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‘MOTHERHOOD’ STATEMENTS

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Saturday, May 7, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 211

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By Cai U. Ordinario

IVES change when economies grow and, in some cases, could prevent lives from being created.

This has been among the lessons of growth and development, according to National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon and Population and Development Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III. Edillon said many women forego childbearing during times when economies are growing. She said women often decide against bearing children because the opportunity cost is too high.

“There are demand and supply conditions. What that would mean is if there is higher demand for the labor of women, [this] creates a higher opportunity cost. There is a push and pull. Although, what we see is once there’s a kid, then there is a higher chance that the mother would care for the child herself,” Edillon told the BusinessMirror in a phone interview on Friday.

Perez explained that women who are working often consider their jobs when planning for a child because of the possibility that they may have to give it up if they had a child.

However, even when this opportunity cost is not present, Perez said there is also a chance that women would reconsider having children because of the additional expense.

Earlier, Perez said living wages for Filipinos will also allow families to finance the education and health of children. In January, Perez said living wages are crucial in terms of the support ratio.

Popcom said if wages are higher, this will enable two workers per family to be able to provide for two children, with some savings set aside. A support ratio is the average number of people a wage earner supports, including himself or herself.

“Worldwide, what we have seen, every time there is a depression, an economic downturn, childbearing goes down. That is, I think, almost a truism,” Perez said.

Women polled

ECONOMIC considerations were among the factors identified by single women as one of the top factors in having children.

Results from a study of the Singapore-based Milieu Insight showed that the majority or 72 percent of women in the Philippines consider childcare expenses as the most important factor they need to consider before having children.

This was followed by their job security at 69 percent; health or their partner’s health, 63 percent; relationship with their partner, 50 percent; physical environment

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 52.3310

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie G. Edillon: “There are demand and supply conditions.

What that would mean is if there is higher demand for the labor of women, [this] creates a higher opportunity cost. There is a push and pull.”

POPCOM Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III: “Worldwide, what we have seen, every time there is a depression, an economic downturn, childbearing goes down. That is, I think, almost a truism.”

and socioeconomic conditions, 45 percent.

Other factors are their partner or their work commitments at 37 percent; their partner’s age, 32 percent; and their partner’s desire to have children, 31 percent.

“Entering motherhood requires one to be prepared—and to prepare—for many factors; as ‘natural’ as childbirth is, in reality, parents have to be wellinformed about parenthood to ensure that children can grow up in the right environment,” Milieu Insight stated.

conducted by the regional consumer data and analytics company showed 81 percent of Filipino women want to have children to experience motherhood, while 80 percent said it was meaningful to raise a child.

Half or 50 percent of women said they want to have children to have someone to accompany or take care of them when they grow old, while 46 percent said they find children cute and fun to be with.

The data showed another reason 36 percent of women in the country want to have children because they think a family is incomplete without children; while 33 percent said having children will carry on their family lineage or name.

Other reasons for wanting children is that their partner wants to have kids at 25 percent and another is that their parents

Meaningful experience

MAJORITY of women want to have children because they want to experience motherhood, while others consider it meaningful to raise a child, according to the study results of Singapore-based Milieu Insight.

The results from the survey

or in-laws want grandchildren at 18 percent.

The data also showed 50 percent of women in the Philippines think they will have children, while 36 percent said “maybe” to having children. Some 14 percent said “no” they will never have children.

Nearly half or 48 percent of women want to have children at the ages between 26 and 30 years old; while 31 percent want to have children later in life between the ages of 31 and 35 years old.

Some 10 percent of women prefer to have children between 36 and 40 years old, while 4 per-

ALEXEY EMELYANOV EANSTUDIO | DREAMSTIME.COM

Experts explain how a sublime experience as childbearing becomes a function of economics, while a survey plumbs women’s reasons for deciding to be mothers. cent would like to have children after 40 years old. Only 1 percent of women want to have children at 20 years old or younger.

Milieu Insight released the results of its “Opinions of Motherhood” study, which explores what women across four Southeast Asian countries think about the possibility of motherhood, and some of the considerations they have before deciding to enter a new phase of life.

The study was conducted in April 2022 with a sample size of 500 women without children each in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines.

n JAPAN 0.4020 n UK 64.6916 n HK 6.6670 n CHINA 7.8652 n SINGAPORE 37.8251 n AUSTRALIA 37.2230 n EU 55.1778 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.9520

Source: BSP (May 6, 2022)

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Rising interest rates in US will hinder foreign economies

By Paul Wiseman The Associated Press

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ASHINGTON— When the Federal Reserve raises interest rates—as it did Wednesday—the impact doesn’t stop with US homebuyers paying more for mortgages or Main Street business owners facing costlier bank loans.

The fallout can be felt beyond America’s borders, hitting shopkeepers in Sri Lanka, farmers in Mozambique and families in poorer countries around the world. The impacts abroad range from higher borrowing costs to depreciating currencies.

“It will put pressure on all types of developing countries,’’ said Eric LeCompte, executive director of the Jubilee USA Network, a coalition of groups seeking to reduce global poverty.

The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, was worried enough last month to warn the Fed and other rate-hiking central banks to stay “mindful of the spillover risks to vulnerable emerging and developing economies.’’

Citing the harsher financial conditions, the IMF recently downgraded the outlook for economic growth this year in developing and emerging market countries to 3.8 percent, a full percentage point below what it forecast in January.

The Fed on Wednesday raised its bench-

SRI Lankans queue up near a fuel station to buy kerosene in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. AP/ERANGA JAYAWARDENA

mark short-term rate by half a percentage point to its highest level since the pandemic hit two years ago, and signaled that more rate hikes will come.

The US rate hikes can deliver long-distance damage in a number of ways. First, they could slow the American economy and reduce US consumers’ appetite for foreign goods.

They also affect global investment: As rates rise in the US, safer American government and corporate bonds start looking more attractive to global investors. So they can pull money out of poor and middle-income countries and invest it in the United States.

Those shifts drive up the US dollar and push down currencies in the developing world.

Falling currencies can cause problems. They make it more expensive to pay for imported food and other products. That is especially worrisome at a time when supply-chain bottlenecks and the war in Ukraine have already disrupted shipments of grain and fertilizer and pushed up food prices worldwide to alarming levels.

To defend their sinking currencies, central banks in developing countries are likely to raise their own rates; some have already started. That can cause economic damage: It slows growth, wipes out jobs and squeezes business borrowers. It also forces indebted governments to spend more of their budgets on interest payments and less on things like fighting Covid-19 and feeding the poor.

The IMF’s Georgieva has warned that 60 percent of lowincome countries are already in or near “debt distress’’—an alarming threshold reached when their debt payments equal half the size of their national economies.

Despite the risks of collateral damage, the Fed is expected to raise rates several more times this year to combat resurgent inflation in the United States.

The inflationary surge is the result of an unexpectedly strong recovery from the pandemic recession of 2020, a rebound that caught businesses by surprise and forced them to scramble to find workers and supplies to meet customer demand.

The result has been shortages, delays in filling orders and higher prices. In March, US consumer

‘T

he US was able to manage inflation well and avoid recession, but at the same time created huge spillovers for emerging markets.’’

– Liliana Rojas-Suarez, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development prices rose 8.5 percent from a year earlier—biggest jump since 1981.

By pushing up interest rates, the Fed is hoping to pull off a socalled soft landing—raising rates just enough to slow the economy and bring inflation under control but not enough to tip the US economy into another recession.

Developing countries are worried the Fed waited too long to begin its anti-inflationary campaign and will be forced to raise rates so aggressively it could cause a hard landing that hurts the United States and developing countries alike.

“They would have been much better off if the Fed would have reacted more swiftly when the problem started’’ last year, said Liliana Rojas-Suarez, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development.

The Fed does not have an impressive record of engineering soft landings. The last one came in the mid-1990s under Fed Chair Alan Greenspan, an episode that ended unhappily for many developing countries.

“The US was able to manage inflation well and avoid recession,’’ Rojas-Suarez said, “but at the same time created huge spillovers for emerging markets.’’ What followed was a series of financial crises—in Mexico, in Russia and eventually across much of Asia.

Robin Brooks, chief economist at the Institute of International Finance, notes that many emerging market countries are in a much stronger financial position than they were back then, or even in 2013, when Fed plans to cut back its easy money policies sent investment fleeing the developing world.

For one thing, many have beefed up their foreign currency reserves, which central banks can use to buy and support their countries’ currencies or meet foreign debt payments in a crisis. On the eve of the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis, for instance, Thailand’s reserves were equal to 19 percent

of its economy; now they’re at 47 percent, according to the institute, a trade group for global banks.

Brooks also says that rising raw materials prices are “a bit of windfall’’ for commodities exporters like oil-producing Nigeria and soybean-producing Brazil.

But some countries remain vulnerable to financial shocks.

Among them are those that rely heavily on imported oil and other commodities and that have low reserves compared to what they owe other countries.

At the top of Rojas-Suarez’s list of the most exposed to financial risks is Sri Lanka, which last month said it was suspending repayment of foreign debt, while it works out a loan restructuring program with the IMF. Also flashing red are Tunisia, Turkey and Mozambique.

Rising US interest rates don’t always spell disaster for developing world countries. If they’re climbing because the US economy is strong—and businesses and consumers want loans to buy things— that means more opportunities for countries with exports to sell into the US market.

But the fallout is very different when the Fed is hiking borrowing costs in a deliberate campaign to slow US growth and wring inflationary pressures out of the economy.

“If higher rates are driven mainly by worries about inflation or a hawkish turn in Fed policy ... this will likely be more disruptive for emerging markets,’’ economists from the Fed and the conservative American Enterprise Institute wrote in a paper last year.

Which, worryingly, is what the Fed is doing now.

It’s another blow to countries still contending with big debts, large numbers of unvaccinated people and surging food prices.

“It’s added pressure,’’ LeCompte says, “and how much pressure can governments take?’’

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Comelec: Cusi’s PDP-Laban faction official wing of party, not Pacquiao’s

By Samuel P. Medenilla

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he Partido Demokratiko Pilipino– Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has been declared by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as the official wing of the ruling party.

With a vote of 2 to 1, the Comelec Special Second Division chaired by Comelec Commissioner Socorro B. Inting decided in favor of Cusi’s group.

Those who voted in favor of the Cusi faction were Inting and Comelec Commissioner Rey E. Bulay, while Marlon S. Casquejo dissented from the majority decision.

It recognized the following PDP-Laban officials as the official officers of the political party: Rodrigo R. Duterte (chairman); Alfonso G. Cusi (president); Karlo Alexei Nograles (executive vice president); Edwin Olivarez (vice president for the National Capital Region); Raul Lambino (vice president for Luzon); Ben Evardone (vice president for Visayas); Charito Plaza (vice president for Mindanao).

Also included in Comelec’s PDP-Laban recognized officials are Melvin Matibag (secretary-general); Rianne Cuevas (national treasurer); Christopher Lawrence Go; Astravel Pimentel-Naik (membership committee); Noel Felongco (education committee); Antonio Kho (finance committee); Richard Nethercott (legal affairs and arbitration committee); Jonathan Malaya (public information committee); Reymar Mansilungan (livelihood committee); and Maria Katrina Nicole Contacto (youth affairs committee).

Validated assembly

In a promulgated Thursday, the Comelec Special Second Division recognized the national assembly held by Cusi on July 17, 2021, which ousted Senator Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao as president of PDP-Laban.

The participants of the said assembly then picked Cusi as the new president of PDP-Laban.

Pacquiao questioned the validity of the said assembly.

The Comelec Special Second Division, however, recognized the assembly as duly constituted and binding to all members of PDP-Laban “since the necessary notice and quorum were fulfilled.”

Furthermore, it noted that the PDP-Laban chairman, President Rodrigo R. Duterte, presided over the election in the said assembly.

“The fact that he [Duterte] presided over the elections of the new sets of party officers and committee chairperson validates the entire process, making the aboveenumerated officers as duly elected offices of PDP-Laban,” the Special Division said.

It also voided the resolutions issued by Pacquiao’s faction as well as the National Assembly it held on September 19, 2021.

Dominant Majority

The decision stemmed from the petition filed by Cusi’s camp last September, which asked Comelec to declare Pacquia o’s group as illegal representatives of PDP-Laban.

Now officially recognized as the official leadership of PDP-Laban, Cusi’s faction will now be entitled to 5th copy of the election returns, and 7th copy of the certificates of canvass for being the Dominant Majority political party for the 2022 polls.

Comelec Commissioner George M. Garcia said it would be prioritized in the deployment of its election watchers in voting centers.

As for Pacquiao’s group, he said they would no longer get any copies of the election returns for the 2022 elections.

Special Division

Garcia explained he was initially part of the regular Comelec Division, which handled the case, but he inhibited from it, which resulted into a deadlock with Casquejo voting against the Cusi faction and Bulay voting in favor of the said faction.

“A special member was appointed to break the tie. It was Commissioner Inting. She sided with Commissioner Bulay,” Garcia said.

“The original ponencia of the Commissioner Marlon was lost. He became the dissenter of the new majority decision,” he added.

New Clark terminal will aid tourism recovery–D.O.T. chief

By MA. STELLA F. ARNALDO Special to the BusinessMirror

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) sees rosier prospects for the travel industry with the opening of Clark’s International Airport’s new passenger terminal.

In a Viber message, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat told the BusinessMirror, “The launch of the beautiful new passenger terminal at Clark International Airport will certainly encourage more foreign carriers to fly to the Philippines and bring in business travelers and tourists.”

She added, the new passenger terminal, which expands the airport’s capacity to at least 8 million passengers annually, would make leisure destinations in the north more accessible to tourists.

“Instead of flying into Manila, tourists can land directly in Clark, check into the DOT-accredited hotels there, and enjoy Pampanga’s food and sights. They can also go on road trips to Baguio, Baler, La Union, Ilocos, etc.”

Two of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers—Jeju Air and Jin Air—are among the new carriers that will offer direct flights to Clark from Incheon. Jeju Air’s flights will be on Thursdays and Sundays, while Jin Air will fly every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday starting on May 16.

The DOT chief recently noted that South Koreans were already ranked third among the top tourist markets in the country as of April 26, making it “highly possible” for the country to reach 1-1.3 million leisure tourists by yearend. (See, “3-month tourism

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Electronics products still drive PHL exports; 9.8% growth posted in Q1

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By Cai U. Ordinario

HE country’s exports posted a growth of 9.8 percent in the first quarter of the year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Data showed the country shipped $19.42 billion worth of goods to various parts of the globe in January 2022 to March 2022.

In March, data showed total export sales in March 2022 amounted to $7.17 billion, representing growth of 5.9 percent from the 15.8 percent posted in February.

PSA data, however, showed that total exports grew 33.4 percent in March 2021.

Based on PSA data, exports of electronic products grew 10.3 percent to $10.92 billion in the first three months of the year from $9.9 billion in the same period of 2021.

Top exports

In March, data showed electronic products continued to be the country’s top export in March 2022 with total earnings of $3.96 billion. This amount accounted for 55.3 percent of the total exports during the period.

Meanwhile, imports grew 28 percent to $33.31 billion in the January to March period in 2022 from $26.02 billion in 2021.

In March, imports posted a 27.7-percent growth to $12.17 billion in 2022 from $9.53 billion in the same period last year.

The country’s top import in the first quarter reached $8.04 billion in the January to March 2022 period. This was 11.5 percent higher than the $7.22 billion in the same period last year.

In March, imports of electronic products amounted to $2.76 billion

or a share of 22.6 percent to the total imports in March 2022. This grew 7.6 percent from the $2.56 billion recorded in March 2021.

Markets

The country’s top export destinations were the United States, the People’s Republic of China and Japan in March and the first quarter of this year.

Exports to the United States accounted for 15.4 percent of all the country’s exports in the January to March period and 15.2 percent in the month of March.

Shipments to America reached $2.99 billion in the first quarter of this year, representing growth of 7.9 percent from $2.78 billion posted in the same period in 2021.

In March 2022, Filipino exporters shipped $1.09 billion to the United States. This represented a growth of 8.1 percent from $1 billion in March 2021.

Exports to China accounted for 14.8 percent of total exports in the first quarter of 2022 and 16.5 percent of the total in March 2022.

Filipino exporters shipped a total of $2.87 billion worth of goods to China in the first quarter of this year. This was a 12.3-percent increase from the $2.56 billion posted in the January to March period last year.

In March 2022, local exporters sent $1.83 billion in goods to China.

This was an 8.8-percent growth from the $1.09 billion posted in the same period last year.

Exports to Japan, PSA data showed, accounted for 14.3 percent of total exports in the January to March 2022 period and 14.5 percent of March 2022 exports.

Shipments to Japan amounted to $2.77 billion in the first quarter of 2022. This represented a growth of 3.1

percent from the $2.69 billion in the same period last year.

In March, Filipino exports sent $1.04 billion worth of goods to Japan.

This was a 5.1-percent growth from the $900 million shipped in March 2021.

Import sources

Meanwhile, the country’s top import sources in March and in the first quarter of the year were China, South Korea, and Japan.

Imports from China accounted for 18.3 percent of total imports in the first quarter and 17.5 percent of shipments in March 2022.

Manila imported $6.1 billion worth of goods from China in the January to March period, a contraction of 2.9 percent from the $6.28 billion posted in the same period of 2021.

In March, goods shipped from China amounted to $2.13 billion in 2022, a 3.7 percent contraction from the $2.2 billion posted in 2021.

Imports from Korea accounted for 10 percent of total imports in the January to March period in 2022 and 9.8 percent of imports in March.

These imports from Seoul amounted to $3.34 billion in January to March 2022, a 71.7-percent growth from the $1.94 billion in the same period of 2021.

In March, shipments from Korea amounted to $1.2 billion, a 77.7-percent growth from the $673.35 million posted in the same month of 2021.

Meanwhile, imports from Japan accounted for 9.7 percent of total shipments in the first quarter this year and 10.2 percent of March imports.

Manila imported $3.22 billion worth of goods from Tokyo in March 2022. This represented a 31.3-percent growth from the $2.45 billion posted in March 2021.

UniTeam’s miting de avance in Tagum City

earnings exceed 2021 numbers,” in the BusinessMirror, May 2, 2022.)

Other foreign carriers that will fly into Clark will be Jetstar and Scoot from Singapore, Qatar Airways from Doha, Emirates Airlines from Dubai, Air Asia, as well local carriers Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.

Pre-pandemic, in 2019, there were 436,235 foreign leisure travelers who arrived in the country via Clark, which then served 686 weekly flights by 18 airlines.

For biz travelers too

Romulo Puyat said Pampanga alone, where the airport is located, offers a variety of tourism activities, from culinary explorations, culture and heritage visits, to adventure trips. It also invites business travelers to gather for meetings, incentive tours, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE). In fact, SM Hotels and Conventions Corp. will be opening its new convention center in Clark before the end of May. “Clark was one of the destinations visited by some delegates to the recent World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit. More than just a freeport zone, this place is an emerging tourism hub that has great potential to earn huge gains for the tourism industry,” she stressed.

Other accessible tourism sites from the Clark airport include the Minalungao National Park and Mount 387 in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija; Biak-na-Bato National Park in Bulacan; Sitio Pidpid and Sapang Uwak in Porac, Pampanga; the Eco Park, Glamping Sites and Farm Villages in San Jose, Tarlac; and Pante Capas Falls in Capas, Tarlac.

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Presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gestures before tens of thousands of supporters during a miting de avance rally in Tagum City in the northern part of Davao City with vice presidential frontrunner Inday Sara Duterte (not in photo). The UniTeam tandem earlier held a similar well-attended rally in Guimbal, Iloilo, and will hold their final miting de avance rally at the Solaire grounds in Paranaque City before the end of the campaign period. Roy Domingo

Kamalayan pursues advocacy in Congress

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ith just two days before the elections, the Kamalayan partylist hopes it can bring to Congress its various advocacies for the basic sectors, which it had pushed and promoted as an organization.

As a group, the Kamalayan (Kalipunan ng Maralita at Malayang Mamamayan), had been pushing for the interest and welfare of various sectors like women, youth, senior citizens, overseas workers and others.

The party-list, which ranks first on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ballot for 166 party-list groups in the May 9 elections, anchors its advocacy on “Health, Edukasyon, Livelihood, Pabahay at Seguridad” (HELPS).

“This is our guide and platform in pushing for solutions that would uplift the quality of life of those in the basic sectors, especially the poor,” the partylist said, whose first nominee is lawyer Tinette Burgos.

Burgos practically grew up in the world of public service, joining and leading groups in relief missions in times of calamities, and in providing other forms of assistance to impoverished areas around the country.

The lawyer was a fixture in Northern Luzon, especially in Cagayan and Isabela during the times that the country’s northern portion was hit by successive powerful typhoons, distributing assistance and spearheading relief operations.

The Peace Kamp, a group that is educating an Aeta community in Porac, Pampanga is one of Burgos’ involvements in the area of education advocacy.

As a third-year law student at the Ateneo de Manila University, she put up the Batang Henyo, a non-profit organization that promotes the full development of children and the total recognition of their rights.

Burgos’ exposure in public service and her personal advocacy to help alleviate the plight of the poor and marginalized propelled her to collaborate with Kamalayan and the firming up of its advocacies before it turned into a party-list group.

Although Kamalayan is widely present in the National Capital Region, it also has chapters in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, and has forged alliances with various groups and associations around the country.

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Over 1-M Pinoys join ranks of underemployed in March

By Cai U. Ordinario & Samuel P. Medenilla

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VER a million Filipinos joined the ranks of the underemployed in March 2022 compared to February, according to the latest Labor Force Survey (LFS).

On Friday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said that while there was a decline in the ranks of the unemployed, more Filipinos became underemployed in March.

Based on the data, unemployed Filipinos reached 2.875 million while the underemployed reached 7.422 million in March 2022.

“When we look at the quality of jobs, that’s our proxy for underemployment, we saw that the addition to the employment in agriculture and forestry, that’s where the increase in underemployment came from,” National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa told reporters on Friday.

Data from the PSA showed that out of the total underemployed in March, 4.81 million are considered visibly underemployed while 2.612 million are invisibly underemployed.

The number of visibly underemployed

Filipinos declined by 118,200 year on year but compared to February 2022, there was a 619,000 increase in their number.

Among the invisibly underemployed, their ranks swelled by 204,500 compared to March 2021 and by 420,700 compared to February 2022.

PSA data showed visible underemployment contracted 2.4 percent compared to last year but increased 14.8 percent compared to last month.

In terms of invisible underemployment, there was an 8.5 percent increase compared to last year and a 19.2 percent jump compared to February this year.

Underemployed persons are employed persons who expressed a desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work.

Invisible underemployment is experienced by underemployed persons who are working at least 40 hours in a week while visible underemployment is experienced by underemployed persons working less than 40 hours in a week.

“The average hours worked of an employed person in March 2022 was 40.6

hours. This is lower than the reported average hours worked of an employed person in February 2022 [40.8 hours] but higher than that reported in March 2021 [39.7 hours],” the PSA said in a statement.

The underemployment rate among males at 17.5 percent was higher than females at 13.3 percent. The unemployment rate among females was reportedly higher at 6.4 percent of the 20.38 million total female labor force than their male counterpart at 5.3 percent of the 29.47 million male labor force.

The increase in underemployment may have been driven by the rapid rise in the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR). Mapa said the LFPR of 65.4 percent was the highest at least between April 2020 and March 2022.

By sex, male LFPR was estimated at 76.9 percent while female LFPR was 53.7 percent. Employment rate was likewise higher among males at 94.7 percent than their female counterpart at 93.6 percent.

“The LFPR in March 2022 was higher by 0.4 percentage point from the 65 percent LFPR reported for the same month in 2021, and higher by 1.6 percentage points from the estimate a month ago,”

the PSA said in a statement.

By sector, the services sectors dominated the labor market contributing 57.4 percent share of the country’s 46.98 million employed workforce.

The agriculture and the industry sectors accounted for 25.2 percent and 17.4 percent of the employed persons, respectively.

Joblessness

Meanwhile, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) highlighted that the Philippines tallied a new record-low unemployment rate since the start of the pandemic as the majority of the country shifted to alert level 1 in March 2022.

PSA said the country’s unemployment rate fell from 6.4 percent in February to 5.8 percent in March 2022.

Together with higher LFPR, this translated to significant employment creation of 1.5 million between February and March. This brings the net employment to 4.4 million above the pre-pandemic level.

“The March labor force survey results reflect the gains from moving around 70 percent of the economy to alert level 1.

As we continue to manage the risks, we

reiterate our recommendation to shift the entire country to alert level 1 to generate more employment and strengthen the domestic economy against external shocks,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua.

According to Chua, the country has made significant progress in its recovery. As of May 1, 2022, 81 percent of the economy has shifted to alert level 1. However, the Neda chief emphasized that the country cannot fully recover without fully resuming face-to-face classes.

Through the issuance of Executive Order No. 166, President Duterte directed the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to “strengthen efforts towards the resumption of face-to-face learning.”

“We have already seen a significant recovery in badly hit sectors such as tourism and leisure.

We need to take advantage of our progress in vaccination and mobility to fully reopen all sectors, especially face-to-face schooling. This will help secure better opportunities for future generations,” Chua added.

Back to pre-pandemic level

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay, for her part, said the government is now a step closer to bringing back the unemployment rate back to its pre-pandemic level.

“We are happy that for the first time after the pandemic our unemployment rate significantly dropped at 5.8 percent. That is equivalent to 2.87 million unemployed Filipinos,” said in a

televised interview.

She noted this is closer to the 5.1 percent unemployment rate before the onset of Covid-19 in 2020.

Acting Presidential Spokesman Martin M. Andanar attributed the improvement to the declaration of AL 1 in NCR and other parts of the country.

“This proves how effective our calibrated strategy of shifting to Alert Level System is to further reopen the economy—where more businesses are operating and more Filipinos are able to go to work—while ramping up our Covid-19 vaccination drive,” Andanar said.

For his part, DOLE Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III also lauded the highest employment rate in the latest LFS since the pandemic at 94.2 percent or 46.975 million employed workers. But he expressed concern with the underemployment rate slightly increasing to 15.8 percent or 7.422 million underemployed workers in March 2022 which, he said, is higher than February 2022 with 14.0 percent or 6.382 million.

“These figures encourage us to do more within our remaining days in office and continue our efforts as we transition to a new administration,” Bello said.

He said they expect their partnership with the Employers Confederation of the Philippines for the generation of more jobs as well as the other initiatives of the National Employment Recovery Strategy task force and the International Labor Organization to maintain the said employment gains.

Think tank sees PHL’s return to pre-pandemic growth by Q2

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onetary authorities are expected to increase policy rates after the elections, according to local think tank First Metro Investment Corp.-University of Asia and the Pacific (FMIC-UA&P) Capital Market Research.

In its latest Market Call report, the think tank said a rate hike becomes more likely if the country’s first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth hits 10-percent yearon-year (YoY).

The government will be releasing the official first quarter performance of the Philippine economy on May 12, three days after Filipinos cast their votes in this year’s national and local polls.

“The economy will likely continue its growth trajectory and reach pre-pandemic [Q2-2019] levels by Q2 [second quarter],” FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research said.

“We expect a policy rate hike only after a clear outcome in the May elections and Q1 [first quarter] GDP growth hits at least 10 percent YoY,” it added.

The think tank expressed high hopes for the economy’s first quarter performance on the back of business optimism.

FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research also noted the rebound in employment in February, manufacturing sector’s outsized gain in February likely to spill over into March with a 3-year high purchasing managers index (PMI), and export growth at a six-month peak should provide solid support to the growing optimism.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)

reported on Friday that the country’s unemployment rate eased to 5.8 percent, the first time since pre-pandemic times.

The data showed that about 2.87 million Filipinos were unemployed in March 2022, down from the 3.13 million in February 2022 and 3.44 million in March 2021.

“Despite the Russia-Ukraine war driving crude oil, commodity prices and in turn domestic inflation higher, we don’t expect a policy rate hike until Q1 [first quarter] growth performance meets government expectations,” the think tank said.

“With interest rates, both abroad and domestically, continuing to rise, risk aversion towards long tenor bonds will likely play out.

Nonetheless, we remain cautiously optimistic about the equities market due to robust earnings growth,” it added.

However, FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research said the peso would remain weak for as long as crude oil prices fluctuate mildly around $100/barrel and the US economy’s recovery (and the US dollar) remains strong.

The think tank also said the slowdown in national government spending in February, which dipped by 5.1 percent may limit the contribution of government spending to GDP. It explained that infrastructure work slowed due to the 45-day ban on pre-election spending.

However, after the May 9 elections, national government expenditures, specially for infrastructure projects, should post a strong rebound.

Cai U. Ordinario

Victims of typhoon ‘Rolly’s’ lahar flood get new homes from PRC

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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AMILIES made homeless by lahar flooding caused by Supertyphoon Rolly in Daraga and Guinobatan, Albay were the beneficiaries of new homes from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Friday.

The lahar flooding was caused by Supertyphoon Rolly (international codename Goni), which made landfall in Albay on November 1, 2020, and debris from Mayon Volcano’s eruption on January 18, 2018.

During the turnover of the Certificates of Occupancy to 165 new homes for families, PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard Gordon said that the new shelters were given to the affected families “to uplift their lives.”

“I’m happy for the beneficiaries...151,000 houses [all over the country] have been built by the Philippine Red Cross and International Red Cross,” Gordon added, partly in Filipino.

Each house costs more than P200,000.00.

Goni, considered the world’s most powerful tropical cyclone in 2020, affected 522,600 families, or 2,030,130 persons, in Regions II, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, V, VIII, Cordillera Administrative Region, and National Capital Region.

Immediately after the damage assessment in Albay, Gordon initiated a search for a suitable place to relocate those who lost their homes to the lahar flood.

“We want people to bounce back. As I told Governor [Al Francis] Bichara, I needed a big parcel of land, where we could relocate people.

And Governor Bichara acted right away,” Gordon recalled.

Each family also received the first tranche of P10,000 cash assistance to help them rehabilitate their livelihood.

The relocation site, in Bubulusan, Guinobatan, is assessed to be safe, compared to the locations of the beneficiaries’ homes before the super typhoon.

PRC collaborated with local governments in Albay and various government agencies, such as the Albay provincial human settlement office and the provincial engineering office, to make the housing project possible.

The project was made possible through partnerships with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Canadian Red Cross, Embassy of the Republic of Korea, British Embassy, Thai Red Cross, Spanish Red Cross, Singapore Red Cross and online donors.

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

The World

Dollar returns with vengeance to wipe out emerging markets

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he dollar is powering ahead against almost all its major peers, buoyed by higher Treasury yields and a selloff in stocks that is turbocharging demand for the world’s reserve currency.

Bloomberg’s gauge of the greenback gained for second day, approaching a two-year high set last month as investors seek shelter amid concern Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes will send the global economy into recession.

Asian currencies were the biggest losers Friday, with the Taiwan dollar, South Korean won and the Chinese yuan all dropping at least 0.5 percent.

“You’re probably not wanting to plonk your money down anywhere else other than dollars when all you’re focused on is safety,” said Vishnu Varathan, head of economics and strategy at Mizuho Bank Ltd. in Singapore.

“The dollar is the only safe prize in town right now.”

A mix of higher interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty has boosted the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index by more than 6 percent this year. Relentless dollar strength has hammered the yen in particular, with Japan’s currency sliding almost 12 percent since the end of December as the nation’s dovish monetary policy diverges with the Fed’s hawkish rhetoric.

Emerging-market bonds are also being hammered after US 10-year yields climbed above 3 percent this week. Sovereign debt slid from Korea to Malay-

sia Friday as investors ditched growth-sensitive assets.

Intervention risk

The dollar’s surge raises the specter of greater intervention by the region’s central banks looking to stem the rout in their currencies.

Some measures are already underway. Japanese officials have been vocalizing their displeasure of the yen’s “disorderly” moves, while the People’s Bank of China has sought to curb the yuan’s weakness by cutting the amount of money banks need to have in reserves for foreign-currency holdings.

“Asian central banks are not out to draw a line in the sand in this kind of environment,” said Sim Moh Siong, a currency strategist at Bank of Singapore. “There could be intervention to smooth excessive volatility.”

Hong Kong may be next. The city’s currency is a whisker away from the 7.85 per dollar level at which the central bank steps in to ensure the peg to the dollar remains in place.

Strategists say buying the dollar against virtually everything else is likely to remain a winning strategy.

“King dollar still has more to gain over coming months,” said Rodrigo Catril, a strategist at National Australia Bank Ltd. in Sydney, who recommends a core long dollar position in portfolios.

“The Fed remains resolute on its quest to quickly get to neutral if not going beyond.” Bloomberg News

Beijing’s Covid subway shutdown spurs ‘bicycle kingdom’ revival

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icycle traffic in China’s capital surged after officials shut down large parts of the subway system to contain a Covid outbreak, with white-collar workers toting briefcases competing with others for two-wheelers to get around the city.

Roads in the eastern part of China’s capital this week flashed back to a common scene from three to four decades ago when the closed-off Communist country was behind in the use of automobiles. The revival of the former “bicycle kingdom” stems from the subway closures and orders for buses to skip stops to blunt Omicron’s spread.

Com mute rs i n t he sout h eastern part of Beijing where most subway stations were shut turned to the phalanx of bikes parked outside of each entrance.

The bike-sharing services, typically used by tourists or for local jaunts, are maintained by internet giants Didi Global Inc., Meituan and others backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. The scene in Beijing, as well as eerie photos of empty streets from Shanghai, are among the more benign signs of how deeply China’s Covid Zero policy is transforming the country’s biggest and most powerful cities. Desolate streets, metal fencing and hazmat suits are visual manifestations of the dislocation that has snarled supply chains and hampered the economy during the country’s battle to eradicate the virus.

Rush hour

Data collected by companies offering bicycle services show traffic spiked during rush hours on Thursday, the first day back to work following the five-day Labor Day holiday. The government ramped up Covid restrictions during the break, encouraging people to work from home and

shutting down part of the public transportation system.

In eastern Chaoyang district, where most of the city’s more than 500 infections have been found, cycling traffic surged by nearly 70 percent on Thursday morning, China News Service reported. It cited data from Helloinc.com, which rents out its fleet of bicycles and e-bikes via the all-in-one mobile payment app Alipay offered by billionaire Jack Ma’s Ant Group Co. Long before China started its dramatic rise to become the world’s second biggest economy and overtake the US as the largest market for cars, roads in China’s big cities were dominated by bikes.

In the second half of the 20th century, their dominance earned the country the “bicycle kingdom” nickname. Back then, the twowheel vehicles were among the must-haves for newlyweds, much as apartments and cars are these days for the country’s growing middle class.

Only option

In the financial hub of Shanghai, where the lockdown has slightly eased for a majority of the city’s 25 million residents, bikes are the only transportation choice available for those granted freedom to leave their homes. Private cars still aren’t allowed on the roads without a government-issued permit, while subways and buses in the city remain closed.

Shortly after the Beijing municipal government announced the closure of a slew of subway stations earlier this week, netizens started posting black-and-white photos taken decades ago of hordes of bicycle riders on the streets. The joke was that this is what Beijing will look like after the Labor Day holiday ends. For many, it’s come to pass. Bloomberg News

BusinessMirror

Saturday, May 7, 2022

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‘Scared like most everybody else’: Stocks go from shaky to unhinged

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common warning on Wall Street for a decade is that trading desks have been overrun by people who are too young to know what it’s like to navigate a Federal Reserve tightening cycle.

They’re finding out now.

In markets, there’s turbulence, then there’s whatever you call the last two days, when a 900-point Dow rally was followed 12 hours later by a 1,000-point decline.

Hundreds of billions of dollars of value are conjured and incinerated across assets in the space of a day lately, a stark reversal from the straight-up trajectory of the post-pandemic era.

W here once ever y dip was bought, now ever y bounce is sold. T hursd ay was only the fourth day in 20 years in which stocks and bonds each posted 2 percent-plus declines, going by major exchange-traded funds t h at t r ac k t he m . Conce r te d cross-asset stress of that magnitude reliably spurs speculation that big funds are being forced to sell.

“I’m scared like ever ybody else,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Leuthold Group and one of Wall Street’s

most visible bulls. “I’ve been in the business almost 40 years now—these things don’t get any easier, because you never know for sure and you also know you’ve been wrong in the past.”

Behind the churn is a Fed committed to what will likely be the most aggressive withdrawal of stimulus for the economy since 1994. Once an anchor of stability for the market, the central bank is now its chief antagonist, sworn to subdue the hottest inflation in four decades.

“Clients are calling and saying, ‘So are we done yet? Should we be concer ned? Shou ld we put it all under the mattress?’”

Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at K ingsview Investment Management, said by phone from Chicago. “ This feels a little bit more like 2000, 2002, where it’s just a steady persistent decline punctuated by some rallies.”

Fed disruption is everywhere.

On Wednesday, after Chair Jerome Powell signaled that a rate increase of 75 basis points is off the table for coming meetings, stocks rallied, sending the S&P 500 to the biggest post-Fed gain in a decade.

Then the market buckled Thursday, with the index falling more than 3.5 percent as traders reassessed the landscape.

Over the past 25 years, only three other Fed policy meetings have seen big market reversals of this size to the downside over the first two days. “ W h at a d i f ference a d ay makes,” said Frank Davis, senior managing director at LEK Securities. “Yesterday people were reading into the Fed’s comment seeing some predictability and stability. But now that looks like a big headfake.”

Virtually every asset is suffering from central bank-induced turmoil. The dollar, down almost 1 percent on the Fed day, staged a full recovery Thursday to approach a 20-year high. In fixed income, 10-year Treasury yields erased Wednesday’s slide, topping 3 percent.

Few are expecting the cavalry to ride in any time soon, or the plunge-protection team. The Fed has been hamstrung by inflation and needs financial conditions to tighten to help slow down the appreciation of prices for food, cars and shelter.

While Powell has repeatedly

expressed confidence in achieving a soft landing in the economy, the risk of a recession is a threat investors can’t afford to ignore, according to Dennis DeBusschere, the founder of 22V Research.

“This is why every rally needs to be sold,” DeBusschere said.

“Because higher risk assets mean you don’t fight inf lation! You have no way out!!” he added.

“Who the heck is going to step into this tape?”

In fact, 2022 is shaping up to be the most painful year for dip buyers in decades. Since January, the average drop in the S&P 500 has lasted 2.3 days, more than any year since 1984, while its returns following down sessions have been negative 0.2 percent. That’s the worst in 35 years.

Investors, conditioned to the success of dip buying for most of the past decade, are spooked by the new experience, exiting equityfocused funds in April at one of the fastest paces in years.

To Greg Boutle, US head of equity and derivative strategy at BNP Paribas, Wednesday’s bounce was “the hallmark of bear market rally.”

“Positioning has been ver y defensive into this move, which to some extent could mitigate a sense of panic or forced selling,” he said. “But the price action today, it’s hard to read as anything other than problematic in the very short term.” Bloomberg News

Japan to allow tourist groups as soon as this month–report

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apan is set to experiment with opening its borders to small groups of vaccinated foreign tourists as soon as this month, Fuji News Network reported, in a potential lifeline for the country’s ailing travel industry.

Those wishing to visit must have undergone three Covid vaccination shots and be part of a package tour with a fixed itinerary, FNN said Friday, citing multiple government officials. The limited resumption of inbound tourism will be treated as an experiment and, if infections do not spread, the program would be expanded, it said.

The report came a day after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida

said in a speech in London that he planned to relax pandemic-related border restrictions in line with other wealthy democracies from June. He later added a note of caution, telling reporters he needed to look at the state of infections after a series of public holidays in late April and early May known as Golden Week.

Border easing would be welcomed

by Japan’s tourism industry, which has been urging the government to allow in more overseas visitors to take advantage of the weakening yen. Until the pandemic, inbound travel was a rare bright spot for Japan’s economy as the number of foreign visitors expanded five-fold between 2011 and 2019.

“As soon as June, based on the opinions of experts, we will review coronavirus regulations, including border policies, in stages,” Kishida said late on Thursday. “We are still in a period of transition back to normal life.”

While Kishida didn’t mention masks, the government advises using them and the overwhelming majority of Japanese continue to wear them, both indoors and out.

The impact of the opening up may be muted by the fact that China, the largest source of tourists before the pandemic, has effectively closed its borders.

Kishida slammed Japan’s borders shut to non-resident foreigners in November, a move that polls

showed was widely supported by the public as the omicron variant spread rapidly.

While new entry is now allowed for foreign students and businesspeople, he has retained a cap of 10,000 arrivals from overseas per day and until now excluded tourists. His cautious stance—which he credits for helping keep Japan’s virus death rate low—has helped bolster his public support ahead of a key upper house election set to be held in July.

Japan is looking at doubling the daily entry cap to 20,000 and accepting overseas tourists from June, the Nikkei newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources. Bloomberg News

Oil set for second weekly gain on signs of market tightening

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il headed for its first backto-back weekly gain since early March on signs the market is tightening as the European Union moved toward banning Russian crude and the US said it would refill its strategic reserves.

West Texas Intermediate rose toward $109 a barrel, and is up 4 percent this week. The EU intends to phase in a ban on Russian crude by year-end to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine, although the plan has drawn opposition from Hungary. Approval requires support from all 27 states.

The US government said Thursday that it would begin a buyback of crude to replenish the nation’s reserve as early as this fall. President Joe Biden announced a major drawdown in the holdings earlier this year to try to combat higher gasoline prices. US retail pump prices remain close to a record.

Oil has rallied more than 40 percent this year as the invasion of Ukraine upended commodity markets. This week’s advance— the third in the past four—has come despite lingering concerns

that lockdowns in China to combat Covid-19 outbreaks are hurting consumption.

While the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies did announce another modest increase in supply, there’s doubt the alliance will be able to deliver the full volume.

“The prospect of EU sanctions on Russian oil threatens to make an already-tight situation worse,” said Howie Lee, Singapore-based economist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. “With OPEC+ not hitting their monthly quotas as well, the supply shortage issue appears to overshadow the demand loss from China.”

EU member nations are expected to continue debating the proposal for curbs on Russian oil and fuels on Friday, with Hungary digging in its heels. Viktor Orban, the country’s prime minister, has warned that the group risks fracturing its unified front against Moscow if it tries to push the current plan through.

Oil remains in backwardation, a bullish pattern that’s characterized by near-term prices trading above longer-dated ones. The spread be-

tween Brent’s two nearest December contracts, for this year and in 2023, widened to above $13 a barrel this week from about $7.50 a barrel a month ago.

Product markets have also shown signs of strength this week, especially in the US, where nationwide holdings of gasoline and distillates have dropped. Gasoline futures are trading near a record

after a weekly gain of more than 5 percent.

The global market’s robust condition was reflected in comments from supermajor Shell Plc. The company is seeing increased demand for oil products, Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden said on an earnings call after announcing the highest quarterly earnings on record. Bloomberg News

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The World BusinessMirror

Saturday, May 7, 2022

www.businessmirror.com.ph

moves to silence Covid Zero ‘Seemed like goodbye’: Mariupol Xicritics in sign of growing tumult defenders make their last stand C

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VIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian fighters in the tunnels underneath Mariupol’s pulverized steel plant held out against Russian troops Thursday in an increasingly desperate and perhaps doomed effort to deny Moscow what would be its biggest success of the war yet: the complete capture of the strategic port city.

The gutted remains of an Antonov An-225, the world’s biggest cargo aircraft, destroyed during recent fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces, at the Antonov airport in Hostomel, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday, May 5, 2022. AP

The bloody battle came amid growing speculation that President Vladimir Putin wants to present the Russian people with a battlefield triumph—or announce an escalation of the war—in time for Victory Day on Monday. Victory Day is the biggest patriotic holiday on the Russian calendar, marking the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany.

Some 2,000 Ukrainian fighters, by Russia’s most recent estimate, were holed up at Mariupol’s sprawling Azovstal steelworks, the last pocket of resistance in a city largely reduced to rubble over the past two months. A few hundred civilians were also believed trapped there.

The defenders will “stand till the end. They only hope for a miracle,” Kateryna Prokopenko said after speaking by phone to her husband, a leader of the steel plant defenders. “ T hey won’t surrender.”

She said her husband, Azov Regiment commander Denys Prokopenko, told her he would love her forever. “I am going mad from this. It seemed like words of goodbye,” she said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack was preventing the evacuation of civilians remaining in the plant’s underground bunkers.

“Just imagine this hell! And there are children there,” he said late Thursday in his nightly video address. “More than two months of constant shelling, bombing,

constant death.”

The Russians managed to get inside with the help of an electrician who knew the layout, said Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Internal Affairs Ministry.

“He showed them the underground tunnels which are leading to the factory,” Gerashchenko said in a video posted late Wednesday.

“Yesterday, the Russians started storming these tunnels, using the information they received from the betrayer.”

The Kremlin denied its troops were storming the plant.

The fall of Mariupol would deprive Ukraine of a vital port, allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014, and free up troops to fight elsewhere in the Donbas, the eastern industrial region that the Kremlin says is now its chief objective.

Capt. Sviatoslav Palamar, deputy commander of the Azov Regiment, pleaded on Ukrainian TV for the evacuation of civilians and wounded fighters from the steelworks, saying soldiers were “dying in agony due to the lack of proper treatment.”

The Kremlin has demanded the troops surrender. They have refused. Russia has also accused them of preventing the civilians from leaving.

The head of the United Nations said another attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol and the

Official: US gave intel before Ukraine sank Russian warship

China orders govt and state firms to dump foreign PCs

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ASHINGTON—The US says it shared intelligence with Ukraine about the location of the Russian missile cruiser Moskva prior to the strike that sank the warship, an incident that was a high-profile failure for Russia’s military.

An American official said Thursday that Ukraine alone decided to target and sink the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet using its own anti-ship missiles. But given Russia’s attacks on the Ukrainian coastline from the sea, the US has provided “a range of intelligence” that includes locations of those ships, said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Biden administration has ramped up intelligence sharing with Ukraine alongside the shipment of arms and missiles to help it repel Russia’s invasion.

The disclosure of US support in the Moskva strike comes as the White House is under pressure from Republicans to do more to support Ukraine’s resistance and as polls suggest Americans question whether President Joe Biden is being tough enough on Russia.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion in February, the White House has tried to balance supporting Ukraine, a democratic ally, against not doing anything that would seem to provoke a direct war between Putin and the US and Nato allies. AP

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hina has ordered central government agencies and state-backed corporations to replace foreign-branded personal computers with domestic alternatives within two years, marking one of Beijing’s most aggressive efforts so far to eradicate key overseas technology from within its most sensitive organs.

Staff were asked after the weeklong May break to turn in foreign PCs for home-made alternatives that run on operating software developed domestically, people familiar with the plan said. The exercise, which was mandated by central government authorities, is likely to eventually replace at least 50 million PCs on a centralgovernment level alone, they said, asking to remain anonymous discussing a sensitive matter.

The decision advances China’s decade-long campaign to replace imported technology with local alternatives, a sweeping effort that covers everything from semiconductors to networking gear and phones. It’s likely to directly affect sales by HP Inc. and Dell Technologies Inc., the country’s biggest PC brands after local champion Lenovo Group Ltd. Lenovo erased losses to climb as much as 5 percent on Friday morning in Hong Kong, while software

plant was underway. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “We must continue to do all we can to get people out of these hellscapes.”

More than 100 civilians were rescued from the steelworks over the weekend. But many previous attempts to open safe corridors from Mariupol have fallen through, with Ukraine blaming shelling and firing by the Russians.

Meanwhile, 10 weeks into the devastating war, Ukraine’s military claimed it recaptured some areas in the south and repelled other attacks in the east, further frustrating Putin’s ambitions after his abortive attempt to seize Kyiv.

Ukrainian and Russian forces are fighting village by village.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Russian forces are making only “plodding” progress in the Donbas.

The head of Britain’s armed forces, Chief of the Defense Staff Adm. Tony Radakin, said Putin is “trying to rush to a tactical victory” before Victory Day. But he said Russian forces are struggling to gain momentum.

Radakin told British broadcaster Talk TV that Russia is using missiles and weapons at such a rate that it is in a “logistics war” to keep supplied. “This is going to be a hard slog,” he said.

On Thursday, an American official said the US shared intelligence with Ukraine about the location of a Russian f lagship before the mid-April strike that

developer Kingsoft Corp. also recouped its earlier decline to gain 3.3 percent. On mainland Chinese exchanges, Inspur Electronic Information Industry Co., a Chinese server maker, gained 6 percent, while peer Dawning Information Industry Co. jumped more than 4 percent.

The replacement effort reflects Beijing’s growing concerns around information security as well as a confidence in homegrown hardware: the world’s biggest laptop and server makers today include Lenovo, Huawei Technologies Co. and Inspur Ltd., while local developers such as Kingsoft and Standard Software have made rapid strides in office software against the likes of Microsoft Corp. and Adobe Inc. The campaign will be extended to provincial governments later and also abide by the two-year timeframe, the people said. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technolog y and State C ou nc i l I n for m at ion O f f ic e didn’t respond to faxed requests for comment.

China has been encouraging use of home-made IT products in government agencies for at least a decade, regularly barring certain products from government procurement lists. In response, US

sank it, one of Moscow’s highestprofile failures in the war.

The US has provided “a range of intelligence” that includes locations of warships, said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The official said the decision to target the missile cruiser Moskva was purely a Ukrainian decision.

Fearful of new attacks surrounding Victory Day, the mayor of the western Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk urged residents to leave for the countryside over the long weekend and warned them not to gather in public places.

And the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, a key transit point for evacuees from Mariupol, announced a curfew from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning.

In other developments, Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, defended Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in an interview with The Associated Press but said he didn’t expect the conflict to “drag on this way.”

Lukashenko, whose country was used by the Russians as a launch pad for the invasion, said Moscow had to act because Kyiv was “provoking” Russia.

But he also created some distance between himself and the Kremlin, repeatedly calling for an end to the conflict and referring to it as a “war”—a term Moscow refuses to use. It insists on calling the fighting a “special military operation.” AP

IT giants such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and Microsoft have set up joint ventures with firms backed by the Chinese government, to secure orders from the richest state-owned companies.

That process has long been dogged by inadequacies in Chinese-developed software and circuitry, forcing users to rely on imported equipment. That changed in recent years, as local champions such as Inspur and Lenovo gained global market share, though their products still rely on cuttingedge American components such as processors from Intel Corp. or Advanced Micro Devices Inc. As of Friday, HP-branded machines were still available for purchase on a website used by central government procurement bodies, though it’s unclear if transactions would go through.

The latest central government directive is likely to cover only PC brands and software, and exclude hard-to-replace components such as processors from Intel and AMD, the people said.

China w i l l most ly encourage Linux-based operating systems to replace Microsoft’s Windows.

Shanghai-based Standard Software is one of the top providers of such tools, one person said.

Bloomberg News

hina’s top leaders warned against questioning Xi Jinping’s Covid Zero strategy, striking a more defensive tone as pressure builds to relax virus curbs and protect the economic growth that has long been a source of Communist Party strength.

The Politburo’s supreme seven-member Standing Committee pledged Thursday during a meeting led by Xi to “fight against any speech that distorts, questions or rejects our country’s Covid-control policy,” state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said. The body reaffirmed its support for the lockdown-dependent approach, noting that China has been continuously calibrating measures since the first outbreak two years ago in Wuhan.

“Our pandemic prevention-and-control strategy is determined by the party’s nature and principles,” the seven-member committee said, according to CCTV. “Our policy can stand the test of history, and our measures are scientific and effective.”

The Standing Committee’s comments came after White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci said China’s virus lockdowns were unlikely to be successful in the long term. At home, too, some have begun to question whether the need to contain the virus justified the impact of lockdowns and resulting supply chain disruptions, after the nation’s economic activity contracted sharply in April.

One of the best known defenders of China’s policies, former Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin, published and then soon deleted a WeChat post earlier Thursday suggesting that the economic costs of containing the virus shouldn’t exceed the public-health benefits. The national government should “either make low-cost containment work or tell the truth to the entire Chinese society” if the virus situation worsens in the capital, Hu said.

Xi can afford little internal dissent as he prepares for a twice-adecade leadership reshuffle later this year, when he’s expected to secure a precedent-breaking third term. The statement didn’t mention the need to balance economic growth, which has been a key source of Communist Party legitimacy for more than four decades, suggesting Xi is staking his authority on a Covid policy he’s trumpeted as evidence of how China’s model of governance is superior to Western democracy.

‘Xi cannot afford to lose’

The Standing Committee statement shows Xi is seeking to fend opposition to the policy because nobody can challenge the party’s decisions, said Deng Yuwen, a former editor of a Communist Party newspaper. The Shanghai chaos reinforced Xi’s belief in Covid Zero because a high death toll would be blamed on the party, he added.

“No matter how much disunity from within, they still have to listen to Xi,” Deng said. “Covid prevention has become a fight that Xi cannot afford to lose.”

The rhetoric weighed on mainland stocks Friday, with the benchmark CSI 300 Index falling as much as 2.2 percent, outpacing regional losses. Other reasons for the weakness included surging US Treasury yields, the tightening cycle by the Federal Reserve and a selloff on Wall Street overnight.

In recent weeks, Chinese authorities have increasingly credited Xi with personally setting the tone for the nation’s Covid response, making any reversal riskier for the party. The Standing Committee’s statement was featured across the front page of all China’s major state-run newspapers Friday, while an editorial in a publication controlled by the party’s top disciplinary body linked the virus policy to a fundamental directive to safeguard Xi’s status as the party’s “core” leader.

Beijing posted 72 cases, up from 50 the day before, its 13th doubledigit day. While the capital hasn’t been put under the full lockdown seen in recent weeks in Shanghai, restrictions have steadily advanced.

Officials banned eating in restaurants, required negative test results to enter almost all public venues and encouraged residents in the eastern Chaoyang district, where the outbreak has concentrated, to work from home.

Meanwhile, Shanghai continues to struggle to achieve its goal of three consecutive days without new cases in the community, reporting 23 such infections Thursday. That’s even as overall cases citywide continue to fall to 4,269, compared with 4,651 a day earlier.

Nationwide, China hasn’t reported a day without infections nationally since October.

China’s main strategy to minimize damage to its economy amid the rolling lockdowns is for companies and factories to operate in a “closed loop,” in which workers live and sleep on-site or in nearby accommodation that they’re shuttled to. This has helped Shanghai restart production at more than 70 percent of its industrial manufacturing facilities, while 90 percent of 660 “key” industrial companies have resumed output, officials said this week.

Production problems

But it’s unclear how long the closed loops can be sustained, given the resources required to feed and house thousands of workers at a time.

The system also requires that workers don’t come into contact with anyone outside the loop and cannot see family members. The majority of Japanese factories in Shanghai haven’t yet resumed operating despite the city’s assurances that production is getting back on track.

The latest Politburo Standing Committee statement didn’t include previously stated pledges to “reconcile” the virus strategy with growth and “maximize the effectiveness of Covid containment measures at the least cost, and minimize the impact of the pandemic on the economy,” analysts for Nomura Holdings Inc. led by Chief China Economist Ting Lu wrote in a note Friday. “Clearly the Chinese government will keep its dynamic ZCS, if not strengthen, for a while,” the said, referring to the “Zero-Covid strategy.”

The Standing Committee noted that China has a large elderly population with insufficient overall medical resources, as well as imbalances in regional development. Relaxing Covid controls would lead to large-scale infections, a surge in serious cases and deaths, damaging the economy and people’s health, it said.

‘Persistence is victory’

“Persistence is victory,” the body said. “Right now, Covid-control work is at a critical stage where we will retreat if we don’t keep going, like we are rowing a boat upstream.”

The statement shows that China won’t change course and that its fight against Covid is crucial in what leaders see as a greater battle against the West, said Alfred Wu, associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

“Perhaps in the past, there was still some debate around the policy, but it is now very clear that it is non-debatable,“ he said. “The priority for Xi now is to get his third term smoothly.” Bloomberg News

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www.businessmirror.com.ph

USC bats for better social services for senior citizens

By Roderick L. Abad

their families, and the thought of them braving deprivation, sickness, dangers and even embarrassment break our heart. That is why we will do anything in our capacity to help and empower our beloved senior citizens,” he said.

Even if they receive mandatory pensions from the state, it’s high time to improve on these benefits. Apart from the need for careful consideration and evaluation of the country’s current pension system, welfare services such as homes for the aged and Senior Citizens Centers offered by the state must be confirmed effective by the level of satisfaction of their intended beneficiaries.

USC earlier said that many seniors have to live in isolation to make sure their loved ones are safe from Covid-19. Ignacio pointed out: “They have no choice but since they love their families, they needed to make those sacrifices.

Now it’s our turn to show them love and care.”

The group, likewise, noted Article 13, Section 11, which said that “the state shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and social services available to all people at affordable cost.

There shall be priority for the needs of the unprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children.”

“There may be various interpretations to these provisions, but one thing is sure for the betterment of the lives of our seniors, and our organization will not stop until every single senior citizen in the country is accorded his rights and privileges regardless of their status, religion, beliefs and orientations,” he added.

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HE United Senior Citizens (USC) Party-list has made a commitment to enforce provisions of the constitution that will push for economic welfare of the elderly.

“If we are to review our constitution, we will discover that it has enough power to ensure and protect the welfare of our senior citizens, we just need to implement them properly,” said Rolleo Ignacio, second nominee of USC. He cited Article II, Section 9 of the 1986 Constitution, which said that “the state shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.”

Poverty is among the issues being faced by many senior citizens, thus hindering their security as they become older. The monetary benefit provided to them by the government may not be hefty to ease their burdens considering their daily needs, which include food and medicines.

Because of this, older Filipinos, despite most of them enjoying the care and support of their family, continue to work for as long as they are physically able.

According to Ignacio, the current health crisis endangers the people who still work in the informal sector, especially the elderly, as they are at risk of contracting the coronavirus and prone to developing severe symptoms leading to death.

“We can’t blame them for wanting to work, they have to provide for

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, May 7, 2022

A7

Senior citizens, PWDs, solo parents to get 1-year cash aid from QC govt

By Marita Moaje

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HE Quezon City government will grant additional cash aid to qualified senior citizens, solo parents, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help them cope with the increasing prices of basic goods and commodities.

The target beneficiaries of the monthly P500 cash for a maximum of 12 months are the “extremely poor” in Quezon City. Only one member per family will be allowed to receive the aid.

The beneficiary must not be a recipient of other regular financial assistance such as social pension and cash transfer programs. After 12 months, the beneficiary may reapply for inclusion in the program.

Persons applying as target beneficiary must present a proof of

QUEZON City Hall

PNA PHOTO

identity, residency, indigent status issue not earlier than six months prior to the application date, and proof of status as senior citizen, solo parent or PWD. “This is one way to help alleviate

the effect of the pandemic and the increasing prices of goods, especially for senior citizens, solo parents, and PWDs,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement. “This is a big help for their everyday expenses for food,

medicine, and other needs.”

Meanwhile, presidential aspirant Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao vowed to provide free housing units, full hospitalization coverage for senior citizens, and livelihood opportunities for poor Filipinos if he wins the May 9 elections.

In his Leyte sortie on Thursday, Pacquiao said he will also push to increase up to P2,000 the monthly social pension of senior citizens.

Under Section 5 of Republic Act 9994 otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” indigent senior citizens are entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to P500 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The cash aid aims to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of indigent senior citizens. PNA

Shanghai nursing home resident sent to morgue while still alive

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SHANGHAI nursing home resident was mistakenly taken to the morgue while still alive, state media reported, as the city’s Covid-19 outbreak and prolonged lockdown stretch agedcare and medical facilities to breaking point.

The municipal government confirmed the incident and said it has launched an investigation, local media reported. While the nursing home apologized, the error has triggered widespread anger and condemnation among Chinese people, according to discussions on social media.

The mistake comes as Shang-

hai’s lockdown enters its fifth week and new Covid cases remain in the thousands each day. The tough restrictions and compulsory isolation of all virus cases and close contacts have created havoc in the city of 25 million, with people unable to access essential medical care. Most of the more than 400 deaths in the latest wave have been elderly people with underlying health conditions, with reports that some nursing homes weren’t reporting deaths.

While it remains unclear whether the person was infected with Covid or vaccinated, the low inocu-

lation rate among China’s elderly remains the country’s Achilles heel in the fight against the pandemic. In Shanghai, just 62 percent of residents over 60 years of age have been fully vaccinated, and only 15 percent of the population aged over 80 have received two shots. The average age of deaths reported Sunday was 84, according to the local government.

“This is murder,” one Weibo user wrote among a raft of other angry posts. “The confidence crisis in the city is getting too bad.”

The nursing care resident has been sent to the hospital for treatment and

all vital signs are stabilizing, local media reported. The Bureau of Civil Affairs in the Putuo district where the home is located said it will handle the accident seriously and disclose the findings after the investigation is complete.

“This has nothing to do with the epidemic, or any kind of normal negligence and irresponsibility, this is a serious dereliction of duty that almost led to death,” Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the Communist Party backed Global Times newspaper and an influential commentator, wrote on his personal Weibo account. Bloomberg News

British court says government’s nursing home Covid-19 policy was illegal

By Jill Lawless

not take into account the “growing awareness” that the virus could be spread by people who had no symptoms, which had been identified as a risk as far back as late January 2020.

They said the UK government should have advised that discharged hospital patients be kept separate from other nursing home residents for 14 days—something that didn’t happen in the first weeks of the country’s outbreak.

Around 20,000 people died with the virus in British nursing homes during the initial months of the country’s first outbreak in 2020.

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit by two women whose fathers

The Associated Press

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ONDON—A British court ruled Wednesday that the Conservative government acted illegally when it discharged hospital patients into nursing homes without testing them for Covid-19 or isolating them—a policy that led to thousands of deaths early in the pandemic.

Two High Court judges said the policy in March and April 2020 was unlawful because it failed to take into account the infection risk that nonsymptomatic carriers of the virus posed to older or vulnerable people.

The judges said UK officials did

died when the virus swept through the homes where they lived. Their lawyers said the decision—which allowed Covid-19 to spread among the elderly and vulnerable—was “one of the most egregious and devastating policy failures in the modern era.”

The judges backed some parts of the lawsuit’s arguments but rejected claims made under human rights legislation and against the National Health Service.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government would study the ruling and respond “in due course.” He said officials had to make difficult decisions at an “incredibly difficult time” when “we didn’t know

How Wordle can save our civilization

By Nick Tayag

MY SIXTY-ZEN’S WORTH

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ON’T be surprised if boxes of green, yellow and black or white emojis start to appear in your recent Twitter and Facebook feeds.

It’s the Internet’s new favorite game called Wordle. This daily dose of fun could give your mental health a boost and help build your English vocabulary, but it can be useful in other unexpected ways, too!

Probably a combination of “word” and “puzzle,” Wordle is a free word game that requires a player to guess a five-letter word in six tries. It gives clues as you try new words: It highlights letters green if they’re in the right posi-

tion, yellow if they’re in the word but in the wrong position, and gray if they’re not in the featured word at all. I heard that there’s even a “hard mode” option for those who want an extra challenge.

Wordle can be addicting and has very quickly become as much a part of mornings of a growing number of people from housewives to office workers. Every day, my wife and daughter never fail to compare their daily scores.

I always get startled when my wife suddenly pierces the peace and quiet and upsets my equanimity when she gets to the “gotcha” moment while playing the game.

My wife has converted a lot of her social media friends by just posting her daily Wordle achievements, making a few become curious about it and eventually taking it up too.

Playing it has become a friendly competition among its devotees and a source of bragging rights for those who can guess the word in just two or three tries. Players can’t wait to post their visual scorecards on social media, which show how players got to the correct answer and how many tries it took.

And now, at least one woman can credit Worldle with saving her mother’s life. When her 80-yearold mother living in Chicago failed to send her usual Wordle score, a California woman grew concerned.

She tried to call her mother’s home and discovered it was disconnected. Worried that she had fallen or suffered a heart attack, she phoned the police. It’s a good thing she did. When the police arrived, they found her being held hostage by a

very much about the disease.”

“The thing we didn’t know in particular was that Covid could be transmitted asymptomatically in the way that it was, and that was something that I wish we had known more about at the time,” Johnson said in the House of Commons.

“Of course, I want to renew my apologies and sympathies for all those who lost loved ones during the pandemic, people who lost loved ones in care homes,” he added.

Like many countries, the UK had little capacity to test for coronavirus when the pandemic began, and many asymptomatic patients were quickly released from hospitals back into care

man who intruded into her home and locked her up in the basement the night before.

This is a good reminder that it might be a good idea for seniors to develop a couple daily routines such as solving the day’s Wordle or anything that might tip off people close to you if something is amiss.

Wordle can save other things than life.

It can save our brains from atrophy. In 2019, researchers found that adults older than 50 who regularly enjoy word games perform better at tasks testing their memory, reasoning and attention skills. This research supports previous findings that indicate regular use of word and number puzzles helps keep our brains working better for longer.

Wordle might even save the average Filipino’s meager English vocabulary from complete atrophy too because it can be a language learning tool. It is also enabling non-English speaking people to practice their English vocabulary and spelling skills.

I wish we would have a Pilipino version too. A lot of young students

homes, where Covid-19 soon ran riot.

The health secretary at the time, Matt Hancock, has said the government did all it could to keep people safe during the biggest public health crisis in decades.

Hancock’s office said in a statement that the court ruling cleared him of wrongdoing and found he “acted reasonably on all counts.” It said Hancock—who quit the government last year for breaching pandemic social-distancing rules by having an affair while living with his wife—wished health officials had told him sooner all they knew about asymptomatic transmission.

Claimant Cathy Gardner, whose

hate Pilipino but if it is employed as a fun tool for vocabulary building, who knows?

While we are at it, Wordle can be used in history subjects too or even in literature.

And practically any subject that involves words or names. Teachers can create and devise their own digital interactive games based on the Wordle template to liven up not just reading and spelling lessons but even history (guess the name of heroes or places) biology (scientific names of flora and fauna), geography (capitals of countries) and so on. This type of interactive game can be an effective learning tool for young students because it involves high levels of engagement.

Some Math teachers have also demonstrated that Wordle could also be a powerful tool for teaching logic and other math concepts because, as they pointed out, Wordle tests not only word knowledge, but also logic games knowledge.

I must confess that I myself have not taken up Wordle yet because as a writer I grapple with words all the time.

father died in April 2020, said “my father and other residents of care homes were neglected and let down by the government.”

“Matt Hancock’s claim that the government threw a protective ring round care homes in the first wave of the pandemic was nothing more than a despicable lie of which he ought to be ashamed and for which he ought to apologize,” Gardner said.

Johnson has set up an independent public inquiry into Britain’s handling of the pandemic, though it has yet to begin. More than 174,000 people have died in Britain after testing positive for the virus, the highest toll in Europe after Russia.

What I am really happy about is that Wordle is now bringing back our interest in words.

I wish the creator of Wordle would feature more 6-letter words that are not commonplace and simplistic and have more significance, such as “nebula,” “obtund,” “ribald” and other curiosity-arousing words that will make you turn to a dictionary and find out more.

It’s only words you say but words can take people’s hearts away, as the song points out. Or in the words of an anonymous sage: a word can change someone’s entire day. Or the world.

The Mahabharata, the Bible, the teachings of Buddha, Lao Tzu and Confucius, the Koran, among other books, are nothing but words but they have served as the foundations of our respective cultures, beliefs, and ways of life. Through the ages, those ancient books have guided us, shaped and transformed us into what we are today.

Maybe sparked by the Wordle craze, words will matter once more and by exchanging words instead of mass exterminating arms with each other, words will save our world.

Education BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, May 7, 2022

DepEd, US wrap up 6-week early literacy, numeracy webinar series

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HE Department of Education (DepEd) and the United States Embassy culminated the six-week webinar training series that provided K-3 teachers and school heads with guidance, methodology, new techniques, ideas, instructional materials, and resources.

T he “Integrated Lang uage Learning in Early Childhood: Focus on Literacy and Numeracy,” which ended on April 27, assisted the educators in addressing needs and concerns of K-3 learners. About 3,000 K-3 teachers and

CHARGE d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava (clockwise, from top left), Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio, Division Chief Rosalina Villaneza, as well as American English language specialists Dr. Constance Dziombak, Prof. Ann Mayeda and Dr. Elaine Gallagher

school heads from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao participated in the live Zoom sessions. The series had a Facebook reach of more than 700,000.

“With the aggressive capacitybuilding initiatives we have been undertaking, supported by partners like the US Embassy, I am confident that the very elusive quest for high-quality learning outcomes will become a reality, of course, starting with earlygrades learners fully literate and numerate,” said Education Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio.

“The success of this webinar

is a testament to the importance of early learning and to the great par tnership bet ween the US Embassy and DepEd,” Chargé d ’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava said. “One of the most important things we do together as nations is expand opportunities for education, employment, and national development.”

The US Embassy’s team of three American English language specialists: Dr. Elaine Gallagher, Dr. Constance Dziombak and Prof. Ann Mayeda worked with the team from DepEd’s Teaching and Learning Division-Bureau of Learning Delivery in developing the course to meet specific

needs of Filipino K-3 teachers and learners.

The virtual series launched on the week of March 21 was facilitated by the three American English language specialists who also developed an on-demand resource library which will be used by the teachers who participated in the series through the Learning Action Cells to their colleagues in their respective local areas. According to the embassy, its linkage with DepEd will ultimately benefit millions of local K-3 learners.

This was the third US EmbassyDepEd tie-up since the pandemic’s onset.

Batangas State U is declared ‘National Engineering University’

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ATANGAS State University (BatStateU) has been declared “the National Engineering University” by virtue of Republic Act 11694 enacted on April 11.

Recognizing engineering as the university’s niche discipline, BatStateU University Board of Regents chaired by Dr. Lilian A. De Las Llagas unanimously passed a resolution on December 2, 2020 requesting Congress to enact a law declaring the learning institution as “the national engineering university.”

During a public hearing supporting the declaration of BatStateU to bear the title, Commission on Higher Education Chair Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III articulated the imperatives for universities to focus on their respective niche areas as what has been practiced in advanced universities in the world.

Under its new charter, the university’s incumbent president Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo will serve as the first head of the “national engineering university,” who shall pursue the vision and provide the

strategic direction and leadership as it embarks on its pioneering status and distinctive mandate.

As such, BatStateU said it is poised to provide a leadership role in shaping a new vision for engineering education in the country. Fortifying its service motto: “Leading Innovations, Transforming Lives” the university will further strengthen and expand its already robust 46 degree programs to include an even wider range of fields in engineering at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

BatStateU will intensify efforts on producing the corps of advanced trained engineers and other professionals who can create leading-edge solutions to the country’s challenges through pioneering engineering programs such as aerospace engineering, biomedical engineering, transportation engineering, geological engineering, geodetic engineering, naval architecture and marine engineering, ceramics engineering, metallurgical engineering, materials engineering, earthquake engineering, energy

engineering, engineering management, engineering education, as well as highly specialized fields in artificial intelligence, advance manufacturing, construction management, and data science and analytics.

It will also lead in creating an environment engendering Filipino engineering experts and professionals of tomorrow with both local and global impacts.

Since its founding 119 years ago BatStateU has blazed trails in producing the country’s engineers both in quality and in providing access to engineering education to over 55,000 students from more than 40 provinces all over the country.

The university consistently ranks as a top-performing school in the mechanical engineering licensure examination and has, thus far, produced over 165 topnotchers across the engineering disciplines. It has the highest number of Asean engineers as faculty members among higher education institutions in the country.

For quality and diversity, it has engaged foreign academics and

researchers in its roster of faculty.

These have propelled BatStateU’s rise to national service, prominence, and recognition.

Covering 11 campuses in the province of Batangas, BatStateU is a Level-IV state university, ISO 9001:2015 Certified, and recognized for its excellence in instruction, research competence, meaningful community engagement, and efficient management of resources. It has gained national recognition as a Center of Excellence in Electronics Engineering, and as Centers of Development in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

In the international arena, BatStateU is the only one of its kind in the country recognized by the United States’s Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, or ABET, for its Engineering and Information Technology programs. The university is rated 3-stars overall by Quacquarelli Symonds, or QS, and is listed among the latter’s top-ranked institutions. It has engaged foreign academics and researchers in its faculty.

Right caffeine kick made for—and by—med students

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AFFEINE is probably one of the best armors of learners who spend long hours to stay awake while studying, especially during examination periods, or while onthe-job training sessions. This coffeedrinking habit to boost energy led to the launch of a virtual cafe start-up by medical students for their fellow learners.

Abbygale Lumanglas, who reads transcriptions and studies presentations with a cup of coffee always by her side, and her partner Gabriel Jorge Habunal, named their joint venture “MD Brews” a mix of the title “Doctor of Medicine” and the process that produces a delightful beverage— with a mantra: “Be your own barista at home.”

“Medical students were the primary target audience for our business at first. Then we noticed that there were students from different disciplines and backgrounds who started buying some of our products,” Habunal

HARVESTED from the Cordilleras, MD Brews offers locally sourced ground coffee in the flavors of Sagada Arabica, Barako, and Benguet Blend. said of the growing customer base of their business.

The coffee brand offers a variety of items: from locally sourced ground and drip coffees, to coffee syrup and sauce. After gaining sudden traction, the couple decided to widen their

reach and focus solely on working to be a niche coffee brand catering to the caffeine kick of young professionals.

MD Brews has grown to be a rising e-commerce product, resulting in a 100-percent revenue increase and a preferred seller status among the

most sold products in its category.

Habunal said: “It has been continuous sales and we have experienced a boost in our sales by a lot.”

MD Brews’ success is attributable to the country’s café culture which has been booming over the past few years, especially in Metro Manila.

People nowadays do not only want to receive and drink coffee; they want to have a personal hand in making it, or becoming their own baristas.

Enjoying this caffeinated drink can be a journey, encouraging both Habunal and Lumanglas to continually deliver the ultimate learning experience for their customers. Believing in the power of the beverage, especially during moments of productivity, and respecting their patrons who have made drinking and preparing it their lifestyle, the partners envision guiding more coffee lovers, medical students or otherwise, to be their own baristas in their coffee nooks.

Roderick L. Abad

Editor: Mike Policarpio

Solon sounds off ‘SOS’ for maritime schools

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EN. Joel Villanueva has asked the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to focus on ensuring the quality of Filipino maritime graduates for better employability, and not on curtailing access to maritime schools, as the agency proposed a moratorium on establishing new learning institutions of the latter’s kind.

“Access to education and skills training is as important as raising the quality of education for our maritime schools,” commented Villanueva. “We are denying Filipinos access to quality-assured education and training opportunities with this five-year ban.”

The senator said that adding more new maritime schools can be considered as opportunities for superior maritime institutions to comply with the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping For Seafarers and global quality assurance standards.

The new maritime education and training providers can be accredited according to program standards and guidelines which, supervised properly, can easily pass any international compliance audit, such as the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).

“The bigger issue is, why are there existing maritime institutions…in the accredited list that [fail the foreign accrediting agencies’ audit]?” the solon asked.

Instead of a complete ban, the Senate committee chair on labor, employment, and human resources development proposed that Marina should ensure standards of both existing and new maritime schools comply with global norms.

“This needs more study and consultation with concerned stakeholders so we can provide grounds for the next [government] to consider and implement,” he said.

The senator aims to strengthen maritime education and training in the country to address the noted deficiencies in a recent EMSA audit.

These findings include shortcomings in seafarers’ education system, lack of inspection and evaluation of schools, lack of simulators, and poor on-board training.

A final negative report by the European Commission on the Philippine maritime education system would likely displace thousands

VILLANUEVA

of Filipino seafarers serving on European vessels, as the European Union may stop recognizing certificates and permits issued to Filipino seamen from a negative EC report.

“This will be a big blow to the [country’s] reputation as a major supplier of maritime officers and seafarers, and also to the lives and livelihood of Filipino families who are dependent on continuing recognition of the excellence of the Philippine maritime education and training,” said Villanueva.

The Marina reportedly said they submitted last month the agency’s strategic corrective actions to the EMSA to raise the country’s maritime education standards.

Aside from the five-year ban on creating new maritime schools, Marina also said they are implementing several reforms to address issues cited by EMSA. These include hiring more staff to help monitor and evaluate schools as well as training centers for seafarers; automating the agency’s services and applications; and lowering fees for permits and certificates.

Villanueva emphasized the need to pass the Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers, or Senate Bill (SB) 2369, into law, as the bill’s main proponent. The measure requires Marina and the Commission on Higher Education to work together to ensure compliance of the country’s maritime schools with global standards, and protect the rights of seafarers in accordance with the country’s international covenants.

The bill is currently pending second reading, as re-electionist Villanueva urged the Senate to support the immediate passage of SB 2369 when session resumes in May after the elections.

Japan’s 2023 govt scholarship now accepting applications

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HE Japan Information and Culture Center of the Embassy of Japan is now accepting applications for the 2023 Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship Program under the following categories: research, undergraduate, specialized training college, and College of Technology.

Filipino citizens who meet the following qualifications are eligible to apply, according to category, requirements, age by April 1, 2023, years of study, and fields of study (all should have a record of good academic standing): n Research (research student, Master’s or Doctoral course): Col leg e g r a d u a t e , p r e f e r a b l y with 16 years of formal education, clear and feasible research proposa l, below 35 years old, with two to five years of studies in social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. Applicants should apply for the field of study they majored in at university or its related field. n Undergraduate: High school graduate, under 25 years old, with five years in social sciences and natural sciences, n Specialized Training College: High school graduate, under

25 years old, with three years of technology, personal care and nutrition, education and welfare, business, fashion and home economics, or culture and general education n College of Technology: High school graduate, under 25 years old, with four to four-and-a-half years in mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, information communication and network engineering, materials engineering, architecture and civil engineering, or maritime engineering Application forms and detailed i n for m at ion on prerequ i sites may be read and downloaded via: https://www.ph.embjapan.go.jp/ itpr_en/00_000193.html. Deadline for submission of applications is on May 31 (Tuesday). Only physical documents printed on A4-size paper and mailed through courier will be accepted.

As a disclaimer, the application process for the 2023 MEXT Scholarship Program is subject to change under unavoidable circumstances.

Due to the pandemic and other factors, it may not be possible to conduct the recruitment and selection according to the originally announced schedule.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Saturday, May 7, 2022 A9

HERITAGE APPRECIATION IN BINONDO

Binondo Church is also known as the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz.

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The El Hogar Filipino Building is an early skyscraper in Manila.

Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz or Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz is a major public square in Binondo, Manila.

Story & photos by Benjamin Locsin Layug

he second time we joined another free tour of Renacimiento Manila we went around Chinatown for the Binondo Heritage Tour. Leading the tour this time is Stephen John Pamorada, a cultural entrepreneur and Heritage Collective owner.

We, my son Jandy and I, were in the distinguished company as joining us were Renacimiento Manila President Diego Torres, Wander Manila Head Tour Guide Benjamin Canapi, and architect Ysa Penas and Mikaela Burbano, both founders of Girls Build World.

It was raining when we arrived at our meeting place in Escolta— The Art Deco-style First United Building (built in 1928), a perfect example of “adaptive reuse,” an environmentally sustainable way to conserve old heritage structures by finding new life and new uses so they remain relevant to the present time. The building is a centerpiece of the Escolta Street Revival movement. On May 16, 2015, a modest museum was opened here to reflect the colorful history of Escolta and, since 2016, the space once occupied by Berg’s was converted into a bazaar and exhibition space for young creative artists called Hub: Make Lab. After the rain had subsided, we made our way to Binondo, dropping by and exploring the newly reopened Escolta Museum at the mezzanine of the Calvo Building, a Beaux Arts-inspired

building built in 1938. The place to be if you are a history buff and a fan of Old Manila, this quaint museum and another example of adaptive reuse, established in 1994, showcases the bygone era of the most elegant district of old Manila through its permanent exhibit entitled “Bote’t, Diyaryo, Extraordinaryo.”

The museum displays memorable, fascinating, and nostalgic artifacts and pieces such as historic news clippings from old newspaper publications, journals, and magazines; old photographs of socialites and personalities; artifacts, manuscripts; ticket receipts from boutiques; Filipino music posters; postcards of Carnaval de Manila beauty queens; old labels; memos and newspaper advertisements and, in enclosed glass shelves, late 19th century to pre-World War II bottles (milk, soda, medicine, and alcoholic beverage) of all shapes and sizes.

Adaptive reuse is also a hot topic in today’s Binondo as well as in our tour. Prior to World War II, the tight sweep of the southern stretch of Juan Luna Street was Chinatown’s Wall Street, the address of

Sy Selma Star 1st place—IRC racing

The Uy-Chaco Building is considered Manila’s first skyscraper.

the once-mighty headquarters of Manila’s foremost financial institutions as well as multinational companies. The 1960s saw the decline of commercial activities along this street as financial trade shifted from Binondo to Makati.

This led to buildings falling into disuse and even demolition. In 2014, the so-called September Massacre saw private developers cannibalizing and demolishing three major landmarks—Michel Apartments, Army & Navy Club, and Admiral Hotel. It now seems the city has turned a blind eye to its architectural past.

Ty pic a l of t h is neg lec t is the 4-story El Hogar Filipino Building, one of two remaining American-era structures in the area facing the Pasig River and one of the first buildings in Manila built entirely out of concrete.

Built sometime between 1911 and 1914 in the Beaux-Arts style, it survived World War II and a num-

The China Banking Corporation Building was built from 1923 to 1924.

ber of earthquakes but is now in danger of demolition. A representation of American period design, materials and construction methods, the building is a representation of the architecture of business establishments of that era. Now in a sad state of decay, the building’s status is still uncertain.

Across the street is the 6-story Pacific Commercial Company Building, an adaptive reuse success story that turned sour. Built in the 1920s, the building underwent renovation in 2012 and was meant to be named the Juan Luna e-Services Building. The facade of the building was preserved. However, of May 28, 2018, a fire broke out affecting the third floor and portions of the fourth floor and compromising the structure.

However, during our tour, we saw three of the successes of the campaign to save Manila’s architectural gems. Behind the Pacific Commercial Company Building is

Twin Popsies—1st Place—Ocean Multihall

Co Ban Kiat Building is formerly known as the SJ Wilson Building.

the former, now century-old (built in 1922) Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank ing Cor poration (HSBC) Building. The 5-story, concreteencased steel structure has a unique double finial architectural feature that highlights its corner main entrance. The structure was adaptively reused, through retrofitting and restoration, partly as a restaurant (now the modern artistic bistro—Grand Café 1919) on the ground floor. The rest of the floors were leased as office spaces.

The magnificent, 7-story, NeoClassical-style China Banking Corporation (China Bank) Building, built from 1923 to 1924, was restored from 2018 to 2022. The original grills and arches, previously walled in for the last 70 years, were meticulously restored, giving the refreshed building an elegant and nostalgic vibe. The former SJ Wilson Building, another Art Deco-style building built in 1937, was also fully restored and is now

Wild Honey—1st place Cruising Class

Landco Supports the Sailing Community of Punta Fuego

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pa rt f rom prov id ing a n exclusive beach respite for Manila’s affluent, Landco’s development in Punta Fuego in Nasugbu, Batangas has also been anchored on serving the sailing and yachting lifestyle of its residents.

Bouncing back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the highly anticipated 19th Club Punta Fuego (CPF) Regatta was recently held as one of the major sailing events in the Philippines. The CPF

Regatta brought together not only the sailing enthusiasts and sailor members of Punta Fuego Yacht Club (PFYC) but also select members of the Philippine Inter-Island Sailing Foundation (PHINSAF) from all over the country.

Participants joined the exuberant yet highly competitive yacht race and winners were recognized in three categories: IRC Racing Class, Cruising Class and Ocean Multihull.

Sy Selma Star with captain Jun

Avecilla was hailed as the champion of this year’s Racer Cruiser Class, followed by Belatrix with captains Jun Villanueva and Sean Mitchell, Hurricane Hunter of Albert Aluta and Karakoa of Ray Ordovesa in the same IRC Racing Class.

For the Cruising Class, Wild Honey of captain James Villareal got the top mark, in second and third place were Plus Ultra of Pablo Lobregat and Isabelle of Tere Marcial, respectively.

Twin Popsies of captains Dylan Tan-

tuico and Gordon Luk aced the Ocean Multihull, trailed by second placer MYGP of Vincent Ruais.

Club Punta Fuego, managed by Anya Hospitality Group (AHG), is the luxurious private Batangas beach resort that is the gemstone of the 88-hectare seaside residential community of Peninsula de Punta Fuego.

This sprawling luxury property is developed by Landco, known for pioneering premium landscapes for more than 30 years.

19th Club Punta Fuego Regatta

The Old HSBC Building now houses a restaurant and office spaces.

the Co Ban Kiat Building. The adaptive reusing of these buildings is a positive development in the city of Manila and an inspiring example of heritage conservation, adding a new luster to the bygone character of Binondo’s Juan Luna Street.

Another architectural gem of note is the 6-story, Art-Nouveaustyle Mariano Uy-Chaco Building.

Built in 1914, it is considered the country’s first skyscraper. Our tour ended at Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz (formerly Plaza Cervantes), the former heart of Manila’s Central Business District. It has a fountain on each end and a brass statue of San Lorenzo Ruiz done by the late sculptor Eduardo Castrillo. Fronting the plaza is the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz which was rebuilt after World War II. Only the western façade and the 5-story octagonal bell tower are original structures.

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, May 7, 2022 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

www.businessmirror.com.ph

European Union moves forward in antitrust case against Apple

BY SAMUEL PETREQUIN The Associated Press BRUSSELS—The European Union stepped up its antitrust case against Apple on Monday, accusing the company of abusing its dominant position by limiting access to technologies allowing contactless payment. The 27-nation bloc’s executive arm, the European Commission, has been investigating Apple since 2020. The commission’s preliminary view is that the firm is restricting competition by preventing mobile wallet app developers from accessing the necessary hardware and software on Apple devices.

Mobile wallets rely on near-field communication, or NFC, which uses a chip in the mobile device to wirelessly communicate with a merchant’s payment terminal. The commission said Apple Pay is by far the largest NFC-based mobile wallet on the market and accused the company of refusing others access to the popular technology.

“Apple has built a closed ecosystem around its devices and its operating system, iOS. And Apple controls the gates to this ecosystem, setting the rules of the game for anyone who wants to reach consumers using Apple devices,” EU competition commissioner Margrethe

Vestager said. “By excluding others from the game, Apple has unfairly shielded its Apple Pay wallets from competition.”

The commission didn’t say how big the fines could be if the charges against Apple were ultimately upheld.

Apple responded in a statement that it “will continue to engage with the Commission to ensure European consumers have access to the payment option of their choice in a safe and secure environment.”

The commission said the practice “has an exclusionary effect on competitors and leads to less innovation and less choice for consumers for mobile wallets on iPhones.”

It said it sent a Statement of Objections to Apple over its practices, a formal step in its investigations into suspected violations of EU antitrust rules.

The case is one of several investigations opened by the EU targeting Apple. EU regulators are also looking into whether the company has been violating the bloc’s antitrust laws by distorting competition for music streaming by imposing unfair rules for rival services in its App Store.

The commission said Apple Pay is the only mobile wallet solution that may access the necessary NFC input on iOS and blamed Apple for not making it

A love-hate relationship with a social-media platform KAI JAVIER is a popular beauty content provider on TikTok with over 100,000 followers.

PHOTO: TIKTOK

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AS TikTok effectively killed Instagram, even if the latter is still very much around?

Or is TikTok just a fad that’s a hit with today’s generation and will eventually fade away into oblivion once Gen Z gets older?

Here’s what I have observed about Instagram and these are my own observations and opinions: The people who’ve always been so into Instagram are older people. My daughter, for instance, has never been 100 percent into it like I have. She’d scroll through her Twitter feed daily or even twice a day but she barely looks through Instagram for leisure. Disclaimer: She’s a digital specialist (this is her actual job title) and she handles social-media accounts so she’s online all day.

Even when she was younger, she did not spend a lot of time on Instagram. She much preferred Twitter and YouTube.

Anyway, this is the age of TikTok and every person is there, it seems. If you’re there, you’d know that it is like an alternate universe. What’s popular on other social-media platforms is not necessarily popular there. For instance, the beauty content creators who are very popular on other platforms aren’t necessarily big on TikTok. A colleague has been complaining that her videos on TikTok don’t get as much traction as those on her Instagram.

Social media is really a fickle master, especially in this day and age when people don’t have the patience to read through articles and captions, or watch long videos explaining things.

TikTok may be a source of fake news, speculation and gossip but once you filter through all that, there’s a lot of good and useful information you can find there.

The beauty tutorials, for instance, are more authentic and realistic. You can find tutorials and challenges like the ones where creators apply their makeup in three minutes. That’s so useful for women who apply their makeup during the commute to work.

I also love how TikTok democratizes everything

like designer brands. People are genuinely happy for someone who found a copy of the bag worn by a popular Korean celebrity. Yes, I know fakes are fakes and selling fake designer goods is against the law, but I say let people have their joy. If they’re happy buying a bag that they bought for P200, let them be happy.

Luxury houses should go after those who sell Class A imitations bags for thousands of pesos.

On TikTok, beauty reviews are also very democratic. There, you’ll find so many reviews of affordable cosmetics and in my opinion, this has challenged Filipino beauty brands to level-up in terms of their product offerings. They know they’ll be up for intense scrutiny because while there are many TikTok filters and they’re really intense, people can somehow tell if your product is good or not.

I have yet to appreciate cooking content on TikTok

and I’m very happy getting recipes from my favorite YouTube content creators.

What I don’t like about TikTok is the proliferation of fake news and the way many trolls are so liberal in hurling insults at others. I’m not talking about politics here. I’ve seen someone curse at someone reviewing restaurants in the creator’s own comments section. I’ve seen commenters call creators ugly. I’ve seen comments making fun of people’s disabilities and physical deformities. I’ve also witnessed how some people are so hungry for gossip that they make conclusions, mostly wrong, about other people and their lives.

But while I have a love-hate relationship with TikTok, I appreciate the platform’s rawness and authenticity when presenting beauty and K-pop content, two things I’m really interested in. ■

available to third-party app developers.

Apple responded by saying its digital wallet service “is only one of many options available to European consumers for making payments, and has ensured equal access to NFC while setting industry-leading standards for privacy and security.”

Vestager said the EU takes security issues very seriously, but insisted that the bloc’s investigation didn’t reveal evidence that security risks would increase if access were to be granted to third parties.

“On the contrary, evidence on our file indicates that Apple’s conduct cannot be justified by security concerns,” she said.

Digital wallet firm to sustain success of ESG efforts

BY RODERICK L. ABAD | Contributor LEADING mobile wallet provider GCash reported recently milestones of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

“The pursuit of digital financial inclusion itself is already addressing sustainability as it uses more technology, digital-first service, and encourages paperless transactions. With GCash’s inclusive digital ecosystem, we create positive and transformative disruption in the Philippine financial services sector,” said GCash President and Chief Executive Officer Martha Sazon.

For its environmental efforts, it has helped more than 55 million Filipinos to go digital for transactions, thus decreasing their carbon footprint. Since 2019, its GForest feature has enabled the 10 million users or “green heroes” to plant over one million trees nationwide via the green energy points they earned which were converted by GCash into real trees. It has also saved over 21 billion grams of carbon emissions which is equivalent energy to fuel 25 trips around the globe. As for its social impact, users are able to access its many convenient payments functions, such as the Pay Bills and Send Money features. It also offers insurance via the GInsure feature, investments through GInvest, a savings account through the GSave feature, and an online shop for essentials and more via the GLife feature.

When it comes to governance, GCash has provided comprehensive and vital services that cater to each customer’s needs, especially in tough times. At the height of the Covid-19 crisis, it tied up with different public sectors to distribute aid to still unbanked Filipinos, especially in remote areas, by providing safe, seamless, transparent and convenient ways of transacting through the app.

“Since the pandemic started, we have worked with various government units to distribute over P16.3 billion to over 2.4 million Filipino beneficiaries in just a few days. Beyond the speed, we made Filipinos place even more trust on mobile wallets, especially GCash, by giving them transparency in our operations,” she bared.

According to her, they will continue to strengthen these endeavors as they strive to include every Filipino in the financial system.

“At GCash, we take extra steps and go beyond to utilize our resources and join our customers in realizing our sustainability vision. All these initiatives serve as a start for GCash to help enable a digital economy in the country. We look forward to further enhancing our solutions and bringing these closer to more Filipino consumers to make their lives easier and better,” Sazon stressed.

Metadhana partners with local developers to promote Rooster Wars in global market

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES METADHANA, a fully stacked metaverse studio that aims to catapult the Philippines into a global powerhouse in the blockchain technology-based games, will form partnerships with local content developers to boost its formidable standing in the non-fungible token (NFT) market.

In its recent networking event, Metadhana gaming division head Ben Banta told BUSINESSMIRRO� that the plan is to promote awareness of Roosters War to the local market.

Rooster Wars is a PVP online multiplayer

game where players can collect and play to earn by fighting with their roosters in the arena and finishing levels in adventure mode.

Developed in partnership with Philippine-based indie game development studio Ranida Games, Banta said Metadhana aims to promote Rooster Wars in the long run to the global market and equal or perhaps surpass the success of Axie Infinity.

The game features a fast-paced rock-paperscissor gameplay scheme, and a lore where players will train, breed and take care of their own Mannochs living in Plannet Galleos. Banta pointed out that the Philippines is gradually gaining

attention and becoming one of the top launching destinations for new play-to-earn games. He pointed out that their entry into the blockchain space paved the way to forge a partnership with Metadhana.

“The initial plan for Rooster Wars was very much like an educational sabong game but it turned into more action and [became] more engaging,” he said.

“The experience developing the game is really awesome. The game is not gambling. We’re looking at it as Sabong Rooster Wars, but I would like you to look at it in a different light. The way we created the game, we exaggerated everything and made the characters fun,” he added.

AAG Ventures cofounder Omar M. Oscoso said the company sees a bright future in its partnership with Metadhana, as it has a lot to offer to the market as it has the skill and expertise.

Jimmi Busa, Metadhana head of product, said forming a tie-up with Metadhana will help promote Filipino artists to the global market. “We want to champion our artists as much as possible, and we want everybody to know that Filipinos are very capable of doing animation. So with Metadhana, we’re going to put enough value on your NFT projects, not just gaming but you can watch something,” he said.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, May 7, 2022 A11

Life in the 10,000Mbps fast lane W

HENEVER there was a demonstration of some smart home device or appliance or a demo for the Google Voice Assistant, I would often comment how my yaya was still faster than any of them. But last week, after visiting the especiallydesigned PLDT Home Fast Hub, I think my yaya (even after by two cups of coffee), has found her match— Google Voice backed by PLDT Home 10,000Mbps Internet speed.

I am kidding, of course, I haven’t had a yaya since I turned 30—again kidding, though don’t we all wish we had one?

THERE’S FAST. THEN THERE’S 10,000 MBPS FAST.

FAST (which stands for Fiber Accelerated Speed Tech) Hub is a visual representation of everything 10,000Mbps Internet speeds can offer, and the experience what it’s like to have a hyper-fast home Internet connection. What used to be a topic for science fiction—having a fully smart home where you can find the most advanced devices working seamlessly through a powerful Internet connection— PLDT Home makes that a reality.

Our exclusive tour started with a demo video asking me to scan a QR code for detailed instructions on how to test each section of the hub starting of course with a speedtest. Using the Speedtest by Ookla app installed on the iMac, we were able to get a surreal 8,126Mbps Download speed and 7,994Mbps Upload speed. Our guide explained that the maximum achievable rate is up to 8 Gbps upload/download as an approximate 20 percent is allotted for network headers to ensure good transmission.

The smart home-inspired room had about 28+ devices simultaneously connected to the Internet, including more than 20 smart lights, a desktop gaming PC, a Smart TV, PS5, Smart Mirror, robot vacuum, air purifier, and smartphones.

Once we got settled in the couch we set the mood by controlling the lights in the room, turning it up first to 100 percent brightness before asking Google Assistant to dim it down to 40 percent. I was even advised that one of the light bulbs needed to be changed. I then asked Google to turn on the air purifier and controlled the robot vacuum, again using voice commands. It just took a few seconds before both appliances started working. With these speeds, you can access the full potential of your smart home allowing you to change the thermostat, lights, audio speakers, TVs, security cameras, locks, and other appliances into a common system and control them remotely—even while away from home, through a mobile phone.

With the room swept clean and the air freshly

purified, it was time to watch some Netflix. A 10,000Mbps connection lets users connect all their streaming services on multiple devices at the same time—including 4K/8K video streaming, highres video conferencing, lag-free gaming, remote video monitoring/archiving, and live streaming on platforms such as Hitbox, Twitch, Azubu, Beam and more. No more lag and that annoying red loading circle on Netflix. I did watch Red Notice and the load times—well, there was actually no load times as the movie started as soon as I hit play.

Playtime continued with Gran Turismo on a Playstation 5, which only reminded me that I sucked at driving sims. So I quickly moved on to the Smart Work/Gaming Station, where they was Valorant installed. For gamers, Internet speed is just as crucial as skills. The 10,000Mbps speed lets you play lag-free, giving you the power to excel in every game, stream, and connect with and grow your fanbase.

For work, this translates to even more productivity to pursue the things you enjoy without interruption.

You can work faster and more efficiently through virtual meetings, all while multitasking in your home-based business. If you are a content creator this means you can quickly render and upload your next trending video ahead of the others.

We ended our tour by trying out the smart mirror.

Here you can watch YouTube videos, follow workout videos and see yourself in the mirror. Unfortunately,

I forgot my yoga pants so we settled for taking some group photos and transferring a few files to our separate devices. Just like everything else we tried, the experience was blazing fast and there was never any lag even if there were plenty of devices connected all at the same time.

You do need the right equipment to enjoy this speed and the plan comes with the Asus ZenWifi, a powerful top-of-the-line Wifi 6 Mesh system, which will ensure that every nook and cranny of the home is blanketed with ultra-fast connectivity. The Asus ZenWifi guarantees WiFi coverage of up to 5,500 sq. ft. and can power up to 100 bandwidth-hungry devices simultaneously—ensuring your smart home devices operate with optimum performance.

The 10,000Mbps plan was announced late last year and PLDT Home is the first service provider to offer this in the Philippines. It was created for demanding users who live in smart homes and families of heavy users like competitive gamers, content creators or streamers who usually broadcast live.

Now the question that’s probably on your mind is: “How much?”

The short answer? It varies.

Currently the service is available only in Metro Manila. Those who are interested can send a request and their area will be checked for network availability.

All you need to do is fill out the online form at www. pldthome.com/10000mbps. ■

Lockdown winners from Peloton to Zoom at risk

BY SUBRAT PATNAIK & RYAN VLASTELICA Bloomberg News THE brutal selloff in Covid-19 lockdown winners may not be over yet.

After losing more than $218 billion in combined market value since their pandemic-driven boom, shares of Peloton Interactive Inc., Zoom Video Communications Inc. and DocuSign Inc. are at risk of even more losses, if this earnings season is any guide.

First-quarter results for stay-at-home stocks kicked off with an alarm bell when Netflix Inc. plunged 35 percent after saying it had lost customers for the first time in a decade. And last week, shares in telemedicine company Teladoc Health Inc. had their worst day ever, tanking 40 percent after the company slashed its forecast amid a slowdown in sales.

“If you were to take a basket of pandemic winners, it would certainly include names that got overvalued and deserved to be hit,” said Michael Scanlon, who manages the John Hancock Balanced Fund.

Analysts have cut estimates for stay-at-home winners, with full-year earnings forecasts slashed by nearly 40 percent for home fitness equipment maker Peloton over the past quarter. Estimates for video conference provider Zoom have been cut by 20 percent while those for electronic-signature company DocuSign have been reduced by 7.6 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

After meteoric rallies in 2020 as lockdowns kept consumers at home, shares in pandemic darlings have suffered amid vaccine rollouts, return to office mandates and people going back to brick-and mortar stores.

“Many of the names are recognized as the winners during the pandemic but frothy expectations are being priced out completely in these stocks,” said Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank.

Still, with estimates coming down, an earnings beat or positive commentary from any of the stay-athome group could support shares. Paypal Holdings Inc. rallied after reporting a better-than-expected

first quarter, despite cutting its full-year outlook, with analysts saying that the guidance reset makes the path to future outperformance clearer.

And analysts’ price targets suggest they haven’t given up on the pandemic winners-turned-losers yet.

Peloton’s shares are expected to more than double in the next 12 months, while Zoom has a return potential of 56 percent and DocuSign is expected to climb 25 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

For Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, there’s a difference between the “have and have nots” in the tech sector in the current environment of tightening monetary policy and a possible recession. He prefers product-driven companies like Apple Inc., software providers like Microsoft Corp. and cybersecurity stocks.

“The work-from-home poster children such as Netflix, Zoom, DocuSign, etc. will continue to see multiples compress as results soften off pandemic highs,” he said in a May 3 report. Ives downgraded DocuSign to a sell-equivalent rating.

RANSOMWARE PAYMENTS HIT NEW RECORDS IN 2021 AS DARK WEB LEAKS CLIMBED

CONTI 2.0 was the most responsible threat actor in Asia Pacific. Ransomware payments hit new records in 2021 as cybercriminals increasingly turned to Dark Web “leak sites” where they pressured victims to pay up by threatening to release sensitive data, according to research released from Unit 42 by Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader.

The average ransom demand in cases worked by Unit 42 incident responders rose 144 percent in 2021 to $2.2 million, while the average payment climbed 78 percent to $541,010, according to The 2022 Unit 42 Ransomware Threat Report. The most affected industries were professional and legal services, construction, wholesale and retail, health care, and manufacturing.

“In 2021, ransomware attacks interfered with everyday activities that people all over the world take for granted—everything from buying groceries, purchasing gasoline for our cars, to calling 911 in the event of an emergency and obtaining medical care,” said Jen Miller-Osborn, deputy director, Unit 42 Threat Intelligence.

The Conti ransomware group was responsible for the most activity, accounting for more than 1 in 5 cases worked by Unit 42 consultants in 2021. REvil, also known as Sodinokibi, was No. 2 at 7.1 percent, followed by Hello Kitty and Phobos (4.8 percent each).

Conti also posted the names of 511 organizations on its Dark Web leak site, the most of any group.

Meanwhile, Conti 2.0 was the most responsible threat actor in 2021 across the Asia Pacific region.

In terms of industries, most attacks targeted organizations in the professional and legal services, and manufacturing industries.

The report describes how the cyber extortion ecosystem grew in 2021, with the emergence of 35 new ransomware gangs. It documents how criminal enterprises invested windfall profits into creating easy-to-use tools in attacks that increasingly leverage zero-day vulnerabilities. The number of victims whose data was posted on leak sites rose 85 percent in 2021, to 2,566 organizations, according to Unit 42’s analysis. Sixty percent of leak site victims were in the Americas, followed by 31 percent for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and then 9 percent in the Asia-Pacific region.

Detailed commentary, analysis and breakdowns on activity by region, industry, and ransomware groups are available in the 2022 Unit 42 Ransomware Threat Report, which can be downloaded on the Palo Alto Networks Website. A summary of the report is available on the Unit 42 blog. More information is available at www.paloaltonetworks.com/unit42.

Sports BusinessMirror

A12

| Saturday, May 7, 2022 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph sports@businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

HANGZHOU ASIAN GAMES POSTPONED T

HE Hangzhou 19th Asian Games in September was postponed because of Covid19’s omicron variant pandemic situation in China to a still-to-be-determined date, according to Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Friday.

Tolentino said that the decision to postpone the Games was arrived at after a meeting among officials of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) with members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Executive Board on Friday in Tashkent.

“HAGOC has been very well prepared to deliver the Games on time despite global challenges,” the OCA said in a statement. “However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the Games.”

The Games were set for September 10 to 25 and the OCA, COC and HAGOC said the new dates be announced in the near future.

Tolentino said that despite the postponement, the name and emblem of the 19th Asian Games will remain unchanged and that the “OCA believes that the Games will achieve complete success through the joint efforts of all parties.”

An offshoot of the Asian Games’ postponement was the cancelation of the Third Asian Youth Games which were scheduled from December 20 to 28 also this year in Shantou, China.

“After discussion with the COC and the Organizing Committee, the OCA EB decided that as the Asian Youth Games had already been postponed once, the Asian Youth Games Shantou 2021 will be canceled,” the OCA said.

The next Asian Youth Games, the OCA added, will be held in 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

“The OCA thanks Shantou Organizing Committee for its great work during the preparation

phase,” the OCA said. “We strongly believe that this effort will be beneficial to many different aspects of the development of the city, especially in the field of sport as well as for the promotion of Olympic spirit in Asia.”

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics were also moved a year because of the pandemic with China going on with its hosting of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in February before the resurgent of infections from the coronavirus.

The postponement reflects a growing concern among the Chinese leadership about rapidly spreading outbreaks from Shanghai to Beijing in an important political year. The ruling Communist Party is holding a major meeting this fall and doesn’t want any signs of instability, pandemic-related or not.

China is staying with a “zero-COVID” strategy of lockdowns and other restrictions despite the economic costs and the fact that many other countries around the world are loosening up and trying to live with the virus.

The Asian Games were to take place from September 10-25 in the eastern city of Hangzhou and would involve more than 11,000 athletes— more than the typical Summer Olympics. The last edition was in 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The World University Games, another major

PSC ‘Zumbarangay Solo-on-Cam Challenge’ for fitness gets going

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HE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) through the initiative of Chairman William Ramirez launched the nationwide Zumbarangay Solo-on-Cam Challenge 2022 designed to give fanatics the opportunity to showcase their talents in zumba.

Zumbarangay falls under the PSC’s Mandate and Mission on Sports-for-All and Physical Fitness in support of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization Charter which provides for the practice of physical activities.

The dance competition has categories in women’s open, girls’ open and LGBTQI+.

Ramirez and Women in Sports Oversight chairperson Commissioner Dr. Celia Kiram will announce the winners after the Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.

Participants will do zumba solo and video records of their performance. The solo exercising will be subjected to strict compliance to health and safety protocols.

Participants will choose only one category and should record herself in best zumba dance. The top Zumbarangays are chosen and give due recognition in an awards gala night.

Projected numbers of participants are 400 entries. Final judging in every level may be done in big halls or stadium.

Kiram said the PSC initiated the noble project precisely to give zumba fanatics the opportunity to showcase their hidden talent and encourage every Filipino woman and girl to actively indulge in dance exercise even at home and maintain healthy lifestyle.

“We cannot afford to witness the worsening physical and mental state of our women and girls amid global pandemic,” Kiram said. “It’s high time to drumbeat awareness they can perform solo exercise to boost health through dancing as means of therapy and at the same time ward off depression and anxiety.”

Zumba is one of several sports of the PSC-organized Laro’t Saya sa Parke or Play and Learn Pagmamahal sa Inang Bayan Sports para sa Pagbabago at the Rizal Park led by PSC accredited zumba instructress.

multi-sport event, have also been postponed, organizers said Friday. They were scheduled for last year but were postponed until 2022. They were to take place this year from June 26-July 7 in the western city of Chengdu. About 6,000 athletes were believed to be involved.

The Switzerland-based International University Sports Federation, which runs the games, said they would be held in 2023 but gave no date or details.

“Continued uncertainty over conditions has made rescheduling the sensible choice,” FISU president Leonz Eder said in a statement.

Both events were expected to take place using the “closed-loop” system that was in place for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics. It kept athletes and media isolated from the general population of Beijing and required daily tests and frequent temperature checks for everyone involved.

The strict “zero-COVID” policy has been closely identified with President Xi Jinping, the head of the ruling Communist Party, and was strongly reaffirmed at a meeting of the party’s all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee on Thursday.

“Relaxation will undoubtedly lead to massive numbers of infections, critical cases and deaths, seriously impacting economic and social development and people’s lives and health,” the the official Xinhua News Agency said in its summary of the meeting’s conclusions.

The meeting “stressed the importance of unswervingly adhering to the dynamic zeroCOVID policy and resolutely fighting any attempts to distort, question or dismiss China’s anti-COVID policy.”

China on Friday reported a total of 4,628 new COVID-19 cases, the vast majority of them asymptomatic and detected in Shanghai, China’s largest city which lies about 177 kilometers east of Hangzhou. With AP

SENATOR Francis “Tol” Tolentino takes a selfie with the members of the kickboxing team during a sendoff dinner in Tagaytay City early this week.

Kickboxers ready for action–Sen. Tolentino

K

By Josef Ramos

ICKBOXING action starts Sunday in the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games with a gritty Team Philippines hoping to match or surpass its three gold medal haul three years ago to topple this edition’s host as king of the sport.

Vietnamese kickboxers dominated the 2019 edition held at the Cuneta Astrodome with four gold medals on top of two bronze medals to snatch the overall title from the Philippines, which had one less gold but with two silvers and one bronze.

But no less than Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas President Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino is ecstatic of his athletes’ strong performance.

“All Filipinos are with the Philippine kickboxing team to again bring home pride to our country,”

Villamar braces for tough Gabuat stand in netfest

PHIL MICKELSON is being investigated for his role in an insider trading scheme. AP

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EDERAL auditors investigating Phil Mickelson's role in an insider trading scheme found his gambling losses totaled more than $40 million from 2010 to 2014, according to an excerpt from Alan Shipnuck's forthcoming biography.

Shipnuck posted the excerpt on his “Firepit Collective” site Thursday. His unauthorized biography on Mickelson is to be released May 17 during the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Championship. Mickelson is the defending champion. He has not said if he will be playing.

Mickelson has been out of public view since the final round of the Saudi International on February 6. A short time later, Shipnuck posted explosive comments from Mickelson on his involvement in Greg Norman's Saudi-backed golf venture.

Mickelson dismissed Saudi Arabia's human rights record, including the killing of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi, by saying it was worth getting involved with the Saudis if it meant gaining leverage to get what he wanted from the PGA Tour.

Mickelson was a relief defendant in 2016 in the insider trading case that sent noted gambler Billy Walters to prison.

Walters since has been released and has said he is writing a book.

In the most recent excerpt on the $40 million in gambling losses, Shipnuck wrote that government auditors investigated Mickelson's finances over four

Mickelson incurs $40M in gambling losses years from 2010 to 2014. The author cited a source with direct access to the documents.

Mickelson's annual income in 2012—the time of the Dean Foods stock deal that netted Mickelson nearly $1 million in one week—was estimated at about $48 million.

Shipnuck also said money was largely behind his split with longtime caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay in 2017. He wrote that Mackay left Mickelson after the Memorial that year over a series of “simmering grievances,” including hundreds of thousands of dollars in back pay.

Shipnuck wrote more details on that would be in the book.

Mickelson was seen as a chief recruiter for Norman and his Saudi-funded LIV Golf Investments. He told Shipnuck in a November

interview—that excerpt was published in February—that he recruited three players who paid attorneys to write the operating agreement of the new league.

Mickelson's agent said he has asked the PGA Tour for a conflicting event release to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational series to be held June 9-11 outside London.

The Telegraph in London cited sources as saying Mickelson has received $30 million up front and must appear in each of the eight events that make up the LIV Golf Invitational series. The tournaments offer $20 million in prize money, with an additional $5 million for team play.

Details of who's playing and how the team component will work have not been announced. AP

Open water, swim events up down south

F

FOUR exciting water sports events are set at Boracay Island.

INIS Philippines travels South to boost open water and swimming events through the FINIS Boracay Newcoast Open Water Festival in Boracay Island from May 11 to 15.

FINIS Philippines Managing Director Vince Garcia said they lined up four events— Kids of Steel Triathlon-Visayas Leg, Green Aquathlon, Open Water Swim and Caticlan-Boracay Channel Crossing Fun Swim—for water sports enthusiasts.

"It would be more of an investment to make it an annual event that will keep growing next year and the year after and so on," Garcia said.

FINIS tied up with Megaworld's Belmont Hotel as the event's official hotel partner. It will extend discounts to participants and their entourage.

Garcia also expressed gratitude to the local government units for their support and coordination, particularly Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores for endorsing the events and Malay Municipal Mayor Floribar Bautista.

Online registration is still ongoing on the RaceYaya website.

The Open Water Festival kicks off competitions with the Caticlan Channel Crossing Fun Swim from Tabon Port in Caticlan to Manoc-Manoc Beach in Boracay on May 13.

Zephania Ngaya (65 kgs) in the women’s side.

“The coaches and athletes are in high spirits, and ready and raring to go for the gold,” said team manager Roselyn Hung, who thanked the Philippine Olympic Committee headed by Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez for fully supporting their pre-Games preparations in Benguet.

Senator Tolentino and his secretary general, Atty. Wharton Chan, hosted a sendoff dinner for the athletes prior to their departure to Vietnam last Tuesday.

The team’s coaches are Mark Sangiao, Jaybe Ban Eg, Glenn Mondol, Donnie Geisler and Randy Caluag.

Jerry Olsim, also a gold medalist in 2019 (men 69 kgs), was injured and missed the team tryouts.

Tolentino said. “More than their winning chances, their sacrifices and disciplined training are proof of the utmost traits of us Filipinos .”

Two of the gold medalists in 2019—Jean Claude Saclag (men’s 63.5 kgs) and Gina Iniong (women’s 60 kgs)—are back to defend their titles in the sport that Vietnam is hosting from Sunday until May 13 in Bac Ninh province, some 100 kms out of main hub Hanoi.

Joining the defending champions in the low kick division are Kurt Lubrica (54 kgs), Emmanuel Cantores (60 kgs), Honorio Banario (71 kgs) and Claudine Veloso (women’s 52 kgs).

Competing in the full contact class are Daryl Chulipas (51 kgs), Jomar Balangui (57 kgs) and Carlos Alvarez (67 kgs) in the men’s division and Renalyn Dacquel (48 kgs), Gretel De Paz (56 kgs) and

The FINIS Green Aquathlon dubbed as the race for the environment starts on May 14 with a 2.5-km run, 800-meter swim and 2.5-km race for adults as well as in eight age groups (16-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49 and 50-above) for men and four (16-19, 20-29, 30-39 and 40-above) for women.

The kids' aquathlon will have four age groups for the boys and girls—6-under, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-15. Course distances for the kids age group are 50-meter swim and 200-meter run (6-under), 100-meter swim and 200-meter (7-8), 200-meter swim and 1-km run (9-10), 300-meter swim and 2-km run (11-12) and 400-meter swim and 4-km run (13-15).

The Visayas leg of the Kids of Steel (KOS) triathlon is set May 14 at the Boracay Newcoast with five categories—6-under (50-meter swim, 700-meter bike and 200-meter run), 9-10 (200-meter swim, 2-km bike and 1.5-km run, 11-12 (200-meter swim, 4-km bike and 1.5-km run) and 13-15 (300-meter swim, 8-km bike and 2-km run).

The Open Water Swim Series will be at the Boracay Newcoast on May 15.

K

YLE CYD VILLAMAR grabs the No. 1 seeding from erstwhile top bet Thomas Gabuat following his breakthrough run in Maranding last week as they banner the field in the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) national age-group tennis circuit, which resumed Thursday in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental.

Villamar, 15, snapped Gabuat’s romp in the Mindanao swing of the PPS-PEPP tour with a 5-3, 4-0 win in the semifinals. The Kapatagan (Lanao del Norte) bet then repelled McLeen Gomera, 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-8, to claim the boys’ 16-under crown at the Maranding courts last Tuesday.

Although Villamar yielded the 18-under trophy to Christopher Sonsona, his runner-up effort was enough to net him the top seeding in both the 16- and 18-U divisions for this week’s battle for ranking points in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

But Gabuat is out for redemption while the likes of Sindangan leg winner Vince Serna, Pete Bandala, Cyril Paster and Gomera (18-under) and Johnny Caedo III, Benedict Lim, Andrei Esick, Leigh Omandam and Gomera (16-under) are all eager and ready to foil the top two players' title bids.

Ma. Judyann Padilla and AJ Acabo likewise gear up for another fierce duel in the top two categories in the girls’ side while Marlyn Mesiona targets win No. 6 in the 14-under division of the circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro and held under the auspices of the Unified Tennis Philippines and Universal Tennis Rating.

For details, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Lim and Bandala, meanwhile, set out to dispute the boys’ 14-under diadem while Ursal Pazz and Yuree Madrona (boys) and Vienne Cagas and Hanna Jumawan (girls) headline the field in the 12-under class.

Women’s volleyball action back

C

OLLEGIATE volleyball action returned after a twoyear pandemic hiatus following the opening of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 84 Women’s Tournament last Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The matches are played every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a live audience. Fans can also catch the live games via One Sports, UAAP Varsity Channel, Cignal Play and Smart GigaPlay.

As a welcome treat for international fans, UAAP Varsity Channel is now available overseas via iWantTFC. “We are all set to provide the most extensive and reliable coverage for this highly anticipated UAAP women's volleyball event,” Cignal President and CEO Robert Galang said. “Cignal brings the games via the dedicated UAAP Varsity Channel as well as through One Sports and Cignal Play, to give volleyball fans the best viewing experience at their own convenience.”

“This is going to be an intensified season, and we feel the energy and anticipation from the volleyball community’” Galang said. “We at Cignal are honored to bring the UAAP women’s volleyball action as it happens, where it happens.”

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

24 INCH GAUGE CONSTRUCTION INC. L4 Blk. 4, Near Kay Buboy Bridge, San Dionisio, City Of Parañaque

CHEEK SING YUE Marketing Specialist 1.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for coordinating with other marketing and sales professionals to implement innovative campaigns for branding or product launches.

Basic Qualification: Ability to work under pressure and motivation to succeed in a competitive environment; Should have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, marketing, communications or a related field; Good communication and interpersonal skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HOANG THI HAI LINH Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 14.

2.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

ANTON RIO Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

3.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

CHEPRIANTO PRATAMA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

4.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

DANG THI HOAN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

5.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

DANG TON CHAN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

6.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

DANH TRAN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

7.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

DINH MINH THAO Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

8.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

DO NGOC TUYEN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

9.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

DO THI MY HANH Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

10.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

DOAN MANH HUNG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

11.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

ERVINA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

12.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

FALINTINO SUI Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 13.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

TRAN MINH ANH Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 26.

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

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

TRAN DUC MY Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

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

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

SELA DESTIANI Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

NGUYEN VAN NGHIA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

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

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

NGUYEN VAN HIEU Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

NGUYEN TRUNG DUNG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

NGUYEN THUY TAM NHU Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

LOH WEI CHEN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

LE VAN HUU Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

LE THI DUYEN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

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

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

LE DUC SON Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

JONNY ABE Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

3D ANALYZER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INC. 7-8/f Double Dragon Plaza, 255 Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City ANGELINE Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

TRAN QUOC VU Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 27.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

Saturday, May 7, 2022

A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

No.

TRAN VAN DONG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 28.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

29.

30.

31.

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

32.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

YUDHI HARDA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

33.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

UNO, YUKI Sales Department General Manager 34.

Brief Job Description: Manage the Sales and Marketing Team for Brand Campaign development

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

HUANG, KAIWANG Risk Specialist I

35.

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

Brief Job Description: • Ensures bad actor disincentives (bad) are unable to profit when using amazon’s services to abuse customers, selling partners or stores.

• delivers accurate, comprehensive investigations with detailed and thoughtful annotations. • Addresses chronic system issues, provide process improvements, develop internal documentation.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

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

Basic Qualification: Degree in Business Management or a Master’s in Business Administration Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: • Proficient in both English and mandarin languages with an ability to compose grammatically correct, concise and accurate verbal and written responses.

• experience in fraud investigations, identity, verify and authenticate fraudulent documents and invoices. • Exceptionally strong customer handling and conflict resolution skills.

• Ability to maintain high levels of confidentiality and data security standards.

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

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. B21 Three E-com Moa Complex, Harbour Drive Cor. Bay Shore, Brgy. 076, Pasay City

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

AEON FANTASY GROUP PHILIPPINES INC. 6/f Salustiana D. Ty Tower, 104 Paseo De Roxas Cor. Perea St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

WILLIAM ANDREWS Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

VY VAN DUC Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

TRAN VAN VU Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Basic Qualification: Fluent in spoken & written mandarin and other dialect spoken in other parts of china.

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering products and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services; maintains customer records by updating account information in mandarin format.

TRAN VAN THUAN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Mandarin speaking with at least some secondary education.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LI, PEIYING Risk Specialist I

36.

Brief Job Description: • Ensures bad actor disincentives (bad) are unable to profit when using amazon’s services to abuse customers, selling partners or stores.

• delivers accurate, comprehensive investigations with detailed and thoughtful annotations. • Addresses chronic system issues, provide process improvements, develop internal documentation.

Basic Qualification: • Proficient in both English and mandarin languages with an ability to compose grammatically correct, concise and accurate verbal and written responses.

• experience in fraud investigations, identity, verify and authenticate fraudulent documents and invoices. • Exceptionally strong customer handling and conflict resolution skills.

• Ability to maintain high levels of confidentiality and data security standards.

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

BusinessMirror

A14 A6 Saturday, May 7, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LI, XINJIAN Risk Specialist I

37.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: • Ensures bad actor disincentives (bad) are unable to profit when using amazon’s services to abuse customers, selling partners or stores.

• delivers accurate, comprehensive investigations with detailed and thoughtful annotations. • Addresses chronic system issues, provide process improvements, develop internal documentation.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: • Proficient in both English and mandarin languages with an ability to compose grammatically correct, concise and accurate verbal and written responses.

• experience in fraud investigations, identity, verify and authenticate fraudulent documents and invoices. • Exceptionally strong customer handling and conflict resolution skills.

• Ability to maintain high levels of confidentiality and data security standards.

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SEN, DIPTO Vice President - Finance And Treasurer

48.

Brief Job Description: Drive sox and other finance compliance measures.

Drive a fully compliant site financial process. Put into place policies and procedures to safeguard company assets as well as govern areas like T&E expenses, reimbursement, purchasing and sourcing, implementation of an automated reconciliation platform. Conceptualize, create pricing & commercial terms for new deals across business verticals for the four geographies across various product lines. Present pricing solution to senior management team. Lead commercial negotiations and also term sheet and MSA negotiations from a commercial standpoint.

BEH SUUI Malaysian Customer Service Representative 38.

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

HONY NG WAH FULL Malaysian Customer Service Representative

39.

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

LEONG ZHI KANG Malaysian Customer Service Representative

40.

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

NGUYEN KHANH HUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

41.

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

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

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

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

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

AON INSURANCE AND REINSURANCE BROKERS PHILIPPINES, INC. 8/f Ayala North Exchange Tower 1 Ayala Ave., Cor. Salcedo & Amorsolo St, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati OLIVER, DARREN THOMAS President/chief Executive Officer

42.

Brief Job Description: • Responsible for the management of the business and directing the company to ensure effective and profitable operation and growth.

• Accountable to the Board of Directors and Regional Management for maximum return on invested capital, formulation and execution of current and long-term objectives, review and implementation of the company’s operating plans, policies and operational controls. • Provides overall direction and management for the country, ensuring country strategies are communicated, cascaded and implemented effectively. • Directs the entire operation of the company to maintain established cost and quality standards, attains projected revenue and profit levels, achieves client satisfaction goals and ensures maintenance and security of the company’s physical assets. • Develops/ updates the country’s business plan and monitors financial performance to safeguard the company’s profitability. Integrates regional objectives, plans and budgets to ensure the achievement of agreed objectives

49.

50.

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

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

Basic Qualification: • • 15+ years of wide and varied leadership experience in the insurance/insurance broking business.

• Excellent understanding of the local insurance market. • Excellent technical insurance knowledge in Commercial & Health Solutions. • Strong business acumen.

• Highly logical and analytical. • Strong ability to organize effectively, delegate, solve problems, and communicate effectively. • Effective people management and stakeholder engagement skills. Degree from a reputable university, MBA is preferred.

51.

43.

Brief Job Description: To teach in degree & special courses, conduct research, artificial intelligence and innovation, among others.

52.

EDVARDSEN, SINDRE BAKKEVOLD Manager Consulting

44.

Brief Job Description: Evaluate and select the right approach given the project requirements by collaborating with stakeholders to oversee project scope, direction and vision; identify processes and develop strategies for enhancing or further leveraging these processes.

SUOVANEN, JENNA EVELIINA Multilingual Service Desk Member 45.

Brief Job Description: Resolves issues utilizing excellent customer service skills, problem solving skills, technical thinking skills and a high level of individual judgement.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Finnish and English, vocational diploma, short course certificate undergraduate, or bachelor’s college degree, background and knowledge in it is preferred.

HU, XIANGWEI Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

SURYANI Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

Brief Job Description: Answer all customer questions/ concerns regarding their company products, policies, and services

OVELGÖNNE, CORNELIS PETRUS Country Manager 53.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for initiating, formulating, and developing the company’s objectives, policies, and long range projects

NGUYEN THI DIEM Equipment Installation Specialist 54.

Brief Job Description: Working as per the requirements of the clients and performing all kinds of general installation; Programming and setting up the machineries and equipment along with experimenting on the same NGUYEN VAN TU Equipment Installation Specialist

55.

Brief Job Description: Manage the company’s email system and provide user support to technical and non-technical users in the office

ZHANG, RUI Equipment Installation Specialist 56.

Brief Job Description: Working as per the requirements of the clients and performing all kinds of general installation; Programming and setting up the machineries and equipment along with experimenting on the same

SHEN, ZHENZHEN Mandarin Speaking Safety Officer 57.

Brief Job Description: Implement and maintain health and safety standards; Establish a cordial and professional relationship with employees

WANG, CHUNMIN Mandarin Speaking Safety Officer 58.

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

Brief Job Description: Implement and enforce safety policies that reduce the risk of accident; determine which policies are necessary for the job site and how to enforce them.

46.

Brief Job Description: Assist external users of the client’s technical products or services; identify, investigate, research and provide resolution to user questions and problems

Basic Qualification: Ability to think clearly and can explain simple issues effectively, both written and verbally

ZHANG, RUIQI Mandarin Speaking Safety Officer 59.

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

DAE YUN CONSTRUCTION CORP. Unit 319 Eagle Bldg., #26 Matalino St., Central, Quezon City

47.

KIM, CHANSU Operations Manager Brief Job Description: Handle the entire operations

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

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

Basic Qualification: Must be a fluent Japanese speaker, above average in English communication skills

61.

TRAN VAN TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 62.

63.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in English Language Both in Written and Verbal; With Working Knowledge in Construction Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin and English language both in written and verbal; must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills.

64.

Brief Job Description: Implement and enforce safety policies that reduce the risk of accident; determine which policies are necessary for the job site and how to enforce them.

ENI LIU Site Assistant Supervisor Basic Qualification: Must be a Korean national. Operations Manager Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

EXLSERVICE PHILIPPINES, INC. 6th Floor, One E-com Center, Harbor Drive, Mall Of Asia Complex, Pasay City

60.

Brief Job Description: Oversee daily operations, coordinate employee schedules, ensuring adequate coverage, enforce all workplace policies and procedures, and conduct performance reviews.

65.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AUNG HTAY Burmese Customer Service Representative

66.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AUNG KYAW LIN Burmese Customer Service Representative

67.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AUNG KYAW MOE Burmese Customer Service Representative

68.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires AUNG KYAW SAN Burmese Customer Service Representative

69.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires EINDRAY MAY OO Burmese Customer Service Representative

70.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HAN LIN AUNG Burmese Customer Service Representative

71.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HLA HMONE YI Burmese Customer Service Representative

72.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires KAW KYAR YIN Burmese Customer Service Representative

73.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires KHIN HNIN SI Burmese Customer Service Representative

74.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires KHIN KHIN @ KHAING SIN Burmese Customer Service Representative

75.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LET LET WUTYI Burmese Customer Service Representative

76.

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

NANG HOM LIN Burmese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires.

NANG YING MO HOM Burmese Customer Service Representative

78.

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

NYEIN SU HLAING Burmese Customer Service Representative

79.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SAI HSAI WAN Burmese Customer Service Representative

80.

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

JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. U-2801 28/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Assist in management of overall operation in the marketing department

AH NGAL LAY Burmese Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Manage Korean customer queries/complaints

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in mandarin and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in mandarin and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

KIM, KIHYUN Customer Service Representative

CHOI, MINSU Marketing Assistant

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in English Language Both in Written and Verbal; With Working Knowledge in Construction

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

KINDOSAR PROCESS SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 5d, Rose Industries Bldg., Pioneer St., Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in English Language Both in Written and Verbal; With Working Knowledge in Construction

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Fluent in English Language Both in Written and Verbal; With Working Knowledge in Construction

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

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

Basic Qualification: at least 15-20 years of managerial experience in an international financial institution

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LE ANH TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

77.

CONCENTRIX DAKSH SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Bldg. F, Ayalaland, Technohub, Quezon City

VIDAL, GERARDO ALBERTO Advisor I, Technical Support

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

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

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Norwegian and English; background and knowledge in it is preferred.

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

Brief Job Description: Customer Service

Basic Qualification: College graduate/Level and fluent in Mandarin/ basic English

ING BUSINESS SHARED SERVICES B.V. BRANCH OFFICE 27th Floor World Plaza Building, 5th Avenue, E-square Zone Cresent Park West, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig

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

CGI (PHILIPPINES) INC. 2/f One World Square, Mckinley Hill, Pinagsama, City Of Taguig

CHEN, WENCI Call Center Agent

BATTULGA, TUVSHINTUGS Customer Care Specialist - Japanese

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: Must have a PhD degree, at least 5 years’ experience in a similar role as planning and management

Basic Qualification: With 20+years of professional experience in planning, development, implementation, and maintenance of the company’s administrative and financial services and departments, supporting and promoting profitable goals and objectives.

With thorough knowledge of financial and legal best practices and requirements with a proven ability to provide sound and ethical financial counsel to executive leadership.

No.

HELLOCONNECT, INC. 7/f Inoza Tower, 40th St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

ASIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, INC. 123, Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

TAN WEE KWAN Associate Professor

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SAI LAO HLAING Burmese Customer Service Representative

81.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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

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

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

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION SAI LOUNG SAING Burmese Customer Service Representative

82.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SHWE PYAE BHOME KYAW Burmese Customer Service Representative

83.

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

YI YI TUN Burmese Customer Service Representative

84.

85.

86.

87.

88.

89.

90.

91.

92.

93.

94.

95.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHEN, BO Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

CHEN, XIAOMENG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

CHU, WEIJIAO Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

HU, HONGYAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

LIU, SHENGJIE Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

PHOR CIN TXIANG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

QIU, CHUANG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

XIONG, HAIQING Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

YEOH JIN HEAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

ZHANG, BINGHE Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

ZHU, BO Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

CHEN, JIAWEN Chinese Customer Service Representative

96.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HAN, LI Chinese Customer Service Representative

97.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries HE, BIN Chinese Customer Service Representative

98.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HU, YING Chinese Customer Service Representative

99.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires JI, CHENHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

100.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires JIANG, CHANGMING Chinese Customer Service Representative

101.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires KONG, JIE Chinese Customer Service Representative

102.

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

LAN, YIGANG Chinese Customer Service Representative

103.

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

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

No.

LI, FAN Chinese Customer Service Representative 104.

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

105.

106.

107.

108.

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

109.

110.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and Fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English.

111.

112.

113.

114.

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

115.

116.

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

117.

118.

119.

120.

121.

122.

123.

124.

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

125.

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

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

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

ZHANG, PENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires ZHANG, JINXIONG Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires YU, YAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires YIN, WEI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires XU, RAN Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

XIAO, YAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin/ basic English

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

REN, LIZHI Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin / basic English

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

PAN, KANGHUA Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

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

MIN, WEIWEI Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and Fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English.

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

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

LUO, WEI Chinese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin/ basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LIU, SISHUAI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

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

LIU, RUYUAN Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin/ basic English

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

LIU, DAWEI Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

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

LI, JIANTAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin / basic English

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

LI, JIANPENG Chinese Customer Service Representative

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

126.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires CHONG WAI CHUNG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service

HE, MIN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service.

HOANG QUOC HUY Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service.

LIM KAH LIANG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service.

NGUYEN THI PHUONG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service.

PHAM THI CHAU Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer service.

Saturday, May 7, 2022

A15

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

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

No.

127.

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

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

128.

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

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

129.

130.

131.

132.

133.

134.

135.

136.

137.

138.

139.

140.

141.

142.

Basic Qualification: College graduate, level and fluent in mandarin, basic English.

143.

144.

145.

146.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires BUI THI HANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

147.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CAO QUANG VUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

148.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, level and fluent in mandarin, basic English.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

BAN VAN TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, level and fluent in mandarin, basic English.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

YONG CHENG ING Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, level and fluent in mandarin, basic English.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

YAP BOON CHIN Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, level and fluent in mandarin, basic English.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

WONG BOON CHING Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin / basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

TENG SHIAW PING Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

PUA JIA YEW Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

OOI WAI KEONG Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LER ZHI TONG Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LEE CHAN NEN Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

LAI YONG WAI Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

KONG ZHEN FOON Malaysian Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

KONG SIEW WAH Malaysian Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

CHUNG PEIR HANN Malaysian Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

CHEN PING HUA Malaysian Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

BONG PEI YING Malaysian Customer Service Representative

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

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

WANG, QINGSONG Customer Service Representative

KELVIN Indonesian Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Customer service.

ALVINDO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

TERENCE LEE CHING YUAN Customer Service Representative

AGUS WILLIANTO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CUN CHAC HAU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

149.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, level and fluent in mandarin, basic English.

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

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

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

BusinessMirror

A16 A6 Saturday, May 7, 2022

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION DANG VAN HA Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

150.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires DENG TAT PHUC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

151.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires DOAN THANH TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

152.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires GIANG HAI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

153.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires HOANG VAN TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

154.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LANG HONG NHUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

155.

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

LE VAN HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

156.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires LUONG THI HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

157.

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

LUU THI NGA Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

158.

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

LUU VAN THIET Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

159.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires NGUYEN PHUC NAM Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

160.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires NGUYEN TIEN TRUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

161.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries NGUYEN TUAN ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

162.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires NGUYEN VAN TIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

163.

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

NGUYEN VAN TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

164.

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

NGUYEN VAN TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

165.

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

PHAM SY NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

166.

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

PHAM THI GIANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

167.

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

PHAM VAN LINH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

168.

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

PHAN GIANG MAY Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

169.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries PHUN VAN NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

170.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TO THI PHUONG ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

171.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN CHAN PHAT Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

172.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries TRAN THUY TIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

173.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

No.

TRUONG VAN HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 174.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

175.

176.

177.

CHEN, JUN Chinese Customer Service 178.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

CHEN, MIN Chinese Customer Service 179.

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

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

FANG, WEIGUO Chinese Customer Service

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

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

180.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

FANG, YINCHENG Chinese Customer Service 181.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

182.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 183.

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

184.

185.

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

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

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

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

PANG, ZHILIN Chinese Customer Service 186.

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

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

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

LIU, JUNHUI Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

HU, JIAN Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

HAO, WENJUAN Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

FENG, XUECHENG Chinese Customer Service

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

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

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

TIAN, CHENLIN Chinese Customer Service 187.

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

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

XIA, CAOYUN Chinese Customer Service 188.

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

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

ZHU, HONGWEI Chinese Customer Service 189.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language DEVI Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

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

191.

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

192.

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

190.

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

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

193.

194.

195.

196.

197.

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

199.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Opens customer accounts by recording account info

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

ZHAO, LENGHUI Mandarin Product Developer

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Grow company revenues by developing new products

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

GAO, BO Mandarin Technical Support Specialist 200.

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer systems and networks

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

OPTIMORE INC. Unit 3-c 3/f Lpl Tower, 112 Legaspi St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: 18-50 y/o, good organizational skills, proficient in relevant computer applications.

SHI, YU Multilingual Customer Service Specialist 201.

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

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

ZHOU, WEI Mandarin Customer Service 198.

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

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

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

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

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

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

TRINH THU NGAN Vietnamese Customer Service

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

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

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

LE THANH TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service

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

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

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

TAN MOO SENG Malaysian Customer Service

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

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

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

LYE YAN TING Malaysian Customer Service

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

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

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

YOSEPH Customer Service Representative

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

NELSON CEILLOBARD Customer Service Representative

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

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION MERY ROS Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires VY DUC HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries VU THI HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries VO THI THUY HANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading sales teams to reach sales targets. Sales managers are primarily tasked with.

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

PHILIPPINES REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE OF YAMAHA CORPORATION 26th Floor Twenty Four Seven Mckinley Building Corner 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

202.

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication skills and management

HIRAGA, YUTA Chief Representative Brief Job Description: Representing the company in interaction with client

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

SA RIVENDELL GLOBAL SUPPORT, INC. 2/f Star Cruises Ce Bldg., Andrews Drive, Newport City St., Barangay 183, Pasay City PHAM HONG CONG Customer Service Representative 203.

Brief Job Description: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills

Basic Qualification: Customer support and data base services Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

SOMI UNLIMITED SOLUTIONS, INC. 10/f Tower 2 Double Dragon Plaza Bldg., Edsa Corner Macapagal Ave. St. Zone 10, District 1, Barangay 76, Pasay City MADARLEE, ATTAKORN Thai Customer Service Representative 204.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Thai (verbal and written skills).

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

STYLETEX CORPORATION #1, Laura Street, Bagumbayan, City Of Taguig

205.

Basic Qualification: Ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently

GAUTAM, SITA RAM Production Manager Brief Job Description: Coordinate and control manufacturing processes

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 *Date Generated: May 6, 2022

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.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR