Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries BE THI PHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries BUI THI PHUONG HANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

10.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHAC DENH LAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

11.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries VAY MY QUYNH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

12.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language

SHEN, CHAOQUN Product Marketing Specialist - Refrigeration Division Philippines 17.

Brief Job Description: Required to do and perform such work and duties as management may, in its discretion and exercise of prerogative, deem vital and relevant relative to your service as product marketing specialist.

JIN, YE Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 18.

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

ZENG, HUI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 19.

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

20.

GUO, LI-WEN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

LI, YAN-YU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

21.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

22.

Brief Job Description: Manage Incoming And Outgoing Calls, Chats And Emails LAC GIA KY Vietnamese Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Immediately Escalating Serious Complaints Or Issues That You Are Not Equipped To Deal With

CHEN, WENJIE Chinese Speaking Marketing Consultant 23.

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

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

CHOO WAI KIT Chinese Speaking Marketing Consultant 24.

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

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

KEVIN YEO CHENG HUANG Chinese Speaking Marketing Consultant 25.

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

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

BLUE NIGHT LIVING SERVICES INC. Block 1 Lot 2-a, 3rd Floor Afpovai, Western Bicutan, City Of Taguig NGUYEN VAN HAI Bilingual Marketing Officer 13.

Brief Job Description: Contribute in the implementation of marketing strategies

DIEU HUYNH THI NGOC TRINH Mandarin Customer Service Officer 14.

Brief Job Description: Opens customer records by updating account information

VO THI TUONG VI Mandarin Customer Service Officer 15.

Brief Job Description: Opens customer records by updating account information

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in mandarin

LU, ZISHAN Chinese Speaking Marketing Consultant 26.

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

CASHXPRESS SOUTH EAST ASIA LENDING INC. Level 10-1 One Global Place 25th Street Corner 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

HAN, BING Chinese Speaking Solutions Consultant 27.

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

29.

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

XU, ZHIJUN Chinese Speaking Solutions Consultant 30.

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

XIE, TIAN Chinese Speaking Technical Consultant 31.

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

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

ZHANG, HEXIN Chinese Speaking Technical Consultant 32.

KELVIN Bahasa Speaking Customer Service Representative 33.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient In Speaking, Reading And Writing In Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

LI, YUE Chinese Speaking Solutions Consultant 28.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Accepts inbound calls and handles customers problems from the products supported SUNARYO LIE Bahasa Speaking Customer Service Representative

34.

Brief Job Description: Accepts inbound calls and handles customers problems from the products supported TONI WIJAYA Bahasa Speaking Customer Service Representative

35.

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

Brief Job Description: Accepts inbound calls and handles customers problems from the products supported

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

FAST RETAILING PHILIPPINES, INC. Sm Corporate Offices Bldg. A, J. W. Diokno Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Proficient In Speaking, Reading And Writing In Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

DRAGONFLY TECHNOLOGIES INC. Unit 602 6/f Itc Bldg., 337 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

WATANABE, RYO Chief Finance Officer 36.

DOMINUS VISA CONSULTANCY INC. 37th Floor Lkg Tower,, 6801 Ayala Avenue,, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION XIA, SHIRUI Chinese Speaking Solutions Consultant

Basic Qualification: A bachelor’s degree holder or above and must have a minimum of 1-3 years work experience.

DIGICHROM INC. Unit 2602 & 2603 26/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

No.

CRONYX INC. Flr. No. 4th-10th, Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd., Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming and outgoing calls, chats and emails.

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak and write fluent Russian, can operate a computer in Russian characters, one year experience in executive position, willing to operate and be liable for the obligations of the company.

CONCEPCION MIDEA INC. Km 20, East Service Road, Buli, City Of Muntinlupa

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

Brief Job Description: Lead the company or organization and making major decisions for the organization.

A11

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

24 INCH GAUGE CONSTRUCTION INC. L4 Blk. 4, Near Kay Buboy Bridge, San Dionisio, City Of Parañaque

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Brief Job Description: Able To Build P/L And C/F Of Budget; Monitor And Plan Concrete Activities To Reach Budget With Concerned Teams

Basic Qualification: Must Be A Graduate Of Any Bachelors Course And Must Be Fluent In Japanese Language Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

KALBE INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD. 137, Yakal St., San Antonio, City Of Makati PEDURUARACHCHI, THARUSHA DESHAN Head Of Region (lob Pharma) 37.

Brief Job Description: Ensure the availability and smooth execution of marketing strategy.

Basic Qualification: Organizing, evaluating and coordinating selling of ethical product. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City

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

38.

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

AYE LON SHAN Burmese Customer Service Representative

THURA OO @ LI KYAR PHU Burmese Customer Service Representative 39.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 40.

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

41.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AYE NANDAR MYINT Burmese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries BAR SEE Burmese Customer Service Representative

42.

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: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AYE AYE WIN Burmese Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries HNIN EI SHWE YI Burmese Customer Service Representative

43.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires KHIN KYU KYU LWIN Burmese Customer Service Representative

44.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

A12 A6 Saturday, July 30, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION CAO, CHAOQI Chinese Customer Service Representative

45.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHEN, JUNHUI Chinese Customer Service Representative

46.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries GU, YU Chinese Customer Service Representative

47.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. JIANG, XIAOLONG Chinese Customer Service Representative

48.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. KONG, XIANGRUI Chinese Customer Service Representative

49.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires TAN, RUIWEN Chinese Customer Service Representative

50.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, LONGFEI Chinese Customer Service Representative

51.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. ZHANG, JUNJIE Chinese Customer Service Representative

52.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. AGUS APRIAN Indonesian Customer Service Representative

53.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ANDI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

54.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ANITA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

55.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AYUMI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

56.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHRISTINA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

57.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. ERIC CRISTIANO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

58.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. FEBI VERONIKA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

59.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. JANI RITA Indonesian Customer Service Representative

60.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires JESEN Indonesian Customer Service Representative

61.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires JESSICA KURNIAWATI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

62.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires JOHAN Indonesian Customer Service Representative

63.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires JUNILAWATI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

64.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires SUDIMAN Indonesian Customer Service Representative

65.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. SUKIANTO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

66.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SUSANTO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

67.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries FONG SEAN Malaysian Customer Service Representative

68.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

No.

DANG QUAY THANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 69.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

70.

71.

72.

73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

79.

CAI, YIKAI Chinese Customer Service 80.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

GAN, HAO Chinese Customer Service 81.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write chinese language.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

GUO, LIHUA Chinese Customer Service 82.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

83.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

84.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 85.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language 86.

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

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

QIU, JINSHENG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

MA, HANHONG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

JIANG, WEIWU Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

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

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

HU, KAILONG Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

WANG, QINGCHENG Chinese Customer Service 87.

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

No.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

88.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

89.

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language 90.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 91.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language 92.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 93.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language 94.

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

95.

96.

97.

98.

99.

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

RIO GUNAWAN Indonesian Customer Service 100.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

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

TRESICA ELVINDA Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

SUHENDI Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

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

KALVIN VIRANO Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

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

JULI YUSNITA Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

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

ELIZABETH Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

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

CINDY Customer Service Representative

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

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

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

ZOU, XIA Chinese Customer Service

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

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

ZHENG, HUIQIN Chinese Customer Service

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

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

ZHAO, ZHIXIANG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

ZHAO, BANGBANG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

ZHANG, ZHIWEN Chinese Customer Service

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION YUAN, SHAOXIONG Chinese Customer Service

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

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f, Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN VAN THANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN VAN NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN THI LAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN MAI KHUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TO DINH TANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write chinese language.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. TA THI NGAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LUONG THI MY HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HUA THI LAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. HA THI HOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. DUONG VAN CANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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

HUANG ZI TEE Malaysian Customer Service 101.

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

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

NG KOK CHEONG Malaysian Customer Service 102.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 Year Experience in the Similar Field, Speaks and Write Fluently (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION AUNG SWE LIN Myanmari Customer Service

103.

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

KYI KYI PHYU Myanmari Customer Service 104.

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

NAY MYO TUN Myanmari Customer Service 105.

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

THWIN ZAY LATT Myanmari Customer Service 106.

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

BE PHI HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service 107.

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

CHUONG DUY MINH Vietnamese Customer Service 108.

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

DANG QUOC CHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service 109.

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

HO CHAN VA Vietnamese Customer Service 110.

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

HOANG THI VINH Vietnamese Customer Service 111.

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

LE NGOC KIEU Vietnamese Customer Service 112.

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

MA HONG NHUNG Vietnamese Customer Service 113.

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

MAI VAN LUAN Vietnamese Customer Service 114.

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

NGUYEN MINH THANH Vietnamese Customer Service 115.

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

NGUYEN THI KHANH LY Vietnamese Customer Service 116.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

No.

NGUYEN THI VAN ANH Vietnamese Customer Service 118.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

119.

120.

121.

122.

123.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

124.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

125.

126.

117.

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

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

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

VONG CANH THANH Vietnamese Customer Service 127.

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

VONG MY LINH Vietnamese Customer Service 128.

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

129.

ZHAO, YONGXU Business Development Manager (mandarin Speaking) Brief Job Description: Creates development plans and forecasting sales targets and growth projections.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

130.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for source-plan-pay manila operations.

131.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for inbound and outbound service calls PAN, LI-HSIN Mandarin Speaking Human Resource Officer

133.

Brief Job Description: Provide counseling and support on policies and procedures BIAN, BOSEN Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Brief Job Description: Responsible for IT system management

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

LUO, MENGKE Multiple Languages Operation Officer

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Multiple Languages

134.

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

SHANG PROPERTIES, INC. Shangri-la Plaza Edsa, Cor Shaw Boulevard, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

135.

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

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

Basic Qualification: 15 years of relevant experiences and 8 years in a management role

Brief Job Description: Manages all project costs; proactive involvement in procurement and reporting

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

SUTHERLAND GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. 12th Floor Philplans Corporate Center, Kalayaan Avenue & Triangle Drive, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig HANY FAWZY BAREH HABASHI Senior Associate Manager - Account Management 136.

Brief Job Description: Maintaining communication with clients and/or team members, understanding needs, resolving challenges and exceeding expectations

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Mandarin

DINH MANH TUAN Bilingual Field Marketing Officer 137.

Brief Job Description: Define a region-specific marketing plan that supports the regional sales strategy

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Mandarin

NGUYEN VAN TIEN Bilingual Field Marketing Officer 138.

Brief Job Description: Define a region-specific marketing plan that supports the regional sales strategy

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

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in general languages

KIM, HYUNAH Customer Service Manager 139.

Brief Job Description: Delivering a comprehensive service to enquiring customers

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

CHENG, HAO-TING Mandarin-speaking Customer Service Officer 140.

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking

Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information

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

WISHLAND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY INC. 28/f Techzone Condo Corp., 213 Buendia Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

141.

142.

143.

144.

Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent in foreign language speaking

KOH EDDIE Chinese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

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

HUYNH LE TRANG Vietnamese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

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

LE HAI DUONG Vietnamese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language)

LY NGOC LINH Vietnamese Language-customer Service Staff

145.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in foreign language speaking

CHIN KOK HAO Chinese Language-customer Service Staff

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

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

Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

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

Basic Qualification: Must be able to read, write, and translate in mandarin Chinese in both simplified and traditional.

146.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Vietnamese

NGUYEN THANH NHI Vietnamese Language-customer Service Staff Brief Job Description: Deal with and help resolve customer complaints

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

ZTE PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 29 Fort Legend Towers, 3rd Ave. Corner 31st St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

GAO, PENG Logistics Manager 147.

Basic Qualification: 15 years of experience in finance and business process management.

Brief Job Description: In the whole process of the project, manage the logistics team to ensure the effective operation of the team.

MEI, TING Project Finance

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Reading, Writing and Speaking in Mandarin

Basic Qualification: Must Be Business Administration Degree Holder and Fluent in Egyptian Dialect

TOTAL CREST BUSINESS SUPPORT, INC. 26/f & 27/f Alphaland Corporate Tower, Ayala Ave. Extn. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

Brief Job Description: Promoting efficiency by implementing improved operational procedures

BENNY TAN YI FAN Quantity Surveying Manager

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

SEAGULL-WORLD INC. Unit 2807 28/f Cityland, Pasong Tamo Tower, 2210 Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati WAN, JING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

No.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

PROCTER & GAMBLE PHILIPPINES BUSINESS SERVICES, INC. 11th, 12th, 14th & 15th Floors Seven/neo Building, 5th Avenue Crescent Parkwest, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig BOEING II, JAY MICHAEL Senior Director - Operations Leader, Manila Service Center, Fpss, Global Business Services

A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

PH GLOBAL KIDS SMART FUTURE TECHNOLOGY INC. 20th Floor Two/neo Building, 3rd Avenue Corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

132. NGUYEN THI SAO Vietnamese Customer Service

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

TRIU A SANG Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

TRAN NGOC LIEN Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

THONG CHU DIEU Vietnamese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language). Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

THI THI TOI Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

PHU BAC VAN Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

NGUYEN YEN NHI Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write fluently (native language).

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

NGUYEN VAN DUC Vietnamese Customer Service

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

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

NGUYEN THI XUAN AN Vietnamese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Saturday, July 30, 2022

148.

Brief Job Description: In charge of the project finance management, in charge of the region office finance management

Basic Qualification: In the whole process of the project, manage the logistics team to ensure the effective operation of the team. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: In charge of the project finance management, in charge of the region office finance management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jul 29, 2022

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

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on July 27, 2022, the name of HA THI HU under the company NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION, should have been read as HA THI THU and not as published.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking Reading and Writing in Mandarin

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

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

Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

3 squads dispute semifinals berths in PVL Invitational

KAT TOLENTINO (receiving the ball) and Denden Lazaro-Revilla try to lead the Flying Titans anew in an all-important match against the already ousted Petro Gazz Angels.

HE chase for the last two semifinal berths in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference couldn’t get any tighter and wilder as three teams of varying strength slug it out for the coveted slots against separate rivals at the close of the elims at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Saturday. Army and PLDT, tied at third with 3-2 win-loss records, collide with Creamline and Cignal HD at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively, upbeat but cautious mixing it up with rivals already assured themselves of berths in the next phase of the mid-season conference of the league organized by Sports Vision. Choco Mucho, which fueled its semis drive with a gripping five-set escape over PLDT the other day, also sets out for its 5:30 p.m. clash with Petro Gazz confident but likewise wary of facing an ousted team out to play the spoiler’s role. The Flying Titans remain outside of the top 4 with a 2-3 card but could force a three-way tie for third with a straight-set win over the Angels coupled with victories by the Cool Smashers and the HD Spikers, also via sweep or in four. The PVL points system will be used to break the tie. Heading to the final elims playdate, Army and PLDT both have 9 points while Choco Mucho has 6. Under the PVL points system, teams receive 3 points for a 3-0 or 3-1 victory, 2 points for a 3-2 win, and 1 point for a match lost via 2-3. No points are awarded for games lost in 0-3 or 1-3 fashions or via forfeit.

Sports BusinessMirror

A14

| Saturday, July 30, 2022 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

OBIENA HAILED FOR NOBLE DEED By Josef Ramos

E But that could drastically change after the results of the only triplebill slated in the league’s elims schedule with the novel semifinals firing off Tuesday where the Kobe Shinwa from Japan and the KingWhale from Taiwan will join the four local squads. The two foreign guest teams, however, will only see action starting August 8 in a daily grind to the finals with August 11 set as the rest day. Focus, however, will be on the three crucial matches at hand with the Lady Troopers seeking to ride the momentum of their three-set romp over the also-ran Chery Tiggo Crossovers last Tuesday.

RNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA received praises and inspiring words for his noble deed of donating the cash bonus he’s bound to receive for clinching the men’s pole vault bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, last Sunday. “It’s heartwarming…that shows he cares for his fellow athlete,” Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said. Former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez also praised Obiena’s act. “It’s a very generous, compassionate spirit of a super elite athlete like EJ Obiena,” Ramirez said. “That’s really a good example and I’m praying that Lydia de Vega will recover from her illness. “I know there are a lot of people, like the PSC, who will help her,” Ramirez added. Obiena is bound to receive P250,000 in cash incentives for his world championship bronze medal. The bonus is mandated under the Athletes and Coaches Incentives Act with the PSCA tasked to implement the reward.

RAMIREZ

TOLENTINO

Obiena made the pledge on Thursday upon his arrival in his training base in Italy. “On the flight back to my training camp in Italy [from Eugene], it occurred to me that despite my own training needs, Lydia needs this money more than I do,” Obiena said. “So, I am hereby pledging to give this P250,000 once paid, directly to the family of Lydia de Vega for her medical expenses.” The former Asian Sprint Queen is fighting stage 4 breast cancer. Her daughter, former De La Salle volleyball player Stephanie Mercadode Koenigswarter, thanked Obiena for the support. “We really appreciate the help they extended, as well as the other donations,” she said in a brief message to BusinessMirror. Besides Obiena, his longtime confidante and Coach Jim Lafferty and his wife Carol pledged

MERCADO-DE KOENIGSWARTER another P250,000 to the ailing former many-time Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games track champion. The PSC, through OIC Atty. Guillermo Iroy, donated P300,000 with the POC contributing P100,000 and Tolentino, from his personal funds. Another P100,000. Sportsman and businessman Ronald Mascariñas of Chooks-to-Go also gave de Vega P300,000. “Money is not important, but how to help his fellow athletes is,” Tolentino said of Obiena’s support to de Vega, who was the country’s toast of athletics a generation ahead of the pole vault champion. Obiena cleared 5.94 meters to clinch bronze and broke his own Asian record by a centimeter in Oregon. He finished behind world record holder Armand Duplantis (6.21) and American Christopher Nilsen (5.94 first attempt).

44th Chess Olympiad unfurls in Chennai

HE Philippines sets its sights for a better, more memorable performance as it clashes with Oman in the men’s section and Guam in the women’s side in the opening round of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India. The country, ranked 52nd, will play Grandmasters (GM) Mark Paragua, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and International Master (IM) Paulo Bersamina against 146th seed Oman as GM Banjo Barcenilla, who was designated as Board Two player, gets the early rest. Woman IM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Woman Fide Master Shania Mae Mendoza, WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego and Woman GM-candidate Kylen Joy Mordido will see action in the women’s contest as 39th seeds.

They face No. 119th Guam. WGH Janelle Mae Frayna gets the opening round break. The first round of the 11-round, 12-day tournament that drew 184 men’s teams from 182 countries and 158 women’s squads from 156 nations was played Friday night (Philippine time). GMs Eugene Torre and Jayson Gonzales are the coaches and nonplaying captains of the squads. The Filipinos are aiming to eclipse their 37th-place finish in the men’s contest and 67th-place performance in the women’s side in the last faceto-face edition of the biennial meet in Batumi, Georgia, four years ago. Interestingly, they could face along the way Cavite-born American Wesley So, who leads the top-seeded United States team.

Kremlin poker-faced on US swap offer for Griner, Whelan freedom

OSCOW—The Kremlin warned Thursday that a possible prisoner swap with the United States involving American basketball star Brittney Griner needs to be negotiated quietly without fanfare. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that Washington had offered Russia a deal that would bring home Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan. A person familiar with the matter said the US government proposed trading convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Whelan and Griner. Asked about the US offer, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied that prisoner swaps were typically negotiated discreetly behind the scenes. “We know that such issues are discussed without any such

BAD FALL Chris Newsome grimaces

on the court after a bad fall in Game 2 of the Meralco-Barangay Ginebra San Miguel quarterfinals series of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Friday. The Gin Kings won, 94-87, to extend the series to a winner-take-all Game 3. COURTESY OF RUDY ESPERAS

release of information,” Peskov told reporters during a conference call. “Normally, the public learns about it when the agreements are already implemented.” He emphasized that “no agreements have been finalized” and refused to provide further details. In a separate statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russian and US officials have conducted negotiations about possible prisoner exchanges and “there has been no concrete result yet.”

PHL bets ready to see action in 11th Asean Para Games

URAKARTA, Indonesia—Like thoroughbreds chomping at the bit, Filipino para athletes finally get to unleash their skills as the 11th Asean Para Games formally open Saturday at the sprawling 20,000-seat Manahan Stadium. Led by powerlifter Achelle “Jinky” Guion as the flag-bearer, a compact group of 30 athletes, coaches and officials will attend the ethnicinspired colorful program in the hometown of Indonesian President Joko Widodo. National team chef de mission Walter Torres announced Friday that the 30-member contingent at the opening day parade will come from 10 sports that the country will be vying in the weeklong meet gathering all the top para-athletes from 11 countries in Southeast Asia. “For health and safety reasons, we decided not to include representatives from swimming because their competition venue is in the city of Semarang, which is about two hours from Surakarta,” Torres said. “Our athletes will be all clad in tracksuits provided by the Philippine Sports Commission.” “Achieve your dreams and let your disability be your wings to aim and fly high…be it not your anchor to pull and drag you down,” Torres told the athletes. “I am confident that you will make things happen. All the best to Para Team Philippines.” Aside from Torres and deputies Irene Remo and Tricia Rana, also attending the opening ceremony are Randy Magcawas, Arvie John Arreglado, King James Reyes and Maekel Lita for athletics; William Cablog and Dina Managdang for archery; Julie Peral Guadayo and Johnlo Respicio for badminton; Cheyzer Mendoza, Cheryl Angot, Evangeline Gamao, Felix Aguilera and Patrisha Anne Salgado for chess; David Gonzaga and Ruel Fernando for boccia; Rezil Rosalejos and Mary Ann Taguinod for judo; Gerald Tuazon and Homber Tiongson for table tennis; Jorge Lucero, Marco Lucero and Fred Estacion for goalball; Guion, Nikki Vidal and Rico Canlas for powerlifting; and Mayie Procina and Orwen Elumir for sitting volleyball. Philippine Paralympic Committee President Mike Barredo, who arrived in Surakarta Wednesday, urged both veterans and rookies alike to compete in the Games “with a positive mindset and winning attitude.” “If you feel nervous that’s okay because even the best athletes have jitters,” Barredo said. “Use it to pump up the adrenaline and I pray that our veterans and newcomers feed off each other’s energy and inspire one another. After all, we are one family. Let’s all go for the gold.” Noting that the slogan of the 11th ASEAN Para Games is “Striving for Equality,” Barredo said that this was among the core values of the International Paralympic movement which are determination, inspiration, courage and equality. “Our para athletes strive to be equals with their able-bodied counterparts through the vehicle of sports,” he said. From Manila, PSC Executive Director and Officer-in-Charge Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. also had inspiring words for the athletes. “Some, if not most, of our national para athletes have not had international competition for the last four to five years. So now make the most of the opportunity to shine and bring glory to our country,” Iroy said. “You have sacrificed and trained long and hard so we believe that you will excel. The entire nation is behind you. We salute you all,” he added.