BusinessMirror March 29, 2023

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Philippines is eyeing to deposit the instrument of ratification for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on or before April 3, according to an official of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“We still have to deposit the instrument of ratification and from deposit, you’ll have to count

60 days and then RCEP will take effect in the Philippines,” Allan B. Gepty, DTI Assistant Secretary and the Philippines’s top negotiator for RCEP, told reporters on the sidelines of a Committee Meeting held in Makati City on Tuesday.

“We are just in the middle of domestic preparations and then I think on or before April 3 [our plan is to] deposit [the] instrument of ratification,” Gepty said, partly in Filipino.

With this, the country’s top negotiator for RCEP said the regional trade deal might take effect in June for the Philippines.

Within the 60-day period, however, Gepty stressed that the country should be done with the necessary issuances such as the drafting of an executive order, which will contain the “schedule of tariff commitment of the Philippines which will be attached and incorporated.”

During a virtual media briefing in February, after 20 senators voted to ratify the mega trade deal, Gepty explained the process: “And then, of course, once it’s signed by the President, that will be the basis of the Bureau of Customs [BOC] as they issue a Memorandum of Circular implementing the RCEP agreement based on the schedule of commitments in that Executive Order.”

See “RCEP,” A2

PBBM pushes LBP-DBP merger

By Samuel P. Medenilla  @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R.

Marcos Jr. is now pushing for the merger of Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) as part of government efforts to cut costs and boost the efficiency of its banking operations.

He greenlit the proposal for LBP to absorb DBP during a meeting with the economic cluster of his Cabinet on Tuesday.

“The President expressed the desire to merge the two to make it the biggest bank in the country because of the recent financial developments abroad. And that’s really the best practice—the biggest bank usually is owned by the state globally,” Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said in a press conference in Malacañang.

Marcos initially opposed the merger back in 2016, when he was still a senator, saying it can deprive farmers of access to banking services.

Diokno, however, noted that the President changed his position after being elected last year

‘BEST-PERFORMING YEAR IN 2022’ FOR PAG-IBIG FUND

By Samuel P. Medenilla & Raadee S. Sausa

THE Home Development

Mutual Fund or PagIBIG Fund will be releasing P42.7 billion worth of dividends following its “best performing year in 2022.”

This after Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar announced at the Pag-IBIG Fund Chairman’s Report at the SMX Convention Center on Tuesday that the Pag-IBIG Board approved to increase the payout ratio for 2022 from the mandated 70 percent to 97 percent.

“With Pag-IBIG Fund capably led by its CEO ‘Manang’ Malen Acosta having its best performing year in 2022, we were able to declare the highest amount of dividends for our members’ savings in our 42-year history,” Acuzar said.

During the event, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. also disclosed the dividend rates for Pag-IBIG Fund’s regular savings increased by 6.53 percent.

Meanwhile, the dividend rate for its Modified Pag-IBIG 2 Savings (MP2) posted a 7.03 percent hike for the same period.

Pag-IBIG’s net income rose by 28 percent to a record-high P44.50 billion in 2022 from

P34.69 billion the year prior.

The other achievements of the agency: home loans reached P117.85 billion; total membership savings collected hit P79.90 billion and loan payments amounted to P127.42 billion.

Pag-IBIG fund also provided housing loans to 105,212 of its members and short-term loans to 2.61 million others.

Marcos lauded Pag-IBIG for reaching the milestones and providing invaluable aid in DHSUD ongoing socialized housing initiatives.

Pag-IBIG has allocated P250 billion for the DHSUD’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH), which

aims to build 6.5 million new housing units.

“It makes me proud that your agency’s stewardship of our national savings program has successfully provided affordable shelter financing for our people. Let me thank all of you, the members who are the owners of Pag-IBIG Fund, including concerned housing developers, partners, and other key stakeholders who have been instrumental in fulfilling the Pag-IBIG Fund’s mandate of serving the Filipino workforce,” Marcos said.

Pag-IBIG Fund disbursed P53.76 billion in cash loans, See “DHSUD,” A2

POTENTIAL output growth in

East Asia and Pacific (EAP), which includes the Philippines, is projected to slow to 4.6 percent a year on average from 2022 to 2030, from 6.2 percent a year in 2011 to 2021, according to a World Bank report.

The WB report, released on Monday, stressed that EAP faces “several major challenges” to inclusive and sustainable growth.

These challenges, the report noted, include the “slowing global growth and external demand, elevated and rising debt, exacerbated by tighter financing conditions, highly volatile commodity prices and uncertainty related to the outlook for supply chains, trade, technology transfer, and investment amid the war in Ukraine and lingering

See “EAP,” A2

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., together with Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino L. Acuzar and Pag-IBIG CEO Marilene

C. Acosta, graces the Pag-IBIG Fund Chairman’s Report at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. President Marcos led the announcement on the agency’s 2022 performance and the dividend rates on the members’ savings—Pag-IBIG Fund’s Regular and MP2 Savings 2022 Dividend Rates of 6.53 percent and 7.03 percent, respectively—both the highest since the pandemic. Story below PNA/ALFRED FRIAS

DOE chief to NGCP: Still your duty to avert outages

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Department

(DOE)

“At the end of the day, the NGCP has the responsibility of maintaining grid reliability that requires ancillary service, and DOE expects that NGCP will live up to it,” said Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla.

On Monday, NGCP warned of the possibility of intermittent power interruptions after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) denied a request for month-onmonth extensions on ancillary services agreements (ASAs), while the competitive selection process (CSP) is being undertaken.

The NGCP has already concluded the acceptance and opening of bids for AS on March 14, 15, and 16 for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, respectively. It is now evaluating the bids and expects to formally award contracts to winning bidders no later than April 18, 2023. NGCP is anticipating that a provisional approval (PA) for these ASPAs may not be expected earlier than June 2023.

“With ERC’s denial of this interim arrangement, our hands are tied. The Philippine Transmission Grid shall

be vulnerable to power interruptions resulting from an artificial lack of AS.

Without an existing ASPA [Ancillary Services Procurement Agreements], NGCP cannot nominate power plants to provide the critical services,” explained NGCP.

NGCP will file a motion for reconsideration on the argument that the DOE circulars apply only to new ASPAs, and not to extensions of existing ASPAs.

Lotilla said the ERC decision denying the monthly extensions of ASAs were promulgated back in December 2022. At that time, NGCP had not yet implemented the CSP for AS. “Since the CSP for AS is now nearing completion, the NGCP may file a motion for reconsideration before the ERC with updates on the CSP for AS,” added Lotilla.

Ancillary services support the transmission of power from generators to consumers to maintain reliable operations. These are necessary for NGCP to manage power fluctuations to ensure the quality and reliability of power flowing through its system. If not managed properly, fluctuations can cause damage to sensitive equipment, or even automatic load

LBP-DBP. . .

dropping (ALD) if the fluctuations are severe enough to pose a danger to the transmission system as a whole.

DHSUD. . .

Continued from A1

otherwise known as short-term loans, benefiting a record-high 2.6 million members in 2022.

For 2022, the amount of short-term loans released by the agency increased by 21 percent or P9.46 billion compared to the P44.30 billion released in 2021.

With this amount, the number of members assisted through the program rose by 24 percent or more than half a million more than the 2.09 members in 2021.

“We at Pag-IBIG Fund exert all efforts in providing our members with assistance on their financial needs. We are happy to note that through our short-term loan program, we were able to aid more than 2.6 million Filipino workers gain added funds to tend to their needs last year,” Acuzar said.

“All our efforts are in line with the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide the best service to the Filipino people,” he added.

Pag-IBIG Fund’s short-term loan program includes its multipurpose loan (MPL) and calamity loan.

Under the Pag-IBIG MPL, qualified members can borrow up to 80 percent of their total Pag-IBIG Regular Savings, which consists of their monthly contributions, their employer’s contributions, and accumulated dividends earned.

The calamity loan, on the other hand, is made available to members residing or working in areas declared under a state of calamity.

In 2021, the house lending agency approved the dividend for members’ savings, declaring a record-high amount of over P31.79 billion which shall be credited directly to its members’ savings accounts.

RCEP. . .

Continued from A1

“So we have to make sure the necessary issuances like Executive Order, Customs Memorandum Order, [for the]  implementation part, there is no longer any problem. It all should jive,” Gepty said.

Upon the effectivity of the regional trade deal 60 days after the deposit of instrument of ratification of the Asean Secretary General, the immediate impact of RCEP that will be felt by the country would be the “wider cumulation or sourcing of raw materials,” Gepty said, noting that the Philippines would then be part of the world’s largest free trade area.

This means local producers and manufacturers, “can now source their raw materials and intermediate goods from these 14 countries and then in their manufacturing activities, production activities here in the country, they can export these goods at a preferential rate or treatment in these RCEP parties,” Gepty explained.

After the Senate concurred in RCEP’s ratification in February, foreign business groups said they look forward to working with the Philippine government to improve the Philippines’s investment climate in light of the “new opportunities” that the trade deal provides.

The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC), in a statement in February, said the Senate’s green light of the treaty “reinforces the decision of many of our members to invest in the Philippines and will attract more investment from our home countries.”

In line with this, Trade Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual signaled the Philippines’s readiness to attract investors in the country, particularly in the areas of manufacturing and innovation.

The RCEP region accounts for 50 percent of the global manufacturing output, 50 percent of global automotive products, 70 percent of electronic products, and the main global value chain (GVC) hubs of China, South Korea, and Japan.

Continued from A1

and tracking latest “international developments.”

Merger benefits

THE government is expected to save P5.3 billion annually with the expected implementation of the merger before the end of the year, according to Diokno.

“So for the next four years at least P20 billion [savings].

Okay, and this is even understated because this does not include revenues that can be derived from the sale of redundant assets of DBP, various properties such as its head office in Makati, a property in BGC [Bonifacio Global City], various branch properties, equipment and licenses and income that can be derived from the proceeds of such sales,” he said.

The merger will also translate to LBP having a “bigger headroom for loans than can be utilized for development projects,” and for the government to forego the need to recapitalize DBP from P30 billion to P100 billion.

It also aims to strengthen the government banking services amid prevailing global bank closures, which included Credit Suisse.  “So there is really a strong need for solidifying the government bank,” Diokno said.

Once the merger is implemented, it will make LBP the biggest bank in the country in terms of assets and deposits size.

“The merged bank will be in the best position to serve as the sole authorized government depository bank for the entire Philippine government and its instrumentalities,” Diokno told reporters in a Viber message.

Operational impact

THE DOF chief immediately stressed that there are no issues in the operations of both banks, and they are simply trying to streamline the operations of the two entities.

He pointed out that the two banks are practically doing the same thing, with just one difference: LBP is focused on agriculture loans, while DBP targets industrial clients.

DOF assured the public the merger will not affect the existing services currently being provided by both banks.

“The merger complements the strengths and addresses the weaknesses of the two banks,” Diokno said.

The existing board of LBP will also be retained after the merger.

However, DOF admitted that the process will lead to the retrenchment of some government employees due to redundancy and reduction in the number of bank branches.

LBP currently has 752 branches, while DBP has 147.

Diokno assured the affected workers that they will be provided a “liberal separation package” during the transition phase of the merger.

EAP. . .

geopolitical tensions.”

Continued from A1

These developments which the report described as “negative,” are “exacerbating” the ongoing structural trends. The report noted that these tensions are “depressing” regional investment and potential growth.

“Potential GDP growth in EAP is projected to slow further to an average rate of 4.6 percent a year in 2022-30, down from 6.2 percent a year in 2011-21,” the report said.

While China accounts for much of the projected slowdown, the World Bank said the slowing potential growth is expected to spread to the rest of the region as well.

This projected slowdown in the region, the report noted, can be pointed to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which “are expected to be the most severe and longest lasting in the countries that have suffered most from the collapse of global tourism and trade.”

Meanwhile, weaker capital accumulation will drive the worsening outlook followed by falling (total factor productivity) TFP growth and labor supply growth.

According to the report, “Capital accumulation is projected to slow most steeply in China,” where policy efforts to rein in credit growth have recently resumed.

In contrast, in the Philippines, “investment is expected to pick up from depressed levels and boost potential output growth,” the report said.

Still, the report noted that regionally, “heightened geopolitical tensions may weaken investment through higher interest rates, reduced business confidence, and heightened uncertainty.”

Moving forward, the WB report also stressed that TFP growth in the region is expected to be “dampened further” by maturing electronics technologies and the slowing expansion of global value chains.

In addition, it said geopolitical tensions may also “weaken gains from increasing international division of labor and diffusion of technology.”

The report recommended that the EAP region promote further urbanization, a “major contributor to the region’s rapid growth of potential output in past decades.”

Such process, the report explained, is the reallocation of labor and other resources from agriculture to “higher-productivity sectors.”

“With a large share of the EAP workforce still engaged in agriculture, there is still scope for substantial productivity gains from resource reallocation, particularly in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Vietnam,” the report noted.

To promote further urbanization, the WB report listed possible measures for adoption, including “investing in infrastructure and social services, making land more accessible on a fair and transparent basis, encouraging facilities that support recent migrants, and coordinating urban services across municipal boundaries.”

In terms of increasing productivity in agriculture, WB said countries in EAP should adopt “renewed efforts” to remove barriers that prevent a reallocation of productive resources across farms.

“Sustaining growth in agricultural productivity requires the adaptation of a steady stream of new farm practices and technologies by farmers, more efficient management of inputs, adoption of new crops and production systems, improvements to the quality of their products, and conservation of natural resources,” the report also noted. Andrea E. San Juan

THE

of Energy

reminded the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) on Tuesday of its obligation to ensure a reliable and high-performance operation of the transmission system.

The Nation

9 of 10 Pinoys favor voluntary wearing of face mask–survey

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

NINE out of 10 adult Filipinos concurred on the voluntary wearing of face masks, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in December 2022.

According to the nationwide poll, which was conducted from December 10 to 14,2022, and pub -

lished on Monday on the SWS web site, 91 percent of adult Filipinos surveyed favored the issuance of Executive Order no. 07, Series of 2022, which allows the voluntary wearing of face mask in indoor and outdoor settings.

Notably, the poll showed over half or 54 percent of the 1,200 Filipino adults who responded to the survey said they will “always use a face mask when leaving the house,”

while 22 percent said they will use a face mask “most of the time”; and 15 percent said they will only use a face mask “sometimes” when leaving the house.

In contrast, 9 percent said they will rarely and never wear a face mask when leaving the house.

Meanwhile, the SWS survey revealed that 91 percent of Filipino household heads agree with voluntary wearing of face mask for chil-

Akbayan girds for ‘big fight’ against Charter amendment

‘CHARTER change is unnecessary!”

This remained the firm stand of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros as she joined the rest of Akbayan Party in opposing any move to amend the Constitution.

Akbayan held a forum in Quezon City Tuesday to both reaffirm its position and discuss the larger context of the issue.

Hontiveros gave updates on the developments of change from the Senate and House of Representatives, while Former Akbayan Party-List Rep. Barry Gutierrez provided a historical overview of Charter change (Cha-cha) in the Philippines.

AJ Montesa from Action for Economic Reforms (AER) discussed the timeline of the current efforts, as well as the latest reforms in economic legislation, which address

the arguments of those supporting Cha-cha. Gutierrez, a UP Law professor, warned that should the constitutional convention (Con-con) push through, vested interests could compromise the proceedings.

“One of the things we have to watch out for is that once a constitutional convention takes place, anyone with access can insert an agenda. And this is where we have to remain vigilant. Because the last thing the Filipino people need is a sabotaging of their fundamental rights,” Gutierrez said.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives approved Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) Number 6, which calls for a hybrid Con-con to amend the Constitution.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez authored the measure, and more than 300 Congressmen

voted in its favor. Romualdez is a cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The Senate, on the other hand, has said that Cha-cha is not a priority, with only a few senators on board. There has also been no widespread clamor backing any changes to the Constitution.

“Now more then ever, vigilance is vital. The last thing we want is for political dynasties to further entrench themselves in power at the expense of the poor and the marginalized. Our nation’s greatest barriers to progress are corruption and greed, not any provisions in the law of the land. Any change to the Constitution, without good governance, spells disaster for our nation and its people. Let us not let the interests of a few decide the fate of so many. We will continue to hold the line,” Hontiveros said.

dren in face-to-face (F-to-F) classes.

With the return of F-to-F classes, the social research institution noted four out of five or 81 percent of the households with children attending in-person classes say they will “always” see to it that their child wear a face mask when going to school, while 11 percent said they make their child wear a facemask “most of the time,” and 5 percent said “sometimes.”

In contrast, only barely 4 percent said they rarely and never make their child wear a face mask when going to school.

Last October, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., issued an EO to allow the voluntary wearing of face mask in indoor and outdoor settings.

However, the EO noted that face masks should still be worn in health-care facilities such as clinics, hospitals, laboratories, nursing

homes and dialysis clinics; medical transport vehicles such as ambulance and paramedic rescue vehicles; and public transportation by land, air or sea.

Moreover, the EO said mask wearing is still “encouraged” for the elderly, individuals with comorbidities, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, unvaccinated individuals and symptomatic individuals.

ICC appeals chamber junks PHL bid to suspend probe

With the denial of its plea for suspensive effect, the SolGen said there is no more obstacle for the prosecutor to proceed with its investigation on the anti-drug war campaign during the Duterte administration.

“It is an indictment against our entire legal and judicial system, and it encroaches on our sovereignty as an independent and law-abiding nation,” the chief government counsel said.

“It tends to humiliate us in the eyes of the international community, and this affront is irreversible and incorrectible even if we eventually win on the merits of our appeal,” he added.

Guevarra explained the ICC’s denial of the government’s plea for the suspension of the investigation “places us in the same class of rogue nations where the rule of law is not respected.”

“We are saddened by this latest development. The decision of the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber authorizing the ICC Prosecutor to proceed with his investigation is still on appeal with the appeals chamber. We don’t know when this appeal will be resolved, maybe in a few months, maybe it will take years.

“Yet, the ICC appeals chamber has denied our reasonable request to suspend the investigation until the issues of jurisdiction and admissibility of the Philippine situation have been resolved to our satisfaction,”  Guevarra pointed out.

The OSG,  in seeking the reversal of the January  26 decision of the ICCPTC,  argued that the latter erred in finding that the ICC could exercise its jurisdiction on the basis that the Philippines was a State party at the time of the alleged crime and that the ensuing obligations of the Statute remain applicable, notwithstanding Manila’s withdrawal from the Statute.

It also said the pretrial chamber made an error in its admissibility assessment under Article 18 concerning the situation in the country.

Finally, the OSG said the PTC erred in not considering all Article 17 factors.

Article 17(1) of the Rome Statute declares  that a case is inadmissible in its tribunal if it is being investigated or prosecuted by a State which has jurisdiction over it, and could only open one if the State is unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investiga-

continued from a18

tion or prosecution.

On the other hand, Article 17(2), also held that an inquiry can be done if there is “unwillingness by a State or country to participate, if the proceedings were or are being undertaken or the national decision was made for the purpose of shielding the person concerned from criminal responsibility for crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court, including crimes against humanity.”

Earlier, the DOJ said investigation on the drug war-related deaths is ongoing and that there  are 290 cases under different stages of investigation, prosecution and in court.

Meanwhile, Kristina Conti, National Union of People’s LawyersNational Capital Region (NUPLNCR) secretary-general and assisting counsel for victims of the war on drugs,   said it is now “all- systems go” for the ICC prosecutor’s probe into the deaths related to the Duterte anti-illegal drug campaign.

“So far, the ICC proceedings is on track and aligned with our search for genuine justice for the victims of grave rights violations,” Conti said.

Vitug

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM

Special to the BusinessMirror

Puerto Galera still open for tourists, DOT clarifies DAR chief reminds field officials on infra upkeep

SOME 1,000 tourism workers and 63 tourist spots have already been affected by oil spill off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, even as the Department of Tourism (DOT) clarified that Puerto Galera is still unaffected and safe to visit.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said affected tourism frontliners will be trained in capacity building and skills upgrade to prepare them for alternative work opportunities.

The oil spill, which has reportedly reached some portions of the Verde Island Passage (VIP), a global center of marine biodiversity, occurred following the sinking of oil tanker MT Princess Empress. The tanker carried an estimated 800,000 liters of oil and was only recently found by a Japan-led search team.

Appearing in Teleradyo’s Sakto on

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE House Special Commit-

tee on Nuclear Energy has approved the proposed Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act.

The panel, chaired by Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, has recently approved an unnumbered substitute bill in consolidation to House Bill 7049, 371, 481, 526, 542, 1255, 2103, 3301, 3898, 4822, 6030, 7003 and 7330, establishing the Philippine Atomic Energy

Monday, Frasco said in mix of English and Filipino, that Puerto Galera remains open for holidaymakers: As far as the top attractions in that particular area, including Puerto Galera, we’re pleased to inform the public that they are still at over 90 percent capacity as far as reservations are concerned. We invite our fellow Filipinos to patronize Puerto Galera as their tourism offerings continue. At the same time, we will continue to give whatever assistance we can to the areas that have been affected [by the oil spill].”

In a press briefing last week, Puerto Galera Mayor Rocky Ilagan confirmed that many tourists had already canceled their resort bookings on the mistaken notion that the oil spill had already reached the municipality, popular for its white beach and dive sites.

He blamed the University of the Philippines marine scientists for the cancellations after it issued projections on the movement of

Regulatory Authority.

The bill also provides for a comprehensive legal framework for radiation protection, nuclear security and safeguards, as well as safety in the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy in the Philippines and appropriates funds therefor.

The substitute bill garnered 16 affirmative and zero negative votes from committee members present during the meeting.

The bill seeks to establish the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority or PhilATOM with the functions and responsibilities

the oil slick toward the VIP due to the weakening of the amihan (northeast monsoon). The VIP encompasses the coasts of Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon.

Affected by the oil spill

IN 2019, prior to the pandemic, over 49,000 tourists visited Oriental Mindoro, most of them to Puerto Galera, generating P3.5 billion in visitor receipts. Ilagan said tourist arrivals in the popular beach destination have reached 20,000 a month and may likely surpass pre-pandemic levels.

According to a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on March 22, 2023, the following cities and municipalities have been confirmed as affected by the oil spill: Batangas City; Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Gloria, Bulalacao, and Calapan in Oriental Mindoro; Agutaya and Taytay in Palawan; and Caluya in Antique.

set forth in the proposal.

It establishes a legal framework to be implemented by the Philippine Atomic Regulatory Authority, including the issuance of regulations, to govern and facilitate the peaceful, safe and secure uses of nuclear energy.

The bill also seeks to protect the people and the environment now and in the future against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

Under the bill, the proposed PhilATOM would be an independent authority with the sole and exclusive jurisdiction to exercise regulatory

AMONTH after the Oriental Mindoro oil spill, fisherfolk under the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) pressed for a quick and unconditional indemnity for the affected fisherfolk and coastal residents from the owner of the MT Princess Empress.

In a statement, the group said around 18,000 fisherfolk from Oriental Mindoro, parts of Antique and Palawan, are unable to return to their normal fishing activities for a month now because of the oil spill.

“One month after the oil spill tragedy, accountability remains elusive. In Oriental Mindoro, fisherfolk in several towns are expressing frustration over the slow and arduous process of obtaining compensation from the company that owns the MT Princess Empress,

Per our monitoring, the oil spill has affected 63 tourism sites and up to 1,000 tourism workers. This includes our community-based tourism. And so, we are monitoring this very closely, and I ’ve already di- ve rected the regional offices to craft a recovery action plan to guide our affected tourism stakeholders, and we are sure to provide social protection for our affected tourism workers,” said Frasco. The DOT chief recently warned that tourist activities in the Mimaropa region would be affected if the oil spill remains unchecked. (See, “Oil spill can set back tourism recovery of Mimaropa—DOT,” in the BusinessMirror , March 7, 2023.)

Aid for displaced workers

SHE added that she has already directed DOT’s regional offices in Mimaropa and Western Visayas to consolidate the names of all affected tourism workers for endorsement to the Department of Labor and

control for the peaceful, safe and secure use of nuclear energy and radiation sources in the country. All regulatory functions of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute would be transferred to the PhilATOM.

Cojuangco saw the committee’s approval of the measure as “a cause for celebration. Now we have the bill passed by the committee and hopefully, it will be carried also on the floor on second and third reading.”

Philippine Ambassador to Vienna Peachy Natividad congratulated the committee “for this ex -

the vessel responsible for the spill,” the group said.

According to Pamalakaya, fishers are finding it hard to cope with the intricate compensation process, which is becoming increasingly challenging as the oil spill spreads to more areas, resulting in their families facing prolonged periods of hunger.

“We once again urge for the prompt and direct distribution of compensation to the impacted fisherfolk and their families residing along coastal areas. Apart from compensation, the owner of the sunken vessel should be compelled to shoulder the long-term rehabilitation of the affected fisheries, mangroves, reefs, and coasts, to restore their previous vitality,” the statement read.

In solidarity with the affected communities, Pamalakaya joined the launching of “SOS: Stop the Oil Spill,

Employment, so they can avail of assistance under the latter’s Tulong PanghanapBuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. TUPAD provides a package of emergency assistance to displaced workers, along with underemployed and seasonal workers for a minimum of 10 days to a maximum of 30 days.

“At this point, it’s really about en- At it ’s s suring our tourism frontline workers that in case they are not able to work for a few days or weeks because of the oil spill, we are able to provide them with alternative sources of livelihood. That is why we will be providing trainings to them, not just specifically focused on their present work but [for] alternative types of work,” said Frasco.

The DOT, through its Office of Industry and Manpower Development (OIMD), will also assess the affected tourism stakeholders to develop a training module on oil spills, to better equip them for similar incidents that can happen in the future.

cellent work that you have done, the painstaking hours of discussions and deliberations to push forward our nuclear law that would definitely benefit our people and future generations.”

She assured the committee that the proposal has the full support of the International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA.

She said the director general of the IAEA is looking forward to visiting the Philippines this May to boost and extend whatever support the agency can to the task being pushed by Congress.

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

DEPARTMENT

of Agrarian Reform (DAR)

Secretary Conrado Estrella III is mobilizing field officials to keep an eye on all rural infrastructure sub-projects that have already been completed and turned over to concerned local government units (LGUs), and ensure that they are properly maintained and functioning according to their designs and purposes.

In a statement, the DAR chief said that it is vital for every regional and provincial agrarian reform official to see to it that all completed rural infrastructure sub-projects and those already turned over to concerned LGUs are monitored and their overall condition determined for proper management and maintenance.

“Keeping these rural infrastructures at their best condition helps sustain the gains the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program [CARP] has worked for through the years,” Estrella said.

He was referring to sub-projects implemented under its foreign-assisted special projects program.

Atty. Milagros Isabel Cristobal, Undersecretary for Support Services, urged all DAR regional directors and provincial agrarian reform program officers to institutionalize the conduct of the sustainability, monitoring and evaluation (SME) scheme “to preserve and restore the system of completed sub-projects.”

Save Our seas!,” a broad formation of grassroots organizations, environmentalists, scientists, academes, and civil society groups pushing for immediate response to the oil spill.

A broad coalition of oil spill-affected communities and cause-oriented groups, the Stop the Oil Spill, Save Our Seas! aims to demand transparent, urgent, and sufficient action on the oil spill; and called on authorities to seek justice and accountability from liable actors, and ensure just reparation and sustained recovery for affected communities and biodiversity.

Organizers of the group include SOS, Protect VIP Network, Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), Oceana, and Greenpeace Philippines, and representatives of affected communities in Oriental Mindoro and Batangas. Jonathan

L. Mayuga

THE Philippine National Railways (PNR) will temporarily stop its operations from April 6 to April 9 to fix its tracks and train sets.

In a statement, the PNR management said the office decided to stop its operations during the Holy Week to give way for the line’s annual maintenance.

“The PNR decided to schedule the yearly maintenance during the Holy Week so that the temporary suspension of operations will not affect its daily passengers,” the statement read in Filipino.

It will continue to operate up until April 5, Holy Wednesday.

As part of its preparations for the Holy Week, the PNR will deploy additional personnel and facilities to ensure the safety of passengers and its smooth operations.

It will be deploying help desks in each station to assist passengers and respond to emergency situations. The PNR will also deploy a nurse at the Tutuban station.  Lorenz S. Marasigan

OVER six years after it became law in 2016, the House of Representatives is now trying to amend anew the Centenarians Act.

House Committee on Senior Citizens Chairman Rodolfo Ordanes said House Bill 7535 is now awaiting third reading approval at the lower chamber.

“In the years after 2016, the House of Representatives tried to amend RA 10868 in the 17th, 18th, and now again in the 19th Congress. We hope this salvo will succeed,” said Ordanes.

The Congress is currently on a summer break and will resume sessions on May 8.

According to the Senior Citizens party-list lawmaker, some 23 different bills on the centenarians’ cash grants were filed in the House during this 19th Congress.

“The House special committee on senior citizens affairs included in HB 7535 the Philippine Statistics Authority as one of the agencies the implementing agency must consult with. The PSA has the database about seniors and all citizens because of the Philippine National ID System,” he said.

Some language in HB 7535 is now gender-neutral, said Ordanes.

Instead of the “his or her” usage, the lawmaker said the bill opted to use the gender-neutral “one’s.”

About the birthday cash benefits, Ordanes said seniors reaching the ages 80, 85, 90, and 95 will receive cash grants of P25,000 at each of these mentioned age milestones; then on the 100th birthday, the cash gift is P100,000, and on the 101st birthday the cash grant is P1 million. Ordanes also said he recently filed

“We need to maintain in good condition completed foreignassisted special sub-projects according to their designs and accepted configurations to offset the effects of weather, organic growth, traffic wear, damage or vandalism and to preclude deterioration of structures and appurtenant facilities over time,” Cristobal stressed.

Cristobal enjoined the field officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to conduct periodic SME on completed and turned-over rural infrastructure sub-projects as part of the program beneficiaries development program.

She also advised them to coordinate with concerned LGUs and monitor their compliance of providing operational and maintenance funds during the 10-year reglementary period from the date the projects were turned over to them to ensure that these subprojects are properly maintained, functioning and beneficial to their intended beneficiaries.

House Bills 7487, 7488, 7489, 7490, and 7491. These five bills grant different sets of benefits or privileges to senior citizens.

HB 7487 provides for different rates of seniors discounts by age bracket. The discounts rise by increments of 5 percent for 10 years starting at age 70 but capped at 35 percent for those 90 years old and older. Ordanes said expenses increase as the seniors get older.

HB 7488, meanwhile, increases the death benefit assistance given to the family and/or relatives of a deceased senior citizen to a minimum of P25,000.

HB 7489 seeks to exempt senior citizens and persons with disabilities from payment of travel tax and terminal fees.

HB 7490 is about establishing and institutionalizing long-term care for senior citizens.

Navy frigates test countermeasures vs anti-ship missiles

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

THE Philippine Navy has tested its newly acquired anti-ship missile defense for its two frigates, ensuring that both warships can defend themselves in a modernday sea battle.

Navy spokesman Capt. Benjo Negranza said the Bullfighter chaff decoys aboard the two Jose Rizal class frigates were tested last week in the waters of Zambales.

The testing of the countermeasures aboard the BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna was made by the Offshore Combat Force of the Navy’s Philippine Fleet.

Negranza said the Bullfighter is a new generation of 130mm decoys for Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaffs (SRBOC) and other 130mm launcher systems to protect naval vessels up to the size of frigates against anti-ship missiles.

The payload of the chaffs is effective against missiles with modern and sophisticated seekers and electronic protection measures.

“The acquisition of the chaff countermeasure capability is part of the Navy’s Horizon 2 modernization program to capacitate our warships to defend against modern naval warfare threats,” Negranza said.

The two Jose Rizal class frigates were the first pair of warships from the Navy that have been armed with modern countermeasures.

Aside from the frigates, the Navy is also in the process of completing its delivery of nine offshore patrol vessels and two corvettes.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army and the US Army in the Pacific are stepping up their joint training under the ongoing “Salaknib” military exercise.

Both forces carried out the helocast exercise last week wherein special operation forces (SOF) trained in being inserted into an area by jumping directly from a helicopter into water.

Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad said that aside from the heliborne operations, both forces also conducted the sling load exercise.

The sling load trained soldiers in rigging up pieces of artillery, military trucks and crates onto allweather, medium-lift Chinook and Black Hawk helicopter using sling sets, cargo nets and other specially designed equipment.

“Sling loading equipment allows units to avoid obstacles that may hinder them from promptly reaching their target destination. The technique is also used to reach areas where the use of convoys is impractical or unfeasible,” Trinidad.

Today, Army forces from both countries will conduct live-firing exercises for the HIMARS and AT-4 84mm anti-tank weapon in Nueva Ecija. Both weapons were brought into the military exercises by the US.

DOJ chief: Rep. Teves can now be considered a fugitive from justice

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

NEGROS Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie”

Teves can now be considered a fugitive from justice due to his failure to return to the country and face allegations linking him in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others last March 4.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla made the statement in re-

sponse to the claim made by Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio that his client is not a fugitive since no warrant of arrest has been issued by any court against him.

“When one is suspected of having committed a crime, he is already suspected to be [and] considered to be a fugitive because he does not show up. Actions would speak louder than words here, he is not showing up. He is evading us, or trying to evade the law,” Remulla said over ANC’s Headstart.

Remulla earlier disclosed that Teves is now being considered as one of the possible masterminds in the Degamo slay case based on the evidence so far gathered by authorities doing the case build-up.

He said the inter-agency task force mandated to resolve the Degamo killing is still looking for at least two to four more personalities as possible masterminds.  Teves, who has denied any involvement in the Degamo kill -

ing, went to the United States last February 28 to undergo stem cell treatment and was supposed to return to the country on March 9.

However, Teves expressed apprehension to return to the country due to alleged threats to his life.

This prompted the House of Representative to impose a 60-day suspension against him due to his failure to comply with the ultimatum for his return.

Teves was given two deadlines to

DBM, PIA link with PIOs to boost rightsizing, Mandanas-Garcia ruling media campaigns

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Philippine Information Agency-National Capital Region (PIA-NCR) will convene the members of the Association of Information Officers in Metro Manila (AIMM) today, Thursday, in Manila to tackle two critical issues facing the Philippine government—bureaucratic rightsizing and the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling.

Composed by information officers (public information officers or PIOs) from various government agencies and nongovernment organizations, AIMM is the biggest

By Dennis Abrina

GENERAL

TRIAS

CITY, Cavite—Mayor Luis “Jon Jon”

Ferrer IV, together with Vice Mayor Jonas Labuguen and the entire GenTri Team, visited the Art Gallery at the General Trias City Jail at Barangay Navarro over the weekend where the works of persons deprived of liberty (PDL) are featured and on display.

Apart from being part of their rehabilitation program, the creation of art works serves as their livelihood project of the BJMP for the local PDLs.

Ferrer called for support for PDLs art works and help them with their financial needs and be a part of changing the lives of inmates.

“Sa pamamagitan nitong mga art works o painting and other handicrafts, natustusan po nila ang kanilang personal na pangangailangan kahit na sila ay nasa loob ng piitan, ang iba naman po ay nakalaya na at nakapagpiyansa gamit ang kinita sa kanilang mga obra” Mayor Ferrer said.

“Habang nasa loon po sila, napapakita po nila ang kani-kanilanng mga talents lalo na sa magpipinta or pagguhit,” Ferrer added.

For those interested to acquire the inmates’ art works, contact or visit the BJMP - General Trias City Jail.

information and communication network in NCR.

DBM Undersecretary and AIMM President Goddes Hope Libiran highlighted the critical role of the communication sector in promoting understanding of the key issues to the public and generate support from the public.

“We recognize the importance of these critical issues and are committed to bring together professionals in this field to exchange ideas and learn from each other’s experiences and this assembly provides an opportunity for information officers to share best practices and innovative strategies to help

the government address these issues,” Libiran said.

The assembly will feature a series of discussions from experts, covering topics such as the impact of bureaucratic rightsizing on government operations, the implications of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling and level of readiness of both national and local government agencies, and effective communication strategies to address these issues.

The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is keen on implementing a program of bureaucratic rightsizing, which aims to improve efficiency and reduce costs by streamlining government agen-

cies and eliminating redundancies. However, this has raised concerns about job losses and disruptions in government services.

The Mandanas-Garcia ruling, on the other hand, granted local government units a bigger share of national taxes, which has significant implications for their fiscal autonomy and development.

“We understand that these issues are complex and have farreaching consequences, and we hope that this assembly will help information officers gain a deeper understanding of these challenges and explore new strategies to address them,” Libiran added.

report to the House, the first deadline was on March 15 and then a 24-hour ultimatum issued last March 20.

Remulla, however, assured that Teves’ right to due process would be respected once he returns to the country.

“That is how the law works, we have to respect the due process of law. We have to respect it. Unless it’s in hot pursuit, we cannot arrest a person, we have to give him the light of day in court or in the PI [preliminary investigation],” Remulla said.

Tour operators, hotels group tie up to boost inbound travel

TWO of the country’s biggest tourism groups joined forces for a business-tobusiness fair to boost domestic and inbound tourism.

From March 28 to 29, the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) and the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) would host 87 sellers and 105 buyers in the 2023 Travel Exchange in Pasay City. The two-day event would serve as a platform for HSMA and PHILTOA member hotels, resorts, theme parks, tour operators and agencies to create travel packages that cater to both Filipino and international travelers.

“Our membership is basically nationwide; be it a business hotel or a leisure resort, we have that in our portfolio. In PHILTOA, they have all sorts of travel agents that cater to different markets, and I think it's such an opportune time for this partnership because the global market is starting to breathe again,” HSMA president Loleth So said in an interview Tuesday.

With several PHILTOA members offering corporate travel packages, the fair particularly favors the hotels group as its members turn to the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) market as revenue driver.

HSMA chair and Bluewater Resorts vice president for sales and marketing Margie Munsayac said their property’s participation in the first Travel Exchange, organized by the PHILTOA alone last year, already generated around P10 million in bookings.

“We’ve had linkages with tour operators that have government agencies in their account and so they gave us several government agencies for two of our properties. It sustained us for quite some time up to now,” Munsayac said in a separate interview. PNA

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) to investigate the alleged labor trafficking of 35 Filipino fisherfolk to Namibia.

The fisherfolk were allegedly deployed by Philippine manning firms TriOceanic Manning & Shipping Inc. and Diamond H Marine Services & Shipping Agency Inc., according to a DMW news release issued on Tuesday.

DMW Secretary Susan “Toots”

Ople noted in her signed letter that based on the affidavits of the 26 repatriated fisherfolk, they were initially made to believe that their jobsite would be in Taiwan, but they ended up fishing in the waters of Namibia, a country in southern Africa with the Atlantic Ocean on its western border.

“Based on the testimonies that we gathered, the fisherfolk were sometimes made to work for 36 hours straight with only two meals a day, and an average of four hours of sleep,” Ople said. She added that the workers’

identity papers, including their passports and seamen’s books, were taken from them, a blatant violation of their rights.

Ople said the two agencies have appeared before the DMW and were able to pay the backwages of the aggrieved fisherfolk.

“Any financial settlement between the manning agencies and the fisherfolk does not prevent the State from looking into the criminal aspects of cases involving the exploitation of migrant workers. In the cases of Filipino fisherfolk deployed to

Namibia, we believe there are enough grounds to investigate the manning agencies for forced labor trafficking,” Ople said.

The DMW is also investigating the principals involved in the Namibian case, namely Shang Chi Enterprise Ltd., One Marine Services Inc., and Arrow Marine PTE Ltd.

“They are facing permanent disqualification from the hiring of Filipino fisherfolk,” Ople said.

Based on an article published by the Africa Defense forum on October 11, 2022, the fisherfolk

were rescued from industrial fishing vessels M/V Shang Fu and the Nata 2 in Walvis Bay in early September.

Aside from the Filipinos, there were also workers from Angola, Indonesia, Namibia, Mozambique, and Vietnam.

Namibian authorities brought the Filipinos to a shelter while the companies they worked for are being investigated for human trafficking, violations of Namibia’s labor, immigration, and marine resources laws.

Ople said the DMW has sought the help of the DOJ and the

IACAT, given the international dimension of the case and the gravity of contractual and labor violations committed against the Filipinos.

“We cannot turn a blind eye on another country’s quest for justice and our own laws against human trafficking because to do so may encourage similar abuses in the future,” she said.

On March 22, Ople and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration distributed financial assistance of P25,000 each to 25 of the rescued fisherfolk. PNA

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

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

of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on Mar 15, 2023, the company address of LI, YAFEI under the company AMARANTHUS INC., should have been read as 8/F PLATINUM TOWER BUILDING, ASEANA AVENUE CORNER, FUENTES STREET, BACLARAN, CITY OF PARAÑAQUE and not as published.

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on Mar 18, 2023, the company address of HUAI, SHENGDE under the company AMARANTHUS INC. should have been read as 8/F PLATINUM TOWER BUILDING, ASEANA AVENUE CORNER, FUENTES STREET, BACLARAN, CITY OF PARAÑAQUE 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.

Kim threatens nuclear weapons use anytime as US carrier arrives

By Jeong-Ho Lee

nuclear arsenal, which “is aimed to defend the eternal security of the state and the regional peace and stability from A to Z.” The visit to the facility came as North Korea has rolled out new weapons to deliver nuclear strikes in recent weeks and pledged an unprecedented response to joint military drills between the US and South Korea.

“This is a significant size improvement over prior North Korean nuclear weapons, and possibly design advance,” George William Herbert, an adjunct professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said on Twitter about the warheads shown in the photographs.

North Korea is estimated to have about 80 to 90 warheads, the Seoul-based Korea Institute for Defense Analyses said in a paper released in January, adding Kim was looking to have from 100 to 300 over the long term.

The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier group is due to arrive in Busan on Tuesday as part of efforts to strengthen the combined military posture of the allies, South Korea’s Defense Ministry has said. North Korea raised tensions to new levels the last time a US Navy carrier group was in South Korea about six months ago, which included firing its first missile over Japan in five years.

announcements of joint drills again among the three for this visit by the USS Nimitz, the carrier group conducted exercises with South Korea’s navy Monday as part of field training known as Warrior Shield.  North Korea test-launched two short-range ballistic missiles Monday, adding to its barrage in recent weeks that has included two intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to deliver a nuclear warhead to the US mainland and about a dozen rockets that could be used in nuclear strikes against South Korea and Japan. Those two nations host the bulk of America’s military personnel in the region.

Among the new weapons rolled out by Kim’s regime have been an underwater drone it says can deliver a nuclear strike capable of causing a “radioactive tsunami.”

South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Monday said it doubted the claims by North Korea.

North Korea, which had fired 15 ballistic missiles from Feb. 18, has for years called joint drills a prelude to an invasion and nuclear war. The US and South Korea in January announced plans to step up the scale of their military exercises. Japan, which North Korea regards as mortal enemy, has also joined some of the drills in recent months.

Zelenskyy, UN atomic agency chief discuss nuclear plant fears

By Hanna Arhirova The Associated Press

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine—

The UN’s atomic energy chief warned during a meeting Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the perilous situation at Europe’s largest nuclear plant “isn’t getting any better” as relentless fighting in the area keeps the facility at risk of a disaster.

on Wednesday, killing at least one person and injuring more than 30.

Residents were still shocked by the experience.

“It’s terrifying. I cannot find the words to tell you,” said Hanna Budkova, 39, who was in a busy playground in front of the apartment block with her nearly 2-year-old daughter. “I’m afraid to go anywhere near the windows.”

Kim made the comments while visiting a facility producing nuclear bombs, the official Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday. State media

Russia says it test-fired anti-ship Moskit missiles in Sea of Japan

MOSCOW—Russia’s Defense Ministry says Moscow has test-fired anti-ship missiles in the Sea of Japan.

The ministry said Tuesday that two boats launched a simulated missile attack on a mock enemy warship about 100 kilometers (60 miles) away. The ministry said the target was successfully hit by two Moskit cruise missiles.

The Moskit, whose Nato reporting name is the SS-N-22 Sunburn, is a supersonic antiship cruise missile that has conventional and nuclear warhead capacity. The Soviet-built cruise missile is capable of flying at a speed three times the speed of sound and has a range of up to 250 kilometers (155 miles).

It said the exercise, which included other warships and naval aircraft, took place in the Peter the Great Gulf in the Sea of Japan but did not give more precise coordinates. The gulf borders the Russian Pacific Fleet headquarters at Fokino and is about 700 kilometers (430 miles) from Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island.

The US Navy’s 7th Fleet did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Japan reacted calmly to the missile exercise, which was conducted near Vladivostok, rather than directly into the waters between the two countries. Tokyo does not plan to lodge a protest to Russia over the missile exercise, said Tasuku Matsuki, Japanese Foreign Ministry official in charge of Russia, noting that its location—Peter the Great Bay—is considered Russian coast, though it is facing the water between the two countries.

“On the whole, Japan is concerned about Russia’s increasing military activities around the Japanese coasts and watching them with great interest,” Matsuki said.

He said Russia has conducted missile drills in that area in the past and issued maritime advisories ahead of time. He said Japan is not in a position to comment on Russia’s intention of the exercise.

AP writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed from Tokyo

released images of Kim standing with military officials among his arsenal of warheads.

Kim reiterated his call to exponentially increase North Korea’s

That visit by the USS Ronald Reagan carrier group included anti-missile drills that also involved South Korea and Japan, which raised the ire of Pyongyang.

Although there have been no

The drills were scaled back or halted under former President Donald Trump to facilitate his talks with Kim. North Korea’s nuclear weapons arsenals only grow larger and more potent as the talks sputtered. Bloomberg News

Hungarian parliament approves Finland’s request to join Nato

By Justin Spike The Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary— Hungary’s parliament on Monday approved Finland’s bid to join Nato, putting an end to months of delays and bringing the Nordic country one step closer to becoming a full member of the Western military alliance.

The measure, passed with 182 votes for and six against, came after Hungary’s government had for months frustrated allies in Nato and the European Union by repeatedly postponing the vote after nearly all other alliance members ratified Finland’s bid. While Hungary’s approval was greeted with relief in Helsinki and elsewhere, Nato accession for Sweden remained up in the air as members of Hungary’s governing party insisted they will wait for Stockholm to clear up lingering disagreements before they go to a vote. Finland and Sweden jointly applied for membership following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Adding to the uncertainly over Sweden’s bid are Turkey’s own objections amid accusations that Stockholm is too soft on groups that it deems to be terror organizations.

Agnes Vadai, a lawmaker with Hungary’s opposition Democratic Coalition party, said Monday that the governing Fidesz party had been using “pretexts” to delay ratification

for the two countries, and that further stalling could push a vote on Sweden into early April or even May.

“There is no real reason for not supporting these countries,” Vadai, a former secretary of state in Hungary’s ministry of defense, told The Associated Press. “Nato accession shouldn’t be a question of personal feelings and blackmailing.”

Turkey is now the only one of the 30 Nato members not to have ratified Finland’s accession. Full unanimity is required to admit a new member into the alliance.

However, Turkey’s parliamentary committee on foreign affairs last week approved Finland’s Nato membership application, and a vote on accession is expected to be held before Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14.

While Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long signaled his country’s support for Nato expansion, his government has alleged that Swedish and Finnish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy which has left some ruling party lawmakers unsure of whether to support the accession bids.

In an interview with the AP at the United Nations Friday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the West’s steady criticism of Hungary on democratic and cultural

issues had made its government reluctant to offer support on practical matters, specifically Nato’s buildup against Russia.

The EU, which includes 21 Nato countries, has for years accused Orban’s government of cracking down on media freedom and LGBTQ rights, overseeing an entrenched culture of official corruption and co-opting state institutions to serve the interests of the governing Fidesz party.

Some Hungarian opposition politicians and analysts believe the country’s foot-dragging on ratification had aimed at pushing Sweden and Finland to support the release of billions in EU funds earmarked for Budapest that have been frozen over alleged breaches of the bloc’s rule-of-law standards.

But Samuel Agoston Mraz, director of the pro-government Nezopont Intezet thinktank in Budapest, said Hungary won’t make a move regarding Sweden until Turkey decides on whether to approve the country’s Nato membership bid.

Mraz said Hungary “does not want to make decisions against the Turks” and also wants guarantees from Stockholm on improving bilateral relations.

“Hungary is a supporter of a unified Nato. It does not believe in Turkey versus all the other member states,” Mraz told the AP.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s six reactors are in shutdown and it is receiving the electricity it needs to prevent a reactor meltdown through just one remaining power line. It has on occasion had to switch to emergency diesel generators to power its essential cooling systems.

In a meeting with Zelenskyy in southern Ukraine covered exclusively by The Associated Press, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the situation at the plant remains tense because of the heavy military presence around it and a blackout that recently struck the facility, something that has occurred repeatedly since Russian forces took it over last year.

Grossi plans to visit the plant this week for the second time following Russia’s invasion 13 months ago. The Vienna-based agency has staff permanently deployed at the plant since Grossi’s last visit in September.

Earlier this month, fighting interrupted power supply to the plant for half a day, forcing staff to activate backup generators.

Grossi had expressed alarm at that development.

“Each time we are rolling a dice,” he told his agency at the time. “And if we allow this to continue time after time, then one day our luck will run out.”

Grossi and Zelenskyy met in the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is in Ukrainian-held territory, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of the nuclear plant with the same name.

The IAEA said in January it was placing teams of experts at all four of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants to reduce the risk of accidents, including the now-closed Chernobyl plant whose deadly nuclear accident in 1986 spread fallout over much of Europe.

Grossi emphasized that his seventh trip to Ukraine underlined his commitment and support for “as long as it takes.”

Also attending the meeting were other IAEA officials, the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, and the head of nuclear operator Energoatom, Petro Kotin.

While in Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy also inspected military positions in the partially occupied province and awarded soldiers military honors. He visited wounded soldiers at a hospital and an apartment building that Kyiv claims was hit by a missile

Zelenskyy later visited Nikopol, a frequently shelled city across the Dnieper River from the nuclear power plant, according to the presidential office.

Elsewhere, two people were killed and 29 wounded Monday when Russian forces shelled the city of Sloviansk, in the partially occupied eastern Donetsk region, officials said.

Video footage of the aftermath showed damaged residential buildings, debris in the streets and vehicles on fire. Zelenskyy described the attack as “terrorism.”

Russia has denied targeting residential areas even though artillery and rocket strikes have hit Ukrainian apartment buildings and civilian infrastructure daily during the war.

The Sloviansk attack followed a typical pattern of long-range shelling adopted by the Kremlin’s forces, especially in recent months as the fighting became deadlocked during the winter.

In the eastern Donetsk region, Russian forces shelled about 10 cities and villages over the previous 24 hours, Ukraine’s presidential office reported.

Russian missiles hit the city of Avdiivka, damaging residential buildings, a hotel and a courthouse, it said.

Avdiivka Mayor Vitali Barabash said utility companies are being evacuated from the front-line city, as it “resembles more and more a landscape from post-apocalyptic movies.”

Attacks also intensified in the Zaporizhzhia region, where 14 settlements on the front line were shelled, authorities said.

In the partially occupied Kherson region, the Ukrainian-controlled part of the province was bombarded 20 times, wounding four people, the presidential office said.

Several explosions shook the Russia-occupied city of Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region, damaging a building where Russian security forces are quartered, said the exiled elected mayor Ivan Fyodorov. The Russian-installed authorities said “artillery shelling” of Melitopol partially destroyed a vocational school building, damaged several other buildings and wounded four people.

Earlier, Zelenskyy met in Kyiv

British

LEADER Kim Jong Un said North Korea is ready to use nuclear weapons “anytime and anywhere,” delivering a new threat as a US aircraft carrier group arrives in South Korea.

THIS photo provided on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rear, visits a hall that displayed what appeared to be various types of warheads designed to be mounted on missiles or rocket launchers on March 27, 2023, in an undisclosed location in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified.

with

actor Orlando Bloom, according Yermak, the head of the presidential office. Bloom, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, arrived over the weekend and visited its suburb of Irpin.

UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with UN atomic energy chief Rafael Mariano Grossi during a visit to Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on Monday, March 27, 2023. The two discussed the precarious situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has lost several of its power transmission cables during the conflict and on multiple occasions has had to switch to emergency diesel generators. AP/EFREM LUKATSKY

The Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey contributed to this report

The World

New China premier courts foreign CEOs with vow to open economy

Development Forum this year is that “China is open for business again” said Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at the Center for Strategic & International Studies who attended the event.

Netanyahu delays judicial overhaul after mass protests

By Josef Federman & Ilan Ben Zion The Associated Press

JERUSALEM—Bending to a wave of mass protests, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed his contentious judicial overhaul plan Monday and said he wanted “to avoid civil war” by making time to seek a compromise with political opponents. The announcement appeared to calm some of the tensions that have fueled three tumultuous months of unrest. But it failed to address the underlying issues that have polarized the nation, and the anti-government protest movement vowed to intensify its efforts.

In his prime-time address, Netanyahu, who had previously rejected calls to delay the legislation, took a more conciliatory tone than in recent speeches. He acknowledged the deep divisions in the country and said he was hitting the pause button “to prevent a rift in the nation.”

“When there’s an opportunity to avoid civil war through dialogue, I, as prime minister, am taking a timeout for dialogue,” he said. He vowed to reach a “broad consensus” during the summer session of parliament, which begins on April 30.

He spoke after tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated outside parliament, and the country’s largest labor union launched a nationwide strike in a dramatic escalation of the mass protest movement against his plan.

Netanyahu and his religious and ultranationalist allies presented the overhaul in January just days after forming their government, the most right wing in Israel’s history.

The proposal has plunged Israel into its worst domestic crisis in decades. Business leaders, top economists and former security chiefs have all come out against the plan, saying it is pushing the country toward an autocracy. Fighter pilots and military reservists have threatened not to report for duty, and the country’s currency, the shekel, has tumbled in value.

The plan would give Netanyahu, who is on trial on corruption charges, and his allies the final say in appointing the nation’s judges. It would also give parliament, which is controlled by his allies, authority to overturn Supreme Court decisions and limit the court’s ability to review laws.

Netanyahu has argued that the overhaul is needed to rein in a liberal and overly interventionist court of unelected judges. But his opponents say the package would damage the country’s system of checks and balances by concentrating power in the hands of Netanyahu’s allies. They also say that he has a conflict of interest as a criminal defendant.

Tens of thousands of people, largely secular, middle-class Israelis, have regularly joined mass protests against the plan.

Those demonstrations ramped up Sunday night after Netanyahu abruptly fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who had urged the prime minister to put his plan on hold, citing concerns about damage to the Israeli military.

The firing sparked a spontaneous outburst of anger, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets in just one hour.

Chanting “the country is on fire,” they lit bonfires on Tel Aviv’s main highway, closing the thoroughfare and many others throughout the country for hours.

Demonstrators continued Monday outside the Knesset, or parliament, turning the streets surrounding the building and the Supreme Court into a roiling sea of blue-and-white Israeli flags dotted with rainbow Pride banners.

“This is the last chance to stop this move into a dictatorship,” said Matityahu Sperber, 68, who joined a stream of people headed to the protest outside the Knesset. “I’m here for the fight to the end.”

Israel’s main trade union, the histadrut, declared a general strike in what it said was the first time it has carried out such an action over a political issue.

The chaos shut down much of the country and threatened to paralyze the economy. Departing flights from the main international airport were grounded, stranding tens of thousands of travelers.

Large mall chains and universities closed their doors, and the union called for its 800,000 members to stop work in health care, transit, banking and other fields.

Diplomats walked off the job at foreign missions, and local governments were expected to close preschools and cut other services. The main doctors union announced that its members would also strike.

In a sign of easing tensions, the union said late Monday that it was halting the strike in response to Netanyahu’s delay.

The announcement appeared to buy the embattled Netanyahu several weeks of quiet. But it was far from clear whether the disputes could be resolved.

The country’s figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, said pausing the legislative blitz was “the right thing.”

“This is the time for frank, serious and responsible discussion that will lead urgently to calming spirits and lowering the flames,” he said.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he was willing to hold a “genuine dialogue” under Herzog’s sponsorship.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, an ultranationalist who has pushed for quick passage of the package, said he would respect the delay but showed few signs of compromise.

“The reform will pass,” he tweeted. “No one will scare us.”

The first of a series of laws—giving the coalition control over judicial appointments— had been scheduled to pass this week.

Before Netanyahu’s speech, some 20,000 right-wing Israelis attended a counter demonstration in support of the prime minister. That demonstration also took place near parliament and passed without violence.

“They won’t steal the election from us,” read a flyer for event, organized by Religious Zionist party. Netanyahu said he was “moved” by the show of support.

Shikma Bressler, one of the leaders of the anti-government protest movement, said the campaign would continue until the legislation is canceled.

“This is just an attempt to weaken the protests in order to enact Netanyahu’s dictatorship,” she said. “Now is not the time to reduce the pressure, but to increase it.”

Dozens of protesters from rival sides faced off late Monday in central Tel Aviv. The sides, kept apart by police, exchanged insults, but there was no violence. Police used a water cannon to disperse anti-government protesters.

Israel’s Palestinian citizens have largely sat out the protests. Many say Israel’s democracy is tarnished by its military rule over their brethren in the West Bank and the discrimination they themselves face.

The Biden administration, which has been uneasy with Netanyahu and the far-right elements of his government, welcomed the announcement as “an opportunity to create additional time and space for compromise,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.

The Associated Press reporters Tia Goldenberg and Paz Bar in Tel Aviv and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this

“China’s economy has deeply integrated into the global system,” Li told foreign attendees of the China Development Forum on Monday, according to state broadcaster China Central Television. “China will unswervingly stick to opening up, regardless of changes to the global environment.”

The country’s growth will provide new momentum for the world economy, he added.

The comments underscore Beijing’s push to assure investors of its economic recovery and commitment to international businesses at the three-day forum. Overseas executives made

their first trip to the world’s No. 2 economy since it reopened its borders after three years of stringent pandemic restrictions.

Li thanked the foreign representatives in the audience for the support they’d offered over the years and urged them to “take a long-term view” amid economic challenges.

“It is like pressing on the journey during a rainy day,” Li said. “If one keeps their head down, they’d only see a muddy road. But if one looks ahead, they’d see the rainbow after the rain.”

About 70 foreign executives—including Apple Inc.’s Tim

Cook, Bridgewater Associates’ Ray Dalio and Deloitte’s Sharon Thorne—were shown on CCTV attending the forum. The event was Li’s first with foreign businesses since becoming China’s No. 2 official earlier this month.

Li struck an enthusiastic, upbeat tone about China’s contribution to global growth and its ability to overcome future challenges, Andrew Forrest, founder and chairman of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., told Bloomberg in an interview following the meeting with the premier.

A key message from the China

France faces new pension strikes as concerns over violence grow

By William Horobin & Ania Nussbaum

FRENCH unions are holding a new day of nationwide strikes Tuesday to try to force President Emmanuel Macron to reverse his decision to push through unpopular pension reforms.

As concerns grow over mounting violence, labor organizations have blamed the government for creating an explosive situation. Protests on Thursday ended in chaos, with hardcore fringes clashing with riot police. Further scuffles have taken place in the days since.

The backlash against raising the minimum retirement age by two years to 64 has escalated since Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on March 16 that Article 49.3 of the constitution would be used to avoid a vote on the bill in the National Assembly.

Since then, there have been 114 acts of vandalism on the local offices of members of parliament, 128 cases of damage to public buildings and 2,179 arson attacks, while almost 900 police officers have been injured, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

“Radicalized elements from the ultra left and extreme left are trying to take union marches hostage,” Darmanin told a news conference. “They come to cause damage, to injure, and to kill the police. Their aims have nothing to do with pension reform.”

The minister said security forces consider there’s a very significant risk of breaches of public order on Tuesday and added that an unprecedented 13,000 officers are being deployed across the country, including 5,500 in the French capital.

Under scrutiny

THE police have also come under scrutiny during the protests, with unions, Amnesty International and Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic warning against excessive use of force. Darmanin said 17 internal investigations are ongoing into police behavior at the marches. The head of the moderate

CFDT union, Laurent Berger, called on the government to hit pause in what he said was a dangerous climate.

“We take a month and a half, we say ‘OK, the 64 age limit won’t apply,’ and we do mediation,” he told France Inter radio ahead of Tuesday’s protests. “Then we get round the table and look at the question of work, pensions and where there can be a social compromise.”

Backing down would raise questions over Macron’s pledge to balance the books and spur the labor market with pro-business reforms.

The French Pension Advisory Council estimated the current system could cost the public finances at least 0.5 percent of GDP annually over the coming decade.

However, pushing ahead by enacting the law risks a prolonged conflict and further splintering parliament, where he has already lost his absolute majority and relies on opposition lawmakers to pass texts in a conventional manner.

The president has attempted to appease the situation by promising to account more for workers in future reforms, including with a measure to force companies to share more of their profits when conducting share buybacks. Borne has said she is open to talks with opposition and union leaders, and aims to avoid using Article 49.3 again for anything apart from budget bills.

Surveys regularly show French people want Macron to cancel the reform. According to an Elabe poll

At the same time, China is seeking to become more self-reliant in key technologies amid US efforts to curb its advances in chip technology, and companies continue to complain that market access is still restricted.

The economic recovery also remains uncertain. Profits at industrial firms in China plunged in the first two months, unemployment has increased and the housing market is still weak. The global economy is also weakening, curbing demand for Chinese exports. Beijing is counting on a rebound in domestic investment and consumer demand to meet its economic growth target of about 5 percent this year. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect the economy to grow 5.3 percent this year. With assistance from Philip Glamann/Bloomberg

Landslide in Ecuador kills at least 7; dozens missing

By Patricia Oleas & Cesar Olmos

The Associated Press

ALAUSI, Ecuador—A huge landslide swept over an Andean community in central Ecuador, burying dozens of homes, killing at least seven people and sending rescuers on a frantic search for survivors, authorities said Monday.

after he spoke on television March 22, only 24 percent consider him to be a good president and 60 percent approve of the protests. A recent Ifop poll showed he’s also losing voters to the far right.

“With no clear solution in sight, Macron’s troubles underscore the difficulty of containing spending without triggering a backlash.”

“So far, activity appears to have held up well and we forecast that France escaped an economic contraction in the first quarter. But as strikes and protests continue, adding to the tightening of monetary conditions and heightened tensions in the financial sector, risks to 2Q23 are clearly to the downside,” said Bloomberg economist Maeva Cousin.

Burning trash on the streets of Paris after refuse collectors joined the strikes has become a defining image of the conflict.

Violence at an unrelated protest over the weekend against the construction of water reservoirs has also added to the concerns of business leaders.

“The image of France has never been better—it’s the place where there’s been the most investment in Europe in the last years,” Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, the chairman of business lobby Medef, said Monday on France Info radio. “But it’s fragile and if this violence lasts and the garbage isn’t collected in Paris, yes it could discourage investors.” With assistance from Marie Patino, Jenny Che and Valentine Baldassari/Bloomberg

Earlier in the day, officials had reported 16 deaths, but President Guillermo Lasso put the confirmed toll at seven as he arrived Monday night at the scene of the disaster in Alausí, about 137 miles south of the capital, Quito. Officials also raised the number of people reported missing to 62.

Lasso lamented the tragedy and promised people in the town that “we will continue working” on the search effort.

Ecuador’s Risk Management Secretariat said more than 30 people were rescued after the mountainside collapsed around 10 p.m. Sunday. It said 23 people were injured.

“My mother is buried” under the mud, said Luis Ángel González, 58, who also lost other family members Sunday. “I am so sad, devastated. There is nothing here, no houses, no anything. We are homeless [and] without family.”

The risk management agency estimated 500 people and 163 homes were affected by the disaster, which also destroyed a portion of the Pan-American Highway.

The governor of Chimborazo, Ivan Vinueza, told The Associated Press that some of the injured were taken to area hospitals. He said officials had urged people to evacuate the area after landslides and cracks began to develop about two months ago. Some followed the advice, and by Saturday, as tremors intensified, others fled.

Area residents told local media they heard tremors on the mountain before the landslide, which was estimated to be about 150 meters (490 feet) wide and nearly a half-mile (700 meters) long. It swept away trees, homes and other buildings. More than fifty houses were buried under tons of mud of debris.

The emergency response agency said the landslide affected 60 percent of potable water service in the area. The communication’s office of the presidential office said some schools would be switching to online classes.

The Associated Press writers Gonzalo Solano in Quito and Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, contributed to this report

PREMIER Li Qiang vowed that China will open wider to the outside world and establish a “broad space” for foreign companies to develop in the Asian nation.

PREMIER Li Qiang BLOOMBERG

TENS of thousands Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul plan outside the parliament in Jerusalem on Monday, March 27, 2023. AP

PROTESTERS clash with riot police during a demonstration in central Paris on March 23. BLOOMBERG

Farm sector needs long-term solutions

AweAther phenomenon that means “little boy” in Spanish is threatening to upend the country’s rice sector. State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned that el Niño could develop this year and affect the country in the second half of 2023. this means that certain areas would see below-normal rainfall in July to December, when rice farmers are expected to harvest their main crop.

Pagasa, the agency attached to the Department of Science and Technology, said in a bulletin it issued last week that a majority of climate models indicate that El Niño may develop this year. Areas that would be affected by El Niño would experience dry spells and droughts, which is bad news for a water-loving crop like rice. Rainfed farms, or those that rely on rainfall for irrigation, would certainly suffer the most.

In a report published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2021, rainfed rice farms accounted for nearly a quarter of palay production in 2020. Of the 19.32 million metric tons of palay produced by the country in 2020, more than 4.5 MMT came from rainfed farms. The top three regions in terms of rainfed palay production in 2020 were Region 6 (Western Visayas), Region 1 (Ilocos Region), and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. A large chunk of domestic rice or more than 75 percent produced in 2020 came from irrigated farms. However, below-normal rainfall could reduce irrigation water supply and also affect output in these areas. Farms in Bulacan and Pampanga that rely on Angat Dam, for example, would stop getting their share for irrigation if the dam’s water supply falls to a critical level.

In the past 25 years, the Philippines witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of climate change on agricultural production. It was in 1998 when the country was forced to import more than 2 MMT of rice to plug the shortfall created by El Niño during the 1997-1998 planting season. According to a Reuters report published in 2015, the El Niño droughts of 1998 wiped nearly $5 billion worth of farm produce and caused the Philippine farm sector to contract by 6.4 percent.

Philippine farmers again witnessed an El Niño dry spell in 2010 and its damage to the agriculture sector was pegged at P10 billion. The “little boy” reappeared in the Philippines in 2016 and 2019 and caused losses amounting to billions of pesos (See, “El Niño farm damage doubles to P2.68 billion,” in the BusinessMirror, March 28, 2019).

While it is lamentable that the Philippines has to bear the brunt of climate events like El Niño, these episodes have taught policymakers valuable lessons that would allow them to prepare farmers for its impact. The farm sector needs long term solutions, not just short-term measures. It would do well for policymakers to formulate strategies that would enable the Philippines to reduce its reliance on food imports whenever it is hit by shortages caused by natural disasters. The state must always keep in mind that climate change is affecting all nations, including those that supply food to the Philippines.

Study says warming-fueled supercells to hit South more often

By Seth Borenstein | AP Science Writer

AMerIcA will probably get more killer tornado- and hailspawning supercells as the world warms, according to a new study that also warns the lethal storms will edge eastward to strike more frequently in the more populous Southern states, like Alabama, Mississippi and tennessee.

The supercell storm that devastated Rolling Fork, Mississippi is a single event that can’t be connected to climate change. But it fits that projected and more dangerous pattern, including more nighttime strikes in a southern region with more people, poverty and vulnerable housing than where storms hit last century. And the season will start a month earlier than it used to.

The study in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society predicts a nationwide 6.6 percent increase in supercells and a 25.8 percent jump in the area and time the strongest supercells twist and tear over land under a scenario of moderate levels of future warming by the end of the century. But in certain areas in the South the increase is much higher. That includes Rolling Fork, where study authors project an increase of one supercell a year by the year 2100.

Supercells are nature’s ultimate storms, so-called “Finger of God” whoppers that are “the dominant producers of significant tornadoes and hail,” said lead author Walker Ashley, a professor of meteorology and disaster geography at Northern Illinois University. Tall, anvil-shaped and sky-filling, supercells have a rotating powerful updraft of wind and can last for hours.

Supercells spawned the 2013 Moore, Oklahoma, tornado that killed 51 people, the 2011 Joplin, Missouri, tornado outbreak that killed 161 people and the 2011 super outbreak that killed more than 320 people in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, the Mid-South.

The study used computer simulations to predict what will happen by the end of the century with different levels of global carbon pollution levels. But Ashley said that stormier future seems like it’s already here.

The study in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society predicts a nationwide 6.6 percent increase in supercells and a 25.8 percent jump in the area and time the strongest supercells twist and tear over land under a scenario of moderate levels of future warming by the end of the century.

“The data that I’ve seen has persuaded me that we are in this experiment and living it right now,” Ashley said in an interview three days before the EF-4 tornado killed more than 20 people in Mississippi on Friday.

“What we’re seeing in the longer term is actually occurring right now.”

Ashley and others said although the Mississippi tornado fits the projected pattern, it was a single weather event, which is different than climate projections over many years and a large area.

Ashley and study co-author Victor Gensini, another meteorology professor at Northern Illinois University and a longtime tornado expert, said they are watching the potential for another supercell blow-up in the Mid-South on Friday.

Past studies have been unable to forecast supercells and tornadoes in future climate simulations because they are small-scale events, especially tornadoes, that global computer models can’t see. Ashley and Gensini used smaller regional computer models and compensated for their reduced computing power by spending two years running simulations and crunching data.

Three scientists not connected to the study said it makes sense. One of them, Pennsylvania State University tornado scientist Paul Markowski, called it a promising advance because it explicitly simulated storms, compared to past research that only looked at general environments favorable to supercells.

While the study finds a general increase in supercell counts, what it mostly finds are large shifts in where and when they hit — generally, more east of Interstate 35, which runs through east central Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, and fewer to the west.

In moderate warming—less warming than the world is headed for based on current emissions—parts of eastern Mississippi and eastern Oklahoma are projected to get three

See “Study,” A17

India expels Rahul Gandhi, Modi critic, from Parliament

By Ashok Sharma & Sheikh Saaliq | The Associated Press

New DeLhI—India’s top opposition leader and fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expelled from Parliament Friday, a day after a court convicted him of defamation and sentenced him to two years in prison for mocking the surname Modi in an election speech.

The actions against Rahul Gandhi, the great-grandson of India’s first prime minister, were widely condemned by opponents of Modi as the latest assaults against democracy and free speech by a ruling government seeking to crush dissent. Removing Gandhi from politics delivered a major blow to the opposition party he led ahead of next year’s national elections.

A local court from Modi’s home state of Gujarat convicted Gandhi on Thursday for a 2019 speech in which he asked, “Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?” Gandhi then referred to three well-known and unrelated Modis in the speech: a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon, a cricket executive banned from the Indian Premier League tournament and the prime minister.

Under Indian law, a criminal conviction and prison sentence of two years or more are grounds for expulsion from Parliament, but Gandhi is out on bail for 30 days and plans to appeal.

Opposition lawmakers rallied to his defense on Friday, calling his

expulsion a new low for India’s constitutional democracy.

Modi’s critics say India’s democracy —the world’s largest with nearly 1.4 billion people—has been in retreat since he first came to power in 2014. They accuse his populist government of preoccupying itself with pursuing a Hindu nationalist agenda, a charge his administration has denied.

“I am fighting for the voice of this country. I am ready to pay any price,” Gandhi, 52, wrote on Twitter.

Gandhi’s family, starting with his great-grandfather, Jawaharlal Nehru, has produced three prime ministers. Two of them—his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, and father, Rajiv Gandhi—were assassinated.

Gandhi has projected himself as the main challenger to the Modi government, but his Indian National Congress party has fared poorly during the last two general elections. He has been trying to woo voters in recent months by raising issues of corruption and accusing the Modi government of tarnishing India’s reputation

A local court from Modi’s home state of Gujarat convicted Gandhi on Thursday for a 2019 speech in which he asked, “Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?” Gandhi then referred to three well-known and unrelated Modis in the speech: a fugitive Indian diamond tycoon, a cricket executive banned from the Indian Premier League tournament and the prime minister.

for democracy.

Late last year Gandhi led a popular “unity march” across wide swaths of India, rallying crowds against the Modi government and the Hindu nationalism that has surged under his leadership.

Opponents blame Modi’s political party for rising hate speech and violence against Muslims and other minorities in recent years. Modi’s power has coincided with increasing assaults on the press and free speech, the jailing of activists and a crackdown on dissent.

Modi’s party has denied the accusations and his supporters say the tea seller’s son from Gujarat state has improved the nation’s standing.

Gandhi has also attacked the government over Modi’s proximity to business tycoon Gautam Adani, who in January was accused

by an American research and investment firm betting against his company of engaging in fraud and stock-price manipulation. Before his expulsion, Gandhi had called for an investigation into Adani’s businesses, whose market value has plummeted by tens of billions of dollars. Modi’s party says he has no links with Adani.

If Gandhi’s conviction is not suspended or overturned by a higher court, he faces the risk of not being able to contest national elections in 2024, although some analysts say an eventual return to politics is possible.

“This could actually also provide an impetus for the opposition to finally sink their differences and come together in a united fight against Modi,” said Arti Jerath, a political commentator.

Gandhi’s political party said the conviction, which they plan to appeal, was “cowardly and dictatorial” and leaders warned that his expulsion could do long-term damage to the country. “This is politics with the gloves off and it bodes ill for our democracy,” said Shashi Tharoor, a lawmaker from Gandhi’s party. Modi’s critics point to his party’s attacks against opposition leaders, rights groups and media outlets critical of the government.

Last month India’s tax officials raided BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai weeks after it aired a See “India,” A17

Scotland to get first Muslim leader as SNP elects Humza Yousaf

By Jill Lawless | The Associated Press

L

Yousaf narrowly defeated rival Kate Forbes after a bruising fiveweek contest that exposed deep fractures within the pro-independence Scottish National Party as it faces an impasse in its quest to take Scotland out of the United Kingdom.

The 37-year-old Glasgow-born son of South Asian immigrants is set to be confirmed as first minister during a session of the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Yousaf, who currently is Scotland’s health minister, beat two other Scottish lawmakers in a contest to replace First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. She unexpectedly stepped down last month after eight years as leader of the party and of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government.

SNP members chose Yousaf over Scottish finance minister Forbes by a margin of 52% to 48%, after third-placed candidate Ash Regan was eliminated in a first vote. Turnout among the 72,000 members was 70%.

Yousaf faces the challenge of uniting the SNP and reenergizing the stalled independence campaign.

“Just as I will lead the SNP in the interests of all party members, not just those who voted for me, so I will lead Scotland in the interests of all our citizens whatever your political allegiance,” he said in an acceptance speech at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield rugby stadium.

Yousaf paid tribute to his late grandparents, who emigrated from the Punjab to Glasgow more than 60 years ago.

“They couldn’t have imagined, in their wildest dreams, that two generations later their grandson would one day be Scotland’s first minister,” he said. “We should all take pride in the fact that today we have sent a clear message: that your color of skin, your faith, is not a barrier to leading the country we all call home.”

Yousaf is widely seen as a “continuity Sturgeon” candidate who shares the outgoing leader’s liberal social views.

A formidable leader who led the SNP to a dominant position in Scottish politics, Sturgeon failed in her aim of taking Scotland out of the UK and divided the party with a contentious transgender rights law.

The three candidates to succeed her shared the goal of independence, but differed in their economic and social visions for Scotland.

Forbes, 32, is an evangelical Christian who has been criticized for saying that her faith would have prevented her from voting in favor of allowing same-sex couples to wed, had she been a lawmaker when Scotland legalized gay marriage in 2014.

Both Forbes and 49-year-old Regan opposed legislation championed by Sturgeon to make it easier for people in Scotland to legally change their gender.

The gender recognition bill has been hailed as a landmark piece of legislation by transgender rights activists, but faced opposition from

India . . .

continued from A16

documentary critical of Modi. The documentary examined his role in 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the western state of Gujarat, where he was chief minister at the time. More than 1,000 people were killed in the violence.

Modi has denied allegations that authorities under his watch allowed and even encouraged the bloodshed, and the Supreme Court said it found no evidence to prosecute him.

Critics say Yousaf, who served in several posts in Sturgeon’s government, bears some responsibility for Scotland’s long health care waiting times, homelessness problem and high drug death toll.

some SNP members who said it ignored the need to protect single-sex spaces for women, such as domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers.

Yousaf has promised to push forward with the bill, which has been passed by the Scottish parliament but blocked by the U.K. government.

The SNP holds 64 of the 129 seats in the Scottish parliament and governs in coalition with the much smaller Greens. The smaller party had warned it might quit the coalition if the SNP elected a leader that doesn’t share its progressive views—meaning a victory by Forbes or Regan could have splintered the government.

That split has been avoided, but the pro-independence campaign remains adrift. Scottish voters backed remaining in the U.K. in a 2014 referendum that was billed as a oncein-a-generation decision. The SNP wants a new vote, but the central government in London has refused to authorize one, and the U.K. Supreme Court has ruled that Scotland can’t hold one without London’s consent.

Yousaf said he would ask the Conservative government in London for authorization to hold a new referendum. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office said the answer remained no.

Yousaf has also said he wants to build a “settled, sustained” majority for independence. Polls currently suggest Scottish voters are split about evenly on the issue.

“To those in Scotland who don’t yet share the passion I do for independence, I will aim to earn your trust by continuing to govern well,” Yousaf said.

The acrimonious SNP leadership contest has sent the SNP’s poll ratings plunging—to the delight of the Labour Party and the Conservatives, which hope to gain seats in Scotland during the next UK-wide election, likely next year.

Critics say Yousaf, who served in several posts in Sturgeon’s government, bears some responsibility for Scotland’s long health care waiting times, homelessness problem and high drug death toll.

Independent pollster Mark Diffley said that while the SNP members who elected Yousaf are passionately concerned about independence, the new leader “will now have to pivot really quite sharply towards what public priorities are, which is not the same.”

“It’s more about supporting people through the cost of living crisis, getting economic growth, improving public services,” Diffley said. “That’s where reality will bite, I think, pretty soon.”

Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a political analyst, said the ruling party had become increasingly angered by Gandhi’s corruption accusations and that his line of attack against the Adani Group was “proving too much for the governing party.”

Gandhi’s expulsion also came after fourteen political parties filed a petition to India’s top court alleging that Modi’s government was engaged in politically motivated financialcrime investigations of opposition leaders. The Supreme Court said it will take up the petition in the first week of April.

Congress review of corporate rehab law very timely

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza MAKE SENSE

ONDON—Scotland’s governing party elected Humza Yousaf as its new leader on Monday, making him the first person of color and the first Muslim to lead the country of 5.5 million people.WE at the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) commend the House of Representatives for taking the initiative to review the country’s corporate rehabilitation law in view of the challenges posed by the pandemic to businesses in the country.

This is through House Resolution (HR) No. 797 authored by Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta titled: “A resolution directing the proper committee/s of the House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on whether the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act (FRIA) of 2010 has adequately or effectively assisted financially distressed persons or entities to recover their businesses, especially in the recent past when the country experienced the Covid-19 pandemic.”

This congressional inquiry, started by the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries led by its Chair Rep. Irwin C. Tieng on March 23, displayed the foresight of our lawmakers, considering the pandemic-triggered economic difficulties that hurt the viability of many corporations in the country.

The lawmakers want to know the outcomes of rehabilitation proceedings filed during the recent past with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and regular courts; the actual length of time that transpired or was required in the disposition of such proceedings and reasons for delays, if any; the reasons and causes

In conducting the probe, the lawmakers are using the actual corporate rehab cases of, among others, Uniwide Group of Companies, which I consider a huge failure, and the successful rehabilitation of Hanjin Heavy Industries. Remember that Uniwide was a SEC-supervised rehab under appointed receiver Monico Jacob, while Hanjin’s was overseen by the Regional Trial Court of Zambales.

for failed petitions for rehabilitation, i.e. denial of petitions and/or liquidation of the persons or entities involved; and new legislation that needs to be introduced and passed to further assist and facilitate the resolution of such proceedings as well as address problems or issues encountered by financially stressed persons or entities.

The solons also want to know how corporate rehabs succeeded and failed under the guidance of the SEC and the courts, as well as the circumstances that led to such successes or failures. The goal is to determine how the lapses in the existing law can be corrected and how the good provisions can be improved further so that distressed companies will have a better chance of getting resuscitated once they enter rehabilitation.

This columnist was invited as one of the resource persons in my capacity as chairman of FPI, along with representatives of the SEC, Supreme Court (SC), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and other regulators and industry groups.

Of course, I conveyed the appreciation of the FPI to the lawmakers, who, despite the recess, still devoted

time to launch the inquiry.

I took note of the questions raised by Rep. Marcoleta to the SEC on how likely the creditors could influence the appointed regulators and their appointed receivers, and how debtors could also influence the regulators. The congressman also sought to know what would be the liabilities of the receivers in failed rehabs and those who delayed the proceedings to a point where the distressed company could no longer get back on its feet. He likened these struggling firms to patients that need immediate care but instead of being taken to a hospital, they were brought straight to a funeral parlor with a ready tombstone.

In conducting the probe, the lawmakers are using the actual corporate rehab cases of, among others, Uniwide Group of Companies, which I consider a huge failure, and the successful rehabilitation of Hanjin Heavy Industries. Remember that Uniwide was a SEC-supervised rehab under appointed receiver Monico Jacob, while Hanjin’s was overseen by the Regional Trial Court of Zambales.

This brings us to the question: Are

courts better than the SEC in supervising corporate rehabs in the future?

The inquiry was suspended and already I’m looking forward to the next hearings where I’m sure the congressmen will dig deeper into these actual cases to get a better idea of how the current law can be improved further as we brace for the possible rehab of struggling companies due to the pandemic.

I’m particularly interested in the experience of Uniwide, which everyone knows was way bigger than the SM Group before it was placed under the failed rehab then managed by its former chief financial officer, Jaime Cabangis.

When I was with Baguio Oil and Minola, Uniwide was the most sought-after retail channel. When your products were present in Uniwide, you were “made” already. Uniwide owner Jimmy Gow is also close to my heart because he is a nationalist. He supported my fight against the flooding of imported products via the duty-free shops back then.

Uniwide’s flagship branch was the Coastal Mall in Parañaque valued at P7.5 billion. This iconic mall, however, was just leveled to the ground later when it was turned over to a creditor of Uniwide without putting value to the building – such a big economic wastage indeed.

I’m sure the congressional inquiry will ferret out more facts from the Uniwide experience as well as other failed and successful rehab cases that would result in a much-improved corporate rehabilitation law.

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade; a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.

War and secretive spending is eating away at Russia’s budget

R

Classified or unspecified expenditure through March 24 has surged to 2.4 trillion rubles ($31 billion), Finance Ministry data show, more than double the level in the same period a year ago, according to Bloomberg Economics’s estimates. Plans set out for 2023 envisaged the budget’s secret share at almost a quarter, Bloomberg calculations show.

The increase in classified spending indicates war-related expenses are rising, said Alexandra Suslina, an independent Russian economist.

“It is logical to assume that the costs of new territories are included there as well,” she said, referring to parts of eastern and southern Ukraine annexed by President Vladimir Putin last September and that Ukrainian forces have vowed to retake.

As spending on Russia’s military increases sharply, defense—together with the related category of national security—is now second only to the government’s social programs as a proportion of spending.

The secrecy around the single biggest-ticket item speaks to the scale of the fiscal commitment to the war effort that Putin promised will have

Study

continued from A16

more supercells every two years, with eastern Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, western Tennessee and eastern Georgia getting one more supercell every other year. With worst-case warming— more than the world is presently on track for—the study projects similar changes but with worsening supercells over eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas and southern Missouri.

Cities that should see more supercells as warming worsens include Dallas-Fort Worth, Little Rock, Memphis, Jackson, Tupelo, Birmingham and Nashville, Ashley said.

USSIA is keeping an unprecedented one-third of its budget spending out of the public eye, a stark measure of how a year of war against Ukraine has redrawn government finances and economic priorities.“no limitations.” Clandestine spending previously peaked around 21% in 2015, a year after Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Under Russia’s budget law, the president determines which secret programs will be adopted and allocated as part of various spending plans. Lawmakers convene closed legislative sessions to consider outlays where the public has no oversight.

“A surge in spending is driven by purchases of military equipment, mobilized Russians’ salaries and a push to complete some of the signature infrastructure projects before the end of the current presidential term next March. The late stage of the electoral cycle is also a reason we think the government will remain mindful of risks of spurring inflation and will try to keep the budget deficit below 4% of gross domestic product,” said Alexander Isakov, Bloomberg’s Russia economist.

A snapshot of Russia’s fiscal performance is available on the so-called “joint budget system portal” maintained by the Finance Ministry and the Treasury. The figures capture daily changes in the execution of public spending—even as increasingly more money is no longer subject to public scrutiny.

Expenditures on “national defense” reached 531 billion rubles as of March 24, doubling from last year, and another 379 billion rubles were

The moderate warming simulation projects 61 percent more supercells in March and 46 percent more in April, while the more severe warming scenario has 119 percent more in March and 82 percent more in April.

They see double-digit percentage point drops in June and July.

In the mid-South, including Rolling Fork, the study projects supercell activity peaking two hours later, from 6 to 9 p.m. instead of 4 to 7 p.m. That means more nighttime supercells. “If you want a disaster, create a supercell at night where you can’t go outside and visually confirm the threat’’ so people don’t take it as seriously, Gensini said.

The eastward shift also puts more people at risk because those areas

spent on security and law enforcement. Besides the sheer burden of the war on Russia’s public finances, what the statistics also capture appears to contradict comments made by officials after data for January and February showed Russia was running a record budget deficit.

Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and others have said that a key reason why the budget was so deep in the red is because of advance payments made to help support businesses and the economy.

But the data indicate the biggest increase went toward defense spending, followed by transfers to the regions. The categories of education and health-care show slight gains compared to the previous year, according to the figures, while spending on the economy and social programs remains in line over the same period.

At 2.58 trillion rubles, the shortfall just in the first two months approached its planned level for the year as a whole, which the Finance Ministry expected at 2.93 trillion rubles. Bloomberg Economics predicts the federal budget will run a deficit of 3 percent to 4 percent of gross domestic product this year.

The strain on the budget isn’t surprising given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has triggered the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II. In 2022, the government was budgeting for a massive increase in

are more densely populated than the traditional tornado alley of Kansas and Oklahoma, Ashley and Gensini said. The population coming under more risk is also poorer and more frequently lives in mobile or manufactured homes, which are more dangerous places in a tornado.

What’s likely happening as the climate warms is the Southwest United States is getting hotter and drier, Ashley and Gensini said. Meanwhile, the Gulf of Mexico, which provides the crucial moisture for the storms, is getting hotter and the air coming from there is getting juicier and unstable.

The hot dry air from places like New Mexico puts a stronger “cap” on where storms would normally brew when air masses collide in spring

spending on the military, with defense expenditure set to exceed this year’s initial budget assumptions by more than 43 percent.

But the accelerated spending on classified needs and the military may reflect the urgency facing the Kremlin as it confronts a coalition of countries backing Ukraine that includes many of the world’s biggest economies. Dmitry Medvedev, the former president who’s now deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, has said Russia plans to manufacture 1,500 tanks this year, which would be over six times the number the defense industry produced for the military in 2021.

The shift in spending priorities risks becoming entrenched over time. The Defense Ministry has ordered a doubling of production of key weapons and parliament introduced a draft law to expand the age of eligibility for army service, as the government looks to expand the size of the military to 1.5 million from 1.15 million.

“The 2022 sanctions have so far not restricted the Russian government’s military expenditure,” Susanne Oxenstierna and Emil Wannheden, analysts at the Swedish Defense Research Agency, said in a report. “Instead, the government has raised military spending even higher to finance its war effort in Ukraine.”

Bloomberg Opinion

time. That cap means storms can’t quite boil over as much in the Great Plains. The pressure builds as the weather front moves east, leading to supercells forming later and farther eastward, Gensini and Ashley said.

Because February and March are getting warmer than they used to be this will happen earlier in the year, but by July and August the cap of hot dry air is so strong that supercells have a hard time forming, Ashley and Gensini said.

A18 Wednesday, March 29, 2023

ICC appeals chamber junks PHL bid to suspend probe

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE Philippine government has suffered another setback before the International Criminal Court-Appeals Chamber, which denied its request to suspend the implementation of the PreTrial Chambers’  (PTC) decision of January  26, 2023,  authorizing the resumption of the investigation on the abuses and deaths during the Duterte administration’s campaign on illegal drugs.

In an eight-page decision, the ICCAppeals Chamber held that the Philippine government through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) failed to raise “persuasive reasons” and arguments in support of its request for ordering a suspensive effect.

Manila failed, it said, to provide a basis for its claim of “far-reaching and inimical consequences” should the appeals chamber allow the investigation to proceed even before it decides on the merit of its main appeal.

“Secondly, the Appeals Chamber observes that apart from merely referring to ‘far-reaching’ and ‘inimical consequences’ or implications of the Prosecutor’s activities on suspects,

witnesses and victims, the Philippines fails to provide any explanation as to what those implications may be and how the broad scope of the Prosecutor’s investigation at this stage of the proceedings would lead to consequences that ‘would be very difficult to correct and may be irreversible’,” the decision read.

The Philippine government filed last February 6, 2023 a notice of appeal before the ICC-Appeals Chamber seeking suspension of the implementation of the January 26 decision pending the final resolution on the merit of its appeal.   Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra argued that the activities of Prosecutor

Karim Khan in relation to his investigation into the country’s situation “would lack any legal foundation and encroach” on the Philippine’s sovereignty.

The OSG further contended that should the ICC proceed despite the absence of jurisdictional  basis, “it’s mandate would be adversely affected due to the implications such acts would have for those affected by the Court’s operations, in particular suspects, witnesses and victims.”

It also stressed that the resumption of the investigation, given its broad scope, “will necessarily have far-reaching and inimical consequences.”

On March 13, 2023, the Philippines formally filed its appeal brief seeking the reversal of the January 26 decision of the pretrial chamber.

In denying the Philippines’s application for suspensive effect filed on February 6,  the ICC-Appeals Chamber noted that it failed to explain how the supposed lack of jurisdiction or legal basis for the resumption of the investigation pending the resolution of its March 13 appeal would “defeat its very purpose and create irreversible situation that could not be corrected.”

The Appeals Chamber also pointed out that the Philippines can continue its own  investigation on the deaths

POE BACKS DOMESTIC FLIGHTS MOVE TO NAIA 2

SEN. Grace Poe, who heads the franchise-granting Senate Committee on Public Services, has backed the transfer of domestic flights to Ninoy Aquino International Airport 2 (NAIA2).

“We support the move to maximize the capacity of our airports and bring better comfort to our travellers,” said Poe.

related to the anti-illegal drug war even as the  ICC is conducting its own proceedings.

“For the foregoing reasons, the Appeals Chambers is not persuaded that the implementation of the impugned decision would cause consequences that ‘would be very difficult to correct’ or that ‘may be irreversible’, or ‘could potentially defeat the purpose of the appeal’,” the decision stated.

The Appeals Chamber, however, noted that its decision denying the Philippines’s application for suspensive effect is “without prejudice”  to its eventual decision on the merits of the latter’s March 13 appeal.

The Philippine government has maintained that it is no longer under the ICC’s jurisdiction after it officially withdrew its signature to the Rome Statute on March 16, 2018 upon the directive of then President Duterte.

The Rome Statute is the treaty that established ICC.      ICC out to humiliate PHL govt MEANWHILE , Guevarra expressed disappointment over the government’s latest setback before the ICC, insisting that this would have “far-reaching consequences” for the country.

Continued on A3

In a statement, the senator stressed that both airport officials and airlines should “closely coordinate to ensure a seamless transition that will not disrupt flights, cause delays and inconvenience passengers.”

Poe said intensified information dissemination and timely assistance should be available to the public, as she lamented that, “unfortunate incidents and mishaps especially at NAIA in the recent past have dealt our airports a black eye.”

“We expect the new terminal assignments can be a genuine showcase of an improved, more efficient airport experience for travellers,” she stressed.

She reminded authorities that  Naia Terminal 2, also known as the Centennial Terminal, will be catering fully to domestic flights of Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Philippines Air Asia before yearend. Air Asia has announced the move to Naia-2 in July, while PAL is still negotiating certain terms of the transfer with respect to charges, with MIAA.

Cebu Pacific Airways’ domestic flights will remain at Naia-3, and Naia-4.

Earlier, MIAA general manager Cesar Chiong explained that the  “Terminal 2 is not [large] enough to handle all domestic flights right now, but once we are able to construct the annex to Terminal 2, Cebu Pacific’s domestic flights can be transferred there.”

He added that Naia-2, which is currently occupied solely by PAL for its domestic and international flights, can accommodate up to nine million passengers a year.

The 75,000 square-meter Naia-2 was originally designed for domestic passengers, but was revised to accommodate international flights as well. Butch Fernandez

PCA to probe palm oil smuggling, how it hurts coco sector

By Raadee S. Sausa

THE Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will conduct a thorough investigation on the smuggling of palm oil and how it is hurting the growth of the local coconut industry.

The campaign has the backing of business groups through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by the PCA, Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI), Coconut Oil Refiners Association (CORA) and Fight Illicit Trade (FightIT).

The agreement mandates the PCA, CORA, FPI and FightIT to examine and develop ways to combat smuggling, monitor injurious import transactions, and prevent the proliferation of substandard products in the market.

For his part, Jesus Arranza, president of CORA and FPI chairman, said among their first initiatives is a thorough investigation of the technical smuggling of palm oil, which, according to Rep. Joey Salceda of Albay, caused government a whopping revenue loss of P45 billion over six years.

This was done, said Salceda, through misdeclaration of palm olein that unscrupulous traders were bringing into the country purportedly for compounding of animal feeds worth P300 billion.

However, these palm olein imports, Salceda claimed, were refined and converted into cooking oil for human consumption.

“The report of Congressman Salceda prompted me to look deeper into this case and I managed to get hold of official documents that apparently confirm the technical smuggling of palm olein,” Arranza said.

“I already reported this to President BBM [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.], and thankfully the Office of the President promptly ordered the Department of Agriculture [DA] to act on the matter,” he added.

Skills get top priority when employers hire–report

PCA, an agency under the DA mandated to promote the rapid integrated development and growth of the coconut and other palm oil industry, then met with private sector stakeholders which led to the signing of the MOA with FPI and CORA.

The MOA also tasks the signatories to “continuously dialogue in crafting and formulating a reportorial system that will identify and apprehend various illicit activities that are seriously affecting the coconut industry.”

They are also mandated to: jointly conduct scientific research in developing high-value products to maximize the full potential of the coconut product; conduct product selection that will best fit intercropping to make full advantage of the spaces in between the coconut trees; and conduct any and all other activities that will redound to the benefit of the local industry as well as the coconut farmers.

“With our mandate coming directly from the President, we are leaving no stone unturned in our probe and at the same time hopefully we can come up with mechanisms that will finally put an end to this technical smuggling of palm oil,” Arranza said.

In his letter to President Marcos, Arranza said they received reliable reports and obtained some documents that may lead to a thorough investigation and catch unscrupulous importers actually using palm olein for other purposes but are declaring their importations as for compounding of animal feeds to avoid the payment of value-added tax (VAT) and other taxes and duties.

“The reality is that a big portion of the imported palm olein is being diverted for sale to either - 1) producers of biodiesel an additive to diesel fuel, and 2) to the retail market (public markets, groceries, supermarkets, and sari-sari stores) as cooking oil for eventual sale to the consuming public,” the FPI chairman said.

MORE employers are now hiring based on skills rather than educational and professional achievements due to “accelerated” changes in the labor market, according to a new study from online professional network LinkedIn.

In its “Future of Recruiting” report, LinkedIn said employers are now giving more consideration to skills when considering potential recruits as a way to measure how well they will adapt to new job requirements.

“For a long time, companies hired candidates primarily based on what they studied in school, where they worked previously, or the years of experience they have. In recent years, however, this has started to change, driven by the fast pace of technological innovations and accelerated rate change in the skills required for the same job,” LinkedIn said.

In the Philippines, LinkedIn said the skills to do any particular job have changed by 31 percent on average since 2015. It noted this rate could go as high as 48 percent by 2025.

Employers are banking on the “skills-first” approach to boost their global competitiveness.

“Globally, recruiters today are 25 percent more likely to search for candidates based on skills than they were just three years ago, and more than 50 percent of recruiters are more likely to search for skills than by years of experience,” LinkedIn said.

“In Southeast Asia, more recruiters are prioritizing skills-based hiring (89 percent) and reskilling their employees (87 percent),” it added.

Aside from technical skills, recruiters are also on the lookout for the soft skills of applicants, which include communication, relationship-building, adaptability, business acumen, and problem-solving. With the new trend, applicants, particularly those from Southeast Asia, are now also putting in more jobs, which will provide them with “opportunities to learn new skills, advancement opportunities and career growth.” Samuel P. Medenilla

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

Wednesday, March 29, 2023

MPIC buys significant stake in solar-power firm SPNEC

By VG Cabuag @villygc

CONGLOMERATE

Corp. (MPIC) has acquired an initial 16 percent in listed solar power company SP New Energy Corp. (SPNEC) worth P2 billion.

MPIC said it was given an option to become the biggest shareholder of SPNEC up to 43 percent once the solar power company increased its authorized capital stock to P50 billion from the current P10 billion. The initial transaction involves a signing of a definitive agreement between the MPIC for the acquisition of 1.6 billion common shares of from SPNEC’s parent Solar Phil-

ippines Power Project Holdings Inc. (SPPPHI).

MPIC was represented by Chairman and President Manuel V. Pangilinan while SPPPHI was represented by its president and CEO Leandro Leviste. They both signed the agreement for the purchase of the secondary shares of SPNEC.

SPH will advance the proceeds to SPNEC to fund its land investments in Nueva Ecija, where the company

is developing what could be Asia’s largest solar project.

Upon the closing of the transaction, Pangilinan will become chairman of the Board of SPNEC.

This is the first of several agreements through which the MPIC may acquire up to a total of about 19 billion common shares of SPNEC, subject to relevant approvals, with the goal of making SPNEC the largest renewable energy company in the Philippines.

“Our thrust of pursuing renewable energy brings the MVP Group one step closer to fulfilling our mission of creating long-term value for our stakeholders through responsible and sustainable investments,” Pangilinan said.

MPIC’s investment into SPNEC is guided by the vision of the Department of Energy that 35 percent of the country’s energy come from renewable energy by 2030. SPNEC and SPH are in the pro -

cess of completing an asset-forshare swap, in which Solar Philippines pipeline of over 8 gigawatts of projects will be consolidated under SPNEC.

When MPIC’s shares in SPNEC became 43 percent, this would position the conglomerate to be a leading contributor to the country’s renewable energy goals.

SPNEC creates value through solar project development. MPIC contributes capital and investment expertise to work collaboratively with management teams and key stakeholders to build profitably growing infrastructure leaders.

“We have long seen a partnership with MPIC to be the key to unlock the potential of our project pipeline. We are humbled and grateful for this opportunity, and believe that SPNEC now has the final ingredients to realize the value of our developments for the benefit of all stakeholders,” Leviste said.

Filinvest Land’s income falls 24%

FILINVEST Land Inc., the property development arm of the Gotianun group, said its attributable net income fell 24 percent last year to P2.89 billion from last year’s P3.8 billion, which included a one-time tax benefit from the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act.

Consolidated revenues reached P19.94 billion, an 18 percent growth from last year’s P16.86 billion.

Residential revenues grew 14 percent to P12.84 billion due to accelerated construction progress and strong performance of its housing projects in Cavite, Laguna and Rizal, and its medium-rise condo projects in Metro Manila and Davao.

“Our efforts to boost our international and local sales networks, as well as our investments on digital

and online platforms have proven effective. We continue to focus on addressing the needs of our homebuyers,” FLI President Tristan D. Las Marias said.

Reservation sales grew by 13 percent to P18 billion as it launched seven new residential projects valued at P5.9 billion located in Teresa in Rizal, San Rafael in Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga and Metro Manila. It also launched its first project in Naga, Camarines Sur.

“Futura Monte Naga” is a masterplanned condo community offering four mid-rise buildings.

About 60 percent of the property is dedicated to breathable open spaces and amenities, making it an ideal community for those who value a balanced lifestyle.

The company’s mall rental reve-

nues, meanwhile, more than doubled to P1.68 billion from P796 million in 2021, due to improvement in its malls’ occupancy and foot traffic, as well as the removal of rental concessions.

“We anticipate continued growth in mall rental revenues going forward with the improved shopper traffic,” Las Marias said.

Office leasing revenues declined 3 percent to P4.67 billion due to challenges in relation to hybrid work arrangements. Despite the challenges, the company was able to sign new leases office buildings totaling 19,670 square meters and renewed 28,370 square meters or 90 percent of expiring leases in 2022.

This year, new letters of intent were signed by traditional and business process outsourcing multina-

tional companies to lease almost 17,000 square meters of office space and more than 18,400 square meters or 33 percent of the lease expiries for the year 2023 have already been renewed as of end of February.

The balance is due for renewal during the remainder of the year.

The co-living space “The Crib” property located in “Filinvest Mimosa” also welcomed its first guests. The company has also started the construction of ready-built- factory buildings in its innovation parks in “Ciudad de Calamba” (four buildings) and “New Clark City” (two buildings).

FLI’s total land bank is currently at 2,356 hectares including leased land for development which the company expects to rollout in the next 5 to 10 years depending on absorption. VG Cabuag

B1

Ikea recalls toy due to ‘choking hazard’

IKANO Philippines Inc., owner of the Ikea brand franchise in the country, is urging all customers who own the “Blåvingad brand of fishing game to stop using the said toy due to a “potential” choking hazard.

“Safety is a top priority for IKEA and therefore we are taking precautionary measures and recalling Blåvingad fishing game multicolor,” the company said in a statement that was also published on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) website.

Ikano’s statement said it is urging customers who purchased the toy to contact the company for a full refund. Ikano said the toy can potentially harm smaller children because it contains small objects.

The company said it “develops” its products using a “rigorous” risk assessment and testing program to make sure that the products live up to all applicable laws and standards in the markets where they are sold.

“It has come to our attention that small rivets on the toy can come loose, which results in a potential choking hazard, especially for smaller children,” Ikano said.

The home furnishing retailer said proof of purchase or receipt is not required. The firm said it “apologizes for any inconvenience this recall may cause.”

Based on the home furnishing retailer’s website, the fishing game multicolor toy is the fourth item that was issued with product recall.

Last February, the brand recalled one of its mirror products as it had been “unexpectedly falling.”

According to Ikano, it learned that some of the fittings that attach “Lettan” mirrors to the wall have been breaking. This has in turn led to some mirrors unexpectedly falling.

The company urged all customers who own such mirror with date stamps before and including 2105 to stop using it and visit the store for product replacement free of charge.

Last December 21, 2022, Ikano also issued a recall on its “Odger” swivel chair in anthracite color due to fall and injury hazards.

The firm had urged customers who own the said char with date stamps before and including 2021 to stop using it and to contact them for a full refund.

Globally, Ikea received 19 incident reports concerning breakage of the chair’s star base, where five cases involved injuries, specifically two from the United States, one from Great Britain, one from China and one from Russia.

In July 2022, the home furnishing retailer noted it issued a product recall for its “Metallisk” espresso maker with the stainless-steel safety valve as the product can burst during use.

Ikano opened the first Ikea outlet in the Philippines on November 25, 2021. The retailer’s largest store in the world has a total surface area of 68,000 square meters in the Mall of Asia Complex. Andrea San Juan

Puregold’s bottomline rises on growing chain

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

Boracay Water completes project Globe says cable mesh has reached Zamboanga

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said on Tuesday the $150-million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) has now reached Zamboanga.

Globe District Business Head for West Mindanao Ian Valencia said the completion of the landing station marks the start of the “fiberization” of Zamboanga.

“By expanding our fiberization efforts, we aim to improve the quality of mobile and broadband services and meet the growing demand of Filipinos for reliable connectivity,” he said.

Globe partnered with Eastern Communications and InfiniVAN Inc. to build the PDSCN, which they dubbed the “country’s longest submarine cable network.”

“As the country gears towards a digital economy, Globe remains dedicated to making significant investments in enhancing our network infrastructure to provide Filipinos with reliable and seamless access to the digital world. This is in line with the government’s objective of promoting innovation, egovernance, and greater digital adoption across the country, Globe Operations Area Head for Zamboanga Everard Peñaflor said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

BORACAY Island Water Co. Inc. (BIWCI), a subsidiary of Manila Water Co. Inc. and a concessionaire of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) recently completed a project that aimed to provide sustainable water to low-income households.

The project in Sitio Balinghai, Barangay Yapak in Boracay Island, was launched by BIWCI together with the Barangay Yapak Council and residents of Sitio Balinghai.

Sitio Balinghai is one of the areas of Barangay Yapak that had issues with water access due to right-of-

way disputes. However, when the Municipal Planning and Development Council and Barangay Yapak led a project of building new road access in Sitio Balinghai last year, BIWCI took the opportunity to implement the project, laying a 63 millimeter with 700 meters of water lines to give access to 24/7 safe, clean, and potable water to 120 households in Sitio Balinghai. The project, which costs P1.4 million, started last December.

Barangay Yapak Chairman Hector Casidsid said residents who will benefit from the project are delighted to have access to clean and potable water supply 24/7.

“Water access has been difficult for the residents of the remote parts

of our barangay due to land disputes. Some of them have to extend their water lines from their location to the water network on the main road, which is costly. With [BIWCI] extending their water lines to these areas, access to quality water supply is now easier and can be enjoyed 24/7,” Casidsid added.

In 2013, BIWCI also led a project in Sitio Lapus Lapus in Barangay Yapak, providing water access for 20 households, and in Sitio Pinaungon, Barangay Balabag in 2014 where 90 households benefitted. More projects were done in Boracay Island with the help of the Manila Water Foundation through the World Bank’s “Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid,” or “Gpoba.”

G-Xchange, NBI to work vs scammers

FINANCIAL app GCash operator G-Xchange Inc. announced it renewed its partnership with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a campaign against fraudsters and scammers.

A statement

PUREGOLD Price Club Inc., the grocery chain operator led by businessman Lucio Co, revealed last Tuesday that its net income last year grew 13 percent to P9.3 billion from the previous year’s P8.18 billion, mainly on higher sales from its growing chain.

Puregold said its consolidated net sales for 2022 was higher by 12 percent to P184.3 billion from the previous year’s P167.33 billion, driven by 6.6 percent full year same store sales growth.

“(The company) has sustained a growth path throughout the pandemic by being a reliable partner to its suppliers and leveraging its reach and scale to bring value to its community of carded members,” it said.

The company said its sari-sari store customer base also gained further strength as one of the preferred retail channels that saw robust demand amidst record fuel prices, commodity shortages and higher transportation costs

In the second half of the year, early holiday spending and greater normalization of in-person activities unhindered by health protocols provided impetus, dispelling survey results showing declining consumer expectations.

For the fourth quarter alone, Puregold saw its revenues grew 16

percent year-on-year on the back of 11.7 percent consolidated same store sales growth.

“The company still sees continuous growth in its top line in the coming years due to country’s healthy underlying fundamentals, underserved demand and relatively raw retail landscape,” it said.

For this year, the company said it is committed to keeping high inventory levels and increased its business activities due to expansion in more provincial areas.

Gross profit margins remained buoyant due to sales mix and collaborative business partnerships with suppliers as the group pushes to offer competitive prices to ease inflationary pressures for all customers, it said.

The company said it saw an increase in operating expenses, primarily attributable to higher employee costs, utilities expense and lease related charges partially offset by execution of productivity initiatives.

The group opened 24 new “Puregold” stores and six “S&R” quickservice restaurants (QSRs).

As of end-2022, Puregold has a total of 525 stores nationwide. These include 452 “Puregold” stores, 22 “S&R” membership shopping warehouses and 51 “S&R New York Style” QSRs. VG Cabuag

Metro Pacific Investments

The Mekeni story: Backyard biz grabs slot in local meat processing industry

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

This holds true for the Garcia family, the owner of leading meat processing company Mekeni Food Corp. (MFC), which through thick and thin, has remained resilient and steadfast to bounce back from the many challenges that came their way.

Taking a cue from their experience of running a small business to augment their income, former public school teachers Felix and Meding Garcia started to put up in 1986 a  processed meat production venture named, “Mekeni,” derived from the Capampangan word for “come here,” at the back of their house in Porac, Pampanga.

Using merely their retirement money and with the help of a very lean production staff, they produced homemade chicharon and tocino.

Little did they know that, eventually, the business will grow. However, it did not come so easy and smooth sailing.

Like any other successful businesses, MFC also had its share of tribulations prior to reaching its current status as a billion-peso food enterprise.

When Mount Pinatubo erupted in June 1991, the Garcia’s backyard business, including their meat processing plant was also buried under lahar. It was the first huge predicament they had to face.

Fortunately, with the help of their children, especially their overseas Filipino worker sons Adrian, Angelito and Prudencio, they rebuilt their trade and, at the same time, provided jobs for their cabalens (or townmates), as well as supported their community to rise from the ashes.

But that was just the beginning of the spate of challenges they could never imagine.  The MFC was confronted by the following: the 1997 Asian economic tailspin, the foot and mouth disease outbreak, the 2009 global financial crisis, African swine fever (ASF) outbreak, and the ensuing Covid-19 pandemic.

“Based on what happened, supposed to be we’re the first one to surrender. This is because we were hit by lahar, etc. Now, the pandemic,

wherein two members of our family died—my youngest brother and sister-in-law. That was in 2021.

[We’re] caught unprepared actually,”

MFC President Prudencio “Pruds” S. Garcia told the BusinessMirror in mixed Filipino and English during an interview held at their 26-hectare meat processing facility in their native province.

“As one of the officers of the company, that was the greatest challenge. But without knowing which I considered the greatest challenge, it is a very good opportunity to show what Mekeni is all about.

We always rise beyond these challenges,” he said.

The top executive attributed their recovery to hard work, determination and teamwork being the core values within the organization. He, likewise, believes that care and gratitude are also pivotal in keeping them grounded while being successful.

“We are blessed with the people that we have,” Garcia said of their more than 1,300 employees they consider also as their family. “We are so blessed with partners that we have. Customers, no matter what the problem is, don’t leave us. Stakeholders are always there.”

Year of reaffirmation

AT the end of the tunnel, the Garcias finally saw a ray of light. Slowly getting over their bereavement, 2021 was the year of vindication for the family.

In fact, the president noted that the health crisis allowed them to reflect and conceptualize longterm effective solutions in order to keep the business afloat and keep a beneficial relationship with their stakeholders.

“That’s why I told our people, ‘Let’s forget all the figures. Let’s forget of our three to five year plan.’ The [business] landscape has changed. We must focus on our survival. But we can only survive, if we help others to survive,” he emphasized.

At the onset of the pandemic, MFC introduced programs and product lines. One of which is the

Mekeni Home2Home Delivery, an online delivery platform aimed at constantly providing the consumers with quality and safe products.

“Through this program, we were also able to cater to resellers, which allowed us to uplift more lives by giving them extra income while at home and likewise expanded our reach to different parts of the country,” Garcia said.

On the other hand, the company strengthened and diversified its offerings and launched a new product line, comprised of siomai, siopao, fishball, squid ball, and kikiam, among others.

Under the Mekeni Me Kita or MMK program, they are geared toward street food vendors, food cart owners, and other micropreneurs who are into reselling. Since they are considered like a hero who will continue to sell to feed their family, this initiative became known as Bayani Negosyo Partner, which seeks to empower and aid small and medium enterprises grow their businesses, while ensuring the quality of the products they sell to their customers.

MFC makes sure that the quality and safety standards it enforces for its local and overseas suppliers are aligned with government and regulatory requirements. Hence, it is compliant with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute requirement as reflected in the nutritional facts panels of its products.

It also adheres to the Republic Act 8172 or the ASIN (The Act for Salt Iodization Nationwide) law, which promotes the use of iodized salt to address the call of the regulatory body to help in the campaign to minimize the micronutrient deficiency problem of the marginalized population. While sourcing is an important stage in their supply chain, the president conceded that the country is lacking pork supply. This limits the firm from partnering with just local suppliers.

Despite achieving a stable inventory after the outbreak in 2019, some parts of the country are still banning pork-based products from Luzon at present.

“That remains a challenge among Luzon-based manufacturers,” he admitted, referring to their case of 100 percent importation of pork products from Canada, Europe and the US, except for chicken and some local spices.

Beyond the domestic market, the pandemic also inspired the firm to bring the Mekeni brand outside the country. Unfortunately, this plan was put on hold due to the government’s first roll out of the enhanced community quarantine in March 2020. Following the delay due to the lockdown periods, it started to fast

track its export business a year after.

Subsequent to their initial trial in Canada, MFC finally penetrated the United States in January 2022 with its street food products fish ball and kikiam through a partnership with Island Pacific Supermarket, one of the biggest Asian/Filipino retail establishments there. It was followed by Mekeni Classic Tocino (July 2022); more street food products Orlians, Squid Balls, and Fish Ball Sauce; and Mekeni’s flagship hotdog brand Picnic, Chef’s Sausage; and Chicken and Pork Longaniza (December 2022).

Apart from the two North American countries, Mekeni products are also exported to Dubai, Australia, Bahrain, Brunei, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Cayman Islands, Italy, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Qatar.

Such efforts are guided by the tagline: “Let us bring the taste of home to our kababayans.” He explained: “Filipinos want to go home, but they cannot go home because of the pandemic. [Because] they want to see their family to feel like home, why don’t we bring the taste of home?”  Thriving anew SURPASSING the coronavirus outbreak, MFC is now thriving, with an enhanced business performance.

“Slowly, we’re improving the numbers so we can give more to the community, [and] we can give more to our people. We haven’t graduated yet. There are still many challenges, but we’re still working at that,” Garcia said, while citing the increase in the number of their workers, customers, and territories abroad which, eventually, will reflect on their financial scorecard.

The meat processor offers a wide

array of products for various taste preferences and budgets. Some of its bestsellers are Picnic Hotdog, which has become a household name in Pampanga; Tocino, which comes in two variants, Classic Sweet and Tamis-Alat; Sisig; and Embotido. Bayani products are, likewise, considered most sought-after, too, not only because of their taste and quality but because they are flexible for home and business use.

Per MFC Marketing Group Manager Sheila Marie S. Ocampo, the firm has just rebranded its product lines, with the Mekeni Gold, the premium portfolio; Mekeni GoLite, or healthy alternatives; Mekeni Specials, which offer value for money; and the Mekeni Suki Choice intended for the economy consumers.

“So at Mekeni, we have a full slew of products catering to the various needs of the different types of consumers,” she said.

While many businesses have been affected by the Covid-19 crisis, MFC has remained strong businesswise. To wit, it registered a doubledigit growth in terms of volume and even surpassed the industry average in 2021. The uptrend continued in 2022 with a better performance than the previous year and the highest record volume and value in the past five years.

“We will be starting a new fiscal year next month with high spirits. As always, our growth target is double-digit or at least 10 percent,” Garcia shared, while citing as growth drivers their distribution expansion in Central Luzon, North Luzon, National Capital Region, and Bicol, etc. “Because of this, we were able to strengthen our presence in our bailiwicks Central and North Luzon. Our Bayani Negosyo Part -

ner also contributed to our growth in some parts of the country like in Visayas and Mindanao.”

Since their export business is now getting bigger in terms of location, he is also bullish that it could also help a lot to improve their numbers.

Braving the headwinds BESIDES the pandemic, the unabated inflation hike is among the many problems besetting not only the Philippines, but the rest of the world.

“With the surge in raw materials prices and freight costs, it is inevitable to implement price increases. Price increase is necessary for us to be able to provide the same quality products to our stakeholders. But we ensure that any price increase is fair and within the industry standard,” he assured.

Garcia pointed out their effort to manage the rising costs of raw materials through advanced planning and getting reliable suppliers. He underscored: “In terms of the bottom line, we are within our targets and posted positive growth last year.”

As part of its mission to provide products relevant to stakeholders, MFC has many plans in the pipeline.

“This year, we still continue to do product launches and look at products that are relevant to our consumers. And what we brought to the US—the kikiam and fishball— will also be introduced here so that the Filipinos can also have a taste of them,” Ocampo revealed.

“We are also looking for pork tapa and beef tapa. We will launch them soon. I believe in the next one to two years, they will grow,” added Garcia.

The company is constantly on the lookout for opportunities in terms of growing its distributors, resellers and product portfolio.

“Hopefully, this year we’ll try to penetrate the VizMin area. But we are being controlled because of the ASF and bird flu. So we can bring there fishball,” he bared, adding the continued expansion of their export business in the coming months. “We are meeting several potential partners, but we cannot divulge them yet due to NDAs (nondisclosure agreements).”

Setting its sights on other global markets, MFC is working on exporting to the Middle East before yearend. It seeks for possible collaboration there to cater halal food products.

“We will solidify our distribution this year. We will ensure that Mekeni products are available at relevant channels and are reaching our target markets,” Garcia stressed. “For export, we will strive harder to reach more countries and bring the taste of home to Filipinos abroad.”

Government, private sector firm up support for Filipina entrepreneurs

RECOGNIZING the important contributions of women in nation building and economic growth, both the public and private sectors have committed constant support to reach women’s full potentials.

According to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual, women now lead about 313,608 businesses in the Philippines.

“They represent optimism about our country’ recovery and growth,” he said during the Go Negosyo’s Women Entrepreneurship Summit held recently at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

Women play a crucial role in the business community, driving economic progress, creating more equitable society and jobs faster than their male counterparts, bringing unique perspectives and experiences

to the table, and increasing creativity, innovation and decision-making, the DTI chief pointed out.

“When women succeed in business, they serve as role models and mentors for other women. We see more of these inspiring other women to pursue their entrepreneurial dream. This will now create a virtuous cycle of empowerment and encouragement for more women to enter the business world,” the DTI chief explained.

While entrepreneurial spirit is high among the female populace, however, 99 percent of Filipino entrepreneurs remain poor, per Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion.

With this in mind, he appealed to big businesses to include them in the value chain.  Failing to do so, he warned, “This country will grow slower and will not be inclusive.”

Concepcion, who is also the Private Sector Advisory Council jobs group lead, is certain that publicprivate partnerships designed to help struggling micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) move up the chain will happen under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“We must make the Philippines an inclusive country, whereby every Filipino out there will have the chance to succeed as entrepreneur and improve the lives of their families,” he said, while citing the business community’s commitment to work with the government to realize such goal.  Pascual also shared DTI’s priority to empower and support businesses, including MSMEs.

DTI program for women entreps FOR the women leaders of micro

enterprises as well as big players, he noted that the DTI has crafted initiatives that will enable them to overcome and thrive amid barriers in their access to money, mentorship, and the market.

To level the playing field for women, the DTI chief said that women entrepreneurs could be part of initiatives, such as Rural Agro-Industrial Partnership for Inclusive Development (RAPID) Growth Project, She Trades Philippines, and Investing in Women in Asia.

“Women who own or operate enterprises are also among those we support to enable them to transform digitally so that their businesses can thrive in the midst of Industry 4.0 and the digital era. I believe in women’s immense potential and capabilities as well as strength,” Pascual said. “[So] rest assured that we, at DTI,

would continue to support you as

you contribute to nation building.”

P1-billion mark

T HE trade department, through its financing arm—Small Business Corp. (SBCorp)—releases accessible loans in soft terms, which, as of now, has already reached around P1 billion under the Bayanihan CARES.

SBCorp also implements other borrowing schemes like the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso that offers affordable interest rates and charges that suit the capacities of enterprise borrowers with relatively small asset size.

Themed “Celebrating Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurs”, the Women Summit 2023 highlighted the role of women in various fields, including innovation, technology, trade, and business leadership.

The event was also an opportunity to present successful business models that women can venture into, and inspire the next generation of women entrepreneurs and leaders to pursue their dreams, build their businesses, and make a positive impact on society.

Recognition

WOMEN who have excelled in their respective fields of business were recognized through the 2023 Inspiring Filipina Entrepreneurship Award during the summit.

Concepcion revealed that First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, who graced the conclave, mentioned to him that President Marcos would be giving a “generous” capitalization at an undisclosed amount to many of the 15 recipients of the accolade. Roderick L. Abad

PORAC, PAMPANGA—Filipinos are known worldwide for their “close family ties” value. Since time immemorial, it has enabled them to withstand the test of time amid the manifold crises that happened here or worldwide.

MEKENI Food Corp. President Prudencio “Pruds” S. Garcia (3rd from left) fields questions from the BusinessMirror during a plant visit of the publication’s team to its 26-hectare meat processing plant in Porac, Pampanga. With him are (from left) Ms. Shiela Marie S. Ocampo, Marketing Group Manager; Mr. Diosdado “Doods” S. Garcia, VP for Marketing; and Ms. Patricia C. Co, External Corporate Communication and Digital Manager. NONIE REYES

Diokno: Marcos OKs tweaking military pension

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

the government will spend more than P120 billion (roughly $2.21 billion at current exchange rates) to fund the pension of those serving under several state institutions. The latter are: the Armed Forces of the Philippines; the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; the Bureau of Fire Protection; the Philippine National Police; the Philippine Public Safety College; the Philippine Coast Guard; and, the Bureau of Corrections.

“It’s not sustainable. I said, if this goes on, there will be a fiscal collapse,” Diokno told reporters.

Currently, the pension funds of military and uniformed personnel, or “MUP,” are completely funded by the government, unlike those from other sectors.

ment of Finance (DOF) proposed to Marcos to minimize government exposure in the pension of MUP.

One of the proposals includes mandating all those in active service and as well as new recruits to pay pension contributions gradually.

Diokno explained that for the first three years, their contribution is five percent of the salary while the contribution of the national government (NG) to the pension fund would be 16 percent. For the next three years, he added, this will be increased to seven percent and then the NG share will decline to 14 percent.

“And then, years thereafter, the MUP share will be increased to nine [percent], and then NG share to 12 [percent],” the Finance Secretary added.

In a news conference in Malacañang, Diokno disclosed that Marcos decided to finally address the signifi-

cant burden on government finances of pension to these state employees. For this year alone, Diokno said

Automatic indexation

ACCORDING to Diokno, the Depart-

Diokno added the DOF also wants to remove the automatic indexation

Increased loan volume boosts AUB’s income by 55%

By VG Cabuag @villygcg

INCRe ASeD loan volume, higher margins and improvement on loan loss provisions allowed the Asia United Bank Corp. (PSe: AUB) to realize income growth of 55 percent to P6.3 billion last year from the previous year’s P4.06 billion, the lender disclosed last Tuesday.

The bank said it ended the fourth quarter with a net income of P1.7 billion, 54 percent higher than a year ago.

Return on equity for the year was up to 16.2 percent from 11.1 percent in 2021 and 14.2 percent in pre-pandemic 2019. Return on assets stood at 1.9 percent in 2022, also higher

than the previous year’s 1.3 percent.

“We believe our agility in achieving a balance among growth, pricing, expense and risk management will continue to enable us to surmount the challenges of higher inflation and interest rate volatility that are seen to persist in 2023,” AUB president Manuel A. Gomez was quoted in a statement as saying.

Higher interest income from loans and investment securities led to an 18-percent year-on-year increase in its net interest income to P12.9 billion while keeping interest expense at bay. This translated to a net interest margin of 4.2 percent from the previous 3.7 percent, according to the lender.

Manulife IM slashes amt required for investment

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

MANULIF e Investment Management and Trust

Corp. (Manulife IM Philippines) announced on Monday it has lowered its minimum investment amount for all its funds from P5,000 ($92.33 at current exchange rates) to P1,000 ($18.47) starting this month, making investing in local and global Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITFs) even more accessible to more Filipinos.

Furthermore, Manulife said the following funds will shift from semiannual to monthly income payouts starting August 1, 2023, allowing investors to see more frequent growth in their investments.

These investment vehicles include the firm’s “Asia Dynamic Bond Feeder Fund,” or ADBFF. This vehicle invests in a diversified portfolio of fixed-income securities issued by governments, agencies, supra-nationals, and corporate issuers located primarily in Asia, Manulife IM said. It added the ADBFF aims to generate income by seeking to derive benefits from the interest rate, credit, and currency opportunities within a riskcontrolled investment approach.

Another vehicle is the firm’s “Global Preferred Income Feeder Fund,” or GPIFF, which “aims to provide regular income distribution and long-term capital growth by investing in preferred securities listed or traded in any regulated market worldwide.”

Preferred securities are known for sharing similar features with stocks and bonds, enabling investors to experience the best of both worlds. At the same time, their per-

formance has historically shown a “low correlation” relative to stocks or bonds, meaning preferred securities can still offer attractive gains even when returns on other asset classes are declining, according to Manulife IM.

A third investment vehicle is the firm’s “Global Multi-Asset Diversified Income Feeder Fund,” or GMDIFF, which targets to generate income through a wide range of traditional and non-traditional assets and a flexible investment strategy that seeks to provide a buffer against challenging market conditions across different regions.

Another vehicle is the firm’s “Global R eIT Feeder Fund,” which invests in Real estate Investment Trusts (R eITs) listed and traded globally and in real estate securities and/ or cash and cash equivalents. R eITs typically generate stable rental income, offering attractive dividend options for investors. even in the face of high-interest rates, R eITs tend to outperform other investments.

Manulife’s Asia Pacific R eIT Fund of Funds, which invests in a diversified portfolio of exchange-listed R eITs in the Asia Pacific region, will continue to have semi-annual payouts but will have a lowered minimum investment amount of PhP1,000 starting March 2023.

Manulife IM said in a statement that Investors can receive their monthly income payouts through credit to their bank accounts or arrange for them to be topped up to their funds so these can grow further over time. Income payouts lower than P100 or $20 will be automatically reinvested into investors’ respective funds to enable them to earn more income over time.

The bank said its operational expenses rose by 2 percent, resulting in a cost-to-income ratio of 37.5 percent, lower than 42.4 percent last year.

“This resulted from the bank’s continuous automation enhancements and process optimization to deliver quality services to customers efficiently at less cost,” a statement from the AUB read.

With the economy coming back on track and asset quality improving, AUB saw its loan portfolio grow by 12 percent to P195 billion from the 2021 level, which mostly came from the bank’s corporate clients which started restocking their inventories and resuming business activities due to the economy’s reopening.

AUB said reduced its loan loss provisions by 33 percent to P1.6 billion versus year-ago while its non-performing loans ratio shrank to 1 percent and NPL coverage ratio reached 115.1 percent.

Supporting the higher loan volume, its deposits grew by 10 percent to P288.8 billion, year-on-year. CASA deposits accounted for 75 percent of its total deposits while its loan-to-deposit ratio stood at 67.5 percent.

AUB remains as one of the top 20 banks in the Philippines with total assets of P340.2 billion in 2022, a 7 percent year-on-year increase compared with the flattish growth in the previous year.

of pension to the salary of active personnel of single ranks as well as delaying the release of pension from 56 years old to 57 years old.

The DOF chief said these proposals are being supported by Senior Undersecretary for Defense Carlito G. Galvez Jr. and Interior Secretary Benjamin D. Abalos Jr.

Similar proposals were already discussed during the term of the late President Benigno C. Aquino III and former President Rodrigo R. Duterte. However, both administrations decided not to act on said proposals.

Political capital

ACCORDING to Diokno, Marcos will be using his considerable “political capital” to implement the measures.

“Remember that he’s, I think, the first president who was elected by

a significant majority: 60 percent [of the total votes]. The other presidents, they were only elected by 25 percent [of the votes] because of the number of candidates,” the DOF chief explained.

“So he really has this very strong support and he’s willing to spend his political capital for this because he saw that if this is not implemented, there will be a fiscal collapse in the future,” Diokno added.

The Finance Secretary said that the President will also make use of his “strong control of both Houses of Congress” to secure the necessary legislation to implement the said reform.

“This [set of measures] was approved by the President; we are already talking to some people in Congress to push [for] this,” Diokno said.

GOVERNOR’S HONOR

This Friday, March 17, 2023, photo shows Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe M. Medalla (center) posing with (from left) Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy Vice Chairman Samuel B. Padilla, PRBOA Member Gloria T. Baysa, PRBOA Chairman Noe G. Quiñanola and PRBOA Members Thelma S. Ciudadano, Ma. Teresita Zuñiga-Dimaculangan and Gervacio I. Piator after receiving the “Accountancy Centenary Award of Excellence” from the PRBOA. A certified public accountant and economist, Medalla is among a hundred CPAs recognized for advancing the accounting profession and contributing significantly to national development. Photo courtesy of Bangko sentral ng PiliPinas

Solons seek renewal of Bimp-Eaga tax exemptions

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THe House of Representatives has recently adopted a resolution urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to renew the policy granting tax exemption to travelers departing from all international airports and seaports in Mindanao and Palawan to any destination in the “Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines-east Asean Growth Area,” (Bimp-eaga).

The lawmakers issued House Resolution (HR) 454 ahead of the expiration in May of perks for those traveling to any destination in the

Bimp-eaga.

HR 454 author Sultan Kudarat Rep. Princess Rihan Sakaluran traced the policy to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte who issued in 2018 Memorandum Order (MO) 23 issued. MO 23 sought to promote mobility of travelers across the subregional areas and for airline companies to open up services within the Bimp-eaga routes.

Sakaluran added that MO 23 granted tax exemption to all passengers originating from Mindanao and Palawan to any destination in Bimp-eaga.

“The opening of our economic corridors is crucial to attain the mission

Insular Life claims spot in top-5 insurers in PHL

THe Insular Life Assurance Co. Ltd. (Insular Life) announced last Tuesday it remained among the top five life insurers in terms of net worth, net income and assets.

Unaudited quarterly reports submitted to the Insurance Commission (IC) shows that the Insular Life posted a net worth of P49.39 billion, net income of P3.96 billion and total assets of P144.59 billion.

“[Our] firm position in terms of net worth, net income and assets indicates our financial stability and our capability to deliver our obligations to our policyholders,” Insular Life President and CeO Raoul Antonio e Littaua was quoted in a statement as saying.

“In addition to our high ranking in the industry which is dominated by

foreign companies, our huge investments in digitalization and strong customer focus show our commitment to help Filipinos achieve their financial goals,” Littaua added.

The executive further said the firm leverages its 112 years of service “to amplify our mission to spread the benefits of life insurance to Filipinos and in turn contribute to nationbuilding.” Net worth, net income and assets are among the top measures of a company’s financial stability. Net worth is calculated as total assets less total liabilities, Littaua explained.

Furthermore, net income or net earnings refers to the profit earned after deducting expenses and taxes. Assets account for all the available properties of every kind and possessions that will provide future benefits for the company. Raadee S. Sausa

and vision of the Bimp-eaga,” the lawmaker said. She added that Bimp-eaga officials “are deeply concerned with the protracted impact brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic as it continues to affect lives and livelihoods in the sub-region.”

Sakaluran noted that MO 23 revitalized the Bimp-eaga’s programs and activities “and has made a positive impact on the growth of tourism, trade and investment in [the] sub-region.”

“More particularly, [the taxexemption policy] has produced economic benefits in terms of increased business activities, remark-

able growth in tourism development, additional air and sea services in the transportation section and heightened sociocultural ties among the people in the growth area,” she added. During a meeting, Davao del Sur Rep. John Tracy F. Cagas said that the objective of the “Bimp-eaga Vision 2025” is to increase trade, tourism and investments that will guide cooperation over a 9-year period covering calendar years 2017 to 2025. The Bimp-eaga is a cooperation initiative established in 1994 to promote mobility and spur development in remote and less developed areas in the participating Southeast Asian countries.

RCBC board OKs sale of all shares in NPHI to Filinvest

THe board of Yuchengco-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has approved the sale of its real estate property assets to Filinvest Land Inc.

In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock exchange, RCBC said It is selling to FLI all of the bank’s shares in Niyog Property Holdings Inc. (NPHI). FLI will conduct a due diligence on the assets held by NPHI.

NPHI owns certain parcels of land located in Bacoor, Cavite. It had a joint development agreement with FLI, in which the Gotianun-led property developer undertook to develop the land properties into an exclusive residential subdivision, which is now known as “Princeton Heights.”

“The disposition of the NPHI shares is being made to convert to cash RCBC’s investment in NPHI and realize the gains arising from

such sale, and to dispose of RCBC’s equity investment in NPHI in accordance with the requirement under the Manual of Regulations for Banks, within the exemption period granted by [the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas], which will expire after May 31, 2023,” RCBC said in its disclosure.

Niyog Property is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RCBC and was incorporated on September 2005, with the purpose of purchasing, subscribing for or otherwise disposing real and personal property of every kind and description but not as an investment company.

“The consideration for the NPHI shares will be determined based on the value real properties which remains undeveloped, subject to the agreement of the parties, and the conduct and completion of FLI’s due diligence,” the bank said. VG Cabuag

LandBank guides visually-impaired performers, co-op through Covid ordeal

AMIDST the daily hustle and bustle in this Province’s major airport and seaport terminals, an ensemble of visually impaired musicians entertains and comforts passengers with their

soothing voices and pitch-perfect harmonies.

With their distinct black glasses, acoustic guitars and percussions, these talented individuals perform old to contemporary hits from early

morning to seven o’clock in the evening, making the trips of visitors a memorable experience.

Performing for arriving and departing passengers serves as the primary source of income for 41-year-

old Junare A. Baculio to sustain the daily needs of his family. Jun also leads fellow visually impaired performers as the general manager of the Bohol Persons with Disability (PWD) Workers Multi-Purpose Co -

operative (MPC), which started in 2016 and is composed of 63 members with different disabilities.

The Bohol PWD Workers MPC mainly sources funds from busking at different local airports and sea-

ports, including the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and the Tagbilaran Airport and Pier. They also operate four massage parlors where other physically challenged members offer various massage services.

FINANCE Secretary Benjamin

E. Diokno announced last Tuesday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved decreasing the contributions of government to the pool of funds for the pension of military and uniformed personnel, among other reforms to avoid a “fiscal collapse.”

Pitfalls of being good at work

Job plus a side gig? Avoid these mistakes

By Elizabeth Ayoola NerdWallet

AT the beginning of the year, many people have their eyes set on goals. Some of these goals may include increasing your income, starting a dream business, or both if you’re reaching for the stars. Before you get your hands dirty in the sometimes chaotic combination of formal employment and entrepreneurship, here are a few pitfalls to avoid.

NOT HAVING A PLAN FOR YOUR SIDE HUSTLE INCOME

PEOPLE get side hustles for different reasons. It could be to help make ends meet, save toward a dream vacation or grow your business to a point where you can quit your job. Catching up on my retirement savings is one reason I decided to start a side hustle.

But you need a plan for that motivation to help make your side gig worthwhile. Think about having goals for your income and a strategy in place to help you achieve those goals.

For instance, you could divert funds from your side hustle into retirement savings accounts. This is a way to put away more for retirement, and you could reduce your taxable income, depending on how much you make, because contributions may be tax-deductible.

Eric Nisall, an accountant in Coral Springs, Florida, suggests having what he calls a “failure fund” if your goal is to eventually transition into full-time entrepreneurship. It’s something he developed when he began the journey of full-time employment and building a business.

“When at my last two CPA firms, I was working at building my own business at the same time. I realized, if I’m going to do this, I need to start putting money away so that if I don’t grow, I [won’t] suffer,” he says.

Nisall put money he saved from coupons and any extra bucks he made from a raise or overtime into that fund.

NOT BEING AWARE OF TAX IMPLICATIONS

OFTENTIMES, people think having a side hustle means they can make extra money without reporting it, says Atiya Brown , a certified public accountant and certified financial education instructor in Dallas.

“I think that people need to realize all of their income is going to be taxed,” she says. “So, if they’re starting a side hustle, they need to get organized so that they don’t miss any income that needs to be reported, because then the interest and penalties are going to pile on.”

I was not organized and didn’t have a solid plan for paying taxes when I first started. When I realized I owed almost $15,000 in both taxes and penalties, I clutched my pearls. I thought I would need to save and pay my taxes in one large sum. Now, I know there are multiple ways to pay self-employment taxes.

Depending on how much freelance money you made, you might have several new tax forms to fill out, so if you aren’t sure what the best option is, consider talking to a tax professional.

PUTTING YOUR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME IN JEOPARDY

HAVING a 9-to-5 job and a side hustle means you’re choosing to work during your free time. For this reason, you want to make sure your side gig is worth your time financially and healthwise. I remember taking on too much freelance work and having to chip away at the work on evenings and weekends. By the time I sat down to calculate my per-hour earnings, I realized I was underpaid. I went back and did research on market rates and was intentional about saying yes only to higher-paid jobs. This meant I didn’t need to do as many side gigs and could earn more money than before.

Overworking can also affect your health, which can put your main source of income at risk, says Nisall.

“You gotta make sure that you’re eating, sleeping, taking care of your body and your mind,” he says. “Your mental and physical health are going to play a big part in this whole thing, especially if you’re trying to balance your 9-to-5 and growing a business.”

Speaking of putting your main job at risk, consider asking your employer what its policies are around side gigs. When I joined my current place of employment, I was transparent about the side gigs I had. My employer shared rules around the type of side work I could do without violating company policy. If I wasn’t aware of the policies, I could have mistakenly breached them and risked the income that pays my bills. AP

ONE of the first inequalities I discovered when I started working after college was that the good ones were always assigned to the difficult projects. I learned that firsthand when I pulled all stops to get ahead of my colleagues and showed my first boss that I was up to any task he assigned. When promotion season came, I was passed over for someone who successfully closed a project only the previous month while I was slaving to complete projects since I started. After a few weeks, I started looking for new work and I got my promotion in another organization. While being good at work makes you reliable and dependable, it can also have its drawbacks. One is that you keep being assigned to challenging projects because they know you can deliver. But your manager does not always know how much effort is exerted because what they monitor are results. Most of the time, they do not even know the process, or how many people you coordinated with to get the results. All of these take time and effort which your manager may not know. If left unchecked, it could result in missed deadlines and more problems.

Worse, they might think you can do more with less. Once, I was assigned to make a training video where I had to work with a talent who had limited availability and where I had to use my personal equipment. My manager expected me to know how to do my own production and to set up my own sets. I pulled it off but it took a toll on me because there were unfamiliar procedures that I had to learn the hard way. But because I was good at most of my workload, my manager assumed I could do well in anything.

But the worst part of being good at work is being asked to come in when a team member is not doing well. You are expected to help out on top of your ongoing workload because they rely on you to solve whatever issues you might encounter, and they assume you know the historical background of the project.

There are also cases when you are so good at what you do that your work is too valuable that you cannot be promoted. You work so hard at creating a process or a tool for making the work easier for everyone that you get stuck at maintaining and sustaining it because it is too technical to be taught to someone else. So you end up getting passed over for promotion because you have made yourself irreplaceable.

However you look at it, being reliable can be extremely exhausting. If you are overly reliable and dependable, you need to protect yourself from falling into any of these pitfalls. One thing you can do is to present to your manager a timetable of all your deliverables so that they can understand your

workload. If you are asked to do more than what you are capable of, show them the timetable and ask which ones can be moved to another deadline. You can also walk your manager through your work process so they can understand how tedious your work really is. If possible, offer to teach other team members by showing them how you do your work faster so that they can be up to par with your productivity level. If you do not want to teach the entire group, teach someone who can. If you are stuck in a position because you are the only expert in that field, aside from teaching someone who will replace you, find the time to train yourself so you can learn other skills, or find opportunities to expand what you can do for the team. Ask for small projects where you can get your feet wet and discover other paths to your professional development.

Another pitfall to being good at work is the expectation that you can maintain your level of performance every single time. This puts you under immense pressure to perform such that you will have no choice but to let work encroach on your personal time. The problem is that people think you have always been efficient and productive so when you tone down your performance, they will think you are slacking off. If you have always been an excellent employee, you will always be expected to be efficient and productive all the time.

This also increases the pressure to consistently perform at your peak because your boss expects you to either maintain your performance or improve it. In organizations where profit is the bottom line, your manager will always expect you to deliver your best every single time. When you are at your peak every

OKADA MANILA RECEIVES FIVE-STAR AWARDS FROM FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE

ASIA’S largest integrated resort, Okada Manila has been awarded with the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide five-star rating for the fourth year in a row. Forbes Travel Guide is a world-renowned authority on excellence in hospitality and its five-star rating is highly coveted in the industry as a merit of distinction. This year, the property also received its first Forbes 5-star recognition for its spa, The Retreat Spa.

Okada Manila has been known for its outstanding service, which showcases the best of Japanese and Filipino hospitality. The property brings to forth the forward-thinking Japanese philosophy of “omotenashi ”— anticipating guests’ current and future needs in advance, and “magokoro” hospitality or sincerity and devotion. These are complemented by the Filipinos’ dedication to hard work, passion, innate warm hospitality and cheerful disposition.

“I’m extremely grateful to and proud of all our team members for the extraordinary service and stellar dedication

to provide guests a wonderful customer experience, making for great stories. Each team member, together with their respective business unit leaders, have contributed to sustain Okada Manila’s Forbes five-star rating for its fourth year in a row, and they deserve due recognition,” said Byron Yip, president and COO of Okada Manila.

Okada Manila also celebrates the conferment of the first Forbes five-star rating for its renowned The Retreat Spa, now ranking among truly world-class spa and wellness facilities. According to Vikki Aquino, director of The Retreat Spa, “The real heart of our five-star treatment is the training that our team members undergo to ensure that our clients get premier treatments coupled with outstanding service. Our spa therapists are internationally trained, and everyday we align to ensure that our service is always rooted in the core values of Okada Manila—omotenashi and magokoro.” More information can be found at www.okadamanila.com.

single day, it increases your danger of burning out which will eventually force you to look for another job.

To reduce unrealistic expectations, you need to pace yourself by tempering your manager’s expectations. A previous colleague taught me to underpromise and overdeliver. Be realistic in setting your goals and leave room for unexpected delays in your deliverables. If your manager insists on a deadline that is unattainable, ask them what can be taken out from your list of deliverables so they can make an informed decision. Or, you can ask them how they can help you in achieving the target and make them commit to the action plan. That way, it becomes a shared responsibility.

You should also manage your manager by setting clear boundaries at work. Learn to say “no” to projects and additional assignments by either asking your manager to deprioritize some of your existing projects or recommending the assignment to a colleague who might benefit from the experience. Either way, your manager needs to understand your limitations so they know when to push and pull.

Once you notice that most of the work is being assigned to you, take steps to let your manager know that there are other team members who can pick up the slack. Protect yourself by keeping a tracker of your tasks and keep your manager updated. Take the time to upskill yourself and find ways to make your work more enjoyable, because being good at work does not necessarily mean slaving yourself beyond your limits. And if you are aiming for a promotion, make sure that your manager acknowledges and values your contribution to the team. n

CELEBRATING EMPOWERED WOMEN

NOW on its fifth year, Security Bank (www.securitybank. com) and long-time partner Zonta Club of Makati & Environs have begun accepting nominations for the Bravo Empowered Women Awards 2023.

The awards program recognizes female trailblazers who have achieved success in their careers and personal advocacies. The distinctions are given to Filipinas championing social change and economic progress in the country and work to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

One awardee will be chosen for each of the eight categories: Arts, Culture & Heritage; Business; Education; Media & Public Affairs; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Social Services; Sports, and Tourism & Hospitality.

Nominees must possess the following qualifications: Filipino citizen, of good moral character, with an outstanding track record in her profession and advocacy for at least three years or as of March 2023, and has sustained a project for the improvement of society. The nominee also must not have received recognition from any other award-giving body and must not be a member of Zonta or an employee of the Bank.

Aside from joining the distinguished roster of Bravo women, winners will also receive P50,000 each to use for their chosen causes. Interested parties may visit www.securitybank.com/BravoAwards to download the nomination form and review the full guidelines. Deadline of entries is on March 31. Security Bank’s mission is to enrich lives, empower businesses, and build communities sustainably through financial service excellence. The bank has been a longtime advocate of women empowerment, and was previously cited by Asiamoney as having the highest number of women in senior management positions among Asian and Philippine banks.

The bank has partnered with Zonta since 2015, and has supported many of their projects including the FilipinaZ Fair which showcases products made by women entrepreneurs.

SHOWN in photo during the ceremonial toast are Okada Manila’s top management spearheaded by Byron Yip (fourth from right), president and COO; with (second from left) chef Andreas Balla, vice president-food and beverage division; Vikki Aquino, director of The Retreat Spa; Robert Scott, vice president-hotel operations; and Sharlene Batin (third from left), regional director of the Department of Tourism.

Conrad Manila opens ‘Of Art and Wine: Woven Memories’ exhibit by watercolor artist Kyle Legaspi

The Ascott Limited expands its presence in the Philippines

THE Ascott Limited (Ascott), a globally renowned lodging owner operator, is proud to announce its significant expansion plans for 2023, which will include the opening of eight new properties, along with several elevated brand experiences and a strong focus on sustainability. This growth reflects Ascott’s commitment to offering world-class hospitality experiences to its guests.

Philip Barnes, the Country General Manager of The Ascott Limited Philippines, expressed his enthusiasm about the company’s expansion. “We are thrilled to announce the unprecedented growth of The Ascott Limited Philippines, which is a testament to our commitment to providing guests with exceptional hospitality experiences across all our brands,” he said. “Our expansion is fueled by our desire to deliver top-notch service to our guests while also advocating for the environment. We are excited to continue expanding across the Philippines and offering guests a range of world-class properties to choose from.”

In addition, The Ascott Limited is excited to introduce its new brand, lyf (“live your freedom”), along with the launch of its official social media pages. To stay updated on the latest news and promotions, guests can follow @ lyfmalatemanila on Instagram and Facebook, and like lyf Philippines on TikTok.

Pre-Opening Properties

WITH a growing portfolio across the Philippines, the new addition to the operating roster of properties will allow guests to experience the country’s diverse landscape and vibrant culture while enjoying the brands’ signature hospitality.

lyf Malate Manila: As the first lyf property in the Philippines, lyf Malate Manila is the ideal choice for millennialminded travelers looking to explore the culturally and historically rich area. Nearby famous landmarks such as Rizal Park, Lucky China Town, Quiapo Church, and the National Museum are easily accessible. The 201-apartment coliving property is perfect for travelers looking for a place to socialize, work, and be creative during their stay.

The Suites at Torre Lorenzo Malate: The property’s well-designed residences are supplemented with top-notch amenities ideal for a fast-paced lifestyle. The Suites at Torre Lorenzo Malate is also within walking distance of top universities, hospitals, retail centers, and well-known

Citadines Benavidez Makati: In the heart of the lifestyle district of Legaspi Village lies Citadines Benavidez Makati, a new and vibrant serviced residence. Designed for young business executives or couples on holiday exploring the city, it boasts the best of both worlds—a prime location in the Makati Central Business District and a relaxing haven in the quieter side of town.

lyf Cebu City: Located within the same complex as Citadines Cebu City, the property features 233 well-designed apartments that cater to the needs of millennials and young professionals. With its modern facilities and vibrant social spaces, lyf Cebu City aims to foster a community-driven lifestyle that promotes social interaction, collaboration, and personal growth among its residents.

Citadines Bacolod City: Citadines

Bacolod City is a serviced residence with 200 spacious apartments with modern amenities and furnishings, providing guests with a comfortable and stylish living space. Situated in the heart of Bacolod, the property features three food and beverage outlets and a bar that offers international and all-time favorite local cuisines. Complementing the accommodation and leisure facilities are versatile function halls and a ballroom that can fit a maximum of 800 attendees for corporate events, business meetings, and social gatherings.

Somerset Valero Makati: Salcedo Village is a popular upscale neighborhood in Makati that’s known for its sense of community, as well as its well-maintained parks and green spaces. For a convenient and relaxing stay, the 182-unit Somerset Valero Makati is your best choice. The building also comes with a retail floor for

your additional needs.

Citadines Roces Quezon City: Citadines Roces Quezon City serves as a relaxing haven in the center of it all. Guests can venture to the nearby South Triangle, which boasts popular retail and dining concepts and enjoy proximity to shopping malls. The serviced residence offers a range of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments.

Somerset Gorordo Cebu: The serviced residence boasts of 157 fully furnished apartments, ranging from studios to twobedroom units, designed to cater to the needs of both short and long-term guests. With its strategic location and modern facilities, Somerset Gorordo Cebu promises a comfortable and convenient stay, complemented by its impeccable service and hospitality.

Ascott C.A.R.E.S Launch FURTHERMORE , Ascott is committed to promoting sustainability and reducing its environmental impact. Ascott Makati, its flagship property located in the central business district, has been awarded the EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) certification, which recognizes buildings that incorporate environmentally friendly and energyefficient mechanisms in its operations. The property’s design and construction were assessed using EDGE software, which evaluates the building’s energy and water usage, materials used, and waste management practices. This certification is a testament to Ascott’s dedication to sustainability and its efforts to promote environmentally responsible practices in the hospitality industry.

Sustainable Green Tech Forum launched to push adoption of sustainable practices in the public, private sectors

green technology and the unyielding drive to serve the community better. With cooling systems consuming up to 50 percent of energy consumption in any space, their products are specifically designed to reduce the amount of energy used and manage the amount of greenhouse gas emitted.

CONRAD Manila proudly unveiled recently the 23rd installment of its exhibit titled, “Of Art and Wine: Woven Memories,” by watercolor artist Kyle Legaspi at its Gallery C.

In celebration of International Women’s Month, the hotel remains true to its bold and empowered commitment of providing its guests with touches of luxury through well-curated and inspired stays. This is echoed by Legaspi’s passion for creating powerful pieces “illustrating the strength that these women displayed in solitude and silence.”

“We are excited to unveil the boldness and brilliance of our featured artist, Kyle Legaspi, and her creations that celebrate womanhood at its finest,” says Fabio Berto, hotel general manager. “More than anything, we are one with Kyle in honoring women while promoting Filipino artistry through the Philippine textile that she incorporated in each of her paintings.”

Leading the art exhibit opening were Elizabeth Sy, President, SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation (SMHCC); Peggy Angeles, Executive Vice President, SMHCC; Nestor Jardin, Exhibit Curator; Fabio Berto, General Manager, Conrad Manila; and featured artist Kyle Legaspi.

Sharing her inspiration for “Woven

Memories,” Kyle commented: “The exhibit is a visual tribute to the women who fervently helped maintain harmony and sanity in our homes during the lockdown.

Watercolor artist Chery Faye Legaspi, also known as Kyle, is a professional artist based in Manila, Philippines. After graduating from college and obtaining her license in Nursing, she studied at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines. She was fascinated by the different textures and colors of the textiles she worked with and eventually decided to incorporate them in her paintings.

Kyle is committed to contribute to the representation and development of Philippine art, especially in the field of Watercolor Painting. As a portrait and figure artist, she uses Filipino models in her compositions and uses Philippine textiles and accessories in her paintings.

“Of Art and Wine: Woven Memories” is presented by Conrad Manila in line with the celebration of the National Women’s Month. It will run from March 21 to May 27, 2023. The artworks are available individually for purchase. For more information, please contact Conrad Manila at +63 2 8833 9999 or Kyle Legaspi at +63 998 8697 440, or email conradmanila@ conradhotels.com.

Stock brokerage firm Armstrong Securities Inc. now officially open to traders, investors

ARMSTRONG Securities Inc. (ASI) is now officially open to traders and investors. The Makati-based stock brokerage began formal operations with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Tingog Party-List Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman  (SEC) Emilio Aquino, and Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) President Ramon Monzon. The event was followed by the blessing of the company headquarters.  ASI Chairman Wilson Chua welcomed guests and well-wishers to the opening ceremony, highlighting Armstrong’s commitment to professional service anchored on fairness, justice, and integrity. “As a securities company with a history of 35 years, we adhere to the business philosophy that is ‘integrity-based and service-oriented. Our company actively promotes development and innovation guided by openness and transparency in its operations,” he said.

ON March 21, 2023, DB

International announced the inaugural launch of The Sustainable Green Tech Forum at the Manila Hotel. William T. Guido, DB International’s Chairman and CEO, along with Science and Technology Secretary Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista were there to lead the heads of both private and public sectors.

“A brighter tomorrow begins with a greener today” served as the focal point for the day’s discussions. The general consensus emphasized the importance and urgency of adopting sustainable technologies and practices to safeguard and preserve the Earth’s natural resources.

The forum specifically called upon the business sector to step up and be the standard bearer of change. It challenged it to lead by example. The business sector must acknowledge and act upon its moral obligation to utilize its significant influence over consumerism to lead humanity towards better and more sustainable choices. Going Green and sustainable is not only beneficial for the business, it also maximizes the benefits from an environmental focus in the long term.

Leading the charge and championing green initiatives are notable companies such as; Dunham-Bush Commercial & Industrial HVAC Systems for magnetic oil free chillers, Hisense and Truwater whose air conditioning products are an amalgamation of innovative engineering,

Another very interesting presentation of the forum was Talkbot. Talkbot is a conversational voice Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology from Singapore that enhances productivity and effectiveness of customer service specifically by its staff. It help company’s clients engage with their customers at scale with its human like conversational voice AI and identify high value customers easily, using voice customer intention data. Talkbot can achieve up to five times capability of a human call agent per day for call rate. Due to its many great features and benefits to users, more and more institutional clients are using the state-of-art AI Technology which includes DBS Bank, UOB Bank of Singapore, Lazada, Shoppee, Prudential and Malayan Insurance, Singtel, Toyota, SeaMoney, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Ministry of Singapore and many more.

The Sustainable Green Tech Forum 2023 is as much a call-to-arms as it is a wake-up call. It is the gathering of the like-minded people whose aim is to impress upon the industry the importance and urgency of sustainability in all our business practices.

“Our professional team will spare no effort in providing sound investment advice and decisions,” added ASI President Jeremy Carlos. “We will continue to focus on improving  product diversification, enhancing core competitiveness, and creating higher investment value for our customers.”

In line with service efficiency and innovation, Armstrong is also set to launch its own platform according to ASI Director Andrew Romualdez. “Our online trading platform will be launched soon – it’s a multilingual trading platform, hopefully we will be the pioneers of this. We look forward to serving our existing and prospective clients so we can be part of the Philippine stock exchange’s target of hitting P160 billion capital raising this year.   Armstrong Securities, Inc. (the Company) is a domestic corporation registered and incorporated on February 16, 1988, with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It is engaged in the business of offering, buying, selling, dealing, or trading securities of all kinds for its own account and as a broker in the purchases, sales, or other transactions relating to all kinds of securities of any person, corporation, or entity. The Company is a stockholder and a holder of an exchange trading right in the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE). On July 28, 2022, BDO Strategic Holdings, Inc. and Golden Maple Holdings Inc. sold their equity interest in ASI to RYM Business Management, MNM Capital, and ISky Empire Realty Inc.

TINGOG Party-List Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman  Emilio Aquino, and Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) President Ramon Monzon, officially opened Armstrong Securities Inc. (ASI). Also in photo

ASCOTT Limited’s newest brand lyf with Ambassador of Buzz Lynette Bersamin. tourist destinations.

Tet Andolong

BTS and SuSTainaBle logiSTicS

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

In a recent press briefing, Randolf Ilawan, research and consultancy manager, information and data management group, KMC Savills told reporters that out of the total existing supply of 1.4 million sq m of warehouse space as of the fourth quarter of 2022, the completion of build-to- sustain (BTS) warehouses was observed to be growing by 8.6 percent, on average, per year since 2017.

He said speculative warehouses accounted for 28.2 percent but significantly grew by 11.3 percent per year (same period). This can be attributed to the massive completion since 2021 in Pampanga, Tarlac, and Cavite. “By end-2025, most of the warehouse stock is anticipated to be completed under BTS agreement, still growing but at a slower rate of 3.6 percent annually.”

At present, he said provinces in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (Calabarzon) area accounted for a combined share of 62.5 percent. Majority of the supply pipeline will come from

Laguna (72.7 percent ) upon the completion of LF Logistics-Maersk South Luzon Mega Distribution Center, a JV between LF Philippines, Inc. and Solid Group, Inc., and RLX Calamba 2A and 2B by RLC. He observed that the local retailing landscape was significantly changed by the pandemic. “Various new shopping behaviors are set to stay over the forecast period.”

As e-commerce was a big factor in the growth of retail, Ilawan said retailers are expected to adopt an omni-channel strategy as physical stores reopen.growing e-commerce as a significant contributor to their sales.

Sustainable logistics

Ro S e MARI e R AFA e L , chairman and president of Airspeed, told the BusinessMirror in an e-mail interview that sustainability is a core and essential ingredient for scalability and a response of the company to the negative impact of climate change. She added

Airspeed is bolstering its flagship program, “making sustainable logistics happen.”

“Part of our 5-year initiative is to reduce our carbon footprint by intentionally using less plastic and wrapping paper for parcel delivery. To further enhance our sustainability program, our team has developed more innovative ideas. Furthermore, we added locations for our PUD o [pick up and drop off locations] so consumers can pick up or drop off parcels and documents at nearby locations instead of delivering door-to-door. This allows us to conserve gas, stick to our schedule, optimize our route accordingly and still deliver our customers’ needs,” Rafael said.

Airspeed has recently launched Popbox, their newest delivery and pick-up locker solution, in partner -

Lazada caps off 11th anniversary with new office

By Roderick L. Abad

So UTH e AST Asian lifestyle e-commerce platform provider Lazada has ramped up its 11th year of operations in the country with the unveiling of its revamped corporate office.

Lazada Philippines recently showed to the media its new future-ready headquarters in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

This facility offers a “great environment” so that employees can give their best performance at work while meeting the customers’ demands, according to Lazada Philippines Chief e xecutive o fficer (C eo) Carlos Barrera.

o ccupying three floors at the Seven/N eo Building, its fresh look takes inspiration from a breezy cafeteria, wherein spacious and bright spaces allow collaboration amongst teams, while the overall design and selection of furniture reflect local culture.

“Today in this office, we have more than 500 people, and we continue to grow. We’re actually hiring quite aggressively now, and we’re very bullish about the market and what we want to do. So having more people also allows us to help our sellers thrive,” he told reporters in an interview during the launch event.

The new office features creative pieces like murals painted by Filipino artists. Key spaces here are named after Lazada’s best offerings for their customers, such as stackable vouchers, CashBack, Fast and Free Shipping, e veryday Low Prices, LazMall, LazLook and LazBeauty, and more.

“Just as importantly, these elements illustrate how empowering MSM e s [micro, small and medium enterprises], our Love

Lokal campaign, and growing thousands of Filipino brands under LazMall remain at the heart of what we do,” the C eo noted.

post mega birthday sale

F o LL oWING the success of its record-setting 11-day opening sale for its anniversary this year, which ran last March 3 to 13, Lazada is capping off this celebration with another mega sale.

The Lazada Birthday Blowout Sale is happening from March 27 to 31, offering trendy and affordable assortment of items on LazBeauty and LazLook.

Customers can avail of the “patong-patong na discounts,” or stackable vouchers, to go

with deals for as low as P99. What’s more, they can get up to 80-percent-off discounts and up to P1,000 cashback, along with fast and free shipping.

“The big theme of this year is to spend more time than ever, connecting with our merchants and with our buyers, and really engaging and trying to be more ambitious and closer to the action,” Barrera stressed.

“We’re still very, very aggressive. The main reason we want to do this is, of course, because e aster is [nearly approaching] we still want everyone to have time to buy. Also, our fiscal year is March, so we want to finish strong,” he added.

ship with Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) and available in 19 LRT stations (Balintawak-Baclaran).

As far as competitiveness is concerned, Rafael said the Philippines can still climb up the ladder mainly because of its strategic location.

According to the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2022 report by Business School (INSe AD), the Philippines ranked 80th out of 133 countries. Also included in the index is a measure of how countries attract and retain talent.

Nevertheless, Rafael stressed the country should address the exodus of local talent to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (AS e AN) members. To address the emigration of local talent, Rafael said the country must develop better incentives and programs to help the private sector compete with public sectors in industries

pioneering

developer

PUBLICLy listed Sta. Lucia Land Inc., under the Sta. Lucia Group, remains steadfast with its goal to help bring progress outside the capital region and city centers with its continued expansion in the countryside.

Touted as one of the pioneering developers who believed in the potential of the fringe areas, Sta. Lucia has long become a catalyst for growth and progress as it brings its expertise in creating masterplanned residential communities to more areas across the country. Here, Sta. Lucia Land doesn’t only provide residents with beautiful landmark developments they can proudly call home, but also gives the host communities new opportunities for business and employment, thus helping fuel economic activities in the area.

“We don’t want to just concentrate in the city and established business districts. We believe that to really make a change and to contribute significantly to nation building, we must bring our developments to the countryside. We believe that we are one of the pioneers when it comes to building outside of conventional locations,” said Sta. Lucia Land Inc. President e xequiel Robles. even at the onset, the Sta. Lucia Group has indeed been investing heavily in the fringe areas as it was the first developer to bet big on the eastern corridor of the metro—even providing the area its first full scale mall, quality homes and even high rise condominium units. At present, the Sta. Lucia Group has more than 300 projects in its portfolio, comprising resort-themed developments, lake and golf communities, lots, townhouses, re -

such as transportation and tourism. She also noted that the government should introduce attractive tax incentives. “The energy we have in our country is one of the highest in Asia, and if we are to build a manufacturing industry, we should address this as well.”

Rafael said building more infrastructure is the strategy to enhance the business and being able to serve clients better rather than adding more players.

She said Airspeed is also focused on helping micro, small and medium enterprises (MSM e ’s) gain market access. Airspeed seeks to address the challenges of logistics and high cost of shipping. Rafael said Airspeed plans to consolidate the hubs in rural areas where MSM e s can drop off their products and the company can pick them up on a regular schedule.

Airspeed has a tie-up with the local government units,, the Department of TIrade and Industry, and other institutions that deal with SM e s. It also works with its affiliate, the Amazing Philippines Digital e conomy Corporation (APDe C), which has a platform called KH-PH.C o M where MSM e ’s can register and view their products across the country and around the world.

“Airspeed can also handle cross-border delivery anywhere in the world for customers who are export-ready. SM e s now have a platform with payment and delivery options that are reasonably priced,” she said.

“With the SM group now as the major stakeholder, Airspeed is more determined to make it happen in reaching their business goals,” Rafael said.

Sta. Lucia Land continues to fuel the fringe

tail and office spaces, condotels among others.

“We have long seen the value of investing in and developing the fringes. I would like to believe we have the first-mover advantage, which gave us the opportunity to strengthen our brand not just in the city centers but most especially in the fringes. The satisfaction of helping bring progress and well-planned projects in the fringes is indeed undeniable,” Mr. Robles said.

“This is why we remain on the lookout for more potential areas, where we could bring our developments and help enhance the lives of the people in the communities. For us, building and creating something must not end in the city and CBDs, but rather it must expand further in the countryside,” he explained.

From Pangasinan to Davao, Sta. Lucia’s landmark projects have indeed created a huge difference in the lives of many Filipino families and investors. Here are some of those projects.

Batangas

S TA Lucia currently offers Nasacosta Resort & Residences, which champions the ultimate resort lifestyle enriched by the relaxing sounds and stunning sights by the coast as its name connotes. The name Nasacosta is a combination of the Filipino word “nasa” which means “at the” and “costa”, a Spanish word for coast.

Nasacosta—situated along a strip of carved beachfront adjacent to high-end developments—is composed of residential lots at The Ridge; condominium units at The Peaks; condotel units at

Nasacosta Hotel; and membership beach club, The Sands.

davao

He R e , Sta. Lucia Land currently has 18 different projects, including Ponte Verde, Rancho Palos Verdes, Alta Monte Residential e states, Ciudad Verde, Valle Verde Residential e states, Centropolis and South Grove. Steadfast and optimistic about the growth in Mindanao, it has invested in Las Colinas at e den. o ne of its latest projects here is Los Rayos Lake Residences in Tagum, a 37-ha property inside the much bigger agri-tourism township called Hijo e states. It boasts of a grand community clubhouse with its own resort-style pool, playground and basketball court, an entry statement by artist Kublai Millan, a lighthouse, a function room and its centerpiece the 4-ha lake area.

Negros Occidental eV e N closer to a capital city is the La Alegria Residential e states, a lakeside community. This development in Silay City is some 30 minutes away on wheels from the center of Bacolod City and a mere 10 or so minutes from both Silay proper and the international airport. Ideally built for the Negrenses, future residents can look forward to a convenient and relaxing lifestyle as it is built with resort facilities including a ballroom, courts, gym, pool and coffee shop among others. Go out a little further and you will readily enjoy Paradise Island’s pool, gazebo, picnic area and lighthouse.

The country’s industrial and logistics sector needs to develop more build to sustain (BTS) warehouses to become more sustainable and achieve higher growth.

“Air Speed is also focused on helping micro, small and medium enterprises [MSMe’s] gain market access.” rosemarie rafael, chairman and president of Airspeed.

The 19-ha Nasacosta resort & residences in Nasugbu, Batangas, gives a new meaning to beachside living.

The 164-ha rancho palos Verdes in davao features a world class golf course and country club.

Sports

B8 Wednesday, March 29, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

PHL weightlifters rule Albania world youth meet with 7 golds

By Josef Ramos

FIVE Filipino athletes—Angelina Colonia, Rosalinda Faustino, Prince Delos Santos, Eron Borres and Albert Ian De los Santos—collected seven gold medals to dominate the  International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Youth Championships in Durres, Albania, over the weekend.

The weightlifters, whose average age is 15, also scooped four silver and one bronze medals to help emphasize the growth of the sport following Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo’s historic first Philippine Olympic gold medal in Tokyo 2021.

Colonia, 16, ruled the girls’ 45-kg class snatch and claimed silver for her total lift, while Faustino, 15, captured gold in clean and jerk and silver in total lift in the girls’ 55-kg division.

Colonia is a niece of head coach Gregorio Colonia and younger sister

U.N. EXPERT: ALLOW RUSSIANS IN PARIS

GENEVA—Russian athletes who have actively served in the military invasion of Ukraine should be allowed to return to international sports if they did not take part in war crimes, according to a United Nations (UN) expert advising the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The UN special rapporteur for cultural rights, Alexandra Xanthaki, said late Sunday only Russian military members implicated in “allegations of war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or propaganda for war” should be denied neutral status to compete in international sports ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Xanthaki angered Ukrainian athletes who took part in an IOChosted call to consult them ahead of an Olympic announcement due Tuesday to update guidance for sports bodies 16 months before the opening of the Paris Games.

Ukrainian government and sports officials want the IOC to ban

all Russians from the 2024 Games and claim most of the country’s recent Olympic medalists were affiliated with the military.

Xanthaki wrote on her official Twitter account Sunday her view that “an athlete who has participated in war would be included” for neutral status to compete in sports without national symbols such as flags and anthems.

The Greek lawyer later clarified it was usual that “men all around the world are conscripted to take part in wars” and have to follow orders, including killing. She also referred to “illegal aggressive” conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, Israel and Iraq.

“We cannot hold all men who participate in illegal wars by their states following orders responsible.

Those who perform crimes, we must,”

Xanthaki wrote.

It is unclear how far the IOC will follow her advice ahead of its executive board meeting Tuesday.

It is due to discuss “solidarity with Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and the status of athletes from these countries.”

Dumaguete City holiday staked for ace in Highlands Ladies golf

A“BARKADA” package for four at the Blue Ternate Dive and Wellness Resort in Dumaguete City awaits the first player to score a hole-in-one in the Highlands Ladies Cup on April 29 at the Tagaytay Midlands’ three nines.

Regent Travel is putting up the travel package to further build up the much-awaited return of the Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Chapterorganized 18-hole fun tournament after the pandemic with the roster already hitting the maximum of 200 players as early as last week.

“We’re promoting Dumaguete as a top tourist destination through our hole-in-one package consisting of dive, beach, golf, food and fun,” said tournament co-chair and Regent Travel managing director Connie Mamaril. If no one scores an ace on

designated par-three holes of Midlands and Lucky 9, the allexpense paid trip package via Philippine Airlines will be raffled off.

A brand-new Cobra LTDx iron set is also staked as hole-in-one prize.

The event—backed by Diamond sponsors W Group, Inc., Willie Ocier, CWC Int’l Group and Agrikultura and held in conjunction with Tagaytay Ladies team’s 18th founding anniversary—offers titles in various divisions featuring players of all genders.

Play will be under the System 36 format.

Leading the Platinum sponsors list are CLC Marketing Ventures Corp., Parola Maritime Corp., Powerball Gaming, Miniso PH and SM Department Store, while the Gold backers are Regent Travel and Moringa-O2 and Mercedes Benz.

Survival and momentum

SURVIVAL for San Miguel Beer (SMB), momentum mode for Meralco.

That pretty much describes the situation both teams are in going to Wednesday’s Game 3 of the Philippine

The IOC’s initial advice to sports bodies within days of the war starting last February was to exclude athletes from Russia and ally Belarus. It cited Russia’s “extremely grave violation” of the Olympic Truce in place for the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, plus the integrity and security of sports events.

Since January, the IOC has pushed for finding a path to reintegrate Russians and Belarusians into world sports. It pointed to advice from Xanthaki and another U.N. expert that excluding athletes based only on their passport would be discrimination that breached their human rights.

Xanthaki on Friday briefed members of official athlete panels from most national Olympic bodies, including Ukraine, in a two-hour call hosted by the IOC.

The Ukrainians “ferociously disagreed with my analysis,” she acknowledged in a Twitter exchange, adding that athletes taking part from countries in the Global South agreed with her.

“It makes no sense in terms of

sport,” Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, a two-time Olympian, told The Associated Press on Monday about Xanthaki’s views on the call and the difficulty of proving an athlete’s links to war crimes.

“Do we have to make a documentary about how he makes a crime?” said Heraskevych, who drew attention at last year’s Beijing Games by holding up a “No War in Ukraine” sign after his race.

The IOC was talking Monday with representatives of Olympic sports bodies who will decide for themselves on conditions for letting athletes compete in their upcoming events, and define neutrality.

A strong position against the IOC was taken last week by track and field’s World Athletics, which is refusing to admit any Russians or Belarusians “for the foreseeable future.”

Final decisions on Russian athletes competing at the Paris Games still rest with the IOC. In the Olympic Charter, article 44.3 states: “Nobody is entitled as of right to participate in the Olympic Games.” AP

of 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympian Nestor Colonia.

Prince de los Santos, 15, won gold in snatch and total lift and silver in clean and jerk in boys’ 49 kg class, while Albert Ian de los Santos, 16, took the clean and jerk and total lift gold medals in boys’ 61 kgs.         Eron Borres, 15, clinched gold in clean and jerk and silver in total lift and added a bronze in snatch in boys’ 49 kgs.

Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas secretary-general Patrick Lee said the Filipinos topped the medal tally with the 7-4-1 gold-silver-bronze haul, followed by Turkmenistan (3-3-0) and Vietnam (3-2-2) in the event that gathered athletes from 15 countries.

“It’s really a great indication that our young weightlifters have a bright future,” Lee told BusinessMirror Tuesday. “We only expected four to five medals, but we ended up with seven golds.”

GINEBRA GOES FOR FINALS SLOT

TIM CONE advised his Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings not to entertain a single thought about a semifinals series sweep—not against a team like the San Miguel Beermen.

“You start looking for that sweep, stating that you have that kind of lead, then you make yourself up to be a little bit relaxed,” said Cone on Tuesday ahead of Game 3 of their Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup semifinals duel.

“If you do that against a team like San Miguel Beer, then you’re in big trouble,” Cone stressed.

The Gin Kings are 2-0 over the Beermen, who are bereft of sixtime Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo. The 6-foot-10 center is recovering from a complete fracture in his right tibia.

Game 3 is set 3 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, after which TNT and Meralco take the floor at 5:45 p.m. in their own series that is tied at 1-1.

Christian Standhardinger and naturalized player Justin Brownlee were a dominant 1-2 punch in Ginebra’s victories in Game 1, 121112, and Game 2, 121-103.

Standhardinger posted 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in Game 2, while Brownlee also had 32 points with 10 rebounds and seven assists. Standhardinger piled up 33 points plus 10 rebounds and five assists, while Brownlee got 24 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in Game 1.

Season MVP Scottie Thompson wasn’t far behind with his 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Game 1, and a triple-double in Game 2 of 21 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists—with three steals and two blocks.

“Basically, we got one game to play—that’s all we’re thinking about,” Cone said. “The old ‘one game at a time.’ So we’re going to talk about playing one game. We’re not going to talk about anything else but playing one game at a time.”

San Miguel Beer, on the other hand, won’t be rolling over that easily. “I have to set a mindset of the players that’s never near vacation mode,” beermen coach Jorge Gallent said. “We have to think of winning Game 3—that’s it.”

“Ginebra needs three games to enter the finals. As long as there’s a chance, it’s my job to push them,” he added.

Without Fajardo, Gallent needs more production from CJ Perez, Mo Tautuaa, Vic Manuel and import Cameron Clark.

The Tropang Giga, meanwhile, are bent towards a bounce-back win 124-117 overtime loss in Game 2 last Sunday.  Josef Ramos

Brodeths post record feat at home

KIMI BRODETH scored an expected sweep of the girls’ two top crowns but brother Kenzo upset top seed Cyd Villamar in 16-under play to also complete a two-title romp in the Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez National Junior Tennis Championships at the Ormoc City Midtown Tennis Club (OMTC) over the weekend.

The in-form Kimi continued her dominant run in the three-leg Leyte swing of the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala (PPSPEPP) junior circuit, shutting out Kate Imalay, 6-0, 6-0, in the 16-under finals then crushing Corazon Lambonao, 6-1, 6-4, in the premier 18-under side of the

Ormoc earlier swept the Maasin and Baybay legs with her latest pair of victories underscoring her fierce form and readiness to level up in pursuit of more junior honors.

Kenzo ripped Christian Laguna, 6-0, 6-3, to claim the 14-under trophy then rallied from a set down to repulse Villamar with a gutsy stand in the decider, 3-6, 6-4, 10-6, as the Brodeths became the first siblings to share MVP honors in the country’s longest-talent search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

While Kimi sustained her top form, Kenzo’s win over Villamar made up for his failed bid in Baybay when he yielded to Gio Manito, 7-9, in a tight third set battle in 16-under finals, thus missing clinching the MVP trophy.

KIM BRODETH and brother Kenzo loosen up after a grueling but successful campaign.

Basketball Association (PBA) Governors Cup best-of-five semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen have their one foot on the grave after absorbing a second straight loss in another devastating 121103 rout on Sunday by the Gin Kings, nudging Barangay Ginebra to within a game of returning to the Finals.

And with the way they’ve been playing in their last two games, the Beermakers might just say goodbye to the season that saw them win the first conference and reach the semifinals of the second conference.

June Mar Fajardo being around could have made a difference as his absence due to a knee injury had hobbled San Miguel Beer’s campaign no end.

As Ginebra coach Tim Cone said it after Game 2: “It would be a lot different if June Mar were playing.”

June Mar has been the cornerstone in SMB seizing nine titles in 10 Finals appearances before suffering that injury in a recent Japan tournament.

Newly-installed SMB coach Jorge Gallent had done well

in the eliminations and the quarters.  But against Cone, he was sent back to review school.

Cone’s coaching pounced on the big hole left by the 6-foot-10 June Mar at the paint, obfuscating SMB’s defenses on quick ball movement and near-flawless ballsharing that manufactured 35 assists alone in Ginebra’s blowout win on Sunday predicated on an 18-1 start.

“I’m shocked myself at the result,” Cone said.

There wouldn’t be any shock anymore if Ginebra proceeds to wrap it up in today’s 3 p.m. contest—except if San Miguel miraculously survives burial rites with a Game 3 win.

That’s a shock that could yet trigger a déjà vu.

Isn’t SMB the only team in league history to erase a 0-3 deficit and win a PBA crown in seven games?

As for Meralco, its 124-117 overtime win over the highly-favored TNT on Sunday for a 1-1 series deadlock has made Bolts coach Norman Black flash a wide grin again.

Why, because Black escaped disaster when TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson missed what could have been the

winning free throw with six seconds left, sending a 112-tie to overtime.

In the five-minute extension, Black threw a brick wall defense that forced TNT to miss all its three tries behind the arc.

“We are playing the No. 1 seed team [TNT],” said Black. “It’s just their second loss this entire second conference.”

Aaron, Black’s talented son, complemented his father’s trust by firing six straight points that capped his careertying 28 points, in the process giving a courageous support behind the massive 39 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals of Bolt import KJ McDaniels. Dad couldn’t be prouder.

THAT’S IT   I join the prayer brigade in begging for God’s mercy to grant grace to LA Tenorio, the legendary point guard of Barangay Ginebra, who was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. This is one big fight that LA could win with our Lord calling the shots from above.  LA, lean on BTS: Believe, Trust & Surrender. Amen.

MEMBERS of the Geneva branch of the Ukrainian society protest during a rally at the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne. AP

MORE POWER OF A VICTORY Rupert Zaragosa (center) holds his trophy as he poses with MORE Power president and CEO Roel Castro (right) and Iloilo Golf and Country Club president Herminio Maravilla II after dominating the stellar field to claim his first Philippine Golf Tour crown in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Iloilo Golf Challenge last weekend.

Women’s Month

Technology, innovation and education keys to accelerating gender equality

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

THE 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67), the United Nation’s largest annual gathering on gender equality, the empowerment of all women and girls and their human rights, reaffirmed the importance of women and girls’ “full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership in science, technology and innovation” and expressed concern on the limited progress in closing the gender gap in access to and use of technologies, connectivity, digital literacy and education.

It also expressed grave concern about the continuity and interrelation between offline and online violence, harassment and discrimination against women and girls and condemned the increase of such acts.

At the conclusion of CSW67, participants acknowledged the critical role of technology and innovation in achieving gender equality. The agreed conclusions adopted by Member States provide a blueprint for all stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, civil society and youth to promote the full and equal participation and leadership of women and girls in the design, transformation and integration of digital technologies and innovation processes that ful-

fill the human rights and needs of women and girls.

“This year’s agreed conclusions are game-changing and bring forward our vision of a more equal and connected world for women and girls in all their diversity. It is our job to translate them into reality. The ultimate success of these agreed conclusions lies beyond their finalization today, in how we will collectively take them forward. They bring us a vision of a more equal world. Let us translate them into reality for all women and girls,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.

Investments to bridge gender digital divide

THE Commission called for significantly increased public and private sector investments to bridge the gender digital divide, more inclusive innovation eco-systems, and the promotion of safe, and genderresponsive technology and innovation. It also called for inclusive and equitable quality education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, information and communications technology and digital literacy to ensure that all women and girls can thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Initiatives to promote innovation and technological change,

and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality must consider the following:

nDevelop digital tools and services to address the needs of all women and girls across sectors and geographies, especially for their education, health, economic empowerment and engagement in public life and ensure women and girls have access to digital literacy and skills throughout their life course.

nMainstream gender in digital policies to remove barriers to equal access for all women and girls, including those living in poverty, in rural, maritime or remote areas,

with disabilities, indigenous women and girls, migrant women and girls and older women.

nFoster a policy of zero tolerance for gender-based violence that occurs through or is amplified by the use of technology and ensure that public and private sector entities prioritize its prevention and elimination.

nMainstream a gender perspective in the design of emerging technologies and adopt regulations to ensure they are subject to adequate safeguards to combat new risks, gender stereotypes and negative social norms, data privacy

breaches and iprove transparency and accountability.

nPromote policies and programs to achieve gender parity in emerging scientific and technological fields and create supportive work places and education settings, including through gender-responsive education, distance learning solutions and interdisciplinary approaches combining the teaching of social sciences and scientific fields.

nDevelop gender responsive innovation that challenges gender stereotypes and negative social norms, including through the development of digital content, awareness campaigns and teaching competencies for positive engagement on digital technologies that engage, educate, encourage and empowers youth, including young men and boys, to become agents of change for gender equality.

Backlash vs women’s rights

THE 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place against the backdrop of continued backlash against women’s rights globally, from increased violence against women in the public space, to the gender impacts of the earthquakes in Syria and Turkiye, to the daily horror that women and girls face in emergency and crisis settings including in Afghanistan,

Ukraine and Iran.

In its first fully in person session following three years of the Covid-19 pandemic. CSW67 registered very high numbers with more than 7,000 participants, including four heads of state and government and 116 ministers, 205 side events on UN premises and about 700 NGO parallel events.

For the first time, the session included an interactive youth session with young people, youth representatives of delegations, civil society and United Nations organizations, engaging in dialogue and providing recommendations on how to ensure young women and girls are part of the digital transformation.

The Commission also benefited from important contributions from a wide range of civil society organizations including the leaders and commitment makers of the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality, launched as part of the Generation Equality Forum.

The Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality has made a significant contribution in cementing alliances between governments, private sector, civil society and the UN system and in driving momentum and commitments to advance gender equality through technology and innovation.

There is the need to promote the full and equal participation and leadership of women and girls in the design, transformation and integration of digital technologies and innovation processes that fulfill the human rights and needs of women and girls.

Women’s

Making it big in the health and wellness industry

Veronica Resurreccion

Ceo, Extraordinails

FROM a humble 54 square meter space, Nica has blossomed into several branches for Extraordinail. Since then, it has successfully grown to be one of the top choices of beauty enthusiasts and celebrities such as Heart Evangelista-Escudero. When it comes to business, Nica is very hands-on, she spends most of her time visiting four branches (Tomas Morato, Greenhills, BGC and Molito) to closely check on the work of her staff, train them and provide leadership guidance.

Nica also introduced in Manila, the luxury mobile nail salon. Her two innovative “nails on wheels” have gained popularity in home service nail salon.

“My mom and my family are my inspiration. They showed me that my voice matters. I want every woman to have freedom and one manifestation is through their nails, I want to give them beautiful, clean, and powerful nails.”

When trying to balance work and family commitments, it helps to have a boss who is understanding and supportive: someone who

doesn’t raise an eyebrow when you sign off early to attend a school event or take a personal day to accompany an aging parent to a doctor’s appointment, this is Nica to her staff.

“In the working world, women do not only deal with the stress of a full-time job, but they’re often also responsible for raising families. I want to give a quick break from that chaos. My goal is to inspire them.”

Nica supports her 50 staff and their families, even during the pandemic.

Dr. Kaycee Reyes- Bacani

Well aging expert

Founder, Luminisce Skin

Innovations

Wellness expert and health advocate, Dr Kristina “Kaycee” Cuevas Reyes Bacani, studied medicine at the University of Sto. Tomas Faculty of Medicine & Surgery. She completed her Diploma in Dermatology from King’s College and Master of Science in Clinical Dermatology from St. John’s Institute of Dermatology at Guy’s & St. Thomas Hospital in London. She has also recently completed her Master of Science

in Preventive and Regenerative Medicine at Dresden International University in Germany.

Having served as a visiting fellow in Dermatologic Laser Surgery at the National Skin Centre

in Singapore, Dr. Reyes specializes in lasers and in Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM). She underwent a visiting fellowship in Dermatologic Laser Surgery at the University of Ramathibodi Hospital – Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. Practicing wellness care, she dealt exclusively with wellness and acupuncture, at the

Traditional Medicine Clinic at the Philippine General Hospital. Her degree in Preventive medicine also makes her one of the few physicians to have an internationally accredited degree in clinical medicine specializing in Well-Aging and Regenerative medicine. Passionate about beauty and wellness, Dr. Reyes makes it a point to attend international conferences to further widen her outlook towards treating diversified skin cases. Through this, her patients are guaranteed to receive only the latest techniques and technologies in the field of non-invasive aesthetic and aesthetic dermatology. She believes that a tailor-fit and individualized approach to managing skin and weight problems is an effective way to take care of her patients. As an advocate towards health and wellness issues in the Philippines, she formerly directed the ALAGA KA project, a local cause that focuses on helping unprivileged communities to renovate their barangay health centers and include staff training. It has become her mission to educate, inspire, and help people to live happier and healthier lives by encouraging important lifestyle changes.

Here are stories of two women who have decided to tread the path of health and wellness

Dr. Kaycee Reyes- Bacani, Well aging expert and founder of Luminisce Skin Innovations

Nica Resurrecion, CEO, Extraordinails

Women’s Month

In Japan, women find rare parity in the prosecutors’ office

By Yuri Kageyama / Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — At the prosecutors’ office in Tokyo, everyone makes their own copies and tea — tasks often relegated to women in a country that’s been criticized for its lack of gender equality.

Twenty years ago, only about eight percent of Japanese prosecutors were women. By 2018, that number rose to nearly a third of newly hired prosecutors. This year, the male-female ratio reached 5050, according to the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office.

Japan ranks among the worst in gender equality for developed nations despite being No. 1 in equal access to education for women and men. So how are women finding equal footing in the esteemed field?

Prosecutor Rina Ito is quick to acknowledge that luck played a role, though her accomplishments didn’t hurt.

Ito graduated from the prestigious Keio University, whose founder Yukichi Fukuzawa was a proponent of women’s rights and where women make up nearly half of attendance. She then passed the national bar, the stringent test required of all Japanese prosecutors. Now she’s on her 10th year on the job.

“When you think about who has the task of pursuing the truth, among judges, defense lawyers and prosecutors, it’s the prosecutors,”

Ito said in a February interview with The Associated Press. “Prosecutors can go after the truth. That’s why I set my heart on becoming a prosecutor.”

Tokyo District Prosecutors are Japan’s top-brass upholders of justice, notorious for going after corruption in the highest places: the Lockheed scandal of the 1970s that unseated a prime minister, the Recruit company insider trading debacle of the 1980s, and, more recently, bribery and bid-rigging related to the Tokyo Olympics.

Reaching gender parity, as in Ito’s occupation, is rare in Japan. Women tend to be over-represented in the service sector and among clerical workers, while being fewer in manufacturing, security personnel and management, according to Statista data. Only about five percent of listed companies’ board members are women, according to the Gender Equality Bureau in the Japanese Cabinet Office.

Ito’s mother was a full-time homemaker, and her father a “salaryman,” but neither has discouraged her from pursuing a career. Her husband cooks and helps take care of their two-year-old daughter.

She also notes that prosecu-

tors, male or female, get moved around a lot — as quickly as every year or two — to various regional offices throughout the nation. The shuffling makes it almost impossible to curry favor with bosses, or develop personal relationships that could affect advancement prospects and fair evaluation. That may help even out the score in Japan, which ranks 116th in gender equality in a list topped by Iceland and Finland, according to the latest data compiled by the World Economic Forum. The United States is No. 27.

Some men are also helping to

even the playing field. Male prosecutors say they make a point to treat female colleagues equally.

“I have never viewed the women prosecutors as women,” Tokyo District Deputy Chief Prosecutor Hiroshi Morimoto said.

Prosecutors are taking paternity leave in growing numbers, easing the gap between men and women like prosecutor Tomoko Suzuki, who took maternity leave for a combined several years to have two sons and is back full-time at her job.

Parental leave — particularly

paternity — is often frowned upon in Japan. Although both men and women have such privileges under Japanese law, men make up only about 14 percent of those taking parental leave, in contrast to 85 percent for women, according to government data. Informally, men say people are surprised and puzzled when they take time off work to be fathers.

Suzuki acknowledged juggling being a mother, wife and prosecutor is a serious challenge. She has relied on her parents, older sister and babysitters for help.

Her husband, who works in shipping, is based in Singapore. She puts her sons on a plane during school vacations. Her children are learning to make friends with flight attendants and enjoying Singapore’s diverse culture.

“Yes, it’s stressful and tough to live apart from my husband. But there are positives, too,” Suzuki said.

When they do get to meet, it’s like falling in love again. And he gets paid in Singapore dollars — a plus with Japanese yen declining recently.

“You can think that married couples must live together, which means I can’t be happy. Or you can think we are blessed with more varied experiences,” she said.

Suzuki, a Keio graduate like

Ito, is now in management, overseeing younger prosecutors. A prosecutor’s success isn’t measured by the number of guilty verdicts won, as in other countries. The conviction rate in Japan is higher than 99 percent, a statistic that’s been slammed by human rights advocates as “hostage justice.” Japan has had several high-profile cases in which innocent people were forced into false confessions.

Suzuki says the conviction rate has been taken out of context.

“The fact is that we don’t prosecute many of the cases. We don’t bring to trial those cases that aren’t likely to produce guilty verdicts,” said Suzuki, who has some 20 years’ experience in the field. “That’s why the conviction rate is 99 percent.”

“We also need to try harder to communicate what’s going on,” she said.

Communication skills are far more important than guilty verdicts, Suzuki said, because perpetrators and victims alike are hesitant to talk to prosecutors, whose work includes helping people who have been convicted rehabilitate and rejoin society. Having female prosecutors is helpful when victims request to speak with a woman, as is sometimes the case with sex-related crimes.

But usually, Ito and Suzuki said, individual ability is all that matters.

WITH 2023 giving everyone a fresh start comes the underlying question how do you define Filipino hospitality moving forward? Cleofe Albiso, Managing Director of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, hints that industry practitioners are no longer just people who greet you upon arrival, check you in, and make sure your meals are served warm and according to your liking. Now, “Filipino hospitality, through its trained practitioners, deliberately understand guests’ goals and curate a stay that’s safe, refreshing, and empowering”.

Because of the Philippines’ rich history, its considerably easier for Filipinos to be sensitive to cultural differences making Filipinos the natural warm hosts that they are but beyond that, Cleofe adds “we aim to grow a breed of champions that helps you win the day’s challenges”.

Circle of Happiness

It all starts with culture! Cleofe perhaps is not in the mold of all bosses around. Beyond office hours, she engages in normal meals with her line associates – housekeeping or banquet food servers. Not all bosses will talk to their line associates after office hours or even bond with them over simple dinner, inquiring about the personal lives of their subordinates in the quest to understand them better.

Albiso shares “In a week, I usually sit down with someone I mentor,” she told the Manila Times. “I would pull in an associate I didn’t have any contact within the past that I want to get to know better. The wealth of personal stories is humbling! Behind the uniforms, they are children struggling for their parents, for their families and of course working hard for their dreams”.

Luckily, these close and personal encounters with line associates have caught appreciation since the start of her leadership working with Megaworld Hotels & Resorts as its Group General manager starting the last quarter of 2019. Until she became the Managing Director of MHR back in 2021, these huddles grew to become a practice for general managers in the properties as well.

Along with the pandemic also came the need to foster a brand of culture called the Circle of Happiness which harnesses the philosophy of love for oneself, family, work, community, and above all, God at the center of what they do. As per Albiso, this became the groundwork of making sure Megaworld Hotels & Resorts stay true to being a people-first company that raises a sound approach to taking care and training its associates, protecting the environment, and de-

lighting guests. She may admit that the process may not always be as smooth on a day-to-day basis but learning from everyday birth pains has always been the best teacher for everyone.

Albiso celebrates the success of Megaworld Hotels and Resorts team. 2022 proved to be a promising year for Megaworld Hotels & Resorts. In the same year, MHR also made more jobs available in the industry thanks to the opening of its newest gem, Belmont Hotel Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City Cebu with its 550 rooms. They also opened the Boracay Newcoast Convention Center with its 1,200 maximum capacity that makes the Island of Boracay better equipped and ready to host larger M.I.C.E gatherings. In total there are 2,500 associates working across our properties that extend a

rewarding to stay our guests

25th Golden Mabuhay Awardee

There’s no doubt that Albiso’s influence amongst her family, peers, and in the industry has given her much respect from the people around her. The young executive takes a selfless and honest approach in her life, perhaps a product of growing up in the humble town of Toledo Cebu. Her father, Leo, was a security guard in Atlas Mining and her late mom, Fe, a housewife who ran a canteen concessionaire in La Salle. Cleofe always makes sure that she imparts a piece of herself to everyone she meets. The effort she invests on her craft as a business leader and mentor for many has earned her the recogni-

tion receiving the 25th Golden Mabuhay Award given by the Association of Human Resource Managers of the Hospitality Industry in the Philippines. This award embodies Cleofe’s resilience in leading the team to push on, yielding positive results, and being an instrument in providing jobs in the industry even amidst the pandemic. She candidly shares that she has continuously faced challenges in life both personal and in her career. The biggest so far would have to be spearheading the decision to join the “Bayan Muna” movement by being the first hotel chain to execute becoming a quarantine facility for many outbound and inbound Filipinos to support the nation’s journey to recovery. As the largest hotel chain in the Philippines, Cleofe expounds “we took it upon ourselves to be part

of the solution and grow our knowledge to becoming so much more than what our job titles are for”. She will not deny that she herself was afraid but then again there is no courage without fear. She narrates “we simply took it a day and a step at a time and lo and behold realizing we are almost at the hopeful end of things”.

Cleofe has always recognized God in all moments of her life. She shares that “it is in our brokenness that God reveals himself in our lives. It is also in our brokenness that we get to share a piece of ourselves to others that they may also learn and reflect on God’s divine work of putting people and teams together. To Cleofe, empowerment means rising above together by building each other through any challenge that may come our way.

Property Guru Awards: Best Operational Hospitality Portfolio

About the future, Megaworld Hotels and Resorts only sees more properties to open allowing the hotel management chain to serve more travelers in more destinations in the Philippines. Even before the new year, PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards program declares Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, with the first ever “Best Operational Hospitality Portfolio” award for its hotels with 12 properties, 6 diverse brands and 4,500 rooms.

Now on its 10th year, the award giving body highlights Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ diverse base of properties strategically located across the different parts of the archipelago. Managing Director, Cleofe Albiso, said that “Our passion lies in bringing distinct travel experiences to every guest that stays in our hotels located

in major tourist destinations across the country”. She further adds that “This recognition is dedicated to the management and the hardworking men and women of the country’s biggest operator and developer of 100% Filipino homegrown hotel brands, Megaworld Hotels and Resorts.

Today, travelers continue to enjoy stays in Belmont Hotel Manila or Savoy Hotel Manila within Newport City in Pasay across NAIA terminal 3, Kingsford Hotel Manila located in the Entertainment City of Paranaque, Hotel Lucky Chinatown in Binondo, Twin Lakes Hotel near Tagaytay, Eastwood Richmonde Hotel in Quezon City, Richmonde Hotel Ortigas in Pasig, Richmonde Hotel Iloilo in Iloilo Business Park of Iloilo City, Belmont Hotel Boracay or Savoy Hotel Boracay located at the Newcoast Boracay or even in Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown in Cebu.

Joining the line-up of properties is Belmont Hotel Mactan with 550 rooms located at

Prosecutors Tomoko Suzuki, left, and Rina Ito pose for a photographer during an interview at the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office. Twenty years ago, only about eight percent of Japanese prosecutors were women. By 2018, that number rose to nearly a third of newly hired prosecutors. This year, the male-female ratio reached 50-50 according to the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

Women’s Month

Women of PLDT and Smart: Keeping cybersecurity, network services up and running to serve Filipinos

INNOVATIVE cybersecurity and resilient network are key pillars of PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) in serving their customers. Working 24/7 behind the scenes are women technology specialists who have dedicated their expertise to elevate the experience of Filipinos.

In a world where almost everything has become digital, a secured network has become a must. For Cyber Security Incident Response Team head Katrina Atienza, it’s no easy feat. “We predict, prevent, detect, and respond to cybersecurity incidents attacking PLDT and Smart 24/7, 365 days a year. We contain threats to make sure that PLDT and Smart’s network is a secure and safe environment,” Atienza said. This effort led to PLDT and Smart fending off more than 182 million cyber-attacks and attempts to breach their digital assets as of end-2022.

“It's not a 9-to-5 job. Our enemies, they don’t sleep. And we are fighting these hackers trying to steal our information, steal our data. So, I am really proud that I belong here. We're not only securing PLDT and Smart, but we’re also securing communities,” she added.

Critical network field services

maintain, troubleshoot, and ensure that sites are up on a dayto-day basis. When Odette struck Palawan in 2021, Miguel was part of the team who monitored, supported, and deployed assistance to those on-ground, to successfully restore the services of the network during the aftermath of the disaster.

But being a woman in a highly male-dominated industry was not entirely a walk in the park for the network engineers. Miguel shared that there was an instance where she was disapproved a role as field engineer because of her gender. “They said that the possibility of me being in the field is low because my needs as a woman might affect my efficiency on site.”

ENGINEERS

Zyla Miguel and Chanty Salas are part of the critical network field services of Smart that support, restore,

For Salas, her job made her discover plenty of things about herself. “During my younger days, I was someone that you would call ‘kikay’ that even my classmates way back in college could not believe that I was assigned to do fieldwork,” she shared. “But I like the fact that I am a woman working in an industry that is mainly dominated by men. I know that the weight of the responsibilities are heavy, but that makes me feel stronger and capable of accomplishing anything in this life. Although some of our activities require physical strength like lifting heavy spares during trouble isolations, as a woman engineer, that doesn't limit my capability in restoring our sites. We contribute by working hard to equip

CSMC ADVOCATES FOR FEMININE WELLNESS THIS NATIONAL WOMEN’S MONTH

ser colpoplasty, which is FemiLift.”

Menopause is the cessation of a woman’s menstrual period some time around her 40’s to 50’s. During this time, women develop symptoms caused by hypoestrogenic changes. This is because with age, the vaginal tissues become thinner, drier, less elastic and more easily irritated.

One of these symptoms is stress urinary incontinence, a leakage of urine when there is abdominal pressure, such as laughing, coughing, sneezing or exercise. In more severe cases, some patients might even need to use sanitary pads or adult diapers to prevent leakages.

ourselves with in-depth knowledge in commissioning, integration, and other technical ways.”

Empowering women in the workplace

GENDER equality is high in the agenda of the group’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives, as an equal opportunity employer in the country. In 2021, PLDT and Smart became the first Philippine telcos that signed up as members of the

Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), to achieve large-scale organizational transformation through evidence-based strategies and best practices in the workplace.

“It doesn’t matter what your gender is, or how you identify yourself, as long as you have the heart, passion, and commitment,” Atienza shared. For her, the struggle as an expert in a highly technical field comes from within. “It’s really me

questioning myself – am I right for this job? So, it’s about having the confidence in yourself. Take one step at a time and give your best every day. It will reflect in your character and output.”

Miguel added, “It makes me proud, sometimes when we pass by buildings or sites, I can say, ‘Uy, yung site na ‘yan, naakyat ko na ‘yan!’ All opportunities are open for us. We are not excluded because of our gender, especially in our field, where the number of women is few. It

felt like I always belonged.”

“I am grateful to work in a company who recognizes the impact of women's contribution in the workplace. We are given opportunities to express our abilities and skills. Our strengths—which can make an impact to the team— are highly emphasized. Learning from successful people has enabled me to approach situations with alternative perspectives and a better understanding in my chosen career,” Salas said.

CONVERSATIONS about feminine wellness are still considered taboo or even shameful, especially in conservative countries like the Philippines. From menstrual problems to reproductive health and even menopause concerns, there is still a significant lack of resources for women regarding these issues.

“Women deserve access to all the information and resources they need to ensure that their feminine wellness is taken care of,” said Dr. Catherine Howard, head of Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s (CSMC) Reproductive and Sexual Health committee and the CSMC Laser Gynecologic Group. “Feminine health is nothing to be ashamed about.”

In celebration of National Women’s Month, CSMC recently hosted a webinar promoting feminine health awareness among women. Dr. Howard herself discussed some common feminine health issues experienced by women and what treatment options are available, such as FemiLift.

FemiLift is an FDA-approved non-surgical laser-assisted procedure designed to improve vaginal irregularities and rejuvenate vaginal tissues. FemiLift uses a clinically established CO2 laser technology to gently heat vaginal tissue, contracting existing fibers and stimulating production of new collagen, which helps give the vaginal tissues strength and flexibility. It is fast, painless, safe and effective.

“We see FemiLift as a solution for a wide range of feminine indications such as stress urinary incontinence, vaginal dryness, laxity and even recurrent infections,” said Howard. “There are certain stages in a woman’s life where these issues are almost inevitable, like menopause or post-delivery of a baby. Some of these can be addressed using exercise, therapies, hormonal treatments, natural remedies and of course la-

“FemiLift helps treat stress urinary incontinence by strengthening weak pelvic floor muscles, which is what women use to hold in their pee,” Howard noted. “It also revitalizes the vaginal lining, increases thickness of the vaginal walls and restores lubrication. Additionally, FemiLift helps generate new healthy tissue with higher immune resistance to infection.”

FemiLift can also be used in post-delivery rehabilitation. Before, during and after vaginal birth, women’s hormones fluctuate and their bodies go through many changes, such as weakened pelvic floor muscles and vaginal dryness. With FemiLift, the laser treatment strengthens, tones and restores vaginal tissue flexibility.

“What’s good about this is that it is just a minor procedure, like an ultrasound. You don’t need anesthesia of any sort, in ten to twenty minutes you’re done with the procedure and the entire treatment can be finished in three sessions, so once a month for three months,” Howard said.

CSMC has been offering FemiLift through its Comprehensive Women’s Care Unit since 2018, but had to halt procedures because of the pandemic. Now, FemiLift is open once more to the public for only Php 65,000 for three sessions. The effects of the procedure generally last 12 to 18 months, but Howard shared that some of her patients reported a consistently satisfactory vaginal condition despite having their last procedure in 2018 or 2019.

“People might think FemiLift is just for improved sexual activity, but in reality it’s also effective in treating very real concerns and conditions in the feminine area,” Howard stressed. “It is a medical treatment for menopausal women, women experiencing issues post-delivery and women who are at risk for recurrent infections. There are a lot of benefits from this treatment. I highly recommend it.”

For more information about the programs and services that CSMC offers, please visit https://cardinalsantos.com.ph/. CSMC is also on Facebook, like and follow them at www.facebook.com/CardinalSantos.

Actress Ina Raymundo is Entrasol’s new SOLmate

He welcomed Ina and expressed his excitement about working together with her on various projects that are laid out for them this year.

But what really got the press tuned in was the question-and-answer portion with SOLmates Kim and Ina. They clearly and cheerfully explained why #EntrasolPlatinum with #PROCARE is the perfect adult milk supplement for both of them. Both fit and active, the SOLmates agreed that #Entrasol’s high protein and calcium content helps build and maintain their muscles and bones as they age from year to year. While the high fiber content helps gut, brain and heart health so that age-related concerns will be lessened. All the ingredients put together make them both, malakas and matalas every single day, which they both need to fulfill their various roles.

The SOLmates were also one in saying that the taste is one of the great of points of the #EntrasolPlatinum. “It is delicious, and leaves no bitter or tangy aftertaste”, Ina said.

It was really a grand time for coming together for the cause of aging with physical and mental strength with SOLmates who we can put our trust in.

ADULT nutrition supplement

Entrasol Platinum with PROCARE recently welcomed the newest addition to the SOLcommunity. The newest SOLmate to bring in the message of health and wellness in both body and mind as one ages is actress Ina Raymundo.

Kalbe International executives headed by President Director of Kalbe Nutrionals Rivanda Idiyanto flew in from Indonesia to grace the press launch event at Grand Hyatt BGC and hosted by Patricia Hizon.

Kalbe Philippines Country Manager Wijaya Chandra gave the

audience a run-through of how the Kalbe products are helping make the country a stronger nation by making quality health care and nutritional.

Donny Iryanto, Entrasol Platinum’s Business Unit Head brought in cheers as he gave the press a brief preview of what to expect from SOLmates Ina and Kim Atienza for the year. Entrasol’s Brand Manager Kriselda Manalac, on the other hand, had the audience on the edge of their seats as she announced the upcoming programs and activities of the adult milk supplement.

At 47 years old, Ina has reinvented and transformed herself into a model of an empowered woman. She continues to inspire women to pursue their careers, be fit and still be an involved parent. With five children under her care, she is able to give ample time to upgrade herself and engage others with her passions. That’s strength in both body and mind.

Full support

Atienza gave a brief, heart-warming message to his #EntrasolFamily for their full support in his endeavors.

Entrasol Platinum’s PROcare formula allows adults to GET MORE nutrition. Its high protein, vitamin D and calcium combination helps maintain muscle mass and bone strength. Its high fiber content helps optimum nutrition absorption. Its high vitamin C, E and Zinc with MCT helps optimize the immune system. Its 75% whey protein helps muscle growth. The PROCare formula also contains 9 vitamins and 6 minerals and folic acid.

Entrasol Platinum is available in two flavors, Chocolate and Vanilla at 200g and 600g. It is available online in Lazada and Shopee and in all leading drugstores, groceries and supermarkets nationwide at Php441.00 and Php1,134.00 respectively.

Engineer Zyla Miguel a member of the critical network field services of Smart

Engineer Charity Salas, a member of the critical network field services of Smart

Cyber Security Incident Response Team head Katrina Atienza

Solmates Ina Raymundo and Kim Atienza and the executives of Kalbe International and Kalbe Philippines.

Dr. Catherine Howard, head of Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s Reproductive and Sexual Health committee and the CSMC Laser Gynecologic Group.