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A CREW member of Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel BRP Malabrigo uses binoculars to monitor the Chinese Coast Guard ship with bow number 5201 as it runs beside them near the Ayungin Shoal at the West Philippine Sea on April 23, 2023. AP/AARON FAVILA

A LONG MARCH IN UNISON

PBBM’s vow ‘not to lose an inch’ of PHL territory resonates loudly within the DND-AFP leadership

PHL shifts defenses to EEZ

By Rex Anthony Naval

HE government’s tougher and more aggressive stance over conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has been largely influenced by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements that the country will “not lose an inch of its territory” under his watch.   This straightforward statement of the Chief Executive has given the heads of the defense-military establishment and other stakeholders in the ongoing row in the WPS a clearer view of what their role will be in protecting the country’s sovereignty in the resource rich maritime territory.   Highlighting Marcos’s commitment to the WPS is his pledge to continue the upgrades of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), whose ships and personnel are on the forefront in the face of China’s growing assertiveness in the waterway.   “We are continuing with the upgrading of the equipment and the training and the capabilities of all our people, especially the Coast Guard, not only because they are on the frontline in the problems now that we’re facing in the WPS,” the President said at the 122nd founding anniversary of the PCG on Tuesday, October 17.   Marcos also assured the PCG that his administration is firmly behind their ongoing efforts to modernize, adding that such upgrades are needed to better secure the country and its people.   “Be assured that this administration firmly stands with you in your plans and efforts to improve, expand and modernize the capabilities and services so that you may better contribute to the security and welfare of our people and of the nation together,” he added.

PCG handling adversity well

IN line with this, PCG commandant Admiral Artemio Abu said the Coast Guard has remained committed to its mandate despite the increasing Chinese harassment of its ships and personnel engaged in resupply missions to Philippine detachments in the WPS.   “Our personnel have courageously dismantled the foreign floating barriers, which were illegally installed in the WPS. We installed additional navigational buoys, which also serve as markers of Philippine territory,” he said.  A nd by dismantling, Abu was referring to the September 26 special operation conducted by the PCG to remove the 300-meter floating barrier placed by China at the southwest entrance of Bajo de Masinloc last September 22.  This operation was in response to Marcos’s instruction to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea chairman, National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año, to remove the Chinese floating barrier as it posed a hazard to navigation and a clear violation of international law.    “It also hinders the conduct of fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk in Bajo de Masinloc, which is an integral part of the Philippine national territory,” the PCG earlier said.  It added its action is consistent with international law and the Philippines’ sovereignty over the shoal.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rides an FA-50PH Philippine military plane during a flight capability demonstration at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, on March 7, 2023. MALACAÑANG PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE VIA AP

Relatedly, Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos said that a similar Chinese attempt to install a barrier off Ayungin Shoal would be immediately removed.  “If they do that in Ayungin, we also have to remove the barriers, and we do not have to wait for the order of the President to remove that,” Carlos said.   A Filipino detachment, aboard the grounded BRP Sierra Madre, is keeping watch and maintaining Philippine sovereignty in the area.

Emboldened

AS this developed, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. maintained that Scarborough Shoal (the other name of Bajo de Masinloc) is part of the country, being located within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).  Scarborough Shoal lies some 120 nautical miles away from the nearest Philippine landmass, which is Zambales.  “We are insisting na hindi sa kanila ’yan at nasa EEZ natin yang area na yan yung Bajo de Masinloc o yung Scarborough Shoal

[We are insisting that it is not theirs as Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal is within our EEZ],” he added in an interview with “Radyo Pilipinas” on October 13.   Brawner, however, said there are still no signs that China is erecting any structure off Scarborough Shoal though. “Well sa ngayon wala naman pong mga structures dun sa Scarborough Shoal [well, as of now, there are no structures in Scarborough Shoal],” he added.  The AFP chief also maintained that China did not chase a Philippine Navy (PN) vessel found in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal last October 10.  A nd while the Filipino naval vessel was challenged by the China Coast Guard (CCG), it proceeded on its maritime patrol mission, Brawner said.   “Hindi po totoo na itinaboy tayo ng CCG so sa aking palagay ay propaganda lamang ng CCG yun [it is not true that the CCG drove our ship away, it is just propaganda of the CCG],” he added.  A lso, Brawner maintained that it is part of the

AFP’s mandate to patrol the country’s territorial waters and its EEZ.

BRAWNER said the AFP Modernization Program is now reconfigured to provide the military with the capabilities needed to protect the country’s EEZ or the maritime territory located 200 nautical miles from its coast.  He added that this shift is covered under Horizon 3 of the AFP Modernization Program.   Brawner said the shift, although still defensive in nature, was recommended by Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. shortly after his appointment in June.  Teodoro ordered the AFP to “revisit” and “rehorizon” Horizon 3, which was crafted by military planners prior to the water cannoning and laser pointing incidents in the WPS and primarily focused on “territorial defense in depth.”  This means that the military has to wait for threats to come near before engaging them and consists of “first, second, third, and fourth line of defense.”   Continued on A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 56.8640 n JAPAN 0.3797 n UK 69.0727 n HK 7.2681 n CHINA 7.7791 n SINGAPORE 41.4370 n AUSTRALIA 35.9665 n EU 60.1905 n KOREA 0.0420 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.1605 Source: BSP (October 20, 2023)

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A2 Saturday, October 21, 2023

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US releases declassified images of ‘unsafe’ encounters with Chinese fighter jets

By Alex Millson | Bloomberg News

HE US Defense Department released a series of declassified images and videos highlighting the “unsafe and unprofessional” behavior of Chinese fighter pilots toward their American counterparts in international airspace.

The 15 incidents above the East and South China Seas show People’s Liberation Army (PLA) pilots coming within some 20 feet (6 meters) of US aircraft, in some instances cutting in front of them. In one episode, a fighter jet performed a barrel roll under a US plane, forcing the pilot to take defensive measures to prevent a collision, the department said. The US military has counted more than 180 such incidents over the past two years, Assistant Secretary of Defense for IndoPacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said on Tuesday, adding that was more than in the decade leading up to 2021. “And when you take into account cases of coercive and risky PLA intercepts against other states, the number increases to nearly 300 cases against US, ally and partner aircraft over the last two years.”

‘Disinformation’

CHINA hit back at Ratner’s comments, with Liu Pengyu, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, saying the US should stop spreading “disinformation.” He also said other countries should “stop undermining China’s national security.” Defense chiefs released the images taken between January 2022 and last month before handing Congress its China Military Power Report, which will highlight an “increasing trend of coercive and risky operational behavior by the PLA.” The videos and pictures show what the report will describe as “unsafe, unprofessional, and other behaviors that seek to impinge upon the ability of the United States and other nations to safely conduct operations where international law allows,” the Defense Department said.

Timeline of declassified events

HERE’S a timeline of the declassified events: • January 11, 2022: A PLA fighter jet crosses in front of a US aircraft at a distance of 100 yards over the South China Sea, forcing it to fly through the Chinese plane’s wake. • April 29, 2022: Four PLA aircraft spent five hours intercepting a US plane over the East China Sea, with one coming within 75 feet. • May 24, 2022: A Chinese jet sped toward a US aircraft, crossing just beneath its nose and causing the American pilot to lose sight of the PLA fighter. The US pilot put some distance between the two aircraft, but the Chinese jet approached again. • June 8, 2022: Four PLA aircraft spent hours buzzing a US plane, coming within 40 feet while occupants snapped photos of the US crew. • June 23, 2022: A Chinese pilot repeatedly flew above and below a US aircraft over the South China Sea. When the US operator radioed the PLA jet, the Chinese pilot responded with foul language. • December 21, 2022: A PLA jet flew within 20 feet of the nose of a US aircraft over the South China Sea. The maneuver forced the US pilot to take evasive measures to avoid a collision. • January 11, 2023: A Chinese

IN this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a Chinese fighter jet pilot from the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) takes part in combat readiness patrol and military exercises around the Taiwan Island on Sunday, April 9, 2023. MEI SHAOQUAN/XINHUA VIA AP

jet flew alongside a US plane at a distance of some 30 feet over the South China Sea. • February 7, 2023: A PLA plane came within 20 feet of its US counterpart, also over the South China Sea. • February 15, 2023: A Chinese jet shadowed a US plane at a distance of about 70 feet over the same body of water. • March 2, 2023: A PLA pilot

intercepted a US plane over the East China Sea, coming within 50 feet. • May 25, 2023: A PLA plane flew in front of the nose of a US aircraft, making it fly through its rocky wake • June 11, 2023: Over the East China Sea, a Chinese jet came within 25 feet of a US aircraft. • July 12, 2023: A PLA fighter jet deployed eight flares while just

900 feet from a US aircraft. The incident occurred over the East China Sea. • August 10, 2023: A Chinese pilot closed in on a US plane at high speed, then rolled around and under the aircraft, forcing the US crew to “perform defensive procedures to prevent a collision.” • September 21, 2023: A PLA jet flew within 50 feet of a US aircraft over the South China Sea.

A LONG MARCH IN UNISON Continued from A1

“But this time because of what’s happening, [we are] proactive. As SND [Secretary of National Defense] said, we need to be proactive, and we project outwards our defenses,” Brawner said.  This means, he said, defensive efforts will now focus on defending the Philippines’s EEZ and not only the country’s baselines or coasts.   Brawner said the AFP needs equipment capable of projecting defenses forward to carry out this mission.  This equipment includes multirole fighters, more naval ships and submarines.

No provocative actions in WPS

MEANWHILE, Teodoro dismissed Chinese claims that the Philippines is taking a provocative stance in the WPS, noting that the country is merely exercising its mandate in patrolling these areas.  “But the point is, we will do what we need to do within our territory,” he explained in an interview last October 13.  What would be provocative, the defense chief said, would be the Philippines conducting patrols or fishing operations inside China’s EEZ.   Teodoro said that this is the exact opposite of what is happening right now.   “So papano tayong mag-proprovoke sa kanila, mukhang katawatawa naman yung mga statement na ganyan. At sila na lang naniniwala sa propaganda nila [So how are we provoking them? Their statements look funny, and they are the only ones believing in their own propaganda],” he added.   “It leaves us really doubting where they are coming from and what kind of sincerity they are proving to the Filipino people with these kinds of statements,” Teodoro said.   In another interview on October 18, the DND chief said the Philippines is undeterred by any Chinese harassment and will continue to operate its ships in the WPS.  Teodoro gave this comment when asked on whether the dangerous maneuvers performed by a People’s Liberation Army Navy

(PLAN) Ship 621 against BRP Benguet (LS-507), while on a routine rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to Rizal Reef last October 13, could be viewed as escalation.   “I cannot establish on whether this incident is isolated or not, but on my end, the instructions from the President are clear, whatever happens, our operations in the WPS will continue,” Teodoro said in a mixture of Filipino and English at Wednesday’s “Kapihan sa Manila Bay” forum.  And contrary to claims that the Philippines is doing provocative acts in the WPS, the DND chief also reiterated that the country is not provoking anyone and stressed that all its activities are “done [within] our 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone and other territorial jurisdictions.”   “Now if we enter the 200-nautical-mile EEZ of other countries, then that is pure provocation, which we have no intention of doing so whatsoever,” Teodoro said.   The DND chief also dismissed Chinese allegations that the Philippines is illegally occupying Pag-asa Island. What would be illegal is, if the country will go and occupy Hainan Island.  “Sila ang squatter dito, illegal occupants dito [they are the squatters here, illegal occupants],” Teodoro said, referring to China’s ongoing attempts to encroach on Philippine territory. Earlier, the AFP said the Chinese attempt to cross the bow of BRP Benguet last week was the first time it did such a maneuver on a Filipino vessel doing a RORE mission in Rizal Reef.   “The report says that there were instances of harassment this particular way, shadowing operation, but this is the first time that they tried to cross the bow of our naval vessel, which is LS-507, AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar earlier said. He described this as “a kind of elevation of their activities as far as RORE mission…in Rizal Reef is concerned.” The AFP earlier said the BRP Benguet warned off and issued consecutive radio challenges to PLAN 621 after it shadowed the Filipino

ship at an 80-yard distance and attempted to cross its bow with a closest point of approach of 350 yards while 5.8 nautical miles southwest of Pag-asa Island.

RORE to continue

AS this developed, National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the country remains undeterred and will continue to resupply its detachments, which are standing watch over the WPS.  He made this comment in wake of the October 13 Chinese harassment of Philippine Navy (PN) ship, BRP Benguet, while en route to a routine resupply mission to Rizal Reef last October 13.   “We will just continue to do what we are supposed to be doing, which is implementing the 2016 Arbitral Award [and we will be doing that] by exercising our sovereign rights, so our resupply mission will continue whether it is in Ayungin Shoal or Rizal Reef,” Malaya added.  He added that the PN will never be deterred by the Chinese harassment and will continue to do what it takes to resupply Filipino troops in the WPS.   “We will continue to resupply our people and we will continue to support our fishermen in fishing in the WPS,” he added.  Aside from this, Malaya said the Philippines will continue to conduct maritime and sovereignty patrols in the WPS to assert Philippine national interest.   Brawner earlier urged China to stop its vessels’ dangerous maneuvering versus Filipino ships in the WPS, as this could endanger military personnel on both sides.  “These dangerous and offensive maneuvers by China’s PLAN not only risk collision but also directly endanger the lives of maritime personnel from both sides. The AFP remains committed to ensuring the safety of its personnel during RORE missions and asserts that it will continue to adhere to the rules-based international order,” he added, Brawner said the potential for collision and accident at sea further highlights the urgency for China to uphold maritime safety standards.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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secures more than $4-B Japanese lender MUFG to give PBBM business deals in Saudi Arabia govt time for MIF rules tweak T By Samuel P. Medenilla

By Dennis D. Estopace

XECUTIVES of MUFG Bank Ltd. are giving a wide berth to President Ferdinand R. Marcos. Jr. as his administration tweaks the rules for the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF). “I think we have to give the government a little bit of space,” MUFG BankManila Branch Deputy Country Head Marie Diana Lynn Coronel-Singson said during a briefing the lender hosted for journalists on Friday. “This is the first time that they are embarking on such a fund. I know this is something [they’re] really focusing on. So I think we should give them a little time to get it together before we say it’s good or bad.” Coronel-Singson said they believe the Marcos administration “will come up with a good structure.” “Maybe then we can see and our clients can see if they’re interested to actually invest,” she added. “But at this point, we need to give them time to get it organized or fix it,” she added.

The Japanese lender, which owns a 20-percent stake in Security Bank Corp. (PSE: SECB), held its 75th anniversary celebration two days after Malacañang ordered the suspension of the implementation of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11954 (MIF Act), which was issued last August. Before he flew to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last Thursday, Marcos explained to reporters that the need to improve the organizational structure of the Maharlika Investment Corp. was behind the indefinite suspension of the law’s IRR (See https://businessmirror.com.ph/2023/10/20/ economic-team-revising-maharlika-fund-irr/) Singson said she doesn’t see the suspension as flip-flopping on the part of the Chief Executive. “[Flip-flopping] is something that really happens for something new. It’s not really [Flip-flopping]; I would not call it that,” the MUFG executive added. “I think they are trying to find the right structure the perfect structure so that

there will be no issues in the future.” What concerns clients, according to MUFG Bank Manila Branch Country Head Hashida Takeshi, are the delays in the transmission of tax refunds as well as the processes involved in such matter. “Clients have raised the issue on the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act) law because it takes time for the client to receive the tax refund,” Hashimada said. “Sometimes, [they say] the procedures are so complicated and they complain.” MUFG Bank’s clients are Japanese investors seeking the services of the wholesale-banking institution. Nonetheless, Hashimada said they do not see either risks or challenges in their business. The executive said the lender sees the country’s economic growth as helping expand the middle-income families and creating the impetus for demand in energy, real estate, manufacturing and logistics—sectors that Hashimada said MUFG Bank is looking into for further

investment. Coronel-Singson, however, said the lender couldn’t provide figures on outlook for the gross domestic product. In his letter to Hashida, Marcos noted that MUFG “has played a key role in the success of foreign and domestic businesses in the country.” “Your seamless, secure, and affordable services have contributed to the vibrant economic atmosphere, which has made it possible for other business opportunities in the country to thrive,” Marcos was quoted in the statement that MUFG provided to reporters. Meanwhile, in a video message aired last Thursday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. said that MUFG Manila “is a partner of the national government in its pursuit of the country’s goals and aspirations under the Philippine Development Plan.” “The bank has been instrumental in financing key infrastructure projects, including the North-South Railway project and the Metro Manila Subway Project,” Remolona added.

Watchdog sees polls as ‘hotbed’ for fraud By Roderick L. Abad & Patrick V. Miguel

HE rise of digitalization will make poll fraud even more pronounced in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BKSE), an electoral watchdog warned. Kontra Daya sees the long overdue suffrage, wherein over a million positions across the more than 42,0 0 0 v i l l a ges n at ionw ide a re contested, w ill be a “ hotbed ” not only for traditional fraud but also through electronic means. Barangay is the smallest unit of the government. According to the group, its political system has traditionally been a source of corr uption, nepotism, and fighting among rival parties. It noted that bitter feuds between dynasties lead to harassment and violence between competing candidates. Entrenched political families at the municipal and provincial levels use their political machineries to ensure that their relatives, both first-timers and re-electionists, are catapulted to key positions in the village government. “Vote buying and other means of voter coercion will surely be widespread. The rise of social media for political campaigning will surely make early campaigning, black propaganda and disinformation against certain candidates even more pervasive,” it added. At the early onset of the BSKE, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has already filed petitions against

several candidates across the country for poll fraud violations. Even if it’s a step up move from efforts in previous barangay elections, Kontra Daya said that the “rotten nature” of politics here means, “no reaction against electoral fraud will truly rid the local elections without widespread, deep-rooted changes.” Case in point, the group nixed the initiative of the Comelec as regards the testing of the electronic poll system in certain barangays in Quezon City and Dasmariñas in Cavite. “We believe that instituting an automated [election] system (AES) in the BSKE will only worsen electoral fraud, as the current AES is designed to make electronic fraud easier to hide. Many still have lingering doubts about the veracity of the 2022 automated national elections, and the evidence forwarded by concerned parties of fraud in the previous elections have yet to be answered by the Comelec,” Kontra Daya said. The organization and its members, on their part, will activate their mechanisms to check on electoral fraud all over the country. “We enjoin all citizens to be alert of any incidents of electoral fraud, both traditional and electronic, in the upcoming elections, especially during the campaign period which starts on the 19th of October and Election Day on the 30th of October,” it said. R e por t s on pol l v iol at ions c a n be sent t h rough t he g roup’s Face book page or v i a em a i l at kontradaya@g mai l.com. Repor ting det a i l s w i l l be posted t h rough it s soc i a l med i a pages.

Marcos inks cooperation framework with GCC on free flow goods, services

HE Philippines is looking forward to a secure and free flow of essential goods and services between Asean and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) after both regional blocs signed a new cooperation framework last Friday. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said he will be tapping the Asean-GCC Framework of Cooperation from 2024 to 2028 to push for partnerships between the two regional organizations on energy and food security, enhancement of logistics and supply chains, the digital economy, trade, and people-topeople exchanges. He said this could help bring in

sufficient supply of oil and gas and chemical fertilizers in Asean from GCC members. “We also recognize the potential synergies of capital investment between the hub economies of the GCC countries and the Asean MemberStates in our efforts to address food supply, renewable energy transformation, supply chain disruptions and to enhance the global logistics chains indispensable to trade and the international division of labor in manufacturing,” Marcos said. The four-page Asean-GCC Framework covers political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars.

‘Operation Baklas’

ON the second day of the campaign period, meanwhile, the Commission on Elections launched “Operation Baklas” to locate, identify and tear down illegal campaign posters. The poll body also warned of possible disqualification to errant candidates. Candidates who are reported to have campaign posters beyond standard size limit or posted outside the designated areas are expected to receive show-cause orders from Comelec, Chairman George Garcia said. “A while ago, our local Comelec documented it. Tomorrow, they (candidates) will receive show-cause orders,” said Garcia in Filipino. Garcia advised against posting of campaign posters on electrical posts, and urged candidates to at least follow the size requirement. According to election rules, the size limit of campaign posters, billboards, and tarpaulins is 2x3 feet. Anything beyond the standard size is considered illegal. Moreover, campaign posters are to be posted in designated areas only. He warned candidates to obey campaign rules, otherwise they will face potential disqualification from the polls. Garcia noted that there are not many cases in the “Operation Baklas” so far, and that most recorded cases are in Metro Manila. As of the first day of the campaign period, Comelec served 134 showcause orders to candidates, mostly on illegal campaign materials. The campaign period will end on October 28.

Under the said framework, both groups also committed to enhance cooperation in tourism, connectivity, education and agricultural development. It also covers the possible development of a framework of cooperation on economic, trade, technical, and investment as well as energy and clean low-carbon technologies. Marcos said the impact of the framework would extend beyond Asean and GCC countries. “We cannot overstate the importance that we attach to this partnership between the Asean and the GCC, not only for our regions but for the entire global economy,” he said. The framework was adopted during the first Asean-GCC Summit in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on October 20, 2023. Samuel P. Medenilla

HE government was able to secure over $4 billion worth of additional human resource service deals with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s roundtable meetings with Saudi business leaders. This was on top of the $120 million worth of agreements, which he earlier announced, would be signed in the said discussions held in Riyadh last Thursday. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported the bulk or $3.7 billion of the signed deals are from a human resource services pact between Saudi’s Al-Jeer Human Resources Company-ARCO and the Association of Philippine Licensed Agencies Also signed was the $191 million worth of human resource agreement between Saudi’s Maharah Human Resources Company and Philippines’ Staffhouse International Resources Corporation and E-GMP International Corporation. Saudi’s Al Rushaid Petroleum Investment Company and Samsung Engineering NEC Co. Ltd. also signed a deal with Philippines’ EEI Corp. for construction export services worth $120 million. Marcos called on Saudi businesses

to consider investing in the country’s sectors with projected high growth, such as finance, energy and petrochemicals, industry and logistics, tourism, real-estate development, and agriculture. “I assure you that the Philippine government is steadfast in its commitment to continuously support current and prospective Saudi investors,” Marcos said during the meeting. For his part, Saudi Ministr y of Investment Minister K ha lid A l-Falih said K SA is open to such partnerships. “We also see the Philippines as a bridge to the Asean region, and to the rest of Asia and I trust that you consider Saudi Arabia as well, your excel lenc y, your strateg ic entry point to the Middle East,” Al-Falih said during the meeting. Several Saudi business leaders, including Mulhan Albakree, Executive General Manager of Public Investment Fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Bandar Al Hamali, CEO of Jada, one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest investment companies, expressed interest in the country’s Maharlika Investment Fund—the country’s first-ever foreign sovereign fund. Marcos visited Riyadh to participate in the Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (Asean-GCC) Summit held on Friday, October 20.

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • www.businessmirror.com.ph

AFP chief bares plan to boost military’s cyber defense unit By Rex Anthony Naval

ITH the growing threat of hacking, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said he is looking into expanding the military tasked to defend their cyber systems from attack. In a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, Brawner said that he is thinking of expanding the AFP Cyber Group or the AFPCyG by getting more IT qualified personnel and equipment. This would transform the AFPCyG into Cyber Command and allow it to better defend the military’s cyber system.

“This will allow us to defend our networks better in terms of cyber security,” Brawner said. To make this a reality, the AFP chief said that they are looking to recruit more younger people with an IT background and relaxing some of the requirements being used to screen military applicants to entice these individuals. “We will try to recruit more IT personnel, especially the young people who want to serve their country and join the AFP, again we are opening up our doors to these individuals who are highly skilled in terms of cyber, and we are relaxing some of the requirements like the physical and medical aspects,” he added. This is needed because these new

breed of soldiers don’t necessarily have to be muscled as what is needed are skills and intelligence for the cyber domain defense. Brawner said he expects the study for the expansion of the AFPCyG to be out before the end of the year. He added that this would the need approval of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as it involves some changes in the military organization. And with growing incidents of hacking involving government civilian agencies, Brawner said the AFPCyG was tasked to be “vigilant and to be on the lookout for possible attacks.” He also revealed that the AFP cyber systems have been subject to attacks almost daily but said that their defenses have been holding up so far. “Of course gusto nilang pasukin yung ating (they want to penetrate our) networks but we’re happy to note that so far, they are not successful, we have been very successful in warding off [and] defending our network[s],” Brawner said. He also believes that foreign and local hackers are behind these attempts.

DND warns defense, military personnel on using AI image generators AS this developed, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” C. Teodoro Jr. warned defense and military personnel from using digital applications that uses

artificial intelligence (AI) requiring submission of 10 pictures to generate an enhanced portrait as this pose a “significant privacy and security risks.” In a memorandum dated October 14, the defense chief said this application compiles its “users’ data and creates a digital person that mimics how a real individual speaks and moves.” In an earlier exclusive story, the BusinessMirror reported that anyone or any company, which has data on facial features, together with other data, such as email addresses and telephone numbers, can do sophisticated social engineering attacks. Once an attacker knows your profile, what piques your interest, they can email you or create baits, which are fake, and which turn out to be phishing, malware or worse, a ransomware. (See story https://businessmirror. com.ph/2023/10/16/ai-enhanced-photosamusebut-expose-one-to-cyber-risk/) Teodoro said that this seeming less harmless and amusing AI-powered application can be “maliciously used to create fake profiles that can lead to identity theft, social engineering, phishing attacks, and other malicious activities” and noted that there was already a report of a such case. “All DND and AFP personnel are directed to refrain from using AI photo generator applications and practice vigilance in sharing information online. Ensure that your actions are aligned to the Department’s values and are in adherence to existing policies,” the DND chief added.

Sen. Mark Villar joins Trade dept’s price monitoring, quality inspection activity

ENATOR Mark Villar recently joined one of Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) regular price monitoring activities in his capacity of chairman of Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship “Ngayon po ay sumama tayo sa DTI sa kanilang price at quality monitoring activity para makita kung ang mga produkto ay sumusunod sa Philippine Standards o PS Quality para sa mga locally-made na produkto at sa Import Commodity Clearance o ICC,” Villar said. He joined Asec. Jean Pacheco, officer-in-charge of DTI’s Consumer Protection Group, and Neil Catajay, director of DTI’s Bureau of Philippine Standards, in inspecting the prices of construction materials, furnitures and fixtures. Some of the products they inspected are light fixtures, tiles, plywood, and appliances. “Nakakatuwang makita na compliant ang ating mga merchants at retailers sa mga standards ng BPS [Bureau of Philippine Standards]. Bukod po sa price monitoring at quality checking, atin pong nasubukan ang mga QR code na naka-attach sa price tag ng mga produkto na nagpapakita kung compliant ang mga ito sa standards,” Villar said. Once scanned through the app, these QR Code will reveal the technical details of the product, which includes but are not limited to brand name, reference standard, and PS mark with license number (if applicable). Villar also inspected whether the products have the PS or ICC sticker as part of BPS’ compliance requirements. “Lalo na ngayong malapit na ang holidays season, kailangan na consistent tayo sa pag-monitor ng presyo ng mga bilihin. Maliban sa mga home improvement equipment and fixtures, mahalaga rin po na ating i-monitor ang presyo ng mga pagkain at bulaklak para masigurado na patas ang presyo para sa ating mga mamimili,” Villar said. The lawmaker, together with Asec. Pacheco, called for the public’s help in reporting any merchant or vendor that is non-compliant with DTI’s SRP and quality standards. For complaints, the general public can report to DTI Hotline 1384 or to any social media accounts of the agency.

Young Egyptian man nabbed for Pinay maid’s rape-slay in Jordan By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

N Egyptian boy strangled, raped and killed a Filipino maid in Amman, Jordan, sources told the B usiness M irror . The Filipina was identified as Mary Grace Santos from Macabebe town in Pampanga.

The maid was found dead in the basement of her employer’s apartment last October 11. Jordanian police arrested an Egyptian minor, son of the employer’s gardener. According to the Jordanian police, the suspect admitted to raping and strangling to death the maid.

The motive of the killing is not yet known. The specific age of the suspect is still being verified, a source said. A Jordanian prosecutor’s report merely referred to the suspect as “Egyptian of minor age.” But he has been jailed, which suggests that he is over seven years of age. Jordanian laws prohibit bringing

children less than 7 years of age to criminal proceedings. For crimes punishable to death penalty, juveniles may face jail terms of 6 to 12 years. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Arnell Ignacio said the remains of Filipina victim would be flown Thursday and expected to arrive Friday.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

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SPAO and Mabuhay Shriners International empower PWDs

N a testament to the power of collaboration, the Senate Public Assistance Office (SPAO) and Mabuhay Shriners International joined hands in providing vital mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers and crutches for persons with disability in the City of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. In a turnover ceremony on October 11, 2023, Director General Lino S. Ong, Calapan City Mayor Marilou Morillo, and Mina De Oro Shrine Club First Vice President Edmundo Casanova unveiled the generous donation, comprising of 10 adult wheelchairs, 5 pediatric wheelchairs, 5 quad canes, 5 crutches, and 5 walkers. Mina De Oro Shriners Club is a chapter of Mabuhay Shriners in Oriental Mindoro. A deeply moved Mayor Morillo expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and the Senate Public Assistance Office, stating, “We are very thankful at napagbigyan n’yo po kami. Thank you so much.” In his message, Director General Ong said the turnover was made possible through the guidance of Senate President Zubiri and upon the initia-

tive of SPAO in accordance with its functions to effectively, efficiently and expeditiously provide assistance to the constituents of the senators. He said the partnership was entered into in June 2022 during the tenure of former Senate President Vicente Sotto III. He emphasized, “Bilang institution, limitado po ang ating kakayahan at ating budget. Kaya sa ilalim ng konsepto na ‘One Help, One Nation’ na aming isinusulong sa SPAO, layunin namin na magkaroon ng collaboration at partnership sa iba’t ibang institution, pampubliko man o pribado, para magtulung-tulungan sa pagbibigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan.” Director General Ong also stressed the significance of working in unity. “Itong turnover natin ngayon ay patunay sa power of collaboration. Mas marami tayong matutulungan at maaabot kung tayo ay magsasama-sama,” he added. Director General Ong said he hopes the event can set a precedent for other institutions, highlighting what can be achieved when organizations, whether public or private institutions, come together with a shared vision.

Weight-loss drugs pose risks for people over 65, experts say By Madison Muller

T may come as a surprise, but not all weight loss is healthy. And one key question for people over 65 is whether the weight-loss drugs that have become so popular also pose a risk of melting away muchneeded muscle. It’s almost inevitable when a person loses weight—be it from medication, strict dieting, or bariatric surgery— that not all of it will be from shedding fat. About a quarter is typically from the loss of lean mass, like muscle and bone, which is essential for metabolism and preventing injury as we age. That’s true for weight loss from socalled GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. For younger adults, the loss of muscle may not cause problems right away, but in people over 65, it’s critical for maintaining strength and mobility. Muscle weakness is a risk factor in falls among older adults, one of the leading causes of injury death for that age group, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As Medicare grapples with whether or not to cover the drugs for people 65 and older, studies of this population may be key. “While there may be many important benefits of weight loss metabolically, we need, particularly in older adults, to think about muscle and how important it is for the older adult population,” says John Batsis, an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Department of Nutrition at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. “Losing muscle mass and strength with aging is a natural phenomenon—everyone though has a threshold where it causes a problem.” So far, there’s not enough data to know just how big of a problem this is for older adults taking GLP-1 medications for weight loss, experts say. About 42 percent of US adults aged 60 and older have obesity, according to the CDC. In a clinical trial of semaglutide, the active

ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, researchers looked at loss of lean muscle mass in a subgroup of 140 participants. On average, participants lost about 15 pounds of lean muscle and 23 pounds of fat during the 68-week trial. However, the mean age of participants in that group was 52. Batsis says that very few GLP-1 studies, in general, have looked at differences between older and younger adults—including how loss of fat and muscle may vary. And more studies focused on older adults are needed, he says. Although semaglutide reduced lean mass, patients lost even more fat, which helped improve their overall body composition, said Martin Havtorn Petersen, a spokesperson for Ozempic and Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk. He also said “there has not been a safety signal identified in relation to loss of muscle mass.” Drugmakers are already looking at how next-generation weight loss drugs might be able to overcome this challenge. Eli Lilly & Co., for example, acquired obesity drug startup Versanis Bio for up to $2 billion in July, further extending the drugmaker’s reach into the weight loss market. Versanis’ experimental drug, bimagrumab, aims to help people lose weight while preserving their muscle mass. It will be studied in combination with Lilly’s drug tirzepatide, which is expected to gain approval in obesity by year’s end. The combination “could be the next major step in innovative treatments for those living with cardiometabolic diseases, like obesity,” Ruth Gimeno, Lilly’s vice president for diabetes, obesity and cardiometabolic research, said in a statement last month. For older adults who may be taking weight loss medications, increasing protein intake, resistance exercises and other measures may help mitigate the loss of lean muscle, Batsis says. Bloomberg

6,000 Surigao City seniors get pneumonia, influenza vaccine

Calapan City Mayor Marilou Morillo expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and the Senate Public Assistance Office during the turnover ceremony.

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, October 21, 2023

By Alexander Lopez

UTUAN CITY—Surigao City began a regular vaccination program on Monday, October 16, to protect its senior citizens from common respiratory infections. Robbie Ruaya, the city’s information officer, said more than 6,000 senior citizens, including those from the far-flung and island barangays (villages) are expected to benefit from the vaccination drive. “We advise our senior citizens to bring their identification cards when they avail themselves of the vaccines,” Ruaya said. The city government is providing pneumonia and influenza vaccines for senior citizens vulnerable to

other complications of respiratory infections such as bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections, and exacerbation of existing chronic conditions like asthma or heart disease. The vaccines are highly effective in reducing the risk of pneumonia and flu among senior citizens, Ruaya said. Regular vaccination activities will be conducted at Luneta Park from Monday to Friday, except on holidays. PNA

The vaccination drive to protect the senior citizens in Surigao City from pneumonia and influenza illnesses started on October 16, 2023 at the city’s Luneta Park. The city government says more than 6,000 senior citizens in the city are set to avail themselves of the free vaccination drive. Photo courtesy of PIO Surigao City

Cleaning the loo is an honorable task By Nick Tayag

my sixty-zen’S WORTH

hat would happen if no one bothers to clean the toilets we use in our homes, offices, and public buildings? That, I imagine, would be one big stinking mess. Thank God for cleaners of the loo. Never has the world’s delicate and dainty people owed so much to the few, with apologies to Churchill. Yet toilet cleaners around the world are one of the lowest paid workers, if not the lowest. Whenever I am in a premier class hotel or dining spot, I make it a point to enter the comfort room, or CR as we euphemistically call it. I check the toilet bowl and sure enough, it is clean and spotless, and slightly scented, and the flush works. I silently commend the unsung individual who took pains to clean it with such punctiliousness. What is the household chore that most Filipinos avoid? Cleaning the toilet. They find it gross, repulsive, disgusting. In our colloquial lingo: nakakadiri! Before you skip this because the topic puts you off, you would be missing a piece of info about cleaning toilets that can possibly make you rich. My wife is fanatical about bathroom tidiness. When she sees the littlest of stains in the toilet, she can’t wait to clean it herself. In the native parlance she is “gigil na gigil.” As for me, I am not the O/C type, it’s just a habit ingrained in my youth. But more than just a habit, I love to clean our home’s toilet bowl because I have great respect and sense of gratitude towards it. The toilet is a conducive working place for me; it’s my most reliable idea stimulant. I get my best ideas while sitting on the toilet bowl. Not in a room brainstorming with others. The solitary, relaxing and nonjudgmental private space inside our ordinary bathroom allows my mind to wander freely, and the sound of water pouring softly from the faucet to the timba (pail) serves to induce the

flow of what I call “creative juices.” It triggers free associative thinking. At other times, overwhelmed by too much information, my seclusion in the loo enables my mind to connect the dots of information and to organize my topsy-turvy thoughts and even rework my wild initial ideas. The greatest haiku poets got their best ideas while inside the loo, according to the Japanese writer Tanizaki Junichiro. A study undertaken by Cognitive Scientist Scott Barry Kaufman found that 72 percent of people get creative ideas in this secluded space. So the least I can do in return is to keep it clean, neat and tidy and smelling great. I even have no qualms about unclogging it with a good plunger if the need arises. Cleaning the toilet takes out the squeamishness out of you. If you can clean the toilet bowl without feeling disgusted, you probably won’t be squeamish about other things in life. It turns out I am in great company. Even well respected personalities in high places are not ashamed to admit that they willingly and regularly clean the toilet. They in fact attribute their success to this most menial of tasks. Among the famous toilet cleaners are Konosuke Matsushita, the Japanese industrialist who founded Panasonic; Soichiro Honda (1906-1991), the founder of Honda who believed that the state of a toilet could tell you everything you need to know about a family or business; and of all people, my idol Beat Takeshi or Takeshi Kitano, the award-winning actor and filmmaker, who says he has been cleaning their family toilet since he was a young child. Note that these personalities are all Japanese. Not surprising, because Japan is considered the world’s greatest toilet culture. People say it’s cultural. Indeed, the Japanese people keep everything very clean and tidy and that includes their toilets. Maybe it has something to do with

their two great religions: Buddhism and Shintoism. In Shintoism, purity and purification rituals are conducted frequently. In Buddhism, especially Zen Buddhism, cleaning and keeping one’s surroundings neat and tidy are a form of meditation and purification. These “purification” practices are evident in the everyday life of the Japanese. Their train stations, streets, canals and rivers are always clean-looking and devoid of trash. This is most likely a reflection of the Shinto belief of keeping the surroundings free of “kegare” or impurities. While other cultures, including Filipinos, perceive toilet cleaning as gross or repugnant, in Japan, it is considered an honorable activity. Everyone learns to clean the commode because a clean toilet is a sign of respect for oneself and others. No wonder schoolchildren and teachers clean their school’s toilets daily. But there’s more to this Japanese obsession. They believe that being diligent in this most stinky of tasks will make them rich! It brings them good fortune and prosperity. This is probably an offshoot of their belief that a clean body and mind attract positive energy and abundance. This is the reason why family members are ardent toilet cleaners at home. In offices and factories, employees and workers don’t mind heading over to the toilets to clean them at least once a week, to ensure good fortune and the success of their business. The cynic in me has doubts about it though. Isn’t it just a ploy to trick the mind to doing something that is repugnant? But as they say when you don’t want to do something, do it anyway. It instills self-control. So cleaning the toilet can also build character. Take for example Konosuke Matsushita whom I mentioned earlier. In the 1920s, Matsushita noticed the neglected state of the toilets in his company. To set a great example he, the top honcho of the company, went to the restrooms and thoroughly cleaned them himself. For Matsushita, cleaning toilets presented the opportunity to impart a rightful mind, common sense, and good manners. For Soichiro Honda a dirty toilet shows that a company lacks leadership and morals. If company employees make the effort to clean the toilet, they would be demonstrating faithfulness in small things. Honda, the company he founded, is famous for quality down to the smallest part or detail of every car or motorcycle the company makes. Takeshi Kitano says that one

of the reasons he is into the habit of cleaning toilets is that it helps him stay grounded while becoming successful. I agree. When you clean the toilet bowl, you literally have to bend and kneel on the bathroom tiles. If that’s not humbling, I don’t know what is. Michael Janda, founder of the creative agency RiSER, puts it this way: “I believe you are a better person if you’ve ever had a job that required you to clean a public restroom. This humbling task teaches so many lessons, among which is the willingness to do whatever the job requires. I have seen over and over again in my career that the people who are willing to go the extra mile and do whatever task is required of them by their boss or client are among the most valued in the company. Ultimately, cleaning public toilets early in life is not the only way to learn gratitude and humble service to others. How I wish we Filipinos would cultivate that kind of attitude. Maybe we, the electorate, should require our public servants to clean the toilets of their offices regularly like Matshushita or Honda. For crying out loud, let’s include the following criterion as a qualification for running in any election: “With long experience in toilet cleaning.” That’s I think is the best way to make our political leaders transform themselves into “servant leaders.” Did you know there is such a day as a World Toilet Day? Since 2013, the United Nations has observed November 19th as World Toilet Day to draw the world’s attention to the importance of accessible toilets and their role in improving hygiene and health around the world. How come we are so silent about it? I have a suggestion. On World Toilet Day, why don’t we take time to honor the people who do the daily task that the rest of us hate to do ourselves. I even envision such events paying tribute to the “Most Outstanding Filipino Toilet Cleaners” or recognizing the “10 Cleanest Public Toilets.” (Hey, people behind toilet bowl cleaning products, are you listening?) On the other hand, let the users of CRs, at home or in public places, learn to respect the work of toilet cleaners by not being “burara.” On top of that, why not observe World Toilet Day meaningfully by way of whole-of-community toilet cleaning all over the country, led by no less than the Chief Executive of the Philippines? Like in Japan, let’s make toilet cleaning in tandem with CLAYGO a national habit. Maybe in the future, clean toilets can become a point of pride for our people.

A6 Saturday, October 21, 2023

Education BusinessMirror

Editor: Mike Policarpio

employers Unesco, DepEd, Koica celebrate Graduates, much pleased over TVET Filipino girls’ learning progress programs implementation

By Roderick L. Abad

HREE major agencies marked their fruitful teamwork in bolstering the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program to support girls’ education in the country.

“INVESTING in the education of women is essential for reducing poverty.”- Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte

On October 6 and 7, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco); the Department of Education (DepEd); and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) jointly organized a grand ceremony focused on girls’ education through the “Better Life for Out-of-School Girls to Fight Against Poverty and Injustice in the Philippines” project. The program contributes to increasing employment prospects for girls registered in ALS or nonformal education through quality inclusive education. It is due for

completion in December 2023. Partners and stakeholders— including DepEd officials, representat ives of gover nment agencies, education institutions, international-development partners, UN agencies, and ALS practitioners—will revisit and review the lessons learned, then gather insights for the future of local education. Various aspects and achievements of the project were explored via a special exhibition launched during the event. A series of talk shows highlighted ALS teachers and learners’ suc-

cess stories. Testimonies documented stories of girls who are unable to commit to formal schooling due to various social, economic, geographic and cultural factors, but are given chances to learn, develop life-long skills, and transform their lives. The future program and activities of the multifunctional “Girls Education Center (GEC)” inaugurated in Tacloban City in September 2023 were presented. The new center can welcome more than 1,800 ALS girl-learners from the said city, the municipality

of Palo in the province of Leyte, and other neighboring areas to expand the ALS program’s reach in the Eastern Visayas Region. The Unesco project supports the Philippines’s goal to resolve basic education woes, in line with DepEd’s “MATATAG” agenda. Financed by Koica, it aims to ensure the right to quality education without discrimination and assist in the achievement of the UN’s “Sustainable Development Goals 4” on quality inclusive education, lifelong learning, and transforming the lives of all girls for a brighter future.

German diplomat, GPCCI’s visit to Tesda highlight dual educ, vocational training

MBA SSA DOR A nd reas Michael Pfaffernoschke of Germany and members of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (GPCCI) engaged in a constructive dialogue about the state of dual education and training in the Philippines during their courtesy visit to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) last September 27. “We are glad to learn [that Germany’s role] is important in the aspect of dual education and vocational in the Philippines,” said Executive Director Christopher Zimmer of GPCCI. “As conveyed by… Ambassador Pfaffernoschke, our partnership with Tesda serves as a testament on mutual efforts aimed at addressing the development of the Philippine skilled labor work force.” The visit highlighted the enduring partnership between Tesda and various German entities, then underscored the commit-

TESDA recently welcomed Ambassador Andreas Michael Pfaffernoschke and GPCCI representatives at a training facility.

ment to strengthen their linkage. Pfaffernoschke, for his part, expressed eagerness for productive discussions, particularly regarding dual education and vocational training. Vocational Training Committee Chair Tristan Loveres of GPCCI elaborated on the weight of vocational education and training in boosting economic prosperity and supporting the Philippines’s educational reform, with special focus on the “K-12 Plus” program. He stressed that Germany’s support in economic

and infrastructure development would ensure a robust supply of qualified and competent workers, benefiting both nations. “Germany’s status as an economic powerhouse, both in Europe and globally, owes much of its success to the hidden champions within its business community, particularly [small and medium enterprises],” added Loveres. “GPCCI stands ready to provide steadfast support, ensuring that [Filipino] workers possess the requisite skills and qualifications necessary for

industry demands.” In the meeting, GPCCI also stressed their support for reforms which aim to improve the country’s national apprenticeship program. These adjustments address the challenges of skills mismatch and youth unemployment, while aligning with global job-market demands. They also parallel recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development to adopt comprehensive policies for technical and vocational education and training or TVET to bridge skill gaps, increase labor-market participation, and enhance skills-system governance responsive to global trends like globalization and technology. GPCCI then hinted at exploring a memorandum of understanding with Tesda. The visit also featured a site tour at the Tesda Women’s Center, where it showcased training facilities and technical demonstrations.

Edtech startup receives fresh sources of funding

INGAPORE-BASED educational-technology startup EDGE Tutor International announced on Monday the successful completion of its seed round that secured for it an undisclosed amount in funding, said founder and CEO Henry Motte-de la Motte. The round was led by MV Partners and Seaborne Capital. Ideaspace, Kaya Founders, Orvel Ventures, Lorinet Foundation, PayMongo CEO Jojo Malolos, Kalibrr CEO Paul Rivera, and Foxmont co-founder Mark Kooijman also joined the round. Motte-de la Motte said the funds will help expedite growth across markets in more than 20 countries in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific Region, while expanding tutorial operations and enriching the startup’s

product portfolio. “We are thrilled about the rapid growth of EDGE Tutor and remain intensely focused on scaling up with both existing and new clients, reinforcing tutor operations, and aiming for profitability by…next year,” he stated. The founder shared that EDGE Tutor International offers highquality online tutors with an “acceptance rate of less than 5 percent.” Its competitively priced services, he added, are available to tutoring firms in their areas of operations. Led by Motte-de la Motte, EDGE Tutor International is composed of seasoned professionals with an aggregate experience of five decades in recruiting, training, managing, and developing world-class Filipino teachers from notable organizations.

With the support of like-minded partners, the tutorial firm not only develops career paths for teachers, but also showcases the academic excellence of Filipino educators to the world. Motte-de la Motte said that the firm now has more than 100 openings for both team members and tutor roles. Interested parties can explore opportunities listed on their LinkedIn and Kalibrr pages. Currently, he said EDGE Tutor International has successfully trained more than 1,300 licensed teachers in evidence-based methodologies and strategies for online teaching.

New CEO

MEANWHILE, EDGE Tutor International announced the appointment of Cecilia Calvo as

its CEO. Calvo attributes the growth of EDGE Tutor International to “the dedication of tutors who have been passionately supporting students since Day 1.” “We strategically partnered with global tutoring leaders who share our deep appreciation for educators, recognizing their scarcity as a valuable resource,” she noted. “Our approach to addressing the global teacher shortage is centered on unleashing the potential of Filipino teachers worldwide. Since inception, our team has prioritized placing teachers at the heart of everything we do.” All “EDGE Tutor” teachers possess the necessary certifications and participate in regular training for continuous skills enhancement, confirmed Calvo. Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

R A DUATES of technica lvocational (tech-voc) education and training (TVET) programs, as well as their employers, expressed satisfaction on the quality of education and capabilities acquired from such initiatives. The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) said its tech-voc finishers are “very satisfied” with the kind of training they have received, as their companies and bosses found their performance to be “very satisfactory.” Tesda completers’ level of gratification was measured through the agency’s “Study on Employment of T VET Graduates (SETG),” which showed that the delivery of the training program being a major factor in their capacity to be hired, was linked to their overall satisfaction. “The SETG in the last 5 years have shown that an average 93 percent of tech-voc graduates are either ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with their training,” said Tesda Secretary and Director General Suharto T. Mangudadatu. During the period, more than half—or 52.33 percent—of TVET finishers on average found that the skills they had gained were very useful; while 31 percent were able to use some of the competencies they acquired from their training. “We regularly ask tech-voc graduates to rate their training based on entry requirements, trainers’ methodologies, tools and equipment, knowledge expertise of the trainers, learning materials, training activities, training facilities, training duration, level of knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired, [as well as the] assessment method,” the Tesda chief noted. Conducted annually, the SETG

gauges the importance and effectiveness of tech-voc training programs. Data gathered are further validated in Tesda’s yearly “Employment Satisfaction Survey (ESS),” which recorded employers who have rated their techvoc graduates’ performance as “very satisfactory” on average in the last four survey rounds. Serving as a tracking and feedback mechanism, the ESS generates inputs and comments from the industry about its perspective on the performance of employed TVET graduates, TVET provisions, certification, and other TVET-related areas. Mangudadatu said that many tech-voc graduates who have trained under Tesda have become successful after completing their respective training programs. Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan) survivor Joeminel Cutcharo is one of them—a holder of “Automotive Servicing-National Certificates (NCs)” I to IV at Tesda’s Auto Mechanic Training Center in Eastern Visayas. Cutcharo represented the Philippines and earned medals at the “Asean Skills Competition” in Thailand, and the “WorldSkills Competition” in Russia. He now works as an automotive technician at the Laguna plant of a known Japanese car manufacturer. On the other hand, Chef Roxanne Joy Magday-Ningala learned “Bread and Pastry Production NC II” at the Provincial Training Center in Nueva Vizcaya after working as a domestic helper in the Middle East. She is now employed at a large dessert shop and wholesale bakery in Malé, Maldives, and has already assisted some of the world’s top master chefs. “These are just a few real-world examples of the impact that Tesda and tech-voc [have] made on the lives of its graduates,” Mangudadatu confirmed.

IACET levels up standards for PHL’s continuing educ

HE International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is now accepting applications for continuing education and training (CE/T) providers in the Philippines. A United States-based nonprofit association, IACET is the developer of the original “Continuing Education Unit,” which ensures that providers of CE/T can prove they provide high-quality instruction by following the “American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ IACET 1-2018 Standard.” IACET is the only standard-setting organization approved by the institute for CE/T. IACET serves as a thought-leader in the industry, as it focuses on continuous improvement, while enabling a framework for superior learning experiences for adult learners. Their ANSI/IACET norm is a globally recognized model for excellence in developing effective and valuable CE/T programs across various disciplines and industries. An IACET accreditation signifies a commitment to high-quality education. While there is a huge number of training providers across the Philippines, there is a need for a global institution-accrediting agency to benchmark their organizations and CE/T programs against industry best practices, said IACET.

1st Filipino IACET commissioner A LITTLE over a year ago, the Philippines was included in the prestigious IACET Commission. Rowell Mariano, a former Board of Trustees member of the Philippine Society for Talent Development (PSTD)—a premier organization for talent-development practitioners— was chosen to be part of the 33-member commission. Mariano is considered an expert in CE/T, which helped him earn the top IACET post. His role as commissioner

MARIANO involves assessing accreditation applications in accordance with IACET governing documents and policies, ensuring an unbiased and professional review process that meets performance standards. It includes tie-ups with other reviewers, documenting interviews, communicating effectively, attending training, as well as adhering to global training policies and processes. “[A standard-setter for continuing education and training, IACET is the globally recognized framework for high-quality education…with it, the Philippines now has] the competitive advantage to be atpar with developed nations,” said Mariano. “Filipino institutions and learners can facilitate international recognitions for their educational programs, and enhance the overall quality of continuing education in the country.” As commissioner, Mariano’s role in enhancing the competitiveness of Filipino talents globally would involve advocating for and promoting IACET accreditation standards and best practices in the Philippines. These include fostering cooperation between local institutions and international partners, monitoring compliance with IACET standards, and disseminating information about accreditation benefits to empower Filipino talents with internationally recognized qualifications.

Tourism&Entertainment BusinessMirror

Tourism Editor: Edwin P. Sallan

Saturday, October 21, 2023 A7

NATURE CONSERVATION, COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM

Exploring Sagay City’s eco-destinations Only minimum structures made of bamboo and other light materials can be found on Carbin Reef sandbar.

While we weren't able to visit this, the Lapus-Lapus Conservation area is one of the 5 main eco tourism sites in Sagay.

This multi-colored trisikad takes guests on a tour of this vibrant community.

Story & photos by Marky Ramone Go

egros Occidental is home to another destination held up as an exemplar of ecotourism and community development, much like Danjugan Island in its southern part. Sagay City, perched on the northern tip of the province like an ice cream cone overlooking the Visayan Sea, is home to a number of eco-tourism hotspots that does wonders for both its community members and its natural environment. Over the course of four days, we made our way to every corner of this laidback city, taking us deep into a mangrove forest to a sand bar leading to an artist village where we were graced with the presence of an irrepressible art maestro.

Suyac Island Eco-Park On Suyac Island, where there is a mangrove forest spanning 15 hectares and a mainland covering 1.8 hectares, the local community presently sustains and manages their own eco-park. The local government tourism units’ efforts, coupled with training and support from the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines, have resulted in the community adopting sustainable tourism practices. Visitors to the island are welcomed with a song and dance performance based on local culture and stories. Afterward, trained guides from the community takes the guests through the forest while imparting essential facts about different mangrove tree species, before concluding the tour with a delectable lunch of local fare.

“Sustainable Tourism” is a phrase so often bandied about that it has begun to sound like a buzzword, despite the reality that its success requires, at its heart, the willingness and ability to first establish conversation, implement best practices, and get a deeper understanding and involvement of the local community. Here in Suyac Island however, the LGU and the island residents have shown that “sustainable tourism” is more than just a catchphrase; it is a real and effective way for a community to take pride in its environment, improve it, and create economic independence for itself.

Museo Sang Bata Sa Negros Children’s Museum Real people empowerment is bounded by no age range. Thus why here at the Museo Sang Bata Sa Negros (MSBN), youngsters aged 8 to 12 acts as guides for visitors. Through the years, the museum’s “Junior Guide Program” has helped many youngsters develop a lifelong appreciation for the sea. In fact, one of the first junior guides, who began in third grade, is now taking up a Marine Biology course. The museum was set up to spread marine wildlife awareness especially among the new generation, particularly the ones who live in Sagay where

Members of the community in Suyac who also acts as the guides and managers of the mangrove island.

The maestro is all smiles when he greeted us.

a large percentage of the local population relies on marine resources for livelihood. During our visit, junior guides who joined the program in their early grade school years toured us around the museum and imparted much knowledge even I never knew beforehand.

Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, to mention a few. He and his wife Sally now spend their time in his hometown of Sagay in their hand-hewn and painted art studio, creating new works every day while overlooking the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve.

Art Community in Bougainvillea, Old Sagay

Trisikad Tours

“Imagine living in a community where an artist of Nunelucio Alvarado’s stature lives?” wonders Helen Arguelles, Tourism Officer of Sagay City. Indeed, Alvarado’s creativity has filtered down to his neighborhood in Bougainvillae, Old Sagay, as evidenced by the brilliantly painted homes, folk dancing skills of schoolchildren, and countless others he has impacted to explore other art forms. With a few quaint cafes along its long shoreline, the locality has been a must-visit in the city since becoming a creative hub for artists. Twice nominated for the National Artist honor, Maestro Nune was a staple in Manila’s art scene in his earlier years. Many of his paintings can be found in museums such as the National Museum of the Philippines, the Singapore Art Museum, and the

The same neighborhood, known as the “community of colors,” and where Maestro Nune resides, can be explored from the seat of a “trisikad,” a bicycle outfitted with a sidecar that can carry two passengers. Labeled as the “sikad” tours, it is yet another one of the many community-based tourism programs of Sagay City. Visitors can take a sikad ride through the community to see the colorful murals painted by local volunteer artists under the guidance of Syano Artlink, where Alvarado serves as Art Director.

Carbin Reef Shaped like a tongue wagging out of Rolling Stones’ hot lips logo, Carbin Reef is part of the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve established in 1999. The sandbar itself hides a gem of marine life in its immediate 200-hect-

This colorful cafe slash gallery is just a stone throw away from the house of Maestro Nune and his wife Sally.

are area. Guests to Carbin Reef can enjoy an array of water activities such as snorkeling, free diving, scuba diving, beach bumming or simply taking drone and Instagram photos. On our final day before we headed to another province in Capiz, I took our sweet time here in Carbin Reef by just walking the end-to-end tip of the sandbar while flying my drone. As beautiful it is at eye-level, the view from above is equally or even more impressive. I can see clearly why Sagay City and the TPB are working tirelessly to ensure such eco-tourism destinations like the Carbin Reef should be well taken care of and managed properly.

TPB’s 3-day CBT Workshop Part of the reason why we were in Sagay was also to cover the three-day Community-Based Tourism (CBT) workshop conducted by the Tourism Promotions Board of the Philippines (TPB), the marketing arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT). As early as prior to the pandemic, then TPB COO Marie Venus Tan and TPB marketing specialist Alberto Gadia Jr. had planned to hold a workshop in Sagay after being impressed by the city’s eco-tourism potential. Through

the efforts of Gadia Jr. and the support of current TPB COO Marga Nograles, the workshop caravan finally arrived in Sagay City. Stakeholders from five eco-tourism destinations in Sagay City attended the workshop conducted by Brand Builder and Idea Accelerator Apple Allison, with support from the LGU led by Sagay City Tourism Officer Helen Arguelles. Krisma Rodriguez, Director of Tourism Region 6, also attended the workshop and emphasized the importance of providing necessary training to community members in order to tap into the tourism industry not only as a means of earning a living, but also as a “tool that protects the environment if done correctly.” Following the workshop, which covered a variety of topics including Business Development, Brand Marketing, Social Media Marketing, School of Sales and Influence, the TPB also donated starter kits to three eco-tourism associations, including fiberglass kayaks to the Suyac Island Eco-Tourism Attendants Association and Lapus-Lapus Floating Cottages Association, as well as other livelihood materials to the Bouganvillea Sikad Guides Association.

ONE DAY IN SEATTLE

Coffee culture and much, much more Story & photos by Benjamin Locsin Layug

rovided one has a multiple entry US visitor’s visa, one nice thing about any visit to Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) is that you could cross to the nearby US border, to Washington State, and tour Seattle, its most populous city. Getting there is easy and a day tour is possible. You can choose to get there by air (seaplane), water (ferry) and land (train, bus or car). However, going at it, alone, via public transportation, seemed like a scary endeavor. Luckily for me, Vancouver residents Valentin “Val” Salgado and Danny Macaventa, two Don Bosco Makati high school batchmates of mine, offered to join me in this adventure. With Val driving his car, we covered the 53-kiliometer distance to the Peace Arch Border Crossing (one of two borders in Surrey, the other being the Pacific Highway Border Crossing which is used by trucks) in 45 minutes. After another 45 minutes at customs and immigration, we proceeded on our way to Seattle which was still a 180-kilometer drive away. After nearly two hours on the road, we made our first stopover, for lunch, at Seafood City, a must visit for us as this Filipino-owned supermarket chain special-

izes in Filipino food and products and is home to Filipino food outlets such as Jollibee and Red Ribbon. After lunch at Seafood City, we proceeded to the historic and iconic Pike Place Market, Seattle’s most popular tourist destination and the 33rd most visited tourist attraction in the world, with more than 10 million annual visitors. Overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront on Puget Sound, it is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers’ markets in the United States. Opened on August 17, 1907, each level of the market features seemingly endless rows of flower stands, a variety of unique shops such as antique dealers, comic book and collectible shops, small familyowned restaurants, and one of the oldest head shops in Seattle. The upper street level contains wader-clad fishmongers, farm fresh produce stands and craft stalls operating in the covered arcades. Pike Place Fish Market is one of the market’s major attractions. Here, employees throw three-foot long salmon and other fish to each other rather than passing them by hand. This tradition started when the fishmongers got tired of having to walk out to the Market’s fish table to retrieve a salmon

each time someone ordered one. Seattle, regarded as a world center for coffee roasting, is known for its prominent coffee culture and numerous coffeehouses and we first dropped by the Pike Place Starbucks Store (also known as the Original Starbucks), the first Starbucks store in the world. However, many people, just like us, didn’t come here for a cup of coffee. Instead, we came to experience the place where it all began. Everything in the entire store, truly one of a kind, is original, from the floors, the fixtures, the counters, etc. They also still proudly display the brass labels that were on their bulk coffee bins in 1971. However, while it commonly referred to as the first Starbucks location, the current address is the second for the Pike Place store as, for five years, the first restaurant was located at 2000 Western Avenue. In 1977, it moved one block away to 1912 Pike Place where it has been in continuous operation ever since. The sign outside this branch, unlike others, features the original logo—a seductive, bare-breasted siren that was modeled after a 15th-century Norse woodcut. From Pike’s Place, we walked the short distance to the privately-owned Miners Landing down by the waterfront, another

Seafood City

Miners Landing and the Seattle Great Wheel.

The first Starbucks store in the world

Seattle tourist attraction that is home to restaurants, an amusement arcade, souvenir gift shops and the 175-foot Seattle Great Wheel. The latter, opened in June 2012, has 42 climate-controlled gondolas holding up to 6 passengers. At one of its restaurants, we tried out some fresh oysters with beer. Back in our car, we next drove to our last

destination – the Seattle Center whose landscape is dotted with art and architectural works that, together, form an urban vista of mixed form and scale. Home to the Space Needle (a designated a Seattle landmark considered to be an icon of the city), the Chihuly Garden and Glass and the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), its Sculpture Gar-

den is made up of four unique pieces – the painted steel Black Lightning of Ronald Bladen (1981); the orange-red painted, steel Olympic Iliad of Alexander Liberman (1984); the bronze Moon Gates of Doris Chase (1999) and the black-painted, steel Moses of Tony Smith (1975). We capped our visit by going up a highspeed elevator of the Space Needle to its flying saucer-shaped, open-air observation deck and restaurant. Here, 160 meters (520 feet) above ground, we had awe-inspiring, dramatic and unobstructed 360-degree views, from seamless floor-to-ceiling glass walls, of the downtown Seattle skyline, front and center, with buildings shimmering in the sun, as well as of Lake Union, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, the inky waters of Elliott Bay, the ever-popular Seattle Great Wheel along the waterfront, and various islands in glittering Puget Sound, with ferries floating around.

Saturday, October 21, 2023 • Editor: Gerard S. Ramos

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GCash launches tools to help users invest their money MOVING, the most viewed series finale ever on Disney+ across APAC, won six awards in Busan International Film Festival (left). GFunds and GStocks PH are innovative avenues for financial growth and wealthbuilding. IMAGES FROM DISNEY+ AND GCASH

HERE is no doubt that GCash has changed the country’s financial landscape. Even before the pandemic, many people were already using GCash but it was in 2020-2022 that the e-wallet platform gained even more users. According to Globe’s 2022 third quarter earnings report, GCash had 71 million registered users at that time. This represented at least 63.9 percent of the Philippine population. GCash is used not just by millennials and Gen Z but other generations, as well. GCash has announced two groundbreaking investment tools: GFunds and GStocks PH, which provide innovative avenues for financial growth and wealth-building. The launch of GFunds and GStocks PH in the GInvest section of the GCash platform has the objective of democratizing wealth-building, opening up what was once an exclusive enclave to more Filipinos. GStocks PH is a channel where you can easily access the Philippine stock market while GFunds is an intuitive investment marketplace. GStocks PH provides GCash users access to stocks of over 280 local companies listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). Transactions don’t require a bank account. For this, AB Capital Securities Inc., GStocks PH’s partner broker, offers Stock Picks as a guide to help you choose the right stocks for your investment. GFunds was originally launched in 2018 under GInvest, a user-friendly platform where you can buy, sell and manage investment funds. GFunds is managed by two of the biggest fund houses in the country, ATR Asset Management (ATRAM) and BPI Wealth. Here is a simple guide provided by GCash on how to use GFunds and GStocks PH: ■ NAVIGATE GINVEST. Within the GCash app, click the GInvest icon, a portal to a range of investment opportunities. ■ PERSONALIZE YOUR INVESTMENT. GFunds presents diverse investment options, from local to global funds. Select the investment that resonates with your financial goals. Beginners can start investing with as little as P50. Through GStocks PH, you can invest in any company for a minimum top-up amount of P1,000. ■ MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS. You can monitor your progress through the GCash app. Watch your investment grow and be guided by Stock Picks from AB Capital Securities Inc. and financial experts from top fund houses like ATRAM, and BPI Wealth.

‘MOVING’ EARNS SIX AWARDS IN BUSAN

I’M so happy to learn that my favorite Disney+ movie

Moving was presented with six awards, including the prestigious Best Creative Award given in honor of content that has delivered the most notable achievements among the nominees, as well as Best Visual Effects at the Busan International Film Festival. Screenwriter Kangfull was honored with the Best Writer award while cast members Ryu Seungryong, Lee Jung-ha, and Go Youn-jung took home the awards for Best Lead Actor, Best Newcomer Actor and Best Newcomer Actress, respectively. Since its debut in August 2023, Moving has become the most viewed series finale ever on Disney+ across APAC, including Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. The show also made headlines after it became the most viewed Korean original series across Disney+. The epic 20-episode series has received critical acclaim for its daring narrative structure, dynamic action sequences, and breathtaking storytelling. My favorite characters in Moving are Kim Bongseok (played by Lee Jung-ha) and Lee Mi-hyun (played by Han Hyo-joo). Bong-seok is a high school student who can fly. This is a power he inherited from his father, played by So Ji-sub. I rarely finish dramas on streaming platforms or anywhere else because I am very impatient but Moving is a story that I really followed every week until its conclusion. I highly recommend it if you want 20 episodes filled with drama, action, and unexpected twists and turns. ■

ICITY aims to recruit 20,000 members BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES ICITY PH, a start-up on-demand mobile application, aims to attract 20,000 merchants by inviting both vendors and service providers into its platform. “The 20K partners will be a combination of both. We have our in-house marketing team that takes care of the recruitment while we actively advertise on Facebook,” said ICITY presisdent Judith Arlyn Vergara in an e-mail interview with BusinessMirror. Vergara added that ICITY has sent letters to agencies and associations, such as NCR Alliance of TVET Schools Association (NATSA) and Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc. (AFFI), which received positive responses from the members of the two organizations. She said ICITY has also formed a dedicated team that will train partner vendors and service providers on utilizing the ICITY dashboard. Further, Vergara said the company will provide comprehensive user guides with step-by-step instructions on app usage. “We also offer strategies, such as leveraging hashtags for SEO, to enhance their stores or services. Moreover, our plan includes hosting regular events where our partners can benefit from insights shared by key speakers and mentors invited by the company,” she said. She said ICITY is highly supportive of nanopreneurs,

extending the same level of treatment offered to wellestablished entrepreneurs. Moreover, Vergara said ICITY also provides nanopreneurs with valuable insights on leveraging technology to accelerate business growth and share success stories of home-started businesses. Being an advocate of gender equality, ICITY’s head office boasts a near equal representation of men, women, and LGBTQ individuals. It also consistently and proudly welcomed female delivery partners without hesitation. Vergara said the commitment to inclusivity extends to all the services we offer through their app. To be able to help students who aspire to become future entrepreneurs, Vergara said ICITY has established a dedicated subcategory called “Online Trending” in the app. The section enables all entrepreneurs of all sizes and educational backgrounds to showcase and sell various types of products. It also welcomes students who engage in reselling popular items. “While having a physical shop is not mandatory for vendors, they are required to submit basic documents to ensure the general safety of the app’s users,” Vergara said. “ICITY PH recognizes the potential of MSMEs as drivers of economic growth. The platform offers a dedicated space for them to showcase their products and services to a wider audience,” she explained.

Telco giant champions Filipino podcast creators with first-ever ‘Hear For It’ podcast festival LEADING telco Globe is once again at the forefront of supporting Filipino creativity, joining ANIMA Podcasts in co-presenting the first-ever Philippine Podcast Festival, “Hear For It!” The event was scheduled at the Glorietta 2 Palm Drive Activity Center in Makati City on October 20, from 10 am to 7 pm. Since the onset of the pandemic, podcasting has emerged as a significant medium, providing both entertainment and information to Filipinos everywhere. Recognizing the potential and passion of local podcast creators, Globe has taken the initiative to help uplift this community. Globe’s participation in the “Hear For It” podcast festival is an extension of the company’s G Creator Series launched in September, which aims to guide every customer toward realizing their potential as creators, enabled by technology. “Globe’s collaboration with ANIMA Podcasts

for the ‘Hear For It’ podcast festival exemplifies our unwavering commitment to nurturing Creator Culture through our innovative G Creator Series. Storytelling is at the heart of designing and creating. Through initiatives like these, Globe continues to uplift the lives of Filipinos, encouraging them to embrace and celebrate their unique voices,” said Pia Gonzalez-Colby, chief marketing officer at Globe. At the festival, participants may access the Globe Creator Pod via the GlobeOne app and support a cause at the same time. By donating two Globe Rewards points to the Globe-led Hapag Movement, they can use the pod for 10 minutes, record their own podcast, and upload it to their own personal file. The Hapag Movement is a Globe-led effort to combat involuntary hunger through supplemental feeding and sustainable livelihood support. Attendees can also look forward to a day filled with insights, inspiration and interaction. On schedules

are thought leadership sessions and panel discussions with some of the country’s most prominent podcast creators from ANIMA Podcasts, The Podcast Network, and Spotify Podcasts, such as: “Paano Ba ‘To?! podcast” by Bianca Gonzalez, “Intellectwalwal” by Victor Anastasio, “Linya Linya Podcast” by Ali Sangalang, “Wake up with Jim and Saab,” “The Koolpals,” “Ang Walang Kwentang Podcast” by Antoinette Jadaone and JP Habac, “Anyare Saeyo?” by Kristel Fulgar and Moy Esguerra, and “Queertuhan” with Roanne and Tina. Aspiring audio creators can also learn about the tools and equipment essential for podcasting, gain insights on how to monetize content, and receive mentorship from seasoned podcasters. Globe customers also get the exciting opportunity to win one of 20 all-access passes to meet their favorite podcast creators through a special raffle. Nore information can be found at www.globe.com.ph.

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Apple exec defends the decision to make Google its default search engine on iPhones and Macs WASHINGTON—A top Apple executive defended the tech giant’s decision to make Google the default search engine on Apple iPhones and Macs, saying there was no “valid alternative.’’ Testifying in the biggest antitrust trial in a quarter century, Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of services, said Tuesday that there wasn’t “anybody as good’’ as Google at helping phone and computer users search the internet. The US Department of Justice has accused Google—a company whose very name is synonymous with scouring the web—of smothering competition by paying Apple, Verizon and other tech companies to make its search engine the first users see when they open their devices. Google counters that it dominates the market because its search engine is better than the competition, a position Cue supported in his testimony. Google also argues that users can, in any event, switch to other search engines with a couple of clicks. The antitrust case, the biggest since the Justice Department went after Microsoft and its dominance of internet browsers 25 years ago, was filed in 2020 during the Trump administration. The trial began September 12 in US District Court in Washington DC. Mikhail Parakhin, Microsoft’s head of advertising and web services, testified Tuesday that Google’s dominance feeds on itself. The more searches Google processes, the more data it collects that can be used to improve future searches. “The more data you have, the better the results are,’’ he said, echoing one of the government’s arguments. Dominating the market helps in other ways, Parakhin said. For example, restaurants are more likely to make sure their location and hours are accurate in results on the leading search engine, while they are far less likely to bother correcting information on smaller search engines. Experience shows, he said, that search engines need 20 percent market share to survive. Otherwise, “their quality degrades rapidly, and they disappear.’’’ Parakhin also recounted his experience battling Google in his previous job as chief technology officer at the Russian search engine Yandex. After Russian regulators required Android phones to let users choose their search engine—instead of letting Google hold the default position—Yandex’s market share rose from 30 percent to 55 percent, he said. Earlier in the proceedings, the government called a behavioral economist, who testified that Google’s default status discourages users from switching search engines, partly because they are reluctant to change ingrained habits. Last week, the founder of the search engine DuckDuckGo, which has about 2.5 percent of the search market, testified that his company struggled to compete because of Google’s revenue-sharing agreements with Apple and other companies. US District Judge Amit Mehta likely won’t issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google broke the law, another trial will determine how to rein in its market power. The Mountain View, California-based company could be stopped from paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine. AP

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • Saturday, October 21, 2023

Xiaomi 13T Pro: A midrange masterpiece S

INCE the Mi 9T, Xiaomi’s T series phones have been my daily drivers for the remainder of the year, up until the release of the next batch of flagships. And while they are really good smartphones, it was still pretty much a midranger trying to live up to that “flagship killer” moniker. The Xiaomi 13T series changes that, as it bridges the gap between its more premium brothers by introducing several firsts to the lineup—notably an IP68 protection rating, and cameras that are “coengineered with Leica.” This is actually one of the easiest reviews I’ve done, and even if you are already using the most recent 12T series, the Xiaomi 13T Pro is an easy recommendation for those planning to upgrade their phones. Besides having a better and brighter display with Dolby Vision and stereo speakers, a flagship Dimensity 9200+ chipset, 120W superfast charging, you can also choose from either a glass or vegan-leather finish. And since this is a phone meant for photography, we’ll start off with its cameras. ■ ITS LEICA MAGIC. While Xiaomi phones have generally good cameras, its collaboration with Leica has notably enhanced its flagship’s imaging capabilities. I wouldn’t be surprised if Xiaomi claims the top position at the DXOMARK rankings in the near future. The Xiaomi 13T Pro has a triple camera setup featuring a 50MP Sony IMX 707 sensor with 24mm f/1.9 wide angle camera with OIS, 50mm f/1.9 telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom, and a 12MP 15mm f/2.2 ultrawide lens. Upon launching the camera app for the first time, you’re prompted to choose between two processing modes: Leica Vibrant (default) and Leica Authentic. While you can toggle between these modes, there’s no standard or nonLeica auto mode available. These two original Leica photographic styles, automatically tunes the image according to lighting conditions and the shooting environment to give your photos that remarkable Leica quality and character. The Xiaomi 13T series sets a new standard in professional lens craftsmanship with its Leica professional optical lens. This 7P aspherical high transmittance lens features breakthrough material design upgrades, including new components like IR filters to reduce unwanted infrared light, ink-edge coating to reduce glare in bright scenes, and COC material which improve light transmittance. The camera app UI of the Xiaomi 13T series has been redesigned to provide users with a clearer and more user-friendly experience. There’s also a distinctive red accent color, perhaps a nod to the

Leica collaboration. Swipe down to access flash, aspect ratio, HDR, timer and other settings. With the drop-down menu, you can now perform most operations single-handedly. The professional mode has also been completely redesigned, making it easy for professional photographers to customize all parameters effortlessly. The 13T Pro doesn’t just cater to planned shots; it’s stellar for spontaneous captures. Its imaging engine, along with ProFocus tech, promises sharp, detailed images, from closeups of animals to vibrant cityscapes. Like I said, this Leica collaboration has totally elevated the photography game of the T series, and I was truly impressed by how this smartphone performed in diverse situations. In broad daylight and good lighting conditions, photos exude a very natural feel with excellent details. Images captured in night mode are also quite good with heightened saturation and contrast to make images much clearer. This enhancement leads to captivating photo and video results, especially with the night mode video feature. As for portrait images, there are times when the camera struggles to focus, and some occasional hiccups in determining the areas to blur. However, once the camera grasps the intended focal point, the results are stellar. One thing about portrait mode is you have the option to select the bokeh style—be it Documentary (with a 35mm lens), Swirl Bokeh (using a 50mm lens), or Soft Focus (utilizing a 90mm lens). Each of these options introduces a unique creative flair to each photo. The only problem I have with this entire camera setup is the selfie cam. While it still takes good photos, the quality could be better. I also wish the next iteration would have an option for a wider angle so

you could fit more people in the frame, so I don’t have to resort to the “GEN Z” selfie which results in huge foreheads, super long arms, and tiny bodies. ■ GLASS OR VEGAN LEATHER? For the first time, Xiaomi 13T series comes with Xiaomi BioComfort vegan leather on the Alpine Blue version. This vegan leather surface is composed of multiple layers of materials to improve wear and scratch resistance while offering a great hand feel. More importantly, all materials and production processes are kept environmentally friendly. If you opt for the glass variant, you can choose between the glossy Meadow Green or the sleek Black rear panels. It does retain the same size and heft of its predecessors, so expect it to be a bit on the heavy side. At the front, the device sports a smooth, flat panel with Gorilla Glass 5 protection, while the rear panel subtly curves along the longer sides to give you a better grip and make the device seem slimmer than it actually is. ■ SUPERFAST CHARGING: Finally, the Xiaomi 13T Pro is powered by a 5000mAh (typ) battery which easily lasted us more than a day of moderate use. It also comes with a 120W HyperCharge adaptor which can charge the device from 0 to 100 percent in about 25 minutes—faster than my morning rituals.

FINAL WORD: The Xiaomi 13T Pro presents a

total package, with an excellent display, flagship performance, superfast charging speeds and that Alpine Blue vegan leather finish is just absolutely gorgeous. And with its collaboration with Leica, you get one of the most versatile smartphone cameras that offer superior imaging capabilities, vibrant and authentic photographic styles to help you capture that “masterpiece in sight.” ■

Onus on millennials and Gen X to dispel Gen Z and baby boomer tech doubts HP has revealed 56 percent of millennials (27 to 42-yearolds) and 55 percent of Gen X (43 to 58-year-olds) strongly believe that adopting technology for business is a smart choice for the future. But findings from the HP Smart Where IT Matters Study show a generational gap is apparent, as Gen Z microbusiness owners now sit alongside baby boomers in displaying high levels of doubt and resistance to technology adoption in the Asian markets of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Across the region, 77 percent of microbusinesses view technology as critical in helping mitigate business challenges. Countering this positive technology sentiment are the 69 percent of baby boomers (59 years and above) who see no clear benefit or return from investing in technology. Surprisingly, 57 percent of digital-native Gen Z (19 to 26-yearolds) also share similar doubts on the benefits of technology investments. Similar to their regional counterparts, almost 60 percent of Gen Z and 71 percent of baby boomers in the Philippines are skeptical of investing in technology for their businesses. Additionally, only 36 percent of Gen Z and 22 percent of Gen X have a strong belief that technology is

one of the key solutions to mitigating business challenges. Meanwhile, over 50 percent of millennials expressed a strong belief in technology’s relevance in business, with 66 percent agreeing that adopting technology for business is a smart choice for the future. The study conducted by research firm Kantar and commissioned by HP, surveyed approximately 1,200 microbusiness owners to explore the dynamics of technology adoption in Southeast Asia. The study findings suggest that for microbusinesses to thrive in the digital age, Gen X and millennials must take the lead to dispel lingering technology fear, uncertainty and doubt. Over 70 percent of all microbusinesses fear the complexity and security of new emerging technologies, which highlights the prevailing challenge that business owners face when considering new investments. “HP recognizes the vital importance of thriving microbusinesses to the growth of Philippines’ economy. Microbusiness owners want to beat the competition, grow customers and revenue, be more efficient with time and money, so technology cannot be complex and intimidating.

Technology simply has to work, be seamless, secure, and today it must also be sustainable,” said Christian Reyes, managing director of HP Philippines. “HP is committed to building technology that is smart where it matters most, and builds trust while empowering businesses of all generations and sizes to thrive in the emerging digital economy with confidence and ease.” While doubts remain, they have not stopped microbusinesses making the most of technology where the ROI has been clear and obvious. One key finding showed that 85 percent of microbusinesses in the region use smartphones and tablets to run their business, with 59 percent also using printers for business. HP has ensured the same level of technology convenience and simplicity with its recently launched HP Smart Tank 700 and 500 Series printers. Both feature the best-in-class HP Smart App that enables full mobile capability that is core to a smarter user experience. The HP study also highlights how business owners across Southeast Asia value simple smarts with 55 percent citing the ability to print and scan directly through mobile as a highly valued feature, while 56 percent

value the ability to scan documents and share instantly on the cloud. “Technologies like the HP Smart Tank and HP Smart App remove complexity by providing a smart print experience that works from anywhere, anytime, any device. In light of today’s business owner priorities, the ability to provide seamless, smart and sustainable printing on the go with high capacity and performance, can be critical to the smooth running of fast-growing microbusinesses everywhere,” Reyes added. In the Philippines, microbusinesses seek a printer that prioritizes multi-function capabilities (36 percent), speed (39 percent), and a user-friendly interface (41 percent). HP Smart Tank is an example of a simple, no-fuss technology that helps businesses overcome prevailing fear uncertainty and doubt. HP’s belief is that for microbusinesses especially, technology matters most to them when it can be: trusted to operate seamlessly—providing a no-fuss experience that just works; trusted to perform for a better business—deliver reliable performance as promised with security; and trusted for a better planet—driving a sustainable business and lifestyle.

Sports BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, October 21, 2023

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

Filipino Warriors drop heartbreaker against Afghans

THE Philippines’ John Rey Escalante (center) and Afghanistan’s Asadullah Abdul Rahimzai (right) scramble for the loose ball. PSC MEDIA POOL

Sen. ‘Tol’ praises 1st ROTC Games

ENATOR Francis “Tol” Tolentino expressed his unwavering gratitude to the men and women behind the success of the inaugural Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Games whose National Finals start Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila. The elaborate opening ceremony will take place at the Cuneta Astrodome at 1 p.m. “There were many challenges especially in logistics and the transportation of the athletes coming from various parts of the country,” Tolentino said. “Add the shipment of equipment and billeting of participants—but all these we have overcome.” Tolentino, the brainchild of the program, praised the officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and partner agencies Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission headed by chairman Richard Bachmann. All medalists numbering 800 from the Luzon leg (Cavite), Visayas (Iloilo), Zamboanga (Mindanao) and National Capital Region (Manila and Pasig) had just arrived to lead their schools in athletics, arnis, boxing, kickboxing, 3x3 basketball, e-sports and volleyball.

Arum on Ancajas fight vs Takuma: Interesting duel

OP R ANK big boss Bob Arum described former world titleholder Jerwin “The Pretty Boy” Ancajas’s fight against reigning World Boxing Association bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue of Japan “an interesting fight.” “It’s going to be interesting,” said Arum of the November 15 showdown at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo organized by big time Japanese promoter Akihiko Honda. Arum said Ancajas gets his chance to return to the elite circle of world boxing after his forgettable 2022 when he lost to Argentina’s Fernando Daniel Martinez twice for the International Boxing Federation super flyweight belt. It will be Ancajas’s second fight at 118 lbs since beating Wilner Soto of Colombia in his bantamweight debut via a fifth-round technical knockout in June in Minnesota. The fight will be aired on ESPN+. Arum added the title fight would be a great opportunity for Ancajas (34-3-2 win-loss-draw record with 23 knockouts) to prove his worth in a new weight division. “It’s always a great opportunity when you are fighting for a world title,” Arum said. Takuma is sporting an 18-1 win-loss record with four knockouts, which pales in comparison to his 30-year-old brother Naoya’s 25-0 record with 22 knockouts. He’s the current World Boxing Council and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion. Josef Ramos

What discrimination? IOC hits back at Putin RUSSIAN president Vladimir Putin’s complaining but the International Olympic Committee, headed by Thomas Bach, is quick with its answers. AP

AUSANNE, Switzerland— The International Olympic Committee (IOC) dismissed on Friday claims by Russian President Vladimir Putin of “ethnic discrimination” against athletes who are excluded from international sport. The IOC has advised sports bodies this year to vet Russian athletes for returning to compete as neutral individuals without a national identity ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics while continuing to exclude teams.

Neutral status can be approved for athletes who have not actively supported the war and are not contracted to military or state security agencies, though there have been inconsistencies in how dozens of different sports have applied rules. “We firmly reject the accusations being made that these measures are an ‘ethnic discrimination,’” the IOC said in a statement one day after Putin’s speech. “They are a reaction to the breach of the Olympic Charter by the Russian and Belarusian

governments,” the Olympic body said, referring to the military invasion of Ukraine starting in February 2022 four days after the Beijing Winter Games closed. The United Nations-backed Olympic Truce was still in force. Putin also reportedly complained Thursday that invitations to the Olympics were not being given as a right for the best athletes. However, the Olympic Charter details: “Nobody is entitled as of right to participate in the Olympic Games.” “Any entry is subject to acceptance by the IOC, which may at its discretion, at any time, refuse any entry, without indication of grounds” is stated in article 44 of the book of rules and principles guiding Olympic sports. Though the IOC last year urged a blanket isolation of Russia and Belarus from international sport, that position eased to become an aim to avoid discrimination based on an individual’s passport once qualifying events for Paris approached. The IOC said Friday the “strict conditions” it has defined for evaluating “individual neutral athletes with a Russian or Belarusian passport” comply with the charter. The charter also states each

national Olympic committee (NOC) “is obliged to participate in the Games of the Olympiad by sending athletes.” Though the IOC suspended the Russian NOC last week—for incorporating as members sports councils from occupied regions of eastern Ukraine—it can still directly invite athletes through the governing body of their sport. IOC president Thomas Bach also has consistently said it is empowered to take a decision that could exclude all Russians from Paris ahead of the July 26 opening ceremony. Organizers of next year’s Paris Olympics said their headquarters have again been visited by French financial prosecutors who are investigating suspicions of favoritism, conflicts of interest and misuse of funds in the awarding of contracts. The Paris organizing committee said Thursday in a short statement that the national financial prosecution service visited its north Paris offices on Wednesday “and obtained all the information it requested.” “Paris 2024 is cooperating fully with the investigation, as it has always done,” the statement said. The headquarters were first searched in June. AP

Cool Smashers, HD Spikers clash in key PVL showdown in Batangas

REAMLINE and Cignal mix it up Saturday in an early clash of title contenders as the Premier Volleyball League heads to Batangas City for the first of several out-of-town games calendared for the season-ending All-Filipino Conference. The Cool Smashers, bucking the loss of two key players, trounced the Choco Mucho Flying Titans in four while the HD Spikers, who also played without two of their anchors, tripped the PLDT High Speed Hitters via the same fashion to launch their respective title bids at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday. That makes their 6 p.m. clash at the Batangas City Sports Center worth seeing with an early share of the lead with idle Chery Tiggo at stake in the main dish of a twinbill that also pits Petro Gazz against Gerflor at 4 p.m. The Angels, who swept the Galeries Tower Highrisers last Tuesday, likewise gun for a lead share against

the Defenders, who yielded a threesetter to the surprising Nxled Chameleons also last Sunday. But all eyes will be on the Cool Smashers-HD Spikers’ face-off with coaches Sherwin Meneses and Shaq delos Santos expected to come up with new ploys to startle the other side’s play-patterns in pursuit of a key win in the single round elims among record 12 teams. One thing going for the defending champions, however, is that they will have the crowd support with homegrown talent Alyssa Valdez likely to start out after a limited stint against the Flying Titans where she just played in the last two sets and scored four points. Bernadette Pons, who sizzled with a career-high 22 points the first time out, hopes to sustain her form while the heavy-hitting Michele Gumabao is raring to come up with a follow-up to her big 20-point game.

Tallo leaves ‘Chooks’ program, 3x3 career

HOOKS-TO-GO Pilipinas, a leading force in Philippine 3x3 basketball, announced the departure of Mac Tallo, a talented and dedicated athlete who has made a remarkable impact on the world of 3x3 basketball. While his heart is with 5-on-5 basketball, Tallo’s journey in 3x3 basketball has been nothing short of extraordinary. Vice President of Chooks Inc. Mel Macasaquit expressed the organization’s heartfelt gratitude for Tallo’s invaluable contributions to Philippine 3x3 basketball. “Chooks Pilipinas is grateful for the service Tallo has done for

the country, including being the country’s number one-ranked 3x3 player,” Macasaquit said. “Tallo has exemplified the spirit of dedication, hard work, and passion that defines Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas.” “Tallo’s transition to 3x3 basketball showcased his adaptability and resilience. His performances on the court have brought pride and inspiration to fans across the nation,” Macasaquit added. Tallo’s dedication and talent have left an indelible mark on Chooks-toGo Pilipinas and the broader world of FIBA 3x3. In his last exploits under Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas, the proud

HE Philippines fell short of its comeback bid and took a 49-53 heartbreaker at the hands of Afghanistan Friday in the 4th Hangzhou Asian Para Games wheelchair basketball tournament at the Hangzhou Olympic Center Gymnasium in China. The Pilipinas Warriors came tantalizingly close in upending the Afghans, inching to within 49-50 with 1:32 to go on Kenneth Christopher Tapia’s drive but couldn’t get over the hump in absorbing their second straight loss in Group A. That proved to be the Filipinos’ last basket as Sayed Wasim Sadat and Fazal Aziz Malik combined for the last three points in the waning seconds as the Afghans bounced back from their 33-91 thrashing of Iran the previous day. With big man Alfie Cabañog closely marked anew and held to eight points, it was left to Kenneth Christopher Tapia and John Rey Escalante to carry the cudgels for the Pilipinas Warriors with 22 and 14 points, respectively. The charges of coach Vernon Perea will try to record their first win in their games debut against Southeast Asian tormentor Thailand, which fell to China, 65-70, in the other group match, at 11 a.m. Saturday in the outing backed by the Philippine Sports Commission. Arsalah Afzali proved to be a huge thorn with one clutch basket after another in pacing Afghanistan with 20 points while bull-strong Asadulla Abdulla Rahimzai added 10 points. Despite the loss, Perea still commended the squad. “It was very close game compared to the previous one but there were breaks that didn’t go our way in the end,” Perea said. “The last five minutes were very crucial.” “That is why I always tell the boys to relax because we perform and execute better that way,” he added. Perea could not help but note that their rivals tried to bully his boys citing the case of Tapia, whose left hand was run over by one of the Afghan players in the second quarter. “I was contesting to the referee that it was not a regular foul and it happened again,” he said. He, however, continued to encourage his players as they faced the Thais, who have relegated the Pilipinas Warriors to bridesmaids twice in a row in the ASEAN Para Games in 2022 and this year’s editions in Indonesia and Cambodia, respectively. Down 18-30 at the break, the Warriors came to life as Escalante sank six points in presiding over a pivotal 12-2 run in the third quarter capped by Cabañog’s short basket to draw within 30-32 that transformed the complexion of the game. Afzali was there to break the PH squad’s stride with a basket to hold the opposition at bay.

BERNADETH PONS and the Cool Smashers are bringing their volleyball smarts out of town.

Cebuano led Manila Chooks! to a stunning win over world No. 12 Futian during the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Cebu Masters. That moment inspired the remaining members of Manila Chooks!, who went on to stun world No. 3 Antwerp in the 2023 FIBA 3x3 Al Bidda Park Challenger on Tuesday evening. As he returns to the world of 5-on-5 basketball, the Chooks family extends its best wishes to Mac, confident that he will continue to make waves and achieve great success in his future endeavors. Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas wishes Mac Tallo the very best in all his future basketball pursuits and expresses profound gratitude for his significant contributions to the sport of 3x3 basketball.

Generals put off Blazers in ‘NC’ hoops

MILIO AGUINALDO College (EAC) tightened its defense in the fourth quarter to beat College of Saint Benilde, 78-76, Friday to return to the magic four in National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99 seniors basketball action at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan. The Generals held the Blazers to just three points in the last three minutes while scoring seven to snare their fifth win in eight outings. Saint Benilde crashed to the bottom half with a 4-4 card. EAC team captain JP Maguliano and the Generals’ shackling defense doomed the Blazers.

“We made some adjustments in our defense, half court press, and we were able to catch them,” EAC coach Jerson Cabiltes said. Maguliano finished with 17 points, including three clutch free throws and 12 rebounds. “I was able to play well because of my teammates,” Maguliano said. Diminutive but big-hearted guard Kyle Ochavo also came thuprough big with nine points, seven rebounds and seven assists. “He’s good but just like any other rookie, he commits mistakes and he needs to learn more,” said Cabiltes of Ochavo.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso

TheWorld BusinessMirror

Saturday, October 21, 2023 A11

Gaza awaits aid from Egypt as Israel prepares troops for ground assault

HAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip—Israel pounded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes Thursday, including in the south where Palestinians were told to take refuge, and the country’s defense minister ordered ground troops to “be ready” to invade, though he didn’t say when.

Gaza’s over whelmed hospitals tried to stretch out ebbing medical supplies and fuel for generators, as authorities worked out logistics for an aid delivery from Egypt. Doctors in darkened wards across Gaza performed surgeries by the light of mobile phones and used vinegar to treat infected wounds. Meanwhile, an unclassified US intelligence assessment delivered to Congress estimated casualties in an explosion at a Gaza City hospital this week on the “low end” of 100 to 300 deaths. The death toll “still reflects a staggering loss of life,” US intelligence officials said

in the report, seen by The Associated Press. It said intelligence officials were still assessing the evidence and their casualty estimate may evolve. President Joe Biden and other US officials already have said that US intelligence officials believe the explosion at al-Ahli Hospital was not caused by an Israeli airstrike. Thursday’s findings echoed that. The Israeli military has relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for the devastating October 7 Hamas rampage in southern Israel. Even after Israel told Palestinians to evacuate the north of Gaza and flee south, strikes extended across

ISRAELI Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel, Thursday, October 19, 2023. AP

the territory, heightening fears among the territory’s 2.3 million people that nowhere was safe. Palestinian militants fired rockets into Israel from Gaza and Lebanon, and tensions flared in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In a fiery speech to Israeli infantry soldiers on the Gaza border, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant urged the forces to “get organized, be ready” to move in. Israel has massed tens of thousands of troops along the border.

“Whoever sees Gaza from afar now, will see it from the inside,” he said. “It might take a week, a month, two months until we destroy them,” he added, referring to Hamas. Israel’s consent for Egypt to let

in food, water and medicine provided the first possible opening in its seal of the territory. Many Gaza residents are down to one meal a day and drinking dirty water. Egypt and Israel were still negotiating the entry of fuel for hospitals. Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Hamas has stolen fuel from UN facilities and Israel wanted assurances this won’t happen. The first trucks of aid were expected to go in Friday, Egypt’s state-owned AlQahera news reported. With the Egypt-Gaza border crossing in Rafah closed, the already dire conditions at Gaza’s second-largest hospital deteriorated further, said Dr. Mohammed Qandeel of Nasser Hospital in the southern town of Khan Younis. Power was shut off in most of the hospital and medical staff were using mobile phones for light. At least 80 wounded civilians and 12 dead flooded into the hospital after witnesses said a strike hit a residential building in Khan Younis. Doctors had no choice but to leave two to die because there were no ventilators, Qandeel said. “We can’t save more lives if this keeps happening,” he said. AP

Canada removes 41 diplomats from India after China continues nuclear buildup with 500 warheads, Pentagon says New Delhi threatens to revoke their immunity

ORONTO—Canada’s foreign minister said Thursday that the country has recalled 41 of its diplomats from India after the Indian government said it would revoke their diplomatic immunity, escalating a spat over the slaying of a Sikh separatist in Canada. The moves come after Canada’s allegations that India may have been involved in the June killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar in suburban Vancouver. India has accused Canada of harboring separatists and “terrorists,” but dismissed the allegation of its involvement in the killing as “absurd” and has taken diplomatic steps to express its anger over the accusation. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said Thursday that 41 of Canada’s 62 diplomats in India have been removed, along with their dependents. Joly said exceptions have been made for 21 Canadian diplomats who will remain in India. “Forty one Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents were in danger of having their immunity stripped on an arbitrary date and this would put their personal safety at risk,” Joly said. “Our diplomats and their families have now left.” Joly said removing diplomatic immunity is not only unprecedented but contrary to international law, and said for that reason Canada wouldn’t threaten to do the same thing with Indian diplomats. “A unilateral revocation of the diplomatic privilege and immunity is contrary to international law and a clear violation of the Geneva Convention on diplomatic relations. Threatening to do so is unreasonable and escalatory,” Joly said. Joly said India’s decision will impact the level of services to citizens of both countries. She said Canada is pausing in-person services in Chandigarh, Mumbai and Bangalore. India’s Ministry of External Af-

fairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had previously called for a reduction in Canadian diplomats in India, saying they outnumbered India’s staffing in Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last month that there were “credible allegations” of Indian involvement in the slaying of Nijjar, a 45-year-old Sikh leader who was killed by masked gunmen in June in Surrey, outside Vancouver. For years, India had said that Nijjar, a Canadian citizen born in India, had links to terrorism, an allegation Nijjar denied. India also has canceled visas for Canadians, and Canada has not retaliated for that. India previously expelled a senior Canadian diplomat after Canada expelled a senior Indian diplomat. Trudeau has previously appeared to try to calm the diplomatic clash, telling reporters that Canada is “not looking to provoke or escalate.” The allegation of India’s involvement in the killing is based in part on the surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, including intelligence provided by a major ally, a separate Canadian official previously told The Associated Press. The official said that the communications involved Indian officials and diplomats in Canada and that some of the intelligence was provided by a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, which includes the United

States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Canada. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The latest expulsions by India have escalated tensions between the countries. Trudeau had frosty encounters with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the recent Group of 20 meeting in New Delhi, and a few days later, Canada canceled a trade mission to India planned for the fall. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with India’s foreign minister amid the simmering

row. A US official said the topic was raised. US officials have acknowledged that the fallout from the allegations could have an impact on relations with India, but have been careful not to cast blame in the killing of Nijjar. Nijjar, a plumber, was also a leader in what remains of a oncestrong movement to create an independent Sikh homeland, known as Khalistan. A bloody decade-long Sikh insurgency shook north India in the 1970s and 1980s, until it was crushed in a government crackdown in which thousands of people were killed, including prominent Sikh leaders. AP

HINA continues efforts to modernize, diversify and expand its nuclear arsenal, with about 500 operational warheads today and more than 1,000 likely by 2030, the Pentagon said. In an annual report to Congress on military and security developments in China, the Defense Department said it expects China to continue its expansion and modernization efforts through 2035 in service of President Xi Jinping’s objective of achieving “world class” status for the country’s military by 2049. China “probably will use its new fast breeder reactors and reprocessing facilities to produce plutonium for its nuclear weapons program, despite publicly maintaining these technologies are intended for peaceful purposes,” according to the report. According to US estimates, China probably completed construction of three

new solid-propellant silo fields —totaling at least 300 new intercontinental ballistic missile silos—in 2022, “and has loaded at least some” intercontinental ballistic missiles into the silos. A senior Defense Department official, speaking to reporters Wednesday on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive subject, played down concerns that China has recently accelerated its nuclear buildup, saying that projections become less reliable and additional variables come into play as the years go on. The US will continue to urge China to be more transparent about its nuclear capabilities, the Defense Department official said, suggesting that its prior resistance to transparency may have owed to the numerical advantage held by the US and Russia. Bloomberg News

A12 Saturday, October 21, 2023

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Asean calls for cease-fire, respect for intl humanitarian law amid Israel-Hamas war By Malou Talosig-Bartolome

OURS before meeting the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh, Asean issued a joint statement on the IsraelHamas war, calling for a cease-fire and respect for international humanitarian law. Fo r e i g n m i n i s t e r s o f A s e a n stopped short of directly implicating either or both the Hamas militants and Israel for the October 7 attacks in southern Israel that killed 1,400 people, including four Filipinos, and Israel for its retaliatory action directed at Gaza Strip that killed 3,400 people. Around 42 percent of Asean members—around 240 million—are Muslims, mostly coming from Indonesia,

Malaysia and Brunei. They have long supported the Palestinian cause, and Malaysia even maintains relations with the Palestinian faction Hamas. However, non-Muslim predominated countries the Philippines and Singapore condemned the October 7 attacks. “We strongly condemn the acts of violence which have led to the deaths and injury of civilians, including Asean nationals,” the ministers said in a carefully worded statement posted on its website Friday. They added that they are “gravely concerned over the recent escalation of armed conflicts in the Middle East.” “We urge for the immediate end of violence to avoid further human casualties and call for the full respect of International Humanitarian Law.

We call on all parties to create safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian corridors,” the ministers said. Asean leaders including Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met the leaders of the GCC in Saudi Arabia Friday to craft a common vision for the two regional blocs. A l l the GCC members—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman—are dominated by Muslims. “We further call on all parties to protect and ensure safety and security to all civilians, including Asean nationals, and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages,” they said. Thailand has the most number of hostages taken by Hamas at 17. The

Go calls for stronger economic recovery effort after Covid-19

N a video message conveyed during his team’s visit to Carmen and Batuan, Bohol, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed his steadfast commitment to advocate for more pro-poor initiatives and bolster support measures, aiming for a more inclusive economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic and other crises. “Prayoridad ko ang pagsuporta sa pro-poor programs at dapat po ay sikapin ng gobyerno na walang magutom na Pilipino . ‘Yan po ang pakiusap ko parati sa Executive,” said Go. Go’s team, in collaboration with Board Member Nathaniel Binlod, distributed shirts, snacks, and balls for basketball and volleyball

to 548 displaced workers gathered at the Carmen Gym on Monday, October 16. The recipients were also eligible to receive benefits from the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program. “Patuloy tayong magbigay ng oportunidad at pag-asa sa mga manggagawang Pilipino na nawalan ng trabaho o kabuhayan dahil sa mga pagsubok na hinaharap natin. Sa pamamagitan ng ganitong mga programa, marami sa ating mga kababayan ang mabibigyan ng pagkakataon na magkaroon ng pansamantalang trabaho at kumita ng maayos para sa kanilang pamilya,” Go stressed.

In his commitment to promoting inclusive economic recovery, Go underscored the significance of safeguarding the welfare of all sectors, with particular attention to those residing in rural areas. He introduced Senate Bill No. 420, which seeks to institutionalize a framework for offering temporary employment to eligible members of underprivileged households in rural regions. If enacted into law, the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be established within DOLE. REAP’s primary goal is to furnish temporary job prospects to individuals who meet the criteria of being economically disadvantaged, impoverished, displaced, or seasonal workers.

Philippines has two missing nationals from southern Israel, and Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss said they are assuming they are also taken as hostages too. The Asean ministers reiterated their support for a two-State solution that would allow Israelis and Palestinians to live side-by-side “in peace and security consistent with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.” The two-state solution supports the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, alongside Israel. But setting the boundaries that would constitute Palestine and Israel is one of the stickiest points of debate. Hamas had earlier opposed the two-state solution. “We urge the international community to support the peace process in order to ensure long lasting peace and stability in the region,” the Asean added.

LGBT+ people are also ‘human beings’–CBCP

EOPLE with same-sex attraction are to be looked at as “human beings,” according President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Bishop Pablo David at a press briefing with synod delegates on Wednesday. This is David’s way of offering a “Filipino and Asian perspective”on how the church could move forward in its outreach toward people with same-sex attraction. He contrasted the notion of northern hemisphere narrative that tends to resort to various labels, according to a CBCP News report. “I’m looking at this from a Filipino and Asian perspective and I can see this is a real concern especially in northern hemisphere...I’m not being critical of the culture of the northern hemisphere but I see strong tendency to label people [based on] gender, sexuality, political affiliation, religion and all of that,” said David. He explained that this perspective can be found in language and is mirrored by Christ’s outreach to all “potential sons and daughters” of God. “Where I come from we’re just human beings. In the Filipino language, there is a same word for man and woman. If I’m talking about a person I just say ‘tao’ and that ‘tao’ can be a man—male or female, a man or a woman,” David explained. He compared their situation to Jesus who was “accused of socializing with people of bad reputation, with tax collectors, prostitutes, and sinners.” Jesus, according to David, didn’t mind being in the company of others as they are also human beings and they are also sons and daughters of God. “We try to follow that mindset,” he said. Patrick V. Miguel

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No more foreign terrorists in the country, military says

HERE are no more foreign terrorists in the country, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Thursday. “As of last report, there are no more foreign terrorists in the country,” he said when asked about the possible effects of the Israel-Hamas conflict to the country during the forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) . Earlier, Hamas called on Muslims worldwide to protect the ongoing conflict and those residing in countries near the fighting to come out and help their comrades. Also, monitoring by various agencies showed that there were no possible entries of these individuals in the Philippines, he added.

“We were quite concerned with the call of Hamas because of the experiences that we have when it comes to terrorism but as we monitor the situation in the country, we are happy to note that so far there are no indications of any terrorist groups heeding the call of jihad,” Brawner said in the FOCAP briefing. As an added safety measure, Brawner said that they have alerted all AFP ground commanders and even those of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be on the lookout for any spillover related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. “We have alerted our commanders nationwide for the AFP and the PNP to be alert, to be on the lookout for any of these possible spillovers of the events that’s happening in Gaza,” he added. R ex Anthony Naval

AFP chief says NPA threat to be neutralized this year

HE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said that it is on track to ensure that the remaining New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents in the country are neutralized and no longer capable of conducting terroristic attacks. AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., in a forum organized by the Foreign Co r re s p o n d e nt s A s s o c i at i o n o f t h e Philippines, made this statement after noting that 2,658 NPA insurgents and their allies have so far been neutralized by government forces from January 1 to August 17 this year. Of these, 124 were killed during clashes with military units while 2,447 have surrendered to government troops, and 87 arrested during the period mentioned. “[As] far as the communist terrorist group is concerned we are again happy to report that we have already neutralized most of the guerrilla fronts that are in the country...we have weakened a lot of them and there are now just a few armed elements operating in the country,” Brawner said during the briefing with FOCAP.

He attributed this decline of the insurgents to the neutralization of their key leaders since last year. “Since last year, with the neutralization of their top, key leaders we have seen a widespread surrender of fighters and also with the death of [Communist Party of the Philippine founding chair Jose Maria] ‘Joma’ Sison now we see that there are [already] losing the ideology,” Brawner said. With these developments, the AFP chief said that they are on target to achieve their goal of neutralizing the NPAs within the year. “When we say neutralize it doesn’t mean that we are going for total annihilation, it’s impossible to do that but what we are trying to say is that by the end of the year most of these horizontal and vertical formations, horizontal these are the guerilla fronts, vertical formations are the small armed units that would go around to wreak havoc in the communities. So we are hoping that by the end of the year they will be inconsequential, not be able to launch any terroristic activities anymore,” Brawner said. Rex Anthony Naval

CSC issues ‘reminders’ to government workers as BSKE campaign period starts

OLLOWING the start of the campaign period, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) reminded state workers to refrain from participating in electioneering and partisan activities in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE). Pursuant to the 1987 Constitution and CSC-

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Joint Circular 1-16, no officer or employee in the civil service shall engage in promoting the election or defeat of a specific candidate or party to public office. The prohibition is for permanent, temporary, contractual, and casual workers of the civil service who are employed in all branches, subdivisions, instrumentalities, and agencies of the Philippines. This also includes career officers holding political offices in an acting or officer-in-charge (OIC) capacity, and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP). “This precautionary measure underscores our commitment to maintaining the integrity and neutrality of the public service,” said CSC chairperson Karlo Nograles. Based on the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service, workers found guilty of engaging directly or indirectly in partisan political activities will face a penalty of one month and one day to six months suspension for the first offense. For the second offense, workers will be dismissed from the service. Government workers are also prohibited from forming associations, holding meetings, making speeches and commentaries, and publishing and distributing campaign materials to solicit a candidate or party. Moreover, they are banned from wearing partisan shirts and accessories, giving transactional contributions, and being members of a political party. Lastly, they are forbidden to use government resources such as personnel, including job orders or contract of service hires, time, and properties for political purposes. With regards to social media use, workers may repost, share, like, comment, or follow a candidate or a party “as long as they do not explicitly solicit support” during campaign period. BSKE campaign period kicked off on Thursday, and will last until October 28. Patrick V. Miguel

BusinessMirror

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ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

No.

AB LEISURE EXPONENT, INC. 5/f Sm Megamall Bldg. D, J Vargas, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

ZHU, WENQING After Sales/Chinese Customer Service Manager

GAO, JIE Mandarin Assistant Director

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Assisting director in planning and prioritizing all tasks.

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

LIU, DANENG Mandarin Operations Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record.

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

RICKY Mandarin Operations Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record.

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

LI, XINYANG Mandarin Operations Team Leader

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Develop a strategy.

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

SUN, LIHANG Mandarin Operations Team Leader

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

ONO, MAKOTO President/CEO

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

Brief Job Description: Preside in stockholder’s meetings. Initiate and develop corporate objectives and policies and formulate long range projects, plan and programs for the approval of the Board of Directors.

Brief Job Description: Develop a strategy.

15.

WANG, MEI-FANG Mandarin Accounts Staff

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Assist in determining pricing quotes for customers.

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

CHEN, PO-CHENG Mandarin Human Resource (HR) Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Recruiting staff who can speak Mandarin.

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

CHIN FUI KEN Mandarin Operations Specialist

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record.

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

ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of Parañaque NGO THI THUY LINH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative 9.

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

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

CHOI, EUNJUNG Sales Consultant Executive 16.

AGRAZAL RODRIGUEZ, MICHAEL ADEMIR Superintendent 10.

Brief Job Description: Implement a safety, health, and environment plan for their part of the project.

Basic Qualification: Minimum 3 years of extensive work experience with an international dredging company. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

Brief Job Description: Set sales targets and goals for the company. Analyze and monitor sales metrics and their effectiveness.

17.

11.

Brief Job Description: Installs, modifies, and makes minor repairs to computer hardware and software systems. Resolves tickets representing staff-generated technical requests and troubleshoots technical and process issues to maintain productivity.

TRAN THUY DIEM PHUONG Technical Support 12.

WONG, CUEI-PING Technical Support 13.

Basic Qualification: Proficiency with database languages. Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. The ability to communicate technical information in an accessible manner to nontechnical employees.

CHENG, QIANG Chinese Speaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician 18.

Brief Job Description: Monitor network performance and troubleshoot problem areas as required. SONG, TONG Chinese Speaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

19.

Brief Job Description: Monitor network performance and troubleshoot problem areas as required.

Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 Basic Qualification: Proficiency with database languages. Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. The ability to communicate technical information in an accessible manner to nontechnical employees.

SEAH SEOW KWANG Chinese Head Chef 20.

Brief Job Description: Directly reporting to Exec. Vice President/CEO and create authentic Asian dishes.

HUANG, HUANHUAN After Sales/Chinese Customer Service Manager 14.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for optimizing all aspects of the after sales experience for the customer and maintaining customer relationships to measure satisfaction and encourage future sales.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With extensive experience in Chinese customer relationship management industry. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

26.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With at least 1 year of work experience in a related position.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. JLPT N1 passer. Fluent in English and Japanese languages. With at least 5 years of work experience in a related industry. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

28.

Basic Qualification: With minimum 10 years of experience related to the position and fluent in Mandarin/English language.

CHHABRA, VARUN Senior Manager - Finance 29.

21.

DEB NARAYAN PRASAD Deputy General Manager Brief Job Description: Manage site level and portfolio level P&L (margin).

30.

31.

32.

33.

LEE LEONG HONG Senior Track Manager 22.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for overseeing and optimizing the transportation and tracking of goods within our organization’s logistics and supply chain operations.

34.

23.

24.

Brief Job Description: Manage incoming and outgoing calls, chats and emails.

THAM, TUONG QUAN Vietnamese Speaking Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Manage incoming and outgoing calls, chats and emails.

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

35.

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

EASTVANTAGE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 2400 24/f Fort Legend Tower, 3rd Ave. Cor. 31st St., Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

ASARPOTA, KAMAL MOTILAL Chairman/President/CEO 25.

Brief Job Description: Carrying out a company’s mission statement, managing its overall strategy and ensuring its strong financial performance.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree or master’s degree in a relevant discipline or MBA, and experience in a senior management position. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

EASYTECH SUPPORT INC. 9-11/f, 14/f Capella Bldg., Asean Drive Filinvest, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking Vietnamese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: With relative work experience. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

LIU, HUI Mandarin Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Maintains customer records by updating account info.

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

ZHANG, FUMING Mandarin Customer Service

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Maintains customer records by updating account info.

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

LING, ZHIYU Mandarin Product Developer

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Grow company revenues by developing new products.

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

QIU, SHAOLIANG Mandarin Product Developer

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin.

Brief Job Description: Grow company revenues by developing new products.

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

LIM FANG TER Business Development Chinese Speaking Brief Job Description: Contacting potential clients to establish rapport.

Brief Job Description: Provide technical support for clients when necessary. Service existing clients and maintain business relationship. Established new accounts/client for the company. Provide report on clients, sales and products strength.

ZHAO, YONGXU Technical Sales Engineer 36.

ZHOU, CHONGCHONG Technical Sales Engineer 37.

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

Brief Job Description: Drive cost optimization, process improvement and automation initiatives.

LIU, QIUYUE Technical Sales Engineer

DIGICHROM INC. 25/f Yuchengco Tower, Rcbc Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave. Cor. Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati Unit 2001-a, 2602 & 2603 20/f & 26/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati TANANUWAT, NATNAKAN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

Basic Qualification: With business development experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

HEBE BEAUTY COSMETICS INC. 20th Floor Two Neo Building, 3rd Avenue Corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

Basic Qualification: 5-10 years of experience in railway construction projects, and applicants with advanced written and verbal skills in French and/ or Japanese languages are prioritized. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

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

GAMMA INTERACTIVE INC. 21/f Alphaland Makati Place, 7232 Ayala Ave. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 COLAS RAIL PHILIPPINES, INC. Unit 708 7/f Tower One & Exchange Plaza, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

FLYING FUTURE SERVICES INC. 21/f Yuchengco Tower 1 Rcbc Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave, Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

Basic Qualification: 13 plus years of experience as highly motivated in workforce management, data analytics, and data mining business intelligence.

Brief Job Description: Responding to Vietnamese customer queries via email, live chat, video, phone, and social media channels.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

EXLSERVICE PHILIPPINES, INC. 6th Floor, One E-com Center, Harbor Drive, Mall Of Asia Complex, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Degree in any related field and 1-2 years of experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting information and analyzing customer needs. VI THI CUC Vietnamese Speaking Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Degree in any related field and 1-2 years of experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Recommends potential products or services to management by collecting information and analyzing customer needs. ZHANG, GUIQING Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

27.

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

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION DONG, QIN Mandarin Speaking Customer Service Representative

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

COGNIZANT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. 2nd, 3rd, And 4th Floors, Science Hub Tower 4 Bldg., Mckinley Hill Cyberpark, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

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

No.

CHINA OCEANIS PHILIPPINES, INC. Grandstand Luneta Park, The Boardwalk Quirino, Barangay 666, Ermita, City Of Manila

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With extensive experience in Chinese customer relationship management industry.

CHINA COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 21st Floor Menarco Tower, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

BRENMEDIA INTERNATIONAL INC. 10 Flr Unit Q Cyber One Bldg., Eastwood Cyberpark City, Bagumbayan, Quezon City

TRAN NGUYEN BAO TRAM Technical Support

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

CHILDCARE CENTER WHIZ INC. Unit 209 1st Flr., Parkwest Veritown, 7th Avenue Corner 36th St., Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Brief Job Description: Responsible for optimizing all aspects of the after sales experience for the customer and maintaining customer relationships to measure satisfaction and encourage future sales.

A13

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

CBS TOTAL CONSULTANCY CORP. 3f Ech Bldg., 100 Jupiter St., Cor. Makati Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

ALPHA CENTURY CONSULTANCY INC. 15/f Tower 2 Rcbc Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Basic Qualification: Bachelors/College Degree in Computer Sciences, Cosmetics Science, Chemical Engineering or equivalent. At least 2 to 3 years work experiences in the related field is required to this position. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelors/College Degree in Computer Sciences, Cosmetics Science, Chemical Engineering or equivalent. At least 2 to 3 years work experiences in the related field is required to this position. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelors/College Degree in Computer Sciences, Cosmetics Science, Chemical Engineering or equivalent. At least 2 to 3 years work experiences in the related field is required to this position. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 25/f Robinsons Summit Jg Summit Center, Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati LIAO, BING-LIN a.k.a. LIAO, PEI-WEI Chinese Technical Support Representative 38.

Brief Job Description: Deliver service and support to end-users using and operating automated call distribution phone software, via remote connection or over the internet. SEAH KAI YEE Malaysian Software Engineer

39.

Brief Job Description: Develops software solutions by studying information needs.

Basic Qualification: With relative work experience. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: With relative work experience. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

KEPCO KPS CARABAO CORP. Unit 15a 15/f Bdo Equitable Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati

BusinessMirror

A14 A6 Saturday, October 21, 2023

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

JEONG, KWANGHEE Admin Manager 40.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

Brief Job Description: Duties include supervising staff, facilitating communication throughout a company and developing procedures to make a workplace more efficient.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: College/Bachelor’s Degree with excellent communication skills, can work with minimal or without supervision and at least 1 year working experience.

41.

Brief Job Description: Obtain the budget costs of system, assemblies, equipment, materials and labor. Preparation of a Budgeting and Cost Management Plan including updates.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With previous work experience in a related field. Can work with minimal or without any supervision.

XIAO, QUFENG Project Manager 42.

Brief Job Description: Leads and oversees a construction project, and works with Engineers and Architects to develop a plan, create a project time frame, distribute resources, and ensure timely completion.

54.

Basic Qualification: Undergraduate degree in management and a master’s degree and internships, on-the-job training or experience in other areas of business management.

55.

56.

57.

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

43.

Brief Job Description: Provide support to the improvement of financial and administrative operation and management of the company.

Basic Qualification: Confidential employee appointed by Japan head office.

44.

Brief Job Description: Define the credit & portfolio management strategy, primarily focused on Consumer products (i.e. Credit, BNPL)/ Merchant lending/ SME lending portfolio.

58.

59.

Basic Qualification: College graduate. With vast experience in Consumer/ Merchant Lending/SME credit and data analytics. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

60.

MCP BUSINESS CONSULTANCY INC. 207b 2nd Floor, 409 A. Soriano Ave., Barangay 656, Intramuros, City Of Manila CHEN, YULONG Assistant Consultant 45.

Brief Job Description: To guide clients through all procedures required and responsible for furnishing clients with relevant information. JI, JUNXIANG Assistant Consultant

46.

Brief Job Description: To guide clients through all procedures required and responsible for furnishing clients with relevant information. HUANG, XIAOYAN Financial Consultant

47.

Brief Job Description: To guide clients through all procedures required and responsible for furnishing clients with relevant information. LIANG, DAN Financial Consultant

48.

Brief Job Description: To guide clients through all procedures required and responsible for furnishing clients with relevant information. GAO, NAN International Consultant

49.

Brief Job Description: To guide clients through all procedures required and responsible for furnishing clients with relevant information.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Excellent communication skill verbal or written.

61.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Excellent communication skill verbal or written.

62.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Excellent communication skill verbal or written.

63.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Excellent communication skill verbal or written.

64.

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Excellent communication skill verbal or written.

65.

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

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City

50.

51.

LE THI GIANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. VU VAN NINH Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires.

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

66.

52.

Brief Job Description: Coordinating mixed race teams and established appropriate metrics for measuring key project criteria, as well as define, monitor, and review all project economics including costs, operational budgets, resources and risks.

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

67.

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

Basic Qualification: Extensive experience in multi-disciplinary construction projects with multiple interfaces and acts as a point contact for Japanese clients. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

68.

69.

NEW BOMBAY FOODS, INC. Sagittarius Bldg., 111 H.v. Dela Costa St., Bel-air, City Of Makati

BALODI, HARISH Chef 53.

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all dishes are cooked well and presented in an aesthetically pleasing way and monitor equipment quality and order new equipment as needed.

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HAN, SEN Chinese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

FIDELIS DE JESUS, EPONINA Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CAO DUC LONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

CHU MINH DUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

DINH HUU HUY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HA QUANG TUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

HO, THI NHUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LOC CUN SAU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

LY THE THAO Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGO THI THU Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

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

MODAIR MANILA CO., LTD. INC. 3/f & 4/f 223 Salcedo Bldg., 223 Salcedo Cor. Gamboa Sts., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati AKEDO, HIROKI Project Manager

CHEN, ZHONG Chinese Customer Service

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

MAYA BANK, INC. 6/f Launchpad, Reliance Cor. Sheridan, Highway Hills, City Of Mandaluyong DION ACHMAD Credit & Portfolio Manager

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all dishes are cooked well and presented in an aesthetically pleasing way and monitor equipment quality and order new equipment as needed.

Basic Qualification: Advanced knowledge of culinary, baking and pastry techniques and excellent time management abilities. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Advanced knowledge of culinary, baking and pastry techniques and excellent time management abilities. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Advanced knowledge of culinary, baking and pastry techniques and excellent time management abilities.

70.

NGUYEN NHUT TIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN QUYNH MY Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

NGUYEN THI DIEN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

TRAN VAN THAN Vietnamese Customer Service Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

No.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

KOROBOVA, ELIZAVETA Bilingual Software Developer 71.

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

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

72.

73.

74.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in bilingual languages. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Addressing customer concerns and issues through phone calls and email.

Basic Qualification: Has experience in customer service. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has experience in customer service. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Has experience in customer service. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

PHILIPPINE FULL DEGREE COMMUNICATIONS CORP. 18/f Yuchengco Tower 1, Rcbc Plaza, 6819 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati CHEN, WUHUA Mandarin Technical Support 75.

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer systems and networks.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

PHILIPPINES AIRASIA INC. 2/f Mezzanine, Naia Terminal 3, Barangay 183, Pasay City CHOI, JIHYE Cabin Crew 76.

Brief Job Description: Ensure cabin safety under the overall authority and responsibility of the Pilot in Command (PIC)- i.e. the safety of the passengers and security of cabin load and galleys. KANG, DAYEON Cabin Crew

77.

78.

79.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Addressing customer concerns and issues through phone calls and email. LIN, HANG Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Addressing customer concerns and issues thru phone call and email. IWELUMO, VICTOR EKENE Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Implement design, installation, testing and maintenance of software systems.

CHEN, LINGEN Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

PARTRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES INC. 1466 Gen. Luna St., 073, Barangay 673, Paco, City Of Manila

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

NOONA BUSINESS CONSULTING SERVICES INC. 10th & 31st Floor Ore Central Tower, 9th Ave. Cor. 31st St., Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig

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

NEW ORIENTAL CLUB88 CORPORATION 1331 Pearl Plaza Bldg., 133 Quirino Ave., Tambo, City Of Parañaque Sky Garage Bldg., Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque

MARUBENI CORPORATION 8/f L.v Locsin Bldg., Ayala Cor. Makati Aves., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati OKUMURA, KENKI Representative To Conceive IVF Manila Inc.

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all dishes are cooked well and presented in an aesthetically pleasing way and monitor equipment quality and order new equipment as needed. SEKH, MOHIBUL Chef

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

MANILA WALKER COMMUNICATION NETWORK PROJECT OPC Suite 910 West Tower, Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION BISWAS, TARUN Chef

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

KOREA DEVELOPMENT SERVICE GLOBAL INC. Unit 1,2/f Building B, Zarcon Bldg., Filinvest Ave., Fcc, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa KIM, CHANG RIM Cost Control Manager

No.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

80.

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

Brief Job Description: Ensure that all galley equipment, catering stores, dry stores and lose equipment on board is properly and securely stowed carrying out pre-flight routine inspections of the aircraft and its equipment as may be prescribed.

Basic Qualification: At least have a valid CAAP CPL or MPL. Have successfully passed the initial A320 conversion course. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least have a valid CAAP CPL or MPL. Have successfully passed the initial A320 conversion course. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least have a valid CAAP CPL or MPL. Have successfully passed the initial A320 conversion course. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least have a valid CAAP CPL or MPL. Have successfully passed the initial A320 conversion course. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least have a valid CAAP CPL or MPL. Have successfully passed the initial A320 conversion course. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: At least have a valid CAAP CPL or MPL. Have successfully passed the initial A320 conversion course.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills.

81.

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

PHILIPPINES COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK CONSTRUCTION INC. Unit E-2004a East Tower, Psec Exchange Road Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

LI, TAO Senior Technical Specialist 82.

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Individual should possess a bachelor’s degree in Computing or Information Technology. Individuals who have a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, or a specialization in the Engineering field will also be considered. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

POWERCHINA B7 PHILIPPINES CORP. Unit 2101 21/f Bdo Equitable Bank Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Bel-air, City Of Makati LUO, LIBO Site Supervisor 83.

Brief Job Description: Monitors the progress of the projects and ensures compliance with safety regulations.

Basic Qualification: Must know how to speak Mandarin. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

PRIME METRO BMD CORPORATION 16/f Three E-com, Moa Complex, Bayshore Cor. Ocean Drive, Barangay 76, Pasay City

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good verbal and written communication skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Performs technical tasks and provides support in the design, layout, construction, operation, and maintenance of electronic, electrical, mechanical and telecommunication control systems.

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

WALKINGTON, MADELINE GRACE Project Manager 84.

Brief Job Description: The Project Manager has the overall responsibility of managing the Project, ensuring profitability, timely and cost effective completion while providing a place of work that is safe and free from risk to health.

Basic Qualification: Cumulative 8 plus years of experience in large engineering projects, road and bridge, land development, industrial, construction activities of costing, planning, procurement, and delivery for major international and government clients. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

QINGJIAN GROUP CO. LTD. 1046 U500 Puso Ng Maynila Bldg., A. Mabini St., 072, Barangay 666, Ermita, City Of Manila

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION BAI, QINGDE Site Technical Support

85.

Brief Job Description: Review and verify the construction drawing and specification for detailed requirements and dimension of each scope.

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Fluent in Mandarin both written and spoken, and with at least 5 years of experience.

86.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading and overseeing the design and optimization of logistical processes, systems, and facilities to ensure the efficient and cost-effective flow of goods within our organization.

Basic Qualification: 8-10 years of experience in designing solar power projects from small-scale residential installations to large-scale commercial or utility-scale projects.

87.

Brief Job Description: To guide clients through all procedures required and responsible for furnishing clients with relevant information.

102.

88.

Brief Job Description: Assist in the planning of the organization’s daily operation.

Basic Qualification: Fluently speak and write Bahasa Indonesian language to cater foreign markets.

103.

104.

89.

90.

Brief Job Description: Managing customer satisfaction within the project transition period.

105.

WU, TIAN-WUN Mandarin System Developer Specialist Brief Job Description: Manage network servers and technology tools. WANG, JINTAO Mandarin Web Developer

91.

Brief Job Description: Create website layout/user interface by using standard HTML/CSS practices.

106.

107.

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Mandarin language.

92.

Brief Job Description: Responsible for leading operational support functions to the fleet and crew cells.

108.

Basic Qualification: Experience in Marine HR, particularly functions under Operational services. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999

93.

Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record.

109.

WU, WEI Mandarin Technical Support 94.

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer system and network.

95.

96.

97.

98.

99.

100.

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

LU, CHIA-MIN Chinese Language Research Analyst Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

SONG, MENGYUE Chinese Language Research Analyst Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

SU, HAIPENG Chinese Language Research Analyst Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

WEI, QIULI Chinese Language Research Analyst Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

WEN, CE Chinese Language Research Analyst Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

110.

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

WISHLAND SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY INC. 28/f Techzone Condo Corp., 213 Buendia Ave., San Antonio, City Of Makati CHEN, RONG Chinese Language Research Analyst

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

YU, YINGHAN Chinese Language Tutor

Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

YIN, BAOLIN Chinese Language Tutor

WIKITECH SERVICES INC. 10/f Alphaland Corporate Tower, 7232 Ayala Avenue Ext. Corner Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati LAN, FEIPIN Mandarin Operations Specialist

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

SHEN, TIANTIAN Chinese Language Tutor

V. SHIPS SERVICES OCEANA INC. Aseana Ii, Bradco Ave., Aseana City, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque SALDANHA, SHARAD Global Director Of Operational Support And Industrial Relations

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

NING, LULU Chinese Language Tutor

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

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

LI, HUI Chinese Language Tutor

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Excellent in Mandarin language.

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

GUI, JUNJUN Chinese Language Tutor

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

Basic Qualification: Excellent in Mandarin language.

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

DU, YUJIAO Chinese Language Tutor

SOLIDLEISURE SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 1803a, 1803b, 1804a, 1804b & 1805a West Tower, Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig YUAN, QINGYUN Mandarin Project Manager

Brief Job Description: Conduct research on products and services as specified.

CHENG, SITIAN Chinese Language Tutor

SMARTMONETA INC. 6/f Iacademy Plaza, 324 Sen Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati FENY VERONICA Indonesian Language - Support Officer

YANG, JHENG-SIAN Chinese Language Research Analyst

CHAO, SIZHE Chinese Language Tutor

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Excellent communication skill verbal or written. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

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

ZHAO, XINYUE Chinese Language Tutor 111.

112.

113.

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

115.

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

116.

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

117.

118.

119.

120.

121.

Brief Job Description: Planning and defining scope of the project.

122.

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

XSPACE SERVICE OFFICE INC. U-a&b 20/f Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

WANG, CONGYANG Operations Manager 114.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as operations manager, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. PIYAN SOPIYAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

123.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. RICKY ONG Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

124.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

RIDHO RIDWANUL FALAH Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 125.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

STEVEN INDRAWAN Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 126.

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

Basic Qualification: Proven experience as Mandarin Operations Manager, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. MUHAMMAD ADRIAND MEILUD Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

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

Basic Qualification: Demonstrable experience in marketing together with the potential and attitude required to learn.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. MUHAMAD SAEPUL Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. MERLIN WATY Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. HAKIKI GITA RAHMA ILAHI Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. ENDRA SUSANTO Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties. DICKY PERTIWA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

ADITIYA PERMANA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE Basic Qualification: Proven experience as sales manager, familiarity, knowledge and awareness on machinery and heavy equipment use by company. Demonstrable experience in developing strategic business plan. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

ZAPPORT SERVICES, INC. Unit Aro1-03 B,c,m,n,o,p,q 28th/f & 14/f U-c, B, Ar03, Ar02, Q,p,o,g,h,i,j01,02,03, K&l, Burgundy Corporate Tower 252 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati 22/f & 36/f Burgundy Corporate Tower, 252 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree, fluent in Mandarin language, in speaking and writing and excellent in computer applications.

NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION

WU, JIANJIE Sales Manager

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

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

CAI, JIABIN Mandarin Site Manager

XIAO, WEI Mandarin Operations Manager

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

No.

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in Chinese.

XINCHUAN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL PHILIPPINE PROJECT LTD CORP. 16/f Tower 6789, 6789 Ayala Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati

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

QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE

XIAN ELECTRIC ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED PHILIPPINES BRANCH 2204 22/f The Podium West Tower, 12 Adv Avenue W Ortigas, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong

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

Brief Job Description: To assist the local Chinese teachers in terms of preparation and implementation of the Chinese curriculum.

A15

ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS

XAVIER SCHOOL, INC. (ALSO KNOWN AS KUANG CHI SCHOOL) #64, Xavier St., Greenhills, City Of San Juan

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

SKY ACE VENTURES CORPORATION 2/f Diego Bldg. 462, Carlos Palanca St., Barangay 647, San Miguel, City Of Manila SU, JIAJIANG Marketing Executive

101.

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

RADIANCE SOLAR SOLUTIONS INC. Unit 214-215 2f Commercenter Alabang, Commerce Ave., Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa

JOSHUA BONIFACE DUASING Design Manager

No.

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

VANESHA Indonesian-speaking Customer Service Officer 127.

Brief Job Description: Writing Indonesian reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

SONGSAENGJAN, RADA Thai-speaking Customer Service Officer 128.

Brief Job Description: Writing Thai reports on the daily operation of call center activities, performing customer oriented telephone activities and various background operation duties.

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Indonesian language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Fluent in Thai language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

*Date Generated: Oct 20, 2023 Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this publication. Please inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.