BusinessMirror November 23, 2022

MAP: Clarifying goals of PPP projects crucial

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Management Asso ciation of the Philippines (MAP) has listed recommen dations to strengthen government and private sector collaboration, including defining the objectives of different public and private partner ship (PPP) projects.

At the Pilipinas Conference 2022 on Tuesday in Makati City, MAP President Rogelio Singson presented MAP’s recommendations for Socioeconomic Planning Secre tary Arsenio M. Balisacan and some Cabinet secretaries.

Singson said these recommenda tions intend to achieve and create an “atmosphere of trust” between the public and private sector.

Among the recommendations, Singson noted that it’s important to “clearly define the purpose and objectives of the different public and private partnership projects.” He added that mixing the objectives “may not be a good proposition.”

With this, he dropped a rhetorical question, noting, “Is the PPP project a fundraising project for government, like disposition of government shares or are these development of airports, toll roads, is the objective to let the private sector provide the public ser vice republic good using private sec tor technical financial capability and giving the benefit to the public users of the facility?”

Another recommendation of the business group is to “leave the operations and maintenance

of public infrastructure to the private sector.”

Singson said this particular recommendation was born out of the “very restrictive government procurement rules and regulations which practically prevents even well-meaning government officials from being able to do a good job.”

In fact, the head of MAP cited a few examples of such restrictions: awarding to the lowest price equip ment supplies, having no value for money proposition, budgetary con straints which he said is on a yearly basis and therefore procurement will not be on economies of scale “but you have to buy based on what is budgeted.”

Singson cited more examples of restrictions such as limited al

lowable emergency purchases, and limited allowable overtime, among others.

The head of MAP also stressed the third recommendation—to “create a level playing field.” Sing son noted that it’s important to “provide an atmosphere supported by policies,” taking into consider ation the rights of both the public and private sector.

Both the state and private sec tors, he added, must fully under stand the technical, commercial and legal aspects of the PPP proj ects, particularly the risk-sharing arrangement which is referred to as the material adverse government action (MAGA).

DOE

STUDY ON USING

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

AS the country scrounges for suitable and affordable energy sources in pivoting away from pollutive ones like coal, the Department of Energy (DOE) will engage the services of an independent firm to help the agency assess once and for all the viability of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

DUE to inflationary issues, more Filipinos are turn ing to brands and retail ers that offer value for money, convenience and product assort ment when it comes to their fast moving consumer good (FMCG) needs, a top executive of Kantar said on Tuesday.

“Shoppers don’t really have much of a choice but to absorb inflation because these basic pantry staples—sugar, cooking oil, LPG [or liquefied petroleum gas, etc.—they] actually buy them because they comprise their basic [necessities],” Laurice

Obana, shopper insight director at the Worldpanel Division of Kantar in the Philippines, told reporters in a webinar.

Based on their data as of Sep tember 11, 2022 versus a year ago, the average inflation rate on FMCG in the country is 9.8 percent. Among the product cat egories, the price of sugar has increased at 44.3 percent; cook ing oil, 39.6 percent; LPG, 29.7 percent; meal flavorings, 17.3 percent; chicken, 16.3 percent; catsup, 15.4 percent; growing-up

PBBM tells DENR to watch small-scale mining closely

By Samuel P. Medenilla   @sam_medenilla

CONCERNED over the mounting fatalities in small-scale mining, Presi dent Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. is now pushing for mea sures to regulate the said activity.

During his meeting with offi cials of the Department of Envi ronment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Tuesday, Marcos said he wants to prevent further deaths in small-scale mining through gov ernment regulation and support.

“We want to legalize small-scale mining firms since many of them

are illegal so their miners have no protection. We want to strengthen the regulatory framework so they can operate legally and their min ers are given assistance and pro tection in their work,” said Marcos in Filipino while addressing DENR officials.

A strong regulatory framework, he said, can provide small-scale mining firms access to financing at the same time give their workers social protection coverage.

“I think for now the need is for the regulatory capabilities, espe cially the small scale,” Marcos said.

Harris visited a western Philippines island province at the edge of the South China Sea on Tuesday to amplify America’s support to its treaty ally and underline US interest in freedom of navigation in the disputed waters, where it has repeatedly chastised China for belligerent actions. (Right) Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff wave as they depart Puerto Princesa en route to Yokota Air Base in Japan on Tuesday. SeestoryonpageA2 PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD VIA AP/HAIYUN JIANG/THE NEW YORK TIMES VIA AP, POOL

BusinessMirror

US VP Harris urges defense of sovereignty in S. China Sea

By Jim Gomez The Associated Press

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines—

Vice President Kamala Harris urged countries on Tuesday to stand up for territorial integrity and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, which has been challenged by China, and said Washington would press an international campaign against “irresponsible behavior” in the disputed waters.

Harris did not cit e China by name but was obviously referring to Beijing when she underscored America’s support to treaty ally the Philippines “in the face of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea.”

She spoke aboard a Philippine coast guard patrol ship docked in Puerto Princesa in the western island province of Palawan, which lies at the edge of the disputed waters. The highly symbolic visit was the last leg of a two-day visit that kicked off in Manila on Monday with talks with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Citing profound stakes for America and the international community in the region, particularly in the busy South China Sea, she called for a broad effort to fight for unimpeded commerce and freedom of navigation and overflight in the disputed waters.

We must stand up for principles such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, unimpeded lawful commerce, the peaceful resolution of disputes,” Harris said. We will continue to rally our allies and partners against unlawful and irresponsible behavior,” she said. “When the international

rules-based order is threatened somewhere, it is threatened everywhere.”

A new confrontation erupted ahead of her visit to Palawan when the Philippine navy alleged a Chinese coast guard vessel had forcibly seized Chinese rocket debris as Filipino sailors were towing it to a Philippine-controlled island.

Mar cos Jr. told reporters without elaborating that he was inclined to send a diplomatic protest to China over the incident. He added that he wanted a clarification because China denied that it forcibly seized the debris. See story on A5

The long-seething territorial conflicts involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei are regarded as an Asian flashpoint and a delicate fault line in the US-China rivalry in the region.

In her talks with Mar cos Jr. on Monday, Harris reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to defend the Philippines under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty which obligates the allies to help defend either side which comes under attack.

“An armed attack on the Philippines armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US Mutual Defense commitments,” Harris told Marcos Jr. “And that is an unwavering commitment that we have to the Philippines.”

Mar cos Jr. thanked Harris, saying that with the upheavals in the region and beyond, “this partnership becomes even more important.”

In Palawan’s main city of Puerto Princesa, Harris visited a small fishing community and spoke with impoverished villagers about the

impact of illegal fishing on their livelihood. She was welcomed by dancing children and talked with women drying fish under the sun by the sea. “This is my souvenir,” she told one of the women in jest as she held a nugget of fish. The proud villager joked that the vice president could take all their products home.

T he US will provide an additional $7.5 million in aid to Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies to boost their capacity to counter illegal fishing, carry out sea surveillance and help in search and rescue efforts, including in the South China Sea, according to a statement issued by her office.

The Philippine coast guard will also receive additional US help to upgrade a vessel traffic management system for better safety at sea. The Philippines is also now receiving real-time surveillance data to be able to detect and counter illicit activities at sea in a project by the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an informal strategic bloc that involves the US, India, Japan and Australia, according to Harris’s office.

W hile the US lays no claims to the strategic waterway, where an estimated $5 trillion in global trade transits each year, it has said that freedom of navigation and overflight is in America’s national interest.

In Mar ch, US Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John C. Aquilino told The Associated Press that China has fully militarized at least three of several islands it built in the disputed waters and armed them with antiship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment in an increasingly aggressive move that threatens all nations operating nearby.

DOE. . .

www.businessmirror.com.ph

“We need to make sure if we want it opened, we have to make sure it’s safe. There’s been some studies already and assessments, but these are done by different companies or possible suppliers.

What we can possibly do is do a third party assessment and also for the departments that we have, or the bureaus that we have like PNRI [Philippine Nuclear Research Institute], the DOE can do the study also,” said Garin.

She made it clear, however, that, “We are not saying that Bataan is the only way to go. But we need to be very careful, we need to make sure the people are, they feel safe hence we need the regulatory and legislative legal framework,” she added.

The DOE, she said, may tap its 2023 budget to finance the conduct of a third-party assessment. “Hopefully, we can use the 2023 budget for that so we can proceed. Once we know that it is safe or not. If it is safe we can start deciding who will operate,” said Garin.

Continued from A1 MAP. . .

The 620-megawatt (MW) BNPP is the

country’s first and only attempt at nuclearpower development. It was supposed to be the first of two nuclear plants to be built in the northern province of Bataan. It was also the first nuclear power plant in Southeast Asia, and was identified as a solution to the 1973 oil crisis that had adversely affected the global economy, including the Philippines.

The project, however, was mothballed in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, and amid allegations that it was overpriced.

However, clamor for the reopening of the BNPP was revived during the power crisis in the 1990s and the skyrocketing oil prices in 2007.

During these periods, the DOE actually came close to reconsidering nuclear power as a potential energy source for the country. But then the Fukushima nuclear-plant incident happened in 2011, creating global panic and concerns about the safety and integrity of nuclear plants.

The Duterte administration has embraced nuclear energy with the issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 164 entitled, “Adopting a National Position for a Nuclear Energy Program, and for other Purposes.”

The EO states that nuclear power shall

Best-value. . .

Continued from A1

The fourth recommendation of MAP is the need to “clarify the roles and responsibilities of the various government institutions involved in the review and approval processes for PPP projects.”

O ften, he said, the delay happens between national government agencies. To add to that however, Singson said the delay now also happens between national and local government units.

W ith this, he said, MAP has made one concrete recommendation for the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and PPP Center which is to increase threshold amounts of investments in projects to avoid needing “several layers of reviews and final approval that will have to go all the way to the NEDA board.”

Another recommendation of MAP is to “respect government contracts entered into in the past and the future” because, he said, “often they have mutual review of contracts entered into by previous administrations even after an arbitral court ruling.”

The head of MAP also emphasized the need to create a joint public-private sector advisory council, noting that “there has to be a market sounding.”

“It could be on agriculture, trade and investment, energy, water sector. The reason for that is that we want a project before it is finally issued and bidded out that at least the terms of reference [TOR] has been discussed with potential investors. There has to be a market sounding, you don’t issue a TOR without even knowing whether there are investors or not,” Singson said.

DENR. . .

Continued from A1

To facilitate such reforms, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said the President may consider certifying as urgent the proposed legislation, which will amend Republic Act 7076 or the Act Creating A People’s Small-Scale Mining Program.

It noted the amendment may cover the inclusion of a provision which will provide small-scale miners “social assistance and labor protection as well as government assistance programs.”

The DENR has already committed to review existing mining laws to help in modernizing the mining industry through new technology and better standards.

The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP) has been lobbying for the regulation of small-scale mining following the deaths of miners engaged in the said activity in Benguet in 2018 and Agusan Del Sur in 2019.

ATM reaction

MEANWHILE , the Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) welcomed Marcos’s directive to the DENR to strengthen its regulatory powers over mining projects. Both mining laws that regulate small-scale and large-scale mining are outdated and not designed to ensure safety of small-scale miners nor respond to the challenges of climate change or impacts, it said.

“We hope that Sec. Yulo-Loyzaga will consider publicly supporting the proposed Alternative Minerals Management Bill [AMMB] in Congress, as a starting point to crafting new policies in mining at the DENR.

“Our alliance is also recommending that DENR consult local governments and indigenous communities to help identify policy reforms in effectively managing the country’s mineral resources. It is important that DENR ensure that Filipinos benefit from minerals and that mining does not displace affected communities or bring additional environmental and social problems with their operations,” ATM said.

be tapped as a viable alternative to baseload power source along with alternative resources, to address the projected decline of coal-fired power plants, which come under increasing environmental opposition. The DOE has already banned new coal power projects in the country. G arin said the DOE has identified possible sites for small modular reactors (SMR). These could be in Palawan or Zamboanga and other areas in Mindanao. “The basic fundamental is what is safest as to geography, where there is no fault line. So, it will be in the west side. There are some areas that are not connected to the grid that can also be potential for small and modular as this will give them a more stable base load,” she said.

On Monday, the Philippines and the United States initially discussed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that will provide the legal basis for US exports of nuclear equipment and material to the Philippines.

The agreement is in line with the US’s “commitment” to working with the Philippines to “increase energy security and deploying advanced nuclear reactor technology as quickly as safety and security conditions permit to meet the Philippines’ dire baseload power needs.”

Continued from A1

milk, 13.5 percent; infant formula, 12.2 percent; chicken eggs, 11.6 percent; and body care, 10.3 percent.

With this in mind, she said local consumers “put a premium on value” of things they need “as straightforward as cheaper goods or paying less for the same quantity.”

The executive added that other factors like the oil price hike, traffic and inconvenient transport modes have also redefined value when they buy things they require on a daily basis.

What we have seen is that, in general for packaged goods, shoppers are coping with rising prices by being more open to value brands. To some extent, however, they also take into consideration where to shop,” Obana explained.

“Nowadays, with multiple retailers and channel options within reach, shoppers can easily adapt to what would best fit their budgets and lifestyle that will address their needs at the moment,” she added.

Go-to store formats

NEARNESS ” has become the top priority of consumers for their daily needs during the pandemic, with nearby smaller store formats being their “go-to” places.

“The growth of proximity channels, which have gained mostly during the lockdown, was more because of the lack of mobility and fear of going far out from the homes because of the virus. Today, it can be said that while reasons and motivations are no longer about mobility, shoppers continue to patronize small format stores as they manage cashflow, become more cognizant of higher fare [and] gas [price], and the difficulty in the modes of transport,” the shopper insight director noted, adding that the basic necessities are always available there.

In fact, 41 percent of FMCG purchases during the period in review are made in sari-saristores typically found in the neighborhoods. This is 1 percent and 6 percent higher than a year or two ago, respectively.

Market stalls and groceries saw a slight growth of 1 percent since last year, from 6 percent in 2020 to 7 percent in 2021 and 2022. Drug store this year is at 4 percent, the same level as 2020, up 1 percent from last year’s 3 percent.

“ We’re seeing that for groceries, sari-sari stores, market stalls and drug stores, even direct selling, these are your proximity stores that there is an increased spend naturally,” Obana noted.

For gifting outlets, it’s stable at 3 percent since last year, yet 2 percent lower than 5 percent two years ago. Shares of FMCG purchases remain flat in convenient stores (1 percent) and other store formats (9 percent) over the last three years.

Meanwhile, value shares of hypermarkets and supermarkets in the last couple of years dropped by 6 percent and 3 percent, accordingly, from 34 percent in 2020 and 31 percent in 2021 to 28 percent in 2022.

“Online remains to be a small channel for the Philippines in terms of size, but we are seeing that it’s actually gaining traction. Growth is definitely there,” she pointed out.

In terms of socioeconomic classes (SECs), Kantar found out that those with less financial means opt for smaller and nearby stores, as the moneyed can still buy in high-end formats.

“The middle C2 and DE—the middle and the lower SECs, which comprise the majority of our population—spend more in the proximity channels. However, for the upper SEC, we’re seeing that they also spent most [and] they increased their spend in hypermarkets and supermarkets, but relatively increased also in other channels,” she said.

Because of this, hypermarkets and supermarkets are a bit pressured since most Filipinos feeling the economic strain continue to patronize smaller proximity stores for their basic FMCG needs.

Top 10 retailers

DIFFERENT store formats from both local and national players have made it to the 1st Most Chosen Retailers in the Philippines report launched this year by Kantar.

As of September this year, six retail operators with presence across the country comprised the list. Puregold lorded over the roster as the most preferred retailer among shoppers nationwide, followed by SM Supermarket, Mercury Drug and Robinsons Supermarket. Convenience stores Alfamart and 7 Eleven, likewise, completed the top choices at 7th and 10th places, respectively.

Regionally-based retail stores have placed significantly in the national ranking, with CSI Supermarket in Northern Luzon (5th), Cebu’s Prince Hypermart (6th), Gaisano Grand in the Visayas and Mindanao (8th) and LCC Supermarket in Southern Luzon (9th).

All were rated based on the Consumer Reach Points (CRP) method, which measures the number of shoppers and the number of times they have made a purchase in a particular retailer within 12 months. CRP is accounted for in-home, direct to consumer purchase within 132 FMCG categories tracked by Kantar. Roderick L. Abad

HAVE A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AT SM SUPERMALLS

By Anne Ruth Dela Cruz

AS the song goes, Christmas is the most wonderful time of year “with the kids jingle belling and everyone telling you to be of good cheer.”

A t the SM Supermalls, Christmas starts 100 days before Christmas Day. Preparations. however, start as early as February with each of the malls trying to outdo each other for the best themes.

Before, it used to be song and dance. But since the pandemic, we really had to think deeper than that. We had to think how we can give back to the people who are not really in the mood for Christmas. The pandemic really made us stop and think. What is important here is the spirit of giving and giving back,” said Grace Magno, VP for Corporate Marketing of SM Supermalls.

M agno, together with TJ Cuenca, SAVP for Marketing Operations and Krisel Raymundo-Ramilio, AVP- Premier 3, both from SM Supermalls, guested last November 10, 2022 on BusinessMirror’s Freshly Brewed to talk about the activities the SM malls prepared for mallgoers.

To launch this year’s Christmas celebrations at SM, Magno said they invited causeoriented groups to put up booths at the SM Malls where these groups could raise funds by selling their wares.

It is up to the mall to find their community charity that needs their help. The mall will them help them prepare, make sure that they have stock of whatever they want to sell. Then they look for a very good place in the mall so that they can raise funds and we help market that. So that’s how we started to celebrate Christmas,” Magno related.

3D LED Tunnel

This year, SM Supermalls celebrates not just joyful, but also fun, immersive and experiential holidays. Cuenca relates that this year, SM Megamall is SM’s banner mall. For an immersive and experiential experience, check out SM Megamall’s Mega Space Odyssey. The

3D LED tunnel transports individuals into space.

You can take photos with your family and friends, videos for your socials. It is really very exciting and very immersive ad we would like everyone to check it out at the Fashion Hall,” Cuenca said.

A nother attraction at SM Megamall that has generated a lot of rave reviews is the hyper-realistic 3D Whale Shark at SM Megamall’s LED billboard. This is the first such high-definition immersive content to be shown at the heart of the metropolis.

T he larger-than-life whale shark makes a 15-minute appearance on the 2,000 square foot digital billboard from 12 noon to 10 pm.

“ Right now it’s the whale shark but Megamall has something in store for Christmas which we cannot divulge just yet. This is definitely a surprise for us this Christmas,” Cuenca said.

Bucket list destination

The illuminating lights of the Aurora Borealis is at SM North Edsa this Christmas. The northern lights (aurora borealis), which are beautiful dancing waves of light, are an atmospheric phenomenon that is regarded as the Holy Grail of sky watching.

W alk and indulge in a family friendly immersive experience at the Aurora trail ascending the giant holiday tree with a magic array of lights, forestry, rein-bears and holiday polar express only at SM North Edsa.

A C hristmas celebration will not be complete without lights. Hence, Ramilo related that there is a Sparkle Light Show and the much awaited weekly fireworks display at the SM Mall of Asia.

Everyone will really feel the Christmas spirit because we have the brightest indoor light show. We have over 100,000 lights that dance to music and our shoppers can catch the show daily every hour as soon as the mall opens

until the mall closes. The Light show is located in the Central Atrium and this is free for everyone,” Ramilo said.

T he fireworks display, on the other hand, will be held at the MOA Complex every Friday and Saturday at 7 pm until December 2022.

Golden gateway

Tucked behind the giant Christmas tree in SM Aura is a golden gem-stone shaped immersive experience. In

partnership with global smartphone brand TECNO Mobile, technology and art meet to transport all who enter the enclosure into scenes of an opulent holiday palace and fantastical golden worlds.

“ There is another technological experience at SM Aura. Equally spectacular is a choregraphed light and sound display at SM Aura Premier’s Skypark at Level 5. Visitors of the Skypark enter a space with tall tree-like sculptures made

of strings of light. As they go through a forest of lights, a jaw-dropping musical show will entrance and excite t hem,” she said, adding that visitors can enjoy this visual performance at 7 pm on all Sunday nights of December.

T he SM Malls also have Santa approved Christmas Playparks. Watch out for Santa appearances, character meet and greets and other surprises. Make your furbabies happy and feel

loved by joining the Holiday Paw Play Dates and Costume PAWty. Check out the Happiness Stations where you can create lasting memories with family and friends.

“ Christmas is the season for giving and SM gives you the opportunity to help others in the community who do not have as much. While we celebrate this Christmas season, let us be kinder people to ourselves and to others, to those who have less,” Magno said.

Witness the illuminating lights of the Aurora Borealis at SM North Edsa’s Aurora Trail.

Travel to majestic galaxies in outer space and take photos and videos at the first ever immersive 3D LED tunnel at SM Megamall.

The Holiday Fireworks are back at the SM Mall of Asia Com pound every Friday and Saturday at 7 pm until December 2022.

The Christmas tree display at SM Lanang Premier in Davao City.

House vows support to PBBM’s six-year prosperity road map

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

HOUSE Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday as sured the business commu nity that they would be consulted in every measure that the lower chamber is set to pass to support the Agenda for Prosperity of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

In his remarks before the 2022 Asia CEO Forum, a gathering of cap tains of industry, Romualdez laid out measures that would help the Marcos administration achieve the goals of its prosperity road map.

Romualdez promised business men that they would be consulted on these legislative proposals.

“One thing I assure you, though. As stakeholders, you will be consult

ed in every measure that we tackle, especially those involving commerce and industry. Please make your po sitions very clear on the issues that we tackle in the House of Represen tatives as I want all stakeholders to be heard before we pass these mea sures,” the Speaker said.

He said the Marcos administra tion’s prosperity blueprint “has as its core mission the country’s economic transformation towards inclusivity and sustainability.”

“ We in Congress are one with the President in this mission,” Romual dez stressed.

T his is why the House, shortly after the 19th Congress convened in July, adopted—through Concurrent Resolution No. 2—the administra tion’s Medium-Term Fiscal Frame work (MTFF) and 8-point socioeco

nomic plan, which comprise the road map for the Agenda for Prosperity, Romualdez said.

“For the first time, the country has a clear six-year agenda with clearly defined goals,” he pointed out.

T he Speaker revealed that the President’s socioeconomic devel opment master plan has started to achieve significant results.

Romualdez noted that the economy grew by 7.6 percent in the third quarter of this year, faster than the 7.5-percent expansion in the second quarter, with the country reported as the second best performer among major emerg ing economies in Southeast Asia.

He credited such growth to the Agenda for Prosperity and the “sound economic plan of our President and economic managers.”

These encouraging figures

strengthen our resolve, as lawmak ers, to remain fully committed in supporting the Agenda for Prosper ity with the necessary legislative measures,” Romualdez said.

He said the immediate focus of the House would be on helping the government boost domestic demand and increase the competitiveness of local production to sustain and fur ther accelerate economic recovery.

H e said the lower chamber has already passed the proposed P5.268-trillion 2023 national bud get, which includes P1.528 trillion for economic services.

Following our participation at the Asean Summit in Cambodia and at the APEC meetings in Thailand where I joined the President, we in Congress are likewise determined to further study needed refinements in

our laws, regulations and govern ment policies so as to further attract foreign investments and create more jobs for Filipinos,” he added.

T he Speaker told the business community that the House has also approved House Bill (HB) No. 4339, which is the last component of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Package and which aims to simplify taxation of passive income, financial services and transactions by reducing the number of tax rates from 83 to 58.

“If we are able to enact this package as proposed, we will be able to complete one of the largest tax reform programs of any country in the world,” he said.

T he House has likewise approved the bills taxing single-use plastic bags and non-resident digital service providers and the proposed Ease of Paying Taxes Act.

J ust recently, the President signed into law the SIM Registra tion Bill that requires the registra tion of all mobile subscriptions, whether postpaid or prepaid to lessen mobile phone-aided scams and other illegal activities.

In response to the President’s call to expedite the transition to a digital economy, Congress will prioritize the passage of the EGovernance Bill, which would sig nificantly reduce, if not eliminate, red tape,” Romualdez said.

A s he is the principal author of most of the Marcos administration’s priority legislative measures, Romual dez said he expects his colleagues in Congress to support these bills.

In fact, I am hopeful that we can approved most of these measures be fore the year ends,” Romualdez said.

DTI releases price guide for ‘noche buena’ products Mindoro’s power woes may

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has released a price guide for “noche buena” products on Wednesday to enable consumers to choose from a wide range of products at varying prices.

I n a news statement issued on Monday, the Trade department emphasized that the noche buena products are not categorized as Basic Necessities and Prime Com modities (BNPCs) under the Repub lic Act (RA) No. 75181, as amended by RA No. 10623.

A ccording to DTI, the Noche Buena price guide includes products such as ham, fruit cocktail, keso de bola, cheese, sandwich spread, may onnaise, pasta or spaghetti, elbow macaroni, salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, and creamer or all-purpose cream.

DTI bared the current price range for 223 stock keeping units (SKUs) of noche buena products and the price increase percentages.

According to DTI, prices of all SKUs of fruit cocktail, cheese and keso de bola, tomato sauce and cream products increased.

For fruit cocktail, the DTI said all 12 SKUs under this type of noche buena product increased, with three SKUs increasing by 1 to 5 percent, 8 increasing by 6 to 10 percent, and 5 SKUs increasing by more than 10 percent.

Prices of fruit cocktail range from P56 to as much as P288.

For the 14 SKUs of cheese, the DTI price adjustments chart shows that two SKUs increased by 1 percent to as much as 5 percent; 7 SKUs in creased by 6 percent to as much as 10 percent, and five SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

P rices of cheese range from P54.35 to as much as P371.

F or keso de bola’s 12 SKUs, the DTI chart shows that two SKUs increased by 1 percent to as much as 5 percent; 6 SKUs increased by 6 to as much as 10 percent; and four SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of keso de bola range from P199.50 to as much as P513.75.

For tomato sauce, of the 13 SKUs, DTI said 4 SKUs increased by 6 to as much as 10 percent while 9 increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of tomato sauce range from P17.25 to as much as P92.25.

F or cream, one of its SKUs increased by 1 to as much as 5 percent, while the other SKU increased by more than 10 per cent. Prices of cream range from P63 to as much as P75.

Meanwhile, the price adjustment chart of DTI shows that ham offers more choices compared to the above mentioned noche buena products. The DTI said there are 33 SKUs for ham. Of the 33 SKUs, four SKUs re tained their prices while prices of two SKUs of ham decreased.

DTI also revealed that four prod ucts of ham have just been included in their price guide.

A s for price increases, 13 SKUs of ham increased by 1 to 5 percent; 7 increased by 6 to 10 percent and 3 SKUs increased by more than 10 percent. Prices of ham this year range from P163 to as much as P892.50.

Meanwhile, of the 17 SKUs of mayonnaise, the price adjustment chart for noche buena shows that there are two new products, two retained their prices, while 7 SKUs increased by 1 to as much as 7 per cent; 1 increased by 6 to as much as 10 percent; and 5 SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of mayonnaise range from P24 to as much as P234.15.

F or sandwich spread, of the 36 SKUs, there are five new prod ucts and two have retained their prices. However, DTI said 20 SKUs increased by 1 to as much as 5 percent; 7 SKUs increased by 6 to as much as 10 percent; and 2 SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of sandwich spread range from P26 to as much as P252.

T he Trade department said of the 17 SKUs of pasta, there’s a new product. Meanwhile, three SKUs have increased by 6 to as much as 10 percent and 13 SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of pasta range from P25.50 to as much as P111.

F or elbow macaroni, of the 21 SKUs, DTI said there are two new products while the remaining 19 SKUs have increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of elbow macaroni range from P23 to as much as P119.

For salad macaroni, of its 12 SKUs, three are new products and nine SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of salad macaroni range from P39 to as much as P117.

For spaghetti sauce, the DTI said of the 34 SKUs, there’s a new product. As for the prices of SKUs that increased, two increased by 1 to as much as 5 percent; 8 increased by 6 to as much as 10 percent and 23 SKUs increased by more than 10 percent.

Prices of spaghetti sauce range from P23.55 to as much as P95.50.

T he DTI-Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) told reporters on Tuesday that the price guide details were surveyed by CPAB from noche buena prod ucts manufacturers.

“ The manufacturers stated that these are their prices until the end of the year. Since noche buena products are not regulated, some manufacturers may have already implemented the price guide pric es prior to the guide’s publication. Also, retailers may have different prices because of the non-regu lation of the prices of the noche buena products, but this is where

free market competition comes into play,” CPAB said.

Meanwhile, the Trade depart ment noted that as one of the imple menting agencies of the Price Act, and with the Trade Secretary as the Chairman of the National Price Co ordinating Council (NPCC), DTI is mandated to coordinate and ratio nalize government programs that aim to stabilize prices and supplies of BNPCs.

“ While the Department al ready launched several initia tives that provide Filipino con sumers access to quality BNPCs, it is yet to launch a program that is focused on improving market visibility, checking, and monitor ing,” the DTI said in a statement issued on Monday.

T he DTI secretary as the NPCC chairman will lead the rollout of the Ikot Palengke Program on No vember 23.

A ccording to DTI, “the program aims to establish actual bases for sound and rational recommenda tions on price ceilings for certain basic necessities and prime com modities; to assist the other imple menting agencies in leveling other economic issues through market monitoring, with DTI being the prime mover of consumer wel fare and chair of the NPCC; and, to heighten consumer awareness through market visibility which is aimed at spreading advocacy on consumer protection.”

TO address the power crisis affecting the provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro, a member of the House Committee on Energy bared the Energy Regulatory Com mission (ERC) has finally issued its clarificatory ruling on the issue on the payment of the P258-million National Power Corp. (Napocor) subsidy to its distributor utility, the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO).

In a news statement, Rep. Leody Tarriela, of Occidental Mindoro said the decision of the ERC may be the key to solving the lingering power crisis in the province.

L ast week, during a panel hearing wherein Tarriela’s Resolution No. 34 calling for an investigation on the dire power situation in Occidental Mindoro was tackled, the ERC finally issued its ruling on the issue.

“My office has spent an enormous amount of time, resources, effort and energy, towards solving this singular problem. I am grateful to the ERC. In their September 21 Or der, the ERC clarified that Napocor, and not OMECO, will pay the unpaid P258 million subsidy charged by our power provider, OMCPC [Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corpo ration],” he said. Jovee

Marie N. Dela Cruz

Vittorio V. Vitug

be finally resolved

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

ing it from underperforming govern ment agencies.

PHL to send note verbale to China on rocket debris incident in WPS

SEN. Raffy

Tulfo on Tuesday threatened to cut the annual budgetary allotment of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and chan nel part of it to the cash-starved Na tional Children’s Hospital (NCH), a vital facility for sick children.

T he senator moved to trim DENR’s budget, citing its alleged “failure to carry out some key man dates” under questioning during the period of amendments in the ongoing plenary deliberation on the proposed 2023 national budget bill.

Tulfo, in moving to raise the bud get for NCH reminded that the hos pital facility serves children from the poorest families dealing with the most serious pediatric cases that is not receiving enough support from the government.

In his privilege speech on Mon day, Tulfo divulged what he found to be an “appalling and heartbreaking situation” in the children’s hospital that, he said, “adversely affects its pa tients, such as its lack of manpower, below industry standard facilities, and outdated or lacking equipment.”

At the same time, the senator prodded the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and “my esteemed colleagues to person ally visit the hospital to witness its struggles firsthand.”

“Mr. President, the National Chil dren’s Hospital, a health facility for the poorest and weakest, is in dire need of our help,” Tulfo pleaded, adding: “Kung paano naghihingalo ang mga pasyente doon, gayun din ang paghihingalo ng pasilidad at sitwasyon ng National Children’s Hospital.”

He added: “I invite you to visit this hospital para makita niyo kung gaano kalunus-lunos ang kalagayan ng mga pasyente doon. Nang makausap ko sila, wala daw pong bumibisita sa kanila na mga opisyal ng gobyerno. There is something wrong in the way they are treated and how the government handles them. They are not getting the help they must receive,” the sena tor lamented.

Moving to promptly remedy the dire situation, the Senator sought to augment the NCH budget by sourc

A veteran broadcaster doing pub lic service prior to his election as sen ator, Tulfo shared how the situation in NCH has not improved through the years, lamenting, “in fact has even gotten worse.”

In his recent visit to said hospi tal, Tulfo shared that the suffering of children and sorrow of parents accompanying them are “visibly ap parent on their faces as they were lined up in the hospital’s cramped, hot and humid hallway which only compounded to their sufferings.”

For instance, the senator cited one case in particular that broke his heart as Tulfo recalled seeing a six-year-old boy with stage 4 liver cancer having a hard time breath ing even if he already had an oxygen tank assisting him.

Tulfo shared that he was told that the patient was just waiting for his time to go.

Further discussing the problems hounding the hospital due to lack of budget, Tulfo said that NCH could not handle the number of patients that comes to them. He said that there is a three-year waiting time for some of the therapies being of fered to the patients including PT, OT, and Speech therapy.

Tulfo said the hospital’s build ing, meanwhile, is dilapidated and its sorry state cannot properly ac commodate children. He described: “May basag na bintana at plywood ang ipinangtatakip dito. There are not enough electric fans and no proper ventilation, and the windows have to be opened for fresh air. Sinabitan ng manipis na kurtina ang bintana marahil upang di makapasok ang mga lamok at alikabok!”

Moreover, the senator from Isa bela and Davao shared that he no ticed water stains from the hospital’s ceiling, which is a sign of water leak from the roof from the last rainfall.

Tulfo likewise recalled that the hospital’s therapy rooms are very small, which could not ad equately accommodate children, thereby prompting doctors to instruct parents to just continue the therapy at home instead of having it two to three times a week at the hospital.

AHOUSE deputy minority lead er on Tuesday slammed the Department of Health (DOH) for the reported billions of pesos worth of wasted Covid-19 vaccines.

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Cas tro reported there are P15.6 billion worth of wasted Covid-19 vaccines amid lingering cases of Covid-19.

“ The government should not take the over 31 million doses of wasted Covid-19 lightly. This wast age is worth an estimated cost of P15.6 billion of the people’s money,” Castro said.

The 31 million doses are 12 percent of the 250.38 million doses received and procured by the gov ernment, vaccine wastage reported last August was only at 8 percent. Government should aim for as little wastage of Covid-19 vaccines as pos sible,” she added.

A ccording to Castro, the

World Health Organization has set a 10 percent threshold for vaccine wastage.

“[The Philippine] government must take this wastage issue seri ously and ensure that services are accessible by the people,” Castro said.

“ Vaccination and boosters are still incomplete in the provinces. The gov ernment should further strengthen its campaign for vaccination and ensure that citizens who want and can be vaccinated will have access to these vaccines,” added the lawmaker.

With this, Castro urged the lead ership of the House of Representa tives to act immediately on House Resolution 179 to probe the millions of expired Covid-19 vaccines.

“

With this updated report, Con gress should urgently conduct an in vestigation to ensure that this much wastage does not happen again,” Castro stressed.

Citing the unprogrammed appro

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

THE Philippines will send a note verbale to China following the confrontation between the Philippine Navy and Chinese coast guard over rocket debris in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.

In an ambush interview during the 49th Founding Anniversary of the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) in Pasay City, Marcos dis

closed he would follow the recom mendation of National Security Adviser Clarita R. Carlos in handling the incident.

T hrough the note verbale, he said he wants to find out what really hap pened in the recovery of the debris amid conflicting reports from the Philippines and China.

“ The report from the Philippine Navy did not match the report from China because the word ‘forcibly’ was used in the Navy—in the Philippine Navy report. And that was not the characterization in the Chinese navy report or the report coming from China,” Marcos said.

T he debris was recovered by the Philippine Navy near Pag-asa Island last Monday. It then decided to tow the debris to the island.

But before they could reach their destination, the Philippine Navy al leged the Chinese coast guard took the debris after cutting off the rope they were using to tow it.

Rep. Nograles: 4 pro-worker bills now up for Senate okay

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

FOUR bills seeking to strength en protection of workers in certain sectors have now been transferred to the Senate for its own approval.

Committee on Labor Chairman and Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said passage on third and final reading of House Bills 988 (In creasing the Service Incentive Leave of Workers Act), 924 (Barangay Skilled Workers Act), 227 (Caregivers Welfare Act), and 454 (Media Workers Welfare Act) would strengthen the labor sec tor once they are passed into law.

“HBs 988, 924, and 227 were all approved on November 15, while HB 454 was approved in the plenary [Monday]. As of today, all four bills have already been transmitted and received by the Senate,” Nograles said.

“Labor markets are important, es

pecially in developing countries like ours as employment status is one of the key determinants of eradicating poverty. As chair of the Committee on Labor, I am delighted that the House has prioritized the passage of these measures, which will pro tect and strengthen the rights and welfare of our labor force,” he added.

T he lawmaker said HB 988 dou bles the SIL of workers who have rendered at least one year of service from the current five days to the proposed 10.

HB 924, meanwhile, creates a barangay skilled workers registry, which would serve as a voluntary repository of skilled workers’ infor mation, including their names, ad dresses, contact information, and skills or nature of services they could provide,” Nograles said.

“HB 277 puts in place policies to ensure decent employment for care givers and protect them from physi

cal, mental, and economic abuse; harassment; and violence. Moreover, HB 454 codifies the rights of media workers and ensures that they are given humane working conditions, living wages, and comprehensive ben efits package at par with the current benefits enjoyed by both public and private sector workers,” he added.

Nograles said that aside from the four bills already passed, there are two other labor bills currently being heard on second reading by the House.

“ We look forward to the passage of HB 477, which amends the Batas Kasambahay and HB 4479, which expands the prohibited acts of dis crimination against women in the workplace,” he said.

The Committee on Labor strives to be attuned to the needs of our la bor force. Our goal is to create more and better jobs by strengthening our labor market, by way of empowering our workers,” Nograles added.

Of course, I am—I have com plete trust in our Navy and if this is what they say happened, I can only believe that that is what hap pened,” Marcos said.

“So we have to now ask the Chinese, why is it that their account is so dif ferent,” the President pointed out.

Marcos said he hopes to prevent similar incidents from happening again through a “mechanism” for sea vessels navigating the WPS, which he will pro pose during his visit to China next year.

I’m glad that I am going to Beijing early January because this is—these are the things that we need to work out,” the President stressed.

“Because with the way that the region, our region, Asia-Pacific, is heating up, a mistake or misunder standing could lead to tensions to flare up,” he warned.

By Glen Jacob Jose

MORE than 26,000 villages across the country have been cleared of illegal drugs through the “whole- of-nation approach” under the Barangay Drug Clearing Program.

L atest data released by the Philip pine National Police (PNP) on Tues day showed of the total 42,046 baran gays in the country, 35,356 have been previously declared as drug affected. From these, 26,244 or 74.23 percent have been declared as “drug cleared” from July 2016 to November 2022.

PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. lauded the collective efforts of gov ernment agencies, especially those who work devotedly and diligently for this notable achievement.

A zurin said that from July 1, 2022 to November 1, 2022, 403 more ba rangays were declared drug cleared by Regional Oversight Committees.

Of the 35,356 drug-affected baran gays, 17,079 are classified as slightly af fected, 17,860 are moderately affected, while 417 are seriously affected.

priations of the 2022 General Appro priations Act, the resolution said the Congress has allotted P45.3 billion for the procurement of Covid-19 boosters shots.

“Especially amid the pandemic and economic crisis, where the Fili pino people are suffering from the rising prices of goods and services, it is imperative for Congress to ensure that the people’s money is well spent and not wasted due to inefficiency and corruption,” said the resolution.

It is unacceptable for the people that there are expired Co vid-19 vaccines, whether donated or procured and whether they will be replaced for free or not, as they are actually the ones paying for the loans and other sources from which the vaccines were procured, and the ones on whose behalf the government received the dona tions,” the resolution added.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

CALLING it a clear act of “eco nomic sabotage,” Senator Pia S. Cayetano on Monday warned the public about a “fake” sponsored web site that has been victimizing tourists, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and other travelers to pay $70 for the online e-card registration upon arrival in the Philippines.

During Monday’s plenary session on November 21, 2022, she issued a stern warning and advised the public that the government is not collecting any fee for the e-card registration. She asked media’s help to actively expose the scam, while deploring government’s failure to take down the scammers’ account, billed as a “sponsored” content.

She was aghast that anyone who googles for information on register ing one’s vaccine status prior to flying to Manila would be greeted first with the scammers’ account instead of the

government’s official Vaxcert account.

Cayetano said: “For me that is economic sabotage, no tourists and OFWs will come here anymore be cause of that. It is our job to alert all government agencies to stop it.”

O n the suggestion of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Cay etano vowed to deliver a privilege speech to expose the fake web site in detail so that the public, espe cially the media and the govern ment, would be informed.

Meanwhile, other senators took the floor to expose other existing arrangements that serve to discour age travelers from going to the Phil ippines, and for Filipinos to travel.

Zubiri and Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa said the government forms on the limits for bringing cash—with out need to report this to authori ties—is still at “P10,000” instead of  $10,000.  Butch Fernandez

CA panel defers hearing on Erwin Tulfo’s nomination to DSWD

CITING issues surrounding his citizenship and pending libel case before the Supreme Court, the congressional Commission on Ap pointments’ screening committee on Tuesday deferred the confirmation of former journalist Erwin T. Tulfo as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Rep. Oscar Malapitan raised the is sue on Tulfo’s citizenship, noting that the latter became an enlisted personnel of the United States Army from 1988

to 1992, while Rep. Rodante Marcoleta questioned Tulfo, a former newspaper man, about his conviction at the lower court on four counts of libel now pend ing before the Supreme Court.

Tulfo, in turn, requested an execu tive session to answer and clarify the concerns of Malapitan and Marcoleta.

Not without an ally, Senator Chris topher Go affirmed support for the Cabinet appointment of Tulfo as Sec retary of Social Welfare and Develop ment during the Commission on Ap

pointments confirmation hearing on Tuesday, November 22.

Go noted the DSWD is the primary government agency mandated to de velop, implement and coordinate so cial protection and poverty reduction solutions for the poor. The senator stressed that the DSWD is an impor tant agency that focuses on the poor and the marginalized.

“I have only one thing to ask Sec retary Tulfo: please do not neglect the poor and the helpless. Those who do

not have somebody to turn to. But I know your heart is for the poor,” Go told the DSWD secretary designate.

Sen. Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero also came to the defense of Tulfo and reminded the body on the pending bills filed before Congress to decriminalize libel.

Escudero cited the pending bills fol lowing the issue raised by SAGIP Partylist Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta against Tulfo who was convicted of four counts of libel case at the Pasay City Regional Trial Court and upheld by the Court

of Appeals. The case has been pending before the Supreme Court. “I would like to state for the record as well that there are many pending bills, both in the House and in the Senate, to decrimi nalize libel…I myself, I’m an author of a bill seeking to decriminalize libel. So if this will be taken against the nominee and later on that bill is approved by the Congress, I think it will be prejudicial to say the least and unfair if we would be taking that against him,” Escudero said.  Butch Fernandez

C agayan Valley region has the highest of recorded drug cleared barangays with 94.41 percent, fol lowed by Cordillera Region at 94.36 percent, Mimaropa at 93.95 percent, Eastern Visayas at 93.09 percent and Soccsksargen at 88.25 percent.

A barangay is classified as “af fected” if there is presence of a Person Who Used Drugs (PWUDs); moder ately affected if there’s a presence of drug pushers and Person Who Used Drugs (PWUDs); and seriously affected if there is a reported exis tence of any of the following: clan destine drug laboratory, warehouse, marijuana plantation, and drug den/ tiangge, drug trafficking or smuggling activities and drug personalities such as users, pushers, financiers, protec tors, cultivators, and manufacturers.

The PNP, in coordination and partnership with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency [PDEA], the Department of the Interior and Local Government [DILG] along with local government units [LGUs], other government agencies and stakehold ers in the community remain com mitted to clear the remaining 9,112 or 25.77 percent barangays in the coming years,” Azurin said.

T he drug-clear status follows the certification of members of the over sight committee on the Barangay Drug-Clearing Program (BDCP). Under the BDCP, law enforcement agencies take care of supply reduction efforts to disrupt the manufacture and distribution of dangerous drugs, while government agencies and LGUs focus on demand and harm reduction strategies to prevent people from taking and wanting illegal drugs and reform drug offenders to be come productive citizens of society.

Sen. Tulfo seeks budget cut from DENR to fund procurement of NCH equipment

PNP declares 26.2K villages ‘drug-cleared’

Reso presses House probe into reported ‘wastage’ of ₧15.6 billion worth of coronavirus vaccines

Sen. Pia warns public vs ‘fake’ web site duping tourists, OFWs

Brief

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Basic Qualification:

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

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China lockdowns seen surging as national outbreak worsens

Monarch says will soon make decision on next Malaysia PM

MALAYSIA’S King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said he would come to a decision soon after a deadline ended for lawmakers to submit their choice on Malaysia’s next prime minister and government to the palace.

He urged everyone to accept the choice made by the people and lawmakers.

“Please be rational and we have to move on,” he told journalists out side the palace. “We have to move forward for our beloved country.”

said in a BTV interview.

Malaysian lawmakers have al ways been pragmatic in the past and the hope is that will happen again this time, she said, adding that investors “still see Malaysia as a fertile place to put their money.”

Parties distance themselves from Muhyiddin

There were 27,307 new cases recorded for Monday, just shy of the previous record 28,973 reached in April when Shanghai’s outbreak sparked a surge in infec tions. The southern manufactur ing hub of Guangzhou remains the epicenter of the current wave, reporting the bulk of the 8,588 infections in the broader Guang dong province. The metropolis of Chongqing detected 6,297.

The continued climb in cases has spooked local authorities into reintroducing measures like expanded testing and shuttering offices and schools in big cities, despite the new directives over a week ago that marked an easing in the official Covid Zero playbook.

While city-wide lockdowns like in Shanghai earlier this year have not been ordered this time, a grow ing web of restrictions means that a total of 48 Chinese cities are sub ject to some form of district-level or widespread movement restric tions, according to data compiled by Nomura Holdings Inc. analysts.

This is affecting nearly one fifth of China’s total economic output, up from 15.6 percent from Monday last week, the analysts led by chief China economist Lu Ting said. Goldman Sachs’ Effective Lockdown Index also climbed in recent weeks.

The worsening national out break saw Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, known as the nation’s Covid czar, visiting Chongqing on Monday in her first documented appearance at a virus hotspot since August. There, she urged “decisive” measures to curb the outbreak and minimize the pan demic’s impact on the economy and daily life, Xinhua reported.

It’s the first time Sun has emerged to lead an on-the-ground outbreak response since the new Covid play book was issued, reflecting the growing severity of the situation.

The outbreaks in some of Chi na’s biggest cities come as officials struggle with how to control the contagion without the usual tools of snap lockdowns and mass test ing. While the changes are aimed at balancing virus control with limiting disruption to daily life, early signs of the more relaxed policies being implemented have sparked confusion about whether officials now have a greater tolerance for flareups.

The dilemma is most clearly on display in the city of Shijiazhuang, not far from Beijing. Its approach after the Covid pivot was closely watched as potentially leading the transition away from Covid Zero. Daily infections plunged after the

city dropped several bedrock poli cies, including mass testing, and allowed students to go to school despite an ongoing outbreak.

However, after a spike in cases over the weekend, officials asked residents to stay at home Mon day—effectively reverting to a de-facto lockdown and highlight ing the difficulties China faces in trying to carry out any mean ingful shift away from the Covid Zero regime.

In Beijing, which reported the nation’s first Covid deaths in al most six months over the week end, Communist Party chief Yin Li urged local officials to stick to Covid Zero and curb the surge in infections. The capital reported 1,426 cases for Monday.

Schools across Beijing’s down town have mostly switched to online learning. All people arriving in the city from Tuesday will be required to take three PCR tests within the first three days and stay at home

until they get negative results.

Officials have maintained that the new 20-point Covid playbook is a refinement of their approach, and doesn’t signal a more substan tial shift to living with the virus. That’s been echoed by state media. The People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, has published a series of commentar ies reaffirming that the changes in some polices don’t indicate China is “lying flat.”

Still, health authorities have outlined plans to boost hospital capacity in a signal they’re pre paring for rising case numbers. China will build more hospitals to treat Covid patients and ensure that intensive care units account for 10 percent of all hospital beds. They’re also drafting plans to ac celerate vaccination, a key pillar of any shift in reopening efforts.

With assistance from Dong Lyu and Ye Xie/Bloomberg.

162 dead as Indonesia quake topples homes, buildings, roads

By Andi Jatmiko & Edna Tarigan Associated Press

CIANJUR, Indonesia—Res cuers on Tuesday struggled to find more bodies from the rubble of homes and build ings toppled by an earthquake that killed at least 162 people and injured hundreds on Indonesia’s main island of Java.

More heavy equipment reached the hardest-hit city of Cianjur in the country’s most densely populated province of West Java, where the magnitude 5.6 land-based quake struck Monday afternoon. Terrified residents fled into the street, some covered in blood and debris.

Damaged roads and bridges, power blackouts and lack of heavy equipment previously hampered Indonesia’s rescuers after the quake set off a landslide that blocked streets and buried several houses and motorists.

Power supplies and phone com munications have begun to im prove in the quake-hit areas on Tuesday.

Many of the dead were public school students who had finished their classes for the day and were taking extra lessons at Islamic schools when the buildings col lapsed, West Java Gov. Ridwan Kamil said as he announced the latest death toll in the remote, rural area.

Hospitals were overwhelmed by injured people, and the toll was ex pected to rise. No estimates were immediately available because of the area’s far-flung, rural popu lation, but many structures col lapsed, and residents and emergen

cy workers braced for grim news. Operations were focused on about a dozen locations in Cian jur, where people are still believed trapped, said Endra Atmawidjaja, the Public Works and Housing spokesperson.

“We are racing with time to rescue people,” Atmawidjaja said, adding that seven excavators and 10 large trucks have been deployed from neighboring Bandung and Bogor cities to continue clear ing trees and soils that blocked roads linking Cianjur and Cipanas towns.

Cargo trucks carrying food, tents, blankets and other supplies from the capital, Jakarta, were ar riving early Tuesday for distribu tion in temporary shelters. Still, thousands spent the night in the open fearing aftershocks.

“Buildings were completely flattened,” said Dwi Sarmadi, who works for an Islamic educa tional foundation in a neighbor ing district.

Roughly 175,000 people live

in the town of Cianjur, part of a mountainous district of the same name with more than 2.5 million people. Known for their piety, the people of Cianjur live mostly in towns of one- and two-story build ings and in smaller homes in the surrounding countryside.

Kamil said that more than 13,000 people whose homes were heavily damaged were taken to evacuation centers.

Emergency workers treated the injured on stretchers and blankets outside hospitals, on terraces and in parking lots. The injured, in cluding children, were given oxy gen masks and IV lines. Some were resuscitated.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Cianjur regional hospi tal building, waiting for treatment

“I was working inside my office building. The building was not damaged, but as the quake shook very strongly, many things fell. My leg was hit by heavy stuff,” Sarmadi said.

Sarmadi was waiting near a tent

outside the hospital after some overwhelmed clinics were unable to see him. Many people were com ing in worse shape.

“I really hope they can handle me soon,” he said.

Hasan, a construction worker who, like many Indonesians, uses one name, is also one of the sur vivors that are being taken to the hospital.

“I fainted. It was very strong,” said Hasan. “I saw my friends run ning to escape from the building. But it was too late to get out and I was hit by the wall.”

The magnitude 5.6 quake was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) below the Earth’s surface, according to the US Geological Survey. It also caused panic in the greater Jakarta area, about a three hour-drive away, where high-rises swayed and some people evacuated.

In many homes in Cianjur, chunks of concrete and roof tiles fell inside bedrooms.

Shopkeeper Dewi Risma was working with customers when the quake hit, and she ran for the exit.

“The vehicles on the road stopped because the quake was very strong,” she said. “I felt it shook three times, but the first one was the strongest one for around 10 seconds. The roof of the shop next to the store I work in had collapsed, and people said two had been hit.”

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Cli matology, and Geophysical Agency recorded at least 25 aftershocks.

Tarigan reported from Jakarta. As sociated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

The monarch smiled and laughed when one reporter asked if he planned to summon the law makers for an audience with him one-by-one. He did not answer the question.

Malaysian politics was thrown into disarray after the weekend’s snap polls led to a hung parlia ment. Neither Anwar Ibrahim’s reformist group or ex-premier Muhyiddin Yassin’s pro-Malay al liance have the numbers to form government.

Key bloc Barisan Nasional said it won’t join either, and parties in Borneo Island said they would wait and see. These groups now want the monarch to determine the prime minister based on who he believes has the confidence of the majority. Both Anwar and Muhy iddin have consistently claimed they have support.

Key developments: Malaysia bloc won’t join rivals

THE search for Malaysia’s next leader hit a snag when former rul ing coalition Barisan Nasional said it will stay out of any new govern ment and become part of the op position instead, prolonging the uncertainty after the weekend’s inconclusive vote.

The move deprives both Anwar Ibrahim’s reformist group and expremier Muhyiddin Yassin’s proMalay alliance the support they require to form a new adminis tration. No single coalition won a simple majority on Saturday’s election, and BN could have bro ken that stalemate by backing one over the other.

US businesses keen on Malaysia US businesses present in the Southeast Asian country are less worried over the popularity of hardline Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, known as PAS, given Malaysia’s re cord of luring robust FDI flows in recent years despite the protracted political strife.

“The PN coalition, which in cludes PAS, has in the past pro vided some level of stable business environment,” Siobhan Das, chief executive officer of the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce,

MUHYIDDIN YASSIN’S majority support is in question after a bloc of parties from the Borneo state of Sarawak said it would leave it to the king’s wisdom to appoint a prime minister to lead the new government.

The coalition, known as Gabun gan Parti Sarawak or GPS, had earlier proposed forming a gov ernment under Muhyiddin with Barisan Nasional as a partner -- but BN later said no such discussions had transpired.

“Considering the political tur moil in Peninsular Malaysia, GPS is of the stance that the people’s mandate must be respected,” the Office of the Sarawak Premier said in a statement.

Ringgit consolidates

MALAYSIA’S ringgit consolidates as the deadline approaches for ri val political parties to submit a plan to the king to form a new gov ernment. The currency was steady at 4.5800 against the dollar after rising 1 percent in the previous three sessions.

Police warn TikTok users

MALAYSIA’S police chief warned users of social media, including TikTok, not to misuse their plat forms to spread racist content that could lead to unrest.

Since the election results, sev eral TikTok videos have been up loaded warning of a repeat of the deadly 1969 riots between the ethnic Chinese and Malay com munities. The posts were repeating a narrative pushed by pro-Malay coalitions that any government with the Democratic Action Party, the choice of most non-Malay vot ers, would destabilize the country.

Islamists try to appease fears

PARTI Islam Se-Malaysia, a major partner in ex-premier Muhyiddin Yassin’s coalition, said it won’t use its position in any federal govern ment to implement policies that pressure non-Muslims.

“Pas always respects the diversi ty and plurality of Malaysia, which comprises various races, customs and religions and recognizes their rights and freedoms to practice their own way of life as under the Federal Constitution,” the party said in a statement.

With assistance from Anuradha Ra ghu and Ravil Shirodkar/Bloomberg.

Fire kills 38 at industrial wholesaler in central China

BEIJING—A blazing fire has killed 38 people at a company dealing in chemicals and other industrial goods in central China’s Henan province.

Two other people were injured, the local government in part of Anyang city said in a statement Tuesday.

The fire was reported about 4:30 p.m. Monday and took firefighters about 3 1/2 hours to bring under control, the Wenfang district government said.

Video footage on state broadcaster CCTV showed flames and smoke billowing out of what appeared to be a two-story building that was engulfed by fire. In nighttime shots, firefighters examined the scarred, skeletal remains of the structure with an extension ladder and lights.

No word was given on the cause of the fire or how so many employees were killed, although China has a history of industrial accidents caused by lax regard to safety measures fueled by rising competition and abetted by corruption

among officials. Poor storage conditions, locked exits and a lack of firefighting equipment are often cited as direct causes.

Online listings for the company, Kaixinda, said it was a wholesaler dealing in a wide range of industrial goods including what was described as specialized chemicals.

A massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the northern port city of Tianjin killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers. The chemicals were found to be falsely registered and stored, with local officials found complicit in turning a blind eye to the potential threat.

More than 200 search and rescue workers and 60 firefighters responded to the Henan fire, according to the statement.

The densely populated and economically vital province has seen a number of deadly incidents leading to the arrest of local officials.

Five were arrested after a building collapse that killed 53 people on the outskirts of the provincial capital Changsha in April. AP

COVID control restrictions now weigh on a fifth of China’s economy as infections continue their upward march, defying the central government’s call for more targeted, less disruptive Covid Zero measures.

WORKERS in protective gear at a neighborhood placed under lockdown due to Covid-19 in Beijing, China, on Monday, November 21, 2022. Surging infections are threatening to overwhelm some of the country’s biggest and most important cities, with local officials stymied over how to control the contagion without the usual tools of mass citywide testing and snap lockdowns. BLOOMBERG NEWS

RESIDENTS examine a house flattened by earthquake in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia, on Monday, November 21, 2022. The strong, shallow earthquake toppled buildings and collapsed walls on Indonesia’s densely populated main island of Java on Monday, killing a number of people and injuring hundreds as people rushed into the streets, some covered in blood and white debris.

AP/RANGGA FIRMANSYAH

Biden opens holidays, pardons turkeys Chocolate and Chip

By Darlene Superville The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—Presi

dent Joe Biden contin

ued a 75-year tradition Monday and pardoned a pair of Thanksgiving turkeys named af ter his favorite flavor of ice cream while cracking jokes about his po litical party’s better-than-expect ed performance in this month’s midterm elections.

“The votes are in, they’ve been counted and verified,” Biden said as he welcomed turkeys Choco late and Chip before hundreds of people gathered on the South Lawn in unseasonably cold weather. “There’s no ballot stuffing. There’s no fowl play. The only red wave this season’s gonna be if German shepherd Commander knocks over the cranberry sauce on our table.” Commander is his dog.

Chocolate and Chip, each weigh ing nearly 50 pounds (23 kilo grams), were driven up from North Carolina on Saturday. They were checked into a room at the Wil lard hotel, near the White House, to await their visit with the presi dent and his declaration of their freedom.

Chocolate chip is Biden’s fa vorite flavor of ice cream. The president joked at the event that “we could have named them Chips and Science,” after the $280 bil lion CHIPS and Science Act that he championed and signed into law this year.

“I hereby pardon Chocolate and Chip,” Biden declared. Before the ceremony, his son Hunter Biden brought his toddler son, Beau, who is almost 3, outside to see the turkeys.

Both gobblers were hatched in July in Monroe, North Carolina, according to the National Turkey Federation, sponsor of the turkey tradition, which dates to 1947 and President Harry Truman.

The burst of holiday activity at the White House followed a busy weekend personally for Biden and his family, along with midterm elections that saw the president’s Democratic Party perform well enough to defy historical trends that had forecast huge losses.

Democrats will keep control of the Senate. Although Repub licans will control the House when a new Congress is seated in January, Democrats did keep GOP gains in that chamber to a minimum.

The official White House Christmas tree was delivered Mon day, and the Bidens helped serve a Thanksgiving-style dinner on a North Carolina Marine Corps base later that evening.

Biden and his wife, Jill, were scheduled to leave Washington on Tuesday to continue their family tradition of spending the Thanksgiving holiday on the Massachusetts island of Nan tucket. They hosted the wedding of their granddaughter Naomi Biden at the White House on Saturday, followed by a family brunch on Sunday for the presi dent’s 80th birthday.

Humor aside, the president end ed Monday’s White House event on a serious note, encouraging people to get their Covid-19 vaccines to ensure a healthy holiday season.

He also encouraged Americans to reflect and “be grateful for what we have.”

“This is a special time...in the greatest nation on Earth, so let’s be thankful,” he said.

Chocolate and Chip were set to live the rest of their lives on the campus of North Carolina State University.

Jill Biden did her part by re ceiving the official White House Christmas tree. The 18-foot-tall (5.5 meters) Concolor fir grown on a farm in Pennsylvania, the state where the president was born and the first lady grew up, will fill the Blue Room after a chandelier is temporarily removed to allow the tree to be anchored in place for safety.

“I love the tree,” the first lady said after she was asked how she liked it. She held the hand of her grandson Beau. “He wanted to come out and see the tree.”

Volunteer decorators began arriving at the White House on Monday to start sprucing it up for Christmas according to a theme first ladies traditionally reveal after Thanksgiving.

Paul and Sharon Shealer of Auburn, Pennsylvania, were crowned this year’s Grand Cham pion Grower in the National Christmas Tree Association’s national Christmas tree contest. With the award, the winner gets to present a Christmas tree to the White House.

It’s the second time that the Shealers have claimed the associa tion’s top honor. They presented a tree to first lady Hillary Clinton in 2000.

Later Monday, the Bidens trav eled to Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, near the North Carolina coast for “friendsgiving,” or to share a Thanksgiving-style meal with members of the military and their families. The first couple expressed gratitude for their sac rifices to the roughly 350 people in attendance.

“You represent 1 percent of the population and defend the rest of us,” Biden told the servicemembers and their families, who came from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Camp Lejeune, and Marine Corps Air Station, New River, before dinner began. “You’re the backbone, the sinew, the spine of the country.”

Later, Biden helped serve heap ing mounds of mashed potatoes, while the first lady doled out stuffing.

Jill Biden leads a White House initiative named Joining Forces to support and promote the sacrifices and needs of military families. The president has pushed for and has signed several bills to help service members and veterans, including legislation expanding health care for those who were exposed to toxic substances from the burning of waste in Iraq or Afghanistan, or to chemicals that were used in previous conflicts.

The Bidens’ late son, Beau Biden, served in the Delaware Army National Guard, including a tour in Iraq, before he died of brain cancer in 2015.

The Associated Press writer Colleen Long in Cherry Point, N.C., contributed to this report.

US asks China to ease up on Taiwan as defense chiefs meet face-to-face

By Jennifer Jacobs & Jenny Leonard

UNITED STATES Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urged China to avoid “destabilizing actions” toward Taiwan in his first faceto-face meeting with Defense Minister Wei Fenghe since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August.

In talks Tuesday in Siem Reap, Cambodia, the Pentagon chief also called for the two sides to main tain open lines of communication and warned of “increasingly dan gerous behavior” by Chinese mili tary aircraft in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a statement and briefing by US officials after the meeting ended.

Chinese officials called the roughly 90-minute meeting posi tive and said they agreed on the need to strengthen crisis manage ment, but put the blame squarely on the US for deteriorating ties between the world’s two biggest economies.

“The responsibility of the cur rent state of affairs of China-US relations does not lie with China— the main reason is that the US has made the wrong strategic judg ment,” Defense Ministry Spokes man Tan Kefei told reporters in Cambodia. He said the US should “adopt a rational and practical China policy so as to really remove

the root causes of crisis.”

The meeting was the latest ef fort to put the US-China relation ship on a more stable footing fol lowing the first in-person talks between Chinese President Xi Jin ping and US President Joe Biden last week in Indonesia. While the two sides haven’t resolved deep differences over Taiwan, human rights, US restrictions on tech exports or other issues, they have sought to restore rudimentary links that would keep accidents or disagreements from spinning out of control.

The US has watched with grow ing concern as China has built up its military into one of the world’s most powerful fighting forces. Last week, Biden administration officials publicly acknowledged for the first time that China has fielded new, longer-range ballistic missiles on its six nuclear-powered submarines, allowing it to strike the continental US from much closer to its own shores.

Beijing also continues to lay claim to a large swath of the South China Sea, staking out a position contested by nations from Viet nam to the Philippines.

In the Philippines on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris said the US would stand with the Asian nation “in the face of intimida tion and coercion in the South China Sea.”

China’s moves have prompted the US to ramp up efforts to im prove outreach in the Indo-Pacific, particularly after Beijing appeared to be making inroads in places such as the Solomon Islands. In a speech in May, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US “will shape the strategic environment around Beijing” to advance Ameri can interests.

China has responded by accus ing the US of having a Cold War approach to the world. Asked about Harris’s visit to the Philippines, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said ties between Washing ton and Manila shouldn’t “harm any other country’s interests.”

In a more pointed dig at the US last week, Xi said, “The AsiaPacific is no one’s backyard and should not become an arena for big power contest.”

Wei and Austin last spoke in June in Singapore, when the bulk of the conversation focused on Taiwan, the most intractable is sue between the two sides. Biden’s repeated statements that the US would defend Taiwan if it were under attack has alarmed Chinese officials and signaled to many a

shift in decades of American policy known as “strategic ambiguity,” in which Washington wouldn’t say how it would respond.

While Biden administration of ficials insist US policy toward Tai wan is unchanged, they’ve accused Beijing of altering the status quo with its more frequent military maneuvers and exercises around the island. Ahead of the meet ing with Austin, Wei condemned American moves to sell arms to Taiwan, which it considers part of its territory.

A US official, briefing report ers after the meeting, said that following Pelosi’s visit to Taipei, China canceled a call scheduled between military officials. Asked if the flurry of recent talks meant that tensions are easing, the of ficial said that “competition” re mains the defining feature in the US-China relationship.

The Pentagon statement on Tuesday said the two sides also discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine and reiterated that they “oppose the use of nuclear weapons or threats to use them.” Austin also criticized recent North Korean missile launches and asked Chi na to “fully enforce” UN Security Council resolutions against Pyong yang’s weapons program.

The Chinese readout didn’t mention nuclear weapons, but did say the two sides exchanged views on the South China Sea, Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula.

With assistance from Lucille Liu and Jing Li/Bloomberg

NASA capsule buzzes moon, last big step before lunar orbit

By Marcia Dunn AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—

NASA’s Orion capsule reached the moon Monday, whipping around the far side and buzzing the lunar surface on its way to a record-breaking orbit with test dummies sitting in for astronauts.

It’s the first time a capsule has visited the moon since NASA’s Apollo program 50 years ago, and represents a huge milestone in the $4.1 billion test flight that began last Wednesday.

Video of the looming moon and our pale blue planet more than 230,000 miles (370,000 kilometers) in the distance left workers “giddy” at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control, according to flight director Judd Frieling. Even the flight controllers themselves were “absolutely astounded.”

“Just smiles across the board,”

said Orion program manager How ard Hu.

The close approach of 81 miles (130 kilometers) occurred as the crew capsule and its three wiredup dummies were on the far side of the moon. Because of a halfhour communication blackout, flight controllers in Houston did not know if the critical engine firing went well until the capsule emerged from behind the moon. The capsule’s cameras sent back a picture of the Earth—a tiny blue dot surrounded by blackness.

The capsule accelerated well beyond 5,000 mph (8,000 kph) as it regained radio contact, NASA said. Less than an hour later, Ori on soared above Tranquility Base, where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on July 20, 1969. There were no photos of the site because the pass was in darkness, but managers promised to try for pictures on the return flyby in

two weeks.

Orion needed to slingshot around the moon to pick up enough speed to enter the sweeping, lop sided lunar orbit. Another engine firing will place the capsule in that orbit Friday.

This coming weekend, Orion will shatter NASA’s distance re cord for a spacecraft designed for astronauts—nearly 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth, set by Apollo 13 in 1970. And it will keep going, reaching a maximum distance from Earth next Monday at nearly 270,000 miles (433,000 kilometers).

The capsule will spend close to a week in lunar orbit, before head ing home. A Pacific splashdown is planned for December 11.

Orion has no lunar lander; a touchdown won’t come until NASA astronauts attempt a lunar land ing in 2025 with SpaceX’s Starship. Before then, astronauts will strap

into Orion for a ride around the moon as early as 2024.

Mission manager Mike Sarafin was delighted with the progress of the mission, giving it a “cautiously optimistic A-plus” so far.

The Space Launch System rock et—the most powerful ever built by NASA—performed exceedingly well in its debut, Sarafin told re porters. He said teams are deal ing with two issues that require workarounds—one involving the navigational star trackers, the other the power system.

The 322-foot (98-meter) rocket caused more damage than expect ed, however, at the Kennedy Space Center launch pad. The force from the 8.8 million pounds (4 million kilograms) of liftoff thrust was so great that it tore off the blast doors of the elevator, leaving it unusable.

Sarafin said the pad damage will be repaired in plenty of time before the next launch.

NY ISSUES FIRST LICENSES FOR LEGAL POT DISPENSARIES

By Bobby Caina Calvan The Associated Press

NEW YORK—New York issued its first 36 cannabis dispensary licenses on Monday, taking a monumental step in establishing a legal—and lucrative— marketplace for recreational marijuana.

The licenses approved by the state’s Cannabis Control Board were the first of 175 the state plans to issue, with many in the first round reserved for applicants with past convictions for marijuana offenses.

Eight nonprofit groups were among the 36 licensees granted Monday.

Some of the dispensaries, selected from a pool of more than 900 applicants, are expected to open by the end of the year.

New York has also planned a $200 million public-private fund to aid “social equity” applicants to help redress the ravages of the war on drugs, especially in communities of color.

“This is a monumental moment and it represents the last leg of the cannabis

supply chain that requires licensure,” said Tremaine Wright, who chairs the Cannabis Control Board.

“Not long ago, the idea of New York legalizing cannabis seemed unbelievable. Now, not only have we legalized it, but we’re also building a legal adult-use market with an equity driven approach that embodies the ambitious goals” of the state’s marijuana law.

A court ruling earlier this month has delayed the board from approving dispensaries in some parts of the state amid a legal dispute over licensing criteria. Nevertheless, officials said they would issue the remaining licenses as quickly as possible.

Angel Turuseta and Emely Chavez, who operate Royal Leaf NY in the Bronx, were among those snagging one of the first licenses.

“I’m still trying to comprehend it,” said Turuseta, who expressed surprise when contacted just after the board’s meeting.

Another new licensee, Suzanne Furboter of Queens, fumbled for words, too. “It is very exciting, and we feel grateful,” she said.

Housing Works, a New York City nonprofit, said the license it received Monday would allow it to continue its work helping lowincome New Yorkers living with HIV or AIDS.

“It was clear to us that sales from the legal recreational cannabis industry would allow us to help more people and increase services to our clients whether that is supporting those that have been unjustly incarcerated in the War on Drugs, or people experiencing homelessness and/or living with HIV/AIDS,” the agency said in a statement.

With the first licenses now issued, it remains to be seen whether officials will step up their efforts to go after scores of unauthorized dispensaries opened in the past year by people who shrugged at licensing requirements.

New York legalized recreational use of marijuana in March 2021 but is still in the process of licensing people to sell it.

The cannabis board also advanced proposed regulations for the sale of marijuana, with a focus on public health,

product quality and safety and preventing those under 21 from buying cannabis.

While some rejoiced over Monday’s development, others took a more cautious view.

“We’re a little concerned about whether these license holders are being set up for failure,” said Reginald Fluellen, a spokesman for the Cannabis Social Equity Coalition.

He contends that more attention needs to focus on the quality and safety of the products that will be put on shelves at these legal dispensaries, as well as making available more resources to help train entrepreneurs and their workers.

Just as concerning, Fluellen said, is whether these new legal recreational dispensaries will be able to compete with existing medical marijuana outlets if allowed to enter the recreational market at the same time as new licensees. But according to the draft regulations released Sunday, medical outlets may have to wait another three years before they can enter the recreational market.

PRESIDENT Joe Biden, accompanied by Ronald Parker, Chairman of the National Turkey Federation, left, speaks next to Chocolate, the national Thanksgiving turkey, left, during a pardoning ceremony at the White House in Washington on Monday, November 21, 2022. Chip, the national Thanksgiving turkey, is at bottom right. AP/ANDREW HARNIK

PHL farm sector wary of fertilizer shortage

Efforts of countries like the Philippines to increase agricultural production and improve food security depend largely on their access to vital inputs, such as fertilizer. As the Philippines does not produce its own chemical fertilizers and the shift to organic farming is moving at a snail’s pace, the country has continued to rely on imported fertilizers. our annual purchases of imported fertilizers have exceeded 2 million metric tons (MMt), based on a report published by the Philippine statistics Authority (PsA).

Titled “Agricultural Indicators System: Inputs,” the report on the fertilizer supply situation from 2014 to 2018 was released by the national statistics agency in December 2019. It indicated that the Philippines imported 2.3 MMT of fertilizers in 2018, flat compared to the 2017 level, according to PSA data. Of the available fertilizer supply of 2.82 MMT in 2018, local production accounted for only 520,000 metric tons; the rest came from foreign sources.

Among the chemical fertilizers imported by the country in 2018, purchases of urea averaged 1 million metric tons, based on PSA data. The country also purchased imported ammosul, ammophos, di-ammophos, complete and muriate of potash. Local farmers use these chemical fertilizers to increase the yield of essential food crops, such as rice and corn.

The local farm sector’s output is tied to international developments given its dependence on imported inputs like chemical fertilizers. Wild swings in fertilizer prices and the domestic policies of sellers could significantly affect the country’s agricultural production. This is because the crops subsector, which includes palay and corn, account for more than half of farm output.

The access of the Philippines to chemical fertilizers is a food security issue and restrictions on our access to imported inputs would certainly result in higher food prices. It would do well for exporting nations to heed the appeal of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations to improve the access of importers, particularly developing nations, to fertilizers (See, “Fertilizer exporters urged to refrain from imposing curbs on shipments,” in the BusinessMirror, November 17, 2022). The joint study of the WTO and the UN projected that global fertilizer shortage would “likely” persist next year, thereby threatening world agricultural production and food security.

The joint study revealed that from January 2021 until October 15 this year, 19 WTO member-states implemented 41 fertilizer-related measures; nearly three-fourths were in the form of trade policy measures. These measures, as well as export restrictions including bans and quotas, have accelerated international fertilizer prices. Apart from making food more expensive, surges in the prices of fertilizer would also slash the income of planters.

The disruption caused by the pandemic and Russia’s attack on Ukraine have already caused food prices to rise to unprecedented levels, particularly in poor nations. In the Philippines, inflation accelerated to 7.7 percent in October—the highest since December 2008, mainly due to the higher annual increase in the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages. We urge fertilizer exporters to give due consideration to the recommendations of the WTO and FAO to enable countries like the Philippines to have continued access to this vital farm input. This way, they can help keep food accessible and affordable, particularly to the most vulnerable sectors of society.

2022 Bar exams question on trademark infringement

Dennis Gorecho

Kuwentong Peyups

WILL a prior user in good faith be enjoined from further using the trademark by a registrant of a similar mark? this is one of the questions included in the 2022 Bar Examinations for Commercial Law.

Zui Cheneris Corp. is a pharmaceutical company operating in the Philippines since 1999. One of its products is a drug called carbamazepine under the brand name “CHENAPS,” which is an anticonvulsant used to control all types of seizure disorders of varied causes like epilepsy.

Nutty Pharma, also a pharmaceutical company in the Philippines, sells citicoline under the mark “CHENAPSE,” which is indicated for the treatment of cerebrovascular disease or stroke. “CHENAPSE” was registered as a trademark by Nutty Pharma with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPO) on September 24, 2017.

On November 29, 2017, Nutty Pharma filed with the Regional Trial Court (RTC) a Complaint against Zui Cheneris for Trademark Infringement alleging that Zui Cheneris’s “CHENAPS” is confusingly similar to its registered trademark “CHENAPSE” and the resulting likelihood of confusion is dangerous because the marks cover medical drugs intended for different types of illnesses.

Zui Cheneris, in its Answer, countered that: (i) it has been selling car-

bamazepine under the brand name “CHENAPS” since 2004; (ii) it was impossible for Nutty Pharma not to have known the existence of “CHENAPS” before the latter’s registration of “CHENAPSE” because Nutty Pharma had promoted its products in the same publications where Zui Cheneris had advertised “CHENAPS”; (iii) despite its knowledge of prior use by Zui Cheneris of “CHENAPS”, Nutty Pharma had fraudulently appropriated the “CHENAPSE” mark by registering the same with the IPO; and, (iv) as the prior user, Zui Cheneris is the owner of “CHENAPS” and the continued use by Nutty Pharma of “CHENAPSE” will cause it grave and irreparable damage. Thus, Zui Cheneris prayed for the cancellation of the trademark registration of Nutty Pharma’s “CHENAPSE.”

(a) As the RTC judge, will you enjoin Zui Cheneris from further using the mark “CHENAPS”?

(b) Is Zui Cheneris’s prayer for cancellation of Nutty Pharma’s trademark registration tenable?

The question is lifted from the actual trademark infringement case filed by Zuneca Pharmaceutical Inc. against Natrapharm Inc. (GR 211850, September 08, 2020).

A prior user in good faith may continue to use its mark even after the registration of the mark by the first-to-file registrant in good faith, subject to the condition that any transfer or assignment of the mark by the prior user in good faith should be made together with the enterprise or business or with that part of his enterprise or business in which the mark is used.

The IP Code conveys the rule that ownership of a mark is acquired through registration with the exception created by Section 159.1 on prior use.

Prior users in good faith are protected in the sense that they will not be made liable for trademark infringement even if they are using a mark that was subsequently registered by another person.

Even if a mark was previously used and not abandoned by another person, a good faith applicant may still register the same and thus become the owner thereof, and the prior user cannot ask for the cancellation of the latter’s registration.

A prior user in good faith may continue to use its mark even after the registration of the mark by the first-to-file registrant in good faith, subject to the condition that any transfer or assignment of the mark by the prior user in good faith should be made together with the enterprise or business or with that part of his enterprise or business in which the mark is used.

While the IP Code mandates that the applicant or registrant of a mark must prove continued actual use of such mark, this does not imply that

actual use is still a recognized mode of acquisition of ownership. Rather, this requirement is put in place in order for the registered owner of a mark to maintain his ownership.

While Natrapharm is the owner of the “ZYNAPSE” mark, this does not, however, automatically mean that its complaint against Zuneca’s “ZYNAPS” is with merit.

Since Natrapharm was not shown to have been in bad faith, it was considered to have acquired all the rights of a trademark owner upon the registration of the “ZYNAPSE” mark.

The Supreme Court found that Zuneca was exempted from liability for trademark infringement for being a prior user in good faith. Just like the 2020-2021 Bar Exams which is not dependent on penmanship, this year’s exams were done digitally where 9,183 out of the 10,006 total examinees were able to complete the examinations held on two Wednesdays (November 9 and 16) and two Sundays (November 13 and 20).

Headed by Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, the simultaneous digital and regionalized bar exams were administered at 14 local testing centers nationwide with eight in Luzon, three in Visayas, and three in Mindanao.

A total of 8,241 examinees out of the 11,402 takers passed the 2020/2021 bar exams with a passing rate of 72.28 percent with my UP Law professor SC Associate Justice Marvic Leonen as chairman.

Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. 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.

Alabama pausing executions after third failed lethal injection

By Jay Reeves | The Associated Press

BIrMINGHAM, Ala.—Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey sought a pause in executions and ordered a “top-to-bottom” review of the state’s capital punishment system Monday after an unprecedented third failed lethal injection.

Ivey’s office issued a statement saying she had both asked Attorney General Steve Marshall to withdraw motions seeking execution dates for two inmates and requested that the Department of Corrections undertake a full review of the state’s execution process.

Ivey also requested that Marshall not seek additional execution dates for any other death row inmates until the review is complete.

The move followed the uncom-

pleted execution Thursday of Kenneth Eugene Smith, which was the state’s second such instance of being unable to put an inmate to death in the past two months and its third since 2018. The state completed an execution in July, but only after a three-hour delay caused at least partly by the same problem with starting an IV line.

Denying that prison officials or law enforcement are to blame for the problems, Ivey said “legal tactics

The move followed the uncompleted execution Thursday of Kenneth Eugene Smith, which was the state’s second such instance of being unable to put an inmate to death in the past two months and its third since 2018. The state completed an execution in July, but only after a three-hour delay caused at least partly by the same problem with starting an IV line.

and criminals hijacking the system are at play here.”

“For the sake of the victims and their families, we’ve got to get this right,” she said.

Corrections Commissioner John

Hamm said the department is fully committed to the review and is “confident that we can get this done right.”

“Everything is on the table— from our legal strategy in dealing with last minute appeals, to how we train and prepare, to the order and timing of events on execution day, to the personnel and equipment involved,” Hamm said in a statement issued through the governor’s office.

Marshall, the state’s top prosecutor, didn’t immediately say whether he would agree to Ivey’s request. The attorney general “read the governor’s and commissioner’s comments with interest” and “will have more to say on this at a later date,” said spokesman Mike Lewis.

‘It’s the reflex’: Veteran helped disarm gunman at gay club

By Jesse Bedayn & Sam Metz | The Associated Press

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—When army veteran Rich Fierro realized a gunman was spraying bullets inside the club where he had gathered with friends and family, instincts from his military training immediately kicked in.

First he dove to duck any potential incoming fire, and then he moved to try to disarm the shooter.

“It’s the reflex. Go! Go to the fire. Stop the action. Stop the activity. Don’t let no one get hurt. I tried to bring everybody back,” he said Monday outside his home.

Fierro is one of two men police are crediting with saving lives by subduing a 22-year-old gunman who went on a shooting rampage Saturday night at Club Q, a well-known gathering place for the LGBTQ community in Colorado Springs.

Fierro was there with his daughter Kassy, her boyfriend and several other friends to see a drag show and celebrate a birthday. He said it was one of the group’s most enjoyable nights, until the shooting started.

Fierro told reporters that once his instincts kicked in, he and another man approached the shooter. He grabbed the attacker’s body armor and began punching him while the other man, Thomas James, began kicking him. The suspect reached for a handgun, but Fierro grabbed it from him. He also told James to kick away the shooter’s AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.

When a performer who was there for the drag show ran by, Fierro told them to kick the gunman. The performer stuffed a high-heeled shoe in the attacker’s face and also tried to subdue him, Fierro said.

“I love them,” Fierro said of the city’s LGBTQ community. “I have nothing but love.”

Fierro and James, about whom little was known as of Monday evening, pinned the shooter down until officers arrived minutes later.

Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said Monday that Fierro acted courageously.

“I have never encountered a person who had engaged in such heroic

Alabama . . .

continued from A14

Alabama Arise, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of the poor, said Marshall should agree to a moratorium and urged legislators to “do their part to reduce the unfairness of Alabama’s death penalty system.”

The Death Penalty Information Center, an anti-death-penalty group with a large database on executions, said no state other than Alabama has had to halt an execution in progress since 2017, when Ohio halted Alva Campbell’s lethal injection because workers couldn’t find a vein.

The executive director of the organization, Robert Dunham, said Ivey was right to seek an investigation and a pause, but any review of the system needs to be done by someone other than the state’s prison system.

While Ivey blamed defense efforts for execution failures, Dunham said her “willful blindness” to the prison system’s woes were part of the problem.

“The Alabama Department of Corrections has a history of denying and bending the truth about its execution failures, and it cannot be trusted to meaningfully investigate its own incompetence and wrongdoing,” he said.

Earlier this year, after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee halted a lethal injection in April because he learned the drugs hadn’t been tested as required, he ordered an independent investigation and paused all executions through the end of the year.

Alabama’s execution of Joe Nathan James Jr. took several hours to get underway in July because of problems establishing an IV line,

Fierro told reporters that once his instincts kicked in, he and another man approached the shooter. He grabbed the attacker’s body armor and began punching him while the other man, Thomas James, began kicking him. The suspect reached for a handgun, but Fierro grabbed it from him. He also told James to kick away the shooter’s AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.

actions who was so humble about it,” Vasquez said. “He simply said to me, ‘I was trying to protect my family.’”

The mass shooting left five dead and at least 17 wounded by gunfire. The suspect, who was said to be carrying multiple guns and additional ammunition magazines, faces murder and hate crime charges.

Fierro’s wife, Jess, said via Facebook that her husband had bruised his right side and injured his hands, knees and ankle. “He was covered in blood,” she wrote on the page of their brewery, Atrevida Beer Co.

Though his actions saved lives, Fierro said the five deaths—including his daughter’s boyfriend, Raymond Green Vance—were a tragedy both personal and for the broader community.

“There are five people that I could not help. And one of which was family to me,” he said, as his brother put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

Fierro said he doesn’t remember if the gunman responded as he yelled and struggled to subdue him, but he has thought about their next interaction.

“I’m gonna see that guy in court,” Fierro said. “And that guy’s gonna see who did him.” Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press reporter Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed.

leading anti-death-penalty group Reprieve US Forensic Justice Initiative to claim the execution was botched.

In September, the state called off the scheduled execution of Alan Eugene Miller because of difficulty accessing his veins. Miller said in a court filing that prison staff poked him with needles for more than an hour, and at one point left him hanging vertically on a gurney before announcing they were stopping. Prison officials have maintained the delays were the result of the state carefully following procedures.

Ivey asked the state to withdraw motions seeking execution dates for Miller and James Edward Barber, the only two death row inmates with such requests before the Alabama Supreme Court.

Alabama in 2018 called off the execution of Doyle Hamm because of problems getting the intravenous line connected. Hamm had damaged veins because of lymphoma, hepatitis and past drug use, his lawyer said. Hamm later died in prison of natural causes.

Alabama should have imposed an execution moratorium after Hamm’s failed execution for the benefit of everyone, said Bernard Harcourt, an attorney who represented Hamm for years.

“As a political matter, Gov. Ivey mentions only the victims, but these botched executions have been ordeals for the men on the gurney, their families, friends, ministers, and attorneys, and all the men and women working at the prison and involved in these botched attempts.

The trauma of these executions extend widely to everyone that they touch,” Harcourt said.

Insurgency, neglect hurt flood relief in Pakistani province

By Riazat Butt | The Associated Press

GANDAKHA, Pakistan—Maryam Jamali should have been preparing for an economics exam. Instead, the teenager from the flood-hit Pakistani province of Baluchistan was helping organize postpartum clinics and shelter for people neglected by relief efforts.

Baluchistan is Pakistan’s largest and poorest province, plagued by under-development, bad governance, corruption, and a long-running insurgency. When catastrophic floods submerged vast swaths of Pakistan this summer, about 75 percent of Baluchistan’s population was affected, the largest proportion of any province in the country.

Yet recovery here has been slower, and residents say they are paying the price of years of neglect by the local and central government. Red tape is making it difficult for international aid workers to reach devastated areas. Much of the already dilapidated pre-flood infrastructure has been washed away, further hampering aid efforts.

People still wade in waist-high water or float on rafts through Baluchistan’s fields. On the pot-holed and suspension-shattering drive to Jamali’s village, there are deep ruts carved out by desperate locals to free trapped floodwaters. It is an uncomfortable car journey around the province’s flood-affected areas, though not so impossible or inaccessible as to be a reason for the slowness of aid.

It is a contrast to neighboring Sindh province, an agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing hub. At the height of the flooding, people in the Sindh city of Sukkur used boats on submerged roads. But pumps were brought in to remove water, and now there is little sign the city was ever flooded.

Baluchistan was not so prepared, despite disaster striking it often. There was severe flooding in 2010

and 2011. The arid region normally has low rainfall, but any rain in this mountainous area can cause flash floods. Jamali, her father, and dozens of volunteers have helped more than 20,000 flood survivors since mid-June.

“We haven’t seen any international organizations come here themselves,” said Jamali, 19. “Maybe they think this is a scary place. It’s not, it’s just a lack of effort on their part. It’s difficult to navigate through the bureaucracy. Because of all those hurdles they just didn’t come here this time.”

A drainage canal not far from her village illustrates what residents say is infrastructure that protects Sindh at the expense of Baluchistan.

Water from Baluchistan’s Gandakha city is meant to be drained toward Sindh through the canal. But only one of the canal’s five gates are open. Cement seals the rest. Someone has written in Urdu “For God’s sake, open it up” on one of the canal’s walls. The floodwater was choking the city at one point, Jamali said.

Baluchistan is not a political or economic heavyweight and doesn’t have a political patron like other provinces. Sindh is the power base of the Bhutto dynasty. Punjab is the home of a past and present prime minister and contributes the most to Pakistan’s GDP, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a stronghold of former premier Imran Khan.

Though Pakistan’s largest province, Baluchistan is its least populated, made up largely of high mountains. It’s also a center for the country’s small ethnic Baluch minority,

Though Pakistan’s largest province, Baluchistan is its least populated, made up largely of high mountains. It’s also a center for the country’s small ethnic Baluch minority, who say they face discrimination from the central government. That has fueled a separatist insurgency demanding independence.

who say they face discrimination from the central government. That has fueled a separatist insurgency demanding independence.

The government says it has largely quelled the insurgents, but violence persists, with frequent raids by security forces and counterattacks by insurgents. But the closest flashpoint is several hours drive away from the areas hit by flooding.

Local politician Sana Baloch claims the flood relief focus has been on Sindh and that there is a closeddoor policy for Baluchistan, unfairly using the insurgency as an excuse.

“International agencies and groups are willing to support people, but they are not welcomed by the federal government,” said Baloch. “They are not encouraged or allowed to come here.”

But there has also been criticism of local authorities for doing little even as the scale of the crisis grew.

In Sohbat Pur district, Muhammad Ismail is rebuilding his destroyed home while his family lives on the roadside.

“Nobody has come here to help us,” said Ismail, a 28-year-old father of five. “We ourselves drained the floodwater out—without any machinery—from this patch of land so we have somewhere to sit.”

An official from Baluchistan’s disaster management authority, Naseer Nasir, said the central government had provided sufficient funds that were being distributed locally.

He also said the authority had passed on people’s complaints to the provincial government.

The tents of Pakistani charities can be seen across flood-affected areas. Because of bureaucratic hurdles, foreign NGOs are partnering with local organizations, which don’t need permits for their work, said Huzaifa Rafique, from one Pakistani charity, Baitussalam.

Abdul Shakoor from another charity, AlKhidmat, said it has hosted at least 90 different foreign delegations. He said some international NGOs are fearful of traveling to Baluchistan because of security issues.

The province’s lack of social development only worsens the disaster’s impact. Poverty forces people to live on floodplains, while illiteracy prohibits them from adapting to the effects of climate change, said Rafique.

Although the province receives tens of millions of dollars for development work—the World Bank had a $250 million portfolio there as of 2019—its human development indicators are dire. The maternal mortality rate is 298 per 100,000 live births, Pakistan’s highest. Its literacy rate is around 40 percent, and 40 percent of its population lives in poverty, both the worst rates in the country. Patchy information about Baluchistan, at the local, national, and international level, means accurate and up-to-date figures are scarce.

“The difference between an educated person and an illiterate person in everyday life is that he knows how to get help, he knows how to plug into the setup,” says Shakoor. “In the coming years, there should be a focus on educating Baloch children.”

The prospects for lasting rehabilitation are bleak; Jamali says one Gandakha resident has lived in a relief tent for 12 years, since the flooding of 2010.

“It’s not the same tent, it’s his second one, but he’s still in a tent,” she said.

Ukraine to civilians: Leave liberated areas before winter

By John Leicester | The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian authorities have begun evacuating civilians from recently liberated sections of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, fearing that a lack of heat, power and water due to Russian shelling will make living conditions too difficult this winter. The World Health Organization concurred, warning that millions face a “life-threatening” winter in Ukraine.

Authorities urged residents of the two southern regions, which Russian forces have been shelling for months, to move to safer areas in the central and western parts of the country. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Monday that the government will provide transportation, accommodations and medical care for them, with priority for women with children, the sick and elderly.

Vereshchuk last month asked citizens now living abroad not to return to Ukraine for the winter to conserve power. Other officials have suggested that residents in Kyiv or elsewhere who have the resources to leave Ukraine for a few months should do so, to save power for hospitals and other key facilities.

The WHO delivered a chilling warning Monday about the energy crisis’ human impact on Ukraine.

“This winter will be life-threatening for millions of people in Ukraine,” said the WHO’s regional director for Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge. “Attacks on health and energy infrastructure mean hundreds of hospitals and healthcare facilities are no longer fully operational, lacking fuel, water and electricity.”

He warned of health risks such as respiratory and cardiovascular problems from people trying to warm themselves by burning charcoal or wood and using diesel generators and electric heaters.

The evacuations are taking place more than a week after Ukraine recaptured the city of Kherson, on the western bank of the Dnieper River, and surrounding areas in a major battlefield gain. Since then, head-

ing into the winter, residents and authorities alike are realizing how much power and other infrastructure the Russians damaged or destroyed before retreating.

Ukraine is known for its brutal winter weather, and snow has already covered Kyiv, the capital, and other parts of the country.

Russian forces are fortifying their defense lines along Dnieper River’s eastern bank, fearing that Ukrainian forces will push deeper into the region. In the weeks before Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive, Russian-installed authorities relocated tens of thousands of Kherson city residents to Russianheld areas.

On Monday, Russian-installed authorities urged other residents to evacuate an area on the river’s eastern bank that Moscow now controls, citing intense fighting in Kherson’s Kakhovskiy district.

Russia has been pounding Ukraine’s power grid and other infrastructure from the air for weeks, causing widespread blackouts and leaving millions of Ukrainians without electricity, heat and water.

To cope, four-hour or longer power outages were scheduled Monday in 15 of Ukraine’s 27 regions, according to Volodymyr Kudrytsky, head of Ukraine’s state grid operator Ukrenergo. Ukrenergo plans more outages Tuesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian missile strikes have damaged more than 50% of the country’s energy facilities.

Zelenskyy on Monday repeated his calls for NATO nations and other allies to recognize Russia as a terror-

ist state, saying its shelling of energy facilities was tantamount “to the use of a weapon of mass destruction.”

Zelenskyy also again urged stricter sanctions against Russia and appealed for more air defense aid.

“The terrorist state needs to see that they do not stand a chance,” he told Nato’s 68th Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Madrid in a video address, after which he said the body approved the terrorist designation.

Also Monday, Zelenskyy and his wife made a rare joint public appearance to observe a moment of silence and place candles at a Kyiv memorial for those killed in Ukraine’s pro-European Union mass protests in 2014. As bells rang in a memorial tribute, Ukraine’s first couple walked under a gray sky on streets dusted with snow and ice up to a wall of stone plaques bearing the names of fallen protesters.

Their visit coincided with fresh reminders Monday of more death and destruction on Ukrainian soil.

At least four civilians were killed and eight more wounded in Ukraine over the past 24 hours, the deputy head of the country’s presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, said Monday.

A Russian missile strike in the northeast Kharkiv region on Sunday night killed one person and wounded two as it hit a residential building in the village of Shevchenkove, according to the region’s governor.

One person was wounded in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where Russian forces shelled the city of Nikopol and surrounding areas, Gov. Valentyn Reznichenko said. Nikopol lies across the river from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

In the eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow partially controls, Russian forces shelled 14 towns and villages, the region’s Ukrainian governor said.

Heavy fighting was taking place near the Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut, where a school was damaged. In Makiivka, which is under

Russian control, an oil depot was hit and caught fire.

Russian-installed authorities said more than 105,000 people in the province’s capital, Donetsk, were left without electricity on Monday after Ukrainian shelling damaged power lines. One person was killed, officials said, and 59 miners were trapped underground after power was cut to four coal mines.

In the neighboring Luhansk region, most of which is under Russian control, the Ukrainian army is advancing towards the key cities of Kreminna and Svatove, where the Russians have set up a defense line, according to Luhansk’s Ukrainian Gov. Serhiy Haidai.

“There are successes and the Ukrainian army is moving very slowly, but it will be much more difficult for Russians to defend themselves after Svatove and Kreminna (are retaken),” Haidai told Ukrainian television.

Britain’s Defense Ministry said retaining control of Svatove should be a political priority for Russia but that “both Russian defensive and offensive capability continues to be hampered by severe shortages of munitions and skilled personnel.”

In another development, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said its inspectors on Monday reported that weekend shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, had not damaged key equipment and they had identified no nuclear safety concerns.

The six reactors, which are all shut down, are stable, and the integrity of spent and fresh fuel, along with stored radioactive waste, was confirmed, the IAEA said, adding that staff are repairing damage to other equipment.

As they have for months, Kyiv and Moscow blamed each other for the shelling of the Russian-occupied power station, and again the IAEA didn’t comment on who was responsible.

166 entries make it to the roster of finalists in the 44th CMMA

Atotal of 166 entries made it as finalists in the 37 mass media categories of the 44th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA). These include print, radio, television, music, advertising, the Internet, and Student CMMA.

T he finalists have been selected after a series of meticulous screenings and deliberations by the esteemed members of the panels of judges. Out of the 166 finalist,

59 emerged as winners for exemplifying our most cherished Christian values and ideals.

T he panels of judges in the different categories of the CMMA are composed of credible and competence civic and religious leaders, members of the clergy, academicians, and communications professionals. They were chosen by the CMMA board of trustees for their integrity, impartiality, and expertise in their

respective fields. They were all confirmed by the Archbishop of Manila.

T he CMMA was established by the late Jaime L. Cardinal Sin in 1978 as a means by which the Church honors those who “serve God by means of the mass media.” Since it was launched 44 years ago, numerous mass media professionals, organizations, and academic institutions have shown great support to the CMMA by sending in their

2022 CMMA FINALISTS

BEST

STUDENT CMMA

BEST STUDENT ORGAN- GRADE SCHOOL

n THE ESTOILE - GRADE SCHOOL—ST. EDWARD SCHOOL

n THE EMBLEM PUBLICATION—SCHOOL OF ST. ANTHONY - QUEZON CITY

BEST STUDENT ORGAN - HIGH SCHOOL

n THE SHOELAND—MARIKINA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL

n THE AGNESIAN—ST. AGNES ACADEMY, INC.

n THE WESTERNIAN PIONEER—UNIVERSITY OF BATANGAS

n LA ESTRELLA VERDE (LEV)—DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITYDASMARINAS HIGH SCHOOL

n SAPIENTIA ET VIRTUS PUBLICATION—SCHOOL OF ST. ANTHONY - QUEZON CITY

n PAVIA GAZETTE—PAVIA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

n ANG BIYAYA—PAVIA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

BEST STUDENT ORGAN - COLLEGE

n KALASAG MAGAZINE-PNPA CORPS PUBLICATION— PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE ACADEMY

n THE BICOL UNIVERSITARIAN—BICOL UNIVERSITY

n THE DWCC GAZETTE—DIVINE WORD COLLEGE OF CALAPAN

BEST STUDENT PUBLIC SERVICE - PRINT AD

n HALIMBAWA—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n THE REAL MONSTERS—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n HOME SWEET HOME—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n BE MY VOICE—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n A WORLD OF COLORS—FAITH COLLEGES

n BOUNDED BY FAITH TO SERVE—PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE ACADEMY

n SAAN ANG DAAN: TAHANAN O HANTUNGAN?— STI COLLEGE NOVALICHES

BEST STUDENT PUBLIC SERVICE - RADIO AD

n HASHTAG PRAYER—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n TRUE LOVE—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n TATTOO—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n PERLAS—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

BEST STUDENT PUBLIC SERVICE - TV AD

n REAL CONNECTION—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n FAMILY IS FOREVER—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n THE BRIDGE—FAITH COLLEGES

n TAWAG NG TAHANAN—FAITH COLLEGES

BEST T V PRODUCTION

n PAHINGA—UST ANGELICUM COLLEGE, INC.

n “BUHAY KUSINERA:

BERMUDEZ PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

I WAS SICK AND YOU LOOKED AFTER ME—RICHARD A.

YES / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

HEROIC STAND—NINO JESUS ORBETA / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

BEST OPINION COLUMN

CONVERSING WITH THE FAMILY—ILSA B. REYES WORLD MISSION

FROM THE EDITOR—LEONILO B. CAPULSO, PHD INSIGHTS | FORESIGHTS

THROUGH UNTRUE—FR. ROLANDO V. DELA ROSA, O.P. MANILA BULLETIN

WORD ALIVE—FR. BEL SAN LUIS, SVD MANILA BULLETIN

FIRST CLASS—MARGAUX SALCEDO PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

TELEVISION

BEST SPECIAL EVENT COVERAGE

entries each year, even during the first two years of the pandemic.

T his year’s CMMA, which has the theme “Come and see: Communicating, encountering people where and as they are,” will be celebrated in an intimate dinner with the awardees on November 23, 2022 at the Manila Grand Opera Hotel. The event will be streamed on the official Facebook of the CMMA.

BALITANGHALI “SUPER TYPHOON ODETTE”—GTV CHANNEL 27

n 24 ORAS “SUPER TYPHOON ODETTE”—GMA 7

BEST STATION ID

n LOVE TOGETHER, HOPE TOGETHER: GMA CHRISTMAS STATION ID—GMA NETWORK, INC.

n ATIN ANG PASKONG ITO KAPATID: TV5 —STATION ID T V5 NETWORK, INC.

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n 7 LAST WORDS—MISSION COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATION, INC. / KAPAMILYA CHANNEL & A2Z CHANNEL 11

n BREATHE - ONLINE HOLY WEEK RETREAT 2022— SHEPHERD’S VOICE RADIO AND TELEVISION FOUNDATION, INC. / TV MARIA & CIGNAL TV

n GABAY SA PAGIGING SANTO —JESUIT COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATION / CNN PHILIPPINES

n SENAKULO 2022: HUWAG KANG MATAKOT —ST. JOHN BOSCO PARISH - TONDO / TV MARIA

n ISTORYA NI INA—GNN TV-48 NAGA

n THE JESSICA SOHO PRESIDENTIAL INTERVIEWS—GMA 7 n YEAR OF THE SUPERHERO—GMA 7 n THE ATOM ARAULLO SPECIALS “WRITE TO VOTE”—GMA 7

RADIO

BEST COUNSELING PROGRAM n GABAY SA BIBLIYA SA RADYO MONDAY EDITION— RADYO VERITAS / SHEPHERD’S VOICE RADIO AND TELEVISION FOUNDATION, INC. n PINOY MD SA DOBOL B—SUPER RADYO DZBB 594 GMA NETWORK, INC.

666 / MANILA

BROADCASTING COMPANY

n SERBISYO ON THE SPOT—SUPER RADYO DZBB 594 GMA NETWORK, INC.

n OMJ (OH MY JOB)—SUPER RADYO DZBB 594 / GMA

NET WORK, INC.

n MALASAKIT THURSDAY—DWWW 774 / INTERACTIVE BROADCAST MEDIA, INC.

n RADYO BALINTATAW—DZRH 666 / MANILA

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FOREVER! / GMA NETWORK, INC.

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PEOPLE’S BROADCASTING SERVICE, INC.

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n USAP TAYO:SUPER KWENTUHAN WITH SUSAN AND MARK —SUPER RADYO DZBB 594 / GMA NETWORK, INC.

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n RADYO BALINTATAW—DZRH 666 / MANILA

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n IT ’S ALL FOR YOU SPECIAL SEGMENT—DWHY

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Shell, Alternergy to explore PHL offshore wind potential

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

Alternergy Holdings Corp., through its wholly-owned subsidiary Pililla AVC Corp., and Shell Overseas 1 Investment B. V. (Shell) announced tuesday their partnership to jointly explore offshore wind potential in the Philippines.

The companies have already obtained a Wind energy Service Contract (W eSC) from the Department of energy (DOe) to assess the feasibility of an offshore wind project in the wind-swept Calavite Passage near Mindoro.

During a press briefing held Tuesday morning, Alternergy chairman and former energy Secretary vince Pérez said the project has a potential capacity of one gigawatt (GW).

The proposed project, with an estimated cost of $5 million per megawatt (MW), could take at least five years before actual construction starts. Officials said permitting process, transmission line concerns, and coordination with the local government unit (LGU) must be sorted out first.

“At least five years before we can say that we expect the first construction of the project. We need to work with nGCP [national Grid Corporation of the Philippines] and Transco [national Transmission Corp.] to resolve transmission issues. This will be a coordinated effort to allow offshore wind to be connected. We are also coordinating with DOe to assure we will build this project in areas without security,” added Perez.

The World Bank has estimated that the robust development of offshore wind could add 20 GW of installed capacity by 2040, accounting for 14 percent of the Philippines electricity needs and some $14 billion of value added to the economy.

“The Philippines’s offshore wind industry is promising and still at its

nascent stage. Shell, as our strategic partner with 50 years of deep water offshore and over 20 years of offshore wind development experience, will bring in its global track record, supply chain access, and technical expertise in developing large-scale bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind projects,” said Perez.

Shell, for its part, looks forward to this new partnership to jointly explore the feasibility of one of the Philippines’s promising offshore wind projects. Aside from the Calavite Passage Wind Power Project, Alternergy and Shell are looking at other offshore wind sites for possible development.

“Alternergy is a pioneer in renewable energy and has successfully brought onstream the Philippines’ first onshore wind farm even before there was any enabling law,” said Sarah Rose Lim, Shell’s head of Offshore Power for Philippines.

DO e Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla expressed his appreciation for the “enthusiasm” of the private sector in developing offshore wind (OSW) projects in the country.

“I thanked these local companies and their foreign partners for taking bold action in committing to deliver clean energy to the Filipino people. ha rnessing the power potential of offshore wind resources requires in-

tensive capital cost and highly skilled manpower resource, thus partnerships are a key strategy.

These will not only expedite the development process but will also help in facilitating operational knowledge transfer and providing access to technologies as well as unlock job opportunities for our people,” Lotilla said.

PetroGreen energy Corp (PGeC) also recently formed three special purpose vehicles for its OSW projects in Luzon and the visayas together with its foreign partner, Copenhagen energy (Ce)

Lotilla witnessed the signing of PGeC and Ce for the Buhawind energy northern Luzon, Buhawind energy northern Mindoro, and Buhawind energy east Panay with a total capacity of about 4 GW.

he said all those awarded contracts are still into research and exploration activities. Meanwhile, the government is undertaking a review and enhancement of the policies and guidelines that will ensure the efficient and optimal development of OSW projects in view of the serious interest it has been receiving.

“I am optimistic that with the recent amendment of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Renewable energy Act of 2008, more foreign investors will come in to partner with our local companies.”

‘ROW issues to hike Calax cost’

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

The builder and operator of the Cavite-Laguna e x pressway (Calax) has to spend more than the thoroughfare’s original project cost because of the delays in the delivery of right of way (ROW).

During the media inspection of the expressway, MPCALA holdings Inc. (MhI) CFO Chris Lizo said the company had to spend “15 percent” more than the original project cost of roughly P34.5 billion, as the government has yet to fulfill its duties in delivering the needed easement to build the road.

Citing the concession agreement for the project, Lizo said the govern-

ment should have delivered the ROW for Calax in July 2017. however, to date, the Department of Public Works and highways (DPW h) has only delivered 64 percent of the ROW for Cavite and 99 percent for Laguna.

“We are now two and a half years delayed in construction because the right of way has been delayed for five years,” he said. “If there is opportunity to construct, if there is contiguous right of way, we continue to build.”

One critical portion of the expressway lacks a parcel of land roughly 450 meters long that prevents the company from opening another section of the Calax.

Subsection 4 or the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange to Silang east segment has yet to be completed because of right of way issues.

This has caused the company to commit to open the said segment by the first quarter of 2023, a quarter delayed from the recent December 2022 commitment.

“The target date of opening of the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange has been moved several times, with the latest target completion, being December of 2022 again uncertain,” Raul Ignacio, president of MhI said.

The Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange is the fifth of the eight segments of the 45-kilometer Calax. It’s a 3.9-kilometer, two by two lane expressway from Silang east Interchange to Aguinaldo highway in Cavite.

To date, 64 percent of this subsection of the Calax expressway has been finished.

Lizo noted that should the government be able to deliver the easement requirements this year, the company should be able to gun for the completion of the whole 45 kilometers of Calax by end-2023.

Currently, Calax’s operational segment spans 14.24-kilometer with interchanges at Greenfield-Mamplasan, Laguna Technopark, Laguna Boulevard, Santa Rosa-Tagaytay, and Silang east.

Other interchanges of Calax, namely, Open Canal, Governor’s Drive, and Kawit, are targeted to be completed by 2023. Upon completion of the entire public-private partnership project of the DPW h and MhI, it will connect to the Manila-Cavite ex pressway in Kawit, Cavite.

IPO of Premiere REIT secures PSE approval

ADv en T e nergy, Inc., the retail electricity supply arm of Aboitiz Power Corp., has been tapped to supply renewable energy (R e) to car builder nKC Manufacturing Philippines Corp. (nKC) and sugar producer victorias Milling Co. Inc. ( v MC).

The two visayas-based customers have chosen to shift to R e to run their manufacturing plants under the Department of energy’s (DOe) Green energy Option Program (GeOP). They will now run on Cleanergy, AboitizPower’s R e solutions brand.

GeOP empowers consumers with the option to source Re from a licensed supplier as opposed to consuming what is supplied by the distribution utility in their area. The program also promotes the use of Re to increase the share of clean energy in the country’s generation mix.

DI v eR SIFIeD conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) said its multibillion-dollar aero-city in Bulacan will ensure “inclusive growth” for its stakeholders, especially those that are living in and near the area of development.

Ramon Ang, the company’s president, said the company has ramped up efforts to ensure sustainable livelihood and business opportunities for close to 500 families living in Bulakan, Bulacan, launching a livelihood center and formally establishing a consumers’ cooperative.

Through the San Miguel Aerocity Inc. (SMAI) Livelihood Center, Bulakan citizens who used to reside at the new Manila International Airport (nMIA) project site “can avail of training support and immediately apply the skills they’ve learned, to earn a stable income for their families at the livelihood center located in Barangay San nicolas, Bulakan.”

“Our continuing efforts to engage residents and local officials in Bulakan has allowed us to fine-tune our

existing livelihood restoration programs, as well as come up with new initiatives that will adapt to their needs,” Ang said. “With these, we can better ensure that the economic growth that the nMIA will bring in the coming years, will be inclusive and will be felt by Bulacan residents and the rest of the country.”

SMAI partnered with the Technical education and Skills Development Authority (T e S DA), the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Gintong Aral Foundation for the development of the SMAI Livelihood Center.

Aside from the livelihood center, SMC also introduced the Livelihood sa Pag-unlad (LIPAD) consumer cooperative, which will enable residents to run a facility that will feature a coffee shop, a spa, a sewing room, and several training areas “to help equip other members of the community with practical skills to increase their chances of employment and also success in individual business ventures.”

“We want to put our residents in a position to succeed through sustainable ventures that will ensure that they will be able to provide sustainably for their families. It is not enough that we provide skills and help them develop their entrepreneurial mindset. By pooling their resources together through a cooperative setup, each member claims a stake in their collective success,” Ang said.

To be built on a 2,400-hectare property in Bulakan, Bulacan, just north of Metro Manila, the $15-billion n M IA will have four runways, eight taxiways, and three passenger terminals. It also has provisions for future expansion to sport six runways and to accommodate 200 million passengers per year.

It is expected to raise tourist arrivals to 30 million visitors annually, generate over a million direct and indirect jobs, and contribute roughly P900 billion annually to the Philippine GDP by 2025. VG Cabuag and Lorenz S. Marasigan

By VG Cabuag @villygc

The Philippine Stock e xc hange Inc. (PSe) has approved the initial public offering (IPO) application of Premiere Island Power R eI T Corp. (Premiere R eI T), the second real estate investment trust (R eI T) of the vi llar Group.

Premiere R eI T will offer up to 1.4 billion firm shares and up to 210 million overallotment option shares at a price of up to P2. The final offer price will be determined on november 23, after it concludes its bookbuilding period.

The company is envisioned to be the power and infrastructure R eI T platform of Prime Asset venture Inc.

The said shares will be sold by its sponsors S.I. Power Corp. (SIPCOR) and Camotes Island Power Generation Corp. (CAMPCOR).

Premiere R eI T’s offer period is scheduled for november 28 to December 5, while its tentative listing

date is on December 15. It will have a stock symbol of PR eI T. “R eI Ts have become a popular asset class among investor in the last two and a half years. We welcome more listings in this space to expand the R eI T options available to investors,” PSe President and CeO Ramon S. Monzon said.

net proceeds from the offer could reach up to P3.09 billion, assuming the overallotment option is fully exercised. The selling shareholders will receive the full amount of the proceeds, which will be reinvested in the Philippines.

Assuming the full exercise of the overallotment option, new investors will corner 42.6 percent of the issued and outstanding common shares of PR eIT, while SIPCOR and CAMPCOR will retain a 57.4-percent interest.

The company engaged China Bank Capital Corp. as its sole issue manager, underwriter and bookrunner for the offer. RCBC Capital Corp. will also serve as participating underwriter.

Photo from www.Preit.com.Ph

Entrepreneur

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Surigao coffee growers’ co-op get P2-M worth of aid from DA

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—Describing it as the “aroma of income” for coffee farmers, the Caraga regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) donated a roasting facility worth P2 million to a farmers’ co-operative in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur to upgrade its coffee production.

“It would be a smooth aroma and high income for them,” said the DACaraga as it turned over the facility to the San Nicolas Development Co-operative, mostly composed of women members. Their farms are located in Sitio San Nicolas, Barangay Doña Carmen in the municipality of Tagbina.

The facility was funded through the High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of the DA. Of the amount, P800,000 went for building construction and P1.2 million for the facilities, including a dryer.

Rebecca Reyes Atega, DA’s regional technical director for operations, expressed optimism that the facility would enhance the recipients’ livelihood through coffee-processing motivated by their passion for the product.

“These coffee farmers aim to develop the most aromas from the Arabica coffee harvested through proper roasting techniques,” she said.

Engr. Ricardo M. Oñate Jr., DACaraga regional director urged the cooperative “to look beyond and extend help to other farmers through consolidation.”

“Nowadays, we need to have an economy of scale through consolidation of products for better market advantage, so more farmers will be encouraged to plant more, in support of DA’s Plant, Plant, Plant Program or Agri4Ps,” he noted.

Marco Antonio Morido, HVCDP regional coordinator, emphasized to farmers “to follow the right technology for coffee production to maintain a high quality of produce.”“As we are urging our coffee farmers to follow the right technology, we at DA-Caraga is also embarking on a production enhancement through rehabilitation, rejuvenation, and fertilization of the coffee farms in the region,” Morido said.

He added the DA was working with local government units to help boost the coffee industry in their respective locality.

Based on Philippine Statistics Authority data, the volume of production of coffee in the region was recorded at 1,622.24 metric tons last year, wherein the province of Surigao del Sur contributed 85 percent.

Tagbina Municipal Mayor Generoso L. Naraiso, Provincial Agriculturist Marcos M. Quico, Municipal Agriculturist Warlito D. Untua and officials from the Department of Trade and Industry and Cooperative Development Authority attended the turnover of the facility.

BusinessMirror

Start-ups mentored on how to build a standout online brand from rivals

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28 Contributor

Establishing its own identity that is distinguishable enough for customers to recognize it among other many players is a tedious process for any type of business. With this in mind, established industry mentors taught start-up founders, business owners and entrepreneurs how to create their digital identifications.

Standout with a unique brand

A BRAND is an important component of an individual, company or product to be perceived by those who experience it.

“Strong brands affect consumer purchasing decisions. Brands help set budget priorities for consumers. Sometimes more than economic considerations, brands alter and impact

purchasing,” Brad Geiser, chief executive officer (CEO) and cofounder of GeiserMaclang, said during the recent third and final leg of 2022’s Shell LiveWIRE Virtual Homeroom.

For enterprises without a strong brand, he cautioned that they will “be crowded out by someone who does.” According to him, there are two aspects of branding.

“From a marketing perspective, it’s the public ownership of an idea, image, or emotion that is commercially relevant to a segment of a population and which is tied to your industry and category,” he explained.

“From a start-up perspective, a brand is a badge that indicates you are recognized for having solved a need for a community.”

Flash Express capacitates e-commerce clients to meet holiday demand surge

COURIER and logistics service provider Flash Express is strengthening its partnerships with major e-commerce platforms in the Philippines, including Lazada, Shopee, Edamama, UnionBank and TikTok Shop, by rolling strategic plans to help boost their businesses, especially this Christmas season.

Its marketing campaigns for the holidays include a 50-percent off delivery rate for this month. According to Flash Express Marketing Deputy Director AR Polinar, they want to give back to their partners as buyers on the web are expected to turn more to marketplaces this time of the year amid the ensuing Covid-19 crisis.

“We all know that during this last quarter of the year, Filipinos love to shop and we have adapted the practice of online shopping due to the pandemic,” he said.

“Simultaneously, we want to help boost the sales of our customers especially our online sellers by offering a 50-percent shipping fee for the month of November,” he added.

The company has, likewise, broadened its coverage service area nationwide as it projects a surge in parcel volumes from its virtual store customers, key accounts, and the micro, small and

medium enterprises.

“Flash Express has built business trust and confidence among our ecommerce platform partners considering that we have expanded enormously in just a year of operating here in the Philippines,” PR & Partnerships Manager Reginald Rex Pumihic said.

“We have grown to servicing 95 percent serviceable areas across the country with our presence nationwide and with our business affiliates, such as Flash Home, which has over 1,200 branches as drop-off points for our customers and the increasing numbers of manpower to support our operations,” he cited. As other forms of gratitude for the trust of all its e-commerce platform clients, Flash Express is extending to them free-pick up, fast shipping, 365 days delivery and no holiday, and 24/7 customer service.

Apart from enabling the country’s e-commerce courier and logistics sector, the firm is also providing more job opportunities to Filipinos, especially with the reopening of the economy.

“Flash Express is prepared for the demand of this season especially in our operations, we are starting to add more people to make sure of efficient delivery service to our customers,” Polinar said.

Catching customers

KNOWING your customers is pivotal in the digital space. Given this, it’s important for e-commerce players to break down their target market.

“You are not selling the product—you are selling a solution to a problem, and get in the mind of your audience and understand what they care about,” Robinsons Land Corp. Head of Marketing and Growth for e-Commerce Donna Santos said.

“When you do your audience research, it’s important to find what

content they’re consuming and what social media they’re using,” she added. The top executive enumerated the four goals that any digital marketing campaign should win from the customer: Attention, interest, desire, and action. She reminded them of the challenge: “You have less than three seconds to hook the customer.”

Wiring up enterprises

PILIPINAS Shell’s flagship global enterprise development program Shell LiveWIRE is a premier community

and tech start-up accelerator in the country. It serves as a platform for thriving business founders to pitch their innovative concepts, and make their business designs viable, readily scalable and attractive to investors.

Now on its second year, it has engaged over 700 young Filipino innovators, including community and social enterprises, and over 20 successful start-ups receiving support via training, mentoring, and capital funding.

“Guided by our mission in nationbuilding, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. has been actively supporting the country’s start-ups and budding entrepreneurs in developing their businesses through Shell LiveWIRE,” Pilipinas Shell Vice President of Corporate Relations Serge Bernal said.

“Through this program, Shell helps Filipinos turn their ideas into viable and sustainable businesses. In addition to providing expertise, Shell LiveWIRE may also provide additional capital for either start-up or expansion purposes, as well as an opportunity to be integrated into the Shell Value Chain.”

Shell LiveWIRE was made to help strengthen local economies by promoting entrepreneurship and meaningful employment. It continuously supports businesses that are on the cutting-edge of innovation.

Pest Science Corporation: Celebrating 20 years of excellent science-based service

WHAT started out as a small company in the business of pest and termite management, Pest Science Corp. has steadily grown to be the trusted, first ISO-IMS certified pest control company in the Philippines. Sailing strong through both turbulent and calm waters of the industry, the company was built from humble beginnings with only three pioneers who dedicated themselves to the company. Today Pest Science proudly have more than 500 employees all over the country.

One wonders how Pest Science Corp. has done it. True to its logo which features a microscope and a bug, Pest Science Corp. has employed a highly-detailed and science-based approach in designing its products and services to its clients.

On its first decade, Pest has secured ISO-certification for an Integrated Management System (IMS). And to maintain this certification, the company continuously trains its employees and staff, ensuring their capacity and knowledge in the field. In addition, it has its own inhouse Pollution Control Officer and

Safety Officer.

Pest Science Corp. is the first IMS—Certified Pest Control Operator and Pest Management Company in the Philippines, audited and certified by TUV-SUD PSB Philippines meeting the following standard: n ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System n ISO 14001: 2015 Environmental Management System n ISO 45001: 2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management System

The company’s organized, systematic and science-based approach has ensured the quality of its services to its clients and has given pride and dignity of work to its employees. Pest Science Corp. is committed to provide the highest quality of service towards customer satisfaction and to conduct activities responsibly with due consideration of all environmental, occupational health and safety issues.

With the company’s mission to marry science and service together in the dynamic field of pest management, it also wants to serve a larger market particularly in areas where demand of pest control ser-

vices is high using its bio-rational method. In addition, Pest Science Corp. has in its mission to promote and disseminate information to the public about Integrated Pest Management (IPM)—one of the company’s approach to solve the pest problem.

The company does treatments for flying insects like mosquitoes, crawling insects like cockroaches, structural insects like termite and beetles, and also mammal and rodent control. Included also in its excellent line up of services are fogging, sanitation and misting.

Pest Science Corp. ensures that all its people are well-equipped and are trained thoroughly in the science and biology of pest control and management, orienting them on the company’s holistic approach, not just the chemical treatment alone.

On top of this, the staff is oriented on the ins and outs of the industry. This way, their people are more than capable to render the best services to their customers. Empowering their people this way has allowed them to have branches all over the Philippines.

Mekeni affirms gratitude and ‘malasakit’ culture through yearly gift-giving activity

IT is that time of year again for Mekeni Food Corporation as they have concluded their annual gift-giving tradition to select institutions in Pampanga.

Led by HR Supervisor and Safety Officer Apple Garcia, Mekeni employees, represented by the members of its Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT), brought assorted groceries, personal care essentials, and gift packs to Bahay Pag-ibig (home for the aged) in San Fernando; Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth(for special and abandoned children) and Duyan ni Maria (home for abandoned children) in Mabalacat; and Children’s Home of the Immaculate Mary (home for abandoned children) in Angeles City.

“We are committed to doing this annual activity to inspire and give our beneficiaries hope, especially now that we have yet to fully over-

come the effects of the pandemic.

We are delighted that our employees and the whole Mekeni family have imbibed the company’s culture of gratitude and  malasakit,” said Assistant Vice President for HR and Export Marilou Uy.

Since 2008, the Mekeni management team and employees have been sharing their time, resources, and hearts through this program. The pandemic may have changed the way they executed the turnover of items, but it did not change the organization’s level of generosity.

Before the pandemic, Mekeni employees used to spend a day in the institutions to interact with the beneficiaries. There were miniprograms, games, and “ kumustahan.” However, when the pandemic happened, they only dropped off the gifts in designated areas to ensure safety precautions could be

maintained.

With the combined generosity of the management and the employees, Mekeni was able to provide

food and personal care supplies that could sustain the basic needs of over 200 beneficiaries in the next few months.

“This annual activity embodies our favorite saying, “We rise by lifting others. We hope that with this simple act, our beneficiaries feel the love, positivity, and joy that we wish to bring, especially this season,” said Mekeni President Pruds Garcia.

The annual gift-giving program is one of Mekeni’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs geared towards continuing the value of gratitude and “malasakit,” and fulfilling its mission to uplift lives.

“For 14 years, this program has reminded us that small acts of love and joy can have significant impacts on other people’s lives. In every way we can, we will continue to serve and uplift others’ quality of lives through our CSR programs,” said Uy.

IN a highly saturated online trade, being different is the name of the game. Creating a one-of-a-kind brand amid a highly crowded marketplace, therefore, is not that easy, especially for a new entity.

STARTUPS discover and amplify their brand identities in the increasingly competitive online world for the third and last leg of 2022’s Shell LiveWIRE Virtual Homeroom. Photo shows (clockwise, upper row from left) Serge Bernal, vice president of corporate relations, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.; and Donna Santos, head of marketing and growth for e-commerce, Robinsons Land Corp.; Brad Geiser, chief executive officer and co-founder, GeiserMaclang; and host RJ Ledesma.

MEkEnI HR Supervisor and Safety Officer Apple Garcia (third from right) and Mekeni EPRT with representatives of Munting Tahanan ng nazareth

MEkEnI EPRT members carry boxes of gifts as they prepare for the turnover to partner institutions.

Banking&Finance

BTr partially awards fresh 20-yr bonds

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE national government on Tuesday borrowed more than three-fourths of its intended total amount of P35 billion from the sale of Treasury bonds, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

The Treasury said its Auction Committee partially awarded P27.6 billion of its fresh 20-year T-bonds with a coupon rate at 8.125 percent.

The Treasury noted that the Tuesday auction was “more than twice” oversubscribed as total submitted bids hit P70.4 billion. The average yield for the awarded T-bond was at 8.012 percent, 20.2-basis points higher than the 7.810 percent secondary market benchmark rate for the debt paper with the same tenor.

BTr data showed that investors

demanded yields ranging from a low of 7.730 percent to as much as 8.249 percent for tendered government security.

Last week, the BTr fully-awarded its 35-billion worth of reissued 25year T-bonds despite investors demanding for yield higher than secondary market rates.

In recent months, the Treasury struggled to fully raise its intended amount in its auctions, especially for Treasury bills, as investors maintain an aggressive stance in asking for

higher yields amid increasing interest rates locally and abroad.

This month alone, the national government aims to raise P215 billion from the sale of debt papers. The amount covers P75-billion worth of T-bills and P140 billion in treasury bonds.

For the whole year, the government is set to borrow a total of P2.21 trillion, of which 75 percent will be sourced locally while the remaining 25 percent will come from foreign sources.

BPI eyes raising ₧10B for ‘green’ projects via time-deposit product

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Ayala-led Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) intends to raise P10 billion for various green projects through a product that the lender believes even students can afford.

In a briefing last Tuesday, BPI’s Carmina Martinez said its new “green” savings time deposit product only costs P5,000 ($87.22 at current exchange rates) that “most Filipinos can afford.” It is “an environmentally-friendly time deposit account

that gives a higher interest rate” that ensures investors of a reasonable return.

The country’s third-largest lender in terms of asset said proceeds from the facility will be used for: projects linked to improving energy efficiency and reducing power consumption; the production of renewable energy; and, the planning, design and construction of “green” buildings.

“BPI takes notice of the growing attention toward sustainable investing and interest in environmental, social, and governance-focused ef-

Game-changing CFOs in the spotlight

FOR the third consecutive year, the search for the “CFO of the Year” will focus on game-changing Chief Finance Officers in the Philippines.

Presented through a permanent partnership between Dutch financial giant ING Bank N.V. and the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex), the ING-Finex “CFO of the Year” award is the country’s longestrunning and only search that honors outstanding Filipino financial leaders.

The 16th edition of this annual search will culminate on November 24, 2022, during the awarding ceremony at the Palacio de Memoria along Roxas Boulevard, Parañaque City. It has gone a long way since 2006, when Finex started the tradition of recognizing the top financial stewards of the land and handed the first “CFO of the Year” Award in 2007.

In 2020, the trilogy of awarding the best game-changing CFO began during the pandemic. That year, the focus was on the game-changer who guided the transition between the old and new normal while in 2021, it was about the game-changer directing the new order. For 2022, the search will honor the gamechanger who continues to lead and evolve with the ever-changing times.

Finex Foundation and the Ateneo de Manila University Graduate School of Business have come up with clearly defined qualitative and quantitative criteria for the search. The selection process gives equal weight to the CFO’s performance in four significant roles: strategist, catalyst, steward and operator. It also involves a stringent endorsement and nomination process, with a rigorous set of panel interviews to determine the awardee.

Fifteen CFOs have won the trophy designed by renowned sculptor Ramon Orlina over the past decade and a half. In chronological order, they are: Delfin C. Gonzalez Jr. of Globe Telecom Inc.; Sherisa P. Nuesa of Manila Water Co.; Jose T. Sio of SM Investments Corp.; Ysmael V. Baysa of

Foods Corp.; Jeffrey C. Lim of SM Prime Holdings Inc.; Felipe S. Yalong of GMA Holdings Inc.; Jose Jerome R. Pascual III of Shell Philippines

Araneta Gamboa

forts,” said Maria Cristina L. Go, BPI head of consumer banking. “This green deposit solution provides Filipinos with an opportunity to live a more sustainable lifestyle and contribute to sustainability by investing their funds in projects that help achieve a better future for all.”

BPI said investing P5,000 to less than P50,000 would have an indicative interest rate of 4 percent while investing P50,000 to less than P5 million would have an interest rate of 4.25 percent. For those who have more funds

to invest, they can opt to place P5 million or more, which carries an interest rate of 4.5 percent per annum.

Interest earnings are credited monthly to a settlement account or paid at the end of the five-year term. Investments pulled out before the five-year term ends would be charged a penalty fee.

The energy efficiency projects that can be financed through BPI’s Sustainable Funding Framework includes changing to inverter air-conditioning units; LED lights; chiller systems; and high efficiency motors.

Under renewable energy projects, these include solar power plants; hydropower plants; and onshore or offshore wind energy projects.

BPI said it is guided by the central bank’s “Sustainable Finance Framework” as it bounds towards its goal to become the best sustainable bank in the Philippines.

The lender said its launch of “Green Saver Time Deposit” signifies their “strong commitment” to embed sustainability not only in the conduct of its business and among its employees, but also among its clients.

CSC to provide financial literacy to govt workers

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) is now working with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the BDO Foundation Inc. to provide government workers a financial education program, the CSC’s chairman said.

In a statement last Monday, CSC Chairman Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said the agency is laying the groundwork for the program.

The “Financial Education Program for Civil Servants” aims to provide civil servants with knowledge, skills and values on concepts such as financial planning, saving, budgeting, debt management, investments, financial scam prevention and consumer protection, among others.

financial literacy, capacitating them with skills and knowledge that allow them to make informed and better decisions on their financial resources,” said Nograles.

Nograles, who headed government response against the pandemic, emphasized that “financial education is all the more important as our people continue to cope with the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and prepare for future financial challenges.”

He hopes that the financial literacy program would help government workers “make better choices about saving, know when and when not to borrow money, learn how to invest and better prepare for retirement and also to discern how to protect themselves in this time of digital financial transactions or online banking.”

added. Four batches of training were conducted during the pilot run, with a total of 186 participants.

“We are currently expanding this pool in preparation for the CSC’s rollout of the financial education training for other government agencies beginning in 2023,” Nograles said.

The chief of the CSC added that to further institutionalize the adoption of the financial education training in the CSC, the agency’s staff also formulated an internal enabling policy “to ensure the inclusion of financial education in the training and/or wellness programs for the CSC’s more than 1,000 workforce.”

Nograles expressed hopes the financial education program would redound to better public service.

Manulife: Not behind firm’s minitender offer

MANULIFE Financial Corp. (Manulife) on Tuesday warned investors against an unsolicited mini-tender made by a certain Delaware First Holdings Llc.

In a statement, Manulife said it was notified of an unsolicited mini-tender made by Delaware First to purchase up to 20,000 shares of the insurer or about 0.01 percent of its outstanding common shares.

Manulife said the offer was priced at HKD$86 per share, which was below the current market price for the insurer’s shares.

“Manulife is in no way associated with Delaware First and does not recommend or endorse acceptance of this unsolicited offer,” a statement the company issued last November 20 read.

“Manulife cautions shareholders that the mini-tender offer has been made at a price below the current market price for Manulife shares,” the statement read.

The Canadian multinational insurance company urged its shareholders to be wary and carefully review the offer documents of Delaware First. It added that investors should consult their investment advisors regarding any offers that they receive.

“The offer represents a discount of approximately 37.68 percent and 36.30 percent, respectively, below the closing prices of Manulife common shares on the TSX [Toronto Stock Exchange] and SEHK [Stock Exchange of Hong Kong] on November 11, 2022, the last trading day before the minitender offer was commenced, and a discount of 37.30 percent and 37.27 percent, respectively, below the closing prices on the TSX and SEHK on November 17, 2022,” the insurer said.

Manulife said it has stock transfer agents providing shareholder services in Canada, the United States, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

Finex-CSBank collaboration

IT’S all systems go for the joint financial literacy project between Finex and CityState Savings Bank (CSBank). Dubbed as “PeraPera,” the column on personal finance to be written by Finex members will debut next month in the Pilipino Mirror, targeting the CDE socio-economic demographics. It will be followed in early 2023 by a radio program over DWIZAM and a podcast on the social media accounts of the ALC Group of Companies, which CSBank is a part of.

Other media assets of the ALC Group include the BusinessMirror, CNN Philippines, Aliw Broadcasting Corp.’s 97.9FM Home Radio and the Philippines Graphic magazine. The conglomerate founded by the late Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon is also engaged in the automotive, education, insurance, security, property and hotel industries.

Recently, the ALC Group collaborated with the Department of Education (DepEd) External Partnership Service in conducting a meeting of stakeholders and partners to call for private sector support for schools that were affected by a series of devastating typhoons. DepEd Directors Ronilda R. Co and Edel B. Carag led the event, which was held at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Ermita, Manila.

Joseph Gamboa is the chairman of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines Media Affairs Committee and director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of these institutions and the BusinessMirror. #FinexPhils www.finex.org.ph

It intends to promote financial literacy and enables them to apply what they learned to financial decision-making, the statement read.

“This will help us achieve our goal of enhancing the well-being of our government workforce through

Accomplishments

THE CSC statement said the agency has already developed several training modules as well as established a pool of trainers. A pilot run of the program was already held, the CSC

RCBC thrift bank offers loan facility

YUCHENGCO-L ED Rizal MicroBank Inc. (RMB) introduced a loan facility targeting the underbanked agricultural sector.

The wholly-owned thrift bank of the Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. said that through the facility—called AgriBiz Production Loan—it will provide credit to individual farmers and farmer organizations to allow them to strengthen their agribusinesses.

RMB officials said the lender will also assist borrowers in applying for agricultural insurance from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC), which guarantees that their farmlands are insured in case of natural calamities.

“A resilient agriculture value chain is crucial for the country not only in maintaining economic growth but also in ensuring Filipinos have adequate food on their plates,” said Janice V. Javerle, head of RMB’s agriculture value chain financing unit. “Gaps in the value chain, such as in financing, create new challenges, which may be more difficult to address later.”

Javerle said the lender is “creating a path in agriculture

value chain financing towards the superior value of commodities and reasonable prices of raw materials.”

“It serves as our farmers’ reliable partner as we all strive to nurture the country’s agriculture sector.”

RMB said it will first conduct an assessment of the farmers’ capability to settle loans, offering them payment options during the assessment process.

One of the biggest challenges is capital, the lender quoted a corn farmer as saying.

Since then, funds for fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals, technologies, and other necessities have been a recurring issue. With financial inclusion at the core, RMB has made it its mission to widen its reach and provide credit to farmers, the lender said.

“We are making banking simpler for them—we try to speak their language to help eliminate their apprehension in going to financial institutions for help. This may be more difficult for us to get clients, but this is the most gratifying client-banker relationship. For the farmers, we are not just doing our jobs. They know that we believe in them,” said Javerle. Cai U. Ordinario

“The CSC believes that HR excellence and quality public service delivery can only be realized when we take care of our people’s needs,” said Nograles. “When civil servants attain financial stability and security, they are more able to contribute to workplace productivity.”

“These local agents offer services directly to our registered shareholders and provide information on share account management, direct deposit of dividends, dividend reinvestment, and share purchase plans,” the Torono, Canada-headquartered firm said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

BOC Davao cites actions to boost border defense

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

DAVAO CITY—The Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Davao announced its officials held several meetings with regulators and law enforcers on protecting the island’s borders.

A BOC-Port of Davao statement said the meetings began last August with officials of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) followed by discussions with representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in September.

The BOC-Port of Davao said its officials met with members of the PCG’s Task Force Aduana on strengthening border protection in their shared areas of responsibility. The task force is the PCG’s security and border protection service unit.

District Collector Erastus Sandino B. Austria discussed matters on law enforcement, especially Republic Act 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act), as well as other existing customs rules and regulations.

The BOC-Port of Davao said the meeting also highlighted information gathering on smuggling of cigarettes, fuel, drugs and other commodities. The meeting also discussed the possible deployment of more floating assets as additional initiative of partner agencies.

During the meeting, the PCG-TFA presented its current accomplishments and border security activities.

review of deals IN September, the BOC-Port of Davao said its

officials also attended the meeting of the SubCommittee C of Border Crossing as the preparatory discussion to the 39th PH-ID Border Committee Chairman’s Conference.

The BOC-Port of Davao statement said it was represented by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Chief, IO-II Felix A. Espino III and Enforcement Security Service (ESS) District Commander Sp/Lt. Jah T. Atencia.

The subcommittee meeting discussed the following: use of passports instead of bordercrossing cards; improved consular access for detained Filipinos; trading opportunities in border areas; the use of non-conventional vessels in the border areas; and, addressing the entry of illegal goods and terrorists through the border areas.

The subcommittee meeting also hatched the agreement to review the 1975 border patrol and border crossing agreements between the Philippines and Indonesia to strengthen forces and modernize efforts in curbing illegal activities, smuggling and terrorism.

Also in September, the BOC-Port of Davao also met with NBI officials on the anti-smuggling measures of the agency’s regional office.

During the meeting, Austria discussed with NBI officials “the importance of information sharing to strengthen border security measures against these types of prohibited commodities that might enter the areas of responsibility of Collection District XII.”

The BOC-Port of Davao said the meeting was attended by NBI XI Regional Director Gelacio D. Bongngat who expressed full support for the BOC’s move against smuggling of cigarettes, guns and other illegal goods.

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace

Jollibee

Exploration BV; Luis Juan B. Oreta of Manila Water; Danny Y. Yu of Philex Mining Corp.; Jose Teodoro K. Limcaoco of Ayala Corp.; Ferdinand K. Constantino of San Miguel Corp.; Augusto D. Bengzon of Ayala Land Inc.; Mylene A. Kasiban of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc.; and, Anabelle Lim-Chua of PLDT Inc.

Joseph

Replacing your boss

WHEN I was interviewing someone for an opening in my team, I asked the applicant a common question that most people are asked in an interview: “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?” He replied enthusiastically, “To be in your position.”

I was a bit taken aback, so I asked, “What do you mean?” He went on to explain that he hoped to grow professionally and to develop his managing skills so that he can push me up to a higher position. I knew he meant well but it made me a little uncomfortable thinking that he would replace me someday. He eventually got the job, but I did not stay in the organization long enough to see how he did. Last I heard, he was already managing his own team.

One of the most challenging and rewarding parts of managing people is to help them grow into their full potential. It is also the most threatening, especially if you have someone in your team who is more intelligent or has a better understanding of the technical aspects of the work. But leading people is not just technical know-how. In one of the management classes I attended, I discovered that the higher you go up the corporate ladder, the higher the need for people management skills than technical know-how. And since your manager is focused on managing you and other teams, your role is to ensure they have all the important details they need to decide.

It makes sense to think that the best person who should replace you is someone from your team. In the same manner, the best person to replace your manager should be you. If you plan to be promoted, you need to help your manager get promoted first. Of course, there are insecure leaders who limit the growth of their team members because they feel threatened, or are concerned with how they are perceived by their peers. But the true test of leadership is when managers replicate themselves in others, make others believe in their vision, or equip others to create a vision for themselves. And when these leaders inspire others to become the best versions of themselves, they will become better at what they do and ultimately replace them.

It then follows that to replace your manager, or

get promoted for that matter, you have to know your manager well and anticipate what they need so you can provide the support they need to succeed. Leaders will choose and groom their successor based on how aligned someone is to their own values and way of thinking. And if you want to be that person, you need to anticipate what your leader needs. One of the things team leaders fail to do when presenting issues to their leaders are their recommendations on how to address the issues, and their insights on how the team will react given a certain direction. Your manager should be able to trust you to provide those. And when they discuss it with you, you need to be ready to provide alternative solutions. While I agree that two heads are better than one, it is only true if the two heads are thinking with the same goal in mind.

One of the unspoken roles team leaders need to understand is to make their manager look good. This means not just doing their work well, but also adopting a mindset that whatever comes out from the team is a product of the team’s collective effort even if only one person did it. Whether you like it or not, your manager represents not just your team, but all the other teams under their watch. Team leaders need to ensure that whatever their manager asks them to do, it will help put their team in a good position to work with other departments.

This is one of the significant lessons I learned from my previous senior manager who taught us that the work of one is the work of all. Before we sent out any material, we ensured it conformed to our team’s quality standards. And when in doubt, we check with

Why brand marriages sometimes go bad

By Pankhuri Malhotra University of Oklahoma

BRAND partnerships between seemingly disparate companies or organizations are all around us.

Clothing retailer H&M partnered with animal rights group PETA in 2021 to launch a vegan fashion collection. FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, and automaker Hyundai agreed in 2022 to run a global campaign that uses soccer to promote sustainability. Meditation app Headspace collaborated with Whole Foods Market in 2021 to create a video series on Instagram’s IGTV video app on mindful shopping, cooking and eating.

The idea of two brands getting hitched for strategic purposes is a quintessential marketing tactic. When done well, the collaboration helps both partners grow their brands and amplify a shared message, such as the idea of animal-friendly clothing in the case of H&M and PETA.

But just like any marriage, it doesn’t always go well.

Recent examples of this are breakups between fashion line Yeezy—owned by rapper and artist Ye, formerly known as Kanye West—and clothing retailers Gap and Adidas. Ye said on September 15, 2022, that he ended his company’s partnership

with Gap because the company had “abandoned its contractual obligations.” The New York Times reported that the cited reasons were that Gap had failed to sell Yeezy products in its namesake stores and had not opened new stores specifically to sell them.

Adidas broke off its partnership with Yeezy over Ye’s recent antisemitic remarks.

I’m an assistant professor of marketing who studies user behavior on social media in the context of brand partnerships. Research shows forming partnerships can be valuable for some—but they can also be perilous for others. My recent work on partnerships shows a handy method that companies can use for finding potential collaborators, by analyzing who follows them on Twitter and other social media.

Why companies form branding partnerships?

Brand collaborations are strategic partnerships between two or more brands to boost awareness and increase sales by tapping into the partner’s existing customers. This whole idea of companies pooling their resources to boost their own unique value is the epitome of a win-win situation—at least in most situations.

Research shows that these types of marketing alliances have a variety of potential benefits, such as increasing a company’s value, bottom line gains and

key members of the team who can provide valuable input. When your manager sees that you are placing the team’s welfare above your ego, they will start to realize that you are ready to take care of others.

Being a team leader entails dealing with top executives and translating their vision into operational terms. This means helping your team deliver as expected but also managing your manager’s expectations by advising them not just on what your team can do, but, more importantly, on what your team cannot do. There are managers who overcommit to whatever their top executives tell them to do without first consulting their team. This will unduly burden your team into burnout and exhaustion. You need to help your manager understand how their actions and decisions might possibly affect the entire team.

To help manage expectations from top executives, help your manager by providing him or her an overview of what your team is currently doing and your priority deliverables. This will prevent them from overcommitting your team, and at the same time they will be able to negotiate with top management on which projects can be deprioritized. It would be best to create a dashboard that your manager can check from time to time, so they know the project status immediately and inform top management on projects that need their guidance. By providing a mechanism where you keep them in the loop on what is happening in your team, they are in a better position to make decisions and see you as an invaluable asset.

Regardless of whether you want to be promoted or not, you need to have a good working relationship with your manager because, ultimately, they will be the one to evaluate you. But this does not also mean you should be obsequious. On the contrary, you need to be your manager’s sounding board and look for ways to improve your team’s processes so you can provide recommendations that will benefit everyone in the team. When you understand that your success is built on the success of your team, you will also understand that in order to succeed, you must lift others up by doing your work well. n

access to new products and skills.

For brand marriages to truly work, both partners need to get something out of the relationship.

For example, in 2015, Starbucks began a collaboration with music streaming service Spotify.

Starbucks aimed to add more customers to its loyalty program by adding a Spotify tab to its smartphone app. And Spotify users were able to earn “stars” for free coffee products if they paid for a premium membership.

Both Starbucks and Spotify had something to gain from their partnership.

But sometimes breakups are bound to happen.

Adidas, for instance, severed its partnership deal with Ye after the controversial artist made a series of offensive and antisemitic comments in early October 2022. On October 25, Adidas said that Ye’s comments were “unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

The partnership failed—with Adidas even swallowing a loss of about $250 million—because their values didn’t align.

That reveals another lesson from academic research on the topic: Partnerships work out best when partners share the same values or similar brand

CANVA CROSSES 100 MILLION

MONTHLY ACTIVE USERS fOLLOwINg

L

AUNCH Of VISUAL wORkSUITE

A GLOBAL visual communications platform, Canva announced recently that more than 100 million people in 190 countries are using its platform every month. The surge in growth follows the recent launch of its Visual Worksuite, with the platform gaining more than 15 million additional monthly active users as teams, schools and workplaces embrace the ability to communicate visually, on any device, from anywhere in the world.

“We’re incredibly proud to mark this milestone moment on our mission to empower the whole world to design,” said Canva cofounder and CEO Melanie Perkins. “Visual communication is now more important than ever. Our continued growth demonstrates the huge demand for a collaborative, simple and all-in-one platform that empowers all kinds of teams, in all kinds of workplaces, to unlock their creativity and achieve their goals without complexity.”

Canva’s sustained growth is testament to the company quickly becoming the visual communication platform of choice in every kind of team and workplace. The ease of use, collaborative nature and breadth of the product suite has seen increased adoption across the globe, with workplace usage soaring across a wide variety of professions and industries. This demand is evidenced by the more than 10,000 current jobs on LinkedIn listing Canva as a desired skill by companies including American Express, Amazon, TikTok, LEGO and Google.

“Canva has been an invaluable tool for our business, transforming how our creative and social teams work with one another by making it easier for staff to create new designs in a way that maintains brand consistency,” says Marissa Kraines, vice president of social and content marketing at Salesforce.

Communication is increasingly visual and the world of work has never been more global, making simple design skills and seamless collaboration more critical than ever before.

As the demand for visual communication in the workplace rises, Canva continues to be dedicated to building a full suite of visual communication products that power the modern workforce for the future of work across every industry.

Forget the drama...just Chill

WITH the holiday season just around the corner, and workplaces easing their way into the new normal, people are in for a relaxing alcoholic drink with just the right buzz for a good chill. To that end, a must try is Chill— an all-new spiked spirit that can give you a buzz minus the heavy feeling. It has 5 percent alcohol content, and it’s made with real fruit juice extract.

Chill comes in three refreshing flavors: Red Apple, Lemon Lime, and Lychee so friends and mates have tasty options to choose from. It also has zero trans fat, and no artificial sweetener.

What exactly is a spiked spirit?

Also known as hard seltzer, it’s made up of alcohol, soda and fruit juice. It has just the right level of alcohol, which is why it’s now a popular choice among young consumers of legal drinking age.

As its name suggests, Chill is the perfect drink for hanging out with friends or solo lazy days at home. It’s great for consumers who like to have fun, let loose and unwind without going over the top.

Chill Spiked Spirit is available in 330ml cans, and can be found at convenience stores and supermarkets nationwide, as well as on online shopping sites.

image, which refers to the way consumers perceive the company. When partner brands’ images are not aligned, consumers are more likely to question why the two companies are collaborating—and this can generate negative views toward the alliance.

Social media can play a role in helping companies determine who might make a good partner.

Several colleagues and I found that when two brands have a lot of shared followers on Twitter or Facebook—especially when they don’t also share them with many other companies—it suggests there might be a natural alignment between them, thus making them good candidates for a partnership.

And a separate study found that a company’s base of Twitter followers represents the tastes and likes of its audience; thus, more shared followers between two brands suggests they also have similar likes.

It’s one way companies looking for a partner can avoid going to bed with another business that doesn’t share its values or brand image.

We don’t know if companies like Starbucks used social media to determine those tie-ups, but in a recent paper, we suggest it’s a smart way to find a partner that shares values.

Just like with a marriage, the consequences of forming a bad match can be costly, as Adidas is learning.

PHOTO BY AMY HIRSCHI ON UNSPLASH

Jollibee Group Foundation brings joyful meals to Paeng-hit communities

to ensure that calamity-affected communities have immediate access to food. The program harnesses Jollibee Group’s expertise and network to produce and distribute food items that are low cost, delicious, nutritious, and easy to prepare and store.

Roxas City has been a long-time partner of JGF. When the tropical storm hit, the LGU immediately mobilized its resources to use the mixes from JGF that had been pre-positioned at the Roxas City Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT) Kitchen to immediately serve hot meals to stranded passengers and frontliners.

“We value our partnership with the Jollibee Group Foundation. This made a difference to so many especially during this trying time,” said Roxas City Mayor Ronnie Dadivas.

THE Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), the social development arm of the Jollibee Group, immediately sent meals for 17,000 individuals from communities affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

Through its FoodAID Program, JGF partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region VII,

the local government unit (LGU) of Roxas City, Art Relief Mobile Kitchen in Zamboanga, and Jollibee franchisees to bring assistance to communities in five affected regions, namely Regions IV-A, VI, VII, IX, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Jollibee Group FoodAID is JGF’s disaster response program. It aims

These specially formulated congee mix packs are distributed and prepositioned with JGF’s partners located in disaster-prone areas, such as Roxas City. With a shelf-life of six months, a congee pack mixed with rice and water can provide immediate nourishment to 100 people.

“When disasters and calamities strike, it is important to keep survivors nourished. We hope that the warm meals distributed through our FoodAID program will not only satisfy hunger, but also give them comfort during these trying times,” said JGF Executive Director Gisela Tiongson.

Ascott Limited Philippines unveils a series of festive activities tagged ‘My Ascott Holiday’

CLEEN and Green Cleaning Services, known for its professional cleaning services using all-natural cleaning solutions, now has a second branch in Quezon City.

Last July, Cleen and Green opened its new branch in New Manila, right in the heart of Quezon City. This was made possible with Cleen and Green’s US partners Veronica “Doll” de los Santos, a registered nurse, and her husband Martie de los Santos, a corporate senior manager.

To date, there are already six branches in Luzon, and with more branches opening in the coming year. Part of Cleen and Green’s advocacies include providing OFWs and their families in the Philippines a more viable means of livelihood, instead of just depending on remittances.

Going strong on its second year, this once humble business was born out of innovation when the owners Mabel Amante-Villena and Papillon Villena started having allergies in their home in Batangas. From then on, this led to more branches, impressing clients with their

consistent quality of service.

Clean and Green utilizes all-natural formulations which are safe for babies, pets, the elderly, and expectant mothers. With their welltrained staff using modern cleaning technology and equipment, you can be sure that your space will be clean from floor to ceiling.

Only Cleen and Green offers cleaning services that have no time limit. This means the cleaners don’t leave unless they are really done cleaning!

With their dedication to quality service, safe cleaning methods, and advocacy for health and the family, Cleen and Green truly brings the true meaning of wellness into your home.

To know more about Cleen and Green’s services for homes and vehicles, and to inquire about franchising, please visit: Website: https://cleenandgreen.com/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/ cleenandgreencleaningservices. Facebook page of Cleen and Green New Manila Branch: www. facebook.com/cleenandgreennewmanilabranch

STAYING true to its commitment, MR.DIY continues to bring the brand closer to Filipinos as it marks another milestone with the opening of its 300th store at SM City Sucat on November 18. This milestone is the brand’s promise of offering great savings, wholesome shopping experience, a variety of products, resulting in the improvement of the quality of life of its consumers.

With the goal to continuously meet the growing demands of consumers and to give back to the community, the one-stop shop retailer will offer more exciting products, new locations, and job opportunities for next year as the brand remains committed to its purpose.

“Opening our 300th store represents our solid commitment of bringing MR.DIY closer to every Filipino, to serve the Filipino family with good quality products at ‘Always Low Prices’ for their everyday needs. The past four years have been challenging but full of fun for everyone. With each new store, we find fulfillment seeing your big smiles and pleasantly surprised expressions when you uncover layers and layers of fun as we fulfill our promise of great savings, accessible shopping convenience, extensive product selection for the family, and a better quality of life with the home improvement solutions we provide,” said MR.DIY Philippines CEO Roselle Andaya.

“Our commitment will be further realized

THE Ascott Limited (Ascott) Philippines has launched its new holiday campaign, "My Ascott Holiday," inspired by the brand refresh the company is undergoing. It aims to highlight the unique activities its guests can experience when they stay in the properties.

Currently, Ascott's portfolio in the Philippines includes three brands: Ascott, Somerset, and Citadines. Each has a distinct personality: Ascott caters to luxury travelers who enjoy the finer things in life. Somerset is geared toward families with sustainability at its core, while Citadines embody the brand's love for travel and culture, as inspired by the tagline "For The Love of Cities."

To celebrate the festive season, the company unveiled a series of holiday offers and events, starting with the Christmas Tree Lighting at Ascott Makati on November 16. The event was hosted by Zara Carbonell, with performances by string quartet Bernie Pasamba to entertain guests. The

program started with a welcome speech from the Country General Manager Philip Barnes, followed by a short video about the brand refresh.

Ascott also kicked off its holiday CSR initiative called Hopes and Wishes in partnership with Gawad Kalinga (GK).

Ascott and GK have a longstanding partnership in building a sustainable source of food and livelihood security, as evidenced by the food shed they built together in Batangas this year.

The company encourages its followers to comment on what they are grateful for this year. Inspiring messages will be reposted by the brand and tie the brand with the Christmas tradition. At the same time, this effort will give back to the Gawad Kalinga community. For every P200 donation, guests can buy a wish card where they can write their personal wishes. The Ascott team will hang the wish card on the property Christmas tree and make one wish come true per property.

Guests will be treated to a three-

course meal dinner in Mesclun Restaurant + Cafe complemented by a raffle where guests can win stay vouchers at local and international Ascott properties such as lyf Tenjin Fukuoka and Ascott Embassy Sathorn Bangkok. The event culminated with closing remarks by Director of Sales & Marketing Denise Olegario.

Relatedly, Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila has clinched the coveted title of “World’s Leading Serviced Apartment” at the Grand Final of World Travel Awards 2022, a prestigious global event that celebrates the best of the best in hospitality. This follows the property being named “Asia's Leading Serviced Apartment” together with Ascott Makati as “Philippines' Leading Serviced Apartment” and Ascott the Residence being the “Philippines' Leading Serviced Apartment Brand.”

Being recognized as the top serviced apartments globally is an affirmation of the quality and excellence that Ascott offers to our guests and partners.

as we continue to open new stores next year, bringing MR.DIY even closer to every Filipino and consequently providing more job opportunities. We are beyond grateful for your support that helped make this great achievement possible. Cheers to more wonderful experiences and growing together as one big MR.DIY family!” she added.

The 300th store celebration, which had the theme “Always Low Prices, Always Fun for Everyone,” kicked off with the store blessing, followed by fun-filled activities including the grand store reveal and carnival-themed booths and exhibits. MR.DIY also revved up its special promo and deals with mystery gifts and cash vouchers. Month-long specials were also launched, extending the festivities across all MR.DIY branches nationwide.

To give back to its valued customers, each MR.DIY store shared one Yellow Basket of Love full of goodies and items with a chosen family beneficiary. Earlier this year, MR.DIY also brought back “The Good Bag” CSR campaign promoting sustainable efforts towards environment protection and encouraging consumers to take part by sharing their blessings by buying reusable eco bags. Proceeds of the sales were given to partner beneficiaries SOS Children’s Villages, Great Oak Manor, and World Vision Philippines – which are all focused on supporting vulnerable Filipino Children.

B Hotel Alabang gives more reason to dine at their Prime Café with new executive chef, menu offering

BHOTEL Alabang has announced the appointment

its

Robert “Bam” Guevarra

In addition to managing the daily kitchen operations of Prime Café, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Chef Guevarra will also inject his fresh take on its lineup of Filipino dishes.

Guevarra’s extensive culinary career began in 2003 as a junior chef for a popular restaurant in Tagaytay. He then expanded his kitchen experience as head chef for various restaurants from 2012 to 2015, before perfecting his skills working with prestigious hotels in the Philippines from 2015 to 2021.

A man of many talents, Chef Guevarra does not only have a solid foundation in fine dining. He is also an adept artisan baker. Today he blends his expertise in both fields to create elevated gastronomic delights that are also cozy and comforting, which he will be applying in his work at Prime Café.

“This is definitely a great new endeavor for me,” shares Chef Guevarra of his appointment.

“It’s a privilege to be entrusted with the task of revamping the Prime Café menu. I’m excited to give a fresh take on Filipino cuisine while

honoring what has made the restaurant dear to its customers.”

B Hotel Alabang is a four-star boutique hotel owned and managed by The Bellevue Hotels & Resorts. It has a total of 156 rooms, including a luxurious penthouse suite. The hotel also has two food concepts: Prime Café and Pastry Corner, versatile meeting and function rooms for corporate and personal events, an outdoor jacuzzi, and a gym.

THROUGH the Jollibee Group FoodAID Program, Jollibee Group Foundation and its partners immediately distributed meals for some 17,000 individuals affected by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

Cleen and Green is waving its magic cleaning wand in the metropolis with new branch in Quezon City

CLEEN and Green’s US partners Veronica “Doll” de los Santos, and her husband Martie de los Santos

FROM left, Denise Olegario, The Ascott Limited Philippines Director of Sales and Marketing; Jenna Liwanag, The Ascott Limited Director of Revenue Management; Zenddie Delos Reyes, The Ascott Limited Philippines Country Financial Controller; Yen Diego OIC – Operations Manager of Somerset Millennium Makati; Cecile Teodoro, General Manager of Ascott Makati and Somerset Millenium Makati; Philip Barnes, The Ascott Limited Philippines Country General Manager; Rennan John Reyes General Manager of Ascott Bonifacio Global City and Citadines Bay City Manila; Joyce Agsaway, Residence Manager of Somerset Alabang Manila; Susan Salcedo The Ascott Limited Philippines City Manager; Gwen Contreras, Assistant Residence Manager of Ascott Bonifacio Global City; Faith Quijano, Assistant Residence Manager of Citadines Bay City Manila and Pauline Zamora, Assistant Residence Manager of Somerset Olympia Makati.

of

as

new executive chef.

MR.DIY reaches new milestone with the opening of its 300th store at SM City Sucat in Parañaque

IntegratIng data analytIcs and aI for smart townshIp development

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

colossus

“We have been integrating data analytics and artificial intelligence in various aspects of our business, particularly as we continue to de velop next-generation township developments where tech innova tions make life a lot safer and more enjoyable for residents, locators, and visitors,” Francis Viernes, Chief Data Scientist and Lab Director of TAT Lab and head of Data Analyt ics, Megaworld said in a recent press briefing held in its corporate office at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

The formation of the Township Analytics and Technology Lab (TAT Lab), according to Viernes, is part of the initiative of the company to promote sustainability. Moreover, it is the first-ever data science lab spearheaded by a property develop ment company in Asia.

The TAT Lab, which will be locat ed within the 50-hectare McKinley Hill, will be designed to develop, de ploy, and improve machine learning models and AI aimed at increasing the level of safety and security of

Megaworld townships nationwide.

Megaworld will be using AI to in troduce innovative programs, which include an advanced accident detec tion system that can detect road ac cidents and trigger a faster, more efficient incident response.

“In many road incidents, the dif ference in response time between someone reporting a vehicular ac cident and an AI program detecting it, for example, may mean a matter of life and death. This AI-powered accident detection system will be one of the several programs that we will be rolling out in Megaworld townships soon to make our devel opments more responsive to the future needs of our communities,” Viernes added.

Further, the TAT Lab will also be rolling out a Township-specific Weather Analytics and Monitoring capability. The program is in its pilot testing phase in partnership with Komunidad. It aims to help make Megaworld townships more resilient by providing localized and more accurate climate information to help residents and locators plan their day-to-day activities more ef ficiently.

“Unlike other weather analysis providers, our township weather analytics will be able to send out ad vice to people within our townships about the specific time rain is going to pour, for example, in McKinley Hill as opposed to just having a ge neric weather analysis for the entire Taguig City,” adds Viernes.

Viernes said other programs such as township geographic assessment with real-time traffic information, as well as age and gender sentiment detection capability that will pro vide an additional layer of security

and protection for residential condo miniums, offices, malls and hotels and townships of Megaworld will also be introduced.

The TAT Lab will soon be created alongside the Megaworld Command Center, a state-of-the-art surveil lance facility that will be capable of monitoring and consolidating situation reports across all of Mega world’s townships nationwide. The TAT Lab and the Command Center are expected to be operational by 2023.

“The Megaworld Command Cen

Damosa Land champions economic resiliency, real-estate innovations

Atr A ilbl A z er for sustainable real estate, Damosa l a nd i nc. (D l i ) c elebrates 18 years of transforming communities as a homegrown developer of Mindanao. t h rough the years, the company has remained commit ted to boosting the socio-economic growth of the region through a growing portfolio of sustainable developments—driving economic recovery across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.

“ t h e best houses, buildings, and projects are built with the strongest foundations. With that, i thank the whole Damosa l an d team and our directors for continuously fulfilling our mission to adapt to the shifting landscape of real estate and establish future-ready developments that will drive investor interest and expand oppor tunities for our region,” shares D l i President r ic ardo “Cary” l a gdameo.

An innovator for multi-awarded sustainable communities

D A M os A l an d has long been recognized for its sustainable developments. t h e company has continued to boost the economic recovery of Davao, while ensuring that their properties are centered on eco-friendly amenities that are anchored in Davao’s agricultural heritage.

o n e of its recently awarded properties is Ameria—a nine-hectare residential subdivi sion. Dubbed as b e st e c o-Friendly Housing Development by the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards, Ameria boasts wide open spaces, nature-centric parks, and sustainablybuilt houses that are future-proof, durable, and environmentally friendly.

t h is year and in 2020, Damosa l an d was also

Anflo i ndustrial e s tate (A i e ) D l i s industrial arm that offers a state-of-the-art cold stor age facility, was recently given an e x cellence in Design For Greater e f ficiencies ( e D G e ) cer tificate—the first cold storage facility in the Philippines to be given such recognition. t h e property garnered 51% energy savings, 29% water savings, and 38% less carbon emissions through the materials used in its construction.

o t her recognitions received by Damosa l an d for sustainability include: b e st r e siden tial Green Development and b e st to wnship Development for Agriya, b e st Housing Devel opment in Metro Davao for Ameria, b e st o f fice Development for Damosa Diamond to wer, b e st ndustrial Development for A i e an d s p ecial

r e cognition in C s r

Mindanao’s partner in economic development

D A M os A l an d is unstoppable as it continues to expand its commercial portfolio in the s o uth. l a unched in July 2021, the Damosa Diamond to wer—the first e D G e certified office building in Mindanao—has been welcoming locators such as s y cip Gorres Velayo & Co. ( s G V & Co.) and a couple of business process outsourcing ( b P o) companies— o f ficePartners360 and Full Potential s o lutions Philippines, among others.

t h e company further proved to be on top of the shifting market demand as they started a franchise partnership with i nternational Work place Group ( i W G). t h is will give way for both companies to develop and operate eight (8) i W G centers in Davao, Cagayan De o r o, and General s an tos—paving the way for more investment

and employment opportunities in Mindanao. Additionally, the Damosa it Park, the first P e z A -accredited it park in s o uthern Mindan ao—ramps up opportunities for b P o companies across the globe in as early as 2005. s u pplementing economic growth, Damosa l an d has also positioned itself as the region’s partner in tourism development. b a nking on Davao’s most prominent produce (banana plantations), Agriya—the first agritourism development of Mindanao—was recently lauded by the Department of to urism for its unique and futuristic approach in boosting regional tourism traffic through the region’s rich agricultural heritage.

Damosa l an d also introduced world-class hotel facilities like the U s based hotel chain Microtel by Wyndham in Davao and General s an tos City. l a unched early this year, Damosa l an d paved the way to explore the beauty of s am al i s land as they welcomed investors and tourists to the first marina lifestyle mixed-use development in the region— b r idgeport.

l ooking back, Damosa l a nd has come a long way from their humble beginnings in the real estate sector. Having a wide array of eco-friendly developments, the company has stayed true to its core in pushing for sustainable economic growth for their community. t h e Da mosa l an d team knows that the last two years “were the hardest that we’ve experienced as a company. b o uncing back from that, we have so many projects in the pipe that are poised to push boundaries and provide substantial solutions to enhance the economic resiliency of our region. We will continue to be stronger in 2023,” shares l a gdameo.

ter represents our commit ment to promoting business continuity within our town ships even amidst natural or man-made calamities.

The proximity of the future TAT Lab to the soon-to-rise Megaworld Command Cen ter will ensure that machine learning models deployed across our townships are our working properly and gener ating the appropriate infor mation for our data scien tists that will help make our developments safer and more secure for everyone,” shared Michael Angelo Dumlao, se nior assistant vice president and head of Estate Manage ment, Megaworld.

Viernes said the company will also employ in future projects data science and technology programs in various aspects across Mega world townships, including risks, traffic, security, utili ties, waste disposal, and sus tainability.

In 2018, Megaworld em barked on future-proofing

its developments with the introduction of its iTown ships initiative. The main goal of this program is to create “townships of the fu ture” by integrating design, safety, smart technology, connectivity, energy effi ciency, and talent develop ment into the very blueprint of Megaworld’s township de velopments.

The digitization of cus tomer service and payment processes, integration of smart home technology in residential units, and the uti lization of digital technology and energy-efficient materi als in structural designs were among the projects that have been implemented as part of iTownships.

The program also includ ed the creation of Township Operation Centers across all Megaworld developments, which maximizes 24/7 se curity and safety monitor ing and emergency response in every township, among others.

Amiya Raya expands its highland community

RECOGn

he need for well-built and thoughtfully designed quality living spaces, and due to the success of Amiya Raya, Community Creators Inc. is expanding its original 36-hectare development.

Offering lot sizes ranging from 200 to 350 square meters, the additional 10-hectare expansion project will give more families an opportunity to experience the beauty of highland living,

while staying within 15 minutes from Quezon City and Marikina City.

Be part of this exclu sive residential community in San Mateo, Rizal that is only a 15-minute drive from the city, making it close to places of interests such as schools, churches, malls, and government offices. For inquires, visit their website www.amiyaraya.com.ph or @AmiyaRayaOfficialPage on Facebook.

given a s

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e cognition in s u stainable Design and Construction for its strong efforts in utilizing eco-friendly materials in the construction of their facilities by PropertyGuru Philippines.

ProPerty

Megaworld Development Corp. (Megaworld) will harness the power of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) in building smart, disaster-resistant and futureready township developments.

M E GAw O RLD executives (from L-R) Harold Geronimo, head of Public Relations and Media Affairs; Michael Angelo Dumlao, head of Estate Management; Francis Viernes, head of Data Analytics; and Cheryll Sereno, head of Opportunities and Risk Management.

MARCIAL NEEDS TO CHOOSE FIGHTS

By Josef Ramos

have to choose his fights starting in 2023

Gibbons advised the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist.

I feel in 2023 that Eumir [Felix Marcial] goes full time living and training in the US, now that he’s fully committed to chasing his goal of a world championship,” said Gibbons, who’s in town for the Blow-By-Blow boxing promotion of former senator Manny Pacquiao and former world champion Gerry Peñalosa.

Th at meant Marcial would have to forego the Southeast Asian Games which Cambodia is hosting in May.

He [Marcial] has been dominating the SEA Games since 2015,” Gibbons said, “but it’s up to

arcial has won four straight SEA Games men’s middleweight gold medal since 2015. In 2020, he turned pro and has won three fights—two four-rounders and one six-rounder via knockout—to sandwich his bronze in Tokyo last year.

ibbons, however, stressed that the Hangzhou Asian Games in September

would do Marcial pretty well. The Games are a qualifier for Paris.

H e said that the pride of Zamboanga City would have to be based in Las Vegas under the watchful eyes of trainer Jorge Capetillo and conditioning Coach Angel Memo Heredia.

“ He must do what he needs to do—stay in the US, train and prepare himself for a world championship” Gibbons said. “He cannot fight in the US and leave for two months. He must focus on one thing.”

M arcial will undergo a threemonth camp in Las Vegas for a possible eight-rounder in January or February. He’ll gradually move to a 10-rounder and perhaps go for a minor title after that, according to Gibbons.

Perhaps a couple of fights in eighth rounds and winning a couple of  10-rounders for an international belt that will bring him up the rankings,” he said. “By then, we can check if he’s ready for a world title in 2024.”

HD Spikers complete semifinals cast at expense of Flying Titans

RISKS OF THE GAME

Beiranvand

AP

POC-supervised dragonboat open flags off in Talisay

THE Philippine Canoe Kayak Dragonboat Federation (PCKDF) will hold its National Dragonboat Open starting this Saturday (November 25) up to Sunday on Taal Lake off the Club Balai Isabel in Talisay, Batangas.

The National Open is supervised by the Philippine Olympic Committee under its president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and will select members of the national pool for the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games set in May 2023.

P CKDF president Teresita Uy thanked Tolentino for supervising the National Open as well as Talisay Mayor Nestor Natanauan and Club Balai Isabel CEO and pesident Nelson Terrible.

Competitions will be in the under-23 500-meter (3 crew), mixed U23 250m, 500m and 800m (12 crew), men open (12 crew) in 250m, 500m and 800m, U23 (12 crew) in 250m, 500m and 800m and U23 (5 crew) 250m, 500m and 800m.

T he team practices are set on Friday while the competition proper will be on Saturday and Sunday. There is no entry fee.

Details could be obtained from Duch Co or e-mail duck.pckdf@gmail. com, call or text 0917 328 4081 or Borgs Pelias at arthurpelias@gmail.com or 0917 532 4334.

TNT, San Miguel Beer shoot for crucial victories to keep quarterfinals bid alive

TNT Tropang Giga and San Miguel Beer take on dangerous opponents in search of victories that would shore up their hopes for making the playoffs of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday.

T NT plays Matt Mobley, who’s eight inches below the import height limit for the conference, when the Tropang Giga take on a victory-oriented Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons at 3 p.m.

San Miguel Beer, which like TNT is outside of the magic 8 on similar 4-5 wonlost records, square off with a Terrafirma side that should still be in euphoria after snapping a 25-game losing streak last Friday.

The Bay Area Dragons are playing well with 6-foot-2 import Myles Powell proficiently leading his team with averages of 37.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

But despite losing only two of their 11 games so far, Bay Area Dragons coach Brian Goorjian said they couldn’t be complacent as

they aim for the top two spots for a twice-tobeat advantage in the quarterfinals.

It’s an important game for them as it’s an important game for us,” said Goorjian, noting that he respects his TNT counterpart Coach Chot Reyes. “Reyes is a man I respect and I like and I know his team’s going to be tough and prepared.”

T NT Team Manager Jojo Lastimosa believes Mobley can inject life into TNT’s sagging campaign.

We expect Matt to be a creator and inject energy in our offense,” said Lastimosa of Mobley. “He’s not a big guy who can dominate inside but we are hoping we can make our team faster.”

Mobley, who replaced Cameron Oliver (sprained ankle), had stints in Germany, France, Turkey and Belgium.

T he Beermen, on the other hand, are hoping the Dyip won’t be bringing the momentum of their 124-114 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors that pulled them out of the pit. Josef Ramos

PSL Dumper Cup gets going at Big Dome

DEFENDING champion Davao Occidental tangles with Boracay Wednesday as the Pilipinas Super League Pro Division- Second Conference Dumper Cup gets going at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The match is set at 6 p.m., with a grand opening ceremony led by guest performers Boss Toyo, Mr. Phoebus, Zae, Paul N Ballin, and Ryssi at 4 p.m. expected to add glitz and glamor to

the launch of the new conference of the league presented by Dumper party-list and Winzer.

Sta. Rosa Laguna squares off with Cagayan de Oro-PSP in the other game at 8 p.m. in the tournament also supported by Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton, with former Philippine Basketball Ass sociation (PBA) and Gilas Pilipinas star Marc Pingris serving as commissioner.

NBA strengthens ties with Filipino fans

THE National Basketball Association (NBA) is strengthening its ties with fans in Asia and the country by providing more local contents, according to NBA Asia Managing Director Ramez Sheikh.

S heikh told BusinessMirror during a recent interview that NBA Asia has

introduced new concepts like playing the game, creating experience for the fans and merchandise, and providing local content.

It’s never been a better time to be a fan of the NBA in the Philippines. The state of our union is strong, our league is very competitive, and it’s a wide open championship,” said Sheikh, who’s back

Brownlee has proven himself in the game generally considered as our national sport. As Ginebra’s perennial import, he has given the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) squad championships of note.

“ But beyond him becoming a pillar in our quest for global honors, in Brownlee, we would gain a new brother that we can proudly call Filipino,” Go said.

From the Senate nod will eventually follow the green light from the lower house for Brownlee’s full Filipino citizenship, mak ing him eligible to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the sixth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers in February in Manila.

Bring Brownlee to Gilas

GLAD to know that Justin Brownlee’s naturalization process is moving on smoothly in the Senate. With no less than Senator Bong Go, an avid basketball fan, giving his all-out support, it won’t be long before the American basketball machine gets to be naturalized—definitely a boon to Philippine sports in the long haul.

A fter that, he dons the national colors for the Fiba World Cup proper that we will co-host with Indonesia and Japan. Our own venues for the worlds set from August 25 to September 10 next year will be the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, MOA Arena in Pasay City and, for the final phase, the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

Go, in joining hands with Sen. Bato dela Rosa for Brownlee’s naturalization process, emphasized the American’s love “for Filipinos, our culture and traditions” as he praised the resident Ginebra import for having “a latent pusong Pinoy poise and a never-say-die attitude every time he plays the game we all love.”

A ll eyes

B

rmed with superior points over the Flying Titans in case of a tie for No. 4, the HD Spikers needed just three sets to advance although the Flying Titans’ hot start sparked hopes for a big surge by one of the league’s crowd favorites seeking to make it to the Final Four via backdoor.

We really felt the pressure in the first set. It’s a wake-up call for us,” Cignal coach Shaq delos Santos said.

“But we pushed them (HD Spikers), reminding them that we shouldn’t blow this chance and just do what we have been doing in training, keep the (winning) mindset and use our experience and not to be complacent.”

e HD Spikers did put their act together in time, battling the Flying Titans in a pendulum duel in the second frame before surging ahead at 20-17 on a Tai Bierria kill.

Cignal stayed three points clear at

22-19 on a Fatima General spectacular save that barely hit the net before drop ping on Choco Mucho’s court but import Odina Aliyeva, back in the roster after recovering from Covid-19-like symp toms, fired back-to-back kills to save two set points for the Flying Titans.

M addie Madayag, however, served long in the ensuing play, enabling the HD Spikers to draw level and move within a set from accomplishing their mission.

C ignal kept the momentum of that crucial win while Choco Mucho struggled trying to regroup as the HD Spikers wrested control early in the third, 12-6, and virtually put a lock on the last semis berth when Choco Mucho’s top local scorer Kat Tolentino sustained a knee injury and limped out of the court.

Des Cheng followed Tolentino to the bench minutes later on a finger injury and the HD Spikers stepped up their attack from all angles on their way to building a 13-6 bulge on a Ria Meneses point off a joust. The Flying Titans did rally by stringing five straight points to pull within two but a Deanna Wong service miscue and a Cignal ace put the HD Spikers back in control to claim the set—and the coveted semis slot.

in Manila for the first time since January 2020 because of the pandemic. Here in the Philippines we got great partners, like Cignal and Smart, our broadcast partners, Titan, our merchandise partner that opened up a store recently, and we have 21 marketing and promotional partners here,” he said. Josef Ramos

In his manifestation on November 21 on the Senate floor, Go, chair of the Senate committee on sports, cited Brownlee’s “incredible skills on the court that have earned him admira tion from his coaches, teammates and basketball fans as well.”

It was in 2016 that Brownlee first came to the Philippines, giving Ginebra its first PBA title in eight years with a thrilling buzzer-beating trey.  He has helped Ginebra win four more PBA crowns in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

I n his speech, Go praised Brownlee for winning the PBA’s Best Import award in the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup and in the 2021 Governors Cup.

W ith the 6-foot-6 Brownlee teaming up with the 7-foot3 Kai Sotto, our chances appear bright in the Worlds proper that we last hosted in 1978.

Brownlee won’t disappoint.

THAT’S IT Paeng Nepomuceno, already the owner of a record four World Cup bowling trophies in 1976, 1980, 1992 and 1996, won the recent 16th Asian Seniors event in Kuala Lumpur.  Lefty 6-foot-1 Paeng, 65, defeated 59 opponents in earning his 119th or more trophy since becoming world champion—at age 19—in 1976. Cheers!

Iglupas, Ballado bag 2 titles each in PCA jrs tilt

MIGUEL

B oth unranked in their respective categories, Iglupas, 16, toppled three seeded rivals to reign in his age category, capped by an abbreviated 1-0 win in the final as No. 7 Kenzo Brodeth retired with an injured back.

B ut against a healthy Mateo Rivas, the rising star from the tennis-playing clan from Iligan City dominated his top seeded rival, coming away with a 6-1, 6-4 victory to claim the 18-and-under diadem in the Group I event presented by Dunlop.

B allado, from Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, also stirred up play in her side of the battle, wearing down second ranked Joy Ansay, 6-1, 2-6, 10-2, in the 14-under finals then ripping Chloe Mercado, 6-0, 6-2, to clinch the 16-U trophy in the upset-marred tournament which served as part of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala junior circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop president and CEO Bobby Castro.

MARCIAL will

but keep his dream of winning gold in Paris 2024, MP Promotions head Sean

Iran’s goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand collides Iran’s Majid Hosseini during their 6-2 World Cup Group B defeat to England at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday. Beiranvand sustains an injury and has to be carried off the field.

initially tries to continue playing despite the game being paused for several minutes as he receives treatment.

IGNAL HD struck hard in the second set and sustained its assault while cashing in on every break to fashion out an 17-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-14 victory over Choco Mucho and clinch the fourth and last semifinal berth in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City Tuesday.

TAI BIERRIA plays big for Cignal HD.

MIGUEL IGLUPAS (second from right) and Jayden Ballado (second from left) pose with Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay (left) and 9-time Philippine Columbian Association Open titlist Johnny Arcilla.

IGLUPAS pulled off a pair of shockers in the boys’ top two divisions while Jayden Ballado matched that two-title feat in the girls’ side of the Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) Juniors National Tennis Championships at the PCA outdoor courts in Plaza Dilao, Manila, on Monday.

will be on the Islanders as coach Jiniño Manansala parades a roster led by former PBA MVP Jayjay Helter brand, Mac Cardona, KG Canaleta, and actor Gerald Anderson.

oracay will also be boosted by the core of National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities champion St. Clare College of Caloocan City.

SHEIKH