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Thursday, June 16, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 251

P.  |     | 7 DAYS A WEEK

HOME $2.4B, A 5-MO HIGH IT-BPO group to FIRB: Revisit tax perks halt for RTO noncompliance

B C U. O @caiordinario

EMITTANCES sent by Filipinos abroad to their families in the Philippines increased to a five-month high in April this year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The BSP said cash remittances coursed through banks reached $2.395 billion in April 2022, some 3.9 percent higher than the $2.305 billion posted in the same month in 2021. The Central Bank’s data showed this growth was the highest since November 2021 when cash remittances posted growth of 5.1 percent. “The expansion in cash remittances was due to the growth in receipts from land-based and seabased workers, which increased by 4.7 percent [to $1.863 billion from $1.779 billion] and 1.4 percent [to $533 million from $526 million], respectively,” the BSP said. On a year-to-date basis, BSP data showed that cash remittances grew by 2.7 percent to $10.167 billion from $9.898 billion registered in the comparable period last year. The data showed the growth in cash remittances from the United States (US), Saudi Arabia, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore contributed largely to the increase in remittances in January-April of 2022. Meanwhile, in terms of country sources, the US registered the highest share of overall remittances at 41.2 percent in the first four months of 2022, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Qatar, South Korea, and Taiwan. “The combined remittances from these top 10 countries accounted for 79.2 percent of total cash remittances during the period,” the BSP said. Meanwhile, Personal remittances from Overseas Filipinos (OFs) grew by 3.8 percent year-on-year to reach $2.671 billion in April 2022 from $2.574 billion recorded in the same month last year.

B A E. S J

LONG JOURNEY Buses that will ply the Parañaque-Davao route are seen at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange in Parañaque City on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Travel time is estimated at three days and

two nights. NONIE REYES

AYING it threatens the IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) industry’s growth, the IT Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) urged the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) to reconsider its decision suspending income tax incentives for every month of a registered business enterprise (RBE)’s non-compliance with the 100-percent return-to-office directive. In a statement on Wednesday, IBPAP, the flagship organization of the IT-BPM industry in the Philippines, stressed that “even at the risk of being meted with penalties imposed by the FIRB on companies who are unable to comply with the RTO, some of these registered business enterprises will choose to allow employees to continue working from home.” IBPAP noted that the decision of IT-BPM RBEs to forego their income tax perks is a “difficult interim measure” to address the needs of their employees and meet the demand of clients who prefer workfrom-home (WFH) or hybrid work arrangements. While there may be investors S “IT-BPO,” A

COVID CLAIMS PAYOUTS HAVE HIT NEARLY P20B B B D. N @BNicolasBM

OTAL Covid-19 claims paid by the insurance industry, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and mutual benefit associations (MBAs) have already ballooned to nearly P20 billion since the health crisis started until the first quarter of this year. The Insurance Commission (IC) reported on Wednesday that total Covid-19 claims payouts have reached P19.64 billion, of which P2.93 billion was paid in the first quarter of this year, P12.82 billion in 2021, and P3.89 billion in 2020, based on the regulator’s survey results. Leading the pack among indus-

tries with the biggest amount of claims paid so far are life insurers with P10.84 billion. This is followed by the HMO industry (P7.39 billion), MBAs (P882 million), and the non-life industry (P527 million). Despite the “large payouts” for Covid-19-related claims, Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa said life and non-life insurance sectors as well as the HMOs and the MBAs “remain resilient” amid the pandemic. “We noted in comparison that the P2.93 billion Covid-19-related claims paid by said industries only constituted 2 percent of the P172.5 billion total benefit payments made by these industries in 2021. While it may be argued that Covid-

19-related claims only account for a small portion of benefits paid by our regulated entities, the impact of these benefit payments was undoubtedly felt by our fellow Filipinos especially when they needed these benefits,” Funa said. The Insurance Commission also said that the amount of Covid-19 claims paid from January to March this year was more than double the amount in the same period last year. In the first quarter of this year, the life insurance industry cornered 61 percent of the total Covid claim payouts, or P1.79 billion. Next to the life insurance industry are HMOs with P948 million, S “C,” A

S “O,” A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES

■ US 53.2730 ■ JAPAN 0.3930 ■ UK 63.9329 ■ HK 6.7864 ■ SINGAPORE 38.2159 ■ AUSTRALIA 36.6145 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 14.1993 ■ EU 55.4998 ■ CHINA 7.9011

Source: BSP (June 15, 2022)

News BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Covid...

C  A

non-life insurers, P145 million and MBAs, P49.4 million. In terms of claims per type of benefit in the same period, death benefits comprised the biggest chunk at P1.65 billion, followed by Out-Patient Benefits at P594.8 million, and In-Patient claims, P410.7 million. “Also worth mentioning is that majority of the claims paid by both the life insurance and MBA industries pertain to Death Benefits, while those by HMOs pertain to Out-Patient Benefits, and those by the non-life insurance industry pertain to Business Interruption benefits,” the IC said.

Overseas... C  A

“This resulted in cumulative personal remittances rising by 2.6 percent in the first four months of 2022 to $11.317 billion from $11.028 billion registered in the comparable period in 2021,” the BSP said. The increase in personal remittances in April was due to remittances sent by land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more. These increased by 4.7 percent to $2.022 billion from $1.931 billion in the same month last year. Remittances from sea- and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year grew by 1.4 percent to $581 million from $574 million a year ago.

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NCR stays under Alert Level 1 till end-June amid rising Covid cases

B S P. M

@sam_medenilla

ESPITE the rising Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila in previous weeks, the region will remain under Alert Level 1 until the end of the month.

In a statement on Wednesday, Acting Presidential spokesperson Martin M. Andanar disclosed the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) decided to retain the current Alert Level in the region. He noted the classification will apply to all the cities of the National Capital Region (NCR). Independent think tank OCTA Research Group expressed concern over the rising daily number of new Covid-19 cases in the region, which it noted could rise to as high as 400 to 500 by the end of the month. It urged the government to implement measures to minimize the possible spread of infections such as reducing the capacity of public transportation and encouraging companies to implement work-from-home

(WFH) arrangements. Under Alert Level 1, businesses and public transportation are allowed to operate at full capacity. When asked about the proposal from OCTA Research, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it will await the policy recommendation of the IATF before it decides to promote WFH. “We will just abide what the health experts would say. As soon there will be adjustments in the alert levels, that would probably be the time for us to take a position [on encouraging WFH],” DOLE spokesperson Rolly Francia said in virtual press briefing last Wednesday.

Updated list

ASIDE from cities in NCR, the following highly urbanized cities (HUCs), independent

component cities (ICCs) are to be placed under Alert Level 1: Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga, and Mountain Province; Region 1: Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan; Region 2: Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino; Region 3: Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales; Region 4-A: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Lucena City, and Rizal; Region 4-B: Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Princesa City, and Romblon; Region 5: Albay, Catanduanes, Naga City, and Sorsogon; Region 6: Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Iloilo City; Region 7: Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City (Opon), Mandaue City, and Siquijor; Region 8: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, and Tacloban City; Region 9: Zamboanga City; Region 10: Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental; Region 11: Davao City and Davao Oriental; Region 12: South Cotabato; Caraga: Butuan City, Surigao del Sur, and Agusan del Norte; and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): Cotabato City; Also to be placed under Alert Level 1 are these component cities and municipalities in Luzon: CAR: Benguet—Buguias and Tublay; Ifugao—Kiangan, Lagawe (Capital), and Lamut; Region 4-A: Quezon—Atimonan, Candelaria, City of Tayabas, Dolores, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Plaridel, Polillo, Quezon, Sampaloc, San Antonio, Tiaong, and Unisan; Region 4-B: Occidental Mindoro—Calintaan, Looc, and Lubang; Palawan— Cagayancillo and Culion; and Region 5: Camarines Norte— Basud, Capalonga, Daet (Capital), and San Vicente; Camarines Sur— Bombon, Cabusao, Camaligan, Caramoan, Iriga City, Pamplona, Pili (Capital), Presentacion (Parubcan,) San Fernando, and Tigaon; Masbate—Balud, City of Masbate (Capital), and Mandaon; Sorsogon—Barcelona, Bulusan, Casiguran, City of Sorsogon (Capital), Gubat, Irosin, Juban, Magallanes, Prieto Diaz, and Santa Magdalena; In the Visayas, the Alert Level 1 classification will apply to: Region 6: Antique—Anini-Y, San Jose (Capital), Sebaste, and Tobias Fornier (Dao); Negros Occidental—Cadiz City, Candoni, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona (Saravia), La Carlota City, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Sagay City, and San Enrique; Region 7: Bohol—Batuan, Calape, Corella, Dimiao, Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Lila, Loay, Loboc, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sikatuna, and Tagbilaran City (Capital); Cebu—Alcoy, Borbon, City of Talisay, Oslob, Pilar, Santander, and Tudela; Negros Oriental— Amlan (Ayuquitan), Bacong, Dauin, Dumaguete City (Capital), Valencia (Luzurriaga), and Zamboanguita; and Region 8: Leyte—Albuera, City of Baybay, Dulag, Javier (Bugho), La Paz,

Matag-Ob, Matalom, Palo, Tunga, and Villaba; Northern Samar—Allen, Capul, Lapinig, Lavezares, San Antonio, San Jose, and Victoria; Samar (Western Samar)—Marabut, Pagsanghan, Paranas (Wright), Tarangnan, and Zumarraga; For Mindanao, the similar classification will be implemented in: Region 9: Zamboanga del Norte—Dapitan City, Dipolog City (Capital), Jose Dalman (Ponot), Labason, Manukan, Piñan (New Piñan), Polanco, Rizal, and Salug; Zamboanga del Sur—Kumalarang, Lambangan, Lapuyan, Mahayag, Molave, and Ramon Magsaysay (Liargo); Zamboanga Sibugay— Alicia, Buug, Diplahan, Ipil (Capital), Siay, and Tungawan; Region 10: Lanao del Norte— Bacolod, Baroy, Kauswagan, Lala, Linamon, and Tubod (Capital); Region 11: Davao de Oro— Montevista, Nabunturan (Capital), and New Bataan; Davao del Sur—Padada; Region 12: Cotabato (North Cotabato)—Antipas, Arakan, City of Kidapawan (Capital), and President Roxas; South Cotabato—Banga, City of Koronadal (Capital), Polomolok, Santo Niño, and Tantangan; Sultan Kudarat—City of Tacurong, Kalamansig, and Lebak; Caraga: Agusan del Norte— Carmen, Jabonga, Kitcharao, Magallanes, and Nasipit; Agusan del Sur—Bunawan, Loreto, Prosperidad (Capital,) San Francisco, Santa Josefa, and Sibagat; Dinagat Islands— Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo (Albor), Loreto, and Tubajon; Surigao del Norte—General Luna, Mainit, and Tagana-An; and BARMM: Lanao del Sur—Bumbaran and DitsaanRamain, Maguindanao-South Upi and Upi, Tawi-Tawi—Turtle Islands. The IATF secretariat said 84 of 121 provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities and 161 of 758 other component cities and municipalities are now under Alert Level 1. Meanwhile, Andanar said the IATF decided to place the following HUCs, and ICCs under Alert Level 2: CAR—Benguet and Ifugao; Region 4-A – Quezon; Region 4-B—Occidental Mindoro and Palawan; Region 5— Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Masbate; Region 6—Antique and Negros Occidental; Region 7— Bohol, Cebu, and Negros Oriental; Region 8—Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar (Western Samar); Region 9—City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay; Region 10—Lanao del Norte; Region 11—Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental; Region 12—Cotabato (North Cotabato), General Santos City (Dadiangas), Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat; Caraga—Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte; and BARMM—Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. Business operations and public transportations have limited capacity in areas under Alert Level 2. Andanar said the new list of Alert Level classifications will take effect from June 16 to 30, 2022.

IT-BPO...

C  A

such as Concentrix who were reported to have given up tax incentives altogether to continue WFH/ hybrid work arrangements, IBPAP believes that the decision was built on the company’s commitment to prioritizing the needs of its 100,000+ Filipino employees who have expressed an overwhelming preference for a hybrid work arrangement. In addition, the company also stood its ground that flexible work models will ultimately result in greater productivity and scale for its global customer base and long-term business viability. In March, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) warned that income tax incentives granted to RBEs in the IT-BPM sector will be suspended if they violate the work-fromhome threshold set by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB). BIR Commissioner Caesar R. Dulay, reading the Revenue Memorandum Circular 23-2022, said in March, “Hence, the RBE shall pay the income tax using the regular rate of either 25 percent or 20 percent based on the taxable net income corresponding to the months the RBE has violation.” The FIRB oversees the administration and grant of tax incentives by the Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs). IBPAP stands by its position on the WFH/hybrid work and the legal basis of the letters of authority (LOAs) granted by Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to allow 30 percent WFH arrangement until September 12 of this year. “This has enabled companies to accommodate the strong preferences of its employees and execute a smooth, phased return to on-site operations in the immediate term before a permanent WFH/hybrid work policy is established,” said IBPAP President Jack Madrid. The IT-BPM industry continues to be a major economic pillar of the Philippines with its 1.44 million total employee headcount at the end of 2021, delivering $29.49 billion in service export revenue. Meanwhile, PEZA has denied claims by the FIRB in its June 15 article titled, “FIRB finds PEZA clueless on actual investments made by locators who enjoy tax incentives,” noting that PEZA is not monitoring its data on actual investments by its RBEs. Related story on page A1. “PEZA is confident that benefits of incentives to investments outweigh the foregone taxes; hence, we find the statement by FIRB practically erroneous, misleading and intends to embarrass PEZA as an Investment Promotion Agency [IPA],” said PEZA Director General Charito Plaza. PEZA pointed out that it submits its monthly reports on Approved Foreign Investments to the Office of the Secretary-Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on a quarterly basis, to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). “This is the accepted practice for all IPAs including PEZA, to monitor the committed investments of our enterprises,” read the statement PEZA released on Wednesday. PEZA also emphasized that the reports required to be submitted by their RBEs under RA No. 10708 or the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act of 2015 (TIMTA) does not include a column for actual investments, but is limited only to the annual tax incentives report on income-based incentives and value-added tax (VAT), excise tax and duty-based incentives. Further, the requirement to monitor the approved and actual amount of investments of the RBEs is a report imposed only under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act under Section 205 with the filing of annual benefits reports. “Most of our RBEs submitted already these reports to the FIRB on June 15 while PEZA has until July 15,2022 within which to submit our reports to the FIRB,” read the PEZA statement. PEZA emphasized that for the FIRB to state that PEZA does not monitor the inflow of actual investments is “irresponsible and smacks of bad faith.”

The Nation BusinessMirror

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SIM card law billed to end text scams By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

EN. Grace Poe prodded fellow senators and congressmen to frontload passage of a law mandating the registration of SIM cards in a determined bid to “effectively end” text scams as soon as Congress reconvenes regular sessions in July. Poe pointed out that “unless a law is passed, the bombardment of unwanted text messages will persist,” stressing that what is needed is “more than band-aid solutions to these unrelenting scams.” The senator conveyed in a radio interview her determination to refile the original bill intended to “make the registration of all SIM cards a prerequisite to their sale.” She added the SIM Card Registration bill was intended to make way to effectively thwart rampant text scams. The persistent problem now, she warned, is the proliferation of scammers offering jobs and once an applicant provides the personal information he or she will be a victim of “identity theft.” “Ang problema kasi ngayon, dumarami ang manloloko, nag-aalok ng trabaho na kapag ibinigay mo ang iyong impormasyon, ’yun pala pagnanakawan ka,” Poe lamented, adding that: “Mahirap habulin ang mga ’yan, sapagkat marami sa kanila ay prepaid [SIM cards] ang ginagamit. Hindi nakarehistro ’yan.” As provided in Poe’s bill in the last Congress, all existing prepaid SIM card subscribers with active services shall register within 180 days from the effectivity of the proposed law. At the same time, telcos will be authorized to deactivate SIM card numbers that have not been registered within the prescribed period. Poe pointed out that in the absence of a protection provided in a law, “the public becomes vulnerable to fraudulent transactions that place their sensitive data such as bank accounts, passwords, profiles, among other information, at risk.” The lawmaker lamented that despite efforts by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and telecommunications companies warning the public against text scams and make them block or report the messages, Poe bewailed text scams have remained rampant.

PHL to keep borders open despite uptick in Covid-19 cases, entry of new variants By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

HE Philippines will likely remain open to foreign leisure travelers despite the rising local cases of Covid-19 and concerns raised by some tourism stakeholders. There is also no recommendation to bring back the test-beforetravel requirement for arrivals from abroad. Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Operations Epimaco V. Densing III told the BusinessMirror, “There are metrics that are being followed. DOH [Department of Health] has not officially invoked those metrics except saying cases are increasing in numbers.” Another ranking government

source also confirmed, “As of now, no one has raised the idea of a closure. There might be one last meeting of the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases] before end of June, but nothing to that effect [is] being proposed by health experts. I assume many of the existing [Covid] variants have already entered the country,” the source added. The DOH has noted the presence of Omicron subvariants—BA.2, BA12.1, BA.4, and BA.5—among local Covid cases. Its latest case bulletin showed 1,682 new cases from June 6 to 12, with an daily average case of 240. These new cases were 30.4 percent higher than the new cases tallied from May 30 to June 5. “The current recommendation I can see so far is to retain Alert Level 1 for most areas until June 30,” said

the government source who requested anonymity.

Local stakeholders concerned

A FEW tourism stakeholders have already expressed alarm over the rising Covid cases. “I’m worried about the increase in theses cases again,” said one travel agent, who declined to be identified in deference to his clients, adding that the bulk of their company’s foreign guests are arriving by the end of June. The travel agent assumed many of the infections were from tourists arriving from the US. American nationals and balikbayans from the US top the list of inbound tourists since the Philippines eased travel restrictions. “Maybe it was premature to lift the test-before-travel requirement [for inbound tourists],” the source added.

Since May 30, government longer required fully vaccinated and boostered inbound passengers to take a Covid test at their port of origin prior to their arrival in the Philippines. The travel agent said government should reinstate the requirement, “just as a precaution and to be proactive about it.”

400 average daily cases by end-June?

IN an interview over Teleradyo on Monday, a mathematician and OCTA Research Fellow Dr. Guido David said in Filipino, “In May, the pace in the rise of cases was just 10 percent, so it wasn’t much of a concern. But now, the rise in cases is 50 percent compared to the previous week. In the first week of May, the average daily case rate was about 65-86, which

were small. But now, from 86, it already jumped to 131. If this pattern continues, it may reach 200 cases by next week. We project by the end of June, it may reach 400 cases already in Metro Manila, which means it will be about 800 to 1,000 cases in the entire Philippines.” He added, on Twitter, “I think there is local transmission already…. Yes, of course, travelers brought the variants in the country. Our ports are open.” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III himself championed the reopening of the Philippines to the foreign leisure travel market, according to former Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat. The reopening was made in time for Manila to host the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Global Summit last April.

BBM receives more envoys; 50,000 jobs from green energy sector eyed SUV driver

ITH barely two weeks before he formally assumes office, incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. continues to receive more members of the diplomatic community holding productive meetings with foreign dignitaries from different parts of the globe. On Wednesday, the highlights of the round of courtesy calls included cooperation on climate change responses, renewable energy (RE), and improving food production through agricultural developments, and education. During a media briefing after his courtesy call, Bjorn Jahnsen, Ambassador of Norway, disclosed that the main topic of their discussion was climate change and renewable energy, adding that he invited Marcos Jr. to a conference they are organizing on Maritime and Energy issues. “So, the main topic of our conversation was climate change and renewable energy, Norway has taken investments in the Philippines in renewable energy, and more companies and more investments will come in the coming years,” he said. The envoy further bared that

Guevarra open to accepting new post under BBM admin USTICE Secretar y Menardo Guevarra has expressed optimism that his successor, Se vent h Dist r ic t C av ite Rep. Jesus Cr ispin Remu l l a, would continue to give utmost priorit y on the fight against human trafficking, strengthening the cyber crime units and ensuring the protection of human rights. “I hope that certain positive things that we have done would continue to see the light during the tenure of the incoming justice secretary,” Guevarra said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay virtual forum on Wednesday. The outgoing justice chief added the improvement in the correctional system and the professionalization of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) as among the initiatives of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that he is hoping that Remulla would pursue. The 68-year-old Guevarra would be leaving his post on June 30 upon the assumption of newly elected President Ferdinand R. “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. However, Guevarra said he would be ready to rejoin the government if he is offered a position under the new administration and continue working in the government. “Actually, I have several options like going back to law practice or teaching or going to the private

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, June 16, 2022 A3

sector. But I think I still have the energy, if there are options for going back to government service then I would also consider that option,” Guevarra said. “I think my priority is to give myself a short break. I’ve been continuously working non-stop and physically, it also has some effect on me. So the first thing that I am going to do after June 30 would be to have a little vacation with my family and loved ones,” he added. Guevarra admitted that his desire to lead the DOJ during the national health crisis prompted him to forgo the opportunity to seek a post in the Supreme Court (SC). It can be recalled that retired Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Raoul Victorino nominated Guevarra twice to the SC. “I will not deny that I was very much interested also to join the [SC] like any lawyer, but it does not mean that the work I am doing in the DOJ is anything less to what a justice in the SC will do or can do. It so happened, as I explained to Justice Victorino, that his nominations in my favor happened during a time when we were having a national emergency… [had] it happened at a time when the situation was ‘very normal’, I really would have considered moving or applying to the SC, to the Judiciary,” he explained. Joel R. San Juan

Norway plans to increase its imprint on RE in the country by bringing in technology for harnessing energy sources such as offshore winds, floating solar, and hydro. “I mentioned to the Presidentelect that according to a study by the World Bank, the world map on offshore winds in the Philippines, which we think will be an important new sector in the country, presents great opportunities for the Philippines in the future,” he said. “The World Bank talks about up to 50,000 jobs, well-paid jobs for Filipinos, if you are successful in developing this new sector,” the envoy added. “Offshore wind is basically, the best wind resources in the Philippines…Norway had one of the biggest projects of this…and this is a great opportunity for the Philippines for a plenty supply of energy,” he elaborated. “As you know, the country is growing in the economy, and energy consumption is increasing so, offshore wind is really one of your best bets for the future,” he continued. Bjorn also said Norway is bringing a 100-year-old sailing ship to the Philippines in October.

He added the trip of the said ship, which will include Filipino cadets among its crew, is part of an expedition around the world that will focus on climate change, sustainability of the oceans, and plastic in the oceans. For his part, Juha Markus Pyykko, Ambassador of Finland, said he and the incoming President had a “very, very useful constructive fruitful meeting.” They discussed issues like the economy, human rights, the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, climate change, digitalization, education, and the ongoing RussiaUkraine war, among others. Aside from expressing gratitude for the contribution of the Filipino community in Finland to their society, the ambassador also proposed reviving bilateral dialogue on educational policies and digitalization, especially in education. Meanwhile, Dr. Titanilla Toth, Ambassador of Hungary, said she is looking forward to expanding the cooperation between Hungary and the Philippines in the field of agriculture, water technology, and education, adding they could provide more scholarships for Filipinos.

House leader Romualdez lists biggest challenge to Marcos Jr.’s stewardship By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

LEADER of the House of Representatives on Wednesday said the biggest challenge facing the administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. would be the reduction of poverty through the attainment of inclusive growth. House Majority Leader Martin G. Romualdez, in a news statement, admitted that achieving such a goal may be a “tall order,” given that inflation is rising, the budget deficit is widening and the global economic outlook is bleak. “But the election of dynamic and compassionate leaders at the highest levels of government gives us all hope of a brighter future,” Romualdez added. “For the first time since 1986, we have elected a majority President in the person of Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. The overwhelming mandate that he received from the Filipino voters will surely help him steer the nation in the direction that we all desire—one that is anchored on his message of unity and his vision of Filipino nationhood,” he added. Earlier, Romualdez said the incoming 19th Congress and the Marcos administration would immediately work on post-pandemic measures to help the country out of the Covid-19 pandemic and sustain its economic recovery. R omu a ld e z s a id Fi l ipi no s

could look forward to a better life under the leadership of Marcos Jr. and incoming Vice President Sara Duterte. “My kasimanwas [countrymen], a brighter future awaits all of us. Our new President and Vice President share with us our dream of a better generation for our children. Not only here in Tacloban and Eastern Visayas, but in all parts of the country,” Romualdez said in his inaugural address witnessed by Duterte. The House leader said the nation also elected “a young Vice President, Sara Duterte, who is known for her strong conviction and compassionate leadership.” For the first time in more than three decades, the country would have a President and Vice President working as a team, Romualdez, one of the campaign managers of Duterte, said. “Their relationship is one of mutual respect and one guided by the duty to serve the Filipino. This energetic tandem, I am sure, will work hand-in-hand to help improve the living condition of our people,” he said. He emphasized that the May 9 elections were a “triumph of democracy, the power of one’s vote and the voice of the majority.” Romualdez made the remarks after his ceremonial oath taking at the Remedios T. Romualdez Medical Foundation Gymnasium in Calanipawan Road here as representative of Leyte’s first district.

She added Hungary is also looking forward to opening more employment opportunities for skilled Filipino workers in the hospitality sector like hotels and also in factories. On the other hand, Raduta Dana Matache, Ambassador of Romania, expressed great appreciation in her meeting with Marcos, adding that his warm reception of the diplomatic corps send a strong message that the Philippines is open to cooperation all over the world. Matache said that with the Philippines and Romania are celebrating an important milestone this year—50 years of having diplomatic relations —and that he and the President-elect discussed areas where cooperation could be further enhanced. These included, she added, agriculture to address the looming food crisis; energy; education; and culture, among others. “Everybody in the world is interested in how to expand the use of clean energies, and I believe we have agreed that there is ample room for cooperation in this area. We touched upon several other issues like the regional context in the Philippines and Romania,” the ambassador said.

PHL makes biggest jump in region –Global Peace Index continued from a14

“All of these countries have been among the 10 least peaceful countries for the last three years,” the report said. The Russia-Ukraine war made the two countries record the biggest deterioration in peace and they were joined by Guinea, Burkina Faso and Haiti, all because of conflicts. The GPI 2022 report found Europe as the most peaceful region in the world where seven out of the 10 most peaceful countries are located.

Impact on economy

MEASURING the impact of violence on the world economy, the report declared that in 2021, it stood at $16.5 trillion in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. “This figure is equivalent to 10 percent of the world’s economic activity [gross world product] or $2,117 per person,” it said, adding its impact has “increased by 12.4 percent from the previous year.” “This was mainly driven by an increase in global military expenditure, which rose by 18.8 percent, although more countries reduced their expenditure as a percent of GDP,” the GPI report declared. China, the US and Iran were the countries with the largest increases in military expenditure in nominal terms.

who hit then ran over guard yields to PNP By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

HE SUV driver who hit, and then ran over a security guard in Ortigas Area two weeks ago has surfaced with his lawyer, to apologize and to stress that he does not use illegal drugs. Jose Antonio Sanvicente, asked categorically if he uses drugs, replied to reporters at a televised press conference, “Hindi. Hindi ako gumagamit [No, I don’t use illegal drugs],” but his lawyer could not categorically state that he will undergo a drug test. He said they were not prepared to give a drug test advice. Jose Antonio’s mother, also replying to reporters, recalled sleepless nights, insisting that “mabait ang anak ko. Nagtatrabaho siya [My son is a good man. He has a job]. He’s a very responsible man,” adding that it was purely an accident and that “he was rattled” so he sped away, after hitting, and then running over guard Christian Floralde, who was helping direct traffic at the busy mall area in Pasig City. The guard has been discharged from hospital, but needs to undergo further tests because he suffered internal bleeding after his upper torso was crushed by the RAV 4. Sanvicente’s mother said she became fearful when Acting PNP chief Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. issued an all-points bulletin, so they decided to surrender her son, on whom the Department of Justice issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (ILBO) to make sure he does not leave the country. His father, Joel Sanvicente, said several police cars showed up at his house the day after the incident, and he told them the address was right, but the car—a white SUV with the plate number NCO 3781— was registered in Jose Antonio’s name. Joel said he bought it as a gift for his son. The elder Sanvicente stressed that “lahat pong klaseng tulong na kelangan nung nasaktan, na ang cause niyan ay aksidente, willing po kaming tumulong [We are ready to help finance the costs of all treatment for injuries caused by the accident].” Danao said that with the suspect having turned himself in to authorities, “We consider the case closed” and will leave it up to the prosecutors to pursue the case. They earlier filed a case of abandonment of victim and frustrated murder against Sanvicente, because of his act of deliberately running over the guard, even as he lay on the ground after being hit by the SUV.

A4 Thursday, June 16, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

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As ‘dark clouds’ hover, solon calls for rapid agri modernization By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

N economist-lawmaker on Tuesday called for a Philippine agricultural modernization and a “second agri-

cultural revolution” as he warned of “dark clouds” hovering over the global economy. House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman and Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda sounded the alarm over what he foresee could be a global economic downturn due to

US monetary policies to curtail inflation. Salceda issued the warning following his remarks during university convocation at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños for the 47th anniversary of the Institute of Plant Breeding of the same institution last Tuesday.

During the forum, Salceda warned that a potential global economic crisis could descend if the US decides to dramatically address inflation with monetary policies similar to those pursued during the early 1980s. “We are now seeing the largest gap between Fed funds rate and adjusted core CPI [consumer price index] since the late 1970s, which prompted then Fed Chair Paul Volcker to purse aggressive disinflation policies,” Salceda pointed out from a National Bureau of Economic Research study released recently. Quoting from the text, Salceda pointed out that “in order to return to 2 percent core CPI today, we need nearly the same 5 percentage points of disinflation that Volcker achieved.” “Policies to create 5 percentage points of disinflation will be calamitous for the global economy. The global economy will shrink at least as much in output, and our GDP growth, in turn, will probably be lower by 3 percentage points when that happens,” he said. “So, we better prepare. And there is only one sector that can absorb all the excess liquidity in the world. And regardless of what happens in the world, people have to eat,” he explained. Salceda said the animated crisis-proofing strategies of the Arroyo administration, which he advised, followed a particular doctrine: “You must first make sure people have something to eat. The rest follows.”

Salceda said that agricultural modernization would be key to the preparations for these dark clouds.

Key policy

SALCEDA, meanwhile, recommended five key policy agenda items to modernize the country’s agriculture. According to Salceda, the country needs to expand irrigation coverage and explore micro-irrigation options, as well as more targeted, and more purposive irrigation. “That means farmers control the flow, the pressure, and the amount of water they irrigate theircropswith,unlikethecurrentsystemwhere the 6 percent of our land area that is irrigated is watered with surges of water sometimes, and nearly nothing in other seasons,” he pointed out. Salceda added that the Philippines needs to govern water resources more effectively through the creation of the proposed Department of Water Resources. “We also need to make agricultural support more proportional to production output and potential of sectors,” he added. These, Salceda said, will include universal tariff-funded sectoral support programs, to provide more support to corn, banana, livestock and other high-output sectors, and proper use of the Coconut Industry Development Trust Fund of P75 billion, “which could be game changer for the coconut sector.” Lastly, Salceda said the government should “encourage foreign scientists and technology transfer.”

ADB urged anew to ditch ‘dirty’ fossil fuel projects By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

F the region will meet the targets set under the Paris Climate accord, countries should avoid gas, which is considered to be a “false solution,” according to civil society organizations. The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) said multilateral development institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) should do better in terms of financing renewables instead of projects such as fossil gas financing. This, PMCJ said, includes gas transmission and distribution pipelines, LNG terminals, storage facilities, gas-fired power plants, gas for heating and cooking, and midstream and downstream gas and oil projects subject to conditions. “Gas is a false solution to meet the energy needs of ADB developing member countries. It is not a transition fuel, and investing in it will hinder, rather than hasten the shift to reliance on non-resource-intensive, sustainable renewable energy. CCUS technologies, large-scale dams, and waste-to-energy incineration are also false solutions to the climate crisis,” PMCJ National Coordinator Ian Rivera said. APMDD said among multilateral development banks, ADB stands out as one of the biggest lenders to the region’s fossil fuel-dominated energy sector. From 2009 to 2019, it poured $42.5 billion into the sector with sovereign loans, grants and technical assistance accounting for three-fourths of the total ($32.1 billion) and the rest financing non-sovereign (private sector) projects. The Manila-based multilateral development bank has also spent over $4.7 billion on gas since the adoption of the Paris Agreement. Its gas finance accounts for over 96 percent of its fossil fuel financing from 2016 to 2020. “We demand a just transition to 100 percent renewable energy before 2050. This will

involve commitment from stakeholders like ACEF [Asia Clean Energy Forum] to align financing and policies to phase out fossil fuels and enable the accelerated deployment of renewable technologies,” APMDD Coordinator Lidy Nacpil said. Nacpil said the conditions the policy laid out for supporting these projects do not guarantee a phase out of all fossil fuels in a timeline that is consistent with the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows the need to stop carbon dioxide emissions globally by 2050 to keep global average temperature rise below 1.5°C and avoid a “catastrophic” climate change. To keep global temperature rise within the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold, APMDD cited the IPCC report, adding the world would need to use about 95 percent less coal, 60 percent less oil, and 45 percent less gas in 2050. “It is deplorable that the ADB continues to support fossil fuel projects. Here in the Philippines and the rest of Asia, the climate crisis is worsening. We are facing massive deaths and damage to communities and livelihoods if ADB and the ACEF clean energy community continues with business as usual,” said Flora Santos, President of Oriang Women’s Movement. ACEF is one of the largest international events covering key aspects of clean energy promotion in Asia. High-level decision makers, investors, businesses and experts from Asia and throughout the world attend the event. It is hosted and co-organized annually by the ADB. This will be the 17th ACEF since its inception in 2006 and it is happening from June 14 to 17. According to the ADB, “ACEF 2022 operationalizes ADB’s 2021 Energy Policy of promoting the low-carbon transition in the region while supporting universal access to reliable and affordable energy services.”

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Thursday, June 16, 2022 A5

DOLE reports 70% drop in PHL child labor in ’20 By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

HE number of child laborers in the country dropped by 70 percent in 2020 compared to about a decade ago despite the onset of the pandemic, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Citing latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) Director Ma. Karina P. Trayvilla disclosed that from the 2.1 million in 2011, the number of child laborers was reduced to just 596,900 in 2020. “Most of them were 17 years old and younger and are males working in the agriculture sector,” Trayvilla said in an ambush interview on the sidelines of the National Summit of

Councils and Interagency Bodies Addressing the Worst Forms of Child Labor in Manila on Wednesday. She said decline in child laborers was noticeable after President Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 92, which institutionalized the National Council Against Child Labor (NCACL). “Before [EO 92], we operated by virtue of a memorandum of agreement so we were like a committee. But this time, we already have instructions from the President to scale up the efforts on addressing child labor…our efforts were harmonized and more organized compared to before,” Trayvilla explained.

OSAEC

THE labor official, however, stressed the PSA data does not include cases of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploi-

tation of Children (OSAEC). She noted OSAEC cases, which are handled by the Department of Justice (DOJ), rose by as much as 200 percent during the pandemic as the Internet became more accessible to more people and many were forced into poverty. In its website, the DOJ Cybercrime Office cited the data from private National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which showed the number of reported OSAEC cases rose to 279,166 from March 1 to May 24, 2020 compared to the 76,561 cases tallied in the same period in 2019. The OSAEC victims were mostly female minors.

Profiling

TRAYVILLA said they hope to continue the downward trend for child

laborers and also start reducing OSAEC cases through their ongoing profiling initiative, which started in 2018. “This is what we needed so [our policies] will be evidence-based because the PSA only comes out with estimates. The profiling will allow us to identify them, where they are, and what interventions they need,” Trayvilla said. As of last March, BWSC told BusinessMirror it was able to profile 454,520 child laborers. Of which, 105,826 were given their needed intervention such as livelihood for their parents as well as health or educational needs. Only 97,333 of the profiled minors were removed from child labor. This was less than half DOLE goal of rescuing 630,000 children from the worst forms of child la-

bor by 2022 under the Philippine Development Plan. “It takes time for us to withdraw minors from child labor since it involves targeting the root cause of child labor, which is poverty. This is

Manila urges WTO to decentralize Chikungunya emerges anew vaccine, therapeutics production By Andrea San Juan

HE Philippines is urging the World Trade Organization (WTO) to pursue all avenues that will enable decentralized and increased production of vaccines and therapeutics among the developing and least developed countries, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Speaking before 163 fellow members at the mu lti latera l body’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), DTI Assistant Secretary Allan B. Gepty stressed that as we “adjust our respective strategies to deal with the Covid virus as an endemic disease, we believe the Declaration provides a forwardlooking framework that will help us to effectively respond to seasonal surges, the emergence of new variants, or new pathogens.” Gepty added that as the pandemic taught us, “we see value in improving the notification toolbox, providing mechanisms for consultations, and enhancing information exchange

Guanzon gets Comelec OK to be P3PWD first nominee

T’S final. Retired Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena G. Guanzon may soon assume a new role as a Party-list representative. This after the majority of the four-man Comelec en banc decided on Thursday to grant the respective withdrawal of nomination of the previous nominees of Pamilya, Pasyente at Persons with Disabilities (P3PWD) party-list as recommended by the Comelec Law Department. Acting Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the commission also decided to give due course to the New List of Nominees of P3PWD, subject to compliance to the publication requirement. “Former Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon did not participate in the hearing and Grant of P3PWD’s Petition for Registration as a Party-list Organization,” Laudiangco told reporters in a Viber message last Wednesday. Under the new list of nominees of P3PWD, Guanzon was named as its first nominee followed by Rosalie J. Garcia. Cherrie Belmonte-Lim, Donnabel C. Tenorio, and Rodolfo B. Villar Jr. are the third, fourth, and fifth nominees of P3PWD, respectively. The substitution happened after over a month since the May 9, 2022 polls, where P3PWD won enough votes to secure a seat in the 19th Congress. Samuel P. Medenilla

within WTO bodies to mitigate against supply chain disruptions.” The WTO Trade and Health Declaration cover an expansive set of trade rules and disciplines including transparency, export restrictions, trade facilitation, regulatory cooperation, intellectual property, food security, and technology transfer. During the session, the Philippines assured the membership of support to the emerging consensus. As members continue to finalize a waiver for Covid-19 vaccines under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, Gepty emphasized that “the Philippines continues to support pursuing all avenues that will allow for the decentralized and increased production of therapeutics and vaccines.” Gepty added that this will be done through voluntary technology transfer, which remains key to unlocking the door to recovery, especially for the majority of developing countries and least developed countries. To date, the Philippines has ad-

ministered 159 million vaccine doses and has vaccinated 77 percent of its targeted population. Further, Gepty expressed gratitude to the members as they have committed to ensure that emergency measures are targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary. In his video speech presented on the first day of MC12, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez underscored the importance of solidarity in addressing the ill effects of the pandemic. He added that the WTO has a significant role to play in ensuring the smooth supply of essential goods that will help the world fight future pandemics. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/06/13/wto-has-keyrole-to-playin-fighting-pandemics-dti/) The WTO Ministerial Declaration on the WTO Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic and Preparedness for Future Pandemics and Ministerial Decision on the TRIPS Agreement are expected to be issued on June 15.

Composition of BBM’s economic team gets big thumbs up from business leaders

MPLOYERS Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. is optimistic that the incoming economic team’s good credentials will help the country solve the country’s economic woes. Ortiz-Luis noted that since the incoming economic managers were tapped based on their respective skills and track record and not for political reasons, the ECOP chief is hopeful that these managers could drive the country towards economic recovery amid mounting economic challenges that the Philippines currently faces. “Well, kami malaki ang pag-asa namin na we have a good team coming in, especially iyong mga economic managers na napili hindi dahil sa political basis but because, I think, talagang mga technocrat sila na kilala at mga kilala namin na magagaling na mga managers iyan sa economy,” said Ortiz-Luis in a televised interview on Wednesday. “So umaasa kami na in spite of all the problems and challenges that we have, eh malulusutan natin ’yan,” he added. P resident- e lec t Ferd i n a nd “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. appointed outgoing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Benjamin E. Diokno to take the helm of his economic team as Finance Secretary. Diokno previously served as the Budget and Management Secretary of President Rodrigo R. Duterte before his stint at BSP. Meanwhile, Diokno’s vacated position at BSP will be filled up by

Felipe M. Medalla, a former chief of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda). Marcos Jr. said Medalla would take on the unexpired term of Diokno as the term of the present central bank chief expires in July. For the trade department, Marcos Jr. appointed Alfredo E. Pascual, former University of the Philippines president and current president of Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). Marcos Jr. tapped Manuel M. Bonoan as his Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) chief who has spent almost all his professional life with the agency. Meanwhile, Marcos Jr. also appointed Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) Chairman Arsenio Balisacan as Neda chief, and also previously served the same position under the administration of former the late former President Benigno S. Aquino III. To complete his economic team, Marcos appointed Amenah F. Pangandaman as Department Budget and Management secretary. Pangandaman served as budget undersecretary functioning as Group Head of the Office of Secretary under then budget chief Benjamin Diokno from 2016 to 2019. Local business groups and analysts also welcomed last month the nominees of President-elect Marcos for his economic team, saying they have the requisite skills and experience to address the fiscal challenges created by the pandemic. Andrea San Juan

in Davao City By Manuel T. Cayon

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—Chikungunya cases reemerged here in the northeastern boundary with Davao del Norte, and City Health personnel were already conducting fogging and other control measures against the mosquito identified as the same species that carry the similarly dangerous dengue fever virus. The City Health Office (CHO) disclosed the confirmation test by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila of the blood samples from the border barangays of Ilang and Panacan. The City Information Office quoted Nurse Ernie Cequiña of the CHO Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit said the first case of Chikungunya was reported in Barangay Ilang on June 8. In this week’s batch of blood samples, Cequiña said RITM confirmed two Chikungunya cases in Barangay Ilang which has 16 more suspected cases while results for the suspected 28 cases in Barangay Panacan are still pending. The City Health said Chikungunya symptoms are particularly difficult to determine with patients usually manifesting symptoms similar to that of dengue fever, which are nausea, pain behind the eyes but with more severe joint pains and early onset of skin rashes. The CHO Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Unit has intensified intervention efforts to control the Aedes mosquito species, the same mosquito that carries dengue, in the area, it said. Intervention includes awareness drive in the barangays, Aedes larvae surveillance, fogging, and conduct of misting or indoor residual spraying. Cequiña suggested maintaining the cleanliness of the surroundings, which he said, remain as the best method of preventing an outbreak. The city, meantime, created on June 8 the Health Promotion Committee (HPC) to take charge of promoting health policies and programs of the city. Incoming Mayor Sebastian Duterte, who is the acting mayor now, issued Executive Order No. 24 series of 202,2 known as “An Order Creating The Health Promotion Committee [HPC] For The Governance And Implementation Of Health Promotion Policies, Programs, And Activities In the CityWide Health Systems of Davao City” on June 8, 2022. “The HPC of Davao City shall be created to provide guidance to the City Health Board on health promotion policies, programs, and activities particular or involving the determinants of health and health risk factors,” the EO said. The CHO shall oversee the implementation and evaluation of said health promotion policies, programs, and activities in the City-wide Health Systems (CWHS).

one of the most challenging programs [of DOLE],” Trayvilla said. Trayvilla said they hope to fast track the pace of their efforts against child labor in the next administration.

BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 16, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

AB LEISURE EXPONENT, INC. 5/f Sm Megamall Bldg. D, J Vargas, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

CHING, LONG Admin Specialist Brief Job Description: Ensure effective day-to-day operations

HSU, WEI-JU Admin Team Leader Brief Job Description: Responsible for the performance of admin team

Basic Qualification: Ability to work quickly and in a potentially highstress environment Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Experienced admin team leader Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

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

ITO, KOTARO HR Service Delivery Analyst Brief Job Description: HR Service Delivery Analyst

GUPTA, ALKA Service Delivery Ops Lead Senior Manager

Brief Job Description: Assign all work assignments, commit the team to the work, manage the quality of the work and drive the people management activities, automation, innovations and digitization within the team. Build strong client business relationships. Ensure execution of delivery work across one or more clients or portfolios, leading service delivery strategy across allocations where the services are provided. Support sales opportunities and ensure the feasibility of the proposed solutions and delivery of the solution by leveraging Accenture’s full capabilities. Support the achievement of contract controllable income (cci) targets.

KYU TUN Myanmari Customer Relations Officer 12.

Basic Qualification: 8-10+ years of delivery/ people management experience, bachelor’s degree. Build, manage & scale large operations. Ability to convert opportunities into solutions lead governance meetings with senior management & client partner’s ability to work in a fastpaced deadline driven environment. Design and implement frameworks for controlled operations proactive with a strong work ethic and eagerness to ‘go the extra mile’ for self and with team. Proficient in MS office suite, google docs, and the internet.

13.

EDA, KOTARO Service Delivery Ops Senior Analyst Brief Job Description: Service Delivery Ops Senior Analyst

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

AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex, Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore, Brgy. 076, Pasay City LE HUYNH LAM Investigation Specialist I 6.

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

14.

LUONG KHANH TOAN Customer Support Specialist - Vietnamese Speaking Brief Job Description: Evaluation of the Systems’ Problems to Recommend Enhancements

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

15.

Brief Job Description: Manage and organize data from market research and insights and render business support to ensure efficient operational process

16.

Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian, Indonesian / Vietnamese/ Taiwanese/ Chinese/ Korean/ Japanese / Taiwanese Fluent in English language with at least a year experience in similar field

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

PARK, CHANGI Mandarin Customer Service 10.

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

CHIN CHIN Myanmari Customer Relations Officer 11.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Managers, monitors, and supervises the execution, according to the contract in a safe, timely, qualitatively optimal and cost-efficient manner.

LIAO, YU-SHIU Mandarin Speaking Data Analyst

17.

Brief Job Description: Manage master data, including creation updates and deletion, manage users and user roles, provide quality assurance of imported data working with quality assurance analyst if necessary process confidential data and information according to guidelines DENG, XIUMEI Mandarin Speaking Sales Support Specialist

18.

19.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledge on services rendered and complete line of products. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Basic Qualification: Minimum 3 years extensive work experience with an international dredging company. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Brief Job Description: Provide support to sales managers for system process order entry and as well as other administrative tasks in the sales life cycle take care of the business analyst on sale performance and prepare various reports precisely and efficiently support the company and the wholesale teams marketing activities including online marketing campaign workshops and exhibitions

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree With Experience in Business Management Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree With Experience in Business Management Computer Software Marketing Sales or Related Field Fluent in Both Written and Verbal Mandarin English Language Communication Skill Is a Plus

SHAKIROV, FARIT Operations Manager 23.

Brief Job Description: In charge of the overall execution of the Project and Reports to the Management about the result of the Project

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

KE, SHUNTIAN Mandarin Deputy Project Supervisor 20.

Brief Job Description: The mandarin deputy project supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long-term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as mandarin deputy project supervisor, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Brief Job Description: Provide definition of analytics and reporting requirements for development by the BI (Business Intelligence) team.

ZHANG, WENFENG Mandarin Customer Support Representative 24.

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

25.

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

YAN, CHANGKUN Mandarin Electrical Commissioning Supervisor 21.

Brief Job Description: The mandarin electrical commissioning supervisor will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and longterm goals.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City

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

Basic Qualification: Must have a background knowledge in creating Analytics and Reporting requirements for the development of the Business Intelligence team Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

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

ENOVELL-TECH Unit 506, The Boni Tower, Plainview, City Of Mandaluyong WANG, JUNJIE Mandarin Quality And Standards Manager 26.

Brief Job Description: The mandarin quality and standards manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

WANG, KUANRONG Mandarin Regional Maintenance Manager 27.

Brief Job Description: The mandarin regional maintenance manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

DUAN, YANBIAO Mandarin Technical Project Manager 28.

Brief Job Description: The mandarin technical project manager will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as mandarin quality and standards manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as mandarin regional maintenance manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as mandarin technical project manager, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower, Moa Coral Way, Barangay 76, Pasay City

29.

BUI THI PHUONG Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

30.

DOAN VAN HUNG Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven experience as mandarin electrical commissioning supervisor, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

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

DIGITAL DECODER TECH. INC. Ub 111 Paseo De Roxas Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 10 years’ experience in construction or related industry and 10 years managerial position

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

DIGIDO FINANCE CORP. (UNAPAY, AND UNACASH) Unit 3&4 15th Floor & Unit 4&5 16/f Ibp Tower, Jade Drive, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: At least 5 years experience in a similar role. Experience in an international dredging and land development industry. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

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

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Section E Ramon Magsaysay Center, 1680 Roxas Blvd., 076, Barangay 699, Malate, City Of Manila

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problem-solving and communication skills in Burmese, with related BPO experience

22.

Basic Qualification: Knowledge on services rendered and complete line of products. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION TIEU KHON HAI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

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

CCT CONSTRUCTORS CORPORATION 3/f Planters Products Bldg., 109 Esteban St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problem-solving and communication skills in Burmese, with related BPO experience

No.

BRIGHT LUME IT SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 202 Erisha Condominium, 1142 P Ocampo Street, Sta Ana, 082, Barangay 757, Santa Ana, City Of Manila

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center, Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

Brief Job Description: Ensures that all of health, safety and security standards are followed and implemented.

OTSUKA, SHINYA Project Manager

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

JEONG, HYUKJIN Mandarin Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer service initiate conversation to uncover customer needs.

OOSTINGA, MELLE Superintendent

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

YIP WENG WAI Marketing Senior Executive

Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer needs.

KRUKZIENER, DONALD SIDNEY Health, Safety And Security (HSS) Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: Experience Using Help Desk Software and Remote Support Tools

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: Fluency in both English and Vietnamese

APRICUS TECHNOLOGY INC. 8/f Aguirre Building, 107 Aguirre St. Legaspi Village, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

JHU, YI-JHEN a.k.a. JU, JIN-YU Mandarin Language - Officer Customer Service

FU, YU-TING Mandarin Language - Supervisor Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: Provide support in monitoring and evaluation of performance gap in relation to language skills

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street, Salcedo Vill., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Responsible for driving operational excellence Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

31.

GUAN, LEILEI Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

32.

HENDRA Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

33.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

HU, ZHIYUAN Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

No.

CHE, PENG Area Manager 47.

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

34.

HUANG, YANHUA Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

35.

36.

LE TUAN NGHIA Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer Service Representative (CSR)

LIN, GUIQING Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

48.

37.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

49.

38.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

LU, JILIN Project Deputy Director

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

Brief Job Description: Provides leadership to the combined partner and project technical team, strategic guidance and technical oversight to project activities and reporting and is responsible for achieving cost effective, timely, and contractually compliant project results

50.

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

JEFFERY WONG PAK SHENG Transportation CCD Specialist 51.

39.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

52.

40.

SHEN, QI Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

53.

41.

WEI, DASHUAI Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

54.

42.

WU, GUOZHONG Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

55.

43.

XU, ZHIHUI Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

56.

44.

YANG, XISHUANG Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

57.

45.

YANG, ZHONGFANG Customer Service Representative (CSR) Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

58.

59.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative (CSR)

Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FLASH EXPRESS SOFTWARE (PH) CO., LTD. INC. 11/f Cybersigma, Lawton Ave., Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

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

HOANG XUAN HAI Customer Service Representative 60.

46.

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

DONNY FITRIANSYAH NASUTION Customer Service Representative

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

ZHANG, YIFENG Customer Service Representative (CSR)

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

DO THI CUC Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

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

DELLA HIDAYANTI Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters.

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

CHIKKO AL KAHFI Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

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

BUI MINH THUY Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

ALIKA PUTRI SELVARIANI Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

PANG, HONGXU Call Center Agent

AGUS HERMANTO Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters.

Brief Job Description: Overseeing transportation division / Coordinating the safe transportation of our goods, preparing driver’s schedules, and communicating with customers

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

IIS ISMAWATI Customer Service Representative 61.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Job-relevant degree/ 5-10 yrs. Supervisory/ managerial experience in logistics or operations/ multilingual

No.

62.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Job-relevant degree/ 5-10 yrs. Supervisory/ managerial experience in logistics or operations/ multilingual

63.

Basic Qualification: Job-relevant degree/ 5-10 yrs. Supervisory/ managerial experience in logistics or operations/ multilingual 64.

65.

66.

67.

68.

69.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English.

70.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English.

71.

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FLYING FUTURE SERVICES INC. 3/f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati XIAO, WENHUI Mandarin Team Leader 72.

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

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

GENPACT SERVICES LLC 5f Genpact Bldg., Cyberzone Northgate, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

AGARWAL, VISHAKHA Training And Call Quality Manager 73.

Brief Job Description: Drive build, pre-process and process training, as directed by the business.

Basic Qualification: Domain expertise in any of the following-financial customer service and collection is a great advantage previous experience in process training and/or quality will be a plus. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. 26th And 27th Flr. Eastwood Cyber One Bldg., Eastwood City Cyberpark, No. 188 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. 3, Bagumbayan, Quezon City CHEN, SHAOBIN Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 74.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English

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

TASYA DINDA Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English

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

RICKY STIEVEN NDAOMANU Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

PHAM VAN TIEN Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

PHAM THI THU TRINH Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate level, preferably with customer service or sales experience, fluent in mandarin and basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

PHAM THI LAN Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate Level, preferably with Customer Service or sales experience, fluent in Mandarin and basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

NUR HAYATI Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

NGUYEN THI TRANG Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Job-relevant degree/ 5-10 yrs. Supervisory/ managerial experience in logistics or operations/ multilingual Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

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

LE DANH HOANG Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Job-relevant degree/ 5-10 yrs. Supervisory/ managerial experience in logistics or operations/ multilingual Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

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

LE ANH TUAN Customer Service Representative

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION KUO, FENG-CHI a.k.a. KUO, WEN-CHENG Customer Service Representative

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. Ri Rance Ii Bldg., Block 2 Lot 3 Aseana City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

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

SHEN, JINCHENG Customer Service Representative (CSR)

Brief Job Description: Responsible for preparing the purchase orders, receiving, storing, issuing the goods, managing the stock levels and giving out the supplies from the stock.

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

NGUYEN XUAN ANH Customer Service Representative (CSR)

Brief Job Description: To supervise the projects, employees and production lines effectively in high tech industries such as scientific research, semiconductor component manufacturing, and development in fields TAY WEI YANG Inventory Officer

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

NGUYEN THI THANH HUONG Customer Service Representative (CSR)

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the management of operations and finance of a designated area, providing training and development for staff, ensuring quality consistency and increasing sales and profitability. CHU, HEJIN Assistant To Hub Area Manager

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: High School Graduate in Chinese Curriculum; Can Speak and Write Fluent Chinese Mandarin; Can Operate Computer Mandarin Characters

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

CHEN, XIN Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 75.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 16, 2022

A6 A8

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION CHEN, YUN Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking

76.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

CHEN, ZHIQUAN Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 77.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

LAI, XINPING Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 78.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

LIN, NENG Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 79.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

LIU, SHAOMIN Customer Service Representative - Chinese Speaking 80.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

VIVIAN LO YA TING Customer Service Representative - Malaysian Speaking 81.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills

82.

Brief Job Description: Procuring new clients through direct contact, word of mouth, and collaborations with the marketing department.

ZHANG, ZHANHUI Chinese Customer Service Representative 89.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills

90.

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

91.

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

92.

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

93.

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

94.

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

95.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LIN, SITING Mandarin Customer Service 96.

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

LI, JIAQI Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 97.

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

83.

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

Basic Qualification: Preferably 6 months to 1 year marketing consultancy exp.

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

SHAN, JUNBO Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 98.

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

JAN DE NUL (PHILS.), INC. 302 3rd/f Aseana Power Station Macapagal Blvd., Cor. Bradco Ave. Aseana City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

EYERS, MATTIAS Works Manager 84.

Brief Job Description: Organizing, coordinating, and supervising the execution of the (dredging) works and other works for which he is responsible according to the preset planning, budgeting and the applied methods.

Basic Qualification: Minimum 5 years of working experience on international dredging projects. Fluent in English and additional points for Dutch and French. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

85.

Brief Job Description: Advising clients of best practices, coordinates to lifting team; all lifting activities in accordance with the lifting plan; plan risk control measure and safe lifting procedure.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal; must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

99.

LAU, ADAM Control Manager 86.

Brief Job Description: Drives location control strategy and programs, leading to a strong risk and control culture.

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

WANG, QUN Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 100.

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

DAI, LUMING Chinese Customer Service 101.

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

GAO, ZHIHUI Chinese Customer Service 102.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

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

MACRO EXCEL CONSULTANCY INC. 37/f Lkg Tower, 6801 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

ZHU, ZICHEN Chinese Speaking Technical Consultant 87.

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

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

LIU, ZHIJIE Chinese Customer Service 103.

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

MCKINSEY & CO., (PHILS.) 7th Floor Zuellig Bldg., Makati Avenue Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Urdaneta, City Of Makati MURAKI, YUYA Engagement Manager 88.

Brief Job Description: Management of projects to ensure agreed timeframes and cost constraints are met, in consultation with Mckinsey engagement managers.

Basic Qualification: Mb graduate & experience. Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

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

105.

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

106.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 107.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language 108.

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.

LUO, RUIFENG Chinese Customer Service 104.

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

YANG, LEI Chinese Customer Service 109.

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

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

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

WU, TIANZE Chinese Customer Service

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

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

SUN, CHUNHONG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

QIANG, GUOLIANG Chinese Customer Service

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION MA, MINGZHU Chinese Customer Service

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

YANG, WEIYANG Chinese Customer Service 110.

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

YANG, XUHUI Chinese Customer Service 111.

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

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

ZHANG, SHIZONG Chinese Customer Service 112.

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

AMELIA SUSANTI Customer Service Representative 113.

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

RUWIS VERNANDO Customer Service Representative 114.

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

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

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.- PHILIPPINE GLOBAL SERVICE CENTER 25f Jpmorgan Chase & Co Tower, 9th Avenue Cor. 38th St., Uptown Bonifacio, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: Strong technical-driven project management and process improvement background.

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

SUN, YONGPENG Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

JIANGSU DIBANG CONSTRUCTION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2106-a West Tower, Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

NGESHA, JOYCELINE Purchasing Coordinator

No.

NEO INCORPORATED North Tower Centrum Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg., #48 President Avenue, B. F. Homes, City Of Parañaque YOON, KYONGROK Korean Marketing Consultant

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

NANTAI TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 18th Floor Ore Central Building, 9th Avenue Corner 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

Basic Qualification: Procuring new clients through direct contact, word of mouth, and collaborations with the marketing department.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proven working experience in digital marketing particularly within the industry and good communication skills

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

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

ISLA PETROLEUM & GAS CORPORATION 14/f Citibank Center, 8741 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati HIRAMI, KOJI Business Development Executive

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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

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

SAEYANG, PHATTHIYA Customer Service Representative 115.

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

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

SULYANI Customer Service Representative 116.

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

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

TAN HENDI Customer Service Representative 117.

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.

VELDA TJONG Customer Service Representative 118.

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

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

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

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ELVINA Indonesian Customer Service

119.

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

CHEONG HOCK NIAN Malaysian Customer Service 120.

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

CHONG WEE LI Malaysian Customer Service 121.

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

LIM KOOI KAI Malaysian Customer Service 122.

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

VINCENT CHEE WAI MUN Malaysian Customer Service 123.

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

LI SAY PHIN @ NYI NYI HTUN Myanmari Customer Service 124.

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

NYO NYO ZIN Myanmari Customer Service 125.

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

SOE HLA Myanmari Customer Service 126.

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

YAN SI YONE Myanmari Customer Service 127.

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

LEI, KUEN-TING Taiwanese Customer Service 128.

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

LIN, YU-YA Taiwanese Customer Service 129.

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

CHAU KE YEN Vietnamese Customer Service 130.

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

DOAN DANH VAN Vietnamese Customer Service 131.

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

LY NGHIEP VINH Vietnamese Customer Service 132.

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

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

No.

LY TAC SANG Vietnamese Customer Service 133.

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

MA SEO KHOA Vietnamese Customer Service 134.

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

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

NGUYEN QUOC KHANH Vietnamese Customer Service 135.

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

NGUYEN MAI DIEP Vietnamese Customer Service 136.

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

NGUYEN NGOC DUC Vietnamese Customer Service 137.

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

138.

139.

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

140.

141.

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

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

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

TRAN THI QUY Vietnamese Customer Service 142.

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

TRAN VAN THUONG Vietnamese Customer Service 143.

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

TRAN HUU DUC Vietnamese Customer Service

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

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

TO CAM HONG Vietnamese Customer Service

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.

PHAM THI LAI Vietnamese Customer Service

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

NGUYEN XUAN THINH Vietnamese Customer Service

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

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

144.

Brief Job Description: Technical Specialist

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

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Master’s Degree in Relevant Field / With At Least 10 Years’ Experience In Software Development

Brief Job Description: Manages All the Activities of the Application Development Group

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

UAA KINMING GROUP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 28th Floor Menarco Tower, 32nd Street Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: At least 3 Years Extensive Experience In Planning And Management

SUN, YAMAN Chief Project Planner 150.

151.

Brief Job Description: Plan, Develop, Monitor Control And Execute Projects

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: At least 3 Years Extensive Experience in Management

LAM, TSUN NAM Operations Manager Brief Job Description: Oversee Day-To-Day Operations

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

VICCI BUSINESS CONSULTANCY CORP. 10/f Liberty Plaza, 102 H.v. Dela Costa St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

TRUONG DAI THU Customer Relation Representative (mandarin Translation) 152.

Basic Qualification: Through, extensive and fluency in mandarin language and characters agreement

Brief Job Description: Handle service support calls, emails and chats related to inquiry from clients and/or customers through mandarin to English translation

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

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

YAN, JINMING Customer Relation Representative (mandarin Translation) 153.

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

Brief Job Description: Handle service support calls, emails and chats related to inquiry from clients and/or customers through mandarin to English translation

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

KAWAME, SHOKO Quality Assurance Manager

154.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speaks and write (Native Language).

Basic Qualification: Through, extensive and fluency in mandarin language and characters agreement

WEBLIO PHILIPPINES INC. U-601 6/f Itc Bldg., 337 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Brief Job Description: Design, implement, and improve company quality standards; analyze data in order to find areas for growth and prepare report in Japanese data for submission to key stakeholders; training, motivating, coaching, and correcting employees to ensure that standards are met; create Japanese data reports to track progress; formulate strategies to increase productivity; review processes in order to ensure that they align with current trends.

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

WORLDCOMPASS DESTINATIONS INC. Unit 504 5/f, Gc Corporate Plaza, 150 Legaspi St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

GO, GORDON Chinese Marketing Manager 155.

Brief Job Description: Support marketing executive’s tasks in organizing various projects.

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: A native speaker of the Indian language (spoken and written) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SHIMIZU CORPORATION 5/f King’s Court Bldg. 1, 2129 Chino Roces Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Demonstrable experience in marketing together with the potential and attitude required to learn. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ZXY ECOMMERCE PLATFORM & CONSULTANCY INC. 1960, A Mabini St., 077, Barangay 701, Malate, City Of Manila

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree; Excellent Communication Skills; Technical Expertise

Basic Qualification: Good oral and written communications skills in Mandarin.

Basic Qualification: One (1) vacant position; jlpt n1 passer; fluent in Japanese and English (speak, read and write); at least 5 years working experience in the same field; strong verbal, visual and written communication skills with the ability to explain approach to all levels of organization; extensive knowledge in the same industry is preferred. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

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

Brief Job Description: Serves as primary contact for problem resolution and information gathering customer complaints and work assignments

Brief Job Description: Oversees the production of project information models; Responsible for the implementing of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and overseeing BIM budgets.

ANSARI, MD RIJWAN ALAM Manager - Applications Delivery

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

RUNNINGMAN CORPORATION 8/f Techzone Bldg., 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

147.

148.

149.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record

SINGH, SARVESH MANIKANT Indian-language Customer Support Staff

Basic Qualification: Familiarity with the modelling process in BIM; Extensive knowledge of quality and document management processes.

BARTHWAL, VATSAL BIM Manager

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Evaluates expansions or enhancements by studying work load and capacity of computer system.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

TECH ONE GLOBAL PHILS., INC. 3/f Bc Group Center Bldg., Fil., Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

OUTWIT, INC. 2/f Marvin Plaza, 2153 Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

146.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

CHEN, HEMIN Mandarin Operations Specialist

DONG, LISHA Mandarin Speaking Technical Support Specialist

No.

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

OCEANIC SYMPHONY SERVICES INC. 3/f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

145.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NOKIA SHANGHAI BELL PHILIPPINES, INC. Penthouse W Fifth Bldg., 5th Ave. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig PENG, KEDI Optics Tac Senior Specialist

Thursday, June 16, 2022

ZHAO, TINGTING Mandarin Customer Service Representative

156.

Brief Job Description: Mandarin Customer Service Representative will be in-charge of monitoring delivery of products/ services to clients; processing client’s orders, Responsible for assisting clients with product information. Ensure customer satisfaction and provide professional customer support.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in English and Mandarin languages (reading and writing). Good typing skills: at least 40 and above WPM. Ability to multitask, prioritize and manage time effectively. Proficient in Microsoft Docs, Excel & Google Sheet. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: Jun 15, 2022

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on Jun 14, 2022, the company name of KORJANI, BHAVNABEN MANGARAM, should have been read as VESTAS SHARED SERVICES A/S - PHILIPPINE ROHQ and not as published. In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on May 13, 2022, the position of WEN, CHANG-I under the company of MOA CLOUDZONE CORP., should have been read as Chinese Customer Service Representative 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 National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

A10 Thursday, June 16, 2022

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Beijing virus infections remain elevated in threat to Covid zero

eijing recorded more than 50 Covid cases for the fifth day in a row as authorities crack down on venues linked to the outbreak, including starting a criminal probe into management of a bar at the center of the latest flareup.

The capital reported 63 infections for Tuesday, following 74 on Monday. Cases have spiked in recent days, having dropped to single-digits last week. The management of a bar that has been linked to at least 287 cases is under criminal investigation for potentially breaching Covid control and prevention protocols. Shops and restaurants in the Sanlitun area of the Chaoyang district in eastern Beijing, where the bar is located, have been closed since Monday. With daily cases remaining high, authorities may be prompted to delay Thursday’s planned reopening. At least two shopping malls in Chaoyang were also temporarily shut, as infected people appear to have visited res-

taurants there. The jump in cases and reinstatement of restrictions just days after they started to be eased shows the difficulties of stamping out the more contagious virus variants, as China continues to prosecute its Covid zero strategy. The approach leaves the country stuck in a cycle of disruptive shutdowns and tentative reopenings that hint at lingering economic pain. In Beijing, most schools delayed a reopening that was planned for Monday, while all sports competitions were halted. Authorities earlier this week closed more bars, movie theaters, gyms and other venues deemed to be “potential magnifiers” of the outbreak.

Shanghai reported 15 cases for Tuesday, from 17 on Monday. Three of the infections were found outside government-mandated quarantine as the virus continues to percolate in the community. The city’s Songjiang district will conduct another round of mass testing on Wednesday. W hile cases in t wo of the country’s most important cities are still below levels seen in late May, when stricter curbs were in place, authorities have been quick to re-impose limitations after earlier trumpeting their success in bringing the outbreak under control. Dat a re le a s e d We d ne s d ay pointed to a mixed economic recover y. Ret a i l sa les, wh i le better than April ’s plunge, slid 6 .7 p e rce nt ye a r - on -ye a r a s regular virus testing and other stringent controls continued to hinder consumer activity. Industrial output rose, reversing from a drop last month, while the property market continued to slump. China is continuing to try to wipe out cases, even as most of the rest of the world treats the virus as endemic and opens up their borders and economies.

In a sign of the hardline approach China is taking with the virus, a court in the northwestern city of Xining sentenced one person to three years in prison and punished two others for breaking infectious disease prevention laws after they returned from Shanghai in late March.

US companies still not fully operating

The majority of US businesses in Shanghai have resumed operations following the city’s tough coronavirus lockdown, but their levels of activity are well below normal due to continued restrictions on movement. Just 31 percent of manufacturing and services companies surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai last week said they were fully operational. Of those operating at less than full capacity, most reported that staff found it difficult to travel to work. The survey of about 130 firms highlights Shanghai’s slow emergence from a strict lockdown that confined most residents to their homes for two months starting in March. Officials are still seeking to eliminate virus transmission under the country’s “zero Covid” policy. “A lot of progress has been made in the past two weeks, but we are not yet at ‘normal’,” said chamber president Eric Zheng. The city officially re-opened at the beginning of June, but residents remain cautious and most districts suspended indoor restaurant services this week after new coronavirus cases were found. The chamber of commerce’s survey did indicate an improvement in business conditions since early May, when surveys of Japanese and German businesses showed the majority of firms hadn’t resumed operations. Two thirds of the American chamber’s member firms are now operating at above 75 percent capacity, according to the survey. Just 3 percent of firms in the American chamber’s survey said they hadn’t resumed work. China’s lockdowns since March have alienated many foreign businesses, given the gap with more relaxed policies in their home countries. About half of the companies surveyed by the American Chamber said they had delayed or decreased investments in China as a result of Shanghai’s lockdown, with the other half saying that the lockdown had not changed their investment plans or that they weren’t sure what the impact would be. About a third of companies said they would maintain operations in China but move some suppliers or factories producing global products outside China. Just 4 percent said the lockdown had led them to consider moving a majority of operations outside of the country in the near future. Other data shows economic activity in Shanghai is far from pre-lockdown levels. About 55 percent of Chinese listed companies that announced the suspension of operations in Shanghai said they had resumed them by last week, according to an analysis by China International Capital Corp. Truck flows in Shanghai rose to the highest level since March in the week through Sunday, but were still just 53 percent of the average level in 2019, according to data from logistics company G7 Connect. Bloomberg News

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

Inflation data likely push Fed to consider 75 basis-point hike

he latest jumps in consumer prices and inflation expectations will probably spur Federal Reserve officials to consider the biggest interest-rate increase since 1994 when they meet this week, after Chair Jerome Powell previously signaled a smaller move was the likely outcome. US central bankers conclude a two-day meeting on Wednesday, with a decision due at 2 p.m. in Washington. Powell indicated at his post-meeting press conference in early May that the Fed would move forward with half-point rate hikes in June and July as long as economic data came in as expected. It was an unusually precise steer by the Fed chair. But in the past few days, inflation figures have surprised to the high side, pushing investors to increase bets on a 75 basispoint increase at this week’s meeting, pricing in interest-rate futures shows. Those bets hardened on Monday afternoon following a report in the Wall Street Journal suggesting the larger move was now in play. Stocks extended a selloff Tuesday morning in Asia after sinking into a bear market alongside a surge in bond yields. Market participants continued to digest growing expectations of sharper Fed hikes with MSCI Inc.’s Asia-Pacific share index falling over 1.5 percent and bourses in Japan, China and Hong Kong among those in the red. US futures steadied in the wake of a three-day rout in the S&P 500 of nearly 9 percent.

Wall Street

Economists at major Wall Street firms were quick to change their calls. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Nomura Holdings Inc. both shifted on Monday to forecast 75 basis-point hikes this week and at the Fed’s meeting in late July. JPMorgan Chase & Co. also went to 75 basis points at this week’s meeting, joining Barclays Plc and Jefferies, who modified their calls Friday to the bigger increase. Powell and his colleagues, facing harsh criticism for being slow to remove emergency pandemic stimulus and allowing inflation to climb by the fastest pace in 40 years, have repeatedly said they would do whatever it takes to cool prices. While the Fed chief laid out a baseline of 50 basis-point increases in June and July, he also hedged by saying that that hinged on the economy evolving along the lines that officials expect. On Friday morning, data showed the consumer price index rose 8.6 percent in

May from a year earlier, a fresh 40-year high. The figures topped all estimates and underscored a broad-based advance, a sign that price pressures are becoming entrenched in the economy. Later in the morning, University of Michigan data showed US consumer sentiment in early June dropped to the lowest on record. Respondents also said they expect inflation of 3.3 percent over the next five to 10 years, the most since 2008 and up from 3 percent in May. That’s especially concerning for the Fed, which had been taking comfort in the fact that longer-term inflation expectations have held steady. Any de-anchoring of expectations risks price pressures becoming further embedded in the economy, as consumers anticipating higher prices will also demand higher wages. And if companies are paying employees more, they will have to charge higher prices, perpetuating the cycle. On Monday, that risk popped up again in a survey from the New York Fed, which showed one-year ahead median inflation expectations climbed in May to 6.6 percent, tying the highest reading since the survey began in June 2013. However, three-year ahead projections held steady at 3.9 percent.

Tactical shift

Tactically, a 75 basis-point increase would be a communication shift for Powell who has preferred to telegraph moves in advance and embrace gradualism. That strategy has allowed the Fed to lean in to tighter policy, but let markets price the risk of going faster or slower as the data rolled in. A 75 basis-point increase could boost credibility by showing the Fed’s serious about its inflation fight. But it also risks confusing markets about what they do next if investors know officials are willing to switch guidance. “Once the Fed starts moving in 75s it would be hard to stop, and the combination of this and the Fed’s outcome-based approach to inflation feels like it could be a recipe for recession,” Evercore ISI’s Krishna Guha and Peter Williams wrote in a note to clients. A 75 basis-point move could also erode Fed credibility by underscoring how poor the Fed’s forecasting has been in the postpandemic recovery. June’s meeting includes fresh forecasts for rate over the next couple of years. Recently, though, those forecasts have rapidly become obsolete as new data rolled in. Bloomberg News

South Korean truckers end 8-day strike, return to work By Hyung-Jin Kim The Associated Press

EOUL, South Korea—Truckers in South Korea ended an eight-day strike that caused major disruptions to domestic production and cargo transport, their union and the government announced after negotiations Tuesday. Thousands of truckers joined the nationwide strike, calling for an extension of temporary guarantees of minimum wages amid soaring fuel prices. The strike triggered delays in the shipment and delivery of steel, cement, petrochemicals, tires and other items, with some factories forced to halt production. The strike’s damage has been largely limited to domestic industries, though experts say a prolonged strike could have undermined global supply chains already hit by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s Covid-19 restrictions. There have been no reports of substantial disruptions of key South Korean export items such as semiconductors and automobiles, Industry Ministry officials said. During their fifth round of negotiations on Tuesday night, representatives of the truckers and Transport Ministry officials reached a deal on ending the strike, the Cargo Truckers Solidarity and the ministry announced in separate statements. They said the ministry agreed to seek to extend the current rules on minimum wage guarantees and consider increasing

fuel subsidies for truckers. The union said drivers will immediately return to work. “It’s fortunate that the Cargo Truckers Solidarity withdraw its collective refusal of (cargo) transport and decided to return to work now,” the Transport Ministry statement said. “We feel very sorry to the people for causing concerns.” The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Monday that the first six days of the strike had caused an estimated 1.6 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in damages. Earlier Tuesday, about 6,800 truckers rallied at various sites across South Korea on their eighth day of the strike, according to the Transport Ministry. It said some steel and cement factories had halted operations and some striking truckers obstructed cargo transport at some major southeastern ports. During a Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country’s No. 2 official, called the reported transport obstructions “illicit activities” that would never receive public support, according to Cho Yongman, a government spokesperson. Cho cited Han as saying that the transport disruptions could pose “a big irrecoverable blow” to South Korea’s economy, which already faces other difficulties. Police said Monday that they had detained 44 striking truckers but released most of them except for two who were formally arrested. Two additional truckers were detained Tuesday, the Transport Ministry said.

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, June 16, 2022 A11

PHL rice imports surge in January-May–BPI By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

HE Philippines’s rice imports in January to May expanded by 42 percent year-on-year to 1.5 million metric tons (MMT), the latest Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data showed. Data from the attached agency of the Department of Agriculture showed that total rice imports during the five-month period were 445,279.445 MT higher than the 1.054 MMT recorded a year ago. The imported rice came from Cambodia, China, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the BPI. Viet na m rem a ined a s t he country’s top rice supplier as it accounted for 1.2 MMT followed by Myanmar which suppl ied 123,459.28 MT. Rice imports during the period from Pakistan and Thailand reached 86,430.675 MT and 74,593.125 MT, respectively. BPI data showed that Bestow Industries Inc. was the top rice importer as of June 2, with 80,115 MT followed by NAN STU Agri Traders

with 77,884.35 MT. Monetary Board member V. Bruce J. Tolentino said the lowering of tariffs on rice imports coming from outside Asean contributed to the increase in imports. Pakistan, one of the countries allowed to supply rice at 35 percent tariff, already exported more than triple of its total shipments last year to the Philippines. In 2021, Pakistan exported a total of 25,286 MT of rice to the Philippines, based on BPI data. “Some importers have already developed relationships with rice suppliers from Pakistan over [the past] three years. But note that there is a big peace and order issue in Myanmar and Pakistan with the military involved,” Tolentino told the BusinessMirror. “Philippines importers have the most knowledge and experience, plus contracts dealing with Vietnam and Thailand. They still need to develop such ‘suki’ relations with other countries especially India, Myanmar, Pakistan. It takes some time.” President Duterte earlier extended lower tariffs on rice until the end of the year to cushion the impact of the Ukraine-Russia conflict on

THIS BusinessMirror file photo shows different varieties of rice being sold at a local market in Manila.

domestic food prices and supply. (Related story: https://business-

mirror.com.ph/2022/05/28/palace-eo-extends-lower-tariffs-on-

pork-and-rice-until-december/) The BusinessMirror earlier re-

ported the increase in this year’s rice imports could be attributed to the stockpiling by importers amid expectations of tight supply and lower domestic output due to the spike in production inputs. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/04/25/dim-outlook-fuels-phl-rice-imports-surge/). An industry group also told the BusinessMirror earlier that the election season had contributed to the need for more rice imports given the increase in demand for low-cost rice (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/05/02/ elections-driving-demand-forlow-cost-rice/) The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had projected that the Philippines could retain its status as the world’s second largest buyer of rice for the fourth consecutive year in 2023, when total import volume is projected to reach 3 MMT. The USDA said the Philippines’s rice imports this year and next year would hit 3 MMT. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph /2022/05/16/ phl-to-import-more-rice-asoutput-to-stay-f lat/)

PCCI backs CARL amendment DAR: Vegetable farming to combat hunger, poverty in Camarines Sur to boost farm productivity By Andrea E. San Juan

HE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industr y (PCCI) threw its support behind the amendment of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), particularly the easing of rules in land consolidation and ownership. “The weak agriculture system in the country is principally driven by the low productivity of farmers and despite the implementation of the comprehensive land reform law and various support services, the Philippines continues to lag behind her neighbors in Asean in terms of development,” PCCI said in a statement. In a meeting organized by the PCCI Agriculture Committee, Atty. George Katigbak of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) said land fragmentation as a result of the land reform program negatively impacts agricultural productivity and efficiency. Under the present law, land re-

tention is only limited to five years and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) are prohibited from leasing or selling their property within 10 years of award, and those with unpaid obligations to Land Bank, which approximately is around 71 percent of ARBs. Katigbak noted that Philippine agriculture’s share in GDP and employment has remained low. “The evidence on land pawning and selling show that land consolidation is actually taking place underground. In essence, we are not bringing anything new, we are just formalizing what is happening on the ground which is an economic efficiency argument,” he said in his presentation. PCCI Agriculture Committee chair Paul Cuyegkeng said land consolidation is the right direction to take and has worked based on his personal experience. “In my area, we have tried to consolidate a few hectares and it is working. We are grouping the farmers to form a cooperative and

trying to put them together with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). The key thing is to make sure that we got the right representatives to manage the coop because you need people that can be trusted, honest in serving the coop members,” Cuyegkeng said. FEF also recommended some key reform measures in amending the law. These include the conversion of Certificate of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAs) to simple titles to increase land values and efficiency in land transactions. It also suggested that the notice of land coverage for land reform should be effective for one year only, and failure to acquire lands during one year means coverage is canceled. It made a pitch for the removal of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) clearances on land transfers. FEF said the Registration Authority should do the monitoring and verification of land holding ceiling with its electronic database.

HE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) urged the Turague Agrarian Farmers Association (TAFA) in Camarines Sur to take part in the government’s Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) convergence program to boost agricultural output and income. DAR Bicol Region Assistant Director for Operations Romulo Britanico said the increased participation of agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) in the EPAHP program would ensure a ready market through government and private sector partners that will purchase their produce directly. Established on February 24, 2021, the 50-member Turague Agrarian Farmers Association (TAFA) in Sagnay town is one of the cooperatives assisted by the agency which now includes the EPAHP that will provide them with farm inputs, a series

of technical training, and other assistance. “It is the responsibility of the DAR to assist them in increasing their agricultural output, identifying institutional markets, securing official receipts, and providing them with training and farm support,” said Britanico. As a recipient of the EPAHP, the organization received starter kits for vegetable production, including 30 free-range chickens, feeds, a greenhouse, a grass cutter, a submersible water pump, garden tools, and a variety of vegetable seeds, such as eggplant, pechay, string beans, hot pepper, tomato, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, squash, bell pepper, cauliflower, cucumber and lettuce. “With these starter kits, and the establishment of their vegetable gardens, the TAFA will be able to supply agricultural products, particularly for the May-Ogob Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Ocampo, Camarines Sur,

which is the supplier of vegetables for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology,” Britanico said. TAFA Chairman Rodel P. Encinas thanked DAR on behalf of the group’s members and said that the DAR’s help is important to the success of their association. He also urged his colleagues to keep the equipment that would be used to establish the community garden at Turague Community School. “We are thankful for these starter kits given to us because these will give us added income for our families. We will plant them and apply what we learned to make it bountiful,” said Encinas. Encinas, who received a halfhectare of land from DAR, said that they plan to grow high-value crops like lettuce, broccoli, and eggplant on the 800-squaremeter piece of land at the community school in Turague. Jonathan L. Mayuga

Group hits fish imports from China DA promotes use of organic fertilizer as input costs continue to rise Ukraine’s farm By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

NATIONAL fishers organization criticized the Department of Agriculture (DA) for its “last-minute importation” of 38,000 metric tons (MT) of round scad, mackerel, and sardines from China. On Wednesday, Pamalakaya members staged a picket in front of the DA office in Quezon City to denounce the move. The group said the measure is not the solution to the shortage of fish and demanded government support for the ailing fishing sector instead. “Small fishers are already beset with burdening issues such as rising cost of production due to staggering prices of fuel products. Flooding our local market with imported fish does more damage than good to our local fishing industry. Imported fish renders the farmgate value of local fish cheaper, resulting to further diminution of income of fisherfolks,” Ronnel Arambulo, Pamalakaya National Spokesperson said in a statement. The spike in the prices of fish

products was mainly caused by private traders who control and manipulate the prices of the prices of fish in the markets, and not merely by the shortage in production, Arambulo said. He added that the retail price of galunggong is currently at P250/ kilogram, but its farm gate price is at least four times lower at P60-P80 per kg. “Importation failed to stabilize retail prices of fish in the previous years because market prices are dictated by monopoly traders. The unreasonable retail prices of fish are mainly driven by profiteering, and not merely by low supply.” “The next DA head must be no less than competitive and grounded to the rural sectors in order to come up with integrated and sustainable-driven agricultural policies,” Arambulo said. The fishers’ group over the years has spearheaded the campaign against the importation of fish and has been calling to strengthen the municipal fisheries production as a holistic measure to attain stable fisheries production and domestic food security.

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday endorsed the use of an organic fertilizer that uses nanotechnology to cut farmers’ production costs amid soaring prices of synthetic fertilizer and other planting inputs. The DA said it has facilitated the development of BioPrime 555, an organic fertilizer product of BioPrime Agri Industries Inc. The product underwent various independent trials by the Philippine Rice Research Institute for more than two years and yielded “promising results,” according to the DA. The agency said the organic fertilizer can reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers by up to 50 percent while maintaining optimal crop yield. It added that BioPrime 555 showed a 7 to 15 percent increase in yield and reduced farmers’ production costs by as much as 50 percent. “We need more production of scientifically tested biofertilizers as we are concerned that the Ukraine-Russia war will disable us from getting the much needed urea our farmers are clamoring to obtain,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement. The DA said BioPrime 555, based

on the product’s test trials, may also reduce pesticide and insecticide use of farmers due to a “reduction of predatory pests” and “stronger” disease resistance in crops. “Likewise, reduced water/irrigation costs of up to 20 percent have ensued from improved soil and root water retention,” it added. Dar said organic fertilizers like Bioprime and Bio-N are much needed in the government’s efforts to reduce farmers’ production cost amid soaring prices of inorganic and synthetic fertilizers in the world market. “Technologies we need in our campaign for balanced fertilization, whose main focus is to enhance soil-based productivity, bring about nutrient-building qualities of the soil for soil sustainability,” he said. “If we want to increase the level of productivity and income of farmers, we need to promote balanced fertilization. To attain food security, we must adopt a balanced fertilization strategy.” The DA said BioPrime 555 also showed “promising results” in other crop production such as sugarcane, coffee and corn. “In sugarcane, it recorded a 14.5 percent yield increase and 40 percent

reduced synthetic fertilizer use; coffee registered 100 percent yield increase and showed cure and prevention of rust disease; and corn resulted in an 11-20 percent yield increase and 30 percent reduced chemical fertilizer use,” it added. The DA has been promoting biofertilizers as a substitute to synthetic and inorganic fertilizers to help farmers cope with the rising prices of the planting input that have reached nearly P3,000 per 50-kilogram bag. The spike in fertilizer prices, fueled by the war in Ukraine, was cited as one of the key factors behind the contraction of the country’s agricultural output in the first quarter. The value of the country’s agricultural output in the first quarter dipped by 0.3 percent after production in crops, fisheries and livestock sectors contracted. The value of farm output from January to March (at constant 2018 prices) declined by P75.246 billion to P419.922 billion from P495.168 billion recorded last year, Philippine Statistics Authority data showed. (Relatedstory:https://businessmirror. com.ph/2022/05/11/farm-outputdips-slightly-in-q1-fertilizer-pricespikes-blamed/). Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

industry has lost $4.3B from war damage

KRAINE has suffered $4.3 billion in damage to farmland, machinery and livestock as a result of Russia’s invasion, according to the Kyiv School of Economics. About half of the “already immense” destruction from the war comes from pollution caused by mines and unharvested crops, according to a report by authors Roman Neyter, Hryhorii Stolnikovych, and Oleg Nivievskyi. Almost a quarter of the total—$926 million— accounts for damage done to farm machinery due to military activity and occupation, they write. The “Ukrainian economy is projected to contract by 45 percent and dozens of millions across the world are threatened with hunger because of disrupted exports of grains from Ukraine and continued damage of its agrifood sector,” the report said. Bloomberg News

A12 Thursday, June 16, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Preventing another Covid-19 outbreak

he country’s Covid cases surged 30 percent on Tuesday, eliciting fears that Alert Level 2 will be imposed anew in Metro Manila where almost half of the 386 new infections were reported.

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said that higher alert levels may not be necessary if hospitalization rates remain low. “If our Covid cases are not ending up in hospitals, then there is no need for higher alert levels,” he said. (Read, “Concepcion: No need to adjust AL at low hospitalization rates,” in the BusinessMirror, June 14, 2022). Infectious diseases expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña, who is also a member of the government’s Technical Advisory Group, asked people to stay calm following reports about the increase in cases in Metro Manila. He posted on Facebook: “Don’t look at the percentages, look at the numbers. A 100 percent increase from a baseline of 100 cases is only 200 cases. Remember, we’ve seen over 35,000 cases in a day in the past. It’s very unlikely we will have to escalate to Alert Level 2 as long as hospital capacity remains good.” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also allayed fears that Metro Manila will see a higher alert level during the Laging Handa Public Briefing on Monday. “Let us not look at the number of cases, we need to look at the hospital capacity because this is more important to our health-care system,” she said. Current ICU rates are at a low 20 percent, and health-care utilization rate is at 16.6 percent for the entire Philippines. In April, the World Health Organization warned that a surge in Covid cases is quite likely in the country with unsafe gatherings and social mixing expected in election-related activities. “Everyone should at least wear a mask and get booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines, as prescribed by the government, to prepare for and possibly avoid a potential surge,” said Dr. Rajendra Yadav, acting WHO Representative to the Philippines. Thanks to the helpful voting guidelines set by Comelec to ensure the safety of voters, and the willingness of the public to cooperate by wearing their face mask and face shield in voting areas, the feared surge in cases did not happen. Recently, the face mask, which helped prevent the spread of the virus in the country, has become the center of controversy. This came about after Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued Executive Order No. 16 allowing the optional wearing of face mask in well ventilated and open spaces. The Department of the Interior and Local Government said the EO violates the policy of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which was approved by President Duterte, requiring the wearing of face masks at all times except when eating or during certain well-ventilated activities. In a TV interview on Monday, Interior Undersecretary Epimaco V. Densing said the Cebu provincial government will be facing a show-cause order from the DILG if it continues to defy national government policy for wearing of face masks. “When I reviewed the EO, it has some areas which are not in line with the national government policies like encouraging people to wear face masks in crowded places. It should not be encouraged, but must be mandatory in crowded areas since people are close to one another,” Densing said. (Read, “Cebu LGU faces show-cause order over no-mask fiat,” in the BusinessMirror, June 13, 2022). The national bureaucracy must not control affairs tinged with local interests. And we understand the desire of local government leaders to ease pandemic restrictions. Although national cases are going down, the virus is still very much around. We must not lower our guards. Face masks are effective tools in preventing the spread of Covid. If we allow one province to go without masks, will other provinces be far behind? The whole Philippines cannot be safe if there’s a Covid flareup in just one of the country’s 42,000 barangays.

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John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

E have a global economic situation and the potential consequences cannot be ignored or underestimated. I have been through every “Black Monday (through Friday)” in the past 50 years, including the first oil shock in 1973. This time it is different. “Of course, it is different. There is a war going on in Europe. Don’t you read the newspaper? And it’s Putin’s fault!” But there was another war in Europe when an estimated 150,000 combatants and civilians were killed and 2.2 million people became refugees. This was between April 1992 and December 1995 in the former Yugoslavia. Interestingly, the US economy grew at an average of 4 percent and inflation averaged under 3 percent back then. But it is different because while Ukraine has the most arable land area in Europe and holds the second largest iron ore reserves in the world, it is also at the absolute European bottom in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Ukraine’s GDP per capita is $3,116; the Philippines’s is $3,270. Everyone wants a piece of Ukraine. However, this is only part of the

global economic crisis and is not even the most important. In January 2021, US annual inflation was a favorable 1.4 percent. By the time Putin invaded Ukraine, US inflation was 7.9 percent. What happened? Energy and oil may be what keeps the world economy functioning, but money is the “lifeblood” and currency exchange rates and interest rates may be the “heart” and “lungs.” The exchange rates determine the money flows between nations, and interest rates strongly determine the value of currencies. All the Internet-educated financial experts like to talk and talk and talk about sovereign debt. A nation’s debt, like your own personal debt, means little or nothing as regards the total amount. The only question is if you can pay the monthly amortization. Japan’s government debt is 2.7 times its total economic output. So what? I would be willing

The peso will depreciate as the dollar goes higher. However, less than 20 percent of our debt is in dollars. Further, we are actually “making money” because since early March the peso has appreciated against the yen by 15 percent. Finally, the Philippine economy is growing and while high, we will weather the oil price inflation storm although the government must do much more to mitigate the economic suffering, particularly of the poorest. to bet that your home mortgage—if any—might be at least 2.7 times your annual income. However, if a nation must pay its debt in US dollars and its currency is now worth 70 percent less in US dollars (like Turkey), it is screwed. The current dollar strength is much more worrying than the amount of debt for nations like Egypt, Pakistan, and Argentina. Even India is potentially in trouble as its external debt is 50 percent dollar-denominated and the rupee is down 4.5 percent year-to-date. That makes their debt payments—or monthly amortization—4.5 percent higher. Pakistan is a basket case as its currency has lost 14 percent against the dollar. Combine “devalued” currencies with higher interest rates and you have a perfect storm for sovereign

debt default. The Japanese yen is at the lowest exchange rate since 1998 as government policy drives the decline. Now we come to the next point. Did you ever cook spaghetti sauce? A little red wine vinegar adds great flavor. But too much makes the sauce taste sour and it needs a spoonful of sugar. But maybe a spoonful is too much, and you need to add a little more vinegar. Oops, too much vinegar. Where’s the sugar. The Fed refused to raise interest rates last year as inflation was going higher for fear it would “crash” the stock market and slow the economy. By the time you read this the Federal Reserve will have raised rates by a relatively huge amount to make up for lost time. Too much vinegar; then too much sugar. Japan wants to keep rates low because their economy is dead in the water (GDP Annual Growth Rate 0.2 percent), but they know that low rates will depreciate the yen as it has been doing. Japan does not want to get caught in the vinegar/sugar sequence. This cycle makes terrible spaghetti sauce and an even worse economy. Why is the dollar appreciating? Because even if the “cooks” in the US are incompetent, there is the hope that the “land of milk and honey” might be a better place to park money than someplace else. The peso will depreciate as the dollar goes higher. However, less See “Mangun,” A13

Global stock rout prompts call for back-to-basics investing By Tassia Sipahutar, Ishika Mookerjee & Kat Van Hoof

T. Anthony C. Cabangon

Senior Editors

Creative Director Chief Photographer

Time to be serious

Bloomberg Opinion

raders unnerved by a selloff that hit stocks and bonds alike are looking for refuge, increasing the appeal of investments offering reliable returns such as shares that pay steady dividends.

A rout that’s seen global stocks enter a bear market and so-called risk-free Treasuries slump is forcing investors to get creative. They are looking at assets like high-dividend shares, investment-grade bonds and Chinese stocks. Investors are hoping the assets they buy will withstand any fallout from an expected accelerated pace of interest-rate hikes by the Federal Reserve to tame inflation that’s climbing at the fastest pace in four decades. “We are arguing for adjusting the portfolio to get those exposures that make sense in the current environment,” said Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S. “These themes are commodities, defense, logistics, cyber security and mega caps.” Meanwhile, BlackRock Inc.’s Karim Chedid, head of the investment strategy team and senior strat-

egist for iShares EMEA, said they prefer stocks that can navigate persistent inflation and more difficult margins, like healthcare and tech and generally defensive sectors with consumer price inelasticity. Here’s a list of other assets that are attracting investors’ attention:

Free cash flow stocks

The era of easy money with very low or negative real rates is clearly over, according to Ellen Hazen, chief market strategist and portfolio manager at F.L. Putnam Investment Management. “It’s clear all that stuff we learn during our CFA exams and in business schools about how you value companies and this kind of cash flow, that matters again. And what that means is you want to own companies that are generating free cash flow,” she said on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday.

Health-care, insurance, and a few technology and software stocks in the S&P index generate a lot of free cash flow, which make them look appealing for F.L.Putnam.

around 6-8%. It “is a decent spread over bond yields and provides some protection in a period of heightened volatility,” he said.

Dividend-yield

HSBC Holdings Plc has a list of stocks that tend to do well even in a weak macroeconomic environment, said Herald van der Linde, head of APAC equity strategy. “These stocks can do that because their businesses have pricing power, or they operate in a special niche or are key players in highly concentrated markets.” Meanwhile, now that Asian economies are reopening, JPMorgan Asset Management sees the outlook for domestic demand improving in the region. Current earnings forecasts for Asian equities seem “too conservative for 2022 and valuation is also attractive once market sentiment improves,” wrote Tai Hui, Asia chief market strategist, in a note. Mirabaud & Cie SA is also finding opportunities in stocks with pricing power, such as Sika AG, Geberit AG and Givaudan SA, said John Plassard, a director at the firm. “With equity returns essentially See “Global” A13

Some investors are tweaking their dividend strategies. Marija Veitmane, senior strategist at State Street Global Markets, said high-dividend yielding stocks are the best place to hide, along with commodities and large caps. Central banks will keep raising rates as consumers and corporates continue to have a lot of cash and access to still-cheap borrowing, she said. “This is a very negative outlook for stocks, so we would be sellers of any rally.” Sat Duhra of Janus Henderson Investors has been adding to positions in mainland Chinese shares, including in the renewable-energy infrastructure and water sectors, on attractive valuations and as they will be paying out dividends in June and July. The Singapore-based portfolio manager is investing in Asian companies with dividend yields of

Pricing power

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, June 16, 2022 A13

War isn’t funny but UK real wages post biggest drop in two decades “Real wages are falling off a humor helps Ukrainians cliff as the cost of living soars,” said Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union cope with trauma Congress. “Millions of workers are T By Andrew Atkinson & Philip Aldrick Bloomberg Opinion

he spending power of UK households fell the most in at least 21 years as wage increases were eaten up by the fastest inflation in decades, official figures showed.

By John Leicester | The Associated Press

YIV, Ukraine—Because he’ll shortly be deployed as a soldier on the battlefields of Ukraine, Serhiy Lipko and Anastasia Zukhvala chose to marry first, like a growing number of couples being torn asunder by war with Russia. Like others, their nuptials were rushed and smaller than they would have been during peacetime, with just a few dozen close friends and family. She wore a simple crown of blue flowers in her hair. And then, because laughter can be medicinal and because Lipko was building a career as a comic before the defense of his country called, they headed to a stand-up comedy club in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. There, with his new wife watching from the wings, he took the stage in olive-green fatigues and soon had the crowd in stitches with close-to-thebone humor about army and married life. He joked that military training with NATO instructors had been a great opportunity for him to practice his English, and how nervous he’d been about handling expensive military gear, for fear of breaking it. The war isn’t remotely funny, but Ukrainians are learning to laugh about the awfulness of it all. Not necessarily because they want to, but because they have to—to stay sane in the brutality that has killed tens of thousands of people, is upending Ukraine, millions of lives and the world order as it rages on front lines in the east and south of the country. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his troops, especially dead and wounded ones, are favorite targets of dark Ukrainian wartime humor. But there are red lines: Ukrainian dead aren’t laughed about and the grimmest battles, among them the brutal siege of Mariupol and the port city’s Azovstal steelworks, are far too raw for jokes. The same is true of atrocities in Bucha and elsewhere. “Tragedies cannot and will never be the object of humor,” said Zukhvala, who also works as a stand-up comic, as she and Lipko hugged with the tenderness of newlyweds after his show and scooped up armfuls of bouquets, wondering aloud how they’d find space for them at home. “This is an absolutely crazy time, beyond ordinary experience,” she said. “Our life now is made of paradoxes, and it can even be funny.” Ukraine’s most famous comedian is Volodymyr Zelenskyy, now the country’s president, elected in 2019. In the TV comedy series Servant of the People, the former standup comic and actor played a lovable high-school teacher who accidentally becomes president—before he later actually became one for real. But Zelenskyy hasn’t had much cause for comedy since the February 24 invasion thrust him into the role of wartime leader. His daily video addresses to the nation are often grim and forceful. But while he works to rally international support and soldiers fight with tanks, artillery and tons of Western-supplied armaments, Ukrainians away from the front are using jokes and humor as weapons—against war-time anxiety and moroseness, against Russia and to feel as one, both laughing and crying together in their sorrow and anger. Yuliia Shytko, 29, said she felt in far higher spirits after chortling loudly with the rest of the crowd through Lipko and other comedians’ routines in the basement comedy club, the vast majority of their

Mangun . . .

continued from A12

than 20 percent of our debt is in dollars. Further, we are actually “making money” because since early March the peso has appreciated against the yen by 15 percent. Finally, the Philippine economy is growing

Ukraine’s most famous comedian is Volodymyr Zelenskyy, now the country’s president, elected in 2019. In the TV comedy series Servant of the People, the former stand-up comic and actor played a lovable high-school teacher who accidentally becomes president—before he later actually became one for real. But Zelenskyy hasn’t had much cause for comedy since the February 24 invasion thrust him into the role of wartime leader. His daily video addresses to the nation are often grim and forceful. jokes revolving around war-related themes. “Laughing and stuff, that’s how you cope,” Shytko said. Lipko and Zelenskyy crossed paths in comedy before war utterly altered their trajectories. The future president, then still an entertainer, was a juror in 2016 on the TV game show, “Make a comedian laugh.” Lipko was a contestant. He wore camouflage fatigues because he was in the midst of military service and rattled off jokes about his army experiences. He made Zelenskyy laugh by quipping that he’d buy a PlayStation if he won the top prize—which he eventually did. They spoke in Russian then; they both stick to Ukrainian in public now. Lipko is still riffing off army life, even as he prepares within days to leave behind his bride to fight. The army gave him a day off to tie the knot, a quick in-and-out of a marriage office where their comedian friends ruffled the registrar’s feathers by joking around. “We laughed a lot,” said standup comic Anton Tymoshenko, who attended and also performed later that night at the club. Lipko’s nickname in the army is “the comedian.” During his routine, he joked that some things his fellow soldiers say and do are so funny he can’t help but use them as fodder for his stand-up, despite having told them he wouldn’t. Afterward, he said his comic outlook should help him endure in battle. “I am a comedian who temporarily became a serviceman,” he said. “I have plans and creative projects for after the war. There are things to live for.” Zukhvala said she tells herself that “we will win and everything will be fine.” She wants a big wedding celebration when peace returns. Tymoshenko said he and their other comedian friends will look after her while Lipko is away. But he has worries of his own: He has been trying to persuade his parents to leave their village in the south that he feels is too close to the Russian advance, but to his dismay they’re laughing off the danger. His mother quipped that should Russian missiles churn up her potato plot, that would spare her the spade work. “My mother never joked before the war,” he said. “They use my weapons against me...and that’s unfair.” Hanna Arhirova contributed to this report.

and while high, we will weather the oil price inflation storm although the government must do much more to mitigate the economic suffering, particularly of the poorest. E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

When adjusted for prices, average earnings excluding bonuses were 3.4 percent lower in April than a year earlier, the biggest drop since modern records began in 2001, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday. The average decline in the three months through April was 2.2 percent, the most since 2011. The figures show how pay packets for most workers are failing to benefit from the tightest labor market in living memory. Earnings rose 4.1 percent in April, around half the rate of inflation. Wages including bonuses grew at a faster pace but the rewards are uneven. “This is really grim news on pay and is only likely to get worse,” said Tony Wilson, director of the Institute of Employment Studies. “The picture is particularly bad for public sector workers, with real pay falling by nearly 6 percent year on year.” The squeeze is piling pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson and creating a major challenge for Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey as policy makers try to curb inflation without pushing the economy into recession. “Our jobs market remains robust with redundancies at an all time low,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said. “Helping people into work is the best way to support families in the long term, and we are

continuing to support people into new and better jobs.” “There was something for both the doves and the hawks at the Bank of England in the latest UK labor market data. The hawks are likely to focus on strong payrolls and resilient underlying wage growth, while the doves will point to the up-tick in unemployment and the real wage squeeze. Another 25-basis-point rate hike remains likely on Thursday—the combination of the mixed jobs data and weak gross domestic product growth in April means the central bank will probably shy away from a 50-bps move,” said Bloomberg economist Ana Luis Andrade. Wages are rising too slowly for workers but are growing too quickly for companies, which are raising prices to protect their profit margins. The BOE is expected to deliver an unprecedented fifth successive rate hike on Thursday to avert a wage-price spiral, and money markets imply many more are on the way. The figures underscore the crisis the government faces in the public sector, where workers are becoming more militant in the face of collapsing real pay. For public sector workers, real pay is falling by nearly 6 percent a year, the ONS figures showed. Railway workers have been striking and the government has yet to agree to public sector pay settlements for the

being forced to choose between paying their bills or feeding their families. That isn’t right.”

health service. For the government, calls for further help are mounting. Tax rises are adding to the squeeze and ministers admit that a £15 billion aid package announced last month will only go so far to help. “Real wages are falling off a cliff as the cost of living soars,” said Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress. “Millions of workers are being forced to choose between paying their bills or feeding their families. That isn’t right.” The fall in real wages is based on CPIH inflation. When adjusted for CPI, they dropped 4.5 percent in April, the most on record, and by 3percent in the three months through April, the most since 2011. There were some signs that tightness in the labor market is beginning to ease as people rejoin the workforce. Unemployment rose unexpectedly in the three months through April to 3.8 percent from 3.7 percent the month before. That increase was driven by a drop in inactivity—the count of people neither in work nor looking for a job.

Record vacancies

There were 41,000 more people

Story of South Africa’s inequality highlighted by Covid-19 statistics By Antony Sguazzin | Bloomberg Opinion

he confluence between race and inequality in South Africa has been starkly illustrated through hospital admissions over the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

Black people living in the country were likely to be hospitalized at a younger age, less likely to have access to intensive care units and ventilators and had higher mortality from the disease than Whites, according to a study led by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Indian and mixed race South Africans, locally known as Colored, also fared worse. “Blacks, Indians and Coloreds were more likely to die,” Waasila Jassat, a researcher with the NICD and one of the authors of the study, said in an interview on Tuesday. The study shows “the interplay between race, age, sex and socio-economic status” and how different groups experienced Covid-19, she said. South Africa, with more than 100,000 official deaths from the coronavirus and as many as three times that if death rates are measured against historical averages, is the country on the continent worst hit by the disease. At the same time

Global . . .

continued from A12

bimodal and largely recession dependent, we focus on relative value opportunities and reassess our preferred themes and related screens,” UBS Group AG strategists including Keith Parker wrote in a note. They are focusing on pricing power, stocks with higher and improving quality as well as shares exposed to high-income consumers. “Some of the consumer staples companies are holding up given price elasticity for the strong brands,” said Louise Dudley, portfolio manager at Federated Hermes. Stocks with stable dividend policies are havens and there’s value in health care and energy, she said. Fabio Caldato, a partner at Olympia Wealth Management, also “built

its history of racial segregation has made it the most unequal of countries for which data are available, according to the Thomas Pikettybacked World Inequality Lab. Of the nation’s 60 million people, 81% are Black and 7.8 percent are White. On average, according to Statistics South Africa, employed Blacks earn just over a quarter of what their White peers do. A far greater proportion of Blacks than Whites are unemployed and depend on welfare. That wealth disparity is reflected in a myriad of ways, including access to health care and health itself, with Black South Africans showing a higher prevalence of comorbidities such as diabetes and hypertension. A greater proportion of Black South Africans also have HIV or tuberculosis. Indicative of the wealth gap and its link to vulnerability to Covid-19 infection and illness is that in South Africa women under the age of 40 had higher mortality than men, according to the study. Black women in the a decent bulk of healthcare companies and we are still buyers of the sector, with a strong focus on big European pharma” like GSK Plc and Sanofi. Wells Fargo strategists including Christopher P. Harvey said in a note they screened for long ideas, using history as a guide for a recession portfolio that includes names like Comcast Corp., Coca-Cola Co. and International Business Machines Corp.

China’s stocks

For CEB International Investment Corp., now’s a good time to buy socalled new economy stocks in China including tech despite the regulatory risk there. “Lots of people one year ago thought this thing would be pushed like a more backward cycle for all the tech stocks,” said Banny Lam, head of research. “I am really positive about this sector, and in the

country are the most economically marginalized group. On average, Black South Africans admitted to hospital with the coronavirus were 1.3 times more likely to die than Whites, data in the study showed. Those of Colored or Indian descent had a 1.2 times greater chance of dying.

Younger admissions

without work but looking for a job, the first increase since the three months to December 2020. Employment rose as well as more people rejoined the labor market as inactivity fell. “The tick up in the unemployment rate and slowdown in total weekly earnings could be the first signs that the weakening economy is starting to feed through into a softer labor market,” said Thomas Pugh, economist at the audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK. Businesses said the overall picture leaves it difficult for many to hire staff. Vacancies hit a new record of 1.3 million, meaning there are as many jobs available as there are people looking for work for the first time in history. Employers added 90,000 payrolls in May, more than forecast. The lack of staff is causing problems for employers and creating widespread disruptions everywhere from airports to hospitality. “An increasingly tight labor market means it’s much harder for employers to fill job vacancies, impacting on their ability to operate normally and retain skills in the business,” said Jane Gratton, head of people policy at the British Chambers of Commerce. Kitty Ussher, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, said: “Today’s data shows firms are continuing to hire as fast as they can, with the number of people on payroll, and the number of vacancies, both rising in the last month. This suggests order books remain strong and there is still plenty of demand in the economy.”

ment in an intensive care unit. About 20 percent of the local population has access to private health care. In public hospitals, 89.7 percent of those who died weren’t in ICU. That proportion fell to 39.9 percent in the private sector. Across all facilities, the proportion of Black patients admitted to ICU was less than half that for Whites.

Highlighting the different experiences, people treated in the Eastern Cape, the poorest province, were 1.9 times more likely to die than those in the Western Cape, which has more private hospitals and better government services. The median age of hospitalized Blacks was 50. The median age of Coloreds and Indians put in hospital was 53 and 54 respectively, while for Whites it was 61. Blacks over 80 years old infected with the virus were more than twice as likely to both be hospitalized and to die than Whites. About 53 percent of the total 440,000 hospital admissions analyzed were in public hospitals, while the rest were in private facilities. That distinction, the researchers said, played a role in how likely Black, and often poor, patients were to receive ventilation, oxygen or treat-

ICU, ventilation

second half of this year.” Goldman Sachs Group Inc., meanwhile, remains bullish on China stocks as the government is easing overall policies, and it says the nation’s Internet shares are still trading below their intrinsic value, strategists including Kinger Lau wrote in note. Pictet Asset Management recently sold its China positions again because the zero Covid-19 policy is “too risky” and is underweight equities across the board right now in terms of geographies, said Frederic Rollin, senior investment adviser at the firm.

lenge for fixed income is risk from duration—a measure of debt price’s sensitivity to interest-rate moves, income generated from government and corporate notes offers a better cushion to offset price volatility from rising rates. “Now is the time to start rebuilding fixed income exposure” as central bank tightening anchors long-term inflation expectations, said Nannette Hechler-Fayd’herbe, chief investment officer of international wealth management and global head economics and research at Credit Suisse Group AG. “Core government bonds and high grade corporate credits are offering decent yields now and emerging market hard currency bonds (for example in USD) are outright attractive,” she said. With assistance from Chloe Lo, Sagarika

Investment-grade bonds

High-rated bonds strike a good balance between income generation and resilience against slowdown concerns, according to JPMorgan’s Tai Hui. While a short-term chal-

Even within the public sector, Blacks were less likely to have access to ICU treatment or ventilation. This was likely due to the fact that a greater proportion of Black people live in remote rural areas with poorer quality medical facilities, according to Jassat. The four waves of infection covered by the study also highlighted the unequal nature of South African society. A higher percentage of Blacks were hospitalized in the first wave of infections, when the government imposed strong restrictions on movement, because they were more likely to work in essential services, use public transport or live in crowded accommodation. “People who were well off were better able to shield themselves,” Jassat said.

Jaisinghani, Albertina Torsoli, Farah Elbahrawy, Allegra Catelli and Chiara Remondini.

A14 Thursday, June 16, 2022

TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE WILL BE CRUSHED ‘AT ALL COSTS’–CHINA OFFICIAL

HINA will not compromise on Taiwan, even at the expense of another civil war and while the world still battles two simultaneous wars—the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine. Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Wei Fenghe did not mince words when it comes to Taiwan, and lashed at the United States for helping the Taiwan secessionist movement. Taiwan was recently jolted by the prospect of China attacking the island when Russia invaded Ukraine. “The United States fought a civil war for its unity. Though China never wants such a civil war, we will resolutely crush any attempt to pursue Chinese independence,” Wei said during his speech at the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore over the weekend. “Let me make this clear, if anyone dares to secede Taiwan from China, we will not hesitate to fight. We will fight at all costs, and we will fight until the very end. This is the only choice for China,” he added. In a veiled reference to the US, the Chinese defense minister said “one country” is violating its oneChina policy and “connived and supported the moves of separatist forces for independence.” He said this country “keeps playing the Taiwan card against China and often cites the Taiwan

Relations Act”—a 1979 US law being cited by the Biden Administration recently that allows Washington DC to provide Taiwan with military aid. Beijing sees Biden’s recent affirmation of support for Taiwan as “interference” in China’s domestic affairs. The day before Wei’s speech, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the conference that China was engaged in actions that threatened to “undermine security, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.” “Foreign interference is doomed to fail…I want to make it clear to those who are seeking Taiwan independence and those behind them. The pursuit of Taiwan independence is a dead-end and stop the delusion and soliciting foreign support will never work,” he added. The defense chief likewise hit Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for its independence rhetoric. “No one can stop China’s path towards reunification. No one should underestimate the resolve and the capabilities of the Chinese armed forces to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Wei said. Wei stressed that it is the Chinese people’s “greatest wish” to have a peaceful reunification. “We are still making every effort with the greatest sincerity to delivering peaceful reunification,” he said. Malou Talosig-Bartolome

PHL makes biggest jump in region–Global Peace Index

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HE Philippines has made the biggest peace improvement among the countries in the Asia Pacific region this year, according to the just released Global Peace Index (GPI) report, lending credence to the peace efforts of the Duterte administration which are characterized by aggressive campaigns against internal threat groups and illegal drugs. Overall, the country was also ranked fifth in peace efforts among 163 countries and territories, which, according to the GPI 2022 report, comprised 99.7 percent of the world’s population. “The Philippines recorded the largest improvement in the region and the fifth largest improvement in peacefulness in the 2022 GPI, improving by 4.6 percent,” the report said, which was released days ago and embargoed until Wednesday. The significant improvement —the country’s best performance in 10 years, as the report noted— was driven principally by positive changes in “safety and security” and “ongoing conflict domains.” “The country recorded its lowest score in a decade, largely driven by significant improvements in politi-

cal stability, the impact of terrorism and homicide rates,” the GPI 2022 report said. The report, produced by the Sydney-based independent and nonprofit think tank Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) measured peacefulness in three domains or baskets: safety and security, ongoing conf lict and militarization. The EIP comes out with the GPI annually. In coming out with this year’s report, the Australian think tank considered 23 different indicators for the three “baskets” or domains. Ten of these indicators are for safety and security, six on internal conflict and seven on the level of militarization. “The Philippines are four places higher than they were last year.

Now, when I go into the detail of the first basket and then overall the specific indicators, clearly, when it comes to safety and security within society, this is an area with large increases especially when it comes to homicide rate, protection of criminality, incarceration rate. So that’s definitely better than it was a year ago,” Serge Stroobants told BusinessMirror. “When I go to ongoing conflicts, I see there an improvement on the indicator from internal conflict. So, less people were killed in the conflict. So that is very good. But I also see a decrease of really a red indicator for internal conflicts. This means that the conflict is active and we saw . . .the number of casualties that it is producing is not so high than last year and the years before. So that’s the evolution,” Stroobants, who is EIP’s director for Europe and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, said. Stroobants said the country declined in the domain of militarization as shown by indicators, one of which is weapons import. “On the third basket...this is where I would find largest numbers, largest numbers of decreasing or deteriorating indicators and this is on weapons imports. Clearly, the Philippines imported more weapons last year, spent more military expenditure. So, this

is a percentage of the GDP (gross domestic product),” he said. The BusinessMirror asked the EIP official whether safety and security and the ongoing conflict with or even the campaign against the local terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, other lawless groups allied with the Islamic State, the longestrunning insurgency and the deaths in the anti-illegal drugs drive, were considered for the report. Despite its improved ranking in the GPI 2022 report, the Philippines, however, remained as the “third least peaceful country” in the Asia Pacific region for the second consecutive year, with North Korea being on top and followed by Myanmar. Its peace efforts, however, managed to place it at 125 out of the 163 countries in the overall GPI 2022 report. Iceland is still the most peaceful country in the world, a distinction since 2008. It was joined by New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and Austria. On the other hand, the GPI listed Afghanistan as the least peaceful country in the world, a rank it has held for the fifth consecutive year, followed by Yemen, Syria, Russia and South Sudan. Continued on A3

Senators tracking oil outlook as call to halt excise taxes mounts By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

ENATORS are closely tracking the international oil outlook to firm up better policy advice on whether excise tax on fuel should be suspended as sought by various quarters that point to the inflationary impact of spiralling oil price hikes. “It will be a big bag of solutions,” said Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, indicating they are particularly monitoring developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, the chief factor seen driving oil prices in the world market. He revealed in an interview with CNN Philippines’s “The Source” his plan to conduct a hearing next Tuesday (June 21). “Look at a scenario wherein this issue will be prolonged, meaning what if the crisis will last in the next six months to 12 months? We have to be ready because we have to make sure that we have enough budget to give subsidies and what will be the super ultimate solution to help our constituents.” Asked if he is still not considering suspending excise taxes and VAT on petroleum products, now that global oil has hit $120 per barrel, and the TRAIN law had provided for suspension options at a certain threshold, Gatchalian replied, “if this will be prolonged, like I said, this will extend for the next six to 12 months, then that’s on the table right now.” Gatchalian had earlier frowned on suspending excise tax on oil, agreeing with economists’ views that it is “anti-poor” as it will only help mostly car owners. The tack has been to just ramp up subsidies or “ayuda” to transport workers. However, he noted to CNN Philippines’s Pinky Webb on Tuesday that “the fuel subsidies only help

our public utility drivers. It only helps our fishermen, in terms of direct subsidies, but the middle class is also being squeezed out because the middle class, they have their vehicles, they also have businesses that require fuel. So the middle class is also being squeezed out. So that’s the essence of looking at suspending excise tax.” He expressed hope that at Tuesday’s hearing “we will get all the data together. I think the bottom line here is we have to expect for the worst in a prolonged scenario.” He confirmed that, “I’m looking to suspend excise tax, possibly VAT if necessary. But I think excise tax is easier to administer than VAT. But on a matter of principle I’m looking, I’m also open to looking at that if the situation gets prolonged.” Moreover, he also noted that “policymakers in Europe are seeing that the sanctions might stay until President Putin is there. So that’s a very long time.” So, he added, if sanctions remain in place, then global fuel prices will remain “elevated at around $100 per barrel, and that’s going to be very tough for a lot of our PUVs and our middle class.” The Philippines, he added, must “expect the worst, meaning, a prolonged scenario, and what will happen also when the sanctions hit. Because when the sanctions hit, obviously the other countries will probably source their fuel from where we source it,” likely easing out the Philippines and forcing it to get fuel from more expensive sources. He observed that the economic managers “were expecting a shortterm very quick aberration in the oil prices because everything will go back to normal, but it doesn’t seem that way. It seems to me that the Ukraine crisis will be prolonged. I don’t know when but definitely it will be prolonged for until the end of the year probably.”

PHILIPPINE Ports Authority General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, Asian Terminals Inc. President Eusebio Tanco, Coast Guard Commander Artemio Abu and Mario Vittorio Mariño, Fifth District Representative of Batangas, lead the unveiling of the project marker during the inauguration of the Batangas Port Integrated Passenger Terminal Building Project at Batangas Port in Santa Clara, Batangas City. ROY DOMINGO

New Batangas port terminal ‘most modern’

‘A

SHIP passenger terminal that is comparable with t he countr y’s moder n airports” is how Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) President Eusebio Tanco described the Batangas Port Integrated Passenger Terminal (BPIPT) during its official inauguration on Tuesday. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, the guest-of-honor at the unveiling, could not agree more with the fitting description of the 600-squaremeter facility touted to make the travel experience for ship passengers passing through the Batangas port highly convenient. Tugade lauded the ATI infrastructure initiative not only because it is aligned with the Duterte Administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program but it also jibed well with President Duterte’s mandate upon assuming the presidency in 2016. “The President’s

main marching order is to provide service and programs that will make the lives of Filipino people better and more convenient. While the government did not spend a single centavo for the construction of this facility, this is nonetheless a showcase of a very successful Private-Public Partnership (PPP).” ATI has spent P1.3 billion to build the fully-airconditioned, high-ceiling, and expansive facility that is equipped with modern equipment including a huge stateof-the-art LED display that shows in full the details of passenger ships leaving or arriving in Batangas Port within the next two to four hours, complementing the usual announcements on the terminal’s public address system. “The huge LED display situated right in the middle of the passenger terminal’s expansive boarding area for everyone to see shall address the

usual passenger oversights of either missing to board their ship on time or boarding the wrong ship,” says an ATI official. ATI said the newly-inaugurated 600-square-meter facility is only the first phase of the two-stage BPIPT project. Phase 2 involves the extension of the passenger terminal to cover 900 square meters more, allowing the terminal to accommodate more than twice as many passengers as it currently handles. “On behalf of the government and the people who are now using and enjoying the convenience of this facility, I thank Mr. Tanco and ATI for the BPIPT. My only other wish is that we all work together to maintain this facility clean and world-class at all times, the way it looks now so that more travelers would be able to experience the convenience and coziness it provides in the years to come,”

Tugade said. BPIPT is the third major infrastructure project of ATI over the last four years as the exclusive port operator of Batangas port. In 2018, it put up the multilevel car storage facility in Batangas port to triple the port’s capacity to handle CBUs (completely built units). In 2020, the company also made massive improvement for the port’s container terminal to enhance container handling capacity and efficiency. Apart from the DOTr Secretary and the ATI President, other key personalities who took part in the inauguration of the BPIPT were PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago, PMO-Batangas Port Manager Joselito Sinocruz, and representatives of Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, Batangas Congressman Mario Vittorio Mariño, and Batangas City Mayor Beverley Rose Dimacuha.

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Thursday, June 16, 2022

VREIT braves market volatility

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

hares of VistaREIT Inc. (VREIT), the real estate investment trust (REIT) of Villar-led Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc., were unchanged at P1.75 per share during its trading debut on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on Wednesday. VREIT braved the over-all market selloff due to negative sentiments. Its shares opened weak at P1.73 and went to as low as P1.59 apiece, before late-buying efforts hiked its offer price to P1.75 per share. “VREIT had a relatively warm reception during its listing and would have finished much higher if not weighed by market sentiment as a whole, with the PSEi already drifting towards oversold territory. Investors bought up the shares, as the company aims to ‘maintain high occupancy

PAL doubles free baggage allowance

rates and quality tenants with particular focus on those offering essential goods and/or services’,” Luis Limlingan, managing director at Regina Capital Development Corp. said in a research note. The benchmark PSE index plunged 155.11 points to close at 6,319.42 points. PSE President Ramon S. Monzon said VREIT may be the smallest REIT listing on the PSE so far in 22 months in terms of capital raised, but it offered the highest dividend yield of

lag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has doubled the free baggage allowance (FBA) on domestic flights that its turboprop operates. From 10 kilograms, PAL now allows up

an estimated 8.25 percent this year to 8.99 percent for 2023. “This is likely the reason why it now counts among its shareholders local small investors from 42 provinces, seven countries and two overseas territories. VREIT will be using the P4.8 billion of its IPO [initial public offering] proceeds to invest in 12 high-rise and medium-rise mixed-used condominium projects and five mixed-use developments,” Monzon said. VREIT is the first to list on the PSE with mostly shopping malls in its portfolio. It has 10 community malls and two Philippine Economic Zone Authority-registered office buildings with an aggregate gross leasable area of 256,403.95 square meters. These two buildings boast of a 98-percent and 91-percent occupancy rate for its Bonificio Global City location and Molino office building, respectively, with tenants in the business process outsourcing sector, Monzon said. Manuel Paolo A. Villar, VREIT president, said the company is sticking to its plan of offering elevated

to 20 kg of baggage allowance for flights that utilize the De Havilland Dash-8 turboprop aircraft. Among the destinations where the aircraft operates are: Butuan, Cotabato, Catarman, Calbayog, Duma-

mall and office experience to tenants and customers. “In a market now characterized by pandemic and requisite recovery efforts, we know we are in the best position to serve the market hungry for mall and office experiences and simply essentials,” Villar said during the opening ceremony. Monzon said he now considers REITs as a major platform to raise capital. He said when the first REIT was listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange in August 2020, he considered it then as an alternative asset class vis-à-vis common and preferred stocks, and corporate and government bonds. “However, the six REITs that have listed so far in the PSE in the last 22 months have generated solid enough returns that I no longer view REITS as an alternative class but as a core asset class,” Monzon said. “Believe it or not, the total capital raised by the seven REITs that listed in the PSE has exceeded P90 billion, proving that the REIT is a successful platform for capital raising.”

guete, Antique, Siargao, Legazpi, Caticlan (Boracay), Busuanga (Coron), Iloilo, Tagbilaran (Panglao), Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Davao, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban and Zamboanga. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Batelec II, Bac-Man power supply deal gets provisional nod By Lenie Lectura @llectura

he Energ y Reg u l ator y Commission (ERC) has granted provisional approval to the power supply agreement (PSA) between Batangas II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Batelec II) and Bac-Man Geothermal Inc. (BGI). “The Commission expects that the provisional approval of the PSA between Batelec II and BGI will result (in) a positive development in the energy supply chain in Batelec II’s franchise area. This will provide some relief to Batelec II’s customers as their power supply will be augmented, which will mean more stable electricity,” said ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera. In the ERC’s Notice of Resolution, the approved PSA rate shall be P4.3767 per kilowatt hour. The agency also directed the two firms that interest or penalty and any other charges incurred by Batelec II shall not be allowed to

be passed-on to its member-consumers, and that the final generation cost that can be recovered by BGI and the contract capacity by Batelec II shall be reviewed and evaluated. The ERC said the provisional approval is necessary in view of the fact that this will be used by Batelec II in its compliance with the requirements of the Renewable Portfolio Standards for ongrid areas. Also, this will serve as additional capacity to secure more stable, reliable and efficient source of power supply for a term of nine years, as well as at a reasonable rate. “The Commission, however, reminds Batelec II and BGI that in the event that the final rate is determined to be lower than the provisional authority granted, the amount corresponding to the reduction shall be refunded by BGI to Batelec II, which shall thereafter be refunded to its memberconsumers by crediting the same in their electric bills over a period to be determined by ERC.”

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Figaro to open more stores in Luzon, Visayas this year

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

igaro Coffee Group Inc., an operator of coffee shops and a pizza chain in the country, said it will open some 30 branches this year as it expands its stable of brands to highdemand areas in the country. The company, the operator of Figaro Coffee and Angel’s Pizza, will end the year with some 150 branches from the current 120 stores across its brands. The company said it is already building the 30 additional outlets. “The gradual reopening of the economy gave us the confidence to aggressively expand our presence in more areas in the country. We at Figaro want to be able to cater to new markets that have high demand for quality food products at affordable

prices,” Figaro Chairman Justin Liu said. The company said it is now building the 30 outlets, with leases signed and sites secured, in Bulacan, Cavite, Cebu and Laguna, along with more areas in the National Capital Region. “There is a lot of demand in Metro Manila, but we also see a huge potential and a growing areas outside the city center. The Philippines is a market that is primed up for growth and we are excited to bring value to

wider audience in our nation,” Figaro’s COO Mike Barret said. Along with its expansion, the company said it is also building more commissaries across the country to support the stores. Set for completion this third quarter is the Cebu commissary as well as expansion of its main Metro Manila hub. Potential sites for more are also in the pipeline, the company said. Since its stock market debut early this year, the company said it has introduced new stores, produc t s, a nd pa r t nersh ips, aiming to make its top-of-theline food products more accessible in terms of location, variety and affordability. Aside from expanding its footprint in the country, Figaro said is looking to further grow its products, lining up partnerships with retail giants for 2022. An upcoming collaboration with WalterMart is set to highlight two of its brands, Figaro Coffee and Tien Ma’s Taiwanese Cuisine, through a

dual concept store, where customers can have coffee and a cafe ambiance with Taiwanese meals. Angel’s Pizza Express is also set to open more kiosks across Metro Manila. Branches are set to open soon in major shopping malls like Ayala Malls By the Bay and Glorietta Food Court, with existing ones in Fisher Mall QC, Malabon Citisquare and Robinson’s Antipolo, the company said. Figaro Coffee shops, meanwhile, have also started catering to the new generation’s penchant for healthier snacks, providing keto-friendly products on its menu. “People want something new, people want something fun, something affordable,” Liu said. “Our main goal really is basically to delight our customers. We do that by ensuring that we deliver high quality products with good customer service. We understand that by continuing this strategy we will maintain long-term viability,” he said.

San Miguel vows to invest in more projects

onglomerate S a n Miguel Corp. said it would focus its investments in

the Philippines in the next six years as part of its continuing commitment to lead in nation-

building and create economic opportunities for Filipinos. San Miguel President Ramon S. Ang said with the easing of quarantine restrictions and the roll out of a more efficient way to deal with the Covid problem, “I think the company will definitely grow much, much stronger than last year.” “There are many projects in various stages of development throughout the San Miguel Group. What is common to all these projects is our stronger push for nation-building, and towards greater sustainability,” Ang said. Among the projects that San Miguel is undertaking are the Bulacan airport, touted to be the country’s largest and most modern international gateway, and the Mass Rail Transit 7 project that will

connect Metro Manila and Quezon City to Bulacan. It is also undertaking the South Luzon Expressway TR4 project, which will extend the South Luzon Expressway from Sto, Tomas, Batangas to Lucena, Quezon province, and the upcoming SLEX TR5 project from Lucena all the way to Matnog, Sorsogon in the Bicol Region. It is building 31 new Battery Energy Storage System facilities nationwide to ensure stable and reliable electrification to more provinces nationwide. This is seen to complement its planned additional investments in renewable energy. The conglomerate is also investing in new baseload capacities utilizing natural gas to ensure the growing power needs of the economy is met over the long term. VG Cabuag

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

June 15, 2022

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

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

305,900 240,550,657 225,872 157,070,422.50 1,258,105 744,665 236,220,061.50 752,338 14,795 121,778 74,152,461 4,420,425 8,086,960 10,450 2,140 8,700 10,030 14,300 33,830 770

183,540 -85,750,502 -47,500 -53,218,369 801,665 -214,421 -95,251,754 113,850 7,621,818 -42,936.50 47,500 7,960 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 7.35 7.38 7.5 7.56 7.17 7.35 11,151,200 81,756,016 ALSONS CONS 0.96 1 1.02 1.02 0.96 1 122,000 118,610 ABOITIZ POWER 29.95 30 29.8 30.2 29.3 30 2,006,700 60,137,735 RASLAG 1.73 1.75 1.72 1.76 1.68 1.75 13,388,000 23,056,800 BASIC ENERGY 0.375 0.385 0.39 0.39 0.375 0.38 6,430,000 2,448,300 FIRST GEN 17.38 17.5 17.8 17.8 17.1 17.38 817,400 14,198,338 FIRST PHIL HLDG 66 67 66 67 65 66 4,780 315,088 357.8 360 360.2 360.2 357 360 72,350 25,993,440 MERALCO 17.38 17.5 17.66 17.66 17.14 17.38 202,300 3,496,758 MANILA WATER 3.21 3.25 3.21 3.27 3.21 3.21 1,022,000 3,304,960 PETRON 4.68 4.98 5.07 5.08 4.68 4.68 4,400 21,949 PETROENERGY PHX PETROLEUM 9.39 9.84 9.16 9.85 9.16 9.85 21,400 210,363 SYNERGY GRID 11.96 11.98 12.08 12.2 11.94 11.98 1,945,100 23,375,084 PILIPINAS SHELL 18.4 18.6 18.98 18.98 18.4 18.4 22,900 424,112 SPC POWER 8.6 8.65 9.1 9.1 8.5 8.6 914,600 7,980,486 SOLAR PH 1.57 1.58 1.55 1.59 1.53 1.57 28,216,000 44,133,510 AGRINURTURE 4.6 4.7 4.61 4.79 4.6 4.71 532,000 2,502,130 AXELUM 2.25 2.3 2.25 2.3 2.22 2.3 95,000 215,590 CENTURY FOOD 21.7 21.85 21.85 21.9 21.6 21.7 592,900 12,858,475 13.2 13.3 13.3 13.3 13.08 13.3 6,900 91,308 DEL MONTE DNL INDUS 6.8 6.82 6.84 6.85 6.77 6.8 4,916,900 33,471,884 17.08 17.48 17.4 17.52 16.9 17.48 498,700 8,665,432 EMPERADOR 57.35 58 57.3 58 57.1 58 71,120 4,112,226.50 SMC FOODANDBEV 0.52 0.54 0.52 0.55 0.52 0.52 4,245,000 2,264,250 FIGARO COFFEE 0.56 0.59 0.56 0.59 0.56 0.56 159,000 89,070 ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG 1.1 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.1 1.13 7,962,000 8,911,510 GINEBRA 108 109 108 109 108 109 17,970 1,940,780 JOLLIBEE 199.1 199.5 199.8 200 196.8 199.5 372,010 73,997,815 KEEPERS HLDG 1.16 1.18 1.18 1.2 1.16 1.16 2,041,000 2,395,270 MAXS GROUP 5.11 5.2 5.27 5.3 5.2 5.2 145,000 758,110 MG HLDG 0.117 0.119 0.12 0.12 0.119 0.119 1,570,000 187,080 13.92 14.1 14.12 14.24 13.84 14.1 7,831,800 109,752,900 MONDE NISSIN 6.8 6.88 6.75 6.8 6.7 6.8 153,000 1,040,070 SHAKEYS PIZZA 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.52 0.54 359,000 191,590 ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP 3.97 4 3.99 4 3.99 4 560,000 2,239,990 99.9 100 100.8 100.8 99.75 100 1,546,940 154,678,533.50 UNIV ROBINA 0.6 0.63 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 456,000 273,600 VITARICH CEMEX HLDG 0.69 0.7 0.69 0.71 0.69 0.69 780,000 542,130 EAGLE CEMENT 12.14 12.38 12.52 12.52 12.52 12.52 100 1,252 EEI CORP 3.26 3.33 3.45 3.45 3.22 3.33 213,000 693,930 HOLCIM 5.2 5.32 5.35 5.5 5.17 5.32 74,300 390,964 MEGAWIDE 3.81 3.86 4.1 4.11 3.8 3.81 1,212,000 4,735,610 PHINMA 19.02 19.74 19.74 19.74 19.72 19.74 5,700 112,418 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.84 0.85 2,469,000 2,096,460 VULCAN INDL CHEMPHIL 130.2 151.7 130.2 130.2 130.2 130.2 500 65,100 EUROMED 1 1.06 1.01 1.01 1 1 211,000 211,290 MABUHAY VINYL 5.03 5.29 5.05 5.05 5.04 5.04 200 1,009 CONCEPCION 18.02 19.46 19.48 19.48 19.46 19.46 800 15,574 GREENERGY 1.62 1.63 1.62 1.69 1.56 1.63 10,901,000 17,930,110 INTEGRATED MICR 6.67 6.68 6.73 6.73 6.67 6.7 162,900 1,093,178 IONICS 0.56 0.59 0.58 0.58 0.58 0.58 100,000 58,000 PANASONIC 5.85 6.06 5.85 6.17 5.85 6.08 10,200 60,902 SFA SEMICON 1.02 1.09 1 1.09 1 1.09 78,000 82,120 CIRTEK HLDG 2.81 2.82 2.72 2.81 2.69 2.81 2,170,000 5,897,800

29,703,846 -47,010 -38,847,570 59,610 22,900 -4,382,708 -167,908 -583,416 -772,966.00 -622,160 -3,375,684 7,384 47,130 1,261,420 -324,320 -34,300 1,118,085 -20,055,365 -2,607,508 -1,960,708.50 52,000 -20,411,647 972,870 -588,971 11,900 -33,204,098 -782,725 -1,620,000 -50,555,878.50 79,300.00 -10,600 -1,073,790.00 1,580,530 261,280 -233,000

HOLDING & FRIMS

ABACORE CAPITAL AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

43.7 123.8 9.4 92.95 26.6 7.13 49.6 18.32 56.5 19.82 89.7 80.15 2.56 3.48 2.14 0.28 880 0.62 194 0.72

1.28 641.5 49.1 9.82 8.77 0.83 0.45 4.4 8.52 7 482.8 50.6 0.55 2.98 8.18 0.305 3.68 2.63 0.84 810 102.5 0.26 0.17

43.8 124.4 9.45 93.45 26.75 7.14 50 18.34 56.9 19.98 90 80.2 2.6 3.53 2.49 0.31 1,004 0.65 199 0.77

1.29 642 51.1 9.83 8.89 0.86 0.46 4.45 8.54 7.08 500 51 0.56 3.05 8.3 0.355 3.69 2.65 0.85 830 103 0.3 0.175

43.7 123.8 9.5 92 26.5 7.16 50 18.6 57 19.98 91 80.4 2.5 3.49 2.14 0.29 1,003 0.65 199 0.77

1.25 639 48.75 10 8.9 0.86 0.445 4.45 8.32 7 489 51.05 0.55 2.98 8.21 0.315 3.62 2.45 0.84 807 104.5 0.26 0.175

43.7 126 9.5 93.45 26.75 7.16 50.4 18.6 57 19.98 91 81.85 2.6 3.49 2.14 0.29 1,003 0.65 199 0.77

1.32 646.5 51.1 10 8.9 0.86 0.46 4.45 8.63 7 500 52.6 0.59 2.98 8.3 0.315 3.7 2.67 0.84 830 104.5 0.26 0.175

43.7 123.6 9.4 90.5 26.5 7.13 49.5 18.3 56.9 19.82 88 80.05 2.35 3.48 2.14 0.29 1,003 0.65 199 0.77

1.23 633 48.5 9.75 8.89 0.86 0.44 4.31 8.32 7 480 50.45 0.55 2.98 8.16 0.305 3.6 2.38 0.84 796 102.1 0.26 0.175

43.7 124.4 9.45 93.45 26.6 7.14 49.6 18.32 56.9 19.98 90 80.15 2.6 3.48 2.14 0.29 1,003 0.65 199 0.77

1.28 642 51.1 9.82 8.89 0.86 0.45 4.4 8.52 7 500 51 0.56 2.98 8.3 0.305 3.69 2.63 0.84 830 103 0.26 0.175

7,000 1,936,200 23,800 1,697,840 47,300 104,200 4,740,670 41,000 260 6,100 826,870 55,080 3,201,000 3,000 1,000 30,000 10 22,000 170 1,000

5,986,000 192,720 1,253,900 1,481,800 1,500 142,000 1,750,000 355,000 8,188,400 53,800 96,580 905,820 76,000 100,000 5,047,500 100,000 13,045,000 2,467,000 8,000 397,790 170,000 50,000 100,000

7,590,670 123,664,370 62,919,265 14,545,463 13,349 122,120 780,400 1,558,840 69,281,395 376,600 47,366,160 46,017,973.50 43,190 298,000 41,696,665 31,100 47,742,410 6,368,630 6,720 321,346,655 17,534,477 13,000 17,500

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.54 0.55 0.56 0.56 0.54 0.54 13,000 7,040 AYALA LAND 29.35 29.4 29.3 29.65 29.05 29.35 26,460,800 777,372,290 AYALA LAND LOG 3.65 3.69 3.89 3.89 3.6 3.69 954,000 3,574,060 ARANETA PROP 1.89 1.9 1.72 1.9 1.65 1.89 4,369,000 8,026,460 AREIT RT 38.25 38.3 39 39 38.15 38.3 581,400 22,428,240 A BROWN 0.75 0.77 0.78 0.78 0.77 0.77 11,000 8,570 CITYLAND DEVT 0.69 0.7 0.69 0.69 0.69 0.69 11,000 7,590 0.083 0.087 0.088 0.088 0.083 0.087 1,070,000 89,900 CROWN EQUITIES CEB LANDMASTERS 2.62 2.64 2.69 2.69 2.61 2.61 473,000 1,245,790 0.39 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 300,000 120,000 CENTURY PROP 2.42 2.43 2.42 2.45 2.4 2.42 12,246,000 29,525,820 CITICORE RT 7.71 7.73 7.78 7.78 7.7 7.71 293,800 2,265,424 DOUBLEDRAGON 1.5 1.51 1.49 1.51 1.47 1.49 1,734,000 2,592,540 DDMP RT DM WENCESLAO 6.78 6.82 6.75 6.82 6.75 6.82 14,100 95,565 EMPIRE EAST 0.205 0.209 0.205 0.205 0.205 0.205 90,000 18,450 EVER GOTESCO 0.28 0.285 0.275 0.295 0.275 0.285 22,320,000 6,384,650 FILINVEST RT 7.15 7.16 7.13 7.15 7.08 7.15 600,800 4,275,493 FILINVEST LAND 0.88 0.89 0.9 0.91 0.89 0.89 11,449,000 10,238,180 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.84 0.87 0.84 0.89 0.84 0.89 155,000 130,250 10.4 10.5 10.5 10.58 10.5 10.5 26,200 275,680 8990 HLDG 1.06 1.08 1.03 1.09 1.03 1.08 1,316,000 1,418,090 PHIL INFRADEV 0.78 0.79 0.78 0.79 0.75 0.79 182,000 138,900 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 2.48 2.49 2.51 2.58 2.45 2.48 16,951,000 42,168,760 0.204 0.207 0.206 0.207 0.203 0.207 4,450,000 908,250 MRC ALLIED MREIT RT 16.06 16.08 16.1 16.14 16.02 16.06 902,800 14,529,584 PHIL ESTATES 0.385 0.4 0.385 0.39 0.38 0.39 1,160,000 446,450 PRIMEX CORP 2.06 2.07 1.94 2.06 1.94 2.06 2,485,000 4,917,280 RL COMM RT 6.64 6.7 6.74 6.74 6.6 6.64 2,852,900 18,914,230 ROBINSONS LAND 17.6 17.8 17.8 18.38 17.54 17.8 849,300 15,056,176 PHIL REALTY 0.214 0.24 0.215 0.215 0.214 0.214 230,000 49,320 ROCKWELL 1.24 1.36 1.22 1.25 1.22 1.25 27,000 33,720 2.86 3.08 3.1 3.12 3.1 3.12 2,000 6,220 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 37 37.2 36.6 37.5 36.6 37.2 16,416,900 610,465,015 0.55 0.61 0.55 0.61 0.55 0.61 104,000 57,320 SOC RESOURCES VISTA LAND 2 2.01 2.12 2.14 2 2.01 4,588,000 9,312,910 SERVICES ABS CBN 8.82 8.83 9.36 9.36 8.82 8.83 105,600 935,093 GMA NETWORK 11.62 11.64 11.54 11.62 11.46 11.62 588,900 6,798,990 MANILA BULLETIN 0.345 0.37 0.345 0.38 0.345 0.38 30,000 11,050 MLA BRDCASTING 7.77 8.3 7.77 8.5 7.77 8.3 900 7,457 GLOBE TELECOM 2,298 2,310 2,290 2,314 2,264 2,298 59,895 137,160,140 PLDT 1,834 1,850 1,785 1,852 1,761 1,850 78,350 142,605,390 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.042 0.043 0.043 0.044 0.042 0.042 209,700,000 8,883,600 22.15 22.3 22.5 23 22 22.15 9,213,000 206,915,565 CONVERGE 3.2 3.34 3.13 3.39 3.13 3.34 248,000 815,790 DFNN INC 3.76 3.77 3.85 3.85 3.71 3.76 7,449,000 28,177,680 DITO CME HLDG 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.3 1.24 1.24 1,396,000 1,742,630 NOW CORP 0.275 0.28 0.28 0.285 0.27 0.275 9,470,000 2,618,600 TRANSPACIFIC BR 7 7.1 7.25 7.25 7 7.2 1,200 8,635 2GO GROUP CHELSEA 1.3 1.35 1.26 1.35 1.26 1.35 262,000 346,570 CEBU AIR 42.55 42.6 43 43 42.5 42.55 138,500 5,901,430 INTL CONTAINER 195 195.3 196 196.2 192.2 195 3,084,170 600,897,311 MACROASIA 4.37 4.5 4.6 4.65 4.37 4.37 641,000 2,870,900 PAL HLDG 5.99 6 5.99 6.07 5.99 6 51,500 308,694 HARBOR STAR 0.92 0.95 0.95 0.95 0.94 0.95 30,000 28,480 0.093 0.094 0.092 0.095 0.09 0.093 127,690,000 11,804,820 BOULEVARD HLDG 1.66 1.74 1.66 1.66 1.66 1.66 11,000 18,260 DISCOVERY WORLD IPEOPLE 6.55 7.96 7.25 7.25 7.25 7.25 10,000 72,500 STI HLDG 0.335 0.34 0.345 0.345 0.335 0.34 1,760,000 594,500 1.23 1.24 1.24 1.24 1.23 1.23 378,000 465,350 BELLE CORP 6.05 6.06 6.27 6.27 5.88 6.05 7,969,200 48,020,527 BLOOMBERRY PACIFIC ONLINE 1.35 1.38 1.38 1.38 1.38 1.38 2,000 2,760 LEISURE AND RES 1.35 1.39 1.32 1.39 1.32 1.39 9,538,000 12,920,780 PH RESORTS GRP 0.94 0.95 1.01 1.01 0.91 0.94 8,018,000 7,689,730 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.4 0.405 0.405 0.405 0.4 0.4 1,870,000 750,200 PHILWEB 4.61 4.62 4.07 4.62 4.01 4.61 13,674,000 59,486,420 ALLDAY 0.335 0.34 0.33 0.34 0.32 0.335 19,170,000 6,269,750 4.74 4.75 5.11 5.11 4.7 4.75 694,000 3,323,491 ALLHOME 1.44 1.45 1.4 1.45 1.35 1.44 878,000 1,256,790 METRO RETAIL 31.1 31.2 31.1 31.15 30.5 31.1 1,099,500 34,028,820 PUREGOLD 49.5 49.6 49 49.95 48.5 49.5 320,200 15,829,175 ROBINSONS RTL 51.5 53 51 53 51 53 540 28,220 PHIL SEVEN CORP 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.27 1.22 1.24 4,316,000 5,350,070 SSI GROUP WILCON DEPOT 26 26.05 26.2 26.5 25.95 26.05 1,801,200 47,116,770 APC GROUP 0.21 0.211 0.211 0.211 0.21 0.21 1,160,000 244,020 EASYCALL 3.88 4.69 4.05 4.05 4.05 4.05 4,000 16,200 IPM HLDG 5.5 7 6.7 7 6 7 32,100 198,100 MEDILINES 0.65 0.66 0.67 0.67 0.65 0.66 767,000 503,590 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.465 0.47 0.455 0.48 0.455 0.47 6,440,000 2,993,300

MINING & OIL ATOK 6.82 7 7.02 7.24 6.81 6.82 224,700 1,584,019 APEX MINING 1.54 1.55 1.54 1.55 1.54 1.55 1,061,000 1,640,120 ATLAS MINING 5.79 5.82 5.79 5.86 5.79 5.82 207,000 1,201,588 BENGUET A 6.79 6.8 6.85 6.85 6.75 6.79 116,300 785,486 BENGUET B 6.8 6.95 6.76 6.95 6.5 6.8 62,600 422,315 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.218 0.234 0.217 0.217 0.217 0.217 10,000 2,170 2.65 2.74 2.6 2.74 2.6 2.74 30,000 80,310 CENTURY PEAK 2.43 2.45 2.41 2.45 2.39 2.43 1,963,000 4,731,640 FERRONICKEL 0.177 0.18 0.175 0.179 0.174 0.176 270,000 47,580 GEOGRACE LEPANTO A 0.138 0.14 0.139 0.139 0.137 0.138 2,880,000 399,310 LEPANTO B 0.135 0.139 0.136 0.136 0.136 0.136 100,000 13,600 1.61 1.63 1.51 1.65 1.43 1.61 5,227,000 8,009,450 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 0.98 1.01 1.07 1.08 1.01 1.01 467,000 489,540 NICKEL ASIA 6.7 6.71 6.5 6.77 6.5 6.7 5,487,600 36,357,837 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.7 0.71 0.73 0.73 0.67 0.71 2,773,000 1,941,490 PX MINING 4.28 4.36 4.34 4.34 4.24 4.28 213,000 913,070 SEMIRARA MINING 34.5 34.55 33 34.5 33 34.5 3,030,000 102,894,775 UNITED PARAGON 0.006 0.0065 0.0063 0.0063 0.0063 0.0063 1,000,000 6,300 9 9.13 9.25 9.3 9 9 421,700 3,836,316 ACE ENEXOR 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 15,300,000 168,300 ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.011 0.011 7,300,000 83,700 PHILODRILL 0.0089 0.0091 0.0089 0.009 0.0089 0.009 3,000,000 26,800 PXP ENERGY 4.54 4.6 4.55 4.6 4.5 4.6 183,000 825,530 PREFFERED AC PREF B1 501 502 502 502 501.5 501.5 5,250 2,633,000 AC PREF B2R 500 502 502 502 502 502 1,000 502,000 CEB PREF 42 42.5 43 43 41.5 42.4 18,400 774,310 DD PREF 98.55 98.95 99 99 98.75 98.75 600 59,375 EEI PREF A 101 101 101 101 101 2,300 232,300 EEI PREF B 105 106.5 107 107 105 106.5 13,120 1,387,935 GTCAP PREF B 1,022 1,030 1,022 1,022 1,022 1,022 100 102,200 968 989 989 989 989 989 500 494,500 JFC PREF B 97.5 99.6 99.8 99.8 99.8 99.8 500 49,900 MWIDE PREF 4 PNX PREF 3B 90.9 101 100.3 101 100.3 101 780 78,248 PNX PREF 4 978 980 975 978 975 978 2,250 2,193,780 SMC PREF 2F 76.5 76.95 76.95 77 76.95 77 15,010 1,155,568.50 SMC PREF 2H 75.4 76 76.05 76.05 76.05 76.05 900 68,445 SMC PREF 2J 74.25 75.8 75.6 75.95 75.6 75.85 21,100 1,601,965 SMC PREF 2K 74.3 74.35 74.35 74.35 74.3 74.3 12,500 929,350 TECH PREF B2D 54.85 57 54.8 54.8 54.8 54.8 7,900 432,920 PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS GMA HLDG PDR 11.2 11.5 11.2 11.2 11.2 11.2 24,000 268,800 WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 0.5 0.52 0.51 0.52 0.5 0.52 770,000 385,250

536,430 -49,887,570 -13,004,600 -6,054,816 -799,180 -3,321,069 -6,969,806 -19,269,176 -22,259,790 -7,891,270 5,985,230 -4,718,117 -416,078,680 -114,020 8,650 947,530 592,940 -20,000 -5,260 -59,292 -1,460 958,000 30,305 -9,182,590 -126,000 31,500 -252,100 434,490 -1,855,228 15,200 2,156,668 -4,856,156 33,682,275 -2,636,620 -60,780,060 22,450,885 42,000 -74,001,460 23,520 1,007,920 6,090 302,750 -166,600 -361,900 -245,919,296 183,294 53,200 6,900.00 -38,440 -6,699,574 -4,179,050 586,670.00 729,200 -1,605,694 -72,000 -15,747,435 730,995 -15,330 2,728,000 4,589,580 29,400 -65,050 -741,560 -32,862 35,356 80,310 633,320 -13,600 86,730 202,800 -2,999,939 4,260 184,700 9,261,455 -689,893 -

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

CTS GLOBAL HAUS TALK ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH MERRYMART XURPAS

0.84 0.98 0.78 2.58 1.38 0.31

0.86 0.99 0.8 3.1 1.39 0.325

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

99.3

103

0.87 0.98 0.8 2.6 1.45 0.335

0.88 0.99 0.81 2.6 1.45 0.335

0.84 0.98 0.75 2.6 1.37 0.31

0.86 0.99 0.8 2.6 1.38 0.31

7,094,000 185,000 445,000 5,000 3,165,000 1,400,000

6,058,390 181,370 345,920 13,000 4,402,680 440,350

502,000 99,990 53,500 494,500 134,400 108,530 58,480 30,500 131,550 -

99.5 99.7 99 99.3 20,670 2,053,260.50 268,887

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

BSP: Cash in piggy banks create artificial shortage By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

ONEY saved in piggy banks and under mattresses cost the government more by creating an artificial shortage, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said storing banknotes and coins in containers, such as jars, barrels, plastic bottles and cabinets hamper the efficient circulation of currency, causing an artificial shortage. An artificial shortage would prompt the central bank to increase the amount of banknotes and coins in circulation, resulting in additional production costs. “The BSP could mint fewer coins if they are efficiently circulating. The reduced production costs would allow the central bank to remit more dividends to the national government, which would help fund pandemic-response measures and social services,” Diokno said. The central bank governor said it is still better for Filipinos to save money for a rainy day through for-

mal accounts where they are safeguarded and insured. The BSP therefore urges the public to deposit their savings in formal accounts with regulated institutions such as banks, e-money issuers, microfinance institutions, cooperatives and non-stock savings and loan associations. Hard-earned savings placed in these formal accounts are safeguarded through regulations imposed by the BSP and other relevant agencies. In the case of bank deposits, these are insured by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and would earn interest over time. “Account ownership serves as a gateway to financial inclusion. It enables people to participate in the benefits and opportunities of the formal financial system, empowering them to build a better financial future,” Diokno said. The BSP regularly conducts information campaigns on coin recirculation and proper handling of Philippine currency, as well as on financial literacy and inclusion.

Manulife bares moves to grow CSR programs By Bernadette D. Nicolas @BNicolasBM

HE Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. Philippines Inc. (Manulife Philippines) announced plans to further grow its corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects. For one, executives of the insurer and partner organizations said they aim to expand this year a financial literacy program to include female heads of households and more public school students nationwide. Through its continued partnership with the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation (CSAMF), executives of the life insurer said they aim to triple the number of graduates under the program to 1,200 public school students. They are also set to create financial literacy modules for homemakers. CSAMF Executive Director Margarita Romero-Atayde said in a forum that “by instilling the right financial mindset and attitude,” the program teaches “learners and their families to work together to achieve their financial goals.” Atayde added that the program’s “collaborative approach to financial education has inspired us to extend the program to female heads of households so we can level the playing field and make financial solutions more accessible to all Filipinos.” She said they aim “to help women become more financially independent and empowered decision-makers throughout their lives.” Atayde noted they have been working w ith Manulife since 2020 in promoting financial literacy among students, teachers and principals and in supporting distance learning. More than 400 students have graduated from the program, called “Peso Smart,” since its inception.

New partners

LAST Wednesday, Manulife announced it added two non-government organizations (NGOs) for the program’s sub-components. One is the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation Inc. The other is Haribon Foundation Inc. partnered with Gawad Kalinga to support 300 families by training them in organic agriculture and guiding them in maintaining family plots under the group’s “family food sufficiency” program. In addition, Manulife said it will fund the building of five schools “to drive the importance of financial well-being” by providing classrooms in Gawad Kalinga villages so they can support remote learning for children. Manulife is also sponsoring the planting of 15,000 seedlings covering about 12 hectares of land in Haribon’s conservation areas in the provinces of Laguna, Quezon and Rizal. “We are very excited about these initiatives, which allow us to bring to the Philippines Manulife’s commitment to creating long-term value for our communities and championing sustainability,” Manulife Philippines Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Henson said. “We have partnered with three NGOs that are aligned with our values and have the knowledge, expertise, experience and track record to effect positive change. By collaborating with these organizations, we are confident that we can maximize engagement with our sustainability programs and make an impact on the communities that we serve,” Henson added. Last year, Manulife ranked fourth among life insurance companies in terms of net income and net worth with P3.48 billion and P13.39 billion, respectively, based on unaudited quarterly reports submitted to the Insurance Commission.

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, June 16, 2022

State lender open to review pay-scale mode union nixed

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

he Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) is open to revising its Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS), which is currently being rejected by its labor union.

In a statement, Landbank said it is now studying the issues raised by the Land Bank of the Philippines Employees Association (LBPEA) on the implementation of the CPCS to ensure it will be able to “attract and retain talents” without negatively affecting its financial sustainability. “Items raised by its employees to be elevated to the bank’s management and the Board, and eventually to the Governance Commission for GOCCs [government-owned and -controlled corporations] for reconsideration,” LandBank said. The largest government bank reiterated it values the contribution of its employees and its willingness to provide them a competitive compensation and remuneration system.

Greener pasture

THE LBPEA rejected the proposed CPCS by the LBP management, which it claimed will widen the disparity in the pay of management and rankand-file and cause massive wage distortion. It warned the implementation of the current version of the CPCS this week will ultimately lead to the exodus of LandBank employees. LBPEA President Nanette J. Lati said since 2019 they observed an increase in the number of LandBank workers who resigned after management suspended giving out some of their benefits that year. These benefits include free rice, health maintenance organization, children’s allowance and longevity pay.

This June 3, 2022 photo, shows the front of the newly-inaugurated branch of the Land Bank of the Philippines Inc. in Real, Quezon. The state-run lender announced last June 15 that its management is talking with union officials to address issues in the new pay-scale structure it calls Compensation and Position Classification System. CREDIT: Land Bank of the Philippines Inc.

Lati said that was also the year when management implemented an interim pay scale based on the Salary Standardization Law, pending the completion of the CPCS. Lati told the BusinessMirror there was no “mass resignation.” “But due to demoralization, some people from the ranks are really taking the chance to go out and find

greener pastures,” she added. LandBank also assured its clients that currently there is no mass resignation from its workforce. “The current turn-over rate at 2.52 percent, according to the bank’s Human Resource Management Group, is below 2021 banking industry average of 7.0 percent,” Landbank said.

Group asks BSP to probe, suspend crypto exchange

nfrawatch PH, a policy thinktank organized by a former legislator, has filed a formal complaint against Binance at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and petitioned to suspend the virtual asset services provider (VASP). In a letter addressed to BSP Governor Benjamin E. Diokno on Wednesday, Infrawatch PH Convenor Terry L. Ridon petitioned that the BSP conduct motu propio proceedings on the operations of Binance Holdings Ltd. in the country. After notice and hearing, Infrawatch PH said, should Binance be found to be an unregistered VASP, the BSP should suspend the operations of the company and its affiliates as well as reject future applications of the company to register with the BSP. “Binance’s operations without a license give it an unfair competi-

tive advantage. To date, there are 19 entities that have been given the VASP license and are consequently bound by strict compliance rules, while Binance continues to flout the regulatory requirements of the Philippine government,” Ridon said in the letter. Infrawatch PH said there are 3.4 million Filipino Binance users. Citing Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, Ridon said, these users “cannot get legal protection from the BSP.” Ridon said, in his letter to Diokno, that Binance does not have a Certificate Authority from the BSP and registration from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Apart from this, Ridon said Binance is either under investigation or banned in 13 countries including the United States, Japan, the

United Kingdom, Canada and other Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore. Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reported last June 7 that “US regulators are investigating whether Binance Holdings Ltd. broke securities rules by selling digital tokens just as the crypto exchange was getting off the ground five years ago.” “Binance, which runs the world’s biggest exchange and says it’s not domiciled in any one country but has affiliates scattered across the globe, has emerged as a focal point for American investigators seeking to rein in the crypto industry,” the report added. Bloomberg News has previously reported it faces investigations from the Justice Department, the Com-

modity Futures Trading Commission and the Internal Revenue Service. “Filipinos are exposed to several other financial risks every day, especially with the growing number of VASP users and cryptocurrency traders in the country. Binance exploits the Philippine market without accountability,” Ridon said in the letter. In a statement, Ridon said the emerging public concern for the regulation of the cryptocurrency sector stems from the current crash in the cryptocurrency market. Infrawatch said Bitcoin trading reached as low as $20,889, a level unseen since December 2020. This was also more than 60-percent lower than its level in November 2021. Meanwhile, Infrawatch PH said Ethereum fell to around $1,099, which is also its lowest price since December 2020. Cai U. Ordinario

Urgently pass measures vs oil price hikes–solon By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

teacher - solon o n Wednesday urged the incoming 19th Congress to urgently pass legislative measures to ease the burden of successive big-time oil price hikes on the Filipino people. Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France L. Castro said the Makabayan bloc will file five bills to mitigate the effects of the oil crisis. “The consecutive big-time oil price hikes have taken a huge toll on our people. Prices of basic services and commodities like food have

started to increase as well because of the high cost of fuel,” Castro said. “In the incoming 19th Congress, we, along with the other Makabayan progressive party-lists, will prioritize filing bills to mitigate effects of the oil crisis.” Castro said among the measures to be filed are bills repealing the value-added tax (VAT) and excise taxes imposed on fuel and for the unbundling of oil prices to show transparency in oil and petroleum products. Likewise, Castro said they will file a bill repealing the Oil Deregulation Law and enactment of a new policy framework to ensure that oil prices are within reasonable costs and regulated.

She said the bloc will also re-file the measure buying-back of Petron Corp. to provide the public with a state-owned alternative to acquire oil and petroleum products. Another bill seeks the establishment of a National Petroleum Exchange Corp. to serve as the central import and distribution hub of oil and petroleum products. “The repeal of VAT and excise taxes imposed on fuel can already provide an average of P27 per liter. Unbundling the oil prices will give the people transparency and show the people where every peso spent per litter goes,” Castro added. “Now, more than ever, the government must act with utmost ur-

gency in the skyrocketing prices of oil. This matter needs an urgent response from the government or else the prices of basic goods will only continue to hike and more Filipinos will suffer from hunger,” Castro said. She further explained that inflation rates are increasing and that the “value of the salaries of the Filipino ordinary worker continues to diminish.” “Some benefits of those with regular jobs are even threatened,” Castro added. She said the government can still choose to prioritize people’s welfare by prioritizing the enactment of these bills to be filed in the incoming 19th Congress.

Govt raises ₧20.83M after selling seized luxury cars; no bidders still for other 2

HE government raised P20.83 million from its sale last Wednesday of two seized luxury cars. The two sold cars—2008 Ferrari Scuderia 430 and 2006 Lamborghini —were the most expensive among the four luxury vehicles that were up for auction. After several failed biddings, the used 2008 Ferrari Scuderia 430 was finally sold at P10.452 million to Etans Group Of Companies Hold-

ings & Trading Inc., which posted the highest bid. Meanwhile, the 2006 Lamborghini was awarded to FR Agbay Jr Enterprise after it posted the highest bid at P10.378 million. This was only the second time that the Lamborghini was put up on the auction block. There were no bidders for the remaining two used luxury cars: the Porsche Boxster (2001) and the Mercedes E220 (2011). This prompted the Inter-Agency Auction Committee

to once again declare failed biddings for these lots. These vehicles were reoffered at floor prices of P809,082.97 and P783,049.46, respectively. Bureau of Customs (BOC) Deputy Commissioner Edward James A. Dy Buco said these unsold vehicles may be re-offered in the next auction at lower floor prices. “We have two vehicles that we sold today so I believe we can offer [them] for another sale with a 10-percent reduction in the price. Maybe we can

try it one more time,” Dy Buco said. Responding to Dy Buco, InterAgency Auction Committee Vice Chairman and Deputy Treasurer Erwin Sta. Ana said they will wait for the BOC’s recommendation regarding their next step for the two unsold cars. “Today, we are successful in selling two luxury cars. Please await the announcement to be made by the Bureau of Customs on the succeeding auction,” Sta. Ana said.

In a bid to raise funds for the government’s pandemic response, it was announced in December last year that luxury cars seized by the BOC will be disposed through public auction. Since the government resumed disposing luxury cars through public auction back in December, it has so far raised a total of P27.135 million. In April this year, the government earned P6.305 million from its sale of three seized luxury cars.

An Inter-Agency Auction Committee composed of representatives from the BOC, Bureau of the Treasury and the Land Bank of the Philippines was formed to ensure transparency of the process and promote competition through broad dissemination of auction information. Before this, smuggled vehicles were destroyed instead of being auctioned off as the BOC followed President Duterte’s directive. Bernadette D. Nicolas

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

Thursday, June 16, 2022

France confers agri merit award on Romulo Puyat

HE French government recognized Bernadette Romulo Puyat for her decades-long commitment in supporting the agricultural sector and promoting local food culture. Romulo Puyat was bestowed the Ordre du Mérite Agricole (Order of Agricultural Merit) with the rank of Officier (Officer), having served as undersecretary for Special Concerns, Administration and Finance, as well as Agribusiness and Marketing at the Department of Agriculture (DA) from 2007 to 2018. (She was recently appointed deputy governor by the Central Bank of the Philippines.) As Department of Tourism chief from 2018 to 2022, Romulo Puyat continued to place agriculture as a priority through the promotion of agricultural and farm tourism, cultural heritage, and local gastronomy. “Seeing firsthand the issues and concerns that our farmers and fisherfolk encountered on a daily basis: from getting their produce or seafood to the market, gaining ready access to credit, or needing to increase yields

or efficiency, my colleagues and I went to such great lengths to bring greater attention to the country’s agricultural products, helping to give them the support they need— whether from a financial, marketing, or capacity-building standpoint—in order to boost their standard of living and sustain their livelihoods for the years to come,” the former DA and Tourism executive said in her speech. “I share this award with the people of the Philippines, most especially our farmers and fisherfolk, without whom we would not be standing here today.” She added: “For years, France has been one of our largest trading partners. We have also benefited greatly from an exchange of best agricultural practices and technological know-how. As our nations celebrate 75 years of [bilateral links]

ROMULO PUYAT and Boccoz FRENCH EMBASSY

in 2022, it’s my wish that the bond only grows deeper and stronger than ever before.” As France and the Philippines celebrate the diamond anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, Romulo Puyat was also recognized for her contributions to deepening FrenchPhilippine cooperation in organic farming and risk management, as well as in promoting exchanges of culinary traditions between the two countries Ambassador Michèle Boccoz cited the Philippine government official’s numerous contributions to Philippine agriculture, particularly in promoting Filipino agricultural products locally and abroad; supporting gender-inclusive agriculture; as well as expanding and strengthening ties among farmers, manufacturers, en-

trepreneurs, and distributors while encouraging them to adopt modern techniques in the sector. “On behalf of the French government, it is my honor to confer this prestigious award to Bernadette Romulo Puyat, who has shown great commitment, perseverance, and openness to collaborate throughout her career in service of the Filipino people and of the agricultural sector in the Philippines,” the ambassador said in her remarks during the awarding ceremony at the French envoy’s residence in Makati City on June 7. Created in 1883 by former French agricultural minister Jules Méline, the Order of Agricultural Merit is conferred by the French government to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the agricultural and rural sector. In 2017 a bilateral cooperation agreement was signed to consolidate institutional links between France’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the DA by strengthening agricultural and technical cooperation in specific sectors and areas of common interest. In the same year the DA and the French Embassy in Manila jointly organized “Philippine Harvest Meets Bon Appetit,” a food fair showcasing organic and artisanal Filipino and French food products.

Japan bestows Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon on Atty. Tan

MBASSADOR Kazuhiko Koshikawa, on behalf of the Emperor of Japan, recently recognized Atty. Eusebio V. Tan’s invaluable contribution in strengthening relations between Japan and the Philippines in the economic sector. Atty. Tan received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in a conferment ceremony at the Japanese ambassador’s residence. In his congratulatory message, Koshikawa lauded the various efforts of the lawyer in promoting the Philippines as a viable investment location for a diversified manufacturing base, which greatly encouraged and

PHL, Romania mark 50th year of ties through conference, cultural concerts

N celebration of half-a-century of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Romania, the latter’s embassy and the University of the Philippines (UP) held an online conference on June 7. Government officials from both countries led by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. and Romania’s Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu addressed the gathering. The landmark anniversary commemoration also featured special cultural performances by the UP Singing Ambassadors and the Romanian Cultural Society (RCS). In a world premiere, the RCS presented the beloved Filipino song “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal” (“How much I love you”) in two interpretations: in cello, by the Romanian Philharmonics’ Director General Marin Cazacu, as well as in Romanian by mezzo soprano Antonela Bârnat and baritone Valentin Vasiliu of the Romanian National Opera, accompanied by pianist Mădălina Pașol.

enabled the entry of several Japanese investors. In addition, Atty. Tan assisted in the expansion of Japanese financial institutions into the country so that business sectors from Japan could be financially supported. He also served as cochair of the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, or PHILJEC, and led several bilateral dialogues in 2012 and 2013. Koshikawa expressed his hopes that Atty. Tan will remain steadfast in helping further deepen bilateral relations between the two countries. Due to the pandemic, the conferment rite was postponed for two years.

KOSHIKAWA and Atty. Tan JAPANESE EMBASSY

Peace advocate urges end of Ukraine siege, opposes NATO’s Asian expansion By Roderick L. Abad

GERMAN peace activist called for the immediate cessation of hostilities in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as he opposed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) expansion in Asia. In a Pandesal Forum in Quezon City, International Peace Bureau (IPB) Executive Director Reiner Braun made an appeal for Russian president Vladimir Putin to suspend his country’s attacks on its neighboring country based on a proposal from Italy. He noted that late last month, a four-stage plan proposed by Italian envoys to end the Ukraine crisis was presented to the United Nations (UN). First is a ceasefire and demilitarization of the front line in the eastern part of the embattled nation. Second, is the establishment of Ukraine’s neutrality and its integration into the European Union, but not into NATO. Third part of the plan is the settlement of conflicts concerning Crimea and Donbass consisting of Donetsk and Luhansk republics under Ukrainian

sovereignty, but with a large autonomy. Last is the signing of a IPB Executive Director multilatReiner Braun eral peace and security agreement for Europe, with focus on disarmament and arms control, as well as the Russian forces’ withdrawal from the territory now claimed by Ukraine. Braun, who is also a historian and journalist, contradicted Western economic sanctions against Russia. He explained that such a move will not work to end the war, but will just make Russian civilians and the world suffer. Rather than penalize the Russian economy, the IPB executive suggested that it would be better to target Russian oligarchs and their assets in the West. According to him, peace in Ukraine can be reached by creating a “new Europe security infrastructure,” which should also include Russia’s security concerns and uphold Ukraine’s neutrality. Meanwhile, efforts of NATO to

weaken the Kremlin territory or encircle and contain China in Asia are dangerous, and pose threat to peace and security, said the peace advocate. Russia has been engaging in “special military operations” against Ukraine for more than three months since its invasion on February 24. It has resulted in the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War 2, with over 6.9 million Ukrainians fleeing their country, and a third of the local population displaced. As of June 1, a total of 4,169 civilians have died, including 268 children, with 4,982 people reported to have been injured, according to the Office of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights. It specified, however, that the real numbers could be higher, including combatants from both camps. With Russia’s continued military incursions in Ukraine, Braun announced IPB’s plans to hold its World Peace Conference in Manila in 2026. IPB has been awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for its advocacies against war, as well as its promotion of disarmament, demilitarization, and denuclearization.

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Israel builds innovation bridges with local startups

AMBASSADOR Ilan Fluss (center) with local innovation stalwarts ISRAELI EMBASSY

HE Embassy of Israel in the Philippines, in partnership with IdeaSpace-QBO Innovation Hub (QBO), hosted the “Qlitan Networking Night” to motivate and boost the startup industry in the Philippines. “Israel is known as the ‘startup nation,’ with over 6,000 active startups,” Ambassador Ilan Fluss said in his opening remarks. “We have built a strong ecosystem joined by various innovation key players, [and] even shifting…to build a ‘smart-up nation’ to sustain innovation and prepare in addressing future challenges.” As the startup nation, Fluss added that Israel would like to share its success story and create partnerships with the innovation community in the Philippines: “We have to build bridges of innovation between our countries to contribute to addressing the development challenges of the Philippines.” Around 50 Filipino founders of local startup companies and investors participated in the networking night. The event aimed to connect Philippine startups and key players of the innovation community, and to come up with a collaboration between similar endeavors by Filipinos and Israelis. The night also featured a net café session, where

startup founders engaged with Israeli businessmen and officials to exchange views and best practices in the industry, as well as find ways to work together. “We need to build a bridge between our two countries, so that startups can benefit and gain business,” said Butch Meily, president of IdeaSpace Foundation and QBO, the Philippines’s first public-private partnership platform for Filipino startups led by the IdeaSpace Foundation. It is supported by the JP Morgan Foundation, the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry. QBO connects and develops the local start-up ecosystem. Benny Schlick, founder and managing director of Innovation Without Borders, joined the networking via Zoom and shared the Israeli innovation ecosystem’s recipe. Fluss also announced during the event that Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez signed an agreement with the chair of Israel’s innovation authority for cooperation in technological innovation, as well as research and development. “With this, we are opening more bridges to partner with you, and build a stronger startup industry,” Fluss shared.

S. Korea helps boost local tax-collection processes

HE Embassy of the Republic of Korea has just announced that the state-of-the-art data center for the Philippines’s Electronic Invoicing System (EIS), which is being supported by the former’s government, opened on June 13 at the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Headquarters in Quezon City. Ambassador Kim Inchul joined the opening ceremony with BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay, as well as Finance Undersecretaries Antonette Tionko and Mark Dennis Joven. The Korean government, through the Korean International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) $7.3-million pilot project, successfully completed developing the EIS, which includes the integrated tax database for all kinds of taxpayers’ transactions, invoice data reception for 100 largescale taxpayers, e-invoicing and receipting system, BIR-hosted invoicing, e-sales reporting system, and a value-added tax-refund facility. This digital invoice-reporting system, according to the embassy, will serve 100 Philippine corporations, including Pilipinas Shell, Procter & Gamble, San Miguel Corp., SC Johnson, and SM Retails. The project also provided BIR officials and the staff from the said businesses with a series of capacitybuilding workshops that will assist the said 100 firms to undergo a smoother transition to the digital issuance and management of sales documents, such as invoices and receipts. Along with the system and workshops, KOICA provided software and tools with a database-management system, servers, peripherals, storage, 270 desktops, 130 laptops and 130 printers to help the BIR sustain the EIS in the long run. The EIS installation will be an excellent start in the process of implementing the Tax Reform for

KIM at the inauguration of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s Electronic Invoicing System data center KOREAN EMBASSY

Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, which requires Filipino firms engaged in e-commerce and exports to issue digital invoices and receipts. South Korea, with both financial resources and technical expertise, will continue to support the Philippine government’s plan to expand the coverage of the EIS nationwide as part of its efforts for the TRAIN Law’s full implementation. The Korea Export-Import Bank, using Korea’s official development assistance’s concessional loan facility, will contribute about $55 million to expand the EIS to cater to 1 million Filipino firms—including 3,000 large-scale firms. The system will help the BIR improve tax administration, which will lead to better revenue collection while assisting Filipino businesses—particularly micro, small and med ium enter pr ises—in streamlining business processes and maximizing usability of sales information. The Korean Embassy believes its country’s continued assistance in building and expanding the EIS will aid the Philippines address issues on compliance and transparency of business transactions, as well as contribute to improving taxpayer services and by doing so, build stronger trust of businesses on tax administration.

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, June 16, 2022

Let’s discover our child’s digital world: Part IV OLLIE Bowls founder Izzy Concepcion with her boss, Ollie

CATERING TO FUR BABIES

“HE would chase the bowl all over the kitchen floor making so much noise as he tried to get every bit of food or every drop of water. The kibble would fly everywhere, water would splash all over the place,” says Izzy Concepcion, describing mealtime with her golden retriever. “It was no fun always having to clean up after him. Also, I had to keep changing the water in his bowl because it would become lukewarm quickly and he didn’t like that.” This was the situation that led to the launch of her business in May 2021. “Since I couldn’t find bowls that addressed my problems, I decided to develop the product myself,” says the 24-year-old entrepreneur. Named after her dog, Ollie Bowls started out with bowls that are like no other: deeper and wider than what’s commonly available so food or water don’t spill so easily, heavy so they’re very stable and are not prone to toppling, and constructed with a silicone anti-slip base so they don’t slide around even if your dog gobbles up food or laps up water too quickly. The bowls are built with food-grade double stainless-steel walls that prevent heat transfer so water stays cold longer. The material is non-corrosive and doesn’t rust so the bowls are very sturdy and easy to clean. Unlike plastic and ceramic, it is non-porous which means there is no place for bacteria and fungus to settle in. Ollie Bowls (www.olliebowls.com) are available in several fun colors such as pink, red, pastel blue, pastel yellow, black, and lilac. Every so often, limited-edition hues are released. The color doesn’t easily fade because the bowls are powdercoated. Lilac is a special color assigned to help raise funds for Lara’s Ark, an animal shelter and sanctuary. Twenty percent of the lilac bowl profits is dedicated to funding veterinary bills and daily necessities such as dog food, puppy milk, petfriendly disinfectant, and grooming supplies of the residents at Lara’s Ark. What’s fun about Ollie Bowls is they are customizable. Customers can choose from a variety of different fonts. But they are not limited to just names—they may also opt to have their logo laser-engraved like what several restaurant clients have requested. Moreover, Ollie Bowls also has its roster of exclusive artist partners who can draw your pet’s face to be engraved on the bowls. The artists include Henlohooman, Furdoodles.ph, Facedit.ph, Pawtraits by Art Commission PH, Portraits by Gusabi, and Peach Canvas. Ollie Bowls are not just for dogs. Among other customers are bunnies, tortoises, hedgehogs, and even birds. Pets of all sizes can use Ollie Bowls because they are available in three options: the mini is 2" deep, 6.8" wide, and has a capacity of three cups; the small is 2.5" deep, 7.6" wide, and can hold four cups; and the large is 3" deep, 8" wide, and can accommodate eight cups. Last month, Ollie Bowls expanded its product line to include slow feeders which make it more challenging for dogs to eat, therefore slowing them down. This reduces bloat, a life-threating condition that can happen in dogs when eating too fast. The slow feeders also provide good mental stimulation. The durable puzzle-type attachments can easily be installed in bowls during feeding time. Another new category of Ollie Bowls products are the mats. Currently, they have nine exclusively designed 20 x 12-inch mats that keep your pet’s feeding space looking nice and clean.

AST week, I shared how my one-on-one time with my 12-year-old boy was able to open my thoughts on the positive sides of video and online games. I also shared how enlightening it was to discover that screentime can actually be a great socio-emotional learning (SEL) tool, as it became a good way to practice the important 21stcentury learning skill of communication. In this, my last installment on this topic, my hope is to leave you with the latest information on the digital interests of children today. My hope is for us parents to take more initiative in connecting with our children in their digital world. A new Kaspersky Safe Kids study has revealed the most-viewed in children’s interests between March and May 2022. Popular events such as the Academy Awards were trending and there were also some changes in the gaming segment, including the growing popularity of that creepy The Backrooms game. In the music field, plenty of attention was on PSY for the track “That That,” released in collaboration with BTS star SUGA. Children have been closely following all these events and developments, which have influenced their interests. Kaspersky analyzed anonymized data voluntarily provided by Kaspersky Safe Kids users, such as search queries on the most popular Android applications and web site categories. As for popular events, Will Smith’s infamous Oscars slap globally riveted kids’ attention and was widely discussed throughout the spring. In addition to this, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s divorce trial, and speculation about Spiderman celebrity couple, Tom Holland and Zendaya were trending pop-culture topics. Unexpectedly, children also frequently searched for “UwU,” which is an emoticon depicting a cute face. The gaming category also saw some slight changes over the spring. One interesting case is The Backrooms game, which has become popular among children in recent months. It is a creepypasta (referring to horror-related content on the Internet) that puts the player in an endless maze of randomly generated office rooms. It includes several levels that gamers must explore. In addition, the game Among US has been trending downwards for the past few months, with kids losing almost all interest in it. This spring children were drawn to the categories of software, audio and video (43.6 percent); Internet communication (17.2 percent); and e-commerce (16.1 percent). The most popular apps on Android included YouTube (31.6 percent), TikTok (19 percent)

and WhatsApp (18.3 percent). For Windows programs, in first place with a huge lead was Google Chrome (44.7 percent); Microsoft’s browser Edge managed to get 12.6 percent; and in third place was messaging platform Discord with a share of 9.8 percent. “New trends and events in popular culture have a significant impact on kids’ interests. Children’s passions change rapidly and for parents to better understand their little ones and build close relationships with them, it can be useful to explore their interests and hobbies together. Modern parental control apps are one way to help with this,” says Anna Larkina, web content analysis expert at Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company. Last, Kaspersky has these recommendations for parents: n Involve yourself in your children’s online activities from an early age, so that this is the established norm, and you can then mentor them on

online safety practices n Consider downloading parental control apps and discussing this topic with your child to explain how such apps work and why they’re needed to stay safe online n Make talks about cybersecurity more enjoyable and interesting by discussing it with your child through games and other entertaining formats n Spend more time communicating with your kids about online safety measures. Try paying attention to your own habits. Do you use your smartphone when eating or chatting? See if there are any patterns of your kids mimicking your habits? Do they react in a different way when you put your phone away? n Ask your child not to agree to any privacy settings on their own and to ask for help from you instead. Adults should get into the habit of reading all privacy agreements. n

ADHD: Medication alone doesn’t improve classroom learning for children By William E. Pelham Jr. Florida International University FOR decades, many physicians, parents and teachers have believed that stimulant medications help children with ADHD learn because they are able to focus and behave better when medicated. After all, an estimated 6.1 million children in the US are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and more than 90 percent are prescribed stimulant medication as the main form of treatment in school settings. However, in a peer-reviewed study that several colleagues and I published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, we found medication has no detectable effect on how much children with ADHD learn in the classroom. At least that’s the case when learning—defined as the acquisition of performable skills or knowledge through instruction—is measured in terms of tests meant to assess improvements in a student’s current academic knowledge or skills over time. Compared to their peers, children with ADHD exhibit more off-task, disruptive classroom behavior, earn lower grades and score lower on tests. They are more likely to receive special education services and be retained for a grade, and less likely to finish high school and enter college—two educational milestones that are associated with significant increases in earnings. MEasurEMEnts of lEarning IN this study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, we evaluated 173 children between

the ages of seven and 12. They were all participants in our Summer Treatment Program, a comprehensive eight-week summer camp for children with ADHD and related behavioral, emotional and learning challenges. Children got grade-level instruction in vocabulary, science and social studies. The classes were led by certified teachers. The children received medication the first half of summer and a placebo during the other half. They were tested at the start of each academic instruction block, which lasted approximately three weeks. They then took the same test at the end to determine how much they learned. Contrary to the conventional wisdom under which parents and teachers have long operated, we found children learned the same amount of science, social studies and vocabulary content whether they were taking medication or a placebo. Yes. We were shocked by this finding, too. In our study, medication helped children complete more schoolwork and improve their classroom behavior, as expected. When taking medication, children completed 37 percent more arithmetic problems per minute and exhibited 53 percent fewer classroom rule violations per hour. Unfortunately, completing more schoolwork and behaving better in the classroom did not lead to higher grades on tests, which heavily determine overall class grades. These results support the findings of other research that has found there is no long-term beneficial effect of medication on standardized test scores. This is an important finding because stimulant medication is by far the most common treatment for

children with ADHD, and the majority receive only medication. Other treatments available for children with ADHD include behavior therapy, including training for parents and a combination of therapy and medication. HoW to HElP cHildrEn WitH adHd tHrivE THERE are ways for children to improve academic achievement with effective classroom strategies alone, rather than just being on medication to begin with. Behavioral and academic strategies that significantly help youth with ADHD include parent training and classroom-based management tools like a daily report card. A child with ADHD can also receive effective behavioral services in school that are specific to academic achievement, such as 504 and individualized education plans, also known as IEPs, for students in special education. Our previous research has found that behavioral therapy—when used first—is less expensive and more effective than medication in treating children with ADHD. Stimulants are most effective as a supplemental, second-line treatment option for those who need it and at lower doses than typically prescribed. In other words, medication should only be added if children still need additional support after the behavioral and academic interventions have been tried. Additionally, in 2020, the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics published new clinical guidelines that strongly recommend behavioral intervention as the first-line treatment for youth with ADHD and medication as a second-line treatment, if necessary. THE CONVERSATION

PHOTO BY BEN WHITE ON UNSPLASH

B6 Thursday, June 16, 2022

beep™ bullish on new EO pushing for digital payments and collections in government

All for Dad from Richmonde Hotels

REAT dad to some unforgettable family time courtesy of the wonderful Father’s Day offerings of Richmonde Hotels! Delight him with a soothing weekend staycation and an extraordinary feast of sumptuous gourmet selections, with fun freebies especially for the man of the house.

Eastwood Richmonde Hotel

BRING dad and the whole fam to Eastwood Café+Bar and relish the extra special spread of delectable delights like Sutukil selections [sugba or grill, tuwa or stew, & kilaw or raw seafood in vinegar), ribs, roast beef, whole tuna, sushi and maki, a grazing table, and kid-friendly choices at the Father’s Day Lunch and Dinner Buffets. To celebrate the man of the hour, he’ll be served two complimentary rounds of his choice of draft beer, single malt whisky, brandy, or wine, plus a token. And if he’s accompanied by at least four diners paying the full rate, dad’s meal is free! So be sure to “Dine with Dad” and bond as you indulge in all-time faves this Sunday, June 19th. The lunch and dinner buffets are priced at PhP 1,500nett per person, inclusive of bottomless iced tea. Children 6 to 12 years old get 50% discount while toddlers 5 years old and below are free. For the whole month of June, you can let dad experience both fun and relaxation when you book him an enjoyable mini vacay at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel at an amazing 40% discount on Best Available Rates. Dad can explore the many exciting activities and entertainment available in Eastwood City and retire to the comforts of Richmonde’s guest rooms for as low as PhP 3,300nett (room only) or PhP 3,960nett (with breakfast for two). Contact Eastwood Richmonde Hotel at (632) 8570 7777 or 0917 821 0333 (Eastwood Café+Bar) and 0917 531 6867/stay@eastwoodrichmonde.com (Room Reservations).

Richmonde Hotel Ortigas

THE big man of the house deserves a hearty meal of tender meats on his

special day. So have a date with dad at Richmonde Café where he can indulge in a mouthwatering eat-all-you-can menu of Australian prime rib, homemade bacon, assorted sausages, seafood kebab, Cajunspiced chicken, pork belly barbecue, and herb-coated fish fillets, at the Meats and More Father’s Day Lunch Buffet. A glass of wine or brandy will also be served just for dad so he can enjoy the meat fest to the fullest. The buffet is served on June 19, 2022, from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and is priced at only PhP 1,280nett per person, with a 4+1 deal where for every four paying adults, the fifth diner eats for free! Children 6 to 12 get half off while the meals of kids 5 and below are complimentary. Make it a Father’s Day he’ll really remember and give dad that break he deserves with a city getaway the whole family will enjoy at unbelievable rates just for the weekend of June 17 to 19, 2022. For as low as PhP 2,800 nett (room only) and PhP 3,400 nett (room with breakfast buffet for two), dad can rest in cozy comforts, work out at the gym, sweat it out in the sauna room, swim laps in the heated indoor pool, and have drinks and gourmet eats at the café. Contact Richmonde Hotel Ortigas at (632) 8638 7777 or 0917 534 4352 / 0917 805 3540/ fbsup@richmondeortigas.com (Richmonde Café) and 0917 859 7914 / stay@richmondeortigas. com (Room Reservations).

Richmonde Hotel Iloilo

HATS off to the best dads this Father’s Day as Richmonde Hotel Iloilo’s The Granary gives them the honor they deserve with a dinner buffet filled with premium dishes he’ll absolutely love! Relish with dad bites of flavorful roast rump and lechon slab at the carving table, ox tongue in red wine and pasta Negra at the hot section, assorted dumplings at the dimsum section, fine quality meats at the grilling station, and a whole lot more. There’s even unlimited brewskies to go with the meal at the beer station. The Father’s Day Dinner Buffet happens on June 19, 2022, from 6pm to 10pm, and is priced at PhP 1,350nett per person. Kids 6 to 12 years old get are discounted 50% off while children 5 and below are free. When staying from Sunday to Thursday rate starts at PhP 4,000nett (room only) and PhP 4,500nett (room with breakfast buffet for two). Explore the city, roam about the modern township of Iloilo Business Park, or take advantage of the hotel’s resort-like pool area and catch some sun, some cocktails, and the magnificent Iloilo sunset—whatever your vacation or staycation plans, you’ll never go wrong with Richmonde’s prime location. Contact Richmonde Hotel Iloilo at (6333) 328 7888 or 0917 563 3558 (The Granary) and 0917 580 9058 / stay@richmondeiloilo. com (Room Reservations). 124TH PHILIPPINES‘ INDEPENDENCE DAY AT SM CITY LUCENA. SM City Lucena joins the nation in commemorating the 124th Anniversary of Philippines‘ Independence Day with this year‘s theme “Pagsuong sa Hamon ng Panibagong Bukas” through a Flag Raising Ceremony held at the Open Parking A of the said mall. Present during the event are Lucena PNP Chief PCol Reynaldo Reyes, Lucena City General Services Officer Alyssa Mijares as representative of Mayor Dondon Alcala, representatives of AFP Southern Luzon Command, Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection Lucena, Boy Scouts of the Philippines Quezon and Lucena Chapter, Girl Scouts of the Philippines Quezon and Lucena Chapter, Lucena City Tourism Officer Arween Flores, Ms. Universe Philippines Lucena 2022 Anjeanette Japor, Ms. Universe Philippines Quezon 2022 Gracelle Distura and employees of the mall.

Cluck Sarap: The new roast of the town

NEW chicken store named Cluck Sarap recently opened at Barangay Banaba, San Mateo, Rizal. The store offers one of the tastiest and juiciest value for money roasted chickens in the market today.

Cluck Sarap originated in Iloilo. Its first store in Villa Arevalo, Iloilo City, opened four years ago. It all started with an idea on how to provide Filipinos with freshly cooked, flavorful and reasonablypriced food. The idea came from a family-owned company engaged in the business of growing broilers. Being one of the biggest poultry producers in the Visayas, the company behind Cluck Sarap thought that it would serve its consumers better if they can offer ready-to-eat products using mostly their own-grown birds. Since then, Cluck Sarap has expanded to serve most of the municipalities in Iloilo. Currently, it’s one of the fastest growing chicken rotisserie chains in the region. It also has opened branches in other provinces such as Antique, Capiz, Aklan, Negros Occidental, Leyte and Cebu. To date, Cluck Sarap has grown to a total of 40 branches including the newly-opened Rizal branch. Cluck Sarap is known for its perfectly roasted chicken. Their classsic roasted chicken is made with quality fresh chicken and natural herbs and spices. Fresh dressed chickens are marinated before roasting in an oven rotiserrie, where the juiciness of the chicken is preserved. The ideal blend of Cluck’s unique marinate, coupled with

natural herbs such as rosemary and lemon grass, yields an aromatic and tasty roasted chicken treat that every family will love. Truly, Cluck Sarap’s Roasted Chicken is worth the price. As most Ilonggos would say, “Sulit Gid!” and #NamitNaPraktipalPa More Cluck stores are set to open this year in Antique, Guimaras and Cebu. For updates, visit https://www.facebook.com/clucksarap.ph/and https://www.instagram.com/clucksarap/.

EEP™ operator AF Payments Inc. lauds President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of Executive Order (EO) No. 170, series of 2022, which mandates the adoption of digital solutions for government disbursements and collections in all departments, bureaus, state universities and colleges (SUCs), governmentowned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), and local government units (LGUs). “beep™ was born out of a public-private partnership designed to serve the people. Over the years, we have collaborated closely with various agencies in the implementation of a modern, efficient, and reliable payment system that helps improve the quality of life of every Filipino. With the Philippine government’s full support for the adoption of digital financial transactions through EO 170, we are optimistic that an inclusive, resilient, and future-ready economy is on the horizon. This certainly bodes well for the country’s push for national competitiveness,” said Jonathan Juan Moreno, President and CEO of AF Payments Inc.

With 8.5 million beep™ cards issued and Php32.8B worth of transactions processed through its Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) to date, beep™ has since expanded its services from all three elevated rail lines (LRT1, LRT-2, and MRT3) to EDSA and provincial buses, modern jeepneys, ferries, as well as in toll ways and retail establishments. It has also harnessed modern and emerging technologies such as Near-field communication (NFC) and Quick Respone (QR) to provide a more seamless, convenient, and secure digital payment experience to millions of Filipinos who have increasingly grown accustomed to using beep™ cards in their daily commute and micropayment transactions. AF Payments Inc. is a consortium of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and Ayala Corp. It is a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas-Registered Operator of Payment System (OPS). To connect with the company, call (02) 8737 9600 or email <customer.info@ afpayments.com>. More information is also available at <business.beep.com.ph>.

Let Dad feel like a king at Discovery Suites Ortigas

ET dads take the spotlight this time! Make it a fun and exciting family time for the man of the house with a pampering staycation and a Father’s Day feast at 22 Prime. Discovery Suites has everything ready for dads’ kingly pursuits from June 17 - 19 because the best dads deserve only the best. Revel in the luxury of space and comfort for a memorable and well-deserved Father’s Day weekend getaway like no other. Room rates start at PHP 5,000 nett for a Junior Suite inclusive of breakfast for two (2), 15% F&B discount and a special turndown amenity for dad. Guests get a complimentary upgrade to a 1-Bedroom Suite when they book for a minimum of 2 nights. Take advantage of this exclusive deal at bit.ly/DadsTurnAtDiscovery. A gastronomic feast fit for a king awaits Dad at 22 Prime. Meat lovers can never resist the temptation of an all-you-can-eat

USDA Angus beef burger, chicken wings, tender Iberico pork ribs, and sumptuous assortment of sides that comes with a free round of specialty craft beer by Three Bulls Brewery from 6:00PM to 9:00PM on June 18 and 19, for only PHP 2,800 nett per person. For inquiries and reservations, visit bit.ly/MeatsAndMatchAt22Prime or call (+632) 7719 6805. You may also reach 22 Prime via Viber at (0966) 496 2355. Discovery Suites is a proud member of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts Connect Collection, a portfolio of some of the world’s smartest, welcoming hotels designed to connect guests to family and friends, business associates, and interesting neighborhoods. Stay up to date by visiting www. discoverysuites.com, https://www.facebook. com/DiscoverySuitesOrtigas/, and Instagram @discoverysuites.

CSC approves ‘flexi-work’ for gov’t employees

LEXIBLE work arrangements in the public sector was approved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in CSC Resolution No. 2200209 promulgated on 18 May 2022. The policy will take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication (31 May 2022), or on 15 June 2022. The CSC emphasizes that flexible work arrangements are subject to the discretion of the head of agency on the condition that all their stakeholders are assured of continuous delivery of services from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. During the State of Public Health Emergency, the Commission issued interim guidelines authorizing government agencies to implement alternative work arrangements based on the mandate and functions of the agency, to answer the exigencies of public service at the height of the pandemic that limited the movement of government workers. The CSC seeks to institutionalize flexible work arrangements as part of the nationwide effort to transition from a state of public health emergency to the new normal. It serves as a preventive measure to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of government officials and employees while ensuring the government’s continued operations and efficient delivery of public services. With this policy in place, the CSC aims to improve work-life balance, encourage the adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) for remote work, and provide reasonable work arrangements for vulnerable employees such as senior citizens, pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, or those recovering from sickness/injuries and issues of mobility. Safe work spaces and compliance with occupational health and safety standards are ensured in the implementation of flexible work arrangements. As a parallel policy to the Telecommuting Law of the private sector, the flexible work arrangement guidelines covering 1.7 million

government employees regardless of the status of appointment, will certainly change the landscape of work in the country. The CSC is confident that greater flexibility will lead to increased productivity as the work environment becomes more responsive to employees’ unique individual needs.

Work arrangements

PER the resolution, flexible work arrangements include: (1) Flexiplace, wherein officials and employees may be authorized to render services away from their office; (2) Compressed work week, in which the 40-hour work week is compressed into four (4) days or less, instead of five (5); (3) Skeleton workforce, where a minimum number of personnel will be required to report to the office when full staffing is not possible; (4) Work shifting for agencies required by law to operate 24/7 or agencies required to observe workplace health and safety protocols; (5) Flexitime, where employees are allowed to report between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. provided they complete the required 40-hour workweek; and (6) Combination of flexible work arrangements that may be adopted by an agency according to what is appropriate or applicable to its mandate and functions.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

Fight vs. dengue to continue despite Covid-19 pandemic–experts By Rory Visco

Contributor

HIS is that time of the year, the wet season as we call it, when dengue, that viral disease spread by mosquitoes, particularly the Aedes aegypti kind, appears from around May to November. Rains bring volumes of water, where much of it becomes stagnant in homes whether in cans, rain gutters, pails, tires, even puddles in the backyard. These then become the home of infected mosquitoes that spread dengue to humans through their bite. Around 35,000 dengue cases have already been reported by the Department of Health (DOH) from January to May this year, with 180 denguerelated fatalities to boot. This number is 23 percent higher compared to the 28,336 cases logged during the same period last year. Just two weeks ago, Cebu City reported an “alarming rise in cases of dengue” compared to last year, which is surprising since dengue cases dropped during the lockdown periods of the pandemic. All these are happening while the country is still in the middle of a debilitating Covid-19 pandemic.

Controlling dengue while in a pandemic During the latest “Stop Covid Deaths” webinar titled “Dengue Alert sa Panahon ng Pandemya” organized by the University of the Philippines, UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center and UP Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), Dr. Evalyn Roxas, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, College of Public Health, UP Manila and Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Medicine, UP-PGH, said that while there are programs and guidelines, including informational initiatives in combating dengue, the DOH adopted strategies and other dengue control programs during the

Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Roxas said that the DOH made use of the digital age to distribute advisories to the Centers for Health Development (CHD), particularly the regional offices, to provide guidance. “We also shifted to the virtual program implementation reviews with the CHDs to discuss policy directions and operational strategies. The information, communication and education campaign materials were also enhanced and disseminated to various media, whether via radio, TV, newspapers or the internet.” The DOH, she said, also implemented innovations and other best practices, one of which was program enhancement by coming up with Clinical Case Management and Dengue Rapid Advice Guidelines. Also adopted were international best practices on dengue through Administrative Order No. 2021-0009, which helped establish dengue Centers of Excellence in tertiary hospitals in January 2021 to provide and identify resources and even collaborate with the Commission on Higher Education in the development of standardized training programs. While in the midst of a pandemic, Dr. Roxas mentioned at least four priorities for action by the DOH, namely, coverage of service and data, quality of care, integration and response, and health financing. The latter shall focus on the improvement of health care packages as an integral part of the development of Republic Act (RA) 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, particularly the review of the Dengue Philippine Health Care Insurance Benefit Packages.

The Cebu dengue experience For Dr. Belle Ranile, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist from Cebu City, she shared the city’s experience in private and public hospitals with regard to dengue, including outpatient management. She said that the spike in the number of dengue cases did not come as a shock because it is

already expected with society’s increased mobility, the rain volume, particularly with the spate of typhoons that hit the city. “The onset of the pandemic showed a decrease in dengue and other infectious diseases, but as mobility increased, we expect more of these infections to resurface.” She said the number of cases in Cebu during the past few weeks rose significantly. However, because of the fear of Covid-19, the health-seeking behavior of parents were affected that led to late checkups and hospitalizations according to the chief of the CCHD. The majority of the dengue cases, says Dr. Ranile, were among children one to 10 years of age from January to May 2022, in four private and two government hospitals in Cebu. Still, Dr. Ranile emphasized the importance of early and rapid screening, prompt recognition, appropriate management and prevention strategies, all vital in reducing the burden of the disease. “However, we believe that community participation is still key in the control of dengue.”

Addressing dengue despite Covid-19 For his part, Dr. Sergio Zelig Javier, Division Head for Environmental Health and Sanitation of the Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) and also its former dengue coordinator, said they already implemented Integrated Vector Management (IVM) comprised of entomology survey, which is part of the surveillance process, larvicidal activity to prevent development of larvae to adult mosquito, Ultra Low Volume Misting (ULVM), done in areas where adult mosquitoes are present, Curtain Chemical Impregnation is done in house where chemical treated nets cannot be installed, and the distribution and installation of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) in order to prevent infection, particularly in public schools. They also used the Philippine Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (PIDSR) system, which is

used nationwide to monitor 25 diseases and syndromes that have the potential to cause an outbreak and warrants an immediate response. “The system categorizes diseases into three, whether they are epidemicprone, of which dengue is classified; targeted for eradication or elimination; or other diseases or conditions of public health importance,” Dr. Javier said. Dr. Javier said they also continued the DOH’s “4S” strategy, which is “Search and Destroy,” “Self-Protection,” “Seek Early Consultation,” and “Support misting during outbreaks,” which was discontinued since the Department of Environment and Natural Resources banned fogging, which is similar to misting. He, however, noted that there were limitations in the implementation of the dengue control program as the Covid-19 pandemic called for the realignment of personnel to address Covid-19, limited fever surveillance and face-to-face consultation, and delayed health-seeking behaviors. “Fortunately, community quarantine played a role in the decrease of cases.” Dr. Javier suggested the strengthening of the dengue prevention and control program while maintaining public health standards, and also called for the implementation of the Targeted Indoor Residual Spraying (TIRS) or Targeted Residual Spraying (TRS), a new strategy done by the DOH to eliminate cases in malariaendemic areas. “I believe these interventions can be beneficial and as effective, if not more effective, than the ULVM since these target the resting places of adult mosquitoes such as behind cabinets, under tables and chairs, appliances, under sinks and even toilets, and the chemical used can’t be washed out as well. What’s important is that dengue intervention should be unhampered despite Covid-19. We can continue the program by maintaining minimum health protocols.”

SMDC builds healthy, thriving communities amid the pandemic By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

RU E to it s m a nt r a of b e ing the “Home of the Good Guys,” SM Development Corp. (SMDC) champions community-building through various activities geared towards creating healthy, happy, secure and thriving communities across all its properties. Fostering a sense of “malasakit.” the Sy family-owned real-estate company enjoins its residents and employees to volunteer to make a difference. Among its advocacies and various social service initiatives are The Good Guys Health and Wellness Caravan, The Good Guys Weekend Market, and The Good Guys Job Market. These programs came into being as

the company’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the country two years ago. Since then, these initiatives have become regular activities that periodically enliven every SMDC community.

Championing health, well-being, other community concerns THE developer works closely with the SM Foundation, Philippine Red Cross (PRC), and local government units (LGUs) to provide comprehensive health checks and wellness care not only to its residents but also nearby communities via The Good Guys Health and Wellness Caravan. Since many have been restricted to move freely during the lockdown periods, various health concerns have arisen. Hence, this activity has helped them find out their health conditions and assisted them with proper treatments.

The program also made Covid-19 vaccines available for those who are part of the vulnerable population, including the elderly. This year alone, the caravan has been conducted in various communities nationwide, providing health checks and administering booster shots against the coronavirus to more than 2,300 individuals. Such an initiative has contributed a lot to the government’s national inoculation drive to prevent the rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus, which over time has developed into various strands, with some being more infectious. As of June 13, a total of 69,802,600 individuals have been fully vaccinated; 14,556,778 have received their first booster shot/additional dose and 557,072 have received their second

A happy gut key to improving mental health, well-being

here’s wisdom in going with our gut. Prevailing research from the last 20 years has revealed how gut health connects to other aspects of our body. A healthy gut helps build immunity, mental health, and well-being. W hile the brain sends messages or “talks” to various parts of our body, studies show that the gut may be “talking back.” The complex network of microorganisms in our gut, or the gut microbiome, needs to be in a state of balance in order to be healthy and happy. W hen t h is ba l a nce is a f fected, our gut acts as a second brain and communicates this to the rest of our body by inf luencing our mood and emotions and affecting the way our brain manages information from our

various senses. That’s why some researchers think that gut health can be linked to anxiety, depression, fatigue and chronic pain, among other health issues. The chronic stress and anxiety then affect our gut, even more, leading to belly pain, constipation, diarrhea, and even liver problems. It’s a vicious cycle that can be stopped when we are more proactive in caring for our gut health. A good diet and drinking a lot of water is crucial to keeping your gut healthy. Eating fiber-rich food, fresh vegetables and probiotic-filled fermented or pickled foods and drinks—such as kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt—is a great way to keep your digestive system healthy and restore good bacteria in the gut.

No to sugar, processed food

Meanwhile, high-sugar and processed food should be avoided as these can reduce the good bacteria in the gut. Good bacteria helps our digestion by transforming food into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs are essential in producing the happy hormone serotonin. A not her w ay to kee p you r g ut healthy is to act quickly when problems arise, and most of all, to be proactive. At the sign of problems such as lower abdominal pain, hilab, or an ipit or tusok feeling in your belly area, Hyoscine Nbutylbromide (Buscopan) is the go-to aid that provides relief within 15 minutes. For problems such as constipation (e.g., not being able to relieve yourself for two to three days), Bisacodyl (Dulcolax) provides the healthy bowel

booster, according to the National Task Force against Covid-19. Complement ing t he hea lt h a nd wellness caravan is the Good Guys Weekend Market, where enterprising residents and partner farmer organization, Kadiwa, ply their trades, including healthy farm produce within SMDC’s properties. Mindful of the unemployment concerns brought about by the pandemic, SMDC opens job opportunities to Filipinos through The Good Guys Job Market Caravan. These income and employment-generating projects have been helpful not only to the livelihood of both the residents and their neighbors, but also prevented them from mental health issues caused by the lack of economic means brought about by the ensuing pandemic.

movement that you need. You can also avoid such issues by being proactive and including probiotics in your regular routine. These increase the resilience of the gut and help with gut immunity. Ercef lora Kiddie is the most recommended probiotic as it restores and strengthens gut health, and was uniquely made to ensure it delivers the protection you need. As we age and our lifestyle changes, we may often neglect our liver, causing us to feel sluggish and unhealthy. Phospholipids (Essentiale) support your liver’s daily function and is the #1 recommended liver remedy. Sanofi Consumer Healthcare Philippines has been advocating for better care of our gut health for years now and is leading the way when it comes to the role of gut health in ensuring healthier fuller lives. When it comes to the pursuit of gut happiness, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare has got you covered.

Thursday, June 16, 2022 B7

Get regular checks, eat healthy to prevent prostate cancer–DOH By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

ging males are prone to getting prostate cancer, the fourth leading cancer site and fourth leading cause of cancer deaths among Filipino males, according to the Department of Health (DOH). Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that June is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and she encouraged males to have a regular check-up. “It is better to have a regular check-up and maintain healthy glands!” Vergeire said. Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in a man’s prostate, the walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system. It is located below the bladder in front of the rectum and surrounds the upper part of the urethra, the tube that empties urine from the bladder.

Causes of prostate cancer The exact cause of prostate cancer is not known, so at this time it is not possible to prevent most cases of the disease. Many risk factors such as age, race, and family history cannot be controlled.

Symptoms Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. Prostate cancer can often be found early by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a man’s blood. Another way to find prostate cancer is the digital rectal exam (DRE), in which the doctor puts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland if it is abnormally enlarged and hard. More advanced prostate cancers can sometimes cause symptoms, such as: n Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night; n Blood in the urine or semen; n Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED);

n Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to the bones; and n Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord

Prevention There is no sure way to prevent prostate cancer. Many risk factors such as age, race, and family history cannot be controlled. T here a re some t h i ngs, however, that you can do that might lower your risk of prostate cancer. The best advice to reduce the risk of prostate cancer is to stay at a healthy weight, be physically active and follow a healthy eating pattern.

Treatment If prostate cancer is suspected based on results of screening tests or symptoms, tests will be needed to be sure. If you’re seeing your primary care doctor, you might be referred to a urologist, a doctor who treats cancers of the genital and urinary tract, including the prostate. Your prostate cancer treatment options depend on several factors, such as how fast your cancer is growing, whether it has spread and your overall health, as well as the potential benefits or side effects of the treatment.

Side effects There are possible risks and potential side effects with any type of treatment for prostate cancer. Some of these may be temporary, while others are long term. They include incontinence, urinary issues, sexual dysfunction, hot flashes, hair loss, nausea and fatigue. Other side effects, such as lymphedema, are also possible, depending on the type of treatment.

7 institutions recognized by U.S. govt for HIV treatment efforts

he United States government, through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), recently partnered with the Department of Health and the AIDS Society of the Philippines to recognize seven facilities and organizations that made exceptional contributions to the country’s HIV treatment efforts. During the inaugural “Quality Uptake and Improvements in Lifesaving Treatment Services” (QUILTS) Awards held last May 31, the following facilities and organization were feted for their efforts in the following categories: n Linkage to Care Champion —Bulacan Medical Center; n Treatment and Care, Adherence Award—Meycauayan Social Hygiene Clinic and Batangas Medical Center; n Treatment and Care, Recall Award—SHIP and SAIL Clinics; n Treatment and Care, Early Adopter Award—Laguna Medical Center; n Top Rapid HIV Diagnostic Algorithm Facility—Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital; and n Differentiated Service Delivery and Case Management Champion—Bulacan Medical Center

Judges selected the winners by reviewing the quality of the facilities’ services and their best practices for achieving positive outcomes.

Commitment In addressing the awardees, USAID Philippines Acting Deputy Mission Director Brandon Miller reiterated the US government’s commitment to help end the HIV epidemic in the Philippines. “It is our hope that as we take stock of our accomplishments tonight, we are reinvigorated with the drive to do more for the key populations we are here to serve,” said Acting Deputy Mission Director Miller. USAID, through its Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) project, partners with more than 50 facilities in Metro Manila and surrounding areas to achieve HIV epidemic control. Through the QUILTS Awards, USAID and partners hope to encourage the sharing of best practices and innovations for quality, person-centered HIV care. The Philippine PEPFAR program is implemented by USAID, US Centers for Disease Control, US Health Resources and Services Administration, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Sports

Olympic champ Team USA brings down Bulgaria

BusinessMirror

| Thursday, June 16, 2022 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

By Josef Ramos

ONE MORE SHOW, ONE MORE WIN By Janie McCauley The Associated Press

AN FRANCISCO—When Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and emotional, do-everything teammate Draymond Green began Golden State’s climb nearly a decade ago, they were still relatively young and each establishing themselves in their careers. At far different stages of their respective basketball journeys and lives now all these years later, they are again closing in on another championship together as the cornerstones of what many consider a Warriors dynasty they helped make. Their chance to win a fourth title comes Thursday night in Boston, where the Warriors take a 3-2 National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals lead into Game 6 against the Celtics. The Splash Brothers and Green now have 20 wins together in the finals, the second most for any NBA trio since 1970. They are approaching the company of Kareem AbdulJabbar, Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper, who won 22 finals games together with the Lakers. With Monday’s 104-94 Game 5 win, the Golden State stars topped the 19 victories accomplished by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili with the Spurs. “We want to have one more to show for it and one more win, and really embrace what we’ve

accomplished to be back on this stage,” Curry said after the game, when he went 0 for 9 on 3-pointers to snap a record 233-game streak of making at least one. “Obviously making six finals, you have a lot of opportunities. You enjoy every single one of them. So this series is no different. And one more win, just got to figure out a way to get it done.” Coach Steve Kerr has been here for the six NBA Finals appearances over eight years, including five straight from 2015-19. They all have gone through so much in recent seasons—most notably two devastating injuries for Thompson—that this opportunity is being especially cherished. “It’s so exciting to be part of the finals again. I think this whole season has kind of led to this, a lot of individual stories, guys getting better, guys getting healthy,” Kerr said. “Here we are, we have a chance. We have two cracks at getting one win, but we also know how difficult it’s going to be.” It seems so long ago, yet all three Warriors leaders have pointed to that early time bringing respectability back to the franchise as significant in building the necessary experience that helps them on the big postseason stage now. Perspective has been gained

through winning three championships and in losing twice, too. Curry and Green are now fathers who finish practice and prefer to get home right away for family time, while Thompson has a greater appreciation for everything on and off the court after being sidelined for more than two-and-a-half years following surgeries on his left knee and right Achilles tendon. “Now to be here again, I wouldn’t change anything,” Thompson said. “I’m very grateful and everything I did to that point led to this, so I would not change a thing.”

Jonathan Cook. Alkhaldi will compete in the women’s 50-meter freestyle, Renner in the women’s 50-meter butterfly and Cook in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke. The national team, led by Philippine Swimming Inc. president Lailani Velasco, left for Budapest Tuesday with Coach Sherwyn John Santiago. Renner and Cook will join the delegation in Budapest from the United States. “The world championships is the Olympics of swimming,” said Velasco, who met President Duterte hours before her departure to Hungary as they attended the final inspection of the National Academy of Sports in the New

THE Bulgarians try to keep control of the ball. NONIE REYES/EOS R6

Avaricio goes 8-under for 5-shot lead at Pradera Classic 1st round

Two-time Olympian Alkhaldi, two others in world swim meet HREE swimmers led by two-time Olympian Jasmine Alkhaldi will participate in the 19th edition of the FINA World Championships set June 18 to July 3 in Budapest, Hungary. Joining Alkhaldi are Southeast Asian Games multimedalist Miranda Renner and

EAM USA beat Bulgaria, 25-20, 25-22, 25-20, in a match where the Americans showed why they are both Olympic and Volleyball Nations League (VNL) champions on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The victory allowed the US— which brought in a mix of Tokyo Olympics veterans and fresh faces to the

Clark City Complex in Capas, Tarlac. “Most of the world’s top talents will be in attendance,” she said. “Therefore, we have modest goals for the world championships.” Velasco said the first goal is to “ride on the momentum we gained” from the 31st SEA Asian Games in Vietnam where the Philippines won a gold medal courtesy of Chloe Isleta in the women’s 200-meter backstroke, with three silvers and three bronze medals. The PSI, Velasco said, is optimistic that the three swimmers competing in the worlds can produce “a few more national records, if not personal bests.”

HANELLE AVARICIO broke out with a tour record-setting seven-under frontside romp then recovered from a couple of mishaps at the back with three birdies in the last five holes to fire an eight-under 64 and post a whopping five-stroke lead over Pamela Mariano at the start of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Pradera Verde Ladies Classic on Wednesday in Lubao, Pampanga. A pair of three-birdie binges from Nos. 1 and 5 and another birdie on the ninth for a stirring 29 set Avaricio’s title drive in motion and left flightmates Martina Miñoza and amateur Kayla Nocum in awe while driving an early wedge between her and her fancied rivals in the 54-hole championship serving as the sixth leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. She credited her solid putting on her early surge then kept her composure when things had started to turn a little bit shaky at the back. “I played really good and it had a lot to do with my putting, especially on the frontnine,” said Avaricio, who spiked her superb start with a chip-in feat from around 18 feet on No. 6. “I struggled at the back but the whole day, I had a steady long game and then my putts just kept on dropping,” she added. It was easily the best frontside performance by any player in the 10-year history of the ICTSI-backed tour and her mastery of the well-kept Pradera

Senator Pia hails sports academy at NCC T SEN. Pia Cayetano believes in the National Academy of Sports’ potential.

HE National Academy of Sports (NAS) at the New Clark City in Capas has undergone final inspection and will be ready to receive its pioneer batch of studentathletes this coming academic year, according to Senator Pia S. Cayetano. “The NAS is very close to my heart as a former varsity player and national athlete,” Cayetano said. “I believe in the power of sports to instill discipline and build positive character among our youth, and the ability of athletes to inspire and unite Filipinos by bringing honor to our country.”

One more chance A LOT of Green hearts were broken last Tuesday as the buzzer sounded on Game 5 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals. In what would have been the comeback game of the Boston Celtics after failing to win Game 4 at home on June 11 (Manila time), it was the Blue and Gold that flexed its championship caliber instead and rendered Leprechaun

Cayetano filed the first version of the proposal in the 15th Congress, then known as the Philippine High School for Sports (PHSS) Act. “The bill got support from fellow sports advocates, including Fr. Tito Caluag, the late Senator Edgardo Angara, and then Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara, who filed a counterpart bill in the House,” she said. In the 16th Congress, Cayetano refiled the bill as a member of the House, while Senator Sherwin Gatchalian filed and sponsored its counterpart in the Senate.

Magic ineffective at Chase Center. On a night when “Effin’ Stephen” was not his usual productive self, the Celtics couldn’t find a way to ride that low tide and allowed a young Warrior named Andrew Wiggins to step up to the plate and unleash a barrage of spears and arrows on their usually perky opponents. The Cs did not exactly roll over and die. They found a way to counter the Warriors’ onslaught by putting up a worthy fight in the third—the time frame notably regarded as Golden State’s strongest quarter. Boston roared away with a 10-0 run to cut the lead to one, and eventually lead. But the Warriors regrouped and reclaimed lost territory, locking the Celtics down with stellar defense and raining more poisoned arrows their way, courtesy of Wiggins. And yes, a deadly back-up named Jordan Poole conspired with the former No. 1 pick for the Celtics’ complete take-down . And that was it. It seemed the poison in the arrows took effect and rendered the Celtics paralyzed. In the final 12 minutes, not even Red Auerbach could rescue the Cs as they missed dismally from the free throw line, hoisted air balls and did a little bit more of their ugly dance: The Turnover. It was Boston’s first back-to-back loss since their magical turnaround in January.

“But it was in the 17th Congress when the bill finally passed both chambers and on June 9, 2020, the NAS Act (RA 11470) was signed,” Cayetano said. She said: “As senior vice-chair of the Senate finance committee in the 18th Congress, I pushed for the budget to establish NAS, including its curriculum development, and scholarship benefits. This ensured that the student-athletes would have the opportunity to pursue academic tracks beyond sports.”

Verde layout in humid day eclipsed the previous best of 67s posted by Princess Superal and Thai Pimpadsorn Sangkagaro in the 2017 and 2018 editions, respectively, of the event. More importantly, it gave her a big five-shot cushion that could be too tough for the rest to overcome. But there are still 36 holes left for the likes of Mariano, Chihiro Ikeda, Harmie Constantino, Sarah Ababa and Sunshine Baraquiel to mount a challenge on a course that could yield low scores for one day and high for the next especially if the winds come into play. Avaricio, however, is keen on sustaining her form in pursuit of a third championship in the last five tournaments she laced up with a couple of runner-up finishes at Mt. Malarayat and Splendido Taal. “I’ll try to play as steady and hope that my putts will drop like today (yesterday),” said the winner at Hallow Ridge and Caliraya Springs stops of the Pilipinas Golf tournaments, Inc.-organized circuit. “She played near-perfect,” said Miñoza, who birdied two of the last seven holes to save a 75, while Nocum, who made double bogeys on a couple of par-3s and bogeyed the last two holes for a 78, described Avaricio’s round as “amazing and fantastic.” Mariano, playing in a threesome ahead of Avaricio’s,

Quezon City Week 2 leg of the VNL— to bounce back from a stunning loss to Japan in Week 1 action in Louisiana. “I’m just happy to be wearing the USA team jersey [again] and back with some of my amazing teammates. And it’s fun to play with new faces,” the 29-year-old outside hitter told reporters. “We have some young players who are going to get some looks and gain experience so it’s just finding our rhythm.” Team Captain Micha Hancock said she’s happy to play with their energetic new teammates. “We will just have fun while playing the best in the world,” she said. Opposite spiker Danielle Cuttino scored 12 points along with two blocks and seven digs while middle blocker Hanna Tapp added 11 points. Fan favorite Justine Wong-Orantes, who was also in Tokyo, was warmly received by Filipino fans. “I’m super excited that the Filipino fans are amazing,” Wong-Orantes said, who collected eight digs in the match. Miroslava Paskova had 14 points, including two blocks and six digs, while Silvana Chausheva added nine points and six digs for the Bulgarians, who suffered their fourth loss in five games. The Americans will be facing Poland at 11 a.m. on Saturday in the event that has Mikasa, Ganten, Gerflor and Senoh as global sponsors and global suppliers, PLDT Home as presenting partner, Rebisco, MG Philippines, TOP Speed Insurance, Asics and Maynilad as official sponsors, Havas Ortega, The Look Company, Summit Outdoor Media, Marketing Media Ventures, Strong Media Advertising Solutions. 91.5 Win Radio, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, City of Taguig, Quezon City and F2 Logistics as official suppliers.

also sizzled early with three birdies in the first five holes but yielded strokes on Nos. 9 and 10, which she however recovered with birdies on Nos. 12 and 18, her opening round best 69 netting her solo second. “My tee and regulation shots were good but I had a hard time on the greens,” said the Cagayan de Oro City find, who hit a pitch-in birdie on No. 2 but bogeyed the ninth on wrong clubbing. CHANELLE AVARICIO is all focused on Wednesday.

So the Celtics are now in that proverbial difficult situation: between a rock and a hard place. Do they still have a chance? By the skin of their teeth, they do. It will be a steep, uphill battle; a Mission Impossible almost. But until you hear the fat lady singing, there’s that sliver of a chance that they can pull off the improbable. You see, the numbers don’t favor the Celtics at all. In the NBA, Game 5 winners coming off a 2-2 series get to win the title 73 percent of the time. Apparently fatigued, Jayson Tatum and company displayed little or no crispness at all in the fourth quarter of Game 5. With hardly any ball movement, defense that sagged and limped at times, and energy that came in spurts, the Cs were a shadow of their amazing selves in the playoffs, and in Games 1 and 3. If there is any single variable that could have spelt the game differently for the Celtics in Game 5, it would have to be their turnovers. The Celtics had 18 turnovers in Game 5, which translated to 22 points scored by Golden State. According to records, if they have 16 turnovers in a game, they lose for sure. No need to do the math there. Jayson Tatum knows it. “We’re hard to beat when we

don’t turn the ball over. And clearly, we’re easy to beat when we do turn the ball over,” he told The Athletic. That, plus their free throws. Boston missed ten free throws against am elite offensive team. Had they converted those, who knows how the game could’ve ended? So if the Celtics are able to freshen up, keep their confidence, conquer their frustration with game officials and get their mojo back, they may just write the most amazing comeback story of the NBA finals. They have dealt with adversity before. Behind 3-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the East semis, they won Game 6 and disposed of the Bucks in Game 7. In the Eastern Conference Finals, they toppled Miami, the No. 1 team, in a tough, grind-out game to reach the NBA Finals. If they can channel their former selves again, cut down on mistakes, get over the hump twice even if Game 7 will be played in SanFo, millions of Green hearts will be deliriously happy. Jaylen Brown is looking at things with an assassin’s mindset. “Tough loss, but we’ve got an opportunity to even it back up on our home floor, push to a Game 7, and I’m looking forward to that challenge,” he said. Dynasty or destiny? Here we go again.