BusinessMirror March 05, 2021 by BusinessMirror

Taal eruption, typhoons cost ₧113B–Neda By Cai U. Ordinario

HE Taal Volcano eruption and succeeding typhoons last year alone cost the Philippines P113.4 billion in damage and losses, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda). In a statement at the Ready to Rebuild Program Launch, Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said the amount does not include billions in losses due to the lockdowns that were imposed to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Chua said between 2010 and 2019, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that disasters cost the Philippine economy some P463 billion. “Aggravating the impact of these natural disasters is the Covid-19 pandemic. The community lockdowns that had to be imposed to slow down the spread of the virus and strengthen the healthcare system disrupted the majority of our eco-

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nomic activities. All of these led to a -9.5 percent GDP growth rate in 2020, the lowest since 1947,” Chua said. “These disasters and emergencies led to billions worth of government resources being used for cash assistance, rehabilitation and construction efforts which could have been spent for other programs to improve the lives of our fellow citizens and promote a more sustainable development,” he added. As the country’s socioeconomic planning agency, Chua said Neda advocates for greater investment in disaster risk reduction programs. Chua said the Philippines needs to strengthen predisaster planning, particularly disaster mitigation and preparedness efforts. The acting Neda chief said proper planning is necessary to identify appropriate interventions and a basis for budget allocations. Chua said the Neda Rehabilita-

CHUA: “We do not want to repeat our mistakes. We have to put emphasis on preparedness activities and best practices.” tion and Planning Guide, adopted by the NDRRMC in 2019, will help in this regard. The guide builds on the lessons from the 2017 Marawi Siege and 2013 Supertyphoon Yolanda, as well as “build back better” principles. “Proper planning is key to guide the recovery efforts and build more resilient communities through improved struc-

tures, services and governance,” Chua said. “We do not want to repeat our mistakes. We have to put emphasis on preparedness activities and best practices.” Apart from this, World Bank Country Director Ndiame Diop said the Ready to Rebuild Program that NDRRMC launched will help build a culture of preparedness in the country. Diop said the program will build the capacity of decision-makers and technical staff at the national and local levels to craft recovery and rehabilitation plans. He said this kind of program is still needed even with Filipinos showing “admirable resilience” during natural and manmade disasters in the past. “When disasters happen, it is best not to be caught off-guard and with no plans or financial resources to recover. Local leaders should equip themselves with adequate knowledge and tools to mobilize quickly and provide just-in-time support to their people,” Diop said.

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TO BOUNCE BACK IN ’21-‘22 Govt’s bid to optimize revenue from Pogo backed

See “BSP,” A2

VEHICLES undergo automated testing at the Triple A Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Center in Valenzuela City as a replacement for emission testing centers required by the Land Transportation Office for vehicle registration. PMVIC operators have appealed to President Duterte to lift the suspension of the vehicle inspection scheme. NONOY LACZA

By Bianca Cuaresma

HE corporate sector is expected to start showing sustained signs of recovery starting this year and will continue up until 2022, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said. See “BSP,” A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 48.5310

D.A. EYES ABOVE-P90B BUDGET TO ALLOW FOR BUFFER By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is eyeing a budget next year higher than P90 billion to address current problems of the sector and to put in place a “buffer fund” that would allow it to

procure farm and fishery products during emergencies. The DA said it has started its internal budget hearings to finalize its 2022 budget proposal for submission to and scrutiny by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). In a virtual press briefing on Thursday, the DA disclosed that

it will “definitely” ask for a budget higher than its current P90billion outlay in order to address the issues brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, and African Swine Fever (ASF), among others. “We need to exert efforts to convince our congressmen and senators to increase [the budget] Continued on A2

By Butch Fernandez

INANCE officials on Thursday defended related bills taxing Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) in a move seen to provide additional funds for the cash-strapped government, whose revenue base was eroded during the pandemic’s crippling lockdowns. Appearing at a virtual hearing of the Senate Ways and Means Committee chaired by Sen. Pia Cayetano, officials led by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) sought timely enactment of revenue-raising measures to “address the pandemic and pull the economy out of recession.” This, as the BIR said that its projected collections from the POGO sector in 2021 could contract by over 45 percent. It reported a 68.63-percent plunge in January 2021 figures (P372.2 million from P1.43 billion in the same period in 2020), as the impact of prolonged quarantines hit many gaming operations. Related story in Banking, B3, “Revenue collected from POGOs to contract by 45.37% this year”. Among the pending measures under consideration are Senate Bill 1295, authored by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, seeking to establish a POGO tax regime for POGOs; and Senate Bill 2076 filed by Sen. Imee Marcos entitled, “An Act Taxing Persons Engaged in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations adding a new section in the National Internal Revenue Code,” as well as House Bill 5777, imposing levies on the offshore entities operating in the country, estimated to raise P144 billion in fresh revenues. Awaiting its Senate counterpart version, HB 5777 was approved in the House of Representatives in February, and aims to impose a 5-percent tax on gross receipts, and 25-percent tax on salaries and other remunerations received by POGO foreign workers earning P600,000 annually.

Priority bills

THE proposal for a separate tax regime for POGOs was listed among the priority

See “Pogo,” A2

n JAPAN 0.4536 n UK 67.7347 n HK 6.2567 n CHINA 7.5030 n SINGAPORE 36.4265 n AUSTRALIA 37.7329 n EU 58.5575 n SAUDI ARABIA 12.9371

Source: BSP (March 4, 2021)

News BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, March 5, 2021

Pogo… Continued from A1

measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), as lawmakers backed measures to tap additional source of revenue in the wake of last January’s Supreme Court-issued temporary restraining order, blocking imposition of a 5-percent franchise tax on POGOs, as provided in the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2. The High Court ruled the tax as a “rider” or a subject matter not covered by the law’s title, and thus illegal. At Thursday’s hearing, however, Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon sought the confirmation of BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa, that the proposed amendments to the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), once passed, would cure the problem with the “rider” and allow BIR to proceed with collecting from the POGOs the disallowed tax. Finance Department officials joined economic managers in pressing passage of enabling legislation seeking to tax POGOs which were deemed among the “under-tapped revenue sources for the cashstrapped government.” The move to maximize revenue from the POGO sector was begun in 2019 by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who led an interagency initiative to reconcile data and systems among the Department of Labor and Employment, Bureau of Immigration and the BIR, among others. This resulted in a sharp increase in the number of companies and POGO workers, previously under the radar, but were forced to comply with government regulations, subsequently boosting state revenue. Among the senators who expressed support for the continuing initiatives to optimize collections from the sector were Recto, Economic Affairs panel chief Marcos and Sen. Manuel Lapid.

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400K more doses due from China; 9K Pinoys got jabs

By Samuel P. Medenilla

RESIDENT Duterte said on Thursday China will donate 400,000 more doses of Covid-19 vaccine for the government’s ongoing inoculation drive. “China will give us another 400,000, making their donation to this country 1 million,” Duterte said in a speech for the inauguration of new school buildings in Valenzuela City. Earlier, 600,000 doses of donated vaccines by Sinovac Biotech were airlifted to Manila by the Chinese government, arriving in the country on Sunday. Earlier this week, chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 and vaccine czar Carlito G. Galvez said the Chinese embassy already made another commitment to the Philippine government. However, he said he will let the President make the announcement.

9,000 vaccinees

OVER 9,000 people have availed themselves of the free vaccines in the government’s ongoing nationwide immunization drive. Citing data from the Department of Health (DOH), Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online press briefing that a total of 9,077 individuals were immunized using the 600,000 doses of Sinovac-Biotech jabs from March 1 to 3, 2021. Of the said doses, 100,000 are allocated for government uniformed personnel, while the remaining 500,000 will be used for the priority sector, particularly medical workers. The vaccination centers that registered the highest number of

BSP… Continued from A1

In a press briefing on Thursday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said they have been closely monitoring the corporate sector, especially its potential impact on the local economy and on policy making. “The corporate sector is expected to bounce back in 2021 and 2022 amid the gradual easing of business restrictions and the recovery of the Philippine economy,” Diokno said. “The BSP is closely monitoring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the corporate sector as its financial conditions have significant implications to the formulation of sound and well-informed monetary, financial and economic policies,” the governor added. The pandemic has taken its toll on the corporate sector as firms reported net losses and declines in net income in 2020, reflecting the impact of the crisis, which forced prolonged lockdowns that paralyzed many business operations and restricted mobility.

‘Strong but partial’ recovery

PRESIDENT Duterte poses with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian, as they stand in front of a military plane carrying Sinovac vaccines from China at the Villamor Air Base in Manila on Sunday, February 28, 2021. The Philippines received its first batch of Covid-19 vaccine Sunday, among the last in Southeast Asia to secure the critical doses despite having the second-highest number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the hard-hit region. TOTO LOZANO/ MALACAÑANG PRESIDENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS DIVISION VIA AP

vaccine recipients during the period are the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (2,361); University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (1,184); and all of the sites from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (1,510). In a separate briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said they expected more people will avail themselves of the Covid-19 vaccine, especially since they already registered 222,783 individuals on the

masterlist of vaccine beneficiaries. Prominent medical workers and several government officials, including Galvez and NTF deputy chief implementer and testing czar Vivencio Dizon, had themselves inoculated publicly to ensure the efficacy of the vaccine. The government is targeting to inoculate 1.7 million healthcare workers in addition to 50,000 government uniformed personnel this month.

IN a separate statement, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lead economist Jun Neri said recovery will likely be “strong but partial” in 2021. The strength of this recovery is also pinned on the government’s ability to roll out vaccines this year. “We are expecting a 6.8-percent GDP growth for 2021, but our assumptions there are that the vaccine rollout will be able to cover not less than one-fourth of the population by end 2021, that the stimulus is meaningful enough, and that mobility will be on a sustained uptrend,” Neri said. In terms of total output, Neri said that the country’s 2021 GDP will not yet be at the same level as the previous year’s GDP. “We will only be able to fully recover sometime in the later part of 2022. And that’s what makes the Philippines quite unique. It is because we saw the biggest decline in Southeast Asia in overall GDP,” he said. Neri emphasized that the first indicator of economic improvement is mobility, just as production responds positively to the easing of quarantine measures.

DA eyes above-₧90B budget to allow for buffer PHL joins Continued from A1

for these critical sectors: livestock, poultry, fisheries and high-value crops,” the DA added. In a separate statement on Thursday, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar included in their 2022 budget proposal a “buffer fund to bankroll procurement of farm and fishery products during times of emergency.” Implementing Agencies of Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act, such as the DA, are allowed to have a buffer fund in their annual appropriations to finance emergency measures such as procurement and importation of basic commodities in times of shortage of supply, among other related measures. Under Section 9 of the Price Act, implementing agencies “may procure, purchase, import, or stockpile any basic necessity or prime commodity, devise ways and means of distributing them for sale at reasonable prices in areas where there is shortage of supply or a need to effect changes in its prevailing price.” As he opened a five-day physical and virtual internal budget hearing for 2022, Dar exhorted his staff, “Let us regroup, rethink, and put in

place key strategies with the objective of attaining positive growth for the sector starting this year and onto 2022, recovering from a flat growth last year.” He reiterated that the DA is eyeing to post 2.5-percent growth for the agriculture and fisheries sector this year.

Long-term solutions

IN a statement issued on Thursday, the Philippine Chamber on Agriculture and Food Inc. (Pcafi) said they have been “petitioning before Congress long-term development plans for the hog, poultry and livestock sectors, not just short-term solutions to crises like ASF.” “It is unfair that poultry and livestock gets only an average of 3 percent from the budget of DA, while it contributes an estimated 35 percent in total agricultural production revenue. On the other hand, palay gets the whopping 40 percent of budget despite contributing only 22 percent in production revenue,” Pcafi said. “Moreover, livestock and poultry actually accounts for a significant 2.5 percent of the Philippines’s total gross domestic product revenue generation. That makes it a critical mover in national development,” Pcafi added. The group noted that the agriculture sector gets barely 2 percent of the total national budget, while contributing 9 percent to 10 percent of the GDP. “With a P4.5-trillion 2021 budget, DA should get at least P405 billion in the national budget; livestock and poultry with at least P112.5 billion,” it said.

calls vs state detention as tool vs govts

Continued from A12 Locsin replied, “I was told not to sign because it is non-binding. I said good things start that way: optional. Until avoiding the norm makes you look like a [expletive] jungle bunny; then almost like an afterthought it becomes binding law.” Fr. Aquino said, “I have no doubt that this proscription will soon coalesce into jus cogens: a peremptory norm of international law.” The declaration, launched last February 15, was led by Canada, which has accused China of arbitrarily detaining its nationals Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. It aims to protect citizens of all countries who live, work and travel abroad and calls upon states to take “concrete steps” to prevent and put an end to harsh conditions in detention, denial of access to legal counsel, torture, and other inhuman treatment or punishment. However, it was Canada that first detained Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou two years ago at the Vancouver airport, when she was arrested by Canadian police. She faces extradition to the US where she has been charged with bank and wire fraud. Meng, 48, has remained under house arrest in Vancouver and claims she’s innocent of the fraud charges for allegedly misleading HSBC about Huawei’s business dealings in Iran. The arrest on December 1, 2018, followed strong trade policies lodged by the Trump administration against Chinese companies, including Huawei, one of China’s largest companies and the world’s largest telecoms equipment maker. Supporters of Huawei and Meng, also known as Sabrina Meng, believe she is the victim of politics and said the charges against her do not follow normal US Department of Justice procedures.

Recto L. Mercene

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Duterte to visit ‘liberated’ villages in at least 3 regions By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

RESIDENT Duterte is expected to personally visit today (Friday) barangay clusters that were recently “liberated” from the clutches of New People’s Army rebels and are beneficiaries of a Congress-approved Barangay Development Program (BDP), the National Security Council said on Thursday. In a news statement, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said President Duterte, as chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) will be visiting on Friday, Region 10 and then Region 8 and Region 4 on the following weeks this month. “President Duterte intends to visit each region in the country on a weekly basis for consultations and dialogues,as well as to grace the regional implementation of the Barangay Development Program,” Esperon said. During the visit, the President will be accompanies by Cabinet members whose respective agencies have initiated projects in the identified barangays, along with governors, city mayors, provincial representatives of the League of Municipalities, provincial representatives of the League of Barangays and the chairmen of recipient barangays. “We are now pushing forward with our barangay-level initiatives, with the President meeting barangay officials and chairpersons of the 822 barangays that will be receiving the BDP. As chairperson

of the NTF-ELCAC, the President shall be meeting with local chief executives, including the barangay-beneficiaries of the BDP to present to the people of the region the package of projects they are to receive,” Esperon added. At least 822 barangays that have been “cleared” of NPA influence are included in the BDP, and each is expected to receive P20 million for this year to be used for specified projects intended for development. The release of funds for the BDP is covered by Local Budget Circular 135 and 135-A from the Department of Budget and Management. This circular details the guidelines on the release and utilization of the Local Government Support Fund-Support to the BDP of the NTF-ELCAC this year. Projects earmarked for each barangay include P12 million farm-to-market roads; P3 million school buildings; P2 million water sanitation; P1.5 million skills and livelihood training; and P1.5 million health sanitations. “TheseprogramsareaimedataddressingissuesthattheCPP-NPA[Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA] utilize in their propaganda and recruitment, such as poverty, isolation, diseases, hunger and lack of educational and livelihood opportunities,” Esperon said. Esperon also expressed confidence that with the President himself leading the program, there will be quick degradation of the capabilities of the insurgents. He said eventually the entire country will be cleared from rebel threats.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, March 5, 2021 A3

Phivolcs hoists Alert Level 1 in restive Mt. Pinatubo; no imminent eruption seen

By Ashley Manabat | Correspondent

LARK FREEPORT—The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in its 7 a.m. bulletin on Thursday that Alert Level 1 has been raised in areas around Mt. Pinatubo.

Phivolcs said Alert Level 1 means there is low-level unrest in Pinatubo but no imminent eruption is foreseen despite the observance of persistent seismic activity. Phivolcs said a total of 1,722 imperceptible earthquakes beneath the Pinatubo edifice were detected since January 2020. Situated 87 kilometers northwest of Manila, Mt. Pinatubo is located at the boundaries of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga provinces. It was thought to be a dormant volcano until its eruption in June 1991, one of the worst volcanic eruption in the country’s history. The eruption sent tens of thousands living in communities around it to flee for safety as volcanic ashes spit out by the volcano

rained over Central Luzon, covering many areas in the main island with ashfall. Years after its eruption, debris from Mt. Pinatubo continues to flow in the event of rain in the form of lahar, burying houses and other abandoned structures as rivers and streams overflow. Vast tracts of agricultural lands were also buried under volcanic ash and for years were rendered unproductive. “The earthquakes ranged between ML0.5 and ML2.8 in magnitude; all earthquakes recorded are associated with rock-fracturing processes,” Phivolcs said. Carbon dioxide, temperatures and acidity showed slight increases or remained unchanged, it said. It added: “Given the persistence

of seismic activity, Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs is raising the status of Pinatubo Volcano from Alert Level 0 to Alert Level 1. This means that there is low-level unrest that may be related to tectonic processes beneath the volcano and that no imminent eruption is foreseen.” Phivolcs also advised that entry into the Pinatubo crater area “must be conducted with extreme caution and should be avoided if possible.” Communities and concerned local government units surrounding Mt. Pinatubo were told to be prepared for both earthquake and volcanic hazards and to revisit their disaster preparedness plans. Phivolcs likewise discouraged visits to the crater lake. The Philippine Air Force secures the entry to the volcano via Barangay Sta. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac. Aeta communities closest to the volcano are in Barangay Inararo in Porac, Pampanga; Sitio Tarukan in Barangay Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac; and several villages in San Marcelino, Zambales. Last January 27, 2021, Phivolcs notified the public and concerned authorities of recent earthquake activity in the Pinatubo Volcano. Since January 20, 2021, the Pinatubo Volcano Network (PVN) and the

Philippine Seismic Network (PSN) have detected a total of 826 imperceptible earthquakes east-northeast of Pinatubo Volcano in the vicinities of the City of Mabalacat, Pampanga. The strongest of these earthquakes occurred on January 25, 2021 at depths of 15 to 28 kilometers and ranged between ML1.0 and ML2.5 in magnitudes. Based on the general distribution of located events, these earthquakes were generated along a segment of the Sacobia Lineament, a fault that was last active during the post-eruption period of 1991. This development serves to remind us once again that several faults occur around the volcano and that these can generate earthquake activity that can be sometimes imperceptible and harmless but that can also sometimes be damaging. On April 22, 2019, a M6.1 earthquake on the southern foot slopes of Pinatubo Volcano shook the Central Luzon region and caused fatalities and substantial damages to buildings, roads and other structures. It can be recalled that after nine weeks of unrest, Mt. Pinatubo erupted on June 15, 1991, accompanied by Typhoon Yunya that dispersed ash to surrounding countries. With Jonathan L. Mayuga

Groups condemn attack on Iloilo lawyer Remains of 4 Pinoy oil workers abducted, later By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

EVERAL groups condemned on Thursday the attack against lawyer Angelo Karlo “AK” Guillen, one of the lawyers in the 37 petitions seeking to declare as unconstitutional the Anti-Terrorism law of 2020, who was stabbed in the head and at the back on Wednesday evening by two unidentified men in Iloilo City. The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) where Guillen also serves as assistant vice president in the Visayas, called on police authorities to immediately bring to justice those who were responsible for the attack. Guillen, a human-rights lawyer, is also NUPL’s secretary-general in Panay. “The brazen attack against the life of Atty. AK Guillen is an open and direct attack not only against the NUPL but also against members of the legal profession who chose to live and uphold their oath and duty

in the service of the people,” NUPL president Edre Olalia said. “In one voice, let us condemn this latest attack and call for accountability for those responsible for the attempt on Atty. Guillen’s life. In one voice, let us all call for an end to this impunity,” he added. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) said the attack against Guillen only proves that “the danger and terror“ real and asked the government to perform its mandate “to secure its citizens and international commitment to ensure that lawyers can do their job without fear, harassment or retribution.” “We pray for his safety and wellbeing as he grapples to survive two stab wounds with 12-inch screw drivers on his head and back by two masked criminals who were picked up with two motorcycles right after the treacherous attack,” IBP National President Domingo Cayosa said. “Inflicting violence on those who seek justice is criminality to the highest degree,” he added.

Two men wearing face masks and baseball caps reportedly attack Guillen at around 9:15 p.m. along Gen. Luna Street in Iloilo City. According to the NUPL as of 11:03 p.m. of March 3, Guillen has been declared in stable condition at a local hospital. Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they would wait for the opportunity to talk with Guillen before deciding if the Administrative Order 35 (AO 35) Task Force should be mobilized to conduct its own investigation. The AO 35, headed by the DOJ, is an inter-agency committee (IAC) on Extrajudicial Killings (EJK) with the mandate to investigate summary killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave violations to the rights to life, liberty and security of persons. Guillen is one of the legal counsels in the petition filed by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan against the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism law of 2020 before the Supreme Court.

Comelec assures pre-poll info drive for Palawan plebiscite

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said it would tap local radio stations for the last leg of its information campaign on the Palawan plebiscite to address the alleged lack of awareness of voters on the said issue. The poll body, however, said it may be unable to arrange a debate between the supporters and those opposing the proposed division of Palawan into three separate provinces as requested by election watchdog, Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) due to pandemic curbs. Currently, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said their info drive

in Palawan remains “hyperlocal” since it is still being conducted through pulong-pulongan, or townhall meetings. “But once we start airing our campaign, we will be hitting radio stations in Palawan throughout the week before the plebiscite. So look out for that,” Jimenez said in an online news briefing. Comelec made the assurance after LENTE expressed concern over reports of limited knowledge of some voters in Palawan regarding the issues about the plebiscite. Both pros and cons of the division of Palawan will be presented in their radio-based info drive, ac-

cording to Jimenez. H o w e v e r, h e n o t e d , t h e y could not conduct the requested debate by LENTE due to quarantine restrictions. The information campaign of Comelec for the Palawan plebiscite is set to end on March 11, 2021. The plebiscite to be held on March 13, 2021 aims to determine if Republic Act 11259 or the Act Dividing the Province of Palawan into three provinces will be ratified or not. Over 490,000 people from Palawan, except those from Puerto Princesa City, are expected to participate in the plebiscite. Samuel P. Medenilla

executed by IS in Libya 6 yrs ago finally located

ITH the help of Libyan authorities, the remains of four Filipino oil workers who were forcibly taken along with two coworkers from Austria and the Czech Republic by Islamic State (IS) extremists who attacked the Ghani Oil Field in southern Libya on March 6, 2015, have finally been located in a cemetery in the eastern coastal city of Derna on Monday. Philippine Embassy in Tripoli Chargé d’Affaires and Head of Mission Elmer G. Cato said nothing much had been heard from the kidnapped foreign oil workers until two years later when a video showing their execution was found in a laptop seized from slain IS fighters in Derna. The six, who were employed by the Austrian contractor Value Added Oil Services (VAOS), had since been presumed dead although their bodies were never recovered. Sometime in 2018, Chargé d’Affaires Cato said the Embassy was informed that the remains of the four missing Filipinos could be among those that have been recovered by the Libyan Red Crescent Society in various parts of Derna and later buried there. However, due to the unstable security situation, the embassy was not able to send a team to Derna to search for the four Filipinos. It was only in October that Embassy officials were able to travel to Benghazi and request the assistance of authorities in finding the four. On March 1, Libyan military authorities led embassy officials to the Dahr Ahmar Islamic Cemetery 10 kilometers from Derna, where they said Donato Santiago, Gregorio Titan, Roldan Blaza, and Wilson Eligue were buried after their bodies were recovered six years ago. Cato said the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs has conveyed the lat-

AUTHORITIES in the eastern Libyan city of Derna point, the site where they buried four Filipinos and their Austrian and Czech coworkers who were kidnapped and later executed by Islamic State militants six years ago. The remains of the six oil workers were buried in a local cemetery that was visited on Monday by Chargé d’Affaires and Head of Mission Elmer G. Cato (fourth from left) of the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli. PHILIPPINE EMBASSY PHOTO BY ANABELLE BELTING

est development to the families in the Philippines of the four Filipinos and will make arrangements for forensics experts to assist in identifying the remains and bringing them home.

“After six long years, the families of our four kababayans will finally find closure,” Cato said. “We are indebted to our Libyan friends for making this possible.”

Acuzar’s New San Jose Builders donates boat for Pasig River ferry service By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

N a bid to boost ridership amid limited public transportation brought about by pandemic curbs in the Metropolis, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Pasig

River Ferry Service (PRFS) bared the donation of a ferry boat to boost its fleet. MMDA accepted M/B Vicente, a 50-seater ferry boat donated by New San Jose Builders Inc. (NSJBI) in a turnover ceremony at Guadalupe Ferry Station in Makati. MMDA Chairman Benjamin “Ben-

hur” Abalos Jr., who had tested negative ofCovid-19onWednesdayafterhisexposure to San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, who contracted the disease, thanked the NSJBI, headed by its chairman, Jose Acuzar, for the donation which, he said, is “expected to augment the shortage of ferryboatsforourday-to-dayoperations.”

In a news statement, Acuzar said that the NSJBI is honored to be a part of the solution to alleviate heavy traffic. “The Pasig River Ferry Service is an effective alternative transportation that doesn’t just lessen the land vehicle volume but also promotes the beauty of the historic river,” he said.

The PRFS accommodated a total of 436,931 passengers from April 2014 to October 2019, which, as Abalos lamented, could have been higher if not for the recurrent problem on water hyacinths that oftentimes result in canceled or limited trips. “We assure the public that we will

continue to improve the ferry service for a comfortable and safe riding experience of the public,” he said. Abalos also said that he plans to double the ferry boats, shorten the waiting time of one hour to 30 minutes to encourage more passengers and open the Napindan dockyard in Taguig.

A4 Friday, March 5, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

DA eyes completion of ACEA facility for ‘safe’ agri imports by end of ’21

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) said the country’s first border facility is now ready to begin construction after the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Manila International Container Port (MICP) cleared the P500-million project with completion eyed by end of the year. In a news statement issued on Thursday, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said the DA is set to establish the first A g r ic u lt u ra l Com mod it y E xamination Area (ACEA) at the Manila International Container Terminal, South Harbor, Port of Manila this year. Four other ACEAs will be constructed by the DA next year in the ports of Cebu, Batangas, Subic

and Davao, DA National Livestock Program Director Ruth MiclatSocano said. In a separate news statement, the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) urged the government to fasttrack the construction of the ACEA to help in “arresting massive spread of African swine fever [ASF]-infected meat” in the country.

“ASF as we know comes from outside of our country. We are very strict and compliant with all protocols in our movements from within our soil. Yet we failed in the First Border on what is coming into our country,” Roger V. Navarro, president of Philippine Maze Federation Inc., a member of PCAFI, said. “We are told there are obstacles to implement the First Border Control facility due to pending approval from the Philippine Ports Authority to give the area. So we are calling on PPA and the Department of Transportation [DOTr] to cooperate and help,” Navarro added. PCAFI noted that the construction of the ACEA is long overdue. The construction of the ACEAs was approved in a December 2019 Cabinet meeting. In October last year, DA revealed that “legal and logistical barriers” were delaying the construction of the ACEA as it pointed out that “Building a government structure in a privately operated

congested port area is not an overnight task to accomplish.” At that time, DA was still identif ying the 2,000 -squaremeter area for the construction of the ACEA. Nonetheless, the DA said it has been coordinating with concerned offices, such as the PPA, International Container Terminal Services Inc., and the Asian Terminals Inc., to fast-track the process. The DA also said last year that it has started the groundwork for the establishment of other ACEA facilities at the international ports of Subic, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao. “ The first border inspection facility will serve as a one-stop shop for regulatory inspections of imported agricultural product, and a common facility for the DA’s Bureaus of Plant Industry [BPI], of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources [BFAR], and Bureau of Animal Industry to prevent the entr y of animal, fish, and plant diseases into the country,” it added.

Delivery of tunnel-boring machine to hasten completion of P12.2-B Kaliwa Dam project By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

HE government is targeting to fast-track the ongoing construction of the Kaliwa Dam project after the arrival of a much-awaited equipment by the second quarter of the year. Citing the discussions during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said that the tunnel-boring machine for the project is expected to arrive by May. “Once the tunnel-boring machine arrives, we will see faster progress on the project,” Nograles said during an online news briefing on Thursday. The China-funded project worth P12.2 billion was originally set to start in 2019 and be completed by 2024. However, its construction was delayed due to permit problems. With the current time line, the project is expected to be completed by 2025 instead. The construction of the dam is being opposed by affected indigenous peoples’ groups and environmental advocates, citing its impact to vegetation and wildlife, displacement of several communities, location near a fault line, and hefty price, which will further add to public debt.

Pending projects

ONCE completed, Nograles said the Kaliwa Dam project will ensure the water security of the National Capital Region (NCR) and its surrounding areas. He said other similar projects, which aim to supply more water to Luzon and are now in the works, include the Long Term Water Source Development

CLEARING OPS

for Metro Manila Project (Upper Kaliwa and Kanan River); East Bay water Supply Project-Phase 1; East Bay Water Supply Project-Phase 2; Wawa-Calawis Water Supply Project-Phase 1; and the Wawa-Calawis Water Supply Project-Phase 2. “All together, these projects will be able to supply a total of 1,368 million liters per day, or MLD [to Luzon],” Nograles said. NCR was hit with severe water shortages in recent years due to low rainfall in some parts of Luzon. For this year at least, Nograles said, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) assured President Duterte and members of the Cabinet that there will be no water shortage in NCR.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

TWG on broiler concerns formed

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) has formed a technical working group (TWG) tasked to address current concerns of the broiler industry, including collation and analysis of data on supply and demand of chicken meat. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Special Order (SO) 197 dated March 3 that authorized the creation of the TWG for broiler concerns. Under the SO, the TWG would be chaired by Bureau of Animal Industry Assistant Director for Production and Research Officer in Charge Dr. Rene C. Santiago. The members of the TWG include Dr. Roland Fajardo, Dr. Jonathan Sabiniano, Mr. Alvin Dirain and Mr. Mark Villatema. Dar has instructed the TWG to collate and analyze data related to the broiler sector, including broiler meat supply and demand and costing on the production of broiler meat. The TWG is also tasked to develop plans and programs to operationalize the DA broiler sector road map and, at the same time, responsible for the “coordination and consultation with concerned stakeholders in addressing concerns of the broiler sector.” The TWG will also “spearhead the development of policy recommendations for the sector in collaboration with relevant DA offices and agencies,” according to the SO. Sought for comments, United Broiler Raisers Association (Ubra) President Elias Jose Inciong said they

will keep an “open mind” regarding the creation of the TWG to address the industry’s concerns. “My impression is that these are career people who will likewise have an open mind,” Inciong told the BusinessMirror. The broiler industry is reeling from dampened demand for chicken meat due to the stoppage of operations of the hotel, restaurant and institutional (HRI) segment, which accounts for about 30 percent of total demand, due to movement restrictions imposed by the government to control the spread of Covid-19. The loss of the HRI segment has resulted in glut in supply and plunge in farm-gate prices last year, thus forcing some broiler raisers and even breeders to cut or stop production. Today, the industry is experiencing record-high prices of day-old chicks that have reached P50 per piece due to lack of breeder supply. The average farm-gate price of broilers fell by 10 percent to P110 per kilogram as supply outpaced demand, which weakened due to the imposition of the price ceiling on chicken meat. Ubra data as of February 26 showed that the average farmgate price of broilers ranged from P109.75 per kg to P110.28 per kg, depending on size. Ubra data indicated that the average farm-gate price of regular-sized broilers declined by 9.43 percent to P110.50 per kg from the previous week’s P122 per kg. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

PHL officials reminded to prioritize HCWs in vaccination drive…or else

Final stages

IN a related development, Nograles said the government’s new concession agreement with Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc. are now almost complete. “The proposed concession agreements are already within their final stages.... After that, the group, which was tasked by President Duterte to negotiate or renegotiate [with the water concessionaires] and finalize the new water concession agreements may know what to do,” Nograles said. To recall, Duterte warned he will nationalize water distribution in Metro Manila if Maynilad and Manila Water refuse government’s new service contracts that will be offered to them. Duterte ordered the review of the service contracts of the two water concessionaires, contracts, which, he said, allegedly contain “onerous provisions.”

Meralco linemen prune the trees that protrude near power transmission lines and high voltage transformers at Ruby Street corner Fairlane in North Fairview, Quezon City, on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The removal of obstructions near power lines and transformers is meant to avoid any untoward incident that may cause power outage. PNA/OLIVER MARQUEZ

If we want to ensure that we continue to access the vaccines from Covax facility, we need to demonstrate that we can follow this prioritization. WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

HE World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday reminded the Philippine government to “respect” the prioritization list by prioritizing the country’s health-care workers (HCWs) in the vaccination rollout after some government officials were inoculated a bid to boost vaccine confidence. “If we want to ensure that we continue to access the vaccines from Covax facility, we need to demonstrate that we can follow this prioritization,” WHO Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe said in a media forum, where he also emphasized the need to protect the “most vulnerable, most at risk.” Given the large need for vaccines across the world, he warned that if there are multiple reports of breaches in prioritization, “then the Covax may have to decide to address this challenge.” “My word of caution is let’s not go there...[let us] ensure that there is a continuing rollout of vaccines ready to have the Philippines protect more people as gradually as possible,” Abeyasinghe said. He added: “Because as you know, there is a huge demand for vaccines all over, in all the affected countries...and if we cannot demonstrate that—we are not following

this prioritization. Unfortunately the Covax may have to consider other options where the impact of the vaccine rollout will be more useful and practical, and contribute to saving more lives.” The WHO official said he is urging everyone concerned to “kindly respect the prioritization that has been defined by the Department of Health [DOH] and the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, in consultation with the WHO, to please follow that so that we can ensure continued rollout of Covax vaccines in the country.” This, Abeyasinghe added, will help to gradually go to the second, third prioritization groups. “And eventually have everybody protected,” he said.

Sacrifice of HCWs

ABEYASINGHE said that they recognize all the sacrifices of the HCWs since the start of the pandemic. “We leave room for the vaccines to reach the most at risk health-care workers,” he said stressing that they deserve to be protected. “Let us prioritize them. It is something we have to come together. Not just the DOH but the whole of the country, the whole of the community. We need to do that to acknowledge the sacrifice of these people...to provide them the protection that they deserve,” he said.

The World

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

Friday, March 5, 2021

UN: 38 died on deadliest day for Myanmar coup opposition

ANGON, Myanmar—Myanmar security forces were seen firing slingshots at protesters, chasing them down and even brutally beating an ambulance crew in video showing a dramatic escalation of violence against opponents of last month’s military coup. A UN official speaking from Switzerland said 38 people had been killed on Wednesday, a figure consistent with other reports though accounts are difficult to confirm inside the country. The increasingly deadly violence could galvanize the international community, which has responded fitfully so far. “Today it was the bloodiest day since the coup happened on February 1. We have today—only today—38 people died. We have now more than over 50 people died since the coup started” and more have been wounded, the UN special envoy for Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, told reporters at UN headquarters on Wednesday. Demonstrators have regularly flooded the streets of cities across the country since the military seized power and ousted the elected government of leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Their numbers have remained high even as security forces have repeatedly fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds to disperse the crowds, and arrested protesters en masse. The intensifying standoff is unfortunately familiar in a countr y with a long histor y of peaceful resistance to militar y rule—and brutal crackdowns. The coup reversed years of slow progress toward democracy in the Southeast Asian nation after five decades of militar y rule. The Democratic Voice of Burma, an independent television and online news service, also tallied 38 deaths. A toll of at least 34 was compiled by a data analyst in Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his safety. He also collected

information where he could on the victims’ names, ages, hometowns, and where and how they were killed—an effort he said he had made to honor those who were killed for their heroic resistance. The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm most of the reported deaths, but several square with online postings. According to the data analyst’s list, most were in Yangon, where 18 died. In the central city of Monywa, which has turned out huge crowds, eight deaths were reported. Three deaths were reported in Mandalay, the country’s second-biggest city, and two in Salin, a town in Magwe region. Mawlamyine, in the country’s southeast, and Myingyan and Kalay, both in central Myanmar, each had a single death. As part of the crackdown, security forces have also arrested hundreds of people, including journalists. On Saturday, at least eight journalists, including Thein Zaw of The Associated Press, were detained. A video showed he had moved out of the way as police charged down a street at protesters, but then was seized by police officers, who handcuffed him and held him briefly in a chokehold before marching him away. He has been charged with violating a public safety law that could see him imprisoned for up to three years. The escalation of the crackdown has led to increased diplomatic efforts to resolve Myanmar’s political crisis—but there appear to be few viable options. It’s not yet clear if Wednesday’s soaring death toll could change the dynamic. The UN Security Council is expected

Myanmar military-named deputy UN ambassador resigns–reports

NITED NATIONS—Myanmar’s deputy UN ambassador, who was assigned by the military to head the country’s mission to the United Nations after the ambassador strongly opposed their recent coup, resigned on Wednesday, according to social media and newspaper reports. Tin Maung Naing was named by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the mission’s charge d’affaires in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received Tuesday. It said Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun had been terminated. Tun sent letters Monday to the General Assembly president and Guterres saying he represents the country’s “legitimate” government and remains Myanmar’s ambassador. Deputy Ambassador Naing posted on Facebook Wednesday that he was resigning, without giving a reason, according to The Irrawaddy newspaper in a report from Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and a Twitter post from anti-coup activists that included his Burmese language Facebook announcement. According to an unofficial translation of the announcement, Naing said he was a dedicated civil servant serving the country he loves for 30 years but due to unavoidable circumstances he was resigning. The country’s UN mission did not respond to numerous calls seeking comment on the Facebook post, which was readable only by people marked as

friends. Anti-coup activists on Twitter welcomed Naing’s statement. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Wednesday he had seen reports of Naing’s resignation, and said that the two contradictory letters from Ambassador Tun and the Foreign Ministry had been sent to the General Assembly’s Credentials Committee. In a dramatic speech to a General Assembly meeting on Myanmar on Friday, Tun appealed for “the strongest possible action from the international community” to restore democracy to the country. He urged all countries to strongly condemn the February 1 coup, to refuse to recognize the military regime, and to ask the military leaders to respect the November elections won by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party. The Irrawaddy said that after Tun condemned the military, the Foreign Ministry “recalled at least 100 diplomatic staff from around 19 countries.” The paper said the Committee Representing Pyidaungu Hluttaw (National Assembly), comprising elected lawmakers from Suu Kyi’s NLD party, told the UN to recognize Tun as representing the elected government. The committee also said Tun “had been given additional duties to manage foreign and diplomatic affairs for the NLD government, in effect appointing him foreign minister in exile,” The Irrawaddy said. AP

to hold a closed meeting on the situation on Friday, council diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make the information public before the official announcement. The United Kingdom requested the meeting, they said. Still, any kind of coordinated action at the United Nations will be difficult since two permanent members of the Security Council, China and Russia, would almost certainly veto it. Some countries have imposed or are considering imposing their own sanctions. The UN special envoy, Schraner Burgener, who supports sanctions, said she receives some 2,000 messages per day from people inside Myanmar, many “who are really desperate to see action from the international community.” The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar, issued a statement after a teleconference meeting of foreign ministers Tuesday that merely called for an end to violence and for talks on how to reach a peaceful settlement. Asean has a tradition of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. Ignoring that appeal, Myanmar’s security forces have continued to attack peaceful protesters. In addition to the deaths, there have been reports of other violence. In Yangon, a widely circulated video taken from a security camera showed police in the city brutally beating members of an ambulance crew—apparently after they were arrested. Police can be seen kicking the three crew members and thrashing them with rifle butts. Security forces are believed to single out medical workers for arrest and mistreatment because members of the medical profession launched the country’s civil disobedience movement to resist the junta. In Mandalay, riot police, backed by soldiers, broke up a rally and chased around 1,000 teachers and students from a street with tear gas as gunshots could be heard. Video from the AP showed a squad of police firing slingshots in the apparent direction of demonstrators as they dispersed. AP

South Korea economy shrank in 2020 for 1st time in 22 years

EOUL, South Korea—South Korea’s central bank says the country’s economy shrank for the first time in 22 years in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic destroyed service industry jobs and depressed consumer spending. Preliminary data released by the Bank of Korea on Thursday showed the country’s gross domestic product last year contracted 1 percent from 2019. It was the first annual contraction since 1998, when South Korea was in the midst of a crippling financial crisis. The economy would have been even worse if not for the country’s technology exports, which saw increased demand driven by personal computers and servers as the pandemic forced millions around the world to work at home. The bank expects South Korea’s economy to manage a modest recovery this year driven by exports. But it says it would take a longer time for the job market to recover from the damage to services industries, such as restaurants and transportation. The bank since March last year has maintained its policy rate at an all-time low of 0.5 percent to help pump money into the economy. But experts say traditional financial tools aimed at lowering borrowing costs have had only limited effect during the pandemic that has damaged both supply and demand. The country reported another new 424 cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing its national caseload to 91,240, including 1,619 deaths. AP

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC. 14/f Capella Bldg. L-3&4 B2, Asean Drive Filinvest Alabang Muntinlupa City 1.

FANG, ZONGTAO Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

QIN, DEXING Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

YANG, JINCHENG Chinese

MANDARIN SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1 Pitx Kennedy Road Tambo Parañaque City

NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

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BAYVIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 43/f Yuchengco Tower Rcbc Plaza Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. Bel-air Makati City 43.

KAEWKHAM, NICHANUN Thai

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTILINGUAL)

44.

MANEEKHAM, KIRATI Thai

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (MULTILINGUAL)

45.

DINH THANH PHONG Vietnamese

SENIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE (MULTI-LINGUAL)

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd. Brgy. 076 Pasay City

NO.

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FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

NO.

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PANIS, KRENZ MIKHAIL Norwegian

MULTILINGUAL SERVICE DESK MEMBER

122.

LAN, CHENBIN Chinese

90.

SIRE, AURELIEN French

MULTILINGUAL SERVICE DESK MEMBER

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

123.

LI, YIZHANG Chinese

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124.

LIN, WEI Chinese

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125.

LIU, TING Chinese

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126.

LUO, WENYAO Chinese

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127.

LYU, WAN Chinese

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128.

NGUYEN CHI TAI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

129.

TANG, YI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

130.

WANG, FENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

131.

WEI, GUOQING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

132.

WEN, HAIQIN Chinese

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133.

WU, DENGPING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

134.

XIE, XIANGLI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

135.

XU, MEI Chinese

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136.

YAN, SIFA Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

137.

ZHANG, BOWEN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

138.

ZHONG, FANXUAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

139.

WANG, YUANDE Chinese

MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING

CHINA COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 12/f One/neo Bldg 26th St. Cor 3rd Ave., Bgc Fort Bonifacio Taguig City WANG, REN Chinese

BOARD OF DIRECTOR

92.

GOU, BOBO Chinese

IT SPECIALIST

93.

MA, YUEFENG Chinese

IT SPECIALIST

91.

46.

SIMON Myanmari

COMPUTER TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST

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CHEN, YONGYE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

48.

LI, HONGHE Chinese

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49.

REN, BO Chinese

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50.

WANG, RONGYU Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE

95.

CHEONG WEN HAN Malaysian

SPORTS TRADER-BAHASA SPEAKING II

51.

YANG, XINLONG Chinese

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96.

LIM KIAN HUAT Malaysian

SPORTS TRADER-BAHASA SPEAKING II

52.

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CHEN, ZHIBIN Chinese

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FRENCH SERVICE DESK ANALYST

CHEN, JIE Chinese

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55.

DONG, WENGUANG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

AEGINS TECHNOLOGIES INC. 12/f Oledan Square 6788 Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 5th And 6th Floors, 8/10 Upper Mckinley Building Mckinley Hill Cyberpark Fort Bonifacio Taguig City

56.

FU, ZHONGTAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

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SHARMA, PRANAV Indian

DIRECTOR IT - OPERATION

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GUO, SHINING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

99.

SENIOR PROCESS EXECUTIVE

58.

HUANG, XIALIAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

GONZALEZ VIZCAYA, CRISTHIAN ANDRES Colombian

59.

HUANG, CHUNYAN Chinese

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LI, HONGYE Chinese

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LI, GUANYONG Chinese

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LIANG, ZHENYU Chinese

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63.

LIANG, HOUKUANG Chinese

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64.

LIAO, BINGZHONG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

65.

LIN, MUPING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

HE, JINJIAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

WANG, YU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

ZOU, CHAOXUE Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

LIU, PING Chinese

MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING

TANG, BINGQIN Chinese

MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING

WEI, KUNYI Chinese

MARKETING STAFF MANDARIN SPEAKING

ACCENTURE, INC. 7f Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1 Pioneer St Mandaluyong City 10.

11.

NGANDU, SERGE UTUMPU Congolese

WANG, XIAO Chinese

IT SUPPORT

AIDEA INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES INC. U-29d Ayala Life-fgu Center 6811 Ayala Ave. Bel-air Makati City 12.

NEWMAN, RYAN PATRICK American

SENIOR ASSOCIATE, DESIGN

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D. Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street Tambo Parañaque City 13.

NGUYEN MANH QUY Vietnamese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

14.

NONG, XUEJIN Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

15.

ZHANG, HAIBO Chinese

CHINESE CUSTOMER SERVICE

BAOLONG TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED INC. 20-29th/f Century Diamond Tower Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St. Poblacion Makati City 16.

BAI, YONGQIANG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

66.

MA, JIAO Chinese

17.

DING, GUOFENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

67.

MA, YUQI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

18.

EKO FALENTINO Indonesian

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

68.

OU, BAOZHEN Chinese

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19.

GIP SENH Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

69.

WANG, QINGLING Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

HENDRI SUHANDY Indonesian

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

70.

WANG, JIANLAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

21.

HU, LULU Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

71.

WU, JINWU Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

22.

KIM, BAY Cambodian

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

72.

XIGURIHAN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

20.

23.

KRISNA Indonesian

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

73.

YANG, CHAO Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

24.

LAU DUC HIEN Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

74.

YANG, YANG Chinese

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25.

LI, TUAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

75.

YUAN, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

26.

LI, WEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

76.

ZHANG, HAILONG Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

27.

LIU, SHUAI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

77.

ZHOU, XIAOLIN Chinese

MANDARIN LANGUAGE SPECIALIST

28.

LIU, YUEFENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

29.

LY CAM MUI Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

30.

MA, LINA Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

31.

NGUYEN DUC CUONG Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

32.

PHUN THI THANH VAN Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

33.

QU, JIMING Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

34.

TANG, XINGYU Chinese

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80.

FU, LINQUAN Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

35.

TSAN PHU Vietnamese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

81.

LI, YUANHAI Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

36.

WANG, BINGQUAN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

82.

LI, BIN Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

37.

WANG, QINGLING Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

83.

LI, FANGMENG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

38.

WANG, YUJING Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

84.

LIU, JUNMING Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

85.

MA, BINGTANG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

86.

RONG, LONG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

87.

YUAN, LEI Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

39.

XIANG, YUN Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

40.

XU, CHENG Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

41.

ZHOU, JIE Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

42.

ZUO, JUNWEI Chinese

MANDARIN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street Salcedo Vill. Bel-air Makati City 78.

SINGHAL, NANDITA Indian

INDIAN LANGUAGE- QA ANALYST

BOWENHILLS TECH INC. 19/f Lepanto Bldg. 8747 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City 79.

HE, SHENGJIN Chinese

CHINESE- SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER

CAPSLOCK INC. 7th & 8th Flr. Y Tower Bldg. Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal Brgy. 076 Pasay City

CGI IT UK LIMITED INC. 2/f One World Square Bldg. Mckinley Hill Pinagsama Taguig City 88.

BELAZA, ANDREIOS NELSON REYES, Norwegian

MULTILINGUAL SERVICE DESK MEMBER

CHINA HARBOUR ENGINEERING COMPANY 5/f Rm 501 Ramon Magsaysay Center 1680 Roxas Blvd. 076, Bgy. 699 Malate Manila 94.

LI, LIN Chinese

MANDARIN BUSINESS MANAGER

CLOVERSENSE TECHNOLOGY INC. 29/f Robinsons Summit Center 6783 Ayala Center Bel-air Makati City

COFFRAL FORMWORKS AND SCAFFOLDS, INC. #530 Unit 2701 Summit One Office Tower Shaw Blvd. Brgy. Highway Mandaluyong City 97.

BOONE, GAELLE CHRISTINE French

INTERNATIONAL SALES

EASTERN GOLD CORPORATION 503 Nueva St Binondo Manila 100.

ZHOU, CHAOFAN Grenadian

MARKETING AND SALES AGENT

ECHOTECH SERVICES INC. 18/f Philamlife Tower 8767 Paseo De Roxas Bel-air Makati City 101.

ZHU, YUANQIN Chinese

MANDARIN FIELD MARKETING OFFICER

102.

JIANG, MEI Chinese

MANDARIN SITE TECHNICAL OFFICER

FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower Moa Coral Way Brgy. 076 Pasay City 103.

LIU, YONGHONG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

104.

YU, YINGSHU Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (CSR)

FASTCARGO LOGISTICS CORPORATION Fmw Bldg. Tierra Nueva Village Alabang Zap Rd. Muntinlupa City 105.

EDWIN LIM WEI YIAP Malaysian

CONSULTANT

GATEWAYSOLUTIONS CORP. 8/f Edsa Cor. Sultan Brgy. Highway Hills Mandaluyong City 106.

CHEN, BAOSHAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

107.

SUN, CANXIONG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. 11/f Aseana I Bldg. Bradco Ave. Aseana City Tambo Parañaque City

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

POSITION

GMO GLOBALSIGN INC. Units 7&8, 23/f Zuellig Bldg. Makati Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas Urdaneta Makati City 140.

ROUAM, AXEL WILLIAM M. Belgian

MULTILINGUAL TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST (FRENCH)

GORGEOUS LEGEND BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC. 20/f Robinsons Jg Summit Center 6783 Ayala Ave. San Lorenzo Makati City 141.

CHOW WAI LOON Malaysian

OPERATION OFFICER

GUANGXI HYDRO ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION BUREAU (GHCB PHILIPPINES CORPORATION) #58 Road 1 Project 6 1 Quezon City 142.

YU, HAI Chinese

GENERAL MANAGER

143.

GAO, DEJUN Chinese

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

144.

ZHANG, JIN Chinese

SR. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER

HAMMERTIME CONSTRUCTION INC. Unit 203-s3 2nd Flr. Fbr Arcade Bldg. #317 Katipunan Ave. Loyola Heights 3 Quezon City 145.

ZHONG, ZHANBING Chinese

CHINESE FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

146.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

ZHAO, SHUWEI Chinese

CHINESE FINANCIAL MANAGER

147.

FANG, DEZHENG Chinese

QUALITY ASSURANCE(QA)/ QUALITY CONTROL(QC) ADVISER

LYU, HAICHENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

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

111.

MA, RUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

112.

YANG, CHEN Chinese

113.

ZHUANG, KAIQI Chinese

108.

LAI, GUOBIN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

109.

LIU, WENCHAO Chinese

110.

148.

HU, ZINING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

149.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

CHEN, LINGZHI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

150.

HE, TING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

151.

MA, ZEBIN Chinese

GLOBALLGA BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Ground Level, Level 2-5 Floor Silver City 4, Ortigas East Ugong Pasig City

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

152.

MAO, YUCHENG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

WANG, JIKUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (MANDARIN SPEAKING)

114.

CAI, JIANYING Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

153.

115.

DING, LI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 7/f Aseana I Bldg. Bradco Avenue Aseana Business Park Tambo Parañaque City

116.

HE, HUIXIN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

154.

GONG, CHUANG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

155.

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

HUANG, ZHIYONG Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

LI, JI Chinese

156.

LIU, YANG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

157.

HUANG, SHUAI Chinese

PENG, JUNLONG Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

118.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

158.

YANG, JINWEN Chinese

CHINESE IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

119.

HUANG, YAHUI Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

117.

120.

JIANG, CHUAN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

121.

LAN, YONGLUN Chinese

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MANDARIN SPEAKING

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House Magallanes St. 069, Bgy. 655 Intramuros Manila 159.

LI, WEI Chinese

STRATEGY AND FACILITATION CONSULTANT

JJA ROYALTY TRADING AND SERVICES INCORPORATED L-40 B2 St. Veraville Townhomes Regency Manuyo Dos Las Piñas City 160.

SU, YANJIE Chinese

FINANCE OFFICER

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

JP & L BEAUTY PRODUCTS INC. 22 The Trade And Financial Tower 7th Ave. Cor. 32nd St. Fort Bonifacio Taguig City 161.

MALKA, EDEN Israeli

MULTILINGUAL - PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

LAN TIAN ZI XUN INC. Rm. 2510 25/f Zen Tower 1111 N.lopez St., 071 Bgy. 659 Ermita Manila 162.

HU, ZHONGJIAN Chinese

CHINESE TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT

163.

WANG, GANG Chinese

CHINESE TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT

MARKETROLE ASIA PACIFIC SERVICES, INC. 26/f, 27/f, 28/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas San Lorenzo Makati City 164.

CHEN, DAYANG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

165.

CHEN, JIAJIA Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

166.

CHENG, YUAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

167.

DU, XINGXING Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

168.

DUAN, XIANGYU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

169.

FAN, WENJIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

170.

HU, YULONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

171.

LI, HONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

172.

LU, ZEYONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

173.

QIN, DONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

174.

SUN, YAZHOU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

175.

TANG, ZIHAO Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

176.

WANG, PAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

177.

WANG, HAILIN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

178.

ZHANG, HAILONG Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

179.

ZHAO, SUOZHU Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

180.

ZHENG, HAOYUAN Chinese

CHINESE SPEAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF

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

NO.

FOREIGN NATIONAL / NATIONALITY

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS POSITION

212.

WANG, WENJIA Chinese