BusinessMirror November 17, 2021 by BusinessMirror

‘Worst fears’ of stagflation ‘likely’ over By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

S the economy reopens and prospects brighten, the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means on Tuesday said the government’s “worst fears” of stagflation are probably over. House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda said the economic managers’ growth target of 5 to 6 percent of real GDP for 2021 is “becoming increasingly attainable.” “We will not stagnate in 2022 and 2023, it looks like,” he said. Earlier, Salceda said “stagf lation”—or stagnant economic

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output amid r ising inf lation— ca n be avoided w it h qu ic k but cor rect gover nment act ions. “Second quarter GDP growth was 12 percent, immediately followed by a 7.1-percent growth in the third quarter. I am strongly convinced that, if nothing goes dramatically wrong in the final quarter, we will reach our annual growth targets for this year,” he said. Salceda also cited declining aggregate Covid-19 numbers, accelerated vaccination, and adjustments in the workplace as signs that the economy is ready to rebound.

Fight inflation

Salceda, however, cautioned that with a recovering economy,

prices tend to rise. “That could be a problem, because employment and wage recovery tend to come much later than actual growth. So in the meantime, prices will bear down on struggling families,” he said. “Recovery is starting to come. Inflation will be the next enemy,” he added. Salceda said he is confident, however, that the monetary policy tools to stave off inflation are there, but adds that supply issues might hamper the stabilization of prices. “I am confident in [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas] Governor [Benjamin] Diokno having the tools to manage matters on the monetary

side, but there is little that monetary authorities can do if the problem is on the supply side,” he said. “That is why, I appeal to the Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of Interior and Local Government to ensure that there is no congestion of ports, expressways, airports, and other conduit points for supply as demand begins to pick up,” he said. The lawmaker als suggested the creation of a Task Force Supply Chain Management, along with the Department of Trade and See “Stagflation,” A2

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‘TAX LEAKS FROM MNCs, THE RICH COST PHL $4B’ OFW REMITTANCES WILL KEEP RISING TILL YR-END By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

ILIPINO migrant workers are expected to send in more money towards the end of the year, providing more support for domestic spending and economic recovery for the remainder of the year, a local economist said. I n h i s l at e s t re s e a rc h analysis, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said overseas Filipino workers’ (OFW) remittances will continue to rise in the last three months of the year due to two things: seasonality and further normalization of the global economy from

MEMBERS of CerviQ, a social enterprise engaged in the elimination of cervical cancer in the Philippines through cancer awareness, screening, vaccination and treatment, form a teal ribbon at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. Through the initiative of CerviQ and in partnership with the Inner Wheel Clubs of the Philippines, the Philippines will participate in the commemoration of the first anniversary of the World Health Organization’s Glow Teal Global Campaign. On November 17, 2020, communities across the globe illuminated the cause, lighting over 100 landmarks in the color teal, the color for cervical cancer elimination. NONOY LACZA By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

ULTINATIONAL corporations and wealthy individuals skirting their tax responsibilities cost the Philippines some $4.15 billion in lost revenues annually, according to the 2021 State of Tax Justice Report. See “MNCs,” A2

the disruption brought about by Covid-19. “OF W re m it t a nc e s a nd conversion to pesos are e x pected to seasonally increase in the fourth quarter especially towards the Christmas season, as cons i s t e nt l y s e e n f o r m a n y years, thereby could support faster growth in consumer spending,” R icafort said. Consumer spending accounts for at least 70 percent of the economy. Ricafort said the increase in remittances would also support economic recovery prospects and will be a “major pillar” for the country’s economic recovery program. See “OFW,” A2

DOT eyes tourism bubble with Japan, 2 others

O revive the country’s pandemic-hit tourism sector, the Department of Tourism (DOT) on Tuesday said it is planning to implement international tourism bubbles with Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. During a briefing by the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) on implementing guidelines on the deescalation to Alert Level 2, Tourism Assistant Secretary Christopher Morales said the DOT is now in talks

with the IATF and other countries for possible international travel bubbles. “In terms of international travelers, while they are still not allowed [to enter the country for leisure travel] there are negotiations and coordination with IATF and other countries like Japan, South Korea and Vietnam for possible international tourism bubbles with these [Philippines] open destinations,” Morales told lawmakers.

Currently, Morales said 17 major destinations are now open for local tourists, including Baguio, Boracay, Bohol, Siargao, El Nido, Coron, parts of Cebu, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan and La Union. “[With this, we already noted] economic activities in so far as tourism industry is concerned,” he added. “But of course, we are still prioritizing the health and safety of our people. We also do acknowledge the

advice of medical experts and DOH with regard to opening up our broders to foreign travelers,” he said. Meanwhile, Morales gave assurances that all DOT accredited establishments are strictly following IATF guidelines in connection with leisure travel. “We issued advisories and guidance with our accredited establishments and inform LGUs with regard See “DOT,” A2

PESO exchange rates n US 49.9310 n japan 0.4375 n UK 67.0174 n HK 6.4109 n CHINA 7.8214 n singapore 36.8985 n australia 36.6693 n EU 56.7765 n SAUDI arabia 13.3128 Source: BSP (16 November 2021)

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Wednesday, November 17, 2021

DOT. . .

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to who are allowable tourists [based on] alert level system [currently implemented],” he added. “Also, we are pushing for 100 percent vaccination of tourism workers. So far, nationwide, we already reached 70 percent,” he added. With the implementation of the Alert Level 2 in several parts of the country, Morales also said the travel requirement for tourists is now very minimal. “Except that within the IATF resolution, we allow LGUs to also introduce some additional restrictions for the movement of minor and above 65,” he added. Earlier, Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) said creating travel bubbles within the region and within Asia Pacific countries could help revive the tourism industry. In its latest Analytical Note, AMRO said creating these regional tourism corridors or bubbles in the Asia Pacific region would help make up for the decline in Chinese tourists who used to boost tourism in the region. Domestic tourism corridors, meanwhile, can help maximize the already strong domestic tourism in Asia Pacific countries, including the Philippines where 86 percent of tourism revenues were wiped out by the pandemic. AMRO said these should be accompanied by efforts to boost vaccination and the maintenance of health and safety protocols. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

IATF’s new ‘green’ and ‘red’ lists of countries cheer, sadden OFW

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

ILIPINO workers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Japan cheered the latest pronouncement by the Philippine government putting the five countries under the “green list” category. “At long last! Saudi has been very strict in implementing Covid-19 protocols so it’s high time we are included in the green list,” Jeddahbased OFW Ronald Concha told the BusinessMirror. Concha, an OFW advocate and founder of NGO Kaagapay ng Bawat OFW, said a lot of Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are eager to come home for Christmas since many of them missed to reunite with their families last year. Filipinos who came from green list countries are allowed to skip

Stagflation. . .

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Industry, to anticipate and prevent supply congestion. “Additionally, do we have enough drivers to transport food and other goods, especially during the Christmas season? These are questions that a Task Force like that may be able to answer,” he said.

the mandatory quarantine if they have been vaccinated for at least two doses of Covid-19 jabs, and tested negative for viral test at least 72 hours before their flight. OFWs in UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Japan also welcomed the inclusion of their host countries in the green list.

1. China 2. Indonesia 3. Morocco 4. Northern Mariana Islands 5. Palau 6. Hong Kong 7. India 8. Taiwan

Just last August, OFWs in UAE, Oman, and India were prohibited from coming to the Philippines as their host countries had high cases of Covid-19. DFA Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said the Inter-Agency Task Force is following the guidelines given by the Department of Health on determining if a country falls under their color-designated listing. Meanwhile, Filipinos in The Netherlands and Faroe Islands in Denmark as well as their Dutch or Danish spouses and children are not allowed to enter the Philippines. The IATF has placed The Netherlands and Faroe Islands under a red list. Exemptions will be granted for Filipinos who will f ly via “government-initiated repatriation, nongovernment-initiated repatriation, or Bayanihan Flights.” A 14day quarantine will be required for those who will be granted exemption from the red list travel ban.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas projects annual inflation to settle at 4.3 percent for 2021. Salceda, however, warned that December inflation could be “significantly above the annual average given the sudden pickup in demand that will unlikely be met by proportional adjustment in supply. Unless we do something, of course.” “I suggest a five-point plan to ensure that inflation does not pick

up in this final month. First, we must secure and decongest ports, airports, expressways, and other thoroughfares. Second, the DA must expand efforts to facilitate markets for farmers that are expected to harvest their products this month and prevent spoilage. Third, Customs must be ready to expedite the processing of papers for imports of food. Fourth, the DTI must ramp up consumer protection and price monitoring actions. Fifth, we must lower the price of input goods such as oil,” he said.

Other OFW-populated countries included in the new green list effective Tuesday (November 16) until November 30:

OFW. . .

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“OFW remittances could improve further in the coming months that support the country’s economic recovery prospects from Covid-19, as the global economic recovery would still improve further as more countries, especially those that host large numbers of OFWs, around the world would reach herd immunity in the coming months, fundamentally entailing the creation of more job/employment opportunities for OFWs,” Ricafort said. The economist also said the further reopening of the economies worldwide would present more opportunities for growth in OFW remittances as massive vaccination of many host countries, some of which are nearing herd immunity, would allow the re-opening and greater capacity for many businesses/industries, especially the hardesthit ones such as tourism, travel, leisure, entertainment, among others since the pandemic,” Ricafort said. Overall, the higher remittance volume expected towards the end of the year will provide support to the country’s balance of payments (BOP) and gross international reserves (GIR), the economist said. “[It] would also fundamentally provide greater support or cushion for the peso exchange rate especially vs. any speculative attacks,” he added. The Philippine remittances from overseas workers have consistently been the fourth largest in the world after India, China, and Mexico. According to the latest data released by the Central Bank, cash remittances grew 5.2 percent in September this year from the same month last year, sending about $2.74 billion back to the Philippine economy during the month. The September remittance performance brought the total OFW cash remittance to the Philippines to $23.12 billion in the first nine months of the year. This is 5.6 percent larger than the $21.89 billion in the same Januaryto-September period in 2020.

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MNCs. . .

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The total cost of the tax leakage is equivalent to 99.96 percent of the country’s health budget. This could have been used for the full Covid-19 vaccination of 241.2 million Filipinos or 232.94 percent of the Philippine population, the report stated. Of the total revenue losses, some $3.93 billion are due to global “tax abuse” committed by multinational corporations and $220.4 million are attributed to global “tax evasion” committed by private individuals. “As the Covid crisis has reminded the world, tax justice is essential for our health. To overcome AIDS, overcome Covid-19, and ensure health for all, countries need secure revenue, generated progressively,” Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS and undersecretary-general of the United Nations, said in the report’s Foreword. “When unfair rules and practices prevent them from doing so, as they do right now, the consequences include preventable deaths, and a dangerous failure to beat pandemics,” she added. The data also showed that the total lost revenues due to global tax abuse in the country is equivalent to 9.4 percent of its tax revenues and $40 lost annually by every Filipino annually. Based on the report, the Philippines is the most vulnerable to illicit financial flows due to direct investments, making it even more vulnerable compared to the regional average. The report said the countries that were considered “more responsible” for the Philippines’s vulnerability to illicit financial flows are Japan, the Netherlands and the United States. “Despite commitments by OECD members on curbing global tax abuse, OECD members were found to be responsible for facilitating 78 percent of the tax losses countries suffer a year. OECD members facilitate the handing of over $378 billion a year from public purses around the world to the wealthiest multinational corporations and individuals,” the Tax Justice Network said in a statement. The Tax Justice Network explained that illicit financial flows are transfers of money from one country to another that are forbidden by law, rules or custom. By enabling money laundering and corruption and by reducing government funding available in a country, illicit financial flows damage economies, societies and the governance of countries around the globe, it said. Meanwhile, of the 10 Asean countries, Singapore had the highest leakages at $4.28 billion. However, as a percentage of GDP, it is tied with the Philippines in first place as the amount of lost revenues account for 1.3 percent of their respective GDPs. After Singapore and the Philippines, other Asean countries that saw high tax leakages were Indonesia with $2.28 billion or 0.2 percent of its GDP; Thailand, $1.67 billion or 0.4 percent of GDP; and Vietnam, $1.5 billion or 0.7 percent of GDP. “Research shows that in general, states that are more reliant on tax tend to spend higher shares of tax revenue on health; and this spending tends also to deliver better health outcomes and better health coverage,” the report stated. “The results are typically stronger in relation to progressive, direct taxes such as those on incomes, capital gains and profits, suggesting at least a positive correlation with political preferences to curtail inequality,” it added. The Tax Justice Network, which published the report together with the Global Alliance for Tax Justice and the global union federation Public Services International, said countries are losing a total of $483 billion in tax a year to global tax abuse committed by multinational corporations and wealthy individuals. Tax Justice Network said this is enough to fully vaccinate the global population against Covid-19 more than three times over. Of this amount, some $312 billion is lost to cross-border corporate tax abuse by multinational corporations and $171 billion is lost to offshore tax evasion by wealthy individuals. “The $483 billion lost to tax havens a year is the tip of the iceberg. It’s what we can see above the surface thanks to some recent progress on tax transparency, but we know there’s a lot more tax abuse below the surface costing magnitudes more in tax losses,” Tax Justice Network data scientist Miroslav Palanský said. Tax Justice Network said the $483-billion loss consists only of direct tax losses or tax losses that can be observed from analyzing data self-reported by multinational corporations and from banking data collected by governments. The report did not include indirect losses such as the chain-reaction losses that arise from tax abuses accelerating the race to the bottom and driving tax rates down globally.

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Lacson laments multi-party ‘mess’ in politics, eyes remedial legislation By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

EN. Panfilo Lacson, lamenting the “bastardized” multi-political party set up, is mulling over remedial legislation to revert to the old two-party system. Citing the prevailing multi-party set-up “confusion” hounding past elections, Lacson confirmed he is asking Congress to end it to avoid common candidates on national electoral tickets and prevent “bastardizing” party affiliations. Lacson, Partido Reporma chairman and its standard-bearer, is determined to press for the return of the two-party system, asserting it is “the overarching solution” to the country’s election woes. “There must be an overarching solution to that, and it is a strong twoparty system,” the senator stressed, noting that “over time nawala na lahat ’yan sa atin.” He noted this is also the reason common candidates cannot be avoided, adding: “that is why an overhaul of the party system is needed.” In a televised interview, the senator stressed that politicians “need to continue educating the people to banish the ‘entertainment politics’ and culture of mendicancy that sprouts during election season, especially with the 2022 national elections just six months away.” “Hindi maso-solve ng TikTok ang problema ng bansa,” he said, adding this was why “we are presenting ‘KKK’-Kakayahan, Katapatan, Katapangan—in our campaign sorties.” Lacson added that during their campaign sorties, “We do not

resort to allow pure entertainment politics, that is why I said it is very important to educate the electorate.” The senator affirmed that in following their reform agenda, Partido Reporma seeks to change the electoral system to “give Filipinos a government that will truly respond to their needs,” and not just give them handouts expected from politicians in every election season “that actually comes from their own taxes,” Lacson said. At the same time, the senator confirmed that Partido Reporma fielded three official candidates for senator—former National Police Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, former Congressman Monsour del Rosario, and Dr. Minguita Padilla—but also supports candidates under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which is led by his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Apart from NPC, Partido Reporma is also allied with the National Unity Party of former Interior Secretary Ronaldo D. Puno. Moreover, Lacson likewise clarified he was listed as guest candidate of two political parties in the 2016 elections but said the “adoption” system and the practice of fielding common candidates is not likely to end until the country’s party system is reformed. Running under the NPC lineup are Lacson and Sotto’s current colleague in the Senate, Sherwin Gatchalian, as well as former Senators Chiz Escudero and Loren Legarda, former Cabinet member Manny Piñol, and former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

DFA opens three new temporary sites for passport renewals, launches UPTS By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

ASSPORT applicants can now monitor again the status of their passport application from the same web site that they have applied online. In a tweet, the DFA said passport applicants may now check the status of their passports using “an improved and consolidated passport tracking system.” Applicants just need to log on to https://tracker.passport.gov.ph or go back to the site where they applied their passport at https://www.passport.gov.ph and then click “Track Your

Passport.” It will now be called Unified Passport Tracking System (UPTS). The DFA had earlier suspended their online tracking system as it discovered a potential data breach inadvertently exposing or compromising the personal information of passport applicants. “The Passport Tracking System and the Pending Applications Tracker can no longer be accessed and used to verify the status of passport applications,” DFA said. Under the new UPTS, applicants only need to input their application reference number of their full name to be able to get an update.

Restricting trade to hurt countries–WTO. . .

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The international body explained that promoting further trade integration and diversification both helps countries to have additional sources during domestic supply shortage and manufacturers to have more options for sourcing inputs. “Diversification across different trade routes and across different available modes of transportation also play an important role in economic resilience,” it explained, citing the current bottlenecks with shipment deliveries due to the shortage of vessels in pandemic. WTO explained that trade diversification can be further adopted given the supporting policies, citing

transparent and predictable business regulations and investment rules that can bring down costs and risks. “Lowering tariffs and other barriers to trade and improving the efficiency of trade facilitation can reduce trade costs and boost diversification,” it added. Limiting trade restrictions, in addition, can improve the quality of the product offerings, the intergovernmental organization said. “Creating policies to foster competition can spur innovation, ultimately leading to more export diversification via increases in firm productivity,” it continued.

DTI pushes devolution of some quarantine measures to LGUs By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad @TyronePiad

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pushing for the further decentralization of the decision-making process for necessary quarantine measures to local government units (LGUs). In a Congress hearing on Tuesday, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said that LGUs could have better assessment of their current situation amid the pandemic, allowing them to impose more appropriate responses. “Kasi ho, iba-iba ang sitwasyon sa bawat lugar [The situation in

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

N alleged top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in Northern Luzon was arrested on Tuesday by a joint team of policemen and soldiers in Quezon City. The arresting team made up of Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and soldiers from the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and Joint Task Force National Capital Region also bagged five other rebels during a separate operation in Bulacan. Gil Peralta alias Elmo, secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley (KR-CV), was arrested at his rented house at San Pedro Bautista Street, Barangay Maribolo, Quezon City after he was served with warrants of arrest for arson and frustrated murder, both issued by Judge Conrado T. Tabaco of Regional Trial Court Branch 09 in Aparri, Cagayan. A statement read by Philippine National Police chief General Dionardo Carlos said Peralta is among the convenors of the 2nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Philippines and holds the positions of who “Executive Committee, 1st Deputy Secretary, Finance Officer, Head of Regional Organizational Department [ROD] and Communication Department of KR-CV.” “Peralta is likewise one of the alleged brains behind the many NPA attacks in Cagayan Valley region, including the burning of DDT Construction equipment in the town of Lal-lo, Cagayan in October 2020, and attack of a CAFGU Active Auxiliary [CAA] detachment in Sto.Niño, Cagayan in July 2019,” Carlos said. “Peralta was also implicated in the ambush and murder of the former Lasam, Cagayan councilor Marjorie April Salazar and Eduardo Asuten, John Rey Cortes and Aiza Salvador Manuel,” he added. Five other leaders of the KR-CV were arrested during a simultaneous operations at Barangay San Vicente, Santa Maria, Bulacan. They were identified as Irene Agcaoili alias Ayang, the head of f inance of K R- C V wanted for murder, multiple attempted murder and robbery and with a bounty on her head amounting to P700,000; Lourdes Bulan, an alleged executive committee mem-

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retailers try to sell bananas at the cheapest possible price, according to a recent The Guardian report. Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed the country’s banana exports to Japan from January to August declined by 40.3 percent to $309.470 million from

different areas varies],” he explained. “They [LGUs] can have a better reading of the family and the community.” Lopez said that decentralization of certain quarantine measures has been observed already, citing the protocols regarding the wearing of face shields. For example, under Alert Level 4, LGUs can decide for themselves if face shields are a must. Wearing one is voluntary under Alerts 1-3, while it is mandatory for Alert 5. Still, the DTI chief said that LGUs must be guided by the overall national policy and “fine tune it” according

to their situation. Lopez said the LGUs can further establish rules on mobility, citing interzonal movements to promote tourism. In addition, the trade chief noted LGUs may also be able to craft guidelines for face-to-face classes moving forward. Meanwhile, the DTI official said he wants Covid-19 antigen testing kits be generally available in drug stores. “Down the road, I hope we can have a policy and support on individual [antigen] testing…moving to the new normal, being responsible

for one’s self,” he said. It is crucial for the public to test themselves before going out to decrease the probability of spreading the virus, Lopez pointed out. In relation to this, Lopez stressed the importance of rolling out the third dose or booster for Covid-19 jabs. Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 until November 30. Indoor dine-in and outdoor dinein services for restaurants are allowed at 50 percent and 70 percent, respectively. The same indoor and outdoor capacity is provided to gyms, cinemas and movie houses.

Cops, soldiers nab rebel leader in QC, five others in Bulacan

As costs rise, PHL exporters eye Japan banana price hike. . . Latin American banana producers have been urging retailers in Europe, US and the United Kingdom to increase their prices as a way to offset rising production costs. In the UK, Latin American banana producers said they are now suffering from a “price war” among supermarkets as

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Wednesday, November 17, 2021 A3

$518.062 million in the same period of last year. Volume wise, banana shipments to the East Asian country declined by 42 percent to 599,929.947 metric tons from 1.034 million metric tons recorded in the eight-month period of last year, based on PSA data.

ber of KR-CV wanted for murder and multiple attempted murder; Roy Dela Cruz, intelligence officer of the KR-CV; Arcadio Tangonan; and Natividad Santos. “During the service of the arrest warrant against Agcaoili, she attempted to shoot the arresting officers with a handgun, while Santos armed himself with a hand grenade. Fortunately, both were safely subdued by the arresting operatives,” Carlos said. Seized from their possession were

two .45 caliber pistols, an M-16 rifle, a 9mm pistol, three hand grenades, homemade bombs, bomb components, including blasting caps and P636,000 worth of cash. “These personalities were also identified by their members to be part of the Manila Support Group [MSG] who are engaged in facilitating and initiating extortion activities of the KR-CV here in Manila,” Carlos said. NOLCOM commander Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said

the arrest of the six high-ranking rebels by the composite term of soldiers and policemen would contribute to the government’s push to end insurgency within the term of President Duterte. “We are right on track, and we are taking the extra mile to ensure that we will further hasten the decimation of the communist terrorists in Northern Luzon to comply with the President’s directive to end the communist insurgency by the end of his term,” he said.

A4 Wednesday, November 17, 2021 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

DA imposes temporary ban on Dutch poultry imports for 2nd time this year By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

HE Philippines has slapped a temporary import ban on poultry products from the Netherlands—the second time this year—due to confirmed outbreaks of bird flu in the European country. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Memorandum Order (MO) 69, authorizing the temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products including meat, day-old chicks, eggs and semen from the Netherlands. The ban came less than three months after the previous ban on Dutch poultry products was lifted by the government. The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier banned the imports of poultry and poultry products from the Netherlands in January due to bird flu outbreaks. The DA reimposed the ban after the Netherlands confirmed an outbreak of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Zeewolde, Flevoland. The Netherlands reported its outbreak to the World Organisation for Animal

Health (OIE) last October 28. “There is a need to prevent the entry of HPAI virus to protect the health of the local poultry population,” Dar said in his order dated November 12. With the temporary import ban, the processing, evaluation and issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) for Dutch poultry products has been suspended. “All shipments IN TRANSIT/LOADED/ ACCEPTED UNTO PORT before the official communication of this Order to the Dutch authorities shall be allowed provided the products were slaughtered/produced before October 13, 2021,” MO 69 read. However, the MO stipulated that all other Dutch shipments containing poultry and poultry products that were accepted at the port of origin a day after the Philippine authorities informed Dutch authorities about the import ban are “advised not to sail.” “Shipments which have not complied with the conditions set forth in Item 3 to Item 4 shall be dealt with as per DA AO 9 S. 2010 Section VII.D,” the document read. “Impor tation of

meat products of poultry is subject to the conditions provided in Article 10.4.18, 10.4.19 and 10.4.24 of OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code [2021],” it added. Prior to the series of import bans slapped on the Netherlands, the European country accounts for about a fifth of the country’s annual poultry imports. The Netherlands is also one of the country’s major suppliers of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken, a key raw material of meat processors.  The reinstatement of the temporary import ban on Dutch poultry products is expected to cause supply concerns anew for the domestic meat-processing sector, especially that Christmas season nears. The meat processing industry has been facing supply problems this year after the entirety of Europe was technically shut down due to a series of import bans slapped by the government on European countries supplying the country with chicken MDM due to bird flu outbreaks. The supply shortage led to reduction in the volume of processed meat products in the market and ultimately resulted in price spikes across concerned products, including hotdogs.

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DOLE chief defends IATF policy on vaccination of on-site workers By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

HE Department of Labor (DOLE) defended on Monday a new government policy mandating on-site workers to undergo vaccination. At a news virtual briefing, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III explained the said measure is not illegal since it is based on management prerogative. He also noted that the measure is not discriminatory since it still provides on-site employees the option to work.

Safety precaution

UNDER Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF) Resolution 148-B, Series of 2021, unvaccinated workers in the government and private sector may still be assigned on-site provided they are regularly tested for novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The test could be done through Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) or through antigen tests. “It is necessary to require a PCR test to ensure the workplace is safe,” Bello said. Furthermore, the labor chief also said the IATF resolution bans companies from firing workers who may refuse to undergo vaccination. Employees, who will not be deployed to work in this way, Bello said, are con-

sidered “excused” and will still qualify for wages. Labor groups condemned IATF Resolution 148-B for being discriminatory and anti-labor and demanded the government to defer the implementation of the policy starting on December 1, 2021, until it could be reviewed.

Not running

BELLO also announced he had decided to forego his plans to join the senatorial race in the 2022 elections since his condition for doing so was not met: Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio running for president. Duterte-Carpio is currently running for vice president under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD). “So true to my word, I will not run for senator. Although that is not the only reason,” Bello said. Bello also said he has several other unfinished business in DOLE, including addressing the needs of workers amid the pandemic as well as leading the government group of the International Labor Organization (ILO) to “democratize” the decision-making in the labor arm of the United Nations. Bello earlier said he was eyeing to run for a senatorial slot in the 2022 polls through substitution after Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) included him in its senatorial line up.

BBM sees recovery of domestic, intl tourism as travel rules ease

EEING that the tourism sector is slowly going back to its glory days, former Senator and Presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said this is a chance for Filipinos, especially working in the sector, to recover

after being greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Marcos said almost all the sectors have suffered from the crisis brought about by the pandemic that’s why now that some tourist sites are slowly accepting fully vaccinated tourists, it means that the country is also moving its way to recovery. “This is good news for us and for our economy. I strongly believe in tourism as an instrument for economic growth and now that Ilocos Norte, Puerto Galera, Bohol, and other famous tourist spots are being lenient in their travel requirements, soon we will be able to see the boost in the local economy that later on will be a tool for the recovery of our entire nation,” he said. Ilocos Norte, Marcos’s hometown, is already receiving leisure travelers from different parts of the country. One of his achievements as governor of Ilocos Norte was making the province a major tourist destination not only for locals but also for international tourists. The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer said that aside from industry workers finally returning towork, morejobs willalsobecreated fromthisdevelopment. Marcos has earlier said that jobs are what the public need right now as millions of Filipinos remain jobless.

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

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Myanmar election body charges Suu Kyi, 15 others with poll fraud

ANGKOK—Myanmar’s state e l e c t io n c o m m i s s io n a n nounced it is prosecuting the country’s ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and 15 other senior political figures for alleged fraud in last November’s general election. The announcement was published Tuesday in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper and other official media. Allegations of widespread electoral fraud were the main reason cited by the military for its Feb. 1 seizure of power that toppled Suu Kyi’s government. Her National League for Democracy party was about to begin a second five-year term in office after its landslide victory in the polls. The army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party suffered unexpectedly heavy losses. Independent observers, such as the Asian Network for Free Elections, found no evidence of substantive irregularities in the polls, though they criticized some aspects. The action by the Union Election Commission could potentially result in Suu Kyi’s party being dissolved and unable to participate in a new election the military has promised will take place within two years of its takeover. However, the commission’s notice, dated Monday, did not specify which laws would be used to prosecute the accused. In May, the military-appointed new head of the election commission said his agency would consider dissolv-

Biden and Xi meet virtually as US-China chasm widens

ASHINGTON—President Joe Biden opened his virtual meeting with China’s Xi Jinping on Monday by saying the goal of the two world leaders should be to ensure that competition between the two superpowers “does not veer into conflict.” Xi greeted the US president as his “old friend” and echoed Biden’s cordial tone in his own opening remarks, saying, “China and the United States need to increase communication and cooperation.” While the two leaders opened their meeting with friendly waves, they were meeting at a time of mounting tensions in the US-China relationship. Biden has criticized Beijing for human rights abuses against Uyghurs in northwest China, suppression of democratic protests in Hong Kong, military aggression against the selfruled island of Taiwan and more. Xi’s deputies, meanwhile, have lashed out against the Biden White House for interfering in what they see as internal Chinese matters. “It seems to be our responsibility as the leaders of China and the United States to ensure that the competition between our countries does not veer into conflict, whether intended or unintended, rather than simple, straightforward competition,” Biden said at the start of the meeting. The two leaders know each other well, having traveled together when both were vice presidents. “I stand ready to work with you, Mr. President, to build consensus, take active steps and move China-US relations forward in a positive direction,” Xi said. The US president was joined in the Roosevelt Room for the video call by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a handful of aides. Xi, for his part, was accompanied by communist party director Ding Xuexiang and a number of advisers. The high-level diplomacy had a touch of pandemic Zoom meeting informality as the two leaders waved to each other once they saw one another on the screen, with Xi telling Biden, “It’s the first time for us to meet virtually, although it’s not as good as a face-to-face meeting.” AP

ing Suu Kyi’s former governing party for alleged involvement in electoral fraud and have its leaders charged with treason. Commission Chairman Thein Soe said an investigation had determined that the party had worked illegally with the government to give itself an advantage at the polls. After taking power, the military dismissed the members of the election commission that had certified the results of last year’s poll and appointed new ones. It also detained members of the old commission, and, according to reports in independent Myanmar

media, pressured them to state there had been election fraud. The new commission declared last year’s election’s results invalid. The new notice from the commission said Suu Kyi, former President Win Myint, other leading figures in her party and the commission’s former chairman were “involved in electoral processes, election fraud and lawless actions” related to the polls. It accused 16 people of carrying out illegal actions, including compelling local election officials to obstruct military polling booths, threatening

such officials in connection with advance voting for voters over 60 years old, forcing local officials to approve voting lists that included ineligible voters and interfering in campaigning to favor Suu Kyi’s party. Suu Kyi is already on trial or charged in about a dozen criminal cases in which a conviction would almost certainly bar her from running for office again. Several of her top political allies also have been tried or are facing charges. Suu Kyi’s supporters as well as independent rights organizations contend that the cases are

spurious and meant to discredit Suu Kyi and her party while legitimizing military rule. Dissolving Suu Kyi’s party would follow a regional trend of dissolving popular political parties seen as a threat to governments in power. Cambodia’s high court in 2017 dissolved the Cambodia National Rescue Party, the sole credible opposition force, ahead of a 2018 general election.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court in 2020 dissolved the newly formed Future Forward Party, which had won the third highest number of seats in the lower house in the 2019 general election. In both the Cambodian and Thai cases, the courts cited specific violations of the law for their rulings, but their actions were widely seen as reflecting political pressures. AP

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

3D ANALYZER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INC. 7-8/f Double Dragon Plaza, 255 Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Brgy. 076, Pasay City CHEN, QIUYUE Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaking 1.

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

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

ACCENTURE, INC. 7f, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1, Pioneer St, City Of Mandaluyong

GONZALEZ TERAN, ROXNY JOSE Tech Writing & Translation Senior Analyst 2.

Brief Job Description: Provide first line of support and resolves simple to complex technical and non-technical issues reported by the users or systems; perform service desk management function; facilitate critical incident management.

ISSAC IMMANUEL SINAGA Test Engineering Analyst

Brief Job Description: This role requires an analyst to test across various multimodal devices. The tester will use critical thinking and a keen attention to detail while testing. Below are some of the tasks a tester would need to do find bugs and apply engineering rigor to reproduce and diagnose those bugs; rite concise and descriptive bug reports and present test results to other project stakeholders clearly & effectively; conduct exploratory tests to check if the product feels native & report linguistic bugs where ui text is hard to understand

11.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in information technology; computer science, or other relevant fields; proficient in required language; excellent communication skills both written and oral.

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

13.

Brief Job Description: Interpret written or spoken marketing material into one or more other languages-mandarin, ensures meaning and context are maintained, creates glossaries or term dictionaries, possesses knowledge of multiple languages, works with individual clients and corporations.

Basic Qualification: Can speak, write, type in mandarin language. Technical skills in software as stated above.

14.

Brief Job Description: Directs strategic initiatives and ensures proper controls are in place to support profitability.

YOSHITAKE, SHIGEAKI IT And Credit Management Group Head Brief Job Description: Managing IT development, Collection, and Assessment

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable of work relating to budget and corporate planning Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 Basic Qualification: System Administrator, Chief of Money Lending Operations

SUSILA TANAKA Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management 15.

Brief Job Description: Define and develop the business strategy and service for WeChat

16.

Brief Job Description: Managing Clients; Meeting Investors To Discuss Investment Strategies

YACOMIEN TERISSA NAHUMURY Bahasa Indonesian Language-marketing Officer Brief Job Description: Create specific promotion for affiliates

ALBERTUS ADITYA PRI ASMORO PURNAMA Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management 10.

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable to WeChat platform Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BIGCAT SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 18/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue Cor. Rufino Street, Salcedo Vill., Bel-air, City Of Makati

DAVID MARULI ALEXANDER Bahasa Indonesian Language-manager Fund Management

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

SYAFRIANTI Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management

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

ALPHASQUARE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CORP. Unit 1706 17/f World Trade Exchange Bldg., 215 Juan Luna St., 027, Bgy.287, Binondo, City Of Manila ZENG, XIANGLIN Digital Marketing

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

ARIESTA APRILIA HENJAYANI Bahasa Indonesian Language-supervisor Fund Management Brief Job Description: Using statistical methods to obtain interpret and present information

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

AEON CREDIT SERVICE (PHILIPPINES) INC. Unit 301-304, 5th/f Hanston Square Bldg., # 17 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig GENDA, KAZUNOBU Corporate Planning Senior Division Head

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

MEIRANY DEWI PAAT Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management

ADVANCE BEYOND INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING, INC. 3/f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati YU, ZHAOBIN Mandarin Marketing Specialist

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

LUCYANA LUNTUNGAN Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder related to computer science (preferred). 2-4 years of experience with customer service, analytical testing, quality assurance testing, or equivalent relevant experience. Strong and effective written and oral English communication skills. A native in the locale targeted for testing with high degree of comprehension. Experience in testing, analysis, troubleshooting, and problem solving with impeccable attention to detail. Ability to multitask under pressure in an everchanging environment.

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

JULIANA OEI Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management 12.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Degree holder, fluently speak and write bahsa language

TAN CHEE WEI Mandarin Language-manager Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer need

RATANAWACHARASAK, KAMOLLAK Thai Language-officer Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer need

NGUYEN THI NGOC LIEU Vietnamese Language-officer Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer need

PHAM NGUYEN PHUONG THAO Vietnamese Language-officer Customer Service Brief Job Description: Initiate conversation to uncover customer need

HA KIM NGOC Vietnamese Language-officer Fund Management 22.

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

TA MY DINH Vietnamese Language-officer Fund Management 23.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION ANGGIE STEVANI KOLONDAM Bahasa Indonesian Language-officer Fund Management

Brief Job Description: Must ensure their funds reporting requirements are met

www.businessmirror.com.ph

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course

No.

MENNINK, CICILIA Survey Manager 25.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, management or any business Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course

DENG, JIEREN Mandarin Software Quality Assurance Analyst

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

26.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, management or any business Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder; atleast 5years of relevant experience Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder, fluently speak and write thai language

KIM, SUMIN Network System Administrator 27.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the configuration, maintenance and operation of service one’s network, servers, desktop, and storage infrastructure. Ensures that the network and all related equipment are functional to accommodate system users.

CAI, YANYAN Customer Support Representative 28.

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

CHEN, RONGBIN Customer Support Representative 29.

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

Basic Qualification: Degree holder, fluently speak and write vietnamese

CUI, XUJIA Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, management or any business Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, management or any business

30.

31.

BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. R-5008-b12/f A-place Bldg., Cbp Coral Way Drive, Brgy. 076, Pasay City

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

KIM, BOSUNG Customer Support Representative 32.

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

KIM, JONG ROK Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Proven professional experience

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

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

DENG, SHANGJUN Customer Support Representative

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

24.

Basic Qualification: you shall managing a team of mandarin staff including programmers, analysts and support specialists, evaluating the functionality of systems, consulting computer users to ascertain needs and to ensure that facilities meet user or project requirements, selecting and purchasing appropriate hardware and software, managing IT budgets, ensuring software licensing laws are followed, implementing and managing security or integrity and backup procedures, scheduling upgrades, providing user training, support, advice and feedback, testing and modifying systems to ensure that that they operate reliably managing secure network access for remote users, keeping up to date with new technology, designing maintenance procedures and putting them into operation training new staff. Ensure software packages contain no errors by analyzing development data, regularly interpret data and analysis in Mandarin.

Basic Qualification: Can speak, write, type, in Mandarin language. Technical skills in software Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

COCOPIG DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY INC. Unit F 20/f Marajo Tower, 26th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

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

CF VIP SERVICE GROUP INC. Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg., 191 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Degree holder, fluently speak and write vietnamese

Basic Qualification: University or higher professional education related to the Survey discipline

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course

Brief Job Description: Oversee the strategy for database marketing & analytics activities

Brief Job Description: you shall managing a team of mandarin staff including programmers, analysts and support specialists, evaluating the functionality of systems, consulting computer users to ascertain needs and to ensure that facilities meet user or project requirements, selecting and purchasing appropriate hardware and software, managing IT budgets, ensuring software licensing laws are followed, implementing and managing security or integrity and backup procedures, scheduling upgrades, providing user training, support, advice and feedback, testing and modifying systems to ensure that that they operate reliably managing secure network access for remote users, keeping up to date with new technology, designing maintenance procedures and putting them into operation training new staff. Ensure software packages contain no errors by analyzing development data, regularly interpret data and analysis in Mandarin.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree In Accounting, Finance And Business Management Or any Business Course

33. MC GILL, RICHARD MICHAEL Director Of Database Marketing & Analytics

Brief Job Description: The Survey Manager is responsible for directing and coordinating the survey discipline during the tender phase, preparation, execution and close out of large complex on and offshore dredging & development project.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

BZC IT SERVICES INC. 3f Salcedo One Center, 170 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

BLOOMBERRY RESORTS AND HOTELS INC. Solaire Resort And Casino, 1 Asean Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

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

LIAN, BINQIANG Customer Support Representative 34.

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

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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

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

35.

36.

37.

38.

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

HE, CHENGLONG Freight Coordinator Brief Job Description: Processes orders and oversees cycle of order fulfilment.

MA, LINFENG Freight Coordinator Brief Job Description: Processes orders and oversees cycle of order fulfilment.

ZOU, SHANGHUAN Freight Coordinator Brief Job Description: Processes orders and oversees cycle of order fulfilment.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin and at least college level with related BPO experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin and with at least 6 months experience in logistics industry.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin and with at least 6 months experience in logistics industry. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin and with at least 6 months experience in logistics industry. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

39.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

WU, WEIWEI Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 40.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

Basic Qualification: With atleast 6 months customer service experience / Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

50.

41.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

DU, WENJING Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 42.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

QIN, JIE Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 43.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customers information about product and services

GUAN, JIAN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 44.

Brief Job Description: Assist / help customers, give customers information about product and services

SUN, XUAN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 45.

Brief Job Description: Assist / help customers, give customers information about product and services

YUE, ZHENFEI Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 46.

Brief Job Description: Assist / Help customers, give customers information about product and services

TIAN, AIMIN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 47.

Brief Job Description: Assist / help customers, give customers information about product and services

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

51.

52.

53.

54.

55.

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

56.

57.

FU, LINGJIE Risk Management Surveillance Analyst - Cantonese And Mandarin Speaker 48.

Brief Job Description: Business Risk Management Surveillance operates within Asia Private Wealth Management business of a global investment bank and overseas monitors measures and analyses non market risk exposure

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

49.

Brief Job Description: Customer service

Basic Qualification: Customer service in Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

68.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales records, reconcile delivery records with suppliers monthly

CAI, XIAOLONG Marketing Specialist 69.

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

70.

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

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement, and track marketing programs such as email, social media, or digital campaigns, and events

HAN, SHASHA Marketing Specialist 71.

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

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement, and track marketing programs such as email, social media, or digital campaigns, and events

CHEN, YANPING Marketing Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

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

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

58.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

HSIAO, CHIH-HUA Mandarin Human Resource Specialist 59.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

LIANG HSIN JUNG Mandarin Human Resource Specialist 60.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

CHIANG, CHIA-CHENG Mandarin Operation Specialist 61.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

TSENG, TZU-CHUAN Mandarin Operation Specialist 62.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

WANG, YU-HSUAN Mandarin Operation Specialist 63.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on product and services of the company

ZHENG, WEI-XIANG Mandarin Operation Specialist 64.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

ZHU, HONG-MING Mandarin Operation Specialist 65.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

HSU, YING-CHIEH Mandarin Product Developer 66.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in assisting customers on products and services of the company

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement, and track marketing programs such as email, social media, or digital campaigns, and events

SUN, YAO Marketing Specialist 72.

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement, and track marketing programs such as email, social media, or digital campaigns, and events

WANG, FUGUI Marketing Specialist 73.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement, and track marketing programs such as email, social media, or digital campaigns, and events

WANG, YANG Marketing Specialist 74.

Brief Job Description: Develop, implement, and track marketing programs such as email, social media, or digital campaigns, and events

RUAN, LIN Mandarin Customer Service Representative 75.

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

76.

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

XU, YANSEN Chinese IT Support Specialist 77.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist (CITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele. TRIEU THI HOANG I.T Support Specialist

78.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele. CHU CAO THANH DAT IT Support Specialist

79.

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

Brief Job Description: The IT Support Specialist (ITSS) is an integral member of the company infrastructure, Application Support, and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele. LE DUY KHANG IT Support Specialist

80.

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

WANG, HUI-HO Mandarin Team Leader 67.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in answering questions about product and services of the company

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 1-2 years of working experience in the related field; fluent in mandarin/ basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 1-2 years of working experience in the related field; fluent in mandarin/ basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 1-2 years of working experience in the related field; fluent in mandarin/ basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 1-2 years of working experience in the related field; fluent in mandarin/ basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 1-2 years of working experience in the related field; fluent in mandarin/ basic English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, Fluent in Mandarin Language, 1 Year Experience as Mandarin Customer Service Representative, High Performance and Excellent Communication Skills , Computer Proficiency

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

ITECHNO SPECIALIST INC. 24/f Yuchengco Tower I, Rcbc Plaza, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

Brief Job Description: Provides customer service support to the organization by obtaining, analyzing and verifying the accuracy of order of information in a timely manner.

WANG, HUANYU Mandarin Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree with at least 1-2 years of working experience in the related field; fluent in mandarin/ basic English

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor, Eight West Campus Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

GOODYIELDS SERVICES INC. Unit Ug-08 Ug/f Cityland 10 Tower 2, 154 H.v. Dela Costa Cor. Valero Sts., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Mandarin and other multilingual language

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

FULL CHARGE SERVICES, INC. U 801 State Center Bldg., 333 Juan Luna St., 027, Brgy. 287, Binondo, City Of Manila

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

Brief Job Description: Organize promotions and events for company clients

ETRANSS REMITTANCE INTERNATIONAL CORP. G/f Jx Tower Block 2 Lot 17 Fuentes Cor. San Pedro Street, Aseana, Tambo, City Of Parañaque WANG, SU Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in oral and written and Mandarin and English

Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin

YANG, SHU-CHIAO Mandarin Customer Service

ELEVATE PHILIPPINES INC. 27f Fort Legend Tower, 31st Street Corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig Basic Qualification: Must be proficient in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, 2+ years of relevant working experience in the banking or project management, PC Skills: Advanced Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word: Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

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

ZHANG, WEN Mandarin Marketing Specialist

TSENG, PING-CHIEH Mandarin Customer Service

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, has previous experience in related field

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

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales records, reconcile delivery records with suppliers monthly

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION HSU, CHENG-HUNG a.k.a. HSU, HUNG-HSIEN Mandarin Technical Support

Brief Job Description: Maintain customer records by updating account information

SUNG, WAN-TING Mandarin Customer Service

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

FRONTIER POINT MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS INC. 29/f Techzone Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and written

Brief Job Description: Assisting clients by providing information on services

ZHOU, JUNQUAN Mandarin Operations Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and written

LIU, SHUAI Chinese Customer Service

LIANG, XIA Mandarin Operations Specialist

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/good in oral communication and written

Brief Job Description: Overall management of airport sec. Operations and admin duties

XIA, SHUSHENG Mandarin Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months’ customer service experience/good in oral communication and written

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

FLYING DRAGON NETWORK PHILIPPINES INC. Malate Bayview Mansion, 1781 M. Adriatico Street, 076, Brgy. 699, Malate, City Of Manila

DYNAMIC STUDIO TECHNOLOGY INC. 5th To 10th/f Platinum Tower Building, Aseana Ave. Cor. Fuentes Street, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

CHIAN TA JIAN Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

WU, WEN-CHUNG a.k.a. PASCAL WU Station Manager

Basic Qualification: With atleast 6 months customer service experience / Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

EVA AIRWAYS CORPORATION 23/f Lkg Tower, 6801 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

CRONYX INC. No. 4th-10th Flr. Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City

LAM SAM BINH Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

No.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

81.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing quality it supports of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

Basic Qualification: A Chinese and fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese writing and speaking language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak and read Cantonese, Mandarin and Fukien language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Can speak and read Cantonese, mandarin, and Fukien language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House, Magallanes St., 069, Bgy. 655, Intramuros, City Of Manila

BusinessMirror

A8 Wednesday, November 17, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION GONG, XIAORONG Strategic And Facilitation Officer

82.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its clients to generate more income for the company KHALILI, POUYA Strategic And Facilitation Officer

83.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its clients to generate more income for the company KONG, FANDI Strategic And Facilitation Officer

84.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its clients to generate more income for the company KUO, CHENG-SHUN Strategic And Facilitation Officer

85.

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its clients to generate more income for the company SHI, XIANGLIN Strategic And Facilitation Officer

86.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language

No.

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

96.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for producing information, transcribing, formatting, inputting editing, retrieving and transmitting text data and graphics from English to other language such as Hebrew, Malay & Mon-Khmer.

KIM, HA YOON Korean Translator Associate 97.

Brief Job Description: Daily Stock Market Announcements checks to identify relevant corporate events, Study documents to gather required information, Korean-English translation support.

GUO, ZHIGANG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 98.

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

JIDA COMMUNICATION (PHILIPPINES) INC. 99 Comclark Reliance Center, E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Ugong, City Of Pasig

ZHANG, YANG Chief Executive Officer 87.

Brief Job Description: Makes major corporate decisions, manages the overall operations and resources of the company. Acts as the main point of communication between the board of directors and corporate operations.

Basic Qualification: Able to communicate with their employees using concise, easy-to-understand language. Ensures that having the best information and ideas to move the company forward. Open to new ideas and methods. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

LI, NING Chinese Speaking Admin Associate 99.

88.

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Hebrew, Malay and MonKhmer Language

100.

NAKANISHI, TSUKASA Vice President 89.

Brief Job Description: Controls the direction of the Company and drives profitability of the business. Responsible in the decision of budget preparation and approval of each department in the organization.

Basic Qualification: Confidential Employee appointed by principal employer in Japan

CURRIE, DAVID JAMES Group Manager/resident Agent 90.

Brief Job Description: Responsible in managing and ensuring continuous development of the manila office and delivering all professional services in accordance with company, client, regulatory and contractual requirements.

Basic Qualification: Experience in risk management, workshare across multiple design offices, epcm operations group discipline and business development.

91.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative to manage customer queries and complaints

Basic Qualification: Must be Bachelors/ College degree in any field. At least 1-2 years of working experience in the related positions. Ability to maintain high level of confidentiality

RAVI SHANKAR Demand And Supply Planning Manager 102.

PARK, NAHEE Technical Support Specialist 92.

Brief Job Description: Skilled candidates with excellent interpersonal skills for the technical support position

IMANI, IMAN Persian Language CSR 93.

Brief Job Description: Translating and answering client queries in Persian language

103.

104.

94.

Brief Job Description: Translating and answering client queries in thai language

105.

95.

Brief Job Description: Manages the Machinery, Infrastructure & Mineral Resources Division business strategy in accordance with the direction of the headquarters in Tokyo office

GAO, YUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data bases services

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

106.

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

JIN, LIYAN Chinese Customer Service 107.

Basic Qualification: Expertise in Persian language

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

LI, LIN Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Expertise in Thai language

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

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

MITSUBISHI CORPORATION 14/f L.v. Locsin Bldg., 6752 Ayala Cor., Makati Aves., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

WATANABE, DAISUKE Division Head For Machinery, Infrastructure & Mineral Resources Division

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

GUO, JING Chinese Customer Service

108. SAELEE, WALIKA Thai Language CSR

Brief Job Description: Proactively collaborate with receiving & producing markets; lead, coordinate and control daily operations; manage and develop reports covering supply planning and production

CHEN, DINGFA Chinese Customer Service

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

MAKLOOK CORPORATION 7th/f Sun Plaza Bldg., Shaw Blvd. Cor. Princeton, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

Basic Qualification: Confidential employee appointed by the principal office in Japan Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

112.

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

MO, DONGLIN Chinese Customer Service 113.

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

SHI, LEI Chinese Customer Service 114.

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

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

SU, HU Chinese Customer Service

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

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

SUN, JIE Chinese Customer Service

115.

116.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 5 years of demand & supply planning experience, preferably within a consumer goods company

Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

TAO, YAN Chinese Customer Service 117.

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

109.

LI, SHUOWEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

LI, ZHIJIANG Chinese Customer Service 110.

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

WANG, JIAXING Chinese Customer Service 118.

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

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f, Pearl Marina Building Pacific Drive, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be Bachelors/ College degree in any field. At least 1-2 years of working experience in the related position. Ability to maintain high level of confidentiality

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/Good in oral communication and written

LIANG, XIAOMIN Chinese Customer Service

MENG, RONGJIAO Chinese Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Excellent Korean and English language skills (Preferably Korean native), Basic financial knowledge Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

NESTLE PHILIPPINES, INC. Rockwell Center 31, Plaza Drive, Poblacion, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

MAGKING SERVICES CORPORATION Unit 5d Rose Industries Bldg., #11, Pioneer Street, Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

PARK, JONGYOUNG Customer Support Representative

101.

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

LYCOPODIUM (PHILIPPINES) PTY LTD. 25th Floor High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower 1, 26th Street Corner 9th Avenue,bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

WANG, ZHENYU Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

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

LAWSON PHILIPPINES, INC. 11f Times Plaza Bldg., Un Ave. Cor. Taft Ave., 072 Bgy. 666, Ermita, City Of Manila

Brief Job Description: Assist/help customers, give customer information about product and services

LYU, HONGFEI Chinese Speaking Admin Associate

JP & L BEAUTY PRODUCTS INC. 22 The Trade And Financial Tower, 7th Ave. Cor. 32nd St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig OHAYON, YOSSI Multilingual - Product Development Specialist

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

NEO INCORPORATED North Tower Centrum Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in English, Hebrew, Malay & MonKhmer. Language

MSCI HONG KONG LIMITED U-1,2,3,4,7 & 8 29/f Zuellig Bldg., Makati Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, Urdaneta, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

111. BORSOK, AMIR Technical Communication & Marketing Consultant

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

MOVING UP SERVICES INC. 2002 2oth Floor, One Global Place, 5th Avenue, Cor. 25th Street Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese language

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

WANG, JUNQING Chinese Customer Service 119.

120.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

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

WANG, XUE Chinese Customer Service

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

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

XIAO, YANG Chinese Customer Service 121.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

122.

XU, CHAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

YANG, XINGLONG Chinese Customer Service 123.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

124.

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

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

YAO, BINBIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

YE, QIAOBO Chinese Customer Service 125.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

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

126.

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

ZHANG, SHICHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer Support and Data Bases Services

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

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

127.

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

TIONG SHZE LIN Malaysian Customer Service 128.

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

AUNG NAING Myanmari Customer Service 129.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

I GUSTI AGUNG BAGUS WIRAKUSUMA Bahasa Indonesian Language-trade Specialist 140.

130.

Brief Job Description: Provides services relating to products, promotion, website connection issues, and others visa chat, email or QQ

Brief Job Description: Ensure all price changes and delivery of events are timely and accurate

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English) Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1 year experience in the similar field, speak and write fluently (native language & English)

MUIS Bahasa Indonesian Language-trade Specialist 141.

Brief Job Description: Ensure all price changes and delivery of events are timely and accurate

WEWIN CALVIAN Bahasa Indonesian Language-trade Specialist 142.

Brief Job Description: Ensure all price changes and delivery of events are timely and accurate

PERFECTGUIDE INC. 23/f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati ZHOU, PEI Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 131.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services

ROOS, DAVID Managing Director - Philippines 132.

Brief Job Description: Responsible of Country Profit and Loss and execute strategic imperatives and partnerships for growth

Basic Qualification: With experience on Country Commercial Programs (Sales, Trade Marketing, Marketing) Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

PRANCING DESEN TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INC. Unit 1620, Burgundy Transpacific Place Taft Ave., 079, Bgy. 727, Malate, City Of Manila

133.

134.

135.

LY VINH SAN Mandarin Accounts Staff

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin

Brief Job Description: Assist in determining pricing quotes for customers

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

JIANG, PENG Mandarin Technical Support Brief Job Description: Technical support service

LI, TAO Mandarin Technical Support Brief Job Description: Technical support service

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

136.

Brief Job Description: Directly manages a team of 10 or more Analysts and Planners Identify, Prioritize and Coach all direct reports in development areas Creates strategic recommendations to improve productivity while balancing service levels and costs

143.

Basic Qualification: Skills in computer networking and hardware

Brief Job Description: Planning and execution throughout the product life cycle/ translate customer and market requirements into product requirements with the data to defend the business case for each of them.

138.

Brief Job Description: Ensure all price changes and delivery of events are timely and accurate

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business marketing and other relevant courses. Must fluently speak and write any of the following language: Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Thai to cater to foreign markets

139.

Brief Job Description: Ensure all price changes and delivery of events are timely and accurate

LIU, QIANWEN Chinese IT Support Specialist 152.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT support specialist is an integral member of the company infrastructure. Application support and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele. XU, XIAOXU Chinese It Support Specialist

153.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese IT Support Specialist is an integral member of the company infrastructure. Application support and of the IT Division and is responsible for providing quality IT support of enterprise systems throughout the Chinese clientele.

144.

Brief Job Description: In charge of APAC corporate finance function handling regional/US GAAP regulation, global taxation, audits, treasury, commercial finance, procurement, real estate.

YANG, YI Mandarin Travel Coordinator 154.

Brief Job Description: Book tickets, reserve accommodation, and organize transport arrangement ZHANG, XIAOYU Mandarin Travel Coordinator

155.

Brief Job Description: Book tickets, reserve accommodation, and organize transport arrangement

SUZUKI, TAKUMI Mechanical Supervisor 156.

157.

145.

Brief Job Description: Provide overall site leadership/management of mechanical & electrical installation.

NOVO BUJAN, MANUEL Renewable Energy Director 146.

Brief Job Description: To direct all technicalities of hydro, wind & other renewable projects & works.

Basic Qualification: Min. overall experience of 15yrs including management & supervision.

Basic Qualification: • 2+ years in supervisory experience • 1+ years previous Contact Center WFM experience • Must be highly-proficient on computers, Excellent knowledge and use of Microsoft Office (word processing, spreadsheets, and database systems). Technical and Software experience required.

WENDY ZEE SIEW CHING IT Consultant 147.

Basic Qualification: Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or similar relevant field/ In-depth knowledge of Agile methodology for product development.

Brief Job Description: Provide strategic advice on using technology to achieve goals.

ZHANG, JIANXIN IT Consultant 148.

Brief Job Description: Provide strategic advice on using technology to achieve goals.

149.

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

Brief Job Description: Project Consultant for development of new clients

NCHOTU, JOHN NJEI French Team Leader 150.

Brief Job Description: Leads and Manages a team French CSR/Sales Representative in the optimal execution of call center agent operations activities

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak Mandarin Chinese and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak Mandarin Chinese and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Supervise on-shore/off-shore equipment, site supervise on dredging & pile driving works

Basic Qualification: Well experienced in supervision in river project, experience in Japanese construction firm and proficient In both English and Japanese languages, oral and written

Brief Job Description: Managing civil and marine works under JICA STEP Loan Project

Basic Qualification: Experience in Japanese construction firm and proficient in both English and Japanese languages, oral and written Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

FAN, XIULEI Mandarin Customer Support Representative 158.

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

LEI, QIUMEI Mandarin Customer Support Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience in the managements of various renewable energy in project.

159.

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

UNIQUE INTERNATIONAL EXPORT LTD. CO. #1 Cordillera Cor. Sierra Madre, Exporter, Highway Hills, City Of Mandaluyong

Basic Qualification: At least three (3) years of working experience as it consultant; fluent in mandarin/basic english

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

SAJNANI, CHANDAN HARESHKUMAR Technical Assistant 160.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least three (3) years of working experience as it consultant; fluent in mandarin/basic english

Basic Qualification: Graduate of a Bachelor’s degree with 8 years experience

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, highly capable in handling administrative & technical support, compliance with rules & regulations & excellent in communication can understand and communicate hindi with 7 years experience in export industry

WYC FUNTRIP TRAVEL AND TOURS INC. Unit E & F Avr. Bldg., Beaterio St., 069, Bgy. 655, Intramuros, City Of Manila SUN, YU Chinese Customer Support 161.

Brief Job Description: contact potential and existing customers, answer question about the services of the company ZHENG, XIN Chinese Customer Support

162.

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

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language

Brief Job Description: Provides functional, technical process tactical leadership. Support technical staff overseeing export compliance & policy & procedures

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

TELUS INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINES, INC. Units 23/f, 31st/f - 37th/f Discovery Centre, Adb Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business marketing and other relevant courses. Must fluently speak and write any of the following language: Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Thai to cater to foreign markets

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language

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

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

TECHNUS PHILS. CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION Unit G 5/f Strata 100 Bldg., Don F. Ortigas Jr., Road Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

SHIBATA, TAKAO Technical Consultant

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

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

STA. CLARA INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION 2f, Unit 7, 8, & 9, Highway 54 Plaza Edsa Cor Stanford, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong LIVION, MICHAEL Mechanical & Electrical Installation Supervisor

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, & Fukien language

TOYO CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD. 3/f Planters Products Bldg., 109 Esteban St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Bachelor of commerce and 20+ years work experience in IT and BPO industries Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

TIME TURNER TRAVELS CORPORATION Unit 25d 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg., 191 Salcedo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

ISHII, HIDEKI Site Supervisor

Brief Job Description: contact potential and existing customers, answer question about the services of the company

Basic Qualification: college graduate, fluent in mandarin and English Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: college graduate, fluent in mandarin and english Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

YOUXUE EDUCATION CONSULTING INC. Level 10-1 One Global Place, 5th Avenue & 25th Street, Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

ZHANG, JIANPING Mandarin Speaking - Marketing Manager 163.

Brief Job Description: Identifying business development opportunities within mandarin speaking business communities.

Basic Qualification: speaks and writes fluent in English and mandarin language, excellent oral and written communication in mandarin, has a notable network of potential clients locally and internationally, notable business development and marketing skills. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

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

FREDY LIUSWANDI Bahasa Indonesian Language-trade Specialist

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SUPREME CHENGHAO MANAGEMENT OPC Level 26-a Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

SHANG SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS, INC. 11/f Pbcom Tower, Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Bel-air, City Of Makati

EGGI RIZKY PRIAGI Bahasa Indonesian Language-trade Specialist

Brief Job Description: Ensure all price changes and delivery of events are timely and accurate

ZAHEER BASHA, ZAMEER AHMED Chief Financial Officer - APAC

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

SCULPTURE HOSPITALITY SERVICES PHILIPPINES INC. 5f Phinma Plaza, 39 Plaza Drive, Rockwell Center, Poblacion, City Of Makati

137.

SITEL PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Ortigas Home Depot, Julia Vargas Ave., Ugong, City Of Pasig

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

ANSHER, DANIEL EULOGIO Product Manager

No.

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

RESULTS MANILA, INC. Silver City, Frontera Verde, Ugong, City Of Pasig

HAGEMAN, MARK ANDREW Manager, Global WFM

WILLIYANTO Bahasa Indonesian Language-trade Specialist

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

PERFETTI VAN MELLE PHILS. INC. 11/f One Global Place, 5th Ave. Cor. 25th St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months working experience / fluent in Mandarin / English

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

Basic Qualification: Good oral and written communication skills in mandarin,

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

OUTWIT, INC. 2/f Marvin Plaza, 2153 Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati MUEANGMUN, MONTHANAT Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

TIANYU TECHNOLOGY INC. 16/f Socialdesk Tower, H.v. Dela Costa St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

GAO, SHUAI Chinese IT Support Specialist 151.

*Date Generated: Nov 16, 2021 Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and Fukien language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

A10 Wednesday, November 17, 2021 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

Cold-chain project to heat up Christmas

he Philippines continues to grapple with African swine fever (ASF) more than two years after the fatal pig disease ravaged hog farms in Rizal. The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicated that the dismal performance of the agriculture sector was mainly due to the production woes of the livestock and poultry sector. Philippine farm output sank to an 11-year low despite the gains posted by the crops subsector, which usually accounts for half of agricultural production (Read, “January-September farm output sinks to 11-year low,” in the BusinessMirror, November 8, 2021). PSA data showed that of all the subsectors, the livestock subsector was the worst hit as its output contracted by nearly 20 percent. Poultry output fell by 1.3 percent, while fisheries recorded a contraction of only 0.5 percent in January to September. While ASF outbreaks have abated in recent months, its high transmissibility is keeping hog raisers and even policy-makers on edge and is putting pressure on local pork prices. With the gradual lifting of quarantine restrictions at a time when the Philippines is preparing to celebrate Christmas, demand for pork is seen shooting up, which will cause prices to further accelerate. Prices have already gone up by P20 to P40 per kilogram in recent days, prompting the government to consider the reimposition of the suggested retail price for pork (Read, “Government eyes SRP as pork prices rise again,” in the BusinessMirror, November 15, 2021). If the supply situation does not improve in the coming weeks and demand for pork continues to strengthen, prices could again touch the P400-per-kilo mark. The government can help ease the situation by immediately rolling out its cold chain project, which seeks to provide chillers to wet market vendors. This will allow them to comply with Administrative Order 6 issued by the Department of Agriculture in 2012, which outlines the guidelines on the “hygienic” handling of chilled, frozen and thawed meat in wet markets. Under AO 6, chilled meat products sold in wet markets should not be frozen and shall maintain a temperature not higher than 10 degrees Celsius, while frozen meat should be stored, held and sold at a temperature not higher than zero degrees Celsius and should be stored in a meat cold storage at less than -18°C. Meeting the requirements of AO 6 would mean investments in cold storage facilities, which would allow vendors in wet markets to sell imported pork. The national government earlier decided to subsidize the purchase of refrigeration equipment via a P45-million project, which it would implement together with select local government units. Under the cold-chain project, funds would be downloaded to the LGUs, which will purchase the chillers and reefer vans for wet markets (Read, “DA forging deals with LGUs for cold-chain project,” in the BusinessMirror, November 14, 2021). December is just around the corner and families would soon start planning their meals for the holidays. We hope that the cold-chain project would get off the ground soon, before consumers start flocking to wet markets to buy pork and other meat products for their holiday feast. High pork prices should not spoil our Noche Buena tradition as we celebrate the most wonderful time of the year amid the pandemic. Since 2005

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Contract termination and medical repatriation in compensation cases Dennis Gorecho

Pinoy Marino Rights

seafarer is entitled to compensation even if he finished his contract as long as he already had medical conditions while onboard during his employment.

The issue of repatriation due to contract termination and not on medical grounds was one of the defenses raised by the company in the case of Philippine Transmarine Carriers Inc. v. Clarito Manzano ( GR 210329 March 18 2021). While the seafarer was working aboard the vessel, he slipped and fell from an elevated height and initially landed on his right knee. Consequently, he suffered from severe pain on his right knee, the right side of his body, and his lumbar region, which prompted him to request to consult a doctor. He was brought to a hospital in New Jersey, USA where he was found to be suffering from “soft tissue injury, arthralgia, effusion.” Upon follow-up check-up, he was found to be suffering from a sprained knee. Before he was repatriated for end of contract, he also consulted a company-designated physician in Oman and was found suffering from “costochondritis and myalgia in his right shoulder.” Upon his arrival in Manila, the company-designated physician ordered for an MRl on his right upper extremity. He was found to be suffering from “supraspinatus and infraspi-

natus tendinosis; increased signal intensity in the labrum indicative of tear; moderate acromioclavicular joint hypertrophy; and had minimalfluid in his subacromial-subdeltoid bursa.” Another MRl on lumbosacral spine showed that he was suffering from “degenerative disk disease at L3-L4 and L5-Sl; mild posterior disk bulge with encroachment into the right neural canal at L3-L4.” His condition did not improve despite undergoing treatments for several months. He then opted to consult another doctor who found him suffering from “a swollen right knee with inability to squat; atrophy ofquadriceps and calf muscles; limited movement of right shoulder because of pain; limited shoulder abduction, which only reached 90 degrees; tensed and spastic paraspinal muscles; and limited trunk movement.” The employer denied liability for disability benefits on the grounds that the seafarer finished his contract and was not medically repatriated. Since one of the requirements for an illness or death to be compensable is that the seafarer suffered said illness during the effectivity of the POEA contract, it is imperative that

The Court stressed in the instant Manzano case that it is absurd to say that the seafarer, who was repatriated for end of contract but already had medical conditions while onboard during his employment, is not entitled to disability benefits while a seafarer, who was likewise repatriated for end of contract but suffered from an illness which manifested only after repatriation, is entitled to the same benefits. his condition or symptoms must be documented while he is on board the vessel. Otherwise, his claim for benefits might be denied due to failure to prove that said illness occurred while his contract is still in force. The benefits are coterminous with the existence of the contract they sign every time they are rehired and is terminated when the contract expires. The contract commences from the time when the seafarer actually departs from the Philippines, either at an airport or seaport, for employment. It shall cease when he completes his period of contractual service aboard the ship, signs-off from the ship and arrives at the point of hire. The Supreme Court downplayed the employer’s argument noting that while it is true that the seafarer was repatriated because his contract had already ended, the injuries he complained of initially manifested while on board the vessel. The Court cited the ruling in the case of Ventis Maritime Corp., et al. v. Salenga (GR 238578, June 8, 2020) where it was ruled that the seafarer

may still claim disability benefits even if his illnesses manifested or were discovered after the term of the contract. “In instances where the illness manifests itself or is discovered after the term of the seafarer’s contract, the illness may either be (1) an occupational illness listed under Section 32-A of the POEA-SEC, in which case, it is categorized as a work-related illness if it complies with the conditions stated in Section 32-A, or (2) an illness not listed as an occupational illness under Section 32-A but is reasonably linked to the work of the seafarer,” the Court said. A seafarer who was repatriated for end of contract and had no medical condition during his employment but later suffers from an illness which manifested only after the end of his employment can still be entitled to disability benefits, provided he can prove that the illness suffered is reasonably linked to the work performed on board. The Court stressed in the instant Manzano case that it is absurd to say that the seafarer, who was repatriated for end of contract but already had medical conditions while onboard during his employment, is not entitled to disability benefits while a seafarer, who was likewise repatriated for end of contract but suffered from an illness which manifested only after repatriation, is entitled to the same benefits. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez. com, or call 0917-5025808 or 09088665786.

Ice on the edge of survival: Warming is changing the Arctic

By Seth Borenstein | AP Science Writer

hile conducting research in Greenland, ice scientist Twila Moon was struck this summer by what climate change has doomed Earth to lose and what could still be saved.

The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet and is on such a knife’s edge of survival that the U.N. climate negotiations in Scotland could make the difference between ice and water at the top of the world in the same way that a couple of tenths of a degree matter around the freezing mark, scientists say. Arctic ice sheets and glaciers are shrinking, with some glaciers already gone. Permafrost, the icy soil that traps the potent greenhouse gas methane, is thawing. Wildfires have broken out in the Arctic. Siberia even hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38

degrees Celsius). Even a region called the Last Ice Area showed unexpected melting this year. In the next couple of decades, the Arctic is likely to see summers with no sea ice. As she returns regularly to Greenland, Moon, a researcher with the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, said she finds herself “mourning and grieving for the things we have lost already” because of past carbon dioxide emissions that trap heat. But the decisions we make now about how much more carbon pollution Earth emits will mean “an incredibly large difference between

An increasingly large number of studies link Arctic changes to alterations of the jet stream—the river of air that moves weather from west to east—and other weather systems. And those changes, scientists say, can contribute to more extreme weather events, such as floods, drought, the February Texas freeze, or more severe wildfires.

how much ice we keep and how much we lose and how quickly,” she said. The fate of the Arctic looms large during the climate talks in Glasgow—the farthest north the negotiations have taken place—because what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. Scientists believe the warming there is already contributing to weather calamities

elsewhere around the world. “If we end up in a seasonally sea ice-free Arctic in the summertime, that’s something human civilization has never known,” said former NASA chief scientist Waleed Abdalati, a University of Colorado environmental researcher. “That’s like taking a sledgehammer to the climate system.” What’s happening in the Arctic is a runaway effect. “Once you start melting, that kind of enhances more melt,” said University of Manitoba ice scientist Julienne Stroeve. When covered with snow and ice, the Arctic reflects sunlight and heat. But that blanket is dwindling. And as more sea ice melts in the summer, “you’re revealing really dark ocean surfaces, just like a black T-shirt,” Moon said. Like dark clothing, the See “Ice,” A11

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 A11

Position Paper on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Trade Agreement

E the undersigned representatives of farmers, fishers, workers, civil society organizations and the private sector unanimously oppose the ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement and urge the Senate to withhold its concurrence on the treaty. The RCEP agreement, including its legal text and schedule of Philippine commitments, was finalized without consulting agri-fisheries stakeholders, many of whom are directly affected by the treaty’s trade rules and concessions. Moreover, no more opportunity exists today to modify our commitments or the legal text of the agreement. We have not seen any clear and consistent basis for classifying agricultural tariff lines in the country’s schedule of tariff concessions. Joining RCEP now means that 75 percent of our 1,718 agricultural tariff lines will be set at zero. About 15 percent of tariff lines will be subjected to tariff reduction, while 9 percent will be exempted from any tariff change. A more detailed breakdown and evaluation of our obligations are necessary to ensure that no mistakes have been made, and that sufficient policy space remains to protect sensitive commodities. More worrisome are proposed RCEP rules that will significantly hamper the application and effectiveness of trade remedies. These measures, such as safeguard duties, will be the only legal recourse to address import surges and other problems engendered by freer trade under RCEP. Any form of quantitative restriction—like suspending sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import clearances during harvest periods—is strongly discouraged by RCEP and is also prohibited by our Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), although World Trade Organization (WTO) rules allow for temporary QR imposition under certain critical situations.

RCEP limits the allowable safeguard duty to the difference between a country’s applied most favored nation tariff at any point during RCEP implementation and the RCEP tariff in effect when the safeguard remedy is invoked. For example, if the applied MFN tariff for a product is 35 percent, and our tariff commitment under RCEP is down to 25 percent when an import surge occurs, we can only impose a safeguard duty not exceeding 10 percent. Hence, sensitive products like rice, corn, and some fishery and livestock products—to be exempted from any tariff reduction under RCEP—might ironically be deprived of any safeguard protection, since their tariff at any time during RCEP implementation could already equal their applied MFN tariff. This is a big departure from WTO rules, which permit the levying of any remedial duty necessary to prevent or rectify serious injury to a particular sector. Additionally, imports from least developed countries (LDCs)—such as Myanmar, Cambodia and possibly Vietnam -- cannot be subjected to safeguard duties under RCEP rules. No such exemption exists under WTO rules. We question the rosy projections on benefits from RCEP membership, and the purported losses if we stay outside the trade bloc come January 2022. We have heard such claims before, starting with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)-Uruguay Round Agreement and the various regional and bilateral trade agreements that followed. We still have to see evidence that these optimistic forecasts have materialized. Performance data instead show a continuing deterioration in our terms of trade—minimal increases in exports, no expansion beyond traditional commodities, ballooning imports, and widening trade deficits. Nor is there any indication that our prospects will improve under RCEP. We therefore deem the claims regarding benefits

Ice. . . continued from A10 open patches of sea soak up heat from the sun more readily. Between 1971 and 2019, the surface of the Arctic warmed three times faster than the rest of the world, according to the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program. The result? “The Arctic isn’t just changing in temperature,” Abdalati said. “It’s changing in state. It’s becoming a different place.” The 2015 Paris climate agreement set a goal of limiting the warming of the Earth to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures, or, failing that, keeping it under 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The world has already gotten 1.1 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer since the late 1800s. The difference between what happens at 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees can hit the Arctic harder than the rest of the world, University of Alaska Fairbanks climate scientist John Walsh, a member of the Arctic monitoring team. “We can save the Arctic, or at least preserve it in many ways, but we’re going to lose that if we go above 1.5.” The Arctic itself has blown past 2 degrees Celsius of warming, Stroeve said. It’s approaching 9 degrees Celsius (16 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming in November, she said. For John Waghiyi Jr., the Arctic is not a number or an abstraction. It’s been home for 67 years, and he and other native Bering Sea elders have watched the Arctic change because of warming. The sea ice, which allows humans and polar bears to hunt, is shrinking in the summer. “The ice is very dangerous nowadays. It’s very unpredictable,” said Waghiyi of Savoonga, Alaska. “The ice pack affects us all, spiritually, culturally and physically, as we need to have it in order to keep harvesting.” The ice is “at the core of our identity,” said Dalee Sambo Dorough, international chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, representing 165,000 people in several nations. This isn’t just a problem for people living in the Arctic. It spells trouble for regions much farther south. An increasingly large number of studies link Arctic changes to alterations of the jet stream—the river of air that moves weather from west to east—and other weather systems. And those changes, scientists say, can contribute to more extreme weather events, such as floods, drought, the February Texas freeze, or more severe wildfires. Also, the melting of ice sheets and glaciers can add considerably to rising sea levels. “The fate of places like Miami are tied very closely to the fate of the Greenland,” said David Balton, director of the US Arctic Executive Steering Committee, which coordinates US domestic regulations involving the Arctic and deals with other northern nations. “If you live in Topeka, Kansas, or if you live in California. If you live in Nigeria, your life is going to be affected.... The Arctic matters on all sorts of levels.”

from RCEP membership as overly presumptive, highly misleading and manifestly deceptive. Not content with their imbalanced and exaggerated prognostications, some RCEP advocates are warning the Senate that “we will be left behind” should we fail to join RCEP by year end, although it is uncertain that the RCEP bus will actually bring us to our desired destination. The agri-fisheries sector has generally not benefited from business opportunities arising from free trade agreements, while our competitors have increasingly dislodged us from export markets with superior and cheaper products. In turn, our entry into these trade pacts has forced us to open up our economy, even as we have failed to prepare for trade threats—resulting in import surges, price depressions, and displacement of local production. We will never gain from RCEP and similar arrangements unless we establish, fund and implement dedicated and sustained programs to boost the competitiveness and profitability of our farmers, fishers, traders, processors and exporters. It is also nonsensical to push for RCEP membership when the benefits from this “good agreement” are essentially theoretical or imagined, whereas its dangers are real and proven by previous experience. There is no urgency in joining RCEP today. We can always join later, when we have adequately understood the treaty’s ramifications and are ready to use RCEP membership to our advantage. Trade is not a race of countries to a finish line. Ultimately, trade is only a means to elevate people’s lives. Governments must thus exercise care and deliberation, so that trade agreements deliver on their promises, while minimizing harm to vulnerable sectors of society. Meanwhile, our bilateral and regional free trade agreements with all RCEP member-countries will remain

in force. We will still enjoy trade opportunities available outside RCEP. We can continue negotiating with our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners to secure additional advantages that are comparable to those contained in RCEP on the basis of equality, reciprocity, mutual benefit and national interest. In the past, the bullish predictions of free traders and their dire warnings about non-accession swayed Congress to concur with almost every trade agreement. We hope the Senate will not give the Executive another free pass, considering that the benefits of liberalized trade have generally not been realized. We therefore call upon the Senate to reject RCEP and withhold its concurrence. Let the Senators also send to the Executive a strong and unequivocal message to observe the constitutional mandate on stakeholders’ right to effective consultation and to thoroughly review the country’s commitments under RCEP, before asking the Senate to entertain further proposals on trade liberalization. Raul Q. Montemayor National Manager, Federation of Free Farmers Signed on behalf of the organizations and their representatives listed below: 1) Nicanor Briones, President, Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines, Inc. 2) Ernesto Ordonez, Chairperson, Alyansa Agrikultura 3) Rafael V. Mariano, Chairperson, Anakpawis Party-List 4) Eduardo Landayan, President, Aniban ng mga Magsasaka. Mangingisda at Manggagawa sa Agrikultura 5) Rene Cruz, National President, Aniban ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura 6) Cecile Chavez-Custodio, Chairperson, BUTIL Farmers Party 7) Romeo Royandoyan, Ex-

The horse has bolted! Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

will run…..I will not run….Oh, I will finally run. I am tired. Oh I will run for VP. Oh, Senator na lang? Like a virus, this tone of indecision has permeated the psyche of some of our political candidates. Little wonder, the nation is anxious for days on end, tied to the unfolding of events as if glued watching a teleserye.

A few days ago, presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte took her oath inside a new ship (Lakas-CMD), “abandoning” her old vessel Hugpong ng Pagbabago. And before supporters and critics can tidy up from the effects of nausea, Inday Sara astonished many by proceeding to run for vice president, withdrawing her COC for re-election as city mayor. As if this roller coaster of a ride was not enough, President Duterte hastened to the Comelec office with his unswerving ally, Senator Bong Go, to run for president instead of vice president. President Duterte himself, having earlier announced his acceptance of the party’s nomination for VP, publicly retreated citing retirement from politics as reason—only to retract and revert to his original resolve of gunning for the vice presidential post. Hot off the press, President Duterte will now gun for the Senate seat instead of competing against his very own daughter. Lest bouts of amnesia set in, we saw Senator and presidentiable Bato dela Rosa taking a step back to lay the carpet for a new presidential aspirant, fellow Senator Bong Go. In a surprise move though, General Antonio Parlade, my PMA classmate and largely known for his red-tagging role in the controversial NTF-ELCAC, is now gunning for the presidency, dropping a bomb against Senator Bong Go, to boot! He reportedly replaced Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP) presidential aspirant

Antonio Valdez. This “candidate rigodon” is unfortunately allowed under our laws, but rarely used until it was strategically utilized last 2016. However, the wavering stance of these candidates to run for what position, or not to run at all, reflects the contender’s lack of a clear roadmap for the landscape ahead. If one is not certain early on which position to take and which decision to make, especially in leading a country, then how can we expect him/her to come up with a blueprint of a plan that ought to have been studied, researched on, mulled over, many times over to almost a level of perfection? No sooner can we realize that aiming for the two highest positions in this nation is not in the vein of sweeping the streets from clutter or debris. It requires more skill and readiness than that. Thus, to be a candidate means to be possessed with a briefcase beyond brooms and dustpans, and it commences with one’s ability to be decisive. Studies show that our brains are wired for certainty. Uncertainty supposedly triggers a psychological tension in that it muddies the waters on what action should come next. With the candidates’ chronic indecision, the underlying psychological anxiety is taking their constituents for a ride. Following the words of data scientist Archy de Berker of the University College London, we take in the stress being kept in nervous suspense as the plane (flight) is repeatedly delayed, in-

ecutive Director, Centro Saka Inc. (Philippine Center for Rural Development Studies) 8) Charles R. Avila, Executive Director and Spokesperson, Confederation of Coconut Farmers Organizations of the Philippines 9) Mars Mendoza, Executive Director, Fair Trade Alliance 10) Rafael P. Sarucam, National President, Federation of Coconut Farmers and Farm Workers Associations, Inc. 11) Ramon Canastre, Jr., Chairperson, Federation of Free Farmers Cooperatives 12) Jose Sonny Matula, President, Federation of Free Workers 13) Joseph Purugganan, Head of Philippine Office, Focus on the Global South 14) Rene Ofreneo, President, Freedom from Debt Coalition 15) Arze Glipo, Executive Director, Integrated Rural Development Foundation 16) David T. Santos, Chief Executive Officer, Ka Tribu ug ang Lasang Foundation 17) Antony Marzan, Executive Director, Kaisahan tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan, Inc. 18) Romulo Tapayan, SecretaryGeneral, Kalipunan ng mga Maliliit na Magniniyog ng Pilipinas 19) Edith P. Azores, Chairperson, KAMMPIL Agricultural Cooperative 20) Trinidad Domingo, Chairperson, Katipunan ng Bagong Pilipina 21) Danny Carranza, Secretary General, Kilusan para sa Repormang Agraryo at Katarungang Panlipunan 22) Danilo H. Ramos, Chairperson, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas 23) Argel Joseph Cabatbat, Congressman, MÀGSASAKA Party-List 24) Aurea M. Teves, Convener, National Food Coalition 25) Rodolfo M. Capoquian, President, National Trade Union

stead of it being announced as cancelled. Professionals call it a mockery. I dare say it runs smack with deceit. This convulsionary ride of political candidacy operates to deceive the voting populace, if not the general constituency. It works similarly where a presidentiable refutes having had talks with a city mayor concerning national positioning when behind the curtains he was actually wooing her as his teammate. In due deference to former Senator Bongbong Marcos and Mayor Duterte-Carpio, the “offer” to run (sans naming the one who offered) was confirmed by the mayor herself in a weekend televised speech to address her supporters. Evidently, the aspirants’ hidden agenda and cataclysmic indecision almost always lead to fraud, and fraud leads to anarchy. Last Monday’s column, I wrote that my friend DDD and I were swayed by the enticing pledges of a then-candidate to run after China on the matter of the Spratlys issue, only to be disappointed when such mark of audacity turned into a spawn of vacillation. Having experienced how it is to be on the receiving end of deceitful indecision, coupled with an absence of a viable roadmap for the terrain ahead, it behooves all voters to be much wiser this time around and not believe what their social-media feeds tell them. I admire how fact checkers and soon-to-be launched Movement Against Disinformation (MAD) are spending time and resources to help voters evaluate their choices. Without so much of diffidence, I can say that another key lesson we should learn by now is to shut the stable doors before the horse could even bolt. Meaning, if we intend to avert any damage, be it individually or collectively, we should take early steps in the field of caution and prevention, otherwise it may be too late as the “problem” of a horse has already been let loose, wreaking havoc in its path. Let us not be persuaded by the contenders’ sugary yet poisonous mouths. Hounded by lies and uncertainties, be it in politics or otherwise,

Center-Philippines 26) Ruth Novales, Vice President, Nestle Philippines 27) Pablo Rosales, President, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Mangingisda 28) Manuel Rosario, SecretaryGeneral, Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Samahan sa Kanayunan 29) Herminio Agsaluna. President, Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka 30) Luz M. Bador, President, Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan 31) Eduardo Mora, Chairperson, Pambansang Kaisahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Pilipinas 32) Aurea Miclat-Teves, President, People’s Development Institute 33) Alvira C. Reyes, President, Philippine Coffee Alliance, Inc. 34) Roger Navarro, President, Philippine Maize Federation 35) Marlon Palomo, Executive Director, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement 36) Joji Co, President, Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations 37) Rolando Tambago, President, Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines, Inc. 38) Hazel Tanchuling, Executive Director, Rice Watch Action Network 39) Rosendo So (President)/ Jayson Cainglet (Executive Director), Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura 40) Josua Mata, Secretary-General, Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa 41) Mario Descallar (President)/ Jesus las Marias (Chief, Media Relations), SRI Pilipinas 42) Dinna Umengan, Executive Director, Tambuyog Development Center 43) Ana Maria Nemenzo, CoConvenor, Trade Justice Pilipinas 44) Elias Jose M. Inciong, President, United Broiler Raisers Association

we must stand firm in our faith. As believers of Jesus, we stand guard and seek God’s wisdom in every aspect of our lives, especially as to our choices these coming elections. We stand our ground whenever we continually spend time in the presence of our Heavenly Father and pray for courage to do His Will. In Ephesians 6:10-11, we are commanded in this wise: “Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Standing guard means standing firm to biblical truths, never compromising with the world in its attempts at twisting the Scriptures to suit our lifestyles. The Church can help, without violating the often-misused doctrine of separation of Church and State, by encouraging its flock towards the values of love, patience, and sacrifice when it comes to choosing government leaders. God’s wisdom is intrinsically necessitated in next year’s important undertaking as a voting public. God’s wisdom is a Biblical truth that we should all seek! God’s wisdom also serves as a yardstick through which our candidates’ character is authenticated and their promises can be validated. The stable doors, with the help of Comelec’s rules on substitution, remained open allowing some horses to bolt out of the gates, a day too late, yet again. As believers and as Filipinos, we should implore the aid of Almighty God and take the necessary steps like those done by MAD and fact-checkers to insure that the right horse reaches the finish line first! A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spiritfilled writer with a mission. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

A12 Wednesday, November 17, 2021

As costs rise, PHL exporters eye Japan banana price hike By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

ILIPINO banana exporters are proposing that the government initiate talks with Japanese retailers to increase their prices to offset rising production costs and keep profit margins of local growers healthy. In a letter to Philippine Agricultural Attache to Japan Jose I. C. Laquian, the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) sought the government’s support in requesting for higher prices for Philippine bananas sold in the Japanese market. The move, the PBGEA argued, would help the local banana industry cope with many challenges it faces today, including disease

outbreaks and rising production costs, among others. “To be able to continue to offer a product with high-quality standards that is compliant [with] market requirements, the Philippine banana industry is therefore seeking the support of the Philippine Government through the embassy in requesting the markets of Philippine banana in Japan to adopt a higher pricing policy in

retail stores and supermarkets to offset the spiraling inflationary costs,” the group said in its letter, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror. “This will greatly help to ensure the future subsistence of this vital industry for the Philippines,” the group added. Citing Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications data, the PBGEA noted that the purchasing price of bananas in the East Asian country for the past seven years has remained flat at about $2.36 per kilogram while production costs have constantly risen in recent years. “Production costs have increased substantially over the last seven years with this year being the most substantial, but market prices have not,” the group told the BusinessMirror. Aside from disease outbreaks, the group said it is now facing Covid-19 pandemic-related problems such as rising freight costs and stiffer competition from Latin Ameri-

can as well as Southeast Asian banana producers in key Philippine banana markets. The PBGEA said it has seen an “unprecedented” increase in key inputs such as fertilizers by 100 percent; kraft paper, used for boxes, by 53 percent; plastics by 65 percent; and maritime freight by more than 100 percent due to the global shortage of containers. Some of the initiatives proposed by the PBGEA include the possibi lit y of a gover nmentto-government talks about the matter and d iscussions w ith relevant industry associations, which include Japan Retailers Association, Japan Chain Stores Association, Japan Supermarkets Association and National Supermarket Associations. “Please be informed that our Latin America competitors have already taken the same initiatives to ensure the sustainability of the banana industry in their countries,” it said.

RESTRICTING TRADE TO HURT COUNTRIES–WTO By Tyrone Jasper C. Piad

@Tyronepiad

EERING away from trade integration, re-shoring production and boosting self-sufficiency may not essentially translate to economic resilience, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said. In its World Trade Report 2021, the intergovernmental organization said that reducing trade and promoting national self-sufficiency can hurt the economies in the long term as these will lead to price increases of goods and services. In addition, such moves are seen to limit their access to products, components and technologies. “While national supply chains can reduce exposure to risks emanating from other countries, they increase domestic vulnerability to supply cut-offs and demand shocks resulting from domestic disasters,” it explained. After all, the WTO said economic self-sufficiency is an “illusory goal.”

For example, it noted that modern production of technology requires inputs from different countries. The same is for food production, which depends on imports of fertilizers and farm machinery, among others. “Export restrictions adopted to secure national supplies in response to a crisis can often lead to trade retaliation from other countries, as well as dwindling imports and escalating conflicts, leaving all those concerned less well-equipped to cope with and recover from the shock that motivated the trade restrictions in the first place,” WTO said. These restrictions may adversely affect investment in essential goods in the long run, WTO said, noting that lower price increases during heightened demand may discourage the producers. What the countries should strive for instead is trade diversification to boost cooperation and reduce macroeconomic volatility, the WTO said. Continued on A3

Continued on A3

Private schools ready for pilot face-to-face classes on Nov. 22 By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Correspondent

OLLOWING the “very successful” pilot run of the faceto-face classes in 97 public schools on November 15, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said that 20 private schools are also set to conduct the in-person learning on November 22. “[It’s] very successful [because we had] 100 pilot schools, [then] 97 [went] full blast....three deferred,” Briones said, responding to the question of the BusinessMirror in an online press briefing on the assessment of the pilot implementation of the face-to-face classes. Briones said three schools in Zambales postponed the pilot run after some teachers tested positive from Covid-19 in the antigen test. However, Briones said these schools may conduct the pilot run today (November 17) after confirmatory tests yielded negative results. Briones added, “all our planning, calculations, preparations paid off.” Another indicator of the success of the pilot implementation, she noted, is the fact that President Duterte is now allowing the Department of Health (DOH) and the DepEd to do the evaluation and to expand by using the same standards. She expressed hope that by next year, the face-to-face classes will be fully implemented.

Private schools

DIRECTOR Jocelyn Andaya of the Bureau of Curriculum Development said that 79 private schools nationwide submitted to the Regional Offices (ROs) their expression of intent to participate in the pilot run. Andaya said each region was requested to nominate a maximum of three private schools. Thirty-three private schools were nominated by 12 ROs to the DepEd Central Office and were checked by the Private Education Office (PEO). “No private schools were nominated in Region II, Cordillera Administrative Region and Region IV-B due to their alert level classification. No private schools were recommended by Region IV-A based on their assessment of applications,” she said. She noted that those not selected for pilot run will be considered in

the expansion phase. PEO prioritized the nominated private schools for inclusion in the 20 schools for pilot run based on these criteria: 1. Located in a different area of the region from the participating public schools (e.g. if the public school is in a rural part, prioritize a private school in an urban part of the region); 2. Those with a different program offering from the participating public schools e.g if the participating public schools are K-3, prioritize the private school offering Senior High School Technical-VocationalLivelihood (SHS TVL) 3. Prioritize private schools: ■ that can accommodate more classes/sections ■ that are walking distance from the learners’ and school personnel’s homes ■ with more fully-vaccinated school personnel ■ that cater to learners with special needs, Indigenous People, etc. ■ SHS TVL that participate in the SHS Voucher Program

Financially geared up

The DepEd, meanwile, said that participating public schools are financially geared up for the pilot face-to-face implementation. Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla reported that with the 100 public schools already identified and finalized, the Department has released financial guidelines to field offices in support of the operationalization of the pilot stage. “[We have issued] guidelines to release the P100,000 to serve as initial funding support to schools with the list we have downloaded last week; the allotment covers P 100,000 per school and also included here is the cash equivalent,” Sevilla noted. Sevilla said the DepEd-DOH Joint Memorandum Circular necessitates the financial guidance on the issuance’s key elements such as Safe Operations, Teaching and Learning, Including the Most Marginalized, and Ensuring wellbeing and protection. In addition, Sevilla DepEd is on standby for possible adjustments and support, including the contingency of a participating school being forced to close due to a Covid-19 surge in their locality.

Demo teaching features life story of Fortune Life founder

ORTUNE Life Insurance Co., Inc., in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Marylindbert International, held the Virtual Teaching Orientation and Demonstration (TOD) on November 5, 2021, with more than 500 participants nationwide. Of the total number of participants, 100 were on Zoom while 400 were at shared venues. TOD and Life Coaching are both part of the Value of Hard Work and Discipline

Comprehensive School Program for school year 2021 to 2022. Fortune Life expressed its gratitude to DepEd for more than three decades of harmonious relationship, and for their support and trust in the Values Advocacy Program. The company will continue its Life Coaching and Financial Literacy Webinars to enlighten educators on the importance of being financially prepared against unforeseen circumstances.

The program was highlighted by the Virtual Demo Teaching featuring the life story of Fortune Life founder, Amb. Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, as presented by Rachel Villegas to Grade 4 pupils of P. Gomez Elementary School, Division of Manila. Inspired by the story of a shoeshine boy who became a business magnate, the students enthusiastically expressed their learnings and realizations that hard work, com-

bined with discipline, is the key to success. PRC Board member and K to 12 Consultant Paraluman R. Giron, LPT, EdD, acted as the pre-and-post conference moderator who evaluated each step taken by Villegas in her demo teaching. Paraluman explained that teachers must rethink and navigate the Covid-19 crisis, re-conceptualize their teaching methods, and respond to the learners’ future needs and demads.

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Globe, ST Telemedia eye data center JV

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

lobe Telecom Inc. is in advanced discussions with Singapore-based ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) to form a joint venture (JV) that will enable the Ayala-led firm to create a top-tier data center business in the Philippines. The two companies signed an exclusivity agreement, which allows them to discuss further “the carve-out of Globe’s data center business in the Philippines.” The transaction, Globe said, will take

the form of a joint venture, with Globe expected to remain a significant shareholder. “Our potential joint venture with STT GDC will therefore be a significant multi-year growth

driver for Globe and will further drive our transformation into a digital platform, this time into B2B space, after the success of B2C with GCash,” said Globe President Ernest Cu. Globe, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Innove Communications, Inc., has been operating data centers since 2001. Globe data centers offer world-class data, network, telecommunication and IT services ranging from carrierneutral colocation space, managed security, mission-critical applications and cloud solutions. Globe data center facilities have midterm expansion potential of up to 45 megawatts (MW) from the current 30MW. There are six commercial data centers nationwide and these are mostly Tier-3 aligned.

Globe said the possible partnership with STT GDC is the next important step that will accelerate Globe’s data center growth strategy and market share position in the Philippines. “The Philippines is strategically positioned to capture the booming global demand for data centers. Our strong track record and extensive customer reach, together with STT GDC’s deep operational expertise, position us well to be a leading data center company in the Philippines,” added Cu. Globe said it would inform the stock exchange if and when discussions will lead to definitive transactions. STT GDC is one of the fastestgrowing data center providers. With a global platform of data cen-

ters in the world’s major business markets of over 140 facilities across Singapore, UK, India, China, Thailand, South Korea, Indonesia and Japan, STT GDC offers a full suite of best-in-class, highly scalable and flexible data center solutions, connectivity and support services that best meet customers’ current and future colocation needs. In October, Globe said it is looking at expanding its data centers and capitalizing on their high growth potential to serve more enterprises in the Philippines. Peter Maquera, SVP for Globe Business, Enterprise Group, said there are three main developments that are driving demand for data centers—increasing data traffic and consumption, the demand for edge computing, and the possibil-

ity of the Philippines becoming a regional hub for cloud providers due to its strategic location. “The data center is one of the foundations of digital infrastructure that enables the Internet to happen. This is a high growth, high potential area, and it’s something we’re very committed to. It is an important infrastructure that the Philippines needs to provide as it becomes digitalized,” he said. Maquera said the Philippines continues to be the earliest adopter of digital, and it spends the most time on the Internet than any country in the region. As a result, total data traffic per capita grows by 55 percent to 60 percent a year and is expected to reach 40,903 petabytes (PB) by 2025 from 473 PB in 2015.

‘PHL needs energy transition group’ AgriNurture triples income in Jan-Sept F A

IRST Gen Power Corp. has proposed the creation of a group that will address the country’s challenges during the transition to clean energy. “While we share the belief that LNG [liquefied natural gas] is the best transition fuel in achieving 100 percent RE [renewable energy], it does not come without challenges, especially in the Philippines. We must find a way to value gas for some time and increase its capability for back-up rather than continuous supply. And this means having a regulatory framework that supports making plans to have enough fuel in stock for when it is needed,” said First Gen Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Russell during the 26thConference of the Electricity Power Supply Industry. “Perhaps a multi-sectoral and cross-functional team from government, private sector and financial

sector can be formed to champion this transition.” The multi-sectoral group that Russell envisions will address challenges that include coal retirement; the restructuring of the local energybased power market; and the adoption of policy and market mechanisms that encourage storage and allow long-term purchase commitments of LNG. Russell stressed that LNG will play a crucial role in accelerating the phase-out of coal-fired power plants and in fighting adverse climate change, but this process will require close collaboration with the government and other industry stakeholders to assure the country’s smooth clean energy transition and avoid energy market volatility. He said RE from intermittent sources, such as solar and wind, has a number of limitations that will hinder a full and immediate energy transition. Baseload RE, like geother-

mal is limited, site-specific, and, as such, has its own technical limitations to deal with. Gas-fired plants can respond quickly and reliably when variable renewable sources are not available, according to Russell. “First Gen is, therefore, pioneering the development of [an LNG] terminal that will introduce reliable, flexible, and cost-competitive LNG to the Philippines.” First Gen owns and operates the country’s biggest fleet of power plants that run on natural gas, the cleanest form of fossil fuel that emits just a fraction of the carbon dioxide or CO2 of coal-fired power plants. First Gen’s portfolio of power plants also runs on geothermal, wind, hydro and solar, which are all RE. “For the country to truly benefit from LNG at the most competitive prices, while being protected from wild spot price swings, we need to

be able to contract medium and longterm supply with LNG suppliers. And such contracts can be negotiated if LNG users, such as the gas-fired power plants, have predictable volumes of projected consumption over the mid-term, say 5 years, or the longterm, say 10 to 15 years, under their own offtake agreements with utilities and other customers. “Otherwise, LNG would need to be contracted on a short-term basis, which would mean that competitive prices and availability of LNG at times when it is needed cannot be assured,” he said. Russell also stressed that LNG’s role in the transition period will be temporary. “It should be used only for so long as it performs a positive role in displacing coal and supporting renewables,” he said. “In due course gas or LNG must also be decarbonized or phased down, and the option to utilize green hydrogen remains a possibility.” Lenie Lectura

‘Property hunters keen on houses’ PSE income R up 43% T

he Philippine Stock Exc ha nge Inc. (PSE), t he operator of the country’s equities market, said its income in January to September rose 43 percent to P541.53 million from last year’s P376.84 million on higher operating revenues. Listing-related fees, tradingrelated fees and service fees all posted gains during the period, boosting PSE’s operating revenues to P1.1 billion, up by 24 percent from last year’s P889.41 million. Total expenses went up by 11 percent to P514.8 million from last year’s P463.37 million. “Capital requirement for postpandemic business activ ities spurred listing activity this year. We actually expect a few more public offerings in the last few weeks of the year,” PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said. Capital raised from the sale of primary and secondary shares was at P161.41 billion for the nine months. Fund-raising activities during the period included four initial public offerings, three follow-on offerings, three stock rights offerings and six private placements. Daily average turnover was at P8.43 billion as of end-September with foreign funds as net sellers at P86.77 billion. VG Cabuag

esidential houses attracted the largest share of leads out of all other property types throughout the year, and had also sustained the highest quarter-onquarter growth as of the second quarter, according to real estate buyand-sell online platform Lamudi. In Metro Manila, the top viewed cities were mostly central business districts, the company said, while the most viewed cities in Luzon were regional hubs in Baguio, Angeles in Pampanga and cities close to the

fringes of the metro. The cities in the highly urbanized Cebu attracted the most views in Visayas in the second quarter, while Davao City and Cagayan de Oro continue to be the most searched cities in Mindanao, along with the vacation spots Samal Island and General Luna. “The leading overseas sources of pageviews in Southeast Asia remained consistent, with Singapore and Kuala Lumpur taking the lead. In North America, the top seekers have fluctuated between Los Angeles

and Toronto in the same period,” the company said. “London and Copenhagen were consistently part of the top five property seekers from Europe from second quarter of 2020 to second quarter of 2021, while Dubai, Doha and Riyadh continued to be the three largest sources of pageviews from the Middle East.” The Mega Manila subway, which is already being constructed, is beginning to make an impact on the property along its path. VG Cabuag

By VG Cabuag @villygc

griNurture Inc. (ANI), the listed agro-commercial company of businessman Antonio Tiu, said its income in January to September tripled to P1.2 billion from P389.73 million a year ago. ANI said it recognized fair value gain on the valuation of an investment property amounting to P955.92 million. The company said it generated consolidated sales of goods and services of P3.62 billion for the period, up 21 percent over last year’s P3 billion. Philippine operations contributed 47 percent while sales from foreign operations accounted for 53 percent of consolidated sales. The group’s export sales fell 20 percent to P1.19 billion. “The sales decreased due to the international logistics constraints and mobility restrictions brought about by the global Covid-19 pandemic,” the company said. Local distribution sales during the nine-month period more than doubled to P490.79 million from P223.52 million last year. “Sales increase significantly due

to high demand of rice and fresh produce especially during enhanced community quarantine period. Further, to improve the operations the group launched its own e-commerce platform through its ANI Express website and mobile application where customers can order fresh produce, canned beverages, rice and other essential goods for delivery to customers,” it said. Despite the increase in raw material and logistic costs, recurring operating profit rose 57 percent to P70.6 million in the third quarter from P45 million a year ago, mainly due to savings from continuous general and administrative expenses. The company said it is launching new products, including the plantbased meat under brand name Fit Bites, non-dairy coconut ice cream products, Big Chill’s healthy drinks and Tully’s Coffee in cans for local and export distribution which is expected to trigger high growth next year. ANI exports local fruits and vegetables to the Asia Pacific region, Europe, and North America. The company also has commercial activities in China, Hong Kong, and Australia with gross revenues of close to $100 million in 2020 despite the pandemic.

QC govt ties up with Smart

URC chalks up top awards in Vietnam, Thailand

niversal Robina Corp.’s (URC) subsidiaries in Vietnam and Thailand have both clinched top awards that continue to enhance the reputation of their brands and image in both key markets. In Vietnam, URC was named among the country’s top 10 most prestigious beverage companies in the non-alcoholic category for a second year in a row. Presented by Vietnam Report and Vietnamnet—Ministry of Information and Communication, this award was evaluated based several criteria that include financial capacity, media reputation and targeted audience survey. “We are very thankful and honored to receive this recognition from both experts and consumers,” said Jai Gamboa, URC Vietnam’s General Manager. “This is a testament to all our efforts to continuously improve the sustainability of our business operations.” URC has been in Vietnam since 2003. It now owns advanced production lines in five factories in Binh Du-

Quezon City Hall facade. Photo from www.quezoncity.gov.ph

Universal Robina Corp.'s (URC) Fun-O brand remains as the most admired biscuit in Thailand according to the BrandAge Magazine. Receiving this recognition are URC Thailand representatives (L-R) Rattanawadee Wangphitak (Marketing Executive), Porntip Leelalertwong (Marketing Manager), Jane Bernardo (Marketing Director), Auttawit Prueksasri (Brand Manager) and Vipa Vanlopnusorn (Brand Manager). Contributed Photo

ong, Quang Ngai and Hanoi. URC was one of Vietnam’s top sustainable businesses for 2020. Earlier this year, it’s C2 brand was listed as among Top 3 fastest-growing brands in urban Vietnam, according to the Vietnam Brand Footprint by Kantar Worldpanel. It remains as the leading ready-to-drink tea brand in Vietnam. Fun-O meanwhile, continues to be the most loved biscuit in Thailand,

with the brand being recognized by BrandAge magazine as not just the market leader, but also the most admired. “Fun-O has shown that URC Thailand is capable of adapting to changes by coming up with new, innovative and campaigns that continuously delight consumers,” said Jane Bernardo, marketing director of URC Thailand.

mart Communications Inc. (Smart) has partnered with the local government of Quezon City to develop a unified identification card for its citizens to streamline government processes, prevent fraud, and deliver better social services to its residents. Under the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), Smart will provide over 2.2 million Quezon City constituents in 142 barangays free Smart SIMs with load allocation. The mobile numbers from their new Prepaid SIMs will then be recorded on their QCitizen ID registration form and will be activated on the Smart Infocast platform. Powered by Smart, the Smart Infocast system is a web-based text broadcasting solution that will allow the local government of Quezon City to disseminate important announce-

ments, updates, and advisories to its citizens by means of text messaging. Users with numbers registered to the database will also be informed of relief distribution schedules, obtain QCitizen ID perks, and enjoy special treats from Smart. “On behalf of Smart, I express my deepest gratitude for allowing us to partner with your local government and play a catalytic role in the digital transformation of your city. To us, this is not just a business opportunity but a civic duty. In this time of pandemic, we are positive that this QCitizen ID project will further expedite the delivery of much-needed benefits and relief assistance to all Quezon City constituents. It is an honor to be part of it,” said Smart President and CEO Alfredo Panlilio in a statement. Lenie Lectura

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Companies BusinessMirror

Megaworld to infuse prime properties into REIT arm

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

roperty developer Megaworld Corp. said it is infusing its four Grade A properties in Iloilo Business Park and Mckinley Hill in Taguig into its real estate investment trust (REIT) unit by next month. The company said Mreit Inc. will acquire Two Techno Place, Three Techno Place and One Global Center, which are located in Iloilo Business Park; as well as World Finance Plaza in McKinley Hill in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig. The four prime office properties have a combined gross leasable area (GLA) of 55,700 square meters and have an average occupancy rate of 99 percent. The company will

acquire these properties through new borrowings to further enhance returns as Mreit currently has no bank debt on its balance sheet. Once completed, the infusion will increase Mreit’s portfolio by a quarter to 280,131 square meters from 224,431 square meters. “We remain steadfast in our vision of making Mreit one of the largest office REITs not only in the Philippines, but in the South-

east Asian region as well, and this acquisition is but the first step to realizing the significant growth potential of the company. We look to close the deal by December of this year and expect that these assets will start to contribute revenues to Mreit starting January 2022,” Mreit President and CEO Kevin Andrew L. Tan said. The company earlier said it will infuse around 100,000 square meters of additional office GLA equivalent to about 45 percent of the company’s total portfolio, before the end of 2022. This transaction represents the first wave of acquisitions to meet this target. Even during the pandemic, demand for office space in Iloilo Business Park and McKinley Hill remained high, particularly from business process outsourcing locators. “The quality of growth is also important to us. That is why we are very deliberate in choosing which

properties to acquire. This way, we not only ensure the sustainability of our income generation, but also provide a clear path towards capital appreciation,” Tan said. Last week, the company reported that its income in January to September grew 6 percent to P8.6 billion from last year’s P8.1 billion. It said consolidated revenues for the period rose 10 percent to P36.9 billion from last year’s P33.4 billion. For the quarter ending September, the company said its income rose 46 percent to P3.3 billion from P2.2 billion last year. Consolidated revenues during the quarter rose by half to P14.5 billion from last year’s P9.6 billion, the company said. Real estate sales doubled during the quarter to P9.6 billion from last year’s P4.7 billion, mainly due to the expansion in construction activities.

2Go to boost supply chain efficiency mutual funds

November 16, 2021

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he business arm of 2GO Group Inc., which is now part of the SM Group, aims to boost its supply chain efficiency to support the country’s commerce and trade as the local economy further reopens. 2GO Sea Solutions said its rollon, roll-off passenger vessels guarantee same-day sailing schedules, while the company expanded its freight services in Visayas and Mindanao to ensure the flow of essential goods in the regions amid the pandemic. “During the pandemic, we pivoted our operations to ensure reliable sailing schedules despite restrictions. By revamping our routes and schedules, we have instituted additional reliability and voyage frequency in our freight operations through day-definite departures. We are now in a strong position to offer speed for faster lead times to allow our customers to improve supply chains, lower inventory costs, and increase market responsiveness,” said Dan Fernan, 2GO vice president and head of Sea Solutions. Fast-moving consumer goods and essential supplies, such as food, pharmaceutical products and liquids are transported from Manila to Visayas and Mindanao four times a week via major freight hubs in Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod and Cagayan de Oro, the company said. The company said it is solidifying its foothold in the central and

southern regions as it has expanded its port coverage to include Tagbilaran City in Bohol with weekly services, and with additional frequencies to Davao and General Santos which were doubled from twice a month to weekly calls via Iloilo. “Our customers have access to the fastest less-container-load service in the market for chilled and frozen cargoes, and also to our newest solutions like 2GO CabinCargo and 2GO Connect,” Fernan said. This year, two new vessels were introduced in the fleet, M.V. 2GO Maligaya and M.V. 2GO Masagana. The company now has nine vessels sailing to 16 ports of call. In September, 2GO announced that it will spend P150 million to implement new technologies that are geared towards meeting future customer demands. 2GO COO Waldo C. Basilla said the investment in digital technologies and automation solutions will help the company adapt to the new normal. It will also help boost the group’s competitiveness in the long run. He said 2GO is investing in automated sorting machines to be deployed in its hubs, which now process over 140,000 parcels per day, as demand for e-commerce continues to increase. The company also invested in innovative transport management systems, which modernized 2GO’s destination mapping and vehicle routing to increase efficiencies. VG Cabuag

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ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a

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ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2697

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

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PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a

3.7589

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Philam Fund, Inc. -a

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Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.6456 3.37%

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Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d 0.9423

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-0.73%

Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d 0.9349

1.97% n.a. n.a.

0.19%

Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a

8.56%

0.9472

1.79%

1.09%

6.7%

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

$0.03791

-3.27%

2.99%

1.59%

-3.04%

PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b

$1.081

-1.36%

5.06%

4.12%

-4.34%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.8495 13.05%

11.69%

9.48%

7.46%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.2252 5.27%

6.59%

5.05%

1.91%

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

372.42

0.75%

2.87%

2.52%

0.35%

ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.9209

1.33%

1.23%

0.39%

1.08%

Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a

3.2421

1.08%

3.14%

4.03%

0.83%

Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a

2.2358

-2.32%

1.73%

1.6%

-2.72%

First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.4155 -1.15%

3.12%

1.77%

-1.54%

Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a

-5.45%

4.33%

1.69%

-5.72%

1.314 n.a.

3.77%

2.56%

-0.55%

Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a

4.3653

Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a

3.9492

-0.29%

4.41%

2.64%

-1.3%

Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a

1.0123

-2.21%

4.74%

1.98%

-2.99%

Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.162

-0.62%

4.79%

3.62%

-1.38%

-1.4%

4.04%

2.94%

-2.22%

Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a

1.716

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

$488.45

1.5%

3.04%

2.44%

0.92%

ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a

Є219.99

0.8%

1.08%

0.94%

0.35%

ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2001

-4.37%

2.27%

1.71%

-6.23%

First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.026 -1.89%

1.59%

1.03%

-2.26%

PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -b

$1.0207

-6.22%

-0.07%

-0.72%

-6.36%

Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a

$2.4924

-0.89%

5.31%

2.83%

-1.87%

Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a

$0.0624252

0.75%

3.14%

2.02%

0.2%

Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1617 -1.65%

3.27%

1.74%

-1.92%

2.54%

0.86%

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

130.93

1.14%

2.88%

First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.0565 0.96% n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.3132

1.52%

2.66%

2.54%

0.8% 1.26%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0599

0.83%

1.5% n.a.

0.6%

Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a,d 1.3743

28.72% n.a. n.a. 21.66%

Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund Inc. -a,d

$0.98

2.08% n.a. n.a.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 16, 2021

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

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK PHILTRUST RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH VANTAGE

400 18,000 2,139,230 271,502,401 2,054,020 186,981,053.50 113,600 2,861,295 1,037,200 10,296,290 2,209,890 112,001,410.50 540,000 4,644,000 162,200 3,342,965 7,370 416,405 90 9,397 32,200 666,290 710,640 86,209,348 270,800 25,431,885.50 1,475,000 2,713,460 85,000 341,130 25,000 14,750 9,000 30,290 140,000 42,000 100,000 65,260 810 178,984 25,000 21,000

-26,748,799 15,787,558.50 -1,000,690 7,956,737 -25,505,895.50 4,601,000 265,085 416,405 -49,200 -21,670,903 -13,650 -380,150 148,000 -57,484 -

INDUSTRIAL AC ENERGY 12.04 12.08 12 12.12 11.92 12.08 39,183,200 472,047,418 1.1 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.09 1.14 143,000 158,130 ALSONS CONS 31.35 31.4 31.05 31.4 30.85 31.4 1,455,400 45,298,785 ABOITIZ POWER 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.69 0.66 0.67 13,228,000 8,931,710 BASIC ENERGY 30.25 30.3 30.35 30.9 30.3 30.3 308,800 9,382,305 FIRST GEN 73.6 74.5 75.5 75.5 73.5 73.6 59,710 4,395,935.50 FIRST PHIL HLDG 298.6 298.8 297.8 298.6 297.2 298.6 179,490 53,512,378 MERALCO 24.05 24.15 24.85 24.85 24.05 24.05 1,470,100 35,559,995 MANILA WATER 3.51 3.53 3.46 3.56 3.38 3.53 2,206,000 7,674,880 PETRON PETROENERGY 4.29 4.35 4.35 4.35 4.35 4.35 30,000 130,500 10.9 11.24 11.2 11.24 11.2 11.24 26,000 292,200 PHX PETROLEUM 22.95 23.05 22.75 23.05 22.5 23.05 282,000 6,473,390 PILIPINAS SHELL SPC POWER 13.88 13.9 13.88 13.9 13.86 13.9 40,800 566,146 4.15 4.35 4.4 4.44 4.1 4.35 386,000 1,627,070 AGRINURTURE AXELUM 2.74 2.76 2.73 2.77 2.72 2.76 184,000 503,620 13.74 14.3 13.74 13.74 13.74 13.74 600 8,244 CNTRL AZUCARERA 25.55 25.65 25.95 26 25.5 25.65 1,964,100 50,440,600 CENTURY FOOD 14.7 14.76 14.48 14.76 14.44 14.7 47,800 693,800 DEL MONTE 8.56 8.57 8.65 8.66 8.5 8.56 3,272,400 27,961,958 DNL INDUS 18.18 18.36 18.16 18.36 18.08 18.36 2,176,100 39,820,788 EMPERADOR 75.05 75.5 76 76 75.05 75.05 177,660 13,389,896.50 SMC FOODANDBEV 0.59 0.6 0.59 0.59 0.59 0.59 33,000 19,470 ALLIANCE SELECT 1.26 1.28 1.28 1.31 1.26 1.26 9,108,000 11,658,490 FRUITAS HLDG 102.5 102.9 105 106 102.5 102.5 50,070 5,165,277 GINEBRA 245.2 245.4 249.6 249.8 243.2 245.2 642,380 157,745,448 JOLLIBEE 28 28.75 28 28 28 28 3,300 92,400 LIBERTY FLOUR MAXS GROUP 6.98 7 7.21 7.21 6.86 7 786,200 5,497,960 MG HLDG 0.17 0.173 0.173 0.173 0.17 0.17 1,410,000 240,770 17.64 17.66 17.48 17.76 17.4 17.64 48,287,500 848,705,994 MONDE NISSIN SHAKEYS PIZZA 8.44 8.45 8.42 8.45 8.35 8.45 310,900 2,611,752 ROXAS AND CO 0.74 0.75 0.71 0.76 0.71 0.75 10,041,000 7,307,390 RFM CORP 4.51 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.5 4.5 12,000 54,720 1.26 1.32 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.26 10,000 12,600 ROXAS HLDG 0.115 0.117 0.12 0.12 0.117 0.117 3,070,000 360,800 SWIFT FOODS 132.4 132.6 132.3 133.8 132.1 132.4 1,267,330 167,823,744 UNIV ROBINA 0.76 0.77 0.78 0.79 0.76 0.76 567,000 435,460 VITARICH 1.2 1.21 1.21 1.22 1.2 1.2 1,373,000 1,655,270 CEMEX HLDG 14.22 14.5 14.24 14.58 14.2 14.22 106,600 1,527,984 EAGLE CEMENT 6.52 6.58 6.64 6.64 6.5 6.52 419,000 2,753,184 EEI CORP 5.74 5.75 5.81 5.81 5.74 5.75 581,700 3,357,939 HOLCIM 6.11 6.14 6.01 6.14 6.01 6.14 491,500 2,990,776 MEGAWIDE 15.36 15.38 15.36 15.36 15.22 15.36 419,700 6,389,738 PHINMA TKC METALS 0.86 0.9 0.86 0.86 0.86 0.86 30,000 25,800 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.14 1.15 1,988,000 2,291,550 VULCAN INDL CROWN ASIA 1.73 1.74 1.74 1.74 1.73 1.73 59,000 102,310 EUROMED 1.55 1.57 1.57 1.57 1.54 1.57 600,000 930,210 PRYCE CORP 5.67 5.74 5.7 5.74 5.67 5.74 132,200 753,428 CONCEPCION 22 22.7 22 22 22 22 16,500 363,000 2.45 2.48 2.51 2.55 2.43 2.48 5,468,000 13,562,390 GREENERGY INTEGRATED MICR 8.9 8.94 8.71 8.96 8.71 8.94 831,600 7,386,639 IONICS 0.81 0.85 0.81 0.81 0.81 0.81 20,000 16,200 5.75 6.03 6.04 6.04 5.75 6.03 3,600 21,589 PANASONIC 1.1 1.13 1.14 1.14 1.1 1.11 161,000 178,650 SFA SEMICON 4.25 4.26 4.3 4.3 4.21 4.25 1,240,000 5,254,240 CIRTEK HLDG

176,043,678 19,282,780 -279,750.00 413,365 -1,696,666.50 -956,002 -21,928,965 1,170,340 2,806,020 13,140 -9,636,725 -10,392,003 5,037,466 -2,630,951.50 442,030 -22,451 -29,121,284 -696,596 -28,233,434 -2,074,950 -460,100 -26,310,262 780 -87,140 65,600 -806,125 -152,033 -66,590.00 41,760 7,750 -5,700 3,270,480.00 3,222,312 -401,850

ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FJ PRINCE A FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MJC INVESTMENTS METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES

-7,932,080.00 5,520 26,304,545 13,952,914.50 -24,957,752 519,757 18,400 -68,250 2,603,094 12,306,256 36,040,480 76,400 22,591,536.50 16,409,368 18,869,180 -228,747,214 34,270,695 -6,266,976 -

HOLDING & FRIMS

44.05 127.1 91 25.2 9.8 50.65 8.5 20.65 56.5 100.1 20.7 121.2 95 1.81 4 0.6 3.3 0.3 0.65 219.8 0.84

1.13 5.38 881 50.05 11.18 5.68 7.35 0.95 0.475 0.455 5.37 7.69 7.8 2.46 0.27 584.5 3.67 60.6 0.63 3.11 10.2 1.1 4.04 3.18 1.36 2.75 1.15 15.9 995 115.9 0.65

45 127.2 91.05 25.25 9.82 50.8 8.6 20.7 57.7 109.8 20.9 122 95.05 1.86 4.04 0.63 3.44 0.32 0.7 220 0.89

1.14 5.87 890 51 11.2 5.7 7.36 0.96 0.5 0.54 5.39 7.7 8.03 2.6 0.28 587 3.86 60.7 0.64 3.18 10.3 1.2 4.05 3.25 1.41 2.94 1.19 15.92 998 116 0.73

45 127.4 91.8 25.3 9.98 51 8.6 20.55 56.5 109.8 20.2 122.5 91 1.79 4.03 0.59 3.27 0.3 0.66 221 0.84

1.11 5.52 881 50.65 11.16 5.81 7.36 0.95 0.49 0.455 5.45 7.6 7.83 2.6 0.27 582 3.82 60 0.66 3.1 10.28 1.1 4.04 3.25 1.38 2.94 1.19 16.1 990 118.6 0.65

45 128 91.8 25.3 9.98 51.5 8.6 20.7 56.5 109.8 21 122.7 95.1 1.88 4.05 0.59 3.45 0.3 0.66 223 0.84

1.15 5.52 890 51 11.34 5.85 7.38 0.97 0.5 0.455 5.48 7.77 7.83 2.6 0.27 588 3.82 60.7 0.66 3.11 10.36 1.2 4.09 3.25 1.43 2.94 1.19 16.5 998 118.6 0.65

45 125.8 90.3 25 9.78 50.35 8.6 20.5 56.5 100.1 20.2 120.3 90.45 1.79 4 0.59 3.27 0.3 0.65 219.6 0.84

1.1 5.52 879.5 49.35 11.12 5.68 7.35 0.95 0.475 0.455 5.37 7.59 7.83 2.46 0.27 580 3.82 59.6 0.63 3.1 10.12 1.1 4 3.25 1.36 2.9 1.15 15.6 982.5 114.7 0.65

45 127.2 91.05 25.25 9.8 50.65 8.6 20.7 56.5 100.1 20.9 122 95 1.81 4 0.59 3.45 0.3 0.65 220 0.84

1.13 5.52 890 51 11.2 5.68 7.36 0.96 0.5 0.455 5.37 7.7 7.83 2.46 0.27 587 3.82 60.7 0.63 3.11 10.2 1.2 4.05 3.25 1.42 2.9 1.15 15.92 998 116 0.65

21,320,000 12,500 224,220 1,445,980 6,135,900 2,870,700 31,400 693,000 370,000 150,000 1,334,600 9,865,200 6,000 15,000 20,000 121,760 20,000 1,403,160 228,000 12,000 4,362,000 3,000 15,662,000 7,000 212,000 47,000 123,000 72,131,200 198,880 202,550 12,000

24,331,710 69,000 198,146,470 72,471,479 69,121,868 16,558,504 231,292 664,820 178,500 68,250 7,202,464 75,561,998 46,980 38,610 5,400 71,289,750 76,400 84,685,106.50 146,220 37,220 44,750,230 3,400 63,296,990 22,750 296,190 136,380 142,170 1,158,328,360 197,940,265 23,448,780 7,800

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.63 0.65 0.67 0.67 0.63 0.63 302,000 190,600 36.25 36.3 37 37 36.1 36.3 10,307,600 375,387,565 AYALA LAND 1.03 1.05 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.03 103,000 106,090 ARANETA PROP 46.55 47.1 45.6 48.4 45.6 47.1 1,693,000 79,205,500 AREIT RT 1.38 1.4 1.37 1.4 1.37 1.38 72,000 99,260 BELLE CORP 0.82 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.82 0.84 236,000 197,300 A BROWN 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.78 0.77 0.78 233,000 181,530 CITYLAND DEVT 0.105 0.106 0.106 0.108 0.105 0.106 4,510,000 478,130 CROWN EQUITIES 6.4 6.68 6.42 6.42 6.42 6.42 20,000 128,400 CEBU HLDG CEB LANDMASTERS 2.9 2.91 2.93 2.93 2.9 2.91 686,000 1,991,230 CENTURY PROP 0.435 0.44 0.445 0.445 0.435 0.44 9,970,000 4,365,500 DOUBLEDRAGON 9.99 10 10 10.1 9.97 9.99 297,100 2,968,889 DDMP RT 1.8 1.81 1.81 1.82 1.79 1.81 7,975,000 14,382,310 DM WENCESLAO 6.9 6.98 6.98 6.98 6.9 6.98 166,100 1,154,133 0.275 0.28 0.27 0.28 0.27 0.28 1,070,000 289,500 EMPIRE EAST 0.32 0.325 0.32 0.335 0.32 0.325 8,170,000 2,658,500 EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST RT 7.71 7.73 7.7 7.75 7.69 7.73 3,378,800 26,106,440 1.12 1.13 1.13 1.14 1.12 1.13 2,581,000 2,917,100 FILINVEST LAND 0.88 0.9 0.89 0.9 0.88 0.88 1,867,000 1,645,260 GLOBAL ESTATE 10.42 10.44 10.2 10.58 10.1 10.42 480,600 4,955,236 8990 HLDG 1.19 1.2 1.22 1.23 1.19 1.21 1,672,000 2,040,850 PHIL INFRADEV 3.06 3.49 3.49 3.49 3.49 3.49 1,000 3,490 KEPPEL PROP 0.92 0.93 0.92 0.92 0.9 0.91 103,000 93,120 CITY AND LAND 3.32 3.34 3.33 3.43 3.32 3.32 42,604,000 144,140,660 MEGAWORLD 0.285 0.29 0.285 0.29 0.285 0.29 5,710,000 1,634,300 MRC ALLIED MREIT RT 18.28 18.3 18.3 18.34 18.26 18.3 1,756,100 32,145,848 PHIL ESTATES 0.47 0.475 0.48 0.48 0.465 0.47 3,980,000 1,862,400 PRIMEX CORP 1.74 1.75 1.73 1.74 1.72 1.74 32,000 55,320 RL COMM RT 7.3 7.32 7.2 7.37 7.19 7.32 6,371,200 46,422,081 ROBINSONS LAND 19.36 19.4 19.2 19.46 19.2 19.36 4,285,400 82,901,040 PHIL REALTY 0.221 0.229 0.229 0.229 0.226 0.226 80,000 18,200 1.53 1.54 1.53 1.54 1.53 1.54 27,000 41,520 ROCKWELL SHANG PROP 2.6 2.62 2.61 2.62 2.61 2.62 210,000 548,180 STA LUCIA LAND 2.91 3 2.98 3.02 2.98 3 193,000 578,970 35.95 36.4 36.1 36.4 35.6 36.4 21,434,200 770,173,755 SM PRIME HLDG 3.78 3.92 3.96 3.96 3.76 3.92 12,000 46,200 VISTAMALLS 1.4 1.42 1.4 1.42 1.38 1.42 489,000 683,790 SUNTRUST HOME 3.76 3.77 3.76 3.78 3.7 3.76 2,684,000 10,049,330 VISTA LAND SERVICES ABS CBN 13.8 13.84 13.74 13.88 13.74 13.8 112,900 1,555,812 14.64 14.66 14.72 14.94 14.52 14.64 1,452,900 21,276,766 GMA NETWORK 0.405 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 20,000 8,400 MANILA BULLETIN 8.7 9.5 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 500 4,350 MLA BRDCASTING 3,450 3,460 3,380 3,470 3,380 3,460 58,100 199,887,340 GLOBE TELECOM 1,747 1,750 1,700 1,750 1,690 1,750 384,260 665,441,185 PLDT 0.072 0.073 0.076 0.077 0.072 0.073 294,170,000 21,687,500 APOLLO GLOBAL 35.7 35.75 36 36.4 35.65 35.7 14,033,500 501,969,780 CONVERGE 3.1 3.18 3.18 3.2 3.08 3.18 49,000 154,400 DFNN INC DITO CME HLDG 5.95 5.97 6.02 6.03 5.81 5.95 17,696,100 104,280,496 IMPERIAL 1.42 1.5 1.42 1.42 1.42 1.42 5,000 7,100 1.69 1.7 1.78 1.78 1.66 1.7 5,010,000 8,519,850 NOW CORP TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.335 0.34 0.345 0.345 0.33 0.335 12,910,000 4,308,850 PHILWEB 2.16 2.2 2.21 2.21 2.12 2.2 269,000 574,280 7.8 7.9 7.9 8 7.9 7.9 10,300 81,717 2GO GROUP 14 14.3 14.4 14.4 14.3 14.3 900 12,910 ASIAN TERMINALS 1.92 1.93 1.93 1.94 1.93 1.93 485,000 938,760 CHELSEA 48.45 48.5 48.5 49 48 48.5 411,200 20,014,530 CEBU AIR 194.8 195 190 195.5 188.6 195 1,162,100 224,354,270 INTL CONTAINER 21.5 22 22.5 22.5 22 22 2,600 57,250 LBC EXPRESS 6.22 6.23 6.12 6.4 6.11 6.22 2,423,100 15,138,144 MACROASIA 1.5 1.54 1.5 1.51 1.5 1.5 356,000 535,050 METROALLIANCE A 1.51 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 2,000 3,200 METROALLIANCE B 1 1.03 1 1.03 1 1.03 243,000 244,740 HARBOR STAR 1.42 1.47 1.47 1.47 1.47 1.47 10,000 14,700 ACESITE HOTEL 2.14 2.17 2.25 2.25 2.12 2.17 190,000 410,950 DISCOVERY WORLD WATERFRONT 0.49 0.5 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.49 250,000 122,500 6.91 7.35 7.35 7.35 7.35 7.35 2,500 18,375 IPEOPLE 0.35 0.36 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.35 710,000 248,500 STI HLDG BERJAYA 6.21 6.39 6.55 6.55 6.2 6.39 44,900 285,526 BLOOMBERRY 7.53 7.55 7.62 7.7 7.4 7.53 3,891,400 29,377,982 PACIFIC ONLINE 2 2.08 2 2 2 2 23,000 46,000 1.54 1.58 1.54 1.54 1.5 1.54 220,000 337,410 LEISURE AND RES MANILA JOCKEY 1.79 2.03 1.79 1.79 1.79 1.79 4,000 7,160 0.88 0.89 0.97 0.97 0.88 0.89 3,882,000 3,581,920 PH RESORTS GRP 0.46 0.465 0.465 0.47 0.46 0.46 530,000 245,650 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.81 0.82 0.8 0.84 0.8 0.82 190,188,000 156,792,820 ALLDAY 9.34 9.41 9.85 9.85 9.21 9.34 959,300 9,105,473 ALLHOME 1.35 1.36 1.33 1.36 1.32 1.36 1,053,000 1,404,420 METRO RETAIL 41.85 41.9 42.5 42.5 41.7 41.9 1,254,900 52,560,985 PUREGOLD 66 66.1 66 66.35 65.15 66.1 194,070 12,795,708 ROBINSONS RTL 91.1 91.5 91.5 91.5 91.5 91.5 2,190 200,385 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 1.25 1.27 1.27 1.28 1.22 1.27 4,008,000 5,025,450 WILCON DEPOT 28.7 28.85 29.85 29.95 28.65 28.7 5,210,000 150,734,580 APC GROUP 0.24 0.247 0.24 0.247 0.24 0.247 1,580,000 380,610 EASYCALL 4.25 4.65 4.65 4.65 4.6 4.6 5,000 23,100 480 540 530 540 530 540 740 399,380 GOLDEN MV IPM HLDG 6.95 7 7 7 7 7 9,000 63,000 0.6 0.61 0.61 0.63 0.58 0.6 18,900,000 11,288,260 PRMIERE HORIZON SBS PHIL CORP 3.97 4.05 3.97 4.05 3.97 4.05 9,000 36,370 MINING & OIL ATOK 6 6.1 6.2 6.2 6 6.1 91,300 548,865 1.42 1.45 1.41 1.45 1.41 1.45 1,061,000 1,516,920 APEX MINING 6.78 6.8 6.71 6.87 6.7 6.8 1,069,800 7,236,413 ATLAS MINING 6.17 6.33 6.15 6.39 6.15 6.33 156,200 969,697 BENGUET A 5.87 6.19 5.77 6 5.77 5.87 307,000 1,802,330 BENGUET B 0.275 0.29 0.28 0.28 0.275 0.275 410,000 113,600 COAL ASIA HLDG 2.56 2.68 2.68 2.68 2.68 2.68 4,000 10,720 CENTURY PEAK 5.12 5.25 5.25 5.25 5.12 5.12 10,700 55,265 DIZON MINES FERRONICKEL 2.08 2.09 2.08 2.09 2.06 2.08 2,702,000 5,594,280 GEOGRACE 0.213 0.224 0.214 0.214 0.213 0.213 20,000 4,270 0.131 0.133 0.13 0.133 0.13 0.133 5,580,000 737,040 LEPANTO A 0.134 0.137 0.138 0.138 0.137 0.137 180,000 24,830 LEPANTO B 0.0092 0.0093 0.0092 0.0092 0.0092 0.0092 10,000,000 92,000 MANILA MINING A 1.03 1.04 1.01 1.05 1.01 1.04 393,000 408,580 MARCVENTURES NIHAO 1.01 1.05 1.02 1.02 1.02 1.02 15,000 15,300 5.25 5.27 5.32 5.39 5.2 5.25 6,340,800 33,406,758 NICKEL ASIA 0.78 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.78 0.8 175,000 137,380 ORNTL PENINSULA 5.03 5.04 4.99 5.09 4.99 5.03 428,000 2,152,440 PX MINING 22.3 22.4 21.15 22.7 21.1 22.4 2,432,600 53,884,405 SEMIRARA MINING 0.0062 0.0065 0.0063 0.0063 0.0062 0.0062 3,000,000 18,700 UNITED PARAGON 19.24 19.4 19.98 19.98 19.14 19.4 334,800 6,500,428 ACE ENEXOR 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.011 0.01 0.01 30,000,000 308,000 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 15,100,000 166,100 ORNTL PETROL B 0.0091 0.0094 0.0092 0.0092 0.0091 0.0092 58,000,000 530,500 PHILODRILL 6.17 6.24 6.22 6.25 6.1 6.17 859,200 5,278,777 PXP ENERGY PREFFERED AC PREF B1 520 526.5 525 525 525 525 180 94,500 48 48.3 47.95 48.3 47.95 48.3 16,700 805,020 CEB PREF 100.7 100.8 100.8 100.8 100.8 100.8 420 42,336 DD PREF 1,014 1,019 1,014 1,014 1,014 1,014 10 10,140 GTCAP PREF A 1,030 1,050 1,040 1,040 1,040 1,040 895 930,800 GTCAP PREF B 1,010 1,020 1,010 1,010 1,010 1,010 10 10,100 JFC PREF A 1,033 1,040 1,030 1,033 1,030 1,033 1,150 1,187,350 JFC PREF B 98 100.3 100.4 100.4 100.4 100.4 30,000 3,012,000 MWIDE PREF 2A 99.85 102 102 102 102 102 140 14,280 MWIDE PREF 2B MWIDE PREF 4 100.3 100.7 100.6 100.6 100.2 100.6 20,000 2,007,120 104.6 104.9 104.6 104.9 104.6 104.9 1,210 126,578 PNX PREF 3B 1,005 1,006 1,005 1,005 1,004 1,005 9,225 9,271,025 PNX PREF 4 1,103 1,125 1,103 1,103 1,103 1,103 100 110,300 PCOR PREF 3A 79.3 79.6 79.3 79.3 79.3 79.3 230,000 18,239,000 SMC PREF 2F 76.05 76.8 76.05 76.05 76.05 76.05 1,000 76,050 SMC PREF 2H 79.3 79.5 79.25 79.25 79.25 79.25 22,000 1,743,500 SMC PREF 2I 76.4 77 76.4 76.5 76.4 76.5 10,500 802,250 SMC PREF 2J 76 76.1 76 76 76 76 3,770 286,520 SMC PREF 2K PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR 13.5 13.96 13.6 13.6 13.5 13.5 10,600 143,490 13.62 13.8 13.8 14.18 13.62 13.62 42,800 585,838 GMA HLDG PDR WARRANTS TECH WARRANT 1.06 1.07 1.06 1.1 1.04 1.07 1,471,000 1,543,740

650 -69,461,495 1,030 27,091,775 -10,920 -26,190 -57,250 13,958 -183,740 -130,100 6,260,850 969,230 543,054 270,600 -23,194,700 -16,929,822 -9,350 -10,360 10,347,702 20,241,046 -7,650 2,620 509,370,125 15,100 1,546,190 76,400,550 278,885,310 297,990 -8,160,930 -16,090 -2,525,540.00 7,150 6,000.00 459,540 100,328,746 702,455.00 2,140 154,000 -38,990 15,258,478 187,400 -10,500 4,650 4,038,410 1,584,031 166,720 -25,749,015 -1,834,709 -200,385 99,700 -38,586,490 16,800 -107,980 -2,908,830 -127,810 1,114,900 -1,802,330 -1,413,690.00 -240 -6,770,961 -1,026,080 8,746,310.00 -26,928 9,200 336,334 535,735 - 50,320 1,418

0% SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. d - in Net Asset Value per Unit (NAVPU).

17.96 1.71 3.7 3.17

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the

ALTUS PROP ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH MERRYMART

newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

FIRST METRO ETF

111.5

1 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last July 8, 2021 (formerly, Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc.).

18 1.73 3.75 3.18

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

112.5

17.9 1.7 3.7 3.19

17.96 1.73 3.75 3.27

17.88 1.7 3.7 3.16

17.96 1.73 3.75 3.18

89,800 306,000 16,000 5,189,000

1,608,060 523,270 59,350 16,560,070

-39,820

-2,867,360

112 112 111.5 111.8 26,970 3,016,835 -188,827

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance

Treasury raises ₧113.55B from retail-bonds auction

HE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) was able to raise last Tuesday an initial P113.55 billion from its latest offering of 5.5year Retail Treasury Bonds (RTBs). The amount was an upsize from the P30-billion offering as the ratesetting auction for the government’s 26th RTB offering was met with robust demand from investors. The auction ended up more than five-times oversubscribed with total tenders hitting P165.03 billion. National Treasurer Rosalia V. De Leon attributed strong investor appetite to expectations that rates will go up following the US Federal (Fed) Reserve’s announcement that it would begin tapering its massive bond-buying program. “RTB attracted strong demand with tucked in premium over secondaries in consideration of larger volume and expectation of rates climbing up as era of loose monetary policies comes to a close starting with Fed taper announcement,” De Leon told reporters after the auction. The tenor fetched an interest rate of 4.625 percent per annum. The latest RTB offering, which is set to mature on June 2, 2027, is made available to retail investors in minimum denominations of P5,000. Apart from aiming to attract new investors, the BTr is allowing previous bondholders to swap their fixed

rate treasury notes (FXTN-10-54 and 5-74) with the new bond offering. The public offer period is set to last until November 26. De Leon said they do not have a target volume to be raised for this RTB offering. The Treasurer said the proceeds from the issuance of these RTBs will be used for “budget funding.” Interested investors may purchase RTBs through over-the-counter placements, BTr’s online ordering facility and through mobile applications, such as Bonds.PH or the “Overseas Filipino Mobile Banking” app. The national government has been issuing RTBs since 2001 as part of its efforts to support financial inclusion and literacy among Filipinos. Generally considered low-risk investment instruments, RTBs allow investors to earn a fixed interest based on prevailing market rates that are paid quarterly during the term of the bond. The joint lead issue managers for the 26th RTB offering are Development Bank of the Philippines and LandBank of the Philippines. The joint issue managers are: BDO Capital & Investment Corp.; BPI Capital Corp.; China Bank Capital Corp.; First Metro Investment Corp.; PNB Capital and Investment Corp.; and, UnionBank of the Philippines. Bernadette D. Nicolas

Spotlight on the 15th CFO of the Year

ODAY, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and ING Bank N.V.’s Manila Branch will jointly present the 15th ING Finex CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of the Year Award at the New World Hotel in Makati City. This year’s winner shall be revealed during the monthly general membership meeting of Finex that will be live streamed via Zoom and Facebook. Our keynote speaker is First Pacific Holdings Ltd. Managing Director and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan, who is also the chairman of PLDT Inc., Meralco (Manila Electric Co.) and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Let me share the origin story of this coveted prize. In 2007, the Finex CFO of the Year Award Committee was born. With Vic Dela Dingco as our Overall Chair and Liaison Director, we had three sub-committees chairmen: Ochie Quito for events; Past President Mel Salazar for trophy design and development; and, Past President Dave Balangue for search and selection. Vic conceptualized the award program and invited ING Bank, through its Philippine Managing Director Zondy Garcia, to be the major sponsor and co-presentor of Finex. He subsequently obtained approval from the Finex Board headed by then President Billy Cortez. The search and selection phase was launched on July 10, 2007 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Auditorium. In his keynote address, then BSP Governor Amando “Say” M. Tetangco said: “This award program will identify role models who can inspire and motivate financial executives to do better.” Renowned Sculptor Ramon Orlina was commissioned to create a glass trophy for the inaugural winner. The Board of Judges was convened to evaluate the nominees and everything was set for the awards night at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel on November 29, 2007. But shortly after noon that day, the Peninsula Manila Hotel was seized by a group of rebel soldiers led by then Navy Lt. Antonio Trillanes IV and Philippine Army General Danilo Lim. The mutineers walked out of their hearing at the Makati Regional Trial Court and marched to the Manila Pen, where they occupied the second floor while calling for the ouster of then President

Finex free enterprise Joseph Araneta Gamboa Gloria Arroyo. Hotel guests and staff were asked to vacate the premises by police officers. Across the road from Ayala Avenue, tension filled the air at the Makati Shang where we were preparing for the maiden CFO of the Year event. My main task was to coordinate with BBC anchor Rico Hizon, who flew in from Singapore to serve as our host for the awarding ceremony. At around 3:30 p.m., Finex decided to cancel the event. By then, the military had sent 1,500 troops to crush the mutiny. The planned assault was held off until 3:58 p.m., when 50 Special Action Force commandos lined up outside the hotel lobby to arrest the rebel soldiers. Tear gas was dispersed inside the hotel and an exchange of gunfire ensued between the military and the rebel group. Firing stopped at 4:30 p.m. and the 6-hour siege ended at 5:30 p.m., when Trillanes and Lim decided to surrender to avoid loss of lives since several civilians, including journalists, were trapped in the hotel. Malacañang declared that a midnight-to-dawn curfew would be imposed in Metro Manila and adjacent regions. When the smoke cleared, Finex announced that the show must go on. On that same evening, the 1st ING Finex CFO of the Year Award was bestowed upon Delfin “Chito” Gonzalez Jr., who was the Chief Financial Officer of Globe Telecom Inc. at that time. And the rest, as they say, is history. Vic, Mel and Dave are no longer with us to witness this “blended” in-person and virtual ceremony during the pandemic era. But their memories live on through the Philippines’s most prestigious CFO award program that they co-founded. Joseph Gamboa is the co-chairman of the Finex Annual Conferences for 2020-2021, chairman of the Finex Business Columns Subcommittee and director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of these institutions and the BusinessMirror.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Govt to tax, regulate firms with new digital-biz model

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

INANCE Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez has ordered the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to find out what new digital business models are being adopted by companies to determine how these firms should be regulated and taxed.

In a recent meeting with BIR and SEC officials, Dominguez said he told revenue officials to hire young and technology-savvy people for more efficient monitoring of financial tech-related businesses and enable the bureau to expand its tax base. “Operating in the digital space is just a platform. The type of activity doesn’t matter. It’s still taxable by the BIR and subject to the appropriate regulations of the SEC,” the chief of the Department of Finance (DOF) said. During the same meeting, Dominguez also told SEC officials to anticipate a surge in fintech activities as well as the emergence of many variations of different business models through providing an additional budget for its fintech-related programs and hiring young and techsavvy employees in its PhiliFintech Innovation Office (PfIO). Dominguez reportedly emphasized the need for the SEC to boost its PfIO as it serves as the first point of contact for fintech firms applying for registration. Also, the SEC performs such role for entities that

have been operating or are introducing new fintech products that need assistance in navigating the SEC’s regulatory landscape.

Base broadening

THE DOF chief said he has directed Finance Undersecretary Antonette C. Tionko to “be on top of this joint BIR-SEC initiative” to broaden the tax base of fintech-related enterprises by ensuring these two agencies have “enough regulatory and collection muscle for these digital technology companies.” Tionko, who heads the DOF Revenue Operations Group (ROG), said the BIR and SEC should also coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). According to her, the DTI “has done a lot of groundwork on fintech” and has a list of Philippine companies engaged in this activity. The SEC said fintech “refers to software, service or business that provides technologically-advanced ways to make financial processes and transactions more efficient compared to traditional methods.” These cover operators, issuers

and service providers of electronic payments, alternative credit scoring companies, online lending firms, digital banks, virtual asset service companies, play-to-earn hubs, crowd-funding platforms, Big Data companies, digital advisers and insurance technology firms, to name a few. According to the DOF, Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Marissa O. Cabreros said the list of fintech-related businesses provided by the SEC and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has helped identify companies that have yet to register with the BIR for taxation purposes.

Validating profile

CABREROS said the BIR is now validating the registration profile of existing fintech firm based on the list provided by the SEC and the BSP. She added the move will guide and encourage those not yet registered and compliant with their tax obligations. “We will continue to impose current Tax Code rules on compliance and taxation based on actual activities of fintech companies, which are akin to or similar to activities of ordinary corporations or financial institutions,” Cabreros reportedly said during the meeting. SEC Chairman Emilio B. Aquino reportedly said during the meeting the private sector regulator has already issued several rules and regulations governing these types of fintech-related companies. Aquino added that the SEC has shifted several of its services online to make it easy and convenient to register new businesses and track them through the Commission’s electronic-mapping system. Aquino said the SEC will continue to improve its regulatory framework for existing fintech and emerging

fintech-related businesses by issuing specific guidelines related to these activities and modifying regulations. He explained this could be achieved through the addition of fintechspecific requirements, the placement of fintech-specific licensing regimes and ensuring data security, among other initiatives.

Evaluating regulations

THE SEC Chairman said the regulator will also continue the evaluation of imposed regulations on the following aspects: investor protection; financial customer protection; anti-money laundering/countering terrorist financing; and, cybersecurity, in relation to fintech activities. According to Dominguez, the BIR also vowed to continue to gather information from other regulatory agencies on identifying, addressing and closing the gaps resulting from the development and proliferation of fintech entities not clearly or explicitly covered by existing regulations. The BIR will also be creating a team that will evaluate tax obligations of fintech company activities based on categories identified by SEC and those regulated by BSP, Cabreros reportedly said. The BIR will also direct its Large Taxpayers Service unit to check on taxpayers engaging in activities that are variations of existing businesses and validate if correct taxes are being paid. Cabreros reportedly said he is asking the National Economic and Development Authority to update the Philippine Standard Industry Classifications “to ensure that emerging fintech activities or entities are properly classified as a type of financial service provider and to also include all the other new industries in the digital economy.”

House OKs bill reorganizing LandBank, sale of shares By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

HE House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries approved on Tuesday a bill reorganizing the Land Bank of the Philippines, including the privatization of a third of its common voting shares. According to Panel Chairman and Quirino Rep. Junie E. Cua, the committee is now preparing its report for final approval of the bill. According to Cua, House Bill (HB) 10440 that seeks to amend the LandBank Charter will place the bank “in a stronger position to pursue further the policy thrust of the national government, especially on countryside development.” The bill would allow the stateowned bank “to boost its capitalraising capabilities, sustain a competitive workforce and streamline its banking processes.” Cua said this policy reform is also expected to bolster the lender’s existing corporate and risk-governance mechanisms that will drive greater operational efficiencies and enhance Landbank’s organizational agility

“to elevate its financial-inclusion initiatives.”

Start-ups, MSMEs

DURING the hearing, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has recommended to the committee and LandBank to include start-up or fledgling agricultural endeavors and/or small businesses among its beneficiaries. “Considering its mandate to be the primary government financial institution for agricultural development, the criteria for eligibility for the special socialized credit facility should not be so rigid as to be exclusive to farmers and fisher[men] with a solid financial footing,” the BSP said in its position paper. “Moreover, farmers with less than five years of operations should be given priority in its lending operations,” according to the BSP position paper. “Non-collateral credit facilities should be expanded and strengthened. Individual borrowers and qualified agricultural MSMEs [micro, small and medium enterprises] should also be considered for this [special socialized] program.” LandBank President and CEO Ce-

cilia C. Borromeo said the legislation will help the bank to serve at least 300 unbanked local governments in the country. “LandBank has a plan to establish attached points to these communities through [the] establishment of branches,” Borromeo said.

Shares sale

HB 10440 also seeks to allow the LandBank to increase its capitalization up to such an amount as may be necessary to attain the objectives of the Charter. The lender has an existing authorized capital stock of P200 billion, divided into two billion common shares with a par value of P100 per share. The lender’s board can only increase capitalization upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance and with the approval of the President of the Philippines, according to HB 10440. The measure also gives the bank the power to offer and issue common and preferred shares of stocks in such manner and in such quantities as approved by the Finance Secretary upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors and

in accordance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. The bill, however, said that the national government shall maintain, at all times, at least two-thirds ownership of the total outstanding common voting shares of the bank. Currently, LandBank is 100-percent owned by the government. However, the bank has been authorized to distribute common and preferred shares to groups representing small farmers and fishermen.

Securities issuance

HB 10440 also allows the stateowned lender—upon the approval of the Secretary of Finance—to issue all kinds of bonds, debentures, securities, collaterals and other evidences of indebtedness and/or the renewal or refunding thereof. The bill said the bank may determine the terms, rates and conditions up to an aggregate amount not exceeding, at any one time, ten times its paid-in capital and surplus. Such move, however, would be subjected to compliance with the provisions of applicable law, and rules and regulations promulgated by the BSP Monetary Board.

Financing institutions’ group honors state-run lender

TATE-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) was recently awarded the Merit Award for Outstanding Development Project for Local Economic Development from the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (Adfiap), on the back of its efforts to support local communities to recover from the effects of the pandemic. The award for LandBank’s “Resto-

ration and Invigoration Package for a Self-sufficient Economy towards UPgrowth for LGUs [local government units]” was given at the Sustainable Development Awards 2021, held during the 44th annual meeting of the Adfiap. “This recognition adds spring to our step as the path towards a ‘better normal’ is still riddled with obstacles and difficulties,” LandBank President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo

was quoted in a statement as saying. “But together—with a determined and hopeful resolve—we can do our part to contribute to the unified goal of overcoming this pandemic.” The feted lending program was launched by the LandBank in July last year with a P150-billion fund allocation. The lending window aims to provide affordable and accessible financing to LGUs to stimulate economic activities and generate more

livelihood opportunities. As of September, the lender said it has approved loans amounting to P90.95 billion for 330 LGUs nationwide. For the first nine months of the year, the bank has also released a total of P60.35 billion in loans to support various LGU projects. These projects include agriculture and aquaculture initiatives, infrastructure, healthcare and transportation, among others. Bianca Cuaresma

Show BusinessMirror

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Rachel McAdams, 43; David Ramsey, 50; Danny DeVito, 77; Martin Scorsese, 79. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Pull yourself together, and get your priorities straight. You can gain ground if you run a tight ship and refuse to let others interfere with your plans. Discipline and dedication will help you overcome obstacles and recognize who and what is to your advantage. Your passionate attitude will gain support, and self-satisfaction will evolve from knowing you did your very best. Your numbers are 4, 18, 22, 27, 32, 36, 44.

GOALS?

THE couple seems to be “relationship goals” for the public but many don’t know of the turbulence that once rocked them. The actress once left the actor because he reportedly hurt her physically. This is also said to be the reason why his relationship with his ex also ended. But what happened between the actor and actress made headlines back in the day and so many seemed to have forgotten about it or are too young to remember. Those who remember though are weirded out to see their relationship being romanticized, especially when they recall that the actress vowed never to let the actor touch her ever again. But maybe time has mellowed all the rough edges of their relationship and they’re ready to spend forever with each other.

FAKE SWEETNESS

SO there’s a smear campaign going on against a popular young female star, who’s the other half of an in-demand love team. According to certain fans of another young star, the popular female celebrity already has a boyfriend and whatever sweetness she’s been showing to her screen partner is fake. But how about her male co-star? The truth is that he was supposed to gave been paired with someone he has known for years. This was way before he met the two girls now being linked to him. But fate took over and brought him to another path. According to sources, the male star has feelings for his longtime friend, who has never recovered from what happened and is now sort of inactive as a celebrity and influencer. The guy, for some strange reason, is very much in-demand as a leading man. Most fans of promising female stars want him to be their favorites’ leading man for reel and real.

HER DREAMS

SO the manager of a beauty queen has managed to convince a network that she is the next big thing and that they’d be wise to sign her up. And so they did, which is strange considering there are more popular and well-loved beauty queens out there. So what will the beauty queen do? Can she sing or act? Or will she be purely banking on being a beauty queen? She is said to be dead serious in pursuing a career in entertainment. She even gave up her love life for it, as a sign that she is really determined to succeed. It’s been the beauty queen’s dream since she was young to be a household name and she’s just happy she’s taken the first few steps to realizing it.

ASTUTE STRATEGIST

FOR his national campaign, this political candidate has tapped one of the biggest fandoms in the Philippines. The candidate’s digital strategist is an expert at this and is worth every penny he is paying her. This strategist also made him very popular in the last elections, thanks to expert maneuvering and machinations. The strategist has been in charge of many campaigns for brands and individuals. The question though: Will the strategist make the candidate win? If the candidate does win, the strategist will be richer than rich.

Britney Spears got all to agree she needed to be freed

By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press

OS ANGELES—There were no more of the heated arguments or dueling court filings of the past few months, no more tearful testimony or angry accusations. For one day at least, everyone surrounding Britney Spears agreed. She needed to be freed. Most important among them was Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny, who at a hearing Friday terminated the conservatorship that controlled the pop singer’s life and money for nearly 14 years. Spears did not attend the 30-minute hearing that was almost anti-climactic after the courtroom drama of recent proceedings, in which Spears demanded first the ouster of her father from power over her, then the removal of the legal shackles on her life. It felt almost like a formality. The celebration that followed was plenty dramatic, though. “Best day ever...praise the Lord...can I get an Amen???” Spears said on Twitter and Instagram minutes after the ruling. Jubilation erupted outside the courthouse, with fans cheering and shouting after the decision was announced. The crowd chanted “Britney! Britney! Britney!” and fans sang and danced to Spears’ song “Stronger.” “Good God I love my fans so much it’s crazy!!!” Spears said in her posts. “I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day!!!!” The decision capped a stunning odyssey that saw Spears publicly demand the end of the conservatorship, hire her own attorney, have her father removed from power and finally win the freedom to make her own medical, financial and personal decisions for the first time since 2008. Those surrounding Spears said she is equipped to make those decisions. “We have a safety net in place for Britney both on the personal side and on the financial side,” her attorney Mathew Rosengart said outside the courthouse. “But Britney, as of today, is a free woman and she’s an independent woman. And the rest, with her support system, will be up to Britney.” Jodi Montgomery, the court-appointed conservator who oversaw the singer’s life and medical decisions starting in 2019, developed a care plan with her therapists and doctors to guide Spears into the

aftermath. “There is no reason Ms. Spears can’t lead a safe, happy, fulfilling life after this conservatorship,” Montgomery’s attorney, Lauriann Wright, said at the hearing. Penny’s decision came with remarkably few caveats. She gave no orders that Spears should undergo mental evaluations first, something legal experts had assumed would be part of the conservatorship’s endgame. The judge said California law did not require her to order further evaluation of Spears if no one requested it. The judge kept a small part of the conservatorship temporarily in place so that the singer’s money can be moved around in the coming months as financial power is transferred back to her. California law says a conservatorship, called a guardianship in some states, is justified for a “person who is unable to provide properly for his or her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter,” or for someone who is “substantially unable to manage his or her own financial resources or resist fraud or undue influence.” The conservator, as the appointee put in charge is called, may be a family member, a close friend or a court-appointed professional. As recently as last spring, it appeared that Spears’ conservatorship could continue for years. Then it unraveled with surprising speed. Key to the unraveling was a speech Spears made at a hearing in June when she passionately described the restrictions and scrutiny as “abusive” and said “I just want my life back,” a line her lawyer repeated in court Friday. The consensus on display Friday is unlikely to last. Rosengart has further vowed to pursue an investigation of James Spears’ role in the 13 years he oversaw the conservatorship. He said he and his team have found mismanagement of Britney Spears’ finances, suggesting she could pursue further legal action. Court records put her net worth at about $60 million. He also said law enforcement should investigate revelations in a New York Times documentary about a listening device placed in her bedroom. James Spears’ attorneys said Rosengart’s allegations ranged from unsubstantiated to impossible, and that he only ever acted in his daughter’s best interest. n

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Take good care of your health. Pay attention to detail and how you present yourself at work or when dealing with anyone in a position of power. How you conduct yourself will determine how well others receive you and your ideas. HHH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Emotions will be difficult to control. Don’t get bent out of shape because of what others do or say. Keep a positive attitude, and you’ll find it easier to convince others to see things your way. Personal improvements will fetch compliments. HHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Go above and beyond the call of duty; your peers will look up to you. Learn from observation and experience. Invest more time and effort into updating your image and staying updated on the latest technology and trends. HHHHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Keep your documents in a safe place, and don’t make promises you cannot keep. Concentrate on making positive changes that will benefit people in your community, workplace or family. Personal gain is apparent, and romance is encouraged. HHHH

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Say little and do a lot. If you fall short regarding responsibilities, someone will use it against you, and your reputation will be at risk. Do your best, and you’ll have no regrets. Overreacting or indulgent behavior will make matters worse. HH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Chat with someone you enjoy being around. Make plans that will give you a chance to show off or do something nice for someone you love. Home improvements will add to your comfort and your entertaining capability. Romance is featured. HHHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Follow through and complete your to-do list before you move on to more enjoyable pastimes. If you neglect to do your fair share, you will face repercussions from someone who can make you look bad or have an effect on your state of mind. HHH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Leave nothing to chance. Size up situations and make your mark. Look at the big picture, but limit expenses. Go the extra mile and use your innovative intelligence to find the shortest and most cost-effective way to get what you want. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Adapt to the changes going on around you, and you’ll find a way to take advantage of the trends that unfold. Curb your emotional reaction, and you’ll avoid sending the wrong message to someone eager to make you look bad. HHH

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Alter the way you do things, and it will give you a new lease on life, love and the way you organize your time. A physical show of affection will encourage friends and family to be receptive to the decisions you make. HHHHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Balance, equality and being fair will make a difference in the response you receive from friends, family or your lover. When in doubt, listen to reason, and you’ll find the best way to move forward with the least amount of friction. HH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Dream on and let your imagination take over; follow your heart. Explore possibilities, but don’t go into debt. Before you invest time and money, go over every detail. Call in an expert if needed to ease stress. HHHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are brilliant, astute and possessive. You are sensitive and passionate.

‘writing letters’ BY JEFFREY WECHSLER The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Where the Ganges flows 5 Defeats 10 “My Life” musician Billy 14 “My Life” or “My Universe” 15 An architect of D.C.’s National Gallery of Art 16 Strongly encourage 17 Tesla Model 3, e.g. 18 Certain woodwinds 19 Huge: Prefix 20 Distillery calculation 22 No longer stylish 23 Utensil for ice cream 24 With 27-Across, acts with precision 27 See 24-Across 33 Pet in the weasel family 34 City by the Illinois River 35 “O sweet my mother, cast me not ___!” (Juliet) 36 Supporting 39 Tough journey 40 ___ room (foosball venue) 41 Ancient Roman racing vehicle 45 Metallic mineral, maybe

46 Pronouncing “churro” like a Spanish speaker 49 Early web portal 50 Card game with no face cards 51 Behave properly 60 Piano practice piece 61 Gunk in a pit 62 N, on a Spanish compass 63 Sought information 64 Pro 65 Black hair or brown eyes 66 One might use batik to decorate fabric 67 “Look over here!” 68 Rock concert lineup? DOWN 1 “Don’t delay!” 2 Like grapefruit 3 Fascinated by 4 Outlet for pent-up sadness 5 “About Me” blurb 6 Add a raised design to 7 Pitchers’ projections 8 Grow incisors, e.g. 9 Bro’s sib, maybe

10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 36 37 38 41 42 43 44 47 48 51

High court maneuver? Cookie in many crosswords Waffle in many crosswords Low-fat Golfer’s warning Location Little one Paranormal “power”: Abbr. Off in the distance More recent Malfoy played by Tom Felton Mistake Concert hall sections Sushi bar beverage Supporter End of the ACLU’s URL Copacabana Beach’s city, briefly Was overly sentimental Home of Hawaii’s Liliuokalani Gardens Burden Many a city dweller Word after “corporate” or “rope” Mexican state below Arizona Renaissance Faire beverage

52 53 54 55 56 57

Teeny-tiny Quickly reheat, in slang Zion National Park’s state America’s Cup, for one Krill, to a whale Weight unit hidden in “skateboard ramp” 58 Cottony swab 59 Complete collections Solution to today’s puzzle:

Image BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Wednesday, November 17, 2021

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA @ WOCINTECHCHAT. COM ON UNSPLASH

Dry eyes doesn’t have to limit your quality of life DO your eyes always sting whenever the wind blows? Do they get painful when you use those gadgets for a long period of time? Do you always feel like there’s something stuck in your eye, even though there isn’t? Do they get itchy and red? If so, you could be suffering from dry eye disease. Dry eye disease is a multifactorial condition where inadequate amount of tears are produced, or they evaporate quickly due to poor quality, according to Justin Raymond Manlongat, MD of Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed, www.makatimed.net.ph) Department of Ophthalmology. There is a myriad of symptoms which mostly include eye discomfort and visual disturbance. If severe enough, it can have an impact in a person’s quality of life, their job, and simple daily activities such as reading and driving. If you suspect you have dry eye disease, here are some things to consider: n CONSULT AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST. Having a complete eye exam is the first step in determining if you have dry eye disease. “Dry eye is an ocular surface disorder with a wide spectrum of clinical signs and symptoms, so management may be different for each patient,” says Manlongat. He adds that most patients are prescribed with lubricant eye drops which are commonly termed artificial tears that aid in relieving symptoms. You may also be asked to undergo further evaluation, additional procedures and medications depending on the type of dry eye disease, its severity and the presence of other underlying conditions. n Change your lifestyle habits. Managing dry eye diseases also includes modifying your lifestyle, Manlongat points out. This may include changing reading habits and getting proper eye rest especially if you’re required to use digital devices such as personal computers, tablets or smartphones for a long time. He also suggests that you avoid the direct draft from fans and air conditioners. When outside, goggles or glasses can protect your eyes from the drying effect of the wind. For contact lens wearers, use them responsibly as directed. n be patient and Consistent. Manlongat says that dry eye disease may require long-term treatment. “You need to have regular consultations with your ophthalmologist to evaluate the effectiveness of your current treatment regimen based on your clinical signs and symptoms,” he adds. “The list of medications may also change over the course of treatment. The benefits of certain medications may only be observed after weeks to months of consistent usage. So, follow closely the advice of your ophthalmologist, be patient and trust that all your efforts will be worth it.” While there isn’t a definite cure for dry eyes just yet, the symptoms can be greatly regulated with the right remedies as prescribed by a physician. You don’t have to let dry eyes limit your quality of life.

Leaving a legacy T

HEY say first impressions last. But when it comes to work, what you leave behind matters more because the quality of your work and how you relate with others will say more about who you really are. And when you leave the company, your legacy will be what people talk about you long after you have gone. Your legacy is your impact, not only to your team but to your entire industry. Not everyone is like Hidilyn Diaz or Maria Ressa, individuals who have made their mark not only in their own respective fields but also for the entire country and for making us proud to be Filipinos. But I also believe that you can make a difference in your own way and in your own spheres of influence. Every person is unique and it follows that the people around you, and the way you interact with them are also unique to you. How you use that influence to improve their work and lives is your legacy. And when your influence extends beyond the office walls, you know you have influenced your team beyond work. You can start building your legacy now by looking at the people you work with in your team. As a people manager, your role is to ensure your team has the right tools and are equipped properly to handle the workload. But even after providing that, your team should also be able to come to you for personal

issues that might affect their work and the rest of the team. Balancing how much you need to push or pull depends largely on how well you know them. After more than a year when I resigned from my previous employer, a few of my team members still ask me for professional advice and how they will navigate their new roles in their new work. I feel humbled because I did not realize they still see me that way even though I am no longer their manager. One even asked me to be the godfather to his newborn baby boy. These incidents tell me that they see me as not just an authority at work but a positive influence on their personal life. Not all legacies are personal because these arise from your own set of values and principles. Some look at work as just work and they deliberately limit their legacy to work-related accomplishments and steer clear from anything personal. Some focus on leaving a legacy of improved workflows and processes. A while back, I worked with a training coordinator who wanted to improve the way she was managing a training program. She wanted to ensure everything was done properly and correctly. She did not want to miss anything, so she created a checklist of what needed to be done. This made it easier for her to manage her programs and in one department meeting, she presented her checklist which was then adopted by the entire team in all their training programs. That was her legacy to the team. And I heard that even now, they still use that checklist. Any new process or process improvement initiative can be your legacy to the team. You can look at your current processes and see how you can improve them or look at best practices from other teams or organizations which can be adopted by your team. Even within the organization, there are awards and recognitions for exemplary work like being employee or group of the year, or any other individual

or group achievement. Your personal achievements as a people manager are always connected to the team you lead so in a sense, your achievement is also the achievement of the team. My previous mentors were right in telling me that as the people manager, my achievements are also the achievements of my team. Part of that legacy is also the way you influence the culture of your team and even your organization. Leaders who can profoundly influence the organizational culture with their ways of working, their skills and specialization, and even the way they relate to the different people in the organization, are leaders who intentionally want to leave a positive legacy. Leaders need to understand that their position naturally puts them in a position to either be a positive influence or the cause of people leaving the organization. One of the significant legacies you can leave behind is an industry-wide recognition of your accomplishments. One indicator of this is when industry groups acknowledge and consider you as a thought leader. This means that professionals in your field go to you for your opinion and recommendations regarding issues they encounter. You have reached a certain level of authority and competence such that you are regarded as an expert. Even more so when you are requested specifically by professional regulating bodies as one of their evaluators. This can be achieved by being consistent in your professional principles and uncompromising standards of excellence. Your legacy as a leader is defined by how many people you have influenced to continue on with the success of your organization. It is measured by how long your achievements have been continued on by those after you, and how many times it has been further improved. The test of your legacy is how many people have benefitted from it. Think through the past five or 10 years of your career, what do you think will be your legacy? n

Go ahead, enjoy your memes—they really do help ease pandemic stress by Jessica Myrick Penn State ZOOM meeting after Zoom meeting, while trying to feed, entertain and beg-to-sleep an infant whose day care had closed, I needed a break but couldn’t really take one in April of 2020. Enter memes. Between work, moving the laundry and taking care of my own dogs, I could sneak a peak at Instagram and chuckle at images of very excited pups, psyched that their humans were now home all day, every day. I study media processes and effects, which is the psychology of how media messages can affect you. As the pandemic dragged on, I got more and more interested in how people were using social media—and memes featuring cute and funny pics, in particular—as a way to think and communicate with others about life during a global pandemic. Memes are little units of culture that spread from one person to the next. They have existed since long before the birth of the Internet, but digital technology adds new dimensions, given the ease of creating, editing and sharing memes online. Popular Internet memes often develop their own names, such as “Distracted Boyfriend,” “Squinting Woman” and “Handshakes.” I partnered with colleagues Robin Nabi and Nicholas Eng to investigate the potential effect of mini meme breaks on people’s pandemic stress and emotions.

A MEME EXPERIMENT THE first step in our research was combing through hundreds of real memes we found in the wild on social media. We asked participants to rate them for how funny and cute they were, as well as how authentic they seemed as popular Internet memes. Using that data, we developed two pools of memes using the same images: One set had captions about Covid-19 and another set had captions unrelated to Covid-19. In our main study, we recruited nearly 800 participants to view a series of images using online survey software. One group saw the Covid-19 memes, while a second group saw the memes not about Covid-19. A third group saw image-free plain text that summarized the general idea of the memes, but was not in the least bit funny. Then, no matter which set of content our participants saw, everyone next answered questions about how they felt in that moment. We asked particularly about how they felt about Covid-19 and their ability to cope with pandemic stress. MeMes as Mood boosteRs PEOPLE who viewed just three memes rated themselves on a 1-7 scale as calmer, more content and more amused compared with people who didn’t see the memes. For instance, people who saw memes scored, on average, a 4.71 on our positive emotions scale, compared with an average of 3.85 for those who did

not see a meme. In short, viewing a few cute or funny memes—regardless of their topic—provided a quick boost of positive emotion for many people. Moreover, we found that participants who rated themselves higher on the positive emotion scale were also more likely to feel confident in their ability to handle the stress associated with living through a global pandemic. There seems to be value in reframing something that is constantly stressful and scary into a more approachable topic by using humor. The topic of the memes mattered. People who viewed memes about Covid-19 rated themselves as less stressed about life during a global pandemic. Those who saw Covid-19-related memes also reported thinking more deeply about the memes and their meaning—what media psychologists call “information processing.” More information processing was related to more confidence in their abilities to handle pandemicrelated stress. It’s possible that exerting more effort thinking about the topic could lead to mentally rehearsing ways to cope with the related stress, instead of avoiding it entirely. The pandemic, with its accompanying restrictions on travel, work and socializing, has been an uncommonly stressful time. Taking a break to view and share bits of cute or funny pop culture commentary in the form of Covid-19-related memes can be a quick and easy way to connect with others and address pandemic stress head on through laughter. THE CONVERSATION

B6 Wednesday, November 17, 2021

MPIC scores double win as BIG’s 2021 PR Department and PR Executive of the Year

PICC celebrates 45th anniversary with the music of Ebe Dancel

HE Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) celebrated 45 years of hosting the world through a special virtual performance from top OPM artist and songwriter Ebe Dancel. Accompanied by his guitar while singing his soulful songs, Ebe lit up the iconic Plenary Hall of the PICC, performing onstage for the first time in almost 2 years for Pagdiriwang: The PICC 45TH Anniversary Special streamed live on the PICC Facebook page. With the grand hall to himself, Ebe brought out all the emotions and feels as he sang the perfect mix of old and new songs, celebrating the historic feat of the stage he’s on. For Ebe, the venue is important in order to create that special musical experience. PICC was the perfect setting to perform once again thanks to its seamless adaptation to the current situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having performed at PICC over the years, Ebe shared personal stories about his performances at the iconic venue and why it feels like a “homecoming” to be inside PICC after a long time. As Ebe sang his songs Burnout, Tanging Kailangan, Manatili, and Bawat Daan, viewers were also taken on a tour of the premier venue for meetings, conventions, exhibitions, and special events in the Philippines as it celebrates its 45th year. Since PICC first opened its doors to Filipinos and the world in 1976, it has continuously offered an unparalleled experience for its guests’ thanks to its iconic architecture and design, with a spacious floor area of more than 70,000 square feet and more than 30 meeting rooms where people can freely convene. Since transitioning to the new normal, PICC has been strictly implementing health and safety

protocols within its premises to ensure the safety and security of all clients, guests, and employees. All of PICC’s employees and outsourced personnel are fully vaccinated. The Center also has a Safety Seal from the Department of Tourism. PICC also upgraded its WiFi and technology capacities to address client requirements for virtual and hybrid events.

“PICC places health and safety as its top priority. We assure our clients and our guests that we are prepared to provide them with the necessary assistance as we gradually ease into the “new normal” in conducting events,” says Atty. Renato B. Padilla, General Manager of PICC. PICC is now accepting bookings for meetings and events.

Pick.A.Roo joins forces with Mayani, doubles down on organic fresh finds

iding on the wave of an ultra fast-growing Internet economy in the Philippines, the Megaworldbacked lifestyle delivery app Pick.A.Roo creates a formidable team-up with leading agriculture technology platform Mayani in their shared bid of providing ondemand more organic produce at fresher quality to the healthconscious market.

ETRO Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) recently earned laurels from the Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) 2021 Public Relations and Marketing Excellence Awards, recognized as the PR Department of the Year and bestowing the title of PR Executive of the Year to MPIC Vice President for PR and Corporate Communications Melody M. Del Rosario. Acclaimed alongside 27 other winners, Del Rosario's team has been acknowledged for their integral role in building and maintaining MPIC’s brand image, creating unified messaging across the holding company, its subsidiaries and the rest of the Manuel V. Pangilinan Group of Companies, and integrating corporate social responsibility into its communication framework as the primary working team for Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF). With the interweaved roles of their department in communications, public and media relations, and corporate social responsibility, MPIC’s PR and Corporate Communications team create holistic messaging that keeps them top of mind as a leading infrastructure company that builds the country towards progress and builds up the lives of every Filipino. Above maintaining strong relations with top publications and media platforms, managing crisis and risk communications for the whole corporation, and maximizing efficiency for internal communications, their team crafted and trumpeted the narratives of MPIC’s meaningful work–both on the infrastructure front’s progress and the social impact of the Foundation’s initiatives. Moving towards the digital era, MPIC’s PR and Corporate Communications team successfully pivoted to integrate digital and social media, social listening tools, and media monitoring to further broaden its audience reach. Dedicated to aligning its company brand with key phrases such as “partner in nationbuilding”, “contributing to national progress and development”, and “uplifting the lives of every Filipino”, MPIC’s messaging has transcended to create a bigger and more purposeful impact in the country.

smallholder farmers from Batanes to Batangas, is a leader in the farm-totable space with a wide multi-category agri-assortment, including its core organic produce segment. Backed by Silicon Valley venture firm AgFunder and Asian family conglomerates, it has also secured key partnerships with the likes of the Department of Trade & Industry to bridge rural farmers to the urban market – a feat that includes its last-mile channel collaboration with Pick.A.Roo. “We are very bullish in our outlook for on-demand fresh finds, especially organic ones. This strategic alliance ups our game even more as we take on that growing need of the market for locally-grown food amidst a fastlifestyle,” says Josef Amarra, Mayani’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating

Officer, who also take point for ondemand services. The team-up combines these forerunners’ strengths not just of operational capability from harvest to delivery, but also of their extensive marketing channels for special promos bringing delight to the moms, health buffs, home kitchen leaders. A 20% offer is up until November 19 with nextday organic finds delivery available from Mayani via the Pick.A.Roo app. According to Pick.A.Roo, their November this year boasts of over 1,300 best of the best and most loved food, shop, and grocery brands with over 200,000 SKUs to choose from. They now have the longest delivery coverage covering 21 cities across NCR, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga and many more.

DEL Rosario, who has been heading MPIC’s public and media relations, corporate communications, advertising and corporate social responsibility (CSR) for close to three decades, has invested her expertise in improving and bolstering the corporate public image of the Corporation, while also interlinking the Foundation’s purpose into the overall impact made by the group. Aside from creating MPIC’s award-winning brand manual, she personally developed Shore It Up! (SIU), the Foundation’s acclaimed flagship environmental program, making MPIF a top-of-mind organization for the protection and conservation of coastal and underwater ecosystems. Under her leadership, the team successfully communicates the corporation’s actions to attain its two goals–to significantly contribute to nation-building and uplift the lives of all Filipinos. “Our narratives go beyond updating our stakeholders on our business performance, infrastructure investments, or our current share price in the market–our primary intent is to communicate how our investments help towards bettering their lives,” says Del Rosario. “The work we do, coupled with the lasting impact of our commitment to the environment, social responsibility and corporate governance, is a story worth telling, and we are honored to be acknowledged for adding breadth and depth to our purpose.” MPIC is a leading infrastructure investment company with holdings in Manila Electric Company, Maynilad Water Services, Inc., MetroPac Water Investments Corporation, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation, Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings Inc., Light Rail Manila Corporation and mWell PH. MPIC and its group of companies are making a difference in the lives of millions of Filipinos, powering commerce and households, connecting people and places, delivering clean and safe water, and making world-class healthcare available to all.

CCP presents three-day Performance Literature Festival

HE Cultural Center of the Philippines brings back the Performatura: Performance Literature Festival on November 22, 23, and 24, 2021, with the theme Performatura Pandemic Edition (PPE). This virtual event will showcase poetry readings, storytellings, theatrical shows, dance dramas, musical presentations, and even spoken word competitions, through Facebook live stream and Zoom, under the festival’s director Dr. Vim Nadera, a poet and a performance artist.

Araw ni Huseng Batute

ON November 22, or Araw ni Huseng Batute, Performatura celebrates the poet par excellence Jose Corazon de Jesus’s 125th birthday. At 10AM, no less than Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso, CCP president and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) chair, welcomes everyone – during the pandemic–while waxing poetic about his personal ties with the said first king of Balagtasan. National Artist for Music Ramon Santos delivers his keynote speech about De Jesus’ life as a lyricist. Music artists from Performatibo Manila, that has been promoting Kundiman, Kuwentuhan, Katuwaan online since 2020, show how his poetry heals both the Filipinos and the Philippines. Jesus Jaime Aguila, the direct descendant of De Jesus, gives his response on behalf of his family. In the afternoon, 1PM-5PM, the finals of the Pambansang Balagtasan courtesy of the NCCA’s Philippine Cultural Education Program in cooperation with the Department of Education.

Bagong Bonifacio “We partnered up with Mayani because our goal and initiatives are aligned when it comes to promoting local farmers and offering local organic produce. Our mission is to support local businesses and help expand their e-channels thru our app,” says Crystabelle Anne Gonzalez, the CoFounder & Chief Executive Officer of Pick.A.Roo, which was just launched last August 2020 in the middle of the lockdown. Gonzalez further remarked that they want their customers to discover a new way of eating healthy through a wide range of organic alternatives, as well as a healthy category for customers to purchase from the comfort of their homes. Mayani, who has developed a grassroots network of over 72,300

Communicating MPIC’s purpose

ON November 23, CCP Vice President and Artistic Director Chris Millado opens the second day, at 10AM, that immortalizes the revolutionary hero Andres Bonifacio’s 158th birthday. This segment, called Front Act (Liners) – hosted by the Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo’s Arli Joshua Boniquit Atienza – focuses on the unsung healing heroes who sing, literally and literarily, such as Dr. Rhodora Andrea Concepcion of the Psychiatric Association of the Philippines; Dr. P.J. Bengwasan of the Psychological Association of the Philippines; Dr. Neslen Guanzon, Mignodel Morales, Leilani Joy Igarta of Asian Hospital and Medical Center’s Makatang Asiano; Joavanni Pacaldo of University of Cebu jam with L.I.R.A.’s president who is a medical doctor, Dr. Joti Tabula together with other frontliners in Mark Pugnit Bonabon, Mia Francesca Lauengco, and Tresia Siplante Traqueña. In this year’s Performatura, TIPC-PH will conduct a book launch and a series of storytelling performances from Aklat Alamid,

Alubat Publishing, 8Letters, Librong L.I.R.A., Rebo Press, and Southern Voices. Alubat Publishing will showcase excerpt readings of Dr. Louie Mar Gangcuangco’s HIV novel Orosa-Nakpil, Malate; 8Letters will launch its newest anthologies, Takipsilim and Hatinggabi, featuring Philippine mythological creatures, through storytelling; Librong L.I.R.A. will have performances of Nick Pichay’s poems from his republished poetry collection Ang Lunes na Mahirap Bunuin; Rebo Press will have an excerpt reading from Frank G. Rivera’s Si Jose Rizal sa (Loob at Labas ng Kagila-gilalas na) Daigdig ni Atô, Mga Personal na Prosa, and Vox Populi PH’s excerpt reading from their newest literary collection of contemporary youth literature; Southern Voices Printing Press features the launch of Mga Munting Babae with the participation of actress/model Ms. Mylene Dizon, and former Representative Emmi de Jesus, reading excerpts from the book. At night, 7PM-10PM, S.I.P.A. International Performance Art Festival, an inter-cultural project that promotes exchange, solidarity, and peace organized by independent Filipino artists inviting artists from all over the world: the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) Performance Collective, Rogger Basco, Nerisa Guevara, Sarina Narida, Vim Nadera, PUP Bagong Himig Serenata, PUP Sining Lahi Polyrepertory, Ronadae Ruiz, Jo-An Sarmogenes, Opaline Santos, and Rosa Zerrudo as well as foreign guests like 69 Performance Club (Indonesia), Mok Augustine (Hong Kong), Warattaya Chaisin (Thailand), Calum Eccleston (England), Chaw Ei Thein (Myanmar/United States), Inti Barrios Hernandez (Mexico), Andreas Hoffmann (Germany), Yeon Jeong (South Korea), Padungsak Kochsomrong (Thailand), Florence Lam (HongKong), Futoshi Moromizato (Japan), Maria Victoria Muñoz (Colombia), Mongkol Plienbangchang (Thailand), Juyoung Park (South Korea), Evamaria Schaller (Austria), Dimple B Shah (India), Satadru Sova (India), and Yadanar Win (Myanmar).

Araw ng mga Aklat at Akdang Bayan

LASTLY, on November 24, CCP Board of Trustees Chair Margie Moran Floirendo opens the last day via livestream from Los Baños in Laguna. The National Book Development Board inaugurates Book Nook, a great concept that realizes reading centers for families living in areas where accessibility in books and the internet are limited. For details, check the website https:// ccpperformatura2021.wordpress.com/.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 B7

A booming market for property developers

Azuela Cove

BRIA Homes

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

HE residential market in Davao has shown improvement and continues to pursue the similar growth path of Metro Manila.

Janlo de los Reyes, JLL Philippines head of research and consultancy told the BusinessMirror that one of the reasons was the loosening up of the quarantine status over the past quarters which helped boost business activity in the areas. “There was a pick-up of lease demand as employees were able to return back to work. There is still some general decline in the sales activity due to returned units but prices remained relatively resilient,” de los Reyes said. Theresa Teodoro, director, advisory services of Colliers Philippines said in a recent media briefing that the Davao market is picking up as sales of residential condominium units are on the rise. She said sales, in fact, are better than last year. Teodoro said the Davao market has also recovered from the earthquake that hit the city in 2019.

There’s growth in Davao In 2018, premier luxury developer Ayala Land Premier (ALP), in partnership with the Alcantara Group, entered the Davao market by launching Azuela Cove, a 25-hectare project that seeks to introduce to Davaoeños the quintessence of luxury condominium living in the city. Mike Jugo, managing director of Ayala Land Premier is confident the project will be warmly accepted by the rapidly developing city.

As the company’s first project in Davao City, Azuela Cove seeks to introduce capaciousness to condominium living, integrating the comfort into an Ayala Land estate with the unique experience of living right by the sea. By partnering with ALP, Edith Alcantara, director of ALSONS Consolidated Resources Inc. said they wanted a company with a sterling track record. The Davao market delivered a warm response when ALP produced P2.6 billion in sales from the north tower of The Residences at Azuela Cove. The 21-story seaside luxurious north tower features only 70 units priced at around P33.1 million with two iconic penthouse units priced at P80.8 million each. “The Residences at Azuela Cove is a pioneer project for Ayala Land Premier in many ways. It is the brand’s first property in rapidly developing Davao City. It is also the first residential project to be launched within Azuela Cove, Ayala Land’s newest master planned, mixed-use, sustainable and seaside estate in the region,” said Paolo Viray, ALP’s head of sales. Located in Lanang, Davao, Azuela Cove is being developed by Aviana Development Corp., a joint venture between Ayala Land Inc. and Alcantara Group, it is set for completion in 2023. For the Robles-owned Sta. Lucia Land Inc. Davao City is one of

RANCHO Palos

its biggest drivers of growth and one of its main markets as it sees the vast potential of the region as a growth center, according to its Executive Vice President and Chief Finance Officer David dela Cruz. With over a 24-year presence in Davao, SLLI has 14 completed master-planned gated communities covering over 750 hectares of developed land. Iconic projects such as the 164-hectare Rancho Pallos Verdes with 83 hectares of golf course, 60-hectare Davao Riverfront, and the 145-hectare South Pacific with a 70-hectare golf course to name a few. “Sta. Lucia group’s target market is the middle class and those that want to upgrade their status in life,” dela Cruz said. He said SLLI continues to develop properties in Davao because it has been successful in providing quality homes to its customers that will ensure it will last. “Thus, Sta. Lucia continues to expand in

the region by investing in growth centers of the future as its core strategy,” he said. The Sta. Lucia Group through its listed company, Sta. Lucia Land Inc., has 25 ongoing projects covering 1.464 million sq m of developments across the Davao region. Major projects include the 98- hectare Las Colinas lake community in the mountains of Eden, the 28-hectare Ponte Verde project across the Davao International Airport, the 20-story Sotogrande Tower and the 37-hectare Los Rayos lake residences. As far as Bria Homes is concerned, it also recognizes the immense potential of Davao by introducing its affordable homes in Tagum, Panabo and Digos. Bria Homes President Red Rosales said the affordable housing unit developer of the Villar-controlled GOLDEN MV Holdings Inc., is pushing the sustainability agenda in these three projects because it believes the green agenda

should be a way of life for their residents-not just a component of property management. “Given the current climate crisis, we encourage our homeowners to foster environmental awareness at all times, especially because, as the past has often demonstrated, the Philippines is particularly vulnerable to major catastrophes,” Rosales explained. Rosa les a lso stressed how Bria seamlessly integrates sustainability in the lives of Bria homeowners. “We make it part of their lifestyles. We motivate them to keep their comfortable, well-built homes in good shape and preserve these for the next generation. We also urge them to optimize the developments’ vast open, walkable spaces for fitness and recreation.” Bria Homes Tagum, situated in the “Palm City of the South,” is just a few minutes’ ride from the city proper, close to Pioneer Avenue and Daang Maharlika

Highway. It is likewise near educational institutions such as Saint Mary’s College of Tagum, Mother Rosario School of Tagum, Tagum City National High School, and University of Mindanao; hospitals such as Tagum Doctors Hospital, Tagum Global Medical Center, Palm City Medical Center Inc., and Bishop Joseph Regan Memorial Hospital; and malls such as SM City Tagum, Citymall Tagum, among others. Meanwhile, Bria Homes Panabo, located in the “Banana Capital of the Philippines,” is nestled between Davao City and Tagum, with agro-tourism sites found in nearby towns. It is likewise accessible to schools such as Quezon National Highway, Maryknoll School of Panabo, and Panabo Christian School; hospitals like Rivera Medical Center and Cainglet Medical Hospital; and the Japan-Philippine National Highway. Finally, Bria Homes Digos, located near the Davao del Sur Provincial Capitol, is surrounded by schools like University of Mindanao and St. Benedict College; hospitals like St. Benedict Hospital, Digos Doctors Hospital, and Medical Center Digos Cooperative; and malls like Gaisano Mall of Digos and Grand Mall of Digos. The three Bria projects are secured by 24-hour CCTV coverage, guardhouses, and perimeter walls. Recreational facilities include basketball courts, jogging paths, and kiddie playgrounds. Moreover, Bria has also installed solar-powered streetlights to reduce its carbon footprints. Rosales said using solar lamps allows them to save on power and maintenance costs while lighting up the streets from dusk until dawn that ensures the safety of the residents.

Green housing efforts for smart subdivisions pushed T

By Roderick L. Abad

HE Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) Inc., in collaboration with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), held its annual National Developers Convention, themed “Beyond The Pandemic: The Future of Housing.” “Our key partner agencies: DHSUD,

Pag-Ibig BOI and ARTA are committed to resilient building for better homes and process innovations to streamline regulatory choke points,” said Rosie Tsai-Wang, SHDA chairman. The conclave centered on providing an avenue for housing and property developers, key practitioners in the housing industry from the national and local government, and key stakeholders in the housing sector to discuss how they can partner in rede-

signing the housing industry through innovation and green initiatives with the ultimate goal to create smart subdivisions. The event, likewise, highlighted the most talked-about trends in the housing development sector, including the return-on-investment or ROI on going green for housing projects, disruptive and innovative technologies in housing development, and the creation of smart subdivisions, which

is a vital component in making smart cities possible. Guest speakers talked about the gains of using green initiatives and technological innovations to lower costs in building mass housing projects. “We want to showcase innovative tech solutions to pain points experienced by housing developers,” Maya K. Colayco, SHDA governor, said. “We want to show our member de-

velopers and colleagues in the housing industry that it is not just desirable, but also financially feasible to build a green mass-housing subdivision,” added Atty. Joy Z. Manaog, first vice president and chair of the National Convention Committee. With more than 300 members from chapters in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, SHDA is the major and leading organization of housing developers in the Philippines.

Sports BusinessMirror

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (center) talks in the sidelines with First Vice President Al Panlilio (left) and Membership Committee Chairman Atty. Billy Sumagui with the Taal Volcano in the background.

| Wednesday, November 17, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

PSC, P.O.C. IN TOP

TRAINING MODE

RAMIREZ

FERNANDEZ

By Josef Ramos

HILIPPINE sports looked prime to return to normal in January following the Philippine Sports Commission’s (PSC) announcement in Manila on Tuesday about the opening of traditional training facilities for national athletes. On the same day but in cool Tagaytay City, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), during its regular general assembly, welcomed the PSC announcement and suggested that the facilities be opened as early as next month. Ramirez gave special instructions to put layers of safety in place. The PSC Board of Commissioners chaired by William Ramirez approved the resumption of training of selected national teams not earlier than January 10, 2022, at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) in Manila City, PhilSports Complex in Pasig City and at the Teachers Camp in Baguio City. “Once the athletes and coaches enter our facilities, they become our responsibility so make sure that everything is in place once we start this,”

AGUSTIN

KIRAM

was Ramirez’s instruction to the board. “I think that more than just a bubble training, it is more apt to call this a new-normal mode of training.” The Rizal Memorial Coliseum and PSC Multi-Purpose Gym (formerly Ninoy Aquino Stadium) at the RMSC and PhilSport were transformed into quarantine facilities after the Covid-19 pandemic struck. They remain so but are now catering to a minimal number of patients and recorded zero death since March last year. “This resumption is dependent on provision of many considerations for safety before final implementation,” the PSC said in a statement. “The agency is now evaluating viable facilities which may be used in the said training. Ongoing coordination with local government unit are being done to ensure that all safety measures are taken for the protection of our national team members.” There are 1,421 athletes and 353 coaches in the national team under the PSC’s care, but not all are expected to train at the PSC facilities with both the government sports agency and the POC putting priorities on

MAXEY sports programmed in the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games in May and Huangzhou 19th Asian Games in September next year. The POC earlier approved of a 626-athlete team in 39 of the 40 sports on the Hanoi program, but has yet to finalize the delegation’s size for Huangzhou where the country is taking part in 46 of 61 sports. The PSC, the statement added, created a technical working group that will undertake all preparations for the return to training—including the finalization of sports which may be accommodated in the facilities. A no-vaccine, no-entry policy will also be enforced, said the PSC board which is also composed of commissioners Celia Kiram, Arnold Agustin, Ramon Fernandez and Charles Raymond Maxey. About 70 kms

handled by Chooks-To-Go. Duremdes said the tournament will be short and under Fiba format. The league is eyeing the Mall of Asia Arena as venue and hopes to get a TV coveror. “We’ll have five games a day starting at 9 a.m.,” said the Philippine Basketball Association legend in the session presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. “It’s a single round affair with teams divided into four groups,” he said. “The top two in each group will advance to the playoffs which are all knockout stages.” Duremdes said the Fiba is also monitoring the short tournament that will be MPBL’s first since deciding to turn pro and be under the supervision of the Games and Amusement Board. All players should be fully vaccinated in the tournament that will be held under a closed-circuit system, he said.

Never fall in love with your players

STILL a hot clubhouse topic was the departure of Arwind Santos just days back from San Miguel Beer (SMB) to Northport. That was followed by Alex Cabagnot getting himself shipped to Terrafirma. These are prized players being disposed of. Jewels that helped make SMB an eight-time Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) champion in seven years, including a record streak of five straight as All-Filipino champion from 2015 to 2019. Why is that? The built-in logic behind the twin action was to retool an SMB line-up that has grown a bit old. It needs fresh, young blood to be competitive again. Makes sense. Santos is 40 years old. His replacement is Vic Manuel, the 34-year-old “muscle man” aching to win his first PBA title. (Correction: Arwind was not part of the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers Grand Slam champion team in 2014.) Cabagnot is 38 and the one taking his guarding/scoring

HAVE SPONSORS, WILL COMPETE

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee (POC) President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino told the general assembly that NSAs whose athletes couldn’t be funded by the Philippine Sports Commission for the Hanoi and Huangzhou games could still compete for as long as they shoulder

their own expenses. “Those who will be accommodated by the PSC will fall under Group A and those who are expluded and financed by the private sponsors will be in Group B,” Tolentino said. “The POC will be more on handling accreditation and the policy on funding will be applied for both the SEA Games and Asian Games.” He advised NSAs hoping to join the games to apply to the POC immediately. “In previous tournaments, the POC selected members of the delegation based on their regional, continental or world rankings or if they were previous medalists,” Tolentino said. A deputy chiefs of mission meetings among Alvin Aguilar (Asian Games) and Carl Sambrano and Pearl Managuelod (SEA Games) was held in the sidelines. Tolentino also announced that the country will participate in the Children of Asia International Games from July 27 to August 8 in Vladivostok, Russia. Robert Moran of soft tennis is the chief of mission.

Manila outplays San Juan, bags top seed spot in quarterfinals

MPBL’s Duremdes: One step at a time HE Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Invitationals will serve as prelude to the league’s return to its regular season calendar next year. Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes said the league will take it one step at a time as he hopes that everything will return to normal next year for its 2022-2023 season. The MPBL, Duremdes stressed, will still target its traditional Independence Day (June 12) opening ceremony. A long pre-season is in the pipeline shortly after the Invitationals and after a short break, the MPBL will try to return to normal after a two-year absence because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The ball will be rolling because the league is getting ignited,” Duremdes told the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. “We advise the players to stay in shape for the coming season.” The 22-team Invitationals are set from December 11 to 21 and will be

south of Manila at The Grandmaster Hotel in Tagaytay City, POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino suggested that the PSC facilities be opened in December and no longer under a bubble setup. “It should not be a bubble training anymore because we’re already in Alert Level 2 [protocol] and they [PSC] can even start the training as early as December,” Tolentino told reporters after the POC’s fourth and last general assembly for the year also on Tuesday. Twenty-one national sports association (NSA) and POC officials— including First Vice President Al Panlilio—personally attended the assembly while 18 of their colleagues joined online.

ICC Manila outplayed San Juan City, 75-69, to take the No. 1 seeding in the quarterfinals of the FilBasket Subic Championship at the Subic gym Monday. Four players scored in double figures for the Manila dribblers, who finished the round-robin eliminations with an 8-2 win-loss record. Michael Mabulac paced with 19 points and eight rebounds, Michael Juico added 16 points and six boards, and Hesed Gabo and Jessie James Collado chipped in 10 points apiece for AICC Manila, who uncorked a 32-14 third-quarter run to erase its 32-22 halftime deficit and grab the 54-46 upperhand. San Juan finished the elims at third place with a 7-3 mark despite Larry Rodriguez and Renato Ular teaming up for 22 points.

SIMONE FASHION

Gymnastics Simone Biles arrives at the InStyle Awards at The Getty Center on Monday in Los Angeles. AP

chores is Simon Enciso, a 30-year-old dead shot from afar who is a swift slasher in traffic as well. Their added punch should help rejuvenate the Beermen, who were out of the title picture in the league’s last two bubbles. They were given the boot early in 2020 and then TNT Tropang Giga, the eventual champion, shut the semifinal door on them in the last conference in Bacolor, Pampanga. Sad farewells happen but they aren’t uncommon in sports. Parting is always inevitable as it is a necessary component in rebuilding a team. There’d be a tear or two falling, yes, as SMB coach Leo Austria did when he made the painful decision to let Arwind Santos go. Hurtful, but that’s the way it is at times. A fact of life we have to face in order for us to be able to move on with grace and dignity. Nothing lasts forever, including epoxy-like ties between coaches and players. I’ve always said it: Coaches should never fall in love with their players. It’s best that relationships be business-based at all times. That way, when it’s time to say goodbye, parting should simply be sweet sorrow. Nothing personal. THAT’S IT Just fine that Hidilyn Diaz skipped the World Weightlifting Championship next month in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She’s out of shape as she’d been too busy attending socials and promos following her Olympic gold victory on July 26 in Tokyo 2020. She might bomb out in the event set December 7 to 17. She listened to her body. And that’s good. A winner’s move…June Mar Fajardo, the 6-foot-11 pillar of SMB, turns 32 today, November 17. Happy birthday, June Mar.

Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija edged MTrans Batangas City, 93-87, to clinch the No. 4 seeding. Emil Renz Palma posted 18 points and 10 assists while Jerick Nacpil had 10 points and 10 boards for the Nueva Ecija Besprens, who emerged with the highest quotient after the tiebreak after finishing with similar 6-4 records with Pasig-Sta. Lucia, Medical Depot and Burlington EOG Sports. MTrans, for its part, finished eighth with a 5-5 card. Pasig-Sta. Lucia, meanwhile, got a big lift from Clark Derige and Jeron Teng in whipping Muntinlupa, 101-70. Derige and Teng finished with 20 and 14 points for the Realtors, who took the No. 5 seeding while dealing Muntinlupa its 10th straight defeat to finish last.

PHL karatekas ready to rumble in UAE Worlds

OUTHEAST Asian Games gold medalists Junna Tsukii and Jamie Lim begin their campaign in the World Karate Federation World Championships on Wednesday at the Hamdan Sports Complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. But Tsukii and Lim will only know their first opponents after the draw that were scheduled late Tuesday. Lim will take the mat first at 9 a.m. in the -61 kgs class while Tsukii will compete later at 5:30 p.m. in the -50 kgs category both of women’s kumite, according to Ricky Lim, president of Karate Pilipinas which was formally recognized by the World Karate Federation its congress on Tuesday. Turkish coach Okay Arpa told BusinessMirror in a message that the 30-year-old Filipino-Japanese Tsukii is one of the favorites because of her No. 2 world ranking. “Junna [Tsukii] is a well-known successful name in her category in the world and she has beaten many world champions,” Arpa said. “She is one of the favorites.” Lim, on the other hand, draws her motivation from her foiled bid at the Tokyo Olympics qualifiers last June in Paris where she beat 2016 world champion Alisa Buchinger of Austria. “I think that victory was the result of a determined, faithful and disciplined work process and is a great source of motivation for her,” Arpa said. Dagupan City pride Joco Vasquez, meanwhile, will showcase his kata skills on at 9 a.m. (Dubai time) on Thursday followed by 2019 SEA Games bronze medalist Sarah Pangilinan at 1:30 p.m. Josef Ramos

USA Basketball picks team for initial 2 World Cup qualifiers

OLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado—USA Basketball picked its initial team for the opening games of qualifying for the 2023 World Cup. Jordan Bell, who won a title with Golden State in 2018, was among the 12 players announced Monday as the team that will represent the US when qualifying starts in Mexico later this month with games against Cuba and Mexico. Most of the players on the roster have National Basketball Association (NBA) experience and will be coming to the US team from current stints in the G League.

Frank Mason III and Chasson Randle have been part of World Cup qualifying teams before for the US and were picked for this roster. Also selected along with Bell, Mason and Randle were Brian Bowen II, Josh Gray, Shaq Harrison, DaQuan Jeffries, BJ Johnson, Orlando Johnson, Luke Kornet, Zavier Simpson and Emanuel Terry. Combined, they’ve made nearly 900 regular-season NBA appearances for 17 teams. Jim Boylen will coach the US team, assisted by Othella Harrington and Ty Ellis. The Americans will train in Houston for about a week,

Inter-collegiate ML tilt in hot start

HE Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) Mobile Legends Varsity Cup was off to a hot start and this early, organizers are looking forward to an exciting competition. The event that drew 10 schoolbased teams from the National Collegiate Athletic Association enters the playoffs stage on Wednesday with Letran facing Emilio Aguinaldo College and Lyceum of the Philippines University meeting Mapua in the

upper bracket and San Sebastian taking on University of Perpetual Help and Arellano University battling St. Benilde in the lower half. CCE spokesperson Waiyip Chong and finance head Stanley Lao told Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum that the finals are set on November 21. The champion team, composed of NCAA basketball players, will receive P100,000. “We’re trying to promote

starting Saturday, before traveling to Chihuahua, Mexico, to play Cuba on November 28 and Mexico on November 29. Those are the first two of six first-round games for the US. The Americans are also scheduled to play Puerto Rico on February 24, Mexico on February 27, Puerto Rico on July 1 and Cuba on July 4 in the opening qualifying round. There are four teams in four groups of qualifying out of the FIBA Americas region. The top three teams in each group move onto the second round of qualifying, which starts in August and runs through February 2023. AP esports among the youth. The only difference here is that the students can play for their schools through scholarships,” Chong told the forum presented by San Miguel Corp., Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. “The event is sanctioned by the schools and this way, we can regulate the student-players,” Lao said. “And after four or five years, they can turn professionals.” Chong said the Varsity Cup saw each of the teams field in six players each under a five-to-play Mobile Legends format.