BusinessMirror October 02, 2023

INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY Nescafé launches the Kape’t Bisig sa Pagbangon initiative to help drive interest in agriculture among Filipino youth. NESCAFÉ will provide a P10-M educational assistance fund for children of farmers and students taking up agriculture-related courses. NESCAFÉ also shared the Kape’t Bisig Music Challenge, asking social media users to show farmers their support and inspire today’s youth to become the coffee farmers of tomorrow. Photo shows Nestlé executives, media representatives and Department of Agriculture Region X Regional Technical Director Carlota Madriaga (seated, third from right) at the recent Kape’t Bisig press launch in Bukidnon. Story in Agri page, A9.

WB approves $.6-B loan for PHL digitalization initiative

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Philippines secured a new Development Policy Loan (DPL) from the Washington-based World Bank Group to finance the government’s efforts to increase digitalization and help transform the country into a cashless society.

I n a statement, the World Bank said its Board of Executive Directors approved US$600 million for the Philippines’ First Digital Transformation DPL.

T he DPL aims to promote the digital transformation of government and digital infrastructure policies, expand financial inclusion through digital finance, and stimulate the growth of digital services.

Greater adoption of digital technology can improve the efficiency and transparency of government services, empowering individuals who were previously far away from decision-making centers,” said Ndiamé Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

RICE TARIFF CUTS NOT YET COMPLETELY OUT

THE reduction in rice tariffs is not completely off the table as the economic managers are set to review the lower rates imposed by President Marcos Jr. on certain agricultural commodities under his Executive Order (EO) 10.

Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno disclosed that the reduction of rice tariffs has been “ruled out” for now after Marcos rejected the proposal last week. (Related story: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/09/27/marcos-rejectsrice-tariff-cut-proposal/)

“ Narule out na yun [rice tariff reduction], for this time,” Diokno told reporters in a recent press briefing.

However, this does not mean that the ball has stopped rolling as finance officials revealed that the administration’s economic team is set to meet soon to review the implementation of EO 10.

U nder Marcos’s EO 10, the lower tariff rates on imported rice, corn and pork were extended until the end of the year. “ The President really is the decision maker. Our role as cabinet secretary is to give the best advice based on the most recent info. And then once a decision is made, our next job is to implement, not to question the decision,” he explained.

D iokno emphasized that the government’s decisions are data-driven and are also based on the latest pertinent figures and information that they have.

PHL NEARS INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS GOAL OF 4.8M–DOT

By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

INTERNATIONAL arriv -

als in the Philippines have breached the 4-million mark, just a stone’s throw away from the government’s 4.8-million baseline target for the year.

I n a news statement, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said the 4-million arrivals were reached on September 29, which brought in an estimated P316 billion in visitor receipts.

The total arrivals for the period were 35 percent less than the 6.16 million who arrived from January to September 2019.

O f the total international arrivals this year, some 3.67 million (91.6 percent) were foreign nationals, while the rest at 337,426 were overseas Filipinos. Overseas Filipinos are defined as Philippine passport

holders who are permanently residing abroad.

Top source markets

SOUTH Korea remained the top source of foreign tourists with some 1.05 million in arrivals, representing 26.12 percent of total; followed by the United States with 679,090 (16.95 percent); Japan with 221,671 (5.53 percent); China with 194,258 (4.85 percent); and Australia with 187,143 (4.67 percent).  O ther key sources of foreign tourists were Canada with 164,168 in arrivals (4.1 percent); Taiwan with 146,396 (3.65 percent); the United Kingdom with 114,096 (2.85 percent); Singapore with 107,674 (2.69 percent); and Malaysia with 72,008 (1.80 percent).  We are very close to our target of 4.8 million by the end of this year.

ADB lending to PHL could hit $20B over next 5 years

THE Manila-based multilateral development bank Asian Development Bank (ADB) could lend as much as $20 billion to the Philippines in the next five years once its new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) is completed next year.

A DB Philippine Country Director Pavit Ramachandran recently told reporters the projected annual lending of the bank to the country is $3.5 to $4 billion annually. This is the program lending for this year and next year, which could be the same amount for the next CPS.

R amachandran said the majority (70 percent) of this lending will be dedicated to large project investments while the remaining 30 percent is for budget support. He said the CPS of ADB with the Philippine government is being drafted and may be completed in the second semester of 2024.

“ This year, we are looking at about anywhere from $3.5 to $4 billion in terms of our lending. Next year, we expect a similar allocation. And a lot of this is on infrastructure, not only urban mobility, connectivity, but also, I mentioned,

flood resilience,” Ramachandran told reporters.

“ I think we’re looking at that being the lending [for the next few years]. It’s also consistent with what we’ve been doing now [and in] the last two or three years because these are large complex infrastructure projects [and] also some budget support mixed in on some strategic areas,” he also said.

T he new CPS, Ramachandran said, will mainly follow the previous CPS but will have a greater focus on climate change-related efforts. These efforts will include financing urban mobility, flood resilience, connectivity, and river basin projects.

It will have a very, very strong climate change focus; you know, we are aligning with the Philippine development plan, the socioeconomic development agenda, the medium-term fiscal framework,” Ramachandran said.

It’s very much about trying to support this transition to an upper middle-income country but ensuring strong, sustainable, resilient foundation so that will be social,

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

EXPLAINER »B4

EJ SOARS, EJ CONQUERS, EJ’S KING Ernest John

Palace eyes seizing 200K sacks of rice in warehouses

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

I n a press statement, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil disclosed BOC has issued warrants of seizure and detention for the 236,571 sacks from four warehouses, which it inspected in Bulacan last Friday.

The BOC said they are still waiting for the comments of the government prosecutor as far as

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“Digitalization can also drive productivity growth, by reducing operating costs for firms and enhancing their resilience and preparedness for future crises,” he added.

T he loan will help the government digitize government operations and service delivery, foster competition in the digital infrastructure markets,

the discovery of the sacks of rice is concerned,” Garafil said.

T he initiative was part of the government’s intensified campaign against rice smugglers and hoarders after the unusual spike in the price of the food staple last month.

P resident Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. attributed the trend to price manipulation by unscrupulous individuals, which prompted him

and encourage the adoption of digital payments and financial services.

I t will also facilitate reforms to promote e-commerce, enhance competition and value-added activities in digital services markets, and strengthen skills development in the industry.

W idespread adoption of digital payments in the Philippines is essential for the development of a digital economy, benefiting millions of citizens and small businesses.

Currently, cash is the dominant

to impose the following price cap: P41 per kilogram (kg) for regular milled rice (RMR) and P45 per kg for well-milled rice (WMR) nationwide.

T he pronouncement has led the BOC to file four smuggling charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ) against rice smugglers in Bulacan.

P CO noted that BOC is now building up its case against the reported smugglers in Zamboanga City, which allowed it to confiscate 42,000 sacks of smuggled rice, which were donated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

DSWD distributed the donated rice to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay; San Roque, Zamboanga City; General Trias City, Cavite; Iriga City, Camarines Sur; San Andres, Ma -

form of payment for over-the-counter purchases in grocery stores at 95 percent; government service payments such as driver’s licenses or birth certificate issuance, 97 percent; and government fees and penalties like traffic violation tickets, 88 percent.

Transitioning to a cashless economy would provide various benefits, especially during climate-related and natural disasters, enabling the government and the private sector to respond swiftly and efficiently,” said Smita Kuriakose, Lead Econo -

nila; Dapa, Surigao del Norte; and Dinagat Islands.

C ustoms officials also issued letters of authority (LOA) to warehouses in Cavite and in Las Piñas City, and two warehouses in Manila, which are also suspected to contain smuggled goods. It is now awaiting the submission of necessary documents from the two warehouse owners in Cavite and Las Piñas City,” Garafil said.

T he Marcos administration is currently trying to address the rise in food prices after inflation accelerated to 5.9 percent last August from 5.6 percent from the month before.

L ast Friday, the Palace announced that the President also issued Executive Order No. 41, which prohibited local government units (LGU) from collecting “passthrough fees” for national roads to help “temper” inflation rate.

mist in the World Bank’s Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice. “ With digital transactions, affected individuals can receive government assistance or insurance payouts promptly, facilitating their recovery and rebuilding efforts,” she said.

To help address these concerns, this operation will support reforms that aim to enhance competition and invest in broadband services to reduce the cost and improve the quality of services and increase access.

To extend financial inclusion more widely among individuals and businesses, this DPL will support reforms that promote broader acceptance of digital payments, strengthen trust in digital financial services, and enhance competition in digital financial infrastructure.

Internet use in the Philippines has experienced rapid growth in recent years. However, the country has not fully capitalized on the advantages of digital technology, and the high cost of Internet access poses challenges for small businesses in utilizing digital technology and expanding their operations.

A s a result, only a small percentage of small businesses have been able to fully embrace digitalization. Approximately one in three adults still doesn’t have a transaction account with a financial institution.

G lobally, economies that rely heavily on cash payments can incur costs of up to 0.1 percent of general government revenues for handling cash.

A dditionally, there are indirect costs associated with cash transactions, including a higher risk of fraud and corruption, delays in delivering frontline services, and increased business expenses.

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S o, these are some of the  things that we discussed,” said the energy chief.

A repeat on the ban could cause concerns on the country’s supply of coal for power plants which, if insufficient, could lead to widespread blackouts.

A s of end-June this year, the DOE estimates current coal power capacity at 12,473 megawatt(MW), with dependable capacity at 11,394 MW. This accounts for 44.1 percent and 46.1 percent of the Philippines’ energy capacity, respectively.

I n October 2020, the DOE, under the leadership of then energy secretary Alfonso Cusi,  issued a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants.

T his policy remains effective until now.

“One day, we say there’s a moratorium, then the next day with the change of administration, no more moratorium. We have to be more considerate and consistent—considerate to investors because they get their signals from government—especially both foreign and domestic investors do not make distinction between one administration and another,” Lotilla commented. Lenie Lectura

Finance Undersecretary Zeno

Ronald R. Abenoja said the review process for the EO 10 “will continue,” with the President getting inputs “from everyone,” which includes results of any pertinent consultative processes.

“ The TC [Tariff Commission] is also looking at EO 10. So that process will continue, but this time we were only looking at rice but there are other commodities that we will also look at,” Abenoja said.

A benoja said the pertinent intergovernment agencies including the Economic Development Group will meet this week to discuss EO 10, which would involve rice tariffs.

Under existing rules and regulations governing the President’s power on modifying tariff rates, the TC must conduct a public stakeholders meeting which in turn would make a recommendation to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

T he Neda is the one that will make the necessary recommendation to the President on tariff adjustments.Matters related to tariff modifications can also be tackled at the Cabinet-level Committee on Tariff and Related Matters (CTRM)

chaired by the Trade Secretary and co-chaired by the Neda Secretary.

Under Marcos’s EO 10, the lowered rates on rice, corn and pork shall automatically revert to their regular levels after December 31, 2023.

T he BusinessMirror first reported on why the Department of Agriculture (DA), which is headed by Marcos, did not support the proposed tariff reduction by the economic managers and certain private stakeholders.

B ased on the DA’s analysis, rice could lose almost P8 per kilogram due to the decline in farmgate prices if the proposed reduction in tariff was approved. (Related story: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/09/28/tariffcuts-could-slash-rice-farmersincome-by-%e2%82%a78-kg/)

Last week, more and more agricultural groups,  including sheep and rabbit raisers, were opposing the proposal to reduce tariffs on imported commodities like rice as the government would lose almost P60 billion in revenues. (Related story: https:// businessmirror .com.ph/2023/09/25/moregroups-buck-proposal-to-slashtariffs-on-agri-goods/)

S o I continue to encourage our friends from all over the world to show their love for the Philippines,” said Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco.

T he DOT’s main goal is to transform the Philippines into a “tourism powerhouse of Asia” by diversifying its tourism portfolio, and at the same time, expanding its niche markets such as sun and beach tourism,  golf, dive, and MICE (meetings incentives conventions exhibitions), as well as film and heritage tourism.

Full recovery in 2025

IN a recent forum at the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, DOT Undersecretary for Finance and Administration Shereen Gail C. Yu-Pamintuan acknowledged that the full recovery of the Philippine tourism sector will not likely happen until 2025. “I think what we can expect is that we will continue to recover in the next year.  Based on the global trends, it has been predicted that we will be able to reach our prepandemic levels of international tourist arrivals by 2025. So what we have been doing is to prepare the Philippines for the influx of all of these international tourists who will be visiting the Philippines and to continue to promote our country as one of the

prime destinations here in Asia.”

T he Philippines recorded 8.26 million international tourists in 2019, with visitor receipts reaching US$9.31 billion or P428.15 billion that year.

M eanwhile, Pamintuan said the DOT is working with Tieza and the Department of Health to build “Baywatch emergency sensors,” especially in the country’s award-winning destinations. “It is sad to note that Boracay, which is one of our leading beach destinations, does not have the proper emergency Baywatch  facilities that we would like it to have. So we did make an inventory of all the available hospitals, clinics across the Philippines and [are] about prioritize to pilot emergency Baywatch sensors in many of our award-winning destinations and we hope to be able to break ground on all of those also next year.”

A t that forum attended by some members of the diplomatic corps, it was assured that the Philippines will receive more tourists from Europe once the free trade agreement between the Philippines and the European Union is signed.  (See, “More European tourist seen with EU-PHL free trade pact,” in the BusinessMirror , September 21, 2023.)

you know; one pillar will continue to be investing in people, investing in Filipinos that’s the health education, social protection side, there will be a climate-resilient infrastructure pillar,” he added.

Couple of projects

MEANWHILE , Ramachandran said that the ADB Board may approve a couple of projects before the year ends. This includes the $1.5 billion loan for the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project.

T he 32-kilometer permanent road link, also called the Manila Bay bridge, will connect the provinces of Bataan and Cavite. This is the missing link in the road network of NCR, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon Regions.

R amachandran said the ADB Board may also approve financing for projects included in the 197 flagship projects, particularly in tapping the ADB’s Infrastructure Preparation and Innovation Facility (IPIF).

T he IPIF Second Additional Financing will comprise a loan worth $200 million and a Techni -

cal Assistance Special Fund for climate-smart infrastructure worth $500,000.

T he facility will finance the preparation of road and bridge projects; water projects; ail, active transport, public transport, port, and airport projects; and project management capacity of the government.

L ast May, ADB said it is the region’s Climate bank as it commits to increase its climate change financing efforts to $100 billion by 2030.

I n a briefing on the first day of the Manila-based multilateral development bank’s 56th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa said the Innovative Finance Facility for Climate in Asia and the Pacific (Ifcap) is a first in the world.

A sakawa said Ifcap aims to use financial guarantees from ADB’s partners to provide financing for climate action across Asia and the Pacific region. (Full story: https:// businessmirror .com. ph/2023/05/03/with-new-facility-adb-keen-on-100-b-climatefinancing/).Cai U. Ordinario

MALACAÑANG on Sunday reported the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is now seeking to confiscate over 200,000 sacks of suspected smuggled rice from warehouses in Bulacan.

Experience Super-Sized Fun at SM’s 65th Anniversary this October

Suit up for some super-sized deals, treats, and fun as SM celebrates its 65th anniversary. Check out their month-long festivities filled with spectacular activities, immersive attractions, and unforgettable experiences that will leave you thrilled and excited.

SM lights up the sky with Super Blue Illumination

Signaling the start of SM’s 65th celebration, key malls and iconic landmarks will bathe in a brilliant shade of blue starting October 1. A sight to behold and an event to watch out for, the Super Blue Illumination is a captivating display of dazzling lights that signify SM’s enduring legacy and commitment to bringing fun, awesome, and memorable malling experiences for over six decades.

It’s a shopper’s paradise with Super Buy 1 Get 1 Deals

OCTOBER isn’t complete without a month-long parade of super-sized deals and promos at SM Deals! Expect Buy 1 Get 1 Deals from your favorite dining, shopping and entertainment brands, extravagant discounts, exclusive bundles, and exciting freebies you can swipe to redeem in-store when you download and register on the SM Malls online app. And with a diverse range of brands and product offerings at SM, surely there's something for everyone in everyone’s shopping paradise.

From October 1 to 30, knock down pins all you want as SM Game Park and SM Bowling offer Php 65 off on unlimited bowling for one hour. For the skating aficionados, SM Skating will also be slashing off Php 65 on the all-day pass. And for the thrill seekers, you are in for a super treat! Have a whole day of wonder and excitement with a Php 65 entrance fee at Skyranch Tagaytay for all Mondays of October until 12 noon.

Indulge yourself with Super Treats

FUN and frenzied October awaits as SM unleashes its Super Treats! On October 15, indulge the movie buff in you as SM Cinema offers a Php 65 movie ticket deal and a Php 65 caramel popcorn combo. It’s truly a match made in cinema heaven!

or simply looking for a fun day out. Check out the Super Play Spots at SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM City North Edsa, SM Aura, SM Southmall, SM City Dasmariñas, SM Seaside City

Cebu, SM Cagayan Downtown Premier, SM Lanang, SM City Clark, SM City Marikina and SM City Iloilo.

Drive away in style at the Super Raffle Giveaway with VISA

FROM October 1 to November 30, eleven lucky shoppers can get a chance to drive away in style at SM’s Super Raffle Giveaway with VISA. All you need to do is to shop for a minimum single receipt purchase of Php 2,000 via tap to pay using your VISA card at participating SM Retail Stores in 75 SM Malls nationwide. Get a chance to win one of the six (6) brand-new Hyundai Stargazers and one of the five (5) brand-new Hyundai Cretas. These brandnew Hyundai cars will really make your daily commute a super experience so shop till you drop and maybe drive away with a new set of wheels!

SM’s Super Month promises to be a 65th-anniversary celebration like no other. Don't miss out on the super-sized deals, indulgent treats, and the chance to win big. Mark your calendars and get ready for a super malling experience at your favorite SM mall.

To stay updated for everything SUPER this October, visit www. smsupermalls.com or follow @SMSupermalls on social media.

It’s October and it only means one thing at SM– Super Month!

EXPERIENCE the magic of SM City Marikina’s Super Play Spot's Kaleidoscope Tunnel – a dazzling experience for family and friends of all ages!

Misdeclaring carrots as pastry buns lands importer in prison

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

AN importer was sentenced by a metropolitan court to up to 4-year imprisonment for agricultural smuggling after misdeclaring a shipment of carrots as pastry buns, according to the Customs bureau.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said the Metropolitan Trial Court-National Judicial Capital Region (MTC-NJCR) Branch 24 convicted a certain Divina Bisco Aguilar, the proprietor of “Real Mart,” for violation of Customs laws.

The court promulgated its verdict last

September 8, the BOC said. The conviction came three years after the bureau filed a criminal complaint with the Department of Justice last September 10, 2020, the agency added. Aguilar was sentenced to a prison term of three years and one day to four years, according to the BOC.

The case stems from an incident that occurred on June 26, 2020, when a shipment consigned to Real Mart arrived at the BOC-Port of Manila from Singapore. The consignee, owned by Divina Bisco Aguilar, declared the shipment to contain 2,500 cartons of frozen pastry buns, read the bureau’s statement issued last Sunday.

accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for violation of Section 1401 in relation to Sections 102 and 1400 of Republic Act (RA) 10863, commonly known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), the BOC added.

Sen. Bong Go urges vigilance vs Nipah virus amid outbreak

“However, suspicions were raised when a derogatory report was received by the Port of Manila, prompting a physical examination of the shipment,” it added.

Upon inspection, the Customs bureau discovered that the shipment contained carrots instead of the declared frozen pastry buns. Subsequently, a warrant of seizure and detention was issued against the shipment, and appropriate charges were filed against the owner of Real Mart, it added.

The legal battle that followed involved years of preliminary investigation and court hearingsaccording to the BOC. Finally, on September 8, 2023, the MTC- NJCR Branch 24 rendered its verdict, finding the

BARMM enacts local government code

DAVAO CITY—The Bangsamoro Parliament enacted its fifth priority code last week to increase enhanced decentralization in the autonomous region in Mindanao.

The Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the regional lawmaking Parliament passed the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act 49 or the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code (BLGC) on the third and final reading with 57 affirmative votes, four negative votes, and no abstention.

The BLGC is the fifth priority codes that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had set out to achieve to stabilize the regionalize governance. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( BARMM ) has previously enacted the administrative, civil service, education, and electoral codes.

The regional government said the newlyapproved law would transfer administrative responsibilities and authority from the central and regional governments to local government units (LGUs), “allowing them to respond effectively to local needs and establish a well-defined and harmonious relationship between the regional government and the local government units.”

“This simply means that LGUs will have the power and authority to manage their own human resources, procure goods, services, and infrastructure, and exercise substantive administrative control over the delivery of local services falling within their legal mandate,” it said.

This would ensure that the constituents know what services and facilities to expect and demand from their barangay, municipality,

city, or province. BARMM’s ministries and offices would need to reorganize and restructure themselves to provide services at a regional level, complementing those of the local governments.

The code has defined sharing schemes between the Bangsamoro government and LGUs, covering collections of national taxes and revenues from natural resource utilization in the region. These resources, combined with LGUs’ own collections from taxes, fees, and charges, will increase the financial capacity of local governments to execute their mandates and provide expected services and facilities.

The BARMM said the local government constituents are assured of the power of initiative, referendum, and recall and vulnerable sectors are also guaranteed sectoral seats in the Sanggunian, “subject

‘Blue economy’ framework seen as marine sector aegis

LAWMAKERS said the Philippines should have a “blue economy” as a framework to protect Philippine maritime resources and the livelihood of fishermen.

Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez of Negros Occidental said the House Committee on Economic Affairs has already approved the proposed Blue Economy Act, or House Bill (HB) 8893, a priority bill of the Marcos administration to maximize the economic and social benefits of Philippine maritime industries.

The blue economy is a framework for sustainable development of marine and coastal resources based on principles of stewardship and social responsibility.

According to Benitez, this bill is long overdue, and the Philippines has not had a comprehensive framework for the development of our coastal and marine resources since the 1994 National Marine Policy.

“The harmonization of government policies for marine and coastal resource management had been entrusted to the Cabinet Committee on the Treaty on the Law of the Sea, created in 1981. This body became the Cabinet Committee on Maritime and Ocean Affairs that formulated

Govt taps lawyers for Italy jobseekers

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He, however, assured complainants that the Consulate will continue to work on this case and will be coordinating closely with the lawyers that the DFA and the DMW will be hiring.

the 1994 National Marine Policy,” the lawmaker said.

Benitez said this will be landmark legislation that will redefine Filipinos’ relationship with the Philippines’ marine waters and create a path to sustainable and inclusive development of marine resources.

Moreover, the lawmaker said that only in 2011 was an inter-agency mechanism created—the National Coast Watch System, composed of a Council, a Secretariat, and the operations center—but this structure has a limited mandate for coordinating maritime security policies and patrols.

“It is therefore necessary to reorganize and strengthen the National Coast Watch System and reorient government policy towards sustainable development of our marine and coastal resources and ensuring the health of our aquatic ecosystems—toward a blue economy,” Benitez said.

In his 2023 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. noted the gains, in terms of employment and livelihood, from the proper development of our blue economy. The President called on Congress to pass this bill. Accordingly, this bill has been included in the

During the meeting, Cato also shared the actions taken by the Consulate since the first complainant requested assistance in getting her money back from one of the agencies.

He disclosed the Consulate had been working quietly to build up the cases against those involved by seeking out and interviewing complainants and witnesses and gathering supporting documents and

priority legislative agenda of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

“This is in recognition of the fact that approximately 88 percent of our territory is marine waters. Maritime industries account for 3.6 percent of our GDP, according to the PSA [Philippine Statistic Authority]. But if we do not act now, our marine wealth will be lost due to damage from overexploitation and pollution,” Benitez added.

In his message during a multistakeholders consultation-workshop on mainstreaming blue economy in Legazpi, Albay, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said that harnessing the blue economy will “maximize the economic contributions of our seas while ensuring its responsible development to preserve it for future generations.”

The lawmaker said that the country, located in the Coral Triangle, is a biodiversity hotspot that “is neglected as human activities such as overexploitation, pollution, and climate change have damaged the country’s coral reefs, mangrove forests, and endangered species.”

As a result, he said there is a threat to the food security, fisheries, marine conservation, and tourism.

other evidence.

In addition, he said, the Consulate had issued at least three advisories, discussed the cases in its “Pagusapan Natin” online townhall meetings and other venues, as well as during an interview with Usapang OFW in Manila.

Cato said the Consulate had also been calling on individuals and agencies that have been assisting Filipinos in their transactions with local authorities to make sure their clients understand the terms of

The BOC said there is another pending case filed against the same importer before a regional trial court for violation of RA 10845 or the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act as the value of the shipment involved met the minimum P1-million threshold for large scale smuggling as economic sabotage.

“In another incident, the BOC filed two criminal complaints with the DOJ on September 8 and 15, 2023,” it said.

“These cases involve the misdeclaration of various goods from Korea without approved clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and the exportation of a universal CT tester with a falsified General Authorization Certificate. These incidents are in violation of relevant provisions of the CMTA,” it added.

to elections and not reserved for relatives of those in power.” The code also grants Indigenous peoples or IPs seats in the barangay, municipality, city, and province, provided they constitute at least 10 percent of the population and do not occupy more than 50 percent of the seats in the Sanggunian.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim, Al Haj, led the ceremonial signing of the code.

“It represents our commitment to gradually and systematically empowering communities by entrusting them with increased power, responsibility, resources, and authority within the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro government,” Ebrahim said.

“[The] BLGC stands as a historic milestone in our shared endeavor to achieve social justice and our pursuit of genuine and meaningful autonomy for the people of the Bangsamoro region,” he added.

Manuel T. Cayon

“By protecting our seas, we are protecting the sea-based livelihoods of our countrymen. Kung wala silang kita, how will they feed their families? How will they take care of their loved ones if they get sick?” he said. The bill creates the National Maritime Monitoring System, which will be the primary mechanism for cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement in catalyzing development towards a blue economy.

The measure also said the National Coast Watch Council, created under Executive Order No. 57, Series of 2011, is renamed and reconstituted as the National Maritime Council.

The bill said the council shall, within six months from the effectivity of this proposal, formulate a Policy Framework on Blue Economy. The framework shall serve as the basis for marine spatial planning, the determination of investments to develop modern physical infrastructure and build an enabling environment for the blue economy to prosper, the enhancement of maritime domain awareness, and the enforcement of economic and environmental regulations within our maritime zones. The framework shall be subject to mandatory review and modification every five years.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

the services they are providing and not to charge exorbitant fees for such services.

Cato said the Consulate has also been investigating other individuals and agencies in Milan that have also defrauded Filipinos in transactions involving work permit conversions, airline tickets, and citizenship applications.

“Although these are private transactions, the Consulate had to take a more active role in order to protect kababayan who may end up as victims if we do not step in,” Cato said.

SENATOR Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, called on the Department of Health (DOH) and other relevant agencies to implement stringent measures to prevent the potential spread of the Nipah virus (NiV).

In response to these concerns, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Clarissa S. Vergeire reassured the public that there is no Nipah virus outbreak yet in the country.

“Maraming eskwelahan ngayon are suspending classes or shifting to virtual [classes] because of increasing flu-like illness happening among students. In Cagayan de Oro [City], meron pong nagsuspende ng klase and apparently maykumalatnaNipah virus yung concern. Upon verification with our regional epidemiological and surveillance unit in Northern Mindanao, wala po silang confirmed naNipah virus in relation dunsakumakalatna balita,”Vergeire said during the health budget hearing on September 28.

“Dito ho sa Pilipinas, wala po tayong detection. Meron po tayo nung huli, noong 2014 sa Sultan Kudarat, where there are a number of individuals in the community na na-detect ito.Perosangayonpo,walatayong nade-detect,” the health official reassured.

The Nipah virus, as identified by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a zoonotic illness that can be transmitted from animals to humans. What sets it apart from other diseases is its high fatality rate, ranging from 50 percent to 70 percent. This means that it poses a significant risk, affecting three to four out of every five infected individuals.

The primary mode of transmission for Nipah virus infections is direct contact with sick pigs or their contaminated tissues. The virus can also be transmitted through unsafe contact with pig secretions and tissues. This highlights the importance of maintaining good hygiene and proper handling practices within the livestock industry.

Meanwhile, outbreaks of the Nipah virus have occurred in countries like Bangladesh and India, where people fell ill after consuming fruits and raw date palm juice contaminated with the urine or saliva of infected fruit bats.

“Mga kababayan ko, nais kong paalalahananangkahalagahanngkalusugan atkaligtasannatinlabansaanumang health threats tulad nitong Nipah virus [NiV]. Sa

panahong ito, hindi natin dapat kalimutan ang mga hakbang na kinakailangan upang mapanatiliangatingkalusuganatkaligtasan mulasaanumangpanganib,” stressed Go. “Huwagkalimutangsumunodsamgapayo ngmgaekspertosakalusugan.Mahalagaang tamang hygiene, katulad ng paghuhugas ng kamay, at pagsusuot ng masks kung kinakailangan.Maiiwasannatinangpagkalat ngsakitkungtayoaymagigingmaingat,” he continued.

Recognizing the need to strengthen the healthcare system in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Go has filed bills proposing the creation of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) and the Philippine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Malakiangnagingepektosabuhaynatin sa Covid. Maraming pagbabago, marami tayongnatutunan. Lessons learned angmga ito. Hindi natin alam kung kailan darating ang bagong pandemya sa buhay natin. Mas mabuting maging proactive at mas handa tayo,” he said.

Senate Bill (SB) 195, as outlined, envisions CDC as the primary organization entrusted with the leadership of initiatives aimed at managing and preventing infectious diseases. Its core responsibilities encompass the formulation of policies and standards, disease surveillance and detection, data collection and analysis, public health communication, as well as research and evidence synthesis, all geared towards mitigating the transmission of communicable diseases within the nation. “Ibigsabihinmaskontroladonatin,alam nanatinatangmgadataaymaskumpleto. So, itopo‘yungtinatawagnaproposed Center for Disease Control and Prevention Act. Napakaimportante poma-maintain natinang active surveillance of diseases dahil, alam nyo, nabiglatayonoongCovid-19,” Go pointed out.

Meanwhile, according to the proposed SB 196, the VIP will serve as a specialized hub for virology-centered investigations, research, and technical coordination across the entire network of virology laboratories nationwide. Under this proposed legislation, VIP will offer guidance for the establishment and operation of testing, reference, and biosafety laboratories at Levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 in various regions throughout the country.

LGUs told to go after dealers of mercury-tainted products

ATOXIC waste watchdog on Monday urged local government units to go after dealers of mercury-tainted skin-lightening products following the discovery that dealers of these cosmetics violated the ban and made the easily accessible in Cebu despite the global phase-out as stipulated in the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

The treaty, a global agreement that seeks to protect human health and the environment protects the people and environment from mercury emissions and releases.

The EcoWaste Coalition issued the call after successful test buys of seven banned mercury-containing facial creams for P80 to P300 each from cosmetic vendors in Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue Cities last September 26.

“We have gathered fresh evidence showing the unchecked trade in Cebu of unauthorized cosmetics contaminated with high levels of mercury, an extremely toxic chemical forbidden in cosmetic product formulations, in violation of national and international laws,” said EcoWaste Coalition National Coordinator Aileen Lucero.

“We will duly notify our health product regulators and the concerned local government units [LGUs] about this brazen threat to human health and the environment,” Lucero added.

She further explained that LGUs, in particular, “should go after the errant peddlers of these poisonous cosmetics and their suppliers.”

“City ordinances banning mercuryadded cosmetics and public information drives promoting acceptance of our natural skin color should be pursued to fight colorism and mercury exposure via chemical skin whiteners,” Lucero said.

Among the banned items purchased were Pakistan-made “Goree Beauty Cream with Lycopene” and “Goree Day & Night Beauty Cream,” Thailand-made “88 Total White Underarm Cream” and China-made “S’Zitang 10-Day Eliminating Freckle Day & Night Set.”

The EcoWaste Coalition said that at the 138 Wholesale Mall on Colon Street,

at least seven stores defiantly sell the proscribed items, particularly “Goree,” in clear disregard of product safety regulations, the group observed. Stores selling these banned items were also spotted in Manalili, P. Lopez and Progreso streets, the organization addded. The collected items were subjected to mercury screening using a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, a device that can identify and quantity chemicals in a sample without sample preparation or destruction.

All seven products badly failed the XRF mercury screening test. The four Goree samples were found contaminated with extremely high levels of mercury ranging from 27,130 to 29,550 ppm. The two samples of “88 Total White” had 2,147 and 2,952 ppm. And the lone sample of “S’Zitang” contained 1,109 ppm (day cream) and 109 ppm (night cream).

Aside from being banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017 for lacking market authorization and for containing mercury, “Goree” has also been tested and subsequently banned in Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the USA.

New Zealand, which banned the two variants of “Goree” in 2021, warned that “these products contain mercury, which is dangerous to your health, and on the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.”

“It can also affect the development of unborn babies,” Wellington added.

FDA Advisory 2018-183 and FDA Advisory 2015-025 cautioned the public against the purchase and use of “S’Zitang,” which the agency tested and found to contain toxic mercury levels above 1 ppm.

In 2021, the FDA issued a public health warning on “88 Total White Underarm Cream” through Advisory 2021-1187, saying it has no valid Certificate of Product Notification and the use of which “may pose health risks to consumers.” It is also banned in the USA, particularly in the state of Minnesota, for containing mercury.

Jonathan L. Mayuga

Govt promises no brownouts in ’24

THE Department of Energy (DOE) assured over the weekend that summer months of 2024 could be “97-percent” brownout-free because the recurring issue on the lack of power reserves will finally be addressed before the year ends.

Barring natural disasters and steady power demand, “I would say we are at 97 percent because we can’t control when the typhoons will enter the country. We used to know what month typhoons will occur but now it seems that we have typhoons all year round,” DOE Undersecretary Rowena

Cristina L. Guevara replied when asked by Senator Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros if the agency can assure a 100-percent brownout-free summer next year.

Strong typhoons in the country bring high winds that damage power generation facilities and transmission lines that eventually result in power outages.

During last Friday’s budget hearing of the Senate subfinance committee, the DOE also took into account the new capacities coming in and a stable demand to back up its brownout-free summer pronouncement next year.

“Our problem last summer was not that bad compared to what we’re projecting before. Summer was really a precarious time for us when we didn’t have enough supply.

Fortunately, there are a lot of renewable energy generators that are coming in until the end of this year and starting next year. If all those projects are able to fulfill all the requirements for permits and they are able to construct, we should not have that problem next year as long as there’s no sudden increase in the demand. If demand stays based on our projection of 3-percent growth then it should not be a problem,” Guevara said.

More importantly, the DOE official assured that there will be sufficient power reserves because the planned auction for it will finally commence by year end.

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian , who presided over the hearing, asked if the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is already compliant with the required ancillary or support services—the lack of which has been blamed for the power outage incidents in the past.

In June, transmission lines tripped and isolated some power plants resulting in automatic load dropping or power outage incidents. The NGCP was blamed again for this because of delayed transmission projects and lack of ancillary services. Based on his records, Gatchalian had said that only six out of 16 transmission projects considered to be Energy Projects of National Significance (EPNS) were completed as of March this year, with an “average period of delay of about three years.”

This represented about 37.5-percent completion rate. The 10 EPNS transmission projects currently under construction, meanwhile, also have an “average period of delay of almost 5 years.”

Gatchalian also revealed that out of 168 projects under the Transmission Development Plan, excluding 56 projects that are in the pre-construction stage, only 30 projects have been completed, while 138 projects are delayed.

The NGCP, which holds the sole and exclusive concession and franchise for operating the Philippines’ transmission network, said the delay in the implementation of these projects “are not intentional” as it cited, among others, right-of-way (ROW) issues as the biggest challenge encountered.

“Again, we always go back to this. Part of the reason why we don’t have grid stability is we don’t have ancillary services. The ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission] released many resolutions on this matter and I think the ERC penalized NGCP for this. If NGCP is still not complying then we are back to where we were,” Gatchalian said during the hearing.

Guevara, however, assured that the NGCP now “has no choice” but to comply with the DOE policy on the creation of the Reserve Market (RM)—the venue for trading of ancillary services or power reserves meant to support the power transmission system.

The RM is undergoing trial operations for three months in preparation for the full commercial operations on December 26, 2023. “By end of the year, the reserve mkt will be fully operational and therefore there’s no reason for NGCP not to be able to fulfil all the ancillary requirements,” said Guevara.

During the hearing, ERC Chairman Monalisa C. Dimalanta commented that there will be no excuse this time for NGCP not to procure ample power reserves.

“If you recall the reason for NGCP not having required the level of AS was that there was not enough offers. But with the Reserve Market already operational, all offers are centralized, that excuse is not available anymore. So, if they still not able to fulfil obligations then clearly they are in violation of obligation already,” Dimalanta said.

Ancillary services are stand-by power in the event that baseload power plants bogged down. The system operator (SO), which is the NGCP, is required to maintain a certain level of AS to support the transmission of power from generators to consumers.

The NGCP procures AS via competitive selection process (CSP) but the capacities derived from the competitive auction are still not enough. Hence, the need for the RM auction.

Based on the approved 2023-2032 “Ancillary Services Agreement Procurement” plan, the required Regulating Reserve (RR), Contingency Reserve (CR), and Dispatchable Reserve (DR) for 2023 are 729 megawatts (MW), 959 MW, and 959 MW, respectively. On the other hand, the awarded AS per the recently concluded Competitive Selection Process (CSP) for the said AS requirements are 396 MW for RR, 985 MW for CR, and 866 MW for DR, respectively.

NGCP said ancillary services are necessary for it to manage power fluctuations to ensure the quality and reliability of power flowing through its system. If not managed properly, it said that fluctuations can cause damage to sensitive equipment, or even automatic load dropping, if the fluctuations are severe enough to pose a danger to the transmission system as a whole. Lenie Lectura

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Editor: Angel R. Calso

Biden signs bill before midnight to avert shutdown

By Lisa Mascaro, Kevin Freking & Stephen Groves | The Associated Press

WASHINGTON—Thethreat of a federal government shutdown suddenly lifted late Saturday as President Joe Biden signed a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open with little time to spare after Congress rushed to approve the bipartisan deal.

The package drops aid to Ukraine, a White House priority opposed by a growing number of GOP lawmakers, but increases federal disaster assistance by $16 billion, meeting Biden’s full request. The bill funds government until November 17.

After chaotic days of turmoil in the House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy abruptly abandoned demands for steep spending cuts from his right flank and instead relied on Democrats to pass the bill, at risk to his own job. The Senate followed with final passage closing a whirlwind day at the Capitol.

“This is good news for the American people,” Biden said in a statement.

He also said the United States “cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted” and expected McCarthy “will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.”

It’s been a sudden head-spinning turn of events in Congress ahead of the midnight funding deadline after grueling days in the House pushed the government to the brink of a disruptive federal shutdown.

The outcome ends, for now, the threat of a shutdown, but the reprieve may be short-lived. Congress will again need to fund the government in coming weeks risking a crisis as views are hardening, particularly among the right-flank lawmakers whose demands were ultimately swept aside this time in favor of a more bipartisan approach.

“We’re going to do our job,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said before the House vote. “We’re going to be adults in the room. And we’re going to keep government open.”

If no deal was in place before Sunday, federal workers would have faced furloughs, more than 2 million active-duty and reserve military troops would have had to work without pay and programs and services that Americans rely on from coast to coast would have begun to face shutdown disruptions.

“It has been a day full of twists and turns, but the American people

can breathe a sigh of relief: There will be no government shutdown,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The package funds government at current 2023 levels until midNovember, and also extends other provisions, including for the Federal Aviation Administration. The package was approved by the House 335-91, with most Republicans and almost all Democrats supporting. Senate passage came by an 88-9 vote.

But the loss of Ukraine aid was devastating for lawmakers of both parties vowing to support President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his recent Washington visit. The Senate bill included $6 billion for Ukraine, and both chambers came to a standstill Saturday as lawmakers assessed their options.

“The American people deserve better,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, warning in a lengthy floor speech that “extreme” Republicans were risking a shutdown.

For the House package to be approved, McCarthy was forced to rely on Democrats because the speaker’s hard-right flank has said it will oppose any short-term funding measure, denying him the votes needed from his slim majority. It’s a move that is sure to intensify calls for his ouster.

After leaving the conservative holdouts behind, McCarthy is almost certain to be facing a motion to try

to remove him from office, though it is not at all certain there would be enough votes to topple the speaker.

Most Republicans voted for the package Saturday while 90 opposed.

“If somebody wants to remove me because I want to be the adult in the room, go ahead and try,” McCarthy said of the threat to oust him. “But I think this country is too important.”

The White House was tracking the developments on Capitol Hill and aides were briefing the president, who was spending the weekend in Washington.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has championed Ukraine aid despite resistance from his own ranks, is expected to keep pursuing US support for Kyiv in the fight against Russia.

“I have agreed to keep fighting for more economic and security aid for Ukraine,” McConnell, R-Ky., said before the vote.

Late at night, the Senate stalled when Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., held up the vote, seeking assurances Ukraine funds would be reconsidered.

“I know important moments are like this, for the United States, to lead the rest of the world,” Bennet said, noting his mother was born in Poland in 1938 and survived the Holocaust. “We can’t fail.”

The House’s quick pivot comes after the collapse Friday of McCarthy’s earlier plan to pass a Republican-only bill with steep spending cuts up to 30% to most government agencies and strict border provisions that the White House and Democrats rejected as too extreme. A faction of 21 hard-right Republican holdouts opposed it.

“Our options are slipping away every minute,” said one senior Republican, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida.

The federal government had been heading straight into a shutdown that posed grave uncertainty for federal workers in states all across America and the people who depend on them—from troops to border control agents to office workers, scientists and others. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

Indonesia set to launch Southeast Asia’s first high-speed railway, largely funded by China

By Niniek Karmini The Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesia is

launching Southeast Asia’s first highspeed railway, a key project under China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative that will cut travel time between t he capital and another major city from the current three hours to about 40 minutes.

The project has been beset with delays and increasing costs, and some observers doubt its commercial benefit, but President Joko Widodo has championed it and w ill be inaugurating the 142.3-kilometer (88.4-mile) railway as it begins commercial operations Monday.

The Chinese-made bullet train, called “Whoosh,” will connect Jakarta with Bandung, the heavily populated capital of West J ava province. Widodo, along with other high-ranking officials, is expected to ride the Whoosh from its first station, Halim KCBJ in eastern Jakarta to Bandung’s Tegalluar station, the last of the line’s four s tations.

The $7.3 billion project, largely funded by China, was constructed by PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia-China, known as PT KCIC, a joint venture between an Indonesian consortium of four state-owned companies an d China Railway International Co. Ltd. The joint venture said the trains will be the fastest in Southeast Asia, with speeds of up to 350 kph (217 mph).

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime and investment, said China Railway has agreed to t ransfer its technology to Indonesia so that in the future the country’s high-speed trains can be made domestically. Chinese Premier Li Qiang took a test

ride early last month while visiting Jakarta for three days of talks with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations and other countries.

Li rode the train from Halim KCBJ station to the next station, in West Java’s K arawang city, a 40-kilometer (25-mile) ride that took about 11 minutes. He then returned on the same train.

Widodo took a 25-minute test ride on the train a week later and told reporters that he felt comfortable sitting or walking inside the bullet train even at its top sp eeds. He urged people to switch from cars to mass transportation to reduce congestion and pollution, adding that congestion in Jakarta and Bandung is estimated to cost the economy more than $6 .5 billion a year.

PT KCIC has also been running a twoweek, free-of-charge public trial prior to the inauguration.

Indonesia broke ground on the project in 2016. The line was originally expected to begin operations in 2019, but was delayed by disputes over land acquisition, environmental issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.

I t was planned to cost 66.7 trillion rupiah ($4.3 billion), but the amount ballooned to 113 trillion rupiah ($7.3 billion).

The trains have been modified for Indonesia’s tropical climate and are equipped w ith a safety system that can respond to earthquakes, floods and other emergency conditions. The 209-meter (685-foot) train has a capacity of 601 passengers.

Ticket prices had not been finalized as of Saturday, but PT KCIC estimated oneway prices per passenger would range from 250,000 rupiah ($16) for second class to 350,000 rupiah ($22.60) for VIP seats.

Passengers going to downtown Band -

ung need to take a feeder train from the P adalarang station that will add a further 20 minutes, with an estimated cost about 50,000 rupiah ($3.20).

The rail deal was signed in October 2015 after Indonesia selected China over Japan in fierce bidding. It was financed with a loan from the China Development Bank for 75% of the cost. The remaining 25% came from the consortium’s own funds.

The project is part of a planned 750-kilometer (466-mile) high-speed train line t hat would cut across four provinces on Indonesia’s main island of Java and end in the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya.

“I’m so happy and very excited that finally we can ride a bullet train in Indonesia,” said Christianto Nusatya, a Jakarta r esident who joined a public test ride last week. “But still, I would prefer to choose a regular train or car, because JakartaBandung is too short and not worth it to be reached by high-speed train.”

Deddy Herlambang, executive director of the Jakarta-based NGO Institute f or Transportation Studies, said the public does not really need a high-speed train on the Jakarta-Bandung route because there were already many other ways of traveling between the two cities.

He said the bullet train would have a significant economic impact if it connected Jakarta and Surabaya. However, h e was pessimistic that the railway project would make a profit in less than 30 years of operation.

“The high-speed train cannot replace the old transportation that previously existed,” Herlambang said, “People, of course, will prefer to use far cheaper modes of transportation for short distance trips.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-n Y., gives two thumbs up as the Senate votes to approve a 45-day funding bill to keep federal agencies open on Saturday, September 30, 2023, in Washington.

Putin marks anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian regions as drones attack overnight China’s factory activity moderates in September, private survey shows

By Susie Blann The Associated Press

i n a n address released in the early hours to mark the first anniversary of the annexation, p utin insisted that it was carried out “in full accordance with international norms.” He also claimed that residents of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions had again expressed their desire to be part of r u ssia in local elections earlier this month. r u ssia’s Central e l ection Commission said the country’s ruling party w on the most votes.

t h e West has denounced both the referendum votes carried out last year and the recent ballots as a sham. t h e votes were held as r u ssian authorities attempted to tighten their grip on territories Moscow illegally annexed a year a go and still does not fully control.

A concert was held in r e d Square on Friday to mark the anniversary, but p utin did not participate.

t h e address came after r u ssia’s Defense Ministry said Friday it would enlist 130,000 men for compulsory military service this fall, beginning Oct. 1, in most r egions of the country. it a nnounced it would for the first time begin enlisting

residents of the annexed territories as part of its twice-yearly military conscription campaign.

r u ssia says conscripts are not deployed to what it calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine, or to serve in the a nnexed territories. However, after their service, conscripts automatically become reservists, and r u ssia has previously deployed reservists to Ukraine.

i n U kraine, e U c hief diplomat Josep Borrell referenced the anniversary of the regions being “illegally annexed” by r u ssia in a video recorded during an unannounced visit to the Black Sea port city o f Odesa on Saturday. Speaking from the city’s tr ansfiguration Cathedral, severely damaged in a r u ssian missile strike in July, Borrell reiterated the e U ’s support for Ukraine.

“Odesa is a beautiful historic city. it should be in the headlines for its vibrant culture and spirit. i n stead, it marks the news as frequent target of p utin’s war,” the e U Foreign Affairs and Security po licy chief wrote on X, formerly known as twitter.

Meanwhile, the governor of Ukraine’s

partly occupied southern Zaporizhzhia region, Yurii Malashko, said five people were wounded on Saturday in two missile strikes on the village of Matviivka, lo cated on the northeastern outskirts of the regional capital, also called Zaporizhzhia.

A ir defenses shot down 30 out of 40 i r anian-made kamikaze drones aimed at the Odesa, Mykolaiv and v i nnytsia provinces overnight, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday. v i nnytsia regional Gov. Serhii Borzov said that air defenses shot down 20 d rones over his central Ukrainian region, but that a “powerful fire” broke out in the town of Kalynivka when a drone struck an unspecified infrastructure facility.

r om ania’s Ministry of National Defense said Saturday that a possible unauthorized entry into its national airspace occurred overnight amid the

By Dánica Coto & Edith M. Lederer The Associated Press

Br A t i S LAvA, Slovakia—A populist former prime minister and his leftist party won parliamentary elections in Slovakia, staging a political comeback after campaigning on a pro- r u ssian and anti-American message, according to almost complete results.

With results from 99.2 percent of some 6,000 polling stations counted by the Slovak Statistics Office early Sunday, former p r ime Minister r o bert Fico and the leftist Smer, or Direction, party led with 23.3 percent of the votes.

t h e election Saturday was a test for the small eastern e u ropean country’s support for neighboring Ukraine in its war with r u ssia, and the win by Fico could strain a fragile unity in the e u ropean Union and NAt O Fico, 59, vowed to withdraw Slovakia’s military support for Ukraine in r u ssia’s war if his attempt to return to power succeeded.

t h e country of 5.5 million people created

in 1993 following the breakup of Czechoslovakia has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since r u ssia invaded last February, donating arms and opening the borders for refugees fleeing the war.

With no party winning a majority of seats, a coalition government will need to be formed. t h e president traditionally asks an election’s winner to try to form a government, so Fico is likely to become prime minister again. He served as prime minister in 2006-2010 and again in 2012-2018.

A liberal, pro-West newcomer, the p r ogressive Slovakia party, was a distant second, with 17 percent of the votes.

t h e left-wing Hlas ( vo ice) party, led by Fico’s former deputy in Smer, pe ter pe llegrini, was in third with 15%. pe llegrini parted ways with Fico after Smer lost the previous election in 2020, but their possible reunion would boost Fico’s chances to form a government.

Another potential coalition partner, the ultranationalist Slovak National p a rty, a clear pro- r u ssian group, received 5.7%.

t h ose three parties would have a parliamentary majority if they joined forces in a coalition government.

Fico opposes e U s anctions on r u ssia, questions whether Ukraine can force out the invading r u ssian troops and wants to block Ukraine from joining NAt O He proposes that instead of sending arms to Kyiv, the e U a nd the U.S. should use their

influence to force r u ssia and Ukraine to strike a compromise peace deal.

Fico’s critics worry that his return to power could lead Slovakia to abandon its course in other ways, following the path of Hungary under p r ime Minister v i ktor Orbán and to a lesser extent of po land under the Law and Justice party.

Hungary has been sanctioned by the e U for alleged rule-of-law violations and corruption, while e U i nstitutions say po land has been on a slippery slope away from the e U ’s rule-of-law principles. Fico has threatened to dismiss investigators from the National Criminal Agency and the special prosecutor who deals with the most serious crimes and corruption.

Hungary also has—uniquely among e U countries—maintained close relations with Moscow and argued against supplying arms to Ukraine or providing it with economic assistance.

Fico repeats r u ssian p r esident v l adimir p u tin’s unsupported claim that the Ukrainian government runs a Nazi state from which ethnic r u ssians in the country’s east needed protection. Ukrainian p r esident vo lodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost relatives in the Holocaust.

Known for foul-mouthed tirades against journalists, Fico also campaigned against immigration and LGB t Q + rights.

t h e populist Ordinary pe ople group, the conservative Christian Democrats and the pro-business Freedom and Solidarity also won seats in parliament.

bombardment.

it s aid the radar surveillance system of the r om anian Army detected “a possible unauthorized entry” into the national airspace of NAt O member r om ania, with a signal detected toward the city of Galati, which is close to the border with Ukraine.

“At this moment, no objects have been identified that fell from the airspace onto the national territory,” the statement read, adding that NAt O a llies were informed in real time and that searches will continue through Saturday.

e me rgency authorities issued text message alerts overnight to residents living in the counties of Galati and tu lcea, after detecting what the defense ministry said was “groups of drones heading t oward Ukrainian territory” near the border.

i n recent weeks, r om ania has found drone fragments on its soil from the war next door at least three times as r u ssian forces carry out sustained attacks on Ukraine’s Danube ports.

r u ssia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday that it had shot down nine Ukrainian ro ckets fired at its southern Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. Belgorod Gov. v y acheslav Gladkov said that an artillery shell created a crater and shrapnel d amaged a house, a store and a gas pipeline in an attack on the regional capital, a lso called Belgorod. Local officials in r u ssia’s Bryansk region, also bordering Ukraine, reported disruptions to the power supply following an unspecified attack on t he town of po gar. Drone strikes and shelling in the r u ssian border regions are a regular occurrence. Associated Press writers Stephen McGrath in Sighisoara, Romania, and E lise Morton in London contributed to this report.

By Bloomberg News

AprivAt e gauge of China’s manufacturing activity slowed its pace of expansion in September, suggesting there’s still room for caution as the nation charts its economic trajectory for the rest of the year.

t h e Caixin manufacturing purchasing managers’ index was 50.6 last month, Caixin and S& p Global said in a statement Sunday—dipping closer to the 50 line, below which indicates contraction from the month before. t h at was below economists’ expectations.

Caixin’s services index was 50.2 for the month, also still in expansion but suggesting that pace of growth in activity is losing momentum. t h e figures show a somewhat precarious recovery even as the nation has rolled out stimulus.

t h e manufacturing sector continued a slow recovery,” Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin i n sight Group, said in a statement accompanying the survey. “ va rious important economic indicators have shown marginal improvement, and the macroeconomy has shown signs of stabilization. However, the economic recovery has yet to find a solid footing.”

e a rlier data had shown some improvement, with the official manufacturing pM i rising to 50.2 this month— the first expansion since March, though still just barely above the 50 line. A gauge of non-manufacturing activity—which captures the services and construction sectors—improved more than expected, however. t h e Caixin setback suggests private businesses and exporters are still under heavy pressure,” said e r ic Zhu, a Bloomberg economist. “Businesses—particularly in the private sector—remain cautious on hiring.” China’s economy has been challenged this year by a property crisis and weak consumer and business confidence, prompting Beijing to roll out some supportive measures. Authorities have boosted local government borrowing for infrastructure and loosened monetary policy. r e cent key data has suggested a bottoming out in some areas, though obstacles to growth remain. e c onomists cut their forecasts for gross domestic product expansion in a Bloomberg survey last month, projecting that the country may just about meet its growth target of around 5 percent for the year as real estate remains a drag.

p r esident Xi Jinping on t hursday vowed to step up efforts to meet the country’s economic targets at a speech marking the 74th anniversary of the founding of the pe ople’s r e public of China. With assistance from Denise Wee / Bloomberg

SAN JUAN, p u erto r i co—t h e UN Security Council is scheduling a vote Monday on a resolution that would authorize a one-year deployment of an international force to help Haiti quell a surge in gang violence and restore security so the troubled Caribbean nation can hold longdelayed elections.

t h e US-drafted resolution obtained by t h e Associated p r ess on Saturday welcomes Kenya’s offer to lead the multinational security force. it m akes clear this would be a nonUN force funded by voluntary contributions.

t h e resolution would authorize the force for one year, with a review after nine months.

t h e force would be allowed to provide operational support to Haiti’s National po lice, which is underfunded and under resourced, with only some 10,000 active officers for a country of more than 11 million people.

t h e resolution says the force would help built capacity of local police “through the planning and conduct of joint security support operations as it works to counter gangs and improve security conditions in Haiti.”

t h e force would also help secure “critical infrastructure sites and transit locations such as the airport, ports, and key intersections.” po werful gangs have seized control of key roads leading from Haiti’s capital to the country’s northern and southern regions, disrupting the transportation of food and other goods.

p a ssage by the Security Council would authorize the force to “adopt urgent temporary measures on an exceptional basis” to prevent the loss of life and help police maintain public safety.

Leaders of the mission would be required to inform the council on the mission’s goals, rules of engagement, financial needs and other matters before a full deployment.

A spokesman for Haitian p r ime Minister Ariel Henry said he wasn’t aware of the resolution or the upcoming vote and said the government did not immediately have comment.

t h e resolution condemns “the increasing violence, criminal activities, and human rights abuses and violations which undermine the peace, stability, and security of Haiti and the region, including kidnappings, sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking in persons and the smuggling of

migrants, homicides, extrajudicial killings, as well as arms smuggling.”

i f a dopted, it would mark the first time a force has been deployed to Haiti since the UN approved a stabilization mission in June 2004 that was marred by a sexual abuse scandal and the introduction of cholera. t h at mission ended in October 2017.

Concerns also have surrounded the proposed Kenyan-led mission, with critics noting that police in the e a st Africa country have long been accused of using torture, deadly force and other abuses.

t h e resolution stresses that all those participating in the proposed mission must take necessary action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse as well as vet all personnel. it also demands swift investigations of any allegations of misconduct.

i n a ddition, the resolution warns that those involved in the mission must adopt wastewater management and other environmental control to prevent the introduction and spread of water-borne diseases, such as cholera.

it w asn’t immediately clear how big the force would be if approved, although Kenya’s government has previously proposed sending 1,000 police officers. i n a ddition, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda have pledged to send personnel.

Last month, the administration of US p r esident Joe Biden promised to provide logistics and $100 million to support a Kenyan-led force.

t h e resolution notes that the Security Council intends to impose additional sanctions on Jimmy Chérizier, known as “Barbecue,” who heads Haiti’s biggest gang alliance. Chérizier, a former police officer, recently warned that he would fight any armed force suspected of abuses.

t h e proposed resolution comes nearly a year after Haiti’s prime minister and other top government officials requested the immediate deployment of a foreign armed force as the government struggles to fight violent gangs estimated to control up to 80% of the capital of por t-au- p r ince.

From January 1 to August 15, more than 2,400 people in Haiti were reported killed, more than 950 kidnapped and 902 injured, according to the most recent UN statistics. More than 200,000 others have been displaced by violence, with many crammed in makeshift shelters after gangs pillaged their communities. Lederer reported from Los Angeles.

an armed forces color guard carries a casket containing the body of us sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., at san Francisco international airport on saturday, september 30, 2023, in san Francisco. ap ph oto/D. r o SS Ca M eron

SAN F r A NC i S CO—US Sen. Dianne Feinstein returned Saturday to her hometown for the final time when a military jet carrying the late Democratic senator’s body landed at San Francisco i nternational Airport. t h e long-serving senator and political trailblazer died t hursday at her home in Washington, D.C., after a series of illnesses. At 90, she was the oldest member of Congress after first being elected to the Senate in 1992. t h e arrival of her body was not open to the public. No details have been shared about services. t h e former San Francisco mayor was a passionate advocate for priorities important to her state, including environmental protection, reproductive rights and gun control. But she also was known as a pragmatic, centrist lawmaker who reached out to r e publicans and sought middle ground.

Her death was followed by a stream of tributes from around the nation, including from p resident Joe Biden, who served with Feinstein for years in the Senate and called her “a pioneering American” and a “cherished friend.” California’s junior senator, Democrat Alex p a dilla, called her “a towering figure—not just in modern California history, but also in the history of our state and our nation.”

Democratic r e p. Maxine Waters said Feinstein “spent her entire career breaking glass ceilings and opening doors into areas that had been perpetually dominated by men.”

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to soon appoint a replacement for the vacant Senate seat. AP

KYIV, Ukraine—Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday insisted that the residents of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow illegally annexed a year ago “made their choice—to be with their Fatherland.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a video celebrating the anniversary of the referendum called illegal by the u n. in four ukrainian regions one year ago, in Moscow, Russia on saturday, september 30, 2023. Mikhail Metzel, Sputnik, k r e M l in p o ol ph oto via ap

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s body returns to San Francisco on military flight

Fo R M eR Prime Minister Robert Fico arrives to his party’s headquarters after polling stations closed for an early parliamentary election, in Bratislava, slovakia on saturday, sept.ember 30, 2023. ap ph oto/Darko Ban D i C

Pro-Russia former premier leads leftist party to win in slovakia’s parliamentary elections

un to vote on resolution to authorize one-year deployment of forces to help Haiti fight gangs

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

DA wants ‘efficient regulation’ of livestock sector

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is reviving its plan to have “end-to-end jurisdiction” over livestock and poultry-related matters to ensure the efficient regulation of the sector and to fasttrack the approval of permits, including veterinary vaccines.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias Victor Savellano said the DA is in discussions with the Department of Health (DOH), particularly its Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Office of the President through the Executive Secretary, to clarify regulatory overlaps and delineation.

In a recent poultry forum, Savellano said the interagency dialogue seeks to improve the implementation of the Food Safety Act by strengthening the roles of implementing government entities.

However, the DA is taking a different route this time as it plans to just ink a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DOH instead of pushing for the amendment of the Food Safety Act, which is “cumbersome,” according to Savellano.

“That’s long [amendments]. What we’re doing now is we are asking the Executive Secretary to help us because the DOH and FDA are implementing the law and we think we should be coordinating with each other since we have the manpower, equipment and laboratories,” Savellano told reporters in an interview.

“If some processes will be with them [DOH and FDA] then it may take time. If processes would take long then [there would be consequences] that we will have to resolve.”

Savellano urged livestock and poultry stakeholders to submit their respective position papers and consolidate their position on the matter.

Regulatory woes involving livestock and poultry stemmed from the delineation of duties and responsibilities between the agriculture agencies and the health agencies after the Food Safety Act was enacted.

For example, veterinary drugs and vaccines are registered with the FDA but the testing and evaluation are conducted by pertinent agriculture agencies.

Previous agriculture leaders had advocated for the return of processed meat products as well as veterinary items like drugs and vaccines under

Animal vaccines

the DA-attached agencies’ jurisdictions. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2017/09/25/ amendments-to-food-safety-lawsought/)

The timeline for the forging of the MOA, Savellano said, is “immediate” since there are certain regulatory functions that should be reverted to the DA, such as the approval of vaccines for animals.

“If it is for animals then they should let the DA handle it. If it involves humans then it’s under DOH.”

THE DA’s move to realign regulatory roles and responsibilities comes at a time when the country needs to import critical animal vaccines, such as the avian influenza vaccine.

Jun Romo, President of Philippine College of Poultry Practitioners Inc. (PCPP), said the country’s avian influenza (AI) vaccine guidelines are “steadily moving forward.”

Romo said there is a need to fasttrack the approval of the guidelines because of the presence of migratory

birds and the circulation of the AI virus in the country.

Romo disclosed that the draft guidelines are currently undergoing “legal scrubbing” and once done, it would be submitted to President Marcos Jr. for his approval. Marcos is concurrently the country’s agriculture chief.

PCPP is the private sector partner of the national government in crafting the country’s bird flu guidelines. The national government is represented by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Previously, he said the FDA wanted to allow the importation of a few vials of AI vaccine for trial testing akin to the tests being undertaken for African swine fever.

However, the FDA was convinced during the last tripartite meeting to adopt the updated vaccine guidelines that have already taken into consideration risks and food safety concerns.

Endorsement letters for three vaccine candidates were already submitted to the concerned government agencies, Romo said.

“Before, the FDA wanted a smaller volume [of vaccines] for trials but that

is not what the industry needs right now. The migration of live birds is already here so we need mass vaccination to end [the virus],” he said in a recent forum.

“The [draft memorandum circular] is now with the [Department of Agriculture’s] legal [service] for legal brushing and for approval of the DA secretary to make it an official MC. Of course we are also waiting the evaluation on the side of the FDA.”

Romo said the approval of the vaccine guidelines is “urgent” since illegal bird flu vaccines are already circulating in the market through e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada. He warned that the use of illegal bird flu vaccines may cause the AI strains circulating in the Philippines to mutate.

“[The vaccines sold online] are either just oil emulsion or aluminum hydroxide solution. Those vaccines are not really legitimate [products] of vaccine companies,” he said.

“There are also vaccines coming from nearby countries that are not prescribed to be used. Our circulating strain is 2.3.4.4b, using these vaccines may push the virus to mutate further and once our legitimate vaccines arrive they might become ineffective.”

Nestlé’s regenerative agriculture push for coffee missing a key ingredient: farmers

By John Eiron R. Francisco

Bukidnon—

MALAYBALAY,

After coffee farmer Arnold Abear embraced the “regenerative agriculture” concept of Nestle Philippines Inc., his yield perked up.

Abear told the BusinessMirror

that prior to adopting the multinational firm’s farming strategy, his yield hovered around 250 kilos to 350 kilos per hectare per year.

Currently, Abear said his farm has been hitting an average 900 kilos per hectare, even reaching a staggering “more than 1 ton of yield per hectare.”

Abear’s current yield is already above the 538 kilos per hectare average coffee farm yield nationwide, based on latest government figures.

Had Nestle Philippines not intervened, the farmer from Northern Mindanao said “siguro po wala na; patay na ang industriya ng kape dito sa ating bansa.”

He believes that the multinational firm’s investments ultimately benefit both farmers and consumers alike.

Abear’s achievement confirms the experience of Nestle Philippines, as expressed by Corporate Affairs Executive and Agronomist Donnel Tiedra.

“It only means na kapag [if it’s the] right technology, bringing technical assistance with the coffee value chain and bringing the farmers to the farm business school,” it can have a significant impact, Tiedra said during the event the company organized here.

There’s only one problem: Abear is pushing 50. And “regenerative agriculture,” a farming method that “respects” the cycle of Mother Nature, needs farmers patient with such a long process.

But farmers must be young to make this approach successful and sustainable.

Youth matters

THE “regenerative agriculture” approach introduced by Nestle Philippines comes at a time the Philippines coffee industry is seeing an increase in demand for the bean while supply is unwieldy as coffee farmers are aging, experts say. This is compounded by the need to transfer the agricultural practice to young people.

According to Tiedra, the first hurdle is the attitude of young Filipinos towards farming.

“Majority of young people nowadays, ayaw nila sa [they shun] agriculture, because they always associate agriculture to poverty and hard labor,” he said.

Nestle Philippines Vice President for Corporate Communications Anne Michelle Torres-Pador flagged such conditions as chilling to the coffee industry.

“Kung wala ng mag-kakape [If there are no coffee farmers], paano na ang [what will happen to the] coffee industry bukas [tomorrow]?” she said.

The Nestle executives noted that without an influx of new talent into the coffee industry, there could be a severe shortage of coffee farmers within the next 10 years to 15 years. The Philippines is currently 44.4 percent self-sufficient in coffee, which means more than half of the country’s coffee supply comes from abroad.

They added that such a scenario could lead to the Philippines to increasingly rely on imported coffee and lose leverage when exporters either impose a ban, such as India’s rice stance, or control trade.

And with the local coffee industry still failing to keep up with a rising demand for the beverage, the lure of importation of the commodity becomes more enticing every day.

84% share of Mindanao

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed that the Philippines’s green coffee bean (GCB) production is centered in Mindanao, accounting for a substantial 84 percent of the overall yield.

Meanwhile, Luzon and Visayas contribute 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively, to the country’s GCB production. The statistics highlight the regional disparities in coffee production within the country.

Further analysis of 2022 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), covering the period from January to March 2022, underscores the dominance of Robusta coffee in the country’s coffee production landscape, constituting a significant 72 percent. Arabica coffee follows with a 20 percent share, while Excelsa and Liberica make up 7 percent and 1 percent, respectively.

Despite these numbers, a critical issue looms over the Philippine coffee industry—the sufficiency level, or the ability to meet local demand, is alarmingly low, standing at a mere 27 percent.

The PSA data also revealed this deficiency in production compared to demand has been a persistent problem since 2016, posing a significant challenge to the country’s coffee sector.

According to DA Regional Techni -

Director for Operations (RTDO)

an ideal place to grow quality coffee.

However, Madriaga said, local coffee production is decreasing by 3.5 percent annually over the past 10 years. Meanwhile, the country’s coffee consumption for the last three years (2018 to 2020) increased by 2.1 percent.

Regenerative agriculture

NESTLE Philippines’ Head of Agribusiness, Arthur R. Baria, told the BusinessMirror the concept of enhancing traditional coffee farming - to uplift farmers’ livelihoods by elevating their income above the poverty line—“is a good story to tell; from then, let’s achieve some more.”

“Using regenerative agriculture and intercropping—the more sources of income, the more tataas ang annual income nila ,” Baria emphasized.

In 2021, Nestle, in collaboration with the German development agency GIZ, launched an initiative under the Nescafe banner called “Project Coffee Plus.”

This initiative aimed to introduce 1,500 farmers to the principles of Regenerative Agriculture and entrepreneurship.

The outcome of this intervention has been reflected in the data, demonstrating a significant success in increasing the yields and profits of coffee farmers who participated by a remarkable 300 percent.

According to the initiative’s results, coffee farmers achieved an average yield of 900kg/ha, a substantial improvement from the baseline crop yield of 235 kg/ha recorded in the 2018-2019 period.

Notably, a subset of 192 top-performing farmers even exceeded this, achieving yields of 1mt/ha and higher.

The outcomes of this initiative have been closely monitored and evaluated by the Rainforest Alliance, an international nongovernment organization dedicated to partnering with businesses to enhance agriculture, preserve forests, combat climate change, and safeguard the rights of people.

Meanwhile, implementing initiatives are nothing, “kapag walang healthy soil na pagtatamnan ng kape [if there’s no healthy soil on which to plant coffee] in the future generations,” Tiedra said, adding that regenerative agriculture is vital.

“We teach our farmers, to help them develop a richer soil and make these coffee farming communities more resilient,” Tiedra emphasized.

Addressing the challenges faced by Filipino farmers, Baria stressed the importance of training and access to affordable loans.

As the world’s biggest buyer and manufacturer of GCB, Nestle’s commitment to training and access to affordable loans has become a beacon of hope for the coffee industry.

Next generation

NESTLE’S Pador said the company uses a two-pronged approach to rejuvenate the local coffee industry.

“Habang hinahanda po natin ang lupa para sa magkakapeng Pilipino [while we’re preparing the land for coffee-drinking Filipinos], we are also helping the new generation of coffee farmers,” she declared.

She underscored the seriousness of Nestle’s commitment by stating, “We are here to stay; we are here for the long haul.”

Pador acknowledged the issue of aging coffee farmers: “Ang mag-kakape po natin ay tumatanda na [they are getting old],” and urged collaboration within the industry.

There’s hope, though. Third Year Agriculture Student of Sultan Kudarat State University, Queenie Subasco expressed her willingness to pursue agriculture as her college course, citing the current state of the country’s coffee industry as a motivating factor.

“Nakikita ko po na lumiliit na ang bilang ng mga estudyante na kumukuha ng [I can see that fewer students are taking up] agriculture,” Subasco shared during the media briefing. She firmly believes that the agricultural industry holds immense

potential and offers a multitude of benefits.

Subasco lamented, in Filipino “Some people don’t appreciate the importance of, and our country’s need, for agriculture.”

Meanwhile, DA Administrative Aide IV An Cristie Tangcalagan, a former student of agriculture, expressed her strong belief that “Maybe you think that we are giving up agriculture, but no, we are still here and we are fighting for it.”

Call to action

IN a recent news briefing at the Bukidnon Integrated Coffee Center, NESCAFE Ph launches “Kape’t-Bisig Sa Pagbangon” campaign, a movement aims at raising awareness and rallying Filipinos to support their local coffee farmers and secure a prosperous future for the generations to come.

“We will ask everybody to raise awareness to talk about the current landscape of the coffee industry,” said Nescafe Classic Assistant Brand Manager Igi Natanuan.

This campaign goes beyond traditional charitable efforts, combining online engagement and educational empowerment in a remarkable way.

In a pioneering move, the company introduces the “Kape’t-Bisig Sa Pagbangon Online Challenge” on TikTok, the first-ever brand challenge in the Philippines with a cause.

This challenge invites everyone to participate by creating TikTok content—be it singing or dancing—using the iconic “Bangon” music, as a tribute to the hardworking Filipino coffee farmers.

“We must take on the challenge, we must inspire the youth,” Natanuan added. “There’s hope that they can do something in improving the coffee agricultural landscape here in the Philippines.”

The online challenge harnesses the power of social media to amplify the message of supporting local coffee farming.

Through the catchy tunes and captivating dance moves, participants can spread awareness and inspire others to join the cause.

Natanuan emphasized that there is no tangible incentive to the participants, but “the incentive that they will get is the help and the awareness they will raise from the challenge that they did.”

As highlighted by Natanuan, it’s not just about coffee; it’s about fostering unity and camaraderie among Filipinos for a brighter future.

Investing in education

AS an integral part of this initiative, NESCAFE Ph is committed to investi ng in the future of the agricultural industry by providing educational grants to the top three agricultural universities in Mindanao: Central Mindanao University, Sultan Kudarat State University, and University of Southern Mindanao.

“They are a beacon of hope, they are teaching agriculture,” Nescafe Classic Assistant Brand Manager Igi Natanuan stated the reason why they choose these institutions. This investment will benefit 400 Junior and Senior High School students who are the children of coffee farmers.

“They are our future coffee farmers,” Natanuan said, who could really level up farming in the country. Through this initiative, P10 million will be allotted to this educational assistance. Each student grantee will receive a one-time grant of 25,000 pesos.

“We have a preference for students taking up agriculture,” according to Natanuan. The parents should be a member of the Nestle partnered cooperatives such as Sta. Catalina Multipurpose Cooperative and Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative. Nescafe believes this financial assistance will not only support the educational aspirations of these young individuals but also emphasize the importance of the agricultural sector in the Philippines today and in the future.

“We’re working together to achieve our goal and objectives for the coffee industry not only in Northern Mindanao,” said the DA’s RTDO Madriaga.

Tiedra firmly stands by the idea that agripreneurship holds “substantial opportunities,” and sees it as a crucial pathway for empowering the younger generation.

He added that farming, particularly in the case of coffee cultivation, transcends the traditional notion of agriculture, presenting a dynamic business opportunity.

To support this vision, he highlighted the importance of imparting fundamental entrepreneurial skills, along with sound business and marketing knowledge, to farmers through specialized training programs the multinational food and beverages company provides.

Coffee Farmers can boost their income if they apply “good agricultural practices with the right interventions,” Tiedra said.

NESTLÉ’S demo farm in the Bukidnon Integrated Coffee Center. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

editorial

‘Without math, there’s nothing you can do’

The word mathematics comes from the Greek “máthēma,” which means knowledge. Greek mathematicians were the first to share their mathematical system with the rest of the world. however, the four mathematical operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication and division—have been used by ancient civilizations more than 4,000 years ago. The Sumerians were one of the first civilizations to create a complex system of measurements. From 2600 BC onwards, they wrote multiplication tables on clay tablets and dealt with division problems.

Most people may not know it, but mathematics underpins everything in our modern world. It is the backbone of technological advancements. For example, artificial intelligence and data analysis heavily rely on mathematical models and statistics.

The Program for International Student Assessment or PISA is a worldwide study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that measures the scholastic performance in reading, mathematics, and science literacy of 15-year-olds.

When PISA was launched in 2000, only 32 countries participated. Now PISA involves more than 90 countries and 3,000,000 students from across the globe. With the aim of measuring the yield of different education systems and help education reform, PISA provides the most extensive international assessment of student learning outcomes. The most recent international assessment administered was PISA 2018 with 79 countries involved and over 600,000 participants. China’s economic area of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang emerged as the top performer in all categories.

The Philippines participated in PISA for the first time in 2018, and came in last place among 79 participating countries in reading, and second to last place in science and mathematics. Former Education Secretary Leonor Briones said she initiated the country’s participation in PISA “to be able to establish our baseline in relation to global standards and benchmark the effectiveness of our reforms moving forward. The PISA results, along with our own assessments and studies, will aid in policy formulation, planning, and programming.”

Under Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte, the DepEd announced on March 11, 2022 the Philippines’ participation in the PISA 2022. With over 85 countries participating, PISA 2022 focused on mathematics and its results will be released in December 2023.

Whatever the outcome of the country’s participation in PISA 2022, it would do well for the Marcos administration to get more students into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This is extremely important for the future prosperity of the Philippines in general, and our people in particular.

We need a national initiative that tries to help schools improve student learning in STEM. If we start them early enough, we can help guide our learners on career paths in math-related fields where we need to stay competitive. This is a great way to strengthen our science, technology and engineering programs.

Above all, we need teachers that can make math fun for learners. For our national leaders, it’s important to make sure that our teachers have the resources to do the job well.

Shakuntala Devi, an Indian writer who was best known as “the human computer” for her ability to swiftly perform lengthy calculations in her head, has an important message for us: “Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.”

How do we get learners excited about this dreaded subject? The challenge is to find an effective approach, the sooner the better. And of course it goes without saying that in our technology-driven world, we can only improve our global economic competitiveness by raising our mathematical skills. That’s because mathematics is the cornerstone of scientific and technological advancements.

An ebook library for those with reading barriers

RISING SUN

Many of us fail to realize what a tremendous gift it is to be able to read books, to go to book fairs and bookstores to buy the books that we like. It seems like an ordinary thing to do, nothing special. But people who experience difficulties reading—for reasons such as blindness, visual impairment, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, and so on—may not be able to enjoy these activities and therefore cannot experience the joy that reading brings.

There is, however, an ebook library called Bookshare® that carries a huge collection of ebooks for the exclusive use of people with reading barriers. Currently, it has around 1,224,476 titles in over 34 languages, so far the biggest collection of accessible ebooks in the world. There are books for school or

for work, fiction, children’s books, poetry, non-fiction, and many more. Bookshare® is an initiative of Benetech, a nonprofit that empowers communities with software for social good.

The ebook collection of Bookshare® is built through its partnerships with over 1,000 publishers in

the United States and beyond. Organizations, volunteers, individual authors, and creators are also part of its wide network of support. Bookshare® operates from the US under a copyright exemption—the Chafee Amendment—which grants nonprofit organizations the ability to make books available to people with print disabilities without the need to obtain permission from publishers. It receives publisher permission to provide books to its members outside the US.

The works of Filipino authors, artists, and creators can be donated to Bookshare®, as well. Publishers and creators are assured that applicants go through a strict screening process to ensure that they are qualified to join as members and gain access to the ebook library. If you are a creator or publisher who is interested in donating titles to the Bookshare® ebook library, or if you have a reading barrier and would like to access the ebook li-

brary as a member, you can get in touch with Bookshare® via their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ bookshare

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 285 million people worldwide are visually impaired, 90 percent of whom live in developing countries. An even higher number of people have dyslexia or a language-based learning disability that makes it difficult for them to read printed text. UNESCO has reported that if all students in low-income countries are able to leave school armed with basic reading skills, about 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty—a number that is equivalent to a 12 percent cut in world poverty. This is why reading is so important, and it certainly shows the impact of the work that Bookshare ® is doing. Creators and publishers can be a part of this global initiative by donating their work to Bookshare.

Senate approves Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers without escrow provision

court is obtained.

Dennis Gorecho

Pinoy Marino Rights

Three days after the celebration of the 28th national Seafarers’ Day (nSD), the Senate approved on second and third readings on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, Senate Bill no (SBn) 2221, also known as the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers.

Certified as urgent, the bill seeks to secure seafarers’ rights to decent, just, and humane conditions of employment aboard sea-going vessels and sets guidelines for their training and education, overseas employment, and retirement.

The bill was approved with 14 votes, no negative vote, and no abstention.

The proposed Magna Carta seeks to implement the standards set by Maritime Labor Convention of 2006 (MLC2006) to ensure protection of the rights and welfare of Filipino seafarers by recognizing their rights, instituting mechanisms for the enforcement and protection thereof, providing for compulsory benefits.

The MLC2006 establishes minimum working and living standards for all seafarers working on ships flying the flags of ratifying countries. The Philippines deposited its instrument of ratification on August 20, 2012.

The first Magna Carta bill was filed during the 13th Congress by Senator Edgardo Angara.

In the 19th Congress, 14 senators filed their versions of the Mag-

na Carta, namely, Senators Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Migz Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, Loren Legarda, Jinggoy Estrada, Robinhood Padilla, Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara, Grace Poe, Win Gatchalian, Bong Revilla, Bong Go, Mark Villar and Bato dela Rosa.

Tulfo delivered his sponsorship speech on May 22, 2023.

From August 23 to September 11, 2023, interpellations were conducted by Villanueva, Dela Rosa, Hontiveros, and Pimentel. Period of amendment was from September 25 to 27, 2023.

The bill was approved two days after President Bongbong Marcos certified it as urgent.

The final Senate version of the Magna Carta did not include the controversial escrow provision.

The escrow provision aimed to amend the Labor Code that will have significant impact on the “immediately final and executory” nature of decisions issued by National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) and the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB). The contested amounts shall remain in escrow until such time the finality of the decision issued by the appropriate appellate

The House of Representatives approved on March 6, 2023  its version of the Magna Carta (House Bill 7325) that contains the escrow provision. 304 lawmakers voted in favor (including Marino Partylist) while four voted against it and none abstained. The Makabayan block led by Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said that it is a watered-down Magna Carta due to the bill’s escrow provision.

“Seafarers will be ‘penalized’ by the escrow provision that will downplay their rights guaranteed by the constitution instead of protecting their rights and promoting their welfare,” says Hontiveros during the interpellation.

She stressed that the escrow provision violates the constitutional guarantee on equal protection since it will partake of the nature of class legislation because it singles out seafarer claims from other labor claims, both local and overseas.

Hontiveros also made the last minute proposal on the inclusion of the word “to be engaged” in the definition of seafarer.

The earlier version states that “seafarer refers to any Filipino including cadets, who is engaged, employed, or working in any capacity onboard a ship covered by this Act. A seafarer is deemed ‘engaged’ as such if the seafarer has signed a valid employment contract but has yet to leave the point of hire. In the case of a cadet one is deemed engaged upon signing of a valid shipboard training agreement.”

Hontiveros pointed out that “to be engaged” appears in the definition of an Overseas Filipino Worker in RA 11641 (Department of Migrant Workers Act) and the RA 8042 (Migrant

Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act).

She stressed that the Magna Carta will be less effective since it must not be limited to existing conditions only and it must apply equally to all members of the class. The class refers to all seafarers, whether employed or not.

There were oppositions to its inclusion as they argue that the definition and coverage should follow what is stated in the MLC2006.

The paragraph was later amended to reflect her proposal.

The next stage is the action of the bicameral conference committee that is tasked mainly to settle, reconcile or thresh out differences or disagreements on any provision of the bill that each chamber has approved.

The Philippines is considered as the major supplier of maritime labor globally as it is estimated that there is one Filipino seafarer for every four to five complements on board a vessel at any time.

Filipino seafarers deployed in 2022 reached 489,852 with the corresponding dollar remittances amounting to $6,715,880,000.

The sea-based sector’s remittances comprise at least 22 percent of the total OFW dollar remittances.

Last September 24, 2023 is the 28th NSD by virtue of Proclamation Nos. 828 and 1094 by President Fidel Ramos, which is celebrated since 1996 every last Sunday of September to give due recognition to the vital role of Filipino seafarers towards the development of the Philippines as a maritime country.

Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808 or 0908-8665786.

Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

Tax Inspectors Without Borders Beware of the modern-day Pharisee THE PATRIOT

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

WhilE doing my readings for my doctoral dissertation research, i came across the Tax inspectors Without Borders (TiW B) program. This is relevant to my proposed topic for my Doctoral in Public administration at the University of the Philippines. The Bureau of internal Revenue (BiR), in its pursuit of its enforcement activities, may also consider tapping this TiW B program.

This TIWB is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This program provides assistance to tax authorities in several areas, including international tax audits, criminal tax investigations, effective use of automatically exchanged tax information, use of digital tools and technology for tax audits, specialized industry audits, and auditing digital trade. These are all initiatives that the BIR is pursuing, including its Run After Fake Transactions, transfer pricing audits, Run After Tax Evaders, Reconciliation of Listings for Enforcement for its Letter Notice verification, and others.

The TIWB deploys tax experts to developing country tax administrations to provide hands-on assistance on current audit methodologies and related international tax issues. These TIWB tax audit experts work directly with local officials in the Host Administrations on ongoing audits and formulation of audit-related policies and training programs. To date, the TIWB programs have covered 59 countries, with 63 completed and 54 ongoing assistance. In the Asean, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand have ongoing engagements with TIWB.

Developing country tax administrations may request TIWB program assistance by creating an account on

the TIWB Portal (https://portal.tiwb. org/en-US/) and using the TIWB Assistance Request Form. The form allows Host Administrations to communicate key information about the desired scope of the TIWB program and the topics for capacity building.

In the latest 2022 Annual Report of TIWB, the Philippines is included in the list of the 50 jurisdictions where there is potential for TIWB.

(http://www.tiwb.org/resources/ reports-case-studies/tax-inspectorswithout-borders-annual-report-2022. pdf)

There are good opportunities for the BIR to gain in its tax enforcement thrusts if it is able to proceed with a TIWB engagement. I will also directly benefit as I can further research for my doctoral dissertation this BIR-global partner collaboration as a transformation measure in the enforcement activities of the BIR.

Joel L. Tan-Torres was the former Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. Previously, he was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, and Tax partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979. He is now back to his tax and consultancy practice and can be contacted at joeltantorress@yahoo.com and his firm JL2T Consultancy.

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

Finally, it has been widely exposed and now being investigated. Socorro Bayanihan Services inc. (SBSi), which was founded by the late Rosalina lasala Taruc in 1980 in Surigao del norte, is now the subject of an investigation by the national Bureau of investigation (nBi) and subject of a criminal complaint for child marriage, illegal detention, trafficking, child abuse, among others, filed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In her initial report, Senator Risa Hontiveros said that more than 100 public school teachers who are SBSI members went on AWOL and enrollments decreased by 847 learners who were also members of the cult. A tale worthy of a Netflix documentary, the incredible narration of many victims and witnesses deserves a deeper dive as to how one person can manage to dupe an entire community into a devilish scheme in the guise of a Messianic movement. Regardless of the outcome of the case, if some see that there is a failure in intelligence in this scenario, I see a failure in the education.

Under international law, Article 3 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child specifically states: “In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.” Since children spend a significant amount of their lives in schools and closely interact with school officials, particularly teachers, on a daily basis, the school as an institution has significant influence on children’s development, next only to the family. Recognizing such fact, our domestic law states that the parent places the child under the effective authority of the school upon enrollment. Under the Family Code, its administrators and teachers have special parental authority and re-

Striking the right balance: Individual excellence and the collaborative advantage

By Henry Go

IN the realm of personal achievement and success, the allure of the self-made individual—the resolute warrior who surmounts life’s challenges through sheer determination and willpower—has captivated our imagination. This narrative champions the values of independence and self-reliance, celebrating the idea that individuals can carve their path to greatness.

Yet, beneath this myth, there lies a subtle truth: the power of one, when channeled effectively, can indeed yield remarkable results. In this article, we’ll delve into the delicate interplay between individual excellence and collaborative strength, exploring how striking the right balance can be the key to achieving exceptional success.

The strength of the solo journey: There is undeniable value in embarking on a solitary journey of selfdiscovery and personal achievement. The solo path nurtures self-reliance, instills tenacity, and hones the ability to withstand adversity. It encourages individuals to take full ownership of their actions and decisions, fostering a sense of responsibility that is indispensable for personal growth.

Moreover, the solo expedition enables uninterrupted focus on personal goals and the realization of one’s unique vision. It provides the freedom to explore boundaries, test limits, and etch an indelible mark in one’s chosen field. It’s undeniable that many great leaders and trailblazers have emerged from the crucible of individual determination.

However, it’s vital to recognize that even those on a solitary journey

Optimal success lies in achieving equilibrium between solo pursuits and collaborative initiatives. Acknowledge that the solo journey cultivates the independence and self-discovery necessary for developing a distinctive voice and vision. However, embrace the transformative potential of collaboration, which amplifies the impact of that vision and empowers individuals to ascend even greater heights.

are not entirely isolated. They often draw inspiration, knowledge, and motivation from the world around them. Mentors, experiences, and interactions with others contribute significantly to their growth and achievements.

The power of collaboration:

While the solo journey possesses its merits, the true magic unfolds when individual excellence harmonizes with collaborative strength. Here’s how harnessing the power of a network can magnify the outcomes of solo endeavors:

Multiplication of expertise: Collaborative networks assemble individuals with diverse skills and expertise. By tapping into this collective reservoir of knowledge and creativity, individuals can access insights and solutions that might have remained elusive.

Resource synergy: Collaborators often pool resources, be it infrastructure, technology, or financial support, greatly enhancing the impact of individual endeavors.

Innovation through diversity: Collaborative environments stimu-

sponsibility for the minor child while under their supervision, instruction, or custody (Article 218) as they are collectively considered as substitute parents or one who stands in loco parentis (in place of the parents). The education sector has a crucial role to play in realizing children’s right to protection by empowering children to protect themselves and identifying and ensuring an appropriate response to children who are abused or neglected or exploited, whether on or off school grounds. Most certainly, public school personnel have received some kind of training from the Department of Education (DepEd) to enable them to detect signs of child abuse and to report disclosures of child abuse to social welfare authorities. Whenever such abuse is disclosed, psychosocial support services are available. Instead of allotting millions in confidential funds, the DepEd leadership ought to allot more funds on training and development of teachers and other school officials! If only the alleged SBSI abuses were detected earlier by school officials, Senyor Agila (real name, Jay Rence Quilario) might not have that considerable influence over these children. As shared by a lawyer friend who is a child rights advocate for the past 20 years, a 2015 Philippine National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children, “only 29 percent of children were aware that they could report abuse and to whom, even though 69 percent

had attended orientation seminars, training, awareness programs and other services on child protection and child welfare conducted by the government officials.” Such low level of reporting pointed towards a culture of silence concerning violence against children. This cultural norm, plus the convincing or coercive powers of Senyor Agila and his cohorts, combined with a lack of support services from government (teachers and law enforcers, in particular), all contribute to a perfect storm in the municipality of Socorro, Surigao del Norte. The supposed 3,000 strong SBSI, which include former policemen and teachers, has reportedly maltreated children in the form of “systematic abuse, rape, forced marriage, trafficking, forced labor” in the context of “cult-like activities”. I believe that any cult should be punished with a heavy hand or severe judgment, especially when it victimizes children.

In the Bible, Luke 17:1-2 tells us that Jesus once said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.” During biblical times, the persons who did the tempting were the Pharisees, who by their teaching were leading the innocent ones astray. Senyor Agila, as well as any modern-day Pharisee, claiming to be a godly man (reincarnation of the Santo Niño), deserves a Mafia-style death (millstone hung around the neck). Yet, Senyor Agila and his 150-man private army are not the only ones who deserve to be hung. Those negligent teachers and government personnel charged with the role of protecting children are just as responsible for allowing the establishment of “Nueva Jerusalem Esperanza Ministry Government” in Sitio Kapihan, Municipality of Socorro. Such group cannot be established by one “Supreme Divine Minister” alone overnight. It takes a concerted and deliberate effort of deceivers and

a season of neglect by government to allow such group to be as powerful and influential as revealed in these Senate hearings.

We all face deceit, inevitably. Some are smart enough to sniff out the scam. Others are ignorant, not by their own accord, but by circumstances, just as minority, illiteracy, or lack of education. Those tasked with protecting children, especially parents and schools, should be extra vigilant these days against false teachers. As one theologian said, a modern-day Pharisee is someone “who follows the impulse to be seen as righteous by obeying certain laws, while ignoring more important matters of the heart.”

They may have good intentions as the Pharisees in the Bible, but they missed the point of seeing salvation, the way only Jesus has done for us. Goodness, as in following certain rules, can be a smokescreen to seeing the grace of our Almighty God. Some people can be religious but treat people with wickedness while others can be a person for others but does not recognize our Almighty God as Lord and Savior. My pastor friend taught me that God’s love has neither conditions nor pauses. He just does. So whenever someone teaches us to follow certain rules in exchange for God’s love, in all likelihood, he is as shady as Senyor Agila! Sinners we all are, real justification and salvation can only come from the ultimate “sacrifice without defect” in keeping to what the Bible tells us in 2 Cor. 5:21, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” We do not need Senyor Agila to teach us that.

A former infantry and intelligence officer in the Army, Siegfred Mison showcased his servant leadership philosophy in organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Malcolm Law Offices, Infogix Inc., University of the East, Bureau of Immigration, and Philippine Airlines. He is a graduate of West Point in New York, Ateneo Law School, and University of Southern California. A corporate lawyer by profession, he is an inspirational teacher and a Spirit-filled writer with a mission. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

PBBM’s EO 41 will lead to lower prices of goods

late innovative thinking by fostering a multiplicity of perspectives. Novel ideas emerge from the crossfertilization of different viewpoints.

Risk mitigation: Collaborative efforts distribute risk across a group, alleviating the burden on any one individual. This paves the way for more ambitious undertakings, underpinned by shared responsibility.

Acceleration of progress: Collaborative networks frequently expedite progress by leveraging collective efforts, enabling individuals to realize their objectives more expeditiously and efficiently.

Striking the balance:

Optimal success lies in achieving equilibrium between solo pursuits and collaborative initiatives. Acknowledge that the solo journey cultivates the independence and self-discovery necessary for developing a distinctive voice and vision. However, embrace the transformative potential of collaboration, which amplifies the impact of that vision and empowers individuals to ascend even greater heights.

In conclusion:

While the self-made individual embodies grit and resilience, it is imperative to concede that no one operates in complete isolation. The power of one, when harmonized with the strength of collaborative networks, can yield extraordinary results. Embrace the solo odyssey for its capacity to nurture self-reliance and personal growth, but also appreciate that the true alchemy of achievement lies in harnessing the collective wisdom and support of others. Success is not an either-or proposition but a harmonious synergy of individual excellence and collaborative strength.

LITO GAGNI

Finally, truckers and businesses delivering goods to their destinations can heave a sigh of relief after President Marcos issued EO 41, which will do away with the extra cost they have to fork over to lGUs when their delivery trucks enter certain areas or pass through them.

Executive Order 41 stopped the collection of pass-through fees, and urged the LGUs to suspend the collection of any form of fees upon all types of vehicles transporting goods. This will remove the extra charges that businesses have to spend every time their trucks go to their destinations, easily a 30 percent savings for businesses, which is seen reducing prices. In fact, a DTI official said that the permits and pass-through fees can add about P30,000 per year in additional expense for each truck.

It is a good thing that PBBM listened to the complaints of the truckers following the government’s focus to lower prices of goods. With one fell swoop, citizens can now enjoy an early Christmas bonanza of sorts due to the lower prices of products, thanks to EO 41.

For instance, in Manila, a truck is charged P2,000 per month, and those without the Manila stickers face the prospect of their trucks being impounded. In Pasig City, each truck has to pay P2,000 per sticker/ per unit/year and without the sticker, the driver gets a traffic violation ticket with a P1,000 fine.

For trucks entering Muntinlupa, the fees are P250 per 10-wheeler truck and P150 per six-wheeler, which is

Executive Order 41 stopped the collection of pass-through fees, and urged the LGUs to suspend the collection of any form of fees upon all types of vehicles transporting goods. This will remove the extra charges that businesses have to spend every time their trucks go to their destinations, easily a 30 percent savings for businesses, which is seen reducing prices.

payable quarterly, and without the sticker the fine is P2,000 or the truck is not allowed entry. For Cavite City, there is a P645 fee per unit per year with trucks being stopped by enforcers and forced to buy stickers.

In Caloocan City, the fee is P800 per unit yearly, and without the permit, the truck is impounded. To apply for a permit, each truck is asked to donate a 16-liter paint, while in San Simon, the entry fee is P300 with enforcers positioned at the exit.                 The pass-through fees range from P300 per unit in Meycauayan, and San Simon, while in Marilao and Batangas, the charge is P200 per unit. In Laguna, the fee is P300 per unit per entry.

These entry and pass-through fees were tackled in a news forum over the weekend. For DTI Undersecretary for Communications Kim D. Lokin, the suspension of the LGU fees will promote ease of doing business, help local businesses lower the cost of doing business, and directly address consumers’ plight and sentiments to help lower the cost of goods.

“So that at the end of the day, when the product reaches them, the prices of goods become affordable. Kung hindi man po bumaba ay hindi naman po tataas,” Lokin said, thanking the President for issuing EO 41.

During the forum Rina Papa, the Vice President of the Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organization (ACTOO), said the EO “is the very first good news we have received so far.” She also said they are usually recipients of bad news when it comes to transportation.

The truckers’ group wants to be part of the technical working group in the development of the EO’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR), with the trucking association wanting to consider not only national roads but also the roads that lead to business centers, manufacturing sites and warehouses.

We understand that the EO arose from the studies done by Trade Secretary Fred Pascual on the additional levies and impositions that businesses have to go through in their daily grind.

The said EO came about to help the government achieve its goal of being a champion in the “Ease of doing Business,” a key ingredient in enticing foreign investors to come here and set up their businesses. With the EO’s far-reaching trajectory in enticing foreign investors to come to the country, there is a glimmer of hope for the administration to be able to finally rope in more investments.

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng

Monday, October 2, 2023

First Gen keen on Laguna hydro power plants–exec

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

“We’re looking at it. We’re interested in CBK. We’re waiting. Usually, it get’s delayed like Casecnan. We were ready two years ago then the bidding was just held this year. We don’t know when it will happen but we’re interested,” said First Gen President Francis Giles Puno.

The CBK is among the assets that are scheduled to be privatized

this year by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM).

If and when the Lopez-led power firm wins the auction, the CBK will be added to its list of hydropower assets, namely, the 132MW Pantabangan-Masiway hydroelectric power plant, 120MW Aya pumped-storage hydroelectric power project, and the 1.6MW

Agusan mini-hydro electric power plant. These hydro power assets form part of First Gen’s portfolio of power plants that run on clean and renewable energy sources.

Aside from these, First Gen also recently won the bidding for the 165MW Casecnan hydroelectric power plant in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija after it placed an offer of $526 million, higher than the $227.27-million prescribed minimum bid price for the hydropower asset.

The Casecnan asset could supplement the company’s Pantabangan-Masiway hydropower plant and its 20MW Aya pumped storage hydroelectric power project.

“Right now, when you look at Casecnan, fundamentally, it’s a very important asset for us because obviously we have Pantabangan-

Aboitiz invests ₧5B in various projects

Masiway there; and we have plans for project Aya which is also there,” Puno had said.

First Gen’s winning bid is still undergoing post-qualification process.

“In the meantime, we are arranging for financing. The ball is in the court of the government now. We are ready for pay for the bid price of Casecnan. We are really excited to prove that this will be a feasible investment,” added Puno.

The Casecnan hydro power plant is a run-of-the-river type of power facility with limited impounding. It was transferred to the government after the conclusion of the build-operate-transfer agreement between the California Energy Casecnan Water and Energy Co. Inc. and the National Irrigation Administration in 2021.

Converge wants to conquer Cebu

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

Co N v E RGE ICT Solutions

Inc. is targeting to capture a broader market segment with the launch of its new postpaid plan in Cebu.

Dennis Anthony H. Uy, Converge CEo and co-founder, said Bida Fiber is positioning the service as the “best priced” postpaid internet plan in the market, catering to the needs of budget-conscious Filipino households who seek fast and reliable internet connectivity.

He noted that the new service is a

More firms join NZCA, says EDC

THE Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) has added nine more firms in its partner list, bringing to 20 those that have committed to carbon neutrality.

The new members of the group are the British Standards Institution, CEMEX Holdings Philippines, ECC International, E v Mobility ventures, First Philippine Industrial Park, Holcim Philippines, Mondelez Philippines, Monde Nissin Corp. and People360 Consulting Group. They signed a pledge of commitment to carbon neutrality at the annual NZCA conference held recently.

“o v er the past year, we have received interest from numerous organizations and companies to be part of NZCA—a strong indication that many businesses are now aware of the need to step up their decarbonization programs,” said Jerome Cainglet, president and Co o of First-Gen owned Energy Development Corp. (EDC), which initiated NZCA in 2021.

ot her partners include Arthaland, Converge ICT Solutions, Drink Sustainability Communications, Ecolab, First Balfour, Knowles Electronics, INAEC Aviation, Menarco Development Corp., Silliman University, SGv & Co., and Unilever Philippines.

NZCA also enlisted Eco-Business and Ako Ang Bukas, multi-sectoral environmental movement of the Green Convergence coalition, as enabler partners. Lenie Lectura

strategic expansion toward the mass market segment.

“We are thrilled to be able to cater to a new market with the most affordable fiber postpaid plan in the market which we are calling Bida Fiber. For the price of P888, one household can enjoy unlimited data for a month, with speeds of up to 35 Mbps. We understand that there are still unserved needs in that class between those opting for our prepaid plan of Surf2Sawa [S2S] and the standard postpaid FiberX plans,” Uy said. Bida Fiber provides users with Internet access without data caps. Subscribers will also receive compli-

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK

Last week

Share prices continued to rebound on the quarterly window dressing and the rebalancing of the benchmark Philippine Stock e xchange index (PS e i ).

The main index gained 178.45 points to close at 6,321.24 points.

“It was a strong week for the local bourse as it rose by 2.91 percent under a quite strong trading activity relative to the year-to-date average. The market was able to get back above the 6,150 line and even went past the 10-day, 20-day, and 50-day exponential moving averages, which are seen to be bullish signs,” Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, senior research analyst at Philstocks Financials Inc., said.

“ h o wever, it was noticed that the market failed to take the 6,400 level, implying that the said line remains as a resistance.”

Volume of trade was up, hitting an average of P6.18 billion. Foreign investors, who accounted for just 40 percent of the trades, were net sellers at P10.12 billion.

a l other sub-indices closed in the green led by the a l l Shares index that gained 83.88 points to close at 3,400.83 points, the Financials index rose 73.55 to 1,861.78, the Industrial index added 109.84 to 8,915.66, the h o lding Firms index surged 218.62 to 6,033.57, the Property index climbed 60.64 to 2,613.61, the Services index was up 19.75 and the Mining and Oil index was higher by 406.63 to 10,794.09. For the week, gainers led losers 149 to 69 and 36 shares were unchanged.

mentary access to BlastT v, a streaming television service offered as part of Converge’s “Watch Now, Pay Zero” initiative, designed to enhance entertainment, lifestyle, and sports viewing experiences.

Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its reach into metro cities such as Pasay, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Taguig, as well as North and South Luzon, visayas, and Mindanao. Bida Fiber is currently available in 588 cities and municipalities across the Philippines.

Jesus C. Romero, Chief operations of ficer of Converge, said the company is ready to meet the pent-

r e sources Philippines Inc., Dito CM e h o ldings Corp., Imperial r e sources Inc., LFM Properties Corp. and Now Corp.

Top losers, meanwhile, were Metro a l liance h o ldings and e q uities Corp. B, Manila Mining Corp. a and B shares, Paxys Inc., Dizon Copper-Silver Mines Inc., Ni h aO Mineral r e sources International Inc., Forum Pacific Inc. and Concrete a g gregates Corp. B.

t h is week

Share prices may not continue its uptrend this week, as investors may go back to trading on the sidelines. September inflation will be next week’s highlight, at least on the macro side, broker 2Trade a s ia said.

“This month’s CPI [consumer price index] will follow July’s 4.7 percent and au gust’s 5.3 percent This implies September will confirm an uptrend, which is very likely given the BSP’s [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas] projected band of 5.8 percent for the year.”

It added that inflation risk is still tilted to the downside given persistent supply shocks, energy and transport costs and seasonal demandpull inflation.

“Base-case hikes on the November and December meetings of 25 basis points each will put the policy rate to 6.75 percent by the end of 2023; while this explains the observable lack of excitement on the ground, better for investors to price this off now, especially as the PS e i rebalancing has made the index more cyclical and consumer-oriented,” it said.

Tantiangco said investors are also expected to watch out for the upcoming S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing PMI and labor market data for clues on the health of the local economy.

ABoI TIZ Group Foundation Inc. said it has invested over P5 billion to expand flagship programs, foster global collaborations, and harness innovation for the past 35 years.

“This year marks the 35th anniversary of Aboitiz Foundation’s work in co-creating resilient, empowered, and sustainable communities. Aboitiz Foundation has partnered with some 600,000 individuals and institutional partners and implemented over 5,000 corporate social responsibility [CSR] projects,” it said in a statement.

o ver the years, Aboitiz Foundation has provided scholarships to Filipino students and young professionals, especially those in remote areas who have less access. It made a $10-million donation to the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) for the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship (ASITE) to help address the demand for talent in data science in the country through world-class

teaching and research. The foundation is also onboarding partners to scale Aurora PH, a project that aims to provide access to electricity, internet connectivity, and digital tools to accelerate the learning of students in last-mile schools.

In 2022, over 6,000 beneficiaries, including micro, small and medium enterprises and cooperatives, received support and training through the foundation’s programs. Also, the foundation has invested in sites, such as the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park, which serves as a sanctuary for endangered wildlife, built entirely of recycled materials.

“In the Aboitiz Group’s journey to become the Philippines’ first techglomerate, Aboitiz Foundation represents what lies at the heart of this Great Transformation: People. The Foundation optimizes the synergies of Aboitiz business units and its partners nationwide to create more value for its beneficiaries, its communities, and the environment.” Lenie Lectura

up demand from the broader market, citing the deployment of fiber ports to accommodate the anticipated growth.

our pivot into the broad mass market segments, along with the prepaid product of S2S, means our network is ready to take on the pentup demand coming from this broader market. We have 6.1 million fiber ports rolled out to accommodate this demand,” he said.

As of the second half of 2023, Converge boasts a total of 1.97 million subscribers, with its prepaid segment steadily gaining momentum alongside its core postpaid user base.

“Offshore, investors are expected to take cues from the developments in the US government, particularly their budget issue. If a US government shutdown happens amid the lack of a budget agreement, it may weigh on market sentiment,” he said.

Chartwise, the market’s trading range is seen from 6,150 to 6,400 with a possible further testing of the resistance. If the market is able to get past 6,400, its next resistance is seen at 6,600, he said.

s tock picks May Ba N k Securities has maintained a buy rating on Shakey’s Pizza a s ia Ventures Inc. as its first-half income was in line with its estimates.

“Factoring in a higher average revenue per store, increase in highermargin dine-in sales, effective cost management, we raise our fiscal year 2023 and 2024 earnings forecast by 11 percent and 12 percent, respectively to P1.1 billion and P1.3 billion, which translates to a higher target price of P12,” it said.

Shakey’s share price closed on Friday at P9.30 apiece.

Meanwhile, it gave a buy rating on the stock of Cebu a i r Inc., the operator of Cebu Pacific (C e B) airline.

“We forecast (this year’s) net income to reach P6.1 billion, a turnaround from 2022’s P14 billion in net losses as we expect a 34 percent to 35 percent year-on-year increase in number of flights and passenger volume as travel demand rises. at this rate, we forecast C e B ’s earnings to exceed prepandemic levels by year-end 2025. ke y risks include rising fuel costs and a weakening Philippine peso versus the US dollar. Cebu Pacific’s share price closed last week at P34 apiece. VG Cabuag

First Gen Corp. has set its sights on the 796-megawatt (MW) Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) hydroelectric power plants in Laguna to scale up its hydro power portfolio.

‘Revenge spending trickling down as interest rates rise’

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

MONETARY MATTERS

This September 26, 2023, photo shows International Monetary Fund Mission Team headed by Mission Chief Shanaka Jay Peiris (right) and IMF Representative to the Philippines Mr. Ragnar Gudmundsson in a meeting with Department of Budget and Management Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman met with the International Monetary Fund during a courtesy visit for the IMF Article IV Mission Consultation. During the meeting, Pangandaman underscored the Department’s commitment to work with Congress on the passage of priority legislation. The courtesy visit also covered initial discussions on the Fiscal-Year 2024 budget priorities and reforms, as well as recent developments in the Philippine economy, and was followed by a technical meeting with the IMF Mission Team. CREDIT:

Perspectives

Legal transformation: The shock of the new

LEGAL transformation is no longer a goal or a looming trend–it is a commercial imperative. Legal departments must embrace change, formulate a plan and action it, fast, in order to control their future.

In May 2023, the global legal community gathered in Las Vegas for the annual meeting of the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium. Unlike its physical location, the CLOC is a fertile place where ideas are developed, strategies shared and potential solutions are unpacked.

Some ideas generated at CLOC have been consolidated here, along with insights and market trends. The four key pillars you may embrace are:

1. Generative AI (GenAI). GenAI is expected to bring real transformation to the legal industry. You must face it head on, experiment with it, use it and adapt to its current form, while at the same time preparing for the iterations and exponential improvements that will likely follow.

As most assess the impact of GenAI, there is some hesitancy in the market for buying legal technology–a ‘wait and see’ approach. A better strategy may be to focus on fixing internal processes and getting documents and organizational knowledge in order now, enhancing current processes and know-how while GenAI continues to improve and any pitfalls are addressed.

2. Techstack. The market is still growing, although is bordering on being overrun with Contract Lifecycle Management solutions. Any current digital solution will need to adapt to GenAI over time to survive. Assessing legal tech has become more challenging of late and vendors can be vague on GenAI capability for only so long. Legal departments should focus on leveraging their existing techstacks. Through a process of strategy and road-mapping, they should determine if existing and planned legal tech will become stranded by the recent developments in GenAI.

3. People and process. Legal departments need clear guidance to decide between expert systems and GenAI. Outside counsel management tools still need better data and insights on spend (an easy win), while the savings from reducing this spend can be used to fund other investments. On pricing, as outside counsel begin to use GenAI in client delivery, the billable hours will become redundant and pricing models may shift to fixed fee or effective fee arrangements.

4. Enterprise technology. Enterprise technology is rapidly merging with legal tech, transforming the financial, security and integration discussions within organizations.

For legal departments that are open to repurposing enterprise tech, the immediate focus is how to better utilize what you already have. Begin with a strategy and a desired end state. Consider whether you have internal development teams to assist with pilot programs. If not, find out where you can bring in outside support. Be realistic about the pros and cons of onboarding as opposed to upfront investment in design and build.

The Philippine legal landscape is also undergoing constant evolution, making it imperative for legal departments and law firms to embrace legal transformation to remain competitive. It has become a necessity for legal entities to adapt to emerging technologies and methodologies, which aligns perfectly with the country’s growing digitalization trends.

KPMG in the Philippines Vice Chairman and COO and Head of Advisory Emmanuel P. Bonoan shares, “as technology adoption continues to rise across various sectors in the Philippines, legal practitioners must acknowledge the immense value of integrating AI-driven solutions into their workflows. Doing so will not only enhance operational efficiency but also lead to cost reduction and improved overall service delivery.”

By embracing these advancements, the legal sector in the Philippines can stay at the forefront of innovation and better serve the needs of their clients in this fast-paced digital era.

Where to begin?

MOST legal departments are in the early stages of transformation and the use of legal tech. This results in transformation immaturity and a lack of insights and data, which are crucial for optimal decision-making. Data. Data and metrics underpin legal transformation and are some of the keys to unlocking transformation. Data allows teams to make data-driven decisions and to create maturity frameworks which help teams assess where they are on the transformation journey. Data is critical to demonstrate the value of legal, workload, spend and ROI on initiatives and for building the business case for investment.

However, most legal departments struggle with incomplete or unreliable data and there is discernible hesitancy in this area with teams overburdened by overreporting obligations or the collection of data that isn’t eventually used.

Simple data strategies can be created through identifying outcomes and strategic goals and then mapping to the data required. There are possible quick wins, through leveraging existing tools and datasets and preconfiguring new tools to help capture the data wanted. Legal departments should become focused on developing a plan to gather data now and to consider what data and metrics to capture later.

The full version of this excerpt is at https:// kpmg.com/xx/en/home/insights/2023/06/legal-transformation-the-shock-of-the-new.html

© 2023 KPMG Int’l Ltd. is a private English company limited by guarantee. R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership, is a member firm of a global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG Int’l Ltd. All rights reserved. E-mail ph-kpmgmla@kpmg.com or visit www.home.kpmg/ph.

This article is for general information purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice to a specific issue or entity. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the BusinessMirror KPMG International or KPMG in the Philippines.

MBT’s Consumer Business Head Ramon Jaime L.V. del Rosario recently told reporters that the growth in their consumer business is still expected to post double-digits. However, this will not be as high as the growth posted in 2022 and 2023, as it will most likely be in the “mid-teens.”

This growth may be driven by auto loans and the possible comeback of condominiums. Del Rosario said that while work-from-home arrange-

ments are in place, the more common for businesses right now is adopting a hybrid set up where employees are still going to places of work.

“The trend has been high doubledigits, it will still (be in double digits) but I think now it will be more midteens, something like that. Hopefully in the mortgage space, hopefully they open up more projects because the supply of new projects [has not yet really gone up],” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario said consumer spending is expected to be robust in the fourth quarter of the year owing to holiday spending. However, this is not expected to continue next year.

In terms of spending for travel, Del Rosario said, the prices of airfare have been prohibitive. Only when prices undergo some “correction” will more people be encouraged to travel.

The impact of high interest rates, meanwhile, does not have a significant impact on MBT’s consumer business. He said while their products have seen some price adjustments, these did not prevent the take up of loans, especially for automobiles.

“Our pricing for auto loans and home loans rose slightly, but we try our best to compensate,” Del Rosario said, partly in Filipino. “(But) even when there’s a rate hike, we can compensate because it’s self-funded, it comes from our depositors.”

Earlier, Filipino consumers expected higher inflation and job losses in the last two quarters of the year and the next 12 months, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Based on the results of the BSP’s Consumer Expectations Survey (CES), consumer sentiment for the third quarter of 2023 improved marginally as the overall confidence index (CI) turned slightly less negative at 9.6 percent from 10.5 percent in the second quarter of 2023.

However, consumers expect inflation to average 6.6 percent in the next 12 months. This is significantly higher than the 2 to 4 percent inflation target of the central bank.

The central bank also said consumers expected higher interest rates and a weaker peso in the third and fourth quarters of 2023 as well as in the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, BSP data showed the percentage of households with loans and savings increased in the third quarter of 2023.

The data showed 26.6 percent of consumers availed themselves of a loan in the last 12 months. This is higher than the 24.8 percent recorded in the second quarter of 2023.

BSP also said the percentage of households with savings rose to 32.8 percent from 30.2 percent in the second quarter of 2023.

Once unthinkable bond yields now new normal

IT was the week that bond markets finally seemed to grasp what central bankers have been warning all year: higher interest rates are here to stay.

From the US to Germany to Japan, yields that were almost unthinkable at the start of 2023 are now within reach. The selloff has been so extreme it’s forced bullish investors to capitulate and Wall Street banks to tear up their forecasts.

Yields on 10-year German debt are close to 3 percent, a level not reached since 2011. Their US equivalent are back in line with the average from before the Global Financial Crisis and within striking distance of 5 percent.

The question now is how much higher they can go, with no real top in sight after key levels were broken. While some argue the moves have already gone too far, others are calling it the new normal, a return to the world that prevailed before the era of central bank easy money distorted markets with trillions of dollars of bond buying.

The implications stretch far beyond markets to the rates paid on mortgages, student loans and credit cards, and to the growth of the global economy itself.

At the heart of the selloff were the world’s longest-dated government securities, those most exposed to the ever growing list of headwinds. Oil prices are rising, the US government is piling on more debt and flirted with a shutdown, and tensions with China are on the rise. For anyone who doubted the tough inflation-fighting talk of Jerome Powell and Christine Lagarde against this backdrop, the read-across is not pretty.

“What happened over the last few months was basically markets were wrong because they thought infla-

tion would come down quickly and central banks would be very dovish,” said Frederic Dodard, head of asset allocation at State Street Global Advisors. “Everything will depend about how inflation lands over the medium to long run, but it’s fair to say that we have changed from the ultra low-yield regime.”

Some of the world’s most prominent investors, including BlackRock Inc.’s Larry Fink and Pershing Square Capital’s Bill Ackman, are among those saying the current trend may not be done.

Already, the milestones have been coming thick and fast. Germany’s 10-year yield just had its biggest monthly jump this year. Japan’s government bonds saw their worst quarterly selloff in a quarter century and the US 30-year yield posted its largest quarterly jump since 2009.

Even the risk of a US government shutdown didn’t spur a sustained bid for Treasuries, the world’s defacto haven asset. Over the weekend, Congress passed compromise legislation to keep the government running until November 17.

Amid the rout, few corners of the market escaped damage. Austria’s century bond, a poster-child for long-dated debt issued during the low-rate era, took a fresh drubbing, falling to 35 cents on the euro.

Meanwhile, central bankers continued to try to give the market a clear message.

Federal Reserve officials led by Powell mainly stuck to their mantra of higher-for-longer rates. In Europe, European Central Bank President Lagarde is pushing back strongly against the idea of imminent relief. She told the European Parliament at the start of the week that the ECB would keep rates at sufficiently restrictive levels for as long as necessary to cool inflation.

➜ EW board names FDC CEO as member GOTIANUN-led East West Banking Corp. (EW) announced it elected and appointed Rhoda A. Huang as part of the Board. Huang is the new president and CEO of Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC) as of August 1. According to EW, Huang’s experience in the field of banking and finance will be helpful in guiding the bank as it continues its growth trajectory as the mostconsumer focused bank in the country. The EW statement read that Huang has over three decades of expertise in the Philippine corporate and financial sectors. Before joining FDC, she served as President of BPI Capital Corp.

Some chastened bond bulls such as T.Rowe Price got ahead of September’s rout, flipping long bets on Treasuries to shorts. Big block trades this week in Treasury futures targeted a steeper curve and higher long-dated yields.

Until now, the aggressive rate hikes unleashed by central banks had taken the greatest toll on shorter maturities, driving yields up and resulting in deeply inverted curves. Expectations of recessions, along with rate cuts in response, had kept longer-end yields pinned down.

But in the US at least, that recession never showed up, forcing investors to price out monetary loosening. European economies have proved less resilient, but the ECB—which has a single mandate of price stability—has reiterated time and again that it’s too soon to talk about easing with inflation still well above its 2 percent target.

Exacerbating the bond moves is a rise in the compensation investors demand for holding longer-dated debt. In Europe, that so-called “term premium” could add 50 basis points to 10-year rates, according to Societe Generale.

“Rebuilding term premium can only feed long-end steepening forces,” said Adam Kurpiel, a rates strategists at the French bank. “It looks like the pain trade of even higher yields could continue until something breaks.”

To be sure, there’s a view from some that the selloff has already gone too far. Take Jack McIntyre, a portfolio manager at Brandywine Global Investment Management, who has been overweight Treasuries for much of the year and now senses a long-looked-for turning point.

“I think we are in the fear stage for Treasuries, and that won’t last,” he said. “In our mind, inflation is

settling and growth will slow. We will get there in six months.”

Notable too was a revised forecast from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. strategists, who now see 10year Treasuries ending the year at 4.30 percent. While that’s some 40 basis points higher than their previous target, it’s below current levels.

At Candriam, global head of multi-asset Nadège Dufossé says the current market trend may not have much more to run, and she’s is considering gradually shifting into longer maturities.

“We believe we are at the end of this movement, with signs of decelerating inflation and economies weakening in Europe,” she said.

“We need to endure this overshoot phase in long rates and take advantage of it.”

Even if the pressure on the long end starts to ease, another major test lies ahead as the Bank of Japan — the laggard among central banks globally — edges toward normalizing policy. Yields have already crept to multi-year highs ongoing despite efforts by policymakers to stymie the moves.

“Japan we do think is a live issue and there’s a debate to be had about what impact that should have on the global market,” said Martin Harvey, a portfolio manager at the Hartford World Bond Fund. “It’s a potential catalyst for further steepening and one that we need to monitor.”

As the week drew to a close, one piece of data offered the Fed some hope that it’s getting on top of the inflation battle. Its preferred measure of underlying price growth rose at the slowest monthly pace since late 2020.

But even if the inflation picture continues to soften in the US and elsewhere, it’s clear markets are in a new world. Bloomberg News

➜ Finastra, Tonik renew partnership

FINASTRA International Financial Systems Pte. Ltd. announced last September 28 that it has entered into an agreement with Tonik Financial Pte. Ltd. to “strengthen partnership to fast-track deployment of new products and services as digital bank surpasses 1 million customers.” The Singaporean firm announced through a statement that it “will strengthen the partnership with the deployment of dedicated consultants to help accelerate Tonik’s development and launching of new products and services.” Tonik CEO Greg Krasnov was quoted in a statement as saying that Finastra’s core-banking software has “given us the flexibility to build the right technology stack for our needs—whether that was launching the bank on time and on budget or fueling our rapid growth—as well as the agility to develop revolutionary new products and bring them to market quickly.”

THE Philippines may already be approaching the tail end of its revenge spending phase and facing considerable headwinds brought by rising interest rates, but the growth of consumer loans is still expected to be robust, according to an executive of the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (PSE: MBT).

DEpaRTmEnT of BuDgET anD managEmEnT

By Stephen Groves The Associated Press

The threat was set aside late Saturday after Congress voted to keep agencies open until November 17. Speaker Kevin McCarthy, RCalif.,dropped demands for steep spending cuts and relied on Democratic votes for House passage, before the Senate easily approved the measure Saturday night.

House Republicans, fueled by hard-right demands for lower spending, had been forcing a confrontation over federal spending.

In a shutdown, some government entities would be exempt— Social Security checks, for example, would still go out—and other functions would be severely curtailed. Federal agencies would cease all actions deemed nonessential, and many of the federal government’s roughly 2 million employees, as well as 2 million active-duty military troops and reservists, would not receive paychecks.

A look at what could happen in the event of a shutdown.

What is a government shutdown?

A shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass some type of funding legislation that is signed into law by the president. Lawmakers are supposed to pass 12 different spending bills to fund agencies across the government, but the process is time-consuming. They often resort to passing a temporary extension, called a continuing resolution or CR, to allow the government to keep operating.

When no funding legislation is enacted, federal agencies must

stop all nonessential work and would not send paychecks as long as the shutdown would last.

Although employees deemed essential to public safety such as air traffic controllers and law enforcement officers still have to report to work, other federal employees are furloughed. Under a 2019 law, those workers are slated to receive backpay once the funding impasse is resolved.

When would a shutdown begin and how long could it last?

Government funding expires October 1, the start of the federal budget year. A shutdown would have begun at 12:01 a.m. Sunday if Congress didn't pass a funding plan that the president could sign into law. The House and Senate averted this by approving a temporary funding bill keeping federal agencies open until November 17, setting up another potential crisis if they fail to more fully fund government by then.

There were fears that a potential stoppage could last weeks.

Who does a shutdown affect?

Millions of federal workers would face delayed paychecks, including many of the roughly 2 million military personnel and more than 2 million civilian workers across the nation.

Nearly 60 percent of federal workers are stationed in the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

While the military's active-duty troops and reservists would continue to work, more than half of

the Department of Defense's civilian workforce—roughly 440,000 people—would be furloughed.

Across federal agencies, workers are stationed in all 50 states and have direct interaction with taxpayers— from Transportation Security Administration agents who operate security at airports to Postal Service workers who deliver mail.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has said new training for air traffic controllers would have to be halted and an additional 1,000 controllers in the midst of training would have to be furloughed.

People applying for government services like clinical medical trials, firearm permits and passports could see delays if there was a shutdown.

Head Start programs serving more than 10,000 disadvantaged children would immediately lose federal funding. National parks would close.

Some federal offices would have to close or face shortened hours during a shutdown.

Businesses closely connected to the federal government, such as federal contractors or tourist services around national parks, could see disruptions and downturns.

Lawmakers warned that a shutdown could rattle financial markets. Goldman Sachs estimated that a shutdown would reduce economic growth by 0.2 percent every week it lasted, but growth would then bounce back after the government reopens.

Others say any disruption in government services would have far-reaching impacts because it would shake confidence in the government to fulfill its basic duties.

What about court cases, the work of congress and presidential pay?

The president and members of Congress would continue to work and get paid. Any members of their staff who were not deemed essential would be furloughed.

The Supreme Court would be unaffected by a short shutdown because it can draw on a pot of money provided by court fees, including

charges for filing lawsuits and other documents, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.

Even in a longer shutdown, the entire judiciary would not shut down, and decisions about what activities would continue would be made by each court around the country. The justices and all federal judges would continue to be paid because of the constitutional prohibition on reducing judges’ pay during their tenure, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Funding for the three special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland would not be affected by a government shutdown because they are paid for through a permanent, indefinite appropriation, an area that has been exempted from shutdowns in the past.

That would mean that the two federal casesagainst Donald Trump, the former president, as well as the case against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, would not be interrupted.

Trump has demanded that Repub -

licans defund the prosecutions against him as a condition of funding the government, declaring it their “last chance” to act.

Has this happened before?

Before the 1980s, lapses in government funding did not result in government operations significantly shuttering. But then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti, in a series of legal opinions in 1980 and 1981, argued that government agencies cannot legally operate during a funding gap. Federal officials have since operated under an understanding they can make exemptions for functions that are “essential” for public safety and constitutional duties.

Since 1976, there have been 22 funding gaps, with 10 of them leading to workers being furloughed. But most of the significant shutdowns have taken place since Bill Clinton's presidency, when thenSpeaker Newt Gingrich. R-Ga., and his conservative House majority demanded budget cuts.

The longest government shutdown happened between 2018 and 2019 when then-President Trump and congressional Democrats entered a standoff over his demand for funding for a border wall. The disruption lasted 35 days, through the holiday season, but was also only a partial government shutdown because Congress had passed some appropriations bills to fund parts of the government.

What does it take to end a shutdown?

It's the responsibility of Congress to fund the government. The House and Senate have to agree to fund the government, and the president has to sign the legislation into law.

Congress often has relied on a continuing resolution to provide stopgap money to open government offices at current levels as budget talks are underway. Money for pressing national priorities, such as emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, is often attached to a short-term bill.

WASHINGTON—Congress has averted for now a threatened government shutdown that would have disrupted many services, squeezed federal employees and roiled politics.

A government shutdown is averted for now with a temporary funding bill. What happens in a shutdown?

Doors at the Internal revenue service (Irs) in the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building are locked and covered with blinds as a sign posted advises that the office will be closed during the partial government shutdown January 16, 2019, in seattle. The federal government is heading toward a shutdown at month's end that will disrupt many services, squeeze workers and roil politics. It comes as republicans in the House, fueled by hard-right demands for deep cuts, force a confrontation over federal spending. aP Photo/elaine t h om P s on, fil e

Kim Seon-ho: The good boy

BeFoRe the k-pop fans go berserk again with the arrival of romantic-lead actor Hyo-seop on October 8 and the possibility that the beautiful boy band enhypen will visit the philippines, Seonhohadas went k-lig over kim Seon-ho.

A FIELD OF FLOwERS FOR THE SENSES

a new quartet of unisex floral fragrances, The body Shop blooms with Full Flowers for the senses: Full Iris, Full orange b ossom, Full rose and Full Ylang Ylang.

Inspired by the rich, blooming and multi-faceted scent of the whole flower, this collection is crafted by blending notes of soft petals, green leaves, woody stems, juicy fruits and sweet resin. These one-of-a-kind fragrances are crafted with precious natural flower extracts from France, egypt and Madagascar, where the flowers are grown and support the local farming communities. as the day goes on, you’ll notice these unique fragrances evolve, delicately revealing each of their features, one by one. explore the collection and embrace all of your facets:

Full Iris eau de Parfum is a unisex, soft, woody scent in our new floral fragrance range. our intense, floral iris represents the powdery petals; the piney juniper berries embody the aromatic stems; while soft cedarwood symbolises the woody roots.

Full orange blossom eau de Parfum is a unisex, fresh, citrusy scent in the new floral fragrance range. The bold orange blossom highlights the aromatic, voluptuous petals, while fresh bergamot embodies the juicy fruits. This is blended with the woody fragrance of vetiver, symbolizing the crisp, green leaves.

Full rose eau de Parfum is a unisex, fresh, aromatic scent in our new floral fragrance range. Imagine the smell of a fresh, blooming rose on a dewy morning, and you get Full rose eau de Parfum. The smooth rose represents the sweet-smelling petals; the geranium leaf embodies the crisp, green leaves of the rose bush; and spicy, aromatic cardamom symbolises the spiky thorns.

Full Ylang Ylang eau de Parfum is a unisex, spicy, white floral scent in the brand’s new fragrance range. The radiantly floral ylang ylang essential oil represents the plant’s smooth, floral petals in this wonderful new eau de parfum. This is blended with fragrant black pepper to represent the spicy aroma of the plant’s branches, and sweet creamy vanilla to embody the velvety leaves.

all these eau de Parfums come in a bottle made from recycled glass, with a cap designed to be more sustainable, made of naturally renewable wood and cork. and when you’ve spritzed the last few drops, the bottle can be recycled again.

The body Shop Full Flowers will be available in 75 ml eau de Parfum at body Shop stores and online at www. thebodyshop.com.ph.

The South korean heartthrob was in the country a while back for his second fan-meet, Love To Meet Our Good Boy, with his Filipino fans, after the successful manila leg of his One, Two, Three. Smile Asia tour in January 2023. at a presscon held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, the mildmannered kim, 37, gamely answered questions from the media. He talked about being the newest international ambassador for lifestyle brand Bench, his emotional attachments to his memorable roles in Start-up (2020) and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021), and his career aspirations.

“I really feel blessed and grateful that I am able to visit you guys again through Bench today,” expressed kim through an amiable interpreter. “I feel really grateful being the ambassador of Bench. The Bench team was really kind, friendly, and treated me like family.” of the black and white checkered button-up short-sleeve polo he paired with a plain white inner shirt and black straight-cut jeans that he wore, the superstar said. “These [clothes] are comfortable and stylish, which is why I’m able to use Bench products daily.”

n BEING A GOOD BOY. actually with the kStart-Up, in korea, when we say the term ‘good boy,’ it is usually used by the elderly to the young ones if you’re innocent, you’re naive, you’re pure. So, it actually describes the internal character of a person who is kind, who is really pure-hearted.

“and with this character in the Start-up, Han Ji pyeong, I was really into the character that I cried a lot in the k-drama. and since I was really into the character, when I hear the term ‘good boy,’ it really makes me emotional, as well.

“So through this character, Han Ji-pyeong, he was culturally accepted by a lot of people and I [am] really happy about this and I’m grateful that it was accepted by everyone around the world.”

n RELATING. “I have portrayed a lot of characters. I have portrayed a silly character, there were also sad characters. But the most similar character, I think, is the character in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. I really like to talk to people. I would like to have conversations with a lot of people in a light environment and ambiance. So that’s why I think it’s a character that is similar to myself.”

n PREPARING. “So before I actually go to the shoot, I really search for a lot of references so that I can get into the character. I also talk with the directors a lot

point in the script. So overall, I had a lot of practice, time, and, of course, effort and studied a lot for this film to be successful.”

n SEEKING. “I think that there are a lot of characters

Tried and tested: 2 products from popular Filipino brands

No-makeup makeup has brought forth new and resurrected products like tinted moisturizer and tinted sunscreen. These are nothing new but the ones in the market right now are more improved and offer more benefits.

One of the tinted sunscreens I have tried recently is kojie.san Tinted Sunscreen, which comes from the company that makes the best-selling kojie.san soap.

This tinted sunscreen has SpF 50+ pa+++ for uVa/ uVB protection and RadiCare technology (Radiation Care), a protective barrier that shields the skin not just from sunlight but also from blue light that is emitted from gadgets, WiFi, and other external radiation aggressors that pollute the skin.

It also has a formula that instantly blurs imperfections such as enlarged pores, skin redness, bumps, fine lines and wrinkles.

The kojie.san Tinted Sunscreen contains isododecane, a solvent that helps skin retain moisture, provides a weightless feel, and spreads easily without leaving a greasy or sticky residue. Other ingredients include silicones (to make the texture smooth), kojic acid, vitamin e, rosemary leaf extract, and sunflower

seed oil. kojie.san Tinted Sunscreen is available at leading drugstores and department stores for p479 for 50g and p120 for 7.5g. I have been using the tinted sunscreen for about three weeks now and here are my observations and thoughts:

The texture is amazing and can be compared to similar products from high-end brands. It blurs the skin and isn’t oily. If you have good skin, you can actually get away with wearing just this.

The tint is so subtle and is really skin-adapting. It won’t cake even if you reapply every 2-3 hours. Just make sure to blot before reapplication.

It works well with other makeup, both in cream, liquid, or powder form. I have used it with liquid foundation and it was ok, too.

I believe the skin adapting claims because I’m in the mid to lower end of the pinay skin tone spectrum and it was seamless without any grey or white cast. If there was one thing I didn’t like about this, it was the floral scent. But it wasn’t anything bothersome. I’m just not used to it. I still managed to wear it comfortably for hours. overall, I like the kojie.san Tinted Sunscreen. It didn’t irritate my skin or break me out. Reminder: use

there are a lot of room for improvement, as well.

“So, I am very optimistic for myself as an actor. I would hope you’d look forward to me, kim Sean-ho, being a better actor day by day.” n

the prescribed amount for sunscreen. This is a sun protection product that’s tinted.

IT’S #TIMETOBOUNCE

ColouReTTe Cosmetics has released a jelly-topowder compact blush, called Colourbounce, in six shades with three finishes.

This newly launched blush series is now available in Shopee, lazada, TikTok Shop, and Colourette’s Flagship Store at Sm City North edsa for p499 each.

Staying committed to the brand’s vision of “Beauty in all Ways,” Colourette Founder Nina ellaine Dizon developed Colourbounce with the goal of filling the gap in the market for a uniquely formulated vegan, paraben-free, and cruelty-free compact blush.

The product Development team at Colourette that developed Colourbounce has been working on the blush series since July 2022 and took its time to perfect the formula for Filipino skin and lifestyle.

Colourbounce comes in different textures and shades: the matte shades are mochi (Burnt Sienna) and Tutu (Bright Bubblegum pink). The shimmer shades are luv (lovesick Red) and Bean (Cool Berry). The glitter shades are Cheeky (Cherry Blossom Flush) and Teddy (Glowing Coral).

Here are my thoughts on Colourbounce:

I love the texture. on the pan, it really bounces back when you press it down. on the skin, it’s soft and very blendable. as expected, my favorite is mochi but I’ve also been wearing Cheeky a lot. I don’t wear Tutu a lot but it’s a beautiful pink that would look good on morenas. as for longevity, these wear for 4-5 wears on me and I’m a sweaty person so I imagine that if you aren’t, it could last even slightly longer.

IPRA Philippines launches timeless book on PR

Public relations, media and communicator leaders from various industries packed the venue of the book launch of PR Matters of the i nternational Public Relations Association ( i PRA) Philippines on September 27, 2023, Wednesday at S Maison, Pasay c ity.

The book is a keepsake of 70 insightful articles published in “PR Matters,” a weekly column in the b usinessMirror on public relations, marketing, leadership and communication. The articles are written by 18 i PRA members, all thought leaders and seasoned professionals from various fields of communication and PR. The event was held auspiciously at the cusp of September that is National Public Relations Month and October that is c o mmunication Month.

Keynote speaker, b a ngko Sentral ng Pilipinas ( b S P) Deputy Gov. b e rnadette Romulo-Puyat lauded the publication, saying: “ it i s truly an honor to deliver the keynote message for the book launch of PR Matters which is a compilation of 70 essays, penned by 18 authors that showcase the insights of some of the brightest minds in the Philippines’ PR industry on various topics on PR and communications…

The b S P recognizes that proactive communication is vital to building and maintaining stakeholder awareness, knowledge, satisfaction, and trust and that stakeholder trust— along with awareness and satisfaction—is important to us.”

She stressed the importance of communication across different disciplines and professions, citing b S P’s thrust, “ c e ntral bankers are the ar -

chitects of financial stability, and communication is the blueprint that guides their designs,” adding that the b SP strategic communication framework “states that our communication initiatives, besides being evidence-informed and results-oriented, should also be stakeholder-centric.”

She recalled: “During my term as DOT Secretary, clear and effective communication was critical due to ever-changing policies for health and safety guidelines, travel restrictions, tourism destination openings, financial aid, and vaccine distribution….” i PRA c h air Noel Rene Nieva, who very ably emceed the afternoon program, underscored the book’s role for professionals and students alike:

“This book is our chapter’s contribution to the global task of promoting the discipline of PR and is an inspiring reference for all things related to communications as a course and a career.”

“After close to ten years and hun -

IPRA PHILIPPINES CHAIR Noel Rene Nieva emceed the program.

KEYNOTE speaker Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat lauded IPRA Philippines for publishing the book and stressed the importance of proactive communication that she said is “vital to building and maintaining stakeholder awareness, knowledge, satisfaction, and trust.”

PR MATTERS prime mover and former IPRA Chair Millie Dizon recalls how the column began and the journey it continues to take as it comes out every Monday in the BusinessMirror She thanked BusinessMirror publisher T. Anthony “Anton” C. Cabangon and its Editor-in-chief Chuchay Fernandez for their support, and all the IPRA memberauthors who continue to contribute their stories to the column.

BusinessMirror Editor-in-chief Lourdes “Chuchay” M. Fernandez recalls the beginnings and the wealth of information that PR Matters provides its readers, PRs, communicators and journalists as well.

AN EXCERPT ON LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION inspired Ripple 8 Managing Partner Mich Orosa-Ople to choose the article “When the Leader Stays the Course” that tells of the inseparability of leadership and communication, and people skills to “build relationships based on trust, enables goals and objectives to be met, and outcomes and positive change to happen” as we “respect each one’s humanity.”

dreds of columns, we have compiled these in a book. Given our diverse backgrounds, competencies, and personalities, members wrote about an extensive range of communication and PR-related subjects,” PR Matters prime mover, Millie Dizon said. “Many thanks to b usinessMirror’s publisher, T. Anthony c c a bangon and b usinessMirror , especially to its Editor, c h uchay Fernandez, for believing in the project and supporting us all these years; and to all our members who have unselfishly shared their time and expertise.”

b u sinessMirror Editor-in- c h ief l o urdes “ c huchay” M. Fernandez recalled that “the work of i PRA Philip -

NEWS ANCHOR Ron Cruz of the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) chose to read an excerpt from the article by former ABS-CBN Vice President and PR pillar Bong Osorio that the communication narrative must resonate with the audience after the broadcast ends as people remember stories.

pines that is captured in this valuable compilation… articles of timeless value not just to PR practitioners or journalists like us who need to understand their work, but to laymen as well, adding, “The sheer diversity of background of i PRA members and their specializations lend so much color to this book.”

She recalled that in the darkest days of the pandemic, one of the most important partners of b usinessMirror in navigating an uncertain crisis was the i PRA Philippines. Their “PR Matters” column became more important to all of us, readers and news producers alike…in keeping everyone grounded…each Monday new

SONIC BRANDING was the thesis of Homonym Founder and CEO Mike Constantino who spoke about brand recall and the multiplicity of the senses in communication and the power of sound in bringing our messages across.

information, fresh insights, thoughtprovoking analysis of the latest developments… it w as a time so conducive for fake news to flourish, and “PR Matters” helped us journalists cull the truth from trash at a time when wrong information could spell great harm to people’s well-being.

Media personalities and communication industry practitioners read excerpts from the book: Ron c r uz, News Anchor of A b S - c bN Ne ws c h annel (AN c ) o n ensuring that the communication narrative resonates and remains with the audience after the broadcast ends as people remember stories; Mich Orosa-Ople, Managing Partner of Ripple8 who found inspira -

tion in an excerpt on the inseparability of leadership and communication; and Mike c o nstantino, Founder and c E O of Homonym who spoke about recall and the multiplicity of the senses in communication in sonic branding. For early orders or book reservations, you may email books@buensalido.com.ph or call or send a Viber message to 0920 9542980.

Photos credits: Rudy l iwanag, Mich Orosa-Ople, Joy b u ensalido, Red Samar, Jingjing Villanueva-Romero, c harisse c huidian, Ritzi VillaricoRonquillo and our fellow i PRAans, media and PR friends who shared their photos with us

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of Ipra Philippines, the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association, the world’s premier association for senior communications professionals around the world. Ritzi Villarico-Ronquillo, APR, IABC Fellow is a Consultant, Coach and Speaker on Business Communication and Strategic Public Relations with 43 years of experience in leading internal and external communication and PR in corporate, communities, academe and associations.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

A KEEPSAKE PR BOOK. Launched on September 27, 2023 by the International Association of Business Communicators (IPRA) Philippines, the book contains 70 insightful articles written by 18 IPRA members, thought leaders and seasoned professional and published in “PR Matters,” a weekly column in the BusinessMirror, on public relations, marketing, leadership, and communication. Each article is borne of firsthand experience in the PR profession, a compendium of wisdom and relatable experiences, written to warm the heart, strike up conversations, and give us pause and valuable reflection.

IPRA PHILIPPINES WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKER Special guest and keynote speaker at the book launch Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat with members of IPRA Philippines.

SIGNING FOR POSTERITY IPRA Philippines 20182022 Chair Jingjing Villanueva-Romero signs her article in the book PR Matters for BusinessMirror publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon.

IPRA PHILIPPINES LEADERS Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (fourth from left) and current Chair Noel Rene Nieva (second from left) with former Chairs Edd Fuentes, Jingjing Villanueva-Romero, Millie Dizon, Joy Buensalido, Karen Villanueva, Malou Espina and Richard Burgos.

MOVERS OF PR MATTERS Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (third from right) who was keynote speaker, with the movers of PR Matters. From left: IPRA Philippines Chair Noel Rene Nieva, BusinessMirror publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon, BusinessMirrorEditor-in-Chief Lourdes “Chuchay” Fernandez, senior vice president for marketing and communications of SM Millie Dizon, and Buensalido Public Relations and Communications Founder and CEO Joy Buensalido.

the registration desk as guests began arriving for the book launch.

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Editor: Jun Lomibao

POLE VAULT KING OBIENA: ROCK STAR IN HANGZHOU

By Josef Ramos

DID you see how Chinese fans who packed the 80,000-seat Hangzhou Olympic Centre Main Stadium warmly reacted to Ernest John “EJ” Obiena as the continent’s top pole vaulter went fort the Asian Games record on Saturday night.

Obiena was a rock star in Hangzhou—television footages showed he was and so did members of Team Philippines who witnessed a record-breaking jump unfold before their eyes.

It’s a very good showing. In sports, anybody can unite, we are uniting everyone in sports,” Obiena said.

Obiena easily cleared 5.65 in his first jump to the delight of the crowd, who came by the tens of thousands to watch other athletics events on tap, including the men and women 100 meters, men’s hammer throw, 1,500 and 10,000 finals.

He then went for the Asian record of 5.75 meters owned by Japan’s Seito Yamamoto, gold winner in 2018 in Jakarta but never a factor in Hangzhou, and cleared the height with authority.

Then came his attempt at 5.90 meters and the crowd cheered louder and clapped in unison to as Obiena was in position to take off at the runway.

Woosshhh! New Asian Games record! It was Obiena’s night in Hangzhou.

“I am so very happy right now,” said Obiena, currently the world No. 2 who heads into the offseason with his first gold from the Asian Games and a silver from the world championships in Budapest, not to mention him clearing 6.0 meters twice this year.

Obiena’s training buddies were both amazed of the Filipino star as they could only fight for silver and bronze—China’s Huang Bokai (5.65m) and Saudi Arabia’s Hussain Al Hizzam (5.65m).

For now, it’s rest for Obiena before he’s back on the field focusing on a higher goal—the

Olympics in Paris in August next year. “ There’s a lot of things to be done to get that Olympic and world championships gold medals [2024],” said Obiena, 27, whose gold was the first for the Philippines in athletics since the late Lydia de Vega-Mercado ruled the 200 meters in Seoul 1986 and the first medal since Elma Muros-Posadas clinched the women’s long jump bronze in Hiroshima 1994.

“

I don’t have anything to do here and there’s a lot of stuff to do in Manila,” he said. “Everything is secret. I still don’t know what to do there.”

Obiena’s legendary coach Vitaly Petrov and physiotherapist Antonio Guglietta have also gone home to Formia, Italy.

“

I think the start of training for the next season is November and so I have to return there by that time,” he said.

Obiena has all the time to focus on his Olympic goal after having qualified for Paris with his 5.82-meter effort at Bauhaus-Galan tournament in Sweden in July.

I’m resting,” Obiena said of his plan to go home to Tondo with his dad Emerson, who was with him in Hangzhou.

“

I’m very happy that he pulled through,” said Terry Capistrano, president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association. “I can imagine the pressure on EJ because of all the expectations, but he pulled through.”

Gilas in must win game against Qatar for berth in men’s 5x5 hoops quarters

HANGZHOU—The Philippines—reeling from a rout at the hands of Jordan— faces Qatar on Monday in a crucial men’s 5x5 basketball qualification game in the 19th Asian Games.

Up for grands is a spot in the quarterfinals where powerhouse Iran awaits the winner of the 4 p.m. match at the Zhegiang University Zhejiang Gymnasium.

Gilas will be playing in the same venue where it beat Tyler Lamb and Thailand, 87-72, last Thursday.

Qatar knocked out Indonesia from quarterfinal contention in the Group Phase, 74-67, on Saturday, hours before Gilas absorbed an 8762 setback to Jordan and National BasketballAssociation journeyman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center.

Gilas was in the thick of the fight for a brief moment late in the third quarter and the score tied at 52, but the Jordanians slipped away with a 13-0 run going to the fourth.

A v ictory in the round of 8 would then give Gilas a shot at the podium against host China. Revenge will be in the air, if the Philippines and China do meet in the semifinals, with the

COO ADDS BMX BRONZE TO PHL HAUL IN ASIAD

By Jun Lomibao

HANGZHOU—Patrick

Coo clinched bronze on Sunday in Chun’an as the Philippines extended a tradition of clinching a medal in cycling’s BMX racing to a third consecutive Asian Games.

“I’m very happy but hurting for sure,” said the 21-year-old Coo, who scraped the upper part of his right thigh after crashing in the first moto of the 12-cyclist final. “I ripped my pants in the process and got it fixed immediately.”

Japan’s Asuma Nakai, 23 and juniors bronze medalist in the UCI world championships last year in Nantes (France), won gold, followed very closely by Southeast Asian Games champion Komet Sukpraset of Thailand and Coo.

Coo’s bronze was the seventh for Team Philippines and it came the morning after Ernest John “EJ” Obiena won an expected gold medal in men’s pole vault. The Philippines now has a medal in each of the last three Asian

Games—Danny Caluag won the country’s one and only gold medal in Incheon 2014 and got bronze in Indonesia five years ago.

C aluag, 36, was in the thick of Sunday’s race but was shoved to sixth place in the final—he competed still recovering from a broken rib he sustained in training in the US.

Coo, an Olympic Solidarity scholar, felt amazing about his stint in Hangzhou.

I feel very happy, I went straight to the biggest one, the Asian Games,” said Coo as he thanked Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who heads PhilCycling.

This could kick off more major accomplishments for Patrick,” Tolentino said. “He’s only 21, so young, and he’s been training seriously and diligently the past year or so under the Olympic Solidarity program.”

Tolentino said cycling has again confirmed its consistency in contributing a medal in the Asian Games.

It’s a motivation for PhilCycling to achieve more in the international arena,” he said.

Coo flew in four days ago from Aigle, Switzerland, straight from his UCI World Cycling Center training camp. He had to spend a night in Hangzhou—some 150 kms from Chun’an where the cycling competitions are staged—because he was directed to the main Athletes Village instead of a bus to the cycling venue. H is crash in the first moto on Sunday wasn’t anything unique in Coo. He almost always does, but he’s been trying to correct his mistakes.

I’m fast and everything, but I get so much adrenalin most of the time. I need to take it step by step, by staying calm more on the bike,” he said.

Coo called his parents in the US—Benjamin who’s from Iloilo and Romilyn Lag from Cagayan de Oro minutes after the race.

They told me to pamper myself when I get back to the Philippines,” said Coo, who stays in Tagaytay City which has the country’s only UCI BMX race track.

I haven’t eaten rice for the past three months while I was in Switzerland, so time to gorge in Tagaytay,” he said, adding “and a lot of isaw.”

Mondilla ties for 10th, Malixi winds in 11th spot

HANGZHOU—Clyde Mondilla tied for 10th in men’s action and Rianne Malixi was joint 11th in the women’s contest and the Philippines goes home without a medal in golf from the 19th Asian Games.

Mondilla closed out with a second 70 in four days for a 15-under 273 total and a share of 10th place with Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai at the West Lake International Golf Course in Xihu District Sunday.

Winaicharoenchai skied to a 76, 12 shots behind the 261 total posted by Hong Kong’s young star Taichi Kho, who fired a 69 to edge world No. 27 and Professional Golfers Association Tour campaigner Sungjae

Im of Korea, who fell short of his rally with a 65 for a 262.

Chinese-Taipei’s Chien-Yao Hung shot a 69 to secure the bronze with a 264 in the sport where the Philippines swept women’s individual and team play five years ago in Jakarta.

C arl Corpus wound up 33rd with a 287 after a 76 while Ira Alido tied for 37th at 289 after a 75.

The Philippines also ended up ninth in men’s team competition with a 20-under 844 after a 218.

K orea clinched the gold with a mind-boggling -76 under 788 in the four-to-play, three-to-count tournament after a 198, beating Thailand by 25 strokes.

The Thais assembled an 813 after a 209 while Hong Kong captured the

bronze with a 210, also after a 209. M alixi, meanwhile, birdied two of the last four holes in a frontside finish and rescued a 71 but missed posting a Top 10 finish in the distaff side ruled by Thai Arpichaya Yubol in stirring fashion.

Yubol battled back from seven shots down to snatch the individual gold with a closing 68 as erstwhile leader Aditi Ashok crumbled under extreme pressure and faded with a 77 after storming ahead with a flawless eagle-aided 61 Saturday. But except for one birdie on No. 9, the Indian shotmaker was all flawed when it mattered most, making four bogeys and blowing it all with a double-bogey on the par-3 16th.

Jun Lomibao

hometown crowd expected to turn up in huge numbers to demand payback for Gilas’ 96-75 rout of the Chinese team in the FIBA Basketball World Cup classification at the SM Mall of Asia Arena last September 4.

But these are the cards dealt the Philippine team now, and the deck it has to play with. Based on Qatar’s preliminary round game against Indonesia, Gilas will need to look out for at least three licensed Qatari shooters Bdullah Mousa, Babakar Dieng and Khaled Abdelbaset— who launched 19 of their team’s 25 three-point attempts.

The squad from the Gulf Region also has ferocious rebounders in Nedim Muslic, El Hadji Ndoye and Faris Advic, with Qatar’s combined 54 rebounds crushing Indonesia’s 32 total under the boards. With their height and built, the Qataris appear to be more comfortable working inside the perimeter, taking 43 of their 68 field goal tries from within the arc. Indonesia, in contrast, took 30 of its 57 shots from beyond the 3-point line, hitting 12. Qatar was 6 of 25 from afar. Jun Lomibao

So much for instant replay

WHAT is the use of video as a means of instant replay when someone cannot even make a correct decision?

The match early Sunday morning between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool that ended in a 2-1 win for the latter is farcical.

E arly in the game, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz scored that would have given them the lead and totally change the complexion of the game.

L iverpool went on to lose the game, 2-1, down to nine men, after an own goal by Joel Matip.

S till…the worst if Liverpool would have finished with a draw or gotten the full three points. They could have gone to the top of the English Premier League table even if only for a few hours. As it is, they dropped big points

due to a huge error.

R eplays showed that Diaz was not offside but yet, the goal was still disallowed. There was a moment there where the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) knew they bungled it but still did not make the correct call.

The referees have already been assessed for making a huge error that changed the complex of the match and perhaps possibly the title race.

They should replay that match costs be damned.

The fact of the matter is, VAR has been highly controversial in its use in England. Every year, they bugle calls or non-calls. You wonder whether there is an agenda or if it is plain incompetence.

A nd yet, this weekend here in the Philippines, there was another erroneous call by referees in a National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball game.

D uring a match between the College of Saint Benilde

HANGZHOU—John Febuar Ceniza came short of bagging a bronze medal in men’s weightlifting on Sunday in the 19th Asian Games—a day before Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is set to take center stage on Monday in the women’s 59 kgs.

Ceniza’s total of 297 kilograms in men’s 61-kg category pulled the Cebuano to fourth at the Xiaoshan Sports Centre Gymnasium behind third-placer Chungguk Kim of North Korea.

Fabin Li of host China registered a new Games record total of 310 kgs. He also reset the old Asian Games mark after carrying 143 in the snatch prior to lifting 167 in the clean and jerk.

Myongjin Pak secured the silver after netting 307 in the total built around the North Korean’s 136 (snatch) and 171 (clean and jerk). Ceniza was a kilo short of Kim’s 298 after posting 297 in the total following a lift of 134 in the snatch prior to the Cebuano’s 163 in the clean and jerk.

Tokyo Olympic Elreen Ann Ando also lifts Monday in the women’s 64kgs.

R osegie Ramos earlier missed out on a medal after placing fifth in the women’s 49 kgs.

Ceniza misses podium by 3 kgs

Blazers and the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers (won by the former 93-85), the latter’s JL delos Santos was thrown out after being assessed an unsportsmanlike foul for allegedly hitting the former’s Mark Sangco.

L eague Commissioner Tonichi Pujante and his staff reviewed the film of the incident and came to the conclusion

that Delos Santos was incorrectly assessed for the unsportsmanlike foul and will not be suspended (as the rule goes for getting ejected).

P ujante also suspended for two weeks all three referees working the game “for failure to execute sound judgement, inefficient use of the Instant Replay System, as well as for ceasing to assert themselves as game officials.”

You have to give props to Pujante for making that correct call.

Th at still begs the question—who are these idiots calling the games and looking at the video review? How can they do both these? The calls and the final results can have an overall effect on sports teams’ respective campaigns?

You’d think that video reviews would lessen controversy but it has to a certain degree, made it even more controversial.

The harm has been done.

Now, how do you make it right?

ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA ignites the Chinese fans as he goes for the games record.

JOHN FEBUAR CENIZA in action in weightlifting. NONIE REYES (CANON EOS R6)

PATRICK COO (right) celebrated on the podium with former gold medalist Daniel Caluag.

ExecutiveViews

Weaving Magic and Excellence at Enchanted Kingdom

By John Eiron R. Francisco

WHEN it comes to being part of the magical leadership of Enchanted Kingdom, establishing solid groundwork is of utmost importance. For Nico R. Mamon, the Division Head for Organization Development and Corporate Planning (ODCP) at Enchanted Kingdom (EK), that foundation goes beyond the professional realm; it is deeply personal.

Nico reflects on the profound wisdom he has gleaned from his parents Cynthia Mamon, the Chief Operating Officer, and Mario Mamon, the Chairman and President of EK. Notably, these two individuals constitute the dynamic force behind EK's success.

Nico explained, "They have always imparted the same values that they hold for the Enchanted Kingdom. So these are the values of love of God, respect, integrity, loyalty, and innovativeness."

T hese principles, instilled from an early age, have been instrumental in shaping the way Nico leads and inspires his team.

Sense of family

ONE quality that stands out in EK is the sense of family that permeates the organization. He expressed gratitude for being part of an environment that goes beyond the traditional workplace.

" It's not just a workplace, it's a place where everyone treats each other like family," Nico remarks.

In his role as the head of EK’s ODCP, Nico emphasizes the value of "humility in the workplace."

H e puts this into action by personally connecting with all cast members, understanding their needs, and ensuring that each one has a truly enchanting experience within the organization.

T his commitment to humility and genuine connection has not only strengthened the internal bonds at EK but has also contributed to the park's reputation for exceptional guest experiences.

A s Enchanted Kingdom celebrates its 28th-year anniversary this October, Nico highlights that "it's crucial for us to really stay focused on the mission, vision, and what Enchanted Kingdom is all about."

H e firmly believes that these foundational principles have been key to EK's past successes and should continue to guide their future endeavors.

Fostering a Culture of Magic and Excellence

Nico's leadership style is a harmonious blend of leading by example and servant leadership. He places great importance in engaging with employees at all levels, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued.

We're able to really build up for the 30th-year anniversary and beyond," he remarks, highlighting the importance of imparting new values, innovations, and memorable experiences for both guests and cast members.

O ne of Nico's strongest belief is the importance of listening as a leadership quality. The intention of listening is to really understand where you are as an organization, assessing each division and department on what we can do better and focusing on quality and continuous improvement," Nico explains.

W ith a unique history that includes employees who have dedicated themselves to the park since its opening 28 years ago, EK's lasting culture of magic and enchantment is evident.

Nico shared, "Some of them already brought their own kids into the next generation of employees and cast members." This longstanding commitment is a testament to the park's enduring appeal and the deep connections it fosters.

EK is committed to continue providing magical experiences for generations to come.

Nico's Vision for a Magical Future

As Nico leads EK’s 28th-anniversary celebration with the slogan "Be The Magic, Be Enchanted," he is not only embracing tradition but also looking forward to the future with ambitious plans.

I think the main focus really is to build up everything for the 30th-year anniversary," Nico shared. With a legacy spanning three decades, the park aims to make this milestone unforgettable.

T his year's anniversary celebration is set to be more than just festivities; it will be a tribute to the enchanting stories that have captivated visitors of all ages.

some of those enchanting stories, not just to the older generation but even to the younger generation," Nico emphasized.

T his renewed focus on storytelling aims to create lasting memories and connections for both new and returning visitors.

Nico envisions the enhancement of the park's physical appearance. " There is a need to reinvent and innovate some of the areas where we feel that we need to make some enhancements to really make the experience more magical for the guests," Nico said.

of the year, EK is currently working its magic in providing a more enhanced retail and dining experience for its guests even during the hours that the theme park is closed.

Nico invites everyone to stay tuned for the exciting developments on the horizon. "We will be announcing the major brands

H e plays an integral role in the success of EK, strongly recommending that people "find their passion."

B eyond the conventional paths of education, he believes that discovering one's passion can lead to a fulfilling career in the entertainment industry.

Passion for creating magical experiences, their passion to perform, to dance, to sing, to really provide happiness and give smiles to kids and all of the Filipino people," Nico enthusiastically shares his advice for individuals aspiring to enter the leisure , entertainment and theme park industry.

"Aside from the education that you can learn from books, and even here in Enchanted Kingdom, you're able to discover what is that magic inside of you that you feel you can deliver to your families, to your friends," Nico adds.

EK’s Magical Comeback

EK is all set to sweep visitors off their feet with a year-long celebration that promises to be nothing short of enchanting. Nico, radiates excitement for this milestone. He emphasizes that this celebration is all about the visitors.

We really want to bring nostalgia to our guests. We want them to create and recreate some of their enchanting stories, no matter if it's their first date, first field trip, or even first trip with their family," he stated.

Acknowledging the nostalgia factor, Nico recognizes that Enchanted Kingdom has always been a cherished part of many childhoods. It's a place where memories are made, and those memories are now set to be revived and renewed.

T he central theme of this celebration is "What's Your Enchanted Story?" - an inviting question for guests to relive their magical memories and create new ones. Nico and the entire EK team are eager to share these magical experiences with new generations, ensuring that the enchantment lives on.

Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition Returns

One of the most anticipated activities is the return of the "Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition," a perennial favorite among visitors, especially for anniversary celebrations.

Starting in October, EK will host this spectacular competition every Saturday, culminating in the Grand Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition on October 28. This event promises to showcase the creativity and talent of Filipinos in a dazzling display of lights and colors that will leave spectators in awe.

EK has a lineup of events that cater to a wide range of interests. On October 7, EK will participate in World Teacher's Day, an occasion "to really recognize all of the teachers that really helped us and educated us." O n October 14, the fireworks competition resumes with its second round, adding another layer of excitement to the festivities.

F ollowing that, on October 21, the Eldar's E-Kreators event will bring together social media influencers and content creators, allowing them to capture and share the magic of EK with their audiences, spreading the enchantment far and wide.

T he grand finale on October 28 will not only see the crowning of the Sky Wizardry Fireworks Competition winner but will also feature the "Be Enchanted" concert.

A s Nico put it, "Every year, we always bring top Filipino artists to perform for all of our guests to enjoy." This musical extravaganza promises to be a fitting end to a year filled with magical moments and cherished memories.

Grand Characters Parade

The park will also feature a Grand Characters Parade, introducing various storybook characters like Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine.

Nico adds, "We have several other storybook characters which we will be launching in a Grand Parade." This parade promises to delight kids and families eager to immerse themselves in the EK's rich narratives.

coming months," he teased, keeping the details of these upcoming changes.

Finding Passion and Spreading Magic Nico sees working in this industry “as a serious business of fun.”

In the face of adversity, the Enchanted Kingdom is not just celebrating its anniversary; it's celebrating the resilience of the institution that continues to bring joy and enchantment to the hearts of Filipinos and visitors from around the world.

EK's promise for the year ahead is clear: a journey through time that will leave everyone spellbound and enchanted.