BusinessMirror June 16, 2021

LGUs to gain from huge ₧959-B ’22 NTA

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

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OCAL government units (LGUs) next year will be getting their respective shares from a much bigger total National Tax Allotment (NTA) of P959.04 billion for 2022, the first year of implementation of the Mandanas ruling.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) finally issued Local Budget Memorandum 82, which stated that the next’s year’s level of NTA—formerly known as Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA)—will be higher by 37.89 percent or P263.5 billion

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than the share of LGUs this year at P695.49 billion.

If the Mandanas ruling was not implemented in 2022, Budget Undersecretary Laura Pascua told the BusinessMirror that LGUs would only receive P846.31 billion based on the computation from the Department of Finance.

However, the final figure for the total 2022 NTA level is lower compared to the previous estimate of P986.44 billion.

Finance Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Habitan told the BusinessMirror that the final figure specified in the memorandum was “based on the final submission by collecting agencies.”

Nonetheless, 34 percent of the total NTA or P326.07 billion will be divided among 1,488 municipalities. Meanwhile, 82 provinces will get their share from 23 percent of the total or P220.58 billion while another 23 percent will be allocated to 146 cities. As for the remaining 20 percent or P191.8 billion, this will be distributed to 41,933 barangays.

The total 2022 NTA shares of LGUs was based on the certifications of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) on the actual collections of national taxes in 2019.

Broken down, P765.2 billion

came from BIR, P193.74 billion from BOC and P101.065 billion was sourced from other agencies as certified by the BTr. The Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling expanded the basis for the computation of IR A to include collections not only of the Bureau of Internal Revenue but also the customs duties collected by the Bureau of Customs, a part of taxes collected in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, taxes from the exploitation of national wealth, excise tax on tobacco products and other taxes provided in the National Internal See “LGUs,” A2

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OFW IN ACTION: APRIL REMITTANCES HIT $2.3B

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Wednesday, June 16, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 245

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The government has slightly eased quarantine rules in the NCR Plus to GCQ with restrictions, from June 16 to 30. The IATF will allow fully vaccinated senior citizens to do their chores outside of residence. In photo, an elderly woman dutifully resumes her marketing chores in Parola, Cainta, Rizal. BERNARD TESTA

By Bianca Cuaresma

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@BcuaresmaBM

ILIPINO migrant workers are starting to make up for the decline in their remittances at the peak of the pandemic, as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported a strong surge of cash sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) back home in April.

PESO exchange rates

The BSP said cash remittances grew by 12.7 percent in April to reach $2.3 billion during the month. This is the strongest yearon-year growth in remittances in almost five years.

Cash remittances expanded, following the increase in receipts from land-based workers by 15.2 percent to $1.779 billion and seabased workers by 4.9 percent to $526 million.

The strong April remittance growth pushed the total money sent by Filipino migrant workers

3,000 INFRA PROJECTS SEEN COMPLETED IN ‘22

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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HE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) has expressed confidence that the Duterte administration will be able to complete over 3,000 big and small infrastructure projects by next year.

I n a m id-yea r br ief i ng , copresented by the Economic Journalist’s Association of the Philippines (EJAP) and Filinvest REIT FR on Tuesday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretar y K arl Kendrick T. Chua said this was despite the delays caused by the pandemic.

Chua said 314 of the projects have already been completed

as of June 2019 and 2,800 are set to be completed by 2022.

These projects are part of the medium-term Public Investment Program (PIP) of the administration.

“We are on track and the mere fact that we have exceeded 5 percent of GDP projection See “Infra,” A2

Continued on A2

n US 47.8290 n japan 0.4346 n UK 67.4963 n HK 6.1623 n CHINA 7.4756 n singapore 36.0566 n australia 36.8905 n EU 57.9783 n SAUDI arabia 12.7551

Source: BSP (15 June 2021)

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BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Ofw in action: April remittances hit $2.3B Continued from A1

in the first four months of the year to $9.9 billion. This is 4.8 percent higher than the $9.4-billion remittance inflows to the country in the same period last year.

The January to April remittance level in 2021 also exceeded the pre-pandemic cash remittance flows. In 2019, Filipino migrant workers sent $9.7 billion back home.

The growth in cash remittances for the first four months of the year came largely from higher remittances from the United States (US), Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.

In terms of country sources, the US registered the highest share of overall remittances at 40.3 percent for the first four months, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, South Korea, Qatar and Taiwan.

The combined remittances from these top 10 countries accounted for 78.1 percent of total cash remittances.

In the coming months, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) economist Michael Ricafort said remittances will likely continue to grow.

“OFW remittances cou ld stil l continue to grow in the coming months, especia l ly amid the continued much lower base until May 2021 and the need to send more remittances to OFW families/dependents to better cope/weather the Cov id-19 pandemic/ lockdow ns especia l ly since the latter par t of March 2021 as wel l as better dea l w ith higher inf lation/pr ices in recent months,” R icafor t said.

“OFW remittances cou ld a lso continue to grow in the coming months amid the faster economic recover y in major host countr ies amid massive vaccination that reduced new Cov id-19 cases and suppor ted better economic conditions that f undamenta l ly entail more job oppor tunities/employ ment for OFWs,” he added.

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BSP ready to use rate hike tool vs inflation, says BSP’s Diokno

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

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HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is likely to take a “preemptive” stance should inflationary pressures start to arise in the economy.

Speaking at the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) mid-year economic forum on Tuesday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said that even though inf lation went down slightly in March, April and May, they are

still on the lookout for potential risks that may arise.

“We will carefully scan the operating environment with a forward-looking perspective to move in preemptively to address any risks to our price stability mandate,” the governor said.

“The BSP will remain vigilant over the current inf lation dynamics to ensure that the monetary policy stance continues to support economic recovery to the extent that the inflation outlook would allow,” the governor added.

In the first three monetary policy meetings for the year, the BSP has opted to keep rates at their record-low levels despite rising inflation numbers in order to support the local economy. The BSP will meet again for their next monetary policy meeting on June 24.

For the financia l sector, Diokno said the BSP will intensif y its monitor ing and sur veillance over its supervised institutions to ensure

that they remain responsive to emerging risks.

Diokno also said they will put in place regulations to promote the continued soundness, stability, resilience and inclusivity of the banking system, particularly through the pursuit of enhanced digitalization.

For the external sector, the BSP governor said they will support policies that will help strengthen the economy’s resilience to external shocks, including that of maintaining a market-determined exchange rate, keeping a comfortable level of reserves, and keeping the country’s external debt manageable.

In their meeting in May, the BSP revised their inf lation forecast for the year to

3.9 percent, down from the 4.2 percent forecast in their February meeting.

The BSP attributed the downward revision to the impact of the lower tariff on imported pork and the lower-than-expected inflation for March and April.

BSP officials also said the continued contraction in the country’s first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) and the continued appreciation of the peso will also help push down price pressures.

For next year, however, the BSP revised their target higher from 2.8 percent to 3 percent due to the expected increase in global crude oil prices and faster economic prospects.

3 REGIONS ARE COVID ‘HIGH RISK’; NCR PLUS ‘FRAGILE’ W ITH their increase in cases seen nationally at 15 percent growth and a slight increase in average daily attack rate (ADAR), an official of the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday reported that Regions 2, 6, and Caraga, are currently at high-risk classification due to the increase in cases and high ADAR. Dr. Alethea De Guzman, Epidemiology Bureau Director of the DOH, said that the cities of Parañaque and Pasay have also been classified as highrisk areas. Likewise, Parañaque (2 percent), Pasay (19 percent), and Malabon (30 percent) have shown a positive case growth rate during May 30 to June 12.

In Region 2, the ADAR in the previous 3-4 weeks (May 1929,2021), increased from 8.79

Infra. . .

percent to 10.36 percent in the recent 1-2 weeks (May 30-June 12); Caraga, 6.36 percent to 9.27 percent; and 4.99 to 8.11 in Region 6.

De Guzman said the healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) utilization in Region 2 (73 percent) and Caraga (63 percent) is in moderate status while it is deemed high risk in Region 6 at 84 percent.

“As cases continue to increase in Visayas and Mindanao, health care capacity, especially critical care capacity, must be augmented now,” the DOH official urged.

There were also six areas f lagged by DOH after recording high to critical HCUR or ICU utilization—the provinces of La Union, Tarlac, Rizal,

Continued from A1

in 2019 and 2021 and also maintain [that] in 2022, shows that our infrastructure program is ver y well on track,” Chua said.

Chua explained that the majority of the infrastructure projects being undertaken by the administration are “small-scale” and are largely locally-funded infrastructure works.

The number of projects expected to be completed by next year still does not include the f lagships or the game-changing

infrastructure projects of the administration.

These projects, including the 112 infrastructure flagship projects, comprise the PIP. The government intended to spend P7.74 trillion for infrastructure between 2016 and 2022 under the PIP for 2017 to 2022.

Chua declined to share information on the f lagship projects as the government intends to unveil the composition of the list as well as the updates on the projects on Friday.

“Last year, this year, and next year are more challenging because of Covid, because of the difficulties of getting some projects started or maintaining their momentum given the pandemic and the quarantines,” Chua said. “ The far majority of projects are small-scale or locally funded that are provided a budget annually.

This year and next year, we are funding at least P1 trillion,” he added.

Growth, National ID

Meanwhile, Chua said the gradual lifting of quarantine restrictions and continuous vaccination rollout will help the Philippine economy

Cavite, Benguet and Agusan del Sur. “Nationally, [the] decline in cases has stalled and a plateauing trend continues.

NCR [is] in a slow decline after a minor bump in trend; [NCR] Plus areas with less consistent case pattern; Other Luzon areas and Mindanao cases have not gone down after an uptick in cases; Visayas now has the steepest increase in cases among the island groups, surpassing numbers of NCR Plus Areas,” De Guzman said.

W hile there is a current downward trend in NCR, De Guzman warned that it remains “fragile,” and that super spreader events should not be allowed.

“As evidenced by the minor uptick in cases the past month and in some areas after a slow

recover with growth of 6 to 7 percent in 2021 and return to prepandemic levels by 2022.

Unlike last year when 75 percent of the economy was closed, this year’s lockdown allowed greater mobility, Chua said. The government, he added, only closed 25 percent of economic activities compared to the normal period.

The Neda chief also stressed that the country’s economic potential remains. Unlike last year, the economy is projected to grow at 6 to 7 percent in 2021 and 7 to 9 percent in 2022 as the government recalibrated its risk management strategy.

He said vaccination is crucial in restoring the people’s confidence in resuming economic activities. Vaccine deployment for the A4 group of workers began on June 7, 2021.

As of June 13, 2021, close to 7 million doses have been given to priority groups A1, A2, A3, and A4.

“There are three pillars that will govern this recovery.

The first is reopening the economy at the appropriate time and allowing an expanded age group to go out with safeguards, including the resumption of face-to-face learning in low-risk areas,” Chua said. “ The second is the accelerated implementation of the recover y package, consisting of more than P2 trillion or 15 percent

decline, trends can go either way depending on effective Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration or the PDITR Strategy and minimum public health standards protocol adherence,” she concluded.

Covid cases

The DOH on Tuesday logged 5,389 additional Covid-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 1,327,431.

There were also 6,667 recoveries, and 118 deaths.

Of the total number of cases, 4.4 percent (58,063) are active, 93.9 percent (1,246,405) have recovered, and 1.73 percent (22,963) have died.

Nine duplicates were removed from the tota l case

of GDP, in terms of fiscal, monetar y, and financial resources. The third is the timely implementation of the vaccination program,” he added.

Apart from these efforts, Chua said the national government is also preparing for the new normal, particularly digitization. He said the National ID will also strengthen human capital development and aid in the country’s recovery.

Chua said the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or the National ID program is on track to meet its target of 50 million to 70 million registrations by the end of 2021.

To date, Chua said, over 35 million Filipinos have completed Step 1 and the government has already reached 64 percent of its June target for Step 2.

After being appointed as the country’s Chief Economist last year, Chua was given three marching orders by the President— crafting the national recovery plan, fast-tracking the national ID, and rebooting the country’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) program.

Chua assured the public that the Neda under his guidance will rely on evidence and listen to various stakeholders when making policy recommendations to the President.

count. Of these, 4 are recoveries.

In addition, 2 cases were found to have tested negative and have been removed from the total case count. Of these, 1 is a recovery.

Moreover, 304 cases previously reported to be recoveries have been validated to be active cases and 65 cases previously tagged as recoveries were reclassified as deaths after final validation.

All laboratories were operational on June 13, 2021, but 16 were not able to submit their data to the Covid-19 Document Repository System.

Based on data in the last 14 days, the 16 non-reporting labs contribute, on average, 5.5 percent of samples tested and 7.1 percent of positive individuals.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

LGUs. . .

Continued from A1

Revenue Code and franchise taxes.

To mitigate the fiscal impact of the Mandanas ruling, certain functions of the national government will be fully devolved to LGUs not later than the end of 2024.

Despite the big hike in NTA shares of LGUs with the implementation of Mandanas ruling, the DBM said LGUs should expect the downtrend of NTA in succeeding years, particularly in 2023 and 2024, given the lower revenue collections of the government in 2020 and 2021 due to lockdown restrictions imposed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“In this regard, the LGUs are encouraged to plan out their spending not only for FY 2022, but also for the next two [2] years, and to proactively strengthen and enhance their local revenue generation capacity to meet the increasing needs of their constituents and efficiently manage their cash flows to mitigate the said expected downtrend of NTA in the said years,” the DBM said.

In addition to the NTA, some LGUs are entitled to special shares in the proceeds of national taxes.

These include share in the proceeds from the utilization and development of national wealth within their territorial jurisdiction; excise tax on Virginia tobacco cigarettes, excise tax on Burley and Native tobacco products; gross income taxes paid by all businesses and enterprises within the ecozones; value-added taxes and share in fire code fees.

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World Bank warns of ‘silent pandemic’ amid rising child undernutrition in PHL

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

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HE World Bank has warned that insufficient investment in child nutrition may lead to the “silent pandemic” of stunting, which may pose a threat to the country’s human and economic development.

The Philippines currently has one of the highest stunting rates in the region at 30 percent. The average for the region is only 20 percent.

In some areas in the country such as Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas, stunting rates are over 40 percent.

“Improving the nutrition of all children is key to the country’s goals of investing in people and boosting human capital for a more inclusive pattern of economic growth,” Ndiamé Diop, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand said at a briefing on Tuesday.

“To achieve that, we need greater coordination among the local and national government units, as well as participation of the private sector and civil society to address this silent pandemic afflicting many poor and vulnerable families,” he added.

In a report, titled Undernutrition in the Philippines: Scale, Scope and Opportunities for Nutrition Policy and Programming, the World Bank said the primary causes of undernutrition are poor infant and young child feeding practices, ill health, low access to diverse, nutritious foods, inadequate access to health services, unhealthy household environment, and poverty.

Critical to tackling undernutrition at scale are better and higher levels of nutrition investments, as well as adequate domestic financing for nutrition-related programs for vulnerable populations, the report said.

The report also pushed for an increased direct government funding to and from local government units (LGUs) to deliver on their multisectoral local nutrition action plans to be a priority.

A c c o rd i n g t o N k o s i n at h i Mbuya, World Bank senior nutrition specialist, East Asia and the Pacific Region and lead author of the report, there is only a narrow window of opportunity for adequate nutrition to ensure children’s optimal health and physical

and cognitive development.

Mbuya said this window spans the first 1,000 days of life from the day of conception to the child’s second birthday.

“Any undernutrition occurring during this period can lead to extensive and largely irreversible damage to physical growth, brain development, and, more broadly, human capital formation,” said Mbuya.“Therefore, interventions to improve nutritional outcomes must focus on this age group and women of child-bearing age.”

The report suggested several priority recommendations, which if implemented over the next few years can bring about effective and sustainable progress in the government’s efforts to tackle the persistent challenge of undernutrition in the country.

These include securing adequate and predictable financing for nutrition-related programs to achieve nutrition goals and implementing at scale and an evidence-based package of nutrition interventions that should be made available to eligible households in high stunting municipalities.

The World Bank also said addressing the underlying determinants of undernutrition through a multisector effort, and ensuring that nutrition is one of the key priorities in the agendas of both the executive and legislative bodies in municipalities.

Such a comprehensive effort would require high-level government ownership and leadership at all levels, which would facilitate a whole-of-government approach to achieving nutrition results, according to the report.

On Monday, BusinessMirror reported that health diets remain elusive for many Filipinos as these prove costly even for the average Juan, according to a report by the World Bank.

The World Bank said this conclusion is based on the cost of the recommended diet (CoRD) methodology.

CoRD estimates showed a healthy diet costs P68 per day but households only spent P48 per adult per day. The report noted that this is based on 2015 data.

The World Bank recommends that the country invest in nutrition. They estimated that every dollar invested in “high-impact, nutrition-specific interventions” by the Philippines will increase adult incomes by $66, one of the highest in 34 countries.

PHL’s first private sector-initiated Sulong recovery program launched

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HE private sector is working with the Pasay City government to develop long-term plans for economic recovery from the coronavirus, as it initiates the country’s first public-private partnership initiative dubbed as Sulong Pasay.

“This certainly gives a very strong signal that the City is ready to open further and move on to help restore lost opportunities, particularly employment and businesses,” Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) President Sergio OrtizLuis Jr. said during the initiative’s launch on June 4.

He assured that the sector remains committed to be a partner of the city government in achieving growth goals as it invites more investors to the city.

For one, Ortiz-Luis said the exporters group has not only been a locator for at least 35 years in Pasay City, but is also a strong advocate and driver of business in the area.

He said the World Trade Center, which stands on land leased by the government to Philexport, has become a landmark of the booming trade activities in the country.

The city also serves as a “catalyst and harbinger” of an increasing number of major locators in the area, including five-star hotels, office buildings/condotels, as well as official quarters of business support

organizations, such as the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he added.

In its manifesto, Sulong Pasay said it is its mission to help attract more investors to Pasay to generate more jobs and revenues during this health crisis.

“To achieve these, we will assist the local government in developing long-term economic plans as well as help organize various sectors within the city such as those in business, the academe, the church, the workers, the women, the youth and the urban poor,” the manifesto read.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Ambassador Benedicto Yujuico is optimistic about the partnership of the private sector and the local government in creating a physical and economic transformation of Pasay City.

“The establishment of our PCCI’s Innovation Center is a testament to this belief and aspiration, and with the LGU’s [local government unit] help, we will make this center the front and center of the innovation ecosystem of our country,” he said.

Yujuico said the business organization would be in partnership with technology giants and other key players to pursue a collective dream of making the Philippines the hub of the highest quality technological workers in the future.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Wednesday, June 16, 2021 A3

Malacañang rejects ICC probe into Duterte’s drug war killings

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla & Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

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ALACAÑANG has flatly rejected the move of an outgoing International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to probe President Duterte for allegedly allowing crimes against humanity in the government’s war against illegal drugs for being “legally erroneous and politically motivated.”

In an online news briefing on Tuesday, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque questioned the validity and the motive of the decision of Prosecutor Fatous Bensouda to seek authorization from the pretrial chamber of the ICC to push through with the investigation against the President.

The case was filed by former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a known critic of Duterte, who handed over the case to Bensouda in 2017.

Roque claimed Bensouda decided to push through with the probe to just deflect criticism that she can

POEA readies documentation of illegal Pinoys in Ireland

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REPARATIONS are under way for the processing of undocumented Filipinos in Ireland that would enable them to avail of the European country’s “regularization scheme” later this year.

In its Advisory 75, Series of 2021, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported the preparations are being organized by the Migrant Rights Center Ireland (MRCI).

POEA Administrator Bernard P. Olalia said the MRCI is now coordinating with Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Philippine Embassy in London to ensure undocumented Filipino migrants in Ireland would be able to renew their passports in advance.

A passport is expected to be among the requirements in the anticipated regularization scheme, which is expected to be implemented by the Irish government by the end of 2021.

“The undocumented workers will only be given approximately six months from the scheme’s rollout for the submission of their application,” Olalia said.

He noted those who are expected to qualify for the regularization are Filipinos who have been staying in Ireland for four years, or three years in the case of children who managed to enter without any valid immigration status.

The applicants will be assessed based on their character and conduct by the Irish government.

“Applicants who will meet the eligibility requirements will be granted immigration permission and access to the labor market, including the opportunity to pursue citizenship by way of naturalization,” Olalia said.

Samuel P. Medenilla

only file charges against Africans to advance her political career.

“Good luck to their political career in her home state, but it should not be at the expense of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Roque stressed.

The Palace spokesman insisted that the Philippine National Police (PNP) was never engaged in crimes against humanity since its members were not deliberately attacking civilians in its anti-illegal drugs campaign.

The civilians, who were hurt or have died as an offshoot of such operations, Roque said, were the “collat-

eral damage” because the policeman were merely defending themselves against drug dealers.

No jurisdiction

THE Palace official also said the ICC no longer has any jurisdiction over the country after it has withdrawn its membership in the international body on March 17, 2019.

“Everything that happened before the President took office and implemented [on] the war against drugs and everything that happened after 17 March of 2019 is clearly beyond the ratione temporis jurisdiction of the ICC,” Roque pointed out.

“We will not cooperate [with the investigation] since we are no longer a member [of the ICC],” he added.

Roque also cited the principle of “complementarity,” which states the ICC could only intervene in cases where states are unable or unwilling to prosecute.

He stressed the local courts are acting on the alleged drug-related killings from the ranks of the PNP. “Because of complementarity, I am confident that the pre-trial chamber will reject the request for investigation,” Roque said.

He stressed that accepting such intervention from the ICC will be an insult to the country’s judicial system.

“That is an insult. We will be compared to countries like Darfur, which have no functioning government. We are not like that,” he pointed out.

No bearing

JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra, for his part, said the request of the Office of the ICC has no bearing on the Department of Justice (DOJ)-led panel’s ongoing review of more than a hundred cases where deaths occurred during anti-illegal drug operations.

“As far as the DOJ is concerned, such development has absolutely no effect on the ongoing work of the review panel on drug deaths, as well as on the Philippines-UN joint program on technical cooperation on human rights,” Guevarra told reporters.

Philippine Nationa l Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar has earlier pledged full cooperation in the panel’s ongoing review.

In line with this, the PNP-Internal Affairs Service (IAS) has already submitted 53 cases to the panel for review.

These cases involve findings by the PNP-IAS of administrative liabilities on the conduct of police officers in anti-drug operations.

Aside from the PNP, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has opened its case files for review of the panel.

A4 Wednesday, June 16, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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Poland seeks DA’s ‘urgent’ OK to export poultry to PHL

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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OLAND is seeking “urgent accreditation” of its poultry exporters to the Philippines, emphasizing that it is capable of meeting the country’s meat supply requirement particularly of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken.

In a recent letter to Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Manila Chargé d’affaires Jarosław Szczepankiewicz reiterated the intention of Polish poultry producers to be accredited as exporters by the Philippines.

Szczepankiewicz pointed out that the date of inspection of Polish poultry plants had been postponed for years, thus, “blocking the possibility

of Polish export” to the Philippines.

“From our point of view, the problematic issue is the access for Polish meat products. For many years, we have been striving to enter the Filipino market with our offer in the poultry and pork sectors,” he said in his letter dated June 8, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror.

The Polish diplomat noted that Philippine inspectors were slated to visit Poland at the end of April or beginning of May, but this has not materialized so far. Based on Szczepankiewicz’s letter, there are about 31 Polish poultry meat exporters, 18 of which are producers of chicken MDM, awaiting accreditation from the Philippines.

“Once again we kindly requests the Department of Agriculture to deploy the Inspection Mission to Po-

land as soon as possible considering the severe shortage of raw materials for processed meats threatening the Philippines’s food security,” Szczepankiewicz said.

“The current, very difficult situation on the meat market in the Philippines has shown that it is necessary to support supply with imports. Poland, as a respected and reliable exporter of meat products, can therefore be an excellent partner in ensuring the food security of the Philippines and even lowering inflation with its competitive pricing of meat products,” he added.

The Philippines, particularly the local meat processing industry, has been scrambling for raw material supply, particularly of chicken MDM, as the government closed its borders to European suppliers following a series of bird flu outbreaks in their

respective countries. The temporary import bans resulted in the Philippines losing about 60 percent of its total poultry MDM supply.

In a bid to address the issue, the Department of Agriculture allowed meat processors to import chicken MDM from the Netherlands, the top supplier of the raw material to the Philippines.

However, meat processors faced another challenge as the government strictly enforced a born-and-bred condition on all imports of chicken MDM from the Netherlands. The condition meant that Dutch chicken MDM can enter the country if the product came from a poultry born and raised in the Netherlands, a condition that both exporters and importers have noted is arduous to comply with since meat production in Europe is integrated.

Szczepankiewicz assured Dar that

both the number of Covid-19 cases and number of recorded bird flu outbreaks in Poland “have significantly decreased in the recent period.”

Poland is cognizant of this predicament that Philippine meat processors are facing, with Szczepankiewicz pointing out that Poland is in a good position to comply with the country’s born-and-bred import condition.

“Rich European countries like the Netherlands do not raise chickens but rather import their supplies from the lower-cost sources like Poland and then process them in their factories,” he said.

“In fact, I believe that Poland is one of the very few, or even maybe the only country in Europe, that can meet the criteria of born and bred,” he added.

In his two-page letter, Szczepankiewicz also expressed concerns regarding the total import ban that

the DA imposed on Polish chicken MDM products due to an outbreak of avian influenza.

Szczepankiewicz said Poland was “unpleasantly surprised” when the DA imposed the temporary import ban late last year.

“It is really a pity that the Philippines banned all the suppliers of MDM products from Poland instead of following the standard procedure prescribed by the World Organization for Animal Health to ban suppliers from within a 1-, 3-, or 7-kilometer radius from the infected animal farm, depending on the severity of the viral spread,” he said.

“It could be easily applied in case of our country as the Embassy sends detailed information on the outbreaks to the Bureau of Animal Industry as soon as it receives from Poland,” he added.

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Wednesday, June 16, 2021 A5

Asakawa: ADB aiming to withdraw support to coal-fired power projects

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By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) remains on track to extend over $6 billion in climate financing to its developing member countries (DMCs) this year.

In his opening remarks in the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2021, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said the Manila-based multilateral development bank aims to focus 75 percent of its operations on climate adaptation and mitigation.

The bank aims to provide at least $80 billion in climate financing from 2019 to 2030. This means on average about $6.6 billion annually.

“Due to the need to address the impact of the pandemic, our climate financing last year was about $4.3 billion. This year, we are confident that we will be able to provide over $6 billion for climate mitigation and adaptation through measures including investing in clean energy, as we did in 2019 when ADB provided a total of $6.5 billion for climate finance,” Asakawa said.

Asakawa also said ADB is currently reviewing its energy policy. The review of the policy, which started in 2020, will be finalized by the end of this year.

Asakawa assured that the updated policy would be aligned with ADB’s Strategy 2030 and global commitments under the Paris Agreement.

The draft energy policy aims to help DMCs move toward a carbon neutral future. Among the key points is for ADB to withdraw from financing coalfired power plants, which has been

welcomed by stakeholders.

“ADB’s new policy will be responsive to the needs of our DMCs as they build sustainable and resilient energy systems. While the final decision will have to be made by our Board, we are also aiming for a formal withdrawal from financing new coal-fired power generation,” Asakawa said.

This year’s ACEF, Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) Coordinator Lidy Nacpil, said is an opportunity to commit to end fossil fuel energy in Asia and effect a rapid and just transition to clean and renewable energy (RE) in the region way before 2050.

Nacpil said participants at the ACEF can not afford to allow business as usual given the short time left to keep global average temperatures from rising by less than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

She said APMDD members also called on the ADB to stop funding new coal, oil, and gas and withdraw its involvement in all fossil fuels projects under construction and in the pipeline.

Nacpil added that the ADB should also not allow new financing for coal for all sovereign and non-sovereign operations—including non-financing of coal by its financial intermediaries.

“The new ADB energy policy that

is currently being drafted must categorically state an all-encompassing end to the ADB’s coal financing. There must be no exceptions, especially for financing false solutions, such as coal projects with Carbon Capture Usage and Storage technology, which have unproven claims of reducing carbon pollution,” Nacpil said.

On Tuesday, ADB said it is ready to play a leading role in helping Asia and the Pacific meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and achieve net-zero emissions by the middle of the 21st century.

Asakawa said this would require major changes in the energy sector that include avoiding fossil fuels, switching to low-carbon fuels, deploying more RE, and improving energy efficiency among others.

He said ADB plans to step up its climate finance and capacity-building activities to help its DMCs achieve their NDCs. “Now is the time for bold action,” Asakawa said. “We must commit wholeheartedly to fighting climate change and meeting the emissionreduction goals under the Paris Agreement, while ensuring universal energy access in a region where more than 200 million people still lack access to electricity.”

Co-hosted by ADB, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Korea Energy Agency (KEA), ACEF runs from June 14 to 18. More than 3,000 delegates are expected to join the online event, including policy-makers, energy and private sector professionals, and civil-society organizations from around the world.

Under the theme “Accelerating the Low Carbon Transition in Asia and the Pacific,” this year’s event will explore technology road maps to achieve the

NDCs, understand the impact of the coronavirus disease on the region’s energy systems, and how to foster a green recovery.

Not enough

IN a related development climate campaigners on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the UK embassy in Taguig City to denounce what they called the failure of the G7 Leaders Summit to commit to their fair shares of climate action and demand for climate finance for the ambitious target to limit global warming and avert a climate crisis.

“The G7 Summit has achieved nothing new or significant for the climate crisis. Net zero by 2050 and 50 percent emissions cuts by 2030 is far from enough. Since 2009, G7 governments have been repeating promises to mobilize climate finance of a minimum of $100 billion a year. They have failed to deliver on this pledge.

And $100 billion a year is actually a pittance compared to the scale of need and their climate finance obligations,” APMDD Coordinator Nacpil said in a news statement.

“We demand bolder commitments from the G7 leaders. This decade is a critical juncture for our planet and all of us who inhabit it. Yet they agree to stop financing only for “unabated coal,” leaving the possibility to continue overseas financing for abated coal or coal-fired power generation plants outfitted with carbon capture and storage technology, a technology that is unproven and unreliable. They remain silent on stopping public financing of gas and oil. Our demand is for G7 countries to immediately halt public support for all fossil fuels given the narrow window of time left to prevent climate catastrophe,” she said. With Jonathan L. Mayuga

Palace loosens curbs in NCR, Bulacan amid Covid decline

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ORE business operations and activities are now allowed in the Metro Manila and Bulacan with the easing of the community quarantine restrictions in both areas starting today, Wednesday.

Both areas were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with restrictions, which would allow gyms, fitness centers to operate with 20 percent venue capacity.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the capacity could be increased to 30 percent if the said venues could be able to secure a Safety Seal from concerned local government offices.

Other indoor sports courts will be allowed to operate at 30 percent venue capacity.

Historical sites and museums as well as venues for meetings and conferences will also be allowed to reopen

with 30 percent venue capacity, but this may be increased to 40 percent if the said venues are able to secure the needed Safety Seals.

All the aforementioned establishments were not allowed in the previous GCQ with heightened restriction classification of the National Capital Region (NCR) and Bulacan.

In the case of personal care services like salons, parlors, and beauty

clinics, these establishments will be allowed to operate with 50 percent venue capacity, but may be increased to 60 percent with a Safety Seal.

Outdoor tourist attractions and dining (al fresco) may also operate with 50 percent venue capacity.

For indoor dining, the venue capacity should be 40 percent, which may be increased to 50 percent with a Safety Seal. Samuel P. Medenilla

₧660.51B released to govt agencies as of May–DBM

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HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P660.51 billion in allotments to agencies as of end-May for the government’s Covid-19 response.

Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado on Tuesday said 82.2 percent of the amount, or P542.64 billion, was already obligated by agencies, while 89.8 percent of the obligated amount, or P487.19 billion was already disbursed.

During the Senate hearing on the

government’s Covid-19 vaccination program, Avisado said P387.17 billion was released by DBM for Bayanihan 1, P200.12 billion for Bayanihan 2, and P73.21 billion in regular funds.

Under Bayanihan 1, implementing agencies have already obligated 93.09 percent of the total releases or P360.42 billion. Out of the obligated amount, 95 percent or P342.4 billion was already disbursed by the agencies.

An amount is said to be obligated

if the government agency has already committed to immediate or eventual payment of a sum of money.

On the other hand, an amount is considered disbursed if there is already a settlement/liquidation/payment of an obligation incurred.

In terms of Bayanihan 2 releases, agencies have obligated 86.09 percent of the amount, or P172.28 billion, while they have disbursed 78.83 percent of the obligated amount or

P135.81 billion.

As for regular funds, only 13.57 percent of the amount or P9.93 billion was obligated, while 90.43 percent of the obligated amount or P8.98 billion was disbursed.

Fund releases under Bayanihan 2 law are still valid for obligation and disbursement until June 30 this year after Republic Act 11519 also extended the availability of appropriations authorized under the said law. Bernadette D. Nicolas

DND, US hail suspension of VFA’s termination The government served notice to the US for the termination of the VFA last year, but its termination has since been extended twice

by Duterte. Lorenzana said in December last year that the defense and military establishments prefer

that the agreement stays, although the ultimate decision rests upon the Commander in Chief.

“With the additional six months, we will further review the pros and cons of the VFA especially regarding various concerns of mutual impor-

tance to our two countries with the end in view of helping the President arrive at an informed decision on the matter,” Lorenzana said in response to Duterte’s action.

The suspension in the termination of the VFA comes as the military con-

continued from a16

tinues to deal with the swarming presence of hundreds of Chinese vessels in the Kalayaan Island Group and West Philippine Sea, where the Chinese have built military bases in some of its features that it has reclaimed and developed. Rene Acosta

PHL could get 204-M doses of Covid vaccine in ’21–DOF continued from a16 At the end of the marathon hearing, Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon said the hearing at least made it clear that “there is no need for the P25billion supplemental budget this year,” referring to the amount recently mentioned by some Executive officials, on

top of the P85-billion sum allotted for the 2021 vaccine purchase.

Drilon got the clarification that the P25 billion is being sought for 2022, so, he said, if ever, that could be discussed “sometime in September” when full-blown discussions are slated for

the 2022 budget measure.

Drilon lamented, meanwhile, that, “the disbursement is very slow, delaying our economic recovery.” He warned that, “unmanageable national debt may be the biggest headache and challenge of the next administration.”

Asked what he saw as takeaway from the hearing, Sotto said, “partly, the important thing is we are appraised with how the vaccination program is getting along. Also, IATF is informed on suggestions from the Senate and LGUs.” With Butch Fernandez

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Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The World BusinessMirror

Rampant variant derails Britain’s plan to lift coronavirus measures

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rime Minister Boris Johnson pushed back his plan to lift coronavirus restrictions by four weeks as a more infectious variant spreads rapidly across the UK and threatens to undermine the country’s effort to vaccinate its way out of the pandemic.

The government in London was forced to act after modeling showed hospital admissions could reach similar levels to the first wave of infections in spring 2020—a peak of more than 3,000 a day—if Johnson stuck to his schedule to end social-distancing rules on June 21. In a televised briefing on Monday, he said there was no choice but to delay his plan until July 19.

The aim is to prevent a surge in hospitalizations and avoid adding thousands to what’s already Europe’s highest death toll by allowing more people to get their second vaccine dose. Johnson said he is “pretty confident” there won’t be another postponement, while some members of his governing Conservative Party hit out at the impact on the economy.

“The objective of this short de-

lay is to use these valuable, crucial weeks to save thousands of lives—lives that would otherwise be lost, I’m afraid—by vaccinating millions more people as fast as we can,” he said.

While Britain gained global attention with its rapid vaccine rollout, the country is now emerging as the less enviable test case in Europe for dealing with the highly transmissible delta variant first identified in India. The World Health Organization’s Europe director, Hans Kluge, warned last week that delta was “poised to take hold” across the continent.

The issue for the UK is that its inoculation program lengthened the time between doses in an effort to get as many shots into as many people as quickly as possible.

The new variant has changed the calculus after evidence emerged

that two injections are required for protection. The government is now speeding up second shots.

Political backlash

The revised lockdown timetable is expected to go to a vote in the UK Parliament on Wednesday, and Johnson is likely to face anger from Conservative colleagues for backtracking on what they dubbed “Freedom Day.” The government also said it will not extend financial support for businesses further, despite the delay. A furlough program is due to run until the end of September, though employers will have to start meeting some of those wages from July.

“If you can’t lift restrictions at the height of summer—and we are in the height of summer—then you almost certainly are looking at these restrictions persisting and tightening into the autumn and winter,” Conservative lawmaker Charles Walker told BBC Radio ahead of the announcement. “I just have an overwhelming sense of pessimism now.”

In the House of Commons late on Monday, the opposition Labour party’s health spokesman, Jonathan Ashworth, blamed the delay on the government’s failure to close the country’s borders quickly enough.

Variant risk

Johnson had initially planned to drop all legal limits on social contact this month, in the final step of his “road map” out of lockdown. That would have meant nightclubs reopening, people lining up at the bar again, full stadiums and big conferences back in the diaries.

There was a reprieve for weddings: the 30-person limit will be lifted to allow an unlimited number of guests, as long as there is no dancing and social distancing is respected.

Covid cases have been rising rapidly. More than nine in 10 new cases in the UK are of the delta variant, according to Public Health England, and these infections are doubling every 4.5 days in parts of the nation.

Delta is 64 percent more transmissible indoors than the previously dominant alpha variant first identified in southeast England, PHE said, and early data show “a significantly increased risk of hospitalization.”

The government will review the data again on June 28, with the possibility of easing restrictions on July 5, though that’s considered unlikely. Right now, infections in England are growing 64 percent every week nationally, Johnson said, and in roughly a third of the country they are doubling every week. The key is whether positive cases lead to more people in intensive care and ultimately more deaths, or whether vaccines have broken that link enough.

Timely pause

The mont h long delay wou ld g ive t he gover nment some “ breat h i ng space” to sc r ut inize the data, said Lawrence Young, a virologist at War wick Medical School. Easing restrictions in late July when schools have closed for summer would also help contain virus spread, he said. “If we push them back any further, that could result i n c ra sh i ng i nto t he w i nter months, but I also don’t think the public are going to tolerate restrictions beyond that,” Young said. “We are going to have to get to a position where we have to live with the virus.”

In the meantime, all eyes are on the speed of vaccinations. Almost 80 percent of adults have received at least one dose, while 57 percent have gotten two. The government aims to fully vaccinate two-thirds of adults by July 19. All over-18s will be offered a first dose by then, too.

New a na lysis f rom PHE re leased on Mond ay fou nd t hat t wo doses of Pf i zer-BioN Tec h of fe r 9 6 p e rce nt prote c t ion aga i nst hospit a l i z at ion, a nd 92 percent for t he Ox ford Universit y-A st ra Zeneca shot.

The vaccines are “spectacularly more effective that we ever dared hope,” said Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser. Bloomberg News

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

As Covid-19 infections wane in US, vaccine-lagging areas still see risk

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ACKSON, Miss.—New Covid-19 cases are declining across most of the country, even in some states with vaccinehesitant populations. But almost all states bucking that trend have lower-than-average vaccination rates, and experts warn that relief from the pandemic could be fleeting in regions where few people get inoculated.

Case totals nationally have declined in a week from a seven-day average of nearly 21,000 on May 29 to 14,315 on Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. For weeks, states and cities have been dropping virus restrictions and mask mandates, even indoors.

Experts said some states are seeing increased immunity because there were high rates of natural spread of the disease, which has so far killed nearly 600,000 Americans.

“We certainly are getting some population benefit from our previous cases, but we paid for it,” said Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. “We paid for it with deaths.”

More than 7,300 Mississippians have died in the pandemic, and the state has the sixth-highest per capita death rate.

Dobbs estimated that about 60 percent of the state’s residents have “some underlying immunity.”

“So we’re now sort of seeing that effect, most likely, because we have a combination of natural and vaccine-induced immunity,” Dobbs said.

Just eight states—Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Missouri, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Wyoming—have seen their sevenday rolling averages for infection rates rise from two weeks earlier, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. All of them except Hawaii have recorded vaccination rates that are lower than the US average of 43 percent fully vaccinated, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 10 states with the fewest new cases per capita over that time frame all have fully vaccinated rates above the national average.

Medical experts said a host of factors is playing into the drop

in case counts across the country, including vaccines, natural immunity from exposure to the virus, warmer weather and people spending less time indoors.

But Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at George Washington University, said she is concerned that the natural immunity of those who have been exposed to coronavirus may soon wane. And she’s worried that states with low vaccination rates could become hot spots.

“Just because we’re lucky in June doesn’t mean we’ll continue to be lucky come the late fall and winter,” said Wen, the former health commissioner for the city of Baltimore. “We could well have variants here that are more transmissible, more virulent and those who do not have immunity or have waning immunity could be susceptible once again.”

In Mississippi, about 835,000 people have been fully vaccinated, or 28 percent of the population. But despite the lagging vaccination rate, the state’s rolling average of daily new cases over the past two weeks has decreased by about 18 percent, according to Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Albert Ko, who chairs Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at Yale, said there is no accurate data to show what percentage of the population in “high burden” states such as Alabama or Texas have been exposed to the virus, but he said estimates have put it as high as 50 percent.

“I think it doesn’t deny the importance of vaccination, particularly because the levels of antibodies that you get that are induced by natural infection are lower than that of what we have for our best vaccine,” Ko said.

Ko said it is important that even those exposed to the disease get vaccinated because natural immunity does not last as long as vaccine immunity and the levels of antibodies are lower.

Wen said research strongly suggests that vaccinations provide a benefit to those who already have some antibodies due to infection.

“I think it is a fallacy that many people have that recovery means they no longer need to be vaccinated,” she said. AP

China warns NATO it will not ‘sit back’ if challenged by bloc

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hina warned the North Atlantic Treaty Organization it won’t “sit back” in the face of any challenges, illustrating the potential for tensions to escalate while the US tries to convince its allies to take a tougher approach to the Asian nation.

Beijing doesn’t pose a “systemic challenge” to any countries, according to a statement posted Tuesday on the website of its mission to the European

Union that added NATO should not exaggerate China’s military power.

T he st atement a l so u rged NATO to push for ward w it h dialogue and cooperation, and said the bloc should work to sa feg u a rd i nter n at ion a l a nd regional stability.

The comments from Beijing come a f te r N AT O S e c ret a r y General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that the alliance is

“concerned by China’s coercive policies, which stand in contrast to the fundamental values enshrined in the Washington Treaty” on which the bloc rests.

He cited the country’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal, military cooperation with Russia and its use of disinformation.

T he com mu n iqué relea sed after the NATO meeting mentioned China 10 times, compared to just once af ter t he last summit in 2019. Russia was named more than 60 times this year. T he document also said that the bloc “maintains a constr uctive dia log ue w ith China where possible.”

Washington has been seeking to build a united front on Beijing, though President Joe Biden settled for a modest condemnation at the Group of Seven meeting over the weekend.

Biden had pushed for t he group to confront China on topics such as forced labor and human rights abuses, and on its Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure plan. He said he also raised the issue of China refusing outside access to its laboratories to determine the origin of the

Covid-19 outbreak.

T he G -7 com mu n iqué c a l l s for a “t i me ly, t ra nspa rent, e xper t-led , a nd sc ience -ba sed ” st udy led by t he World Hea lt h O r g a n i z a t i o n i nt o t h e d i s ea se’s or ig i ns.

Se vera l leaders, i nc lud i ng Ger man Chancel lor A ngela Merkel, pushed back over concern about turning the G-7 into an anti-China group. Suggesting any infrastructure program the nations supported should be framed as a more positive, proenvironment effort.

Merkel said at one point in the summit that “this is not about being against something, but for something,” a rejection of any call to specifically line up against China.

“It is the claim of the G -7 to have a positive agenda for many countries in the world, which still need to catch up,” Merkel said.

China was dismissive of the G-7 summit, with its embassy in London issuing a statement saying: “The days when global decisions were dictated by a small group of countries are long gone.”

Bloomberg News

www.businessmirror.com.ph

The World

California adds ‘dream vacation’ incentives to spur vaccinations

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ACR AMENTO, California—California will offer six “dream vacation” incentives to spur more people to get coronavirus vaccinations, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday on the eve of the state awarding of $15 million in cash prizes.

Aside from boosting California’s vaccination rate as it lifts most pandemic restrictions Tuesday, the latest promotion aims to jump-start the Golden State’s travel and tourism industry after more than a year in virtual hibernation because of stayat-home orders and travel restrictions.

The tourism industr y “ had a sledgehammer taken to it,” Newsom said.

Tourism revenues nose-dived from a record $145 billion in 2019 to $65 billion last year as California enacted some of the nation’s toughest restrictions.

B ut Ne w s om s a id it ’s s a fe t o re t u r n a s t he s t at e of ne a r l y 4 0 m i l l ion p e o pl e b o a s t s a mon g t he n at ion’s lo w e s t v i r u s t r a n s m i s s ion r at e s .

In San Francisco, 80 percent of eligible city residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, and nearly 70 percent are fully vaccinated, becoming the first major American city to hit that threshold, Mayor London Breed said Monday.

Newsom spoke in San Francisco, site of one of the six vacation packages offered by various donors through Visit California, the state’s nonprofit travel promotion arm.

Others will include Anaheim in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and at a luxury hotel in Palm Springs. Newsom hastily added that he has never visited the luxury hotel, a caveat that comes after he was widely criticized for patronizing an exclusive Napa Valley restaurant during the pandemic.

Goodies in the package include floor seats at an NBA game with the LA Lakers and tickets to Disneyland, Legoland, SeaWorld and a symphony, he said.

They are among “a series of spectacular items and packages and experiences, including culinary experiences, that really highlight the best of California,” Newsom said.

Visit California will also provide each winner with $2,000 in travel money, Newsom said.

Californians who are at least 18 years old who are at least partially vaccinated are eligible for the drawing.

Newsom is also proposing $95 million in state funding to help a hospitality and tourism sector that at one point during the pandemic he said lost nearly half its 1.2 million jobs. The investment could speed the resumption of more than 300,000 jobs within a year, he projected.

Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, said California is perceived to be less ready for tourism than other states, in particular Florida, because it enacted more safeguards that Newsom and other officials said were worth it both for the economy and the health of Californians.

She predicted it will take another four years for California to fully recover, particularly because business and convention travel is expected to take more time to return.

Meanwhile, Newsom said he expects California’s workplace regulators this week will allow employees to “self-attest” that they have been vaccinated.

Fully vaccinated employees would not need to wear masks under rules to be considered Thursday by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. Newsom said he will then issue an executive order putting those regulations into effect immediately, bypassing a normal 10-day legal review.

The methods of employer verification aren’t spelled out in the draft regulations released Friday.

But the board’s staff confirmed Monday that employers would have options, including requiring workers to show proof of vaccination; requiring everyone to remain masked, vaccinated or not; or allowing employees to self-attest to their vaccination status, with the employer keeping a record of who self-attests.

“Self-attestation is a necessary option to help businesses— particularly small businesses—avoid getting into the murky waters of attempting to verify vaccinations when workers may have lost their vaccine cards,” said Robert Moutrie, a policy advocate at the California Chamber of Commerce.

Monday’s new prize announcement adds to a weekslong effort to entice those reluctant to get the vaccines to do so.

Newsom on Tuesday will oversee a drawing where 10 vaccinated people will win $1.5 million each.

That’s the same day Newsom is lifting his stay-at-home order and ending most restrictions on businesses, including allowing fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks under most circumstances.

He said the state began offering the incentives after California and the nation started seeing a decline in the number of first vaccinations. Administered doses increased 13.8 percent weekover-week since the prize drawings began, he said.

“We are confident these vaccine incentives have worked.

That’s why we want to continue in that spirit” with the vacation packages, he said.

The prize giveaways, streamed online, have the appearance of game shows, with Newsom as host giving out 30 $50,000 prizes. The state is also giving $50 gift cards to 2 million people who get vaccinated.

Newsom, a Democrat, faces a likely recall election this fall largely driven by his handling of the pandemic, and his Republican challengers have contended that the prizes are a taxpayer-paid way for him to boost his popularity. However, other governors of both political parties launched similar incentives.

To aid those who must show they have been vaccinated, the state later this week will unveil what Newsom said will be a way for people to show “an electronic version of your paper version” of the vaccine verification card.

“It’s not a passport, it’s not a requirement,” he said, without giving details. AP

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

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Japan-South Korea discord at G-7 a challenge for Biden

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t was supposed to be another sign of Joe Biden bringing together US allies left adrift under four years of Donald Trump: The leaders of Japan and South Korea sitting down for a meeting at the Group of Seven summit.

Yet Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and South Korean President Moon Jaein failed to hold the first substantive direct talks between the leaders of the oft-sparring neighbors since December 2019, only exchanging greetings before the start of one of the formal meetings. Suga later said there couldn’t be progress unless Seoul changed its ways on wartime labor issues.

“We are not in that environment because we cannot keep promises made between countries,” Suga was quoted as saying by the Nikkei newspaper. “The problems of former workers and the comfort women have been resolved.”

Moon said on Twitter “it was regrettable” that the exchange of greetings at the G-7 could not be

followed through by a meeting, adding it could have “served as a new beginning in terms of South Korea-Japan relations.”

The ongoing rift shows the difficulties Biden faces in mendi ng f rayed t ies bet ween t he two allies who host the bulk of America’s troops in Asia and are key to securing supply chains for items in the US’s wider strategic fight against China. Biden has also sought their help as he undertakes a new strateg y to end North Korea’s nuclear program, which he has called a serious threat to America and the world.

Biden has met both leaders separately at the White House in the past few months, his first two in-person summits with foreign leaders. There was some talk that all three would sit down for

a trilateral meeting, but that also failed to materialize.

Moon is seeking to visit Tokyo when it hosts the Olympics next month and meet Suga at that time, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper reported Tuesday without attribution. Japanese organizers and the International Olympic Committee are still working out whether foreign dignitaries will be allowed to attend the games, which will have tough measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Japan has been angered by a series of South Korean court decisions since late 2018 demanding some of its biggest firms pay compensation to Koreans conscripted during the 1910-1945 colonial period to work at Japanese factories and mines, often in brutal conditions.

Tokyo said all such claims were “settled completely and finally” at the time of a 1965 treaty that set up basic ties, whi le t he Moon gover nment has argued that victims still have the right to file individual claims. Last week, a South Korean court dismissed a lawsuit brought on behalf of 85 former Korean laborers and their families against 16 Japanese companies, saying they didn’t have legal rights to seek damages.

Australia says it forged free trade agreement with Britain

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A NBER R A , Au st ralia—Britain and Australia had agreed on a free trade deal that will be released later Tuesday, Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan said.

The agreement is the first for Britain since it left the European Union.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison had reached agreement on the deal during negotiations in London, Tehan said.

“Both prime ministers have held a positive meeting in London overnight and have

resolved outstanding issues in relation to the FTA,” Tehan said in a statement, referring to the Free Trade Agreement.

“Their agreement is a win for jobs, businesses, f ree trade and highlights what two liberal democracies can achieve while working together,” Tehan added.

Both prime ministers would make a formal announcement on Tuesd ay mor n i ng i n L ondon and release f ur ther i n for m at ion , he s a id .

Tehan said he spoke to Morrison on Tuesday. Australian Agriculture Minister David Littleproud described the deal

as an “in-principle agreement.”

“The details are being nutted out from the in-principle agreement that our two prime ministers were able to get to last night over dinner,” Littleproud told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“O u r de pa r t ment s a nd the Trade Department are working through feverishly to make sure that an announcement can be made at our time tonight so that Australians will see exactly what is in that in-principle agreement,” he added.

The agreement is Australia’s 15th free trade agreement. AP

Bitcoin hits highest level since May as chartists eye $50,000

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fter a volatile weekend, Bitcoin has once again surpassed $40,000, reaching its highest level in more than two weeks.

The world’s largest crypto gained as much as 4.5 percent Monday to $41,020, extending its rally to a second day.

The coin has rallied roughly 9 percent since Friday. The wider Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index, which tracks some of the major cryptocurrencies, also advanced, adding as much as 7.7 percent at one point.

“Getting back above $40,000 was technically a positive,” said Art Hogan, chief strategist at National Securities. “The folks who look at this using technical analysis would tell you that when it breached $40,000, that sent a negative signal, and now that it’s recaptured that level, it sends a positive signal.”

With Bitcoin holding above that threshold, many chartists are looking at $42,500 as its next important level to breach. That number roughly represents its 200-day moving average and topping it could

mean the coin rallies toward $50,000.

“Bitcoin is always going to be volatile and the manic runup we had was never sustainable. The question is where do we settle? What is the new floor in Bitcoin?,” said Tom Essaye, a former Merrill Lynch trader who founded “The Sevens Report” newsletter. “In order for Bitcoin to resume that rally, I think you’re going to need to see more widespread legitimate adoption.”

C r y pto c u r re nc ie s h ave been under pressure in recent weeks, with Bitcoin losing about 30 percent since mid-April, when it hit a record of almost $65,000. The recent selloff has been exacerbated by a public rebuke from Tesla Inc.’s Elon Musk, who criticized the amount of energy used by the servers underpinning the token and reneged a previous offer to allow customers to buy his cars using the cryptocurrency. Increased Chinese regulatory oversight has also soured the mood.

But prices got a boost at the

start of the week after veteran hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones—who said last year Bitcoin could be a good hedge against inflation—reendorsed the coin in a television interview.

“I like Bitcoin as a portfolio diversifier,” Tudor Jones of Tudor Investment Corp. said in an interview with CNBC. “Everybody asks me what should I do with my Bitcoin? The only thing I know for certain, I want 5 percent in gold, 5 percent in Bitcoin, 5 percent in cash, 5 percent in commodities.”

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Musk once again roiled the market, saying via tweet that Tesla would allow transactions in Bitcoin once it is mined with more clean energy. The mogul said he wants miners, who have come under the spotlight in recent months, to use about 50 percent c lea n energ y.

The Cambridge Center for A lternative Finance has estimated that 39 percent of crypto mining is powered by renewable sources, mainly hydroelectric. Bloomberg News

The two sides couldn’t even agree on why the meeting at the G-7 didn’t take place. The Seoulbased Yonhap News Agency on Mond ay quoted an unnamed South Korean Foreign Ministry official as saying Japan broke a tentative agreement for the two leaders to have a longer meeting.

But when the South Korean side tried to follow up, they received no response from Japanese officials, the report said.

T h at of f ic i a l told Yon h ap that Japan didn’t want to talk because of Seoul’s plans to hold military drills Tuesday on and around islets that Koreans call Dokdo, which are claimed by both countries but controlled

by South Korea. Previous drills around the islands that Japan calls Takeshima have been met with protests from Tokyo and caused strains in ties.

Katsunobu Kato, the Japanese government’s top spokesman, denied there was any tentative agreement for a meeting, adding at a news briefing Monday such a report was “extremely regrettable.” He also said Tokyo has called on Seoul to cancel the military exercises.

Whatever the situation may actually be, it’s a problem that isn’t going away for Biden.

Bloomberg News

A8

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

The World BusinessMirror

Novavax: Large study in US, Mexico finds Covid-19 vaccine 90% effective

V

accine maker Novavax said Monday its Covid-19 shot was highly effective against the disease and also protected against variants in a large study in the US and Mexico, potentially offering the world yet another weapon against the virus at a time when developing countries are desperate for doses.

The two-shot vaccine was about 90 percent effective overall, and preliminary data showed it was safe, t he A mer ican company said. That would put the vaccine about on par with Pfizer’s and Moderna’s.

While demand for Covid-19 shots in the US has dropped off dramatically and the country has more than enough doses to go around, the need for more vaccines around the world remains critical. The Novavax vaccine, which is easy to store and transport, is expected to play an important role in boosting supplies in poor parts of the world.

That help is still months away, however. The company, which has been plagued by raw-material shortages that have hampered production, said it plans to seek authorization for the shots in the US, Europe and elsewhere by the end of September and will be able to produce up to 100 million doses a month by then.

“Many of our first doses will go to… low- and middle-income countries, and that was the goal to begin with,” Novavax CEO Stanley Erck said.

While more than half of the US population has had at least one vaccine dose, less than 1 percent of people in the developing world have had one shot, according to a data collection effort run in part by the University of Oxford.

The Novavax shot stands to become the fifth Western-developed

Covid-19 vaccine to win clearance.

The Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are already authorized for use in the US and Europe. Europe also uses AstraZeneca’s formula.

Novavax’s study involved nearly 30,000 people ages 18 and up. Twothirds received two doses of the vaccine, three weeks apart, and the rest got dummy shots. Nearly half the volunteers were Black, Hispanic, Asian American or Native American, and 6 percent of participants were in Mexico. Altogether, 37 percent had health problems that made them high risk, and 13 percent were 65 or older.

T here were 77 cases of Cov id-19 —14 in the group that got the vaccine, the rest in volunteers who received the dummy shots. None in the vaccine group had moderate or severe disease, compared w ith 14 in the placebo group. One person in that group died.

The vaccine was similarly effective against several variants, including the one first detected in Britain that is now dominant in the US, and in high-risk populations, including the elderly, people with other health problems and front-line workers in hospitals and meatpacking plants.

“These consistent results provide much confidence in the use of this vaccine for the global population,” said Dr. Paul Heath, director of the Vaccine Institute at the University of London and St. George’s Hospital.

In this October 7, 2020 file photo, a vial of the Phase 3 Novavax coronavirus vaccine is seen ready for use in the trial at St. George’s University hospital in London. Novavax says its vaccine appears effective against Covid-19 in a large study, including against variants. Results from the study in the US and Mexico were released on Monday, June 14, 2021. AP/Alastair Grant

Side effects were mostly mild— tenderness and pain at the injection site. There were no reports of unusual blood clots or heart problems, Erck said.

A study under way in Britain is testing which of several vaccines, including Novava x’s, works best as a booster shot for people who received the Pfizer or AstraZeneca formula. Industry analyst Kelechi Chikere said the Novava x shot could become a “universal booster” because of its high effectiveness and mild side effects.

Novavax reported the results in a news release and plans to publish them in a medical journal, where they will be vetted by independent experts. The Gaithersburg, Maryland-based company previously released findings from smaller studies in Britain and South Africa.

Covid-19 vaccines train the body to recognize the coronavirus, especially the spike protein that coats it, and get ready to fight the virus off. The Novavax vaccine

is made with lab-grown copies of that protein. That’s different from some of the other vaccines now widely used, which include genetic instructions for the body to make its own spike protein.

The Novavax vaccine can be stored in standard refrigerators, making it easier to distribute.

As for the shortages that delayed manufacturing, Erck said those were due to restrictions on shipments from other countries.

“That’s opening up,” he said, adding that Novavax now has weeks’ worth of needed materials in its factories, up from just one week.

The company has committed to supplying 110 million doses to the US over the next year and a total of 1.1 billion doses to developing countries.

In May, vaccines alliance Gavi, a leader of the UN-backed COVAX project to supply shots to poorer countries, announced it signed an agreement to buy 350 million doses of Novavax’s formula. COVAX is facing a critical shortage of

vaccines after its biggest supplier in India suspended exports until the end of the year.

Novavax has been working on developing vaccines for more than three decades but hasn’t brought one to market. Its coronavirus vaccine work is partly funded by the US government.

Dr. Peter English, a vaccine expert previously with the British Medical Association, called the Novavax results “excellent news.” English said that because vaccine production is complicated, it’s crucial to have as many shots as possible.

“Any minor imperfection in the production plant can shut down the production for days or weeks,” he said in a statement. “The more different manufacturers we have producing vaccine, the more likely it is we will have availability of vaccines.”

He said it was also encouraging news that Novavax would be able to adapt its vaccine to any potentially worrying variants in the future if necessary. AP

Biden looks to ease EU trade tensions ahead of Putin summit

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RUSSEL S —President Joe Biden is seeking to t a mp dow n t rade tensions w ith European allies as he spends one last day consulting w ith Western democracies ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with Russian President V ladimir Putin.

After a pair of summits with Group of Seven world leaders in the UK and then NATO allies in Brussels, Biden meets Tuesday with European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The president has sought to marshal widespread European support for his efforts to counter Russia prior to his Wednesday meeting in Geneva with Putin.

But the US-EU relationship is not without some tensions.

Biden will meet with the top EU officials as the continent’s leaders are becoming impatient that the A mer ican president has not yet addressed Donald Trump’s 2018 decision to impose import taxes on foreign steel and aluminum. There’s also a longstanding dispute over how much of a government subsidy each side unfairly provides for its aircraft manufacturing gi-

ant—Boeing in the United States and Airbus in the EU. The Financial Times reported Tuesday that the EU and US are poised to end their 17-year dispute over aircraft subsidies, lifting the threat of billions of dollars in punitive tariffs on their economies.

The newspaper said diplomats and officials confirmed Monday that the sides are on the cusp of securing a deal, after two days of intensive negotiations, and that it could be announced at the EUUS summit.

It said the last hurdle appeared to be to get Germany, Fr a nc e a nd Sp a i n — A i r bu s ’s three home countr ies in Europe—to sign on to the agreement. The paper quoted officials briefed on the talks as saying the deal is likely to be a multiyear accord on subsidy limits.

Even without action on tariffs, White House officials think they can build more goodwill with Europe ahead of the Putin face-to-face meeting.

To that end, the White House announced Tuesday the creation of a joint US-EU trade and technology council. The trans-Atlantic council will work on coordinating standards for artificial

intelligence, quantum computing and bio-technologies, as well as coordinating efforts on bolstering supply chain resilience.

Biden is appointing Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai to co-chair the US side of the effort.

T he W hite House said the two sides will discuss efforts to stem climate change and the launching of an expert group to determine how best to reopen travel safely as the coronavirus pandemic ebbs.

Biden starts his day by meeting with Belgian King Philippe and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

The US-EU summit is also expected to include a communiqué that will address concerns about China’s provocative behavior.

Tuesday’s statement would follow a NATO summit communiqué on Monday that declared China a constant security challenge and said the Chinese are working to undermine the global rules-based order. On Sunday, the G-7 called out what it said were China’s forced labor practices and other human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims

and other ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province.

Since taking office in January, Biden has repeatedly pressed Putin to take action to stop Russian-originated cyberattacks on companies and governments in the US and around the globe and decried the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Biden also has publicly aired intelligence that suggests—albeit with low to moderate confidence—that Moscow offered bounties to the Taliban to target US troops stationed in Afghanistan.

Both Biden and Putin have described the US-Russia relationship as being at an all-time low.

T he Europeans are keen to set up a “ h i g h -le ve l d i a log ue” on Russi a w it h t he United St at e s t o c o u nt e r w h at t h e y s a y i s M o s c o w ’s d r i f t i n t o aut h o r it a r i a n i s m a n d a nt i We s t e r n s e nt i m e nt .

At the same time, the 27-nation bloc is deeply divided in its approach to Moscow. Russia is the EU’s biggest natural gas supplier, and plays a key role in a series of international conflicts and key issues, including the Iran nuclear deal and conf licts in Syria and Libya.

The hope is that Biden’s meeting with Putin on Wednesday might pay dividends, and no one in Brussels wants to undermine the show of international unity that has been on display at the G-7 and NATO summits, according to EU officials.

In addition to scolding China, NATO leaders in their communiqué on Monday took a big swipe at Russia, deploring its ag gressive militar y activ ities and snap wargames near the borders of NATO countries as well as the repeated violation of the 30-nations’ airspace by Russian planes.

They said Russia has ramped up “ hy br id ” ac t ion s a ga i n st NATO countries by attempting to interfere in elections, political and economic intimidation, disinformation campaigns and “malicious cyber activities.”

“Until Russia demonstrates compliance w ith international law and its international obligat ions a nd responsibi l it ies, there can be no return to ‘ business as usual,’” the NATO leaders w rote. “ We w ill continue to respond to the deteriorating security environment by enhancing our deterrence and defense posture.” AP

www.businessmirror.com.ph

NATO nations ready to jointly respond to attacks in space

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RUSSELS—NATO leaders on Monday expanded the use of their all for one, one for all, mutual defense clause to include a collective response to attacks in space.

Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty states that an attack on any one of the 30 allies will be considered an attack on them all. Until now, it’s only applied to more traditional military attacks on land, sea, or in the air, and more recently in cyberspace.

In a summit statement, the leaders said they “consider that attacks to, from, or within space” could be a challenge to NATO that threatens “national and Euro-Atlantic prosperity, security, and stability, and could be as harmful to modern societies as a conventional attack.”

“Such attacks could lead to the invocation of Article 5. A decision as to when such attacks would lead to the invocation of Article 5 would be taken by the North Atlantic Council on a caseby-case basis,” they said.

Around 2,000 satellites orbit the earth, over half operated by NATO countries, ensuring everything from mobile phone and banking services to weather forecasts.

Military commanders rely on some of them to navigate, communicate, share intelligence and detect missile launches.

In December 2019, NATO leaders declared space to be the alliance’s “fifth domain” of operations, after land, sea, air and cyberspace.

Many member countries are concerned about what they say is increasingly aggressive behavior in space by China and Russia.

Around 80 countries have satellites, and private companies are moving in, too.

In the 1980s, just a fraction of NATO’s communications was via satellite. Today, it’s at least 40 percent. During the Cold War, NATO had more than 20 stations, but new technologies mean the world’s biggest security organization can double its coverage with a fifth of that number.

NATO’s collective defense clause has only been activated once, when the members rallied behind the United States following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Former President Donald Trump raised deep concern among US allies, notably those bordering Russia like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, when he suggested that he might not rally to their side if they didn’t boost their defense budgets.

President Joe Biden has been trying to reassure them since taking office and has used the summit, his first at NATO, as a formal opportunity to underline America’s commitment to its European allies and Canada.

Biden said Monday that Article 5 is “a sacred obligation” among allies.

“I just want all of Europe to know that the United States is there,” he said. “The United States is there.” AP

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 5th-6th-7th Flr. 81 Newport Bl Newport City Brgy. 183 Pasay City

1.

ZHANG, SHAOCHUN Chinese Customer Service Representative (Chinese Accounts) Brief Job Description: Assists clients will all their concerns.

Basic Qualification: *Any nationality who can speak and write Chinese fluently. *Preferably 6 months to 1 year customer service experience. *Detailoriented and has the ability to multi-task.

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

2.

Brief Job Description: Communicates directly with clients and encourage trusting relationships. Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information. Maintains customer records by updating account information.

LIU, GUOAN Site Manager 12.

13.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Mandarin & Fookien; can speak/ understand English too.

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

3.

Brief Job Description: The Japanese airport operation staff is expected to manage and provide passenger services, cargo services, general affairs and other ADHOC duties of the ANA flights as well as to coordinate and report to Japanese headquarters of necessary. he/she is also expected to adhere to Japanese business culture when handling special requests from passenger and attentively provide service in Japanese to all passengers specially for Japanese passengers

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore Brgy. 076 Pasay City TRINH THI THANH Investigation Specialist I 4.

Brief Job Description: Communicate with buyers Merchants and internal customers and take appropriate action to identify and help minimize the risk posed by fraud patterns and trends GIANG THUY HANG Seller Support Associate

5.

Brief Job Description: Resolve seller queries and provide efficient service to amazon sellers and merchants LIEN TRIEU TUAN Seller Support Associate

6.

Brief Job Description: Resolve seller queries and provide efficient service to amazon sellers and merchants

Basic Qualification: Fluency in both English and Vietnamese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluency in both English and Vietnamese

15.

16.

7.

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments and ensures that basic CS functions are performed

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

PHAM TRINH HOANG LAN Risk And Compliance Executive 8.

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments and ensures that basic CS functions are performed

Basic Qualification: Vocational/College Degree, any field, Must be native Thai/Indonesian/ Vietnamese/Taiwanese/ Chinese/Korean/Japanese/ Taiwanese, fluent in English and respective native language, with at least a year experience in similar field Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. 5f-13f, Jiaxing Tower Building Aseana Avenue, Aseana Business Park Tambo Parañaque City XU, YUNFEI Mandarin Language Specialist 9.

Brief Job Description: Perform quality audit and translation i n technical issues reporters by users or systems

YUE, XIAOLAN Mandarin Language Specialist 10.

Brief Job Description: Perform quality audit and translation i n technical issues reporters by users or systems

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin Language and has excellent communications skills both in written and oral

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

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

11.

LIU, JIAN Chief Supervisor Brief Job Description: Supervise all the contracted staff, engineers and etc.

Basic Qualification: 21 years old and above, fluent in korean language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

LIU, YANQIU Customer Service Representative 17.

Basic Qualification: college graduate atleast 1 year expe.,, fluent in mandarin & english language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

Basic Qualification: proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills

EDIYANTO Chinese Customer Support Representative 26.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills

Brief Job Description: Interacting w/ customers via email,asists w/ complaints, orders, and other queries

HEE FOONG MAN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 18.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give Customers Information about Products and Services

LI, LU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 19.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give Customers Information about Products and Services

LI, MINGTING Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 20.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give Customers Information about Products and Services

LIM WEN SIN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 21.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give Customers Information about Products and Services

27.

22.

Brief Job Description: To provide customer service

28.

23.

Brief Job Description: Serves customer by providing product service information and resolving product service problem VU THUY LINH Vietnamese-speaking Customer Service

24.

Brief Job Description: Serves customer by providing product service information and resolving product service problem

SUPANDI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 29.

25.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help customers, Give customers information about products and services

Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends in Indonesian through blogs, micro blogs and forums.

SURYADI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

30.

Basic Qualification: With Atleast 6 Months Customer Service Experience/ Good in Oral and Written Communication Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With Atleast 6 Months Customer Service Experience/ Good in Oral and Written Communication

Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends in Indonesian through blogs, micro blogs and forums.

LOVE, ASHLEY MICHELE Director Of Revenue And Site Operations 31.

Brief Job Description: Oversees the operations, acts as a liaison between the main office and the facilities in the Philippines, makes sure that the organization’s goals are being met in the country and that the employees of that country are meeting the standards that the organization has required.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With Atleast 6 Months Customer Service Experience/ Good in Oral and Written Communication Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent for both native and english language, computer literate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: At least college graduate Indonesian Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least college graduate Indonesian Speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Must be a Bachelor’s Degree holder.; At least 3 years of experience as a Business Operations Manager or a similar role in the outsourcing/offshoring industry; Proven experience with Business or Corporate Strategy, Business Operations, or Management Consulting.; Led large initiatives/programs and/ or complex transformation efforts within a high tech company or as a management consultant

LIZARDBEAR TASKING INC. 17th To 20th Floors, Twenty Four Seven Mckinley Building 24th Street And Seventh Avenue Fort Bonifacio Taguig City SHARMA, VINAY Chief Learning Officer 32.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading the learning and development function for the people organization

MEHTA, GAGAN Global Vice President Of Operations 33.

Brief Job Description: who will closely, develop guidelines for personnel evaluations, staff advancement and replacement

Basic Qualification: lead the global L&D function to develop high performing talent throughout organization Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above Basic Qualification: 7+ years in a senior leadership role for a large business managing multiple sites, BPO experience strongly preferred.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

LUCKY365 CONSULTING LIMITED CORP. U/18a 18/f 18/f Trafalgar Plaza 105 H.v. Dela Costa St. Bel-air Makati City HUANG, JIA-JHEN Mandarin Speaking Marketing Specialist 34.

Brief Job Description: Conduct market research and analyze consumer rating reports/questionnaires, support marketing executives in organizing various projects

Basic Qualification: Good understanding of market research techniques, statistical and data analysis methods, fluent in Mandarin and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MACH 86 TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 5th-13th Flr. Workspace Bldg. 1419 Industry St. Corner Finance St. Mbp Ayala Alabang Ayalaalabang Muntinlupa City

35.

PENG, DONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Interacting with customers queries

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese dialect (Mandarin, Fookien, Cantonese) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MC CONNELL DOWELL PHILS., INC. Level 4 Nol Tower Commerce Ave. Mbp Muntinlupa City PEINAAR, STEPHANUS JOHANNES ERASMUS Construction Manager 36.

Basic Qualification: Fluent for both native and english language, computer literate Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With Atleast 6 Months Customer Service Experience/ Good in Oral and Written Communication

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

KMC MAG SOLUTIONS, INC. 20/f, Picadilly Star Building 4th Avenue Corner 27th Street Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

INFOVINE INC. 9/f Y Tower, Moa Complex Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Brgy. 076 Pasay City

SONG, KAIWEN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese dialect (Mandarin Folkien, Cantonese)

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

IDNPLAY CORPORATION 8/f Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil J.puyat Ave. Pio Del Pilar Makati City JONISON Indonesian-speaking Customer Service

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

YOU, SHAOJIE Chinese Customer Support Representative

FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. Lot 5 Sta. Agueda Cor. Queensway Pagcor Drive Sto. Niño Parañaque City WANG, YONG Mandarin Customer Service

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

YANG, CHING-TING Chinese Customer Support Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor Eight West Campus Mckinley West Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg. Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St. Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Mandarin Language and has excellent communications skills both in written and oral

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

COSMOLINK GLOBAL SOLUTIONS INC. 11 Ortigas St. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

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

DENOV PRIMA SETYAWAN SUTOPO Operations Executive

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

ZHOU, ZIQING Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluency in both English and Vietnamese

Basic Qualification: Vocational/College Degree, any field, Must be native Thai/Indonesian/ Vietnamese/Taiwanese/ Chinese/Korean/Japanese/ Taiwanese, fluent in English and respective native language, with at least a year experience in similar field

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

LIU, XIAOTENG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Planning, maintaining and coordinate the development of primary and secondary market research

CHEN, SHUMENG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 14.

Basic Qualification: Must a hold a bachelor’s/ college degree in international studies, has the ability to speak and write Japanese language in native level. Knowledgeable on cultures in Japanese customer service. With excellent communication skills. TOEIC passer, with customer service experience, willing to be assigned at Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 3. willing to extend work hours during holidays and flexible in shifting schedules effective i technical management intermediate Microsoft office skills

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

CONSULTING SUPERIORS INC. Unit No. 2c, Flr. No. 4/f, One E-com Center Bldg. Ocean Drive Mall Of Asia Complex St. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1 Pasay City

ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS CO., LTD. 15/f Tower 11 Rcbc Plaza 6819 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City

YAGISAWA, MARI Japanese Airport Operation Staff

Brief Job Description: Act as the main technical adviser on a contractor site for subcontractors

LYU, ZHIXIN Chinese Speaking Business Analyst

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5th-10th/f Tower 3, Pitx #1 Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City CUI, SONGWEI Customer Service Representative Bilingual (mandarin & Fookien)

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 A9

Brief Job Description: Select subcontractors and suppliers based on an evaluation of their ability to meet the specified requirements

Basic Qualification: Minimum 8 years’ experience in the construction with minimum 2 years’ experience in leadership position Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

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

37.

38.

DELNY Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries FENG, XINMIAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

BusinessMirror

A10 Wednesday, June 16, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

39.

40.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HU, XINJIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries JIN, LIANSHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LI, LANG Chinese Customer Service

41.

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

LIN, ZHENHUI Chinese Customer Service

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

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

QIN, ZHIWEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries VONG SU HUYNH LONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, XIAOHU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WEN, SHIMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires XU, DONGMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YANG, YUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHANG, JUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires ZHANG, BINGYANG Chinese Customer Service

50.

51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

56.

57.

58.

59.

60.

61.

62.

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

JIN, LEI Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires LI, HUICAI Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires QIN, XIAOLING Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires WEI, JIANFENG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires WU, ZHITONG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires XIAO, TONG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires XU, SHENGNAN Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires ZHOU, BIAOXIN Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires DAI, LILI Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DOU, ZHI Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HUANG, TIAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LI, YANJUN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

No.

63.

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

64.

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

65.

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

66.

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

67.

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

68.

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

LI, SHENGCHUN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LIAN, SHIPENG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, QIAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, SONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YE, SUIQIANG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZANG, PENGPENG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

BAI, LIYAN Chinese Customer Service 69.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language CAI, JINGE Chinese Customer Service

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

70.

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

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

CHEN, JIANGNAN Chinese Customer Service 71.

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

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

CHEN, JIGAO Chinese Customer Service 72.

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

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

DENG, QICAI Chinese Customer Service 73.

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

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

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

FAN, JIAHAO Chinese Customer Service 74.

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

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

FAN, XIWEN Chinese Customer Service 75.

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

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

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

76.

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

FENG, XINXIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

FU, YUSHENG Chinese Customer Service 77.

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

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

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

78.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

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

80.

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

81.

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

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

GAO, WENBIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

HE, HONGYU Chinese Customer Service 79.

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

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

HUANG, JUNFENG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HU, WEIWEI Chinese Customer Service

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

HUANG, LI Chinese Customer Service 82.

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

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

HUANG, QIQIN Chinese Customer Service 83.

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive Don Galo Parañaque City Sky Garage Bldg. Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City Tambo Parañaque City

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and english written and orally

HUANG, YANGJIN Chinese Customer Service 84.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

85.

86.

87.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

88.

89.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

LIAO, XINBIN Chinese Customer Service 90.

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

LI, ZHIHANG Chinese Customer Service

LIANG, JUNCHEN Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and english written and orally

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

LI, DONGZHOU Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and english written and orally

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

LI, SHUAIJIE Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and english written and orally

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

LI, SHENGNAN Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

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

LIN, ZHUYIN Chinese Customer Service 91.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

92.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

LIU, QIUJIE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

LIU, YINGCHAO Chinese Customer Service 93.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and english written and orally Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LIU, LIAN Chinese Customer Service 94.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field. Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and english written and orally Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field. Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LU, JUNSHUAI Chinese Customer Service

95.

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

LUO, YONGBO Chinese Customer Service 96.

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

OU, ZHONGQIAN Chinese Customer Service 97.

98.

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

PAN, SIYU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

QIAN, ZHINENG Chinese Customer Service 99.

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

QIN, YI Chinese Customer Service 100.

101.

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

SHEN, TUO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

SI, RUI Chinese Customer Service 102.

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

TAO, PANXU Chinese Customer Service 103.

104.

105.

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

TAO, JIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

TIAN, PENGXIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WANG, JIANG Chinese Customer Service 106.

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

WANG, NANYA Chinese Customer Service 107.

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

WANG, PENG Chinese Customer Service 108.

109.

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

WANG, ZHISHUAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

WANG, XIAODONG Chinese Customer Service 110.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

No.

WEI, YUEYUE Chinese Customer Service 111.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally

112.

113.

114.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

115.

116.

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

117.

118.

119.

120.

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

121.

122.

123.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

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

YANG, JIANHUI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services

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

YU, ZHOUJING Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

XU, YUNLONG Chinese Customer Service

YAO, LU Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

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

YANG, XUERONG Chinese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YAN, SHUZHU Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

XIONG, XIAOFANG Chinese Customer Service

YAN, TAO Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

XU, XINXIN Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

XIE, FANGHUA Chinese Customer Service

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

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

XI, XIAOLONG Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

124.

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

YU, JIAOYAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YU, TAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

YUAN, QICHAO Chinese Customer Service 125.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

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

ZENG, QIANG Chinese Customer Service 126.

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

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 A11

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

No.

ZHANG, QIAOLING Chinese Customer Service 127.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

128.

129.

130.

131.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

132.

133.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally.

134.

135.

136.

137.

138.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills 139.

140.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese Customer Service Experience in the similar field; Must be fluent in Mandarin and English, written and orally Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

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

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

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

ZHOU, XIAOQIANG Chinese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHONG, FA Chinese Customer Service

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

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

ZHANG, YUFENG Chinese Customer Service

ZHENG, XIAOTONG Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

ZHAO, WENPING Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

ZHANG, CHAO Chinese Customer Service

ZHANG, SIYU Chinese Customer Service

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

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

ZHANG, YU Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

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

ZHANG, XIN Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

ZHANG, DONGDONG Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

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

ZHANG, DEMING Chinese Customer Service

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

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

ZHANG, SHUAI Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 yr Chinese Customer Service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in Mandarin and English written and orally.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

141.

142.

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

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

CINDY LIM REN NGIK Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

DANNIEL WONG CHIENG YEW Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year Chinese customer service experience in the similar field, must be fluent in mandarin and English, written and orally.

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

BusinessMirror

A12 Wednesday, June 16, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

143.

144.

145.

146.

147.

148.

149.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION JACKY KUEH YONG LIN Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

YEX NAM Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

DANG VAN THANG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

DUONG THANH LONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

VO XUAN HIEP Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

150.

151.

152.

153.

154.

155.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services. Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

CHEN, JINWEI Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries CHEN, QI Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services CHONG KIEN FEI Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries CONG, HAO Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services DING, MAOHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services FANG, MINGMING Chinese Customer Service Representative

156.

157.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

GAO, YAN Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries HAN, PENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

158.

159.

160.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

HOU, PENG Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries HU, JIABAO Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services LI, JINBAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

161.

162.

163.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

LIANG, HAO-TIAN a.k.a. LIANG, JIA-CHANG Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services LIANG, HAINING Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services LIU, SHULIANG Chinese Customer Service Representative

164.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services. Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

165.

166.

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

167.

168.

169.

170.

171.

172.

173.

174.

175.

176.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English 177.

178.

179.

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

180.

181.

182.

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

183.

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

184.

185.

186.

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

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

TAN, YONGCHUN Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services WANG, ZHONGYUAN Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

XU, ZHIHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

YAO, JIAQING Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services. Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services. Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

ZHOU, QI Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services ZHOU, YANLI Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services. Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

HE, YINGXI Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

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

188.

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

189.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and reports and coordinate for daily administrative reports.

NGUYEN TRONG MINH Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 187.

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and reports and coordinate for daily administrative reports.

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

HAO, XIN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 190.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

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

LIN, YANRU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

GUO, LIYING Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION DENG, MEIHUA Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

191.

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

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

QIN, FANG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 192.

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

193.

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

194.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English 195.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 196.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English 197.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 198.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

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

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

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

ZHU, XIAOLING Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 199.

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

NGUYEN THI HOANG KIM Content Analyst - Language Specialist - Vietnamese 200.

Brief Job Description: Process and maintain data accurately in a timely manner onto Company Financials database using technical and financial knowledge.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products./ Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products excellent mandarin communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, Proficiency in English and Vietnamese, amenable on any work shift schedule.

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

SKYLUSTER TECHNOLOGY, INC. 28/f Tower 6789 6789 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City CHEN, YONGSHU Mandarin Marketing Staff 201.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

REFINITIV ASIA PTE. LTD. - PHILIPPINE BRANCH Ground Floor 18/20 Building Upper Mckinley Hill Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

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

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

ZHANG, BIAO Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

ZHANG, XIAN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

YUAN, XINHUI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

WANG, YONGGANG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

VON WEI SHEONG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Assist/Help Customers, Give customers information about product and services.

SAN CAM PHUNG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

PLATINUM ARROW VISA CONSULT INC. Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg. 191 Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City

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

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services

ZOU, CHUNBO Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

NI, JING Chinese Customer Service Representative

ZHU, NENGHUI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries

ZHANG, ZHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

NGUYEN VAN TAI Chinese Customer Service Representative

ZHANG, CHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services

YANG, XINHAI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

MU, GENSHENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

XU, ZHUANLING Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

XIU, CHANGSHENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

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

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries

WEI, DEPENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English

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

LU, YANHENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

PENG, HAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Managing calls and customer services inquiries; Identifying and assessing customer’s needs.

LYU, ZHIBIN Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LIU, TAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

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

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

202.

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

203.

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

204.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION WANG, YUXUE Mandarin Marketing Staff

205.

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

206.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

LI, YUNQIANG Chinese It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

224.

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication in mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

207.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral part of the company infrastructure, application support, and of the IT Division and responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

CHEN, JIANG Chinese It Support Specialist

208.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

FENG, SHUJIANG Chinese It Support Specialist

209.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

FU, JIAWEI Chinese It Support Specialist

210.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support is an integral of the company infrastructure, application support and of the IT division and is responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientelle GUO, FEI Chinese It Support Specialist

211.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele HE, JIANG Chinese It Support Specialist

212.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele HE, PENGXIAN Chinese It Support Specialist

213.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral part of the company infrastructure, application support, and of the IT Division and responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

HUANG, HAOYUN Chinese It Support Specialist

214.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral part of the company infrastructure, application support, and of the IT Division and responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

JIANG, FUYOU Chinese It Support Specialist

215.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LAI, XUYAN Chinese It Support Specialist

216.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support is an integral of the company infrastructure, application support and of the IT division and is responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientelle LI, GUOSHUAI Chinese It Support Specialist

217.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LI, YI Chinese It Support Specialist

218.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LI, ZHIQUAN Chinese It Support Specialist

219.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LI, CHONGLIN Chinese It Support Specialist

220.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele LI, MINGZHONG Chinese It Support Specialist

221.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele LI, ZIQING Chinese It Support Specialist

222.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral part of the company infrastructure, application support, and of the IT Division and responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LI, FEI Chinese It Support Specialist

223.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LIU, YANAN Chinese It Support Specialist

225.

TIANYU TECHNOLOGY INC. 16/f Socialdesk Tower H.v. Dela Costa St. Bel-air Makati City CHEN, DAFU Chinese It Support Specialist

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LU, CHUN Chinese It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien Language.

226.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

LUO, SIWEN Chinese It Support Specialist 227.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

228.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

229.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien Language.

230.

231.

232.

233.

234.

235.

236.

237.

238.

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

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

XIAO, HAO Chinese It Support Specialist

239.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

YANG, WENJIE Chinese It Support Specialist

240.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

ZHANG, GUICHENG Chinese It Support Specialist

241.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien Language.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

WEN, MINGCHAO Chinese It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele WEI, XULI Chinese It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

WEI, LUTING Chinese It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral part of the company infrastructure, application support, and of the IT Division and responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

WANG, MENG Chinese It Support Specialist

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

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele REN, XIAOBO Chinese It Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

PAN, JINHUA Chinese It Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele MENG, ZHAOCHEN Chinese It Support Specialist

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele MA, ZHIWEI Chinese It Support Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support is an integral of the company infrastructure, application support and of the IT division and is responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientelle MA, JIAN Chinese It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien Language.

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

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

LYU, XIANGKUN Chinese It Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support is an integral of the company infrastructure, application support and of the IT division and is responsible for providing quality IT Support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientelle LUO, ZHE Chinese It Support Specialist

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

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure, application support and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

ZHANG, ZHONGJIE Chinese It Support Specialist

242.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

ZUO, BINGZHE Chinese It Support Specialist

243.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure. Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

No.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien Language.

244.

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

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist is an integral of the company infrastructure, application support and the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise throughout the Chinese clientele.

245.

246.

247.

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

248.

249.

250.

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

251.

252.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

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

LOW SIEW VOON Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 254.

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

LYU, SHUXIN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 255.

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

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

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

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

Brief Job Description: Prepare and maintain company documents and reports and coordinate for daily administrative reports.

HOANG THI HOA Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

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

DO TAN THANH Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

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

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

LIU, WEI Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

253.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

VISA VALOR CONSULTANCY INCORPORATED Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg. 191 Salcedo St. San Lorenzo Makati City

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

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

LIU, MING Chinese Customer Support Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

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

JIANG, CHUNHUI Chinese Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien Language.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

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

CHEN, CHENGXIN Chinese Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Tower 4 Bayport West Naia Garden Residence, Naia Road Tambo Parañaque City

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

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in both Japanese and English language

Brief Job Description: Manages technical expert for equipment

ZHAO, XINYUE Chinese Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

OTAKE, HIROKAZU Technical Expert For Equipment

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in both Japanese and English language

Brief Job Description: Manages technical expert for equipment

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

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

NAKAMORI, DAI Technical Expert For Equipment

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

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fukien Language

TOYO CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD. 3/f Planters Products Bldg. 109 Esteban St. San Lorenzo Makati City

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CHOW SHIONG FAI It Support Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products; Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products; Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products; Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products; Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products; Excellent Mandarin communication skills.

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

WORLDCOMPASS DESTINATIONS INC. Unit 202 2/f, Gc Corporate Plaza 150 Legaspi St. San Lorenzo Makati City SONG, HONGCHAO Chinese Marketing Staff 256.

Brief Job Description: Prospect and identify new business opportunities utilizing solid and innovative strategies.

Basic Qualification: Excellent oral and written communication both in English and Mandarin Chinese.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jun 15, 2021

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on June 16, 2021, the name of LIU, JIA under CHINA ENERGY ENGINEERING GROUP GUANGDONG ELECTRIC POWER DESIGN INSTITUTE CO. LTD., (PHILIPPINES) BRANCH, should have been read as LIU, JIAN and not as published.

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on June 11, 2021, the position of KUKLOVA, JANA under HC CONSUMER FINANCE PHILIPPINES, INC., should have been read as HEAD OF IT ARCHITECTURE & CORE EXPERTISE and not as published.

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on June 12, 2021, the position of YUAN, YUNPENG under MINDSCAPE CREATIVES INC., should have been read as MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE and not as published.

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on June 11, 2021, the name of HSU, CHIH-NING under SA RIVENDELL GLOBAL SUPPORT, INC., should have been read as HSU, CHIH-NING a.k.a. CHERRY and not as published.

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

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

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

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

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A14 Wednesday, June 16, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Govt must act to fill PHL’s nutrient gap

P

rices of basic commodities sold in Metro Manila wet markets, groceries and supermarkets remain high based on the latest Department of Agriculture (DA) report. The prevailing price of pork is P350 per kilogram, while dressed chicken is being sold for P160 per kg. Last year, pork was cheaper by P100 per kilo, while the price of dressed chicken was lower by P30, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Data from the DA as of June 14 showed that some vegetables are also more expensive this year compared to prices last year. For instance, the price of a kilo of native pechay rose by 12.5 percent year-on-year to P90, while that of habitchuelas or Baguio beans went up by 50 percent to P120 per kilo. The prevailing prices of carabao mango and Lakatan banana were also higher this year.

These figures underscore the findings by the World Bank that a healthy diet carries a hefty price tag in the Philippines (See, “Healthy diets too costly even for average Pinoys,” in the BusinessMirror, June 15, 2021). The report titled “Undernutrition in the Philippines: Scale, Scope, and Opportunities for Nutrition Policy and Programming,” revealed that healthy diets remain elusive for many Filipinos. Based on the Cost of the Recommended Diet (CoRD) methodology, the World Bank said a healthy diet costs P68 per adult per day in the Philippines, but households only spent P48.

Because nutritious food was beyond their reach, Filipinos mostly consumed rice or starches. The report found that the consumption of starches even exceeded the recommended level to make up for their inability to access other sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. It noted that Filipinos consumed only 22 percent of the requirement for vegetables, 10 percent for fruits, 12 percent for eggs, 79 percent for meat and pulses, and 33 percent for milk.

If this trend continues, the Philippines may be hard pressed to beat malnutrition and prevent stunting and intellectual disability among the youth. An unhealthy work force does not bode well for the country’s aim of further increasing incomes. Health problems that may arise due to the failure of Filipinos to access nutritious food would also threaten our health-care system.

Access to nutritious food is particularly crucial in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. A six-country study indicated that people who ate fish and vegetables but no meat had 59 percent lower odds of severe disease, according to a Reuters report. Experts noted that plant-based diets that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals are important for healthy immune systems, while many kinds of fish have anti-inflammatory properties.

It makes a lot of sense for the government and the private sector to invest in interventions that would improve the access of Filipinos to a healthy diet. Aside from the obvious benefit of having healthy citizens, lower food costs would also allow Filipinos to spend their income on other goods and services, which will pave the way for the expansion of businesses.

While solving malnutrition in the Philippines must remain a top government priority, there has been little progress in addressing undernutrition among the populace. The Philippines must rethink its food production strategies if it is seriously bent on eliminating poverty and hunger and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

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File your Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Applications online Aurora C. Ignacio

All About Social Security

I

have friends from the banking sector who are also owners of businesses as single proprietors, partnerships, or corporations.

Just recently, we scheduled a virtual meeting to keep ourselves posted with our personal and business affairs. I was touched when one of them commended SSS’s efforts in launching the online filing of the Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Applications (SBRA) through the My.SSS portal. My friend said this shortened some of the administrative processes her daughter is currently managing as head of the Human Resource Department.

When we decided to accelerate our digitalization back in 2019, our primary objective is to provide convenience and safety for our members, employers and pensioners, as their welfare remains our top priority.

With our ExpreSSS campaign with the tagline: ‘Mas pinadali, mas pinasimple at mas pinabilis,’ we wanted our stakeholders to access our programs and services 24/7, at the comfort of their homes or offices.

Little did we know that our move to shift SSS services from manual to online processes would be extremely become useful during these uncertain times.

As we continue our digitalization campaign, we implemented in July 2020 the online filing of the SBRA. After giving the advance payment to the employee, the employer can now file the sickness benefit claim online, without having to wait for the hard copy of the approved sickness notification and submitting a

duly accomplished SBRA form to an SSS branch.

Employers will only have to enroll their bank account through the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module in the SSS website as proof of account. Their reimbursement claims will then be credited to the approved account enrolled in DAEM. They, however, need to make sure that only one bank account is enrolled where benefit proceeds will be credited and enroll the same account for use of all company branches and subsidiaries. Keep in mind that the enrolled account by the employer’s authorized personnel shall be considered valid, active, and correct by the SSS. However, claims without an enrolled account are rejected.

To be able to file sickness claim reimbursements online, an employer must have a registered account in the SSS web site (www.sss.gov.ph).

Only an SBRA with an approved

sickness notification may be filed through the e-services menu of the employer’s account in the SSS website. The employer will then certify that the amount of sickness benefit was advanced to the employee based on the approved sickness notification and in accordance with Section 14 of Republic Act 11199 (or the Social Security Act of 2018). The employer may view the approved SS sickness notification for the employees under the e-service menu of the account in the SSS website. Only SBRA for new or initial claims are allowed to be filed online; claims for adjustments or re-filed claims must still be made over the counter at the SSS branch.

Please note that the date of online submission by the employer serves as the date of filing of the SBRA. Below are steps when filing the SBRA: 1. Log in to the employer’s My.SSS account using the password and User ID, then fill-in the Captcha image and click “I am not a Robot” and submit.

2. Click the E-Services drop down menu and select Submit SS Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Application (SBRA).

3. Encode the SSS number of the employee, then select the “Claim Reference Number” button from the list of approved sickness notification (e.g., confinement period, number of days approved). Click “Proceed” to continue.

4. Encode the required additional details. Click the certification box signifying the given information is true and correct and that the amount of sickness benefit was given in advance to the employee. Click “Submit,” then the “Okay” buttons.

5. A message will be displayed on

When contract termination coincides with medical repatriation Dennis Gorecho

Pinoy Marino Rights

T

he employer cannot escape liability on the mere fact that the seafarer finished his contract if it should have been essentially a case of medical repatriation.

There are instances when the officers on board will convince a seafarer to wait for the termination of his contract if symptoms of his medical condition is near the date of his repatriation based on terms of the contract.

Unknowingly, this becomes a legal defense of the employers to the prejudice of the seafarer.

Since one of the requirements for an illness or death to be compensa-

ble is that the seafarer suffered said illness during the effectivity of the POEA contract, it is imperative that his condition, injury or symptoms must be documented while he is on board the vessel.

The contract commences from the time when the seafarer actually departs from Philippines, either at an airport or seaport, for employment.

It shall cease when he completes his period of contractual service

aboard the ship, signs-off from the ship and arrives at the point of hire.

The liabilities of the employer when the seafarer suffers work-related injury or illness during the term of his contract include medical treatment, apart from disability benefits and sickness allowance.

A work-related illness is any sickness as a result of the listed occupational disease under the POEA standard employment contract.

A work-related injury is an injury arising out of and in the course of employment.

These benefits are coterminous with the existence of the contract they sign every time they are rehired and are terminated when the contract expires.

There are three basic medical documentations that will play vital roles in availing the benefits, specifically (a) pre-employment medical examination (PEME), (b) accident or illness report while on board the vessel and

the screen indicating the successful submission of SBRA. This includes the Transaction Reference Number, including the date and time when application was received. Take note of the TRN for any subsequent inquiries. There is also an option to encode reimbursement claims for other employees.

Employers must also make sure that only authorized personnel have access and authority to enroll the disbursement account information through the employer’s account in the SSS web site and that the encoded account information are correct to avoid unsuccessful crediting of sickness/maternity reimbursements. They are also responsible for any undue consequences that may result from misrepresentation on the enrollment of account.

I hope that employers regularly practice their duties and responsibilities as what the SSS Law has mandated. They must be compliant in all aspects and true to their obligation of paying in advance—not only the sickness but also the maternity benefits due to their qualified employees.

The technological developments we are implementing are appropriately designed to make things more convenient for all our stakeholders.

I am positive that through our programs and system innovations, we can give our Filipino workers the social security benefits and quality service they truly deserve.

Have a peaceful week ahead!

Aurora C. Ignacio is SSS president and chief executive officer.

We welcome your questions and insights on the topics that we discuss. E-mail mediaaffairs@sss. gov.ph for topics that you might want us to discuss.

(c) post-medical reporting within three working days upon arrival in the Philippines.

The documents will be the basis of the company or insurance authorities for evaluating whether the medical condition in question can be recognized as an occupational injury or disease.

Otherwise, his claim for benefits might be denied due to failure to prove that said illness occurred while his contract is still in force.

If a seafarer is not feeling well while at sea, he must consult a medical person before disembarkation.

It is a rampant practice that the seafarer will be told to just wait for the next port since his contract will soon be terminated, leaving the illness undocumented.

A seafarer in this situation must still document his medical condition, such as sending e-mail messages to his principal, manning agency and See “Gorecho,” A15

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

New Israel government vows change, but not for Palestinians

Calling on Comelec: Time to review LPGMA’s disqualification case Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza

MAKE SENSE

By Joseph Krauss | Associated Press

B

EITA, West Bank—Israel’s fragile new government has shown little interest in addressing the decades-old conflict with the Palestinians, but it may not have a choice.

Jewish ultranationalists are already staging provocations aimed at splitting the coalition and bringing about a return to right-wing rule. In doing so, they risk escalating tensions with the Palestinians weeks after an 11-day Gaza war was halted by an informal cease-fire.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s best hope for maintaining his ruling coalition—which consists of eight parties from across the political spectrum—will be to manage the conflict, the same approach favored by his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, for most of his 12-year rule. But that method failed to prevent three Gaza wars and countless smaller eruptions.

That’s because the status quo for Palestinians involves expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank, looming evictions in Jerusalem, home demolitions, deadly shootings and an array of discriminatory measures that two well-known human rights groups say amount to apartheid. In Gaza, which has been under a crippling blockade since the Hamas militant group seized power in 2007, it’s even worse.

“They talk about it being a government of change, but it’s just going to entrench the status quo,” said Waleed Assaf, a Palestinian official who coordinates protests against West Bank settlements. “Bennett is a copy of Netanyahu, and he might even be more radical.”

Bennett said little about the Palestinians in a speech before being sworn in on Sunday. “Violence will be met with a firm response,” he warned, adding that “security calm will lead to economic moves, which will lead to reducing friction and the conflict.”

Environment Minister Tamar Zandberg, a member of the dovish Meretz party, told Israeli television’s Channel 12 that she believes the peace process is important, but that the new government has agreed, “at least at this stage, not to deal with it.”

The government faces an early challenge on Jabal Sabeeh, a hilltop in the northern West Bank where dozens of Jewish settlers rapidly established an outpost last month, paving roads and setting up living quarters that they say are now home to dozens of families.

The settlement, named Eviatar after an Israeli who was killed in an attack in 2013, was built without the permission of Israeli authorities on land the Palestinians say is privately owned. Israeli troops have evacuated settlers from the site three times before, but they returned after an Israeli was killed in a shooting attack nearby early last month.

Clearing them out again would embarrass Bennett and other rightwing members of the coalition, who already face fierce criticism—and even death threats—for allying with centrist and left-wing factions to oust Netanyahu.

The government faces a similar dilemma over a parade through east Jerusalem organized by ultranationalists that is due to be held Tuesday.

The march risks setting off the kind of protests and clashes that helped ignite last month’s Gaza war.

Meanwhile, Palestinians from the

Gorecho. . .

continued from A14

his relatives that will serve as evidence that his illness occurred while he is still on board the vessel.

In the event that despite said complaint the officials fail to make a positive action, the seafarer must communicate directly to the princi-

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state. The settlements are seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as a major obstacle to peace because they make it nearly impossible to create a contiguous, viable state of Palestine alongside Israel. adjacent village of Beita have held regular protests against the settlement outpost. Demonstrators have thrown stones, and Israeli troops have fired tear gas and live ammunition. Three protesters have been killed, including 17-year-old Mohammed Hamayel, who was shot dead Friday. Initial reports said he was 15.

“I always taught him you should stand up for your rights without infringing on the rights of others,” his father, Said, said at a mourning event attended by dozens of villagers. He described his son as a popular teenager who got good grades and was a natural leader.

“Thank God, I’m very proud of my son,” he said. “Even in martyrdom he distinguished himself.”

The villagers fear that if the outpost remains, it will eventually swallow up even more of their land, growing and merging with some of the more than 130 authorized settlements across the occupied West Bank, where nearly 500,000 settlers live.

“We’re not a political game in the hands of Bennett or Netanyahu,” said Mohammed Khabeesa, a resident who says he owns land near the settler outpost that he can no longer access without a military permit.

“The settlements are like a cancer,” he said. “Everyone knows they begin small, and then they take root and expand at people’s expense until they reach our homes.”

A spokeswoman for the settler organization behind the outpost did not respond to a request for comment.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state. The settlements are seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as a major obstacle to peace because they make it nearly impossible to create a contiguous, viable state of Palestine alongside Israel.

Every Israeli government since 1967 has expanded the settlements, and this one is unlikely to be an exception. Bennett briefly served as head of a major settler organization, and his party is one of three in the coalition that strongly support settlements.

Hagit Ofran, an expert on settlements with the Israeli rights group Peace Now, says the settlers have always used illegal outposts to challenge Israeli authorities, a trend she expects to accelerate under the new government.

“Because the settlers feel this government is not their government, challenging it, psychologically, will be much, much easier,” she said. pal or the manning agency for documentation purposes.

He may also immediately ask for post-medical examination after reporting to the office of the manning agency within three working days upon arrival in the Philippines.

The Supreme Court disregarded the defense of contract termination in the case of Teekay Shipping Philippines v. Exequiel Jarin (GR 195598,

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 A15

T

here are legitimate reasons why the Commission on Elections (Comelec) needs to review the disqualification case against the LPGMA party-list group. Imagine what will happen if other business groups would emulate the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association (LPGMA) and field their respective party-list in the coming elections?

First, the House of Representatives could be turned into a shopping mall or marketplace, with different types of businesses having their own representatives in the legislative body. With money, resources, and machinery at their disposal, business groups can easily win seats in Congress via our party-list system.

Second, the regulators would be virtually “regulated” by the businesses they are regulating.

How? Imagine the case of the LPGMA, whose members are being regulated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Energy (DOE).

With a seat in Congress, the LPGMA party-list has now the power to: 1) push measures that will be followed by the DTI and DOE in regulating them; 2) question, slash, or even block the passage of the budget being sought by DTI and DOE; 3) summon and investigate the regulators via congressional probes.

I may have missed other things that party-list groups in Congress can do to regulators, but the extent of their legislative power can go as

far as they can imagine.

It’s a good thing that other business groups are not following in the footsteps of the LPGMA party-list.

I believe that they respect the intent of the Party-List System Act, as mentioned in Section 2 of Republic Act 7941, which is to “enable Filipino citizens belonging to the marginalized and underrepresented sectors, organizations and parties, and who lack well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to the formulation and enactment of appropriate legislation that will benefit the nation as a whole, to become members of the House of Representatives.”

With five months to go before the October 2021 deadline for the filing of certificate of candidacy for the 2022 synchronized national and local elections, we can’t help but make a public appeal to the Comelec to review the disqualification case I filed against the LPGMA as a partylist group in 2013.

LPGMA now occupies one House seat after Comelec upheld the qualification of the group as a party-list

in the May 2013 election. And up until today, I still cannot figure out the electoral body’s basis in deciding to uphold LPGMA’s accreditation.

I don’t see any reason this group of LPG dealers needs representation at the House, unless its members just want to have clout in the Legislative Branch.

Keep in mind that while performing their regulatory functions to protect the welfare of consumers, the DOE and DTI are also looking after the interest of the LPG marketers.

These agencies are also making sure that they are getting government support to allow their businesses to thrive.

So, having that legislative clout for LPGMA through its representation at the House gives the group an undue advantage. It gives the group the power to intimidate—through its legislative power—regulators whose policies and actions are proving to be detrimental to the interest of its members.

I find it absurd for Comelec to have missed all these considerations when it decided to uphold LPGMA’s qualification as a party-list group in 2013.

I know there were two dissenting opinions that time, one of which is a lengthy discourse from no less than Chairman Sixto Brillantes.

What if we are right all along in seeking the disqualification of LPGMA and the dissenting opinion of Brillantes should have been the Comelec’s decision?

We need to correct this immediately. This is why I am calling on the current Comelec commissioners to review the disqualification case versus LPGMA in the interest of justice and fairness, given the fact that the May 2022 elections are getting closer.

Comelec must not turn a blind eye to this appeal. Those who know what is right can’t be perpetuating what is wrong, which is tantamount to dereliction of duty.

If there is a need to formally file a petition to review the case, I would.

But I am sure the good Comelec commissioners will find it in their hearts to take the initiative, consistent with their oath to safeguard the sanctity of our electoral system. The documents, including the Brillantes dissenting opinion, are in their files.

Allowing business groups like the LPGMA to have a seat in Congress makes them far superior to the government agencies regulating them.

I keep on saying that we should not let the administrators compete with the businesses they are administering. Imagine what would happen if Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, for instance, would put up its own business and compete with its own locators inside the Subic Freeport. This is unfair competition.

But the case of the LPGMA party-list having legislative powers is far worse than that. LPGMA is supervening the power of their own regulators, like DTI and DOE. There’s a big anomaly when we allow business groups to have the legislative power to make laws to be followed by government regulatory bodies that regulate them.

Comelec has the power to review and rectify this anomalous situation.

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade; a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.

Some US allies near Russia wary of Biden-Putin summit

By Yuras Karmanau And Vladimir Isachenkov

Some in the countries that once were part of the Soviet Union or the Moscow-led Warsaw Pact during the Cold War worry that Washington could scale down support for its allies in the region in a bid to secure a more stable and predictable relationship with Russia.

“I think there have been doubts as to the resoluteness of the present administration to face Russian aggressive actions in a decisive manner,” said Witold Rodkiewicz, chief specialist on Russian politics at Warsaw’s Center of Eastern Studies, a state-funded think tank that advises the Polish government.

Both Russia and the US have sought to moderate expectations about Wednesday’s summit in Geneva, ruling out any breakthroughs amid the worst tensions between the two powers since Soviet times, especially after Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, accusations of Russian interference with US elections and hacking attacks, as well as other strains.

Rodkiewicz, however, noted the White House’s decision to waive sanctions against the German company overseeing the prospective Russian-built Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline running under the Baltic Sea to Germany. That project could potentially allow Moscow to bypass Ukraine, Poland and other countries in Eastern and Central Europe that collect transit fees on the energy.

“In a clear, unequivocal way the administration signaled that for them, Europe is Germany basically, and German interests are going to be taken into account, while the interests of other players in Europe are going to be sort of put on the back burner,” Rodkiewicz told The Associated Press.

Nowhere else are worries about the summit more acute than in Ukraine.

It has been locked in a tense tug-ofwar with Russia ever since the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula following the ouster of Ukraine’s Moscow-friendly president in 2014 and a Russia-backed separatist insurgency in the country’s east—a conflict that has killed more than 14,000.

“Ukraine fears that agreements between Biden and Putin could turn it into a peripheral country,” said Vadim Karasev, an independent Kyiv-based political analyst.

Kyiv worries that Nord Stream 2 would deprive it not only of transit fees for pumping Russian gas to Europe but also erode its strategic importance and weaken it politically.

A US failure to block the pipeline would mark “a personal loss for President Biden” and a “serious geopolitical victory for the Russian Federation,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He tried in vain to push for a meeting with Biden before the summit but has spoken with him by phone.

Biden assured Zelenskyy of the un-

wavering US support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Kyiv appeared overly eager to interpret the conversation in its favor. In its initial readout of the call, Zelenskyy’s office claimed Biden emphasized the importance of offering Ukraine a specific roadmap for joining North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But it then changed that version to clarify it was Zelenskyy who pushed for providing Ukraine with a membership action plan; it said Biden promised that Kyiv’s position will be taken into account when discussing strategic issues within Nato.

In an interview on Russian state television, Putin issued a strong, new warning that the prospect of Ukraine joining Nato was unacceptable for Russia. He noted it would allow the alliance’s missiles to reach Moscow and other key targets in western Russia in only seven minutes, a destabilizing situation that he said was comparable to Russia putting its missiles in Mexico or Canada.

In 2008, Nato promised that Ukraine and Georgia would eventually be welcome to join the alliance despite protests from Russia. Four months later, Russia routed Georgia in a five-day war that erupted when the Georgian leadership tried to reclaim control of a separatist region.

Earlier this year, Russia bolstered its forces near Ukraine and warned Kyiv that it could intervene militarily if Ukrainian authorities try to retake the rebel-controlled east. Moscow has since pulled back at least some of its troops, but Ukrainian officials say Russia has kept a massive contingent close to the border.

“The Kremlin has signaled that Ukraine’s Nato bid is fraught with a new, hot conflict in Europe, something that Washington definitely

June 25, 2014).

The Court noted that this is a case of medical repatriation coinciding with contract termination since when the seafarer arrived in the Philippines, he was still suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, moon facies and bipedal edema and upper respiratory track infection, as confirmed by the company physician.

While the general rule is that the

seafarer’s death should occur during the term of his employment, the Court ruled in Canuel v. Magsaysay Maritime Corp. (745 Phil. 252) the seafarer’s death occurring after the termination of his employment due to his medical repatriation on account of a work-related injury or illness constitutes an exception thereto.

This is based on a liberal con-

struction of the POEA contract as impelled by the plight of the bereaved heirs who stand to be deprived of a just and reasonable compensation for the seafarer’s death, notwithstanding its evident work-connection.

In Deauna v. Fil-Star Maritime Corp. (GR 191563 June 20, 2012), the Supreme Court also said that the work-related death need not

Associated Press

K

YIV, Ukraine—Central and Eastern European nations are anxious about the coming summit meeting between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, wary of what they see as hostile intentions from the Kremlin.

doesn’t want,” Karasev said.

Alex Petriashvili, senior fellow at the Rondeli Foundation think tank in Tbilisi, Georgia, deplored the lack of consensus within Nato on granting Ukraine and Georgia clear plans for membership.

“It is certainly negatively affecting the aspirations of the two countries and gives the advantage to Russia, which is fiercely opposing their membership,” Petriashvili said.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis argued that Russia seeks “to reestablish control of internal, foreign and security policies of the states in Central and Eastern Europe” that it considers part of its “privileged sphere of interests.”

“Like in Soviet times, both conventional and hybrid measures are used to assert control,” he told AP. Russia has rejected allegations it is trying to destabilize the countries or draw them back into its orbit. It has accused the European Union and Nato members that once were part of the Soviet Union or the Warsaw Pact of “Russophobia,” casting them as key instigators of Western sanctions that limited Moscow’s access to global capital markets and restricted imports of modern technology.

Landsbergis has shrugged off concerns that Washington could leave its Central and Eastern European allies in the cold. “We have no reasons to doubt our closest trans-Atlantic ally,” Landsbergis told AP. “The Biden administration has on numerous occasions underscored its commitment to work in close coordination with its European allies.”

Latvia’s top diplomat, Edgars Rinkevics, has similarly emphasized that Washington “steadfastly remains the closest ally” and “plays a key role in European security.”

precisely occur during the term of his employment as it is enough that the seafarer’s work-related injury or illness which eventually causes his death had occurred during the term of his employment.

Atty. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

A16 Wednesday, June 16, 2021

PHL could get 204-M doses of Covid vaccine in ’21–DOF

F

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

INANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said as many as 204 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines could be delivered this year.

In the Senate Committee of the Whole hearing on Tuesday on the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program, Dominguez told senators on Tuesday that the government is already assured of at least 149.83 million doses through binding term sheets and supply agreements backed by the country’s foreign loans, the regular budget and donations from other countries and the Covax facility.

“Out of this number, more than 12.7 million has so far been delivered to the Philippines,” Dominguez reported.

However, this represents so far only 13.54 percent of the P149.83 million doses.

The finance chief said it was estimated that 44 million doses will be donated by Covax to the Philippines.

Moreover, Japan Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi had also announced on Tuesday morning that they will also be donating Astrazeneca vaccines to some coun-

tries, including the Philippines.

“We have not yet been officially informed of the number of doses that are going to be donated by Japan,” Dominguez said.

The 149.83 million vaccine doses will then be complemented by the 24.9 million doses of vaccines procured by local governments and private sector groups, according to the DOF chief.

On top of this, around 30 million doses are in the pipeline for negotiation, according to Dominguez. This, he said, “will bring our indicative total of vaccines to about 174.7 million doses. Adding those in the pipeline, the vaccine deliveries could reach more than 204 million doses this year.”

The total budget for the procurement of vaccines amounted to P88.6 billion, enough to procure about 148 million doses and inoculate at least 70 million Filipinos or 100 percent of the adult population, he said.

However, Dominguez said the government needs another P85 billion to cover the vaccine doses for children aged 12 to 17 (P60 billion) and the booster shots for 85 million adults and teenagers (P25 billion).

“The proposal is to include such supplemental amounts in the 2022 budget,” he said.

Of the P88.6-billion funding, P57.3 billion are sourced through loans from World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; P10 billion from Bayanihan 2; P3.26 billion from other sources in the 2021 national budget and Bayanihan 2; P2.5 billion from the 2021 budget of the Department of Health.

Up to P12.7 billion will also come from other financing sources as may be necessary, while the P2.8 billion are from the contingency funds.

In the same hearing, Dominguez also disclosed that the government procured vaccines at prices ranging from $6.75 per dose (roughly P324.36) to as much as $27.59 (roughly P1,325.8) per dose. However, he stopped short of identifying the specific cost per brand, citing the government’s nondisclosure agreements with pharmaceutical firms.

So far, the government has procured three Covid-19 vaccine brands: Sinovac, Moderna and

Sputnik V. Finance Undersecretary Mark Dennis Joven, who heads the DOF’s International Finance Group, also said the government has so far paid a total of P16 billion or $336 million for Covid-19 vaccines.

Of the amount, Joven said P11.61 billion or $243.25 million was paid through the multilateral financing secured by the government while around $93 million (or roughly P4.39 billion) was paid through the national budget.

Oversight by lawmakers

The Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on Tuesday held its second round of hearings into the national vaccination program, focusing on, among others, the status of the Covid-19 jabs rollout and the funding, as well as the urgent needs of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFW) with financial and time burdens as a result of “confusing” health protocols.

At the start of the hearing, Senate President Vicente Sotto III urged authorities to lay down clearer quarantine and testing rules that are science-based and do not waste the money and time of OFWs, who he said, do not return just for leisure, but “are directly affected by the ever-changing and lengthy travel and quarantine protocols.”

MANILA AMONG REGION’S COSTLIEST PROPERTY SITES

By Cai U. Ordinario

M

@caiordinario

ANILA is among the most ex pensive in the region for property buyers and renters, according to a study by United Kingdom-based Online Mortgage Advisor.

Workers on the average annual salary in Manila could only afford 1.5 square meters of housing space in 2020. This was 2.76 meters less than the 4.6 square meters they could afford in 2016.

Online Mortgage Advisor said they compared the average price of 1 square meter of an apartment in the city center of Manila to the average annual salary in 2016 and 2020.

“Manila is the second least affordable city to buy property in Asia, worse than property hotspots such as Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Taipei in Taiwan, and Seoul in South Korea,” Online Mortgage Advisor said in a statement.

The data also showed that Manila has become 64 percent less affordable for renters in 2020 compared to 2016.

This means that in 2020, renters in Manila needed to spend 154 percent of their average salary to pay for rental units.

This is significantly higher than the 90 percent they needed in 2016.

Computations on the average monthly net salary versus the average rental cost of a onebedroom apartment in Manila between 2016 and 2020 were used to calculate the change in affordability between the two years.

“This makes Manila the third worst city for renting affordability in Asia, only beaten by Iranian cities Tehran and Mashhad,” Online Mortgage Advisor said.

Apart from Manila, the five least affordable places in the region are Mashhad, Iran; Tehran, Iran; Vadodara, India; Pune, India. Manila ranked second least affordable after Mashhad.

The five more affordable cities are Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Lucknow, India; Visakhapatnam, India; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Bhubaneswar, India.

In terms of renting, apart from Manila, the five least affordable cities are Tehran, Iran; Mashhad, Iran; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Lahore, Pakistan.

Manila ranked third least affordable after Tehran and Mashhad.

The five more affordable cities to rent in are Hanoi, Vietnam; Astana, Kazakhstan; Yekaterinburg, Russia; Krasnodar, Russia; and Samara, Russia.

Continued on A5

SC orders Disini: Pay govt ₧1B in damages for $2.2-B nuke plant

By Joel R. San Juan

T

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Supreme Court has ordered businessman Herminio Disini to pay the Philippine government the amount of more than P1 billion in damages for taking advantage of his inf luence with then President Ferdinand Marcos to brok e r t he aw a rd i n g of t he $2 . 2 .- b i l l io n B at a a n Nu c l e ar Power Plant project to Westinghouse Electrical Corp.

In a unanimous vote of 12-0 with two inhibitions, the SC magistrates granted in part Disini’s petition seeking reconsideration of the April 11, 2012 decision of the Sandiganbayan, which ordered him to return to the government the amount of $50.56 million that he received as commission for negotiating the BNPP deal.

The anti-graft court’s decision, according to Disini’s camp, was actually favorable for the businessman as it dismissed charges of bribery, behest loans withdrawals of government assets and embezzlement against him.

The Sandiganbayan also ruled that the government failed to produce sufficient evidence that Disini acted as a dummy for the Marcoses in acquiring and exercising control over several corporations.

No commission, but damages

However, the Court affirmed with modification the Sandiganbayan ruling.

It deleted for lack of basis the Sandiganbayan’s order for Disini to return the $50.56 million he received as commission.

Instead, the SC directed Disini to pay the government temperate damages in the amount of P1 billion and exemplary damages in the amount of P1 million.

It imposed an interest rate of 6

percent per annum on the monetary awards from the finality of the decision until its satisfaction.

The High Court held that the Sandiganbayan erred in relying on a piece of photocopied document which was not substantiated as a secondary evidence, and which purportedly showed that Disini received $50 million in commissions.

None t he l e s s , t he S C d e clared “that the totality of the testimonial and documentary evidence of the government proved that Disini had unduly enriched himself at the expense of the people and the Republic.”

“The Court held Disini liable for exerting undue influence in the awarding of the BNPP Project by taking advantage of his close association with former President Ferdinand Marcos,” the SC said in a decision penned by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the government through the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) before the Sandiganbayan in 1987 for restitution and damages against Disini and the Marcoses.

In 2012, the Sandiganbayan found Disini liable for receiving commissions of about $50 million from Westinghouse, but absolved former President Marcos and Mrs. Imelda Marcos for lack of evidence.

The PCGG insisted that Westinghouse solicited the influence of Disini, who was known as a close associate of the Marcoses, to become its Special Sales Representative to ensure its appointment as the main contractor for the BNPP Project and for favorable terms.

This, for a fee of 3 percent of the contract price as commission.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Associate Justice Amy Lazaro-Javier took no part.

DND, US hail suspension of VFA’s termination

P

RESIDENT Duterte’s decision to extend the suspension of the termination process for the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States will give him time to come up with an “informed” decision on the issue, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Tuesday.

The Commander in Chief ’s order of extension for another six months was announced on Monday night by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., a move welcomed by the defense establishment.

The US Embassy in Manila also issued a statement hailing the development. “We welcome the Government of the Philippines’ decision to again suspend termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement [VFA],” the embassy said in a statement. “Our alliance continues to contribute not only to the security of our two nations, but also strengthens the rules-based order hat benefits all nations in the IndoPacific.”

Lorenzana, for his part, said in a statement released through defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong: “The DND [Department of National Defense] fully supports the President’s decision to suspend for another six months the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement.”

The defense chief added, “Our bilateral cooperation with the US is geared towards upholding our national interest and to the extent necessary to enhance the Philippines’ defense capability.”

The VFA serves as a legal framework for the presence of American forces in the country in their joint military training and other activities with Filipino soldiers. The DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines consider it as an integral part of the country’s national security strategy.

Continued on A5

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

B1

San Miguel’s ₧50-B shelf registration gets SEC nod

T

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the registration statement of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. for the shelf registration of fixedrate bonds worth P50 billion.

Aside from San Miguel’s shelf registration, the SEC also gave its nod to Laguna-based Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp.’s offer of P1.81 billion in entitlement rights during its en banc meeting on Tuesday.

San Miguel may issue the debt securities in one or more tranches within a period of three years. For the first tranche, the company will offer up to P20 billion worth of sixyear fixed-rate bonds due 2027, with an oversubscription option of up to P10 billion.

The listed company expects to net P19.73 billion from the base

offer plus P9.87 billion, assuming the oversubscription option is fully exercised. Proceeds will be used to redominate existing dollardenominated obligations of the conglomerate.

The bonds will be offered at face value, and will be listed and traded on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., ING Bank N.V. Manila Branch, Philippine Commercial Capital Inc., PNB Capital and Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and SB

Capital Investment Corp. were picked as the joint lead underwriters and bookrunners for the offer.

Cirtek, meanwhile, will offer entitlement rights to 250 million common shares of the company, 250 million bonus detachable warrants that will be free of charge, and 250 million common shares underlying the bonus detachable warrant, with an exercise price of P4.50 to P7.25 each.

The company expects to net P1.1 billion to P1.73 billion from the offer of the entitlement rights, based on the offer price of P4.50 to P7.25 per share.

Assuming that all the bonus detachable warrants are exercised, the company expects to receive net proceeds of about P1.8 billion based on the exercise price of P7.25.

Proceeds from the offer will be used to refinance existing debt or pay out short-term obligations of the company’s subsidiary, Cirtek Electronics Corp. and finance working capital of units Quintel, CEC and Cirtek Advanced Technologies and Solutions Inc. The proceeds from the exercise

of the bonus detachable warrants will be used to finance the working capital of the subsidiaries.

The offer period will run from July 9 to 21, according to the latest information submitted to the SEC. The shares will be listed and traded on the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Abacus Capital and Investment Corp. and PNB Capital Investment Corp. were hired as joint issue managers and lead underwriters for the offer.

Cirtek’s board has also approved the issuance of 70 million in cumulative, non-voting, non-participating, non-convertible, redeemable, pesodenominated, perpetual preferred shares. The company said it expects to raise some P3.5 billion from the offer.

In its disclosure, the company said it will sell some 50 million preferred class b-2 shares at an offer price of P50 apiece. The rest of the 20 million shares will be offered as its oversubscription option.

Cirtek’s shares were last traded at P5.68 apiece.

‘Filinvest REIT yield to hover around 5%’

F

ilinvest Land Inc. (FLI) on Tuesday said the dividend yield of its real estate investment trust (REIT) issuance will hover around 5 percent, which is on a par with that of its peers.

Josephine Gotianun-Yap, president of Filinvest Land, said during the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines’ (EJAP) forum Tuesday that “the dividend will be definitely a competitive dividend rate similar to the other REITs that are around the mid-5 percent area.”

“And we’re looking at [declaring] a dividend of 100 percent of the REIT NOI [net operating income].”

Yap said the assets that are infused into the group’s REIT entity are on lease for 75 years. Filinvest REIT will be the financial platform for the commercial assets of the group, she said.

The company’s REIT vehicle Filinvest REIT Corp. is currently in the thick of preparations for its initial public offering and listing on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The company is selling 1.63 billion in secondary offer shares and an overallotment option of 163.41 million for an indicative price of P8.30 per share or proceeds of P14.88 billion in fresh funds.

FLI is the lone selling shareholder and sponsor of Filinvest REIT. It will be listed for trading under the symbol “FILRT”.

The share sale will be handled by BPI Capital Corp., and UBS as joint global coordinator and bookrunner.

Yap said assets that are folded into the REIT vehicle are commercial properties that attract prime commercial clients like multinational business process outsourcing firms.

‘CEB offers cheapest RT-PCR swab test’

SMC ramps up sustainability efforts nationwide

T

he Philippines’s leading airline, Cebu Pacific (CEB), ramps up its Test Before Boarding (TBB) process as it now offers the cheapest RT-PCR test at only P2,500 versus other local carriers, exclusively for its passengers.

CEB offers the RT-PCR test through its two accredited partners–Health Metrics, Inc. (HMI) and Safeguard DNA Diagnostics Inc. (SDDI). This special rate is solely for passengers booked on Cebu Pacific and Cebgo.

As a number of local and international destinations still require negative RT-PCR test results prior to entry, CEB has ensured this requirement is made more accessible and affordable through these reduced rates. Results are guaranteed to be released within 48 hours, while a guaranteed 24-hour turnaround period is priced at P3,200 for both laboratories.

HMI has clinics in Pasay and Makati; while SDDI has facilities in Mandaluyong, Bacolod, and Davao.

S

an Miguel Corp. (SMC) is ramping up sustainability efforts nationwide through its various subsidiaries including Petron Corp.’s rehabilitation and coastal development plan for the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape.

SMC President Ramon S. Ang said that despite the limitations brought on by the pandemic, the company remains committed to pursuing its environmental programs. These include SMC Global Power Holdings’ massive effort to plant 1.1 million trees in eight provinces this year, the P1-billion Tullahan River cleanup, and the P2-billion Pasig River rehabilitation.

“While our most recent sustainability efforts are massive in scale and are perceived to have bigger impact, there are also many environmental programs across the San Miguel group that are consistently being implemented with the help of our employee-volunteers, partner organizations, and local and national government agencies through the years,” Ang said.

“The longevity and success of these programs are a testament to their soundness and the importance of promoting environmental stewardship.

This also emphasizes our culture of malasakit as shown by the dedication of our employees to see these projects through.”

“In addition to the initial portfolio, we have another 350,000 [square meters] of office portfolio that will be infused when it has attained the investment criteria of the REIT [reinvestment] guidelines. We have many, many other assets of retail that are still under construction as well, as well as industrial warehousing that we’re working on, given the depth and the extent of the land bank that we have,” she said.

“Aside from the office portfolio which is the main focus, we’re also looking at opportunistic assets, such as retail and retail and hospitality.”

Filinvest REIT is registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority as an economic zone facilities enterprise that owns and operates the IT buildings in Northgate Cyberzone, located within Filinvest City. It was incorporated on Janu-

San Miguel Global Power Holdings’ effort to plant 1.1 million trees this year is part of a larger program called 747 Project that aims to plant at least seven million trees, across 4,000 hectares, and in at least seven provinces.

Targeted areas for planting are 2,800 hectares of upland forests and 1,204 hectares of mangrove forests in Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Quezon, Albay, Negros Occidental, and Davao Occidental.

Apart from San Miguel Global Power’s Project 747, San Miguel Brewery Inc. and Ginebra San Miguel Inc. have each established long-term treeplanting programs in the vicinity of its facilities and other areas in need of rehabilitation.

Under its Trees Brew Life program, San Miguel Brewery Inc. is looking to plant 66,000 trees this year, the bulk of which are 60,000 mangrove propagules to be planted under the Carmen Mangrove Development program in the municipality of Carmen and other areas in Cebu. Bacolod City and Tagoloan City in Misamis Oriental are the other target areas for tree-planting this year.

Since 2009, Trees Brew Life program has planted over 700,000 seedlings of hardwood, mangrove, and other fruit-bearing trees nationwide.

The total will reach over a million

ary 14, 2000 and began commercial operations on May 1, 2001.

Filinvest REIT also owns office buildings in Filinvest Cyberzone Cebu in Cebu City.

Its portfolio consists of 16 office towers, including one with a retail component, in Northgate Cyberzone in Alabang, and one office tower with a retail component in Cebu City.

It has a total gross leasable space (GLA) of 299,158 square meters in office space, and 2,204 sq.m., in GLA of retail spaces.

Yap said multinational BPO companies account for 88.4 percent of the occupied gross leasable area while POGO tenants occupy 2.2 percent.

“The remaining 9 percent are non-BPO offices, and some retail tenants as of the first quarter of 2021.” VG Cabuag

trees if completed reforestation efforts with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and local government units are added.

Under the DBI (Distileria Bago Inc.) Mangrove Project of Ginebra San Miguel Inc., the company’s volunteers and community stakeholders have been taking care of 40,000 full-grown trees across 12 hectares of land. First started in 1996, the project has an ongoing two-hectare expansion also in Bago City, Negros Occidental. Despite pandemic limitations, the program targets to plant 300 trees per quarter.

“What’s also important about these tree-planting efforts is not only the planting itself but the cooperation between the company and the community in making sure that these young trees are continuously nurtured and monitored so these can reach adult life,” Ang said.

For the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, Petron’s proposed biodiversity conservation efforts include planting at least 50,000 seedlings in 10 years, coral reef rehabilitation through the installation of marker buoys in Takut-Tabu Reef, sustained shoreline cleanup along Sarangani Bay, and regular cleanup of Changco Creek.

Converge to spend ₧1B for data center in Cebu

Photo from www.convergeict.com

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

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onverge ICT Solutions Inc. has earmarked P1 billion for the construction of a data center in Cebu amid the growing requirement for data and digital services in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Dennis Anthony H. Uy, the company’s CEO, said the group will start the construction of the data center “sometime this year,” as it aggressively expands in central and southern Philippines.

“This data center is quite important especially for the Visayas as the demand for digital services and data requirements are going up. We just bought a property in Mandaue where the site will be built,” he said.

The Cebu data center will have an initial capacity of 300 racks housed in a six-floor building, which will also have a customer contact center. Converge has been offering data center services to enterprise clients since 2016, when it built its first data center in the National Capital Region.

Data center services of Converge include network management services, multi-homed network, disaster recovery services, network redundancy solutions, 24/7 monitoring, co-location and local connectivity.

Uy noted that Converge is aggressively expanding its presence in the Visayas and Mindanao, proof of which is its total investment of P6 billion for its domestic submarine

cable network.

“Our multi-billion peso investment in the Visayas region is a signal of our commitment to provide the best fiber broadband service to the market. For our residential customers, we are glad to be able to offer them fast and reliable broadband plans at affordable prices. For our enterprise customers, we are heavily investing in digital infrastructure to cater to your increasing data service requirements,” he said.

The company has set a P20-billion capital program for the year, a 25-percent increase from its P16billion capital spend in 2020. The amount, Uy said, will be used for network development and expansion, as it targets to reach more areas in the Visayas and Mindanao this year.

Uy said the group is targeting to install 1.5 million ports this year to reach approximately 35 percent of households in the Philippines by year end.

Converge CFO Matthias Vukovich noted that the company will also be “deepening and hardening” its existing backbone network in Luzon through the planned capital spend this year. The company, he said, will likewise allot a portion of its budget to “digitalization initiatives to enhance customer experience.”

With this capital spend, the company hopes to increase its subscriber base from 1.04 million subscribers last year to as much as 1.7 million subscribers this year.

VEC assures Bukidnon of reliable power supply

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

V

ivant Energy Corp. (VEC) assured on Wednesday that its entry in Bukidnon province would provide reliable and stable power supply in the area as Mindanao’s economy, which accounts for about 14 percent of the country’s GDP, improves.

VEC and its fully owned subsidiary Amberdust Holding Corp. recently acquired outstanding shares in Bukidnon Power Corp. (BPC) and North Bukidnon Power Corp.

(NBPC) through share sale and purchase agreements with Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.

“We brought in experts in energy with decades of experience and knowledge in the power value chain.

We’re confident that with Vivant at the helm, BPC and NBPC will provide the reliability and quality of service that the region needs as we prepare ourselves for economic recovery,” said Zubiri, who developed BPC and NBPC from 2015 and 2018 to address the power supply shortage in Mindanao at the time.

NBPC supplies 5 megawatts (MW) of the peaking power requirement in the franchise area of Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative Inc. through its bunker-diesel power plant in Lantapan. BPC owns the two bunker-diesel power plants that are

both contracted to supply the energy requirements of First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative, Inc. “Our investment in BPC and NBPC is our contribution to the government’s efforts to achieve energy security in Mindanao, an area that is vital to the country’s economic recovery with its largely untapped potential,” said Vivant Corp. Chairman and CEO Ramontito E. Garcia.

Garcia said he is thankful to Zubiri for providing the Vivant Group the opportunity to become part of the development of Bukidnon.

“At Vivant, our vision is to bring excellence to industries that improve everyday living, so to have this opportunity to bring reliable energy to Bukidnon, feels like a chance to give back,” Garcia said. “We look forward to nurturing existing relationships in Bukidnon while creating new partnerships with stakeholders of BPC and NBPC.” Vivant’s first venture in the region was through its equity investment in Minergy Power Corp. Vivant also has various investments in retail electricity and in power generation assets in other areas of the Luzon and the Visayas grids. They are a major player in the SPUG sector. In power distribution, it maintains equity ownership of Visayan Electric Company, the second largest power distribution utility in the country.

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Companies BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 16, 2021

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

June 15, 2021

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

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

44 112.7 86.25 24.6 7.76 9.81 49.5 10.9 22.95 55.6 17.16 122.7 75.9 1.31 4.07 1.31 0.4 940 0.69 201 0.97

44.5 112.9 86.4 24.65 8.33 9.82 49.55 10.98 23.05 55.7 17.2 122.8 76.9 1.35 4.15 1.4 0.415 950 0.72 205.6 1.01

44 113.7 86.45 24.55 8.35 9.69 49.3 10.98 23.5 55.8 17.2 123 75.35 1.32 4 1.3 0.395 950 0.69 203.6 1

44 114.1 86.5 24.6 8.35 9.85 49.75 11 23.5 56 17.2 123.5 77 1.35 4.2 1.4 0.415 950 0.69 205.6 1

44 112 85.6 24.5 8.35 9.69 49.15 10.98 22.8 55.6 17.16 122 75 1.28 4 1.3 0.395 950 0.68 199 1

44 112.7 86.25 24.6 8.35 9.82 49.5 11 22.95 55.6 17.2 122.8 75.9 1.3 4.15 1.4 0.415 950 0.68 201 1

100 4,400 3,716,530 420,221,619 1,178,470 101,643,006.50 183,200 4,503,080 300 2,505 507,200 4,973,519 4,584,200 226,685,970 6,000 65,900 1,255,900 29,032,030 12,350 688,694 89,000 1,530,236 1,076,550 131,854,416 24,080 1,823,331 286,000 372,410 523,000 2,164,510 58,000 81,100 150,000 59,800 40 38,000 7,000 4,820 10,390 2,120,754 2,000 2,000

50,951,794 55,649,521.50 84,165 -1,989,665 28,907,340 -11,000 -2,209,345 -627,782 -5,204,644 -414,737.50 18,200 37,430 1,841,202 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 8.34 8.35 8.02 8.35 8 8.34 49,951,700 409,041,958 1.36 1.37 1.36 1.37 1.36 1.37 357,000 485,530 ALSONS CONS 24.55 24.6 24.2 24.9 24.15 24.6 4,040,900 99,491,535 ABOITIZ POWER 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.79 0.76 0.78 35,875,000 27,829,970 BASIC ENERGY 30.45 30.5 30.4 30.65 30.35 30.5 1,486,300 45,260,955 FIRST GEN 72.4 72.95 72 72.95 71.6 72.95 48,880 3,551,111.50 FIRST PHIL HLDG 279.8 280 280.2 281.6 279.2 280 440,480 123,527,470 MERALCO MANILA WATER 16.7 16.72 16.06 16.72 16.06 16.7 3,186,100 52,558,312 PETRON 3.43 3.44 3.4 3.44 3.35 3.43 1,642,000 5,592,960 PETROENERGY 4.11 4.23 4.2 4.24 4.1 4.23 40,000 166,700 12.72 12.82 12.8 12.82 12.72 12.82 67,300 862,650 PHX PETROLEUM 20.85 20.9 20.8 20.9 20.75 20.9 389,100 8,108,505 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 11.28 11.3 11.28 11.3 11.18 11.3 311,800 3,514,524 13.86 15.04 15.04 15.04 13.86 15.04 3,400 48,938 VIVANT 6.31 6.4 6.35 6.47 6.3 6.4 3,872,100 24,728,122 AGRINURTURE 2.89 2.94 2.91 2.94 2.89 2.94 1,076,000 3,125,890 AXELUM 66.3 77 65.4 77 65.4 77 20 1,424 BOGO MEDELLIN 13.54 14.34 14.34 14.34 14.34 14.34 1,500 21,510 CNTRL AZUCARERA 22.65 23 23 23 20.05 23 2,280,700 51,600,560 CENTURY FOOD DEL MONTE 16.2 16.3 16.62 16.62 15.62 16.3 1,127,300 17,943,044 DNL INDUS 7.98 8 7.99 8 7.8 7.98 6,672,400 52,984,229 EMPERADOR 10.32 10.34 10.3 10.54 10.1 10.34 2,387,100 24,738,356 SMC FOODANDBEV 71.1 71.3 71.1 72 70.65 71.1 267,190 18,992,881 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.62 0.64 0.64 0.64 0.62 0.62 154,000 96,200 1.43 1.45 1.44 1.47 1.42 1.45 11,966,000 17,264,670 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 80 81 81.9 81.9 78.1 81 47,630 3,819,382 215 215.6 207.2 216.6 206.8 215 2,178,780 462,585,704 JOLLIBEE 28.95 29.75 29.2 29.75 28.7 29.75 14,900 432,050 LIBERTY FLOUR 7 7.02 6.61 7.1 6.61 7.02 913,000 6,308,075 MAXS GROUP 0.31 0.315 0.3 0.325 0.295 0.31 11,660,000 3,661,000 MG HLDG 14.66 14.68 14.66 14.76 14.42 14.66 13,586,500 199,090,818 MONDE NISSIN 8.1 8.21 8 8.3 8 8.1 355,300 2,896,666 SHAKEYS PIZZA ROXAS AND CO 1.04 1.05 1.05 1.07 1.04 1.04 564,000 587,130 RFM CORP 4.52 4.64 4.52 4.52 4.52 4.52 3,000 13,560 1.48 1.49 1.47 1.48 1.47 1.48 7,000 10,320 ROXAS HLDG 0.14 0.141 0.145 0.145 0.14 0.14 18,970,000 2,678,190 SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA 148.3 148.4 144.3 148.9 144.3 148.4 477,620 70,516,475 VITARICH 0.91 0.92 0.95 0.95 0.92 0.92 5,811,000 5,433,650 2.35 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 22,000 52,800 VICTORIAS 60 60.5 60 60 60 60 70 4,200 CONCRETE B 1.28 1.29 1.28 1.3 1.25 1.28 3,601,000 4,575,570 CEMEX HLDG 2.92 2.95 3.02 3.02 2.9 2.92 3,137,000 9,233,430 DAVINCI CAPITAL 14.4 14.52 14.16 14.7 14.06 14.4 37,600 545,660 EAGLE CEMENT 7.61 7.75 7.76 7.76 7.75 7.75 7,200 55,803 EEI CORP HOLCIM 6.24 6.29 6.22 6.41 6.22 6.24 398,000 2,493,942 MEGAWIDE 7 7.01 7.05 7.05 6.94 7 1,067,800 7,472,947 PHINMA 12.68 12.78 12.68 12.74 12.34 12.74 65,000 817,434 TKC METALS 1.04 1.07 1.03 1.07 1.03 1.04 500,000 522,930 2.14 2.15 2.08 2.18 2.05 2.14 4,742,000 10,012,290 VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA 1.77 1.78 1.81 1.81 1.77 1.78 678,000 1,206,140 1.89 1.92 1.86 1.92 1.86 1.88 123,000 231,610 EUROMED 5.5 5.58 5.48 5.58 5.48 5.5 224,700 1,238,716 PRYCE CORP 21.1 21.85 21.8 21.8 21 21.05 36,100 784,625 CONCEPCION 4.22 4.23 4.22 4.29 4.05 4.23 14,132,000 59,584,990 GREENERGY 10.22 10.3 10.36 10.36 10.16 10.3 786,600 8,049,022 INTEGRATED MICR 1.1 1.12 1.1 1.12 1.09 1.12 182,000 201,160 IONICS 5.8 5.85 5.75 5.85 5.73 5.85 24,500 141,235 PANASONIC SFA SEMICON 1.34 1.36 1.36 1.39 1.35 1.35 267,000 362,860 CIRTEK HLDG 5.67 5.68 5.73 5.75 5.66 5.68 828,500 4,718,875

8,163,584.00 -11,050,265 -132,320 -2,701,715 -267,750.50 -26,101,880 6,821,758 -1,314,140 -4,176,850 -23,606 1,593,911 266,690 -20,498,750 44,962 -16,411,383 -880,984 -10,258,757 1,526,950 -151,753.50 201,791,494 2,920 -13,480 -73,600 -72,857,884 -1,306,743 -37,480 213,000.00 19,896,347 -300 142,360 28,950 -13,230 71,979 -509,425 16,208 -19,290 362,076 0 -7,370,210 2,073,622.00 54,400 308,373

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.09 1.12 13,404,000 14,938,670 7.27 7.35 7.26 7.36 7.26 7.35 1,400 10,201 ASIABEST GROUP 818.5 819 820 820 811.5 818.5 302,270 247,359,850 AYALA CORP 43.4 43.7 42.05 43.7 42 43.7 1,795,900 76,770,435 ABOITIZ EQUITY 10.32 10.34 10.38 10.54 10.3 10.34 3,210,800 33,236,646 ALLIANCE GLOBAL 3.7 3.71 3.61 3.71 3.5 3.7 8,603,000 31,353,810 AYALA LAND LOG 6.76 6.9 6.91 6.91 6.91 6.91 1,500 10,365 ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG 0.94 0.95 1.01 1.02 0.93 0.94 20,140,000 19,392,620 ATN HLDG A 0.72 0.73 0.73 0.74 0.72 0.72 1,335,000 967,920 0.7 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 9,000 6,660 ATN HLDG B 5.39 5.4 5.42 5.45 5.38 5.39 2,136,400 11,550,301 COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG 6.35 6.37 6.13 6.38 6.06 6.37 9,248,300 57,580,579 FILINVEST DEV 8.08 8.1 8.12 8.12 8.02 8.08 61,900 499,608 2.98 3.05 2.99 3.05 2.99 2.99 14,000 42,160 FJ PRINCE A 0.275 0.295 0.275 0.295 0.275 0.295 110,000 30,450 FORUM PACIFIC 599 600 598 611.5 596.5 600 158,070 95,245,360 GT CAPITAL 3.7 3.77 3.75 3.77 3.7 3.71 54,000 200,430 HOUSE OF INV 60.7 61.9 60.4 61.9 60 61.9 1,265,830 77,320,840.50 JG SUMMIT 0.95 0.96 0.94 0.95 0.91 0.95 2,511,000 2,344,580 LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG 3.3 3.31 3.3 3.3 3.29 3.3 707,000 2,332,600 LT GROUP 13.44 13.48 13.48 13.54 13.42 13.44 1,785,600 24,066,438 MABUHAY HLDG 0.53 0.56 0.56 0.57 0.56 0.57 201,000 113,570 1.53 1.63 1.53 1.63 1.53 1.63 7,000 11,010 MJC INVESTMENTS 4.08 4.09 4.1 4.14 4.07 4.09 17,643,000 72,400,440 METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG 3.78 3.9 3.9 3.95 3.9 3.95 15,000 59,110 3.15 3.17 3.55 3.55 3.12 3.15 14,441,000 47,322,530 PRIME MEDIA 1.2 1.23 1.19 1.21 1.19 1.2 164,000 197,810 SOLID GROUP 1,012 1,015 1,000 1,027 996.5 1,015 274,990 278,601,707.50 SM INVESTMENTS 117.6 117.7 118.3 118.3 117.6 117.7 165,090 19,449,409 SAN MIGUEL CORP 0.74 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.74 0.74 184,000 139,580 SOC RESOURCES 2.12 2.43 2.12 2.12 2.12 2.12 4,000 8,480 SEAFRONT RES 128.1 134 134 134 134 134 120 16,080 TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS 0.26 0.265 0.265 0.265 0.265 0.265 880,000 233,200 0.227 0.235 0.23 0.24 0.225 0.23 2,680,000 616,600 ZEUS HLDG

640,870 -11,851,580 15,181,810 -10,381,946 113,730 -8,485,000 -2,043,392 -2,741,454 381,246 4,006,600 -155,400 33,770,247 33,000 -16,892,852 -10,358,950 -4,754,720 -24,974,750 -5,952,836 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.64 0.62 0.65 0.62 0.64 903,000 570,560 7.37 7.69 7.3 7.5 7.3 7.5 5,100 38,230 ANCHOR LAND 37.1 37.15 37.15 37.25 36.65 37.1 10,793,400 400,287,740 AYALA LAND 1.16 1.17 1.19 1.19 1.16 1.16 46,000 53,500 ARANETA PROP 36.7 36.75 36.8 36.95 36.7 36.7 193,300 7,120,855 AREIT RT 1.51 1.54 1.5 1.54 1.45 1.51 786,000 1,188,120 BELLE CORP 0.99 1 1.02 1.04 1 1 5,148,000 5,208,150 A BROWN CITYLAND DEVT 0.93 0.94 0.96 0.96 0.92 0.94 846,000 793,070 CROWN EQUITIES 0.128 0.129 0.129 0.13 0.128 0.129 2,760,000 355,940 CEBU HLDG 6.72 7 7 7 7 7 500 3,500 4 4.01 3.8 4.45 3.4 4 36,354,000 148,510,240 CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP 0.425 0.44 0.425 0.44 0.425 0.44 23,890,000 10,333,150 CYBER BAY 0.335 0.34 0.33 0.34 0.33 0.335 570,000 190,800 12 12.04 12.12 12.2 11.98 12 1,229,200 14,763,538 DOUBLEDRAGON 2 2.01 1.95 2.04 1.94 2 39,604,000 78,767,400 DDMP RT 6.88 6.89 6.85 6.9 6.84 6.9 27,000 185,790 DM WENCESLAO 0.29 0.295 0.29 0.295 0.285 0.295 840,000 241,800 EMPIRE EAST 0.52 0.53 0.53 0.67 0.485 0.53 651,198,000 379,536,815 EVER GOTESCO 1.11 1.12 1.11 1.12 1.1 1.11 8,341,000 9,260,330 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE 0.89 0.9 0.88 0.91 0.88 0.9 1,078,000 969,510 7.26 7.52 7.53 7.54 7.25 7.52 73,000 533,896 8990 HLDG PHIL INFRADEV 1.36 1.38 1.38 1.38 1.37 1.38 656,000 902,830 2.07 2.08 1.89 2.16 1.89 2.07 15,993,000 33,107,450 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 3.28 3.29 3.26 3.29 3.24 3.28 26,581,000 86,879,390 MRC ALLIED 0.38 0.385 0.385 0.385 0.37 0.38 34,420,000 12,940,050 PHIL ESTATES 0.57 0.58 0.61 0.61 0.56 0.57 17,512,000 10,097,990 3.61 3.62 3.67 3.67 3.55 3.61 2,730,000 9,806,940 PRIMEX CORP 17.8 17.86 18.2 18.2 17.8 17.8 3,472,400 62,070,012 ROBINSONS LAND 0.245 0.248 0.243 0.248 0.243 0.248 160,000 39,480 PHIL REALTY 1.5 1.53 1.49 1.53 1.49 1.53 134,000 201,200 ROCKWELL 2.61 2.73 2.73 2.73 2.62 2.73 23,000 61,630 SHANG PROP 2.6 2.62 2.6 2.65 2.6 2.62 64,000 167,970 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 37.7 38 37 38 36.7 38 10,427,800 390,235,805 VISTAMALLS 3.79 3.89 3.9 3.9 3.68 3.89 63,000 237,850 1.73 1.76 1.75 1.77 1.71 1.76 1,564,000 2,713,340 SUNTRUST HOME 46 50 42.15 46 42.15 46 1,800 77,005 PTFC REDEV CORP 3.84 3.85 3.85 3.89 3.82 3.85 10,036,000 38,640,580 VISTA LAND

SERVICES ABS CBN 11.38 11.4 11.64 11.64 11.3 11.4 53,800 614,414 13.06 13.08 12.8 13.5 12.66 13.06 10,520,000 137,478,174 GMA NETWORK 0.44 0.45 0.435 0.45 0.42 0.45 160,000 70,450 MANILA BULLETIN 1,886 1,890 1,895 1,899 1,880 1,890 51,265 96,859,655 GLOBE TELECOM 1,308 1,310 1,310 1,316 1,305 1,308 145,150 189,952,645 PLDT 0.192 0.193 0.178 0.193 0.178 0.192 457,480,000 85,282,950 APOLLO GLOBAL 22 22.05 21.65 22.1 21.6 22 6,951,600 152,100,825 CONVERGE DFNN INC 4.08 4.15 4.04 4.17 4.02 4.14 321,000 1,305,530 DITO CME HLDG 9.31 9.34 9.42 9.56 9.31 9.31 8,714,100 81,661,044 IMPERIAL 1.67 1.74 1.64 1.7 1.64 1.64 20,000 33,400 2.25 2.31 2.3 2.31 2.26 2.31 147,000 337,910 JACKSTONES NOW CORP 2.34 2.36 2.37 2.37 2.31 2.34 1,653,000 3,858,360 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.41 0.415 0.43 0.43 0.41 0.415 20,050,000 8,385,700 2.48 2.5 2.46 2.48 2.46 2.48 302,000 746,390 PHILWEB 8.6 8.65 8.74 8.74 8.5 8.64 53,700 459,290 2GO GROUP 14.76 15 15.18 15.2 15.18 15.18 6,900 104,754 ASIAN TERMINALS 3.19 3.2 3.13 3.19 3.12 3.19 1,222,000 3,879,070 CHELSEA 53.15 53.2 51.8 53.5 51.8 53.2 1,232,430 65,484,196.50 CEBU AIR 152 154 153 154 150.5 154 1,325,200 202,023,311 INTL CONTAINER LBC EXPRESS 17.98 18 17.98 17.98 17.98 17.98 4,200 75,516 1.02 1.08 1.02 1.09 1.02 1.09 40,000 40,870 LORENZO SHIPPNG 5.96 6 6.1 6.3 5.8 5.96 8,136,400 49,734,803 MACROASIA METROALLIANCE A 2.19 2.2 2.23 2.23 2.17 2.19 357,000 783,770 2.21 2.36 2.21 2.21 2.21 2.21 9,000 19,890 METROALLIANCE B 6.1 6.14 6.17 6.19 6.1 6.1 96,100 591,421 PAL HLDG HARBOR STAR 1.22 1.23 1.19 1.24 1.18 1.22 482,000 581,700 1.72 1.78 1.75 1.78 1.7 1.78 324,000 567,950 ACESITE HOTEL 0.132 0.135 0.134 0.153 0.13 0.132 2,141,380,000 305,495,390 BOULEVARD HLDG 3.11 3.19 3.28 3.28 3.1 3.19 173,000 547,280 DISCOVERY WORLD 0.55 0.56 0.55 0.57 0.55 0.56 1,526,000 852,180 WATERFRONT 6.54 6.6 6.54 6.6 6.54 6.6 16,200 106,320 CENTRO ESCOLAR 578 647 611 611 570 574.5 550 331,865 FAR EASTERN U STI HLDG 0.37 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.37 0.38 6,380,000 2,375,350 BERJAYA 5.19 5.35 5.27 5.35 5.25 5.35 20,700 109,283 7.11 7.12 7.2 7.2 7.1 7.12 5,729,400 40,793,307 BLOOMBERRY PACIFIC ONLINE 2.06 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.05 2.1 87,000 181,100 1.63 1.64 1.66 1.66 1.63 1.64 474,000 776,170 LEISURE AND RES MANILA JOCKEY 2.08 2.11 2.08 2.08 2.08 2.08 14,000 29,120 2.29 2.3 2.14 2.3 2.1 2.3 15,221,000 34,016,160 PH RESORTS GRP 0.425 0.435 0.435 0.44 0.425 0.435 2,980,000 1,289,550 PREMIUM LEISURE 5.8 6 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.8 3,200 18,560 PHIL RACING 8.08 8.09 8.02 8.13 8.02 8.09 1,087,100 8,799,787 ALLHOME 1.35 1.36 1.36 1.39 1.34 1.35 498,000 676,220 METRO RETAIL 39.7 39.75 39.35 39.75 39.05 39.75 1,651,100 65,258,090 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 51.65 51.8 51.9 52 51.2 51.65 412,820 21,306,514.50 PHIL SEVEN CORP 101.1 103 102 103 101 101.1 6,420 659,244 SSI GROUP 1.26 1.29 1.28 1.3 1.26 1.29 2,389,000 3,074,610 WILCON DEPOT 18.62 18.7 18.98 18.98 18.6 18.7 616,800 11,538,968 APC GROUP 0.38 0.385 0.385 0.39 0.38 0.385 6,600,000 2,521,150 EASYCALL 6 6.29 6 6.01 6 6 8,200 49,230 GOLDEN MV 410.2 433.2 433.2 433.2 415.2 433.2 30 12,816 5.58 5.6 5.58 5.58 5.58 5.58 5,800 32,364 IPM HLDG 1.63 1.64 1.68 1.69 1.61 1.63 21,067,000 34,472,690 PRMIERE HORIZON 4.11 4.33 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25 2,000 8,500 SBS PHIL CORP

-9,600 -24,198,690 -2,621,310.00 39,000 10,100 -543,930 116,100 4,674,810 786,700 171,454 -23,661,840 -114,540 28,500 -2,215,770 -1,315,350 23,760 -260,870 -5,249,510 359,600 17,980 2,278,650 -7,571,052 -67,695,705 -3,908,530 -19,966,340 16,828,495 309,250 25,798,730 4,060.00 508,276 -75,900 113,050 235,650 0 28,129 130,410 13,102,436.50 -64,457,264 -1,118,784 156,576 -10,770 930,020 6,200 -40,920 -1,995,700 -21,275,935 23,060 665,780 -7,604,376.00 2,720 -425,685 -10,076,969 -625,645 129,000 -813,188 49,650 7,230 -70,080 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 9.91 9.92 10.1 10.48 9.85 9.92 641,300 6,513,173 -154,698 1.73 1.74 1.69 1.76 1.68 1.74 3,716,000 6,430,460 128,710 APEX MINING 7.16 7.19 7.58 7.58 7.1 7.16 3,348,100 24,422,226 257,930 ATLAS MINING 5.36 5.45 5.79 5.79 5.3 5.45 365,900 1,981,106 BENGUET A 5.14 5.4 5.41 5.45 5.4 5.4 39,700 214,959 62,483 BENGUET B 0.315 0.32 0.305 0.315 0.3 0.315 370,000 113,850 COAL ASIA HLDG CENTURY PEAK 2.8 2.88 2.88 2.88 2.87 2.88 20,000 57,470 57,470 DIZON MINES 7.18 7.19 7.2 7.22 7.04 7.18 28,200 202,310 -8,075 FERRONICKEL 2.49 2.5 2.48 2.51 2.45 2.5 3,433,000 8,534,350 723,560 GEOGRACE 0.34 0.345 0.34 0.35 0.34 0.345 1,540,000 529,200 0.155 0.156 0.157 0.157 0.153 0.155 73,080,000 11,303,980 LEPANTO A 0.159 0.161 0.159 0.165 0.159 0.159 730,000 116,570 LEPANTO B 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 296,300,000 3,555,700 MANILA MINING A 0.013 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.013 0.013 167,600,000 2,193,100 MANILA MINING B 1.21 1.24 1.22 1.24 1.2 1.21 1,821,000 2,214,570 196,420 MARCVENTURES 1.45 1.47 1.52 1.52 1.45 1.45 250,000 364,650 NIHAO 5.34 5.35 5.13 5.34 5.12 5.34 11,489,600 60,481,682 18,799,111 NICKEL ASIA 0.41 0.425 0.4 0.425 0.4 0.41 170,000 70,950 OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA 1.01 1.05 1.1 1.11 1 1.05 8,752,000 9,289,670 34,080 PX MINING 6.99 7 7.01 7.05 6.9 7 2,007,600 13,976,349 173,337 SEMIRARA MINING 14.74 14.8 14.36 14.8 14.36 14.8 2,347,800 34,260,434 4,853,392 UNITED PARAGON 0.0096 0.0097 0.0098 0.01 0.0097 0.0097 85,000,000 828,200 29,100 ACE ENEXOR 18.8 18.86 17.12 18.88 17.1 18.86 826,500 15,048,442 -890,924 ORNTL PETROL A 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.011 0.013 378,100,000 4,821,300 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 3,800,000 45,600 12,000 ORNTL PETROL B 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 73,900,000 900,500 -240,000 PHILODRILL 8.1 8.12 8.13 8.2 8.03 8.1 223,700 1,816,920 - PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 100.9 101.5 100.9 100.9 100.9 100.9 250 25,225 100.5 101 100.5 101 100.5 101 570 57,365 HOUSE PREF A 100.7 101.8 100.6 101.8 100.6 101.8 800 81,332 ALCO PREF B 517.5 524 523 523 520 520 16,570 8,639,470 AC PREF B2R 51.5 52.5 50 52.5 49.7 51.5 288,800 14,890,895 -296,645 CEB PREF 103.5 104.4 103.5 104.4 103.5 104.4 2,510 260,235 CPG PREF A 101.4 102.2 101.4 102 101.4 102 10,050 1,019,100 5,100 DD PREF FGEN PREF G 106.8 107 107.5 107.5 106.8 106.8 11,310 1,210,870 15,026 GTCAP PREF A 999 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 13,890 13,890,000 1,022 1,049 1,049 1,049 1,049 1,049 100 104,900 GTCAP PREF B 101 101.2 100.5 101.7 100.1 101 33,360 3,360,907 MWIDE PREF 100.5 101.8 101.8 101.8 101.8 101.8 10 1,018 MWIDE PREF 2B 103.8 106.9 103.5 106.9 103.5 106.9 760 79,295 PNX PREF 3B 1,005 1,007 1,005 1,007 1,005 1,007 90 90,470 PNX PREF 4 1,115 1,117 1,115 1,115 1,115 1,115 70 78,050 PCOR PREF 3A 1,150 1,155 1,145 1,145 1,145 1,145 500 572,500 PCOR PREF 3B 1.65 1.85 1.65 1.65 1.65 1.65 2,000 3,300 SFI PREF 79.8 80 80 80 79.8 79.8 18,960 1,515,312.50 26,400 SMC PREF 2C 75.75 77 77.2 77.3 75.7 75.7 40,080 3,047,442.50 SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F 79.3 79.75 79.1 79.3 79 79.3 31,160 2,466,061 77.6 78 78.05 78.05 77.95 78 63,180 4,929,526.50 SMC PREF 2H 79.4 79.5 79.35 79.4 79.35 79.4 2,680 212,717 SMC PREF 2I 76 77 77 77 76 76 7,810 593,570 SMC PREF 2J 75.8 76 76 76.5 76 76 867,850 65,963,100 7,600 SMC PREF 2K

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 11 11.3 11.3 11.3 11.3 11.3 1,400,900 15,830,170 11,300 11.46 11.54 11.02 11.64 11.02 11.5 2,970,800 34,092,776 -21,155,228 GMA HLDG PDR

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.85 1.86 1.87 1.9 1.82 1.86 2,472,000 4,560,670 9,250

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 17.3 17.68 17.4 17.6 17.24 17.3 66,500 1,160,032 2.64 2.65 2.41 2.64 2.4 2.64 2,571,000 6,536,250 63,750 ITALPINAS 5.32 5.57 5.62 5.62 5.21 5.58 12,300 67,240 33,480 KEPWEALTH 2.56 2.7 2.56 2.56 2.56 2.56 4,000 10,240 MAKATI FINANCE 4.27 4.28 4.37 4.45 4.23 4.27 23,066,000 99,291,100 -528,320 MERRYMART

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 105.7 105.9 105 105.7 104.9 105.7 41,070 4,317,666 294,000

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‘Complaints about pyramid schemes more than double’

I

By Cai Ordinario

@caiordinario

llegal get-rich-quick schemes are on the rise as complaints regarding pyramid schemes received by the Department of Trade and Industry Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (DTI-FTEB) more than doubled.

DTI-FTEB said it has received a total of 28 complaints regarding chain distribution plans or pyramid sales schemes from consumers and investors. The figure is 133 percent higher than the 12 complaints filed with the DTI-FTEB in 2020.

These schemes are being “heavily marketed” on social media sites.

“Victims of these fraudulent acts have the right to seek redress from the SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission] or the DTI; our doors are always open to assist and guide

them in addressing their complaints,” DTI-Consumer Protection Group (DTI-CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said in a statement.

Based on investigations conducted by the SEC, companies that practice and offer chain distribution plans or pyramid sales schemes tend to focus more on the recruitment of new members rather than encouraging its members and franchisees to sell products and services. Organizers of pyramid schemes promise high returns in a short period of time.

DTI-FTEB said these companies claim that their business structure is “pandemic-proof” to make it more enticing and promising to interested investors.

“Those companies taking advantage of consumers by disguis-

ing their pyramid sales scheme as a legitimate business opportunity in the form of multilevel marketing have to be investigated, charged, and penalized if warranted,” DTI Assistant Secretary Ronnel O. Abrenica added.

Article 53 of Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines provides that Chain Distribution Plans or Pyramid Sales Schemes, such as deriving profits primarily or mainly from recruitment of participating members and not from the marketing and sales of products and services shall not be employed in the sale of consumer products.

Consumers are encouraged to report businesses that offer chain distribution plans or pyramid sales schemes to the DTI.

SEC revokes license of R&L Investments

By VG Cabuag @villygc

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revoked the license of R&L Investments Inc. and disqualified its key officers and the owner of the account used to siphon off client shares from the stock brokerage.

The SEC also slapped fines amounting to P25 million on the brokerage, officers and the client involved in the fraudulent scheme that siphoned off some P700 million, which led to the collapse of one of the country’s oldest stock brokerages.

In a decision dated June 11, the SEC’s special hearing panel found R&L, along with its president Joseph Lee, nominee and salesman Lucy Linda Lee and associated person Jonathan Lee, liable for the fraudulent transfer of client shares to an account in another brokerage Venture Securities Inc. (VSI), which was also punished with a fine and revocation of its license in a separate decision.

In a series of decisions issued on June 11, the SEC found Marlo Moron and Julieto Sulapas liable for engaging in fraudulent transactions, in violation of Republic Act 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).

Moron facilitated the transactions as a trading floor assistant and settlement clerk of R&L through EQ trades—the transfer of shares between brokers—while, at the same time, representing Sulapas in his transactions at Venture Securities.

Documents submitted by R&L and Venture Securities showed that a total of P1.13 billion worth of client shares in R&L were transferred to Sulapas’ account in Venture Securities through the EQ trades executed

by Moron from 2012 to 2019.

However, Sulapas’ ledger in R&L revealed that no such shares existed, and that the shares transferred to VSI actually came from the

accounts of other clients of R&L. The scheme resulted in the loss of P700 million worth of client shares in R&L and in the consequent deterioration of the brokerage’s financial condition, to the extent that it cannot readily meet the demands of its clients for the delivery of securities and payment of sales proceeds.

An investigation conducted by the SEC Markets and Securities Regulation Department revealed that Linda Lee gave Moron the necessary credentials to execute EQ trades.

Moron also received viewing access to R&L’s back-office system. As a result, he was able to access and acquire information pertaining to the shareholdings of all R&L clients and to tamper with the business partner portfolio reports to match the backoffice records, effectively hiding the fraudulent scheme.

Lee was the only registered salesman in R&L and the only person allowed to access the order and trade management tool provided by the Philippine Stock Exchange for use by trading participants in executing trades and accessing market data.

Jonathan Lee admitted to knowing the grant of authority to Moron, but did not take action on the matter.

Joseph Lee also failed to perform his duty as president of R&L, as he even admitted to having no knowledge of the daily operations of the brokerage, the SEC said.

R&L, Jonathan and Joseph Leee were slapped with a fine of P6 million each, while Linda Lee was fined P4 million. The agency also disqualified Joseph and Jonathan from being registered persons, as well as from being an officer, member of the board of directors, or persons performing similar functions.

Moron was found to have engaged in the buying and selling of securities without being registered or licensed as a trader, aside from fraudulently transferring shares from R&L to

IEMOP wants to help PHL attract investors

T

he operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) will soon implement programs that would help boost the power generation capacity of the Philippines.

In a briefing, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said it would soon introduce the Reserve Market (RM) to attract investors to put up facilities to cater the requirement for ancillary services (AS).

Under the proposed RM, all generators will offer capacity for energy and reserves to be dispatched by the WESM. This allows investment sig-

nals for AS. IEMOP is also studying the implementation of a Forwards Market to ensure the financial viability of generation investments.

Also, a study on Capacity Market has been initiated to create an avenue wherein generation capacity requirements are auctioned off and the winning investors are guaranteed capacity payments through a universal tariff.

IEMOP will introduce market signals to determine the optimal locations of generations and transmission facilities for an overall generation and transmission planning. Lenie Lectura

Venture Securities using Sulapas’ accounts.

“Thus, the respondent should not get away from the consequences of his intentional wrongful acts which resulted to the prejudice and damage of R&L’s investors in the present case,” the SEC said.

Sulapas was also found to have violated the SRC for his participation in the fraudulent scheme.

“He allowed himself and his ac-

counts in R&L and Venture Securities to be used as a tool in the commission of the fraudulent scheme that resulted in the loss of large number securities that belonged to the clients of R&L,” SEC said.

The agency imposed a P2-million fine on Moron and P1 million on Sulapas and disqualified them from being registered persons and officers, directors or persons performing similar functions.

mutual funds

June 15, 2021

NAV

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

222.47

5.34%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.3808

-5.12%

-3.11%

-2.09%

30.88%

-3.41%

2.17%

5.16%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.0584

7.09%

-9.57%

-5.36%

-2.38%

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.781

-2.85%

6.43%

-4.89% n.a.

First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.7286 3.54%

-4.77% n.a.

-1.75%

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

-3.07%

-1.72%

-1.34%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.7085

-1.52%

-6.78%

-6.35%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

-4.44% n.a.

-3.47%

4.8753

7.58%

98.4

22.28%

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

45.5533

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

478.49

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

1.0726

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.1475

7.37%

-3.09%

-1.52%

-1.77%

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

34.0919

8.25%

-2.68%

-0.85%

-1.95%

6.74%

-3.26%

-1.86%

5.73%

-3.27%

-2.24%

-2.15%

16.33% n.a. n.a.

-2.25%

-2.76%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.8892

5.42% n.a. n.a.

-2.61%

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.6669

7.29%

-2.65%

-1.13%

-2.59%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

781.56

7.43%

-2.53%

-1.24%

-2.51%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.7103

7.69%

-6.8%

-4.41%

-1.2%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.5347

5.33%

-5%

-2.67%

-2.46%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8927 6.82%

-2.89%

-1.4%

-2.72%

United Fund, Inc. -a

-2.96%

-0.4%

-1.77%

-2.31%

-0.62%

3.2603

6.9%

-6.75%

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

104.8976

7.37%

-2.47%

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

$1.2758

30.66%

4.83%

9.26%

6.06%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.779

28.33%

10.61%

12.19%

6.35%

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

1.6855

6.74%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.2505

6.18%

-0.7%

-0.21%

-1.53%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6023

4.8%

-0.31% 0.02%

-0.39%

-1.07%

-0.94%

1.01%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1949

1.25% n.a. n.a.

NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

1.9559

4.46%

1.74%

0.9%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.6888

3.58%

0.61%

-0.18%

-2.62%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

16.5516

4.24%

0.74%

-0.18%

-2.27%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

2.0634

4.29%

-0.41%

-0.09%

-1.47%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.52

3.92%

-1.56%

-1.17%

-1.49%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9875

2.33% n.a. n.a.

-3.43%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9088

2.81% n.a. n.a.

-4.26%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8967

3.7% n.a. n.a.

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

0.8855

5.67%

-2.04%

-1.41%

-1.86%

-0.41%

-3.9% -0.25%

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

$0.03817

-0.88%

3.04%

1.38%

-2.43%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1501

15.69%

2.94%

5.46%

-0.01%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.7079 21.43%

8.34%

8.79%

4.32%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.2152 11.24%

4.91%

4.88%

1.09%

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

371.85

1.95%

3.18%

2.47%

0.21%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.926

-0.6%

1.19%

0.26%

1.35%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2274

1.36%

3.81%

4.36%

0.4%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2596

-0.96%

2.23%

1.51%

-1.59%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4405 0.24%

3.25%

1.75%

-0.52%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

4.4967

-1.25%

4.29%

1.81%

-2.98%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6

1.3249

2.82%

4.29%

2.8%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9751

1.26%

4.43%

2.71%

-0.65%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0359

1.21%

4.56%

1.9%

-0.59%

0.28%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.2097

1.75%

5.42%

2.99%

0.12%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

0.71%

4.68%

2.32%

-0.43%

1.7475

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$485.87

2.71%

3.21%

2.35%

0.41%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є220.18

2.19%

1.18%

1.15%

0.46%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1889

-2.04%

2.27%

1.26%

-7.15%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0261 0.38%

1.85%

1.11%

-1.88%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

0.72%

-0.6%

-3.28%

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.5116

3.12%

5.47%

2.31%

-0.95%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.0629767

$1.0569

4.12%

3.55%

2.26%

1.06%

0.47%

3.41%

1.23%

-1.07%

2.52%

0.28%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1892

-1.25%

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

130.17

1.8%

3.05%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0524 1.17% n.a. n.a.

0.41%

Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

0.62%

1.3047

1.79%

2.86%

2.56%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0574

1.27%

1.68% n.a.

0.48%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.2512 n.a. n.a. n.a.

10.76%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2

$1

7.53% n.a. n.a.

2.04%

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

1 - Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund).

7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Treasury fully awards ₧35B in reissued ₧10-yr T-bonds

By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

T

HE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) fully awarded P35 billion in reissued P10-year Treasury Bonds (T-Bonds) on Tuesday amid strong liquidity in the market.

The auction was more than twice oversubscribed as total submitted bids amounted to P84.24 billion.

With a remaining life of 9 years and 24 days, the debt paper is set to mature on July 9, 2030.

The security also fetched an average rate of 3.719 percent, down by 89.5 basis points from 4.614 percent in the previous auction.

National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon expressed satisfaction that the tenor attracted good rates.

“When it rains, it pours,” De Leon said adding that investor demand was also evident due to strong liquidity in the market.

“Liquidity from RTB (retail treasury bonds) redemptions looking for home,” she added.

Apart from the primary auction, the Treasury also decided to auction off an additional P10 billion in reissued 10-year T-bonds via tap facility.

For this month alone, the Treasury is aiming to borrow P215 billion from the local debt market, up by 26 percent compared to only P170 billion it programmed to borrow per month in April and May. The bulk of the programmed domestic borrowings for June, or P140 billion, is set

to be raised through T-bonds with longer tenors while the rest of the amount is planned to be raised by auctioning off P75 billion in Treasury Bills.

For this year, the national government has set a P3.03-trillion gross borrowing program, roughly the same amount it borrowed in 2020.

The national government’s total outstanding debt continued to swell to a fresh record-high of P10.991 trillion in April this year as the country resorts to more borrowings to finance its pandemic response.

This was up by 2 percent from P10.77 trillion reported at the end of the year’s first quarter and it was also a 27.8 percent jump from P8.6 trillion of end-April last year.

Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III has also said they expect the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio this year to reach 58.7 percent.

This is below the 60 percent international threshold but higher than the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio last year at P54.5 percent.

The Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee also recently slashed its growth projection for the Philippine economy this year to 6 to 7 percent from its previous forecast range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent due to the emergence of new Covid-19 variants and the re-imposition of stricter lockdown measures in the National Capital Region Plus during the second quarter of this year.

LGUs’ empowerment

A

very significant development is happening in the local landscape, which is going to be greater originators of public spending with several serious implications.

The Supreme Court ruling in the Mandanas-Garcia case (2018, reiterated 2019) mandates that the 40 percent share of local government units (LGUs) from national taxes should be based on all national taxes not just internal revenue taxes. Custom duties, heretofore excluded, should be included in the computation. And this is a big chunk of government revenues. The estimate is that the LGUs’ 40 percent share of Php 847.4 billion under the present way of computation would balloon to Php 1.1 trillion in 2022 when this ruling will be first implemented.

That’s Php 252 billion in difference, about a 30 percent increase. The LGUs’ share should no longer be called IRA (Internal Revenue Allocation), as it has been generally referred to, but NTA, for National Tax Allocation.

Some major implications of this development are: 1. The reduction of the government’s share of national taxes materially brings down its funding sources for services and projects heretofore undertaken by it. This forces the Executive branch to fully devolve to LGUs some of these services and projects, as their funding can no longer be provided by the national government as before.

Consequently, the national government is driven to perhaps merge national agencies or even abolish them, and to downsize manpower.

2. LGUs are acquiring expanded fiscal autonomy, a core objective of the Local Government Code of 1991. It is a greater public spending power that affects not just their local concerns but the interest of the national economy.

3. This public spending power carries in turn serious responsibilities for their proper use aligned with national development goals.

4. Also, this public spending power requires a level of competence on the part of LGU officials and their administrative staff in the exercise of fiscal responsibility. Are they equipped and ready?

If it has taken this long for the full devolution of public services from the central to the local government as envisioned, there were usually two main reasons: The LGUs were not ready to take over the duties of devolved functions; and they did not have the funds.

Now, they have more funds and the national government seems forced to devolve more functions, ready or not.

The LGUs can use some help in their capacity-building, to competently and confidently perform their expanded duties of devolved authorities and respon-

Finex free enterprise Santiago F. Dumlao Jr. sibilities. The private sector can offer this help, for everybody’s good purpose.

Our economic managers have been reported to say that the MandanasGarcia ruling “will create a fiscal problem” that would result in “unmanageable budget deficit.” So they propose to pass on to LGUs the cost of some public services now funded by the national budget.

Nevertheless, the Executive branch is already preparing for the transfer of some executive functions to LGUs as they take a greater share of the national taxes that are precisely meant to fund those devolved responsibilities and services.

What are some of these Executive branch functions or services that could be fully devolved to LGUs? Here’s an enumeration: n Local physical infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, school buildings and related facilities n Health services, like hospitals n Agricultural services n Drainage systems n Waste management systems n Social welfare services n Sports facilities n Housing projects n Jails n Environmental services, e.g. pollution control, community-based forestry, small-scale mining n Tourism development n Modernization of tax collection system In other words, what this enumeration suggests is that we should move to truly make a full devolution effort to LGUs as the Local Government Code has conceived. The Mandanas-Garcia ruling is pressing us to do so.

There is a much-awaited Executive Order to prescribe the way to further devolve some specific functions of the Executive branch to LGUs as a consequence of the LGUs’ enhanced share of national taxes. But even now, the DBM and the DILG are conducting orientation sessions with LGUs for hopefully orderly implementation of the Supreme Court ruling in 2022. We need to monitor developments closely because there is a major shift in the power of public spending.

Santiago F. Dumlao Jr. past president of the Finex, is the current Secretary-General of the Association of Credit Rating Agencies in Asia.

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Wednesday, June 16, 2021

B3

‘Urgently solve unfunded ₧9.6-T deficit in military, police pension’

A

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

of the current pension system by the Executive and the Legislative.

“Following the suspension of indexation, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) conducted an actuarial study completed in 2020,” the DBCC said.

@joveemarie

fiscally-sustainable version of the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pension-reform law must be urgently passed, the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) asked Congress last Tuesday.

“Keeping MUP-pension liability growth at controlled levels is crucial to the country’s fiscal stability,” the DBCC members said citing that actual MUP pension spending has grown at an average rate of 12.3 percent from 2010 to 2019.

“As a result of this rapid growth, MUP pension spending has now also exceeded spending for capital outlays and the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) of the military and uniformed services,” the DBCC added.

Last week, the House ad hoc Committee on the MUP approved the substitute bill overhauling the MUP pension system to make it more fiscally sustainable.

Committee Chairman Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda (Albay, 2nd District) emphasized the importance of the passage of the bill as the current MUP pension scheme has accumulated unfunded liabilities amounting to P9.6 trillion or 53.4 percent of the 2020 gross domestic product.

Salceda expressed gratitude to the DBCC “for highlighting the urgency of the situation and for clarifying the figures.”

The growth in actual MUP pension spending, according to Salceda, “is too fast for our fiscal resources to accommodate without reform.”

Serious risks

Exacerbating factors

IN a statement, the DBCC said that sans funding sources to support this growing expenditure, the MUP pension system, as well as the fiscal stability of the national government, is at serious risk.

The statement was signed by Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua and Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno.

“The ability of the government to compensate active personnel and invest resources to keep MUP in fighting shape is also in jeopardy,” the officials said.

“Maintaining automatic indexation of pensions to salaries of active personnel is also a significant threat to the sustainability of the pension system as MUP salaries have grown at an average of 19.63 percent from 2008 to 2019,” the DBCC statement said.

According to the DBCC, the Duterte administration has taken significant steps to address this issue.”

As part of Joint Resolution 1 issued in 2018, which increased salaries for active MUP, the DBCC said the administration insisted that the indexation of MUP pensions to base pay be suspended pending the review

THE GSIS study found that the current system, which is currently funded almost exclusively by the national budget, entails a total funding requirement estimated at P9.6 trillion to cover the future obligations pertaining to existing active members and pensioners of the MUP, according to the DBCC. “To protect the gains made with these reforms and to avoid the potentially dire fiscal fallout from maintaining the status quo, we urge Congress to pass a fiscally-sustainable version of the MUP Pension Reform bill when session resumes,” it added.

Salceda has said that the pension system has an unfunded reserve deficit primarily because uniformed personnel do not have a contribution system and that MUP pensions are much higher than that of civilian personnel.

“The situation could further be exacerbated by growth in MUP salaries. The DBCC is right to emphasize that maintaining automatic indexation of pensions to salaries of active personnel is also a significant threat to the sustainability of the pension system,” he added. “As the DBCC reiterated, MUP salaries have grown at an average of 19.63 percent from 2008 to 2019.”

The key features of the committee report include the following: removal of automatic indexation but retention of the no-contribution scheme; pension increases based on a costof-living adjustment; ratio-

LandBank widens lending program for ex-rebels, co-operative members

T

HE Land Bank of the Philippines Inc. (LandBank) said in a statement it has renamed its lending program for former rebels to the Balik-Loob Lending Program (BLLP) and widened its eligible borrowers to cover as well former violent extremists, including cooperatives and associations with former violent extremists as regular members.

The coverage expansion forms part of the state-run bank’s support to the National Government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip), which aims to improve the livelihood of former rebels and violent extremists and their families by financing small businesses and agri-enterprises.

“As part of the National Government’s ‘Whole-of-Nation’ approach, LandBank supports peace-building efforts in conflict-

affected areas. Centered on our thrust of financial inclusion, we are offering financial assistance for the social re-integration of those who have voluntarily abandoned armed struggle to improve their livelihood,” LandBank President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo was quoted in a statement as saying.

Under the updated terms of the BLLP, interested former rebels and violent extremists may apply for a loan provided that they will designate an immediate family member as a co-maker.

Eligibility criteria for borrowers include an age requirement of at least 21 years old, no pending legal case, and a certification from the Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Committee (JAPIC), as the government body assigned to verify the identities of former rebels and violent extremists upon their return to the fold of the law.

Launched in 2018, LandBank’s BLLP has financed livelihood projects, such as sari-sari stores, RTW retailing, fruits and vegetables retailing and curtain making, as well as agri-enterprises, which include crop production, piggery, and poultry, among others. Eligible borrowers also attended capacity building and skills trainings endorsed under the E-Clip.

The E-Clip is the flagship program of the National Government for social healing and national unity to achieve just and lasting peace in conflict-affected areas.

Unlike previous rebel reintegration programs, the E-Clip provides a wider array of benefits based on the specific needs of former rebels and extremists and their families, such as financial assistance, housing, education, skills training, healthcare, and legal assistance, among others.

Firm gives fare loan for commuters

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

D

IGITAL micro-loans provider “lendpinoy” has launched a fare loan for commuters, allowing over 7 million beep users to borrow P500 to pay for their transport fares.

Nouelle Kristi Bautista, the COO of AND Financing Corp., the operator of lendpinoy, said the “beep Pamasahe Loan’’ is a response to the “need for transport payment loans” of its target market, the working class.

“In keeping with the times, it is a service that responds to a

specific need—a lifeline for our kababayans this pandemic—at the same time supporting the government’s call for cashless transactions given the new health and safety protocols,” Bautista said. She said repayment terms can go between two weeks to one month.

According to AND FC Marketing Head Arvin Blanco, employed commuters are one of the hardest hit demographics due to the pandemic. He said some of them are “forced to choose between spending their limited income either on lunch or on transportation.”

“With technology and innova-

tion, we empower the unbanked and underserved Filipinos who until now do not have access to banks and financial services.

And we know how these financial services can be so crucial in being able to work and aspire for more in life,” he said.

Commuters who wish to avail of the loan may download the lendpinoy app in their mobile phones and follow the registration process.

The app was launched in March 2019, offering micro loans ranging between P1,000 and P10,000 with payment terms of up to 30 days.

nalizing pensionable age at 56 years old; allowing optional retirement at 20 years; higher risk insurance coverage for those wounded or killed in action; and, the creation of a military and uniformed services trust fund, with leeway to initiate a credible defense posture.

Proposed bill

The MUP pension reform bill earmarks proceeds from the disposition and use of MUP assets, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the New Bilibid Prison for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the revitalization program of the Philippine National Police.

“If we are to modernize our uniformed services into a credible and advanced defense force, we must have the fiscal space to hire personnel, purchase state-of-the-art military equipment and invest in their training and protection. A strong fiscal framework for the MUP pension system will also help free up fiscal space for our Covid-19 recovery,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Salceda said the House leadership is committed to getting a version of this reform approved in the plenary when session resumes next month or on July 26.

“This much is clear with the Speaker’s decision to create a ‘supercommittee’ of House leaders to tackle this measure. The choice is between some pain now, or plenty of pain in the future,” he said. “The DBCC statement today [June 15] makes that clear.”

B4

Show BusinessMirror

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

z

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Abby Elliott, 34; John Cho, 49; Laurie Metcalf, 66; Bill Cobbs, 87.

Happy Birthday: A detail will play an important role in the way things unfold. Leave nothing to chance, and don’t take on more than you can handle. Plan every action thoughtfully and with enough confidence that you reach your goal regardless of the obstacles you encounter along the way. Stand tall, do what you do best and live within your means. Less fuss, less muss.

Your numbers are 2, 10, 16, 23, 25, 39, 47.

HER BENEFACTOR

THE actress never talks about her private life. She keeps to herself and doesn’t socialize in showbiz circles. She just works and goes home when she’s done. People are wondering though why she seems very well off. She goes to a very expensive gym and wears a lot of luxury labels but the actress is never boastful. The thing about her is that she reportedly landed a sugar daddy from her starlet days and while they aren’t in a real relationship, he doesn’t keep tabs on her like a boyfriend would. So the actress has the best of both worlds. She has a benefactor whose largesse allows her to live comfortably but she also has freedom to live the way she wants.

SHE LISTENS TO HIM

IS it true that the starlet turned down what could have been her breakout project because her much older boyfriend forbade her from doing it? The starlet and the older guy have been together even before she made it big. In fact, it was him who supported her online career so that she’d gain many followers. He used to allow her to do what she wanted as long as she remained faithful to him. Lately, though, he’s been putting his foot down and seems to want the starlet to tone down her sexiness. Meanwhile, the starlet chooses her battles. She would rather listen to what her boyfriend says.

NO TO MEDIOCRITY

THE reason why the awarded actress backed out of a big project is because she cannot stand the idea that another actress, who is only called this because she’s been in showbiz for a long time, has a role that’s more significant than hers. Even when they were younger, the awarded actress did not have any respect for the younger one. She always thought the younger one just got by because she was beautiful even if she was talent-less and had a bit of an attitude problem. The awarded actress doesn’t mind being called a diva if she calls out mediocrity because she is a diva in the real sense of the word.

VIOLATING PROTOCOLS

THE actor may be amiable and friendly but he will turn into a different person if and when people question him for always going around with a posse of assistants, fans and hangers-on even in this pandemic. He has actually violated safety protocols at a locked-in taping by having some of his fans over.

He removes his mask and face shield when there are no cameras. When his fans are around, they also don’t follow safety protocols and the cast and crew working with the actor cannot complain because he is the network’s big star.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Study, learn, gather information and head in a direction that will bring you stability and a sense of accomplishment. Take better care of your health and well-being. A change at home should ease stress, not create turbulence. HHH THE beloved late host of

Alex Trebek. AP

The unanswered ‘Jeopardy!’ question: Who’s the new host?

By Lynn Elber | The Associated Press

L

OS ANGELES—Jeopardy! needed a host, and Lucille Ball had an enthusiastic suggestion for creator Merv Griffin: The smooth-voiced, debonair emcee of the High Rollers game show. That was 1984. Decades later, filling the void left by the late Alex Trebek involves sophisticated research and a parade of guest hosts doing their best to impress viewers and the studio that’s expected to make the call before the new season begins taping later this summer.

Think of Sony Pictures Television as clutching the rose, and Mayim Bialik, Anderson Cooper, Katie Couric and Jeopardy! champs Ken Jennings and Buzzy Cohen among the suitors so far, with more to come including Robin Roberts, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and LeVar Burton.

Sony has “the most robust team of people I have ever seen looking at this and analyzing it in a very cerebral way,” said executive producer Mike Richards. “It’s a real change from the way casting has traditionally been done on television.”

“It’s usually been a gut instinct of the head executive: ‘How about that person?’” Richards said.

That was producer-entertainer Griffin’s approach when he brought a syndicated version of Jeopardy! to TV, five years after the quiz show’s last network iteration wrapped in 1979 on NBC. A word from Ball, of I Love Lucy fame, and Trebek’s skill and experience sealed his hire.

Audience and critical regard for the Canadianborn Trebek grew over the years, which makes finding a worthy replacement both a gesture of respect for the late host and the means to protect a corporate asset. While ratings have shifted under the guest hosts, Jeopardy! remains among the top-ranked syndicated programs in viewership.

Trebek helped build the show’s “display of excellence with his own excellence. And it’s tremendously difficult to find somebody to replace him, not only because of the status that he had in the American imagination,” said Deepak Sarma, a Case Western Reserve University professor and Netflix cultural consultant. “Anyone who is going to take his position will be judged in the end against this model of perfection.”

Game show hosts of Trebek’s era were usually

radio and TV broadcasting veterans steeped in the genre, and almost invariably white men. Among the Jeopardy! subs are men and women of color and prospects from a variety of fields, including NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

The approach makes sense to Louis Virtel, a longtime fan whose vantage point is informed by writing for a game show (Match Game) and competing on Jeopardy! in 2015.

“It’s great to see all these different fill-ins. I’m open to suggestions, and I think most people are,” said Virtel, a Jimmy Kimmel Live! writer and co-host of the “Keep It” podcast.

“Jeopardy! is a one-of-a-kind show, and the replacement should be tailored to the game.”

What makes for a good Jeopardy! host?

“I think establishing a sense of comfort [so] the audience just eases into the game,” Virtel said. “Also a sense of stakes, that a real tough game is being played.

It’s called Jeopardy! for a reason. The host is there to make sure we’re all on our toes.”

The try-outs are an unusually public form of auditioning, one that could cause flop sweat even for veteran emcees. For actor Bialik of Blossom, The Big Bang Theory and Call Me Kat, any nerves were crowded out by the demands of the job—and she’s a neuroscientist.

“There is very little room for not being 100 percent dialed in to the job of hosting when you are on that stage,” Bialik said in an e-mail. It proved the most “joyful, challenging, transcendent act I have undertaken—second only to giving birth to my second son on the floor of my living room.”

There could be backlash from those resentful that Trebek isn’t replaced like-for-like, which Sarma said isn’t far-fetched in this period of social discord.

“Sony is in a pickle,” he said.

Series producer Richards, the second temporary host after Trebek’s pancreatic cancer death last November at age 80, holds an optimistic view despite the prospect of online trolls and whatever their gripes about the newbie may be.

“My hope is that whoever is chosen will be given a chance to prove why they were chosen, without too much static,” he said. “Ultimately, we are trying to put out the best product for our fans. That tends to narrow your focus to a pretty nice North Star, as opposed to, ‘What’s the Internet going to say?’” n

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Help a cause or someone you love. Reaching out will make you feel good and create a difference. Revisit your financial situation. Contemplate changes to the way you handle or earn your money. HHHHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Control your emotions, and avoid wasting time or making a situation you face at home worse. Be upfront, and take pride in what you say and do. Learn from the experience and keep moving forward. Focus on personal growth and physical improvement. HH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): An open, receptive approach to situations involving friends, relatives or neighbors will help bring about positive change. A suggestion someone makes will give insight into a financial or legal problem you face. HHHH

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Pay close attention to what others ask you to do and the contribution expected if you want to maintain your position. Don’t make hasty decisions that conflict with promises you made to someone you love. HHH

f

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Think twice before you say something you may regret.

Overreacting to what others do or say won’t help you get your way. Channel your energy into positive change that makes you feel good about who you are and how you look. HHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do your best to help others. Offer suggestions, lend a helping hand or donate. Gather information and put what you learn to good use. Look for a way to lower your overhead, and it will put your mind at ease. HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Spend quality time with someone who offers encouragement and makes you feel good about yourself. An opportunity to put your skills to better use will also lead to profits that will help you get a handle on your financial situation. HHHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Think before giving someone the chance to push or manipulate you to do something unrealistic.

Avoid indulgence and instability. Focus on fitness, finances and family, and you’ll feel good at the end of the day. HH

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t sit back; put your plan in motion. Embrace the people who share your interests and concerns; you’ll gain insight into new and exciting possibilities. A positive change at home will bring you closer to someone you love. HHHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t limit what you can do. When one door closes, look for another way to reach your goal.

Intelligence and stamina will be your saving graces.

Refuse to let what others do stop you from following your heart. HHH

l

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Unrestrained behavior will lead to problems. Nurture meaningful relationships, and pay close attention to how you take care of your physical and emotional well-being. Don’t believe everything you hear; emotional manipulation is apparent. HHH Birthday Baby: You are emotional, generous and proactive.

You are original and outspoken.

‘canonization’ by eric hougland The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 West German capital, once 5 Silent assent 8 Online birthday greeting 13 Wicked, as instincts 14 Kitchenware brand 15 Key without sharps or flats 16 Patron of stone bridge builders?

18 Win-win 19 Most narcissistic 21 “Oh, really?”

22 Most favorably 25 Patron of dermatologists?

27 Scary sound 28 Incoming flight info 30 Country in a Springsteen title, briefly 31 Pittsburgh-to-Baltimore dir.

32 Popcorn accompaniment, often 34 Omelet ingredient 36 Mini-___ (small stores) 38 “Thanks a million for all that help,” and a theme hint 42 Goalies’ face coverings 44 Slide down the slopes 45 Game cubes 48 Trojans of the NCAA

9 Nonverbal communication, for short?

4 52 What fills a sleeve 54 Yoga accessory 55 Patron of plane traffic controllers?

58 Wards off 60 It’s at the end of a 52-Across 61 Freezer container 63 Yearning (for) 65 Patron of people writing with quill pens?

69 Chocolaty cereal 70 Science Guy Bill 71 French money 72 Contract conditions 73 Stale 74 Gush DOWN 1 Pellets that are shot 2 Bit of horse food 3 Hush-hush org.

4 Chutzpah 5 Pitcher’s aim?

6 Farm team 7 Prescribed amounts 8 Moody music genre 9 Tennis star Marin whose surname is

a palindrome 0 “Later, maybe?”

1 11 Most optimistic 12 Gets ready to go out, maybe 15 Those opposed 17 24 cans of beer, often 20 Disco ___ (The Simpsons character) 22 Muscles below pecs 23 Also 24 Alternative to a metal detector 26 Novelist Hoag 29 Get older 33 Totally fine 35 Accelerator, informally 37 Also 39 One may rate an app 40 Reggae relative 41 Hung out?

42 Circle’s center, in a variation of duck, duck, goose 43 Actor/dancer Fred 46 Hot Wheels toy 47 Visitors from afar, briefly 50 Gulps from a flask 51 DC fund-raising org.

53 Unkind

6 It might get lost in translation 5 57 Binary type of question 59 Little ones 62 Texter’s signoff 64 They’re saved on cellphones: Abbr.

66 Lightweight boxer?

67 Metallic resource 68 Haul from behind Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Image BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Wednesday, June 16, 2021

B5

PHOTO BY DYLAN GILLIS ON UNSPLASH

Debunking myths against Covid-19 vaccination A YEAR after a new coronavirus strain hit Wuhan, China, and forced the rest of the world to go on varying degrees and durations of lockdown, the successful development of Covid-19 vaccines offers new hope. While the Philippines has started the administration of vaccines, this piece of hope is still marred by some hesitation. A survey conducted by Pulse Asia Research in February this year showed that 6 in 10 Filipinos are not willing to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

An expert from top health institution Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www.makatimed.net.ph) warned that having a bias against vaccines can be dangerous, especially in the middle of a pandemic.

“Getting vaccinated against Covid-19 may be a personal choice, and it’s understandable that some may have concerns against it, but Covid-19 vaccines provide another layer of defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection,” says Tarcela Gler, MD of the Section of Infectious Diseases.

She explains that getting a vaccine can help the body create an antibody response against Covid-19. It might also prevent people from getting Covid-19 and if they do, it might keep them from having the severe form of the disease.

To help people stay informed about the benefits of getting vaccinated against Covid-19. Gler debunks some myths and misconceptions on Covid-19 vaccines. n MYTH #1: COVID-19 VACCINE WILL GIVE YOU COVID-19. The vaccines particularly from the United States don’t use the live virus that causes Covid-19. For instance, vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna use messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that carries instructions to the body to make the spike protein that’s on the coronavirus. “These proteins don’t connect or reproduce, but they ‘teach’ your immune system to recognize and remember them as foreign and develops antibodies to destroy it, so it will be ready to attack and eliminate the real SARS-CoV-2 virus,” says Gler.

She adds that it may take a few weeks for the body to build immunity after getting vaccinated against Covid-19. So it’s still possible to be infected with the virus that causes it just before or after being vaccinated. “It’s also important to take note that the vaccine causes side effects that may be similar to Covid-19 symptoms like headache, fatigue, fever and chills,” says Gler. n MYTH #2: COVID-19 VACCINES AREN’T SAFE OR EFFECTIVE SINCE THEY WERE DEVELOPED SO QUICKLY. Covid-19 vaccines may have been developed quickly but they have been carefully studied and went through clinical trials involving hundreds of thousands of people. Gler says the vaccines were developed at record speed because of the worldwide effort from the academe, public health experts, manufacturers, and even regulators who constantly reviewed the development of the vaccines.

“Despite the urgency, the scientific community made sure that no safety protocols were ignored or skipped. They demanded the same level of safety and efficacy standards as they did with other vaccines,” she adds. n MYTH #3: NATURAL IMMUNITY IS SAFER THAN GETTING A VACCINE. Gler warns that getting natural immunity from Covid-19 means one must suffer and survive the disease. Evidence shows that the immunity provided by natural infection maybe shortlived. Hence, vaccination may still be necessary after a natural infection.

“People must be vaccinated [for the population to reach] herd immunity. If we rely on natural immunity alone, millions of people would die and many more will suffer until we achieve that. Community quarantine would also likely be extended and our society would be shut down much longer, which wouldn’t be helpful for everyone in the long run,” she adds. “Consider getting vaccinated as another way to protect the people around you, especially if you have loved ones who have a higher risk of developing complications caused by Covid-19.”

Getting vaccinated may be a personal decision, but it’s a decision that must be made based on the facts on hand and not on anyone’s biases against vaccines, Gler says. “As far as the medical community is concerned, we trust that Covid-19 vaccines which will soon be more available in the country are indeed safe and effective.”

Managing mass resignations T

here are resignations that are expected, and even organized by management especially when the organization undergoes unexpected or necessary changes. But when several team members leave the organization one after the other, it can become more than disruptive.

Organizations who ignore these mass resignations set themselves up for brain drain, or, worse, provide valuable talent to their competitors.

As a leader, you can only do so much to retain your talents especially when their reason for leaving is endemic to the organization. People leave when they find little to no growth in their current role or when they cannot see their value to the company.

Sometimes, they may even feel devalued and that feeling is reinforced when people are assigned to functions they did not initially accept, or are assigned to roles that do not contribute to their developmental goals. On the other hand, people also leave from mere boredom—they do not find their work challenging enough. Of course, salary is a significant factor especially when they receive below industry standards.

Investigate what really caused your team members to leave. Chances are, some of the other members also feel the same way. You can mitigate other team members from resigning by understanding what would make them start thinking of resigning. Think in terms of how your team would react but approach team members individually to validate. And this is where investing time to get to know your people will be helpful in preventing mass resignation.

Communicate as early as possible with a clear

message. Some leaders resort to vague generalities like promising to promote people later, or promising raises without providing a clear timeline. Or committing to send people to training for professional development but with the added training bond which ties them to the organization for a certain time. Be consistent with your team. Even if you mean well and want to change, be honest because any significant change to the organization takes time. Much as you would like people to stay, be realistic in what you promise to them.

Understand also that when people resign, they probably already have an offer from another organization. And the offer is probably better than what they currently have. There are cases when people leave an organization not because of the salary but because of a better work environment or a benefit your organization does not have. I have worked with people who stay in an organization because of benefits no other company offers so they stay even if they could earn more from other companies. Knowing what other companies offer can help you fortify your total compensation and benefits. But, for now, be sincere and concrete in your steps in addressing any issues revolving around compensation and benefits.

A single resignation can create ripples in the organization even for people who do not know personally the one who resigned. Hearing that someone resigned tends to germinate the idea in others to start looking at greener pastures. I used to work in an organization where one resignation causes the management to do a quick loyalty check.

Instead of addressing the resignation decisively and clearly, they created doubt and made other people in the organization rethink if they wanted to stay, moreso when an entire department resigned and left only a handful of people. Even if people have not been thinking of resigning, they would start looking for options. So, communicate early and address your team’s issues clearly and consistently.

This becomes even more important with regards to closely-knit relationships. There are relationship networks within the organization which are formed by closely working together, or were developed even

before joining the organization. When one member of this network resigns, chances are that they are indirectly influencing others to look for other options as well even without meaning to. Be mindful of these relationships so you can help other managers stem any issues or questions their team members might ask. To minimize disruptions in the workflow, provide support by either assigning a temporary team member to assist, or step up to the task and take on the additional responsibility until another person can take their place. If you have a good succession plan, you would not have to.

Most importantly, get to know your team.

Nothing beats understanding where they are coming from than taking the time to understand their motivations, aspirations and goals. And this takes time. Knowing their motivations can help you spot early signs of disengagement and allow you time to take preventive measures when needed.

And since significant changes take time, you can already start putting in place measures to address concerns before they think of resigning. A preventive and proactive approach is understanding the sentiments of your team and taking concrete steps in addressing them.

One of the things my previous team did was to send off resigning team members. It does not even have to be an official event. The send-off provides an opportunity for your team to acknowledge the accomplishments of their resigned colleague but also a way of thanking them for their contribution to the team’s success. As people managers, we should always wish our people well and hope that we have trained them well for their professional development.

Too often, people leave bad people managers, not organizations. But if you have done everything you possibly can to provide what your team needs, and the reason why they quit is out of your hands, then the problem might just be that your team’s personal goals do not align with the organization’s objectives. In that case, it leaves more room for your organization to find the right people to attain your bottomline. But if not, you just might be throwing away the talents that could have taken your organization further than what you would have imagined. n

You can now breathe clean air Surrounded by family and the comforts of our own familiar space, home is where we feel most secured and protected. But is your home really safe?

Not so, according to the American Lung Association.

When dust and other visible dirt settles in, we know it’s time to wipe the furniture or sweep the floor. But knowing when to clean the air in our home is much more complicated because the naked eye cannot detect the presence of free radicals, pathogens, and pollutants in the air.

Clearly, an air purifier to remove pollutants and pathogens should be a basic safety procedure to keep air clean and pure in indoor premises. In buying an air purifier, consider one that has been proven to effectively clean the air in homes, schools, and hospitals: Intellipure Air Cleaners (www.airintellipure. com).

Inside every Intellipure is the revolutionary DFS (Disinfecting Filtration System) Technology, which was developed using a US Military grant to combat germ warfare. The DFS technology can inactivate a proxy virus for SARS-CoV-2 in 10 minutes with zero

regrowth within 24 hours. The patented technology is capable of removing 99.99 percent of harmful viruses, mold, and bacteria passing through the system.

And unlike conventional air filtration systems, the DFS can also shut in these microorganisms and inhibit the microorganism’s growth through a process called microbiostatic condition. Once deactivated, these pathogens will be unable to multiply in the filter—which helps in extending filter life.

Intellipure air purifiers have undergone tests by third-party laboratories attesting that they can capture particles down to .007 to a 99.99% effectiveness (better than HEPA efficiency). Portable models received Zero Ozone Certification from Intertek, having passed one of the most stringent ozone emission standards available in the USA. Used widely in US hospitals, government and military buildings, Intellipure is an energy-efficient air cleaner. The Intellipure Compact uses 9 watts per hour on low, the Ultrafine 468 just 5 watts, the same energy needed by a small light bulb.

B6 Wednesday, June 16, 2021

SM Prime and Philippine Coast Guard hold bay cleanup for World Oceans Day

I

N celebration of World Oceans Day on June 8, SM Prime Holdings and the Philippine Coast Guard, together with the SM Mall of Asia and SM By the Bay, conducted a special cleanup activity that involved the removal of solid waste and debris along the SM Mall of Asia stretch of the Manila Bay. The activity is part of the company's ongoing efforts in support of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation program, and to ensure that all waterways within its business environments and communities are clean and well-managed, especially in developments where the state of waterways can have a direct and significant impact on large bodies of water, such as the Manila Bay. “Being a responsible integrated property developer, SM Prime has always been aware of its role as a member of the community to help care for the environment, including our seas and oceans. To ensure that we are able to carry out this role effectively, we continue to collaborate with various communities and government partners as we implement programs that contribute to marine conservation,” said SM Prime Holdings’ Senior Vice President for Special Projects, Atty. Siegfred Mison.

The clean-up activity also coincided with the Philippine Coast Guard's Marine Environmental Protection Command 23rd Founding Anniversary.

“Marine environmental protection and preservation are amongst the primary mandates of the Philippine Coast Guard.

As such, and as part of my advocacy, the PCG has almost always been the leader, if not part, of coastal clean-up initiatives all around the country. In simple ways, these coastal clean-ups mitigate pollution in the ocean. Whatever amount of wastes and garbage taken from our ocean during these clean-ups reduces the pollution in our waters thereby lessening the chances of

death of seabirds, marine mammals, turtles, and other marine animals. Volunteer activities such as these promote consciousness and awareness that remind all of us of mankind’s obligation to preserve our natural resources and save our Mother Earth,” said Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral George Ursabia Jr. SM Prime have been conducting regular, weekly cleanups at the SM Mall of Asia Complex since December last year, with the help of various groups within the company as well as its maintenance and security personnel.

As of May, this year, the company has collected a total of 4,322 sacks of waste material amounting to 42,878 kg; 80 bags of recyclable material amounting to 240 kg; and 5,272 sacks of silt amounting to 105,440 kg.

The activities have also successfully covered a distance of about 700 meters of coastline as of the said month.

SM’s regular clean-up drives support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 14, Life Below Water.

These are just some of SM’s programs,

aimed at helping protect the country's waters, and the marine life they support. Among the other initiatives of SM that contribute to marine conservation are the Plastic Waste Collection Program, held in partnership with Plastic Credit Exchange, and the Trash-toCash Recycling Market, both promoting responsible solid waste management and proper disposal of plastic waste. All SM Supermalls nationwide recycle their water, to be used back for the non-potable and operational needs of the malls.

There is also the AweSMSeas campaign in partnership with the USAID and the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PRRCFI), which raises awareness of the importance of managing plastic pollution affecting the world's waters.

Prior to the pandemic, SM Mall of Asia and SM By the Bay annually host the International Coastal Cleanup event held every September.

In 2019, more than 5,000 volunteers gathered, collecting 31,564 kilograms of nonbiodegradable solid waste.

Visit www.smprime.com/sustainabilityoverview to learn more about the various sustainability programs of SM Prime Holdings.

Rex Education acquires award-winning K-12 ICT provider to develop ‘Schools of the Future’

R

EX Education believes that digital awareness and holistic character formation should start at an early age, so that learners learn to use technology more responsibly, and approach the jobs of the future more intelligently.

Rex has always been at the forefront of leading-edge innovation when it comes to educational materials and resources. Guided

by REX Education’s principles of Edukampyon, which advocates for the championing of Whole Child education, the company tailors all of its products and services to encourage learner-centered education, so that schools can improve and provide relevant learning content, learning experience, and literacy programs that will help equip learners to become responsible, productive, and thriving citizens of the future.

The Covid-19 pandemic pushed the education sector to adapt to the realities of the 21st century. As one of the first respondents to this disruption, the company saw the need to ramp up the technological capabilities of schools across the country.

First Eduspec, Inc. (FEI) joins the Rex Group of Companies

IN response to the new normal of education and the rapidly evolving needs of the 21st century, Rex Education acquired First Eduspec, Inc. (FEI)—a multi-national and award-winning K-12 STEAM education

provider. FEI provides innovative information and communication technology- (ICT) and robotics-driven educational programs for schools, incorporating digital learning fundamentals in today’s teaching and learning environment. Their programs are on-par with global standards, powered by partnerships with top global educational institutions, and accredited by global certifying bodies with only the highest standards in the provision of the latest industry-relevant curriculum around the world.

Leveraging on its 70 years of experience in the education industry and FEI’s expertise in the STEAM segment, Rex Education endeavors to turn the schools of today into schools of the future through a one-stop STREAM program that incorporates Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics into the basic curriculum.

This STREAM program leverages ICT and Robotics as tools to create digital learning programs, interactive e-learning solutions, and professional training for teachers and students to establish an approach appropriate for the emerging 4th industrial revolution.

Together, Rex and FEI aim to develop schools grounded by the Education 4.0 approach through a STREAM-equipped product suite, whose goal is to educate every Filipino Whole Learner so that they inquire like scientists, design like technologists, build like engineers,

create like artists, and solve like mathematicians.

To accomplish this, the STREAM approach methodically integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math into a holistic learning environment that conditions students with positive learning attitudes and behaviors. Computational Thinking becomes the core of this environment, where students learn how to apply computer logic and thinking to cultivate 21st century skill sets.

This ICT-focused learning starts as early as Grade 1, where STREAM for Beginners will help learners build strong foundations in math and sciences through self-paced and self-directed learning.

Students will also start early with STEM with Robotics 4.0, where they can focus on enhancing their analytical and problemsolving skills through programming with Lego and VEXIQ, and prototyping. By Grade 4, STEAM Robotics and Coding builds the foundations of computational thinking applied through the creation of animations and interactive games, and designing and programming simple robots. For Grades 11 and 12, STEAM: Circuits and IOT will introduce learners to electronics and programming using webbased platform and Arduino IDE, a leading open-source software used by ICT schools and professionals across the globe.

To help spread the word and start the conversation on the importance of incorporating STREAM in today’s curriculum, Rex Education organized a webinar titled “Full Steam Ahead: Every Learner A Champion in the New Normal.”

The need for STREAM-based learning was led by Professor Alfons Pelgone, an expert on STREAM education, with fellow STREAM advocates Dr. James Pattaguan, Sr. Felicitas Bernardo, Rufino Olay, and David Gian Feria.

To rewatch the webinar, visit the the Rex Education Facebook page here. For more information about Rex Education and FEI’s leading edge STREAM program, visit www.rex.com.ph.

SSS releases P1.35-B for SBRA online applications from July 2020 to April 2021

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HE Social Security System (SSS) approved a total of 186,444 sickness benefit reimbursement applications (SBRA) submitted by 22,237 employers online through My.SSS from July 2020 to April 2021. It is equivalent to over P1.35 billion worth of sickness reimbursement benefits.

“We are glad that more employers are now using the My.SSS accounts to submit SBRAs, giving them comfort and security to transact with SSS even beyond office hours.

It is a step ahead of the previous practice when they still have to wait for a hard copy of the approved sickness notification (SN) before physically submitting the SBRA documents to SSS branches,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said.

The mandatory online submission of SBRA—which started on July 1, 2020— was imposed to reduce the processing time of sickness reimbursement claims and to eliminate the transmission of hard copies of claims from SSS branches to processing centers.

“Automating processes and providing online services to our members and employers are part of our ExpreSSS digitalization campaign as we work towards a simpler, faster and more convenient transaction process,” added Ignacio.

To submit the SBRA online, employers must be registered with the My.SSS portal and have an approved disbursement account under the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM).

There is no need for the employers to submit the hard copies of the SBRA and approved SN when filing online, although they need to certify the amount of sickness benefit advanced to the employee.

“However, we would like to remind our employers that sickness benefit claims for adjustment and/or refiling must be made thru the drop box system at SSS branches since the online facility only accepts new and initial claims with approved sickness notifications. Employers and company representatives are also advised to initially set an appointment with our SSS branches to avoid congestion in the branch offices,” Ignacio concluded.

Employers can access the complete step-by-step procedure on how to submit SBRAs online through this link: https://bit. ly/3fz68gx.

Announcements and other information are posted on the official SSS accounts on Facebook and YouTube at “Philippine Social Security System,” Instagram at “mysssph,” and on Twitter at “PHLSSS,” and in the SSS Viber Community at “MYSSSPH Updates.”

Spreading, celebrating kindness on TikTok

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EOPLE around the world come to TikTok to be entertained and to express themselves creatively. The immense diversity of people and content on our platform is what makes TikTok such a special place – from people outlining the sources of their unique qualities through the mosaic trend to sharing their customs and traditional food with #culturechallenge. Last year, TikTok celebrated the creators, diversity, community and culture on the platform that brought positivity and joy to life through the #ItStartsOnTikTok campaign. We are driven by our passion to maintain a welcoming environment for our global community, and over the last year we’ve introduced a range of features aimed at fostering kindness and preventing bullying.

Today we're taking another step with the launch of #CreateKindness, a global campaign and a creative video series aimed at raising awareness around online bullying and how we can all choose kindness.

Promoting awareness around bullying

AT TikTok, we value the trust of our community and work hard to maintain it by cultivating an inclusive atmosphere. Bullying behavior damages the trust-based nature of the app by harming people's confidence in themselves. We're mindful that although inapp interactions may seem harmless to some, the impact of people's online experiences don't always disappear when they close the app. This is why we greatly value the stories from our community about their experiences and why we invest in measures to help TikTok remain a place where kindness and compassion thrive.

As part of our ongoing commitment to promote online kindness, we're launching on

our @TikTokTips account an animated video series that tells the real and personal stories of six creator-animators whose distinct animation styles complements their diverse experiences.

Through their videos, these talented creators offer perspectives on how to counter bullying, show the unintended impact this harmful behavior can have, and remind us why it's important that we work together to prevent it.  In “Block the Bullies” @milkymichii shows how to deal with unkind Duets.  Through the introspective “Why Would You...” @recokh illuminates how his insecurities are behind the desire to be unkind to others and how to navigate these feelings.  With “I Want to Hold On To” @ kellyemmrich shares how to overcome negative comments by focusing on the communities that celebrate her.  In “Walk Away” @amyrightmeow gives advice on how they deal with people intentionally misrepresenting their thoughts. In “Power of Words” @rosie.gif explores the impact that micro-aggressions can have and implores people to think before they post.  Through “What We Don’t See” @ king.science encourages people to treat one another with care and compassion.

By using their distinctive animation styles and voices, and revealing themselves at the end of the videos, these creators drive home an important message: behind every account is a real human being who deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.

Davao’s Malagos Chocolate now available in triple treat cake for Father’s Day 2021

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HE new Malagos Triple Treat Cake is made with the country’s mostawarded chocolate.

This premium cake is made with Malagos Chocolate, straight from Davao—the recentlyhailed Chocolate Capital of the Philippines. It has layers of chocolate fudge cake, mocha, and vanilla chiffon filled in between with mocha buttercream and Malagos chocolate mousse. The cake likewise is coated with more Malagos chocolate mousse frosting and melted chocolate ganache, and decorated with piped mocha and cocoa butter cream on top. This gives customers a taste of chocolate

royalty to indulge in.

This is perfect for those who want to treat their dads on Father’s Day June 20 and is available via Max’s Corner Bakery. The cake is already open for pre-order and will be available starting June 18 in Luzon stores, except for Palawan and Bicol, so families can now start planning early for Father’s Day. To complete the celebration, Max’s is also offering a special Father’s Day Bundle to celebrate dads everywhere. In it are a complete set of Regular Whole Fried Chicken, Regular Crispy Pata, Sizzling Tofu, Lumpiang Shanghai, Large Plain Rice, and four drinks.

Truly a hearty feast and an excellent way to show appreciation to fathers and fatherfigures. The bundle is available only in Luzon stores, except Palawan and Bicol.

Customers can also Max Up the bundle with a Malagos Dark Chocolate Cheesecake or Caramel Bar Cheesecake for an additional Php 400.

Avoid the peak lunchtime rush of Father’s Day and get freebies by ordering for advance delivery on June 17, 18, 19, or late delivery on June 20, 7PM until closing. Last day of advance order is on June 16, Wednesday. Orders can be made through delivery.maxchicken.com or at any Max’s branch nationwide.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Wednesday, June 16, 2021 B7

PHirst Park Homes launches 4 projects with sales value of ₧14.3B Artist’s Illustration. Sola at Pico de Loro Cove opens to a panoramic view of the Pico mountainside forest and lot owners acquiring a Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club individual membership share.

An artist’s render of the Amenity Node, Phirst Home, General Trias, Cavite

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An artist’s render of Unna home, Phirst Homes, General Trias, Cavite

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

UST like a hard-nosed prizefighter, PHirst Park Homes Inc. (PPHI), the joint venture between Century Properties Group and Mitsubishi Corp. continues to slug it out in these challenging times as it will launch four projects this year with a sales value of P14.31 billion.

Loren Sales, vice president for customer management of PPHI, said the company will launch two new projects in the second half of 2021 in northern Luzon and two more in Southern Luzon. PHirst Park Homes General Trias will lead this roster of new PPHI developments, which will collectively have 6,968 units with a sales value of P14.31 billion.

Sales noted the demand from first homebuyers posted remarkable increase. “Throughout 2020 we saw an uptick in sales from among local and OFW buyers who are looking for safe, secure and well-located homes

Experience an open living and going green with Sola

for their families. The new normal has indeed shifted people’s spending priorities to essentials, such as livable homes in thriving communities that are situated in key growth centers,” Sales said.

“These new PHirst Park Homes projects will give first time homebuyers more options north and south of Metro Manila as they embark on a new journey in their family life.”

In true PHirst Park Homes tradition, Sales mentioned these new communities will open their respective Show Villages featuring all model homes on offer: ranging from

a 40-square-meter expandable two bedroom (Calista and Calista Mid), a 54-sq-m three bedroom (Unna), to an 80-sq-m combined house and lot (Calista Pair). Each community will have a Clubhouse with amenities, an outdoor fitness station, play equipment and outdoor cinema.

Sales pointed out PHirst Park Homes’ master-planned communities carrying the 4Cs as the main factor in catapulting the company in the top spot in the first homebuyer market in Central and South Luzon for its master planned communities.

The 4Cs are: Complete and wellprovisioned homes with a perimeter fence and gate, Conceptive amenities that promote a healthy and holistic lifestyle, Connected living through WiFi zones and a shuttle service, and a Convenient and simplified selling and buying experience.

Earlier, PHirst Homes successfully launched seven communities and 9,349 units in key growth areas of Luzon: Tanza, Cavite; Lipa and Nasugbu, Batangas; San Pablo and Calamba, Laguna; Pandi, Bulacan; and Magalang, Pampanga collectively worth P11.25 billion in sales value. As of end December 2020, PHirst Park Homes completed 1,536

and behav iora l hea lt h care are much overlooked and under-appreciated advocacies in the country. “We want to lift up the people behind CPG and the Antonio Family who took upon the challenge to dive into this advocacy. Mental health has a far longer-term effect and consequences for individuals in our workplace, our community and society as a whole. Our desire is to help those with acute and chronic mental health conditions, for our friends and loved ones who are suffering.

“We’re committed to push to the fore the discussion on the challenges of individual family health care, family mental wellness and worklife balance particularly. Certainly, being situated in Centuria Medical will enhance access for people and CPG employees. This collaboration will be a shelter form the brewing and lingering mental health storm challenging all of us,” he said.

When most of us had to adjust to working remotely, attending online classes, and managing day-to-day activities at home during a strict lockdown, it made us aware how spending more time with family and taking care of our health are crucial in overcoming the current situation. The need to reassess our lifestyle and admit the urgency of stepping back, taking stock, and taking a breather arose.

Came the knowledge also that you can work or learn from home in a much safer, healthier, more harmonious home environment. It has become apparent for us how valuable it is to have ample living space as well as access to outdoors.

What about somewhere closer to nature? At a safe distance from congested cities and the madding crowd—with a constellation of trees around us or near a serene beach. Sola is a place that is the opposite of the oppressively compact surroundings that we had to bear with for so long.

Alexis Ortiga, CDHI senior assistant vice president for Projects & Sales, reiterated Sola’s pursuit in boosting one’s health and total well-being with the New Open Living concept.

“Approximately 40 percent of the community is dedicated to lush greens, pedestrian pathways, bike lanes, and roads. The Central Parks also provide a nuclear amenity which include serene and functional spaces where you can take a stroll or jog along tree-lined trails, play your heart out at the natureinspired playground, or just lounge and relax for some welldeserved ‘me’ time. Its proximity to Pico Beach’s white sands also makes it a well-integrated natural environment. Because of Sola at Pico de Loro Cove’s open and nature-centric community, families are investing in a seaside lifestyle. That said, Sola is now more than 50 percent sold—barely two months after its launch.”

Who would have thought that during these challenging times, the only way of finding a silver lining is in embracing open living and going green.

With Sola at Pico de Loro Cove a pipe dream has now become reality. Reni Salvador

endorsement of the Regional Valuation Board comprised of four representatives from government and three from the private sector.

Property owners have long complained of inaccurate classification of raw lands by the Bureau of Internal Revenue zonal valuation schedule into other uses, such as residential, commercial or industrial way beyond their actual market price, according to Creba National President Noel Toti M. Cariño.

This introduces unfair tax burdens and conflicts in land transactions.

To correct this, Creba hopes that the proposed measure must accurately classify land parcels based on their current actual use, where “raw, unde-

veloped and under-developed lands less than 5,000 sq m” are considered of “general purpose” and valued lower.

Both officers said that it is understandably among the main goals of the reform efforts to hike local real property tax collection and improve LGU self-sufficiency, especially during this time of pandemic.

They reiterated, though, that the alarming rate by which some LGUs uncontrollably and suddenly increase RPT to finance some programs and projects way before the global health crisis is “confiscatory,” heavily detrimental to home

owners and has adverse trickledown effects on property markets and the economy.

The group encouraged lawmakers to include a provision in the bill that will cap RPT hikes to a more reasonable level of either 30 percent from the previous assessment or via a formula based on inflationary factors.

Prior to any tax increase, Creba said that the government must enhance its tax collection efforts and reduce or avoid altogether tax amnesties or condonations which have been severely weaponized for political interest.

house and lot units in its Tanza and Lipa locations.

In response to the pandemic, PPHI launched its first digital project launch last year with brand ambassador Robi Domingo. Domingo led the digital launch of the company’s sixth horizontal community project called PHirst Park Homes Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas through a watch party on PPHI’s official Facebook page to give homebuyers a tour of the property’s newly opened facilities and show village.

The 27.5-hectare community is just 1.5 hours from Manila, 15 minutes from Tagaytay’s city center and 42 minutes ahead of the beaches of Nasugbu—an idyllic location that has drawn the interest of vacation and retirement home seekers. The project also introduces outdoor recreational activities inspired by traditional Filipino games such as Tumbang Preso (Treble Pod), Piko (Hop Pod), Patintero (Base Pod), Holen (Marble Pod), and Taguan (Maze Pod). The central amenities will have a functional clubhouse, a Wi-fi area, basketball court, playground, and outdoor cinema. The master plan also includes the development of a future commercial center.

New mental health clinic to open at Centuria Medical Makati

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N its efforts to make mental health-care ser vices accessible to its employees and more people, Century Properties Group (CPG) has partnered with the mental wellness organization Shelter from the Storm, Inc. (SFTS) to open a therapy clinic in CPG’s outpatient medical facility Centuria Medical in Century City, Makati.

The initiative is under CPG’s cor porate soc i a l responsibi l it y programs that aims to give a person’s psyc holog ica l, emot iona l, and social well-being of equal importance as physical health, especially in light of pandemic-induced challenges.

As part of the agreement, CPG is providing SFTS free clinic spaces for three years including dues to expand its psycho-social health and resiliency programs in these trying times. SFTS for its part will provide for all CPG employees and their immediate family members with free

Centuria Medical Makati General Manager Rey Dimaano (from left); CPG Corporate Communications Head Terrie Fucanan-Yu; Katrina Corpuz and Mr. Cenen Enrique Corpuz, Shelter from the Storm Inc. executive director; CPG Human Resources and Administration Group Head Ritchelle Cordero; and CPG Managing Director Jose Carlo R. Antonio

mental health consultation or assessment sessions, plus free quarterly seminars covering a range of topics on mental well-being.

CPG Managing Director Jose Carlo R. Antonio, who is co-heading the initiative with CPG Vice Chairman John Victor R. Antonio, said the company chose to advocate for mental healthcare as it is often a neglected aspect of well-

being. “Most of us focus on physical health, preventing Covid, and financial health. Although these are all important, a stronger mental health is also a core component of well-being. By focusing on mental health, one can better manage one’s physical health and financial issues.”

SFTS Executive Director Cenen Corpus agrees that mental health

Creba backs measure to change valuation of property

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By Roderick L. Abad

HE Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations Inc. (Creba) has expressed its support to the proposed Property Valuation Reform Bill, or Package 3 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), which seeks to introduce changes in real-estate valuation and assessment, reorganizing in the process, the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) under the finance department.

In a statement, Creba top officials

said that the existing real property valuation system in the Philippines must be overhauled to avoid multiple, overlapping, and outdated appraisals.

Creba National Chairman Charlie A. V. Gorayeb emphasized that current practice complicates government assessment and taxation and raises discrepancies that lead to right-ofway compensation problems and lengthy valuation, both of which impede the fast and efficient construction of infrastructure projects.

House Bill 4664 is timely to over-

haul the formulation of the schedule of market values (SMVs) which has long been prone to compromise and corruption and wanting of direct participation by the private sector and professionals with the requisite technical know-how and training, he explained.

The group of real-estate and housing stakeholders in the country wants the BLGF, through this bill, to be given full powers and authority to appoint technically competent local assessors to the local government units who will then prepare the SMV for review and

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OLA at Pico de Loro Cove was recently launched as an exclusive residential project and the first horizontal development of Hamilo Coast (www.hamilocoast.com), one of the country’s premium beach resorts. It is also considered as the first premier sustainable lot development in Pico de Loro Cove, with access to a 1.5 kilometer of powdersmooth, white-sand beach and a 4-hectare man-made lagoon centerpiece—and is only approximately a 90-minute drive from SM Mall of Asia.

Sola, developed by Costa Del Hamilo Inc. (CDHI), is redefining primary living in the new normal: its gated 2.7-hectare enclave offers the prospect of living with nature while within arm’s reach of modern conveniences. The development integrates multiple locators, including a hotel, beach and country club, mid-rise residential buildings, and the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel. Thus, everyday living is an adventure and, at the same time, a step into the proper realm of wellness.

Studies show that exposure to green spaces, fresh air, natural sunlight and coastal life offers immense physical and mental health benefits such as lowering stress, mental fatigue, depression and anxiety, as well as improving overall mood.

In terms of the aesthetics of harmony, Sola’s architectural design also conforms with nature as it follows a modern tropical theme, which integrates the use of organic materials such as wood, stone, and complemented with lush vegetation.

The beach-resort community opens to a panoramic view of the Pico mountainside forest and—with lot owners acquiring a Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club individual membership share—they also enjoy the most extensive land and sea-based recreational facilities in Nasugbu, Batangas.

If there was a silver lining to this pandemic, it would be people realizing that there is more to life than what was previously dreamt of in their work-life philosophy—intruded upon by nightmare phrases such as “cramped cubicles,” “daily commute,” and “corporate rat race.”

Sports

Fiba head steps aside amid sexual abuse inquiry

THE 7-foot-4 Kai Sotto will be an asset in the shade.

BusinessMirror

B8

| Wednesday, June 16, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

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SOTTO LEADS GILAS BID

By Josef Ramos

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AI SOTTO made the final 12 of the Philippine men’s team which will take on South Korea at the start of Group A action in the third and final window of the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) Asia Qualifiers on Wednesday at the Angeles City Foundation Gym in Pampanga.

Sotto will be a suspect though as the 7-foot-4 center hoping to become the first home-grown Filipino to play in the National Basketball Association could only practice one day with the team following a 14day home quarantine.

But for Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Renauld “Sonny” Barrios, this batch

of Gilas Pilipinas has the arsenal to beat the Koreans.

“We are really hopeful that we will perform admirably. We just can’t simply predict the outcome because anything can still happen in the game, but we’re still upbeat of the team despite our team being made up of young players,” Barrios told BusinessMirror on Tuesday.

“We will try to win all three games in our backyard and make our country proud,” Barrios added.

The match against the Koreans, who are reinforced by naturalized player Ricardo Ratliffe, a many-time Philippine Basketball Association import, is set 6 p.m. after the 2:30 p.m. match between China and Japan.

Joining the 19-yeart-old Sotto

in head coach Tab Baldwin’s final 12 are team captain Isaac Go, Mike Nieto, Carl Tamayo, William Navarro, Jaydee Tungcab, Dwight Ramos, Justine Baltazar, Javi Gomez de Liaño, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos and naturalized player Ange Kouame.

Sitting out Wednesday’s game against South Korea were big man Geo Chiu, Jordan Heading and Lebron Lopez.

Baldwin and his staff shunned media interviews to focus on the qualifiers, but manage to send a brief message.

“We’ve been in practice and we are now in the coaches’ meeting,” Baldwin said.

The Philippines beat Indonesia, 100-75, and Thailand twice, 93-61 and 93-69, in the first window in February 2020 to go unbeaten. The

Philracom Chairman’s Cup up

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JRU bet captures poomsae crown

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OSE RIZAL University’s (JRU) Emie Soriano Fernandez beat eight other competitors on Tuesday to capture the women’s poomsae standard gold medal in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 96 that kicked off over the weekend on a virtual platform.

Fernandez tallied 7.550 points to defeat College of Saint Benilde’s Diane Nicole Supangan (7.284) and San Beda University’s Lara Alejandrea (6.867).

Rounding out the results were San Sebastian College’s Keith Laura Baladya of (6.767), host Letran’s Stephanie Shane Ashley Arana (6.734), Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Chelsia Marie Bañez (6.484), Arellano University’s Francis Claire Apuya (6.234) and Lyceum of the Philippines University’s Marinella Peralta (6.117).

San Beda’s Alfritz Victoria Arevalo won the season’s first gold medal on Monday in men’s poomsae standard also of taekwondo. He scored 7.217 points to beart Saint Benilde’s Ivan Murray Solimen (7.134) and Letran’s Roi Vinson Belano (7.083).

Mapua and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA did not join the poomsae competition.

Saint Benilde will host the junior’s poomsae competitions on Wednesday. The events will air on GMA’s GTV on weekdays at starting at 2:45 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday’s at 5:05 p.m. Josef Ramos

HE country’s top gallopers will slug it out in the P2 million Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Chairman’s Cup on Sunday at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas.

Recently crowned Commissioners’ Cup champion Super Swerte and 2020 Presidential Gold

Expected to put pressure on the favorites are Princess Eowyn (Keep Laughing out of Doña Carmela), Sky Shot (Lamborghini by Juggling Act), Shanghai Grey and Spandau Ballet.

Aside from the top prize of P1.2M, at stake are 40 rating points towards this year’s Presidential Gold Cup for the winner.

The second placer will receive P400,000 and 30 rating points, third gets P200,000 and 20 rating

points and fourth P100,000 and 10 rating points. The fifth and sixth placers will bank P60,000 and P40,000, respectively.

The Chairman’s Cup will be followed by the country’s Triple Crown version in July, August and September, Classic Cup, Juvenile Cup in October, and Silver Cup in November.

The prestigious Presidential Gold Cup is scheduled December 12 and the Grand Derby on December 26.

TOKYO ORGANIZERS ROLL OUT FINAL EDITIONS OF COVID RULE BOOKS

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OKYO—International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice President John Coates arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday, the same day that organizers and the IOC were set to roll out the third and final edition of their so-called Playbooks.

Coates is the IOC’s official in charge of overseeing the Tokyo Games. He has been a controversial figure in Japan, saying the postponed Olympics would go ahead even if the country were under a state of emergency.

Organizers confirmed Coates’ arrival from Australia. Officials last week said he would be quarantined for three days, followed

by 11 days of restricted activities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Coates arrives with Tokyo and other parts of Japan under a state of emergency until June 20, but with reported new cases falling and a slow vaccine rollout finally speeding up.

Less than 5 percent of Japanese have been fully vaccinated.

The IOC says more that 80 percent of those staying in the Olympic Village will be fully vaccinated, although it did not provide details how it reached that conclusion.

The Japanese medical community has largely opposed holding these Olympics in Tokyo, arguing the risks are too great. The gov-

ernment’s main medical adviser Dr. Shigeru Omi has said it’s “abnormal” to hold the Olympics during a pandemic.

The Playbooks are Covid-19 rule books for athletes and all others entering Japan to participate in the Olympics.

COATES The second version, published in April, was criticized last month in an editorial

by The New England Journal of Medicine that said, among other things, that the Playbooks “are not built on scientifically rigorous risk assessment.”

The final version is not expected

to deliver major changes, but likely more small details for everyone from athletes to media, broadcasters, and tens of thousands of support staff.

The April version specified: n All participants will have to pass two Covid-19 tests before leaving their home country. And they will be tested upon arrival in Japan. n Athletes will be tested daily, as will those in close proximity to athletes. n Other games participants will be tested daily for the first three days, and then as required. AP

Give Djokovic his due as he paves ‘own path’ HE question put to Novak Djokovic after he won the French Open for his 19th Grand Slam title, moving within one of rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the men’s record, was whether he ever was resigned to not being able to catch them.

The context: Entering the 2011 season, Federer owned 16 major championships, Nadal nine and Djokovic one.

And while Djokovic began by offering a direct answer Sunday night following his 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas, saying he didn’t consider it “a

mission impossible” to bring his trophy collection in line with the other members of the Big Three, what followed was instructive.

“I’ll keep on going. I’ll keep on chasing,” Djokovic said about the Slam standings that everyone has been tracking for a while now as each surpassed the benchmark of 14 established by Pete Sampras.

In the very next breath, Djokovic added: “At the same time, I’ll keep on paving my own path, which is my own authentic path. We—all three of us—have our own journeys, and that’s it.”

So true. So important to remember. Because what Djokovic seemed to be saying was: Judge me on my own merits. Look at what I am accomplishing. Let’s not worry about the Grand Slam

total. Please don’t just view me in comparison to Federer and Nadal.

He’s right. Give him his due. Instead of analyzing the considerable amount of achievement attained by Djokovic through the prism of how he stacks up with the other two, take stock of his path.

This is not to imply that Djokovic’s reputation or legacy would suffer when the trio is grouped together.

If anything, the exact opposite is true.

Consider: n His semifinal win over Nadal at Roland Garros increased Djokovic’s lead in their series to 30-28, and he leads Federer headto-head, too, 27-23. n Djokovic is the only man

to beat 13-time champion Nadal twice at the French Open and is 3-1 against eight-time champion Federer at Wimbledon (3-0 in finals, including saving championship points in 2019). n Djokovic is the only one of the three—indeed, the only man in the Open era, which began in 1968—to win each Grand Slam title twice (Nadal has one at the Australian Open; Federer has one at the French Open) and the only one to win four majors in a row (he did that in 2015-16). n Djokovic holds the record for most weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings, eclipsing Federer›s mark. n Djokovic is the only man to have won each Masters 1000 event twice. n Djokovic, 34, has won seven majors since his 30th birthday, an Open era record; Nadal, 35, is at six, and Federer, 39, is at four. AP

today, Djokovic displayed his typical resilience and terrific tenacity to win, 6-7(6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Before beating Tsisipas, the 6-foot-4 No. 5 from Athens making his first Slam finals after earlier beating No. 2 Daniil Medvedev of Russia and No. 6 Alexander Zverev of Germany, Djokovic dispatched No. 3 Nadal in four, grueling sets lasting 4 hours and 11 minutes.

Against Nadal his archenemy, Djokovic lost the first set before unleashing another virtuoso performance, stashing away a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2 victory in an energy-sapping semifinal that saw the third set last a record 92 minutes.

“You have to kind of climb

Mount Everest to win against this guy [Nadal],” said Djokovic after the victory—only his second in nine matches against the Spaniard in the French Open’s red clay where Nadal, 35, had reigned supreme a record 13 times.

Djokovic was spared from possibly meeting the other high summit in tennis: Federer. Federer, 39, quit after winning his first match, saying he preferred to preserve his energy for Wimbledon set from June 28 to July 11.

But watch out. Djokovic is also bent on winning Wimbledon to score a rare “three-peat” after his 2018 and 2019 victories. Wimbledon was scrapped

last year due to the pandemic.

Djokovic is on a roll as his recent French Open win made him the first to pocket the four Slams twice in 52 years after Roy Emerson and Rod Laver.

Add his Australian Open trophy last January, and Djokovic has already captured half of this year’s four Grand Slams.

If he bags Wimbledon and the U S Open, Djokovic becomes only the second man to win all four Slams in the same year since Laver in 1969.

And look at this. If Djokovic does that, he could also complete a rare “Golden Slam” by pocketing the Tokyo Olympics gold in July.

“I think it’s possible,” said Marian Vajda, Djokovic’s coach. “He’s

healthy. He’s in great shape.”

At 34, and a Covid-19 survivor at that, Djokovic is at the peak of a career already worth more than an enshrinement for him in the pantheon of greatness. Awesome.

THAT’S IT Atlanta beat Philadelphia yesterday via a 103-100 cliffhanger for a 2-2 tie in their best-of-seven second round playoffs in the NBA Eastern Conference. They play Game 5 on Thursday (17 June PHL time), while Milwaukee and Brooklyn break their 2-2 deadlock in Wednesday’s other Eastern semis pairing…the Los Angeles Clippers tied their Western semis with Utah at 2-2 following their 118-104 victory.

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Djokovic doing the impossible AL MENDOZA | alsol47@yahoo.com

THAT’S ALL NOVAK DJOKOVIC, the world No. 1 from Serbia, is now a Slam away from tying the all-time best of 20 shared by Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Switzerland’s Roger Federer.

Djokovic secured that after scoring a classic, come-from-behind victory over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday to win the French Open.

Cup winner Pangalusian, twotime Sampaguita Stakes winner Princess Eowyn, recent Road to the Chairman’s Cup titlist Sky Shot, Heneral Kalentong, the ever-dangerous Boss Emong which could claim home-court advantage and a slew of other contenders will vie in the 1,800-meter race.

Koreans, who are undefeated in two games, declined to play in the second window because of fear of Covid-19 infection.

South Korea, along with China and Chinese-Taipei, were penalized CHF80,000 and a one-point deduction each in the qualifiers for skipping games.

Also in the Clark bubble are Group B’s China, Japan and Chinese-Taipei.

Chinese-Taipei leads the group with a 1-1 card followed by Japan with 1-0. China and Malaysia, which has no scheduled game in the window, have yet to play a game.

After three windows, the top 2 teams from every group will advance to the Fiba Asia Cup 2021 in Jakarta set from August 17 to 29.

In pocketing his second French Open title in six Finals appearances, Djokovic did it almost magically, if not in an improbable manner usually done only by escape artists.

Down two sets against Tsitsipas, a promising, 22-year-old with the smoothest one-handed backhand among the young crops

IES, Switzerland—The president of basketball’s world governing body has stepped aside during its investigation into alleged systemic sexual abuse of women players at his home federation.

Hamane Niang “strongly denies the allegations” that he ignored abuse by coaches and officials in Mali when he led the national federation there from 1999 to 2007, the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) said Monday in a statement.

The New York Times published allegations implicating around 12 coaches and officials in sexual abuse that involved around 100 women players. Niang was not accused of abusing women.

Three men—Coach Amadou Bamba, Coach Oumar Sissoko and official Hario Maiga—have been suspended from all Fiba activities during an investigation ordered by the Switzerland-based governing body.

Niang “offered his full collaboration” to the investigation, said Fiba, which has told officials in Mali also to cooperate.

“Fiba has zero tolerance for all forms of harassment and abuse and extends its heartfelt compassion for victims of such conduct,” it said.

The investigation will be done

by Fiba’s integrity officer Richard McLaren, the Canadian law professor who detailed the Russian state-backed doping scandal. “[McLaren] has confirmed that the report is expected to be delivered soon after the Olympic Games,” Fiba said.

The Tokyo Olympics opening July 23 was to be a highlight of Niang’s four years as Fiba president, which began in 2019.

Fiba has an elected presidency that is a figurehead compared to the executive role at other sports governing bodies. It rotates among continents which each get a four-year turn.

The 69-year-old Niang is not directly implicated in the sexual abuse allegations which the New York Times said took place from 1999 to 2011.

Niang was appointed a sports and culture minister in Mali’s government from 2007-2011 after his basketball presidency in the country, according to his biography on Fiba’s web site.

During Niang’s absence, Fiba said, his duties will be taken by first vice-president Sheik Saud Ali Al-Thani of Qatar. AP