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ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS

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UP bags award-winning design that could transform most PHL homes into ‘disaster-resilient’ abodes

HOUSE UPON THE ROCK R

By Cai U. Ordinario

ETROFITTING houses to make homes resilient to disasters, such as typhoons and earthquakes, can now cost only P16,000, a new design crafted by the University of the Philippines (UP) Institute of Civil Engineering has proven. The Column Footing Grade Beam Monolith design was awarded $25,000 by Habitat for Humanity and partners, such as Innocentive and Sea Freight, for being cost-efficient and exceeding the minimum standards found in the Philippine Structural Code in terms of resiliency. The design also received top scores in the community acceptability survey conducted among households, artisans, hardware store owners, and the local governments, all crucial throughout the selection process. “UP’s Monolith solution will cost roughly P16,000 for a 25-square-meter house. In the challenge that we conducted, the other solutions are cheaper, but not quite as durable,” Jessan Catre, Philippine Country Lead, Habitat for Humanity International’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, told the BusinessMirror in a recent interview. “Currently, there are no existing solutions [like this] being offered in the market right now for houses without foundation,” Catre added.

Future expansion

THE Column Footing Grade Beam Monolith design, created by the UP Institute of Civil Engineering team led by Dean Ashton Plamenco, scored points from

households for having an abang that would allow families to build a second floor to create a more spacious home. Catre said the solution would greatly benefit a million low-income households in the Philippines who may find the need to retrofit their homes and make them more resilient to typhoons and earthquakes. He said, however, that discussions would be conducted with the University of the Philippines team and Habitat’s partners in order to find ways to implement the solution to benefit these households. “We will discuss this with the UP team and other partners. When we launched the Challenge, we didn’t know what solution would win so we’re doing it iteratively,” Catre told this newspaper. During the recent awarding ceremonies, Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter International Program Senior Director Scott Merrill said the Philippine Challenge is one of four InnoCentive Challenges globally. The Philippine Challenge is on increasing resilience to earthquakes and typhoons for homes with no foundations; while the India Challenge was on improved construction and demolition waste management; Kenya, malaria prevention through innovations in home design or home life; and

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.7330

Mexico/United States, affordable water harvesting for low-income households in urban areas. Merrill said the challenge in the Philippines is that there are over 1.6 million Filipino families living in homes without foundations. This despite the geographic location of the country, which sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire. Further, retrofitting house foundations in the country is already too expensive for lowincome homeowners, making it close to impossible for them to make their homes resilient to natural disasters. “The foundation of a house serves many vital purposes; most importantly it anchors and strengthens the structure against outside forces. While important for any house worldwide, the foundation of a house becomes even more important in areas prone to earthquakes and typhoons or hurricanes, such as the Philippines,” Merrill said. “Unfortunately, constructing a foundation adds significantly to the cost and the time to build a house and so many houses in low-

income areas throughout the world have been and are built without foundations,” he added. For the Philippine Challenge, Habitat and its partners received a total of 81 submissions from 24 countries. The challenge was launched in October 2020 and entries were submitted in January this year. The submissions went through two selection phases conducted between March 2021 and July 2021. The final four solutions were field tested in August 2021. BASE Bahay Foundation General Manager Pablo Jorillo explained that the field test involved a “lateral load test,” where the lateral forces of an earthquake and typhoon winds will be simulated and applied. Jorillo explained that the lateral forces applied on the solutions were measured in kilonewtons. He said 10 kilonewtons of force is equivalent to 1 metric ton of load applied on a wall.

availability of materials needed; ease of installation among masons and homeowners; and affordability among low-income households.

“[I am firmly convinced that] the solutions presented at today’s event will excite and inspire actors in the Philippine housing sector. We have the collective responsibility to reduce disaster risks and protect vulnerable communities in the Philippines and all over the world. Together, we can contribute to a safer, more sustainable world for everyone,” Luis Noda, AsiaPacific Vice President, Habitat for Humanity International, shared. In the Philippines, Holcim Philippines, Hilti Foundation and BASE Bahay Foundation also largely supported the challenge. Others present during the awards were InnoCentive Chief Innovation Officer Jon Fredrickson; Hilti Foundation Board Chairman Marco Meyrat; Holcim Philippines Chief Sustainability Officer Zoe Sibala; and Habitat for Humanity Philippines Chief Operating Officer Lili Fuentes.

Safer, sustainable world

THE criteria included the resilience against typhoons and earthquakes;

n JAPAN 0.4546 n UK 69.0831 n HK 6.5171 n CHINA 7.8680 n SINGAPORE 37.3586 n AUSTRALIA 37.0960 n EU 58.6423 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5281

Source: BSP (October 8, 2021)

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Tensions flare as Chinese flights near Taiwan intensify

By Huizhong Wu & David Rising The Associated Press

AIPEI, Taiwan—With record numbers of military flights near Taiwan over the last week, China has been showing a new intensity and military sophistication as it steps up its harassment of the island it claims as its own and asserts its territorial ambitions in the region.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) flew 56 planes off the southwest coast of Taiwan on Monday, setting a new record and capping four days of sustained pressure involving 149 flights. All were in international airspace, but prompted Taiwanese defense forces to scramble in response and raised fears that any misstep could provoke an unintended escalation. The sorties came as China, with growing diplomatic and military power, faces greater pushback from countries in the region and an increasing naval presence from the United States and other Western democracies in Asia as Taiwan pleads for more global support and recognition. The US called China’s latest actions “risky” and “destabilizing,” while China responded that the US selling weapons to Taiwan and its ships navigating the Taiwan Strait

were provocative. At the same time as the flights, the US stepped up naval maneuvers in the Indo-Pacific with its allies, challenging Beijing’s territorial claims in critical waterways.

‘Most severe’ in 40 years

TAIWANESE Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng told legislators Wednesday that the situation “is the most severe in the 40 years since I’ve enlisted.” While most agree that war is not imminent, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen warned that more is at stake if Beijing makes good on past threats to seize the island by force if necessary. “If Taiwan were to fall, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional peace and the democratic alliance system,” she wrote in an impassioned op-ed in Foreign Affairs magazine published Tuesday. “It would signal that in today’s

VISITORS view the Chinese military’s J-16D electronic warfare airplane, left, and the KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft at right during the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2021, on September 29, 2021, in Zhuhai in southern China’s Guangdong province. AP

‘I

f Taiwan were to fall, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional peace and the democratic alliance system. It would signal that in today’s global contest of values, authoritarianism has the upper hand over democracy.’

global contest of values, authoritarianism has the upper hand over democracy.” China regularly flies military aircraft into Taiwan’s “air defense identification zone,” international airspace

—Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen that Taiwan counts as a buffer in its defense strategy, although previous flights have usually involved a handful of planes at most. Perhaps more significant than the number of planes was the constitution of the group, with fighters, bombers and airborne early warning aircraft, said Euan Graham, a defense analyst with the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore.

Growing sophistication

“THAT’S the level of sophistication—it looks like a strike package, and that’s part of the step up in pressure,” he said. “This is not a couple of fighters coming close and then going straight back after putting one wing across the median; this is a much more purposeful maneuver.” Controlling Taiwan and its airspace is key to China’s military strategy, with the area where the most recent sorties took place also leading to the west Pacific and the South China Sea. The latest maneuvers bring the total number of flights to more than 815 as of Monday since the Taiwanese government started publicly releasing the numbers a little more than a year ago. China has been rapidly improving and strengthening its military, and the most recent flights demonstrate a greater level of technical expertise and power, said Chen-Yi Tu, a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research in Taiwan. It’s a marked contrast from 20, 30 years ago, when Chinese forces couldn’t refuel in the air, or fly across the water, said Oriana Skylar Mastro, a fellow at Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University and non-resident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. “I think China is trying to remind the US and Taiwan that this is not then, that they have options,” she said. “They can do what they want, that they won’t be deterred.” At the same time, many democracies have been increasingly vocal in their support of Taiwan

and have stepped up naval operations in the area. As China was conducting its most recent flights, 17 ships from six navies—the US, Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Canada and New Zealand—including three aircraft carriers and a Japanese helicopter carrier—carried out joint maneuvers off the Japanese island of Okinawa, northeast of Taiwan, meant to show their commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” A few days earlier, the British frigate HMS Richmond transited through the Taiwan Strait, announcing its presence on Twitter and angering China, which condemned the move as a “meaningless display of presence with an insidious intention.” The international actions are an attempt to counter China’s frequent claim that its own actions are in response to American moves, and demonstrate that democracies intend to defend established maritime laws and norms, Graham said. “When the UK sends a ship through the Taiwan Strait for the first time since 2008 and it sailed down the median line, the point that it’s making is that they know China knows where that line is,” he said. “In order for the status quo to be meaningful, it has to be upheld and the most emphatic way to do that is to physically demonstrate with a government asset like a warship.” Australia, which also spoke out against China’s recent flights, last month announced a deal with the US and Britain to obtain nuclear-powered submarines, which was seen as a strong statement it planned to play a greater role. And Japan, which has long been cautious with its relations with China, a key trading partner, now considers the country a security threat amid Beijing’s increasingly assertive activity in the regional seas and around the Taiwan Strait. New Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said dialogue with China is important but Japan should also team up with like-minded democracies and step up its security alliance with the US and other partners while

Tokyo also strengthens its defense capabilities.

The real ‘exercise’

“WE are seeing a slow emergence of some sort of coalition of democracies in the region that are trying to come together to build some sort of mechanism to respond to Chinese behavior in the region,” said J. Michael Cole, a Taipei-based senior fellow with Global Taiwan Institute in Washington, D.C. Under longstanding policy, the United States provides political and military support for Taiwan, but does not explicitly promise to defend it from a Chinese attack. Still, as the US increases its military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, the Chinese response has been to increase its own, said Yue Gang, a retired Chinese army colonel and Beijing-based military commentator. “The Biden administration has been increasing military deterrence against China, not only by dispatching many warships and warplanes, but also showcasing its allies,” he said. “One of the possibilities is that the mainland hopes to send a signal it will not be misjudged as weak.” The Chinese flights into the Taiwanese defense buffer zone have forced Taiwan to scramble its own aircraft and anti-aircraft missile batteries, wearing down their readiness and reducing their capabilities, Yue said. “Every time a warplane takes off, the engine life is reduced to some extent,” he said. In addition to keeping Taiwan on edge, the sorties also help the Chinese pilots keep their edge, and could eventually help give them an element of surprise “if the scenario is to eventually use hard power to resolve their unification claim over Taiwan,” Graham said. “It’s hard to know if exercise 39 or exercise 57 is the one that isn’t an exercise,” he said. For the moment, however, most agree that is not the immediate goal. “It’s more signaling and psychological warfare and a warning to the US to not be so close to Taiwan,” Mastro said.

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Senators remind Duterte: We’re just doing our job By Butch Fernandez

enate probers, unfazed by President Duterte’s “threats and tantrums,” are determined to pursue an ongoing inquiry into alleged anomalies attending the administration’s purchase of allegedly overpriced P42-billion anti-pandemic supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. linked to former presidential adviser Michael Yang. Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the investigating Committee on Public Accountability (Blue Ribbon panel), on Friday affirmed the senators’ determination to unmask the parties that raked in public funds intended to address the deadly Covid contagion. Gordon indicated that Senate probers are still pursuing efforts to verify the parties that benefited from the funds appropriated specifically for Covid victims, as part of the Committee’s mandate covering public accountability. At the same time, opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros also reminded that the Senate is not obligated to stop the probe “just because the President, who is not a king, is getting mad over the investigation.” For his part, Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel pointed out that the senators are just doing their job, “no matter whatever the President may say.” Apart from conveying presidential displeasure over some senators’ criticism against the current administration, Duterte barred Cabinet officials from appearing before the Senate.

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Easing of inbound and interzonal travel curbs bode well for PHL tourism industry By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

Special to the BusinessMirror

T’S looking to be a Merry Christmas for the tourism industry with government’s latest decision to cut the quarantine period for inbound travelers, and lifting of age restrictions for interzonal travel.

“The reduction of the mandatory quarantine period for inbound travelers is an encouraging development for the country’s tourism industry,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat in a news statement. “This will be a relief to our kababayans this coming holiday season. This means less expenses for them and more time spent with their loved ones,” she added. Under the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Resolution 142 released on Friday, “Fully vaccinated individuals coming from either ‘Green’ or ‘Yellow’ List countries/territories/ jurisdictions, need to undergo facilitybased quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR testing taken

on the fifth day. After which, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until their 10th day, with the day of arrival being the first day. The Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ ) shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while in the facility. Foreign nationals shall be required to secure their own pre-booked accommodation of at least six days. Countries on the green and yellow list have been determined to have low and medium risk for Covid-19 infections, respectively. The I ATF guidelines only apply, however, to returning Filipinos, overseas Filipino workers, and foreign nationals with valid and existing visas to enter the Philippines.

The United States, which has 4.1 million Filipino-Americans, is on the yellow list. It accounts for the largest source of balikbayan travelers for the Philippines. They must show proof of their vaccination. The Bureau of Immigration will come up with a list of entry requirements. Tourism Congress of the Philippines President Jose C. Clemente III told the BusinessMirror, “ This is a welcome development as balikbayans are now preparing to come home for the holidays and have been hesitant because of the long quarantine period. With the shortening of the quarantine period, more people will be persuaded to spend their Christmas back home.” Earlier, the required quarantine period reached 10 days at a government-accredited facility and four days at home.

Leisure travel restrictions eased

The I ATF likewise decided to allow those below 18 and fully vaccinated individuals above 65 years old; fully vaccinated persons with immunodeficiencies, comorbidities, or other health risks, and fully vaccinated pregnant women to travel point-topoint to areas under general communit y quarantine (GCQ ) and /or

modified GCQ for leisure pur poses. These travelers still have to follow strict health and safety protocols and fulfill the requirements of the local government unit of their destination. “Further easing of travel restrictions will allow more of our fully vaccinated individuals to enjoy interzonal travel, especially families who wish to travel together,” said Romulo Puyat. “Traveling is a way of bonding, and with all the precautions and protocols in place, we can still do it safely together. More importantly, this will encourage more Filipinos to secure their jabs as well.” She added the lifting of these restrictions will enable more tourism workers and stakeholders “[to] get back the jobs and livelihoods they lost due to the pandemic.” Travelers are advised to check with the local government unit of their destination to find out the entry requirements—some accept a valid vaccination while others still require a negative RT-PCR test. Over $8 billion (P400 billion) in tourism receipts were estimated to have been lost in 2020, due to the sudden fall in tourist arrivals as Covid-19 travel restrictions went into effect.

Saturday, October 9, 2021

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Nuclear submarine hits ‘mystery object’ in SCS, injuring 11 sailors

US nuclear-powered attack submarine struck an object while submerged in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region last week, the Navy said, adding that no life-threatening injuries were reported. “The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition. USS Connecticut’s nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not affected and remain

fully operational,” US Pacific Fleet said in a statement late Thursday, adding the extent of the damage from the October 2 incident is being assessed. A US Naval Institute News report, citing an unnamed defense official, said about a dozen sailors suffered minor to moderate injuries when the submarine hit an unknown underwater object in the South China Sea

(SCS). It added the last known incidence of a US submarine striking an underwater object took place in 2005, when the USS San Francisco struck an underwater mountain in a collision that killed one sailor aboard. The incident with the Connecticut comes just weeks after Australia, the UK and the US announced a new security arrangement. The so-called AUKUS pact also created a rift with

France, which saw a $66-billion deal to provide Australia conventional submarines voided in favor of a deal for American-made nuclearpowered ships. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended the deal as a “game changer” for Australian security in the face of China’s military assertiveness, saying it would add to Indo-Pacific stability. Bloomberg News

Ex-senators, Cabinet exec, broadcaster file COC for Senate seats on ‘11th hour’

he senator ia l race in t he May 2022 national and local elections may just be beginning to heat up as four incumbent and former senators along with a broadcaster and a newly resigned Cabinet official vie for seats in the upper chamber. Senators Sherwin Gatchalian and Leila de Lima are eyeing another term in the Senate after filing their respective Certificates of Candidacy (COC) on Friday at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City. Gatchalian said he opted to push for a reelection bid under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), instead of running for vice president after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio turned down calls for her to seek the presidency in the polls. “I already said in a previous interview that I will only run for Vice President if she [Mayor Sara] will run

for president and she will pick me,” Gatchalian said. He said he intends to pass legislation to address the “crisis” in education and the economy if his stint in the Senate will be extended. I n t h e c a s e o f d e L i m a , w ho i s c u r r e nt l y d e t a i n e d f o r a p e n d i n g d r u g - r e l at e d c a s e , h e r au t hor i z e d re p re s e nt at i v e D i no d e L e o n s u b m it t e d h e r C O C . In her statement, read by de Leon during a news conference, de Lima said she wants to continue her advocacy on social justice, human rights and criminal justice in the Senate. She also wants to hold Duterte accountable for the alleged massive corruption under his presidency. De Lima is running under the Liberal Party (LP).

Senate comeback

Meanwhile, former Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Manuel “Noli”

de Castro are eyeing a comeback in the Senate. Trillanes said he decided to set aside his plan to run for vice president in the elections next year after Vice President Leonor “Leni” Robredo decided to join the presidential race. He said this was in line with the decision of the Magdalo party-list, where he is a member. “I was never vocal about running for Vice President. I articulated that in several inter v iews that if VP Leni w ill run for president, I would run for senator,” Trillanes, who is also running under the LP, explained. De Castro, who also ser ved as former v ice president during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-A rroyo, said he also wants another shot for a seat in the chamber to also help the economy recover from the Cov id-19 pandemic.

‘Bato’ files COC for president under PDP-Laban Cusi wing By Samuel P. Medenilla N a surprise move that caught election observers offguard, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa announced on Friday he will be running in the 2022 elections. Dela Rosa submitted his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) to the Commission on Elections at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City past 3 pm, barely an hour before the 4:30 pm deadline of the filing period. In a press conference, the lawmaker said his presidential bid was decided long ago by his political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). Dela Rosa will be running for PDP-Laban vice presidential candidate, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go. “This is a party decision. This is not my personal decision,” Dela Rosa said candidly.

Substitute candidate?

Dela Rosa’s last-minute filing fueled speculation that he is merely a shoo-in candidate for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Carpio, currently a member of the regional political party, Hug pong ng Pagbabago, filed her COC earlier this week to run for reelection in the 2022 polls. But under Comelec rules, “voluntary substitution” of candidates is allowed until November 15, 2021 Until the said deadline, a candidate may be replaced, provided the substitute candidate who will replace him or her is from the same political party. In case the substitute comes from another party, he or she must become a member of the party which will endorse him or her. Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. said the concerned party

must issue the necessary certificate of acceptance of nomination to the substitute it will take in on or before November 15, 2021.

Mockery of the elections

When directly confronted with the issue of substitution by the media, the senator stressed he has no intention of “mocking” the election system and that he is determined to run for president in the 2022 polls. “Do I look like a mockery to you? I won as senator. I was number 5 [in terms of ranking with most votes] in the last [elections]. Is that a mockery? Is it a mockery to the 19 million Filipinos who voted for me as senator of this republic?” Dela Rosa said. “That question is insulting,” he added. Del a Rosa abr upt ly ended the interview after giving the statement.

Maria Ressa, Dmitry Muratov awarded Nobel Peace Prize

SLO —T he 2021 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia. The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited their fight for freedom of expression, stressing that it is vital in promoting peace. “Free, independent and factbased journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda,” said Berit ReissAndersen, chair of the committee. “Without freedom of expression and freedom of the press, it will be difficult to successfully promote fraternity between nations, disarmament and a better world order to succeed in our time,” she said. Ressa in 2012 cofounded Rappler, a news web site that has focused “critical attention on the [President Rodrigo] Duterte regime’s controversial, murderous anti-drug campaign,” the Nobel committee said. She and Rappler “have also documented how social media is being used to spread fake news, harass opponents and manipulate public discourse.” Reacting to the news, Ressa told Norway’s TV2 channel that “the government [of the Philippines] will obviously not be happy.” “I’m a little shocked. It’s really emotional,” she added. “But I am happy on behalf of my team and would like to thank the Nobel Committee for recognizing what we are going through.” Muratov was one of the founders of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta in 1993.

“Novaya Gazeta is the most independent newspaper in Russia today, with a fundamentally critical attitude towards power,” the Nobel committee said. “The newspaper’s fact-based journalism and professional integrity have made it an important source of information on censurable aspects of Russian society rarely mentioned by other media,” it added. The Nobel committee noted that since the launch of Novaya Gazeta, six of its journalists have been killed, among them Anna Politkovskaya who covered Russia’s bloody conflict in Chechnya. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed Muratov as a “talented and brave” person. “We can congratulate Dmitry Muratov—he has consistently worked in accordance with his ideals,” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters after the prize was announced. Reiss-Andersen noted that the peace prize has gone to journalists in the past, including Ernesto Teodoro Moneta of Italy who was cited in 1907 “for his work in the press and in peace meetings.” In 1935, Carl von Ossietzky was awarded the prize “for his burning love for freedom of thought and expression” after revealing that Germany was secretly re-arming after World War I. Reiss-A ndersen a lso noted the risks to free speech in today’s world due to the spread of fake news, noting that Ressa has been critical of Facebook’s role in manipulating public debate. “Conveying fake news and

information that is propaganda and untrue is also a violation of freedom of expression, and all freedom of expression has its limitations. That is also a very important factor in this debate,” she said. The prestigious award is accompanied by a gold medal and 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1.14 million). The prize money comes from a bequest left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1895. On Monday, the Nobel committee awarded the prize in physiology or medicine to Americans David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian for their discoveries into how the human body perceives temperature and touch. The Nobel Prize in physics was awarded Tuesday to three scientists whose work found order in seeming disorder, helping to explain and predict complex forces of nature, including expanding our understanding of climate change. Benjamin List and David W.C. MacMillan were named as laureates of the Nobel Prize for chemistry Wednesday for finding an easier and environmentally cleaner way to build molecules that can be used to make compounds, including medicines and pesticides. The Nobel Prize for literature was awarded Thursday to UK-based Tanzanian writer Abdulrazak Gurnah, who was recognized for his “uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee.” Still to come Monday is the prize for outstanding work in the field economics. AP

He said he would support possible moves in Congress to renew the broadcast franchise of ABS-CBN, where he was a long-time broadcast journalist. “If I will be asked about it, I want it renewed since there are thousands of workers of ABS-CBN who were affected,” de Castro said referring to the decision of the House of Representatives not to renew the fra nc hise of t he med i a net work . T he vetera n broadc a st jou r n a l i st f rom A B S - C BN sa id he is r u n n i ng u nder A k s yon Demok rat i ko. For mer Mi nd a nao Develop ment Author it y and Agr iculture Secretar y Emmanuel “Manny” F. Piñol w ill also join the long list of senatorial aspirants in the 2022 elections. Piñol sa id he w i l l be r u n n i ng u nder t he Nat ion a l ist s People’s Coa l it ion pa r t y. Samuel P. Medenilla

Various groups vow participation and support to ‘Isko Bandwagon’

arious sectoral groups on Wednesday met with Manila Mayor and Presidential candidate Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso to pledge their full support for his presidential bid. These include the Kapampangans for Isko, Isko Northern Alliance (INA), Seniors para kay Isko, Isko Tayo Kabataan (ITK), and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), a news statement read. The Kapampangans for Isko was represented by incumbent Pampanga provincial board members Jun Canlas, Nelson Calara and Benny Jocson who will be running under the Aksyon Demokratiko party in the 2022 elections. The three Kapampangan leaders were accompanied by Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque who has earlier took his oath as member of Aksyon Demokratiko. After taking their oaths, the Pampanga board members bared their plans to barnstorm the Philippines to appeal to their fellow provincial board members across the nation to join what they call the “Isko Bandwagon.” Meanwhile, representatives of INA, a group composed of respected and prominent personalities in politics, business and civil society in the Northern Philippines, also took their oaths before Moreno. The prominent Ilocanos include Andrea and Christianna Beroña from Abra; Kalinga Association of Barangay Chairmen President Atty. Henry Tubban Jr.; Atty Gemo Ablan, chief of staff of Apayao Governor Eleonor Bulut; Atty. Rodrigo Kito, former Benguet Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) president; Atty Jose Co, current Bontoc IBP president; Bong Siquian of Isabela; former Santiago City Mayor Joel Miranda; Ricky Fariñas of Ilocos Norte; and former Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Zuriel. The INA officers assured Moreno of overwhelming support from northern Luzon provinces that include Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, Cagayan, Ifugao, Isabela, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. They also assured him that the only solid about the so-called “Solid North” is their singular yearning for good and inclusive governance, fast action and leadership by example, which Mayor Isko embodies. The Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer also met with the founders of the “Seniors Para Kay Isko” Moreno led by John Rana and Edith Fieder. In their meeting, Mayor Isko highlighted the city government’s drive to alleviate the plight and promote the well-being of its senior citizens since the start of the pandemic, which included the distribution of boxes of “ayuda” and free Covid 19 testing. Joining the senior citizens were their youth counterparts, the ISKO Tayo Kabataan (ITK) led by Paul Roset and Darwiza and Bonzari Bayan. Also pledging support for Mayor Isko is Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) Chairman Arsenio Humiding from Ifugao. More groups, local officials and personalities are expected to come out in the coming days to openly declare their support for Mayor Isko’s candidacy and his platform of good, clean, transparent, and inclusive governance, fast, effective and efficient government action and leadership by example.

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Abortions resume in 6 Texas clinics after judge halts law

USTIN, Texas—Abortions quickly resumed in at least six Texas clinics after a federal judge halted the most restrictive abortion law in the US, but other physicians remained hesitant, afraid the court order would not stand for long and thrust them back into legal jeopardy. It was unclear how many abortions Texas clinics rushed to perform Thursday after US District Judge Robert Pitman suspended the law known as Senate Bill 8, which since early September had banned abortions once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks. Prior to the blistering 113-page order late Wednesday, other courts had declined to stop the law, which bans abortions before some women even know they are pregnant. “There’s actually hope from patients and from staff, and I think there’s a little desperation in that hope,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, president of Whole Woman’s Health, which operates four clinics in Texas. She said some of those clinics performed abortions Thursday but did not reveal how many. “Folks know this opportunity could be short-lived,” she said. By all accounts, the ruling did not usher in a fast return to normal in Texas. At least six Texas clinics resumed abortion services Thursday or were gearing up to offer them again, said Kelly Krause, spokeswoman for the Center for Reproductive Rights. There were roughly two dozen abortion clinics in Texas before the law took effect

September 1. Planned Parenthood, the state’s largest abortion provider, did not say Thursday whether it had resumed abortions, stressing the ongoing uncertainty and the possibility of an appeals court quickly reinstating the law in the coming days. Fund Choice Texas, which covers travel expenses for women seeking abortions, was still receiving a high volume of calls Thursday from patients needing help to make out-of-state appointments. The 20 calls were about the normal volume over the past month, Executive Director Anna Rupani said. She said her organization— which has helped Texas women travel as far away as Seattle and Los Angeles—was still discussing whether it would help a patient get an abortion in Texas even with a court injunction in place. The Texas law leaves enforcement solely up to private citizens, who are entitled to collect $10,000 in damages if they bring successful lawsuits against not just abortion providers who violate the restrictions, but anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. Republicans crafted the law in a way designed to also allow retroactive lawsuits if the restrictions are set aside by one court, but later put back in place by another. “What’s really frustrating ... is this law was drafted to create confusion, and this law was drafted to create problems,” Rupani said. “It’s unfortunate that we have an injunction, and people are still having to understand the legal ramifications of what that means for them.” AP

Congo’s famous mountain gorilla Ndakasi dies at 14 in Virunga Park Mathieu Shamavu, a ranger and caretaker at the Senkwekwe Center for Orphaned Mountain Gorillas, poses for a photo with female orphaned gorillas Ndakasi, left, and Ndeze, center, at the Senkwekwe Center for Orphaned Mountain Gorillas in Virunga National Park, eastern Congo on April 18, 2019. The 14-yearold mountain gorilla Ndakasi, made famous in a selfie with her caretaker at the Virunga National Park in Congo, has died September 26, 2021, after a long illness, the park said. AP

INSHASA, Congo—Ndakasi, a mountain gorilla who famously posed for a selfie with a ranger at Congo’s Virunga National Park, has died at 14 after a long illness, the park said. “It is with heartfelt sadness that Virunga announces the death of beloved orphaned mountain gorilla, Ndakasi, who had been under the care of the park’s Senkwekwe Center for more than a decade,” a statement from the park said this week. “Ndakasi took her final breath in the loving arms of her caretaker and lifelong friend, Andre Bauma,” said the statement, adding that she died on September 26 following a prolonged illness in which her condition rapidly deteriorated. Ndakasi was just two months old when rangers found her clinging to the lifeless body of her mother who had been gunned down by armed militia in 2007. Bauma comforted her that first night by holding her to his bare c hest a nd he cont inued ca ring for her since then. She was transferred to the Senkwekwe Center after its creation in 2009, and lived with other orphaned mountain gorillas viewed as too vulnerable to return to the wild.

The mountain gorilla’s life was featured in shows and the documentary film Virunga, and she gained Internet fame in 2019 for a photo that featured her standing relaxed on two feet, with her belly out next to another gorilla, Ndeze, and with another ranger in the foreground taking the selfie. “It was a privilege to support and care for such a loving creature,” Bauma said in a statement. “It was Ndakasi’s sweet nature and intelligence that helped me to understand the connection between humans and great apes and why we should do everything in our power to protect them.” Bauma said he was proud to have called Ndakasi a friend. “I loved her like a child and her cheerful personality brought a smile to my face every time I interacted with her,” he said in the statement. Virunga National Park in eastern Congo is home to some of the world’s last mountain gorillas. Neighboring Rwanda and Uganda also have some of the mountain gorillas and together their population is more than 1,000. Nearly 700 rangers in Virunga park risk their lives to protect its wildlife in a region that has seen more than two decades of armed conflict and instability. AP

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Defense exec confirms presence of US Special Forces in Taiwan

he US has had troops in Taiwan training local forces to better defend themselves in case of attack by China, according to a US defense official, an acknowledgment that could challenge Washington’s recent thaw with Beijing. The official, who asked not to be identified, confirmed an earlier report by the Wall Street Journal that more than two dozen American service members, including Special Forces, have been in Taiwan for more than a year. Some of the training has been with local maritime forces on small-boat exercises, according to the Journal. While the US has stepped up diplomatic and military support for Taiwan in response to a pressure campaign by Chinese President Xi Jinping, it was unclear whether the deployment was new or related to that effort. The US has played down military interactions with the island since ending its alliance with Taipei and establishing ties with Beijing four decades ago.

The deployment of foreign forces on Taiwan is one of six conditions Chinese military commanders have set for launching a military strike, according to a state media report in April 2020 that cited a retired researcher w it h t he People’s Liberat ion Army (PLA) Rocket Force. Still, the presence of small numbers of US forces on the island wasn’t unprecedented. “Activities such as this—for training purposes—have been going on for years,” said Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the US. “In the past, these activities have been kept under wraps. If they are now being made public deliberately, that’s new. And it will

undoubtedly provoke a reaction from China.” The confirmation comes a day after the White House announced a virtual meeting between President Joe Biden and Xi before the end of the year. The summit plan resulted from six hours of meetings Wednesday between White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and top Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Zurich. Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of the Communist Party’s Global Times newspaper, called on the US to disclose the troops’ location, suggesting that would aid a Chinese attack. “See whether the PLA will launch a targeted air strike to eliminate those US invaders!” he said in a tweet. C h i n a h a s i n re ce nt d ay s ramped up military flights near the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory, more than 140 warplanes into Taiwan’s airdefense-identification zone. At the same time, the US and several allies, including Japan and the UK, have been conducting naval drills in nearby waters. “The United States has an abiding interest in the peace, security, and stability of the Indo-Pacific— including in the Taiwan Strait,”

Pentagon spokesman John Supple said in a statement Thursday. “The United States will continue to support a peaceful resolution of crossstrait issues, consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people on both sides.” “The actions we’ve seen by China are provocative and potentially destabilizing,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday in an interview in Paris with Bloomberg Television. “What I hope is that these actions will cease because there’s always the possibility of miscalculation, of miscommunication, and that’s dangerous.” Details of the upcoming BidenXi meeting, including the date, still need to be worked out. The two men last spoke on September 9 and discussed what the White House described as guardrails to ensure that competition between the two countries doesn’t veer into conflict. “We continue to believe that leader-level engagement is an important part of our effort to responsibly manage the competition with China—especially given the coalescing of power in Chinese leadership,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday. Bloomberg News

Pfizer’s request to OK shots for kids a relief for parents

arents tired of worrying about classroom outbreaks and sick of telling their elementary school-age children no to sleepovers and family gatherings felt a wave of relief Thursday when Pfizer asked the US government to authorize its Covid-19 vaccine for youngsters ages 5 to 11. If regulators give the go-ahead, reduced-dose kids’ shots could begin within a matter of weeks. That could bring many families a step closer to being done with remote learning, virus scares and repeated school shutdowns and quarantines. “My son asked about playing sports. ‘After you’re vaccinated.’ He asked about seeing his cousins again. ‘After you’re vaccinated.’ A lot of our plans are on hold,” said Sarah Staffiere of Waterville, Maine, whose 7-year-old has a rare immune disease that has forced the family to be extra cautious throughout the pandemic. “When he’s vaccinated, it would give our family our lives back,” she said. Expanding vaccine availability to roughly 28 million more US children is seen as another milestone in the fight against the virus and comes amid an alarming rise in serious infections in youngsters because of the extra-contagious delta variant. It would also push the US vaccination drive further ahead of

much of the rest of the world at a time when many poor countries are desperately short of vaccine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must decide whether the shots are safe and effective in younger children. Many parents and pediatricians are clamoring for protection for youngsters under 12, the current age cutoff for Covid-19 vaccinations in the US. Nine-year-old Audrey Moulder, who lives in the Philadelphia suburb of Drexel Hill, is looking forward to visiting her grandmother without worrying she will give the older woman Covid-19. “She’s excited because she thinks it’s a responsibility,” said her father, Justin Moulder. “She wants to keep her friends safe and her family safe.” Dr. Amanda Powell, an internist and pediatrician who runs a clinic in Portland, Maine, is eager to set up worry-free play dates and plan a family trip again once her 9-yearold son is vaccinated. “We want to be able to resume some normal activities,” she said. But there are also plenty of parents who are wary about getting the shot themselves and are in no hurry to have their children vaccinated. Heather Miller, a mother of four from Dexter, Maine, said she wants to wait for follow-up studies on the vaccine. “I’m not

100 percent against getting it eventually, but I kind of fall into the ‘not right now, wait and see’ category,” she said. Cindy Schilling, an elementary school principal in West Virginia, which ranks dead last in the percentage of fully vaccinated residents, said it has been a rough start to the year because so many children are testing positive or quarantining at different times, making it hard for teachers and students to stay on track. Still, she said she often hears parents say they are more concerned about the effects of the vaccine than Covid-19. “Some parents are all for it and getting it for peace of mind,” she said, “but the majority of parents I’ve talked to will not be getting it.” While kids are at lower risk of severe illness or death than older people, Covid-19 does sometimes kill children—at least 520 so far in the US, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech said their research shows younger children should get one-third of the dose now given to everyone else. After their second dose, the 5- to 11-yearolds developed virus-fighting

antibody levels just as strong as those that teens and young adults get from regular-strength shots. On October 26, an independent expert panel that advises the FDA will publicly debate the evidence. If the FDA authorizes emergency use of the kid-size doses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make a final decision, after hearing from its outside advisers. To avoid mix-ups, Pfizer is planning to ship the lower-dose vials specially marked for use in children. It studied the lower dose in 2,268 volunteers ages 5 to 11 and said there were no serious side effects. The study isn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that sometimes occurs after the second dose of the regular-strength vaccine, mostly in young men. Moderna has requested FDA permission to use its vaccine in 12to 17-year-olds and also is studying its shots in elementary school children. Both Pfizer and Moderna are studying even younger children as well, down to 6-montholds. Results are expected later in the year. AP

A6 Saturday, October 9, 2021

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

DTI making R&D more inclusive–Lopez

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is boosting research and development (R&D) by making it more accessible across the country.

In his message during the Asean Summit on Spin-Off Technologies Tuesday, Trade Secre-

tary Ramon M. Lopez said the agency is organizing Regional Inclusive Innovations Centers

(RIICs) throughout the country to democratize the development of start-up communities. Lopez said R&D is the “real heart” and the “DNA” of entrepreneurship, thus making it inclusive will enable more start-up communities and support young entrepreneurial talents in technology and creative industries. RIICs serve as the integrating portal to region-based resources that can be tapped by entrepreneurs.

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can also utilize the RIIC to position their products in the global value chain to ensure that they have competitive edge in the global market. “The presence of start-up enterprises capitalizing on rigorous R&D to generate new products, services, processes, or other solutions is vital to the growth of the country’s knowledge economy,” Lopez said.

He added the development of local talents in technology and creative industries will also help in job creation, increasing customer demand, and more vibrant trade in goods and services. Lopez further cited start-up development programs that will promote Philippine products and services in the world market. These programs include the Global Acceleration Program (GAP), Strategic MSMLE and Startup Link

(SMARTLink), Startup Acceleration and Incubation by DTI (AID), International and Local Exposure Assistance Program (iLEAP), and Startup Venture Fund (SVF). “We do need an ecosystem approach to enhancing innovation and value creation and to supporting our start-ups and other enterprises in order for them to engage productively in the global knowledge economy,” Lopez said. PNA

CDO business group eyes 400 Sweden’s economy shrinks more than anticipated amid export drop local MSMEs for ‘OroBest 2.0’

RUBEN VEGAFRIA, president of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (Oro Chamber), formally opens the Cagayan de Oro City Business Month on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, via a Zoom conference. One of the chamber’s major activities is the launch of Oro Best 2.0, which seeks to promote the city’s micro, small and medium enterprises products online amid the challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. PNA PHOTO BY NEF LUCZON

WEDEN’S economy shrank far more than anticipated in August, driven by a slump in exports, raising concerns the recovery of the largest Nordic economy may be cut short. Gross domestic product contracted 3.8 percent in August, the biggest fall since the monthly indicator was launched in February, according to a flash estimate from Statistics Sweden. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted a 0.5-percent decline. The Swedish krona extended its decline to trade 0.5 percent weaker against the euro after the data, which may vindicate the central bank view that it’s still too soon to dial-back the pandemic-era stimulus. The Riksbank has resisted the temptation to signal when it would raise borrowing costs above zero, defying a hawkish turn among major central banks.

Meat start-up focused on cutting food waste plots grocery debut

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc. (Oro Chamber) on Tuesday said it is eyeing at least 400 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to participate in this year’s Oro Best Expo 2.0 to showcase and sell their local products. Oro Chamber President Ruben Vegafria emphasized the importance of MSMEs expanding their markets for the development of their growth and sustainability amid the pandemic. He said apart from the chamber’s affiliate members in the city, traders and start-ups from the Department of Trade and Industry’s “Kapatid

Mentor Me” Program are also expected to participate in the Expo from October 25 to 29. “Since this is a virtual event, we go beyond our borders, Bukidnon and even Davao can join [and showcase their local products] in the event,” Vegafria said in an interview. Oro Chamber’s hosting of the Expo is “reinventing the new normal of trade exposition with an overarching theme: Advancing Technologies, Sustaining Excellence and Transforming Lives Amidst the Crisis.” He said the Expo is part of the month-long event to commemorate Cagayan de Oro Business Month. PNA

O Good Foods, a meat producer that uses recycled food waste to make supplemental animal feed, is poised to roll out its first product after securing a $169million investment from asset-management giant Nuveen. The newly formed company used the capital to build a production facility in Pennsylvania that will process 160 tons of surplus food daily. With the plant now built, Do Good expects its chicken to hit supermarket shelves in January, with other types of meat

Sweden’s economy, which regained its pre-pandemic size faster than most industrialized nations, is being increasingly hit by supply-chain bottlenecks. The

to follow. The forthcoming chicken line will help cut grocery waste while enabling “everyone to be part of the solution,” said Justin Kamine, Do Good’s cofounder and co-chief executive officer. The chicken will be priced “well below” the cost of organic, he said. The Bedminster, New Jerseybased company aims to tackle issues of food spoilage by collecting excess groceries that can’t otherwise be donated from a network of supermarkets, hauling them

trade deficit widened last month to highest level in five years, with exports falling to the lowest level since January. “Pretty ugly Aug data coming out

to a nearby facility and converting the food into feed. That then ends up in animal diets in the meat supply chain. As much as 40 percent of the food produced in the US is never eaten. Most of that goes to landfills, generating emissions that contribute to climate change. By some estimates, food waste produces about 8 percent of all human-caused greenhouse gases. While people’s homes are the largest source of waste, supermarkets, restaurants and other businesses

of Sweden today. If not a sign of stalling recovery at least a real set-back extreme growth bulls.”—Michael Grahn (@MichaelGrahn1) October 6, 2021.

account for about 40 percent, food-loss nonprofit ReFED estimated in 2016. The company’s first production facility, in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, will process food collected from 450 supermarkets within about a 200-mile radius. The plant can make enough feed for 25 million chickens annually, and will divert approximately 4 pounds of surplus grocery food from landfills per chicken. Do Good plans to build 20 such facilities by 2025. Bloomberg News

Canadian trade surplus jumped in Aug, powered by energy export Top global chipmakers resist

US bid for supply-chain data

ANADA’S trade surplus with the rest of the world expanded significantly in August on larger energy exports. The country’s merchandise trade surplus was C$1.94 billion ($1.5 billion) from a revised C$736-million surplus in July, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday in Ottawa. Economists were expecting a surplus of C$430 million, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey. August was the third consecutive month in which Canada’s trade balance was in surplus. Exports rose 0.8 percent, with energy products rising the most, and imports fell 1.4 percent. “Canada’s trade balance and export backdrop showed resilience in August despite lingering supply chain headwinds,” Omar Abdelrahman, an economist at Toronto-Dominion Bank, said in a report to investors. “Commodity exports drove the gain, which more than offset the decline in motor vehicles and parts exports.” The trade report shows the extent to which exports have recovered in Canada, with more shipments of energy products and metals as international demand returned. However, risks to future growth remain, with supply chain bottlenecks hampering the manufacturing of goods

amid a fourth wave of Covid-19 cases. The agency said logistical bottlenecks were still affecting the automotive sector, with auto exports and imports down on the month. In volume terms, exports rose 2.3 percent and imports fell 3.2 percent. Shipments abroad of coal, natural gas and

crude oil increased, along with metal products. In addition to autos, aircraft and other transportation equipment were a drag on imports. Canada’s currency was little changed on the report, trading at $1.2589 per US dollar in Toronto. “The increases in energy and

six of the 11 categories of exports is good news, but that’s barely half of the categories and a lot of the widening in surplus is the result of a fall in imports, which is not good news because it reflects these global production issues,” Royce Mendes, an economist at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, said by phone. Bloomberg News

BIDEN administration effort to untangle global chip supply snarls is facing resistance from lawmakers and executives in Taiwan and South Korea, complicating attempts to resolve the bottlenecks hurting industries from automobiles to consumer electronics. The US Commerce Department late last month asked companies in the semiconductor supply chain to fill out questionnaires by November 8 seeking information pertaining to the ongoing chip shortage. While the request is voluntary, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has warned industry representatives that the White House might invoke the Defense Production Act or other tools to force their hands if they don’t respond. The issue has become particularly thorny in Taiwan, home to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which accounts for more than half the global contract chipmaking market. That dominance has already prompted rivals like Intel Corp. to call for more domestic investment and spurred governments in the US, EU, Japan and China to mull efforts to bolster their own chip industries to reduce their reliance on the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing hub. “TSMC absolutely will not hand

over sensitive information, particularly client data,” Sylvia Fang, the company’s general counsel, told reporters on Wednesday. Three of TSMC’s top 5 customers are American, with the largest Apple Inc. accounting for a quarter of total sales. “TSMC is still assessing how to respond.” Smaller peer United Microelectronics Corp. declined to comment on how it may respond to the US query, though Chief Financial Officer Liu Chi-tung told Bloomberg News that the company will protect customers’ non-public information. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday released a statement expressing concern over the scope of the US request. Other media including Korea Joongang Daily also cited unidentified people at local chipmakers as saying they may have a hard time complying with the requests. The potential standoff comes as chip shortages are going from bad to worse. Lead times in the industry—the gap between putting in a semiconductor order and taking delivery—rose for the ninth month in a row to an average of 21.7 weeks in September, according to Susquehanna Financial Group. That is by far the longest since the firm began tracking the data in 2017. Bloomberg News

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www.businessmirror.com.ph

Digital equity for all ages

By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana

HE growing number and share of older persons in Asia and the Pacific represent success stories of declining fertility and increasing longevity; the result of advances in social and economic development. This demographic transition is taking place against the backdrop of the accelerating Fourth Industrial Revolution. But Covid-19, with its epicenter now in Asia and the Pacific, has exacerbated the suffering of older persons in vulnerable situations and demonstrated the fragility of this progress. Asia and the Pacific are home to the largest number of older persons in the world—and rapidly aging. When the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in 2015, 8 percent of the region’s total population was 65 years or older. By 2030, when the Agenda comes to an end, it is projected that 12 percent of the total population— one in eight people—will comprise older persons. Fifty-four percent of all older persons in the region will be women, and their share will increase with age. Asia and the Pacific have made much progress in connecting the region through information and communication technologies (ICTs). At the same time, it is still the most digitally divided region in the world. Approximately half of its

population lacks Internet access. Women and older persons—especially older women—are the least likely to be digitally connected. Covid-19 has demonstrated how technologies can help fight the spread of the virus, sustain daily life, support business continuity and keep people socially connected. It has also shown that those who are excluded from the digital transformation, including older persons, are at increased risk of being permanently left behind. Digital equity for all ages is, therefore, more important than ever. The next few years provide an opportunity for Asia and the Pacific to build on its successes with regard to population aging and rapid digital transformation, learn from the tragic consequences of the pandemic,

Senior citizen wife makes Smart move, citing husband’s customer experience

ENIOR citizen and Mandaluyong resident Maria Lina Porciuncula Grecia had observed how her husband, a loyal Smart customer since 2003, has never had any signal issue with his mobile service. This is the complete opposite of her own mobile service, which, according to her, has always been problematic. “We’ve always had difficulty obtaining a decent network connection at home. Despite all efforts PLDT and Smart Communications President and CEO Al Panlilio and complaints escalated to Globe, helps Mrs. Grecia to #MakeTheSmartMove the problem has always persisted, and the signal Smart Store at the same time, and even worsened to the point helped her make her Smart move. of needing a signal booster,” “MNP is a game changer, according to Mrs. Grecia. and Smart is best-positioned When Mobile Number to champion this initiative and Portability (MNP) started in support the government’s call October 1, Mrs. Grecia took for world-class services for all the first opportunity to switch Filipinos,” said Panlilio. her mobile service to Smart. Like Mrs. Grecia, you can She proceeded to the Smart #MakeTheSmartMove now Store at the Powerplant Mall in to Smart, the Philippines’s Rockwell, where her husband fastest mobile network for four regularly does his transactions consecutive years, and also the such as bills payment and fastest and most reliable 5G contract retention. mobile network in the country, “We have been waiting for this according to Ookla, the global to happen. I find it very easy to leader in Internet testing and make the move,” said Mrs. Grecia. analysis. Much to Mrs. Grecia’s To know more about switching surprise, PLDT Inc. and Smart to Smart, mobile users may also Communications President and visit x.smart/switch or head to the CEO Al S. Panlilio was at the same nearest Smart Store.

and promote and strengthen the inclusion of older persons in the digital world. The 2022 Fourth Review and Appraisal of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the further elaboration of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway will allow countries to develop policies and action plans to achieve digital equity for all ages. Among those policies, it is particularly important to promote digital literacy and narrow digital skills gaps of older persons through tailored peer-to-peer or intergenerational training programs. In the fast-changing digital environment, developing, strengthening and maintaining digital literacy requires a lifecourse approach. Moreover, providing accessible, affordable and reliable Internet connectivity for persons of all ages must be a priority. Expanding digital infrastructure, geographical coverage and digital inclusion of older persons through targeted policies and programs will improve access, enable greater social participation, empower older persons, and enhance their ability to live independently. As highlighted in the Madrid Plan of Action, technology can reduce health risks and promote cost-efficient access to health care for older persons, for instance, through telemedicine or robotic surgery. Assistive technology devices and solutions can support more and safer mobility for older persons, especially those with disabilities or living alone. Socialmedia platforms can promote social interaction and reduce social isolation and loneliness. The ESCAP Guidebook on using Information Communication Technologies to address the health-care needs of older persons has docu-

mented good practices from around the region. It also includes policy recommendations and a checklist for policy-makers to mainstream ICTs in policies affecting older persons. While older persons are among the least digitally connected population groups, they are among the most vulnerable to cyber threats. It is, therefore, critical to establish adequate safety measures, raise awareness, and teach older users to be cautious online. As we commemorate the United Nations International Day of Older Persons 2021, let us remind ourselves that the risks and vulnerabilities experienced by older persons during the pandemic are not new. Many older persons in the region lack social protection such as access to universal health care and pensions. The Covid-19 recovery is an opportunity to set the stage for a more inclusive, equitable and age-friendly society, anchored in human rights and guided by the promise of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind. Digital equity for all ages, highlighted in the 2030 Agenda, goes beyond national interests. Greater digital cooperation by governments and stakeholders is instrumental for both inclusive and sustainable development and building back better. At the regional and sub-regional levels, digital cooperation can be fruitfully leveraged to build consensus and share good practices, lessons learned, and policy recommendations. These, in turn, can supplement national level policy and decision-making for the benefit of all age groups. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations undersecretary-general and executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, October 9, 2021 A7

Legarda: Ensure safe and more comfortable life for our elders

N celebration of the Elderly Filipino Week, three-term senator, now Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda renewed her call for stronger implementation of Republic Act 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which she principally authored. “I authored the law in the 14th Congress to provide additional benefits and privileges to our Filipino senior citizens as my tribute to our elders who have been and continue to be part of nation-building. To take care of the elderly has been a time-honored practice of Filipinos because the present generation owes a lot to them and their hard work,” Legarda said. Legarda explained that among the salient provisions of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 are: the exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on the sale of goods and services from all establishments and a 20-percent discount on the purchase of medicines, medical and dental services, diagnostics and laboratory fees; actual fares for land transportation, domestic air transport services and sea shipping; utilization of services in hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants and recreation centers; and, admission fees in theaters concert halls, other similar places of culture, among others. In addition to the VAT exemption and 20-percent discount, senior citizens who are considered minimum-wage earners shall be given exemption from the payment of individual income tax under the law. Indigent senior citizens identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are also entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to P500 to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs. DOH will also facilitate free vaccination against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizens and they are

automatically covered by PhilHealth benefits. Death benefit assistance of a minimum of P2,000 shall also be given to the nearest surviving relative of a deceased senior citizen. Another important provision of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act is the activation of a “senior citizens ward” in every government hospital all over the country for the exclusive use of senior citizens who need hospital confinement by reason of their health conditions. “I am calling on the local government units to monitor and ensure that commercial establishments, hospitals, and other concerned institutions observe the strict implementation of the law and that our senior citizens receive the assistance and incentives that they rightfully deserve. Let us ensure that our senior citizens enjoy safe and comfortable life in their twilight years,” Legarda said. The three-term senator also shared that senior citizens are still qualified to avail themselves of livelihood programs from the government, such as the DOLE Pangkabuhayan, and the DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). Aside from livelihood, other government programs that our senior citizens may benefit from are DSWD AICS and DOH MAIP. “Despite their age, we can still empower and enable our senior citizens by giving them access to government programs and resources for income-generating opportunities for them to uplift their lives and their family,” Legarda said. “As they are among the vulnerable sectors in our society, I also encourage our senior citizens to receive Covid-19 vaccines with the permission of and in consultation with their personal doctors. Always observe safety health protocols, and stay healthy because senior citizens are more prone to the virus and other health risks,” Legarda added.

Woman who survived Spanish flu, world war succumbs to Covid By Todd Richmond The Associated Press

HE lived a life of adventure that spanned two continents. She fell in love with a World War II fighter pilot, barely escaped Europe ahead of Benito Mussolini’s fascists, ground steel for the US war effort and advocated for her disabled daughter in a far less enlightened time. She was, her daughter said, someone who didn’t make a habit of giving up. And then this month, at age 105, Primetta Giacopini’s life ended the way it began—in a pandemic. “I think my mother would have been around quite a bit longer if she hadn’t contracted Covid,” her 61-year-old daughter, Dorene Giacopini, said. “She was a fighter. She had a hard life and her attitude always was...basically, all Americans who were not around for World War II were basically spoiled brats.” Primetta Giacopini’s mother, Pasquina Fei, died in Connecticut of the Spanish flu in 1918 at age 25. That pandemic killed about 675,000 Americans—a death toll eclipsed this month by the 20202021 coronavirus pandemic. Primetta was 2 years old when her motherdied.Herfather,alaborer,didn’t want to raise Primetta or her younger sister, Alice. He sent Alice back to Italy, their ancestral homeland, and handed Primetta to an Italian foster family that then relocated to Italy in 1929. “The way Mom talked about it, he didn’t want to raise those kids alone, and men didn’t do that at that time,” Dorene recalled. “It’s ridiculous to me.” Primetta supported herself by working as a seamstress. Ravenhaired with dark eyes and sharp features, she eventually fell in love with an Italian fighter pilot named Vittorio Andriani. “I didn’t see too much of him because he was always fighting some-

place,” Primetta told the Golden Gate Wing, a military aviation club in Oakland, California, in 2008. Italy entered World War II in June 1940. The local police warned Primetta to leave because Mussolini wanted American citizens out of the country. Primetta refused. Several weeks later, the state police told her to get out, warning her that she could end up in a concentration camp. In June 1941, Andriani was missing in action; Primetta learned later that he had crashed and died near Malta. While he was missing, she joined a group of strangers making their way out of Italy on a train to Portugal. “In Spain, one can still see, after 2-3 years, the traces of the atrocities of the past,” Primetta wrote in a letter to a friend in the midst of her flight. “At Port Bou, the Spanish border, not one house is left standing; everything got destroyed because the town is an important train transit point that brought supplies to the ‘Reds,’ the enemy.... I’ve seen so much destruction that I’ve had enough. The day after tomorrow, I get on the ship, and I’m sure all will go well.” In Lisbon she boarded a steamer bound for the United States. She returned to Torrington, bought a Chevrolet sedan for $500 and landed a job at a General Motors plant in Bristol grinding steel to cover ball bearings for the war effort. She met her husband, Umbert “Bert” Giacopini, on the job. They stayed married until he died in 2002. Primetta gave birth to Dorene in 1960 and received devastating news: The infant had been born with spina bifida, a birth defect in which the spinal cord doesn’t fully develop. For the first 50 years of her life, Dorene needed crutches to walk. Worried that Dorene would slip during Connecticut’s winters, the family moved to San Jose in 1975. “My folks were born a long time

DORENE GIACOPINI holds up a photo of her mother Primetta Giacopini while posing for a photo at her home in Richmond, California, September 27, 2021. Primetta Giacopini’s life ended the way it began—in a pandemic. She was two years old when she lost her mother to the Spanish flu in Connecticut in 1918. Giacopini contracted Covid-19 earlier this month. The 105-year-old struggled with the disease for a week before she died September 16. AP PHOTO/JOSH EDELSON

ago,” she said. “Their attitude about disability, and my mother’s attitude about disability, was it was lucky I was smart and I should get a good job I really liked because I probably wouldn’t be getting married or have children. They did not take parenting classes.” But Pr imetta was “pushy,” Dorene said, and never stopped fighting for her. She once convinced school officials to move accelerated classes from the third floor of Dorene’s school to the first floor so Dorene could participate. During the springs in Connecticut, she demanded that city sweepers clear their street of salt and sand so Dorene wouldn’t slip. This year, during a visit on September 9, Dorene noticed her mother was coughing. She knew her mother’s caretaker had been feeling sick after her husband returned from a wedding in Idaho. All three had been vaccinated. But as she drove away, Dorene guessed that her mother had contracted Covid-19.

“I made sure we said ‘I love you.’” She did the ‘See you later, alligator.’ I think we both said ‘After a while, crocodile,’” Dorene said. “That was the last time I saw her.” Two days later, Primetta was in the emergency room. Her oxygen levels dropped steadily over the next six days until nurses had to put an oxygen mask on her. She became confused and fought them so hard she had to be sedated, Dorenesaid.Chest x-raystoldthestory: pneumonia. Faced with a decision of whether to put Primetta on a ventilator—“They said nobody over 80 makes it off a ventilator,” Dorene said—she decidedtoremovehermother’soxygen. Primetta died two days later, on September 16. She was 105 years old. “She had such a strong heart that she remained alive for more than 24 hours after they removed the oxygen,” Dorene said. “I’m full of maybes, what I should have done with the ventilator...[but] it broke through three vaccinated people.”

Education BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, October 9, 2021

Tesda resumes limited ‘F2F’ training, assessments

By Roderick L. Abad

ACE-TO-FACE training sessions and competency assessments of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) have now resumed in Metro Manila.

This was after the National Capital Region was placed under a more relaxed quarantine level which started on September 16. Tesda Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña then issued a circular containing guidelines on the pilot implementation of Alert Level System for pandemic response

in the NCR. Areas under Alert Level 5, or under granular lockdown, will still bar face-to-face training sessions and assessments. Permitted classes, on the other hand, may allow up to 50-percent capacity for Alert Level 4 to 2, while full capacity

LAPEñA

could be implemented for Alert Level 1. Moreover, those meant for qualifications requiring human contact like massage therapy, hilot and other beauty care-related subjects will be suspended regardless of the alert level. Meanwhile, as other areas in the country are still placed under enhanced community quarantine and modified ECQ or MECQ, face-to-face training

and assessment in those areas remain suspended. With the resumption of limited face-to-face training and competency assessment in several areas, Lapeña reminded all Tesda offices nationwide to observe minimum-public health standards to avoid surges in cases. He also encouraged applicants who want to avail training sessions and undergo assessments to first contact the nearest Tesda office in their areas to avoid inconveniences. “I [urge] all Tesda field offices and...institutions to strictly enforce [compliance to publichealth and safety protocols, as well as] reinforcement of contact-tracing systems, as faceto-face training and assessment resume,” Lapeña said.

Thomasian researchers validate new Covid qPCR test kits in clinical setting R ESEARCHERS and faculty members from the University of Santo Tomas (UST)-College of Science were commissioned by Singaporean biotechnology company MiRXES Pte Ltd. to conduct clinical validation for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) using nasopharyngeal and saliva samples. According to lead proponent Pia Marie Albano PhD, using saliva could lessen the cost of testing, since patients can self-collect their own samples, thus eliminating the need for trained swab collectors. Time and cost are further reduced by directly subjecting the saliva samples to PCR. For most commercial kits, the genetic material of the virus is first extracted before PCR can be performed. Apart from determining if a patient tested positive for SARSCoV-2, which is commonly known as Covid-19, samples can be further tested for possible mutations or new variants. “We have qPCR [quantitative

ALBANO (clockwise, from top left), Bennett, Sabit and Dagamac

PCR]-based kits that can identify the variants of concern, or VOCs,” said Albano, whose research experience focuses on molecular biomarkers of cancer and now,

Covid-19. By exploring and validating new options for testing, cost and waiting time could be brought down eventually, which will make testing more accessible

to the masses. Led by Albano, the team is composed of Reuel Bennett, Dr.rer.nat., Nikki Heherson Dagamac, Dr.rer. nat. and Maureen Sabit PhD from the Department of Biological Sciences. After the kits were developed and initially tested by MiRXES using contrived samples, Albano’s team was commissioned to further test the kits in clinical and community settings. More than 1,000 participants were invited to participate. The team will write its report once sufficient data is obtained. If the kits are found to have the same diagnostic performances in comparison with other currently trusted test kits, MiRXES will apply for the approval of the Food and Drug Administration. Once registered, the kits can be commercially distributed in various parts of Asia. In addition to her work at the UST Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences, Albano teaches courses in medical microbiology, molecular diagnostics, and biology of cancer.

DLSU-Philippine Coffee Guild MOU Smart powers Pasig Catholic College’s data connectivity to boost industry-academe ties

LIGNED with the United Nations’ (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), De La Salle University (DLSU)—through the La Salle Food and Water Institute—has partnered with the Philippine Coffee Guild (PCG) to promote an exchange of best practices in the areas of research, social development, and the environment. The parties entered a memorandum of understanding on September 3, with DLSU President Br. Bernard Oca FSC and Philippine Coffee Guild’s President Ronald Yu as signatories. DLSU Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Dr. Raymond Tan and PCG Director Jaycee Martinez served as witnesses. Through the collaboration, DLSU aims to build initiatives, policy research, networking activities, classes and industry-wide forums. The longterm goal of the university

is to strengthen its growing and caring research community which answers the call to timely, relevant, and favorable solutions. “This confluence of efforts by…leading private academics and research university in the country, [as well as] the organization composed of national coffee champions, both literally and figuratively, did not happen overnight,” La Salle Food and Water Institute Director Dr. Emmanuel Garcia said. “It has been the result of several years of frequent, serious, deep, and broad-minded exchange of notes.” Garcia added, “The forthcoming collaborative projects and activities will not only boost the case for industryacademe cooperation, but also stress the importance of such cooperation as a crucial driver of the UN’s SDGs. In time, we will see that this is really not just about coffee.”

OMING the rescue of Pasig Catholic College, Smart Communications Inc. recently provided connectivity assistance for the institution’s students and teachers who were severely impacted by the pandemic. Under its company core value of malasakit (genuine concern), the telco firm provided 200 preloaded Smart Bro Pocket Wi-Fi units, and complemented these with 200 Smart Call and Text prepaid cards in P300 denomination. “The [health crisis has made learning hard] for students and teachers alike... Through [our] fastest network and connectivity tools, we can help ensure that no learner is left behind, even in these challenging times,” said Smart’s Vice President Melvin Consunji Nubla, who also heads Go To Market and Subscriber Management. Pasig Catholic College President Bp. Mylo Hubert C. Vergara DD said they experienced a sharp drop in enrollment, as some students transferred to public schools due to financial constraints. He added the shift to online classes became

a financial challenge to their marginalized learners, many of whom took odd jobs like doing their neighbors’ laundry or babysitting, to buy data load for online classes. Bishop Vergara also pointed out that the school’s teaching personnel also struggled to migrate courses to digital platforms. While most of the devices are allotted for college students, a few Smart Bro Pocket Wi-Fi units will also be allocated to select teachers in basic education. This will supplement Pasig Catholic College’s existing initiatives such as allowing teachers to use the school’s computer laboratories for online classes and lending them desktop computers so they may conduct online classes at home. “Smart’s assistance will enable...recipients to cope with the demands of e-learning and online transactions being adopted by the school,” added the prelate. “[It] serves as the bridge that allows...students and teachers to transfer to the next phase of the process of teaching and learning.” Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

Editor: Mike Policarpio

E. Union promotes diversity, excellence in higher education

ILIPINO students, academicians, researchers and university officials planning of heading to Europe for quality higher education were a step closer in making their dreams a reality, as the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) offered opportunities for direct connections with world-class higher education institutions from across the European Union (EU). “EHEF 2021 [promoted]...diversity and excellence of higher education in the EU,” said Ambassador Luc Véron, as he shared that useful, practical and comprehensive information about the different mobility initiatives and distinctive higher-education programs were made available at the fair. The EU is one of the world’s top centers of academic excellence, and a hub for cross-fertilization of ideas and cutting-edge technologies and innovation. Outside academia, the region offers opportunities for borderless travel to some of the world’s best and most iconic destinations, and allows immersion to diverse cultures. The abovementioned holistic experience provided motivation for applicants to “Go Higher with EU,” which was the motto of this year’s fair. The EU Delegation in the Philippines said EHEF 2021 was the biggest yet, as 140 higher education institutions offered Master’s and PhD courses designed to vastly improve career opportunities of talented Filipinos. Those who wished to avail of studies in the bloc chose among learning institu-

tions in EU member-states: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Finland, and Sweden. The two-day fair was packed with activities, including webinars on specialized courses and programs, country presentations and live chats with representatives, alumni and scholars from participating schools and universities. This year’s regional partner-institutions included Wesleyan University for Luzon, Silliman University for the Visayas, and Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan for Mindanao. They hosted clustered presentations for students and other members of the academe. Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas, Jose Rizal Memorial State University, University of the Cordilleras, Saint Louis University, Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, Mabalacat City College, Rizal Technological University, Trinity University of Asia, Ateneo de Manila University, Visayas State University, and Mindanao State University’s College of Public Affairs in Marawi City served as university-partners. EHEF 2021 was supported by Campus Erasmus and the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities. The virtual fair was also organized with EU member-states’ embassies, education services and Institutes, in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education. It was streamed live on the EU Delegation to the Philippines Facebook page and at https://www.ehefphilippines.com. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

Czech Republic’s support on learning helps Baseco’s recovery, development

DEPUTY Head of Mission Dalibor Mička speaks with student-beneficiaries

HE Embassy of the Czech Republic officially turned over learning materials and equipment to its partner-community in Baseco, Manila, on September 15, with Deputy Head of Mission Dalibor Mička in attendance during the ceremony. Said aid was part of the “Bridge to Employment” program—a joint project of the Czech Republic Humanitarian Aid and World Vision. It aims to address educational barriers faced by the youth in the Alternative Learning System in the compound. The embassy explained that many of the area’s youth are unable to pursue proper education and training that would prepare them for better employment opportunities and a chance at better life outcomes, especially due to severe limitations caused by the pandemic and its ensuing lockdowns. With the help of “Bridge to Employment,” these young people are linked to several training classes in technicalvocational courses, confidence-building sessions, and spiritual assistance. The support is one of the outcomes of the Czech Republic’s continuing effort to

help partner-countries and show its unwavering support during this challenging time. Mička likened the aid extension to one of his country’s heritage sites. “The symbolism of partnership and aid that the Czech Republic extends…is like that of the Charles Bridge: a stone [structure] in Prague built in the 14th Century, and continues to serve its purpose until [today],” said the Czech official, as he told recipients: “We are your partners; your ‘Charles Bridge,’ your help in achieving goals for the betterment of your communities. [Ours is a] partnership that is solid, and can withstand the changes of time.” The embassy said that through the project, the Czech Republic Humanitarian Aid aims to help partner-countries address their economic, social, environmental and security problems, build resilience, and give their people prospects for a better future. In synergy with humanitarian assistance, it provides an opportunity for targeted support to countries affected by conflicts and disasters, with a direct link to recovery, development, as well as political and economic partnerships.

Intake Study World 2021 ready to go live

NTAKE Philippines (formerly UKEAS Philippines) will connect students to the best overseas education opportunities through the Study World Exhibition 2021. The Study World Exhibition 2021 will be the largest online event, where students can connect with university representatives from prestigious schools and universities in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Canada. This year’s upcoming Study World Online will also span over three weeks

of October. On the 16th, 19th until 23rd, webinars will be hosted by representatives from different universities in the said countries and Ireland. Then from October 26 to 30, students can schedule one-to-one online consultations with university representatives ready to accommodate Filipino students nationwide. The webinars and online consultations are free of charge and open to Filipino students of all levels. Register via https://bit.ly/StudyWorld6758.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Editor: Carla Mortel-Baricaua

Saturday, October 9, 2021 A9

Digital technology to push tourism growth in ASEAN and Baguio City

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

igital technology will be the key tool to boost tourism both in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and Baguio City, the Philippines’s summer capital.

T he A SE A N Tour ism A ssociat ion (ASEANTA) tapped leading artificial intelligence and Big Data technology provider Fusionex to introduce ASEANTA Travel Exchange (ATEX), a comprehensive virtual exhibition and engagement platform, to help facilitate an inclusive business environment and provide greater access to new markets. “This collaboration between ASEANTA and Fusionex is a historical event— a true A SEA N partnership bringing together the combined resources of ASEAN member-states, in both the public and private sector, to take tourism in the region to new levels and to firmly establish ASEAN as one of the most viable and attractive tourist destinations in the world,” said Eddy Krismeidi Soemawilaga, president of ASEANTA in a recent online press briefing. Soemawilaga stressed that the Covid-19 pandemic has wrought a huge disruption upon the travel and tourism sector as borders have been closed and large gatherings discouraged. He expressed optimism in ASEANTA’s transition from physical to virtual, seamlessly improve accessibility, connection and engagement while removing the restrictions of time and space through virtual exhibitions, webinars, digital marketing campaigns, and more. Wit h AT E X ’s su ite of innovat ive solutions, he said this will empower ASEANTA in organizing virtual events while driving meaningful and measurable online interactions. It also offers a platform that offers an intelligent

Tam-awan Village is a haven for artists and tourists. Jameimei | DREAMSTIME.COM

Ancient art sculpture of a tribal group awaits visitors in Baguio. Azel2101 | DREAMSTIME.COM

Alec Mapalo, division head, City Tourism and Special Events Office, City of Baguio

Mina Lim, country managing Director, Oracle Philippines

business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking feature that connects local enterprises with global businesses to enable market expansion. By embracing digitalization, Fusionex Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh said ASEANTA is ready to embrace the new normal for the future of travel, hospitality, and tourism, and help enterprises to cope with the pandemic and new norm for continued sustainability. He pointed out that travel and tourism

players can also harness the platform’s global distribution system to conduct secured uninterrupted business transactions, virtual marketing, livestreaming of pitching sessions, real-time reporting capabilities, monitoring, and measurement features, and capitalizing on powerful artificial (AI)-powered digital marketing tools for specific campaigns. On the local front, the City Government of Baguio has chosen Oracle Cloud to help manage the interstate visitor

traffic application process to support the city’s cautious reopening of tourism activities and boost the local economy. Powered by Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, the Baguio Visitors Information and Travel Assistance (VISITA) online registration system and mobile application enable the City of Pines to register and trace visitors more accurately which ensures the safety of almost 360,000 residents and interstate tourists. The deployment of Oracle Cloud has also delivered 55 percent cost savings as compared to running the system on-premises. “As with many places around the world, seeing the City devoid of tourists was very hard. Wanting to welcome them back and protect our residents at the same time we turned to technology for the answer recognizing the efficiencies it could bring. We selected Oracle Cloud for the Baguio VISITA program due to its enterprise-grade performance, rapid scalability, and simplicity of integration which enabled the system to go live in just one week. Since moving to the cloud, we have seen significant cost savings as compared to previously,” said Alec Mapalo, division head, City Tourism and Special Events Office, City of Baguio said in a separate online webinar. The city government decided to de-

velop an integrated visitor management system to track the visitors’ movements and impose local health and safety protocols. During the pre-Covid level, Baguio City attracted more than a million visitors each year. Moreover, the web site registered more than 13 million hits. The Oracle Cloud Native Services including Oracle Container Engine for Kubernetes was used to support the rapid implementation of the visitor system. It is an Oracle-managed service that can reduce the time and cost to build modern cloud-native applications. For the security component, Baguio City added Oracle Cloud Guard, which detects misconfigured resources and insecure activity so they can be triaged and resolved. Further, the Oracle Web Application Firewall has also been installed in the system to protect the application from malicious and unwanted Internet traffic. “ The pandemic has accelerated the pace of digitization. In the Public Sector the government departments and organizations have had to pivot quickly to provide services remotely to the citizens while ensuring their services are secure, reliable, and compliant with local regulations,” said Mina Lim, country managing director of Oracle Philippines.

Hoteliers launch ‘SOS 2’ to boost local travel

o stimulate and revive domestic tourism, the Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) recently launched September Online Sale (SOS) Year 2, an online sale of vacation and food and beverage packages which will run until October 15. Eighty of the country’s top hotel and resort chains and brands are taking part in this year’s SOS, with discounts of up to 70 percent, sold in e-vouchers with a one-year validity, and flexible conditions. Up for sale are more than a hundred packages and handsome discounts in key destinations such as Boracay, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Davao, Baguio, Clark, Ilocos, Laguna, Bataan and Cavite. Star-rated hotels in Metro Manila, meanwhile, are offering urban sanctuaries in the heart of the city for a family staycation. Among the irresistible packages include early check-in at late check-out for guests, and buy-one, get-one room offers with breakfast and complimentary pool use. HSMA President and Bayleaf Hotels Area Director of Sales & Marketing Benjie Martinez said that the group has planned a month-long travel mart which includes hotel ancillary services such as restaurants, bars, banquet packages, spa, gym,

Bluewater Sumilon Island Resort

pool, and other leisure facilities. He said that last year’s SOS sold almost 2,000 vouchers and netted P14 million in bookings, and brought in much-needed revenues to preserve millions of jobs in the tourism sector. The group hopes to double the receipts this year with its month-long duration. “This is our chance to extend a helping

CRIMSON Boracay

hand to the travel sector, so that they may regain their footing and continue serving the Filipino people through essential quarantine accommodations and leisure services. This is also a kind of victory over the pandemic, that we are seizing the opportunity to rediscover and reconnect with the beauty of our country,” adds HSMA Board Chair Margie Munsayac,

who is also vice president for sales and marketing of Bluewater Resorts. HSMA is the country’s oldest and leading organization of sales and marketing professionals in the hospitality industry, which is at the forefront in rebooting the tourism sector which has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. The SOS is presented in partnership

with the Department of Tourism under its “Have a Safe Trip, Pinas,” campaign to restore public confidence in travel. Other collaborating partners are Tourism Promotions Board, Atlantis, Isentia, and Cebu Pacific as official airline. For the list of participating establishments and their offerings, visit www. hsma.org.ph/sos.

A10 Saturday, October 9, 2021 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Bea Alonzo reveals her favorite online shopping finds PHOTO: @BEAALONZO ON INSTAGRAM

EA ALONZO, Lazada’s new regional brand ambassador, has revealed her favorite finds on the e-commerce platform. “I buy camera stuff, cooking and baking stuff, and even gifts for my mom. I’ve also purchased a lot of lounge wear,” said the actress. Alonzo said shopping is one of the ways she is coping with the pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, during which her activities as a showbiz personality are curtailed. Another way for Alonzo to cope with the current situation is to dress up and put on makeup every day. “We cope in different ways and I’ve realized that getting glammed up, even when I’m not going out, has helped me a lot. I also watch a lot of movies and read books. But my ultimate way of coping is going to my mom’s farm in Zambales,” said Alonzo during the virtual launch of its LazMall 10.10 Big Brands Sale from October 10 to 14 (lzd.co/LazMallBigBrandsSale). When asked what her first-ever Lazada purchase was, Alonzo said it was a “tent” she uses for changing outfits in during tapings and shoots where no dressing room is available. “Shop but be smart” is her shopping mantra. “We are proud to welcome Bea Alonzo as the newest addition to the Lazada family. LazMall is the home of authentic international and local brands, and beyond being a well-loved style icon, Bea’s dedication to her work and genuine personality resonate perfectly with LazMall’s brand promise of authenticity and quality,” said Lazada chief Marketing

officer Neil Trinidad. Alonzo joins LazMall’s first-ever regional brand ambassador Hyun Bin in unveiling exciting 10.10 deals and exclusive offers, including the new 10 percent cashback, 100 percent legit or get 2x money back guarantee, free shipping vouchers, 30-day returns, Lazada Bonus Discount Vouchers where shoppers can get P50 off for every P500 spend, up to 90-percent off on the best authentic brands and special premium offers from LazMall Prestige Flagship Stores, like Jo Malone, NARS, Lanvin, Narciso Rodriguez and more, only on Lazada. “I am honored to be part of this family and excited to work with Lazada to bring more excitement to consumers in the Philippines,” said Alonzo. Lazada also remains committed to supporting local brands to digitize their business and scale online. “We have already onboarded over 2,000 small businesses on our platform since the start of the pandemic, and will continue to make onboarding more MSMEs nationwide a key priority to showcase the inspiring stories of local brands and businesses,” said Trinidad. He said 2020-2021 has really seen a big growth in e-commerce. There has been a significant change in shopping habits of Filipinos because they now shop more online. And what are they buying? Stuff for homebased hobbies, baking supplies, home gym equipment, gardening supplies and even pet supplies. A new trend Lazada is seeing is shoppers paying their utilities on the app. Lazada’s goal, said Trinidad, is to further expand its networks in Visayas and Mindanao. ■

RKELLYTV and R. Kelly’s Vevo account, which hosted his official music videos, were removed on Tuesday. AP

YouTube removes R. Kelly’s channels, but still offers his songs BY NICO GRANT AND LUCAS SHAW Bloomberg News

Globe goes to TikTok to promote mental health GLOBE Bridging Communities (Globe Bridgecom) rallies everyone to plant happiness and take pleasure in small things to improve mental health and wellbeing. Turning to the highly popular social-media platform TikTok, Globe encourages everyone to dance their way to better days and do their share for Mother Earth. The campaign has kick-started a series of activities on TikTok (vt.tiktok.com/ZSe1vWGBn), starting with its #PlantHappinessPH #AtinAngSimpleJoys dance challenge. Using artist Quest’s popular hit song “Better Days 2.0,” TikTokers will be dancing to inspiring lyrics about finding ways to celebrate life. To make this activity more interesting and meaningful, Globe is inspiring participants to take on purposeful hobbies that further help alleviate stress and, at the same time, help the environment. Thousands of free seeds and seedlings await those who take on the challenge so they can create a positive and uplifting routine of caring for plants. Langka and guyabano seedlings will be given to participants in the Greater Manila Area while those in other locations get seed packs to grow Supa and Bignay trees. These are sourced from Globe’s partners in sustainability, the Philippine Native Tree Enthusiasts and Mead Foundation. To get these seeds or seedlings for free, people need

to visit www.0917lifestyle.com and check out using the promo code SIMPLEJOYS. Popular TikTok star Cejeey Laqui, known for the viral Ever After dance challenge, choreographed the #PlantHappinessPH #AtinAngSimpleJoys dance challenge. Several celebrity talents and influencers including Sanya Lopez, Mark Herras, and Rodjun Cruz of GMA; Myx VJ Ai de la Cruz; and Joj and Jai Agpangan of ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother are also lending their support to the campaign. Moreover, Globe and TM subscribers who participate in the dance challenge may also win 917 Rewards points which they can redeem for freebies or discounts from their favorite shops. A total of 30 winners will be selected. “Amid the challenges of the pandemic, we want to remind everyone that they are not alone in their fight against stress and anxiety,” shared Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer and senior vice president for corporate communications. “There can be happiness even in life’s little surprising moments. Healthy hobbies and the pursuit of simple joys are ways for people to stay mentally healthy. And should anyone feel they need more help, then we have support channels like Hopeline and KonsultaMD to reach for.”

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6: From discord comes Harmony CONTINUED FROM A11 tablet screen to activate the Multi-Window dock, and quickly select two applications. Then, hold and drag them onto the screen—one will appear on the left side and the other on the right. You can also adjust the size of the application windows. This works great when chatting with friends while shopping online at the same time, or reading e-mails while editing files because of the large screen. Huawei is really leaning into integrating all of its products into its ecosystem, and HarmonyOS is making that happen.

FINAL WORD: WHAT IF?

DESPITE the surge in the demand because of workand learn-from-home arrangements, Android tablets haven’t been getting the same love unlike its iOS counterpart. Huawei is going full steam with HarmonyOS and this first implementation on the MatePad Pro shows a lot of potential. It’s not groundbreaking, but that is okay as it’s very intuitive to use for anyone who’s used Android. Unless your organization or you are totally dependent on Google’s apps, the MatePad Pro offers highly competitive hardware that shows there can be life outside Google’s ecosystem.

The lack of GMS isn’t the biggest problem for Huawei, as the browser alternatives and the workarounds aren’t as cumbersome as before, plus the introduction of Petal Search and the rest of the Petal alternatives are becoming more useful. They just need to improve the quality of apps found in its marketplace, and weed out those useless apps. If the app situation is ever resolved, the MatePad Pro will be a no-brainer. Still, if you are looking for a powerful tablet with an amazing display, audio and accessories that will let you unleash your creativity— the Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6 is all that, if you don’t mind the lofty price tag. ■

YOUTUBE banned R. Kelly from its video platform, taking an unusual step to distance itself from the disgraced recording artist recently convicted of sex crimes. The world’s largest video platform on Tuesday banned two channels linked to the singer, according to a memo from YouTube’s head of legal, Nicole Alston. Those channels, R. Kelly TV and R. Kelly Vevo, are offline, giving users a message that the “account has been terminated for a violation of YouTube’s Terms of Service.” However, Google’s YouTube will continue to offer Kelly’s catalog on its audio streaming service, YouTube Music. “Egregious actions committed by R. Kelly warrant penalties beyond standard enforcement measures due to a potential to cause widespread harm,” Alston wrote in her memo. “Ultimately we are taking this action to protect our users similar to other platforms.” Kelly will no longer be able to use, own or create YouTube channels, she added. “We can confirm that we have terminated two channels linked to R. Kelly in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement. In September, R. Kelly was convicted of nine counts by a federal jury in New York, including racketeering, sex trafficking and the sexual exploitation of a child. Deleting a channel for a person’s behavior in the real world is unusual, but not unprecedented for YouTube, which strives to present itself as an open platform for a variety of creators and viewpoints. The video site introduced a policy in 2018 to penalize creators for behavior off the platform. Creators have faced punishment if they do anything that could “cause malicious harm to others” or participating in abuse or violence. YouTube said it removed channels in 2018 and 2019 on similar grounds, including those of Larry Nassar, Family of Five and Austin Jones. The music industry revolted in 2018 when Spotify Technology SA punished artists for their behavior. The Swedish streaming giant said it would stop promoting music from artists who engaged in hateful behavior and misconduct. It started by scrubbing R. Kelly and rapper XXXTentacion from its playlists, though users could still listen to those artists by searching for songs. Industry leaders and artists criticized the company in private, claiming it was unfairly punishing individual artists. Playlists are one of the most common ways for users to find music. Spotify reversed the policy after just a month.

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

• Saturday, October 9, 2021 A11

Huawei MatePad Pro 12.6: From discord comes Harmony

N the first part of our review we talked about the build quality and the excellent display of Huawei’s most premium tablet. After using the Huawei Matepad Pro 12.6 for another week, let me share with you my thoughts on its audio quality, performance, cameras and, most importantly, the HarmonyOS experience.

LOUD AND CLEAR

FOR its loudspeakers, Huawei introduces an all-new audio solution that features an incredible eightspeaker sound system (although you only see two on each side) with separate tweeters and woofers. The array of speakers consists of four tweeters and four woofers, with the woofers responsible for handling low-frequency, high-amplitude sound waves, and the tweeter lineup accountable for high-frequency, lowamplitude sound waves. This combination results in what could be the best speaker system on a tablet. Its loud, crisp and you can hear the differences between the delicate treble and powerful bass. Whether you are watching movies or listening to your favorite songs, that professional Harman Kardon tuning provides you with a truly superb audio experience— trust me, you wouldn’t want to use earphones with this tablet. Background noise can really be distracting when you are on a video call or attending online classes. The MatePad Pro has a self-developed AI noise reduction features that can distinguish between voices and noise in real time and filter out the latter so that you are only listening to the voices that you want to hear, allowing for more effective communication.

CAMERAS

FOR a while, Huawei was the king of smartphone cameras, so you’d expect the MatePad Pro to have great cameras—and you’d be right. Huawei kitted out the MatePad Pro 12.6 with three cameras: a 13-megapixel primary lens, an 8-megapixel wideangle lens and a 3D depth-sensing sensor. It can take very nice photos in good lighting and there’s even

night mode if you need to take some indoor shots. You also get a wide selection of modes from PRO, portrait, slow-mo, panorama light painting, moving picture, and an AR Lens. Comparing it to other tablets, the MatePad Pro definitely has better cameras—just don’t expect Huawei P or Mate series-grade cameras as you get more of a Nova quality—great but not spectacular. Still, I wouldn’t recommend waving your tablet around to take photos just because of its size and bulk. As for the front camera, you get an 8MP shooter that is located on the length of the screen. It may not be ideal for TikTok or Snapchat but the placement is perfect for video calls, and if you are calling other Huawei devices you can use MeeTime for HD quality video chats.

PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY

THE MatePad Pro 12.6 has a Kirin 9000E chip and it does a fine job of running things smoothly as this 5nm 5G SoC is capable of multi-tasking, processing massive amounts of data, and powering real-time AI computing with ease. I’ve been using it to post on my blog while on Zoom calls, played some casual games, scrolled through my social media feeds, and tried my hand at sketching using the M-Pencil—and not once did it lag, stutter, or keep me waiting. As for the battery, the MatePad Pro is equipped

THIRDY RAVENA, SAN-EN NEOPHOENIX TAKE CENTER IN VIBER’S LATEST LAUNCH FILIPINO basketball star Thirdy Ravena continues to fuel Pinoys’ love for the beloved sport in the international arena as he plays for Japanese professional basketball team San-en NeoPhoenix. Viber is making sure hoop fans stay updated about this exciting news and more court action with the new San-en NeoPhoenix Community. The basketball team has partnered with one of the world’s leading messaging apps to shoot and share exclusive content on Ravena and his teammates. Members can also get timely updates on game scores and results, as well as player info and stats throughout the B.League 2021-2022 season and beyond. On top of these, Viber is also launching a special sticker pack featuring Ravena, which will was initially exclusively available for download for the San-en NeoPhoenix Community members but has already been added to the Viber Sticker Market for all users. “We are thrilled to bring the San-en NeoPhoenix closer to hoop fans in the Philippines and across the world. This dedicated Viber Community will keep fans updated on this premier basketball team where Thirdy plays and can root for him and share the pride,” says David Tse, Rakuten Viber senior director for APAC. San-en NeoPhoenix president and CEO Kenjiro Hongo has expressed gratitude for Viber in providing a dedicated platform that will bring the basketball team closer to fans. “San-en NeoPhoenix is inspired by the Filipinos’ passion for basketball, especially now with Thirdy on the team. We will continue to work hard and play harder as we connect with more of our Filipino fans through this Viber Community,” he adds.

with a huge 10,050mAh battery. Together with the efficient performance of the Kirin 9000E and the power-saving technology of HarmonyOS, Huawei promises up to 14 hours of continuous local 1080p HD video playback, and 9 hours of unimpeded web browsing can be supported on a single charge. Last night, I watched three episodes of What If? with WiFi turned on, did some browsing, and posted a couple of blog entries in between, and I still had 70% battery left. I’m pretty sure it will last you at least a day of productive work (and a bit of play) before reaching for the plug. It supports the 40W Huawei SuperCharge and you could fully charge the tablet in about two hours. In addition, it also features both wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities so you could charge your headphones, watches, fitness trackers devices simply by placing it on the back panel of the tablet.

M-PENCIL AND SMART KEYBOARD

LAST year, I would have bought the MatePad Pro if I hadn’t missed the preorder deal which included the M-Pencil and Smart Keyboard. Huawei is proposing the MatePad Pro as an outlet for creativity and productivity, and you’ll need these two accessories to fully make use of the tablet’s capabilities. First, the 2nd Generation M-Pencil. The hexagonal unibody design is inspired by traditional wooden pencils but with a smoother barrel design for enhanced comfort and grip and a transparent tip that showcases the inner workings of the pencil. Huawei’s M-Pencil is very accurate when it comes to pointing, handwriting, and drawing, and the 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity lets you write a sentence or draw circles with different levels of force. The M-Pencil features Bluetooth automatic pairing connectivity and magnetic charging. Just 30 seconds of fast charging supplies enough power for ten full minutes of use and a full charge lets you use it for approximately 10 hours. When not in use, you can simply attach it to either of the longer sides of the MatePad—that keeps it secure and keep it charged at the same time. The MatePad includes three preinstalled apps for the stylus: M-Pen Zone, Nebo for Huawei, and MyScript Calculator. You might also want to download the JNotes app from the App Gallery as it supports Huawei’s Pencil Engine’s stroke prediction algorithm; Noteshelf, which provides a wide array of brushes that can be customized to all sorts of different colors and levels of thickness. If you are into drawing there’s Tayasui Sketches, or you could try FlipaClip to animate your drawings. Since I am more of a writer than an artist, it’s the Smart Keyboard that I find even more useful. It snaps snuggly to the back of the Matepad Pro and double as a case/stand. However, as is typical with keyboard covers, the keys themselves are ultra-slim so there’s very little travel. There are also large gaps between the keys, so it’s a bit hard for fast typers. If you are creating or editing a lot of documents, make sure to get a Smart Keyboard with your MatePad Pro. It’s a good thing you can buy them separately.

Unfortunately, both accessories are quite pricey, so if you are planning to get a MatePad Pro, it’s best to look out for promos that already include these two.

THE FUTURE IS HARMONY?

NOW for the most important question of all: How is the HarmonyOS? The short answer is: promising. Running on HarmonyOS 2, the MatePad Pro 12.6 was very intuitive to use as its very “Android-esque” to say the least. It also feels very familiar to anyone that’s ever used a Huawei device before because of its EMUI roots. There’s an app dock along the bottom that gives quick access to your favorites, while the apps and widgets are organized neatly into folders. So, yes, it is a brand new OS developed by Huawei, but it can run Android apps except for those that require Google Mobile Service (GMS). Instead of the Google Play Store, you get your apps via the App Gallery. And if you can’t find it there, you can use Petal Search to find those APK files. Just remember to exercise caution when sideloading apps and make sure to get it from trusted “app markets” if you can. I’ve downloaded almost all my usual apps either through the AppGallery or via Petal Search and I’ve even installed Netflix, HBO Go and Prime Video on my tablet. They all work well with the caveat that you can only stream videos in SD definition, which is unfortunate but still watchable. The AppGallery is already the world’s third largest app marketplace, and there is no shortage of available apps for you to download, and while the number of essential apps has improved a lot, it’s the quality and filtering of useless, spammy applications that Huawei needs to further address. Swipe to the leftmost screen to open Petal Search where much is organized quite nicely, with a feed, news updates, weather, music, etc. Huawei has also developed several other alternatives such as Petal Maps and Petal Translate. I only wish it had a “photos” app with unlimited storage like Google Photos before. Last year, one of the unique features of the MatePad Pro was desktop mode. Well, it’s gone now, and in its place is the new PC-tablet Multi-screen Collaboration, which includes three modes: Mirror Mode, Extend Mode and Collaborate Mode. In Mirror Mode, the laptop is mirrored to the tablet, showing exactly the same content. The M-Pencil can not only be used for handling tablet tasks, but it can sign, add comments and draw for PC tasks. In Extend Mode, the tablet serves as an additional display for the PC to have more space to display content, it’s like having two screens. In Collaborate Mode, you can directly use the PC’s mouse to drag and drop files (such as images, videos, audio files, documents, etc.) between the two devices, which is much more straightforward. To help you multitask the MatePad Pro 12.6 allows up to four app windows to be shown on the screen at one time. To set up, swipe left from the right of the

CONTINUED ON A10

Sports BusinessMirror

PHL spikers put up gallant stand against solid Iranians

EBISCO-PHILIPPINES gave Iran’s Sirjan Foulad fits in the second set before getting a reality check in the third set to yield, 15-25, 22-25, 5-25, in the Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship on Friday at the Terminal 21 competition hall in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Back-to-back kills by Jao Umandal allowed the Filipinos to move to within 22-23 in the second set, before the Iranians averted disaster with more composed plays. The reigning Iranian Super League champions then held their foes to a single attack in the third set with the Filipinos getting their points through their opponents’ errors. Unlike Sirjan Foulad, where it played 33 matches during its successful 2020-21 domestic club run, Rebisco, made up of the core of the squad that clinched a historic silver medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, is playing for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic. Still, National Coach Dante Alinsunurin was grateful for the opportunity to go up against a powerhouse team and learn from their system. “It’s a really great opportunity for us to finally get back to competing internationally after almost two years,” Alinsunurin said. “It’s a tremendous experience for us, as well, that we got to face a high-level Asian team like Iran.” Umandal and Mark Alfafara had seven points each, while Nico Almendras, who provided the Filipinos’ lone attack point in the third set, contributed six points. Rebisco seeks a better performance on Saturday when it faces Uzbekistan’s AGMK at the resumption of Pool B action at 11 a.m. (Manila time). Umandal was also high-praises for the Iranian squad that parades a lineup of Olympic athletes and veteran stars. “We really struggled but I am still glad of how we fought and tried to bring the best out of each other,” Umandal said. “The Iranian team’s on a different level, but I am confident with my team and all the preparations we did to get here.” “We didn’t take the win but we are still grateful for the chance to compete against them,” he added. Rebisco-Philippines’ participation in the continental club championship is supported by Rebisco, Asics, the Philippine Sports Commission and Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.

A12

| Saturday, October 9, 2021 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

BOLTS RECHARGE, TOP GAME 3 M

By Josef Ramos

ERALCO halted Magnolia’s streak, 91-86, but not without additional effort in the fourth quarter where the Hotshots again tried to impose their will in their best-of-seven semifinals series in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga. Despite playing without Raymond Almazan (sprained left ankle in Game Two), Aaron Black (hand injury), Trevis Jackson and Jammer Jamito (health

and safety protocols), the Bolts banked on a fiery offensive game to build commanding leads before unleashing their defense late in the game to narrow the series to 1-2. “I think we displayed a big heart today. We just looked at this game as do-or-die or played it like there was no tomorrow for us,” Meralco Head Coach Norman Black said. “We’re struggling a bit because of the lack of manpower, but it’s a must win for us.” Chris Newsome piled up 17 points on top of six rebounds and four assists, while stocky playmaker Nards Pinto scattered 16 points to lead the Bolts, who built a 75-54 cushion on Mac Belo’s lay-up at the

start of the payoff period. But the Hotshots trimmed the deficit to 86-89 with only 28 seconds left on Rafi Reavis’s lay-up. Newsome, however, sank fade away jumper with only six seconds remaining to seal the victory for Meralco. Belo scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting with five rebounds and two assists, while Nonoy Baclao filled in for Almazan and scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Allein Maliksi (9), Bong Quinto (8) and Anjo Caram (8) contributed to Meralco’s offense. Cliff Hodge also shared seven points and grabbed 12 rebounds plus two steals for the Bolts.

Ko leads Founders Cup, Saso on the prowl

EST CALDWELL, New Jersey—Jin Young Ko put a tough loss behind her quickly and ran off six birdies over a seven-hole stretch on the back nine for an eight-under 63 on Thursday to build a three-shot lead in the Cognizant Founders Cup. It was her 11th consecutive round in the 60s, three short of the record that Annika Sorenstam set in 2005. Sandra Gal had a 66 despite not making birdie on any of the par 5s at Mountain Ridge. The large group at 67 included Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in women’s golf who had not played since the Solheim Cup a month ago, US Women’s Open champion Yuka Saso and twotime major champion So Yeon Ryu. Saso had a bogey-free round she highlighted with four birdies, including the par-5 No. 18. Saso birdied the par-4 No. 1 and the par-3 seventh and looked very much in the hunt with more birdies at Nos. 10 and 18. The Tokyo Olympian is hoping to improve on her 19th-place finish at the ShopRite Ladies Professional Golf Association Classic also in New Jersey. Dottie Ardina, on the other hand, carded a 71 to share 56th place with 21 others. She eagled No. 3 and birdied on No. 13 but bogeyed Nos. 9, 13, and 18. Brooke Henderson of Canada got a putting lesson from Shirley Spork, one of the 13 LPGA founders, and it

JAO UMANDAL challenges the Iranian defense.

worked well enough for a 67. Spork said the “magic putter” now has a moniker, though Henderson chose to keep that their secret. The first round was suspended by darkness because of a 90-minute delay Thursday morning due to fog. Thirty players didn’t finish the round. The best score of those was Moriya Jutanugarn at three under through 15 holes. Ko, whom Korda replaced at No. 1 in the summer, had control of the ShopRite LPGA Classic last week in southern New Jersey until she missed a series of putts from the 10-foot range, including the last hole to finish one shot behind Celine Boutier. She went shopping in Manhattan, took her share of naps and watched streaming shows. And then she was back to work, and it was working well. Ko began the back nine of the Donald Ross design with three straight birdies. Following a par on the par-3 13th, she ran off three straight birdies again. “I was a little sad on the Sunday last week,” Ko said. “I had a lot of putts on back nine, so I was thinking, ‘Still my putter is really good, so like don’t be negative.’ So I will give myself positive thinking, and today I had a great round. The putting was not bad.” Boutier and Inbee Park, who also finished one behind last week, each shot 70 in the afternoon. Korda had not competed in stroke play since August 22, the final round of the Women’s British Open at Carnoustie. The

YUKA SASO has a bogey-free first round. AP

Olympic gold medalist took a month off to relax and contemplate what she has done this year—first major among three wins, an Olympic gold and her rise to No. 1 in the world. The 23-year-old American hopes this is only the start. “I just go about my business the same as I would be ranked 20th, top 10, No. 1. I’m still trying to achieve goals,” Korda said. “There are girls still hunting for me. There is still a lot I would like to accomplish in my career. I’m hoping to put my foot on the pedal still.” One of those hunting her is Ko, who held the No. 1 ranking for two years until Korda surpassed her by winning the KPMG Women’s PGA at Atlanta Athletic Club. Ko is trying to worry more about the next shot instead of the No. 1 ranking. She has been on a roll since falling to No. 2. In six starts since the Women’s PGA, the 26-year-old South Korean has won twice, been runner-up and had two other finishes in the top 10. At the moment, she is chasing players past and present. “Nelly is good player and I’m always happy to compete with her,” Ko said. “I want to play better than her a little bit, but she still hits it farther and great putter. I have to focus more on my game when I’m playing with Nelly.” Sorenstam set the LPGA record for consecutive rounds in the 60s during her 10-win season in 2005. The streak ended with a 73 on the final day of the LPGA Championship, which she won by three shots at Bulle Rock. Ko’s run began with a 69 in the final round of the Evian Championship. The next three tournaments were all 54 holes, one shortened by rain. “If I can, it’s going to be a great honor,” Ko said of the Sorenstam record. “If not, still fine.” AP

CHRIS NEWSOME leads the Bolts’ offensive charge. The Bolts established a 24-11 lead late in the first quarter before stretching their advantage to as high as 20 points several times. Paul Lee posted 18 points while Ian Sangalang had 15 points and seven rebounds and Calvin Abueva finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for Magnolia. Meralco will try to tie the series in Game Four on Sunday at 4:35 p.m.

Caluza, Martinez off form in Finland

HRISTOPHER CALUZA and two-time winter Olympian Michael Martinez placed 22nd and 23rd, respectively, among 26 male participants in the short program of the Finlandia Trophy on Friday at the Espoo Metro Arena in Finland. Caluza, a silver medalist in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, skated to Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” and garnered 59.74 in the short skate program. He highlighted his routine with double axel and triple loop combo with a triple lutz. “I thought I could do what I thought I could do and I am glad that I was able to stay on my feet, that’s the most important part and to share my love with ice skating to the audience,” the 31-year-old Caluza, whose traces his roots to Olongapo City, told BusinessMirror on Friday. He tallied 29.70 in technical score and 30.04 in program component. In the free skate also on Friday, he performed with Ludovico Einaudi’s “Experience By.” Martinez, on the other hand, tallied 55.62 for 23rd place via “Requiem for a Dream” arranged and re-orchestrated by Jonas Kvarnström and Escala. He got 25.74 for technical score and 30.88 for the program component. Martinez leaned on his triple lutz, triple axel and triple flipdouble toe loop combo routing.

Josef Ramos

Casimero to defend crown vs Englishman

EIGNING World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Johnriel Casimero will defend his belt against England’s Paul Butler on December 11 either in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, or Liverpool, England. MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons told BusinessMirror on Friday that a new promotions outfit, Probellum, won the bid to promote the fight with a total purse of $105,000. “Casimero is all definitely good, it’s December 11,” said Gibbons, who provided BusinessMirror with a screenshot of the WBO official tweet. Casimero, according to boxingscene.com, is entitled to 75 percent or $78,750, while Butler secured 25 percent or $26,250 of the total purse.

Butler, 32, is sporting a 33-2 record with 15 knockouts. Gibbons immediately told the 32-year-old Casimero (31-4 win-loss record with 21 knockouts), to fly to the US from his native Ormoc City to resume training. Casimero remained in his hometown—hopping around and giving out sacks of rice to his neighbors—despite his promise to return to the US on October 1. He came home from the US last September 1. Casimero was supposed to face off with World Boxing Council bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. in a unification fight, but that didn’t materialize. He ended up fighting Guillermo Rigondeaux last August 14 in Carson City and won via split decision. Josef Ramos

Frontliners salute Filipino athletes

SPIRING party-list candidate Frontliners honored Filipino athletes for giving hope and inspiring the entire nation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Frontliners vowed to support the initiative and campaign of the Filipino athletes saying “they are just like the hardworking doctors, nurses, police and soldiers who are dedicated to serve the nation in any given time, place and situation.” “While our doctors and nurses are so busy saving lives at the height of the pandemic, our athletes have lifted the spirit of the entire nation especially during the Tokyo Olympics where we won our first-ever gold medal in the Olympics,” Frontliners first nominee Jayke Joson said.

“The Olympic gold medal victory of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz last July, as well as the silver medals of boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and bronze medal of Eumir Felix Marcial motivated millions of frontliners to work very hard and keep their faith to God,” he added. Joson, a former actor and film producer, will be pitting Frontliners in the May 9, 2022, elections where 63 party-list seats at the House of Representatives are at stake. “Our national athletes are also frontliners who fight for the pride of our nation at these trying times,” he said. “Just like our beloved health-care workers and peacekeeping forces, we have to support the campaign of our athletes to keep a strong nation at this time.”

NWSL players look to reclaim sport after scandals

ORTLAND, Oregon—After nearly a week of dealing with the fallout from accusations of sexual harassment and mistreatment leveled against a prominent coach, the players of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) have returned to the field in hopes of reclaiming their sport. “I think with that type of heaviness, comes the realization that things need to change. We’ve been doing a lot of grieving for our fellow players, we’ve been doing a lot of factfinding, we’ve been doing a lot of having big discussions about where this league should go and how it

should look like,” Portland Thorns defender Meghan Klingenberg said. “And the one thing that keeps coming back to me, and to us, over and over and over again is that, without any say in the league, without any power, without the financial resources to protect ourselves, this will continue happening.” The league called off games last weekend in the wake of the allegations leveled at North Carolina Coach Paul Riley. Riley was fired and NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird resigned amid the fallout while Fifa and US Soccer opened investigations. The players resumed the season

Wednesday night, but made a powerful statement at each of the three scheduled games by stopping play in the sixth minute and gathering together with coaches in a midfield circle. The action was a show of unity, as well as a gesture of solidarity with former NWSL players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim, who came forward to The Athletic to recount alleged harassment and misconduct, including sexual coercion. Riley has denied the allegations. “It’s just been a lot,” said Klingenberg, who along with her teammates wore a warmup shirt that read “No More Silence” before

a game against the Houston Dash. It has been a tumultuous season for the top women’s professional soccer league in the United States. AP

PORTLAND Thorns and Houston Dash players, along with referees, gather at midfield, in demonstration of solidarity with two former players who came forward with allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct against a prominent coach. AP

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5-10/f Tower 1, Pitx Kennedy Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

CHUA PEY SHAN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 1.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

DING, TENGFEI Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 2.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in Mandarin speaking

HUANG, QINGYUAN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 3.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

LIANG, CHONGBING Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 4.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

LIM AI TENG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 5.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

LIU, WEILONG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 6.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

LUO, JIANAN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 7.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

MO, HUIWEN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 8.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

WU, ZHIPENG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 9.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

YANG, DAJUN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 10.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

YANG, YILONG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 11.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

ZHANG, LUSHENG Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 12.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

13.

14.

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION KELVIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MASZURA Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

15.

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

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

16.

17.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

18.

Brief Job Description: Conduct and analyze market research

Brief Job Description: Manage and organize data from market research and insights and render business support to ensure efficient operational processes

INWOR, KITINUN Marketing Senior Executive 19.

Brief Job Description: Manage and organize data from market research and insights and render business support to ensure efficient operational processes

LEONARDO VAVINCI Marketing Senior Executive 20.

Brief Job Description: Manage and organize data from market research and insights and render business support to ensure efficient operational processes

WOO, HYUNDEOK Marketing Senior Executive 21.

Brief Job Description: Manage and organize data from market research and insights and render business support to ensure efficient operational processes

ROAT, NYZANA Operations Executive 22.

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

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

Brief Job Description: Serves as a liason between the customer and various departments and ensures that basics cs functions are performed

WELON VERNANDO Operations Supervisor 23.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs 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

25.

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

Brief Job Description: Oversee and assist in handling major incidents and provides training with executive

24.

Brief Job Description: Assess financial risk while maintaining appropriate level of cash flow required to support business operation

Brief Job Description: Monitor and control business account balances

26.

27.

Brief Job Description: Assists in organizing workflow, schedules and provide training to executives

DHANARAJATA, THANAKRIT Risk And Compliance Executive Brief Job Description: Initiates and process customer verification

Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian/ Vietnamese/ Chinese/ Thai/ Indonesian/fluent in English and respective native language; with atleast a year experience in similar field

Basic Qualification: Must be native Japanese / Cambodian / Thai / Chinese / Indonesian / Vietnamese ; fluent in English and respective native language, with at least 2 years experience in similar field Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian/ Vietnamese/Chinese/ Thai/Indonesian/ Korean/ Japanese/Taiwanese/ fluent in English and respective native language; with atleast 2 years experience in similar field

Basic Qualification: Must be native Japanese/ Cambodian/ Thai/ Chinese / Indonesian / Vietnamese; fluent in English and respective native language, with at least 2 years experience in similar field Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian/ Vietnamese/ Chinese/ Thai/Indonesian/ Korean/ Japanese/Taiwanese/ fluent in English and respective native language; with at least 2 years experience in similar field

Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian/ Vietnamese/ Chinese/ Thai/Indonesian/ Korean/ Japanese/fluent in English and respective native language; with atleast a year experience in similar field

Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian/ Vietnamese/ Chinese/ Thai/Indonesian/Korean/ Japanese/Taiwanese/ fluent in English and respective native language; with at least 3 years experience in customer service or similar function

Basic Qualification: Must be native Indonesian/ Vietnamese/Cambodian fluent in English and respective native language; proficient in Microsoft applications Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Must be native Indonesian/ Vietnamese / Malaysian ; fluent in English and respective native language ; with at least a year experience in same field

Basic Qualification: Must be native Indonesian/ Vietnamese / Malaysian ; fluent in English and respective native language ; with at least 3 years experience same field Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Must be native Cambodian/ Vietnamese/Chinese/ Thai/Indonesian/ Korean/ Japanese/fluent in English and respective native language; with atleast a year experience in similar field Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

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

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

ANNI Payment Executive

SUGINO Payment Senior Executive

LILIAN ANDRIYANI SUSANTI Payment Supervisor

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

Basic Qualification: Must be native Singaporean, fluent in English & mandarin ; knowledgeable in compliance program design/ techniques; with credible work experience

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

28.

YANG, MINGZONG Risk And Compliance Senior Executive Brief Job Description: Assist in analyzing new customer processes and policies

Basic Qualification: Must be native Thai/ Vietnamese/ Chinese; fluent in English and native language ; with at least 2 years experience in similar function Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

COLDSTREAM MARKETING SOLUTION INC. 603-4 Eastfield Ctr., Moa Comp. Macapagal Ave., Brgy. 076, Pasay City LIU, MING-HUI Customer Service Representative 29.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for a variety of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele.

Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Fukien language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

CTBC BANK (PHILIPPINES) CORP. 16-19 Flr. And Unit 2201 & 2202 2nd Flr., Fort Legend Tower, 31st. St. Cor. 3rd Ave., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig TSAI, PEI-TZU Institutional Credit Management Group Head 30.

Brief Job Description: with over-all responsibility for the quality of the bank’s corporate loan portfolio

Basic Qualification: Minimum of 10 years work experience as a credit manager, with exposure in a matrix set-up/environment Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 003, Pasay City NGUYEN THI OANH Chinese Customer Service Officer 31.

Brief Job Description: The Chinese Customer Service Officer is a first point of contact for the company’s Chinese clients. The primary role of Chinese Customer Service Officer within the team is to respond to a variety Chinese client’s requests and inquiries via telephone or via live chat

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

DAXIFA CORPORATION Mpire Center 93 West Avenue, Project 7, Bungad 1, Quezon City PANG, LULU Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative 32.

Brief Job Description: Delivering excellent customer service & managing the needs of customer through phone calls and emails

Basic Qualification: Ability to communicate fluently in mandarin Chinese with customers Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DEXIN 999, INC. Red Hotel No. 345, Edsa Cor. Don Carlos Revilla St., Barangay 147, Pasay City FAN, CHAOZONG Mandarin Customer Support Representative 33.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints

WANG, CHENGDIAN Mandarin Customer Support Representative 34.

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

No.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

KHANTHARAJ, PIMPANITH Marketing Executive

HOMY PRATAMA Marketing Senior Executive

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Responsible for enforcing regulations in all aspects and levels of business as well as provide guidance on compliance maters

A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

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

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ONG KOK PIN Compliance Manager

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

TRINH VIET PHONG Chinese Customer Service

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints

YUE, XINGWANG Mandarin Customer Support Representative 35.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DSV INTERNATIONAL SHARED SERVICES INC. No.6 Five- Ecom Bldg., Harbor Drive Cor. Palm Coast Ave. St., Mall Of Asia Subd. Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City

WEBBER, MATTHEW CHRISTIAN Global Operations Manager 36.

Brief Job Description: Develop and execute strategic plans and approach to expand and grow LLP operations in APAC and for specific customers globally

Basic Qualification: Clear understanding of customer’s needs and preferences, interests, timelines, and decisionmaking criteria. Able to translate them into solutions that can be delivered by DSV Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

BusinessMirror

A14 Saturday, October 9, 2021

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

ELEVATE PHILIPPINES INC. 27f Fort Legend Tower, 31st Street Corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, City Of Taguig SHARMA, PRIYA Intermediate Compliance Associate 37.

Brief Job Description: Screen electronic communications quickly and effectively using client-developed guidelines on market abuse and non-compliance; identify and escalate potential instances of market abuse.

Basic Qualification: Graduate preferably with experience in business supervision role, Fluent in English, Hindi and Punjab languages.

38.

FANG, QIANG Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer Service Representative

WANG, ZHIHAO Mandarin Customer Support Representative 51.

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

Basic Qualification: High School graduate in Chinese curriculum, can speak and write fluent Chinese Mandarin, can operate computer Mandarin characters

MIN, JUNWEN Customer Service Representative Mandarin Speaking 39.

Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting custome information and analyzing customer needs Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

53.

ARIX BONG Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 40.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

CHEN, LIANG Technical Consultant 54.

DING, WAN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 41.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

HUANG, HAIYAN Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 42.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

JI, HONGZHOU Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 43.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

LUU GIA NGOC Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 44.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

LY TUYET HUE Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 45.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

OCTORIOUS WINDY LIM Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 46.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

RUDIANTO Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 47.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

WANG, BIYA Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative 48.

Brief Job Description: Assist/ help customers, give customers information about products or services.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

Brief Job Description: Determining information system requirements and defining project objectives

JUNG, SUNGGI Korean Mathematics Curriculum Consultant 55.

Brief Job Description: Develops and improves the school’s KoreanMathematics Curriculum

KIM, JIYU Korean Physics Curriculum Consultant 56.

Brief Job Description: Develops and improves the school’s Korean Physics Curriculum

NAM, SUNGDONG Customer Service Representative 57.

Brief Job Description: Customer service representative to manage customer queries and complaints CHOI, BEDEURO Sales Representative

58.

Brief Job Description: Sales representative are responsible for communicating the benefits of a company’s product in order to drive sales KIM, JUNGHWAN Sales Representative

59.

Brief Job Description: Sales representative are responsible for communicating the benefits of a company’s product in order to drive sales KIM, HYO SYUB Web Developer

60.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the coding, innovative design and layout of our website

GONG, GUANBO Service And Parts Director 61.

49.

Brief Job Description: Maintenance and Development of the sponsorship relation.

50.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in BURMESE and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree major in Korean Mathematics and 10 years experience in curriculum development and teaching Mathematics subjects Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: University degree major in Physics; 2 years experience teaching Korean Physics

69.

Basic Qualification: College graduate ; fluent in English & Korean hangul ; at least 1 yr work experience

70.

71.

Brief Job Description: Provide cost estimates for body damage and internal repairs. Create and maintain a process to effectively manage warranty, customers paid, and internal repair orders.

HU, KAIWEN Marketing Assistant - Mandarin Speaking 62.

Brief Job Description: To support the companys archiving relevant marketing material

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

64.

CHEN, ZHIQING Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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

65.

GONG, HUANPENG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

66.

LIANG, BENXIN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

73.

74.

75.

76.

77.

78.

79.

80.

82.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin

83.

84.

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

85.

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

86.

87.

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

HA THI UYEN Vietnamese Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Brgy. 076, Pasay City

81.

Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or service to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs

ZHU, YANFU Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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

63.

CHEN, MINXING Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

72.

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent communication skills. Ability to meet company’s production and quality standards. Ability to read and comprehend instructions and information.

PAN, DINGJI Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate ; fluent in English & Korean hangul ; at least 1 yr work experience

LUO, WEI Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: College graduate ; fluent in English & Korean hangul ; at least 1 yr work experience

LIU, ZHILANG Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

Basic Qualification: College graduate ; fluent in English & Korean hangul ; at least 1 yr work experience Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LIANG, ZHONGYUAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Relations Service Provider

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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

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

68.

Basic Qualification: Able to speak mandarin chinese and english Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Brief Job Description: Responsible for handling service support calls

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

MEGA-WEB TECHNOLOGIES INC. 6,7,8,9,10,11/f Met Live Bldg., Edsa Cor. Macapagal Blvd., Brgy. 076, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

67.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

INVECH TREASURE PROCESSING CORPORATION Ground, 2nd, 3rd And 4th Floor, Eight West Campus Mckinley West, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

GAN, SHIWAN Mandarin Customer Support Representative

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

MAX INFOTECH ACCENT INC. 18th Flr. Vector 3 Bldg., Northgate Cyberzone, Fcc Alabang, City Of

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

Basic Qualification: College Graduate and fluent in speaking English.

No.

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

LTE CONCRETE SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 304 & 305 Elements Bldg., #560 Quezon Ave., Tatalon 4, Quezon City

HOPE-FOR-THE-CHILDREN INC. U 26 Ext-b 3f Bac., Bagong Mile F.b Harrison St., Brgy. 076, Pasay City MILLER, ALEXANDER LEE International Sponsorship Coordinator (American Sponsors)

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in MANDARIN/FUKIEN and at least college level with related BPO experience.

LERIB SERVICES CORPORATION U-3d Rose Industries Bldg., Choice Market Ortigas, Kapitolyo, City Of Pasig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

KOREAN SCHOOL FOUNDATION PHILIPPINES, INC. (KOREAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PHILIPPINES) 6a, Upper Mckinley Road, Pinagsama, City Of Taguig

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

JSLINK INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION 803-804 Ri-rance Building, Aseana Enclave Aseana City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

GRAND EVEREST HOLDING INC. 16/f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Proficiency in handling customer questions about services or products/ excellent mandarin communications skills

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

MYAT MIN OO Myanmari Customer Support Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 GLOBALLGA BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING Ground Level, Level 2-5 Floor, Silver City 4, Ortigas East, Ugong, City Of Pasig

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions, and responding to complaints.

ZHOU, YUNTING Mandarin Customer Support Representative 52.

FAREAST OUTSOURCE PROCESSING INC. 7th, 8th, 9th Flr. Nu Tower, Moa Coral Way, Brgy. 076, Pasay City

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

www.businessmirror.com.ph

88.

CAI, CHENGMING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries CHEN, YONGTIAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries DENG, WEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries DU, JIN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. LEE YEN MING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LIN, ZHIKUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries LUO, ZHONGSHU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. SHAO, WANYING Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SU, XIAOSHENG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries SUN, ZHIXUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries VU HOANG HAI CHAU Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, BAOGANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries WANG, CHANGJIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

WANG, WEI Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

YAN, RONGJUN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

YANG, DAJIANG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

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 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 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 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 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 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

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

89.

90.

91.

92.

93.

94.

95.

96.

97.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION YE, WEIDONG Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries YU, HENGXUAN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. HUANG, LIFAN Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries MEN, ZONGFENG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries REN, XIANGYING Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries XIONG, PENG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries XU, LONG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHENG, BINGHONG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries ZHENG, YUHANG Chinese Customer Specialist Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 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

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

98.

Brief Job Description: Analyze and report on the performance and efficiency of the campaigns.

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

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: Excellent in reading, writing and speaking in mandarin.

99.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading sales teams to reach sales targets. Primarily tasked with hiring and training team members, setting quotas, evaluating and adjusting performance, and developing processes that drive sales

100.

Brief Job Description: Handle responsibilities in Marketing Department

101.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for the wallet, over-the-counter (OTC) and enterprise parts of the business that comprise the bulk of Pay Maya’s offering

110.

111.

102.

Brief Job Description: Identify and build potential partnerships in order to support business development. Proactively prospect new partners, clients and other stakeholders to win grow business for Pinnacle Sources Global Consultancy, Inc. Develop of new pipeline of business opportunities and provide monthly updates.

103.

Brief Job Description: Provides guidance and direction in the preparation, verification and presentation of all management reports

UNALER, SIMIN Manager Engineering 104.

105.

Brief Job Description: Provide planning, execution, and control of investment projects in order to complete them within the overall objectives USMAN, MUHAMMAD Manager Technical Projects Brief Job Description: Lead and deliver critical projects ANDRIAN RICARDO LAMTORO Open+ Deployment Coach

106.

Brief Job Description: Support open+ implementation and deployment within the factory with the support of all open+ foundation coaches and RTT trainers SINTA YULIANA Open+ Deployment Coach

107.

Brief Job Description: Support open+ implementation and deployment within the factory with the support of all open+ foundation coaches and RTT trainers

Brief Job Description: Use various types of communication devices and systems to reach out to customers and verify account information

MATSUO, YOHEI General Manager For Machinery, Energy And Metal Business Brief Job Description: Direct reporting to the president and oversee the operation of the president

FENG, XUEFENG Chief Executive Officer 112.

Basic Qualification: Advance knowledge in finance, operations; graduate of a reputable university; proficient in French (native)

113.

Brief Job Description: Meet with clients/investors to increase their trust and to establish credibility.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Chinese speaking and English language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

DU, HUA Mandarin Customer Service Specialist Brief Job Description: Customer service

NGUYEN THI NU Project Consultant Brief Job Description: Consult project management activities, resources, equipment and information. Provide analytical support to manager to executing assigned projects.

PHAN TU ANH Project Consultant 115.

Brief Job Description: Consult project management activities, resources, equipment and information. Provide analytical support to manager to executing assigned projects.

THONG SUI CU Project Consultant 116.

Brief Job Description: Consult project management activities, resources, equipment and information. Provide analytical support to manager to executing assigned projects.

VU TIN HA Project Coordinator 117.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate project management activities, resources equipment and information provide analytical support to manager in executing assigned projects

ZHANG, QIAN Project Manager 118.

Brief Job Description: Coordinate project management activities, resources equipment and information provide analytical support to manager in executing assigned projects

FANG, JUNJIAN Consultant 119.

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

Basic Qualification: Strong communication & interpersonal skills and has attention for detail Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Strong communication & interpersonal skills and has attention for detail Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Brief Job Description: Conducts research to understand how a company functions and where a company can improve. FANG, ZHIYUAN Consultant

120.

Brief Job Description: Conducts research to understand how a company functions and where a company can improve. WU, JINGHUI Consultant

121.

Basic Qualification: DEGREE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

LYU, SHENGKUI Mandarin Customer Support Representative 126.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

NGUYEN VAN BIEN Mandarin Customer Support Representative 127.

Basic Qualification: Obtain higher education (degree holder)

Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin both oral and written

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

QI, CHANGRU Mandarin Customer Support Representative 128.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

YANG, YANG Mandarin Customer Support Representative 129.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

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

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, Vietnamese and English language both in written and verbal. Familiar in the field of wholesale and marketing works. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in English, Mandarin and Vietnamese both language in written and verbal. Must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Expert knowledge of content management systems, creative mind with superb written and verbal communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in mandarin, and English language both in written and verbal must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills

130.

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

Brief Job Description: Conducts research to understand how a company functions and where a company can improve. ZENG, SHUANG Consultant

122.

Brief Job Description: Conducts research to understand how a company functions and where a company can improve.

131.

Basic Qualification: Must be Chinese to deal with Chinese clients Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be Chinese to deal with Chinese clients Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Must be Chinese to deal with Chinese clients. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

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

UNIOIL PETROLEUM PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 38th And 39th Floor, Exquadra Tower, Exchange Road Cor. Jade Drive, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

132.

Basic Qualification: 10-12 years experience in property sales and marketing, fluent in Mandarin, Filipino, and English. Excellent presentation and selling skills. 5 years experience in managerial capacity. Solid experience in customer relationship management.

MITCHELL, JOAN MARIE LEMOTTE Property Sales And Marketing Manager Brief Job Description: Sales Manager

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 VOLENDAY INC. U1406 14/f Pacific Star Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Cor. Makati Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: To provide consulting technical and advisory services

ZHANG, YUEGUI Project Control Manager 133.

Brief Job Description: Responsible on IP, access network and optical network products

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

HUANG, SHUN Supply Chain Project Manager 134.

Basic Qualification: To provide consulting Technical and advisory services.

Brief Job Description: Manage the underlying resources, operation and service performance of logistic suppliers to ensure the service quality of logistic suppliers. Develop and improved risk control measures, manage business risk and advance, handle exceptions in a timely manner, and ensure smooth fulfillment of logistic service.

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

VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati Basic Qualification: Updates and maintain office policies and procedures excellent in writing, reading and speaking in bilingual languages

YU, LICHAN Bilingual Admin Officer 135.

Basic Qualification: Must be Chinese to deal with Chinese clients Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

ZHANG, JINJIE Mandarin Customer Support Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin, and English language both in written and verbal must familiar in expert planning and administrative writing and reporting skills

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

YE, XIAOYAN Mandarin Customer Support Representative

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

THRUDATA INFORMATION INC. 19th Floor Marco Polo Ortigas, Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: Can lead cooperation with internal and external stakeholder

125.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or any related field study.

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience.

LIU, ZHIHAO Mandarin Customer Support Representative

STONE ASIA AND SPECIALTY PRODUCTS, INC. 350, J.p. Rizal, Brgy. Namayan, City Of Mandaluyong

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

Basic Qualification: Has strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills, and extensive experience in the field

124.

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

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

SPEED QUALITY TECH INC. 20/f Techzone Bldg., 213 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: Graduate of banking, financial/business management, marketing, economics, management engineering, or any other related field

PMFTC INC. Plant C & D, Champaca Ii, Fortune, City Of Marikina

WILLY Manager Commercial Planning

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION LAN, QIAOZHEN Mandarin Customer Support Representative

SOUTH SUPER HI-WAY MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY INC. Km. 17, West Service Road, Marcelo Green, City Of Parañaque

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

Basic Qualification: Ability to manage complex projects and multi task. Excellent organizational skills. Ability to flourish with minimal guidance be proactive and handle uncertainly.

Basic Qualification: Strong communication & interpersonal skills and has attention for detail

No.

SOJITZ PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 23rd Flr. Nac Tower, 32nd Street, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

PINNACLE SOURCES GLOBAL CONSULTANCY INC. Unit 2-b 2/f Pdcp Bank Centre, V.a. Rufino Cor. L/p Leviste Sts., Bel-air, City Of Makati WANG, YAJING Business Development Manager

Brief Job Description: Compliance, operations, administration, fiscal, representation of company per by-laws

ZHANG, TING Mandarin It Support Specialist

Basic Qualification: College Graduate, fluent in English and Japanese

Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

SKYLUSTER TECHNOLOGY, INC. 10/f The Enterprise Center Tower 2, 6766 Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

Basic Qualification: 18-50 y/o, good organizational skills, proficient in relevant computer applications

PAYMAYA PHILIPPINES, INC. 6/f Launchpad, Reliance Cor. Sheridan, Brgy. Highway Hills, City Of Mandaluyong MALIK, KHURRAM Chief Operating And Commercial Officer

109.

114.

PARANAQUE ONLINE PALENGKE INC. 305 Mtf Building, Dr. A Santos Ave., San Isidro, City Of Parañaque SUGANO, KAZUSHI Marketing Manager (Japanese Client)

NEROT, ALBAN PIERRE GUY DOMINIQUE Managing Director

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

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

Brief Job Description: Support open+ implementation and deployment within the factory with the support of all open+ foundation coaches and RTT trainers

Brief Job Description: Updates and maintain office policies and procedures excellent in writing, reading and speaking in bilingual languages

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent in speaking, reading and writing in bilingual languages

MENG, JIE Bilingual Admin Support Specialist 136.

Brief Job Description: Handles administrative requests and queries from senior managers/officers

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

ZHONGTONG GUOMAI COMMUNICATION PHILIPPINES INC. U-18a Trafalgar Plaza, 105 H.v. Dela Costa St., Bel-air, City Of Makati CAI, ZHIYUAN Chinese Marketing Specialist 137.

Brief Job Description: Have strong time management skills and liability to meet deadlines

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin with writing, verbal and listening Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 *Date Generated: Oct 8, 2021

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

TRIVES TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION Tower 4 Bayport West, Naia Garden Residence, Naia Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque DENG, HAO Mandarin Customer Support Representative 123.

Brief Job Description: Supports customers by providing helpful information, answering questions and responding to complaints.

A15

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

SERVIER PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit Ad, 11/f 8 Rockwell, Hidalgo Drive, Rockwell Center, Poblacion, City Of Makati

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

OPTIMORE INC. Unit 3-c 3/f Lpl Tower, 112 Legaspi St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati WAHEED, KAMRAN HUSSAIN Sales Manager

108.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION SIGIT WIDIANTO Open+ Lead Deployment Coach

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

ONE BORDERLINE CREATIVES INC. Unit 11-ij3, 11/f Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati LI, ENJU Mandarin Marketing Officer

No.

Saturday, October 9, 2021

Basic Qualification: Able to speak and write in Mandarin/Fukien and at least college level with related BPO experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR