BusinessMirror May 24, 2023

Japanese firms seek WFH setup in ecozones

SOME members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc. (JCCIPI) have raised issues on the work-from-home (WFH) arrangements and the proclamation of new economic zones in the Philippines as the business group vows to strengthen its partnership with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) in attracting foreign direct investments (FDI).

According to Peza Director General Tereso O. Panga, some members of JCCIPI want Pezaregistered business enterprises (RBEs) to also enjoy flexible work arrangements while retaining their incentives.

“JCCIPI members are asking

whether Peza has resolved the issue on WFH…Their clamor is for Peza [registered business enterprises] RBEs to be able to avail of flexible work with incentives following the same treatment for [Board of Investments] BOI RBEs,” Panga said in a Viber message sent to reporters on Tuesday.

The Peza chief also reported that in Peza, they are pushing for a hybrid workplace with a maximum 30-percent allowance for work-from-home.

“Most of our locators would like to keep their Peza registration and sites, while availing of flexiwork for their workers,”

Panga stressed.

In September 2022, the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB)

agreed to allow the transfer of registered IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) companies to the Board of Investments (BOI) in an effort to resolve the sector’s “long-standing” issue on tax incentive claims while performing business activities outside their zone limits.

Diokno earlier said that the decision of the Board establishes a more permanent solution to the issue, allowing the RBEs to continue availing fiscal incentives without violating Section 309 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended by the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act.

The provision specifically states that to be entitled to incen -

tives, the conduct of registered projects or activities must be within the geographical boundaries of the ecozone or freeport administered by the concerned investment promotion agency (IPA). The BOI is the only IPA not affected by boundary constraints or zone limits.

New ecozones

MEANWHILE , Panga said another issue that the JCCIPI members raised was the proclamation of new ecozones.

“On the proclamation issue, JCCIPI members are asking if [Office of the President] OP can speed up the process for ecozone

THINK TANK: CONSUMER SPENDING CONSTRAINED

‘Inflation to cut Q2 growth to 5.8%’

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE “elevated” prices of goods and services will dent the country’s economic performance in the second quarter, slowing it down further to 5.8 percent, the lowest in nine quarters, a local think tank said.

The First Metro Investment Corporation-University of Asia and the Pacific (FMIC-UA&P) Capital Market Research projected that the Philippines’s second quarter economic performance would be slower than the 6.4-percent GDP growth it posted in the first quarter.

“GDP growth may slow mildly to 5.8 [percent] [year-on-year] in [the second quarter] as elevated inflation constrains consumer spending,” the think tank said in its latest Market Call report released on Tuesday.

The first-quarter GDP growth of the Philippine economy was the lowest in the past eight quarters or since the second quarter of 2021, based on historical data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Nonetheless, FMIC-UA&P Capital Market Research pointed out that it expects “strong gains” in construction sector due to “accelerating” infrastructure work as well as in the services sector due to revenge spending by Filipinos on transport, food, and accommodation.

“With these gaining further traction in [second half] and sharply lower inflation rates to average 3.3 percent by [fourth quarter], we see a return to above-6 percent full-year growth in 2023,”

FMIC-UA&P Capital Market said the 6 percent or higher

See “Q2,” A2

Index shows: Construction prices in Mla trending up

By Andrea E. San Juan

READY, DREDGE!

A team from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Marikina City uses a dredging machine on a floating platform to tackle waste-related flooding. By deepening the Marikina River and removing accumulated waste, they aim to improve flood management and enhance community safety ahead of the rainy season. NONOY LACZA

IMPORTERS SEEK LOW MEAT TARIFFS; LOCALS BALK

MEAT importers are lobbying the economic managers to lower the tariff rate levied across all meat products, including offal, to just 5 percent, arguing that it would keep inflation in check amid global economic and food challenges. The biggest farm coalition called out the importers’ bloc, however, reminding them that with government support being anemic, “tariff is the local industry’s last refuge.”

“We write regarding the ongoing MFN [Most Favored Nation] tariff review. MITA had proposed

that all meat and edible offal be levied a 5 percent rate across the board,” the Meat Importers and Traders Association (Mita) said in a letter addressed to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan dated May 22.

The letter was also submitted to President Marcos Jr., who concurrently sits as the agriculture chief, and to various Cabinet secretaries like Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

A copy of the letter was also sent to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla.

In its letter, Mita argued that the expiry of the current temporary low tariff rates on pork products would cause an uptick in meat prices that could hurt Filipino consumers.

The latest Executive Order, which was issued by the sitting president, extended the lower inquota and out-quota tariffs on pork, which are 15 percent and 25 percent, respectively, until the end of the year.

“Needless to say, reversion to a higher duty rate will further raise the cost of imported pork meat and discourage imports,”

said the letter, which was signed by Mita’s President Sherwin Choi and President Emeritus Jesus C. Cham.

The group has argued anew that the recovery of the local hog sector would take at least five years before domestic pig output returns to pre-African swine fever (ASF) levels.

“The five-year period was premised on the containment of ASF or the discovery of a vaccine, none of which has materialized. We are now in the fourth

See “Tariffs,” A2

INFLATION has pushed Manila’s construction prices upwards, according to global engineering and consultancy solutions firm Arcadis’ latest International Construction Costs index.  According to the Arcadis 2023 International Construction Costs (ICC) report with the title “New Horizons,” Manila has ranked 81st in the study of comparative construction costs across 100 global cities.

In a statement on Tuesday, Arcadis noted that “Manila’s ranking held steady from last year’s index, but annual inflation hit its highest level in 14 years, pushing construction prices upwards.”

The company said pandemic-related restrictions in 2022, labor shortages, material costs and rising fuel prices still “posed challenges” to the construction industry.

Despite these obstacles, Arcadis Country Sales/Client Development Director Jocelyn Pagcatipunan said, “the industry was able to adapt well by implementing measures such as bundling packages for different projects to save time and cost, using locally sourced materials that meet standards, and early collaboration with suppliers to ensure the availability of required items and goods on site.”

Comelec readies rules for seafarers’ vote via internet

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

THE Commission on Elections

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said they are targeting the release of the guidelines for seafarers by next week.

Garcia hopes that by shifting to online voting, more Filipino seafarers would be encouraged to register and vote.

There were 489,852 Filipino seafarers deployed in various international ships in 2022.

The Comelec en banc had earlier approved a resolution allowing for around 5 million Filipinos working or residing overseas to vote via the internet.

Garcia said there were only

1.967 million Filipinos who registered in the last presidential elections in 2022. Of these voter registrants, only 600,000 cast their votes. For the past 10 years since the implementation of the Overseas Absentee Voting, this is already the highest turnaround of voters.

But Garcia said the 39 percent turnaround is still very small, and they want to know why. Aside from the 30-day voting period in person at the embassies and consulates, Filipinos were also allowed to mail in their votes.

“Why, despite all efforts by our embassies and consulates, we still failed to encourage Filipinos abroad to vote during 30 days?” he asked during the forum on OAV.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. also asked him during one of their meetings: “How come when we send the mail ballots, they will not send back even if the postage is still free?”

The government spent P417 million to implement the OAV in 2022.

“On a per capita basis, that’s very high. That does not include other costs like the leasing of machines,” he added.

Comelec is also coordinating with the House of Representatives and Senate if they can also be allowed to conduct the registration of first-time voters via the internet.

At the moment, only previously registered voters can register online for change of voting precinct or reactivation of voter registration for those who failed to vote in the last two national elections.

Index. . .

Continued from A1

Moving forward, Pagcatipunan said the industry is “likely” to continue to innovate and find new ways to mitigate high costs and maximize efficiency amid challenges that are expected to persist.

Across Asia, the report noted that cities such as Hong Kong, Tokyo and Macau are among the “top expensive cities” to build in.

Globally, the report showed that Geneva ranked first, followed by London, second; New York, third; and San Francisco, fourth.

Meanwhile, five of the “least expensive” cities in the index are found in Malaysia, Vietnam and India. The 2023 Arcadis ICC index covers 100 of the world’s cities across six continents.

According to Arcadis, the cost comparison was developed covering 20 different building types, including residential, commercial and public sector developments, and is based on a survey of construction costs, a review of market conditions and the professional judgement of Arcadis’ global team of experts.

The calculations, the company said, are based in USD and indexed against the price range for each building type relative to Amsterdam.

Meanwhile, Arcadis noted, “The cost data behind the ICC rankings also account for changes to specification, with lowcarbon design having an impact on construction pricing.”

“Short-term cost uplifts associated with upgraded specifications in both the UK and Europe can range from 5-7 percent for new homes and 7-10 percent for commercial buildings,” the company said.

However, Arcadis noted that with the need to mitigate against climate change and more “stringent” carbon reduction targets, sustainable buildings in prime locations are “increasingly in high demand.” This, it said, is resulting in the application of a “green premium” when it comes to how the most sustainable assets are being valued.

This means that, when prioritizing expenditure, owners and investors need to take a long-term view that will be critical to preserving value, the company said.

“It will be important to balance current asset, owner and occupier needs with the additional costs associated with, for example, complying with future energy performance and decarbonization standards, and mitigating against the effect of climate change exposure,” Arcadis’s statement read.  For her part, Arcadis Environmental Sustainability Associate Director Katherine Ann Resurreccion said sustainability in real estate has become a “norm” among top developers in the Philippines.

“EDGE has recently become popular due to its relatively inexpensive certification fees and a more streamlined certification process compared to the more well-known LEED and BERDE; WELL remains the go-to standard for health and wellness,” Resurreccion said.

“Certifications are still more prevalent in buildings located in prime locations regardless of building type. However, this might change as a result of the [Securities and Exchange Commission] SEC ruling that requires annual sustainability reporting for publicly listed companies,” she added.

Moving forward, Resurreccion said the company is anticipating more organizations to take on sustainability endeavors for their buildings and townships, “not necessarily certifications” but other “lowkey” methods like energy optimization, switching to renewable energy and carbon offsetting.

Q2. . .

Continued from A1

full-year GDP growth of the Philippines this year will be supported by government’s infrastructure spending, especially on big-ticket projects coupled with revenge spending in domestic and foreign tourism.

The local think tank has also revised “downward” its inflation forecasts for second quarter to 6.3 percent and for the third quarter to 5.1 percent as government’s supply response to higher food prices is “gaining traction” amid weakening crude oil prices due to global economic slowdown.

“Headline inflation will likely continue to fall, averaging 6.3 percent in [second quarter] when it breaks through the 6 [percent] floor by June and we expect this to average 3.3 [percent] in [fourth quarter], well within the BSP’s target range of 2 [percent] to 4 [percent],” FMIC-UA&P Capital Market said.

WFH. . .

Continued from A1

proclamation to provide ready for occupancy sites for new and expanding investors,” Panga said.

“The President has tasked [Department of Trade and Industry] DTI, Peza and OP to harmonize and streamline the ecozone proclamation process to facilitate the creation of more ecozones particularly in the countryside,” the Peza chief added.

According to Panga, Peza is in “close coordination” with the other agencies and organizations to continuously address the “pain points” that are proving to be the “barriers” in the entry of investments to the Philippines.

During his keynote address at JCCIPI’s annual general meeting last May 17 which was attended by 330 members on-site and 70 virtual participants, Panga recognized the contribution of Peza’s Japanese locator companies.

“The remarkable contributions of our Japanese locator companies serve as a prime example of the strong partnership and economic progress achieved through the collaboration between Japan and the Philippines in which we continue to fortify,” Panga said in a statement on Tuesday.

To date, Peza said there are 884 Japanese enterprises in Peza contributing P745.637-billion investments and directly employing 345,807 workers.

Peza said it has also approved for this year three bigticket Japanese investments with a combined investment capital of P20.951 billion.  Andrea E. San Juan

Tariffs. . .

Continued from A1

year, and [Department of Agriculture] has just forecast a pork shortage for the coming months,” it said.

“Clearly, the hog recovery is not going well. It is timely to now maintain low tariff for the next five years,” it added.

The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) disputed Mita’s arguments. “Tariff protects the local industry because the cost of production in the [country] source of imports is low,” being “heavily subsidized by their respective governments,” Sinag said in a statement.

“In the absence of comprehensive government support, tariff is the local industry’s last refuge,” the coalition added.

It chided Mita for, as it said in Filipino, acting as if “they’re the only ones who should survive.”

Barely hiding its sarcasm, it said Mita should not just wish for lower tariffs, but “go for zero percent across the board.”

Then, it could ask Neda “as well to slaughter all local livestock and don’t give any kind of budgetary support to local livestock. Close down all local hogfarms, close down feedmills, and close down animal nutrition and animal health companies.”

It stressed that “a million plus Filipinos” rely directly on the P160-billion livestock industry, and compared these “to a few dozen privileged importers na laging kinakatigan ng Neda [that Neda always sides with]?

Finally, Sinag pointed out that “reducing tariffs, just like unlimited and ill-timed imports, did not...redound to reduced retail prices—the very crux of Mita’s self serving letter to Neda.”

Declining pork production

Mita in its letter noted that global pork production is declining and is projected to further drop due to various global economic challenges.

It added that regional neighbors have already reduced tariffs on pork meat and approved more countries of origin to expand their import sources. The group explained that this is being down by other countries through the “application” of international guidelines and principles on regionalization.

“The Philippines should follow suit and diversify her sources,” the group said.

Mita noted that pork meat is “crucial” to the Filipino diet, claiming that it is “necessary to maintain its availability and affordability” of the meat product.

“Unfortunately, the uncertainty on whether the tariffs would revert to the previous rates hangs over our heads like the proverbial sword of Damocles,” it said.

The group urged the government to fast-track the completion of the Tariff Commission’s comprehensive review of all of the country’s MFN rates. The Tariff Commission is an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority.

“We do not wish to see repeats of the previous years wherein the same uncertainty caused importers to hedge and over-purchase, resulting in massive congestion in our ports and cold stores,” it said.

“Hence we request for clarity and certainty on the outcome of the review—whether the current rates would be reduced, maintained or revert to the higher rates,” it added. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

(Comelec) is drafting guidelines to enable overseas Filipino seafarers to vote via the internet for the midterm elections in 2025.

The Nation

www.businessmirror.com.ph

BICOL Saro Party-list Rep.

Brian Raymund Yamsuan has pressed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to fast track its procurement of body-worn cameras (body cams) after learning that it would take almost 20 years for the entire uniformed force to be provided with these devices under its current procurement scheme.

Yamsuan, a former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), issued the call to the PNP officials present Tuesday’s hearing of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety after learning that the PNP has proposed the acquisition of only 2,000 units of body cams under its proposed budget for 2024.

With a backlog of at least 43,000 body cams as of this year, Yamsuan said it would take at least two decades for the PNP to provide such devices to the entire police force.

“Pag inisip natin, 20 years pa bago tayo ma-fill ang backlog,” Yamsuan told PNP officials during the hearing.

(If we think of it, it would take 20 years for us to fill the backlog.)

T he hearing, chaired by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, focused on several measures seeking to institutionalize the use by police personnel of body cameras during law enforcement operations, and appropriating funds for such purpose.

Yamsuan underscored the importance of body cams in police operations, as these would serve to protect both citizens and police

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

OFFICIALS of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) justified the “freeze order” issued by Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga in the acceptance, processing and approval of environmental compliance certificates (ECC) for offshore wind and floating solar energy projects underscoring the importance of putting in place a sound policy direction for the implementation of such renewable energy (RE) projects.

In fact, the DENR is looking at having two different interim guidelines—one each for offshore wind energy and floating solar energy projects—which would be both released by June.  The guidelines, however, will only cover the pre-development stage of offshore wind and floating solar energy projects.

THE Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA) and the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) warmly congratulated Albay Rep. Joey S. Salceda for the passage of House bill 7600 amending the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines to block piracy sites in the Philippines.

officers from abuse. “Napakaimportante ‘nyan ngayon especially, hindi lang para sa naging biktima. Biktima rin ang pulis eh. ‘Pag kayo nakasuhan, inakusahan ng mali, kailangan proteksyunan ‘nyo rin sarili ‘nyo,” Yamsuan told PNP officials during the hearing.

(This is very important, especially now, not only for the victims. Police are victims, too. If you are sued, wrongly accused, you need to protect yourselves)

Yamsuan advised the PNP to “crunch its numbers” and maximize the use of its funds to cover the expenses for the procurement of body cams.

He said the PNP should change its mindset and learn to keep up with advances in technology and other disruptive developments in the digital age.

You should think about yourselves and enhancing the capability of your agency,” Yamsuan told the PNP.

A ccording to PNP Directorate for Logistics Deputy Director Flynn Dongbo, the PNP currently has 2,696 units of body cameras, which were procured in 2021.

In a resolution dated June 29, 2021, the Supreme Court issued its rules requiring police officers to use body-worn cameras while serving search and arrest warrants.

During the hearing, Yamsuan also told the PNP to beef up its National Management and Monitoring Center, which serves as the unified data hub of the body camera system.

DSWD to launch food stamp program in select areas in July

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide around $3 million grant to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to initially fund the agency’s new “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program,” which will start in the second half of the year.   DSWD estimates it will eventually need to secure P40 billion from taxes and multilateral organizations for the full rollout of the program.

In a news conference in Malacañang on Tuesday, DSWD Secretary Rexlon “Rex” T. Gatchalian disclosed the initiative is part of the efforts of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger to reduce incidents of involuntary hunger in the country.

The program is anchored with the Philippine Development Agenda 2023-2028 of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in addressing both hunger and poverty, and more particularly with alleviating the incidence of involuntary hunger among the

Filipino families belonging to the lowest bracket income as identified and stated in the recent DSWD Listahanan 3,” Gatchalian said.

T he so-called Listahan 3 of DSWD includes 1 million households, which do not earn over P8,000 per month and belong to the “foodpoor” criteria of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Implementation mechanism

DSWD is now designing the mechanism to ensure the new program will be properly implemented in select local government units (LGUs) from July until the end of the year.

“ There are working models out there that we can copy, tweak a little so that we can adapt it to the terrain of the Philippines,” Gatchalian said.

He noted among the countries which successfully implemented their food stamp program are  Mongolia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

T he pilot will cover 3,000 family beneficiaries, which will each receive tap cards that they can use to buy select list of food commodities worth P3,000 from DSWD-accredited local

retailers, which may include Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets as well as micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMES) groceries.

So we will not distribute cash, instead we will use food as currency,” Gatchalian explained.

DSWD said the five pilot areas will include—a former conflict area in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); a geographically isolated region or province; an area in urban poor settings; a calamity-stricken area; and a rural poor area.

He noted that to qualify for the program, a family must have a member, who is employed.

When you’re signed up [with the program], you have to go to your nearest Public Employment [Service] Office [PESO], get a certification that you are now being counted as part of the workforce,” Gatchalian said.

Funding sources

AFTER the pilot implementation, DSWD is eyeing to expand the number of the food stamp beneficiaries to 3,000, which will cost the

government around P11 billion, by the first quarter of next year. Everything looks theoretically nice when everything is on paper, but when you implement it that’s the time you catch the leakages—leakages like what if they sell the food that they get—those are the things that we’ll be on the lookout for [during the pilot],” Gatchalian said.

Based on their rough estimate, Gatchalian said the budget for the program will reach P40 billion once they further expand its coverage to 300,000 households.

He said they are now eyeing other partners to finance the program such as the World Bank and the United Nations (UN).

Recently we met the UN resident coordinator, Gustavo Gonzales, and he said there are other windows, we don’t have to fund this solely by ourselves. There are multilateral windows out there that the United Nations can help us tap into so that the burden of carrying the program is not solely the responsibility of the Philippines,” Gatchalian said.

Face ‘karma,’ Rep. Duterte tells architect’s rapist-killers

T he guidelines will be further enhanced, again with the help of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), to come up with a clear-cut policy for the two relatively RE projects that will be ready by the end of December.

DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones said, however, that any delay will not result in the loss of private sector investment, and justified the need to come up with the guidelines before accepting, processing and approving or denying ECC applications.   “ There is no loss. The projects are in the initial stages only.  The gestation period of these projects is 3 to 7 years,” he said.

He added the Department of Energy (DOE) was the one who requested the DENR to come up with the guidelines considering that these projects may bring potential adverse environmental impacts.

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—“Karma” would

catch up against the suspects who brutally raped and killed a female architect in this city in the next few days.

T his was the stern message of First District Rep. Paolo Duterte when he offered P1 million bounty for the arrest of the suspects behind the rape-slay of 28-year-old Vlanche Marie Bragas, an architect.

O n Monday, Duterte offered the cash reward after the incident raised a big howl among residents, and seen as an acid test to the administration of Paolo Duterte’s younger brother, Sebastian, the current mayor of the city.

I nterviewed on TV, the older Duterte assured Davao residents that justice would soon be served. Bragas was reported missing at pre-dawn of May 17 after she failed to go home the night before. Her body was later recovered at a banana plantation in Dacudao in Calinan on May 17, her body covered with dried banana leaves.

was the keynote speaker.

and CAP laud House passage of bill vs IP piracy Bill mandates retirement age of 56 for govt

To become law, a bill needs to be passed by both the House and the Senate and the successful passage of HB7600, through the House, is a major step towards the enactment of site blocking legislation in the Philippines.

AVIA and CAP believe Salceda’s bill will go a long way to addressing the rampant online piracy in the Philippines that is damaging the growth of the Philippines economy as well as providing real harm to consumers.

AVIA and CAP have been working with the Philippine government and the local content industry for some time to champion the passage of site blocking legislation to address this concern, including a number of meetings and workshops such as an anti-piracy seminar hosted by AVIA, CAP and the Globe Group in Manila in September 2022 where Salceda

2023 figures from a study conducted by YouGov and commissioned by AVIA and CAP showed that almost 60 percent of Philippine consumers watch pirated content—an alarming number that has a direct impact on the Philippine creative industry and consumer safety.

However, the study also showed growing consumer awareness of the damage caused by piracy, with 90 percent of consumers believing that piracy has negative consequences for the Philippines. The study also showed a path ahead with 45 percent of Philippine consumers believing a government or court order for ISPs to block pirate websites would be the most effective measure to reduce piracy in the Philippines.

Salceda’s bill has been strongly supported by the local industry with numerous representatives, including GMA Network, Inc., the Globe Group and KROMA Entertainment attending the Second Reading of the HB 7600 in person. Matt Cheetham, General Manager of CAP, noted, “The evidence

continues to show that site blocking, when implemented in an efficient and effective way, and ensuring the necessary elements of due process, is an incredibly powerful tool to both stop online piracy and protect consumers from the unseen harm caused by piracy, and we applaud Congressman Salceda for his determination to address the issue.” Cheetham also noted that earlier this month, Senator Jinggoy Estrada introduced matching legislation in the Senate (Senate Bill 2150) for Salceda’s bill.

With the successful passage of Congressman Salceda’s Bill in the House, we look forward to the successful passage of matching legislation in the Senate that will allow the Philippines to grow its economy and protect its consumers from online harm,” he added.

“

The Globe Group congratulates Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda for steering House Bill No. 7600 towards its triumphant passage at the House. This is a landmark achievement for the creative industry, with the bill a step closer to becoming a law. We are inching closer towards

ensuring more stringent protection for our content creators and their livelihood,” said Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto.

Piracy not only jeopardizes the livelihood of content creators and other works in the creative industry but also worsens consumer exposure to malware risks. Revisions to the IP code are essential for bolstering a digital landscape that is secure and equitable,” she said.

“GMA Network fully supports this extremely important legislation which would benefit and protect not just the creative industry but the viewing public as well. Website blocking for copyright infringement has been proven as an effective tool to fight digital piracy and support legal content creators and services, whether it’s TV, film, books, video games, or music.

It is about time that the Philippines enact a site blocking law that would help curtail the losses of an already struggling industry,” said GMA Network, Inc.’s Assistant Vice President for Litigation and Special Projects, Legal Affairs Atty Jose Vener Ibarra.

workers

ALAWMAKER has appealed for the passage of a pending complementary measure that would allow government workers to retire upon reaching the age of 56.

In a statement, CamSur Rep. LRay Villafuerte said it’s time for the 19th Congress to pass a pending complementary measure letting government employees retire when they reach 56.

The complementing measure covers all civil servants, including public school teachers, Villafuerte, who is also a co-author of the proposed legislation.

“Given President [Ferdinand R.] Marcos’ signing into law of a measure fixing the maximum terms of duty of top military officers and setting the retirement age of our soldiers at 57, it’s time for the Senate to pass a complementary, House-passed bill allowing government personnel, including public school teachers, to retire at 56,” Villafuerte said. Raadee S. Sausa

A closed circuit TV camera showed her boarding a yellow motorcab near Crossing Fausta in Calinan a day before. Davao police confirmed she was sexually assaulted before she was murdered. It was unclear how many people attacked her.

T he regional police has asked for time to solve the case as it formed a special investigation unit.

T he architects’ association has issued a statement condemning “the heinous act that befell Ar. Vlanche Marie Bragas. The news of her rape and subsequent abandonment in a desolate grassland has utterly shocked and anguished us. This unspeakable act goes against the very fabric of humanity and the principles we hold dear as architects, professionals, and fellow human beings.”

We cannot fathom the pain and anguish you and your family are enduring. As a chapter, we also sympathize with the UAP Alpha chapter for losing a valuable member. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, as we hope you find solace and strength in the memories of Ar. Vlanche Marie Bragas.”

Rep. Yamsuan to PNP: Step up acquisition of body cams

Sound policy direction imperative for vital RE projects–DENR chief

US awards P240M in CSO grants to support biodiversity conservation, climate actions

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has awarded P240 million in grants to help civil society organizations (CSO) in the Philippines address the challenges posed by climate change to local communities across the country.

In a statement released by the US Embassy in Manila, the awarding of the grants to 11 CSOs was led by Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson under USAID’s INSPIRE Project, which coincided with the celebration of the International Day for Biodiversity on May 22.

C arlson joined Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Juan Miguel

Cuna and Gerry Roxas Foundation Executive Director Glen de Castro in announcing the 11 grants that will support efforts to conserve biodiversity, protect wildlife, and implement natural climate solutions.

T he grants were provided under USAID’s Investing in Sustainability and Partnership for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems Project.

T he recipient organizations are BaiAni Foundation, CBCP Caritas Filipinas Foundation, Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Diliman Science Research Foundation, Impl. Project Philippines, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, Mabuwaya Foundation, Surigao Economic Development and Microfinance Foundation, Tanggol Kalikasan, University of Santo Tomas Research and Endowment

Foundation, and Xavier Agricultural Extension Services Foundation.

T he Mabuwaya Foundation plans to use its grant to protect the intact forests of the Sierra Madre mountain range in Cagayan by addressing illegal logging and conversion of forestlands for agricultural use.  Xavier Agricultural Extension Service Foundation’s grant will strengthen community-based initiatives to restore and protect the mangrove forests and other marine ecosystems in Zamboanga Sibugay.

C arlson, during the awarding rites, affirmed CSO’s critical role in translating conservation agreements into actions.

“ Through these grants, we are advancing sustainable local solutions that will help communities address the unique climate challenges they face,” Carlson said. “These grants

contribute to our shared goal of a more resilient future where both people and nature thrive,” he added. We are one with USAID and INSPIRE in the quest for an increased and more meaningful participation and engagement of all sectors [of society]. DENR is grateful for the continued partnership and we look forward to deepening our engagement as we work toward creating a more equitable world for all,” Cuna said for his part.

For more than six decades, USAID has partnered with the Philippine government and local organizations to conserve the country’s rich biodiversity and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Since 2021, USAID has provided more than P620 million ($11.7 million) to CSOs to amplify their efforts in achieving environmental sustainability and uplifting the lives of Filipino communities.

Customs and UN forge tie up for digital trade facilitation

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Customs bureau has tapped a United Nations (UN) body in improving its digital trade facilitation measures by exploring the implementation of an electronic trade data exchange system.

I n a news statement, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it is now collaborating with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)

for a feasibility study on the electronic exchange of traderelated data and documents in the Philippines.

T he BOC said the collaboration falls under the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific or CPTA, which aims to “expedite” the implementation of digital facilitation measures for trade and development by various countries, including the Philippines.

T he BOC explained that BOC National Trade Facilitation

Champions met with UNESCAP for a consultative session where the former shared their inputs and experience related to the proposed electronic exchange system.

“ The study delves into a comprehensive analysis of the technological capabilities, legal frameworks, and operational requirements necessary for the implementation of electronic trade data exchange,” the BOC said.

Furthermore, it aims to identify potential challenges

and risks and develop effective strategies to mitigate them,” it added.

C ustoms Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio reiterated the bureau’s commitment to facilitating trade and ensuring “efficient” and “effective” movement of goods across borders. We believe that the implementation of paperless trade will not only help us achieve these objectives but also enhance transparency and reduce expenses,” Rubio said.

SRA gathers data for May sugar import requirement

By Raadee S. Sausa @raadeeboy

THE Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) is currently determining the actual volume of sugar that needs to be procured by the end of this month, an official said on Tuesday.

T he directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was to ensure that the final import volume must be based on latest supply report with a provision that it should not be more than 150,000 metric tons (MT).

In a statement, Pablo Azcona, SRA Acting Administrator said that this would include already the additional buffer volume of 100,000 MT, especially if the delay in the opening of mills to September 2023 instead of August to increase productivity is factored in.

“ We would like to assure our sugar stakeholders that we will carefully study supply condition before we peg the final figure,” he said.

But I am sure that everyone is aware that among the causes of a big drop in refined sugar production for this crop year was partly because of shortened refining operations due to lack of bagasse that fuels the mills, caused by massive rains, particularly in Negros Island, which provides more than half of our country’s sugar produce,” Azcona added.

Moreover, the SRA chief said that as of May 7, only 11 of 24 sugar mills are still in operation and the SRA has been informed that many of these will close down by the end of this month already, because of the fact that they opened in August also.

“We must also be reminded that we had the sudden closure of the Central Azucarera de Don Pedro, which also affected local supply,” Azcona added.

He said, the actual production in

the same period has been pegged at 1.7 MT, and SRA is looking at another 20,000 MT from remaining mills that are in operation, which is way below the forecasted demand of 2.2 million metric tons.

Needless to say, we will soon be conducting consultations with various stakeholders on what we can do in preparation for the next milling season to improve productivity toward self-sufficiency,” Azcona said.

“ We may strongly consider delaying the opening of the milling season as part of the solution,” he added.

On Monday, May 22, Negros Occidental 5th district Rep. Dino Yulo urged the SRA to take a second look at the overall quantity of sugar to be imported by the government.

Personally, I would like SRA to revisit the proposal and take a look at the figures,” he said adding, “We already imported a total of 440,000 MT of sugar plus 150,000 MT.” Yulo, a former SRA board member, said that what is important is that sugar producers have recovered in this particular crop year.

We hope that trend continues. It is important for us to effectively manage the supply and demand,” he pointed out. S en. Risa Hontiveros, for her part, said that the price of sugar in the market is unlikely to drop to its previous low level despite the order issued by President Marcos to import an additional 150,000 MT.

T he senator has expressed her beliefthatsugarpriceswillremainhighas long as the government restricts sugar imports to only three companies.

She stated, “According to reports, the President instructed the SRA board members to import additional sugar. The President seems to be solving the wrong problem.”

97 computer sets to boost SPLIT project implementation in CAR

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) recently received computer sets with printers as it gears up to go full blast with the implementation of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project. DAR-CAR is expected to distribute individual electronic land titles (e-titles) to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the area as part of SPLIT.

I n a statement, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said that with the new computer sets, SPLIT officers are

expected to work more efficiently and complete their tasks at a faster pace.

“ The logistics support is in line with the marching order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to expedite the distribution of land titles to the ARBs,” he said.

The SPLIT project intends to fasttrack land subdivisions of Collective Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CCLOAs) and eventually issue individual land titles to the ARBs who were previously awarded lands and collective CLOAs under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Jonathan L. Mayuga

3 more suspects recant affidavits in Degamo slay case

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

However, Department of Justice (DOJ) Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon said the supposed recantations have not been officially submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Fadullon added that the recantation of some of the suspects is expected following their decision to hire their private counsels.

“ We expect that recantations will be made by suspects. It is their right to do so especially now that they lawyered up at this time,” Fadullon said.

“So say that they recanted, assuming that we received the copies already does not mean that the recantations will prove that the earlier statements they gave are actually untrue,” he explained.

Fadullon, however, could not say how these recantations would affect the complaint recently filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against Teves before the DOJ which is set for preliminary investigation (PI).

Let us see how it happens when the PI is actually set. If they will submit [their recantations], then we will leave it to the panel how they will evaluate these statements,” Fadullon said.

T he DOJ official also expressed confidence that the prosecution has still strong and sufficient evidence to pin down those responsible in the Degamo killing despite the recantations.

So far, four suspects have already recanted having knowledge or participation in the Degamo slay case.

First to recant was suspect Osmundo Rivero, who accused police investigators of torturing and coercing him into admitting his participation in the crime.

In his recantation, Rivero also disclosed that the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) lawyer assigned to him

even tried to convince him to just give in to the demands of the police to avoid getting hurt.

R ivero claimed that he was beaten up, strangled and suffocated by investigators to force him into admitting that it was Teves who ordered the attack on Degamo’s residence.

T he other suspects who recanted were identified by their lawyer Danny Villanueva as   Rommel Pattaguan, Rogelio Antipolo Jr. and Dahniel Lora. All of the four suspects are being assisted by Villanueva.

“In so far as I am concerned, as I can only speak for my four clients, our four clients had already executed an affidavit of recantation,” Villanueva said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

V illanueva said Antipolo Jr., whose affidavit was used by the DOJ to indict Miranda in the case, only signed the affidavit out of fear for his and his family’s safety.

Mr. Antipolo denies having any knowledge about it [affidavit]. So he can only surmise that this information comes from the police officers

Aboitiz: Cebu to host ABAC III meet from July 27 to 30

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox

Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Cebu City is the next venue of the third leg of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meeting to further discuss business and other private sector initiatives in the AsiaPacific region.

T his was confirmed by Sabin M. Aboitiz, President and CEO of the Aboitiz Group and who serves as vice chairman of the 2023 ABAC Sustainable Growth Working Group (SGWG).

As we prepare to host ABAC in the vibrant heart of Cebu, we stand on the cusp of boundless opportunities and exciting discoveries. Let’s write a new chapter in the Asia-Pacific story, where collaboration sparks innovation, and our shared vision for a prosperous future becomes a reality,” Aboitiz said.

T he ABAC Philippines is the next host of the meeting after it received the honors from ABAC Brunei, which hosted in April the ABAC II meeting in Bandar Seri

Begawan. The ABAC said the Brunei meeting was attended by delegates from across the Asia-Pacific region as they discussed economic growth, trade, and investment in the region.

T he ABAC Philippines has adapted the theme “Equity, Sustainability, and Opportunity” to put the spotlight on the critical role of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the global economy, as well as the evolving environment, social, and governance (ESG) investing landscape.

The Philippines, known for its vibrant culture and resilient economy, offers a perfect backdrop for this important gathering. An archipelago of thousands of interconnected islands, the nation embodies the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that underpins the APEC economies. Like the islands that work together to create a cohesive whole, the APEC economies are interconnected and interdependent, each contributing to the larger ecosystem. Working together, APEC economies can navigate the challenges and seize the opportuni-

ties that lie ahead, working towards a shared vision of sustainable and inclusive growth for all,” the ABAC Philippines said.

A BAC Philippines Chair Tomas Alcantara said the country “is honored to host this important gathering of business leaders from across the Asia-Pacific. We look forward to providing a positive experience here in the Philippines as the Council continues the great work and progress it has achieved in the past two meetings.”

A boitiz, Alcantara and ABAC Philippines member Joanne de Asis, who is the country lead for the Financial Task Force, would play the key role in the Philippine hosting of the meeting.

“As ABAC members, we are committed to promoting sustainable and equitable growth in the region. We believe this meeting will provide another valuable platform for discussion and collaboration on important issues we face,” de Asis said.

T he ABAC Philippines said its hosting of the meeting would showcase the Philippine potential “as an investment destination and to

foster greater regional cooperation and integration.”

This is illustrated in the ABAC 3 invitational video conceptualized and produced by Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications Secretary Paul Soriano and his team from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Creative Communications [OPACC],” it said.

T he Cebu conference would be held at the Nustar Convention Center from July 27 to 30, 2023 with more than 200 delegates and guests from the 21 APEC economies.

T he APEC Business Advisory Council was established by APEC leaders in 1995 to provide a private sector perspective towards achieving free and open trade and investments in the Asia Pacific region, an APEC briefer said. The Council had its first meeting and dialogue with the Leaders in 1996 when the Philippines first chaired APEC. Ambassador Roberto Romulo of the Philippines served as ABAC’s founding chairman.

Every year, ABAC submits a report to APEC leaders, which outlines key recommendations focused on regional economic integration.

Mobility, safety weighed as motorcycle taxi bill pushed

A lso at the hearing, Poe, citing recent data from the Land Transportation Office, noted that over 19.2 million motorcycles are now roaming the country. T his, she adds, is roughly 87 per cent of all registered motor vehicles as of 2022.  “Imagine, 87 percent ito,” said Poe, adding: “One out of three Filipino households own a motorcycle and 51 percent of them use it for livelihood.”

She recalled that as early as 2018, senators  “already called the Department of Transportation to consider the legalization of motorcycles-for-hire in the same way it recognized new forms of transport services under Depart-

Support for JMSU

IN the same forum, the veteran geologist explained why he supported the tripartite agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) among companies from China, Vietnam and Philippines.

T he JMSU, he said, was part of then Arroyo administration’s fivepoint energy independence agenda to find and develop new indigenous petroleum reserves.

M añalac, responding to tycoon Enrique Razon Jr’s statement, also admitted that he supported the JMSU agreement, which would have allowed these countries to explore Philippine natural resources with -

ment Order No. 2015-11. This is to promote mobility,” said Poe, noting that “while they did not take this track, we appreciate that our transport agencies kept an open mind on the possibility of motorcyclefor-hire in the country and for spearheading a pilot testing.”

She recalled that a Technical Working Group (TWG) conducted the pilot implementation of motorcycles-forhire, more commonly known as motorcycle or MC taxis. The pilot implementation was deemed the best option for the government to determine, if indeed, the Philippines is ready for a motorcycle taxi regime.

out government supervision. But he pointed out that his actions were in accordance with government orders and directives in relation to a policy of energy independence.

It is connected with the government’s effort to acquire or reach energy independence for the people,” he said. “It is not my idea. It is the idea of the government as part of its energy independence strategy,” he stressed.

T he Supreme Court dismissed the JMSU deal in January 2023, citing a breach of Section 2, Article 12 of the 1987 Constitution. Mañalac said the PNOC under his leadership had been “extremely careful and consistent in ensuring the

A fter more than four years of continuous studies by the TWG, Poe said, “it now appears, without a doubt, that commuters are overwhelmingly in favor of legalizing motorcycles taxis.”

She also cited the latest TWG survey reporting that a whopping 96 percent of motorcycle taxi passengers surveyed believed that the government should allow motorcycles as a mode of public transportation.

At the same time, she noted the commuters favor the MC taxis’ affordability and quicker conveyance time in clogged streets of urban centers where MC taxis were allowed to operate. Riders, she noted, “even habals, lobby for

constitutionality of the JSMU.”

“PNOC closely coordinated with concerned agencies to ensure completed staff work.

T he JMSU is a commercial and operative agreement between three national oil companies to jointly acquire seismic data. No oil exploration drilling, no production activities were covered by the agreement,” Mañalac said.

J MSU is simply a data-gathering effort among three oil companies, he added.

As I said, the JMSU is not a treaty and if in three years of the JMSU, no new definitive agreements are agreed on, the JMSU expires. And it expired

of Negros Oriental,” he explained.

Villanueva said aside from Rivero, the three also recanted their statements linking Teves to the crime.

With this development, Villanueva said he believes the DOJ has no solid case against Teves, as their statements are the only link of the authorities to the suspended lawmaker.

“I think that only the statements of these alleged perpetrators is the basis of the Department of Justice in linking Teves to the alleged incident in Pamplona,” he added.

Sought for comment, Remulla only said the DOJ has a strong case against Teves and the other accused in Degamo’s killing.

Meanwhile, the PA on Tuesday issued a memorandum barring PAO lawyers from assisting persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and criminal suspects in the execution of extrajudicial confessions during custodial investigation.

T he PAO said it issued the order in light of recent events wherein PAO lawyers assisted suspected or accused persons during custodial investiga-

tion in the preparation of extra-judicial confessions, which were later recanted by the said persons.

T he PAO order was issued a day after a suspect in Degamo slay case revealed that a PAO lawyer assigned tried to convince him to accept all the demands of the police in order to avoid getting hurt.

“ The order is being issued to avoid conflict of interest in case the PAO will be later on assigned by the court as counsel de officio for the accused in the same case.

T his is likewise to protect the office from being used and abused by unscrupulous and evil-minded persons who intend to mislead investigators or to avoid culpability. Ultimately, this order is being issued to preserve the integrity and dignity of the Office,” it added.

A ll requests for assistance from suspects in connection with the preparation and execution of extrajudicial confessions will be referred to the Philippine National Police and the NBI and other law enforcement agencies.

continued from a16

a legal regime as it stands to give them a viable source of income and livelihood.”

Moreover, on the question of “who should regulate this new specie, the TWG study proposes to give the jurisdiction over MC taxis to LTFRB for operations within Metropolitan areas, and to the LGUs for all other areas, not much different to the current regulation of tricycles,” according to Poe.

“Now that we are convinced of the need for MC taxis, new questions crop up: Are we now ready to welcome more players? Is it time for the TWG to conclude its pilot study and submit its final recommendations to Congress?”

continued from a16

on June 8, 2008. It must be clear that the President did not sign the JMSU nor the DOE. It was the PNOC headed by myself at the time,” he said.

However, he said, the governments of the three countries needed to first approve the agreement to make it binding. He also defended the agreement, saying it did not undermine the Philippines’ rights in its exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

It is very clear that the agreement is designed to be scientific in nature and does not affect any territorial claims of any country either by the Philippines, China and Vietnam,” Mañalac said.

43

Kidapawan farmers acquitted of assault raps filed by policemen

THE Kidapawan Municipal Trial Court has dismissed assault charges filed by policemen against 43 Kidapawan farmers who were allegedly involved in the violent protest action along the Kidapawan Highway in 2016 that left two farmers dead and injured numerous others.

T he 43 farmers were charged with direct assault upon an agent of a person in authority by the policemen who responded to the site to conduct a peaceful dispersal of the protesters.

In a 20-page decision, Judge Rebecca Elena de Leon granted the farmers’ demurrer to evidence due to the insufficiency of evidence presented by the prosecution.

A demurrer to evidence is a motion that seeks dismissal of the criminal charges on allegations that the prosecution’s evidence is weak to sustain a conviction.

Consequently, as the prosecution has clearly failed to discharge its burden of overcoming the presumption of innocence of the accused by proving their guilt beyond reasonable doubt, the Court hold that it finds the evidence insufficient for their conviction

with no recourse other than to dismiss the case which is tantamount to a judgment of acquittal,” the ruling stated.

T he court noted that the common testimonies of the police witnesses were that they saw a mob of protesters throw stones at them and then arrested each one of the accused.

However, the court noted they were unsure whether the one they arrested had been among those who threw stones at them.

“Nothing in the evidence presented even indicates that the particular complainants were injured by the stones coming from a particular accused. No overt acts of stone-throwing therefore can be attributed to any one of the accused, thereby negating the prosecution’s claim of conspiracy,” it added.

T he court did not give weight to the claim of the prosecution there was a conspiracy among the protesters and that “an act of one accused throwing a rock towards the police officers, regardless of whether or not it hit anybody, is an unlawful assault by all of the accused against the entire Philippine National Police, an agent of a person in authority.” Joel R. San Juan

THREE more suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others last March 4 have recanted their previous affidavits wherein they admitted their participation to the crime and pointed to suspended Negros Oriental Third District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves as the mastermind.

‘Govt retook PNOC-EC stake in Malampaya’

10 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

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

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

11 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

RUAN, YUANYUAN

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

TANG, DEPING

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

WU, JIANBING

12 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

YANG, HOUYOU

13 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

14 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

YANG, HOUZENG

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

YANG, YANWU

15 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range:

Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

MANUFACTURING CORPORATION

Lots 1-8, Block 4, Golden Gate Business Park, Buenavista II, City of General Trias, Cavite

8 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

YANG, AIHONG Deputy Section Chief of Packaging Department Brief Job Description: Examine and inspect boxes, materials, and products in order to ensure that packing specifications are met

CAO, JUNJIE

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

GE, JIAN

9 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

Basic Qualification: Excellent problem solving and analytical skills

Salary Range: Php60,000 - Php89,999

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

16 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

ZHANG, QING

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

ZHENG, KE

17 BRICKHARTZ TECHNOLOGY INC.

Lot 4044, Molino Boulevard, Niog III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Ensure outstanding customer satisfaction by maintaining strong working relationships

NAKAMURA, MASAAKI

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in Mandarin, with related BPO experience

Salary Range:

Php30,000 - Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

18 DJK FACTORY SOLUTIONS (PHILIPPINES) INC.

Lot 3281-I, Phase 6A, Laguna Technopark, Loma, City of Biñan, Laguna

Director For Operations

Brief Job Description:

Over all in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Company.

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Salary Range: Php150,000Php499,999

19 HUADING INDUSTRIES CORPORATION

Block 7, Lot 3, Suntrust

Ecotown, Sahud Ulan, Tanza, Cavite

20 HYS METAL PLASTIC AND ELECTRONICS (PHILIPPINES) INC.

Amplefield SME Park, J.P. Rizal Ave., Lima Technology Center, Bugtong Na Pulo, City of Lipa, Batangas

21 KEDICA PHILIPPINES CORPORATION

Road 2, Lot 15-G, First Philippine Industrial Park, Santa Anastacia, City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas

22 KOREAN MOLD SYSTEM INC.

Units G And H, Metrococo Export Corporation-Greenfield Auto Park Building 1, Lots 3F-3G, East American Road, East American Road, Greenfield Auto Park-Special Economic Zone, Don Jose, City of Santa Rosa, Laguna

YAN, CAIWEI Director Brief Job Description:

With voting rights and intervene with the day-to-day operation of the company especially with financial needs of the company.

ZENG, XIAOGUO Production Consultant Brief Job Description: Oversee the production plan, handling various aspects of workover, offer advice and expertise to the organization

TANAKA, TORU

Factory Manager

Brief Job Description: Manage, direct and monitor the overall performance of the company

BACK, SEUNGHAK President/Chief Executive Officer

Brief Job

in Manufacturing of metal stamping industry

Basic Qualification: College graduate

Salary Range: Php30,000 –Php59,999

33 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

34 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

35 MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

36 SIIX EMS PHILIPPINES, INC.

108 Competence Drive, Carmelray Industrial Park 1, Canlubang, City of Calamba, Laguna

37 TOYOTA BOSHOKU PHILIPPINES CORPORATION

111 Commerce Road, Phase 2, Industrial Zone, Laguna Technopark, Malamig, City of Biñan, Laguna

38 VAREX IMAGING PHILIPPINES INC.

Bldg. 9, 10 & 11, Harvard Road, EZP Business Park, Calamba Premiere International Park, Barandal, City of Calamba, Laguna

VICTOR CHANG CHING HAW

Malaysian Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

LIAO, WAN-HSIN

Taiwanese Customer Service

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

MIYANAGA, MISAKI Director

Brief Job Description: Review the overall performance and identify training necessities of other managers and heads of department.

YAMAGUCHI, MICHIHISA

Plant General Manager

Brief Job Description:

In charge for the daily operations of manufacturing and developing new ideas to make production more efficient and maintaining quality control

BRULS, ERIC MARIA JOZEF GERARDUS

General Manager

Brief Job Description:

Overall responsible for the company’s operations

laysian language

Salary Range: Php30,000Php59,999

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

Salary Range: Php30,000 - Php59,999

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

Salary Range: Php30,000Php59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor Degree of any Business Course.

Salary Range: Php150,000Php499,999

Basic Qualification: Elected by the mother company in Japan

Salary Range: Php60,000Php89,999

Basic Qualification: M.SC EE, 26 years working experience and must be staying in the Philippines for 12 years

Salary Range: Php150,000Php499,999

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE Regional Office IV-A located at 3rd and 4th Floors, Andenson Building II, Parian, Calamba City, Laguna, within 30 days after this publication.

Please inform DOLE Regional Office IV-A if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

By authority of the Regional Director:

Modi visits Australia, wants closer bilateral defense ties

SYDNEY—Narendra Modi has arrived in Sydney for his second Australian visit as India’s prime minister and told local media he wants closer bilateral defense and security ties as China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region grows.

Modi is the only one of the Quad nations’ leaders to continue with his Australian visit plans after President Joe Biden pulled out last week to return to Washington to focus on debt limit talks. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who hosted a Group of Seven meeting last week, later canceled his Australia trip as well.

Modi is giving an address to the Indian diaspora at a sold-out 20,000-seat Sydney stadium Tuesday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend the stadium event and has a bilateral meeting scheduled with his Indian counterpart on Wednesday.

Modi told Tuesday’s edition of The Australian newspaper he wanted to take India’s relationship with Australia to the “next level,” including closer defense and security ties to help ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

“As two democracies, India and Australia have shared interests in a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. There is alignment of our strategic viewpoint,” Modi told the newspaper.

“The high degree of mutual trust between us has naturally translated into greater cooperation on defense and security matters. Our navies are participating in joint naval exercises. I am confident that there is merit in working together to realize the true potential in closer defense and security cooperation,” Modi added.

Modi last visited Australia in November 2014 only months after his government was first elected.

Australia had pulled out of the original Quad security dialogue with India, the United States and Japan in 2008, fearing the grouping would provoke a Chinese military buildup. Since China took that course anyway, the Quad reformed in 2017 and Australia returned to joint Quad military exercises in 2020.

With the Sydney leaders’summit cancelled, a substitute Quad meeting was convened on the sidelines of the G7 summit.

Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night from Papua New Guinea, where he had hosted a meeting with Pacific Island leaders to discuss ways to better cooperate.

Asked if Australia would raise Muslim and minority rights in India with the Hindu leader, Richard Marles, Australia’s deputy prime minister, said he expected Albanese and Modi would have a “full conversation.”

“We have never had a greater strategic alignment with India than we do right now. Both countries are deeply invested in the collective security of the IndoPacific region,” Marles told reporters in the Australian capital Canberra.

Sydney doctor Vani Arjunamani, one of the organizers of a rally that Modi is expected to attend, said the Indian leader was drawing bigger crowds than he did when he last visited Australia in 2014.

Thousands of the Indian diaspora gathered in Sydney streets wearing brightly colored clothing and beating drums in excited anticipation of seeing Modi.

“It’s very interesting, isn’t it? Is there another head of state that can pull this crowd?

It is very unusual,” Arjunamani told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

She said Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish community leaders supported the rally. AP

Biden, McCarthy talks fail to produce debt ceiling deal

By Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves & Zeke Miller The Associated Press

Joe

Speaker

was returning home on Air Force One after the Group of Seven summit in Japan.

It’s a crucial moment for the Democratic president and the Republican speaker, just 10 days before a looming deadline to raise the debt limit.

As soon as June 1, Treasury Secretary Janel Yellen said in a letter to Congress, “it is highly likely” the government will be unable to pay all the nation’s bills. Such an unprecedented default would be financially damaging for many Americans and others around the world relying on US stability, sending shockwaves through the global economy.

By Aamer Madhani & Lolita C. Baldor

Press

Associated

The

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden’s decision to allow allies to train Ukrainian forces on how to operate F-16 fighter jets—and eventually to provide the aircraft themselves—seemed like an abrupt change in position but was in fact one that came after months of internal debate and quiet talks with allies.

Biden announced during last week’s Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, that the US would join the F-16 coalition. His green light came after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spent months pressing the West to provide his forces with American-made jets as he tries to repel Russia’s now 15-month-old grinding invasion.

Long shadowing the administration’s calculation were worries that such a move could escalate tensions with Russia. US officials also argued that learning to fly and logistically support the advanced F-16 would be difficult and time consuming.

But over the past three months, administration officials shifted toward the view that it was time to provide Ukraine’s pilots with the training and aircraft needed for the country’s long-term security needs, according to three officials familiar with the deliberations who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Still, the change in Biden’s position seemed rather sudden.

In February, Biden was insistent in an interview with ABC’s David Muir that Ukraine “doesn’t need F-16s now” and that “I am ruling it out for now.” And in March, a top Pentagon policy official, Colin Kahl, told US lawmakers that even if the president approved F-16s for Ukraine, it could take as long as two years to get Ukrainian pilots trained and equipped.

But as the administration was publicly playing down the prospect of F-16s for Ukraine in the near term, an internal debate was heating up.

Quiet White House discussions stepped up in February, around the time that Biden visited Ukraine and Poland, according to the US officials.

Following the trip, discussions that included senior White House National Security Council, Pentagon and State Department officials began on the pros and cons and the details of how such a transfer might work, officials said. Administration officials also got deeper into consultations

with allies.

In April, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin heard from defense leaders from allied countries during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group who were looking for US permission to train the Ukrainians on F-16s, according to a Defense Department official who was not authorized to comment publicly. Austin raised the matter during the NSC policy discussions and there was agreement that it was time to start training.

Austin also raised the issue with Biden before the G7 summit with a recommendation “to proceed with approving allies” to train the Ukrainians and transfer the aircraft, the department official said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also was a strong advocate for pushing forward with the plan during the US policy talks and conveying to Biden increasing European urgency on the issue, officials said.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan traveled to London on May 8 for talks with British, French and German allies on Ukraine, and F-16s were high on the agenda. They got into the nitty gritty on how to go about provide training and which countries might be willing to transfer jets to Ukraine. It was agreed that the focus would be on training first, according to one of the officials.

Sullivan, before leaving London, spoke by phone with his counterparts from the Netherlands and Poland, both countries that have F-16s and “would be essential to any efforts to provide Ukraine jets for any future use.” Denmark also could potentially provide the jets, the official added.

Biden and Sullivan discussed how the upcoming G7 summit in Hiroshima could provide a good opportunity for him to make the case to key allies on the administration’s shifting stance on fighter jets.

They also discussed Biden backing allies providing jets to Ukraine—a line he had previously appeared not to want to cross out of concern that it could draw the West into what could be seen as direct confrontation with Moscow.

Biden, in private talks with fellow G7 leaders on Friday, confirmed that the US would get behind a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots on the F-16 and that as things went on, they would work together on who would provide them and how many would be sent.

State, Pentagon and NSC officials are now developing the training plan and “when, where and how to deliver F-16s” to Ukraine as part of the long-term security effort, the official said.

Each side praised the other’s seriousness, but basic differences remained. They are at odds over how to trim annual budget deficits. Republicans are determined to cut spending while Biden’s team offered to hold spending levels flat. Biden wants to increase some taxes on the wealthiest Americans and some big companies, but McCarthy said early on that that is out of the question.

“The time of spending, just spending more money in America and government is wrong,” McCarthy said after the Oval Office meeting.

In a brief post-meeting statement, Biden called the session productive but merely added that he, McCarthy and their lead negotiators “will continue to discuss the path forward.” Upbeat, McCarthy said their teams would work “through the night.”

Biden said all agreed that “default is not really on the table.”

Though there is no agreement on basic issues, the contours of a deal seem within reach. A budget deal would unlock a separate vote to lift the debt ceiling, now $31 trillion, to allow more borrowing.

Negotiations are focused on finding compromise over a 2024 budget year cap that would be key

to resolving the standoff. Republicans insisted next year’s spending be less than it is now, but the White House instead offered to hold spending flat at current 2023 numbers.

Republicans initially sought to roll back next year’s spending to 2022 levels, and impose 1 percent caps on spending growth for 10 years, though a later proposal narrowed that to about six years.

The White House wants a two-year budget deal, keeping 2024 spending flat. They proposed a 1 percent cap on spending growth for 2025, according to a person familiar with the talks and granted anonymity to discuss them.

A compromise on those topline spending levels would enable McCarthy to deliver for conservatives, while not being so severe that it would chase off the Democratic votes that would be needed in the divided Congress to pass any bill.

“We’re going to find a baseline that we agree to that will be less than what we spent this year,” McCarthy said back at the Capitol.

Time is growing short. The House speaker promised lawmakers he will abide by the rule to post any bill for 72 hours before voting, making any action doubtful until the end of the week— just days before the potential deadline. The Senate would also have to pass the package before it could go to Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

After a weekend of start-stop talks, both Biden and McCarthy have declared a need to close out a compromise deal. US financial markets turned down last week after negotiations paused amid a jittery economy.

Biden and McCarthy spoke by phone Sunday while the president

Biden used his concluding news conference in Hiroshima, Japan, to say he had done his part by agreeing to spending cuts and to warn, “It’s time for Republicans to accept that there is no deal to be made solely, solely, on their partisan terms.”

“Now it’s time for the other side to move from their extreme position,” he said.

The call between the two revived talks, and negotiators met for 2 1/2 hours at the Capitol late Sunday evening. Negotiators were back at it again for nearly three hours Monday morning ahead of the session at the White House. The White House team returned late Monday night for nearly two hours at the Capitol, leaving before midnight upbeat but with little comment.

But McCarthy continued to blame Biden for having refused to engage earlier on the debt ceiling, an issue that is often linked to the federal budget.

GOP lawmakers have been holding tight to demands for sharper spending cuts with caps on future spending, rejecting the alternatives proposed by the White House that call for reducing deficits in part with new revenue from taxes.

McCarthy has insisted personally in his conversations with Biden that tax hikes are off the table.

Republicans also want work requirements on the Medicaid health care program, though the Biden administration has countered that millions of people could lose coverage. The GOP additionally introduced new cuts to food aid by restricting states’ ability to waive work requirements in places with high joblessness. But Democrats have said any changes to work requirements for government aid recipients are nonstarters.

GOP lawmakers are also seeking cuts in IRS funding and, by sparing defense and veterans accounts from reductions, would shift the bulk of spending reductions to other federal programs.

The White House has countered by keeping defense and nondefense spending flat next year, which would save $90 billion in the 2024 budget year and $1 trillion over 10 years.

All sides have been eyeing the potential for the package to include a framework to ease federal regulations and speed energy project developments. They are all but certain to claw back some $30 billion in unspent Covid-19 funds now that the pandemic emergency has officially lifted.

For months, Biden had refused to engage in talks over the debt limit, contending that Republicans in Congress were trying to use the borrowing limit vote as leverage to extract administration concessions on other policy priorities.

But with June nearing and Republicans putting their own spending legislation on the table, the White House launched talks on a budget deal that could accompany an increase in the debt limit.

McCarthy faces a hard-right flank that is likely to reject any deal, which has led some Democrats encouraging Biden to resist any compromise with the Republicans and simply raise the debt ceiling on his own to avoid default.

The president, though, said he was ruling out the possibility, for now, of invoking the 14th Amendment as a solution, saying it’s an “unresolved” legal question that would become tied up in the courts.

Miller reported and Associated Press writer Josh Boak contributed from Hiroshima, Japan. Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri, Seung Min Kim, Darlene Superville, Fatima Hussein, Colleen Long and Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.

Iran leader visits Indonesia to deepen economic ties

By Achmad Ibrahim & Niniek Karmini The Associated Press

BOGOR, Indonesia—Ira -

nian President Ebrahim

Raisi will meet his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo on Tuesday during a two-day trip aiming to strengthen economic ties between the Muslim-majority nations amid heightened global geopolitical tensions.

Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Raisi is visiting at Widodo’s invitation as Indonesia aims to speed up its post-pandemic recovery by increasing its exports.

The visit is expected to deepen Iran’s ties with Indonesia as

Tehran seeks alternatives to the United States-led Western domination of international affairs and seeks further cooperation after the two nations concluded negotiations on the IndonesiaIran Preferential Trade Agreement this month, Indonesia’s Trade Ministry said.

The ministry’s data showed that trade between Indonesia and Iran amounted to $54.1 million between January and March, while the bilateral trade value last year increased by more than 23% to $257.2 million.

Iran was a nontraditional trade partner for Indonesia, said Johni Martha, the director of bilateral negotiations at Indonesia’s Trade

Ministry. “With this PTA, we hope to widen our market reach and export opportunities in the Middle East and Persia,” he said.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy is seeking new markets to diversify its export options and to reduce its reliance on traditional trade partners, many of which have been affected by a weakened global economy and geopolitical risks.

In February, Raisi met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to seek further cooperation following their meeting last September in Uzbekistan, when Xi underscored China’s support for Iran. Both countries have had tense

relations with the US and have sought to project themselves as a counterweight to American power alongside Russia.

Washington has accused Iran of selling hundreds of attack drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine and has sanctioned executives of an Iranian drone manufacturer. At that same time, ties between Moscow and Beijing have grown stronger.

While in Indonesia, Raisi is scheduled to lay a wreath at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta to honor Indonesia’s war dead before he meets with Widodo in the presidential palace in Bogor. They will witness the signing of the PTA and other agreements.

WASHINGTON—President

Biden and House

Kevin McCarthy both said they had a productive debt ceiling discussion late Monday at the White House, but there was no agreement as negotiators strained to raise the nation’s borrowing limit in time to avert a potentially chaotic federal default.

HOUSE Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks as he meets with President Joe Biden to discuss the debt limit in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, May 22, 2023, in Washington. AP/ALEX BRANDON

Biden’s decision on F-16s for Ukraine came after months of internal debate

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Tracing the roots of the onion crisis

IT was more than a decade ago when the Philippines was able to produce all of the country’s onion requirements. Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the onion self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) reached 107.7 percent in 2011. According to the PSA, the SSR shows the magnitude of production in relation to domestic utilization—the extent to which a country’s supply of commodities is derived from its own domestic production.

The PSA data showed that in 2011, the country’s onion output exceeded total requirements. Output has been relatively steady after 2011 as the ratio was above 90 percent, then it fell drastically in 2016, when onion SSR nosedived to 47.65 percent. That year, the Philippines had to import more than half of its onion requirements to fill the gap in domestic supply.

From 2016 up to 2022, local onion output was unable to meet domestic requirement based on data from the PSA. The agency releases an annual report under the Agricultural Indicators System (AIS) series, including the self-sufficiency level of the Philippines for rice and other crops like onions. Annual reports released by the agency showed that the country had to depend on imports to meet the demand for onion.

This is the situation that enabled cartels and their cohorts to prey on hapless consumers who had to shell out hundreds of pesos for a few pieces of onions in the fourth quarter of 2022. (See, “DA: Repeat of ’22 onion price spikes unlikely,” in the BusinessMirror, May 22, 2023). The prices seen in December were unprecedented, something that has never been experienced before by Filipinos who put up with price spikes during the holidays, when products become more expensive due to higher demand. The cartels and profiteers may be faulted for taking advantage of the supply chain snags and higher commodity prices that resulted from global headwinds, but it is not illegal in this country to make a profit from one’s products.

Apart from going after hoarders and profiteers, it is high time for concerned authorities to focus on improving production and putting in place reforms that will allow farmers to maximize profits from their produce. The Philippines has plenty of brilliant policymakers who know what it takes to prevent traders from taking advantage of the onion supply situation. But it’s one thing to talk about improvements, and another thing to actually make the hard decisions and implement the necessary policies that will limit the impact of unscrupulous practices on supply and prices.

Agencies like the Department of Agriculture crafts roadmaps for certain crops that will detail strategies for increasing production. Based on an updated roadmap released by the previous administration, the Philippines can again achieve self-sufficiency but this is contingent on the timely implementation of interventions that will allow the year-round production and availability of onions. And these are measures that require not only funds but also the political will to implement, as it would entail driving middlemen and some traders out of business.

Since 2005

UN in crisis mode; reforms at issue

LITO GAGNI

TheR e is an ongoing debate in the United Nations regarding reforms that are needed to make the multilateral organization in step with the times. This concerns the perceived changes that are required to make the organization attuned with the changes that have transpired with the technological advances that have occurred among members.

And as usual, there are two views to the changes that are being bandied about by the US and other Western countries and that of Russia and China and their like-minded allies. Meanwhile, as the debate on the reforms go on, there have been instances when the UN as an organization meant to effect meaningful collaboration among its member-states fail to implement their mandates such as in the refusal of the United States to issue visas to Russian journalists wanting to attend the proceedings of the UN.

The issue of UN reform is now very relevant, not only for the future of the organization, but also for the future of the world. For almost 80 years since its inception, the UN has carried out the most important mission entrusted to it by its founders.

The shared understanding among the five permanent members of

the Security Council regarding the supremacy of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter has guaranteed global security for decades, thus creating the necessary conditions for truly multilateral cooperation, which are regulated by universally recognized norms of international law.

Now the UN-centric system is undergoing a deep crisis, the root cause of which was brought on by the decision of certain UN members to replace international law and the UN Charter with some “rules-based international order.” These mysterious “rules” have never been the subject of transparent international consultations, nor have they been laid out for everybody’s attention.

It is pretty obvious that the resort to multilateralism is being pushed by the United States and its Western allies. One such reform that is being bruited about is allowing the General

By Alberto Nardelli & Sudhi Ranjan Sen

The Kremlin is pressuring governments including India behind the scenes, threatening to upend defense and energy deals unless they help block expected moves aimed at turning Russia into a financial pariah state over its invasion of Ukraine.

Documents seen by Bloomberg and accounts by officials in Nato countries familiar with the situation offer a rare insight into how Russia is targeting commercial partners ahead of a June meeting of the global watchdog against money-laundering.

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(Circulation) 893-1662; 814-0134 to 36. E-mail: news.businessmirror@gmail.com

OF

The Financial Action Task Force, an inter-governmental organization that sets standards for combating dirty money, suspended Russia from membership in February and Ukraine is pushing for the body to impose further restrictions by adding Moscow to its “black list” or “gray list.”

Blacklisting by the FATF would put Putin’s government in the same company as North Korea, Iran and Myanmar, the only countries with

that designation, and plunge his economy even deeper into isolation over the war. If the measure comes to pass, member states as well as banks, investment houses and payment-processing companies would be obliged to conduct enhanced due diligence and in the most serious cases take counter-measures to protect the international financial system.

Many countries in the so-called Global South including India have stayed mostly neutral over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. That balancing act was on display at a Group of Seven summit in Japan this past weekend, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met

This position of Russia and that of China seemed the correct way given the fact that politics of all states must return to basic settings and comply with the UN Charter’s purposes and principles in all their diversity and interconnectedness and to find effective ways to reform the UN in order to preserve this organization and the future of the world.

Assembly to take charge in deciding on differences in how the UN should react to particular situations.

What is apparent is that Washington and Western countries subordinate to the US are applying their “rules” whenever they need to justify their illegitimate steps against countries that draft their policies in accordance with international law. They blacklist any dissenters, deeming whoever is not with them as acting against them.

According to experts, Western countries are now exerting strong pressure on the UN Secretary General, who is subordinate to their interests instead of neutral policies. Therefore, such high-profile terrorist attacks that have harmed many countries, such as the bombing of the Nord Stream pipeline, are not considered within the framework of the UN.

Experts said that the main idea of the US in reforming the UN Security Council to expand its membership looks attractive at first glance, but

there is always an important and significant role for them that is missing and that is the right of members to have the right of veto. By doing so, the US would create the illusion of a majority of countries supporting their policies, but would not actually have a meaningful and influential role in the UN Security Council. But in the case of the UN reform being pushed by Russia and China, the new members of the powerful council will be given the right of veto, which is what they should have in the first place. And for both Russia and China, this is one alternative approach that is equitable especially given the fact that the regional associations are now considered the next power centers.

According to them, “Regional” associations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and Asean are becoming new centers of gravity in the modern world, and their representatives can claim seats in the UN Security Council. That, for them, is the correct way to push for UN reform and that is by including additional members to the UN Security Council with the power of veto.

This position of Russia and that of China seemed the correct way given the fact that politics of all states must return to basic settings and comply with the UN Charter’s purposes and principles in all their diversity and interconnectedness and to find effective ways to reform the UN in order to preserve this organization and the future of the world.

in person for the first time since the war began.

While there’s no indication of any immediate shift in India’s position, the meeting likely made uncomfortable viewing for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose own travels have been restricted since the invasion and an arrest warrant for alleged war crimes issued in March by the International Criminal Court.

Zelenskyy, by contrast, spent the weekend at the G-7 with several of the leaders that Putin has sought to woo as Russian allies, and that is far more significant than any tensions on the sidelines of the summit, a senior UK official said.

A Russian state agency earlier this month warned counterparts in India of a cascade of unpredictable and negative consequences for cooperation in defense, energy and transportation if the FATF adopts new measures against Russia, according to the officials, who asked not be identified because the issue is sensitive.

The agency urged India in May to “vocally” oppose any moves by Ukraine to add Russia to the “black list” of high-risk countries at the meeting, and said even being placed on the lesser “gray list” would cause difficulties.

Bloomberg is unable to verify whether India responded to the warnings. The Russian and Indian governments didn’t respond to requests to comment.

In one document, the Russian agency called the FATF’s unprecedented suspension of the country politicized and illegal, while making no reference to the fact that it was in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Among projects with India that Russia warned would be under threat if more measures are passed were: Cooperation between oil giant Rosneft and Nayara Energy Limited. Exports of Russian weapons and military equipment to India as well as defense sector technical cooperation.

Pita sets aside royal insult law in bid to become Thai PM

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat | Bloomberg Opinion

tHAILAnd’S pro-democracy parties omitted an amendment to a law forbidding royal insults in a common platform to form a government after winning the election. While the move sought to bolster support for Pita Limjaroenrat to become premier, uncertainty continued to grip markets.

The eight parties in his coalition adopted a unified stance on issues including charter amendments and reinstating cannabis in the list of narcotics, according to a joint statement read on Monday during a briefing. The 23-point pact didn’t include a campaign pledge from Pita’s Move Forward party to revise the lese majeste law criminalizing royal defamation, as not all members of the coalition endorse the move.

“Our objective is to improve the relationship between the monarchy and the people,” the 42-year-old, Harvard-educated Pita told reporters during a coalition briefing Monday in Bangkok.

While the pact signals Pita’s willingness to set aside a key plank of Move Forward’s campaign promise at least until his government can come into power, it wasn’t enough to calm investors worried over who will lead Thailand — something that has kept markets on edge.

“Since there’s no visibility on the wheeling and dealing going on in the background, it is possible there is a political vacuum all the way to mid-July,” said Alan Richardson, a portfolio manager at Samsung Asset Management HK Ltd. “I am not prepared to commit to country allocation until there is clarity to the political situation.”

Foreign investors have sold millions of dollars worth of the nation’s stocks and bonds since the May 14 vote. The main stock index fell as much as 0.7% on Tuesday while the baht slumped to a two-month low after losing more than 2% since the post-election rally a week ago.

“Investors are waiting for clarity about formation of the new government and the prime minister voting,” said Therdsak Thaveeteeratham, an analyst at Asia Plus Group Holdings Pcl. Volatility will remain high until the Election Commission certifies the results and a new government is formed, according to Chak Reungsinpinya, head of research at Maybank Securities in Thailand.

The Commission has up to 60 days after the vote to release official election results and certify 95% of the lower house seats. The first session of the new parliament must then take place within 15 days. That brings the timeline of government formation to late July or even early August.

Move Forward’s coalition has 313 seats, a clear majority in the 500-member House of Representatives. But as things stand, that’s still short of the 376 needed for Pita to become prime minister. He will require broader support from the military-appointed Senate, whose 250 members also vote on who gets the top job.

While Pita said on Monday that his party is leading talks with senators on government formation and remains optimistic of his chances, he also admitted that “several roadblocks” still exist. He added that Move Forward would push to relax the lese majeste law in parliament

Russia

continued from A14

Russian proposals for new joint aviation projects presented at the Aero India 2023 exhibition in February.

Technology and energy cooperation at India’s Kudankulam nuclear power plant.

An agreement between Russian Railways’ RZD Logistics and the Container Corporation of India on cargo transportation services linked

Illicit trade, a bane to Philippine economic growth

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza MAKE SENSE

While the pact signals Pita’s willingness to set aside a key plank of Move Forward’s campaign promise at least until his government can come into power, it wasn’t enough to calm investors worried over who will lead Thailand— something that has kept markets on edge.

regardless of which parties back it.

“We’ve been very consistent before and after the election that the law amendment will be continued but it won’t be a pressure for our coalition parties,” Pita said. The law, also referred to as Article 112, punishes criticisms against the king and other members of the royal family, and can put offenders behind bars for as many as 15 years if they’re convicted.

Pita’s alliance also agreed on several other initiatives, including making military enlistment voluntary except during times of war, and a push for a marriage equality bill. The eight parties also pledged to take steps to revitalize the economy, decentralize the budget and dismantle monopolies especially in the liquor industry.

The signing of the coalition agreement came hours after a lawyer asked the Election Commission to seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court on whether Move Forward’s call to amend the lese majeste law undermines the monarchy. Pita said he isn’t worried about this latest complaint or an earlier allegation that he violated election rules by holding shares in a defunct media company.

Move Forward’s push to amend Article 112 draws opposition not only from members of the Senate, which is stacked with allies of the pro-military establishment of caretaker Prime Minister Prayuth ChanOcha, but also from other conservative parties.

The Bhumjaithai party, the group that championed the liberalization of cannabis and finished third in the election with 70 seats, ruled out support for Pita as prime minister, saying it won’t back a candidate from a party planning to make changes to lese majeste.

The conservative Democrat Party hasn’t begun a discussion on its stance on Pita’s bid to become prime minister but it disagrees with amending the law against royal insults, party spokesman Ramate Rattanachaweng said Monday.

The coalition said the deal forged Monday is also a move to restore full democracy in Thailand. A new government under Pita’s leadership would mark the end of nearly a decade of military-backed rule that began exactly nine years earlier with Prayuth’s coup in 2014, said Cholnan Srikaew, leader of Pheu Thai party.

“We’re declaring today, on the anniversary of the 2014 military takeover, that we’re ending the cycle of coups,” he said. With assistance from Philip J. Heijmans, Anuchit Nguyen, Ishika Mookerjee and Hooyeon Kim / Bloomberg

to development of a North-South trading corridor.

While the US and its allies have already turned Russia into the world’s most sanctioned country over the war, the Kremlin has cushioned the blow to its economy by boosting ties with China, India and other countries that have stayed neutral.  Blacklisting by the FATF, however, would make it extremely difficult for these countries to continue doing business with Russia, and would intensify the economic pain for the Kremlin.

Let me start my column this week by thanking Japan tobacco International for sponsoring the recent Global Anti-Illicit trade Summit at Bonifacio Global City’s (BGC) Shangrila Hotel. However, I was surprised when the Summit host stopped me, as one of the resource speakers, from reading the findings of a research study about the impact of the over P900 billion worth of eight illicitly traded goods on the Philippine economy and local businesses.

Granting that time constraint, as the host mentioned, was his reason for preventing me from sharing the research to the summit participants, I think it would have been fair to the summit participants and to myself, if the host got back at me for the important data after he gave the other resource speakers all the time to share their thoughts on illicit trade and to answer his questions during our session. After all, I followed the discussion sequence indicated in the copy of the program provided to us

by the summit organizer.

For whatever reasons the summit host may have had in preventing me from sharing the recent study about the impact of illicit trade on the country’s economy, I find the over P900 billion worth of illicitly traded commodities an alarming figure, knowing that illicitly traded products displace the legitimate goods in the market. Illicit trade, after all, creates an unfair environment for legitimate businesses. Imagine the huge amount of rev-

By Samya Kullab | The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—the nine-month battle for Bakhmut has destroyed the 400-year-old city in eastern Ukraine and killed tens of thousands of people in a mutually devastating demonstration of Ukraine’s strategy of exhausting the Russian military.

The fog of war made it impossible to confirm the situation on the ground Sunday in the invasion’s longest battle: Russia’s defense ministry reported that the Wagner private army backed by Russian troops had seized the city. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said Bakhmut was not being fully occupied by Russian forces.

Regardless, the small city has long had more symbolic than strategic value for both sides. The more meaningful gauge of success for Ukrainian forces has been their ability to keep the Russians bogged down. The Ukrainian military has aimed to deplete the resources and morale of Russian troops in the tiny but tactical patch of the 1,500-kilometer (932mile) front line as Ukraine gears up for a major counteroffensive in the 15-month-old war.

“Despite the fact that we now control a small part of Bakhmut, the importance of its defense does not lose its relevance,” said Col.-Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander of Ground Forces for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. “This gives us the opportunity to enter the city in case of a change in the situation. And it will definitely happen.”

About 55 kilometers (34 miles) north of the Russian-held regional capital of Donetsk, Bakhmut was an important industrial center, surrounded by salt and gypsum mines and home to about 80,000 people before the war, in a country of more than 43 million.

The city, named Artyomovsk after a Bolshevik revolutionary when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, was known for its sparkling wine produced in underground caves. It was popular among tourists for its broad tree-lined avenues, lush parks and

The sectors Russia identified as at risk are particularly sensitive in the strategic partnership with India. Russia is India’s largest provider of weapons though defense supplies have stalled for lack of a payment mechanism that doesn’t violate US sanctions.

India has also scooped up cheap Russian oil after the US and its allies imposed a price cap and Europe rejected supplies.

Another 23 countries are on the FATF’s “gray list,” including Albania, Turkey, South Africa and the

Imagine the huge amount of revenues the government is losing from the over P900 billion worth of illicitly traded commodities in the country’s petroleum, steel, resin, wood, cigarette, sugar, palm oil and automotive battery industries. Worse, there are millions of Filipino workers losing their jobs because of these illegal business activities.

enues the government is losing from the over P900 billion worth of illicitly traded commodities in the country’s petroleum, steel, resin, wood, cigarette, sugar, palm oil and automotive battery industries. Worse, there are millions of Filipino workers losing their jobs because of these illegal business activities.

With illicit trade not only being done through smuggling but also including cartels, hoarding, price manipulation, or any business activity that is anti-competitive and violates the Philippine Competition Law (RA 10667), it’s really time for the Filipino nation to be aware of the extent of illicit trade happening in our country

today and its adverse impact on the economy and our daily lives. The government is losing billions of pesos in much needed revenues in duties and taxes from illicit trade. And because many smuggled goods brought into the country by smugglers are sub-standard, this form of illicit trade also threatens the lives of consumers who are not aware of the risks they put themselves into when they buy and use sub-standard products. Thus, while explaining the ails of illicit trade to a Filipino who may have lost his job because of this illegal activity would be the hard part, the government should take the cue and seriously try to solve the problem of smuggling and all forms of illicit trade.

I am hopeful, though, that with the President’s sensitivity to illicit trade issues and his determination to stop smuggling, these concerns would be appropriately addressed in due time.

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

Ukrainian military leaders say their months-long resistance has been worth it because it limited Russia’s capabilities elsewhere and allowed for Ukrainian advances.

it opens the door to more grinding battles in the direction of Sloviansk or Kostiantynivka, 20 kilometers (12 miles) away, said Kateryna Stepanenko, a Russia analyst at the USbased think tank Institute for the Study of War.

stately downtown with imposing late 19th century mansions. All are now reduced to a smoldering wasteland.

Fought over so fiercely by Russia and Ukraine in recent months has been the urban center itself, where Ukrainian commanders have conceded that Moscow controlled more than 90%. But even now, Ukrainian forces are making significant advances near strategic roads through the countryside just outside, chipping away at Russia’s northern and southern flanks by the meter (yard) with the aim of encircling Wagner fighters inside the city.

“The enemy failed to surround Bakhmut. They lost part of the heights around the city. The continuing advance of our troops in the suburbs greatly complicates the enemy’s presence,” said Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister. “Our troops have taken the city in a semi-encirclement, which gives us the opportunity to destroy the enemy.”

Ukrainian military leaders say their months-long resistance has been worth it because it limited Russia’s capabilities elsewhere and allowed for Ukrainian advances.

“The main idea is to exhaust them, then to attack,” Ukrainian Col. Yevhen Mezhevikin, commander of a specialized group fighting in Bakhmut, said Thursday.

Russia has deployed reinforcements to Bakhmut to replenish lost northern and southern flanks and prevent more Ukrainian breakthroughs, according to Ukrainian officials and other outside observers. Russian President Vladimir Putin badly needs to claim victory in Bakhmut city, where Russian forces have focused their efforts, analysts say, especially after a win-

United Arab Emirates. A report by the International Monetary Fund in 2021 found that being gray-listed, which comes with closer monitoring requirements, results in a “large and statistically significant reduction in capital inflows.”   Senior Russian officials have corresponded with counterparts in partner governments asking them to oppose any such proposals, said other people with knowledge of the situation, who asked not to be identified as the matter is sensitive.  Russia warned that being on

ter offensive by his forces failed to capture other cities and towns along the front.

Some analysts said that even Ukraine’s tactical gains in the rural area outside urban Bakhmut could be more significant than they seem.

“It was almost like the Ukrainians just took advantage of the fact that, actually, the Russian lines were weak,” said Phillips O’Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews. “The Russian army has suffered such high losses and is so worn out around Bakhmut that ... it cannot go forward anymore.”

Ukrainian forces in the outskirts of Bakhmut and in the city bore relentless artillery attacks until a month ago. Then, Ukrainian forces positioned south of the city spotted their chance for a breakthrough after reconnaissance drones showed the southern Russian flank had gone on the defensive, Col. Mezhevikin said.

After fierce fighting for weeks, Ukrainian units had made their first advance in the vicinity of Bakhmut since it was invaded nine months ago.

In all, nearly 20 square kilometers (eight square miles) of territory were recaptured, Maliar said in an interview last week. Hundreds of meters (yards) more have been regained almost every day since, according to Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for Ukraine’s Operational Command East.

“Previously we were only holding the lines and didn’t let Russians advance further into our territory. What has happened now is our first advance [since the battle started],” Maliar said.

Victory in Bakhmut does not necessarily bring Russia any closer to capturing the Donetsk region— Putin’s stated aim of the war. Rather,

the “gray list” would make it hard to fulfill commitments on weapons supplies and other projects to India, said an official with knowledge of the situation. Moscow has repeatedly appealed to Delhi for assistance at meetings of the watchdog since the invasion, the official said.

Russia noted in a document in early May that India held “special credibility” within the FATF and it was regrettable that Delhi didn’t speak up to oppose Russia’s suspension.

The Paris-based FATF said Mos-

Satellite imagery released this week shows infrastructure, apartment blocks and iconic buildings reduced to rubble.

In the last week, days before Russia announced that the city had fallen into their control, Ukrainian forces retained only a handful of buildings amid constant Russian bombardment. Outnumbered and outgunned, they described nightmarish days. Russia’s artillery dominance is so overwhelming, accompanied by continuous human waves of mercenaries, that defensive positions could not be held for long.

“The importance of our mission of staying in Bakhmut lies in distracting a significant enemy force,” said Taras Deiak, a commander of a special unit of a volunteer battalion. “We are paying a high price for this.”

The northern and southern flanks regained by Ukraine are located near two highways that lead to Chasiv Yar, a town 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Bakhmut that serves as a key logistics supply route, one dubbed the “road of life.”

Ukrainian forces passing this road often came under fire from Russians positioned along nearby strategic heights. Armored vehicles and pickup trucks driving toward the city to replenish Ukrainian troops were frequently destroyed.

With the high plains now under Ukrainian control, its forces have more breathing room.

“This will help us design new logistic chains to deliver ammunition in and evacuate the injured or killed boys,” said Deiak, speaking from inside the city on Thursday, two days before Russia claimed it controlled the city. “Now it is easier to deliver supplies, rotate troops, [carry out] evacuations.” Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.

cow remained “accountable” for implementing the organization’s standards after its suspension and that the body would consider whether to lift or modify the restrictions at every plenary meeting.

Ukraine welcomed the suspension and said it would continue to push for Russia’s inclusion on the black list. Russia’s ambassador to the US called it a dangerous step that could lead to the destruction of the global architecture for countering the financing of terrorism. With assistance from Alex Wickham / Bloomberg

‘Exhaust them’: Why Ukraine has fought Russia for every inch of Bakhmut, despite high cost

A16 Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Mobility, safety weighed as motorcycle taxi bill pushed

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

said “in terms of slots, there is no cap in countries that we operate in.”

For Poe, the government should not put a supply cap or a limit to the number of players in the industry— predicated on the idea that all drivers will undergo appropriate training.

It’s my position that as long as you train your drivers properly and reprimand them if they break the law, We should allow more players to come in,” she said.

‘GOVT RETOOK PNOC-EC STAKE IN MALAMPAYA’

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Philippines (UP) Professor Grace Jamon said the government should move forward with legalizing motorcycle taxi operations in the Philippines, given the wealth of data that the pilot study has culled from its inception in 2019.

AFORMER top energy official implemented a directive in 2005 to sell half of the government’s stake in the Malampaya project to a Korean consortium in 2005, but the deal subsequently fell through.

“

the said stake in the Malampaya project. It may be recalled that PNOC-EC borrowed $175 million to buy the 10-percent stake in the gas project.

I n a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Angkas CEO George Royeca revealed that less than a third of the motorcycle taxi riders are plying Metro Manila’s roads, especially during rush hour.

T his prompted Senator Grace Poe to seek the opinion of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) representative to the Technical Working Group (TWG) for Motorcycle Taxis.

While we allocated a total number of 45,000 motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila, we learned that around only 30 percent are operating. As far as the study is concerned, we set the cap 45,000 on the basis for the study. This is just

an observation, maybe we cannot get a good sample size because we are assuming 100 percent is operating. Thirty percent out of 45,000 is only roughly 12,000. I will consult with the other members of the TWG and inform the chair— whether or not 12,000 is sufficient to gather data as regards the safety and security of motorcycle taxis,” LTFRB representative Paul Austria said.  Poe further inquired whether or not the best practices in other markets include the provision for a supply cap, asking the representative from Grab on its experiences in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

Grab Group Managing Director for Public Affairs Yew Heng Lim

Motorcycle taxis are currently operating under a pilot study, as they have yet to be legally recognized as a form of public transportation. Lawmakers from the previous Congress have started the ball rolling to legalize them but were halted due to the pandemic.

For now, the government has limited the operation of motorcycle taxis to three companies, which are required to provide the government necessary data to prove that they are a safe mode of transportation for the public.

T he three companies are Angkas, JoyRide, and Move It.

A ll the players said they are providing training and driver education to their rider-partners.

For her part, University of the

The question is until when are we going to be a pilot? We have exhausted so much time and we have already done the study. Let’s get down to business and legislate this one into a policy,” she said.

So many motorbikes

STILL , Senator Poe foresees the biggest issue until now is the safety aspect, citing the most recent Global Status Report for Road Safety of the World Health Organization (WHO), showing nearly 30 percent of all road crash deaths involve powered twoand three-wheeled vehicles, such as motorcycles, mopeds, scooters and electrical bikes (e-bikes), and the numbers are rising. This is even higher in Southeast Asia where 43 percent of all road traffic deaths involve two and three wheelers. The established vulnerability of motorcycle as a mode of transportation calls for the government to step in, she said.

Continued on A5

The instruction to sell the 50 percent, meaning the 5 percent of the 10 percent of PNOCEC [Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp.], came from government, came from DOF [Department of Finance] and supported by the Executive, by the President,” said Eduardo Mañalac, former Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary and PNOC President, during an online forum organized by the National Youth Movement for the West Philippine Sea.

M añalac, who now wants the government to operate the Malampaya deepwater gas-topower project, said there was a directive to sell 5 percent of the 10-percent shares of PNOC-EC to the consortium led by Korean Gas Corp. (Kogas).

T he sale was meant to pay for the loans used to acquire

“ The reason given to sell at least half of that PNOC-EC share at that time, if you remember, PNOC paid $100 million plus for the 10-percent [stake].  Inutang daw ‘yun.  So, what government was saying was we have to pay that.  We have to raise the money,” Mañalac said.

M añalac served as DOE undersecretary from 2003 to 2004 and PNOC President from 2004 to 2006.

So they gave me instructions to sell half of it. Of course, I was against it but you have to follow; you argue against it but at the end of the day, you tried to obey the instructions as best as you can,” he said at the forum. However, the government later on terminated the sale.  “But in the end it was not completed. I guess the Neda [National Economic and Development Authority] that time was able to convince the administration to keep the whole of 10 percent,” added Mañalac. “That’s my recollection,” he added.

Continued on A5

WITHthe revelation that only 30 percent of the 45,000 motorcycle taxi supply in Metro Manila operates at any given time, lawmakers believe that it is important to increase the supply cap to serve Filipino commuters, while providing ample data to the pilot study.

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Companies

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

ABS-CBN set to form joint venture with Prime Media

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

In disclosures to the stock exchange, the Lopez-led company said on Tuesday it will take a minority stake in the joint venture, while its partner will own 51 percent of the joint venture corporation.

This deal is aimed at cushioning the effect of ABS-CBN’s decision to cease the operations of

its TeleRadyo program effective June 30, after incurring financial losses since 2020.

“This gives some of our former personnel a chance to find job opportunities. It is also a way to continue providing accurate and balanced news and information to the country,” the disclosure read.

Immediately upon signing of the agreement, Prime Media and ABS-CBN will apply with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the incorporation of the joint venture company with an initial authorized capital stock of P100 million and a paid-in capital of P40 million.

The deal’s primary purpose is for the development, production, and financing of content, programs, and shows for distribution by other broadcast networks, channels, or platforms, locally and internationally.

“ABS-CBN seeks to expand its business segments and streams of

revenue by securing strategic partnerships for content development, production, and distribution. Given the foregoing, ABS-CBN entered into this joint venture agreement for content development, production, and financing with Prime Media,” the disclosure read.

Prime Media is a publicly listed holding company that seeks to venture into businesses related to media and entertainment.

“This will expand Prime Media’s business segments and provide streams of revenue such as equity investment and share in future projects,” Prime Media said in a separate disclosure.

SM Prime lists bonds on PDEx

By VG Cabuag @villygc

SM Prime Holdings Inc. on Tuesday listed its over P30 billion in fixed rate bonds on the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEx).

The company raised over P30 billion from its base offer of P25 billion.

ICTSI: Iraq terminal hits milestone

INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) said on Tuesday its terminal in Iraq has handled 4 million TEUs after 9 years of operation.

The record volume at Basra Gateway Terminal (BGT), a terminal in the Port of Umm Qasr in Iraq, was archived after the recent unloading operation on the Yang Ming vessel YM Mutuality. “We are thrilled to achieve this significant milestone, which is a testament to the hard work, dedication and expertise of our team who have consistently delivered exceptional service to our customers,” BGT CEO Romeo Salvador said.

BGT is the only terminal in Iraq to have handled 4 million TEUs.

Over 9 years, ICTSI has invested more than $300 million to modernize and expand the multipurpose terminal.

The investment covers the construction of three new berths, rehabilitation of three existing berths, acquisition of new port equipment including post-Panamax ship-to-shore cranes—the largest port equipment in Iraq, and rollout of state-of-theart systems—all of which has helped BGT consolidate its market leader position. Currently, BGT is the terminal in the Port of Umm Qasr capable of efficiently handling 14,000-TEU container vessels, a value proposition that has helped attract new liner services.

“We are proud to be the leading player in the Umm Qasr port, and will continue to invest in our people, services and port infrastructure as part of our unwavering commitment to the development of Iraq’s port industry,” Salvador added. Lorenz S. Marasigan

It is the fifth tranche of SM Prime’s P100-billion bonds under shelf registration.

“We are very grateful for the trust and support of the investing public, as well as to our bank partners, the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp., Philippine Depository and Trust Corp., and PDS Group,” said John Nai Peng C.

Ong, SM Prime CFO. “The success of this latest fixed rate bonds will give SM Prime further capabilities to pursue its expansion programs of creating more opportunities for more Filipinos to build a better nation.”

SM Prime’s fixed rate bonds Series S, T, and U were offered last May 8 to 12, with interest rates of 6.2069

percent, 6.2151 percent, and 6.3275 percent, respectively. The joint issue managers were BDO Capital and Investment Corp. and China Bank Capital Corp., which also acted as joint lead underwriters along with BPI Capital Corp., EastWest Banking Corp., First Metro Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp.

Meralco unveils Laguna substation

B1

CBTL Malaysia opens store in economic hub

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on Tuesday an-

nounced that it has put up a new substation and a switching station within the Light Industry and Science Park 2 (LISP 2) in Calamba City, Laguna. The substation and switching station will address the growing demand of STMicroelectronics Inc. (STMI), the largest European semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company in the country.

The utility firm and STMI recently inaugurated the new 115 kV Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) substation, which will facilitate the upgrading of STMI’s electric service from 34.5 kV (kilovolt) to 115 kV and accommodate its growing demand, which is projected to increase to 20 megawatts (MW) by 2027 from 14 MW last year.

The facility houses one 115 kV High-Voltage Gas-Insulated Switchgear, two 30 MVA Power Transform-

ers, one 4.16 kV Medium-Voltage Switchgear, two 750 kVAr capacitor banks, and various protective devices. Besides the new substation, Meralco also recently commissioned the new La Mesa 115 kV switching station, also within the LISP 2. This project, which will improve the system reliability and power quality in the area, consists of a gas circuit breaker, three sets of disconnect switches, and standard connection and metering facilities for the Philippine office of STMI.

“These projects are expected to address not only the limited power supply of STMI Calamba, which is one of our highest operational risks, but also our future power supply demand, our power quality, our carbon neutrality strategy, and will definitely improve our site power resilience,” STMI Vice President and General Manager Yong Suk Kwon said.

Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks Ronnie Aperocho said the new STMI substation along with the new La Mesa switching station is designed to support

the growing power requirements of STMI’s Philippine office through the delivery of safe, adequate, reliable, and high-quality electricity service which, he said, is consistent with the utility firm’s commitment to its more than 7.6 million customers.

Meralco First Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Ferdinand O. Geluz, meanwhile, urged companies to work closely with the power distributor for their various energy requirements.

“Through our dedicated relationship management teams, Meralco works hand-in-hand with its Enterprise customers to identify and tailor-fit solutions that will ensure reliable power for their operational requirements.”

Meralco’s said its continuing efforts to meet the requirements of industrial customers form part of the distribution utility’s commitment to contribute to improving the country’s infrastructure and ensuring energy security which fall under the government’s socioeconomic agenda.

JOLLIBEE Foods Corp.-owned

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL) Malaysia on Tuesday said it opened its 150th café in Sierra Fresco, Puchong, Malaysia. Located in the prime economic hub of Selangor, Malaysia, Jollibee said the brand is “going full steam ahead” on its commitment to bringing the best of coffee and tea from around the world.

CBTL Malaysia launched its first café in Kuala Lumpur’s KL Plaza in 1997 and has expanded its presence in the country since.

“The brand’s success underscores its steadfast focus on serving authentic, diverse flavors of coffees and teas from different parts of the globe—using only ingredients of the highest quality—and elevating the customer experience through constant innovation,” Jollibee said.

Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee president and CEO, said this is a milestone moment for the brand and is a testament to the brand’s commitment to innovation and growth.

“The opening of our 150th café in Malaysia, which adds to the brand’s expanding footprint of over 1,000 cafés across 20 plus countries globally, signifies Jollibee Group’s commitment to the accelerated growth of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brand,” Tanmantiong said.

“Malaysia is home to the brand’s third-largest café network in Asia, and with the support of its people, customers, and the Malaysian community, we hope to bring the authentic coffee and tea experience to even more places in the country.”

“This is an exciting time in our growth story as we build on our

strong legacy to become a modern global coffee & tea house that allows people to see the world in new ways through new flavors and experiences. Asia remains a focus for our expansion where we continue to see strong demand for specialty coffee and tea,” John in de Braekt, CEO of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Brand, said.

The new café features a spacious floor area of 2,800 square feet which houses a large seating area, including a community table for 8, that can accommodate up to 110 customers and visitors.

The café’s contemporary interiors boast an open space concept, with arches featured prominently. A nod to the brand’s roots, South Californian motifs adorn the new café, while sunshine-like lighting evokes a warm and inviting ambiance.

While innovation remains a key focus for the brand, CBTL Malaysia plans to further enhance customer accessibility by expanding its drive-thru services. Through this, the brand aims to provide a better on-the-go experience for more customers.

“Ever since we made Malaysia our home with its first The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf café back in 1997, we have continued to uphold our commitment to delivering a unique experience in every cup or on every plate. In turn, we are grateful to have our passion reciprocated by Malaysians, who continue to support us in making our cafés a space of community,” Mohamed Amar Shah, managing director of CBTL Malaysia, said.

CBTL’s brand’s expansion forms part of Jollibee’s vision to be one of the top 5 restaurant companies in the world. VG Cabuag

ABS-CBN Corp. is entering into a joint venture agreement with Prime Media Holdings Inc. to produce various programs that will be supplied to broadcasters and third-party platforms.

The ‘big fish in a small pond’: Bangus King continues to build empire here and abroad

Senate OKs bill governing SSFs

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

Started out as a bangus or milkfish takeout kiosk business in 2016 using their savings of P150,000 as a capital, he and his wife, Katherine, was able to expand their store network from merely their first store along Sumulong highway, in Barangay Mambugan, Antipolo City to other parts of the country and even offshore.

MICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will now be able to utilize more the machinery, equipment and tools of the Shared Service Facilities (SSFs) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to improve their production, processes and overall competitiveness after senators approved on Monday Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2021 with 22 affirmative, no negative votes, and no abstentions.

Senator Sonny Angara, who authored and sponsored the measure, lauded his colleagues for the quick approval of the bill, seeing that the SSF project will go a long way in supporting the growth and development of MSMEs.

When passed into law, Angara said SBN 2021 will ensure the annual funding under the General Appropriations Act for the implementation of the SSF project that has benefited thousands of MSMEs in the country since its inception in 2013.

“There were years when the SSF project was not funded and this is what will be addressed with this bill.

Malaki ang naitutulong ng mga SSFs sa mga maliliit na negosyo na hindi kayang gumastos para bumili ng mga kagamitan tulad ng mga makina upang mapalago ang kanilang operasyon kaya dapat lang na siguraduhin natin na tuloy-tuloy ang implementasyon nito [SSFs help a lot in small businesses that cannot afford to buy equipment such as machines to grow their operations so we just have to make sure that its implementation is continuous],” Angara said.

The SSFs are managed by “cooperators” that are usually cooperatives, people’s organizations, industry associations, local government units, and state universities and colleges, for the common use of the MSME beneficiaries.

“These could be as simple as sewing machines to more complex machines like 3D printers that are housed in SSF fabrication laboratories [Fab Labs] that MSMEs can use usually for a small fee. Through these SSFs, the MSMEs can scale up their production, improve on their packaging, and introduce innovations to their products,” Angara noted.

Under the bill, SSF Fab Labs will be established in at least one strategic location in every province. Priority will be given to provinces without existing Fab Labs.

The Fab Labs were showcased at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when these were used for the manufacturing of face shields, face masks, medical gowns, aerosol boxes and ethyl alcohol to cater to the huge demand while the importation of these supplies was still undergoing.

So far, a total of 3,484 SSFs and 43 SSF Fab Labs have been established across the country, based on data from the DTI. PNA

“When we started the business, we intended to go nationwide, and we’re really committed to that dream,” Mr. Dagupeño Founder and CEO Eric Montoya told reporters in a recent online media briefing. “That vision fueled us to reach this stage wherein we now have close to 70 outlets.”

Primarily niching on the country’s national fish, this neighborhood food enterprise offers tasty and smoky boneless milkfish grilled to perfection either the traditional way—simply cooked with toppings like tomatoes and onions—or with a twist such as ala pobre, bistek, gata, cheese and chimi churri.

But to keep up with the competition, its menu is expanded with other delicious milkfish delicacies like Relleno Bangus, as well as other offerings, namely, Grilled Liempo and Grilled Pusit. What’s more, it

caters frozen goods, such as Daing na Bangus, Tinapang Bangus, Lumpiang Bangus, Alaminos Longganisa, Chicken Embotido, and other products from Pangasinan.

Not only that the word-of-mouth gained by their delectable and unique tastes and presentations has made Mr. Dagupeño an authority, or at least the go-to brand for different ways of cooking the milkfish, but also earned for Montoya the “Bangus King” monicker.

Crisis-proof

A TRUE blue royalty in the grill business, this entity indeed has not been dethroned even by the deadly coronavirus.

When the Covid-19 virus hit the country and the rest of the world early 2020, Mr. Dagupeño proved its mettle as it remained operational amid the closure of most businesses, especially in the food segment, with the government’s lockdown imposition and strict health and safety protocols.

He attributed this to their stores’ strategic location being situated in open areas like communities and main thoroughfares that spared them from restrictions and temporary halts applied to businesses

seated on enclosed commercial establishments like the malls.

With some tweaking on their business to make it more suited to the situation, the Montoyas were able to mitigate the possible grave effect of the health crisis on their bottomline.

“Our consistency when it comes to our desire to continue do the business everyday at same energy level and, at the same time, adoptability to the pandemic that we experienced helped us survive until today,” the owner said.

Facing another headwind

WHILE the empire that the Montoyas have been trying to build over the last seven years has had endured the Covid-19 crisis, it has been confronted anew by another challenge.

“When inflation hit 8.6 percent in December 2022, it has an effect on us,” he conceded. “Although our coping mechanism really is to increase our price, but we balance it to still bring affordability to the people.”

Doing so, Montoya shared that they look at the market trends. For instance, he cited that they closely

monitor the price of their competitors.

“Right now, our bangus is at P325. So we are very conscious on that. Good thing we are luckier because while the prices of other commodities have increased, the milkfish is not that high. So we were able to hold our price increase until December 2022,” he said.

“We just had an increase in January of this year at P10 only from our previous pricing. We really needed to increase as prices of gasoline and

vegetables spiked during that time, especially onions used as filling in our bangus,” he explained.

From local to global

TO widen its reach further, Mr. Dagupeño has expanded its footprints not only domestically, but also internationally.

With nearly 70 take-out stores in Rizal, Metro Manila, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and more ongoing openings nationwide, the founder and CEO bared that they are going to the second stage of their expansion.

“We’re aiming for another 30 branches, so by the end of the year, hopefully, we’ll get to 100 active branches,” Montoya revealed. “But overall, we want to reach 250 branches across the country by next year.”

Part of this plan is their recent opening of a restaurant called the House of Bangus by Mr. Dagupeño in Dagupan, Pangasinan. This new dine-in concept is the only bangus specialty restaurant in the province.

“We consider that as the nextlevel strategy for us to penetrate the malls, elevate our operations, and also to go global,” he pointed out.

The owners hope to open the House of Bangus by Mr. Dagupeño franchised restaurants in Northern Luzon and National Capital Region.

Aiming to bring the brand closer to Filipino communities abroad, he disclosed their current transactions with franchisees to possibly open this dine-in bistro in California in the United States and a second outlet of a take-out kiosk in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“Our overseas expansion, hopefully, will happen this second half of the year or first half next year,” Montoya stressed. “So we are in the planning stage now. Its really an ultimate dream of all the food businesses to cater to our overseas Filipino communities.”

Glutalipo makers Leo Ortiz and Jeff Tan exude ‘beauty of partnership’

TWO heads are better than one, as an old adage says. This holds true in business partnership.

Rising Dragon Beauty & Wellness Trading Corp. Founder and CEO Leo Ortiz and Co-owner Jeff Tan are among the success stories of entrepreneurs-in-tandem that have made Glutalipo one of the formidable slimming and whitening brands in the country today. But theirs is a venture formed beyond the usual agreement between two or more individuals to carry on an entity as co-proprietors. They are real life partners.

The former, who is a nursing cum laude graduate, yet unemployed after finishing his studies, ended up selling beauty and wellness products.

From joining a marketing group, he established his very own enterprise JLo General Merchandise in 2013 that, eventually, became Rising Dragon in 2017.

Eight months passed by, their paths had crossed when the former met the latter through a dating app. Both coming from a six-year relationship heartbreak, they officially entered into a romantic relationship. Initially, the couple continued with their chosen careers: Ortiz singlehandedly ran his business, as Tan worked as a marketing executive of Bellevue Hotel.

“Leo and I talked that we will never go into business together for fear of fighting. But the pandemic happened. So I had no choice but to go and do business together with him. So that’s the time we collaborated,” he told reporters in a recent interview in their newly built property in Antipolo City.

Describing himself as being “not the business type person,” Tan was thankful and happy that his partner did not think twice to introduce him to his business, which was striving back then.

With his professional background, he is involved into the branding, design and layout of their products, as well as purchasing. Ortiz, on the other hand, is more hands on the marketing side of the business. “It’s a blessing in disguise that it happened because both of our strengths mixed well. Our collaboration made the company better,” Tan said.

in detox beverages. “We started the business with the Glutalipo juice. Later, we introduced the coffee and milk tea counterparts. Then, the rest was history,” Tan recalled. Growing the business to what it is today is not like a walk in the park, according to the originator. Ortiz conceded that he also had a share of challenges at a start-up phase, especially when it comes to establishing the firm and building its credibility. “Its hard to introduce a product to the people. So No. 1, of course, is ensuring the quality of the product. Second is raising awareness and marketing. Third, no matter how many competitors you have in the market, don’t look left and right, or be pressured. Focus on growing the business by maintaining quality products, good customer service, and good relationship with distributors and others,” the founder and CEO elaborated. Doing so has made the Rising Dragon a market leader in direct selling and distribution space.

From its slimming drinks, its line up of products expanded to include skin-care products (serum, lotion, underarm cream and soaps), as well as glutathione and melatonin capsules, etc. mainly targeting the Class B or the working populace.

Upon discovering that there are some who want a cheaper alternative, the company came up with another skincare brand for the mass market—Lumina Glow By Beauty Vault.

This is similar but at a lower price than the best-seller Beauty Vault Rejuvenating Set, which contains a Kojic soap, toner, night and morning creams.  All these products are produced for Rising Dragon in compounding and toll packing arrangements with their partner with manufacturing plants in Quezon City and Marikina.

Opportunity from crisis

UNLIKE most businesses in the country that were temporarily, if not permanently, shut down during the Covid-19 crisis that hit the country and the rest of the world in early 2020, it boosted up their enterprise to greater heights.

“We are not happy that the pandemic happened. But fortunately, we benefited from it because everybody at home has nothing to do. Everyone is like very stagnant, looking for some ways to slim or tone down. Somehow, it’s a blessing in disguise for us. Our sales increased in the latter part of 2020,” Tan shared.

The health crisis also had the company’s network of distributors and resellers peak to 20,000. Amid the glut of competing brands in its business category, they now count at more or less 5,000.

Good thing their foray into the online trade through social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, as well as marketplaces Lazada and Shopee, not to mention their tapping of celebrity endorsers and influencers, has Rising Dragon still managed to thrive amid competition.

“We cannot say that our sales is super growing since we’re already way past our peak in the past recent years. But it’s steady that we are aiming to grow this year and next year. Hopefully, double than last year,” Ortiz bared.

Beyond numbers, what’s bringing joy to the LGBTQIA+ couple in so far as their enterprise is concerned are the positive words they receive from the enterprising new generation of millennials they inspire.

“The previous endorsers that we have, for instance, they got inspired with us to the point that when we asked them to renew their contract, they respectfully declined because they have their plans of creating their own brand. We are happy because we also become as evangelists for other people to become businessmen,” Tan said.

Future plans

BULLISH on what lies ahead of their business post-pandemic, Ortiz revealed they plans to stay relevant and on par with others.

“Our short term goal is to maintain our existing users and distributors. Of course, maintain the quality,” he said, referring to products in the pipeline in two to three years time that include a foaming face wash, cosmetics, and health supplements.

“Long-term, hopefully, we can accommodate more and get many people aware of our products and business model and, at the same time, expand abroad,” he added.

In fact, the couple has just gained a new distributorship proposal in Indonesia. Expecting this to be a done deal this year, this will add to their current markets abroad such as the United States, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia. This is a new overseas location for the brand.

“Wherever we go to different places [in these locations abroad], there are Filipino stores that cater Glutalipo. Just like what the marketing campaign that I do says, ‘It’s proudly Filipino for the world,’” Tan emphasized.

Locally, the duo, also intend to create new brands for Watsons and Mercury Drugstores so as the new breeds of Glutalipo will become available to common shelves or over the counter of such pharmacy-cum-convenience stores.

“We’ve been in the online world for like six years or longer. Common Filipinos, their concern is more on skin—pimples, melasma, dark spots remover. So we will heavily invest more on skincare and whitening products because those are the usual concerns of the Asian market,” he said.

What’s more, they want to diversify to other verticals like food and real estate in the next three to five years. Ortiz stressed: “Hopefully, we can venture into these industries in the future.”

POST-PANDEMIC, there’s really no stopping Mr. Dagupeño to become even more of a “big fish in a small pond” as it moves up to the next-level of its expansion with a new dine-in format and initiative to further multiply here and abroad.

MR. Dagupeño Founder and CEO Eric Montoya

TAKEOUT kiosk of Mr. Dagupeño

RISING Dragon Beauty & Wellness Trading Corp. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Leo Ortiz (left) and Co-owner Jeff Tan.

ThE Department of Trade and Industry provides the Shared Service Facility for Cacao Processing with the Capiz Cacao Industry Association as co-operator in Barangay Cogon, municipality of Panit-an on June 20, 2022. DTI Western Visayas Regional Director Rebecca Rascon, in an interview on August 12, 2022, said the SSF will encourage farmers to plant cacao. Photo courtesy of DtI regIon VI

Improved outlook to lower debt paper rates

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) foresees interest rates for both Treasury bills (T-bills) and Treasury bonds (T-bonds) on a downward trend in succeeding auctions as a result of the improved outlook on Philippine economy and the pause on policy rates last week.

“We see rates declining as a result of both Fitch [Ratings’s] outlook adjustment to stable and [the Monetary Board] pause on policy rates last week,” National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon said last Tuesday.

Last Monday, the credit rating agency Fitch Ratings reaffirmed the Philippines’s current “BBB” credit rating while improving its outlook of the country’s economic performance. (See: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/05/23/fitch-sees-phlreturn-to-strong-growth/)

Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on the Philippines’s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating

to stable from negative.

Fitch Ratings explained that the revision “reflects” its “confidence” that the Philippines is now “returning” to strong economic growth postpandemic. Meanwhile, the MB kept the prevailing interest rates on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s overnight reverse repurchase facility at 6.25 percent.

The BSP noted that maintaining interest rates are expected in the near-term and that monetary authorities are “unlikely to raise [and will also be] reluctant to cut” interest rates at least in the next 2 to 3 policy rate settings. (See: https://business-

mirror.com.ph/2023/05/19/bsppauses-interest-rate-hikes-as-inflation-cools-and-consumer-demandeases/) De Leon made the statement after the Treasury’s auction committee decided to fully-award the reissued 7-year T-bonds) on Tuesday as investors’ asking rates were “within secondary-market levels.”

With the full award, the government was able to raise P25 billion with the government securities fetching an average interest rate of 5.774 percent. The secondary market rate for the same debt paper was estimated at 5.681 percent.

“Rates are within secondary level

and are even lower than [average] rates of yesterday’s auction,” De Leon said, referring to the T-bills auction last Monday that saw rates averaging between 5.777 percent to 5.945 percent depending on the tenor of the government security.

(Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/05/23/btr-bags%e2%82%a715b-from-sale-of-triple-tenor-t-bills/) Tuesday’s auction was oversubscribed as total bids reached P30.625 billion, exceeding the P25-billion offering. Investors’ asking rates for the Tbond auction ranged between a low of 5.648 percent to a high of 5.85 percent.

Razed post office building insured for ₧604M–GSIS Artificial intelligence revolutionizes medicine

THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said the razed Manila Central Post Office, including its various contents, is insured with the state pension fund amounting to P604 million.

In a statement, GSIS said it immediately dispatched adjusters to the fire scene a few days ago even if there was no official fire-out declaration yet from the Bureau of Fire Protection.

“We also deployed drones to completely evaluate the affected struc-

Prison awaits taxpayers with multiple TINs–BIR

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) last Tuesday reminded the public that having multiple Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) could land them in prison.

BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. was quoted in the statement as saying that taxpayers must be “vigilant” in “keeping track of their TINs” and must ensure that they are not being “duplicated.”

“This will surely help maintain the integrity of the tax system and promote a fair and equitable tax environment. The BIR has implemented measures to identify and prosecute individuals who violate the TIN provision,” Lumagui said.

Lumagui explained that having more than one TIN is a violation of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.

“The acquisition of multiple TINs by a taxpayer is a serious offense that can lead to legal repercussions and significant revenue losses for the government,” it said.

“The offender will pay a fine of One Thousand pesos [P1,000.00] or suffer imprisonment of not more than six [6] months or both,” it added.

Aside from the penalties, the BIR said taxpayers with more than one TIN could lead to “confusion” and “errors” in the filingo tax returns, which in turn could result in different sets of penalties and even additional tax obligations.

“If an individual has inadvertently acquired multiple TINs, it is necessary to rectify the situation immediately by requesting for cancellation of the TINs issued to the taxpayer,” the BIR said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

tures. We are very much aware of the historical significance of the building and we would like to assist in its rebuilding efforts in every possible way,” GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo A. Veloso said last Monday.

Veloso said GSIS is offering its Pasig warehouse to serve as a temporary workplace for the employees of the post office.

The GSIS is also willing to extend a loan for the reconstruction of the Manila Central Post Office, which houses the Philippine Postal Corp.

(PPC) and is considered an important cultural property in the country, Veloso said.

“Its loss will have a huge impact on our rich cultural heritage. We need to bring it back to its original splendor,” the GSIS chief added.

The GSIS said it will soon conduct a full-blown site inspection to determine the extent of damage sustained by the insured properties of the post office.

Earlier this week, Postmaster General Luis D. Carlos assured the general public that the PPC will

remain operational as he ordered nearby Manila branches of PHLPost to assist the public. (Related story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/05/22/fire-razesmanila-central-post-office/)

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said it is closely coordinating with PPC regarding the Phil-IDs that may have been affected by the fire. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/05/23/psanatl-ids-for-delivery-in-manilaaffected-by-post-office-fire/)

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

OUR first fascination with AI (Artificial Intelligence) was seeing how they moved in sci-fiction movies like “The Terminator” and “Matrix.”

Another later movie was “Chappie,” which is about a “RoboCop” droid hijacked by the bad guys and utilized to fight the good RoboCops, starring Hugh Jackman. Last month, the New York Police Department announced the deployment of three new “Robocops” in the Times Square area: K5 Autonomous Security Robot units, Spot Digidog, and the Star Chase GPS to maintain peace and order in the world’s primmest cities.

Then we knew of our colleague in California (Ramon) sitting by his lounge bed in his garden waiting for his AI “gardener” machine to trim the Bermuda grass and his AI vacuum cleaner to tidy up the palatial home.

Zoilo ‘Bingo’ Dejaresco III

morning but an AI can cover millions of them in the same amount of time. Unlike humans which can be subjected to everyday stress, AI machines are inanimate objects and are often good and more precise “assistants” for many surgeons in sensitive operations demanding accuracy.

May 8, 2023,

shows participants of the BKR Asia Pacific Region Annual General Meeting—the first after three years of lockdowns against the pandemic—at Shangri-La far Eastern Hotel in Taipei city, Taiwan, from May 6 to 8, 2023. The conference was attended by over 60 participants of Asia Pacific BKR members from different countries including Australia, canada, Hongkong-china SAR, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Also in attendance were 13 partners and directors of Alas oplas & co cPAs, a member firm from the Philippines, alongside with the chairman of BKR Worldwide and the cEo of Aoc, Marycris S. oplas. CREDIT: Al As OplAs & CO , CpAs

Estate tax amnesty bill seen OK’d before July; EOPT Act ratified on day of SONA

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

HOUSE Ways and Means

Chairman Jose Ma. Clem-

ente “Joey” S. Salceda (Albay, 2nd district) says he expects that Congress will ratify the estate tax amnesty extension measure before Congress adjourns sine die on June 3, now that “the Senate will move for bicameral conference [bicam] next week.”

“We are already discussing at least the outline of [bicam] proceedings. The Senate has introduced some new provisions to the House version,” Salceda said. “So we will see whether we can adopt these provisions or whether a [bicam] committee is necessary.”

The lawmaker added that “so far, the provisions introduced in the Senate version do not appear to be averse to the point of the Estate Tax Amnesty extension.”

“They want some mechanism for electronic filing. That’s acceptable— even welcome,” Salceda said. “As long as we see third-reading approval by the Senate on May 29 or before that, we will be able to send this to [President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.] for his

signature; and he can announce this as another win during [his] SONA [State of the Nation Address].”

EOPT enactment

SALCEDA also said there is a possibility that the proposed Ease of Paying Taxes (EOPT) Act could be enacted or ratified before the day of the SONA.

“Slim chance; but best effort on our part. I think we can go over the differences on the last week of session and, hopefully, ratify it on the morning session of SONA,” the lawmaker said. The Senate has already completed its committee report on the proposed EOPT Act.

Salceda added that lawmakers have resolved “the most essential differences there anyway: the problem of bad debts.”

“We have made our position clear to our Senate counterparts that, given stakeholder concerns, we are alright with a provision for aged or bad receivables,” the solon said. “That works for us.”

Salceda was referring to the shift to invoices from receipts under the proposed EOPT Act. Stakeholders have raised the concern that since some invoices are not actually paid

for by buyers, the seller will be forced to pay value-added tax (VAT) on bad or aged receivables.

“With a provision for writing those receivables off, I think we have agreement,” the lawmaker said.

Tax racketeering SALCEDA added that the House might consider introducing provisions in the proposed EOPT Act against tax racketeering or the use of fake receipts for tax evasion.

“Of course, our counterparts in the Senate have to concur,” he said.

“I think that’s alright especially since we also tackle provisions under the same Tax Code section for both bills. Anyway, we’re looking into it.”

Salceda said that Marcos “made it clear he wants tax administration reforms in his first SONA.”

“I hope we will have the biggest tax administration reform in decades enacted before his second SONA,” the lawmaker said. “We’ll try.”

The proposed EOPT Act (House Bill 4125) was approved on its third and final reading during the 19th Congress on September 26, 2022, with a vote of 250 “yes,” zero “no” and zero abstention.

Then he crosses into other States using his AI-directed electric Tesla car that drives, parks for him and finds the best route to his destination while he snores in the passenger seat.

Or of the neighbors getting their grocery orders by drone delivery at their doorstep and then paying through their GCash without moving from the house.

A somewhat simplified definition of an AI, as you know, is “any machine that displays any form of intelligence.”

Today, two of the major beneficiaries of the AI phenomenon are the medical industry and the healthcare system. Let’s have examples.

Imagine, for one moment, an AIinfluenced modern hospital.

A major flood had just isolated some towns with many victims denied transportation for days. Medical teams flash images of town emergency cases to their main city hospital and in minutes: the types of medicine and intervention were relayed with the use of AI analyzing the images.

Medical AIs absorb all records of human knowledge possible and combine them with the idiosyncrasy of the patient’s symptoms and medical history to recommend the right medicines or procedures.

“Medical Futurist” Bertalan Mesko, MD, Phd. assures, however, that AI will complement, not replace medical professionals. It can be, at best, “The Stethoscope of the 21st Century.”

Medical nurses who use AI technology will, of course, displace those who do not. The popular use of ChatGPT has enabled patients to more intelligently discuss their cases with their doctors who also utilize the same technology to widen their own perspectives.

Says Nick Bostrom, author of the book “SuperIntelligence,”radiologis ts can scout 50 images in one whole

While doctors sleep, AI machines can monitor patients (24/7) in the ICU and detect changes fast and accurately and immediately send warnings to the attending physicians. Machines can analyze algorithms and identify patterns better than most humans even in CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays. It can swiftly isolate the most relevant pieces of data to doctors from a ton of data and images. Rather than one-fits-all medication (based on an “average” patient), AI’s access to the wide industry and patient-specific data enable more personalized treatment and quicker decisions made in the hospital rooms instead of waiting for days to collate data manually.

AI is known to reduce the number of medical code searches by 70 percent, likewise.

In hospitals, insurance companies, and many related offices, the administrative and medical workflow is dramatically reduced by AI technology and effectively bringing down the overall cost of healthcare.

This medical revolution is already resulting in efficiency with the large mining of medical information and records—bringing about better-designed treatment plans and more precision medicines (reduction in drug management errors) to patients and saving time for medical practitioners.

The most inspiring aspect of the AI revolution in medicine is their contribution to effective drug creation. As we know, it takes decades and billions of dollars from many clinical trials and experiments to get drugs into the marketplace. AI will short-circuit the long process of drug creation and hopefully, we will no longer anguish over the cure for the next global pandemic Covid-Part II.

Zoilo “Bingo” P. Dejaresco, a former banker, is a financial consultant and media practitioner. He is a Life and media member of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex). His views here, however, are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Finex and the BusinessMirror . E-mail: Dejarescobingo@yahoo.com

G-Xchange banks on facial recognition technology as GCash security feature

By Roderick Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

PAYMENT-system operator

G-Xchange Inc. is banking on facial recognition as a security feature users of the Gcash app could use. Last Tuesday, the firm said it has rolled out the feature last May 10 amid reports of a security breach

on its system.

The firm said the face-recognition technology “guarantees that the person accessing an account is the same as the one who registered in GCash.”

This means that even if users inadvertently give out their mobile personal identification number (MPIN) and one-time pin (OTP), their account still cannot be accessed

from a new device without scanning the owner’s face, the company said. Also, it looks for the user’s “liveness” to make sure photos can’t be used to bypass the security control.

According to GCash Chief Technology and Operations Officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang, the technology is in-app and doesn’t require mobile phones with high-end features.

“We made sure all our verified user base will have access to this security feature as we notice the prevalence of phishing attempts outside the app,” Sy-Manalang said. The executive cited the firm’s many initiatives to fight fraud.

She said that the company blocked 3.1 million accounts that have been tagged as fraudulent from January

2022 to April 2023. Sy-Manalang added they have also taken down 722 phishing sites and 38,000 malicious social media posts and accounts during the same period.

Likewise, she said that in the first week of May, they also barred 23,000 accounts that went beyond the guidelines under the Anti-Money Laundering law (Republic Act 9160). This

means the e-wallet provider tracked transactions in these accounts that are against the AMLA. Sy-Manalang said they “work closely” with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to deter online fraud.

BKR APAc confAB This

photo

Helping your team bounce back

WANT MORE GOOD IDEAS FROM YOUR WORKERS?

By Aichia Chuang University of North Carolina—Greensboro

EVEN the best of teams will fail at some point. There will even be days when your team will not be performing at the level they are expected to. When this happens, your leadership skills will be put to the test, especially with how you rally your team to pick themselves up and bounce back from the setback.

There are many reasons why your team underperforms, or even fails in achieving milestones. One factor is when there are too many things going on at the same time and your team is forced to perform multiple tasks, but they lack the skills to do it effectively. Your team might also fail because they lack guidance on what to do and they do not ask you or their teammates, so they end up doing things on their own. Other team members might even have no interest in improving themselves, or have personal issues interfering with their work. With so many factors affecting their work, what can you do so that your team can pull themselves back up?

Communication is the key to helping your team. People often forget that communication is a two-way process, and it is important that your team knows that they have been heard. Maintaining an open line of communication helps you understand where your team is coming from, while at the same time it helps them understand the limitations of what you can do for them. How you communicate with your team will determine what is the most effective way of dealing with their frustrations and disappointments at work.

Part of communicating with your team is being aware of your own emotions. Whether you like it or not, you affect your team with your own feelings. Team members quickly catch on if you react negatively, or if you are easily flustered. So you need to maintain your composure, acknowledge that your team failed, and then be very clear on what went wrong. After that, encourage your team to uncover what lessons can be learned and how to avoid mistakes in the future. Give your team time to feel the failure so that the lessons are not lost. But after they have been given enough time, pull them back up to the work that needs to be done.

Create a professional development plan for each of your team members and follow through on their commitments. Both you and your team need to agree on what can be achieved for the year and the concomitant reward that goes with it. Sometimes, your team underperforms because they have been

that extra effort means the achievement of their personal or professional development goals, or any reward that has been agreed on. But even without the rewards, your role as their leader is for them to associate professional development with selffulfillment.

You also need to proactively look for solutions, not fault-finding. It is important for the team to understand that it was a group effort and the failure of one is the failure of all. This helps your team imbibe a culture where they understand that their actions affect other members of the team. This should lead to the realization that they need to pull their own weight so that the team can move forward. This is also the best time for team members to help the weaker members of the team so they can be up to par with the standards. This ensures that no one is left behind.

As their leader, you also have an overview of what your team can do individually and as a group. Know each of your team member’s strengths and capitalize on what they are passionate about so you can motivate them to succeed. Nothing gets a team member more invested than to be given a project that is close to their heart. So, get to know your team individually so that you know what projects can be assigned to whom, and you have a better understanding of the team dynamics.

Of course, there are times when the lapse of one is so blatant that everyone in the team knows who is at fault. In this case, you need to talk privately with that person and come up with a plan to improve their performance. Then you can address the team and discuss that the matter is being addressed by the concerned individual and solicit help from the group on what they can do to help. If possible, appoint

someone to mentor the person if you cannot do it yourself. Just ensure that the person gets all the help they need to improve their performance.

After everything has been said and done, you still need to remind them of the team’s targets and what success looks like. Sometimes, your team misses goals because they have become too comfortable in what they are doing that they have become reckless and rely heavily on past successes. If needed, your team might have to be reminded of the consequences of their actions and what they have to do to regain losses. This way, they have a better grasp of how to redeem themselves and regain lost confidence.

If everything else fails, learn to let go of team members who are not performing as they should even with multiple interventions. You need to safeguard your team’s working environment so that your team can perform at the top of their game. That is why in the hiring process, you should include a culture fit assessment so that you can ascertain if the candidate can get along well with the other team members. You need to understand that you are not just hiring for skills but also for attitude. Do not sacrifice attitude for skills because it only takes one rotten apple to spoil the whole barrel. As someone looked up to by a group of people, you need to exemplify how it is to bounce back from a failure. Adopt a growth mindset so that your team will realize that setbacks are a setup for a comeback. You and your team need to understand that failures are opportunities to adapt and overcome only if you allow them to teach you the lessons you need to learn. When the lessons are learned as a group, the team has a better chance of not repeating the same mistakes again. n

COMPANIES can increase not only the volume but also the quality of employee suggestions and ideas by offering rewards and a choice, according to a study we published in 2022. We conducted the study on 345 telemarketers at a call center in Taiwan, which already had a suggestion program set up to solicit creative ideas to improve the organization. The company rewarded those who suggested ideas deemed the most valuable by giving them a trophy.

We wanted to see how tweaking the reward changed the quantity and quality of suggestions. So we invited the employees to submit ideas and that if their suggestions ranked among the top 20 percent most creative ideas—as evaluated by a team of managers and researchers—they would receive one of four rewards: $80 in cash for themselves, $80 to share with colleagues, $80 to give to a preferred charitable organization or priority when selecting days off.

About half of the employees were offered a choice of the four rewards they would receive for submitting ideas. We then randomly assigned one of the four rewards to the remaining employees.

In total, we received and evaluated 144 ideas over a one-month period.

We found that employees who were given a choice of reward submitted 86 percent more ideas than those who were told what they would be getting. Moreover, the average creativity score of their ideas was 82 percent higher. Overall, our suggestion program elicited double the number of ideas as the company’s own program and resulted in ideas that were ranked 84 percent more creative.

Soliciting employee ideas can be a key driver of innovation in organizations.

When employees share their ideas about products, services or policies using a suggestion program, an organization can take those ideas and refine and then implement them.

These implemented ideas can enhance an organization’s ability to adapt and compete.

A 2003 study of 47 organizations found that ideas submitted to employee suggestion programs saved those organizations more than $624 million in a single year.

Our own study suggests small incentives could have a significant impact on the quantity and quality of those employee suggestions.

Research is still needed on whether there is an optimal number of rewards that organizations should offer to get more submissions. One past study found that when employees were asked to choose from a large set of rewards, they felt overwhelmed and produced few ideas.

Future research can also test whether our results can be found in other types of organizations, with employees in other types of jobs and in other parts of the world. We plan to examine these issues in our future studies of suggestion programs. THE CONVERSATION

Climate change, technology and archiving discourse in webinar

AN online discussion between artists Deniz Tortum and Amy Balkin tackles how the ideas of colonial capture, crowdsourcing, collecting and computationalism inform explorations into preservation and the future.

They will walk the participants into the significant role of technology and archiving at the face of climate change.

Tortum, a Turkish director, screenwriter and multimedia artist, will expound on his work in collaboration with British director Kathryn Hamilton.

WITH rising temperatures and summer definitely on the horizon, protect your skin with The Body Shop’s new daily essential: the Skin Defence Multi-Protection Light Essence. And promise us you won’t leave the house without it.

The Body Shop’s new Skin Defence Multi-Protection Light Essence is an ultra-lightweight, moisturizing formula that helps protect your skin with SPF 50 PA+++ protection. This super-fluid essence uses cleverly optimized broad-spectrum UVA/UVB filters to help protect daily against damaging UV rays, as well as helping protect from indoor and outdoor pollution.

The fast-absorbing formula looks invisible, feels breathable and comfortable on skin. It’s non-greasy, won’t leave a white sheen and doesn’t transfer onto your top. Skin is simply left looking glowy, more even and ready for makeup (if that’s your thing).

The Body Shop’s Skin Defence Multi-Protection Light Essence can be found at Body Shop stores and online at www.thebodyshop.com.ph.

Titled Our Ark, the 12-minute, 25-second digital cinema packaging serves as an essay film on the efforts to create a virtual replica of the real world. This includes 3D models of animals, rainforests, cities and its inhabitants, to archiving as if ecological collapse could be staved off through a digital Noah’s Ark of beasts and objects.

It delves into the conflict of the simulation hypothesis, which argues that we live in an artificial world rather than in reality. The enthusiasm may be explained by the nihilism of the Earth’s current trajectory.

Our Ark, which received the Best Short Film Award at the 2022 Istanbul Film Festival, is currently exhibited at MCAD’s ongoing exhibition Adaptation: A Reconnected Earth. The show proposes an approach to determine the present within the realities of a changed climate, a despairing planet and a recently renewed humanity.

Balkin, an American cross-disciplinary artist, will likewise speak of her project “A People’s Archive of Sinking and Melting.” It is a growing amalgamation of materials contributed by residents living in

uninhabitable places that may disappear. This may be due to the combined physical, political and economic impacts of climate change such as sea level rise, erosion, desertification, and glacial melting.

As of 2023, it includes pieces from Antarctica, Cape Verde, Cuba, Greenland, Honduras, Iceland, Nepal, Panama, Peru, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Komi in Russia and Alaska and New Orleans in the US.

Tortum dwells in film and immersive media. His creations have been screened internationally, including at the Venice Film Festival, SxSW, IFFR, IDFA, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Hot Docs, True/False and Dokufest. In 2019, he was featured in Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film.

His latest feature Phases of Matter (2020) received the Best Documentary awards at Istanbul and

Antalya Film Festivals. A researcher at the MIT Open Documentary Lab and MIT Transmedia Storytelling Initiative, he focused on immersive media.

Balkin’s work combines cross-disciplinary research and social critique to generate ambitious, bold and innovative ways of conceiving the public domain outside current legal and discursive systems.

Hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, the lecture will be moderated by Margarita Villanueva, the manager of the conservation laboratory of the Lopez Museum and Library.

The discussion is free and open to the public. It will be conducted online via Zoom on Thursday, May 25, 11 am. Interested participants may register at forms.gle/ VR83SdjPDoBx3ohM8. More information is available via mcad@benilde.edu.ph

PHOTO BY MAPBOX ON UNSPLASH

Kyani PHL joins Globe‘s Hapag Movement to transform lives

FILIPINO families have always had a deep-rooted tradition of gathering around the dining table— hapag in the local language— not only to share meals but also to share stories and laughter and create memories together. This makes the hapag more than just a dining table. It is a symbol of the family’s bond and love for one another.

However, for 15 million marginalized and vulnerable Filipinos, the hapag becomes a source of despair, as parents and children suffer from involuntary hunger due to a lack of resources.

This reality led Globe to lead and develop the Hapag Movement, which aims to address the country’s hunger situation by providing food relief and livelihood opportunities to 100,000 families.

One of the companies that recently expressed support for the advocacy is Kyani Philippines, a corporate member of the Rotary Club of Makati Business District (RCMBD) which earlier entered a four-year partnership with Globe to raise funds for the Hapag Movement.

As a global health and wellness company, Kyani seeks to uplift the lives of women, children, and families worldwide. In the Philippines, Kyani earlier provided supplemental feeding for close to 20,000 public school children and continues to provide meals to children in Payatas.

Partnering with Globe, Kyani hopes to expand its reach and promote wellness through the Hapag Movement.

Speaking about Kyani’s commitment to the Hapag Movement, its Country Manager Kate Bellosillo, a single mother of eight, sees the Hapag Movement as a cause that is deeply personal as she understands the significance of providing her family with nourishment and love.

“If our hapags can speak, what

stories will they tell about our lives and homes? It’s not easy to raise eight children, but one thing I made sure of as a mother was to always put good food on the table. No matter how simple, basta masarap at galing sa puso ang paghahanda. And I think this is what Globe had in mind when they conceived the title Hapag. It’s not just putting food on the table, it’s anchoring the family members to that part of their home, which brings a lot of beautiful memories,” she pointed out.

Bellosillo appealed to other Rotary Club members to help the Hapag Movement, saying: “Our hapags have been bountiful over the last few years, despite all the difficulties in life. We are called now to share from the riches of our table with people who have nothing and no one. The Hapag Movement is an invitation for all of us, regardless of where we are and who we are, to give, to share, to bless.”

Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer

of the Globe Group, also encouraged others, whether in the country or overseas, to do their share.

“We are open to all partners. The beauty of the Hapag Movement is that it is not done by Globe alone. We are only a platform. We have implementing partners– Ayala Foundation. Caritas Philippines, Tzu Chi Foundation and World Vision– and what we intend to do is to at least feed 100,000 people, upskill them and provide them with initial livelihood,” Crisanto said.

Globe has opened credit card donations via the Hapag Movement website, allowing Filipinos abroad to contribute to the cause. Those in the Philippines may use Globe Rewards via the GlobeOne app and GCash as donation platforms aside from credit cards.

The Hapag Movement serves as a reminder that even in difficult times, Filipinos can still come together to help one another. To support the Hapag Movement, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/ sustainability/globe-of-good.html.

Assure® Diapers for Baby and Adult showcase premium quality at Indonesian Embassy Bazaar in the Philippines

SUMMER is here, and what better way to enjoy it than with an urban getaway at Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo?

Nestled in the business district of metropolitan Iloilo, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo offers direct access to SM City Mall, making it the ideal destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

The hotel is minutes away from other tourist attractions, such as the Iloilo River Esplanade, Jaro Cathedral, and Molo Mansion.

Guests can look forward to comfortable and modern accommodations, with each room featuring hybrid-ready features such as fiber optic internet connectivity and an inroom workstation, making it the perfect vacation spot for digital nomads. For collaborative work and ad-hoc meetings, the lobby lounge offers co-working spaces with USB charging ports and power outlets.

Guests may also take advantage of the hotel’s current promotion with the SM Store, offering discounts when they present their room keycard. Over shopping will never be a problem as the hotel conveniently offers domestic and international courier and cargo services through ParcelExcellence™.

“We are thrilled to welcome guests to our hotel this summer,” said Ogie Manuel, General Manager of Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo. “Our hotel’s prime location, modern amenities, and exceptional service make it the perfect destination for families, friends, and digital nomads seeking an urban getaway.”

City of Love

ASSURE® Diapers, a premium brand known for its quality and commitment to providing comfort and protection for babies and adults, showcased its products at the highly successful bazaar organized by the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines. Taking place from May 18 to 20, 2023, at the Indonesian Embassy in Salcedo Street, Makati City, the event provided Assure® Diapers with a valuable opportunity to present their premium range of products to a diverse audience.

The Indonesian Embassy Bazaar, aimed at fostering cultural ties between Indonesia and the Philippines, served as an ideal platform for businesses to showcase their offerings. Assure® Diapers, with its unwavering dedication to quality and customer satisfaction, actively participated in this esteemed event, further solidifying the brand's commitment to enhancing the lives of both babies and adults through exceptional diapering solutions.

At the bazaar, Assure® Diapers unveiled a comprehensive range of products tailored to cater to the specific needs of different age groups. Their hypoallergenic and ultra-soft baby diapers, available in various sizes, garnered significant attention from visitors. Attendees appreciated the remarkable absorbency and leakage protection offered by Assure ® Diapers, ensuring optimal comfort for infants.

In addition to their baby diaper range, Assure® Diapers introduced their selection of adult diapers, thoughtfully designed to provide discreet protection and instill a sense of confidence and independence among individuals who require them. Attendees were impressed by the comfortable fit of the adult diapers, which promoted freedom of movement and instilled confidence, along with their exceptional leakage security.

“We are thrilled to have participated in the Indonesian Embassy Bazaar in the Philippines,” stated Mr. Harvey Go, the

Marketing-in-charge of Assure® Diapers.

“The positive response we received from attendees was truly encouraging and reaffirms the growing demand for highquality diaper solutions for both babies and adults. We remain committed to meeting these needs and ensuring the well-being and comfort of our valued consumers.”

About Assure ® Diapers: ASSURE® Diapers is a premium brand that offers a wide range of high-quality diaper products. With a strong emphasis on quality and affordability, Assure® Diapers prioritizes the comfort, convenience, and protection of babies and adults, catering to their diverse needs. Assure Diapers is available nationwide at Robinsons Supermarkets and Shopwise; Royal Duty-Free at SBMA, and online shopping platforms such as Lazada, Edamama, and Shopee. For more information, please visit their Facebook page: Assure® Diapers.

Weekends are even more delightful at Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo with its Afternoon Tea Buffet at the lobby lounge every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 pm, where guests can indulge in a selection of savory treats and sweets while enjoying their choice of unlimited tea or coffee blends. Madjaas Pool Bar on the 2nd level features acoustic entertainment every Saturday, where guests can relax and unwind while watching the sunset, sipping refreshing cocktails, and listening to live music.

Whether you’re seeking a shopping extravaganza, exploring local attractions, or looking for a perfect blend of work and leisure as a digital nomad, Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo offers travelers a seamless urban getaway experience.

SM Foundation‘s program set to help upskill local farmers across various locations in CALABARZON

SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) has taken another step in its mission to enhance the agriculture and entrepreneurial skills of farmers. The organization recently launched the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan on Sustainable Agriculture Program (KSK-SAP) across various locations in Calabarzon.

Beginning with its launch in Padre Garcia, Batangas on April 13, 2023, the program has since been extended to Silang, Cavite; Batangas City; San Pablo, Laguna, and Calamba City. SMFI is also set to provide free agri-skills training to local farmers in other parts of the region to help other beneficiaries uplift their families and communities.

The local farmer-beneficiaries will undergo a two-phased program, spearheaded by its partner school Moca Family Farm RLearning Center, Inc.

The program kicked off with an immersive 14-week training program, designed to equip participants with essential skills and knowledge in agriculture. The modular training curriculum covers topics on the latest agritechnology updates, capacity building, financial literacy, product development, and market opportunities. Through these comprehensive modules, KSK-SAP aims to empower and enhance farmers’ agricultural practices and explore avenues for sustainable growth.

As a highlight of the program’s first phase, KSK-SAP farmers will join the SM Sunday Market, a collaborative initiative between SM Foundation and SM Supermalls. This platform offers trainees a valuable opportunity to showcase their agricultural produce and gain firsthand

experience in institutional selling. Through this market opportunity, participants can not only generate income but also cultivate their expertise and experience in the sales and marketing aspects of their agri-businesses.

To prepare for the second phase of the program, SMFI will also assist the farmers in formalizing their respective groups. To boost their earning capactiy and contribution to economic growth, the foundation will support them in creating a sustainable and profitable farming community through the assistance of its partner agencies.

KSK-SAP originated from the vision of SMFI’s founder Henry “Tatang” Sy Sr. to establish a sustainable initiative that would uplift the farming skills, food security, and livelihood knowhow of low-income Filipino farmers. Over the years, the program has evolved into a comprehensive training program that generates opportunities for skills development, employment, and livelihood.

Since its inception in 2007, KSK-SAP has helped more than 28,000 marginalized farmers from rural and urban areas across the country, fueling their entrepreneurial and farming capabilities. As a result, some of the program’s graduates have turned into seasonal suppliers for the SM group and other local markets.

SM Foundation’s KSK-SAP is conducted in partnership with SM Supermalls, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism and partner farm schools.

KSK farmer-trainees and partners in Laguna

KYANI Philippines Country Manager Kate Bellosillo, a single mother of eight, speaks about the company’s commitment to the Hapag Movement, saying the cause is deeply personal as she understands the significance of providing her family with nourishment and love.

Planning to visit Iloilo? Park Inn by Radisson Iloilo is the perfect urban getaway in the

Editor: Tet Andolong

Aseana City: Promoting a people-centric environment

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

SpaciouS sidewalks and ample recreational amenities are one of the most important elements of modern urban living. Nevertheless, other developers did not give importance to them which has compromised the people’s safety and well-being.

The entry of Aseana City is a welcome development as it has responded to the needs of the people fo r people-centric facilities.

Recognizing the lack of open spaces and safe pedestrian lanes in the country, D.M. Wenceslao has adopted a holistic approach to developing Aseana City. Located along the picturesque shorelines of Manila Bay, Aseana City is a vibrant mixed-use development that spans an impressive 107.5 hectares. Developed by D.M. Wenceslao and Associates, one of the c ountry’s leading integrated real estate developers and pioneers in land reclamation, Aseana City is dubbed as the “Next Generation City” that offers a diverse range of residential, commercial, and leisure facilities.

“Horizontal pedestrian infrastructure is just as important as v ertical real estate. As master developers of Aseana City, we see the last mile of pedestrian mobility as our responsibility. As the f amous movie quote goes, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ In line

with our commitment to sustainability, we are currently striving t o establish the largest network of climate-protected sidewalks in the country,” said Delfin Angelo “Buds” C. Wenceslao, CEO of D .M. Wenceslao Group, emphasizing the company’s longstanding commitment to sustainable d evelopment.

Wenceslao speaks highly of Aseana City’s people-friendly features h aving wider sidewalks which are shielded from inclement weather through a well-designed network of arcades, corridors, alleyways, and canopies. He disclosed the creation of a climate-protected solution for pedestrians was made possible through the collaborative effort between DMWAI and its locators, with Aseana City’s design g uidelines mandating the installation and construction of canopies a nd sky bridges. He noted these structures are seamlessly interconnected, providing the walking p ublic with an unparalleled walkability experience.

W ith a pedestrian-centric phi -

losophy in place, the vision is that one day one can walk from the LRT 1 Station at RedemptoristAseana City, stroll through Aseana City’s numerous landmarks a nd attractions, and walk all the way to the Manila Bay waterfront without having been exposed to heat or rain. Moreover, the estate is adorned with creative mural installations in various alleyways

a nd buildings, further enhancing the ambiance and charm of t he city.

Parqal—Aseana City’s Main Street

PAR q A L , D MW’s flagship development, highlights the importance of effective accessibility a nd efficient mobility in Aseana City. With its design underscoring

walkability and multiple entrance and exit points, Parqal serves as an excellent example of how urban planning can promote health and wellness and enhance the overall livability of a city.

Parqal, a portmanteau of the words “Park” and “Kalye” (the Filipino word for street), is a sprawling f ive-hectare mixed-use development that has an impressive gross f loor area (GFA) of 70,000 sq m.

The entire expanse of the development is enveloped by a “floating c anopy” made of ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene), a sustainable material that is known for its n atural light permeability, lightweight nature, and exceptional d urability. The canopy serves as the flagship spine of Aseana City’s sidewalk masterplan, covering about 5,000 sq m of the development’s linear greenway spine. With m ultiple entrance and exit points, Parqal is designed to be permeable, promoting an active lifestyle f or both visitors and residents. Moreover, the development offers

an array of leisure activities, with lifestyle and retail shops offering everything from dining, fashion, and wellness to DIY options. Parqal is anticipated to open by q 3 of 2023. For DMW, the best is yet to come for Aseana City towards creating a more aesthetically compelling and beneficial urban landscape. Wenceslao pointed out it is committed to d eliver world-class infrastructure, products, and services and has established it as one of the most competitive central business districts in the metro. Aseana City’s s trategic location, connection to key transport linkages such as the NAIA Expressway, LRT Line 1 Extension, and the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITx), i s further enhanced by its focus on public security, open spaces, and walkway systems. These features combine to make Aseana City an irresistibly great and valuable urban d estination. Further, Aseana City’ template has become a roadmap to urban planning and development.

Axeia seals P2.5-billion residential project in Cavite

By Roderick L. Abad

Attr A c ting architects, designers and visitors from all over the world, Milan

Design Week is one of the biggest and most important annual events for creative minds. t h e design elite, and young up-andcoming talents, as well as global brands, showcase their work with exhibitions, presentations and events spread throughout the city. i n this vibrant setting, gr O HE, a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, presents its revitalized gr O HE SPA sub-brand at the prestigious Pinacoteca di Brera art museum. t h e broad portfolio ranges from elaborate faucet collections, customizable ceiling showers and intricate ceramics to complementary accessories. i n addition to showcasing these exclusive products which create unique luxurious well-being areas, the brand expresses the gr O HE SPA “Health t h rough Water” concept through a waterinspired installation reflecting the stunning architecture of the art museum.

“After digitally launching gr O HE SPA at our gr O HE X Summit mid-March, Milan Design Week is the ideal place to show selected pieces of the portfolio to the public. Our products form a symbiosis of premium quality, cutting-edge technology, unrivalled precision, and progressive design—a perfect match for the event’s sophisticated audience. t he incredible immersive installation rounds off our presence by combining our passion for water with the beautiful surroundings of the Pinacoteca di Brera,” said Karl Lennon, Leader, grO HE SPA, LiX iL E MEnA

Water-inspired installation:

A reflection of “Health through Water”

Ent E ring the courtyard of the Pinacoteca, visitors can immerse themselves in a holistic experience with water at its core. Designed by the in-house design and brand identity team L i X iL g l obal Design, the immersive installation reflects the art museum, including the statue of n a poleon at the center by one of the most important sculptors of his day, Antonio c an ova. t h e stillness of the water expands the space and creates a kind of illusion, while representing cleanliness and well-being. Four

cubes are placed in the courtyard’s corners to provide interior spaces where gr O HE SPA’s four tiers are showcased. A mirror surface is used on all these cubes to contribute to the infinite look of the installation.

“Our immersive installation celebrates the gr O HE SPA concept of ‘Health through Water’, while paying tribute to the artistic legacy of Pinacoteca. We believe that water is the source of vital energy. By appealing to different senses with our installation, we want to create a special experience for our guests—just like our gr O HE SPA products do. tr ansforming the bathroom into a home spa is not about using individual products, but about creating holistic experiences that embrace the positive effects of water on the body and mind,” said Patrick Speck, Leader, L i X i L g l obal Design, EME n A

Health and well-being presented in four tiers

E A c H o f the four physical cubes nestled into the space is dedicated to one of four tiers that bring gr OHE SPA to life. First, the gr OHE SPA i con 3D collection: t h e 3D metal-printed products redefine what is possible, while taking sustainable product design with ultimate customization options to a new level.

n addition to seeing the exclusive products, visitors can hear the sound of the 3D printing, see the process on an LED screen and feel a change in temperature: it gets warmer as soon as the printing simulation starts. t he

second tier is comprised of the bespoke Atrio and Allure Brilliant Private c o llections which allow customers to choose from a carefully curated range of colors, materials, finishes and handle designs. i n order to enable endconsumers to enjoy an authentic marble style with a high-quality finish, gr O HE is partnering with c a esarstone, the global pioneer of premium countertop surfaces, to craft faucet handles from the brand’s durable surfaces in timeless designs. t h e installation demonstrates this partnership perfectly: As the key element, the black and white marble divides the space into two halves, demonstrating the many combinations that the collections make possible.

t h e gr O HE co lors co llection is in the focus of the third tier. With trend-leading colors for products such as gr O HE Allure and Aqua ce iling Modules, the collection makes it easy to create personalized bathrooms. co ol Sunrise is the main color used in this cube, and the displayed collections bathe the room in a golden light, while visitors can hear the sound of water and feel its humidity thanks to the elevated temperature. completing the exhibition, the fourth tier revolves around modular shower solutions. gr O HE has created a multisensory experience with mist, light and sound modules, as well as an LED screen showing images inspired by nature.

More details on gr O HE SPA can be found at grohespa.com. to k now more about grO HE, visit https://www.grohe.ph/en_ph/.

HOMEGROWN real estate company Axeia Development Corp. has entered anew into a joint venture (JV) agreement with Japanese company NNR (Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd.) Nishitetsu for a P2.5-billion masterplanned community in General Trias, Cavite.

The project, which will be known as Richdale West Residences, is seated on a 60.5-hectare acquired property, which will be developed in five phases within 10 years. The first phase is designed to become a boutique 10-hectare development comprised mainly of 375 units of 77.50-square-meter (sq m) Linnea single attached houses and 108 units in 3-story, six-unit mid-rise condominium called Midori.

Axeia Executive Director Lynn O. Sy bared that some of their concepts and ideas are very much influenced by the City Government of General Trias. He cited, for instance, that the local government unit (LGU) wants to include a tourist-oriented events place in the project given its proximity to scenic destinations.

“So our unique selling proposition will be: Wake up to the cool morning breeze from Tagaytay; sip Amadeo’s strong brewed coffee while enjoying the spectacular view of lush greeneries inside the Eagle Ridge Golf course,” he told reporters during their ceremonial JV signing and media briefing in Ortigas last May 16.

According to him, the LGU is “very much excited about our property” that it also wants them to put a small transportation terminal and a privately run high school within the development. Axeia is currently on the designing and planning stage of the engineering details of the initial phase.

“In our original plan with NNR

Nishitetsu, we’re supposed to launch it early next year. But because of the city government’s pressure for us to launch it already, now we’re thinking maybe we can try to catch up on a last quarter launching of this project,” Sy shared.

Without citing the exact pricing details since Richdale is still at the early stage of development, he pointed out that affordability comes to their minds, wherein they are looking into a monthly payment of P15,000 to P17,000 a month for Linnea housing units and P12,000 to P14,000 a month for Midori condo units.

“We believe that these price points are very affordable for first-hand private home users. We are not designing a project for their second-home market or a vacation home market. Our intention is for buyers to live there as their primary residence, which is very accessible to Metro Manila for their employment and livelihood requirements, and still have the unique opportunity to visit Tagaytay every afternoon since it’s just 25 minutes away,” said the Axeia executive director.

Axeia and NNR Nishitetsu started their team up on July 25, 2022, with

the closure of their JV deal for a midrise, low-density condominium project in Antipolo City. This was followed with their codevelopment of another housing project in Tanuan, Batangas.

NNR Nishitetsu had so far committed to join Axeia and infused a significant amount to their total investment package plan of P1.74 billion for these two JV projects, which have so far generated P1.088 billion worth of reservation sales, out of the projected P3.02 billion sales. All their three codevelopment initiatives are funded via equity, without any bank borrowings.

“A strong relationship of mutual trust and support that we have developed within this short period of time brought about this decision for NNR Nishitetsu and our company, Axeia Development Corp., to set up this joint venture company, Asiatic Land Inc.,” Sy said.

“We are confident that our JV partnership will build further more and contribute to provide good products and the growth of the housing market in the Philippines,” Taro Koyama, director of Overseas Development Division at NNR Nishitetsu, added.

AXEIA Development Corp. ties up with NNR (Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd.) Nishitetsu for a P2.5-billion master-planned community called Richdale West Residences in General Trias, Cavite. Sealing the Joint Venture Agreement are (from left) Axeia Development Corp. Executive Director Lynn O. Sy, Axeia Development Corp. President Paul H. Tan-Chi, NNR Nishitetsu Overseas Development Division Director Taro Koyama, and NNR Nishitetsu Overseas Development Division Manager Koji Hariyama San.

A SEANA City developments along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard

PAR q AL amphitheater

Constantino eyes back-to-back title romp at tough Villamor

HARMIE CONSTANTINO hopes to ride on all the positive vibes in pursuit of a second straight championship back to the Villamor Golf Club as she leads the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Philippine Masters field she beat in the last Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) stop at Luisita.

Constantino repelled top amateur Rianne Malixi in the rain to snatch the inaugural Match Play Invitational title in a playoff at the relatively flat but challenging military layout last year.

S he also repulsed Daniella Uy, also via sudden death, to snare the Luisita crown two weeks ago.

The same tight, exciting finish is expected this week although Constantino is coming into the 54hole, P1 million championship oozing with confidence.

S he expects to get going early against a slumping reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner Chihiro Ikeda and a surging Pamela Mariano at 8:20 a.m. on the first hole, just behind the other featured threesome featuring Uy, Korean Kim Seoyun and the equally-promising Florence Bisera.

W hile Constantino is so focused on sustaining her momentum and reasserting her mastery of the field, Kim and Uy both set out for redemption after the duo stumbled with late-round meltdowns in the Caliraya Springs and Luisita legs of the Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc.organized circuit.

The chance to become the first

Wild chase on

HARMIE CONSTANTINO is focused on sustaining her momentum.

ladies PH Masters champion also serves as added motivation to the field beefed by Rev Alcantara, Monica Mandario, Sarah Ababa, Gretchen Villacencio, Marvi Monsalve and Apple Fudolin.

A lso due for a big finish is Mafy Singson, who seeks to duplicate Malixi’s four-stroke victory over Ikeda in the Iloilo leg of the ICTSIbacked circuit last March along with Koreans Nam Eunhua and Lee Jiwon.

Completing the cast are Lovelynn

Sports

B8 Wednesday, May 24, 2023

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Editor: Jun Lomibao

Edia but the results from the 32nd Southeast Asian Games showed Filipino athletes have evolved into worldclass standards.

“ Team Philippines is stronger now than before. Our athletes have already evolved and improved,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told a special session of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

They have already leveled up and they’re already competing on the level of powerhouse nations,” added Tolentino in the forum held at the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Conference Hall at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

The Philippines sent 840 athletes to Cambodia and brought home 58 gold, 85 silver and 117 bronze medals, surpassing the medal haul of 52-70104 in Vietnam last year.

T hose numbers in Cambodia, he said, are proof that most Filipino athletes are adapting to the changing environment and challenging competition.

olentino said the momentum from Cambodia could push Filipino athletes to surpass the four gold, two silver and 15 bronze medals won at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018 when they compete in the Asiad’s 19th edition in Hangzhou set September 30 to October 8.

PHL ATHLETES HAVE EVOLVED –TOLENTINO

bronze medalist now pro Eumir Felix Marcial as well as the women’s golf team that 2018 women’s team gold medalist Bianca Pagdanganan could very well lead after pro golfers are now allowed in the continental games.

Tolentino reiterated in the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Philippine Sports Commission, POC and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. that most of the gold and silver medalists in Cambodia are shoo-in for the Hangzhou games and that an initial study by the POC showed at least 400 athletes could be sent to Hangzhou.

als Filipino athletes clinched in Cambodia were in subjective sports with the outcome “decided by the judges.” Vietnam and Cambodia halved those 40 silvers. So, analyze it. Conservatively, [we lost] 20 golds,” he said.

But size, according to Tolentino, mattered in Cambodia.

We fielded only 840 athletes while the top three countries sent close to 2,000 athletes each and we still got those results,” he said.

T he medal output in Cambodia fell one gold short of the 59 which the country won in 1987 in Jakarta with the late athletics queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado, swimmer Eric Buhain and superstar bowlers Paeng Nepomuceno and Crystal Soberano leading the charge.

“ I was really looking at 60 golds for our athletes,” he said.

for

Philippine Masters crown

THE International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI)

Villamor Philippine Masters reels off Wednesday with a promise of a wild start and a wilder finish on a deceiving course that puts premium on accuracy and precision off the mound more than length.

W hile the Villamor Golf Club layout does not feature the terrains, ravines or dog-leg fairways that normally make championship courses, it does offer a tough test given its tight fairways crammed with trees, thick roughs and unpredictable surface as the elite men of the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) brace for a fierce duel of ball control, iron play and putting.

“ I did some good practice last week and I hope to show a better game than in Luisita,” said Guido van der Valk, the back-to-back The Country Club (TCC) Invitational champion who posted a rare missed cut stint in the last PGT leg in Tarlac.

I love the Villamor layout and can’t wait to play. As for the target, the goal is to be in contention to win during the final round,” added the Manila-based Dutchman who yielded to Jerson Balasabas in sudden death when the last Philippine Masters was held in 2018.

Rupert Zaragosa, the runaway winner in Iloilo last March but who also struggled at Luisita with a 34th place finish, can’t wait to launch his drive for a second PGT win, saying: “I think Villamor suits my game. My game plan is to focus more on my tee shots and hopefully my putting will click this week.”

W hile the absence of some of the Tour big guns, who are competing overseas, practically opens up the title chase in the P2.5 million championship put up by ICTSI, van der Valk said he doesn’t mind who is in or who isn’t, stressing: “If my game is good, I can win no matter who is in the field. As for if it boosts my title chances, there’s still a lot of good players left in the field so I will have to play my best.”

Battle of histories

I’m pretty sure that we will surpass it,” said Tolentino as he made special mention of Olympic and world champion Hidilyn Diaz Naranjo, Asia’s best pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, two-time world champion gymnast Carlos Yulo as gold

medal potentials in Hangzhou. “ We also have our boxers, our weightlifters and even our golfers who could contend for the gold in the Asian Games,” he said.

O n top of his boxing list are Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and

In hindsight, Tolentino told the forum that the Philippines could have fared better than its fighting fifth-place finish in Cambodia, saying missed opportunities in the battle for gold tolled heavily in the country’s bid to land fourth behind Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia in the medals race.

He cited the 40 of the 87 silver med-

LeBron: We’ll see what happens going forward

LOS ANGELES—LeBron James began the final game of his 20th National Basketball Association (NBA) season with the highest-scoring postseason half of his matchless NBA career.

He ended the night by questioning how much longer he plans to chase history after his Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the Western Conference finals.

James set a personal record with 31 points in the first half of

Game 4 on Monday night, but he missed two potential tying shots in the final minute as the Denver Nuggets ended the Lakers’ season with a 113-111 victory.

T he 38-year-old James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and immense frustration after Los Angeles’ remarkable late-season surge ended with four consecutive defeats.

A lthough the top scorer in NBA history spoke about himself as part

Chope wants revenge against Paule in URCC 85

INTERIM welterweight cham -

pion Will “The Kill” Chope seeks revenge when he takes on Filipino Brian Paule in the Univer

sal Reality Combat Championship

(URCC) 85: Underdog at the DD Night Club along Tomas Morato in Quezon City on June 2.  C hope, a 32-year-old former Ultimate Fighting Championship, won three straight fights in various leagues—after he won the vacant interim URCC belt against alreadyretired Filipino Arvin Chan last December—before returning to the country to showcase his skills.

“ Since winning the URCC title, life remains the same and hasn’t changed at all,” said Chope, a three-time URCC champion—with a 41-19 win-loss record. “I still actively coach and train and fight as much as I can.”

Paule, an expert in boxing and wrestling, defeated Chope five years ago via knockout in a mixed martial arts bout in Dipolog City. And he’s very much willing to prove to anyone that victory wasn’t a fluke.

It’s my mission to get the title back for the Filipinos—a URCC title is for Filipino fighters,” said Paule, a 33-year-old fighter from Bulacan said. “I want to prove to everyone that I can beat him again.”

Paule is has an 8-1 win-loss record in MMA pro and amateur bouts.

C hope, however, said he’ll be wiser this time.

“ Fighting Brian is just another fight. It’s nice beat him because I get to avenge my loss to him in a real fight, unlike in that exhibition match in 2017,” said Chope, who is now based in Thailand.

of the Lakers next season, James also said he hasn’t made up his mind.

We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said in the final answer of his postgame news conference. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.”

James is under contract for $46.9 million next season with the

A fter the forum, Tolentino administered the oath of office of the PSA’s new set of officers headed by president Nelson Beltran of the Philippine Star. He was later joined by PSC chairman Richard “Dickie” Bachmann who congratulated the new officers.

Lakers, but he is in charge of his future after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record earlier this year. He hasn’t previously suggested much personal conflict about finishing his contract alongside Anthony Davis, and his play hasn’t significantly declined after two decades in the NBA— although his health has grown less sturdy, particularly in his balky feet and ankles.

“

It’s all about availability for me and keeping my mind sharp, and things of that nature,” James said. “Being present on the floor, being present in the locker room and bus rides and plane rides, things of that nature. It’s challenging, for sure. It was a very challenging season for me, for our ballclub, and obviously we know whatever went on early on (in the Lakers’ 2-10 start to the season). It was cool, a pretty cool ride.”

James missed a month of the regular season with a foot injury down the stretch, but he returned with a series of stellar playoff performances while the Lakers knocked off second-seeded Memphis and eliminated defending champion Golden State. That didn’t matter much to James, whose frustration broke through at several points after Game 4. “ I don’t like to say it’s a successful year, because I don’t play for anything besides winning championships at this point in my career,” James said. “You know, I don’t get a kick out of making a conference (finals) appearance. I’ve done it a lot, and it’s not fun to me to not be able to be a part of getting to the (NBA) Finals.”

LEBRON JAMES is questioning how much longer he plans to chase history after his Los Angeles Lakers are swept out of the Western Conference finals. AP

Lakers couldn’t complain; they were up against the No. 1 team in the West that was insanely bannered by a giant named Nikola Jokic, who eats triple-doubles for breakfast.

Tuesday alone, Jokic amassed 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists for his eighth triple-double in the postseason, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s 56-year-old record.

In yet another colossal performance, the 7-foot Jokic from Serbia almost endlessly dazzled the Crypton.com Arena crowd, playing as if he had a magic wand glued to his hands.

A s in his past incredible efforts to fuel a 3-0 series lead for Denver, Jokic did his thing routinely again, as in business as usual.

He would rebound.

He would assist.

He would impossibly sink threes even when he was offbalanced.

W ith the win, Denver made history by reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since it joined the NBA in 1976 following the NBA-ABA (American Basketball Association) merger.

W ith the win, the Denver Nuggets, formerly known as the Denver Rockets, have finally lined themselves up for a crack at the crown. Like Denver, the five other winless teams are Phoenix, Minnesota, Brooklyn, Memphis and the Los Angeles Clippers.

A nd with the win, the Nugget deflected the Lakers’ bid to rewrite history by becoming the first NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit and emerge champions.

The Lakers appeared to succeed, waving a 15-point, 7358 margin at the half.

I n his NBA-record 282nd career playoff game, James dropped 21 points in a dynamic first quarter in Game 4. He added 10 more in the second while playing nearly the entire half of a do-or-die game against the top-seeded Nuggets. AP

game-extending drive thwarted by Jamal Murray and partially blocked by Aaron Gordon as time was expiring. “ We won not just because of one person but because of teamwork,” Jokic said.

The giant can crack a joke, too.

DENVER did not only defeat Los Angeles Tuesday.  It also won the battle of histories.

Playing with a near-flawless endgame consistency, the Nuggets nudged out the Lakers in a pulsating 113-111 win decided only in the dying seconds of the game.

The 4-0 sweep was painful, yes, but the seventh-ranked

A nd he would impatiently bulldoze his way to the hoops, the way he did when he smashed a triple-teaming Laker defense to lay in the winning shot that shattered a 111-all deadlock en route to Denver’s series clinching 113-111 victory for the National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference crown.

B ut their guns fell ridiculously silent in a disastrous third quarter that saw the Nuggets grab a 94-89 lead, with LeBron James limited to just six points after firing 31 first-half points.

S o overpowering were the Nuggets that they unloaded a blistering 36-16 blast in the Lakers’ thirdquarter meltdown. The Lakers never led again after that, with LeBron James’

THAT’S IT Late is never late, especially when what you are about to do or say will warm the heart, lift the spirit. And so to Chot Reyes, my humble pat on his shoulders for having coached Gilas Pilipinas to a resounding success in recapturing the men’s basketball crown in the just-ended Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was not mere vindication for the often-bashed Chot, it was also—more importantly—a testament to his cunning as a master strategist, achieving the near-impossible amid formidable odds.  He didn’t have the best lineup to begin with; several of his regulars begging off for personal reasons.  And one of his mainstays, Calvin Oftana, was injured during practice and declared out of commission for the duration of the tournament.  A snappy salute to you, Chot! You made the nation, led by amateur basketball boss Al Panlilio, proud.  A million and one cheers to you, Chot!

DUTCH Guido van der Valk has trained well for battle at Villamor.

UNIVERSAL Reality Combat Championship co-owner and general manager Aleksandr Sofronov (standing, third from left) with fighters (standing, from left) Shidjiroh Delantar, Dondon “Rugbiboy” Serrano, Allen Wycoco, Jerald Villarde and John Vallega and (front, from left), Dave Morata, Gemil Clarinio, Dan Ascano, Gerado Sismondo and Paolo.

WITH Cambodia dones, Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is now focused on Hangzhou.