BusinessMirror June 10, 2024

Gains, risks as Fitch affirms PHL’s ratings

THE recent Fitch Ratings decision to affirm the country’s investment grade ratings may be good for the economy but could also lead to more borrowings.

Fitch Ratings over the weekend affirmed the BBB rating of the country with a stable outlook. Fitch said this reflected the country’s “strong medium-term growth.”

National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon said the investment grade rating will help boost investments as well as public and private consumption, which are good for GDP growth. It will encourage investments. For governmentt and business,

GIR HITS

it can be about capacity expansion,  like more infrastructure, more production facilities, more or better equipment, etc. For individuals and households, it can be about building up their assets, like housing,” Edillon told BusinessMirror over the weekend.

Edillon said the affirmation of the country’s investment grade status also meant the economy was on the right track in increasing GDP growth and attracting investments through the administration’s roadshows.

“ This rating will help reduce the cost of borrowing, not just for the government, but also for the private sector. Of course, going forward, we will strive to improve

our rating even more,” Edillon told this newspaper.

Downside

JONATHAN L. RAVELAS, senior adviser at professional services firm Reyes Tacandong & Co., told BusinessMirror agreed and said the rating confirmed that Fitch Ratings was “comfortable” with a growth of at least 5.8 percent and a budget deficit of close to 5.4 percent of GDP for 2025.

However, Ravelas said, despite this optimism, the country still faces higher inflation risks and high interest rates that could slow GDP growth. This could also increase government spending and pave the

way for higher debts.   S ome of the factors that could increase inflation, Ravelas said, are climate change risks that could cut farm production and cause natural disasters and flooding. R avelas also cited supply chain disruptions from geopolitical events and fragmented sources that could make food and non-food items more expensive. We will likely borrow more. [But] it will likely balance between domestic and internationally as risks of a stronger dollar prevails [and] provided it will yield more infra spending,” Ravelas told BusinessMirror over the weekend.

BONDS, BSP INVESTMENTS

By Cai U. Ordinario

THE government’s global bond issuance and income from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) investments abroad boosted the country’s Gross International Reserves (GIR) to the highest level in three years.

T he BSP preliminary data showed the country’s GIR level rose to $104.48 billion as of end-May from $102.65 billion as of end-April 2024. This was the highest since the $108.79 billion posted at the end of 2021.

B SP data showed the GIR level at the end of May 2023 was at $100.59 billion.

The month-on-month increase in the GIR level reflected mainly the National Government’s [NG] net foreign currency deposits with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas [BSP], which include proceeds from its issuance of ROP Global Bonds, and net income from the BSP’s invest -

ments abroad,” the BSP explained.

T he latest GIR level represents a more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.7 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

T he BSP deems the GIR level adequate if it can finance at least three-months’ worth of the country’s imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

T he data also showed that the GIR was about 5.9 times the

and

TBy Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

HE country’s umbrella organization of exporters is calling for the swift approval of the CREATE MORE bill, a measure to iron out inconsistencies on value-added tax (VAT) zero-rating and tax administration on domestic enterprises, among others.

“ The Senate’s consideration of our recommendations above will go a long way in ensuring that we remain on track in achieving the principles and objectives of inclusive growth and development,” Philexport President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a statement on Friday.

T he Philexport chief said this as he outlined “uncertainties” in the implementation of (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) CREATE Act that must be addressed. These, he said, have “seriously and unfairly impacted the operations and competitiveness of existing companies and are inconsistent with the current efforts of the Marcos administration to attract investors.”

T he strong support for CREATE MORE is contained in a recent position letter signed by Philexport president Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. and addressed to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who introduced Senate Bill 2654 last May 6. I n the position letter, Ortiz-Luis noted that the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) Act was enacted with the good intention to raise the country’s regional competitiveness by lowering corporate income tax rates and rationalizing fiscal incentives granted to registered business enterprises (RBEs).

However, he also pointed out that three years after the passage of CREATE, inconsistencies have come up between this law and the corresponding administrative issuances on taxes and incentives enjoyed in freeport and economic zones. These issues have seriously and unfairly impacted the operations and competitiveness of existing companies and are inconsistent with the current efforts of the Marcos administration to attract investors,” said Ortiz-Luis.

VILLAR SAYS HE WAS A VICTIM OF DEEPFAKE VIDEO FOR SCAM

By VG Cabuag

ILLIONAIRE and former Senator Manuel B. Villar Jr. has warned the public of a deepfake video that made use of his face and voice to promote what he called an investment scam.

V illar said in a statement that “deceptive individuals” made use of an old footage of him in an interview with TV network SMNI, to alter what he said by using artificial intelligence, or AI.

I n the video, Villar was quoted promoting a supposed lifesaving platform named Momentum Capital. I don’t like long conversations. I am proud of this project and I am glad that it would be able to help many people,” the deepfake video said.

“ I guarantee that every participant of my program investing the minimum the amount to start 450 to 500 Philippine peso will earn a minimum of 4,500 Philippine peso per day. Try it,” it said.

I n a statement, Villar said: “I urge the public to disregard that video. There is no such investment program. I enjoin the public to be more discerning and extra cautious when viewing posts and videos that use AI technologies and that promise easy money or success.”

“ There is no such thing as easy money. There is no substitute to good, old fashioned sipag at tiyaga in achieving success in life. Mag-iingat po tayo sa mga manloloko,” Villar said in a statement.

NATURAL GAS BOOM IN THE PHILIPPINES:

EXPLAINER »B4

BROTHERHOOD WALK Filipino-Chinese community members participated in a Sunday morning march called “Lakad Magkaibigan” (Walk for Brotherhood) from Binondo, crossing the Binondo-

Bridge to Kartilya Park in Arroceros. The event, attended by various Filipino-Chinese business groups, was organized by the

Can Pogos influence judges? SC’s OCA wants to know

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Supreme Court’s Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) is leading the investigation into allegations that the influence of illegal offshore gaming operators in the country may have already reached the judiciary.

L awyer Camille Sue Mae Ting, SC spokesperson, said the OCA is now looking into the claim of the Philippine Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) that a trial

A mong these contradictions is the distinction being made between registered domestic enterprises and export enterprises inside separate customs territories when applying VAT privileges. This distinction is being done when CREATE itself does not make such a distinction, Ortiz-Luis said.

“ Under the CREATE Act, VAT zero-rating on local purchases is granted to registered business enterprises [RBEs] in general,” the

court in Malolos City, Bulacan, recalled the search warrant it issued early this month that prompted their operatives to call off a planned raid on a Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga.

business leader said.

H owever, Ortiz-Luis noted the law’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) and subsequent administrative issuances of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) limited the application of VAT exemption on importation and VAT zero-rating on local purchases to ‘registered export enterprises.’

C onsequently, this distinction puts domestic market enterprises inside separate customs territories at a disadvantage as they have now ceased to avail themselves of the incentives, including the

PA OCC spokesman Winston John Casio said the court withdrew the search warrant on mere technicalities and denied the agency’s application for a new warrant.

D ue to lack of search warrant, Casio said PAOCC operatives failed to conduct a raid on the compound of the Lucky South 99 on Fil-Am Friendship Highway.

He said the PAOCC is now investigating possible leak in information on the raid, citing information that people were seen leaving the Lucky South 99 compound 30 minutes after it applied for a search warrant last June 4.

The OCA will be submitting a report on this. Let’s wait for that,” Ting said.

5-percent tax on gross income earned (GIE) that they are supposed to enjoy for 10 more years under the transitory provisions of the CREATE Law.

A ccording to the letter of the Philexport chief, this has “disincentivized” domestic manufacturers who must now absorb the VAT passed on to them by local suppliers and must pass on the cost to consumers. Meanwhile, the two other concerns raised relate to the transition period prescribed under Section 311 of the Tax Code on the VAT privileges attached to the preferential 5 percent tax on GIE and the

T ing earlier said the SC will also investigate the allegation of Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian that Pogo operators might have insiders not just in law enforcement agencies but also in the judiciary.

Gatchalian cited the recent raid conducted on a Pogo hub in Porac, Pampanga, by PAOCC where only 158 Chinese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian nationals were arrested due to possible leak on their pending operation.

T he PAOCC earlier said they expected to arrest more than 1,000 individuals involved in various illegal activities inside the POGO hub.

“ The Supreme Court will investigate these allegations,” Ting said.

“tedious” VAT refund process.

O n VAT refund, Ortiz-Luis observed that while the BIR is required to process VAT refund or tax credit claims within 120 days, “the BIR usually takes an average of four to six years to process and approve such claims.”

T hese refund delays, he noted in his letter, hurt the cash flow of businesses, especially (micro, small and medium enterprises) MSMEs, and prevent them from putting their money to productive use.

S upporting the position of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Philexport made recommendations to ensure CREATE MORE responds better to the needs of exporters and MSMEs.

A mong the recommendations is to “Implement duty exemption on importation, VAT exemption on importation, and VAT zero rating on local purchases of goods and services directly attributable to the registered project or activity of an RBE inside economic zones with no distinction between export and domestic enterprises, consistent with the CREATE Act.”

A nother proposal is to “deputize” the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Export Marketing Bureau to implement VAT zero-rating for exporters outside the Board of Investment (BOI) jurisdiction and zones.

“ Apply VAT zero-rating to customs brokerages [for export shipments}, trucking services [for export containers], and forwarding services [for export shipments] because these services are essential in moving the export shipment from the factory to the port,” the Philexport chief recommended.

O rtiz-Luis also underscored the need to streamline and simplify the VAT refund system with a set timeline for processing of applications, among others.

T he PCCI, one of the major business groups in the country, is also pushing for the immediate passage of the CREATE MORE bill.

(See: https:// businessmirror com.ph/2024/05/31/pcci-pushes-passage-of-create-more/)

A ccording to the BSP, short-term debt based on residual maturity refers to outstanding external debt with original maturity of one year or less.

T his is on top of principal payments in the medium- and longterm loans of the public and private sectors falling due within the next 12 months.

The level of GIR, as of a particular period, is considered adequate, if it provides at least 100 percent cover for the payment of the country’s foreign liabilities, public and private, falling due within the im -

Remolona’s take

FOR his part, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. said this affirmation of the country’s investment grade rating by Fitch is a recognition of the central bank’s efforts to keep inflation within target.

R emolona also highlighted the BSP’s data-driven approach to setting monetary policy. Fitch projects inflation to remain within the upper half of the BSP’s inflation target range, and to moderate to 3.8 percent and 3.4 percent by 2024 and 2025, respectively.

T he BSP said Fitch forecasts a 5.8-percent real GDP growth in 2024, driven by investments in infrastructure and trade reforms, with over 6-percent growth expected over the medium term.

I n the first quarter of 2024, the economy grew by 5.7 percent year-on-year, primarily driven by robust growth in financial activities which grew 10  percent; wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 6.4 percent; and manufacturing, 4.5 percent.

“ An investment-grade rating signals reduced credit risk, allowing countries to access funding at lower costs,” BSP explained in a statement sent over the weekend.

A ‘BBB’ rating, which is above the minimum investment grade, indicates a low expectation of default risk, with the country’s capacity to meet financial commitments deemed adequate. Meanwhile, a ‘stable’ outlook suggests a low likelihood of a rating change over the next one to two years,” it also said.

Fiscal slippage

THE BSP said Fitch expects the general government debt to remain stable at 54 percent of GDP by 2025, alongside a narrowing current account deficit.

It added that Fitch sees the current account deficit decreasing to under 2 percent of GDP or below $10 billion by 2025, from 2.6 percent of GDP or over $11 billion in 2023.

However, in its statement, Fitch

mediate 12-month period,” BSP added.

T he BSP also said the country’s net international reserves increased by $1.87 billion to $104.46 billion as of end-May 2024 from the end-April 2024 level of $102.59 billion.

T he net reserves refer to the difference between the BSP’s reserve assets (GIR) and reserve liabilities.

R eserve liabilities are shortterm foreign debt and credit and loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Ratings expressed concern over a risk of “fiscal slippage” as the May 2025 election fast approaches.

The Finance Secretary has publicly indicated that no new taxes would be imposed in 2024, and possibly until the end of the Marcos Jr. administration in 2028. Nevertheless, we note that overall budget balances have tended to be close to the targets in recent history,” Fitch Ratings said.

F itch also listed factors that could lead to a negative rating action or a downgrade for the Philippines, among them, reduced confidence in a “strong” and “stable medium-term economic growth.”

Further, in terms of public finances, if the government fails to maintain its stable government debt-to-GDP ratio, that could lead to a downgrade in credit ratings. A specific instance in this case, Fitch said, could be the scaling back of the government’s fiscal consolidation to support economic growth.

A ccording to Fitch, a downgrade will also be forthcoming if there is a significant deterioration in the country’s foreign currency reserves and net external debt position such as those caused by “more persistent” current account deficits than what is expected.

Better ratings

MEANWHILE , factors that could lead to a positive rating action or an upgrade in credit ratings include even stronger medium-term growth than initially forecast.

B etter ratings could also be in store for the Philippines if there are sustained reductions in government debt/GDP and debt/revenue ratios to levels significantly lower than the ‘BBB’ category median.

“ For example, due to reforms to broaden the revenue base or gains in spending efficiency that do not undermine the growth outlook,” Fitch Ratings stated.

Fitch Ratings also said the country’s credit ratings will improve if the government strengthens governance standards “or sustained convergence of GDP per capita towards peer levels.”   Cai U. Ordinario

On the Clean Economy Agreement, Pascual stressed that the agreement will provide a framework that is “tailored to address the needs and gaps of Ipef partners in the transition to clean economies.”

A similar deepfake video recently haunted the government in April when an AI-altered content circulated in which President Marcos Jr. sounded like he was urging military action against China.

T he government alluded to a “foreign actor” for the proliferation of the video which surfaced at a time when friction between China and the Philippines over the West Philippine Sea was intense.

T he government has vowed to pursue charges against individuals behind the video.

He emphasized the importance of the Cooperative Work Programme as it will serve as a platform to exchange ideas and best practices necessary to determine the “best approaches” towards green transition.

Pascual also lauded the progress in the existing work on hydrogen and carbon markets, the ongoing discussions on clean electricity, just transition, and sustainable aviation, as well as the recent proposals on embedded emissions accounting, e-waste urban mining, and small modular reactors.

T he IPEF Ministerial Meeting held in Singapore last week was the

fourth in-person meeting among the IPEF partners.

A ccording to a statement published on the website of the US Department of Commerce last Thursday, “The partners outlined a series of next steps to take the work forward under each of the agreements, including that the Ministers would assess further progress at their next virtual Ministerial meeting in September 2024.”

T he IPEF partners last met inperson in November 2023, where they concluded negotiations for the Clean Economy Agreement, the Fair Economy Agreement, and the Agreement on IPEF, as well as held a signing ceremony for the Supply Chain Agreement.

T he US-led Ipef has four pillars, namely, Trade, Supply Chains, Clean Economy and Fair Economy.

Sign maritime zones bill, legislator asks FMJr

ACONGRESSMAN from Mindanao on Sunday asked President Marcos to sign the Philippine Maritime Zones bill to strengthen the nation’s stance against China’s aggressive actions at the West Philippine Sea.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez made the appeal in the wake of heightened tension between Manila and Beijing over disputed land features and territorial waters, and continued Chinese intrusion into the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Recently, China issued a regulation permitting its coast guard to detain foreigners “trespassing” at the West Philippine Sea.

“The measure’s enactment will boost our assertion of our maritime and sovereign rights at the West Philippine Sea and our exclusive economic zone, which China frequently intrudes into. It will reinforce the enforcement of such rights by our defense-military forces,” he said.

He said the passage of the bill is in accordance with international laws, agreements and conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated Beijing’s expansive claim over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. Rodriguez, one of the principal authors of the proposed Philippine Maritime Zones Act in the House of Representatives, added that Unclos allows states to define their maritime boundaries.

When enacted, the proposed law would serve as the framework for settling territorial disputes between the country and its neighbors, including China, in addition to international laws and the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that ruled in favor of the Philippines, and for exploring resources within the country’s maritime zones, he stressed.

“I am almost sure that we will soon have this law. This early, I am appealing to China

to recognize it and to immediately stop encroaching and intruding in our EEZ and the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

Rodriguez also appealed to the President to ignore any reaction from China against the signing of the bill into law.

“Let us not worry about what the Chinese will say. Let us think of our own national interest,” he said.

The proposed definition of the country’s maritime territory includes the Chineseoccupied Scarborough or Panatag Shoal off Zambales and Pangasinan, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc, a traditional fishing ground of Filipinos.

The Chinese Coast Guard routinely patrols this area, which Beijing seized in 2012 after a standoff between Chinese and Philippine Coast Guard vessels.

The Chinese constantly harass Filipinos fishing around Bajo de Masinloc.

It also wants us to remove our BRP Sierra Madre at our Ayungin Shoal and had recently confiscated the suppplies to our troops there. Jovee Marie dela Cruz

Go beyond traditional functions–Escudero to OSG the OSG and stated his willingness to help achieve this goal.

SBy Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

ENATE President Francis G. Escudero has challenged the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to broaden its scope and help shape the nation’s future by taking on roles beyond its traditional function as the government’s chief legal defender.

Speaking at the 123rd founding anniversary of the OSG, Escudero highlighted its long history and important contributions since its inception in 1901, making it one of the oldest and most historically significant government offices in the Philippines. Escuderto noted that for 123 years, the

OSG has been at the forefront of legal battles and has played a critical role in shaping the country’s legal landscape.

However, he underscored the need for the OSG, under the current leadership of Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, to adapt and innovate in response to new challenges.

“Hindipahuliparamag-isippatayong iba pang pamamaraan kung sa papaano panatinhuhubuginangatingkasaysayan gamit ang kasalukuyan at hinaharap na kapangyarihan, responsibilidad at obligasyon ng Office of the Solicitor General,” Escudero also said.

He expressed support for Guevarra’s desire to have a dedicated building for

In return, Escudero urged the OSG to play a more proactive role in the legislative process by assisting in the formulation of laws in the Senate and the House of Representatives. He pointed out that since the OSG defends these laws when questioned in the Supreme Court, it would be beneficial for the OSG to be involved in the law-making process to avoid potential constitutional issues.

Escudero proposed regular consultations with the OSG for legal advice on pending legislation to ensure that laws are robust and less likely to face legal challenges.

He also highlighted the importance of the OSG in foreign policy and international disputes.

Congressman to military, coast guard: Protect Filipino fishermen from China

By Jovee Marie dela Cruz @joveemarie

ASENIOR lawmaker on Sunday urged the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard to uphold their promise to safeguard Filipino fishermen at the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as China threatens to detain “trespassers” starting June 15 for 60 days without trial, asserting that this area is part of its territorial waters.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte in a statement stressed the need for the Navy, Coast Guard (PCG), and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to bolster their presence in the WPS to protect Filipino fishermen from potential Chinese aggression.

“We are taking the military as its word that our fishermen have nothing to worry about because the Armed Forces has their back and will provide protection to them against possible harassment from the Chinese,” Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte also expressed support for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) in filing an environmental damage case against China for its island-building activities that have damaged coral reefs in the WPS. He praised this legal initiative as part of the Marcos administration’s strategy to highlight and condemn China’s aggressive actions in Philippine waters under international law.

“This unilaterally imposed fishing

ban by Beijing in the WPS has neither a legal nor scientific basis,” Villafuerte said, noting that the WPS falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as per the 1994 Unclos [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] and the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling.

The DOJ and OSG are currently preparing the case as an offshoot of the PCG’s recent discovery of crushed coral fragments in the cays near PagAsa Island and Sabina Shoal in the WPS, which, according to the PCG, indicated small-scale reclamation within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as set by the UNCLOS.

“This unilaterally-imposed fishing ban on Beijing in the WPS has neither a legal nor scientific basis,” as the WPS, as declared under the 1994 UNCLOS and affirmed in the 2016 PCA ruling, falls within our EEZ, and is thus legally part of the maritime territory of the Philippines and not China’s, Villafuerte said.

He also highlighted that the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has declared that China has no right to claim islands or rock features based on its historical maps.

For the DFA, this ITLOS opinion “bolsters and reinforces the legitimacy of the final and binding 2016 Arbitration Award [of the PCA] and its unassailable status as part of the corpus of international law.”

Earlier, the AFP said it has contingency measures in case China imposes its new regulation starting June 15 on

detaining “trespassers” for 60 days without trial.

The Navy has vowed not to recognize the fishing ban, with Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad asserting that the PN will continue to secure the welfare of Filipinos both on land and at sea. The BFAR has also committed to maintaining its activities in the WPS, alongside the PN and PCG, to protect Filipino fisherfolk.

Villafuerte noted the presence of 120 Chinese vessels in the WPS as of late May, including the China Coast Guard, the People’s Liberation Army Navy, and Chinese maritime militia vessels. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has lodged a diplomatic protest against China’s annual fishing ban.

President Marcos has labeled China’s threat to detain “trespassers” as a “worrisome” escalation.

Villafuerte called for nationwide support for President Marcos’s push for a multilateral approach to ensure freedom of navigation in the IndoPacific region amidst China’s provocations.

Villafuerte urged Filipinos to support the government’s stance on defending the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty as defined by international law.

He highlighted the broad public support for this stance, citing surveys showing strong backing for the administration’s efforts to protect the WPS and collaborate with allies like the United States, Australia, and Japan.

Group red flags soft balls toys for containing banned chemicals

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE environment advocate EcoWaste Coalition (EcoWaste) on Sunday urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to test soft balls made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic for harmful chemicals that are banned or restricted in children’s toys.

European governments had recalled or withdrawn several soft plastic balls from the market, mostly made in China, for containing harmful chemicals including endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs like phthalates and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCPPs).

Similar soft PVC plastic balls are sold in the local market, including in online shopping sites, often without any labeling information, Manny Calonzo, an EcoWaste Coalition campaigner said in a statement.

The group recently conducted a market investigation on the product to check if they pose a serious health risk to Filipino children.

“To check if soft balls sold locally are safe for children to use,

we urge the FDA to test these toys for phthalates and other regulated chemicals.”

“These unlabeled toys are sold without FDA-issued certificates of product notification,” Calonzo said, “in violation of the country’s toy authorization and labeling laws and regulations such as Republic Acts 9711 and 10620.”

On June 5 and 6, the group purchased 32 pieces of soft plastic balls sold for P6 to P25 each at retail and wholesale stores in Divisoria, and Quiapo, Manila. Aside from being soft, the PVC plastic material used in manufacturing these balls emits a strong noticeable odor. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) screening conducted by the group indicates that the said balls are made of PVC.

According to Safety Gate (the

European Union’s rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products), the governments of Czechia, Germany, Poland, and Sweden have issued product safety alerts for the first five months of 2024 warning consumers of the risks of using certain soft plastic balls (also described as inflatable balls) for containing banned or restricted chemicals.

At least three of the toy products recalled or withdrawn in the European market resemble soft plastic balls sold locally, according to the EcoWaste Coalition.

For example, the inflatable ball with black, orange, yellow and green pattern the Swedish government banned in March 2024 is offered for sale in Divisoria.

According to the alert issued by the authorities, the said ball contains excessive levels of diisobutyl phthalate (DIDP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) measured at 7.5 percent and 14 percent, respectively, way above the 0.1 percent allowable limit. “These phthalates may harm the health of children, causing possible damage to their reproductive system,” EcoWaste said.

Aside from phthalates, the same toy was found to contain 2.7 percent of SCPPs, which are used as plasticizers or as flame retardants or both and are classified as POPs under the Stockholm Convention. “SCPPs persist in the environment, are toxic to aquatic

organisms at low concentrations and bio-accumulate in wildlife and humans, posing a risk to human health and the environment,” said the Swedish alert, adding “prolonged exposure to them through the skin may cause cancer.”

An inflatable ball similar to the one banned by the government of Poland in March 2024 is also sold in Divisoria. According to the Polish alert, “the toy has an excessive concentration of diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) with measured value up to 9.4 percent by weight.”

A spiked soft plastic ball that the Polish government banned in April 2024 appears the same as the one purchased by the EcoWaste Coalition in Quiapo. The toy contains 19.5 percent of dibutyl phthalate and 1.45 percent of diisobutyl phthalate.

Also, a soft plastic ball banned by Germany had an excessive concentration of the aromatic amine 4-methyl-m-phenylenediamine, which, according to the alert, “is a skin sensitizer, may cause cancer and might induce mutations and affect fertility.”

In a submission made last February 2024, the EcoWaste Coalition suggested to the FDA to ban the use of PVC plastic in the production of toys, noting that banned or restricted phthalates are often used and found in toys and childcare articles made of PVC.

Bong Go gives additional help to Siargao residents

SEN. Christopher Go has provided additional support to assist those affected economic problems in the towns of Santa Monica and San Isidro, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, on Wednesday, June 5. “Mariing tinututukan natin ang kalagayan ng ating mga kababayang nawalan ng trabaho sa iba’t ibang partengbansa.Hindibiroangkanilang pinagdadaanan, kaya naman patuloy tayongmagbibigayngsuportaparasa kanilang muling pagbangon,” Go said in a video message. Emphasizing the importance of sustainable development practices to preserve Siargao’s natural beauty and tourism potential for future generations, Go said: “Ang hangarin natin ay hindi lamang sila bigyan ng pansamantalang tulong, kundi matulungan din silang makatayo sa sarili nilang mga paa at makatulong sa pagunlad ng kanilang komunidad.” Held at municipal gymnasiums of San Isidro and Santa Monica, Go’s Malasakit Team gave a total of 222 beneficiaries basketballs, vitamins, masks, shirts, and snacks. They also gave shoes and mobile phones to select recipients.

BBy Marilou Guieb

AGUIO CITY—Director General Ernesto Perez of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) have given an award to this city’s local government for being an exemplary in the streamlining of its business licensing procedures and for setting up a fully electronic business one stop shop (eBOSS). Every local government is mandated to establish an eBOSS under the Ease of Doing Business Law or Republic Act 11032.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong received the award, together with the Cordillera regional directors of agencies involved in the business and industry sector—the Depart-

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment  (DOLE) also oriented the qualified recipients of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program.

The senator then took the opportunity to commend DOLE for their proactive approach to addressing the challenges disadvantaged and displaced workers face. The TUPAD program, initiated by DOLE and supported by Go, aims to provide emergency employment and livelihood opportunities to those who have lost their jobs or sources of income due to crises.

As a lawmaker, Go introduced Senate Bill No. 420, which advocated establishing a system to provide short-term employment opportunities to eligible individuals from disadvantaged rural households. Under the proposed legislation, the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be established to provide temporary employment options to individuals who qualify based on criteria such as economic hardship, poverty, displacement, or seasonal employment.

To further ease the financial burden

ments of Trade and Industry (DTI), of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce. Perez was in the city last week for the Northern Luzon caravan of Arta.

During the awarding ceremony, DILG-Cordillera Administrative Region Director Araceli San Jose reiterated that ease of doing business is a paramount incentive for investors to come in.

“An investor expects layers of red tape in the bureaucracy eliminated for fast and convenient services, especially in the application and renewal of business permits,” she said.

San Jose said that the city

Another trade group backs renewal of Meralco franchise

By Jovee Marie n. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SELPI) has endorsed the franchise renewal of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) before the Congress, joining industry leaders in advocating for the continuation of a stable, reliable, and cost-effective power supply crucial for their operations.

In a letter to Parañaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting, chairman of the House of Representatives’s Committee on Legislative Franchises, Seipi president Dan Lachica asked that the application for legislative franchise extension of Meralco be “favorably considered.”

“Amidst the country’s ongoing economic progress, we extend our full support for Meralco’s franchise renewal, as they have significantly contributed to the industry’s status as the country’s leading exporter. This will give confidence to foreign investors, as it will signal stability in our economic landscape,” Lachica said.

on Filipino families, Go also co-authored and co-sponsored SBN 2534, which aims to raise the daily minimum wage by P100 nationwide.

As the Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go extended aid to affected residents who may need medical assistance. The senator cited a Malasakit Center at the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City and another at Siargao Island Medical Center in Dapa.

Go is the principal author and sponsor of Republic Act No. 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program. Currently, 165 Malasakit Centers are operational nationwide, poised to assist with patients’ medical expenses. The DOH reports that the Malasakit Center program has already provided aid to more or less ten million Filipinos.

“Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin yung pagkakataong ibinigay n’yo po sa akin. Magtatrabaho po ako para sa Pilipino. At iyan po ang pwede kong i-alay sa inyo, ang aking bisyo sa pagseserbisyo,” said Go who is known as Mr. Malasakit for his compassionate service to Filipinos in need.

has exceeded expectations on the processing of new or renewal of business permits.

“Now, it only takes 10 to 20 minutes,” she said. There is now a permanent Business Permit and Licensing Office and a system that facilitates digital and e-payment applications, she added.

Juliet Lucas, regional director of DTI-CAR, attributed Baguio being cited by the Philippine Statistics Authority as the wealthiest city outside Metro Manila owing to its economic dynamism, as records would show. She said that DTI business registrations numbered 24,426 in 2023. Meanwhile, Allan Lao, head of the DICT-CAR Technical Operations Division, said that they have enhanced the electronic local government unit (eLGU) system of 23 towns in the region, with two ongoing

THe acknowledged Meralco as a “collab-

orative partner” for SEIPI and its member companies.

“The utility has been providing excellent service and constantly investing in capital expenditure projects in economic zone locations and industrial parks to meet the robust power quality that is needed by our industry to be globally competitive,” Lachica added. SEIPI is a leading organization of multinational and Filipino-owned semiconductor and electronics companies in the Philippines, with over 360 members, including manufacturing firms, allied and support industries, and academe.

SEIPI, as an umbrella organization, has stated in the past that its members heavily rely on power quality, stability of supply vis-à-vis demand, and sound policy advocacy, which Meralco, as the premiere distribution utility in the country, can provide. Besides SEIPI, other influential business groups that backed Meralco’s continued operation and formally manifested support for its franchise renewal are the Management Association of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, and the Private Electric Power Operators Association.

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

HE Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), the country’s first-ever landport, has logged 146 million overall foot traffic since it began operations in 2019. Jason Salvador, PITX corporate affairs chief, said this milestone underscores the landport’s rapid growth, noting that the volume should reach the 150-million mark by the end of the month.

“We are thrilled to have reached

and another three that have signified interest in using the system.

To enable the other towns to adopt the system, DICT has accelerated internet connectivity across the Cordilleras by activating a regional wireless network system to keep local governments and townspeople connected.

The eLGU System is part of DICT’s eGov PH Super App that streamlines services on business permits, community tax and civil registry.

During his stay, Perez witnessed the launching of the DILG (eLGU) system designed to provide the app for free to the towns in the region so they can pattern delivery of services after Baguio. Perez was also present in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the city and a tower company to improve internet connectivity in the city. He also sealed an agreement with the University of Baguio for collaboration

in setting up a transformation and innovation hub that will promote ease in doing business. The National Bureau of Investigation also agreed to give Arta lawyers and litigators training on investigation, entrapment and filing of cases. In his consultation with the city branch of the Bangko Sentral, he was told that while the bank is in the heart of a gold-rich territory, only two small- scale miners sell their gold to them, which would be about 1 percent of the potential revenue from gold extracted here. This is due to the difficulty of small-scale miners to get a permit or have the required Minahang Bayan. Perez said that this is very concerning and has committed to immediately bring together concerned agencies and remove unnecessary requirements in processing small-scale mining permits, which is the role of Arta.

Baguio gets award for eBOSS

TOWERS OF POWER Electricity transmission

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Rethink decision to slash agri tariffs, govt told

FBy Ada Pelonia @adapelonia

ARMERS and fishers groups said over the weekend that reducing tariffs on key agricultural commodities, such as rice, will bring the Philippine farm sector to its knees.

The groups also appealed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to reconsider his plan to issue an executive order (EO) that will cut the tariffs on rice and pork until 2028.

tariffs on rice to 15 percent, which would result in the influx of imports, could cause the farmgate price of palay to nosedive to P17 per kilogram (kg).

Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) President Danilo V. Fausto said rice traders would be forced to reduce their buying prices to compete with cheaper imports.

hectare, nawawalan po ang farmer ng P50,000 bawat ani sa isang hectarya, dahil dalawang harvest P100,000 ang nawala sa magsasaka per year,” he said.

“Malaking tama sa mga miller ang pagpasok ng murang imported na kailangan nilang sabayan.”

Pork tariff

ASF, imbis na suportahan kami, pinababa pa yung taripa para dumagsa ang importation. After 4 years, bumaba ba ang presyo ng baboy ‘di ba hindi naman?” Ng said.

“Nakikita natin na kahit na ang dami ng import na pumapasok at mababa yung taripa, ang nakikinabang talaga yung mga importers.”

Last April, the Neda said imports remain necessary as local production is still unable to meet demand for key commodities like rice and pork. (https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/04/26/ neda-imports-still-needed-ao20-vital-to-food-security/)

TBy Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

HE country’s has nearly half a trillion pesos in mineral reserves as of last year, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Based on the latest Monetary Asset Accounts, PSA said the country’s mineral reserves reached P474 billion in 2023, a 2-percent increase from P464.51 billion in 2022.

The data showed the bulk of these reserves were Class A chromite resources amounting to P645.9 million in 2023. This was 33 percent higher than the P485.79 million in 2022.

“The total resource rent of the four mineral resources contributed P57.66 million or 0.24 percent to the Gross Domestic Product of the Philippines in 2023,” PSA said.

The agency said this definition is based on the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Central Framework (SEEA-CF).

“Resource rent is the surplus value accruing to the extractor or user of an asset, calculated after all costs and normal returns have been taken into account.”

Apart from chromite resources, the country’s mineral reserves included Class A nickel which amounted to P238.9 billion in 2023. However, PSA said, this represented a decline of 1.1 percent from P241.43 billion in 2022.

The data also showed that mineral reserves included Class A gold valued at P181.61 billion in 2023, indicating an increase of 11 percent from P163.67 billion in 2022.

The PSA added that mineral reserves include the P52.85 billion worth of Class A copper in 2023. However, like nickel, this amount

The groups claimed that the chief of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) is “partial to importation.”

They noted that slashing the

“I think we (also) have to tell (President Marcos) that we want (Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio) Balisacan to step down,” Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) Chairman Leonardo Montemayor said in a press briefing.

“Para habulin nila yung pagbaba ng P6 to P7 (per kilo of rice) dahil sa pagbaba ng taripa, mauubliga sila bumili ng palay sa P23, P24 na dry at maari pang bumaba dahil sa ngayong tinatantya namin na puno ang kanilang mga bodega dahil kaaani pa lang.”

He said farmers would lose some P100,000 annually because of the decline in farmgate prices.

“Ang pinagusapan po natin kung 5,000 kilos or 100 kaban ang isang

THE Neda Board said the reduced tariff rates on corn, pork, and mechanically deboned meat under EO 50 series of 2023 would also be maintained until 2028.

National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NatFed) Vice Chairman Alfred Ng lamented that the government reduced the tariff on imported pork in 2020, a year after African swine fever (ASF) was detected in the Philippines and stunted hog production.

“Bukod na tinamaan na kami ng

Latest figures from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) showed that the country’s meat imports grew by 11.34 percent to over 390,000 metric tons (MT) as of April 30, with pork imports jumping by 17.99 percent to 193,146 MT from last year’s 163,690 MT.

“Yung mga malalaking farm lang ang nage -expand ng production pero yung mga maliliit lalo na yung backyard farmers wala po silang puhunan, nagaantay lang po sila ng subsidy at tulong ng gobyerno para makapagsimula ulit,” Ng said.

Leaders of the House of Representatives said last week that cutting the tariffs on imported rice and selling it through Kadiwa centers will make the staple more affordable and reduce price volatility.

“The import levy reduction on imported rice from 35 percent to just 15 percent and the direct sale of imported rice by the government through its Kadiwa centers should bring down the retail price of rice substantially, especially for consumers,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

PHL is among world’s top aquaculture producers–FAO

Trepresented a decrease of 10.3 percent from P58.92 billion in 2022.

Meanwhile, in terms of physical assets, Class A nickel reserves reached 484.73 million dry metric tons (DMT) in 2023.

PSA said, however, that the figure is lower by 6 percent from 515.93 million DMT in 2022. This was due to the 6.7 percent increase in production at 31.2 million DMT in 2023 from 29.23 million DMT in 2022.

This was followed by Class A chromite reserves which recorded also a decline by 1.3 percent to 65.54 million MT in 2023 from 66.42 million MT in 2022.

The production of chromite went up by 41.6 percent to 23,820 MT in 2023 from 16,820 MT in 2022.

“The ore form of nickel and chromite reserves and resources were accounted in the mineral accounts.”

The data also showed Class A copper reserves declined 2.1 percent to 2.9 million metric tons (MMT) in 2023 from 2.96 MMT in 2022.

The recorded extraction of copper went up to 61,980 MT in 2023 or by 4.2 percent from 59,510 MT in 2022.

The country’s stocks of Class A gold reserves declined to 401,700 kilograms (kg) in 2023 or by 1.5 percent from 408,000 kg in 2022.

The production or extraction of gold, meanwhile, rose to 21,480 kg in 2023 or by 0.4 percent from 21,400 kg in 2022.

“The metal content of gold and copper reserves and resources were accounted in the mineral accounts.”

PSA said Class A reserves are commercially recoverable mineral resources that are confirmed to be economically viable by a defined development project or operation.

However, mineral reserves in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were not yet included due to data limitations.

HE Philippines is one of the 10 countries in the world that accounted for a chunk of the global acquaculture production in 2022, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

In the 2024 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (Sofia), FAO said global fisheries and aquaculture production surged to 223.2 million metric tons (MMT) in 2022, a 4.4-percent increase from the level recorded in 2020.

FAO said production comprised 185.4 MMT of aquatic animals and 37.8 MMT of algae.

“FAO welcomes the significant achievements thus far, but further transformative and adaptive actions are needed to strengthen the efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience and sustainability of aquatic food systems and consolidate their role in addressing food insecurity, poverty alleviation and sustainable governance,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said in a statement.

“That’s why FAO advocates Blue Transformation, to meet the overall requirements of better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.”

The reported noted that in 2022

and for the first time in history, aquaculture surpassed capture fisheries as the main producer of aquatic animals. Global aquaculture production reached an unprecedented 130.9 MMT, of which 94.4 MMT are aquatic animals, 51 percent of the total aquatic animal production.

“At present, a small number of countries dominate aquaculture. Ten of them—China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Norway, Egypt, and Chile—produced over 89.8 percent of the total,” FAO said.

However, the UN agency said many low-income countries in Africa and Asia are not using their full potential.

“Targeted policies, technology

transfer, capacity building and responsible investment are crucial to boost sustainable aquaculture where it is most needed, especially in Africa.”

FAO also said global capture fisheries production has remained stable since the late 1980s. In 2022, the sector produced 92.3 MMT, comprising 11.3 MMT from inland and 81 MMT from marine capture.

“Despite the growth in aquaculture, capture fisheries remain an essential source of aquatic animal production.”

Of total aquatic animal production, 89 percent was used for direct human consumption, underscoring the critical role of fisheries and aquaculture in maintaining global food security.

Rice import arrivals hit 2.8 MMT–report

THE country’s imported rice arrivals have reached more than 2.08 million metric tons (MMT) as of May 30, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

Figures from the attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed that Vietnam remained as the country’s top source of imported rice, accounting for 1.52 MMT of imports. It was followed by Thailand with 319,740.74 metric tons (MT) and Pakistan with 147,169.50 MT.

The Philippines’s other top rice suppliers were Myanmar (65,600 MT), India (21,169.50 MT), China (5,720 MT), and Japan (2,166.59 MT).

LVM Grains Enterprises led the 148 rice importers with a total volume of 501,850 MT, followed by Purericemilling And Processing Corp. with 405,600 MT.

Purefeeds Corp. and Sta. Rosa Farm Product Corp. each recorded a volume of 375,000 MT.

Other top importers during the period were Orison Free Enterprise

Golden era for shipping seen ahead as geopolitics boosts pricing

IF there was a universal theme at the parties, presentations and meetings in the world’s shipping capital Athens this week, it’s that bad times are good for business.

That’s to say that geopolitical conflicts and doubts about the supply of new ships mean shipowners are bracing for a prolonged earnings boom.

Andy Dacy, managing director and group head of the global transportation group at JPMorgan Asset Management—whose multi-billion dollar porftolio includes extensive investments in the maritime industry, encapsulated it best.

“Thinking about shipping over the next 10-15 years, one could argue

despite the fact that we have these challenges that we are moving into a golden era albeit underpinned by difficult dark things,” he said at a forum organized by Capital Link during the Posidonia shipping week. The cost of hiring ships has been about a third higher than the average for the last ten years so far in 2024, according to Clarkson Research Services Ltd., a unit of the world’s largest shipbroker, propelled in part by ships sailing thousands of miles extra to avoid attacks in the Red Sea. Similiarly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to trade dislocations that are forcing oil tankers on far longer voyages than would otherwise be the case.

Speaking at events organized as part of the Posidonia conference in Athens, some executives said they were eying a potentially protracted era of higher earnings, based in part on a bet that the global geopolitical environment will remain more dangerous for longer, and a supply of new ships that remains relatively low. In every private conversation, it was the recurring theme. Some said the troubled geopolitical times are good for business now, while others said they don’t see an end in sight to current disruptions.

In addition to rising geopolitical risk, owners have another reason to be bullish.

Although there has been some ordering of new ships as earnings soar— causing some nerves about whether a boom can truly be sustained—by historical standards, the pace of buying has been relatively subdued given strong freight markets.

That’s in large part because shipowners aren’t sure what the fuel that will replace traditional oil propulsion will be, meaning that vessel orders haven’t accumulated in the same way as during shipping’s last great boom period in 2008.

“We have not really seen any alternative fuel that is either available, or very promising for the future,” said Ioannis Alafouzos, chairman

Inc. and Bly Agri Venture Trading which brought in 176,219 MT and 150,618 MT, respectively.

The data also showed that BPI approved and issued 4,140 sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) which covered the importation of 4.8 MMT of rice.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised its rice import forecast for the Philippines to 4.2 MMT in 2025, noting the country’s need to sustain its growing population and the increasing

of Okeanis Eco Tankers Corp. “We are quite pessimistic about alternative fuels in fact. Frankly speaking, we do not know where we are going, so for the time being we are sticking with conventional engines.”

Some argue that rates are currently so good, that shipping’s efforts to decarbonize are also likely to slow. That’s because such high earnings offer little incentive to put ships in dockyards and carry out work that would make them ready to burn cleaner fuels, according to DNV Maritime. Even this week, as shipowners and brokers discussed the outlook for the market on the Mediterranean coastline, Houthi rebels continued to fire salvos of missiles at vessels in the Red Sea. One Greek owner said he expects

The rest was destined for indirect or non-food uses, mainly fishmeal and fish oil production.

“Global apparent consumption of aquatic animal foods reached 162.5 MMT in 2021. This figure has increased at nearly twice the rate of the world population since 1961, with global per capita annual consumption rising from 9.1 kilograms in 1961 to 20.7 kg in 2022.”

FAO noted that aquatic foods provide high-quality proteins—15 percent of animal proteins and 6 percent of total proteins worldwide—and key nutrients including omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. In 2021, they contributed at least 20 percent of the per capita protein supply from all animal sources to 3.2 billion people.

The report projected that aquatic animal production will increase by 10 percent by 2032 to reach 205 MMT. Aquaculture expansion and capture fisheries recovery will account for this rise. It also noted that apparent consumption will increase by 12 percent to supply on average 21.3 kg per capita in 2032.

“Rising incomes and urbanization, improvements in post-harvest practices and distribution and dietary trends are expected to drive most of this increase.”

that the impact of the attacks on shipping in the region could be felt even more acutely in the second half of the year for container and bulk commodity ships as those fleets get even more stretched out. That leaves owners bracing for a world that is more volatile for longer. “At what point do black swans become not black swans?” Hing Chao, executive chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings, which owns a fleet of oil tankers and commodity carriers, said at the Capital Link Forum. “We’re reaching that point in the world unfortunately. As far as shipping is concerned I think in the short-to-medium any kind of disruption would be beneficial to shipping, but medium-to-long term it’s bad for everybody.” Bloomberg News

BLOOMBERG NEWS

June 10, 2024

June 03, 2024

Covelandia

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION/S FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT/S (AEP/S)

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP/S)

Notice is hereby given that the following employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s.

Notice is hereby given that the following companies/employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s:

NO. ESTABLISHMENT

NO.ESTABLISHMENT

1

1 BANDAI NAMCO PHILIPPINES INC.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SEKIGUCHI, YUICHIRO

TANAKA, HIROTAKA

Document Interpreter/translator

Manager

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Basic Qualification:

Basic Qualification:

Covelandia

2F, Crosstown Mall, 8005 National Road, Pulong Santa Cruz, City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

Phase 2A, Block 1, Lot 2, JP Rizal Ave., Lima Technology Center, San Lucas, City of Lipa, Batangas

Brief Job Description:

Brief Job Description:

Convert concepts in the source language to equivalent concepts in the target language

Ensure continuous operation of parts production department

2 AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION (A.P.C.) B.V.

2 DONG-AH GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.

Unit 1, The Junction Strip Mall, Carmelray Industrial Park 1, Canlubang, City of Calamba, Laguna

Lot 1, Block 5, Phase 2, Cavite Economic Zone, Tejeros Convention, Rosario, Cavite LIM WEN BIN

CHOI, SANG GIL

Finance Business Partner –Transversal

Construction Manager

Brief Job Description:

Brief Job Description:

Monitor of Compliance for Construction and Safety regulations

Support structural improvement on internal control and e2e process (PPE Management, Inventory Management and standardization of cost)

JEONG, GYEYOUNG

3 DONG-AH GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.

3 AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION (A.P.C.)

B.V.

Unit 1, The Junction Strip Mall, Carmelray Industrial Park 1, Canlubang, City of Calamba, Laguna

Lot 1, Block 5, Phase 2, Cavite Economic Zone, Tejeros Convention, Rosario, Cavite

4 HONGTAI TECHNOLOGY INC.

Bldg. B, CCMC Compound, Carmelray Industrial Park II, Punta, City of Calamba, Laguna

4 FUJISASH PHILIPPINES, INC.

GANSAN, JORDAN FERNANDEZ

Construction Manager

Logistics Director ITB Hub

Brief Job Description:

Brief Job Description:

Monitor Compliance for Construction and Safety regulations

Ensure customer satisfaction through high and sustainable logistic service level

LIANG, YONG

Injection Molding Engineer

Brief Job Description:

SHIRAISHI, TOSHIKAZU

Product Specialist

Responsible to validate the production process and hand over to production department.

QIN, RUIQING

5 KIM JOY FISH AND AQUA FARM CORPORATION

B7, Lot 10-13, Phase 2, First Cavite Industrial Estate, Langkaan I, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite

No. 88, Purok 1, Tulay Buhangin, Padre Burgos, Quezon

5 FUJITSU DIE-TECH CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES

6 LITTLE V MOBILE TECH INC.

113 East Science Avenue, Laguna Technopark, Biñan, City of Biñan, Laguna

Unit-lower Basement, Andenson Building 3, National Road, Parian, City of Calamba, Laguna

Farm Technical Officer

Brief Job Description: memorize product specification and demonstrate use accurately

Brief Job Description:

Support the farm supervisor in coordinating the development and implementation to support agriculture

SAITO, TOMOYUKI

CHENG, HAOQI

Assistant Vice President Under Quality Control Section

Chinese Business Consultant

Brief Job Description:

Brief Job Description:

General Management, Administration and Supervision of the Quality Control Section of the Corporation

Help business to improve their performance, solve problems and achieve their goals.

HENDRI

6 GLARION TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

7 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

LI, ERJUN

Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

8 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

7 GLARION TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

9 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

8 GLARION TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

WANG, SENYANG

RUDI HARTONO

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LING HOU SHYANG

Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

SAI SHENG MEIN

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer

Must have a bachelor’s degree in any course and must be fluent in Nihongo

Able to analyze, speak and write in both English and Japanese language

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

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification:

With a minimum of (10) years of experience in railway constructions

Salary Range:

Basic Qualification: Must have a bachelor’s degree in Accounting/ Finances and has a minimum of 3 years’ experience of any field

Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Basic Qualification:

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

Basic Qualification:

With a minimum of (10) years of experience in railway constructions

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

Basic Qualification:

At least 10 years’ experience in logistics management (Customer management, transportation, warehouse management)

Graduate of any technical course

Salary Range:

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification:

Basic Qualification: High School Diploma or equivalent required, college degree preferred with at least 5-10 years’ experience

Can be able to speak and write in Chinese and proven working experience in a farm, ranch or similar agricultural operation

Salary Range:

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

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

NGUYEN, THI NHIEN

Vietnamese

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

18 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

NGUYEN, VAN LUONG

Vietnamese

NONG, VAN THAN

Vietnamese

Basic Qualification:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification:

Can speak mandarin, able to work independently and as part of a team.

Must have a bachelor’s degree relative to manufacturing company

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

19 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan,

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

PHAM, THI THU HIEN

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description:

VAN

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

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

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification:

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

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

Salary Range:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese

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

20 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road,

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

20 HYUNDAI ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.

SB Hain Compound, Nia Road, Niugan, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

21 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

22 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

23 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LEE, BYEONGSAM

Construction Manager

Brief Job Description: Monitor compliance for Construction and Safety regulations

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic Qualification: With a minimum of (10) years of experience in railway constructions Salary Range:

60,000 - Php 89,999

Chinese - Customer Service Representative

Brief

MI, GUOTAO

Chinese - Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite PENG, ZHIHAI

Chinese - Customer Service Representative

24 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

25 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

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

RUSMADI

Indonesian - Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries Basic Qualification:

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite NAN JA

Myanmari - Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

MYANT LWIN

26 MERIT LEGEND SOLUTIONS INC.

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista,

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Indonesian language

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Myanmari - Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Kawit, Cavite

Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

37

38

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods Office Tower

2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

39

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

MEITHA ENGELITA JONRIE PUA Foreign Marketing

Brief Job Description:

Plan sales and advertising campaigns, collect and analyze market research data

6th, 7th, 9th-12th Floor, Southwoods Office Tower 2, San Francisco, City of Biñan, Laguna

40 OGURA CLUTCH PHILIPPINES, INC.

Lot 6, Block 9-B, Phase 3, Lima Technology Center, Bugtong na Pulo, City of Lipa, Batangas

SU, HUABIN Foreign Marketing

Brief Job Description:

Plan sales and advertising campaigns, collect and analyze market research data

Basic Qualification:

Computer literate and having finished at least Secondary Education, College Grad/Under Grad and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

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

Basic Qualification:

Computer literate and having finished at least Secondary Education, College Grad/Under Grad and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

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

WANG, MAOMAO Foreign Marketing

Brief Job Description:

Plan sales and advertising campaigns, collect and analyze market research data

FUSEJIMA, SEISUKE

General Manager and Treasurer

Brief Job Description:

Manage the total operation of the plant and responsible for implementation of the company’s quality management system.

41 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite HE, YUE

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification:

Computer literate and having finished at least

Secondary Education, College Grad/Under Grad and must be able to speak, write and read Chinese, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Indonesian or Indian language

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

Basic Qualification: Good knowledge of different business function. Strong leadership qualities & excellent communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Salary Range:

Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Covelandia

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

42 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Brief

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

54 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

55 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

56 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

57 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

THIHA KYAW

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

CHY CONG MUI

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DUONG VAN DUOC

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite HO DUC PHONG

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Myanmari language

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

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

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

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

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries Basic Qualification:

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

HO NGOC ANH

58 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

59 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

60 SQUARED ROUTE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HUA, VAN THIEN

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Basic Qualification:

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

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

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Covelandia Road, Binakayan, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Israel rescues 4 hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, and 210 Palestinians are reported killed

By Wafaa Shurafa, Sam Mednick & Jack Jeffery

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel on Saturday carried out its largest hostage rescue operation since the latest war with Hamas began, taking four to safety out of central Gaza in a heavy air and ground assault. At least 210 Palestinians, including children, were killed, a Gaza health official said.

Israelis were jubilant as the army said it freed Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41, in a daytime operation in the heart of Nuseirat, raiding two locations at once while under fire. All were well, the military said. They were taken by helicopter for medical checks and tearful reunions with loved ones after 246 days held.

Argamani had been one of the most widely recognized hostages after being taken, like the three others, from a music festival. The video of her abduction showed her seated between two men on a motorcycle as she screamed, “Don’t kill me!”

Her mother, Liora, has brain cancer and had released a video pleading to see her daughter. Israel’s Channel 13 said Argamani was moved to the hospital where her mother is treated. In a message released by the government, Argamani told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu she was “very excited,” saying she hadn’t heard Hebrew in so long.

Netanyahu in a statement vowed to continue the fighting until all hostages are freed. The operation was “daring in nature, planned brilliantly, and executed in an extraordinary fashion,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said.

Israeli aircraft hummed overhead as the bodies of 109 Palestinians including 23 children and 11 women were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where spokesperson Khalil Degran told The Associated Press more than 100 wounded also arrived. He said that overall, 210 dead had been taken there and to Al-Awda Hospital, saying he had spoken to the director there. Al-Awda’s numbers couldn’t immediately be confirmed.

“The horrific massacre committed today by Netanyahu and his fascist government against the Palestinian people in Gaza, which led to slaughter of 210 and more than 400 wounded so far—under the pretext of liberating those detained by the resistance—confirms what the resistance has said repeatedly: that Netanyahu doesn’t plan to reach an agreement to stop the war and free the captured Israelis peacefully,” said Bassem Naim, a senior Hamas official now based in Lebanon.

AP reporters saw dozens of bodies brought to Al Aqsa hospital from the Nuseirat and Deir al-Balah areas, as smoke rose in the distance and armored vehicles rolled by.

A baby was among the dead. Small children wailed, covered in blood. Bodies were placed on the ground outside, their feet bare, as more wounded were rushed in.

“My two cousins were killed, and two other cousins were seriously injured. They did not commit any sin. They were sitting at

Almog m eir JAn 22, kidnapped from israel in a Hamas-led attack on oc tober 7, 2023, raises his hands after arriving by helicopter to the Sheba medical Center in ramat gan, srael on Saturday, June 8, 2024. israel says it has rescued four hostages in gaza who were kidnapped in a Hamas-led attack on oc tober 7.

LBAUM

home,” one relative said in the chaos at Nuseirat refugee camp.

As Palestinians explored the newly destroyed buildings, a small child sat on a collapsed metal door, overwhelmed.

Neighboring Egypt condemned “with the strongest terms” Israel’s attacks on the Nuseirat refugee camp, with its foreign ministry calling it a “flagrant violation of all rules of international law.” Neighboring Jordan also condemned it.

“The bloodbath must end immediately,” the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on the social platform X, noting reports of civilian deaths.

Israel’s military said it had attacked “threats to our forces in the area,” adding that one commando died from his wounds.

Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters that military intelligence determined some time ago that the hostages were being held in two apartments, about 200 meters (219 yards) away from each other, in the heart of the Nuseirat camp. He said the forces had trained repeatedly on a model of the apartment buildings.

Hagari said the forces moved in simultaneously in broad daylight on both apartments, believing this ensured the best element of surprise. But he said the rescuers came under heavy fire as they moved out, including from gunmen firing rocket-propelled grenades from within the neighborhood.

“A lot of fire was around us,” he said, adding that the military responded with heavy force, including from aircraft, to extract the rescuers and freed hostages.

A US hostage cell provided advice and support throughout the process of locating and rescuing the hostages, according to a Biden administration official, who was not authorized to comment and requested anonymity. The hostage cells are multi-agency teams.

Pushing back against social media claims, the US Central Command said in a tweet that neither the American-built pier in Gaza that brings in aid for Palestinians by sea nor any of its equipment, personnel or other assets were used in the Israeli operation. It said Israel used an area south of the pier “to safely return hostages.”

Hamas took some 250 hostages during the October 7 attack that killed about 1,200 people. About half were released in a weeklong cease-fire in November. About 120 hostages remain, with 43 pronounced dead. Survivors include about 15 women, two children under 5 and two men in their 80s.

Saturday’s operation brought the total number of rescued hostages to seven. Two were freed in February and one was freed in the aftermath of the October attack. Israeli troops have recovered the bodies of at least 16 others, according to the government.

The latest rescue lifted some spirits in Israel as divisions deepen over the best way to bring hostages home. Many Israelis urge Netanyahu to embrace a cease-fire deal US President Joe Biden announced last month, but far-right allies threaten to collapse his government if he does. Mednick and Jeffery reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report.

Colombia halts coal exports to Israel, straining ties between once-close allies

By Manuel Rueda The Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia—Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Saturday that his country will suspend coal exports to Israel over the war in Gaza, as relations sour between two countries that were once close military and commercial allies. Petro wrote on the social media platform X that coal exports will only resume “when the genocide” in Gaza stops. Petro also posted a draft decree, which says that coal exports will only resume if Israel complies with a recent order by the International Court of Justice that says Israel should withdraw its troops from the Gaza strip.

According to Colombia’s National Statistics Department, coal exports to Israel were worth more than $320 million in the first eight months of last year. That’s a small fraction of the nation’s overall coal exports, which were worth more than $9 billion in 2023. Israel imports more than 50 percent of its coal from Colombia, according to the American Journal for Transportation, and uses much of it to feed its power plants.

Petro, who was elected into office in 2022 as Colombia’s first leftist president, broke diplomatic ties with Israel in May saying that he could not maintain relations with the “genocidal” government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both governments have continued to keep consulates in each

other’s territories and conduct trade.

Colombia has long depended on Israel for military hardware that includes assault rifles and intelligence equipment. The South American nation has also bought more than 30 fighter jets from Israel over the past three decades, and depends on Israeli companies for their maintenance.

New military purchases have been halted, however, as relations between both countries deteriorate. Critics of Petro have said that the president’s decision to cut ties with Israel jeopardizes Colombia’s security capabilities as its military fights drug cartels and rebel groups in rural parts of the country.

But others applauded Petro’s latest move against Israel. The Global Energy Embargo for Palestine, an advocacy group that has been trying to convince nations around the world to stop coal and oil exports to Israel, said in a statement on Saturday that Colombia’s decision could put pressure on Israel to change its policies in the Gaza Strip, and will also put pressure on Israeli settlements in the West Bank that rely on electric plants fueled by coal imports.

“We urgently call on South Africa, which provides 9 percent of Israel’s coal, to follow Colombia’s lead,” the group said in the statement, while urging other countries with significant energy exports to also consider a ban.

Unlike previous Colombian presidents, who kept strong ties with Israel, Petro has been an outspoken critic of the middle eastern nation, and initially refused to condemn the Hamas attack that preceded Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

The Associated Press

Attacks in Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions leave 28 dead, Moscow-appointed officials say

By Susie Blann & Elise Morton | The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Russia-installed officials in the partially-occupied Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Luhansk said Ukrainian attacks left at least 28 people dead as Russia and Ukraine continued to exchange drone attacks overnight into Saturday.

A Ukrainian attack Friday on the small town of Sadove in the Kherson region killed 22 and wounded 15 people, Moscow-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo said.

Russian state news agency Tass cited Saldo as saying that Ukrainian forces first struck the town with a French-made guided bomb, then attacked again with a US-supplied HIMARS missile. He said Ukrainian forces had “deliberately made a repeat strike to create greater numbers of casualties” when “residents of nearby houses ran out to help the injured.” Officials declared Saturday a day

of mourning in Luhansk, and public events will be similarly cancelled Sunday and Monday in Kherson. Further east, Leonid Pasechnik, the Russia-installed governor in Ukraine’s partially occupied Luhansk region, said Saturday that two more bodies had been pulled from the rubble following Friday’s Ukrainian missile attack on the regional capital, also called Luhansk. Russian state news agency Interfax cited regional authorities as saying this brought the death toll to six. Pasechnik also said 60 people were wounded in the attack. Ukraine did not comment on either assault. Meanwhile, drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine persisted. Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russian territory overnight Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday. Twenty-five drones were reportedly destroyed over Russia’s southern Kuban and Astrakhan regions, the western Tula region, and the

SeoUl To reSTarT anTi-Pyongyang loUdSPeaker broadcaSTS in rePly To norTh’S TraSh balloonS

By Kim Tong-Hyung

The Associated Press

SE o U l , South k ore a—South k ore a announced Sunday it would resume anti- n o rth k o rean propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts in border areas in retaliation to the n o rth sending over 1,000 balloons filled with trash and manure over the last couple of weeks.

t h e move is certain to anger Pyongyang and potentially prompt it to take retaliatory military steps, and adds to tensions between the war-divided rivals amid a diplomatic stalemate over the n o rth’s nuclear ambitions.

Following an emergency security meeting led by South k o rean national security director Chang h o -jin on Sunday, officials decided to install and begin the loudspeaker broadcasts, Seoul’s presidential office said in a statement.

Chang and other South k o rean security officials berated Pyongyang for attempting to cause “anxiety and disruption” in South k o rea and stressed that n o rth k o rea would be “solely responsible” for any future escalation of tensions between the k ore as. t h e n o rth said its campaign came after South k o rean activists sent over balloons filled with anti- n o rth k o rean leaflets, as well as USB sticks filled with popular South k o rean songs and dramas which Pyongyang is extremely sensitive to as it fears it could demoralize front-line troops and residents and eventually weaken leader k i m Jong Un’s grip on power, analysts say. With the loudspeakers, South k ore a may blare anti-Pyongyang broadcasts, k- pop songs and outside news across the rivals’ heavily armed border.

i n 2015, when South k o rea restarted loudspeaker broadcasts for the first time in 11 years, n o rth k o rea fired artillery rounds across the border, prompting South k o rea to return fire, according to South k or ean officials. n o c asualties were reported.

l a st week, as tensions spiked over the trash-carrying balloons, South k o rea also suspended a 2018 tension-easing agreement with n o rth k o rea, allowing it to resume propaganda campaigns and possibly restart live-fire military exercises in border areas. South k o rean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik in a meeting with top military commanders called for thorough preparation against the possibility that the n o rth responds to the loudspeaker broadcasts with direct military action, the South k or ean Defense Ministry said in a statement.

h owever, the ministry didn’t immediately confirm whether the loudspeaker broadcasts had started as of Sunday afternoon.

n o rth k o rea continued to fly hundreds of balloons into South k o rea over the weekend, a third such campaign since late May, the South’s military said. South k o rea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the n o rth launching around 330 balloons toward the South since Saturday night and about 80 were found in South k o rean territory as of Sunday morning. t h e military said winds were blowing eastward on Saturday night, which possibly caused many balloons to float away from South k o rean territory.

t h e South’s military said the balloons that did land dropped trash, including plastic and paper waste, but no hazardous substances were discovered.

t h e military, which has mobilized chemical rapid response and explosive clearance units to retrieve the n o rth k o rean balloons and materials, alerted the public to beware of falling objects and not to touch balloons found on the ground but report them to police or military authorities.

i n n o rth k o rea’s previous two rounds of balloon activities, South k o rean authorities discovered about 1,000 balloons that were tied to vinyl bags containing manure, cigarette butts, scraps of cloth, waste batteries and waste paper. Some were popped and scattered on roads, residential areas and schools. n o h ighly dangerous materials were found and no major damage has been reported.

t he n orth’s vice defense minister, k im k an g i l , later said his country would stop the balloon campaign but threatened to resume it if South k o rean activists sent leaflets again.

i n defiance of the warning, a South k o rean civilian group led by n o rth k o rean defector Park Sang-hak, said it launched 10 balloons from a border town on t h ursday carrying 200,000 anti- n o rth k o rean leaflets, USB sticks with k- pop songs and k- dramas, and $1 US bills. South k o rean media reported another activist group also flew balloons with 200,000 propaganda leaflets toward n o rth k o rea on Friday.

k m in recent years has waged an intensifying campaign to eliminate South k o rean cultural and language influences. i n January, k i m declared the n o rth would abandon its longstanding goal of a peaceful unification with the South and rewrite its constitution to cement the South as a permanent enemy. Experts say k im ’s efforts to reinforce the n o rth’s separate identity may be aimed at strengthening the k i m family’s dynastic rule.

Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula.

On Saturday morning, officials said air defenses for the first time shot down Ukrainian drones over the North Ossetia region in the North Caucasus, some 900 km (560 miles) east of the front line in Ukraine’s partially occupied Zaporizhzhia region.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense said that one drone had been destroyed,

whereas regional Gov. Sergei Menyailo reported three downed drones over the region. Menyailo said that the target was a military airfield.

Ukrainian air defense overnight shot down nine out of 13 Russian drones over the central Poltava region, southeastern Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, and the Kharkiv region in the northeast, Ukraine’s air force said Saturday.

Dnipropetrovsk regional Gov. Serhiy Lysak said the overnight drone attack damaged commercial and residential buildings.

Later on Saturday, a Ukrainian military spokesman said Ukraine now controlled more than half of the town of Vovchansk, a flashpoint for fighting since Russia launched a renewed offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region last month.

“Most of the city is under the control of the defense forces,” Nazar Voloshin, spokesman for the Khortytsia ground forces formation, said on Ukrainian state TV.

It wasn’t immediately possible to independently confirm the claim.

Russia’s Kharkiv push appears to be a coordinated new offensive that

includes testing Ukrainian defenses in the Donetsk region further south, while also launching incursions in the northern Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

Also on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said there was an attempt on the life of the ex-mayor of Kupiansk, a city in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, on Friday.

The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said Hennadiy Matsehora was in “critical condition” after he was attacked in Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine.

Officials said he “voluntarily agreed to full cooperation” when Russian troops invaded and in June 2022 “signed the so-called protocol for the creation of the occupation Kharkiv administration.”

After the Ukrainian Armed Forces took back control of Kupiansk, Matsehora had “escaped with the Russians to the Belgorod region,” Ukrainian intelligence said.

The statement by the directorate on social messaging app Telegram labeled the ex-mayor a “traitor.” Morton reported from London.

More aid delivered to gaza from newly repaired US-built pier, US military says

By Ellen Knickmeyer & Tara Copp The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—The first aid from an Americanbuilt pier arrived in Gaza on Saturday since storm damage required repairs to the project, the US military said, relaunching an effort to bring supplies to Palestinians by sea that had been plagued with problems.

The pier constructed by the US military was operational for only about a week before it was blown apart in high winds and heavy seas on May 25. A damaged section was reconnected to the beach in Gaza on Friday after being repaired at an Israeli port.

About 1.1 million pounds (492 metric tons) of humanitarian aid was delivered to Gaza through the pier on Saturday, US Central Command said in a statement. It reiterated that no US military personnel went ashore in Gaza. The US Agency for International Development works with the U.N. World Food Program and their humanitarian partners in Gaza to distribute food and other aid coming from the US-operated pier.

The deliveries came the same day that Israel mounted a heavy air and ground assault that rescued four hos -

tages, who had been taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack that launched the war in Gaza. At least 210 Palestinians, including children, were killed, a Gaza health official said.

Pushing back against social media claims, US Central Command said in a tweet that neither the pier nor any of its equipment, personnel or other assets were used in the Israeli operation. It noted that Israel used an area south of the pier “to safely return hostages.”

“The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was put in place for one purpose only, to help move additional, urgently needed lifesaving assistance into Gaza,” the US military said.

USAID said in a separate statement that no humanitarian workers were involved in the Israeli operation.

“Humanitarian aid workers in Gaza are operating in extremely difficult and insecure conditions and must be protected,” the agency said by email. “Aid workers operate under the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.”

The movement of aid through the pier brings back online one way to get desperately needed food and other emergency supplies to Palestinians trapped by the eight-month-old Israel-Hamas war. Israeli restrictions

on land crossings, and fighting, have greatly limited the flow of food and other vital supplies into the territory.

The damage to the pier had been the latest stumbling block for the project and the persistent struggle to get food to starving Palestinians. Three US service members were injured, one critically, and four vessels were beached due to heavy seas.

Early efforts to get aid from the pier into the Gaza Strip also were disrupted as crowds overran a convoy of trucks that aid agencies were using to transport the food, stripping the cargo from many of them before they could reach a U.N. warehouse. Officials responded by altering the travel routes, and aid began reaching those in need.

Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, deputy commander of US Central Command, told reporters on Friday that the lessons learned from that initial week of operations made him confident greater amounts of aid could be delivered now.

He said the goal was to get to 1 million pounds of food and other supplies moving through the pier into Gaza every two days. To date, about 3.5 million pounds of humanitarian aid has been delivered through the maritime route, Central Command said Saturday.

Relief agencies have pressed Israel to reopen land routes that could bring in all the needed aid. Israel says it has allowed hundreds of trucks to enter through a southern checkpoint and pointed the finger at the U.N. for not distributing aid. The U.N. says it is often unable to retrieve the aid because of the security situation. U.N. agencies have warned that over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza could experience the highest level of starvation by the middle of next month if hostilities continue. President Joe Biden’s administration has said from the start that the pier wasn’t meant to be a total solution and that any amount of aid helps. Biden, a Democrat, announced his plan for the US military to build a pier during his State of the Union address in early March, and the military said it would take about 60 days to get it installed and operational. It took a bit longer than planned, with the first trucks carrying aid for the Gaza Strip rolling down the pier on May 17. The initial cost was estimated at $320 million, but the Pentagon said this past week that the price had dropped to $230 million, due to contributions from Britain and because the cost of contracting trucks and other equipment was less than expected.

Haiti’s new prime minister hospitalized days after being selected to lead country

By Evens Sanon & Dánica Coto

The Associated Press

Po R t- AU-PR i n C E, h ai ti— h ai ti’s newly selected prime minister, g a rry Conille, was hospitalized late Saturday in the capital of Port-au-Prince just days after arriving in the country, the government said. t w asn’t immediately known why Conille was hospitalized.

t h e office of the prime minister said in a statement that Conille was feeling slightly unwell “following a week of intense activities.” i t d id not provide further details except to say that Conille was stable and that he thanked those who visited him and wished him well.

l o uis g é rald g i lles, a member of the transitional presidential council that recently chose Conille as leader of the troubled Caribbean country, told t h e Associated Press that he was at the hospital but unable to provide further information.

A person close to Conille, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, told

AP that he was with the prime minister when he noticed Conille, who he said is asthmatic and sometimes uses an inhaler, appeared to have trouble breathing.

t h e person said he called high-ranking officials and told them Conille needed to be taken to the hospital.

A spokesman for Conille did not return messages for comment.

AP journalists observed high-ranking officials entering the hospital, including Frantz Elbé, director of h ai ti’s n at ional Police. Also present was Bruno Maes, U n iC EF’s representative in h ai ti. A handful of curious onlookers gathered outside the hospital as authorities blocked the street with tinted-glass SU vs Conille was chosen as prime minister May 28 after a convoluted selection process. h e f aces an arduous task as h a iti’s newest leader, including quelling widespread gang violence as the country prepares for the U. n .-backed deployment of a k e nyan police force, a move that was delayed in part because h ai ti lacked a premier after former Prime Minister Ariel h e nry stepped down April 25. h e nry was on an official visit to k e nya when gangs launched coordinated attacks Feb. 29, burning police stations, shooting at the country’s main international airport and storming h ai ti’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates. t h e violence left h e nry locked out of the country and eventually led to his resignation. Conille arrived in h ai ti on June 1, having worked outside

Windfall tax on fossil fuel profits: A timely call for climate action

United nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a “windfall” tax on the profits of fossil fuel companies in order to combat global warming. in his speech on World environment day, Guterres highlighted the alarming rise in global temperatures and the urgent need for action. His proposal to tax the profits of the fossil fuel industry is a bold and necessary step towards addressing climate change. (Read the story in BusinessMirror: “UN chief wants a tax on profits of fossil fuel firms, calls them ‘godfathers of climate chaos,’” June 6, 2024).

The evidence presented by Guterres is undeniable. The European Union’s Copernicus service reported that last month was the hottest May ever recorded, marking the 12th consecutive monthly record high. The burning of fossil fuels is the main contributor to global warming, and the World Meteorological Organization predicts a rise in temperatures between 1.1 and 1.9 degrees Celsius hotter than pre-industrial levels by 2028. The consequences of inaction are dire. Trillions of dollars in economic losses, the displacement of millions of people, and the destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity are all at stake. The Paris climate accord aimed to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but achieving this target is now hanging by a thread. Urgent measures are required to shift the trajectory and prevent catastrophic outcomes.

Guterres rightly points out that the fossil fuel industry has profited immensely from the exploitation of Earth’s resources while contributing to climate chaos. Imposing a windfall tax on their profits is a fair and just response to hold them accountable. It is analogous to the taxes levied on other industries that pose risks to public health, such as the tobacco industry. By redirecting these funds towards climate action, we can finance the necessary transition to a sustainable future.

Critics may argue that Guterres’ rhetoric is alarmist and could undermine the conversation around climate change. However, in the face of an existential threat, it is essential to convey the urgency of the situation. The consequences of climate change are not mere hyperbole; they are backed by scientific evidence and observable impacts. We must not shy away from using strong language to emphasize the need for immediate action.

While Guterres acknowledges that his power is limited to the “bully pulpit” of the United Nations, his call for action should not be disregarded. Governments, media, technology companies, and financial institutions all have a role to play. The Group of 20 countries, responsible for 80 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, must take the lead in implementing transformative policies. It is time for the wealthiest nations and individuals to recognize their responsibility and contribute to the fight against climate change. Furthermore, innovative sources of funding, including a carbon pricing mechanism and the windfall tax, must be explored to bridge the finance gap. The promise of $100 billion a year in climate finance, while a positive step, falls short of the trillions required for a global energy transition. Global finance institutions and banks should play a pivotal role in supporting climate action through their investment decisions and by redirecting funds away from fossil fuels.

Climate change is a global challenge that demands a collective response. Developed and developing nations alike must commit to ending deforestation, increasing energy efficiency, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. The fight against climate change should not be seen as a burden but as an opportunity for innovation, job creation, and a sustainable future for all.

Guterres’ call for a windfall tax on fossil fuel companies is a crucial step in the right direction. It is time to hold the godfathers of climate chaos accountable for their actions and redirect their profits towards mitigating the damage they have caused. The world cannot afford to delay action any longer.

BusinessMirror

The struggles of women in the workplace

ORISING SUN

ne would think that after numerous campaigns and significant efforts towards gender equality both here and worldwide, we would have already reached a point where women are given adequate opportunities in education, labor, and other important areas. However, a recent report revealed that women today are facing increasing issues in their personal and work lives.

Deloitte’s “Women @ Work 2024: A Global Outlook” annual report gathered insights from 5,000 women in 10 countries about their perspectives and experiences in the workplace. The report found that many women globally face similar challenges, and that progress in gender equality in the workplace seems to have come to a halt.

Although the Philippines was not included in the study, our experience and observations tell us that it’s no different for the women here. A Neda

Batangas

Lourdes M. Fernandez Jennifer A.

study revealed that many Filipino women are unemployed because they are busy performing stereotypical gender roles that assign them domestic and reproductive tasks, while men are assigned economic and productive roles. The same study also specified the women’s lack of access to skills training for jobs that are more compatible with domestic responsibilities. In other words, many Filipinas are unemployed because they choose not to work so they can look after their children, run their

ALITO GAGNI

lAWSUit against a Batangas prosecutor, who arrested two eternal Gardens employees without a warrant, has sparked widespread interest online. Many netizens believe this case could be a prime candidate for investigation by the human rights body established by President Marcos.

The lawsuit encompasses various issues that fall under the jurisdiction of the super body tasked with investigating human rights violations. This body, created by President Marcos and headed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin (former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court), includes Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, and DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos as members.

Created under Administrative Order 22, the “Special Committee on Human Rights Coordination” is tasked to sustain initiatives and accomplishments under the United Nations for the Joint Program on human rights (UNJP) in the areas of law enforcement, criminal justice and policymaking.

For lawyer Alexis Oco, the administrative suit filed against Batangas

household, or care for aging parents. I read somewhere that many women are launching their personal careers later in life when their children are grown and have lives of their own. It wouldn’t be surprising, the article said, to see women writers launching their first book at age 50 or older, having their first art exhibit in their senior years, and so on. The family needed to come first. Whatever is left of their life when that’s done is what they’ll use to catch up with their contemporaries, including the men who have already overtaken

lawsuit brings PBBM’s human rights body into the spotlight

State Prosecutor Edelwina Ebreo shines a lens on the new super body. The conditions that led to the incarceration of the two victims, Arnel Libuzo and Marissa San Diego, provide the smoking gun for the super body’s deliberation on the said administrative case. Their incarceration still traumatizes the victims.

“We filed an administrative complaint to formally ask the department—the Secretary of Justice and the DOJ to look into the possible irregularities conducted in the illegal arrest, the inquest proceedings, and the detention of Mr. Alibuzo [and] Ms. San Diego that happened on October 13,” said Oco, Eternal Gardens legal counsel.

In behalf of the victims, the company filed a motion seeking to transfer the venue for the preliminary investigation on the theft complaint

Although the Philippines was not included in the study, our experience and observations tell us that it’s no different for the women here. A Neda study revealed that many Filipino women are unemployed because they are busy performing stereotypical gender roles that assign them domestic and reproductive tasks, while men are assigned economic and productive roles. Created under Administrative Order 22, the “Special Committee on Human Rights Coordination” is tasked to sustain initiatives and accomplishments under the United Nations for the Joint Program on human rights in the areas of law enforcement, criminal justice and policymaking.

filed against Arnel Alibuzo, Marizza San Diego, Demetrio Peralta, Jocelyn Ann Buendia, and Reggie Reyes to the Office of the Prosecutor in Manila from Batangas.

The said theft complaint that Ebreo filed resulted in what Oco said is the unjust incarceration of the two employees of Eternal Gardens who were jailed for three days.

Oco’s motion said San Diego and Alibuzo were arrested by the Batangas City Police without a warrant over a complaint filed by Ebreo. The two said they were placed under inquest by another deputy prosecutor of the OCP Batangas while at the Police Community Precinct of Batangas, but without the assistance of a legal counsel.

them by leaps and bounds. The Deloitte study talked about the increasing stress levels that women are facing today; about half of the women in the study expressed concern about their mental health. These women are also bearing caregiving responsibilities and domestic duties. About half of the women say they are the primary caregivers of their children, and many of them also take care of other adults, like their aging parents or sick relatives. The sad thing is that this trend persists even for women who are the primary breadwinners in their households. It becomes more difficult, therefore, for these women to perform their work duties well.

All this highlights the importance of inviting more employers, businesses, and organizations to become more supportive of women, to create better programs to narrow the gender gap, and to offer more opportunities that will allow these professional women to thrive. We need more leaders who are sensitive to gender and equality issues and who are willing to work hard to create inclusive and supportive work environments.

The duties and functions of the special committee include strengthening existing mechanisms in the areas of “investigation and accountability; data-gathering on alleged human rights violations by law enforcement agencies; expanding civic space and engagement with private sector; national mechanisms for implementation, reporting, and follow-up; human rights-based approach towards drug control; and human rights-based approach towards counterterrorism.”

The special committee is also tasked to “monitor and ensure effective implementation of government policies and programs aimed at upholding and protecting human rights of persons deprived of liberty, particularly in guaranteeing that no one is subjected to torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The case of the two employees of Eternal Gardens who got themselves jailed is seen to be a test case for the super body. After all, as per Oco, the complainants said that the conduct of the inquest proceedings while at the police station showed a violation of the manual of prosecutors.

Cases and circumstances similar to the warrantless arrest as well as the conduct of the police in the jailing of both San Diego and Alibuzo, as detailed in the complaint, are precisely among those cited for the setting up of the country’s super body on human rights which will probe the violations of law enforcement agencies specifically on this aspect. Actually, the super body had other special tasks.

Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

Philippines as a global tax leader

TJoel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

Part 24

he Asian Development Bank, through its Asia Pacific Tax hub (Tax hub), has published several research and reference papers on taxation. The papers cover a broad range of topics, including comparative tax administration practices in the Asia Pacific region, measurement of value-added tax potential, tax transparency, growth-enhancing taxes, and others. These are handy references for tax administrators and policy-makers, researchers, taxpayers, and investors in the region.

A recent publication entitled “Growth-Enhancing Taxes” was released in May 2024 ( https:// www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/970521/ewp-727-growthenhancing-taxes.pdf ). It postulated that “developing Asian economies have the potential to raise tax revenues by exploring untapped sources and improving compliance to help meet key development goals.” This economic paper looks at “how progressive taxation can help reduce inequality and considers the benefits of environmental, property, corporate, and other levies.” It advocates for the reduction of the informal sector, making public spending more efficient, and reforming taxation administration to contribute to a more equitable fiscal mix to support sustainable and inclusive growth. While our fiscal and tax policymakers have been mouthing these solutions to improve the tax collection system, they must assess the recommendations in this recent paper in formulating further reforms. Better yet, our government tax officials should participate more proactively in the ongoing discourse in the global tax community so that the voice of the Philppines can be heard and contribute to the compilation of best ideas and practices.

A brief but informative brochure entitled “Enhancing Tax Transparency in Asia and the Pacific” was released by the ADB in May 2023 ( https://www.adb.org/sites/default/ files/publication/884721/enhancingtax-transparency-asia-pacific.pdf ). This publication provides an overview of how member countries of the ADB can enhance tax transparency and counter tax evasion and aggressive tax planning. ADB provides support for this transparency initiative through guidance and technical assistance for the exchange of tax information (EOI), countryby-country reporting, and the base erosion profit shifting programs. I note that the Philippines has been the recipient of several interventions from ADB in the past years, including those about capacity needs assessment, operational support to implement context-specific action plans of EOI and BEPS, high-level policy dialogues to promote tax transparency, and regional and bilateral training, seminars, and workshops. The Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue should proceed to the next phase of implementation of these ADB-provided inputs and echo these to the various stakeholders. The BIR officials are in a good position to pursue measures on tax transparency that other countries can emulate. I have been following the series of publications on “The Comparative Analysis of Tax Administration in Asia and the Pacific” since its incep-

continued from A12

Aside from this, there was a “blatant show of power,” as the prosecutor was able to summon police authorities to place the employees under investigation in the absence of a lawyer. The employees were charged for the loss of a tombstone.

Bahay Kubo

AWhile our fiscal and tax policymakers have been mouthing these solutions to improve the tax collection system, they must assess the recommendations in this recent paper in formulating further reforms. Better yet, our government tax officials should participate more pro-actively in the ongoing discourse in the global tax community so that the voice of the Philppines can be heard and contribute to the compilation of best ideas and practices.

tion in 2016. This series is already on its seventh edition with the release of the latest in January 2024 (https:// www.adb.org/publications/comparative-analysis-tax-administration-asiapacific-7th-edition). The publication contains tons of information on the tax administration statistics and practices of 41 countries, including the Philippines. Data and discussions are available on the Institutional Setups, Responsibilities, and Tax Collections; Important Developments and Issues in National Tax Administration; Future Directions and Developments in the Digitalization of Tax Administration; Tax Administration Operations; and, Financial, and Human Resources for Tax Administration. I know that this is one area where the BIR can showcase its capacity and best practices compared to the other countries. It will be good if the BIR scrutinizes in detail the contents of the publication to ensure that these are accurate and reflect the innovative practices it is implementing.

The Philippines can have a marked impact on the global taxation initiatives that ADB is advocating. Aside from the Philippines being the host country of ADB, there are several senior Filipino officials in ADB. These include Charlotte Justine Sicat, who serves as an Alternate Director on the ADB Board of Directors, and Leah Gutierrez, who is the Director General of ADB’s Pacific Department. They, collaborating with the DOF and BIR officials, will be able to put the Philippines in the leadership position in the global tax community.

To be continued

Joel L. Tan-Torres was a former Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. He has also held the various positions of Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business, Chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, Tax partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co., and director of various corporate boards. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He is now back to his tax and consultancy practice and can be contacted at joeltantorress@yahoo.com and his firm JL2T Consultancy.

In moving for the transfer of the case for theft lodged against the two Eternal Garden employees, Oco said: “The defective custodial investigation, compromised supporting documents and pieces of evidence, and farreaching influence of the prosecutor given her position in the OCP Batangas, instill fear on complainants that the resolution of the OCP Batangas in this case will be biased.”

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE

PATRIOT

T some point during my time at the Bureau of Immigration, there was an influx of people from Sabah entering our southern border, most of which were Filipino militants who were returning to the country after an unsuccessful Lahad Datu incursion in that region in 2013.

Mixed among the returnees were non-Filipinos who can, however, speak the Bisaya dialect. To sift through this exodus, our border officers challenged each person with questions like who’s the current President, who is Manny Pacquiao, and where is Luneta. With these questions, our officers managed to identify who the legitimate Filipinos among the militants were. After all, none of them had any passports coming back from Sabah.

In this context, some Filipinos with questionable claims of citizenship are sometimes asked to sing Filipino songs like the national anthem or, “Bahay Kubo” as in the case of a certain local government official. As per her birth certificate, her mother is a Filipino. Hence, she is presumed to have been born and raised where she claims to be, in support of the certificate. Naturally, since she claims to be a “local,” then she ought to know the folklore, like “Bahay Kubo.” Some might forget the words of “Panatang Makabayan,” others might not remember the lyrics of “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit.” But never the homey words and phrases of this famous folk song, usually taught by mothers to their young children at a very young age. This timeless Philippine folk song depicts the simplicity of the Filipino, while teaching the various plants and vegetables. As such, people who claim to be Filipinos ought to know how to sing “Bahay Kubo.”

Under Article IV of the 1987 Constitution, citizens of the Philip-

pines, among others, are those whose fathers or mothers are citizens of the Philippines and those who are naturalized in accordance with law. Further, natural-born Filipinos are those who are citizens of the Philippines from birth without having to perform any act to acquire or perfect their Philippine citizenship. This is the law—simple…but not quite. Of course, the best evidence needed to prove parental lineage is the birth certificate, which should indicate that either parent was a Filipino at the date of birth. The complications arise whenever you have a case of late registration, as in case of Bamban Mayor Alice Guo. Late registration of birth aims to allow those persons in the far-flung provinces, who were born without registration documents, to have a record of their births, although belatedly. One of the beneficiaries of this practice was my household helper who was born by way of midwife services in the boondocks of Samar. Sadly, this late registration has been prone to abuse. When I was in the Bureau, I remember encountering one Philippine passport with the name “Joker Aquino,” which turned out to be fake, if not a product of a fake birth certificate. I will not be surprised if there are other “fake Filipinos” who bastardized the process.

Decidedly, being a Filipino citizen is conclusive proof of one’s treatment as a true Filipino. This includes possession of a Philippine passport. Certain matters, however,

In the case of beleaguered Mayor Alice Guo, we have seen (and heard) her speak fluent Tagalog, and she declares having been raised in the Philippines. Demanding that she sing the folk song Bahay Kubo is a way of testing her acquiescence to the Filipino culture, again as part of ascertaining her true citizenship.

transcend the legal definition of citizenship. An example of this would be the knowledge and appreciation of Filipino traditions and values, speaking Tagalog, participating in Filipino celebrations, among others. We often allude to foreigners who are more Filipinos than the real Filipinos—they eat balut, ride the jeepney, do bayanihan, have a heart for hospitality and gratitude (some of the standards that strongly characterize a Filipino). In the case of beleaguered Mayor Alice Guo, we have seen (and heard) her speak fluent Tagalog, and she declares having been raised in the Philippines.

Demanding that she sing the folk song Bahay Kubo is a way of testing her acquiescence to the Filipino culture, again as part of ascertaining her true citizenship.

Interestingly, a columnist in one of our national newspapers once reflected the results of the 20132014 National Identity survey in 32 countries of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). The findings on the tested attributes of a true Filipino are: Born in the Philippines (83 percent); Speaks Filipino (81 percent); Feels Filipino (79 percent); Is a Filipino citizen (78 percent); Has Filipino ancestry (77 percent); Lived in the Philippines for most of one’s life (74 percent); Belongs to the main (i.e. Catholic) religion (73 percent); and Respects Philippine political institutions and laws (65 percent).

Even in that survey, one’s birth is on top of the attributes of one’s citizenship. Same thing in the spiritual realm, our “birth” is the number one attribute of our spiritual citizenship.

Putin is running out of time to achieve breakthrough in Ukraine

For months, russia’s army has made only limited gains on the battlefield against Ukrainian troops starved of weapons and ammunition. That’s a growing challenge for President Vladimir Putin as his military’s advantage starts to erode.

With Kyiv now taking delivery of billions of dollars in fresh arms from its US and European allies, the window for a Russian breakthrough is narrowing even as it continues to fire missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities including energy infrastructure.

A Russian attempt to open a new front in Ukraine’s northeast Kharkiv region already appears bogged down without achieving Putin’s goal of creating a buffer zone along the border. Ukraine claims to be inflicting “very high losses” on Russian troops in battles around the town of Vovchansk.

Russian forces advanced only marginally since taking the strategic eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka in February at the cost of huge casualties in months of fighting. They’ve been trying for weeks to take the key settlement of Chasiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region.

Russia’s strategy of attrition to exhaust Ukraine’s forces is “very expensive and bloody for the Russian army itself,” said Ruslan Pukhov, head of the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. “It can lead to excessive exhaustion of forces on the Russian side, which in turn, gives Ukrainians a chance to counter attack.”

While Russia is mounting attacks at several points along the front line, “we have chances to change the situation in our favor,” Ukrainian armed forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Wednesday on Telegram.

Putin insists his war goals are unchanged and that Russia will fight for

as long as needed to win in Ukraine, regardless of mounting casualties in a war that’s in its third year with no end in sight. Ukraine and its allies face the challenge of sustaining resistance in a war that’s largely reached a stalemate.

While Ukrainian officials raised the alarm about the threat of a Russian breakthrough during months of delays over US arms deliveries, Kyiv’s troops mostly held the line despite being outgunned as much as 10-1 by Moscow’s invading army. With President Joe Biden’s administration rushing US arms to Ukraine after Congress finally approved $61 billion in funding in April, the balance of firepower is beginning to shift.

“Ukraine was in a deep hole due to the delay” in sending US weaponry “and they’ve been digging out of that hole,” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Tuesday on board Air Force One. “We have seen them withstand the Russian assault,” and in a situation that’s developing dynamically “weapons arriving on the battlefield at scale and quantity in the last few days and weeks have made a difference,” he said.

European Union nations are also ramping up aid and weapons supplies to bolster Kyiv, even as Hungary’s Russia-friendly government continues to block billions of euros in wider military support.

Putin must also now contend with a shift in attitude from Ukraine’s allies, with the US and Germany joining nations including the UK in

And our Heaven-citizenship is made possible by being “born” into Christ, thus the biblical truth that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). It is important to realize that “our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 3:20). We may be IN this world, but we are not OF this world (John 17:4). Being citizens of Heaven, therefore, means we are to follow Christ’s word and demonstrate it in our words and actions. Singing the Lords’ Prayer (“Our Father”) is not an ample indication of our Heaven-citizenship, just as singing Bahay Kubo won’t prove conclusively true Filipino citizenship.   Unlike the challenge of a Bahay Kubo song for those claiming Filipino citizenship, Christ-believers are challenged not on their knowledge of the Lord’s Prayer or of the Bible but on their identity (being “in Christ”) based on their faith. True believers are judged not on what they know about the Bible but how they lived and loved just like how Jesus Christ did here on earth. Believers are considered as citizens of Heaven, not on the quantity of prayers they memorize or the multitude of verses they read, but how they live their lives by being “Ambassadors for Christ” ( 2 Corinthians 5:20 ). Believers in this country are dual citizens to the extent that they are God’s children first by faith, then Filipino patriots by blood second. With this truthful backdrop, no one can dare accuse them of being fake believers, nor of being fake Filipinos.

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

authorizing Kyiv to use their weapons to strike targets in border areas inside Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said he’s working on sending a coalition of instructors to train thousands of soldiers in Ukraine, despite threats of retaliation from Moscow.

Group of Seven leaders will meet next week in Italy to weigh plans to provide loans to Ukraine using windfall profits from about $280 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets.

“The prospects of Russia achieving victory this year have greatly reduced as a result” of the resumption of weapons supplies and aid, said Ben Barry, senior fellow for land warfare at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. “Russia might have the largest number of soldiers, but a lot of their first rate armored vehicles have been destroyed” and it’ll take years to rebuild the army to its 2022 level, he said.

Putin’s decision to appoint Andrey Belousov, an economist, as defense minister last month in place of his long-serving ally Sergei Shoigu underscored Russia’s need to squeeze more from the stretched resources of an economy that’s overheating, even if unprecedented international sanctions failed to trigger a collapse.

Defense spending as a percentage of gross domestic product is nearing levels last reached at the height of the Cold War in the 1980s under the Soviet Union, limiting Russia’s ability to continue ratcheting up military production.

While Russia massively increased output of missiles, artillery, tanks and munitions since the February 2022 invasion, “building an effective economy for the Armed Forces is essential today,” Putin told a May 25 meeting with defense industry officials. It must “generate returns on every ruble we invest in it.” To be sure, both sides face formidable challenges, particularly in recruiting replacements for killed or wounded troops. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new mobilization law lowering the age of the draft, though manpower remains a problem for the military.  The Kremlin is determined not to repeat Putin’s September 2022 order to draft 300,000 reservists, a mobilization that shook public support and triggered an exodus of as many as a million Russians from the country. It’s relying instead on offering generous pay and signing bonuses to attract recruits as the Defense Ministry aims to enlist at least 250,000 more soldiers this year.  While the policy avoids social tensions inside Russia over the war, it’s unlikely to allow the army to amass enough troops for a successful offensive in Ukraine, according to Pukhov, the Moscow-based military analyst. “For a real breakthrough the Kremlin would need far more people,” he said. Putin said in December that Russia had 617,000 troops deployed in Ukraine. At a meeting with foreign media in St. Petersburg late Wednesday, he appeared to imply that some 10,000 Russian troops a month were being killed or wounded, by claiming the total was five times lower than Ukrainian losses he put at 50,000. Ukraine rejects such estimates of its casualties. Zelenskyy said in February his military had lost 31,000 soldiers since the start of the war.  With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska, Aliaksandr Kudrytski and Chris Miller /Bloomberg

Subsidies to GOCCs as of end-April up 56% to P47.31B

By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto

THE national government extended P47.307 billion worth of budgetary support to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) as of end-April, data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed.

Subsidies made by the government from January to April 2024 rose by half, or 56.31 percent, from P30.265 billion recorded in the same period a year ago.

B roken down, 65.48 percent of the subsidies went to major non-financial government corporations amounting to P30.978 billion, up by 57.91 percent from P19.618 billion posted in the same period a year ago.  O ther government corporations’ subsidies also increased by 30.93 percent to P13.752 billion from P10.503 billion in the same period in 2023. This is 29.07 percent of the total subsidies as of endApril.

T he remaining 5.45 percent of the subsidies were extended to government financial institutions, which ballooned by 1,689

percent to P2.577 billion compared to P144 million given a year ago.

T he National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management ( PSALM ) and National Housing Authority (NHA) received the highest shares in government subsidies.

N IA obtained the highest subsidy worth P21.742 billion, or 45.96 percent of the total subsidies for the period, as the government countered the impact of El Niño. The amount is also higher by 54.62 percent from the P14.062 billion the NIA received in the same period a year ago.

Following NIA was PSALM , receiving P8 billion, also up by 60 percent from the P5 billion it received in the same period in 2023.

Subsidies obtained by NHA more than tripled to P3.749 billion from P836 million

a year ago.

O ther state-run corporations that received large amounts of government subsidies from January to April were the National Food Authority (P2.250 billion), National Electrification Authority (P2.088 billion), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation  (P900 million) and Small Business Corporation (P800 million).

T he smallest subsidies, meanwhile, went to the Philippine Center for Economic Development (P10 million), Philippine Tax Academy (P12 million), Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (P12 million) and Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and Freeport (P15 million).

For the month of April, government subsidies ripled to P27.720 billion, expanded by 209.48 percent, from P8.957 billion in 2023.

N IA remained as the agency extended with the highest subsidy at P11.425 billion in April, followed by PSALM at P8 billion, and the NHA at P3.749 billion.

T he national government provides subsidies to state-run firms to fund operations not covered by corporate revenues, or to finance specific programs or projects.

Subsidies given to state-run corporations in 2023 plunged to P163.535 billion, dropping by 18.39 percent from P200.410 billion in 2022 as the country recovered from the impacts of Covid-19.

T he government has reverted to a budget surplus amounting to P42.7 billion in April.

PALACE TELLS GOVT AGENCIES: USE ‘BP’ HYMN IN FLAG RITES

ALL national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and State Universities and Colleges (SUC), are now “encouraged” by Malacañang to include the Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) hymn and pledge recital in their flag ceremonies.

This was contained in Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 52 issued by Executive Secretary Lucas B. Bersamin last Wednesday.  He said the measure aims to instil the principles of the Bagong Pilipinas (BP) governance and leadership among Filipinos.

For this purpose, the heads of all national government agencies and instrumentalities shall ensure that the Bagong Pilipinas Hymn and Pledge, which are annexed to this Circular, are properly disseminated within their respective institutions and offices,” Bersamin said.

T he Presidential Communications Office (PCO) was tasked to disseminate the BP pledge and hymn to all government offices and the public.

L ast year, Bersamin issued MC No. 3, directing national government agencies and instrumentalities to include the BP in their branding and communication strategy.

O fficially launched by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last January, the PB aims to serve as a master plan to transform the country’s economy and governance through the thoughts, words and works of each Filipino. In another development, the Palace

also issued MC No. 54, which urged all government agencies, local government units (LGUs) and other government instrumentalities to participate in the 2024 National Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Summit. T he Summit will be held by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on June 18 and 19 at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, Ortigas Center with the theme “Digital Governance: Navigating the Future.” M arcos said attendance by the concerned ICT officials and personnel of the participating government offices will be considered “on official time, provided that they are issued the pertinent clearances or authorities by their respective heads of offices.”

Samuel P. Medenilla

PHL to tap Ipef

TBy Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

HE Philippines aims to seek technical assistance from Indo-Pacific Economic Framework ( IPEF ) partners as it intends to combat corruption, particularly bribery, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual.

T he Philippines’s Trade chief underscored this after IPEF partners signed the Fair Economy Agreement and Clean Economy Agreement in Singapore last Thursday. I n a statement issued by the DTI over the weekend, Pascual emphasized the Philippines’s intention to seek technical assistance in implementing IPEF partners’ commit -

ments under the UN Convention Against Corruption, particularly on bribery.

He underscored the importance of such cooperation in improving transparency and predictability in the business environment across the Indo-Pacific region.

The developments in the IPEF Agreements we have signed and the initiatives and opportunities arising from our commitments therein bring us significantly closer to our vision of a prosperous Indo-Pacific region that is built on secure and resilient supply chains, transition to sustainable and clean economies, and transparency and good governance through robust tax and anti-corruption regimes,” Pascual said in his closing state -

ment during the IPEF Ministerial Meeting last June 6.  H e stressed that the Philippines will continue to “actively” engage with the rest of the IPEF partners “in working towards realizing our aspirations in this endeavor, and I also look forward to touching base with everyone again later this year.”

A lso at the IPEF Ministerial meeting, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, along with 22 American companies, participated in the inaugural IPEF Clean Economy Investor Forum, where the Ipef partners announced $23 billion in priority projects for consideration to accelerate sustainable infrastructure investments in the region.

PINOY MAVERICKS CIMB Bank Philippines, the country‘s most awarded digital-only commercial bank, proudly introduces the 10 nominees of the inaugural CIMB Pinoy Mavericks Awards. Cat Triviño (host) and D’Artagnan Aguilar (CIMB chief marketing officer) are joined in the photo by the inspiring individuals honored for their triumph over adversity: Steve Dailisan, Myke Celis, Marlon Fuentes, Phoebe Fructuoso, Jerico Ramota,

Jerico Silvers, MK Bertulfo, Jkhriez Pastrana, April Perreras, and Erline Maniquis. The prestigious award celebrates strength, courage, and resilience, showcasing how they live their purpose. NONIE REYES

BERSAMIN

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CREC keen on sustainable bond issuance, says exec

By VG Cabuag @villygc

Listed Citicore Renewable energy Corp. (CReC) may undertake another fundraising exercise by issuing sustainability-themed green bonds.

Oliver Tan, CR eC president, said plans to issue the bonds are still in the “initial stages” as the company is still weighing the price of the offering.

“(It will) depend on the interest rate conditions. But most likely (the issuance will happen) next year since we want to wait for a cut, for rates to go down.”

CR eC ’s shares closed mainly unchanged on its maiden trading day on Friday, at P2.70 apiece, following a successful fundraising that attracted the interest of the United Kingdom’s MOBILIST program, an

initiative by the British Investment Partnership to deliver assistance to support infrastructure development and green transmission in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

MOBILIST partnered with the Philippine Stock e x change (PSe) t o ensure greater investment in sustainable development in the Philippines through products listed on the PSe C R e C is MOBILIST’s maiden IPO investment in the country focused on renewable energy transition.

The company raised some P5.3

billion from its initial public offering (IPO) at the PSe

C R e C sold to the public 1.96 billion shares, divided into an initial 1.78 billion primary shares and another 178.57 million secondary shares to cover the greenshoe option, at an offer price of P2.70 per share.

“We are delighted with the outcome of CR e C ’s initial public offering - a testament to strong investor confidence in our vision, plans and projects,” e d gar Saavedra, CR e C c hairman, said.

“Based on our experience, the IPO plays a significant role in shaping companies and our collaboration with the PSe and Se C [Securities and e x change Commission] now extends to three companies-Megawide (Construction Corp.), CR eI T [Citicore energy R eI T Corp.] and CR eC . The success of our latest listing motivates us to exceed expectations in fulfilling our commitment to regulators and investors.”

Tan said the company is set to

build 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy portfolio of varying source by 2028.

“With the investments made during the IPO, we have gained even more confidence in our ability to develop and expand our green energy portfolio. These investments are integral to the country’s transition to a cleaner form of power and our hope is to contribute to a more sustainable and affordable energy solution for all.”

The IPO is one of CR e C ’s biggest capital-raising efforts following its mezzanine loan facility with Pentagreen Capital in 2023, as well as the financing arrangement with RCBC and the sale of certain CR eI T shares to SM Investments Corp., both held earlier this year.

“CR e C ’s goal is to contribute approximately 1.0 gigawatt of readyto-build/under construction solar energy capacity in the Philippine energy mix per year in the next five years, equivalent to approximately 5.0 GW by 2028,” Tan said.

SIDGS builds APAC hub in PHL

SID Global Solutions (SIDGS), an IT solutions provider, said it is investing $20 million in the Philippines to establish its Asia Pacific (APAC) Digital e n gineering and Delivery hub.

“I feel in the next half-a-decade or two decades, the Philippines has the potential to be one of the digital leaders in the world. That’s what we believe in and that’s why we are here,” SID Global Solutions Founder and Chairman Venkat Madipadaga said in a media briefing held in Makati City last Thursday.

Madipadaga said the digital revolution is now rewriting the rules of business in the country.

“So we are not just what watching the revolution unfold. We are orchestrating it. We are not just investing in technology, we are in investing in the Filipino people— in their spirit, in their unyielding drive.”

Among the challenges the country is facing today are the lack of skilled talents in advanced technology industry, poor information technology infrastructure, and cybersecurity. SIDGS said it seeks to address all those issues and contribute to the digital transformation of the Philippines.

As part of the company’s investment, Madipadaga said that it will help build the needed infrastructure, train the workforce, and deploy solutions that will empower businesses of all sizes to become unstoppable in the digital age and enable to compete with global leaders.

he added that SIDGs will also partner with schools to create a new generation of digital renegades, bring lessons learned from across the globe, and harness the power of new technologies to spark innovation and drive growth.

“We are unleashing the transformative power of Industry 4.0, Cybersecurity, AI, machine learning, blockchain, IoT, RPA, Data Analytic, App Modernization, and Cloud computing to create a business landscape that’s not just efficient, it’s transformative. Not just convenient, it’s inclusive.”

he adquartered in e x ton, Pennsylvania in the United States, SIDGS provides “full-stack, end-to-end innovative digital transformation solutions and services” to Fortune 500 customers and public sector globally. Apart from the Philippines, it also has operations in India, United Arab e m irates, UK, and Singapore.

Singapore

investors urged to place bet on New Clark City

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) vowed to continue its efforts to develop New Clark City in Tarlac into a premier industrial hub that can attract local and foreign investors.

BCDA President and CeO Joshua M. Bingcang made this pronouncement following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s bilateral meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, where the president highlighted New Clark City as a viable destination for Singaporean investors.

The President told Prime Minister Wong that the Philippine government wants to develop New Clark City as an industrial center in which Singaporean investors could participate.

“We are thrilled to have none other than President Marcos Jr. as our ambassador for New Clark City. With his support, we can certainly attract more investors to choose this area as they pursue expansion and investment opportunities,” Bingcang said in a statement.

he added: “On the BCDA’s part, we commit to develop New Clark City according to the master plan, with the vision of creating the country’s green, resilient, inclusive, and smart metropolis.”

“We want to position New Clark City as an investment haven and

tourist destination—one that will support the Marcos administration’s socioeconomic agenda of establishing livable and sustainable communities, revitalizing industries, and generating quality jobs.” New Clark City is a 9,450-hectare greenfield development inside the Clark Special economic Zone positioned to be an inclusive, resilient, sustainable, and smart city. This major metropolis is being developed to help decongest Metro Manila, and to serve as an investment hub to catalyze growth in Central Luzon. Given Singapore’s experience in smart city development, BCDA tapped Surbana Jurong of Singapore in crafting New Clark City’s Comprehensive Master Development Plan. Also involved in the master plan were the Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp. for Transport and Urban Development, A eCOM, Nippon Koei, and Philkoei International.

the hopes of a rate cut by the Fed soon may weigh on sentiment. adding to this is the lingering weakness of the local currency,” Tantiangco said. Broker 2Tradeasia said key economic data releases and the US Fed policy meeting will be “front and center” this week.

“The highly anticipated Fed meeting on 11th to 12th, plus inflation reports for May should drive activity in capital markets; flattish annual headline inflation with some easing in sequential month on month figures are keeping pessimists in the sidelines.” Local inflation, meanwhile, remains stubborn following a slight uptick last May to 3.9 percent from april’s 3.8 percent. This brings year-to-date inflation to 3.5 percent, still within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) target of 2 to 4 percent. a status quo stance

The firm employs 55 people in the Philippines serving customers from the banking, financial services and insurance, retail, healthcare, energy and government sectors.

With their three-year investment, Madipadaga said the company aims to grow its organization here with a total of 1,500 to 2,000 technologically skilled workforce until 2026 out of the 10,000 talents throughout the APAC region the company seeks to train.

“Thirty percent of that we want to bring in from different parts of Asia Pacific into the country so that we can cross pollinate, cross train and, cross educate people with the latest and greatest skills.”

Apart from Ortigas that now serves as the regional hub of SIDGS, the company also has a branch in Makati. The investment also covers its local footprint expansion to Cebu and Davao.

“This is our promise, our vision for the future of business to the Philippines. A landscape where every Philippines business has the tools, the access, and the unwavering confidence for Filipinos to thrive in the digital age.” Roderick L. Abad

easing. Datapoints still suggest unlikely easing until well after third quarter, although we acknowledge that base effects when CPI surged during the second half of 2023 are

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Fight against high inflation isn’t over yet, says Lagarde

The european Central Bank’s (eCB) fight against inflation isn’t over yet and officials need to remain vigilant although they lowered borrowing costs this week, President Christine Lagarde said.

“We are seeing progress on many fronts,” she said in an opinion piece published in various european newspapers including Austria’s Der Standard. “But there is still a long way to go until inflation is squeezed out of the economy.”

She underscored that interest rates need to remain restrictive for as long as necessary to ensure price stability on a lasting basis. “In other words, we still need to have our foot on the brake for a while, even if we are not pressing down as hard as before,” she said.

her comments come a day after the eC B delivered a widely telegraphed landmark interest-rate cut—lowering its deposit rate by 25 basis points after keeping it at a record-high of 4 percent for around nine months. But it left investors querying where policy is headed next.

While arguing that the outlook for consumer prices has “improved markedly,” the eCB lifted its inflation forecast for 2025 to 2.2% from 2.0 percent—raising questions about the appropriateness of the move. Austria’s Robert holzmann opposed the decision, arguing that “data-driven decisions should be data-driven decisions.”

Inflation in the 20-nation bloc accelerated by more than anticipated to 2.6 percent in May. even

more worrisome for officials was a surge in services prices, and the unexpected strengthening of underlying pressures.

e a rlier on Friday, officials offered wary assessments on the prospect for further easing, seeking more evidence of progress on price growth to be sure that any more action is warranted. Ireland’s Gabriel Makhlouf said policymakers don’t know “how fast we’re going to carry on, or if at all.” The eCB’s preferred measure of euro-zone wages—also published Friday—accelerated at the start of 2024, another sign that price pressures in the region are proving stubborn.

In the op-ed, Lagarde highlighted that consumer-price growth is on track to reach the 2-percent goal in the latter part of 2025—with the eCB’s monetary policy “making a strong contribution“ to that. “So, by cutting rates, we decided to moderate the degree of monetary policy restriction,” she said.

But the return to target “will not be an entirely smooth ride,” she said. “It needs vigilance, commitment and perseverance.” Future policy decisions will hinge on three factors, she said—“whether we continue to see inflation returning to our target in a timely manner, whether we see overall price pressures easing in the economy, and whether we still see our monetary policy as effective in taming inflation.”

“These factors will determine when we can take our foot further off the brake,” she said. Bloomberg News

Perspectives

Lower rice tariffs to hasten interest rate cuts–Recto

By Reine Juvierre Alberto

The expected reduction in rice prices due to the cut in rice tariff rates could cause inflation to ease and allow the government to lower key policy rates, according to Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto.

Recto, however, told reporters on Friday that the national government could lose around P20 to P22 billion in foregone revenues due to the approved the reduction of rice tariffs from 35 percent to 15 percent until 2028.

“We are reducing inflation and once we’re able to reduce inflation, hopefully, we can reduce interest rates and that will create more growth so we can recover [from those losses],” Recto said.

“By not doing anything, we won’t be able to reduce the price of rice. We won’t be able to do a policy cut,” he added.

Last week, the national economic and Development Authority (neda) Board led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the tariff reduc-

Resilience amid complexity

In today’s rapidly evolving and interconnected business landscape, organizations face unprecedented challenges and an increasingly complex and volatile risk landscape that can threaten their competitiveness and future survival.

The World e c onomic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024 notes that amid rapidly accelerating technological change, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, global sentiment for short-term growth is low, with the potential for further deterioration over the next decade.

Resilience has emerged as a critical factor—and a significant differentiator—for businesses looking to navigate today’s challenges, drive strategic agility and achieve sustainable growth. By developing the ability to anticipate, respond to and adapt to disruptive events, while embracing a forward-thinking, flexible and adaptive mindset, organizations can not only survive but also thrive in the face of adversity. Future-focused companies are embracing the power of data and artificial intelligence (AI) to help build and strengthen enterprise resilience. This article illustrates how agile decision-making, empowered employees and a willingness to experiment and learn from failures are among the keys to resilience in a bold new era of rapid change. We share revealing real-world examples of how companies have overcome their challenges and emerged stronger as the rapid pace of change accelerates. And look at the key components of KPMG’s enterprise resilience framework and how it is helping these businesses build resilience and achieve their strategic objectives in an increasingly uncertain world.

Resilience amid complexity is now a key differentiator WhILe resilience is often associated with the ability to respond to and recover from disruptive events, it is equally important to recognize its strategic significance. Resilience is not just about bouncing back from adversity. It is about developing and

sustaining the agility, adaptability, foresight and competitive advantages that have become critical to thriving in the face of today’s adversity.

The accelerating pace of change— driven by geopolitical tensions, climate change, technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences—has created an environment where traditional sources of competitive advantage are no longer sufficient. e c onomies of scale, vertical integration and even cohesive cultures have given way to time-to-market economies, flexible structures and organizations with fluid cultures that embrace experimentation and innovation.

In the current landscape, enterprise resilience emerges as a key differentiator between organizations that simply react to change versus those that proactively anticipate and strategically shape their future. Resilient organizations can not only recover from disruptions but also use these challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation. They are characterized by their ability to continuously create new competitive advantages that can help keep them one critical step ahead of rivals. This can require shifting from a problem-solving mindset to an opportunity-seeking orientation, where challenges are viewed as catalysts for innovation and growth. Moreover, enterprise resilience is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing process that demands constant attention and nurturing. In our view, it requires visionary leadership that fosters a culture of innovation, anticipation, experimentation and continuous learning. By embedding innovation into their organizational culture and putting it at the core of their growth strategies, resilient organizations can be positioned to continuously create new sources of competitive advantage.

Resilience in today’s reality is data-driven and AI-based

TR ADITIOnALLy, resilience has been viewed as a qualitative attribute, often discussed in abstract terms such as adaptability, robustness and flexibility. however, to truly understand

and enhance the resilience of an organization, we believe it’s essential to take a quantitative approach to resilience management—one that’s data-driven and AI-enabled.

Quantitative enterprise resilience frameworks offer businesses a powerful tool to navigate today’s unprecedented challenges. By leveraging advanced computational techniques, businesses can integrate various factors associated with resilience principles into a comprehensive model that supports decision-making in a very complex and fast-changing world.

The path to enterprise resilience for a new era begins here

DATA-DRIV en and AI-enabled decision-making is positioning more organizations to make the timely and informed decisions needed to make a difference in today’s environment. Increasing business complexity has, in most cases, rendered the traditional approach obsolete for informed decision-making.

KPMG’s enterprise resilience framework helps organizations anticipate and flexibly adapt as they navigate the complexities of today’s business environment with foresight, predictive capabilities and informed decision-making. The key components of enterprise resilience include strategic, operational, reputational, financial, technological, and organizational resilience.

This excerpt was taken from the KPMG Thought Leadership publication: https://kpmg. com/xx/en/home/insights/2024/05/resilienceamid-complexity.html. © 2024 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved. For more information, you may reach out through ph-kpmgmla@kpmg.com, social media or visit www.home.kpmg/ph. This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent KPMG International or KPMG in the Philippines.

tion for rice as part of the Comprehensive Target Program (CTP) for 2024 to 2028.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the decision aims to reduce rice prices further and make it “more affordable.”

Recto said the reduced rice tariffs would bring down rice prices by P6.00 to P7.00 per kilogram. The government’s target is to slash rice prices to P29 per kilo for the poor.

“If you’re able to reduce the price of rice, then...inflation would dramatically go down,” he added. Rice inflation eased to 23 percent in May this year from 23.9 percent in April, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Recto, however, said the govern-

ment is not relying on rice imports to manage inflation, adding that it is only a “short-term” move.

Since increasing rice productivity is part of the Philippine Development Plan, Recto said the government will continue to invest in local farmers, irrigation, mechanization, post-harvest facilities and other measures for the country to lessen its reliance on food importation.

“We are not abandoning our farmers. In fact, we will be investing more,” he added.

Recto said he recently met with farmers, who strongly opposed the tariff cut, and is now already “moving forward” and consulting farmers on how to increase farm productivity and how to spend the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) P208.58-billion budget for the year. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. proposed to double the agency’s budget to P513.81 billion. Recto said more support would be extended to the farmers through the Rice Tariffication Law and the general fund. Rice farmers are still protected even with the 15-percent rice tariffs as this will still generate roughly P15 billion for the government, he said. The state has already collected about P18 billion from rice tariffs, according to Recto.

Inquiries to sharpen PHL tools vs money laundering–solon

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

AMID criticism that congressional investigations on POGOs are becoming long-winded and may be a tool for political persecution of local officials, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the Senate’s inquiry in aid of legislation will bring timely and needed reforms in the country’s money-laundering regulatory system. In an interview with DWIZ’s “Usapang Senado” host Cely Ortega Bueno at the weekend, Gatchalian defended the investigation of several big POGO operations that are linked to serious crimes like human trafficking, torture, money laundering and cyber fraud.

“If we didn’t have senate investigation, we would not have noticed these gaps in our system,” Gatchalian told DWIZ, referring to how, he said, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) apparently failed to detect the P6.1 billion, estimated to have been just the cost of the POGO buildings. he also noted the construction cost of the POGO hub in Bamban, Tarlac raided last month by an interagency team led by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

The AMLC and PAOCC are among the key agencies that briefed three Senate committees in an executive session last week, particularly on the latest raid of a POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga, and the curious case of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo, deemed by senators as a Chinese national who obtained Philippine documents like a delayed birth certificate and a passport, so she could run for election. She is accused of facilitating the licenses that allowed the Bamban POGO hub to flourish since 2022.

“We don’t know who paid the contractors, suppliers—malaking investments na Pogo, dapat nababantayan,” said Gatchalian.

“From 2019 till 2024, they (AMLC) had no report. If they didn’t know, lalong hindi natin alam,” he added, of the mystery behind how funds in the billions entered the country.

Four of the five incorporators in Baofu Land Development Inc. that first set up the hub have pending records, including the biggest money laundering case being prosecuted in Singapore.

Asked if senators will seek liability from AMLC, the senator replied: “We’re studying that angle. I am reserving comment, because we

got request from AMLC to talk to us and explain. But for now, I’m deeply dismayed that this went undetected by them.”

AMLC, he said, is preparing new legislation to expand their powers and functions so they can cover cases like this POGO.”

At the same time, Gatchalian said officials of local government units (LGUs) “have liabilities.” “now, LGU chief execs have convenient excuse that they don’t know about the POGO ops in their locality.” Moreover, he said, “LGUs should not be blinded by the money from POGOs.” he added that they could follow Valenzuela and Pasig, which passed ordinances banning POGOs in their locality.

“I have seen that inquiry in aid of legislation is really important—because no matter how perfect a law may be, the criminals are smart, they always get one step ahead of the law, of the government agencies; they can circumvent the safeguards we’ve put in law.

“These criminals are so good,” the senator said, adding: “they can put in so much money like this undetected, they can easily use this also to corrupt people to game the system.”

‘Licensed POGOs pose no security threat’

ALIen hacking and scam syndi-

cates are the real threat to national security, not legitimate and licensed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs), according to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

Pagcor issued the statement after the lawyers of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo blamed the state-run firm for allowing POGO in her town.

Pagcor Chairman and C e O Alejandro h Tengco said in a statement that legitimate and licensed Pogos, also called internet gaming licensees (IGLs), generate funds for the national government. Pogos, or IGLs, have contributed about P5 billion to Pagcor’s gross revenues in 2023, according to Tengco.

“To us, the real threat are the alien hacking and scam syndicates who operate underground, and they are the

ones that our law enforcement agencies are trying to locate and dismantle,” Tengco said.

“We are cooperating fully with the authorities in this regard,” he added.

Tengco said licensed POGOs should not be “blamed and demonized” as Pagcor closely monitors its licensees, adding that POGOs pay taxes and help provide legitimate jobs and livelihood.

Tengco added that Pagcor has embedded monitoring teams in all physical locations of its licensed gaming operators, including land-based casinos, to guarantee that its licensees comply with their terms.

Fines and penalties are imposed on those who violate the provisions of their licenses. Licenses are revoked and bonds are forfeited to those with the most serious offenses, Tengco added.

“We do not need to outlaw Pogos; what we need to do is intensify anti-crime op-

erations against suspected alien hackers, against scammers and cyber-criminals who are usually hiding in highly secured buildings and compounds,” he said. he appealed to the public to report suspicious alien activities in their communities, adding that such foreign criminal activities are usually armed and dangerous.

“These criminal syndicates are not engaged in offshore gaming at all and even if they are, they are doing it illegally. So they are the real threat and we must go after them with everything that we have,” Tengco said. earlier, the Pagcor chief said the agency is open to allowing POGOs to remain in the Philippines, provided that they are properly monitored and regulated. Tengco said the number of Pogos in the country have fallen by 30 percent, or 75 licensees, from the 295 recorded in 2019. Reine Juvierre Alberto

RECTO

Natural gas boom in the Philippines: Economic boon or environmental bane?

By Ed Davey The Associated Press

Sea turtles still scramble from the waters off Batangas Bay, paddling up the sand to bury their eggs. Coral reefs that some marine biologists call the amazon of the ocean lie just offshore, home to giant clams, nurturing small fish, which in turn are prey for manta rays.

But above the surface the land has changed. The fishing village of Santa Clara is now surrounded by four power-generating stations, all burning natural gas. The construction isn’t over. Four more power plants that burn natural gas are planned for the coastline. What was a string of fishing villages is now an industrial zone.

The Philippines is going all in for electricity made via climate-damaging combustion, with almost two dozen power stations planned and the ambition to become a gas hub for the entire Asia Pacific region.

When natural gas is super-chilled into a liquid, special tanker ships can transport millions of cubic feet of it at a time, and the global trade in liquified natural gas or LNG is growing fast. It’s one of the world’s largest natural gas power buildouts and will contribute to climate change at a time when alternative, renewable electricity has never been cheaper.

“It’s mind-boggling that the Philippines, a climate-vulnerable country, would still pursue dirty fuels which exacerbate climate disasters,” said Gerry Arances, executive director of the Philippine nonprofit Center for Energy, Ecology and Development.

Natural gas causes warming of the atmosphere both when it leaks out, unburned, and when it is burned for heat or electricity. Experts who have studied the country found its future growth could be met entirely with renewables; reliance on natural gas will make power more expensive for Filipinos and there will be other environmental costs.

Rising production, falling fish stocks

W IL m A A B ANIL , a grandmother of four, witnessed changes after the first plant opened in 2002. Within two years, the fish catch was falling, she said. It grew worse as more plants opened.

“Before when you worked really hard, you could send your children to school,” Abanil said. “We were happy. We could support our family. These days we have nothing.”

“We heard they will build more,” Abanil said. “What will happen to us?”

Government justifications and controversies

Ph I LIPPINE D epartment of Energy fossil fuels director Rino Abad defended the plans. “We just have to make our best choice which is natural gas,” he said in a Zoom interview, describing it as the least expensive energy source, flexible and very clean. “We cannot increase our energy capacity by RE [renewable energy] alone.”

h e n oted the country is not building any new power plants that burn coal, which is dirtier. Abad disputed the size of the expansion, saying 14 plants are planned. But that appears to include only those in the department’s formal pipeline and not others that are at an earlier stage or more recently announced.

Today, the Philippines accounts for less than 4 percent of overall natural gas use in Southeast Asia, Abad said. Indonesia and Thailand use several times more.

Environmental impact and marine life

Ph I LIPPINE e nvironmental guidelines protect the coral reefs, he said, for example limiting the temperature of hot water discharged from power plants.

All the plants surrounding Santa Clara are owned by First Gen, the Philippines’ leading natural gas energy company. First Gen did not reply to requests for comment.

m a ny energy watchers disagree that in 2024, it’s essential to build new fossil fuel plants for electricity, or that it’s the least expensive. Natural gas plants require a constant supply of fuel that rises and falls in price on international markets, unlike solar, wind and geothermal electricity, which cost very little to run once they are built.

The case for renewable energy R E Ly I NG o n “very expensive, unreliable, imported fuel,” is a mistake,

While Philippine fish exports are going up nationally, official records show the catch from Batangas Province in a slide. m a ny residents blame the power plants. There is overfishing, too.

said Sam Reynolds of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which analyzed the Philippines’ energy plan in several white papers. Electricity made from burning liquefied natural gas is between two and three times as expensive for Filipinos than electricity made from renewables, he found.

And coastal power plants can cause environmental damage in a number of ways. Their hot water discharge can kill corals; changing the coastline alters flows of seawater and sand, which can disrupt delicate ecosystems, and tanker ships risk importing invasive species.

The risk assessment for a San m i guel plant currently under construction next door described corals

in the area surrounding the power station as already in a poor state.

President of the Philippine Association of m a rine Science, Jayvee Saco and others are concerned that corals further offshore could suffer the same fate. In the worst case, “future generations will only see the beauty of the reef in books or museums,” he said in an interview at his laboratory at Batangas State University. Seagrass will die first, then sea cucumbers, then fish, he said, as a machine flipped vials containing samples behind him.

Resistance and human-rights concerns

A STUD y b y marine biologists at Ateneo de m a nila University found coastal areas under stress from the

five power plants that already operate in the area.

A spokeswoman for San m i guel said via email its monitoring shows marine life has not been affected and a “thriving marine ecosystem” remains.

The company has created employment and liquified natural gas is “internationally recognized as a transition fuel to cleaner energy,” she said.

But there is no such international recognition. For years, evidence has accumulated that natural gas power is not much better for the climate than coal, if at all. That’s because it’s made up mostly of methane. It burns cleaner than coal, as the industry claims, but when it leaks out, unburned, which it does, it is more than 80 times more harmful to the climate than CO2.

International influence and local consequences

Th E P hilippines may have made its decision to invest heavily in natural gas in part on the advice of the US Agency for International Development, which encouraged the expansion, arguing in a 2021 paper that the country could realize “strong economic and environmental benefits” by using LNG to meet its energy needs.

The paper came out as US natural gas companies rapidly turned the United States into the world’s largest LNG exporter. US President Joe Biden has recently delayed consideration of new export terminals.

Twenty years ago, in this same part of the Philippines, communist insurgents took up arms against an earlier

generation of power plants that had displaced them. The New People’s Army launched a pre-dawn assault on soldiers guarding a nationally owned power plant in Batangas. Several were killed on both sides in the gunfight. There are echoes of that conflict today: Some protesters against the LNG buildout say they’ve been threatened. Aaron Pedrosa, a lawyer for the Philippine m o vement for Climate Justice, said in an interview in m an ila that soldiers often round them up, then offer money to keep quiet. If they refuse? “Some have been abducted,” he said. “ yo u can be charged with anti-terrorism laws. Some leaders have been killed because they were, ‘resisting arrest.’” The Philippine Army didn’t respond to requests for a comment. Back in Santa Clara, Joseph Vargas, president of a fishing association and husband of Abanil, says most communities have seen no benefit from the power plants built so far, even though Philippine law requires financial support for livelihoods in affected areas. Residents in four villages visited by The Associated Press agreed. h e t oo has experienced pressure against protesters. h e s aid soldiers wouldn’t allow them to fish, as a punishment.

“We were harassed until we stopped,” he recalled, “and they said if we continue, something bad will happen to us.”

Freelance reporter Anton Delgado contributed to this report.

Natural gas boom in the Philippines: Economic boon or environmental bane?

By Ed Davey The Associated Press

Sea turtles still scramble from the waters off Batangas Bay, paddling up the sand to bury their eggs. Coral reefs that some marine biologists call the amazon of the ocean lie just offshore, home to giant clams, nurturing small fish, which in turn are prey for manta rays.

But above the surface the land has changed. The fishing village of Santa Clara is now surrounded by four power-generating stations, all burning natural gas. The construction isn’t over. Four more power plants that burn natural gas are planned for the coastline. What was a string of fishing villages is now an industrial zone.

The Philippines is going all in for electricity made via climate-damaging combustion, with almost two dozen power stations planned and the ambition to become a gas hub for the entire Asia Pacific region.

When natural gas is super-chilled into a liquid, special tanker ships can transport millions of cubic feet of it at a time, and the global trade in liquified natural gas or LNG is growing fast. It’s one of the world’s largest natural gas power buildouts and will contribute to climate change at a time when alternative, renewable electricity has never been cheaper.

“It’s mind-boggling that the Philippines, a climate-vulnerable country, would still pursue dirty fuels which exacerbate climate disasters,” said Gerry Arances, executive director of the Philippine nonprofit Center for Energy, Ecology and Development.

Natural gas causes warming of the atmosphere both when it leaks out, unburned, and when it is burned for heat or electricity. Experts who have studied the country found its future growth could be met entirely with renewables; reliance on natural gas will make power more expensive for Filipinos and there will be other environmental costs.

Rising production, falling fish stocks

W IL m A A B ANIL , a grandmother of four, witnessed changes after the first plant opened in 2002. Within two years, the fish catch was falling, she said. It grew worse as more plants opened.

“Before when you worked really hard, you could send your children to school,” Abanil said. “We were happy. We could support our family. These days we have nothing.”

“We heard they will build more,” Abanil said. “What will happen to us?”

Government justifications and controversies

Ph I LIPPINE D epartment of Energy fossil fuels director Rino Abad defended the plans. “We just have to make our best choice which is natural gas,” he said in a Zoom interview, describing it as the least expensive energy source, flexible and very clean. “We cannot increase our energy capacity by RE [renewable energy] alone.”

h e n oted the country is not building any new power plants that burn coal, which is dirtier. Abad disputed the size of the expansion, saying 14 plants are planned. But that appears to include only those in the department’s formal pipeline and not others that are at an earlier stage or more recently announced.

Today, the Philippines accounts for less than 4 percent of overall natural gas use in Southeast Asia, Abad said. Indonesia and Thailand use several times more.

Environmental impact and marine life

Ph I LIPPINE e nvironmental guidelines protect the coral reefs, he said, for example limiting the temperature of hot water discharged from power plants.

All the plants surrounding Santa Clara are owned by First Gen, the Philippines’ leading natural gas energy company. First Gen did not reply to requests for comment.

m a ny energy watchers disagree that in 2024, it’s essential to build new fossil fuel plants for electricity, or that it’s the least expensive. Natural gas plants require a constant supply of fuel that rises and falls in price on international markets, unlike solar, wind and geothermal electricity, which cost very little to run once they are built.

The case for renewable energy R E Ly I NG o n “very expensive, unreliable, imported fuel,” is a mistake,

While Philippine fish exports are going up nationally, official records show the catch from Batangas Province in a slide. m a ny residents blame the power plants. There is overfishing, too.

said Sam Reynolds of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which analyzed the Philippines’ energy plan in several white papers. Electricity made from burning liquefied natural gas is between two and three times as expensive for Filipinos than electricity made from renewables, he found.

And coastal power plants can cause environmental damage in a number of ways. Their hot water discharge can kill corals; changing the coastline alters flows of seawater and sand, which can disrupt delicate ecosystems, and tanker ships risk importing invasive species.

The risk assessment for a San m i guel plant currently under construction next door described corals

in the area surrounding the power station as already in a poor state.

President of the Philippine Association of m a rine Science, Jayvee Saco and others are concerned that corals further offshore could suffer the same fate. In the worst case, “future generations will only see the beauty of the reef in books or museums,” he said in an interview at his laboratory at Batangas State University. Seagrass will die first, then sea cucumbers, then fish, he said, as a machine flipped vials containing samples behind him.

Resistance and human-rights concerns

A STUD y b y marine biologists at Ateneo de m a nila University found coastal areas under stress from the

five power plants that already operate in the area.

A spokeswoman for San m i guel said via email its monitoring shows marine life has not been affected and a “thriving marine ecosystem” remains.

The company has created employment and liquified natural gas is “internationally recognized as a transition fuel to cleaner energy,” she said.

But there is no such international recognition. For years, evidence has accumulated that natural gas power is not much better for the climate than coal, if at all. That’s because it’s made up mostly of methane. It burns cleaner than coal, as the industry claims, but when it leaks out, unburned, which it does, it is more than 80 times more harmful to the climate than CO2.

International influence and local consequences

Th E P hilippines may have made its decision to invest heavily in natural gas in part on the advice of the US Agency for International Development, which encouraged the expansion, arguing in a 2021 paper that the country could realize “strong economic and environmental benefits” by using LNG to meet its energy needs.

The paper came out as US natural gas companies rapidly turned the United States into the world’s largest LNG exporter. US President Joe Biden has recently delayed consideration of new export terminals.

Twenty years ago, in this same part of the Philippines, communist insurgents took up arms against an earlier

generation of power plants that had displaced them. The New People’s Army launched a pre-dawn assault on soldiers guarding a nationally owned power plant in Batangas. Several were killed on both sides in the gunfight. There are echoes of that conflict today: Some protesters against the LNG buildout say they’ve been threatened. Aaron Pedrosa, a lawyer for the Philippine m o vement for Climate Justice, said in an interview in m an ila that soldiers often round them up, then offer money to keep quiet. If they refuse? “Some have been abducted,” he said. “ yo u can be charged with anti-terrorism laws. Some leaders have been killed because they were, ‘resisting arrest.’” The Philippine Army didn’t respond to requests for a comment. Back in Santa Clara, Joseph Vargas, president of a fishing association and husband of Abanil, says most communities have seen no benefit from the power plants built so far, even though Philippine law requires financial support for livelihoods in affected areas. Residents in four villages visited by The Associated Press agreed. h e t oo has experienced pressure against protesters. h e s aid soldiers wouldn’t allow them to fish, as a punishment.

“We were harassed until we stopped,” he recalled, “and they said if we continue, something bad will happen to us.”

Freelance reporter Anton Delgado contributed to this report.

Pride 2024: More Pride, less prejudice

IT’S 2024, yet the SOGIE Equality Bill has yet to progress into legislation. The bill “recognizes the fundamental rights of every person regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.”

At its core, as per Amnesty International Philippines, “it aims to provide fair and equal opportunities for everyone in accessing basic social services, opportunities, healthcare, protection, and justice while acknowledging and breaking down the barriers that exist for people with diverse SOGIESC [sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics].”

And so the struggle continues.

SM SUPERMALLS X RUNRIO PRIDE RUN

COLOR your calendars: June 22 might just be the queerest day this Pride Month. Fully committed to promote equality and acceptance, one of SM Supermalls’ big ideas is to mount fun, health-oriented activities and events such as the first Pride Run for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, their families and allies to participate in the 3k, 5k, and 10k runs. The Pride Run will be on the early morning of June 22 at SM by the Bay, SM MOA Complex. SM is organizing the event with RunRio president and CEO Rio de la Cruz, with support from Pantay chairman Thysz Estrada, LoveYourselfPH executive director Ronivin Pagtakhan, SM Supermalls SVP for marketing Joaquin San Agustin, BingoPlus Foundation executive director Angela Camins Wieneke, and Metro Manila Pride Organization community engagement and management co-lead Ashley Jaye Milag.

This is proof of SM Supermalls’ commitment to inclusivity and ensuring that its malls are safe spaces—for women, children, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Let’s show our support and sign up for this Pride Run 2024 at bit.ly/runriopriderun2024.

‘LOVE LABAN’

“TO celebrate Pride is to make a stand,” declares Pride PH, the prime mover of the Pride PH Festival 2024 which happens on June 22 at the Quezon Memorial Circle. “This year, we don’t just fight for ourselves but—we fight for our community. We fight for family. We fight for love. Pride Month is more than just a celebration—it’s a movement for change, love, and equality. Inclusivity is at the heart of Pride,” the NGO adds. “True acceptance demands fighting for everyone’s equal rights to live and to love. Walang tinatapakan na iba, walang iiwanan. Lahat tayo kasama sa laban. In love, no one is left behind. Happy Pride Month!” With the theme #LoveLaban2Everyone, the event attracts the biggest LGBT icons and allies in the country to serve as hosts and performers such as Vice Ganda, Bini, Sassa Gurl, juan karlos, Janine Berdin,

I’M from the northern part of Metro Manila so going to the Mall of Asia complex, to me, is like an out-of-town trip. One of the things I look forward to is visiting the big Watsons store there. I remember during the pre-pandemic days that a MOA outing would not be complete without a visit to Watsons, which was then beside Starbucks. It was the biggest Watsons at that time and they carried brands that I couldn’t find at their other stores like Eye of Horus. That Watsons branch closed and there was one that opened on the second floor of the mall. I somehow knew that the original one would open at the same spot. That was Watsons’ flagship store before the one in The Block, SM North Edsa. And I was right. Watsons came back in the same spot (Main Mall) and the store is even better than before with different zones for easy navigation. The interiors are, of course, more modern with futuristic holograms and there are store features, which are very dynamic such as the Self-Checkout Counters and the Refilling Station for Naturals by Watsons products.

“This is a store design that was done in collaboration with our colleagues in Hong Kong,” said Jared de Guzman, Watsons customer director. “I would say that this store features international design but is very much catered to the Philippine market.”

If you enter via the outside of the mall, the first thing you’ll see is the Sustainability Zone and this is

Alex Diaz and Nicole Cordoves, among many others.

LEVI’S QUEER JOY

JUST like last year, the heritage brand will have a massive booth at the “Love Laban” event. This time, it will showcase its collection inspired by rodeo culture with a throwback Brokeback Mountain vibe. “Western wear is part of the Levi’s DNA and the Pride 2024 collection takes inspiration from the queer ‘Rainbow Rodeos’ that originated in Nevada in the 1970s. The collection includes an extensive assortment of tops, bottoms, accessories that have rhinestones, copper thread, marbled hardware, gold-coated denim and more,” the brand said in a statement. Drag superstar Marina Summers will also hold a meet-and-greet at the booth.

CRISPULO ‘PULONG’ LUNA

A POST in their Facebook page, Philippine Heritage

where you’ll find some of Watsons’ top Sustainable Choices such as the bestselling Naturals by Watsons line and a selection of Clean Beauty products, those with Better Packaging, Refill packs, and those made from ethically sourced ingredients.

There is a small corner for Watsons Club members beside the Sustainability Zone.

The Watsons Pharmacy is, of course, for over-thecounter and prescription medications. Customers are encouraged to interact with and talk to Watsons’ pharmacists. De Guzman said the SM North Edsa store looks bigger than the MOA branch because of the shape but in reality, they are almost the same size.

“Watsons at SM North Edsa is bigger but the MOA Main Mall store is upgraded. It’s like we used all our learnings from the SM North Edsa store to apply it

Costume and Dress featured a fascinating gay ancestor: Crispulo “Pulong” Luna (1903-1976), described in an entry at the International Institute for Asian Studies journal as “a Filipino bakla or gender crosser wearing native Philippine dress.”

The photo must have been from the late 1920s. The site www.filipiknow.net offers more information:

“The case of Crispulo Trinidad Luna was first written about by the award-winning writer J. Neil Garcia in his book Performing the Self: Occasional Prose. He grew up in Orani, Bataan, but then moved to Paco, Manila where he discovered Victoria Studios where he would often sit for portraits all dressed in female outfits—from an exquisite baro’t saya to exotic Japanese geisha robes.”

GLOBAL LGBT ICONS

“Happy Pride Month y’all. Here’s my Divas Edition. Ladies with powerhouse voices, gay anthems and over-the-top personalities who have become gay icons. Who was your gay icon growing up?”

Needless to say, comments were swiftly looking for Olivia Newton-John, Beyonce, Tina Turner, Britney Spears, Whitney Houston and Gloria Gaynor, who sang “I Will Survive.”

LOCAL LGBT ICONS

PrevieW magazine once again gathered the biggest LGBT icons, movers and shakers and newest social media darlings for its epic June Pride cover: Mimiyuuuh, EJ Jallorina, KaladKaren, Precious Paula Nicole, NAIA, Awra, Yani, Zar Donato, Sassa Gurl, Pepe Diokno, Denise Julia, Iyah Mina, Sheryn Regis, Easy Ferrer, Dids Veneracion, Rod Singh, MJ Felipe, Klea Pineda, Pat Lasaten, Alex Diaz, John “Sweet” Lapus, Esnyr, Sam Lee, Adrian Lindayag, Petersen Vargas, Kren Yap, Agnes Reoma, Taylor Sheesh, Jason Dhakal, Pat Tingjuy, Paolo Ballasteros and Wenn Deramas (†).

AVON’S VIBRANT MAKEUP

A LONGTIME ally of LGBTs, the makeup label introduces its limited-edition Pride Deco Collection, a special line featuring vibrant, enriched colors that will let you freely express your unique style with confidence: “This moment is yours and we’re marching right there with you. Together, let’s paint the world with the colors of pride. Let your true self shine bright and embrace your Pride!”

LOVE YOURSELF

PRIDE Month had a spectacular start with the LoveYourself Pride Night on June 1 at Bridgetowne Destination Estate at the border of Pasig and Quezon City. LoveYourself Inc. (for the Youth and LGBT-MSM), a community of volunteers that aim to reach out to others to propagate ideas, attitudes and practices that encourage loving oneself, always enjoys the support of our beloved beauty queens.

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo says on her socials: “That was the most colorful event I’ve ever been, to my first and many more Pride events with you all! “Allies are important and welcome supporters of the LGBT community. They can be effective and powerful voices and can not only help our LGBT people feel comfortable, but also help others understand the importance of equality and fairness for all people.”

ALEJANDRO MOGOLLO DíEZ, a digital illustrator based in Spain who is obsessed with #OldHollywood and #PopIcons, posted on his Instagram page (@alejandromogolloart) his artwork on the biggest pop divas of all time: Diana Ross, Kylie Minogue, Cher, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland.

here,” said de Guzman.

One of the improvements is the Premium Beauty Zone, which houses Korean and Western brands like Origins, Clinique, Abib, Goodall, Dr. Jart+, and many others. This zone is  easily accessed on the left side via the mall itself.

Another prominent area is the one allocated for Filipino makeup brands like GRWM, Issy, Happy Skin, BLK, Ever Bilena, Careline, and many others. Visit the new Watsons concept store at the Level 1, North Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia. Enjoy exclusive promos and discounts by becoming a Watsons Club Member. Just download the Watsons app at  ly/WatsonsMobileApp or visit any Watsons store nationwide.

Follow @watsonsph on Instagram, @WatsonsPH on Facebook, and @watsonsphilippines on TikTok.

FATHER’S DAY GIFT

Fierce champion Pia Wurtzbach waved the rainbow flag with PRIDE emblazoned sharing on her Instagram: “For over a decade, I’ve cherished supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. And this time...exciting plans ahead! Teaming up with @loveyourself.ph and the City of Taguig to establish a youth center, ensuring safety and happiness of this community. I couldn’t think of a better way of celebrating 10 years since the Miss Universe crown by giving back and making sure this advocacy has a dedicated space.” n

SUGGESTIONS

IF you’re looking for grooming and personal care gifts for Father’s Day, American Crew is one of my go-to brands. The American Crew Acumen Clay Exfoliating Cleanser has polishing beads to lift and exfoliate dead skin cells, combined with the AC Acumen Complex that includes vitamins with antioxidant and moisturizing properties. To use, apply evenly over the entire face, allow to dry, and then rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Scalp Revitalizer

MAFBEX 2024 is B A c k, to s E r v E A pl A t E F u ll o F surpris E s

Eat’s Here! t h e Manila Foods and Beverages Expo (M a F BEX) is back this 2024 to bring you a more exciting food experience in the country For the past 17 years, M a F BEX has delivered the best food experience to visitors who want to have a taste of great food and refreshing drinks. Now on its 18th year with the theme

“Eat’s Here!” M a F BEX continues to fulfill its goal of showcasing the best food and drinks the Philippines has to offer through its many activities and event highlights that will happen during the expo.

M a F BEX has a wide range of activities to keep you busy and hungry for more during its five-day course of food exhibition:

MAFBEX Culinary Cup: Home Chef

Edition - t h is exciting opportunity allows home chefs to put their cooking talents to the test and potentially become the next Home Chef winner.

Chefs of the World - Creating culinary magic, chefs craft flavorful dishes with

passion and skill, turning food ideas into art that delights the senses.

Business Matching - Where opportunities and connections flourish! a platform designed to bring together like-minded individuals to create synergies for mutual growth and success

MAFBEX Scoop - Bringing you the latest trends and advancements in the world of food, beverages, and beyond

MAFBEX Talks - Bringing together industry experts, thought leaders and enthusiasts to discuss and exchange ideas on various topics in the food and beverage industry Young Hoteliers Exposition (YHE) Competitions - ta lented students from different schools all over Metro Manila will showcase their skills and creativity in the hospitality and culinary industry.

MAFBEX BITES - a n online segment exploring food and beverage trends, recipes, industry specialists, and culinary discoveries.

Latte Art Competition - Fostering

shared love for coffee, baristas creating intricate designs in lattes, judged on visual appeal, taste, and texture.

Flair Cup s howcasing talented bartenders displaying creativity and skills in mixing drinks through juggling bottles and creating visually stunning cocktails t h ere are loads of activities that will keep you busy during the biggest food and beverages expo in the Philippines. t h e Manila Foods and Beverages Expo will guarantee that you will leave the event full and your tastebuds satisfied from tasting the very best of the industry. a s ide from providing delicious meals and snacks,

M a F BEX also offers a wide set of kitchen tools and equipment to help get you into the kitchen and get cooking. Food businesses from the Philippines and around the world will also be attending to meet with other businesses and franchises to help develop strong connections with them as well as start franchising food businesses to help them grow.

Without any doubt, M a F BEX is truly a foodie fiesta, serving up delicious food samples, sizzling live cooking shows, and hands-on workshops, filled with interactive activities and tasty culinary adventures to level up your food game in this epic expo food bash this June!

M a F BEX 2024 is happening from June 12 to 16 at the World tr ade Center Metro Manila. Get your tickets now through www. mafbex.com.

For more updates, subscribe to our M a FB EX Viber community and follow us in our M a F BEX t i kotok, Facebook, and IG pages.

M a F BEX 2024 is organized by WORLDBEX s E RVICE s IN t E RN at I ON a L and for the benefit of the a B s CBN Foundation Incorporated.

For inquiries and concerns, you may reach Worldbex s e rvices International at (02)8656-96-39 or email them at inquire@ worlbexevents.com

The World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) aims to lead the way in nurturing the next wave of MIC e industry leaders through its Trade e d ucation Program. This initiative aims to spark interest and active participation in the vibrant world of business events within MIC e (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences, and e x hibitions), leveraging WTCMM’s global stature as a symbol of economic advancement and a hub for international trade.

By offering interactive workshops and immersive experiences, the program introduces tourism

students to diverse opportunities within the realm of exhibitions and events, covering event planning, trade missions, technology integration, and sustainability practices, among others. It bridges academia and industry, empowering students with a glimpse of hands-on learning and real-world exposure making way for impactful contributions to the global economy.

WTCMM recognizes support from industry leaders, educational institutions, and government bodies underscoring the significance of cultivating

Unleash your Speed with lightweight running shoes from World Balance

When it comes to running, every moment matters. Whether you’re racing against time or aiming to set new records, having the right gear can make all the difference. That’s where Speed Runners come in, the newest innovation in running shoes from World Balance crafted for runners of all levels, from beginners to aspiring pros. At the core of Speed Runners lies the innovative Speedsole, the new insole system integrated in Speed Runners, engineered to offer optimal absorption and impact protection. This advanced insole technology not only alleviates discomfort and fatigue during your runs but also ensures unparalleled comfort and support, enabling you to concentrate fully on your performance.

Furthermore, the introduction of Trampolite 2.0 represents a significant leap in midsole technology. Trampolite 2.0 promises to deliver a responsive and springy sensation with each step, propelling you forward effortlessly. h a rnessing the energy return of the Trampolite 2.0 midsole, you’ll experience enhanced propulsion, making you achieve your fastest speeds yet.  It’s not just about speed; it’s about achieving your personal best with an unmatched level of comfort.

In addition to its tech-driven features, Speed Runners boast a sleek and lightweight design. These shoes feel light, allowing athletes to move freely and effortlessly. With Speed Runners, athletes can unleash their full potential, pushing boundaries and reaching new heights of speed and performance. Whether you’re an aspiring pro or a beginner hitting the pavement for the first time, Speed Runners are here to redefine what’s possible in the world of running. Lace up, hit the track, and experience the future of speed with Speed Runners.

The Speed Runners isn’t shy about making a visual impact. For the women’s edition, bold pink and turquoise accents pop against a sleek, dark backdrop, embodying both strength and style. The men’s version takes a vibrant approach with electric yellow and cool blue, ensuring visibility and flair in equal measure. These are shoes that look as fast as they feel, crafted not only for performance but also for turning heads.

Speed Runners for men retails for P3,299 while Speed Runners for women retails for P3,199 in select World Balance stores nationwide. The collection is also available online at www. worldbalance.com.ph.

young talent for the continued growth of business events in the country.

In light of global challenges, the role of exhibitions and events in fueling economic recovery and rebuilding global connections has become more apparent. With WTCMM’s Trade e d ucation Program’s strategic approach, future leaders are groomed to navigate the complexities of the ever-evolving global landscape while fostering a vibrant and resilient MIC e industry in the years ahead.

Winford Manila turns 7: P19M worth of jackpot wins, new car giveaway

Good fortune has come to a number of lucky visitors of the Winford Resort and Casino Manila.

As the celebration of its 7th anniversary kicked off in April, Winford Resort and Casino Manila has witnessed a series of life-changing jackpot wins totaling over P19 million.

The lucky streak began on April 9, 2024 with one guest winning P1,785,239. This was followed by exciting wins starting on April 21, the date marking Winford Resort and Casino Manila’s inauguration.

A guest won a whopping P5,840,255.69 on the popular Fu Lai Cai Lai slot machine, followed closely by a P4,348,317 win on Long Yi Fa on April 22. The winnings continued with a massive P5,823,922.75 jackpot on Lightning Link just three days later. The winning spree concluded on April 26, with

a fortunate player hitting a P1,863,618 jackpot on a Konami machine. Complementing the jackpot celebrations, Winford Manila offered enticing promotions such as the “Cheers with Seven Beers” deal at Zabana Bar. The Winford Manila’s anniversary

Resort & Casino Manila on social media.

Church of God members, residents participate in blood donation drive

The World Mission Society Church of God led by General Pastor Kim Joo-cheolheld the “Worldwide Passover Love, Life Love Blood d o nation Relay” at Las Piñas City last May 22, 2024. The event, the 1,386th worldwide blood drive, was attended by 200 people, including Church of God members and guests from Las Piñas, Manila, and Parañaque.

The “Worldwide Passover Love, Life Love Blood d o nation Relay,” which started in Korea in 2005, is based on the Passover love of Jesus Christ. o n t he Passover, the day before his sacrifice on the cross, Jesus established the new covenant with bread and wine, which symbolized h s flesh and blood, and promised eternal life and the blessing of forgiveness of sins. The Church of God has been holding blood donation drives around the world to save the lives of others for over 20 years.

The event, which was held at the Church of God building in Las Piñas City, was in cooperation with the Las Piñas General h o spital and the Satellite Trauma Center. They provided medical services such as blood type tests, blood pressure checks, and blood sugar tests. Various sponsors provided healthy snacks for all the participants including Senator Cynthia Villar who provided lunch and drinks for over 200 people. Representatives from the Philippine n ational Police, d e partment of h e alth, and the health offices of Las Piñas and Parañaque graced the event with their presence and support.

d r. Juliana Gonzales, o I C of the Las Piñas City

h e alth o f fice,  expressed her admiration for event, saying, “It has always been an honor to be with you. Your mindset of giving back to others as a way of giving thanks to God for the life h e gave us, is very heartwarming.”

The total amount of blood collected at the event amounted to around 100 bags of blood. PCo;. Sandro Jay Tafalla, the chief of police of Las Piñas City, said, “We practice what we teach. We were able to help many people because of this endeavor. Congratulations, World Mission Society Church of God!”

A Church of God official said, “The saints are united in saving their neighbors in danger by emulating the love of Christ, who sacrificed for the salvation of mankind. I hope that those who suffer from accidents or diseases will get better as soon as possible and lead a healthy daily life.”

“Blood donation is a gift and hope that saves lives,” said Queenita d e jesa, smiling brightly, cheering on the blood transfusion recipients.

As a way to uplift all the participants, the members of the Church of God and all the guests participated in listening to the beautiful music of the Church of God chamber orchestra and the bible seminar prepared by the church, adding to the significance of life sharing.

The Church of God has so far held blood donation drives in Cebu, Quezon City, Mandaluyong, and Urdaneta, Pangasinan this year alone. The number of participants reached 615.

PR FLYING HIGH

Three Pr and communication professionals who continue to fly high in the profession are the gems in today’s column: a Pr head, former broadcast journalist, and pilot all in one; an organizational communication major and Pr practitioner who chose to be a pilot, and a Pr and patients’ rights advocate whose husband has piloted numerous flights as captain for the first airline in Asia.

Literally, hands-on in PR “Go to the gemba,” was among the adages taught to us in quality management. It’s Japanese for going to the shop floor or going to the worksite where the action happens, to closely observe and know the conditions first hand.

Pr h e ad Steve “Steeeve” Dailisan always goes to the gemba. Literally, he is hands-on in Pr as First Officer of AirAsia Philippines where he is both a pilot and its Country h e ad for Communications and Public Affairs.

For 12 years, he was a broadcast journalist at GMA 7, a fulfilling job, he recalls. “I dedicated myself to becoming one of the most trusted journalists I could ever be. And the hard work was rewarded with recognition from peers in the industry, with accolades from here and abroad, and the trust and confidence I received from the Kapuso network.”

ho wever, deep in my heart, I knew I belonged in the cockpit, soaring through the skies. People may think that a career shift—especially one that diverges from a highflying path— is unwise and impractical, particularly when it happens in one's 30s. But all big dreams can only be met with an equally big leap of faith,” he said.

“My journey to becoming a pilot wasn’t a simple straight line. It was riddled with detours, distractions, setbacks, and moments that tempted me to give up.”

“I faced significant hurdles right from the start because I came from an underprivileged family. The reality was that pursuing my dream seemed financially out of reach, and opportunities appeared to be scarce for me to make this dream a reality,” he recalled.

“For someone who risked everything for this crazy love of flying, getting his wings clipped even before starting to soar high was the most unthinkable event one could ever imagine. I lost my job as a new pilot and was beset with the challenges of surviving and providing for my family, taking on online meat selling and other ways to make ends meet,” Steeeve said.

“And as if these trials were not enough, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, I lost my Dad. he p assed away, not being able to board any of my flights. It was our dream to fly to his hometown, Kalibo. It never happened,” Steeeve sadly recalled.

“But in the midst of all the uncertainties and the sudden changes in my life, I have come to understand that sometimes we need to allow ourselves to let the course of life take us, to just go with the flow, to be carried to wherever the wind brings us, and simply trust the process,” he said.

“And I did all that,” Steeeve said with conviction, “But just just like many other resilient Filipinos, when a door closes, our instinct is to find

windows of opportunity. If there’s none, we create one! and we rise up again—stronger!”

“A lot of things have transpired since then. I rediscovered my passion for Communications and was given a chance to lead a very dynamic team in AirAsia,” he shared.

PR advantages TODAY, Steeeve is a rarity: a pilot who heads Pr , a rmed also with media experience of more than 10 years of broadcast journalism (and now his share of passenger requests if they could have a photo with him in the cockpit).

h o w have these experiences made him effective as a pilot and Pr head?

h e s hared these insights:

n “It is easier to communicate with our stakeholders, especially guests when you understand highly technical concepts and are able to explain it in layman’s terms.

n It gives you the opportunity to experience first-hand the operational challenges and be able to propose and apply solutions when needed.

n It allows you to directly communicate with passengers and address their concerns immediately.

n You easily allay the fears of guests, especially those who are firsttime passengers.

n In times of crisis, people trust what you say because of your established reputation as a journalist.”

Flying high, down under JASON S e V ILLA was my student in organizational communication. Back then, he had already shown zest in the course and actively participated in class. I remember noting that with his enthusiasm and interest, he had a bright future into whatever he would pursue after his university days.

h e w ent on to work as a Pr for a Philippine company. Next thing I knew, he was bound for Australia, to pursue his dream of being in aviation.

“I’ve always been into transportation ever since I was a kid—cars, planes, boats, trains—all these transportation inventions interest me. At 10 years old, during my very first flight to Toronto, my great interest in aviation kicked in. I’ve always been amazed by the marvelous technology that allows aircrafts to fly, the organized systems of aviation that allows multiple planes flying in the same airspace, clockwork-like operations in airports, and everything else.”

h o wever,” he said, “I was diagnosed with color vision deficiency [color blindness] right before starting college. It was disheartening. I then turned to my other interest, communication. I enjoyed my university days, fulfilled and happy to be in the organizational communication program.”

After graduation, he worked in the Pr industry for some two years then had three years in the pharmaceutical industry. But aviation still beckoned. h e t ried to apply in the Philippines, US and Canada, to no avail. But he would not give up.”

Then, Australia happened. “One day, I found myself in tears on one of the tram stops in front of the University of Melbourne’s e y e Care after failing the eye exam. I thought it was the end of my flying dreams.”

h e met an aviation professional in Melbourne who advised him to con -

sider studying aviation management. Thus, he now has a Masters degree in Aviation Management from the r o yal Melbourne Institute of Technology ( r M IT University) and later learned that he could still fly with “a limitation in my license that gave me the window to still achieve my ultimate dream, to fly.”

“Fast forward to 20 March 2021: I flew an aircraft for the first time! Now, I’m working in a global company, Jet Aviation, as an Operations Supervisor based in the Sydney airport. I manage ground operations of private and VIP flights in Sydney and other ports in Australia. Along the way, I also had the chance to work for the Qantas Group under the Jetstar Operations Control Centre, which runs the airline operations of Jetstar by managing its more than 300 flights per day.”

“Alongside my full-time work, I still continue to fly privately to gain more flying hours. And just recently, Australia released a new protocol on colorvision tests for pilots that now qualifies me to fly unrestricted. This means I can further pursue my flying career.”

PR Advantages

LOOKING back at his years in P r , he recalls: “Those years in the industry were significant in forming my foundation as a professional. During that time, I worked closely with high-level government officials and multinational companies and global brands. It taught me values which I strongly hold in every work I do that I’m happy to share:”

n Relationships: Creating, strengthening, and nurturing relationships with all stakeholders and forming a great relationship with everyone will go a long way. h av ing a good network is the key to success. But make sure that you give them the real you and that’s when business relationships become friendships that will last forever.

n Attention to detail: Small details and precision are the key to making something perfect. Pr taught me that for you to attain your goal, you need to align every single element and that includes details as simple as your proper capitalization, margin, and everything else. In every 1º that you are off course, you will end up being 1 mile off course after traveling 60 miles. Imagine if you are flying from Manila to Los Angeles which is 7,292 miles, you will end up in San Diego which is 121 miles away from L.A.

n Outside-of-the-box ideas: Story angles, photo captions, word choices in your press release, matter; but what makes Pr more interesting is creativity—the outside-of-the- box ideas that will make every story shine above the rest. In aviation, you should be ready for issues about the weather, aircraft maintenance, operations, and the list goes on. You always need to have these ideas for smooth operations and safe travel for your passengers from Point A to Point B.

n Ready for the unexpected: Pr is never a one-size-fits-all kind of industry. You should be ready for the unexpected in different situations. Similar to aviation, you face different challenges, for example, a thunderstorm on your flight path that needs you to know how to ride the storm.

n Research and information: Pr involves a lot of research. You need to sift through a sea of information and separate the true from the fake. Pr has taught me how to do research and to obtain correct information that will aid me in my decisions and actions. With aviation, it is all about information gathering, familiarization, and continued study.

Two hearts

KA r e N I DA “KA r e N ” ALPA r C e -

V ILLANU e VA has more than 30 years of experience in communication and policy work in various industries: consumer, insurance, travel and pharmaceuticals, the latter of which she spent the last 20 years.

In 2015, she decided to devote her long experience in health advocacy, where she was a corporate communication senior executive, to advancing patient rights through her support of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO) where she is President. he r advocacy also takes her to sit as a board member of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society Inc., a governing board member of the International Alliance of Patient Organizations’ Patients for Patient Safety and the Asia-Pacific Patient Safety Network. e a rlier, she was a board member of the Board of the Philippine h e alth Insurance Corporation (Phil h e alth) where she co-created and chaired the Benefits Committee; and a consultant with the h e alth Promotions and Communication Services unit of the Department of h e alth (DO h ) And, side-by-side with advocating for health and patients’ rights, she is a wonder mom and wife, married for 37 years to Captain Jose Mari “Joey” Vil -

lanueva who recently retired as a commercial pilot of Philippine Airlines, flying a total of 21,700 hours for 29 years. Of those years, 14,250 hours of which were as Captain-in-Command of the Airbus 330 and Airbus 350.

“Those years flew by so quickly,” she said, adding that they were both working full-time, while she was managing a home and family as well.

“I feel very privileged to be married to a pilot as I would also often join my husband in his overseas training or even on his flights where we would get a chance to explore the city during his layover,” she shared.

“But at the same time, there were challenges in terms of knowing how to be independent and self-reliant when emergencies would come up while he is away on a flight. I also had to make sure that he had peace of mind whenever he had a flight so that he could f ocus on the safety of his crew and passengers.”

“My background in Pr has helped me become an ‘unofficial Pr ’ o f my husband’s company. I would help receive concerns and questions raised by family and friends and then communicate them to the company’s Pr ,” Karen recalled.

“Through my travel posts, I would help communicate a positive image of the country’s flag-carrier by highlighting what is new with their routes, their in-flight services, and the skill and competence of their pilots,” she continued.

“There were many times when I would write about Joey’s journey such as when he garnered the Ulirang Ama Award, and during his retirement and last flight which was featured in the column of Iris Gonzales in the Philippine Star, “ Karen shared.

Karen and Joey inspire us with the partnership they share, and Karen with her work-life balance and her continued advocacy for health and patients’ rights, imbued with the breadth of her Pr experience.

WORDS OF WISDOM

From Steeeve Dailisan:

For PRs:

n Be honest and transparent (make people understand the W h Ys).

n Communicate effectively through appropriate channels.

n Combat fake news by staying accurate, on point and factual.

n Never be too afraid to admit your mistakes.

n As a communications champion, when there’s an opportunity, help the community.

e m bracing detours or redirection allowed me to welcome life's pleasant surprises. Who would've thought that marrying my love for journalism and passion for flying would be possible? It took many left, right and u-turns to get there but as long as you are certain of the destination, YOU will get there!”

From Jason Sevilla:

“Communication equipped me with the confidence to deal with different people from different walks of life, the knowledge and wit to withstand any challenge, and the skill of expressing my thoughts and ideas in an effectively communicative manner and method. It gave me the leverage to shine in the international community and foreign cultures.”

n “Don’t stop dreaming and most importantly, don’t stop believing.

n Pilots and aviation professionals know about the technical knowledge in aviation—the correct take-off and landing speed per aircraft type, the required fuel for a flight, and everything else. It is an industry of precision, numbers, and science. Since everyone knows the same knowledge, the challenge is how you will stand out from the crowd. And for me, my Pr background is the key in standing out from the rest.”

Karen Alparce-Villanueva: “Be a strategic thinker and a problem solver. e x ecute flawlessly.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

“I hope to fly my Mom from our hometown to any AirAsia destination. It will be the most unforgettable flight having her onboard and being able to have a safe and smooth landing. It’s going to be a proud moment for both of us—a full circle that will further inspire me to always pursue my dreams no matter what.”–Steeeve Dailisan

“Next step is to climb the corporate ladder and finally pursue flying as a full-time commercial pilot.” –Jason Sevilla

“I aspire to be able to help realize the dream for every Filipino to have access to high quality healthcare, serve our community, support our children to achieve their professional goals, travel the world, and age gracefully.”

–Karen Alparce-Villanueva Truly, three inspiring P r gems, flying high.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of IPRA Philippines, the local chapter of the United Kingdombased International Public Relations Association, the world’s premier association for senior communications professionals around the world. Ritzi Villarico-Ronquillo, APR, IABC Fellow is a Consultant, Coach and Speaker on Business Communication and Strategic Public Relations with 43 years of experience in leading internal and external communication and PR in corporate, communities, academe and associations. We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

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B8

Monday, June 10, 2024

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

No more problem with power, speed as Paalam goes for gold

By Josef T. Ramos

CARLO PAALAM is confident he now has the strength and speed to fight for top honors in a weight division he has yet to medal in.

Flyweight silver medalist in the 2021 Tokyo Games, Paalam eyes the big prize on the big stage as he goes for gold as a featherweight in the Paris Olympics.

“I can balance everything and I’m able to adjust now without sacrificing my power and speed,” Paalam told BusinessMirror Paalam is back in Cagayan de Oro City days after securing a spot in the Paris Summer Games by placing in the top four in the Boxing Road to Paris World Olympics Qualification Tournament last week in Bangkok.

R

“The first time I competed in the Olympics, I was a flyweight or 51 kilograms. Now I went six kilos

AMO bAGS

LOCAL standout Leyann Ramo and Chinese triathlete

Peng Cheng Li delivered outstanding performances in the Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay on Sunday.

Ramo showcased impressive form despite fluctuating weather conditions, including intermittent sunshine and overcast skies. She set the pace with a swim time of 00:30:57, maintained her lead during the bike leg with a time of 02:45:42, and concluded strongly with a run time of 01:47:06, securing the women’s overall crown with a total time of 05:07:33.

The 31-year-old Ramo, proudly representing Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, won the 70.3 race in Puerto Princesa last year. Israel’s Hadar Shahar finished second with a time of 05:16:04, posting leg times of 00:32:38 (swim), 02:46:26 (bike), and 01:52:53 (run). Hong Kong’s Ruby Cheng claimed third place in 05:23:57, with respective times of 00:29:44, 02:49:23, and 01:58:32 in the swim, bike, and run segments. Ramo also earned the age-group title in the 30-34 division ahead of Cheng, while Shahar topped the 25-

higher from there, but everything looks good,” Paalam said.

“I struggled in 51 kgs, and couldn’t make it. It was so tough for me. So I tried first in bantam or 54 kgs and did quite well,” Paalam said.

He won the bantam weight gold medal in the 2022 Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan.

The 54 kgs, however, is not included in the Paris Olympics, forcing Paalam to move up three kilos more to compete in the 57 kgs men’s featherweight class.

It was a disaster in his first try in the 57 kgs as he lost in the Asian Games quarterfinal round in Hangzhou, China last October against 2023 world champion Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan via unanimous decision. But now Paalam is determined to make his mark as a featherweight in the Summer Games in the French capital from

AVANZADO, RAMOS CLAIM

July 26 to August 11. A right shoulder injury delayed his Paris bid in the first world qualifiers in Bustos Arsizio, Italy last March, but Paalam came back strong in Bangkok.

Paalam beat five opponents in seven days—witnessed by his family headed by wife Earlshane and little daughter Celeste—to grab a ticket to Paris after beating Sachiwa Sachin of India by unanimous decision.

Paalam said he is working doubly hard to win for his wife Earl Shayne and daughter Celeste, who will turn one on Wednesday.

“They are my inspiration, my wife and my daughter,” Paalam said. “I will do my best to win the gold in Paris. One fight at a time,” he added. “I’m recovering but doing some jogging before I go back to full training under my coach Elmer Pamisa.”

ANOTHeR IRONMAN 70.3 CROWN

29 category.

Li maintained a commanding lead throughout the race, finishing with an impressive time of 4:20:05. His dominant performance saw him outpace Great Britain’s Christopher Weeks by a substantial margin of 10 minutes in the challenging 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, and 21.1km run event. Weeks finished in 4:30:18, while August Benedicto, a local favorite, secured third place in 4:34:21. Li’s performance was particularly notable during the closing run stage, where he dashed to the finish with an energy that belied the grueling nature of the half-triathlon race.

The Ironman Philippines and the IM 70.3 Subic drew over a thousand triathletes from 54 countries, underscoring the global appeal of the Ironman Group-organized event. The two races also offered qualifying slots for three World Championships, including the ongoing full-distance race featuring a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride, and 42.2km run.

Li, who placed sixth in the full Ironman Australia last year, set a strong pace early in the swim leg with the fastest time of 28:38,

Serdenia seeks second straight title; Zaragosa eyes bounce-back performance

WITH the Pinewoods course presenting new challenges, three contenders in their respective age group categories are focusing on the short game as the Junior Philippine Golf Tour kicks off its Luzon Series 3 on Monday in Baguio City. Charles Serdenia, who came back from a three-stroke deficit in the final nine holes to clinch the Series I crown at Splendido Taal last month, seeks a second straight trophy in the centerpiece 15-18 age-group.

“I practiced every day to prepare for this tournament,” said Serdenia, who missed the Series 2 leg at Pradera Verde due to graduation.

As he prepared for this week’s tournament, the Junior Worldbound Serdenia has placed a premium on his short game, which he believes will be crucial for another leg win in the series sponsored by ICTSI.

The circuit operates independently from other junior golf organizations. The organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. ensures that there are no scheduling conflicts and fosters a cooperative atmosphere to benefit the young players’ mutual advantage.

Despite the absence of Pradera leg winner Shinichi Suzuki, Serdenia expects stiff competition from top contenders Tristan Padilla, Mark Kobayashi, Alonso Espartero, Von Tablac, Francis Slavin, and Harry

Sales in the 72-hole tournament. Also in the hunt are Timothy Lim, Seongmin An, Ramon Fabie, Gabriel Handog, Miguel Lapuz, Gavin Chua, Marc Velasco, John Paul Agustin, Jr., Jacob Donato, Seth Koa, and Gabriel Lapuz. Precious Zaragosa, who struggled to fourth place at Pradera after topping the Splendido leg, also worked on her

establishing a two-minute lead over Weeks. Transitioning to the bike leg, the 33-year-old multi-age group winner in 70.3 races extended his lead with a time of 2:21:38. He capped off his performance with a powerful finishing kick during the run, completing it in 1:23:58.

Li’s performance mirrored his winning effort in the Ironman 70.3 Korea in 2019, highlighting the consistent discipline he has maintained over the years.

Weeks began strong with a swim time of 00:30:26, followed by a bike time of 02:22:41, and concluded the run in 01:33:27, finishing with a total time of 04:30:18. Benedicto, winner of the 70.3 Cebu race in 2022, completed the swim in 00:34:26, the bike in 02:23:48, and the run in 01:32:49, finishing at 04:34:21.

The top three male finishers also ruled their respective age-group categories: Li claimed the 30-34 age group, Weeks secured the 35-39 trophy, and Benedicto won in the 40-44 division.

Benedicto also narrowly edged out Thai top triathlete Jaray Jearnai in both overall and age-group standings, with Jearnai finishing in 04:37:08

JPGT debut at Pradera Verde.

Abalos wasted no time after that setback, heading straight to Pinewoods to familiarize herself with its challenging up-anddown layout, often described as a fairway in the sky.

“I practiced at Pinewoods to be familiar with the course,” said Abalos, who is banking on her long game. “I believe it is my driving because I am a long hitter. I just need to manage well around the greens to have the best score.”

Handog tries to hold off Amiya Tablac, Filumena Tambunting,

ELEORA AVANZADO and Euan Ramos showcased remarkable performances, leading their respective divisions in the premier age category at the Choco Hero Ironkids event Saturday at the Subic Bay Boardwalk.

Clockings were recorded to assess the youngsters’ performances in the triathlon, with Avanzado clocking 03:43 in the swim leg, maintaining her lead to edge out Celinda Raagas in a close finish in the girls’ 13-14 division. She completed the bike segment in 12:32 and finished the run in 08:15, achieving a total time of 26:34 over the 250m swim, 6km bike ride, and 2km run.

Raagas followed closely with a total time of 26:49, recording 03:56 in the swim, 12:31 in the bike, and 08:19 in the run. Eliesse dela Cruz secured third place with a time of 29:01.

with leg times of 00:30:23 (swim), 02:26:56 (bike), and 01:35:16 (run).

The top 25 male triathletes from the -distance race earned coveted spots in the Kona, Hawaii World Championship scheduled from Oct. 22-28. The top 15 female athletes secured qualification for the IM World Championship in Nice, France, set for September 24-28.

The IM 70.3 Subic Bay also offered 45 age-group qualifying slots for the Vinfast IM 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand, on December 14-15, with 15 slots reserved specifically for female participants.

UP-AND-COMING mixed martial arts fighters battle for huge cash prizes and a chance to reach the Universal Reality Combat Championship’s main roster in the Prodigy Progression Series (PPS) at the Dynasty Fight Club in Parañaque City.

Ramos dominated the boys’ 13-14 division from start to finish, posting a total time of 22:37 (03:11 in the swim, 10:52 in the bike, and 06:51 in the run), outpacing Joan Marcelo, who finished with a time of 24:05. David Mora claimed third place with a time of 24:31. This marks Ramos’ fifth victory, highlighting his determination to not only become a leading triathlete but also a Youth Olympian.

“It’s a rewarding feeling to cross the finish line first again here in Subic,” Ramos, a student at Small World Christian School in Benguet, said. In the 11-12 category (200m swim,

ANGE KOUAME is set to make his third appearance in the Jones Cup as he joins Strong Group Athletics (SGA) for the tournament set July 13 to 21 in Taipei.

RJ Abarrientos is also seeing action for SGA after being given the clearance to play by B.League team Shinshu Brave Warriors.

Kouame, a naturalized Filipino from Ivory Coast who played for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, saw action in the Jones Cup for Ateneo-Pilipinas in 2018 and Rain or Shine last year.

Kouame plays with UB Chartres Métropole in the in the French third tier league. In his first year with the team, the 6-foot-11 Kouame averaged 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 22 games.

“I’m really, really happy to represent the country again. It’s another opportunity for me to win this competition,” Kouame said.

“Finally, I will get the chance to coach Ange, especially after our Dubai stint where he got sick and had to miss the tournament completely,” said head coach Charles Tiu.

4km bike, and 1.5km run), Maria Isabella Raagas emerged victorious with a time of 21:15 (02:54 in the swim, 08:53 in the bike, and 06:57 in the run). Venice Delantar was second in 22:20, while Nicole Thomas was third in 23:05. Kurt Cruz led the boys’ 11-12 category, timing 20:35 (02:56 in the swim, 08:41 in the bike, and 06:40 in the run). Travis Acuavera and Phil Cayetano finished with times of 21:29 and 22:25, respectively. In the 9-10 class (150m swim, 4km bike, and 1.5km run), Zyler Nicanor clocked 21:01 (02:14 in the swim, 09:04 in the bike, and 07:28 in the run) to top the girls’ side. Elise Salas and Kirsten Cruz followed with times of 21:59 and 22:24, respectively. Enzo Gabito led the boys with a total time of 20:43 (02:47 in the swim, 08:25 in the bike, and 07:05 in the run). Oliver Alingarog and Chris Lacuna finished close behind with times of 20:48 and 21:05, respectively. In the 6-8, the youngest division (100m swim, 2km bike, and 1km run), Samantha Thomas recorded a time of 14:17, finishing ahead of Juriel Julian (14:55) and Queen Nicanor (17:15) in the girls’ category. Christoph Cruz led the boys with a time of 15:36 (02:01 in the swim, 05:11 in the bike, and 05:41 in the run), narrowly beating Oliver Haworth (15:59) and Nathaniel Macasaet (16:13). In the relay competitions, Team TriClark Scania and Team NAS Kids topped the girls’ and boys’ categories, respectively, with Team SPED G and Team Olongapo Junior Trackers also securing victories.

Brianna Macasaet in their 36-hole

“In this format, we’re going to make sure that we will be giving the highest payday ever in Philippine MMA history for all the winners,” URCC president Alvin Aguilar said. Action is set in four weight classes— flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight—with the grand champion of each division taking home P500,000. The losing finalist takes home P300,000 and the third placer will earn P200,000.

The preliminaries have started, with the date of the tournament finals to be announced later.

“This will be a big life changer for a lot of fighters.”

While amateur rules will be applied in the PPS, Aguilar is looking at the possibility that its champions in the PPS will get their first pro contracts in the URCC.

“We’re giving them very very good contracts,” Aguilar said.

“We promote a platform where it will become self-sustaining hopefully. All the fighters can benefit, and later on, we can actually give them good careers in MMA.”

All the fights will be streamed live on the IWantTFC

After an impressive stint in the Korean Basketball League where he won the Rookie of the Year award in the 2022-23 season with Ulsan Hyundai Mobis, the 5-foot-11 Abarrientos moved to the Japanese league.  In his debut season with Shinshu, Abarrientos averaged 7.8 points and 2.4 assists per game.

SOUTHEAST Asian Games relay gold winner Frederick Ramirez came up with record-breaking feats to power Jose Rizal University (JRU) to a three-peat feat in the NCAA Season 99 track and field competitions at the PhilSports Complex in Pasig City over the weekend.

Giving it all in his final season, Ramirez, 26, broke the 400m and 200m records in the three-day meet. Ramirez clocked 46.95 seconds in the 400m to erase the 48.03 mark he set

“RJ was one of our first options for the point guard spot, but we had to wait until he got clearance from Japan and his agent to play,” said Tiu. “I always like guards who can score, so we are excited to have him on the team.” Also confirmed for Strong Group are Caelan Tiongson and Chris McCullough.

old gilas teammates r J abarrientos and ange Kouame team up at sga

c arlo Paalam is eager to deliver for baby celeste.