BusinessMirror May 13, 2021

Fitch unit cuts PHL’s ’21 growth forecast

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ITCH Solutions, the research arm of the Fitch Group, slashed its growth forecast of the Philippine economy for the second time this year, saying the economy will struggle to recover as the country still grapples with thousands of new Covid-19 cases daily.

The international think tank cut its growth forecast of the Philippines to 5.3 percent, down from the 5.8-percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection it announced earlier this year.

Just last month, Fitch Solutions already cut its previ-

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ous forecast of 7.6 percent down to 5.8 percent.

The new forecast is more than a percentage point below the floor of the government’s target range of 6.5 to 7.5 percent.

“We at Fitch Solutions believe the Philippines economy will continue to struggle amid its difficulties controlling the spread of Covid-19 and normalizing economic activity.

The Philippines has been battling a rampant third wave of Covid-19 cases, which looks set to delay the economic recovery further,” the think tank said in a research note

published on Wednesday.

Fitch Solutions said the renewed lockdowns to curb this will weigh substantially on economic activity in the second quarter of the year and that the retightening of travel, movement and operation in key cities in the country proves that it is “highly unlikely” that the economy will improve in the next quarter.

“Indeed, with a slow vaccine rollout—1.8 percent of the population have received a single vaccine dose as of 9 May—the economy will continue to be hamstrung by the pandemic,” the think tank

added.

Due to the country’s significant dependence on domestic activity for growth, Fitch Solutions said the economy is highly vulnerable to movement restrictions.

The research firm said they now forecast domestic consumption to grow by 4 percent, revised downward from the 4.5-percent projection earlier.

“Constraints on domestic activity are likely to be in place through the rest of 2021, but given the recent outbreak, we C  A

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Thursday, May 13, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 211

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

MAKES BSP KEEP RATES IN this Saturday, May 1, 2021, photo, domestic helpers from the Philippines line up at the temporary testing center for Covid-19, in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam dropped a plan to make it mandatory for foreign domestic workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, after the move drew criticism that it was discriminatory. AP

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@BcuaresmaBM

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) decided to keep its monetary policy stance accommodative on Wednesday, after announcing that inflation is now likely to average within the target band for the year.

Govt to tap ’20 savings for Covid response programs B S P. M sam_medenilla

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HE government will soon be using its 2020 budget savings to help finance its projects, particularly those related to its Covid-19 response, for which the necessary budget is lacking this year.

On Wednesday, President Duterte issued Administrative Order (AO) 41 through Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, ordering government agencies to report their savings from their 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA) budget to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The concerned government offices will have 15 days from the day of the effectivity of AO on May 12,

2021 to complete the submission.

“The certified report shall include the specific P/A/Ps [programs, activities, and projects] of the identified portions or balances of the released appropriations that may be declared as savings,” Medialdea said.

Under the 2020 GAA, savings is defined as the portion of appropriations which have not been obligated as a result of completion final discontinuance or abandonment of a P/A/Ps; and implementation of measures resulting in improved systems and efficiencies and thus enabling an agency to cut its costs.

The DBM will recommend to Duterte the amounts that can be S “G  ,” A

PESO EXCHANGE RATES ■ US 47.8700

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno announced in a virtual press briefing that the Monetary Board decided to maintain the interest rate on the overnight reverse repurchase facility at the record low 2 percent.

The interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were likewise kept at 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively.

Th is is the fourth consecutive meeting where the BSP decided

to keep monetary policy rates unchanged after their aggressive monetary policy easing moves in 2020 to keep the local economy afloat at the height of the pandemic.

“The BSP affirms that maintaining an accommodative stance should quicken the economy’s transition toward a sustainable S “W-,” A

PEZA FIRMS LOG Q1 RISE IN INVESTMENT PLEDGES, EXPORTS B T J C. P @Tyronepiad

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HE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) concluded the first quarter with double-digit growth in investment pledges and export revenues, noting that the majority of the locators have remained operational despite the lockdown restrictions.

In a statement on Wednesday, the investment promotion agency said it approved 57 projects in the first three months amounting to a total of P25.382 billion, which showed a year-onyear growth of 53.87 percent.

Peza said these projects are seen to generate 5,601 job opportunities.

Majority or 43 of the approved projects will be located in Luzon while 10 will be in Visayas and four in Mindanao.

The investment pledges cover various interests, including export projects (22), information technology (IT) projects (15), logistics (3), utilities (1) and tourism enterprise (1). The other

eight are for economic zone development projects.

Meanwhile, the regulator of economic zones reported that exports from company locators improved by 15.63 percent to $14.92 million in the first quarter from $12.91 million year-onyear. Employment in ecozones also increased by 2.94 percent to 1.58 million workers from 1.53 million workers a year ago, Peza added.

“With the approval of new projects and increase in the investments and exports in the first quarter of 2021, this proves that Peza is unfaltering in keeping the Philippine economy afloat and being on top of its game in performing its mandate, mobilizing the country’s investment competitiveness, and creating employment opportunities for many Filipinos,” Peza Director General Charito “Ching” Plaza said.

Despite the recent imposition of modified enhanced community quarantine, Peza said S “P ,” A

■ JAPAN 0.4408 ■ UK 67.7169 ■ HK 6.1623 ■ CHINA 7.4468 ■ SINGAPORE 36.1065 ■ AUSTRALIA 37.5444 ■ EU 58.1668 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 12.7646

Source: BSP (May 12, 2021)

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recovery. The BSP remains committed to deploying its full range of instruments as appropriate in support of its price and financial stability mandates,” Diokno said.

Inflation back to target

287 Chinese vessels in KIG; Locsin rebuffs Roque on reef B R A

THE BSP also announced that its latest inflation forecasting models show that the growth of consumer prices on average for the year is now set to fall within the 2- to 4-percent target range.

In particular, the BSP revised their forecast for the year to 3.9 percent, down from the 4.2-percent forecast in their February meeting. The BSP attributed the downward revision to the impact of the lower tariff on imported pork and the lower-than-expected inflation for March and April.

BSP officials also said the continued contraction in the country’s first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) and the continued appreciation of the peso will also help push down price pressures.

For next year, however, the BSP revised their target higher from 2.8 percent to 3 percent due to the expected increase in global crude oil prices and faster economic prospects.

“On balance, the expected path of inflation and downside risks to domestic economic growth warrant keeping monetary policy settings steady. The Monetary Board believes that sustained support for domestic demand remains a priority for monetary policy, especially as risk aversion continues to hamper credit activity despite ample liquidity in the financial system,” Diokno said.

ING Bank Manila economist Nicholas Mapa said the latest move from the BSP is a reiteration of the Central Bank’s support to the local economy.

“Fading inflation pressures take off some heat on the Central Bank to tighten policy in the near term and we expect BSP to keep policy rate unchanged for the balance of the year,” Mapa said.

“The latest revision to the inflation forecast validates the current monetary stance with expectations for a rate hike set aside for now. We forecast inflation to decelerate in the coming months, with the BSP keeping the policy rate at 2 percent for the balance of the year,” it added.

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Peza firms...

Roque draws flak

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that 90 percent or 2,701 companies have continued with their operations, implementing skeletal work force and work-from-home arrangements. Per sector, the regulator said 94 percent of the manufacturing sector and 84 percent of the IT-business process outsourcing industry are operational.

“Philippines is still indeed an investment haven and Peza’s brand of excellence, its onestop non-stop shop as well as becoming part of the solution during these challenging times, and continued operations—all while observing strict health and safety protocols—is chosen by many investors,” Plaza added.

Earlier this month, Peza appealed to the government for the inclusion of economic frontline workers in the A4 priority group for Covid-19 vaccination.

The regulator also said it was open to helping company locators in purchasing Covid-19 doses, even offering tax-free importation.

Plaza noted that the locators may choose their own supplier and administrator of vaccines. However, she said that Peza is “not in a position to subsidize the cost or advance payment of vaccines for and on behalf of the locators.”

Last year, Peza saw a decline in investment approvals as the lockdown measures amid the pandemic discouraged expansion plans among locators. The total investments approved by the agency in 2020 reached P95 billion, which was 19 percent lower than the P117.54 billion it registered in 2019. Projected employment from these investments is 72,703.

Peza regulates around 410 economic zones nationwide, majority or 290 of which are IT parks and centers.

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ATHER than pulling out as demanded by the Philippines, China has kept its ships in some areas of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and West Philippine Sea (WPS), and their number has even increased. They include those manned by the Chinese Navy.

Even Vietnamese ships have also been sighted within the country’s exclusive economic zone, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on Wednesday as it sustained its sovereignty patrols in the KIG and WPS. The task force said that Area Task ForceWest reported that based on its maritime patrol on May 9, a total of 287 Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels are scattered over the various features of the Municipality of Kalayaan, “both within and outside the EEZ.” As for Chinese Navy vessels, two CMMs and two Houbei-class missile warships were seen inside the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef while a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship was also spotted in the main waters of Kalayaan. On May 6 and 7, Chinese Coast Guard vessels were sighted at the Pag-asa Cays and Ayungin Shoal.

The NTF-WPS by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr said that the May 9 patrol also showed the presence of 34 CMM ships at Julian Felipe Reef. Previously, the government had reported that only nine Chinese ships were left at the reef.

The increased number of Chinese vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef indicated some ships returned to the reef after most of them dispersed weeks ago. On March 7, at least 227 CMM vessels were seen at the reef, but most of them left three weeks later.

EARLIER, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque drew flak for saying the country has never been in possession of Julian Felipe.

The Julian Felipe Reef, the NTF-WPS

said, is a low tide elevation located 175 nautical miles (NM) from Bataraza, Palawan and “within our 200-nautical mile EEZ,” also disputing Roque’s claim about it being outside the EEZ. “It is part of Philippine territory in as much as it is located within the overlapping 12 NM territorial seas of McKennan [Chigua] Reef and of another possible hightide feature, Grierson [Sin Cowe East] Reef, also our territories under the Municipality of Kalayaan,” the NTF-WPS said.

The May 9 patrol of the Area Task Force-West also sighted two Vietnamese logistics/supply ships and one Vietnamese Coast Guard VN vessel at Sin Cowe East (Grierson) Reef.

The NTF-WPS said that from May 3 up to 10, the Area Task Force-North reported an average presence of four Chinese Coast Guard vessels at Bajo de Masinloc, and an average of one similar vessel, each for both the Pag-asa Islands and Ayungin Shoal.

“Further, the same patrol observed two CMM ships at Panata Island; one Vietnamese fishing vessel at Kota [Loaita] Island; sixty-four [64] CMM in Burgos [Gaven] Reef North; two Vietnamese Fisheries Surveillance ships at Paredes [Discovery Great] Reef; and one CN [Chinese Navy] rescue service hip, three PLAN [People’s Liberation Army-Navy warships] and 55 CMM vessels at Kagitingan [Fiery Cross] Reef,” the task force said.

The task force said the country is beefing up its presence in the WPS “with a view towards law enforcement, deterrence of illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing [IUUF], and protection of the welfare and safety of our fisherfolk. The latter are encouraged to sail and fish in the WPS.”

“The National Task Force remains guided by the national policy and interest in asserting our territorial and sovereign rights as upheld by the 2016 arbitral ruling,” the NTF-WPS said.

“We reiterate that the Philippines shall continue to defend its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea, and shall not yield an inch of our territory,” it added.

Locsin vs Roque

ROQUE’S remark about Julian Felipe reef being outside the Philippines’s EEZ, meanwhile, also drew a stinging reaction from Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. Locsin said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has the last word on foreign policy. “There is only one voice on what’s ours: mine. Period. Not even the military has any say. I speak for the President on this subject,” Locsin tweeted.

Locsin was reacting to Roque’s response to a question in a Malacañang press briefing, when asked on Tuesday about China’s continued militarization in the West Philippine Sea. According to Roque, the reef is not even in the country’s EEZ, but the continued presence of Chinese vessels there was the subject of numerous diplomatic protests lodged by the DFA. However, Roque backtracked what he said earlier and claimed we could pursue our claim to the boomerang-shaped lagoon by bringing the matter to the International Court.

“While Julian Felipe Reef is not within our Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ] because it forms part of the territorial sea of McKennan which we claim in accordance with the Marcos Presidential Decree, it is in our country’s interest to continuously pursue our claim through diplomacy or in the future by submitting it to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice,” Roque said in a separate statement.

Earlier, in reply to Roque’s rhetorical question of “What can we do?” in a tweet, Locsin said ,“What can we do? Let’s try this: drop the subject and leave it entirely to the Department of Foreign Affairs under ME, the only expert on the subject bar none.

I’ve known China since 1967; Chito Sta. Romana along with me. Even the military has nothing to do with foreign affairs.”

NPF can dictate terms on timeline, use for ICTSI mega-vaxx facility B M. S F. A

@akosistellaBM Special to the BM

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HE Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) can actually dictate the terms of the use of their property for the proposed mega-vaccination facility that will be constructed, free of charge, by the ICTSI Foundation.

In a memorandum to the now resigned NPF Executive Director Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto dated April 6, 2021, a copy of which was obtained by the BM, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said, “The NPF may want to indicate a period covering the dates of its temporary use in the Memorandum of Agreement [MOA] to specify the time-bound usage of the property, and also indicate that it will be exclusively used as a vaccination center within the purview of the government’s national vaccination program.”

The NPF is supposed to sign a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health (DOH) to pave the way for the establishment of the temporary megavaxx facility at a portion of the foundation’s 9.5-hectare property that had been reserved earlier for its Project Sambayanihan, a national cultural park to rise in the Pagcor Entertainment City.

Romulo Puyat also suggested the NPF may be able to ask ICTSI Foundation to help in creating the forest park and creative hub the foundation had envisioned under Project Sambayanihan. “In addition, there may be leeway for Nayong Pilipino to negotiate with the proponent to include and complement some aspects of the Board’s current plans for the eventual use of the property when they construct the temporary vaccination center.”

The DOT made this assurance to the NPF Board after some members expressed initial concerns that “giving up possession of the NPF property will result in the fail-

ure of NPF to fulfill its mandate of establishing a cultural park and creative hub.”

‘Talahib, not a forest’

NETIZENS took up the cause of one environmental group railing against the alleged cutting of some 500 ipil-ipil trees on the NPF property for the mega-vaxx facility. Photos shared with the BM, however, showed the lot where the mega-vaxx center would rise was mainly empty, with an overgrowth of wild grass and weeds.

Nayong Pilipino sits on a 15-hectare piece of reclaimed land within the Pagcor Entertainment City in Parañaque.

“We never undertook any legitimate planting of trees there,” said one former NPF board member, who requested anonymity. “So what you will see are empty lots na tinubuan lang ng talahib. Anything you see there is a result of neglect. Tinubuan ng talahib, a bird flew over and dropped a

seed, tumubo. But definitely it’s not a forest,” he said.

Meanwhile, in an interview with CNN Philippines on Tuesday evening, ICTSI Chairman Enrique K. Razon Jr. said they would need about “8 hectares” for the proposed mega-vaxx facility: “You need to process people, we need reception, we need inoculation, and we need the observation area where you have to spend 15 minutes to see if there are any side effects.” He added, the facility will be patterned after large vaccination centers in the United States.

“We need to vaccinate the people to be able to open the economy.... At the rate the vaccinations are going, it will take years to obtain herd immunity. We cannot wait years. We have to do this now,” said the business mogul.

Referring to environmental concerns raised by netizens, Razon stressed “but this is a health crisis. People are dying every day.”

Who pays for Roque’s salary?—Kiko

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PPOSITION Senator Francis Pangilinan wants to know if Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque is “getting his salary from China,” recalling that the Palace official is “frequently taking the side of China” in the raging debate over conflicting claims and reported Chinese intrusions well within the West Philippine Sea territory.

Pangilinan raised the issue on Wednesday after noting Roque’s recently reported comments, citing for instance, the Palace official’s claim that the area involved—Julian Felipe Reef—was not part of the Philippines’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Pangilinan rejected the Palace official’s alibi that only administration critics were blowing up the Julian Felipe Reef occupation into a big issue, noting the reported massing of over 200 ships from China in the area.

While Duterte critics may have seized on the President’s silence on the matter when the maritime militia boats were reported by the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, it is not “just the critics” who took issue with the matter.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. fired off a series of diplomatic protests against Beijing and vowed to fi le one note verbale for each day the Chinese boats remain in the area.

And, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana pointedly told China to pull out all its vessels, rebuking the Chinese embassy for saying those were fishing boars seeking shelter from bad weather. “I am no fool,” the defense chief said.

Pangilinan suggested that somebody should remind Roque he is drawing salary “paid for by Filipino taxpayers, and not China.” Butch Fernandez

Fitch unit cuts PHL’s ’21 growth forecast C  A

now expect these to be more stringent than we had previously assumed,” Fitch Solutions.

Just this week, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the country’s economy contracted by 4.5, the fifth consecutive quarter that the local GDP is in the negative growth territory.

Remittances

REMITTANCES, meanwhile, are expected to continue to support the country as advanced economies start to recover this year.

“One support factor for households is the likely rebound in remittance flows from abroad...A strong recovery in the US and a pick-up in international trade will bolster remittance inflows, with the US accounting for around 40 percent of remittances and sea-based employment around 22 percent,” Fitch Solutions said.

Latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that cash remittances to the Philippines hit a total of $2.48 billion in February. This is 5.1 percent more than the remittances sent to the country in February 2020 at $2.36 billion.

The BSP said the growth in cash remittances for the first two months of the year largely emanated from Filipinos in the United States, Malaysia, and Singapore.

“We also forecast government consumption growth of 7 percent to support domestic demand, offsetting some of the weakness in the private sector,” Fitch Solutions said. Bianca Cuaresma

Govt to tap...

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declared savings under the FY2020.

It will also determine the deficiencies in any existing item of appropriations under the same GAA that need to be augmented.

AO 41 is part of the austerity measure of the government to raise funds for its programs during the pandemic such as the government’s emergency subsidies to lowincome households during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increasing cases of Covid-19 infection call for intensified government-wide response and recovery measures including various forms of socioeconomic relief and assistance to those affected by the imposition of strict levels of community quarantine,” Medialdea said.

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SC alters rule on annulment of marriage

DOH to Muslims: Learn from India’s debacle, follow health protocols on Eid’l Fit’r festivity

By Manuel T. Cayon

By Joel R. San Juan

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

@jrsanjuan1573

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HE Supreme Cour t on Wednesday announced that it has issued a ruling that modified the concept of psychological incapacity as a ground in the annulment of marriages.

The SC’s Public Information Office (PIO) disclosed that the High Tribunal unanimously decided during its en banc session on Tuesday to modify the interpretation of the requirements of psychological incapacity as a ground in nullifying a marriage under Article 36 of the Family Code.

“The Court pronounced that psychological incapacity is not a medical but a legal concept. It refers to a personal condition that prevents a spouse to comply with fundamental martial obligations only in relation to a specific partner that may exist at the time of the marriage but may have revealed through behavior subsequent to the ceremonies,” the SC declared in its decisions on the case of TanAndal vs. Andal, GR 196359.

The Court held that psychological incapacity “need not be a mental or personality disorder.”

“It need not be a permanent and incurable condition,” the Court stressed.

With the ruling, the Court said the testimony of psychologist to prove psychological incapacity of a party would no longer be a requirement in all cases seeking nullification of marriages.

“Therefore, the testimony of psychologist or psychiatrist is not mandatory in all cases. The totality of the evidence must show clear and convincing evidence to cause the declaration of nullity of marriage,” the SC said.

A copy of the decision that was penned by SC Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has yet to be officially released to the public.

The SC PIO noted that several justices also gave their concurring opinions in the case.

Based on the data earlier obtained from the Office of the Court Administrator, there are a total of 12,605 pending cases seeking the nullity or annulment of marriage as of February 15, 2021.

On the other hand, various courts including by the Shariah Circuit Courts (SHCC) resolved 4,954 cases seeking dissolution of marriages.

The record also showed that there are 178 cases seeking legal separation still pending before the lower courts, while 72 cases have been decided as of February 2021.

In 2000, the SC designated 68 trial courts as family courts to hear and decide complaints for annulment of marriage, declaration of nullity of marriage and those relating to marital status and property relations of husband and wife or those living together under different status and agreements, and petitions for dissolution of conjugal partnership of gains and petitions for support and/or acknowledgment, among others.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, May 13, 2021 A3

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AVAO CITY—The Department of Health here has issued a stern warning against likely crowd-gathering in Moro communities to celebrate the Eid’l Fit’r, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan among Filipino Muslims.

“The Department of Health reminds our Moro sisters and brothers as they celebrate Eid’l Fitr to strictly follow the minimum public health standards and local community quarantine protocols at all times,” the DOH said.

It listed six items to observe: pray and celebrate Eid at home to keep safe from Covid-19; observe physical distancing of at least 1 meter when going to places of worship or in public places, and wear face mask and face shield properly; ensure proper ventilation in the place of gathering and limit interaction to 15 minutes; wash or sanitize the hands, especially after touching frequently touched surfaces; follow health protocols implemented by the mosque and of the local government authorities; and refrain from attending gatherings if one

IN this pre-pandemic file photo, a large group of Muslims gather at a mosque as part of the Eid’l Fit’r festivity. NONIE REYES

feels any symptoms.

The DOH said, however, that those who would still attend the gatherings must “immedi-

ately isolate themselves for a minimum of 14 days and stay in a room separate from family members who did not physically

attend any gathering.”

“Monitor if you will experience any of the following symptoms: fever, sore throat, colds, clogged nose,

lethargy, red eyes, loss of smell and taste, diarrhea, body aches, skin rashes and headache. If you experience any of the symptoms above, contact your Barangay Health Emergency Response Team,” the DOH added.

The Eid’l Fit’r would be celebrated today, Thursday, until Friday.

The warning came after India sustained the world’s biggest infection rate immediately after holding the country’s biggest festival, the Kumbh Mela, in the whole month of April. Global health authorities blamed the gathering of not less than 100 million pilgrims and celebrants in the river-ford sites along the Ganges River in India in the week between April 12 and April 21.

The Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years at the so-called sacred tirhas, or in certain accessible sites of the Ganges River.

Last year, the gathering of Tableeghs, or Islamic missionaries, in a mosque in Kuala Lumpur in the last week of February to the early part of March, was blamed for the spike of cases in Malaysia. Some Flipino Muslims who attended the Tableegh gathering eventually fell ill upon returning to their hometowns in Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and Maguindanao.

Clash after Duterte’s Maguindanao visit Eleazar relieves Caloocan station Strong quake jolts in Army camp claims four BIFF fighters chief from post after resort fiasco Mindoro, Calabarzon

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

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OUR members of a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were killed on Wednesday in a firefight with soldiers on the outskirts of Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, the military reported.

Troops pursuing members of the BIFF-Karialan faction clashed with the group and killed four of its members, whose bodies were recovered along with a high-powered firearm.

Members of the group attacked Datu Paglas over the weekend and briefly occupied its public market before they retreated following a firefight with soldiers from the 601st Brigade and negotiations by local officials.

The Karialan faction was the subject of an operation by the military in areas and municipalities adjacent to Datu Paglas where some of its members escaped to Datu Paglas and occupied its market.

The military said the early morning clash happened after the visit of President Duterte to the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, on Tuesday.

At the camp, Duterte met with military commanders and local officials of Central Mindanao and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao wherein he called on the local officials to help him in addressing the extremist and terrorist threats in Central Mindanao.

The Commander-in-Chief also

ordered the military to intensify its operations in order to prevent terrorist groups from attacking civilian communities.

Meanwhile, in the campaign against insurgency, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) defended its designation of eight spokespersons, saying all of them are not going to receive any salary from the task force.

“I don’t see any reason why some sectors should fear what is not there.

Contrary to their baseless speculations, our designated spokespersons are not offered any monetary reward for this extra work. It is basically gratis et amore for them and I am personally grateful that they rose up to the challenge,” NTF-ELCAC Vice Chairman and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said.

On Tuesday, Esperon also announced the designation of six other officials as spokespersons of the task force aside from Lt. General Antonio Parlade and Presidential Communications Operations Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy.

The six are Undersecretaries Joel Sy Egco, Jonathan Malaya and Severo Catura, Asst. Secretary Celine Pialago, lawyer Marlon Bosantog and Gay Florendo, who would be paid by their respective agencies.

“In fact, there are many other local NTF-ELCAC regional spokespersons who, like their national counterparts, do not get extra privileges. It’s just all extra work in line with the whole-ofgovernment and whole-of-nation approach in ending this senseless armed conflict,” Esperon said.

N

ATIONAL Police chief General Guillermo Eleazar relieved a police official from his post on Wednesday following his failure to implement public health protocols in his area of jurisdiction in Caloocan City.

Eleazar removed Major Harold Aaron Melgar, commander of Caloocan City Police Community Precinct 9, from his post following an incident several days ago wherein a resort located within his area was allowed to operate with swarms of people frolicking the swimming pool.

Melgar’s relief was followed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief’s directive to police commanders to closely supervise their respective areas of responsibility to help curb the resurgence of Covid-19 cases.

The Gubat sa Ciudad resort located at Barangay 171, Bagumbong, Caloocan City and falls within the PCP 9 jurisdiction, has been shut down by the city government after opening its swimming pool to hundreds of people,

including small children, amid the imposed modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The PNP chief said investigation is still under way to determine Melgar’s culpability in the Gubat sa Ciudad incident.

“We will still give him due process.

But if the result of the probe shows that there is negligence on his part, he will definitely be charged. Even the [barangay] chairman who has jurisdiction over the Gubat sa Ciudad resort will not be spared from this incident,” Eleazar said.

Eleazar lauded the decision of Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan to prioritize the isolation and testing for Covid-19 on those who went to the Gubat sa Ciudad resort.

“I commend Mayor Oca for prioritizing the isolation and testing of these individuals. That was an important step to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. Rene Acosta

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

A

5.8-MAGNITUDE earthquake struck Mindoro Island Wednesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

The earthquake, which was of tectonic origin, occurred at 9:09 a.m. It was strongly felt in the entire Calabarzon region and nearby Metro Manila with intensities ranging from 1 to 5.

Phivolcs said the epicenter of the earthquake is 11 kilometers northeast of the town of Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro. It had a depth of 110 kilometers.

There were no reports of damage or injury as a result of the earthquake although authorities said aftershocks are expected.

MWC pipe repair to affect 14 villages in QC, Marikina

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ANILA Water Corp. Inc. announced on Wednesday that it would undertake emergency leak repairs on its 600mm mainline along Katipunan Road in Barangay Escopa City, in Quezon City.

The mainline was damaged by a contractor of the Department of Public Works and Highways while conducting clearing operations in the area.

The leak repairs would result in temporary water service interruption affecting around 48,000 people in 10,654 households, commercial and business establishments being serviced by Manila Water beginning Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Thursday, May 13, 2021.

These are concentrated in 13 Quezon City barangays, namely, Loyola Heights, Amihan, Marilag, Escopa 1,

2, 3, & 4, Blue Ridge A & B, Milagrosa, St. Ignatius, Libis, and Bagumbayan.

Barangay Industrial Valley Complex in Marikina City will also be affected.

Manila Water said water tankers are currently being deployed to assist customers who are already experiencing low water pressure.

More tankers will be on standby and ready to be deployed at any time prior to and during the interruption schedule. Jonathan L. Mayuga

161 LGUs around Manila Bay area receive shredder-composters from DENR

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TOTAL of 161 local government units (LGUs) within the Manila Bay region have been provided with shredder-composter units.

The project, a joint effort of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the office of Senator Cynthia Villar is part of the ongoing effort to address pollution in Manila Bay. There are a total of 178 LGUs in eight provinces within the so-called Manila Bay region

that stretches from Cavite to Bataan province.

The Manila Bay region consists of the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac in Central Luzon; Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna in Calabarzon, and the 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila.

Of the 161 shredder-composter units distributed, Laguna received 30; Nueva Ecija, 30; Bulacan, 24; Pampanga, 22; Cavite, 23; Rizal,

14; Bataan, 12; and Tarlac, 6.

The remaining 17 are up for bidding and the DENR aims to complete the bidding process and installation, and to turn them over to their respective LGU hosts within the quarter.

“This is part of our continuing efforts to clean up Manila Bay, as ordered in the Supreme Court continuing mandamus. Solid waste management is a major concern in the rehabilitation of the Bay along with the

illegal discharge of untreated wastewater,” Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said in a news statement.

The DENR chief cited Villar’s advocacy for environmental stewardship, saying it has amplified the DENR’s voice for it to be “clearly heard within the halls of the Senate.”

“Undoubtedly, her advocacy has been a big push for the DENR strides to overcome profound challenges particularly in getting

LGUs to prioritize compliance with RA 9003 in their governance, especially in the Manila Bay area,” Cimatu said.

DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said the 161 units of shredder-composter have been formally turned over to the respective local governments.

“This is a huge help to LGUs to comply with the provisions of Republic Act [RA] 9003,

or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. It is anchored on the support Sen. Villar has been giving to us in the DENR,” Antiporda said.

Antiporda, meanwhile lauded Villar’s determination to equip all LGUs with composting facilities, which will facilitate compliance of LGUs with RA 9003 and boost measures to prevent dumping of solid and liquid wastes into Manila Bay’s water. Jonathan L. Mayuga

Economy BusinessMirror

A4 Thursday, May 13, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

DOE and Japan’s JOGMEC sign accord to update PHL natl oil contingency plan

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

T

HE Department of Energy (DOE) and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp.

(JOGMEC) signed on Wednesday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for a study that would update the 2002 Philippine National Oil Contingency Plan, as well as provide recommendations on the creation and operation of a Strategic Petroleum (SPR) Program.

“Today’s signing speaks volumes on Japan’s commitment to help the Philippines succeed in attaining its energy security goals. I take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the Japanese government and its private sector for helping us attain our long-term goals,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

The MOA is an offshoot of the

DOE’s collaboration with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and JOGMEC to update the 2002 METI study, “Master Plan for the Development of Stockpiling for the Philippines.”

Under t he MOA , JOGMEC will conduct a study within eight months of its signing, and the parties shall have a one-year consultative period after the submission of the final report.

Among others, the study would include the petroleum products’ supply and demand situation in the past five years and the expected growth for the next 20 years; the international strategic petroleum reserve program situation in the past five years to address supply disruptions; Philippine government-owned and privately owned crude oil and finished petroleum products’ storage facilities in the past five years

and the expected growth for the next 20 years; existing Philippine policies and implementation to address petroleum products’ supply for normal demand, as well as demand for contingency/emergency response due to any international or domestic supply disruption; An analysis of the gaps in the existing Philippine governmentowned and private-owned petroleum products’ storage facilities to address the existing and the expected growth in demand, as well as the contingency/emergency response during any international and domestic supply disruption; An analysis of the role of the DOE, the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) and other relevant government agencies to address the Philippine national petroleum products’ contingency/emergency supply strategies and measures; provide rec-

ommendations on the creation and operation of the Philippine SPRP; and submit to DOE the recommended updated 2002 Philippine National Oil Contingency Plan incorporating all the above data, information, analysis, SPRP recommendations and the overall recommendations on how to address the Philippine national petroleum products supply security and contingency/emergency response to any international or domestic supply disruption.

Two months after the completion of the study, JOGMEC will submit to the DOE its final output, an updated 2002 Philippine National Oil Contingency Plan, and all its corresponding relevant data and information. They will likewise provide relevant recommendations on the creation and operation of the Philippine Strategic Petroleum Reserve Program.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BSP: ₧6.93-B CSF funds benefit 17,527 MSMEs as of December

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

M

ICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSME) continued to tap credit surety funds (CSFs) across the country for their financing needs during the pandemic, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday.

The BSP said loans for MSMEs released under the CSF have reached an estimated P6.93 billion in December 2020 based on their recent survey.

It also reported that as of end2020, an estimated 17,527 MSME borrowers have benefited under the CSF initiative since its launch as an advocacy program in 2008.

The CSF is a credit enhancement program for the MSMEs that cannot access bank credit due to lack of hard collaterals and credit history.

It works by pooling monetary contributions from cooperatives, nongovernment organizations, local government units, and part-

ner institutions.

The pooled monetary contributions then serve as an alternative security in lieu of the hard collaterals required by banks, thereby helping capital-short MSMEs with viable business plans gain access to bank loans.

As of end-March 2021, 55 CSFs have been established across the country, of which 14 are registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said at least 15 more CSFs are expected to be registered by year-end, with the rest likely to complete the process next year.

“The CSF demonstrates the power of partnerships. By bringing together regulators, financial institutions, local government units, cooperatives and nongovernment organizations, the CSF becomes an effective tool not only for sustainable MSME financing, but also for economic development and poverty reduction,” Diokno stressed.

NEA and power co-ops energize 362 remote villages in first 4 months of ’21

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HE National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported Wednesday that a total of 362 sitios or far-flung communities now have electricity as of April this year.

From January to April this year, NEA and electric cooperatives (ECs) were able to bring power to off-grid areas under the agency’s Sitio Electrification Program (SEP).

Based on data, 200 sitios in Mindanao were newly

energized, followed by the Visayas with 106 sitios, and Luzon with 56 sitios.

Broken down per region: six sitios were energized in Region 2; two sitios in Cordillera Administrative Region; 10 sitios in Region 3; five sitios in Region 4A; 21 sitios in Region 4B; and 12 sitios in Region 5.

At least 11 sitios were energized in Region 6; 78 sitios in Region 7; 17 sitios in Region 8; seven sitios in Region 9; 81 sitios in Region 10;

seven sitios in Region 11; 67 sitios in Region 12; 27 sitios in Caraga; and 11 sitios in BARMM. Funding was sourced from the previous years’ General Appropriations Act (GAA).

For this year’s SEP implementation, the NEA has an approved budget of P1.627 billion. This amount will be able to electrify 1,085 sitios nationwide. Energizing a sitio costs an average P1.5 million.

For the energization of off-

grid areas in the countr yside, the NEA is undertaking two solutions: the Strategized Sitio Electrification Program (SSEP) and the Strategized Household Electrification Program (SHEP).

The SSEP has an allocated budget of P12 million under the 2019 GAA to conduct a feasibility study on establishing a mini-grid system with renewable-energy sources.

Feasibility study is currently

being done in six off-grid sites under the franchise areas of Quezon II Electric Cooperative Inc. (QUEZELCO II), Zamboanga del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. (ZANECO), and South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative Inc. (SOCOTECO II).

The SHEP, on the other hand, is intended to bring electricity to dispersed and isolated households, which are unviable for grid connection for the next five years. The target

is to electrify at least 5,000 households in off-grid areas using Solar Home Systems (SHS).

The installation of SHS is now ongoing in the household beneficiaries under the coverage areas of ZANECO, Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative Inc. (BISELCO), Iloilo III Electric Cooperative Inc. (ILECO III), Camarines Sur IV Electric Cooperative Inc. (CASURECO IV), and Cotabato Electric Cooperative Inc. (COTELCO). Lenie Lectura

Three House panels approve bill on EV regulation

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

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HR EE House committees on Wednesday approved an unnumbered substitute bill regulating the use of electric vehicles (EV).

The House Committees on Energy, Transportation and Ecology have jointly approved the substitute bill on the use of EVs and their development as an industry.

Committee on Energy Vice Chair-

man Jose Enrique Garcia III of Bataan, head of the technical working group (TWG), said the substitute bill is a consolidation of House Bills 444, 738, 1432, 2020, 4075, 4179, 4356, 4366, 4391, 4962, 6604, 7298, 7299, 7317 and 7607.

According to Garcia, the substitute measure aims to create a national policy and framework to encourage the uptake of EVs in the public and private sectors.

The bill seeks to mandate all gasoline stations, as well as pub-

lic and private establishments reserve designated parking slots for EVs equipped with charging stations.

The bill also establishes an accreditation mechanism for all charging station service providers.

The measure aims to create green routes exclusive to electric public-utility vehicles and include domestic electric vehicles manufacturing in the investment priorities plan.

The bill also provides value-

added tax (VAT) exemption for the purchase of EVs. Committee on Ecology Chairman and Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Glona Labadlabad said the consolidated bill is a sustainable development measure that seeks to balance environmental protection with economic and social development.

Meanwhile, Committee on Transportation Chairman and Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento said he hopes that the substitute bill would be passed in the 18th Congress.

DTI chief calls for ‘assured’ vaccine procurement deal

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

I

N enticing firms to set up vaccine facilities in the country, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the government must ensure purchase commitment for the locally produced doses.

“We can have some commitment in terms of purchasing [Covid-19 vaccines],” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Wednesday in a TV interview. “[What is needed is] assurance [of] procurement. That would suffice,” he added.

Lopez told reporters that said initiative is currently being deliberated with the Department of Health and the vaccine committee, noting that there is no final commitment yet on the Covid-19 vaccine volume.

“This is possible for now under an EUA [emergency use authorization] certified vaccine using the import -fill-finish model,” he explained. “This model will allow an earlier start of operations, possibly before year end or early next year.”

The DTI chief added they are coordinating already with the local company to set a timeline for the start of Covid-19 vaccine production.

Meanwhile, Lopez said that the order mandating the creation of green lane for vaccine manufacturing appli-

cations is expected to be signed next week. He noted that the Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta) has been working with concerned agencies in finalizing the related procedures.

The proposed green lane, Lopez said, is only applicable to bulk importation, fill and finish model under a EUA application.

During the meeting, the trade department suggested cutting the processing period for permits, or maximum of 21 days only.

“There’s a provision that to expedite processing, advanced information and documents can be submitted to FDA [Food and Drug Administration], prior to official assessment,” Lopez said.

He also recommended for post-audit of the application and designation of focal unit or official in FDA. United Laboratories Inc. confirmed its commitment to produce Covid-19 doses last April 7. It is eyeing to operate its form, fill and finish plant by 2023.

Glovax Biotech earlier announced its partnership with Korean vaccine manufacturer Eubiologics to produce EuCorVac-19 in the country. It has an annual capacity of 100 million doses and can allocate 40 million to the Philippines.

In addition, DTI is also in talks with IP Biotech and IG Biotech; and Dr. Zen Biotech Inc.

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

The World

Infectious variant from India detected in 44 nations: WHO

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he more-infectious coronavirus driving a catastrophic Covid-19 epidemic in India was detected in 44 countries, according to the World Health Organization, which urged more studies to understand its severity and propensity to cause reinfections.

The strain, identified in October, spawned three versions—B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3—amid an unprecedented spike in Covid-19 cases that made the South Asian country the site of the world’s worst coronavirus crisis.

Though there may be important differences among the three, the available evidence is too limited to characterize them individually, the WHO said in a report on Tuesday. Any impacts on effectiveness of vaccines or therapeutics remain uncertain, it said.

Meanwhile, some companies in India are temporarily halting business or offering unusual assistance to employees as a devastating wave of the coronavirus sickens and kills hundreds of thousands.

Feng Tay said it will suspend its Indian factories for 10 working days to keep its employees safe, following firms including Honda Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. that have announced similar decisions in recent days.

Developer Godrej Properties Ltd. extended a long weekend by three days to offer its employees time “to heal” while property company The Lodha Group will pay 12 months salary to the family of any of its associates who dies of Covid while in the service of the firm.

Key developments:

France readies ‘health pass’

After an initial rejection on Tuesday, France’s National Assembly adopted a provision that will allow for the creation of a “health pass” for people who are immunized against Covid-19 or who have tested negative. They will be able to show a certificate to travel and join group gatherings.

Taiwan tightens control measures

ThE government will strengthen Covid-19 control measures at businesses around Taiwan, health minister Chen Shih-chung said as a daily record of 16 local cases were reported on Wednesday. Those who fail to comply will face fines or closure of businesses and the government will expand contact tracing. Liberty Times earlier cited the minister as saying Taiwan may elevate its alert level for the virus.

Bangkok’s vaccination push

Thailand plans to inoculate the majority of the adult population in Bangkok in the coming months to quell a flareup in virus infections that’s made the capital city the epicenter of the nation’s biggest Covid-19 outbreak.

More than 7 million residents will be able to get their shots at hospitals, malls, gymnasiums and mobile vaccine units, according to Sophon Mekthon, vice minister of public health. With only about 5 percent of Bangkok’s adult population currently vaccinated, the goal is to reach 70 percent as soon as possible, he said.

The Southeast Asian nation, which was largely successful in containing the pandemic for much of last year, has been hit by a third wave of infections that started in Bangkok’s night entertainment venues.

Singapore airport cluster widens

Singaporean authorities found 13 new cases of coronavirus with more than half linked to an existing cluster at Changi Airport as the government stepped up testing to track down the spread in the local community.

Singapore has taken an aggressive approach in tackling an uptick in coronavirus infections by tightening border controls and reimposing stricter social distancing rules in recent weeks.

Lawrence Wong, the minister who co-chairs the government’s virus taskforce, said the country’s virus situation is “now on the knife’s edge” and community cases could go either way over the next few weeks.

Korea seeks vaccine partnership

“Vaccine partnership” is on the agenda for next week’s bilateral summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his US counterpart Joe Biden, according to presidential chief of staff for policy Lee Ho-seung.

The US has the original vaccine technology, while South Korea has worldclass bio-production facilities, said Lee, adding that the Asian nation could potentially become a “global hub” for vaccine production.

Hanoi restricts gatherings

Hanoi banned gatherings of more than 10 people in public places and requested the suspension of non-essential meetings and events.

The city, which is asking residents to leave home for essential reasons only, closed parks after a new outbreak centered in North Vietnam began April 27. The municipality also requested beer establishments, wet markets and most restaurants to close.

WEF to go ahead in Singapore

The World Economic Forum plans to go ahead with its annual meeting in Singapore this August despite a jump in coronavirus cases that prompted the Asian city-state to reimpose restrictions and tighten border controls.

The WEF’s marquee event, typically held in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, is scheduled for Aug. 17-20.

Singapore last week curbed entry for most foreign workers and ordered mass testing after new cases of the virus.

Malaysia unifies Covid protocols

Malaysia will follow a standardized protocol nationwide to make it easier for people to comply with social-distancing procedures as the nation bolsters efforts to stem a new wave of Covid infections.

The decision comes after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin extended the restrictions on movements nationwide to rein in the fresh wave that has left some hospitals low on ICU beds. There’s been confusion among the public over the different protocols that have been imposed from time to time to tackle the pandemic.

Study finds China’s Sinovac effective

Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s vaccine is wiping out Covid-19 among health workers in Indonesia, an encouraging sign for the dozens of developing countries reliant on the controversial Chinese shot, which performed far worse than western vaccines in clinical trials.

Indonesia tracked 25,374 health workers in capital city Jakarta for 28 days after they received their second dose and found that the vaccine protected 100 percent of them from death and 96 percent from hospitalization as soon as seven days after, said Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in an interview on Tuesday. The workers were tracked until late February.

“We see a very, very drastic drop,” in hospitalizations and deaths among medical workers, Sadikin said. It’s not known what strain of the coronavirus Sinovac’s shot worked against in Indonesia, but the country hasn’t flagged any major outbreaks driven by variants of concern. Bloomberg News

BusinessMirror

Thursday, May 13, 2021

A5

India Covid deaths top 250,000 as total infections hit 23 million

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EW DELHI—India has confirmed 4,205 more deaths, setting another daily record and taking its official Covid-19 toll past 250,000 as it battles a ferocious surge in infections.

Around 370,000 new cases were added in the last 24 hours, pushing India’s total cases past 23 million, according to the health ministry. The figures are considered vast undercounts due to insufficient testing and records among other factors.

On Tuesday, authorities warned that nearly 90 percent of districts in the country are seeing a high positivity rate, sparking fears the coronavirus is spreading to India’s rural areas faster than during a surge last year.

Infections have swelled in India since February in a disastrous turn blamed on more contagious variants as well as government decisions to allow massive crowds to gather for religious festivals and political rallies.

Taiwan stocks sink 8.6 percent on virus woes, tech rout

T

aiwan stocks slumped the most since March last year as concern over further tightening of coronavirus-linked restrictions and a global tech selloff spooked investors.

The Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index finished the session 4.1 percent lower after slumping as much as 8.6 percent in morning trading, the worst intraday loss since 1969. Having fallen 9.6 percent from an April high, the gauge narrowly missed a technical correction.

Heavyweight Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. were among the biggest drags, down 1.9 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively, on Wednesday.

The selloff marks a sharp turn for the equity index which ranked among Asia’s best performers before it started to retreat at the end of April. Taiwan will strengthen Covid control measures at businesses around Taiwan and those who fail to comply will face fines or closure of businesses, health minister Chen Shih-chung said at briefing in Taipei this afternoon.

The plunge prompted a move by the National Financial Stabilization Fund to hold an extraordinary meeting to decide whether to intervene, according to a local media report citing deputy finance minister Juan Ching-hwa. Juan, when reached by Bloomberg News, said the fund doesn’t plan to hold a meeting to discuss stock market support today, but its committee doesn’t rule out holding extraordinary meetings to discuss support measures if the market is out of order.

“Investor confidence in Taiex has collapsed now due to concerns over Covid-19 after health minister said it’s possible forTaiwan to escalate alert level for Covid-19,”said Paul Cheng, president of MasterLink Securities Investment Advisory. “And there are some concerns over tech shares especially for the second half outlook due to factors including rising manufacturing costs and lower margins.”

Local investors have turned increasingly wary as health authorities continue to battle the widening coronavirus outbreak that threatens Taiwan’s status as one of the safest places in the world to ride out the pandemic. Taiwan reported a daily record of 16 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Forced selling by leveraged retail investors could have played a role in Wednesday’s swoon as margin debt in Taiwan’s stock market had almost doubled in six months to about NT$260 billion ($9.3 billion) by the end of April, the highest level since 2011. The total value of stocks traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange reached NT$758.5 billion today, a record high.

“For a short-term correction, it is the perfect storm that you have a few events playing out: You’ve had strong interest and strong outperformance in the markets, the first signs of Covid and a bit of global skittishness and that couples with what you’re seeing,”said Randy Abrams, Credit Suisse Head of Taiwan Securities Research, on Bloomberg TV. “It’s a tech-heavy market and you’ve seen that shift from growth toward value.”

Still, some market watchers appeared to remain optimistic about the stock benchmark, citing that the selloff was outsized compared to the relatively small number of new Covid-19 cases.

“Today’s market is overreacting,” said Li Fang Kuo, chairman of President Capital Management.“It is expected that today’s low point is already the bottom of this wave, and there will be a chance to rebound tomorrow. We are still optimistic about the overall Taiwan stock market.”

Bloomberg News

Even though daily cases have shown very early signs of flattening, experts have cautioned authorities to not let down their guard.

With nearly 4 million cases still active, health care systems remain strained with limited hospital beds, oxygen and medicine.

Many states have imposed their own restrictions to curb infections, and the southern state of Telangana became the latest to announce a 10-day lockdown on Tuesday. Calls and pressure for a nationwide lockdown have been mounting.

Thailand national prayer event

Meanwhile, Buddhist monks in Thailand held a national prayer event Tuesday evening to boost

A man wearing personal protective equipment prays in front of the burning funeral pyre of his father who died of Covid-19, at a crematorium in New Delhi, India on May 11. AP/Amit Sharma

morale as the country struggles to curb a surge of Covid-19 cases.

The National Office of Buddhism ordered all temples nationwide to hold the prayer event and issued a handbook with ceremonial chants used to banish danger and disease during Buddha’s era. The office said it was taking action because the country’s third wave of the coronavirus was affecting the minds and bodies of monks and other Buddhists.

Thailand’s Supreme Patriarch, Somdet Phra Maha Muniwong— head of the country’s Buddhist

clergy—led a prayer session lasting about an hour from his temple in Bangkok, which was broadcast live by the government’s television station. The words to the chants were shown onscreen for viewers who want to pray along from home.

Thai health authorities earlier Tuesday announced 1,919 new cases of the disease, bringing the total to 86,924. They also announced 31 more deaths, bringing fatalities to 452. Most of its infections and deaths have occurred since April 1. AP

TheBroa Pandemic forces Filipinos to

Business

A6 Thursday, May 13, 2021 • www.businessmirror.com.ph

By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

S

@Tyronepiad

OME fought a virus characterized by a corona with Dalgona; and, the creamy-coffee craze began.

The battle against boredom ensued after lockdown measures were imposed in March last year to stem the spread of Covid-19. Some Filipinos sought ways to distract themselves from isolation with a concoction of instant coffee, sugar and hot water. Voila! A mental malaise momentarily muted and a generation of gourmets grew.

Jpegs of gastronomie were generated online: from the ube cheese pandesal to the sushi bake, the latter an adventurous take on a famous Japanese dish.

Likewise, photos of “planTitos” and “planTitas”—those proud of puttering over plants like pampering pets and planting, per se— populated online platforms.

From entertainment, these activities enhanced entrepreneurship and enabled the emergence of a niche market. Some stayed with their simple hobbies; others sustained these into new sources of incomes as the economy spiraled toward a slump.

Victoria Mariz De Mata is one of the latter.

Have cement

WITH the increasing interest in planting and plants, De Mata saw green from the bags of cement stacked on their yard.

She told the BusinessMirror the cement was supposed to be used to build a convenience store their family planned to operate.

That was before lockdown measures stalled construction work and other economic activities in the country.

De Mata said she observed that many were already selling plants online. Hence, she decided to sell plant boxes instead.

The young entrepreneur said she and her sister are working together to meet all the orders— molding the cement plant boxes by themselves. De Mata said her sister has more control over the creative side while she is in-charge of the logistics; the tricky side of the business.

De Mata said even after ensuring the products are wrapped well, breakage still occurs during delivery. These, sadly, add costs, she said.

De Mata said operating the business became relatively stable after two months, enough for her to decide to put up an online store via an e-commerce platform to expand further their reach. While this helped make deliveries easier, De Mata said she still accepts orders outside of the platform.

A part of their earnings go to pay for their mother’s hospital bills, she said.

Opportunities in crisis

DE Mata is one of the many who had to innovate as lockdown measures truncated economic growth.

Several businesses folded up and an army of the jobless grew.

T he economic recession prompted individuals seeking additional sources of income to turn to establishing their own small businesses.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) registered over 80,000 online sellers last year, which is markedly higher compared to around 6,000 from 2018

to 2019.

The DTI noted that the number of registered online-retailers skyrocketed to 8,898 in the first quarter from just 1,848 last year in the same comparable period.

As of April 15, there are a total of over 9,000 online sellers that were newly registered this year.

“An entrepreneurial mindset is necessary to survive the pandemic as it will provide opportunities to earn income, especially for those displaced from their livelihoods or those whose incomes were reduced as a result of decreased business activity from the pandemic,” a trade official told the BusinessMirror.

De Mata would agree that having an “entrepreneurial mindset” can go a long way.

To keep her plant-box offerings fresh, De Mata said she researched potential designs that can be incorporated in their product line.

She said she also uses holidays as themes.

Promoting BMBE

WITH more micro-scale, smallscale and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) emerging during the pandemic, the DTI has been doing its part in enforcing the Republic Act (RA) 9178 or An Act to Promote the Establishment of Barangay Micro Enterprises (BMBE).

Enacted in 2002, the BMBE (pronounced like the Disney doe character Bambi) law, encourages the formation and growth of barangay micro-enterprises by granting them incentives and benefits, among others.

A BMBE refers to a business entity whose total assets are not more than P3 million. It is an enterprise engaged in production, processing or manufacturing of products or commodities, including agro-processing, trading and services.

Since 2016, the DTI has become the issuing agency of the BMBE Certificates of Authority through Negosyo (business) centers following the amendment of the “Go Negosyo Act” (R A 10644) to the BMBE law. Negosyo Centers are business assistance offices established in all provinces, cities and municipalities, DTI documents explained.

The BMBE Certificate of Authority is issued by the Office of the City or Municipality Treasurer prior to the amendment of the said law. Prior to the latter, these government offices required several supporting documents, according to DTI information materials.

These documents include, among others, the following: mayor’s permit; Certificate of Registration from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); Income Tax Return; Sworn Statement of Assets and Liabilities; and, pictures of the place of business.

The DTI reduced the document requirements to only the business certificate, which include the DTI business name and a certificate of registration from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), among others, after the BMBE registration guidelines were revised via RA 10644.

Exemptions helpful

R EPUBLIC Act 9178 exempts BMBEs from the pay ment of

income tax and minimum wage.

According to the DTI, this reduces the burden on microenter pr i ses a s t hei r operat i ng costs will be much lower.

The Trade department believes these exemptions help “newlystarted businesses that need reprieve while learning the potentially overwhelming responsibilities of business operation.” These include regulatory requirements, product development, marketing and logistics.

The provisions are also helpful for business owners who are “hesitant” because they find the process of formal registration with the government as an additional burden in terms of time, cost and energy. Examples of these are applying for permits and periodic filing of taxes.

Accord ing to t he DT I, t he lower operat ion a l cost s due to e xempt ions ca n a lso help businesses to c ha nnel f u nd s to e x pa nsion instead.

Despite the exemptions, the DTI explained that BMBEs are still required to pay other forms of taxes such as percentage or value added tax to the BIR and other local government taxes, if applicable.

Likewise, BMBEs still have to file their tax information to the BIR as a monitoring mechanism to ensure that they are compliant with regulatory requirements, DTI documents explained.

Financial barriers

GOVERNMENT interventions— capital infusions, training and marketing, among others—are needed to help microenterprises flourish, especially during a national crisis like the pandemic.

“Government can do so much to help MSMes survive and grow in the immediate term. Wage

subsidies prioritizing MSMEs would help keep them operat iona l,” R i za l ina Ma nt a r ing , Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) national issues committee chair person, told the BusinessMirror.

“MSMEs face both financial barriers, such as access to finance, high electricity costs, high taxes, among others, and non-financial barriers such as heavy regulations, government bureaucracy, corruption and others. All these serve to make doing business difficult and costly,” Mantaring added.

The Trade department, through its Livelihood Seeding Program-Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (villagebased business service) initiative, provides livelihood kits amounting to P3,000 to P8,000 to help businesses recover amid the ongoing health and economic crises.

The DTI said its employees also conduct information awareness programs in barangays to enable aspiring entrepreneurs to extend business development services in their localities.

The DTI said it offers learning and development opportunities for business owners through the Negosyo Centers and the Philippine Trade Training Center-Global MSME Academy. The topics covered in these training sessions include accounting, doing of business and the emerging e-commerce industry, among others.

The agency said it also doesn’t charge MSMEs for booths put up during regional and national trade fairs, conducted in malls and city centers, where there is usually high foot traffic.

But with the pandemic limiting mobility, the DTI said it has pivoted to partnering with e-commerce platforms to link the MSMEs to marketplaces.

Operations affected

THE imposition of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ )— the strictest form of lockdown measures government used—resulted to most business activities grinding to a halt.

A survey by the DTI on MSMEs in June last year revealed that only 11 percent of the businesses were able to have full operations during the initial implementation of ECQ. This resulted in 90 percent of decreased revenues and 70 percent of businesses scaling down on workforce.

When asked for the reasons of the business closure, the entrepreneurs mostly cited the decline in sales, depleted working capital and restrictions to operate under the omnibus guidelines on community quarantines.

In a DTI survey conducted from January 28 to February 10, 2021, the number of businesses that have stopped operations during a pandemic has gone down to 4.6 percent.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez was quoted in a statement as saying this figure peaked last year at 34.2 percent. The number of businesses that have stopped operations went down to 10 percent in October and further declined to 5 percent by November last year.

But the recent figure is seen to have worsened with the recent imposition of an ECQ on selected areas, Lopez said. The DTI has yet to release an updated survey.

Restrictions’ impact

THE National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby prov inces, including Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan and Rizal—or so-called NCR plus—were placed under ECQ on March 29 to April 11 amid the recent surge in Covid-19 cases. The

community quarantine measure in NCR plus was eased to modified ECQ (MECQ ) on April 11 until May 14.

Lopez estimated that some 1.5 million workers were displaced during the implementation of ECQ this year but around 500,000 workers are expected to have returned when the NCR plus transitioned to MECQ. Still, the DTI found it necessary to further ease the restrictions on some business establishments to allow more individuals to have their jobs back.

The government recently approved indoor dining with 10-percent capacity for restaurants and 30-percent capacity operations for personal care services, including beauty salons, beauty parlors, barbershops and nail spas under MECQ. All these business activities were previously not allowed during ECQ and MECQ. Lopez said government expects an additional 300,000 workers will return to their employment following the easing of restrictions.

Truly aid

GOVERNMENT ’S trade office noted that its survey revealed that half of the MSMEs also need financing assistance.

Having access to finance can truly aid the entrepreneurs in growing their business, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michal L. Ricafort told the BusinessMirror.

“A t s o me p o i nt , l e v e r a ge through financing would help expedite the growth, scale [and] success of entrepreneurs, especially promising MSMEs with great potential to eventually level up into the bigger league; also as a starting point or foundations

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, May 13, 2021

A7

find fresh financial fountain

for long-term partnerships with banks and other financial institutions, amid increased competition among local and foreign banks operating in the country,” Ricafort explained.

The RCBC economist said that the proceeds of loans can be allocated for expansion, capital expenditures and operational expenses, depending on the nature of the business.

For its part, the Trade department adopted online solutions for loan applications and disbursement given the limited face-to-face interactions.

Have loans

ONE of the lending facilities launched by the DTI is the “Covid-19 Assistance to Restart Enterprises,” or Cares, program. It was launched in partnership with the Small Business Corp.

The program offers interestfree and collateral free loans with grace period of up to six months for regular businesses and up to 12 months for certain industries. The loans are payable for 18 months to 30 months.

Under the program, micro enterprises can borrow up to P300,000, small enterprises up to P3 million and medium enterprises up to P5 million.

The lending window was initially launched with only P1-billion allotment. The funding was expanded to P10 billion under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (RA 11494).

As of May 5, the program approved 40,647 loan online applications amounting to P3.8 billion.

“Improved access to financing in terms of both availability and cost, reducing documentary requirements, reduction or outright waiver of transactions would help

[MSMEs],” Mantaring added.

Enterprise development

THE DTI also opened lending windows to help the tourism sector and the returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who want to venture into entrepreneurship.

The MSMEs in the tourism industry can avail interest-free and collateral-free loan assistance under the “Tourism Rehabilitation and Vitalization of Enterprises and Livelihood,” or Travel, program.

The P6-billion facility will be loaned out to small-scale tourismoriented enterprises accredited by the Department of Tourism and local governments.

A s of Apr il 15, the pro gram released P97 mil lion t o 2 74 M S M E b o r r o w e r s , D T I doc u ments revea led.

Meanwhile, the trade department’s “Helping the Economy Recover thru OFW Enterprise Startups,” or Heroes, program offers P100 million worth of loans to repatriated overseas workers looking to establish their own business.

Under this program, OFWs may borrow P10,000 to P100,000 without interest and collateral.

As of April 15, the program released P11 million worth of loans to 190 OFW borrowers, DTI documents revealed.

With the pandemic forcing every business to tighten belts, RCBC’s Ricafort advised MSMEs to use a “conservative approach” in handling their financial resources.

At the same time, he said MSMEs should also be “opportunistic to invest and better prepare themselves if economic conditions eventually improve in the coming years.”

Business shift

THE lockdown measures have

prompted many businesses to shift to digital platforms to keep up with new protocols governing the market: decreasing face-toface interactions and interruptions in mobility.

MAP’s Mantaring quipped that “digital is a great equalizer and is the future.”

T he Trade depar tment explained that digitalization is vital for MSMEs as they now use it in doing business.

For example, entrepreneurs use cellular or wireless communication to reach out to suppliers, install software to support business operations such as word processing and spreadsheet and even market their business through social media or e-commerce platforms.

“Technology in general has been necessary to improve the productivity of businesses and more specifically, digital technology is a more efficient and easily accessible solution for empowering businesses to manage through the Covid-19 pandemic,” the DTI said.

FintechAlliance.ph Chairman Angelito M. Villanueva said that digitalization for the MSMEs “do not need to be expensive.”

“In fact, there are a number of free digital services that one may use. These are good starting entry points for entrepreneurs entering the digital sphere for the first time,” Villanueva told the BusinessMirror.

For example, Villanueva noted most banking processes have been made available online, which includes in-application and web transactions. He described these as “easy, safe and convenient alternatives to branch banking.”

Other d ig ita l transactions t h at MSMEs c a n accompl ish anywhere, he said, include check deposit, foreign exchange and

account enrollment. Villanueva noted there has been recent multi stakeholder i n it i at i v e p u s h i ng for more accessible a nd i nterop er a ble QR (qu ic k re sponse) pay ment accept a nce.

Electronic commerce

STILL, MAP’s Mantaring emphasized that government should do its part in simplifying processes to encourage MSMEs to establish their businesses in the e-commerce sphere.

“Government can help MSMEs thrive on this platform by streamlining all the rules and regulations which discourage small businesses from going online legitimately,” Mantaring said. “This would at the same time help curb the growth of an underground digital economy where consumer protection may be poor.”

In April, the Anti-Red Tape Authority, DTI, Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT) and Department of the Interior and Local Government signed a joint memorandum circular (JMC) ordering local government units (LGUs) to automate their respective business processing and licensing systems by June 17.

This is in line with the provisions of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

The JMC directs the LGUs to set up an electronic business one-stop shop (eBoss) that can facilitate online submission of business permit applications; digital payment options; and, issuance of electronic versions of permits, licenses or clearances.

The memorandum states that LGUs are encouraged to enforce a partly manual and partly electronic system—which should reduce the number of steps for

business permit processing to less than four—as they transition to a fully automated system.

The JMC standardizes the documentary requirements, steps and processing time of business registration. For example, it mandates the creation of a unified application form of LGUs, which can be used for business permit, fire safety and inspection certificate and locational clearance, among others.

The memorandum, likewise, capped the maximum number of signatories on permits to three persons.

However, government data showed that only 39 percent (593 LGUs out of the total 1,516) have set up an eBoss as of April 14.

Meanwhile, the first phase of the Central Business Portal (CBP)—a platform that aims to contain all business-related information—had been launched.

It reduced both the number of forms and documentary requirements and the processing time to three days to four days from over 10 days previously.

The second phase of the CBP is already “under way and will further expand the coverage to integrate the registration with other agencies,” Lopez said earlier. It will incorporate the “Philippine Business Number PHBN” which will serve as a unique business identification system.

SME Development Plan

TO further its initiatives, the DTI earlier launched the MSME Development Plan 2017-2022. The plan outlines government’s policy direction in implementing programs and projects to support MSMEs with specification of priority areas.

The 5-year plan aims to enhance the business climate by reforming bureaucracy to facilitate the creation of MSMEs and the delivery of

frontline services and to promote availability of financial services for the sector.

The blueprint wants to improve the management and labor capacities of the MSMEs. The DTI hopes to do this by developing the knowledge and skills of entrepreneurs, business managers and even employees through its various programs.

The DTI, under the development plan, is looking to bridge the gap in technology and innovation.

The Trade department intends to “equip MSMEs with appropriate machines and equipment to increase production capacities and improve product quality.”

Lastly, the DTI said it is intensifying efforts for business-matching activities and trade fairs to attract retail and wholesale buyers for the MSMEs.

Taking stock

INDEED, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Chair Alegria Sibal Limjoco characterized MSMes as the “backbone of our economy” as these “create thousands of entrepreneurs and generated millions of jobs.”

MSMEs comprise 63 percent of the total employment and 99.5 percent of total enterprises in the Philippines.

L i mjo co s a id t he P CC I i s committed to helping grow the MSME sector, especially during an economic turmoil. One way of doing this is through promoting franchising, she said, noting this could help retired and retrenched employees and repatriated OFWs. While supporting the “backbone” of the economy is an arduous task, De Mata said she will do more on her own to grow her online business and cement her future.

A8 Thursday, May 13, 2021

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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News BusinessMirror

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, May 13, 2021 A9

Govt to publish list, freeze assets of persons with links to ‘terrorists’

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By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

ATIONAL Security Adviser (NSA) Secretary Hermogenes Esperon disclosed before the Supreme Court on Wednesday that several individuals are set to be designated by the Anti-Terrorism Council as terrorists.

Esperon made the disclosure when he was questioned by Associate Justice Rosmari Carandang during Wednesday’s continuation of the oral arguments on the 37 petitions assailing the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

The security official said the ATC has come up with a resolution designating several individuals with links with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) as terrorists.

He said their names would be published in major dailies today, Thursday.

“There is a resolution of the ATC but until we have published these in local papers, we will not name them publicly. Tomorrow [Thursday], they will come out in the papers,” Esperon said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who is part of the ATC, said the designation of any individual as a terrorist “will lead to freezing of assets.”

Department of Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said the ATC would publish the names of individuals designated as terrorists but begged off from giving other information.

“Let us wait for the list to be published in due deference to the ATC. And yes, designation by the ATC is for the purpose of freezing assets,” Sugay said.

Under the ATA, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) may issue a freeze order valid only for 20 days on the financial assets of individuals designated as terrorists.

This may be extended for a period not exceeding six months by the Court of Appeals.

Esperon also played a two-minute video of exiled CPP founder Jose Maria Sison wherein the latter can be heard mentioning the names of 18 organizations whom he called “allied organizations.”

He also played a 1987 video of Sison supposedly naming the legal organizations expousing National Democratic Revolution.

Soon-to-expire AstraZeneca jabs to be given to health-care workers, other priority groups

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

he government is now targeting to use all of its 2 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine before July when the said jabs will expire, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

In an interview with PTV, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said 500,000 of the said doses would be distributed to those who already got their first dose of the AstraZeneca jabs.

The remaining 1.5 million doses, she said, will all be used as first dose to priority sectors of the government, particularly health-care worker (A1), senior citizens (A2), and those with

DA. . .

continued from A12

A former presidential adviser on food security Pangilinan pointed out that pork-laden meals cooked with vegetables or fried are standard fare on Philippine tables. “We want to recover from ASF, and for our hog raisers to revie their business.”

The senator noted that SCEF is to be funded from all duties collected from the swine meat importation for the next six years and shall be placed as a Special Account in the General Fund. He added that “collection for the SCEF may be extended upon the recommendation of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization and subsequent approval of Congress.”

DOT. . .

continued from A12

The DOT also dispelled the allegation of Malilong-Isberto that the mega-vaxx plan was presented based on a non-clear YouTube video. The agency said they received a letter dated April 8, 2021 from NTF Secretary Galvez asking NPF to consider the proposal.

“On the same date, the NPF Board of Trustees, including Atty. Isberto, met and approved the request for the use of the said property,” said the DOT. In two meetings between the NPF technical team and the team of architects hired by ICTSI to construct the temporary mega-vaxx facility, “[It] was the NPF who identified the area in the Parañaque property, where the facility is to be constructed.

The site that was offered by NPF,

comorbidities (A3).

DOH assurance came amid concerns that 2 million additional AstraZeneca vaccine may end up being wasted due to product expiration.

Cabotaje said they are confident local government units (LGU) will be able to swiftly administer the 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines from the Vaccines Global Access (Covax) Facility.

“Based on our experience from the past, when we allowed all of the [AstraZeneca] vaccines to be used as first dose...we were able to have an accomplishment one time highest—90,000 [administered doses] per day,” Cabotaje said.

The health official said they have already deployed 1.6 million of the 2

million AstraZeneca vaccines to LGUs. Although pressed for time to complete the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccines before July, DOH said it could allocate and administer the said jabs to economic frontliners as an option.

She explained all the vaccines, which include the 2 million AstraZeneca vaccines and the 193,050 PfizerBioNTech vaccines obtained from the Covax Facility could only be used for the A1, A2, and A3 priority sector.

With the arrival of the additional vaccines from the Covax Facility this month, Cabotaje said they expect to raise the number of vaccinated people from 30,000 per day to at 60,000 to 70,000 per day.

He recalled that in early 2020, retail prices of pork “spiked from a stable 224 pesos per kilogram to as high as 380 pesos to 400 pesos per kilogram, and continue to stay at that range to this day,” adding that the spike in retail prices pushed meat inflation from 3.5 percent to 4.4 percent in 2019 and 2020, respectively, to 19.6 percent in the first quarter of 2021.

In March 2021, the elevated meat inflation was the top contributor to overall inflation.

The ASF outbreak has affected the livelihood of over 68,000 hog raisers and has acost the local hog industry and allied sectors more than P100 billion.

“Hog raisers estimate that around 36 percent of the total hog population or about 5 million heads are affected by the ASF. In May 2021, a State

of Calamity throughout the country was declared due to the outbreak,” he added.

The senator said the Department of Agriculture “would have been able to lessen the blow of the ASF had they have been given sufficient funding to combat the highly contagious and deadly disease.”

Pangilinan added the proposed measure indicates that interventions from the SCEF shall be based on institutionalized data gathered and validated by the DA, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Bureau of Customs, and agricultural producers.

To ensure these funds are being utilized properly, the bill requires the DA and pertinent agencies to submit a report on the status of SCEF and an impact assessment of the programs under the Act.

and accepted by the private sector architects, is the area where there would [be] minimal impact to the environment. Atty. Isberto was present in a meeting last April 17.”

The agency said the NPF was always updated on the designs of Architect Felipe Palafox Jr., who made sure “to build the temporary vaccination facility around existing grasslands and trees.” The minutes of the meetings between NPF officials and Palafox’s team would show the latter took the foundation’s design advice, said DOT. The DOT said the mega-vaxx facility would not have been approved by the Inter-Agency Task for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases “if there was no consensus among the 26 agencies of the government, headed by their respective Secretaries,” which comprise the task force.

The approval was contained in IATF Resolution 109 dated April

10, 2021, signed by the chairman, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III. As such, the DOT added, it was wrong to say the DOH did not support the proposal, as alleged by Malilong-Isberto. The DOH even set up a technical working group under the National Vaccination Operations Center which met on April 15, April 19, April 26, April 28, and May 5.

The former NPF Executive Director attended those meetings, in which DOH “has commended the DOT for this initiative.”

The DOT emphasized that its only role “was to facilitate the use of the NPF property because it is the mother agency of the NPF.” Government is pinning its hopes on a mass vaccination program to contain the spread of the Covid-19, and allow the economy to reopen quicker. The gross domestic product contracted by 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2021, the fifth quarter of decline since Covid-19.

Esperon also disclosed that about 75 organizations such as the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Anakbayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Gabriela and several others were present in a meeting presided by Sison in Hong Kong in 2020.

These groups, he said, are part of the so-called International League of People’s Struggles, which meets every year.

“The master red-tagger is no other than Jose Maria Sison. We are merely informing the public, this is of course what we called truth-tagging for purposes of public information so that we will not be misled by this movement or triad of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front,” Esperon told the Court.

The oral argument will resume on Monday with the Court expected to hear the legal opinion of amici curiae (friends of the court) former Chief Justice Reynato Puno and former SC Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza.

Tugade presents pandemic rundown of traffic on Edsa

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

T

he pandemic might be a contributor to the improving traffic situation on Edsa, but for the chief of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) such a feat was achieved through a confluence of solutions that made travel along the country’s main thoroughfare more organized.

Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade admitted that Edsa still experiences traffic congestion, even as he noted that the system is now more organized as there are now more suitable areas for loading/unloading of passengers and travel time of commuters has also gotten faster via bus through the Edsa Busway.

“I am not saying that traffic congestion on Edsa has been eradicated because there are a lot of contributing factors to it.

There is still traffic, but what we are saying is that compared to the chaos in the past, wherein buses simply load or unload anywhere, we now have a proper area for commuters,” he pointed out.

Tugade added: “People do not need to line up along the streets of Edsa anymore, and we now have a faster means of transportation because of the Edsa Busway.”

The Edsa Busway is a system borne out of the pandemic. It uses a dedicated bus lane within the inner lanes of the northbound and southbound lanes of Edsa to facilitate unhampered travel.

This, Tugade said, paired with the enforcement of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and infrastructure projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), have resulted in better traffic flow on Edsa.

“The pandemic may have resulted in less congestion, but with the help and support of the MMDA and completion of other crucial projects to ease traffic flow, such as the Edsa Busway of DOTr, the much improved operation of the MRT 3, and Skyway Stage 3 of DPWH, solutions are coming together to address the problem of perennial traffic in Edsa,” Tugade said.

Aside from solving the traffic situation, Tugade said his agency has intensified efforts to contribute to the fight against Covid-19.

In particular, he said the service contracting program of the government has now reached P169 million in payouts and incentives.

Tugade added that the DOTr has “increased the amount paid per kilometer for both drivers participating in the regular service contracting and those providing free ride for authorized persons outside their residences under the Service Contracting Program.”

To date, close to 5 million people have benefited from the free ride program of the government.

“To PUV drivers who will also sign up for the program, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board will be giving one-time incentives amounting to P20,000,” he said.

A10 Thursday, May 13, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Modern tollway to help Cebu build back better

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ince 2014, the province of Cebu has never been dislodged as the richest Philippine province for six consecutive years. In 2019, it reported total assets of P203.9 billion, which represents a 472 percent increase in total assets from 2018’s P35.65 billion.

“It’s a nice title but that’s as far as it goes unless the people really feel the impact of being the richest province in the country,” said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Like the rest of the country, Cebu is still battling the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. But it is finding ways to build basic foundational services to stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life of Cebuanos. Infrastructure is vital to Cebu’s economic development.

For example, a modern tollway that connects Cebu City to the town of Cordova will become operational early next year. The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLex) will give motorists an alternative route in crossing the Mactan Channel, steering clear of the traffic-clogged Mandaue-Mactan Bridge and the Marcelo Fernan Bridge. This will open new business opportunities and spur the growth of industry, trade and tourism.

Builder Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. recently reported that CCLex is 70 percent complete. The project is a joint venture of the local governments of Cebu City, municipality of Cordova, and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. through its wholly owned subsidiary CCLEC. The joint venture agreement provides for a 35-year concession. Under the accord, MPTC will undertake the financing, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the expressway.

MPTC envisions CCLex to go beyond decongesting and strengthening the capacity of Metro Cebu’s road network. It considers this P30-billion project as a catalyst that will help accelerate economic growth and boost investments not just in Cebu but all over the Visayas region.

CCLex will have two lanes in each direction, and from the main bridge it will have the Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) on and off ramps going to the South Road Properties as well as a viaduct that levels down to a causeway in Cordova’s Barangay Pilipog. With a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the expressway will serve an estimated 50,000 vehicles per day, easing up the transport of people and goods within the expanding metropolis.

Urban planners said this will have a favorable effect on tourism as it eases traffic from and to the Mactan Cebu International Airport. This engineering marvel is 8.5 kilometers long and rises 51 meters from sea level. When completed, CCLex will be the country’s largest water-crossing infrastructure, and promises to become a tourist attraction in the province.

Aside from being a unique engineering feat, CCLex also has eight 40‐meter-tall crosses installed on two of its pylons over the Mactan Channel. These crosses, inspired by the wooden cross Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan planted in Cebu upon his arrival in 1521, were blessed and lighted last April 15th to mark the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines.

The event has placed the Philippines in the historical world map of the first circumnavigation of the world.

Cebu’s economy has started to feel the positive effect of the CCLex project.

For example, land prices in the municipality of Cordova near the project site have been rising dramatically. Before the start of the tollway’s construction, the price of land in the area was at P500 per square meter. In January last year, the price has gone up to P5,000 per square meter.

The economic ripple effect keeps expanding, attracting the attention of investors, including some of the country’s biggest conglomerates. Ayala Corp. and SM Prime Holdings Inc., for instance, have put up a consortium that will build a 16,000-seater convention center in South Road Properties. Ayala Land Inc., the property-developer arm of the Ayala Group, has launched a prime commercial project called District Square that will be located within the seaside South Coast City on Cebu City’s South Coastal Road. The Gokongwei Group, which traces its roots to Cebu, is reportedly eyeing the gaming business potential of the Queen City of the South.

The Cebu toll bridge project is MPTC’s first investment foray in the Visayas.

Considered as the Philippines’s largest toll road developer and operator, MPTC operates the North Luzon Expressway, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, the Cavite Expressway and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway. It is currently building the NLex Connector, which is expected to speed up traffic from NLex to the South Luzon Expressway. MPTC also manages expressways in Indonesia and Vietnam with local tollway concessionaires in the two Asean countries.

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‘Green colonialism’ John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

T

he Covid-19 pandemic has dominated the news in 2020 to the exclusion of many other important events. As a sidebar to that has been the relationships between countries not only over “sovereignty rights” but also who gets which vaccine.

The 2019–2021 infestation is an outbreak of desert locusts, which threatened the food supply across East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. The BBC called it “The Biblical East African Locust Plagues Of 2020.”

“Desert locusts have been called the world’s most devastating pest.

Swarms form when locusts’ numbers increase and they become crowded. The insects are able to multiply 20-fold in three months and reach densities of 80 million per square kilometer. Combined, a swarm of 80 million can consume food equivalent to that eaten by 35,000 people a day.”

Last year the story read: “The most serious desert locust outbreak

in 70 years could leave nearly 5 million people in East Africa facing starvation, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC). It comes as many of the countries are already struggling to manage food insecurity caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Fortunately, that worst-case scenario did not materialize, although local communities were severely impacted. However, the back story of the locust plague is critical.

The root cause of the plague is weather and weather patterns that cycle over time. This more detailed explanation is from National Geographic. “Experts say a prolonged bout of exceptionally wet weather is the primary culprit.” Of course, you

are thinking it is all because of the nefarious “Climate Change” because that is what we are told, which is the root of all evil.

Except notice that this is the worst infestation in “70 years” long before any in the press put those two words next to each other in a sentence. However, the Human Progress project of the Cato Institute—a public policy research organization—wrote this: “Green Colonialism in Africa Led to the Locust Plague.”

“The best way to stop the locusts is to spray insecticide from the air.

Unfortunately, Kenya lacks adequate supplies of the best and most effective insecticide, fenitrothion. The radical environmental movement, which seeks to ban fenitrothion and other safe and effective chemicals, has made Kenyan authorities’ work more difficult.”

Nobody likes the idea of using chemicals as these. But which of us has not used a Baygon or Racumin type product even when starvation was not probable? Fenitrothion is inexpensive and effective against locusts. But drinking 60ml—straight or on the rocks—will cause enough damage to kill you in a few days, so don’t drink it.

“Since last September (2019), European Union-funded non-

governmental organizations in Kenya have been petitioning the Kenyan Parliament to ban more than 250 registered agricultural insecticides. The chemicals the Greens seek to ban are essential for controlling not only locusts but also common agricultural pests, weeds, and fungi. Even as locusts devastate Kenyan crops, NGO lobbyists continue their anti-insecticide crusade.”

In an August 1998 paper— “Chapter 6 - Plant protection practices”—from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN was this advice. “Hand picking of pests and their destruction is another time-tested method of pest control. This method can prove effective in curtailing pestilence on some crops.” The ‘Greens’ are good with that.

Summary: “Africans can let foreign donors play out their ideological fantasies in Africa, like colonialists of the old days. Or they can send them home, where, thanks to modern farming technology, they have the privilege of full supermarket shelves.”

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

Power scarcity during times of low demand

By Pedro Maniego Jr.

P

ower demand during the lockdown last year declined by around 30 percent in Luzon and was estimated to fall by 5 percent for the entire 2020. With the imposition of another lockdown since last month, electricity demand for this quarter is expected to be the same as last year. And yet, there were alerts of possible power shortages in the coming months prompting the Joint Congressional Energy Committee to call for a hearing to avert a debilitating crisis.

In the hearing, the reported outages of most power plants exceeded the maximum outage limit set by the Energy Regulatory Commission. The breakdowns in days were way over the maximum limits especially for the large coal power plants in Luzon.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has asked for information from the following generation companies which were on outage since March 2021 as to their estimated date of resumption of operation: Asia Pacific Energy Corp., Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan Power Co. Ltd, Luzon Hydro Corp. (LHC); First Gas Power Corp., GNPower Mariveles Center Ltd. Co., Petron Corp., and Sem Calaca Power Corp.. The reason given by several independent power producers was the difficulty of securing visas for foreign technicians who are needed to repair their respective units.

Another problem raised by DOE was the failure of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to comply with its obligation to provide sufficient levels of Ancillary Services or

power reserves for the past two years.

Per Department Circular DC2019-120018 entitled, “Adopting a General Framework Governing the Provision and Utilization of Ancillary Services in the Grid,” NGCP, as the System Operator (SO), is mandated to procure Ancillary Services through firm contracts, to ensure that the facilities contracted to provide AS are always available whenever needed by the system for reliability of the grid. “The DOE sees the NGCP is consistent on not complying with its responsibility with the firm contracting requirement. The NGCP has been dragging its feet by pursuing insufficient capacity and even opting an unreliable contracting of ‘non-firm’ AS Procurement Agreements [ASPAs],” Energy Chief Alfonso G. Cusi stated. In the 2020 Performance of Transmission Grid of NGCP, the Ancillary Services Availability Indicators which measure the availability of ancillary services against NGCP’s draft services procurement plan are 29.0 percent for Lu-

zon, 23.6 percent in Visayas and 77.2 percent in Mindanao. NGCP justified its failure to provide sufficient power reserves to lack of Ancillary Services Providers. The major problem on lack of AS Providers is that NGCP will only sign a contract with existing power plants that meet their specifications.

However, a company will seldom venture into constructing a power plant without a firm contract.

Once again, the power crisis during times of low demand magnifies the need to shift to flexible generation and away from centralized generation dependent on large base-load plants. The breakdown of just one large base load plant usually caused power reserves to drop to yellow or red alert levels. With the global travel restrictions to mitigate the spread of the virus, the lack of foreign technicians required to conduct the repairs and maintenance has resulted to much longer plant outages.

Power system flexibility is the ability of a power system to reliably and cost-effectively manage the variability and uncertainty of demand and supply across all relevant timescales, as defined by the International Energy Agency. In transitioning to a resilient energy system dominated by renewable and indigenous energy, power system flexibility covers not only flexible generation but also stronger transmission and distribution systems, more storage and more flexible demand (IRENA, November 2018). The distribution grid must be

enhanced to increase hosting capacity for distributed, small-scale variable renewable energy plants, as well as enhancing control abilities to manage two-way flow (RENAC, 2021). Influencing the rapid shift to flexible clean generation is the removal of coal-fired power plants in the portfolio of large investment and pension funds. The Asian Development Bank has recently proposed to stop financing new coal power plants and support the rapid phase-out of coal among its developing member countries in the Asia Pacific region in its Energy Policy draft.

Secretary Cusi announced that DOE is fully committed to faithfully implement the Renewable Energy Law of 2008 with a target of around 34,000 MW of RE installations by 2040. He added that 44,761 MW of additional RE capacity would be needed to achieve the levels set in the clean energy scenario. Pursuant to this commitment, the DOE declared a moratorium on new coal power plants on October 27, 2020. The Green Energy Auction based on the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones study for an initial 2,000 MW is scheduled in June 2021. Per the CREZ study, there is potential for new cost competitive capacities of approximately 16,000 MW solar and 19,000 MW wind. The mechanisms in the RE Law such as the Green Energy Option, Net Metering and Renewable Energy Standards are

See “Power,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, May 13, 2021 A11

Growing Mideast ‘Proclaim the gospel to every creature’ The Church violence bears hallmarks Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr. of Gaza war in 2014

Alálaong Bagá

By Fares Akram & Joseph Krauss | Associated Press

G

AZA CITY, Gaza Strip—Rockets streamed out of Gaza and Israel pounded the territory with airstrikes early Wednesday as the most severe outbreak of violence since the 2014 war took on many hallmarks of that devastating 50-day conflict, with no endgame in sight.

Gaza’s Hamas rulers and other militant groups have fired barrages of hundreds of rockets that at times have overwhelmed Israel’s missile defenses, causing air raid sirens and explosions to echo across Tel Aviv, Israel’s biggest metropolitan area, and other cities.

Israeli airstrikes have leveled multistory buildings across the Gaza Strip, where 2 million Palestinians have lived under a crippling IsraeliEgyptian blockade since Hamas took power in 2007. Warning shots have allowed civilians to evacuate the buildings, but the material losses will be immense. Israel faced heavy criticism over the tactic during the 2014 war.

Just after daybreak Wednesday, Israel unleashed dozens of airstrikes in the course of a few minutes, targeting police and security installations, witnesses said. A wall of dark gray smoke rose over Gaza City.

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said airstrikes destroyed the central police headquarters in Gaza City, a compound with several buildings.

The death toll in Gaza rose to 35 Palestinians, including 12 children and three women, according to the Health Ministry. Some 233 people were wounded. Five Israelis, including three women and a child, were killed by rocket fire Tuesday and early Wednesday, and dozens of people were wounded. The Israeli military said Palestinian militants have fired more 1,050 rockets since the conflict began, with 200 of them falling short and landing inside Gaza.

Samah Haboub, a mother of four in Gaza, said she was thrown across her bedroom in a “moment of horror” by an airstrike on an apartment tower next door. She and her children, aged three to 14, ran down the stairway of their apartment block along with other residents, many of them screaming and crying.

“There is almost no safe place in Gaza,” she said.

The latest eruption of violence began a month ago in Jerusalem, where heavy-handed police tactics during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families by Jewish settlers ignited protests and clashes with police. A focal point was the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, a holy site sacred to Jews and Muslims.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars since the Islamic militant group seized power in Gaza from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. The conflicts ended after regional and international powers convinced both sides to accept an informal truce.

While the violence has been widely condemned, there is no sign that either side is willing to back down.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to expand the offensive, saying “this will take time,” and the unrest in Jerusalem has spread to the occupied West Bank and within Israel itself as Hamas has called for a full-scale Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

The Gaza Health Ministry said the 35 dead include 12 children and 3 women, with another 233 people wounded. Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra said the targeting of residential neighborhoods left people “in a state of panic.”

Power. . .

continued from A10

likewise being implemented by DOE. To support the energy transition, NGCP formulated the TRANSMISYON 2040 in support of the 20182040 Philippine Energy Plan (PEP). In his message, NGCP President Anthony A. Almeda enumerated the major programs in the transmission devel-

In the Israeli city of Lod, a 52-yearold man and his 16-year-old daughter were killed early Wednesday when a rocket had landed in the courtyard of their one-story home. Their car parked outside was wrecked and the interior of the house was filled by debris.

Lod also saw heavy clashes after thousands of mourners joined a funeral for an Arab man killed by a suspected Jewish gunman the previous night. The crowd fought with police, and set a synagogue and some 30 vehicles, including a police car, on fire, Israeli media reported.

Paramedics said a 56-year-old man was seriously hurt after his car was pelted with stones.

“An intifada erupted in Lod, you have to bring in the army,” the city’s mayor, Yair Revivo, said. Authorities have declared a state of emergency and ordered a deployment of paramilitary border guards from the West Bank as reinforcements.

In neighboring Ramle, ultranationalist Jewish demonstrators were filmed attacking cars belonging to Arabs. In the northern port town of Acre, protesters torched a Jewish-owned restaurant and hotel.

Police arrested dozens of others at Arab protests in other towns.

Israel is in political limbo following four inconclusive elections in less than two years.

Opponents of Netanyahu have been trying to forge a government to oust him, but they are deeply divided among themselves and will likely need the support of an Arabbacked party with Islamist roots.

The current tensions might deter the party’s leader, Mansour Abbas, from joining a coalition with Jewish parties, at least for the time being.

The sides have three more weeks to reach a deal. If they fail, Israel would likely begin an unprecedented fifth election campaign in just over two years. Netanyahu appeared with one of his rivals, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, on Tuesday in a show of unity. Gantz said Israel’s strikes were “only the beginning” and the military said it was activating some 5,000 reservists and sending troop reinforcements to the Gaza border.

Confrontations erupted last weekend at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, which is the third-holiest site in Islam and the holiest site in Judaism. Over four days, Israeli police fired tear gas and stun grenades at Palestinians in the compound who hurled stones and chairs at the forces.

At times, police fired stun grenades into the carpeted mosque.

On Monday evening, Hamas began firing rockets from Gaza. From there on, the escalation was rapid.

In a televised address, Hamas’ exiled leader, Ismail Haniyeh, said Israel bore responsibility. “It’s the Israeli occupation that set Jerusalem on fire, and the flames reached Gaza,” he said.

Hamas has not commented on Israel’s claims that it has killed dozens of fighters, including a number of senior commanders. Islamic Jihad confirmed that three senior commanders were killed in a strike on their hideout in a Gaza City apartment building.

Krauss reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Karin Laub in the West Bank contributed.

opment plan: (1) implementation of grid resiliency program, (2) improvement in transmission planning for the CREZ, (3) integration of emerging technologies, (4) re-focused development strategy for 69 kV facilities, (5) increased electricity access through island/off-grid interconnections, and (6) continuous development of the major transmission backbone. Despite the lower demand since 2020, most of these programs are behind

T

he Ascension of Jesus Christ into the Father’s eternal glory was not the end of the Savior’s direct and personal involvement with our salvation. Rather a new chapter was opened in the on-going mission of leading humankind back to the love of the God, henceforth with the followers of Jesus as evangelizers proclaiming the gospel to the whole world (Mark 16:15-20).

The gospel These concluding verses of St. Mark seem to have been added early on to his original text as an inspired summary of what followed in the Christian community after Jesus was raised to heaven. The final mission he entrusted to His disciples is to “proclaim the gospel to every creature.” They are to “go to the whole world” to do this. And what they are to communicate to the world is the very person of Jesus, not merely a body of doctrines, for in Mark’s writing the gospel is Jesus Himself (1:1).

The object of the proclamation is Jesus who is the salvation of humanity.

That is why “whoever believes and

is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

The centrality and indispensability of Jesus is unmistakable. His coming and incarnation signified the presence of the kingdom of God and indicated the fulfillment of the prophecies of old (1:14-15). This salvific event demands repentance and faith, trust in the person of Jesus, reorienting oneself totally according to him, living in communion with him.

Baptism is the symbol and sacrament of such a new life of personal intimacy with Jesus. To refuse to entrust oneself to Jesus cannot but mean to reject salvation, to condemn oneself to isolation from God.

The body or assembly of the followers of Jesus, the ecclesia/iglesia (katipunan), is principally to be concerned with evangelization, the mission of announcing to the whole world Jesus’ gospel of salvation. Christians are literally to be the embodiment of Jesus Christ and His sacrament in the world today. Hence their words must be in accord with and replicating His Word, their actions imaging and concretizing His love and mercy, their ministry an extension of His service. The Church is not about herself; she is of Jesus and for Jesus. Her mission is not just to build herself up, but also to spread to the entire world God’s kingdom in and through Jesus.

Believers who live in union with Jesus are his kindred spirits (kadiwa).

Without authentic faith, they cannot possibly do their appointed task. But in the Spirit of Jesus they can today accomplish what the disciples did then, preaching everywhere and accompanied with signs of wonder and might, as Jesus promised that those who believe in him will be accompanied by deeds confirming the Word.

In words and deeds, Jesus continues today the work of salvation in and through the ministry of his followers, and this will be till the end of time.

All believers are tasked to share the faith they have; evangelized, they are called to be evangelizers—every generation with their own methods and expressions and vigor. For instance, one should be able to choose any saints of the modern times or any apostolic group of today and narrate of their proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and of their acts of heroic love and mighty deeds.

Alálaong bagá, Jesus Christ in heaven is glorified by his followers’ commitment to share and proclaim to the world his gospel of salvation.

This gospel of life means not only words but also deeds of Christ-like love and compassion for all especially for the needy and the little ones. Here and now, as evangelizers and bearers of the Word of salvation to the whole world, we cannot detach ourselves from the social and political realities and challenges around us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is addressed to humankind integrally, and we do not witness to it with only declamation of doctrines, but particularly with our corresponding lives of love and fidelity.

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Xi’s one-way bromance with Duterte, and the great ‘debate’

His boss President Duterte has thrown him a virtual hot potato when he was designated to substitute in the debate with Carpio. Piqued by the former chief justice’s criticisms on his handling of the West Philippine Sea issue, Duterte earlier challenged Carpio to a debate. Carpio readily said anytime, anywhere at the president’s convenience. Probably realizing that he must have shot himself in the foot, Duterte’s advisers bailed him out. The president cannot engage an ordinary lawyer into a debate, they chorused, saying that doing so would be prejudicial to the office of the president. In short, they advised Duterte to back out from the ‘fight’ he himself had instigated, resulting in the presidential mouthpiece being pushed into the ‘ring’.

Meanwhile, the hashtag #Duterte Duwag (“Duterte, a coward”) continues to trend, as of this writing.

For former commissioner and lawmaker Homobono Adaza, the president deserves the social media mockery. In his Manila Times column, Adaza cited an incident in 2013 between Duterte and broadcaster Waldy Carbonnell—who as part of the National Press Club (NPC) team probing the killing of broadcaster Jun Pala (a leader of the anti-communist group Alsa Masa) in 2003—flew from Manila to Davao to do his job.

Pissed, the then Davao mayor challenged Waldy to a gun duel within the vicinity of the Davao City Hall.

The challenge was for Waldy to be at the venue “...[a]t 9 o’clock in the morning [and] bring two magazines for his pistol…with Duterte having only two bullets.”

Waldy came on time, but nowhere, reports said then, was even the shadow of Duterte seen. “So Waldy left with media members, while the bravest boy-man Duterte had turned tails,” Adaza recounted.

It was only right for Carpio and Robredo to ignore Roque’s challenge. Political pundits claim that the spokesperson merely wants to execute Duterte’s poorly written playbook: rehash the issue of who was to blame for China’s illegal occupation of the Scarborough Shoal and shift all the blame to the previous administration.

Flashback in 2012, the Philippine Navy’s BRP Gregorio Del Pilar got entangled into a standoff with Chinese surveillance ships which came to the defense of Chinese fishermen who were illegally fishing in Scarborough Shoal. To bring down the tension, the US brokered a deal in which both parties agreed to leave.

The Philippines acquiesced and the country’s biggest warship was pulled out of the area. Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario recalled it was Chinese President Xi Jinping who “deceitfully breached” the agreement to withdraw all ships on both sides from the Scarborough Shoal: “We withdrew while Beijing did not. Until now, China refuses to withdraw its vessels to the prejudice of the Filipino people.” This incident was the basis for the country’s filing of an arbitration case against China before the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration which the Philippines won.

Blaming the previous administration for China’s deceit? Why should

we be surprised? Time and again, Duterte has professed his love for Xi. Didn’t Duterte publicly declare that no way would Xi or China allow the Philippine Military to oust him? We could only guess what Xi had promised to Duterte, but the president’s pro-China stance says a mouthful.

Duterte’s cozying up to China in the guise of independent foreign policy has been detrimental to our national interest. It has emboldened China’s militia, disguised as fishermen, to deploy hundreds of Chinese ships and swarm the Julian Felipe Reef to the impairment of Filipino fishermen. Although the military establishment and the foreign affairs department have been firing off diplomatic protests almost on a daily basis, Duterte has refused to condemn China’s incursion into waters which are well within the Philippine economic zone, as spelled out in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Doing so, Duterte said, would mean a war that the Philippines is sure to lose. But have we seen China wage a war against Indonesia and Vietnam which have gallantly defended their aquatic resources against Chinese intrusions?

Duterte’s myopic view is not only detrimental to the country’s own interests, but also possible impeachable offenses, according to Carpio.

For me, China is not the friend that Duterte would have us believe.

His bromance with Xi is one-sided.

China has only its own interest to protect. Its ulterior motive is world dominance, and the Philippines happens to be a big part of the puzzle that needs to be put in place to achieve its long-term goal. We are China’s trophy in its growing tussle with the United States. Duterte gushes at China’s benevolence, but doesn’t (or refuses to) see the catch. He talks about investments and Covid-19 vaccine donations, which he says China has ‘graciously’ given to the country.

But China demands a big price for all of these: our sovereignty. The way it debt-traps smaller countries through its Belt and Road Initiative—Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Montenegro, the Maldives, Pakistan and Tajikistan—already raises a red flag. It proves to me that what China

schedule and must be implemented urgently to cope with the expected surge in demand after the pandemic.

The major partner of NGCP, the State Grid Corp. of China, is the largest utility company in the world, and the world’s fourth largest company overall by revenue as of 2020. In 2017, it was reported as having 927,839 employees, 1.1 billion customers and revenue equivalent to US$363.125 billion. (Fortune Global 500) Thus,

SGCC does not only have the technical expertise but also the financial capacity to support NGCP’s goal of a more robust, flexible and resilient unified Philippine Grid.

A condition in NGCP’s franchise under Section 8 is for it to make a public offering of at least 20 percent of its outstanding capital stock. The initial public offering (IPO) of at least P50 billion will be bigger than any previous IPO in the country. By owning shares

in the company, shareholders will have access to corporate information, be able influence its plans and operations, and share in the profits. As a publicly listed company (PLC), NGCP must comply with the strict governance standards imposed on PLCs. With the funds raised in the IPO, NGCP should be able to fast track its expansion and modernization programs.

If they work in concert, DOE and NGCP will help bring the country

Val A. Villanueva

Businesswise

P

alace spokesman Harry Roque must be feeling unhappily isolated when his challenge to debate with former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio and Vice President Leni Robredo on the issue of China’s incursions into our maritime territories was met merely with ridicule on social media.

gives with its right hand is always shadowed by its left.

Now, Duterte is saying that the arbitral ruling which we won in 2016 and nullified China’s fictional nine-dash line—the very basis of its claim on the entire West Philippine Sea—is just a piece of paper. Is he saying that our land titles, birth certificates, marriage licenses, income tax returns, and many more legal obligations inked in paper are mere waste-basket fodder? An international court’s decision is so much more than a piece of paper. It is anchored on the communal contract that countries agree on which require them to honor, protect and abide by a certain conduct that is respected among the international community.

China’s refusal to abide by it practically isolates it from the community of nations. Duterte could have used this ‘piece of paper’ to rally other countries similarly bullied by China.

In an interview on Monday, May 10, Carpio said Duterte’s position is a betrayal of public trust and national interest. He stresses that “Duterte’s words could have consequences for the Philippines, and cost the country its own territory,” adding that “Duterte’s repeated claims [that] China was in possession of the West Philippine Sea is dangerous, especially if China took Duterte’s word for it.” Duterte’s silence, he explains, is sending the “wrong signals” to Beijing.

According to Carpio, “If [the president] makes a statement adverse to his nation, on an ongoing dispute, that statement binds his nation, if accepted by the other country.… That is a principle in international law, and that has been repeatedly upheld in international tribunals because the head of state, the President, or even the foreign minister, can bind the country with its pronouncements, and if these pronouncements are adverse admissions against interest, this will bind the country if accepted by the other party.”

The danger is very real; more so if our leaders choose to sleep with the enemy.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

nearer to achieving the SDG goal of providing quality, reliable, and affordable electricity for the Filipino people.

Doing so also comes with an outsized co-benefit: we get to contribute meaningfully to global decarbonization and help stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

Pedro Maniego, Jr. is the former chair of the Philippine National Renewable Energy Board and ICSC Senior Policy Advisor.

A12 Thursday, May 13, 2021

TRIALS APACE FOR LIVE RUN OF NEW PESO RTGS

By Bianca Cuaresma

T

@BcuaresmaBM

HE Ba ng ko Sent ra l ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced on Wednesday that an industry-wide rehearsal is now in full swing for the live run of the new Peso real-time gross settlement (RTGS) platform of the next-generation Philippine Payment and Settlement System (PhilPaSSPlus).

In a briefing on Wednesday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the PhilPaSSPlus has gone through “all major preparatory activities.”

“The outcome of this rehearsal will be a key consideration in determining the readiness of the Peso real-time gross settlement ecosystem to go live by June 2021,” Diokno said.

Phi lPaSS is a rea l-time gross settlement system that is owned and operated by the BSP. It processes and settles interbank payment transactions of banks through their demand deposit accounts.

The PhilPaSSPlus project was launched in December 2019.

The development of this new facility aims to equip the country with state-of-the-art technology, enabling its RTGS to deliver comprehensive functionalities

and settle larger volumes of financial transactions of varying types and complexities.

The BSP’s completion of the project’s user acceptance test in the first quarter of 2021 kicked off the market rehearsal wherein key functionalities of PhilPaSSPlus are being tested by banks and other participating institutions prior to implementation.

“PhilPaSSPlus is seen to significantly enhance the efficiency of funds flow within the economy. It is also expected to mitigate settlement risk among financial market players, aside from enhancing payment safety,” explained the BSP governor.

As PhilPaSSPlus will accept only communication messages which conform to the SWIFTprescribed ISO 20022 format, it is expected to advance interoperability of payment systems across the Philippines and the integration of the country with other jurisdictions in the payment space.

“With this new-generation Peso RTGS system, the financial services industry will be able to keep pace with the rapidly progressing digital transformation around the country and anywhere in the world,” Diokno said.

Drive vs single-use plastics gets UK help

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

T

@BNicolasBM

HE United Kingdom (UK) offered to support the Climate Change Commission’s advocacy on banning single-use plastics.

In a recent virtual meeting with British Ambassador Daniel Pruce, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III welcomed UK’s offer of technical assistance and support in effectively communicating to the public the importance and long-term benefits to the economy of banning single-use plastics.

Pruce also said UK stands ready to assist the Philippines in its preparations for its contribution to the discussions in the 26th United Nations (UN) C l i m ate C h a nge Con fe re nce of the Parties (COP26), which could encompass a broad range of issues such as green finance, energy transitions, and climate crisis resilience and adaptation strategies.

Chaired by the UK this year, COP26 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland this November. It is expected to bring together signatory-parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

In the same meeting, Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez also shared with Pruce that discussions are under way with the British Embassy on engaging with renewable energy (RE) investors to determine from them the possible Philippine policy gaps that need to be addressed to encourage the entry of RE investments to the country.

A lvarez, the point person of the Department of Finance (DOF) on climate crisis concerns, stressed the need to attract more RE investments into the country, especially given the government’s recent decision to impose a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants.

Alvarez said the discussions

will be held with representatives from the DOF, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of Energy.

Apart from this, Dominguez and Pruce also discussed UK’s commitment to implement the first phase of its Iconic Bridges Project for Sustainable Socioeconomic Development in Cagayan province.

Dominguez also later met with Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency and Minister of State (Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth), to discuss climate crisis-related concerns, particularly on sharing UK’s expertise in pushing Philippine legislation on plastics use reduction.

During the meeting with Trevelyan, Dominguez also said the Philippines will be participating in the UK-led Adaptation Action Coalition, which will act as a forum for developed and developing economies to share knowledge and best practices on local, regional and global solutions to deal with the climate crisis.

The Coalition was built in response to UN Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience and aims to turn the commitments secured from this call to action into on-theground support for climate crisisvulnerable communities.

Dominguez also separately met with Alok Sharma, the President of the COP26 and Member of the UK Parliament, to further explore areas of cooperation between the Philippines and the UK on raising the awareness of Filipinos over the urgency of climate action, and in fine-tuning the legislative measure that aims to ban singleuse plastics.

Sharma and Dominguez also briefly discussed how a “green industrial revolution” can give rise to new industries and create more jobs while effectively cutting carbon emissions.

DA: New EO on pork tariffs, SRP to be released soon

F

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

OLLOWING the issuance of Executive Order 133 increasing the minimum access volume (MAV) for pork imports, the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday said it will release the new suggested retail price (SRP) for pork within the week.

In a virtual presser, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said final discussions are ongoing for the new SRP. “Actually, with the initial report yesterday, hopefully within the week we will have the suggested retail price for the imported pork based on EO 28 [which reduced the tariff rates on pork imports until April 7, 2022],” he added.

Also, Dar said the new EO lowering tariff rates will be released “soon” to amend EO 128.

The DA earlier disclosed that the tariff rates on pork imports would be increased by 5 percentage points.

With the compromise, the inquota tariff rate for pork imports until July 7 would be 10 percent while out-quota would be 20 percent from the initial lowered rates of 5 percent

and 15 percent, respectively.

Boost efforts

IN a separate statement, Dar, meanwhile, described Presidential Proclamation No. 1143 declaring a state of calamity throughout the Philippines due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak as the much-needed “shot-in-the-arm.”

With the proclamation, Dar said local government units (LGUs) are now allowed to set aside part of their Local Risk Reduction and Management Fund or calamity fund for quick response purposes, and to allocate funds for ASF prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, rehabilitation and recovery in their areas.

“The proclamation will also enable us to partner with the LGUs— from the provincial, city, municipal

and barangays—and hog raisers’ groups and the private sector to craft and implement their respective ASF contingency plan, anchored on strong and sustained biosecurity, surveillance, monitoring and protection measures, covering both ASF-affected and ASF-free areas,” said Dar. Per Proclamation 1143, the country will remain under the state of calamity for one year, unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant.

“We believe this will give swine industry stakeholders enough time to build defenses for areas that remain unaffected by what is termed as the Covid -19 of the hog sector,’” he added.

The DA had sought the declaration of the state of calamity in March this year, and this was supported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) chaired by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana through NDR R MC resolution passed on April 20, 2021.

Lawmakers also pressed Malacañang for a declaration of a state of calamity to boost the ASF response.

DA-Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Reildrin Morales said since the ASF was reported in August 2019, it has spread to 12 regions, 46 provinces, 502 cities and municipalities, and 2,652 barangays.

With Proclamation 1143, the LGUs can provide substantial resources for ASF control and

prevention, through strict implementation of biosecurity measures, said Morales.

According to Dar “over three million pigs have been lost, causing a contraction in pork supply and an unprecedented increase in the price of pork.”

Kiko: Tap pork tariffs for ASF response

MEANWHILE, Senator Francis Pangilinan prodded the Duterte administration to tap pork import tariffs to bankroll piggery repopulation and ongoing efforts to effectively control ASF. He said on Wednesday that as the ASF continues to cost the local industry billions of pesos in lost livelihoods, the government can tap pork import tariffs to fund pig repopulation and other efforts to control ASF. With his Senate Bill 2176, or The Affordable Pork Act of 2021, Pangilinan envisions remedial legislation creating a Swine Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (SCEF) to “help curtail the spread of ASF and contribute to the recovery of the industry.”

He asserted that “Whatever tariff is collected from pork imports should be used to combat ASF,” adding that they could be “used as subsidy to transport hogs from pig farms to markets, as well as insurance for hog raisers, for repopulation, and for the overall improvement of the industry.”

See “DA,” A9

IN celebration of International Nurses Week, a hospital in Bonifacio Global City pays tribute to all of its nurses through the Nurses Day Celebration. The nurses were given an appreciation basket that contains steak, sausages, pasta and vegetables that they can share with their families. Each nurse also received shoes and bags. Organizers of the event said it was a way of thanking the frontliners who tirelessly work long hours to make sure their patients are always taken care of. NONIE REYES

DOT rebuts ‘misleading’ claims on mega-vaxx facility

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

P

UBLIC land for a public purpose.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) said the Nayong Pilipino Foundation property in Parañaque “will not be used for any income-generating purpose,” and cited Presidential Decree No. 1445 (Government Auditing Code of the Philippines), which provides, “government funds or property shall

be spent or used solely for public purposes.”

In a news statement on Wednesday, the DOT underlined, “The vaccination of thousands of Filipinos everyday is definitely for a public purpose; it is not a commercial venture.” The agency took to task former Nayong Pilipino Foundation executive director Lucille Karen E. Malilong-Isberto on her alleged false claims and misrepresentations of the plan to use a portion of NPF’s property as the site of a mega-vaccination facility.

Meanwhile, in a letter to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat dated May 6, 2021, Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea said, “On behalf of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, I wish to inform you that the resignation [of Lucille Karen E. Malilong-Isberto] has been accepted, effective 06 May 2021.”

The Office of the President released the letter on May 12, 2021.

A Duterte appointee, NPF former executive director Malilong-Isberto resigned as member of the

foundation’s board of trustees on May 5 due to her opposition to government’s plan to establish a mega-vaxx facility on NPF property.

The DOT said that under the draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) between NPF and the Department of Health (DOH), the latter will oversee the administration of vaccines at the said site, in coordination with ICTSI Foundation, which is spending for the facility’s construction.

See “DOT,” A9

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, May 13, 2021

B1

JFC to sell shares, buy back dollar bonds to manage debt

L

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ocal fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) on Wednesday said it will sell some P12 billion in preferred shares and buy back $250 million of its perpetual bonds through cash tender offer as part of its plan to restructure its debts this year.

In its disclosure, Jollibee said its board has approved the two measures. The preferred share offering, the company’s first, would need shareholders’ and regulator’s approval.

“JFC’s objective in this plan is to restructure its financial obligations in order to strengthen its balance sheet, spread the maturity of its financial obligations and reduce its foreign exchange risks. This is also part of its action steps to reduce its debt and financing cost as its businesses in different parts of the world

recover from the severe impact of the pandemic,” the company said in its disclosure.

As of the first quarter, sales from its businesses outside of the Philippines now account for 41 percent of its global systemwide sales and were reaching pre-pandemic levels, it said.

For the three months of the year, the company posted P153 million in net income, a turnaround but still not enough to recoup the P1.67-billion loss it incurred last year.

Systemwide sales, meanwhile,

were still down by 13 percent to P47.78 billion from the previous year’s P55.15 billion.

Philippine sales fell by more than a fifth but overseas sales rose 1 percent, the company said.

Jollibee said it will apply for shelf registration of up to P20 billion to issue peso-denominated perpetual preferred shares. Some P8 billion equivalent to 8 million preferred shares will be sold and P4 billion or 4 million preferred shares, will serve as its oversubscription option.

The initial issuance shall be issued in up to two sub-series and may have step up dividend rates if these are not redeemed within 3 years or 5 years, the company said.

These preferred shares will come from the reclassification of existing authorized and unissued common shares and thus will not expand the total number of authorized shares in its equity base.

The preferred share issuance will also not affect the current cash dividend policy and its implementation as the company’s total financial obligations will hardly change since the issuance of preferred shares will

be mostly offset by a reduction in other financial obligations such as the reduction in the amount of the US dollar bonds, it said.

Jollibee declares 33 percent of net income attributable to common equity holders of the parent company as its dividends.

In addition to the buy-back of perpetual dollar bonds, the company plans to reduce its other financial obligations in the form of bank loans within the year.

In January last year the company through its wholly owned subsidiary JWPL (Singapore) issued $600 million in perpetual bonds maturing in 2025 and in June 2020 another $300 million in senior debt securities maturing in 2026 and $300 million in senior debt securities maturing in 2030.

Some $400 million from the perpetual bond offer was used to pay off short-term loans used mostly for the acquisition of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in September 2019 while those from senior debt securities served as contingency measure against unforeseen adverse impact of a prolonged pandemic.

Ayala bond offer secures SEC nod T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the P30-billion shelf registration of conglomerate Ayala Corp., some P10 billion of which will be immediately be sold to the market.

In its meeting on May 11, the SEC en banc approved the registration statement of Ayala, subject to the company’s compliance with certain remaining requirements.

The first tranche of Ayala’s debt securities program will comprise up to P6 billion of 3-year bonds due in

2024 and 5-year bonds due in 2026, with an oversubscription option of up to P4 billion.

Ayala expects to net up to P9.87 billion from the first tranche, assuming the oversubscription option is fully exercised. The proceeds will be used to refinance maturing debt and partially finance the company’s capital expenditures.

The bonds, which will be offered at face value, will be listed and traded on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.

Ayala engaged BPI Capital Corp. as issue manager for the transaction.

BPI Capital will also serve as joint lead underwriter and bookrunner alongside BDO Capital and Investment Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., First Metro Investment Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp.

The company said its attributable income last year was cut in half to P17.14 billion from the previous year’s P35.27 billion as most of its business underperformed.

Revenues were down 25 percent

to P219.92 billion from the previous year’s P295.26 billion.

“Our sequential growth in the fourth quarter reflects a recovery in consumer confidence that has started to show in the latter part of 2020. We expect this trajectory to continue and lead to a full economic revival by 2022 as mobility further improves and as the country executes on the vaccination rollout as planned,” company president and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala said. VG Cabuag

Tech firm Cebu Pacific delivers new batch sets sights of Covid-19 vaccines to VisMin on IPO

A

fter securing a multibillion-peso investment deal with Advantage Partners (AP), local information technology (IT) systems integrator MDI Novare Technologies said it is mulling over to go public as it eyes further business expansion.

MDI Novare Technologies Chairman Myla Villanueva said during a virtual event on Wednesday the firm is still studying if it will launch an initial public offering (IPO) in the next 4 to 5 years.

“Certainly, that is in the horizon,” she said, noting that the company will be ready when the time comes.

“We have always run ourselves as if we were a public company already. So, we are prepared at any time. But timing is always important in those decisions.”

Villanueva said Japanese private equity firm AP can also give them guidance in case the firm pushes through with the IPO plan.

“When we are ready with MDI Novare, I think it would be a very successful IPO,” said Emmett Thomas, AP’s head of Asia.

Villanueva said the company started looking for potential partners back in September 2019 as it plans its expansion.

Independent investment bank Evercore and international law firm Milbank advised MDI in finalizing the deal with AP. “Even before the pandemic, I was seeing robust and exponential growth already in our own transformation from being just an infrastructure player to a digital transformation player,” she said. “In a sense, I was already beginning to realize when the big leaders in the country were calling on us to help them through that journey.” Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

Contributed Photo

T

he Philippines’s leading carrier, Cebu Pacific (CEB) safely flew about 70,000 Covid-19 vaccines to various parts of Visayas and Mindanao on May 11 and 12, aiding in the continuous distribution of vaccines across the country.

This shipment comprised of 4,760 doses for Bacolod, 7,600 for Cotabato, 18,075 for Davao, 27,620 for Legazpi, 6,200 for Puerto Princesa, and 5,320 for Zamboanga.

“We are happy to support our government in its efforts to curb the virus. Our country’s progress has been promising and we look forward to an

even stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors. Rest assured, we are more than ready to continue flying these life-saving vaccines from abroad and across our widest domestic network,” said Alexander Lao, Chief Commercial Officer of Cebu Pacific.

All these vaccines were preserved in temperature-specific refrigerated containers to maintain potency and efficacy up until arrival at the designated stations.

On May 7, CEB successfully transported 1.5 million doses from Beijing to Manila, the larg-

est single shipment flown by a Philippine carrier to date, in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH).

Since March 2021, CEB has flown over 2.5 million vaccine doses, over half a million of which were delivered to seven provinces in the country.

CEB operates the widest domestic network in the Philippines covering 32 destinations, on top of its six international destinations. Its 74-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two dedicated ATR freighters and one A330 freighter.

Gokongweis invest ₧1.25B in Shakey’s

BusinessMirror file photo

S

hakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc., the pizza restaurant chain owned by the Po family, on Wednesday said the private investment company of the Gokongweis will become its minority shareholder starting next month after infusing some P1.25 billion into Shakey’s.

In its disclosure, Shakey’s said JE Holdings has bought some 9 percent of the pizza parlor chain. The acquisition price is about P8.20 per share, a 10-percent premium from its stock price and 14 percent higher than the 45-day volume weighted average, the company said.

Shakey’s shares closed at P7.93 apiece on Wednesday.

“Despite the short-term challenges, we too remain optimistic about our long-term prospects and, as result, have begun investing again in our stores, our people, and our various operating capabilities,” Vicente Gregorio, the company’s president and CEO, said.

“We believe that we are in a relatively good position financially and, with the added benefit of a new strategic investor, we plan to make the most of both the fresh round of capital and the various synergies that come along with partnering with the Gokongwei group of companies.”

Lance Gokongwei, chairman and president of JE Holdings, will take one board seat in Shakey’s 9-member board, and will be ratified during its stockholders’ meeting in July.

“I’ve always been a fan of the Shakey’s brand and look forward to working with both the board and management to further the company’s growth and restart expansion

plans in anticipation of the inevitable reopening of our economy. I strongly believe in the long-term prospects of the food service industry, against a backdrop of rising Filipino incomes, and I have confidence that Shakey’s will continue to be a leader in this space,” Gokongwei said.

“I support Lance’s election to our board as he brings with him a wealth of experience and a variety of perspectives stemming from his diversified set of business interests,” Christopher Po, the company’s chairman, said.

Shakey’s income for the three months ending March 31 fell 74 percent to P28.72 million from last year’s P113.58 million.

Revenues declined 30 percent to P1.28 billion from last year’s P1.83 billion but the company said its numbers were improving compared with the previous quarter.

The company has restarted its store network expansion plans, with the opening of 8 net new stores during the first three months of the year, putting it on track to hit its 30 net new store target, which excludes ghost kitchens or delivery support.

These new branches will follow a smaller format and will be geared toward servicing both in-store and out-of-store consumption in response to guests’ emerging needs for fast, convenient, and safe dining experiences.

“This pivot in our store expansion strategy will allow us to widen our reach while reducing the cost of investment and maintaining our short payback periods,” Gregorio said. VG Cabuag

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, May 13, 2021

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

May 12, 2021

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

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

43.5 105.5 81.95 25.15 9.52 43.65 21.05 28.5 56.9 17.6 115.1 74.9 1.39 3.9 3.02 1.42 980 155 0.92

43.65 105.6 82.85 25.2 9.54 43.9 21.4 28.6 59 17.64 115.5 74.95 1.44 3.93 3.15 1.54 994 156.4 1.04

43.4 105.9 81.95 25.15 9.52 43.8 21.65 28.35 57 17.64 115.5 74.9 1.4 3.92 3.02 1.42 990 155 0.95

43.6 105.9 83 25.15 9.81 44 21.65 28.65 59.2 17.64 115.9 74.95 1.43 3.93 3.02 1.42 990 155 0.95

43.4 103.5 81.1 25.05 9.51 43.55 21.5 28.1 56.75 17.6 114.8 74.75 1.39 3.9 3.02 1.42 980 153.2 0.95

43.5 105.6 82.85 25.15 9.52 43.9 21.5 28.5 59 17.6 115.1 74.9 1.39 3.93 3.02 1.42 980 155 0.95

3,600 1,197,950 812,670 493,500 23,000 1,798,000 5,600 2,216,500 2,170 2,900 792,780 15,050 45,000 67,000 22,000 4,000 20 30,610 2,000

156,660 125,530,304 66,788,581.50 12,407,175 219,554 78,647,790 120,450 62,823,660 125,211 51,152 91,376,141 1,126,964 63,100 262,020 66,440 5,680 19,700 4,715,449 1,900

-4,350 -20,993,233 -21,804,885.50 -37,154 -17,587,580 -22,789,075 8,550 -8,820 43,371,304 -574,478 -1,393,450 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 7.04 7.05 7.3 7.3 7 7.05 25,228,300 178,460,226 1.31 1.32 1.32 1.32 1.31 1.32 421,000 553,300 ALSONS CONS ABOITIZ POWER 23 23.05 23 23.25 22.8 23.05 8,462,200 195,397,155 0.78 0.79 0.82 0.82 0.77 0.79 20,408,000 15,976,010 BASIC ENERGY 31.2 31.25 31.2 31.3 31.05 31.25 384,200 11,976,335 FIRST GEN FIRST PHIL HLDG 67.3 67.4 67.6 67.6 67.25 67.3 26,550 1,787,806 273 274.2 274.8 274.8 272.2 274.2 77,860 21,308,740 MERALCO 14.36 14.38 14.36 14.5 14.34 14.38 1,022,400 14,699,156 MANILA WATER PETRON 3.33 3.34 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.33 2,207,000 7,315,620 3.91 3.94 3.9 4 3.9 3.9 128,000 501,160 PETROENERGY 13.2 13.36 13.36 13.38 13.18 13.36 271,300 3,602,124 PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL 21.55 21.75 22 22 21.4 21.75 261,200 5,669,775 10.42 10.44 10.38 10.44 10.38 10.42 71,500 744,822 SPC POWER 14 14.2 14.96 14.96 14.2 14.2 2,300 32,816 VIVANT AGRINURTURE 6.6 6.7 6.68 6.78 6.55 6.7 2,320,200 15,485,142 2.87 2.88 2.86 2.94 2.84 2.87 667,000 1,919,080 AXELUM 12.92 13.1 12.92 13.1 12.92 12.92 6,300 81,972 CNTRL AZUCARERA CENTURY FOOD 22.5 22.75 21.9 22.8 21.7 22.5 5,020,500 112,080,620 12.44 12.5 13.04 13.06 12.18 12.44 659,100 8,273,320 DEL MONTE 7.6 7.65 7.7 7.85 7.57 7.6 2,063,500 15,780,406 DNL INDUS EMPERADOR 9.46 9.47 9.52 9.61 9.47 9.47 309,500 2,938,601 67.75 67.9 69 69 67.8 67.8 266,000 18,193,689 SMC FOODANDBEV 0.62 0.63 0.61 0.62 0.61 0.62 220,000 135,230 ALLIANCE SELECT FRUITAS HLDG 1.4 1.41 1.4 1.44 1.39 1.41 10,895,000 15,436,950 61 61.9 61 62 60 61 395,970 24,158,845 GINEBRA 170.4 171 175 175 170 170.4 1,156,800 198,691,943 JOLLIBEE LIBERTY FLOUR 28.8 29 28.8 29.95 28.8 29 10,500 307,010 5.82 5.85 5.86 5.97 5.83 5.85 165,600 968,598 MAXS GROUP MG HLDG 0.27 0.275 0.285 0.285 0.265 0.27 8,500,000 2,326,950 SHAKEYS PIZZA 7.91 7.93 7.46 8 7.42 7.93 1,319,100 10,208,490 1.02 1.03 1.02 1.04 1.02 1.03 582,000 596,020 ROXAS AND CO RFM CORP 4.66 4.69 4.68 4.68 4.65 4.66 312,000 1,459,890 ROXAS HLDG 1.46 1.53 1.53 1.53 1.53 1.53 3,000 4,590 0.132 0.134 0.133 0.134 0.132 0.134 2,870,000 380,080 SWIFT FOODS UNIV ROBINA 133 134 132 134 130.9 134 611,860 81,558,785 VITARICH 0.79 0.8 0.8 0.82 0.79 0.8 5,928,000 4,827,610 2.48 2.5 2.49 2.5 2.48 2.5 32,000 79,590 VICTORIAS CEMEX HLDG 1.17 1.18 1.18 1.18 1.16 1.17 1,399,000 1,634,930 DAVINCI CAPITAL 2.6 2.67 2.69 2.71 2.6 2.6 1,306,000 3,445,460 11.72 11.82 11.9 11.9 11.82 11.82 14,300 170,012 EAGLE CEMENT EEI CORP 6.91 6.98 6.9 7.05 6.9 6.91 43,100 297,655 HOLCIM 5.43 5.44 5.49 5.5 5.44 5.44 87,300 477,649 6.6 6.64 6.7 6.79 6.56 6.6 128,600 852,556 MEGAWIDE PHINMA 12.02 12.3 12 12.3 12 12.3 144,000 1,761,688 TKC METALS 1.08 1.09 1.07 1.1 1.07 1.08 410,000 440,510 2.13 2.14 2.29 2.29 2.1 2.13 6,437,000 13,945,170 VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA 1.85 1.88 1.86 1.88 1.85 1.85 636,000 1,186,950 EUROMED 1.94 1.95 1.91 1.95 1.9 1.94 93,000 179,010 4.57 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 2,000 9,200 LMG CORP MABUHAY VINYL 4.57 4.68 4.54 4.68 4.54 4.68 4,000 18,440 22.3 22.9 22.3 22.3 22.3 22.3 100 2,230 CONCEPCION 4.24 4.25 4.09 4.27 4.07 4.25 19,932,000 83,654,630 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 9.12 9.16 9.26 9.26 9.11 9.16 234,800 2,149,041 1.07 1.09 1.07 1.09 1.07 1.09 220,000 239,560 IONICS 1.28 1.32 1.34 1.34 1.32 1.32 9,000 11,970 SFA SEMICON CIRTEK HLDG 5.72 5.73 5.82 5.82 5.68 5.73 6,688,300 38,142,203

23,639,168 -112,395,135 52,930 -6,001,860 -1,507,936.00 -9,853,224 -7,707,152 -2,639,180 -13,200 1,324,100 1,496 -3,542,975 1,325,515 426,740 -8,400,283 -1,025,042 -13,910 -8,000 21,439,736.50 -78,983,251 199,128 40,250 -3,675,862 -42,840 -41,940 11,880 2,424,803 -15,800 10,340.00 348,280 -15,402 -13,865 -45,836 -145,369 -1,230,000 2,140 -1,045,190 183,280 4,600 2,750,030 -923,649 115,000

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL 1 1.01 1.05 1.05 1 1 12,280,000 12,450,520 7.05 7.38 7.4 7.4 7 7.38 1,000 7,154 ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP 727 730 740 740 720 727 209,540 152,329,035 35 35.5 35.9 35.9 34.8 35 541,200 18,977,350 ABOITIZ EQUITY 9.98 9.99 10.12 10.12 9.94 9.98 2,964,900 29,631,337 ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG 2.98 2.99 2.98 3.01 2.96 2.98 926,000 2,769,540 6.68 6.82 6.82 6.82 6.81 6.82 1,400 9,545 ANSCOR 0.76 0.77 0.8 0.8 0.75 0.77 3,461,000 2,664,990 ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A 0.69 0.7 0.69 0.69 0.68 0.69 505,000 346,560 4.92 4.96 5 5.08 4.92 4.92 1,445,700 7,166,833 COSCO CAPITAL 5.46 5.47 5.51 5.58 5.44 5.46 6,375,400 34,912,521 DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV 8.1 8.19 8.19 8.19 8.19 8.19 6,000 49,140 0.27 0.295 0.27 0.295 0.265 0.285 2,600,000 731,350 FORUM PACIFIC 514 528 527 528 512 528 158,710 82,637,450 GT CAPITAL JG SUMMIT 50.3 50.55 51.2 51.45 50.3 50.3 921,570 46,709,196 0.84 0.85 0.9 0.9 0.85 0.85 2,117,000 1,824,720 LODESTAR 3.16 3.32 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 15,000 48,000 LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP 12.96 12.98 13 13.1 12.74 12.96 2,515,300 32,597,366 0.38 0.475 0.45 0.45 0.38 0.38 130,000 57,000 MABUHAY HLDG 3.64 3.69 3.82 3.83 3.64 3.64 35,383,000 130,842,080 METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG 3.53 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.52 3.6 23,000 81,700 2.65 2.66 2.65 2.72 2.61 2.66 471,000 1,255,300 PRIME MEDIA 1.19 1.22 1.21 1.21 1.16 1.19 284,000 337,070 SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID 365 375 371.2 375 367 375 700 259,472 923 923.5 927 930 920 923.5 157,480 145,421,655 SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP 116.7 117.2 117.5 117.6 116.6 117.2 57,530 6,741,418 SOC RESOURCES 0.66 0.68 0.7 0.71 0.66 0.66 430,000 289,600 129.2 132.7 129.5 132.7 129.2 132.7 1,360 176,240 TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS 0.24 0.249 0.243 0.243 0.24 0.24 6,140,000 1,478,340 0.221 0.225 0.227 0.227 0.215 0.225 3,640,000 804,570 ZEUS HLDG

-1,915,560 1,360 -47,217,145 -13,791,000 -5,735,663.00 18,500 -3,241,906 -2,260,815 -16,966,365 -34,260,202.50 172,000 -13,521,282 -91,806,860 -31,980 -88,898,845 -4,631,108 -16,793.00 11,050

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.64 0.65 0.63 0.66 0.63 0.64 353,000 225,760 31.95 32 32.25 32.3 31.9 31.95 13,182,900 422,728,490 AYALA LAND ARANETA PROP 1.21 1.29 1.21 1.21 1.18 1.18 16,000 19,110 34.55 34.6 34.15 34.85 34.1 34.55 1,474,500 50,990,425 AREIT RT 1.36 1.37 1.39 1.39 1.36 1.36 201,000 274,490 BELLE CORP A BROWN 0.93 0.94 0.93 0.94 0.92 0.93 1,377,000 1,276,160 0.9 0.92 0.94 0.94 0.89 0.9 432,000 390,570 CITYLAND DEVT 0.121 0.126 0.127 0.127 0.121 0.125 900,000 110,030 CROWN EQUITIES CEBU HLDG 6 6.44 5.95 6.54 5.95 6.48 5,400 34,844 5.72 5.73 5.79 5.79 5.72 5.73 173,800 997,869 CEB LANDMASTERS 0.4 0.405 0.39 0.415 0.385 0.4 19,300,000 7,821,850 CENTURY PROP CYBER BAY 0.315 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.32 270,000 86,400 12.38 12.4 12.5 12.62 12.26 12.4 734,900 9,115,016 DOUBLEDRAGON 1.95 1.96 2 2 1.95 1.95 12,266,000 24,059,390 DDMP RT DM WENCESLAO 6.77 6.78 6.72 6.78 6.71 6.78 21,900 148,225 0.27 0.275 0.275 0.28 0.27 0.27 1,700,000 461,150 EMPIRE EAST 0.171 0.172 0.181 0.184 0.171 0.172 14,780,000 2,597,200 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND 1.09 1.1 1.1 1.11 1.09 1.1 3,844,000 4,220,160 0.82 0.84 0.84 0.84 0.82 0.82 145,000 119,740 GLOBAL ESTATE 7.14 7.4 7.2 7.49 7.08 7.13 74,100 540,427 8990 HLDG PHIL INFRADEV 1.3 1.32 1.31 1.33 1.3 1.32 472,000 618,340 1.62 1.64 1.72 1.83 1.6 1.62 2,692,000 4,615,770 CITY AND LAND 2.82 2.84 2.98 2.99 2.82 2.82 73,262,000 211,119,360 MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED 0.39 0.395 0.405 0.41 0.385 0.39 35,280,000 13,853,500 0.51 0.52 0.54 0.55 0.5 0.52 6,438,000 3,366,640 PHIL ESTATES PRIMEX CORP 3.44 3.45 3.42 3.45 3.13 3.45 7,633,000 25,176,190 ROBINSONS LAND 16.82 16.84 17.1 17.1 16.8 16.84 729,100 12,319,200 1.49 1.52 1.52 1.52 1.49 1.49 83,000 125,500 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.59 2.65 2.61 2.61 2.59 2.59 61,000 158,510 2.31 2.32 2.35 2.35 2.32 2.32 39,000 90,630 STA LUCIA LAND 32.5 32.75 33.9 33.9 32.5 32.5 32,224,500 1,072,989,070 SM PRIME HLDG VISTAMALLS 3.72 3.85 3.73 3.89 3.73 3.83 3,000 11,450 1.46 1.49 1.54 1.54 1.44 1.49 660,000 987,290 SUNTRUST HOME 3.51 3.57 3.69 3.69 3.45 3.57 1,791,000 6,352,040 VISTA LAND

SERVICES ABS CBN 10.94 11 11.08 11.08 10.94 10.94 36,700 402,232 8.64 8.65 8.56 8.75 8.56 8.64 1,390,200 12,032,594 GMA NETWORK MANILA BULLETIN 0.45 0.46 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.45 140,000 63,000 1,829 1,832 1,865 1,865 1,810 1,829 57,890 105,863,795 GLOBE TELECOM 1,245 1,250 1,268 1,270 1,241 1,250 240,375 300,738,920 PLDT APOLLO GLOBAL 0.189 0.19 0.195 0.195 0.188 0.189 224,910,000 42,710,780 18.9 18.96 18.84 19.06 18.8 18.96 5,566,500 105,420,344 CONVERGE 4.19 4.2 4.35 4.44 4.2 4.2 4,540,000 19,492,860 DFNN INC DITO CME HLDG 9.16 9.17 9.5 9.7 9.16 9.16 12,390,600 115,677,709 1.55 1.58 1.58 1.58 1.58 1.58 14,000 22,120 IMPERIAL 2.21 2.28 2.26 2.3 2.19 2.28 124,000 275,550 JACKSTONES NOW CORP 2.5 2.51 2.56 2.56 2.5 2.5 3,028,000 7,682,850 0.395 0.4 0.4 0.405 0.39 0.395 3,510,000 1,389,100 TRANSPACIFIC BR 2.57 2.59 2.55 2.57 2.52 2.57 197,000 499,400 PHILWEB 2GO GROUP 8.2 8.29 8.23 8.25 8.2 8.2 36,000 295,821 15.22 15.76 15.9 15.9 15.76 15.76 900 14,286 ASIAN TERMINALS 2.87 2.95 2.96 2.97 2.86 2.95 726,000 2,108,240 CHELSEA CEBU AIR 48.15 48.2 48.2 48.45 48.1 48.15 239,700 11,557,680 138.5 138.6 139.8 140 138.4 138.6 1,678,010 233,372,388 INTL CONTAINER 16 16.8 16.6 17 16 16 1,500 24,488 LBC EXPRESS LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.96 1.03 0.96 1.03 0.96 1.03 9,000 8,710 4.56 4.57 4.74 4.8 4.56 4.57 946,000 4,363,310 MACROASIA 2.14 2.18 2.25 2.25 2.12 2.18 219,000 472,620 METROALLIANCE A PAL HLDG 5.81 5.86 5.9 5.9 5.81 5.86 19,400 113,677 1.3 1.31 1.29 1.32 1.2 1.31 910,000 1,135,930 HARBOR STAR ACESITE HOTEL 1.51 1.57 1.51 1.57 1.51 1.57 91,000 138,820 0.081 0.082 0.083 0.083 0.08 0.081 52,050,000 4,233,930 BOULEVARD HLDG 2.72 2.9 3.05 3.05 2.71 2.9 119,000 339,240 DISCOVERY WORLD WATERFRONT 0.51 0.52 0.53 0.54 0.51 0.52 2,441,000 1,267,490 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.71 7.25 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 100 670 0.345 0.355 0.35 0.35 0.345 0.345 310,000 107,400 STI HLDG BERJAYA 4.8 4.85 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8 10,000 48,000 6.01 6.1 6.15 6.15 6 6.1 3,206,600 19,453,958 BLOOMBERRY 2.08 2.15 2.19 2.19 2.08 2.15 8,000 17,000 PACIFIC ONLINE LEISURE AND RES 1.49 1.55 1.57 1.58 1.49 1.55 1,589,000 2,494,840 2.08 2.09 2.03 2.09 2.02 2.08 531,000 1,103,770 MANILA JOCKEY 1.91 1.93 1.93 1.95 1.87 1.93 3,095,000 5,923,580 PH RESORTS GRP PREMIUM LEISURE 0.39 0.395 0.395 0.395 0.39 0.395 1,700,000 669,650 PHIL RACING 5.9 6 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 2,000 11,800 7.05 7.3 7.4 7.4 7.03 7.3 318,700 2,283,758 ALLHOME METRO RETAIL 1.27 1.28 1.28 1.3 1.27 1.28 641,000 816,920 PUREGOLD 32.95 33 33.5 33.6 32.5 32.95 7,050,800 232,411,465 49.8 49.95 51.1 51.2 49.3 49.8 2,810,410 140,859,282.50 ROBINSONS RTL PHIL SEVEN CORP 110.5 111.4 110 111.5 110 110.5 309,470 34,215,135 SSI GROUP 1.18 1.19 1.17 1.19 1.17 1.18 402,000 471,160 17.7 17.94 18.1 18.18 17.6 17.7 397,900 7,082,298 WILCON DEPOT APC GROUP 0.37 0.38 0.37 0.37 0.365 0.37 920,000 337,950 EASYCALL 6.13 6.49 6.23 6.49 6.12 6.12 10,700 66,049 390 412.8 412.8 412.8 412.8 412.8 20 8,256 GOLDEN MV PAXYS 2.33 2.47 2.33 2.33 2.33 2.33 30,000 69,900 1.76 1.77 1.95 1.95 1.73 1.76 58,019,000 104,013,550 PRMIERE HORIZON 4.1 4.12 4.13 4.13 4.12 4.12 3,000 12,370 SBS PHIL CORP

-660 -60,218,600 -18,887,405 -9,730 9,070 -120,734 -97,700 -1,434,424 -201,350 -95,598 -398,700 1,820 -1,084,030 -26,935 -17,020 -154,560 -94,444,300 227,100 137,600 5,495,040 -4,007,658 -92,720 410,289,205 -533,630 -69,285,795 -53,778,340 -3,664,810 12,551,158 1,057,780 -1,878,932 -4,684,980.00 16,440 -38,090 2,309,870 -11,226,377 -616,910 13,140 39,280 97,580 -194,640 -10,201,670 -97,000 43,450 -791,097 2,540 -67,207,720 -46,702,512.50 43,849 -4,580 -363,702 -212,400 390,280 -

MINING & OIL ATOK 8.37 8.45 8.7 8.84 8.35 8.35 231,700 1,986,704 -163,181 APEX MINING 1.57 1.58 1.65 1.66 1.57 1.58 6,173,000 9,877,410 440,090 7.99 8.11 8.27 8.28 7.99 7.99 1,647,000 13,261,358 58,616.00 ATLAS MINING 2.9 3.11 2.98 3.11 2.98 3.11 44,000 131,250 BENGUET A COAL ASIA HLDG 0.315 0.335 0.325 0.34 0.32 0.34 1,110,000 364,000 2.85 2.88 2.88 2.88 2.78 2.88 24,000 68,550 48,890 CENTURY PEAK 6.84 7.13 7.14 7.14 6.85 7.14 4,800 32,953 DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL 2.49 2.5 2.59 2.59 2.47 2.49 2,188,000 5,462,440 551,980 0.34 0.345 0.36 0.36 0.34 0.345 1,610,000 554,150 77,900 GEOGRACE 0.17 0.171 0.18 0.18 0.169 0.17 186,100,000 32,182,500 LEPANTO A LEPANTO B 0.173 0.174 0.182 0.184 0.171 0.173 16,210,000 2,849,140 0.014 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.013 0.014 707,800,000 9,960,600 MANILA MINING A 0.014 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.015 99,700,000 1,495,500 MANILA MINING B MARCVENTURES 1.28 1.31 1.3 1.36 1.28 1.31 464,000 605,990 136,080 1.48 1.5 1.55 1.55 1.48 1.48 265,000 393,290 NIHAO 5.3 5.31 5.57 5.57 5.3 5.3 9,694,600 51,984,443 -8,904,522 NICKEL ASIA ORNTL PENINSULA 0.9 0.93 0.92 0.96 0.91 0.92 1,055,000 967,770 6.84 6.85 6.83 6.91 6.6 6.84 2,232,000 15,144,186 806,495 PX MINING 12.26 12.3 12.6 12.8 12.2 12.26 2,618,100 32,396,464 479,564 SEMIRARA MINING UNITED PARAGON 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 20,800,000 215,300 17 17.1 17 17.18 17 17 156,200 2,662,822 ACE ENEXOR 0.012 0.013 0.013 0.013 0.012 0.013 70,300,000 845,700 ORNTL PETROL A ORNTL PETROL B 0.013 0.014 0.014 0.014 0.013 0.013 1,532,000,000 21,242,900 39,000 0.012 0.013 0.012 0.013 0.011 0.012 92,400,000 1,101,600 PHILODRILL 7.08 7.1 7.1 7.19 7.1 7.1 335,100 2,390,978 956,761 PXP ENERGY

PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 99.7 100.9 101 101 101 101 80 8,080 101.3 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 101.5 2,780 282,170 HOUSE PREF A AC PREF B1 515 532 532 532 532 532 1,500 798,000 101.2 102.7 102.5 102.5 102.5 102.5 500 51,250 ALCO PREF B 44.5 44.6 44.5 44.6 44.45 44.5 50,300 2,238,400 -436,000 CEB PREF DD PREF 100.5 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 350 35,490 504 507 505 507 505 505 6,380 3,222,660 GLO PREF P 985 1,020 1,020 1,020 1,020 1,020 10 10,200 GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B 1,035 1,045 1,045 1,045 1,045 1,045 260 271,700 101.6 102 102 102 102 102 4,700 479,400 MWIDE PREF 101 101.8 101 101 101 101 2,560 258,560 MWIDE PREF 2B PNX PREF 3B 103 103.5 104 104 103.4 103.5 3,100 321,200 1,023 1,039 1,024 1,038 1,024 1,038 10 10,310 PCOR PREF 2B 1,095 1,098 1,119 1,119 1,020 1,095 81,840 85,355,100 PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B 1,141 1,155 1,141 1,155 1,141 1,141 1,050 1,198,750 79.6 79.9 79.9 79.9 79.9 79.9 170 13,583 SMC PREF 2C 76.5 77 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 3,400 260,100 SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F 78.75 79.2 78.95 79 78.8 78.8 47,930 3,779,995 77.8 78.25 77.4 78.25 77.4 78.25 22,410 1,741,982.50 SMC PREF 2H 78 78.5 78.5 78.5 78.5 78.5 230 18,055 SMC PREF 2I SMC PREF 2K 75.9 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 7,000 535,500 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS GMA HLDG PDR 8.05 8.13 8.09 8.25 8 8.13 309,800 2,491,785 -1,994,825

WARRANTS LR WARRANT 1.63 1.68 1.73 1.73 1.62 1.68 494,000 812,890 -350

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ALTUS PROP 17.42 17.88 17.52 17.88 17.42 17.88 32,500 569,614 284,106 2.31 2.39 2.36 2.47 2.3 2.39 321,000 747,240 -14,170 ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH 5.11 5.15 5.16 5.16 5.15 5.15 2,500 12,881 2.53 2.67 2.53 2.53 2.53 2.53 21,000 53,130 MAKATI FINANCE 4.65 4.66 4.83 4.88 4.55 4.66 7,751,000 36,249,790 76,480 MERRYMART

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

FIRST METRO ETF 94.8 95.05 96 97 94.8 94.8 55,940 5,327,171.50 500,228.50

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Strong performance of units allows Phoenix to post profit

P

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

hoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. swung back to profit in the January-to-March period mainly due to the strong performance of its businesses here and abroad.

Net income in the first quarter stood at P121.3 million, a reversal of the P386-million net loss in the same period a year ago. Overall volume was 43-percent higher year-onyear supported by the fast-growing LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder business and the strong rebound in the commercial and other B2B segments.

Volume from overseas subsidiaries more than doubled during the period. The overseas business, led by the trading subsidiary in Singapore, remained robust in the first quarter. Meanwhile, the LPG operations in Vietnam eased following

consecutive triple-digit growth in the prior quarters.

In line with its strategic priority of growing its Phoenix Super LPG cylinder business, LPG cylinder volume was up 15 percent year-on-year nationwide, with Luzon and VisayasMindanao growing by 53 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Cylinders accounted for almost two-thirds of the business in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, sales to the lower margin LPG segments were pulled back, resulting in a 13-percent decline in overall LPG volume.

Domestic volume is now 93 percent of pre-Covid levels de-

spite a muted beginning this year with the resurgence of Covid-19 infections and the subsequent community quarantines.

“Our April results, despite the quarantines, exceeded pre-Covid levels for the first time. While this is very encouraging, we remain cautious and thus committed to our priorities of providing the best offer to our customers, operational excellence, and accelerating growth,” said Phoenix Petroleum President Henry Albert R. Fadullon.

The oil firm remained the third largest player in market share last year, as per Department of Energy data. Amid the industry contraction, the company’s market share at end-2020 rose to 7.1 percent from 6.9 percent in the first half of last year on the back of the strong recovery of its core business in retail, LPG, and commercial and B2B. Operational expenses (opex) during the first quarter went down by 16 percent from the prior year and OPEX per liter was down 42 percent. The company’s capital light

strategy, which was rolled out prepandemic, proved to yield results.

Among these include the growth in retail network to 676 stations at end-March this year brought about by strategic retail partnerships; rationalization of the lubricants and FamilyMart supply chain which eliminated warehousing costs and generated savings; spin off of noncore road transport operations to a partnership that led to increased tank truck loadings; and monetizing the brand through an integrated franchising program to offer multiple businesses in one site or outlet, such as the Phoenix Block.

The company’s app-based lifestyle rewards program called Limitless is likewise driving organic growth across its portfolio of fuel and nonfuel retail services including LPG, food, and payments.

Meanwhile, finance costs were down 56 percent during the period on the back of lower average debt levels and average interest rates. The company is strengthening its balance sheet with longer maturities and declining gearing.

Puregold income rises by 14% in Q1 P

uregold Price Club Inc. said its income in the first quarter rose 14 percent to P2.02 billion from last year’s P1.76 billion as the company was able to improve its margins despite the decline in sales due to last year’s high-base effect.

The grocery chain led by businessman Lucio Co said its consolidated net sales decreased by 8 percent to P37.73 billion in the first quarter from last year’s about P40.95 billion, due mainly due to the huge drop in visits.

“Also, it should be noted that base net sales in first quarter last year hit as high as 14 percent versus first quarter of 2019 due to the looming lockdown brought about by the pandemic,” the company said.

Consolidated net margin for the period improved to 5.4 percent.

The company said it still enjoys suppliers’ support through addi-

tional trade discounts in the form of rebates and conditional discounts granted during the period.

Some 72 percent of the revenues is came from the Puregold stores network and 28 percent from S and R Membership warehouse clubs and S and R New York Style Pizza stores.

“Despite the increasing Covid-19 cases that our country is facing, Puregold is in a good position to serve the needs of our valued customers and help fuel recovery of the country’s economy by continuing our store network expansion and introducing new innovations in grocery retailing.” Vincent Co, the company’s president, said.

As of end-March, Puregold group has a total of 479 stores nationwide. These include 413 Puregold stores, 20 S and R membership shopping warehouse and 46 S and R New York Style quick service restaurant. VG Cabuag

briefs

SMC allots P1B for Pasig River rehab

San Miguel Corp. (SMC), the proponent of the P735-billion Bulacan airport project in Bulakan, Bulacan, has set aside at least P1 billion for the rehabilitation of the Pasig River in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The rehabilitation effort, which involves dredging and cleanup of the major waterway, is expected to commence before the end of the month, with the hope of reviving what it describes as “biologically inactive river.”

SMC has been actively supporting the government’s effort to ease flooding in Metro Manila, including flood-prone areas in Bulacan, as it pursues its multi-billion airport project, criticized by various environmental groups as environmentallydestructive. Jonathan L. Mayuga

mutual funds

May 12, 2021

NAV

Cebu-based retailer Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. said its suffered a net loss of P126.47 million in the first quarter, a reversal of the P7.98-million net income last year due to low customer traffic.

The company attributed its net loss to the 19-percent drop in revenue to P6.95 billion against the P8.57 billion last year.

The first quarter retail season is typically the lean period following peak consumer spending in December. VG Cabuag

Return*

Y-T-D Return

Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a

204.28

8.98%

-7.67%

-4.57%

-10.1%

ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

1.2561

28.23%

-6.64%

0.5%

-4.33%

10.62%

-12.14%

-6.96%

-10.64%

-7.69% n.a.

-10.46%

ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.7995

Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.7198 9.94% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.6747 -0.47% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a

4.5062

10.76%

First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,4 0.6422

-7.1% n.a.

-5.54%

-3.37%

1.65%

-9.5%

-9.02% -8.81% -8.21% -15.48%

MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a

94.11

24.16%

-6.36% n.a.

PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a

41.7005

11.53%

-5.98%

-3.48%

-10.99%

Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

439.36

8.93%

-5.95%

-3.82%

-10.15%

Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a,d,5

1.0117

Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a

1.081

Philequity Fund, Inc. -a

31.4386

17.53% n.a. n.a.

-7.68%

-7.8%

12.56%

-5.03%

-2.64%

-7.46%

11.5%

-5.33%

-2.39%

-9.58%

9.08% n.a. n.a.

-11.07%

Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a

0.8119

Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a

4.2733

12.21%

-5.35%

-2.71%

-10.81%

Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a

714.67

12.26%

-5.27%

-2.85%

-10.85%

Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a

0.6504

10.11%

-9.52%

-6.08%

-9.53%

8.39%

-7.41%

-4.17%

-10.19%

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2546

Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8161 11.7%

-5.63%

-3%

-11.07%

United Fund, Inc. -a

-5.26%

-1.63%

-9.03%

-5.09%

-2.22% -10.85%

3.0193

9.96%

Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c

95.883

12.29%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities $1.2521

39.08%

4.66%

8.95%

4.09%

Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.7419

ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b

37.8%

10.6%

11.86%

4.13%

-2.86%

Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a

1.6208

8.31%

-1.55%

-1.75%

ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a

2.1252

8.06%

-2.54%

-1.29%

-7.01%

First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.4777

6.11%

-1.49%

-1.6%

-5.68%

First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.1855

0.71% n.a. n.a. -6.6%

NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a

1.8765

4.8%

0.38%

0.18%

PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.5079

5.22%

-1.15%

-1.13%

-7.4%

Philam Fund, Inc. -a

15.7202

5.5%

-1.04%

-1.13%

-7.18%

Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a

1.9652

6.39%

-1.95%

-1%

-6.16%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.3326 6.01%

-3.24%

-2.24%

-6.73%

-4.46%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d 0.9504

5.62% n.a. n.a.

-7.06%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.8502

6.84% n.a. n.a.

-10.43%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.8323

7.87% n.a. n.a.

-10.8%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

5.17%

-7.84%

0.8181

-4.45%

-2.91%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a

$0.03806

0.34%

3.1%

1.32%

-2.71%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.147

23.15%

3.07%

5.62%

-0.28%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.6505 28.24%

8.32%

8.46%

3.05%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a,3 $1.2045 15.23%

4.65%

4.81%

0.2%

-0.01%

Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

371.02

2.2%

3.13%

2.53%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.9129

-0.92%

0.91%

0.16%

0.66%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -

3.2238

1.6%

3.91%

4.42%

0.28%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2607

-0.72%

2.31%

1.6%

-1.54%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4334 0.47%

3.17%

1.76%

-0.81% -3.31%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a,6 1.3228

Metro Retail incurs P126-M loss

One Year Three Year Five Year

per share

4.4814

-0.75%

4%

1.82%

3.11%

4.31%

2.77%

0.12%

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9692

2.4%

4.43%

2.56%

-0.8%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0283

0.81%

4.12%

1.78%

-1.31%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.1918

2.15%

5.18%

2.8%

-0.44%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7412

4.48%

2.13%

-0.79%

0.85%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$484.13

3.27%

3.13%

2.32%

0.05%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є219.88

2.66%

1.1%

1.19%

0.32%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b

$1.1762

-1.8%

1.88%

1.1%

-8.14%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0259 0.78%

1.59%

0.87%

-2.63%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

$1.0534

-0.16%

0.74%

-0.62%

-3.6%

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.4862

3.67%

5.04%

2.12%

-1.95%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.0627601

5.27%

3.55%

2.21%

0.71%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1425 -0.16%

2.81%

0.95%

-2.52%

Money Market Funds

Napocor awards SHS contract The National Power Corp. has awarded a contract for the supply of 30,500 units of solar home systems (SHS) that would be distributed to six electric cooperatives in Mindanao.

The supply contract was awarded to Trademaster Resources Corp.

The solar home system will then be distributed to First Bukidnon Electric Cooperative, Inc., Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative, Inc., Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative, Inc., Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc., South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. They, in turn, will provide the units to households without access to electricity, such as those located in far-flung sitios that cannot be immediately reached by power distribution lines. Lenie Lectura

Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

2.52%

0.18%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0512 1.28% n.a. n.a.

130.05

0.3%

Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a

0.5%

1.3031

2.03% 1.92%

3.12% 2.89%

2.57%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0567

1.42%

1.72% n.a.

0.41%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d,7 1.2363 n.a. n.a. n.a. 9.45% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -b,d,2

$1

11.11% n.a. n.a.

2.04%

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU). 1 Launch date is September 28, 2019. 2 - Launch date is November 15, 2019. 3 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last October 9, 2019.

4 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 5 - Launch date is December 09, 2019.

6 - Re-classified into a Bond Fund starting February 21, 2020 (Formerly a Money Market Fund).

7 - Launch date is July 6, 2020.

"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."

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, May 13, 2021 B3

SEAFDEC aims to plug milkfish fry gap in PHL

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

A

N international research center has announced that the first rehabilitated hatchery in Western Visayas, which is expected to produce 5 million to 10 million bangus fry every year, started its operations to address the persistent shortage of milkfish seeds in the country.

Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) Chief Dan Baliao said in a statement that the revival of the satellite hatchery in Western Visayas “is simply the beginning of many yet to come.”

T h e 1 ,7 8 7 - s q u a r e - m e t e r Batan Bangus Satellite Hatchery in Aklan was launched in February this year under the National Fry Sufficiency Program of the Depa r t ment of A g r ic u lt u re’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR).

According to Baliao, by rehabilitating hatcheries sites, the production of milkfish fry in the country would be maximized to meet the yearly Philippine demand of about 2.5 billion.

To meet this massive requirement

MILKFISH fry at the hatchery of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department in Tigbauan, Iloilo, that are ready to be transported to nurseries and grow-out farms. PHOTO FROM WWW.SEAFDEC.ORG.PH

DAR chief to traders: Stop shortchanging local farmers

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

D

EPARTMENT of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary John R. Castriciones on Wednesday lamented the sad plight of farmers who are being shortchanged by unscrupulous middlemen.

Warlito Ronquillo and his wife Maricel complained to Castriciones that traders are buying their tomatoes at P2 per kilogram. Instead of selling their tomatoes, the couple who are both agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB) decided to just give away their produce to neighbors.

“That’s too much,” said Castriciones, expressing his disgust over the very low price offered to farmers who work hard cultivating their land and taking care of their farms.

Castriciones and DAR Undersecretary for Support Services Emily Padilla said they met with farmers to hear their pleas for help to fight off unscrupulous traders.

The official appealed to traders not to shortchange

the farmers and ordered DAR officials to find ways to help farmers sell their products at a fair or reasonable price.

Castriciones clarified, however, that the DAR is not totally against the middlemen but only wanted them to be fair in their dealings with the farmers.

Warlito Ronquillo, chairman of the New Basuit Producers’ Cooperative (NBPC) based in Barangay Pala-pala, San Ildefonso, Bulacan, said selling their tomatoes is costlier: “The trucking service fee is much higher than the sales.”

Each of the 124 members of the NBPC own the farm they are tilling. The combined farming area covers 152 hectares, which are alternately being planted with rice and various kinds of vegetables.

The sad experience of the Ronquillo couple is a perennial problem among small farmers, Castriciones said.

To help small farmers, the DAR is implementing the Linking Smallholder Farmers to Markets and Microfinance, a value chain approach where

farmers are encouraged to form themselves into a cohesive group with the end in view of pooling their harvests together to attain the needed volume that is required by an institution to which the DAR had linked up a farmers’ group to serve as a supplier of farm products for the institution’s daily consumption.

“This is the reason why we are encouraging our farmer-beneficiaries to join or form themselves into an organization because only then they can work together towards meeting the required volume their clients need,” Padilla said. “This is our way of helping our farmers by looking for marketing outlets for their products.”

Besides linking them to marketing outlets, Padilla said an organization of farmers is eligible for various forms of government assistance, which include easy access to credit, provision of farm implements and machineries and dump trucks, technology transfer and livelihood assistance.

for fry, Baliao said farmers have resorted to importing fry from neighboring countries.

About half of the 400,000 metric tons of milkfish consumed by Filipinos were sourced as fry from hatcheries in Indonesia and Taiwan before being imported for grow-out in the Philippines, he said, citing industry sources.

The hatchery used to produce shrimp fry in 1983 but outbreaks of shr imp dur ing t he 1990s prompted the hatchery to cease its operations in 1995. Now, it is one of the central hubs that produce quality, locally produced milkfish fry in Western Visayas.

In February, Baliao said the center donated 1.1 million pieces of milkfish larvae and 30 liters of rotifers— microscopic aquatic animals that serve as natural food—to jump-start the hatchery’s operations.

Aside from the hatchery in the Municipality of Batan, the group said another satellite hatchery located in the campus of the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College in Concepcion town is gearing up for its operations.

In southern Iloilo, the group also identified 12 hatcheries that were abandoned or are non-op-

WorldFish scientist wins 2021 World Food Prize

D

R . Sh a k u nt a l a Ha ra ksingh T hilsted, Globa l Lead for Nutrition and Public Health at WorldFish, on Wednesday was named the 2021 World Food Prize Laureate for her groundbreaking research, critical insights, and landmark innovations in developing nutritionsensitive approaches to aquatic food systems.

Thilsted is the first woman of Asian heritage to be awarded the World Food Prize.

Often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture,” the World Food Prize is the most prominent global award recognizing an individual who has enhanced human development and confronted global hunger through improving the quality, quantity, and availability of food for all.

Thilsted was the first to examine the nutritional composition of small native fish species commonly found and consumed in Bangladesh and Cambodia. Her research demonstrated that the high levels of multiple essential micronutrients and fatty acids in these affordable and locally available foods offered life-changing

benefits for children’s cognitive development in their first 1000 days of life and the nutrition and health of their mothers.

From this breakthrough, Thilsted went on to develop nutritionsensitive approaches and innovations to food production from land and water that have improved the diets, nutrition, and health of millions of vulnerable women, men, and children living in low- and middleincome countries across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific.

Announcing the award during the webcast event by the World Food Prize Foundation today, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “Dr. Thilsted figured out how these nutrient-rich small fish can be raised locally and inexpensively. Now, millions of low-income families across many countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Burma, Zambia, Malawi, are eating small fish regularly, dried and fresh, in everything from chutneys to porridge, giving kids and breastfeeding mothers key nutrients that will protect children for a lifetime. That is all thanks to her.”

On being named the 2021 World

India seen keeping lid on global rice prices with record exports

T

HE world’s biggest rice exporter is heading for record shipments this year that will help to keep rising food prices in check, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization.

Indian exports of the planet’s most consumed staple may climb to an alltime high of 16.2 million tons this year, up about 12 percent from 14.5 million tons in 2020, said Shirley Mustafa, a Rome-based senior economist at the UN agency.

A mple Ind ian ex por ts “ have greatly contributed to ensuring access to affordable rice in international markets at a time when prices of maize, soybeans and wheat have surged, and the Covid-19 pandemic has made some sections of the global population poorer,” Mustafa said in an e-mail May 6.

India’s rice production is seen increasing to an all-time high of 120.3 million tons in the year ending June, from about 118.9 million tons a year earlier, according to the latest estimate from the nation’s farm ministry.

The average price of Indian basmati rice sold overseas in the 11 months ended February 28 was about 13 percent lower than a year earlier, while

WORKERS load processed sacks of rice onto a truck at the New Grain Market in Karnal, Haryana, India, May 19, 2016. PRASHANTH VISHWANATHAN/BLOOMBERG

the non-basmati variety was down 8 percent, according to government data.

India will give away about 8 million

erational because of sickness or death of its owner, bankruptcy and lack of finances to continue operations.

Wilfredo D. de los Santos, chief of the Fisheries Production Support and Services Division, BFAR Region 6, said “this collaborative undertaking with BFAR, SEAFDEC, and private partners is a step forward to answer the shortage of bangus fry and to curb our dependence on its importation.”

De los Santos also said the involvement of the agencies and key industry players is a “necessary investment” to achieve fry sufficiency in the country.

Since 2018, the group said it has been working with BFAR-6 in identifying non-operational, abandoned, or damaged hatcheries to ramp up fry production in the province of Iloilo.

At the moment, SEAFDEC/AQD and DA-BFAR are also working on establishing other legislated hatcheries across the country.

Once constructed, the group said each marine hatchery will be able to produce 25 million fry annually to provide for the seed requirements of local fish farmers in their own respective regions.

tons of rice and wheat in May and June to people covered under the nation’s food program to ease hardship caused

by the resurgence of Covid across the country, the government said last month. Bloomberg News

Food Prize Laureate, Thilsted said: “As a scientist, I feel this award is an important recognition of the essential but often overlooked role of fish and aquatic food systems in agricultural research for development. This award is a major acknowledgment of the urgent need to prioritize fish and aquatic foods in nutrition policies and program interventions at national and global levels.”

“Aquatic foods offer life-changing opportunities for millions of vulnerable women, children, and men to be healthy and wellnourished. It is also an important acknowledgment for the insights, voices, and perspectives of millions of people from low-and middle-income countries. These are crucial to shaping the global discourse on nutrition and public health, as well as our shared call to action for a sustainable food systems transformation towards healthier and resilient diets that work for people and the planet.”

A true food systems thinker with many research innovations under her belt, the impact of Thilsted’s research crosses over different disciplines and sectors.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

B4

Thursday, May 13, 2021

www.businessmirror.com.ph

DEALING A DENT ON DIABETES IN THE PHILIPPINES

Denmark calls for comprehensive national plan on health care

C

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

tion) Act in 2014—originally passed 1993—which makes it compulsory for schools to offer an average of 45 minutes of physical activity per school day in primary and lowersecondary education.

The act also adds an extra physical education lesson per school week in Grade 1, and mandates an exit examination in PE when students reach Grade 9 in the Danish education system at around age 15. The Day-Care Facilities Act states that all related facilities must prepare a pedagogical curriculum, with one of six themes focused on "body and motion."

OMING from a country with an efficient health-care system, Ambassador Grete Sillasen expressed her desire that whatever it is doing for the people in Denmark would be duplicated in the Philippines.

Sillasen claimed the Nordic kingdom has a "very ambitious and a very good public health-care system”—although replicating what its government is offering when it comes to the health of its citizens is “easier said than done."

For one, she emphasized that early detection and treatment is very important in fighting diabetes—a major cause of mortality and morbidity among Filipinos—as she recommended to local health authorities to draft what she calls a “comprehensive national plan.”

"But it is [extremely] important... to create awareness about this illness,” the diplomat noted, as she revealed that Danish global pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk, which is at the forefront in the research on diabetes, is playing a vital role in introducing research and development-based innovative treatment modalities to Filipino patients.

“Diabetes...is a disease that is spreading rapidly," the diplomat said during a virtual press conference on May 6, where an innovative, once-weekly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist from Novo Nordisk was discussed.

She cited that the drug against diabetes could also be of help, as has been studied in over 10,000 Type2 patients worldwide. It has led to greater reductions in both blood sugar levels and body weight, compared with other commonly used treatments, as well as providing cardiovascular benefits.

"We at least should have a thorough knowledge of the disease to treat it,” Sillasen said, as she underscored the need to strengthen early detection and treatment—especially in children—similar to what they are doing in her homeland.

SILLASEN ROYAL DANISH EMBASSY, MANILA/FILE PHOTO

Biking culture

IN relation, the World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed a Physical Activity Strategy for the European Region 2016-2025, which aims to inspire governments to facilitate and remove barriers to physical activity.

The WHO mentioned Denmark for offering a noteworthy example of how policy actions can help raise levels of physical activity, thereby helping to reduce the risk of diabetes.

It added that the kingdom’s Health and Medicines Authority has adopted national recommendations on physical activity for children and adolescents, adults, older people and pregnant women. However, the Danish government's work on physical inactivity goes far beyond setting guidelines.

In its efforts to boost physical activity, the European country has taken a multisector approach.

“For example, the Ministry of Culture entered into a multiparty agreement in May 2014: the “Political Agreement on Sports,” which outlines a commitment to sportspolicy initiatives across ministries that govern a wide range of fields such as culture, environment, health and prevention, children, equality,

integration and social affairs, and education,” the WHO said.

The global health organization shared that in 2014, the Danish government funded the establishment of several partnerships focused on promoting physical activity and reducing overweightness among children. The partnerships involve collaboration between municipalities, local organizations, and companies.

Likewise in 2015, the Ministry of the Environment implemented Denmark's first outdoor recreation policy, which serves as a guideline for the development of outdoor recreation activities and future collaborations for outdoor activities. While this policy targets all population groups, there is a special focus on marginalized socioeconomic groups, among whom there is often lower uptake of outdoor recreational activities.

In particular, two main strategies have been launched in Denmark to further improve physical activity: The first focuses specifically on children and adolescents.

Among Danes at age 15, only 11 percent of boys and 7 percent of girls met the WHO-recommended physical activity levels in 2013 and 2014.

To help combat this worrying level of inactivity, the Danish Parliament updated The Folkeskole (Consolida-

THE second strategy capitalizes on the fact that Denmark has one of the most vibrant biking cultures in its region.

Since 2009 Denmark has invested at least €350 million in cycling projects. Its Capital Region estimates that 1 million fewer sick days are now recorded, owing to the fact that 45 percent of people who study or work in Copenhagen cycle to their place of study or work.

Furthermore, the WHO stated that the kingdom has implemented a national bike strategy, “Denmark, On Your Bike!” with three main pillars: everyday cycling, active holidays and recreation, as well as new and safe cyclists.

This was made possible, according to Sillasen, due to their government's ideal urban planning.

"What on Earth does urban planning have to do with diabetes? [Actually,] everything…” Sillasen pointed out. “Because we know the way we lay-out our big cities has a huge impact on the health of [their people.

Now, we have a pandemic; we don't move as much. Some] people have unhealthy lifestyles, like eating more.”

She concluded: "The better the urban planning is, the [lesser the impact on a country’s health sector, with fewer people showing up with diabetes, heart diseases, and being] overweight.”

renewable energy,” stated Stefan Schmitz, GPCCI’s president. “More than 80 business-tobusiness meetings were arranged during [the] business mission.”

Companies based from Germany have recognized the potential of the Philippines in the field of renewable energy, many of which have been active in the local sector for a long time. According to GPCCI, there are more of them providing unique solutions for off-grid areas utilizing photovoltaic-hybrid, as well as energy-storage systems, and would like to

forge ties with Philippine counterparts.

“Solar and other renewable energy options are attractive and encouraged, given the Department of Energy’s renewable energy policies,” said DoE’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau Director Mylene Capongcol. “Fossil fuel in off-grid areas is not sustainable, [in terms of operations, economics, and the environment.

We need a paradigm shift toward self-sufficiency and cleaner surroundings].”

The German Energy Delegation is a virtual business mission of eight German companies:

21st Century Clean Energy, BAE Batterien, DHYBRID Power Systems, Ferntech, iQron, KRAFTWERK Renewable Power Solutions, TESVOLT, and Wollny Consulting.

In the days following the conference, participating German companies will further explore partnership potentials with Philippine peers.

The project is under the German Energy Solutions Initiative—an export program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy supporting German small and medium enterprises in their global outreach.

Physical activity strategy

PHL, US army teams engage in bilateral training events

A 5TH Security Force Assistance Brigade soldier from Maneuver Advisor Team 5123 provides instruction and shares best practices on close-quarter combat with the Philippine Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team.

U

NITED States’s soldiers have arrived in the Philippines to conduct their first-ever partner training rotation with the Philippine Army, with bilateral training events taking place until June.

As engagements primarily take place at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) and the Philippine Army (PA) will impart subjectmatter expert exchanges across the spectrum of military operations— including communications, logistics and unit-training management.

Through these combined engagements, US soldiers will learn and train alongside Filipino partners, as they share their best practices and collaborate on areas of mutual interest, laying the groundwork for future exercises between the two nations.

“We are very excited to train with our Philippine partners,” said Capt. Oleg Sheynfeld, commander of the SFAB team in the Philippines.

“Throughout our rotation, we will conduct subject-matter expert exchanges to increase interoperability between our forces across the spectrum of military operations.”

The team is part of the 5th SFAB’s Force Package 21-1, which began employing US soldiers into the Indo-Pacific in January 2021. A unit consists of about 20 highly-skilled, hand-selected soldiers capable of

providing advanced training expertise in military specialties like communications, logistics and medical aid. Collectively, it brings more than 100 years of military experience.

Members will partner with various PA units—including the 1st Brigade Combat Team, the 99th Infantry Battalion, Training and Doctrine Command, Support Command, and the Forward Service Support Unit.

“The PA and US Army bilateral training aims to enhance the capabilities and interoperability of both forces in conventional, joint and combined operations as it promotes solidarity in the global fight against terror in all its forms,” said PA Spokesperson Col. Ramon Zagala.

US Army Pacific and 5th SFAB are committed to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019, as they strictly adhere to Philippine government health protocols and guidelines.

At full capacity, the 5th SFAB operates with 820 professional advisors specially selected, trained and equipped to advise, support, liaise, as well as assess with conventional partner security forces from the battalion to corps levels to build capacity supportive of regional security. When called upon, the unit can employ up to 61 advisor teams to integrate with conventional foreignpartner security forces.

PHL, Hungary to pursue Germany explores business opportunities in local energy sci-tech, innovation links

T

HE German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) provided a virtual platform for exchange in close cooperation with eclareon, the Renewable Energy Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Green Building Initiative, as German and Philippine experts, along with government representatives, shared project opportunities and best practices.

“This conference [showed] the enormous potential for business cooperation between German and Philippine firms in the field of

Pinoy music, dances captivate Egyptians

C

AIRO—The Philippine Embassy in this city, in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, Foreign Relations Sector and the Cairo Opera House, participated in a series of 27 artistic performances during Ramadan at the Cairo Opera House on May 4. ”Ramadan Nights: The Philippines” featured dances and the country’s musical heritage, with special focus on customs and traditions characterizing the Islamic holy month in the country.

A total of 140 guests from the diplomatic corps, international organizations, the local Filipino community, as well as Egyptian government officials and friends joined the celebration.

Philippine Ambassador to Egypt

Sulpicio M. Confiado welcomed the guests, with a core message of “Deepening Friendship,” as well as a commemoration of the Holy Month of Ramadan for the Muslim community.

In his remarks, Foreign Relations Sector of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture First Undersecretary Dr. Amir Nabih underscored the importance of working together to enrich the cultural link between the Philippines and Egypt.

“Ramadan Nights” showcased the talents of volunteers from the Filipino community in Egypt, and an audiovisual presentation of Ramadan in the Philippines, which was produced in cooperation with the Philippine Students Association in Cairo.

The show featured Pinoy folk

AMBASSADOR Dr. Titanilla Tóth and other participants of the dialogue, including Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña (top row, third from right). FB: EMBASSY OF HUNGARY IN THE PHILIPPINES

T

LA Jota Caviteña dancers CAIRO PE

dances—including banga, kapa malong-malong, bulaklakan, pangalay, sayaw sa cuyo, La Jota Caviteña and wasiwas, while a Filipino chorale sang Ya Ramadan—a Maguindanaoan song, as well as other musical favorites.

“Ramadan Nights” is part of the year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the Arab Republic of Egypt, as well as National Heritage Month this May. DFA

HE Philippines and Hungary have agreed to explore possible collaborations in science and technology (S&T) and innovation. "[On] April 28, the DOST (Department of Science and Technology), together with the Philippine Space Agency and the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas, had a productive dialogue with respective Hungarian colleagues, with lead representation from [their embassy] in Manila," Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña said, as they discussed possible collaborations focusing on aquaculture genetics and breeding, sustainable aquaculture, upstream applications of space technologies, spectrum monitoring, and tropical aquaculture.

The visit of Hungarian scholars to UP Visayas and a foreign scholarship program were also tackled, he added.

"I believe this activity is a good platform to

present the current programs of both countries in the fields of aquaculture, space technology, and S&T human-resource development,” De la Peña remarked. He also noted that Hungary—particularly its research and development arm—has a huge potential in enriching and leveraging on S&T and innovation.

Ambassador of Hungary to the Philippines Dr. Titanilla Tóth shared her positive feedback toward the enthusiasm and interest of both countries to begin and offer limitless opportunities to the people, as confirmed by De la Peña.

"The ambassador is likewise confident that the dialogue boosted the communication between the Philippine and Hungarian stakeholders, which will possibly lead to partnerships on common projects and initiatives," the secretary added. He said both parties agreed to prepare a memorandum of understanding. Ma. Cristina Arayata/PNA

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Brain fitness helps kids in distance learning

T

he months of prolonged distance learning for my kids have prompted me to assess the sufficiency of such learning. I initially loved the self-regulation and self-motivation the situation brought out in my kids. Later on, however, I began worrying about distance learning in assessing retention and comprehension of critical subject matters. It also made me think that although the horizon of when exactly could our kids go back to regular school remains uncertain, we need to face the reality that this Generation Q (Generation Quarantine) will still need to be taking government or college examinations in the future.

I wanted to get more information, so I approached Quennie Cua, one of the founders of BrainFit Studio Philippines (BrainFitph.wordpress.com). Quennie brought in BrainFit because she liked the neuroscience approach to child enrichment. She liked that it gets to help and enhance 75 percent of the population in their IQ/EQ, thus changing their lives completely.

Quennie is a mom of three with husband Patrick.

Their kids are 12, 14 and 16. I admire their parenting styles of “reasonable yet firm” and always being there for their kids. They have set principles at home: fix your own bed, deliver well on academics, respect for elders. Her husband’s mantra is “Take Time and Make Time.” For them, family happiness is staying together, eating together and praying together.

According to her: “Distance learning enables learning through research, experimentation and reflection. It is easy to ‘cheat’ one’s way through learning, but those with strong self-discipline shine through in the long run. Young kids are at a higher disadvantage especially if there’s no dedicated guardian to guide them through the learning process.

For working parents with small kids, distance learning can be highly demanding and stressful for parents.

“To ensure optimal learning at home, all kids/ learners need to be provided a conducive learning environment, structured timetable that allows them to focus on deliverables, and ready access to a coach/guardian who can help them in case they have questions.” She believes that given distance learning relies heavily on one’s capability to maintain

Quennie Cua, founder of BrainFit Studio Philippines, with husband Patrick Cua and their kids.

focus, complete tasks and understand lessons independently, the kids who have stronger and fitter brains will be able to think faster, focus longer, do tasks more efficiently, and eventually learn better.

She also shares: “One of the biggest concerns with over-extended exposure to gadgets is that being online becomes the primary source of living [social interaction, entertainment, learning, working].

Studies have shown that video games can alter how the brain works. It can help increase visual-spatial skills but it can also cause reduction in concentration/ focus on non-highly stimulating activities like reading books or writing essays. Overexposure to video games also leads to ‘addiction’ which leads to mood swings and temper tantrums when access is withdrawn.”

She cited the long-term effects of prolonged distance learning: PROS: n DIGITAL ALL THE WAY. “Gen Z is already a digital native. The pandemic forced the whole world to digitize even faster. There’s plenty of information and conveniences digitalization brought us—once we go back to F2F [face-to-face] classes, lessons can no longer be taught the traditional way. Schools will be forced to embrace blended curriculum.” n LETS DO IT. “Online means realtime. We want everything fast, there’s little patience for waiting.

While efficiency goes up, it makes the whole system

Pasalubong favorites from the Good Shepherd sisters at the Mountain Maid Training Center.

more demanding, too.”

CON: n AWKWARD F2F. “Living in a virtual bubble of solitary bliss takes away one’s ability to read nonverbal cues and interact normally/casually with others.” n HOME-STUCK. “Being too comfy at home leads to lack of focus on personal grooming and social demeanor; since they can get all things done at home, kids tend to get lazier unless they are trained more responsibilities at home.”

I personally think that another disadvantage of distance learning is the absence of the teachers seeing and assessing our kids’ behavioral development.

Teachers, being experts, are able to lay out our kids’ areas of improvement during PTCs. This is why I think we should equip our kids more intrinsically through programs like BrainFit. According to Quennie, some of the red flags a parent might want to give attention to, depending on age, include: the child is too easily frustrated and that leads to tantrums; lack of interest except in games or YouTube, poor focus which leads to forgetfulness or non-accomplishment of schoolwork, declining grades, and signs of general pessimism and lack of confidence. n

Mondiguing’s Wood Crafts features exquisitely crafted ebony (kamagong) and hardwood products.

Spotlighting Baguio’s best MISSING Baguio specialties due to travel restrictions? The good news is that these are now closer to home at the Old Baguio Market at SM City Sucat, which is ongoing until May 30.

A project of Old Baguio Café in partnership with SM City Sucat, the market highlights the best of Baguio and the Cordilleras. These include premium highlands coffee and cacao products, jams and goodies for pasalubong, cakes and baked delights, indigenous textiles, handwoven crafts, and artwork. With this, the Old Baguio Market aims to support MSMEs and artisans of the Cordillera region whose livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic.

Coffee connoisseurs in the south metro can get a taste of the country’s best Arabica coffee with 100 percent Premium Atok Arabica Coffee at the Old Baguio Café.

With every cup, shoppers also support the company’s core advocacy to promote highland coffee and enable sustainable livelihood opportunities for coffee farmers from the Atok Arabica Coffee Growers Marketing Cooperative in Benguet Province. For chocolate lovers, the popular Choco-Late’ de Batirol garden café, located in Igorot Park in Camp John Hay, offers the much-loved Filipino classic tsokolate de batirol; while Dulche Chocolates carries Benguet’s first-ever bean-to-bar chocolate of the Cordilleras.

From Session Road comes Vizco’s famous strawberry shortcake with its delightful light chiffon layers, whipped cream, and fresh, plump strawberries sourced from the highlands of Benguet.

A trip to Baguio would not be complete without a stop at the Mountain Maid Training Center for delightful treats from

the Good Shepherd sisters who send thousands of Cordillera youth to school.

Mallgoers have even more pasalubong options from Teahouse Restaurant & Bakeshop, Tantamco’s Fine Products, Victoria Bakery, Baguio Country Club, Baguio Family, Strawberry Jam @ Swamp, AdeTi’s Enterprise, Mommy La Food Products, Dadi Roi Enterprises, ZTR Garlic Products, and Natural Metaphors Body Products.

Likewise, the Old Baguio Market showcases the rich indigenous culture and heritage of the Cordilleras with a carefully curated selection of textiles, handicrafts, homeware, bags, and fashion accessories from homegrown social enterprises and cooperatives. Also showcased are artworks from the Pasa-Kalye Baguio Artists, a group of local artists known for their weekly street art festivals.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Thursday, May 13, 2021

Kids with a desk and a quiet place to study do better

ASK what students need to learn at home, and the answer often involves access to Wi-Fi or a digital device. For example, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 sets aside $7.1 billion to support access to high-speed Internet for schools and libraries. What often gets overlooked is whether kids have a desk at home or a quiet place to study.

As researchers who focus on education policy and how students perform on standardized tests, we decided to take a closer look—on a global scale—at the degree to which students have desks at home and whether that’s linked to how well they do in school. To do this we turned to the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study, also known as TIMSS, an international assessment administered every four years by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, where one of us is the executive director.

Besides providing information about reading and math scores of students around the world, TIMSS also looks at whether students have desks at home, as well as a quiet place to study, a computer or a tablet and their own room.

We took a look at TIMSS data collected in 2019—just before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted education around the world and led hundreds of thousands of schools to go remote. We found that many students around the world lacked suitable resources to study at home during a time when they needed those things the most.

BIG DISPARITIES AS one might expect, access to a desk varied greatly in different countries. For instance, nearly half the students in Morocco (48 percent), 45 percent in Saudi Arabia and 43 percent in South Africa did not have a desk at home—nearly three times the average percentage of students around the world—17 percent to be precise—who don’t. Close to that international average, the percentage of students in the US who lack a desk at home is higher than it is in Australia (10 percent), France (8 percent) and Japan (7 percent).

Internationally, 11 percent of students in TIMSSparticipating countries lacked a computer, and 25 percent did not have their own room. So how do all these things affect student achievement?

ANALYZING PERFORMANCE WHEN analyzing student performance, significant differences appear. Students without a desk are far more likely to be bottom performers than those with a desk. On average internationally, 7 percent of students are without a desk at the highest achievement benchmark, compared to 26 percent at the lowest. In other words, students without a desk are three times more likely to be at the bottom academically than at the top. Of course, other factors come into play. Plopping a desk in a child’s home won’t automatically change the child’s academic trajectory, especially when other, potentially more serious factors are at play, such as lack of adequate food and clean water. Our findings may show that the absence of a desk is an indicator of poverty, which research has shown to be highly correlated with academic performance, both in the US and internationally.

While there are differences between countries, key differences also exist within countries. But the differences play out largely the way they do throughout the world—with students who don’t have a study desk performing worse than those who do.

We believe that home resources such as desks and a quiet place to study should be a part of any conversation about what children need at home to succeed academically.

THE CONVERSATION

B5

B6 Thursday, May 13, 2021

Health and wellness company offers free capital investment for displaced employees through the SKPM Project

Make a difference, join 5G Hackathon

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EAMGOODBOY encourages the Filipino youth to innovate and come up with solutions that help address the nation’s problems. Kim Seon-ho, K-Drama star and Globe’s latest ambassador invites students, young professionals, and entrepreneurs to join the country’s first and biggest 5G Hackathon by Globe and De La Salle University’s Animo Labs.

“Join this year’s Globe 5G Hackathon so you can work on developing the uses of 5G in different sectors of the Philippine economy and society, through a series of workshops and mentorship,” Seon-ho said. Categories will focus on the following innovations:

5G for Society—Education, Health Care, and Livelihood

THIS aims to improve patient health monitoring and provide remote consultations, address mixed learning gaps and opportunities, and enhance ways of working for Filipinos’ current livelihood such as farming, fisheries, and the like.

5G for Industries – Retail, anufacturing, Logistics, E-Commerce.

THIS category looks into increasing the efficiency of different sectors through wide scale artificial intelligence (AI) automation and internet of things (IoT), and improve customer experience and satisfaction through personalized realtime customer insights.

5G for Smart Cities – Disaster risk management, Sustainability, Asset and Resource Management, Transportation

THIS one hopes to transmit and process real time information to solve traffic, urban planning, disaster risk, and other issues.

Winning teams may get as much as P500,000 at the end of the competition and will have the chance to be part of Globe’s 917Ventures’ Velocity venture builders program, and work directly with Globe 5G Acceleration Lab. After a series of workshops, idea submission, mentorship and pitching competition,

the top 10 finalists will move on to develop their prototypes using Globe's 5G platforms. Top teams will get to enjoy a total of half a million in cash prizes, a chance to develop their own business ventures backed by 917Ventures, Globe’s corporate venture builder, and further develop their product with Globe acceleration lab.

Globe 5G Hackathon will run for three months starting May 2021 and will include interactive learning sessions with technology industry leaders Novare Technologies, Intel, AWS, 917 Ventures, Huawei, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Tech Mahindra, Alibaba Cloud, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Cascadeo.

Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9 which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development.

Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs. Visit https:// globe5ghackathon.com/.

Save and enjoy delicious, freshly made subs with the Subway Savers

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OR a limited time offer up to June 30, 2021, Subway Savers will surely satisfy your fresh cravings that are budgetfriendly! Choose from three options that shall perfectly fit the size of your group and enjoy the ultimate snack time with your family and friends at the safety and comfort of your homes!

Savers for 2. For only Php 285, enjoy a delightful (2) Pepperoni Delite Pandesal Sliders along with (2) Cookies and (2) 12 oz. Drink! Save as much as Php49 with this combo meal for you and your special other.

Savers for 3. For only Php 340, grab a bite of (3) Pepperoni Delite Pandesal Sliders and (3) 12 oz. Drink! Save as much as Php28 when you order a merienda fit for a group of three or when two pandesal sliders just isn’t enough to satisfy your cravings.

Savers for 4. For only Php 600, you get the ultimate deal of enjoying (2) 6-inch Subway Melt, (2) Pepperoni Delite Pandesal Sliders, (2) 16 oz.

Drinks and (2) 12 oz. Drinks! Save as much as Php 148, with these deliciously loaded choices that’s also a great summer snack.

Merienda in the Philippines is usually enjoyed around 3 to 5 in the afternoon or between lunch and dinner. And is usually seen as a break to re-energize and as a reward for a job well done.

Subway is strictly following the IATF approved guidelines in proper food management and packaging hygiene.

So delight yourself and your friends & family with Subway’s delicious and freshly made subs by ordering through Grab, foodpanda or through delivery via FB Messenger “Botty”8.

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N order to help more those employees who are displaced by this global health crisis, AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company with brands; Immune CEE Vitamin C +Zinc, GlutaGlow Slimming Drinks, GlamHigh Cosmetics By Andria and GracefulSkin Essentials came up with “Sagot Ko, Puhunan Mo or SKPM Project.

SKPM shall provide an initial FREE capital or investment in a form of the AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company Products Mix for the chosen or approved individuals to sell.

Since most doesn’t have an extra budget to invest, the Group Chairman, Andrew Troy Nicolas explained, “We like to help those workers displaced by this pandemic. We like to help out for them to continue to help their family.”

To avail of the SKPM Project, the mechanics are as follows: 1. Apply via AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company Facebook Page and submit necessary proofs of work displacement, 2. Wait for approval within a week, 3. Once approved, he or she shall be invited for business orientation and receive the products to sell in SRP. The co-founder and brand Chief Executive Officer, Grace Bondad Nicolas, reiterated that this is for those employees or workers displaced by this pandemic, a very specific group. “We already did some testing to different

AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company CEO Grace Bondad- Nicolas individuals from different backgrounds and we decided that those who were working before an d lost their jobs have more will and determination to earn,” she said.

“It’s a cycle. Those approved to avail of the program need to reorder from the free resellers package we provided in order for this program to be successful for them. Other sectors can apply but still need to be approved.”

The SKPM is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility project of AAA Cosmetics and Trading Company. For more information; www.aaacosmetics.

Asia or 09778978877/ 028 2193503, manila@ aaacosmetics.Asia

CALAMBAKUNA AT SM CITY CALAMBA. As the vaccine rollout reaches the provincial areas, the SM Supermalls continue to partner with local government units by providing a safe, convenient and readily accessible venue for vaccination. In Southern Luzon, SM City Calamba in partnership with the Calamba City local government opened a vaccination site at the mall’s cinema lobby. “Calambakuna sa SM Calamba” aims to serve 300 residents a day. Photo shows Calamba City Mayor Justin Marc Chipeco (2nd from left) with SM Supermalls SAVP John Jason Terrenal, AVP Angel Toreja and Mall Manager Rae Anne Maranan.

GBP supports Iloilo City molecular laboratory

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LOBAL Business Power Corporation (GBP), through subsidiaries Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) and Panay Power Corporation (PPC), has supported Iloilo City and its efforts to fight COVID-19 through Energy Regulations 1-94 (ER 1-94) funds.

More recently. the local government of Iloilo City was able to accommodate the development of the Uswag Iloilo City Molecular Laboratory in Molo district, with a total budget of P53 million, using Iloilo City and Barangay Ingore’s ER 1-94 fund share out of PEDC and PPC’s electricity sales.

The molecular lab in Molo can process as much as 600 samples daily with a turnaround time of 24 hours.

With the development of the said lab, residents of Barangay Ingore now have access to COVID-19 PCR tests and other lab services.

“Beyond the provision of stable power supply, GBP is committed to helping Iloilo City in its response against COVID-19. We hope that this molecular laboratory will

THE Uswag Iloilo City Molecular Laboratory.

enable faster release of reliable results and in effect, mitigate the spread of the virus,” shared GBP President Jaime T. Azurin.

The ER 1-94 program stipulates that host communities are entitled to financial benefits of onecentavo for every kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales of generating companies to finance electrification, livelihood and development projects.

Pursuant to the Department of Energy’s Department Circular No. 2020-04-0008, ER 1-94 funds can be used to help local government units in their fight against the pandemic.

True to its commitment of enlightening lives and empowering progress, GBP is a dedicated partner of the nation in raising the quality of life of the Filipino and fueling economic development. GBP, with a total gross capacity of 1,091 MW, has diversified power generation facilities that are capable of supplying base, intermediate, peak load and ancillary support.

Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

Health&Fitness BusinessMirror

DOH vows to continue push for safe motherhood program

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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ome women embark on the journey of pregnancy and childbirth without knowing the risks. Due to this, Dr. Diego Danila Jr., Division Chief, Women and Men’s Health Development of the Department of Health (DOH) stressed the need to monitor pregnant women.

A very timely concern of pregnant women, he cited, is the Covid-19 pandemic because some of them opt to deliver at home for fear of contracting the virus and the fact that the majority of the hospitals are focused on dealing with infected patients.

This, Dr. Danila said may “increase the risk for maternal death.”

“Pregnant women and those who are about to give birth should not be afraid. We are ready for you. It is more dangerous if you stay at home and will not undergo pre-natal check-up or will give birth at home,” he said, adding that doctors are also available for telemedicine nowadays.

Considerable interruption during the pandemic

Dr. Danila said Covid-19 has had a great impact on women’s access to essential reproductive health services.

Based on their “foreseeable” impact of Covid-19 pandemic on maternal mortality ratio (MMR) efforts, it may cause disruptions in service coverage of the following components: family planning, an assumed 10 percent coverage reduction in antenatal care (19 percent), newborn care (14 percent), and 19 percent in postnatal care.

“We cannot blame the mothers because we are under lockdown but if there is a need for you to be checked by the doctor, you can go out of your house,” he said, adding that both the mother and the baby inside her womb should be monitored regularly.

“We are even willing to go to you, when needed, because we have barangay health workers who can visit you,” he said.

Maternal deaths

Dr. Danila admitted that the “Safe Motherhood Program” continues to confront the multi-faceted challenges of high MMR and the unmet need for family planning and other reproductive health services.

“But while the government failed to reduce MMR to its desired target of 52/100,000 live births by the end of 2015, the program prides itself with improvements in maternal health outcomes,” said Dr. Danila.

In 2018, a total of 2,318 maternal deaths (MD) were recorded, and it is expected to increase due to the pandemic as some of the mothers are afraid to give birth in hospitals or health facilities.

From 108 MD/100,000 live births, it increased to 118 MD/100,000 live births, or the equivalent of an estimated additional 436 MD. “Please give birth in hospitals or a health facility for there are doctors, nurses, or midwives who will take care of you,” he assured.

Safe childbirth

Dr. Danila noted that when all the Millennium Development Goals are shifted to Sustainable Development Goals, the program will continue to focus on the health and welfare of women throughout their pregnancy as its contribution to achieve the goal on good health and wellbeing for all Filipinos.

“It shall effectively include adolescent pregnancies and meeting the unmet needs for family planning contraceptives of women into its priority agenda until 2030,” he said, citing the program background.

Their mission, he said, is for Filipino women to have full access to health services towards making their pregnancy and childbirth safer.

“Our goal is to provide rational and responsive policy direction to its local government partners in the delivery of quality maternal and newborn health services with integrity and accountability using proven and innovative approaches,” he said.

Dr. Danila said that the local government units are also helping the DOH in achieving both the mission and the goal of the Safe Motherhood Program.

Currently, Dr. Danila said that part of their program strategies are:

Strategic change in the design of safe motherhood services

n a shift in emphasis from the risk approach that identifies high-risk pregnancies during the prenatal period to an approach that prepares all pregnant women for the complications at childbirth n improved quality of family planning (FP) counseling and expanded services availability of post-partum family planning in hospitals and primary birthing centers n the integration of cervical cancer, syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV screening among others into the antenatal care protocols

An integrated package of women’s health and safe motherhood services

This service delivery strategy is focused on maximizing synergies among key services that influence maternal and newborn health and on ensuring a continuum of care across levels of the referral system. At the ground level, this implies that a woman who seeks care from a public health provider for reproductive health concerns, could expect to be given a comprehensive array of services that addresses her most critical reproductive health needs.

Reliable sustainable support systems

Support systems for Maternal-Newborn service delivery is anchored on Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (Philhealth) accreditation of birthing centers and individual membership or enrolment into Sponsored Program.

Stronger stewardship and guidance

n evidence-based guidelines and proto-

cols on maternal-newborn services; n a system for recognizing providers of emergency obstetrics and newborn care (BEmONC) training program; and n monitoring, evaluation and research on the new maternal-newborn strategies

“New normal” adaptive plan

To improve the services for pregnant women, Dr. Danila said that they are implementing a “new normal” adaptive plan.

This plan includes:

n strengthening the health system response within the Health Care Provided Network while maintaining the BEmONC-Comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care configuration; n ensure continuous provision of maternal health services; n maximize teleconsulting and teleprescription platforms for antenatal and postpartum care; and n all other activities such as BEmONC training and conduct of death reviews as well as safe motherhood shall be conducted online.

“Just like in a war, we are ready for you [pregnant mothers],” Dr. Danilo concluded.

Thursday, May 13, 2021 B7

Docs push for monitoring of blood pressure to beat hypertension

By Rory Visco

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Contributor

espite the Covid-19 pandemic that continues to affect millions of people globally, hypertension remains to be the biggest contributing risk factor to global death.

More alarmingly, high blood pressure (BP) remains to be number one in terms of preventable cause of premature deaths in the Philippines.

Deaths related to hypertension in the Philippines reached 14,488 or 2.38 percent of total deaths, according to 2018 World Health Organization data. Hypertension-related diabetes is among the leading causes of mortality in the country, and hypertension will likely continue to be a great health risk factor, with prevalence rate to shoot up from 26 percent to 29 percent of the global population by 2025.

What is worse is that hypertension is among the common comorbidities for COVID-19.

A recent Philippine Statistics Authority report showed that the top killers in 2020 were related to hypertension such as heart and cerebrovascular diseases, and diabetes, not Covid-19. The number of fatalities related to heart disease and diabetes also exceeded their averages in the last five years.

What is the Philippines doing to address this?

While the f igures are alarming,

awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in the country remain relatively low. This is why the Philippine Society of Hypertension (PSH), composed mostly of internistcardiologists, nephrologists, endocrinologists, neurologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, pediatricians, occupational and family physicians and practitioners from other medical disciplines concerned with the diagnosis, management, treatment, and prevention of hypertension, will restart its annual May Measurement Month (MMM) campaign this year with a new execution approach.

Canceled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 situation across the globe, the MMM 2021 has been reimagined to remain relevant to the healthcare industry’s present status by pushing for home blood pressure monitoring.

For this endeavor, the PSH partnered with the local government of Manila, medical equipment for monitoring and therapy provider OMRON, and other organizations to ensure the campaign’s success amid the pandemic.

The International Society of Hypertension (ISH) made some changes to this year’s MMM 2021 to meet its ob-

jectives and yet comply with existing safety protocols implemented in participating countries. The campaign is usually held on World Hypertension Day, which is observed every May 17, but was extended and will run starting May 1 up to November 30.

“Aside from the extension of the campaign period, we are putting in place measures to ensure that we are promoting awareness not just about hypertension but overall public health as well. This means making sure that throughout the campaign, our volunteers, partners and participants can join without worrying about their safety and wellness,” shared Dr. Alejandro Diaz, MMM 2021 country lead.

For this year, the campaign focuses on encouraging people participation by monitoring their blood pressure at home. The captured data can be logged at the MMM official website or the MMM mobile app. Screening sites will also still be established in key locations, as approved by the Department of Health.

The city government of Manila through the Mayor’s office also threw its support to PSH and the campaign’s cause by supporting the launch as well as the actual submission process of captured data from onsite screening efforts. OMRON, the official equipment partner for MMM since 2017, pledged more than 1,000 BP monitors to support MMM 2021.

“We want our fellow Filipinos to be mindful of the symptoms of hypertension as they prioritize their health during these challenging times. Filipinos of all ages and across all backgrounds are susceptible to high blood pressure.

The adverse effects of hypertension

is what PSH and MMM are rallying to prevent,” shared PSH President Dr. Deborah Ona.

Healthy heart at home

As home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is a major component of the campaign during the pandemic, PSH is also rolling out reminders on the proper method of taking blood pressure readings. Clinically validated BP monitors are key tools for capturing accurate readings and better data tracking instead of manual monitors.

For his part, Yusuke Kato, General Manager for OMRON Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. – Philippine Branch (Healthcare Division), said the PSH’s goal is a reflection of OMRON’s commitment, which is to improve lives and contribute to a better society. “As we aim to remain safe at home, now is an opportune time to be more aware of our overall physical health. We hope MMM 2021 will be the catalyst to making home blood pressure monitoring a routine that Filipinos can comfortably integrate in their daily lives.”

Aside from raising awareness about hyper tension, PSH is also pushing for improved BP screening facilities and healthcare systems in the country. The campaign aims to reduce the global burden of disease and death caused by high blood pressure. In the past three years, people from more than 100 countries have been screened as part of the largest free public blood pressure screening program in the world.

Visit May Measurement Month 2021 at www.maymeasure.org, or the PSH website https://www.philippinesocietyofhypertension.org.ph.

New diabetes drug stimulates insulin production in the body

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hat does the future hold when it comes to Filipinos getting better diabetic care?

There are about four million adults in the country who have diabetes. The common comorbidities with type 2 diabetes are heart disease and obesity. More than 32 percent of those with type 2 diabetes have cardiovascular complications, while more than 87 percent are either overweight or obese. Meanwhile, 85 percent of Filipinos with type 2 diabetes have uncontrolled blood sugar levels.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that ischemic heart diseases were the leading cause of death among Filipinos in 2020, accounting for approximately 99,700 deaths. Meanwhile, diabetes mellitus is the fourth leading cause of death among Filipinos last year, or approximately 37,300 deaths.

Dr. Gilbert Vilela, Vice President of the Philippine Heart Association, explained that for the past three years, ischemic heart disease, cancer, and pneumonia have been listed as the top three causes of death in Filipinos, with diabetes in fourth place.

But what is interesting, according to Dr. Vilela, is that the increase in ischemic heart disease is only 2.3 percent, cancer went down by about 10 percent, and pneumonia by about six percent. However, diabetes went up by

7.8 percent.

“It is a very silent and persistent problem.

The pandemic and subsequent lockdown have directly affected diabetes control—there is the lack of accessibility, the limitation of movement and lack of exercise, and an increase in anxiety and fear among patients and their families,” Dr. Vilela said.

Behavior change

For Dr. Michael Villa, President of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PSEDM), Filipinos’ behavior should change immediately when it comes to living with type 2 diabetes, especially given the need for treatment options that not only address blood sugar levels, but also the risks that come with type 2 diabetes.

“Type 2 makes up for about 85 percent of the population of patients with diabetes.

Coupled with type 2 diabetes, these patients have multiple risk factors. These are mostly adult patients. Some are smokers, some are hypertensive or with cholesterol problems.

This is an area that needs to be addressed, and this is exactly why we are raising concerns with these types of patients,” according to Dr. Villa.

Aside from risk factors, those with diabetes develop complications due to elevated levels

of sugar. “There should be a national coordinated effort to continue preventing other noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, and this is one of the things we are encouraging,” Dr. Villa added.

Once weekly medicine

The once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist is a new medicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It stimulates insulin (a hormone made by the pancreas that helps regulate the amount of sugar in the blood), and suppresses glucagon (a hormone that causes the liver to release sugar into the blood) release, while decreasing appetite and food intake. It also reduces cardiovascular risk by modifying the progression of atherosclerosis (the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries), as well as by reducing blood pressure, lipid levels and weight.

It is a prescribed drug and therefore would need medical consultation. “You should talk to a doctor or any qualified healthcare provider about your condition for proper assessment and diagnosis before taking any medication,” Dr. Villa said.

Novo Nordisk, who has pioneered scientific breakthroughs, expanded access to medicines, and drove change in diabetes, obesity, and chronic diseases in the country, introduced this

innovative diabetic treatment option that had been studied in over 10,000 type 2 diabetes patients worldwide.

Drop in sugar levels

Its biggest benefit is that it helped reduce blood sugar levels and body weight, compared to other common type 2 diabetes treatment options, as well as providing cardiovascular benefits.

“It’s really like a two-in-one option, just like coffee, minus the palpitations,” Dr. Vilela said. ‘’Novo Nordisk is playing a vital role in introducing research and development-based innovative diabetes treatment to the diabetic patients of the country,” said H.E. Grete Sillasen, Ambassador, Royal Danish Embassy Manila.

For his part, Cihan Serdar Kizilcik, VicePresident and General Manager of Novo Nordisk Philippines, said the company remains committed to developing innovative medicines to help Filipinos living with diabetes lead longer and healthier lives.

“We’re at the forefront of innovating GLP1 treatments where we can help people with type 2 diabetes address cardiovascular risks and other multiple risk factors. This is how we express our unique Novo Nordisk brand of care—by addressing the unmet needs of people with diabetes,” he said. Rory Visco

Group pushes for smoke-free workplaces to fight spread of COVID-19 T he World Health Organization (WHO) said that smoking is a known risk factor for severity of any lower respiratory tract infection like the Covid-19 virus.

To support smoking cessation during the Covid-19 pandemic, HealthJustice Philippines called on the government anew to take an active stance to promote smoke-free workplaces.

Smoking and Covid-19 risk

Amid the continuing threat of Covid-19, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and stakeholders from the different medical societies in the Philippines jointly crafted a handbook that aims to protect the welfare of the Filipino workforce.

In relation to Covid-19, WHO, as stated in the handbook emphasized: n It has been shown that the SARS-CoV-2

virus may be transmitted through exposure to secondhand smoke; n Smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers (and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with the lips which increases the possibility of transmission of the virus from hand to mouth; n Smoking products such as water pipes often involve the sharing of mouth pieces and hoses, which could facilitate the transmission of Covid-19 in communal and social settings; and n Smokers may also already have lung disease or reduced lung capacity which would greatly increase the risk of serious illness and higher risk of serious lung conditions such as pneumonia.

Ensure smoke-free working environment

Lawyer Jacky Sarita, Executive Director of

HealthJustice Philippines, a non-profit organization, also reminded that government offices should be kept 100 percent smoke-free as stated in the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Memorandum Circular (MC) 17, s. 2009 or the “Smoking Prohibition Based on 100% SmokeFree Policy.”

The memorandum circular, Sarita stressed, prohibits “smoking in or on the premises, buildings, and grounds of government agencies providing health, education and/or social welfare and development services such as hospitals, health centers, schools, and universities, colleges among others.”

Likewise, designated smoking areas are also not allowed.

Alarmed that workplace smoking has a “serious safety” and “health hazard,” Sarita revealed that they even wrote Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III last year.

Request for reconsideration

In his follow-up letter on September 18, 2020, Sarita asked Bello to reconsider the policy on the establishment of smoking areas in workplaces, citing the first letter sent to his good office dated August 21, 2020 signed by former CSC Commissioner Mary Ann Z. Fernandez-Mendoza who made the same request.

“Instead, we fervently request that DOLE espouse smoke-free workplaces to truly protect and promote the health of our fellow Filipino workers,” Sarita said as the organization reaffirmed their commitment to “contribute in the efforts of the government to defeat Covid-19 and create a healthier future for our country.”

He added: “We are confident that the Philippine government, through the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, is steadily moving forward in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic by providing policies which limit the transmis-

sion of the disease. However, we note that the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. manifested that workplaces, particularly smoking areas, are one of the main sources of transmission.”

Suggested amendments

In this regard, HealthJustice has recommended that Section 7 of the Joint Memorandum Circular 20-04-A, s. 2020 (DTI and DOLE Supplemental Guidelines on Workplace Prevention and Control of Covid-19) be amended as follows: “Workplaces must be smoke free. Except for workplaces which must be absolutely smokefree pursuant to Republic Act 9211, employers may designate smoking areas which must be outside the workplace in an open space following the standards provided under CSC Memorandum Circular 17, s. 2009 for government offices and Executive Order 26 for other workplaces.

Employers shall require employees to strictly

observe physical distancing measures and other applicable health protocols [i.e. no talking inside designated smoking areas.]”

With this amendment, Sarita reiterated that it is expected that the employers will be able to protect both smokers and non-smokers in the workforce. “It will be consistent as well to existing health protocols issued by other government organizations and by the National Task Force Against Covid-19,” Sarita said as he also offered that their organization is willing to provide “technical assistance” in relation to the concern.

Although Bello appreciated the organization’s enthusiasm on advocating smoke free workplaces, he said “our current framework allows smoking in designated areas in the workplace.”

“Hence, DOLE cannot issue such rules and regulations pursuant to your recommendation unless a law is enacted that absolutely prohibits smoking in the workplace,” the DOLE chief said.

Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Volleyball Men: Jessie Lopez, Kim Dayadante, Ish Polvorosa, Josh Retamar, Mark Alfafara, Marck Espejo, Bryan Bagunas, Jao Umandal, Nico Almendras, John Vic de Guzman, Ysay Marasigan, Joeven dela Vega, Rex Intal, Kim Malabunga, Francis Saura, JP Bugaoan, Lloyd Josafat, Jack Kalingking, Ricky Marcos, Manuel Sumanguid (Cignal).

Volleyball Women: Iris Tolenada, Kamille Cal, Faith Nisperos, Ivy Lacsina, Mhicaela Belen, Mylene Paat, Eya Laure, Alyssa Solomon, Aby Maraño, Majoy Baron, Jaja Santiago, Dell Palomata, Ria Meneses, Imee Hernandez, Jennifer Nierva, Bernadette Pepito.

Beach Volleyball Men: Anthony Arbasto, Jude Garcia, Jaron Requinton, James Buytrago, Philip Bagalay, Ranran Abdilla, Jade Becaldo, Calvin Sarte, James Pecaña and AJ Pareja.

Beach Volleyball Women: Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Babylove Barbon, Gen Eslapor, Dzi Gervacio, Dij Rodriguez, Mer Jauculan, Jennifer Cosas, Alexa Polidario and Erjane Magdato.

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By Josef Ramos

HE Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) on Wednesday bared the composition of the national pool that will see action in at least four international competitions scheduled for the last half of the year.

But the pool members will have to hone during a time that PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara described as “very challenging.”

“It will be a very challenging year not only for us but also for the other countries,” Suzara told an online press conferemnce. We have to do the tryouts, otherwise our sport will die if we don’t work hard.”

Suzara also announced that by virtue of the beach volleyball teams’ two bronze medals in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, the Philippines

R

OME—Rafael Nadal joined the growing number of tennis players expressing doubts about competing in the Tokyo Olympics.

The third-ranked Nadal, in Rome for the Italian Open, said Tuesday that his status for the Tokyo games is uncertain.

“I don’t know yet. Honestly, I can’t give you a clear answer because I don’t know,” Nadal said when asked whether he would be at the rescheduled Olympics. “I don’t know my calendar.

“In a normal world, I will never see about missing Olympics, of course. Is no doubt about that. Everybody knows how important have been for me [to] always play Olympics.”

Sports BusinessMirror

SANTIAGO

B8

| Thursday, May 13, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

MARAÑO

RONDINA

PONS

ESPEJO

VOLLEYBALL POOL MEMBERS NAMED

was awarded slots to the Asian Volleyball Confederation Continental Cup, a Tokyo Olympics qualifier, in June in Thailand.

Beach volleyball commission head Charo Soriano said the teams will start training this Saturday in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, to prepare for the qualifier.

The 20-member men’s volleyball pool includes 13 players from the silver medal-clinching team in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, while each of the men’s and women’s pool for beach volleyball were the same athletes who bagged bronze medals also in the 2019 biennial games.

The beach volleyball pool has 10 players for each gender while the women’s volleyball pool has 16 players so far.

“Four to six more players will be added to the women’s pool to fill up the setter, outside hitter, libero and opposite positions,” PNVF national

team commission chair Tonyboy Liao told the press conference from San Mateo, California. “This positions will be filled up once Coach Jorge arrives.”

Liao was referring to Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito who will help women’s volleyball coach Odjie Mamon in harnessing the team. He is expected to arrive on July 1.

Suzara said the PNVF pool will vie in the Asian Senior Women’s Volleyball Championship which the country is bidding to host in August in Clark and Subic and the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games in November.

Head coach Dante Alinsunurin, who steered the country to the silver medal in the 2019 SEA Games, said the men’s team will see action in Asian Men’s Senior Championship in Chiba and Funabashi, Japan, in September.

Also present during the press conference were PNVF secretary general Don Caringal, coaches Paul

BAGUNAS

RAFAEL NADAL expresses his concern over the pandemic. AP

Jan Doloiras (beach volleyball men) and Rhovyl Verayo (beach volleyball women), and events commission chair Carmela Arcolas Gamboa, who hosted the proceedings.

Suzara, who also launched the PNVF official website volleyballphilippines.com on Wednesday, said the volleyball teams, will begin a two-month training in Subic starting June 1, but will also set up camps in Silay City, Negros Occidental, and Davao.

He also bared his request to the Premiere Volleyball League to hold its bubble tournament in Subic as he intends to field the women’s volleyball team in the professional league.

“I requested the PVL head Ricky Palou to hold their bubble tournament in Subic so it would be easier for the national team to join the event,” Suzara said. Palou is the PNVF treasurer and deputy secretary general for international affairs.

Nadal uncertain about competing in Tokyo Olympics The Tokyo Olympics were postponed from 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Under these circumstances, I don’t know.

Let’s see what’s going on in the next couple of months. But I need to organize my schedule,” the 34-year-old Spaniard continued. “My schedule in a normal year, I normally know my schedule almost 100 percent since 1st of January till the end of the season.

“This year is something a little bit different, no? We need to be flexible. We need to adapt about

the things that are happening.”

Nadal won the singles gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and claimed gold in doubles five years ago at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Nadal is attempting to win a 10th Italian Open to complete his buildup for a 14th French Open trophy.

He is the latest top tennis player to voice his uncertainty about the games, which open July 23.

Four-time champion Serena Williams

suggested she won’t go to Japan if coronavirus protocols mean she can’t bring her 3-year-old daughter, while Japanese tennis players Kei Nishikori and Naomi Osaka have raised concerns about whether the games should even go ahead at all.

“Of course I would say I want the Olympics to happen, because I’m an athlete and that’s sort of what I’ve been waiting for my entire life,” Osaka said. “But I think that there’s so much important stuff going on, and especially the past year.”

Japan has attributed 11,000 deaths to Covid-19, better than many countries, but poor for Asia. The virus and its spreading variants are taxing Japan’s health-care system with only 2 percent of the population vaccinated. AP

US rider rules fourth stage, De Marchi takes pink jersey

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ESTOLA, Italy—American cyclist Joseph Dombrowski held off the rest of the breakaway pack to win the fourth stage of the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday for his first victory in a Grand Tour as Alessandro De Marchi took the leader’s pink jersey.

Dombrowski, who rides for UAE Team Emirates, attacked on the first uphill finish of this year’s race and crossed the line 12 seconds ahead of De Marchi.

It was the 29-year-old Dombrowski’s first pro win outside of the United States.

“I was feeling good in the last 50K and was just trying not to do too much work and be conservative, because I knew the last climb was really a tough

one,” Dombrowski said. “I was able to get a gap, and it wasn’t enough for the pink jersey but I think the stage win is a nice way to finish the day.”

Filippo Fiorelli was third, 27 seconds behind Dombrowski at the end of a wet and windy 187-kilometer ride through the Apennines from Piacenza to Sestola.

De Marchi took over the lead from Filippo Ganna, who had led the Giro since winning the time trial that opened the race on Saturday.

The 34-year-old De Marchi has a 22-second advantage over Dombrowski and 42 seconds over third-place Louis Vervaeke.

“I started thinking about taking the Maglia Rosa [pink jersey] two days ago but I didn’t tell

Game changer TESSA JAZMINES | tessa4347@gmail.com

PART OF THE GAME THEY call the three-point shot “the equalizer.”

And many times, as when a barrage of triples hits the opposing team in succession, they call it “the game changer.”

Converted three-point attempts do change the game in a happy way. But there’s a grim version of the game changer that’s harder to control than “pektus” or a “glorious trajectory.”

In a word, injuries.

The number and variety of injuries now besetting players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) has attracted more attention than in pre-Covid times.

That more NBA stars have been affected by it in recent days makes the injury update report truly concerning. LeBron James. Anthony Davis.

James Harden. Kevin Durant. Luka Doncic. Jaylen Brown. Zion Williamson. John Wall. Gordon Hayward. Why so many of them today? Could the shortened season have something to do with it?

More concerning is that many of the injuries sustained by prominent players are seasonending ones.

Picture this. Each team plays a total of 72 games in 2020-2021—10 less than during the pre-pandemic period, true. But the season­— which began in December and will end in July for the Finals—has been shortened by a month.

Some say the shortened season that makes teams play three to four games a week within a tight five-month window prior to the playoffs is responsible for the fatigue and injuries that have affected all 30 NBA teams without exception.

Some teams more than others.

Injuries have certainly changed the game for the Los Angeles Lakers who have been picked to do a repeat of their championship feat in

the 2020 season. They were on top of the heap during the first part of the season, but successive losses without their two vanguards have dropped them to an iffy seventh spot in the western conference.

Their archrivals, the Boston Celtics, have been on a roller coaster ride all season long, but newfound magic borne of a sense of urgency put them back on track. Until one of the Jays— Jaylen Brown—went down recently with a torn scapholunate ligament, a wrist injury that takes three to six months to heal. Robert Williams III’s turf toe injury has made matters worse.

As for the New Orleans Pelicans, Zion Williamson’s fractured left ring finger which will take him out of the action indefinitely as of now is devastating with a capital D. For the record, as of the latest NBA injury report by CBS Sports, there are 124 assorted injuries being suffered by various players of all the 30 teams.

The team that has the most players in the injury list is the Houston Rockets (11), followed by the Orlando Magic, the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers with 8 injured players apiece.

They are followed by the Los Angelers Lakers, the Oklahoma Thunder and the Indiana Pacers with six injured players each.

The Golden State Warriors have five players at “sick bay,” followed by the Atlanta Hawks, the Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Pelicans with four injured players each. Five teams have 3 players each on the injured list: the Brooklyn Nets, the Charlotte Hornets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks.

The Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Minnesota Timberwolves each have players

MVP teams hold bubble training camp up north

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NT Tropang Giga and Meralco—teams under the Manuel V. Pangilinan umbrella—will set up training camp up north in Laoag City starting next week.

Phoenix, San Miguel Beer, Rain or Shine, Blackwater and Terrafirma, on the other hand, will head to Batangas City for face-to-face training if the general community quarantine in Metro Manila is not relaxed this weekend.

Laoag City and Ilocos Norte, as well as Batangas are under modified community quarantine where sports—including basketball scrimmages—are allowed under minimum health and safety protocols.

KaTropa governor Ricky Vargas said the players need to be game-ready as the Philippine Basketball Association looks at a potential June opening for its 46th season.

Meralco team manager Paolo Trillo said the Bolts will travel to Ilocos Norte on Saturday and stay there for 10 days. They will train at the Centennial Arena in Laoag City.

“But if Metro Manila will return to GCQ, we will cancel our trip,” Trillo told BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

NLEX Assistant Coach Jojo Lastimosa, however, said they are choosing between Ilocos Norte or Angeles City (Angeles University Foundation) for their training camp.

Three facilities in Batangas City—Batangas Coliseum, Batangas State University and LyceumBatangas—meet the league’s standards for training venues.

Magnolia, Alaska, Ginebra and Northport are also planning to set up camp in Batangas.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial, meanwhile, said that the league is coordinating with Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham Tolentino on the acquisition of anti-Covid-19 vaccines.

Josef Ramos

DE MARCHI anybody,” De Marchi said. “Today it was about finding the right move. I knew it would be tricky at the start. A bit of luck helped and here we are.

“I’m lost for words. The Maglia Rosa is the childhood dream of every cyclist, especially for an Italian.”

João Almeida was one of the favorites to win the Giro after leading the race for 15 days last year but his chances are all but over after losing more than four minutes on Tuesday.

Wednesday’s fifth stage is a flat and straight 177-kilometer route from Modena to Cattolica on the Adriatic coast.

The Giro finishes on May 30 in Milan with an individual time trial. AP currently unavailable. While the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks have one player each who have to sit out the games.

As for the injuries or ailments that have sidelined both stars and bench players, the most numerous cases are injuries to the ankle (26 players), followed by knee injuries (22), hamstring injuries (nine), foot injuries (eight), Covid-19 (seven), calf injuries (six), back injuries (five), toe injuries (four), wrist injuries (four), groin injuries (three), Achilles heel injuries (three), and injuries to the hip (two), thumb (two) and finger (two).

Individual players are nursing injuries to the leg (one), neck (one), elbow (one), forehead (one), abdomen (one), eye (one), oblique (one) and shoulder. Four players have been advised to rest, two are coping with non-Covid illness, two are out for personal reasons and one is out due to coach’s decision.

Nine teams have single or multiple players who are out for the season: Matthew Dellevedova for the Cavs, Jamal Murray for the Nuggets, Klay Thompson and James Wiseman for the Golden State Warriors, John Wall and Dante Exum for the Houston Rockets, TJ Warren for the Pacers, Jarret Culver for the Timberwolves, Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac for the Magic, Devi Avdija and Thomas Bryant for the Washington Wizards and Jaylen Brown for the Boston Celtics.

In hopes of preventing more injuries and to deal with fatigue, many teams have rested key players on the second night of back-to-backs. But then fans raise a howl because they don’t get to see their stars and favorites in action.

The Covid situation has certainly forced these adjustments to be made so the league can strike some kind of balance between making fans keep on enjoying the games while also safeguarding the health and safety of the players.

One thing is sure. Back-to-backs stretch players’ minds and bodies to the limit. It is not the teams that can manage their time, talents and resources well that will come out on top at the end of it all. It’s the team with the greatest luck to have health and strength on its side till the very last that will have the arms to hoist up the Larry O’Brien Trophy.