BusinessMirror July 31, 2021 by BusinessMirror

NESTHY PETECIO and Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castañeda exchange punches in the women’s featherweight 57-kg boxing match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. AP/FRANK FRANKLIN II

By Jun Lomibao

OKYO—Nesthy Petecio squares off with a taller opponent anew on Saturday, hoping to nail a victory against Italy’s Irma Testa to get into the gold medal play in women’s featherweight class of boxing at the Tokyo Olympics. Similarly, another boxer, flyweight Carlo Paalam, and pole vaulter Earnest John “EJ” Obiena will share the spotlight in the Philippines’s weekend Olympic campaign that is now wanting of another winner after Hidilyn Diaz, who’s now home serving a seven-day hotel quarantine with her weightlifting gold medal. “We have a game plan against the Italian girl. She’s similar with the [Chinese] Taipei girl, but she hooks and sways back,” said Philippine boxing coach Don

Abnett of Australia. “So we’re going to make a counter move, but I’m comfortable with Nesthy’s performance.” Petecio is fighting a taller Irma, just like top-seeded Lin Yu-Ting, who she eliminated in the round-of-16. Paalam, on the other hand, needs to get through a more experienced Algerian Mohamed Flissi to see himself securing at least a bronze medal. “Carlo’s opponent is a very experienced boy. He’s boxing in the WSB [World Series of Boxing],” Abnett said of Flissi. “But Carlo’s going to get moving, similar to the game plan that he did in his last fight. He probably just continues with that.” Juvic Pagunsan, meanwhile, needs to summon all of his golf smarts after faltering with a two-over 73 that dropped

him into a tie for 25th place after two rounds of men’s individual play in golf at the Kasumigaseki Country Club. Pagunsan dropped to three-under overall, 20 places down the standings that saw the US’s Xander Schauffele carding a 63 to rest the lead at 11-under total. Obiena? The 25-year-old is finally bringing his act to the Olympic stage also on Saturday against a world-class field at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium. He will be shooting for 12 slots in the finals against the who’s who in the event—World No. 1 Armand Duplantis of Sweden, No. 3 Piotr Lisek of Poland, No. 5 Christopher Nilsen of the US and No. 7 Thiago Braz of Brazil.

More Olympics stories in Sports A14

TOKYO OLYMPICS MEDAL COUNT RANK

TEAM/NOC

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

TOTAL

People’s Republic of China

Japan

United States of America

ROC

Australia

Great Britain

Republic of Korea

Netherlands

France

Germany

Philippines

ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS

SOURCE: OLYMPICS.COM | AS OF JULY 30, 2021 8:21 PM

After Hidilyn, PHL athletes brace for tough fight

EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018, 2019)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS

PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

DATA CHAMPION

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A broader look at today’s business n

Saturday, July 31, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 290

P25.00 nationwide | 14 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

By Lenie Lectura

RECIOUS gas from the Malampaya Deep Water Gasto-Power Project is depleting faster than anticipated.

THE Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project, located 50 km offshore Northwest Palawan. PHOTO COURTESY SHELL

supply contracts with Malampaya in 2024. “Today, Malampaya produces less than 400 MMscfd which is lower than the average total demand of all of the existing gas-fired plants of around 450 MMscfd,” said Russell via e-mail.

Liquid fuel imported

THE gas restrictions have forced First Gen to import liquid fuel to ensure continued supply of all their plants’ full capacity to the grid. “Although liquid fuel such as condensate may be more expensive than natural gas, the ability of First Gen’s plants to run on liquid fuel enables continued availability of electricity supply to the grid and minimizes price spikes in the WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] that would result if the gas-fired plants did not run due to Malampaya gas supply restrictions,” explained Russell. Even Dennis Uy-led Malampaya Energy XP Pte Ltd., which acquired the 45-percent stake of Shell Philippines Exploration (SPEX), sounded the alarm. “The country will surely be short of natural gas by 2022,” it said in a statement. To make matters worse, the gas field is set to undergo maintenance shutdown in October this year.

GOING, GOING, GONE? They said it would run till 2027, but gas from Malampaya is depleting faster than projected, leaving a lawmaker and some industry players worried about another power crisis.

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.3420

“Certain Meralco suppliers that source fuel from the Malampaya project informed us of the scheduled maintenance at the Malampaya facilities from October 2 to 22. During that period, gas supply will be completely curtailed, as per their advisory,” said Meralco utility economics head Lawrence Fernandez in an interview. More than a quarter of Luzon is powered by natural gas. The gas plants generated 56 percent of the 2.5-billion-kilowatt-hours purchased by Meralco in April this year, making natural gas the single most impactful electric power source for Metro Manila. Meralco has supply contracts with First Gen’s Santa Rita, San Lorenzo, San Gabriel and with Ilijan plant. The utility firm, which distributes electricity to more than seven million subscribers, is bracing for an increase in power-generation charge after the Malampaya gas facility shuts down in October. “Yes, we anticipate that there will be an increase in generation charge as always because the 1,500 megawatts of natural gas will be replaced by liquid fuel. But, as of this time, it’s very difficult to speculate how much exactly the increase will be because Continued on A2

ANDREY SUSLOV | DREAMSTIME.COM

Power plant operators that source fuel from Malampaya and the soon-to-be operator of the country’s sole natural gas field observed that gas production shortfall is bound to happen very soon. And with that, another power crisis could hit the country. “It has started already. It was supposed to happen in 2027. First Gen, the biggest buyer of Malampaya gas, reached out to us. They gave us a briefer. I am puzzled as to why there had been gas restrictions. Dire-diretso na iyan [There’s no stopping that]. Hindi na babalik sa [It won’t return to] normal level. It’s six years earlier. This is very worrisome for all of us,” said Senate Energy Committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian in an interview. According to Gatchalian, the Malampaya gas field will be completely exhausted by the first quarter of 2027. Citing data from the DOE, the remaining gas in the Malampaya field as of end-September last year stood at 858,834 million standard cubic feet (MMscf). The Malampaya gas restriction occurred late March up to mid-June this year. This resulted in the derating of the country’s largest natural gas plant—the 1,200-megawatt (MW) Ilijan plant—to 716MW, which prompted the issuance of red alerts in the Luzon grid. Thereafter, rotating power outage occurred. There was no clear reason provided by the Malampaya consortium as to why this happened. The Department of Energy (DOE) was supposed to meet industry stakeholders to address the gas restriction, but the situation improved ahead of the meeting. According to First Gen Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Russell, the gas field is currently producing less than required by all of the existing gas-fired plants. Malampaya currently supplies five gas plants with a combined capacity of 3.2 gigawatts under term supply deals due to expire in 2024. These are Ilijan, 1,000MW Santa Rita, 500MW San Lorenzo, 97MW Avion and the 420MW San Gabriel. Except for Ilijan, all four gas plants are owned by First Gen. “Based on the experience this year, Malampaya supply seems to be declining faster than previously suggested, way ahead of the expiry of First Gen’s plants’ gas

n JAPAN 0.4599 n UK 70.2925 n HK 6.4787 n CHINA 7.7970 n SINGAPORE 37.2270 n AUSTRALIA 37.2279 n EU 59.8566 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.4231

Source: BSP (July 30, 2021)

NewsSaturday A2 Saturday, July 31, 2021

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GOING, GOING, GONE? Continued from A1

we are actually using blended supply mix,” said Meralco First Vice President and Regulatory Management Head Jose Ronald Valles. The Ilijan plant, however, will continue to supply Meralco even when there is no gas from the Malampaya facility, as such is stipulated in their contract. “They would have to continue delivery of power even when there’s no fuel, so they are supposed to be 100 percent available. Ilijan will continue to deliver supply under the same contracted rate, so there will have to be no additional increase to the consumers,” said Valles. Meralco gave assurances that it has sufficient power requirements during the Malampaya shutdown.

Contingency

THE DOE, for its part, said stakeholders would be convened to discuss contingency measures ahead of the October shutdown. “The first strategy is the transition to e-diesel. There are plants that can utilize e-diesel when Malampaya shuts down in October. We are assessing the impact of this and the resulting effects on megawatts and capacity. This will be thoroughly discussed,” said DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella in an interview. Another short-term solu-

MALAMPAYA’S Onshore Gas Plant in Batangas City . DOE/PIA-IDPD

tion is for First Gen’s Santa Rita and San Lorenzo power plants to use condensate to substitute for Malampaya gas when the latter is unavailable. The liquid fuel is ordered on a spot basis and delivered by tanker to its existing jetty at the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas. However, the country is in dire need of medium- to longterm solutions to address the gas depletion. “As early as now, we should already have a strategy to address the gas depletion. We may have one,” said Gatchalian. The lawmaker was referring to First Gen’s Interim Offshore LNG Terminal, which involves modifying its existing liquid fuel jetty to become a multipurpose jetty capable of receiving both liquid fuel and LNG. First Gen’s offshore LNG terminal project is expected to be completed by third or last quarter of 2022, which will then allow for the entry of a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU). An FSRU is a special LNG carrier that is capable of storing LNG and which has an onboard regasification plant capable of returning LNG into a gaseous state and then supplying it directly into the gas network. First Gen will utilize the BW Paris FSRU. “Once First Gen’s Interim Offshore LNG Terminal is completed and the FSRU is in place, LNG can be received to supply the San Gabriel and Avion plants and to supplement shortfalls of Malampaya gas under the respective firm gas supply agreements of the Santa Rita and San Lorenzo plants,” said Russell. More importantly, once the terminal project commences operation, the Malampaya gas restrictions should no longer affect the output of the First Gen gas plants. “In fact, the peak demand of the existing gas-fired plants is approximately 530 MMscfd, with an average demand of approximately 450 MMscfd. The BW Paris has a long-term sendout capability of 500 MMscfd, which is 25 percent greater than Malampaya’s sendout, and which can be increased to 750 MMscfd for short durations,” added Russell.

Drill new wells MALAMPAYA

Energy,

mean-

while, proposed to drill new wells while there is still gas left. “Malampaya Energy is all out to rejuvenate Malampaya through a drilling campaign once the transaction is completed,” it said, referring to its purchase of SPEX’s 45-percent operating stake in the gas field. The DOE has yet to approve the deal. “Further delay will exacerbate the worsening electricity situation,” it added. It has been seven years since the last drilling activity. Malampaya Energy said no drilling has been taken to arrest the depletion of the Malampaya field. “The situation is now urgent and requires new investment and the industry’s best exploration and development capabilities to drive growth from the currently depleting asset,” said Malampaya Energy executive Belinda Racela. “It’s clear that any further delay is hugely detrimental to Filipino consumers and to the economic prospects of the nation. We need to focus on augmenting Malampaya gas supply now to ensure fewer brownouts and safeguard long-term energy security.” Aside from tapping foreign experts, Malampaya Energy will retain SPEX experts to continue to run and maintain the gas field. “The company is 100-percent committed to continue delivering safe, reliable and sustainable energy supply at Malampaya by retaining the world-class SPEX team and immediately reversing the seven-year hiatus on exploration activities. There is a great team already in place at SPEX who will continue to run and maintain Malampaya. “What Malampaya Energy brings is not only our own highly qualified team with hundreds of years of combined upstream experience, but also agility and a willingness to invest in growth together with our SC38 partner PNOC-EC,” Racela added. The Malampaya consortium is now composed of UC Malampaya Philippines Pte. Ltd., which bought Chevron’s 45-percent stake; Malampaya Energy, which bought the 45-percent stake of SPEX; and PNOC-EC (Philippine National Oil Company Exploration Corp.), which holds the remaining 10 percent. UC Malampaya and Malampaya Energy are

under the Udenna Group led by Davao businessman Dennis Uy. But Gatchalian would prefer an operation and maintenance (O&M) operator rather than allow Malampaya Energy to operate the gas field located off the coast of Palawan. “The plan of Malampaya Energy of the Udenna Group is to also engage a technical contractor to operate the facility, because it lacks experience and the expertise when it comes to upstream facility operations. So, why not bid out an O&M instead of hiring consultants and technical experts? “Perhaps, PNOC-EC could also take over since it already has a stake there, albeit minimal. If it can’t do it, then PNOCEC could tap a technical contractor to take charge in the operation and exploration activities,” said Gatchalian. The DOE has not responded to Gatchalian’s proposal. It is, however, aware of the repercussions of the depleting supply of the Malampaya gas field. “They say that the Malampaya supply can go as far as 2027, but it does not have enough gas for the further expansion needed to provide future natural gas requirements, particularly with the plan to expand application of LNG in the industrial, commercial, residential and transport sectors,” DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said. The DOE said there is an urgent need to attract more investments in the downstream LNG industry. Thus, it is aggressively pushing for LNG investments. “While the LNG industry in the country is still in its infancy stage, importation of LNG remains the best option at the moment to assure the country’s future energy requirements will be sufficiently met,” he said. There are solutions laid on the table. These could work or not. But industry stakeholders need to plan, decide and act fast to avoid an energy crisis that may happen in less than six years, said Gatchalian. The DOE is saying otherwise. Fuentebella said there is no crisis. “We do not call it a crisis because there are solutions and strategies to be put in place.”

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Metro Manila placed under ECQ from August 6 to 20

rompted by a rise in new Covid-19 cases in the National Capital Region (NCR), President Duterte decided to place the Metropolis under lockdown next week. Presidential spokesman Harr y Roque revealed that the President has approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to impose enhanced community quarantine (ECQ ) in NCR from August 6 to 20, 2021, in a bid to contain an upward trend of virus infection in NCR. The announcement came a day after the IATF announced the extension of the general community quarantine (GCQ ) “with heightened restrictions” classification of NCR until August 5, 2021. Roque said there were “ long debates” among IATF members before they decided to reconsider their initial decision and push for a lockdown in NCR instead. In preparation for the ECQ, the government started implementing stricter quarantine measures in NCR from July 30 to August 5, 2021. T hese measures inc lude ba nning indoor dine-in ser v ices and al fresco dining and the operation of indoor sports courts and venues and indoor tourist attractions and specialized markets of the Department of Tourism (DOT). The government also capped to 30 percent the venue capacity of personal care services, such as beauty salons and parlors, barber shops and nail spas and outdoor tourist attractions as defined by DOT. A week before the ECQ, Roque said, “only authorized persons outside their residences [APOR] shall be allowed to travel into and out of the NCR Plus Area, which includes Cavite, Bulacan,

Laguna, and Rizal.” Public transportation would still be allowed to operate in the said period along with the government’s vaccination administration activities. Roque said live religious gatherings will no longer be allowed, but “gatherings for necrological services, wakes, inurnment and funerals for those who died of causes other than Covid-19 shall be allowed, provided they are limited to immediate family members.” The OCTA Research group has recommended the implementation of a two-week lockdown in NCR amid rising Covid-19 cases. The research group suspected the presence of the more contagious Delta variant of Covid-causing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is contributing to the rising increase in infections in the region similar to what happened in other countries like India and Indonesia. The Delta variant is more infectious and fatal compared to other variants of the SARS-CoV-2. In a related development, Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado on Friday said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is yet to receive President Duterte’s directive to grant cash to beneficiaries in ECQ zones in NCR. “We are waiting for a directive from OP [Office of the President] po and we will coordinate with Neda [National Economic and Development Authority] and DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development],” Avisado told the BusinessMirror. Asked on the funding source for the cash benefit, the budget chief said they are planning to source the ayuda from available funds. Samuel P. Medenilla and Bernadette D. Nicolas

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Saturday, July 31, 2021

Duterte retracts VFA abrogation

By Samuel P. Medenilla, Recto L. Mercene & Rene Acosta

FTER over a year of uncertainty that began with the termination process and the suspension of such termination twice, President Duterte has decided to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, saying it favors the country’s interest. In a news statement issued on Friday, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque reiterated the country would only continue to engage in partnerships with other countries which support its “core national interest.” He m a d e t h e p r o no u n c e m e nt w he n a s k e d a b out t he a n nou nce m e nt o f D e f e n s e S e c r e t a r y D e l f in L oren za na t hat President D ute r te h a s de c ide d to w it hd r aw t h e a b r o g at io n o f V FA . The withdrawal happened during his meeting with visiting US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III last Thursday. Malacañang said Duterte had “an open and frank discussion status of and future direction of the Philippines-US engagement” with Austin. “ T hey ag reed t hat t he a l l iance can be further strengthened through enhanced communication and greater cooperation, particularly in the areas of the pandemic

response, combatting transnational crimes, including the war on illegal drugs, maritime domain awareness, the rule of law and trade and investments,” the Office of the President said in a separate statement. Austin’s v isit is part of the commemoration of the 75th A nniversar y of the Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty.

Locsin welcomes move

For eign A f fa i rs Sec ret a r y Te odoro Locsin Jr. earlier welcomed A u st i n at t he DFA of f ice s a nd both affirmed their commitment to st reng t hen t he a l l i a nce a nd d i sc u s se d up d ates de fe n se a nd security cooperation between the Philippines and US. Austin is the first Biden administration Cabinet member to visit the Philippines and to set foot at the DFA. Austin is in Manila to discuss with Philippine government officials mutual

security concerns between the Philippines and US. Remarking on the extension of the VFA, Locsin said, “It is vital to maintaining stability in the AsiaPacific region. All the protagonists in the region, without a single exception, see a strong US presence as imperative to peace and stability in Southeast Asia.” He said “they are the precondition for mutually beneficial cooperation rather than destructive conflict among themselves.” “The United States has shown its commitment to fulfill its obligations to us under the alliance. They have addressed issues arising from our security relationship with good faith. Together, we have moved forward on the basis of common interest, shared values and mutual respect.” Upon the instructions of President Duterte, Locsin handed over to Secretar y Austin the Diplomatic Note recalling the abrogation of the VFA . Manila’s highest envoy said this is a special year for the PhilippinesUS alliance. “We celebrate not just 75 years of diplomatic relations, but also 70 years of the Mutual Defense Treaty, 70 years of the United States being our only defense treaty ally.” He said the alliance has stayed strong in overcoming challenges. The VFA provides rules for the rotation of thousands of US troops in and out of the Philippines for war drills and exercises. It has assumed additional importance as the US and its allies contend with China’s assertiveness in the region. Duterte ordered the abrogation of the 1998 VFA, which allows US military forces to enter the country’s territory, after the cancellation of

the US tourist visa of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, a close aide of the President from Davao City who became his first National Police chief before entering politics. The abrogation proceeding were initiated in Febr uar y 2020, but was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In February 2021, Duterte said the US government must “pay” if it wants to maintain the VFA.

‘Shared commitment’

In a br ief ing w it h repor ters, Lorenzana said the bilateral meeting he had with Austin served as a platform to discuss the course and future of the two countries’ alliance based on the “current priorities of our respective administrations.” “It underscored the significance of the bilateral defense relations between the Philippines and the US, in light of new and re-emerging challenges that confront our nations,” Lorenzana said. “ T h i s v i sit i s a not her m a n ifest at ion of t he sh a red com m itment to t he a l l i a nce bet ween ou r defense est abl ish ment s a m id t he i n herent r isk s a nd c h a l lenges of t he pa ndem ic,” he added. On the other hand, Austin said he was “glad to have the opportunity in person, to reaffirm our shared commitment to the US-Philippine alliance.” Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said that aside from the VFA and boosting security ties and defense cooperation between the two countries, the two defense secretaries also discussed the developments in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as the fight against Covid-19 during the meeting.

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BSP governor: Inflation picked up again in July By Bianca Cuaresma

FTER its deceleration in June to 4.1 percent from 4.5 percent, the growth of consumer

prices in the country likely accelerated anew in July. BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno told reporters on Friday that inflation likely hit 4.3 percent in July, but is expected

to fall within the range of 3.9 percent to 4.7 percent during the month. Inf lation has been steady at 4.5 percent since March to May before falling to 4.1 percent in June. Inf lation has not tamed dow n to a rate w ithin the government’s target of 2 to 4 percent for the year.

Diokno attributed the expected increase in inflation to higher prices of domestic petroleum products and key food items, along with the upward adjustment in Meralco electricity rates and a weaker peso. “Moving forward, the BSP will continue to monitor emerging price

developments to ensure that its primary mandate of price stability conducive to balanced and sustainable economic growth is achieved,” the governor said. The BSP has been keeping its monetary policy rates at record lows despite elevated inflation rates earlier this year, a move based on its assessment that the inflation acceleration is temporary and will likely dissipate towards the end of the year. In their June meeting, the BSP forecast inflation to average at 4 percent for the year. ING Bank Economist Nicholas Mapa, however, said this forecast of a within target inflation rate for the year is likely under threat due to the weak peso and elevated energy prices.

“In the coming months we expect inflation to remain elevated given a weaker currency, elevated energy costs and pricey food items with the BSP 4 percent forecast clearly under threat. BSP, however, will likely look past the breach given its supply-side nature while providing the economy as much support as it can muster amidst the current protracted economic downturn,” Mapa said. “Despite the projected inflation breach, we do not expect BSP to recalibrate rates in the near term with Governor Diokno likely looking past the cost-driven acceleration. Hiking policy rates at a time where GDP is expected to fall below the official target of 6 to 7 percent will likely derail the fragile growth prospects for the country,” the economist added.

DTI: Agri, manufacturing to continue despite curbs By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has assured that agriculture and manufacturing activities will continue despite the upcoming implementation of a two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) regime in Metro Manila. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told the reporters on Friday that it was important to allow such economic activities, along with services, be operational even during the strictest form of community quarantine. Doing so can help preserve employment and mitigate losses, he explained. “We assure the public of adequate supply of goods in supermarkets and groceries because agriculture and manufacturing activities shall continue,” Lopez said. With reported cases of Covid-19 Delta variant doubling in a day in some Metro Manila cities, Lopez said the government would continue to closely monitor related developments next week before ECQ starts on August 6. The one-week time frame, Lopez said, w ill also give time for the public and business sector to make adjustments. “Although the economy and MSMEs [micro, small and medium enterprises] cannot bear another lockdown, the ECQ may be inevitable so as to remove any possibility of an uncontrollable surge like what happened in other countries that claimed thousands of lives,” the DTI chief said. Previously, Lopez stressed that MSMEs cannot afford another major lockdown as their cash flow has been depleted from the earlier implementation of ECQ. He said that the percentage of closed MSMEs might even

jump to 16 percent from the current 8 percent to 10 percent if ECQ will be enforced. Another major lockdown will be too costly for the economy, Lopez shared earlier that P30 billion worth of wages might be lost from a twoweek lockdown. This, as 1.8 million workers are seen to be affected if the National Capital Region Plus bubble will be put under ECQ, he added. “We thus encourage everyone to remain vigilant and work together with your government in preventing the further spread of Covid-19, especially the Delta variant,” Lopez said.

Allow vaccination under ECQ The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), in a statement issued on Friday, said that the ECQ pronouncement was “not entirely unexpected given the apparent spread of the Delta variant.” Still, the business group expects the government to continue rolling out the much-needed vaccination programs even during ECQ. “ W hile this w ill further hurt our strug gling businesses, we expect the government to mitigate the damage by increasing vaccine supply and ensuring that vaccination programs continue even under ECQ , as this is really the solution to controlling the pandemic,” M AP said. “ We further urge the gover nment to rela x r ules to allow all sectors to avail of vaccination, specially those given by the LGUs [local government units] which are not covered by Cova x rules.” MAP also asked that contact tracing be conducted thoroughly so the infection will be better contained. Otherwise, the business group said Covid-19 case surges are likely to continue.

New NCR lockdown may cost economy ₧105B–Neda chief

he N a t i o n a l E c o n o m i c and Development Authority (Neda) estimates that placing Metro Manila under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ ) may cost the economy some P105 billion. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua told reporters on Friday that this would also increase the ranks of the poor by up to 177,000 people and renders 444,000 Filipinos jobless. However, Chua said, the impact would be mitigated by cash assistance that the government will be providing those who will be adversely affected by the lockdown. “These can be partly reversed if we use the three weeks to accelerate vaccination of everyone in the high risk areas,” Chua said. “This way, the ECQ will be an investment to pave the way for a recovery once we control Delta spread,” he added.

Last year, Chua said, quarantine restrictions and the fall in consumption translated to a total income loss of around P1.04 trillion in 2020 or an average of P2.8 billion a day. Quarantine restrictions led to an average annual income loss of P23,000 per worker. However, he said, this average masks wide differences across sectors and jobs, and some workers are hit much harder, especially those who lost their jobs. Nonetheless, he said, the government’s response this year has improved visits to public transport stations to a contraction of 40 percent this year from a decline of 80 percent last year. More Filipinos, Chua said, have also started going back to work. Those going to work are only down by 25 percent this year compared to a decline of over 40 percent last year. Cai U. Ordinario

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

The World

US economy tops pre-pandemic size with 6.5-percent Q2 growth

ASHINGTON—Fueled by vaccinations and government aid, the US economy grew at a solid 6.5-percent annual rate last quarter in another sign that the nation has achieved a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession. The total size of the economy has now surpassed its pre-pandemic level. Thursday’s report from the Commerce Department estimated that the nation’s gross domestic product—its total output of goods and services—accelerated in the April-June quarter from an already robust 6.3-percent annual growth rate in the first quarter of the year. The latest figure fell well below the 8-percent-plus annual growth rate that many economists had predicted for the second quarter. But the miss was due mainly to clogged supply chains related to the rapid reopening of the economy. Those bottlenecks exerted a larger-than-expected drag on companies’ efforts to restock their shelves. The resulting slowdown in inventory rebuilding, in fact, subtracted 1.1 percentage points from last quarter’s annual growth. By contrast, consumer spending—the main fuel of the US economy—surged for a second straight quarter, advancing at an 11.8-percent annual rate. Spending on goods grew at an 11.6-percent rate, and spending on services, from restaurant meals to airline tickets, expanded at a 12-percent pace as vaccinations encouraged more Americans to shop, travel and eat out. Companies, too, spent with confidence last quarter. Business investment surged at an 8-percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, adding 1.1 percentage point to GDP. With consumers and businesses expected to keep spending, many analysts expect the economy to grow at a robust pace of around 6.5 percent for all of 2021, despite the supply shortages and the possibility of a resurgent coronavirus in the form of the highly contagious delta variant. That would amount to the strongest calendar-year growth since 1984. Growth that strong would far exceed the 2-percent to 3-percent average annual rates of recent decades. And it would represent a striking bounce-back from the economy’s 3.4-percent contraction last year in the midst of the pandemic, the worst decline since the 1940s. Underpinning the rapid recovery have been trillions in federal rescue money, ranging from stimulus checks to expanded unemployment benefits to small business aid to just-distributed child tax credit payments. And millions of affluent households have benefited from a vast increase in their wealth resulting from surging home equity and stock market gains. “Consumers are going to continue to drive the economic train,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “There is a lot of excess savings, a lot of cash in people’s checking accounts.” Jen Psaki, the W hite House press secretar y, hailed the GDP report and called on Congress to go further by passing the administration’s proposals to

vastly expand the nation’s infrastructure. Overhanging the bright economic forecasts is the threat posed by the delta variant. The US is now averaging more than 60,000 confirmed new cases a day, up from only about 12,000 a month ago. Should a surge in viral infections cause many consumers to hunker down again and pull back on spending, it would weaken the recovery. For now, the economy is showing sustained streng th. L ast month, America’s employers added 850,000 jobs, well above the average of the previous three months. And average hourly pay rose a solid 3.6 percent compared with a year earlier, faster than the pre-pandemic annual pace. Con su mer con f idence h a s reached its highest level since the pandemic struck in March 2020, a key reason why retail sales remain solid as Americans shift their spending back to services—from restaurant meals and airline trips to entertainment events and shopping sprees. The economy is also receiving substantial support from the Federal Reserve. On Wednesday, the Fed reaffirmed that it will maintain its key short-term interest rate at a record low near zero to keep short-term borrowing costs low. It will also continue to buy government-backed bonds to put downward pressure on long-term loan rates to encourage borrowing and spending. The recovery, in fact, has been so rapid, with pent-up demand from consumers driving growth after a year of lockdowns that one looming risk is a potential spike in inflation that could get out of control. Consumer prices jumped 5.4 percent in June from a year ago, the sharpest spike in 13 years and the fourth straight month of sizable price jumps. The measure of consumer inf lation in the second-quarter GDP report showed an annual rise of 3.4 percent for core inflation, which excludes food and energy. It was the fastest such jump since 1991. In addition to the drag on GDP from weak inventory restocking, reflecting the supply chain problems, housing construction fell at a 9.8 percent annual rate last quarter. This decline reflected, in part, the troubles home builders have had in obtaining lumber and other supplies. Some economists have warned that by choosing not to begin withdrawing its extraordinary support for the economy, the Fed may end up responding too late and too aggressively to high inflation by quickly jacking up rates and perhaps causing another recession. But at a news conference Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell underscored his belief that recent inflation readings reflect price spikes in a narrow range of categories—from used cars and airline tickets to hotel rooms and auto rentals—that have been distorted by temporary supply shortages related to the economy’s swift reopening. Those shortages involve items like furniture, appliances, clothing and computer chips, among others. AP

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partnership, said the donations put it on track to meet its goal of raising $5 billion over the next five years. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who addressed the conference alongside Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, has made girls’ education a flagship project of his Conservative government, and is pushing to get 40 million more girls in school around the world by 2026. He told conference delegates that education was “the silver bullet…that can solve virtually every

Another 291-M people won’t have enough to eat this year

lobal hunger will surge by about a third this year, driven by lingering income losses from the pandemic, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The department’s annual assessment of food security in 76 middle- and low-income nations that are past or current recipients of US food aid estimates an additional 291 million people in those countries won’t have enough to eat in 2021. That comes on top of a huge spike in hunger last year as the pandemic unleashed economic distress. The United Nations earlier t his mont h estimated globa l food insecur it y in 2020 had already hit the highest level in

15 years as income loss made healthy diets out of reach for about a 10th of the global population. Things are projected to get worse in 2021 as commodity inf lation and disrupted supply chains sent world food prices to the highest in almost a decade, particularly bad news for poorer countries dependent on food imports. The large-scale human suffering that’s driven by hunger is reaching new depths of bleakness. A study published in Nature

Food journal this month projected the exacerbated undernutrition among mothers and children in low-and middle-income countries will cost the world $30 billion in future productivity losses. Rising hunger for hundreds of millions of people, primarily in Asia and Africa, also raises the risk of political instability. Overall, 1.2 billion people in the 76 countries covered in the USDA report—representing 31 percent of their population— will be food-insecure this year. Prior to the pandemic, the USDA estimated 761 million people, or less than 20 percent of that population, fell into the categor y in those countries. Most of the additional people the USDA expects to fall into food insecurity this year are in Asia, which accounts for 72 percent of the increase. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia will see particularly large jumps in the

number of people without enough food, according to the report. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 21 percent of the global increase in undernourished people. Yemen, Zimbabwe and Congo are projected to have the highest prevalence of hunger, with more than 80 percent of the population in each of the countries unable to get enough to eat. The primary driver of rising food insecurity is the persistent drop in income in the countries compared with pre-pandemic levels, according to the report. The authors cautioned that the projections didn’t consider the potential impact of climate change, armed conflict or political or economic instability. The department classifies someone food-insecure if they are unable to maintain a diet of at least 2,100 calories a day, considered a minimal level to stay active and healthy. Bloomberg News

Navy charges sailor with setting fire that destroyed $4-B warship

AN DIEGO—The US Navy charged a sailor Thursday with starting a fire last year that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard docked off San Diego, marking the maritime branch’s worst warship blaze outside of combat in recent memory. The amphibious assault ship burned for more than four days. Left with extensive structural, electrical and mechanical damage, the ship was later scrapped. Estimates to replace it ran up to $4 billion. The sailor was a member of the crew at the time, Cmdr. Sean Robertson, a US 3rd Fleet spokesperson, said in a news statement. The sailor was charged with aggravated arson and the willful hazarding of a vessel, Robertson said. No name was released. No other details were provided, and it was unclear what evidence was found or what the motive was. The amphibious assault ships are among the few in the US fleet that can act as a mini aircraft carrier. The Bonhomme Richard had been nearing the end of a two-year upgrade estimated to cost $250 million when the fire broke out on July 12, 2020. About 160 sailors and officers were on board when the flames sent up a huge plume of dark smoke from the 840-foot vessel, which had been docked at Naval Base San Diego while undergoing the upgrade. The fire started in the ship’s lower storage area, where cardboard boxes, rags and other maintenance supplies were stored. But winds coming off the San Diego Bay whipped up the flames and the flames spread up the elevator shafts and exhaust stacks. T hen t wo ex plosions—one heard as far as 21 kilometers away—caused it to grow even bigger. T he f i re s e nt a c r id s mok e bi l low i ng over Sa n D iego, a nd

World pledges $4 billion in push to repair Covid’s education damage

ON D ON — I nt e r n at io n a l governments and companies have pledged more than $4 billion to educate 175 million children around the world and prevent a generation’s chances being blighted by the coronavirus pandemic. The commitments came Thursday at a conference in London hosted by Britain, Kenya and funding organization the Global Partnership for Education. Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who chairs the

Saturday, July 31, 2021

problem that afflicts humanity.” Britain has pledged 430 million pounds ($600 million) to the Global Partnership for Education. But Johnson is facing criticism for slashing the UK’s international development budget from 0.7 percent of national income to 0.5 percent, cutting around 4 billion pounds ($5.6 billion) from projects that help the world’s most vulnerable. The government says the cut is temporary and is necessary because of the economic blow caused by the pandemic. AP

officials had recommended people avoid exercising outdoors. Firefighters attacked the flames inside the ship, while firefighting

vessels with water cannons directed streams of seawater into the ship and helicopters made water drops.

More than 60 sailors and civilians were treated for minor injuries, heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation. AP

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A6 Saturday, July 31, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

3D ANALYZER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INC. 7-8/f Double Dragon Plaza 255 Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City CHEN, ZEBIN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 1.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services JIN, GUOFANG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services LIU, JIANWEI Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services LIU, MIN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services TRAN TUONG VY Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services ZHANG, LINGZHI Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services ZHANG, TIANDUN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services ZHENG, WENHUAI Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

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

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LI, WEI Mandarin Accounts Staff 15.

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education

16.

17.

18.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ZHANG, YE Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 9.

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

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

ACCENTURE, INC. 7f Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1 Pioneer St Mandaluyong City

22.

LOPEZ PEREDA, JORGE Bilingual Service Desk Analyst – Spanish 10.

Brief Job Description: Deliver client facing engagements/work at Philippine delivery center. Will be in charge of translating communications, verbal and written, from Spanish to English and English to Spanish, so that the Accenture Philippines members can communicate with the stakeholders speaking the language.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ACE GM PALACE INC. Space No. 1120 Upper Ground Floor Atc Muntinlupa City ZHU, ZHIZHOU Chinese Cuisine Specialist 11.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese cuisine specialist shall perform the preparation and serving especially Chinese cuisine.

Basic Qualification: Must be a Chinese and have fully knowledgeable in Chinese menu items/ Chinese cuisine

23.

12.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate and complete customer account information JULY SUSANTI Mandarin Accounts Staff

13.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate and complete customer account information

LEE KAR KIT Mandarin Accounts Staff 14.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the smooth running of computer system

Brief Job Description: Support marketing executives tasks in organizing various projects

JIN, MIAOWANG Site Officer Of PRDP Brief Job Description: Responsible for the organization supervision coordination scheduling and management of the daily construction of the project construction site KANG, YANLING Site Officer Of PRDP 25.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the organization supervision coordination scheduling and management of the daily construction of the project construction site LI, ZHIWEN Site Officer Of PRDP

26.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the organization supervision coordination scheduling and management of the daily construction of the project construction site

CHEN, RONGZHI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative 27.

Brief Job Description: Delivering Excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails HE, CHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

28.

Brief Job Description: Delivering Excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails TU, HAO Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

29.

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

Brief Job Description: Delivering Excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails YANG, HONGYU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

30.

Brief Job Description: Delivering Excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails

FESTO, INC. Km 18 West Service Rd. Marcelo Green Parañaque City

31.

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the target fulfillment (MRP, BUDGET, etc) Agreed with the member of the board.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knows about the systems of strategic planning, organization, effective management, determination and controlling to manage an organization Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. Lot 5 Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive Sto. Niño Parañaque City

32.

WANG, LIZHEN Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: To provide Chinese customer service

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in managing incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FLASH EXPRESS SOFTWARE (PH) CO., LTD. INC. 9th Flr. Arthaland Century Pacific Tower 5th Avenue 30th Street Cor. 4th Avenue Fort Bonifacio Taguig City JIANG, XUANWEN Investor Relations Manager 33.

Brief Job Description: Primarily responsible for ensuring the company is appropriately and strategically positioned with analysts, investors and all stakeholders.

Basic Qualification: 5-10 years work experience in Finance and Investments, job-relevant degree; Multilingual. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

H & B PHARMA INTERNATIONAL INC. Unit 603 Tycoon Centre Cond Pearl Drive Ortigas Ctr., San Antonio Pasig City

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

BANG, YONGSUCK Pharmaceutical Consultant 34.

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for general supervision of all phases of pharmaceutical operations including: production, quality control, selection of medicines, quantification, importation, storage/stock management and distribution.

Basic Qualification: Can communicate Filipino and Korean clients. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HA LONG PILIPINAS INC. San Luis St. Barangay 011 Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Can speak, write, type in Mandarin language. With technical skills in software.

YEUNG, GUO LIANG Administration Officer 35.

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

Basic Qualification: Demonstrable experience in marketing together with the potential and attitude required to learn

LIANG, WEIHAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative 36.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate: Speaks fluently in Mandarin

37.

38.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to Communicate Fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers

39.

40.

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

MA, TAO Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

WANG, WANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

41.

WANG, YANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

42.

WU, BIAO Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to Communicate Fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers

CHEN, BAOCHANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to Communicate Fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions, suggesting information about other products and services

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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

Basic Qualification: Ability to Communicate Fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers

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

Basic Qualification: 18-50 y/o, Good organization skills, proficient in relevant computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-50 y/o, Good organization skills, proficient in relevant computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg. Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate: Speaks fluently in Mandarin

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions, suggesting information about other products and services LONG, XIAOWENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate: Speaks fluently in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Ensuring the confidentiality and security of files and filing system; Coordinates schedule arranging meetings distributing memos and reports; Operating equipment and fax machine.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English language both in written and verbal; Must be familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills.

INTEGRITY GLOBAL GROUP, INC. 2/f-3/f Ayala Malls Circuit A.p. Reyes Ave. Carmona Makati City

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

DAXIFA CORPORATION Mpire Center 93 West Avenue Project 7 Bungad 1 Quezon City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: can speak mandarin

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

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

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

Basic Qualification: can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Manage a team of mandarin staff including programmers, analysts and support specialists, evaluate the functionality of systems, consult computer users to ascertain needs and to ensure that facilities meet user or project requirements, select and purchase appropriate hardware and software, managing IT budgets, and ensure software licensing

YU, WANHAI Chinese Marketing Staff

AUFREE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS INC. U3-f2 Burgundy Westbay Tower 820 P. Ocampo St., 078 Bgy. 719 Malate Manila CHOW ZHI YING Mandarin Accounts Staff

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the smooth running of computer system

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

CHINA ENERGY ENGINEERING GROUP GUANGDONG ELECTRIC POWER DESIGN INSTITUTE CO. LTD., (PHILIPPINES) BRANCH U-1205 12/f 6750 Ayala Bldg. Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City

24. Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree graduate. undergraduates are welcome to apply; can communicate effectively in both oral and written English and Spanish; knowledgeable or with experience in service desk management willing to work on holidays, weekends, shifting schedules and extended working hours, as needed.

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

LI, LIGUAN Mandarin Software Quality Assurance Analyst

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1 Pitx Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs.

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

BZC IT SERVICES INC. 3f Salcedo One Center 170 Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

HARTONO, INDRA President/ CEO

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Recruiting staffs who can speak mandarin

CHEN, DE Mandarin Technical Support 21.

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales records, reconcile delivery records

No.

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

CHANG, LI-HSIANG Mandarin Human Resource Specialist

LAW HUI YUAN Mandarin Team Leader 20.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

KHA MY XIEM Mandarin Team Leader 19.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the smooth running of computer system

HUANG, SHIJIE Mandarin Operations Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate and complete customer account information TAN POH YUET Mandarin Accounts Staff

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with atleast some secondary education Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

43.

ZHOU, HUAJIAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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 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 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

MERAKI SILVER SOLUTIONS CORPORATION Unit 1107,11th Floor, One World Place 32nd Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HUANG, SHIYI Mandarin Speaking Account Specialist

44.

Brief Job Description: Perform routine bank telling task including making deposits, withdrawals, transfers and cash transfer, etc.

LI, YANMEI Mandarin Speaking Account Specialist 45.

Brief Job Description: Perform routine bank telling task including making deposits, withdrawals, transfers and cash transfer, etc.

LI, MENGYING Mandarin Speaking Account Specialist 46.

Brief Job Description: Perform routine bank telling task including making deposits, withdrawals, transfers and cash transfer, etc.

XUE, QIANG Mandarin Speaking Account Specialist 47.

Brief Job Description: Perform routine bank telling task including making deposits, withdrawals, transfers and cash transfer, etc.

YAO, LI Mandarin Speaking Account Specialist 48.

Brief Job Description: Perform routine bank telling task including making deposits, withdrawals, transfers and cash transfer, etc.

ZHU, CHAO Mandarin Speaking Account Specialist 49.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: Perform routine bank telling task including making deposits, withdrawals, transfers and cash transfer, etc.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, excellent verbal communication skills

No.

60.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, excellent verbal communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, excellent verbal communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, excellent verbal communication skills

62.

50.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

63.

51.

52.

53.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services NGUYEN TRONG BINH Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services WANG, DONGDONG Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services

Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, excellent verbal communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

CHENG, JINXING Multilingual Customer Service Specialist 64.

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

54.

Brief Job Description: are in charge with promoting organizations and developing effective branding strategies

LI, ZHI Brand Specialist 55.

Brief Job Description: to analyze and design business processes in collaboration with stakeholders

LEI, JUAN Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant 56.

Brief Job Description: are in charge with promoting organizations and developing effective branding strategies

LI, XIAOZHEN Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant 57.

Brief Job Description: to analyze and design business processes in collaboration with stakeholders

LIANG, JIANBING Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant 58.

Brief Job Description: to ensure excellent product delivery. They have a wealth of knowledge about a product or range,

LIU, YUTING Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant 59.

Brief Job Description: and subject matter experts for both Sales and Marketing organizations

Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications

65.

66.

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

Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

75.

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

THE PENBROTHERS INTERNATIONAL INC. 6/f Opl Bldg. 100 C. Palanca St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications

Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, proficient in relevant computer applications

76.

REVERTE PRUNEDA, ALBERT Executive Chef Brief Job Description: Supervise production of all items in the kitchen.

ZHANG, LING Chinese Speaking Site Technician 67.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for customer status and monitoring updates

Basic Qualification: Proficient in writing, reading and speaking Chinese

68.

Brief Job Description: Deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, in order to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service LU, ZHENG Mandarin Marketing Specialist

69.

Brief Job Description: Deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, in order to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service

77.

70.

71.

72.

73.

CHEN, XUXU Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer Service DANG THI THANH HUYEN Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer Service

78.

THI TUYET MAI Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer Service WEI, LAN Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer Service

79.

74.

Brief Job Description: Study work specifications to determine that appropriate construction methods are being adopted.

80.

81.

83. Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin

FU, HUIBIN Chinese IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

XIE, ZHIHUI Chinese IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

YANG, XIAOJIE Chinese IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

CHAI SOON ONG IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

CHEAH CHONG HAN IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 84.

CHEW HUAN KHAI IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both oral and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both oral and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With experience as Senior Project Manager and has twenty five years of working experience in an international capacity Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

SUTHERLAND GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. 12th Floor Philplans Corporate Center Kalayaan Avenue & Triangle Drive Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

Basic Qualification: N/A Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Minimum of 5 years of experience in a customer support role, preferably in fast-paced online environment, vendor relationship manage and/ or the BPO Industry. Written and verbal fluency in English is a must, proficiency in Arabic is highly preferred. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

VERTEX DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1439 Adriatico Cor. Sta. Monica St. 072 Bgy. 669 Ermita Manila

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

SURESTE PROPERTIES INC. The Executive Offices, Solaire Resort & Casino 1 Asean Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City

LEONG GUAN YEONG Senior Project Manager

Brief Job Description: Resolve high profile escalations from internal stakeholders and vendor partners and investigate account thoroughly for various user issues. Spring into action at any moment to turn around incidents or negative trends in operational work while communicating efficiently with key partners and cross functional teams.

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin

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

Brief Job Description: Reporting to the chief executive officer, PHILAM life and responsible for managing the finance department of PHILAM group, ensure the integrity, accuracy and usefulness of financial, business and operating information being generated and manage the development, consolidation of such for purposes of management analysis and reporting to group office and local regulatory bodies.

SADKI, TAWFIK Technical And User Services Data Analyst

82.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both oral and written

Basic Qualification: College graduate, fluent in Mandarin and English, preferably 6 mos. to 1 year customer service

TWITTER PHILIPPINES INC. 9/f Arthaland Century Pacific Tower 5th Avenue Corner 30th Street, Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

SPEED QUALITY TECH INC. 3/f Eco Plaza Bldg. 2305 Chino Roces Ave. Extn. Magallanes Makati City 20/f Techzone Bldg. 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. San Antonio Makati City

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

Brief Job Description: Answering inquiries, resolving problems, fulfilling requests and maintaining data base

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

SKYLUSTER TECHNOLOGY, INC. 28/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City HU, DEMIN Mandarin Marketing Specialist

Brief Job Description: Support for customer’s speaking Mandarin, technical support experience is preferred.

OGILVIE, GARY JAMES Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Must have at least 10 years experience of which 5 years are in an international class hotel.

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication skills in Mandarin language.

THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN LIFE AND GENERAL INSURANCE (PHILAM LIFE) COMPANY (AIA PHILAM LIFE) 17/f Net Lima Bldg. 5th Ave. Cor. 26th St. Bonifacio Global City Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

YANG, XIAODONG Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

SECURE SMARTER SERVICES INC. Unit A 9/ F Bpi-philam Life Bldg. 6811 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

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

Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications

Brief Job Description: To troubleshoot, maintain and monitor the computer system

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION WANG, ZHIHUA Associate - Cs Phone

ROXACO LAND CORPORATION 7/f Cg Bldg. 101 Aguirre San Lorenzo Makati City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications

Brief Job Description: It process complaints and issues related to products or services, they help customers complete purchases, upgrades, and returns, and frequently provide advice and technical assistance as well.

LI, BINBIN Mandarin Technical Support

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

No.

Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with atleast 6 months experience, with good oral and written communication skills, knowledgeable in computer applications

RED DOT MARKETING AND BRANDING INC. Unit 1514 Burgundy Transpacific Place Taft Ave. 079, Bgy. 727 Malate Manila

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

OPTIMORE INC. Unit 3-c 3/f Lpl Tower 112 Legaspi St. San Lorenzo Makati City

OKKDA ASIA TECHNOLOGY INC. Unit 5b 5/f Marvin Plaza 2153 C. Roces Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City

BUI DUC KIEN Brand Specialist

Brief Job Description: to ensure excellent product delivery. They have a wealth of knowledge about a product or range,

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

NOCMAKATI, INC. 8,9,10,11,12,14,15,16,17,18 & 19 Floors Century Diamond Center Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St. Poblacion Makati City CHONG LY KHIN Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: to analyze and design business processes in collaboration with stakeholders

XU, HUI Product Specialist

MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC. Unit 19-o, Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City LIANG, JIAHUI Mandarin Customer Service

Brief Job Description: to analyze and design business processes in collaboration with stakeholders

TU CHI HAO Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-50 Y/O, good organizational skills, excellent verbal communication skills

Brief Job Description: to analyze and design business processes in collaboration with stakeholders

SU, XIUHUANG Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant 61.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QIU, XUNHUI Multilingual Business Process Development Consultant

Saturday, July 31, 2021

85.

LU QUAN DAT IT Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain the operations of electronic gaming devices

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

ZTE PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 1201 & 1202 12th Floor Fort Legend Towers 3rd Ave. Corner 31st St. Bgc, Fort Bonifacio Taguig City LI, WENJUN Warehousing Manager 86.

Brief Job Description: Assumes responsibilities for on-site management & supervisions

Basic Qualification: College graduate of a Business Course Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 *Date Generated: Jul 30, 2021

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on July 17, 2021, the name of the Foreign National under TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, has been inadvertently omitted his/her name on the list, and should have been read as REN, BO and not as published. Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE-NCR Regional Office located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE-NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

A8 Saturday, July 31, 2021

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

Max’s foreign stores defy pandemic spell By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

OMEGROWN casual dining restaurant chain Max’s Group Inc. (MGI) said the company has remained resilient, with positive international business results amid the impacts of a global pandemic that has rocked the retail dining industry worldwide. Its steady performance and increased expansion overseas saw a net income expansion throughout 2020 and, with the exception of last year, annual double-digit revenue growth since 2003, when it started international franchising. The group is an exporter of established Filipino restaurant brands, bringing the local food scene closer to diners the world over—from the flagship Max’s Restaurant to Pancake House, Yellow Cab Pizza Co., Teriyaki Boy, Sizzlin’ Steak, and Max’s All About Chicken. To date, MGI International has a total of 60 stores operating across North America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific (AsPac) regions. Despite the unprecedented health crisis, six new stores have opened since 2020, with a couple more lined up later this year. “The geographical diversity of the markets helped us mitigate the risks of the pandemic and balance the business between regions so we could remain consistently profitable. Our partners also showed tremendous resilience in keeping business afloat and our lean inter-

national team structure enabled us to adapt quickly in managing costs in proportion to revenue, ensuring that we could weather the storm and give our franchisees the support they deserve,” MGI International Director William E. Rodgers said of their improved performance despite the pandemic. The group also attributed this to each country’s Covid-19 response and how its franchisees worked quickly to meet the needs and demands of customers at the height of the crisis and as each area went through its own lockdown and regulations. MGI International strategically chose to expand through master franchising, working with strong local partners who have a firm understanding of the market. This was especially essential when dealing with the global pandemic’s uncertainties. For instance, delivery was pivotal for the AsPac market to become the best performing region for MGI, posting a double-digit growth in 2020 versus 2019. In the Middle East, the group tied up with a local service provider to streamline orders via social media and utilize marketing tools to assist in customer retention. In North America, diners had a preference for take-away options. However, when dine-in was suspended during the peak of the pandemic in the United States, Max’s Restaurant franchises in Glendale, Chula Vista, and San Diego in California immediately pivoted by offering an outdoor patio setup that contrib-

uted significantly to total sales. The Glendale store, likewise, introduced a food truck concept to widen its reach, particularly in local communities. “Customer behaviors differ in each country and region, requiring an intimate understanding of their unique nuances. Having that on-ground insight derived from partnering with local operators augmented by MGI’s aggregated expertise in operating multiple markets and managing global brands makes for a recipe of success,” noted MGI International General Manager Kyungmin Lee. Despite the uncertainty as to when this crisis will end, Rodgers pointed out that all markets in MGI’s current portfolio are promising in terms of future growth and the company has set its sights on other major cities in North America and many untapped countries in both AsPac and Europe. “We have not yet harnessed their full business potential. The focus remains on our existing franchise operators and helping each partner expand their store network through strong supply chain, operations, and marketing support,” he said. “We embrace how Filipino culture is among the most global in the world. Even as we proudly import such iconic international franchises as Krispy Kreme and Jamba Juice, we are equally delighted by the opportunity to make our uniquely Filipino brand of hospitality and taste equally famous across different markets,” added MGI President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Ramon F. Trota.

BOI launches info campaign in big push for plant-based food

HE Board of Investments (BOI), the Philippines’s lead industry promotion agency, recently conducted an online information session on the upcoming Big Idea Food Competition (BIFC) 2022 Asia Edition to raise awareness on the potentials of plant-based foods. The said session is a tie-up with Big Idea Ventures (BIV), the Department of Science and TechnologyPhilippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development-(DOSTPCIEERD), and the Department of Trade and Industry-Competitiveness and Innovation Group (DTI-CIG). The BIFC was conceptualized by BIV, a venture capital fund with start-up accelerators in key locations around the globe, investing in and accelerating top performers in the new food space. According to BIV, it has been working with about 90 different companies and it continues to scale up as it has built an ecosystem with more than 200 mentors who will help each start-up in growing their business. To

date, BIV has made 44 investments with various plant-based companies. Cognizant of the opportunities in plant-based meats, the BOI is working with local researchers, startups and other industry partners to consider the potential of this food segment that has been growing exponentially globally in recent years suggesting a major transformation in food production and consumption. In 2020, the plant-based meat alternative market was valued at approximately $8 billion globally. According to Barclays, the global market is projected to increase up to $140 billion by 2029 with other sources projecting a revenue of $11 billion to $50 billion in 2024 and 2025, respectively. For the Asia Pacific Region, plant-based market is expected to generate a revenue of $30 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 18.9 percent. “Plant-based meats consumption has already been rising even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic but the recent increase in demand is too dramatic to

be ignored by both the government and the business community. The market is attractive now more than ever as there has been a conscious ‘movement’ by the consumers to make more informed choices on the type of food they should be eating. In addition to this, the onslaught of African swine fever [ASF] and the perennial threat of avian flu necessitates that the world look at plantbased meats or meat alternatives towards achieving food security,” said BOI Executive Director Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa in her closing remarks during the BIFC information session. BIV General Managing Partner Andrew Ive, stated “The BIFC opens the opportunity to discover amazing entrepreneurs, support them and help them bring innovative products into the market. The competition will also bring leadership in food production, develop new ways of providing food for the population and create great companies that produce healthier and sustainable food.” Attended by nearly 60 partici-

pants representing different food companies along with representatives of relevant government agencies, the info session focused on major market risks, technological challenges, and uncertainties for alternative protein start-ups, thus stressing the need for an accelerator or incubator who could provide guidance to these start-ups. A local plant-based meat alternatives company, Worth The Health (WTH) Foods, also spoke during the session to talk about its experience as a recipient of BIV investments. WTH launched its first product in September 2019. In May 2020, WTH was accepted as part of the BIV Accelerator Program in Singapore. During the intensive five-month program of BIV, WTH was given expert advice on product development, marketing, and financial management and was introduced to relevant industry partners. After the program, WTH continues to receive support from BIV through monthly consultations with their ex-

perts. WTH products are now available in more than 60 stores in the Philippines. Customers may also purchase their products through their web site at wthfoods.ph and their social-media pages on Facebook and Instagram. The BIFC 2022 Asia Edition is looking for the best entrepreneurs engaged in plant-based food production. It is eyeing around 45 startups across Asia who will compete at the regional level. The winner will get the grand prize of $200,000 and will work with BIV in bringing innovative products to the global market. Acceptance of applications for the BIFC will be opened in the 4th quarter of 2021 and the competition will be held in March 2022. The BIFC is open for sponsorships from interested establishments. To prepare potential applicants for the BIFC competition, there will be upcoming Focus Sessions for start-ups (5 August 2021), potential sponsors (10 August 2021), and research & development institutions and start-up company partners (August 17, 2021).

China eyes tariff hike on booming steel sector

HINA is considering imposing more tariffs on steel exports as it seeks to achieve twin goals of capping domestic production and taming the surging prices that have fanned concerns about inflation. Futures dropped. Potential rates being discussed range from 10 percent to 25 percent and products include hotrolled coil, according to two people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak to the media. Officials are seeking to implement the levies in the third quarter, though they’re still subject to final approval, one of the people said. The world’s biggest steel industry already scrapped rebates on export taxes and raised tariffs on some products from the start of May to keep more supply at home. The new levies will target some products not covered by the earlier round, according to one of the people. China’s Customs agency didn’t immediately respond to a fax seeking comment on the plans. Hot-rolled coil fell 0.8 percent, while rebar also declined and Chinese iron ore futures dropped 2 percent. “The message this sends the market is that moral hazard exists among Chinese flat steel producers, who might be tempted to ignore government mandates given extremely wide margins,” said Atilla Widnell, managing director at Navigate Commodities. We expect any flat-rolled steel exporters in China would be able to cope with a tariff of up to 20 percent, though it would hurt smaller, higher marginal cost producers, he said. China is the biggest steel exporter and is undertaking an industrial overhaul that’s seen it vow to reduce output in 2021 to curb carbon emissions from one of its dirtiest industries. The move to concentrate on domestic supply comes after resurgent demand lifted prices to a record earlier this year, and may tighten global markets that are seeing a steel boom as economies navigate their recovery from the pandemic. Markets outside of China are enjoying the greatest steel rally in a generation, with prices in Europe and North America toppling records as governments focus on stimulus and infrastructure spending. Plants are straining to boost supply after laying dormant during the pandemic, and Western producers aren’t keen to expand capacity after weathering years of low prices and painful shutdowns. Bloomberg News

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www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, July 31, 2021 A9

100 percent elderly vaccination result of Pasig City’s info drive By Lade Jean Kabagani

mouth. We slowly built up vaccine confidence,” he said. The mayor noted that higher vaccine supply drives vaccine confidence. “So that’s a good problem to have,” he said, noting that it’s no one’s fault that the delivery of vaccines takes long because of limited supply. He assured constituents that all jabs received by the city are used immediately.

ANILA—Word of mouth has been crucial in addressing vaccine hesitancy in Pasig City. Mayor Vico Sotto said on Thursday that city workers went house-tohouse, especially in areas with no or poor Internet connectivity, to convince residents to avail themselves of free Covid-19 jabs. As a result, all 44,703 eligible senior citizens of Pasig City are now vaccinated with at least the first dose. About 37,550 or 84 percent of the total are fully vaccinated. “The most effective way to convince our senior citizens, and even the general population, is really through word of mouth,” Sotto said in an interview during the rollout of the single-dose Janssen vaccine at the Pasig City Sports Complex. He said residents are more encouraged when they see their family members and friends get vaccinated and none of them had adverse effects. “The secret is through word of

Improvements

SOTTO said Pasig City is among the first local government units to receive the Department of Health (DOH) approval of the inoculation micro plan. “It’s inspiring to realize that when the DOH approved our microplan, we only had a target of 5,800 daily vaccination. Now, we reached 11,817 jabs in just a day. We can now vaccinate twice our initial target,” Sotto said via Viber message. He said the city government is eyeing to open more vaccination sites once they receive a steady supply of the vaccine.

DEPARTMENT of Health Regional Director Gloria Balboa administers the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to Ramon Rustia, 61, during the rollout for senior citizens and adults with comorbidities at the Pasig City Sports Complex on July 22, 2021. Government officials, including Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, witnessed the event. PNA/JOEY O. RAZON

“It’s hard to open and close sites when supplies are running out. We still have limited supply. But while the delivery of more vaccines is increasing, the vaccination effort can be hastened,” he added. Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje cited the significance of ensuring the full protection of the A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (adults with comorbidities) sectors against the dreaded virus, especially with the threat of the Delta variant. Cabotaje said six out of 10 individuals who died of Covid-19 are aged 60 years old and above, while persons under the A4 group (economic frontliners and uniformed personnel) are four times more susceptible to sickness and death. “We cannot overemphasize the need for vaccinating them,” she said. Cabotaje said Pasig City was part of the DOH’s crafting of the national vaccine deployment program. As early as September 27 last year, Cabotaje said they started plotting the guidelines on vaccine deployment and administration with a group that included Mayor Sotto. PNA

Fully vaccinated senior citizens in Quezon City prioritizes seniors Surigao del Norte town get cash aid in congested areas for J&J jabs

THE local government unit of Claver in Surigao del Norte starts the distribution of the P4,000 financial aid to senior citizens who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on July 27, 2021. The LGU has allocated P5 million for the program. PHOTO GRABBED FROM MUNICIPALITY OF CLAVER FACEBOOK PAGE By Alexander Lopez

cinated against the coronavirus received financial aid from the local government. In a statement on Tuesday, the local government of Claver said each of

UTUAN CITY—Senior citizens of Claver, Surigao del Norte who are fully vac-

the fully vaccinated senior citizens would get P4,000. So far, a total of 389 senior citizens have been listed as qualified to avail themselves of the financial aid. “The LGU is appropriating some P5 million for this program for our senior citizens for availing themselves of the free vaccination program of the government,” Claver Mayor Georgia Gokiangkee said in a statement. She said senior citizens need financial support, as they are considered most vulnerable during the pandemic. The move will also entice more senior citizens to get the jab. The cash assistance to vaccinated senior citizens is provided under Municipal Ordinance 11, Series of 2011. Under the ordinance, senior citizens inoculated only with one dose of vaccine may still avail themselves of the cash aid with certification from attending physician of their ineligibility to get the second dose. PNA

Preserving every hometown’s story By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

HAVE never been to Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental. I heard that it is one of the happiest places to live in. The locals are said to be warm and friendly. There are fine beaches, the weather is pleasant, the community is generally peaceful and best of all, cost of living is affordable. There’s a good balance of modern living and a simple, island vibe has long been. All in all, it seems to be a good place to retire or to withdraw from the hurly burly and hubbub of modern life and keep the world on hold. Now this idyllic picture that I have in my imagination has now been marred by news of a proposed development of a 174-hectare “smart city” to be constructed on reclaimed land that will give rise to malls, condominiums, hospitals, business hubs and a docking port for a planned yacht club, among others, to the tune of P23 billion! Expectedly some local groups are

pushing back against the said project. I wouldn’t want to go into the details but the basic opposition is grounded on the possible detrimental effects of the development to the rich marine ecosystem of the city and to the communities in the area. There’s a need for a serious dialogue here. The city leaders must sit down and listen first to the local residents, who are after all the main stakeholders, because literally much is at stake here. What is happening there should resonate in every individual who has a hometown he or she cherishes, if only in the mind. When we were young and restless, my batchmates wanted to get out of our hometown because it was not progressive or urbanized enough. We would describe it as malayo sa sibilisasyon. That’s why when famous fast food franchises started opening

branches in the town center, we were delighted because it was a sign that our town had finally been touched by progress. Now that I am older, I’m not too sure anymore. The town is now a full-fledged city and all is not well. There is no proper planning and zoning. It’s all hustle and bustle without design. Streets are congested with tricycles. Although my siblings still live there, in a sense, I wouldn’t call it “home” anymore. I no longer have a sense of affection. Our “hometown” has lost its soul. Call me a born-again traditionalist, but I hold that we must do all we can to keep as much as we can of a hometown’s ecological and cultural inheritance. Cultural inheritance is the story of every hometown. This includes its history, terrain, vegetation, structures, the cuisine, the scents and smells, the people, rituals, festivals, customs and practices and so on. If we leave our hometown to unbridled commercialism, we virtually cut the umbilical cord that ties us to a vanished town that cradled us and partly defines who we are now. So it is only fair and proper that those who have stayed in the same place as well as those who have left their hearts in it, must have a voice in the preservation of a

By Marita Moaje

ANILA—Senior citizens of Quezon City’s District 2 were prioritized for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines in a special rollout on a rainy day last Wednesday. From among the city’s six districts, District 2 is the most densely populated with 738,000 residents— out of nearly 3 million—according to the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). A report of the Quezon City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU) reported that District 2 has 13,834 out of the 106,137 total cases in the city as of July 26. Task Force Vax to Normal co-chair Joseph Juico said they received 19,000 doses of the Janssen-made jabs. “These one-dose vaccines will immediately provide protection to a number of senior citizens. The singledose vaccine means they will be fully protected right away and will greatly increase the total number of senior hometown’s cultural inheritance so the past can live in harmony with the present. There must be a compact between the people and their leaders to allow progress to go on but on the community’s terms. As a model, let me point you to a town in Japan called Manazuru. This small coastal town near Tokyo has a couple of simple attractions, which remain virtually intact not by chance, but by design. This seaside jewel remains so pristine, thanks to the Manazuru City Design Code, which saved it from the overdevelopment that claimed neighboring hamlets during Japan’s bubble economy of the 1980s. Thanks to this design code drawn up and encoded in a book by the town’s vibrant, vocal, civic-minded residents, buildings remain in harmony with the location, a sense of community is fostered, and the magnificent vistas that the area is famous for have been protected, including its huge marine biodiversity. So one can say that progress in Manazuru is being done by the book. It is working because the elected town officials abide by it and the people of the community are actively involved and doing voluntary work to make it operational. It is so successful that many folks from big cities want

citizens who are safe in Quezon City,” Juico said in a statement. Mayor Joy Belmonte said senior citizens must be prioritized because of the higher numbers of Covid-19 patients in the district and the threat of the more infectious Delta variant. “District 2 has the most number of underprivileged communities, which makes them the most vulnerable to the transmission of the virus and the least able to afford hospital care. The decision to focus this vaccine supply on District 2 is based on sound evidence, including the number of cases per hundred thousand, the number of deaths, and other factors like minimal health-seeking behavior, affecting the senior citizens in the area,” Belmonte said in a statement. CESU head Dr. Rolly Cruz said the number of Covid-19 cases in District 2 increased by 21 percent over the past 14-day period. “Considering the population and the current case count in District 2, virus transmission is highly probable especially with the threat of the Delta to visit and stay for a few days in Manazuru. The once sleepy town has become a summer resort area, promoting itself as the “Japanese Riviera.” Tourism is now the main driver of the local economy, side by side with the cultivation of mikan and commercial fishing. Manazuru is successful because the town folks drew the line on commercial over-development and stuck to what is inherent as well authentic about their community. I call it the inherent drama of the place, much like the intrinsic qualities of a product, akin to the Unique Selling Proposition, to use marketing terms. A town’s stakeholders must sit down together and agree on the unique drama that will be the rock foundation to build on, serving as the central vision around which progress can be planned, and promoted through word of mouth. Then each town must have its own Design Code and implement it. Town folks need to organize some sort of an advisory design council composed of civic-minded local artists, cultural workers, architects, historians, the elderly, environmentalists and even visiting former citizens from diverse disciplines. Consider the town of Cainta, my second hometown where I

variant,” Cruz said. Cruz said even a single case may lead to multiple cases because District 2 is home to several vulnerable individuals. Moreover, Cruz admitted that quarantine protocols are difficult to implement as houses are clustered. “District 2 has the highest case fatality rate among all the districts in the city. Out of the 217 individuals who have died in the district, 113 or 52 percent of deaths are aged 60 and above,” Cruz added. From July 13 to 26, the attack rates per 10,000 individuals in the two barangays in District 2 continue to increase from the previous week, with Batasan Hills rising to 3.43 from 3.08 and Bagong Silangan from 1.51 to 2.12. The other three recorded declines: Commonwealth, from 1.81 to 1.33; Payatas, from 1.55 to 1.34; and Holy Spirit from 2.5 to 1.84. The Quezon City government is targeting to vaccinate a total of 300,000 senior citizens. PNA reside now. It has many intrinsic qualities that make it distinctive: its well-known native kakanin, the story of the Sepoys who decided to settle in the town after the British left in the 1700s, its unknown history as the origin of karihan (where Indian curry became nativized) and even the fact that the name Cainta comes from kain tayo. Caintenos can build on these to create a branding blueprint for our town. While it’s true that our country does not have a Taj Mahal, a Borobudur Temple, or an Angkor Wat to draw visitors, what we have are the unique stories of our hometowns and the local people who live there. If they are preserved and packaged properly by the communities, these can draw enlightened seekers of culture and authentic experiences. Let’s invite visitors to our narrow footpaths, through our charming houses and local little shops and eateries. Let’s open our own local museums where we can then showcase all the qualities that make our hometowns vibrant and different. Let’s do slow organic progress by the book, the Manazuru way. Overflowing with charm, every small town and community has much to say to the world.

Education BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, July 31, 2021 A10

Pinoy teachers join intl webinar for educational tech upskilling

O help upskill and equip Filipino educators with the integration of educational technology, the Education Department and Global Networks Association of Teachers as a Foreign Language (GENTEFL) of Thailand conducted the Free International Multidisciplinary Webinar Series for Teachers from June 30 to July 2.

“There are a lot of technologies today...so many gadgets which make us do so many things, and achieve so many goals and projects all at the same time. We surely can multitask,” averred Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones. “[Information and communications technology] will help us in the long run, as we continuously provide basic education to our learners.” Education Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del B. Pas-

cua shared the efforts being undertaken by the department to uplift educational technology in the country: “In the Philippines, we have been innovating and implementing programs, such as the use of TV and radio, …of different authoring tools for the development of Open Educational Resources [or OER], and the use of different Learning Management Systems [or LMS]. All...these education technology tools are being scaled up at a rate that has never

Importance of cultural communities in national unity, development tackled in PHL Consulate General-Frankfurt lecture

EDUCATORS SPEAK

RANKFURT—In celebration of the Cultural Communities Week, the Philippine Consulate General in this German city conducted on July 16 an online lecture: “The Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines,” with Dr. Nestor Castro, who is a renowned professor of the University of the Philippines-Department of Anthropology, and president of the International Council of MuseumsPhilippines. The activity, which was streamed in the consulate general’s Facebook page, @PHinFrankfurt, aimed to enhance better understanding of the country’s cultural communities. It also emphasized “the importance of indigenous tribal Filipinos to national unity and development, and the need to preserve their rich cultural heritage not only for the Philippines, but also for the world.” During the lecture, Dr. Castro identified the various indigenous peoples of the Philippines and described their cultures. He expounded on the precolonial way of life of Filipinos by looking at prevailing cultural beliefs and practices of indigenous communities. The professor also underscored threats to indigenous peoples, such as the commercialization of culture, conversion to nonindigenous religions, displacement and militarization due to extractive projects in ancestral domains, as well as armed conflicts. He also emphasized the importance of raising public awareness on the richness of indigenous culture and value cultural diversity. Vice Consul Fatima Mueller, who hosted the discussion, called on the audience “to contribute to the efforts of the government to achieve broader inclusion of the indigenous peoples, and welcome their involvement in the nation-building process.”

been seen in our country and around the world.” He added, “Education is about sharing...we are very pleased to share our learning from implementing these...programs through the speakers...We also look forward to learning about your best practices, so we can adopt them in our country.” The three-day webinar series gathered experts and specialists from different areas of studies and from all parts of the globe to equip and empower educators in their areas of specialization integrated through educational technology. “As many of you know, the...pandemic has changed the way we live, the way we work, and the way we educate our children,” noted the Department of Education’s Information and Communications Technology Service Director Abram Y.C. Abanil. “We are glad to co-organize this event, where teachers from all over the world can share their experiences in responding to the [health crisis].” The online event also provided an avenue for teachers from different parts of the world to connect and share their teaching experiences during the contagion, and their ways in developing the participants’ adapt-

ability in the application of concepts learned in their context. President Andy C. Cubalit of GENTEFL Thailand shared that their goal is to strengthen and expand partnerships with other organizations to provide an avenue for teachers to connect, share, and learn best practices and experiences. “Some topics include something new, something old, and something forgotten…” Cubalit said. “But our hope is for you to produce a strategy or technique: something fresh, unique, engaging, and helpful for... students.” The webinar also set the stage for the launching of the Literary Expo. A project under the Literary Special Interest Group, it aims to hone and showcase not only the skills of students, but also those of teachers’ in writing poetry, short stories, as well as poetry reading, declamation, oration, storytelling, and the like. Acknowledging the huge challenge of the pandemic to education, Abanil believes it presents opportunities to introduce new ways of doing things. “These new ways of using technology help make the delivery of education more effective even after the pandemic,” he concluded.

Editor: Mike Policarpio

In final SONA, youth orgs clamor for solutions to education crisis By Roderick L. Abad

ITH less than a year remaining for the current administration, the Take Up Space Movement (TUSM) has called for immediate government intervention in the country’s education system. The coalition of youth and student organizations recently joined demonstrations during President Duterte’s final State of the Nation Address on July 26. It claimed that the education system was already experiencing a crisis long before the Chief Executive acknowledged the issue. According to Jake Muñoz, convener of TUSM, education in the country has been neither free, accessible, nor quality for years, as shown in the alarming number of dropouts, school closures, and education-related deaths in the past years. “Education is a right. But for the past year, it has felt more like a burden,” Muñoz stated. “Duterte will leave behind an education system that is prohibitively expensive, inaccessible to the masses and thus, a privilege for the wealthy.” TUSM is pushing for what it termed as “#5Calls” through consultations held with youth

groups, teachers, and parents from all over the country. It petitioned the prioritization of the education sector for vaccination to cause a swift return to safe face-to-face classes. “This must be accompanied by systematic mass testing and contact tracing, as well as retrofitting [of] schools and surrounding environments to ensure their safety against [the pandemic],” Muñoz noted. T he coa l ition demanded greater economic support for students, teachers, and parents through subsidies for gadgets and Internet access, as well as the reduction and refund of tuition fees. “No one should be made to pay for something they are being forced to do,” the convener pointed out. The group also called for the recognition of Internet access as a human right, and for the government to come up with a plan for the eventual “de-oligarchization” of the nation’s telecommunications and electricity industries. Member organizations of TUSM include, among others, the Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan, PLM BUKLUR AN Student Alliance, and Katipunan Student Movement-Kasama-BULSU.

PLM welcomes 6K+ freshmen

Rise in anger, tantrums toward teachers, parents By Vahbiz Kerawalla Student counselor: Student Wellbeing Centre, Jasudben M. L. School

OR years we bombarded them by saying: “The Internet is a dark place. Nothing good comes out of it. Your phone is corrupting your mind…” Then, we encourage them to seek this medium for learning. Most children, to escape their feelings of loneliness, sadness, worries, and helplessness, started to spend an increased amount of time surfing the web, embracing social media, playing video games, watching television, listening to music, etc. Parents’ attempt to control screen time was viewed as infringing their personal space, which made the young ones angry and frustrated. W hen we have an internal struggle or an inability to cope with situations we face, we are more likely to lash out, be aggressive, and react instead of respond. That’s exactly what some children are experiencing. It’s important to understand that when we are not comfortable with change, we resist. It’s the same for adults and children. We have not spent enough

time preparing for the transition to online schooling, especially for the ones who could not afford it and are missing out on their basic right to education. Children find it difficult to wake up on time, be organized for school, and complete classwork. They didn’t have the excitement of sitting with friends, and some even found it difficult to relate to the teachers through a screen. They were kept busy and overburdened, their motivation and attention toward academics further reduced, as they drifted to the “fun side,” which was a click away. Thus, we pick up on them when they are being angry, making rude comments, not complying with instructions, ganging up on parents and teachers, finding faults and making remarks toward teachers, and not participating in online schooling. We see it as “indiscipline,” or an act of revolt toward us. It’s important to see their behavior as something bothering them below the surface of their words and actions, as we failed to create a safe space for them to come and tell us: “You know, I don’t like this very much; this is difficult for me.” Being there to hear them and say, “Okay, can we try and make this work?” is a start. Children do want to learn. They

just don’t want to feel it’s being forced on them. Avoid smothering them with instructions, and let them have an equal say in managing their time, as they are going to be fighting you head-on for autonomy and independence. Help them create a schedule to balance surfing the Internet and learning, with sufficient breaks to avoid dependency on the Internet, while prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and exercise. They also learn more from our actions than our advice. We need to be aware this is affecting all our individual states of mental health. And speaking of such, along with their emotions and perceptions, if our children can manage their own, these times will make them resilient. From the beginning of lockdown, our school has kept its doors open for parents, children, teachers who have reached out to the counseling team. We have been conducting sessions for all grades to help them at this time. The need of the hour is to be a sounding board for them to feel accepted and be understood for every kind of worry. We have to be careful about our words and actions toward them, which could leave an inflicting wound larger than the one caused by the pandemic.

UnionBank primes teachers for digital, higher learning

NIONBANK of the Philippines aims to train 800,000 public-school teachers all over the country to enhance their digital skills. Dave Devilles, UnionBank’s head of sustainability, said the program “train[s] people who are not yet digital savvy,” as he revealed the financial institution aims to finish the training this October. With its Xcellerator Program, UnionBank and its subsidiary City Savings Bank (CSB) gave P660,000 and P330,000, respectively, for the “Help Educators Rise to Online Education 2021,” or the “HEROES” project, of Thames International School. Devilles said it is important for the education sector to pursue a digital-transformation road map,

as part of adjusting to the new normal. He said UnionBank supports the education drive, which jibes with its PeopleTech initiative to build skills and capabilities of the future, as part of the financial firm’s corporate social responsibility program. CSB, on the other hand, continues to strengthen its partnership engagement with the Department of Education (DepEd) by supporting its Learning Continuity Plan, which ensures students’ learning progress outside classroom walls. Devilles said HEROES 2021 will train DepEd teachers and provide access to learning programs on emerging technologies, so they can keep up with the changing education landscape. Michelle Rubio, UnionBank’s chief of human resources, pointed out the important role of technology dur-

ing the pandemic: “Technology has proven to be extremely useful during these challenging times. For [us], we quickly pivoted, which made us agile [in adjusting] to the times.” In today’s environment, Rubio said students and professionals need to continue learning new programs and technologies. She said constant reskilling is needed to become relevant: “In digital transformation, jobs will be lost, and jobs will be created.” Rubio said the HEROES 2021 program has been designed to boost the soft skills of teachers, and will be mentored by Microsoft-certified employees. “This initiative is part of democratizing learning [through UnionBank University, which allows our employees and teachers to obtain] additional skills via the virtual space toward higher learning.” Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

H E Pa m a nt a s a n n g Lungsod ng May ni la (PLM) has updated the list of freshmen students eligible for admission for Academic Year 2021-2022. Recognizing the right of every Filipino citizen to free quality tertiary education, the university will welcome more than 6,000 applicants for the new school year. “[We are] taking yet another bold step of accepting a high number of students despite the pandemic,” President Emmanuel Leyco of PLM said. “As a publicly funded academic institution, PLM recognizes the right of Filipinos to [access] quality education, and help them realize their dreams to become professionals and leaders in their chosen fields.” Leyco added, “This recognition becomes especially important amid the unprecedented challenges brought about by the...pandemic,” he added. The updated list of admitted freshmen may be viewed via https://web1.plm.edu.ph/ crs/admission/plmat2021PassersList_updated.php Course assignments were determined based on student preference and academic qualifications, as well as PLM’s technical capabilities and academic resources. Two-thirds of the success-

ful applicants are female. Bulk of the incoming students are residents of the City of Manila, in keeping with the university’s mandate of providing access to education for local residents. Nearly half of them pursued the science, technology, engineering and mathematics strand, or STEM, in high school, followed by about one-fourth who took up accountancy, business and management. By academic unit, the PLM Business School will accept 28 percent of the incoming freshmen, followed by the College of Engineering and Technology (23 percent), and the College of Education (14 percent). Top course choices were accountancy, civil engineering, nursing and psychology. Online freshmen enrol lment already started on July 19 through the PLM web site. Students should expect that the upcoming semester will continue to be administered through virtual and distance learning methods, as the local pandemic outbreak has yet to be contained, and mass gatherings remain limited. Since its creation in 1965, PLM continues to fulfill its mandate of contributing to nationbuilding through the provision of quality education to the Filipino youth.

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Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

A9 Saturday, July 31, 2021 A11

Tracing a hero: The Jose Rizal Heritage Trail

Story & photos by Benjamin Layug

he year 2021 is a milestone year in the history of our country, it being the quincentenary of Christianity in the Philippines. The year is even more significant for admirers of nationalist, writer and National Hero Jose Rizal as June 19th is his 160th birth anniversary and December 30th is the 125th anniversary of his execution. Rizal is so honored in the country that, aside from a province, there are seven towns (in Cagayan, Kalinga, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan and Zamboanga del Norte) named after him. That is, aside from the streets, universities, high schools, parks, a coliseum, monuments, stadium and shrines bearing his name. On May 20, 2011, the Lakbay Jose Rizal Heritage Trail was launched to give people the chance to discover the National Hero by visiting important places in his life. There are 27 Rizal sites around the country and, as a celebration of his life and death, many have tried to retrace his footsteps by visiting almost all of these places, a journey that started from Manila south to Calamba City (Laguna) and Daet (Camarines Norte), and north to Malolos City (Bulacan) and, outside Luzon, to Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental, Cebu City and Iloilo City in the Visayas, and Dapitan City and Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte. The most notable, of course, is the Rizal Monument, where his remains are interred, in the aptly named Rizal Park (formerly the Luneta). Nearby is his actual execution site. A number of equally important sites are also within nearby Intramuros such as the Site of Ateneo Municipal de Manila, where Rizal was a student, the San Ignacio Church Ruins, where he heard mass as a student of Ateneo de Manila, and the Rizal Shrine, where he was incarcerated prior to his execution. Then there’s Paco Park where Rizal’s remains were secretly interred right after his execution. A two-hour drive from Manila is Malolos City in Bulacan where you can find the Bautista House, where Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar spoke to the 21 women of Malolos on June 27, 1892, and the Women of Malolos Marker, the site of the school of the Women of Malolos whom Rizal wrote to on February 22, 1899 from London. At the opposite end of the compass is Laguna, definitely a Rizal country as he was born in Calamba. A stone’s throw from each other is the Rizal Shrine, the reconstructed house where he was born, and the Church of

St. John the Baptist, where Rizal was baptized on June 2, 1861. In nearby Los Baños is the house where Paciano Rizal, Rizal’s older brother, lived. An eight-hour drive further south, in Daet, Camarines Norte, is the site of the first and oldest monument erected in honor of Rizal (though he never set foot in the town) in the country antedating, by 14 years, the more famous one built in Luneta in 1912 and in the world. The monument, a 3-tiered, 20-ft., high stone pylon designed by Lt.-Col. Antonio Sanz, a soldier-artist and a revolutionary head of the local government, and Lt.-Col. Ildefonso Alegre on December 30, 1898 (just two years after Rizal’s death), is rather unique as it does not bear a sculpted image of Rizal, unlike other monuments today. Onward to the Visayas, Rizal, on board the SS Espana, made stopovers at Negros Oriental, Cebu and Iloilo on the way back to Manila from his exile in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. Rizal made a one day visit to Dumaguete City, meeting with Negros Governor Emilio Regal and his classmate Faustino Herrero Regidor on August 1, 1896. The next day, he visited Cebu City where he treated patients with eye ailments. Incidentally, the University of the Southern Philippines Foundation Museum has the largest collection of Rizal’s works outside Luzon. Two days later, on August 4, he made a half-day layover in Iloilo City where Rizal visited his friend, Raymundo Melliza, who brought him to the Gothic-Renaissance-style St. Anne’s Church in Molo. Here, Rizal prayed and also viewed its collection of Biblical paintings, mostly copies by Gustave Dore which are no longer extant. The tail end of the journey would be in Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte where a little over four (1892-1896) years of Rizal’s 35 years on earth were spent in political exile in this town in Mindanao. Here, he bought a 10-hectare estate (from his share of a winning lottery ticket) where he built three houses, engaged in farming (planting a large number of fruit and coconut trees, hemp, coffee and cacao), collected botanical and zoological specimens, and established a hospital and a school for bright boys. He also created a relief map of Mindanao at Dapitan plaza and designed the altar for the church of Dipolog. Other Rizal pilgrimage sites in Dapitan in-

the Church of st. Anne in Molo, Iloilo, where Rizal prayed.

the national hero’s final resting place.

the first monument to honor Rizal (Daet, Camarines norte).

Ateneo de Manila Ruins in Intramuros

RIzAl shrine in Calamba

CAsA Residencia—Rizal’s home during his exile in Dapitan.

RIzAl Boulevard in Dumaguete City where Rizal strolled.

clude Santa Cruz Beach (where Rizal landed on July 17, 1892) and the site of the Casa Real (where Rizal lived there from July 17, 1892 to March 1893). He also gathered 346 shells of 203 species, created sculptures from clay (Oyang Dapitana and Mother’s Revenge), embarked in the business of buying and selling abaca and copra, drained the marshes to get rid of malaria that was infesting Dapitan, built a

waterworks system and wrote some of his poems, articles and scientific treatises, as well as letters to his family and friends. Today, it is a National Shrine housing a collection of five reconstructed houses of bamboo and nipa, originally built by José Rizal, as well as other auxiliary structures, all in their original location. His exile was also not so lonely as, in 1895, he fell in love with the 18 year old

Irishwoman Josephine Bracken, the adopted daughter of her blind American godfather George Taufer, one of Rizal’s patients. Rizal wrote the poem A Josefina for Josephine. Though not married, they lived together as husband and wife and had a son who born prematurely and died within hours of birth. An hour before Rizal’s scheduled execution in Bagumbayan, they were said to have been married in a religious ceremony.

Safe escapes at Lio Beach

lIo Beach

hunI hotel

lIo Beach boutique resorts

SCAPE safely and bask in beach life as Lio Estate Resorts introduces its e-commerce platform for travelers who want to visit worldclass resorts in El Nido. The new online scheme provides convenient booking, flexible rebooking and cancellation, and exclusive discounts within one website. Lio Beach embraces digitization as a vital step towards tourism recovery in line with safety standard, and simplifies the travel planning experience by showing only the best available offers, available dates, and travel requirements. Ayala Land’s first sustainable township development in El Nido, it has its own airport which connects it to Manila and other destinations. It has grown into a self-contained beach community town with hotels, resorts, and commercial establishments along a sweeping 4.2-km coastline, as well as nature trails and lagoons supervised by certified environmental stewards. Below are some of the packages travelers can avail online, as early as now: Huni Lio Travel Bubble Package. Guests can explore an environment-friendly beach town through its travel bubble program approved by the Department of Tourism. This includes offers end-to-end travel solutions such as pre-arranged RT-PCR

swab testing, a dedicated carrier by AirSWIFT, 4D/3N stay in Huni Lio, and low-density nature activities under the “Be GREEN, Be Clean” Enhanced Care Program. Casa Kalaw Leisure Travel Package. Designed for solo travelers or small groups who prefer to explore at their own pace, the it offers 3D/2N accommodations, daily set breakfast, and free access to beach recreational amenities and activities. Antigen testing is required for guests coming from Palawan. Work From Paradise Long-Term Stays. A special program which combines an idyllic beach setting and being connected to work. It follows a Travel Bubble format and includes lodging at Balai Adlao, roundtrip airport transfers, access to lounge areas, discounts on use of LTE pocket Wi-Fi, and use of Seda Lio’s swimming pool and gym. For guests’ convenience, restaurants are open, while ATMs, the estate clinic and a mobile wet and dry market (E-Lengke). Lio Estate Resorts is a recipient of the “Safe Travel” stamps by the World Travel and Tourism Council for global safe travel compliance, and given the DOT Safety Seal of approval. The resorts have been issued a Point-to-Point Certificate to Operate by the Municipality of El Nido, allowing them to house leisure travelers via chartered flights.

A10 A12 Saturday, July 31, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

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E-commerce brings market vendors into the future

MPIC chairman Manny V. Pangilinan with MPIC president and CEO Joey Lim and Chaye Revilla, MPIC chief finance and sustainability officer, during the virtual launch of mWell. Also present was Nicole Cordoves, who hosted the event.

New app provides access to integrated digital health care

NE thing that we have seen in quarantine is the boom of telehealth services, where you can book an appointment with a doctor and the consultation is done via video call. We can now even book tests to be conducted at home. What makes mWell different is that it claims to be the first all-in-one health and wellness app that offers medical consultations and wellness programs, plus products that you can have delivered to your doorstep. mWell is owned by Metro Pacific Health Tech Corp. (MPHTC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC). The same group owns hospitals in the country, including Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Cardinal Santos Medical Center. “Through a collaboration with trusted health experts, mWell will develop an ecosystem to bring integrated digital health care closer to every Filipino, even beyond the pandemic. mWell will empower every Filipino to be in control of their health with just one app,” said MPIC chairman Manny V. Pangilinan during the online launch of mWell. Pangilinan said mWell was part of the MVP Group’s Gabay Kalusugan advocacy, which aims to make health care and wellness available and accessible to more Filipinos. He used two words to describe how health care is

at mWell: affordable and democratic. Through mWell, an integrated health-care platform, the organization hopes to make response to Filipinos’ health and wellness needs just a few clicks away. The Gabay Kalusugan advocacy also includes medical missions, sports camps and the distribution of hospital supplies, equipment, test kits and beds to hospitals and other medical facilities. “mWell is our response to Filipinos’ call for a better, more responsive, highly convenient health-care platform. It is a fully integrated ecosystem that will deliver their health and wellness needs,” said Chaye Revilla, chief finance and sustainability officer of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. mWell is backed by top names in the health care, wellness and tech sectors, including CareSpan’s Clinic in the Cloud, which integrates digital care tools and data for mWell doctors and patients; LotusFlare’s multi-awarded cloud-native IT digital enablement platform that ensures a seamless, endto-end customer experience; and Ping An’s healthcare technologies which enables mWell to address Covid-19 concerns, diagnosis, care and treatments. mWell’s payment partner is PayMaya for fast, secure, contact-less and hassle-free transactions. mWell also has partnerships with fitness experts like Active8me for personalized daily fitness, nutrition and wellness programs, and theAsianparent for smart parenting solutions from pregnancy to family health management. mWell users can make purchases from Adobomall’s online health shop and prescription and OTC medications from South Star Drug, the e-Pharmacy partner starting August. Medicard also allows mWell users to book Covid-19 testing services. mWell is working on forging partnerships with local government units, said MPIC president and CEO Joey Lim. “Together, we will build an ecosystem that will

provide easy access to integrated digital health care. We invite doctors and health practitioners to digitize their practice, partner with us and be part of mWell’s mission. With our combined strength, we can empower Filipinos to be in control of their health,” said Lim. “One way to help people is through telemedicine, which is really a game-changer,” said Dr. Lovely Garcia, an obstetrician-gynecologist. Garcia said mWell will give patients, even those who live in geographically challenged areas, to have access to doctors and health-care services. “I would recommend this to my colleagues because it would widen their reach. It would also reduce the anxiety of going outside on the part of doctors and their patients,” she said. The roster of doctors at mWell includes general practitioners and specialty doctors. Doctors can easily manage digital appointments, keep patients’ confidential medical records and issue e-prescriptions. Doctors, clinics and hospitals all over the country are welcome to be part of mWell. Doctors can set up their own mWell virtual clinics for free, without any setup or membership fees. Doctors will receive training on how to access mWell’s suite of services. In August, mWell will launch a nationwide medical mission, an unprecedented virtual event in the Philippines that will highlight partnerships and collaborations with clinics and doctors nationwide. In September, the platform will launch its partnership with Aktivolabs. This will allow app users to monitor, track and improve their Wellness Score through Aktivo’s proprietary algorithm that looks at a user’s physical activity and daily sleep, and provides personalized information on what an ideal healthy physical lifestyle is. You can download the mWell app from Google Play or the App Store. ■

Google delays return to office, mandates vaccines SAN RAMON, California—Google is postponing a return to the office for most workers until midOctober and rolling out a policy that will eventually require everyone to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened. The more highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is driving a dramatic spike in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. Google’s Wednesday announcement was shortly followed by Facebook, which also said it will make vaccines mandatory for US employees who work in offices. Exceptions will be made for medical and other reasons. In an e-mail sent to Google’s more than 130,000 employees worldwide, CEO Sundar Pichai said the company is now aiming to have most of its workforce

back to its offices beginning October 18 instead of its previous target date of September 1. The decision also affects tens of thousands of contractors who Google intends to continue to pay while access to its campuses remains limited. “This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it,” Pichai wrote. And Pichai disclosed that once offices are fully reopened, everyone working there will have to be vaccinated. The requirement will be first imposed at Google’s Mountain View, California, headquarters and other US offices, before being extended to the more than 40 other countries where Google operates. “This is the stuff that needs to be done, because otherwise we are endangering workers and their

families,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University and a former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore. “It is not fair to parents to be expected to come back to work and sit shoulder-to-shoulder with unvaccinated people who could be carrying a potentially deadly virus.” Because children under the age of 12 aren’t currently eligible to be vaccinated, parents can bring the virus home to them from the office if they are around unvaccinated colleagues, Wen said. Various government agencies already have announced demands for all their employees to be vaccinated, but the corporate world so far has been taking a more measured approach, even though most lawyers believe the mandates are legal. AP

THE cost and risk of doing business during the pandemic has gone up drastically, especially for market vendors who earn their income on a daily basis interacting with people and oftentimes in crowded spaces. With strict health protocols, crowded areas like markets have been challenged time and time again by the potential increase of infection, making it more difficult to get through in their respective businesses. Now, MSMEs like market vendors have a safe and convenient method of payment for its buyers through Gcash, the leading mobile wallet app in the country with its QR on Demand feature. This will first be rolled out in Farmers Market as GCash’s partners with Araneta City to make the famous market a model for a cashless palengke. With the virus being able to remain for 28 days on paper currency, and the probable risk of paper currency exchange, having cashless transactions reduces the likelihood of infection by minimizing physical transfer. Furthermore, cashless transaction also allows the vendor and vendees to practice the social distancing required by the government, making cashless transaction a surefire way to ensure survivability of MSMEs during this pandemic. “Even before the pandemic, Araneta City has been introducing digital solutions to provide convenience to its patrons. Now, the city continues to do so by encouraging vendors of Farmers Market to offer cashless payment options to customers via GCash,” said Martha Sazon, GCash president and chief executive officer. “For our part, we will continue to innovate our digital offerings and partner with institutions that would help us achieve this goal of giving financial access for all Filipinos.” The leading e-wallet app introduced QR on Demand as part of its mission of financial inclusion for all, which includes supporting all types of entrepreneurs. The QR on Demand is a new and better way to securely send and receive money without having to worry about “wrong sends” due to incorrect numbers, or giving away personal information such as their mobile numbers. Users can easily generate their own QR Code and use this in place of giving their GCash number for safe and hassle-free payments—whether it’s for personal use or for small businesses. “As an essential establishment, Farmers Market has remained open to the public regardless of the quarantine classification imposed by the government. We have always maintained that all market personnel, vendors and shoppers will observe compliance with health and safety protocols. We value the cashless payment platform provided by GCash as a welcome addition to our strict anti-Covid measures,” according to John Castelo, Araneta City’s senior vice president for Business Development. GCash’s partnership with market vendors of Farmers Market at Araneta City is just among its initiatives to provide equal financial opportunities for Filipinos. Recently, the platform enabled up to 15,000 jeepney drivers to receive alternative income sources through the app under the Service Contracting Program, in partnership with Sakay.Ph. The app also provides PUJ drivers and commuters with a safe and cashless transaction option amid the pandemic via P2P QR Codes on the GCash app. More information can be found at www.gcash.com/ business.

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Priest outed via Grindr app highlights rampant data tracking BY MATT O’BRIEN & FRANK BAJAK The Associated Press WHEN a religious publication used smartphone app data to deduce the sexual orientation of a high-ranking Roman Catholic official, it exposed a problem that goes far beyond a debate over church doctrine and priestly celibacy. With few US restrictions on what companies can do with the vast amount of data they collect from web page visits, apps and location tracking built into phones, there’s not much to stop similar spying on politicians, celebrities and just about anyone that’s a target of another person’s curiosity—or malice. Citing allegations of “possible improper behavior,” the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday announced the resignation of its top administrative official, Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, ahead of a report by the Catholic news outlet The Pillar that probed his private romantic life. The Pillar said it obtained “commercially available” location data from a vendor it didn’t name that it “correlated” to Burrill’s phone to determine that he had visited gay bars and private residences while using Grindr, a dating app popular with gay people. “Cases like this are only going to multiply,” said Alvaro Bedoya, director of the Center for Privacy and Technology at Georgetown Law School. Privacy activists have long agitated for laws that would prevent such abuses, although in the US they only exist in a few states, and then in varying forms. Bedoya said the firing of Burrill should drive home the danger of this situation, and should finally spur Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to act. Privacy concerns are often construed in abstract terms, he said, “when it’s really, ‘Can you explore your sexuality without your employer firing you? Can you live in peace after an abusive relationship without fear?’” Many abuse victims take great care to ensure that their abuser can’t find them again. As a congressional staffer in 2012, Bedoya worked on legislation that would have banned apps that let abusers secretly track their victims’ locations through smartphone data. But it was never passed. “No one can claim this is a surprise,” Bedoya said. “No one can claim that they weren’t warned.” Privacy advocates have been warning for years that location and personal data collected by advertisers and amassed and sold by brokers can be used to identify individuals, isn’t secured as well as it should be, and is not regulated by laws that require the clear consent of the person being tracked. Both legal and technical protections are necessary so that smartphone users can push back, they say. The Pillar alleged “serial sexual misconduct” by Burrill— homosexual activity is considered sinful under Catholic doctrine, and priests are expected to remain celibate. The online publication’s web site describes it as focused on investigative journalism that “can help the Church to better serve its sacred mission, the salvation of souls.” Its editors didn’t respond to requests for comment on Thursday about how they obtained the data. The report said only that the data came from one of the data brokers that aggregate and sell app signal data, and that the publication also contracted an independent data consulting firm to authenticate it. Norway’s data privacy watchdog concluded earlier this year that Grindr shared personal user data with a number of third parties without legal basis and said it would impose a fine of $11.7 million (100 million Norwegian krone), equal to 10 percent of the California company’s global revenue. The data leaked to advertising technology companies for targeted ads included GPS location, user profile information as well as the simple fact that particular individuals were using Grindr, which could indicate their sexual orientation.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, July 31, 2021 A11 A13

Olympic gold fever I

T has been a stressful week of thunderstorms, floods, earthquakes, the threat of another Taal eruption, the Delta variant and perhaps another impeding lockdown, but in the midst of it all there was one piece of news that made us forget all the dreadful stuff happening. Hidilyn Diaz won a gold medal in 2020 Tokyo Olympics. For the first time since the Philippines joined the Olympics in 1924, we finally struck gold, ending our 97-year drought. Diaz bagged the gold in the 55-kilogram women’s weightlifting category defeating record-holder Liao Qiuyun of China. Besides our gold medal win, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will go down in history as a sports event of several firsts for the Philippines, especially for our Filipina athletes. It’s the first time we have representatives for the women’s event in golf, our debut in the women’s street skateboarding event, and on the sidelines, we have the first Asian woman and first Filipina elected to the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, Mikee CojuangcoJaworski. A total of 19 Filipino athletes is representing the country across a variety of sports. These include World Champion 2019 Carlos Yulo (Gymnastics), Gold Medalist EJ Obiena (Pole Vault), 2021 PGA Champion and Top 10 World Ranker Yuka Saso (Golf), Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, Boxing World Champion 2019 Nesthy Petecio, and top boxers Carlo Paalam,

Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno. Completing Team Philippines’ roster are: Elreen Ando (Weightlifting), Kurt Barbosa (Taekwondo), Margielyn Didal (Skateboarding), Luke Gebbie (Swimming), Kristina Knott (Athletics), Cris Nievarez (Rowing), Bianca Pagdanganan (Golf), Juvic Pagunsan (Golf), Remedy Rule (Swimming), Jayson Valdez (Shooting), and Kiyomi Watanabe (Judo). And now that we are looking at possibly another medal thanks to another female athlete—Davaoeño boxer Nesthy Petecio—we are finally feeling the Olympic fever. And the only cure is to watch the Olympic events even more. Good news is you don’t have to stay home to do so, as you can watch all the games and updates anywhere on your mobile phone. As an official broadcaster of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Smart brings an entire world of sports and action straight to the palm of your hands 24/7. The telco offers the most comprehensive online streaming coverage, from live events, replays, highlights, athletes’ features, to daily news throughout the entire Olympics run. If you are a Smart subscriber, all you have to do is turn on your mobile data and type gigafest.smart on your mobile browser.

THE NFT HYPE

IF you’ve ever heard of NFT, then you’ve also probably heard that digital assets have been selling for millions of dollars recently. The first-ever tweet of Jack Dorsey, CEO of Twitter and Square, for example, sold as an NFT for over $2.9 million. The tweet, which says “just setting up my twttr,” was first posted by Dorsey on March 21, 2006. An NFT (non-fungible token) is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency, and they are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos. They run on blockchain, a decentralized digital ledger that documents

transactions, ownership and validity of each which can be tracked. With all the attention it’s been getting this year, will NFTs be the NBT (Next Big Thing) here in the Philippines? Julius Santillan, founder of VNT Vention, certainly believes so. VNT Vention is a digital platform that involves selling and auctioning stuff online. Santillan said the company aims to help local artists and showbiz personalities to sell their collectibles and works of art. The platform’s main objective is to encourage Pinoy artists to use the blockchain technology in distributing their masterpieces to collectors and fans. Vention believes that “by tokenizing their works and selling them in a digital marketplace, they can maximize their reach for potential customers. Already, it has gained the attention of socialmedia star Ivana Alawi and rapper Gloc 9 who joined the livestream launch of VNT Vention, called “Pancakeswap Fair Launch.” Vention Platform is a place where artists play on a level playing field with a large and active userbase made up of artist and celebrities. It is all about valuable and collectible NFTs; it’s about gaining value and fame. It is also about the protection of undervalued talents and skills. To ensure that artist and celebrities are protected of their intellectual and talent creations, they included NFT farming as a feature. Owners of whitelisted NFTs can soon stake their creations. This means protection of their talents and, of course, their hard-earned money via earning VNT Tokens. VNT Farming is provided to ensure that talent and skills are protected, given the proper fame, and the earning value they deserve. VNT Vention is a global market site focusing on artists and their creations. It lets anyone create, buy, sell, or collect digital merchandize with minimal platform fees. It’s the first of its kind in the Philippines as it wishes to attract more local artists, such as actors, musicians, painters, authors and the like. More information can be found at vention.app. ■

iQiyi deepens international partnership with Dolby ASIAN entertainment streaming leader, iQiyi (www.iQ.com) is bringing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to iQiyi’s international app available in 191 countries, including the Philippines. This is part of iQiyi’s ongoing momentum as it grows its appeal to international audiences. Dolby Vision boasts ultra-vivid imaging—incredible brightness, contrast, color and details that bring movies to life. Dolby Atmos immerses the audience in their favorite entertainment with sound with breathtaking realism. iQiyi International’s VIP paid subscribers in both Standard and Premium tiers with compatible devices can now enjoy acclaimed Asian content with unparalleled audio and video, from the comfort of their homes and on-the-go. According to Kuek Yu-Chuang, iQiyi’s vice president of International Business, “This marks a significant milestone for iQiyi as one of Dolby’s leading Asian international OTT partners. As we grow our appeal internationally, and as home entertainment technology continually improves and becomes even more accessible, we want to delight our subscribers’

high expectations for quality entertainment—both in terms of content, as well as viewing experience.” He added, “With a rising demand for Asian content worldwide—be it Chinese, Korean and Southeast Asian content—iQiyi is proud to be the born-and-bred Asian platform to uplift the entertainment viewing experience of panAsian content for the global audience.” Pankaj Kedia, managing director, Emerging Markets at Dolby Laboratories, said, “With close to 250 percent increase in the demand for new TVs enabled with Dolby Atmos and 120 percent for Dolby Vision every year, consumers are demanding incredible entertainment brought to life in Dolby, which is why we are thrilled to see iQiyi including Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos as part of its international expansion efforts in Southeast Asia. With this integration, consumers with Dolbyenabled TVs, mobile and tablets can enjoy a growing library of top-notch content from iQiyi in Dolby from the comfort of their home and on-the-go.”

Sports

Olympic women’s boxing goes bigger, deeper, better in Tokyo Games

BusinessMirror

A14

| Saturday, July 31, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Spotlight on EJ in men’s pole vault

OKYO—Ernest John “EJ” Obiena if finally bringing his act on the Olympic stage on Saturday when he takes on the challenge from a world-class field in men’s pole vault on Saturday morning at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium. At stake are 12 slots in the finals of the field event of athletics with Obiena competing against most of he world’s top pole vaulters who have become his pals after training at the world pole vault center in Formia, Italy, and competing in various tournaments in Europe for years. World No. 2 Sam Kendricks of the United States is out of the field after testing positive for Covid-19, but nevertheless, the field remains solid with the presence of world No. 1 Armand Duplantis of Sweden, No. 3 Piotr Lisek of Poland, No. 5 Christopher Nilsen of the US and No. 7 Thiago Braz of Brazil, the Rio Olympics champion and Obiena’s training partner. Obiena couldn’t be dismissed as a mere participant with his No. 6 world ranking and his stints in Europe where he regularly competed against Duplantis and company. “It showed that I can compete with the best. It was like a preview,” Obiena said. “They are the top athletes in the world rankings. That showed me that

JUVIC FALTERS IN 2ND ROUND

OKYO—Juvic Pagunsan faltered with a two-over 73 to drop into a tie for 25th place after two rounds of men’s individual play in golf at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday. Failing to build on a promising start, Pagunsan had a promising 5-under 66 in the first round at the Kasumigaseki Country Club course, but hobbled with bogeys on Nos. 5 and No. 8 and two more coming home for a seven-shot turnaround. He dropped to three-underpar overall, 20 places down the standings. The 43-year-old Pagunsan, a Japan Tour, was eight shots off the lead going into Saturday’s third round. Inclement weather stopped play for nearly two hours and then another downpour halted the round for good, leaving a few golfers needing to finish the second round early Saturday. Xander Schauffele squeezed out of 12th place to lead the second round following a 63 for an 11-under total. He was a shot up on Mexico’s Carlo Ortiz (67). First round leader Sepp Straka of Austria fired an even 71 and slipped to a tie for third at eightunder. Jun Lomibao THE US’s Felicia Stancil (center) looks ahead as the bike of teammate Alise Willoughby flies in the air after she crashes in the BMX Racing semifinals at the 2020 Summer Olympics on Friday. Niek Kimmann of The Netherlands wins the men’s race while Bethany Shriever of Britain rules the women’s contest. AP

I can compete. Now it’s a mental game.” Athletes who clear 5.80 meters—7 centimeters lower than Obiena’s personal best—or the top 12 will advance to the men’s pole vault finals on August 3. Obiena set his personal best of 5.87 meters at the Irena Szwewinska Memorial/Bydgoszcz Cup in Poland late last year. But Obiena must clear at least 6 meters to contend for the podium. “I know I can jump 6.0 meters. I’m not sure how I got it dialed in,” Obiena told a virtual press conference. “I’ve seen how well I can jump, and I’ve seen what I’m capable of, and make sure that I bring that in the game.” Obiena went back to training at the Edogawa Stadium on Friday after he was spooked by Kendricks getting infected with the virus. “There’s uncertainty with the Covid-19 situation and that bothers everyone of us here,” Obiena’s father Emerson said. “That’s the difficult part, we don’t see the enemy [virus].” Jun Lomibao

NESTHY PETECIO faces another taller opponent in the women’s featherweight semifinals, while Carlo Paalam clashes with an Algerian in the men’s flyweight round-of-16 on Saturday. AP

NESTHY TRIES TO MOVE CLOSER TO GOLDEN GOAL T By Jun Lomibao

OKYO—Already assured of giving the Philippines its first women’s Olympic boxing medal, Nesthy Petecio is aiming for a metal that shines brighter when she steps atop the ring against an Italian rival who moved one division lighter to get into her comfort zone. Petecio seeks a guaranteed silver medal when she takes on Italy’s Testa Irma at 12:39 p.m. Saturday (Manila time) in a featherweight semifinal clash at the Kokugikan Arena. Petecio is fighting a taller Irma, just like tournament top seed, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-Ting, who she eliminated in the round-of-16. “We have a game plan on the next fight. The Italian girl weighed 60 kgs. She’s similar with the Taipei girl but she hooks and sways back,” said Philippine boxing coach Don Abnett of Australia. “So we’re going to take a counter move, but I’m comfortable

with Nesthy’s performance.” In an Associated Press report, Testa fought as a lightweight in Rio de Janeiro and struggled against stronger opponents. She moved to a lighter weight class in Tokyo and promptly secured a medal. “Featherweight is best for me,” Testa said. “Every opponent and girl is very strong, but I feel better with myself. It’s very different. I’m very grateful.” For Petecio, whose drive is boosted by Hidilyn Diaz’s weightlifting gold medal, her duel with the Italian falls under her goal of “one fight at a time.” “One fight at a time, or we might tumble,” said Petecio, who watched Diaz’s golden conquest on television on Monday night from her room at the Olympic Village. Petecio reached the medal round following an emphatic 5-0 victory over former tormentor, Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda, on Wednesday, the same day Testa eliminated Canadian foe Caroline Veyre by the same score. Only two wins separate Petecio

from the Philippines’ first boxing gold medal. But Petecio, the 30-year-old world champion in Ulan-Ude in 2019, has her mind focused on each task at hand. “I’m so inspired by Hidilyn’s victory, I watched her compete from start to finish,” she said. “Just like Hidilyn, I’m an athlete from Mindanao.” Diaz hails from Zamboanga City while Petecio from Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. Carlo Paalam, the third man standing on the four-member Team Philippines’ boxing delegation, seeks a spot in the men’s flyweight medal round when takes on Algeria’s Mohamed Flissi earlier at 10:48 a.m. (Philippine time). Paalam advanced to the quarterfinals following his 4-1 victory over Ireland’s Brendan Irvine and is hoping to be sharper against the Algerian to secure the country’s third medal in the Games. “Carlo’s opponent is a very experienced boy. He’s boxing in the WSB [World Series of

Boxing],” Abnett said of Flissi. “But Carlo’s going to get moving, similar to the game plan that he did in his last fight, he probably just continue with that,” Abnett said. “If it’s working, then we won’t change it.” Eumir Felix Marcial is the other Filipino still standing in the Tokyo Olympics boxing competitions. The 25-year-old Marcial eliminated Algeria’s Younes Nemouchi via Referee Stopped Contest-Injury (RSC-I) with 19 seconds remaining in the first round on Thursday, advancing to the quarterfinals of the men’s middleweight class where he is the top seed. Marcial also tries to assure the Philippines of another bronze medal on Sunday against Armenian pro Arman Darchinyan, who he has beaten in the 2018 AIBA World Championships. Irish Magno, on the other hand, fell to Thailand’s Jutamas Jitpong in the women’s flyweight round-of-16 via unanimous decision also on Thursday.

Expect high demand for Gao’s services–Ramirez

OKYO— Chinese coach Gao Kaiwen could be headed elsewhere—to a wealthy nation perhaps—now that he has two Olympic gold medal-winning wards in his portfolio. Gao coached Hidilyn Diaz to the Philippines’ first Olympic gold medal in women’s -55 kgs of weightlifting on Monday night. And because of that, the demand

for Gao’s services, according to Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez, is expected to rise especially from wealthy countries. “The weightlifting world is now looking at Coach Gao,” Ramirez told Filipino reporters on Friday. “Mind you, his credentials now look brighter with Hidilyn’s success here.”

Gao is one of several foreign coaches who handled Filipino athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. Among them are Uzbekistan’s Shukhrat Ganiev for rower Cris Nievarez, Ukranian Vitaly Petrov for pole vaulter EJ Obiena and Australian Don Abnett for boxers Nesthy Petecio, Eumir Felix Marcial, Carlo Paalam and Irish Magno. Gao, according to Ramirez chief of staff at the PSC, receives a monthly salary of $2,500, his contract expiring December 31 this year. Abnett, on the other hand, gets $5,000 a month, although the rate wasn’t consistent during pandemic year 2021, Velasco said. Ramirez said Gao, like all the other foreign coaches in the PSC payroll, was recommended by the sport’s national association, the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines. “Compared to the other countries which offer as much as $10,000 a month for their athletes’ foreign coaches, there are no guarantees that Coach Gao would be remaining with Hidilyn in case she returns to training for the Paris 2024 Olympics,” Ramirez said. Before Diaz, Gao coached Chinese Zhou Lulu to the women’s +75 kgs class gold medal in London 2012. Jun Lomibao

OKYO—About 15 minutes after Nesthy Petecio clinched the Philippines’ first-ever medal in Olympic women’s boxing, Irma Testa laughed with joy when she achieved the same history for Italy. When Sena Irie also clinched Japan’s landmark first women’s boxing medal a few hours later, she didn’t contain her tearful glee at her accomplishment during an Olympic tournament thick with women’s boxing history at the Kokugikan Arena. “It was the result of 13 years of work for me,” Irie said through a translator. “But this tournament is a very big moment for women’s boxing in Japan and in the world. We have come a long way. I hope this helps our sport.” Just nine years after the sport’s debut in London, the biggest women’s boxing field in Olympic history is more talented and more exciting than ever before—and it’s flattening all kinds of milestones in Tokyo. Petecio, Testa and Irie made their bits of national history Wednesday by winning in the quarterfinals of the Olympic 57-kilogram featherweight division, which didn’t exist before this year. Tokyo features 100 women fighting in five weight classes, nearly tripling the 36 fighters who competed in just three classes in London and Rio. Women’s boxing has grown rapidly over the past decade, both at the amateur and professional levels. But the sport has reached another level of legitimacy and attention in Japan, and it’s mostly because of the blossoming of the seeds planted in London. Dozens of girls who watched the sport’s debut on television from Britain in 2012 are all grown up now, and they arrived in Tokyo ready to fight. Caroline Dubois was only 11 when Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Britain’s Natasha Jonas fought each other in the quarterfinals of the London Games. Taylor went on to win gold, and Dubois was fascinated. Dubois is now the loaded British team’s lightweight, and while she’s pleased by the increased number of fighters, she knows the sport’s overall rise in quality is more important—and more daunting. AP

Nievares, 21, sees promising future in Olympic rowing

OKYO—Never mind if Cris Nievarez finished second to last in men’s single sculls of rowing at the Tokyo Olympics in the event’s final day on Friday at the Sea Forest Waterway. An Olympic first timer at 21, Nievarez has a long future ahead of him. “Cris’s journey as a world-class rower just started in Tokyo,” Philippines Rowing Association President Patrick “Pato” Gregorio said from Manila. “He has a long way to go—still young at 21.” Nievarez clocking of seven minutes and 21.28 seconds was good for fifth place finish in the event’s Final D of the classification round. But it was faster than the 7:22.97 he registered in the preliminary round that sent him to the quarterfinals on July 23 when the Olympics had yet to open. Greece’s Stefanos Nyouskos was timed 6:40.45, an Olympic

best time, to win the gold medal. Norway’s Kjetil Borch (6:41.66) clinched silver and Croatia’s Damir Martin (6:42.58) bagged bronze in the event where Nievarez was one of the shortest participants but the only Southeast Asian rower. There were 32 participants in the men’s single sculls including those eliminated from the preliminaries, but Gregorio said Nievarez had nothing to be ashamed of. “It took Hidilyn [Diaz] four Olympic cycles to win the gold medal, she never gave up,” he said. “So Cris, don’t give up. He is top 23 in the Olympics. It’s a great way to start.” Gregorio thanked the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MVP Sports Foundation, Maynilad and Smart for supporting Nievarez’s campaign.

Jun Lomibao