Marcial books ticket to Paris—in devastating style Eumir Felix Marcial knocks out Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon in the second round and he’s now in the gold medal round of the men’s light heavyweight class of boxing at the 19th Asian Games and, more importantly, he’s qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics to chase his dream gold medal. Stories on the Asian Games,
rations and households.
THE growth in the country’s domestic liquidity (M3) and loans of universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) remained a “bright spot” for Philippine economic performance, according to a local economist.
Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed M3 grew by 6.8 percent year-on-year to about P16.5 trillion in August from 5.7 percent in July.
BSP data also showed that loans of U/KBs increased 7.2 percent year-on-year in August from 7.7 percent in July 2023.
“M3 growth at 6.8 percent, similar/slightly slower vs. UKB/KB
loans growth at 7.2 percent, both of them slowed down in recent months, but still faster than GDP/ economic growth, so a good sign/ bright spot for the economy,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort told BM
Ricafort noted that the growth in M3 was among the slowest in over a decade due to “restrictive monetary policy.” e Monetary Board maintained its key policy rates at 6.25 percent for the fourth consecutive time this year.
e economist said the growth in M3 may also reflect the “excess liquidity in the fi nancial system.” Ricafort noted that there were large bids in BSP’s weekly Term Deposit Facility and securities auc-
tions. “Also after the recent decline in the BSP 1-day/ON average auction rate to 6.14 percent [lower vs. the local policy rate of 6.25 percent], as this could also indicate the excess liquidity in the fi nancing system, with relatively large bids above P500 billion per day in most days recently since this daily auction started on September 8,” Ricafort also said.
e BSP said domestic claims expanded by 9.1 percent year-onyear in August from 8.9 percent in the previous month.
Claims on the private sector grew by 7.3 percent in August from 8.2 percent in July, driven by the sustained expansion in bank lending to non-fi nancial private corpo-
Net claims on the central government rose by 14.7 percent in August from 12.5 percent in July due mainly to the borrowings by the National Government.
Net foreign assets (NFA) in peso terms increased by 3.2 percent year- on-year in August following a 2.6-percent decline in July. e BSP’s NFA grew by 3.2 percent in August after contracting by 0.5 percent in the previous month. Similarly, the NFA of banks went up on account of lower bonds payable.
“Looking ahead, the BSP will continue to ensure that domestic liquidity conditions align with its
PAYOUT Senate Majority Leader Senator Joel Villanueva spearheaded the payout activities of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, and the DSWD AICS Payout along with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) payout in Biñan City, Laguna. The initiatives benefited a total of 800 individuals in Santa Rosa City and 1,000 beneficiaries in Biñan City. The event was attended by Santa Rosa Mayor Arlene Arcillas and Laguna 4th District Rep. Dan Fernandez. ROY DOMINGO
e chief executive made the announcement in an interview with reporters after the distribution of rice in Taguig City.
“As of today we are lifting the price caps on the rice both for the regular milled rice and for the wellmilled rice. So we are now removing the [price] control now,” Marcos said.
Last month, the President issued Executive Order No. 39, which imposed a P41 per kilogram (kg) price ceiling for regular milled rice (RMR) and P45 per kg for wellmilled rice (WMR).
Marcos said the measure aims to address the unusual surge in the price of rice during the period, despite the country’s sufficient supply of the food staple. He attributed the trend to the price manipulation by hoarders and smugglers.
e lifting of EO 39 was recommended by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
and backed by the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Government assistance
HOWEVER, the President gave assurances that the government will continue to provide assistance to those who live in areas where rice price remains high, particularly the National Capital Region (NCR).
“When we looked at the statistics yesterday, the problem is really in NCR. It is here, where the price of rice is high. In other areas, when you look at the price [of rice], they are already lower than the price cap,” Marcos said.
Based on the price monitoring of the Department of Agriculture in NCR, the price of RMR in the region ranges from P40 to P44 per kilogram (kg), while for WMR, it ranges from P44 to P48 per kilogram.
THE tight monetary policy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) should be maintained until infl ation slows, as far as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Plus 3 Macroeconomic Research Office (Amro) is concerned.
In its latest economic update, Amro said the country’s economic growth will slow to 5.9 percent in 2023 from its July estimate of 6.2 percent. However, it kept growth estimates at 6.5 percent for next year, the same rate it forecasted in July.
In terms of infl ation, Amro expects the country’s infl ation rate to average 5.5 percent this year, slower than the 5.9 percent it initially estimated. It also maintained its infl ation outlook at 3.8 percent for 2024.
“In the Philippines, the central bank raised its policy rate to curb rising infl ation and the emergence of second-round effects. Given these three economies’ [Philippines, Korea, and Singapore] midand late-cycle positions, Amro staff recommends that their cen-
tral banks maintain a tight monetary policy stance until infl ation pressures subside,” the Amro report stated.
Amro Chief Economist Hoe Ee Khor said on Wednesday that he expects the BSP to maintain its tight monetary policy. He said this stance may continue for as long as infl ation has not eased.
Some of the factors that could push infl ation, Khor said, include a worse-than-expected El Niño phenomenon which could again lead to higher food prices.
Food has a 34.78-percent weight in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all households and 51.38 percent in basket of goods for the Bottom 30 percent of the population.
“I think even the [BSP] Governor has expressed that infl ation will have to stay high until infl ation comes down to meeting the infl ation target band. And he has not ruled out the increase, if necessary,” Khor said in a virtual briefing on Wednesday.
Last week, the BSP said it intends to raise interest rates anew in its next meeting and maintain this rate until the end of the fi rst se-
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is supporting the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), noting that it would help in “closing” the Philippines’s infrastructure gaps and boost its “green” in-
vestments.
“ e Maharlika Investment Corporation [MIC] could contribute to the push for closing infrastructure gaps and green investments by following best practices in strategic
AFTER finally lifting the monthlong rice price cap on Wednesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government will provide aid for vulnerable groups in areas where the price for the food staple remains “volatile.”
IMF sees MIF as tool to fill PHL infra gaps, DBM says
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price and financial stability objectives,” BSP said.
Meanwhile, outstanding loans to residents, net of RRPs, also grew by 7.2 percent in August from 7.7 percent in July.
Growth in outstanding loans for production activities slowed to 5.5 percent in August from 6.2 percent in the previous month, even amid the sustained expansion in lending to key industries. These industries include real estate, which saw lending rates increase by 5.7 percent; electricity, gas, steam, and airconditioning supply, 9 percent; wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 7.1 percent; information and communication, 10.7 percent; and financial and insurance activities, 6.1 percent.
“Meanwhile, the expansion of consumer loans to residents was broadly steady at 22.7 percent in August from 22.6 percent in July, due mainly to the growth in credit card and motor vehicle loans,” BSP said.
Outstanding loans to nonresidents went up by 7.8 percent in August from 6.2 percent in the previous month. These include loans by UKB’s foreign currency deposit units (FCDUs) to non-residents.
needed documents would be received by interested partiestion” and “grossly misleading,” Villan-
The intention of those behind the modus is clearly to lure victims into paying unjustified -
Among the interventions will be the Food Stamp Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which is currently under pilot implementation. To help boost rice production, Marcos said they will continue to tap the P22-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to provide farmers with tractors, dryers, harvesters among others. He said they are also considering a portion of the fund for providing cold storage fishermen.
Under Republic Act (RA) No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law, the RCEF can only be used to improve the competitiveness and income of rice farmers.
tion about some individuals offer ing their services online on “An nulment and Nullity of Marriage” without the need to personally ap pear before the court.
These individuals, according to
“We, therefore,ly investigate this matter and unmask those behind this despitefulranted, prosecuted. This we ask to prevent the further proliferation of this kind of unlawful activity,” Vil-
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investment management and accountability frameworks,” the IMF was quoted as saying in a DBM
press release on Wednesday.
The DBM said it was one of the positive remarks by the IMF on the Philippines’s economic status. The DBM disclosed that economic of Benjamin E. Diokno earlier dis closed that the MIF would be operational before the end of the year.
However, Diokno noted in a recent Senate hearing that the MIC would start making investments by next year. The MIC manages the MIF, the Philippines’s first sovereign development fund.
The final list of nominees for the vacant positions of the MIC, including its President and CEO, are expected to be on President Marcos Jr.’s table on or before October 12. Citing the end-ofmission report, the DBM said the IMF “confirmed” that the country’s economy has “emerged from the pandemic strongly.”
“Fiscal consolidation as envisaged under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework is on track, reflecting a strong revenue performance and lower current spending, and its pace is appropriate to bring the national government debt-toGDP ratio to less than 60 percent over the medium term,” according to the IMF. The DBM said the IMF also commended the national government’s efforts toward publicprivate partnerships, which could lead to “more” investments.
The DBM added that the IMF noted that the reforms in the country’s mining fiscal regime and the Mining Act would provide opportunity “to enact a progressive and unified tax system, and a competitive investment regime.”
Furthermore, the IMF, according to the DBM, praised the Philippines, particularly the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, in handling the country’s inflation “crisis.”
“Decisive monetary tightening and moderate minimum wage hikes helped mitigate inflationary pressures, with headline inflation now expected to return to the BSP’s target band by the first quar -
Continued on A1
mester of next year. Asked whether the BSP is considering hiking rates in November, Remolona said “Well, honestly, yes.”
The Monetary Board decided to maintain key policy rates for now, but raised its inflation outlook for this year and next year. Only the inflation expectation for 2025 was kept at 3.4 percent. Average inflation is now seen to reach 5.8 percent in 2023 from 5.6 percent previously, while the forecast for 2024 likewise rose to 3.5 percent from 3.3 percent.
(Full story: www.businessmirror.com.
ph/2023/09/22/bsp-keeps-rates-but-
Congress-led rice distribution
THE President also said he instructed House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez to come out with a rice distribution program in NCR. “Now, what will happen is the 33 NCR congressmen will be giving the assistance—they will give rice in different areas in Metro Manila,” Marcos said.
ter of 2024,” it was quoted as say-
Citing the IMF, the DBM said the economic challenges faced by the country are high global inflation, global economic slowdown, intensification in geopolitical tensions, and depreciation pressures “stemming from capital outflows under volatile market conditions.”
“It recommended a more ambitious revenue mobilization strategy that would enhance social spending needed to achieve poverty reduction goals,” it said.
For its part, the DBM said it would ensure that national government disbursements stay above 20 percent of the country’s GDP on an average with an emphasis on the infrastructure needs of the country.
“We are working hard on human development as well as the Build Better More program for which infrastructure spending will continue to be substantial, targeted between 5.0 percent and 6.0 percent of GDP for the entire plan period to continue spurring economic growth,” it said.
“With these revenue and disbursement projections, the deficit will gradually decline from this year’s program of 6.1 percent of GDP to the pre-pandemic level of 3.0 percent of GDP by 2028,” it added. The DBM pointed out that the procurement reforms being undertaken by the national government were also commended by the IMF as they would “enhance the legal and institutional framework for transparent and competitive public procurement.”
“The government’s fiscal consolidation strategy, which supports the Administration’s socioeconomic development agenda, will be underpinned by increasing revenue effort through tax policy and tax administration reforms, as well as declining deficit trajectory over the medium term,” it said.
Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas
signals-a-hike-in-november/)
Meanwhile, Amro said the Asean+3 region is forecast to grow by 4.3 percent this year, down from July’s projection of 4.6 percent, due mainly to the weaker-than-expected growth in China in the second quarter.
Amro expects the region to expand by 4.5 percent in 2024, as the impact of China’s policy support measures to boost domestic demand materializes more fully.
This, along with the gradual pick-up in durable goods consumption in the United States and the anticipated recovery of the global technology cycle, should boost regional exports next year amid expected weakness in the global economy.
Inflation in the Asean+3 re -
Currently, the President has been leading the distribution of rice to beneficiaries of DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries. The distributed rice comes from the 42,000 sacks of smuggled rice, which were seized by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) from Zamboanga City. Some of the confiscated rice were already distributed in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay; San Roque, Zamboanga City; General Trias City, Cavite; Iriga City, Camarines Sur; San Andres, Manila; Dapa, Surigao del Norte; Dinagat Islands; and recently in Taguig City.
The rice distribution, Marcos said, will ensure the vulnerable groups will have sufficient food.
He said they will implement other measures to help maintain the price of rice and assist farmers.
MALACAÑANG has declared a moratorium on the granting of career executive service (CES) rank to graduates of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP). Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin issued Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 35, temporarily stopping implementation of Executive Order No. 145 (series of 2021). EO 145 granted graduates from the NDCP’s Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) program a CES rank, if they are appointed to such positions, subject to the requirements of the Career Executive Service Board (CESB).
In MC 35, Bersamin said they are reviewing the legality of the said EO.
“The implementation of EO No. 145 is hereby suspended, pending the study of the policy implications of EO No.145, and the consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the NDCP, to be conducted by the CESB,” Bersamin said. He tasked the CESB to submit to the Office of Executive Secretary the result of the review and their recommendations within 60 days after the issuance of MC 35.
The CESB report will help the Palace decide if the moratorium for EO 145 should be lifted or if the issuance should be revoked.
Samuel P. Medenillagion—excluding Lao PDR and Myanmar—is forecast to moderate to 2.6 percent in 2024, from this year’s estimate of 2.9 percent.
However, the resurgence of global food and energy prices in recent months is sparking concerns of another commodity price spike, with the risk of higher inflation becoming more salient.
Amro also warns against fully discounting the risk of recession in the United States and euro area, especially in an environment where global interest rates could stay higher for longer. Should recession in both economies materialize, growth in the Asean+3 region could slide below 3 percent—the lowest since 1998 barring the pandemic-induced slowdown of 2020.
In a letter dated October 4, 2023 and addressed to NBI Director Medardo De Lemos, Court Administrator Raul Villanueva told the NBI it was not the first time that it received “disturbing” informa-THE Supreme Court through the Office of the Court Administrator (SC-OCA) has asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct an investigation into the supposed services being offered online by some unscrupulous individuals for annulment of marriages.
THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) would most likely end the year with more firepower in its possession as delivery for the Indian-made BrahMos medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile system remain on track before the end of 2023.
This was confirmed by Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” C. Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday and stressed that the contract stipulates a delivery by the end of the year.
“That’s in the contract [and] as far as I am concerned, tuloy [delivery will proceed],” he said when sought for updates on the ongoing AFP Modernization Program in a chance interview.
This weapon platform is expected to address the country’s military’s weaknesses and vulnerability in sea control, anti-access/ area-denial (A2/AD), and coastal and island defense operations.
The BrahMos cruise missile can be launched from a ship, aircraft, submarine, or land and has a top speed of around Mach 2.8 (around 3,400 kilometers per hour), and is capable of carrying warheads weighing 200 to 300 kilograms.
Expected operators of the Brahmos cruise missile system is the Philippine Navy’s (PN) Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), which has already activated a shore based anti-ship missile (SBASM) battalion on April 3, 2022.
This unit is under the PMC’s Coastal Defense Regiment (CDR).
A missile battery typically consists of three mobile autonomous launchers with two or three missile tubes each, along with the tracking systems.
A shore-based missile system is a significant part of any reliable coastal defense system in pursuit of maritime security while in a defensive posture.
Then DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and BrahMos Aerospace director general Atul Dinkar Rane signed the BrahMos contract worth P18.9 billion in a virtual ceremony at the DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on January 28, 2022.
The country under this contract will acquire three batteries of the BrahMos cruise missiles.
Lorenzana said the BrahMos cruise missiles would greatly beef up PN’s firepower.
He added that the BrahMos cruise missile system would provide counter-attack capabilities within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.
“As the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, the BrahMos missiles will provide deterrence against any attempt to undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights, especially in the West Philippine Sea,” Lorenzana said.
BrahMos is under Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program (RAFPMPP), which is slated for 2018 to 2022.
Lorenzana signed the notice of award for the PN’s BrahMos’ acquisition project which is a government-to-government deal signed with India on December 31, 2021.
“It includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary integrated logistics support package. Conceptualized as early as 2017, the Office of the President approved its inclusion in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020,” he added. Rex Anthony Naval
THE Philippine Coast Guard
(PCG) on Wednesday said that it is now conducting an investigation into the maritime mishap where a foreign commercial vessel hit and capsized a Filipino fishing boat, the FFB Dearyn, killing three of its crewmembers on Monday, October 2.
“The incident occurred approximately 180 nautical miles from Agno, Pangasinan, after the vessel was rammed by a foreign commercial vessel,” it added in its Facebook post.
The PCG added that the 11 surviving fishermen gave their accounts of the incident.
PBBM: Let PCG do its job
AFTER being informed of the incident, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. vowed to go after those responsible for the sinking of a boat, which killed three Filipino fishermen, off Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).
“We assure the victims, their families, and everyone that we will exert every effort to hold accountable those who are responsible for this unfortunate maritime incident,” the Chief Executive said in his X account, formerly Twitter.
He noted the PCG is already conducting an investigation into the incident.
“Let us allow the PCG to do its job and investigate, and let us refrain from engaging in speculation in the meantime,” the President said.
“We are deeply saddened by the deaths of the three fishermen, in -
SUBIC, Zambales—The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
on Wednesday identified the crude oil tanker Pacific Anna as the vessel that could have rammed a fishing boat off Bajo de Masinloc, resulting in the death of the boat captain and two other crew who all hail from this town, but soon withdrew the information pending further investigation.
Initial PCG assessment of the incident on October 2 involving the Filipino Fishing Boat (FFB) Dearyn indicated than an unidentified foreign commercial vessel collided early Monday morning with the fishing boat some 85 nautical miles northwest of Bajo de Masinloc, a rich fishing ground 241 nautical kilometers west of Zambales.
“After cross-referencing the fishermen’s account, the date,
and the time, we conducted a thorough check on marine traffic. It turns out that Pacific Anna, a crude oil tanker vessel registered under the flag of Marshall Islands, aligns with the details provided by the fishermen,” the PCG said in its initial report afternoon. It added that the PCG will reach out to authorities of the registered country, as well as with those in the next port to be visited by Pacific Anna.
An updated PCG report hours later, however, removed the name of the cargo vessel allegedly involved and said it was “diligently cross-referencing the fishermen’s accounts” and that “efforts are being made to ascertain the identity of the vessel involved.”
“The PCG is committed to ensuring a thorough and impartial investigation into this tragic incident,” it added.
cluding the captain of the fishing vessel,” Marcos said.
How it happened
“ ACCORDING to their statements, on 02 October 2023, at approximately 4:20 a.m. while FFB Dearyn was moored at their ‘payao’ [fish trap] adverse weather conditions and darkness may have contributed to their boat not being detected by the passing tanker vessel, thus resulting in the accidental ramming,” it added.
The survivors also said that they used their small service boats to transport the bodies of the victims to Barangay Cato, Infanta, Pangasinan.
“The PCG is diligently crossreferencing the fishermen’s accounts and the date and time to identify the vessels that passed through the exact incident location,” it said.
The PCG added that efforts are being made to ascertain the identity of the vessel involved, and once identified, the PCG will reach out to the flag of the vessel and her next port of call for further investigation.
“The PCG is committed to ensuring a thorough and impartial investigation into this tragic incident. Updates on the investigation will be provided as new information becomes available. The PCG extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims,” the PCG noted.
The FB Dearyn is home ported in Subic Bay.
Sen. Poe’s condemnation SENATOR Grace Poe condemned in the strongest terms the death of three Filipino fishermen after their boat was rammed by a foreign
The collision reportedly capsized FFB Dearyn.
merchant vessel.
“Those found responsible must be meted the appropriate punishment. No one should escape the long arm of the law,” Poe said.
She added: “We call on our maritime authorities to increase their presence in our waters and strictly monitor local vessels sailing to fish to ensure their safety.”
“Nararapat ang dagdag na proteksyon lalo na sa maliliit nating mangingisda na naglalayag sa kabila ng panganib para lang mabuhay,” Poe said.
The incident happened after the President ordered the PCG last week to remove the floating barrier erected by the Chinese Coast Guard at the shoal since it hindered Filipinos from fishing in the area.
The 2016 arbitral award affirmed Bajo de Masinloc is located within the country’s 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone.
However, the ruling classified the shoal as a traditional fishing ground, which must be made accessible to fishermen from all countries.
Call for patience, understanding
SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, for his part, called for patience and understanding during this difficult period as he stood in solidarity with President Marcos in expressing the nation’s profound sorrow over the tragic incident near Bajo de Masinloc.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rightly and deeply expressed the nation’s collective sorrow over the tragic incident near Bajo de Masinloc, where we lost three of our countrymen, including the vessel’s captain. These fishermen represent the heart of our nation, braving the seas daily to provide for their families. Their
sudden loss has left a void that reverberates across our country,” Romualdez said.
“While the President has taken the lead in these challenging times, as Speaker of the House, I stand firmly behind him, echoing the call for patience and understanding. It is paramount that we, as a nation, trust our institutions and refrain from speculating, ensuring the investigation proceeds without hindrance,” the Speaker said.
More patrols
HOUSE Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said that the deaths of 3 Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc due to the ramming of their boat highlights the need for more PCG patrols in Philippine waters.
“Today, the PCG said the foreign commercial vessel was identified as the Pacific Anna, a crude oil tanker registered under the flag of the Marshall Islands. Given that commercial vessels have the right of innocent passage, the incident could have been prevented if there were more PCG patrols in Bajo de Masinloc, aside from preventing such accidents they can also be more effective in protecting our waters and our fisherfolk,” said the lawmaker. “Besides harassment of Filipino fisherfolk by China’s coast guard and militia have been happening for years and many were documented,” she added
“This is a well known fact and many previous incidents have also been well documented. Of course, we cannot forget what happened to the Gem Ver 1 fishing vessel as well as the incidents of Chinese coast guard water blasting Filipino fishing boats,” Castro said.
The BusinessMirror checked with vessel finder websites and learned that Pacific Anna departed from the Port of Incheon, Korea on September 27 and was reported northeast of Taiwan’s Orchid Island last Sunday.
The vessel is expected to reach the port of Singapore today, October 5.
The Philippine Coast Guard, quoting survivors of the incident, reported that FFB Dearyn was moored at a floating fish aggregating device or payao early Monday morning when the collision happened. At that time, eight of the 14 fishing boat crew were fishing on smaller boats somewhere in the area, while six others, including boat captain Dexter Laudensia, remained on the mother boat.
However, due to inclement weather that reduced visibility, Laudensia and his crew “failed to detect” the oncoming vessel.
ONE of the three Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) Cessna C-208B EX Grand Caravan intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft made an emergency landing at the Mactan Cebu International Airport after its engine caught fire shortly after take off
Wednesday early morning.
“At 2:15 am on 04 October
2023, a Cessna 208B EX Grand Caravan aircraft of the PAF experienced engine fire shortly after take off and the pilots were prompted to perform immediate emergency landing at Mactan Cebu International Airport,” PAF
spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a statement.
Despite the engine problem that made it difficult to maneuver the aircraft, the PAF spokesperson said the pilots managed to land the aircraft without any injuries.
“But in spite of this, the pilots
The PCG said Laudensia, 47, and crewmen Romeo Mejico, 38, and Benedick Uladandria, 62, may have died due to head trauma from the collision.
The three survivors at the mother boat had difficulty retrieving the bodies after the ramming, and it was only at 8:00 a.m. when the other crewmen who went out fishing returned that the bodies were retrieved from the pilot house.
Thereafter, the surviving crew aboard the eight smaller fishing boats sought help at Agno, Pangasinan, 180 nautical miles from where the accident occurred.
The surviving members of FBB Dearyn are identified as: Jhonny Manlolo, 40 years old; Estelito Sumayang, 47; Mario An, 50; Mandy An, 22; Michael An, 37; Gino Arpon, 30; John Michael Nogas, 37; Noriel Tolores, 27; William Asontista, 39; Darwin Mejia, 32; and Reymark Bautista, 30. All are residents of Subic, Zambales.
were able to land the aircraft, with all five aircrew onboard well and safe,” Castillo noted.
She added that a thorough investigation of the incident is now being undertaken to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Castillo also assured the public that the PAF is committed to ensuring the utmost safety of its air operations, while continuously supporting the country’s security and development efforts.
Rex Anthony Naval
SENATOR Francis Tolentino on Wednesday scolded National Mapping and Resource Information Authority
(NAMRIA) Director Peter N. Tiangco for acting without legal basis in naming the underwater features of the Philippine Rise, formerly known as Benham Rise.
An apparently dismayed Tolentino said the NAMRIA headed by Tiangco abrogated upon itself the power of Congress in naming the under water features, and even submitting the list of names to an intergovernmental organization without legal basis.
Tolentino was questioning NAMRIA during a Senate subcommittee on finance to hear the proposed P25 billion proposed budget for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for 2024.
“You named the underwater features without authority. This is transgression. Abrogating yourself the power of Congress,” Tolentino said.
“What is your basis?” Tolentino asked.
Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, which presided over the budget hearing directed NAMRIA to produce within the day the list of names of the underwater features of the Philippine Rise given by NAMRIA and explain in writing the legal basis for their actions, after learning that some of the names were already approved or accepted by an intergovernmental body of which NAMRIA, the country’s central mapping authority, is a member.
During the hearing, Tiangco bared that a total of 158 underwater features were named by an Ad Hoc committee created by NAMRIA, and the list of the names was submitted to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), an intergovernmental organization that works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans, and navigable waters are surveyed and charted.
Tiang co cited Republic Act No. 9522 or an
Act to Amend Certain Provisions of Republic Act No. 3046 as amended by Republic Act No. 5446 to define the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines and for other purposes.
However, during interpolation, Tolentino said nothing in the law states NAMRIA could do so.
“There’s nothing in the law that states you can name the underwater features. You did it anyway, just like when you created a trust fund,” Tolentino said, referring to a special fund created by NAMRIA, which he said, has no legal basis.
Tolentino even cited a Commission on Audit (COA) recommendation that the trust fund should be abolished because NAMRIA’s creation of the trust fund is without legal basis.
Earlier, Tolentino also questioned NAMRIA’s failure to update their membership fee with various international organizations, including the IHO, even though Tiangco said the membership of NAMRIA is being religiously paid for by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
According to Tolentino, he has no intention of blocking the proposed P585 million budget being sought by the DENR for NAMRIA, adding that such budget is even small given the importance of the agency’s mandate.
The proposed budget for 2024 will be used to among others, complete the delineation of the country’s territory, including its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
“I don’t want to block your budget. I even want to increase your budget to complete the delineation of our exclusive economic zone,” he said, adding that in doing so, NAMRIA should stop the practice of replacing their regular employees with job order employees and fast track the delineation of the country’s EEZ, by 2028 or earlier. Jonathan L. Mayuga
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Mar -
cos Jr. linked the significant drop in his approval rating to the spike in rice prices last month.
“It’s not surprising. People are having a hard time...It involves rice. It’s different from anything else, any other agricultural product. I completely understand it,” the Chief Executive told reporters partly in Filipino in an interview after the rice distribution in Taguig City last Wednesday.
In a recent Pulse Asia survey,
the approval rating of the President dropped 15 percentage points from 80 to 65. His trust rating also suffered a double-digit decline from 85 percentage points to just 71.
“You cannot blame the people [for the survey results]. They are really suffering,” Marcos said.
The survey was conducted last month after the government recorded a surge in the price of rice, which prompted Marcos to issue Executive Order No. 39 imposing a P41 per kilogram (kg) price cap for regular milled rice (RMR) and P45 per kg for well-milled rice (WMR).
Prior to the issuance of EO 39, the price of RMR in Metro Manila reached as high as P42 to P55 per kg, while WMR it was at P47 to P56, according to the price monitoring report of the Department of Agriculture.
Likewise, the President also ordered concerned authorities to intensify their campaign against hoarders and smugglers, which he blamed for the spike in rice prices.
In his speech during the rice distribution in Taguig City, the President announced authorities have already filed cases against three companies suspected to be engaged in smuggling the food staple.
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has added two additional requirements as a precondition in granting environmental compliance certificates (ECC) for environmentally critical projects.
Aside from information on the proximity of the projects being applied for ECC to Protected Areas, proponents of land reclamation projects would also be asked to provide information on the proximity of these projects to areas that are historically, anthropologically, and culturally important areas, DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga told members of the Senate subcommittee on finance during a budget hearing for the 2024 proposed budget of the DENR.
Yulo-Loyzaga was responding to questions raised by Senators Cynthia Villar and Loren Legarda who raised the issue of land reclamation in Manila Bay.
Villar was particularly concerned as to how come the DENR issued an ECC for a land reclamation project near the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPWP), formerly called Las Piñas-Parañnaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA).
“Our Protected Area is a legislated Protected Area. How come an ECC was issued by the DENR for that project?” Villar asked.
She also questioned the authority of former Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director William Cuñado, who supposedly signed the ECC for the project, adding that such an ECC should have been signed by the Secretary of the DENR, then headed by Jim Sampulna, who took over the helm with the resignation of Roy Cimatu before the 2022 national elections.
Sought for the DENR’s policy, YuloLoyzaga said: “Under my current term, all ECCs in environmentally critical
areas now need information on the proximity or location relative to Protected Areas,” she said.
“We are also working on another order which will include historically important cultural properties that will be near any project that is being applied for any ECCs,” she added.
Asked whether Manila Bay could be considered a historical property, YuloLoyzaga replied on the affirmative.
However, for ECCs that are already granted, the said rules will not apply, particularly in Manila Bay where all land reclamation projects were ordered suspended pending a compliance assessment and a cumulative review by the DENR.
“However, in the conditions of the granting of ECCs and Area Clearance [in Manila Bay], there were conditions on the conservation of the historically, anthropologically, and culturally important properties that are within
The said firms were San Pedro Warehouse and Blue Sakura Agri Grain Corporation, F.S. Ostia Rice Mill, and Gold Rush Rice Mill.
“We will eliminate those who are not competing fairly. There is no room in society for those who take advantage of others,” Marcos said.
The United Nations recently warned that high prices for food, particularly rice, could lead to political instability in Asia and Africa.
A similar phenomenon occurred during the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, when high rice prices triggered mass demonstrations.
these areas of reclamation. So there are conditions that are relative to those that are included in the granting of the ECCs,” she explained.
According to Yulo-Loyzaga, the compliance assessment will take about six months to complete, while the cumulative assessment will take longer.
Meanwhile, DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones said all ECCs are signed by the authority of the Secretary of the DENR.
Land reclamation projects, under existing laws, should have an ECC and Area Clearance from the DENR.
An ECC is supposed to be signed either by the DENR Secretary or the EMB Director, while an Area Clearance is granted by the DENR Regional Office, which has jurisdiction over the project.
“If there’s no ECC or Area Clearance, the DENR will issue a notice of violation and proceed with the cessation of the project,” said Leones.
Jonathan L. MayugaTHE new bishop in Oriental Mindoro urged the faithful to work together in protecting the Verde Island Passage (VIP), known as the “Amazon of the Oceans.” Bishop Moises Cuevas of Calapan said the marine seascape is facing “numerous threats,” such as overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, according to a report
from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News.
“The protection of this biodiversity hotspot is not just an ecological imperative; it is a moral duty that reflects our love for both creation and our fellow human beings,” said Cuevas.
VIP is considered the most biodiverse marine habitat in the world, with 1,700 marine fish species,
nearly 60 percent of the world’s share of fish species. It is situated in Southern Luzon (Batangas) and Mindoro.
According to a report by the Philippine News Agency (PNA), the VIP is home to some 300 coral species and 1,736 species of fish that swim undisturbed along its many underwater rock canyons and reef formations.
By Lenie Lectura @llecturaTHE Energy Regulatory Commis-
sion (ERC) will decide soon if it would impose a price ceiling for next month’s Green Energy Auction for geothermal and pump-storage hydro technologies.
According to ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta, her office may or may not impose a Green Energy Auction Reserve (GEAR) price for the said renewable energy (RE) technologies.
“We’re still discussing with DOE [Department of Energy] because it’s a different technology. The costs are front-ended. We’re studying if it’s possible not to put a reserve price a GEAR, and we’ll just evaluate after the bids are submitted,” she said.
For the past two rounds of GEA, the ERC imposed GEAR prices on rooftop solar, floating solar, onshore wind, biomass, waste-to-energy, and run-ofriver hydro.
The DOE announced it would hold a third round in November for geothermal, hydro run-of-river, and pumpstorage hydro. The capacities for each technology will be announced upon the release of the notice of auction.
Dimalanta said that if and when her office decides not to enforce a GEAR price then it would be up to the RE developer to make an offer.
“We’re still evaluating. If it’s going
to be based on offers then that process will take time to finalize that’s why DOE and ERC are still studying. If I were an investor, I’d want a reserve price so I don’t have regulatory risk after. But if the reserve were too low then maybe they’d rather have that risk, they’d rather bet on the post-bid regulatory approval than the pre-approved low price. Maybe, I’m just guessing,” she said.
“We’re still weighing it out and we’ve been conducting dialogues with investors also. Maybe, we need to check with banks also. What would be more palatable to the banking industry? Because they’ll be the ones to finance all these projects,” added the ERC chief.
The GEA program was designed to continuously trigger the increase of RE capacity in the country, which will help realize the government’s target of 35 percent RE in the energy mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.
The first round of GEA was conducted in June last year. It generated almost 2,000 megawatt (MW) of capacities that were committed to deliver energy from 2023 to 2025.
For the second round, the winning bids were equivalent to 3,440.756 MW of RE capacities committed for development and installation from 2024 to 2026.
The DOE said the GEA would be conducted on a yearly basis, in a bid to promote RE as a primary source of energy.
The threats to VIP not only jeopardize marine life but also the local communities that depend on its resources, said Cuevas.
“By safeguarding the Verde Island Passage, we take a significant step towards healing our wounded planet and building a more just and sustainable world for future generations,” Cuevas said. Patrick V. Miguel
LAWMAKERS on Monday urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to check the status of the 114 legislated Protected Areas (PA) following reports of abuse committed against members of Socorro Bayanihan Service, Inc. (SBSI) in Surigao del Norte.
At the budget hearing of the DENR for 2024 conducted by the subcommittee on finance, Senator Loren Legarda was particularly concerned that the country’s PAs, are being used by unscrupulous groups to commit abuse, citing the case of an ongoing Senate inquiry on the alleged cult activities of SBSI.
Legarda was also concerned that some PAs were used for business activities, and became a haven for informal settlers.
Legarda wants the DENR to submit a list of the 114 PAs and the tenurial instruments issued to certain groups or individuals for the use of these areas that are supposed to be set aside for conservation.
Senators Cynthia Villar and Risa Hontiveros agreed that the DENR should also identify the PAs and list down the tenurial instruments holders, the terms and conditions of the agreements, as well as the date of coverage.
For his part, Sen. Abigail Binay wants the DENR to include the process in the grant of tenurial instruments within the PAs.
For his part, Sen. Ronald dela
Rosa told the DENR to be proactive and prevent unscrupulous individuals or groups from using the PAs for their illegal activities.
“We should be proactive. Before being prevented by these groups, maybe you should start investigating the activities in these Protected Areas,” he said. Villar, for her part, said the DENR should ask local government units (LGU) for support in its efforts to secure PAs.
Hontiveros said the DENR should also include in their budget proposal the budget plan for the relocation of informal settlers who can still be relocated to housing resettlement areas in partnership with housing agencies.
Leaders of the SBMI are being accused of facilitating forced marriages and rape of minors, and other illegal activities like the establishment of a private army and alleged drug activities within its compound.
SBSI is a development partner of the DENR under a Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) issued on August 31, 2004, covering 353 hectares of land in the northeast part of Barangay Sering, overlooking the northeast portion of Bucas Grande Island.
The report of SBMI’s alleged cult activities prompted the DENR to suspend its partnership with the group. Jonathan L. Mayuga
ERC weighs price ceiling option for Nov’s green energy auction
After cult expose, senators press DENR to check status of 114 PAs
“A ng nangyari nung meeting namin with the manufacturers there were at least six who have earlier submitted request for price adjustments, who said that they’re withdrawing their requests,” Pascual said at the media briefing of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) Consumer Protection Group (CPG) on Consumer Welfare Month on Wednesday in Makati City.
The Trade chief bared that the six manufacturers who withdrew their earlier request for price increase have influenced other manufacturers, hence they reached a consensus to hold off their requests until the end of the year.
M ary Jean T. Pacheco, officerin-charge for DTI’s consumer protection arm said the products covered by these manufacturers
are bottled water, candles, condiments, bread, and toilet soap.
However, Pacheco said they are set to meet with canned sardines manufacturers as the Trade department continues to appeal that there will be no suggested retail price (SRP) adjustments until the end of the year.
I n an earlier statement issued by the DTI, Pascual said DTI convened a meeting with manufacturers of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC) last September 21, where a total of 29 manufacturers and two associations of canned sardines, coffee, processed milk, bread, salt, detergent, candles, condiments, bottled water, canned meat, toilet soap, and batteries participated in the said dialogue.
A s of September 19, 14 manufacturers of 46 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) covering 10 categories of BNPCs requested suggested retail price (SRP) adjustments due to the high cost of major raw materials,
packaging materials, fuel costs, wages, and other costs that affect the production of these essentials goods.
D uring the dialogue, manufacturers expressed their concerns about various issues, including the imposition of pass-through fees; lack of local supply of raw materials; the compliance requirements of other government agencies, and other regulatory concerns.
M eanwhile, in their statement, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) said that manufacturers of Noche Buena products decided to absorb the bulk of rising costs.
“ In our commitment to observing the Christmas spirit and ensuring everyone can enjoy the festival season, we are working diligently to manage rising costs. Production costs have risen by an estimated 10-15 percent, most of these products will only see a modest price increase of 0-4 percent,” PAMPI added.
THE House “small committee,” created to receive and evaluate all the amendments to the proposed 2024 P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Act, will finish its task on October 10, saying there are numerous budget items lined up for amendments.
A ko Bicol Rep. Elizaldy S. Co, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said the small committee tasked by the House plenary to receive and resolve individual amendments to House Bill 8980, or the 2024 General Appropriations Bill, held its first organizational meeting last Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
There are numerous budget items lined up for amendments and/or realignment, including the Confidential and Intelligence Funds [CIF] of various civilian agencies,” he said.
“As authorized by the House and consistent with parliamentary precedent, the small committee has until October 10, 2023, to finish its task. Since the proposed amendments are of great interest to the media and the Filipino people,
Continued from A16
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we shall announce the changes at the proper time,” he said.
The small committee will be composed of Co, Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Stella Luz Quimbo, Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, and Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan. They will review all the amendments before submitting the national budget to the Senate.
T he lower chamber said the creation of a small committee to receive and resolve all individual amendments to the national budget was “consistent with our parliamentary precedent.”
The amendments are expected to include confidential and intelligence funds from government agencies, including the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. The amendments will augment the budgets of intelligence and security forces tasked with addressing escalating threats in the West Philippine Sea.
For her part, Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin said that requests for confidential funds should not be abused by
government agencies.
G arin made the statement after she noted that the number of agencies asking for confidential funds ballooned from 16 agencies in 2012 to 28 agencies in 2024.
The lawmaker underscored the urgency of reallocating confidential funds within agencies like the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Transportation Security, and the Office of the Solicitor General.
She emphasized the critical need to redirect these funds towards antismuggling campaigns, while also supporting the essential activities of the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, safeguarding the West Philippine Sea and our invaluable fishing grounds.
The lawmaker also mentioned that the total confidential fund in 2016 was P720 million and escalated in 2017 to P2.07 billion and it doubled in 2020, amounting to P4.57 billion.
The Iloilo lawmaker also clarified
By Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosigAROUND 100 Filipino caregivers may be hired in South Korea this year as the east Asian country grapples with increasing number of senior citizens, Korean Ambassador to Manila Lee Sang-hwa said.
of people aged 65 years and above will be 20 percent of the total population, or what some termed as “super-aged society.” I n 28 years, the ratio of senior citizens to the general population in South Korea is projected to increase to as high as 44 percent.
that an agency may only avail of confidential funds, provided that it will be justified and proven that such is necessary.
Under the Special Provision of GAA 2022, confidential funds are lump sum amounts for expenses related to “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies” to support their mandate or operations.
Meanwhile, Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman said all agencies not entitled to CIFs because of the nature of their functions and the extent of their mandate must be deprived of secret funds in their entirety and a mere reduction must not suffice.
Lagman was reacting to reports that the questionable allocations of confidential and intelligence funds to some agencies will only be reduced.
He added that “there is no rhyme nor reason for an agency not entitled to CIFs to retain any appropriation at all as an ‘accommodation’ or ‘courtesy’ allocation.”
L agman underscored that “nonentitlement to CIFs is absolute, and deprivation of appropriation must be total.”
Jovee Marie N. Dela CruzA mbassador Lee said the Embassy is negotiating with the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs for the deployment of OFW caregivers on a governmentto-government arrangement.
We are interested in sending caregivers to Korea because as you know, Filipino caregivers, have high reputation, good reputation worldwide,” Ambassador Lee told reporters in an interview during the celebration of Korean National Day.
T he envoy said both Manila and Seoul would like a labor agreement that would be a “win-win partnership” for all.
H e said their target is to send the first batch of Filipino caregivers, numbering “around 100,” by the end of 2023.
Aging Korea
NURSING facilities in South Korea, which assist Korean elderly and sick people have grappled for shortage of caretakers amid a rapidly aging population.
S outh Korea has one of the fastest aging populations and lowest birth rate in the world. By 2025, it is projected that the ratio
Nursing home operators have asked their government to allow foreign nationals, especially from Southeast Asia, to work as caregivers.
A round 35 percent of 40,000 caregivers in nursing homes are Koreans of Chinese ethnicity. Most of the caregivers are already in their 50’s and 60’s. The shortage became more acute during the Covid-19 pandemic as many caregivers returned to China and never came back, according to the report of Korea Times.
A nnual salaries of caregivers in Korea range from KR 22 million (P933,000) to KR 34 million (P1.4 million), according to the survey of US-based compensation analytics Economic Research Institute. Caregivers’ annual salary in the Philippines is P261,067.
THERE are 80,000 Filipinos in Korea, around 75 percent or 60,000 are OFWs working in factories. “ We are encouraged by the growing number of skilled Filipino workers in Korea as we stand there are more than 60,000 Filipino workers. We are very happy with their contribution to the economy and to the rural community in particular,” Lee said.
By Patrick V. MiguelA LABOR organizer of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) was shot dead Friday, September 29, allegedly by operatives of the Philippine National PoliceCriminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).
A ccording to reports, the PNPCIDG men reportedly entered the house of Jude Thaddeus Fernandez with a search warrant.
The officers claimed Fernandez fired on the law enforcers, forcing them to draw their firearms and
shoot back.
“ We deliberately refute this narrative. Fernandez is a labor organizer and he does not bear arms,” said KMU in a statement.
T he killing of Fernandez is a “human rights violation” that continues in the form of enforced disappearances, illegal arrests, intimidation and harassment, added KMU.
Fernandez was known to have organized workers in communities to campaign for wage increases and other workers’ rights since martial law years, KMU said.
The remains of Fernandez are currently being retrieved and will be turned over to relatives.
K MU called on the International Labour Organization (ILO), Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and other relevant agencies to respond to the killing of Fernandez “to attain justice.”
The attacks against organizers and unionists are attacks on the legitimate campaigns of the workers and the people for wage increases, regular jobs, freedom to unionize and other people’s rights,” said KMU.
“I
Marcos Jr.’s commitment to creating a foreign investment-friendly environment, including efforts to amend constitutional provisions that have historically imposed barriers to economic openness. He mentioned the House’s approval of Resolution of Both Houses 6 and House Bill 7352, designed to remove restrictive economic provisions and open doors to limitless opportunities and holistic growth.
reiterated President
By Patrick V. MiguelTHE Commission on Elections
(Comelec) placed 242 villages under the “red” category amid security concerns on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
According to Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, four barangays in Region II are placed under the red category, five from Region XII, 21 from Region V, 60 from Region VI, and one each from Regions IX and III.
The highest number of barangays marked by Comelec is in the
“ Our peers, such as Vietnam and Indonesia, have demonstrated the transformative power of embracing foreign direct investments, benefiting from enhanced job creation and infrastructural advancement—facets we need to strengthen,” he said.
T he proposed constitutional amendments, Romualdez emphasized, symbolize
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with 147 barangays placed under red category.
The poll body has coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in making the list.
The red category refers to areas with political climate warranting the declaration of Comelec control. Green category is for areas with no security concern, yellow are for areas with a history of electionrelated violence or political rivalry, orange is for areas with serious armed threats by terrorist groups.
a transformative reshaping of the nation’s economic landscape and a re-envisioning of its national potential. He concluded, “Let us unite our visions, ambitions, and efforts to sculpt a Philippine economy that is dynamic, inclusive, and innovative. Let us work together to realize the holistic development of our nation and ensure that every Filipino enjoys the fruits of our collective labor.”
SIX manufacturers withdrew their requests for price increase, which, in turn, prompted other manufacturers to hold off price increases until the end of the year, according to Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual.
‘Aging’ Korea may hire 100 Pinoy caregivers by year-end–envoy
11.
Mandarin cruise director will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
WANG, LIANGHUI Mandarin Cruise Director
Proven experience as a Mandarin cruise director, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
12.
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin cruise director will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
LI, ZHONGFENG Mandarin Field Service Coordinator
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin cruise director, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
13.
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin field service coordinator will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
YU, DEHAO Mandarin Field Service Coordinator
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin field service coordinator, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
14.
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin field service coordinator will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin field service coordinator, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
15.
CHEN, HELIAN Mandarin Safety Officer
Brief Job Description: The Mandarin safety officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin safety officer, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
16.
OU, BINGLIN Mandarin Site Officer Brief Job Description: The Mandarin site officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin site officer, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
17.
TANG, YUTAO Mandarin Site Officer Brief Job Description: The Mandarin site officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin site officer, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
18.
WANG, LIQIANG Mandarin Site Officer Brief Job Description: The Mandarin site officer will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company in the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission, and long-term goals.
Basic Qualification: Proven experience as a Mandarin site officer, familiarity, knowledge, and awareness of machinery and heavy equipment used by the company, and demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plans.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
19.
Lithuanian Non-Resident Ambassador to the Philippines Ricardas Slepavicius made this pronouncement to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during the
presentation of his credentials in Malacañang last Tuesday.
Slepavicius said Lithuania is seeking to strengthen its diplomatic ties with the Philippine
government.
“We are thinking about cooperation or partnership which could bring us together. And definitely, we do have some technological solutions, [that] could be interesting,” he said.
Among the said collaboration, he said, is on laser development and production, where Lithuania is a pioneer.
The President said he is open to such a partnership since it will bring in new technology and expertise to the country.
“I’m convinced that the solutions to the challenges that we’re facing would be technological, would come from technology,” Marcos said.
Slepavicius also proposed spe -
cial basketball projects between Lithuania and the Philippines. In a related development, the
THE National Dairy Authority (NDA), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), recently forged a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for agricultural research collaboration with the Taiwan Livestock Research Institute (TLRI).
The MOU was signed by NDA Administrator Gabriel L. Lagamayo and TLRI Director General Jeng-Fang Huang last September 26 in Taiwan.
This milestone MOU, signed at the Livestock Research Institute in Taichung, Taiwan, paves the way for an enhanced working relationship between the NDA and TLRI. The agreement is founded on the principles of mutual cooperation,
with the aim of fostering a friendly and productive partnership that advances research and technology in agriculture, the NDA said in a statement.
During discussions surrounding the MOU, a range of vital topics were discussed. Conversations revolved around crucial aspects such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, innovative feeding practices, the integration of cutting-edge technology in dairy farming, advancements in robotics, the utilization of bioinformatics, and the exploration of genetic enhancements, among other pivotal themes.
“These discussions underscore the commitment of both parties to explore, innovate, and excel in
dairy research and development,” NDA said.
The MOU outlines a comprehensive framework for collaboration, including the facilitation of joint research initiatives, the exchange of scientists and researchers, engagement with dairy growers and various stakeholders, cross-border study visits and training programs, active participation in scientific seminars and conferences, and the seamless exchange of scientific materials and valuable information.
“We are excited by the possibilities this collaboration offers. At the NDA, we are dedicated to fortifying our international partnerships, particularly in the realm of dairy
LAOAG City—After declaring the province of Ilocos Norte free from African swine fever (ASF), the Batac City government through its Veterinary Office on Wednesday distributed one piglet and starter package each to 308 hog raisers. “The starter package consists of dewormer, antibiotic, vitamins and starter feeds,” City Veterinary Office chief Dr. Ramonito Baltazar
said in an interview. He said the selected beneficiaries were previously hit by ASF.
To avail of the recovery aid from the city government, Baltazar said the beneficiaries underwent a seminar to educate them about successfully raising piglets.
“In case the piglet shows symptoms of sickness, we encourage our hog raisers to report it immediately to the City Veterinary
Office at the City Hall,” he added.
The city’s distribution of piglets and start-up packages is to boost the hog industry in the province.
Swine raisers in the province are gradually recovering from ASF infection through various government support.
Last September, the Department of Agriculture turned over PHP20 million to a farmer’s
industry research and development,” said Lagamayo.
“This strategic affiliation opens avenues for cross-border learning, enabling us to share insights and best practices with esteemed global partners. We are honored to include Taiwan Livestock Research Institute among our valued collaborators in Southeast Asia.”
Several other agencies under the DA have demonstrated their commitment to the initiative, including the Philippine Carabao Center, Agricultural Training Institute, Bureau of Animal Industry, and the Philippine Council for Agricultural, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development.
multi-purpose cooperative in Sarrat town to help speed up the repopulation program for ASFaffected livestock farmers.
Aside from the DA hog repopulation program, provincial veterinarian Loida Valenzuela on Wednesday reminded hog raisers to strictly practice biosecurity measures to prevent ASF.
The Provincial Veterinary Office said based on surveillance operations, people brought in the virus after visiting farms in other areas. Philippine News Agency
THE Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO said the current ways in which foods and fibers are produced, consumed and distributed need “urgent change” if nations want to cut waste and achieve food security.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said reducing food loss and waste represents a “triple win opportunity” with immediate positive impact on food security, climate benefits, and increased availability of nutritious food while improving the overall sustainability of agrifood systems.
“Business as usual is no longer an option, but this could only changed if all partners and players made a concerted effort to implement identified actions,” Qu said in his speech during a recent event to mark the International Day of Awareness and Food Loss and Waste.
Currently more than 13 percent of food produced
globally is lost in the supply chain from after harvest and prior to retail, and a further 17 percent is wasted in households, in food services and in retail, according to FAO and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) statistics.
At the same time, millions of people across the world are malnourished, and the world is off course to achieve most globally agreed nutrition targets. Healthy diets are an essential part of addressing this issue, yet more than 3.1 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021.
TO monitor the progress and use data for continued improvement, FAO launched last September 29 a food loss app dubbed FLAPP. “This app will allow the crowd-sourcing of information from farmers to better understand where in the value chain losses occur, and to provide concrete solutions.”
The UN agency said much of its work on the ground focuses on the reduction of loss in
the supply chain, i.e. loss that occurs between harvest and the market, while UNEP’s role is to work more on waste at the retail and household level.
Among the areas in which FAO has been active is supporting micro-, small and medium enterprises in Thailand in pinpointing food loss hotspots and helping to put in place measures to mitigate the losses.
Elsewhere, FAO has introduced improved, sustainable bulk packaging along with good post-harvest management practice, to transport fresh produce in a number of countries in South and Southeast Asia.
In another initiative with partners, FAO is helping to provide training to fishers in Tanzania in new methods for handling and processing fish.
“Finally, FAO has developed a methodology to measure food loss and waste in the service industries of resorts in Small Island Developing States.”
Shift to circular model
INSTEAD of the current
President also accepted the credentials of Guatemala Non-Resident Ambassador Manuel Estuardo Roldán Barillas last Tuesday.
During the meeting, they discussed possible collaborations on agriculture, climate action, and people-to-people relations.
Last September, Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis signed a memorandum of understanding which sought to strengthen the partnership between their countries.
“Although thousands of kilometers separate Lithuania and the Philippines, we see many global challenges similarly. The
signing of the Memorandum of Understanding is another step in strengthening our partnership with the Indo-Pacific countries,” Landsbergis said in a statement.
The heads of the Lithuanian and Philippine diplomacy also discussed threats posed by autocratic regimes to the international order and the necessity to join the international community’s efforts in countering them.
The Foreign Ministers also agreed on continuing dialogue during future visits and promoting more intensive cooperation in business, culture and other areas.
In 2022, Lithuania’s trade turnover with the Philippines went up by 80 percent.
THE cost of Australian cattle has tumbled to the lowest level in about nine years and is likely to fall further as ranchers cull an expanded herd ahead of drier weather following the onset of El Niño.
The Eastern Young Cattle Indicator has slumped almost 60 percent this year and was near the lowest since December 2014 on Tuesday. The country’s herd has swelled to the largest in a decade after three years of plentiful rainfall revitalized pastures, according to Meat & Livestock Australia.
Australia just posted its driest September on record and El Niño is expected to persist until at least the end of February, bringing warmer conditions and lower rainfall. Farmers are poised to ramp up sales and shun buying of new livestock as hotter weather bakes pastures used for feed, weighing on cattle prices.
proves, JBS said in a statement. Dinmore is the largest beef processing plant in the southern hemisphere. California water reservoirs CALIFORNIA’S reservoirs are still brimming from last winter’s heavy rains and snow, even as El Niño raises the possibility of a second strong rainy season in a row, state a nd federal officials said.
linear “take-make-discard” model, Qu said global agrifood systems “must be transformed to be more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable.”
FAO said priorities must be to prevent and reduce food loss and waste at source—in production, handling, processing, packaging, storage, and consumption; rescue, recover and redistribute surplus or unsold food that is safe and suitable for consumption and recycle and upcycle or repurpose by-products to keep them out of landfills.
In a message read on his behalf, Pope Francis said: “The food that we throw into the trash is torn from the hands of those who lack it and who also have the right to food.”
UN Deputy Secretary -General Amina Mohammed said in a video message: “We need profound changes in the way we produce, handle, store, process and consume food if we are serious in tackling food waste.”
The influx of cheaper Australian beef will allow the nation to recapture some market share in key Asian consumers such as Japan and South Korea from the United States, according to Matt Dalgleish, the founder and director of Episode 3. “Our pricing is as competitive as it’s ever been now compared to the US,” he said.
US ranchers have been forced to send livestock to slaughter over the past few years due to drought and higher feed costs. However, cattle prices recently climbed to a record, which is expected to encourage farmers to retain more cows. The nation’s herd is at the lowest seasonal level since 2014.
“The US will be not producing as much for an extended period of time and that will give Australia an opportunity,” said Stephen Bignell, manager of market information at Meat & Livestock Australia. “US producers will hold on to their animals and try and build up their inventory and stock levels.”
At least one large processor is preparing for more cows. Meat giant JBS SA last month announced that it would add more than 500 jobs at its Dinmore plant in Ipswich, Queensland, and increase processing in the first half of 2024.
The move will support increased market demand for red meat as herd sizes and availability of livestock im-
The drought-prone state began its new water year October 1 with supplies in far better shape than last fall. California reservoirs run by the US Bureau of Reclamation currently hold more than twice as much water as the historic average for this date, said Regional Director Ernest Conant in a briefing Tuesday with reporters. It’s a welcome turnaround after years of sparse winter precipitation that left many basins surrounded by bathtub rings of dry dirt and triggered conservation efforts across the nation’s most populous state.
“This was as close to a miracle year as you can get,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the state’s Department of Water Resources. A cool spring and summer also kept record mountain snows from melting quickly, she said.
California receives nearly all of its precipitation from fall through early spring, with almost none falling in summer. The El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean typically brings California wetter-than-average winters, but State Climatologist Michael Anderson said it’s still too soon to know if that will hold true this year.
“It may not be wet, but it may not be as severely dry as some of the years we’ve seen recently,” Anderson said.
While last winter’s storms ended the state’s drought, they also triggered flooding that drove people from their homes and left part of the Central Valley submerged for months. Reservoir managers are now beginning their annual practice of letting some water out during the autumn to make room for winter rains.
The US Energy Information Administration expects California’s hydropower generation to nearly double this year. Bloomberg News
LITHUANIA is keen on providing the Philippines with “technological solutions” for cyber security, green energy, and biotechnology, according to its envoy.AMB. Ricardas Slepavicius
It’s the end of the political line for McCarthy, who has said repeatedly that he never gives up, but found himself with almost no options remaining. Neither the rightflank Republicans who engineered his ouster nor the Democrats who piled on seem open to negotiating.
McCarthy told lawmakers in the evening he would not run again for speaker, putting the gavel up for grabs. Next steps are highly uncertain with no obvious successor to lead the House Republican majority. Action is halted in the House until next week, when Republicans try to elect a new speaker.
“I may have lost this vote today, but as I walk out of this chamber I feel fortunate to have served,” McCarthy said at a press conference at the Capitol, alternating between upbeat assessment of his speakership and angry score-settling of those who ousted him.
Still, he said, “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
McCarthy’s chief rival, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, orchestrated the rare vote on the obscure “motion to vacate,” and pushed ahead swiftly into a dramatic afternoon roll call.
While McCarthy enjoyed support from most Republicans in his slim majority, eight Republican detractors—many of the same hard-right
holdouts who tried to stop him from becoming speaker in January—essentially forced him out.
Stillness fell as the presiding officer gaveled the vote closed, 216210, saying the office of the speaker “is hereby declared vacant.”
Moments later, a top McCarthy ally, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., took the gavel and, according to House rules, was named speaker pro tempore, to serve in the office until a new speaker is chosen.
The House then briskly recessed as lawmakers met privately to discuss the path forward.
It was a stunning moment for McCarthy, a punishment fueled by growing grievances but sparked by his weekend decision to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open rather than risk a shutdown.
But in many ways, McCarthy’s ouster was set in motion when, in deal-making with hard-right holdouts at the start of the year, he agreed to a series of demands— including a rules change that allowed any single lawmaker to file the motion to vacate.
As the House fell silent, Gaetz, a top ally of Donald Trump, rose to offer his motion.
Leaders tried to turn it back, but the vote was 218-208, with 11
Republicans against tabling the motion, a sign of trouble to come.
The House then opened a floor debate unseen in modern times, and Republicans argued publicly among themselves for more than an hour.
“It’s a sad day,” Republican Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said as debate got underway, urging his colleagues not to plunge the House Republican majority “into chaos.”
But Gaetz shot back during the debate, “Chaos is Speaker McCarthy.”
As the fiery debate dragged on, many of the complaints against the speaker revolved around his truthfulness and his ability to keep the promises he has made.
Almost alone, Gaetz led his side of the floor debate, criticizing the debt deal McCarthy made with President Joe Biden and the vote to prevent a government shutdown, which conservatives opposed as they demanded steeper spending cuts.
But a long line of McCarthy supporters stood up for him, including Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, a leader of the conservative Freedom Caucus, who said, “He has kept his word.” Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., waved his cellphone, saying it was “disgusting” that hard-right colleagues were fundraising off the
move in text messages seeking donations.
McCarthy, of California, insisted he would not cut a deal with Democrats to remain in power—not that he could have relied on their help even if he had asked.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to colleagues that he wants to work with Republicans, but he was unwilling to provide the votes needed to save McCarthy.
“It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War,” Jeffries said, announcing the Democratic leadership would vote for the motion to oust the speaker.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden “hopes the House will quickly elect a Speaker.” Once that happens, she said, “he looks forward to working together with them.”
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement thanking McCarthy for “what is often a thankless role.
At the Capitol, both Republicans and Democrats met privately ahead of the historic afternoon vote. Behind closed doors, McCarthy told fellow Republicans: Let’s get on with it.
McCarthy invoked Republican Speaker Joseph Cannon, who more than 100 years ago confronted his critics head-on by calling their bluff and setting the vote himself on his ouster. Cannon survived that takedown attempt, which was the first time the House had actually voted to consider removing its speaker. A more recent threat against John Boehner in 2015 didn’t make it to a vote but led him to early retirement.
Gaetz was in attendance, but he did not address the room.
Across the way in the Capitol, Democrats lined up for a long discussion and unified around one common point: McCarthy cannot be trusted, several lawmakers in the room said.
“I think it’s safe to say there’s not a lot of good will in that room for Kevin McCarthy,” said Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.
“At the end of the day, the country needs a speaker that can be relied upon,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. “We don’t trust him. Their members don’t trust him. And you need a certain degree of trust to be the speaker.”
Removing the speaker launches the House Republicans into chaos heading into a busy fall when Congress will need to fund the government again or risk a mid-November shutdown.
Typically, top leaders would be next in line for the job, but Majority Leader Steve Scalise is battling cancer and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, like any potential candidate, may have trouble securing the vote. Another leading Republican, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, is also a Trump ally.
One of McHenry’s first acts in the temporary position was to oust Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi from her honorary office at the Capitol while she was away in California to pay tribute to Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
“No matter who is going to be the speaker, the challenges still
remain,” Scalise said. “But I think the opportunity is there to continue moving forward.”
Asked if he was physically up to the job, Scalise said, “I feel great.” It took McCarthy himself 15 rounds in January over multiple days of voting before he secured the support from his colleagues to gain the gavel.
Trump, the former president who is the Republican front-runner in the 2024 race to challenge Biden, complained about the chaos. “Why is it that Republicans are always fighting among themselves,” he asked on social media.
Asked about McCarthy’s ouster as he exited court in New York, where he is on trial for business fraud, Trump did not respond.
One key McCarthy ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who is also close with Trump, took to social media urging support for “our speaker.”
Republicans left the chamber in a daze, totally uncertain about next steps. “I honestly don’t know,” said Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz. “This is a total disaster.”
Many had lined up to hug McCarthy, some to shake his hand.
Democrats, who have bristled at McCarthy’s leadership—cajoling them one minute, walking away from deals the next—said they were just holding back, waiting for Republicans to figure out how to run the House.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., the leader of a centrist group, said the only option was to leave the eight hardliners behind and try to work across the aisle. “We’re going to stay with Kevin,” he said. “He told us earlier he’ll never quit.”
But McCarthy made it clear Tuesday night that he would not try to win back the job.
T he Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick and Will Weissert contributed to this report.
The Associated Press
TORONTO—India has told Canada to remove 41 of its 62 diplomats in the country, an official familiar with the matter said Tuesday, ramping up a confrontation between the two countries over Canadian accusations that India may have been involved in the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in suburban Vancouver.
The official, who confirmed an earlier report from the Financial Times, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment, but ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had previously called for a reduction in Canadian diplomats in India, saying they outnumbered India’s staffing in Canada.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a 45-yearold Sikh leader who was killed by masked gunmen in June in Surrey, outside Vancouver. For years, India has said Nijjar, a Canadian citizen born in India, has links to terrorism, an allegation Nijjar denied.
Arranging the killing of a Canadian citizen in Canada, home to nearly 2 million people of Indian descent, would be unprecedented.
On Tuesday, Trudeau didn’t confirm the number of diplomats that have been told to leave but suggested Canada would not retaliate.
“Obviously, we are going through an extremely challenging time with India right now, but that’s why it is so important for us to have diplomats on the ground working with the Indian government and there to support Canadians and Canadian families,” Trudeau said. “We’re taking this extremely seriously, but we’re going to continue to engage responsibly and constructively with the Indian government.”
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said she’s in contact with the Indian government.
“We will continue to engage privately because we think that diplomatic conversations are best when they remain private,” Joly said.
India has accused Canada for years of giving free rein to Sikh separatists, including Nijjar.
India has also canceled visas for Canadians. Canada has not retaliated for that. India previously expelled a senior Canadian diplomat after Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat. Trudeau has also previously appeared to try to calm the diplomatic clash, telling reporters that Canada is “not looking to provoke or escalate.”
The allegation of India’s involvement in the killing is based in part on the surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, including intelligence
provided by a major ally, a separate Canadian official previously told The Associated Press.
The official said that the communications involved Indian officials and diplomats in Canada and that some of the intelligence was provided by a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, which includes the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Canada. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The latest expulsions by India have escalated tensions between the countries. Trudeau had frosty
encounters with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during last month’s Group of 20 meeting in New Delhi, and a few days later, Canada canceled a trade mission to India planned for the fall.
“This is a clear show of force on the part of the Modi government, who’s not afraid to escalate this diplomatic crisis,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. “It’s a dramatic move that seriously weakens the capacity of Canada’s diplomatic services in India.”
Béland said it will hurt many Indian citizens, including foreign students and temporary workers in
need of a Canadian visa.
“The US needs to do more to solve this diplomatic crisis,” he said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met last week with India’s foreign minister amid the simmering row between New Delhi and Ottawa. A US official said the topic was raised.
US officials have acknowledged that the fallout from the allegations could have a profound impact on relations with India, but have been careful not to cast blame in the killing of Nijjar.
“We are and continue to be deeply concerned by the allegations,” US State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said to reporters when asked about the case and India expelling 41 Canadian diplomats.
“It is critical that Canada’s investigation proceeds and that the perpetrators be brought to justice. We have publicly and privately urged India to cooperate. We take these allegations very seriously.”
Maitreyi Bhatt, a 27-year-old Indian citizen in Toronto whose partner is Canadian and needs a visa, canceled her wedding scheduled to take place in India in late October, when he was to meet her family for the first time. The lost deposits and nonrefundable flights have been a blow, Bhatt said, but are “nothing compared to the mental and emotional turmoil.”
“The way the situation is accelerating, I don’t see them coming to
a solution to this anytime soon,” she said. “It just feels super weird. I never thought I would be a part of this, but sadly I am.” Nijjar, a plumber, was also a leader in what remains of a oncestrong movement to create an independent Sikh homeland, known as Khalistan. A bloody decadelong Sikh insurgency shook north India in the 1970s and 1980s, until it was crushed in a government crackdown in which thousands of people were killed, including prominent Sikh leaders.
The Khalistan movement has lost much of its political power but still has supporters in the Indian state of Punjab, as well as in the sizable overseas Sikh diaspora. While the active insurgency ended years ago, the Indian government has warned repeatedly that Sikh separatists were trying to make a comeback.
Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, said India’s actions are “consistent with international reports of declining press freedoms” in the country.
“Like the Chinese government, the Modi government thinks it is in a stronger position than in the past to flex its muscles on the international stage,” Wiseman said. Wiseman also said that if the number of Indian students declines dramatically, Canadian colleges could feel the loss of those high tuitions.
Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown—a first in US history, forced by a contingent of hardright conservatives and throwing the House and its Republican leadership into chaos.REP. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to reporters hours after he was ousted as Speaker of the House on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at the Capitol in Washington. AP/J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE AN Indian flag is laid on the street as protesters wave Canadian and Khalistan flags during a protest outside the Indian Consulate in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 25, 2023. DARRYL DYCK/THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP
The number of people aged 60 years and older is increasing globally. In 2019, there were one billion people in the world aged 60 years and older. This number will increase to 1.4 billion by 2030, and 2.1 billion by 2050, according to the World health Organization. This increase is occurring at an unprecedented pace and will accelerate in the coming decades, particularly in developing countries.
Prolonging the average lifespan is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. Every person, no matter where he lives, should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. The United Nations said it’s time to work together to make sure we all have the chance to maximize our later years, which is why it declared 2021-2030 as the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.
“The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing sends a clear signal that it is only by working as one, within the United Nations system and with governments, civil society and the private sector, that we will be able to not only add years to life, but also life to years,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
In 2023, an estimated 697 million older persons (60 years and over) are residing in Asia and the Pacific, representing about 60 percent of all older persons in the world. Roughly one in seven persons in the region are currently 60 years or older, and by 2050, there will be one in four persons belonging to this age group, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Women account for about 54 percent of all older persons. With increasing age, their share increases. Thus, women account for most of all older persons in the region. Population ageing in Asia and the Pacific is particularly rapid, given the decline in fertility and mortality over recent years. This translates into limited time to prepare for the impacts of ageing on societies, ESCAP said.
“While longer and often healthier lives represent an achievement of social and economic development and health over the last decades, the rapid demographic shift has also shown the lack of adequate protection mechanisms for older persons and has highlighted existing gaps in policies and programs to address the situation of older persons.”
In the Philippines, life expectancy has improved to 72 years in 2023 from 69 years in 2000. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of Filipinos aged 60 years and above has doubled to 9.22 million in 2020 from only 4.6 million in 2000.
The biggest problem of our senior citizens is their indigence. Poverty affects older adults differently than other groups because they are more vulnerable to economic instability when their physical health declines. There are currently 4.1 million indigent seniors receiving a social pension of P1,000 a month from the DSWD, which represent about a third of the total number of Filipino senior citizens today.
While population ageing started in high-income countries (for example in Japan 30 percent of the population is already over 60 years old), the World Health Organization said it is now low- and middle-income countries that are experiencing the greatest change. By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population over 60 years will live in low- and middle-income countries.
The UN said that too many people around the world are experiencing worse health than they should because of unsupportive environments that prevent them from maximizing their later years.
As we celebrate the “Elderly Filipino Week” from October 1 to 7 to highlight the significant role of our senior citizens in nation-building, and to promote their rights and welfare, it pays to remember that the elderly are the reservoir of wisdom for our people.
In many ways, older people contribute to their communities. However, the extent of their participation in community development depends heavily on one factor: health. It would do well for our national leaders to promote elderly health by implementing policy measures that deliver integrated health care systems and services that are responsive to older persons.
By providing basic social protection to our senior citizens, the administration helps them maintain their functional ability that enables well-being in older age to achieve longer and healthier lives. As the WHO chief has said, this will not only add years to life, but also life to years. And that has a beautiful name: It’s called living with dignity in our sunset years.
Back in the day, we called them “Old Wives’ (Woman’s) Tales” or the formal term cliché, for a phrase expressing an idea that everyone knew to be true. We did not need any personal or even empirical knowledge of it being a fact, just that it was a passed down “generational truth” or “conventional wisdom” that “everyone knows.”
The logical extension of clichés is found in the wonderful world of social media and the Internet with “memes.” Here the written word is combined with a visual and we come up with some amazingly clever, usually sarcastic and caustic comments. If you have not seen a “Distracted Boyfriend” or “Grumpy Cat” meme, you are not a complete 21st century
The one absolutely accurate cliché that many know is from Warren Buffet: “Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” The greatest fear is at the bottom when no one wants to buy, and the greatest greed is at the top when the buying runs out.to “Suicide Squad” (2016) was better than the movie itself. I liked the movie, of course.
person. Unless, of course, you are living in a mountain cave.
Famous clichés include “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Book publishers used to spend millions designing a cover that would get you to buy the book as filmmakers do for their trailers. However, that cliché can be accurate both ways. Most critics and many audiences thought the trailer
One OWT that many of us were brought up to believe is that “bulls hate the color red” after seeing the Spanish matador waving a red colored cape. The fact is that bulls, like all cattle, are color-blind. A waving cape with the colors of the flag of
India—orange, green, and white— would also get the bull to charge. The stock market has an equally false OWT. It is “Sell in May and Go Away.” It is based on the idea that the stock market underperforms during the May to September period probably because in the past, that was the time people moved into summertime and vacations. But this is the 21st century with traders—like I did last week—making transactions while sitting in a cabana on the beach. Using the S&P 500 returns for the May to October period, the stock market “conventional wisdom” is mostly a failure and money loser. Beginning in 2011 through October 2023, the average return per year is 3.3 percent with two big losers—2011 down 8 percent and 2022 the same. But 2013 saw a 10 percent increase, 2014 was up 7 percent, 2017 gained 8 percent, as did 2021. The year 2020 was obviously a big winner at 12 percent and this
See “Mangun,” A15
Ambassador Antonio
Thomas M. Orbos
STREET TALK
ROad rage has become so frequent in our traffic-infested lives that we have taken this for granted. With traffic getting worse (JIca forecasts worsening traffic with an estimated daily loss of P5.4 billion by 2035 from the present P3.5 billion), we can only expect more of these incidents to occur. a lmost everyday, we hear or witness some form of road altercation that turns violent. Beyond the celebrated ones caught on social media, such as that incident involving a gun-toting ex-policeman and a hapless cyclist, are countless other road rage incidents that do not make the news, but nevertheless create disruption and harm. This should be addressed and confronted, as such behavior cannot be tolerated in our streets despite the traffic problems we go through every day. Unfortunately, in most cases, government action comes in more reactive form rather than being proactive or preventive.
ders to these road ragers, leading to the suspension of their licenses, and even revocation, in the case of that gun-toting ex-policeman. As an offshoot of this, Mendoza is now discussing with the Philippine National Police on the cross profiling of driver’s license applicants with gun ownership, noting the fact that most traffic altercations that turn Since 2005 ✝ MEMBER OF
We do realize there is much work to be done until the situation on our roads becomes manageable. Our laws can only do so much. And so long as there are gaps in our transport and road supply, such stress on our motorists and commuters will always be there. But the initiatives of officials like Vigor Mendoza facing road ragers head on is a calming assurance that there is order in an otherwise hostile traffic environment that we are faced with day-to-day.
for the worse, have at least one of the parties involved carrying a firearm. Mendoza further notes that present penalties as provided for under RA 4136 need to be reviewed, given that the present applicable law classifies such road rage acts as a mere case of reckless driving, meting only up to a four-year suspension or revocation even if such acts can lead to injury or death. To respond to this apparent oversight, Mendoza is presently preparing a draft policy recommendation for our legislators to consider and act on with the penalties commensurate to the unlawful acts committed resulting from such
road rage incidents. My two cents contribution to LTO’s anti-road rage efforts:
1) Review as well the recent policy on the issuance of driver’s licenses with a maximum period of 10 years. Bring it to its original yearly renewal or at least an extension to just two to three years. A 10-year validation may incentivize law-abiding citizens but a lot can change in that span of time.
2) And while we are in the area of behavior, why not include psychological evaluation similar to what is being done in other countries, as well as bring back drug testing for the driver-applicants. We have such tests when we apply for our license to possess firearms. A vehicle in the hands of disturbed individuals can be as deadly as a 45-caliber pistol.
3) Lastly, let’s be more stringent on our driver’s exams. In a study done recently by a UK think tank, the Philippines comes in the top five countries, together with Egypt, South Sudan, India and Uganda where passing the test to secure a driver’s license would be the easiest. The study even highlights our minimum requirement on the practicum component of our current exams where the driver-applicant just needs to drive one loop that only involves right turns in order to pass!
The judge in Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial issued a gag order on both parties posting online about his staff, following a social media post by the former president attacking his clerk and sharing her photo with his followers.
On his Truth Social platform Tuesday, Trump claimed without evidence that the judge’s principal law clerk is the “girlfriend” of Democrat Chuck Schumer, and reposted someone who asked why she was “palling around” with the Senate majority leader. Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, has portrayed the case as part of a “corrupt” Democratic effort to hobble his campaign.
“Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable and inappropriate,” State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron said. “I will not allow it under any circumstances.”
Trump deleted the post. Returning to the courtroom after a session he and the lawyers had with the judge at the lunch break, he remarked that so far he had had “a perfect day in court.”
In a statement, Schumer spokeswoman Allison Biasotti called the post false, “pathetic” and “absurd.” She said Schumer doesn’t even know the clerk and that he attends numerous events at which “tens of thousands of constituents take photos with him, just like this one, which was taken at an annual brunch in Manhattan.”
Engoron has already found Trump liable for fraud. The trial is focused on six remaining claims by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who alleges that Trump won favorable bank loan terms by inflating his assets by billions of dollars a year. All told, the false valuations allegedly helped Trump reap $250 million in illegal profits by getting better terms on loans, and the attorney general aims to claw that money back.
The trial, one of six—including four criminal ones—that lie ahead as Trump runs in the 2024 presidential election, will help determine the fate of his real estate empire in New York.
The drama unfolded during the second day of the trial in New York state court in lower Manhattan.
As the trial got back underway, Donald Bender, Trump’s former longtime accountant, was called to the witness stand to continue his testimony. Bender, who worked for Mazars USA LLP, and on Trump’s accounts for a decade, said that key information about the Trump Organization’s asset valuations was missing from its financial statements over several years and that he wouldn’t have signed off on them had he known.
He testified that he became aware of the missing documents when he was interviewed by the Manhattan district attorney’s office in early 2021. The DA went on to charge two Trump Organization units with tax fraud, winning convictions late last year.
In questioning Bender, lawyers for the state have sought to push back on Trump’s contention that his financial statements were accurate because Mazars, which prepared them, signed off on them.
On his Truth Social platform Tuesday, Trump claimed without evidence that the judge’s principal law clerk is the “girlfriend” of Democrat Chuck Schumer, and reposted someone who asked why she was “palling around” with the Senate majority leader. Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, has portrayed the case as part of a “corrupt” Democratic effort to hobble his campaign.
pile his financial statements, Bender testified, adding that his client was “responsible for the accuracy” of the information it provided.
Lawyers for the attorney general submitted numerous agreements between the Trump Organization and Mazars between 2011 and 2021, showing that the accounting firm had labeled Trump’s supporting asset data as “prepared by client” and relied on the information to be accurate.
Aggressive cross
W HEN it was the defense’s turn at Bender, attorney Jesus M. Suarez took over the questioning. He had referred to Trump as the 45th president “and possibly the 47th,” drawing laughter in the courtroom.
Suarez aggressively cross-examined the veteran accountant, getting him to agree that he was close with Trump Organization executives, attending Trump’s wedding and in some years was paid more than $1 million for his work.
Suarez asked Bender why he didn’t inform Trump that his triplex apartment had been calculated as being 30,000 square feet. The state has e-mail evidence showing that the Trump Organization was advised the square footage had been tripled from the actual figure of 10,000 and that the company chose to disregard the discrepancy and stick to 30,000.
“So the leader of the free world, who was keeping this country safe, relied upon you not to screw it up, and you did?” Suarez asked Bender.
“You missed it?”
“No, I did not,” Bender said. “We relied upon a calculation” Trump provided, he said.
“But that includes missing 20,000 square feet. That was not something you did not disclose to your client?” Suarez pressed. “His company was going through this hell because you missed it?”
“No, because they misrepresented the numbers on this data,” Bender replied.
The day started out with a quip from the judge, who allowed news photographers to capture Trump briefly before he sent them packing for the session.
“Oh, the wages of fame,” he said as they filed out.
eight manufacturing plants in various locations in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, providing employment to about 3,000 employees, and still continues to hire.
SteelAsia is able to produce high quality steel products aside from rebar like Cut and Bend rebars produced to precision, at less time and wastage to constructors, which only this steel company can do. They also supply from various plants the mechanical couplers, welded reinforcing mesh, wire rods, steel beams and the sheet piles that we used to import.
In the 1960s until the early 1970s, the Philippines was at par if not ahead of Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other countries in Asia in the production of steel products. We had a thriving steel industry back then.
There was the National Steel Corporation (NSC), the Philippines’ biggest manufacturer, located in Iligan City by the majestic Maria Cristina Falls. NSC was at the forefront of steel making. It produced the steel products we need. I was then in the MIT School of Mechanical Engineering, and was looking forward to work there once I got my degree. But government’s lack of vision, incompetence coupled with corruption led to the company’s wrongful death in 1999. This was disastrous to the country’s national development.
We graduated from being a steel producer to an importer. In 2022, the Philippines imported $5.23 billion worth of steel products, with $2.18 billion sourced from China, while the rest came from Japan,
South Korea and India. Now we’re ranked 20th in the world’s list of steel importers.
Very unfortunate development. Until one gallant man, Mr. Benjamin O. Yao, came to the rescue. He committed to revive the country’s steel industry and pursued what the initial entity, Island Metal, which was co-founded in 1965 by Mr. Benito Yao and Mr. Go Kim Pah (founder of Equitable Bank) started. Despite the odds of competing against the neighboring steel giants, Yao took the the gargantuan task and noble mission of bringing back the country’s steel industry to life.
Now, SteelAsia is one of the world’s largest rebar manufacturer, producing over 2 million tons of rebar and 3 million metric tons of finished steel products annually. It has
Recently, the Board of Investments’ (BOI) One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSAC-SI) awarded the “green lane” certificate to the SteelAsia Lemery Works’ P19.3 billion steel mill project in Batangas. The firm targets to start commercial operation of the steel mill facility in July 2024.
The BOI said it awarded the certificate on September 15 after it considered the SteelAsia project as a “strategic investment” as this strengthens the local steel value chain.
According to EO 18 signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in February 2023, strategic investments are those aligned with the Philippine Development Plan. With the EO, processing and issuance of permits and licenses for projects with green lane certification shall be expedited to attract more foreign investments.
The BOI noted that local steel manufacturing is deemed “insufficient” to address the growing demand for the product, especially
McCarthy lost his leadership post after hardliners in his own party revolted over his compromise with Democrats to avert a government shutdown last weekend. He said he won’t run again for speaker and hasn’t thought about resigning from Congress.
Representative Patrick McHenry took over as acting speaker after the 216-210 vote as the House awaits an election for a permanent replacement. There is a wide open lane, with members set to go home for a week and the House expected to hold speaker elections October 11.
The spending fight laid bare the deep divisions between Republicans who are loyal to former President Donald Trump and more moderate members, a battle that has plagued McCarthy as it did his Republican predecessor in the post, Paul Ryan. Those divisions have also prompted disappointing election results for the GOP in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
“I do not regret negotiating,” McCarthy said. “I do not regret my efforts to build coalitions and find solutions.”
about “governance.”
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in analysis for clients that the ouster raises the risk of a government shutdown next month. McCarthy’s successor will probably be under “even more pressure” to avoid a temporary funding package or additional funding for Ukraine, Goldman said.
“Here we are trying to do appropriations. We have Ukraine, we have border issues. And within the Republican party they have this civil war,” Representative Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, said on Bloomberg Television’s “Balance of Power.” “And on every issue, especially at the border, we can’t do anything until they’re finished having this debate.”
The stopgap funding measure that avoided the shutdown gave legislators only until November 17 to come up with a more lasting replacement. “This undermines that whole goal because now they’re going to be mired in a speaker election for who knows how long,” Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas said after the ouster vote.
The latest turmoil has fueled concerns about deepening dysfunction in Washington among investors and political leaders around the world. Moody’s Investors Service Inc., the only remaining major credit grader to give the US a top rating, warned in late September its confidence in the US is wavering because of concerns about “governance.”
officials, respectively, also are mentioned by Republican lawmakers as potential candidates.
Other names floated: Judiciary
Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio; Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole and Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, both of Oklahoma; and Representative Byron Donalds of Florida.
Representative Troy Nehls of Texas said he planned to nominate Trump for speaker.
Tuesday’s turmoil is only the latest political upheaval for Republicans. The party’s current presidential frontrunner, Trump, is in a New York courtroom facing a civil fraud case. Last week, the debate among his rivals for the nomination at times verged on chaos.
with the increasing consumption from both public infrastructure projects and private developers. It will shorten construction periods, spur domestic construction and also give rise to ancillary industries, such as structural steel services including design, engineering, and built-up steel structures.
Over dinner, Mr. Ben Yao, the lowkey chairman and CEO of SteelAsia, told me: “Green lane will be very helpful to the company. We consider it as a ‘win’ for the country and we will convert this privilege into action.”
The project will involve greenfield design, erection, and commissioning of a hot-rolling production line with an upstream integrated recyclingbased steelmaking, with a projected output of 500,000 metric tons.
By February 2024, SteelAsia will embark on another milestone, putting up a P108 billion molten steel plant that will produce annually 3 million tons, jointly with China’s largest steel producer BAUWO Steel Group.
Before the night was over, Mr. Yao proudly shared his belief “that world class quality steel should be available anywhere in the country.” That’s the reason why the SteelAsia steel mill plants are strategically dispersed across various sites in the country. Of course, for obvious reasons of less time and transport costs involved to reach the clientele.
The Philippine steel industry has awaken! Thank you, Mr. Ben Yao. For comments, tweet @billy andal or e-mail @ andalbilly@yahoo.com
Even as McCarthy refused to give in to the most conservative elements of his party, he kept up his pugnacious partisanship. He publicly criticized Democrats last weekend over their spending demands at just the moment he could have tried to leverage any goodwill from averting the shutdown to save his job.
Democrats were also angered when he allowed the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden to go forward. No Democrats voted to rescue him Tuesday.
Hardline critics
IN his nine-month tenure, McCarthy notched some significant wins. He crafted a bipartisan debt-ceiling package, fending off a historic default against the wishes of the same hardliners who ousted him on Tuesday. He also managed to avert the government shutdown that had been all but inevitable until he made a deal with Democrats to get it passed without funding for Ukraine in its war against a Russian invasion.
Those victories would have guaranteed job security for US House speakers of the past. But because of the deal McCarthy made to win the leadership position, it took only Gaetz, a Trump acolyte who deeply opposed both deals, to accelerate his demise.
“They were not giving us all the documents that we needed” to com-
At the end of the day Trump declared on his way out that he was “coming back tomorrow.” Bloomberg Orbos
continued from A14
In countries where driver exams are more stringent such as in China, Japan, Singapore and Australia, applicants literally need to pass through a needle to secure their licenses. Written exams are anywhere from a hundred to a thousand questions while the practical driving component runs anywhere from 26 to 100 hours of actual, but supervised, drive time. There are also physical and psychiatric evaluations plus first-aid training for their applicants. It would not hurt to be prepared for any situation on the road. And definitely an ounce
of proactive preparedness is worth a pound of corrective cure. We do realize there is much work to be done until the situation on our roads becomes manageable. Our laws can only do so much. And so long as there are gaps in our transport and road supply, such stress on our motorists and commuters will always be there. But the initiatives of officials like Vigor Mendoza facing road ragers head on is a calming assurance that there is order in an otherwise hostile traffic environment that we are faced with day-to-day.
The author may be reached at thomas_orbos@ sloan.mit.edu
The latest turmoil has fueled concerns about deepening dysfunction in Washington among investors and political leaders around the world. Moody’s Investors Service Inc., the only remaining major credit grader to give the US a top rating, warned in late September its confidence in the US is wavering because of concerns
. . . continued from A14
year the S&P was up 4 percent as of October 1.
One “generational truth” I have never understood is “Markets climb a wall of worry.” The explanation is “Stock prices are rising despite economic uncertainty, seemingly negative news, or a lack of positive news.” What prices “climb” is a wall of in-
As for who might make a run to replace McCarthy, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who has been the No. 2 House Republican as majority leader, has been making calls to some members testing the waters, according to two people familiar with his activities. Representatives Tom Emmer of Minnesota and Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 3 and 4 elected party
creasing confidence for the future. You do not buy a new car based on how nice it looks at the dealer. You buy based on what you think the benefits will be in the future.
One stock market cliché that may seem correct is “Stocks take the stairs up and the elevator down.” However, if you look at the historic price trend of many issues, they can actually go up fast and then come down slowly and that is what destroys wealth. An example
McCarthy barely won the job of speaker in January, enduring a historic 15 rounds of voting before he took the gavel—and only under the condition that any one member would be allowed to offer a motion to remove him from his post at any time. Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida consistently held that threat over McCarthy’s head throughout his brief tenure and triggered Tuesday’s vote.
from the past. Dizon Copper-Silver Mines trades at P8.00 in November 2011 and hits P60 six months later in April 2012. But then it takes 12 months to go back down to P8.00. Either way, the point is falling prices usually keep falling.
The one absolutely accurate cliché that many know is from Warren Buffet: “Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.” The greatest fear is at the bottom when no one wants to buy,
Even Trump, who has egged his supporters in Congress to default on the US debt or allow the government to shut down if they didn’t get everything they wanted in a deal, wondered in a social media post on Tuesday why Republicans were fighting among themselves instead of targeting the opposition. With assistance from Gregory Korte, Annmarie Hordern, Joe Mathieu and Laura Litvan /Bloomberg
and the greatest greed is at the top when the buying runs out. The best stock market wisdom though comes from not-an-investor Don Schlitz. “You got to know when to hold ’em, Know when to fold ’em, Know when to walk away, And know when to run.”
E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets.
CYBERSECURITY giant
Kaspersky on Wednesday advised Filipinos to never trust everything online, as fake or hacked websites are becoming more inconspicuous to the untrained eye.
Yeo Siang Tiong, the general manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky, cited three signs a website might be fake: mismatch between site name and address; the presence of directory path elements; and the site has a different subject.
He said hundreds of thousands of websites are fakes and they are made to look like the sites of popular online stores, banks, and delivery services, but with just one purpose: to steal people’s passwords and financial data.
O ftentimes, he said, victims are lured by phishing emails, messenger chats, and even paid ads.
I n the past, Tiong added, bad actors simply create a website with a name that resembles the original. For instance, the “BusinessNirror” instead of the BusinessMirror
However, they have now “taken a different route.”
They hack legitimate sites of any kind, then create their own subsections where they publish phishing pages. It’s very often that small and medium businesses that fall victim to such hacks because they lack the resources to constantly update and monitor their websites. Sometimes a site hack can go unnoticed for years, which is a godsend for cybercriminals,” Yeo said.
He noted that Filipinos may spot fake or hacked sites by first checking on the URL or the link before clicking on it. If it’s a hacked site, the discrepancy will be staring you in the face.
The name of the service the fake site pretends to be might crop up somewhere in the directory path, S econd is to pay attention to the tail of the URL after the domain name. Hacked subsections of a site are usually hidden deep within WordPress service directories, so the address will most likely contain elements like wpcontent/, /wp-admin/ or /wpincludes/.
L astly, Filipinos may perform an additional check by going to the home page of the website, if the name seems unfamiliar or suspicious. To do that, delete the URL tail, leaving only the domain name. And this may open the page of the real owner of the site, which will be totally unlike the phishing page both in subject and design.
It’s critical that Filipinos understand that not everything online should be trusted. There are a ton of websites with information to teach us new things or even save us from difficult situations. But there are plenty of websites that exist to harm us—either to steal our money or worse, steal our identity. Knowing how to spot deceptive websites is one way for us to protect ourselves from cybercriminals,” Tiong said.
Tiong also advised users to always use strong passwords, to enable two-factor authentication on their devices and accounts, and to avail of cybersecurity solutions.
ment of rice in the domestic market.
Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalasHowever, some economists pointed out that the lifting of the price ceiling prevented further domestic rice market distortions due to the sudden government intervention.
A griculture Undersecretary for Rice Leocadio S. Sebastian said the one-month price ceiling was “successful” in “dampening” collusion among price speculators deemed responsible for pushing prices to “unreasonable” levels. “ The price cap was successful in dampening the collusion among price speculators that was pushing prices unreasonably high towards the end of August. This was despite the sufficiency of supply from local production and imports,” Sebastian told the BusinessMirror
The lifting of the price cap is timely because we are now at the peak of harvest season and we are expecting a bountiful harvest,” Sebastian added.
A griculture Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and Regulations
Mercedita A. Sombilla concurred with Sebastian, emphasizing that the price cap measure “stopped further manipulation” of domestic prices that was “creating fears of rice shortage” in the country despite abundant supply. “ The low inventory stocks is a usual pattern that comes during the third quarter. The good for 1.5 days stocks of [National Food Authority] was not properly understood since NFA is no longer responsible for keeping the country’s stocks but only stocks for calamities - it added to the apprehension,” Sombilla told the BusinessMirror S ombilla pointed out that the timing of the lifting of the price ceiling bodes well with the drop in export prices of rice from Thailand and Vietnam.
There should be no apprehension on global supply,” she said, while noting that the Department of Agriculture will continue to “closely” monitor the price move -
“ The government is ready to continue to provide targeted support,” she added.
However, Roehlano M. Briones, senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, pointed out that the price ceiling forced rice retailers to “hide” or “reclassify” their stocks to circumvent the mandated price cap.
Under Marcos’s Executive Order 39, the price ceiling only covered regular-milled and well-milled rice, thereby exempting premium and special grade rice from the measure.
Regular milled rice is being hidden or being reclassified as premium or special rice. What is being sold as regular milled rice is the poorest quality rice that traders and retailers are left with, which could be older stocks that they want to get rid of,” Briones told the BusinessMirror
I believe these are being passed off as regular milled rice. And if there is well-milled rice that they want to dispose of, they would rather wait for the price ceiling to be lifted so that they can sell it at uncontrolled regular prices,” Briones added.
B ecause of this situation, rice consumers were left to choose between a poor quality rice or a more expensive premium grade rice.
What is left in the market is the expensive staple labelled as premium rice priced between P50 to P60 per kilogram. You cannot see regular milled rice, and if there is, mangitim-ngitim pa,” he said. “I do not know if you call that conse -
quence as effective.”
‘Bad signal’
ASSOCIATE Professor Cielo D. Magno of the UP School of Economics emphasized that the imposition of the price ceiling on rice was an “inappropriate market control” in the first place that “sent bad signals to investors.”
M agno explained that the state should not “unnecessarily intervene” in the market if it would just do more harm than good.
It was an inappropriate policy that was recklessly implemented. It shows that the government can and will control the market and sacrifice the welfare of sellers even without concrete evidence it is beneficial to consumers,” she told the BusinessMirror “G overnment should not unnecessarily intervene in the market if it will result in more inefficiencies,” she added.
S amahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) supported the lifting of the price ceiling, but urged the Marcos Jr. administration to use the full power of the law in convicting hoarders, profiteers and smugglers, which it blamed for the recent spike in local rice prices.
“ Hanggang ngayon, zero conviction pa rin sa hoarders, profiteers at smugglers. Yun ang habulin at pagkaabalahan nila [Until now, it’s zero conviction for hoarders, profiteers and smugglers. They should focus on running after these],” the group said in a statement.
By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarieSPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez expressed his optimism on the resilience of the Philippine economy despite the anticipated global economic slowdown as he underscored the progress made in implementing financial and tax reforms, which enhanced the nation’s attractiveness to foreign investors.
I n his message during the Forum on Legislative Reform, Romualdez highlighted the initiatives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. administration to bolster the country’s appeal as a lucrative foreign investment hub.
“
While factors such as the global economic slowdown and external environments have posed challenges, the resilience and adaptability of our economy persist. For context, our growth this year is anticipated to surpass that of nations like Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia,” Romualdez said.
T he Speaker also acknowledged the World Bank’s revised GDP growth projection of 5.6 percent, despite inflation and global headwinds.
The Philippines is projected to be Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economy this year, and by 2025, the World Bank anticipates an average GDP growth of 5.7 percent, driven by domestic demand and declining inflation,” he said.
This speaks volumes about the latent potential within our
economy and capital markets as we endeavor to achieve our ambitious target growth rate of 6 to 7 percent,” he added.
He said legislative milestones, such as the amended Public Service Act, which fosters full foreign ownership in crucial public services like telecommunications and airlines, underscore our country’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for investment.
R omualdez also stressed the significance of legislative milestones, including the amended Public Service Act, which facilitates full foreign ownership in critical public services like telecommunications and airlines, as an indicator of the Philippines’ commitment to creating a favorable investment environment.
H e highlighted other congressional initiatives, such as the Foreign Investment Act, the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, amendments to the Build-OperateTransfer/Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Act, the Fiscal Regime for the Mining Industry Act, and House Bill 4339 (Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, PIFITA), aimed at refining the country’s tax structures.
“ Implementing comprehensive financial and taxation reform is crucial. It will attract investments, spur employment, and ensure consistent government revenue streams. Our vision is to cultivate an economy that is inclusive, innovative, and highly competitive,” he said.
THE skills needed for jobs globally may change by at least 65 percent by 2030 as rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) accelerate workplace change, according to major professional network platform LinkedIn.
T he professional network platform said shifts are already under way, with job posts mentioning AI or Generative AI having more than doubled (2.4x) in Southeast Asia (SEA) in the last two years.
I n addition, LinkedIn said these job posts have seen their applications grow by 1.7x in SEA over the last two years, compared with
the growth of job posts that don’t mention them.
I n the Philippines, LinkedIn research revealed that 97 percent of professionals are excited to use AI at work, with 65 percent using AI to seek career advice, and 74 percent said they use it to handle difficult situations.
W ith so much change under way, Atul Harkinsanka, Head of Growth Markets and Country Lead for the Philippines at LinkedIn, said it’s time for business leaders to assess the skills their organizations need now and in the years ahead so they can set their teams up for success.
“AI is ushering in a new world of work, and the technology is already reshaping jobs, businesses, and in-
dustries. Everyone, from customer service representatives and sales professionals to teachers, can use the technology to remove some of the drudgery of everyday tasks so they can focus on valuable peoplecentric work,” Harkinsanka said in a statement on Wednesday.
He noted that HR professionals would be “at the heart” of ensuring businesses has the talent and skills they need to thrive.
“AI will be a critical tool for them, helping them focus on the important human aspect of their role, such as connecting and building relationships with candidates and fostering a strong company culture,” Harkinsanka said.
T he LinkedIn research was con-
ducted by Censuswide and based on 29,937 professionals in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, India, France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Italy, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, UAE and Japan —including 1,319 HR professionals-aged 16+ between August 23 and August 31, 2023.
M eanwhile, LinkedIn said it is rolling out Recruiter 2024 and LinkedIn Learning’s AI-powered coaching.
A ccording to the professional network, the Recruiter 2024 is LinkedIn’s new AI-assisted recruiting experience, which makes hiring easier for talent leaders to focus on strategic, people-centric work.
By
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr.’s decision to lift the price ceiling on rice was made “at the right time” as the country starts its main harvest of palay, with some pundits claiming that the measure was “successful” in curbing “market collusion.”
‘Tax reforms boost economy despite global headwinds’
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Thursday, October 5, 2023
SMIC said its portfolio investments already contributed 10 percent to its total net earnings prepandemic.
Timothy Daniels, SMIC consultant for investor relations and sustainability, said the group’s portfolio business is delivering double-digit contribution collectively and the goal is to continue building on its growth momentum.
“We think we can get this to the 'mid-teens' in percentage contribution over the medium term,” he said in his talk during the Philippine Stock exchange Investor Day.
“Particularly, our optimism lies in the potential contributions of logistics and geothermal ventures to drive faster growth."
“The investments we made in
Philippine Geothermal Production Co. and in logistics with 2Go and Airspeed, have performed well."
l ast year, 2Go recovered and reported P312 million in profits as revenues reached P19.3 billion. Its revenues grew 25 percent as the company benefitted from the country’s economic reopening and complete lifting of movement restrictions.
SMIC also said increasing geothermal energy production through PGPC fits with SM’s objectives when it comes to its sustainability agenda. With PGPC, the SM group will be able to provide steam to power plants that will, in turn, go to the communities that need them. “We are picking the businesses that add to the ecosystem of SM Investments. It’s about creating value and growth,” Daniels said.
SMIC earlier said it reported a consolidated net income of P36.53 billion in the first six months of the
year, up 32 percent from last year’s P27.71 billion.
Consolidated revenues rose 18 percent to P286.33 billion in the January to June period from P242.57 billion in the same period last year. of total net earnings, retail accounted for 17 percent, property contributed 26 percent while banking accounted for the largest share at 47 percent. Portfolio investments contributed 10 percent.
SM Retail's net income grew 21 percent to P8.4 billion from the previous P7 billion. Revenues were up 15 percent to P188.9 billion from last year’s P164.3 billion.
The company said the revenue growth mirrored vibrant shopping activity supported by improving employment. As a result, revenues for the department store grew 27 percent while specialty retail revenues increased 18 percent.
Globe Telecom Inc. said on Wednesday it has beefed up its collaboration with local government units ( l GUs) and law enforcement authorities to prevent cable theft in areas with “high incidence” rates.
The company reported that its closer partnership with the local authorities of Cebu City, Quezon City, Novaliches, Manila, Mandaue City, Valenzuela City, Malabon, Pasig, l i loan and Consolicion have resulted in a “significant decline in cases” of cable theft.
“Cable theft is a criminal act
punishable by law. We work together with authorities and communities to combat this illegal activity to ensure undisrupted service. With consistently available connectivity, we will be able to support our customers in education, work and livelihood, and provide critical communication services in case of disasters and other emergencies,” Globe At Home broadband bu siness VP Raymond Policarpio said.
Data from Globe indicated that cases of cable theft dropped by 60 percent to 746 in January to May this year, from last year's 1,876.
“As part of its proactive approach to addressing cable theft, Globe continuously collaborates with our
THe Philippine Postal Corp. (PHlPost) released stamps to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary (1923-2023) of successful entrepreneur and philanthropist Robert Coyiuto and his contributions to the Philippine Insurance Industry.
partner local government units and local law enforcement agencies so that together, we can bring a holistic solution to this problem. We look forward to stronger cooperation with our partners to bring cable theft numbers further down,” Globe VP for e x ternal Affairs Patrick Gloria added.
o t her than cable theft, Globe also continues to log other incidents of stolen assets in various facilities. In the first half of the year, Globe recorded 1,545 incidents, including the theft of batteries, fuel and other electronics and facility hardware.
Due to these incidents, Globe recorded 207 outages as of May
2023 in 124 sites. Globe has been intensifying its campaign against cable theft through its b a ntay Kable Program, together with the Philippine National Police and l GUs, over the past several years.
l a st year, Globe joined an industrywide initiative dubbed “o plan Kontra Putol” to inform the public about illegal cable cutting together with other cable and telecom providers in the country.
“The group calls upon law enforcement agencies to implement Republic Act No. 10515, also known as the Cable Theft Act, which has criminalized intentional cable cutting,” Globe said.
GlobA l hospitality platform Airbnb has contributed significantly to the Philippines, with its activities adding $840 million or P45.7 billion to the country’s GDP and supporting nearly 103,800 jobs in 2022, according to a study conducted by ox ford economics.
The study commissioned by Airbnb also shows that its guests spent last year a total of $876 million or P47.7 billion on local dining, retail and transportation services. The total bill of domestic tourists, meanwhile, reached $445 million or P24.2 billion.
“The economic contribution to both GDP and jobs driven by travel on Airbnb in the Philippines has created powerful economic ripple effects that have enabled the growth of local businesses, such as shops, restaurants, bars, and cafes—which are often central to how travelers experience a destination—and created job opportunities for the locals,” said Amanpreet Singh b ajaj, general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Airbnb.
Meanwhile, the report said there are two “notable shifts” in travel behavior since the Covid-19 pandemic which, according to ox ford economics Director for economic Consulting in Asia James l ambert, indicate Airbnb’s “pivotal role” in the rebirth of the Philippine tourism sector.
“Airbnb has been at the heart of some of the trends reshaping the nation’s travel and tourism industry, including the shift in travel away from cities and towards more rural communities,” bajaj said.
“Travel is now more dispersed, and so the economic benefits are
By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuanbeing shared across more destinations, enabling a valuable economic contribution to rural and regional areas. This dispersal is being driven by Hosts on Airbnb and in turn creating economic opportunities for various communities.”
Another emerging trend is the rise in long-term stays amid flexible work arrangements, especially during the lockdown periods.
“The increase in demand for longstay trips [is] exemplified by the live and work anywhere phenomenon,” l ambert said.
“The growth of the long-term stays segment since 2020—enabled by flexible work policies and supported by Airbnb’s live and Work Anywhere program—is helping destinations attract guests who stay longer and spend more per trip,” bajaj added.
Seeing the local tourism industry’s recovery, he said that they are “committed to partnering with governments and communities to rebuild their tourism economies in a way that is equitable, inclusive, and sustainable.”
Roderick L. AbadTH e Philippine Stock e xchange (PSe) is targeting to officially unveil its short-selling platform on october 23.
PSe President and Ceo Ramon
S. Monzon said the bourse has been conducting several webinars for trading participants since last month in preparation for the system’s launch.
“The PSe has been conducting several webinars starting last month. We are scheduled to conduct a webinar for retail investors on investment on october 6, just some salient features of our short selling program,” Monzon said during a forum on legislative reforms for the Philippine capital markets.
The PS e earlier said companies that can be shorted has been expanded to include companies that compose the PS e MidCap index and PS e Dividend Yield index, expanding the list from the previous composition that is limited to the benchmark 30-company PS e index and exchange traded funds, or e T Fs.
The PSe dividend yield index highlights are companies that consistently give high-yielding dividends, while the PSe Mid Cap index showcases medium sized companies listed exchange. both indices have 20 constituents each. VG Cabuag
A patron of the arts and culture, Robert was a philatelist or stamp collector who loved to do handwritten notes to his children. Whenever his foreign travels took him, and when his children were studying abroad, the devoted father consistently mailed them postcards and enveloped letters.
born in Fujian, China in 1923, he settled in Manila after World War II with his brothers. In 1977, he became the first Filipino to join the prestigious insurance market, l loyds of l ondon. In 1981, he founded Prudential Guarantee and Assurance, Inc. (PGAI). His legacy of prudence, industry, and love of country is carried on by his heirs who have become distinguished business leaders of their own.
The commemorative stamp features the black and white photo of Robert Coyiuto. Inscribed below is the word “Insurance Industry Trailblazer.”
Designed by PHlPost, the Souvenir Sheet’s artistic rendition highlights a color photograph of Coyiuto. behind him is a detail of the PGAI logo representing the five Coyiuto sons—Robert Jr., James, Samuel, Peter and Miguel—who carried on their father’s legacy and propelled the company to more success.
Further, the of ficial First-Day Cover includes a sketch of Robert by Rafael Casal; a rubber stamp image of the Robert Coyiuto 100th birth Centenary Rosal l ogo; and the Rosa Aragon logo with the five vertical lines connoting the five sons of Robert and Rosalyn, and four horizontal lines representing the daughters. A brief profile of Robert Coyiuto is included on the cover. PH l Post has printed 40,000
copies of the stamp with a denomination of P16.00, another 5,000 pieces of limited souvenir sheets to be sold at P55 and 2,800 for the specially designed first day cover envelope with Rosal l o go canceller. PH l Po st
THe Philippines posted the fastest motor vehicle production and sales growth in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) region in January to August, according to the latest data from the Asean Automotive Federation (AAF).
Data from AAF showed that only the Philippines recorded annual increases of more than 25 percent in terms of sales and production of motor vehicles during the 8-month period.
The country’s motor vehicle output during the 8-month period rose by nearly 35 percent to 74,107 motor vehicles from the previous year’s 54,918 units.
AAF data indicated that Thailand produced 1,221,878 motor vehicles, up 3.1 percent from the 1,184,800 units produced in the same period a year ago. This was followed by Indonesia, which produced 947,776 units, a 3-percent increase from the 920,344 units produced last year.
Meanwhile, Malaysia produced 497,309 units of motor vehicles during the period, 13.2 percent higher than the 439,372 units produced a year ago.
Vietnam produced 108,217 units during the 8-month period, but the figure was 29.8 percent lower than the previous year’s 154,184 units.
Among the Asean countries included in the AAF report, Myanmar posted the smallest output at 601 units, a steep drop from the 3,088 units it produced last year.
The six Asean countries produced 2,849,888 motor vehicles in January to August, a 3.4-percent increase compared to the 2,756,706 units they produced in the same period a year ago. AAF data also indicated that car sales in the Philippines rose by 29.8 percent to 276,215 units, from 212,872 units recorded a year ago.
Malaysia is another Southeast Asian country that recorded a double-digit increase in sales. It sold 501,552 motor vehicles during the period, up 11.6 percent from last year’s 449,289 units. ot her Asean countries recorded single-digit increases or double-digit declines in sales, based on AAF data.
Indonesia sold 675,287 units of motor vehicles, up 2.6 percent from the 658,231 units sold in the same period last year. This was followed by Thailand which was able to sell 524,784 motor vehicles, 6.2 percent lower than the 559,537 units it sold in 2022.
Singapore also posted a doubledigit decline in sales during the 8-month period. Sales dropped by 16.9 percent to 24,019 units, from last year’s 28,910 units.
Vietnam, meanwhile, posted a 29.8-percent decline in motor vehicle sales to 184,554 units from 262,940 units in January to August 2022.
Myanmar posted the steepest decline in motor vehicle sales at 68.3 percent. Sales plunged to 2,086 units, from 6,579 units in 2022.
The seven Asean countries sold 2,188,497 motor vehicles in January to August, up 0.5 percent from the 2,178,358 units they sold in the same period a year ago.
SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), the holding firm of the Sy family, on Wednesday said it is optimistic its portfolio investments will contribute more than 10 percent to overall earnings in the medium term.
THE leadership of the House of Representatives on Wednesday vowed to comprehensively address all the concerns raised by petitioners against Republic Act (RA) 11954, or the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023, as the High Tribunal ordered.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez issued a statement after the Supreme Court directed the Executive and Legislative branches of government to provide their respective responses on the petition.
“The House of Representatives affirms its commitment to the rule of law and will duly submit our comment within the 10-day timeframe,”
Romualdez was quoted in the statement as saying.
Prior to the response to the SC, the lawmaker opined that “it is crucial to underscore that the creation of the [MIF] aims to provide the country with a mechanism for financial stability and economic growth.”
Romualdez further said that RA 11954 was passed “with the intention of driving economic growth, addressing poverty and creating job opportunities for Filipinos.”
Section 2 of the law reads that the State shall establish a MIF “by investing national funds, and coordinating and strengthening the investment activities of the country’s top-performing government financial institutions to promote economic growth and social development.”
Romualdez continued saying that Congress followed due legislative processes in crafting and enacting this Maharlika law, “keeping in mind the best interests of the Filipino people.”
“Our intent was always to ensure transparency, accountability and financial prudence in the management of public funds,” he further said.
Romualdez vowed to thoroughly
review the petition’s claims to ensure the fund’s integrity and our adherence to the Constitution.
He was referring to the claims made before the SC by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and former representatives of the Bayan Muna Party-list group Neri Colmenares, Carlos Isagani Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite.
The petitioners are asking the High Tribunal to declare RA 11954 unconstitutional.
According to the petitioners, the law must be declared void because it was passed in violation of Section 26(2) Article VI of the 1987 Constitution. They also argued that the creation of the Maharlika Investment Corp. failed to pass the test of economic viability as mandated under Section 16 of Article XII of the Constitution.
The petitioners also claim RA 11954 violates the independence of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as provided under Section 20 of Article XII of the 1987 Constitution.
They noted that the presidential certification of the Maharlika Bill in the House and in the Senate did not comply with the requirements under Article VI, Section 26 of the Constitution. These requirements include the following: the existence of a public calamity or emergency; the necessity of the immediate enactment of a law to meet such a public calamity or emergency; and, such “immediacy” that would justify the doing away of the necessary legislative requirement of three readings on separate days.
Under Article VI, Section 26(2) of the 1987 Constitution, a bill becomes a law only if it passes three readings on three separate days, except if Malacañang certifies it as an urgent measure.
Romualdez said the Lower House remains “open to any constructive dialogue.” Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) saw its September revenue collections dip slightly to P79.225 billion from P79.5 billion last year but was still able to exceed its goal for the month.
The BOC’s revenue collections have been declining on an annual basis in recent months, which some finance officials attributed to falling global oil prices as well as lower oil import volume. (Related story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/09/25/budgetgap-widens-by-84-6-to-p133bin-august/)
Nonetheless, the Customs bureau said it surpassed by P2.78 billion its P76.445 billion collection goal for September.
“The BOC also topped its revenue target for January to September 2023, netting P660.716 billion, surpassing its goal of P644.185 billion by 2.57 percent, or P16.531 billion,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.
The BOC attributed the increase in its collections for the 9-month period to “effective” customs operations, “increased” trade activity and “rigorous” collection efforts.
Health chairman, said the DOH is studying reforms it will propose to the 19th Congress to solve this problem of delayed reimbursements of medical benefit packages. He cited one move includes the adoption of the Canada’s capitation system wherein the funds for one full year are downloaded to the provincial governments to cover the healthcare needs of their respective constituents for the next 12 months.
after Herbosa said the DOH pays the professional fees (PFs) of doctors under this program within 60 days after the health department issues guarantee letters (GLs). The GLs guarantee the PFs would be shouldered by the MAIP.
Furthermore, the BOC recently collaborated with the Department of Trade and Industry, the DTIStrategic Trade Management Office and the DTI “ARISE Plus Philippines” program to promote facilitation of customs procedures and improve trade competitiveness, the bureau’s statement read.
The BOC’s total collection during the nine-month period is about 73.31 percent of its full-year collection target of P901.3 billion. This means that the BOC must collect at least P240.584 billion in the fourth quarter to meet its 2023 collection target.
In a related development, the BOC touted that it has conducted 730 anti-smuggling operations, resulting in the seizure of nearly P36-billion worth of smuggled goods.
“This shows the BOC’s commitment to intensify border protection and thwart illicit activities,” it said.
“The BOC’s achievements reflect its dedication to promote growth of the nation’s economy. These successes will provide funding for significant government programs and services that will benefit the Filipinos.”
Jasper Emmanuel Y. ArcalasUnless addressed soon enough, Majority Leader LRay F. Villafuerte of Camarines Sur said this financial pickle is likely to push healthcare institutions (HCIs), especially small hospitals, to the brink of serious cash flow problems that could eventually jeopardize their operations.
Given the chronic delays in PhilHealth’s payment, Villafuerte suggested that at least P50 billion of such resources be reallocated instead to the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients program. The latter
is a government subsidy for sick indigents treated in private hospitals.
The M A IP has a relatively faster payment rate than PhilHealth’s.
“It’s incumbent upon you, Mr. Secretary (Herbosa), to at least reform the basic problem of quickly paying hospitals, both private and public,” Villafuerte told Herbosa during the recent Commission on Appointments (CA) hearing on the latter’s ad interim appointment as chief of the Department of Health (DOH).
Herbosa, who is concurrent Phil-
Under the capitation system, doctors would bill their provincial governments for the services they provide to patients. These medical providers are paid per patient, as practiced by health maintenance organizations (HMOs), regardless of the treatment they give to their patients.
Nonetheless, Herbosa and Villafuerte agreed that the DOH had a faster rate of reimbursing MAIP payments due healthcare institutions (HCIs) and doctors as compared to PhilHealth, even if the latter had ample funds to settle its arrears.
Still, the lawmaker asked Herbosa to give P50 billion to the M A IP as Congress will give the DOH an additional P100 billion on top of the P400-billion budget allocation.
Villafuerte made this suggestion
An executive summary of the examination by the Commission on Audit (COA) on PhilHealth’s financial condition for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, revealed several auditing issues.
For one, the independent auditor’s report on PhilHealth’s financial statements noted that “the Financial Liabilities–Accrued Benefit Claims Payable (ABCP)-In Course of Settlement (ICS) account with a balance of P35.420 billion as of December 31, 2022, is misstated by an unidentified amount due to the non-application of the ‘Pay Whichever Is Lower’ policy in the determination of payable amounts, which also resulted in the misstatement of the account “Provision for Health Benefits” by an unidentified amount, contrary to the requirement of fair presentation of accounts under PAS [Presentation of financial statement] 1.”
Accrued liability is “an accounting term for an expense that a business has incurred but has not yet paid.”
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) could pay up to P5 million in administrative fines if it is found to be “negligent” in protecting its members’ data amid the Medusa ransomware attack it faced a week ago.
Michael R. Santos, chief of the Complaints and Investigation Division of the National Privacy Commission, disclosed that they are now investigating whether or not there was a “possible negligence” in the processing of personal information by PhilHealth.
“If there are security lapses and if PhilHealth will not report that personal data were compromised then that is possible concealment,” Santos said in a televised interview.
“Negligence defined by law is that it is basically; if there are enough standards... what needs to be done has been done. And if we see gaps and see them glaring [then it is negligence]. As an entity, it is the PhilHealth itself that is accountable,” Santos added.
Aside from administrative fines, criminal charges and fines can also be slapped against PhilHealth. Santos pointed out that members and even employees of the state health insurer can file cases against PhilHealth in relation to their data privacy.
In a separate statement, the NPC said it has identified that “certain” documents containing personal information such as IDs and photographs, were affected by the ransomware attack against the state health insurer. The NPC is now
verifying whether the information were owned by individuals affiliated with PhilHealth either as employees or members.
‘Tiring’
LAST Wednesday, PhilHealth said it has restored more online services including those being used by hospitals and employers in remitting contributions. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/10/03/philhealth-wontpay-ransombut-cyber-defensecosts-%e2%82%a7172m/)
PhilHealth said it has restored its health care institutions (HCI) portal, which allows health facilities to verify a member’s or their dependent’s eligibility to avail benefits, and electronic premium remittance system (EPRS) that allows employers both in the public and private sector to remit and report the premium contributions of their employees.
PhilHealth added that it has also restored the electronic PhilHealth Acknowledgement Receipt or ePAR that replaces the manual issuance of official receipts.
However, Filipinos flooded PhilHealth’s Facebook page with complaints despite the state health insurer’s announcement of restoration of more online services. They were complaining that the reportedly restored online services of PhilHealth are still not working.
“Offline pa din po kayo Puro forms lang po na pinapahulog ninyo sa drop box. Kailangan kailangan namin ang PhilHealth pero [hindi] po kayo makatulong. Paki-ayos po sistema ninyo. Mapapagod lang po kapupunta sa inyo,” Liezel Villaruel Samortin wrote. [You are still offline. You just
tell us to drop forms in a drop box. We need PhilHealth but you [cannot] help. Please fix your system. It’s tiring to go to your office.]
Internally, PhilHealth’s technology system is also questionable as noted by the Commission on Audit (COA) in its examination of the GOCC’s financial statement as of year end December 31, 2022, and 2021.
In its executive summary, the COA said “the persistent utilization of fragmented systems for data management, resulting from the delayed implementation of an integrated Information technology system, manifests a significant weakness in internal control over financial reporting, thus, exposing the information presented in the FSs to the heightened risk of misstatements and compromises their integrity and reliability.”
‘Unacceptable’
IN a statement last month, PhilHealth President and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. was quoted in a statement as saying they are assuring “the public that the incident is under control and that no personal information and medical information has been compromised or leaked.” (See https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/09/25/hackedphilhealth-drops-online-servicedelivery/)
However, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian C. Dy has said last Tuesday that personally identifiable information of PhilHealth members and its employees are now being leaked on the “dark web.” (See https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/10/03/
private-data-of-philhealth-members-staff-now-leaked-on-thedark-web-dict-reports/)
That evening, PhilHealth issued a statement saying that “the ransomware attack DID NOT affect our servers containing members’ private information. PhilHealth’s membership database, claims, contribution and accreditation information which are stored in a separate database are intact and completely unaffected by the said cyberattack.”
(See https://businessmirror.com. ph/2023/10/03/philhealth-issues-clarificatory-statement-onurgent-notice-issue/)
The ransomware attack forced PhilHealth to spend P172 million to beef up its information technology infrastructure that includes cybersecurity defenses.
The amount includes P110 million in regular procurement and P62 million in emergency procurement. The state health insurer maintained that it will not pay a single peso of ransom to the Medusa ransomware group.
On Wednesday, Senator Grace Poe said that any cyberattack is unacceptable, especially against government data systems.
“As keepers of vital information of the people, the government must institute the most secure firewall against cybercrime,” the solon was quoted in a statement as saying.
Poe said she will “await the final report of PhilHealth to guarantee that members’ records are not compromised.”
She also called on the DICT and relevant agencies “to conduct regular checks on the integrity of the security systems of government departments to ensure they are protected against hackers.”
POLICE visibility at the Entertainment City is expected to improve after the Philippine National Police (PNP) received last Tuesday eight patrol cars from the Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc. (BCFI), the charitable arm of Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc.
The donation was made after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) approved BFCI’s request to release P10 million to the PNP for the purchase of six units of 2023 Corolla Altis and two units
of 2023 Innova (2.8L E Diesel A/T).
BCFI President Donato C. Almeda said the patrol cars will aid the Southern Police District (SPD) in enhancing police operations within the Entertainment City and shorten response time to security concerns.
“On behalf of Solaire Resort and Casino, together with Pagcor, we are donating these mobile patrol cars to the Paranaque Police and Southern Police District here at Entertainment City. “This is for the betterment of the
entertainment and gaming industry in this area and for all of us to feel safe and sound while enjoying the
facilities of our resorts,” Almeda was quoted in a statement as saying. SPD Director Brig. Gen. Roderick
D. Mariano said the new patrol cars will help ensure low-crime to zerocrime rate in the area.
Mariano also expressed gratitude to Pagcor for approving the grant.
The Pagcor said the foundation’s grant to the PNP is part of the gaming regulator’s requirement from its casino licensees to establish foundations for corporate social responsibility programs for education, infrastructure, health facilities, environmental preservation and restoration of cultural heritage.
Two percent of the licensees’ gross gaming revenues from non-junket tables automatically go to such foundations, the Pagcor said. Earlier this year, the Pagcor also approved the request of Entertainment City Estate Management Inc. (ECEMI)—composed of the four major licensees at the Entertainment City—to allocate P10 million annually for the administration, management, maintenance and security of common areas and facilities at Entertainment City.
Asenior lawmaker on Wednesday urged Health secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa to do something—and fast—about the delayed payment by the Philippine Health insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) of an estimated P27-billion in arrears to both private and government health facilities.This October 3, 2023 photo, shows the eight mobile patrol cars that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) procured for the Philippine National Police upon the request of Bloomberry Cultural Foundation inc. CREDIT: PhIlIPPInE AmusEmEnT AnD GAm nG CoRP
something wrong, he will get angry. “Chito seldom gets angry but if he does, there is something wrong already, and sometimes, the people who don’t get angry that much can be scary.”
However, neri and Iya are glad that they have supportive husbands who help them carry through all their sacrifices in tending to the children. t he validation they get from their kids when they are told that they are “the best Mommy” makes all the sacrifices worthwhile.
Gadget time
SADLY, some parents of today’s kids don’t have time to interact with their children since they’re busy working the entire week. ev en on weekends, they forget to bond with their children and bring more happiness and joy in the minds of children. Some resort to giving their kids gadgets like mobile phones or tablets to divert their attention, to make them happy, so that parents can be left at peace.
For Iya Villania-Arellano, t V news anchor and wife to t V program host Drew Arellano, she said they allow their kids to have their gadget time, but there are ground rules, like they should finish their tasks first and accomplish what they call the “gratitude journal” before they can use their gadgets. “I monitor also their behavior. If I see that there are behavioral changes after gadget time, especially when playing addictive games, then I step in with a limit on gadget usage.”
n eri n a ig-Miranda, actress and wife of Parokya ni e d gar frontman Chito Miranda, echoed Iya’s sentiments.
“Before I used to let them use gadgets,
but then I noticed that after gadget time, there was a change in behavior like they quickly become impatient or bored so I took the gadgets aways. I only allow our kids to use them if they’ve accomplished their homework, but still, gadget use is limited for an hour. t hen I tell them to do something else like to write or draw or read a book. After I did that, I noticed the change. t hey now play actively, mostly outdoors, and they bond with each other very well,” she explained during the launch of “Babyflo Buddies,” where the two celebrities were also introduced as the brand’s newest ambassadors. Good cop, bad cop neri and Iya all lamented the fact that i n this “good cop, bad cop” situation, it is always the mother who is perceived by the kids as “bad.” “With Drew and I, it always depends on the situation but we try to achieve some sort of balance, depending on the behavior we have on a particular day,” Iya said. For neri, she is always the stricter one than Miranda, who tends to give in sometimes, but if he sees there is
For Maya Leander, Marketing Head of Philusa Corp., makers of Babyflo, kids nowadays are quite different compared to their generation, especially at the onset of social media, that whenever there’s something about a parent supposedly maltreating a child, as Iya said, “Bantay Bata agad,” in reference to the child welfare program launched in the late 1990s.
For her, effective communication with the children remains the best and most positive way when it comes to disciplining children of today’s generation, compared to before when strict parents mete punishments such as making kids kneel in mongo beans, salt or grains of rice and the most feared one, which is the father’s belt.
Iya admitted that at first, she resorted to smacking, but stopped it immediately after discovering that it’s not working. “ every day is a new day and if you discover that something is not working, then change it. Also, we Moms suffer bad days, and it’s hard to control your emotions if you’re having
a bad day when it comes to disciplining the children so you have to really exercise restraint consistently.”
Challenges in raising children
neri is thankful she has a husband who i s not only supportive but also totally objective when it comes to seeing things differently and in dealing with challenges when it comes to raising children, and in any other aspect of life.
For Iya, the biggest challenge for her was when she became a mother for the first time. “ no m atter how much you prepare, you’ll never understand how your life drastically changes the moment you give birth. t he days and nights that follow were something that I wasn’t really ready for. But with the kind of support system I had, the burden became lighter and I started to enjoy the days and nights taking care of the kids.”
For Maya, she believes that parenting is instinctive no matter how much information we get from others, and that mothers should not be pressured since parents will learn parenting as they go through it.
“As parents we have dreams for our children, for them to be successful in life and fulfill their ambitions despite all the challenges. But my ultimate dream is that parents can help their children find their inner joy, or as what the French say, the ‘joie de vivre,’ the joy of living. t h at is something that they can bring all throughout their lives because a happy child will be a good child. And this is the mission of Babyflo, to bring joy to all Filipino babies and young children, being a trusted ally by mothers in raising their children.”
tH e United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has beefed up its partnership with nippon Paint to provide a pleasant environment for tuberculosis ( t B) patients and, at the same time, gather support from survivors themselves to help raise awareness on this dreaded disease.
t h rough the USAID-tu berculosis Innovations and Health Systems
Strengthening ( t B IHSS) project, a five-year program implemented by FHI360, eight t B -D o t S c linics in the country were chosen to be repainted with murals and messages depicting the Department of Health’s Healthy Lungs campaign aimed at creating a welcoming space among t V patients seeking treatment.
“We want our t B -D o t S C enter to be a safe and welcoming space for those with tuberculosis,” said USAID Philippines Project Management Specialist t ito Felipe r o drigo on the importance of the tie-up with nippon Paint to paint a future of a Healthy Pilipinas.
“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of nippon Paint
Editor: Anne Ruth Dela CruzMetro Pacific Health (MPH), the country’s largest private hospital group and a member of the MVP group of companies, leads the charge in delivering highquality, patient-centric care for those with memory-related illnesses through state-of-the-art Memory Care Centers (MCC) found in three of its top hospitals: Makati Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, and De Los Santos Medical Center.
As life expectancy increases with advances in science and health care services, challenges commonly encountered in the aging population have likewise increased. Understanding the profound impact that memory-related issues can have on both patients and their families, all of the Memory Care Centers in the MPH group aim to provide comprehensive care by combining cutting-edge diagnostic methods and neurological testing; innovative treatments tailored for each individual, crafted by multi-disciplinary medical teams; and supportive care management that offers resources and programs to help patients and their families navigate the challenges of memory-related disorders.
By championing these holistic approaches, MPH Memory Care Centers stand as beacons of hope for patients struggling with a myriad of concerns, from mild memory lapses to more severe cognitive disorders.
Dr. Michelle Anlacan, a leading adult neurologist and dementia specialist at Cardinal Santos Medical Center, explains the need to create more awareness around memory-related illnesses and their management: “I think the most common misconception for treatment [of memory-related illnesses] is that there is no treatment. At Metro Pacific Health Memory Care Centers, we have several treatments available— with both pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions—that will make life easier for both the patient and the family who is caring for them.”
medical team are key.”
Memory Care in Metro Pacific Health
C A r DI n A L S antos Medical Center’s (CSMC) Memory Center is focused on creating awareness, promoting quality of life in the elderly, and delaying the progress of Alzheimer’s disease through its modern-day expertise in the brain and memory. t he Center aims to provide early detection and management of dementia and treat patients with cognitive impairment from brain injury and diseases. Procedures of CSMC currently include Comprehensive neurocognitive Workup, Medication Management, and Cognitive r e habilitation Programs.
t h e Memory Plus Center of Makati Medical Center (MMC) is a sub-specialty clinic that provides a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, management, and treatment process for people with complaints related to memory, cognitive impairment, and other behavioral or psychological concerns associated with neurodegenerative brain disorders.
Believing that early risk assessment, prompt diagnosis, and initiation of management can help prevent worsening of cognitive decline, the team consists of n e urologists, Psychiatrists, and n e uropsychologists who specialize in Dementia and other cognitive impairments, conducting extensive neuropsychological evaluations, and developing treatment plans.
Philippines, who stood by us, showed compassion and support towards the fight against t B , and who have been generous in providing quality paints for the repainting initiative,” he added.
Pilot clinic
KICKI nG off this initiative was the Binangonan r egional Health Center’s r u ral Health Unit ( r H U) 3. Unfortunately, the nearby r H U 4 is undergoing renovations.
t he Binangonan r H U was recently named one of the top-performing t B -
D o t S C enters in the country. t h is could be mainly attributed to its successful case detection efforts to avert the spread of t V i n the municipality, according to r H U Municipal Health Center o f ficer Dr. Angelito Dela Cuesta.
During the event, t B s urvivors who graced the unveiling of the center’s new look also signified their commitment to promote awareness on t V prevention and treatment in their respective communities.
“We need to improve how we are going to educate and give them incentives, inspire the people who are sick, and show them that there are people who are working tirelessly to bring their lives back to normal,” said Binangonan First Lady Dr. r o se Martha CallantaYnares, underscoring the pivotal role of innovations for disease prevention and treatment.
t h is nationwide project is set to benefit three more t B -D ot S Centers in Luzon, three in Cebu, and one in Dumaguete City.
Private sector’s support ASIA’S premier coating manufacturer, nippon Paint, is among the businesses that support this health initiative for many years.
“We want to be a part of this mission of raising awareness by transforming spaces and fostering creativity,” nippon Paint Philippines te chnical Director Leticia noma said, while citing the importance of visual arts to further push health-seeking behavior especially in hard-to-reach areas.
t he inaugural repainting used nippon Weatherbond for the center’s exterior. t h is paint product can provide over 10 years of protection against fading and harsh weather conditions.
o n t he other hand, the interior walls were coated with nippon Vinitex Fresh and nippon Spotless, both of which have antimicrobial properties— helpful for recuperating t B p atients.
Such collaboration with n i ppon Paint is one of the many initiatives of USAID-t BIHSS project to raise awareness about t B and implement health processes and systems that will help the Philippines achieve its goal of eliminating t B by 2035.
Per D oH e stimates, 70 Filipinos die daily from t B . In 2021, over 1.6 million Filipinos succumbed to this ailment. t he agency, however, stressed that the disease is curable and that afflicted patients can seek treatment from any t B D o t S C enter nationwide.
Dr. Anlacan also offers hope to those who find themselves living with memory-related disorders. “Being diagnosed with a memory-related illness such as Alzheimer’s is not the end of the world, especially if you are diagnosed early. t here are many ways to continue living a fruitful life or ensure a full quality of life for your loved ones. Preparation, education, and the support of a good
t he Memory Center of De Los Santos Medical Center also houses a team of specialists who provide compassionate and comprehensive consultations, evaluations, and treatment recommendations to monitor and enrich behavioral and mental wellness. t he hospital objectively and methodically performs memory screening and memory assessment—open to all those who are concerned about their current mental well-being. It also offers structured counseling to both loved ones and caregivers to enhance their awareness about the proper care and supervision needed by those who are presently living with a form of dementia.
t hese growing services of Memory Care Centers in Metro Pacific Health hospitals reaffirm the group’s commitment to continued medical excellence, investment in specialized facilities, and providing holistic, compassionate care for the communities it serves.
PHILIPPI ne S ’ p remier hospital, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed), recently signed another global partnership for the continuous advancement of its medical services, and ultimately, its patient care. t h is time, it is with Parkway Hospitals Singapore—a healthcare network under the region’s largest private healthcare provider, IHH Healthcare Si ngapore, which operates four SG hospitals similarly accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI). t h e partnership encompasses what they call the Physician e x change
Program, making it possible for the two healthcare providers to work collaboratively in terms of patient consultations (mainly through telemedicine) on a case-to-case basis. It also warrants procedure demonstrations and live surgery observations.
Parkway Hospitals also committed to further supplementing the education and training of MakatiMed’s healthcare staff, from its physicians and nurses to hospital administrators alike.
o n top of Clinical e d ucation and Healthcare Innovation, the train -
ing will also involve Leadership and Management Development which allows for study visits and exchange programs, as well as Benchmarking which includes performance reviews. t h e beginning of this partnership between MakatiMed and Parkway Hospitals was marked with a contract signing on September 25, 2023 held at MakatiMed.
r e presenting the Philippine hospital were Co-presidents and C e o s Dr. Saturnino P. Javier and Arnold C.
o c ampo who are also the hospital’s Medical Director and Chief Finance
o f ficer respectively. IHH Healthcare Singapore, meanwhile, was represented by Chief Commercial o f ficer Jeffrey Law and Country Manager Vincent Lai.
Also present in the gathering were the following MakatiMed leaders: Head of Liver Unit Dr. Madalinee e t ernity Labio ; Director of Medical Services Dr. John Vincent G. Pastores, Director of the Division of Medical e d ucation and r e search (DM e r ) D r. r o sario P. Marin; Director of the Professional Services Group (PSG) Dr. n
e d a Bernadette P. Bodegon.
tH e Department of e d ucation (Dep e d ) and o u r Lady of Lourdes Hospital (Lourdes Hospital) have formalized a partnership through the hospital’s Bida Lourdes: Sci-te ch Champs campaign.
t h e contract signing ceremony, held on September 15, 2023, at the Dep e d nC r office, marked the beginning of a transformative collaboration aimed at strengthening the Philippine healthcare workforce.
Paul r i chard t . C amangian, President and C e o of o u r Lady of Lourdes Hospital, set the stage for the partnership by emphasizing the pivotal role of healthcare workers in the healthcare system. t h is recognition was the driving force behind the inception of the Bida Lourdes campaign, which seeks to uplift healthcare in the Philippines.
As the program concluded, Depe d nC r r e gional Director Wilfredo e Cabra delivered a closing message that underscored the necessity of a shift in mindset, heart, and strategy to ensure quality education for learners.
Key figures, including Camangian, Cabral, Depe d nC r Assistant r e gional Director Cristito A. e c o, and distinguished representatives from o u r Lady of Lourdes Hospital and the Depe d nC r Division, including Lourdes Hospital Chief Financial o f ficer June A. Diamante, signed the
memorandum of agreement. t h is agreement marks the beginning of a transformative journey towards a brighter and healthier Philippines, where knowledge, innovation, and healthcare excellence flourish together. t h e Bida Lourdes: Sci- t e ch Champs” campaign, initiated by Lourdes Hospital in 2023, aims to inspire young talents in S t e M (Science, te chnology, e n gineering, and Mathematics) to explore careers in healthcare by providing educational opportunities. o n e notable achievement of this campaign was the successful launch of “Brainiac: Battle of the Sci te ch Champs,” an inter-school quiz bowl for high school students. Beyond this, the partnership encompasses a range of educational initiatives, including specialized training programs for teachers, immersive work experiences for students, and sponsorships for research projects. t h is collaboration represents a significant stride toward a healthier Philippines. By bridging educational institutions with the healthcare industry, it not only nurtures the future of healthcare but also serves as an inspiration to young talents. to gether, Depe d a nd Lourdes Hospital are charting a path towards a brighter and more innovative healthcare landscape for the Philippines.
What makes a happy child? Is it about buying all they ask for and giving in to their every whim? Is it giving them longer gadget time? Is it about letting them go away when they are at their naughtiest?
PARENTS send their children to school to learn, and they don’t want to worry about whether the air is clean, whether there are insect problems, or whether the school’s cleaning supplies could cause an asthma attack. But a research collaborative, of which I’m a member, has found that schools might not be ready to protect students from environmental contaminants.
I’m an extension specialist focused on pest management. I’m working with a cross-disciplinary team to improve compliance with environmental health standards, and we’ve found that schools across the nation need updates in order to meet minimum code requirements.
Everything from a school’s air and water quality to the safety of the pesticides and cleaning chemicals used there determine the safety of the learning environment. Environmental health standards can help a school community ensure each potential hazard is accounted for.
Air, wAter And food quAlity
SO, what aspects of the school environment and student health need attention? For one, the air students and teachers breathe every day.
Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can improve the indoor air quality and reduce the risk of health concerns. Even small things like dust and dander, dead insects and artificial scents used to cover up smells like mold and mildew can trigger asthma and allergies.
Improving ventilation, as well as a school’s air flow and filtration, can help protect building occupants from respiratory infections and maintain a healthy indoor environment. Ventilation systems bring fresh, outdoor air into rooms, filter or disinfect the air in the room and improve how often air flows in and out of a room.
Upgrading ventilation in school buildings can improve air quality and reduce potential contaminants, including viral particles, in indoor spaces.
It may seem like maintaining proper food safety and drinking-water quality would be common practices. But many schools do have some level of lead contamination in their food and water.
In 1991, the US Environmental Protection Agency published a regulation, known as the lead and copper rule, to minimize lead and copper in drinking water. The EPA’s 2021 revised lead and copper rule aims to reduce the risks of childhood lead exposure by focusing on schools and child care facilities and conducting outreach.
But in December 2022, a team of scientists published a report on lead and copper levels in drinking water, and they found evidence that lead is still showing up in drinking water in Massachusetts schools. No amount of lead is safe to have in the water.
water, the Food and Drug Administration overhauled the Food Safety Modernization Act in 2016. This act has transformed the nation’s food safety system by shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illnesses to preventing them. It gives local health officials more authority to oversee and enforce supply chain safety.
Per these new regulations, every school cafeteria must be inspected by the local registered sanitarian at least twice a year to meet the minimum standards for their state and federal guidelines.
These inspections now include looking for entry points that might allow mice or rats to come in, finding areas with moisture buildup where flies, roaches or other insects can breed, and determining whether storage rooms are properly sanitized.
integr Ated pest mAnAgement
EVEN if a school has clean air, water and food, it still may not meet all the required health standards. Many schools have insect infestations, and many combat these pest problems with harsh chemicals when there’s a simpler solution.
Integrated pest management is an environmentally sensitive approach to pest management. Known as IPM, it combines common sense practices like keeping doors and windows closed and making sure no food is left in classrooms overnight with other ways to help prevent pests from
IPM programs consider the pests’ life cycles and their larger environment, as well as all the available pest control methods, to manage pest infestations economically and scientifically.
Common pests in schools include ants, cockroaches and bedbugs. Ants enter looking for food, and cockroaches can travel in with backpacks or enter through small openings under doors or cracks in the seals around a window.
Mice, cockroaches and ants can come into a kitchen or bathroom from plumbing pipes that aren’t properly sealed.
In the fall, cockroaches reside in custodial closets, kitchens and other areas where floor drains might be. These bugs use the sewer drains to move about, so an IPM approach might include making sure the drains have plenty of water flooding through them and clearing out organic matter that the cockroaches might feed on.
green cle Aning SCHOOL administrators also determine what products to use for pest control and cleaning. With the intent to prioritize the safety of both the people inside the building and the environment, some schools have adopted a “green cleaning” approach. Green cleaning uses safer—or less harsh— chemical and pesticide products, since studies have found that the repeated use of harsh chemicals
WHILE it’s been three years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, its lasting effects can still be felt to this day. Even in the “new normal,” the world continues to face significant challenges especially on gender inequality and children’s rights. Young girls, in particular, are consistently the first to suffer and last to be supported in times of conflict, economic crisis, and other difficult situations.
To address these challenges, spark conversations and influence change, World Vision, a global humanitarian organization devoted to improving the lives of children, held the #GirlsCan Anniversary Celebration, together with its advocacy partner Special Olympics Pilipinas and corporate partner Linya-Linya, last September 24 at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay, the event’s official venue partner. The celebration is open to the public.
Now on its fifth year, #GirlsCan aims to recognize the unique struggles faced by girls in the country and globally, promote their rights, and foster their empowerment. The celebration brought together advocates, stakeholders, and experts to share their knowledge, foster networking opportunities, and discuss World Vision’s #GirlsCan achievements and future goals.
Hosted by Janina Vela, the anniversary celebration featured panel discussions and inspirational talks from empowered Filipinas including Bianca Umali, Ayn Bernos, Joyce Pring-Triviño and many more.
The #GirlsCan anniversary celebration is also a lead up to the International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2023. To sustain the campaign, World Vision Philippines is seeking to help at least 1,000 young Filipinas through its Child Sponsorship program so they can reach their full potential by providing them the right tools to overcome adversity. Anyone can join the cause by becoming a child
sponsor and donating for as low as P25 a day or P750 per month. Through this amount, the sponsor can help provide life-changing essentials for kids such as education, clean water, health and nutrition. Sponsors can also build a relationship with the child through letters, photos and updates.
Ultimately, the goal is to help the sponsored child and his/her family break free from poverty and build a sustainable community.
“We believe that no girl should be denied the experience of God’s love, no matter the circumstances she’s in. If provided with the right tools and opportunities, girls can overcome any adversity,” said World Vision executive director Rommel V. Fuerte.
To learn more about how you can make a difference in a young girl’s life, visit the #GirlsCan page at www.worldvision.org.ph/1000girls. More updates are available at www.worldvision.org.ph
for anyone directly exposed.
Products that contain ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, citric acid and isopropyl alcohol are generally safer than products that contain chlorineor ammonia.
But the school’s job isn’t done, even after the infestation has been dealt with. Schools need a plan to manage their pollutants long term—these pollutants might be cleaning chemicals and pesticides or chemicals used in science classes. Preserving the school’s air quality requires a plan for storage and disposal of these materials. But finding the funds to correctly dispose of legacy chemicals can challenge already thin budgets.
Over the past decade, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked with a variety of groups to develop the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child initiative. This approach pulls together professionals, community leaders, parents and others to support evidence-based policies and practices.
The initiative has also led some states to develop school health advisory councils that work with state departments of education and health to assist their local school districts with managing the indoor environment and student health.
When the school building is safe, students and educators are more able to get down to the business of learning, undistracted tHe conVersAtion
TWO adoptive parents in West Virginia were charged with felony neglect after two children were found locked inside a small barn and a third child was located in an unprotected loft inside an adjacent home, police said on Tuesday.
The parents were arraigned Tuesday on charges of gross child neglect creating a substantial risk of injury. Authorities began investigating after they received a call on Monday from someone expressing concern about the children’s welfare.
Kanawha County sheriff’s deputies forced their way into the barn, where a boy and a girl were locked inside a small room. The children had been deprived of adequate food and hygienic care, and the room had no running water or bathroom facilities, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.
Inside the main residence, a small child was found alone in a loft about 15 feet (4.6 meters) high with no protection from falling, the statement said. No adults were present at the home. The adoptive parents were arrested when they returned, and each was being held in jail on a $200,000 cash bond. An October 12 preliminary hearing is scheduled. Jail records didn’t indicate whether the parents have attorneys who could comment on the charges.
The Associated Press is not naming the parents in order to protect the identity of the children, who have been placed with Child Protective Services. A p
WHEN people are accepted, they become empowered and feel appreciated and recognized.
In celebration of the International Day of Sign Language, SM Cares of the SM Group, continues its mission to provide inclusive spaces as a mall for all through its yearly sensitivity training for its frontline employees. The training equips them with skills to better serve customers with different needs or persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Engr. Bien Mateo, Senior Vice President for Mall Operations and Program Director of SM Cares Disability Affairs, noted the company’s dedication to creating positive impacts within its communities.
“Genuine inclusion starts with us,” he said. “One of the integral steps in line with this effort is by conducting sensitivity training for our employees.”
Apart from SM Supermalls’ facilities, the shopping malls of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. promote inclusive spaces through features such as ramps, handlebars in comfort rooms, and Braille-labeled elevator buttons. The efforts to promote inclusivity within the malls also rely on equipping its workers with the knowledge and best practices for assisting PWDs.
Jay Jess Aquino, a security personnel in SM Mall of Asia for 15 years shared how helpful the annual sensitivity training is on learning how to respectfully assist customers who have different needs.
With daily interactions from different PWD communities, he shared how a simple act of acknowledging guests on the autism spectrum or persons with Down syndrome every time they playfully salute them goes a long way.
“They salute us guards as they enter the mall. We are also pleased because
even with our simple acknowledgment, we can already make them smile,” he said.
As SM frontliners, they must be quick to recognize guests with mobility issues to provide alternative solutions such as wheelchairs and even drive them via golf karts when available. The mall’s administration office is also open to serve as a safe and quiet space for guests who may be sensitive to several sensory inputs.
His colleague and fellow security staff
Rebecca Flores in Mall of Asia expressed how the sensitivity training has made her more confident to assist patrons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) over her nine-year experience in SM.
She emphasized the importance of maintaining open communication and building rapport with customers on the spectrum before they enter. This approach helps dismiss any notion that security guards are intimidating.
“We see to it that we give them a lively
greeting as they enter the mall because they remember you. Even in the unfortunate event of being lost in the mall, they won’t hesitate to approach you to find their way since they will recall the friendly face who said hi to them,” she said.
Flores even recalled her initial experience when a child on the autism spectrum playfully kicked her. She remembered how shocked she was during the exchange. And although the child’s parent immediately explained the situation, Flores recalled in jest how the child tried to get her again on the way out.
“I didn’t get mad. I’m thankful because the training imparted learnings on this,” she said.
SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls and a division of SM Foundation, Inc. ensures a barrier-free and disability-inclusive environment for PWDs in all of its malls nationwide.
Property Awards, presented by Kohler and supported by Boysen
Paints and Dongpeng Ceramic, recently feted the archipelago’s finest real estate in a celebration that drew tHe nation’s most accomplished and up-and-coming developers and industry leaders.
Held for the first time at Shangri-La
The Fort, Manila, the annual black-tie gala dinner and presentation ceremony recognised excellent companies and projects from the country’s most exciting urban and provincial property markets. Around 71 winners earned golden statuettes across 65 categories, representing the finest real estate of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Besting high-quality entries from across the country, Robinsons Land was judged the Best Developer in the Philippines for the second consecutive year. It also won the title of Best Developer (Visayas), in addition to a Special Recognition in ESG, while RLC Residences was named Best Lifestyle Developer.
With a strong hotel roster, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts garnered the Best Operational Hospitality Portfolio award, supported by multiple wins for Fili Hotel Cebu. Robinsons Offices was honoured for its office developments GBF Centers 1 & 2 and Cybergate Iloilo Towers 1 & 2. Aurelia
Residences, a project of Shang Robinsons Properties, Inc., won the prestigious Best Condo Development (Philippines) award.
The titles of Best Developer (Luzon) and Best Mixed Use Developer were both presented to Federal Land, Inc., which also won for its development The Grand Midori Ortigas. Sunshine Fort North Bonifacio Realty Development Corporation and North Bonifacio Landmark Realty and Development Inc., both subsidiaries of Federal Land, Inc., clinched winning titles for their developments Mitsukoshi BGC and Grand Hyatt Manila Residences South Tower, respectively.
Cebu Landmasters, Inc. was hailed Best Developer (Mindanao), supported by various wins for its projects Casa Mira Towers Bacolod; Casa Mira Homes Danao; Casa Mira Iloilo; Costa Mira Beachtown Panglao; and DGT City Center.
Jose R. Soberano III, chairman, president, and CEO of Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI), was chosen as the Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year by the team of Property Report by PropertyGuru, the official magazine, for achievements that include leading the expansion of the homegrown Metro Cebu developer to more markets throughout the archipelago.
Soberano joins the elite ranks of past winners Henry Sy, Sr. and Family (SM
Investments Corporation), Ramon S. Ang (San Miguel Corporation), Manny Villar (Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc), and last year’s winner Lourdes Josephine Gotianun Yap (Filinvest Land Inc).
Meanwhile, the all-new Rising Star award was presented by media partner Bridges to brothers Kyle Tan, president and chief executive officer of Eton Properties, and Lucio Tan III, director of LT Group, Inc, for their notable arrival in the real estate scene.
Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates gained the Best Industrial Developer award, in addition to Special Recognitions in ESG and Sustainable Design and Construction, plus winning titles for the projects LIMA Central Business District, LIMA Estate, and West Cebu Estate.
Aboitiz Land, Inc. won the prestigious Best Housing Development (Philippines) award for Seafront Residences, plus winning titles for the projects Ajoya Cabanatuan and The Villages at Lipa.
Honoured for the project Royal Oceancrest Mactan, Primary Homes, Inc. won the Best Sustainable Developer title and received a Special Recognition in Sustainable Design and Construction.
Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation, accoladed for the projects 3Torre Lorenzo and lyf Malate Manila, was named Best Boutique Developer.
MANG Inasal bagged a Silver PANAta Award in the country’s premier annual recognition program for effective communication materials organized by the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA).
#MangInasalFamilyFiesta TikTok Challenge was recognized in the Brand Effectiveness through Effective Use of Marketing Channels (Single Medium-Digital) category.
Veering away from traditional advertising and paid media, Mang Inasal capitalized on viral marketing with the use of TikTok and user-generated content to raise awareness, conversations, and sales from netizens on the newly launched Family Fiesta — a special bundle of char-grilled favorites that’s perfect for office parties, family reunions, and various gatherings.
From October 20 to November 30, 2022, netizens were enticed to order the Family Fiesta, take fun consumption videos with their family or friends, and post their videos on TikTok.
The challenge generated over 30 million TikTok views within the campaign period, or 321% higher than the target. It was so successful that fun Family Fiesta videos continued to be posted in the platform
even after the campaign, which helped promote the product and make it part of netizens’ holiday celebrations. Further, the #MangInasalFamilyFiesta TikTok Challenge translated to actual sales as it helped the brand consistently exceed targets over a threemonth period.
Other Mang Inasal campaigns were shortlisted in the 2023 PANAta Awards including #ILoveMangInasal Digital Campaign under the Brand Effectiveness through Customer Experience category and Chicken Inasal campaign under the Brand Effectiveness through Effective Use of Marketing Channels (Integrated) category.
Last June, #MangInasalFamilyFiesta
TikTok Challenge won a Gold Stevie® Award in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards. The recognition was given under the “Innovation in the Use of Viral Media or Word of Mouth” category. Mang Inasal’s other impactful digital marketing communication initiatives won a Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines for its 2022 #MomsRuleAtMangInasal campaign; and a Silver Award from the Marketing Excellence Awards-Philippines under the Excellence in Viral Marketing category for its “16 Cups Challenge” three-day Twitter trend.
Want more Mang Inasal exclusives NOW? Visit www.manginasal.com for the latest news, https://manginasaldelivery.com. ph for delivery deals, and follow Mang Inasal on social media for more Ihaw-Sarap and Unli-Saya updates!
WITH a distinguished legacy spanning five generations, the Aboitiz Group remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering positive change in shaping the future as it adheres to the standards and requirements outlined in the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS).
This year, following the 2022 compliance period of the ACGS, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) received a 4-arrow recognition after scoring 111.68 points, AEV’s highest ACGS score since the Institute of Corporate Directors inaugurated the Golden Arrow Awards in 2018. Aboitiz Power Corporation and Union Bank of the Philippines both received a 3-arrow recognition for scoring between 100 and 109 points.
It is also important to note that AEV and AboitizPower have consistently been recognized as top performers in corporate governance, both here in the country and in the ASEAN region since 2013 to 2017 at the PSE Bell Awards.
“This distinction is the result of the Aboitiz Group’s work to transform a legacy business into a hyper-innovative, diversified conglomerate that puts corporate governance and citizenship at the core of its operations. We have always believed that transparency and accountability are essential in building trust amongst our stakeholders and forging strong partnerships in order to drive change,” said Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, Aboitiz Group’s Chief Reputation and Sustainability Officer.
AEV, the portfolio management company of the Aboitiz Group, leads investments in diverse sectors including power, banking and financial services, food, infrastructure, land, and cutting-edge fields such as data science and artificial intelligence. The Group is presently undergoing a profound transformation to establish itself as the Philippines’ first “techglomerate.” This innovative growth strategy, fueled by technology and a renewed entrepreneurial mindset, empowers Aboitiz to drive transformative change, shaping the future of its businesses, host communities, and the nation.
The Golden Arrow Recognition serves as a testament to Aboitiz Group’s unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance. Aboitiz has excelled in several key areas such as compliance, sustainability, and innovation – positioning it as a frontrunner in the realm of corporate governance. This honor reflects the Group’s ongoing commitment to creating value for its shareholders, stakeholders, and the broader Filipino community.
Aboitiz Group’s robust policies and procedures across every level of the organization form the bedrock of its commitment to excellence in corporate governance. Furthermore, the company’s board of directors is characterized by its independence and diversity, playing a pivotal role in providing
oversight and making strategic decisions aligned with the best interests of shareholders and stakeholders. Aboitiz places great emphasis on transparency, providing clear and comprehensive information regarding its financial performance, operations, and decision-making processes to ensure that shareholders and the public remain wellinformed.
In terms of regulatory compliance, Aboitiz is dedicated to adhering to all relevant laws, regulations, and standards related to corporate governance. The company continuously updates its policies to ensure alignment with evolving requirements. When it comes to ethical business practices, the Group’s commitment to ethical conduct and integrity remains unwavering. The company adheres to a stringent code of conduct that guides the behavior of its employees, fostering an environment of trust and integrity.
“This award reaffirms the team’s adherence to the shared responsibility of sustainably managing the organization. This further motivates us to champion the highest corporate governance and ethical standards as we continue to grow the business,” said AboitizPower President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Rubio. “Likewise, we also exert as much effort and diligence in upholding environmental preservation and the societal good within the areas we have the privilege to serve.”
“We humbly accept this recognition as a reinforcement of the principles that guide the Bank. Our corporate governance practices reinforce the requirements of a constantly evolving business landscape. We ensure that they comply with new regulations and are ready to adopt best practices,” said UnionBank Lead Independent Director Roberto Manabat.
Aboitiz is deeply committed to sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company actively pursues environmental and social responsibility, demonstrating its dedication to creating a positive impact on society and the environment.
Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna as well as Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships Chrysoula Zacharopoulou met Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo as well as Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga in late September during the UNGA’s sidelines. Colonna and Manalo took the opportunity to tackle issues, notably in the fields of defense, energy, and agriculture. They reiterated the shared commitment of France and the Philippines to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Following her visit to the Philippines in August, Zacharopoulou and Loyzaga continued their discussions, which focused on the 2023 Climate
Change Conference or COP28 held in Dubai, the Paris Pact for People and the Planet, as well as the fight against plastic pollution.
The state minister also mentioned the holding of the first global ministerial meeting of the School Feeding Coalition in October 2023 in Paris.
France welcomes the signing on September 20 by the European Union and 67 countries, including the Philippines, of the historic agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the high seas, or the “BBNJ” process.
The European country has played an active role with the EU throughout the negotiation process, which began more than 15 years ago.
FOR the first time, the British Council in the Philippines will be hosting the national level of the “Study UK Alumni Awards” for next year.
The distinguished awards program honors the sterling accomplishments of individuals who have enrolled at or have received a qualification given by a listed or registered higher education institution in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2008 to 2023. It started recognizing talented alumni worldwide in September 2014.
Country Director Lotus Postrado feels fortunate that she and her colleagues will get to witness the incredible talents of Filipinos in the British Council’s 45 years of local operations:
“It is now high time that we shine the spotlight on these outstanding individuals and recognize their exceptional contributions through the Study UK Alumni Awards.”
“I am very proud that so many Filipinos have chosen to study in universities across the UK. Our higher education institutions have long supported exceptional individuals from across the Philippines,” said British ambassador Laure Beaufils. “I am delighted that, through these ‘Alumni Awards,’ we have a new opportunity to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of Filipinos who studied in the UK, and their contribution to our communicates—both locally and globally.”
The awards are now accepting applications until October 22 in the
THE United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than P450 million ($8 million) in additional funding to strengthen disaster preparedness and response in the Philippines’s vulnerable communities.
The new grant will primarily enhance typhoon preparedness and develop resilient livelihood strategies in the regions of Bicol, CARAGA, and Eastern Visayas. It will also fund partnerships with the private sector to help ensure the continuity of businesses and other critical services, such as energy and water, after disasters.
Additionally, USAID’s assistance will train personnel from the Office of Civil Defense, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as well as other relevant government agencies in setting up post-disaster logistics, emergency shelters, and emergency telecommunications.
The agency will also work with local government units in Eastern Samar and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to set up referral systems for children’s welfare and protection during mishaps.
“Strong typhoons came earlier than expected this year, and we’re reminded of how vulnerable many Philippine communities are to the impacts of natural disasters,” said USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn. “We are proud of our partnership with the Philippine government to help the Filipino people prepare for and respond to disasters.”
The US is a key partner of the Philippine government in preparing for and responding to disasters, as well as delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance. Since 2010, USAID has provided approximately P17 billion ($372 million) in disaster-relief and recovery aid, as well as boosted the disaster risk-reduction capacity of over 100 cities and municipalities in the Philippines.
following fields: science and sustainability, culture and creativity, social action, as well as business and innovation.
They will be judged based on their impact (evidence of tangible impact, and scale of impact, of their work in their profession, community and society), British influence (evidence of how their UK education has played a key influence in their success and impact), media traction (extent to which their success story is likely to resonate with local, regional, and national media in the country of the entry, or beyond), potential to influence and inspire (extent to which their story is likely to influence and inspire the next generation of prospective internationally mobile students in the Philippines to choose the UK as their study des-
THE Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) of the Republic of China (Taiwan), through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Teco) in the Philippines and Taiwan Association Inc. (TAI), recently partnered with the University of Santo Tomas to hold cultural performances in celebration of the mid-Autumn Festival.
UST’s rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang OP, PhD welcomed performers and participants, then expressed his gratitude for the continued activities and sustained partnerships with Teco through the years.
Representative Wallace Minn-Gan Chow of Teco also cited the support of the OCAC, TAI, and their various sponsors. He also thanked UST for hosting.
The almost three-hour show began with the 55-year old UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe who presented various Filipino dances, including the kalatong, binasuan, and the tinikling. Next was the university’s premiere mixed choral ensemble UST Singers, who just returned from their 36th international concert tour. They sang the Ifugao rice cake-making song Ahibakle, Way Over in Beulah Lan’, and the disco classic September.
In turn, the Cultural Goodwill Mission troupe of Taiwan’s OCAC sent on stage a dazzling lightsand-drums group Huang Da-Yan, crystal mirage
SWEDISH designers, entrepreneurs, and academics are shaping a circular fashion sector started by the “Fashion Forever” exhibit last month, which presented leading pioneers in sustainable textiles and fashion.
Being known for its massive use of water, energy, and chemicals, the fashion industry is overdue in undergoing a major transformation, according to the Embassy of Sweden. Fashion Forever provided an overview of the Scandinavian country’s emerging fashion industry, and its novel approaches in fashion design, production, and distribution.
In Sweden, said its embassy, the goal of responsible development is well established, with involvement from the government, academia, and private firms.
Its government has put textiles high on its agenda. Becoming a world leader in sustainable fashion production and consumption is an integral part of the national drive to achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030, and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
One example from the exhibit was “Textile & Fashion 2030”—a government-supported initiative led by the University of Borås, in collaboration with the Swedish School of Textiles, SmartTextiles, Science Park Borås, and Research Institute of Sweden. This initiative aims to test and study different techniques of sustainable fashion advancements in smallscale settings, while identifying ways brands can bring these to the world stage.
stock, or textile waste. The exhibit gave examples of advancements in circularity led by Siptex and Renewcell.
Siptex is a first-of-its-kind facility where textiles are sorted by color and fiber composition using near-infrared light. The facility can handle large flows of textiles and sorts them into different fractions for continuous recycling.
Renewcell, on the other hand, is a textile-to-textile recycling company that produces Circulose®—a branded dissolving pulp made from 100-percent textile waste with high cellulose content such as worn-out cotton jeans and cotton production scraps. The pulp is then used to make viscose, lyocell, modal and other fabrics, then sewn to create other high-quality textile products.
“Through the integrated work of fashion retailers, design schools, and science parks in Sweden, supported by the Swedish government, the fashion industry can continue to be creative, exciting, and lucrative—all while being kinder to the planet and better for the consumer,” Ambassador Annika Thunborg noted.
tination), and quality of application (top 10 percent applications will be reviewed by an internal/external in-country judging panel for the next stages).
After the deadline for submission of applications, 20 shortlisted applicants will be announced between November to December 2023. Four national winners will then be revealed in January and February 2024. For more details, visit https://study-uk. britishcouncil.org/after-your-studies/ alumni-awards.
While this is the pioneering national leg of the Study UK Alumni Awards, Filipino talents have long been feted by the British Council. In fact, renowned Filipina filmmaker and Chevening alumna Baby Ruth Villarama received the Global Alumni Award for Social Impact in 2018.
Circularity, said the embassy, was a key focus of Fashion Forever. In a circular economy, garment producers are responsible for resource efficiency and finding new ways to maximize value from products, residues, dead-
Swedish fashion retailer H&M, which aims to be 100-percent circular by 2030, showcases its “Innovation Stories”—a sustainability initiative focusing on forward-thinking ideas and innovative fabrications and design.
Spanish film festival’s 22nd edition integrates environmental initiative, special tribute to director
FROM October 5 to 15, 2023, the “PELÍCULA/Pelikula Spanish Film Festival 2023” returns for its 22nd edition. It will screen 23 films at the Shangri-La Plaza’s Red Carpet Theatre in Mandaluyong City, while seven films will be screened online and available in Australia and Singapore.
Headlining this year’s program is the Pelicula en Verde —an initiative that will plant a tree for every spectator of any of the films marked under such. These films are Alcarràs (Carla Simón, 2023), As bestas (Rodrigo Sorogoyen, 2022), El Olivo (Icíar Bollaín, 2016), Fonos (Gabriela Badillo Sánchez, 2021) and Tierra (Julio Medem, 1996), whose themes are mainly about nature and environmental issues. This effort is conducted in partnership with Haribon Foundation and is sponsored by Acciona—one of the top Spanish infrastructure companies whose headquarters for Asia are in Manila.
This year’s program will also include a tribute to acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura, who died early this year at the age of 91.
the “Audience Choice Awards.” The winning film will again be screened on the last day of the Festival on October 15.
“PELíCULA 2023” is a project of Instituto Cervantes and Shangri-La Plaza, in collaboration with the Embassies of Spain in the Philippines, Australia, and Singapore, the AECID, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Filmoteca Española, the Embassy of Colombia and the Embassy of Mexico, with the participation of the Embassy of Chile, the Embassy of Argentina, and Haribon Foundation, with sponsorships by Vibal Foundation, Acciona, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Arthaland, SSI Group, Inc., Barcino, La Latina and Fundador.
and phantom rings, ballad diva Su Pei, master diabolo or Chinese yoyo performer Liao Yu-Han, Tu Wei-Cheng’s acrobatics, world magic champion Jeff Lee, pop singer Yvonne Jeng Yi who also sang a duet with Chow, and a recreation of the late Asian Pop Queen Teresa Teng’s performance of The Moon Represent My Heart —a famous love song she popularized through artificial-intelligence technology.
The 2023 Philippine-Taiwan Night was the fifth cultural experience jointly coordinated with Teco, with the first in 2016 with the Taiwan Youth Ambassadors.
A special section will be dedicated to him, which will include his films Embrujo, Goya en Burdeos and El Rey de todo el mundo. The fest will also show films from Ibero-American countries Chile, Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico, plus will feature a co-production from Spain and Mexico.
Audience choice awards
LIKE in the previous years, viewers may vote for their favorites for
Since its creation in 2002 by Instituto Cervantes de Manila, “PELÍCULA” has been an annual celebration of cinema in the Spanish language; a showcase of the latest and critically acclaimed films by important film directors from Spain and IberoAmerican countries. Like in previous editions, this year’s film program has been carefully curated and selected from a range of genres which includes drama, comedy, horror, thriller, family, musicals and animation that will satisfy the cinematic interests of the festival’s avid and diverse viewers and followers.
Entrance to all screenings are free on a first-come, first-served basis. All movies are in Spanish or their original language with English subtitles. For updates on the festival, visit https://pelikula.org or the Facebook and Instagram pages of Instituto Cervantes de Manila.
Phil.-Taiwan Night features music, magic, mirages at UST
Sweden paves way for future-friendly fashionH&M’s Dan Mejia (from left), Ambassador Annika Thunborg and SM Supermalls Jonjon San Agustin EMBASSY OF SWEDEN
PHILIPPINE secretaries and French ministers discussed their countries’ concerns on bilateral ties at the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) 77th session.
HANGZHOU—Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reiterated his full support by personally cheering for Filipino athletes competing in the 19th Asian Games.
Let’s support our athletes here in Hangzhou,” said Go, who flew in and cheered for the men’s 5x5 basketball team and boxers during his brief visit.
G o chairs the Senate Committee on Sports, a position he’s dedicated himself to since being elected senator.
From deep in my heart, I admire and thank our athletes who give their all in keeping out flag afloat in the games,” he said. “Win or lose, what’s important is for us to unite behind our athletes.”
“Our unity is the best form of moral support to inspire our competing athletes to give their best,” he said. “Let us all rally behind them as they continue to bring glory to our country.”
The Philippines has one gold medal to show so far—thanks to pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena—and has one silver and eight bronze medals.
B oxer Eumir Felix Marcial could make it two golds for the Philippine if he beats his Chinese opponent in the men’s light heavyweight final on Thursday evening.
The Philippines also has one silver and eight bronze medals in the games the Chinese are dominating with 166 gold medals—more than half of what’s staked in the competitions that end Sunday.
G o, also the vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, has strongly advocated for increased funding for programs under the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) particularly in support of athletes competing in international competitions this year.
During the budget deliberation last year, I passed a budget for the PSC for more or less P200 million,” he said. “As chairman of the sports committee and vice chair of Finance, I pushed that P1 billion po be added to the PSC budget.”
The additional budget guaranted PSC funding for the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia and the ongoing Asian Games. He disclosed an allocation of P50 million, through the PSC, for the Asian Games and P30 million for the Asian para-games.
he didn’t know where he was, forcing
Argentinian referee Manuel Malerino to rule the knockout.
The KO win looked like it didn’t immediately sink in on Marcial. But in a dash, he rushed to his corner and cried on the shoulders of coaches Ronald Chavez and Don Abnett.
E arlier in the second round at the 2:14 mark, Marcial delivered a solid left to his opponent’s stomach for a standing eight-count. It took a referee’s timeout for the Syrian to recover from that blow.
By Jun LomibaoB8 Thursday, OcTOBer 5, 2023 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao
HANGZHOU—Ronald Oranza, Jonel Carcueva and Joshua Pascual, who have racked thousands of kilometers at home but who are racing for the first time on the Asian Games stage, embark on their medal bid in cycling’s men’s road race on Thursday in Chung’an.
O ranza, Carcueva and Pascual will carry the fight for the PhilCycling team headed by Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino over an out-andback 210-km route starting at 10 a.m.
The three Filipinos will be racing against 63 athletes from the 19-nation field where Kazakhstan,
HANGZHOU, China—Strifetorn Myanmar won its first medal at the Asian Games in China on Wednesday, beating Indonesia to take home gold in men’s sepaktakraw, a popular regional sport also known as kick volleyball. The Southeast Asian nation took two straight sets from Indonesia in the sport with similarities to volleyball, but played only with the feet, knees, head and chest.
Myanmar has been overwhelmed by violence since the military seized power in February 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
The takeover triggered mass nonviolent protests nationwide and the military and police responded with deadly force. That gave rise to armed resistance, which has since turned into what UN experts have characterized as a civil war.
I n comments after the sepaktakraw win, Burmese player Tun Thant Zin said the team was dedicating the gold medal “to our people back home.”
“ This is our first gold medal in Hangzhou,” he said. “It has been very difficult for us to win but our coaching staff and the players have been very united and we deserved to
Mongolia and Japan are ranked high on the start list.
“Our riders are raring to go, regardless of how tough the race is,” said head coach Reinhard Gorantes from the Athletes Village in Chun’an.
“What our riders lack in experience racing outside of the Philippines they’ll make up with their big fighting heart.”
G oranted and fellow coach Virgilio Espiritu in Chun’an surveyed the route the past two days and described the terrain as relatively flat and winding with its major climb set at no more than 3 kms with an elevation that rises to under 350 meters. “ This will be a race of
speed and endurance—it’s a one-day race, no tomorrow,” said Espiritu, who acknowledged the support of the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission’s support for the riders and their teams—Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance for Oranza, Excellent for Pascual and Go for Gold for Carcueva.
Cycling contributed a bronze medal to the Philippine coffers early this week through Patrick Coo in men’s BMX racing.
V ictor Espiritu, considered as perhaps the most complete Filipino cyclist—he packs power in both spring and climb—clinched the country’s last medal in Asian Games cycling, a bronze, at the 1998 edition in Bangkok.
O ranza is no stranger to international competitions having clinched bronze medals in road and criterium in his most previous Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last May, but vowed to go all out against a field that features riders who are continental team regulars in the UCI Asia Tour.
This is for flag and country,” Oranza said. “We will ride as a team and compete as a team.”
C arcueva, the reigning national champion for road, had experiences as a continental team rider but also is aware what a one day race requires.
win this.”
Sepaktakraw originated in rural Southeast Asia, with several countries laying claim to creating it. Its name is a literal translation, with “sepak” coming from the term used for kick in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, and “takraw” being the Thai word for the woven ball.
It’s known for its eye-catching acrobatic, overhead kicks and somersaulting leaps to the height of the net from the two teams of three players each. It was first incorporated into the Asian Games in 1990.
Myanmar beat Indonesia two straight in the best of three, 21-13 and 24-22.
The team had lost to Indonesia two days earlier, but coach Aung Cho Myint told reporters after the win that they were confident and prepared for the final. We studied their tactics,” he said. Indonesia’s Rusdi Rusdi said his team was grateful for the silver, but had also felt well prepared to win gold.
I thought both teams were equal,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t meant for us today.”
I n women’s sepaktakraw
Indonesia’s team took the first set from Vietnam, but then lost two straight to have to settle for silver themselves.
It’s always very difficult when we meet Indonesia, but we were confident in everything we did,” said gold medalist Thi Ngoc Huyen Nguyen.
I’m proud of my team because we were carrying some injuries, but we kept fighting together.” AP
We’ll everything we have in fouror five hours of racing,” he said.
Pascual, on the other hand, was plucked from the 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines—where he’s on loan from Excellent—that raced in the recent Le Tour de Langakawi and flew back to Manila middle of last week to join the road squad in its flight to here Thursday.
Like what my teammates said, we’ll give everything we have…this is not a stage race, there’s no stage 2 tomorrow,” Pascual said. Jun Lomibao
HANGZHOU—
Eumir Felix Marcial was a beast atop the ring and knocked out Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon one minute and 11 seconds into the second round on Wednesday afternoon at the Hangzhou
From beast mode, Marcial transformed into a man so emotional that he shed tears in front of media in the post-fight interview.
I thank the Lord so much for this, it’s His will that I got this far,” said Marcial, in tears, whose convincing semifinal victory meant he’s not only fighting for the men’s lightweight gold medal here, but he’ll surely be seeing action in his second consecutive Olympics
Fighting in the Olympics and winning gold has been Marcial’s childhood cream that was embedded in his mind by his father and first coach Eulalio since the first time he took the sport as a kid in his native Now on his second trip to the Olympics to improve on the bronze medal he brought home from Tokyo two years ago, Marcial’s a beast with a lot of focus and dedication.
“ I sort of lost hope when I was preparing for my professional fight because my division [middleweight] is no longer in the Olympics,” he said. “I told myself ‘maybe, the Olympic gold medal is not for me and that I have to focus on my pro career.”
Th at won’t happen as a vicious left hook on Ghousoon’s face assured him of that ticket to Paris—the punch was so lethal the Syrian looked as if
M arcial hasn’t won the gold medal yet here—he’ll be up against a tough foe though from the host country, China’s, Tanglahitan Tuohetaerbieket who he face’s immediately at 6:45 p.m. Thursday—but he’s already thanked a handful.
I am very thankful to [Tagaytay] City Mayor Abraham Tolentino [Philippine Olympic Committee] who trusts me so much that I will be in the Olympics again,” he said, adding “and to Senator Manny Pacquiao, MP Promptions, Sean Gibbons, who supported my training all these times.”
On his list were pro boxers Jerwin Ancajas and Jonas Sultan, who’s been with him in the US.
Then he cried again.
“And of course to Princess, my wife, who always tells me that I can do it, I can be in the Olympics again,” he said. “I hope she’s here [Hangzhou], but it’s alright, I know she’ll always be behind me.” Tolentino, who has lost his voice cheering Filipino athletes since Day 1 of the Games, stressed his confidence on Marcial.
That’s Eumir, he’s very focused and dedicated and he has trained well not only for the Asian Games but also for his Olympic qualification,” Tolentino said. “Now we have a bright chance for another gold medal here and in Paris.”
M arcial is the fourth Filipino who qualified early for the Paris Olympics after world No. 2 and Asian Games gold medalist pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena and gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.
Eumir made us all very happy and very proud with this victory—but his job’s not over here, he still have to fight for that gold against a Chinese and I am confident he’ll be raising our colors in the end.”
R icky Vargas, chairman of the Alliance of Boxing Association in the Philippines, flew back here to show support for Marcial.
Get the gold here first…then let’s go to Paris,” Vargas told Marcial after congratulating his boxer with a tight embrace at the Mixed Zone. Vargas was with Cignal/One Sports top executives Jane Basas and Siena Olaso in congratulating Marcial.
HANGZHOU —Junna Tsukii takes the mat of the 19th Asian Games karate competitions with vengeance in her eyes. Th at’s because Tsukii felt she was short-changed in her Cambodia Southeast Asian Games campaign— her anger caught on camera and has since gone viral.
R eturning to the mat on a bigger stage, Tsukii is determined to erase that Cambodian nightmare at the 19th Asian Games.
It was disappointing and I hope I can forget all about it with a win here,’’ said the FilipinoJapanese who lost to Malaysian Shahmalarani Chandran in the women’s -50 kgs in Cambodia.
Tsukii, 32, leads an eightathlete karate team that includes
kata specialist Sakura Alforte and Jamie Lim, who will fight in the women’s -61 kgs of kumite.
Tsukii is confident she could pull it off with her confidence fueled by her gold medal in the World Games last year in Birmingham, Alabama.
S eeing action starting on Thursday are Arianne Isabel Brito (women’s -68 kgs), John Christian Lachica (men’s -60 kgs), Alwyn Batican (men’s -75 kgs), John Matthew Manantan (men’s -67 kgs) and Ivan Christopher Agustin (men’s -84 kgs).
Tsukii’s bronze was the Philippines’ only medal in karate in the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games.
“ We are hoping to improve on that finish,’’ Karate Pilipinas chief Ricky Lim said. “Hopefully, we get lucky this time.” Jun Lomibao
Oranza, Carcueva, Pascual vie vs Asia’s best in cycling’s road race