BusinessMirror October 17, 2022

SC junks plea for injunction of MRT operators vs DOTr

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

PEZA said these investments will be channeled to the manu facturing of various products in cluding SMS/EMS, accommoda tion, real estate activities, office administrative, and business sup port activities.

Cavite, Batangas, Bulacan, and Pampanga; two IT parks in Iloilo and Davao; and two agro-indus trial zones in Iloilo.

THE

Supreme Court (SC) has denied the plea of the private operators of MRT3 for the issuance of an injunction to enjoin the Department of Transportation (DOTr) from procuring 48 new light-rail vehicles (LRVs) for MRT-3 from another supplier amounting to P3.76 billion.

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n an 11-page resolution made public last October 14, 2022, the SC’s Third Division affirmed the rulings issued by the Court of Ap peals on July 19, 2016 which up held the February 20, 2014 order issued by the Regional Trial Court of Makati City denying the prayer for the issuance of a writ of pre liminary injunction filed by the Metro Rail Transit Corp. (MRTC) and Metro Rail Transit Holdings II Inc. against the DOTr.

T he SC branded as “specious” the arguments of the petitioners that they are entitled to the issuance of injunction because the matter is of extreme urgency and involves a constitutional issue.

T he petitioners also insisted that the non-issuance of injunction will cause MRTC, MRTH II and the riding public grave and irreparable injury and that DOTr’s actions are tanta

mount to a deprivation of property without due process of law.

F urthermore, the petitioners insisted that it had not waived its right of first refusal under the 1997 Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT) Agreement with the DOTr when it failed to reply to the latter’s letter dated December 19, 2007 inform ing them of its intention to procure refurbished LRVs and inquiring as to whether they would be exercising their right of first refusal to supply LRVs.

T he SC, however, agreed with the CA and the trial court’s decisions that the latter is prohibited from is suing an injunction as the relief be ing sought by the petitioners “falls within the proscription mandated by Republic Act No. 8975.”

T he said law enjoins all courts, except the SC, from issuing any temporary restraining order, pre

liminary injunction, or preliminary mandatory injunction against the government, or any of its agencies and officials to restrain or com pel the bidding or awarding of a contract or project of the national government to avoid unnecessary increase in construction costs and to allow the public to enjoy soon est the benefits of national govern ment projects.

Here petitioners have failed to substantiate their bare allegations that they have suffered grave injustice or irreparable injury involving their constitutional rights,” the SC said.

T he SC pointed out that case does not raise any constitutional is sue since the relationship between the DOTr and the petitioners are merely contractual and their dis pute entails “adjudication of con tractual rights.”

Neither have petitioners proved that MRTC stands to suffer some grave and irreparable injury. While the Court understands petition ers’ concerns, there is still no basis for the issuance of a WPI because, as explained by the CA, it can be compensable through the award of damages. As the damages alleged by them can be quantified, it can not be considered as ‘grave and ir reparable injury’ as understood in law,” the SC explained.

“All told, the CA correctly af firmed the RTC’s denial of petition

ers’ petition. We deem it best to re frain from ruling on the contractual dispute concerning petitioners and the DOTr since the same should be threshed out and litigated in the appropriate proceedings between them,” it added.

T he petitioners sought for an injunction as an interim measure to protect their interests while ar bitration is ongoing between them and the DOTr for allegedly violating the 1997 BLT agreement.

T he arbitration is set to thresh out the conflict on whether MRT’s private owners can still invoke their right of first refusal to prevent the government from entering into a third-party supply contract with Dalian.

T he DOTr’s procurement of LRVs from Chinese firm CNR Dalian Lo comotive and Rolling Stock, Ltd. (Dalian), according to the petition ers, is in contrast to the principle of having a single point of responsibil ity, which covers the construction, operation and maintenance of MRT.

T he petitioners also warned that if the new LRVs are allowed to run without the necessary adjustment and upgrade to the system, the riding public would be exposed to high risks of train collisions and loss of lives.

However, the CA ruled that pe titioners’ arguments were merely “self-serving and uncorroborated” by independent witnesses.

Electronics...

Last week, the head of SEIPI said the group is sticking to its 10-percent growth target. It expects earnings to hit over $50 billion for 2022 from last year’s $45.9 billion.

However, Lachica earlier said that while exporters should be gaining from the strong dollar, “that’s offset by high power cost, high fuel cost, and every thing.”

He cited different pain points as the industry continues to grapple with high operating costs, noting that level ing the playing field in operating cost is important because “from multina tional’s perspective, incentives or not, they will go to the country which gives the most competitive operating cost in terms of cost per unit.”

L achica also revealed that SEIPI is seeking an audience with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Well we haven’t met with the presi dent yet but there are a lot of business missions and trips on his calendars so we’re patiently waiting,” Lachica noted.

However, he added that he has re cently met with Trade Secretary Alfre do E. Pascual, noting that “it’s moving progressively towards a meeting with the Cabinet and we’re also lining up meetings with Congress and Senate basically to articulate the concerns of the industry and how we can further grow it within the threats and risks with what’s happening globally in terms of costs, geopolitical conflicts, and all that.”

L achica earlier said that the Philip pines currently has the highest power cost in the region. In addition, logistics costs in the country are “still high.” He said labor cost in the Philippines is also a “pain point.”

A ccording to the recently released World Bank report on Global Value Chain (GVC) participation, the Philip pines has the opportunity to upgrade its participation in the electronics and electrical parts and components GVC.

T he report noted that it could do so by attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in design capacity so that more value added is captured and manufac turing is retained and expanded.

However, the international financial institution noted that attracting FDI should go with addressing “constraints” to participation in GVC as these will boost the recovery, resilience and com petitiveness of the Philippine economy.

T he WB report also noted that FDI has been key to the development of the electronics sector, which is the coun try’s largest manufacturing export in dustry, although FDI inflows and ex ports were higher in Asean peers such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Companies that registered bigticket projects include Cebu Mit sumi, Inc., Robinsons Land Corp., and TDK Philippines Corp., accord ing to PEZA.

D ata from the PEZA also showed that ecozone locators generated exports amounting to $43.166 billion in January to Au gust, 6.07 percent than last year’s figure. Direct jobs created were also higher by 6.52 percent yearon-year to 1,798,152.

I n the third quarter alone, PEZA said its board has approved 58 new and expansion projects which are expected to bring in P17.142 billion worth of investments, $877.807 million of exports and create 13,904 jobs.

Among the approved new and expansion projects, 21 will be for export, 19 for IT, 7 for facilities, and 3 for tourism,” PEZA said in a statement on Sunday.

I ncluded in its approvals are eight ecozone development projects to boost PEZA’s coun tryside development strategy— four manufacturing ecozones in

Subsidies...

Ph ilHealth, which has been the top recipient of government subsi dies since 2014, is set to receive its P79.99-billion subsidy under this year’s P5.024-trillion national bud get. Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, PhilHealth had the biggest share of subsidies last year, with P80.98 billion or 43.8 percent of the total amount disbursed.

Ph ilHealth was followed by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) with P2.535 billion and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) in terms of the subsidy received in August.

Treasury data showed that sub sidies extended to government financial institutions reached P109 million while those chan neled to major non-financial gov ernment corporations reached P3.037 billion.

T he total subsidy received by other GOCCs in August reached

“ We remain bullish that we will be able to achieve our 6-7 percent investments target for the year taking into consideration the firm growth forecasts for 2022 of our winner ecozone sectors at 10-15 percent for [Information Technol ogy and Business Process Asso ciation of the Philippines] IBPAP and 10 percent for [Semiconduc tor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation, Inc.] SEIPI,” said Panga.

He said these “bright outlooks” are aligned with the “calibrated” year-end GDP growth of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent, which will “make the country among the fastest-growing economies in the region.”

A s for the agency’s outlook for the last quarter of the year, Panga said PEZA remains optimistic that the Philippines can attract more investments particularly in the electronics and IT sectors. The agency said the upcoming missions to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan will help generate more interest in the Philippines.

Now is the best time to invest as incentives had been boosted along with top-level political support to ecozones.”

P12.390 billion, based on BTr data.

Total subsidies extended by the national government to the GOCCs from January to August declined by 34 percent to P90.602 billion from last year’s P136.715 billion.

A bout P42.436 billion went to major non-financial government corporations while P47.852 billion were downloaded to other GOCCs.

PhilHealth and NIA were the top two GOCCs with the biggest subsi dies during the eight-month period as they received P33.693 billion and P26.753 billion, respectively. They were followed by the National Housing Authority at P8.8941 bil lion and the National Food Author ity at P3.599 billion, Treasury data showed.

L ast year, subsidies to GOCCs fell to a three-year low of P184.77 billion, which was 19 percent lower than the record-high P229.02 bil lion in 2020.

Food security...

B ased on a recent slide he shared, the banking system’s as sets as of June increased 7.8 per cent; deposits, 7.5 percent; loans, 9 percent; capital buffers are at 16.2 percent; and non-performing loans, 3.6 percent.

Our banks are in a very strong position—growing assets, growing deposits, growing loans, adequately capitalized, and, after the crisis, falling non-performing [loan ra tios],” Medalla said.

T he IMF recently said that as currencies continue to tumble against the US dollar and commod ity prices surge, economies such as the Philippines are expected to suffer slower growth rates starting next year.

I n its Global Economic Prospects report, the IMF said Philippine

GDP growth is expected to average 6.5 percent this year and slow to 5 percent next year. Growth is also expected to average 6 percent by 2027.

I nflation, meanwhile, is ex pected to average 5.3 percent this year; 4.3 percent in 2023; and 3 percent in 2027. At the end of the year, inflation is expected to reach 5.8 percent while the end of 2023 will still see higher than expected inflation of 3.7 percent.

T he IMF also expects growth to slow and inflation to rise globally. The world economy is expected to average 3.2 percent this year and 2.7 percent next year.

Noting rising commodity prices, the IMF expects global inflation to peak at 9.5 percent this year before decelerating to 4.1 percent by 2024.

Filipinos would also turn to alternative or traditional medicine.

For Filipinos, pangungutang or borrowing money often becomes their first resort in addressing their medical needs. Unfortunately, Yu said, this “often leads to more ca tastrophes.”

T he third “P” is pagmamakaawa which refers to the process of solic

iting help from state and private institutions and individuals. This often happens as a last resort when no friend or family can lend them money, or one has exhausted dona tions from them.

PhilHealth, referring to the state health insurer, is the last “P” in health financing. This is accessed only when Filipinos are already hospitalized.

The Nation

PSA: 9M Pinoys do not have birth certificates, lack copies

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

MORE than 9 million Fili

pinos do not have birth certificates and possess copies of these records nationwide, according to the latest birth registra tion data from the Philippine Statis tics Authority (PSA).

A s of 2021 there are a total of 9.26 million Filipinos whose births are ei ther not registered with PSA, or don’t have copies of these certificates.

Birth registration is part of the United Nations Development Pro gramme’s Sustainable Develop ment Goals. Target 16.9 of SDG 16 on promoting peaceful and inclu sive societies centers on providing a legal identity for all—including birth registration.

“The statistics presented were based on the answers and informa

tion provided by the respondent, or who don’t any responsible member of the household, to the questions on birth registration about all the household members,” PSA said.

Those who do not have birth cer tificates reached 3.53 million, while those who do not have copies of their documents reached 5.74 million.

The data also showed that in terms of birth registration, another 190,127 Filipinos do not know if their births were registered at the PSA, and some 11,027 did not say if their births were registered.

Meanwhile, when asked whether they had copies of their birth records, some 208,128 Filipinos said they did not know; 11,611 did not say if they had copies of their birth certificates.

“For the 2020 Census of Popula tion and Housing, birth-registration data of all household members were collected by asking the respondents:

‘Was [the household member’s] birth registered with the Local Civil Reg istry Office?,’ and ‘Has [he/she] ever had a copy of his/her birth certifi cate?’,” PSA explained.

Bulk of those birth registrations were composed of Filipinos aged 15 to 64 at 1.87 million, followed by those aged zero to 14 at 1.33 mil lion. Some 334,897 Filipinos 65 years old and over were also unregistered with PSA.

Based on the said data, some 417,555 Filipinos who are about to graduate, start working, or are al ready starting their respective ca reers do not have birth documents. They belong to the 20- to 29-yearold age bracket.

“Across age groups, the house hold population aged 15 to 19 years old had the highest proportion of registered births at 98 percent,” PSA revealed.

“The lowest proportion, [mean while, was noted among the oldest age group who are 80 years and over at] 91.3 percent, followed by those in the age group 75 to 79 years, or 92.6 percent,” it added.

T he data also showed that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) posted the lowest proportion of persons with registered births, with only 77 percent of the household population.

PSA said this corresponds to 1.1 million persons in the region who were reported to have not registered their births.

L ikewise, in terms of those who do not have a copy of their birth records, some 1.23 million Filipi nos living in BARMM do not have their certificates.

T his is followed by Eastern Vi sayas with 507,974 residents not having copies of their birth records;

Siargao springs back to life in aftermath of ‘Odette’

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

THE Department of Tourism (DOT) recently turned over P1 million to the municipality of General Luna in Siargao, in support of the province’s tourism activities.

I n her keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 26th Siar gao International Surfing Cup on October 15, Tourism Secretary Chris tina Garcia Frasco said: “The resump tion of this [competition] is not only a celebration of the fact that you have been able to put this up for 26 years, but also because you have been able to stage this—notwithstanding ev erything that has come to pass.”

Frasco added that “truly, this in ternational surfing cup is a celebra tion of the strength of spirit of the people of Siargao.”

T he tourism chief presented the P1-million check to General Luna

officials led by Mayor Sol Matugas and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga.

D OT identified infrastructure and gateway access as key solutions to major tourism destinations like Siargao, as she also announced that “the national government is here to help [the province recover, and is here to assist its] rise to the primary posi tion that it deserves in the world.”

S ome 100 local and interna tional surfers are participating in the sports event, which is ongoing until October 21.

Tourists, surfers return

LAST December 15 Supertyphoon “Odette” (international name: Rai) barreled through the surfers’ para dise and damaged some P20 million in properties such as resorts—al though deaths were minimal at less than 20 persons. The estimated population of the entire island is 200,000. (Read: “Honeymooning couple escapes from Siargao,” in

the BusinessMirror , December 20, 2021.)

S ince then the province has sprung back to life, as 14,404 tourists have arrived in the first half of 2022, with domestic travelers accounting for 89 percent, or 12,870 of the total; while the rest, at 1,534, were foreign tourists, referencing data from the Provincial Tourism Office.

Prepandemic, Siargao attracted close to 258,000 tourists with some 71 percent, or 183,042 of whom, as domestic travelers. Foreign guests ac counted for the rest at 74,858 in 2019.

“ The message of the Marcos Jr. administration is that tourism is a priority. And with that, Siargao is a priority,” Frasco pointed out. “In the next few years, your island will continue to flourish in partnership with the national government.”

‘Best island in Asia’ OTHER activities during the inter national event, which is sanctioned

by the World Surf League, are surf ing masterclasses, communal yoga, salsa, arts and cultural show, a ba zaar, beachside bonfire, sound ses sions, beach clean-up drive, and a free concert.

Siargao was recently recognized by Condé Nast Traveler readers as the “Best Island in Asia” in 2021, and was included among Time Magazine’s list of “The World’s 100 Greatest Places of 2021.”

Other than surfing, Siargao of fers a wide array of nature-based and sun and beach-tourism activities— including the Magpupungko Tidal Wave Pool in Pilar; island hopping in Daku, Guyam and Naked Islands in General Luna; Sugba Lagoon in Del Carmen; Sohoton Cove in Socorro; and Coconut Mountain View in Dapa.

A n array of local and interna tional cuisines are also available from local restaurants, making the island a growing destination for food tourists.

DILG’S ABALOS WARNS: CORRUPT BFP PERSONNEL TO FACE SANCTIONS, DISMISSAL

By Glen Jacob Jose

DEPARTMENT of the Inte

rior and Local Government (DILG) chief Benjamin “Ben hur” Abalos Jr. on Sunday issued a stern warning to Bureau of Fire Pro tection (BFP) personnel that they will face sanctions if found to be selling or requiring a specific brand of fire extinguisher to permit applicants as prerequisite for the issuance of a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate.

Abalos sounded off this alert to members of the BFP, as the afore mentioned issue surfaced during his meeting with businessmen in a recent “Go Negosyo” summit.

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n a memorandum dated Sep tember 13, the head of the DILG pointed out that the processing of business permits should be strictly based on existing government rules and regulations.

Section 13.0.0.7.B.1 of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR) of Republic Act 9114, oth

erwise known as “The Fire Code of the Philippines,” states that “abuse of authority in the performance of duty through acts of corruption and other unethical practices shall be grounds for administrative sanc tions that may be punishable by reprimand, suspension or removal at the discretion of the disciplining authority, depending on the gravity of the offense.”

Abalos told the public, particu larly members of the business sector, to report immediately to the DILG any corrupt acts of BFP men or their cohorts, such as soliciting favors— monetary or otherwise—or selling fire extinguishers, to expedite their permit-processing.

In Filipino, Abalos reiterated that he will remove those found guilty, as selling fire extinguishers in ex change for permits is prohibited, which is backed by a memorandum.

Extortion exposed SIMILARLY, some operatives of

Criminal Investigation and Detec tion Group (CIDG) were arrested when they posed as representa tives of a BFP regional director under a malicious scheme of ex torting money.

Director Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee of CIDG identified the suspects as Henry Halaghay and Joben Brian Gutierrez, who were arrested during an entrapment operation on October 6 at Southville 8B Phase 2, Brgy. San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal.

A ccording to reports, the case started when one of the two falsely represented himself to the com plainant as the emissary of Chief Supt. Roderick Aguto, who is the regional director of BFP Region 3. They solicited P30,000 purported ly for a shoot fest in Camp Crame, Quezon City, which the complainant believed. The victim electronically remitted some amount, only to find out later from the said BFP Officer that the suspect is not his emissary, and is unknown to him.

T he entrapment was set up when the suspect phoned the com plainant anew and asked for more money. The suspect was about to claim the sent money in a remit tance branch when he was con fronted by the operatives.

T he other suspect was caught when he suddenly walked away, which prompted the operatives to chase and eventually catch him. He yielded a piece of paper which stated the tracking number as a passcode for claiming the money. Both suspects admitted to having masterminded the activity.

A dditional information con firmed that Halaghay is the leader of the Halaghay Criminal Group, which was involved in activities that involved loose firearms in violation of RA 10591, syndicated estafa, and robbery-extortion in the town of Rodriguez.

T he two were brought to the CI DG-Rizal Field Unit for documenta tion and proper disposition.

Central Luzon, 377,107; Western Vi sayas with 372,040; and Zamboanga Peninsula, 349,874.

Moreover, the data showed that of 108.67 million Filipinos, only 104.94 million have registered births with the government, and 102.71 million have copies of their documents.

A mong the 104.94 million house hold population whose births were registered with the Local Civil Reg istry Offices (LCROs), there were more males than females.

Data presented some 50.6 percent, or 53.1 million were males; while 49.4 percent, or 51.84 million, were females.

This translates to a sex ratio of 103 males whose births were regis tered with the LCRO for every 100 females whose births were also [en listed],’ PSA said.

T he PSA said census results from 1995 to 2020 show an increasing

trend in the proportion of persons with registered births: from 89.3 percent in 1995, to 94.8 percent in 2015, and 96.6 percent in 2020.

The 2020 figure is higher by 1.8 percentage points [that of] 2015, and 7.3 percentage points more than the 89.3 percent…in 1995,” PSA noted.

In terms of the proportion of per sons with registered births, Ilocos Region was highest with 99.2 percent, followed by the Cordillera Adminis trative Region with 99.1 percent, and Calabarzon with 98.8 percent.

A mong the 81 provinces, Moun tain Province—at 99.9 percent— posted the highest proportion of the household population whose births were reported to be registered.

PSA said it was followed by Ilocos Norte at 99.6 percent and Batangas, La Union and Siquijor at 99.4 percent in each of those provinces.

Davao gets bid for ‘sisterhood’ status with Japan’s Sennan City

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

SOME 16 Thai nationals em ployed under Philippine Off shore Gaming Operations (POGO) were rescued for being alleged victims of forced labor in Pampanga, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Sunday.

I n a statement, Southern Police District (SPD) chief Brig. Gen. Kirby John Kraft said operatives from Dis trict Special Operations Unit, Region al Special Operations Group of the National Capital Region Police Office or NCRPO, the Criminal Investiga tion and Detection Group or CIDG, and personnel from Mabalacat City Pampanga Police Station conducted an operation to rescue the said Thais

at R6 Fontana Clark Freezone on Sat urday afternoon.

T he operation emanated from a letter by Minister Counselor Kritreya Lepkao of the Thai Royal Embassy sent last Thursday, October 13. It stated that the embassy received a report that some of its nationals were being forced to work beyond their work hours, but receive no overtime pay from their em ployer Shedaikeji Technology, which is a POGO firm.

Accordingly, passports of the 16 Thais were being held by their employer, despite an agreement to return the said documents to the Thai Embassy on Oc tober 17. Moreover, all of the victims were guided by the minister-counselor,

who manifested the deputation’s intent not to file appropriate charges against their employer.

Since they wanted to immediately return to their home country as soon as possible, the rescued foreigners were safely turned over to the Thai embassy.

K raft lauded the immediate police response conducted by the joint oper ating teams that resulted in the rescue of the foreign POGO workers.

In Filipino, he stated the operation showed that the PNP’s service is genu ine and caring. With the help of other participating agencies, the official re layed that they have already started a crackdown against human trafficking in POGO-related activities. Glen Jacob Jose

MEMBERS

of the Philip pine National Police-Anti Cybercrime Group (PNPACG) arrested a 31-year-old Chinese business in Iloilo City for sexual ex tortion, or “sextortion.”

In a statement on Sunday, PNPACG chief Brig. Gen. Joel Doria said the suspect, identified as Jack Liu, who is a resident of Brgy. Muelle Loney in Iloilo City Proper, was nabbed by “cyber cops” from the Regional Anti-Cyber crime Unit 6 (RACU 6) in an entrap ment operation last October 12, after forcing his former fiancé to sleep with him, as he threatened to expose their sex videos in social media.

According to the report of Lt. Col. Artemio Ricabo, who is officer in

CITY—Yet another city in Japan is seeking sis terhood ties with this city, and is likely to be approved any time soon.

DAVAO

O fficer In Charge (OIC) April Marie Dayap of the Davao City In vestment and Promotion Center (DCIPC) told representatives from Sennan City of Japan that forging sister-city relations is “instrumen tal in the economic collaboration of both cities.”

Dayap shared that the Davao City International Relations Board (DCIRB) is set to approve Sennan as Davao’s newest sister city.

I n a video conference on October 4 with Sennan City Hall officials representing their mayor Yuma Yamamoto, areas for possible col laboration include education, tour ism and economics.

Sennan City is situated in Osaka Prefecture, which is west of the Japa nese capital Tokyo. The former has an estimated population of 60,318.

Davao City Information Office said the proposal of Sennan for a sisterhood agreement was made in 2019, but its approval was deferred due to the pandemic. The DCIRB, as the approving body, is currently awaiting additional information and documents from Sennan to finalize the process.

The OIC revealed that Davao City “is looking forward to peopleto-people exchanges through edu cation, where a student-exchange program is likely possible, as well as information exchange between organizations like cooperatives, tourism associations, and cham bers of commerce.”

During the conference, Itou Ma saki from Sennan City Hall averred that “a strong economic collabora tion is one of the future directions of the sister-city agreement between Sennan and Davao City. We are pro moting Davao in our area as one step

for possible business tie ups. We also have other education-related activi ties which can be done online for ju nior high-school students, possible partnerships with national universi ties situated in Sennan for studentexchange programs, as well as joint economic activities with the Sennan Chamber of Commerce.”

Davao City also has signed sistercity agreements with eight foreign counterparts: Nanning and Jinjiang in China; Kitakyushu in Japan; Ta coma in Washington, D.C., United States; Kauai in Hawaii; Manado and Bitung in Indonesia; and Koror in Palau.

Davao as ‘agribusiness center’

MEANWHILE, DCIPC renewed its international-marketing cam paign in promoting Davao City as an agribusiness investment hub by holding virtual roadshows amid the pandemic. In 2021 it staged 12 online investmentpromotion roadshows.

F or this year it conducted two virtual roadshows with business delegations from India and the US. There would be two sched uled for business groups from Australia and the Middle East. At least three more would be or ganized before yearend.

Among high-value products for promotion to foreign markets are durian, according to Dayap.

With improved peace and secu rity in the city, she said some foreign entities have expressed interest in developing areas in the Paquibato District for corn plantation and pro cessing facilities.

A 25-hectare durian plantation in the area is also being proposed by a Singaporean investor. The dis trict was declared insurgency-free in February 2019.

The DCIPC OIC added that the easing of travel restrictions and the recovery of the tourism indus try would renew foreign interest, prompting the need for a stronger promotional strategy to attract more investors.

charge of RACU 6, the victim and the suspect were in a relationship until the former decided to part ways due to the alleged abusive behavior of Liu and several misunderstandings.

“

The suspect, not wanting to end their relationship, started threaten ing the victim that he will spread their sex videos if she leaves him,” Ricabo said. “At first the victim was skeptic about the existence of their sex videos and decided to ignore her ex-lover’s threat, until [he] sent a… clip…on October 12, 2022 to one of her friends,” he added. “Suspect also threatened [the] victim of exposing the explicit videos online if she does not agree to meet up and sleep with him in a given lodge.”

T he victim approached the PNPACG, which in turn hatched an arrest after the suspect demanded another meeting on the said date.

Personnel from RACU 6, together with elements of Iloilo City Police Stations 4 & 5, proceeded to the lodge in Molo, Iloilo for an entrap ment operation.

Soon as the victim entered the room, operating units immediately followed and arrested the suspect who was caught naked.

Liu is facing charges of grave co ercion, as well as violations under the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, plus the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004.

Economy

DOLE prodded to explain major job declines in agriculture, construction

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

THE decrease in employment in several sectors, particularly in the construction industry, should be explained by the Depart ment of Labor and Employment (DOLE), according to Senate Major ity Leader Joel Villanueva.

T his transpired, Villanueva ex plained, notwithstanding the ag gressive implementation of the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program.

Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Labor Force Survey in August 2022, Villanueva said the top five subsectors with largest de clines in employment were noted in agriculture and forestry at 140,000; fishing and aquaculture, 124,000; construction, 81,000; manufactur ing, 48,000; as well as information and communications at 12,000.

“I wonder what we are doing, that even the construction [industry] ex hibits a downturn despite the fact that we moved not just on ‘Build, Build, Build,’ but ‘Build Better More.’ Are we doing something about this?” Villanueva asked during the Finance Subcommittee G briefing on Friday, October 14, which focused on the proposed budget of the DOLE and attached agencies for 2023.

In response, Labor Secretary

Bienvenido Laguesma said the consultations being conducted by DOLE with the business and labor sectors are precisely meant to iden tify the industries that will create job opportunities.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda presided over the Fi nance Subcommittee G hearing on the DOLE’s proposed 2023 budget of P25.9 billion.

Legarda queried labor officials to provide a database of industries that folded up not because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but because of lack of sup

port for equipment and capital.

This is important to know, for Legarda, so that funding can be earmarked to resuscitate these industries.

To revive the dying salt industry, for instance, a database of coastal communities should help identify the areas where the new technology of salt-making could be taught, ac cording to the solon.

The Senate leader also pointed out that the lockdown during the pandemic is “not necessarily bad,” as jobs were created in the prov

inces with the help of the Depart ment of Social Welfare and Devel opment’s “Sustainable Livelihood Program,” the Department of Trade and Industry’s “Shared Services Facilities,” the Department of Sci ence and Technology’s “Commu nity Empowerment for Science and Technology,” and DOLE’s “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Dis advantaged/Displaced Workers,” among others.

“ With judicious, efficient, and transparent use of government re sources, we will be able to create jobs—but we need the database in different provinces…” said Legarda.

At the same hearing, Sen. Fran cis Tolentino sought assurance from labor officials on the timely and effective implementation of its programs that aim to assist the country’s labor force—particularly the displaced, underemployed and seasonal workers.

Tolentino sought an assurance following a Commission on Audit report about unused, unreleased and unobligated appropriations in the 2020 and 2021 budgets under the office of the DOLE chief.

L aguesma guaranteed the com mittee that funds to be allocated by Congress for the labor department’s programs would be implemented prudently, and on time.

Additional 50 housing units to shelter Moro indigent families in Cotabato City

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

D AVAO CITY—Some 50 houses are being con structed in Cotabato City to provide decent

abodes for Moro indigent families.

Mayor Mohammad Ali “Bruce’ Matabalao said that the housing units will accord the said fami lies a “three-in-one” benefit of a lot, title and a house—all at no cost.

The project’s total fund ing is at P31.7-million. Each house has 49-square meters of floor area designed with a living room, kitchen, com fort room, and two bedrooms complete with water and elec tricity connection.

Matabalao signed the memorandum of agreement for the project with the Min istry of Human Settlements and Development last July 11.

MHSD’s Director General Es mael Ebrahim said the benefi ciaries would have complete ownership of their units.

The construction started three months later for the 50

housing units in Bubong, Barangay Kalanganan II.

W hile the list of beneficiaries is not yet final ized, Matabalao assured that only those qualified could avail of the housing.

Matabalao assured that they are studying the selection well, so that the rightful beneficiaries are those who really needed the houses.

T he mayor disclosed that his office has received “a lot of requests from the public for the housing unit; hence, the city government is trying its best.”

T he local chief executive said that, while many are asking, the local government wants to help as many as it can, but it cannot serve every one.

B ut he assured his constituents not to worry, as the initial phase of the housing is just the be ginning, and that the Cotabato City local gov ernment will be constructing more houses near to those who need them.

He said the city government has explored the pos sibility “to grant home lots, instead of housing units.”

C otabato City, according to him, has more than 2,000 housing units in the pipeline for 2022—including those coming from the Min istry of Public Works.

DENR keen to fix row on ‘erroneous cadastral survey’ in Mabini, Batangas

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

this with the regional executive director of Calabarzon.”

T

HE Department of Envi ronment and Natural Re sources (DENR) will con duct a resurvey to address the erroneous cadastral survey that has led to boundary disputes sur rounding the town of Mabini in Batangas province.

D ENR’s Land Management Bureau (LMB) Director Emelyne V. Talabis and DENR-Calabarzon

Regional Executive Director Nilo B. Tamoria gave their assurance on the corrective measure to prevent potential legal disputes that may arise from the flawed cadastral surveys.

T he faulty inspections were raised during the House of Rep resentatives’ deliberations last September 2 on DENR’s proposed P23.04-billion budget for 2023.

R ep. Gerville R. Luistro of Batangas’s Second District ex pressed his concern on the “ex tremely erroneous” cadastral analysis that has led to bound ary disputes and filing of cases in the province.

In response, Talabis said one of the remedies available in cases of erroneous surveys, or those with lacking records, is the conduct of a resurvey of the cadastral.

“ We recognize that there are cadastral errors, particularly in Mabini, which was done a long time ago,” Talabis said in a news release. “We will look into the pos sibility of proposing a program for Mabini, Batangas…We will discuss

F or his part, Tamoria said that DENR will also work on the resurveying of Batangas City, which is near the municipality of Mabini.

That particular issue with Mabini is also the same…with Batangas City. And with the repre sentation of Congressman [Mario Vittorio] Mariño, there will be re construction in the survey of the Batangas cadastral that will really have an impact also on the bound ary in Mabini. So, we already have a proposal with the congressman, and the corresponding work will be done by the DENR field offices,” assured Tamoria.

During the same hearing, Rep. Marlyn L. Primicias-Agabas of Pangasinan’s Sixth District had also requested DENR chief Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga to assist in creating a technical working group (TWG) that will address boundary disputes with the provinces of Ben guet, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, and Tarlac.

P rimicias-Agabas proposed that the TWG will include DENR’s regional directors, as well as ex perts from the National Mapping and Resource Information Author ity and LMB.

“ We will certainly look into that, and…revert…with a spe cific action,” Loyzaga responded to the Pangasinan solon. “We will bring that group together, and hope that we may be able to re solve the long-standing bound ary dispute.”

Business-building the way to go for OFWs –Go Negosyo founder

By Andrea San Juan

GO Negosyo founder Jose Maria A. Concepcion III is urging overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to leverage on their increased earnings, as they ben efit from the greenback’s current exchange-rate momentum.

“ OFWs are now seeing 12 [per cent] to 13 percent more on every dollar they earn,” Concepcion said in a televised interview last Friday.

In a statement released by Go Ne gosyo on Sunday, it said that “in ad dition to remittances softening the blow of a strong dollar, the higher earnings can be leveraged to achieve long-term growth if OFWs decide to invest in the country and become entrepreneurs.”

C iting their contributions be cause of their sheer number, Con ception hopes that, as they stand to gain from the strong dollar, OFWs will “have enough savings so they can come back and start [their own small businesses, be cause] they will not be forever working away from home.”

According to Concepcion, who is also the lead of the Jobs group of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), OFWs should be encouraged to become entrepre neurs, as “this would redound to more jobs for Filipinos—especially in the provinces.”

He added that the government and private sector are also “mak ing it easier” for OFWs to “reinte grate” as entrepreneurs by providing mentoring. In fact, the Go Negosyo founder shared that on December 3, the nonprofit organization will be hosting an OFW summit which will be geared toward mentoring OFWs on business-owning.

As for government initiatives in terms of helping OFWs, the

Department of Trade and Indus try’s financing arm Small Business Corporation (SBCorp) announced that as of August 30, it has ap proved P52 million in loans to OFWs through its “Heroes” lend ing program. It aims to help those displaced, repatriated or returning to rebuild their lives in the Philip pines by helping them start their own businesses.

During a televised interview in August, SBCorp Board Director Voltaire B. Magpayo said that the microfinancing institution has al ready received about 100,000 loan applications from OFWs.

The government established the loan facility for OFWs, Magpayo ex plained, after they were displaced when markets across the world shut down.

Remittances from OFWs account for nearly 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

The SBCorp official earlier said OFWs who wish to apply for a loan can do so through any Go Negosyo center nationwide; an online appli cation is also an option.

Meanwhile, the Go Negosyo founder also unveiled that another event on October 24, the “Digital SignUp Now,” will explore digitali zation as another avenue to “make it easier” for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to compete with big brands.

“Big companies are able to en ter supermarkets and malls, but there is a cost to entry,” shared Concepcion, as he added: “With digitalization, it is all free—but you must know how to put your products on these platforms and market them well.”

He has been saying that fourth quarter economic activity will be crucial for MSMEs, as it represents the peak of Filipino consumer spending.

MAJORITY Leader Joel Villanueva asks the Department of Labor and Employment to explain the de crease in employment in several sectors. ALBERT CALVELO/SENATE PRIB

Agriculture/Commodities

Manila wants 90-day SPS-ICs for meat imports

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

THE

Philippines is planning to institutionalize the 90-day validity of sanitary and phyto sanitary import clearances (SPS-ICs) for imported meat products as the country adjusts to the “new normal” of global trade and logistics.

Manila disclosed its plan to in stitutionalize the 90-day validity of SPS-ICs for imported meat and poultry products in its responses to the United States at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

T he Philippines told Washing ton that its Bureau of Animal In dustry (BAI) extended the validity of SPS-IC for meat products “to ad dress the difficulties encountered in logistics brought about by the global health crisis.”

M anila said the extended SPSIC validity was meant to “ensure that animal health and food safety of meat products will not be compromised.”

“ In a related development, we wish to inform the US that the Philippines may consider to per

manently institute the validity of SPS-IC for meat and poultry to 90 days. This will be subject to pub lic consultation with the relevant stakeholders,” the government said in a communication to the WTO Committee on Import Licensing.

L ast month, the US fielded vari ous questions about the Philippines’s current import licensing regime, including queries about SPS-ICs for imported meat products.

T he US sought confirmation from the Philippines if the extension of the SPS-IC for meat products was made because of “logistical difficul ties” instead of “risk to animal and human health and food safety.”

If the Philippines determined that extending the validity period for meat imports from 60 to 90 days did not pose additional risk to animal and human health and food safety, why does the Philip pines not permanently extend the validity period or extend further beyond the 90 days for SPS-ICs?” Washington said.

H owever, the BusinessMir ror learned that the previous ag riculture department leadership

issued an administrative circular that has permanently changed the validity of SPS-ICs for various imported agricultural products, including meat.

Former Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Administra tive Circular (AC) 6 series of 2022 titled “Revised Rules and Regula

DA in Caraga showcases innovation in soybean, sorghum production

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

were planted in 2,500 square meters in the station’s premises. The seeds used were from the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB).

tions Governing the Importation of Agricultural and Fish and Fishery Aquatic Products; Animal Feeds, Feed Ingredients and Feed Additives; and, fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural chemical products into the Philippines.”

O ne of the provisions of the AC 6 was specifying the “must ship

out” dates for every imported ag ricultural product. The must ship out date, as defined by the AC, re fers to the prescribed time period within which the actual product or consignment must have left the country of origin.

Under the Section 5 of the AC, the validity of the SPS-IC for imported

animal products and by-products; meat and meat by-products; other products of animal origin such as embryos and semen; eggs and un pasteurized milk is 90 days.

T he AC 6, however, is not pub licly available on the Department of Agriculture’s website. But a copy of the AC obtained by the Busi nessMirror showed that it was filed at the Office of the National Administrative Register, UP Law Center last June 23, a day after the circular was issued by Dar.

T he validity of SPS-IC for meat products has been a sticky issue since the Covid-19 pandemic sent global trade and logistics into disar ray, making transshipments of goods more untenable than ever.

L ast June, the DA reinstituted the 90-day validity of SPS-IC for imported meat products to ensure the country’s food security, as the arrival of shipments is taking lon ger than expected due to disrupted global supply lines (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/06/09/phl-restores90-day-validity-of-sps-ic-formeat-imports/).

DAR, Aboitiz unit renew ties to provide assistance to planters’ organizations

U

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

said in a statement.

DAVAO

CITY—Farmers in the Caraga region learned of a new cultivation technology for soybean and sorghum via an ac tivity organized by the Department of Agriculture (DA) which showcased adaptable agricultural technologies.

T he demonstration of the new cul tivation technology was held in the DA Caraga’s Del Monte Lowland Rainfed Research Station in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. The Farmers’ Field Day held last October 11 highlighted the soybean seed production project and sorghum research trial.

T he soybean seed production proj ect used the Select Manchuria and Select Tudela Black varieties which

T he IPB is the Institute tasked with developing new and improved varieties that they share with farm ers by collaborating with the DA.

T he soybean seed production project is also a part of Component 1 of the DA-Caraga’s Sustainable Feed Formulation Program also called Team Bahug “to promote the utilization of locally available raw materials to produce quality but af fordable feeds,” the DA information office said.

S orghum was planted for the Sorghum Research Trial which will be harvested by November to dem onstrate the suitability of the crop in the region.

T he DA assured farmers that there was a market for sorghum, and a potential buyer, the AMCB Enterprise, was invited during the activity. AMCB Enterprise is a feed manufacturing company based in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.

A ceremonial signing of the sup ply and purchase agreement was held between the DA, farmer Archie Ja cinto, and the AMCB. The agreement stipulates that the AMCB would pur chase sorghum grains from Jacinto, who is endorsed by the DA-Caraga, upon harvest this November.

T he DA said sorghum is a climateresilient grain crop grown mainly for food, fuel, feeds, forage, and fer tilizer. The department is promot ing sorghum production to support the livestock and poultry industry in the country.

RUSSIA and Ukraine are both seeking changes to their landmark grain-export deal as part of discussions to extend the initiative beyond the current dead line next month, according to the United Nations.

Russia wants to see a pipeline that transports its ammonia to Ukraine’s Odesa port for shipment reopened as part of the new terms, Amir Ab dulla, UN coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said in an inter view in Istanbul on Friday. Ukraine is seeking to extend the deal by more than year, and include Mykolayiv as a fourth exporting port, he said.

T he initial run of the pact— which has revived seaborne grains trade from Ukraine in the midst of Russia’s invasion—is due to end No vember 19. The UN, which helped

broker the deal with Turkey, is in tensifying efforts to secure an ex tension amid heightened tensions between the two sides.

T he fate of the agreement remains vital to tempering global food infla tion. Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest agricultural suppliers, and fears that Moscow may again seek to block its exports have stoked grain prices in recent weeks.

It’s far too important to the rest of the world for it to be allowed to falter,” Abdulla said, while adding that full negotiations are yet to start.

“So, I think it will be extended. But there are no guarantees.”

More than 7 millions tons of crops have departed three of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since the deal was ini tially signed in late July, with cargoes sailing to Europe, Africa and Asia.

That’s also helped local farmers work through grain backlogs that have swollen since the war’s outbreak.

Still, logistical hurdles lately have tempered some of that progress. Ships departing Ukraine are required to be inspected at a jointly-staffed center in Istanbul, and the backlog of crop vessels swelled to 156 as of Friday as it fails to keep up with the pace of departures.

T he number of inspection teams increased to five on Friday, up from three or four recently, Abdulla said. Parts of the inspection procedures have also been simplified, but there is a need to expedite them further to fix the backlog.

T he agreement was inked for 120 days, but renewing it for a lengthier period would improve conditions for Ukrainian farmers and ensure they can export next season’s crops. And the addition of Mykolayiv port may not be “a total stumbling block,” Ab dulla said.

T he UN’s Under-Secretary-Gen eral for Humanitarian Affairs Mar tin Griffiths and Secretary-General of the Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca Grynspan are scheduled to travel to Moscow on Sunday to discuss the grain deal.

The real risk of this not being extended is not just to the two par ties losing out on the benefits that they could get,” Abdulla said. “It’s the rest of the world and especially the poorer of the world.”

THE

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has renewed its partnership with the Aboitiz-led Pilmico Foods Corp. to promote sustainable agrilivelihood for the members of agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs).

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III and Pilmico President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tristan Aboitiz formalized the partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the DAR, Aboitiz Foundation Inc., Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), and Pilmico held last October 14 in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

nder the agreement, Aboitiz Foundation and AEV will provide financial assistance for the implementation of various livelihood programs for the ARBOs, and Pilmico to provide technical and logistical support. At the same time, the DAR will identify potential ARBOs who will participate in the project, in coordination with the DAR provincial offices, where the partnership will be implemented.

“ We would like to see the farmers be integrated and be part of the consumers’ group for them to have better purchasing power. With that, they would have greater chances of succeeding in any business they would engage in,“ Estrella III

P ilmico and DAR’s partnership started in 2017 with the launching of a livelihood distribution project for the ARBOs in various provinces.

Aboitiz noted that for the last five years, the partnership had provided hundreds of livelihood kits and technical training that helped create sustainable livelihood and accessible income opportunities for agrarian reform beneficiaries nationwide.

“As of date, Pilmico has donated a total of 177 livelihood kits amounting to Php17.2 million. As we close to 2022, we target to add to this number by distributing gilt packages and bakery livelihood kits across different areas of the country.”

The World

Xi signals continuity at China Communist Party congress

Blaze, shots heard from prison in Iran capital amid protests

By Samya Kullab The Associated Press

H RANA. The group said 32 among the dead were below the age of 18.

BEIJING

— Chinese leader Xi Jinping signaled Sunday that his government would maintain policies that have put it at odds with the US and other nations and deepened Communist Party control of the economy and society.

Xi, speaking at the opening of a twice-a-decade party congress that is expected to give him a third five-year term, extolled the achievements of the past five years and said the party would strive to achieve what it calls the “rejuvena tion” of the nation.

“Our future is bright, but we still have a long way to go,” Xi said to the more than 2,000 delegates attending the opening, held in the massive Great Hall of the People that overlooks Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing.

“We must foster a firmer sense of purpose, fortitude and self-belief in the whole party and the Chinese people so that we cannot be swayed by fallacies, deterred by intimida tion or cowed by pressure,” he said.

A third term for Xi would break with recent precedent and further establish him as arguably the most powerful Chinese politician since Mao Zedong.

X i called for further investments in the party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, and re affirmed that China will not rule out using force to bring the selfgoverning island of Taiwan under its control.

“Reunification definitely must be achieved and reunification defi

nitely will be achieved,” he said. Taiwan and China split during a civil war in 1949 that brought the communists to power in China.

Many Taiwanese reject the term “reunification,” saying they were never part of communist China.

With Xi expected to remain, little change is foreseen in China’s economic and foreign policies, as well as in his intolerance of criti cism and hardline approach to Co vid-19 including quarantines and travel bans.

Xi defended the pandemic re sponse, saying it “put the people and their lives above all else.”

The weeklong congress, the 20th in the history of the century-old party, comes as the economy is fac ing major headwinds from a sharp real estate slowdown, the war in Ukraine and the economic toll on tourism, retail and manufacturing from Covid-19 restrictions.

As with most Chinese political events, little information has been released beforehand and the out come will only be announced next weekend, after days of closed-door sessions.

The congress will likely approve an amendment to its charter that could further elevate Xi’s status as leader.

The spokesperson for the con gress, Sun Yeli, offered few details at a news conference Saturday. He said the changes would “meet new requirements for advancing the party’s development and work in the face of new circumstances and new tasks.”

The previous congress in 2017 incorporated Xi’s ideology, known as Xi Jinping Thought, into the party constitution. The ideology is vague but emphasizes reviving the party’s mission as China’s political, economic, social and cultural leader and its central role in achieving na tional rejuvenation.

Xi, who has been leader for 10 years, has already amassed great power, placing himself in charge of domestic affairs, foreign policy, the military, the economy and most other key matters through party working groups that he leads.

Under his leadership, the coun try has expanded its global foot print while tightening already strict controls on information and dissent. A rare public protest last week, in which banners attacking Xi and the Covid-19 policy were hung in Beijing, was quickly scrubbed from the Internet and any discus sion of it quashed.

Xi presented as achievements Chinese policies toward Taiwan and semi-autonomous Hong Kong that have been harshly criticized by the US and other democracies.

He said that steps taken after major protests in Hong Kong in 2019 had restored order and en sured it is governed by patriots. His government imposed a national security law imposed on the city that has all but eliminated op position voices and demands for democracy.

Russia military range shooting leaves 11 dead, 15 wounded

B AGHDAD—A huge fire blazed Saturday at a notori ous prison where political prisoners and anti-government activists are kept in the Irani an capital, injuring at least nine p eople, according to state media. Online videos and local media reported gunshots, as nationwide protests entered a fifth week.

Iran’s state-run IRNA report ed there were clashes between prisoners in one ward and prison personnel, citing a senior security official. The official said prisoners set fire to a warehouse full of pris on uniforms, which caused the blaze. He said the “rioters” were separated from the other prison ers to de-escalate the conflict.

T he official said that the “situ ation is completely under control” a nd that firefighters were extin guishing the flames. Later, Teh ran prosecutor Ali Salehi said that peace” had returned to the prison and that the unrest was not relat ed to the protests that have swept t he country for four weeks.

IRNA later reported nine people had been injured, without elaborating. It published video showing burnt debris scattered around a building, with firefight ers spraying down the blaze’s e mbers.

Footage of the fire circulat ed online. Videos showed shots r inging out as plumes of smoke rose into the sky amid the sound of an alarm. A protest broke out on the street soon after, with many chanting “Death to the Dictator!”—a reference to Su preme Leader Ayatollah Ali K hamenei—and burning tires, circulating videos showed.

Earlier, Oslo-based Iran Human Rights estimated 201 people have been killed. Iranian authorities have provided no death toll for weeks.

Iranian authorities have al leged without providing evidence t hat the unrest is a Western plot, trying to downplay the demon strations.

P ublic anger in Iran has co alesced around Amini’s death, prompting girls and women to remove their mandatory heads carves on the street in a show of s olidarity. Other segments of so ciety, including oil workers, have a lso joined the movement, becom ing one of the greatest challenges to Iran’s theocracy since the coun try’s 2009 Green Movement.

R iots have also broken out in prisons, with clashes reported between inmates and guards in Lakan prison in the northern province of Gilan recently.

Evin Prison, which holds detain ees facing security-related charges a nd include dual citizens, has been charged by rights groups with abus ing inmates. The facility has long been known for holding political prisoners as well as those with ties to the West who have been used by Iran as bargaining chips in interna tional negotiations.

Siamak Namazi, an IranianAmerican who had been fur loughed from prison while serving a 10-year sentence on interna tionally criticized spying charges, w as recently sent back into Evin. His 85-year-old father, Baquer Namazi, was freed and allowed to leave the country.

ATHENS, Greece—Greek au thorities on Saturday accused Turkey of forcing 92 migrants to cross into Greece and stripping them naked before doing so.

Greek police said that police offi cers found the migrants stark naked on Friday, “some with bodily injuries” who had entered the country using plastic boats to cross the Evros River, which forms a border between the two countries.

The migrants told police and officers of Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, that they had been forced by Turkish authorities to board three vehicles that took them to the border. The migrants testified that they had been forced to strip naked before boarding the boats.

Police said it had provided cloth ing and food for the migrants.

“Turkey’s provocative behavior exceeded all limits,” Greece’s Min istry of Asylum and Migration said Saturday.

Migration Minister Notis Mita rachi posted a photo of the naked migrants on his Twitter account Saturday, commenting, in Greek and English: “Türkiye’s behaviour towards 92 migrants whom we res cued at the borders (yesterday), is a shame for civilisation. We expect Ankara to investigate the incident and protect at last its borders with the EU.”

Turkey regularly accuses Greece of violently pushing back migrants entering the country through land and sea, while Greece accuses Tur key of “pushing forward” migrants to put pressure on the EU.

The migrants are mostly from Af ghanistan and Syria, with a few from other countries, such as Pakistan.

MOSCOW — Two men fired at soldiers on a Russian military firing range near Ukraine on Saturday, killing 11 and wounding 15 before being slain themselves, the Russian De fense Ministry said.

The ministry said in a state ment that the shooting took place in the Belgorod region in southwestern Russia that borders Ukraine. It said two men from an unnamed former Soviet republic fired on volunteer soldiers during target practice and were killed by return fire.

The ministry called the incident a terrorist attack.

The shooting comes amid a hasty mobilization ordered by President Vladimir Putin to beef

up Russian forces in Ukraine—a move that triggered protests and caused hundreds of thousands to flee Russia.

Putin said Friday that over 220,000 reservists already had been called up as part of an ef fort to recruit 300,000. He prom ised the mobilization would be wrapped up in two weeks.

The mobilization was troubled from the start, with authorities issuing confusing signals about who should be called up for ser vice in a country where almost all men under age 65 are listed as reservists.

Even though the Russian leader declared that only people who had recently served in the military would be subject to the call-up,

activists and rights groups re ported military conscription of fices rounding up people without any army experience—some of whom were also unfit for service for medical reasons.

Some of the freshly called-up reservists posted videos of them selves being forced to sleep on the floor or even outside and given rusty weapons before being sent to the front lines.

Russian media reports said some of those who were mobilized were sent to combat without re ceiving proper training and were quickly killed.

Authorities have acknowledged the mobilization was often poorly organized and promised to im prove the situation. AP

Us and Canada send armored vehicles to bolster Haiti’s police

By Dánica Coto The Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—The US and Canada sent armored vehicles and other supplies to Haiti on Saturday to help po lice fight a powerful gang amid a pending request from the Haitian government for the immediate de ployment of foreign troops.

A US State Department state ment said the equipment was bought by Haiti’s government, but it did not provide further details on the supplies flown on military aircraft to the capital of Port-auPrince.

A spokesman for the US mili tary’s Southern Command said he could not provide further details on the supplies sent, though he added it was a joint operation involving the US Air Force and Royal Cana

dian Air Force.

“This equipment will assist (Haiti’s National Police) in their fight against criminal actors who are fomenting violence and disrupt ing the flow of critically-needed hu manitarian assistance, hindering efforts to halt the spread of chol era,” the State Department said.

The Pan American Health Orga nization said there are more than 560 suspected cases of cholera, some 300 hospitalizations and at least 35 deaths, with experts warning the numbers are likely much higher than what i’s being reported.

The equipment arrived more than a month after one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs surrounded a fuel terminal and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Demonstrators also have blocked roads in major cities to pro

test a sharp rise in fuel prices after Henry announced in early Septem ber that his administration could no longer afford to subsidize fuel.

Since then, gas stations have closed, hospitals have cut back on services and banks and grocery stores open on a limited basis as fuel, water and other supplies dwindle across Haiti.

The owners of the fuel terminal announced Saturday that armed men had attacked their installa tions for a second time and fled with more than 28,000 gallons of petroleum products after overpow ering surveillance and emergency personnel at the facility.

It was the second time this week that armed men broke into the terminal, which stores more than 10 million gallons of gasoline and diesel and more than 800,000 gal lons of kerosene.

Witnesses said that police blocked roads and highways to Evin prison and that at least three strong explosions were heard coming from the area. Traffic was heavy along major motorways near the prison, which is in the north of the capital, and many people honked to show their soli darity with protests.

R iot police were seen riding on motorbikes toward the facility, as were ambulances and firetrucks.

Witnesses reported that the Inter net was blocked in the area.

T he US-based Center for Hu man Rights in Iran reported that a n “armed conflict” broke out within the prison walls. It said shots were first heard in Ward 7 of the prison. This account could not immediately be corroborated.

The prison fire occurred as pro testers intensified anti-govern ment demonstrations along main s treets and at universities in some cities across Iran on Saturday. Human rights monitors reported hundreds dead, including chil dren, as the movement concluded its fourth week.

Demonstrators also chanted “Down with the Dictator” on the streets of Ardabil in the country’s northwest. Outside of universities in Kermanshah, Rasht and Teh ran, students rallied, according to v ideos on social media. In the city of Sanandaj, a hotspot for demon strations in the northern Kurd ish region, school girls chanted, Woman, life, freedom,” down a central street.

The protests erupted after public outrage over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in po lice custody. She was arrested by I ran’s morality police in Tehran for violating the Islamic Repub lic’s strict dress code. Iran’s gov ernment insists Amini was not m istreated in police custody, but her family says her body showed bruises and other signs of beating after she was detained.

At least 233 protesters have been killed since demonstrations swept Iran on Sept. 17, accord ing to US-based rights monitor

A lawyer for Namazi, Jared Genser, wrote on Twitter early Sunday that Siamak Namazi “is safe and has been moved to a se cure area of Evin Prison.” He did not elaborate.

In 2018, the prison was slapped with US sanctions. “Pris oners held at Evin Prison are sub ject to brutal tactics inflicted by prison authorities, including sex ual assaults, physical assaults and e lectric shock,” the US Treasury Department wrote in a statement after announcing the sanctions in 2018.

The US State Department was following the reports “with urgen cy” and was in contact with the Swiss as the protecting power for the US, spokesman Ned Price said in a tweet Saturday. “Iran is fully responsible for the safety of our wrongfully detained citizens, who should be released immediately,” he said.

President Joe Biden, on a trip to Oregon, said the Iranian “gov ernment is so oppressive” and t hat he had an “enormous amount of respect for people marching in the streets.”

Commercial strikes resumed Saturday in key cities across the Kurdish region, including Saqqez, Amini’s hometown and the birth place of the protests, Bukan and S anandaj.

The government has responded with a brutal crackdown, arrest ing activists and protest organiz ers, reprimanding Iranian celebri ties for voicing support, even con fiscating their passports, and us ing live ammunition, tear gas and s ound bombs to disperse crowds, leading to deaths.

In a video widely distributed Saturday, plainclothes Basij, a paramilitary volunteer group, are seen forcing a woman into a car and firing bullets into the air amid a protest in Gohardasht, in northern Iran.

Widespread Internet outages have also made it difficult for protesters to communicate with the outside world, while Iranian authorities have detained at least 40 journalists since the unrest be gan, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Photo/M A r k Schiefelbein

Greece says Turkey forced 92 naked migrants to cross border

FX traders eye Japan response as yen approaches 150 level

By Cormac Mullen

the currency in 24 years.

C

URRENCY t raders braced for possible intervention to support the yen Mon day after it touched a 32-year low and neared the key psy chological 150 per dollar level.

The Japanese currency closed at just under 148.70 Friday, capping nine straight weeks of losses.

Finance Min ister Shunichi Suzuki said Friday that Japan is “deeply concerned” about rapidly increasing volatility in the market and chief currency official Masato Kanda said authorities were prepared to take “bold action.”

The strong words were just the latest in a series of warn ings over speculative currency moves following the yen’s slump to a three-decade low, as author ities tried to dissuade traders from testing its intervention strategy. A rapid slide in the yen to 145.90 per dollar last month triggered the nation’s first intervention to support

Strategists have said Japa nese officials won’t necessar ily have a line in the sand at which they’ll act again and are likely focusing on the speed of declines. But some have also said 150 is a key psychological level for Japanese citizens and a breach would likely heap pres sure on the government domes tically to act again.

“Markets might thus further raise the bar toward 150, which many investors suspect is the maximum fall of the yen Japa nese authorities might tolerate at present,” wrote UniCredit FX strategist Roberto Mialich in a note Friday. With expected vola tility high, “market nervous ness is thus set to continue.”

The yen has tumbled about 23% against the dollar this year due to a widening monetary policy differential between the US and Japan. It erased last month’s intervention-driven gains despite the ministry’s 2.84 trillion yen ($19.5 billion) spend.  Bloomberg News

Uganda locks down 2 districts in bid to stem spread of Ebola

By Rodney Muhumuza The Associated Press

KAMPALA, Uganda— Ugandan authorities on Saturday imposed a travel lockdown on two Ebolahit districts as part of efforts to stop the spread of the con tagious disease.

The measures announced by President Yoweri Museveni mean residents of the central Ugandan districts of Mubende and Kassanda can’t travel into or out of those areas by pri vate or public means. Cargo vehicles and others transiting from Kampala, the capital, to southwestern Uganda are still allowed to operate, he said.

All entertainment places, including bars, as well as places of worship are ordered closed, and all burials in those districts must be supervised by health officials, he said. A nighttime curfew also has been imposed. The restrictions will last at least 21 days.

“These are temporary mea sures to control the spread of Ebola,” Museveni said.

Ebola has infected 58 people in the East African country since Sept. 20, when authorities declared an outbreak. At least 19 people have died, including four health workers. Ugandan authorities were not quick in de tecting the outbreak, which be

gan infecting people in a farm ing community in August as the “strange illness” described by local authorities.

The new measures come amid concern that some pa tients in the Ebola hot spots could surreptitiously try to seek treatment elsewhere—as did one man who fled Mubende and died at a hospital in Kam pala earlier this month, rattling health officials.

Ugandan authorities have documented more than 1,100 contacts of known Ebola pa tients, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Sudan strain of Ebola, for which there is no proven vaccine, is circulating in the country of 45 million people.

Ebola, which manifests as a viral hemorrhagic fever, can be difficult to detect at first be cause fever is also a symptom of malaria.

Ebola is spread through con tact with bodily fluids of an in fected person or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, mus cle pain and at times internal and external bleeding.

Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and Congo, where it occurred in a village near the Ebola River after which the disease is named.

Biden dismisses risks of strong US dollar on global economy

By Akayla Gardner

President Joe Biden dismissed the risks of a strong Us dollar and instead blamed anemic growth and policy missteps in other parts of the world for dragging down the global economy.

“I’m not concerned about the strength of the dollar, I’m concerned about the rest of the world,” Biden told reporters on Saturday during a campaign stop in Portland, Oregon.

“Our economy is strong as hell.” Biden’s comments stand in con trast with top leaders from other countries, who have increasingly voiced concerns about how the ris ing greenback is fueling inflation in their own economies. The dollar has climbed roughly 15% this year as the Federal Reserve embarked on an ag gressive campaign to raise interest rates to tamp US price increases.

The impact of the rising dollar was a key topic among delegates at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, which conclud ed their fall meetings Saturday in Washington. Fed officials heard a constant barrage of concerns from other nations about how the surge

hong Kong airport traffic surges after hotel quarantine scrapped

By Shirley Zhao

H

in the greenback has raised the cost of their imports and increased infla tion, setting off their own cycles of tightening.

But with the Fed on track to con tinue lifting borrowing costs through the end of the year, Biden sought to deflect blame for the slowing global economy. On Saturday, he criticized UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’s taxcutting plans for causing turmoil in markets, calling it a “mistake.”

“It’s predictable. I mean, I wasn’t the only one that thought it was a mistake,” Biden said in Portland. “I think that the idea of cutting taxes on the super wealthy at a time when -- anyway, I just think -- I disagreed with the policy,” he added.

Truss’s policies, including a con troversial tax cut for the wealthy that she’s since reversed, sparked a plunge in the pound and forced the Bank of England to step in to support

gilts. The turmoil spilled over into global markets, as traders wary of further volatility sought ref uge in havens, further boosting the dollar.

But beyond the UK, the strong dollar continues to weigh on the global economy, particularly poorer nations that rely on food imports. The destructive combi nation of the soaring greenback, high interest rates, and elevated commodity prices is eroding their power to pay for goods typically priced in the dollar and compound ing a worsening global food crisis, among others.

Biden’s remarks stand in con trast with his predecessor. During

his administration, Donald Trump took swipes at the Fed, saying he doesn’t want a strong dollar that hinders trade with other nations.

Before that, previous US presi dents in recent decades have gen erally refrained from commenting about the currency.

In response to the growing global complaints about the US currency, Treasury Secretary Ja net Yellen told an international audience during the meetings in Washington this week that fighting inflation is the adminis tration’s top priority, even while acknowledging “spillovers from tightening monetary policy in ad vanced countries.”

She reiterated that “marketdetermined exchange rates are the best regime for the dollar.”

Biden’s latest messaging con trasted with his comment in a CNN interview on Tuesday that allowed for the possibility of a US reces sion, though he said: “If it is, it’ll be a very slight recession.”

On Saturday, he reiterated the administration’s insistence that inflation “is worldwide.”

“The problem is the lack of eco nomic growth and sound policy in other countries,” Biden said.

With assistance from Saleha Mohsin /Bloomberg

ON g K ong International Air port’s September passenger

t raffic volume increased by 133% from a year earlier, after au thorities scrapped some of the city’s h arshest travel restrictions, including requirements for hotel quarantine and a pre-boarding Covid test.

Passenger throughput climbed to 525,000, 10% higher than in August. The growth was boosted by visitors to and from Southeast Asia, the Air port Authority said in a statement Su nday.

Hong Kong is under mounting pressure to reopen as its isolationist travel curbs left the city struggling to maintain its status as a global finan cial hub. Authorities addressed one of t he biggest complaints from the busi ness communities when they scrapped t he hotel quarantine requirement last month. Still, other restrictions re main, including three days of health m onitoring for people who arrive in the city. While they are allowed to travel to work and take public trans port, they are banned from visiting r estaurants and bars.  Bloomberg News

POPe gives PeP tAlk tO Big lAy grOuP AFter tightening rules

V

ATICAN CITY—Pope Francis exhorted mem bers of a major Catholic l ay group Saturday to keep up their enthusiasm, a year after Vatican reforms put checks on the leadership of such organi zations.

I

n St. Peter’s Square, Francis addressed thousands of mem bers of Communion and Libera tion, a lay organization present i n some 90 countries. The group is particularly active in Italy and seeks political influence.

Last year, the Vatican moved to better regulate religious movements for the faithful who are not clergy by mandat ing term limits for their leaders.

T he action forced out a Spanish priest, the Rev. Julian Carron, who had headed Communion and Liberation since 2005.

A few months ago, the head of the Vatican’s office on laity complained that Carron was still exercising influence against the Vatican’s reforms.

At Saturday’s audience, Com munion and Liberation members c heered the pope, who recalled the 100th anniversary of the birth of their organization’s late founder, the Rev. Luigi gu issani.

In his speech, Francis thanked Carron “for his service in guid ing the movement” in the years following gu issani’s death. Still, said the pontiff, there have been “serious problems, divisions and certainly an impoverish ment in the presence of an ec clesial movement so important a s Communion and Liberation, for which the church, and I my self, hope (to have) more, much m ore.”

He told the group’s members not to lose heart. “Crisis sparks growth,’’ Francis said.

With the 2021 reform, the Vati can’s laity office cracked down on t he largely unregulated world of international associations of the faithful following the reporting of some cases of abuses of authority and bad governance.

“Without authority, one risks go ing off the road, going in a wrong d irection,’’ Francis told the Com munion and Liberation members, S till, “without charisma, the path risks becoming boring, no longer at tractive for people of that particular h istoric moment.”

The pope said it’s up to the Catho lic Church to indicate “with wisdom a nd prudence on which path the movements must walk, to remain faithful to themselves and to the mission g o d entrusted to them.” AP

President Joe Biden speaks about lowering costs for American families at the east Portland Community Center in Portland, Oregon on saturday, Oct. 15, 2022. AP Photo/C A r olyn K A s ter

editorial

The noise before defeat

Theterm “Leader of the Free World” was used to imply a symbolic leadership during the Cold War in reference to the President of the United States. It was political propaganda, but the term served its purpose to draw a distinction from the USSR.

United Nations delegates show up en masse for speeches when the leader has nuclear weapons at his/her disposal, a vote on the Security Council, or enough clout—military and/or diplomatic—to push other nations around. And nobody draws an audience like POTUS—President of the United States.

President James Monroe’s 1823 message to Congress contained the Monroe Doctrine, which warned European powers not to interfere in Western Hemisphere affairs and the US backed that idea 40 years later by supporting Mexican President Benito Juárez overthrow of France’s puppet Emperor Maximilian.

However, it was the short-lived Spanish-American War that let the world know that the US was a real country. A “hero” of the war in Cuba, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt Jr., put the US on the global stage and particularly its president when he served as POTUS from 1901 to 1909.

Roosevelt said on several occasions that “I have always been fond of the West African proverb: Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far,” which was later used to characterize his foreign policy. While the US had the largest economy, military might then depended on a nation’s naval forces.

Roosevelt dispatched a group of 16 battleships on a 14-month voyage around the world. Ports of call included Brazil, Chile, and Peru and westward to New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and the Philippines. The final leg only saw stops in Ceylon and Egypt. But it was enough to show American clout and that the “Monroe Doctrine” of US dominance in the Western hemisphere might be expanded anywhere at any time.

On the campaign trail, Joe Biden vowed that the US would finally teach dictators a lesson by punishing Saudi Arabia, which he called a “pariah.”

“We are going to, in fact, make them pay the price,” Biden said at a 2019 Democratic debate. This was on the heels of Saudi involvement in the assassination of Jamal Ahmad Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist.

But this is the 21st century and a nation’s ‘Big Stick” does not need to include breech-loading 16-inch naval guns. In October 1973, Saudi and its Opec allies created a “bloodbath” against its perceived enemies without anyone shedding a drop of blood. Opec simply turned off the global oil supply. For a man who was a US senator at that time, his memory must be failing.

Biden visited Saudi Arabia in July as his National Security Council adviser stated that “we lead our foreign policy with our values,” echoing to a certain extent Henry Kissinger’s “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests.” “The US can work productively with Riyadh on energy security, battling terrorism, ending the war in Yemen, and countering Iran’s efforts to establish regional hegemony,” said the Biden administration.

“Energy security” meant adequate amounts of reasonably priced oil. Now, not even three months later, Opec agreed to cut oil production by 1 to 2 million barrels per day, humiliating Biden on the international scene as his metaphorical “Great White Fleet” lies stranded on an uncharted reef having run out of fuel.

“President Joe Biden said on Tuesday there will be ‘consequences’ for Saudi Arabia as the Riyadh-led Opec+ alliance moves to cut oil production and Democratic lawmakers call for a freeze on cooperation with the Saudis,” meaning no more sales of precision guided missiles. Besides, those are probably going to be needed to give away to Ukraine.

“There’s going to be some consequences for what they’ve done, with Russia,” Biden said. Is India, Brazil, China, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, and South Africa next on Biden’s hit list?According to people inside the Saudi government, Biden’s July visit did little to change Prince Mohammed’s determination to chart a foreign policy independent of US influence, in a break from almost 80 years of American-Saudi partnership.

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Sun Tzu might have also meant “Talking without strategy before defeat.”

A nation that reads is a nation that thrives

Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

pandemic restrictions have eased up a bit, we have witnessed a flurry of activities in the realm of publishing, culture, arts and literacy. I would like to believe this means that more Filipinos are into the arts, specifically publication and reading. It’s true that we need to step up our game as far as literacy and education are concerned, and promoting a vibrant book industry is one of the ways to this end.

SInCe

In September we saw a very successful run of the Manila International Book Fair, and judging by the crowd and the sales, we could say the event was a huge success. The reading public must have missed going to the book fair after a two-year hiatus because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Early October also marked the culmination of the Filipino Readers Choice Awards where thousands of Filipino books were nominated and more than 104,000 votes were

counted to determine the top titles and authors in various publication categories. That’s a lot of participation from the reading public, and again this most likely means that more people are into books and reading these days.

The country is once again participating—for the second year in a row—in “the world’s largest, oldest and most prominent content trade fair,” the Frankfurter Burchmesse. We are showcasing original Filipino

The country is once again participating—for the second year in a row—in “the world’s largest, oldest and most prominent content trade fair,” the Frankfurter Burchmesse. We are showcasing original Filipino titles in Germany from October 18 to 23, 2022. We are also holding talks by publishers and authors representing the Philippines in the international fair.

titles in Germany from October 18 to 23, 2022. We are also holding talks by publishers and authors representing the Philippines in the international fair.

Government agencies like the National Book Development Board, the Cultural Center of the Philippines via its Intertextual Division, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, as well as organizations like the Book Development Association of the Philippines, Filipinas Copyright and Licensing Society, and other private

organizations and publishers have been launching and starting programs and campaigns that develop and promote the local publication/ publishing industry, its products and talents. Books are being published and launched by established publishers, independent publishers, independent authors, international presses, and university presses. Conferences, talks, and workshops are being offered left and right to support creators. This is what we love to see—an industry working hard to thrive amid the present economic challenges.

Of course, we would love to see more grants and opportunities being offered to our Filipino creators. We would be happy if government agencies will allocate bigger budgets toward programs that will support both creator and publisher. We want to see laws enacted that protect the rights and welfare of both the creators and publishers. We understand that support for programs like these will eventually translate to a population that is not just literate, but capable of creative and critical thinking.

Violent week a grim sign as targeted killings of police rise

By Gene Johnson | The Associated Press

SeATTLe The shooting deaths of two Connecticut officers and wounding of a third punctuated an especially violent week for police across the US and fit into a grim pattern: even as more officers left their jobs in the past two years, the number targeted and killed rose.

According to organizations that track violence against police, 56 officers have been killed by gunfire this year—14 percent more than this time last year and about 45 percent ahead of 2020’s pace. The country is on track for the deadliest year since 67 officers were killed in 2016.

While the figures include a few officers killed by accidental gunfire, the number of ambushes in which police were injured or killed in surprise attacks with little chance to defend themselves has soared since 2020 and accounts for nearly half the officers killed this year.

Such an attack apparently struck Wednesday in Bristol, Connecticut, where the state police said Bristol Police Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy were killed and Officer Alec Iurato was wounded when they responded to a 911 call that appears to have been “a deliberate act to lure law enforcement to the scene.”

At least 11 police officers were shot around the country this week, including one fatally in Greenville, Mississippi, and another in Las Vegas.

“Those are really scary numbers

for law enforcement, not just for individual officers, but for the organizations they work for, which have to be taking this into account as they’re hiring, retaining and training officers,” said Bill Alexander, executive director of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, which tracks officer deaths in the line of duty.

“It’s not lost on the officers that the job they signed up for has become more dangerous,” he said. “That has to be taking a significant mental toll on the agencies at large and the individual officers doing the work.”

An off-duty officer was among five people killed in a shooting rampage by a 15-year-old boy in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t clear if the officer was targeted. In late June, a man in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Kentucky opened fire on officers serving a warrant in a domestic violence case, killing three and wounding five others—a scene that deputies called “pure hell.”

The Fraternal Order of Police reported that through Sept. 30 of this year, there had been 63 ambush-

The number of officers nationally fell from roughly 719,000 in 2020 to 688,000 in 2021, according to data reported to the FBI. Hiring of officers has rebounded some this year, but resignations and retirements continue to prove a challenge for departments around the country, the Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum found in a survey early this year.

style attacks in which officers were wounded, with 93 officers shot, 24 fatally. That’s a lower number of such attacks than the first nine months of 2021, when there were 75 ambushes of officers, with 93 shot and 21 killed. The total number of ambushes in which police were hurt last year more than doubled from 2020.

The increase in ambushes and killings of police comes at a time when many departments around the country face staffing shortages, with some agencies down hundreds of officers and struggling to fill vacancies.

Covid-19 has been the biggest killer of police officers in the past few years, with 280 deaths in 2020, 467 in 2021 and 64 so far this year, the Officer Down Memorial Page reports. But many officers have retired early or resigned out of frus-

tration with what they see as sagging public support amid “defund police” efforts prompted by the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer and the deaths of other Black people at the hands of law enforcement.

The number of officers nationally fell from roughly 719,000 in 2020 to 688,000 in 2021, according to data reported to the FBI. Hiring of officers has rebounded some this year, but resignations and retirements continue to prove a challenge for departments around the country, the Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum found in a survey early this year.

Mike Zaro is the police chief in Lakewood, Washington, a city of about 60,000 people where four officers were assassinated at a coffee shop in 2009. He was the assistant chief at the time, and he said the department continues to see officers retiring early due to anxiety and stress that can be traced back to the attack.

“I started back in the early ‘90s, and back then and for a long time you just sucked it up and moved on whenever you dealt with any trauma related to the job, whether it was someone else’s or your own,” Zaro said. “After 2009, something of that magnitude, we recognized we had to try and do something different. We worked on the fly to develop methods

Frustrated aspirations

Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT

Part two

asiDe from my frustrated aspirations, i also had to contend with the travesty of justice during my term as Dean of the uP College of Business administration.

Even before I assumed the Deanship of the University of Philippines Diliman Virata School of Business in October 2019, several “protesting” faculty members of the College were already lobbying for the withdrawal of the decision by the UP Board of Regents of appointing me as Dean. These VSB faculty wrote two separate letters dated October 21, 2019 to the BOR; another letter to UPD Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo dated September 2, 2020, and they convinced former UPD Chancellor Michael Tan to support their position. My kudos to the Board of Regents who maintained their decision of appointing me as the 14th dean of the UP VSB. The BOR, under the chairmanship of Professor Prospero de Vera, wrote to UP President Danilo Concepcion on January 9, 2021 and stated that “the refusal of the College of Business Administration [the former name of the VSB] to recognize the decision of the BOR and give Dean Tan-Torres a faculty position is a dangerous and unacceptable action that must be immediately resolved.”

Despite this strong reprimand and instruction from Chairman de Vera, the senior UP officials did not resolve the predicament I was encountering. Up to the end of my term on October 10, 2022, I was frustrated by the utter lack of cooperation from the protesting VSB faculty, which made my administration of the College difficult.

Failing to compel the BOR to revoke my deanship appointment, these protesting faculty members of the College resorted to what I deem are the filing of flimsy, baseless, even irregular administrative charges against me. Since July 2021, I had to endure the rigors of addressing six administrative cases, with five of these filed on July 9, 2021, and the sixth one filed on April 22, 2022. Throughout all these, I had to participate in hearings conducted by two Academic Disciplinary Tribunals that lasted several months and was served two preventive suspension penalties of 90 days even before the start of the hearings. What were the outcomes of these Tribunal hearings?

The decisions were released by the respective ADT on November 25, 2021, for the first five cases, and the sixth case was released on October 4, 2022. Three decisions were against me, two decisions had downgraded charges, and one decision dismissed the charges. I appealed the three adverse decisions with the Office of the UP President on December 10, 2021.

Up to this date, the Office has not released any decision on my appeal.

The Administrative Code of the Civil Service Commission mandates that administrative charges should be resolved within 90 days. It has been over 15 months or 450 days since I was administratively charged.

My term as Dean of the UP VSB ended on October 10, 2022 with frustrated aspirations. It may be unbelievable for some, but I have not been paid a single peso (centavo) since I started work at UP in October 2019. Alas, another travesty of justice. I will discuss this in the continuation of my column next week.

My case is still pending appeal with the Office of the UP President. Isn’t this a clear travesty of justice where the resolution of my appeal is held hostage by time and inaction of irresponsible officials, more so now that I have retired?

My term as Dean of the UP VSB ended on October 10, 2022 with frustrated aspirations. It may be unbelievable for some, but I have not been paid a single peso (centavo) since I started work at UP in October 2019.

Alas, another travesty of justice. I will discuss this in the continuation of my column next week.

I would like to end this sharing on a positive note. For all of my over 40 years of career life, I have not encountered this king of frustrated aspirations and travesty of justice that I have come across in UP. I am proud to say that in all my leadership roles in other government and private sector organizations, I did well in my work and in my relationship with my co-workers. You can confirm this by randomly asking any official or employee of the institutions where I previously worked.

These include the Bureau of Internal Revenue (where I was Commissioner from 2009 to 2010), the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy (where I was Chairman from 2014 to 2018), and the big accounting firms of SyCip Gorres & Velayo and Reyes Tacandong & Co. (where I was a partner of tax from the combined period from 1996 to 2019).

It is unfortunate that I may not be able to claim the same accomplishment as the Dean of the UP VSB.

Frustrated aspirations and travesty of justice? Perhaps, not only for me but more so for the stakeholders of the College.

To be continued.

Joel L. Tan-Torres was the former Dean of the University of the Philippines Virata School of Business. Previously, he was the Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy, and partner of Reyes Tacandong & Co. and the SyCip Gorres and Velayo & Co. He is a Certified Public Accountant who garnered No. 1 in the CPA Board Examination of May 1979.

This column accepts contributions of articles from the business community for publication. Articles not exceeding 700 words can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com.

An ‘addict’ father

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

seek help.... Eventually it became ingrained in what we do. Today it’s called officer wellness.”

Zaro recalls how crucial the support of the community was in helping the department get through the aftermath of the killings. Such support, he said, is instrumental in helping officers accept the risks they face.

Many law enforcement supporters worry about whether departments still have such backing, given the tenor of the national discourse around policing. They stress that

questionable or illegal uses of force by officers are the rare exception, not the rule, but police have lost trust from many people outraged at repeatedly seeing cellphone or body-camera videos online of officers abusing their power.

“It would be infinitely harder to accept those risks and deal with the loss if the community is either suggesting the officers deserved it or making excuses for the person who committed the crime or just not supporting them,” Zaro said.

“It’s more imperative now to make that part of the conversation, given the lashing out at police we’ve seen nationwide over the last couple of years.”

Juanito

Jose Diaz Remulla iii was arrested by anti-drug operatives for possession of over P1 million worth of high-grade marijuana (“kush”) in las Piñas City. What makes this recent drug apprehension a piquant topic is the suspect’s lineage, as his father, Justice secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, is not just a high government official in the country but is also a defender of the previous administration’s anti-drug war and human rights’ record before the united nations Human Rights Council. naysayers have been quick to judge that the father pursues the archetype of a drugfree community yet within his family lives a drug-addict. ta lk about preaching water but drinking wine, as the saying goes. and with some people anxious about the Justice secretary’s possible unsavory involvement in his son’s case, calls for his immediate resignation followed suit.

Parallel stories can be found in the controversial bins of our history. A prominent father with a recalcitrant son has always attracted attention, if not stimulated the mental calisthenics of the Filipino populace. Back in the 1990s, the Vizconde massacre involved Hubert Webb, son of actor-basketball player-politician Freddie Webb. Based on a witness’ testimony, she accompanied the youth-delinquents on the night of the killing and saw Hubert Webb rape Carmelita Vizconde beside the dead bodies of her mother and sister. Other suspects included the son of a famous singer and a nephew of a general. Thus, too, Claudio Teehankee, the son of a former Supreme Court chief justice, was arrested in the 1991 murder of the son of an American Embassy employee and the stepdaughter of a Swedish businessman. Since the young Teehankee was friends with local police, the investigation stalled for days. Most certainly, similar stories of a sinful son/daughter, though not publicized as much, exist among ordinary citizens. While many are accustomed to forming an opinion about the son-offender, probably only a handful hark back to the state of the father’s emotional state amid this confusing moment in his turf.

Justice Secretary Remulla publicly declared that this is “a very difficult time” for him and his family, and while they “know about uncon-

ditional love,” his 38-year-old son will have “to face his predicament as a fully emancipated child.” Sec. Remulla has chosen to abide by his oath of office and to respect the justice system while wishing for his son’s “path to redemption.” Senator Webb, on the other hand, hugged his son’s innocence, proffered a Certification issued by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service attesting to his son’s alibi, and had to live with Hubert’s conviction by the lower and appellate court as well as his incarceration for years before his eventual acquittal by the Supreme Court. Former SC Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee Sr., a defender of the rule of law and hailed as a Filipino Patriot by former President Corazon Aquino never lifted a wand of influence over the murder trial of his son. The Chief Justice died way before he could see his son’s release from prison via an executive clemency.

Traces of sadness, disappointment and pain could continually if not permanently mark the blueprint of a father’s heart each time his son (or child) commits an act that is anathema to what he preaches and embodies. Fathers have all, without exception, acted the part of the hypocrite at some point, that their sons could not have possibly been guilty of such a transgression. Yet now is the opportune time to assert that every story involves at least two personalities, and that not one issue is ever

Justice Secretary Remulla publicly declared that this is “a very difficult time” for him and his family, and while they “know about unconditional love,” his 38-year-old son will have “to face his predicament as a fully emancipated child.”

without a losing party. Doubtless most are focused on the sins of the son, only to neglect the love of the father. The point here is not about the father tolerating the child’s offense, for such a tolerance is never a good thing. It is merely suggested that we spend a trifle more time getting to the core of the issue without being condemnatory.

The father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son in the Bible, appearing in Luke 15:11-32, may serve as a reminder about the love of a father for his son. The prodigal son has offended his father as he demanded his share of the inheritance and squandered everything recklessly. Such acts would easily merit ridicule and hate. Such is not the real issue in the story since what should be emphasized is the great love the father had to his wayward son—even before the son could say his apologies. Overwhelmed by his son’s return, the father even prepared a feast for him, had him wear the finest robe and placed a ring on his finger. The father’s statement is worth taking to heart: “because this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.” (Luke 15:32). Truly, nothing of this world can characterize, not even come within the vicinity of ever describing a father’s love to his son (or that of any parent to his/her child). Biblically, the prodigal father has exemplified such fatherly love; legally, parental love can also be found in the laws of Wills and Succession.

The principle on intestacy is anchored on the presumed love of parents towards their children, as espoused by the legendary civilist Manresa. Explaining the foundation for the rules on intestate succession, Manresa said that love first descends (as explained in the Intestate Estate of Cristina Aguinaldo-Suntay; Emilio A.M. Suntay III v. Isabel CojuangcoSuntay, GR 183053, June 16, 2010) towards descendants. There are at

least three other instances where love for one’s children is mentioned in our civil laws—Article 220 of the family Code (parents’ duty to give children their love and affection); that of Manresa’s case law on intestate succession; and in a Deed of Donation by parents to children. Decidedly, a parent’s love for his/ her children is ensconced not only morally, but also legally and jurisprudentially as well.

Taking a cue from the love that the father of the prodigal son demonstrated, perhaps all other fathers (myself included) typically see their sons as guilt-less and sin-less. Not a matter of tolerance, but their love is just way bigger than the trespass. And surely it is every father’s wish to see their erring sons come back to them regardless of any apologies, hence the prodigal son’s father’s statement about resurrection and redemption—the same path to redemption that Justice Secretary Remulla wishes for his son. From a spiritual perspective, we would never know how much our Heavenly Father loves us until we know how much He loves His Son Jesus Christ, for He did not even withhold His beloved Son just so we can be saved. It must have been so painful for Our Father to let his Son die on the Cross, all because of His abounding love for His children—all of us. Love, too, is exhibited by letting go. And because of that sacrifice, those who receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior have been made righteous, sinless, and guilt-free in the eyes of the Heavenly Father (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Such fatherly love is undeniably addicting. Secretary Remulla, Congressman Webb, Chief Justice Teehankee—all fathers of erring sons, should have been arrested too, if a fathers’ addiction of loving their sons could be classified as a crime.

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

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

Musk has a ‘super app’ plan for Twitter. It’s super vague

By Barbara Ortutay | AP Technology Writer

musk has a penchant for the letter “X.” He calls his son with the singer Grimes, whose actual name is a collection of letters and symbols, “X”. He named the company he created to buy twitter “X Holdings.” His rocket company is, naturally, spaceX.

elon

Now he also apparently intends to morph Twitter into an “everything app” he calls X.

For months, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has expressed interest in creating his own version of China’s WeChat—a “super app” that does video chats, messaging, streaming and payments—for the rest of the world. At least, that is, once he’s done buying Twitter after months of legal infighting over the $44 billion purchase agreement he signed in April.

There are just a few obstacles. First is that a Musk-owned Twitter wouldn’t be the only global company in pursuit of this goal, and in fact would probably be playing catch-up with its rivals. Next is the question of whether anyone really wants a Twitter-based everything app—or any other super app — to begin with.

Start with the competition and consumer demand. Facebook parent Meta has spent years trying to make its flagship platform a destination for everything online, adding payments, games, shopping and even dating features to its social network. So far, it’s had little success; nearly all of its revenue still comes from advertising.

Google, Snap, TikTok, Uber and others have also tried to jump on the super app bandwagon, expanding their offerings in an effort to become indispensable to people as they go

about their day. None have set the world on fire so far, not least because people already have a number of apps at their disposal to handle shopping, communicating and payments.

“Old habits are hard to break, and people in the US are used to using different apps for different activities,” said Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence. Enberg also notes that super apps would likely suck up more personal data at a time when trust in social platforms has deteriorated significantly.

Musk kicked off the latest round of speculation on October 4, the day he reversed his attempts to get out of the deal and announced that he wanted to acquire Twitter after all. “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app,” he tweeted without further explanation.

But he’s provided at least a little more detail in the past. During Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in August, Musk told the crowd at a factory near Austin, Texas, that he thinks he’s “got a good sense of where to point the engineering team with Twitter to make it radically better.”

And he’s dropped some strong hints that handling payments for goods and services would be a key part of the app. Musk said he has a “grander vision” for what X.com, an

Musk kicked off the latest round of speculation on October 4, the day he reversed his attempts to get out of the deal and announced that he wanted to acquire Twitter after all. “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app,” he tweeted without further explanation.

online bank he started early in his career that eventually became part of PayPal, could have been.

“Obviously that could be started from scratch, but I think Twitter would help accelerate that by three to five years,” Musk said in August. “So it’s kind of something that I thought would be quite useful for a long time. I know what to do.”

But it’s not clear that WeChat’s success in China means the same idea would translate for a US or global audience. WeChat usage is almost universal in China, where most people never had a computer at home and skipped straight to going online by mobile phone.

Operated by tech giant Tencent Holding Ltd., the platform has made itself a one-stop shop for payments and other services and is starting to compete in entertainment. It is also a platform for health code apps the public is required to use to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

China has 1 billion Internet users, and nearly all of them go online by mobile phone, according to the government-sanctioned China Internet Network Information Center. Only

33 percent use desktop computers at all—and mostly in addition to mobile phones. Tencent says WeChat had 1.3 billion users worldwide as of the end of June.

Tencent and its main Chinese competitor, e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, aim to make apps that offer so many services that users can’t easily switch to another app. They’re not the only ones.

WeChat has added video calls and other message features as well as shopping, entertainment and other features. Government agencies use it to send out health, traffic and other announcements. WeChat’s payment function, meanwhile, is so widely used that coffee shops, museums and some other businesses refuse cash and will take payment only through WeChat or the rival Ant app.

There is no comparable app in the US, despite tech companies’ efforts.

It’s worth remembering that Musk’s grand visions don’t always work out the way he appears to expect. Humans are nowhere near colonizing Mars and his promised fleet of robotaxis remains about as far from reality as the metaverse.

Twitter’s user base is also tiny relative to those at its social-platform competitors. While Facebook, Instagram and TikTok all passed the 1 billion mark long ago, Twitter has about 240 million daily users.

“Musk would not only have to overcome the hurdle of convincing consumers to change how they behave online, but also that Twitter is the place to do it,” Enberg said. Associated Press Writer Joe McDonald contributed to this story.

Health expenses remain a big burden for Pinoys despite UHC

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

EVEN though government health schemes accounted for the biggest chunk of health spending in the country, Filipinos still accounted for second largest contributors with out-ofpocket expenses. And, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), every Filipino spent nearly P10,000 a year for health-related goods and services in 2021.

P SA said, on average, every Fili pino spent P9,839.23 for health in 2021. This is 17 percent higher than the P8,411.52 per capita health spending recorded in 2020.

Health spending financed through government schemes and compulsory contributory health care financing schemes was the largest among sources of health financing in the country in 2021,” the PSA reported.

Health spending through the government amounted to P546.64 billion or 50.3 percent of CHE.

H owever, household-out-ofpocket payment (OOP) came sec

ond at P451 billion or 41.5 percent, followed by voluntary health care payment schemes which contrib uted P89.35 billion or 8.2 percent.

T his is one of the reasons law makers have pushed for full imple mentation of universal health care, three years after passage of the UHC law.

I n terms of income quintiles, health spending of the fifth quin tile (top quintile) was the highest at P379.76 billion or 34.9 percent share.

Poorest Pinoys

PSA data showed that the poorest

quintile or poorest Filipinos spent a total of P190.43 billion or 17.5 percent of total health spending in the country.

P SA said the country’s health spending or Current Health Expen diture (CHE) reached P1.09 trillion in 2021—or 18.5 percent higher than the P917.15 billion posted in 2020.

T his increment was faster than the 12.8 percent growth registered in the previous year. Meanwhile, Gross Health Capital Formation Expenditure (HK) amounted to P71.15 billion in 2021, a contrac tion of 19.6 percent compared with P88.54 billion reported in 2020.

T he Total Health Expenditure (THE), which comprised CHE or 93.9 percent and HK or 6.1 percent, recorded P1.16 trillion in 2021. It grew by 15.2 percent from P1.01 trillion recorded in 2020.

The share of THE to the Gross Domestic Product [GDP] at current prices was 6 percent in 2021,” PSA said in a statement.

‘Cut out-of-pocket expense’ EARLIER , ADB Southeast Asia Principal Health Specialist Eduardo P. Banzon said the level of health spending in response to Covid-19 should be maintained and used as a new base in the coming years to continue the reduction in Filipinos

out-of-pocket expenses for their medical needs.

I n a presentation at the Devel opment Policy Research Month (DPRM) forum of the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), Banzon said government health spending saw a “dramatic increase” to 28 percent in 2020.

W hile public spending on health has been rising since 2016, the rate of increase has never breached 20 percent. Prior to the rate of increase in 2020, the public health spending posted the highest increase in 2018 at 18 percent.

I ncreasing the spending for health is necessary given the hard ships faced by Filipino families es pecially when they are faced with “catastrophic health expenditures,” which are greater than or equal to 40 percent of a household’s capac ity to pay.

I n a study, Ateneo de Manila University Development Studies Program Research Associate Vin cen Gregory Yu said the health fi nancing experiences of ordinary Filipinos can be summed up in 4 “Ps”—pagtitiis, pangungutang, pagmamakaawa, and PhilHealth.

Pagtitiis, which means enduring symptoms of health conditions, in volves refusing to seek treatment and resorting to self-medication.

HOUSE PANEL SEEKS MEETING WITH MONETARY AUTHORITIES

T

HE House Committee on Ways and Means wants Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe M. Medalla to explain how the country can boost its reserves and ensure that tightening monetary policy will not stifle economic growth.

House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Jose Sarte Sal ceda said he also expects the BSP to again raise interest rates by 75 basis points (bps) in its Monetary Board meeting this November.

I n a recent Bloomberg interview on the sidelines of the Interna tional Monetary Fund-World Bank Group Annual Meetings, Medalla said raising interest rates is a toss between 50 bps and 75 bps.

Between 50 and 75, I’m inclined to say they’ll do 75. In any case, the House committee on Ways and Means will exercise its privilege and jurisdiction over monetary policy. We will meet with mon etary policymakers, but it won’t be on-the-spot, so we don’t unduly pressure what should be an inde pendent body,” Salceda said.

S alceda, quoting Medalla, said “BSP Governor Felipe Medalla says that every 25 bps increase in rates decreases GDP growth by 5 bps.”

He also said that moving forward, the country needs to make sure any reduction in GDP growth will be “bal anced out” by higher dollar earnings.

Salceda said traditionally, the country’s dollars came from tour ism, business process outsourcing, Overseas Filipino workers, and free lancers who serve foreign clients.

It’s not conventional for mon etary policymakers to dip deeply

into the real economy,” Salceda said. “So, we will invite Governor Medalla over soon. I also want to understand how we can bolster our reserves and earn more dollars.”

S alceda said the peso already dropped more than 13 percent this year, one of the steepest among major Asian currencies. The BSP has already hiked the key rate by 225 basis points so far this year, the most in Asean.

T he BSP’s moves have brought the overnight reverse repurchase rate to 4.25 percent, the highest since 4.5 percent in June 2020.

E arlier, the BSP said it remains confident that its efforts to tighten monetary policy will not stifle the country’s economic growth.

Medalla said the “ongoing policy normalization” has not affected the country’s growth since real policy rates remained “quite low.”

T he Central Bank governor said the aim of being “target consistent” does not mean keeping inflation below 4 percent at all times. He gave assurances, however, that their efforts will allow inflation to go back to the midpoint of the government’s targets.

Medalla said the higher inter est rates have a 6- to 18-month lag time. This means inflation for the second half of 2023 will be closer to the target range but not yet at 3 percent.

By next year, full-year inflation is expected to remain slightly above target at 4.1 percent. Medalla said high inflation expected in the first semester of 2023 will not be offset by inflation in the second half of the year. Cai U. Ordinario

Guardians of world economy told to ‘buckle up’ as outlook dims

AFTER a week hosting the International Monetary Fund’s annual gathering of economic leaders, Managing Direc tor Kristalina Georgieva summed it up for the 190 member countries: “Buckle up, and keep going.”

A s the talks ended in Washing ton on Saturday, finance ministers and central bankers seeking to sustain the world economy’s shaky recovery from the pandemic wor ried Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to destabilize Europe and stymies efforts to boost growth.

But the stalwarts of the postWorld War II global order also took a scalding.

T he UK’s whiplash on tax cuts —which rattled markets and led to the ouster of Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng midway through the gathering—and the US Federal Reserve’s dollar-boosting interest-rate hikes also dominated discussions.

M embers of the group also sparred over Saudi Arabia’s deci sion to lead an OPEC+ oil output cut, which was seen risky as Europe struggles with an energy crisis and the US tries to rein in the hottest inflation in four decades.

D oug Rediker, a former IMF executive board member, noted a lack of high-level engagement from China, the second-biggest economy and top creditor to developing coun tries, “stymied the ability to make actual progress.”

“ It was an overall fairly pessi mistic week,” he said.

War, fragmentation

SIMILAR to the IMF’s spring meet ings in April, the G-20 failed to is sue a communique given the split on Russia.

R ussia also prevented the IMF’s advisory body from reach ing consensus over a joint read out. “I regret very much that due to Russia’s blocking any chance of consensus, we don’t have una nimity,” said Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino, who chairs the panel.

Speaking at the same briefing, Georgieva said “the predominant mood in the room was we cannot possibly allow fragmentation to happen because everybody would be poorer.” It would be “devastating for low-income and poor emerging markets.”

Debt deadlock

WITH about 60 percent of the world’s 75 poorest countries al ready in or at risk of debt distress, finance chiefs ranging from Trea sury Secretary Janet Yellen to Zambia’s Situmbeko Musokotwane urged richer nations to do more to help vulnerable ones restructure their debt.

Yellen criticized the slow prog ress on a G-20 initiative to bring creditors from the Paris Club of traditional rich countries together with China to try to restructure the debts of certain low-income coun tries. China hasn’t participated in the effort.

“ What we face today is a com plex situation that’s not going to be easily resolved,” said Martin Guz man, a former Argentine finance minister. “I don’t think we’re going to have a proper resolution of that crisis until there is an international

formal framework for solving the crisis when we’re not going to have it in the near future.”

Rates, recession and the dollar

THE IMF lowered its outlook for global economic growth, warning that central bank efforts to cool inflation might cause even greater harm. That’s because higher rates slow business activity and hurt the economy, seen as a necessary tradeoff to get prices under control.

People expect central banks to keep pressing the brake until something actually breaks in the expansion,” economists at JPM organ Chase & Co. wrote over the weekend. “The biggest risk remains a central-bank-induced recession.”

T he Fed’s rate hikes have helped spur a surge in the dollar, which is punishing other countries by rais ing the cost of their imports and driving up their inflation, setting off their own cycle of tightening. That left Fed officials hearing a constant barrage of concerns from other nations about how damaging a strong greenback has been, al though the US central bank seems set to keep hiking.

Everyone seemed very worried,” said Paulo Guedes, Brazil’s economy minister. “Some were saying central bankers need to have hearts, and remember that behind every rate increase there’s people suffering.”

Policy coordination

ON the other end of the policy spectrum, fiscal chiefs were urged to coordinate with their monetary policy counterparts to ensure they weren’t working at cross purposes.

T he IMF’s Georgieva urged fi nance ministries to come up with “targeted and temporary” measures to ease the pain caused by higher rates, without complicating the ef forts of central banks, a sentiment echoed by European Union Eco nomic Affairs Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, who cautioned that not all countries in the bloc are man aging to avoid a clash between the two.

KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA , managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), speaks at a news conference during the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank Group in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, October 13, 2022. BLOOMBERG NEWS

Companies

PNOC-EC allots big chunk of budget for exploration

THE

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

National Oil Co.Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC)

Of the amount, P6.9 billion will be utilized to pursue exploration activities related to the service contracts awarded to it by the government while P1.85 billion would be for coal exploration and development. The remaining P1.29 billion is meant for its continued participation in the Service Contract (SC) 38, covering the Malampaya gas field.

PNOC-EC said it sold 116.74 billion cubic feet (BCF) and 3.11 million barrels of condensate (mmbls) in 2021, resulting to revenues amounting to P3.3 billion from its 10-percent interest in SC 38.

From January to June this year, PNOC-EC said it was able to sell 58.86 BCF of natural gas and 1.45 mmbls of condensate.

For 2023, it is expecting a target sales volume of 76.7 BCF of natural gas and 2.1mmbls of condensate. The P1.293-billion budget, it said, will help fund its “active participation in Malampaya consortium.”

PNOC-EC’s awarded petroleum service contracts, meanwhile, include SC-37 in Cagayan, SC 57 Calamian, SC 58 West Calamian, SC 59 West Balabac, and SC 74 Linapacan.

SC 37 is currently undergoing well drilling and testing.

“Hopefully, we can get drilling started by late 2023 or early 2024. If the well becomes a gas discovery then we can develop that within 3 to 5 years,” said PNOC Vice President for management services division Candido M. Magsombol.

Magsombol said SC 57 will undergo another seismic survey.

“We need to conduct a 3D seismic survey; it’s the same with SC

58 and SC 59,” added the official. “So, these are more exploration programs and we need at least three to four years to develop if there is confirmed oil or gas.”

For SC 74, Magsombol said the state firm is looking to develop a marginal oil discovery.

“We just need to look into the potential of joint development with nearby field,” he said. “This is the bigger West Linacapan field. Since it is marginal, we need to pursue a joint development.”

The PNOC EC official said there are security issues involving some of the service contracts. For instance, he said SC 58 and SC 59 are part of the waters enclosed by the 9-dashed line claim. SC 75, which PNOC has 35 percent, is one of the service contracts that was suspended.

For coal, PNOC-EC said it will continue mine development of Coal Operating Contract (COC) 41 Mine-4, conduct exploration drilling in COC 204 Malangas and evaluate new domestic and overseas areas.

FGEN terminal completion on track

Figaro OKs dividends on good financial run

By VG Cabuag @villygc

THE board of Figaro Coffee Group Inc. has approved the declaration of P90 million in cash dividends to the company’s shareholders, as of November 21 record date, after it reported a good fiscal year on store expansion.

“We are very pleased to report that coming out of the pandemic and our initial public offering early this year, we have continued our excellent growth and positive momentum,” Figaro chairman Justin T. Liu said. Liu said the firm is “seeing dine-in sales increasing” on their “Figaro Coffee” and “Tien Ma’s” brands while delivery continues to be “strong” for “Angel’s Pizza.”

For its fiscal year ending June this year, the company said it had a net income of P198.2 million, double from the same period last year, driven by continuous strong store growth. Sales, meanwhile, reached P2.43 billion, an increase of 80 percent from the same period last year.

Figaro improved its gross margins to 49 percent from 44 percent through economies of scale and cost synergies. As a result, it grew its operating income by 64 percent and showed a return on equity of 13.5 percent.

expansion in key areas in the Philippines. We acknowledge that there are always new and pressing challenges such as inflation and economic headwinds, but our team continues to find the best ways to optimize growth and manage costs for the good of the company,” Liu said.

“Likewise, because of our excellent performance, we are very happy to be able to share profits with our shareholders through dividends. Our philosophy is, if the company does well, we would like our shareholders to benefit also,” he added.

Since the start of the year, the company has added 35 stores to its total store network, with a target of 163 stores by year-end 2022, from an ending store count of 107 in December 2021.

Along with its expansion, the company said it is also building more commissaries across the country to support the stores. Set for completion this third quarter is the Cebu commissary as well as expansion of its main Metro Manila hub.

E

XECUTIVES of FGEN LNG Corp. (FGEN LNG), a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Gen Corp. (First Gen), said last Wednesday that the construction of the firm’s Interim Offshore LNG Receiving Terminal is on track for completion.

“Construction part is substantially complete; what needs to be completed is the implementation of all control systems, which is not big in volume,” said FGen Chief Commercial Officer Jon Russell. “But imagine a car that is built; but, without a control systems, it won’t run.”

Russell added they “need to make sure we do that and that will start to happen at the end of the year into first quarter of next year.”

FGEN LNG is developing the interim offshore LNG receiving terminal at the First

Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas City. This is slated for completion by the end of the first quarter of 2023.

“This project is very complicated because tech is complicated. We have a multi-

disciplinary team composed of Filipino and foreigners. It takes a lot of people to do this,” Russell said.

In parallel, FGEN LNG and BW LNG, a unit of Bermuda-based maritime company BW Group, are building a floating storage regasification unit to provide LNG storage and regasification services to First Gen’s existing and planned gasfired power plants and other third-party terminal users.

FGEN LNG said that the project will play a critical role in ensuring the energy security of the Luzon grid, particularly as the indigenous Malampaya natural gas resource continues to decline.

First Gen is a leading gas power generation company with approximately 2,000 MW in operating gas plants. Lenie Lectura

“We continue to focus on product quality, value-for-money and

THE real estate arm of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. said it expects to generate P1.82 billion in sales revenues from 171 units of the third residential development by Aboitiz Land Inc. at Lipa, Batangas.

Aboitiz Land offers lots ranging from 250 square meters (sqm) to 1,500 sqm in total area.

According to AboitizLand President and CEO David L. Rafael, the recently-launched 12-hectare horizontal project “could not come at a better time for discerning investors.”

Rafael said the Calabarzon region continues to advance in investment prominence with the presence of LIMA Estate in Lipa. He added that the first central business district (CBD) in Batangas will soon rise in the Aboitiz-owned mixed-use economic center.

These existing and upcoming developments have contributed to an impressive rise in value appreciation at 83 percent for Sierra Village and 102 percent for Brook Village—the first two projects of the 49-hectare residential development project.

The firm is selling several lot types at the third project called “Meadow Village.”

These lot types include: “Sunrise” are lots facing the east of the community; “Corner” are lots

with an average of 417-sqm cuts; and, “Greenbelt,” which are lots that are typically larger and offer “more expansive vistas of the surroundings.”

Regular lots, meanwhile, typically measure 302 sqm in area. The firm said these lots are highly indemand as a form of investment property. “Central Park” lots, on the other hand, are located closer to the village’s amenities while “Legacy” lots can be partitioned into smaller properties in the future as heirloom pieces.

The community will have access to recreational and social activities, including its own town center, Aboitiz Land said. It added there are distinctive greenbelts in a network of interconnected green spaces and biking and/or walking paths.

“Complementing the beautiful landscapes are sources of water, bringing visual relaxation,” documents provided by the firm read.

“The grassy areas between the sidewalk and the road collect and restrict the flow of rainwater, ultimately reducing flooding and erosion.”

Aboitiz Land said “Meadow Village” is suitable for migrant Filipinos wanting to secure a retirement investment and for parents seeking to leave a valued asset to their children.

Norwegian RE firm to build 2-GW wind-power facilities

By Lenie Lectura

NORWEGIAN renewable energy firm Scatec ASA plans to develop over two gigawatts (GW) of wind power projects in the Philippines with its preferred local partner Aboitiz Power Corp.

“This will be in partnership with a Filipino company for sure regardless of change of foreign ownership law. We are not doing this alone. This will

be with a local partner,” said SCATEC General Manager for Southeast Asia Torbjorn Elliot Kirkeby-Garstad. “Aboitiz has been our partner for

many years so that’s an obvious choice. They are our partners, so we talk to them every day.”

Garstad said most of the wind power prospects are offshore projects.

“We have five sites. One is onshore wind, the rest are offshore. We have 2.4-GW of wind licenses in the Philippines,” added Garstad. “The plan there is to do those projects together with my preference is with Aboitiz, having worked with them for 15 years.”

He did not divulge the investment cost, but said this will reach “billions of dollars to build them all.”

Last week, Aboitiz Renewables

Firm wants trike taxis legitimized

OVE It” mobile application-operator We-Load Transcargo Corp. has called on the government to “legitimize” roughly 200,000 Metro Manila-based habal-habal, a colloquial term for informal motorcycle taxis, as the industry “missed the opportunity” for a more inclusive and free market.

Move It Chairman Francis Juan said the almost quarter-of-a-million habal-habal riders “risk” being caught every day to make a living. Instead, the government should welcome them, especially since three platforms are currently operating under a pilot program.

“These forgotten people only need one thing: for the government to allow them to temporarily operate legally just like ‘Move It,’ ‘Angkas’ and ‘Joyride;’ or for Congress to fast-track the passage of the bill legitimizing the motorcycle taxi business,” Juan said.

Motorcycle taxis are still considered illegal in the Philippines pending a law that sets regulations on their operations.

The government allowed three motorcycle taxi platforms to operate motorcycle taxi services under a pilot program. However, it placed a cap of 15,000 drivers per platform.

The pilot program has been running for three years and Congress has yet to enact a law that legalizes them.

“We missed the opportunity to adopt an inclusive policy by going with restrictions and caps instead of open competition. But late as it

is, the government can and must do it. These habal-habal drivers need to earn without having to look over their shoulder,” Juan added.

Several opposing groups have called on the government to swiftly pass a law that regulates motorcycle taxis. Some groups even called on the government to tax the ride hailing platforms now.

Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista also asked legislators to hasten the law, as motorcycle taxis seem to be a viable option for commuters given the traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other cities.

Over the weekend, Alliance of Road Users and Motorcycle Advocate Society (Armas), an organization of riders and road users nationwide, said the motorcycle taxi sector has provided a steady source of income for many of its members.

“Once the motorcycle taxis have been legalized, commuters will have an option—especially with the return to office mandates of companies and that face-to-face education is now in place. It will also provide commuters options on which platform will give them a better experience. Legalizing motorcycle taxi operations will provide additional income to our riders,” Armas National Director Zaldy Lenon said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Inc. (ARI), the renewable energy (RE) arm of Aboitiz Power, entered into a joint venture agreement with Mainstream Renewable Power (Mainstream) to develop a 90-megawatt (MW) onshore wind project in Libmanan, Camarines Sur.

The joint venture, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is being delivered through an investment agreement for ARI’s proposed acquisition of a 60-percent stake in the Libmanan onshore wind project, which Mainstream has been developing since 2017.

Aboitiz Power is pursuing to grow its renewable portfolio to 4,600 MW by the end of the decade.

Telco sees growth in postpaid plans

GLOBE Telecom Inc. has seen a “behavioral shift” in its customers now that the pandemic is receding, as consumers are now more willing to shell out more on postpaid plans.

In an interview over the weekend, Globe Postpaid Portfolio Management Head Mark Pasaylo said they observed that the appetite for telecommunications services was steady. Particularly for Apple products, like the new iPhone 14 series, Globe’s “trajectory…is actually going up, especially with the introduction of 5G,” Pasaylo said.

“We see behavior shifting,” he said, adding that inflation was not a top concern for Globe postpaid’s target market.

He noted that iPhone users are “quite sizable a big chunk of our base,” and that they are the consumers “that we want.”

Currently, there are about 1.7 million Globe postpaid subscribers.

“What we intend to do is to maintain that position by putting customers first,” Pasaylo said.

Last week

SHARE prices inched downward last week as trading were mostly directionless as the broader market sought a solid ground ahead of the third-quarter reporting season.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index fell 27.44 points to close at 5,904.75 points.

The main index was only down once during the week; but its gains were inconsequential for a recovery.

Last week’s trading remained lackluster; only averaging P3.3 billion in value, or just half of the year-to-date average. Foreign investors were net sellers at P310.86 million.

All other sub-indices ended mixed. The broader All Shares index shed 22.85 points to close at 3,177.74 points. The Financials index rose 21.58 to 1,520.47. The Industrial index lost 74.30 to close at 8,701.26. The Holding Firms index fell 65.30 to 5,635.43. The Property index inched up 11.33 to 2,539.75. The Services index declined 38 to 1,519.56 and the Mining and Oil index retreated 180.71 to 10,511.73

For the week, losers edged gainers 139 to 82 and 23 shares were unchanged. The top gainers were Ferronoux Holdings Inc., Vistamalls Inc., AgriNurture Inc., Philippine Bank of Communications, Mabuhay Vinyl Corp. and Manila Broadcasting Co.

The top losers, on the other hand, were Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp., Holcim Philippines Inc., Bank of Commerce, Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Concrete

Aggregates Corp. A and Pacifica Holdings Inc.

this week

SHARE prices may remain down this week as inflation rate in the US is elevated, which could cause another round of a 75-points increase in key policy rates by the Federal Reserve in its upcoming November meeting.

“This should provide sustained downward pressure in the medium term as locals would have to doubly contend with higher cost of capital and more currency devaluation, especially since the BSP [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas] is not expected to intervene with the peso while the Fed is on the run,” Broker 2TradeAsia said.

“Eyes are on the fiscal policy measures that will address consumer confidence erosion, especially as 2023 output will no longer have the benefit of election-related spending,” it said.

Meanwhile, Japhet Louis O. Tantiangco, senior research analyst at Philstocks Financials Inc., said BSP Governor Felipe M. Medalla has already said that they are looking at a 50-basis point (bps) to 75-bps rate hike in their next meeting.

“The strong rate hikes, which are seen to have a downward effect on the economy, may also weigh on sentiment,” Tantiangco said. He added that investors may also take cues “from our upcoming OFW cash remittance and balance of payments data” this week. Chartwise, the market’s initial support is still seen at 5,700. Its

initial resistance is seen at its 10-day exponential moving average followed by the 6,000 to 6,100 range, he said.

stock picks BROKER Regina Capital Development Corp. advised to hold on to the stock of SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPH) as it is very stably trading within a thin range, a feat in itself considering the still slightly bearish indicators.

“The underlying tone is still slightly skewed to the downside, but buying pressure is picking up. Should this crossover manifest, SMPH could attempt to once again breach the P32-level resistance. Note that in order for this to happen, there would also have to be higher volatility than usual,” it said.

The shares of SM Prime closed Friday at P31.80 apiece.

Meanwhile, it gave the same advise on the stock of GT Capital Holdings Inc. (GTCAP) as it looks like the stock is finally starting to get cozy within a set range after a massive breakdown during the tail-end of September.

“The 52-week low of P388 looks to be a stable support for now. Note, however, that it does not look like GTCAP is already out of the woods just yet. Indicators are still very bearish, and selling pressure is still extremely high. Albeit the already low prices, It might be prudent to wait for GTCAP to further strengthen this support before positioning,” it said.

The shares of GT Capital closed last week at P395 apiece.

Cabuag

s T O c k MA r ke T O u T LOO k

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Banking&Finance

Pagcor as revenue raiser or regulator mulled over

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

The Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) said it is reviewing its previous recommendation of decoupling the functions of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

GCG Chairman Alex L. Quiroz said the commission is currently evaluating if there is indeed a conflict between the regulatory and commercial mandates of state-run Pagcor.

“I cannot admit that [there is a conflict]. That is why we are still evaluating because different stakeholders might have different perceptions to that term,” Quiroz told reporters in a recent news conference.

Quiroz did not disclose a timeline regarding the GCG’s functions but noted that the commission’s final opinion about the matter would only be “recommendatory,” with the Office of the President (OP) having the final say.

“everything will only be recommendatory and subject to the approval of the OP; we don’t want to preempt the OP,” he said. The GCG is attached to the OP.

GCG Commissioner Gideon D.V. Mortel, however, pointed out the commission recognizes that Pagcor has two separate functions at present.

Mortel explained one of the issues that the GCG is evaluating is the impact of the removal of Pagcor’s commercial functions on the national government’s revenue collections.

“As far as GCG is concerned, we will evaluate it if it will be beneficial to the country [to decouple the functions of Pagcor],” Mortel said.

“We know Pagcor is a revenue generating agency. [It is] one matter [that] we have to evaluate: the revenue side, whether you remove the commercial aspect of the GOCC [and] it will not any way create a dent

to the revenue that Pagcor generates for the country,” he added.

The GCG officials emphasized that the previous recommendation by the commission under the previous administration to decouple PAGCOR is not “binding,” therefore they can reevaluate the status of the state-run firm again.

“At present, I think the PAGCOR perfectly regulates the gaming industry,” Quiroz said.

“But the problem is, should we focus merely on the regulatory function of the Pagcor? We have to adapt schemes so as to increase and to ensure what is the real income [of Pagcor]. While what I am saying is mere speculation, but [I am] thinking of a scheme so as to maximize the income of Pagcor,” he added.

GCG Director Johann Carlos S. Barcena said the commission has directed the Pagcor to submit pertinent documents and information, particularly the breakdown of the earnings of the firm, as part of the evaluation process.

In 2017, the Department of Finance under the Duterte administration submitted a draft executive order that would decouple Pagcor, removing its commercial functions and turning it into a purely regulatory body. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2017/11/27/ pagcor-licensing-function-forsale-in-draft-eo/)

In August, Finance Secretary Benjamin e Diokno said the proceeds from the proposed privatization of Pagcor assets would offset potential revenue losses from the sale.

Diokno also noted that the Pagcor’s new leadership must prioritize addressing the state-run firm’s conflicting roles. (Related story: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/08/29/pagcor-privatization-to-offset-potential-revenue-loss/)

Perspectives

Monetary officials approve $178.1-M loan by NG in Q3

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Monetary Board (MB) has approved $178.1-million loans contracted by the national government in the third quarter of 2022.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the borrowing will finance the national government’s multisectoral nutrition project.

“[The] BSP, through its MB, is required for all foreign loans to be contracted or guaranteed by the Republic of the Philippines,” the BSP said in a statement.

The BSP said the approved loans in the July to September period were 96-percent lower than the borrowings approved in the same period in 2021 worth $4.66 billion.

It added that the approved loans were 95 percent lower than the approvals in the second quarter of 2022 amounting to $3.54 billion.

“The BSP promotes the judicious use of the resources and ensures that external debt requirements are at manageable levels, to support external debt sustainability,” the monetary authorities stated.

In July, BusinessMirror reported that starvation has killed 355 Filipinos between 2006 and 2020. At least 90.14 percent of these deaths, or a total of 320, happened in a span of only four years: between 2017 and 2020.

While there were years—2014 and 2016—when no deaths due to starvation were recorded, the years 2017 to 2019 saw exponential growth in starvation deaths. In 2017, there were 106 fatalities due

to starvation; in 2018, 103; and, in 2019, 99 died of hunger. (Full story here: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2022/07/28/one-nationundernutrition-when-inequality-brings-death-malnutritionto-phls-doorsteps/)

The BSP was tasked to approve national government loans through Article VII, Section 20 of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines.

Further, the BSP said based on the Letter of Instruction 158 dated 21 January 1974, all foreign borrowing proposals by the national government, also needs to be submitted for approval-in-principle by the MB before commencement of actual negotiations.

Select SSS branches in NCR open on Saturdays

The

Social Security System (SSS) announces that its branches located in shopping malls in the National Capital Region (NCR) are now open on Saturdays until December 31, 2022 to accommodate members who can only transact with SSS on weekends.

A total of 12 branches in shopping malls within Metro Manila are now accepting SSS transactions except the tellering services on Saturdays which include Cubao, Malabon, Novaliches, Paso de Blas, Antipolo, Mandaluyong-Shaw, Marikina, Ortigas, Las Piñas, Makati-Chino Roces, Parañaque, and Taguig.

These branches are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. except for

The race to a greener future has begun

ORGANIZATIONS around the world have invested half a trillion dollars in decarbonization, and more than a thousand large companies have committed to setting science-based emissions targets to limit warming to 1.5°C, the goal established by the Paris Agreement at the Conference of the Parties, COP 21, in December 2015.

While these commitments represent progress, tangible results remain elusive. For example, only 110 of the world’s 2,000 largest companies meet the United Nations’ “starting line” criteria to “pledge, plan, proceed and publish” and only 25 percent of those that have made commitments to eSG goals are on track to reach Paris Agreement goals.

Treating net-zero targets merely as aspirations, or worse, as part of branding or marketing, can pose serious risks. Not living up to commitments can have a reputational impact and can provoke a backlash from investors, lenders, customers, employees, and local communities. And, of course, failure to act means falling short in meeting the climate challenge.

To reach goals of any kind, organizations need roadmaps, including near-term milestones and actions to drive a sense of urgency. In this short report, we explain how organizations of all kinds can develop the strategies and roadmaps they need to start their journeys to decarbonization.

Devising a meaningful decarbonization strategy

N e T-zero targets resemble New Year’s resolutions in that they’re easy to set but require changes in specific behaviors and practices, consistent effort over time, and a clear plan. In any organization,

the actions required to decarbonize are numerous and demand changes in all sorts of processes and business units.

Decarbonization therefore cannot succeed as a stand-alone effort—it must be woven into an organization’s operations and align with and enable the enterprise strategy. A tailored decarbonization strategy can be developed in just a few months.

Our approach includes five main steps to developing a decarbonization strategy and roadmap.

The first step is building a detailed picture of the organization’s carbon footprint at the individual asset level (e.g., buildings, vehicles, equipment), assessing the impact of climate risk on these assets, and identifying gaps between the current state and a future decarbonization vision.

Based on these analyses, leaders can set realistic targets and draft a defensible roadmap to reach netzero goals using an array of decarbonization levers.

Using our decarbonization pathways methodology, we help clients establish emission baselines, model scenarios, and develop a roadmap that aligns with the organization’s capital program strategy. Based on the roadmap, the company defines a target operating model that specifies the changes needed to adjust processes, policies, and behaviors to reach net-zero goals.

Step 1: Baseline and GHG inventory assessment n Current state n Carbon baseline and footprint n Asset inventory n Diagnostic to link vision to strategy n Identify quick wins and existing initiatives n Stakeholder analysis

Step 2: Scenario planning. n Identify decarbonization initiatives n Analyze options n Define decarbonization pathways n Analyze financial impact n Refine and set decarbonization targets

Step 3: Operationalize. n Launch projects n Operationalize targets, track progress, and maintain a regular reporting cycle n Provide climate risk disclosures to SeC , etc. n Communicate with investors and other stakeholders

Step 4: Define future state. n Define decarbonization and net-zero vision and targets n Define scope 1, 2, and 3 areas to be considered n Analyze gaps in decarbonization vision and current state n Identify material issues n Develop carbon pricing model

Step 5: Roadmap and implementation plan. n Develop roadmap n ex plore financing and delivery options n Define metrics and incentives n Refine and detail strategic priorities and operating model needs (challenges to roles, processes, etc.)

An execution plan requires insights across functions W h I L e many organizations can measure their carbon footprints and set emission targets, we find that they often run into difficulties in defining needed operational changes and determining the size and timing of required investments.

To translate targets into a road-

Novaliches and Ortigas which are open from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

SSS President and Chief executive Officer Michael G. Regino said that SSS extended the business hours of several branches to accommodate transacting members even during weekends.

“We understand that many SSS members cannot visit SSS offices during weekdays given their working schedule, so we decided to open our branches in shopping malls on Saturdays until the end of the year,” Regino said.

Meanwhile, 43 SSS branches in NCR will start assisting members as early as 7:00 a.m., an hour earlier than their regular servicing hours.

These branches include Batasan hills, Congressional, Cubao, Deparo, Diliman, eastwood, Fairview, Kalookan, Malabon, Navotas, Paso de Blas, San Francisco Del Monte, Valenzuela, Antipolo, Mandaluyong-Shaw, Marikina, Marikina-Malanday, New Panaderos, Pasig-Mabini, PasigPioneer, Pasig-Rosario, San Juan, Tanay, Binondo, Legarda, Manila, Pasay-Roxas, Pasay-Taft, Sta. Mesa, Tondo, Welcome, Alabang-Muntinlupa, Alabang-Zapote, Bicutan Sun Valley, Las Piñas, Makati-Chino Roces, Makati-Gil Puyat, MakatiGuadalupe, Makati-JP Rizal, Parañaque, Parañaque-Tambo, Taguig, and Taguig Gate 3.

“These initiatives reflect our

continuous commitment to serve our members and their beneficiaries better, especially during this holiday season. We further encourage them to take advantage of this extended business hours, which is one way of showing our dedication to serve the growing number of transacting members and stakeholders,” Regino added.

Likewise, SSS members and their beneficiaries, employers, and pensioners may also opt to conduct their transactions through SSS online channels such as the My.SSS portal on the SSS web site (www.sss. gov.ph) and the SSS Mobile App for a more convenient way of transacting with SSS.

map, an organization should gather and analyze critical issues: ho w decarbonization fits into strategy and financial decisionmaking Success requires leadership buy-in; changes in governance, processes, and controls; and an understanding of how e S G reports will inform business decisions.

1. Investment levels and funding sources. The organization needs to consider how it can fund critical decarbonization efforts, accounting for tax credits and incentives, and explore the issuance of green bonds to lower the cost of capital

2. Priorities and phased investments in decarbonization projects. The roadmap should include shortand long-term goals based on feasibility, trade-offs, and cost-benefit analyses

3. Operational levers required to execute on the roadmap. Pathways can include levers as simple as energy-efficient L eD lighting to more complex electric fleet transitions.

4. Guidance and guardrails for entering commercial deals and structures. Many companies on the forefront of decarbonization are entering into power purchase agreements, for example.

This report is part of a series on climate change published by KPMG. This paper focuses on pathways to net-zero and features key insights for organizations beginning their decarbonization journeys. Companies should consider the other challenges and opportunities created by the transition to a low-carbon economy discussed in this climate change series.

For governments and the private sector to accelerate ESG adoption, these and other far-reaching innovations are necessary. Join KPMG in the Philippines on October 18, 2022, for an ESG and Green Finance discussion at the “Digital Pilipinas: Philippine

Soaring dollar leaves food piled up in ports as world hunger grows

FOOD importers from Africa to Asia are scrambling for dollars to pay their bills as a surge in the US currency drives prices even higher for countries already facing a historic global food crisis.

In Ghana, importers are warning about shortages in the run up to Christmas. Thousands of containers loaded with food recently piled up at ports in Pakistan, while private bakers in eg ypt raised bread prices after some flour mills ran out of wheat because it was stranded at customs.

Around the world, countries that rely on food imports are grappling with a destructive combination of high interest rates, a soaring dollar and elevated commodity prices, eroding their power to pay for goods that are typically priced in the greenback. Dwindling foreigncurrency reserves in many cases has reduced access to dollars, and banks are slow in releasing payments.

“They cannot afford it, they cannot pay for these commodities,” said Alex Sanfeliu, world trading head for crop giant Cargill Inc. “It’s happening in many parts of the world.”

The problem isn’t a new one for many of the countries—nor is it limited to agricultural commodities—but the reduced purchasing power and dollar shortages are compounding wider strains across global food systems following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The International Monetary Fund has warned of a catastrophe at least as severe as the food emergency in 2007 to 2008, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called for more food aid for the most vulnerable, while the World Food Programme says the globe is facing its largest food crisis in modern history.

On the ground, many importers are struggling with rising costs, shrinking capital and difficulty in obtaining dollars to ensure their shipments are released from customs on time. That means cargoes get stuck at ports or may even be diverted to other destinations.

“There was always a historical strain on making these payments, but at the moment it’s unbearable pressure,” said Tedd George, a consultant specializing in Africa and commodities markets.

In Ghana, where the cedi has lost about 44 percent this year against the dollar—making it the second-worstperforming currency in the world— there are already worries about supplies ahead of Christmas.

“We think there is going to be a shortage of some food items,” said Samson Asaki Awingobit, executive secretary of Ghana’s importers and exporters association which includes buyers of grains, flour and rice. “The dollar is swallowing our cedi and we are in a hopeless situation.”

To be sure, some countries may be cushioned by their purchases in other currencies like euros, while energy-exporting nations will profit from overseas revenues. Global food-commodity costs have also fallen for six straight months, giving hopes for a relief to consumers.

But the soaring dollar threatens to erode some of that benefit, according to Monika Tothova, an economist at the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, which sees this year’s global food import bill at a record high.

The situation is still fragile. Concerns are mounting anew over supplies out of the Black Sea region as the war in Ukraine escalates and there are questions over the future of the deal to ship grains out of Ukrainian ports. Weather shocks have driven volatility in recent months, stocks are low and soaring fertilizer and energy prices are boosting food production costs.

As the Federal Reserve continues to tighten monetary policy, the dollar’s strength versus currencies in emerging and developing markets will add to inflation and debt pressures, the IMF said in its global outlook this week.

Explainer

How Moscow grabs Ukrainian kids and Makes tHeM rUssians

By Sarah El Deeb, Anastasiia Shvets & Elizaveta Tilna The Associated Press

Olga l O p atkina paced around her basement in circles like a trapped animal. For more than a week, the Ukrainian mother had heard nothing from her six adopted children stranded in Mariupol, and she was going out of her mind with worry.

t h e kids had spent their vacation at a resort in the port city, as usual. But this time war with Russia had broken out, and her little ones—always terrified of the dark—were abandoned in a besieged city with no light and no hope. a l l they had now was her oldest son, t mofey, who was still himself just 17.

t h e questions looped endlessly in her head: Should she try to rescue the children herself—and risk being killed, making them orphans yet again? Or should she campaign to get them out from afar—and risk them being killed or falling into the hands of the Russians?

She had no idea her dilemma would lead her straight into a battle against Russia, with the highest stakes of her life.

Russia’s open effort to adopt Ukrainian children and bring them up as Russian is already well underway, in one of the most explosive issues of the war, an a s sociated p r ess investigation shows.

t h ousands of children have been found in the basements of war-torn cities like Mariu pol and at orphanages in the Russian-backed s eparatist territories of Donbas. t h ey include those whose parents were killed by Russian shelling as well as others in institutions or with foster families, known as “children of the state.”

Russia claims that these children don't have parents or guardians to look after them, or that they can't be reached. But the ap found that officials have deported Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-held territories without consent, lied to them that they weren't wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and given them Rus sian families and citizenship.

t

h e investigation is the most extensive to date on the grab of Ukrainian orphans, and the first to follow the process all the way to those already growing up in Rus

sia.t h e ap drew from dozens of interviews with parents, children and officials in both Ukraine and Russia; emails and letters; Rus sian documents and Russian state media.

W hether or not they have parents, rais ing the children of war in another country o r culture can be a marker of genocide, an attempt to erase the very identity of an enemy nation. p r osecutors say it also can be tied directly to Russian p r esident Vladi mir p utin, who has explicitly supported t he adoptions.

i t ’s not something that happens spur of the moment on the battlefield,” said Stephen Rapp, a former US a m bassador-at- l a rge for War Crimes i s sues who is advising Ukraine on prosecutions. “a n d so your ability to at tribute responsibility to the highest level is muc h greater here.”

Even where parents are dead, Rapp said, their children must be sheltered, fostered or adopted in Ukraine rather than deported to Russia.

Russian law prohibits the adoption of for eign children. But in May, p utin signed a de cree making it easier for Russia to adopt and g ive citizenship to Ukrainian children with out parental care—and harder for Ukraine a nd surviving relatives to win them back.

Russia also has prepared a register of suitable Russian families for Ukrainian children, and pays them for each child who gets citizenship—up to $1,000 for those with disabilities. i t h olds summer camps for Ukrainian orphans, offers “patriotic educa tion” classes and even runs a hotline to pair R ussian families with children from Donbas.

i t i s absolutely a terrible story,” said p e tro a n dryushchenko, an adviser to the Mariupol mayor, who claims hundreds of children were taken from that city alone. “We don’t know if our children have an of ficial parent or [stepparents] or something e lse because they are forcibly disappeared by Russian troops.”

Russia portrays its adoption of Ukrainian children as an act of generosity that gives new homes and medical resources to help less minors. Russian state media shows lo cal officials hugging and kissing them and h anding them Russian passports.

i t ’s very hard to pin down the exact number of Ukrainian children deported to Russia—Ukrainian officials claim nearly

8,000. Russia hasn't given an overall num ber, but officials regularly announce the a rrival of Ukrainian orphans in Russian military planes.

i n March, Russian children’s rights om budswoman Maria lv ova-Belova said 1,000 children from Ukraine were in Russia. Over the summer, she said 120 Russian families had applied for guardianship, and more than 130 Ukrainian children had received Russian citizenship. Many more have come since, including a batch of 234 in early October.

lv ova-Belova has said these children need Russia’s help to overcome trauma that has left them sleeping badly, crying at night and drawing basements and bomb shelters. She acknowledged that at first, a group of 30 children brought to Russia from the basements of Mariupol defiantly sang the Ukrainian national anthem and shouted, “ g l ory to Ukraine!” But now, she said, their criticism has been “transformed into a love for Russia,” and she herself has taken one in, a teenager.

“ t o day he received a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and does not let go of it!” she posted on te legram on Sept. 21, along with a photo. “[He] was waiting for this day in our family more than anyone else.”

lv ova-Belova has been sanctioned by the United States, Europe, the U k , C anada and a u stralia. Her office referred the ap to h er reply in a state-owned news agency that Russia was “helping children to pre serve their right to live under a peaceful sk y and be happy.”

i n a u gust, a post from a senior official at the Moscow Department of l a bor and Social p r otection thanking the Russian fos ter families declared: “Our Children... n ow t hey are ours.”

a s l opatkina agonized over what to do, her teenage son’s childhood came to an abrupt end in Mariupol.

Suddenly, t i mofey had become the father to all his siblings. t h ree had chronic illnesses or disabilities, and the youngest was just 7. a s intense shelling broke the glass around them, they cowered in a basement. When the younger ones were scared, t i mofey carried them in his arms. a f ter one airstrike, they moved their beds closer together next to the thickest wall.

But no wall could keep out the war. Every day, t i mofey awoke at 6 a.m. in the bitter cold and chopped wood for a bonfire to cook food. a he wanted to do was to finish his work and sleep—only to have to wake up and do it again.

Calluses built up on his hands. His skin grew thicker in other ways. When airplanes rumbled overhead, he no longer ran for shelter.

“When you walk and see brains of people on the road, right on the pavement, nothing matters,” he recalled.

He promised his mother he would look after the younger children. But then the power went out, and he lost touch with her completely.

a friend who had joined the fighting of fered to take him out of Mariupol.He refused. H e knew he would never forgive himself if he left his siblings behind.

Finally, a local doctor from Mariupol ar ranged an evacuation elsewhere in Ukraine. B ut pro-Russia forces at a checkpoint refused to recognize the children’s documents, photocopies of official papers identifying them and their parents.t im ofey’s pleas went nowhere.

i

nstead, the children ended up in a hos pital in the Donetsk p e ople’s Republic, or D p R , a separatist Russian-controlled area in Ukraine. t i mofey was only months away from turning 18—the age when he would be drafted into the D p R a rmy against his homeland.

“For the D p R , i would never go to fight in my life,” he said. “ i understood that i had to get out of there one way or another.” a t least, t i mofey thought, he could tell his mother he had kept the children safe. He was close to his mother, and they were alike, he and she—both tough survivors who would stick it out to the end no matter what.

Or so he thought, until he reached her.

i t ’s great that they are alive,” she re plied. “But we are already abroad.” t i mofey was utterly devastated. His par ents had fled Ukraine without him. He felt t hey had thrown him away like garbage, along with five children he hadn’t asked for and couldn’t know how to protect.

t h anks for leaving me,” he wrote back, furious.

t

Russia has been accused of stealing from Ukraine.

n 2014, after Russia annexed the Crime an p e ninsula, more than 80 children from l uhansk were stopped at checkpoints and abducted. Ukraine sued, and the European Court of Human Rights found the children were taken into Russia “without medical support or the necessary paperwork.” t h e children were returned to Ukraine before a final decision.

k a teryna Rashevska, a human rights de fender, said she knows of about 30 Ukrainian c hildren from Crimea adopted by Russians under a program known as tr ain of Hope. n o w, she said, some of those children might well be Russian soldiers. Since 2015, theY oung a r my Cadets national movement has trained youth in Crimea and Russia for po tential recruitment into the military.

t h is time around, at least 96 children have been returned to Ukraine since March after negotiations. But Ukrainian officials have tracked down the identities of thou sands more in Russia, and the names of many o thers simply aren't published.

“We cannot ask the Russian Federation to return the children because we don’t know who they should return,” said Rashevska, with the Ukrainian organization Regional Central for Human Rights.

k ra, a 12-year-old girl who saw her father shot and killed, was evacuated from Mariupol to Donetsk with shrapnel wounds on her ear, leg, neck and arm. k i ra was reunited with her grandparents only after the office of the Ukraine deputy prime minister got involved.

Her grandmother, Svitlana Obedynska, said k i ra had become withdrawn and lost interest in everything, and negotiations were “very difficult.”

“ i t w as not decided at our level,” she said. “She wants to be with her family. a f ter all, she has no one else.”

Other officials in occupied territories loyal to Moscow have a more benign view of what Russia is doing. Olga Volkova, who heads an institution for children in Donetsk, had 225 kids evacuated to an area near the Russian seaside city of ta ganrog, and 10 were taken in byRussian families in a p ril.

a f ter D p R a nd Russian officials make a list of suitable candidates, her boarding school secures citizenship for them and sends them to new families in Russia.

i f t here are Ukrainian relatives, they can stay in touch, call and perhaps eventually meet, Volkova said. i n the meantime, while the war is ongoing, she noted, the children now still have families of a sort.

“Everyone wants to have a mother, you see?” Volkova said.

Olga l opatkina was a teacher of music and the arts who had lived a hard life. n o w a middle-aged woman with red and pink streaks in her hair fading to white, she lost her own mother as a teenager. i n 2014, when fighting with Russian-backed forces broke out in Donetsk, she also lost a home.

But this nightmare with her children, she thought, was the hardest thing yet. a lt hough Mariupol was less than 100 kilometers away from her home in Vuhledar, it was impossible to reach safely because of bombardment. i n the meantime, her 18-year-old biological daughter, Rada, was at a boxing competi tion near k h arkiv, another front-line city.

She told herself every day that the war would end fast. i t was the 21st century, after all. i nstead, it edged closer.

l opatkina took in two refugee families from a city near Mariupol, who confirmed her worst fears. One woman said her hus band was killed in front of her, and she had to s tep over his corpse.

h e children of Mariupol aren't the first

Russia justifies the deportation of chil dren by saying it has annexed four territories i n Ukraine, but the U n and the rest of the world called the move in late September a sham. t h e governor of one of those territo ries, Serhiy Haidai of l u hansk, has accused Russian officials of drawing up documents that deprive Ukrainian parents of their rights. He too fears that Ukrainian children will be enlisted in the Russian military.

l opatkina hounded Ukrainian officials, the local governor, social services, anybody who could evacuate her children. i n calls, t mofey told his mother he was looking af ter his younger siblings. She was proud and s lightly reassured.

t h en, on March 1, their connection was lost. She thought her kids were going to be evacuated to Zaporizhzhia, so she and her husband went there, with books of fairy tales and other treats. But two days after they arrived, the state ordered Zaporizhzhia itself to be evacuated instead.

t

The coronavirus chronicles: Beyond Pr TexTBooks

WITH students trooping back to school, jug gling both face-to-face and online classes, it’s a great time for the next generation of PR pros to learn what it takes to succeed in this very special ized field.

Textbooks, of course, are a great source of knowledge, but it will be also good to know that one will not find on there all the tools they need to master their craft. Pro fessors and mentors, including icons in the field, can also share with them on-the-job experiences that will be very helpful.

PR Matters

By Millie F. Dizon

Here, Arthur Solomon who was a jour nalist and executive at Burson-Marsteller, shares with us PR Realities You Won’t Find in Communication School Textbooks as published in Prnewsonline.com

n r e ading newspapers daily is a prior ity. Solomon recalls that as a journalist, his morning assignment was scanning all the NYC newspapers so he would know what stories are incomplete or misleading. He never lost the habit.

As a PR executive, he continued reading newspapers first thing perhaps at break fast or commuting. That’s because read ing the news does several things for PR pros—keeping them smart, updated, and connected.

Former Amazon communicator Peter Kadushin agrees, citing reasons why read ing the news daily should be part of every communicator’s routine. He gives three reasons.

First, “the PR pro gets a feel for what the media and public consider news. Sec ond, it helps media pitchers know which stories need follow-ups. Third, you can quickly alert business executives about what issues might affect their company. In turn, they alert management, making them look good.”

That is why reading the daily news should become part of a communicator’s routine. While most newspapers now have online versions, print still retains its charm because of its layout and photos.

n m o st Pr pros get incomplete infor mation. This happens, Solomon says, be cause they get their news from TV sound

bites or headlines, which do not tell the entire story.

“Even the best broadcast TV news is a briefing service” he says. “With stories sandwiched between commercials, seg ments barely include the basic 5 pcs— who, what, why, where, and when.”

Moreover, “TV news, with some excep tions, is ratings-dependent. As such, TV news has an entertainment component that may detract from the storytelling.”

n Pr crises linger. Crisis management is one of the tasks of PR pros. In fact,

writings on crisis communications may be found in textbooks. With this, practitio ners should be able to merge—and man age—best practices with actual learnings on the job, especially in the age of digital technology.

n ve t paid spokespeople—aka hired guns—when using them for promot ing products, companies, causes, and events. Influencers are very influential today, and most companies and brands seek them out to promote their products and services.

That is why it is important to do your own due diligence when recommending an influencer to management. Check their backgrounds, and similarly ensure they have not endorsed competing brands, or unhealthy products. Otherwise, that infor mation may likely resurface, and it will be double the embarrassment.

n g etting credit for work is a recur r ing problem. People taking credit for other’s work is a sad reality everyone has to contend with in corporate life, more so in a PR pro’s life.

With this, practitioners should find a way to let top management know of their contributions. This could be done by sim ply submitting a report or presentation, actively participating in meetings when appropriate, or mentioning this casually when possible. Whatever way, it is impor tant to have a good relationship with top management.

n a g gressiveness in Pr i s rewarded. Whether it’s creating a campaign, pitching a story to media, averting a crisis, or deal ing with day-to-day difficulties, it’s best to be assertive—balanced of course with prudence – on-the job.

n l ook t owards longevity. How long you should remain at an agency or com pany before seeking a better opportu nity elsewhere is a recurring question for PR. Solomon’s advice? “When you receive praise from management for good work, remember what Niccolo Machiavelli wrote in The Prince: The promise given today was a necessity of the past: the word bro ken is a necessity of the present.”

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Rela tions Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.

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

tiple digital grids. Each digital g rid can be owned by multiple owners.

ebrated artists such as Juvenal S anso, to name one.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—UBX, the leading open finance plat form in the Philippines, and artt ech startup Unit 256 Ventures Inc., have revolutionized the way Filipinos consume art with the introduction of Artifract, the country’s first tokenized NFT platform.

Artifract utilizes the propri etary “token factory technology” t hat was co-developed by UBX and Unit 256. Token Factory is a system wherein real-world or digital assets are represented by “tokens” on the blockchain.

Trading transactions are thus streamlined since the tokens can create a trustworthy framework for tracking and settling assets. The system ensures security for digital transactions without the need to rely on third-party insti tutions or intermediaries.

B y breaking down the NFT into smaller pieces, a process known as “fractionalizing,” an artwork can be turned into mul

“We are proud to have been the first in the Philippines to frac tionalize and tokenize art in the P hilippines through Artifract. Our participation in the digita lization and fractionalization of a rt is very much in line with our goal of financial inclusion. The bedrock of Artifract is inclusiv ity, and through this process, art o wnership is no longer within the exclusive province of the upper class, but is now brought closer to the average Filipino,” UBX President and CEO John Januszczak said.

Artifract empowers collec tors and enthusiasts, and even o rdinary individuals, to partici pate in the market by making art m ore accessible and affordable. Through the platform, artists can showcase their artworks and fractionalize them as NFTs so that individuals can own pieces of their artworks at more afford able prices.

Ol d artworks can be resurrect ed into new masterpieces, which c an now be owned by more than one person, expanding the reach of art by inviting more members into the community and provid ing a more stable income for art ists. The platform features staple p ieces such as Serendipitous Vi sions and Flower Vendor by cel

With a growing demand for NFTs in the Philippines, which has recently been called as the hot spot for NFT ownership in the whole world, UBX will step in to provide the necessary tech nologies for optimal user expe rience and advance the project’s b usiness and marketing devel opment.

A s the pioneer for this project, Unit 256, an art-tech venture that aspires to make Fine Arts ac cessible and help institutions in a rt preservation, spearheads the conceptualization to branding, from scouting to recruitment of artists and art enthusiasts alike.

Prior to its official launch, Artifract exhibited the works of the globally famous painter Ju venal Sanso at a special dinner t o generate a response from the art community.

“Needless to say, the response was nothing short of warm and welcoming. With such successful precedent, there is no doubt that the launch will be welcomed with just as much enthusiasm. Follow ing this trend, we are expecting t o partner with more Masters in the art industry,” Unit 256 Cofounder and Head of Curation & Collections Stephanie Oller said.

Likewise, John expects that the launch of Artifract will in troduce big changes for both

t he financial and art industries. “True innovation is not just about figuring out where technology can take us next. As evidenced by our partnership with Unit 256, it’s also about forging alliances to help more causes. Beyond the world of finance, we at UBX are looking forward to seeing how this platform will grow, which will be, ultimately, for the ben efit of each and every Filipino,” he noted.

n h avas o r tega g ro U P r eveals insights on ‘ t h e ag e of eXPe rience’ in m e taverse we B i nar

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—The metaverse is here and its future is virtually limitless. That is the message at the heart of “Meta verse: The New Age of Experi ence,” a webinar hosted by cre ative agency Havas Ortega Group l ast September 22.

The event saw Philip Tiong son, Havas Ortega’s director for d ata science, share insights fea tured in the Prosumer Report on t he Metaverse, a series of thought leadership reports regularly pub lished by the Havas Group, which s hares insights on different top ics based on a survey on “prosum ers” or the 20% of consumers who a re influential and market driv ers. They are first to market and u sually 6 to 18 months ahead of

the mainstream.

The metaverse, according to the report, offers a number of consumer benefits that include expanding the scope of users’ experiences by allowing them to participate in virtual events, pro viding a wider stage for learning, c reating more inclusive spaces for personal exploration and so cial interaction, and, of course, i ncreasing the opportunities for economic exchanges. This is a be lief of 83% of Filipino prosumers.

It is this economic exchange that brands need to participate in by creating strong campaigns that appeal to consumers. Begin ning with providing users with e xclusive items and offers by con necting with a brand through the p latform they’re on, brands need to look at the possibilities beyond just products. The metaverse is about creating an experience.

The report also revealed oth er data on how prosumers see t he metaverse. For example, 69 percent of Filipino Prosumers believe the metaverse is more inclusive compared to real-life spaces. Also, 55 percent of the surveyed prosumers are wor ried the metaverses will worsen t he digital divide between those with access and skills and those without.

Prosumer Report, a Creator Panel was held, where experts and in novators in the blockchain, NFT, a nd technology spaces shared their thoughts on the Metaverse.

The invited panelists were Fabien Aufrechter, VP for Web 3 and the Metaverse for Vivendi; Jay Lim, chief operating officer of Havas Ortega Group; Arvin Yason, innovation hub director of Accenture Philippines; and AJ Dimarucot, graphic designer and metaverse entrepreneur. The panel was moderated by Angie Ti jam-Tohid, executive creative di rector of the Havas Ortega Group. I n the panel, Jay stressed that “In reality [the metaverse] is ba sically an ecosystem of different re alities.” And by understanding what experiences can be offered and how they can build rela tionships with their consumers, b rands can transcend the tradi tional boundaries of commerce a nd expand their reach further than was initially imaginable.

AJ noted that In the Philip pines, the adoption of the meta verse began with gaming. “I think g ames will probably be the big gest gateway.” He explains that i t shows how Filipinos adapt to this quickly, whether or not users fully comprehend all the aspects of their use of the platform, cit ing the rapid rise and decline in p opularity of the NFT game Axie Infinity.

n UBX and Unit256 laU n ch the Phili PPin es’ first tokenized nft Pl atform, a r tifract

Pasig Mayor Sotto lauds The Ortigas Market as great multi-sectoral initiative

THE Ortigas Market opened with great promise, attended by key officials of Pasig City local government unit led by Mayor Vico Sotto. Sotto praised organizers, DTC Promos for championing the project while working with the leaders of Pasig, Bgy. San Antonio and the Ortigas Center Association which provided the historic Emerald Avenue as the venue.

“We’re happy that Pasig sellers are given special discounts for their booth rentals. We wish the Ortigas Market great success as it provides a valuable service to our community. We are proud to be an active partner in this social enterprise,” Sotto said.

One of the main objectives of the Ortigas Market is to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) while serving the needs of the Ortigas Center and Bgy. San Antonio residents as well as those from the surrounding villages.

So far, it has gathered 33 sellers including food vendors serving sustainable fresh produce, sea food as well as cooked food from the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Spain, Africa and breads from Israel and other countries.

Of note are sellers of arts and artisan crafts such as Philippine maps, upcycled bags from tire interiors, sea glass jewelry, handmade stationaries, creatives masks, acacia wood and other products.

With its slogan, “Where community hunger is satisfied,” the Ortigas Market aims to not just provide food for the body, but also food for the soul. There was a Cup Cake Decorating Workshop for the kids featuring Chef

Before the short message from Sotto, singer Jenny Garcia sang “In Jesus Name” which DTC CEO Ed Dames explained as “the reason why he had initiated this project.” He also recognized the invaluable support of GCF Pastor BJ Sebastian and Manila Bulletin President Dr. Emilio Yap III and DTC President and in-house Chef, Marissa Ngan-Dames who is in charge of coordinating with all the partners and vetting all the sellers.

The Ortigas Market is supported by Oleo Fats, Tasteful Selections, UNOX, Mayani, Calcium Cee and OverdoughsPH

with the Manila Bulletin, Business Mirror, 97.9 Home Radio, DWIZ, Graphic, Cook Magazine, Health and Fitness Magazine and Pilipino Mirror as media partners.

DTC is one of the country’s leading events and activations agency responsible for designing landmark campaigns like Lady’s Choice Christmasterpiece: Inter-Town/City Christmas LandmarkMaking Contest, Knorr “Makulay ang Buhay sa Sinabawang Gulay,” Close-Up “Whattamouth! Guinness World Record Largest Photo Mosaic, the Rexona Xtreme for Men Billboard Stunt Show and the MOA Opening.

Megaworld mall hosts DOST Space Technology Exhibit for World Space Week celebration

IN celebration of World Space Week, Venice Grand Canal and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) held a free week-long exhibit showcasing the recent advances made by Filipinos in the field of space exploration and technology.

Held from Oct. 4 to 10 at the 2nd level of the Venice Grand Canal in McKinley Hill, Taguig City, the Mobile Space Technology Application Exhibition brought together various government agencies including the DOST-PCIEERD, the Philippine Science and Technology Foundation, and the Philippine Space Agency to celebrate the successful programs and initiatives in Philippine space technology.

Guests took a closer look at the different projects and developments under the Philippine Microsat Program, which was spearheaded by the Philippine Science Centrum, under the Simula ng Isang Bagong Oportunidad sa Lipunan (SIBOL) program.

Among these include scale models of Diwata-1, the Philippines’ first microsatellite; Diwata- 2, the country’s second microsatellite; Maya-1 Cube Satellite, among others. The exhibit highlighted the new projects of the DOSTPCIEERD in the fields space technology and transport sectors.

another innovative milestone project of the DOST. We hope that through this exhibition we were be able to help the DOST in encouraging our youth in appreciating this new and laudable body of work of Filipino scientists and researchers while deepening their understanding of the cosmos and the field of space science research,” says Esteban Cabanos, general manager, McKinley Hill.

Each year, the science community commemorates the celebration of the launch of the first human-made earth satellite, Sputnik 1, on October 4, 1957. This worldwide event is celebrated with over 8,000 events in 96 countries for the exploration of the sustainable development of science and technology that contributes to the betterment of the human condition.

TWENTY-NINE residents from Nasugbu, Batangas completed their technical and vocational (tech-voc) courses on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (NCII) and Electrical Installation and Maintenance (NCII), supported by SM Foundation Inc (SMFI).

In partnership with Don Bosco One TVET Phils. Inc and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority, the tripartite collaboration provided a full tech-voc scholarship to financially challenged individuals, with SMFI providing free tuition and assessment fees.

SM, through SM Foundation, has been providing deserving and qualified students with access to technical-vocational studies to facilitate equitable access to employment opportunities since 1993. To date, SMFI has produced more than 4,500 tech-voc scholar graduates nationwide.

Malayan Insurance leads ‘Sales Cares’ school supplies drive

TOhelp equip students in far flung areas for academic success, Malayan Insurance Co. Inc., the leading non-life insurance company in the Philippines, has launched a School Supplies Distribution Drive in Luzon and Mindanao. The program dubbed “Sales Cares” was spearheaded by the Malayan Sales Teams in Legaspi and Davao.

Grade school pupils in Malobago Elementary School in Rapu Rapu Island, Albay, and Del Pilar Elementary School in Agusan del Sur received school bags and other school supplies from the insurance company.

Malayan Insurance president and CEO Paolo Y. Abaya, head of MetroLuzon Dante Mayo, channel head Kim Segarra, branch manager Rowen Pausta, branch manager Pol Amarillo, and staff members of the Malayan Insurance Davao Branch personally handed out the school supplies in Del Pilar Elementary School. While Team Sales regional head Joel Tabing, branch manager Atoy Adornado, branch manager Leda Lebitania, and the staff of Malayan’s Legaspi Branch led the distribution in Malobago Elementary School.

Security Bank SB Peso Bond Fund

Best Managed Fund by CFA

THE Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society Philippines once again recognized Security Bank Trust and Management Group’s SB Peso Bond Fund as the Best Managed Fund for the long-term Peso Bond Fund Category. This was announced during the CFA Society Philippines’ 2022 Best Managed Fund Awards.

The focus of the awards was to review the performance and consistency of funds based on each financial institution’s submission of investment information and fact sheets. The SB Peso Bond Fund was acknowledged for being able to deliver the highest risk-adjusted returns compared to other funds (both UITFs and Mutual Funds) in the same long-term Peso Bond Fund category.

“The goal of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of the Philippines in giving the fund of the year awards is to put investors first. We put investors first by awarding funds that provided the best risk-based returns on a consistent basis over a five-year period. This performance and consistency are important for investors who put their hard-earned money in the hands of their fund managers for their future.” Dr. Robert B. Ramos, CFA, CIPM, CAIA, President and Chairman of CFA Society Philippines said.

The CFA Society Philippines is an association of local investment professionals, consisting of Portfolio

and Fund Managers, Security Analysts, Investment Advisers, and other financial practitioners that has served CFA charter holders and CFA Program candidates locally since 1997. CFA Society Philippines annually give awards in eight categories, both in peso-denominated and dollardenominated funds. Only the funds accessible to the public or retail investors are considered for this CFA’s annual award of Best Managed Funds.

“Receiving this back-to-back recognition from the CFA Society Philippines is a testament to our BetterBanking commitment to provide our customers with the best-in-class investment products and exemplary customer service, as well as help them achieve their financial goals that are aligned with the Bank’s overall goal to become the most customer-centric bank in the country. This recognition inspires us to continue to give our clients better than benchmark returns through active yet prudent management of funds entrusted to us.” says Dino Aquino, the Fund Manager of the SB Peso Bond fund, and Vice President and Head of Fixed Income Securities of Security Bank’s Trust and Asset Management Group.

To know more about Security Bank’s investment products and how you can experience BetterBanking service, visit www.securitybank.com or Security Bank’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ SecurityBank

Lualhati Cabiltes presented by Oleo Fats and Unox.

PASIG City Mayor Vico Sotto gives his remarks during the opening of the Ortigas Market

SENATE SPOUSES SPREAD GOODWILL. In line with the upcoming 106th anniversary of the Senate of the Philippines, the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc. (SSFI) on Thursday, October 6, 2022, spent time with residents of Barangay 178 and 188 in Pasay City to kickstart its "Adopt a Barangay" donation project. Led by SSFI President Mrs. Audrey Zubiri (Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri's wife), the SSFI handed out more than 1,000 lootbags filled with food and personal care items after a short program. Also in attendance were: Mrs. Tootsie Angara (Sen. Sonny Angara's wife), Mrs. Kristel Dela Rosa-Estoesta (Sen. Bato dela Rosa's daughter and Chief of Staff), Mrs. Kathryna Yu-Pimentel (Minority Leader Koko Pimentel's wife and Chief of Staff), Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla (Sen. Bong Revilla's wife), Dir. Maricel Tulfo-Tungol (Sen. Raffy Tulfo's daughter), Mrs. Gladys Villanueva (Majority Leader Joel Villanueva's wife) and Atty. Emmeline Villar (Sen. Mark Villar's wife). (Albert Calvelo/Senate PRIB)

Thumbs up for social good (L-R): Mark Carlos Tito Gumapon, External Relations Officer, Johnnie Santos, Assistant Technical Director, Fr. Jose Dindo Vitug, Executive Director, One TVET Philippines; Eleanor Lansang, Senior Assistant Vice President, SM Foundation Inc.

DEL

Elementary School students and Malayan representatives share

moment

“We were very honored to be part of

ONE of the exhibits in the just concluded DOST Space Technology Exhibit

Style

Pinay Drag: ‘Bandera’y ’Di Matutumba’

BEAUTÉDERM is a brand I always write about but I’ve never really reviewed their products thoroughly. I mostly talk about their new ambassadors and what’s going on with the brand but this time, I will review my favorite Beautéderm products.

One of the things I love about Beautéderm is that it provides livelihood for Filipinos. It employs people and is not a direct selling or multi-level company. While Beautéderm has its company-owned stores, it also has resellers and distributors who earn depending on the sales they make and not “downlines” or the people they recruit. Even stars like Pauline Mendoza and Sylvia Sanchez are Beautéderm resellers. I get my products from the Ayala Malls Cloverleaf branch or the one in SM City Fairview.

Beautéderm is a Pampanga-based brand. It is known for its soaps and skin-care sets but I will talk about the other products which I love.

n DETANGLER HAIR BRUSH This hair brush looks like another one that I have from a brand that’s has more expensive products but let me tell you that I love the Beautéderm brush more. I even have a back-up of it just in case it breaks. It works on any type of hair, whether it is straight or curly, thick or fine. According to Beautéderm CEO Rhea Anicoche-Tan, the Detangler Hair Brush is also a favorite of two actresses who happen to be her brand’s ambassadors and both of them have really beautiful hair.

n KOREISU FAMILY TOOTHPASTE This made-in-Japan toothpaste is free from flouride and triclosan, with sodium bicarbonate as its main ingredient. At first, I did miss the minty aftertaste of commercial toothpastes but Koreisu’s cleaning properties, which make breath stay fresh longer, made up for it. This toothpaste doesn’t lather as much as commercial ones, by the way, and it does taste like baking soda. The ingredients are sodium bicarbonate, aqua, glycerin, sorbitol, sodium lauryl sulfate, cellulose gum, titanium dioxide, phenoxyethanol, sodium saccharin, and flavor.

n CRISTAUX SUPREME The effect of this serum reminds me of the viral Peter Thomas Roth Firmx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener, which provides instant temporary results with long-term benefits. You’re supposed to use this after washing and toning at night and proceed with the rest of your skin care after. I use this on my hands and elbows and it has really worked wonders. My friend Nickie Wang also swears by Cristaux Supreme. The ingredients list includes aqua, caesalpinia, spinosa gum, fragrance oil, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, triehanolamine, and carbomer.

n BEAUTE L’ TOUS WHITEGUARDE LOTION. I don’t really use whitening products but I like this lotion (my favorite is the cucumber melon variant) because of its fresh scent and moisturizing properties. It also comes in a small size that’s perfect for traveling. The size also makes it ideal for people like me who like to open more than one product of each kind every time. The list of ingredients includes sunflower seed oil, juniper berry essential oil, and dragonfruit extracts.

n BEAUTÉDERM HOME POUR TOUT FAIRE I strongly dislike scented sprays for the home but Pour Tout Faire, which is endorsed and actually used by Marian Rivera, is a deodorizer which smells good. It doesn’t make me sneeze and it gets rid of cooking odors. We’re a household that cooks food from scratch almost every day so we really need more than scented candles to get rid of the smells.

nnn HAVING access to good home massage is truly a luxury. MassageMNL, the first and leading premium home service massage in the Philippines, has just turned four and it is promising more premium services for its loyal customers.

MassageMNL was founded by Janine Khazaie in 2018. She recalls being the “dispatcher and customer service person” while her husband was the driver of the therapists. The couple would also distribute flyers.

The company started out with lactation massages and eventually branched out to other specialized massages such as sports and lymphatic. They now also have services for kids. Doug and Cheska Kramer love MassageMNL

“We have spa parties with our kids,” said Cheska. Doug appreciates how the therapists of MassageMNL can handle different body weights.

“It’s a form of self care. For us, having a massage is more like maintenance than rescue. It’s important to spend time for your own fitness and making yourself glow. If you’re just intentional to everything, everything else follows,” said Doug.

One of the things that MassageMNL customers can look forward to is an app. “It’s in the works,” said Khazaie.

Early this year, the company introduced Beauty by MassageMNL, with beauty services such as the Intimate Whitening Technology, Oxygeneo Facial, the new Jelly Facial, Emsculpt, and the non-surgical skin contouring and sculpting treatment Thermage FLX 5G.

MassageMNL also introduced the MassageBar, which lets you hold spa parties, and the Khozy Package, which brings the spa experience to your home.

MassageMNL also offers MNL at Work, a workplace massage service that helps to improve employees’ wellness and productivity, and aims to help lower stress levels, increase concentration, and reduce muscle strain injuries while people are at work.

More information about their packages, cam be found via @massageMNL on Instagram.

FINALLY,

a Filipino is crowned the next drag superstar. And it all came down to the final lip sync at the season-ender of Drag Race Philippines.

In the first semifinal lip sync smackdown, Eva La Queen bowed down to Precious Paula Nicole to RuPaul’s “Sissy That Walk.” In the second battle, Xilhouete exited after Marina Summers slayed her to Mama Ru’s “Call Me Mother.”

The deciding song between Marina and Precious was “Sirena” by Gloc-9 featuring Ebe Dancel. When it first came out, “sirena,” or mermaid, was used as a slur against gays by ignorant bigots who didn’t comprehend the deeper meanings of the song.

A tribute to the struggles of every gay boy, the song was soon reclaimed and became an LGBT anthem.

The energetic Marina, a baby drag queen, traipsed and grooved to the rhythm. Her star power was palpable. The pocket powerhouse was unstoppable.

But when Precious brandished a black scarf and revealed it to be a rainbow flag to the closing lines of “Ako’y isang sirena/Kahit ano’ng gawin nila/ Bandera ko’y ’di tutumba,” the emotional impact was undeniable. Such a nuanced move, especially from someone who is openly bisexual, can only emanate from a seasoned performer.

Therein lies the difference between a drag legend and a fledgling.

PHENOMENAL PINAYS

A LIVE viewing of the finale was held at The Cove at Okada Manila. The crowd at the jam-packed venue learned of the result at the same time as viewers of the show at WOW Presents Plus, Discovery+ and HBO Go.

In the Drag Race franchise, I believe that Precious and Marina were the only Top 2 finalists who never landed in the bottom two and, therefore, never had to lip sync for their lives. It can be argued that on Season 6 of the US original series, Bianca del Rio and Courtney Act also had impeccable records. But it was a Top 3 with Adore Delano, and Bianca has said that a double crowning was filmed with her and Adore.

In Drag Race Italia Season 1, eventual winner Elektra Bionic and Farida Kant also had an unblemished run. But it was also a Top 3 with Le Riche. Perhaps another parallelism to the Pinay queen’s saga is what happened in US Season 9, when the front-runner, Shea Coulee, had more challenge wins than champion Sasha Velour. But Precious, like Sasha, killed the final lip syncs.

Precious, who will grace DragCon UK with other international alumni in January 2023, also joins a rarefied club of winners who didn’t have a bottom placement. The exclusive clique, includes Season 2’s Tyra Sanchez (now King Tyra), Bianca, Season 7’s Violet Chachki, Sasha, Season 10’s Aquaria, Holland’s winners Envy Peru and Vanessa Van Cartier, Italia’s Elektra Bionic, and España’s Carmen Farala and Sharonne.

As a runner-up, Marina’s track record is just as untainted as fellow bridesmaids Nina Flowers (Season 1), Alaska (Season 5), Courtney Act (Season 6), Kim-Chi (Season 8), Gigi Goode (Season 12) and UK Season 1’s Divina De Campo.

Marina and Xihouete also belong to a group of queens who have five consecutive placements at the top. Not to be outshone, Pinay fashion queen Minty Fresh joins the Fifth Place Club, which is said

PRECIOUS’ MOMENTS

WHEN KaladKaren, one of the judges, asked Precious Paula about her thoughts about winning, the Daet, Camarines Norte queen replied: “Sobrang happy at sobrang proud. I entered the competition na hindi talaga ako prepared to win. Ang sabi ko lang sa sarili ko ’nun, huwag lang ako first na ma-eliminate, masaya na ako nun! Sobrang proud ako sa layo nang tinagal ko sa competition. And overwhelmed and grateful.”

As the “Philippines’ first Drag Superstar,” Precious wins a one-year supply of One Size Beauty Cosmetics by Fil-Am makeup maven Patrick Starrr, and a cash prize of ₱1,000,000 powered by Kumu (as Miss Congeniality, Lady Morgana went home with a crown and P40,000.).

What Precious declared in her promo video as the season started rings truer today:

“Hello! Mabuhay! I was just dreaming about this eight years ago and now it’s finally here! I hope I can make you all proud! Join me as I enter a new chapter of my life as a Ru Girl. Thank you, Lord!

“I am Precious Paula Nicole from the Philippines, your next Drag Superstar.”

CALL ME MOTHER THROUGH a maze-like route, I sent questions to the host, Paolo Ballesteros aka Mamwa Pao, to the producers World of Wonder and Fullhouse Asia

LGBT persecution still persists. How are you using your Drag Race platform to fight this?

I am not taking the credit of those who are really in the forefront of this fight but I have been a supporter of anything against violence, and the LGBTQIA+ community. And with Drag Race, we are hoping that people will realize that we exist. We are important. We take up space. Hello! International show o, napakataas naman natin if our queens are being recognized and idolized worldwide, tapos dito sa sarili natin bansa e ‘di pa din tanggap.

What made you say yes to this gig? Without spoiling anything, what were you most gagged by as a host and judge?

It’s RuPaul’s Drag Race! Legit! Why wouldn’t I?? Hahaha! I was gagged at how everything looks and feels like the US version and yet it’s so Pinoy. And also we have Untucked, the only country that has that. It’s the only one outside the US version.

Why is now the suitable time to showcase drag to conservative and judgmental Philippines?

Because the world is changing and we need to step up. And we also have to change our ways for the better. We are always critical of others but we, at the same time, can’t handle others throwing judgment at us. We need to lighten up and enjoy life and what it has to offer. n

Famous sneaker brand opens store in TriNoma

THE iconic footwear brand that celebrates all women, Keds opens its newest retail store in Trinoma in Quezon City, featuring a new design that reflects the brand’s fun and fearless spirit. Keds (www.keds.com.ph) has always championed women everywhere with a wide range of footwear that caters to their needs and lifestyle.

Located at the second floor near Starbucks, the new modern store design showcases all of Keds’ extensive catalog of sneakers, slip-ons, sandals, and boots.

Inspired by dreamers everywhere, the interiors evoke youthful sophistication with thoughtful details, crafted elements and rich materials. Bold pops of color accentuate the store’s simple yet modern design.

Fans of the brand will be glad to know that iconic silhouettes like the Champion, Chillax, Crew Kick, and Triple Up are aplenty, including special collab collections like Rifle Paper Co and their new Celebrations line of fun, festive footwear.

PAOLO BALLESTEROS as Mamwa Pao, wearing Job Dacon, with Drag Race Philippines winner Precious Paula Nicole ARTWORK BY @THEDRAGBOOK

Surf’s up–lots and lots of it–in Siargao as board action returns

By Nonie Reyes

IARGAO—Susan Escanilla

S

bannered the Philippine campaign in the 26th Siargao International Surfing Cup that kicked off Saturday at the worldfamous Cloud 9 surf spot.

B ut Escanilla, only 20, doesn’t see the event as a competition, but a platform to have fun in the country’s iconic surfing capital that went lull for five years because of Covid and only recently, Typhoon Odette’s wrath.

E scanilla will be showcasing her talent along with some 100 other local and foreign surfers in the event that’s part of the local government unit’s “Bangon Siargao” program to rebuild and bring the surfers and tourists back.

“

Many of you may know that this event went two years in the making,” Surigao del Norte First District Representative Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas said. “It’s taken a whole community to keep ‘Bangon Siargao’ going. Now, surfers from all over the Philippines and all

Tigresses go unscathed in 3 matches

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) kept high its bid for a spot in the next round after a 25-13, 25-19, 25-15 drubbing of Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum Sunday.

The Tigresses relentlessly pounded the Lady Generals with precision attacks to stay on top in Pool B with a 3-0 record.

I’m happy the team executed well,” UST coach Kungfu Reyes said. “I just want to see more consistency in our second unit as we head into the next round.”

U ST needed only one hour and 17 minutes to keep EAC winless in three games.

A ngeli Abella had 19 points to lead the Tigresses while Bianca Plaza and Xyza Gula added eight and seven points, respectively.

Jeanne Porto and Catherine Almazan led the Lady Generals with nine points each.

R eigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines champion National University (NU) and Ateneo, meanwhile, advanced to the next round after sweeping their Pool B assignments late Saturday.

N U was too much for Arellano University, 25-9, 25-17, 25-14, Ateneo also made quick work of Jose Rizal University, 25-20, 25-16, 25-10, to hike their records to 2-0.

R ookie Vangie Alinsug registered 12 points despite playing only in the last two sets to lead NU while Myrle Escanlar scored seven of her nine points in the third set.

Lyann De Guzman, on the other hand, had a 15-point explosion for Ateneo, which also got 13 points from Yvana Sulit, 11 from Briana Ng and 10 from veteran winger Vanie Gandler.

ARE RED WARRIORS FOR REAL?

over the world are part of Siargao.”

We hope to inspire Filipinos to ride the waves again with us,” Matugas added.

The premier competition featured 36 male and 14 female Filipinos in the event that’s part of the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series 1000 for regional rankings ahead of the 2023 WSL Challenger Series.

We’re expecting good waves throughout the competition, for the competitors...to enjoy the game,” event director Gerry Degan said.

Surfers from Japan, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, Great Britain and Thailand are also vying in the event.

J ohn Mark Tokong, better known as Maramar, banners the local crew’s bid as he tries to duplicate his feat in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

I’m excited for myself and for all the participants as well because this event will show to the world that Siargao is starting to recover,” Tokong said. “More than anything else, it’s good to be competing in Siargao again.”

reigning champion University of the Philippines while UST tries to break the slump against winless Far Eastern University.

The Lady Warriors, however, couldn’t stay in stride with their brothers as the Growling Tigresses booked a 63-point rout of the UE gals, 107-44, also on Sunday.

Tacky Tacatac bounced back hard after a subpar game in their last match against Ateneo last Wednesday, and finished with 27 points, four rebounds and three steals for UST.

UNIVERSITY

of the East (UE) no longer is the post-Covid whipping boy of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) after the Red Warriors tamed the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers, 78-68, Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

“ I could hardly believe this one,” UE had coach Jack Santiago said. “It’s really a team effort, especially guys like Harvey [Pagsanjan] and [Jojo] Antiporda, for the last four games they were struggling, right?”

I’m so happy the giants in them have awaken,” he added.

It was Luis Villegas who drove the dagger deepest into the Growling Tigers.

V illegas nailed a three-pointer that capped a 14-4 run that allowed UE to break loose from a three-point lead to a 73-60 advantage with one

and a half minutes remaining.

V illegas finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals, with Nikko Paranada finishing with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The victory, the third in fifth games, moved UE into a tie for fourth place with De La Salle, the team it upset last Thursday, 81-72, in a match that had so much of oddities in Season 85—UE had former Archers manning the coaching staff, Santiago a long-time assistant to Franz Pumaren, and Don Allado, and De La Salle mentored by former Red Warrior and coach Derek Pumaren.

It was also UE’s first victory over UST since Season 82.

A ntiporda had 13 points, all in the third quarter, while Gani Stevens tallied 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting in his first game for UE against his former team.

Nic Cabañero led the Growling

Tigers anew with 19 points and 14 rebounds but shot only 5-of-17 from the field. Ivan Lazarte added 12 points in 10 minutes.

UST’s Adama Faye was slapped with a disqualification foul with two minutes left in the third quarter after his elbow hit Pagsanjan’s jaw in a loose ball battle.

The Growling Tigers dropped to their fourth consecutive match and fell to 1-4. Their sole win was at the expense of the host Adamson University Soaring Falcons on opening day.

U E goes for a now rare third straight win on Wednesday against

Ironman 70.3 up for grand return at Azuela Cove

E ka Soriano flirted with a quadruple-double of 20 points, eight assists, eight steals and seven rebounds for UST, while Brigette Santos had 12 points, nine assists and six steals and Rachel Ambos and Nikki Villasin got 12 and 11 points, respectively, with Ambos grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Growling Tigresses rose to 4-1, tied with De La Salle University at second spot, while UE stayed winless in five games.

K acey Dela Rosa, meanwhile, towed Ateneo to a 67-61 victory over UP also in women’s action. Dela Rosa, a freshman out of Chiang Kai Shek High School, unleashed a monster doubledouble of 30 points and 20 rebounds to go with seven blocks.

DAVAO

City braces for a grand comeback of the Ironman 70.3 with a promise of a more explosive, spirited title chase than it was in pre-Covid times when the premier endurance race is held for the third time at Azuela Cove on March 26, 2023.

Mexican Mauricio Mendez pulled off a big surprise in the inaugural staging in 2018 when he upended multi-titled Tim Reed of Australia with Germany’s Markus Rolli matching the thrilling win over Aussie legend Craig Alexander the following year.

SEAG stars Saclag, Iniong lead cast in kickboxing national open

With these exciting results in the previously sold-out editions putting the premier city in Mindanao on the world triathlon map, the announcement of 2023’s Ironman 70.3 Davao City is expected to further excite the tri-sport world and at the same time generate interest from all the bidders, both in local and international fronts.

We are very excited to have the Ironman 70.3 back in Davao City,” Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said. “We promise the same level of support, excitement and

overall experience to all the athletes on race week.”  R egistration is ongoing. For details, log on to www.ironman.com/ im703-davao-philippines.

T he organizing Ironman Group/ Sunrise Events Inc. is looking to draw more than 1,500 athletes in the 2023 IM 70.3 Davao. The event, featuring 1.9-km swim, 90-km bike and 21.1-km run, will also feature 30 age-group slots, and an additional 25 slots for Women for Tri, to qualify for the 2023 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Lahti, Finland.

SOUTHEAST

Asian Games gold medalist Jean Claude Saclag and Gina Iniong—along with more than 200 other athletes—will vie in the National Open Kickboxing Championships from October 26 to 28 at the Music Hall of the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.  Saclag, a back-to-back SEA Game gold medalist, leads the cast in the men’s 63.5-kg low kick category. He has fully recovered from typhoid fever and

become an international competition next year.

F or one, the final was an intense affair. I wondered if BGC would finally have its revenge as it subjected Cebu to a barrage of shots that the latter’s keeper Leonard Tan saved. But Cebu scored twice in the second half. I cannot say it was luck. They just made better use of their fewer opportunities.

Two, I love region-based competition whatever the sport. That is always a crowd pleaser. So imagine when this tournament takes the next step—national pride is at stake.

A s Cebu rejoiced, the disappointment—an understatement if you will—was written all over the faces of the BGC players. They had their chances to pull the rug from under Cebu as they dealt the champions a barrage of shots. But Cebu keeper Leonard Tan was superb as he turned back one shot after another.

A s I was watching the game, I couldn’t help but remember that United Football League (UFL) Cup match between Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Loyola Meralco Sparks.

is expected to perform at his best.  I niong, gold medalist also in the 2019 and 2022 SEA Games, heads the cast in thes low kick -60 kgs class for women in the competition organized by the Samahang Kick boxing ng Pilipinas (SKP).

S KP President Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino believes the na tional open would yield new talents for the national team particularly for the Cambodia 32nd  Southeast

Asian Games in May.

The national open hopes to provide new talents, a venue to showcase their skills,” Tolentino said. “And coming from the pandemic, kickboxing will endeavor to provide inspiration amongst the youth.”

S KP Secretary General Wharton Chan said kickboxers from the fight clubs of wrestling president Alvin Aguilar, sambo head Paolo Tancon tian, Muay Thai of Pearl Manague

The latter had an astounding 26 shots on goal but could not beat keeper Edmundo Mercado. In the meantime, the Sparks got punked by two precision strikes by PAF to take the trophy.

So BGC was this Kampeon Cup’s version of Loyola. Notwithstanding the previous results of all its matches, it could have won this. It was the top scoring side of the tournament just as Loyola was in the 2011 UFL Cup.

A nd now, they are now 0-4 versus Cebu. You can be sure this will rankle and motivate them more to not only get back, but to win a Kampeon Cup.  Seven-a-side football combines rules from traditional 11-a-side football and futsal to make it more fast-paced and exciting.

W hile nothing beats 11-a-side football, the smaller version is a fun and riveting watch. And its potential for growth is huge.

A long with the AIA 7s Football Tournament and its national competition component the AIA Vitality Kampeon Cup, it reminds me of the Chooks to Go

lod and karate of Ricky Lim will also join the event.

“All national team members are required to compete. There are many participants coming from different martial arts clubs,” Chan said. “This is going to be a huge kickboxing event.”

O ne Championship’s Danny Kingad and mixed martial artist and Vietnam SEA Games bronze medalist Honorio Banario will also join the three-day tournament. Josef Ramos

tournament before it got hijacked by the Philippine Basketball Association and the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) of Eric Altamirano and Alex Compton.

The NBTC began as a regional basketball tournament then encompassed the National Capital Region, went nationwide, finally international.

Granted basketball is the national sport but that doesn’t mean it is any easier.

Seven-a-side football’s grassroots movement is growing and perhaps like 3x3 ball, it could be a future Olympic sport.

I h ave to admire the grit and determination of former national player Anton del Rosario for sticking to his guns for seven-a-side football plus the incredible support from insurance company, AIA.

The way the 7s and the Kampeon Cup is growing, I can only say that lightning does strike not just twice, not just thrice, but many times over.

Time to ride the lightning.

DAVAO City Mayor Baste Duterte (center) graces the recent launch of the 2023 Ironman 70.3 at the Azuela Cove in Davao City. With him are (from left) Davao artist Kublai Millan, Ayala Land’s VP and Senior Estates Development head for Central Luzon and VisMin, Yeng Tupaz, Princess Galura, and Rico Manuel, Ayala Land’s AVP and head of Corporate Support HR.

SUSAN ESCANILLA, only 20, rides like the wind. NONIE REYES

XYZA GULA contributes seven points to the Tigresses’ win.

LUIS VILLEGAS does the biggest contribution for the Red Warriors.

JOURNEYING BEYOND 44

ISUZU Gencars, Inc. further solidifies its commitment to be one of the best dealers in the motor vehicle industry in its 44th year by embracing changes, overcoming challenges, and adopting innovations, all while staying true to its core values of excellence, customer satisfaction, and integrity.

Guided by the vision and ide als of its founder, Ambassador An tonio L. Cabangon Chua, Gencars, Inc. continues to soar as a trusted and reliable partner of Isuzu Philip pines in making sure that Filipinos are given access to the best quality Isuzu vehicles and services.

How the journeyof Gencars started

The company was named Gencars because most of its investors upon its establishment in 1978 were military generals. They were friends of Am bassador Cabangon Chua who shared the same vision of providing mobility solutions for the Filipinos.

The very first Isuzu Gencars dealership opened on a one-hectare property at the corner of Chino Ro ces Avenue (formerly Pasong Tamo) and Dela Rosa Street in Barangay Pio Del Pilar, Makati City. It houses a spacious Isuzu vehicle showroom and a Five (5)-Star service shop that provides superb car care for clients. The company also acquired a 700sqm lot in Bangkal, Makati, which is being used as a stockyard that can hold more than 50 new vehicles.

To sustain its momentum, Gencars expanded in 1996 with the opening of Isuzu Batangas in Barangay San Roque, Sto. Tomas, Batangas. After four years, Isuzu San Pablo City, Laguna opened as the third branch in the Gencars chain of Isuzu dealerships. Inaugu rated on November 17, 2000, Isuzu San Pablo supplies brand new ve hicles to clients in different parts of the Province of Laguna, as well as the Province of Quezon, and even as far as the Bicol Region. C lients in these areas are also able to avail themselves of the superior car ser vices provided by Isuzu San Pablo.

Seeing another opportunity for expansion, Gencars chose Bi colandia as the location of its next two dealerships. Its fourth branch, located at J.P. Rizal Street, Legazpi City, Albay, started operations on July 17, 2006, while its fifth deal ership, Isuzu Naga, opened at Ma harlika Highway, Pili, Camarines Sur on August 8, 2008. These two branches of Gencars cater to the motoring needs of the Bicolanos, providing them with better modes of transportation as well as modern facilities for after-sales services.

The company’s expansion thrust continued as it opened its next branch in 2016, this time in Batangas City. The sixth Isuzu

Gencars dealership is located at the biggest land transportation terminal in the city, the Batangas City Grand Terminal Complex on Diversion Road, Barangay Alangi lan, Batangas City. It is a prime lo cation known as an automotive row in the area because of the presence of several major automotive vehicle manufacturers.

Just a year after the opening of Isuzu Batangas City, Gencars inaugurated its seventh branch in the highly industrial City of Santa Rosa. Situated at the Santa RosaTagaytay Road in Barangay Pulong Sta. Cruz, Isuzu Gencars Santa Rosa supplies quality Isuzu vehicles to major establishments in the city and its nearby towns. It also pro vides excellent after-sales services to the company’s growing clientele in the Province of Laguna.

The journey of 2 popemobiles

A great blessing and very important responsibility was given to Gencars when it was tasked to make the popemobile used by Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines in January 2015.

Wasting no time to fulfill this important role, Gencars partnered with Almazora Motors to work on the popemobile by customizing a two-cab Isuzu D-Max body fol lowing the standards and require ments set by Vatican Security. The working team followed the APQP system based on Japanese stan dards to ensure that they would be done in time to meet the tight production deadline.

A fter passing the inspection of representatives from the Vati can, and just a few days before the arrival of Pope Francis, the D-Max Popemobile was brought to the Ar zobispado in Manila where then Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle blessed it.

The Pontiff personally extend ed his thanks to Gencars founder, Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, and then Gencars president and CEO D. Edgard A. Cabangon, during the Encounter with the Youth event at the University of Santo To mas. Pope Francis even compliment ed the Isuzu Popemobile, saying “this is a beautiful car.” The customized DMax carried the pope during most of his travels in Manila.

A second Isuzu D-Max Pope mobile was donated by Gencars to

Gencars@44

SERVICE THAT GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND

ISUZU Gencars, Inc. takes pride in its superb service divi sion which has brought satisfaction to clients seeking the best after-sales customer care and vehicle mainte nance through the years.

Because of its consistently excellent service, the com pany has also earned numerous awards from Isuzu Philip pines Corporation, recognizing Gencars as one of the best vehicle maintenance service providers in the country.

5-star service

The 5-star service shop of Gencars offers a wide range of services for Isuzu trucks and other vehicle models. Among the services offered are general body repairs, painting and fabrication of special truck body configurations, and repowering conversions. The shop also sells genuine automo tive spare parts for Isuzu vehicles.

The excellent services provided by Gencars’ service shop is made possible by the state-of-the-art facilities that undergo regular maintenance checks and get upgraded when needed. Meanwhile, the mechanics and technicians

that handle the vehicles are constantly trained to keep them knowledgeable of the latest techniques in automotive care.

Outside service Gencars service division’s commitment to excellent car care is not limited to clients who visit the shop for their vehicle’s maintenance. The company goes above and beyond by pro viding reliable outside service for its fleet accounts, which well-trained and highly-skilled mechanics handle.

The 5-star service shop of Gencars also offers Local Service Agreement or LSA to give additional value to loyal clients. This agreement, which has a term of one year and is renew able, benefits the client by giving them a fixed rate of ser vices for the duration of the agreement.

Partnership Agreement and NationalFleet Program

To further strengthen their alliance, Isuzu Philippines, Gen cars, and leading express delivery company J&T Express re cently entered into a Partnership Agreement and National

Fleet Program. A highly-valued client of Gencars since 2019, J&T Express has ordered more than 350 Isuzu vehicles for its various delivery requirements. It also named Gencars as its Best Partner for 2021.

Aside from supplying quality Isuzu trucks, Gencars also provides reliable maintenance service for J&T Ex press’ vehicles, making sure that they are always in the best condition. This is further enhanced by the National Fleet Program in which J&T Express’ fleet will get pre ventive maintenance service from Isuzu Philippines through authorized Isuzu dealers nationwide. These include the seven Gencars dealerships in Makati, Sto. Tomas, Batangas; Batangas City, Sta. Rosa, Laguna; San Pablo, Laguna, Legazpi, and Naga.

Its track record for outstanding service and the growing number of satisfied clients prove that Gencars’ service division takes its mission of providing excellent vehicle maintenance services seriously. As the company continues its journey, Gen cars will also continue to find more ways to keep its clients happy and their vehicles well taken care of.

Gencars: A trusted partner through life’s journey

businesses depend on mobility in order to thrive and succeed. Gencars, as one of the country’s trusted providers of dependable Isuzu vehicles, has been a great partner to some of the biggest companies when it comes to their transportation needs.

MANY

One such company is San Miguel Logistics, which has been a valued client of Gencars for three years now. To help with their transportation requirements, the company has purchased around 400 various Isuzu trucks from Gencars. These trucks are also being maintained by the Gencars Ser

vice Division to make sure that they receive only the best vehicle services.

Another company that has found a reliable mobil ity ally in Gencars is Dizon Farms. Founded by Francisco and Pacita Dizon in the 1960s, Dizon Farms is a pioneer in the Philippine fruit industry, and has grown expo nentially through the years. Today it is a major supplier of fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 100 super markets across the country.

Gencars has provided Dizon Farms with N-Series and

F-Series trucks, as well as Isuzu Traviz units. To keep these Isuzu vehicles in top shape and prevent interruption of Di zon Farm’s business, Gencars also provides them with su perb vehicle maintenance and other services.

San Miguel Logistics and Dizon Farms are just two of the companies on the long list of Gencars’ satisfied cli ents. By providing them with the best products and ser vices, Gencars not only earns their trust by satisfying their transportation needs but also contributes to the continued growth of their business.

SAN MIGUEL LOGISTICS

Gencars@44

HARD WORK AND RECOGNITION

seminars to keep their knowl edge fresh and update them with the latest technologies and best practices that will equip them with the right tools to provide satisfactory service to the clients.

These skills enhancement trainings are provided by IPC or outsourced from industry ex perts. Among the trainings pro

vided by IPC are the Isuzu Service Advisor Training (ISAT), Isuzu Service Technician Education Program (ISTEP), and Isuzu Sales Executive Accreditation Program (ISEAP). Some of these trainings are done face-to-face while oth ers are conducted online.

Gencars ensures that its people are provided with all the

support that they need in order to do their jobs well. In turn, the Gencars personnel constantly work hard and give their best. This give-and-take relationship between Gencars management and its employees proves that both share the goal of making Gencars the best Isuzu dealer ship in the country.

THE colorful 44-year history of Isuzu Gencars is decorated with numerous awards and recognitions from Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC). Among these is the coveted Dealer of the Year Award (DOYA), which the company won three times, including the very first one handed out by IPC in 2004. The DOYA is annually given by IPC to Isu zu dealerships that have demonstrat ed outstanding sales performance and after-sales operations.

A side from the three DOYA wins, Gencars has also received sev en (7) runner-up awards as well as multiple awards in the different cat egories of DOYA for the entire chain of dealerships. Early this year, Isuzu

Batangas won 3rd Place in Excellence in the Parts Operations category of DOYA 2021. In the previous year, Isuzu Gencars Makati and Santa Rosa both won Grand Slam dealer awards after winning in all five cat egories of DOYA 2020, namely Light Commercial Vehicle, Commercial Ve hicle, Sales Total, Parts Operations, and Service Operations.

Isuzu San Pablo, on the other hand, was given the Certificate of Continuous Compliance at the DTI Golden Bagwis Awards, which rec ognizes establishments that practice responsible business and uphold the rights of consumers.

These awards and recognitions were made possible by the dedicated

and hardworking personnel of Gen cars who bring pride to the company.

Outstanding people of Gencars

Another pride of Gencars is longtime sales executive of Isuzu Makati El enita Go, who was named 2021 Sales Executive of the Year by IPC. Go has been with Gencars for 25 years, and has consistently demonstrated reli ability and competency in her job.

The remarkable performances of the Gencars staff and crew through the years, which have won them awards, are the result of years of con stant training and skills enhance ment. Gencars employees, especially those who provide aftersales servic es, go through regular training and

Gencars@44

MESSAGES

ARM greetings to the entire Isuzu Gencars Team on the celebration of your 44th Anniversary! May this milestone inspire you to keep on persevering for the continued success of your company.

W

T hrough the years, Gencars has been a trusted partner of Isuzu Philippines Corporation in making sure that Filipinos have access to high-quality Isuzu sports utility vehicles and trucks, and excellent vehicle maintenance services. Through your network of seven Isuzu outlets strategically located in key areas across the country, you can provide the mobility needs of your countrymen, whether for personal use or to move their businesses forward. We

thank you sincerely for the many years of a fruitful alliance.

Your commitment to customer satisfaction is also quite commendable. By making sure that each client is well taken care of, you guarantee a lasting relationship with them that is built on trust and dedicated service. This kind of endeavor sets you apart and makes you a true asset to the Isuzu brand.

We wish you more milestones ahead as you continue to journey stronger beyond 44. From all of us at Isuzu Philippines Corporation, Happy 44th Anniversary!

Mr. Noboru Murakami President, Isuzu Philippines, Corp.

JOURNEYING BEYOND 44

I

EXTEND my warmest greetings and sincere gratitude to the hardworking people behind Isuzu Gencars, Inc. on the celebration of our 44th Anniversary! May this milestone keep us in spired as we continue to journey stronger beyond 44.

Through the years, Gencars has undergone numerous changes that led us to our current posi tion in the industry as one of the trusted distribu tors of high-quality Isuzu trucks and SUVs. Today, more than four decades since its establishment by our founder, Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua, Gencars continues to evolve and keep up with the changing times. One of these changes is the transformation of our dealerships in line with the Isuzu Outlet Standard or IOS design philosophy. We are happy to undergo these improvements and help Isuzu attain its goal of redefining the role of the Isuzu brand in the global and local automotive industry.

Let me take this opportunity to thank Isuzu Philippines Corporation for the trust accorded to Gencars, Inc. all these years. It is your unwavering support and faith in our capabilities that keep us going. We are excited to continue this journey with you in the years ahead!

Last but certainly not the least, I would like to commend the diligent staff and crew, and the persistent sales associates of Gencars. We admire and appreciate your commitment to quality ser vice and dedication to excellence, and you can rest assured of the management’s continued support.

Again, Happy 44th Anniversary to us, and may God bless our journey to success!

D. EDGARD A. CABANGON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

IT is with great pride and joy that I greet the officers, staff, and service personnel of Isuzu Gencars, Inc., as well as our hard working sales team, on the occasion of our 44th Anniversary!

Each year, we look forward to the exciting changes that await our company and not only hope for a good outcome, but also work hard together to achieve it. This is why through the years, members of the Gencars team, particularly our service team and sales personnel, have constantly been recognized for their exceptional skills and abilities by Isuzu Phil ippines Corporation. I would like to commend and extend my sincere gratitude to you for your constant dedication and diligence.

This year, we began the physical transfor mation of our Isuzu dealerships across the coun try to follow the Isuzu Outlet Standard’s design

philosophy, starting with our maiden branch in Makati. This is yet another major change that Gencars is very much willing to undergo, because we know that it aims to give our clients a better experience and more satisfaction.

These changes further strengthen our com mitment to the IPC as their strong ally in making sure that high-quality Isuzu trucks and vehicles are within reach of more Filipinos nationwide. We are excited to continue journeying together towards a more fruitful partnership with you and with our valued customers.

Happy 44th Anniversary, and mabuhay ang Gencars, Inc.!

LERMA O. NACNAC President

Continued from C1

the Vatican later that year. Also manufactured with the help of Almazora Motors, the vehicle was presented by the Cabangon Fam ily during an audience with Pope Francis in Rome, Italy in Octo ber 2015. “We consider it a great privilege and a blessing to be asked to build the popemobile. We were able to serve His Holi ness, and while doing so, we also proved that Filipinos are capable

of building world-class vehicles,” said Edgard Cabangon.

IOS transformation journey

The first-ever branch of Isuzu Gen cars was also the first dealership in the company’s chain to undergo a ma jor transformation to adopt the new Isuzu Outlet Standard design or IOS.

Gencars celebrated the re launching of Isuzu Makati IOS last March 30 in a gathering attended by then outgoing Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) president Hajime Koso

and other IPC officials.

After applying the IOS, the new Isuzu Makati now sports an elegant black façade that is complemented by the clean white Isuzu Makati signage. It also has a red accent, a color that has always been part of the Isuzu branding.

A side from the exterior of the showroom, the interior of Isuzu Makati has also been upgraded. There is now a spacious and cozy customer lounge where clients can stay and relax. “As one of IPC’s long time partners, Gencars shares the

company’s desire to enhance the ex perience of our customers whenever they visit our dealerships. With our new IOS-compliant Isuzu Makati, we are confident that our loyal cus tomers, as well as first-time visitors, will appreciate the upgrades, along with our excellent products and ser vices,” Chairman D. Edgard A. Ca bangon said during the relaunch of Isuzu Makati IOS.

Other Gencars branches are also set to undergo a major facelift to follow the IOS soon.

Meanwhile, Isuzu San Pablo is moving to a better location. Last September 22, Gencars celebrated the Groundbreaking of the dealer ship’s new location at Km 85 Mahar lika Highway, Barangay San Ignacio, San Pablo City, Laguna. The new Isu zu San Pablo will occupy 7,220.23 square meters of the 1-hectare property purchased by Gencars. It will be constructed with the help of RDB Tecson and Associates, an ISOCertified firm that was also respon sible for the transformation of Isuzu Makati into an IOS dealership.

Journeying stronger beyond 44 Things are looking up for Isuzu Gencars as it embarks on the jour ney beyond its 44th year. Together with its pool of talented personnel and determined sales associates, the company affirms its commitment to bringing the best quality Isuzu ve hicles and excellent services closer to more Filipinos to help provide them with better mobility options.

Inspired by the leadership of Chairman Cabangon, Gencars will continue to soar to greater heights as it remains a depend able partner to Isuzu Philippines Corporation and a valuable con tributor to nation-building.

Isuzu Gencars participates in blood donation drive

THE employees and customers of Isuzu

Gencars participated in Blood Donations

Drives held at the different branches of Gencars across the country last August.

In partnership with Philippine Red Cross, and in support of the National Voluntary Blood Services Program, the blood donation drives were held in the showrooms of Isuzu San Pablo City, Laguna on August 9; Isuzu Legazpi on August 12, Santa Rosa on August 18, and finally in Isuzu Sto. Tomas and Naga on August 19. Aside from Gencars employees and customers, other donors also shared the cause

and participated in the drives.

Through the series of blood donation programs, Isuzu Gencars

aimed to help extend the life of others who are in need of blood components.

Gencars@44

The New N-Series Smoother Truck

EASY

to drive. Economical. Safe. These are the traits of a truly reliable truck that can help you achieve your business goals. There are the traits found in the new Isuzu N-Series Smoother trucks.

Easy to drive

“Drive like AT, fuel-efficient like MT,” is how Isuzu describes the new N-Series Smoother, which has automated manual transmission (AMT) that makes driving easier and less stressful. Using technol ogy that has been popular in Ja pan for more than 10 years, the Isuzu Smoother feels like an auto matic transmission (AT) vehicle to drive because of its ease of use and 2-pedal operation but has the fuel efficiency of a manual transmis sion (MT) vehicle.

Economical Business owners need fuel-effi cient modes of transportation amidst the constantly rising fuel prices to keep their businesses going. With its energy-efficient transmission system, the new Isuzu Smoother truck offers great value for money. It achieves fuel efficiency in two ways. First, the computer controls automatic shift change and appropriate gear posi tion. Second, because it is equipped with ECONO mode function, gear shifting will be done earlier and at a lower RPM, which results in less fuel consumption.

A side from being fuel-effi cient, the Isuzu Smoother also saves money by being easier to maintain, which eliminates the need to adjust and replace the clutch system, therefore reducing the cost of maintenance.

Safe The Isuzu Smother also offers safe ty and comfort with clutch-less driving and a vinyl reclinable seat. Because it is easier to control, espe

cially when driving up and down a steep slope or in extremely heavy traffic conditions, the fatigue from driving is significantly reduced. It also has a cab tilt warning indica tor to prevent accidents.

All-New QLR

Another reliable truck model from the number 1 truck brand in the Philippines is the All-New Isuzu QLR.

Featuring a spacious cabin, er gonomic steering wheel, and rigid chassis, the All-New Isuzu QLR can help you attain your business goals through efficient mobility.

Level up your business with Isuzu trucks that you can config ure to fit your business’ transpor tation needs. With Isuzu’s 22-year record of being the number 1 truck brand in the country, you are guar anteed to get the best quality and efficiency in every unit.

Gencars@44

Embracing technology and innovations

FOR a business to last long in the industry, it must adapt to the changing times and keep up with innovations.

Gencars, a trusted provider of Isuzu vehicles in the Philip pines for 44 years, has endured challenges and kept up with the changes all these years, ac knowledging the need to levelup and use the advancing tech nology to its advantage.

Online Booking

One innovation that Gencars em braced is the online booking sys tem for clients who would like to schedule services for their vehicles. Clients only need to visit the Isuzu Gencars website at www.Isuzu-

Gencars.com.ph, click Book Now, fill out the form, and submit to get an appointment for their car main tenance or repair at their preferred Gencars dealership.

Online Payment Options

Still in keeping with the changing times, Gencars now has various online payment options in place.

For their convenience, clients may now pay for services and parts through GCash and credit card.

Online shoppingfor genuine parts

Online shopping has become in creasingly popular during the pandemic. But even today when the world is already returning to

normal, online shopping is still preferred by many because of its convenience.

Seeing the advantages of hav

ing an online store, Gencars has launched its own Shopee store to cater to their clients who prefer purchasing online. All they have

to do is access the Shopee website or app on their mobile phone and search for “Isuzu Gencars” to visit the official Gencars online store.

Online learning

Virtual seminars or webinars also gained popularity during the pan demic. For National Car Care Month last April, Gencars facilitated a Driv ing and Car Care Webinar joined by its employees and clients. Held via Zoom and broadcasted thru Face book Live, the webinar tackled driv ing tips and shared various ways of taking care of vehicles so that they are kept in the best condition for a long time. To engage the online par ticipants, Gencars also had some giveaways during the webinar.

These online innovations ad opted by Isuzu Gencars are in line with the company’s commitment to excellent service and complete customer satisfaction. Moving for ward, the stakeholders can rest as sured that Gencars will continue to innovate and upgrade its means of providing services to its valued customers nationwide.

Gencars@44

THE ALL-NEW D-MAX

JUST when you thought they have already released the best version, Isuzu comes up with an even better and tougher iteration of its bestselling pick-up. The All-New D-MAX is packed with cutting-edge technology and class-leading performance that is guaranteed to take you to new heights.

Made even tougher and more capable, the All-New D-MAX sports Isuzu’s trademark reliability and durability and is designed to withstand anything that comes your way, whether during an adventure or in your daily travel.

Passenger safetyis always a priority

Prioritizing the safety of passengers and pedestrians on the road, the All-New D-MAX has Advanced Driver Assist System or ADAS, which makes

the vehicle aware of its surroundings. It also features the advanced Smart 3D Camera, which constantly maps the surrounding areas to measure the distance of any objects that may be an obstacle. With adaptive cruise control, the All-New D-MAX automatically controls speed using vehicle-to-vehicle distance control within the pre-set speed range. Autonomous emergency braking, on the other hand, applies emergency braking if

the system detects an unavoidable collision.

Aside from these amazing safety features, the All-New D-MAX is also equipped with lane departure warning, turn assist, automatic high beam, and parking aid.

Impressive interior

Inside the All-New D-MAX are features that are meant to give the passengers all the comfort and convenience that they need as they travel.

Say goodbye to

empty gadget batteries during long drives with the multiple USB ports that are easily accessible to both front and rear passengers. The 10-inch Infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auito replicates the functions of your smartphone while you drive, even voice recognition. For ease of navigation, the driver can see the various vehicle functions on the large 4.2” TFT multi-information display. The steering wheel, on the other hand,

is ergonomic and sporty, with tilt and telescopic adjustment for the most comfortable driving position.

L S-E models have some extra features, such as a leather-appointed seat that is ergonomically designed and built with an eight-way adjustable driver’s position and anti-vibration elastic comfort foam. They also have dual-zone climate control wherein the driver and front-seat passenger can set individual temperatures according to their preference.

Superior Exterior

On the outside, the All-New D-MAX has a tough, yet elegant form. It boasts bigger and stronger chassis with greater torsional and longitudinal rigidity, a spacious rear cargo, an impressive water wading depth of 800 mm, and Bi-LED headlights with integrated daytime running lights for maximum visibility.

The newly-designed rear combination lamps with double LED lights provide improved visibility and added safety, while the two-step bumper gives protection and a step to access payload cargo, with a new, onepiece design and more dynamic appearance.

The All-New D-MAX also comes in a single-cab model for more customizability.

These key features of the All-New Isuzu D-MAX will truly change your view of what “tough” is when it comes to mobility.