BusinessMirror November 29, 2023 by BusinessMirror

Low-quality jobs, Covid to pull down growth By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

WORLD | A12

ISRAEL, HAMAS EXTEND TRUCE FOR 2 DAYS TO FREE MORE HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS

OOR-QUALITY jobs and the scarring effects left by the pandemic have reduced the country’s long-term growth potential to only 6 percent, according to the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (Amro). In its Annual Consultation Report for the Philippines, Amro said this was a reduction of 2 percentage points from the initial estimate of 6.2 percent between 1998 and 2019. However, given the impact of the lockdowns and poor quality jobs, the country’s GDP growth trend between 1998 and 2023 is now at 6 percent.

“Lower job quality and a slow recovery in investment are the major scarring effects in the Philippines. Although the labor market has rebounded faster than expected since 2022, job quality has deteriorated, with a lower share of high-skilled jobs,” Amro said. “Furthermore, a sharp drop in investment during the pandemic has reduced capital formation and long-term growth potential.” According to Amro, its estimate is higher than the latest estimates of the World Bank which now forecasts the country’s average growth between 2020 to 2029 to only average 5.7 percent. Amro said the deterioration of job quality partly reflected lower

labor productivity and could be explained by an unwanted structural shift in the labor market.

Structural shift in labor market

CITING a study titled “Labor Productivity, Structural Change, and COVID-19,” authored by former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra and University of the Philippines economist Karl Jandoc, Amro said an example of this could be the “return to low-productivity pursuits in agriculture.” A further explanation of the labor situation, added A mro, could be found in the study titled “Labor market implications of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Philippines” which was edited by former Socioeconomic Planning

Secretary Dante B. Canlas and published by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). “Developing a digital economy is essential to improve the growth potential, and this can materialize only by upgrading labor skills and attracting substantial investment,” Amro said. It also noted that the country’s long-term growth potential will suffer due to the pace of infrastructure development which remains a key challenge for the economy. Infrastructure investment in the Philippines continued to lag behind its regional peers causing it to be less competitive in the region. See “Low-quality,” A2

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n Wednesday, November 29, 2023 Vol. 19 No. 49

DOF PUSHES 3 REVENUE BILLS TO GENERATE P32B P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 24 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

O keep the momentum for economic growth, the Department of Finance (DOF) is pushing for the passage before yearend of three revenue bills which will help the government generate P32 billion. Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno announced on Tuesday they have asked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to certify as urgent the passage of Package 4 of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), Value Added Tax on Digital Service Providers and Excise Tax on Single-Use Plastic Bags. The measures are currently in advanced stages in the Senate Ways and Means. If passed into law next month, the said measures will help the government finance its P5.768-trillion 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and attain a 5.1-percent deficit-to-gross domestic product (GDP) target next year, Diokno noted. Another P75.7 billion in government revenue can be generated next year if Congress will also pass the proposed bill imposing Excise Tax on Sweetened Beverages and Junk Food, according to DOF. See “DOF,” A2

THE LIGHTS, OH, THE LIGHTS!!!! Taguig opened the country’s biggest lights park again this year. The lights park now boasts of new and fresh scenic attractions like the Graffiti Tunnel, Giant Coloring Floor, Heart Tower, 3D Lighted Church, Dancing Light Tunnel, Maze of Life, and the Aqua Luna Lights and Sounds Show. This year’s The Lights of Christmas has also brought back its most popular attraction from last year—the Walkaway of Lights, a pathway filled with lights and gorgeous views. NONIE REYES

EXPANDED PFDA PUSHED FOR MARINE INDUSTRIAL ESTATES By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

GRICULTURE Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel is pushing for the amendment and expansion of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority’s (PFDA) charter to allow the state corporation to develop marine industrial estates nationwide to boost the country’s fish stocks. Laurel argued that the PFDA’s mandate must include the power to develop and manage marine and agro-industrial estates across the country.

At present, the PFDA is limited to the management and development of key fish ports nationwide as well as providing post-harvest services to the country’s fisheries sector. Laurel explained that his proposal to amend the PFDA charter aligns with the f lagship Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s goal of “modernizing the agriculture sector.” Under his proposal, the PFDA would create and manage marine See “PFDA,” A2

PBBM to sign ₧5.77-T GAA for ’24 before flying to Japan

HE Department of Finance (DOF) said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is expected to sign the P5.77-trillion 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) before flying to Japan next month. In a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno disclosed that the House of Representatives and the Senate is set to hold a bicameral conference on the GAA by December 1, 2023. This after the Senate finally closed its plenary debates on the proposed 2024 budget last week. “And so there is enough time [for the signing] before the departure of the President,” Diokno said.

Marcos is scheduled to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-Japan Summit in Tokyo from December 16 to 18. He signed the 2023 GAA on December 16, 2022, making it the fastest-passed National Budget in recent years. Diokno said they are eyeing the efficient implementation of the 2024 GAA to help sustain the country’s economic growth and prevent underspending. Economic managers attributed the lackluster growth in gross domestic product in the second quarter of the year to low spending by some government agencies. See “GAA,” A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.4060 n JAPAN 0.3727 n UK 69.9722 n HK 7.1115 n CHINA 7.7460 n SINGAPORE 41.4498 n AUSTRALIA 36.6012 n EU 60.6973 n KOREA 0.0427 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.7730 Source:

BSP (28 November 2023)

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

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ADB: Extend bid submission deadline for Naia rehab deal

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

more competitive, the ADB said the extension “would also provide concrete evidence of the government’s commitment to encourage new players, and foreign investment in Philippine public-private partnerships, without causing undue delay to NAIA’s modernization and the PPP program.” So far, eight groups have bought bid documents for the project: GMR Airports International, San Miguel Holdings Corp., Manila International Airport Consortium, Spark 888 Management, Asian Airport Consortium, Cengiz Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., and Incheon

Airport Corp. The DOTr seems firm on the deadline, with a representative saying that the “Pre-qualifications, Bids, and Award Committee [PBAC] for the project already issued a Bid Bulletin indicating that the Bid Submission Date remains to be December 27, 2023.” The ADB noted that without extending the deadline, only “two prospective bidders with participation by large local corporations” will submit bids. “They have both submitted unsolicited proposals for Naia in the past and are thus significantly more familiar with Naia than the other four prospective bidders,” the ADB said, without divulging the two prospective bidders. It added: “We strongly believe that extending the bid submission date would attract more bids, thus resulting in greater competition and a better financial outcome for the government.” The Naia Privatization Project is a Rehabilitate-Operate-ExpandTransfer (ROET) deal led by the DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa).

Under the initial terms of reference for the deal, the winning consortium shall provide an upfront payment of P30 billion to the government as premium and another P2 billion in annuity payments. It is also required to remit a certain percentage of the revenues to the government. This will be the main bid parameter for the auction—the higher the proposed share of the government in the Naia’s revenues are, the better. The concession was initially set for 15 years with an option to extend by 10 years as long as the concessionaire is “not in flagrant violation of the concession agreement.” Certain key performance indicators, according to the Transportation Undersecretary Timothy Batan, shall determine whether the concessionaire is entitled to have its contract extended. The Naia PPP seeks to rehabilitate and expand the current three-terminal gateway in Manila. Once completed, its capacity shall be expanded from 35 million passengers per annum (MPPA) to 62 MPPA.

He said their anti-inflation drive will include improving production and filling the domestic supply gap “through timely and adequate importation based on ex ante supply and demand analysis.” In a press briefing in Malacañang, Diokno said, “Because in the past, there was no science in the importation. You import [goods] and then it arrives during harvest. So it happens at the wrong time.”

They will be employing satellites to monitor the country’s crops, deploy immediate response typhoon-hit areas and implement El Niño mitigation and adaptation plans. Government economic managers have also recommended an extension of the validity of Executive Order (EO) No. 10 imposing a tariff reduction for pork, corn, rice and coal and the timely completion of transmission projects. “We should continue our anti-in-

flation drive because lower inflation means more purchasing power for consumers,” Diokno said.

@lorenzmarasigan

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) believes that extending the deadline for the submission of bids for the redevelopment of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) by a month will make the auction more “competitive.”

According to an ADB document obtained by the media, the ADB recommends the extension of bid submission deadline to January 29, 2024 from December 27, 2023. This, according to the lender, will “give bidders more time to prepare and submit bids, thus resulting in more competition and a better financial outcome for the Philippine government.” The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has engaged the ADB as transaction advisor for the P170.6-billion Naia Privatization Project. Aside from making the auction

DOF. . . Continued from A1

Anti-inflation measures THE DOF chief said they are banking on the 2024 GAA so they can continue with measures to sustain the country’s high GDP, which includes protecting vulnerable sectors, including the agriculture and transport sectors, from high inflation.

Growth target DOF is confident the country can still achieve a 6 percent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth this year despite think tanks saying it will slow down to 5.6 to 5.8 percent due to inf lation. “ T hat ’s t he lower end of our growth target of 6 to 7 percent this year and we will continue to grow at around 6.5 percent to 8 percent for the rest of President’s Marcos’ term,” Diokno said. The projection, he said, is based on the improvements across all sectors and robust domestic demand, which have made the country the fastestgrowing economy during the third quarter of the year at 5.9 percent. A lso supporting the countr y’s strong economic position is its 27.5 percent external debt, according to Diokno. With the additional revenue from the proposed legislations, he noted they are now preparing interventions to maintain the growth by offsetting the impact of the economic headwinds next year. These include domestic risks like high food prices, natural disasters including El Niño, infectious animal diseases, waning of pent-up demand, limited rate hikes, limited absorptive capacity of local government units. Diokno said the economy can also be threatened by external risks including elevated international commodity, lower global growth and possible US recession, geopolitical tension and the pneumonia and property crisis in China.

GAA. . . Continued from A1

The DOF official said among the measures they are implementing to ensure the prompt utilization of the funds is ensuring early procurement activ ity. “Under the present situation, once the President submits the budget to Congress, which is around July or August, the agencies should be allowed to procure, short of award, so that by January 1st, it [contracts] will be awarded. So we are going to implement that,” Diokno said partly in Filipino. Samuel P. Medenilla

Low-quality. . . Continued from A1

Citing data from the World E conom ic For u m , A m ro s a id the country is lagging behind in transportation infrastructure, especially road infrastructure followed by information and communications technolog y (ICT) and utility infrastructures. The Philippines is also threatened by geopolitical tensions between China and the United States. However, it stressed, these tensions can also become economic opportunities. These tensions can be a headwind for the Philippines if these create “substantial uncertainties” that could “erode market sentiment and hold back foreign investment in the country,” it explained. However, the reconfiguration of supply chains, such as “China Plus One,” could benefit the Philippines. This will especially be the case in investment and trade if the country closes the infrastructure gap. The benefits could also be significant if the quality of the country’s labor market is enhanced and the business environment is improved to attract industry relocation to the country.

Climate, other threats MEANWHILE, other threats to the economy’s long-term growth, Amro said, is the country’s vulnerability to the ill effects of climate change. The country is considered one of the most disaster-prone in the world. “The impact of climate change has become more severe due to environmental degradation caused by rapid socioeconomic development in the absence of adequate mitigating environmental plans,” Amro said. Amro noted that tropical cyclones continue to cause numerous deaths and extensive damage in the country, while flooding due to heavy rainfall also significantly affects various regions. Citing data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Amro said 18 tropical cyclones entered the Philippines’ Area of Responsibility in 2022, and five made landfall. These included Typhoons Paeng which caused P5.7 billion in damages to infrastructure and P7.1 billion in agriculture. It also caused at least 156 deaths. Amro also said in December 2021, Typhoon Odette/Rai brought massive destruction to the Philippines, where a response was needed until 2022. It added that between December 2022 and February 2023, there were a series of floods caused by heav y rain, severely affecting central and southern parts of the Philippines. “Sea level rise poses a chronic

PFDA. . . Continued from A1

and agro-industrial estates that would serve “one-stop shops” which house ports, cold-storage facilities, silos, and warehouses to store farm and marine products such as rice, sugar, vegetables, palm oil and other basic commodities, and ensure their stable supply. “I’ve seen this model successfully implemented in South Korea and Japan. I hope the World Bank can help us realize this vision,” he said. T he ex pansion of the PFDA mandate is part of the DA’s goal to craft a logistics master plan that would cover the country’s agricultural

risk of flooding that would lead to huge economic losses resulting from widespread population resettlement and extensive reconstruction efforts. These physical risks will likely be exacerbated by climate change,” Amro said. “Thus, the rising costs of these risks could become a major burden on fiscal resources and jeopardize financial stability, underscoring an urgent need for climate change adaptation in the Philippines,” it added. In order to address these longterm threats to growth, Amro said the Philippines should institute fiscal reforms at the soonest. This will help prevent “sharper and more painful adjustments later.” A mon g t he s e re for m s a re those needed to quell the concerns raised about the Militar y and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) pension scheme, as well as the sustainability of the Social Sec u r it y Sy stem (S S S) a nd t he Government Ser v ice Insurance System (GSIS). Amro noted that the previous pension system for MUP collapsed due to mismanagement, while the current MUP pension scheme is expected to pose a massive fiscal burden in the medium to long term. Citing the Bureau of the Treasury, Amro said the MUP pension spending is expected to increase to P240 billion by 2028 and P1.5 trillion by 2040 from P125 billion in 2022. Amro also said the main reform measures of the MUP include the contribution from both MUP and the government, no automatic promotion to the next rank upon retirement, and no automatic indexation to the salary of active personnel of the same rank (currently automatic indexation). The reforms also focused on the minimum pensionable age at 57 years old and the professional management of the pension fund by GSIS. “The Amro mission welcomes the government’s discussion on MUP pension reforms, and recommends completing it without delay by considering fiscal sustainability, income support, and equity across different pension systems,” the report stated. “In the longer-term perspective, the SSS and GSIS pension reforms should also be reviewed to enhance their financial sustainability,” it added. Earlier, Amro estimated that the country’s GDP growth will only average 5.6 percent. It said the country’s economic growth will be clouded by various factors and challenges but the short-term challenge is inflation. Amro said the country’s headline inflation is expected to rise to 6 percent in 2023 from 5.8 percent in 2022. This is expected to moderate to 3.6 percent in 2024, within the 2 to 4 percent inflation target of the BSP.

and fisheries value chains. “Definitely, we need a logistics master plan. That is one thing I think is lacking in the DA,” Laurel said. Laurel disclosed that he would also soon appoint an Assistant Secretary whose task is to focus on the logistics of the agri-fisheries sector “to ensure public funds are well spent.” Laurel said he has been meeting with lawmakers, lobbying for possible adjustments in the department’s budget for next year in line with the administration’s goal of improving domestic farm productivity, achieving food security and raising farmers and fishermen’s income. “We need to scale up and get our priorities straight,” he said. “I have technically three-and-ahalf years to accomplish these things. The DA, under my watch, will do its best to speed things up,” he added.

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Ayala Land’s Evo City ushers in a new era of urban development in Kawit, Cavite

Evo City Entrance Plaza | ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE

By Candy Dalizon Contributor

AVITE stands out as one of the best locations in the South. Situated on the southern expanse of Manila Bay and within close reach to Metro Manila, it offers the perfect balance of urban accessibility and a tranquil escape. Cavite’s booming economy has paved the way for numerous business and employment opportunities. This means that you no longer need to be away from your family or spend so much time commuting in order to provide your family with quality of life. The province's residential offerings, characterized by excellent design and quality, come at reasonable prices. The province abounds with historic sites and landmarks, museums, golf courses, gardens and facilities for leisure. Its oldest municipality, Kawit, is described as the “Flag Town of the Republic.” Comprising of 23 barangays, Kawit embraces both inland and coastal landscapes, offering a diverse tapestry of experiences.

Pioneering CBD in Kawit

Kawit, a place with a glorious past and renowned for its historical significance, is now emerging as a

center for innovative place to live and work. Easily accessible to key Central Business Districts (CBDs) in the metro through existing and future infrastructure, Kawit is now home to Evo City, Ayala Land’s mixed use development here in the South of Manila. Evo City is poised to be the next prime growth center. It nestles in the heart of Kawit, strategically positioned at the crossroads of history and modernity where the past and future converge to create a vibrant and dynamic hub for progress. Embracing the spirit of progressive living, Evo City’s expansive 200-hectare estate fosters a dynamic environment where a harmonious blend of business, commercial, residential, and industrial options and opportunities will flourish, embodying the essence of today's most forward-thinking urban developments and beyond.

Setting a new paradigm for modern central business districts, this groundbreaking urban development showcases innovative design and infrastructure that seamlessly integrates efficiency with the potential for thriving lifestyles and rewarding investments. The ongoing turnover of commercial properties in Evo City highlights the success of Ayala Land's visionary plan and the growing confidence among businesses in the development's potential. Evo City is located along CAVITEX/Centennial Road, spanning barangays Batong Dalig and Tabon Bridge in Kawit, and is the main road artery connecting the entire wester portion of Cavite.

Evo City Masterplan | ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE

Accessibility

Major road networks and highways converge at Centennial Road (Antero Soriano Highway), where the main entrance of Evo City is located. Evo City is just less than an hour away and accessible from various points – from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) via NAIA Expressway and Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX); from Makati via EDSA and CAVITEX; from Bonifacio Global City (BGC) via C5 Road, Airport Road, and CAVITEX; from Alabang via Alabang-Zapote Road, and from Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway (MCX) via Daang Hari Road and Aguinaldo Highway Evo City's accessibility is further enhanced by other road networks and infrastructure, including the Parañaque Integrated Terminal

Evo City Boulevard Streetscape | ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE

Exchange (PITX), Cavite-C5 Southlink, Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), and LRT Lines 1 and 6. It is also located right along Kawit interchange of the proposed CALAX. Once completed, this is a game changer as this will not only enhance accessibility of Evo City but will also expand its market with the expected heavier volume of commerical activities.

New Urbanism

Evo City Park Plaza | ARTIST'S PERSPECTIVE

Evo City is master planned by the international firm DPZ (Duany Plater-Zyberk), specialists in the New Urbanism approach—a design concept promoting the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, and compact mixed-use communities. The other principles of urbanism include connectivity, increased density, green transportation, and sustainability. All these add up to a life of exceptional value and create places that nurture, elevate, and ignite the human spirit. An enhanced density fosters the integration of various urban elements, transforming them into a cohesive and vibrant ecosystem. This interconnectedness brings together residential neighborhoods,

workplaces, shops, entertainment venues, schools, parks, and civic amenities, creating a pedestrianfriendly environment that promotes a more efficient use of services and resources and a more convenient and enjoyable living experience. Top of mind for any Ayala Land estate is an intuitively designed road network system that prioritizes the pedestrian experience. Setting Evo City apart are its shared bike lanes, empowering residents to navigate the estate with safety and efficiency and promoting a mode of transportation that benefits both the environment and personal health.

Evo City Park Plaza and Park Network

Realizing the huge potentials of Evo City, Ayala Land has earmarked P4 billion for the construction of a 54,000 square meter Regional Mall, two BPO buildings, a church and a Central Park which are set to be completed within the next one to three years. This will complement the existing S&R membership store and ensure that Evo City becomes a thriving CBD.

At the core of the estate is a 32-hectare Evo City Park Plaza. This will be a mixed-use retail and lifestyle center similar to the development of the Ayala Center in Makati. It will include a Visitor Center that will serve as an information pod of the estate. There will also be a 1,000-seat Roman Catholic Church designed by Dominic Galicia Architects. This Ayala Mall will ofer 54,000 square meters of Gross Leaseable Area and is set to open its first phase in 2025. Earlier this year, S&R Membership Shopping opened in Evo City to kickstart the economic activity. Approximately 13 hectares of a variety of sprawling parks and open spaces are seamlessly connected throughout the estate to create a more pleasant pedestrian experience. This includes the Park Plaza, the five-hectare main park, linear parks or parks lined with retail establishments, and parkettes. The main park, located along the Evo City boulevard, is the central gathering and amenity place anchoring the entire CBD. Transit stops, bike racks, and seating areas will be incorporated in parkettes which are small parks in strategic areas of the development to enliven pedestrian experience.

Enriching work and life

Evo City presents a myriad of options for living, learning, working, and pursuing leisure activities, catering to the needs of individuals from all walks of life, whether young professionals, seasoned veterans, or families. Amidst the calming ambiance of Evo City’s southern enclave, The Residences at Evo City by Alveo Land extends a tranquil oasis from the dynamic energy of the bustling central business district. Evo City has opened its doors to businesses and enterprises, offering commercial lots in its first phase, the West District, which are currently being turned over. An upcoming district is poised to join Evo City’s landscape and is set to launch this month. It is conveniently loated along Daang Hari Link Road and Innovation Drive, next to The Residences at Evo City. Evo City marks a new era for modern central business districts in Kawit, embodying the ideals of innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. It offers Filipinos not only employment or business opportunities but also the chance to elevate their lifestyles in a world-class setting – the premier CBD of the South.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • www.businessmirror.com.ph

PHL, Vietnam looking to enhance interoperability, maritime capabilities By Rex Anthony Naval

HE Philippines and Vietnam are looking to enhance the interoperability of their militaries aside from beefing up their maritime capabilities following the first time meeting of their defense ministers last November 16. This took place on the sidelines of the 10th Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus in Jakarta, Indonesia.

“Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. and Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense, Gen. Phan Van Giang, met for the first time, to discuss bilateral defense cooperation, on the sidelines of the 10th ADMM-Plus in Jakarta,” a recent DND statement said. During their meeting, the two officials highlighted the deepening defense cooperation between the two countries through high-level exchanges.

“They also welcomed the upcoming reconvening of the Vice Ministers’ Defense Strategic Dialogue and Defense Cooperation Working Group meetings, which were previously postponed due to the pandemic,” the DND stressed. Also, the DND chief emphasized that Vietnam is the only Asean Member State that is a declared Strategic Partner of the Philippines. In this regard, the two ministers encouraged their senior and working-level officials to identify ways

to enhance the defense partnership between the two countries. “Secretary Teodoro then expressed his appreciation for Vietnam’s support on the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award and the Philippines’ position on the matter. The Ministers also placed emphasis on strengthening both countries’ maritime capabilities and resilience, the continuing interaction between the two armed forces, and the collaboration among Major Services, in enhancing interoperability,” it added.

Comelec destroys unused, rejected 4 million ballots By Patrick V. Miguel

HE Commission on Elections destroyed on Tuesday about 4 million unused and rejected ballots from the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) at the National Printing Office. “This is customary because we just want to make sure that the rejected

ballots will not be used in illegal purposes,” said Comelec DEDA Helen C. Aguila-Flores, Director in-charge of the printing committee. According to Flores, the ballots are “sacred ” for the poll body and they do not want any incidents arising where the ballots may be used “one way or the other for any illegal purposes.”

The first step in the process is by labeling the ballots as either unused or rejected, and after that, manually tearing them up and turning them over to the disposal committee. The final step is the shredding the ballots. “This is done after every election. Those are always possible scenarios. That’s how careful we are,” said Flores in Filipino and English.

She also noted that the 4 million destroyed ballots are “normal quantities” due to reprints or “unforeseen eventualities” taking place during the elections. About 92 million ballots were printed in September. Around 68 million ballots were for the barangay elections, while 23 million ballots were printed for the SK.

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Assistant General Manager for Operations David Angelo Vargas (left) and Director for Traffic Enforcement Atty. Victor Nuñez brief the newly-created MMDA Strike Force early Tuesday morning, November 28, 2023. The Strike Force will enforce stricter measures on bus lanes in which clearly marked vehicles are prohibited. NONOY LACZA

MMDA creates unit to run after Edsa busway violators By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

HE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has intensified its campaign against violators of the exclusive Edsa busway policy after it launched on Tuesday the Special Operations Group. One of the main tasks of the group, the MMDA said, is to go after Edsa busway violators. It will be under the supervision of Assistant General Manager for Operations Assistant Secretary David Angelo Vargas and its deputy officer-in-charge Gabriel Go. Under the restructured group, a more intensified campaign will be conducted against erring motorists who are unauthorized to use the Edsa Busway. Vargas said that apprehending officers will have body-worn cameras with them to serve “as a protection for the enforcers and the apprehended matorists.”

“Our body-worn cameras are connected to our Communications and Command Center and its feed cannot be edited and the device cannot be turned off, as well,” he said. “This also eliminates hearsays and hesaid-she-said arguments,” he added. The AGM for Operations also noted that the stiffer fines on Edsa Busway violations are effective, as he attributed it to the decline in the number of apprehended motorcycle riders and drivers. As of 12 noon of November 28, there were 53 violators who were issued citation tickets due to Edsa Busway violation; 32 of which are motorcycles, 16 are four-wheeled vehicles, 1 public utility bus, and 1 public utility jeepney. During the first week of the implementation of higher fines versus Edsa busway violators starting November 13, there were 1,262 motorists apprehended while the MMDA registered 345 apprehensions last week.

NTC touts HRDP plan pitched to erase gaps between uniformed, civilian staff recognition at 2023 FOI Awards Group of architects, private firm

H E Nat io n a l Te l e c o m munications Commission (NTC) said on Tuesday it has once again been lauded for promoting transparency and accountability, marking its sixth consecutive win at the 2023 Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards. The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), in conjunction with the Freedom of Information— Project Management Office (FOIPMO), recognized NTC as a “Top Requested and Performing Agency” in the eFOI Portal, highlighting its outstanding performance in handling 500 to 999 requests with at least 90-percent of them successfully closed. NTC Deputy Commissioner Alvin Bernard Blanco affirmed the agency’s commitment to continuous adherence to the principles of the FOI Program. He added that this underscores the NTC’s resolve to provide transparent, efficient, and reliable public service. “This award, once again, signifies the Commission’s steadfast commitment to transparent and efficient public service,” Blanco said. The annual FOI Awards celebrates the contributions of various FOI partners, implementers, and stakeholders, acknowledging their roles in the implementation and advancement of transparency and accountability in the government. Lorenz S. Marasigan

N a bid to address the longstanding challenges faced by civilian or nonuniformed personnel (NUP) in the military and various uniformed agencies, a senior lawmaker has proposed a comprehensive human resources development program (HRDP). Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte has proposed an HRDP for civilian or NUP in the military and all uniformed agencies to make sure these workers are entitled to the same benefits—merit promotion, training, scholarship grants, and incentive awards— that their uniformed coworkers now enjoy. Villafuerte’s proposal is embodied in House Bill (HB) 7981. One noteworthy provision recommends the assignment of married couples, both NUPs, in the same locality, albeit not in the same workplace. Additionally, steps are urged to enable solo parents among NUPs to be assigned to the localities where they reside. The bill, coauthored by Bicol Saro Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan, addresses the challenges faced by civilian employees in the military and uniformed agencies. It acknowledges their crucial role in protecting the Filipino people and aims to rectify issues

such as low pay, extended work hours, unsafe working conditions, a lack of benefits, social protection, and job security. The bill, which creates a Magna Carta for NUP, seeks to professionalize the public safety workforce, boost NUP morale, and enhance institutional responsiveness. Its core objectives include guaranteeing the security of tenure for civilian employees, providing them with fair compensation, and ensuring they enjoy the same benefits as their uniformed colleagues. The bill covers NUPs or civilian workers in various government agencies, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of National Defense (DND), Bureaus of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Fire Protection (BFP), and Corrections (BuCor), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria). The bill proposes a Human Resources Development Program (HRDP) to address NUP concerns, covering aspects like merit promotion, performance evaluation, incentive and award systems, job rotation, crossposting, scholarships, and training grants.

All interventions will adhere to the rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Key provisions of the bill include equalizing the salary scales of NUPs with uniformed personnel and guaranteeing security of tenure. It mandates hazard allowances, laundry allowances, and monthly rice allowances for NUPs. The bill also outlines entitlements such as study leaves, uniform allowances, and leaves for various purposes. The bill ensures that NUPs are not discriminated against based on gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, civil status, creed, religious or political beliefs, or ethnic groupings. It grants them the right to establish or join organizations of their choice and protects them from discriminatory employment practices. The bill entitles NUP to hazard allowances equivalent to at least 25 percent of the monthly basic salary of workers receiving salary grade 19 and below, and 5 percent for workers with salary grade 20 and above; laundry allowance equivalent to P1,000 monthly for NUP required to wear uniform regularly; and a monthly allowance of 1 sack of rice or its monetary equivalent. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Group warns against buying FDA-banned ‘mercury-tainted’ skin whitening lotions

HE EcoWaste Coalition has warned the public anew against using skin whitening lotions that may contain high concentrations of mercury, a hazardous chemical banned in cosmetic product formulations. This after the Food and Drugs Administration re-issued a warning not to buy certain brands which have no valid Certificate of Product Notification (CPN). The group was referring to Advisory No. 2023-2344 issued on November 9 and published on the agency’s website on November 24. The consumers were told not to purchase and use Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene

Avocado & Aloe Vera, which has no valid CPN. “We commend the FDA for releasing another public health warning against this contraband cosmetic, and we urge consumers to heed the advice of our health experts and desist from using this unauthorized product,”Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition said in a statement. “Skin whiteners containing mercury are hazardous to health. The best protection is not to use such products and to recognize that ‘beauty’ comes in all colors,” she added. The FDA first banned Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene, along with Goree Day & Night Whitening Cream, in 2017 after these tested positive for mercury above the maximum limit of one part per million (ppm) under the Asean Cosmetic Directive. Despite the warning not to distribute

them, these two unauthorized Goree products, plus the recently introduced Goree Gold 24K Beauty Cream, are sold with impunity in some cosmetic product stores and in online shopping platforms. To illustrate how toxic Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene Avocado & Aloe Vera is, the EcoWaste Coalition last Sunday purchased a sample from a dealer based in Novaliches, Quezon City and had it screened for mercury using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device. As written on the label, the product was manufactured in February 2023, which contravenes the 2020 phaseout date for the production, import or export of cosmetics such as skin lightening creams and soaps with mercury content above 1 ppm as per the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Jonathan L. Mayuga

to bring Post Office back to life

GROUP of architects and heritage experts signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) to voluntarily provide architectural conservation, archeological, documentation and research assistance in the restoration of the old Manila Central Post Office. The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) in collaboration with the Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA) and Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines Inc., will offer and contribute their collective historical, documentation and conservation expertise for the realization of the initial phase of restoration of one of the most significant architectural landmarks in the Philippines. PHLPost Assistant Postmaster General (APMG) for Administration and Finance Atty. Lori Ann D. Atal representing Postmaster General Luis Carlos, Ar. Carmelo T. Casas of Philippine Institute of Architects, Guild of Philippine Architects in Conservation Vice President Ar. Robert Benedict C. Hermoso, Archaeological & Heritage Co. CEO Victor J. Paz, UAP Bulacan-Del Pilar Chapter President Ar. Catherine U. Buenaluz, Pacific Paint (BOYSEN) Phils. Inc. Marketing Manager Vergel V. Dyoco, Casas Architects Design Architect Ar. Jose Maria Rafael C. Casas, Casas Architects IT Head Jerkins E. Canoy, PHLPost Engineering & Infrastructure Planning Division Chief Engr. Reynaldo D. Cadano and Conservation Consultant Ar. Joel Rico was present at the ceremonial signing held at the historic Manila Central Post Office Building. The collaborative efforts between PHLPost and private entities are expected to boost the process of restoration of the iconic building by bringing in experts who will dedicate their time, energy and talent toward a worthy cause. “We welcome your talents and expertise in the rehabilitation and conservation of the building which was heavily damaged by the

recent fire. Your wholehearted support will help us rise from the ashes,” said Assistant Postmaster General for Finance and Administration, lawyer Lori Ann D. Atal. Designed by the renowned Filipino architects Juan M. Arellano, Tomas Mapua and Ralph Doane, construction of this majestic building commenced in 1926 and was completed in 1930. It was strategically located alongside the Pasig River for its practicality in transportation and to reflect the importance of river-based commerce and trade. Its neoclassical architecture stands as a testament to the cultural and historical significance of the Philippine Postal Service. The façade features 14 imposing pillars, representing the 14 provinces that revolted against Spanish colonial rule in the 1896 Philippine Revolution. These Pillars remind every Filipino of the country’s rich heritage and the struggles of our forefathers for independence. “It’s like bringing pieces of architectural history back to life”, Postmaster General Luis D. Carlos said. He added, “After the fire left this architectural masterpiece in ruins, a united front emerged to salvage its rich heritage and cultural significance. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and Arts, the Department of Tourism, private corporations and heritage preservation organizations joined forces to restore the building”. He added, “This collaboration is a testament to what can be accomplished when government bodies, businesses and civil societies unite—all for the common good”. PHLPost through Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority of DoT procured a Detailed Architectural and Engineering Study and even commissioned Ar. Franz Ignacio, as a consultant, to aid the restoration of the MCPO Building.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Road users’ tax bill exempts motorcycle, trikes By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

HE House Committee on Ways and Means on Tuesday approved the proposed Motor Vehicle Road Users’ Tax to raise more funds for public transport modernization. The unnumbered bill, approved by the committee chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, said the proposal seeks to reduce rates for vehicles for hire and exempt motorcycles and tricycles from fees. “We expect P9.4 billion in the first year, P31.54 billion in the second year, and P52.28 billion in the third year,” he said. According to Salceda, the motor vehicle users’ charge (MVUC) is just around P18 billion a year. For-hire vehicles will get a 50-percent discount from their MVUC payments, while motorcycles and tricycles will be exempt, according to the bill. Citing the Department of Finance, Salceda said the implementation of the MVUC reform will have minimal impact on public transport fares at 0.04 centavos. Since the enactment of the law, Salceda said the motor vehicle user’s charge rates were only adjusted once in 2004 and have not been adjusted for inflation for the past 19 years. The proposal was identified as a priority measure during the 2nd State of the Nation Address. It seeks to amend Republic Act 8794, or the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge, enacted more than two decades ago, and impose a Motor Vehicle Road User’s Tax, or MVRUT instead. The approved proposal also earmarks 45 percent of incremental revenues for the PUV modernization program and 5 percent for road crash

prevention programs. Salceda added that the proposal is “highly progressive,” as the proposed MVUC reform is “progressive” given that around 52 percent of car-owning households belong to the richest percentile. He said the national government spends around P300 billion on road construction and repair every year.

Schedule

MEANWHILE, the schedule outlines a structured taxation plan that is set to be levied, assessed, and collected from registered vehicles, aiming to contribute to the maintenance and development of road networks across the country. The proposed schedule categorizes vehicles based on their type and gross vehicle weight (GVW), providing a nuanced approach to taxation. The tax schedule for passenger cars is delineated based on their GVW. The proposed rates for the years 2023–2026 onward are as follows: up to 1,600 kilograms (kg) GVW—P2,080 in 2023; P2,560 in 2024; P3,040 in 2025; and 2026 onwards, 5 percent increase. For more than 1,600 kg up to 2,300 kg GVW—P4,680 in 2023; P5,760 in 2024; P6,840 in 2025; and 2026 onwards, 5 percent increase. For utility vehicles, the tax is determined by the GVW, and the rates for the years 2023–2026 onwards are structured as follows: up to 4,500 KG GVW— P10,400 in 2023; P12,800 in 2024; P15,200 in 2025; and 2026 onwards, 5

‘Housing program may worsen NCR real estate woes’ By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

HE national government’s housing program could further increase the double-digit real estate vacancies, particularly in Metro Manila, according to the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO). In its Annual Consultation Report for the Philippines, AMRO said the vacancy rates for office spaces and residential condominiums in Metro Manila are higher than the prepandemic levels. The vacancy rate for office spaces was at 18.4 percent while residential condominiums were at 17.2 percent in the second quarter of 2023. Prepandemic, vacancy rates for offices and residential condominiums were at 5 percent and 10 percent, respectively. “The government’s commitment to build six million homes over the next 6 years, while helpful for expanding home ownerships, could add to the stock of vacant homes,” AMRO said. “If the vacancy rate remains elevated for an extended period, it may lead to property price corrections and weigh on the financial health of vulnerable developers,” it added. However, AMRO noted that its corporate debt-at-risk analysis showed that the proportion of vulnerable developers or firms-at-risks in the real estate sector constitutes only 10 percent of the sector’s total assets. “Therefore, although the overall real estate activities account for 19 percent of the banking system’s lending, the direct spillovers to banks from a property downturn should be limited,” the report stated. These are among the “pockets of vulnerabilities” cited by AMRO in its report which also included the level of non-performing loans (NPLs) which are still above prepandemic levels. AMRO noted that NPLs in auto loans and mortgages have been “relatively high” at 6.9 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively, in the second quarter of 2023.

Nonetheless, AMRO said the risk to the banking sector of NPLs would be “limited” given their improved profitability and sufficient liquidity and capital buffers. AMRO said the net interest margin of the banking sector improved to 3.98 percent in the second quarter of 2023 from 3.47 percent in 2021. The data also showed the return on assets (ROA) rose to 1.56 percent during the period from 1.12 percent in 2021, while the liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) for the universal and commercial banks (UKBs) was “comfortable” at 185.7 percent and 185.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022 on solo and consolidated bases, respectively. The report noted that in terms of capital buffer, the overall banking system maintained a sufficient capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 16 percent in the first quarter of 2023. While this is above the regulatory minimum of 10 percent, AMRO noted there is a dispersion of CARs across banks, from 20 percent to below 13 percent. “In a volatile global financial market, capital is subject to both credit risks and market risks, with 28 percent of the banking system’s assets in debt securities. Nevertheless, a large proportion of debt securities are held to maturity and the possibility of fire sale is small, given ample liquidity in the system,” AMRO said. Earlier, the number of residential building constructions nationwide contracted 24.8 percent in the third quarter of 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). PSA data showed there were 25,411 residential building constructions during the period, based on construction permits. This accounted for 67.1 percent of the total number of constructions during the quarter. However, due to the decrease in residential constructions, the number of approved building permits declined 18.1 percent to 37,845 in the third quarter of 2023.

percent increase. T he b i l l i nt ro du c e s a weight-based taxation approach for utility vehicles with a GVW up to 4,500 kg. The rates are set per kilogram of GVW: P1.40 per kg of GVW in 2023; P2.50 per kg of GVW in 2024; P3.40 per kg of GVW in 2025; 2026 onwards: 5 percent increase.

Magna carta

MEANWHILE, the committee also approved the proposed Magna Carta for Taxpayers. The bill provides for the bill of rights and obligations of taxpayers. Under the bill, the Taxpayer’s Basic Rights include: right to be informed; right to fair, uniform, and faithful Application of laws; right to challenge the position of and be heard by revenue authorities; right to fair and impartial proceedings before the revenue authorities; right to present evidence and witnesses; right to be assisted or represented by a qualified professional of their choice; and the right to timely and expeditious completion and

finality of tax audits. It also includes the right a g a i n s t b a s e le s s a s s e s s ment; right to be given an opportunit y for amicable settlement; right to avail of installment payment; right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax; right to relief from paying interests, surcharges, and penalties; right to recover actual costs and actual damages arising from judicial actions; right to quality service and assistance; right to privacy; and right to confidentiality. Also, the bill provides the taxpayer’s basic obligations, which include: obligation to comply with tax laws; obligation to truthfully and timely disclose information; obligation to lodge and submit required documents completely and on time; obligation to keep and make tax records available for examination; obligation to cooperate with revenue authorities in tax audit; and obligation to timely pay taxes. The bill also provides penalties for violations of the Bill of Rights of Taxpayers.

Villar: Organic fertilizers could cut planting costs by ₧10B a year By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

ENATOR Cynthia Villar said organic fertilizers could save farmers some P10 billion annually. “Organic fertilizer saves P10 billion,” Villar said, adding that reducing dependence on imported chemical fertilizers would result in multimillion savings for the country. Villar, citing new composting facilities, reminded that “the current global demand greatly affects the entry of fertilizer imports in our country,” noting that “this caused limited local fertilizer supply that influenced the escalation of local prices.” The senator, who is also chairperson of the Senate Agriculture and Food Committee, recalled that supertyphoon Ondoy caused damage to Camagong, the only producer of fertilizer found in Leyte. Villar said she has allocated an annual budget for the procurement of composting facilities which are distributed

nationwide by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture. “Aside from the huge savings, a composting facility helps reduce the volume of trash thrown in dumpsites,” said Villar during the turnover and launch of three composting facilities in Brgy. Zapote 5, in Bacoor City, Cavite last November 25. “A compost i ng fac i l it y turns bio-degradable wastes like kitchen wastes into organic fertilizer. Each composter can produce one ton organic fertilizer per month,” she added. Villar said she provided her home c it y L a s P i ñ a s with 89 composting facilities which reduced the local government’s expenses on waste disposal. Moreover, the senator enjoined the public to “share her passion to maintain a clean and hea lt hy env ironment while giving jobs to our people and savings to our country.”

News BusinessMirror

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

GRP eyes restarting talks with NPAs

DMW to repatriate seafarers from Gulf of Aden hijacking

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

OUR years since its termination under the Duterte administration, peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and representatives of the 54-year-old armed insurgency movement has been revived with the signing of the Oslo Joint Communiqué.

Foreign visitors exceed DOT’s conservative target for 2023 By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

NTERNATIONAL visitor arrivals in the Philippines reached 4.83 million as of November 27, exceeding government’s target for the year. Data provided by the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed that foreign nationals accounted for some 92 percent, or 4.43 million of the total arrivals. The rest, at 391,805, were overseas Filipinos, or Philippine passpor t holders permanently residing abroad. South Korea remained the country’s top source market for foreign tourists, at 1.27 million (26.4 percent of total); followed by the United States at 797,181 (16.53 percent); Japan at 272,735 (5.66 percent); China at 242,107 (5.02 percent); and Australia at 225,464 (4.68 percent). Under government’s National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028, DOT has conservatively targeted international arrivals to reach 8.4 million by 2025, slightly exceeding the 8.3 million peak arrivals in prepandemic 2019. Hoteliers, however, want goverment to specifically spell out how the country will achieve this goal. (See, “PHL hoteliers want clearer roadmap for tourism recovery,” in the BusinessMirror, November 22, 2023.)

Asean Tourism Awards

MEANWHILE, over 30 private tourism stakeholders and local government units (LGUs) were recognized by the DOT on Monday for keeping to tourism standards set by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The DOT likewise inducted seven accommodation establishments and an environmental group into the stakeholders’ Hall of Fame, after winning awards three times. These are: Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort (Puerto Princesa), Baguio Country Club (BCC), Amarela Resort (Bohol), Amorita Resort (Bohol), Conrad Manila, The Manor at Camp John Hay (Baguio), and The Bellevue Resort for the Green Hotel category. Also Hall of Famers were: Conrad Manila’s Forbes Ballroom and BCC’s William Cameron Forbes Ballroom in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences,

and Exhibitions (MICE) venue category; and the Palaui Environmental Protectors Association (Pepa) in the Community-Based Tourism category. The ceremony was held especially for stakeholders who were unable to attend the formal awarding at the Asean Tourism Forum in Yogyakarta.

47M arrivals in Asean

THERE are now over 150 awardees in the Philippines, according to DOT Assistant Secretary for Tourism Regulation, Coordination, and Resource Generation Maria Rica Bueno. “We have observed the growth and increase in the appreciation, understanding, and acceptance among our tourism stakeholders with regard to instilling and ensuring quality in their respective facilities and services,” she noted. Recognized by the Asean Tourism Awards were: Nobu Hotel, Nuwa Hotel, Hyatt Regency, Conrad Manila (Green Hotel); Baguio City and Ilagan City (Clean Tourist City); Conrad Manila, BCC, Quest Plus Conference Center Clark, Clark Marriott Hotel, Astoria Palawan (MICE Venue-Meeting Room); World Trade Center Metro Manila and Cordillera Convention Hall (MICE Venue-Exhbition Venue); Cordillera Convention Hall, City Environment and Parks Management Office (Botanical Garden and Wright Park), Shell OG1 at Northwalk 2, Caltex Irawan, High Ridge Restaurant (Public Toilet); Pepa (Community-based Tourism); Sagada Innkeepers and Homestays Association, Inandako’s Bed and Breakfast, Gina’s Homes, Sid Homestay, Hide Away House, Maryhilz Homestay (Homestay); and, Apricus Therapeutic Clinic at Hilton Clark Sunvalley Resort, and Quan Spa at Clark Marriott Hotel (Spa Services). The Asean organization aims for the region to be a major tourism destination by 2025. Tourist arrivals in the region reached a peak of 143.61 million in 2019 from just 89.23 million in 2012, according to data from Statista. The Covid-19 pandemic, however, caused arrivals in the region to drop massively to 2.95 million in 2021. As countries lifted their border restrictions in 2022, some 46.5 million visitors were received by Asean countries in the first half of 2023, with 43 percent of travelers coming from within the region.

Cybercriminals disabled, wiped out logs in 82 percent of attacks—firm

YBERSECURITY service business Sophos Computer Securities (SCS) Pte. Ltd. announced that it found that telemetry logs—user’s data like name and location— were missing in nearly 42 percent of the attack cases the firm studied. In 82 percent of these cases, cybercriminals disabled or wiped out the telemetry to hide their tracks, the firm said. It added its report covers incident response (IR) cases that the firm analyzed from January 2022 through the first half of 2023. In the report, Sophos classifies ransomware attacks with a dwell time of less than or equal to five days as “fast attacks,” which accounted for 38 percent of the cases studied. “Slow” ransomware attacks are those with a “dwell time” greater than five days, which accounted

for 62 percent of the cases. When examining these “fast” and “slow” ransomware attacks at a granular level, there was not much variation in the tools, techniques and living-off-the-landbinaries(LOLBins)thatattackers deployed, suggesting defenders don’t need to reinvent their defensive strategies as dwell time shrinks. However, defenders do need to be aware thatfastattacksandthelackoftelemetrycanhinder fast response times, leading to more destruction. SCS issued its report a month after hackers released about 600 Gigabytes of files, representing “millions” of affected users, to the dark web of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. “Cybercriminals only innovate when they must and only to the extent that it gets them to their target,” a statement quoted SCS Field CTO

I n a ne w s con ference i n Malacañang last Tuesday, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Carlito G. Galvez Jr. announced the agreement will pave the way to a resolution of its war with the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The communique will establish the parameters for the final peace agreement between the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front (NDF), whose members represent the CPPNPA in negotiations. It was signed on November 23 by Secretary Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr. and NDF Chairman Luis G. Jalandoni in Oslo, Norway. “We are very confident, I’m very confident that there is something that after this joint statement we can finally end up with a final peace agreement,” Galvez said. “I take this opportunity to call all Filipinos to unite and fully

support our President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and your government in this most noble endeavor to finally realize our collective and shared aspiration of a peaceful, prosperous, and united country,” he added. Galvez said the representatives of the GRP and the NDF are currently in The Netherlands discussing the protocols for future exploratory discussions. Pending the completion of the peace talks, National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro said all “security law enforcement programs of the government” related to the CPP-NPA-NDF will continue. Teodoro said this includes the “traditional” ceasefire between GRP and forces of the CPP-NPA-NDF during the Christmas holidays. “I had occasion to answer the question yesterday that we leave it to the local peace and order councils and the area commanders, unit commanders to determine whether

or not they will suspend operations in their area of responsibility,” said the chief of the Department of National Defense. According to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., there are currently 20 weakened guerrilla fronts in the country. Brawner added they expect five of these 20 to finally “dissolve.” “So it will be 15 guerrilla [fronts].” In 2019, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte officially terminated the government peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF citing the groups’ alleged acts of violence and lack of sincerity in the negotiations. In its Resolution 28, the AntiTerrorism Council of the Philippines desig nated t he underg round organizations of the CPP-NPA-NDF as “terrorist groups (TGs) of persons, organizations or associations” in 2022, a year after branding the CPP-NPA-NDF as a TGs.

SMNI up for probe after claims of Romualdez’s P1.8B trip kitty By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

DEPUTY majority leader called on plenary last Tuesday to direct the House Committee on LegislativeFranchisestoinvestigatethe SonshineMediaNetworkInternational (SMNI) after claiming that Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and his entourage allegedly spent P1.8 billion in travel expenses. Quezon Rep. David C. Suarez emphasized the prevalence of misinformation in the current environment and urged his fellow representatives to unite in seeking the truth. “Unfortunately, we live in an environment of fake news. All of us are victims of fake news. And if we don’t stand up, rise, and be heard, how would they [people] know what the truth is?” Suarez said in a

privilege speech. The lawmaker said “it is in the spirit of transparency and accountability” that he is “humbly requesting” the chamber to direct the committee, in the exercise of its inherent oversight function, to investigate the matter immediately and other similar measures pending with the committee. “I call on my colleagues to be one on this action for seeking the truth. We are all public officials. And we are all open to criticisms and public opinions. And unfortunately, open to fake news. And this was released by SMNI; it’s fake news. This is not true,” he said. Suarez said he was able to watch the SMNI video. “And in that video that was aired on SMNI, at 10:27 p.m., it says that Romualdez spent P1.8 billion, even more, on traveling along with his

entourage,” Suarez said. For his part, House Secretary Genera l Reg ina ld S. Velasco categor ica l ly ref uted repor ts suggesting the existence of the travel fund allocated to Romualdez. Describing the allegations as unfounded and false, Velasco emphasized these claims “are nothing more than an example of fake news intended to mislead the public and damage the reputation of both the Speaker and the entire legislative body.” “We urge the public and the media to exercise caution and verify facts before sharing such baseless claims. The House of Representatives is committed to transparency and accountability, and the Office of the Secretary General can confirm that such a bloated amount for the Speaker’s travel expenses does not exist,” he said.

CRUCIAL ROLE OF MARITIME ZONES LAW:

Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino emphasizes the importance of maritime zones law in an archipelagic nation as he sponsors Senate Bill No. 2492 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act. ”I stand before you to emphasize the crucial significance of maritime zones law in the Philippines as an archipelagic nation with a vast expansive waters. Understanding and upholding maritime zones law is not merely a legal obligation, but a paramount necessity for our nation’s security, economic prosperity, and environmental well being,” Tolentino said during Tuesday’s plenary session, November 28, 2023. ”Maritime zones law delineates the boundaries that define our sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the surrounding seas. The Philippine exclusive economic zone and territorial waters are not just lines on the map. They are the lifeblood of our maritime activities. They provide us with exclusive rights to exploit and manage marine resources, including fisheries, minerals, and energy,” he added. (BIBO NUEVA ESPAÑA/SENATE PRIB)

John Shier as saying. “Attackers aren’t going to change what’s working, even if they’re moving faster from access to detection.” Shier noted the firm considers this as “good news for organizations because they don’t have to radically change their defensive strategy as attackers speed up their timelines.” “The same defenses that detect fast attacks will apply to all attacks, regardless of speed. This includes complete telemetry, robust protections across everything and ubiquitous monitoring,” said Shier. “The key is increasing friction whenever possible—if you make the attackers’ job harder, then you can add valuable time to respond, stretching out each stage of an attack.” The Sophos Active Adversary Report for Security Practitioners is based on 232 Sophos Incident response (IR) cases across 25 sectors from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023. Targeted organizations were located in 34 different countries across six continents. The firm said 83 percent of cases came from organizations with fewer than a thousand employees. Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

AMCHAM: PROPOSED PPA FEE HIKE ILL-TIMED, TO HURT BIZ Continued from A16 Through the lens of local exporters, Philexport asserted in its statement on November 10 that “any additional cost will hurt the economy and stakeholders that are facing inflation and weak global economy.” Meanwhile, at the same hearing attended by Philexport and PPA, the Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP) expressed concern over the proposed rate increase, saying that it was ill-timed, given the recent rise in transport fare, minimum wage, and

prices of basic commodities. PPA said foreign cargo are assessed for storage charges when they remain at PPA ports beyond the free storage period (FSP). Foreign containers include import cargo, export cargo and transshipments. In justifying its proposal, the Authority“insisted”thiswouldensure optimal use of the container yard and encourage immediate withdrawal of containers to prevent congestion, P h i l e x p o r t n o t e d . ( R el a te d story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/11/15/europeanchamber-of-commerce-chafes-atport-storage-hike/_

HE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced it will soon bring home the two seafarers from the foiled hijacking event in the Gulf of Aden. DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans J. Cacdac said they received requests from the families of both sailors for the repatriation of their loved ones. “They must be given appropriate time for their full recovery. It will not be enough if they are not able to be with their loved ones,” Cacdac said in a radio interview last Tuesday. The DMW has reported that US Naval Forces were able to foil the hijacking attempt of M/V Central Park in the Gulf of Aden over the weekend. Following the incident, the DMW said the Filipino seafarers are now safe at an undisclosed location. “It would be inappropriate at this stage to identify their location. But, rest assured, they are safe and unharmed,” Cacdac said. He said they will provide the necessary aid not only to the seafarers but also their families. “We are making sure that the families feel our assurances of support and our presence, whether face to face or video conferencing,” the DMW chief said. Samuel P. Medenilla

Groups seek protection of LGBTQIA+ workers

By Patrick V. Miguel

EGA R DLESS of t heir sexual orientation, gender identity, expression and sex characteristics (Sogiesc), all workers must have decent jobs and equal opportunities at work, according to labor groups. Workers who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ still experience e mplo y me nt d i s c r i m i n at ion in hir ing , work assig nment, designation, promotion, among others, said labor groups in a joint statement by the Philippine affiliates of Public Services International (PSI), the National Public Workers Congress (Publik) and Women Workers United (WWU). “No worker should be treated unfairly or differently, or denied their human and labor rights, just because of their Sogiesc,” the labor groups stated. They added that LGBTQIA+ workers continue to face “various forms of violence and harassment at work, including physical violence, psychological violence, sexual abuse and economic violence.” According to the International Labour Group (ILO), the Philippines does not yet have a “national comprehensive law that prohibits discrimination” based on one’s Sogiesc. ThelaborgroupsresonatewithILO, calling the Senate to “immediately concur” with the ratification of the ILO Convention 190. The ILO Convention 190 of 2019 addresses the violence and harassment incidents at a workplace. This also addresses gender-based violence and harassment at work. So far, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has already signed and ratified the ILO Convention 190 and endorsed it to the Senate for concurrence. Earlier in June, Marcos assured the members of the LGBTQIA+ community that the government will protect them against discrimination. The labor group also called for the government to enact the SOGIE Bill “to strengthen the protection of people with diverse Sogiesc against discrimination and violence at work.” “We will continue to lobby with the government and employers in order to promote safer, more equitable and inclusive workplaces for all,” elements of PSI, PUBLIK and WWU said.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Regional Office No. IV-A 4th Flr. Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. Parian, Calamba City Telefax No.: (049) 545-7362

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

November 29, 2023

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

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

NO. 1

ESTABLISHMENT CUTECH PROCESS SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 4C, 4th Floor, Maptan Building, Pallocan Kanluran, Batangas City (Capital), Batangas

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL, POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

GANESAN, SATHISH

Basic Qualification:

NDT Supervisor

PCN ISO 9712 Level 2 Certified with at least 3 years of experience as NDT inspector

Brief Job Description:

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

Special Export Processing Zone, Lima Technology Center, Bugtong na Pulo, City of Lipa, Batangas

UCHIYAMA, YASUAKI

Basic Qualification:

Printer Production Division Senior General Manager

Must have 10 years’ experience specialized in Printer and projector manufacturing or equivalent

Brief Job Description: Support production planning activities of printer products, quality assurance, after service part sales and parts sales operations

LEADWAY TRAVEL CONSULTANCY CORPORATION Ground Floor, Paseo De Bacoor, Molino Boulevard, Molino III, City of Bacoor, Cavite

NWAOSIGWE, DARLINGTON CHIMUDINDU Marketing Specialist

Brief Job Description: Develop and implement marketing plans

Salary Range:

Basic Qualification:

Salary Range:

Unit 1-3 M&H Compound, Calamba Premiere International Park, Batino, City of Calamba, Laguna

Factory Manager

Can speak Chinese and must have good communcation skills.

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

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Develop and implement innovative strategies to streamline factory operations

Salary Range:

EI EI THWE

Basic Qualification:

Burmese Customer Service Representative

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Burmese language

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Php30,000 Php59,999

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Salary Range:

LE THI MY HANH

Basic Qualification:

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

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

Php30,000 Php59,999

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Salary Range:

ARR CHILE

Basic Qualification:

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Burmese language

Basic Qualification:

Chinese Customer Service

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Lot 2A, Phase 1B, First Philippine Industrial Park, Pantay Bata, City of Tanauan, Batangas

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Salary Range:

DAU DUC KIEN

Basic Qualification:

Chinese Customer Service

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Brief Job Description: Salary Range: Php30,000 Php59,999

DINH VAN DO

Basic Qualification:

Chinese Customer Service

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Salary Range:

HE, LEI

Basic Qualification:

Chinese Customer Service

Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

Php30,000 Php59,999

PHILIPPINE MANUFACTURING CO. OF MURATA, INC. Lot 2A, Phase 1B, First Philippine Industrial Park, Pantay Bata, City of Tanauan, Batangas

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Burmese language

Php30,000 Php59,999

Basic Qualification:

Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Salary Range: Php30,000 Php59,999

ARASHI, TATSURO

Basic Qualification:

General Manager

Must have 10 years’ experience in production from Murata affiliates

Brief Job Description: Establishment of quality visualization and speed FB system for mass production

Salary Range:

NARASAKI, HIROYUKI

Basic Qualification:

Specialist

Must have 2 years’ experience as Engineer specializing in Machines from Murata affiliates

Brief Job Description: Develop information on the production process in Japanese plant to enable production in the Philippines

Php150,000 – Php499,999

Salary Range: Php90,000 – Php149,999

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE Regional Office IV-A located at 3rd and 4th Floors, Andenson Building II, Parian, Calamba City, Laguna, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE Regional Office IV-A if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

Salary Range: Php30,000 Php59,999

Salary Range:

NHU, THI TRANG

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Php30,000 Php59,999

Myanmari Customer Service Representative

Php30,000 Php59,999 17

Salary Range:

Basic Qualification:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

PHILIPPINE MANUFACTURING CO. OF MURATA, INC.

Php30,000 Php59,999

HAN OO

Brief Job Description:

Php30,000 Php59,999

Chinese Customer Service

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Salary Range:

Basic Qualification:

Brief Job Description:

Php30,000 Php59,999

NGUYEN CHON THO

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Salary Range:

DANG VAN HINH

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Brief Job Description:

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Able to speak, read and write Chinese and Vietnamese language

Brief Job Description:

Must have experience in marketing specialist and good communication skills in oral and written

Basic Qualification:

Brief Job Description:

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Php90,000 – Php149,999

WEI, XIAOJIN

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

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Island Cove II, Covelandia Road, Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

LMTP CORPORATION

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Chinese Customer Service

Manage incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Php30,000 Php59,999 4

Basic Qualification:

Brief Job Description:

Php90,000 – Php149,999 EPSON PRECISION (PHILIPPINES), INC.

LAI LUONG KY

Perform NDT film interpretation Salary Range:

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

To avail of free job referral, placement, and employment guidance services, visit the nearest Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) or log on at http://www.philjobnet.gov.ph

A6 A8

BusinessMirror

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

STEEGMANS, ARNO CARINE P. Software Development Senior Analyst

Brief Job Description: Communicate with the client functional design incharge about the detail of requirement definition and function design, explain development status and issue with team leads of the client, understand the clients original develop/runtime architecture and develop standards (including deliverable flow, template, description level) and perform knowledge transfer about business requirement/functional design written in required language to team lead and members.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science or other relevant fields, must be able to communicate effectively, verbally and written in both English and required language, experienced in any of the following: o java (java ee, java se, spring, nodejs) o javascript o sap o .Net o cobol o angular, knowledgeable in back-end programming language/ framework and willing to work on holidays, weekends, shifting schedules and extended working hours. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

KUMAGAI, AKIKO Client BPO Executive 10.

HUANG, HANNENG Key Accounts Specialist Consultant 2.

Brief Job Description: A key accounts specialist consultant is an individual dedicated to marketing, selling, and supporting a specific type of customer.

YANG, CHUNWANG Key Accounts Specialist Consultant 3.

Brief Job Description: A key accounts specialist consultant is an individual dedicated to marketing, selling, and supporting a specific type of customer.

NGUYEN VAN HAU Operation Training Consultant 11.

CHEN, LIANGLIANG Warehouse Logistics Manager 4.

Brief Job Description: Planning and managing logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer service.

DONG, YULING Warehouse Logistics Manager 5.

Brief Job Description: Planning and managing logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer service.

12.

13.

WANG, PING Warehouse Logistics Manager 7.

Brief Job Description: Planning and managing logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer services. Directing, optimizing and coordinating full order cycle.

YANG, SHAOLING Warehouse Logistics Manager 8.

Brief Job Description: Planning and managing logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer services. Directing, optimizing and coordinating full order cycle.

AMIRKAMALI, MEHRDAD Pilot

Basic Qualification: Licensed Pilot.

Brief Job Description: Operates a commercial flight.

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

VALENTIM PACCINI, LUCAS Pilot

Basic Qualification: Licensed Pilot.

Brief Job Description: Operates a commercial flight.

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

NGUYEN THI THU Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk 14.

15.

Brief Job Description: Gather data and capture the information into databases.

ZHAO, ZHIXING Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk Brief Job Description: Gather data and capture the information into databases.

DO TIEN DAT Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 17.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

MA THI PHUONG HUE Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 18.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate. Strong understanding of warehouse operations and procedures. Excellent organizational and timemanagement skills.

Brief Job Description: Gather data and capture the information into databases.

NGUYEN, THANH NAM Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk

Basic Qualification: Good communication and interpersonal skills and able to speak and communicate in Mandarin language.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. Strong understanding of warehouse operations and procedures. Excellent organizational and timemanagement skills.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

NGUYEN THI THAO Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer 19.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 NGUYEN, DUC TRUNG Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

ZHOU, SHAOHUA Warehouse Logistics Manager 9.

Brief Job Description: Planning and managing logistics, warehouse, transportation and customer service.

Basic Qualification: Good communication and interpersonal skills and able to speak and communicate in Mandarin language.

20.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 21.

AVANTICE CORPORATION 19/f Pbcom Tower, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

22.

23.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

SINH TU CANH Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer Brief Job Description: Perform retouching and manipulation of images.

Basic Qualification: Ability to concentrate for lengthy periods and good in verbal communication and written.

24.

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

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written.

26.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

SOE SOE Chinese Speaking Program Designer 27.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialist, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

ZHOU, SHIGANG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 28.

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DEXIN INTERNATIONAL IMPORT AND EXPORT CORP. 534, Tomas Mapua St., Barangay 298, Santa Cruz, City Of Manila

29.

30.

31.

32.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

KYI THWIN Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of work experience and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Collaborate with other IT specialists, technicians, etc., to deliver software solutions.

HUANG, FUFENG Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Ability to concentrate for lengthy periods and good in verbal communication and written.

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

BI, HONGYU Chinese Speaking Program Designer

Basic Qualification: Ability to concentrate for lengthy periods and good in verbal communication and written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Liaising with clients to determine their requirements, timescale and budget.

VUONG THI VUI Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

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

CRONYX INC. 6-12, 15-19/f Royal Peak Tower A, 485 Quirino Avenue, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

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

Basic Qualification: At least high school graduate. Participated in KOI management training, quality and equipment management courses. With at least 3 years of work experience in a similar capacity.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

VIEN NGOC TRAM Chinese Speaking Graphic Designer

25.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Good communication and interpersonal skills and able to speak and communicate in Mandarin language.

Basic Qualification: Must be native Indonesian/ Vietnamese/ Singaporean/Korean/ Japanese/Malaysian/ Taiwanese/ Indian/ Cambodian/Thai/Chinese and fluent in English language and respective native language. With at least a year experience in similar field.

No.

CEBGO, INC. Cebu Pacific Bldg., Domestic Road St., Barangay 191, Pasay City

16. QIU, SONGJI Warehouse Logistics Manager

Brief Job Description: Training the kitchen staff, order takers and tea makers. Assisting with new store openings. Responsible for presenting orientation and store manager skills courses.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Good communication and interpersonal skills and able to speak and communicate in Mandarin language.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

BVKOIPHIL INC. Penthouse Bench Tower, 30th Street Corner Rizal Drive, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Can develop strong positive relationships with executive and management contacts. Can develop Annual revenue and sales plans for assigned location.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

AM-PRO IMPORTS MARKETING CORP. 16e Residenza Suites, 429 Shaw Blvd., Addition Hills, City Of Mandaluyong Basic Qualification: Can develop strong positive relationships with executive and management contacts. Can develop Annual revenue and sales plans for assigned location.

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liaison between the customer and various departments & ensures that basic CS functions are performed.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

HUANG, XIAODONG Chinese Cargo Office Agent Brief Job Description: Prepare airline and custom documentation.

QIAN, YAN Chinese Cargo Office Agent Brief Job Description: Prepare airline and custom documentation.

XU, CHAOQUN Chinese Cargo Office Agent Brief Job Description: Prepare airline and custom documentation.

ZHANG, ZHU Chinese Cargo Office Agent Brief Job Description: Prepare airline and custom documentation.

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

DRAGONFLY TECHNOLOGIES INC. Unit 602 6/f Itc Bldg., 337 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

KONG KAH LEONG Mandarin Support Specialist 33.

Brief Job Description: Prioritizing your workload to ensure the most critical issues are resolve first.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DYNAMIC STUDIO TECHNOLOGY INC. 5th To 8th/f & 10th/f Platinum Tower Building, Aseana Ave. Cor. Fuentes Street, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque

CHEN, YUNSONG Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 34.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

WANG, XIAOYAN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate 35.

Brief Job Description: Identify and maintain new business opportunities and existing partners.

TIAN, YUYONG Chinese Speaking Program Designer 36.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: Communicate overall design and approach to a team of programmers and create flowcharts, diagrams, other models, and programming instructions to guide programming team.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

37.

Brief Job Description: Define and deliver metrics, reporting platforms, dashboards, and analytical models vital for tracking and managing the business. Identify business challenges and initiate process improvement projects facilitate the computerization of analytics and data collection processes.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree related to Technical, IT and ComSci. A minimum 3 years of experience in my sql, html, css, net c++ javascript. Programming r or phyton tableau, IT trends (AI machine), Hebrew language speaker and English language speaker.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

JANNU, BHARGAVI SHRIKANT Senior Manager - Partner Management 47.

Basic Qualification: Have excellent verbal and written communication skills and able to organize their work using tools.

F COSMETICS & FASHION VENTURES INC. 10c, 10d, 10f, 10g & 10th Floor Icon Plaza, 26th Street Corner 6th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

DEI, NOFAR Hebrew Business Data Analyst

No.

Brief Job Description: Manage and own relationships with existing partners and explore new partnership opportunities. Work with partners and vendors in Local operating markets to execute flawlessly on providing best-in-class fulfillment and shipping services to our customers.

SAPORTA, DOR Hebrew Business Data Analyst

38.

48.

Brief Job Description: Provide outstanding and exceptional customer service.

39.

Brief Job Description: Oversee and manage day-to-day operations of multiple locations within the designated area.

LIU, YIJIANG Area Manager 40.

Brief Job Description: Oversee and manage day-to-day operations of multiple locations within the designated area.

49.

CHENG, YAO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

ZHAO, CHUNYONG Area Manager 41.

Brief Job Description: Oversee and manage day-to-day operations of multiple locations within the designated area.

50.

LU, ZHUORAN Data Analyst 42.

Brief Job Description: Oversee and manage day-to-day operations of multiple locations within the designated area.

51.

CUI, YANMIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DONG, YULIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

52.

DU, JIAXIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

53.

54.

GONG, FUBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HONG, XIAOLONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

GUANGXI HYDRO ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION BUREAU (GHCB PHILIPPINES CORPORATION) #58, Road 1, Project 6, Quezon City

PENG, ZIHUI Mandarin Speaking Project Coordinator 43.

Brief Job Description: Planning, overseeing, and managing construction projects

YANG, GUANGYONG Mandarin Speaking Project Coordinator 44.

Brief Job Description: Planning, overseeing, and managing construction projects.

55.

56.

45.

Brief Job Description: Teach Chinese language.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in speaking Chinese language.

57.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for identifying and selecting suppliers or vendors who can provide the equipment required for the project. Oversee the Erection, Testing and Commissioning of the equipment for the project.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

58.

46.

JIN, MENG Chinese Customer Service

LAN, ZHENGUO Chinese Customer Service

LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED - PHILIPPINE BRANCH G/f Highway 54 Plaza, 986 Stanford, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

SUBRAMANIAN, MANIKANDAN Project Erection, Testing And Commissioning Specialist

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

JUBILEE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, INC. #1607, E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Pinagkaisahan, Quezon City

CHEN, ZHIWEI Chinese Language Trainer

HUANG, JIAJUN Chinese Customer Service

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in construction business, computer and crosscultural communication.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With at least 17 years of work experience in Procurement/Project Monitoring/ Erection, Testing and Commissioning of equipment. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

LOCAD SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES INC. 8/f Liberty Plaza Bldg., 102 H.v. Dela Costa, Bel-air, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 66.

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in construction business/ Computer literate/Crosscultural communication

62.

65.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, or equivalent work experience.

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

59.

LIN, YUQUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

LIN, ZHENLONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

PAN, LANLAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

QIN, BAOQIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

TIAN, YU Chinese Customer Service

64.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, or equivalent work experience.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Chinese language or fluent in Mandarin language.

63.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, or equivalent work experience.

60.

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION Sky Garage Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 1331 Pearl Plaza Bldg., 133 Quirino Ave., Tambo, City Of Parañaque 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th/f Sapphire Seaview Park, Pacific Avenue, Don Galo, City Of Parañaque

FLASH EXPRESS SOFTWARE (PH) CO., LTD. INC. 11/f Cybersigma, Lawton Ave., West Mckinley, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

CHEN, TENGFEI Area Manager

Basic Qualification: University Program or Graduate studies (preferred) in business and management. Essential Skills: advanced leadership skills, ability to perform business reviews with external partners, outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.

No.

MARKETROLE ASIA PACIFIC SERVICES, INC. 27/f & 28/f The Enterprise Center Tower 1, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field, or equivalent work experience.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

61.

TANG, XIAOWEI Customer Service Representative

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree related to Technical, IT and ComSci. A minimum 3 years of experience in my sql, html, css, net c++ javascript. Programming r or phyton tableau, IT trends (AI machine), Hebrew language speaker and English language speaker.

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

67.

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

WANG, YUANCHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

YANG, QINGBO Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

YAO, WEIQI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

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

ZHANG, YUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

68.

ZHAO, XUE Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

69.

ZHU, SHUAI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

70.

DO NASCIMENTO GONCALVES, HALISLUAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in native language.

71.

CHANDRA WIJAYA Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

72.

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

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

73.

DAVINO Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

JONI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

BusinessMirror

A10 A6 Wednesday, November 29, 2023

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

79.

80.

81.

82.

83.

84.

85.

86.

87.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

UTARI DEFI Indonesian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CHOI, SEONGYEOL Korean Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

KIM, SOOHAN Korean Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

PARK, MINWOO Korean Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CHOW LEARN HO Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HUANG ZI TEE Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

KONG LOONG YEAN Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

TOH CINDY Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

WEE HAN CHIN Malaysian Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

FU QI YOU @ THAN NAING OO Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

LE HWAY KYWON Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

MYO MYINT AUNG Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

MYO NAING WIN Myanmari Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CHANG, HSIN-TZU Taiwanese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

No.

88.

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

89.

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

90.

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

91.

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

92.

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

93.

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

94.

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

95.

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

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

96.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LI, CHENG HAN Taiwanese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LIU, A MAI Vietnamese Customer Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

BUI, VAN KHOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CHAU VY THIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

CHAU VY TRAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

DANG THI THOA Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DINH, THI THU HUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DOAN, VAN HIEU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DUONG HUU NGHIA Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

97.

HA THI UYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

98.

HOANG TIEN DUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

99.

LA VAN HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

100.

LAM THANH SAM Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

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

104.

105.

106.

107.

108.

109.

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

110.

111.

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

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

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

LUONG THI Y NGOC Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

NGUYEN DUY THONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN NHAT ANH TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

NGUYEN, THI HOA MAI Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

NGUYEN, THI QUYNH CHI Vietnamese Customer Service

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN THI HOAI Vietnamese Customer Service

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

LONG CHI VINH Vietnamese Customer Service

LY, VAN BE Vietnamese Customer Service

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

LY DUC CHI Vietnamese Customer Service

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

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

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

103.

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

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

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

102.

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

101.

No.

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

LE, VAN NGHIA Vietnamese Customer Service

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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

NGUYEN, THI THU HANG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN, XUAN HIEP Vietnamese Customer Service 112.

113.

114.

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

PHAM ANH HOANG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

PHAM VAN PHUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

PHAM, THI THUY TRANG Vietnamese Customer Service 115.

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in their native language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in their native language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in their native language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in their native language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in their native language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: College graduate, preferably 1-year work experience in the similar field, and speaks and write fluently in their native language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

116.

117.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

TRAN NGOC PHUONG ANH Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

VANG SEO LONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and database services.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good verbal and written communication skills.

No.

STERNITZKY, ARTHUR Chiropractic Consultant 129.

118.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

QU, BO Construction Supervisor

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

JIANG, WEIGUO Research Analyst For Chinese Client 119.

Brief Job Description: Analyzing past operations’ results and performing variance analysis. Identifying and analyzing trends and forecasts and recommending improvements to the business processes.

SHI, XIAOBIN Research Analyst For Chinese Client 120.

Brief Job Description: Analyzing past operations’ results and performing variance analysis. Identifying and analyzing trends and forecasts and recommending improvements to the business processes.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate. Fluent in Chinese-Mandarin and English languages. With excellent problem-solving, communication and teamworking skills.

131.

KIM, SEUNGWOO Korean Interpreter 121.

Brief Job Description: To assist all clients explain local documents and regulation to all clients.

IZADI, HOMAYOON Treasurer/Finance Director 122.

Brief Job Description: Oversees all the functional responsibilities and jobs in the finance department.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance, with financial management experience.

123.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading the company in the development and implementation of the strategic programs and mapping the business horizon of company relevant to the industry landscape. Responsibility also includes market analysis and business feasibility studies of new investments, assessment, forecasting and negotiations. KIM, YOUNGHO Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO)

124.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing overall strategic leadership and direction to the manufacturing functions to ensure efficient and effective operations anchored on the short, medium and long-term plan of the company.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience in a similar capacity.

125.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for providing overall strategic leadership and direction to the Supply Chain function to ensure efficient and effective operations of the supply chain operations, and the availability of products and services anchored on the short, medium and long-term plan of the company.

134.

EGGI RIZKY PRIAGI Indonesian Language - Support Officer 126.

Brief Job Description: Assist in planning & administration of the organization’s daily operation.

Brief Job Description: Organizing meetings, managing databases, booking transport and accommodation and organizing company events and conferences.

WEN, HONGYU Construction Inspector 135.

Brief Job Description: Reviewing plans to determine whether they are in accordance with the building codes. Regular monitoring of construction site to ensure the safety and building codes are met.

ZHOU, HANLIANG Project Assistant 136.

Brief Job Description: Supervise project workers and ensure that they stick to project specification and guidelines.

KASONGO, ESTHER NOELLA French Operations CSR II Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers.

NJEI ATAM, STEPHEN French Operations CSR II 138.

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French speaking clients and customers.

127.

Brief Job Description: Assist in planning & administration of the organization’s daily operation.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin and English languages both written and verbal. With working knowledge in the field of construction.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor of Law graduate. With at least 5 years of trade experience in an international trade and commerce company.

Basic Qualification: Exceptional verbal & written communication skills and must be a Japanese national.

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

Brief Job Description: Conduct study and research in each clinic location to determine its strength and weaknesses. Conduct evaluation in every clinic to ensure the high quality of services and clinical procedures.

128.

Brief Job Description: Assist in the planning and administration of the organization’s daily operations. Providing information, assistance, and support to customers. Assist with the preparation of reports. Escalating complex issues to management.

Basic Qualification: College degree holder. Must fluently speak and write Thai language. Can work under pressure. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MWANGULU, LULU CHILUMO Crewing Operations Digital Solutions Expert 140.

Brief Job Description: Support processes and business development with expertise and knowledge of crewing and maritime operations.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in bilingual languages.

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

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

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

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

BOONYACHOT, MATINEE Thai Language Marketing Staff 143.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Thai language.

Brief Job Description: Conduct marketing activities, create promotion of products and services offered by the company and track their success.

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

CHAISORN, TANARAT Thai Language Marketing Staff 144.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Thai language.

Brief Job Description: Conduct marketing activities, create promotion of products and services offered by the company and track their success.

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

ROYGAEW, ROYGAEW Thai Language Marketing Staff 145.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Thai language.

Brief Job Description: Conduct marketing activities, create promotion of products and services offered by the company and track their success.

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

YOUBIN CONSULTANCY INC. 7c Westgate Tower Condominium, Investment Drive, Mbp Ayala, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa DU, MAN Chinese Consultant 146.

Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation, briefing the creative team who will produce the adverts.

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

147.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. Fluent in Chinese-Mandarin language.

148.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. Fluent in English language. With at least 3 years of work experience in a related field. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

FENG, JINJUN Chinese Consultant Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation.

HU, SHAOHUI Chinese Consultant

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

149.

Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation, briefing the creative team who will produce the adverts.

HUANG, BIXIAN Chinese Consultant Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation.

Basic Qualification: Know how to speak, write and read English language with 3 to 5 years work experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Exceptional customer service, active listening, verbal and written communication skills, and professional phone voice. Fluency in multiple languages may be desired.

150.

JI, KAI Chinese Consultant Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation.

XIONG, YANMEI Chinese Consultant 151.

Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation, briefing the creative team who will produce the adverts.

YANG, ZHIPING Chinese Consultant 152.

Brief Job Description: Provides professional and knowledgeable consultation, briefing the creative team who will produce the adverts.

Basic Qualification: At least college graduate. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 18-55 years old, With at least 6 months of customer service experience and knowledgeable in computer applications. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: At least college graduate. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months of customer service representative experience and with good verbal, written and reading skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: 18-55 years old, With at least 6 months of customer service experience and knowledgeable in computer applications. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: At least college graduate. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

*Date Generated: Nov 28, 2023 In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 24, 2023, the position of LIN, XIAOYING under the company NEW PRIME INDOOR CONSULTANCY CORP., should have been read as TECHNICAL CONSULTANT FOR CHINESE CLIENT and not as published.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With valid chiropractic license. With at least 3 years of minimum chiropractic practice experience. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 24, 2023, the name YEUNG, GUO LANG under the company HA LONG PILIPINAS INC., should have been read as YEUNG, GUO LIANG and not as published. In the ad material of Notice of Filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on November 24, 2023, the position of INJAENG, CHUTHARAT under the company AMAZON OPERATION SERVICES PHILIPPINES INC., should have been read as INVEST SPC - TSE [THA] and not as published. Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication.

V. SHIPS SERVICES OCEANA INC. Aseana Ii, Bradco Ave., Aseana City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque KONGNAK, SAHARAT Thai Language - Support Officer

142.

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

TETRAULT MABUHAY CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC, INC. 3f Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

139.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

YAP WEI KIEN Chinese Language Marketing Staff

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Must fluently speak and write Indonesian language to cater to foreign markets.

141.

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

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

PAUL, KAMALPREET KAUR Bilingual Marketing Staff

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

TELUS INTERNATIONAL PHILIPPINES, INC. Units 23/f, 31st/f - 37th/f Discovery Centre, Adb Avenue, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

DOSHI, JAYUL AJIT Chiropractic Consultant WILLIYANTO Indonesian Language - Support Officer

Basic Qualification: Must know how to speak Mandarin language.

SINOMA HDZC PHILIPPINES CO., INC. Unit 406 4/f National Life Insurance Bldg., 6762 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience in a similar capacity.

Basic Qualification: Must fluently speak and write Indonesian language to cater to foreign markets.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate office activities, supervise administrative staff and manage travel hotel arrangement for expatriates.

JIN, HUA Office Manager

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

PHOENIXFIELD, INC. 7/f Iacademy Plaza, 324 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

SIFANG AUTOMATION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit W-2102c 21/f West Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

137. JANG, BYOUNGOH Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO)

Brief Job Description: Ensure achievement of TFS financial objectives (revenues and LC for Local and Global business). Control cost and ensures that expenditures are within budget. Financial and operational reporting and control of TFS Network Data according to local affiliate requirements.

SHIMAMURA, NAMI Japanese Office Administrator

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous professional work experience in a related industry.

Basic Qualification: Doctorate degree in chiropractic medicine.

SHIMIZU CORPORATION 5/f King’s Court Bldg. 1, 2129 Chino Roces Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

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

PEPSI-COLA PRODUCTS PHILIPPINES, INC. 26th Flr., Filinvest Axis Tower Two Bldg., Northgate Cyberzone, Fcc, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa AHN, JIN PYO Chief Corporate Strategy Officer (CCSO)

132.

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

NPC ALLIANCE CORPORATION U-1901 19/f Antel 2000 Corporate Center, 121 Valero St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Brief Job Description: Supervising every phase of the project from start to completion. Calculating costs, material, labor, and time required for each project.

WILSON, CRAIG JOHN Trade Facilitation Services (TFS) Manager

133.

Basic Qualification: Speak and write fluently in their native language and English language.

No.

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

SGS GLOBAL BUSINESS SERVICES ASIA INC. 8f Capella Bldg. Lt 3 & 4, Filinvest Corp City, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

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

NOM NOM NOM REALTY DEVELOPER CORP. 463 Remedios St., 076, Barangay 699, Malate, City Of Manila

Brief Job Description: Allocating resources, materials, sub-contractors and other staff.

CHEN, HANG Equipment Installation Specialist

NEW PRIME INDOOR CONSULTANCY CORP. Shop 2 No. 319, San Nicolas Street, Barangay 284, San Nicolas, City Of Manila Basic Qualification: College graduate. Fluent in Chinese-Mandarin and English languages. With excellent problem-solving, communication and teamworking skills.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

POWERCHINA B7 PHILIPPINES CORP. Unit 2101 21/f Bdo Equitable Bank Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Brief Job Description: Giving treatments using a combination spinal adjustment.

A11

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

POSTURE PERFECT CHIROPRACTIC INC. Ax3 234, Sm City Fairview, Greater Lagro, Quezon City

130. VUONG, THI THOM Vietnamese Customer Service

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With expert-level understanding of dry dock/crewing and cargo operations. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

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

A12 Wednesday, November 29, 2023

TheWorld BusinessMirror

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

Israel, Hamas extend truce for 2 days to free more hostages and prisoners By Tia Goldenberg, Jack Jeffery & Samy Magdy

eating mainly bread and rice and sleeping on a makeshift bed of chairs pushed together. Hostages sometimes had to wait for hours to use the bathroom, she said. In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby welcomed the extension of the truce. “We would, of course, hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages,” Kirby told reporters.

The Associated Press

EL AVIV, Israel—Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to their deadliest and most destructive war.

Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night after more than seven weeks in captivity in Gaza in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and was due to run out. Thirty-three Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived early Tuesday in east Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah. The prisoners were greeted by loud cheers as their bus made its way through the streets of Ramallah. The deal for two additional days of cease-fire, announced by Qatar, raised hopes for further extensions, which also allow more aid into Gaza. Conditions there have remained dire for 2.3 mi l lion Pa lestinians, battered by week s of Israel i bombardment and a ground offensive that have driven threequarters of the population from their homes. Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. After the announcement by Qatar—a key mediator in the conflict, along with the United States and Egypt—Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension “under the same terms.”

But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its October 7 attack into southern Israel. That would likely mean expanding a ground offensive from devastated northern Gaza to the south. Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. After weeks of national trauma over the roughly 240 people abducted by Hamas and other militants, scenes of the women and children reuniting with families have rallied Israelis behind calls to return those who remain in captivity. “We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing,” two relatives of Abigail Edan, a 4-year-old girl and dual IsraeliAmerican citizen who was released Sunday, said in a statement. Hamas and other militants could still be holding up to 175 hostages, enough to potentially extend the cease-fire for two and a half weeks. But those include a number of soldiers, and Hamas is likely to make much greater demands for their release.

Respite in Gaza RELEASED Palestinian prisoners arrive in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Thirty-three Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived early Tuesday in east Jerusalem and Ramallah. Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and had been due to run out. AP/NASSER NASSER

Fourth release

THE newly released hostages included three women and nine children—including 3-year-old twin girls and their mother—from the kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near Gaza that was hard hit in Hamas’ October 7 attack. The kibbutz said 49 of its residents remain in captivity, including the father of the twins. The Israeli military said late Monday that the hostages were undergoing initial medical checks in Israel before being reunited with their families. Most of the hostages freed so far have appeared to be physically well. But 84-year-old Elma Avraham, released Sunday, was airlifted to Israel’s Soroka Medical Center in life-threatening condition because of inadequate care, the hospital said. Avraham’s daughter, Tali Amano, said her mother was “hours from death” when she was brought to the hospital. Avraham is currently sedated and has a breathing tube, but Amano said she told her mother of a new great-grandchild who was born while she was in captivity. Avraham suffered from several chronic conditions that required regular medications but was stable before she was kidnapped, Amano

said Monday. So far, 19 people of other nationalities have been freed during the truce, mostly Thai nationals. Many Thais work in Israel, largely as farm laborers. France said three of the host ages relea sed Mond ay were French-Israeli dual citizens, two 12-year-olds and one 16-year-old. The French government is ‘’working tirelessly’’ to free five other French citizens held hostage, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces, or of less-serious offenses. But some were convicted in alleged attempts to carry out stabbings, bombings and shootings. Many Palestinians view prisoners held by Israel, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation. The freed hostages have mostly stayed out of the public eye, but details of their captivity have started to trickle out. Merav Raviv, who is related to three hostages released Friday, said they had been fed irregularly and lost weight. One reported

MORE than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the Health Ministry in Hamasruled Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed in the initial attack. At least 77 soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive. The calm from the truce allowed glimpses of the destruction wreaked by weeks of Israeli bombardment that leveled entire neighborhoods. Footage showed a complex of several dozen multistory residential buildings that had been pummeled into a landscape of wreckage in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. Nearly every building was destroyed or severely damaged, some reduced to concrete frames half-slumped over. At a nearby UN school, the buildings were intact but partially burned and riddled with holes. The Israeli assault has driven three-quarters of Gaza’s population from their homes, and now most of its 2.3 million people are crowded into the south. More than 1 million are living in UN shelters. The Israeli military has barred hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled south from returning north. Rain and wind added to the hardship of displaced Palestinians

sheltering in the compound of AlAqsa Hospital in central Gaza. Palestinians in coats baked flatbreads over a makeshift fire among tents set up on the muddy grounds. Alaa Mansour said the conditions are simply horrendous. “My clothes are all wet, and I am unable to change them,” said Mansour, who is disabled. “I have not drunk water for two days, and there’s no bathroom to use.” The UN says the truce made it possible to scale up the delivery of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war. But the 160 to 200 trucks a day is still less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as humanitarian needs have soared. Long lines formed outside stations distributing cooking fuel, allowed in for the first time. Fuel for generators has been brought for key service providers, including hospitals and water and sanitation facilities, but bakeries have been unable to resume work, the UN said. Iyad Ghafary, a vendor in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, said many families were still unable to retrieve the dead from under the rubble left by Israeli airstrikes, and that local authorities weren’t equipped to deal with the level of destruction. Many say the aid is not nearly enough. A mani Taha, a w idow and mother of three who fled northern Gaza, said she had only managed to get one canned meal from a UN distribution center since the cease-fire began. She said the crowds have overwhelmed local markets and gas stations as people try to stock up on basics. “People were desperate and went out to buy whenever they could,” she said. “They are extremely worried that the war will return.”

Jeffery and Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem contributed.

Qatar is the go-to mediator in Mideast war. Its unprecedented Tel Aviv trip saved truce By Isabel Debre

The Associated Press

ERUSALEM—The deal seemed on the verge of unraveling. Hamas had accused Israel of failing to keep its side of the bargain and Israel was threatening to resume its lethal onslaught on the Gaza Strip. That was the point at which a Qatari jet landed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport on Saturday. Negotiators aboard set to work, seeking to save the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers before it fell apart and scuttled weeks of high-stakes diplomatic wrangling. The first public visit by Qatari officials to Israel marked an extraordinary moment for the two countries, which have no official diplomatic relations. It also underscored the major role of the tiny emirate in bridging differences between the enemies. “This is something we’ve never seen before,”Yoel Guzansky, a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said of the Qataris’ stay in Israel. “It’s the only external actor in the world with that much leverage on Hamas, because of its many years of support.” The weekend mission was successful, and most of the team jetted home. But several Qatari mediators stayed behind to work with Israeli intelligence officials on extending the four-day truce, which was

set to end Tuesday morning, according to a diplomat briefed on the visit who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity. Those efforts apparently paid off, as Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced Israel and Hamas have agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospects of a longer halt to the war. With its close ties to the United States— it hosts the largest American military base between Europe and Japan—its communication with Israel since 1995 and its support of blockaded Gaza to the tune of what estimates suggest is more than $1 billion since 2014, Qatar is uniquely positioned to break deadlocks in the cease-fire talks, which also involve the US and Egypt. “We need Qatar,” Guzansky said of Israel, noting that other Arab countries increasingly have interests in Israel and are normalizing their relations. “Qatar is seen as the only player in the Arab world that is loyal to the Palestinian cause.” The emirate has hosted an overseas Hamas political office since 2012, allowing Qatar to wield some influence over the militant group’s decision-makers. Top Hamas officials, including Hamas political bureau head Khaled Mashaal, live in Qatar. Qatar says Hamas’ political office in its capital, Doha, came about at the request

QATAR’S Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani listens to a question with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Doha, Qatar on October 13, 2023. Qatar is the go-to mediator in the Israel-Hamas war. On Saturday, November 25, 2023, a Qatari jet landed in Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport with an urgent task: save the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers. AP/JACQUELYN MARTIN

of US officials who wanted to establish a communication channel, just as Doha had hosted Taliban offices during America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan. Qatari officials say they are guided by a desire to reduce conflict, though their ties with a range of Islamist groups, including Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt

and the Taliban have drawn criticism from Israel, some US lawmakers and neighboring Arab governments. “ This is sof t power on steroids, mobilized for America’s interest,” said Patrick Theros, a former US ambassador to Qatar. “Hosting organizations which the United States cannot be seen talking

to is part of this policy.” The wealthy Gulf Arab state with a native population of just 300,000 has leveraged its strategic location and tremendous natural gas riches to wield political influence and project soft power around the world, including as host of the 2022 World Cup. In the Israel-Hamas hostage negotiations, Qatari mediators, joined by those from Egypt and the US, faced the task of getting the warring sides to put faith in diplomacy when trust was sub-zero. Over the weekend, Hamas complained that Israel had violated the terms of their cease-fire and said the deal was in danger. Only 137 trucks with badly needed humanitarian aid made it through on Friday, the first day of the truce, and 187 on the second day, according to the UN Palestinian refugee agency. Israel had promised to permit 200 a day. Qatari officials resorted to face-to-face meetings with Israeli officials to try to save the deal, according to the diplomat. A few hours with Mossad officials in Tel Aviv proved crucial on Saturday. Suddenly, the deal was back on. Hamas handed over its second batch of Israeli hostages, families in the West Bank rejoiced over another 39 women and teenagers freed from prison, and Palestinians in Gaza emerged from their shelters to search for fuel and missing family members. Qatar’s minister of state for international

cooperation, Lolwah Al-Khater, became the first foreign official to visit the besieged Gaza Strip on Sunday. She used the pause in fighting to survey the disputed influx of aid, meet wounded Palestinians and talk with Wael al-Dahdouh, Gaza bureau chief of Qatari-funded Al Jazeera, who lost his wife, son and grandchild in an Israeli airstrike. The pan-Arab broadcaster, which has more cameras in Gaza than any other news outlet, has dominated Arabic coverage of the war. Despite their differences, both Israel and Hamas have an interest in prolonging calm. Even as bigger questions mount over what happens after the war, a Qatari official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations says his country stays focused on what’s immediately possible, such as maintaining the ceasefire and preventing a regional war that draws in Hamas’ Iranian patrons or Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants. A steady stream of officials have passed through Doha to that end, including Iran’s foreign minister, Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister and the director of the CIA. “There is no conflict that began and ended on the battlefield,” Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, told The Associated Press on Monday. “Now, as hostages are being released and there are pauses in the fighting, we might be able to find a solution.”

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Ukraine has new way to ship grain despite Russia’s threat in Black Sea By Hanna Arhirova & Courtney Bonnell The Associated Press

A GIANT screen broadcasts Pope Francis coughing during the Angelus noon prayer, from the chapel of the hotel at the Vatican grounds where he lives, Sunday, November 26, 2023. Pope Francis says he has a lung inflammation but will go later this week to Dubai for the climate change conference. Francis skipped his weekly Sunday appearance at a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, a day after the Vatican said he was suffering from a mild flu. AP/ALESSANDRA TARANTINO

Pope getting antibiotics intravenously for lung problem, limiting appointments, Vatican says

OME—Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inf lammation and will scale back some appointments, but he doesn’t have pneumonia or fever, the Vatican said Monday. Francis himself on Sunday revealed that he was suffering from the inflammation problem, explaining why he didn’t keep his weekly window appointment to greet people in St. Peter’s Square. Instead, he gave his blessing from the chapel of the hotel on Vatican grounds where he lives. Vatican’s press office director, Matteo Bruni, said in a written statement on Monday that the inflammation was causing some respiratory difficulties for Francis, whose 87th birthday is next month. “The condition of the pope is good and stationary, he doesn’t have a fever, and the respiratory situation is in clear improvement,’’ Bruni said. A CT scan, which the pope underwent on Saturday afternoon at a Rome hospital, ruled out pneumonia, Bruni added. To aid the pope’s recovery,

“some important commitments expected for the next days have been postponed so he can dedicate the time and desired energy” to his recovery, the spokesman said. Other appointments, “of institutional character or easier to maintain given the current health conditions, have been maintained,” Bruni added. The spokesman didn’t spell out which appointments were being put off. Francis on Monday morning received in a private, half-hour-long audience the president of Paraguay, Santiago Peña, at his residence instead of the Apostolic Palace. In televised remarks on Sunday, Francis indicated he was going ahead with a three-day trip, beginning on December 1, to the United Arab Emirates, to deliver a speech on climate change at the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate talks. When he gave his blessing on Sunday, a bandage, holding in place a cannula for intravenous treatment, was clearly visible on his right hand.

Assailants in latest ship attack likely Somali, Pentagon says By Tara Copp

The Associated Press

A S H I N G T O N —T h e five armed assailants captured by US forces after seizing a commercial ship near Yemen over the weekend were likely Somali and not Iranianbacked Houthi rebels, the Pentagon said Monday. Recent attacks on commercial vessels have been conducted by Houthis, seen as part of a rise in violence in the region due to the Israel-Hamas war. While the Pentagon was still assessing the motives of the latest group, “we know they are not Houthi,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. He didn’t rule out that the rebels were somehow linked to the attack. While piracy in the region is down, this “was clearly a piracyrelated event,” Ryder said. Yemen’s internationally recognized government in Aden had accused the Houthis of attacking the MV Central Park in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday. The Liberian-flagged tanker, managed by Zodiac Maritime, sent

out a distress call and forces from the USS Mason, an American destroyer, responded. The five assailants attempted to flee in their small boats, but the US forces pursued them and fired warning shots, “resulting in their eventual surrender,” Ryder said. They were being held aboard the Mason, he said. However, a little over 90 minutes later, two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-control led Yemen landed about 10 nautical miles (18 nautical kilometers) from the Mason. The US destroyer did not engage or try to intercept the missiles because they were not deemed a threat and splashed into the water, Ryder said. He said it was still not clear whether the ballistic missiles were aiming for the Mason. Ryder said there were three Chinese vessels in the area at the time but they did not respond to the Central Park’s distress call. The Chinese government has not acknowledged whether it had ships in the area at the time of the attack. According to international maritime law, any ship in the vicinity is required to respond to a distress call.

YIV, Ukraine—Grain thunders into rail cars and trucks zip around a storage facility in central Ukraine, a place that growing numbers of companies turned to as they struggled to export their food to people facing hunger around the world. Now, more of the grain is getting unloaded from overcrammed silos and heading to ports on the Black Sea, set to traverse a fledgling shipping corridor launched after Russia pulled out of a UNbrokered agreement this summer that allowed food to flow safely from Ukraine during the war. “It was tight, but we kept working … we sought how to accept every ton of products needed for our partners,” facility general director Roman Andreikiv said about the end of the grain deal in July. Ukraine’s new corridor, protected by the military, has now allowed him to “free up warehouse space and increase activity.” Growing numbers of ships are streaming toward Ukraine’s Black Sea ports and heading out loaded with grain, metals and other cargo despite the threat of attack and f loating explosive mines. It’s giving a boost to Ukraine’s agriculture-dependent economy and bringing back a key source of wheat, corn, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products for parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia where local prices have risen and food insecurity is growing. “We are seeing renewed confidence among commercial operators keen to take Ukrainian grain cargoes,” said Munro Anderson, head of operations for Vessel Protect, which assesses war risks at sea and provides insurance with backing from Lloyd’s, whose members make up the world’s largest insurance marketplace. Ihor Osmachko, general director of Agroprosperis Group, one of Ukraine’s biggest agricultural producers and exporters, says he’s feeling “more optimistic than two months ago.”

“At that time, it was completely unclear how to survive,” he said. Since the company’s first vessel departed in mid-September, it says it has shipped more than 300,000 metric tons of grain to Egypt, Spain, China, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Tunisia and Turkey. After ending the agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey, Russia has attacked Ukraine’s Black Sea ports—a vital connection to global trade—and grain infrastructure, destroying enough food to feed over 1 million people for a year, the U.K. government said. The risk to vessels is the main hurdle for the new shipping corridor. Russia, whose officials haven’t commented on the corridor, warned this summer that ships heading to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports would be assumed to be carrying weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that allies had agreed to provide ships to help his country protect commercial vessels in the Black Sea but that more air defense systems were needed. “Air defense is in short supply,” he told reporters Saturday at an international food security summit in Kyiv. “But what’s important is that we have agreements, we have a positive signal and the corridor is operational.” While a deadly missile strike on the port of Odesa hit a Liberian-f lag ged commercial ship this month, not long afterward, i nsu rers, brokers a nd ba n k s teamed up with the Ukrainian government to announce affordable coverage for Black Sea grain shipments, of fer ing shippers peace of mind. Despite such attacks, Ukraine has exported over 5.6 million metric tons of grain and other products through the new corridor, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink tweeted Friday. Before the war, it was nearly double that per month, Ukrainian Deputy Economy Minister Taras Kachka said. “The way that they’re transporting right now, it’s certainly much more expensive and time consuming,” said Kelly Goughary,

a senior research analyst at agriculture data and analytics firm Gro Intelligence. “But they are getting product out the door, which is better than I think many were anticipating with the grain initiative coming to an end,” she said. Farmers also are facing low prices for their grain, which makes sending trucks to Odesa’s oftenattacked port not worth the risk for one agricultural company near the front line. Instead, Sl avhorod, wh ic h farms near the border with Russia in the Sumy province that faces daily shelling, has chosen to store its peas, wheat, soybeans, sunflower and corn in warehouses. There’s risk in keeping the 3,500-hectare (8,650-acre) farm running at all: Signs warned of explosive mines near where workers were collecting corn in a field 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) from Russia. But “who, if not us? It’s the only industry that brings some income to the country,” said Slavhorod’s chief agronomist, Oleksandr Kubrakov, who survived driving over a mine last year. But it’s becoming increasingly challenging to maintain morale. “This year, there is less enthusiasm because grain prices are low, the product remains near the border and at any moment” it could be destroyed, he said. “It’s a big risk.” Since the war started, Ukraine has struggled to get its food supplies to countries in need. Even during the yearlong UN deal, when Ukraine shipped nearly 33 million metric tons of food, Russia was accused of slowing down ship inspections required to be done by all sides. “That corridor worked in an unpredictable way for us,” said Mykola Horbachov, president of the Ukrainian Grain Association. Now, the Ukrainian military decides when it’s safe to sail. “ This may incur additional costs, but it is still more predictable than it was before,” Horbachov said. Osmachko of Agroprosperis Group agrees. Before the invasion, the exporter paid $50 per

metric ton to ship grain through the Black Sea. Alternatives since the war—including river routes through Europe—cost the company nearly three times more, Osmachko said. Under Ukraine’s new corridor, the company pays $70 to 80 per metric ton. “It’s more efficient, more profitable,” he said. Plus, Ukraine’s shipping corridor allows vessels to travel less in dangerous areas compared with the grain deal and avoid those often-delayed inspections, said Anderson of Vessel Protect. Agroprosperis Group no longer needs to pay for ships to wait around. Inspection delays cost the company $30 million in losses during the yearlong grain deal, Osmachko said. While the delays are gone, there still “is military risk, safety risk, war risk. And not all of the insurance companies are ready to take this risk,” Osmachko said. To ease that hurdle, an insurance program launched this month to provide affordable coverage to shippers carrying food from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. The partnership between insurance broker Marsh McLennan, Lloyd’s, two Ukrainian state banks and the government offers up to $50 million for each of two types of coverage protecting against damage and other losses. In another boost, a humanitarian program was extended Saturday that donates Ukrainian grain to nations facing food shortages with support from countries worldwide. Next, it will bring enough grain to help nearly 400,000 people in Nigeria, Zelenskyy said. The goal for the new shipping corridor is to export at least 6 million metric tons of grain a month, Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi said. It has a lot of work to do: Ukraine exported 4.3 million metric tons of grain in October through all routes, the ministry said. “We maintain cautious optimism, based on the fact that we have been fighting before and will continue to fight further,” he said. Bonnell reported from London.

Indonesia opens campaign for its presidential election in February By Niniek Karmini The Associated Press

AK ARTA, Indonesia—Candidates opened their campaigns Tuesday for Indonesia’s presidential election, which is shaping up as a three-way race among a former special forces general who’s lost twice before and two former governors. The three presidential hopefuls have vowed a peaceful race on Monday as concerns rose their rivalry may sharpen religious and ethnic divides in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. Ganjar Pranowo, the governing party’s presidential candidate and former governor of Central Java, started his first day of the 75-day campaign season in Indonesia’s easternmost city of Merauke in South Papua province, while his running mate, top security minister Mohammad Mahfud, began his tour from the westernmost city of Sabang in Aceh province. Anies Baswedan, the former head of an Islamic university who served as governor of Jakarta until last year, began his campaign in Jakarta, the national capital

on Java island, and his running mate, chairman of the Islambased National Awakening Party Muhaimin Iskandar, campaigned in Mojokerto, a city in East Java province. Java has more than half of Indonesia’s 270 million people, and analysts say it will be a key battleground in the February 14 election. While their rivals began their campaigns, the third candidate, Prabowo Subianto, kept his activities Tuesday to his role as defense minister, and his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, kept to his duties as mayor of Central Java’s Surakarta city. Both will start campaigning on Friday, according to Nusron Wahid, Subianto’s national campaign team spokesman. Nearly 205 million Indonesians are eligible to vote in the 2024 presidential and legislative elections in Southeast Asia’s largest democracy. The presidential election will determine who will succeed President Joko Widodo, serving his second and final term. Opinion polls have forecast a close race between Subianto and Pranowo, while Baswedan is consistently in third place.

The presidential race looks to be tight with political plays aplenty, said Arya Fernandes, a political analyst from the Center for Strategic and International Studies Indonesia. “With a swing voter is still around 30%, our electorate is still susceptible to change and dynamic due to several conditions,” Fernandes said, adding that the Constitutional Court’s decision allowing Raka’s candidacy may not be good news for Subianto. The court’s 5-4 decision in October carved out an exception to the minimum age requiremen t of 40 for presidential and vice presidential candidates, allowing Widodo’s 36-year-old son to run. The ruling has been a subject of heated debate in Indonesia with critics noting that the chief justice, Widodo’s brother-in-law, was eventually removed by an ethics panel for failing to recuse himself from the case and making last-minute changes to election candidacy requirements. The appointment of Raka has been widely seen as implicit support from Widodo for Subianto, prompting his rivals’ supporters to publicly call on the president to remain neutral.

Analysts said Widodo, commonly nicknamed Jokowi, had been distancing himself from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, under whose banner he ran in 2014 and 2019. By supporting Subianto, Widodo has “practically abandoned the party that made him a household name,” wrote Nathanael Sumaktoyo, a political analyst from the National University of Singapore, in a New Mandala journal last week. Without his own grassroots pol it ic a l m ac h i ner y, W idodo obviously sees his son’s candidacy as the most feasible way to achieve his political goals and will secure his policy legacy if Subianto wins the election, Sumaktoyo said. Having his son in the country’s second highest office in the country “will maintain, if not expand, the family’s political clout and shield it from political and legal witch hunts,” Sumaktoyo said, “It is not at all clear how Jokowi thinks he can persuade a military man to do his bidding once he is outside the circle of power.” The Associated Press writer Edna Tarigan contributed to this report.

A14 Wednesday, November 29, 2023 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

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editorial

El Niño, India’s export restrictions to push global rice prices up

he report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on international food prices for October may have allowed some nations to heave a sigh of relief. This is because most quotations of food items, including rice, declined. According to FAO, its food price index dipped by 0.5 percent from September, with the index for dairy products the only one rising.

However, countries that rely on imports to beef up their rice supply remain uneasy over the FAO data on food prices for October. The FAO All Rice Price Index averaged 138.9 points in October, down 2 percent from its September level, but still 24 percent above its year earlier value. Prices of rice usually purchased by the Philippines were still more expensive in October, based on FAO data. Figures from the FAO showed that the average quotation of Thai 25 percent brokens in January to October reached $521.20 per metric tons, nearly $100 more, or 22 percent higher, than the year-ago quotation of $427 per MT. The price of Vietnamese 25 percent brokens was $488.90 per MT during the 10-month period, $100, or 27.7 percent, higher than the $382.70 per MT recorded last year. The price of Vietnam’s 5 percent brokens was also higher by more than $100 at $509.20 per MT, compared with the previous year’s $400.80. Unfortunately for countries like the Philippines that import huge quantities of rice, the elevated prices of the staple may not ease any time soon mainly because of India, the world’s top rice exporter. International economists interviewed by Bloomberg said India is expected to maintain its curbs on overseas sales well into next year. This, they said, will likely hold the staple grain at close to its highest price levels since the food crisis of 2008. (See, “India seen keeping rice export bans into 2024, holding up global prices,” in the BusinessMirror, November 20, 2023). These concerns may have pushed the Philippine government, particularly the Department of Agriculture, to consider the cancellation of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance of traders who will not bring in the staple within 30 days. (See, “DA: Importers lose SPSIC if rice not here in 30 days,” BusinessMirror, November 21, 2023). There are around 1 million metric tons of rice imports covered by SPSICs that have not arrived in the Philippines. The arrival of the volume covered by SPSICs would beef up the rice inventory of the Philippines by the end of 2023, which will most likely discourage speculators from taking advantage of the developments in the international market. Apart from India’s restrictions, the possibility of El Niño affecting areas that produce the staple could also be exploited by profiteers and unscrupulous traders. FAO had projected that the Philippines and parts of Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Sri Lanka will see below-average rainfall due to El Niño between November 2023 and March 2024. If this forecast materializes, rice yields could decline, which is why it makes sense for the government to push for the early arrival of imports. Since 2005

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Artificial Intelligence and intellectual property rights issues Dennis Gorecho

Kuwentong Peyups

rtificial Intelligence (AI) is the discipline concerned with the design and development of automated intelligent systems that perceive, reason out, formulate decisions, and act in an environment to achieve a set of measurable goals. AI systems embody computational structures that mimic human or animal cognition to process data, learn from experiences, and decide, plan, and act autonomously to satisfy a programmed objective. AI provides software that can reason on input and explain on output. AI will provide human-like interactions with software and offer decision support for specific tasks. AI is a technology having unbelievable efficiency that has the ability to dramatically impact economy, education, politics, and lifestyle of people. ChatGPT is one of the popular AI platforms utilized in online research by students; in creation of social media content, in digital marketing businesses, in business processing, as tool to streamline tasks and automate processes, language translation processing, and software development. Intellectual property (IP) rights issues associated with AI were discussed during the recent 20th General Assembly and 74th & 75th

Council Meeting of the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) held from November 3 to 7, 2023 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. In the Special Topic report presented by Philippine group in the Emerging IP Rights committee, Atty. Maria Teresa Trinidad noted that there is no Philippine IP law or case law that lists computer-generated works as original work because AI has no original author. Under Philippine jurisprudence “a person to be entitled to a copyright must be the original creator of the work.” He must have created it by his own skill, labor and judgment without directly copying or evasively imitating the work of another. Given such an original work would require a human creator. As characterized, ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that allows users to have human-like conversations and much more with the chatbot. The language model can answer questions and assist users with tasks,

such as composing e-mails, essays, and code. It is trained on vast amounts of information from the Internet, including websites, books, news articles, and more. The language model was fine-tuned using supervised learning as well as reinforcement learning. ChatGPT is a predictive model and could only be used as a tool that can process large volume of information. Given the lack of originality, it cannot be considered a source or original work if the output is a product of a generic command without creative choices of the user, for example the product of the command “compose a poem.” However, if ChatGPT is used as a tool to support the creative process of the creator, and the output reflects the creator’s creativity and choices, then it would seem fair for the creator to claim ownership of the work. The faculty of the University of the Philippines stressed in a paper that academic requirements must solely be created by the student or group of students rather than AI. But they still encouraged the use of such tools to enhance and facilitate personalized learning, increase student engagement in learning and improve education management. The APAA is a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing IP protection in the Asian region. The IP laws aim to protect and secure the exclusive rights of scientists, inventors, artists and other gifted citizens to their intellectual

property and creations, particularly when beneficial to the people, for such periods as provided in the law. Nobody else can copy or reuse that creation without the owner’s permission. IP laws lay down the remedies available to the IP owner in case of a violation of his rights through administrative, civil and criminal sanctions against violators. Some 40 Filipino intellectual property lawyers attended this year’s Singapore event, along with almost 1,400 delegates from different countries. The Intellectual Property Association of the Philippines (IPAP) was founded on March 31, 1977 with the aim of professionalizing the steadily growing practice of IP law in the Philippines. IPAP is the sole Philippine national group recognized by the APAA, the Asean Intellectual Property Association, and the Association Internationale pour la Protection dela Propriete Industrielle. The Philippines will be the venue of the APAA council meeting next year at the Conrad hotel and SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, Metro Manila from November 18 to 21, 2024. The Philippines hosted the APAA council meetings in 1990 (Manila Hotel), 2000 (Cebu), and 2011 (Shangri-La Makati). Peyups is the moniker of 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 09175025808 or 09088665786.

China’s property lifeline exposes banks to big losses, job cuts By Bloomberg News

hina’s escalating push to have its banking behemoths backstop struggling property firms is adding to a maelstrom of woes for the $57 trillion sector.

Already stung by soaring bad loans and record low net interest margins, lenders such as Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd. may soon be asked for the first time to provide unsecured loans to developers, many of whom are in default or teetering on the brink of collapsing. The risky lifeline threatens to exacerbate an already bleak outlook. ICBC and 10 other major banks may next year need to set aside an additional $89 billion for bad real estate debt, or 21 percent of estimated pre-provisions profits in 2024, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Lenders are now weighing lowering growth targets and cutting jobs among possible options, according to at least a dozen bankers who asked not to be named

discussing internal matters. “The government can’t just ask banks to step up without providing a solution to their issues,” said Shen Meng, a director at Beijingbased investment bank Chanson & Co. “Their profits may still look good on the surface, but if you take a deeper dive into their assets and bad loans, things won’t look good for long.” China’s banks have been caught between the opposing demands of providing “national service” by supporting the property sector and distressed local governments, and their obligation to run a sound business. Boosting profits has almost become mission impossible for some. Beijing ratcheted up pressure on the lenders even more last week to reverse the housing meltdown.

Regulators are working on a draft list of firms eligible for bank support, while weighing a plan for lenders to offer developers unsecured loans for the first time. This is on top of a recent order for the banks to roll over local government debt at favorable terms to avert a crisis in that $9 trillion market. Authorities have signaled the banks have more to give in support of a sluggish economy. The Communist Party-controlled parliament recently said the financial sector’s profits still have room to fall. A readout last week urged banks to step up funding to complete housing projects and ease the “panicked expectations” of households. This week, the central bank pledged to press lenders to lower rates on concern that deflation has effectively pushed up borrowing costs in price-adjusted terms. The People’s Bank of China also said it will guide banks to coordinate their lending so as to smooth out volatility in credit growth between year-end and the start of the year.

The demands have been taking a toll on finances and operations. Net interest margins slumped to a record low of 1.73 percent as of September, data showed. That’s below a 1.8 percent threshold regarded as necessary to maintain reasonable profitability. Bad loans meantime have hit a new high, and a revenue growth streak since 2017 for some of the nation’s largest state banks may snap this year. Shares of the big four state lenders including ICBC are trading near record low valuations of 0.3 times book value in Hong Kong. That’s about the same levels US banks were trading at during the global financial crisis.

Challenges ahead

One city commercial bank is setting lower targets for the coming fiscal year, said an executive, citing difficulties in boosting loan size and revenue amid fierce competition for quality borrowers. Some small lenders have moved to slash jobs, See “China,” A15

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Wednesday, November 29, 2023 A15

Position Paper on Philippine-China disputes in the West Philippine Sea

The presence of an aircraft of the US Navy while a military situation was in place in the Second Thomas Shoal engenders the question of whether the Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board had authority to allow such presence. Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the MDB and SEB have two specific functions. First, the MDB and SEB shall be the bilateral security mechanism through which the Philippines shall grant the US “operational control of Agreed Locations for constructions activities and authority to undertake such activities on, and make alterations and improvements to, Agreed Locations.” Second, the MDB and SEB shall serve as the bilateral security mechanism through which the Philippines may authorize the United States to “preposition and store defense equipment, supplies, and materials...including, but not limited to, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief equipment, supplies, and materiel, at Agreed Locations.” Nowhere in the foregoing provisions of EDCA are the MDB and SEB authorized to request and allow the deployment of an aircraft of the US Navy to assist in an actual and live Philippine military activity of resupplying BRP Sierra Madre in an area contested by China. To be sure, under Article IX of Supplementary Agreement No. 2 to the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Security between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the United States of America: Agreement on Installations and Military Operating Procedures, the MDB shall decide on matters regarding US projection of forces in times of war or peace. However, in 1991, the Philippine Senate did not concur in the ratification of said supplementary agreement. More importantly, as established in 1958, the MDB shall have equal representation from the Philippines and the US, and its decisions shall be made by agreement between the Philippine co-chair and US co-chair. As created in 2006, the SEB shall likewise have equal representation from the US and Philippines and its decisions shall be made by agreement

by the Philippine and US co-chairs. In effect, decisions by the MDB and SEB on matters relating to the conduct of foreign relations by the Philippines vis-à-vis China would not be decisions rendered by the Philippine President as head of state and commander in chief, much less by the Philippines as a sovereign state. Thus, the following questions would require deliberation and appropriate legislation by the Philippine Congress: (1) What is the source of power in getting the assistance of the US Navy? (2) Can the President do it as Commander in Chief? What is the role of Congress? (3) Can the President invoke the EDCA to authorize the MDB and SEB? (3-1) In relation to the role of the MDB and SEB, what is meant by “agreed locations”? Do they cover the disputed areas? (3-2) What is meant by “operational control”? (3-3) What is meant by “defense equipment, supplies and materials…?” (3-4) What is the process to be followed by the US if the EDCA is invoked? Was this process followed? (3-5) Can the MDB and SEB invoke EDCA without the express authority of the President? Part V What legal and non-military courses of action may the Philippines take to respond to the recent collision at sea and blockade by Chinese vessels against Philippine resupply vessels? 5.1 Was the collision an act of war? 5.2 Was the blocking maneuver an act of war? It is important to ascertain the precise location and nature of all the vessels involved, before and at the time of the collision, to be ascertained. As there is no official source of this information, the discussion below would have to be based on certain surmises. Assuming that the Chinese vessels were within the EEZ of the Philippines and, at the same time, outside the territorial sea of any of the rocks being occupied by China, the presence of said Chinese vessels would be justified only under freedom of

Part VI Scenarios As such blocking maneuvers and collisions are likely to recur, and may become kinetic, it may be useful to anticipate scenarios to which the foregoing discussion and some additional preliminary guidance might be relevant: Assume that there are no conflicting claims between Philippines and China over the area within 200 nautical miles from the Philippines baselines or the Philippine EEZ/CS. (1-1) What are the rights that can be exercised by the Philippines in its EEZ and CS? What rights can the Philippines not exercise? Article 56(1)(a) of UNCLOS declares that coastal states like the Philippines shall have only sovereign rights rather than territorial sovereignty rights. Sovereign rights relate to the purpose of exploring and exploiting and conserving and managing the natural resources,

whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and its subsoil, as well as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds. Article 56(1)(b) defines the nature of sovereign rights as jurisdictional and limits its scope to (i) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures (Article 60); (ii) marine scientific research (Part XIII); (iii) the protection and preservation of the marine environment (Part XI: Article 220). Article 56(1)(c) provides that the coastal state shall have “other rights and duties provided for” under UNCLOS, such as the establishment of continental shelf installations (Article 60) and the right of hot pursuit for violations of the sovereign rights of the coastal state (Article 111). The Philippines may issue and enforce laws and regulations for the exercise of said enumerated sovereign rights. No state, such as the Philippines, may claim territorial sovereignty over any area beyond the limit of its 12 nautical mile territorial sea. While said state may exercise jurisdiction in its CZ to prevent or punish violations committed in its TS or land territory of its fiscal, immigration, custom and sanitation laws, it may not exercise constitutional, criminal, civil and tax/customs/commercial/labor laws in its EEZ/CS. Such claim to territorial sovereignty is precluded by the express recognition by customary international law, as codified in Article 58 in relation to Articles 87 to 111 of UNCLOS, that in the EEZ/ CS of any state, other states, such as China, enjoy freedom of the high seas, such as navigation, overflight, laying and maintenance of submarine cables and pipelines.” Moreover, according to the US, freedom of the high seas includes the conduct of military activities, such as “anchoring, launching and landing of aircraft, operating military devices, intelligence collection, exercises, operations and conducting military surveys,” provided that the state engaging in military activities in the EEZ/CS of another state, complies with the obligation to give due regard to the enjoyment by the latter of its sovereign rights. (1-2) What are the rights of any vessel of China or any foreign state in said undisputed Philippine EEZ? As discussed under (1-1), in the undisputed EEZ/CS of the Philippines, China and other foreign states enjoy freedom of the high seas, such as navigation, overflight, laying and maintenance of submarine cables and pipelines, and the conduct of certain military activities. Assume there are conflicting territorial and maritime claims between China and the Philippines over the area within 200 nautical miles from the Philippine baselines. Given the decision of the SCS Arbitral Tribunal, can China intrude into our EEZ/CS without the permission of Philippine authorities? No, provided the term “intrude” means exercise of sovereign rights and the term “EEZ/CS” means the maritime zone and seabed up to the limit of 200 nautical miles from the Philippine archipelagic baselines “but beyond the territorial sea” of the rocks being disputed in the SCS. Yes, if the term “intrude” means activities in exercise of freedom of the high seas and the term “EEZ/CS”

China . . .

the matter said. Unlike most Western banks, Chinese state-run banks are subject to government directions on how much to lend and to what sectors, especially during economic downturns. Apart from public demands, authorities often summon bank executives for impromptu meetings to give verbal instructions, known as “window guidance,” to nudge lending toward desired areas or restrict certain businesses. These guidance sessions have become more frequent and sometimes contradictory this year, bankers said. Lenders risk being summoned by the People’s Bank of China should they miss loan targets, or punished by the National Administration of

Financial Regulation for lending too aggressively, they said. Other firms try to play ball by lending to local government financing vehicles, despite the high risk of default. About 80 percent of new corporate loans at one big lender’s local branch in Sichuan province this year were extended to these LGFVs, an official said, betting that they can earn interest while delaying default risk via loan extensions. Authorities have offered some relief to the banks, guiding them to trim deposit rates three times in the past year to ease margin pressures, and slashing reserve requirements twice this year to boost their lending capacity. Those changes won’t be enough

to offset the lending rate cut and arrest a margin slide, according to Fitch Ratings Inc. Bloomberg Intelligence expects the margin squeeze to deepen into 2024 and weigh on earnings, capping the profit growth at a low-single-digit at best. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said China’s latest guidance for banks to step up financing for builders could push up their bad loan ratios for the sector by 21 basis points. JPMorgan Chase & Co. warned the push to extend unsecured loans “would be a risky move” and raises concerns about their national service and credit risks. At most risk may be the nation’s myriad of regional banks, though. S&P Global Ratings warned in a re-

Submitted to the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, Committees on Foreign Relations, Public Works and Finance and Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones that are conducting public hearings on the West Philippine Sea by the International Law and Relations Society of the Philippines (ISIP), an intellectual society composed of retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Reynato S. Puno, retired CG Admiral Joel S. Garcia, Dr. Melissa Loja, Prof. Romel Bagares and Atty. Al Soriano. Conclusion

Part IV Bearing in mind the nature of the CCG and PCG, did the presence of the Philippine Navy, US Navy and Chinese Navy in the WPS transform the incident into a military situation? What are the legal and political implications of the deployment of the Philippine military to the WPS and its use of the assistance of the US Navy? Does the MDB SEB have legal authority to seek or allow the assistance of an armed or unarmed aircraft of the US Navy during a Philippine law enforcement activity in the WPS?

T is respectfully submitted that a military situation was in effect in the WPS on August 13, 2023. As held by the Arbitral Tribunal in the SCS Arbitration, the acts of Chinese non-military vessels in preventing the Philippine resupply mission amounted to a military activity. In effect, the Chinese vessels were performing a military function of territorial defense. Further, the Chinese Navy and Philippine Navy were present in the vicinity.

continued from A14

with one planning to cut 50 percent of its 400 positions at their lending department this year, people said. A branch of a big bank warned staff at its lending department to brace for a challenging year ahead, asking them to sleep in the office on the last working day of 2023 so they can get the earliest jump possible in processing new loans at the start of the year, an executive said. Lenders operating nationwide are now boosting lending to rural areas they have typically neglected, in order to meet targets on small business loans, people familiar with

navigation. Moreover, the collision that take place within the EEZ of the Philippines would not qualify as an act of war as no armed force was used upon a territory or territorial extension of the Philippines. Assuming that the blocking maneuver took place also within the Philippine EEZ, the same would not amount to an act of war if no armed force was applied. However, such blocking maneuver by China would be an impairment of freedom of navigation by the Philippines in its own (Philippine) EEZ or an internationally wrongful act under Article 31 of UNCLOS in relation to existing conventions on safety of navigation. Assuming that the Chinese vessels were inside the territorial sea of any of the rocks being occupied by it, said vessels would be engaged in the exercise of territorial sovereignty by China. The collision would not be an act of war by China against the Philippines as no armed force was applied against a Philippine territory or territorial extension. Had the blocking maneuver taken place within said waters, the same would not be considered an act of war. China’s refusal of passage by Philippine vessels would also be justified as the latter is an opposing claimant state to the territorial waters in question. Without a doubt, there is escalation from diplomatic negotiations to military maneuvers as the principal means employed by the parties to address their disputes. Nonetheless, the prohibition against use of force still applies. The only available recourse of the Philippines is to open a permanent and direct diplomatic channel between the Philippines and China. The existing bilateral mechanism may not be adequate as it is activated only once or twice a year. Moreover, the provision on counter-measures in the proposed maritime zones law would not be enforceable in the territorial and maritime and air spaces that are occupied by China, Vietnam or Malaysia, though claimed by the Philippines. Even in the Philippine EEZ/CS, the forcible application of such countermeasures against foreign state vessels would amount to acts of aggression. As Prof. Stuart emphasized by citing the Ara Libertad case, no countermeasures, such as boarding and seizure, can be brought against state vessels that enjoy sovereign immunity.

encompasses the territorial seas of rocks that are disputed in the SCS but occupied by China. According to the SCS Arbitral Tribunal, in the TS and/or internal waters of BDM, Philippines, China and Vietnam have common rights to ancestral fishing. What acts can be done by China short of threats or use of force while inside Philippine EEZ/CS? In areas within the Philippine EEZ/CS but are encompassed by the TS and seabed of rocks that are occupied by China, the latter may exercise territorial sovereignty, including the use of force to defend itself. In areas within the Philippine EEZ/CS that are encompassed by the TS and seabed of rocks that are not occupied by China, the latter may not exercise territorial sovereignty. It may not use force to claim the territories. In areas within the Philippine EEZ/CS but beyond the TS and seabed of rocks that are disputed in the SCS, China may not claim or exercise sovereign rights. However, it may exercise freedoms of the high seas. Notwithstanding the language of existing laws and pending bills, for the SCS Arbitral Tribunal the Philippine represented to it that the Philippine EEZ/CS is defined as follows: 683. The Philippines submits that “the waters, seabed and subsoil of the South China Sea within 200 M of the Philippine coast, but beyond 12 M from any high-tide feature within the South China Sea, constitute the EEZ and continental shelf of the Philippines” under Articles 57 and 76 of the Convention.... What acts constitute “armed attacks?” Is the use of laser, water cannon or blocking maneuver an “armed attack”? Not every act of aggression or use of force can rise to the level of an armed attack as would justify the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Noting that there is no definition of armed attack in the UN Charter or the San Francisco proceedings, the ICJ merely delineated thresholds. Thus, it held that, because of its scale and effect, the operation of the US of sending “armed bands to the territory of [Nicaragua]” would have been considered an armed attack “rather than a mere frontier incident...had it been carried out by regular armed force.” On the other hand, it categorically declared as an armed attack the act of armed Iranian militants of “overrunning... [the premises of the US Embassy in Tehran] the seizure of its inmates as hostages, the appropriation of its property and archives and the conduct of the Iranian authorities in the face of those occurrences.” From the foregoing cases, it is apparent that a territorial target is indispensable. Thus, while use of force on an artificial island of China or Vietnam would amount to aggression, it would not qualify as an armed attack for an artificial island is not a territory unless the same is situated on the territorial sea. Given the foregoing threshold, the use of lasers or water cannons and the blocking maneuver of vessels do not amount to armed attacks. Whether or not an attack by a swarm of Chinese militia vessels upon Philippine military or law enforcement vessels would amount to an armed

attack as would activate Article 51 would depend on the threshold in the foregoing ICJ cases. What responses can be done by the Philippines vis-à-vis the above actions of China? What is the significance of the use of the PCG? Having the PCG at the frontline signals adherence by the Philippines with the UN Charter on recourse to peaceful means rather than use of force in the settlement of disputes. However, a dedicated 24/7 diplomatic team would be more effective. What is the significance of the use of our military, the Philippine Navy? Having the military at the frontline increases the risk of immediate recourse to lethal force rather than peaceful means of settlement. What is the significance of the invitation of foreign military forces, i.e., USN? The presence of the USN per se is not contrary to Philippine law or international law, especially if the latter’s presence is merely in exercise of freedom of navigation. As pointed out earlier, the US position is that freedom of navigation includes the conduct of military activities in the high seas as well as the EEZ/CS of other states. However, the participation of US military officers in decision making through the MDB and SEB, is legally suspect. It also places the Philippines under the category of a non-neutral state in the event of an armed conflict between the US and China/Russia/ Iran/North Korea. Assume China resorts to an “armed attack” against the Philippines. What lawful acts of self-defense can the Philippines do? The Philippines may resort to an armed counter-attack in self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. At the same time, it may bring the matter to the UN Security Council in order to activate the provisions of Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Will the armed attacks, acts of self-defense, acts of retaliation let loose an all-out war between the China and the Philippines and their allies? Yes. In case of an all-out war, can the Philippines lose not only its sovereign rights over its EEZ but even its sovereignty over its territory (land and territorial seas)? As a rule, conquest or armed occupation is not a valid means of territorial acquisition. However, the reality shown by Israel’s and Russia’s military occupations is that the way in which a state controls its territory can be perceived by a powerful neighbor as a threat to its own security. In that eventuality, does the Philippines have any effective remedy under international law? The continuing saga of Palestine and Chagos Archipelago demonstrates the reality that no effective institutional enforcement mechanism is available under international law. Perhaps proactive neutrality and conflict-prevention through diplomacy are the more rational choices.

cent report that those banks could incur a capital hit of 2.2 trillion yuan ($301 billion) from the debt crisis among municipalities. The real estate support may be so risky that some analysts say the banks may push back, just as they have much of this year. Despite government exhortations since late last year for them to lend more, bank loans to property firms fell year-onyear in the third quarter—the first time that’s ever happened. To assuage their concerns on issuing, regulators may exempt bankers from being held accountable for bad loans given the high risks involved, people familiar said last week, adding that deliberations are ongoing and subject to change.

“The government wouldn’t want material volatility in the big lenders’ operations, and it’s unlikely that banks will be asked to save the property sector or LGFVs at any cost,” said Vivian Xue, director of financial institutions at Fitch Ratings. “After all, the big banks are all owned by the central government and they’re a key source of fiscal income.” Regulators could also guide banks to further lower deposit rates to ease their margin pressure, but that risks hurting consumers and raising a moral hazard issue, according to Shen. Another solution is for the central bank to provide zero-interest funding to commercial banks to beef up their lending capacity, he said.

Respectfully submitted for the consideration of the Philippine Senate. International Law and Relations Society of the Philippines November 15, 2023

A16 Wednesday, November 29, 2023

PROPOSED PPA FEE Solon: 2 Pasay reclamation AMCHAM: HIKE ILL-TIMED, TO HURT BIZ projects could yield ₧563B By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means said on Tuesday that the resumption of the reclamation projects under the Pasay EcoCity Coastal Development could yield a staggering P563 billion in real estate assets for the government, and adding revenues from these projects could fund the government’s ambitious housing program. Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda made the statement following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to greenlight the resumption of Pasay City’s reclamation projects—Pasay 265 with Pasay Harbor Corporation and Pasay 360 with SM Smart City Infrastructure and Development Corporation. “As we emphasized during the hearings, Pasay City is in fact a very strong case for responsible reclamation. Historical flooding maps show that the existing Pasay reclamation projects have in fact provided flood protection. This is as opposed to areas without a reclamation project fronting their shore, which have experienced more flooding than areas with a reclamation project,” said Salceda after his committee

hearing about the revenue and economic implications of keeping the projects suspended. “Both projects combined, based on our estimates, could yield as much as P563 billion in real estate assets for the government,” said Salceda. By law, Salceda said 50 percent of Philippine Reclamation Authority income, under RA 7279, is earmarked for housing. “The revenues generated from these projects can play a pivotal role in fueling President Marcos’s ambitious housing program, addressing a critical need in our society,” he said. Salceda hopes that other reclamation projects with complete compliance and a high level of con-

struction progress can be pushed through. “One such project is the 318-hectare Manila Waterfront City Development Project, which has also been suspended but which appears to be fully compliant with DENR requirements,” he said. Salceda also clarified that, contrary to some published reports, the City of Manila does not have objections and in fact actively supports its resumption. “The US Embassy’s expressed reservations were also clarified, and they were not actually objections. I also emphasized that, if there are national security concerns, they should properly be channeled to the Interagency Investment Promotion Coordination Committee established under the Foreign Investment Act amendments so that they could be heard and formally resolved,” he said. “The President’s recent action reflects that this government’s stance on reclamation will be rules-based, data-driven, and evidence-based,” added Salceda.

1-M jobs

DURING a recent briefing, Pasay City Administrator Peter Manzano

said reclamation projects in Manila Bay can easily generate at least one million jobs from horizontal development and commercial operations alone. Foremost among these, according to Manzano, are the “millions of jobs and billions of revenues” the projects will generate. The Eco-City endeavor included the 360-hectare reclamation project under a joint venture with SM Smart City Infrastructure and Development Corporation, dubbed “Pasay 360.” By the city government’s projection, national taxes from investments and businesses from the reclamation may total over P1.3 trillion in 35 years’ time. Meanwhile, revenues for Pasay may also total over P1.1 trillion in real property and business taxes. The Eco-City project is designed to change all that, giving considerable windfall to the national government in the process. “Once reclamation is completed, the national and local governments stand to gain, at no financial cost, 131.25 hectares of saleable reclaimed land with a future estimated total value of over P650 billion once the area and its amenities are fully developed,” he noted.

HE American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Inc. (AmCham) said the Philippine Port Authority’s (PPA) proposed hike in storage fees for foreign containerized cargo is ill-timed as businesses are still recovering from the pandemic. “We have been lobbying against any kind of storage [fee] increases, it’s not just the right time. You know, we are coming out of this mess of the pandemic,” Ebb Hinchliffe, AmCham executive director, told reporters on the sidelines of Management Association of the Philippines’ (MAP) General Membership Meeting on Tuesday. “They got better things to worry about, I think, so we certainly are not in favor of any kind of increase in the storage fees; I think it will hurt more than help,” he added. Moving forward, Hinchliffe said AmCham is already in the process of joining other business groups to give feedback on the proposed fees of the port regulator. Apart from AmCham, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) have

expressed concern over the proposed hike in storage fees. Last October 18, PPA in a public consultation sought stakeholder feedback on its intention to raise storage charges for foreign containerized cargoes at all its administered ports nationwide. In a statement earlier this month, local exporters said PPA is proposing to increase by 32 percent the storage charges for import, export, and transshipment containers; and by 150 percent the surcharges of the corresponding storage rates with increase for reefer containers. For its part, ECCP earlier told reporters that once greenlighted, the increase in storage charges for foreign containerized cargo will reduce the competitiveness of the Philippine market. “We need to ensure the competitiveness of the Filipino market, so if you put taxes and more blocks—that makes trade more difficult. It’s not helping,” ECCP President Paulo Duarte told reporters on the sidelines of a forum in Makati City two weeks ago. Describing the Philippines’s current macroeconomic data as “very favorable,” the ECCP president said, “we need to continue this path, and not to create more blocks.” Continued on A6

Chinese ships ‘snubbed’ crew’s distress call in Gulf of Aden, says Pentagon By Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosig

HE US Navy destroyer which rescued the distressed commercial tanker in Gulf of Aden noted that Chinese ships were in the area but apparently ignored pleas for help from crew, including two Filipinos. “So my understanding is there were three PLA Navy ships in the vicinity. However, they did not respond. Supposedly, those ships are there as part of a counter-piracy mission, but they did not respond,” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters in Washington D.C. BusinessMirror sought a reaction from the Chinese embassy in Manila, but none had been given out at press time. Chemical tanker M/V Central Park was passing the International Recommended Transit Corridor in Gulf of Aden when armed men boarded the ship Sunday morning local time. The crew immediately locked themselves inside a safe room and issued a distress call stating they were “under attack by pirates.” According to the Department of Migrant Workers, two of the 22 crew on board were Filipinos.

Ryder said the pirates tried to control the ship and force their way into the crew cabin. USS Mason, joined by Japanese destroyer Akebono, demanded that the pirates abandon the ship. Five pirates fled on board their small boat and were chased by the Visit, Board, Search and Seizure unit of the USS Mason. Five armed men were arrested and detained in Mason. Based on their initial assessment, it appears that they are Somalis and it was a case of piracy-related incident. The Gulf of Aden, strategically located between the African continent and Arabian peninsula, is one of the busiest and most important waterways for shipping and for the world economy. Countries around it include Yemen and Somalia. Piracy continues unabated off the coast of Somalia, following the vacuum of leadership in 1991. The United Nations approved the multinational coalition of anti-piracy called Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) to take action against piracy in international waters in the area. Aside from the US, other members of the coalition forces include Australia, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South

Korea, Spain, Singapore, Thailand, Turkiye and the Philippines.

Filipino commander

COINCIDENTALLY, the CTF Command is now headed by Philippine Navy Capt. Mateo Carido. I n S e p t e m b e r, C h i n a d e ployed guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, the missile frigate Linyi, replenishment vessel Dongpinghu, dozens of special forces personnel and two helicopters in the Gulf of Aden. According to Xinhua News, the Chinese Navy are in the Gulf region to escort ships and conduct anti-piracy training. Zodiac Maritime, a London-based international ship management company of Central Park, thanked the international naval coalition who helped rescue the crew, the cargo and vessel on Monday. “We would like to thank the coalition forces who responded quickly, protecting assets in the area and upholding international maritime law,” Janni Järvinen, Crisis Communications Manager speaking in behalf of the management, told BusinessMirror in a statement. Aside from the crew, the vessel and the cargo are also unharmed.

Bong Go tells vice-govs: Keep an eye out for poor

EN. Christopher “Bong” Go graced the 95th National Assembly of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines (LVGP) at Hilton Manila in Pasay City recently, underscoring a commitment to the welfare of the poor. “In this room, we may carry different titles…I have high respect for. You are superstars in your areas, elected by people, loved by them; and we share the noble responsibility of public service. It is a duty that transcends individual positions and underscores our collective commitment to the welfare and progress of our nation,” Go told the vice governors. “In our roles as public servants, we must always be reminded that the essence of our service lies not in the titles we hold, but in the positive impact we make on the lives of the people we represent. We are entrusted with the task of fostering an environment conducive to growth, equality, and prosperity for all,” he continued.

A focal point of Go’s address was the pressing need to push for more propoor programs, especially in the wake of the ongoing global pandemic. He articulated the urgency of implementing measures that would efficiently aid Filipinos in their recovery process. Go also rallied for a united front in the pursuit of initiatives that prioritize the welfare of the marginalized sectors, ensuring that no Filipino is left behind in the journey towards progress. “I am also here to reaffirm my commitment to pushing for pro-poor programs that address the needs of the most vulnerable sectors of our society. And let us all work together, especially for our poor constituents who have no one to turn to except us in government---the helpless and hopeless among our people,” Go said. Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, highlighted the importance of health in the overall development of the na-

tion. He stressed the significance of supporting programs such as Malasakit Centers, Regional Specialty Centers, and Super Health Centers. A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program is designed to help ensure that indigent patients have convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by government agencies. Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019 was principally authored and sponsored by Go. Currently, there are 159 operational centers that have assisted more than ten million Filipinos nationwide, according to DOH. The senator also principally sponsored and was one of the authors of RA 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act. This mandates the creation of Regional Specialty Centers within DOH regional hospitals. The senator then underscored his support for the establishment of more Super Health Centers throughout the country.

Companies BusinessMirror

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

STI turns a profit in fiscal Q1 as revenues surge 30% By VG Cabuag

@villygc

TI Education Systems Holdings Inc., owner of the largest network of private schools in the Philippines, said it swung to profit during its fiscal first quarter ending September 30. The company recorded a net income of P19.75 million from last year’s loss of P47.6 million. Its revenues for the three-month period reached P650.65 million, some 30 percent higher than last year’s P500.35 million. “The increase was primarily driven by the 27 percent increase in

the total number of students of the group for the school year 2023-2024. Gross profit likewise increased by P108.5 million or 40 percent yearon-year,” it said. Tuition and other school fees amounted to P505.4 million, up by 36 percent from last year due to an increase of 25,231 in the

student population for School Year (SY) 2023-2024 at 119,543 compared to 94,312 enrollees in the previous year. STI ESG’s wholly-owned and franchised schools registered an enrollment of 103,982 students, 22,285 or 27 percent more than the enrollment in the previous year. Percentagewise, STI West Negros University Inc. registered the highest increase at 30 percent for this school year from the previous year. The number of new students enrolled in Commission on Higher Education (CHED) programs went up by 33 percent or 8,425 to 34,274 from 25,849. Enrollment in programs regulated by CHED rose by 25 percent to over 83,000 from the previous year’s 66,000 students. CHED programs bring in higher revenues per student.

Revenues from educational services and royalty fees both went up by 22 percent on the back of the 14-percent rise in the student population of franchised schools for SY 2023-2024. Other revenues increased to P31.2 million from P20.3 million last year. The total count of new students for the current academic year reached 55,982, a 35-percent growth from 41,565 new students in the previous school year. A total of 103,982 of the entire student population of 119,543 enrolled in schools operated by the STI Education Services Group. The rest were students of iACADEMY and STI West Negros University. STI Holdings’ financial year, consistent with its academic calendar, begins on July 1 and concludes on June 30 of the following year.

Globe connects more sites to 5G By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

lobe Telecom Inc. said on Tuesday it has connected 716 more sites to 5G in January to September, increasing its 5G outdoor coverage to 97.67 percent in the National Capital Region and 92.06 percent in key cities of Visayas and Mindanao. Beck Eclipse, Globe’s Chief Customer Experience Officer, said this “rapid growth” is hinged on the growing number of 5G devices now connected to the Globe network.

As of end-September, Globe has logged 5.2 million 5G devices in its network, a number that Eclipse said signifies “growing adoption among Filipinos.” “With the robust expansion of our 5G network, we are not just enhancing connectivity; we are shaping a future where every Filipino is empowered with global, cutting-edge communication capabilities.” She added that Globe is also beefing up its 5G services outside the Philippines, partnering with 156 carriers in 82 destinations. Globe’s 5G roaming coverage al-

ready extends to countries such as Guatemala, South Africa, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Laos, Seychelles, India, Peru, Aland Islands, Crete, Croatia, and Romania. So far, Globe has spent P54 billion in capital expenditures (capex) as of September, of which 91 percent was allocated to meet data needs, ensuring that customers have continuous access to premier digital solutions and connectivity. Globe is spending roughly $1.3 billion (or about P73.8 billion) in capex this year, lower than the $1.9 billion (or about P107.9 billion) in 2022. Globe is further reducing its

capex to $1 billion (or about P56.8 billion) in 2024. Globe saw its profits dwindle by almost a third to P19.36 billion in January to September from P26.50 billion the year prior, despite posting all-time high consolidated service revenues due to higher depreciation costs and a non-operate charge versus last year. It closed the period ending September with an all-time high consolidated revenue of P121.1 billion, up by 3 percent from a year prior “despite the extended macroeconomic headwinds faced by the industry.”

Reddit tests IPO waters

eddit Inc. is again holding talks with potential investors for an initial public offering (IPO) for the social media company, according to people familiar with the matter, as hopefuls prepare for a longawaited reopening of the market for new listings. The San Francisco-based firm, whose users helped f uel t he meme-stock frenzy that made 2021 a banner year for equities, is weighing an IPO as soon as in the first quarter, the people said. Reddit was working with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. on the listing, Bloomberg News reported last year, and was considering a valuation of as much as $15 billion. Companies planning first-time share sales in the United States have been stymied for months by volatile markets and a relatively weak showing for four closely watched debuts in September and October, which all but slammed the door on big-ticket IPOs in 2023. With this year’s total US volume set to just barely surpass 2022—the worst year in over a decade for IPOs in the country, according to data compiled by Bloomberg—hopefuls weighing sizable listings and their advisers are largely turning their gaze to 2024. Bloomberg News

THANKSGIVING Officers and the Advertising Team of B

usinessMirror led by T. Anthony C. Cabangon, BusinessMirror Publisher; Loida Virtudazo, BusinessMirror General Manager, Lourdes M. Fernandez, BusinessMirror Editor-in-Chief and Aldwin M. Tolosa, BusinessMirror Advertising Manager, gathered at the Marriott Manila Hotel for a thanksgiving lunch to celebrate this year’s accomplishments. Together with the BusinessMirror team are Lala Quilantang, Cluster Director of Sales and Marketing of Marriott Manila and Courtyard By Marriott Iloilo (first row, second from left); Archie Nicasio, Cluster Director of Marketing Communications of Marriott Manila, Sheraton Manila and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo (first row, second from right) and Christelle Tolisora, Cluster Marketing Communications Assistant of Marriott Manila, Sheraton Manila and Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo.

San Miguel, SMIC are on list of world’s best employers

an Miguel Corp. is on the annual World’s Best Employers list by Forbes Magazine and research firm Statista and has been ranked 43rd. The conglomerate, one of the few Filipino firms that made it to the global list, emerged as the runaway leader, as it improved its ranking from last year’s 174th. Other Philippine companies that made it to the elite roster are Security Bank at 54th; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., 162nd; Ayala Corp., 186th; Alliance Global Group Inc., 283rd; Landbank of the Philippines, 304th; LT Group Inc., 361st; and SM Investments Corp., 420th. “It’s a great honor to make it to this list of the world’s 700 best employers, along with some of the most recognized and most successful Philippine firms. This just goes to show that Filipinos can compete and run proudly with the very best in the world. It also shows that given the right training, motivation, support, and a sense of a higher purpose, the Filipino workforce is highly motivated, effective, dedicated, and therefore fulfilled in their work,” San Miguel president Ramon S. Ang said. “We have also always strived to provide our employees an environment where they can learn, realize their potential, build good relationships with colleagues, and feel they are part of not just a great heritage, but also of something bigger. We believe this has greatly contributed to whatever successes we’ve had over the years.” This is the second time that San Miguel has ranked high in a global business survey this year. In September, it placed in the top 50 percent of Time Magazine’s list of the World’s Best Companies for 2023, ranking 347th overall, and making it to the top two of just six Filipino firms that landed on the list. Ang said these favorable rankings signify that San Miguel is still one of the companies that

many Filipinos admire and want to work for.

‘Positive company culture’

“Looking after the overall wellness of our employees is imperative as they are the lifeblood of our organization. Anchored on our founder’s values, we continue to nurture a positive company culture, providing purposeful work and equal growth opportunities for our people,” SMIC President and CEO Frederic C. DyBuncio said. The company said the recognition follows the many life principles of SM founder Henry Sy Sr. as his companies continued his legacy of providing employment opportunities to Filipinos. The distinctions both locally and abroad coincide with SM’s 65th year anniversary. Key leaders from the awarded business units share insights on the company’s work culture and how employees are vital to the company’s growth and success. “Being recognized as one of the Philippines’s Best Employers is an honor that reflects our commitment to our most valuable resource—our people. By fostering a workplace rooted in fairness and integrity in SM Prime, we continuously create a positive, transparent and creative environment,” SM Prime Holdings Inc. President Jeffrey C. Lim said. Forbes said its rankings were determined through a survey conducted by market research firm Statista, which covered more than 170,000 employees who work for various multinational companies and institutions from over 50 countries worldwide. Respondents were asked whether they would recommend their company to family or friends, and to rate their employer based on such criteria as talent development, remote working options, parental leave benefits, diversity, work-life balance and pride in the product or services the company offers. Participants could also rate companies within their own industries and countries. VG Cabuag

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Companies BusinessMirror

ERC urged to hasten reset of Meralco distribution rate

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

enator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to fasttrack the reset of the power distribution rate for the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to determine if the utility firm had overcharged its customers. The senator’s call followed remarks by former Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chairperson Agnes Devanadera at a House hearing that Meralco had previously paid for expenses of ERC consultants who were tasked with determining

the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) that has an impact on power rates. It has been discontinued. His statement also came in the wake of a privilege speech by Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez pointing to the unadjusted WACC as the “key reason”

for consistently high power rates, which are among the highest in Asia. Fernandez said the current WACC of Meralco was computed to allow the utility to cope with the Asian financial crisis then but remained unchanged even after the crisis, which enabled the utility to collect higher rates. According to Gatchalian, it was “inappropriate” for Meralco to foot the bill for the regulator’s consultants. “As we anticipate revised distribution rates that should be more favorable for our consumers, it is imperative that we not only hope but demand a refund if applicable,” said Gatchalian. The ERC, he said, should scrutinize the factors that go into computing Meralco’s WACC, which had been stuck at 14.97 percent since 2015.

WACC is a key determinant in computing distribution rates. “The ERC should make sure that rates being passed on by distribution utilities are fair and correct for consumers,” said Gatchalian in Filipino. “Consumers should not be paying more than they should.” According to ERC’s schedule, the final determination for the fifth regulatory period rate reset for distribution utilities, including that of Meralco, is in March 2024. Gatchalian noted that the original date set by the ERC to reset Meralco’s WACC had been delayed already by a year. Meralco had stated that charges reflected in consumer bills had been reviewed and approved by the ERC and that it adheres to ERC orders on cost adjustments arising from regular reviews.

Govt handling of maritime dispute gets nod of MVP

usinessman Manuel V. Pangilinan (MVP) said the Marcos administration is “doing the right thing” in asserting the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea. “The president is doing an excellent job in asserting our rights over the disputed territory. That’s absolutely correct. The interest of the country should prevail. In this particular case, government is absolutely correct,” said Pangilinan when asked for comment on how the Marcos administration is handling the territorial and maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea. Moreover, Pangilinan said the alleged harassment of Filipinos within the Philippine waters is “not helping

the relationship” between the two governments in so far as to how the dispute is being handled. Pangilinan’s group has not resumed discussions with China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) for a possible joint exploration of Service Contract (SC) no. 72 covering the disputed waters. Forum Energy Ltd., in which Pangilinan’s PXP Energy holds a direct and an indirect interest of 79.13 percent, has a 70-percent participating interest in SC 72, also in Northwest Palawan, through its wholly owned subsidiary Forum. PXP has a total economic interest of 54.36 percent in SC 72. He said his group is not involved in any talks with the Chinese government. “No. we are not the government. That is being conducted at the government level. Our contact is commercial, CNOOC and we haven’t spoken to them for more than a year.” The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier granted force majeure to the work commitments involving SC 72 and SC 75 in the West Philippine Sea. Lenie Lectura

MUTUAL FUNDS

November 28, 2023

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 204.65 -2.29% -2.62% -3.88% -0.94% -1.86% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.4163 4.16% 3.65% 0.55% 1.48% 5.36% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 2.828 -3.91% -2.71% -6.06% -2.73% -2.98% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.6674 -2.88% -5.16% -5.7% n.a -4.56% First Metro Consumer Fund, Inc. -a 0.627 -6.12% -5.42% -5.22% n.a -3.33% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund, Inc. -a 4.4961 -3.77% -2.2% -2.85% -0.66% -3.31% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.6708 -5.11% -3.44% n.a n.a -4.32% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 83.92 9.26% -4.02% -5.61% n.a 11.43% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 41.643 -4.28% -2.92% -3.18% n.a -3.58% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 434.44 -2.64% -3.06% -3.21% -0.87% -2.24% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.1589 -2.53% 0.72% -1.45% n.a -1.38% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 32.7972 -2.21% -0.82% -2.07% 1.07% -1.5% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8376 -2.06% -1.92% n.a n.a -1.32% Philequity PSE Index Fund, Inc. -a 4.3778 -3.27% -2.01% -2.33% 0.8% -2.62% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 728.41 -3.35% -2.18% -2.4% 0.78% -2.74% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.6599 -2.66% -2.36% -5.03% n.a -2.11% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 3.2565 -4% -2.65% -4.3% -0.96% -3.46% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.8261 -3.68% -2.49% -2.71% n.a -3.03% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.0367 -2.98% -2.05% -2.64% 0.05% -1.85% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) COL Equity Index Unitized Mutual Fund, Inc. -a 1.0251 -3.6% n.a n.a n.a -2.94% COL Strategic Growth Equity Unitized Mutual Fund, Inc. -a,20.9964 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a Philequity Alpha One Fund, Inc. -a 0.9899 -5.51% -1.77% n.a n.a -5.4% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 883.99 -3.48% n.a n.a n.a -2.81% Exchange Traded Fund (shares) First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c98.8737 -2.8% -1.84% -2.1% n.a -2.22% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.8175 -2.71% -11.21% -3.03% -1.69% -4.05% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.5901 8.13% -0.37% 6.19% n.a 11.66% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.4645 -1.69% -3.65% -2.34% -1.83% -1.36% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.1509 4.55% -1.14% -0.35% 0.13% 2.17% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.4467 -2.62% -1.78% -0.52% -1.07% -2.34% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.186 -3.98% -1.6% n.a n.a -3.88% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.8959 -0.43% -0.83% 0.66% 1.16% 0.47% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.472 0.44% -2.3% -0.22% 0.29% 0.93% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 15.2154 -0.46% -2.96% -0.77% -0.03% 0.5% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 1.993 -0.2% -1.07% -0.63% 0.88% 0.32% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.3276 -0.17% -1.8% -1.82% -0.41% -0.06% Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.8767 0.11% 0.24% -1.11% n.a -0.25% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a 0.9255 1.69% -2.7% n.a n.a 1.13% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a 0.8214 -1.32% -4.01% n.a n.a -1.7% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a 0.8001 -2.39% -4.25% n.a n.a -2.72% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03194 -0.47% -6.55% -1.72% -0.23% -1.42% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -b $0.8871 1.64% -7.56% -1.17% -1.27% 5.61% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $4.0957 4.26% -2.06% 3.52% 2.63% 6.5% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $0.9923 1.03% -4.58% 0.35% n.a 2.13% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 388.86 3.3% 1.68% 2.57% 2.11% 2.87% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.9012 1.58% 0.06% 0.61% -0.09% 1.41% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.3001 2.46% 0.94% 2.21% 3.72% 2.84% Ekklesia Mutual Fund, Inc. -a 2.2587 4.45% -0.48% 1.21% 1.16% 3.35% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 2.4352 1.92% -0.19% 2% 1.07% 1.84% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.2256 1.73% -2.99% 1.65% 0.46% 2.07% Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.3637 3.4% 1.19% 2.97% 1.7% 3.35% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.9906 4.08% 0.11% 2.74% 1.3% 3.15% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 1.0445 2.76% 0.26% 3.3% n.a 2.74% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.2752 4.44% 0.89% 3.47% 1.83% 4.12% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.7513 3.69% 0.14% 2.68% 1.24% 3.28% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $491.07 2.53% 0.6% 1.9% 2.45% 2.28% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є212.01 1.33% -1.01% -0.04% 0.73% 1.12% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.0189 0.36% -7.02% -1.92% -0.05% 0.94% First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0242 1.68% -2.98% -0.49% n.a 2.11% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc. -b $0.8376 -2.15% -8.46% -3.94% -3.32% -6.93% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.1978 2.23% -4.54% 0.56% 1.45% 0.82% Philequity Dollar Income Fund, Inc. -a $0.0607586 1.89% -0.72% 1.32% 1.55% 1.77% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $2.6576 -2.09% -6.16% -1.5% 0.02% -2.35% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (shares) ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 136.4 2.49% 1.74% 2.53% 2.02% 2.36% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.1046 3.15% 1.8% n.a n.a 2.89% Sun Life Prosperity Peso Starter Fund, Inc. -a 1.3715 2.71% 1.95% 2.45% 1.98% 2.47% Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 104.12 3.98% n.a n.a n.a 3.63% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (shares) Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.093 2.32% 1.3% 1.5% n.a 2.23% Feeder Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities (units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund, Inc. -a 41.6233 -6.12% n.a n.a n.a -2.48% Sun Life Prosperity World Equity Index Feeder Fund, Inc. -a 1.3979 7.87% 8.57% n.a n.a 13.46% Sun Life Prosperity World Income Fund, Inc. -a,1 0.9657 n.a n.a n.a n.a n.a Primarily invested in foreign currency securities (Units) ALFM Global Multi-Asset Income Fund, Inc. -a $0.7748 -3.86% -7.22% n.a n.a -1.92% a - NAVPS as of the previous banking day. b - NAVPS as of two banking days ago. c - Listed in the PSE. 1 - Launch date is August 22, 2023. 2 - Launch date is October 6, 2023. “While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www.

pifa.com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU.”

www.businessmirror.com.ph

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 28, 2023

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

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

45,715 450,718,220 14,746 118,982,380 426,610 959,095 110,115,377 553,000 784,970 1,085,850 27,146,039 4,654,038 30,420 185,080 27,030 860 4,350 128,470 8,690

-8,980 -83,563,614 753 8,747,281 -98,735 -18,860,166 -15,765,253.50 -317,209.50 11,080 83,860 -

INDUSTRIAL ACEN CORP 4.8 4.83 4.92 4.95 4.8 4.8 13,720,000 66,505,200 ALTERNERGY HLDG 0.77 0.79 0.74 0.79 0.74 0.77 4,591,000 3,480,070 ABOITIZ POWER 36.55 36.6 36.4 36.7 36.35 36.6 1,318,400 48,196,470 RASLAG 1.19 1.2 1.19 1.2 1.19 1.2 21,000 25,000 BASIC ENERGY 0.178 0.18 0.185 0.188 0.18 0.18 630,000 114,500 FIRST GEN 17.24 17.66 17.94 17.94 17.04 17.26 1,782,700 31,146,480 FIRST PHIL HLDG 61 62.5 63 63 61 61 13,000 812,070 MERALCO 368 369.6 369.2 371 368 368 122,500 45,148,440 MANILA WATER 17.98 18.04 18.12 18.2 17.98 17.98 562,900 10,159,828 PETRON 3.36 3.4 3.33 3.4 3.33 3.4 710,000 2,391,440 PHX PETROLEUM 5.09 5.3 5.1 5.3 5.1 5.3 1,000 5,240 REPOWER ENERGY 6.52 6.72 6.7 6.73 6.5 6.72 56,700 370,961 SYNERGY GRID 6.21 6.28 6.21 6.35 6.2 6.21 625,600 3,912,785 SHELL PILIPINAS 11.9 11.92 11.9 11.98 11.9 11.92 70,500 839,648 SPC POWER 7.43 7.5 7.6 7.6 7.41 7.43 65,600 489,186 AGRINURTURE 1.09 1.11 1.1 1.13 1.09 1.11 937,000 1,043,180 AXELUM 1.96 2.05 1.88 2.05 1.88 2.05 130,000 254,850 CNTRL AZUCARERA 10.58 11.5 10.56 11.5 10.56 11.5 1,100 11,710 CENTURY FOOD 30.2 30.45 30.4 30.7 30.2 30.45 936,400 28,504,475 DEL MONTE 7.11 7.54 7.2 7.54 7.1 7.54 5,100 36,354 DNL INDUS 6.01 6.09 6.12 6.13 6 6.01 1,093,800 6,597,671 EMPERADOR 20.8 20.85 20.85 20.95 20.75 20.8 258,600 5,378,830 SMC FOODANDBEV 49.6 49.95 50 50 48.6 49.95 21,680 1,081,737.50 FIGARO COFFEE 0.62 0.63 0.64 0.64 0.62 0.62 1,629,000 1,018,660 ALLIANCE SELECT 0.475 0.5 0.475 0.475 0.475 0.475 10,000 4,750 FRUITAS HLDG 1.02 1.03 1.02 1.03 1 1.02 8,034,000 8,137,530 GINEBRA 168 169 169 170 168 169 6,880 1,163,260 JOLLIBEE 234.8 235.2 238.4 238.6 233.4 234.8 1,373,390 324,169,408 KEEPERS HLDG 1.46 1.49 1.5 1.5 1.44 1.49 2,500,000 3,648,320 MAXS GROUP 3.46 3.5 3.56 3.56 3.5 3.5 177,000 624,830 MONDE NISSIN 8.2 8.3 8.36 8.4 8.17 8.3 2,976,600 24,641,195 SHAKEYS PIZZA 9.3 9.35 9.36 9.36 9.3 9.3 22,100 205,536 ROXAS AND CO 0.465 0.51 0.48 0.51 0.465 0.51 290,000 141,100 RFM CORP 2.97 2.98 3 3 2.98 2.98 547,000 1,634,150 SWIFT FOODS 0.056 0.058 0.058 0.058 0.058 0.058 50,000 2,900 UNIV ROBINA 117 117.6 121.2 121.2 116 117 1,373,920 162,947,378 VITARICH 0.5 0.53 0.5 0.53 0.49 0.53 44,000 22,370 VICTORIAS 3.18 3.25 3.24 3.24 3.18 3.18 62,000 197,740 CEMEX HLDG 0.83 0.84 0.79 0.84 0.78 0.83 87,000 70,910 EC VULCAN CORP 0.78 0.8 0.82 0.82 0.78 0.78 863,000 683,840 EEI CORP 5.74 5.76 5.87 5.9 5.65 5.76 1,440,900 8,235,104 MEGAWIDE 3.03 3.06 3.06 3.06 3.02 3.06 151,000 458,810 PHINMA 19.7 20.3 20 20 20 20 65,600 1,312,000 CROWN ASIA 1.53 1.59 1.53 1.53 1.53 1.53 10,000 15,300 EUROMED 0.76 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 3,000 2,400 LMG CORP 2.1 2.77 2.78 2.78 2.78 2.78 1,000 2,780 MABUHAY VINYL 5.7 5.97 5.97 5.97 5.97 5.97 1,400 8,358 PRYCE CORP 5.19 5.2 5.21 5.28 5.2 5.2 206,900 1,076,657 GREENERGY 0.265 0.27 0.27 0.28 0.265 0.27 25,430,000 6,890,700 INTEGRATED MICR 3.4 3.41 3.49 3.49 3.4 3.41 21,000 72,040 IONICS 1.1 1.11 1.08 1.1 1.08 1.1 789,000 864,390 PANASONIC 4.68 4.86 4.88 4.88 4.88 4.88 2,000 9,760 SFA SEMICON 1.97 2.13 1.93 2.14 1.93 2.13 280,000 596,440 CIRTEK HLDG 1.71 1.72 1.68 1.73 1.68 1.71 122,000 207,550

-7,386,770 -1,439,960 -15,699,455.00 -12,693,548 -6,930 -4,870,218 -2,211,024 426,990 -509.9999 4,032 -1,409,268 -590,584 -60,800 -443,950 -2,491,750 -810,622 -675,545 -1,777 -63,000 4,750 -461,050 -11,830 -33,181,722 -360,710 -392,500 -11,711,530 196,230 -1,482,120 -38,267,126 -2,390 -3,240 5,700 -140,020 -3,400 2,170 -42,600 -

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANSCOR ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LT GROUP PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA REPUBLIC GLASS SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP TOP FRONTIER

45 131.5 7.1 104.2 30.4 8.31 51.5 8.7 18.4 23.05 69.4 58.75 1.38 2.75 2.67 0.086 0.365 172 0.79

1.02 657 47.85 10.2 11.34 0.38 4.54 9.2 5.1 0.2 555 3.26 38.05 8.9 1.15 2.74 2.9 845 105.4 97.05

45.95 131.6 7.3 104.5 30.5 8.4 51.75 8.8 18.5 23.4 69.95 58.8 1.39 2.76 2.91 0.11 0.38 173 0.81

1.04 657.5 47.9 10.22 11.36 0.39 4.55 9.38 5.2 0.27 562 3.3 38.9 8.91 1.29 2.75 3 846 106 103

45.9 131.2 7.53 103.4 30 8.4 51.95 8.75 18.5 23 70 59 1.4 2.77 2.71 0.086 0.435 171 0.79

1.02 648 48.7 10.4 11.34 0.38 4.62 9.34 5.2 0.2 562 3.25 38.45 8.9 1.15 2.84 3 835.5 106.9 102

45.95 131.9 7.53 104.7 30.7 8.45 52.15 8.75 18.5 23.05 70.95 59 1.4 2.77 2.71 0.086 0.435 174 0.79

1.05 657 48.7 10.4 11.36 0.38 4.65 9.41 5.2 0.2 570 3.25 38.9 8.95 1.15 2.84 3 847.5 107 103.5

44.8 130 7.3 103.2 30 8.28 51.5 8.75 18.46 23 69.4 58.7 1.38 2.76 2.69 0.086 0.435 171 0.79

1.01 647 47.85 10.16 11.32 0.38 4.51 9.2 5.1 0.2 553.5 3.25 38 8.88 1.15 2.74 3 835.5 104.2 97.05

45 131.5 7.3 104.5 30.5 8.31 51.5 8.75 18.5 23.05 69.4 58.8 1.4 2.76 2.69 0.086 0.435 172 0.79

1.04 657 47.85 10.2 11.36 0.38 4.55 9.2 5.2 0.2 555 3.25 38.9 8.91 1.15 2.74 3 845 106 103.1

1,000 3,434,400 2,000 1,143,640 14,000 115,100 2,127,760 63,200 42,500 47,200 388,700 79,030 22,000 67,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 750 11,000

1,062,000 249,860 325,400 3,353,000 49,900 1,140,000 162,000 1,979,800 300 100,000 158,560 3,000 521,700 1,944,100 2,000 232,000 1,000 267,150 329,260 1,530

1,095,050 163,782,335 15,591,485 34,285,474 565,818 433,200 737,050 18,455,648 1,550 20,000 89,050,650 9,750 20,169,920 17,343,629 2,300 638,340 3,000 225,331,805 34,829,095 153,620

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.42 0.435 0.44 0.455 0.415 0.415 100,000 42,900 AYALA LAND 30.8 31 29.9 31.25 29.75 31 30,079,000 923,874,470 AYALA LAND LOG 1.56 1.58 1.56 1.58 1.56 1.56 587,000 921,000 ARANETA PROP 0.99 1.02 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.03 20,000 20,600 AREIT RT 29.05 29.1 29.5 29.6 29.05 29.1 4,930,000 144,002,840 A BROWN 0.64 0.67 0.62 0.67 0.62 0.67 95,000 63,480 CITYLAND DEVT 0.68 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 3,000 2,130 CROWN EQUITIES 0.063 0.068 0.061 0.068 0.061 0.068 120,000 7,410 CEB LANDMASTERS 2.48 2.49 2.46 2.49 2.46 2.49 203,000 504,210 CENTURY PROP 0.3 0.305 0.295 0.305 0.295 0.305 630,000 189,050 CITICORE RT 2.52 2.53 2.53 2.53 2.52 2.53 1,571,000 3,972,710 DOUBLEDRAGON 8.01 8.15 7.99 8.2 7.8 8.15 145,000 1,163,782 DDMP RT 1.2 1.22 1.21 1.22 1.2 1.22 2,093,000 2,532,390 DM WENCESLAO 6.26 6.29 6.27 6.29 6.25 6.29 13,200 82,768 EMPIRE EAST 0.131 0.133 0.133 0.133 0.133 0.133 30,000 3,990 EVER GOTESCO 0.28 0.295 0.29 0.295 0.29 0.295 310,000 89,950 FILINVEST RT 2.84 2.85 2.85 2.9 2.84 2.85 2,287,000 6,517,660 FILINVEST LAND 0.54 0.55 0.57 0.57 0.54 0.54 6,870,000 3,770,820 GLOBAL ESTATE 0.74 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.76 1,000 760 8990 HLDG 8.55 9 8.3 9 8.29 9 68,000 584,421 GOLDEN MV 780 847 847 847 847 847 10 8,470 PHIL INFRADEV 0.5 0.54 0.56 0.56 0.53 0.53 124,000 66,170 CITY AND LAND 0.75 0.78 0.75 0.78 0.75 0.78 49,000 37,650 MEGAWORLD 2.04 2.05 2.02 2.05 2.02 2.05 11,981,000 24,497,530 MRC ALLIED 1.46 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.44 1.5 113,000 165,360 MREIT RT 11.9 12 12 12 11.92 12 198,000 2,371,232 OMICO CORP 0.228 0.23 0.228 0.228 0.228 0.228 20,000 4,560 PHIL ESTATES 0.32 0.33 0.33 0.33 0.32 0.32 300,000 97,000 PREMIERE RT 1.5 1.52 1.54 1.54 1.5 1.5 98,000 148,050 PRIMEX CORP 2.4 2.49 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 3,000 7,200 RL COMM RT 4.66 4.7 4.67 4.74 4.62 4.66 427,000 1,998,240 ROBINSONS LAND 14.6 14.74 14.58 14.82 14.58 14.6 338,200 4,979,948 ROCKWELL 1.36 1.39 1.42 1.42 1.36 1.36 27,000 36,960 SHANG PROP 3.7 3.71 3.61 3.7 3.53 3.7 317,000 1,155,450 STA LUCIA LAND 3.2 3.27 3.27 3.27 3.27 3.27 16,000 52,320 SM PRIME HLDG 33.55 33.95 33 33.95 33 33.95 21,453,300 721,872,010 VISTAMALLS 2.25 2.32 2.32 2.32 2.25 2.25 37,000 85,770 SUNTRUST RESORT 0.78 0.85 0.74 0.78 0.74 0.78 71,000 52,580 VISTA LAND 1.64 1.66 1.65 1.66 1.61 1.66 576,000 939,610 VISTAREIT RT 1.68 1.69 1.67 1.69 1.67 1.69 129,000 217,710 SERVICES ABS CBN 3.58 3.7 3.76 3.76 3.6 3.72 23,000 85,080 GMA NETWORK 8.27 8.3 8.29 8.32 8.25 8.3 312,400 2,592,541 MANILA BULLETIN 0.202 0.239 0.239 0.239 0.239 0.239 10,000 2,390 GLOBE TELECOM 1,719 1,735 1,739 1,745 1,719 1,719 94,700 163,991,965 PLDT 1,255 1,260 1,261 1,263 1,240 1,260 54,115 67,938,290 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.014 0.015 0.015 0.015 0.014 0.014 33,500,000 484,900 CONVERGE 8.31 8.32 8.21 8.44 8.21 8.32 3,244,800 27,039,988 DFNN INC 3 3.02 3.03 3.03 3.01 3.01 206,000 621,160 DITO CME HLDG 2.31 2.32 2.4 2.41 2.3 2.32 2,840,000 6,653,640 NOW CORP 1.08 1.1 1.15 1.16 1.08 1.08 2,815,000 3,093,360 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.133 0.136 0.133 0.133 0.132 0.133 450,000 59,840 CHELSEA 1.31 1.32 1.27 1.31 1.27 1.31 553,000 713,080 CEBU AIR 32 32.2 32.25 32.3 31.9 32.05 444,900 14,260,235 INTL CONTAINER 219.8 220 217 221 217 220 3,057,160 672,222,386 LBC EXPRESS 16.98 18.74 17 17 17 17 100 1,700 MACROASIA 4.09 4.14 4.22 4.25 4.11 4.14 183,000 761,590 METROALLIANCE A 0.49 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 213,000 106,500 PAL HLDG 5.2 5.34 5.39 5.39 5.34 5.34 2,100 11,264 HARBOR STAR 0.82 0.84 0.89 0.89 0.84 0.84 28,000 23,820 ACESITE HOTEL 1.75 1.88 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 2,000 3,500 DISCOVERY WORLD 1.03 1.23 1.23 1.23 1.23 1.23 1,000 1,230 FAR EASTERN U 580 598.5 572.5 572.5 572.5 572.5 10 5,725 IPEOPLE 6.41 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.8 2,500 17,000 STI HLDG 0.46 0.465 0.465 0.47 0.46 0.465 3,390,000 1,576,050 BELLE CORP 1.17 1.18 1.18 1.18 1.18 1.18 50,000 59,000 BLOOMBERRY 9.75 9.83 9.97 9.99 9.73 9.75 5,373,500 52,973,923 PACIFIC ONLINE 3.06 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 105,000 336,000 PH RESORTS GRP 0.91 0.93 0.9 0.93 0.9 0.91 1,831,000 1,673,880 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.61 0.59 0.61 4,478,000 2,697,530 DIGIPLUS 6.83 6.88 6.82 6.89 6.58 6.88 1,569,600 10,635,279 PHILWEB 1.74 1.8 1.74 1.8 1.74 1.8 43,000 76,370 ALLDAY 0.164 0.166 0.168 0.168 0.165 0.166 4,060,000 674,240 ALLHOME 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.18 1.12 1.17 4,179,000 4,828,760 PUREGOLD 27.65 27.7 27.95 28.1 27.7 27.7 1,114,400 31,022,900 ROBINSONS RTL 40.05 40.2 40.9 40.95 40 40.05 864,500 34,747,810 PHIL SEVEN CORP 75 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 30,000 2,295,000 SSI GROUP 2.82 2.83 2.85 2.85 2.75 2.82 354,000 992,130 WILCON DEPOT 19.8 19.88 19.7 19.88 19.5 19.88 2,864,700 56,662,210 MEDILINES 0.325 0.33 0.335 0.335 0.325 0.325 780,000 257,450 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.176 0.189 0.175 0.18 0.175 0.18 950,000 167,930 MINING & OIL ATOK 4.78 5.2 4.75 5.1 4.75 5.1 5,300 26,925 APEX MINING 2.88 2.89 2.84 2.89 2.82 2.88 8,482,000 24,248,800 ATLAS MINING 3.3 3.33 3.15 3.4 3.15 3.29 3,014,000 9,765,200 BENGUET A 4.67 4.8 4.89 4.89 4.7 4.8 76,000 358,140 BENGUET B 4.85 5 4.85 4.85 4.85 4.85 3,000 14,550 DIZON MINES 3 3.18 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.1 10,000 31,000 FERRONICKEL 2.32 2.35 2.35 2.35 2.31 2.35 285,000 661,410 GEOGRACE 0.03 0.031 0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03 2,100,000 63,000 LEPANTO A 0.081 0.085 0.08 0.087 0.076 0.085 4,880,000 407,510 LEPANTO B 0.08 0.083 0.08 0.086 0.08 0.082 770,000 63,870 MANILA MINING A 0.0049 0.0052 0.005 0.0053 0.005 0.005 36,000,000 182,400 MANILA MINING B 0.0049 0.0051 0.0048 0.0051 0.0046 0.0051 36,000,000 172,000 MARCVENTURES 1 1.02 1.02 1.04 1 1.02 996,000 1,002,640 NICKEL ASIA 5.06 5.09 5.1 5.16 5.05 5.06 3,082,600 15,710,969 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.67 0.69 0.66 0.69 0.66 0.69 7,000 4,770 PX MINING 3.05 3.08 3.12 3.17 3.05 3.08 1,332,000 4,135,390 SEMIRARA MINING 28.9 28.95 29.15 29.3 28.95 28.95 1,225,300 35,692,415 UNITED PARAGON 0.0042 0.0044 0.0044 0.0044 0.0043 0.0043 4,000,000 17,300 ENEX ENERGY 4.6 4.75 4.3 4.95 4.3 4.91 4,000 18,145 ORNTL PETROL A 0.0081 0.0083 0.0081 0.0081 0.0081 0.0081 1,000,000 8,100 PHILODRILL 0.0082 0.0084 0.0082 0.0083 0.0082 0.0083 12,000,000 99,400 PXP ENERGY 3.76 3.81 3.9 3.9 3.71 3.77 155,000 588,580 PREFFERED HOUSE PREF B 94.05 97.5 94.05 94.05 94.05 94.05 3,500 329,175 ACEN PREF A 1,013 1,020 1,010 1,028 1,010 1,028 420 426,000 ACEN PREF B 1,065 1,067 1,055 1,067 1,055 1,067 1,800 1,913,850 AC PREF AR 2,450 2,460 2,450 2,450 2,450 2,450 540 1,323,000 BRN PREF A 96.05 98.5 96.05 96.05 96 96.05 3,300 316,865 CEB PREF 31.3 31.4 31.4 31.4 31.4 31.4 44,500 1,397,300 DD PREF 90.05 91.8 91.95 91.95 90.05 90.05 10,670 971,216.50 EEI PREF B 91 96.3 96.5 96.5 90.05 96.5 3,810 344,445 JFC PREF A 945 959.5 948 948 948 948 10 9,480 JFC PREF B 905 925 906 920 905 920 160 146,060 MWIDE PREF 4 93.7 93.8 93.7 93.7 93.7 93.7 90 8,433 MWIDE PREF 5 100.1 101 101 101 101 101 80 8,080 PNX PREF 3B 24.05 26.1 23.75 26.25 23.75 26.1 800 20,235 PNX PREF 4 226 249.8 225.8 249.8 225.2 249.8 190 44,894 PCOR PREF 3A 970 992 970 993 970 970 4,900 4,764,860 PCOR PREF 3B 970 999.5 990 990 990 990 10 9,900 PCOR PREF 4C 990 999 999 999 980 980 1,010 990,090 SMC PREF 2F 71 72.9 72 72 71 71 15,300 1,100,100 SMC PREF 2J 67.5 68.15 67.6 67.6 67.6 67.6 3,000 202,800 SMC PREF 2K 65.5 66.1 66 66.1 65.5 66.1 3,080 202,899

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

WARRANTS

TECH WARRANT

3.29 3.58 3.31 3.35 3.29 3.29 32,000 7.53 8.6 -

0.335

0.35

1,040 58,986,885 -4,952,495 11,831,446 -618,660 -7,058,142 -26,134,215 1,986,690 -4,141,559 15,465,335 16,227,457 115,707 4,150 138,653,735 15,650 -55,843,775 236,550 -1,170,770 -73,866 -24,050 -2,950 3,066,850 -3,109,920 -8,470 -39,700 -645,436 -864,510 201,408 10,880 476,950 379,013,790 -664,400 -28,177,485 -2,286,770 14,345,707 12,100 -72,900 -1,099,140 -8,461,480.00 442,960,724 78,970 18,400 -3,656,490 5,520 480,000 -1,165,019 73,220 -670,440 -18,336,585 -21,835,330 -2,295,000 -360,220 -11,226,444 1,768,390 -95,960 -48,740.00 30,000 1,020 -542,690.00 26,000 -13,458,595 -8,700 -1,481 -1,362,760 -33,132.50 9,480 -106,500 -

106,130 -

SMALL, MEDIUM & EMERGING

0.425 0.455 0.425 0.425 130,000 58,050 4,250 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 410,000 299,300 1 1.04 1 1.03 865,000 884,580 -10,000 0.65 0.69 0.65 0.69 31,000 20,790 0.064 0.064 0.064 0.064 20,000 1,280 1.02 1.04 1.02 1.04 1,254,000 1,293,870 -1,060 0.215 0.218 0.203 0.203 90,000 19,160 -

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS

98.6 103 98.6 99.4 22,820 2,279,024.50 39,592

BALAI FRUITAS CTS GLOBAL HAUS TALK ITALPINAS LFM PROP MERRYMART XURPAS

FIRST METRO ETF

0.42 0.73 1.02 0.67 0.052 1.03 0.203 99

0.455 0.75 1.03 0.68 0.063 1.04 0.217 99.4

www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com

Solons eye regulation, taxation of ‘paluwagan’ By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

HE House Committee on Ways and Means on Tuesday approved the tax provisions of a measure providing for the regulation of the organization and operation of community groups known as “paluwagan.” The panel, chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, approved an unnumbered substitute bill on the proposed “Bagong Paluwagan ng Bayan” law. Through the bill, the “paluwagan,” a traditional Filipino system of saving, stands to gain several key tax exemptions aimed at amplifying its economic impact and encouraging its proliferation across the nation. The bill seeks to apply tax exemptions that include all the income it receives, including interest on its deposits with any financial institution. However, that income derived from any of its properties, real or personal, or any activity conducted for profit, regardless of the disposition thereof, is subject to the corresponding internal revenue taxes imposed under the National Internal Revenue Code. Likewise, the exemption from income tax shall exclude taxes wherein the “paluwagan” is only constituted as the withholding or remitting agent. The bill also allows income tax exemptions on interest on members’ contribution or share to any “paluwagan.” Any “paluwagan” duly registered with the Administration shall be exempt from the payment of value-added tax (VAT) and documentary stamp taxes in relation to its operations and transactions with members, according to the proposed measure.

Organizational structure

THE BILL also seeks that any “paluwagan,” regardless of the amount of accumulated reserves and undivided net savings, shall be exempted from payment of local taxes. Fees and charges assessed by the cities or municipalities on the application of mayor’s or local business permits and other licenses and approvals shall, in no case, exceed P3,000, according to the proposal. The bill said any nine or more persons with residence, occupation, employment, or activities in a defined community who desire to form a community “paluwagan” shall apply before the administration, which shall approve the creation of said group. The measure seeks the creation of the Community Paluwagan Administration, which shall be under the management of a board. The authors of the bill said the “paluwagan” concept is not unique in the Philippines. “Although named differently in different societies, the concept stays the same,” Manila Teachers Rep. Virgilio S. Lacson and Sagip Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta, the authors, wrote in the bill. Lacson and Marcoleta explained that each participant gives a fixed amount as a contribution to a pooled fund. “The pooled funds will be given to a certain member who is appointed as the manager of the funds on an agreed-upon date. The money collected for the period is then given to a person scheduled to receive it. The order of the payout is usually determined by drawing lots. The cycle continues until all the members have received their share,” the authors explained.

Benefits, downside

THE bill-framers also cited the “many benefits” of the “paluwagan” system. “First, it inculcates the habit of saving among its members. The duty to contribute to the pool regularly promotes accountability among the members.” According to the lawmakers, the proposal enables access to a lump sum of money, even for the poorest of the poor. The advantages of the system, however, are not without downsides, they added. “Although ‘paluwagan’ has been in existence since time immemorial, the practice remains informal and unregulated,” the solons said. “Anyone can form a group through verbal agreements. It is not regulated by any governmental body.”

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Asking yields for T-bills plunge sharply

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

NVESTORS’ asking yields for short-term Treasury bills (T-bills) sharply plunged to below market and policy benchmark rates, pinned by an analyst on declining global oil prices, easing inflation and overwhelming demand for the government securities. The Bureau of the Treasury’s (BTr) auction last Tuesday saw favorable rates for the national government to

raise its full programmed amount of P10 billion from the sale of 3-tenor T-bills.

With the results, the Treasury raised P3 billion from 91-day Tbills, another P3 billion in 182-day tenor and P4 billion from 364-day government securities. Surprisingly, investors’ asking yields across all the debt papers were way below the prevailing secondary market benchmark level and even that of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) current interest policy rate of 6.5 percent. For the 91-day T-bills, investors’ average yield stood at 4.753 percent, versus the previous tender’s 6.123 percent. The comparable PHP BVAL yield for the debt paper with the same maturity was at 5.75 percent. Bids for the 91-day T-bills ranged from 4.72 percent to 4.78 percent.

Meanwhile, tenders for the 182day T-bills had rates ranging from 5.11 percent to 5.27 percent. It averaged 5.181 percent, versus last week’s 6.513 percent. The 364-day T-bills fetched an average rate of 5.727 percent with a bid range of 5.59 percent to 5.75 percent. T-bills’ yields averaged 6.56 percent in the Treasury’s previous tender last November 13. The Treasury’s auction on Tuesday was oversubscribed by 7.2 times with total offer reaching P72.215 billion. R iza l Commercia l Bank ing Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort attributed the “sharp” decline in T-bills yields to the strengthening of the peso in nearly four months and lower

global crude oil prices. He pointed out the latter have gone down to 4-month lows. Ricafort also noted that the market’s expectation of a Federal Reserve rate cut in 2024 contributed to the easing trend in local and US bond yields. “Treasury bill auction yields are again unusually lower against the comparable short-term PHP BVAL yields, as partly supported by the continued gains in the US, global and local financial markets since the start of November 2023,” the RCBC executive said. “Sharply lower T-bill auction yields would effectively reduce the borrowing costs of the government and other private sector borrowers,” Ricafort added.

Solons check BIR’s ‘Letter of Authority’ High PHL population growth stunted economy By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

ENATE probers are keen to keep close watch of the Bureau of Internal Revenue involving the BIR’s so-called “Letter of Authority” (LOA). Sen. Raffy Tulfo disclosed in advance that he had urged the Committee on Ways and Means “to exercise its oversight power to monitor all” LOAs issued by the BIR. Tulfo said senators were “prompted to move” because the LOA has reportedly become “a source of corruption, particularly in several special economic zones.” During a Senate hearing on November 28, Tulfo claimed the LOA

“has become a milking cow for many unscrupulous government officials resulting in the loss of millions of pesos in revenue due to corruption.” The senator also demanded that the BIR submit to him “a list of LOAs in the last three years.” “We should have an assigned group of people to do a thorough follow up on what happened to the LOAs, how much the government earned out of those LOAs and, if there are none, there should be a case filed,” Tulfo added. He noted that the LOA is issued by the BIR to initiate a tax audit or investigation of a taxpayer. Tulfo also noted the LOA authorizes BIR examiners “to assess the taxpayer’s compliance with tax laws, verify the accuracy of

financial records and determine the correct amount of taxes due.” Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 75-2018 issued by the BIR on September 5, 2018, cited a ruling by the Supreme Court that said “no assessments can be issued or no assessment functions or proceedings can be done without the prior approval and authorization of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue or his duly authorized representative, through an LOA.” “The concept of an LOA is therefore clear and unequivocal,” the RMC said citing the judicial ruling. “Any tax assessment issued without an LOA is a violation of the taxpayer’s right to due process and is therefore ‘inescapably void.’”

Court fines, bars shroff from cash business By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

NOTHER money changer was convicted by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Makati City for violating regulations of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The RTC of Makati convicted the owner and operator of Globexmc Foreign Exchange Services (Globexmc) for violating the BSP’s Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions (MORNBFI) and the New Central Bank law (Republic Act 7653). A criminal complaint was filed against the unnamed owner of Globexmc for operating an unregistered money service business (MSB) engaged in foreign exchange dealing. Documents provided by the BSP said

the court found the owner guilty beyond reasonable doubt and was sentenced to pay a fine of P50,000 without the right to avail of the benefits of probation. The lender of last resort said that with the conviction, the Globexmc owner can no longer own and/or operate an MSB. The unnamed individual is also disqualified from registering with the BSP any entity engaged in the business of remittance services, money changing or foreign exchange dealing. The central bank said the latter is pursuant to Section 901-N of the MORNBFI (as amended). The regulation pertains to those applicable to MSB operations. It pertains to the amount of capital these businesses must have in order to obtain their BSP registration. Using the amount of capital, these

businesses are classified into either as small-scale operator or large-scale operator on a six-tier system. There are also capitalization requirements set specifically for electronic-money issuers at P100 million and remittance platform provider at P10 million. The BSP explained it withholds registration if the entity fails to provide the complete required documents and if any of the partners, directors or principal officers were found by the courts as “not fit and proper.” “The BSP continues to promote compliance with existing laws among banks and non-bank financial institutions performing quasi-banking functions to safeguard the interest of the general public,” read a statement from the central bank.

Senate urged to pass bill vs. scammers

measure seeking to impose stringent penalties against digital financial fraud should be prioritized by members of the Upper Chamber of Congress, a Congressman said last Tuesday. Bicol Saro Partylist Rep. Brian Raymund S. Yamsuan issued the appeal as he expressed concern on “the alarming surge” in fake bank and e-wallet advisories circulated by scammers. According to Yamsuan, the scams have become “so prevalent that banks have resorted to sending numerous messages to their clients” through text, emails and other messaging platforms, warning them about these deceptive schemes. After phishing, in which scammers use fake emails and links to trick potential victims into revealing their personal and financial data, these fraudsters have now resorted to smishing (sending bogus text messages) and vishing (making fraudulent calls)—both with the same purpose as phishing, the lawmaker explained. Yamsuan said consumers need to be protected from these fraudulent tactics through the passage of the proposed Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (Afasa), which the House of Representatives already passed in May this year under House Bill (HB) 7393. “On top of providing a shield of protection to consumers, the AFASA will also help safeguard the integrity of our financial system. We urge the Senate to

pass its version of the Afasa to assure the public that they can continue to trust our financial system as we go forth with our inevitable shift to a digital economy,” said Yamsuan, one of HB 7393’s authors.

Fastrack Afasa

THE lawmaker noted that mobile wallet providers and telecommunications companies have been urging Congress to fast-track the approval of the Afasa. While the Lower Chamber has already passed its version of the Afasa, a counterpart measure remains pending at the Senate committee level. The House version provides heavy penalties against online scams perpetrated on a large scale. Under the bill, if the online scam is committed by a syndicate (defined as a group of three or more persons), done on a large scale, or using a mass mailer, such crimes are classified as acts of economic sabotage punishable with life imprisonment and a fine ranging from P1 million to P5 million. Yamsuan said cases of deceptive tactics employed by cybercriminals could increase this coming holiday season and spill over to online shopping sites where people could fall prey to fake websites that allow scammers to get hold of the details of their victims’ credit cards or bank accounts. He also pointed out that since the implementation of the SIM Registration law (Republic Act 11934), there have been reports of individuals lending or selling

their registered SIM cards, e-wallet accounts, and bank accounts to scammers.

Fines, jail time

UNDER HB 7393, these seemingly harmless acts of acting as money mules to perpetrate scams are punishable with imprisonment of six months and one day to six years (prison correccional), or a fine ranging from P100,000 to P200,000, or both. Persons perpetrating social engineering schemes, such as phishing, vishing, or smishing, are penalized under the bill with imprisonment of six years and one day to 12 years (prison mayor), or a fine of at least P200,000 but not exceeding P500,000, or both. The maximum penalty shall be imposed if the victims include senior citizens aged 60 years old or above. The operator of e-wallet GCash has reported that from January 2022 to June 2023, it has blocked four million accounts from accessing its platform on suspicion of fraud. According to Yamsuan, PLDT Inc. reported that it blocked more than 17 billion attempts last year to access malicious domains. The telco has also blacklisted 5.5 million domains used in phishing, spam and other hoax activities. Some 433 million text messages containing phishing sites were also blocked, in addition to more than 400,000 mobile numbers found to be engaged in illegal activities, according to PLDT. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

ORMER Socioeconomic Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia recently lamented the high Philippine population growth rate that had caused the stunting of the economic growth of the nation. Pernia was the sixth of six former NEDA heads who spoke at the UP School of Economic Auditorium in 2023- reflecting “50 Years of Economic Policy-Making.” He narrated that it was in the mid1970s that the country’s population growth rate policy, mainly through the pressures coming from the Roman Catholic Church and other conservative growths, egged president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. to follow a conservative route. He did so for political expediency. Family planning, which is the core of the population-control program, has been a failure in the country compared to our neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region and partially caused the Philippines to lag behind economically. He said reducing the fertility rate (leading to demographic transition) leads to economic growth, savings rate and inclusivity when coupled with correct government policy. Such population policy, Pernia asserts, can lead to as much as “onethird of a nation’s economic growth.” Thailand had the same population as the Philippines before the year 2000 and the two diverged into different economic growth paths due to differences in population control policy.

Results vs. Asean

PERNIA presented a set of economic and population data from various sources (2021-2022) showing that the Philippines has the highest population growth rate of 1.6 percent (more current data shows it at 1.9 percent). The best ratio is Thailand with only a 0.25-percent population growth. Our population of 117 million, on the other hand, is the second-largest after Indonesia at 279 million; and our median age of 25.7 is the youngest in the region. Countries in the comparative analysis included Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. Poverty incidence in the Philippines of 18.1 percent was the 6th worst in the group of 8; only better than the 18.3 percent of Laos and 24.8 percent of Myanmar. “Gross Inequality,” or disparity in wealth, showed the Philippines to be in the worst situation (42.3) with Vietnam with the most democratically spread wealth among its populace at 35.7. The 2023 projected per capita gross national product of the Philippines at $3,764 is the 8th worst in a nation-list of 11 countries: the Philippines is only better than lowly nations like Laos, Cambodia, East Timor and Myanmar.

Infrastructure investment

ASIDE from population policies leading to better employment opportunities, enhanced savings rates and higher economic growth, human capital is the most important resource of the nation. Pernia postulates that it is important to shift the emphasis

Finex free enterprise Zoilo ‘Bingo’ Dejaresco III in both policies and budget allocation towards more towards health and education rather than physical infrastructure. Unfortunately, realities on the ground indicate that physical infrastructure projects attract more PPPs since they are more lucrative to the private sector partner and even Official Development Aid (ODA). Theoretically, such a happenstance (PPP/ ODA participation) should free some of the public sector budgetary funding sources towards the human and the social. But does it, really? Lesser investments in schools and hospitals have led to unfortunate consequences. According to one of the panelists, Dr. Jaine Galvez-Tan, the Philippines has a very poor hospital bed/population ratio. Further, he said that even if the Philippines prides itself of having a so-called “sweet spot” of the young populace (primarily between 15-25 and even up to 35), the stunting of kids due to malnutrition and general poverty as they grow up has resulted in a “poor quality” of this “sweet spot.” For instance, the Philippines is the leading nation with HIV-infected people, a very-high teenage pregnancy situation (and all its dire consequences) and tuberculosis is still a curse among many. Of the 194 flagship projects of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., only five are related to health, laments Galvez-Tan. In education, the Philippines spends only one-third per student compared to what Thailand spends. One-fourth of the Philippines population or about 29 million are enrolled in K-12; but the budget allocation is minuscule compared to the Asean peers. Ninety-five kids die daily from malnutrition and one-third of children below 5 years old are malnourished. It is a tragedy since the brain of a 5-year-old child is already 90 percent of the size of an adult. Thus in a survey of 10 Asian nations, the Philippines was ranked at the bottom in that 90 percent of the Filipino kids aged 10 could hardly read a simple text. Indeed, schools and hospitals need trained teachers and medics and maintenance to ensure human development. We direly lack both and these institutions are not even distributed equitably nationwide. Pernia emphasized the need for a more enlightened populationgrowth policy and more funds for human and social infrastructure over the physical. Bingo Dejaresco, a former banker, is a financial consultant, media practitioner and author. He is a Life and Media member of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex). His views here are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Finex and the BusinessMirror. E-mail: Dejarescobingo@ yahoo.com.

Show BusinessMirror

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of sexual abuse by two more women

BILLING ISSUE

WHO is the actor who had a hissy fit over his billing in a new project? The actor has a new project with other stars. It is true that of all of them, he is the biggest star and so he was accorded the honor of getting the billing that people thought he deserved. But it wasn’t enough for him. He told the producers, in no uncertain terms, that he wasn’t happy with his billing and needed something better. Could the actor be threatened by by the presence of another male star, who is getting a lot of buzz on social media and is being described as “fresh and young?” The male star is not much younger than the actor but he looks manlier and has a look that the public much prefers these days.

PHOTO BY KELLY ELISON ON UNSPLASH

THE ROOT OF EVIL

ONE of the issues in the supposed split of a popular showbiz couple is allegedly money. The girl’s parents had warned her to be careful with her joint accounts and businesses with her boyfriend, an actor, because he is his family’s breadwinner and an entire family depends on him. And it isn’t a small family but a large extensive one. So one day, the girl, an actress, asked for an accounting of all their joint funds and investments and the actor was able to produce it but not after a while. So that seed of doubt was planted in the actress’ mind. This distrust was made worse by the boyfriend’s past cheating episodes and the actress finally decided she has had enough. But what’s this we hear that the couple that wasn’t a couple any longer has gotten back together.

LOOKING FOR SUCCESS

NOW that the actress’ plans for her resurgence have flopped, she is looking for someone who will steer her to the right path. To be fair to the actress and her management, they have done everything for her to succeed. It’s just that she hasn’t found a project that will bring her to where she wants to go. She has, however, lost some of her endorsements and this is what worries the actress and her management. To celebrities, endorsements are where the real money is. They are what make celebrities rich.

OLDER WOMAN

SOCIAL media is busy speculating about the rumored break-up of the young actress and her beau and what (or who) caused it. Well, there are videos of the guy and an older celebrity circulating on social media and it appears that they went on a double date with another couple who are also dating in secret. The thing is, if the male starlet is indeed dating the older celebrity, their age gap is concerning. It’s also concerning that if these were all true, he probably cheated on his girlfriend and that is not right. No matter what the girlfriend did, cheating is inexcusable.

EW YORK—Two more women have come forward to accuse Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual abuse, one week after the music mogul settled a separate lawsuit with the singer Cassie that contained allegations of rape and physical abuse. Both of the new suits were filed on Thursday on the eve of the expiration of the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law permitting victims of sexual abuse a one-year window to file civil action regardless of the statute of limitations. The filings detail acts of sexual assault, beatings and forced drugging allegedly committed in the early 1990s by Combs, then a talent director, party promoter and rising figure in New York City’s hip-hop community. One of the accusers, Joi Dickerson, said she was a 19-year-old student at Syracuse University when she agreed to meet Combs at a restaurant in Harlem in 1991. After their date, Combs “intentionally drugged” her, then brought her home and sexually assaulted her, according to the filing. Without her knowledge, Combs videotaped the assault and later shared it with several friends in the music industry, the suit alleges. The public exposure sent Dickerson into a “tailspin,” contributing to severe depression that landed her in the hospital and forced her to drop out of college. In a separate lawsuit filed on Thursday, an unnamed woman accused Combs and an R&B singer, Aaron Hall, of sexually assaulting her and a friend, then beating her several days later. The woman—identified only as Jane Doe—said that she and her roommate returned to Hall’s home with him and Combs after a music industry event in 1990 or 1991. The accuser said she was coerced into having sex with Combs. Afterward, as she was getting dressed, “Hall barged into the room, pinned her down and forced Jane Doe to have sex with him,” the suit

states. When the victim later spoke to her friend, who is also not named, she learned that her friend “had been forced to have sex with Combs and Hall in another room,” according to the suit. “Upon information and belief, when Combs finished with Jane Doe, he and Hall switched, and they commenced assaulting Jane Doe’s friend,” the suit states. A few days later, an “irate” Combs allegedly showed up at the home of the two women in an attempt to stop them from speaking out about the abuse. He then choked the woman identified as Jane Doe until she passed out, the suit states. In an emailed statement, a spokesman for Combs denied the allegations, accusing the two women of seeking to exploit the New York law that temporarily extended the statute of limitations. An e-mail inquiry to Hall was not returned. Tyrone Blackburn, an attorney for the unnamed accuser, said his client was in the process of securing medical documents and witness statements to support her suit, which was filed late Thursday “in an effort to preserve the statute of limitations.” The suit brought by Dickerson notes that the victim filed police reports in New York and New Jersey after the abuse. Inquiries to the New York City Police Department were not immediately returned. It was not clear which other jurisdictions the reports may have been filed. After the filmed assault, Dickerson said she approached friends in the music industry asking them to confirm the existence of the “revenge porn” tape, but was rebuffed by those who were “terrified that Combs would retaliate against them and that they would lose future business and music opportunities.” The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Dickerson has done. AP

GLOBE’S KMMUNITYPH REDEFINES STANNING, RAMPS UP PARTNERSHIPS Globe’s 264,000-strong KmmunityPH actively stepped up its engagement with the thriving K-culture community in the Philippines this year. Amplifying its initiatives, KmmunityPH has revolutionized the “stanning” or obsessive fan experience by fostering meaningful collaborations with some of the country’s most ardent K-pop and K-drama fan groups. “Our vision at Globe has always been to uplift and empower. Through KmmunityPH, we are bridging dreams, passions and opportunities. We support fans in their next level of stanning, providing them with platforms and resources to bring their dreams and fan projects to life. We want KmmunityPH to be a safe, nurturing environment for individuals who want to take their Hallyu passion further,” said Abigail Mariano, Korean Subcultures manager. Events such as BLACKPINK PH’s co-created experience during the BORN PINK concert, BTS PH’s celebration of the Hobiuary Project and BTS 10th Anniversary, and ONCE HQ’s Social Take Over for TWICE’s music promotion, all stand as a testament to KmmunityPH’s drive to enrich the fan journey. Recently, KmmunityPH also supported “NEVER LOST” of EXO’s Kim Jongdae, and TWICE x ONCE 8th Anniversary, while preparing for Enhypen’s 3rd Anniversary Fangathering dubbed “EN-GRANDE: The 2023 ENNIVERSARY Celebration,” on November 27 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay. KmmunityPH also brought all fan groups together for the “K-leidoscope” event on November 25-26 at the GCreator House (BGC) and Baked Studios (Makati) to meet and stan with fellow fans. From November 14 to December 6 at the Globe Creator House, there will also be weekly dance classes featuring K-pop. Both initiatives aim to foster deeper connections among fans and to celebrate K-culture.

Ramping up partnerships, KmmunityPH has joined forces with renowned local fashion brand BENCH, granting fans the unparalleled experience of meeting idols, such as ITZY, Wi Ha Jun, Kim Seon Ho, and Ahn Hyo Seop. KmmunityPH also teamed up with Viu Philippines for an exclusive interview content with Kim Bum, available in November 15 on KmmunityPH’s Facebook Group. Viu also gave away premium subscription vouchers to K-drama aficionados. Those who wish to be part of KmmunityPH may join the KmmunityPH Facebook community and follow them on Twitter and TikTok. More information is available at www.globe.com.ph.

TODAY’S HOROSCOPE By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Anna Faris, 47; Don Cheadle, 59; Andrew McCarthy, 61; Howie Mandel, 68. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Stay focused and take care of responsibilities swiftly and without drama. Communicate explicitly to ensure nothing gets misconstrued. Filter through options and handle others with respect. Rely on yourself and avoid disappointment and setbacks. It’s up to you to prove you have what it takes to reach your destination using experience, knowledge and skills. Substantiate what’s doable based on facts, and carry on until you are satisfied with the results. Your numbers are 3, 7, 20, 24, 37, 44, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Don’t let mixed emotions take you down the wrong path. When in doubt, take a breather and review what’s transpired. Put your money and possessions in a safe spot, and question anything that sounds suspicious. Don’t count on others; initiate opportunities and follow through. ★★

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Keep communicating until you receive the information you want. Getting in touch with people from your past will be educational. Don’t hesitate to call or act on a gut feeling if an opportunity is within reach. ★★★★

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Don’t gossip or explain your actions. Concentrate on what offers peace of mind and more time to spend with loved ones. An innovative idea will require discipline to make it work without overspending. ★★★

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Plan your actions and distribute information with a longterm plan. Check in with people who offer constructive suggestions, and you’ll gain ammunition to deal with those trying to meddle with your plans. ★★★

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Take a break and allow yourself to mull over anything you are considering pursuing. The information you receive isn’t likely to be exact. Don’t make decisions without finalizing costs and anything else that needs to be corrected. ★★★

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep your intentions to yourself and focus on what’s important to you. Make changes and actively participate in getting what you want. Networking will lead to helpful information and connections. ★★★

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Determine the best route before beginning your journey. Use charm to gather information from a reliable source. Be ready to do your part, keep promises and reap the rewards, but don’t expect to get something for nothing. ★★

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep close tabs on your investments and joint ventures. Ask questions, take notes and be prepared to adjust quickly when necessary. Hesitation will cause confusion and additional costs that can result in a missed opportunity. ★★★★★

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t lose sight of your goal; be direct, factual and do what’s right. Refuse to let your emotions get tangled up with revenge or allow anyone to put you in a vulnerable position. ★★★

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Make home improvements or alter your living arrangements to make your routine flow better. You’ll get more in return if you appreciate and accommodate others. Positive change begins with kindness and consideration. ★★★

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Refuse to get involved in other people’s drama or responsibilities. Don’t let anyone interject until you finish taking care of what you need to. You can resolve a money, legal or medical matter by getting information from the source. ★★★★

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Follow directions and rules, and you’ll avoid a run-in with authorities. Look for the most efficient and lucrative ways to use your skills, knowledge and experience. Someone who shares your interests will suggest an event that helps you blow off steam. ★★★★★ BIRTHDAY BABY: You are tenacious, innovative and considerate. You are curious and outgoing.

‘time after time’ BY MICHELLE GOVIER

The Universal Crossword • Edited by David Steinberg/Anna Gundlach/Jared Goudsmit ACROSS 1 Soothing stuff 5 Lose fur 9 Ocean’s highs and lows 14 Soothing stuff 15 Second half of a spa combo 16 Bring together 17 Doe’s mate 18 Place with many agitators 20 The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be ___” 22 Chivalrous fellow 23 Globe 24 Place to surf 25 Anatomical pouch 26 “That punch hurt!” 29 Prefix for the budget-conscious 31 Home of the Mona Lisa 33 Scrooge’s scoff 34 Band worn at a pageant 37 Responses at church 38 Archer’s projectile 40 Universal remote brand 41 Fortuneteller’s deck 42 Capital on the Nile 43 Enjoy a meal

45 You might walk all over it 46 NFL team at Levi’s Stadium, informally 48 Place for a plug that can safely get wet 50 Sentence structure’s school subj. 51 Frat party fixture 53 Word before “mouth” or “foot” 54 Apply gingerly 57 Jackson 5 hairdo 58 Study of the ear 60 Minor request 64 Tennis great Lendl 65 Couldn’t help it 66 Jab 67 Note to employees 68 Provide with funding 69 Frozen queen 70 Coffee, tea or mead DOWN 1 Opera singer with a low voice 2 Make a change to 3 Like a structurally important wall 4 Prefix meaning “million” 5 Organs near stomachs

6 Support for reading in bed 7 End of a college email address 8 Minor dents 9 Traitor 10 How some NFL games end 11 Not too bright 12 Flight tracker stat 13 Band’s playlist 19 Word said during a handshake 21 A pair 26 Repeatedly, or what can precede both parts of 3-, 6-, 9-, 36- or 39-Down 27 “...but we could do something else” 28 Suffix with “Oktober” 30 Laundry or dusting 32 Savory flavor 33 Thinker? 35 Poli ___ 36 Reference manuals 38 Benzoyl peroxide target 39 Process for completing tasks 44 Horn of Africa nation 47 Feudal laborer 49 A long time ___

52 Flip out 55 Team’s best effort 56 Already 57 Voice above tenor 59 Arm or leg 60 Elle, in English 61 End of a superhero’s name, perhaps 62 Calculate a total 63 Loudness: Abbr. Solution to today’s puzzle:

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Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • Wednesday, November 29, 2023

Bridging gaps in the workplace

Online food business owners Zee Pono and Rhea Calooy credit Rakuten Viber for improving their customer relationships.

“Rakuten Viber has opened a lot of opportunities for me as a small business owner,” says food entrepreneur and the first Pinoy Dream Negosyo winner Mon Cabsag.

Conversational commerce isn’t a trend, but the future of small businesses By Pancho Dizon E-commerce in the Philippines is here to stay, with the market reaching a valuation of $17 billion in 2021 and with a market outlook of $24 billion by 2025, according to the International Trade Administration. One emerging e-commerce trend is the rise of conversational commerce, or c-commerce. C-commerce is how brands use messaging and conversational technology to talk to consumers in a more natural and personal way, as if they were talking to a friend. This approach allows brands to create tailored recommendations, help with orders, and give further assistance even before and after a transaction. Leading communications app Rakuten Viber has in fact recorded a 30 percent year-over-year increase in enterprise business accounts created and a 34 percent year-over-year increase in delivered business messages in the Philippines in the first half of 2023, proving that c-commerce is a potent tool for improving customer service. As a longtime champion of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), Rakuten Viber is also equipping budding businesses with new ways to harness c-commerce and personalize customer experience. While strengthening its core messaging and calling features, the popular conversational commerce app also initiated MSME-focused channels such as RaketPH and FoodPH, where they can engage both with online businesses and potential customers. It also hosted two editions of Pinoy Dream Negosyo by Rakuten Viber, a grant program that aims to empower MSMEs to launch their business or scale their side hustles up. Now, Rakuten Viber has taken it up a notch by introducing a business account solution solely for MSMEs, allowing budding entrepreneurs to have an official Rakuten Viber business profile that’s separate from their personal accounts. The new business toolkit features a searchable public profile, 1:1 customer chats kept inside a dedicated folder, and a product catalog, solutions that Filipino MSMEs believe can help them future-proof their businesses. Foodpreneur and the first Pinoy Dream Negosyo winner Mon Cabsag says Rakuten Viber has been instrumental in spreading word about his business. “The Bistro Box started out on the FoodPH Channel when we were all on lockdown, and I got the financial boost I needed when I joined the Pinoy Dream Negosyo. Rakuten Viber has opened a lot of opportunities for me as a small business owner,” Cabsag explains. “The app’s starter business account for MSMEs has allowed me to reach more customers with my business’ searchable Rakuten Viber profile.” Online food business owners and champs of Pinoy Dream Negosyo season two Zee Pono and Rhea Calooy credit Rakuten Viber for improving their customer relationships. “As business newbies, Rakuten Viber enabled us to provide the best service at every step of the customer journey with its reliable calling and messaging features and the channels they created for MSMEs, and through the business training programs they offered to us,” Pono shares. “We’re excited to see how Rakuten Viber’s new MSME business account can elevate our business. Having a dedicated folder for our chats also helps us respond to their inquiries as quickly as possible, making sure they know that we’re serious about catering to their needs,” Calooy underlines.

HEN there is friction among team members, a leader needs to manage it right away before it escalates into a full-blown conflict. When a team does not get along well together, it is a leadership issue more than anything else. Your role is to create a safe space for everyone in the team, and not just for a few. When your team knows you have their best interest at heart, you effortlessly create your dream team. As the main culture builder of the team, you set the tone in the way team members relate to one another. If you are managing a team, one of the most effective tools you can use in managing conflict is how you communicate. The way you talk to your team and how you address them indicates what they can and cannot do in the workplace. They need to understand when work is work, and when you are just having a conversation. Team dynamics vary from group to group, but if you want to maintain a certain level of respect, you need to draw the line between being professional and being too familiar. When it comes to your team, conflict can be caused by factors such as their own personal circumstances, the people they work with, and their work environment. You need to understand that your team’s lives do not revolve around their work so you need to make allowances for things that might creep into their work. You need to be attuned to these things so you can help them cope with their concerns so they can do their work well. Personal concerns include issues with their own skills, knowledge and attitude. Team members have different skill sets and sometimes these clash with other team members who expect them to already know what to do. When this happens, you need to help the lagging team member keep up by coaching them, asking a team member to mentor them, or sending them to training. Sometimes, conflict can arise from unequal workloads which unduly burden one team member who then reacts negatively to others. Transparency in the way you assign tasks and monitoring their progress goes a long way in making your team understand that some tasks require more time and skill than others. You also need to make them understand the skills they should have as part of the team, and how the workload is designed to help them become equipped for whatever will be assigned to them in the future. Sometimes conflict ensues because of differences in personalities, which could escalate to harassment if not managed properly. You need to help them find a way to work together professionally, otherwise

it could lead to factions within your team or team members leaving the group. Sometimes poor management contributes to workplace conflict especially when the leader does not know how to manage conflict, or they are the one causing the division in the team. An example is when a team member is unfairly treated by being given more work than others, or when someone is given more freedom in workload and timelines. Oftentimes, a leader’s unrealistic expectations also contribute to workplace conflict. All of these could contribute to a negative work environment which increases the likelihood of a conflict. To keep the peace, you need to manage friction between team members so that it does not escalate into a crisis. Most workplace conflicts can be managed by a leader who can make their team listen. First, you need to actively listen to individual team members and to the team as a whole. One-onone coaching and time spent with individual team members help you understand their motivations and aspirations. Suggestions from the team should be considered in the light of what is best for the entire team, more than how it benefits only a few. Your team should know in their hearts that when you decide, you decide in the best interest of the team. When encountering issues, address them immediately. Do not let it fester and become an incident before you act. Most of the time, conflicts could have been avoided if a leader stepped in and decided right away what to do. When you see unacceptable behavior, tactfully ask them to stop so

that everybody knows that it is something that is not tolerated in the team. Follow this up by talking to the offending person in private so that you can discover why they acted that way and agree on steps on how to avoid it in the future. As a leader, you also need to set clear expectations so that everybody knows what they need to do and what they can expect from others in the team. You need to make team members understand that the workload is equitably distributed based on a team member’s skill level, difficulty of the task, and professional development. This way, everyone on the team knows why certain tasks are assigned to specific people and they can help each other out as they see fit. But this comes with a caveat that as a leader, you need to balance what your team needs to know with what they need to accomplish. It goes without saying that you need to maintain impartiality so that there is no perceived favoritism. Once team members feel they are being excluded from others and they feel that you only prefer to work with certain members, you are making it difficult to motivate the entire team. There is also the danger that once you become too familiar with team members, you will find it difficult to discipline them when it is needed. In the end, you need to respect and acknowledge personality differences and work ethics. Managing a team entails knowing how to keep the team together and helping them work through their differences. When team members are in conflict, your role is to help them work through it and find a way to get the work done. n

Appliances get bigger home in Robinsons Galleria Ortigas A trusted name in the appliances industry, Robinsons Appliances has recently opened a bigger outlet at Robinsons Galleria Ortigas. This new store offers a wide range of premium brands and products, making it the perfect destination for those looking to purchase appliances as gifts this holiday season. Whether you’re in need of a new kitchen companion, a top-of-the-line entertainment system, or the latest smartphone model, Robinsons Appliances has you covered. With a focus on customer satisfaction and a commitment to excellence, you can trust that you’ll find everything you need at the store, regardless of whether you’re a techie or a gadget enthusiast.

The grand reopening of Robinsons Appliances in Robinsons Galleria Ortigas was attended by (from left) group general manager for Robinsons Appliances Corp.

Jovito Santos; president and chairman of Concepcion Industrial Corp. Raul Joseph Concepcion; Robinsons Land Corp. executive vice president Faraday Go;

Samsung Electronics Philippines Corp. AV business head Bernardino Christopher Almazan; Concepcion Durables Inc. managing director Maria Cristina Zavalla; PPH executive director of Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp. Satoshi Kono; Acer Philippines general manager Sue Ong Lim; COO and executive vice president of VST Ecs Phils. Inc. Princess Chua; assistant vice president and head of distributive trade of GCash Mark Vince Mamaril; and assistance vice president for operations for Robinsons Appliances Corp. Anthony Caliwag. Robinsons Appliance Center is located at the West Wing of Robinsons Galleria, Edsa corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City.

What’s Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023? Hint: Be true to yourself NEW YORK—In an age of deepfakes and post-truth, as artificial intelligence rose and Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, the Merriam-Webster word of the year for 2023 is “authentic.” Authentic cuisine. Authentic voice. Authentic self. Authenticity as artifice. Lookups for the word are routinely heavy on the dictionary company’s site but were boosted to new heights throughout the year, editor at large Peter Sokolowski told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview. “We see in 2023 a kind of crisis of authenticity,” he said ahead of Monday’s announcement of this year’s word. “What we realize is that when we question authenticity, we value it even more.” Sokolowski and his team don’t delve into the reasons people head for dictionaries and websites in

search of specific words. Rather, they chase the data on lookup spikes and world events that correlate. This time around, there was no particularly huge boost at any given time but a constancy to the increased interest in “authentic.” This was the year of artificial intelligence, for sure, but also a moment when ChatGPT-maker OpenAI suffered a leadership crisis. Taylor Swift and Prince Harry chased after authenticity in their words and deeds. Musk himself, at February’s World Government Summit in Dubai, urged the heads of companies, politicians, ministers and other leaders to “speak authentically” on social media by running their own accounts. “Can we trust whether a student wrote this paper? Can we trust whether a politician made this statement? We don’t always trust what we see

anymore,” Sokolowski said. “We sometimes don’t believe our own eyes or our own ears. We are now recognizing that authenticity is a performance itself.” Merriam-Webster’s entry for “authentic” is busy with meaning. There’s “not false or imitation: real, actual,” as in an authentic cockney accent. There’s “true to one’s own personality, spirit or character.” There’s “worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact.” There’s “made or done the same way as an original.” And, perhaps the most telling, there’s “conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features.” “Authentic” follows 2022’s choice of “gaslighting.” And 2023 marks Merriam-Webster’s 20th anniversary choosing a top word. AP

PHOTO BY ANNIE SPRATT ON UNSPLASH

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

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INAUGURAL CASHLESS EXPO FUELS PHL DIGITAL PAYMENT TRANSFORMATION

ONE of the many guests at the Lazada booth during the first-ever Cashless Expo

HE recently concluded Cashless Expo 2023, hosted by GoDigital Pilipinas at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from November 17 to 19, 2023, marked a significant collaboration between the public and private sectors. In partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the expo showcased the benefits of digital transactions, focusing on driving the digital transformation, particularly among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and farmers, in e-commerce, digital payment, banking, and fintech. Within the government’s digital transformation roadmap, the e-commerce ecosystem is one of the

key sectors poised to drive digital transactions forward while benefiting from faster, easier business transactions. Carlos Barrera, CEO of the leading e-commerce platform, Lazada, underscores the company’s commitment to supporting the government initiative, stating: “We are pleased to be part of this initiative supported by DTI, DA, and BSP, moving the entire country towards a digitally inclusive society.” Recognizing the evolving landscape, Lazada has been encouraging its stakeholders to take advantage of cashless transactions including e-wallets, fintech, and online banking. “Over the past few years, we have witnessed a remarkable surge in Lazada shoppers embracing

digital transactions. Responding to this trend, we have proactively intensified the security measures and enhanced the user experience, ensuring a safe and seamless cashless shopping environment. We have integrated into our sellers’ training the importance of transitioning to cashless payment for smoother and more secure transactions,” Barrera emphasized. DTI Assistant Secretary and Digital Philippines and ECommerce Lead Jean Pacheco, shared her joy towards the event’s outcome: “Through Cashless Expo 2023, the DTI together with DA and BSP, proudly co-convened a trailblazing event uniting e-commerce, digital payment, banking, and fintech. With Cashless Expo 2023, we are empowering every Filipino, from MSMEs to farmers, to experience the digital revolution, ensuring equal access to financial services, and showcasing the vibrant diversity of our local businesses.” “Our commitment to advancing and promoting the digitization of merchant payments and financial inclusion of every Filipino is echoed in the partnership with GoDigital Pilipinas and the overwhelming support from the private sector,” said Pacheco. The success of this initiative speaks to the promising future of digital payments in the Philippines, promoting economic growth, inclusivity, and innovation. Together, the public and private sectors are driving the nation towards a more connected and digitally empowered future.

Mang Inasal Creators’ Circle wins in 2023 Dragons of Asia

ANG Inasal, the Philippines’ Grill Expert, was named Black Dragon winner in the 2023 Dragons of Asia for its Mang Inasal Creators’ Circle (MICC). MICC, a first-of-its-kind, brand-managed influencer community composed of nanoinfluencers to mega-influencers from different parts of the country, was among the award recipients under the Best Brand Building/

Awareness Campaign category. “MICC is one of the biggest post-pandemic milestones for Mang Inasal as we bring the brand closer to the communities we serve,” said Mang Inasal President Mike V. Castro. “We thank all MICC members for their contribution in bringing all the great Mang Inasal updates to their followers. This Black Dragon win is a validation of the effectiveness of their efforts.”

Created in March 2022, MICC is comprised of digital content creators across the Philippines. Among the members of MICC are top mommy influencers like by Mommy Diaries PH and Mommy Hieds as well as known TikTokerists, including Simon Javier and George Tobias. For 23 years, the Dragons of Asia have been recognizing the very best in results-driven marketing communications developed and executed by agencies and clients, across Asia. The Black Dragon from Dragons of Asia is the latest addition to the string of accolades that Mang Inasal has garnered this year. Mang Inasal won a Gold Stevie Award from the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, a Marketing Excellence Silver Award, a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, and a PANAta Award from the Philippine Association of National Advertisers. Want more Mang Inasal exclusives NOW? Visit www.manginasal.com for the latest news, https://manginasaldelivery.com.ph for delivery deals, and follow Mang Inasal on social media for more Ihaw-Sarap and Unli-Saya updates!

Batang Matatag Campaign upholds World Children’s Day mission to invest in every Filipino child’s future

N World Children’s Day, Erceflora Kiddie, the world’s no. 1 probiotic brand, reaffirmed its commitment to championing every child’s right to the highest attainable standard of health, including access to clean water and proper nutrition through the #BatangMatatag Campaign in partnership with Save the Children. “World Children’s Day is an annual reminder that taking care of children’s well-being is a shared responsibility among the academe, the public and private sectors, and the whole community. We must find a way to come together to raise happy, healthy children and protect their future,” Rica Mae Mateo, from the makers of Erceflora Kiddie, shared. Over the past year, the #BatangMatatag initiative has successfully established three community kitchens and three water systems in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). These efforts have touched the lives of hundreds of Filipino families across Iligan City and Lanao del Sur. The initiative is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Article 24, which aims to ensure that children have access to the best possible healthcare, clean drinking water, healthy food, and a clean and safe environment to live in. In October 2022, the #BatangMatatag Campaign was launched to improve access to health, nutrition, sanitation, and education in

conflict-affected areas of the country. Driven by the mission to safeguard children’s health, the movement aims to combat child mortality caused by diarrhea. This preventable condition often stems from unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene. In 2023, the #BatangMatatag Campaign invested P12 million to build Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities and community kitchens, which would benefit the Toril, Sama Bajau, and Higaonon communities in BARMM. Over 1,000 adolescents in the beneficiary communities received training programs on life and leadership skills, and more than 500 residents participated in education programs to learn about critical techniques and methods to improve and maintain proper health and nutrition among children. At the start of the Improving Health and Nutrition Programs and Hygiene Sanitation programs, 58 percent of the communities showed signs of moderate to severe acute malnutrition. After five months, the same communities reflected 100 percent normal health levels. With the success of the campaign in BARMM, #BatangMatatag has already expanded to Luzon to reach more children residing in communities in need. It plans to extend mobile handwashing stations, WASH caravans in schools and communities, and water filtering systems across the major island, starting with the province of Rizal.

The campaign aims to be present in more areas in Luzon within the next five years. With #BatangMatatag’s Luzon expansion underway, Erceflora Kiddie once again encourages the public to take part in the movement. Everyone can play a role in ensuring that Filipino children nationwide are equipped with the resources they need for their growth and development, and there is no better place to start than at home. When a child’s gut is healthy, their body has a stronger ability to fight off diseases and illnesses. Erceflora Kiddie, the world’s no. 1 probiotic brand, has four-strain combination Bacillus clausii spores that helps enhance the body’s natural resistance to intestinal infections. It also aids in digestion through its ability to produce vitamin B, making it easier for the body to absorb nutrients in the gut. “A purchase of Erceflora Kiddie for your own child not only means that you are taking good care of their health; you are also extending that care to less fortunate communities in different parts of the nation through the buy-and-donate* program,” Mateo underscored. With every purchase of Erceflora Kiddie, a portion of the sale will be donated to the #BatangMatatag Campaign to help build more WASH facilities and create more hygiene education programs for vulnerable communities in the country. *Per DOH-FDA-CFRR Permit No. 1487 s. 2023

Okurimono Holiday Food Fair returns to Unwrap Gifts from Japan

ET ready to embark on a delicious journey to Japan this holiday season as the JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) Okurimono Holiday Food Fair returns with a festive flourish. This year, the fair will be hosted not only once but thrice, making its way to three prominent mall destinations: SM Mall of Asia Hypermarket, SM Makati Supermarket, and Mitsukoshi BGC. From November 16, 2023 to January 3, 2024, these locations will transform into havens of Japanese delights, offering a unique blend of authentic Japanese food, liquor, and confectionery products.

Savor Gifts from Japan

THE Okurimono Holiday Fair is not just about experiencing the flavors of Japan; it’s about sharing the joy of gift-giving during the holiday season. This year’s theme, “Gifts from Japan,” encourages shoppers and foodies to explore a wide range of Japanese products that make for perfect gifts for loved ones and even a treat for themselves. This event holds great significance in promoting Japanese food, liquor, and confectionery products to the local market. With Filipinos’ vibrant culinary culture and an appetite for diverse flavors, JETRO hopes the fair will be the ideal platform to showcase the richness and uniqueness of Japanese cuisine by highlighting the diverse flavors and cultural significance of Japanese food and traditions. Explore authentic offerings of Japan, carefully curated to cater to a variet y of tastes and

preferences. The fair will be a treasure trove of popular Japanese products, including liquor, confectionery, and food products, making it the ultimate destination for food enthusiasts, young professionals, and families. THE second Okurimono Holiday Fair is set to highlight three of Japan’s best culinary offers. Shoppers can sample the finest Japanese sake and other unique Japanese beverages, satisfy their sweet tooth with a delightful array of Japanese confections, and experience the rich flavors of Japanese cuisine with an array of food products like Ramune, Miykanbay Junmai-Ginjo Sake, Premium Saikoro Steak, Meltique Sirloin Steak, Nippon Ham Smoked Pork Sausage and Kaki Mukimi Oyster, among others. In addition to shopping for unique gifts, this year’s Okurimono Holiday Fair offers a range of exciting interactive activities to engage shoppers and visitors. Join us in celebrating the Okurimono Holiday Fair and indulge in the authentic flavors of Japan. Mark your calendars for these exciting dates: SM Mall of Asia Hypermarket: November 16 to November 30, 202 SM Makati Supermarket (in front of UNIQLO): November 19 to December 31, 2023 Mitsukoshi BGC (in front of Mitsukoshi FRESH): November 16, 2023 to January 3, 2024 The Okurimono Holiday Fair is just one of the many events mounted by JETRO as part of the “Bringing A Taste of Japan” campaign in Metro Manila. For updates, visit www.jetro.go.jp/philippines .

THE Murray, Hong Kong

The Murray, Hong Kong unveils new executive room packages

F you are planning to go to Hong Kong, you may want to book a room at The Murray, Hong Kong as it recently unveiled the latest executive room packages with all new elite experiences to ensure guests an ultimate luxury stay when they travel to Hong Kong. Perfectly reflecting the modern traveler’s desire for luxury and convenience, the Cassia Lounge Package allows guests to unwind in one of the hotel’s spacious guest rooms and sample a plethora of gourmet with free-flowing Ruinart Champagne and 12-yearold Macallan or Dalmore whiskeys in the Cassia Lounge. Elevate the stay by experiencing seamless complimentary one-way Mercedes Benz limousine transfer and a wide range of extra services designed to pamper all guests in the best possible way. The Cassia Lounge Package includes one night accommodation; Cassia Lounge access for two guests with an array of privileges; one-way Mercedes Benz limousine ser vice (Airpor t to Hotel); complimentary daily breakfast for two at The Tai Pan or Garden Lounge; late check-out up to 3 pm on departure day (subject to availability); 20 percent discount on laundry and dry cleaning; and 15 percent discount on Wellness at The Murray The Indulgence Package features a one-night relaxing stay in the appointed guest room while guests can take advantage and savor a range of culinary delights with HK$1,000 dining credit from hotel’s five acclaimed dining establishments. Indulgence Pack age includes one night accommodation; complimentary daily breakfast for two guests at The Tai Pan or Garden Lounge; HK$1,000 dining credit per stay to be used at hotel restaurants

and bars (except MIAN); Complimentary late checkout until 2 pm (subject to availability). This winter, The Murray, Hong Kong invites you to create everlasting memories with the Christmas Blissful Package. Experience the enchantment in the hotel’s luxurious abode with a range of festivities including a visit to the Christmas market, meet and greet Santa at awe inspiring Santa’s Grotto, a HK$1,500 festive hotel credit and a Christmas gift set from the luxury perfume brand Penhaligon’s. Embrace the festive ambiance where every moment is infused with joy and holiday spirit. The Christmas Blissful Package includes one night accommodation; complimentary daily breakfast for two at The Tai Pan or Garden Lounge; HK$ 1,500 festive hotel credit (available for spa and dining); complimentary mulled wine for two guests; meet and greet Santa at the Santa’s Grotto; complimentary access to the Christmas Market from December 15 to 17, 2023; and Penhaligon’s Scent Library gift set. For reservations, please visit The Murray, Hong Kong website. For enquiries, please call +852 3141 8668 or email reser vations.themurray@ niccolohotels.com. All prices are subject to a 10% service charge. The Murray, Hong Kong offers attractive tailormade package and state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces. Plan your event at The Murray, Hong Kong and enjoy one complimentary room for every booking of 25 rooms (Max four complimentary rooms for booking of 100 rooms). For MICE bookings and enquiries, please contact MICE specialists at +852 3141 8910 or email kay. wong@niccolohotels.com.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Tet Andolong

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 B7

Property sector drives growth in facilities management services

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

acilities management plays a key role in helping companies and businesses in keeping clean, safe, secure and inviting environments. After adjusting to the new normal wherein business owners came to have more things on their checklist, outsourcing facilities management provides tremendous assistance to allow these companies to focus on their core business and help them flourish. Philip Anthony Carter, managing director, OCS Facilities Services Philippines Inc. told reporters in a recent press interview that the property sector has also contributed a lot to the growth of the company. “The Philippine property sector is a growth market as a lot of office buildings are being built around the country,” he said.

Moving the Brand in the Philippines from Atalian to OCS OCS Philippines recently inaugurated its office space located at SM Offices’ Mega Tower in Mandaluyong City, together with the support of Pronove Tai International Property Consultants, their Tenant Representative. Although the OCS brand is new to the Philippines, the company has, in fact, been in the country since 1969, when it began as a local family-owned and operated firm. The brand name changed through

the years, most notably to Atalian Global Services after an acquisition in 2015, and now is changing again to OCS Facilities Services Philippines Inc. after Atalian divested its UK & Asia business to worldrenowned Private Equity Investment firm, Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). At the same time, CD&R also acquired the OCS Group globally. CD&R opted to merge and rename both organizations internationally as OCS, hence the name change from Atalian to OCS Globally and in the Philippines. “I am extremely excited as we enter this new chapter for OCS Philippines. We are uniquely positioned to move forward in the market with our tailored Integrated Facilities Management model, to service both our existing and prospective clients across a broad range of industries with an ever-expanding range of self-delivered services,” Carter explained. “With our Global strength and history, as well as our local and regional knowledge, I see the launch of the OCS brand in the Philippines as a real ‘game changer’ in the Philippines FM market,” Carter added.

The OCS brand Roland Salameh, CEO, OCS Asia Pa-

Technical maintenance, HVAC, gardening, security, pest control, and transportation are among the “non-core” duties that many businesses outsource to specialists like OCS

cific said the OCS Facilities Services Philippines Inc. is part of the worldwide OCS Group, one of the world’s major facilities management companies, providing essential services that enhance the functioning, safety, and long-term viability of buildings, grounds, infrastructure, and real estate assets in general. Cleaning services, technical maintenance, HVAC, gardening, security, pest control, and transportation are among the “non-core” duties that many businesses outsource to specialists like OCS. He said OCS has a global workforce of over 130,000 staff and operates in 26 countries, with an annual revenue of over £2 billion GBP forecast to grow to over £4 billion GBP by 2027. In the Philippines, OCS operates nationwide and currently has over 4,000 employees.

The business Carter stressed the local office is currently experiencing a strong growth phase, building its business organically and through direct inquiries from prospective new clients, all the while leveraging on positive recommendations from its existing clients and cultivating mutually beneficial partnerships with them. With the debut of the OCS brand in the Philippines, the company seeks to operate across all business sectors and currently has a strong foothold with offices in Manila, Cebu, and Davao. OCS Philippines currently provides services to corporate offices, manufacturing plants, health care, telecommunications, energy, and logistics, to name just some of the segments they work in. OCS Philippines, according to Carter,

also provides mobile service teams that can respond and adjust to their clients’ varying needs, allowing them to be more f lexible and responsive when needed. Moreover, he said mobile teams provide a comprehensive range of services all over the country, including electrical and air conditioning maintenance, generator set testing and repairs, specialized cleaning, and pest control services, to name just a few. OCS Asia Pacific said the OCS Facilities Services Philippines Inc. is part of the worldwide OCS Group, one of the world ’s major facilities management companies, providing essential services that enhance the functioning, safety, and long-term viability of buildings, grounds, infrastructure, and real estate assets in general.

BOI announces threshold price increase of ₧3 million CENTURY PROPERTIES GAINS FULL OWNERSHIP OF FIRST-HOME BUSINESS at the National Developers Convention 2023

entury Properties Group (CPG) has fully acquired PHirst, its first-home residential venture, marking a milestone five years after entering a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation. In May 2023, CPG’s board of directors approved the company’s acquisition of a substantial 40percent ownership stake previously held by Mitsubishi Corporation in two entities, PHirst Park Homes Inc. (PPHI) and Tanza Properties Inc. (TPI) via a share purchase agreement. Subject to regulatory approvals, the acquisition has been greenlit by the Philippine Competition Commission in August and creditors. CPG’s Executive Chairman and Ambassador, Jose E.B. Antonio, emphasized the strategic importance of this acquisition. “This pivotal move allows us to offer greater value to our stakeholders now that CPG is the 100 percent owner of a fast growing and high margin business,” he said. PPHI has successfully completed the launch of 15 projects it committed to deliver during its formation in 2017. In 2022, CPG established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Century PHirst Corporation (CPC), to expand its market presence by entering the socialized and economic housing, as well as mid-income residential markets. The expanded market brought about broadened offerings under new brands: PHirst Sights Bay for socialized and economic segments, PHirst Editions Batulao catering to the mid-income market, and PHirst Centrale Hermosa—a mixeduse township encompassing residential (Impressions), commercial (Fairgrounds), and retail (Boroughs) establishments. This expansion significantly widened PHirst’s price point offerings, ranging from P580,000 to P8 Million. PHirst continues to thrive in its core affordable product line (P1.5 to P3.5 million) as it launched its first com-

munity in Nueva Ecija with PHirst Park Homes Gapan, followed by the opening of PHirst Impressions Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas in the first and second quarter of 2023, respectively. Meanwhile, two more project launches are expected to materialize for the remainder of the year, bringing its total portfolio to 21 active developments. Early this November, PHirst broke ground on its inaugural venture in the Visayas Region via PHirst Park Homes Bacolod, marking a step forward to achieving nationwide presence. “We are committed to addressing the housing needs of first-time homebuyers as well as to explore further expansion opportunities. Now as the sole owner of PHirst, which caters to our core price point, and with our expansion into new brands broadening our product and price offerings, we now have a platform to address the entire spectrum of the country’s housing backlog,” CPG President and Chief Executive Officer Marco Antonio said. Mitsubishi Corporation’s Executive Vice President and Group CEO for Urban Development Group Takuya Kuga’s official statement: “Together with CPG, MC was able to grow the value of PPHI by contributing to various fields. The outcome we initially projected to achieve in ten years has been substantially realized within five years.” He added: “Century Properties has been a great partner from the very beginning. This is our second investment with them and in both instances, we achieved healthy financial returns with our successful exits. We believe in their stewardship of the business for the years to come. We continue our dialogue with Century as we look for more investments in the Philippines and the Asian region.” Antonio affirmed the enduring relationship between Century Properties and Mitsubishi Corporation, hinting at plans for future collaborations.

HDA’s National Developers Convention draws over 500 housing industry professionals for crucial discussions on country’s housing agenda. In response to the call from developers, the Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) has announced the increase of threshold price per housing unit eligible for government tax incentives from P2 million to P3 million during the National Developers Convention in Cebu City hosted by the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA). The official announcement was made by Mary Ann Raganit, Director of the Infrastructure and Service Industries Service at the BOI. In addition to the increased threshold, the BOI has also extended the income tax holiday (ITH) period from four years to six years. These changes represent a significant shift in government policy and have been welcomed by the housing industry, particularly around 500 mass developers and housing professionals who attended the two-day convention. The extended threshold for tax incentives and the longer ITH period will provide developers with increased financial incentives, making it more attractive for them to undertake housing projects. Raganit noted that the BOI expects to see an influx of new project registrations following this announcement. These changes will not only benefit developers but also have the potential to stimulate economic growth and encourage more housing projects to address the nation’s housing needs. In line with these developments in the housing industry, day 1 of the SHDA’s National Developers Convention addressed critical issues and concerns within the housing industry. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar graced the event and delivered the message of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Pag-IBIG CEO, Marilene Acosta delivered her keynote address for the convention and was followed by Dr. Stan Padojinog, President of the University of Asia and the Pacific who mentioned in his speech other factors on the Marcos administration’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Filipino Housing program and its goal of building at least 6 million housing units in six years. Discussions during the breakout sessions encompassed a wide range of topics, including the call for collaborative housing roadmap, incentives for developers as part of the Survey of Income and Program Participation 2022, as well as breakout sessions tackling community development through renewable and sustainable materials, real estate tech trends, and building resilient communities. With this year’s theme focusing on local development, SHDA National President Ar. Leonardo Dayao Jr. emphasized the steps SHDA is taking in order to empower the local housing sector by collaborating with Local Government Units (LGU). “Several developers of ours here are partnering with their different LGUs. We have one in Iloilo, Novaliches, so we have

several developers already. The idea here is that we will partner with the local government who has the land so that we can help build and then make housing affordable,” Dayao stated. Among the notable figures in the housing industry and local government officials who attended the convention where Cong. Eduardo “Edu” Rama, Representative of the South District of Cebu City who delivered the welcome message to kick off the event. SHDA National Chairman, Arlene Keh stated that “The reason why we have the convention yearly is to be able to assess where we are against the roadmap so that we know if we need to adjust strategies or we need to create new ones with the objective to be able to provide housing for each Filipino family.” The convention sponsors for the event include 8990 Holdings Inc., Banco de Oro (BDO), Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Holcim, MyCitiHomes, China Bank, APEC Homes, Davies Paints Philippines, Pag-IBIG Fund (HDMF), Joy-Nostalg, SMDC, Ayala Land, Phinma Construction Materials Group, Steeltech Colored Roofing, EastWest Bank, and Cebu LandMasters.

Fencer Esteban: I hope I’m last PHL athlete to switch nationality

AXINE ESTEBAN gave up her Filipino citizenship in favor of Ivory Coast—a country situated in West Africa—a decision she bitterly made but one she hopes won’t motivate other Filipino athletes to do the same. “I hope I will be the last,” said the highest-ranked Philippine-born fencer in the world, who’s now competing for her new country’s orange, white and green colors instead of the red, white, blue and yellow. “It hurt me a lot, I felt abused,” Esteban told a sports online program over the weekend. “My prayer and hope is that whatever happened to me [would] never happen to any Filipino athlete. What [my federation] did to me was extremely hurtful, unfair and disrespectful.” Esteban said things went sour when she got injured while competing for the Philippines at the world fencing championships in Egypt in July last year. The eight-time national champion and the only Filipino multi-medalist in the World Cup tore her ACL and had to rehabilitate for six months. Esteban said that upon learning the extent of her injury, she immediately wrote the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) requesting that she be excused from national and international events of the Olympic qualifiers. The PFA, Esteban said, wrote her back and heeded her request “In other countries, you don’t need to do that,” Esteban said. “You are excused and your ranking stays while you recover because that is the least that they can do to show their appreciation for your service and sacrifices.” To her surprise, she was informed by fellow fencers that her name was missing in the list of national athletes. She said the PFA didn’t formally inform her of the decision. The world No. 39 then sought

MAXINE ESTEBAN receives pointers from renowned Italian fencing coach Andrea Magro. an audience with the PFA board, reminding the federation that she’s been excused from the national team. The board didn’t hear her. She denied that her decision to switch allegiance is motivated by economics—Ivory Coast is one of the biggest economies in West Africa although its people do not necessarily share the fruits of its resources. “First of all, I did not turn my back on my country,” she said. “I turned my back on my federation because it turned its back on me first.” Esteban said she had several offers for naturalization from other countries but chose Ivory Coast because of her family’s long-standing ties to the country. She had also held clinics and donated fencing equipment to Ivory Coast when she was younger. Esteban said she no longer has any regrets but hopes that by sharing her experience, it will lead to change in the way things are being done in national federations, particularly those who arbitrarily change rules to fit their whims.

James suffers worst defeat in NBA career in 44-pt loss to 76ers

HILADELPHIA—LeBron James never endured a lopsided basketball defeat like the one he suffered with Los Angeles in Philadelphia. James has lost big before. His Miami Heat once got trounced by 36 points in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals. The Indiana Pacers beat James and the Lakers by 42 in 2019. But this blowout was an all-timer: By the time Joel Embiid clinched a triple-double in the third quarter, the 76ers were on their way to a 138-94 win over the Lakers on Monday night, the 44-point loss now the worst in James’s career that dates to 2003. “What needs to change in order for that to not happen again? A lot,” James said, without elaboration. The miserable milestones piled up for the Lakers. It was their worst loss to the 76ers in 290 games in the series. It was so bad, James didn’t even grab a rebound. OK, one more: The 76ers beat the Lakers for the seventh straight time. “That’s my favorite team,” Embiid said, again noting he learned of basketball through Kobe Bryant. “Any time I play against them, you want to get the win. But I do it every night anyways against every other team.” The box score tells part of the story. The 76ers hit 22 three-pointers to just seven for the Lakers, and even when Embiid sat out the entire fourth quarter, the 76ers still outscored them 40-14. “We got killed on the 3-point line,” James said. “They made shots. Give them credit.” The rest? It was just a lethargic effort from a team that seemed resigned early—the 76ers led by 25 in the first half—that was it was a good night to throw in the towel.

IT was so bad LeBron James didn’t even grab a rebound. AP

Sports BusinessMirror

B8 | W

ednesday, November 29, 2023 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Tough task ahead in Latvia A By Josef Ramos

TOUGH task in the Baltics stares down at the men’s national team in the İnternational Basketball Federation (FIBA) Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July next year. “A tough group, but we will fight,” Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas [SBP] President Al Panlilio told BusinessMirror on Tuesday after the FIBA announced the hosts and groupings for the OQTs that will determine the last four countries which will play in the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Philippines was drawn in Group A of the OQT with host Latvia and Georgia, with Montenegro, Cameroon and Brazil playing in Group B of the eliminations set July 2 to 7 next year in the Latvian capital Riga. Eight slots have already been filled for Paris—four-time defending gold medalist US, World Cup champion Germany and

Canada, Japan, South Sudan, Serbia and Australia, which qualified based on their finishes in the FIBA 2023 World Cup the Philippines hosted in August. Twelve teams will play in Paris and the remaining four slots—besides those in the Latva OQT—will be disputed by Slovenia , New Zealand (21), Croatia (30), Egypt (41), Greece (14) and Dominican Republic (18) in Piraeus, Greece; Lebanon (28), Angola (34), Spain (2), Finland (20), Poland (15) and Bahamas (57) in Valencia, Spain; and Mexico (25), Ivory Coast (33), Lithuania (10), Italy (13), Bahrain (69) and host Puerto Rico (16) in San Juan. Tim Cone, who coached the Philippines to a historic gold medal in the 19th Asian Games in October in Hangzhou, expects the OQT to be tough, especially with Latvia as host. “Latvia at home is very, very strong with four NBA [National Basketball Association] players, including [Boston Celtics star Kristap] Porzingis,” Cone said. “They were the surprise team and placed fifth in the World Cup.” “Georgia had a great run in the World Cup, making it to the second round before losing to eventual champ Germany and Australia,” he said. “So very tough group, but not impossible.” Latvia is No. 8 in the world, Georgia No. 23 and the Philippines No. 38. Brazil is No. 12, Montenegro No. 17 and Cameroon is lowest in the group at No. 67. SBP vice president Ricky Vargas agreed it would be really tough in Latvia but stressed making it to Paris for as long as

Olympic, world champions, elite, name it, they’re in Nuvali for World Beach Pro Tour

AL PANLILIO: A tough group, but we will fight.

“the stars will be aligned.” “But of course, we will fight for it,” he said. Vargas said that Cone, following his success in Hangzhou, could be the right coach for the job. “Who doesn’t like Tim [Cone] to coach the Philippine team after the Asiad conquest?,” he said. “Of course, I will go for him, but we have to ask first Tim himself and the consensus of the stakeholders.” Vargas added: “It’s not only a decision to be made by one person or by the SBP, but also the consensus of the entire basketball stakeholders including the private sectors like the SMC [San Miguel Corporation] and Tim Cone himself.” “It’s s absolutely a very, very competitive group, no absolute weak teams there,” Gilas assistant coach Jong Uichico said. The draw was held Monday in FIBA’s headquarters in Mies, Switzerland. The Paris Olympics are scheduled July 26 to August 11.

LYMPIC and world champions and top-ranked athletes take center stage in the Philippine leg of the prestigious Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Challenge that starts with the qualifiers on Thursday on five world-class sand courts in Nuvali in Santa Rosa City. Reigning champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum of Norway banners the cast in the loaded men’s division of the four-day competition that drew representatives from over 30 countries. Mol and Sorum, gold medalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and FIVB 2022 Beach Volleyball World Championships, won the inaugural BPT Challenge season last year in Doha, Qatar. That should be enough for the Norwegians to loom as the heavy title favorites in men’s play of the competitions hosted by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation led by Ramon “Tats” Suzara. Tickets are available at vw.ticketmax.ph pegged at P100 for morning sessions and P200 for afternoon sessions. Tickets will also be available onsite starting Thursday. The Mol-Sorum tandem will face a bevy of challengers led by top-ranked players from Sweden, the Czech Republic, United States, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Poland and the Netherlands— which are all in the top 10 of the latest world beach volleyball rankings. Mol and Sorum are already seeded in the 16-team main draw that also includes home bets Ran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton with eight more teams coming from the qualifications featuring 32 hopefuls. James Buytrago and Rancel Varga as well as Anthony Arbasto and Alche Gupiteo will carry the flag in the qualifiers of the tournament that caps the PNVF’s busy 2023 calendar and supported by gold sponsors Ayala Land, Mikasa, Senoh, Philippine Sports Commission, Pinay In Action and Smart as gold sponsors and PLDT, Gatorade, Maynilad, Rebisco, Ayala Malls, Department of Tourism, CBPI, Club Laiya, Foton as bronze sponsors.

Robbins, Rep. Tolentino, Quinto rule POC golfest

SOME of the participants of the Philippine Olympic Committee Golf Cup pose for a class picture.

ONALD ROBBINS, Rep. Aniela Tolentino, Giro Tan and Aldrin Quinto led the winners of the first Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Golf Cup held Monday for the benefit of the National Athletes’ Trust Fund at the Luisita Golf and Country in Tarlac. The e-sports community’s Robbins scooped the Low Net and Low Gross trophies with 68 and 73, respectively, beating POC deputy secretary-general Valeriano “Bones” Floro—a former national junior champion—who had 70 and 77. Tolentino, Cavite’s Eighth District representative, won the Ladies Division with a net 73 (gross 98), while Tan had a 79 and a net 68 to emerge Class A champion with Philippine Football Federation (PFF) secretary-general Coco Torres (70-82) and Viktor Carlos (71-83)

finishing second and third, respectively, in the event organized by POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said. Quinto, playing out of Spin.ph, topped Class B on 102-74, followed by aquatics’ Victor Diego (95-76) and PFF’s Cedelf Tupas (95-76) in the event supported by the MVP Sports Foundation, Chooksto-Go, Smart, PLDT, PTA, Asaphil, PhilCycling, PNVF, Philippine Aquatics Inc, Kickboxing Pilipinas, JSAP, PESO, Karate Pilipinas, PSTA, PNSA, NGAP, MTAP, PATAFA, Sambo Pilipinas, Kurash Federation of the Philippines, GAP, SRSAP, PFF, PJF, Vovinam Pilipinas, PEKAF, PRA, POSF, SBP and MBAP. Hans David of jetski ruled Class C with a net 74 (102), followed by ice hockey’s Jeffrey So Tiong (108-78) and Tagaytay City Councilor Michael “Micko” Tolentino (110-78).

Defense, sporting arms show up next month

HE second edition of the 29th Defense and Sporting Arms Show organized by The Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers Inc. (AFAD) fires off December 7 to 11 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. The country’s longest-running arms show features a wide range of top-of-the-line local and imported firearms, optics, sporting goods and accessories and is open to the public, gun enthusiasts, hobbyists and sportsmen. AFAD president Aric Topacio and trustee

Edwin Año said they expect more exhibitors and participants in the year-ending edition. “We’re happy to be back. With a huge turnout of visitors in the first edition last May, our members particularly the major players in the industry are so eager and enthusiastic to participate and put on display their products,” said Topacio during media lunch on Tuesday at the Milkyway Restaurant in Makati City. Top brass from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police and relevant agencies will be among the special

Coaching will seal it AS the oft-repeated saying goes, stats matter no more when the moment of truth arrives. Toss them out the window. Them with hearts that pound like thunder in summer are the ones fit for battle. Them with poison in their minds are worth dispatching. As the future belongs to the brave, so does victory await the ones with nothing but killer instincts. And so, will it be University of the Philippines (UP) or De La Salle? As they begin today their best-of-three battle for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball crown, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, I dare say the well-coached team will prevail. No doubt that UP has a stronger line-up than De La Salle. It boasts of Malick Diouf, the 6-foot-11 board

monster, as anchor of the Fighting Maroons. Now on his final playing year, Diouf’s grit to cap a glorious career was seen in burning splendor during UP’s 57-46 elimination of Ateneo in the semifinals. It was a performance that seemed to accentuate his repeat bid as the season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) again, coming up with 12 points, 3 steals, 3 blocked shots and 16 screaming rebounds.

ASSOCIATION of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers Inc. president Aric Topacio (left) post for posterity with (from left) brother Hagen, World Shoot medalist Grace Tan, Jane Roxas and Edwin Año.

Francis Lopez ably backed up Diouf with 12 points and 10 rebounds as the duo combined well with a lethal UP lineup that include dead shot CJ Cancino and the spitfirish trio of Gerry Abadiano, Jan Jan Felicilda and the seasoned JD Cagulangan. They are the Maroon core that helped end Ateneo’s Finals streak at six since 2016. They are the Maroon mob ready to reclaim the Season 84 crown they lost to the Blue Eagles in Season 85 after UP’s epic 72-69 overtime win over Ateneo in the Game Three decider in 2022. But while UP is more credentialed than La Salle— the Maroons are in their fourth title showdown in five seasons—the Green Archers are not to be denied. Even as De La Salle has been winless for six seasons, it appears ready to end the drought as it basks in the glow of its 88-79 win over UP in their last outing in the second round after dropping a close 67-64 contest to the Maroons in Season 86’s first round. La Salle’s weak center in Joseph Obasa is compensated

OLYMPIAN Miki Ishi and partner Akiko Hasegawa of Japan test the Nuvali Sand Courts.

guests during the opening ceremony on December 7 at 10 a.m. In addition to the usual product display, promotional program and activities on renewing licenses and applications for newly registered gun owners, visitors will have the chance to participate in an open discussion about self-defense, firearms safety handling, security, responsible gun ownership and regulation policies. “Educate the public on responsible gun ownership, safety, and security is AFAD’s unwavering passion and commitment,” Topacio said. “We must continue our mission of promoting responsible gun ownership.”

by the steady presence of playmakers Mark Nonoy, Jared Brown and Evan Nelle—not to mention MVP pacesetter Kevin Quiambao, whose double-double routine has become almost second nature. Still, coaching will seal it in the end. La Salle’s Topex Robinson, although a virtual rookie, has proven his mettle and should give his boys the right tools and motivation to make it through the night. Up to coach Goldwyn Monteverde to mine UP’s second gold in the last three seasons. Dig deep Diouf? THAT’S IT Congrats to Miguel Tabuena for easily beating Tony Lascuna, 4 & 3, to win the International Container Terminal Services Inc. The Country Club Match Invitational on Friday. In dethroning Lascuna, Tabuena, the Lexus ambassador, won P280,000. More importantly, the win could be a prelude to Tabuena’s entry into the multi-million dollar LIV Golf as he goes into qualifying for the event in Abu Dhabi this December. All the best, Miggs!