BusinessMirror October 06, 2022

Retreating Russian troops leave their comrades’ bodies behind

CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. (SMC) did not terminate the power supply deals with the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), but said on Tuesday it will exhaust all legal remedies to continue supplying power to the utility fi rm while fulfi lling its responsibilities to its shareholders.

“We will do everything we can to make sure Meralco’s energy supply is not disrupted. Despite the present challenges, we will never withhold our available power capacity to the detriment of the country and the consumers,” SMC Global Power Holdings Corp.

said.

SMC Global Power’s two units and Meralco were not allowed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to temporarily implement an upward adjustment in their previously approved power rates. SMC had warned earlier that it would be forced to terminate starting October 4 the power supply deals (PSAs) entered into with Meralco should the ERC deny the joint plea, as it had been absorbing billions in losses.

A day after the ERC announced its decision, SMC said it regretted the agency’s denial of the joint petition for temporary relief on their 2019 PSAs, “not so much for our own interest but more for the consumers.”

However, it said, “given the circumstances, we will continue to explore other legal remedies to allow us to sustainably provide for the increasing power needs of our country while meeting our obligations to our various stakeholders.”

e joint petitions involved a temporary and partial cost recovery relief only for the losses incurred by South Premiere Power Corp. (SPPC) and San Miguel Energy Corp. (SMEC) from January to May 2022, to be amortized over a period of six months. ey initially pegged the temporary adjustment to only 30 centavos per kilowatt hour (kWh).

SMC Global Power said the temporary relief would have

enabled it to preserve a few of the last remaining fi xed-rate PSAs of Meralco that are responsible for keeping power rates in Metro Manila low compared to other parts of the country, amid surging global fuel prices.

Based on Meralco’s own computation—validated by ERC’s Regulatory Operations Office— SMC Global Power stressed that the interest of the consumers would have been best served with the approval of the petition.

“ e ERC-ROS itself confi rmed that the commission does not have any other data or information that could contradict or disprove the computations and simulations

A

look

SEPT INFLATION AT 6.9%, BSP VOWS POLICY MOVES

FILIPINOS have not seen the worst in high commodity prices as the government said the headline inflation rate may not have reached its peak yet and food is expected to become even more expensive, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

To this, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is “prepared to take policy actions” to cool infl ation. e latest infl ation print, however, was within the Central Bank’s forecast for September.

On Wednesday, PSA said infl ation averaged 6.9 percent in September. is was faster than the 6.3 percent posted in August 2022 and 4.2 percent posted in September 2021.

e PSA September data is the

THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) remains unfazed by a further peso depreciation, saying there are winners and losers with a weak peso.

In a virtual press briefi ng, Neda Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Sarah Lynne S. DawayDucanes said a weak peso benefits 20 percent of households since these are the ones that receive remittances from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

Other sectors that would potentially benefit are exporters, since the weak peso will allow them to earn more from their locally-

made products. Daway-Ducanes said buying Filipino would be good for the export sector.

“Even though imported goods are becoming costlier for ordinary Filipinos, we can minimize this by substituting imported goods with local products and thus patronize our own; that way, we also help local industries,” Daway-Ducanes said.

Daway-Ducanes said, however, that “losers” include those who import products from abroad and those who are used to purchasing imported products at home. e weak peso is ultimately making these products more expensive.

Despite this, some reprieve is expected. e Neda official said holiday remittances are expected to stem a further peso depreciation.

Furthermore, recent legislative amendments such as on the Public Services Act, Foreign Investments Act, and Retail Trade Liberation Act are expected to make the country more attractive for investments and stabilize the peso, the official added.

“We expect that with the inflow of remittances in the last quarter, this can help stabilize the value of the peso versus the dollar,” DawayDucanes said.

“Historically, these are the periods when remittances from overseas Filipinos reach their peak as they send their loved ones more funds for the Christmas holidays,” she added.

On Monday, the peso closed at P59 to the greenback, another new low for the Philippine currency. e

peso lost P0.375 centavos from the close of P58.625 on the last trading day of September.

In September, the BSP hiked its rates for the third consecutive month to anchor the rise of consumer prices and infl ation expectations.

e Monetary Board decided to raise its interest rates by 50 basis points to 4.25 percent.

Accordingly, the interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities were raised to 3.75 percent and 4.75 percent, respectively.

is was the third consecutive month that the BSP hiked its benchmark rates: fi rst in an offcycle hike in July of 75 basis points, and another one in August, 50 basis points.

Food supply boost key to cooling inflation—DOF

INANCE Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said the government will ramp up its e orts to boost food supply either via local production or importation in order to temper the country’s accelerating in ation.

“To manage in ation, the continued timely implementation of government measures is crucial in mitigating the impact of persistent supply-side pressures on food and other commodity prices,” Diokno said in a statement on Wednesday when September in ation was reported to have accelerated to 6.9 percent from 6.3 percent in August.

“The government intensifies its measures to help increase the domestic supply by ramping up local production, ensuring timely importation of goods, fertilizers, and raw materials, and improving distribution efficiency,” he added.

Diokno pointed out that the country must “produce” and “import” its “needed” commodi-

“Given regional production and price disparities, it is equally important that these goods are e ciently distributed. The government is already looking at regions where in ation is high and which goods are driving in ation to address any bottlenecks,” he said.

Diokno said in ation is “expected” to “remain elevated’’ in the last quarter of the year,given the recent fare hike and the impact of Supertyphoon Karding on the country’s food supply.

“However, in ation is still seen to fall within the 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent assumption of the Development Budget Coordination Committee [DBCC] for 2022,” he said.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Sept inflation at 6.9%, BSP vows policy moves

highest since October 2018 when inflation was also at 6.9 percent. Prior to this, the highest inflation was in December 2008, at 7.8 per cent.

“The risk of future inflation, in October, November, and Decem ber, would really come from food,” National Statistician Claire Den nis S. Mapa said in a briefing on Wednesday.

Mapa said food is becoming ex pensive and that nationwide, food inflation averaged 7.7 percent.

At least three regions have al ready exhibited double-digit in creases in food inflation: Region 8 or Eastern Visayas which recorded a food inflation of 10.4 percent; Re gion 9 or the Zamboanga Peninsu la, 10.5 percent; and Region 11 or Davao Region, 10.8 percent.

Food inflation, Mapa said, in cludes raw food which accounts for 35 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and processed food consumed in restaurants, accounting for 9 percent of the basket.

Increases in the prices of raw food, Mapa said, would also spill over to the cost of processed food, especially those consumed outside the home.

“Upside risks continue to domi nate the inflation outlook in the near term. Price pressures could come from the potential impact of higher global non-oil prices, pend ing petitions for further transport fare hikes, the impact of weather disturbances on prices of food

items, as well as the sharp increase in the price of sugar,” BSP said in a statement.

Monetary policy BSP noted that the September 2022 inflation of 6.9 percent is within the BSP’s forecast range of 6.6 to 7.4 percent. This, it said, is consistent with its assessment of inflation remaining above target over the near term.

These expectations have been the basis for the monetary author ity’s decision to raise interest rates for the third time this year. The Monetary Board raised its interest rates by 50 basis points to 4.25 per cent. (Full story: https://businessmir ror.com.ph/2022/09/23/bsp-raisesrates-for-3rd-month-now-4-25/)

This action, BSP said, aimed to bring inflation and inflation ex pectations back to the target to ensure the balanced and sustain able growth of the economy in the medium term.

“The BSP is prepared to take further policy actions to bring in flation toward a target-consistent path over the medium term, con sistent with its primary objective to promote price stability,” BSP said in a statement.

“[It] also continues to urge time ly implementation of non-mone tary government interventions to mitigate the impact of persistent supply-side pressures on commod ity prices,” it added.

On Wednesday, Deputy Gover nor Francisco Dakila Jr. reported that BSP increased the offer vol ume for the TDF to P340 billion

CLAIRE DENNIS S. MAPA

from the P280 billion offered last week. Total volume was allocated between the 7-day and 14-day ten ors at P200 billion from P170 bil lion and P140 billion from P110 billion, respectively.

However, BSP said both tenors were undersubscribed with bids reaching 0.85x and 0.97x the re spective volume offerings in the 7-day and 14-day TDF. Nonethe less, it noted that total tenders re ceived, amounting to P307.145 bil lion, were within the lower range of the volume expected by the BSP.

Dakila said the weighted aver age interest rate (WAIR) for both tenors continued to increase from the rates last week. The WAIR for the 7-day TDF rose by 13.8376 bps to 4.4343 percent as that for the 14-day TDF increased by 14.2920 bps to 4.4857 percent.

The yields accepted in the 7-day TDF shifted higher but narrowed to a range of 4.0500 to 4.7199 per cent.

Meanwhile, the 14-day TDF shifted higher and widened to a range of 4.1500 to 4.7500 percent.

“The results of the TDF auc tion continue to reflect the passthrough of the recent BSP policy rate hike on short-term interest rates. The slight under subscription could be attributed to market par ticipants’ search for higher yields,” Dakila said.

“Nevertheless, financial system liquidity remains ample. Moving forward, the BSP’s monetary op erations will remain guided by its assessment of the latest liquidity conditions and market develop ments,” he added.

Agriculture

THE National Economic and De velopment Authority (Neda) said agriculture remains a key factor in bringing down commodity prices, particularly food. Food and non-al coholic beverages account for 37.75 percent of the CPI.

Neda said the government is committed to ensuring sufficient food supply and sustained subsi dies to help Filipinos access afford able goods and services as inflation persists due to domestic and global pressures.

“Agriculture has a big role in en suring steady supply of food for ev ery Filipino family, and accessible and affordable basic goods. That’s why we make sure there’s enough resources for our farmers and fish ermen so that supply of rice, corn, meat and fish are stable,” he said, in Filipino. To support the farm sec tor, Balisacan said the government

helping farmers, especially after Typhoon Karding. The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allocated over P709 million worth of assis tance and interventions, including the immediate repair of damaged production facilities and seed dis tribution.

Despite the damage brought by storms, Baliasacan said the gov ernment expects a sufficient sup ply of rice, chicken, highland vege tables, yellow corn, and white corn throughout the year.

‘Complex’ inflation

ASIDE from agriculture support, Neda also emphasized the need to fast-track the distribution of targeted subsidies for low-income households and public utility driv ers. “Today’s inflation is far more complex than what we have seen in recent decades. The government and its stakeholders need to col laborate for shared solutions. In the near-term, ensuring sufficient food supply, while assisting the most vulnerable sectors will help us hurdle the current challenges,” Balisacan said.

Neda said the top five contribu tors to the September inflation are electricity, gas and other fuels; operation of personal transport; meat; fish; and housing rentals.

It is noted, however, that infla tion of meat has slowed from 12.8 percent in September 2021 to 9.0 percent in September 2022.

Although fuel prices have been declining recently, they stay elevat ed, resulting in high input costs, es pecially for farmers and fisherfolk.

Thus, one government strategy is to provide fuel discounts worth P3,000 to each eligible farmer to alleviate the effects of high fuel prices. As of September 26, 2022, a total of 148,183 accounts for targeted beneficiaries nationwide were created. Of these, 136,988 have been loaded with fuel dis counts and 101,743 cards issued to corn farmers and fisherfolk.

In addition, more than 1.5 mil lion eligible rice farmers are en titled to receive P5,000 cash aid to boost their productivity and help cope with the surging prices of fuel and agricultural inputs.

MPIC’s Mike Toledo open to becoming OPS chief

METRO

Pacific Invest ments Corp. (MPIC) Government Relations and Public Affairs head Mike To ledo said he is open to becoming the next Press Secretary of Presi dent Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

He made the remark in an am bush interview with reporters on Wednesday at the sidelines of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) mul tistakeholder forum in Manila, which was also attended by the President. Toledo, the spokes person of former President Jo seph Ejercito Estrada, was among those whose names were floated as replacement for former Press Secretary Beatrix “Trixie” CruzAngeles, who resigned Tuesday, citing health reasons.

Transportation Undersecre tary Ceasar Chavez confirmed that he, Toledo, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) director and former Cavite Representative Gilbert Re mulla were in the shortlist for the position of Press Secretary.

However, both Chavez and Remulla separately issued state ments that they were not interest ed in accepting the new positions.

Toledo said he was not aware of the shortlist, but said he was will ing to serve as the new Press Sec retary if given the opportunity.

“Who am I to refuse [such an offer]? I will be humbled; it will be an honor and privilege to serve under the Marcos administra tion,” Toledo said.

“I always believe that the greatest calling is public service,” he added.

As of press time, Marcos has yet to appoint his new Press Sec retary.

Samuel P. Medenilla

SMC keeps power supply deals with Meralco

submitted by Meralco. We believe these numbers speak for them selves.

“The ERC, armed with such data, knows too well that denying the petition will not only cripple us, but more importantly, burden consumers who will have to face higher electricity bills,” SMC Glob al Power said.

‘Just and necessary’

ERC commissioners Alexis Lum batan and Marko Remeo Fuentes, who opted to grant the petitions of SMC and Meralco, said in their dissenting opinion that they find it just and necessary under the circumstances to grant the joint motion to cushion the impact of high cost of fuels and so as not to disrupt the basic and essential ser vices.

“We have no reason not to accept the simulations made by Meralco as reasonably true and vaild as the same are independently corrobo rated by ROS. The copious, clear, and convincing evidence presented by the applicants are undeniably vital insofar as the resolution of the instant matter is concerned,” they said.

The ERC, however, said that it has no basis to approve the pro posed recovery of billions of pesos in light of the parties’ own admis sion that the “corresponding data thereof is yet to be generated/gath ered as of date.”

The joint plea cited the “Change in Circumstance” provisions in their PSAs. They argued that the global increases in fuel and coal

prices have led to SPPC and SMEC incurring significant losses in op erating their power stations, and such justified their proposed rate increases.

SMC said the power plants have already posted staggering losses of P15 billion and the companies ab sorbed more than P10 billion of the losses that were incurred last year.

“The rate impact simulations presented and submitted in evi dence by Meralco clearly are in dicative that the denial of the CIC claims would even expose the con suming public to unknown and even higher rates than granting the same, both in the short-term and in the long-term [until 2029]. And we, in the commission, should not allow such eventuality.

“The dissenting minority recog nizes that all these date and infor mation made available to the com mission are all indicative based on the view of industry experts, less than conclusive but definitely better than taking it on chances,” Lumbatan and Fuentes said.

Meralco earlier projected an estimated P1.6-billion incremen tal burden to consumers if it will source from the Wholesale Elec tricity Spot Market (WESM), as it expects WESM rates to be higher by P2.94 per kilowatt hour versus the rates of the SMC PSAs.

It also estimated a P25.8-billion incremental burden to consum ers if the PSAs are terminated and Meralco opts to secure replace ment PSAs through conduct of CSP covering the remaining term up to 2029. The replacement tariff under the replacement new PSA will be P2.24 per kWh higher than esti

mated 2023-2029 rates of the SMC PSAs sought to be replaced.

Moreover, the burden to con sumers could even reach P12.6 billion if the PSAs are terminated and Meralco opts to secure emer gency PSAs through DOE exemp tion from CSP covering one-year term. The expected tariff under the replacement emergency PSAs will be P3.49 per kWh higher than the rates of SMC PSAs sought to be replaced and P1.92 per kWh higher versus rates of the SMC PSAs even if the CIC claims are approved.

However, the ERC said the figures in Meralco’s presentations on the price impact of PSA terminations appear to have been deliberately picked to present an aggravated picture of the termination scenarios.

According to ERC Chairperson Monalisa C. Dimalanta, “The role of the regulator is always a balancing act. The Commission deliberated on many occasions on these Joint Motions, fully conscious that the consequences of the ruling go beyond the businesses of the immediate parties but will extend further and demonstrate how we, in the Philippine power industry, honor the sanctity of contracts, uphold the results of bidding process, and hold ourselves accountable to all stakeholders.

“We were mindful as well of the limits of regulation. As we protect consumer interests, our rulings cannot be oppressive to business. We tried, as we ruled on these Joint Motions, to decide on the basis of the clear terms of the PSAs that the parties signed up for, and on the basis of law.”

The Nation

PHL fortifies security ties with Japan and Australia

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. met and discussed regional and bilateral issues with his counterparts from Ja pan and Australia while on official visit to Hawaii.

Faustino was in Hawaii last week through the official invitation of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, which was timed with the an nual meeting of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Board and Security Engagement Board.

Top Filipino and American mili tary and security officials attended the twin meetings.

At the sidelines of his visit in Hawaii, Faustino met with Japan’s Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada where their discussions revolved around the current security devel opments in the region, particularly the situation in the South and East China Seas.

Both also discussed ways to strengthen Philippines-Japan bi lateral defense cooperation through possible conduct of maritime cooper ative activities, technology transfers and dialogues at all levels in order to address shared security challenges and advance cooperation.

Likewise, Faustino and Hamada discussed other frameworks of coop eration that would further expand and deepen Philippines-Japan bi lateral relations and support each country’s efforts in ensuring a secure and stable environment.

The two emphasized the meeting was timely and an important followon engagement from the meeting between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Japan’s Prime Min ister Kishida Fumio at the sidelines of the United Nations General As sembly on September 21.

In another meeting, Faustino also met with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles where they exchanged views on the security situ ation in the Asia-Pacific region.

They also explored ways to strengthen Philippines-Australia bilateral defense relations through maritime cooperation activities, counter-terrorism trainings, and education and professionalization opportunities.

Govt has less than a decade to prepare for graying society, must set programs

a downturn.

AS the country commemorated National Teachers’ Day on Wednesday, October 5, lawmak ers have proposed an array of measures that would institutionalize the grant of scholarships, hardship pay and other benefits for educators.

Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte said among these measures is House Bill  (HB) 4697, which aims to further professional the ranks of public school educators by offering them scholarships for their graduate and post-graduate studies.

The bill also aims to ease the eco nomic burden of public school teach ers by providing educational cash as sistance to their children enrolled in college courses in state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Scholarships under HB 4697 cov ers teachers, guidance counselors, school librarians, industrial arts and/ or vocational instructors and other persons performing supervisory and/ or administrative functions  either on a full-time or part-time basis in public schools, colleges and universities.

To be eligible for the scholarship, the applicant should be in active duty for at least two consecutive years im mediately prior to the date of applica tion for the grant. The scholarship is applicable in all SUCs.

THE

Philippines should have solid programs in place to care for a graying society—and the government has less than a decade to prepare for it, according to the Com mission on Population and Develop ment (POPCOM).

In a recent radio interview, Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III, former executive director of POPCOM, noted that while their number is steadily increasing, Filipinos 60 years of age and older are currently beset with health and social issues, as their quality of living is taking

A recent report by the Philip pine Statistics Authority said se nior citizens now account for 8.5 percent of the population, or 9.2 million individuals.

Dr. Perez represented the coun try in a September 30 conference in Bangkok, Thailand for the In ternational Day of Older Persons, where he cited figures from the University of the Philippines-Pop ulation Institute (UPPI). There, he mentioned that the annual growth rate of Filipino seniors in the past

10 years has been at 3.5 percent— almost double that of the general Philippine population, which is at less than 2 percent.

“Among our senior citizens, women outnumber men 55 per cent to 45 percent,” revealed the former POPCOM chief, who was also the undersecretary for population and development or POPDEV. “While older Filipinas outlive their male counterparts, the former contend with diseases and disabilities. More than half [57 percent] struggle with their

Revised IRR on telecommuting law to boost WFH scheme among most offices–Nograles

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

WITH the issuance of the expanded implement ing rules and regulations (IRR) of the telecommuting law, the chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment on Tues day said he is expecting more employ ers to fully implement the flexible working arrangements under the Telecommuting Act of 2018.

Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles issued the statement fol lowing the release of the expanded rules for the telecommuting law.

“We hope that more employers will implement flexible working ar rangements for their workers. Mada las ngang sabihin na ‘a happy worker is a productive worker,’” he said.

“If we can provide our employees with the opportunity to spend more time with their families without hampering productivity, that’s a win for all sides,” Nograles added.

In September, the Department of Labor and Employment released the revised IRR of the telecommuting law through Department Order No. 237.

The DOLE said the revised IRR was released in response to the evolv ing nature of work due to the Co vid-19 pandemic, particularly with the broader adoption of work-fromhome (WFH) and other alternative workplace schemes.

Nograles said the release of the revised IRR is timely amid the steady rise in the cost of goods and problems in public transport.

“Hours lost to traffic is also money and productivity lost. If more em ployers implement alternative work place schemes, they could increase productivity and even help their employees cope with the rising cost of goods,” the lawmaker said.

“This is an arrangement that will benefit all concerned,” Nograles added.

The IRR clarifies that work done in an alternative setup must be treated

on the same level as work done in the regular workplace or in the employers’ offices. Related to this, telecommut ing workers would only be considered as field personnel “when their actual hours of work cannot be determined with reasonable certainty.”

The IRR also provides that tele commuting employees and those in the regular workplace should have the same rights and benefits, including overtime pay, night shift differential, and other monetary benefits; access to training, career development opportunities; collec tive bargaining rights; and coverage of company rules and policies.

According to the IRR, the tele commuting employee should also have the same or equivalent work load and performance standards as those of comparable workers at the employer’s premises.

However, the parties may mutually agree to different performance stan dards that may be more appropriate given the location of the employee.

daily living and have mobility issues. About 56 percent of them are already widowed, while 70 percent of males are either still married or have partners, and are very much physically active.”

He also shared the projection by Professor Grace Cruz of UPPI of the Philippines being an “aging society” by the start of the next decade, as there would be more senior citizens then by 10 percent.

POPCOM projects that about 11 percent of the total population will be 60 and older by 2030, as

they will outnumber children 0 to 4 years old—effectively reversing a historical trend of the country having more children than older persons.

Almost half the number of older persons are still working and un able to make ends meet for their daily living; more so, for their health needs, according to Perez. Because of their socioeconomic conditions, they are inactive or unhealthy, with most postponing seeking medical consultation for financial reasons.

BI blocks entry of 2 Africans holding ‘spurious’ travel docs at the airport

consistencies.

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

THE

Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday announced the arrest of two African nationals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) after they tried to en ter the country by allegedly present ing themselves as Canadian citizens.

In a report to Immigration Com missioner Norman Tansingco, BI Port Operations chief Carlos Capu long identified the two foreign na tionals as Adraman Issa Mariam and his woman companion Halime Abba Souleymane, both nationals of the central African republic of Chad.     Capulong said the two passengers arrived at the Naia Terminal 3 last September 25 aboard an Emirates flight from Dubai.

He said the two-presented coun terfeit Canadian passports to the im migration officers who immediately doubted the authenticity of the said travel documents due to obvious in

Their passports were forwarded to the BI’s forensic documents labo ratory, which confirmed that the documents were indeed fake.

The two were immediately ex cluded and booked on the first avail able flight to their port of origin.

“Apparently, they attempted to conceal their true nationality in the belief that they would be allowed entry into the country without be ing subjected to strict inspection by our officers.

They were wrong to assume such,” Capulong said.

Tansingco said the two Africans have been included in the BI’s black list, which would bar them from seeking entry to the country in the future.

“I commend our officers at the Naia for a job well done. Due to their vigilance, we were able to frustrate the intentions of these undesir able aliens to gain illegal entry into our country,” the BI chief said.

S

EN. Robinhood “Robin” C. Padilla has filed a bill seek ing the creation of a Philip pine Institute of Virology (PIV) to ensure a long-term solution against threats from various vi ruses such as the coronavirus and its variants.

In Senate Bill 1363, Padilla en visions the virology institute to conduct research and develop cures

for diseases caused by viruses on humans, animals and plants.

“The establishment of a re search and development institute under the Department of Sci ence and Technology is a priority agenda to undertake diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, among others. It shall engage the services of Balik Scientists and foreign ex perts who shall work together with

our local scientists and pundits,” he said in his bill.

Padilla added the virology insti tute will coordinate with the con cerned government agencies and with the academe in addressing the threats of the virus.

Under the bill, the PIV will head the formulation of a National Virol ogy Research Agenda, which is part of the National Unified Research

Agenda, to conduct research on the effect of viruses on humans, animals and plants.

The bill will also promote virol ogy research ethics, biosafety and biosecurity; and strengthen the scientific and technological capabili ties in virology and relevant disci plines. The PIV will coordinate with scientists and experts from other countries as well.

Meanwhile, a Virology Research Fund exempt sa donor’s tax shall be established.

Also, the bill provides that the PIV be set up at the New Clark Eco nomic Zone in Tarlac.

“Through this Institute, we will ensure that the government and so ciety at large are in concert against threats and impacts of health cri ses,” said Padilla.

Duterte filed the measure with Ben guet Rep. Eric Yap and ACT-CIS Party-list Reps. Edvic Yap and Jeffrey Soriano.

“The role of teachers goes beyond the four walls of the classroom and their work schedule. Outside of their lesson plans, they instill moral and civic values to the Filipino youth. They invest their knowledge, time and energy in molding our youth. It is high time for the State to do the same for our educators, who are considered among the pillars of our society,” they said in filing HB 4697.

Under the bill, retired public school teachers are also allowed to avail of educational cash aid for their children, but for only a portion of the full amount to be determined by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which will implement the bill’s provisions along with the Department of Educa tion (DepEd).

The four lawmakers, along with Quezon City Rep. Ralph Tulfo and ACTCIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, also filed the proposed “Teachers for the Barrios Act” through HB 456.

The measure aims to amend Section 19 of Republic Act 4670 (Magna Carta for Public School Teachers) to specifi cally include public school teachers assigned to far-flung communities in the grant of the hardship allowance.

Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3

FOLLOWING a directive from Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Rich ard Gordon to focus on school reconstruction and livelihood re covery, PRC volunteers delivered construction materials to rebuild Burdeos National High School, which was heavily damaged by Supertyphoon “Karding.”

PRC delivered 150 corrugated GI sheets and 10 plain sheets for the school. Karding made its first landfall in Burdeos, Que

zon, on September 25.

Meanwhile, in Barangay Bon bon, Panukulan, Quezon, trained PRC staff and volunteers also fa cilitated child-friendly activities designed as psychological first aid (PFA) for 171 boys and girls. Thirtyeight men and women also availed themselves of PFA.

The PRC team also preposi tioned non-food items in Polillo Island consisting of 320 hygiene kits, 200 tarpaulins, 360 10-liter jerry cans and three 20-kilo sacks of rice for distribution to the most vulnerable households.

Likewise, PRC teams distrib

uted beneficiary cards in Baran gays Umiray and Matawe in Din galan, Aurora, in preparation for aid distribution, made a courtesy call to the local government of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija, and assessed damage and needs in Barangays Nazareth and Pias in General Tinio.

As of 8 a.m. of October 4, 2022, PRC has reached at least 19 provinces and cities with humanitarian aid: Aurora, Bulacan, Laguna, Lucena City, Mandaluyong City, Manila City, Marikina City, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Pasig City, Pateros, Quezon City,

Quezon province, Rizal, Romblon, Tarlac, and Valenzuela City.

PRC also provided the follow ing humanitarian aid: hot meals (4,799 individuals), bread and other food items (1,824 families), masks (2,427 pieces), psychological first aid (425 men and women), psycho logical first aid for children (409 boys and girls), hygiene lecturedemonstrations (54 persons), first aid (7 individuals), assisting people to evacuate (54), clearing of debris (Barangay Antutot, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya), flushing/clearing (two Marikina schools), and CGI/plain sheets (160 pieces).

Senate bill seeks creation of PHL institute of virology to fight virus spread

PRC aids recovery of ‘Karding’-hit municipalities in Quezon province

Economy

DBM okays release of ₧11.5-B Covid-19 allowance for 1.6-M health-care workers

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Wednesday approved the release of P11.5 billion to cover the health emergency allowance (HEA) claims of over 1.6 million public and private health care and non-health care workers.

In a news statement, the DBM said it issued the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) that covers the unfunded One Covid-19 Allowance (OCA) or HEA claims of health-care and non-health-care workers for the period of January to June 2022.

“Our health-care workers deserve all the support and assistance from their government. They’ve been risk ing their lives to save and protect our people amidst this still prevailing pandemic. This is the least we can do

for them,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.

The DBM said the latest release of funds will cover the unfunded portion of some 2,613,331 approved OCA/HEA claims by the Department of Health (DOH) as of September 5, 2022, with a total funding require ment of P18.7 billion.

Of the said amount, P7.92 billion has been released last February 14, covering the payment of 995,671 OCA/HEA claims, the DBM added.

The DBM explained that pro vision of OCA is in pursuant to the Department of Health Special Provision (SP) No. 14 (Benefits for Covid-19 Workers) of the 2022 General Appropriations Act, which was subsequently replaced by HEA under the Republic Act No. 11712 (An Act Granting Mandatory Con tinuing Benefits and Allowances to Public and Private Health Care Workers During the Covid-19 Pan demic and Other Future Public Health Emergencies, and Appro priating Funds Therefor).

Last Monday, the DBM also issued a SARO amounting to P1.04 billion that will cover unpaid Covid-19 spe cial risk allowance (SRA) claims of 55,211 health workers.

The beneficiaries will receive P5,000 for every month that they served during the period of state of national emergency, the DBM added.

“We understand and recognize the selflessness and immense sac rifice that our health workers con tinue to pour out throughout these turbulent times. Isa po itong paraan

sa pagkilala sa kanilang sakripisyo,” Pangandaman said last Tuesday.

The DBM said it has released a total amount of P11.857 billion for the SRA of health workers to date.

DOH assures ‘expeditious’ payment to HCWs

THE DOH, meanwhile, assured on Wednesday the “expeditious” dis bursement of unpaid Covid-19 SRA/ HEA/One Covid-19 Allowance (OCA) to HCWs following the release P1.04 billion and P11.5 billion funds on Oc tober 3, 2022 and October 5, 2022, respectively, by DBM.

Officer in Charge Undersecre tary Maria Rosario Vergeire said DOH is currently preparing the sub-allotment guidelines and has simultaneously informed regional counterparts at the Centers for Health Development (CHDs) to prepare the necessary paperwork and documents for disbursement to eligible health-care workers and eligible non-health-care workers for the period of September 2020 to June 2022.

“Our health-care workers are

the backbone of our health-care system, and it is incumbent upon us to ensure that they are protect ed through fair compensation and benefits,” she explained.

Meanwhile, the P11.5 billion will be processed by the DOH for the pay ment of 1,617,660 unpaid HEA/OCA covering January 2022 to June 2022.

Additional funding, the DOH noted, would also needed to cover for services rendered from July 2021 to present pursuant to Republic Act No. 11712, otherwise known as the “Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act.”

The DOH said that it would ex haust all efforts to expedite the process of transferring these funds to implementing units and facili ties for the immediate release to all eligible HCWs.

“We thank the DBM for releasing these funds, and we pledge to expend all our efforts to compensate our dear health-care workers for their unwavering service to every Juan and Juana during this pandemic.” Vergeire said. With Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Senators seek further ERC reprieve for power users

By Butch Fernandez  @butchfBM

TWO senators on Wednesday urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to give power consumers some reprieve from high-energy costs by push ing the reset of power transmis sion rates, including the refund from the so-called weighted aver

age cost of capital (WACC) of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian remind ed that a reset of power transmission rates by the ERC, which has been delayed for 10 years, could provide some respite to consumers.

The ERC has begun a review of NGCP rates as it promulgated

Resolution No. 08 amending the rules for setting transmission wheeling rates (RTWR), which triggers the process of resetting transmission rates of the trans mission utility.

He noted that a new RTWR means, among others, that the cur rent WACC of the NGCP will be re vised after more than 10 years.

Gatchalian said he expects the review is likely to lead to lower trans mission rates, citing a study in 2018 commissioned by the National Trans mission Corporation (TransCo).

While the current power transmis sion rates take into account a WACC for NGCP at 15.04 percent, the study said that the WACC for NGCP should be at 6.4 percent. He reminded this means lower WACC should translate to lower transmission fees passed on to consumers.

The senator noted the study showed that the average reduction would be P0.1141 to P0.2376 per kilowatt hour (kWh), which trans lates to a monthly savings of P22.82 to P47.52 for a household consuming 200 kWh a month.

“ERC’s review of transmission rates is long overdue,” Gatchalian said adding, “I have long been fol lowing up on this from the ERC. I’m confident that this would lower transmission rates and ul

timately residential bills.”

In addition, Gatchalian said, “the ERC’s reset of transmission rates would also establish consumer trust that what they are paying for is an accurate amount.”

Once the new rates are in place, the senator said this would allay ap prehensions of consumers someone is taking advantage.

This way, he added, consumers would regain trust that whatever amount is stated in their power bills are correct and not overcharged.

“Sa halip, magkakaroon sila ng kompiyansa na ang anumang bayarin sa kuryente ay tama at walang labis,” the senator stressed.

This, Gatchalian noted, is also crucial for new transmission lines and facilities. “This provides an in centive for the NGCP to invest in new infrastructure as it guarantees they will recover all investments in new facilities.”

Moreover, Senator Risa Hontive ros suggested that the ERC should give Filipinos “not one, but two” gifts this year by following up its decision to start resetting transmis sion wheeling rates by commencing refunds for “exorbitant” WACC rates that contribute to higher power costs for consumers.

In a separate statement, she welcomed “as a good start” the

announcement by the ERC that it has begun the process of resetting the transmission wheeling rates to restore balance in transmission regulation.

Transmission wheeling rate is a charge directly paid by consumers for the use of transmission facilities in delivering electricity to house holds, and is reflected in monthly electricity bills.

“Magandang balita itong simula ng reset process para sa mas patas na transmission wheeling rates na parte ng ating buwanang bayarin sa kuryente. But why have one piece of good news, when we can have two? Let us also start the process of re funding consumers for the unrea sonably high 15 percent weighted average cost of capital being unduly collected since 2015,” Hontiveros, who has been calling for a refund of consumers for high WACC rates since 2019 said.

She explained that the 15 per cent WACC rate for NGCP is “out rageously excessive” compared to WACC rates allowed in neighboring countries like Indonesia (2.3 per cent) and Thailand (7.2 percent).

The WACC—which is the return a company expects on the capital it has invested in a business—con tributes to the monthly costs of consumers.

Tulfo bats for sanctions vs ‘scrooge’ employers

ASChristmas Day nears, Senator Raffy Tulfo urged the Depart ment of Labor and Employ ment (DOLE) to enter into a memo randum of agreement (MOA) with the local government units to require all employers to release the 13th-month payment of their employees on or be fore December 24, 2022, or face the risk non-renewal of their business permits.

During the joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment and Human Resources Development on Tuesday, Tulfo said DOLE should sign a MOA with the Business Permits and Licensing Of fice (BPLO) to block the renewal of business permits of non-compliant and non-paying employers.

“Magpa-Pasko na po. This is the time of the year kung saan inaasam ng ating mga manggagawa na makatang gap po sana sila ng kanilang 13th-month pay. Ang nangyayari po kasi kadalasan ay hindi naibibigay ito sa kanila dahil ginugulangan at dinudugasan sila ng kanilang mga employers,” he said.

Under the law, employees must receive their 13th-month pay on or before December 24 of each year. Yet despite a law in place, he said many Filipino employers are not paying their workers the said governmentmandated compensation.

Tulfo, a veteran broadcaster and public servant who hosts “Wanted sa Radyo,” said he already handled several complaints from aggrieved Filipino workers who did not receive their 13th-month pay.

In the MOA, Tulfo said it should be highlighted that companies renew ing their business permits should first present evidence to BPLO that they have already given their employ ees’ 13th-month pay and that it was released on time.

The vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employ ment told DOLE Assistant Secretary Leonard Constantine-Serrano that merely issuing advisories requiring employers to release their employees’ 13th-month pay will not work after the latter made such suggestion.

“Hangga’t hindi po sila nasasaktan, balewala po ‘yang advisory na yan da hil kahit nga may batas na tungkol sa 13th-month pay ay sinusuway pa din ito ng mga employers. Kailangan po makatikim sila ng consequence para sila po ay umaksyon,” he said.

To alert employers about this MOA, Tulfo suggested that DOLE should is sue an official statement before the media warning erring employers of the possible non-renewal of their business permits should they fail to comply with the department’s order.

DTI lists three top customer complaints

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) bared the top three complaints it had received from consumers. These are defective products, false advertising, and poor customer service.

In a televised interview on Tues day, DTI Assistant Secretary for Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Ann Claire C. Cabochan revealed that the trade department has received 21,406 complaints from consumers from January 1 to Sep tember 30,2022.

Of the 21,406 complaints, Cabo chan said 8,960 complaints are from online transactions while the remain der came from transactions from physical stores.

Ruth B. Castelo, DTI Undersecre tary for Consumer Protection Group, told the BusinessMirror

“Out of the 8,960, 6,731 are en dorsed to other government agen cies concerned like FDA [Food and Drug Administration], NTC [Na tional Telecommunications Com

mission], DA [Department of Agri culture] et cetera.”

She also highlighted DTI’s role in handling consumer complaints, not ing that the agency has a “no wrong door” policy, hence, it accepts all con sumer complaints and “endorse them accordingly.”

According to Cabochan, “the bulk of those complaints are actually nandoon siya sa communication and Internet concerns. So iyon po ay ini-endorse po namin sa National Telecommunica tions Commission.”

As for the matters within the purview of the trade department, she said, “ang pinaka marami ’yung tungkol sa liability for product and service imperfection so iyong mga defective products at saka iyong mga problema tungkol sa mga unconscio nable sales act at saka iyong warran ties po.”

Cabochan said in 2021, the total number of complaints the agency received reached 31,000, majority of which was from physical store transactions.

As to how consumers will be pro

tected while they use online shopping platforms, Cabochan said Joint Ad ministrative Order (JAO) 22-01 was issued in March 2022 to lay down the guidelines reiterating the laws and regulations applicable to online busi nesses and consumers.

The JAO 22-01 includes the list of liabilities of online businesses, among others. Moreover, the trade official said the JAO also provides for sanc tions for violators.

It is also worth noting, Cabochan said, that with the help of the National Privacy Commission (NPC), the DTI can go after online sellers if they are subject to complaint.

“We have been in close coordination with these online sellers. So ngayon they know that, dati kasi we had prob lems before na hindi namin nakukuha iyong mga detalye sa isang online seller kahit nagbibenta sila sa isang platform,” Cabochan stressed.

“Ngayon with the help of the Na tional Privacy Commission, nakikita naman natin na hindi naman pala iyan sakop sa… iyon sinasabi nating dapat ma giging ano, ’yung may right to privacy,”

Cabochan added.  This, she said, gives them the power to obtain the details of the platform and will later on oblige the platform to release it to DTI if it is subject to complaint.

Cabochan noted that if the plat form fails to provide the details, the trade department would go after it as the JAO provides for sanctions regard ing the matter.

Cabochan also revealed 2022 estimates show that e-commerce enterprises have already hit 2 mil lion in the country, surpassing the DTI’s initial estimate of 750,000 for this year.

“But we now see, based on our data from mga platforms, from last mile delivery services, from Fintech [finan cial technologies] companies na nasa 2 million na po,” Cabochan said.

Castelo, for her part, told the BusinessMirror , “We encourage MSMEs [micro, small and medium enterprises] to have their business names registered to legitimize their operations and to increase consum er confidence.”

By Roderick L. Abad @rodrik_28

AMID the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, e-commerce has benefitted a lot from it, especially during the lockdown periods when consumers have turned online for most of their daily needs.

While the lingering health crisis is said to be nearing its end after more than two years, the Philip pines remains one of the most bull ish markets in Asia, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA) region on the continued e-commerce surge, with both small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as consumers pre dicting future growth and positive about new innovations.

Asia Pacific (AsPac), where the country belongs, will see ecommerce sales revenue to reach $2.09 trillion this year as 57 per cent of the region’s population shops online, data from Morgan Stanley showed.

Such growth is mirrored in the upbeat outlook of majority (91 per cent) of Filipino SMEs, which predict the constant boom of e-commerce in the near future—a more significant factor to their business growth over the next the years, based on results of the latest research commissioned by FedEx Express.

The survey, titled “What’s Next in E-Commerce,” reveals that 82 percent of them already use market places, with over two-fifth or 46 per cent exclusively tap them compared with 18 percent who only sell direct to customers.

More than three-fifth or 64 per cent generate revenue through these platforms—thanks largely to more traffic and greater customer engage ment. Other perceived advantages of marketplaces are ease/speed of set-up, lower set-up costs and lower financial risk.

The report, likewise, bares the importance of marketplaces for Filipino consumers, with 98 percent of them buy on these platforms. At present, 89 percent of their e-commerce spend are coursed through marketplaces— up from 74 percent only three years ago—with two-thirds or 68 percent already purchase items ex clusively through marketplaces.

Eighty-five percent of local consumers say that e-commerce accounted for an increasing share of their total retail spend in the last three years, and 74 percent predict that it will con tinue until 2025.

Almost all Filipino consum ers see the expansion of online trade through a positive lens, with the ability to avail prod ucts cross-borders at the click of a button being the biggest gain they could have.

Euromonitor projected a 13-per cent hike in compounded annual growth rate of cross-border e-com merce in AsPac and Australasia over 2020 to 2025 to reach $247.5 billion in the next three years.

Local SMEs and consumers alike are almost all excited by this, be lieving they are well positioned to leverage on such trend. They share the same sentiment with their coun terparts in India and Vietnam.

With the outcomes of its study, FedEx expects that SMEs in the Philippines will target mainland China as the key market for export growth within AMEA, followed by India and Japan. Beyond this region, they will be seeking North America and Western Europe.

“With more people shopping online consumer preferences are becoming increasingly sophisti cated. As SMEs and e-merchants evolve their online sales plat forms, our research uncovers opportunities for businesses to capitalize on what consumers want. Customer experience is the driving force behind how e-tailers engage with their customers and how we are innovating our ship ping solutions.

With an expanded portfolio spe cially developed for e-commerce businesses, FedEx is well positioned to support the changing expecta tions of consumers and continua tion of e-commerce growth,” said Kawal Preet, president of the AMEA at FedEx Express.

“We continue to bring new so lutions that empower entrepre neurs to focus on their businesses and cater to their customers more efficiently, and recently launched day-definite e-commerce deliv ery service in the Philippines, enabling e-commerce growth,” added Maribeth Espinosa, act ing managing director at FedEx Express Philippines.

The online survey was conducted by Harris Interactive last July in the Philippines and other markets in the region, including Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. It involved 300 SMEs engaged in e-commerce per market alongside 500 consum ers (over the age of 180), except for 1,000 in India.

House bares ₧77.5-B institutional amendments in 2023 budget bill

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE

House of Representa tives on Wednesday bared its institutional amendments amounting to P77.5-billion were included in the approved version of the 2023 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) to augment the budget for health, education, transporta tion and other critical social services.

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, in a news statement, said the low er house augmented the budget of frontline agencies tasked to address the current economic, health, energy and environmental crises that bur den millions of Filipinos.

These amendments include: P20.25 billion for various programs of the Department of Health such as: Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (P13 billion); allowances for healthcare and non-health-care workers and frontliners (P5 billion); additional funding for the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute and Philippine Children’s Medical Center Health (P500 million each); 10 dialysis assis tance centers throughout the Philip pines (P27 million each); and Cancer Assistance Program (P250 million).

Also, included in the amendments

are P500 million for University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and P10-billion for the Department of Education’s school building/classroom construction and P581 million for special educa tion programs.

The P10 billion for the Depart ment of Public Works and Highways to construct water systems in un derserved upland barangays was also included.

A total of P12.5 billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to In dividuals in Crisis Situations (P5 billion); upgrade senior citizens’ pension through the National Com mission of Senior Citizens (P5 bil lion); and Sustainable Livelihood Program (P2.5-billion) are also part of the amendments.

The House also provided P5.5 bil lion for Department of Transporta tion programs to address the rising cost of fuel like the fuel subsidy pro gram, Libreng Sakay and bike lane construction; and P5 billion for the training and scholarship programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

It also allocated P5 billion for the Commission on Higher Edu cation’s Tulong Dunong Program; P5 billion for the livelihood and emergency employment programs

of the Department of Labor and Employment; and P1.5 billion for the national broad band project of the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

The House also approved P500 million for the construction of a new Commission on Elections’ building and P300 million for the Philippine National Police to train law enforce ment officers to be conducted by the Department of Justice and National Prosecution Service.

The lower chamber also provid ed P250 million for the Department of Trade and Industry to assist the creative industry pursuant to Re public Act 11904; P150 million for the Energy Regulatory Commis sion; P147 million for the Office of the Solicitor General; and P50 million for the National Electrifi cation Administration’s barangay and sitio electrification program Romualdez also lauded members of the House of Representatives—es pecially appropriations committee chairman Rep. Zaldy Co and senior vice chairperson Rep. Stella Quim bo—for the budget’s swift passage on third reading and for acting ex peditiously, yet cautiously, on the proposed amendments.

“I’m pleased that the House-ap proved version of the General Ap propriations Bill responds to the

most urgent needs of Filipinos. We need to ensure that social services are sufficient for the greater good of our countrymen, especially those in dire need of basic social services to survive,” the Speaker said.

While the fiscal space is limit ed, Co said his committee endeav ored to free up appropriations from agencies whose funds are unlikely to be fully utilized within 2023, based on historical performance or specific circumstances of their spending program.

Co said the bulk of addition al allocation for institutional amendments introduced by the House of Representatives in the 2023 GAB came from deduction in programs and projects “whose budget may be allocated in suc ceeding fiscal years.”

These include the P50 billion deducted from the Department of Transportation’s proposed budget for the Metro Manila Subway Project and North-South Railway Commuter for year 2023.

“The idea is to allocate more bud get for pro-people programs and projects without the need of impos ing new taxes. One thing is sure: all major infrastructure projects will proceed as scheduled based on a timetable that is implementable for 2023,” Co added.

DTI’s Pascual chosen to be one of speakers in

Asean-EU biz summit in

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE European Union-Associ ation of Southeast Asian Na tions (EU-Asean) Business Council will be hosting the 10th Asean-EU Business Summit on De cember 13, which will feature repre sentatives of Asean member states, including Philippines’s Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Al fredo E. Pascual.

The EU-Asean Business Council said the summit will be held in Brus sels, Belgium and will follow the theme of “Deepening Asean-EU Trade: Sus tainable Development For All.”

Moreover, the business council noted that it would be held on the sidelines of the official bilateral sum mit between leaders of both regions.

With the goal of strengthen ing business and economic ties between the EU and Asean, the council said the cross-regional discussion is slated to feature the Charles Michel, President of the European Council and leaders of Asean member- states such as Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, who will chair Asean in 2023, and Secretary of the Philippines’ trade chief Pascual, as speakers.

In addition, the council said all Asean Heads of Government have been invited to the summit, while “notable” government and business leaders are also scheduled to speak at the event.

“The event aims to align business and political interests between the private and public sectors following the recent emergence of Asean as an

Dabawenyos urged to Vote for Davao City in

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

in their ideas and recommendations on how to make Davao City into a cleaner and greener city.

engine of global economic growth,” the EU-Asean Business Council said in its news statement issued on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Business Council cited the 2022 EU-Asean Business Sentiment Survey, noting that 63 percent of European businesses see Asean as the region of “best economic opportunity” over the next five years.

The council noted that this un derscores the growing importance of engaging Southeast Asia as a stra tegic partner for bilateral trade and regional partnerships.

Further, the survey showed that 97 percent of respondents believe that the EU should accelerate nego tiation of trade deals with Asean, highlighting that industry players also view Southeast Asia as a “promis ing target” for economic expansion.

“With Asean on track to become the fourth-largest economy glob ally, it is imperative that EU busi nesses do not risk playing catch up. At the same time, Asean cannot fall prey to complacency,” Martin Hayes, Chairman of the EU-Asean Business Council, said.

“The EU-ABC is thus committed to maintaining a clear strategy for both regions to strengthen relations, overcome challenges, and reap the potential benefits of their strate gic partnerships moving forward,” Hayes added.

The EU-Asean Business Council is the “primary voice” for European business within the Asean region. It is formally recognized by the Eu ropean Commission as an entity as sociated with Asean.

DPWH completes 86-meter hanging bridge project in remote Nueva Ecija village

especially for residents of Sitio Santolan and those residing in the nearby sitios of Malidi and Sentro.

DAVAO

CITY—Residents and outsiders who have visited this city were urged to vote this city into the global “We Love Cities” list, a competition organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), where cities are assessed and ranked by their climate action initiatives, particularly those which concern urban planning and development.

City Hall said Dabawenyos, “Are given the chance to improve and add into these initiatives by shar ing their ideas on how to make the city’s sustainability initiatives even more cost-efficient, acces sible and inclusive.”

City Planning Officer Ceddrick Dela Cuesta said winning the We Love Cities competition would not only raise the awareness of the pop ulace regarding the various green initiatives endeavored by the local government, but also prompt them to actively engage in the city’s climate actions through their recommenda tions and suggestions.

Dela Cuesta said the citizens’ ideas and suggestions would be aggregated and curated by the end of the com petition in November.

“We are urging all Dabawenyos, not just Dabawenyos but our neigh boring LGUs [local government units] since we can all vote in this, to participate in our We Love Cities Campaign because your vote and sug gestions can serve as your support to improve climate actions and enhance adaptive and resilient recovery plans of the city,” dela Cuesta said.

“A vote for Davao City is a vote for a sustainable city,” he pointed out.

To vote for Davao City, simply use

the #WeLoveDavaoCityPH on any Facebook post or send in your sus tainability ideas through the We Love Cities web site: https://welovecities. org/city/davao/

The WWF said the competition is also called the “One Planet City Challenge” where Davao City has been automatically admitted after being shortlisted.

The city was entered into the friendly competition where the winner is determined by popularity vote. The city with the greatest num ber of votes would notch the title “Most Lovable City” in the world. Citizens may also vote by sending

The city has been tagged by the defunct Asiaweek magazine as the country’s most livable city and 17th among Asia’s top 40 cities in 2000. This place was a rung higher than its ranking the previous year by the same magazine when the city was ranked 18th place.

The City Planning and Develop ment Office said the city has imple mented some big-ticket initiatives established under the local govern ment’s Sustainable Environment pri ority agenda which qualified Davao City as a leading city in climate action within the country.

The initiatives include the pro motion of zero-emission modes of transport through the creation of bike lanes and bike lock-up spaces; adding more public green spaces through the construction of more public parks; and its water conser vation efforts through the rehabili tation and reforestation of lands surrounding the city’s aquifers and watersheds, the City Information Office said, quoting dela Cuesta.

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Wednesday it has completed an 86-meter hanging bridge in Barangay Minuli, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

The hanging bridge, according to DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, provides users a “safer and convenient way to cross the portion of Talavera River,”

Before the bridge was constructed, locals in the area used to cross the river using risky makeshift wooden platforms, which is difficult, especially during rainy days where strong currents and rapid water flow in the river.

“With the newly constructed hanging bridge, locals and farmers now have easier access in and out of the communities without compromising their safety,” Bonoan said.

He added that the bridge is “timely with the return to face-to-face classes, particularly for students of Minuli Elementary School located just 700 meters away from the hanging bridge.”

The DPWH Nueva Ecija First District Engineering Office implemented the P4.9-million project with funding sourced from the General Appropriations Act of 2022.

Basic

Basic

Salary

Basic

12.

AHMED MOSTAFA ABDELHAMID MAHMOUD Engineering Services Manager

Brief Job Description: Internationally experienced

engineer with demonstrated competence in mobile ran OSS KPI optimization, DT optimization, and management. This position requires a broad technical knowledge of different RF’s and should leverage in-depth industry knowledge of the business environment and various

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in technology, preference in telecommunication. 5+ years of international wireless and wire line telecom industry specific experience for 2g, 3g, 4g (FDD/TDD), mm & 4g+ LTE-A including dimensioning, design, planning & optimization. Volte, NB-lot & 5g proven hands-on experience in designing, optimization, and management of the RF networks elements. Exposure to international and multicultural working environment.

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

13.

AYIAGNIGNI POUTOUOCHI, ABDOULADIF Order To Cash Operations Analyst

Brief Job Description: Processes transactions of medium to high complexity, demonstrates capability as subject matter expert of the process. Responsible for activities assigned by the Billing/OTC lead.

Creates and maintains billing documents such as, but not limited to manual billing, billing due list processing, billing number ranges, collective billing, invoice combination, intercompany billing, retro billing, proforma billing, billing texts, and invoice lists. Assists in managing billing blocks such as release of blocked documents to accounting. Executes billing reports. Generates billing and repeat outputs. Performs tasks within agreed KPIS and SLAS.

Basic Qualification: Accounting, finance or any business-related course. Experienced in general accounting, operations experience, client management. Written and spoken ability to communicate in English for Accenture interaction. Must be a good team player. Responsibility and accuracy in the completion of received tasks. Ability to solve urgent matters and work under pressure. Flexibility, especially in the period of month/ quarter/year-end closing. Reliable, proactive approach to entrusted tasks (thinking outside the box is a plus). Experience with accounting systems (sap). Microsoft office skills. Client industry experience is a plus.

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

FEEPAKPHRO, MANTHANA Sw/application/cloud Tech Support Analyst

14.

Basic

Brief Job Description: Advise client’s team leads of development status and issues; help in knowledge by explaining business requirement/functional design to team lead and members; improve auto translation process, and request onshore counter parts to unify description of functional design, if necessary.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree graduate. Undergraduates are welcome to apply; can communicate effectively in both oral and written English and required language; knowledgeable or with experience in service desk management willing to work on holidays, weekends, shifting schedules and extended working hours, as needed.

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

AIA PHILIPPINES LIFE AND GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY INC.

Net Lima Bldg., 5th Ave. Corner 26th St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio,

The

Salary Range:

Basic

Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

21.

GUELLUEOGLU, KEREM KAAN Health, Safety And Security (hss) Specialist

Brief Job Description: Ensures that all our health, safety, and security (HSS) standards are followed and implemented.

VISHNU KUMAR KARUNAKARAN Welder Specialist

Basic Qualification: At least 5 years of experience in similar role, experience in an international dredging and land development industry.

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

22.

Brief Job Description: Performing and supervising all common welding, able to use multiple welding methods

CARLCARE SERVICE PH INC.

Basic Qualification: Minimum, 3 years relevant experience as welder foreman working with hydraulic (wet) sand fill. At least three letters of recommendation from previous international employers on sand fill projects or dredging industry.

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

Unit 3304a-c 33/f East Tower, Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

QIAN, KAIMING After Sales/chinese Customer Service Manager

23.

Brief Job Description: The After Sales/Chinese Customer Service Manager is responsible for optimising all aspects of the after sales experience for the customer and maintaining customer relationships to measure satisfaction and encourage future sales.

RAO, PINGHUI After Sales/chinese Customer Service Manager

Basic Qualification: Must have extensive experience with Chinese customer relationship management. Adept at interacting with Chinese customers to identify and help meet their desire.

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

Basic Qualification:

24.

Brief Job Description: The After Sales/Chinese Customer Service Manager is responsible for optimising all aspects of the after sales experience for the customer

YUAN, ZHENJIA

Sales/chinese

-

Basic Qualification:

Manager

70.

TING-HSUAN Customer Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building skills to provide world-class service.

Basic Qualification: Superior customer

76.

Basic Qualification: Superior

77.

LIU, SHI Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

MAI, ZHENHUI Gaming Support Specialist

Salary Range:

Basic Qualification: Superior customer service skills, nice to have experience working with online gaming/offshore gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn, excellent communication skills in chinese, both spoken and written.

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

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

89.

NGUYEN THIEN VAN Gaming Support Specialist

78.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

90.

BUI TRUNG GIANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

HUA THI KHANH HUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

TRAN XUAN TRUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

and write chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write chinese language.

LIU MY CHAU

Support

Brief Job Description: To work with a variety of customers and use your expert relationship-building

work

and use your

to provide

Basic Qualification: Superior customer service skills, Nice to have experience working with online gaming/offshore gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written.

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

Basic Qualification: Superior customer service skills, nice to have experience working with online gaming/offshore

79.

NHAM VI DAT Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

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

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

91.

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries.

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

MUSES INTERNATIONAL CREATIVE VISUAL DESIGN CORPORATION Unit No. 2c, Flr. No. 4, One E-com Bldg., Ocean Drive, Mall Of Asia Complex, Barangay 76, Pasay City

TANG, LEI Mandarin Account Specialist

92.

Brief Job Description: Lead point of contact for client

relationship-building

Range:

Basic Qualification: Superior customer

80.

NIM KIM LIEN Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

VONG KIM TUYET MAI Gaming Support Specialist

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

Basic Qualification: A passion for

customer service, excellent

chinese,

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

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent

skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience

a

in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 -

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, excellent communication skills in chinese, both spoken and written, previous experience

in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php

81.

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fastgrowing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.

Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, Excellent communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and written, Previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.

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

ZHOU, BO Gaming Support Specialist

Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-

82.

SHANG SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS,

WONG CHOON WAI Malaysian Language-

Salary

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing and Other Relevant

118.

Description:

Brief

SNPDRI PHILIPPINES CORP.

119.

Salary Range:

30,000 -

622 Bsa Twin Tower Bldg., J. Vargas, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

ZHAO, XINYANG Mandarin Operations Manager

Brief Job Description: The MANDARIN OPERATIONS MANAGER will be a strategist and a leader able to steer the company to the most profitable direction while also implementing its vision, mission and long term goals.

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as MANDARIN OPERATIONS MANAGER, excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.

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

SOMI UNLIMITED SOLUTIONS, INC. 10/f Tower 2 Double Dragon Plaza Bldg., Edsa Corner Macapagal Ave. St. Zone 10, District 1, Barangay 76, Pasay City

BUI TAN KIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

120.

121.

122.

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

DINH VAN HAI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

DO KHAC HUY Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

NGUYEN CAO THUYEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

123.

124.

125.

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

NGUYEN DINH TAM Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

NGUYEN NGOC VINH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

NGUYEN TRUNG TIN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

COUSINS,

126.

127.

128.

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

NGUYEN VAN HUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

NGUYEN VAN TUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

PHAM VIET HA Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

TONG CONG THO Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by

product and service questions;

information about other products and

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Vietnamese (verbal and written skills).

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective

FRENGKY Indonesian Speaking Customer Service Officer

Brief

FATKHUL MUBIN BATU BARA

Customer Service Officer

Basic

Basic Qualification:

Agriculture/Commodities

Lower tariffs to spur corn imports, says report

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE country’s corn imports in marketing year 20222023 may nearly triple to 1.7 million metric tons (MMT) as lower tariffs will spur corn purchases, an international agency said.

The United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultur al Service (USDA-FAS) in Manila projected that the Philippines’s

corn imports would be 1.1 MMT higher than the 600,000 metric tons (MT) recorded in the previous market year as a result of Executive

Order (EO) 171.

Under EO 171, the tariffs on im ported corn were reduced as part of the government’s efforts to ensure stable food supply and temper price pressures amid the volatility in global commodity prices.

Under the EO, corn imports within the minimum access volume (MAV) or in-quota shall be slapped with a 5 percent tariff while the outquota volume will be levied with a 15-percent tariff rate. The country’s corn MAV is at 216,940 MT.

The anticipated higher import vol ume comes at a time when domestic corn production is projected to fall by 444,000 MT year-on-year due to

Envoy: Foreign farms benefit from expertise of Pinoy agri scholars

By Malou Talosig-Bartolome @maloutalosig

THE Israeli Embassy in Manila is reviewing the scholarship program it is offering to Fili pino agricultural experts after ob serving that a number of its alumni end up working overseas, according to Israeli Ambassador to the Philip pines Ilan Fluss.

Every year, 500 young Filipino ag ricultural experts are sent to Israel by the Israeli ministries of foreign af fairs and agriculture. They are given training on practical experiential learning in advanced, modern agri cultural methods which they could share with other Filipino farmers or agricultural trainers.

The Israel Agro Studies program started in 2005 and since then, it has produced around 8,000 alumni. “Where are they?” Fluss asked.

“When I arrived here in Manila in October last year, I asked one of the scholars what his plans are. He said, ‘I’m going to apply for a visa to New Zealand,’” the Israeli ambassa dor told the BusinessMirror

“Then there is another Embassy that I won’t mention. They told me that there is this group of Filipino mushroom growers who are going to their country, and all of them are graduates of the Israel agricul tural program.”

He lamented that despite the 11-month training as interns in Is rael, the knowledge and skills that Filipino agricultural students have acquired are not being applied in the Philippines.

“That’s our big challenge now. We need to have an effective system of

integration when they come back from Israel. We cannot just create a program [for the Philippines] and then another country will benefit from it.”

The Israeli ambassador said he recently had brainstorming meet ings with the Department of Ag riculture’s Agricultural Training Institute, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority as well governors and mayors from the prov inces to solicit ideas that will allow the Philippines to take full advantage of the skills of Filipino agricultural scholars trained by Israel.

In his recent trip to Ilocos a few weeks ago, Fluss noted

DHSUD eyes ₧216B in interest subsidy for ordinary families

This means each loan only gets slapped with 1 percent; and month ly amortization is at about P3,000. This level of amortization is even lower than what the marginalized sector is paying for right now when renting homes, especially in Metro Manila, he noted.

“What we’re doing here is creat ing a funding structure that will incentivize and entice banks to par ticipate in lending to, before parang unbanked sector, but we’re making it bankable with a creative fund ing structure [where] any part of the housing portfolio that will turn sour, we will buy it back, the housing demand will buy it back, effectively reducing their risk,” Dispo explained.

Housing meet

ACUZAR discussed the details of the plans for the housing indus try on the first day of the 30th National Developers Convention on October 5 and 6, at the Grand Hyatt Manila, Taguig City.

In his keynote speech, Acu zar introduced the “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program,” a directive from President Ferdi

nand Marcos Jr. that aims to con struct 1 million houses per year in select areas to address the housing backlogs and the two major bottle necks of affordability and access to funds for housing.

The two-day convention, annu ally organized by the Subdivision and Housing Developers Associa tion (SHDA) in partnership with the DHSUD, gathered more than 300 housing sector stakehold ers who will be key players in the new administration’s ambitious, affordable and inclusive national housing program.

Through the program, partner LGUs may also provide flexible fi nancing options alongside a prefer ential interest rate of only 1 percent to make the units affordable to lowincome beneficiaries.

SHDA is the largest and leading industry association for housing and urban development in the Phil ippines. With 350 members nation wide and eight regional chapters, SHDA members include the country’s top real estate developers players and a dynamic national network of small and medium developers.

that he met only two or three farmer-entrepreneurs.

“The economic model is very chal lenging. The solution must come from farmers who should not be do ing subsistence farming but commer cial farming. And a system should be in place so that issues related to their farms, suppliers and traders will also be dealt with.”

Despite its limited resources in both arable land and fresh water, Is rael is a global leader in agricultural technology.

Fluss said Israeli agriculture com panies are keen sharing their exper tise with Filipino planters and firms to expand the output of local farms.

lower yield and a smaller harvest area, according to the USDA-FAS Manila.

“FAS Manila forecasts MY 2022/23 corn production at 7.9 million MT, down 400,000 MT as compared to USDA Official, because of scant fertilizer application due to soaring fertilizer prices. The produc tion decline is a combination of area harvested and yield declines,” the USDA-FAS Manila said in its Global Agricultural Information Network (Gain) report published recently.

The USDA-FAS Manila projected that corn feed consumption in the current market year, which started last July and ends in June next year, would rise by 10.29 percent to

7.5 MMT from the previous mar ket year’s 6.8 MMT due to higher broiler output.

“It modifies favorably market ac cess for corn as already mentioned in the previous June 23, 2022 Grain and Feed Update,” it said.

“Additionally, broiler production is expected to rebound 2 percent in 2023, which should nudge corn con sumption upward.”

The USDA-FAS Manila said the country’s sorghum imports would double year-on-year to 50,000 MT on the back of “strong first month trade data.”

It noted that feed milling indus try players are “open” to “cheaper”

alternative energy sources like sorghum. The USDA-FAS Manila said corn remains the “preferred” energy source by the industry if supplies are “available.”

“FAS Manila forecasts MY 2022/23 barley imports to reach 110,000 MT because of increasing prices. Addi tionally, industry contacts said fol lowing experimentation with barley that it remains a poor substitute for corn,” the Gain report read.

“FAS Manila forecasts MY 2022/23 DDGS [distiller’s dried grains with solubles] exports to be stable at 160,000 MT, as modest demand from feed millers is not ex pected to increase.”

Primary processed wood consumption to grow 37 percent by 2050–FAO

OVERALL consumption of primary processed wood products is expected to grow 37 percent by 2050 in a business-asusual scenario, according to a report published by the Food and Agricul ture Organization of the United Na tions (FAO) last Tuesday.

Consumption of primary pro cessed wood products—sawnwood, veneer/plywood, particle/fibre board and wood pulp—is predicted to total 3.1 billion cubic meters of roundwood equivalents—a mea sure of logs used in the making of wood-based products—by 2050, according to The global forest sec tor outlook 2050: Assessing future demand and sources of timber for a sustainable economy.

The increase in consumption will be at least 8 percent higher in a bioeconomy scenario when two modern wood products are consid ered—mass timber and manmade cellulose fibers—substituting nonrenewable materials. In a scenario of a more accelerated transition to the bioeconomy with a stronger participation of these two products, the rise in consumption of primary wood products could reach 23 per cent more than in the business-asusual scenario.

‘Renewable, climate friendly’ WOOD is renewable, recyclable, climate friendly and versatile and is increasingly being used to replace non-renewable materials. It is a critical material to the ef forts to address the global threats to climate, biodiversity and envi ronment caused by the excessive use of non-renewable materials, the report said.

Mass timber and engineered wood products in construction, man-made cellulose fiber for tex tile production, and more modern forms of wood for energy are the most prominent wood products for large-scale substitution of nonrenewable materials.

“The forest sector is critical for resilient and sustainable econo mies. Ensuring the sustainability of the forest sector will require innovation and investments, but also policy coherence,” said Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.

Jointly produced by FAO, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the con sultancy Unique land use GmbH, the report was launched during the 26th Session of the Commit tee on Forestry and is relevant to Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 15. It combines the results of a long-term outlook for the forest sector to 2050 with an assessment of wood demand in a sustainable economic environment.

Growing demand THE growth in consumption of wood products—compared to the project ed 25 percent rise in population— “will be driven by higher incomes in emerging world regions resulting in catch-up effects for consumer goods and in more construction sector ac tivities,” the report said.

Meeting future demand for sus tainable wood may be achieved by a combination of increased sus tainable production in naturally regenerated temperate and boreal forests and in planted forests in creasingly in the global South, the

report said. But estimates of the concrete contribution of forest types and regions to global timber supply in 2050 are highly uncer tain, it added.

This demand will need to be met by increasing productivity through sustainable forest management in existing forests, and encouraging wood production as part of land restoration programs and projects.

If naturally regenerated forest pro duction remains stable, the plant ing of at least 33 million hectares of new forests will be needed, the report said.

Investments

INVESTMENTS required to main tain and expand industrial round wood production may require a total of around $40 billion per annum by 2050, according to The global forest sector outlook 2050. Another $25 billion per annum investment in modernization and in establishing industries may be required.

Total employment in the forest sector in 2019 was estimated to be 33.3 million formal and informal employees. The report’s medium estimate suggests employment in 2050 will be in the range of the 2019 figures. In future, employment might even decline. The labour require ments of future wood industries will be more sophisticated, and ensuring a sufficient number of well-trained personnel will require solid educa tion and training.

Up to 1 million new jobs, many of them in developing countries, could be created by growing the market for wood as a replacement for non-renewable materials.

BRAZIL’S coffee growers are seeing worrisome signs that trees debilitated by more than two years of frost and drought will need more than bet ter weather to replenish dwindling bean stockpiles.

While September rains helped trees blossom for the start of the new harvest season, farmers are concerned by what they’ve seen so far. Some trees are losing their leaves, while others produced un usually shaped flowers. Fruits are falling to the ground before they get a chance to grow.

“Coffee trees have a good memo ry,” said Éder Ribeiro dos Santos, an agronomist at Brazil’s biggest cof fee cooperative Cooxupe. “They are resentful of all the bad they experi enced over the past two seasons.”

The world’s largest producer just concluded a dismal harvest, which is expected to send coffee bean stock piles to a record low. This is bad news for consumers who depend on the morning elixir. Tight supplies worldwide are keeping coffee futures elevated, contributing to food infla tion. Adverse weather conditions globally are also pressuring total stockpiles with La Niña threatening production in Colombia, the world’s

second-ranked coffee supplier.

At one farm, the budding trees showed so many signs of damage that experts are unwilling to forecast what its output will be this season.

“Agronomists don’t even want to give me an estimate for my production, because there is just so much we don’t know,” said Sergio Castejon, who has a farm in Monte Santo de Minas, in the state of Minas Gerais.

Lingering effects from the drought and frost are to be expect ed during the 2023 season because coffee trees need time to recover, said Cláudio Pagotto Ronchi, a professor at University of Viçosa that special izes in plant physiology.

Regular rains are expected for the following months, removing at least this concern from producers’ minds, Rural Clima meteorologist Marco

Antonio dos Santos said. Given the reprieve from the drought, Cooxupe’s president Carlos Augusto Rodrigues de Melo is optimistic that even with the problems reported so far, the next crop will be better than the two pre vious ones.

Finalizing the 2022 harvest, the cooperative was able to get around 6 million bags of 60 kilograms from both members and third-party sellers, a similar level compared to 2021 but lower than the 8 million from the last good harvest in 2020. The season that just ended was sup posed to be a higher-yielding cycle, but instead output was slashed by severe drought.

Despite the arrival of badly need ed rains, growers can still expect weather-related challenges. Higher temperatures and wider extremes between the highs and lows are be coming a permanent challenge due to climate change. The uncertainties require constant monitoring and investments at a time growers are finding it hard to spend.

“I made investments in the past that were lost because production was so damaged by weather,” Caste jon said. “It hurts me to say, but I may not have the resources to do what is needed now.”

S. Korea missile crash during drill with US panics wary city

S

By Kim Tong-Hyung The Associated Press

EOUL, South Korea—A

South Korean ballistic mis sile malfunctioned and crashed into the ground early Wednesday during a live-fire drill with the United States, panicking confused residents of a coastal city already uneasy over increasingly provocative weapons tests by rival North Korea.

The sound of the blast and subsequent fire led many in Gangneung to believe it could be a North Korean attack, concern that only grew as the military and government officials provided no explanation about the explosion for hours.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said no injuries have been reported from the accident, which involved a short-range Hyumoo-2 ballistic missile that crashed in side an air force base in the out skirts of the city.

The military said it was investi gating what caused the “abnormal flight” of a missile that is a key weapon in South Korea’s preemp tive and retaliatory strike strate gies against the North.

The military said the test was meant to be a show of strength by South Korea and the United States, following North Korea’s firing of a nuclear-capable ballistic mis sile that crossed over Japan early Tuesday in North Korea’s most provocative weapons demonstra tion in years.

The launch extended a record number of North Korean launches this year as the country pushes

to develop a fully fledged nuclear arsenal capable of threatening the US mainland and its allies with the goal of being recognized as a nuclear state and wresting conces sions from those countries.

The South Korean military’s acknowledgement of the missile malfunction came hours after In ternet users raised alarm about the blast and posted social media videos showing an orange ball of flames emerging from an area they described as near the air force base.

Officials at Gangneung’s fire de partment and city hall said emer gency workers were dispatched to the air force base and a nearby army base in response to calls about a pos sible explosion but were sent back by military officials.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday’s joint drills with the US also involved firing four Army Tactical Missile Sys tems missiles and another Hyu moo-2 missile that successfully flew. The allies earlier on Tuesday launched fighter jets that fired weapons at a target off South Korea’s west coast.

North Korea has fired nearly 40 ballistic missiles over about 20 different launch events this year, exploiting Russia’s war on Ukraine and a deepened division in the UN Security Council to ac celerate arms development.

The United States, Britain, France, Albania, Norway and Ire land called for an emergency meet ing of the UN Security Council over the latest North Korean launch.

Diplomats said it is likely to be held Wednesday, but it’s not certain whether it will be open or closed.

World

Retreating Russian troops leave their comrades’ bodies behind

By Adam Schreck & Vasilisa Stepanenko The Associated Press

LYMAN, Ukraine—Russian troops abandoned a key Ukrai nian city so rapidly that they left the bodies of their comrades in the streets, offering more evidence Tuesday of Moscow’s latest military defeat as it struggles to hang on to four regions of Ukraine that it illegally annexed last week.

Meanwhile, Russia’s upper house of parliament rubberstamped the annexations follow ing “referendums” that Ukraine and its Western allies have dis missed as fraudulent.

Responding to the move, Ukrai nian President Volodymyr Zelen skyy formally ruled out talks with Russia, declaring that negotia tions with Russian President Vlad imir Putin are impossible after his decision to take over the regions.

The Kremlin replied by saying that it will wait for Ukraine to agree to sit down for talks, noting that it may not happen until a new Ukrainian president takes office.

“We will wait for the incumbent president to change his position or wait for a future Ukrainian presi dent who would revise his stand in the interests of the Ukrainian people,” Kremlin spokesman Dmi try Peskov said.

Despite the Kremlin’s apparent political bravado, the picture on the ground underscored the disar ray Putin faces amid the Ukrainian advances and attempts to establish new Russian borders.

Over the weekend, Russian troops pulled back from Lyman, a strategic eastern town that the Russians had used as a logistics and transport hub, to avoid be ing encircled by Ukrainian forces. The town’s liberation gave Ukraine an important vantage point for pressing its offensive deeper into Russian-held territories.

Two days later, an Associated Press team reporting from Lyman saw at least 18 bodies of Russian soldiers still on the ground. The

Ukrainian military appeared to have collected the bodies of their comrades after fierce battles for control of the town, but they did not immediately remove those of the Russians.

“We fight for our land, for our children, so that our people can live better, but all this comes at a very high price,” said a Ukrainian soldier who goes by the nom de guerre Rud.

Speaking late Tuesday in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said dozens of settlements had been retaken “from the Russian pseudo-referendum this week alone” in the four annexed re gions. In the Kherson region, he listed eight villages that Ukrainian forces reclaimed, “and this is far from a complete list. Our soldiers do not stop.”

The deputy head of the Russianbacked regional administration in Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, told Russian TV that Ukrainian troops made “certain advances” from the north, and were attacking the re gion from other sides too. He said they were stopped by Russian forc es and suffered high losses.

As Kyiv pressed its counterof fensives, Russian forces launched more missile strikes at Ukrainian cities.

Several missiles hit Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, dam aging infrastructure and causing power cuts. Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said one person was killed. In the south, Russian mis siles struck the city of Nikopol.

After reclaiming control of Ly man in the Donetsk region, Ukrai

3 physicists share Nobel Prize for work on quantum science

By Seth Borenstein, Maddie Burakoff & Frank Jordans The Associated Press

THREE scientists jointly won this year’s Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for proving that tiny particles could retain a con nection with each other even when separated, a phenomenon once doubted but now being explored for potential real-world applications such as encrypting information.

Frenchman Alain Aspect, American John F. Clauser and Austrian Anton Zeilinger were cited by the Royal Swedish Acad emy of Sciences for experiments proving the “totally crazy” field of quantum entanglements to be all too real. They demonstrated that unseen particles, such as photons, can be linked, or “entangled,” with each other even when they are separated by large distances.

It all goes back to a feature of the universe that even baffled Al bert Einstein and connects matter and light in a tangled, chaotic way.

Bits of information or mat ter that used to be next to each other even though they are now separated have a connection or relationship—something that can conceivably help encrypt informa

tion or even teleport. A Chinese satellite now demonstrates this and potentially lightning fast quantum computers, still at the small and not quite useful stage, also rely on this entanglement. Others are even hoping to use it in superconducting material.

“It’s so weird,” Aspect said of entanglement in a telephone call with the Nobel committee. “I am accepting in my mental images something which is totally crazy.”

Yet the trio’s experiments showed it happens in real life.

“Why this happens I haven’t the foggiest,” Clauser told The Asso ciated Press during a Zoom inter view in which he got the official call from the Swedish Academy several hours after friends and media informed him of his award.

“I have no understanding of how it works but entanglement appears to be very real.”

His fellow winners also said they can’t explain the how and why behind this effect. But each did ever more intricate experiments that prove it just is.

Clauser, 79, was awarded his prize for a 1972 experiment, cobbled together with scavenged equipment, which helped settle a famous debate about quantum mechanics between Einstein and

famed physicist Niels Bohr. Ein stein described “a spooky action at a distance” that he thought would eventually be disproved.

“I was betting on Einstein,” Clauser said. “But unfortunately I was wrong and Einstein was wrong and Bohr was right.”

Aspect said Einstein may have been technically wrong, but de serves huge credit for raising the right question that led to experiments proving quantum entanglement.

“Most people would assume that nature is made out of stuff distributed throughout space and time,” said Clauser, who while a high school student in the 1950s built a video game on a vacuum tube computer. “And that appears not to be the case.”

What the work shows is “parts of the universe—even those at great distances from each oth er—are connected,” said Johns Hopkins physicist N. Peter Ar mitage. “This is something so unintuitive and something so at odds with how we feel the world ‘should’ be.”

This hard-to-understand field started with thought experi ments. But what in one sense is philosophical musings about the universe also holds hope for more

secure and faster computers all based on entangled photons and matter that still interact no mat ter how distant.

“With my first experiments I was sometimes asked by the press what they were good for,” Zeil inger, 77, told reporters in Vienna. “And I said with pride: ‘It’s good for nothing. I’m doing this purely out of curiosity.’”

In quantum entanglement, es tablishing common information between two photons not near each other “allows us to do things like secret communication, in ways which weren’t possible to do before,” said David Haviland, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics.

Quantum information “has broad and potential implications in areas such as secure informa tion transfer, quantum comput ing and sensing technology,” said Eva Olsson, a member of the Nobel committee. “Its predictions have opened doors to another world, and it has also shaken the very foundations of how we interpret measurements.”

The kind of secure communica tion used by China’s Micius satel lite—as well as by some banks—is a “success story of quantum en tanglement,” said Harun Siljak of

nian forces pushed further east and may have gone as far as the border of the neighboring Luhansk region as they advanced toward Kreminna, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said in its latest analysis.

On Monday, Ukrainian forces also scored significant gains in the south, raising flags over the villag es of Arkhanhelske, Myroliubivka, Khreshchenivka, Mykhalivka and Novovorontsovka.

In Washington, the US govern ment announced Tuesday that it would give Ukraine an additional $625 million in military aid, in cluding more of the High Mobil ity Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, that are credited with helping Kyiv’s recent military momentum. The package also in cludes artillery systems ammuni tion and armored vehicles.

Before that announcement, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Min ister Yevhen Perebyinis told a conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Tuesday that Ukraine needed more weapons since Rus sia began a partial mobilization of draft-age men last month. He said additional weapons would help end the war sooner, not escalate it.

Russian Defense Minister Ser gei Shoigu said the military has recruited more than 200,000 re servists as part of the partial mo bilization launched two weeks ago. He said the recruits were under going training at 80 firing ranges before being deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.

Putin’s mobilization order said that up to 300,000 reservists were to be called up, but it held the door

open for an even bigger activation.

The order sparked protests across Russia and drove tens of thousands of men to flee the country.

Russia’s effort to incorpo rate the four embattled regions in Ukraine’s east and south was done so hastily that even the ex act borders of the territories being absorbed were unclear.

The upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Coun cil, voted to ratify treaties to make the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk and the southern Kherson and Za porizhzhia regions part of Russia.

The lower house did so Monday.

Putin is expected to quickly endorse the annexation treaties.

In other developments, the head of the company operating Europe’s largest nuclear plant said Ukraine is considering restart ing the Russian-occupied facility to ensure its safety as winter ap proaches.

In an interview with The As sociated Press on Tuesday, Ener goatom President Petro Kotin said the company could restart two of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s reactors in a matter of days.

“If you have low temperature, you will just freeze everything in side. The safety equipment will be damaged,” he said.

Fears that the war in Ukraine could cause a radiation leak at the Zaporizhzhia plant had prompted the shutdown of its remaining re actors. The plant has been dam aged by shelling, prompting inter national alarm over the potential for a disaster.

Trinity College Dublin. By using one entangled particle to create an encryption key, it ensures that only the person with the other entangled particle can decode the message and “the secret shared be tween these two sides is a proper secret,” Siljak said.

While quantum entangle ment is “incredibly cool” secu rity technologist Bruce Schneier, who teaches at Harvard, said it is fortifying an already secure part of information technology where other areas, including human fac tors and software are more of a problem. He likened it to install

ing a side door with 25 locks on an otherwise insecure house.

At a news conference, Aspect said real-world applications like the satellite were “fantastic.”

“I think we have progress to ward quantum computing. I would not say that we are close,” the 75-year-old physicist said. “I don’t know if I will see it in my life. But I am an old man.”

Jordans reported from Berlin, Boren stein from Kensington, Maryland, and Burakoff from New York. David Keyton in Stockholm and Masha Macpherson in Palaiseau, France, contributed.

Adam Schreck reported from Kyiv.

DEAD bodies of Russian servicemen lie on the ground in recently recaptured town of Lyman, Ukraine, on Monday, October 3, 2022. AP/EVGENIY MALOLETKA

IN this photo provided by South Korea Defense Ministry, an Army Tactical Missile System or ATACMS, missile is fired during a joint military drill between US and South Korea at an undisclosed location in South Korea on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the South Korean and US militaries successfully fired a total of four Army Tactical Missile Systems missiles during the exercise that it said was aimed at demonstrating its precision strike capabilities against the North.

SECRETARY- GENERAL of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Hans Ellegren, center, Eva Olsson, left and Thors Hans Hansson, members of the Nobel Committee for Physics announce the winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics, from left to right on the screen, Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger, during a press conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden, on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. JONAS EKSTROMER /TT

AGENCY VIA AP

Sierra Madre: Our protective shield

One of the most visible consequences of global warming is an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. The Philippines recently suffered the wrath of Su pertyphoon Karding, by far the strongest storm that hit the country this year. The super typhoon killed a dozen people, affected 245,063 families, and destroyed about P3 billion worth of crops.

In a recent BusinessMirror article—Allowing nature to help us—Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, the Executive Director at the Asean Centre for Bio diversity, said climate change may have something to do with the extreme weather conditions we are experiencing now, but we cannot wait for another disaster to remind us how much benefit we can derive from nature. For the Philippines, she said the most cost-effective solution may just be right in front of us—the rich biological diversity that our region has been blessed with to help us weather the storm.

“The Sierra Madre mountain acts as a resilience backbone that weakens the impact of disturbances from the East. The range, which covers the Que zon province all the way up to Cagayan, is strategically located as a breaker of strong winds originating from the Pacific. Together with the diverse ecosys tems found inside it, the range absorbs large amounts of rainfall, thanks to the diversity of ecosystems found in the area,” she said.

Lim said these ecosystems are just some of the nature-based solutions that shield us from devastating hazards. Thus, our response should al ways integrate the protection of remaining natural ecosystems and the restoration of degraded ones. Not only are they useful as natural bar riers in times of disaster, but they can also be sources of food and first aid when assistance is not immediately available because accessibility has been affected.

The chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources showed he has the same mindset when he filed House Resolution 430 seeking a congres sional probe into the reported degradation of the Sierra Madre mountain range and to look for ways to protect it. Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said there is a need to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the alleged deg radation of Sierra Madre mountains “and how we shall protect our ‘Mother Mountain Range’ to prevent the occurrence of floods in various places in the Philippines.” (Read, “House resolution seeks probe into ‘degradation’ of Sierra Madre,” in the BusinessMirror, September 29, 2022).

The resolution cited Article 2, Section 16 of the Constitution, which pro vides that the state shall “protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.”

The Sierra Madre mountains, called the “backbone of Luzon,” is the longest mountain range in the Philippines that has a total land area of 2.8 million hectares, which spans from Cagayan province in the north to Quezon prov ince in the south. It surrounds the 10 provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Quezon.

The resolution said the “Mother Mountain Range plays an important role by acting as a natural shield against typhoons and floods coming from the Pacific Ocean. Its watershed supports the water system of Central Luzon, Ca gayan Valley and Metro Manila.”

Unfortunately, one of the reasons for the more destructive effects of re cent typhoons is the denudation of the Sierra Madre. Illegal logging has led to soil erosion and increased flooding in the low-lying areas near the moun tain range. Persistent deforestation, mining, and improper land use also led to the Sierra Madre’s weakened capability to buffer mainland Luzon from incoming typhoons.

Catastrophic events like the destruction wrought by Supertyphoon Karding are imminent reminders for everyone to look at the big picture: That there’s a need for a “whole of nation” approach to protect the Sierra Madre mountains from further degradation. A fully regenerated Mother Mountain Range has the power to protect us from natural calamity. Let’s not destroy our natural shield against strong typhoons.

Fools and sleepers

OUTSIDE THE BOX

eighTeenTh cenTury english poet, classical scholar, and cambridge professor Thomas gray wrote “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College,” recounting his long-past student days. it tells of the university journey from innocence to maturity and ends with these famous lines of english literature: “Where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise.”

Shortened to the money-quote “ignorance is bliss,” we are re minded how easy and pleasant it is to be ignorant. Being “wise” might not even be a good idea—too much work.

Another famous phrase about being without knowledge is “Ig norantia legis neminem excusat” “Ignorance of law excuses no one.” No one can justify his conduct on the grounds that he was not aware of the law.

Yet half of what we read and hear would be, in another time, consid ered near the pinnacle of the state of being unaware, or even cognitive dissonance as in the politically in correct assessment question “Are you brain dead?” You can tell that I grew up when brutal honesty was more important than hurt feelings.

An example. The headline “Viet nam’s GDP up 13.67 percent in Q3, 2022” immediately brought out Philippine bashing even from

people that pride themselves on their UP college degree. This was because of the fact that although it is too early for the Philippine gov ernment to announce preliminary 3rd quarter results like Vietnam regularly does, “Philippines’s GDP grows 7.4 percent in Q2.” Only 7.4 percent.

There is no possibility that Philippine GDP growth will reach Vietnam’s 13 percent growth level in Q3. But there is one particular reason for a lower growth number.

The Philippines’s 2nd quarter 2022 annual growth was against a 12.1 percent annual increase in the 2nd quarter of 2021. Vietnam’s “13.67 percent in Q3, 2022” was from a NEGATIVE 6.02 percent growth in Q3 2021.

Even someone who did not study at the University of the Philippines can add 13.67 plus negative 6.02 and know that the sum is lower than 12.1 plus 7.4.

Do the “wise” have any obliga tion to the “fools” and the sleep ing? Absolutely none. No one was born foolish or asleep. That is a personal and premeditated choice. “Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig”—Mark Twain.

Here is the actual GDP in local currency, which is more realistic and accurate. At the end of Q3 2021, the total Vietnam Gross Domestic Product was VND3,644 billion. As of end Q3 2022, the total value of Vietnam’s economy is VND4,006 billion for an absolute total increase of 9.93 percent.

In contrast, at the end of Q2 2021, total Philippine GDP was P4.64 trillion. As of end Q2 2022, the total value of the Philippine economy was P5.39 trillion for an absolute total increase of 16.2 percent.

Even the ignorant would prob ably agree that 16.2 percent is larger than 9.93 percent. But the lazy are not interested in gaining knowledge and increasing their understanding of the world. Too much work.

In 1893 Isabel Burton published a biography of her husband, Richard Francis Burton, the famous British explorer. Included is supposedly an Arabian proverb.

“He who knows not and knows not he knows not is a fool—shun him. He who knows not and knows

he knows not is a student—teach him. He who knows and knows not he knows, he is asleep—wake him. He who knows, and knows he knows is wise—follow him.”

There should probably be an other. “He who knows and pretends he knows not is probably trying to manipulate the fool and maybe also the sleeping man.”

Honestly though, the fools and the sleepers have a critical role to play. Without them, the vast major ity of politicians and press/media would not have any followers. Cults of all sorts including religious, economic, and social that require unquestioning belief and the de monizing of “non-believers” and “deniers” would be out of business.

Do the “wise” have any obliga tion to the “fools” and the sleeping? Absolutely none. No one was born foolish or asleep. That is a personal and premeditated choice. “Never attempt to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and annoys the pig”—Mark Twain.

In fact, Twain never said/wrote anything remotely like that. It comes from a 1973 book “Time Enough for Love” by Robert Hein lein. But in the age of Social Media, people believe what they want to believe. And unless you are a wise person with strong masochistic tendencies, it is better to leave the fools and the sleepers alone.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.

German gas price plan exposes EU divisions over energy

By Lorne Cook | The Associated Press

BruSSeLS— germany’s plan to spend billions of euros to help keep gas prices low for its consumers and businesses has received a tepid welcome from fellow european union members, with some worrying that the measure could exacerbate the energy crisis.

With a recession looming, Chan cellor Olaf Scholz said last week that his government would spend up to 200 billion euros (dollars) on the “gas price brake.” Some EU coun tries think the move by the bloc’s biggest economy should have been coordinated with them. They said they worry it could jack up prices elsewhere.

European economies were already struggling to recover from the coro navirus pandemic, but high inflation

and Russia’s war in Ukraine, notably its decision to switch off the gas taps to several EU countries, has given them a fresh battering.

The solution, according to some opponents of Germany’s plan— among them France and Italy— should be more solidarity among EU partners and more use of European Union funds, rather than go-it-alone national efforts.

we want to avoid fragmenta tion, if we want to face this crisis,

The solution, according to some opponents of Germany’s plan— among them France and Italy— should be more solidarity among EU partners and more use of Eu ropean Union funds, rather than go-it-alone national efforts.

I think we need a higher level of solidarity, and we need to put in place some further common tools,”

Economy Commissioner Paolo Gen tiloni said at a meeting of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg.

But he was cautious not to point the finger directly at Germany.

Dutch Finance Minister Sigrid Kaag agreed on the need to coor dinate the response to the energy crunch among the 27 member coun

tries, but she opposed the creation of any new EU fund to address the challenge.

The EU already has several funds with “billions and billions that are available and could be put to good use in the first instance,” Kaag told report ers. “We need to channel what we have and invest it in the right manner.”

The Dutch government also un veiled details of a planned energy price cap for households Tuesday, together with the outline of a subsidy system aimed at easing the pain for small-to-medium-sized businesses that use a lot of power.

German Finance Minister Chris tian Lindner, for his part, said “there had been a misunderstanding,” about what he described as “our protective shield.”

John Mangun

UK’s Truss faces Conservative dissent amid policy U-turns

By Jill Lawless | The Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM,

England—Liz Truss should be celebrating her first month as Britain’s prime minister. Instead, she’s fighting for her job.

Truss is spending her first Con servative Party conference as leader this week scrambling to reassure financial markets spooked by her government’s see-sawing economic pledges, while trying to restore her authority with a party that fears its chance of reelection is crumbling.

An unpopular tax-cutting pack age last month and the series of U-turns that followed have turned Truss’ debut conference leader’s speech on Wednesday from a mo ment of triumph to one of peril.

Former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that “the next 10 days is a critical period of time” for Truss. He told the News Agents pod cast that some Conservative lawmak ers were thinking: “’Well, I’m going to be out at the next election,’ (so) then they might as well roll the dice, as it were, and elect a new leader.”

Truss insisted Tuesday that she is leading “a listening government” that learns from its mistakes.

“I think there’s absolutely no shame in a leader listening to people and responding, and that’s the kind of person I am,” she told Sky News.

To the BBC she said: “We have learned from the feedback we’ve received.”

That “feedback” has been dra matic: Truss’ four weeks in office have seen the pound plunge to record lows against the dollar, the Bank of England take emergency action and the opposition Labour Party surge to record highs against her Conserva tives in opinion polls.

Now Truss also faces a battle with her party over her economic plans, with some lawmakers—including government ministers—warning they will oppose any attempt to slash welfare benefits to help pay for the lower taxes that are a key part of Truss’ economic philosophy.

Truss said “no decision has been made yet” on whether to cut benefits and pensions in real terms by raising them by less than inflation.

The government descended into factional fighting as Truss loyalists hit back at the critics. Home Secre tary Suella Braverman said some Conservative lawmakers had “staged a coup, effectively, and undermined the authority of the prime minister in an unprofessional way.”

Tory dissent leaves Truss facing a choice between jettisoning more of her economic plan or facing a show down with the party in Parliament, where defeats on economic bills are generally regarded as resigning mat ters for a government.

Truss is on a mission to reshape Britain’s economy through tax cuts and deregulation in a bid to end years of sluggish growth. But she is trying to ride out a series of U-turns over her first big policy: a stimulus pack age that includes 45 billion pounds ($50 billion) in tax cuts, to be paid for by government borrowing. Its announcement on Sept. 23 sent the pound tumbling to a record low against the dollar and increased the cost of government borrowing.

The Bank of England was forced to intervene to prop up the bond mar ket and stop a wider economic crisis. Fears that the bank will soon hike interest rates caused mortgage lend ers to withdraw their cheapest deals, causing turmoil for homebuyers.

Under political and financial pressure, the government on Mon day scrapped the most unpopular part of its budget package, a tax cut

Truss says her policies will bring economic growth, higher wages and eventually more tax revenue for the government to spend. But critics say the plans do little to help millions of people who are struggling right now with a costof-living crisis fueled by soaring energy prices.

on earnings above 150,000 pounds ($167,000) a year. That will save about 2 billion pounds, a small share of the government’s 45 billion-pound tax-cutting plan—and it’s unclear how the rest will be paid for.

Treasury chief Kwasi Kwarteng has promised to publish a fully costed fiscal plan, alongside an economic forecast from the independent Of fice for Budget Responsibility. Kwart eng is under pressure to produce it sooner, but insisted Tuesday he was sticking with his original date of November 23.

What Kwarteng called the “hul labaloo” over the government’s plans has cast a shadow over the Conserva tives’ conference in the central Eng land city of Birmingham, where many party members express fears that the Tories, in power since 2010, are headed for defeat in the next election.

“Things are looking pretty bleak,” said Michael Heseltine, who was Con servative deputy prime minister in the 1990s. “It will require a very im pressive feat of political leadership, and it needs to start today.”

The party has a commanding ma jority in Parliament but is fractious after three years of scandal under Johnson, followed by a divisive lead ership contest between Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak.

Truss says her policies will bring economic growth, higher wages and eventually more tax revenue for the government to spend. But critics say the plans do little to help millions of people who are struggling right now with a cost-of-living crisis fueled by soaring energy prices.

Truss said she was “very commit ted to supporting the most vulner able,” pointing to a cap on energy prices that took effect October 1.

However, she refused to promise benefits and state pensions would increase in line with inflation, which has been the practice for years.

“We are going to have to make decisions about how we bring down debt as a proportion of GDP in the medium term,” Truss said. “We have to be fiscally responsible.”

Conservatives have a long history of deposing unpopular leaders. For mer Prime Minister Boris Johnson led the party to its biggest election win for decades in 2019. He was ousted less than three years later, tarnished by ethics scandals.

Some Conservatives in Birming ham said Truss could still recover if she changes her message. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said the government should have “rolled the pitch” to prepare for its announcements and focused on growth, rather than tax.

Duncan Smith—who was booted out as leader by the party in 2003 after two years in office—implored his Conservative colleagues to stop fighting. “What we’re doing, if we’re not careful, is wishing ourselves into an election where we literally will be absolutely trounced,” he told radio station LBC.

Opinion

UN envoy: Iraq is ‘highly volatile’ and leaders must talk

By Edith M. Lederer | The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The UN special envoy for Iraq warned Tuesday that the situation in the country remains “highly vol atile” nearly a year after last October’s elections failed to form a government, saying all sides have made “strategic mistakes” and it’s now time for all Iraqi leaders to hold talks “and pull the country back from the ledge.”

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert told the UN Security Council that “with risks of further strife and blood shed still very tangible, dwelling on who did what when is no longer an option.”

She said “public disillusion is run ning sky-high,” and too many Iraqis have lost faith in the country’s politi cal class to act in the interests of the country and the people.

Iraq’s leaders must take responsi bility and quickly engage in dialogue and put the spotlight on the people’s needs, Hennis-Plasschaert said, warning that “a continued failure to address this loss of faith will only exacerbate Iraq’s problems.”

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc won the most votes in parlia mentary elections last October but he has been unable to form a ma jority government. His followers stormed the parliament in late July to prevent their rivals from Iranbacked Shiite groups from forming a government.

With ensuing rallies, clashes with security forces, counter-rallies

and a sit-in outside parliament, the government formation process has stalled.

Al-Sadr has been calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections and has been in a power struggle with his Iran-backed rivals since the vote.

Hennis-Plasschaert stressed that there are solutions, but for any of them to be adopted Iraq’s leaders must start talking and be willing to compromise.

“Delivering a functioning gov ernment is merely the first step to overcoming the current crisis in a sustainable way,” she said. “A wide range of critical issues must be ad dressed. Chief among them is the adoption of federal budget, absent which state spending could come to a halt by the end of the year.”

Hennis-Plasschaert said that since 2003, when a US-led invasion toppled Iraq’s longtime dictator Saddam Hussein, too many oppor tunities for meaningful reforms in the country have been wasted, and corruption remains “a core feature

Hennis-Plasschaert stressed that there are solutions, but for any of them to be adopted Iraq’s leaders must start talking and be willing to compromise. “Delivering a functioning government is mere ly the first step to overcoming the current crisis in a sustainable way,” she said.

of Iraq’s current political economy, built into every day transactions.”

The country also relies on “pa tronage and clientelism” which have resulted in a ballooning public sector functioning more as “an instrument of political favor” than improving the lives of the Iraqi people, she said.

“Pervasive corruption is a major root cause of Iraqi dysfunctionality,” the Iraqi envoy said. “And frankly, no leader can claim to be shielded from it.”

She warned that keeping this system as it is will backfire, “sooner rather than later.”

As for calls for early national elec tions, Hennis-Plasschaert asked: “What are the guarantees that new national elections will not be held in vain once again? How will Iraqi citi zens be persuaded that it is worth casting their votes? And what reas surances would the international community need for them to support new elections?”

She said the UN has made clear

that it would not be able to confirm at this time that the UN political mission which she heads would be able to assist in new elections be cause this would require a request from the government to the Security Council which would then have to be considered.

Hennis-Plasschaert said the UN also doesn’t have “a magic wand” about parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan region, which were initially supposed to be held October 1, but did not because of divisions among political parties.

She warned that the political fall out from not holding timely elections and neglecting basic democratic prin ciples “will bear a high cost.”

The UN special representative re called that when she last briefed the Security Council in May she raised an alarm about Turkish and Iranian shelling in the north. With Iran’s attacks last week, she reiterated the alarm that this was becoming the `new normal’ for Iraq.

Iran’s attacks on Iranian-Kurdish bases killed at least nine people and wounded 32 others. The strikes tar geted a banned Iranian leftist armed opposition group.

“No neighbor should treat Iraq as its backyard,” Hennis-Plasschaert said. “No neighbor should be allowed to routinely, and with impunity, vio late Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Yet it is happening. Time and again.”

Haiti at breaking point as economy tanks and violence soars

By Evens Sanon & Dánica Coto | The Associated Press

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti—Daily life in Haiti began to spin out of control last month just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said fuel subsidies would be eliminated, causing prices to double.

Gunshots rang out as protest ers blocked roads with iron gates and mango trees. Then Haiti’s most powerful gang took a drastic step: It dug trenches to block access to the Caribbean country’s largest fuel terminal, vowing not to budge until Henry resigns and prices for fuel and basic goods go down.

The poorest country in the West ern hemisphere is in the grips of an inflationary vise that is squeezing its citizenry and exacerbating pro tests that have brought society to the breaking point. Violence is raging and making parents afraid to send their kids to school; fuel and clean water are scarce; hospitals, banks and grocery stores are struggling to stay open.

The president of neighboring Do minican Republic described the situ ation as a “low-intensity civil war.”

Life in Haiti is always extremely difficult, if not downright dysfunc tional. But the magnitude of the current paralysis and despair is un precedented. Political instability has simmered ever since last year’s stillunsolved assassination of Haiti’s president; inflation soaring around 30 percent has only aggravated the situation.

“If they don’t understand us, we’re going to make them understand,” said Pierre Killick Cemelus, who sweated as he struggled to keep pace with thousands of other protesters marching during a recent demon stration.

The fuel depot blocked by gangs has been inoperable since Sept. 12, cutting off about 10 million gallons of diesel and gasoline and more than 800,000 gallons of kerosene stored on site. Many gas stations are closed, and others are quickly running out of supplies.

The lack of fuel recently forced hospitals to cut back critical ser vices and prompted water delivery companies to shut down. Banks and grocery stores also are struggling to

stay open because of dwindling fuel supplies—and exorbitant prices— that make it nearly impossible for many workers to commute.

A gallon of gasoline costs $30 on the black market in Port-au-Prince and more than $40 in rural areas, Desperate people are walking for miles to get food and water because public transportation is extremely limited.

“Haiti is now in complete chaos,” said Alex Dupuy, a Haiti-born soci ologist at Wesleyan University. “You have gangs basically doing whatever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want with complete impunity because the police force is not capable of bringing them under control.”

Henry’s de-facto government “doesn’t seem to be fazed at all by the chaos and is probably benefit ing from it because it allows him to hold on to power and prolong as long as possible the organization of new elections,” Dupuy said.

Gangs have long wielded con siderable power in Haiti, and their influence has only grown since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

Gangs control roughly 40 percent of Port-au-Prince, the UN has esti mated. They are fighting to control even more territory, killing hundreds of Haitians in recent months—in cluding women and children—and driving away some 20,000 people from their homes. Kidnappings have spiked.

Henry has pledged to hold elec tions as soon as it’s safe to do so, writing in a speech read at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 24 that he has “no desire to stay in power longer than necessary.”

“My country is going through a multidimensional crisis whose con sequences threaten democracy and the very foundations of the rule of law,” Henry said. He condemned widespread looting and violence, and

Life in Haiti is always extremely difficult, if not downright dys functional. But the magnitude of the current paralysis and de spair is unprecedented. Political instability has simmered ever since last year’s still-unsolved assassination of Haiti’s president; inflation soaring around 30 percent has only aggravated the situation.

said those responsible “will have to answer for their crimes before his tory and before the courts.”

US President Joe Biden, also speaking at the UN, said Haiti faces “political-fueled gang violence and an enormous human crisis.”

From 2004 until 2017, UN peace keepers bolstered the country’s se curity and helped rebuild political institutions after a violent rebel lion ousted former President JeanBertrand Aristide. But for now, any foreign intervention in Haiti is off the table.

Local political leaders have re pudiated the suggestion of outside help, noting that UN peacekeepers in Haiti sexually abused children and sparked a cholera epidemic more than a decade ago that killed nearly 10,000 people.

The first round of protests in midSeptember prompted France and Spain to close their embassies and banks to shut down in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Protesters attacked businesses, the homes of well-known politicians and even warehouses of the United Nations’ World Food Pro gram, stealing millions of dollars’ worth of food and water.

Protests have since grown bigger. Tens of thousands of people recently marched in Port-au-Prince and be yond, including the cities of Gona ives and Cap-Haitien in the north. They waved leafy green branches and chanted, “Ariel has to go!”

Primary school teacher Jean-Wil son Fabre joined a recent protest as he ducked into a side street to avoid a cloud of tear gas thrown by police trying to control the crowd.

“He’s not doing anything,” he said of the prime minister.

The 40-year-old father of two

sons lamented the lack of food and water, the rise of kidnappings and the growing power of gangs: “No one is crazy enough to send their kids to school in this situation. They will not be safe.”

Fabre is one of millions of parents who refused to send their children to school even though the government announced an October 3 return to class as scheduled in an attempt to restore some normalcy amid an in creasingly unstable situation.

Haiti’s courts also were slated to reopen on October 3, but the coun try’s Bar Federation rejected an in vitation from the prime minister to talk about the issue days before, noting that gangs still occupy a main courthouse in Port-au-Prince, among other problems.

“Under Ariel, things have gotten worse and worse,” said Merlay SaintPierre, a 28-year-old unemployed mother of two boys who joined a re cent protest wearing a T-shirt embla zoned with a middle finger.

Hundreds of people have spent hours in line each day just to buy buckets of water. Delivery trucks can not go into neighborhoods because of roadblocks.

“I’m scared of this water,” said 22-year-old Lionel Simon, noting he would use it to wash clothes and add chlorine before drinking it.

At least eight people have died of cholera in recent days and dozens more have been treated, according to local health officials who urged protesters and gang leaders to allow fuel and water to flow into neighbor hoods. But Simon was not worried about cholera. His biggest concerns are gangs and an increase in young children carrying guns.

“We don’t know if life will go back to normal,” he said. “If you die today, you don’t even know if you’re going to make it to a morgue. You could be left in the street for dogs and animals to eat you. This is how crazy the city has become.”

Dupuy, the Haitian expert, said it’s unlikely Henry would step down since there is no international pres sure for him to do so. He worried there is no clear solution as the situa tion spirals: “How much more boiling point can there be?” Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“Our measure is targeted,” Lind ner told reporters. “We have to

change the order of the electricity market, but our package is not un proportionate. In fact, it is propor tionate if you compare the size and the vulnerability of the German economy.”

Czech Finance Minister Zybnek Stanjura, who chaired the meeting, conceded that opinions on the best way ahead differ widely. “Different member states have different ener gy mixes and so they have different

ideas about what needs to be done first,” he said.

The issue is likely to get thrashed out yet again at a summit of EU lead ers in Prague on Friday, where the war in Ukraine and its economic fallout

for Europe are top of the agenda. But the chances of a breakthrough this week appear slim.

“None of us had foreseen this. We do not know how long this situation will last, the longer-term impact on

the economy,” Kaag said. “So com ing out of corona, we need to act ap propriately, without inadvertently fueling inflation. And that’s sort of the tight rope we are walking, or dancing on.”

Big firms join govt talks on sustainable resource roadmap

GERMAN BIZ GROUP: ANY TRADE BARRIER NOT GOOD

THE German-Philippine

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) has underscored the need to remove “any sort” of barriers between the two countries, citing how some of Manila’s neighbors have progressed after being weaned away from a protectionist mold.

“I think it is necessary to remove any sort of barriers to improve bilateral trade,” GPCCI President Stefan Schmitz told the BusinessMirror

In an interview, the GPCCI president said, “we will push for deregulation because in a globalized world, I think that’s the way to go.”

Schmitz pointed out that “protectionism” doesn’t help. In fact, he said, the Philippines’s neighborings such as Vietnam, present a “good example” of what happens when a lot of the protectionism is removed.

Without protectionism, the GPCCI chief noted that for eign direct investments (FDI) in Vietnam went up, which re sulted in higher living standards and incomes of its citizens.

In the same recent interview, Schmitz underscored the impor tance of drawing in investments into the Philippines, especially amid the depreciation of its lo cal currency.

lem, Schmitz said the govern ment can deal with the peso’s decline by putting “stimulus in place,” specifically, ushering in foreign investments in the country.

“This time is still sensitive because the country is coming out of Covid-19, meaning gov ernment coffers are relatively empty, then comes something like this, so the government needs to put stimulus in place. The government should look for more foreign investments,” Schmitz said.

On Monday, the peso closed at P59 to the greenback, anoth er new low for the Philippine currency.

While the government has done “the right thing” with in frastructure packages and the amendments to key economic reforms such as the Public Ser vice Act, Foreign Investments Act, and Retail Trade Liberal ization Act, the GPCCI presi dent said, “you have to push it, you need to lure the investors inside.”

He also noted, “we need to see that these investments come here.”

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

THE country’s top corporations and other stakeholders joined in the start of the government consultations for the crafting of its new roadmaps to ensure the sustainable use of the country’s water and other natural resources.

On Wednesday, President Fer dinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. witnessed the launch  of the multistakeholder dialogue orga nized by the Department of En vironment and Natural Resources (DENR) at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

Marcos urged the participants of the three-day event to provide inputs in the government’s envi ronment-related initiatives.

“Along with the outcomes of this

forum, I expect that we will be able to accelerate the DENR’s mission of mobilizing our capacities and re sources to preserve, conserve, and manage our environment,” Marcos said.

“I also expect this forum to lay down a strategic direction to maxi mize the use of the country’s natu ral wealth and to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” he added.

He stressed the important role

of the private sector to success fully steer government policies to a “greener direction.”

Among those present at the event were San Miguel Corpora tion President and Chief Execu tive Officer (CEO) Ramon S. Ang, China Banking Corporation chair man Hans T. Sy, Gokongwei Group chairman Lance Y. Gokongwei and First Gen Corporation chairman and CEO Federico R. Lopez.

In her speech at the event, En vironment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said the forum will help them finalize their National Natural Resources Geospatial Database.

The outcomes of the event are also expected to help in the com pletion of the pending initiatives of DENR including the roadmap for water security; the scaling up and networking of capabilities for environmental observations, moni toring and analytics; integrated development of mangrove forests and marine protected areas; and

the climate resilient and sustain able tourism plan.

“With your support and under our new leadership, the DENR looks forward to charting the course to wards achieving climate and disas ter resilient inclusive green and blue recovery for our nation,” Loyzaga said.

She said DENR will also be co operating with other government agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to help them achieve their goals.

During the forum, Loyzaga signed a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Labor and Employment Secretary Bienveni do E. Laguesma, which will allow DENR to tap DOLE’s Tulong Pan ghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvan taged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program for its National Forest Protection Program.

“This agreement will accelerate the creation of green jobs in the for est sector where they are needed the most,” Loyzaga said.

Senators endorse inaugural budget of DMW

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATORS on Wednesday unanimously endorsed the maiden budget of the newly constituted Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), telling Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople and the heads of the DMW attached agencies their work is crucial to the country, given the key role that overseas Filipino workers play.

First to express full support for the proposed P15.2 billion budget was Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who presided over the Committee on Finance-Subcommittee hybrid hearing on the proposed 2023 bud gets of the DMW and three other agencies:  Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority and Philippine Center for Economic Development.

Ejercito congratulated the of ficials and staff of the DMW as well as his colleagues, led by Sen ate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, for the passage of the “landmark legislation” in the 18th Congress that created the DMW. “The com

mittee looks forward to sponsor ing your budget. I would like to personally manifest my support for your budget and operations for the fiscal year 2023. I hope with our full support the DMW will fi nally solve the pressing problems besetting our modern-day heroes, our overseas Filipino workers,” Ejercito said.

At the outset, Secretary Ople thanked legislators who champi oned the DMW in the 18th Con gress, singling out former Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for his “im portant inputs” in crafting the law.

Sen. Raffy Tulfo also expressed full support for the P15.2-billion budget of the newly created agency, noting that the department de serves to be given a bigger budget.

In the course of the hearing, Sen ate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Sen. Francis Tolentino also enthusiastically endorsed the DMW budget.

Tulfo, who chairs the Commit tee on Migrant Workers, pointed out that the DMW needs enough funds to implement its mandate and programs for the protection and welfare of Filipino migrant

workers in various parts of the world. “As chairperson of the Com mittee on Migrant workers I would like to state, for the record, that I fully support the budget of the newly created DMW,” said Tulfo during the hearing of the Finance subcommittee.

For her part, Sen. Risa Honti veros emphasized the contribu tions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Philippine economy, particularly, the impact of their remittances. “Just for 2021, the remittances of our OFWs reached $34.8 billion, or P1.74 trillion.

That’s 20 percent of the total na tional government budget now being proposed under the current National Expenditure Program.    And yet, the new department that is supposed to take care of our fel low Filipinos has to make do with a much smaller recommended bud get,” lamented Deputy Minority Leader Hontiveros.

In a presentation before the Sen ate panel, the DMW reported that its P15.2-billion proposed 2023 budget is at least P3.69 billion short from its originally-requested allocation for its programs and projects next year.

The main sponsor of the bill creating DMW in the 18th Con gress also endorsed the agency’s budget. Majority Leader Joel Vil lanueva said he wanted the full cycle of reintegration program for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to be strength ened, upgraded, and given more attention now that the DMW has been created. “The ones that used to be done are not geared towards specific needs of returning OFWs, so we really need to upgrade,” Vil lanueva said in Filipino.

Villanueva echoed the position of the International Organization for Migration that a successful reintegra tion program must give opportunity to become self-sufficient, provide ac cess to social network, and address psychosocial health of returning OFWs. “It must be sustainable, mea surable, balanced, complementary, and innovative,” he added.

DMW’s Ople said the reintegra tion program of the government un der the newly created department has included the social preparation for unification of returning OFWs with their families, children, and grandchildren.

While noting that the depre ciation of the local currency is not a problem of the Philippines alone but rather a world prob

GPCCI  is the official repre sentation of German businesses in the Philippines, a bilateral membership organization with around 300 members, and a ser vice provider to companies in their market entry and expan sion.

DHSUD eyes ₧216B in interest subsidy for ordinary families

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE national government in tends to provide P216 billion worth of interest subsidies for informal settler families (ISFs) and minimum wage earners in the medium term to help them become homeowners, according to the De partment of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

In a briefing on Wednesday, DH SUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acu zar told reporters that annually, through the government’s open housing program, the government will provide P36 billion in interest subsidies to build 1 million houses every year.

This will support the aim of the current administration to plug the housing backlog of 6.5 million units, a backlog the DHSUD attrib uted to years of neglect, as only 2 million homes were built in the past four decades.

“To build 1 million houses, you need P1 trillion because you need P1 million per housing unit. The government cannot afford that P1 trillion. In order to finance this, you need private money, so banks. They are the ones who have that kind of money,” Acuzar said in the vernacular.

“What did the government do? I asked for an interest subsidy, P36 billion a year, for one million houses. Instead of P1 trillion, the government will only spend P36 billion so the government can plan its budget,” he explained.

Acuzar said the government’s goal is for ISFs and minimum wage earners to only pay 1 percent inter est rate on their housing loans from banks and Government Financial Institutions (GFIs) such as the Home Development Mutual Fund (PagIbig Fund) for the duration of the loan.

DHSUD Undersecretary Roberto Juanchito T. Dispo said, however, that the program would not be able to close the housing gap by the end of the President’s term. Still, it would significantly reduce the backlog to around 2 million houses in 2028. This is a far cry from the expected backlog, under business as usual, which could balloon to 10.3 million by 2028.

“You are running against time but what we are trying to do is to address it, alleviate the backlog. If we can do 6 million, maybe at the end of the term of the President, there could still be a backlog of around 2 mil lion. But that would be manageable because what we’re putting in place is a mechanism that is sustainable and viable,” Dispo said.

Higher interest rates

WITH monetary policy tightening further due to spiraling inflation, Dispo said the open housing pro gram aims to incentivize banks to lend to the marginalized sector.

He said that as a former invest ment banker, he knows that banks’ funding costs can be anywhere from 0.3 percent to as low as 0.1 percent. This means, they have the means to lend at very low rates at 2 percent or even 1 percent.

“Their funding cost ranges from something like 0.3 or 0.1. Imagine large (banks), their funding cost is only 0.1 or 0.2. So if they want to lend 2 percent, they can lend 2 per cent. If they want to lend 1 percent, they can lend 1 percent,” Dispo said, partly in Filipino.

If rates are brought down, this will be viable for low-income and poor households. Dispo said in terest subsidy will cover 5 percent of the expected 6-percent market interest rate taken into consider ation when the DHSUD estimated the amount.

E. San Juan

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers a speech at the 2022 Department of Environment and Natural Resources Multistakeholder Forum on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at the Grand Ballroom, Diamond Hotel, Manila.

San Miguel unit fast-tracking installation of BESS facilities

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

SEC bags award for accounting practices

SMC

GLOBAL Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGP) is targeting to complete the installation of 1000 megawatts (MW) of battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities before next year’s peak season, which is during the hot dry season.

“We will reach 1,000 MW very soon, within the next few months. We hope before the peak season,” said SMCGP President Ramon S. a ng.

The power arm of conglomerate SMC has already completed putting up 500MW of installed power stor age capacity from its planned 32 BESS facilities. It has targeted to bring

total battery capacity to 700 MWh by the end of this year, and by the end of 2023, 1,000 MW, once all 32 BESS facilities come online. This is the first and largest battery network in the Philippines by far.

The BESS network will be key to ensuring reliable power supply nationwide, even in far-off areas. It is designed to minimize wast

age by storing and redistributing excess capacity to ensure even underserved regions can have the same sufficient, reliable electricity enjoyed by larger cities.

“Our peak during summer months is 12,000MW, during off peak it’s 10,000MW. d uring off peak, our BESS can capture the oversupply and I can sell it during peak. I can sell it very cheap at P2 per kilowatt hour (kWh). I can even sell it at P3 per kWh. The 1,000MW BESS that we are putting up is a big thing because it can capture the swing up and down of power plants,” said a ng.

d uring the hot dry season months, electricity demand is at its peak.

a ng said he plans to sell it directly to the manufacturing industries, among others, and possibly build a battery storage manufacturing facility.

“I can also sell it directly to fac

tories, steel mills. I also want to get involved in the battery storage manu facturing using nickel ion so I will no longer buy. Instead, I can produce it and export it.

For example, the consumption of steel mills is around 100MW and 400MW for smelters. I can sell it to them and put it anywhere, transport it anywhere. Our battery project can be duplicated by others. The batter ies will stabilize the system, voltage, frequency, peaking requirement,” said a ng.

SMCGP’s BESS facilities are also crucial to expanding the use of renewable energy in the country. Currently, the main challenge of re newables is intermittence, or the un reliable nature of renewable sources such as wind, solar, and hydropower. Battery technology will enable re newable capacity to be stored, ready to be deployed even when solar or wind farms or hydropower plants are down.

Okada Manila optimistic about growth

By VG Cabuag @villygc

Okada Manila hopes to end the year on a positive note, with its business gaining more traction, as the easing of mobil ity restrictions increased the demand for gaming and recreation.

Tiger Resort Leisure and Enter tainment Inc. (TRLEI), which oper

ates the facility, said it saw a 355-per cent increase in foot traffic in the integrated resort and casino for the nine-month period from last year.

“With revitalization of travel, hospitality, gaming and entertain ment sectors, we are optimistic that we will continue to ride on a growth momentum and end 2022 on a posi tive note,” TRLEI President Byron Yip said.

“It is our goal to be the premier integrated resort not just in the Philippines, but in a sia. We’re look ing forward to working with all our stakeholders towards a stronger end of the year as we welcome 2023.”

Hans Van der Sande, the compa ny’s CFO, said it is too early to state if there will be “revenge gaming and entertainment.”

“We’ve always had a very good

mix—foreigners, domestic and VIP. So I think in that sense right now our business is definitely doing better,” der Sande said.

Okada Manila has opened its function halls for face-to-face events, and has already opened its iconic multi-colored water feature. It also launched the Perlas VIP while its other restaurants have already re opened.

Program raised yields, income of coffee farmers

“Regenerative practices are indis pensable to enhancing productivity and empowering communities,” said Marzouki. “Through the Nescafé Plan, we are working to secure a re liable supply of quality green coffee beans, helping improve the livelihood of farmers, and contributing to the protection and revitalization of food systems for generations to come.”

Marzouki said regenerative agri

culture is a method of farming that enhances resource use, rather than destroying or depleting them. It is based on farming principles that rehabilitate and enhance the entire farm ecosystem by protecting and maintaining the health of the soil, espousing biodiversity, and a host of other practices that promote resil iency and the delicate balance of the environment. Rizal Raoul Reyes

NESTL é Philippines an nounced on Tuesday that a key initiative called Project Coffee+ under the Nescafé Plan of Nestlé Philippines has produced “sig nificant results.”

The company said participating smallholder coffee farmers increased their average yields and incomes by around 64 percent and 45 percent, respectively, in 2021.

Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO k ais Marzouki said the longterm plan of the company dubbed Nescafé Plan aims to increase the supply of robusta coffee to plug the supply gap in robusta by increasing the productivity of farmers.

The company noted that robusta accounts for 66 percent of local cof fee production and is mostly grown in Mindanao.

Project Coffee+, which the com pany is implementing in cooperation with the German development agency GIZ, has provided 1,500 participating farmers in Sultan kudarat and Bukid non with intensive training since 2019 to develop their agripreneurial mindset.

Marzouki said the significant in

creases in their yields and incomes are attributed to their adoption of an agri-enterprise approach to farm operations, which includes applying learned skills in better farm plan ning and budgeting, seeking financial services, money management, farm diversification through intercrop ping or multi-cropping, and raising livestock.

Other factors driving their prog ress are improvements in coffee tree maintenance, entrepreneurial farm management techniques and regen erative agriculture practices.

These findings were reported by the Rainforest a lliance, an interna tional nongovernment organization, that performed field-based monitor ing and evaluation to help assess the sustainability performance of the Nescafé Plan and measured results against targets.

The Rainforest a lliance report showed that the Project Coffee+ farm ers’ adoption of regenerative farming practices such as agroforestry, or the use of crop cover and other vegetation, the application of organic matter and rejuvenation of coffee trees have made a positive impact on total harvest.

T

HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday said it has been recognized for having one of the outstanding accounting offices in the public sector for 2021.

The award, conferred by a ssocia tion of Government accountants of the Philippines Inc. (agap), was given to organizations nominated by the Commission on audit for exemplify ing quality, timeliness and accuracy in their financial reports.

Established in 1953, a gap aims to gather reputable and dynamic government financial management practitioners towards achieving its vision of highly competent and ac countable financial management practitioners in the country.

“The SEC, primarily through its Financial Management department, has always adhered to the highest standards of financial reporting, which is crucial in securing the public’s trust as we take part in the development of our country’s finan cial sector,” SEC Chairman Emilio B. aquino said.

“This distinction further strengthens the commission’s posi tion as a governing body, employing the gold standard of public account ability and transparency.”

The SEC has been recognized for its transparent use of public funds, having received an unqualified opin ion from the COa for four consecu tive years from 2018 to 2022.

auditors render an unqualified or unmodified opinion when they con clude that the financial statements as a whole are free from material mis statements, which could arise from either error or fraud, according to the International Public Sector ac counting Standards.

The SEC has also been recognized by international organizations for its financial reporting practices.

Earlier this year, the SEC was named the recipient of the Global Good Governance (3G) Transpar ency a ward by London-based fi nancial consultancy Cambridge International Finance a dvisory.

The 3G Transparency a ward rec ognizes organizations with the most rigorous and transparent reporting on financials, govern ment and strategy. VG Cabuag

Banking&Finance

Strict border control helps BOC in Jan-Sept collection

THE Customs bureau on Wednesday said its revenue collections from January to September rose by nearly 36 percent year-on-year to P638.7 billion driven by “stringent” border control.

A statement by the Bureau of Cus toms said the BOC’s revenue during the 9-month period grew by P169.9 billion from the P468.8 billion it col lected in the same period of last year.

Customs Commissioner Yogi File mon Ruiz attributed the double-digit rate increase in collections to the bu reau’s “stringent implementation of control measures.”

Furthermore, BOC added that Ruiz continues to urge the bureau to “plug revenue leakages and strength en the nation’s trade facilitation and revenue collection performance.”

With its end-September collec tion, the BOC added that it has sur passed by 17.8 percent its P542.19billion collection target for the 9-month period.

Citing its preliminary investiga tion, the bureau said revenue collec tion in September alone rose by 38.1 percent year-on-year to P79.5 billion. The BOC added that it surpassed its September revenue target by P17.6 billion or by 28.4 percent.

“[The] Customs Commissioner continues to push all BOC offices and Collection Districts to sustain

the exceptional performance of the Bureau throughout the year by tak ing advantage of the BOC’s mod ernization programs and enhanced reform initiatives aligned with [the] President’s 8-point socioeconomic program,” it said.

The BOC has been tasked to col lect P721.5 billion this year. Ruiz ear lier expressed confidence the agency is on track to hit its higher internal collection goal of P740 billion.

Apart from increasing revenue generation, Ruiz earlier disclosed that the President also ordered him to eliminate the smuggling of illegal drugs, firearms and ag ricultural products as well as full automation and digitalization of Customs processes. (Related sto ry: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/09/05/customs-bureaurakes-in-%E2%82%A778-9b-onrising-imports/)

The BOC said its digitalization rate now stands at 91.18 percent wherein 155 out of its total 170 pro cesses have been digitized.

The bureau added its manage ment information system and tech nology group is currently working on the development of other systems to further strengthen border control, enhance trade facilitation and im prove collection of lawful revenues.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

PHL taps foreign debt market for funds via dollar bond issue

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THEPhilippines on Wednesday returned anew to the interna tional market as it seeks to raise at least $500 million in 5-year, 10.5year issues and 25-year sustainability bond, marking the second dollar-de nominated offering of the country this year and the first for the administra tion of Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

The Philippines’s multi-tranche dollar-denominated bond offering was assigned a “senior unsecured” Baa2 ratings by international credit watcher Moody’s Investor Service also on Wednesday.

Moody’s explained that the lat est dollar bonds issued by the Phil ippines will be ranked “pari passu” with the country’s “current current and future senior unsecured external debt obligations.”

Moody’s pointed out that the Baa2 issuer rating for the Philippines

takes into consideration the coun try’s “high potential” growth and a “moderate” government burden as compared to peers.

The credit watcher added that the Philippines also pose “strong” exter nal position “to meet forthcoming cross-border payment obligations and weather capital flow volatility.”

“Structural credit challenges in clude low per capita income and some constraints to the quality of insti tutions, which stand in contrast to strong policy effectiveness,” it said.

“The Philippines also has a height ened susceptibility to environmen tal risks given the high incidence of climate-related shocks,” it added.

The latest dollar bond offering is registered with the United States Se curities and Exchange Commission.

Sought for comment regarding the bench-mark sized dollar-denominat ed bond issued by the Philippines, Fi nance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said “sometimes” a country “has to be opportunistic” while taking note that the country’s preferred mix of borrowing remains at 75 percent (do mestic) and 25 percent (foreign) mix.

“75:25 that’s the preferred mix; but sometimes one has to be oppor tunistic,” Diokno told reporters last Wednesday.

Diokno earlier revealed that the government is keen on borrowing more from the domestic market to “minimize” the country’s “foreignexchange risks resulting from ongo ing global uncertainties.”

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

The proceeds from the 5-year and 10.5-year bonds would be used for “general budget financing.” Ditto for

the amount raised under the 25-year “green” bond aside from bankrolling or refinancing “assets in line with the country’s sustainable finance framework.”

The Philippines’s dollar bonds offer would settle this month and would have an initial price guidance of T+155 basis points (bps) area for the 5-year bondT+220 bps for the 10year tenure, and 6.55 percent area for the 25-year sustainability or green bond. The joint bookrunners for the dollar bonds offering are BofA Secu rities, Goldman Sachs, HSBC (B&D), J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, SMBC Nikko, Standard Chartered Bank and UBS.

In March, the Philippine gov ernment borrowed $2.25 billion from its very first dollar-denom inated global bonds, including its maiden green bonds. (Related sto ry: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/03/22/phl-raises-2-25bfrom-new-global-bonds/)

Broken down, the government raised $500 million for its new 5-year global bonds and another $750 mil lion for its 10.5-year global bonds. Meanwhile, its first-ever sustainabil ity dollar global bonds yielded $1 bil lion in proceeds for the government’s climate change initiatives.

Security Bank taps AWS to speed up digital push Lender offers hybrid digital banking for barangays

SECURITY Bank Corp. announced it has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) Inc. to support its digital transformation and innovation mandate to provide differentiated products, ser vices, and experiences for its customers.

AWS, a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., will help accelerate Security Bank’s data transformation initiatives to meet evolving customer requirements and de mands, the lender’s statement read. The bank has successfully launched the first iteration of a cloud-native, productiongrade, enterprise data platform built on AWS. This will set the bank on a datadriven journey to leverage data-rich insights and successfully deliver posi tive business outcomes. This initiative will also build data fluency across the organization, as well as incorporate in novation best practices to deliver value at scale and speed.

Cloud is at the center of Security Bank’s core transformation strategy. Once the bank fully migrates its infra structure and services to the cloud, it expects to deliver increased business agility and quicker time-to-market, drive increased staff productivity, and reduce unplanned downtimes with a highly resilient platform.

“We’re investing in our customers and in what matters to them. With AWS, we will innovate digital interactions faster and harness the power of data. Through actionable intelligence, we’ll create new ways of personalizing and delivering services like promotions and special of fers to enhance customer experiences,” Security Bank Executive Vice President Lucose Eralil was quoted in the state ment as saying.

“To thrive in a cloud environment, we will create a high-tech learning and delivery capability through practical hands-on cloud skills and continuous learning initiatives,” Nerissa Gloria C. Berba, Security Bank’s head of human capital management, said. “We’re excited to build a ‘workforce of the future’ as we also reach our goal to be the ‘Employer of Choice’ in Philippine banking.”

“The banking industry in the Philip pines is rapidly digitizing to ensure cus tomers have access to the most secure, personalized and innovative services,” AWS executive Peter Murray was quoted in the statement as saying. “We are help ing build cloud-native customer services with increased efficiency, savings, and speed to benefit their customers here in the Philippines.”

By VG Cabuag @villygc

Y

UCHENGCO family-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) has launched a “physical-digital” banking service, the country’s first mobile humanassisted remote banking service.

The new service called “Money bela Barangayan Banking,” is part of RCBC’s push to create an inclusive financial ecosystem in the country that caters to unbanked Filipinos in geographically isolated and disad vantaged areas, the lender’s state ment read.

The bank said it expects the initia tive to benefit 42,000 barangays na tionwide with the opportunity to ac cess financial services bundled with agent-assisted financial education.

Moneybela Banking Experience Support, or “MBES,” agents will go to communities where banks and other financial services are not com monly accessible, RCBC said. It was successfully piloted in Davao City in early September this year.

Aside from going around various communities nationwide to directly serve unbanked Filipinos, agents will also provide financial literacy and agent banking services in public transport terminals, public markets, schools, barangay halls and health centers to make it accessible to as many people as possible.

Top RCBC “ATM Go” merchant partners in all 81 provinces in the country would serve as MBES agents that will visit hard-to-reach areas to enable more Filipinos to have access to financial services, the bank added.

Human connection

RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Of ficer Angelito M. Villanueva said their new service “gives underserved and unbanked Filipinos access to the same financial services offered by physical banks,” such as basic deposit account creation, bill pay ments, e-load, cash in or cash out, micro insurance and telemedicine purchase.

BSP adds to regulation with digitalization tack

Villanueva said they are “excited to join the government in advancing a digitally and financially inclusive future.”

“While these digital experiences revolutionized banking, a huge seg ment of our society relies on human connection,” the executive said. “MoneyBela cuts across innovation, accessibility and practicality: a ser vice that passes the wheels of the future from banks to every Filipino in hard-to-reach areas.”

RCBC President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo said they hope to contrib ute to a future where all Filipinos are financially included.

“A keyword in the name of our program—the car’s steering wheel —serves as the main inspiration of RCBC’s innovations. Just like a manibela, we are optimistic to steer Filipinos’ lives toward a direction that is empowering, inclusive and equal for all,” Acevedo said during the launch. “Where are we head ing? Towards a financially-inclusive Philippines and as we take our jour

ney, we need to make sure that no one is left behind.”

BSP partner

ACEVEDO added the lender’s latest financial inclusion innovation sup ports RCBC’s thrust in promoting environment, social and governance principles within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable De velopment Goals.

Rallying support for Moneybela is Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe M. Medalla who lauded RCBC as one of BSP’s active partner in bridging banks to the Filipinos.

“I am really so happy that if there’s any bank that embodies the goal of bringing BSP closer to the people, it is RCBC. If we can only change our slogan, bringing BSP closer to the people through the institutions that it regulates,” Medala said during the launch. “You [RCBC] deserve all the honors you are getting for combining old ideas like cash-led banking.”

Property-seekers can now use GCash to buy Ayala Land units

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

erty developers, or brokers.

Governor Felipe M. Medalla said banking regulations are accom panied by initiatives that support the country’s shift from a cash-heavy to a “cash-lite” economy.

During a recent conference organized by the Singapore-headquartered firm TAB International Pte. Ltd., the Gov ernor explained that the BSP is pursu ing these initiatives under its “Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap” (DPTR).

The Roadmap aims to digitalize at

least 50 percent of retail transactions volume, and onboard at least 70 percent of Filipino adults into the formal finan cial system by 2023.

During the forum, the Governor also underscored that digitalization is cru cial in promoting financial inclusion and economic growth.

In the DPTR document, former BSP chief Benjamin E. Diokno was quoted as saying the central bank’s “thrust to promote digitalization of payments is also strategically geared towards fur thering financial inclusion as we view

the two to be mutually reinforcing: they go hand in hand, with each one enabling the other.”

“With the launch of the [DPTR], we aim to hit two birds with one stone. We are securing the digitalization of pay ments and increasing the number of Fili pinos with access to financial services.”

The DPTR seeks an “efficient, safe and secure digital payments ecosystem that supports the diverse needs and ca pabilities of consumers and businesses, towards achievement of the BSP’s man dates.”

operator G-Xchange Inc. an nounced a partnership with Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) by launching the lat ter’s properties for sale on the electronic pay ment platform.

GCASH

In a news briefing held in Makati City, GXchange Chief Commercial Officer Oscar Enrico A. Reyes, Jr. said the partnership between the two subsidiaries of Ayala Corp will allow cus tomers to check the latest property offerings of the different brands under ALI.

Reyes said ALI can showcase their projects in the GCash platform called “GLife.”

Using the GLife feature, he said the lifestyle feature on the GCash app will enable home buy ers and property seekers to check and browse ALI’s property listings and submit an inquiry without leaving their homes.

Reyes said the partnership enables potential homeowners and property seekers to conduct virtual unit viewing and, after they make the decision to buy a property, access cashless pay ment of reservation fees using their e-wallet account. Furthermore, home buyers no longer need to pay their real estate dues through tra ditional channels like post-dated checks, bank deposits, over-the-counter payments to prop

“They can conveniently and safely do just all these transactions using their smartphones,” Martha M. Sazon, president and CEO of GXchange parent Globe Fintech Innovations Inc., was quoted in a statement as saying.

By tapping “GLife,” Reyes said property seekers will be able to view property listings, select their preferred type of property and sub mit inquiry.

“As more and more individuals are turning to the convenience of online shopping, we strongly believe that buying home and real estate proper ties should not be any different,” ALI president and CEO Bernard Vincent O. Dy said during the briefing. “Filipinos can now have a more seamless experience in buying [ALI] properties.”

Reyes said the partnership with ALI is sub stantiation of the commitment of GCash to provide safe and convenient digital financial solutions to Filipinos. He added the firm is positioned to give Filipinos easier access to affordable house-and-lot packages and condo minium units to help them realize their dream to become homeowners.

With this partnership, he said the firm made it possible to provide a safer and more convenient way of purchasing real estate to the Filipinos and cater to the consumer’s evolving needs.

B

ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

Health& Fitness

DOH warns of measles outbreak in 2023

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Thenumber of children in the Philippines susceptible to measles is around 3 million, Department of health (DOh)  Officer-in-Charge

Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

Vergeire also disclosed a pos sible outbreak of measles next year following a meeting with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

“ Kaya po nagfa -flag a t nagwawarn po ang WHO at UNICEF sa atin na kailangan nating paigtingin ang routine immunization [That is why the WHO and UNICEF are flagging and giving us warning that we need to intensify routine immunization] because there might be an impending outbreak of measles in the country by next year if we are not going to do

anything,” Vergeire said.

She said that the current rate of fully immunized children is only 62.9 percent. The target is 95 percent.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus.

outbreak

T HERE is no specific treatment for measles.

The only reliable protection from measles is vaccination.

The DOH reiterated the warning against an impending

outbreak next year due the low complete immunization coverage among Filipino children.

With this, the DOH is deter mined to strengthen routine im munization in the country.

WHO and UNICEF support the DOH in vaccine procure ment and delivery, development of immunization guidelines and communication materials, and building the capacity of DOH staff nationwide to plan and ensure that all eligible children are protected through safe and effective vaccines for measles, rubella and polio.

“‘ Yung measles vaccine, ito po ‘yung pinakahuli na antigen or yung bakuna na binibigay sa mga bata para masabi nating fully im munized child siya [The measles vaccine is the last antigen or vac cine that we give to say that the child is fully immunized],” Ver geire said in a press briefing  on October 4.

Measles is transferred from person-to-person by sneezing,

Losing weight, and keeping it off, involves total lifestyle change

By Rory Visco Contributor

THE World Health Orga nization (WHO) has de clared that a healthy diet or food intake “helps to protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as noncommuni cable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.”

It said that an unhealthy diet, coupled with lack of physi cal activity, have become the leading global risks to health.

Rapid urbanization and chang ing lifestyles forced people to change how and what they eat, and turned to processed food, those that are high in fats, free sugar, and salt and turned away from healthier food types like fruits and vegetables, those high in dietary fiber, the WHO said.

And when they get fat, they turn to “dieting” that led to the spawning of diet plans that promised a lot of everything but delivered, well, nothing, to some extent.

Do diets really work?

R O bby F ENDER CEO and

Founder of yoli, a US-based health and wellness company established in 2009 after its co-founders discovered that many supplements available in the market used processes that destroyed many of the nutrients in the ingredients, personally believes that diets don’t really work “because doing anything that we hate, we’re not going to continue to do.”

“If you’re doing anything that you don’t love or enjoy, you’re go ing to do it for 30 times to lose the weight and because you don’t like it, you’re just going to gain everything back, and we realized that,” explained Fender.

Fender, who has advocated professional weight loss and optimal health for three de cades already, believes that if people want to lose weight and keep that weight off for the rest of their lives, it must be a lifestyle change. So, at yoli, he said they created an entire life style program using products that taste incredible, so incred ible that people lost enormous amounts of weight. b ut the good thing about it, he said, was they have kept it off because it was a change in lifestyle.

yoli, says Fender, has created a lifestyle that can make people lose the weight and keep it off.

“They get products that they love and that taste incredible. b est of all, we bring them into a com

F

munity of like-minded people where they get the support, the love, and when you spend time together with people who share the same lifestyle, it becomes something you can do forever.”

yoli, which is best known for its “ b etter b ody System,” uses whole plants, proteins, and min erals in its products. The natu rally sourced ingredients then undergo a freeze-drying process before being turned into powder.

Managing existing ailments, other medical issues

ENDER knows that there are a lot of degenerative diseases so before anything, he advised those who plan to lose weight to consult a doctor. He added that what they have learned is that the body is a miracle by itself. “When you feed the body with the right food and right ingredi ents, the body can do incredible things. What we have managed to put in our science-based prod ucts are the correct and specific ingredients to help the body fight off these different forms of degenerative ailments.”

He reiterated that yoli prod ucts do not treat or cure any thing, but their message is to feed the body with the right food, the right ingredients and be amazed to see how one’s health will improve. Fender emphasized that they packed all yoli products with incredible ingredients to feed the body, and these natural products will allow the body to do what it is meant to do even if the food people eat are hurting them.

We have looked at some of the best formulas we believe are out there and did everything we can to improve on that. All our products are proprietary blends, all trademark owned by yoli, and are approved by the Philippine FDA (Food and Drug Adminis tration).

Prevention the best investment for good health

asked if their products

are expensive, yoli Chief Op erating Officer Kirby Zenger said people can always afford what they want, adding that people buy what they need but often don’t fulfill their wants. The choice, really, will come down to a situation where their health will be compromised, they are very unhappy or de pressed, or they are not see ing a way out of their predica ment. This is when they start to make that change. “We don’t want costs to ever be a barrier for someone to have the op portunity to experience yoli products,” Zenger said.

b ottom-line is they do not make cheap products, Fender retorted. “We put together the best resources and ingredients from around the world, and that costs money, and then we will try to do everything to give it at a very reasonable price. I be lieve that upfront investment in prevention is worth so much more money than what it is go ing to cost you when it is already too late, so it is easy to focus on prevention.”

yoli recently opened its new Philippine office and Experi ence Center at the Greenfield District in Mandaluyong. Its yoli Transformation Kit (TKit) features five of yoli’s best products ( y ES Shake, Alkalete, Pure, Passion/Thermo b urn and Resolve). The T-kit provides an easy-to-follow step-by-step program to help lose weight, build lean muscle, tone, and shape the body, have more en ergy throughout the day and optimize overall health. Other yoli kits are also available that focuses on improving energy, enhancing the mood, and main taining youthful skin.

Two of the newest yoli prod ucts will soon be arriving in the Philippines: the Truth Pome granate health drink that sup ports immune function and healthy antioxidant levels as well as its in-demand Collagen supplement.

coughing, and close personal contact.

Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes/conjunc tivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than three days.

The disease’s complications in cluded diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia (infection of the lungs), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), malnutrition, blindness which may lead to death.

Measles and rubella cases

ACCORDING to the National Measles and Rubella Data of the DOH as of September 17, 2022 (MW37), there were 450 measles and rubella cases reported.

Cumulatively, the number of cases this year is 153 percent higher com pared to the 178 cases reported dur ing the same period in 2021.

Most MR cases were from Region IV-A with 70 cases (16 percent); Re gion VII with 61 cases (14 percent) and NCR with 47 (10 percent).

From August 21 to September 17, 2022, 68 cases were recorded. The regions with the highest number of

cases were Region IV-A with 16 cases (24 percent); Region VIII with 12 (18 percent); Region VII with seven cases (10 percent); Region X: with seven (10 percent) and NCR with seven (10 percent).

Regions IV-A, VIII, IX, X and XII showed case increases during the same period.

For the recent four morbidity weeks (August 21 to September 17, 2022), five out of 17 regions, Regions II, IV-A, V, VII, and NCR, surpassed the measles epidemic threshold levels.

Measles clusters were reported in Region I ( b rgy. Caranglaan, Dagupan City, Pangasinan) and Region IX ( brgy. b alangasan, Pagadian City, Zambo anga del Sur).

Nationally, 36 cases were classi fied as laboratory confirmed measles, while 37 cases were classified as labo ratory confirmed rubella.

Likewise, nationally, two deaths were reported among MR cases from MWs 1-37.

These deaths were reported in Au gust and September.

FDA approves Novartis drug for advanced breast cancer in males

THE Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ap proved ribociclib for the treat ment of metastatic breast cancer. Ri bociclib in combination with an aro matase inhibitor or fulvestrant can be used to treat postmenopausal women and men with hormone receptor posi tive, human epidermal growth fac tor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer after disease progression following an endocrine-based regimen. In pre- or peri-menopausal women or in men, endocrine therapy should be combined with a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist.

Breast cancer in males bREAST cancer is the most common cancer among Filipino women. While often thought as a disease that only affects women, breast cancer can de velop in men in rare cases. Paguirigan et al looked at medical records involv ing male breast cancer patients who underwent surgery and treatment at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) from January 2008 to December 2017. They found that male breast cancer ac counted for 15 (0.26%) of 5,777 resect ed breast specimens for breast cancer patients with a 1:384 male to female ratio. The average age of the male pa tients when they were diagnosed with breast cancer at PGH was 60 years. Sixty-seven percent were Stage II and 20 percent Stage III breast cancer.

breast cancer is rare among Filipino men and often diagnosed at a later age and at an advanced stage. b ecause of its rarity, awareness [on breast cancer in males] is necessary not only in the community but also among healthcare providers to identify and treat the prob lem earlier. Further investigation and prospective studies are recommended,” Paguirigan et al concluded.

Ribociclib in breast cancer treatment

R I b OCICLI b belongs to a newer class of medicines called CDK4/6 inhibitors. A targeted therapy, ribociclib targets spe cific proteins known as cyclin-depen dent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) thereby interrupting the process through which breast cancer cells divide and multiply.

Ribociclib is the only CDK4/6 inhibi

tor with proven overall survival benefit across all its three pivotal Phase III ad vanced breast cancer trials and is recog nized by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines as the only CDK4/6 inhibitor with over all survival benefit in first-line HR+/ HER2- advanced breast cancer.

Additionally, ribociclib has the high est rating of any CDK4/6 inhibitor on the European Society of Medical On cology (ESMO) Magnitude of Clinical b enefit Scale, achieving a score of five out of five for first-line premenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer. Further, ribociclib in combination with either letrozole or fulvestrant has uniquely, among other CDK4/6 inhibitors, received a score of four out of five for postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treated in the first line.4

“The study by Paguirigan et al showed that breast cancer in Filipino men is often diagnosed at a later age and at an advanced stage. As such, the Philippine FDA approval of ribo ciclib for male breast cancer patients is a welcome development. Ribociclib has demonstrated significant survival benefit in the first line setting in pa tients with more aggressive disease. It is the only CDK4/6 inhibitor to show a consistent overall survival benefit in combination with endocrine therapy, while also maintaining quality of life across the Phase III program,” said Dr. Arnold John b . Uson, President, Philippine Society of Medical Oncol ogy (PSMO).

“Novartis is pleased with the Phil ippine FDA approval of the indication extension of ribociclib to include male breast cancer patients. We’ve taken a bold approach to our research by including patient populations often neglected in clinical trials, identify ing new pathways or mutations that may play a role in disease progression and developing therapies that not only maintain, but also improve, quality of life for patients. Our priority over the past 30 years and today is to deliver treatments proven to improve and extend lives for women and men diag nosed with metastatic breast cancer4,” said Joel Chong, President and Man aging Director, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc.

Accelerating Asia invests in local fitness start-up

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

ACCELERATING Asia has invested $100,000 or P5.5 million in Fitscovery as among the nine Filipino-led start ups chosen for its Cohort 6 flag ship program.

Accelerating Asia is the lead ing startup engagement platform that connects investors, partners, and clients to the best start-ups in Asia and beyond through accel eration, investment opportunities and engagement.

Fitscovery, on the other hand, is a platform that links fitness, health, and wellness centers with their customers in real-time. It also allows them to build custom ized portals and maximize their reach. Through this marketplace, customers can instantly find these businesses via reviews, com ments, and recommendations.

The accelerator and venture capital model of Accelerating Asia supports pre-Series A start-ups to unlock their potential, fast-track expansion and drive success.

“Accelerating Asia takes pride in helping start-up companies ful fill their goal of leaving a positive impact in their own industries,” said Accelerating Asia General Partner Amra Naidoo.

Over the last couple of years, the Philippines has seen a mas sive increase in start-ups across different sectors, with their value aggregating to more than $2 bil lion in 2022 from $584 million last year.

As more Filipinos keep on finding more innovative solu tions to fight the pandemic, the Department of Trade and In dustry expects larger venture rounds, more frequent fundrais ing, and progressive industry growth.

“As the Philippines continues to be a breeding ground for startups in Southeast Asia, we also remain committed to helping Filipino en trepreneurs grow their businesses and effect change in the country,” she noted.

With its Cohort 6 initiative, the early-stage accelerator’s wide network of mentors provides gen eral and specialist mentorship programs to start-ups. Likewise, it gives them additional fundraising support, access to regional networks, one-on-one coaching, and more.

“Cohort 6 includes scale-up startups that are uniquely placed to capitalize on digitization trends across the region. We be lieve that these startups are on track to increase revenue signifi cantly over the next 12 months,” Naidoo said.

According to her, scale-ups with an average monthly recur ring revenue of $55,000 or P3 million grow by 180 percent since completing their custom ized accelerator that helps derisk startups across their diversified investment portfolio.

Rotary to hold ‘Fun Bike and Run to End Polio’

and promote public awareness about its initiatives to eradicate polio around the globe.

Grounds, Muntinlupa City.

In a recently held kickoff, propo nents of the initiative, composed of four lead clubs within District 3830, namely, RC Circuit Makati, RC Makati Uptown, RC Parañaque South and RC Parañaque Poblacion, said the event is part of Rotary’s campaign to inspire

The event is also part of a continu ing partnership between District 3830 through its District Governor Mildred Vitangcol and the City Government of Muntinlupa through Mayor Ruffy b iazon.

Present during the kickoff ceremo nies were Gladys Nalda (President, Ro tary Club of Circuit Makati), Marylou

Javellana (President, Rotary Club of Makati Uptown), Dr. John Romero (President, Rotary Club of Paranaque South), Sweetie Gardiner (District Chair, End Polio Committee), and Marcelino Torroba (President, Ro tary Club of Parañaque Poblacion).

Interested parties who wish to get more information on how to join or support this project may visit the re spective Facebook and social media accounts of the host rotary clubs.

Yoli executives, from left, Yoli Coo Kirby Zenger, Yoli Founder Kimi Fender, Yoli CEo and Founder Robby Fender, and Yoli Philippines Country Manager Boots Remotigue.

Parentlife

Is self-efficacy in parenting possible?: Part I

‘IT’S THE moST wondErful TImE of THE yEar...’

IHAVE often shared the goal of my husband and I to raise our children happy and fulfilled. As much as we were aware that there would be a far more competitive world out there for our children’s future, we knew that we wanted our children’s core being to be based on their inherent character and happiness. I can say it is not the easiest path to follow your child’s lead, while providing your guidance and support to an indefinite path. However, I do believe that the countless memories of meaningful smiles, frustrations or awe to newness have led my children to continuously “own their path” and love their chosen adventures.

I have often been asked how my children developed their drive to pursue things. I never knew how to properly put together my answer. It was only recently that I learned the term “self-efficacy” while watching Julie Lythcott-Haims’s YouTube video, titled “How to Raise Successful Kids—Without OverParenting.”

Below are some of the excerpts from this video that resounded to me:

“...There’s a certain style of parenting these days that is kind of messing up kids, impeding their chances to develop into theirselves...I guess what I’m saying is that we spend a lot of time being very concerned about parents who aren’t involved enough in the lives of their kids and their education or their upbringing, and rightly so. But at the other end of the spectrum, there’s a lot of harm going on there as well, where parents feel a kid can’t be successful unless the parent is protecting and preventing at every turn and hovering over every happening, and micromanaging every moment, and steering their kid toward some small subset of colleges and careers.

“When we raise kids this way—and I say we, because Lord knows that in raising my two teenagers, I had these tendencies myself—our kids end up leading a kind of checklisted childhood. And here’s what the checklisted childhood looks like. We keep them safe and sound and fed and watered, and then we want to be sure they go to the right schools, that they’re in the right classes at the right schools, and that they get the right grades in the right classes in the right schools. But not just the grades, the scores, but the accolades and the awards and the sports, the activities, the leadership...

“And here’s what it feels like to be a kid in this checklisted childhood. First of all, there’s no time for free play. There’s no room in the afternoons, because everything has to be enriching, we think. It’s as if every piece of homework, every quiz, every activity is a make-or-break moment for this future we have in mind for them, and we absolve them of helping out around the house, and we even absolve them of getting enough sleep as long as they’re checking off the items on their checklist...

“Self-efficacy is built when one sees that one’s

own actions lead to outcomes...Not one’s parents’ actions on one’s behalf, but when one’s own actions lead to outcomes. So, simply put, if our children are to develop self-efficacy—and they must—then they have to do a whole lot more of the thinking, planning, deciding, doing, hoping, coping, trial and error, dreaming and experiencing of life for themselves.

“Now, am I saying every kid is hard-working and motivated and doesn’t need a parent’s involvement or interest in their lives, and we should just back off and let go? Hell no. That is not what I’m saying.

“What I’m saying is, when we treat grades and scores and accolades and awards as the purpose of childhood, all in furtherance of some hoped-for admission to a tiny number of colleges or entrance to a small number of careers, that’s too narrow a definition of success for our kids. And even though we might help them achieve some short-term wins by overhelping—like they get a better grade if we help them do their homework, they might end up with a longer childhood résumé when we help—what I’m saying is that all of this comes at a long-term cost to

the pandemic over? Stakeholders chime in

PRESIdENT Joe Biden’s declaration that “the pandemic is over” raised eyebrows and the hackles of some experts who think such messaging could be premature and counterproductive.

But to many Americans who have long since returned to pre-Covid 19 activities and are now being forced back into the office, the remark may ring true.

The problem is that what “back to normal” feels like may differ from person to person, depending on the individual’s circumstances and by what criteria they are judging the pandemic to be over.

The Conversation asked two scholars of different parts of US society affected by the pandemic—public health and education—to evaluate just how “over” the pandemic is in their worlds. This is what they said:

Public health: Not all black and white

Lisa Miller, adjunct professor of epidemiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

PRESIdENT Biden has answered the question of whether the pandemic is over with a clear “yes,” but this is not a black and white issue.

It is true that, thanks to widespread immunity from vaccines and infections, the US is in a very different place than the country was even a year ago. But as an epidemiologist, I think the continued occurrence of between 350 and 400 deaths in the

US every day and hundreds of deaths per week in other countries around the world still constitutes a pandemic.

I understand the need Biden faces as a public figure to try to succinctly state where the country is and provide some hope and reassurance, but public health experts are still in a situation where no one can predict how the virus will mutate and evolve. These mutations may make the virus less dangerous, but it is also possible that the next variant could be more harmful. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you call the current situation—Covid-19 still poses a significant, ongoing risk to the world.

Pandemic or not, it is important to continue investing in the development of improved vaccines and bolstering the preparedness of the medical and public health systems. As Covid-19 wears on, the risk is that decision-makers will lose sight of these important goals.

The schools: Pandemic exacerbated gaps

Wayne Au, professor of education, University of Washington, Bothell

WHILE it is true that public schools may have largely returned to “normal” operations in terms of no mandatory masking, a return to using high-stakes tests to measure teaching and learning, and in-person

their sense of self. What I’m saying is that we should be less concerned with the specific set of colleges they might be able to apply to or might get into, and far more concerned that they have the habits, the mindset, the skill set, the wellness, to be successful wherever they go. What I’m saying is that our kids need us to be a little less obsessed with grades and scores and a whole lot more interested in childhood providing a foundation for their success built on things like love and chores...

“The longest longitudinal study of humans ever conducted is called the Harvard Grant Study. It found that professional success in life, which is what we want for our kids, this comes from having done chores as a kid, and the earlier you started, the better, that a roll-up-your-sleeves-and-pitch-in mindset, a mindset that says, ‘There’s some unpleasant work, someone’s got to do it, it might as well be me,’ a mindset that says I will contribute my effort to the betterment of the whole, that that’s what gets you ahead in the workplace.”

Our discussion on self-efficacy continues next week. n

attendance policies, schools are not done with the pandemic. The pandemic-induced traumas that many students have faced at home—through the deaths of friends and family, the impact of long Covid, isolation and anxiety brought on by the job insecurity of parents, and unequal access to health care—live inside of them as they attend classes today.

Many students are having to relearn how to be with each other in person and in social and academic settings. Moreover, students in low-income families are still trying to overcome the consequences of inequitable access to resources and technology at home during remote schooling.

The gaps in educational outcomes right now are the same as before the pandemic and appear at the intersection of race, class and immigration. In the same way the pandemic has exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities generally, it has similarly widened already-existing educational inequalities.

Additionally, the pandemic-related strains on the teachers and districts have resulted in staffing shortages around the country, creating increased instability for learning in schools and classrooms.

These problems have been intensified by the pandemic and may impact students—predominantly from lower-income backgrounds—for years to come.

THE countdown has begun for what an enduring chestnut calls “the most wonderful time of the year.” Christmas comes to Kultura as it showcases its Christmas Market, a showcase of the store’s uniquely Filipino décor, gifts and more, ongoing until October 19 at the Atrium East Level 2 of The Podium. It is also an exciting preview of what’s in-store for shoppers in all Kultura outlets nationwide.

A take-off from the Christmas Markets or Chritkindlmarkets that originated in Germany, and which have since become holiday traditions and tourist attractions in Europe, this brings the magic, joys and spirit of Christmas—Filipino style—to families and everyone else.

Make your home fun and festive with parols in natural materials—raffia, abaca, and burlap—crafted by local artisans. There are also foldable lanterns perfect for gifts overseas, and tabletop abaca cone trees and topiaries for smaller spaces.

Other ways to bring a homespun Christmas to your home: Santas wearing traditional Filipino attire with local icons, like lechon, sorbetes, bahay kubo and jeepneys; handmade capiz ornaments in angel, star, and tree shapes.

Kultura’s Christmas Market is also a treasure trove of gift ideas: inabel bed runners, blankets, and throws from Ilocos; table napkins handpainted by local artisans; and handwoven blankets and bath towels from Bicol. Foodies will love the local liquor; teas in pandan, lemon ginger and tanglad flavors; and gourmet coffee and chocolate.

Shoppers can also enjoy services like embroidered monograms to customize gifts and special giftwrapping with sustainable sinamay bags and pandan gift boxes.

More information can be found at www. kulturafilipino.com.

THESE tabletop abaca cone trees and topiaries are perfect for small spaces.

maKE your noche Buena more memorable with dinnerware in ikat and fruits prints designed by local artists; complete sets available at Kultura filipino.

malaGoS Chocolate fondue set is great for gifts and holiday get-togethers. available at Kultura filipino.

Barangay leaders of Guiuan bring their mining questions to Cagdianao, Hinatuan

Toyota Motor Philippines offers financing packages to MSMEs for their biz goals

BASED on the fourth quarter 2020 statistics of the United Nations Development Programme, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) make up 99.5 percent of the Philippines’ business establishments, employed 63 percent of the country’s workforce, and contributed to 40 percent of the country’s GDP in the past years. In 2020, this number declined due to community lockdowns.

Today, as the economy is steadily opening up, MSMEs are now getting back on track. One important factor they need is access to financing. Financing is essential to the growth of MSMEs as it can help them resume operations and reenter the market.

B

ARANGAY captains and councilors from the 30 coastal barangays of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, including Manicani, personally directed their questions about responsible mining to the experts at Cagdianao Mining Corp. (CMC) and Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC), subsidiaries of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC).

A 33-strong delegation traveled all the way from Eastern Samar to the Province of Dinagat Islands, where CMC has its operations, and to Surigao del Norte, where HMC operates, for a back-to-back comprehensive mine tours.

The mine tour is part of the requirements of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in preparation for the resumption of the mining operations of HMC’s Manicani Nickel Project (MNP) which is under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Guiuan.

HMC-MNP was recently granted the permit by the DENR to resume its mining

operations in Manicani.

Being members of PAMB, the barangay captains and kagawads of the coastal barangays expressed particular interest in the details of the environment protection and enhancement programs of the two mining companies.

Most of them have not seen an active mine before and their questions focused on the impact of mining to the environment.

One particular feature of the mines that impressed them was the technology of the series of water chambers that start in “canal curtains” surrounding the open mine that wind-up in wide settling ponds, plus the silt booms at the exact discharge point before the run-offs enter the body of water surrounding the island. Both CMC and HMC proudly have this system in place, meticulously designed to ensure the protection of marine life and water resources around the mine sites.

“We specifically requested for this mine tour for us to gain the experience

that will help us explain to other PAMB members how mining will be done in Manicani and what we have witnessed in CMC and HMC gave us confidence to give our full support to HMC-MNP,” says Barangay Captain Leo Lacaba of Barangay 6, the designated spokesperson for the group.

Rehabilitation and environment enhancement also gathered multiple questions and the showcase of HMC’s mine eco-tourism sites where guests enjoyed tea from herbs growing at the mined-out areas provided adequate answers.

The barangay leaders conveyed satisfaction, some admitting they only fully understood what responsible mining was after the mine tours, debunking every misinformation they have harbored all these years.

“I had misgivings about mining, I was one of those who would shut down favorable opinions about responsible mining, but I now admit I was misinformed so I thank NAC for this learning opportunity,” says Nida Sabalbirino, Captain of Barangay 11.

Mylene Quito to hold exhibit to showcase art work titled “Les Belle Fleurs, In Full Bloom” at Ayala Malls, Manila Bay

With the vision of bringing mobility for all and the goal of enabling local businesses to contribute to economic recovery, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) is committed to being the partner of every MSME. The country’s leading mobility company is empowering livelihoods by extending financial assistance through its financing partner, Toyota Financial Services Philippines (TFSPH); and including its Light Commercial Vehicle line, the all-new Lite Ace in TFSPH’s Kabuhayan on Wheels Financing program.

Growing businesses now have the chance to own the all-new Lite Ace to help with their day-to-day operations. They can choose from these easy and convenient options: (1) Vehicle Loan and (2) Finance Lease, both of which are customizable to ensure hassle-free payment terms. In addition to these, Toyota has introduced its newest option, (3) Lite Sa Bulsa, which allows customers to pay on a weekly basis for as low as P2,903.50 a week.

With the Kabuhayan on Wheels Financing Program, MSMEs are a step closer to achieving

their asenso goals! For those who want to avail of this new offer, just visit the nearest Toyota dealer in your area to inquire. A P5,000 worth of gas cards await every successful booking. Toyota marketing professionals will be more than willing to assist you in every step of the application process.

If you are an MSME, start moving forward in your business with the all-new Toyota Lite Ace which are available in pickup, panel van, FX utility van, and cargo aluminum van variants.

Kabuhayan on Wheels and Lite Sa Bulsa are just a few of the programs that Toyota Motor Philippines and Toyota Financial Services Philippines offer, as part of their commitment to provide mobility for all. Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corporation is supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. To know more, visit our website at www.toyotafinancial.ph.

E-money issuer Starpay offers efficient payroll disbursement solution for small businesses

transaction, they will receive a text message, and collect the funds from Starpay’s cash-in partners. The system provides efficiency for liquidation and reconciliation and eliminates the possibility of ghost employees in the payroll.

Smartphone users can download the app through the Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and the Huawei App Gallery. Now with a new look, users can go cashless and pay bills with Starpay’s over 300 billers and scan-to-pay with QR PH at over 100,000 merchants nationwide.

DIVERGENT

worlds. The distinct experiences. Having woven all these together concluded an introspection within Mylene Quito (b. 1986) as a self-taught painter. It came with both fire and ease. Remembrance is synonymous with her art. Some depicted her life journey as a mother and a daughter. Within her heart was where the grass grew. And here we are, looking in.

Les Belles Fleurs is evidence of Quito’s mastery of patterns and the dance between sharp lines and billows. Her layering, which we also observe in the propagation of plants, signifies that growth is life. Quito’s transformation from realism to abstractionism underscores the evolution that was due. Quito is not one to sit still when the wanderlust calls. Even from afar, she will hear the blooming of flowers. Calla Lilies, roses, tulips, poppies, and sunflowers are representations of the sacredness of the transmutation of personal tribulations that are unheard of by most. The colors yield to glorious epiphanies rather than

succumb to sorrow. Certain times call for such to happen.

The artist digs deep. Into the earth, she does if she must, from where once the grass sprung to the air. Mylene Quito has earned her place among the brave. She is fearless in art where swatches of varied motifs would appear to collide but does not. Instead, it lures one to the innermost space and the tiniest

detail. Her mother was once a part-time seamstress overseas and would send Mylene and her siblings some clothes with colorful patterns. Having done so, Quito’s art reveals a life that was complex yet playful. It is as contemplative as embroidery. Likewise, depicted upon the petals is this tapestry of cultures— oriental and western, which soothes an unbearable longing from far away. Perhaps to be realized is that home could be anywhere. Once again, from where she stood, Mylene Quito dug into the earth, deeper this time, as life would call for her to do.

Les Belles Fleurs, IN FULL BLOOM is her second solo show. It relates to the virtuous qualities of her mother, which have inspired the artist to persevere in life. For her, such maternal probity is not only worthwhile to recall but to be timelessly honored.

Exhibit Runs from October 19 to 25, 2022 at the Ground Floor, Ayala Malls, Manila Bay. For more details, visit us at www.artcircle-gallery.com.

Second W.Mall opens its doors to Muntinlupa community

“Starpay is committed to being the solutions provider through challenging situations. Unlike typical e-wallets, we exert efforts to reinvent the use of our core,“ emphasized Starpay Head of Operations Richard Rosettes.

P

AYROLL disbursement is a major concern of both small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In the case of construction firms working with local workers, they still opt for manual payouts where project managers or foremen are given the task of distributing salaries to workers. The process cannot be closely monitored, especially for projects in far locations and can result in potential pilferage.

Disbursing salaries via ATMs would be ideal. However, without the proper IDs, banks cannot issue ATM cards, let alone open accounts for the workers.

Starpay has the functionality to disburse salaries to employees without releasing actual cash on-site. Recipients do not need to own a smartphone, and a regular mobile phone as text messages will suffice.

Just like a regular money transfer

For local government units and government agencies, Starpay has end-to-end solutions from automation to collection, specializing in disbursement with real-time reporting for transparency as required by the Commission on Audit and other government agencies.

For private corporations, Starpay offers a fully operational HR Management system connected with the Secured Electronic Network Disbursement system (SEND) that disburses to employees. It also provides a full suite of systems beyond payment and e-wallet utilization.

As a financial institution monitored and regulated by BSP, Starpay strictly monitors users to avoid fraud and misuse of accounts.

“Compliance is not just for regulatory purposes but for the security of all users,” Rosettes said. Starpay is a licensed and regulated Electronic Money Issuer (EMI) by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

T

HE second W.Mall recently opened in Muntinlupa, coinciding with the 30th anniversary celebration of WalterMart Supermarket. Conveniently located along the West Service Road, W.Mall Muntinlupa stays true its promise of bringing a complete and happy shopping experience to customers.

Positioned to be a premium, onestop destination for every family’s needs, W.Mall Muntinlupa offers a wide selection of anchor stores, food choices, services and wellness. The two-storey W.Mall serves the diverse Muntinlupa community with FREE parking perk to the car-riding public and provides even more reasons for customers to love going to this newest community mall.

DISCOVERY

Suites’ 22 Prime, one of Manila’s best steakhouses, has something new for burger lovers. Burger Bar by 22 Prime is a must-try for foodies in constant search for the newest and interesting food finds in the metro. These gourmet burgers are made from premium and freshest ingredients, and buns are all freshly baked and handcrafted by 22 Prime’s culinary team.

The Burger Bar menu is for everyone. Aside from their usual USDA beef patty, they have crispy fried chicken and fish tempura as non-beef options. But there is more to these burgers that make it not-your-usual-favoriteburger around the corner. These burgers do not use mass produced, commercially available buns in the market. You will find your patty in between a pretzel bun, brioche bun or doughnut bun for a unique and next level burger experience.

Get a taste of these mouthwatering burgers starting October 1. The Burger Bar is available for dine-in, room service, takeaway and delivery. For orders and inquiries, please call 22 Prime at (+632) 7719 8888 or (+632) 7719

Discovery Suites’ 22 Prime offers Burger Bar for burger lovers

BARANGAY

kagawads

Guiuan,

Samar,

THE artist and one of her masterpieces

SHARING honors with the ribbon cutting ceremony at the opening of the second W.Mall in Muntinlupa branch are W.Mall executives with Muntinlupa Vice Mayor Temy Simundac, Engr. Allan Cachuela, Muntinlupa City Admin & representative for Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, and Rev. Fr. Carmelo Estores from Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.

Envoys&Expats

Diplomats pledge wide support for local education, tourism, etc.

German recycling, waste-mngt firms seek business partners

THE German-Philippine

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) organized a business conference on September 27 which focused on the recycling and waste-management sector.

“We are elated to see again the large interest of German firms by traveling to the Philippines to ex plore cooperation, engage potential partners, and…see the eagerness of their Philippine counterparts,” said GPCCI Executive Director Christopher Zimmer, as he hoped that the delegation will pave the way for more collaboration in the recycling and waste-management industry of both the Philippines and Germany.

“And with the newly enacted Ex tended Producers Responsibility Act of 2022 in effect, we are glad that discussions…[would be timely for all stakeholders, especially for small and medium enterprises] in the re cycling and waste-management sec tor,” Zimmer added. “Overall, we are pleased to provide the platform that further bolsters bilateral business relations between the Philippines and Germany.”

‘Zero Waste to Nature’ program.”

Said program is a declaration of commitment by global and local manufacturers, together with plas tic producers, recyclers, and other members of the waste-value chain, to initiate and support efforts to re duce and collect waste, in line with the 2025 sustainable-packaging commitments of some global brands, while adhering to science and local economics.

“Our organization aims to build capacity [for] local government units, communities and the private sector,” said Solid Waste Management Asso ciation of the Philippines’s president Dr. Marlon De Luna Era, as he urged joining companies to “talk and coop erate on how we can work in attain ing the sector’s targets.”

The business mission was held under the Foreign Market Entry Programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. It was composed of a physical delegation with more than 50 business meetings for German delegates in the Philippines.

The business conference included several local experts from the recy cling and waste-management sector, and was attended by more than 130 participants from the Philippines and Germany.

SEVERAL

envoys have vowed to strongly support the Philippines in education, tourism, economy, infrastructure, and achieving longlasting peace, among others.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte recently welcomed ambassadors from Qa tar, India, the European Union (EU), Japan, New Zealand, Thailand, and the United States in separate cour tesy calls.

The first three primarily dis cussed matters on education.

Duterte cited Finland—a mem ber-state of the EU—for setting a good example worldwide when it comes to quality learning.

As such, Ambassador Luc Véron expressed willingness to help the Philippines improve the quality of its basic education, as he shared the belief that a country’s level of learning says a lot about its national competence.

Commenting in Filipino, the vice president said that the Scandina vian country’s experience has been a topic of conversation in education, then confirmed the bloc’s intent to help the Philippines boost its educa tion sector.

Duterte also expressed her plans to assist Qatar, as she thanked Am bassador Ali Ibrahim Al-Malki for expressing willingness to aid local educational programs.

She revealed that the Office of the Vice President will also help this month the Qatari government distribute bags from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association to promote the Middle Eastern coun try’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup in November.

Indian Ambassador Shambhu Kumaran, meanwhile, lauded the country’s educational setup, partic ularly in a medical school in Davao City where many of his compatriots are currently matriculating.

The Indian diplomat underscored the need for technological innova tions in schools, especially that the country is recovering from the ef fects of the pandemic.

The education chief shared that Kumaran expressed his support af ter seeing the directional plans for

education, and methods to recover from the health crisis.

Tourism, lasting peace OTHER countries also disclosed their desire to help boost tourism in the country. For instance, Thailand lauded Davao City’s iconic landmarks that both serve as tourist and trade destinations.

Ambassador Tull Traisorat, ac cording to Duterte, shared the “Two Countries, One Destination” pro gram, where the kingdom has coordi nated with the Tourism Department to further boost local tourism, which includes the establishment of Dusit Thani Hotels and Resorts.

Likewise, Ambassador Peter Kell of New Zealand noted that they are eyeing to help Mindanao achieve long-lasting peace to advance its re gional development.

New Zealand, the vice president

revealed, is focusing on Mindanao to strengthen its peace process, programs for women, agriculture, and renewable energy, capacitybuilding, learning and training op portunities.

She also welcomed ambassadors from the US and Japan, as she shared the ongoing programs and services of her office, which includes medical and burial assistance and free rides programs, as well as the livelihoodassistance program to be launched in the coming months.

Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshi kawa, for his part, thanked Duterte for her visit to Japan for the state funeral of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Both Duterte and President Fer dinand Marcos Jr. earlier expressed their profound condolences to the bereaved family of the fallen prime minister. Stephanie Sevillano/PNA

Canada’s agri minister beefs up food security, partnerships

CANADA’S Minister of Agri culture and Agri-Food Ma rie-Claude Bibeau engaged Philippine government officials, business leaders, civil-society groups and other stakeholders from local agriculture and agri-food industries and organizations.

Over the course of her two-day Manila visit from September 25 to 26, Bibeau sought to increase coop eration, expand trade and invest ments, as well as promote Canadian agri-food products and solutions.

“In recent years Canada and the Philippines have enjoyed a healthy trading relationship for agri-food and seafood,” the minister said. “[We kept our] borders open dur ing the pandemic and continuously exported quality food and feed products that supplemented both our domestic food-production in dustries and contributed to global food security.”

The Philippines has now become Canada’s second-largest agri-food and seafood export market in South

east Asia. In 2021 the latter’s exports grew by over 64 percent to over CA$567 million from 2020. Agrifood and seafood comprised about 35 percent of the North American country’s total shipments, making its Asean partner the next largest export market for poultry, fifth for pork, and eighth for beef.

Meanwhile, Philippine agri-food exports, which include coconuts, pineapples, dried mangoes, sea food such as tuna, and processed food, have steadily increased even throughout the pandemic.

“We are committed to elevate this relationship even further, and to ex plore ways Canada can contribute to the Philippines’s agri-food sector by being a reliable partner on food se curity” the Canadian government official explained.

In her visit, Bibeau met with Ag riculture Department delegates, lo cal meat importers, as well as other agri-food importers in retail, flour milling and wheat.

She also visited the first Tim

Horton’s restaurant that opened in the country.

Throughout her visit, the min ister reiterated Canada’s commit ment to advance agricultural trade and cooperation with, and expand market access.

Canada shares priorities and interests with the Philippines as expressed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in recent statements, in cluding combating climate change, food security and working to pre serve fragile environments.

“[We recognize] the impact of

climate change on Philippine agri culture, food security and poverty reduction,” Bibeau said during her meeting with Agriculture Senior Un dersecretary Domingo Panganiban. “We are committed to support in terventions that promote increased agricultural growth, while adopting climate-smart and gender-sensitive approaches.”

The minister also expressed her condolences and well wishes to the survivors of Supertyphoon “Kard ing” (international name Noru), which hit Central Luzon last month.

In the conference, Commission er Crispiano Lao, who is founding president of the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Material Sustain ability, said “44,610 tons of waste are produced in the Philippines daily, but we believe that this can be solved.”

Lao further explained: “The need to address the lack of infrastructure is key to attaining the goals of the

Five German firms participated in the business mission: 2G Energy AG, BOMAG GmbH, CUTMETALL plus Carbide Germany GmbH, EU WELLE Environmental Technology GmbH, and Vecoplan AG.

Embassy donates law books to The Hague’s peace palace

THE HAGUE—Ambassador of the Philippines to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Ma laya visited the Peace Palace Library and donated law books from the Philippines, plus the compilation of judicial decisions of International Court of Justice (ICJ) Judge Cesar Bengzon while the latter was serv ing in the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

General Director Erik de Baedts of the Carnegie Foundation received the donation on behalf of the Peace Palace Library.

As judge of the ICJ, Bengzon was elected in 1967 and served un til 1976. Prior to his service in The Hague, he was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from 1961 to 1966.

Donated to the Peace Palace Li brary were the following: Book of De cisions and Resolutions of Chief Justice Cesar Fernando C. Bengzon (Volumes I to III), and Book of Decisions and Resolutions of Justice Florentino P. Feliciano (Volumes I to III), both pub lished by the Supreme Court of the Philippines on the milestone occa sion of the inauguration of the ICJ Judge Cesar Bengzon Hall last July 19 at the newly renovated Chancery of the Philippine Embassy.

Also turned over was Law in the Service of Human Dignity: Essays in the Honour of Florentino Feliciano. Feliciano was founding member, then chairperson of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organiza tion from 1995 to 2001.

“As the resource library of the ICJ and the Permanent Court of Ar bitration, the Peace Palace Library is the preeminent repository of the world’s legal knowledge,” said Ma laya. “We hope that these books will be useful references on Philippine perspectives and developments in international law for the academia, legal research institutes, and inter national tribunals, [contributing] to the progressive development of international law.”

The ambassador also donated two books he authored: Philippine Treaties in Force 2020 with Atty.

Crystal Gale P. Dampil-Mandig ma—a comprehensive index to sub

sisting international agreements entered into by the Philippines from 1946 to 2020, and Enhancing International Legal Cooperation: Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, and Co operation on Transnational Organized Crimes and Narcotic Drugs (Treaties, Laws and Procedure) with Atty. Ma.

Sheila Monedero- Arnesto and Atty.

Ricardo V. Paras III.

A copy of the Philippine Yearbook of International Law (2017) was also donated.

“The Carnegie Foundation is deeply grateful to Ambassador Ma laya and the Embassy of the Philip pines for this book donation,” said Baedts. “These publications are valuable additions to the collec tions of the Peace Palace Library. The books will serve as useful refer ences, especially for the present and future young lawyer students of The Hague Academy of International Law who wish to develop expertise in the field of both public and pri vate international law.”

Consul Atty. Marianne Bringas and Legal Officer Marisar Ivy Ca batingan joined Malaya during the book donation.

The Carnegie Foundation owns and manages the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Hague Academy of International Law. The foundation is committed to promot ing the issues of war and peace, hu man rights, international law and international cooperation.

VICE President Sara Duterte receives a jersey from Ambassador Peter Kell. OVP DUTERTE gets a gift from European Union representatives. OVP AMBASSADOR Shambhu Kumaran signs the guest logbook. OVP

AMBASSADOR Tull Traisorat also affixes his signature in the logbook. OVP THE vice president and Ambassador Ali Ibrahim Al-Malki OVP

AMBASSADOR Kazuhiko Koshikawa speaks with the vice president. OVP

DUTERTE (third from left) with Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson (third from right) and other representatives OVP

BIBEAU (second from left) leads the Canadian delegation with its meeting with Philippine coun terparts from the agriculture department.

AMBASSADOR to The Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya (left) and Carnegie Foundation Gen eral Director Erik de Baedts THE HAGUE PE

PVL to use video challenge system

THE Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will implement a video challenge system for its up coming Reinforced Conference, league president Ricky Palou confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.

“We have already ordered and paid for the video challenge,” said Palou during the Reinforced Conference press conference at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City.

Palou said they’re waiting for the equipment to arrive anytime from abroad, but dismissed the possibility of using it on opening day of the Re inforced Conference at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex this Saturday.

The cameras are coming in from Italy and will be shipped Wednesday.

“It will most likely be a week or 10 days,” said Sports Vision market ing head Fred Fateh, referring to the time for the equipment to reach the country. “The equipment’s manufac tured in different parts of the world but shipped from Italy.”

PLDT and United Auctioneers-Army, meanwhile, will open the action on Sat urday at 2:30 p.m., while Akari makes its league debut against back-to-back bronze medalist Cignal at 5:30 p.m.

The matches will be played every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and aired on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play and Smart Gigaplay.

United City calls New Clark City home turf for PFL

REIGNING national cham pion United City Football Club (UCFC) will play its home matches in the Philippines Football League (PFL) at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium start ing this month.

The UCFC home premier will be against the Azkals Develop ment Team (ADT) led by former Azkals captain Stephan Schroeck on October 22 at 4 p.m.

It will be the first professional football game to be held at the worldclass facility since it was built in 2019 for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

UCFC will also host Stallion Laguna FC on November 5 with tickets going on sale starting this week

UCFC is representing Central Luzon in the league.

“To represent Central Luzon and bring football to the local community is a major step in the development of professional football in the country,” UCFC President Eric Gottschalk said.

Gottschalk made the announce ment during a memorandum of under standing signing ceremony recently at the New Clark City where he was joined by Philippines Football Federation Gen eral Secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes and Central Luzon Football Association President Alvin Yalung.

“We are proud to have access to the best sports venue in the Phil ippines when we host our home matches and we look forward to building our community and have our fans attending live matches at this beautiful stadium,” Gottschalk added.

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Aileen Zosa welcomed UCFC and extended BCDA’s commitment to give the best football experience to the teams playing at the facility.

Perez (third from

with (from left) United City Football Club (UCFC) Director of Football

Esteva, team captain Alan Robertson and

Eric Gottschalk, Central Luzon Football

Alvin Yalung, Philippine

Edwin

Sports

DUTCH WRESTS LEAD

saved a 71, at 144.

Hartmann

Gibbons: Marcial should be better fighter in 3rd pro bout vs Pichardo

By Josef Ramos

NTERNATIONAL matchmaker

I

GUIDO

VAN DER VALK was unruffled by the winds and took command with a 68 in one of the late flights to grab a one-stroke lead over erstwhile leader Fidel Concepcion halfway through the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Riviera Championship in Silang, Cavite, on Wednesday.

Van der Valk matched Concepcion’s big start that keyed the latter’s first round surge Tuesday but the former bested the latter’s opening 69 with a stronger finish on Langer’s tough finishing holes, birdying Nos. 15 and 16 for a pair of 34s.

That fueled the Manila-based Dutchman’s drive for a second championship in this year’s Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) following a stirring playoff win over Miguel Tabuena at Splendido Taal last May as he moved on top with an even 142 total.

“Good day because this course is difficult for me,” said Van der Valk, short in length but long in talent. “It’s long and windy, the greens are small and have lots of slopes in them, so I’m very happy to hit five birdies against two bogeys.”

The lead changed hands as fast as the wind changed directions in another harsh day here, so wild that an amateur scored a hole-in-one on No. 4, which Gretchen Villacencio aced

in her side of the battle in the Ladies PGT last Tuesday, and put himself in strong contention, club pro Marvin Dumandan got into the mix in a long, long while, and the fancied Juvic Pagunsan recovered from a fumbling start with a run of birdies to salvage a 71 and pull to within four strokes off the lead with 36 holes left in the P2 million championship put up by ICTSI.

“The frontnine was tough, it’s quite windy but I was able to get back at the backnine with a one-under card,” said Concepcion, who held sway despite bogeys on Nos. 3 and 7 before yielding it with a double-bogey on the par-4 ninth after three-putting from 10 feet.

Obscure Rico Depilo hit two birdies against a bogey and tied Concepcion at the turn at two-over but the latter birdied the 10th to regain the lead, only to tumble down with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13 as Van der Valk, who best finish here at Langer was fifth in 2019, stormed ahead with his big finish two flights ahead of Concepcion’s.

The first round leader, however, didn’t stray too far as he rebounded with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 for solo second at 143 while amateur Josh Jorge made a ninth career hole-in-one on No. 4 to spike a 69 and tie Dumandan, who

“Tsamba lang,” said Jorge, a young power hitter who used a pitching wedge to score his ninth ace using a Bridgestone ball No. 3 on the 182-yard hole. He actually had a mishit with the ball sailing over the hazard and hitting the sloping

green on the right before rolling straight to the cup.

With a clear crack at the crown, Jorge, one of the aspirants for the Philippine team set to vie in the Nomura Cup at his home course, Manila Southwoods, in November, stressed the need to stay focused, adding: “If ever I get to make a bad shot, will just forget it and move on to the next hole.”

But looming large at 146 is Pagunsan, who fought back from an opening 75 and three bogeys in the first six holes in the second round with birdies on Nos. 8, 9 and 15 for a 71 that sparked hopes for another surge by the most feared player in the fold, who dominated this event in 2019 in severe conditions.

BLACKWATER DENTS SMB ARMOR

BASER AMER nailed the go-ahead triple and Mike Ayonayon pulled off a defensive gem and with import Cameron Krutwig working hard all game long, Blackwater beat San Miguel Beer, 109-106, in what was the first reversal in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Down 104-106 with a minute remaining, Amer buried a threepointer to give the Bossing a onepoint lead. Ayonayon then stole the ball off CJ Perez for a layup to peg the final count that sent Blackwater to its second win in four games.

Import Krutwig tallied a tripledouble of 20 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists as the Bossing recover from a disappointing 105109 defeat to Magnolia despite leading by 10 at the fourth quarter.

“We have to stay positive, saying we can win this game … let’s keep it

UE, FINALLY, WINS IN UAAP

UNIVERSITY of the East (UE) ended its 15-game losing skid after scoring a 76-66 decision of Far Eastern University (FEU) Wednesday in University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 85 men’s basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

The Red Warriors needed a huge 25-8 third-quarter to end the drought and go 1-1 won-lost this season.

It was the Red Warriors’ first win since edging National University, 7977, on October 30, 2019.

Although the Tamaraws tried to

rally from a 44-65 hole to trim the deficit to single digit, the 18-time UAAP champions’ huge lead was enough cushion to preserve their victory.

“We had lapses down the stretch but the bottom line is the game plan was followed,” UE coach Jack Santiago said. “I thank my boys, especially Kyle [Paranada].”

Paranada was solid for the Red Warriors with 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting and dished out five assists.

It was also UE’s first victory against FEU since a 90-65 rout on September 30, 2018.

Patrick Sleat led the Tamaraws

close in the fourth,” said Krutwig, who also blocked two shots. “We were making great shots all game and we started to make them suffer in the fourth. We closed the gap and we got it done,” Blackwater trailed 64-79 in the third period, but didn’t give up with Ayonayon scoring all his 10 points in that quarter.

Amer and Troy Rosario also added firepower to Blackwater’s blazing fourth quarter by scoring eight points each there. Amer finished with 16 points and Rosario 13 points.

Blackwater outscored San Miguel Beer, 32-17, in the final period.

Yousef Taha made 13 points and Gab Banal had 10 points also for the Bossing.

“I told the players that this is the best time to beat San Miguel Beer because they are struggling with a new import,” Blackwater coach Ariel Vanguardia said. “This

with 15 points while Cholo Añonuevo contributed 10 points, five rebounds and two assists.

LJ Gonzales, who suffered a cut on his left eye in practice Tuesday, only had five points after dropping 19 points in FEU’s 70-79 loss to Ateneo Sunday.

Defending champion University of the Philippines (UP), meanwhile, rallied from 16 points down in the first half and leaned on Terrence Fortea in overtime to turn back Adamson University, 87-78, for its second straight victory also on Wednesday.

Fortea was superb in the extra session, nailing back-to-back triples and assisted Malick Diouf’s slam dunk to give the Fighting Maroons the needed separation at 82-74 with 2:28 remaining.

Fortea scored 12 points and dished out five assists to go with three assists and two rebounds in 34 minutes of action.

Zavier Lucero led UP with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists while Senegalese Diouf produced a double-double of 13 points and 12 boards to go with four blocks and four assists.

Adamson University dropped in a tie with FEU at 0-2.

Jerom Lastimosa led the Falcons with 25 points, six assists and six rebounds while Congolese Lenda Douanga chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.

is the best time also to bounce back after being embarrassed the last time,” June Mar Fajardo was unstoppable in the shade and posted 23 points with 16 rebounds for the Beermen, who debuted in the conference on Wednesday.

Diamond Stone, who replaced injured import Thomas Robinson, had 20 points and eight rebounds a day after arriving from the US.

The win was Blackwater’s first over San Miguel Beer since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.

Josef Ramos

Sean Gibbons expressed confidence and caution as Tokyo Olympian Eumir Felix Marcial climbs the ring Saturday (Sunday in Manila) for his third professional fight in the US. Gibbons, who heads former senator Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, expects Marcial to be a better middleweight after ridding himself of weight issues that saw him wobble at times during his second professional fight last April.

“We haven’t seen the best of Eumir [Marcial] yet,” Gibbons told BusinessMirror Wednesday.

“He had a seeming problem with his weight and he had no endurance when guys threw punches at him.” Marcial, 26, takes on American Steve Pichardo in an undercard of the Jerwin Ancajas-Fernando Daniel Martinez rematch for the International Boxing Federation super flyweight championship at the Dignity Sports Park in Carson City, California.

It will be his third fight as a pro after a four-rounder with Andrew Whitfield in December 2020 in Los Angeles which he won by unanimous decision and a tall 6-foot-2 Isiah Hart, also a four-rounder 16 months later in Las Vegas.

Against Hart, Marcial showed signs of losing his wind and was almost knocked down. He, however, managed a technical knockout win in the fourth round.

The Marcial-Pichardo fight will be a non-title six-rounder and Gibbons has his reservations.

The 26-year-old Pichardo, Gibbons said, has 11 pro fights—8-2-1 win-loss-draw record with two knockouts—and that could work to the American’s advantage.

“He is fighting a tough guy with 11 professional fights, so it’s not going to be easy,” Gibbons said.

But Marcial’s punching power could work well against Pichardo.

“With that kind of punching power, I know he can knockout anyone, anytime,” Gibbons said. “I just hope he has a good fight, he wins convincingly and has a clean fight to get into next level.”

Marcial’s trainers, Gibbons added, also tinkered with his regimen and nutrition.

“He changed his diet plans and enhance his training, so I expect improvement on Sunday,” Gibbons said. “I know that he also adjusted very well after that second pro bout.”

Benilde fans win streak at expense of winless Mapua

COLLEGE of Saint Benilde logged its second three-game winning streak in the National Collegiate Athletic Association seniors basketball tournament with a 73-64 win over Mapua Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

“This is a great confidence booster for us because we wanted to prove that we can beat any team, especially those who’s been in the Finals or Final Four and I think it will help us in our upcoming two games,” said Miggy Corteza, who led the Blazers with 17 points and four rebounds.

The Blazers’ previous two opponents were no pushovers—San Beda and Jose Rizal University. They’re now 6-1 won-lost atop the standings.

Migs Oczon tallied 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals while Ladis Lepalam contributed 10 points and five rebounds for the Blazers.

Corteza was happy with his team’s balanced offense.

“I think everyone can score,” Corteza said. “Coach Charles (Tiu) also gives us the green light.”

The Cardinals, runners-up last season, stumbled to their eighth straight loss.

Mapua will wrap up its first round campaign against Emilio Aguinaldo College, which has a 0-6 record, in a duel of winless squads on Saturday.

Rence Nocum led the Cardinals with 15 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Warren Bonifacio had a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Arvin Gamboa chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds.

SPORTS Vision officials Tony Boy Liao and Ricky Palou (seated, first and second from left) sit on the high table with TV5/Cignal TV Vice President for Production Finance and Special Projects Sienna Olaso and Smart Prepaid Manager Jessa Coson. They are joined by the imports of the participating teams.

KYLE PARANADA plays big as the Red Warriors snatch their first victory in the league since October 2019.

GUIDO VAN DER VALK survives tough conditions on Wednesday’s second round. ROY DOMINGO