BusinessMirror May 12, 2023

SC gives Pateros say in land row

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsan-

UNBEATABLE IN 400 HURDLES Ageless Eric Shaun Cray cements his name in Southeast Asian Games athletics by winning his sixth straight men’s 400 meters gold medal on Thursday at the Morodok Techno National Stadium in Phnom Penh. SEAGames stories in B7 Sports. ROY DOMINGO

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HE tug-of-war over parcels of land inside Fort Bonifacio is not yet over after the Supreme Court issued a ruling giving the municipality of Pateros a chance to prove its claim over the territory which the court recently declared with finality as part of the jurisdiction of Taguig City.

In a 28-page decision penned

by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the Court’s First Division reversed and set aside the

January 29, 2015 and December 24, 2015 resolution of the Court of Appeals which junked the claim of Pateros over the said parcel of lands.

Instead, the SC directed the Regional Trial Court of Pasig City, Branch 271, Taguig City Station to reinstate the Civil Case No. 73387-TG filed by the Pateros municipal government against Taguig City and Makati City.

The Pateros municipal government’s complaint covers Parcel 4 of PSU-31 which includes seven barangays iden-

tified as Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Comembo, Pembo and Pitogo w it h an ag g regate area of 3,044,568 square meters.

The said barangays have been declared as part of Makati’s territory by virtue of Proclamations No. 2475 and 518 issued on January 7, 1986 and January 31, 1991 by former Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino, respectively.

The Taguig City government filed a complaint on September 21, 1993 against Makati seeking territorial jurisdiction over the

said lands.

In a ruling last month, the SC affirmed with finality its decision issued in 2021 which held that the disputed 729-hectare Bonifacio Global City complex and several other barangays in Makati are part of Taguig City.

The SC ruling covers Parcels 3 and 4 of PSU-31 comprising Fort Bonifacio, including the so-called Inner Fort comprising of Barangays Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo and Pitogo.

See “SC,” A2

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MANUFACTURING, EXPORTS REFLECT GLOBAL IMPACT

6.4% Q1 growth lowest in 8 qtrs

By Cai U. Ordinario

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Gov’t on track to achieve growth target, says Diokno

@caiordinario

HE Philippines has felt the pinch of recession fears and high inflation as the lackluster performance of manufacturing and exports, which are “sensitive to the global environment,” seeped into the country’s economic performance in the first three months of the year.

On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) announced that the countr y posted a GDP growth of 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2023. This was the slowest in eight quarters. (Story here: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2023/05/11/phleconomy-posts-q1-growth-of-6-4-lowestin-8-quarters/) Data showed that manufacturing only posted growth of 2 percent, one of the slowest growth rates under the Industry subsectors of GDP. Exports, National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said, was to blame as it contracted 15.3 percent during the period.

"Manufacturing is so sensitive to the global environment for trade and this slowdown in the global economy has significantly impacted on our major exports, particularly semiconductors, electronics, these are the ones that are hardly hit in the

T SUNSET AFTER SUMMIT Clockwise from top, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his wife Iriana, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his wife Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife Louise, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and wife Ho Ching, East Timor’s Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak and his daughter Tamarisa Vasconcelos, Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai, Lao’s Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and his wife Vandala, Brunei's Prince Abdul Mateen and his father Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen sit on the deck of a traditional pinisi ship during a sunset viewing event on the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Mast Irham/Pool Photo via AP

By Raadee S. Sausa

HE government is on track to achieving its growth targets in the first quarter of 2023 with the gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.4 percent year-on-year (YoY) despite high inflation, a Cabinet official said on Thursday.

“The sustained trajectory of the country’s output is a welcome development as we navigate through an uncertain global outlook,” Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

On a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) basis, the economy has registered a growth of 1.1 percent from 2.0 percent in the previous quarter.

See “Gov’t,” A2

‘THE BEST’ FOR ROLLOUT IN U.S., MIDDLE EAST

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

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DVERTISING materials carrying the new country brand, “We give the world our best. The Philippines,” will also be placed in key regional markets.

In a statement sent through public relations agency Ripple 8, Secretary Paul Soriano of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications told the BusinessMirror, the transit ad in London “was intended to be in the UK

in time for the Coronation [of King Charles III], where the world leaders are gathered. It was the perfect opportunity to reach them. The ads will also be shown in the United Sates and the Middle East.”

On the question of whether a bidding was conducted for the development of the country brand, he said, “The team who worked on the campaign’s thinking and creatives volunteered to be part of this country branding campaign. This is a top priority of PBBM [President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.] that our countrymen can be proud to call our-

selves Filipinos anywhere in the world. There’s a long-term plan behind this campaign.”

Industry sources revealed that advertising agency DDB Group Philippines played no part in the development of the country brand, and was merely contracted to place the ads for OPACC. Soriano has yet to comment on the largely negative reaction from the public and a lawmaker that the ad appears to be “commodifying our people.”

(See, “No tourism slogan yet—DOT,” in the BusinessMirror, May 11, 2023.)

See “the best,” A2

See “Q1,” A2

PESO exchange rates n US 55.7700 n japan 0.4152 n UK 70.4264 n HK 7.1222 n CHINA 8.0490 n singapore 42.0937 n australia 37.7842 n EU 61.2578 n KOREA 0.0424 n SAUDI arabia 14.8716 Source: BSP (May 11, 2023)

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, May 12, 2023

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‘The best’… PBBM rallies support for early Continued from A1

Continue the ‘fun’—stakeholders

As this developed, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco defended the new country brand, saying that is how Filipinos behave especially when welcoming guests to their homes or the country. “Nowhere in the world will you meet a family, a Filipino, who is willing to give you the shirt on his back just so you will be comfortable in your journey, who’s willing to welcome you into his home to bring out the best silver, the best cutlery. They won’t eat the lechon until the visitor arrives, even if their children are hungry. ‘We give the world our best.’ That is a fact.”

She added, “What I can promise you, our tourism stakeholders and partners, in moving forward...we will make sure, before the DOT releases any placements, ads, videos and the like, you will be consulted.” She made the statement at the first raffle for the Bisita Be My Guest program.

On Wednesday, a DOT official said ‘the best’ tagline, is still not the tourism slogan.

The agency, however, has long dropped the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” slogan from its promotion materials.

Meanwhile, speaking on Net 25 earlier, Tourism Congress of the Philippines Roberto Zozobrado reiterated the group’s stand to keep the “fun” slogan, which was developed under former DOT chief Ramon Jimenez Jr., a veteran in the advertising industry. “It did very well for us. A lot of my friends in the industry and members of the TCP said they were very happy with the ‘fun’ campaign because it bought in a lot of visitor arrivals. In fact, from 2012 when it was started, we had 4.3 million arrivals. At the end of 2019 before the start of the pandemic, that ad campaign brought us 8.3 million arrivals. So we were doing very well. And it’s nice to portray the country as a fun destination.”

completion of Asean-China COC

P

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

RESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday tried to rally support for the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct (COC) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, citing the “concerning” developments in the South China Sea.

During his intervention at the 42nd ASEAN Summit Retreat Session in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, Marcos said Filipino vessels continue to face attempts to deny and obstruct

SC…

Continued from A1

The Philippine Army headquarters, Navy installation, Marines’ headquarters, Consular area, Jusmag area, Heritage Park, Libingan ng mga Bayani, AFP Officers Village and the so-called six villages are situated in these areas.

In explaining its decision favoring Pateros, the SC said its final decision in G.R. No. 235316 (City of Makati vs.

Taguig City) does not constitute res ju-

their movement within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea from Chinese ships despite the existence of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in

dicata that would prevent Pateros from pursuing its claim.

The doctrine of res judicata, according to the Court, provides that a final judgment on the merits rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction is conclusive as to the rights of the parties and their privies and constitutes an absolute bar to subsequent actions involving the claim, demand or cause of action.

"That having been said, the finality of G.R. No. 235316 does not constitute res judicata in any of its three concepts as to foreclose Pateros’ right to pursue its claims,” the SC stressed.

the South China Sea (DOC).

The DOC was signed by ASEAN and China in 2002 to affirm their commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight above the South China Sea and peaceful resolution of territorial and jurisdictional issues. “ T he Ph i l ippi nes h a s been clear and consistent about its serious concerns over recent developments in the South China Sea, especially infringements on our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” Marcos said. “ These incidents have

palpable consequences for the safety and welfare of our people, particularly our fisherfolk and coastal communities,” he added.

To address this issue, Marcos said he is advocating for the enforcement of a rules-based maritime order anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).

Marcos earlier said such principles should be included in the COC, which is currently still pending.

“We must ensure that the South China Sea does not become a nexus for armed conflict,” the President said.

For res judicata to apply in the case of Pateros, the SC said there should be identity of parties, subject matter, and causes of action.

Should identity of parties, subject matter of causes of action be shown in the two cases, the SC said the “bar by prior judgment” would apply.

However, the SC noted that in Pateros’ claim over Parcel 4 of Psu-2031, “there is neither identity of parties nor causes of action.”

“To recall, the Court in G.R. No 23516 determined that ‘ Taguig presented evidence that is more convincing and worthier of belief than that proffered by Makati. The decision was based mainly on the Court’s appreciation of the evidence presented,” the SC pointed out in a ruling dated April 19, 2023, but was released to the public only yesterday.

“Pateros was not a party to the case, and in fact sought to intervene but was denied by the

trial court. It has not yet had an opportunity to present its own evidence to prove its allegation of a historical claim to the disputed area,” the SC declared.

In its 2015 resolution junking Pateros’s plea to intervene in the territorial dispute case between Makati City and Taguig, the CA held there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Pasig RTC when it dismissed the complaint of Pateros for lack of jurisdiction.

The trial court concluded that it cannot exercise jurisdiction over the subject matter of the case, due to the failure of Pateros to comply with Sections 118 and 119 of the Local Government Code.

Section 118 mandates that boundary disputes involving a component city or municipality on the one hand and a highly urbanized city on the other, shall be jointly referred for settlement to the respective Sanggunians of the parties.

Gov’t…

Continued from A1

The GDP outturn beats private analysts’ median forecast of 6.0 percent and is well within the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC)’s growth target of 6.0 percent to 7.0 percent for 2023.

Furthermore, Diokno said the economy’s performance is much faster than China with (4.5 percent), Indonesia (5.0 percent), Singapore (0.1 percent), and Vietnam (3.3 percent).

Domestic demand in the first quarter expanded, led by household consumption (6.3 percent), investments (12.2 percent), a nd gover nment spending (6.2 percent).

Meanwhile, exports and imports of goods and services grew by 0.4 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively.

On the supply side, growth across sectors remained broadbased. This was led by services (8.4 percent), industry (3.9 percent), and agriculture (2.2 percent).

Grow th in ser v ices was mainly driven by Wholesale and retail trade, as well as financial and insurance activities.

On the other hand, growth in Industry was supported by the strong performance of the construction and manufacturing subsectors.

“As we continue to rely on domestic demand to propel the economy toward the growth target, the government remains unwavering in protecting the purchasing power of

Filipino consumers by acting swiftly to implement direct measures against inflation,” Diokno said.

“On the fiscal side, the government is committed to a fiscal consolidation path and will continue the implementation of the government’s infrastructure development program of 5 percent to 6 percent of GDP annually as indicated in the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework [MTFF],” he added.

The MTFF aims to bring down the debt-to-GDP ratio to less than 60 percent by 2025, then further down to 51.1 percent in 2028; and reduce the budget deficit to 3.0 percent of GDP by 2028.

As of the first quarter of 2023, the debt-to-GDP ratio was 61.0 percent, down from 63.5 percent in the first quarter of 2022.

The deficit-to-GDP ratio was 4.84 percent in the first quarter of 2023, down from 6.41 percent in the first quarter of 2022.

The finance chief said the government will also continue to leverage on structural reforms, such as the amendments to the Public Service Act (PSA), Foreign Investments Act (FIA), Retail Trade Liberalization Act (RTLA), and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act to build, better, more and foster investment development in the country.

“With the strategies contained in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, we can build a better environment that ensures a consistent path to sustainable and robust growth,” Diokno added.

Q1…

Continued from A1

global economy,” National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said during the briefing on Thursday.

“The other one is perhaps the high cost of inputs.

For example, for the food manufacturing sector, as you have seen, agricultural prices have [increased] substantially, like fertilizers and sugar is a major input in food manufacturing activities. High inflation there also reduces the profitability and competitiveness of food manufacturing industries,” he also said.

Based on PSA data, the growth of the manufacturing sector was also the slowest since the first quarter of 2021 when it only grew 0.8 percent. In the first quarter of 2022, the manufacturing sector grew 9.4 percent and in the last quarter, 3.9 percent.

The data also showed the manufacture of food products slowed to 5.8 percent compared to the 8 percent it posted in the first quarter of last year.

However, the first-quarter performance was better than the 3.4 percent growth posted in the fourth quarter of 2023.

On exports, PSA data showed shipments of electronic products contracted 24.4 percent in the first quarter of 2023. This is the largest contraction of the electronic product exports at least in the past nine quarters.

“Manufacturing growth was slower during the quarter at 2 percent due to the combination of elevated inflation and weaker demand for exports,” Bank of the Philippine Islands said in a statement.

El Niño

The manufacturing sector’s woes may be far from over as Balisacan considers the coming El Niño a threat to the country’s power supply and the agriculture sector.

Balisacan said the El Niño could also have an impact on electricity, as a dry spell would mean less water to fill dams, especially those that provide hydropower for households and businesses alike. This, he said, is common in Mindanao.

He also said a slight El Niño has the ability to cut agriculture production growth by 1 to 2 percent. The good thing right now, he said, is that agriculture only accounts for 10 percent of the economy.

However, a dry spell could still make commodities expensive, which is not only a bane for the manufacturing sector but also to households. Balisacan also noted that the sector still employs millions of Filipinos.

“The contraction of agriculture, caused by El Niño, may not deeply impact the economy although it may deeply impact households because a large majority, more than 20 percent of your labor force, is in agriculture. So the social implications are more serious than the economic ones,” Balisacan said.

“The good thing is we have learned much from the experiences we’ve had in El Niño management and our knowledge is richer [so] that we should be able to address issues better,” he added.

Earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the Philippines has mechanisms in place to cushion the impact of El Niño on food supply but says the extent of the impact, particularly on inflation, remains to be seen. (Story here: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/05/04/bsp-flags-el-ninos-inflationimpact/)

High inflation

The Neda chief also stressed that inflation remains a key factor that will affect the economy’s performance in the coming months.

Balisacan said the BSP has raised key rates in an attempt to cool inflation. These have proven to be effective as headline inflation may already have peaked and has started to slow to 6.6 percent in April 2023 from 7.6 percent in March and 8.6 percent in February 2023.

He noted that the latest inflation report numbers look promising: food inflation declined from 9.5 percent in March to 8 percent in April 2023, while nonfood inflation declined from 6.3 percent in March 2023 to 5.5 percent in April.

“High inflation remains a challenge, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ move to raise its key policy rates to anchor inflation expectations and ensure price stability, may dampen future growth. But the improvement in the business climate can counter this unintended effect,” Balisacan said. “We anticipate this downward trend to continue as inflation eventually eases toward the government’s target range by the fourth quarter of 2023.”

MBC’s view

On Thursday, the Makati Business Club (MBC) said the country’s economic performance could also improve on the back of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the amendments to the Public Service Act. MBC also noted that the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement in February 2023, which is currently the world’s largest free trade agreement, could also boost economic growth.

“Despite various risks and challenges, the economic outlook for the Philippines in the near and medium term remains solid. We are confident that we will reach our target for this year of 6 to 7 percent growth rate and 6.5 to 8 percent for 2024 to 2028,” Balisacan said.

“The Filipino people can rest assured that we are committed to achieving rapid, sustained, and inclusive economic growth. We strongly encourage everyone to contribute to building a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Philippines,” he concluded.

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, May 12, 2023 A3

RTC set to promulgate today 1 of 2 remaining drug cases vs de Lima

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

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HE Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Muntinlupa City Branch 204 is scheduled to promulgate today (Friday) one of the two remaining drug cases filed against former senator Leila de Lima for allegedly benefitting in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) during her stint as

justice secretary.

The promulgation is scheduled at around 8:30 a.m., which is expected to be attended by de Lima, who has been in jail since 2017.

She accused former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, her political nemesis, of orchestrating the filing of the trumped-up charges in order supposedly to silence her.

De Lima’s acquittal will not pave the way for her immediate release

from detention as she still has another pending drug case before the Muntinlupa RTC Branch 256, which earlier deferred its ruling on De Lima’s petition for bail.

This means de Lima will remain in jail even if Muntinlupa Branch 204 Presiding Judge Joseph Abrahan Alcantara decides to acquit her.

The drug case to be promulgated today stemmed from the affidavit executed on September 5, 2016 by

former officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Rafael Ragos, claiming that on November 2012, as BuCor OIC and together with aide Jovencio Ablen, they delivered a black bag containing P5 million to de Lima and her bodyguard Ronnie Dayan at the former’s residence in Parañaque.

He added that they made another delivery of money contained in a plastic bag in December 2012 to de

Lima and Dayan.

Ragos said the money allegedly came from drug lords inside the NBP to support de Lima’s senatorial bid in 2013.

However, Ragos recanted his statement implicating the latter in the illegal-drug trade inside the NBP in his affidavit executed in May 2022.

Ragos accused then Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre of coercing him to execute an affidavit implicat-

ing de Lima in the NBP drug trade.

Sought for his comment on today’s handing down of the verdict on de Lima, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla replied: “Good luck to her. I don’t even know the judge, I don’t talk with the prosecutors about it. It has been ongoing for the past six years, so good luck.”

“I cannot weigh in on that. I cannot interfere with the way of the court,” Remulla said.

NPC inks MOU with telcos for data privacy protection US Army chief McConville visits Camp Aguinaldo

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

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HE National Privacy Commission (NPC) said it has inked an agreement with major telecommunication companies in the country to address the “prevalence” of fraudulent schemes, such as targeted smishing messages.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Philippines’s privacy body said the memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on May 10, 2023 by Privacy Commissioner and Chairman John Henry D. Naga and representatives from Dito Telecommunity Corporation (Adel A. Tamano), Globe Telecom Inc. (Irish Krystle Salandanan-Almeida), and Smart Communications Inc. (Leah Camilla B. Jimenez).

Through the said agreement,

NPC said a Joint Task Force is established to foster coordination, communication, and implementation of the parties’ respective obligations regarding data privacy and protection, with the privacy body serving as the Secretariat.

“The NPC, in cooperation with the Telcos, will work towards capacitybuilding, knowledge sharing, and intensifying anti-fraud measures by launching a joint information dissemination campaign, which will educate and inform the public on these fraudulent schemes and the correct process on how to report them,” the privacy body said in the statement.

According to NPC, its collaboration with telcos, through the MOU, is a response to the “urgent need” to protect the public’s data privacy and security, especially against the “prevalence” of fraudulent schemes

such as targeted smishing messages.

The NPC chief expressed confidence that the MOU will start a “more dynamic relationship” between the government and telcos.

“It is imperative that we join forces with the private sector and collaborate to further strengthen data privacy awareness and educate our ‘kababayans’ in safeguarding their personal data,” Naga said.

Further, he said this initiative is “crucial in light of the increasing instances of data breaches and cyber threats that pose a significant risk to data privacy and security.”

According to Naga, it is the privacy body and the telcos’ “collective responsibility” to equip Filipinos with the knowledge of their rights as data subjects and in doing their part in protecting their own personal data.

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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HE chief of staff of the United States Army visited the country and separately conferred with top Philippine military officials, including Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino and his counterpart from the Philippine Army.

General James McConville visited Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday and talked with Centino on a trip to the country amid the ongoing US- Philippines Thunder Cope Exercise and following the conclusion of Balikatan Exercise which was participated by 17,600 Filipino and American troops.

Military public affairs office chief Col. Jorry Baclor said that during the meeting between Centino and McConville, the two military lead-

ers discussed the growing bilateral relationship between the two countries that was highlighted by the recent visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the US. “I was very excited about his recent visit to Washington D.C. as it sets the stage for a bigger and stronger relationship,” the chief of the US Army said, according to Baclor, as the general welcomed the training exercises and high-level engagements as a sign of increasing partnership between the two countries.

“We’ve been friends and allies for a long time, and I think it is important that we stay that way. In fact, [I think it’s better that] we become better friends, partners, and allies in the future,” McConville added.

Centino returned his guest’s optimism on the Philippines and US alliance by welcoming the recent

developments, especially those that will boost military capability and interoperability.

“We are thankful for your commitment and your support. We appreciate you for coming here as it goes a long way in strengthening our alliance and promoting cooperation,” Centino said.

The chief of the US Army also visited the headquarters of the Philippine Army and talked with Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. where the two bolstered the Army-to-Army ties. McConville was accorded a 17-gun salute by the Army.

Duringtheirmeeting,thetwoArmy leaders emphasized the need to bolster theArmyinteroperabilityofbothcountries and affirmed their commitment to ensure and sustain a free and open Indo-Pacific region, according to Army spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad.

Economy BusinessMirror

A4 Friday, May 12, 2023 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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Peza approves ₧33.094 billion investments from Jan to April T

DA weighs option to import onions anew to ensure supply adequacy

By Raadee S. Sausa

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

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HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) on Thursday disclosed it has approved 60 new and expansion projects worth P33.094 billion of investments from January to April 2023, which is 107.15 percent higher than the P15.975 billion approved investments in the same period last year.

During the same period, Peza noted the projects are also expected to generate about $1.012 billion exports and create 7,469 direct jobs.

For the month of April alone, the investment promotion agency said the Peza Board green lighted 14 new and expansion projects expected to bring in P20.556 billion investments and create 2,233 jobs.

The P20.556 billion worth of investment approvals in April 2023 is 162.37 percent higher than the

P7.834 billion investment approvals in April 2022. Data from Peza showed that while the value of investment approvals surged yearon-year, the number of projects declined from 26 in April 2022 to 14 projects this April 2023.

Among these 14 projects, seven are into logistics service, four into export manufacturing, and three IT enterprises. These projects, Peza said, will be located in Baguio, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Cebu, and South Cotabato.

The agency revealed the biggest project pre-qualified by the Peza Board for Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) approval is engaged in the manufacturing of biomass fuel products made from Buyo-buyo (Piper aduncum-shrub), with investments worth P19.701 billion.

Meanwhile, Peza said despite the widening trade deficit based on the recent report of the Philippine Sta-

tistics Authority (PSA), the investment promotion agency recorded $15.753 billion of exports for the first quarter of 2023.

For March 2023 alone, Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga said in a statement released on Thursday, “We have generated $5.396 billion export revenues, which account for 82.65 percent of the country’s $6.528 billion exports in March this year.”

As for the investment promotions of the Philippines, Panga expressed optimism that more investments will come to the Philippines with the “bigticket” investments that the country secured during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visits to Japan, US, and Switzerland, among others.

The $1.3 billion in investment pledges and 6,700 jobs generated from the President’s trip to the US, Panga noted, is an “indication of the American investors’ renewed interest in the country.”

Peza cited the investment climate statement on the Philippines by the US Department of State which read, “The business environment is notably better within the special economic zones, particularly those available for export businesses operated by Peza, known for its regulatory transparency, no red-tape policy, and one-stop shop services for investors.”

With the recent working visits of the President and his key Cabinet and business delegation to the US, UK, Indonesia, Panga said, “We hope to attract FDI [foreign direct investment] in advanced manufacturing, EV industry, RE development, mineral processing, regenerative agriculture, and frontier technologies, particularly in digital health, fintech, blockchain, AI and big data to boost our mix of industries and value-adding in the ecozones.”

@raadeeboy

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking into the possible importation of white and red onions during “lean months” or no harvest season this year, a Department of Agriculture (DA) official revealed on Thursday.

The import plan seeks to ensure the adequacy of the supply of the commodity and prevent a possible price increase.

“It will ensure that we have enough supply all throughout the year, taking into consideration that we actually have lean months of local produce,” DA Assistant Secretary Christine Evangelista said.

“We also need to consider when the onions will arrive, what is their shelf life. And of course we will help our farmers to make their prices competitive,” she added.

The DA earlier said that only a fraction of the more than 21,000 metric tons (MT) of onions that were authorized for importation had arrived in the country.

In January, the DA gave the green

Cavite ARB cooperative products penetrate Taiwan market–DAR

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

T

HE Tres Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers Association Inc. in the province of Cavite would now regularly supply the required agricultural products of the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families (TFCF), an official of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said.

TFCF requires assorted agri products for their child care program to improve maternal, infant, and child

nutrition in the Philippines.

In a statement, James Arthur T. Dubongco, Cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, said the deal sealed by DARCavite with the signing of the marketing agreement between Danilo Arnes, President of the Tres ARBs Farmers Association Inc. and Kai Li Chang, TFCF Philippines Branch Director.

TFCF is an international nongovernmental organization that provides support to vulnerable children and their families, which

has its main headquarters in Taichung, Taiwan, and its corresponding Philippine branch located in Mandaluyong City.

TFCF has been established in countries and cities of Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Swaziland, Vietnam, Cambodia, Jordan, and the Philippines, which provides various welfare services and programs with the local government units targeting poor children, youth, and families.

The project was implemented to support the government’s commit-

ment and responsibility of ensuring ready markets for the agricultural products of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Dubongco said that based on the agreement, the association will supply their harvested agricultural products, which include among others, root crops, fruits, and vegetables to the TFCF. “This partnership has assured the ARBs of the association of a steady market for their products and opened the opportunities to further expose their products to other target buy-

ers,” he said.

Dubongco added that the DAR is in constant contact with various institutional buyers to connect the ARB organizations and ensure that their products reach the market at the right time and price.

Arnes thanked the TFCF for the marketing agreement that was made possible through the DAR. “The TFCF will get a supply of fresh vegetables at a reasonable price, which will eventually make the earnings of the association and its ARB members bigger,” Arnes said.

PSA data outlines state of PHL ‘homelessness’

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

T

HOUSANDS of Filipinos are living in relocation areas as well as streets and public spaces, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

There were a total of 57,281 Filipinos living in relocation areas, while 12,615 were considered “homeless” as they were living in streets and public spaces, such as parks and sidewalks.

Over a third of those living in relocation areas are found in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Min-

danao (BARMM), while the majority or over 60 percent of the homeless are found in Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Homeless refers to individuals or households living in the streets or public spaces [such as parks and sidewalks] and all those without any form of shelter,” PSA said.

“For 2020 CPH [Census of Population and Housing], those homeless or persons living in the street or public spaces who have no usual place of residence or are not certain to be enumerated elsewhere should be listed where they are found,” it added.

Apart from BARMM, a total of 7,435 Filipinos who have been relocated are living in Soccsksargen, while 6,731 of these Filipinos are living in NCR and 5,380 relocated residents are living in Davao region.

In terms of the homeless, apart from NCR, some 1,270 Filipinos are homeless in Central Visayas; 734 are in Central Luzon; 378 Filipinos in Calabarzon; and 367 are in Western Visayas.

Meanwhile, data from the 2020 CPH alsoshowedthatthereare59,826households living in rent-free houses and lots without the consent of an owner.

light for the importation of 21,060 MT of onions to fill the supply gap and arrest the continuous spike in the price of the commodity in the market.

The volume allowed for importation is broken down as follows: Fresh yellow onion—3,960 MT; Fresh red onion—17,100 MT. Licensed importers were given until January 27 for their shipments to arrive in the country.

However, DA Assistant Secretary and deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said that only 5,000 MT of onions were applied for importation during the import application window period.

“What arrived at our first border control was only 3,500 MT,” he said.

Imported onions were reportedly being sold for P180 to P200 per kilo, prompting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also the concurrent DA secretary, to call a meeting of stakeholders to discuss the development.

The importation program of the DA did not sit well with onion farmers.

Onion Farmers Philippines’ James Ramos said that the DA failed to consult them before approving the importation plan.

FTJAA benefits 256,121 job applicants from 2019 to 2022

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

O

VER P83.23 million worth of government fees were waived following the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 11261, or the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (FTJAA), according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Citing the data it collected from implementing agencies, DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) said the waived fees benefited 256,121 FTJAA beneficiaries from 2019 to 2022.

Most or 116,300 of the beneficiaries were female, while 113,470 were male.

The remaining 26,351 did not state their sex.

In terms of educational attainment, the bulk of the beneficiaries were K-12 and college graduates.

The beneficiaries were also mostly from Calabarzon, National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Western Visayas.

RA 11261 was signed into law in 2019 to help reduce the expenses of first time jobseekers by making their pre-employment documents free.

IC chief Regalado cites life insurers’ role as Fortune Life fetes top agents continued from a16 He highlighted the company’s commitment to innovation and unceasing support to their agents. “Looking forward to innovation and business development, Fortune Life continuously invests in technology. We are maximizing the use of online selling for our products, improving our customer service with the digitalization of customer records, expanding our online payment facilities, and also utilizing our Chatbot facilities.”

Cabangon vowed that the company “will continue to develop and enhance

our agent’s portal, which will aid you, our salesforce, in monitoring your production and activities. These efforts will help us succeed in meeting and exceeding our goals and targets.”

Meanwhile, he challenged the company’s sales associates to look up to and emulate the top awardees of the night. “Tularan natin sila. If you do it right, I am sure our company will soar to greater heights. Remember, when our company succeeds, I promise and guarantee you, you will succeed as well,” he said.

A total of 47 awards were presented to exceptional agents who accomplished remarkable feats in 2022, including Elimar R. Depamaylo, Insurance Specialist of the Year; Eunice Y. Hangad, Agency Manager of the Year; and Ines H. Jabines, Field Manager of the Year.

“You are the backbone of our company, and we could not have achieved this remarkable milestone without you. You have exceeded our expectations and shown us what we can do when we work together,” said Fortune

Life Executive Vice President Emma M. Abad in her special message.

“This year, I challenge each one of you, my dear agency sales force and officers, to stand, walk, and fight together as we embrace this year’s theme ‘Unified We Succeed. One Commitment. One Spirit. One Passion,” she added.

Fortune Life is part of the ALC Group of Companies founded by the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, and currently chaired by D. Edgard A. Cabangon.

SC junks Makabayan suit vs Maharlika Bill continued from a16 These include the issuance of the certification of calamity or emergency to the House Representatives for the immediate passage of HB 6608; and the House, acting on such presidential certification or urgency, approved HB 6608 on third reading on the same date that the bill was approved on second reading, in violation of the three readings on separate days rule.

Petitioners said their petition had clearly pointed out that the issuance of a certification of calamity and emergency violated Section 26 (2) of the Constitution because there is no calamity or emergency that warrants immediate enact-

ment of the Maharlika bill.

“By the foregoing consumed and completed actions, the facts are already sufficient to judicially determine whether or not there has been grave abuse of discretion on the part of the President and the lower House in certifying a bill urgent when there is no calamity or emergency being addressed,” the petitioners argued.

Likewise, petitioners said their case is already ripe for adjudication since they are questioning the process of law-making.

“This Honorable Court could now rule the presidential certification void and order the return of the Maharlika

bill to the House of Representatives for deliberation but this time, following the constitutionally required legislative process,” the petitioners insisted.

In the main petition, the petitioners said there was no public emergency nor calamity to justify presidential certification of the controversial measure as urgent.

Under Article VI, Section 26 (2) of the 1987 Constitution, a bill becomes a law only if it passes three readings on three separate days, except if Malacanang certifies it as an urgent measure.

The haste in the bill’s certification as urgent became apparent when there

was no similar certification of its counterpart bill in the Senate.

This only proves, they said, the absence of the public emergency or calamity to warrant such certification.

The word “public emergency” or “calamity” was never mentioned in the certification to the House, they added.

To recall, the House passed in December 2022 House Bill No. 6608 or the Maharlika Investment Fund Act on third and final reading with 279 yes votes, six no votes and zero abstention.

Malacanang had certified the measure as urgent, paving the way for its second and third reading approvals on the same day.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BusinessMirror

Friday, May 12, 2023

A6 A5

BusinessMirror

Friday, May 12, 2023

A6

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

K LINE LOGISTICS (PHILS), INC. Flr. No. 10/f, Bldg. No. Cbp1, Ocean Breeze Bldg., Island Coral Way Drive St., Barangay 76, Pasay City HAYASHI, HIROKI Technical Consultant - Director

1.

Brief Job Description: Protect the interest of investors and of KLLJapan. Looks after Japanese accounts which are substantial and sees to it that they are well-maintained and serviced. Maintain close coordination with Operations to avoid disruption and operational problems.

Basic Qualification: Graduate of an Economics degree.

Excellent written and verbal skills, specifically in Japanese and English languages.

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

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

2.

3.

4.

LLOYD, MAN-CHAN Mandarin Executive Assistant

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin

Brief Job Description: Preparing financial statements, reports, memos, and other documents

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

LI, LIMING Mandarin Operations Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing day-to-day operations

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

LIN, LI Mandarin Operations Team Leader

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin

Brief Job Description: Responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations of the department or team

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

No.

LUONG, VAN GIANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 17.

5.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries AGUS WENGKY Indonesian Customer Service Representative

6.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries BENY WILLIAM Indonesian Customer Service Representative

7.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CALLVIN Indonesian Customer Service Representative

8.

9.

18.

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 inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHENH GI PHUC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

14.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

DAN HIN LONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 15.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HA, THANH NHIET Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 16.

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

PENDY Indonesian Customer Service Representative 13.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

WANG, JING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service 19.

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

20.

21.

22.

23.

25.

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential product or services to management by collecting customer information.

YU YU KHIN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Recommends potential product or services to management by collecting customer information.

Brief Job Description: Supervise all members of the multi-site technical services team of engineers, ensuring all tasks are allocated and completed within the agreed time frame.

SHI, WEN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

HOU, MENGMENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

26.

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

HSIEH, MING-CHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service 27.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services JIN, DAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

28.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

LEE SHEUT TING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service 29.

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

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

WU, XIAOXIA Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

AYE AYE SOE Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

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

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

31.

32.

33.

34.

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

36.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

LI, JIANING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service 30.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services TUN LIN NAING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

37.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services YANG, RUOLAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

38.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

YAP GUAN CHENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

39.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services YEH, TZU-CHI Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

40.

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

OH, CHIA-JEN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

NYEIN NYEIN AUNG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

Basic Qualification: With good oral and communication skills in English and Mandarin language familiar in the field of construction workers

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

NAING LINN OO Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

35.

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services LIN, CHIEN-HUA Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

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

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

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services LIAO, FUJIANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LI, QIAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

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

FUWEALTH SERVICES INC. Lower Penthouse Techzone Building, 213 Sen Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

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

No.

EMN INTEGRA INC. Unit G & H 13th Floor Strata 100 Bldg., F. Ortigas Jr. Road Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and service questions.

YOON, TAESIK Technical Works Supervisor

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CHN-PHL HUAIYUAN INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION Unit A&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Avenue, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and service questions.

ZHU, AN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

24.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

BAOLONG TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED INC. 24th-27th/f Century Diamond Tower, Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St., Poblacion, City Of Makati

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

CRIS ANTO NIOLI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

HENDRI SIO Indonesian Customer Service Representative 12.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language

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

GIANI PERMATASARI Indonesian Customer Service Representative 11.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

FERDI GUNAWAN Indonesian Customer Service Representative 10.

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

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries NONG, VAN PHUC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque NYI NYI Burmese Customer Service Representative

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products services ZHANG, XUEPING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

41.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customer by answering products and services questions.

ZHENG, JINGXUAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service

42.

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

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

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

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

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FW HOLDINGS CORPORATION 599, P. Ocampo St., Barangay 729, Malate, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin

XIAO, QIULIN Executive Chef

Basic Qualification: Excellent record of kitchen management.

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

43.

Basic Qualification: Can Speak Mandarin

GAMMA INTERACTIVE INC. 21/f Alphaland Makati Place, 7232 Ayala Ave. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Modify menus or create new ones that qualify standards.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 NGUYEN TRUONG GIANG Marketing Executive Vietnamese Speaking Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

44.

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

Brief Job Description: Manages the execution of different strategies for a company.

Basic Qualification: 21 years old above with marketing executive experience.

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

GAO SHOU TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, INC. 52/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin.

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

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

LIAN, ZHENG Chinese Customer Service Representative 45.

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 in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION PHAN NGOC TU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

46.

Brief Job Description: Maintains financial account.

Recommend potential products and services.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: At least 19 yrs. old.

Ability to speak, write, and communicate in Vietnamese.

47.

Brief Job Description: Handling financial and Banking software, Transaction Management and Routing, C/C++ and Oracle.

59.

60.

HONG, JIAXING Director

48.

Brief Job Description: A Director works in one of a company’s most senior management roles. Director responsibilities include developing the company’s business strategies, overseeing the company’s operations, and ensuring maximum performance.

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

61.

49.

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

DWI PUSPITASARI Indonesian Customer Support Specialist

50.

Brief Job Description: Experts at their product, and their primary duty is to resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently.

KIM, BOSUNG Korean Customer Support Representative

51.

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

LUONG, TRONG VAN Vietnamese Customer Support Representative

52.

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

NGUY HUYNH NHU Vietnamese Customer Support Representative

53.

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

TRAN HOAN THIEN Vietnamese Customer Support Representative

54.

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

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

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

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

62.

63.

55.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for supervising sites and running projects and ensuring that the project is completed on time and within budget.

64.

56.

Brief Job Description: Manage significant/strategic projects in the People & Culture Technology Portfolio following the Project Management best practices.

Oversees the delivery of project(s) falling under his/her area of responsibility ensuring project management best practices are adhered to including regular status reporting.

KARTONIS, ALEKSANDR Market & Regions Process Manager

57.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for working closely with the Regional IT teams to create transparency across Market financials and understanding of Market IT spending, collecting and providing a detailed analysis. Will also work closely with peers in Corporate IT and Finance to understand the full IT financial picture, align and consolidate data and to implement accurate, simple Market data collection processes.

ZHANG, JIAO Customer Service Representative 65.

58.

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES.

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES.

MORI, MASAYA Technical Supervisor 66.

Brief Job Description: Supervise 3D design work for Layout & Piping Division. Check quality of drawing design. Check schedule of 3D design work and improve 3D design work flow.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

67.

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

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate.

With license for type 2 Electric Work Specialist and Digital Type III Installation Specialist.

68.

69.

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

Basic Qualification: Faculty of Information and Technology. With at least 5 years experience in related industry.

70.

71.

BAI, XINWEI Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

BUI DA LY Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

CAO HOANG QUAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

DANG VAN TUYEN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: University Degree in Computer or Technical Science or strong IT background, 3+ years experience in IT discipline with 2+ years in IT management, data analytics, budget planning or performance management.

72.

73.

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 74.

Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN. FOOKIEN, CANTONESE) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

No.

76.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

77.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

78.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

79.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

80.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

81.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: FLUENT IN CHINESE DIALECT (MANDARIN, FOOKIEN, CANTONESE)

82.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate with more than 15 years of work experience, inclusive of managerial experience.

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

83.

84.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LE CAM Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service.

LE DINH CHI CONG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

LE HUU HOP Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

LI, CHUANG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

LIU, FENGWEI Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

LUONG TUAN HOANG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

NG CHIA LER Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

NGUYEN ANH TUAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

NGUYEN DINH THANG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

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

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

75.

DONG VIET ANH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

DUONG CONG KIEN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service.

HENG HAI TEED Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

HOANG, VAN CUONG Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

A7

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

MHI POWER TECHNICAL SERVICES CORPORATION 27/f Robinsons Cybergate Center, Tower 3, Pioneer St., City Of Mandaluyong

LIN PHONE MYAT Burmese Customer Service Representative

MACH 86 TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 6th-13th Flr. Workspace Bldg., 1419 Industry St. Corner Finance St. Mbp Ayala, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa AINE KYWIN Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES.

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

JTI GBS PHILIPPINES, INC. 14th And 17th Floor - Office A, Ten West Campus Building, Le Grand Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig DMITRY, LUGOVSKOY Bts Core And Rewards Director

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES. YIN CHONE KITE Customer Service Representative

JAPAN RADIO CO.LTD.(PHILIPPINE BRANCH OFFICE) U-603 Liberty Center, 104 H.v. Dela Costa St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

NAGAIKE, YUICHI Site Manager

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES. YAN CHWIN Customer Service Representative

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

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES. WEI, CHUNHUA Customer Service Representative

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION 3rd Floor, E Six West Campus Le Grand Avenue, Mckinley West,, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig CRISNA Indonesian Customer Support Representative

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES. SAUNG CHIN Customer Service Representative

HWA LUN CORPORATION Unit 1606 B, Sunjoy Bldg., Barangay 271, San Nicolas, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: He shall be at least twenty one (21) years old. He must have a practical understanding of the business of the Corporation. He shall have been proven to possess integrity and probity.

Brief Job Description: INTERACTING WITH CUSTOMERS VIA EMAIL, ASSISTS WITH COMPLAINTS, ORDERS AND OTHER QUERIES. LI, HONGMEI Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Bachelor of Science in Engineering graduate.

Specialist in query optimization and DB design.

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION AR YWAL Customer Service Representative

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

HITACHI DIGITAL PAYMENT SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 31-d 31/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati DIAS WIJENGUNASINGHE, ISURU PRIYAMAL It Technical Consultant

No.

Friday, May 12, 2023

Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English.

85.

86.

87.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate/level and fluent in Mandarin/ basic English

88.

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

89.

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

90.

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

91.

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

92.

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and Fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English

NGUYEN VAN PHU Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service

PHAM VAN DUC Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service.

TAN KIAN SIN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

TRINH THI TAI LINH Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

VONG VINH LOC Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer service

WU, XIAOYAN Call Center Agent Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

ESTHER TON FONG CHOO Malaysian Customer Service Representative

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

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

Brief Job Description: Customer Service.

YONGVA, MOUAYA Lao Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate/Level and Fluent in Mandarin/ Basic English.

NGUYEN THANH TUNG Call Center Agent

93.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

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

BusinessMirror

Friday, May 12, 2023

A6 A8

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION CHEN, YU Mandarin Customer Service Representative

94.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

LI, BO Mandarin Customer Service Representative

95.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

LI, ZHONGQUAN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

96.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

LUO, SHUN Mandarin Customer Service Representative

97.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

YE, BO Mandarin Customer Service Representative

98.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

YE, TING Mandarin Customer Service Representative

99.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer’ needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits and make follow-ups to ensure resolution of complaints.

Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies.

CHAU DUC TUU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

100.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

LIU, BICH HI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

101.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

LUONG TIEN ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

102.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

LUU VAN TOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

103.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

No.

NGUYEN MINH TOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

105.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

106.

107.

108.

109.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

ANDI THIO NAIDI CHANDRA Indonesian Customer Service Representative 110.

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

Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

111.

112.

104.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

No.

Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Provide products/services, and information, answer questions, and resolve emerging problems.

113.

114.

115.

SU, WEISEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

ZHANG, FENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

ARI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

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

GILANG NUR PRATAMA Indonesian Customer Service 117.

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

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

118.

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.

JOVEN LEE Indonesian Customer Service 119.

120.

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

LUONG, VAN TRINH Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

NELSON Indonesian Customer Service 121.

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: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

OKTAVINA Indonesian Customer Service 122.

123.

Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years Bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills

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

RISTA ELLYS Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

SE NIE Indonesian Customer Service 124.

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.

SHELINA Indonesian Customer Service 125.

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: Graduate 4 years Bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills

STEVEN CANDRA SETIAWAN Indonesian Customer Service 126.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years Bachelor’s degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills

127.

128.

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

YUVENTUS Indonesian Customer Service 129.

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

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

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

WINNY TJUNG Indonesian Customer Service

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

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.

WILLIAM SALIM Indonesian Customer Service

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

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f Sapphire Seaview Park, Pacific Avenue, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque

116.

NGUYEN HUU DAT Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Provide products/services, and information, answer questions, and resolve emerging problems.

RICKO Indonesian Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Provide products/services, and information, answer questions, and resolve emerging problems.

JUNIWATI Indonesian Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

SAO MI LY Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

PHAM, HOANG PHUC Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

NGUYEN, QUANG DAT Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries. Identifying and assessing customer needs to achieve satisfaction. Handle customer complaints, provide appropriate solutions and alternatives within the time limits, and make follow-ups to ensure the resolution of complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines, and policies.

NGUYEN THI LAN HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Having finished at least a Secondary Education or College Undergraduate Preferably with 6-months to 1-year Customer or Sales Experience. Fluent in Vietnamese.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

130.

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

HOANG THI DOANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

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

131.

HOANG VAN VIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the same field, speaks and write (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the same field, speaks and write (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the same field, speaks and write (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the same field, speaks and write (Native language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the same field, speaks and write (Native language).

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

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

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

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

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

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

132.

HUYNH, THUY VY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

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

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

133.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LE KHAC DUY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

LE VIET LUC Vietnamese Customer Service 134.

135.

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

MOC, TSUNG DAU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

NGUYEN DUYEN KIM Vietnamese Customer Service 136.

137.

138.

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

NGUYEN THAI SON Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

NGUYEN TIEN DANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

NGUYEN VAN TINH Vietnamese Customer Service 139.

140.

141.

142.

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

NONG, VAN HOANG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

SAU QUYNH LAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

SAU, QUYNH NHU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

TANG HAI QUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service 143.

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

THONG THIN SANG Vietnamese Customer Service 144.

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

TRAN GIA NGUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service 145.

146.

147.

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

TRAN, VAN TOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

VI NGOC SINH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

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

No.

VU DINH HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service 148.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Preferably 1 year experience in the same field, Speaks and write (Native Language) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

ASHBY, WILLIAM JOHN Asset Manager

149.

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

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

150.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling Mandarin-based customer questions, complaints and concerns in a timely manner.

CHIEN, CHAO-TING Mandarin Marketing Specialist

151.

Brief Job Description: Collecting, analyzing, updating and summarizing online market trends.

LI, ZHIFENG Multilingual Customer Service Specialist 152.

Brief Job Description: It processes complaints and issues related to products or services, help customers complete purchases, upgrades, and returns, and frequently provides advice and technical assistance as well.

NGO NGOC LAN Multilingual Customer Service Specialist

153.

Brief Job Description: It processes complaints and issues related to products or services, helps customers complete purchases, upgrades, and returns, and frequently provides advice and technical assistance as well.

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

CHANG, YEN-CHING Customer Service Representative 154.

Brief Job Description: Provide specialized services to assist end-users in technology needs.

CHEN, CHEN Mandarin Technical Support

155.

156.

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

LEE, PUI KUEN Associate Project Director 163.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate cross-discipline team members to make sure that all parties are on track with project requirements

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin

YU, CHI FUNG Associate Project Director 164.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent in Mandarin language.

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

Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with at least 6 months experience, with good oral and written.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: 18-55 y/o, with at least 6 months experience, with good oral and written.

Brief Job Description: Provide specialized services to assist end-users in technology needs.

165.

ZHOU, BEIZONG Mandarin Technical Support

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, both verbal and written.

Brief Job Description: Provide specialized services to assist end-users in technology needs.

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

CHEN, FEI Mandarin Speaking Warehouse Manager 157.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in warehouse management, inventory control, monitoring, and processing

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

158.

ZHAO, YUXIN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Description: Organize and execute assigned business

Basic Qualification: Ability to concentrate for lengthy periods/ good in oral communication and written

159.

160.

161.

MENG, PU Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider.

SHEN, SHUWEI Customer Service Representative

167.

Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider

ZHENG, BIN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer relations service provider

169.

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

LI, HAIYUN Mandarin Customer Support Representative

170.

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

LI, RENFA Mandarin Customer Support Representative

171.

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

LI, RUNQING Mandarin Customer Support Representative

172.

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

LIU, YUNWEI Mandarin Customer Support Representative

173.

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

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

WANG, ZIHE Mandarin Customer Support Representative

174.

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

SUNTRUST RESORT HOLDINGS, INC. 26th Floor Alliance Global Tower, 36th Street Corner 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

CHENG, KAI Mandarin Customer Support Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Both verbal and written

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

CHEN, YINGJIE Mandarin Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin both oral and written.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, both verbal and written

Brief Job Description: Performs hairstyle consultation in order to decide what services the client needs. Provides services to clients such as shampooing, cutting, styling, coloring ang highlighting as desired.

Maintains safety standards and cleanliness.

LEE MUN CHUN Malaysian Customer Support Representative

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

SKY DRAGON GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES CORP. 2f-5f, Unit 710 Shaw Blvd., Global Link Center, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

Basic Qualification: 15 year experience in relevant project management field of which at least 10 years in a senior position Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: 15 year experience in relevant project management field of which at least 10 years in a senior position Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Basic Qualification: Graduate of Engineering courses, with relevant experience in main office of Toenec Corp. in Japan.

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

Basic Qualification: College level. With at least 1 year experience in related field. Excellent communications skills, particularly in Korean language.

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

TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Tower 4 Bayport West, Naia Garden Residence, Naia Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

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

RAPOO PRO TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Unit 8, Robinsons Cybergate Plaza Pioneer, Barangka Ilaya, City Of Mandaluyong

Brief Job Description: Perform various field, contract resource manpower, quality, safety, delivery of materials, completed the facilities of quality owner could satisfy within construction period and achieve the target accompanied with schedule and completed the work within construction period.

LEE, MINNO Hairstylist

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, both verbal and written.

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

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

TONY & JACKEY BEAUTY SALON CORP. 2/f Zen Bldg., 647 Nakpil St., Barangay 697, Malate, City Of Manila

166.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, both verbal and written.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate cross-discipline team members to make sure that all parties are on track with project requirements

KOMAYA, FUMIHIKO Executive Technical Advisor

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

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

Basic Qualification: 15 year experience in relevant project management field of which at least 10 years in a senior position

TOENEC PHILIPPINES INCORPORATED 4/f Valderrama Bldg., 107 Esteban St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

PH GLOBAL KIDS SMART FUTURE TECHNOLOGY INC. 20th Floor Two/neo Building, 3rd Avenue Corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

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

Brief Job Description: Coordinate cross-discipline team members to make sure that all parties are on track with project requirements

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

SUNTRUST RESORT HOLDINGS, INC. 26th Floor Alliance Global Tower, 36th Street Corner 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

168.

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

162.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Geoscience and Engineering graduate.

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

CHAN, YIU PONG Associate Project Director

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

OCTAGON PRIME OUTSOURCING SERVICES INC. 30/f Tower, 6789 Ayala Ave.,, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

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

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

No.

OCEAN MIGHT SUPPORT MANAGEMENT INC. 33/f Tower 6789, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

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

Brief Job Description: Provide geological services for evaluation of various exploration and production projects, including the Company’s exploration and production projects in the Philippines in relations to the Company’s petroleum service contracts with the Department of Energy (DOE).

ZHANG, PING Mandarin Customer Service Representative

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

NOONA BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES INC. 10th & 31st Floor Ore Central Tower, 9th Ave. Cor. 31st St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

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

A9

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NIDO PETROLEUM PHILIPPINES PTY LIMITED 19/f The Pearl Bank Centre, 146 Valero St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Friday, May 12, 2023

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

ZHANG, BING Mandarin Customer Support Representative

175.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BusinessMirror

A10 A6 Friday, May 12, 2023

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ZHANG, ZILONG Mandarin Customer Support Representative

176.

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

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

177.

Brief Job Description: Handles administrative requests and queries from senior managers/officers.

PARK, HYEONBEOM Bilingual Admin Support Specialist

178.

Brief Job Description: Handles administrative requests and queries from senior managers/officers.

LIN, CHANG-I Mandarin-speaking Customer Service Officer

179.

Brief Job Description: Maintains financial accounts by processing customer adjustments.

HOANG TRUNG KIEN Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer

180.

Brief Job Description: Maintains financial accounts by processing customer adjustments.

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

181.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

WANG, MENG Chinese Language - Research Analyst 182.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

WU, CHIXING Chinese Language - Research Analyst

183.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

YANG, JIANPING Chinese Language - Research Analyst

184.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

YANG, XIAO Chinese Language - Research Analyst

185.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

YIN, JIAHAO Chinese Language - Research Analyst

186.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

ZHANG, LU Chinese Language - Research Analyst

187.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

ZHANG, MINGJIA Chinese Language - Research Analyst

188.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

ZHANG, SICHANG Chinese Language - Research Analyst

189.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

JIANG, WEI Chinese Language Research Analyst 190.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified

196.

197.

191.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified

LI, YANG Chinese Language Research Analyst 192.

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of the business opportunities

LI, YI Chinese Language Research Analyst 193.

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of the business opportunities

LIU, CHENJIA Chinese Language Research Analyst 194.

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of the business opportunities

Brief Job Description: provide support services across technology programs and projects TRAN KIM BINH Vietnamese Language - Marketing Staff

198.

Brief Job Description: Providing details to clients relative to services being offered.

CHAU LE QUYEN Vietnamese Language Marketing Staff

199.

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Providing details to clients relative to services being offered HOUANG, THE LE Vietnamese Language Marketing Staff

200.

Brief Job Description: Providing details to clients relative to services being offered

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

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

LAU, SENH HUNG Vietnamese Language Marketing Staff 201.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

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

202.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

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

IRFAN ARDIANSYAH Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

STEPHANY HALIM Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

203.

204.

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

205.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties IQRA MAULANA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

206.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties AGUS ANDRIANTO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

207.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

ARI SETIYA WIBOWO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties CHONDRO LI Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

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

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

BAYU PRATOMO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 209.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

210.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

DAVID BROWN SEMBIRING Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 211.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

213.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Vietnamese.

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

215.

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

216.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties MARCO YUDHISTIRA ALMADJIN HUWAE Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

218.

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

MIFTAH ALI WISMOYO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 219.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

221.

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written.

RYAN YUSUF SANUSI Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

223.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

225.

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

Brief Job Description: Thai written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customeroriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

KANTHAKHU, NILAWAN Thai-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

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

STEPHEN ISFANI CHOLAS Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 224.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

RIZKI ARIE RAMADHAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 222.

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

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

RISSANDY SUCIADI Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written.

NURRIA MAULIDA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 220.

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

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

HERYANTO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 217.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

HARIS SOPIAN ROHMATULLOH Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on the daily operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

ERYANI ADHARI YANTI Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written

EDI SUTRIJAL HASUGIAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 214.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

DICKY ANDREAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BRYAN CHRISTOPHER Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

212.

Basic Qualification: proficient in Chinese language

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION DIAN KRISNA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: proficient in Chinese language

Basic Qualification: proficient in Chinese language

Brief Job Description: provide support services across technology programs and projects

No.

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

CHIEU KIM PHUNG Vietnamese Language Support Service

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

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in Speaking, Reading and Writing in Chinese.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

Brief Job Description: Providing details to clients relative to services being offered

Brief Job Description: Indonesian written reports on a daily operation of call center activities performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Chinese.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ZAPPORT SERVICES, INC. 22/f & 36/f Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati Unit Aro1-03 B,c,m,n,o,p,q 28th/f & 14/f U-c, B, Ar03, Ar02, Q ,p,o,g,h,i,j01,02,03, K&l, Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

208.

KUAN, WEI-HUNG Chinese Language Research Analyst

Brief Job Description: provide support services across technology programs and projects LONG, HAISONG Chinese Language Support Service

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Conducting research and marketing strategies to develop areas of the business opportunities LAN, JIAGUO Chinese Language Support Service

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking

WISHLAND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY INC. 28/f Techzone Condo Corp., 213 Buendia Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

MAO, BINBIN Chinese Language - Research Analyst

195.

Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LIU, LEI Chinese Language Research Analyst

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

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati KIM, YONGSIN Bilingual Admin Support Specialist

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Thai speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

*Date Generated: May 11, 2023 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.

Basic Qualification: Indonesian speaking and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Friday, May 12, 2023 A11

Meralco hikes March power rate amid higher generation charge

By Lenie Lectura

M

@llectura

A NIL A Electric Company (Meralco) bills this month w ill go up by P0.1761 per kilowatt hour (kWh), bringing the overall rate for a typical household to P11.4929 per kWh from the previous month’s P11.3168 per kWh. For residential customers consuming 200 kWh, they should expect an equivalent increase of around P35 in their total electricity bill.

In a news briefing, Meralco said the generation charge increased to P7.6697 this month from P7.3295 per kWh in April due to higher Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) and Power Supply Agreement (PSA) costs.

This already includes the collection of the final installment of deferred charges, equivalent to around P0.20 per kW h. To recall, Meralco coordinated with its suppliers and the Energy Regulator y Commission (ERC) to stagger the collection of around P1.1 billion in generation costs in the March billing to cushion the impact of the rate increase to its customers.

WESM charges, meanwhile, increased by P1.7367 per kWh due to higher peak demand as the Luzon grid registered 12,235 megawatts (MW) on April 19, up by 732 MW than the peak recorded in March.

With the tighter supply conditions, the secondary price cap was triggered 22.16 percent of the time in the April supply month ver-

sus 11.01 percent in the previous month. Meralco sourced 18 percent of its total requirement from the market during this period.

Charges from PSAs also went up by P0.9086 per kWh as the peso depreciation affected more than 26 percent of PSA costs that were dollar-denominated.

Lower excess energy deliveries of some PSAs, which were priced at a discount, also contributed to the increase. This month’s PSA rate also reflected the impact of Meralco’s emergency PSAs with South Premiere Power Corp. and Therma Luzon Inc., which were implemented beginning March 26 and April 12, respectively.

PSAs accounted for 47 percent of Meralco’s energy requirement.

However, the charges from In-

dependent Power Producers (IPPs) reduced by P1.4014 per kWh mainly due to higher average plant dispatch. First Gas-Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo plants returned to normal operations from their respective scheduled maintenance outages last March. Malampaya natural gas prices of First Gas plants were also lower for the April supply month following its quarterly repricing to reflect recent trends in international crude oil prices. IPPs covered 35 percent of Meralco’s total energy requirement.

Transmission charge, meanwhile, was tempered by the P0.2455 per kWh reduction due to significantly lower ancillary service charges.

Other charges, comprising taxes, subsidies, and universal charges registered a net increase of P0.0814

per kWh. This already included the P0.0433 per kWh increase on the Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UC-ME) rate.

Collection of the Feed-In Tariff Allowance (FiT-All), meanwhile, remains suspended until the August billing month in accordance with the ERC resolution extending the collection suspension for another six months starting March 2023.

Pass-through charges for generation and transmission are paid by Meralco to the power suppliers and the grid operator, respectively; while taxes, universal charges, and FiT-All are all remitted to the government.

Meralco’s distribution charge, on the other hand, has not moved since the P0.0360 per kWh reduc-

tion for a typical residential customer in August 2022.

Meralco is set to complete this month the implementation of the last distribution-related refund, equivalent to P0.8656 per kWh for residential customers. The impact of this will be felt in the June billing period.

Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said an upward rate adjustment could be expected next month as demand is projected to spike to 13,125MW in the next two weeks.

“Yes, that is a given, as we mentioned both in terms of pricing and in terms of consumption, it will only taper off by July. For March to June, we expect an increase in consumption because all factors that come into play are surely present on those months,” he said.

TheWorld BusinessMirror

A12 Friday, May 12, 2023

Asean leader admits no progress in ending Myanmar’s civil strife

By Edna Tarigan & Jim Gomez

L

The Associated Press

ABUAN BAJO, Indonesia— Indonesian President Joko Widodo somberly acknowledged to fellow Southeast Asian leaders Thursday that no progress has been made to end the civil strife gripping Myanmar and renewed a call for an end to the violence, including a recent airstrike a rights group called an “apparent war crime.”

“I have to be honest,” Widodo told fellow leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the final day of their two-day summit in the Indonesian harbor town of Labuan Bajo. “There has been no significant progress in the implementation of the five-point consensus.”

Asean’s chairperson this year, Widodo was referring to a peace plan forged by the 10-nation bloc with Myanmar’s top general in 2021 that called for an immediate end to the violence and dialogue among contending parties to be brokered through an Asean special envoy.

Myanmar’s military-led government refused to take steps to enforce the plan, prompting Asean leaders to exclude the country’s ruling generals and their appointees from the bloc’s summit meetings. The generals have protested Asean’s move, which they said strayed from the group’s bedrock policy of non-intervention in each other’s domestic affairs and deciding by consensus.

Widodo called for unity—a seemingly futile call as he spoke with fellow heads of state in a bayside hotel conference room with the chair reserved for Myanmar’s leader empty.

After the leaders concluded their summit, Widodo and his foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, told a news conference that the bloc would continue to push for the peace plan’s enforcement and expand Asean’s engagement not just with military leaders but with various groups in Myanmar, hoping the military-led government would do the same.

“We will try again and again,” Marsudi told reporters. “We are still united and strong in seeing

the urgency of the five-point consensus.”

“Engagement doesn’t mean recognition,” Widodo said.

Founded in 1967 as a diverse club of authoritarian regimes, monarchs and nascent democracies, Asean has come under international pressure to take tougher steps to address the crisis in Myanmar. But Asean members appeared to be divided, with some recommending an easing of punitive actions aimed at isolating Myanmar’s generals and allowing its top diplomat and officials back to attend the summit meetings.

“The time for isolation has served its purpose,” an internal Asean report obtained by The Associated Press cited “some member states” as saying in a meeting of the bloc’s top diplomats ahead of the leaders’ summit.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim publicly expressed his frustrations. He has said that about 200,000 people have fled to Malaysia to escape the tumult in Myanmar.

“Asean has not been able to resolve most problems, contentious ones,” Anwar told fellow leaders Wednesday in videotaped remarks he posted on his Twitter account.

“We are stuck with the principle of non-intervention.”

“Yes, there is non-interference, but we will have to then have a new vision that could give us some flexibility in order to navigate and maneuver the way forward,” he said.

Asean leaders on Wednesday condemned an attack on an aid convoy that their group had arranged for displaced people in Myanmar, calling for an immediate stop to violence and for the military government to comply

THE chair reserved for Myanmar’s leader is left unoccupied during the retreat session at the 42nd Asean Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia on Thursday, May 11, 2023. MAST IRHAM/POOL PHOTO VIA AP

with a peace plan.

Gunmen opened fire on a convoy delivering aid to displaced villagers and carrying Indonesian and Singaporean diplomats over the weekend in Myanmar’s eastern Shan state. A security team with the convoy returned fire and a vehicle was damaged, but there were no injuries, state-run television MRTV reported.

For the second year, Myanmar’s top general was not invited to the summit. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing led the army in seizing power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, plunging the country into a civil strife and becoming Asean’s gravest crisis since its establishment.

During foreign ministers’ talks ahead of the summit, some suggested that the group reengage Myanmar’s military-led State Administration Council and “bring Myanmar back to Asean foreign ministers’ meeting and summits, noting that the time for isolation has served its purpose,” according to the Asean report. It did not identify the countries pushing for more leniency toward Myanmar despite international outrage against continuing military attacks in the country.

The suggestion for Asean to bring Myanmar back into its fold was “noted,” the report said, hinting it did not receive full approval from all the ministers.

The ministerial talks stressed the Myanmar crisis should not affect Asean’s progress in building a regional community, said the report, which cited one observation that there would be no near-term solution to the Myanmar crisis.

“There was also an observation that Asean might be experiencing a ‘Myanmar fatigue,’ which might distract Asean from larger goals of Asean community-building,” the report said. “Patience, flexibility

and creativity are therefore required since there will be no quick fix to the crisis.”

T he repor t c ited, w it hout elaborating, concerns on rising transnational crimes, including human trafficking and illegal drug production originating from Myanmar. More alarmingly, it said, there was “a call to all parties to stop the influx of arms and financial funding into Myanmar, which leads to an escalation of the conflict.”

More than 3,450 civilians have been killed by security forces since Myanmar’s military took power, and thousands more remain imprisoned, said the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which keeps tallies of casualties and arrests linked to repression by the military government.

In April, a military airstrike killed more than 160 people, including many children, who were attending a ceremony by opponents of army rule, according to witnesses cited by Human Rights Watch. The group on Tuesday described the attack as an “apparent war crime.”

Aside from Myanmar, the longseething territorial disputes in the South China Sea, which involve China, Asean members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, along with Taiwan, were high in the summit agenda.

In a post-summit communiqué issued by Widodo on behalf of the Asean leaders, they renewed a call for self-restraint in the disputed South China Sea to prevent miscalculations and confrontations, repeating language used in previous Asean statements, which criticized China’s aggressive actions without naming it in an indication of Beijing’s influence.

The Associated Press journalists Andi Jatmiko and Achmad Ibrahim contributed to this report.

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

G-7 finance chiefs tackle global challenges; Yellen seeks to reassure on debt standoff

By Elaine Kurtenbach AP Business Writer

N

IIGATA, Japan—The financial leaders of the Group of Seven wealthy nations meet in Japan beginning Thursday as a standoff over the US debt ceiling looms as one of the biggest potential threats to the global economy.

Treasur y Secretar y Janet Yellen said one of her priorities in Niigata, a port city on the Japan Sea coast, would be to emphasize the importance of resolving the standoff over the national debt in the world’s largest economy.

“I will underscore the importance of Congress acting to resolve the debt limit to maintain America’s economic leadership and protect the global economy,” Yellen said in a tweet Thursday.

Yellen also is bound to be seeking to reassure her counterparts over recent bank failures that have raised worries over risks for the global financial system.

The finance ministers and cent ra l ba n k gover nors a re meeting for three days ahead of a G-7 summit later this month in Hiroshima.

President Joe Biden sa id Wednesday that he and congressional leaders had a “productive” meeting Tuesday on tr y ing to raise the nation’s debt l i m it. T he y w i l l meet again Friday to tr y to avert the risk as soon as June 1 of an unprecedented government default if lawmakers in the divided Congress don’t agree to raise the debt ceiling.

Biden said he was “absolutely certain” that the country could avert a default, declaring that failure to meet America’s obligations, upon which much of the world’s finances are based, “is not an option.”

Biden said it was “possible but not likely” that he would need to postpone his trip to Japan, Australia and Papua New Guinea later this month.

Yellen said in remarks prepa re d a he ad of T hu r sd ay ’s meetings that strengthening the global financial system is a key G-7 priority. So is a renewed show of support for Ukraine as a coalition of over 30 countries seeks to impose heavy economic costs on Russia for its war.

She said Biden’s “ historic” investments in modernizing US infrastructure were a step toward improving the resilience of an economy whose reliance on global supply chains was sorely tested during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are taking a broad range of individual and joint actions to bring down inflation, sus-

tain growth, and help mitigate the impact of external shocks, including to developing countries,” she said.

But she added that, “even as we face downside risks, I believe that the global economy remains in a better place than many predicted six months ago.”

The Federal Reserve said in a report this week that US banks raised their lending standards for bu si ness a nd consu mer loans in the aftermath of three large bank failures that were in part brought on by the central bank ’s sharp increases in interest rates to beat down inflation that surge to four-decade highs after the pandemic.

T he Fed su r veyed 65 US banks and US branches of 19 foreign banks in late March and early April, well after Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank collapsed in early March, touching off the latest round of bank turmoil. First Republic Bank failed earlier this month in the second-largest bank failure in US history.

Rate increases are meant to slow lending and borrowing but can overshoot their goal, tipping the economy into recession. Moves by banks to f ur t her l imit lend ing cou ld further squeeze businesses and consumers.

Inflation has remained stubbornly high. Consumer prices in the United States rose 0.4 percent in April, up sharply from a 0.1 percent rise from February to March, and measures of underlying inflation stayed high, a sign that further declines in inflation are likely to be slow and bumpy even though the annual increase of 4.9 percent was the smallest in two years.

Other G-7 economies are contending with even higher surging prices, obliging their central banks to raise interest rates that went to record lows in the early days of the pandemic.

G-7 financial leaders met just a month ago, in Washington during the annual meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, where they reiterated their commitment to helping economies cope with the impact of the war in Ukraine, to help heavily indebted countries resolve their financial vulnerability, fortify global health systems and help to tackle climate change.

G-7 nations include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other invitees to the meetings in Niigata include the European Union, IMF and World Bank, and the finance ministers of Brazil, Comoros, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Singapore.

Israeli-Palestinian fighting intensifies as Egyptian cease-fire efforts falter

By Fares Akram & Ilan Ben Zion The Associated Press

G

AZA CITY, Gaza Strip—Palestinian militants fired hundreds of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Wednesday, while Israel pressed ahead with a series of airstrikes that have killed 23 Palestinians, including three senior militants and at least 10 civilians.

A state-run Egyptian TV station announced that Egypt, a frequent mediator between the sides, had brokered a cease-fire. But the truce efforts appeared to falter as fighting intensified late Wednesday, with neither side showing any sign of backing down.

Early Thursday, the Israeli military said it targeted the commander of Islamic Jihad’s rocket squad in an airstrike on a building in the southern Gaza Strip. The military said Ali Ghali was hiding in an apartment and that two additional militants from the group were killed alongside him in the airstrike at a Qatari-built residential complex in Khan Younis. Ghali instructed and took part in rocket attacks against Israel in recent months. There was no comment from the militant group.

In a prime-time TV address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel had dealt a harsh blow to the militants. But he cautioned: “This round is not over.”

“We say to the terrorists and those who send them.

We see you everywhere. You can’t hide, and we choose the place and time to strike you,” he said, adding that Israel would also decide when calm is restored.

Throughout the day, rocket fire set off air-raid

sirens throughout southern and central Israel, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. Residents had been bracing for an attack since Israel launched its first airstrikes early Tuesday.

It was the heaviest fighting between the sides in months, pushing the region closer toward a full-blown war. But in signs that both sides were trying to show restraint, Israel avoided attacks on the ruling Hamas militant group, targeting only the smaller and more militant Islamic Jihad faction. Hamas, meanwhile, appeared to remain on the sidelines.

Israel and Hamas have fought four wars since the Islamic militant group took control of Gaza in 2007.

Late Wednesday, Egypt’s Extra News television channel, which has close ties to Egyptian security agencies, said it had brokered a cease-fire. Egyptian intelligence frequently mediates between Israel and Palestinian militants.

Israeli officials confirmed that Egypt was trying to facilitate a cease-fire. Speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes diplomacy, they said Israel would evaluate the situation based on actions on the ground, not declarations.

Islamic Jihad said it would continue firing rockets.

Mohamad al-Hindi, an official with the group, said a sticking point in the talks was that the Palestinians wanted an Israeli commitment to stop targeted killing operations, such as the ones that killed three top Islamic Jihad commanders early Tuesday.

As rockets streaked through the sky, Israeli TV stations showed air defense systems intercepting rockets above the skies of Tel Aviv. In the nearby suburb of Ramat Gan, people lay facedown on the ground as they took cover.

The Israeli military said that for the first time, an air-defense system known as David’s Sling intercepted a rocket. The system, developed with the US, is meant to intercept medium-range threats and is part of a multi-layered air defense that also includes the better-known Iron Dome anti-rocket system. Israeli media said a previous attempt to use the system several years ago had failed.

In a move that could further raise tensions, Israeli police said they would permit a Jewish ultranationalist parade to take place next week. The parade, meant to celebrate Israel’s capture of east Jerusalem and its Jewish

holy sites, marches through the heart of the Old City’s Muslim Quarter and often leads to friction with local Palestinians.

Israeli officials said over 400 rockets had been fired as of Wednesday evening. Most, they said, were intercepted or fell in open areas, but Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said about one-quarter had been misfired and fallen inside Gaza. Israeli rescuers said three people were hurt running for shelter, and four homes in southern Israel were damaged by rocket strikes.

The army said that schools would remain closed and restrictions on large gatherings would remain in place in southern Israel until at least Friday. Residents were instructed to stay near bomb shelters.

Eden Avramov, a 26-year-old resident of the southern Israeli town of Sderot, described the 24 hours since Israel launched airstrikes on Gaza as terrifying. “We are all traumatized from this routine—the waiting, the booms, the alarms.”

Ben Zion reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Friday, May 12, 2023 A13

Zelenskyy: Counteroffensive needs time, launching now would cost too many lives

By Susie Blann

K

The Associated Press

YIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country’s military needs more time to prepare an anticipated counteroffensive aimed at pushing back Russian occupying forces and opening a new chapter in the war more than 14 months after the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion.

Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast Thursday by the BBC that it would be “unacceptable” to launch the assault now because too many lives would be lost.

“With (what we have) we can go forward and be successful,” Zelenskyy said in the interview, according to the BBC. “But we’d lose a lot of people. I think that’s unacceptable,” he was quoted as saying. The interview was reportedly carried out in Kyiv with public service broadcasters who are members of Eurovision News, including the BBC. “So we need to wait. We still need a bit more time,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying.

A Ukrainian fightback against Russia’s invasion has been expected for weeks. Ukraine is re ce iv i ng adv a nced Wester n weapons, including tanks and air defenses, and Western training for its troops as it gears up for an expected assault.

W hile a counterpunch is possible as the weather in Ukraine improves, there has been no word on when it might happen.

Zelensky y’s remarks could be a red herring to keep the Russians guessing, and ammunition supply difficulties faced by both sides have added more uncertainty.

A c l a im by t he U k ra inia n

MEMBERS of a Ukrainian air-defense unit demonstrate their work near Kyiv on Monday, May 8, 2023. From camouflaged positions, the units dart out by truck into the farm fields around the capital, ready to take down enemy drones or missiles. Since Russia resumed regular air attacks on April 28, the units have a perfect score, intercepting every drone and missile shot at the capital. AP/ANDREW KRAVCHENKO

militar y on Wednesday that it had advanced up to two kilometers (1.2 miles) around the hotly contested eastern city of Bakhmut brought speculation that the counteroffensive was already under way.

But Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for Ukraine’s Operational Command East, told The Associated Press that the attack was not the “grand counteroffensive, but it’s a harbinger showing that there will be more such attacks in the future.”

The Kremlin’s forces are deeply entrenched in eastern areas of

Ukraine with layered defensive lines reportedly up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) deep. Kyiv’s counteroffensive would likely face minefields, anti-tank ditches and other obstacles.

Russia is “act ing slow” in Ukraine because it wants to preserve infrastructure and save lives there, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed in an interview with the Bosnian Serb channel ATV broadcast Wednesday night.

Moscow has repeatedly explained its lack of advances on the battlefield as an effort to protect civilians, but those claims have

been proven false.

Zelenskyy said Russian President Vladimir Putin is counting on reducing the war to a so-called frozen conflict, with neither side able to dislodge the other, according to the BBC. He ruled out surrendering territory to Russia in return for a peace deal.

Military analysts have warned that Putin is hoping that the West’s costly support for Kyiv will begin to fray.

Ukraine’s Western allies have sent the country 65 billion euros ($70 billion) in military aid to help thwart the Kremlin’s ambitions, and with no peace negotiations on the horizon the alliance is gearing up to send more.

European Union Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the possible need to delay a counteroffensive was a sign that the West must step up its military support for Ukraine.

“Certainly, they need more preparation,” Borrell said at a defense and security conference in Brussels. “ They need more arms. They need to gather more capacity, and it is us who have to provide for that.”

A senior Nato official said that in the coming months of the war, Ukraine will have the edge in quality but Russia has the upper hand in quantity.

“The Russians are now starting to use very old materiel, very

old capabilities,” Adm. Bob Bauer, chair of the Nato Military Committee, told reporters late Wednesday in Brussels.

“The Russians will have to focus on quantity,” he said. “Larger number of conscripts and mobilized people. Not well trained. Older materiel, but large numbers, and not as precise, not as good as the newer ones.”

Over the winter, the conflict became bogged down in a war of attrition with both sides relying heavily on bombardment of each other’s positions.

A counteroffensive is a major challenge, requiring the Ukrainian military to orchestrate a wide range of capabilities, including providing ammunition, food, medical supplies and spare parts, strung along potentially extended supply lines.

The front line extends more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles).

The Kremlin wants Kyiv to acknowledge Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and also recognize September’s annexation of the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine has rejected the demands and ruled out any talks with Russia until its troops pull back from all occupied territories.

AP reporter Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels.

With former PM Imran Khan in custody, Pakistan cracks down on his supporters

By Munir Ahmed

The Associated Press

I PASTORALIST women and children displaced by drought collect water from a distribution point near the Farburo site for internally-displaced people in Gode, in the Somali region of Ethiopia on Jan. 27, 2018. The war in Ukraine helped push the global total of people left internally displaced by conflict or natural disasters to a record high of 71.1 million last year, according to a report released Thursday, May 11, 2023. AP/MULUGETA AYENE

War, natural disasters left 71 million people internally displaced in 2022

By Gerald Imray

The Associated Press

T

HE war in Ukraine helped push the global total of people left internally displaced by conflict or natural disasters to a record high of 71.1 million last year, according to a report released Thursday by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre.

By the end of 2022, 5.9 million people had been forced to move inside Ukraine because of Russia’s invasion, bringing the global total of people internally displaced by conflict and violence to more than 62 million, an increase of 17% since 2021. Syria had 6.8 million displaced by conflict after more than a decade of civil war.

The number of people displaced inside their country at the end of the year because of disasters like floods and famine reached 8.7 million, up by 45% from 2021.

The total of 71.1 million internally displaced worldwide was a 20% increase since 2021.

Internal displacement refers to people forced to move inside

their own borders and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center’s report didn’t take into account those who left for different countries.

Following a year when conflict raged in Ukraine, Syria, Ethiopia and elsewhere, there has been no respite in 2023. The United Nations migration agency said this week that 700,000 people have already been internally displaced in a matter of weeks by the conflict in Sudan between the army and a rival paramilitary group.

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre cited the La Nina weather phenomenon, which continued for a third consecutive year in 2022, as a major factor in disaster displacements. It contributed to record levels of flood displacement in Pakistan, Nigeria and Brazil and to the worst drought on record in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, the report said.

There was a “perfect storm” of conflict and natural disasters in 2022, leading to “displacement on a scale never seen before,” said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

SL A M A BAD—With former Prime Minister Imran Khan in custody, Pakistani authorities on Thursday cracked down on his supporters, detaining hundreds in overnight raids and sending troops across the country to rein in the wave of violence that followed his arrest earlier this week.

For this Islamic nation, accustomed to military takeovers, political crises and violence, the turmoil has been unprecedented.

It echoed unrest that followed the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto during an election rally in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. Her supporters at the time, outraged by her killing, rampaged for days across Pakistan.

Clashes with police since Khan’s dramatic arrest on Tuesday have killed at least 10 of his supporters and injured dozens. Seven of the deaths were reported in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, two in the eastern city of Lahore and one person was killed in the southwestern city of Quetta. More than 200 police officers were also injured. Demonstrators burned down a railway station on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad, on Wednesday night.

Police said Thursday that nearly 1,600 of Khan supporters were arrested overnight on charges of damaging public property and attacking military installations, bringing the total of those detained since Tuesday to 2,300.

The arrests took place mainly in eastern Punjab province, Islamabad and northwestern Pakistan, but also elsewhere in the country.

The arrests followed mob attacks on government buildings, military installations and public places. In one incident—hours after Khan’s arrest—a mob set fire

POLICE officers throw stones towards supporters of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan during clashes, in Islamabad, Pakistan on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Khan appeared in court Wednesday, a day after he was dragged from another court and arrested in Islamabad, and his supporters clashed with police across the country. A judge was asked to approve keeping the 70-year-old opposition leader in custody for up to 14 days. AP

Tuesday to the sprawling residence of a top army commander in the eastern city of Lahore.

K han was drag ged f rom a courtroom in Islamabad where he showed up to face graft charges on Tuesday. He is now being held at a police compound in Islamabad where, at a temporary court, a judge on Wednesday ordered the 70-year-old opposition leader detained for at least another eight days, raising the prospect of more unrest.

The Supreme Court was to hear a petition from Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar on Thursday, seeking his release and arguing that the former premier was illegally detained.

A lso Thursday, police filed new terrorism charges against Khan and top leaders from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on charges of inciting mobs to violence. They said the mobs attacked militar y installations, damaged public property, burned down dozens of police vehicles, attacked police officers and disrupted life by blocking key roads and highways.

In an address to the nation late Wednesday, Prime Minister

Shahbaz Sharif—who took over after Khan was ousted in April last year in a no-confidence vote in Parliament—said the unrest by the followers of the former premier had “damaged sensitive public and private property,” forcing him to deploy the military in Islamabad, the most populous province of Punjab and in volatile regions of the northwest.

“Such scenes were never seen by the people of Pakistan,” Sharif said, following a Cabinet meeting. “Even patients were taken out of ambulances and ambulances were set on fire.”

Sharif called the attacks “unforgivable,” and warned that those involved in violence would be given exemplary punishment. He said Khan was arrested because of his involvement in corruption, and that there was evidence available to back up these charges.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the late Benazir Bhutto’s son, urged Khan’s followers on Thursday to end the violence but stressed that peaceful protests are their right. “What has happened, has happened. Don’t make things more difficult for yourself,” he said.

Following the violence, the government has shut down schools, colleges and universities in the eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, where Khan has a massive grassroot following and from where most of the violence was reported after his arrest. The government also suspended Internet service in various parts of the country.

The government blames Khan and senior leaders from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of inciting people to violence, which continued Thursday in Punjab and in the northwest.

On Wednesday, a court in Islamabad decided that the National Accountability Bureau can hold Khan in its custody for eight days for questioning over a graft case.

The military headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi was attacked and Khan’s supporters stormed security posts in the northwest, torching the security Chakdara fort on the border with Afghanistan. In Lahore on Tuesday night, demonstrators ransacked and then burned down the residence of the top regional commander in Lahore, Lt. Gen. Salman Fayyaz Ghani.

“We will arrest all those who disrupted law and order,” said Mohson Naqvi, the chief minister in Punjab.

Officials say Khan’s supporters in particular targeted military installations because he has been blaming the military for his 2022 ouster, while also claiming it was a conspiracy by Washington and Sharif ’s government—charges that both the United States and Khan’s successor have denied. The military has also said it played no role in Khan’s ouster.

The Associated Press writers Babar Dogar in Lahore and Riaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this story.

A14 Friday, May 12, 2023 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

editorial

Will US politicians end dollar’s primacy?

T

reasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned on Monday that the US could default on its obligations as soon as June 1 if Congress does not address the debt limit before then. “If Congress fails to increase the debt limit, it would cause severe hardship to American families, harm our global leadership position, and raise questions about our ability to defend our national security interests,” Yellen wrote in a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The US hit its $31.4 trillion debt ceiling in January—roughly about $94,000 for every American—and the Treasury has been using cash and “extraordinary measures” to satisfy obligations since then. America’s growing debt is the result of a mismatch between spending and revenues. The federal government spends more than it collects, and the US has to borrow money to cover the deficit. Each year’s deficit adds to the growing national debt.

President Joe Biden met with top congressional leadership in the Oval Office on Tuesday with little to show that they are moving toward a deal to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a default. Biden described the talks as “productive.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters that he didn’t see any new movement toward resolving the stalemate.

From Bloomberg: “Some of Wall Street’s most experienced traders warned of unthinkable long-term implications from a US default and argued the debt limit may need to be permanently repealed. In a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, current and former leaders of the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee said the costs of the current standoff extend beyond markets.”

“The short-term impacts of a protracted negotiation are costly; the longterm implications of a default are unthinkable,” wrote the 17-member group, which includes Goldman Sachs Group Inc. executives Beth Hammack and Ashok Varadhan and former JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Operating Officer Matt Zames. “The magnitude of adverse consequences from a prolonged negotiation, or a default, is unquantifiable.”

The group argued for the debt limit to be raised “with all due haste” and for a permanent fix to the issue. “It is time to introduce an alternative method of enforcing fiscal responsibility, by either requiring the limits to be raised simultaneously with appropriations or by repealing the debt limit altogether,” they wrote. The letter was signed by chairs and vice chairs of the TBAC, an external committee that advises the Treasury Department on borrowing.

In the 63 years since the US Congress first enacted the debt limit, the US has always managed to raise the debt ceiling before reaching the default state. Given the vast and growing gap between Republicans and Democrats, or the asymmetrical position between the House leadership and the White House, what if the script has changed and the US government defaults on its debt this time?

Economists said a US default could start a deep recession in US and weaken global trade. This means that countries that rely on exports to the US for much of their income would particularly suffer. A US default will also drive down the value of the dollar, causing chaotic fluctuations in exchange rates, and spiking the prices of oil and other commodities.

A US default would impact virtually all countries to some extent. Countries with highly dollarized economies would see the buying power of existing currency stock diminished.

The global competitors of the US, including China and Russia, have for years suggested that it would be better if the dollar’s dominance were not as strong as it is. Pundits said a default on US debts will force many countries to hedge their bets by taking on other currencies, like the euro or renminbi, as additions to their reserve holdings. Investors will likely dump US Treasuries, even at a loss, which will hamper global access to liquid capital. Countries will start reducing their dependence on the dollar as the international reserve and trade currency.

The US has greatly benefited from the dollar’s coveted position as the standard currency for international finance and trade. A US default on its debt will end this status. The enemies of America (and some allies?) can’t wait to see US politicians destroy the dollar’s primacy so they can start pushing their respective currencies as the new standard-bearer.

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Enriching Filipino heritage through inclusive legislation Sonny M. Angara

Better Days

O

N March 26, 2010, Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act was enacted to boost our country’s efforts in preserving our cultural treasures. My father, the former Senate President Ed Angara, who was the principal author of the measure in the Senate, said the law was not only a serious step in preserving our cultural treasures, but in a deeper sense, affirms our identity as a people. I filed the same measure and sponsored it as a member of the House of Representatives—emphasizing the need to preserve our nation’s identity through culture and history. This will instill pride and dignity to our national identity.

In 2003, then President and now Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 439, declaring the month of May every year as National Heritage Month. For this year’s observance, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) came up with the theme “Heritage: Change and Continuity” to put the spotlight on enduring Filipino legacies amidst rapidly changing national and global contexts. Our work as legislators become even more crucial in preserving and promoting Filipino heritage through the measures that we file and through our advocacies.

In 2016, a report by the United Nations noted that while linkages between culture and social inclusion cannot be easily defined, greater participation in cultural life, particularly greater inclusiveness, fosters societies to be more democratic and stable.

Relatedly, some of the measures I filed celebrate the diversity within our Filipino communities. Senate Bill No. 1012 declares Chinese New

Year’s Day as a special nonworking holiday in remembrance of the Chinese-Filipinos who fought with us for our independence and freedom in previous World Wars and for their contributions in the formation of the Filipino middle class.

SBN 1616 declares November 7 of every year as the Sheikh Karim’ul Makhdum Day, a special national working holiday, in commemoration of the establishment of the first Philippine Mosque in Bohe Indangan, Simunul Island, Tawi-tawi and the introduction of Islam in the country through the arrival of Arab missionary Shariff Karim’ul Makhdum, which was widely and uncritically accepted as the start of the systematization and formalization of most of the social infrastructures for Philippine Islamic practice and propagation.

We also take pride in the goods and products that are uniquely characterized to be part of our Filipino culture and heritage. SBN 1868 mandates the Protected Geographi-

The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 was a much-needed shot in the arm to protect what remains in our nation’s cultural heritage. It is crucial to preserve and develop our heritage to keep our identity intact and to showcase to the rest of the world what it means to be Filipino.

cal Indications of locally produced agricultural or natural products, processed goods, or any products of handicraft or industry, to guarantee that these were indeed produced or manufactured in the places they were said to have been grown or made.

Another is SBN 999 or the Philippine Native Animal Development Act that institutionalizes, as a government policy, the protection, development, and promotion of uniquely Filipino breeds of animals. These measures cleave closely to our long-held advocacy of supporting “Tatak Pinoy” or Proudly Filipino industries and entrepreneurs.

Heritage, according to Britannica, is the collective of all traditions, achievements, beliefs that are part of the history of a nation. For one, Indigenous Peoples (IPs) possess practices, knowledge, expressions and skills that are still relevant and provide meaning in everyday life, where the passing down of this heritage enhances the vitality, strength, and well-being of communities according to the Unesco. However, the World Bank reported that IPs account for nearly 20 percent of the world’s extreme poor. Thus, I filed SBN 1167 to mandate the establishment of resource centers for indigenous cultural communities to ensure the delivery of basic, social, technical and legal services to all

Filipino IPs. In addition to these bills that I filed, there are several heritagerelated interventions we included in the 2023 National Budget. This includes a P2 million appropriation for the Filipino Heritage Festival, which is a month-long celebration of tangible and intangible Filipino Heritage through cultural events, such as performance, visual arts exhibits, thematic culinary events, and other activities highlighting traditions and customs held in various locations nationwide. One of the objectives is to raise the consciousness of Filipinos on the existence of both man-made and natural landmarks and the need to preserve them.

There is also P94 million for commemorations and restorations under the National Historical Commission of the Philippines such as the 125th Anniversary of the Philippine Independence, celebration of the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day, restoration of the Mabini Shrine (Santa Mesa, Manila), Molo Church (Molo, Iloilo), Patnongon Old Casa Municipal (Patnongon, Antique), and the Nagcarlan underground cemetery (Nagcarlan, Laguna).

The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 was a much-needed shot in the arm to protect what remains in our nation’s cultural heritage. It is crucial to preserve and develop our heritage to keep our identity intact and to showcase to the rest of the world what it means to be Filipino.

Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored, co-authored, and sponsored more than 330 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

China the target of new G-7 push against ‘economic coercion’

By Alex Wickham, Alberto Nardelli & Jenny Leonard Bloomberg Opinion

G

roup of Seven nations aim to send a signal to China this month by announcing a joint effort to counter “economic coercion,” even as they struggle to agree on more than a broad statement of intent.

While member states want to better coordinate their responses to China’s economic practices, signing off on tangible measures is proving more complicated, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Officials are still wrangling over how tough to be in their messaging to China, particularly on specific tools that could be deployed against it.

The US has advocated for other G-7 nations to take stronger positions on Beijing when leaders meet next week in Hiroshima, the people added, but European countries would

prefer to focus on coordination and general warnings against coercive behavior. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

The debate reflects the dilemma facing the US, Europe and China’s neighbors like Japan on how to deal with China’s growing economic clout when their supply chains remain so interlinked with the world’s secondbiggest economy. G-7 nations are all dependent in some fashion on Chinese goods in key areas and there is a consensus on the need to test the resilience of supply chains, the

The US has advocated for other G-7 nations to take stronger positions on Beijing when leaders meet next week in Hiroshima, the people added, but European countries would prefer to focus on coordination and general warnings against coercive behavior. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

people said.

Leaders are likely to hold a private discussion about China in Hiroshima and it will be central to a standalone document on economic security as well as talks on trade and foreign policy.

The proposed “platform on economic coercion” would allow G-7 countries to coordinate their actions in areas including trade and

investment restrictions, boycotts and threats such as cyber attacks, the people said.

But such a mechanism is unlikely to include an automatic response to hostile economic actions, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive matters. European members in particular oppose the idea of preordained countermeasures.

What joint action might be possible will depend on individual circumstance, the people said. They added there’s a spectrum of measures China has taken, ranging from targeting specific companies to enacting total trade boycotts.

Despite the pre-summit wrinkles, the US and Europe do show signs of moving closer to each other on their China policies. The US language appears to be shifting, as officials start See “China,” A15

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

South Africa urges Writing heritage careful debate on option of introducing BRICS Tito Genova Valiente annotations common currency

By Paul Vecchiatto Bloomberg Opinion

T

he BRICS group of nations will discuss the feasibility of introducing a common currency, according to the foreign minister of South Africa, which is preparing to host a summit of the bloc’s leaders.

US interest-rate hikes and geopolitical conflicts have pushed up the value of the American currency and all the commodities priced in it, to the detriment of most emerging markets. That’s spurred calls for alternatives to using the greenback as the global trading currency.

One option is for the BRICS bloc —which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—to adopt their own unit. The issue is likely to be on the agenda of a meeting of the nations’ heads of state in Johannesburg on August 22.

“It’s a matter we must discuss and discuss properly,” South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor said in an interview in Cape Town on Tuesday. She said that without seeking to preempt the discussions, “I don’t think we should always assume the idea will work, because economics is very difficult and you have to have regard to all countries, especially in a situation of low growth when you are emerging from crises.”

BRICS represents more than 40 percent of the world’s population and almost a third of global economic output, making it one of the world’s most important economic blocs. Several other nations, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, have expressed an interest in joining its ranks.

China . . .

continued from A14

to adopt the phraseology of “derisking” without “decoupling” that European officials now use. That’s in part a nod to the European caution and to show the US recognizes the complexities involved in formulating policy across multiple countries, the people said.

At the same time, the European Union position on China has hardened since the Covid pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine exposed risky supply chain dependencies, with the bloc looking to mitigate those risks as well as put limits on several exports that could be used for military purposes.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz this week accused China of increasingly acting as a rival and competitor. He said European nations should not aim for an immediate decoupling from China, but implement a “smart de-risking.” And Italy has signaled to the US that it intends to pull out of a controversial investment pact with China before the end of the year.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Tuesday he was concerned with even the notion of derisking. Speaking at a briefing with German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, he said it could equate to “deSinicization,” according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

President Joe Biden plans to limit investment in China’s economy by American businesses, and has hoped for an endorsement from other G-7 countries, although they aren’t expected to announce similar restrictions at the same time, Bloomberg previously reported.

Some European nations prefer to focus on language about the risks to companies putting money into China, while boosting information exchanges about screening foreign investments, the people familiar with the discussions said. With assistance from Michael Nienaber, Chiara Albanese and Jordan Fabian / Bloomberg

The discussion about a common currency for the bloc has been generated by BRICS and other nations questioning why they can’t use their own currencies, instead of the US dollar, to trade, Pandor said.

Any move toward the creation of a single form of legal tender would spur other debates about the creation of a single central bank and where it would be situated, said South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago.

“I don’t know how we would talk of a currency issued by a bloc of countries that are in different geographical locations because currencies are national in nature,” he said in Johannesburg on Wednesday. “For the euro area to arrive at that, they had to establish a treaty where the other countries had to all surrender their currencies.”

BRICS nations passed the Group of Seven economies in 2020 by the purchasing power parity measure and last year were 4 percent larger.

The IMF expects that gap to widen further this decade, even as the G-7 keeps its advantage when measured using market exchange rates.

Growth in developing economies means a “slow-moving” decline in the dominance of the dollar, according to Ziad Daoud, chief emerging markets economist at Bloomberg Economics.

Still, the dollar is likely to remain the dominant currency for “a long time,” according to Johannesburgbased money managers Vestact Ltd. “No other currency has the recognizability, stability and economic might behind it,” it said in a note to clients. “The only currency that is vaguely close to being able to replace the dollar is the euro.” With assistance from Monique Vanek / Bloomberg

S

ome 15 kilometers from the city of Naga is the town of Calabanga. Its name is derived from, as one source puts it, the plural of “labang,” which refers to a bird trap. Others conjecture the name of this town as referring to the length of the place from the church to the poblacion.

It was a visita of Quipayo, the older site, but the town of Calabanga outgrew the said site and had become one of the fourth biggest areas of commerce in the province of Camarines Sur. The town sits around the shoulder of the massive Mt. Isarog, a volcano.

Calabanga is the place where Jaime Malanyaon, a former superintendent, is buried. He was an educator who took the initiative of compiling histories of the place, serving, through a book, references which, during the period when the concept of local history was in its infancy, voiced a singular way of presenting one’s town, province, and region.

Next week, this town and other more towns will be honored together with the writers who came from them. This is the Bikol Book Festival.

A literary pilgrimage, the Bikol Book Festival, now in its second year, pays tribute to the deceased Bikol writers and cultural workers in whose lives are woven the tales of the land called Kabikolan. We do not claim by no means that we have a complete tapestry yet as there are thousands more writers still alive, thinking about their particular respective places and trying to find the rhythm and imagery that will flesh out the extraordinariness of the ordinary and lived moments in those locations.

And so in the month of May, while the entire nation will be celebrating in general heritage, the National Book Development Board with the

Ateneo de Naga University Press and the Savage Mind will be visiting places, tapping memories of geographies and inscribing on the places the remembrance of these writers who wrote about plains, hills, rivers, forests, mountains and even the unnameable zones of habitation.

A lways the point zero, Naga will be the embarkation site for a trip to Goa in the Partido area where Gualberto Cea Manlagnit once resided, composed poems, translated songs, and painted about origins of the universe as well as the frailties of man. He was a politician but in his paintings and poetry he became this passionate man fervid about the lessons of life he so loved to celebrate. We would read poems and even sing the songs he transferred from their foreign birth to settle them in the tongue of his own passion.

The Sangay Road, a windy stretch, will be on our route to Tiwi, passing

by Joroan where the miraculous image of Our Lady of Salvacion has Her shrine. We shall pay Her a visit and pray for a continuous good voyage, invoke safety from the temptations of a prosaic existence (we will be af-

Friday, May 12, 2023 A15

ter all with some 30 writers from the region and the metropolis and other points of the archipelago).

In Tiwi, where it is said the gurgling water of the hot springs discloses at night the lamentation of people condemned forever to Hell (it is said you could hear the voices of swindlers and cheats even if they are still alive somewhere or around your neighborhood), we will pay respect to the ideals of the grand gentleman of the Church, Msgr. Teotimo Pacis, of the Congregacion de la Misión. A composer and writer, Pacis was one of those who oversaw the translation of the Missal to Bikol language.

From Tiwi, we motor to Camalig.

Here at the foot of Mayon, poets will read verses, as the night will be reserved to remember Justino Nuyda,

another politician-writer. As a playwright, he is noted for Anti-Cristo, a play anthologized in Ma. Lilia F. Realubit’s Bikol Dramatic Traditions, which will be launched in Naga City.

Sorsogon will be the last place on the peninsula that will be visited by the Bikol Book Festival. In the same city, the selected stories of Delfin Fresnosa translated by two Sorsoga-

nons will be presented to the public. From here, the team will cross the Ticao Pass to San Jacinto, take the bus to San Fernando for a fourday celebration. This will include a tribute to the late Jessie Clemente Badillo and several workshops for teachers and students. Ticao Island will then be the focus of the writers to incubate poems, essays, or visual arts, and prove, as Isherwood says, how “people seem to belong to places, especially to places where they were not born.”

In between these sorties, other writers like Alexandra M. Eduque, En Villasis, Teddy Espela, Mia Tijam, Frank Peñones, Jr., Mary Jane Guazon, John Sherwin Acampado, Rustom Pujado, Jerome Hipolito, Albert Baeta, RoxLee, Kristian Sendon Cordero, Tito Genova Valiente, Roger Lim, Ida Valenzuela, Emmanuel Barrameda, Sonny Sendon, Raniela Barbaza, Allan Derain, Nick Pichay, Pat Baloloy, Jason Tabinas, Merlie Tariman, Rolando Tolentino, Frank Cimatu, Danton Remoto, Evelyn Caldera-Soriano, Ambassador Virgilio Reyes, Fr. Philip Bersabe, Ani Almario, Fr. Wilmer Tria, Raffi Banzuela, Abdon Balde, Marne Kilates and National Artist Virgilio Almario will tell their tales.

In the meantime, we still have to locate the grave of Rosalio “Sali” Imperial, a politician and the maker of the almanac famous till the ’70s, the Kalendaryong Bikol. What geomancy can ever assist us in this endeavor? Why the unknowability in the resting place of this man who was the most prolific writer in the Bikol language for several generations?

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

ADB’s new SPS: Will it go beyond aspirational commitments?

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

A

major topic discussed in the Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) held in Incheon first week of May is the Bank’s Safeguards Policy Statement (SPS). A new SPS, updating the 2009 SPS, is due for release third quarter of this year.

As Asia’s biggest source of financing for infrastructure projects such as dams and power plants and social development programs such as health and education, the Bank is able to influence the economic and social development directions of over three dozen Asian Member States. At the national and community levels, the implementation of these Bank-funded projects and programs have direct environmental, social and economic consequences—some positive, some negative and a few even disastrous. In the old or 2009 SPS, the Bank declared that their projects and programs are not meant to inflict harm on the environment, disrupt the lives of indigenous peoples and create “involuntary resettlement” of people.

And yet, the NGO Forum on ADB, in a documentation of around 50 big ADB projects across Asia, found the Bank and its partner private sector developers non-compliant with the Bank’s SPS mantra not to do harm to the environment, community and IPs (see NGO Forum on ADB, 55 Years and Counting: Stories of Community Struggle for a Binding ADB Safeguards, 2023).

In particular, there is a failure to observe the internationally-accepted requirement that infra projects in IP areas should involve the IP communities and should secure the “free, prior and informed consent” (FPIC) of these communities.

In the Incheon Meeting, a num-

ber of CSOs led by the Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development held a rally decrying the failure of the ADB to go green or greener despite the Bank’s declaration that it is supporting the goal of the Paris Agreement of 2015 to cool the Planet. Officially, the Bank has stopped financing the building of coal-fired power plants; and yet, the Bank has been doubling its support in the establishment of power plants using LNG, which emits the destructive methane that contributes to global warming just like the GHG produced by coal. Hence, the obvious solution is for the Bank to focus its resources on the renewables, not on coal and not on LNG or natural gas.

Now back to the new SPS. CSOs like the NGO Forum on ADB have been engaging the ADB, particularly the Bank’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, on how to come up with a more comprehensive and stronger SPS that can guarantee the observance of environmental, social and economic safeguards in the implementation of each and every ADB-supported project. To this writer, the following are critical guiding principles in making such an SPS. First, the new SPS should go beyond the aspirational. Yes, positive declarations by the Bank and other regional “financial development” agencies on their commitments to the UN’s Sustainable Development

Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate mitigation are important.

But translating these commitments into concrete doable actions is another matter.

When Covid struck Asia in 2020, the ADB quickly launched its CARES program to help some Member Countries cover immediate budgetary shortfalls. The CARES program was a good opportunity for ADB to nudge and remind borrowing countries on the need to align social spending with their own SDG commitments. And yet, no clear alignment was made as reflected in some weaknesses in social spending. For example, the “targeting” approach used in providing social amelioration excluded so many poor such as the rural migrants, street vendors and mobile informal construction workers who are not in official government lists of social amelioration beneficiaries. A review by this author of the terms for the CARES loans shows that the ADB still has not developed a concrete system of aligning lending with SDG fulfilment, meaning going beyond a mere general declaration that the loan will help alleviate poverty.

Second, on labor standards, some of the findings of the ADB’s Independent Evaluation (2020) highlighted the lack of clarity on the inclusion of labor safeguards in the SPS and the consequent failure of many projects to address related issues of occupational and community health and safety, gender, climate change, etc. Although the ADB has an existing handbook on core labor standards published as early as 2006, the said handbook has no provisions on monitoring and reporting of labor compliance, and is silent on internationally-recognized labor rights such as hours of work, overtime pay, minimum wage, OSH and access to institutions for the redress and remediation of labor violations. The SPS should cover these basic labor rights and link them with the intertwining community, envi-

ronmental and socio-cultural rights and concerns of the working people.

Third, the SPS should go beyond the mechanical checklist approach in the monitoring and evaluation of labor and other standards. In the case of environmental and labor standards, monitors and evaluators usually have a checklist of questions that are answerable through boxes of yes and no. But what really happens in most projects? The Bank, governments, private contractors and their compliance officers are unable to look into the environmental and labor impact of the labyrinthian system of business and labor contracting and sub-contracting that characterize most of these projects. The ADB and its partner government usually ask a private principal contractor to be conscientious in observing environmental and labor standards by providing him a folder of what to observe or not in relation to the treatment of the environment and the project workers.

And yet, in the case of labor, the reality on the ground shows that a principal or consortium of contractors in infra development can have a hundred or more suppliers and subcontractors, each of whom have their own respective work brigades. These work brigades are overlooked by the checklist method. They are often “invisible” to the government’s labor inspectors and are usually treated badly by their bosses, e.g., long hours of work and below minimum wage compensation. Hence, there is a need to emphasize in the SPS the importance of strict observance of labor standards by all parties involved in an infra project, which means commitment by all these parties to a common understanding of their responsibility to their respective work brigades.

Fourth, there is a need to incorporate in the SPS the principle of Just Transition. The UN Environmental Program, together with the ILO and other UN agencies, has been advocating for a “just transitioning” in fulfill-

ing or achieving a “green transformation” in a given country. Making the environment, economy and social life sustainable for all requires a Just Transformation and Just Transition programs. The transitioning should be fair and just to all, specifically to the workers of existing facilities and the communities hosting them. The general guide in realizing Just Transition is to ensure that “no harm” is inflicted by any project to the workers, communities and society. This means not only preventing violations of their human, labor, cultural and environmental rights but also engaging them on how to do things right.

This brings us then to the fifth guiding principle: the importance of having frank and sustained social dialogue with all concerned—before, during and after—the conceptualization and implementation of a project.

Since projects of the ADB are justified in the name of the people and societal development, workers, communities, local governments and other concerned sectors should be acknowledged and treated as “Development Partners,” not as mere objects of development. This consultation-dialogue process may be time-consuming but the benefits to the ADB and the government and society are irreplaceable —minimization of moral hazards, avoidance of abuses and violations by contractors, avoidance of social conflicts, development of better ways of doing things, and people’s unified support to a project that is envisioned to benefit all.

To conclude, the ADB and its SPS framers need to go beyond the aspirational, beyond the mechanical checklist mentality, beyond the narrow idea that a project is simply an agreement between the ADB, government and a contractor.

Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo is a Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines.

For comments, please write to reneofreneo@ gmail.com.

A16 Friday, May 12, 2023

MAKABAYAN Kuwait extends entry ban SCSUITJUNKS VS MAHARLIKA BILL to Pinoys already with visas

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

K

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

@maloutalosig

UWAIT has expanded the ban on entry of Filipino workers, and will now include Filipino expatriates who have just been issued visas, a Kuwaiti newspaper said.

Aside from workers, expatriates include spouses of Kuwaiti nationals or foreign expats, children, business people, temporary workers for project-only and tourists.

Sources told BusinessMirror that a group of semi-skilled workers have been deported upon arrival at the Kuwait International Airport Wednesday.

Also, events in Kuwait headlining at least two Filipino bands and artists may be canceled or postponed following the ban on entry of Filipinos to the Arab country.

They include Rocksteddy who has rescheduled its concert on May 26, and Bamboo who is scheduled to perform in Sheikh Saad Alabdullah Sport Hall Complex in Sabah Al

Salem on June 16.

“In a remarkable development, and as an extension of the decision to ban the issuance of visas to Filipinos, the outlets were notified not to allow any Filipino expatriate for whom a visa was issued before the ban was activated,” Kuwaiti newspaper A l Aban reported in Arabic.

However, those who have existing visas and have stayed in Kuwait with valid residency permits can enter.

“No Filipino expatriate who had been issued a visa earlier may enter.

Only Filipinos with valid residency permits are allowed to enter,” the Al Aban added.

The newspaper posted a copy of the memo issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Kuwait.

On Tuesday, Arab language newspapers published stories that the First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Talal Al-Khalid had issued an order suspending the issuance of visas to Filipino workers.

The Kuwaiti dailies said the decision came after the Philippine government allegedly violated provisions of the PHL-Kuwait

labor agreement.

There was no mention of what provision of the labor agreement the Philippine government supposedly violated..

But the timing of the ban was suspicious and some quarters deemed it as retaliation for the unilateral decision of the Philippines to halt the deployment of first-time domestic workers to Kuwait in February.

The modified ban was an offshoot of the brutal rape and murder of 37-year-old maid Jullebee Ranara in January. The suspect, the 17-year-old son of her employer, was immediately arrested and prosecuted.

The departments of Foreign Affairs and of Migrant Workers refused to confirm the reported ban on entry of Filipino nationals to Kuwait.

According to Kuwait’s Public Authority for Civil Information, as of December 31, 2022, there are 274,777 Filipino workers and residents in Kuwait, making up 5.8 percent of the total number of expatriates in the Arab state.

Three-quarters of Filipino workers in Kuwait are domestic workers.

T

HE Supreme Court has rejected the petition filed by the Makabayan bloc representatives seeking to declare unconstitutional President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s certification of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund Bill as an urgent measure.

This was learned on Thursday after the Makabayan bloc filed an 11-page motion for reconsideration of the Court’s decision of February 28, 2023.

A copy of the resolution was received by petitioners on April 25, 2023, and they were informed that the Court dismissed their petition after they “failed to present to Court with any fact establishing the existence of an actual case or controversy ripe for adjudication.”

“Colmenare et al.’s mere allegation of unconstitutionality of the President’s certification of House Bill 6608 and the passage of the bill by the House are not sufficient to warrant review by the Court,” the SC ruling stated.

“They have not established any controversy of legal rights nor adduced any sufficient or concrete facts to enable the

Court to intelligently adjudicate the issues presented. In fact, by their own admission, the Senate has yet to act on the counterpart bill of HB 6608. To date, no law has been passed and HB 6608 remains pending with the House for further revisions, eliminating petitioner legislators’ concerns regarding the expedited passage of HB 6608 in the House,” it added.

Without an actual case or controversy ripe for adjudication, the Court said, it has no reason to rule on the merits of the “premature petition.”

Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares, former Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, ACT Teachers party-list group Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan partylist are the petitioners in the case.

They named Marcos, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the House of Representatives as respondents in the petition.

In their May 10, 2023 motion for reconsideration of the Court’s ruling, the petitioners insisted that the issues raised in their petition are already ripe for adjudication due to consummated acts of the respondents.

Continued on A4

IC chief Regalado cites life insurers’ role as Fortune Life fetes top agents

ELIMAR R. DEPAMAYLO (fourth from left) shines bright as she receives the award of Insurance Specialist of the Year at the 38th Annual Awards of Fortune Life. Joining her on the stage were (from left) Fortune Life Executive Vice President and COO Emma M. Abad, ALC Group of Companies Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon, Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo A. Regalado, Fortune Life President and CEO D. Arnold A. Cabangon, and Senior Vice President and OIC for Marketing and Sales Virgilio S. Aquino.

F

ORTUNE Life Insurance Co., one of the leading insurance companies in the Philippines, held its 38th Annual Awards Night on May 9, 2023, at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Ermita, Manila.

The event was graced by newly named Insurance Commissioner Reynaldo A. Regalado, who delivered his first keynote address in an insurance setting, a month after his appointment. He was welcomed by the ALC Group Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon, Fortune Life Executive Officers led by President and CEO D. Arnold A. Cabangon, Executive Vice President and COO Emma M. Abad, and Fortune’s board of directors, officers, and the sales force.

In his keynote Regalado expressed appreciation for the warm welcome he received from Fortune Life. He acknowledged the exceptional contributions of the top-performing agents for the year 2022 and praised Fortune Life’s legacy, which has been built by the founder and the wise directors over the years.

Regalado emphasized the importance of life insurers in producing tailored services and products to meet the ever-changing needs of the insuring public, especially during the pandemic’s recovery phase.

He urged the insurance industry to continue providing quality financial services to Filipinos.

“Our life insurers must continue to produce services and products tailor-made to meet the demands of the insuring public in securing their family’s future and health,” he said.

Regalado also congratulated the awardees. “You are reaping the fruits of your labor and taking home the rewards of your hard work for having provided quality financial services to our fellow Filipinos.” He hoped that the recognition they received would serve as inspiration for them to continue their dedicated efforts. “May this recognition serve as inspiration for you to continue your committed work in bringing insurance closer to the hearts of our people,” he added.

The new insurance chief gave

this assurance: “We, at the Insurance Commission, are working equally hard to ensure that the industry we regulate will remain strong and globally competitive.”

Fortune Life President and CEO, D. Arnold A. Cabangon, in a speech, expressed appreciation for the remarkable contribution of the salesforce. “To our best sales associates, recognizing your achievements is our way of appreciating your support and acknowledging your huge contributions to the success of our company. I would like to commend all the awardees for your undeterred commitment and dedication.”

Cabangon did not forget to remember his father, the founder, in his speech: “If my father, the late Amb. Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, was here, I am sure that he would happily congratulate all of you. And he would be very proud to see that you have remained our loyal and trusted allies in helping Filipinos secure their financial protection.”

Continued on A4

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Friday, May 12, 2023

B1

Group: ERC must set higher SEC opens new GEAR rate for floating solar office in Leyte

By Lenie Lectura

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@llectura

he Philippine Solar and Storage Energy Alliance (PSSEA) is asking the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to set a higher Green Energy Auction Reserve (GEAR) price for floating solar technology.

“The PSSEA respectfully prays that the Honorable Commission considers P7.3661 per kilowatt hour (kWh) as GEA-2 GEAR price for solar PV on water and for the removal of SESC [Solar Energy Service Contract] as one of the requisites for the solar developers,” the group said in a filing with the ERC. The agency is currently holding

public consultations on the proposed GEAR price for rooftop solar at P4.7156 per kWh; ground-mounted solar, P4.2395 per kWh; floating solar, P4.7565 per kWh; wind, P5.9823 per kWh, and biomass, P5.1475 per kWh. The ERC sets prices for the government’s GEA program to ensure the lowest price for renewable en-

ergy sources.

PSSEA said that unlike in groundmounted solar, solar PV on water incurs additional costs in construction and operations, including but not limited to, installation of floaters, anchoring and mooring of the system. These systems, it added, are the unique features of floating solar and are indispensable in keeping it in its place.

Compared to ground-mounted solar, PSSEA said floating solar incurs at least a 20 percent higher project cost. It urged the ERC to set a floating solar GEAR price that is reflective of the cost incurred in the entire value chain.

“The GEAR price for solar PV on water must be significantly higher than ground-mounted. Allocating a GEAR price for solar PV on water equivalent to or less than the groundmounted solar will negate the pur-

pose of GEAP and defeat the spirit of the GEAR rules in supporting the development of new renewable energy projects under a competitive process.”

Also, under current rules, only solar developers with SESC can register to participate in GEAP. PSSEA said this should be reviewed.

“The core of the SESC or solar energy operating contract is possessory rights to the project locations.

With this, we pray to the ERC that solar developers with existing possessory rights over pre-determined or determined area be eligible and qualify as bidders to GEA-2.”

To make floating solar commercial, PSSEA Chairperson Tetchi Capellan said separately that the ERC has to set high tariffs “so that the first pioneer who is going to absorb all the different problems in the first set, can be compensated.”

Balai ni Fruitas Q1 income up 62%

By VG Cabuag @villygc

L

isted Balai ni Fruitas Inc. on Thursday said its income in the first three months of the year rose 62 percent to P9.6 million from the previous year’s P6 million on higher sales.

Revenues for the period went up by 88 percent to P114 million from the previous year’s P61 million.

Despite the lack of a seasonal upswing from the Christmas holidays, revenue performance in the first quarter was 7 percent higher than in the last quarter of 2022.

“In first quarter of 2023, we were able to open new stores in strategic locations to better serve existing clients and draw in new clients. We

also further expanded our distribution digitally. We intend to replicate this success in subsequent periods.

Our clients can continue to expect top-quality products coupled with exceptional customer service from Balai,” Lester Yu, the company’s president and CEO, said.

Despite pressures from inflation, the gross profit margin for the first quarter was 50 percent, a slight decline from the recorded 51 percent gross profit margin last year.

The company said the expansion of its retail network to 110 as of the end of the first quarter from 98 as of the end of 2022, together with continued same-store sales growth, helped it achieve higher sales quarter-over-quarter.

Balai said it continues to expand

its physical community store locations, promote its delivery channels, and partner with other food retailers to further broaden its distribution channels. The company said its baked goods are also made available through the store network of the Fruitas Group, such as Soy and Bean and Babot’s Farm, apart from Balai Pandesal outlets.

In April, the unit of Fruitas Holdings Inc. said its income in 2022 reached P37 million, four times higher than the previous year’s P8.5 million.

Revenues for 2022 more than doubled to P341 million from the previous year’s P149 million. It has expanded the number of stores to 98 by the end of 2022 from the previous year’s 77.

UnionBank to extend loans to LBC clients

L

BC Express Inc., Aboitiz Data Innovation (ADI), and UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) on Thursday signed an agreement that aims to promote financial sustainability.

The tripartite agreement was signed during the inaugural AI Summit in the Philippines (AI Summit PH 2023). Through the initiative, LBC clients will have access to small business loans and financing programs from UnionBank to help them in their expansion plans.

Enrique V. Rey Jr., CFO of LBC Express, said the company has seen an increase in the number of consumers engaging in “social selling” even before the pandemic.

“Through this partnership with ADI and UnionBank, we look forward to providing them with a one-of-akind opportunity to obtain funding to help advance their businesses.”

According to UnionBank, the agreement will harness ADI’s AIpowered scoring service to evaluate LBC customers, enabling UnionBank to “intelligently and confidently” extend loans to identified clients.

UnionBank is supportive of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Through this initiative, the digital bank said it intends to tap into the “small” informal businesses sector.

Roberto Abastillas, UnionBank Executive Vice President, Commer-

From left: Aboitiz Data Innovation COO Guy Sheppard, Chief Financial Officer of LBC Express Inc Enrique Rey Jr., and UnionBank Executive Vice President Roberto Abastillas. Contributed Photo

cial Banking Center Head, “We are optimistic as we join the nation in its economic recovery, and we hope to contribute to this through lending, creating economic activity in digital channels, and assisting small entrepreneurs.”

UnionBank said the situation has been especially difficult for SMEs, which frequently have limited financial resources and may lack the scope and flexibility of larger organizations, as a result of the pandemic.

However, small and mediumsized business owners can play a significant role in economic recovery by adapting to a shifting business environment, leveraging technology, and concentrating on innovation and sustainability. SMEs and MSMEs can access funding through this initiative, allowing them to concentrate

on expanding other aspects of their businesses.

“We have seen the pandemic has accelerated the transition to digitalization, with many companies employing new technologies and digital platforms to reach customers.

SMEs can benefit from this trend by expanding their reach, enhancing their efficiency, and lowering their expenses,” Abastillas said.

Guy Sheppard, COO for Financial Services at ADI said, “Innovation and meaningful collaboration are essential for driving economic development and recovery. We look forward to working with LBC and UnionBank in harnessing the capabilities of Data Science and AI to create solutions that empower more entrepreneurs in the Philippines and beyond.” Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

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he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has opened its new Tacloban extension office, which will serve the growing transactions in the Eastern Visayas region.

The SEC’s new office branch is located on the second floor of the National Economic and Development Authority Regional Office VIII building, Government Center in Barangay Baras, Palo, Leyte.

The SEC Tacloban office is envisioned to address the business registration needs and investment activities in Eastern Visayas, given the rising level of economic activity and presence of economic zones in the region.

As of May, there are a total of 10,456 corporations registered with the SEC in Eastern Visayas. Companies previously had to travel to the SEC Cebu extension office to avail of the SEC’s services.

“Today, we are not only celebrating the inauguration of the SEC Tacloban extension office, but also ushering in an even more conducive and more robust environment for business and investment in Eastern Visayas,” SEC Chairman Emilio

B. Aquino said in his speech during the office inauguration.

“Pursuant to the SEC’s mandate of championing the corporate sector, the SEC Tacloban Extension Office will serve as a gateway to doing business in Eastern Visayas.”

The SEC Tacloban branch is the commission’s 10th extension office in the country after Baguio, Tarlac, Legazpi, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Davao and Cagayan de Oro. It is also the fourth in the Visayas region.

The SEC said the presence of its extension offices (EO) in the regions ensure the efficient delivery of public services and effective enforcement of laws concerning the capital market, financing and lending companies and the overall corporate sector.

“The opening of SEC Tacloban EO is part of the commission’s goal of expanding its services across the country, as it pursues its mandate as the national government regulatory agency charged with supervision over the corporate sector, the capital market participants, the securities and investment instruments market and the protection of the investing public.” VG Cabuag

Companies BusinessMirror

Friday, May 12, 2023

B2

Strong demand for leisure assets boosts GERI profit

G

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

lobal-Estate Resorts Inc. (GERI) said its net income in the first quarter grew by 37 percent to P566 million from last year’s P412 million, on the back of the sustained recovery of the economy and strong demand for leisure properties.

According to the subsidiary of property developer Megaworld Corp., its revenues grew more than half to P2.07 billion from the previous P1.32 billion.

“Our strong start to the year

raises our confidence that we are on track to hit new heights for GERI. This is also a testament to the quality of our projects and the strength of our brand. Demand continues to grow, and we are

committed to capturing new opportunities as we strive to deliver meaningful value to our stakeholders,” GERI President Monica T. Salomon said.

Real estate sales rose 63 percent to P1.7 billion from last year’s P1 billion as a result of higher construction completion. Reservation sales also grew by 45 percent year-on-year to P5.8 billion.

The company saw growing demand for residential and commercial properties in its projects at Boracay Newcoast in Aklan, Eastland Heights in Antipolo, Rizal, Twin Lakes in Laurel, Batangas, Southwoods City in Biñan, Laguna, and Arden Botanical Estate in Trece Martires, Cavite.

The Ocean Garden Villas project in Boracay Newcoast boosted reser-

vation sales, the company said.

The project, which was valued at P849 million, was launched in the first quarter. To be completed in 2027, this project is now selling at P255,000 per square meter.

Meanwhile, hotel revenues more than doubled to P143 million during the quarter from last year’s P61 million due to the continued rise of local tourism and travel.

Leasing revenues grew by 10 percent to P123 million from last year’s P112 million. These were achieved by the growth in rental in retail spaces in Southwoods City, Alabang West and Twin Lakes.

The company currently has 9 tourism estates and integrated lifestyle communities across the country covering more than 3,300 hectares of land.

Converge aims to expand prepaid subscriber base

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

C

onverge ICT Solutions Inc. hopes to grow its prepaid subscriber base to 3 million in as early as three years, with the segment expected to become much bigger in base than postpaid fiber broadband.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Converge President Grace Uy said the group plans to put “prime focus” on expanding the company’s new service called Surf2Sawa, the company’s prepaid fiber-to-thehome (FTTH) sachet plan, which targets the lower-income markets.

For 2023, Converge hopes to reach 120,000 prepaid subscribers by end-December.

“We hope to get the first millionth subscriber in maybe two more years. Give us around 2025.

We should hit our first one million subs in the prepaid segment.

So by then, that should give us a much more significant contribution,” she said.

In “three to five years,” Grace said, the base could reach as much as 3 million subscribers.

The company expects the prepaid segment to contribute as much as “P500 million” to its top line this year.

By June this year, Converge intends to fully launch its prepaid offering Surf2Sawa to the lowerincome market, which accounts for approximately 9.3 million

households.

In the first three months of the year, Converge booked a 10-percent increase in net income to P2.17 billion, from P1.97 billion the year prior, as it continued to post strong revenue growth from both its residential and enterprise segments.

Revenues reached P8.64 billion in the first quarter, a 12-percent growth from P7.75 billion. Broken down, the residential business took the lion’s share at P7.40 billion, a 9-percent increase from P6.81 billion, and enterprise business at P1.24 billion from P935 million, a 33-percent surge.

Converge continued to expand its residential subscriber base with net additions reaching 43,000, with postpaid subscribers accounting for 67 percent and prepaid fiber subscribers consisting of the remaining 33 percent of the net subscriber additions.

As of the first quarter, Converge has 1.9 million postpaid and nearly 30,000 prepaid FTTH subscribers.

“Our commitment to providing world-class broadband services, coupled with our strategic investments in our network infrastructure, has enabled us to post positive first-quarter results. Converge is well-positioned to be the preferred internet service provider of customers as we continue to focus on reaching the unserved and underserved markets,” said Converge Co-Founder and CEO Dennis Anthony Uy.

MUTUAL FUNDS

w

May 11, 2023

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 213.54 -1.23% 4.71% -3.83% -2.1% 2.4% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.4529 0.99% 14.28% -1.21% -0.31% 8.09% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.9612 -0.6% 5.61% -6.42% -3.71% 1.58% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6881-5.57% 2.03% -5.54% n.a -0.82% First Metro Consumer Fund, Inc -a,40.6775 -0.35% 0.75% -4.24% n.a 4.46% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 4.7703 -1.75% 5.63% -2.25% -1.82% 2.58% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,30.7165 -1.02% 4.55% n.a n.a 2.2% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 84.38 2.89% 3.74% -5.94% n.a 12.12% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 44.3989 0.13% 6.17% -2.41% n.a 2.79% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 453.99 -2.19% 4.27% -2.98% -2.83% 2.15% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.19 -8.15% 7.58% -1.17% n.a 1.27% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 34.7566 1.93% 7.46% -1.27% -0.09% 4.39% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8748 -0.16% 5.75% n.a n.a 3.06% Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 4.6307 0.87% 7.02% -1.68% 0.03% 3.01% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 771.61 0.95% 6.9% -1.7% -0.34% 3.02% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6883 -0.16% 5.47% -4.75% n.a 2.11% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.4573 -0.1% 5.03% -3.35% -2.2% 2.49% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8764 0.69% 6.53% -2.03% n.a 2.88% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.1614 -1.1% 5.04% -2.3% -1.81% 2.17% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) COL Equity Index Unitized Mutual Fund, Inc. -a,51.0777 n.a n.a n.a n.a 2.04% Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a 1.0829 -1.53% 8.05% n.a n.a 3.49% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 936.43 0.42% n.a n.a n.a 2.95% Exchange Traded Fund (shares) First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c 104.2893 1.09% 7.18% -1.44% n.a 3.13% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.8542 -8.45% -1.22% -4.8% -1.81% 0.26% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.5081 -0.95% 6.33% 3.21% n.a 5.91% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.4979 -3.72% -0.04% -2.48% -2.38% 0.89% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.1898 1.47% 3.74% -0.94% -0.45% 4.01% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.5544 -0.93% 3.13% -0.29% -2% 1.96% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.1985 -0.4% 2.56% n.a n.a 2.58% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9874 3.64% 1.39% -0.65% 3.23% 2.21% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.5531 -0.07% 2.27% -0.44% -1.95% 3.24% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 15.5973 -2.14% 1.67% -0.78% -2.11% 3.01% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.0316 0.13% 3.42% -0.51% -0.01% 2.1% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.4228-0.16% 3.05% -1.43% -1.68% 2.8% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.9108 1.56% 5.47% -0.58% n.a 3.63% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a 0.9447 2.31% 1.75% n.a n.a 3.22% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a 0.8702 0.45% 3.24% n.a n.a 4.14% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a 0.8523 -0.26% 3.6% n.a n.a 3.62% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03289 -1.02% -4.67% -1.08% -0.51% 1.45% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $0.9192 -2.79% -0.1% -2.58% -1.63% 2.59% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.0088-1.78% 3.59% 1.84% 2.81% 4.24% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,2 $1.0007 -2.45% -0.35% -0.38% n.a 3% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 382.87 2.61% 1.81% 2.51% 1.76% 1.36% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9041 0.79% -0.46% 0.45% 0.1% 1.56% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.2849 1.42% 1.18% 2.71% 3.91% 2.3% 2.2469 2.05% -0.44% 1.25% 0.71% 3.18% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4298 0.6% 0.1% 1.86% 1.13% 1.61% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.2441 -0.13% -2% 1.27% -0.17% 2.33% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.3428 2.1% 1.55% 2.87% 1.55% 1.74% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9673 1.1% 0.79% 2.62% 0.97% 2.55% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0342 2.17% 0.46% 2.57% n.a 1.73% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.2472 3.1% 1.35% 3.43% 1.34% 3.22% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7443 2.25% 0.36% 2.7% 0.64% 2.87% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) 1.17% 1.29% 1.99% 1.92% 1.45% ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $486.98 ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є211.03 -1.07% -0.48% -0.17% 0.68% 0.66% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.0556 -1.03% -4.02% -1.04% -0.23% 4.58% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0244-0.41% -1.72% -0.24% n.a 2.95% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b $0.8612 -4.72% -6.52% -3.53% -3.29% -0.47% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.2547 1.82% -2.03% 1% 0.75% 3.4% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0602303 -1.39% 0.33% 1.28% 1.18% 0.55% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $2.7945 2.72% -3.98% -0.68% -0.55% 2.68% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) 2% 1.78% 2.52% 1.93% 0.83% ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 134.35 First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0847 2.14% 1.49% n.a n.a 1.03% Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3515 2.16% 1.87% 2.47% 1.79% 0.98% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. 101.82 n.a n.a n.a n.a 1.36% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0783 1.45% 1.16% 1.44% n.a 0.78% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a 43.1123 -1.04% n.a n.a n.a 0.42% Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a 1.324 11.17% n.a n.a n.a 7.46% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (Units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a $0.7978 -6.97% -3.94% n.a n.a 0.58% a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. 1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last November 25, 2022.

3 - Re-classified into a Index Fund starting December 5, 2019 (formerly an Equity Fund) 4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 14, 2021 (formerly, First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc.).

5 - Launch date is October 4, 2022.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest

NAVPS/NAVPU."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

May 11, 2023

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

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK COMMERCE BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FERRONOUX HLDG FILIPINO FUND MANULIFE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

21,750 516,675,859 286,545 99,325,935 11,662,300 1,275,063 63,036,062.50 386,540 335,392 10,600.50 3,490,870 17,116,609.50 17,197,949 42,000 269,850 53,800 3,660 19,400 133,090 448,050

13,729,600 17,767,718 4,357,200 381,000 25,800,538 5,080.50 16,580 5,953,715 3,486,923 91,340 -57,440 448,050

INDUSTRIAL ACEN CORP 6 6.04 6.08 6.15 6 6 28,494,500 172,746,249 ALSONS CONS 0.77 0.79 0.77 0.79 0.77 0.79 32,000 25,240 0.97 0.99 1.01 1.03 0.96 0.97 9,613,000 9,432,430 ALTERNERGY HLDG ABOITIZ POWER 38.05 38.2 37.85 38.5 37.85 38.05 3,142,600 119,958,840 1.52 1.55 1.53 1.56 1.51 1.55 819,000 1,243,430 RASLAG BASIC ENERGY 0.242 0.244 0.243 0.245 0.243 0.243 820,000 199,680 17.7 17.8 17.9 17.92 17.64 17.7 469,600 8,350,954 FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG 62.1 63 62 63.6 62 62.1 11,000 683,384 333 333.8 334.8 335 333 333 157,320 52,447,394 MERALCO MANILA WATER 20.6 20.8 20.2 21.1 20.1 20.6 4,891,100 101,042,260 3.3 3.35 3.34 3.35 3.3 3.35 1,750,000 5,783,770 PETRON PETROENERGY 4.61 4.63 4.63 4.63 4.62 4.63 30,000 138,800 7.26 7.9 7.9 7.9 7.9 7.9 7,000 55,300 PHX PETROLEUM SYNERGY GRID 10.02 10.04 10.06 10.08 10.02 10.02 1,555,200 15,605,352 16.22 16.3 16.32 16.4 16.2 16.3 129,200 2,102,070 SHELL PILIPINAS SPC POWER 9 9.1 9 9.12 9 9 101,100 914,099 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.42 1.37 1.38 12,846,000 17,825,780 SP NEW ENERGY AGRINURTURE 7.38 7.39 7.2 7.44 7.2 7.39 6,360,000 47,115,928 2.36 2.39 2.38 2.4 2.36 2.36 171,000 405,520 AXELUM 10.64 10.98 11 11 10.98 11 6,100 67,086 CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD 26.05 26.65 26.2 26.7 26.05 26.65 870,900 23,060,615 10.7 10.8 10.98 10.98 10.7 10.82 13,500 145,788 DEL MONTE DNL INDUS 7.79 7.8 7.84 7.9 7.79 7.8 326,500 2,556,904 20.9 20.95 20.95 20.95 20.8 20.9 114,600 2,393,660 EMPERADOR SMC FOODANDBEV 47.4 47.5 47.95 48 47.3 47.5 37,000 1,757,000 0.79 0.8 0.85 0.86 0.8 0.8 12,799,000 10,430,430 FIGARO COFFEE ALLIANCE SELECT 0.53 0.55 0.53 0.55 0.53 0.55 2,000 1,080 1.17 1.19 1.15 1.19 1.13 1.19 2,460,000 2,862,200 FRUITAS HLDG GINEBRA 146.2 146.9 147.5 147.5 146.9 146.9 3,770 554,189 224 224.2 224 225 223 224.2 323,910 72,573,082 JOLLIBEE KEEPERS HLDG 1.58 1.59 1.57 1.58 1.56 1.58 1,712,000 2,700,990 5.04 6.21 6.21 6.21 6.21 6.21 1,000 6,210 MACAY HLDG MAXS GROUP 4.6 4.74 4.75 4.75 4.6 4.6 513,000 2,362,400 0.117 0.128 0.117 0.128 0.117 0.128 20,000 2,450 MG HLDG MONDE NISSIN 9.32 9.48 9.4 9.76 9.25 9.32 10,013,800 94,982,087 8.65 8.7 8.65 8.7 8.65 8.7 85,700 744,486 SHAKEYS PIZZA RFM CORP 3.2 3.24 3.24 3.24 3.2 3.2 18,000 58,080 153 154.6 154.6 155 152.5 153 577,540 88,952,245 UNIV ROBINA 0.6 0.62 0.62 0.62 0.61 0.62 21,000 12,870 VITARICH CONCRETE B 29.35 48.2 41 41 41 41 100 4,100 0.99 1 1.02 1.02 0.98 1 10,490,000 10,482,220 CEMEX HLDG EEI CORP 5.45 5.48 5.41 5.5 5.22 5.45 1,514,300 8,242,080 3.87 3.92 3.88 3.96 3.85 3.92 143,000 554,290 HOLCIM MEGAWIDE 3.16 3.19 3.26 3.29 3.16 3.16 504,000 1,610,660 18.98 19.18 19.18 19.18 19.18 19.18 300 5,754 PHINMA VULCAN INDL 1.08 1.09 1.1 1.11 1.08 1.09 1,413,000 1,545,880 1.52 1.53 1.49 1.53 1.49 1.53 68,000 102,270 CROWN ASIA MABUHAY VINYL 5.2 5.52 5.4 5.52 5.1 5.52 9,400 50,208 5.3 5.35 5.35 5.35 5.35 5.35 200 1,070 PRYCE CORP CONCEPCION 13.08 13.68 13.68 13.7 13.68 13.7 1,000 13,684 1.12 1.13 1.13 1.13 1.11 1.13 17,391,000 19,457,440 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 5.07 5.08 5.05 5.1 5 5.07 60,900 306,301 0.71 0.72 0.72 0.72 0.71 0.71 679,000 485,840 IONICS PANASONIC 4.82 5.2 5.2 5.21 5.2 5.21 2,700 14,043 1.78 1.8 1.8 1.81 1.79 1.8 330,000 593,950 SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG 2.98 3.03 3.02 3.07 2.98 3.03 645,000 1,951,590

-145,289,474 -507,730 49,195,905 -41,650 -365,128.00 -10,111,472 11,578,345 1,682,930 -6,105,542.00 -1,011,896 554,400 66,250 -1,145,665 4,760 13,277,670 -108,000 1,142,114 -1,308,435 -1,396,315 -2,475,320 58,500.00 -186,639 -19,884,678 426,760 152,790 -14,905,354 460,226 12,278,296 -1,699,530 3,685,256 7,920 66,680 535 391,190

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP TOP FRONTIER

1,159,180.00 49,940,490 -4,942,507.50 8,490,692 37,740 1,118,778 -14,702,040 -15,919,262 -62,427,495.50 1,584,086 22,003,560 39,915,785 -2,118,414 -

HOLDING & FRIMS

43 136 7.15 106 31.95 7.01 60.5 7.6 18.4 55.1 23.25 94.7 80.1 1.38 3.02 2.73 3.66 950 164.1 2,560

2.52 2.57 676 55.6 13.64 11 0.39 5.01 9.46 5.33 479.6 51.45 0.62 3.85 10.52 4.44 1.75 2.54 0.9 935.5 104.8 92.85

43.5 136.5 7.2 106.8 32 7.08 60.65 7.7 18.42 56.45 23.95 94.85 80.55 1.45 3.05 2.79 980 165 2,570

2.53 3.33 678 55.65 13.66 11.48 0.395 5.03 9.5 5.79 480.6 52 0.65 3.9 10.54 4.45 2.17 2.59 0.92 941 105.2 100

43.5 137.6 7.2 106 32 7.08 60.2 7.7 18.46 55.2 23.85 93.6 80 1.4 3.02 2.69 3.66 970 165 2,570

2.53 3.47 666 55.95 13.66 11.72 0.39 5.02 9.46 5.31 481 51.5 0.67 3.81 10.5 4.45 1.8 2.7 0.9 943 104 92.85

43.5 138.5 7.2 107.6 32 7.15 60.8 7.7 18.5 56.45 24 95 81.9 1.4 3.05 2.69 3.66 970 165 2,570

2.54 3.47 679.5 55.95 13.7 11.72 0.39 5.03 9.56 5.83 481 52.4 0.67 3.81 10.62 4.46 1.81 2.7 0.9 944 105.5 92.85

43.5 135.7 7.15 105.1 31.9 7 60.1 7.7 18.42 55.2 23 93.6 80 1.4 3.01 2.69 3.66 970 164 2,560

2.51 3.33 661.5 55.2 13.6 11 0.39 4.96 9.43 5.31 475 51.45 0.61 3.81 10.5 4.43 1.8 2.53 0.9 935 104 92.85

43.5 136 7.2 106.8 31.95 7 60.5 7.7 18.42 56.45 23.6 94.7 80.1 1.4 3.05 2.69 3.66 970 165 2,560

2.53 3.33 678 55.65 13.66 11 0.39 5.03 9.46 5.8 479.8 51.45 0.66 3.81 10.52 4.44 1.81 2.54 0.9 941 104.8 92.85

500 3,777,720 39,800 931,370 365,100 181,000 1,043,220 50,200 18,200 190 147,000 180,860 214,390 30,000 89,000 20,000 1,000 20 810 175

952,000 2,000 414,230 621,810 946,800 22,000 1,810,000 687,900 3,186,900 2,500 104,570 4,882,280 222,000 1,000 3,011,600 14,203,000 6,000 832,000 1,000 348,150 195,000 10

2,403,710 6,800 279,707,595 34,560,051 12,930,208 247,680 705,900 3,435,512 30,184,072 13,500 50,049,272 252,547,070 139,710 3,810 31,804,442 63,088,710 10,850 2,158,250 900 327,554,550 20,478,011 928.5

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.5 0.56 0.51 0.58 0.5 0.54 350,000 188,200 AYALA LAND 27 27.1 27.2 27.55 26.9 27 17,738,000 482,429,575 2.87 2.88 2.89 2.9 2.87 2.87 273,000 785,910 AYALA LAND LOG ALTUS PROP 10.9 11 11 11 10.9 11 2,700 29,606 0.9 0.92 0.91 0.93 0.9 0.93 186,000 168,190 ARANETA PROP AREIT RT 33.9 34 33.75 34.3 33.75 34 103,800 3,541,530 0.76 0.77 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.76 20,000 15,200 A BROWN CITYLAND DEVT 0.73 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 10,000 7,500 0.08 0.084 0.081 0.084 0.08 0.084 520,000 42,140 CROWN EQUITIES CEB LANDMASTERS 2.52 2.54 2.55 2.57 2.51 2.54 76,000 194,290 0.345 0.35 0.345 0.36 0.345 0.35 210,000 73,650 CENTURY PROP CITICORE RT 2.51 2.52 2.52 2.53 2.51 2.52 3,057,000 7,708,480 7.03 7.05 7.1 7.1 7.02 7.03 127,800 902,739 DOUBLEDRAGON DDMP RT 1.29 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.29 1.3 559,000 726,330 6.75 6.76 6.76 6.76 6.76 6.76 12,300 83,148 DM WENCESLAO EMPIRE EAST 0.182 0.191 0.191 0.191 0.183 0.183 470,000 86,590 0.219 0.229 0.22 0.234 0.219 0.23 2,780,000 634,750 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST RT 5.2 5.21 5.24 5.25 5.2 5.21 76,500 399,138 0.72 0.73 0.72 0.74 0.72 0.73 971,000 708,920 FILINVEST LAND 0.87 0.9 0.87 0.88 0.87 0.87 602,000 523,750 GLOBAL ESTATE 8990 HLDG 9 9.3 9 9.3 9 9.3 5,500 49,950 780.5 820 812 820 812 820 370 302,980 GOLDEN MV PHIL INFRADEV 0.85 0.86 0.83 0.86 0.83 0.85 592,000 502,580 0.82 0.85 0.83 0.85 0.83 0.85 118,000 98,140 CITY AND LAND MEGAWORLD 2 2.02 2 2.06 2 2 40,331,000 81,644,630 0.244 0.245 0.248 0.248 0.244 0.245 5,310,000 1,301,260 MRC ALLIED MREIT RT 14.64 14.66 14.64 14.7 14.6 14.66 117,200 1,716,998 1.5 1.52 1.52 1.55 1.5 1.5 356,000 535,900 PREMIERE RT PRIMEX CORP 3.08 3.22 3.26 3.26 3.08 3.22 169,000 539,640 5.91 5.92 5.92 5.92 5.89 5.91 433,800 2,560,878 RL COMM RT ROBINSONS LAND 14.64 14.68 14.82 14.82 14.62 14.68 8,575,500 126,064,600 1.38 1.39 1.39 1.4 1.39 1.39 111,000 154,300 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.71 2.76 2.72 2.76 2.7 2.76 396,000 1,085,340 3.14 3.28 3.26 3.28 3.26 3.28 86,000 281,480 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 34.6 34.7 34 35.1 33.9 34.6 15,835,600 547,829,020 2.76 2.81 2.76 2.81 2.76 2.81 2,000 5,570 VISTAMALLS VISTA LAND 1.75 1.76 1.77 1.78 1.73 1.75 4,246,000 7,505,420 1.55 1.57 1.55 1.57 1.55 1.57 91,000 141,510 VISTAREIT RT

SERVICES ABS CBN 7.2 7.3 7.2 7.3 7.2 7.2 105,600 767,800 GMA NETWORK 9.82 9.84 9.82 9.85 9.8 9.84 167,600 1,647,599 1,729 1,730 1,727 1,731 1,721 1,729 23,940 41,392,895 GLOBE TELECOM PLDT 1,208 1,215 1,222 1,223 1,208 1,208 137,610 167,012,250 0.031 0.032 0.031 0.032 0.03 0.031 399,600,000 12,370,600 APOLLO GLOBAL CONVERGE 11.76 11.8 11.8 11.86 11.72 11.76 1,392,600 16,406,546 2.88 2.98 2.89 2.98 2.89 2.98 21,000 60,780 DFNN INC DITO CME HLDG 2.5 2.51 2.5 2.53 2.5 2.51 987,000 2,482,930 1.65 1.68 1.77 1.77 1.61 1.65 5,536,000 9,323,810 NOW CORP TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.18 0.185 0.182 0.185 0.178 0.185 5,320,000 957,880 14.68 14.7 14.78 14.8 14.7 14.7 14,000 206,526 ASIAN TERMINALS CHELSEA 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.12 1.13 62,000 70,000 43.65 43.7 43.85 43.85 43.3 43.65 103,700 4,518,320 CEBU AIR INTL CONTAINER 207.2 208 205.8 208 205.8 208 687,160 142,641,694 16.56 17 17.76 17.76 17.76 17.76 1,100 19,536 LBC EXPRESS MACROASIA 4.7 4.71 4.7 4.73 4.65 4.71 149,000 698,880 5.28 5.49 5.68 5.68 5.2 5.28 51,700 276,280 PAL HLDG HARBOR STAR 0.96 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.97 18,000 17,460 1.37 1.56 1.31 1.56 1.31 1.37 30,000 39,850 DISCOVERY WORLD 9.13 11.1 10 11.1 10 11.1 23,400 234,330 GRAND PLAZA WATERFRONT 0.45 0.46 0.44 0.45 0.44 0.45 380,000 169,200 6.69 7.2 7.34 7.34 6.67 6.67 15,100 103,144 CENTRO ESCOLAR STI HLDG 0.345 0.35 0.345 0.345 0.345 0.345 20,000 6,900 1.2 1.21 1.2 1.21 1.2 1.21 6,000 7,210 BELLE CORP BLOOMBERRY 11.32 11.36 11.04 11.36 10.84 11.36 23,910,600 267,153,250 1.83 1.84 1.78 1.83 1.78 1.83 569,000 1,013,170 PACIFIC ONLINE PH RESORTS GRP 0.46 0.48 0.5 0.51 0.45 0.48 4,215,000 1,999,075 0.485 0.495 0.495 0.495 0.485 0.495 3,140,000 1,551,400 PREMIUM LEISURE DIGIPLUS 2.43 2.47 2.46 2.46 2.43 2.43 488,000 1,196,850 1.83 1.84 1.85 1.86 1.84 1.84 741,000 1,364,010 PHILWEB ALLDAY 0.219 0.22 0.221 0.221 0.219 0.22 4,110,000 905,190 1.86 1.87 1.95 1.97 1.85 1.86 6,283,000 11,926,440 ALLHOME METRO RETAIL 1.37 1.38 1.37 1.39 1.37 1.38 291,000 401,090 33.3 33.35 33.4 33.5 33.25 33.3 362,200 12,085,395 PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL 52.95 53.3 53.25 53.3 52.7 52.95 526,980 27,913,289 83.5 84 84 84 84 84 9,020 757,680 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 2.53 2.54 2.54 2.55 2.48 2.54 1,991,000 5,024,990 2.14 2.15 2.23 2.23 2.15 2.15 86,000 186,220 UPSON INTL CORP 26.55 26.95 26.55 26.85 26.5 26.55 2,508,300 67,052,950 WILCON DEPOT APC GROUP 0.221 0.226 0.226 0.226 0.226 0.226 60,000 13,560 0.56 0.59 0.57 0.58 0.57 0.58 603,000 344,280 MEDILINES PRMIERE HORIZON 0.26 0.265 0.265 0.265 0.25 0.26 5,580,000 1,436,450

MINING & OIL ATOK 5.78 5.8 5.85 5.85 5.8 5.8 1,400 8,185 2.93 2.94 3.12 3.2 2.94 2.94 11,070,000 33,523,470 APEX MINING ATLAS MINING 4.18 4.25 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 60,000 252,000 4.41 4.57 4.58 4.58 4.5 4.5 13,000 58,740 BENGUET A BENGUET B 4.38 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5 1,000 4,500 0.172 0.184 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.18 10,000 1,800 COAL ASIA HLDG CENTURY PEAK 3 3.12 3 3.12 3 3.12 20,000 61,210 2.31 2.33 2.36 2.38 2.32 2.33 2,585,000 6,039,550 FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE 0.175 0.182 0.183 0.183 0.183 0.183 50,000 9,150 0.103 0.104 0.104 0.104 0.101 0.104 3,570,000 366,760 LEPANTO A LEPANTO B 0.105 0.106 0.104 0.105 0.104 0.105 670,000 70,180 0.0087 0.0099 0.0096 0.0096 0.0096 0.0096 1,000,000 9,600 MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES 1.03 1.04 1.07 1.07 1.03 1.03 201,000 207,680 6.18 6.19 6.34 6.43 6.17 6.19 12,430,900 78,440,690 NICKEL ASIA ORNTL PENINSULA 0.78 0.79 0.79 0.8 0.79 0.79 102,000 80,780 3 3.01 3.05 3.05 3.01 3.01 2,131,000 6,445,990 PX MINING SEMIRARA MINING 27.75 27.9 28 28 27.75 27.75 1,006,000 27,976,120 10.82 11 10.82 10.84 10.82 10.82 6,500 70,370 ENEX ENERGY PHILODRILL 0.0091 0.0092 0.0091 0.0092 0.0091 0.0091 41,000,000 376,000 PXP ENERGY 5.85 5.87 5.94 5.94 5.8 5.87 53,000 312,871

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 93.5 94.3 94.3 94.3 94.3 94.3 300 28,290 AC PREF B1 486 489 489 489 489 489 20 9,780 90.05 101.7 101.7 101.7 101.7 101.7 30 3,051 ALCO PREF C ALCO PREF D 475 500 500 500 500 500 110 55,000 42.7 42.9 42.8 42.8 42.7 42.7 7,100 303,570 CEB PREF CPG PREF A 99 100 100 100 100 100 10 1,000 100.2 101 101 101 100.1 101 2,020 204,011 EEI PREF B MWIDE PREF 4 94 96 94 97 94 97 110 10,370 39.5 40.8 40.9 40.9 39.5 39.5 400 15,940 PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 292 296.8 296.8 296.8 296 296 190 56,312 995 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 10 10,000 PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B 1,006 1,014 1,014 1,014 1,014 1,014 10 10,140 74.3 74.5 74.5 74.5 74.3 74.5 5,060 376,050 SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2I 73.3 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.5 2,160 158,760 69.05 70.9 70.9 70.9 70.9 70.9 10 709 SMC PREF 2J SMC PREF 2K 69.35 71.5 71.5 71.5 69.1 71.5 13,800 975,878.50 50.75 50.9 50.9 50.9 50.75 50.75 1,310 66,649 TECH PREF B2D

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 6.86 6.99 6.86 6.86 6.86 6.86 11,600 79,576 GMA HLDG PDR 9.35 9.5 9.35 9.5 9.35 9.5 15,000 141,885

WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 0.59 0.6 0.58 0.6 0.58 0.6 51,000 30,580

-37,841,820 40,330 900 -252,145.00 -35,680 -5,030 -31,064 -11,700 -115,162 -159,570 12,570 -57,400 49,020 -43,447,630 9,800 -1,084,438 289,700 -24,777 13,035,114 -24,540 98,231,245 2,760 5,660,900 4,836,800 -9,439,585 -49,600 -4,943,814 25,940.00 70,030 -518,860 44,346 -29,380.00 -780,345 -46,237,420 -94,000 -264,812 1,560 90,000 39,752,388 -9,150 -23,000 -4,950 -27,040 37,110 -2,190 -2,509,610 372,100.00 -2,237,120 -19,229,922 632,440 22,040 -36,966,820 -85,500 -101,200 -221,780 61,210 -2,949,280 -18,700,874 -860,430 66,600 17,808 10,000 5,070 745 735 709 715 509 -20,580 -23,375 -

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

BALAI FRUITAS CTS GLOBAL HAUS TALK ITALPINAS LFM PROP MERRYMART XURPAS

0.57 0.85 0.94 0.73 0.082 1.2 0.26

0.58 0.88 0.97 0.75 0.096 1.21 0.275

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

104.6

105

0.58 0.85 0.97 0.73 0.098 1.25 0.26

0.58 0.88 0.97 0.77 0.098 1.25 0.275

0.57 0.85 0.97 0.72 0.082 1.2 0.26

0.58 0.88 0.97 0.73 0.082 1.2 0.275

4,707,000 51,000 18,000 205,000 80,000 2,418,000 310,000

2,697,560 43,980 17,460 149,830 6,870 2,926,750 81,200

57,420 18,750 -793,190 -28,600

104.8 105 104.6 105 10,450 1,095,238 -139,564

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

New taxes to hobble recovery, solon says

By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

S

ENATOR Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero warned the government anew against introducing new tax measures as they would burden a people who have yet to recover from the pandemic.

Escudero suggested the Marcos government should instead boost its fight against corruption, run after tax cheats and cut unnecessary expenditures.

“Taxation should be the last resort, not the first option,” the senator said, adding: “You reduce unnecessary expenses to cancel the need for unreasonable taxes.” Moreover, Escudero aired concerns that “extracting more taxes from the people is the wrong way to revive an economy hit by a pandemic.”

“Paano sila babangon, kung hihilahin sila pababa ng bagong buwis?” the senator posited. [How will they rise, if they are pulled down by new taxes?]

Escudero further lamented that “choked by the pandemic, the last thing they [taxpayers] deserve is to be choked by taxes at this time.” The lawmaker explained that “rising inflation also provides the wrong timing” to hike taxes.”

“Because it reduces purchasing power, may kasabihan na [there’s a saying that] ‘inflation is a form of taxation imposed without legislation.’”

The senator warned that “adding high taxes to high prices of goods is like pouring gasoline on fire, viewing the last six years as a “very taxing season as a train, or a Train [law], of revenues was passed.”

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

T

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE government has lost at least P6.4 billion in revenues through a sales suppression scheme allegedly perpetrated by a software firm being operated by a 10year employee of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and his wife.

The BIR announced last Thursday that Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui led the filing of a complaint for violation of Section 264-B of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 (Tax Code), as amended against BIR employee Aldwin Base, his wife Chiradee Base and relative Jelson Vargas.

The said provision penalizes the “purchase, use, possess, sell or offer to sell, install, transfer, update, upgrade and keep or maintain any

software or device designed for or capable of modifying, hiding or deleting electronic records of sales transactions and providing a ready means of access to them.”

The provision imposes a penalty from P500,000 to P10 million and imprisonment of not less than two years but not more than four years.

The law also states that a cumulative suppression of electronic sales record in excess of the amount of P50 million shall be considered

as economic sabotage and shall be punished in the maximum penalty provided under the same provision.

According to Lumagui, the Base couple are running the software management company identified as Basebyte Software Management and Consultancy Services (Basebyte). He further said that Basebyte is registered under the name of the BIR employee’s wife, being its sole proprietor.

However, Lumagui said the firm was being actively managed by Aldwin Base who is based in Legazpi City, Albay, and has been with the BIR for at least 10 years.

Based on its initial investigation, the software firm was responsible for installing a computer program that manipulates sales machines for the purpose of reducing the actual sales and evading payment of taxes.

So far, Lumagui said they have identified four business establishments that benefited from the illegal scheme. He added the BIR would soon be filing complaints against these entities.

The initial revenue loss from the tampered sales machine was computed to be approximately P 6.4 billion, according to the BIR chief.

It is still unknown how much the accused were being paid for installing the said software.

Lumagui said Base’s illegal activity was discovered while auditing the financial records of the four establishments, which prompted them to look into the software provider of the said businesses. The latter led them to the illegal activity of the accused.

He said the BIR is determining if other service providers are employing the same scheme in order to prevent further revenue losses on the part of the government.

The BIR chief said he has ordered the dismissal of Aldwin Base from the agency subject to confirmation of the Department of Finance.

“Filing of this criminal case against a corrupt BIR employee will be the foundation of my administration. It is unacceptable that our own employees are conspiring with tax evaders when they are the ones

T

@caiordinario

HE Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) saw its net income rise 70 percent in the first quarter of 2023 on the back of double-digit growth in total resources, consumer loans and credit card receivables.

The lender announced through a statement that its unaudited consolidated net income reached over P3.6 billion. Total resources grew 20 percent year-on-year to P1.2 trillion in the first three months of the year.

RCBC said there was a “steady build-up” of earning assets: customer loans went up 10 percent and investment securities higher by 27 percent.

“Accounting for 18 percent of asset growth for the period, the bank’s loan portfolio focused on higher yielding segments, such as SME, higher by 18 percent, consumer loans up by 14 percent and credit card receivables higher by 46 percent.”

The lender has added ten physical branches as of March to 462 from 452 as of end-September last year. It also increased by 58 the number of its automated teller machines (ATMs) to 1,371 as of March from 1,313 in September, 2022.

As of March, RCBC has 1,784

who should follow our plans and programs,” Lumagui said.

Lumagui also warned businesses against the tampering of sales machines as he vowed to intensify the BIR’s campaign against sales suppression in the coming days.

“I am warning them not to buy or use this kind of software to dupe the government because we have mechanisms to detect this illegal activity,” Lumagui added.

“Integrity and Professionalism in the institution and among the employees are at the core of my administration. I sincerely want to protect this institution [BIR] as well as all the employees in the revenue service,” Lumagui noted.

“However, a few bad apples remain in the basket. That is why I welcome all complaints against notorious BIR employees particularly all those who have evidently failed to uphold the BIR’s etiquette of integrity and professionalism,” he added. “I myself will lead the filing of criminal charges against them. I am serious in ridding the BIR of notorious officials.”

Competencies of effective boards

I

New Commissioner

This January 27, 2023, photo shows Robert Joseph M. De Claro in his office. The Social Security System announced recently that De Claro is one of the new acting members of the Social Security Commission representing the Employers’ Group.

Photo courtesy OF Social Security System

was researching on association governance and saw this 2019 American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) publication “Recruit the Right Board” by Mark Engle, FASAE, CAE and William Brown.

The publication was based on the results of the ASAE Foundation’s “Board Member Competencies and Selection” study aimed at helping association executives and leaders refine or modify recruitment and selection practices to support optimal board performance.

There were five general leadership skill areas identified in the study as reflecting critical competency concerns for board members. These five areas are group skills, interpersonal skills, personal skills, technical skills, and personal attributes.

There are also 12 major competencies considered as essential for board members, as follows: 1. Team orientation. Teamoriented individuals prioritize group goals over personal aims. This teamwork orientation increases task involvement by individual team members and creates cohesive decisionmaking.

2. Communication. A soft skill, communication is vital for board members to be able to share knowledge and interact with fellow board members in a way that is attentive and considerate to different perspectives. Effective communication builds a positive board culture which leads to board cohesiveness.

Association World Octavio Peralta 3. Relational. Board members must be able to build relationships with individuals both on or off the board. Relation building is a form of social capital that supports the ability to connect the board and the organization to key stakeholders.

4. Influence. Influence allows board members to leverage their knowledge, expertise and connections to the benefit of the board and the organization. It also gives board members the ability to challenge the decisions and performance of management.

5. Reputation. Broadly, reputation is how people perceive or recognize certain attributes and abilities in a person. The board, as a whole, gains legitimacy when individual board members possess a positive reputation.

6. Strategic. This competency has two parts: the ability to analyze issues and the ability to make decisions that set and support the intended direction of the organization.

7. Innovative. Related to entrepreneurial orientation, innovation is the willingness to innovate, take risks and be proactive which results to creation of new solutions

Asset growth, loans lift RCBC’s Q1 net income briefs

By Cai U. Ordinario

B3

Billions lost from BIR staff’s scheme

Compliance punishment

Escudero suggested that the Marcos government “should not reward our people’s tax obedience with more taxes or that would be a form of compliance punishment.” “If new tax proposals are being assembled, I would ask the President to please press the ‘pause’ button,” he added.

The senator also noted reports quoting the Finance Department saying the Marcos administration would “push for new and higher taxes on sugary drinks, motor vehicles, among others.

He also cited estimates by the Department of Finance that three proposed taxes alone could generate P81.9 billion annually on its first year of implementation. But, he noted that more immediate is the BIR plan to impose a creditable withholding tax of 1 percent on one-half of the gross remittances of online platform providers to their partner-sellers or merchants.

Asked by a netizen on his stand on this and other tax proposals, Escudero, in reply on his Twitter account, vowed: “I do not and will not support any bill that will impose new taxes. Instead of new taxes, the government should improve collection efficiency and curb corruption.”

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Friday, May 12, 2023

“ATM Go” terminals, up 312 from 1,472 as of end-September last year.

Data science

MEANWHILE, the lender said its credit card billings increased by 67 percent, which was facilitated by its digital platform. Data analytics allowed for strong acquisition in the first quarter with 44 percent more new card issuances while keeping card delinquency rates within industry levels, the bank added.

The bank’s asset quality also showed marked improvement, returning to pre-pandemic levels at 1.99 percent net NPL as of endMarch 2023.

To note, RCBC’s net nonperforming loan (NPL) hit 2.2 percent in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 2.6 percent in the same period in 2019.

Supporting the asset build-up strategy was the solid increase in deposits by 27 percent to P859 billion, boosted by the 17 percent rise in CASA deposits.

The bank’s comprehensive suite of cash management services and extensive corporate and SME banking relationships continued to provide the uplift in CASA. “We are reinforcing our sales network to enable wider and efficient

coverage, guided by data science and analytics to further understand customer needs and serve them better,” RCBC President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo said.

Synergy, collaboration

THE bank’s capital also improved by 7 percent, keeping capital adequacy ratios above minimum regulatory requirements.

With the upcoming P27.1 billion capital infusion from the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC), the bank expects 300 to 400 basis points of uplift in CET1 ratios to further support its asset expansion.

“There are many opportunities for synergy and collaboration with SMBC, some of which we have been actively pursuing in the past few months,” Acevedo added “By adopting SMBC’s global best practices, we seek to redefine banking as a whole and raise the bar for customer experience.”

On Thursday, the shares of RCBC (traded as RCB) was at P23.60 per share, a 1.26 percent decline. Shares opened at P23.85 per share and reached a high of P24 per share and a low of P23 per share. The average 52-week high of RCBC shares was P28.3 per share while the 52-week low is P18.84 per share.

and ideas.

8. Knowledge of the field and organization. This technical skill provides board members with the necessary context and information to make informed decisions and direction to the organization.

9. Expertise and experience.

A board with diverse professional expertise and life experiences can produce greater levels of efficiency and reduce the likelihood of significant knowledge gaps.

10. Commitment. Board members who are committed to the organization work harder and more effectively toward organizational goals.

11. Integrity. An individual with integrity is honest and openly acknowledges where issues could lead to conflicts of interest.

12. Capacity. Board members must have the time and cognitive capacity to fully engage in governing the organization.

More than ever, association boards need the right mix of people to perform at the highest level and building the right board starts with putting up an effective nomination, recruitment and selection process in place.

Octavio Peralta is currently the executive director of the Global Compact Network Philippines and founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” E-mail: bobby@ pcaae.org.

Insurer touts award

Lender receives award

SUN Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc. has received from Trusted Media Brands Inc. the highest honors in the firm’s “Trusted Brands Awards for 2023.” The insurer said it was chosen by Filipino consumers as their “most trusted life insurance” brand and their “most trusted investment fund company” brand, thus earning the Platinum Award for both categories. “This honor stands for our continuing commitment to our clients as their partner for life,” SLC PHL Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer Carla Gonzalez-Chong was quoted in a statement as saying. “As we mark our 128th year in the Philippines, this inspires us to further exceed their expectations as an ally in achieving their brighter future.” Raadee S. Sausa

THE Bank of China (HK) Ltd.-Manila Branch announced it was awarded “Best Renminbi Bank 2022” by the Asset Publishing and Research Ltd. This achievement reinforces the bank’s significant participation in the renminbi market in the Philippines, the lender said.

“We’re honored to receive such a distinguished award.

It is a testament to the tireless efforts and unwavering commitment of our teams in providing the best RMB products and services to our valued clients,” Hu Xinquan, country head of Bank of China, was quoted in a statement as saying. “This achievement confirms our focus on innovation and service excellence in order to contribute to the growth of the financial services industry in the Philippines.”

ARTA lauds Marikina’s business licensing setup

THE Marikina City government’s “Electronic Business OneStop Shop,” which introduced helpful reforms and technologies, making way for more seamless and efficient business processes, has been recognized by the Anti-Red Tape Authority. Marikina Mayor Marcelino R. Teodoro received last Monday a Certificate of Commendation in recognition of the city as “one of the exemplary local government units in the streamlining and simplification of business permitting and licensing procedures and fully setting up an eBOSS.” Teodoro highlighted the importance of the whole-ofgovernment approach, which is the coordinated and collaborative effort by all branches, departments, and agencies in the government to address the complex problems of society. According to ARTA, Marikina has “successfully implemented all functionalities in setting up the eBOSS” as required by rules and regulations. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

CIC maintains highest COA opinion

THE Credit Information Corp. announced it received an “unmodified/unqualified opinion” from the Commission on Audit (COA) on the fairness of presentation of its financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. The assessment is the highest audit opinion the COA can give to a government agency or a government-owned and controlled corporation when its audited financial statements are free from substantial misstatements. “This recognition, for 13 years straight, is a testament to the dedication of CIC’s competent, albeit small workforce, we continuously persevere in providing transparent public service and likewise promote confidence and trust amongst our various stakeholders,” President and CEO Ben Joshua A. Baltazar was quoted in a statement as saying.

B4

Relationships

Friday, May 12, 2023 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

Religions revere motherhood in sometimes unexpected ways PHOTO BY XAVIER MOUTON PHOTOGRAPHIE ON UNSPLASH

A

BY ALYSSA BEALL West Virginia University

S we approach Mother’s Day, many groups will hold special events or services to celebrate the holiday. In the United States, Mother’s Day was originally founded in 1908 at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in West Virginia and became a nationally recognized holiday in 1914. The mid-May date spread around the world, though many countries still maintain their own dates and traditions.

Religions around the world use these days to honor the importance of many kinds of nurturing, from traditional celebrations to events that honor modern parenting, infertility struggles or the pain of losing a child Motherhood and nurturing are not celebrated only on particular days, however. Many religions include goddess-centered traditions that embrace many forms of the divine feminine as central to their belief systems.

As a religious studies professor who travels with students around the world to explore different cultures and practices, I have often noticed the interest students have in the variety of goddess traditions we encounter.

ASIAN TRADITIONS GUAN YIN, who goes by many variations of her name, is revered as the goddess of compassion and mercy in several different Eastern traditions. Beginning— interestingly enough—as a male bodhisattva called Avalokiteshvara, the goddess figure was adapted in many different cultures around the world. Called Kannon in Japan and Quan Am in Vietnam, she is frequently a focal point of temple worship and is also considered the guardian of sailors and a goddess of fertility.

One of the most well-known goddesses in Hinduism, meanwhile, is perhaps the least understood from an outside perspective. Kali is often seen as a terrifying figure, depicted using multiple weapons and dressed in clothing of severed heads and arms. Yet Kali is also an important mother figure who channels her ferocity into the care and defense of all creation. As a manifestation of the primal force of

SOS Volunteers picking up waste from the reef of Anilao, Batangas

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Emily VanCamp, 37; Domhnall Gleeson, 40; Tony Hawk, 55; Ving Rhames, 64.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Your motives will determine what you do next. Be sure to align yourself with like-minded people who will increase your chances of getting what you want. Keep your emotions hidden from those capable of turning the tables on your plans. A change at home will make your life easier and promote an energetic disposition that will enforce what you are trying to achieve. Your numbers are 9, 11, 21, 24, 33, 35, 42.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You’ll get the help you need if you ask, but you’ll falter if you do everything yourself. Keep the peace and focus on what you do best; everything else will fall into place.

Give others the freedom to carry out their duties without interference. ★★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Discipline, coupled with charm, will help you make your case. Summon the best people to help you complete your mission. Be the driving force behind your plans. You can expect to overcome any setback.

Romance is favored. ★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Rethink your plan and consider if it’s based on emotions or common sense. Refuse to let anyone influence you. Research, and make decisions based on experience, knowledge and facts. Take nothing for granted; see matters through to the end. ★★★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Show your appreciation, dedication and love for someone who has supported and inspired you, and you’ll receive an unexpected additional favor that will improve your life. An emotional situation will escalate due to a last-minute change someone makes.

Prepare to act fast. ★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Look at the possibilities, but don’t act hastily. Take the time to figure out what’s best for you and how to use your attributes to the best of your ability.

Focus on your goal, and don’t stop until it’s satisfactory. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A practical attitude will strengthen your work ethic and integrity. Discuss your plans and offer incentives to those who have something to contribute.

Love is in the stars, and a commitment can bring you closer to your dream. Make fitness a priority. ★★★

Shakti, Kali is essentially all aspects of motherhood wrapped up into one, often simultaneously caring, loving and fierce.

in the United States, Australia and Europe, goddess figures also often play a primary role. Neopaganism’s various branches include Wicca and Hellenic reconstructionism, a religion that focuses on the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece.

THE TRIPLE GODDESS IN Neopaganism, an umbrella term for a diverse group of new religious movements most popular

SEE “MOTHERHOOD,” B5

Biggest beach clean-up in Anilao for Saving Our Seas campaign THE Philippines is now taking more steps to achieve cleaner and livelier seas as canned tuna brand Century Tuna kicked off its Saving Our Seas campaign, becoming the biggest beach clean-up in the history of Mabini, Batangas. In partnership with the impact organization HOPE, and Aling

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Tindera’s Waste-to-Cash program which encourages the public to become responsible in plastic waste management, the brand aims to continue their Saving Our Seas program not just this year but in the years to come.

Being in the canned tuna industry for more than 40 years, Century Tuna wants to continue to provide nourishment to Filipinos. In order to do that, the brand aims to fish sustainably by removing anything that makes the seas unhealthy.

“We should see it as a historic moment because Century Tuna has moved forward in terms of taking an initiative on sustainability, by putting together the right elements that will make it sustainable. I think it’s a start, and given the response it’s inspiring to continue this campaign,” said Century Pacific Food Inc. EVP and COO Greg Banzon.

The commencement of the campaign which started in Anilao, Batangas, saw a successful turnout, as the first day of the shore and reef clean-up gathered a total of 156 trash bags with 805.4 kilograms of trash collected by a total of 212 cleanup volunteers, joined by Century Tuna Ambassador Alden Richards and the Century Tuna Superbods. This makes the event the biggest beach clean-up ever in Mabini, Batangas.

Carlo Endaya, Century Pacific Food vice president and general manager for Branded Tuna Business, emphasized that

even if the clean-up started in Anilao, the program will happen nationwide.

“We still want everybody in the Philippines to join even if they’re not at the beach, because plastic pollution prevention starts in our home. Our usage of plastic has to make its way into the right material and recovering facility, and the Aling Tindera sites are also nationwide. That’s what we want to communicate to people,” said Endaya.

More than just a clean-up activity, Century Tuna aims to inspire Filipinos through the Saving Our Seas campaign to take part in lessening the plastic pollution in the seas, and take action to clear away existing plastic waste.

With the help of the public in joining the advocacy, the brand’s goal is to collect 10 metric tons of plastic away from the seas this year.

Prior to the campaign, Century Tuna has been plasticneutral in their operations for three years now. The brand recognizes Aling Tindera and HOPE Foundation as the game changers in completing the plastic circular economy, as they allow communities to earn money from collecting plastic, and makes sure that the plastic collected goes to the right facilities to be properly recycled or disposed of.

More information is available at www.centurytuna.ph/ SavingOurSeas/.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You can admire something without spending. Calculate your debts and put a plan in place that helps you save more or invest in a sure thing. Now is not the time to take chances, but building equity is a safe bet. ★★★★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Problems that arise at home or within a partnership will cause you to second-guess your next move. Be intelligent and disciplined in your approach.

Get along with everyone and offer helpful suggestions.

Be the positive source behind decisions. ★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t let emotions confuse you. Look at the facts, then account for how others will react before you make a decision that can influence your position or a relationship you cherish. Consider every angle before committing to anything or anyone. ★★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Look at your options and lean toward whatever favors making money, improving your home environment, and feeling comfortable with your life and personal progress. Keep your spending habits to a bare minimum. Avoid emotional purchases or trying to buy love. ★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A change of heart will blindside you. Don’t take anything or anyone for granted. You’ll be disappointed if you let someone talk you into something that makes you feel uncertain. Look for an alternative if you are unhappy with how a situation unfolds. ★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Put your heart and soul into preparation and improvement.

The changes you make to yourself and your surroundings or lifestyle will lift your spirits and open your mind to many new and exciting possibilities. ★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are passionate, optimistic and playful.

You are imaginative and driven.

‘superfoods’ BY JARED GOUDSMIT

The Universal Crossword • Edited by David Steinberg/Anna Gundlach/Jared Goudsmit ACROSS 1 Artsy workspace 5 Horse : foal :: cow : ___ 9 Share, as gossip 13 Journalist Klein 14 Diaper cream ingredient 15 “Be Prepared,” for Scouts BSA 16 “The biscuits were so-so, but that was some seriously ___.”

18 Omar in the House 19 Quaint lodging 20 Go bankrupt in Monopoly, e.g.

21 Using the internet 22 Downloadable lecture 24 SAG-AFTRA, e.g.

25 “And that pie! A delicious crust, and ___!”

29 Felt sorry for 32 Apt name for a florist?

33 “Snowden” grp.

34 “Fat chance!”

35 Epiphany mo.

36 Male foal 37 Cooking spray brand 38 Tar or sap

40 Fries quickly 42 “I loved the pasta. So much flavor in that ___.”

45 ___ point (center of attention) 46 Lowly laborers 50 Pay a visit 52 No idler 53 Type of theater company, for short 54 Halle Bailey’s 2023 princess role 55 “But the fruit platter was the best of all. Choice grapes and a ___.”

57 Where sunflowers grow 58 Help build a pot?

59 Long poem like the Mahabharata 60 “Whoa, chill out!”

61 “Hey, you!,” in a library 62 “What a fun slide!”

DOWN 1 Genuine, informally 2 Atmospheric shield 3 Palm plant part 4 Smidge 5 Sang “Silent Night,” say 6 State bordering the Yukon 7 Romeo’s emotion

8 Tina in Megamind 9 Serving of whipped cream 10 “You’re quite mistaken!”

11 Name found in “cast anchor” 12 Sharpen, as a blade 15 Dr. Evil’s small clone 17 Furious look 21 Unpleasant duty 23 “Hyped for the weekend!”

24 Atop 26 Pest control devices 27 Shipwreck’s site, say 28 DC ballplayers 29 Bearded Smurf 30 “___ Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” 31 “The years go by so fast!”

35 A Coen brother 36 Prompted 38 Disappear, as a trail 39 Sultanate near Yemen 40 Definite winner 41 Lexus competitor 43 Exclusively 44 Sponsors, as a highway 47 Scatterplot, e.g.

48 “___ Meenie” (2010 pop single) 49 Word after “personal” or “parking” 50 Bistro 51 Pavarotti performance 52 Mafia bosses 55 Apt letters missing from “_ _vern s_out” 56 Just hired

Solution to today’s puzzle:

Show BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • Friday, May 12, 2023

Uneasy is the head

B5

ROBERT DE NIRO

ROBERT DE NIRO, AT 79, BECOMES A FATHER FOR THE 7TH TIME

ROBERT DE NIRO has welcomed another child. The 79-yearold is now the father of seven. A representative for De Niro confirmed the birth to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

No other details, including the identity of the mother, were released.

At a film premiere on Tuesday night, De Niro told The Associated Press about becoming a father again: “It’s always good and mysterious and you don’t know what the hell is going to happen.”

The Oscar winner is also a parent to Drena, 51, and Raphael, 46, from his first marriage to Diahne Abbott; and twins, Julian and Aaron, 27; Elliot, 24; and Helen Grace, 11, from his second marriage to Grace Hightower. De Niro and Hightower announced they were divorcing in 2018.

De Niro is currently promoting the new comedy About My Father, which opens on May 26.

De Niro is a two-time Oscar winner for his supporting role in The Godfather: Part II and best actor in Raging Bull. In 2011, he was also honored with the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award for his impact on the world of entertainment and awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom five years later. AP

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NEW king of England has been crowned but the comments have not stopped pouring in. There are two layers (even more) of general perceptions attending the events: one is positive and the other, adverse. In between are the most amusing, most caustic remarks ever made against royalties—assuming most of us still believe in this group of privileged individuals.

Body language experts are having a field day analyzing how Charles readied his head when the crown was about to be placed on his head by the Archbishop of Canterbury. And poor Camilla—how we all sordidly lapped up the scenario of the woman seemingly nervous and agitated as she waited for that crown to fall on her head. She fidgeted with it. Her entire body appeared to shake. One observer noted how she even made what came across like a subtle retreat of her entire body.

Was it guilt? Was it fear? Was it pure anxiety?

All these questions are addressed to Camilla who to many, most especially to us who are outside the circle of pro- and anti-monarchy, remains the great mistress long after she had married her prince.

How right are we in our assessment of the events preceding and following the coronation and the circumstances surrounding the same, only a hardcore chronicler of royalties can guess. Uneasy may be the head that wears a crown only because outside this coronation, there is a memory of another person who should be wearing that crown.

Online, there is this plot—well-written I dare say—circulating like wildfire about a princess who fell in love with her prince. But the prince was not in love with her. The prince was madly in love with an older woman. The prince and his woman (she is sometimes portrayed as a witch) were looking for a surrogate for their children. The two plotted to have the young, beautiful princess fall in love with the prince. The princess soon found out about the conspiracy and she died brokenhearted.

The princess would haunt the prince and his woman till the day the two were crowned. And thereafter.

For kings and queens and princes and princesses, fairy tales do come true as well as unravel.

Charles and Camilla and other personages inhabit a space where terrible and terrific tales are foretold.

The tales of mistresses, for example, are not unusual parts of the biographies of kings and princes.

The present king’s lineage goes back to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha before it shifted to the House of Windsor where two kings had reputations for maintaining mistresses. In fact, going back further

Motherhood...

A MODERN retelling of old England, Blood, Sex and Royalty is the hit limited series currently streaming on Netflix.

when you examine the sources of information online, one does not only identify female mistresses but also male lovers. Any cursory research would always bring you to Charles and his mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles.

The biography of Camilla Parker Bowles reveals matter-of-factly one thing and that is her maternal grandmother, Alice Keppel, was a mistress of King Edward II, the eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

There is a Netflix offering, a series called Blood, Sex and Royalty. It revolves around Anne Boleyn. Done to pop and jazz and rock music, the film examines the life of the second wife of Henry VIII, treating along the way a tumultuous period where women were left the following options: to be a wife, a mistress (there is that role), a nun or a spinster. When the king therefore approaches Anne eyeing her to be the next mistress, the young girl bristles with rage. For she is more than that.

In a scene at the Boleyn household, the paterfamilia is aghast to discover that his daughter has refused the entreaties of the king to make Anne his mistress. To him, the offer of the King is precious.

Anne gets her wishes: she becomes the wife of the king but not at the expense of the separation of Church and State.

The series, which has been described as “winky,” makes use of current slang and modern dialogues and is a documentary making use of “talking heads.”

While the actors tend to act in that British way that

seems to push the energies higher than what the camera requires, the narrators who are labeled as historians belonging to academic organizations compete in articulation and hysteria as well.

Blood, Sex and Royalty takes us to the Tower of London where the Anne of Amy James-Kelley recalls the beginning of a sordid love affair with a very young, very virile Max Parker as Henry Tudor. We all know what happens to queens sent up the tower, don’t we? We cannot help but compare another piece of cinema called Anne of the Thousand Days (a reference to the three years after which she was dumped by Henry) where the king was played by the more robust Richard Burton, or A Man for All Season where Robert Shaw was a pugnacious, massive monarch.

History proves to be the better teacher, a vindicator: Anne Boleyn would have a daughter, Elizabeth, who would become Queen Elizabeth I of England. She was the Virgin Queen and would leave an era called the Elizabethan Age noted for great literature and civilization. In the case of Anne, the series may have painted her as someone who uses her beauty to get her wishes, but we also remember a woman who reads and who was in a way too intellectual for the men of the kingdom to handle.

Blood, Sex and Royalty streams on Netflix. The life of Charles and Camilla streams on free and cable TV where their daily struggles and loquacious lifestyle will entertain this generation until Charles the King gives up the crown for his son. And a new series begins. n

HONOR MOM AND CELEBRATE HER ‘UNBREAKABLE’ LOVE ON MOTHER’S DAY

MAY is all about cherishing moms and celebrating everything that they do for the family. Shangri-La Plaza marks Mother’s Day with a selection of activities that’s carefully curated for the most wonderful woman in the world.

Get mom to see the fantastic creations of sought-after international floral and event designer Gideon Hermosa and the House of Hermosa at “Blooms, A Special Vignette” at the Grand Atrium until May 14. Recently recognized in the prestigious Destination Wedding Planner’s 2022 to 2023 Powerlist as one of the best in the world, Hermosa is known for his expertise in transforming venues and setting the perfect mood for life’s important events.

For mothers who love the arts, Shang is hosting the “Unbreakable Trilogy” at the East Atrium, which features a trio of exhibitions in the first two weeks of May. Mom I Do Not Want War by the Embassies of Poland and Ukraine, which ran until May 10, showcased images of war through the eyes of children. Check out Flowers for You, Mom, an art exhibit by persons with autism; and Unbreakable: A Photo Exhibit that celebrates mothers, until May 14.

Craving for more art? Bring mom to “Journeys of Wonder Women: Celebrity Arts Fair,” an arts and fashion exhibit featuring the works of personalities like actor and contemporary artist Solenn Heussaff, actor-photographervisual artist Meryll Soriano, and actor and painter Mickey Ferriols at the Grand Atrium on May 23-28.

A Mother’s Day celebration is never complete without a handful of flowers. Catch the beautiful flowers of May bloom in their full glory and surprise mom with her own bouquet at the “Special Flower Fair for Mother’s Day” at L1, Main Wing ongoing until May 15.

More information is available at www.facebook.com/ shangrilaplazaofficial.

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ opens to $114 million

Continued from B4 Of primary importance for many Neopagans is the triple goddess, a figure who encompasses the three aspects of maiden, mother and crone. Sometimes these goddess figures are based on specific ancient deities, such as Persephone, Demeter and Hekate, and sometimes they are worshipped more generally as representations of various phases of life.

More recently, many of these traditions are intentionally expanding to reject ideas of gender essentialism and embrace a range of identities. For some Neopagans, exploring what femininity and masculinity signify in today’s society is an important extension of religious belief and a way to include people who have felt rejected from other religious communities.

By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press

BEYOND THE GODDESS MANY other religions revere mother figures, even if they are not worshipped or considered goddesses.

Khadija, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad and the first convert to Islam, is given the title “the Mother of Believers,” signifying her importance for the development of the religion.

Devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus, has been common throughout the history of Christianity and remains popular today. In Judaism, the idea of “Shekinah” has been influential in some feminist thought. Rather than representing a single woman or female figure, Shekinah is seen as the feminine aspect of the divine, a manifestation of God’s wisdom on Earth.

Nurturing and compassion are key concepts in a variety of religions, whether they are represented as specific goddess figures, archetypes of the feminine or new religious developments that embrace shifting ideas about gender. AP

THERE is nothing like the promise of a chapter closing to draw people to the movie theater, especially when tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

This weekend, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which says goodbye to this iteration of the space misfits and its driving creative voice, director James Gunn, earned $114 million in ticket sales from 4,450 locations in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Internationally, where the film opened in 52 territories including China, Vol. 3 earned $168 million, giving it a $282 million global debut.

Domestically, it’s both an impressive sum for any movie and slightly less than what we’ve come to expect from a Marvel opening.

Last year on the same weekend, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, riding on the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, raked in $187.4 million in its first three days in North America. And in November, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also opened over $181.3 million.

But things have come back to earth this year, at least by high-flying superhero standards. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania debuted just over $106 million on its way to $474 million worldwide. At rival studio DC/Warner Bros., Shazam! Fury of the Gods only made $133.4 million total. The question on some analysts’ minds this weekend is whether it’s because of the specific character or a bigger issue of “superhero fatigue.”

Guardians Vol. 3 bumped The Super Mario Bros. Movie out of first place after four weekends atop the charts and kicked off the summer movie season, a vital and usually profitable corridor for Hollywood that runs through Labor Day and often accounts for 40 percent of a year’s box office.

For Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian, it’s still a solid opening for the summer season, which he said is poised to deliver the most robust profits since 2019.

“Though Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’s debut may reflect a bit of audience fatigue for the reliable superhero genre, this is just the beginning for what promises to be an irresistible movie marketplace with a killer combination of appealing films for every taste and every audience demographic,” Dergarabedian said.

The next major superhero movie on the schedule is DC’s The Flash, set for June 16, which has its own flurry of intrigue around it because of star Ezra Miller’s legal and personal troubles.

Guardians Vol. 3 sees the return of actors Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Reviews have been mostly positive, but a little more divided than previous installments. And it remains difficult to compare a pre-pandemic opening such as Vol. 2’s $146 million debut (May 2017) with a post-pandemic one.

Vol. 3 is Gunn’s last Guardians/Marvel movie as he

turns his focus to leading DC Studios.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie added $18.6 million in its fifth weekend to take second place, bringing its domestic total to $518.1 million. Globally, it has now surpassed $1.1 billion. Third place went to Evil Dead Rise with $5.7 million, and in fourth place was Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, with $3.4 million—both were holdovers.

Studios left the weekend mostly clear for the superhero behemoth, but Screen Gems and Sony did debut their new Priyanka Chopra Jonas romantic comedy Love Again (featuring Celine Dion and some new songs) in 2703 locations. It made a modest $2.4 million to take the fifth place spot.

THE last installment in the trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 earned $114 million in ticket sales from 4,450 locations in North America.

B6 Friday, May 12, 2023

Have a flavorful heart-to-heart celebration with mom on Mother‘s Day with Pizza Hut

PSMEX back-to-back with I-MATP held at World Trade Center a success

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HE Philippine Subcon and Manufacturers Exhibition (PSMEX) 2023 back-to-back with The International Machinery Tools & Accessories Philippines (I-MTAP) 2023 exhibition was launched at the World Trade Center Metro Manila last April 26th.

The opening ceremonies were attended by keynote speakers from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) - Director General Tereso O. Panga represented by PEZA Group Manager Joy Alguso, and DOSTMIRDC (Department of Science and Technology, Metals Industry Research and Development Center) - Executive Director Engr. Robert O. Dizon, and from the Aerospace Industries Association of the Philippines (AIAP) - President Dennis Y. Chan and Chairman John Lee. Guests from various foreign embassies and from the government and private sectors were also present.

Marketing Director of Market Access & Innovations (MAI) Events Management Philippines Angelica Andrea P. Barrios also gave her opening remarks.

Alguso mentioned in her speech the current endeavors of the Philippine administration for the metalworks and subcon industry.

A government scientist’s perspective was given by Dizon in his speech, citing the government’s role in providing platforms for local emterprises to feature their best practices. Dizon also mentioned some of the projects that DOST-MIRDC has to support the industry.

Meanwhile, Chan expressed hope that this event will help revive industries affected by the pandemic in his opening remarks. Lee closed the ceremonies with thanking all suppliers, sponsors, exhibitors, and media partners for the support and MAI Events Management Philippines mentioning the next PSMEX 2025 back to back with i-MTAP 2025 on April 30 to May 3, at Halls A to D of

World Trade Center Metro Manila.

I-MTAP showcased state-of-the-art products from the metal and its allied industries from leading manufacturers, subcontracting companies, services, local distributors as well as foreign suppliers.

I-MTAP 2023 incorporated the following events in the exhibition: International Industrial Automation and Robotics Philippines (I-AUTOROBOTS Philippines), International Sheet Metal Philippines (I-SM Philippines), International Machine Tools & Accessories Philippines (I-MT Philippines), International Instrumentations & Metrology Philippines (I-IMET Philippines), International Plastics Philippines (I-Plas Philippines), International Welding Philippines (I-Weld Philippines), International Hardware, Accessories, & Tools Philippines (I-HAT Philippines).

PSMEX 2023 on the other hand, catered to the needs of the Aerospace,

Automotive, Electronics and Motorcycle manufacturing industries. The exhibition aimed to gather industrialists in the manufacturing and supporting industries pf the Philippines, to showcase their capabilities to the whole world.

Over 20 free technical seminars to enhance knowledge and awareness about the latest technologies in the industry were also held at the four-day exhibition.

With the exhibitions’ success, the organizers hope that this will be a start to more meaningful relationships within the industry and beyond. As event organizer Barrios wrote in her opening message, whether through business, or friendships, these relationships lead to uplifting the metals and subcon industry of the Philippines. It is also a perfect time to hold these two major events to take advantage of the upswing trends of the economy, this is the right time to get up, move forward and aim for a better tomorrow.

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H, Mother’s Day. It’s a reminder of how awesome our moms are, and why they deserve only the best especially on their very special day. To help you celebrate, Pizza Hut has cooked up a number of irresistible offers so you can enjoy the brand’s bold flavors on this special occasion!

For starters, Pizza Hut is bringing back the Heart-shaped Pan Pizza, which you can enjoy in your favorite Pizza Hut flavors both in ala carte and in combos!

If you’re looking for extra special meals that are made with love to really help you show how much you appreciate her, Pizza Hut’s Supreme Delights for Mom combos are perfect for you!

There’s the Meal Delight for two set, priced at P699. It comes with one Regular Supreme Heart Pan Pizza, one Regular Baked Carbonara, one Regular Baked Bolognese, two servings of Mushroom Soup, and two glasses of Iced Tea for Dine-in or 2 single-serve Pepsi for Takeout and Delivery.

There’s also the Meal Delight for four set, priced at P1,399. You’ll get two Regular Heart Pan Pizza in any flavor of your choice, one Family Baked Bolognese, four pieces of WingStreet Garlic Parmesan wings, one serving of Cinnamon Bites, and one Pepsi Pitcher for Dine-in or one Pepsi 1.5L for Takeout or Delivery, perfect for the whole fam.

If it’s pizza your mom is really craving, you’ll never go wrong with the Triple Pizza Delight set. For just 1,099, you’ll get one Regular Carbonara Supreme Heart Pan Pizza, one Regular Supreme Heart Pan Pizza, one Regular BBQ Chicken Supreme Heart Pan Pizza, and a serving of Kitkat Rolls.

If you have your own staple Pizza Hut favorites in mind but still wanted to give your mom the heart-shaped pizza, don’t worry because it’s also available in a la carte which starts at P369 only!

Indulge in the simple yet equally flavorful Lovers Line, available in Veggie Lovers, Cheese Lovers, Pepperoni Lovers, and Spicy Pepperoni Lovers and starts at P369. Amp up the excitement with the Supremes Line, available in Supreme, Bacon Margherita, Hawaiian Supreme, Bacon Supreme, BBQ Chicken

Celebrate special MOM-ents at a Richmonde Hotel

Make your Mother’s Day celebration special with Marriott Manila, Sheraton Manila, Courtyard Iloilo

PAMPER the special woman in your life this Mother’s Day at Marriott Hotel Manila

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ITH just a few days left before Mother’s Day, give mom a surprise as Marriott Manila, Sheraton Manila, and Courtyard Iloilo prepare enticing offers and treats perfect for the best woman in our lives.

Well-deserved rest for Mom LET Mom relax and feel appreciated with exclusive Mom room packages from the three Marriott Hotels.

Marriott Manila offers the Marriott Bonvoy Weekend Family Treats package that features a special turndown amenity for moms during a stay in one of the premium rooms with a sumptuous breakfast buffet for two at Marriott Café. Sheraton Manila gears up for an exceptional getaway with Mom with a staycation for the whole family,

including a relaxing full-body massage for two at Shine Spa and a romantic dinner for the whole family at the hotel’s one-of-a-kind S Vubble Pods. For those who will be out of the metro, Courtyard

by Marriott Iloilo gives a therapeutic 60-minute in-room massage on top of the overnight accommodation in one of its two deluxe rooms with its Mother’s Day Room Promo.

Only the finest for Mom WHILE enjoying the comfort of the room, why not explore and treat Wonder Mom to a beautiful dining experience in one of the hotel's signature restaurants?

Relish the goodness of the sumptuous buffet from Marriott Manila’s Marriott Café, Sheraton Manila’s S Kitchen, and Courtyard Iloilo’s Runway Kitchen.

Marriott Manila’s signature Sunday Lunch Crossover is giving a special salute to heritage this May 14th, in celebration of Mother’s Day and Heritage Month. Indulge in the goodness of featured dishes from our motherland’s rich traditions in one grand buffet where ocean meets land for P3,888 nett. Make the celebration complete with sweet cakes and chocolates from Marriott Café Bakery. The price starts at P200 nett.

Mother’s Day is also the perfect time to shower Mom with the love and care she truly deserves by treating her to a splendid buffet experience at Sheraton Manila’s S Kitchen. The whole family can fill their hearts out with sustainable seafood, Wagyu meats, prime rib eye, cochinillo, and other local and international dishes, plus dainty desserts and beverages.

Surprise mom for only P3,888 nett per person.

For those who want to have an intimate date with the woman of the hour, Dinner by the Balcony is the perfect choice. For P5,000 nett per person, treat mom to a romantic dinner experience right on the balcony of your own room and delight in a 3-course menu with a special Mother’s Day cake for her.

For Courtyard Iloilo, get ready to dig in and relish international dishes and cuisines with an array of meats and dessert specialties for the Wonder Mom at Runway Kitchen.

Book a table for only P1,388 nett.

For more details or reservations, visit www.manilamarriott.com, www.sheratonmanila.com, and www. courtyardiloilo.com. Join the Viber community to be updated with the latest offers at Make It Marriott.

Supreme, Bacon Cheeseburger, and Cheese Supreme and starts at P399. Or, go all out with the Specialty Line, available in Super Supreme, Meat Lovers, Carbonara Supreme, Seafood Supreme and starts at P429.

Plan ahead for Mother’s Day and we will treat you to a FREE 6 pices WingStreet Honey BBQ for a minimum order of P1,100 for pickup and delivery (excluding delivery charge), days ahead until 4PM of February 14, 2023.

Take note that delivery schedule should be on May 14 until 5PM to avail the promo.

The advanced order option is exclusive to the 8911-1111 hotline, www.pizzahut.com. ph, and the Pizza Hut mobile app, available for Android (https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.pizzahut.ph) and iOS (https:// apps.apple.com/ph/app/pizza-hut-philippines/ id1527383194) devices.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Delights for Mom combos and Pizza Hut Heart-shaped Pan Pizza are available for dine-in, takeout, and delivery through the 8911-1111 hotline, www.pizzahut.com.ph, and the Pizza Hut mobile app. You can also order through Pizza Hut’s official delivery partners GrabFood and foodpanda (prices may vary).

Give Pizza Hut a like and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so you won’t miss out on the latest news, updates, and deals!

I

T’S all about mom the whole month of May at the Richmonde Hotels in Ortigas, Eastwood and Iloilo. In celebration of Mother’s Day, Richmonde has prepared treats to pamper mom and create happy memories to last a lifetime. From relaxing hotel stays to gastronomic feasts, each experience is made more special with Richmonde’s warm and indulgent service.

Vibe with mom and give her the gift of a chill and easy vacation in the city at Richmonde Hotel Ortigas. Let her lounge all day in Richmonde’s comfortable rooms or enjoy a refreshing dip at the heated indoor pool, then have her wake up to a hearty buffet of her breakfast favorites at Richmonde Café or serve her breakfast in bed with orders from Room Service. Rates start at P3,500 nett (room only) and P4,300 nett (with breakfast buffet for two). All rates include 15 percent discount on dine-in a la carte orders at Richmonde Café and from Room Service, welcome drinks, Wi-Fi access, and use of the Health Club, and are available until May 31, 2023.

On May 14, 2023, Richmonde Ortigas’ Richmonde Café serves up a fine spread of Summer Fresh Picks for Mom at the Mother’s Day lunch buffet, consisting of an exquisite selection of delectable wholesome dishes and the freshest ingredients for Do-It-Yourself starters at the salad and sandwich bars and shabu-shabu station. Other buffet offerings include salmon coulibiac, beef teppanyaki, grilled mahi-mahi, crepes samurai, and so much more. The Mother’s Day Lunch buffet is served from 11:30am to 2:30pm and is priced at P 1,888nett, inclusive of a round of mimosa.

Groups of five or more can avail of the 4+1 deal where for every four persons paying the full rate, another person eats for free.

If a staycation, a massage, and some shopping are what mom likes, then surprise her with a reservation in one of Eastwood Richmonde Hotel’s newly renovated rooms under the Mother’s Day Room Package that includes breakfast buffet for two, free facial

or foot massage at Lumiere Skin & Spa located beside the hotel’s mall entrance, and use of the hotel’s gym and pool. Mom can also delight in perks like 20 precent discount on food and beverage orders at Eastwood Café+Bar and from Room Service, and 15 percent discount on all services at Lumiere.

She can also easily engage in a bit of retail therapy with the hotel’s direct access to the trendy Eastwood Mall. Package rates start at P5,900 nett and are available all days of May. Eastwood Café+Bar, the all-day dining restaurant of Eastwood Richmonde, offers sumptuous and festive international lunch and dinner buffets in honor of mom on Mother’s Day. Families get to savor luscious meat carvings like roast beef, lechon belly roll, Greek lamb leg and Greek fish, plus Japanese maki and tempura, a la minute hot pot, and an array of appetizers, salad greens, and desserts. Priced at only P1,799nett inclusive of bottomless iced tea, coffee or tea, and live musical entertainment, the Mother’s Day Lunch and Dinner Buffets are served from 11:30am to 2:30pm and 6:00pm to 9:00pm, respectively. Children six to 12 years old get 50 percent discount and children five years old and below eat for free.

For the fun-loving and adventurous mom, book her an Iloilo summer getaway with a luxurious stay at Richmonde Hotel Iloilo. At rates starting at P5,300 nett good for two persons, mom can feel like the queen that she is as she relishes the hotel’s spacious and wellappointed rooms, gym, outdoor pool, yummy breakfast buffet, and its premier location within the urban paradise that is Iloilo Business Park. She can also take advantage of exclusive perks like 10 percent off on food and beverage orders at BizBar and Zabana Bar, 15 percent discount on massage services, and 15 percent discount on organized city excursions (e.g., heritage, culinary, countryside, and pilgrimage) and island tours (Guimaras, Isla de Gigantes, and Sicogon). Rates are valid until June 15, 2023.

Mother’s Day celebration at Richmonde Iloilo’s The Granary is a market-style dinner buffet where diners can select from an array of global fare freshly cooked with their chosen ingredients. These include the pizza bar, paella bar, Mexican bar, plus a charcuterie table, and assorted sushi and tempura. The carving table boasts of a roasted suckling pig and a roast lamb. The Mother’s Day Banchetto is available on May 14 from 6pm to 10pm, and is priced at P1,500 nett, with a glass of wine for mom. Children 6 to 12 years old get 50 precent off and those five years and below eat free.

Sports BusinessMirror

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Editor: Jun Lomibao

Friday, May 12, 2023 B7

Cricket adds silver medal to PHL coffers

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HNOM PENH—Cricket contributed a silver medal to the Philippine coffers in women’s 6-a-side event at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games at the AZ Group Cricket Oval Wednesday.

After losing to Indonesia, 25-78, the team bounced back and advanced to the final after a 54-42 win over host Cambodia.

The Philippine women’s 6-a-team is composed of Jennifer Alumbro, Jhon Andreano, Josie Arimas, Shanilyn Asis, Catherine Bagaoisan, Jona Eguid, Joelle Galapin, Mar Mandia, Johannah McCall, Lolita Olagiure, Romela Osabel, Riza Penalba, April Saquilon, Simran Sirah, and Alex Smith.

The country’s women’s T10 team is set to compete for a gold on the final day of the SEA Games on May 16 against an opponent still to be determined.

“The T10 event is not finished yet but the Philippine women’s team has already secured a guaranteed silver medal in that event as well,” said Faisal Khan, the Philippine Cricket Association chief executive officer.

Cricket debuted in the 2017 SEA Games, and made its comeback this year.

“Getting a medal in their first appearance is a big achievement. I can see a much-better performance in future events,” Khan said. Josef Ramos

Men’s beach volley squads beat Timorese

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HNOM PENH—The national men’s team breezed past Timor Leste to gain momentum in beach volleyball action of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games at the Otres beach in Preah Sihanouk.

Jaron Requinton and Ranran Abdilla booked a 21-7, 21-13 win over Timor Leste’s Fabricus Correia and Joel Savio Valente and Jude Garcia and James Buytrago followed suit with a 21-13, 21-11 beating of Fernandez Xavier and Jonio Freites in Group A. Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon “Tats” Suzara was delighted with the opening win.

“It’s a good start to motivate the women’s team of Jovelyn Gonzaga and Cherry Ann “Sisi” Rondina,” Suzara said.

Rondina and Gonzaga won the gold medal in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour last December in Subic. Bernadeth Pons and Dij Rodriguez make up the other women’s pair.

“It’s a good start for the men’s team and we’re hoping they sustain this victory. At the same time, we pray that our women’s team will follow,” Suzara said. “It’s still a long way to go for the team but at least we’ve won today.”

The men will face Cambodia on Friday, Vietnam on Saturday and Laos on Sunday.

The women battle Vietnam on Friday, Thailand on Saturday and Malaysia on Sunday in Group B. The men’s and women’s teams are hoping to surpass their bronze finish in Hanoi last year.

The top two teams from each group will go to the semifinals.

The women’s indoor team, meanwhile, overwhelmed Singapore, 25-17, 25-14, 25-13, to advance to the semifinals from Group B late Thursday.

Josef Ramos

AGELESS Eric Cray is unbeatable in hurdles. ROY DOMINGO

CAMBODIA 2023 32ND SEA GAMES

MEDAL TALLY R

Country

G

S

B

Total

1

VIETNAM

57

56

70

183

2

CAMBODIA

56

44

55

155

3

THAILAND

54

39

58

151

4

INDONESIA

42

34

59

135

5

SINGAPORE

35

27

33

95

6

PHILIPPINES

27

51

65

143

7

MALAYSIA

25

32

49

106

8

MYANMAR

14

13

38

65

9

LAOS

56

14

38

58

10

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

1

1

4

6

11

TIMOR LESTE

0

0

2

2

By Jun Lomibao

S

IEM REAP—Eric Shaun Cray further cemented his reign as king of the men’s 400 meters hurdles with a golden performance on Thursday at the Morodok Techno National Stadium in Phnom Penh.

Cray, 34 and running with a nagging sports hernia, clocked 50.03 seconds to again rule his favorite event. He beat Thailand’s Natthapon Dansungnoen (50.73) and Singapore’s Calvin Quek (50.75).

The Philippines’ other entry, Alhryan Labita, placed seventh in 53.89.

Cray’s time, however, was below his own Philippine record of 48.98 he set at the World Athletics World Challenge in Moratalaz, Madrid, in 2016.

But it was enough to give him a sixth straight 400 meters hurdles title and his eighth gold medal overall to crown himself as the most successful track athlete in the history of the SEA Games.

Cray won the centerpiece 100 meters in 2015 in Singapore and was part of the 4x100 mixed relay team in 2019 at New Clark City.

“This means everything,” said Cray, catching his breath as a swarm of reporters surrounded him. “This is a product of hard work, dedication.”

“You know, we just showed a lot of perseverance. I have a lot of drive, dedication for 10 years, ups and downs after injuries and everything I’ve been through,” said Cray, who is aching to make a return to the Olympics, to be held in Paris 2024.

The next step is the Asian Championships, which is a qualifying tournament for the Olympiad.

“That (Olympics) is the goal,” said Cray, who is still undecided on whether to shoot for 7th straight 400m hurdles gold when the biennial meet is held in Thailand in 2025.

“I gotta qualify first in Paris, then I’ll take it from there,” he said.

The athletics team’s two other golds were courtesy of Ernest John Obiena’s record leap in pole vault and Janry Ubas in long jump.

Cray’s gold was the third for the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association headed by Terry Capistrano after Ernest John Obiena’s games record in pole vaulty and Janry Ubas in long jump.

Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Carlo Paalam, meanwhile, dominated Edegar Foe Quintas Da Silva of Timor Leste to barge into the finals of boxing at the Chroy Changvar Center Hall G. Paalam, 24, looked invincible in all three rounds to score a unanimous 5-0 victory over Da Silva in the semifinal of their men’s bantamweight duel.

He’s now assured of a silver medal just like seven of his teammates who advanced to the gold medal round ahead of him.

Paul Julyfer Bascon knocked out Touch Davit of Cambodia in the second round to also enter in the men’s light welterweight final for another guaranteed silver medal.

Markus Cezar Tongco, however, lost to Manh Cuong Nguyen of Vietnam in the men’s heavyweight semifinal via referee stoppage to settle for a bronze medal.

The finals are set Saturday and Sunday.

With Josef Ramos

Fencers settle for silver, bronze

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HNOM PENH—Noelito Jose settled for a silver medal and Jylyn Nicanor added a bronze in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games fencing competitions at the Choy Changvar Convention Center’s Hall B on Thursday.

Jose suffered an 11-15 setback at the hands of Singaporean Si To Jian Tong to settle for the silver medal in men’s epee. It was Jose’s second straight silver at the games.

He reached the championship round after repulsing another Singaporean fencer Simon Lee, 14-13, and booted out compatriot Lee Ergina, 159, in the quarterfinals.

Finishing with a 4-1 win-loss record

in Pool A preliminaries allowed Jose to advance to the main draw.

Nicanor, meanwhile, took the bronze medal in women’s sabre after absorbing an 11-15 loss to Singaporean Jessica Ong, 13-15, in the semifinals.

The 30-year-old Nicanor made it to the semifinals with her 15-11 edging of Cambodian Sorn Nich.

Nicanor’s 4-1 card in the Group stage provided her a ticket to the main draw.

Josef Ramos

NOELITO JOSE in action in men’s epee of fencing. ROY DOMINGO

Indons frustrate Sibol’s bid for Mobile Legends gold

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HNOM PENH—Sibol came so close to a gold medal but missed out as Indonesia unleashed multiple attacks in the homestretch to rule the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang best-of-five finals series, 3-2, on Thursday night in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games at the

NabaTheatre at NagaWorld 2 Integrated Resort.

The match seesawed but it was the Indonesians who took the top of the podum, 6-12, 12-5, 10-6, 4-14, 5-13.

The Filipinas let go of a 4-4 count following a killing spree led

by Indonesian Michelle Denise Siswanto and that kept them from claiming the country’s first-ever women’s crown in esports at the end

of a 15-minute battle.

Mery Christine Vivero and her crew kept the Philippines in the thick of the fight with a double kill and her efforts in the earlier stages of the tournament allowed the Filipinas to stop Malaysia, 48-19, 23-19, in the semifinals.

Indonesia made it to the gold medal round with a 2-0 (28-10, 29-10) triumph over Vietnam. Josef Ramos

RONALD ORANZA (third from left) with (from left) Efren Reyes, Mar Sudario and Jhon Mark Camingao.

Oranza grabs bronze medal in men’s criterium of cycling

S

IEM REAP— Ronald Oranza clinched bronze in men’s criterium—his career first medal in the Southeast Asian Games and the country’s first in road and third overall in cycling in these Cambodia competitions.

“It was tough all the way,” said the 30-year-old national team veteran who clinched his first SEA Games medal to add to his victory in local tours back home.

Oranza, however, couldn’t have pulled off his medal-clinching ride if not for teammates Efren Reyes and Mar Francis Sudario—both national team first-timers who followed their coaches instructions to the letter.

“Like good soldiers, Efren and Mar did their job and that was to help each other in the race, and for this criterium, it was Ronald who they helped clinch the medal,” said Reinhard Gorantes, who strategized for the first road cycling event of the games with his fellow national coaches Virgilio Espiritu and Alfie Catalan.

Oranza crossed a mere 0.01 second after gold medalist Terry Yudha Kasuma who won gold in one hour, 13 minutes and 38 seconds. Nur Amirull Mazuki of Malaysia was at the Indonesian’s wheel and captured silver with the same time.

Twenty riders started for the 55.20-km event raced 30 laps over a 1.8-km rectangular circuit that had the mystical Angkor Wat as a perfect backdrop.

Reyes crossed just behind Oranza for the same one-hundredth of a second deficit from the gold, while

Filipino golfers absorb heartbreaking playoff losses

S

THE Philippines’ Kristian Narca delivers a kick to the host country’s Laingkousin Khun in kun khmer, a traditional Cambodian martial art. ROY DOMINGO

IEM REAP—The Philippines absorbed heartbreaking losses to Cambodia and Indonesia in team match play for a fruitless campaign in golf at the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Thursday.

Rianne Malixi yielded to Yin Harmonie in sudden death as she failed to match the Cambodian’s

birdie from six feet on No. 9 of the Garden City course in Phnom Penh as the Philippines bowed to the hosts in the knockout headto-head quarterfinals featuring nine teams.

Malixi, who delivered the lone medal—a team bronze—last year in Vietnam—chipped in for birdie to nip Singapore’s Suanne Loh on

the fourth playoff hole.

Falling short of medal at fourth place in individual play Wednesday, the International Container Terminal Services Inc.-backed Malixi tried to steer the Philippines into contention in team play but lost to Preap Lien in their quarter duel.

LK Go, however, tripped Harmonie, paving the way for the

Sudario was eighth—a finish that hardly reflected the sacrifices they made during the entire race that saw the three Filipino riders almost always controlling the pace.

“This is for our country, for my family, for PhilCycling, for Congressman Bambol [Tolentino, Philippine Olympic Committee], the PSC [Philippine Sports Commission] and Sir Judes [Echauz],” said Oranza on behalf of the team that included alternate Jhon Mark Camingao, who, like Oranza are riding out of Echauz’s Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance team.

The Filipinas, however, succumbed to more seasoned opponents as Maura de los Reyes finished sixth, Mathilda Krog wound up ninth and 2019 Philippine SEA Games time trial champion Jermyn Prado getting caught in 12th place.

Thailand’s Jutatip Maneephan won the gold medal with a time of 55:19 after the event raced over the same loop but consisted of 20 loops for a total 38.80 kms.

Vietnam’s Thin That Nguyen and Malaysia’s Nur Aisyah Zubir were half a bike and a bike length behind the Thai to complete the podium.

Team Philippines bagged a silver (Ariana Evangelista) and a bronze (mixed relay) in mountain bike’s crosscountry earlier in the games.

Oranza will again ride the men’s road race with former SEA Games champion Mark John Lexer Galedo, Marcelo Felipe, Rench Michael Bondoc and Nichol Pareja in the individual road race Friday.

The women’s road race closes the cycling competitions on Saturday.

Jun Lomibao

sudden death.

In men’s team play, the Philippines yielded to Indonesia as EnriqueDimayuga, the best-placed Filipino at joint fifth in individual play, lost to Amadeus Susanto on the first playoff hole on No. 10 in their quarterfinal face-off.

Wyeth Dumdumaya trounced Jonathan Hartono, 4&2, but Aidric Chan dropped a 0-2 setback to Ryan Latief. Dimayuga and Susanto settled for an all-square match that led to the playoff. Jun Lomibao

Motoring BusinessMirror

Henry Ford Awards Best Motoring Section 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011 Hall of Fame

B8

Friday, May 12, 2023

CLARK HOSTS DUCATI’S WE RIDE AS ONE EVENT

A

DDING this Freeport to its list of host locations from around the world, Ducati, the renowned Italian motorcycle manufacturer, recently organized its global event dubbed “We are Ducati. We Ride as One” event inside Clark Freeport Zone.

In collaboration with the Clark Development Corp. (CDC), the event saw hundreds of Ducati riders from all over the country come together for a day of riding and camaraderie.

The highlight of the event was a group ride, where the riders formed a massive convoy and rode through the streets of this Freeport, from the vicinity of the Clark International Airport to the Clark Parade Grounds. Riders of all ages and skill levels came together to celebrate their passion for motorcycles, showcasing their skill and passion in a safe and controlled environment.

CDC Tourism Promotions Division (TPD) Officer-In-Charge Elenita Lorenzo expressed excitement about the event happening in the Freeport. She also cited the significance of the Ducati brand which is synonymous with passion, performance, and innovation.

With its sprawling roads and picturesque landscapes providing the perfect backdrop for the event, Clark is now the top-of-mind for organizers when it comes to various events, including sports-related activities.

As mentioned on its official website, “We Ride as One” is an event organized by Ducati to bring together its community of Ducati Official Clubs (DOCs) and enthusiasts worldwide, providing them with an opportunity to unite on the same day and share a combined experience of fun and togetherness. Ducatisti gather at their local dealers to meet and celebrate, with a Ducati Red parade coloring the streets of each location.

Aside from this Freeport, other prominent locations like London, Melbourne, Rome, Madrid, Tokyo, Shanghai, Munich, Dubai, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Sydney and other major cities worldwide also hosted the said event.

HERE’S A SNEAK

Editor: Tet Andolong • www.businessmirror.com.ph

PEEK OF THE JAECOO 7

U

PCOMING automotive brand JAECOO, which is slated to enter the Philippines this 2023, is set to launch at the same time as its sister brand Omoda. The first model to be introduced to the Philippine market will be the Jaecoo 7.

The Jaecoo 7 will have the size, ground clearance and performance of a crossover SUV while boasting of technology and comfort found in luxury-scale brands. The first variant to be launched will be the petrol powered version—a 1.6 turbocharged engine with 290 NM of torque. Initial tests have shown that the Jaecoo 7 can sprint from 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds, and returns a fuel consumption rate of 7.2L/100km or around 13 (±) km/L. Inside, owners will be treated to a plush interior featuring digital gauges for the driver, and a touchscreen vertical center console equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and mated to a premium eight-speaker setup. Seats are covered with leather fabric, while dashboard and ambient cabin lights add up to the posh interior. Additional tech includes wireless phone charging, four USB ports with fast charging, armrest with dampener, poweradjustable driver seat, power moonroof, all-auto power windows and keyless entry.

The Jaecoo 7 is also proud to feature its groundbreaking 540 degree camera. Going a step further from the 360 degree camera, the 540 camera aims to give more visibility on the

THE Jaecoo 7

A FIRST IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION

INSIDE is a plush interior featuring digital gauges for the driver, and a touchscreen vertical center console equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and mated to a premium eight-speaker setup.

vehicle’s blind spots, including the bottom of the vehicle—which is very useful when the car is taken off-road. The 540 degree AVM system is based on spatiotemporal sequence image stitching using image processing methods such as camera calibration, image restoration fusion and sequence stitching.

Safety is also put on top priority as

the Jaecoo 7 is equipped with the full ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) suite which includes ABS, Electronic Brake Assist, Traction Control, Hill Assist and 21-function ADAS safety system). The Jaecoo 7 is also equipped with dual front airbags, dual frontside airbags, dual side curtain airbags, and airbags in between seats.

“While the first variant of the Jaecoo 7 to be launched will be petrol powered, please expect the Jaecoo brand to thrust towards new energy in the near future. We have exciting new energy models coming up from 2024 onwards that is sure to excite the Philippine Market,” said Uzzi Asuncion, the Philippines’ Brand Manager for Omoda and Jaecoo.

The Omoda 5, Omoda EV and Jaecoo 7 will be launched in the Philippines before the end of 2023.

For more initial information, please follow JAECOO Philippines on Facebook or JAECOO.Philippines on Instagram.

T

HE Gateway Group has laid claim to being the very first vehicle dealership in the country to adopt the new-look design for Hyundai showrooms in the entire Asia Pacific region.

And JAS Design & Build Development Corp., a company that just opened early last year, has the distinction of building this milestone showroom that will be followed by all Hyundai dealers in the region. “ We were fortunate to have been given the opportunity by the Gateway Group to undertake the complete renovation of its 3000 sq.m. facility in Pasong Tamo in Makati. It was a chance to show the company’s high quality creative and engineering capabilities, and we were told Hyundai Philippines was happy about the end result,” related veteran marketing executive and JAS President Alvin Lu. He is joined in the company by sportsmanbusinessman Jean Henri Lhuillier as Chairman, also President/CEO of the PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, and another seasoned professional manager Alexander Ocampo as Chief Finance Officer.

The Pasong Tamo showroom, where JAS

used new materials including LED panels for aesthetics, features spacious areas that accommodate four display vehicles, including an electric vehicle, complete with three charging stations in the parking, service, and showroom, with a comfortable lounge for customers.

“JAS is a combination design, construction, project and property management and renovation company that offers services through value engineering and state of the art technology, with the combined expertise and experience of its workforce,” added Lu. The Pasong Tamo Hyundai showroom is the biggest completed project undertaken by the company and lined up already are other dealership facilities in Pasay and Camarines Sur on top of ongoing similar projects in North EDSA, and Malolos, Bulacan.

On the resorts side of its portfolio, JAS is also working on this market segment having completed UNWIND boutique hotels in Makati and Camiguin. “We are working simultaneously on related projects in Siargao, El Nido and Coron in Palawan. We have also been tapped to manage 64 properties in NCR and south of Manila,” concluded Lu.

Full global electric vehicle by 2035–AVT Heartbeat

I

T has been my habit to pay attention to speeches delivered during occasions of import, vehicle launches included. And so, to cut to the chase, here is the piece of Alfred V. Ty (AVT), the dapper chairman of both Lexus Philippines and Lexus Manila Inc., during the recent unveiling of the full electric Lexus RZ 450.

“Honorable Senate President, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri; Honorable Undersecretary Felix William “Wimpy” Fuentebella, Department of Energy; Lexus Asia Pacific Vice President, Preston Tan; Lexus Philippines Vice Chairman, Dr. David Go; Lexus Philippines President, Atsuhiro Okamoto; Lexus Manila Inc. Vice Chairman, Vince Socco; Lexus Manila Inc. President, Raymond Rodriguez; friends from the Media and valued guests; ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to Lexus.

“Today is a very exciting day for me, but even more for many of you, I suppose. I have personally been waiting for this day for a long time. Today, Lexus will surge ahead in its journey towards electrification, a journey that started with the RX back in 2011. In fact, I am extremely delighted that our very first offering of a full battery electric vehicle in the Philippines is brought to you by no less than Lexus.

“It is, indeed, a fitting expression of our philosophy of creating amazing.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the all-new Lexus RZ has arrived on Philippine shores and will be providing Filipino car lovers with a totally new Lexus driving experience.

“YOU will hear your heartbeat with excitement in the even more quiet interiors that Lexus is renowned for.

“You will feel the exhilaration of the RZ reacting directly to your driving inputs without any of the guilt of creating carbon emissions that harm the planet.

“You will have untold peace of mind with its suite of safety features while enjoying the thrill of its spirited handling.

This all-electric SUV will surely leave you wanting to drive it to your every destination, every day.

“Lexus and Toyota have been leaders in electrification. We have, in fact, sold a total of over 22 million hybrid electrified vehicles worldwide, which is the equivalent of 7.5 million battery electric vehicles—the most by any car maker in the world.

“It was also Lexus that introduced the world’s first luxury hybrid, the Lexus RX 400h. Plus, Lexus has instituted numerous sustainability-focused practices over the years, such as adding recyclable or reclaimable materials to vehicle components—plantbased bioplastics, for instance—and following production processes that help prevent hundreds of thousands of pounds of materials from ending up in landfills.

Zero

“THE Z in RZ is just one letter, but it carries huge—and exciting—implications for the future Lexus driving experience. The Z stands for Zero, and as Chairman Akio Toyoda announced previously, it represents Lexus’ goal to create clean-powered vehicles that produce no CO2 emissions ‘throughout the whole process of their use.’

“Toyoda believes ‘that achieving carbon neutrality means realizing a world in which all people living on this planet continue to live happily. Lexus wants to help realize such a world...for that challenge, we need to reduce CO2 emissions as much as possible, as soon as possible.’

“Lexus has announced a plan to go full battery-electric in North America, Europe and China by the year 2030, followed by a full global switch to EV by 2035.

“Lexus also expects to grow sales to 1,000,000 vehicles per year by that time. This bold, sustainably-minded transition is, of course, in keeping with Lexus’ longstanding, and tireless, eco-minded ethos.

“Here in the Philippines, we aim to grow our suite of electrified vehicles. We also plan to support the creation of an ecosystem that will make our country electrified-friendly.

New doors

“We have installed dedicated EV charging stations here at Lexus Manila to complement the portable chargers provided with the Lexus RZ. “Over time, though, we want to provide more stations in line with the goals of EVIDA. Meantime, the Lexus RZ can avail of commercially available charging stations that have started to spread across the metropolitan area.

“Our new Lexus RZ is a game changer in many ways. It elevates the already amazing driving experience of our fine Lexus automobiles. It opens new doors to being able to achieve our shared goal of carbon neutrality. It introduces a range of new and sustainable manufacturing processes. And, most of all, it allows us to build that better future for ourselves, our children and theirs.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for joining us today in what I am certain will be a major leap forward in our journey to an electrified future. Let us drive together to a truly better world for all.

“Thank you.”

PEE STOP “Even before its launch, we are

already swamped with advance orders for the Lexus RZ450,” said Toyota-Lexus top gun Jing Atienza, who added that waiting time is at least one year. A dream car, indeed.