BusinessMirror October 28, 2022

Hot money still in negative realm for 5th mo, net outflows at $367M

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

Office...

SHORT-TERM

investments made by foreign investors were still in negative net outflow territory for the fifth consecutive month in September, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Thursday.

Transactions on foreign invest ments registered with the BSP, through AABs, in September 2022 re corded net outflows of $367.3 million.

BSP data showed this was larger than the $86 million net outflows recorded in August 2022 and $24.16 net outflows in September 2021.

“This resulted from the $1.3 bil lion gross outflows and $892 mil

Ties...

lion gross inflows for the month,” the BSP said.

Year-on-year, registered invest ments in September 2022 decreased by 25 percent or by $297 million from the $1.2 billion recorded in Septem ber 2021.

Gross outflows were larger by 3.8 percent or by $47 million than the outflows recorded for the same pe

Once completed by 2027, the bridge is expected to help in the re covery of Davao and Samal Island from pandemic-induced economic disruption.

He said it will also help improve the peace and order situation in Sa

riod last year at $1.2 billion. The $367-million net outflows in Sep tember 2022 were larger than the $24-million net outflows recorded in September 2021.

The BSP said the $1.3-billion gross outflows for the month spiked 43.4 percent or by $381 million, compared to the $878 million re corded in August 2022. The US re ceived 72.5 percent of total outward remittances.

The $892 million registered investments in September 2022 reflected an increase of 12.7 per cent or by $100 million compared to the $792 million registered in August 2022.

Majority of investments or 87.1 percent of the total were in Philip pine Stock Exchange (PSE)-listed securities in electricity, energy, powerand water; food, beverage and tobacco; property; banks; and holding firms.

mal Island, as well as in the dis tribution of government aid in the island during calamities.

For his part, Chinese ambassa dor to the Philippines Huang Xil ian said the Chinese government is ready to include in its modern

Other investments went to peso government secu rities, accounting for 12.9 percent of the total and other instruments at less than a percent.

“Investments for the month came from Singa pore, the United Kingdom, United States [US], Luxem bourg and British Virgin Islands with a combined share of 79.9 percent,” BSP said.

Year-to-date transac tions for foreign invest ments registered with the BSP, through AABs, yielded net inflows of $222 mil lion or from January to September.

This represented a turn around from the $459 mil lion net outflows noted for the same period last year in

ization initiative, which he said “resonates” with the country’s own economic and livelihood targets.

“Looking ahead, great potential is to be exploited for China-Philippine coop

the January to September period in 2021.

Registration of inward foreign investments del egated to AABs by the BSP is optional under the rules on foreign exchange (FX) transactions.

It is required only if the investor or its representa tive will purchase FX from AABs and/or their subsid iary/affiliate foreign ex change corporations for repatriation of capital and remittance of earnings that accrue on the registered in vestment.

Without such registra tion, the foreign investor can still repatriate capital and remit earnings on its investment but the FX will have to be sourced outside the banking system.

eration,” Xilian said.

He said China is looking for more cooperation with the country in agriculture, infrastructure, energy, and people-to-people ex changes.

PHL...

framework against lag ging structural indica tors, including per capita income and governance, relative to peers,” it added.

Fitch said its global growth forecast is expect ed to slow to 1.7 percent in 2023 and 2.8 percent in 2024, which could also affect the growth of the Philippine economy.

The credit watcher said the BSP may also raise policy rates beyond Fitch's expectations to 5.25 per cent. On Tuesday, Central Bank Governor Felipe M. Medalla said the Monetary Board could raise interest rates by another 100 basis points this year.

Medalla told reporters that if the US Federal Re serve raises interest rates by 75 bps, the Philippines should match it. (Full sto ry: https://businessmirror.com. ph/2022/10/25/bsp-chief-ratehike-to-match-feds-move/)

In September, the BSP hiked its rates for the third consecutive month by 50 basis points to 4.25 percent. (Full story: https://businessmirror. com.ph/2022/09/23/bsp-raisesrates-for-3rd-month-now-4-25/) The Monetary Board has a policy rate setting slated for November 17.

“The central bank has been focused on the secondround effects of imported inflation and exchange-rate depreciation, and has so far hiked its policy rate by 225 bp in 2022 to 4.25 percent, including an out-of-cycle increase of 75 bp in July,” Fitch said.

“We think its inflationtargeting framework re mains credible and we ex pect rates to rise further, potentially beyond our as sumption of 5.25 percent by end-2022, if domestic infla tionary pressure continues to build,” it added.

Fitch expects inflation

to average 5.5 percent in 2022, fuelled by higher com modity prices and currency depreciation. The modera tion of these factors could slow inflation to 3.5 percent in 2024.

Nevertheless, Fitch said the medium-term inflation outlook is subject to con siderable risk, with Sep tember consumer prices up 6.9 percent year on year, above the central bank’s 4-percent target, and core inflation up 4.5 percent annually.

Services inflation, Fitch said, has remained more muted and household infla tion expectations are only just above 4 percent.

However, Fitch expects interventions in the for eign-exchange market to support the Philippine peso will be limited. The govern ment has now repaid all of the P540 billion or over 2 percent of GDP in advances that the central bank made to it in 2020.

Nonetheless, it said the central bank's holdings of government securities re mained above prepandemic levels at P1.5 trillion in Sep tember.

“The government’s re sponse to the commodity price shock has been mea sured, and it has resisted calls to impose blanket fuel subsidies,” Fitch noted.

Meanwhile, the debt watcher also said it expects the general government (GG) deficit to narrow to 4.3 percent of GDP in 2022 and 2.4 percent of GDP by 2024, from 4.8 percent of GDP in 2021.

This, Fitch said, is con sistent with a narrowing of the budgetary central government (CG) deficit to 8 percent of GDP in 2022 and 6.3 percent of GDP by 2024, from 8.7 percent of GDP in 2021.

Based on the latest Colliers quarterly report released during the webinar, Jara bared that office transactions in the first nine months of 2022 rose by 72 percent to 495,600 square meters (sq m) compared to the 288,300 sq m in the same period last year. Such improved leasing activity, according to him, is indicative that the office market in Metro Manila is sustaining its recovery.

Per the study, more occupiers exe cuted flight-to-quality strategies and locking in spaces in central business districts such as Fort Bonifacio, Makati and Ortigas.

Following the negative net take-up on the last couple of years, Colliers has so far seen that net absorption re verted to positive territory in 2022. In fact, there was a net take-up of 99,400 sq m of office space from January to September of this year, as vacancy was steady at 17.7 percent.

From 2020 to September of this year, lease rates in Metro Manila have cor rected by 35 percent. Business process outsourcing (BPO) firms led transac tions as of September, followed by traditional occupiers, such as serviced offices, logistics, fintech, health care, and government.

Quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), the re port showed robust office performanc es, with deals reaching 168,700 sq m from July to September of 2022 alone, or 99,300 sq m higher than the 69,400 sq m during the same period a year ago.

Net absorption, though, reached 29,700 sq m in the third quarter of this year, slightly lower than the 45,100 sq m of net take-up the previous quarter.

Transactions outpaced vacated spaces in Metro Manila, Jara said, while citing also strong transactions activity seen in the countryside. The research bared that deals coming from provincial areas account for 23 percent of total transac tions nationwide, with QoQ deals reach ing 145,000 sq m from only 82,000 sq m.

Cebu, Davao and Pampanga cornered 85 percent of the transactions with out sourcing players dominating the take-up.

In terms of new office space, there were 102,700 sq m delivered in the third quarter, lower than the 146,700 sq m from April to June of this year and the 156,600 sq m from July to September 2021.

On average, lease rates in the Na tional Capital Region decreased by 1.9 percent in the third quarter of this year, slower than the 2.6 percent decline in the previous quarter.

“We are still seeing sustained quar terly transaction activity. We’re going to end in a net positive office space demand even without significant POGO transac tions in the market,” Jara pointed out.

In the last quarter of 2022, Colliers expects new supply to reach 228,300 sq m, bringing the total inventory for the year to 783,900 sq m, with Que zon City and Fort Bonifacio dominat ing new completion. This is up from 633,900 sq m a year ago.

The company revises its net take-up forecast for the entire year to about 140,000 sq m, lower than its initial forecast of 350,000 sq m.

Despite lower 2022 projections, it’s still an improvement after the Met ro Manila office market posted two consecutive years of negative net ab sorption: −181,300 sq m in 2020 and −273,100 sq m in 2021.

The low precommitment levels from upcoming buildings is likely to push vacancy to 19.5 percent this year from 15.7 percent last year. Further correc tion in rents is, likewise, projected in 2022 before a bottoming out in 2023.

Outsourcing and traditional firms will continue to lead office space ab sorption within and outside of Metro Manila.

“Let’s give other sectors a chance again in contributing to office space demand like the BPO. Ibpap [Informa tion Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines] already has a positive forecast for income growth in the next six years, and it’s not something that will be sidelined. It’s going to be an important factor in office space demand in the coming years. So let’s move on from POGOs already,” Jara stressed.

CJ Gesmundo vows SC visibility, access to stakeholders, public

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

moniker referring to them as “gods of Padre Faure” is not true.

Singh appeared as guests.

CHIEF

Justice Alexander Gesmundo has assured that he and his fellow magis trates in the Supreme Court (SC) will be more visible to the public to prove that the

C J Gesmundo issued the statement on Wednesday’s Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum where he and Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez, Jhosep Lopez and Filomena

T he Chief Magistrate explained their recent series of media interviews and pub lic appearances is in line with the Court’s desire to reach out to ordinary people and stakeholders in the judiciary as part of its

five-year Strategic Plan for Judicial Innova tions (SPJI) 2002-2027.

T he justices are currently doing rounds to inform the public of the reforms and pro grams that the Court would be implement ing under the SPJI, which will serve as the institutional blueprint of the Judiciary’s plans and programs for the delivery of “responsive and real time justice” within five years.

“ The other activity we’d like to fo cus on is what we call accessibility. The Court must be accessible to ordinary people and to lift the shroud of mys tery on how the Supreme Court works, on how the judiciary performs its func tions,” CJ Gesmundo said.

“For a long time…we are gods of Pa dre Faura. That is a misnomer. We are not gods, we are not infallible. But, like what was said, we have to descend from our perch to be able to reach out to the people,” the Chief Justice said.

Gesmundo noted that the justices have been going out and attending several gatherings in the provinces and entertaining media interviews in the past few days.

“Maybe, you have noticed the justices of the SC are going out of the gates of Padre Faura, traveling to some parts of the country to be able to communi

cate with all the stakeholders in the judicial system. We listen to judges, lawyers, and or dinary people because they ought to know what we are doing so we can address them properly,” he explained.

He said people should expect media ap pearances for the justices as they have to in form and answer questions from stakeholders and ordinary people on how the SPJI would be beneficial to them.

T he SPJI, according to the Chief Justice, is anchored on four guiding principles—timely and fair justice, transparent and account able justice, equal and inclusive justice, and technologically adaptive management—and aimed at three outcomes such as efficiency, innovation, and access.

Under the first outcome of efficiency, court systems—both adjudicative and ad ministrative—will be streamlined based on the needs of stakeholders both inside and outside the Judiciary.

T he SC would also undertake a Judiciarywide organizational review and restructuring.

U nder the second outcome of innova tion, the SC will shift and run all adjudi cative and administrative processes to an automated platform.

Under the third and final outcome of access, the SC will work towards bringing services faster, closer and more efficiently to the people.

How do you solve a problem like PNOC? Put it in order–Gatchalian

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SEN.

Sherwin T. Gatchalian goaded the Department of Energy (DOE) Thursday to promptly “put in or der” the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and its subsidiaries.

Stressing the need to “set fixed guid ance” for the state-owned oil company to “quickly recover from ineffective per formance,” the senator reminded that its mandate when PNOC was created in 1973 was primarily to “provide adequate supply of petroleum products to meet do mestic requirements as well as promote the exploration and development of local petroleum sources.”

T he lawmaker lamented, however, that PNOC and its subsidiaries have the activi ties in line with their respective mandates. Gatchalian griped that PNOC companies are “stuck in a quagmire.”

For instance, the senator recalled that PNOC-Renewables Corp. (PNOC-RC) in curred a total P380 million in losses since 2013, while PNOC-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) failed to produce oil and gas outside of the Malampaya gas field.

He noted “similarly, PNOC’s targeted fuel relief program (TFRP), intended to aid most vulnerable fuel-consuming

sectors during periods of fuel supply dis ruption or high volatility in prices, has been rendered useless by the Pantawid Pasada Program.

Moreover, Gatchalian pointed out that “the same can be said about PNOC’s stra tegic petroleum reserve [SPR] which has been put on hold like the TFRP.”

He recalled that the SPR was conceptu alized as a strategic oil stockpile to ensure long-term stability and security of oil sup ply in the country, reminding, “PNOC’s energy supply base [ESB] project, intended to provide world-class energy supply base port facilities, has not been carried out suc cessfully many years after its inception.”

At the same time, Gatchalian asserted the need to boost the mandate of PNOC because it “plays a big role in anchoring our economy if we truly desire to have our own indigenous sources of oil, so we don’t have to rely so much on imported petroleum supply.”

Moreover, the senator stressed “the importance of government presence in oil exploration and development cannot be overemphasized, especially as the coun try deals with energy-related challenges coming from external forces. It is high time the energy department provides a focused direction for PNOC.”

Neda urges legislators to prioritize passage of national land use act

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE National Economic and Develop ment Authority (Neda) on Thursday called on Congress to immediately pass the proposed National Land Use Act (NALUA), a Marcos administration prior ity measure.

D uring the first briefing of the House Special Committee on Land Use, Neda Undersecretary Carlos Abad Santos re iterated the need to harmonize various policies on land use, such those in agri culture, agrarian reform, ancestral do main, protected areas, and housing and urban development.

“By harmonizing these various policies, we will be able to have proper allocation of land and reduce disaster risk to proper land use planning and various develop ment,” he said.

According to Abad Santos, the 13 NA LUA bills filed in the lower chamber have similar components with the Neda Boardapproved version.

T hree of these 13 bills, he said, are similar to the Neda Board-approved ver sion—House Bill 420 of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, HB 3611 of Ilocos Sur Rep. Kris tine Singson Meehan and HB 3956 of Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte.

A bad Santos said the proposed NALUA seeks to address urban sprawl or uncon

trolled development that encroaches on prime agricultural lands and other frag ile areas.

He said it would also address indis criminate conversion of prime agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses, which has an impact on food security.

[It will address] poorly planned settle ments that lack basic amenities, including transport and other infrastructure facili ties and proliferation of informal settle ments in unsafe and hazard-prone areas,” he added.

A bad Santos said NALUA mandates the formulation of land use and physical framework plans, and provides the major considerations in land use planning.

T he proposal also mandates govern ment agencies to implement programs that facilitate and improve land use plan ning on forest land boundary delineation; national geospatial information program; delineation and mapping of hazard-prone and vulnerable areas; monitoring of Com prehensive Land Use Plan;  and formu lation, training and value information, information and education campaign, he added.

A bad Santos said the proposal will provide settlements, transportation and other infrastructure development in sup port of urban competitiveness and inclu sive growth improved access to affordable, livable and resilient housing.

LGU lifts closure order on San Simon, Pampanga power substation project

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) can now proceed with the con struction of the San Simon 230-ki loVolt (kV) substation project after the closure order against it was lifted.

T he grid operator said on Wednes day night that the provincial gov ernment of Pampanga led by Gov. Dennis “Delta” G. Pineda and Vice Governor Lilia “Nanay” G. Pineda finally resolved the matter of the er roneously issued closure order of the substation project. NGCP clarified that all the necessary requirements were submitted to the local govern ment unit, and the permits issued prior to project implementation.

T he closure order is now lifted as of 9:40 a.m. October 24. San Si mon Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. acknowledged the clarification and gave his go-signal for NGCP to re sume project construction activities.

“NGCP is grateful for the Provin cial Government’s swift action on

this. Both Governor and Vice Gover nor made it clear that NGCP and its projects have its full support,” stated the company.

T he total project cost for the San Simon 230kV substation is P3.8 bil lion. It has been certified as an En ergy Project of National Significance (EPNS) by the Department of Energy in 2019. The project aims to reinforce the reliability and stability of power transmission services in the Luzon grid by serving as alternate source for customers connected to the existing Mexico Substation.

We welcome NGCP and the power stability it brings to the province in support of investors locating here,” the governor said.

NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operat ing, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders and Vice Chairman of the Board Henry Sy Jr. and Co-Vice Chairman Robert Coyiuto Jr. It is the sole operating asset of Synergy Grid and Development Philippines Inc.

TS ‘Paeng’ threatens Philippine rice and corn crops–DA report

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie & Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

ABOUT a million hectares of rice could be damaged by tropical storm (TS) “Paeng,” which is expected to lash the country from Friday until early weekend, ac cording to projections by the Depart ment of Agriculture (DA).

In Bulletin No. 1 on TS Paeng on Thursday, the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Op erations Center said 1.051 million hectares of rice lands and 64,336 hectares of corn may be affected by the coming typhoon.

Based on the data, the rice lands that would be affected represent 70.59 percent of the national stand ing crops that could be affected by the storm and for corn, 26.64 percent of the national standing crops.

With this, the DA urged farmers to harvest matured crops and utilize post-harvest facilities; secure seed reserves, planting materials and oth er farm inputs, as well as feeds and water for livestock; relocate animals, farm machineries, and equipment to higher ground; and clear drainage in irrigation and rice paddies from obstructions to prevent flooding.

“Moreover, fisherfolk are advised to perform early harvest and mo bilize post-harvest equipment and

facilities; secure fishing vessels in higher ground; and dismiss sea travel as potentially rough conditions pre vail over affected seaboards,” said the DA advisory.

Citing the Philippine Atmospher ic, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the DA said the center of Paeng was estimated—based on all available data—at 540 km east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar moving West Southwestward at 10 kilometers per hour.

T he storm has maximum sus tained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kilometer per hour.

It said Paeng is forecasted to reach severe tropical storm category within 24 hours and may intensify into a typhoon by Saturday.

It may pass close to Catanduanes on Saturday and a landfall scenario is possible on Sunday within any of the coastal areas along the eastern portions of Central Luzon or main land Cagayan Valley.

O n Friday morning through evening, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains likely over Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains possible over Mimaropa, BARMM, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Quezon, Cagay an, Isabela, Apayao, Aurora, and the rest of Visayas.

House panel OKs bill on sustainable development of cities, communities

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE House Committee on Housing and Urban Develop ment has recently approved a bill providing for the development of sustainable cities and communities in the country.

N egros Occidental Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, the panel chair man, said members of his commit tee approved the committee report on House Bill 71 to improve, bolster, and strengthen the urban develop ment and planning function of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the of fices within the local government units (LGU).

To fulfill its economic, political and social functions, the bill man dates the creation of a framework for sustainable cities and communities.

U nder the bill, LGUs shall con form with and implement plans, programs and activities, guided by AmBisyon 2040 and the Phil ippine Standard for Sustainable Cities and Communities.

So that the framework of the New Urban Agenda becomes part and parcel of the everyday life of our fellow Filipinos all over the country,”

Benitez explained.

He said the New Urban Agenda is about people, planet, prosper ity, peace and partnerships in urban settings. It was adopted at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador in 2016.

According to Benitez, urbaniza tion provides resources and oppor tunities for employment, livelihood, services and innovation and driving rural-urban migration.

C iting a survey conducted for AmBisyon 2040 on the coun try’s long-term development plan, Benitez said 30 percent of Filipinos prefer to live in big cities, while 29 percent want to live in urban centers in the provinces.

However, he said cities fall short on its promise of prosperity for all and poverty incidence in urban ar eas remains prevalent at 12.5 per cent in 2012.

Peza issues rules on IT-BPM transfer

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) has issued guidelines that will aid Pezaregistered IT and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) firms to register with the Board of Investments (BOI) to avail of a 100 percent workfrom-home (WFH) arrangement.

T his developed as the Depart ment of Trade and Industry (DTI), supported by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB), released on October 18 DTI Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 22-19, which contains the guidelines on the transfer of registration of IT-BPM companies to the BOI to allow 100 percent WFH arrangement.

T he DTI MC covers all affected registered business enterprises (RBEs) in the IT-BPM sector that have remaining incentives under Section 311 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, or those with approved incentives on or before September 14,2022 under the Corporate Recovery and Tax In centives for Enterprises (CREATE) law with the concerned Investment Promotion Agency (IPA), particularly those currently registered with Peza,

that intend to register with the BOI.

With this, Peza said it has issued MC No. 2022-067 to guide its locator companies on the said transfer.

According to Peza, the guidelines provide, among others, that the eli gible IT locators will have until De cember 31,2022 to avail of the paper transfer of registration.

Under this arrangement, BOI will issue a certificate of registration to the transferee RBEs for their conduct of 100 percent WFH. However, Peza clarified that it will continue to admin ister to them the fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for the “sunset period.”

M oreover, Peza said it would retain the monitoring and report ing of the subject locators’ perfor mance and for other compliance requirements.

As these covered RBEs will not cancel their registration with Peza,

the agency will be kept whole with its investment facilitation and revenue generation functions,” said Peza in a news statement issued on Thursday.

Peza, however, indicated ad ditional reminders for its ITBPM companies availing of the transfer, including maintaining an office inside Peza-registered IT centers/buildings.  Item no. 7 in the Peza MC 2022067 states: “The transferee RBEs are still required to maintain an office inside Peza-registered IT Centers/ Buildings. Failure to comply with this mandatory requirement shall result in the cancellation of its regis tration with Peza as an IT Enterprise and subsequently, its registration with BOI.”

Peza Officer in Charge (OIC) Tereso O. Panga said, “This is nec essary in order for Peza to retain its authority/jurisdiction over the transferee RBEs, which are required under the rules to operate inside the economic zone.”

Pa nga said Peza supports the paper transfer of registration from Peza to BOI in the meantime. How ever, the Peza OIC said he hopes that a new law will take place to “insti tutionalize” hybrid workplace for ecozone IT locators.

An institutionalized hybrid work place, Panga noted, will enable the transferee registered business enter prises (RBEs) to retain their Peza status “so they can benefit from the agency’s one-stop service and the IT centers’ conducive business environment.

In all these, we expect that Peza will retain its mandate to promote and facilitate investments and keep the separate customs territory status vested in the ecozones to ensure the competitiveness of our IT sector,” the Peza interim chief stressed.

Further, Panga noted, “Through public and private sector innovation and cross-sector collaboration, Peza and partner government agencies, academic institutions and ecozone industry associations can all con tribute to accelerating growth of the IT sector as the IT & Business Pro cess Association of the Philippines [IBPAP] and the Contact Center As sociation of the Philippines [CCAP] embark on an ambitious goal of gen erating 1.1 million new jobs and $59 billion in export revenues in 6 years as part of the Philippine IT-BPM In dustry Roadmap 2028.”

Meanwhile, the CCAP, during the three-day Contact Islands 2022 con ference from October 19 to 21 also called on the government to come up with an institutionalized policy on the hybrid/flexi-work arrangements, which the industry said “will ease the burden on the companies which play a crucial role in attracting the much-needed [foreign direct invest ment] FDI in the country.”

Moreover, the sector expressed hope that the government will unite all agencies and put the investment promotion agencies (IPAs) like BOI and Peza on “equal footing” in the facilitation of tax incentives and business models.

Aklan rice block farmers get farm machinery, equipment

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

TO help improve farm pro ductivity in Malinao, Aklan, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said it has distrib uted P609,280 worth of farm ma chinery and equipment to agrar ian reform beneficiaries (ARB) in the area.

S heila Enciso, Western Visayas Regional Director said the liveli hood projects are part of DAR’s ef fort in the province to boost ARBs’

economic lives.

“ Value for money for all these equipment should be ensured,” En ciso said in a news release.

T he Rosario Multipurpose Co operative from Barangay Rosario Proper, Malinao, Aklan received a hand tractor with implements and trailer, rice reaper/harvester, rice thresher, blower, irrigation pump, floating tiller and grass cutter.

A klan Second district Rep. Te odorico Haresco Jr. said the ARBs should maintain and extend the usability of these farm machinery

to help them in the transportation, processing, and marketing of their products.

These farm machinery should be well-maintained so that all of you can maximize their use,” he said.

A klan Gov. Jose Enrique Mira flores said the programs of DAR are consistent not only with the pri orities of the province but also of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which is agriculture development to make the tourism industry selfsustainable.

Rosemarie Remedios Maravilla,

chairperson of the Rosario MultiPurpose Cooperative, thanked DAR for the farm machines they have received and for the government’s continued support and assistance that contributed to the growth of the organization.

T he farm machines were pro vided under the Rice Block Farm Productivity Enhancement under the Climate Resilient Farm Produc tivity Support Program (CRFPSP), which aims to build the resiliency of agrarian reform communities nationwide.

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Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with

and

communication skills

Salary

Range:

-

Range:

OUTWIT, INC.

Brief

HONGYU

Basic Qualification:

Range: Php 30,000 - Php

Basic

Basic

JIRAPHAT

VLASE,

Basic Qualification:

Brief

PHILIPPINES,

BRANDY AUDREY

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language

PITOONKULSAWAT, RINRAPAT Thai Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in

in

and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

200.

service to French-speaking clients and customers

NFANG EPSE YEMELONG, AMABEL FORBIA French Operations CSR II

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 188.

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French-speaking clients and customers

201.

PITOONKULSAWAT, WEERAPON Thai Customer Service Representative

Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 189.

TOURE, MOHAMED French Operations CSR II

Brief Job Description: Provides expedient and accurate customer service to French-speaking clients and customers

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 190.

NYAMBA FIGEH, LEWIS French Operations Technical Support Representative III

Brief Job Description:

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language

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

SAENGSAI, NAKTHAWUT Thai Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 191.

expedient and accurate customer service to French-speaking clients and customers

TANDI, FRANKLIN NFORTU French Operations Technical Support Representative III

Brief Job Description:

expedient and accurate customer service to French-speaking clients and customers

TIAN XIA TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. 6/f

Bldg.

I-CHE

Basic Qualification: Skilled in French Language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999

Park 1 Bay City St.,

Basic Qualification: - At least 19y/old - Ability to speak write and communicate in Taiwanese Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

202.

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

services.

THONGRIT, SARANYU Thai Customer Service Representative

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

203.

Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product

service

TRAN CONG HUAN Vietnamese

information

services.

Service

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

Basic Qualification: Proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent in Chinese Mandarin is an advantage.

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

WIKITECH SERVICES INC.

St.,

Remulla: Middleman may have been murdered

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573 & Glen Jacob Jose

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crisp in Remulla is not discounting the possibility that Jun Vil lamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of broadcaster Percy Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid, did not die of natural causes but was actu ally murdered.

R emulla issued the statement even as the first autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investiga tion (NBI) indicated that there was no foul play in Villamor’s death as

“there were no apparent external physical injuries” on his body.

A paraffin test, which normally is used to determine whether a person has fired a gun, was also conducted but also yielded negative result.

However, the NBI autopsy re port said Villamor’s heart showed a “hemorrhagic area,” which could be indicative of a previous illness.

We’re not talking about one murder case here. It’s possible that the Jun Villamor case maybe a pos sible murder case too. That’s why we are also investigating that. It’s our obligation to do that,” Remulla told reporters in an ambush interview.

He added: “It’s part of the inves tigation because it’s too much of a coincidence that a person has a dying declaration and he dies, and saying that he will be killed.”

AMLC probe

THE Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile said it has re quested the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to probe the bank account of self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial.

Escorial revealed that there are six of them involved in the murder of Lapid and they were promised the sum of P550,000, which, he said, was

deposited to his bank account.

We formally requested the AMLC to help us conduct a finan cial investigation because the selfconfessed gunman has already sur rendered his passbook and he has also given authorization to check his transactions in his account, so that is what we requested. Let’s help the AMLC help us to trace the people who deposited with him this P550,000 that went into his account,” PNP Spokesperson Police Col. Jean Fajardo said in a TV interview on Thursday.

2nd forensic exam

LIKEWISE , Remulla said he   is also awaiting the result of the second au topsy conducted by forensic expert Dr. Raquel Fortun on the middle man’ body.

Fortun is expected to report the result of her autopsy on Friday.

Meanwhile, Remulla said the President has expressed his desire to unmask the mastermind in the killing of Lapid.

Villamor died in the afternoon of October 18, hours after Escorial surrendered to authorities and was presented to the media, prompting speculations he was executed.

Meanwhile, Remulla denied that suspended Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag is being singled out in Lapid’s murder case.

Remulla earlier said Bantag is one of the persons of interest in the crime.

No one is being singled out. The persons of interest are too many. I don’t know where that thing came from,” Remulla said.

We’re trying to be fair, we’re try ing to be balanced, we are trying to be clear, thorough. We do not favor anyone, we just want the truth to come out,” he added.

At the moment, Remulla said, the government has under its custody eight persons of interest in the Percy Lapid killing, which includes those named by Villamor in his text mes sage to her sister prior to his death.

Villamor’s two sisters have been placed under the Witness Protection

Program of the DOJ.

One of Villamor’s sisters said she was able to talk to her brother who told her that his life is in danger and dis closed that Lapid’s killing was ordered by three gang leaders inside the NBP.

T he mobile cellular telephone she used has now been in the custody of the NBI for examination while au thorities are still searching for the cell phone used by Villamor.

NBP officials have been looking for Jun Villamor’s cell phone. But Remulla had earlier said that mes sages in that mobile phone could be traced even without the cell phone.

On the other hand, Remulla said authorities have yet to get a lead on the whereabouts of brothers Israel and Edmon Dimaculangan and a certain Orly or Orlando, the persons identified by Escorial as his cohorts.

T he Dimaculangans, according to Escorial, served as his back-up gun men while Orly or Orlando was the driver of his getaway motorcycle.

L apid was shot to death in Las Piñas City last October 3.

PNP chief lauds PHL’s improved ranking in global rule of law index

PHILIPPINE

National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., on Thursday ex pressed elation over the improved ranking of the Philippines in the global rule of law index this year re ported by the World Justice Project (WJP) on its official web site.

The PNP takes pride of its own initiatives at reforming police sys tems and procedures to cope with the ever-changing demand for better police service to the communities. Law enforcement to become effec

tive must be founded on respect for human rights and the rule of law,” said Azurin in a news statement.

He said the Philippines’s improve ment in “order and security” param eters as noted by WJP in its 2022 Rule of Law Index is a fair statement and objective acknowledgment of the initiatives of the national institution in upholding the rule of law in its enforcement, prosecution, judiciary, corrections and community pillars of the criminal justice system.

W hile 85 out of 140 countries

experience a decline in the rule of law as stated by the organization, the Philippines surpassed its own previous ranking in the February to June 2022 survey of WJP among 154,000 households and 3,600 le gal practitioners.

“I sincerely thanked all Police Of ficers and other stakeholders who have worked diligently to achieve this milestone for our country, and urged everyone to continually perform their sworn duties with dedication and commitment,” Azurin said. Glen Jacob Jose

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SEN.

Mark Villar, moving to address increasing maternal and newborn mortalities, is prodding Congress to frontload passage of a law to “improve the availability of health-care services before, during, and after mothers give birth to a child.”

I n filing Senate Bill No. 1416, Villar sought to enlist majority support from both the Senate and the House of Representa tives for the early enactment of the proposed law, entitled “An Act Safeguarding the Health of Filipino Mothers at the Time of Their Childbirth, Providing Pro tective Mechanism Therefor and For Other Purposes.”

Aiming to ensure the health and welfare of women through out their pregnancy and during delivery of a child, Villar said he “recognized how difficult the role of a mother is, especially during pregnancy and delivery. Totoo po na nasa hukay ang isang paa ng manganganak. Kaya mahalaga na nabibigyan sila ng kinakailangan na tulong.”

He asserted, “Every child deserves safe delivery at the time of birth and every mother deserves to have a qual ity health care for a safe pregnancy and delivery.”

As provided in the Villar bill, lo cal government units (LGUs) shall encourage facility-based delivery among all women.

It added: “Further, no mater nal hospital, clinic, health cen ter, lying-in, midwifery facility, or similar center, whether public or private shall deny or refuse to assist, admit, or accept the entry of a mother at the time of childbirth.”

Once enacted into law, Vil lar explains, the bill mandates LGUs to upgrade and improve

devolved health services and medical facilities to provide quality emergency obstetric care (EMOC).

“At this point in time, where all medical facilities are equipped with modern-day technologies, it’s still alarming to know that there are an increasing number of ma ternal mortalities directly result ing from pregnancy complications during labor, delivery, and the postpartum period,” Villar added in news statement.

Citing latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), direct obstetric deaths posted the highest growth rate among the causes of maternal death in the first semester of this year.

Accordingly, some 468 Filipinos were killed by “other direct obstetric deaths” representing a 10.1 percent increase from the 425 posted in the same last period, Villar stated in the explanatory note.

He added, “We can also attri bute maternal mortality due to access to services and location of health facilities. With the passage of the bill, I am certain that this administration will ensure access to health facilities for all expecting mothers regardless of economic status and location. It is time to act now that we strengthen the government’s response to pro mote the health and well-being of Filipino mothers to avoid mater nal deaths.”

For its part, the Department of Health (DOH), in a recent state ment, informed the public that it “will champion primary care to ad dress rising maternal and newborn mortalities,” even as the DOH high lighted that advocating for the pri mary care reform envisioned under Universal Health Care is the key to addressing maternal and newborn mortalities.

THE Task Force Build Back Better (TFBBB), an interagency body led by the Department of Environ ment and Natural Resources (DENR), is strengthening disaster-prevention cli mate resiliency-building efforts in the country’s most vulnerable provinces.

During the 35th TFBBB meeting held last October 10, the DENR pre sented a new policy direction that would give focus on disaster preven tion and climate-resiliency capacity building in provinces identified as most vulnerable to the impacts of cli mate change, deviating from the usual disaster response and recovery plan ning and implementation.

These provinces include Masbate, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Apayao, Ka linga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ne gros Oriental, Western Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, Siquijor, Sarangani, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Zamboanga del Norte, Bukid non, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Lanao del Sur.

“One aspect of the gains that the task force can look into is how we can shift our mode from response and recovery to putting in place governance frame works that will prevent climate-related disasters and climate resiliency in these identified provinces,” said DENR Un dersecretary for Finance, Information Systems, and Climate Change Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, who also serves as the TFBBB Secretariat Head.

The direction was pursuant to the blueprint of action set out by DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyza ga, which focuses on strengthening climate risk capacities through im proved coherence and implementa tion of climate-resiliency and adaptive programs under the “whole-of-society” approach.

Jonathan L. Mayuga

West and Russia clash over UN probe of drone use in Ukraine

By Edith M. Lederer The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The US and its Western allies on the Security Council insisted Wednesday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has the right to investigate if Russia has used Iranian drones to attack civilians and power plants in Ukraine.

They dismissed Moscow’s argu ment that the UN chief would be violating the UN Charter.

Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, who called the council meeting, argued that only the Security Council can man date an investigation. He cited Article 100 of the charter, which says the secretary-general “shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the organization.”

US deputy ambassador Robert Wood called Russia’s contention “simply dumbfounding” and an at tempt “to deflect attention from its own egregious wrongdoing in Ukraine.”

French Ambassador Nicolas De Riviere accused Russia of con stantly violating the UN Charter “and trampling on its principles by invading its neighbor and claiming to annex its territories.”

Britain’s deputy ambassador, James Kariuki, called it “another attempt by Russia to distract from its crimes in Ukraine, and Iran and Russia’s failure to abide by their international obligations.”

The Western envoys said the Security Council’s time is being wasted by Russia, which is engaged in a blitz of activity at the council.

Russia called closed-door con sultations Tuesday about its un founded allegations that Ukraine is preparing a dirty bomb. It called Wednesday’s meeting to try to pre vent the investigation of its pur ported use of Iranian drones. And

it called a meeting Thursday on its claims that secret American labs in Ukraine were engaged in biological warfare—a charge denied by the US and Ukraine.

In a letter to the Security Council last Wednesday, Ukraini an Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya accused Iran of violating a coun cil ban on the transfer of drones capable of flying 300 kilometers (about 185 miles).

That provision was part of Se curity Council Resolution 2231, which endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six key na tions—the US, Russia, China, Brit ain, France and Germany—aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear activi ties and preventing the country from developing a nuclear weapon.

On Wednesday, Iranian Am bassador Amir Saeid Iravani re iterated his country’s rejection of the “totally unfounded alle gations.” He insisted that since Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, Iran has maintained “a position of active neutrality” and “has never provided the parties with weapons.”

Nebenzia told a council meeting Friday that the drones are Rus sian—not Iranian—and warned that an investigation would se riously affect relations between Russia and the United Nations.

This week he asked the UN legal office to state whether launching an investigation in response to a number of countries and not the entire Security Council would vio late Article 100 of the UN Charter

and provisions of Resolution 2231.

In a briefing for the council Wednesday, UN legal counsel Miguel de Serpa Soares did not directly answer Russia’s question, but he said “it is only natural” that the UN’s 193 member nations “wish to exercise as much influence as they can over the activities of the organization.”

Most days, he said, Guterres and himself are contacted by ambassa dors trying to advance positions of their governments.

“All of this is to be expected; and I do not think that anyone here would wish to maintain that such activities are in any way in consistent with Article 100…,” Serpa Soares said.

As for Resolution 2231, he said, a 2016 council note on arrange ments and procedures calls for the secretary-general to appoint a Security Affairs Division, which has prepared reports to the coun cil every six months on its imple mentation.

He said the note “anticipates that the report will include find ings and recommendations,” and in the 13 reports so far the sec retary-general has been able “to express his views on relevant de velopments…and draw attention to matters of concern.”

“Absent further guidance by the Security Council,” Serpa Soares said, “the secretary-general will continue to prepare these reports in the manner that they have been prepared to date.”

Wood, the deputy UN ambassa dor, noted that Russia helped ne gotiate and supported Resolution 2231 and said there is “ample prec edent” in previous reports submit ted by the secretary-general to the Security Council for independent investigations by the Secretariat, which he heads.

He cited a 2017 report in which the UN chief reported on an in vestigation of allegations that Iranian-supplied ballistic mis siles were used by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in attacks on Saudi Arabia. More recently, he said, Secretariat investigators traveled to the Saudi capital of Riyadh in October 2021 to examine debris from six ballis tic missiles tied to Houthi attacks. And in 2021, the UN team also went to Israel to examine Iranian drones that had infiltrated its air space, Wood said.

Russia’s Nebenzia insisted that all those probes were against the UN Charter.

“We are grateful to our Western colleagues for the exhaustive list of violations by the UN Secretariat of Article 100 of the United Nations Charter,” he said.

Asked what will happen if the secretary-general does investigate the downed drones in Ukraine, Ne benzia said Moscow isn’t threaten ing to withdraw cooperation with the UN if that happened.

“But, of course, we will be view ing our cooperation in the light of the reaction of the Secretariat to our legitimate concerns,” he said.

Southeast Asia digital economy slows as people curb spending

By Olivia Poh

By Philip J. Heijmans

SOUTHEAST Asia’s top envoys agreed Thursday to hold Myanmar to a “concrete” but unidentified timeline for making progress on a plan to end violence in the troubled country.

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations discussed recommendations for the full implementation of the so-called five-point consensus reached with the junta after the military coup last year, during a meeting in Jakarta. A statement issued by Cambodia, which holds the rotating chairmanship of the bloc, said further steps will be decided upon during next month’s Asean summit in Phnom Penh that is expected to draw world leaders to the region.

“Undoubtedly, the situation on the ground remains critical and fragile, and this is not due to the lack of commitments and efforts on the part of Asean and the Special Envoy, but because of the complexity and difficulty of Myanmar’s decades-long protracted conflicts,” the statement reads.

Asean, which Myanmar is a member of, has come under pressure to convince the junta to end violence and instability since coup leader Min Aung Hlaing seized control from the civilian government last year. A non-political representative from Myanmar was invited to the Thursday meeting, but “was met with no positive response,” the statement reads. With assistance from Norman Harsono/Bloomberg

GROWTH in Southeast Asia’s Internet economy is slowing after years of expansion, showing that even emerging digital markets aren’t immune to economic headwinds.

Online spending in the region will rise about 20 percent this year to $200 billion, research from Google, Temasek Holdings Pte and Bain & Co. showed, slow ing from 38 percent a year earlier.

The region’s Internet economy is set to reach $330 billion by 2025, according to the report, down from a previous forecast of $363 billion.

This is the first time estimates have been revised downward in the companies’ annual report, which covers Singapore, Indonesia, Ma laysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Even as the region’s consumers are adopting mobile and online services at a rapid clip, they are curbing spending amid accelerating inflation and ris ing interest rates—just like their peers globally.

“After years of acceleration,

digital adoption growth is nor malizing,” the companies said in a release. “The majority of digital players are now shifting priori ties from new customer acquisi tion to deeper engagement with existing customers to increase usage and value.”

Southeast Asia, home to Ali baba Group Holding Ltd.’s Lazada and Sea Ltd.’s Shopee, will see a 16 percent increase in e-commerce gross merchandise value this year, slowing sharply from pandemic highs as consumers become more cautious. Online shopping is now forecast to hit $211 billion in 2025 versus a previous $234 billion pre diction, making up 64 percent of the region’s total estimated digital GMV, the research showed.

E-commerce, financial ser vices and travel are among leading sectors driving the re gion’s digital growth, the report showed. Southeast Asia is add ing about 20 million new digital consumers in 2022.

The number of deals involving tech companies in the region re mained relatively steady at about 1,200 in the first half of this year

compared with a year-earlier period, according to the report. Early-stage investments are in creasing, while later-stage deals are getting hit by dimmer public listing prospects in the capital markets. Southeast Asia venture capital funds held about $15 bil lion in “dry powder” at the end of 2021, down from $16 billion a year earlier.

“Macroeconomic headwinds are here,” Stephanie Davis, vice presi dent at Google Southeast Asia, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV’s Haslinda Amin and Rishaad Salamat. “We do expect some con servancy in the later half of this year and next year. In fact, about three quarters of venture capital firms in the region expect there to be declines in valuation.”

Indonesia remains the region’s largest digital economy where on line spending is predicted to rise to $130 billion by 2025. Vietnam is expected to grow at the fastest rate among the six countries tracked by the study, more than doubling in online GMV over the next three years. With assistance from Haslinda Amin and Rishaad Salamat/Bloomberg

Gunmen attack major Shiite holy site in Iran, killing 15

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Gunmen attacked a major Shiite holy site in Iran on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens. The attack came as protesters elsewhere in Iran marked a symbolic 40 days since a woman’s death in custody ignited the biggest antigovernment movement in over a decade.

State TV blamed the attack on “takfiris,” a term that refers to Sunni Muslim extremists who have targeted the country’s Shiite majority in the past. The attack appeared to be unrelated to the demonstrations.

The official website of the judiciary said two gunmen were arrested and a third is on the run after the attack on the Shah Cheragh mosque, the second holiest site in Iran. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the death toll and state TV said 40 people were wounded.

An Iranian news website considered to be close to the Supreme National Security Council reported that the attackers were foreign nationals, without elaborating.

The Islamic State group late Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack on its Amaq news agency. It said an armed IS militant stormed the shrine and opened fire on its visitors. It claimed that some 20 people were killed and dozens more were wounded.

Such attacks are rare in Iran, but last April, an assailant stabbed two clerics to death at the Imam Reza shrine, the country’s most revered Shiite site, in the northeast city of Mashhad.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that whoever led and planned the attack will “receive a regretful and decisive response,” without elaborating. IRNA quoted Raisi as saying, “This evil will definitely not go unanswered.”

Earlier on Wednesday, thousands of protesters had poured into the streets of a northwestern city to mark the watershed 40 days since the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, whose tragedy sparked the protests.

Deaths are commemorated in Shiite Islam—as in many other traditions—again 40 days later, typically with an outpouring of grief. In Amini’s Kurdish hometown of Saqez, the birthplace of the nationwide unrest now roiling Iran, crowds snaked through the local cemetery and thronged her grave.

“Death to the dictator!” protesters cried, according to video footage that corresponds with known features of the city and Aichi Cemetery. Women ripped off their headscarves, or hijabs, and waved them above their heads. Other videos showed a massive procession making its way along a highway and through a dusty field toward Amini’s grave. There were reports of road closures in the area.

State-linked media reported 10,000 protesters in the procession to her grave.

Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights group, said security forces fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators. The semiofficial ISNA news agency said security forces fired pellets at crowds of demonstrators on the outskirts of Saqez and pushed back demonstrators who tried to attack the governor’s office. It said local Internet access was cut off due to “security considerations.”

Earlier in the day, Kurdistan Gov. Esmail Zarei Koosha insisted that traffic was flowing as normal, calling the situation “completely stable.”

State-run media announced that schools and universities in Iran’s northwestern region would close, purportedly to curb “the spread of influenza.”

In downtown Tehran, the capital, major sections of the traditional grand bazaar closed in solidarity with the protests. Crowds clapped and shouted “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!” through the labyrinthine marketplace.

“This year is a year of blood!” they also chanted. “[Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] will be toppled!”

Riot police on motorbikes were out in force. A large group of men and women marched through the streets, setting trash cans ablaze and shouting Death to the dictator!” as cars honked their support. Police unleashed anti-riot bullets at protesters in the streets and sprayed pellets upward at journalists filming from windows and rooftops. Anti-government chants also echoed from the University of Tehran campus.

Amini, detained for allegedly violating the country’s strict dress code for women, remains the potent symbol of protests that have posed one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic.

With the slogan #WomanLifeFreedom, the demonstrations first focused on women’s rights and the state-mandated hijab, or headscarf for women. But they quickly evolved into calls to oust the Shiite clerics that have ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The protests have also galvanized university students, labor unions, prisoners and ethnic minorities like the Kurds along Iran’s border with Iraq.

Since the protests erupted, security forces have fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrations, killing over 200 people, according to rights groups.

Untold numbers have been arrested, with estimates in the thousands. Iranian judicial officials announced this week they would bring over 600 people to trial over their role in the protests, including 315 in Tehran, 201 in the neighboring Alborz province and 105 in the southwestern province of Khuzestan.

Tehran prosecutor Ali Salehi told the state-run IRNA news agency that four protesters were charged with “war against God,” which is punishable by death in Iran.

Iranian officials have blamed the protests on foreign interference, without offering evidence.

Last week, Iran imposed sanctions on over a dozen European officials, companies and institutions, including foreign-based Farsi channels that have extensively covered the protests, accusing them of “supporting terrorism.” The sanctions involve an entry and visa ban for the staffers in addition to the confiscation of their assets in Iran.

Deutsche Welle, the German public broadcaster whose Farsi team was blacklisted, condemned the move on Wednesday as “unacceptable.”

“I expect politicians in Germany and Europe to increase the pressure on the regime,” said DW Director General Peter Limbourg.

In a separate development, most of the remaining portion of a 10-story tower that collapsed earlier this year in the southwestern city of Abadan, killing at least 41 people, fell on Wednesday, state-run media reported. The state-run IRNA news agency reported that a woman in a car parked near the site was killed. Other parts of the building had collapsed last month.

The deadly collapse of the Metropol Building on May 23 became a lightning rod for protests in Abadan, some 660 kilometers (410 miles) southwest of the capital, Tehran. The disaster shined a spotlight on shoddy construction practices, government corruption and negligence in Iran.

Videos spread online of the remaining tower crashing into the street as massive clouds of dust billowed into the sky. AP

Asean’s top envoys to hold Myanmar to ‘concrete’ timeline to end violence

A DRONE is seen in the sky seconds before it fired on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17, 2022. The Iranian-made drones that Russia sent slamming into central Kyiv this week have produced hand-wringing and consternation in Israel, complicating the country’s balancing act between Russia and the West. AP/EFREM LUKATSKY

French, German leaders meet amid rift over energy, economy

By Sylvie Corbet & Geir Moulson The Associated Press

PARIS—French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz thrashed it out for three hours in Paris on Wednesday in hopes of bridging gaps between the two neighbors and key European Union allies on issues including energy, defense and the economy.

Macron and Scholz discussed their differences over a working lunch at the Elysee presidential palace. In a tweet, Scholz called the meeting on European energy supply, rising prices and joint defense projects “very good and important.”

“Germany and France stand close together and are approaching the challenges together,” Scholz added.

Officials from both countries stressed the two leaders’ forged a broad agreement on which direction they want to see developments heading even as Europe struggles with the consequences of the war in Ukraine. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak about the meeting publicly, did not disclose details.

The French presidency hailed the talks as “constructive,” adding that Macron and Scholz focused on forging a “close working relationship” on issues over the middle and long-term.

The leaders agreed to set up working groups on the three key issues of energy, defense and innovation, the French presidency said.

In an interview on France 2 television Wednesday evening, Macron said he discussed with Scholz the idea of a tax credit aimed at encouraging Europeans to buy electric vehicles built on the continent, on the model of the recent measure applied in the US.

France and Germany, both major car manufacturers, must “get together” on this subject, Macron said, adding that he saw some “true convergence” with Scholz to move forward on the issue.

“I never believed in Europe as an open supermarket,” he said. “So yes, we must protect our industry and keep the aids for vehicles that are made in Europe.”

Initially, a French-German joint Cabinet meeting had been scheduled Wednesday as well, but it was postponed until January. The governments in Paris and Berlin both said they needed more time to reach consensus on some bilateral issues.

French-German government meetings are usually held at least once a year to coordinate policies. The last one was held in May 2021 via videoconference due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

French government spokesman Olivier Veran said Scholz’ s visit shows both countries’ ability “sometimes to be able to get over difficulties...when the priorities of one country do not necessarily converge with the priorities of the other.”

“The strength of the French-German couple is to always be able to get along together and move Europe forward,” he added.

French-German divergences are not unusual. The countries, home to the eurozone’s biggest economies, are used to having different stances on defense, energy and other topics.

“My wish has always been to preserve European unity and also the friendship and the alliance between France and Germany,” Macron said last week in Brussels before an EU meeting. “I think it’s not good for Germany nor for Europe that it isolates itself,” he added.

Asked Friday about the apparent tensions, Scholz said that cooperation with France is “very intensive” and stressed that he holds frequent meetings with Macron.

“There are questions on which we have common points of view and drive things forward,” he said. “You can see, for example, that it is Germany and France who repeatedly look at how we can achieve progress to support Ukraine.”

Some other EU member states have criticized Germany in recent months for defending its own national interests over European priorities.

Many, including France and Italy, pointed to the lack of coordination with Germany over its 200 billion euro ($199 billion) subsidy plan to help households and businesses cope with high energy prices.

Some eastern European countries criticized Berlin for being too slow in providing weapons to Ukraine. Poland and the Baltic countries expressed concerns when Germany appeared to hesitate on granting Ukraine candidate status for EU membership.

Berlin and Paris have a decades-long history of bilateral irritants and European disputes that coexist with the countries’ friendship and cooperation.

France and Germany have been described as the “motor” of the EU. They have always found compromises even in difficult terrain since they co-founded, with four other countries, the forerunner of the EU in 1957.

They will celebrate in January the 60th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty that set the tone for the two countries’ relations after centuries of fierce rivalry and bloody conflict.

Last week, as EU leaders were seeking a deal to make sure the runaway cost of gas doesn’t further tank struggling EU economies, Germany and France were in opposing camps—Berlin expressing doubts and holding off plans for a price cap, while most others wanted to push on.

Scholz said any dispute was on the method, not the goal.

Defense also has been a recurrent issue, with Paris considering Berlin was not doing enough in the area for years—until the war in Ukraine led Germany to announce a major boost to military spending.

Earlier this month, 15 countries agreed on German-led plans for an improved European air defense system, the so-called European Sky Shield Initiative.

France did not join the project. The French Mamba system is already part of Nato’s integrated air and missile defense.

Moulson wrote from Berlin. AP writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to the story.

The World

Russia, Nato hold nuclear drills as Ukraine villages pounded

By Andrew Meldrum The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine—Nato and Russia’s military alike staged planned annual nuclear exercises Wednesday as the Russian president repeated the unfounded claim that Ukraine plans to set off a radioactive “dirty bomb.” On the battlefront, Russian forces pounded more than 40 Ukrainian villages over the past day.

Russian President Vladimir Putin remotely monitored the drills of his strategic nuclear forces, which involved multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles in a show of force.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise simulated a “massive nuclear strike” retaliating for a nuclear attack on Russia.

The Biden administration said Russia provided advance notice of the annual drills. Nato is carrying out its own long-planned annual nuclear exercises in northwestern Europe.

Without providing any evidence, in remarks carried by Russian TV, Putin said Ukraine plans to “use a so-called ‘dirty bomb’ as a provo cation” and contended the United States was using Ukraine as a “bat tering ram” against Russia and its regional allies, turning the country into a “testing ground for militarybiological experiments.” It was the first time Putin himself made the unsubstantiated dirty bomb allega tion, which his officials have been repeating since last week.

Ukraine and its Western allies have denied the claims and con tend that Russia, facing setbacks on the battlefield, might itself try to detonate a “dirty bomb”—which uses explosives to scatter radioac tive waste to sow terror—or go further and tap its vast nuclear weapon arsenal.

Shoigu on Wednesday called his counterparts from India and China to share Moscow’s concern about “possible Ukrainian provocations

involving a ‘dirty bomb,’” according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called Russia’s unsub stantiated statements “absurd.”

“Allies reject this blatantly false accusation, and Russia must not use false pretexts to escalate the war further,” Stoltenberg told re porters at Nato headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday.

He underlined that the 30-na tion military organization “will not be intimidated or deterred from supporting Ukraine’s right to self-defense for as long as it takes.”

Despite the Western dismissals, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted that Moscow had informa tion about “an ongoing preparation in Ukraine for such a terror attack.”

Slovenia’s government said Russia has been engaging in a dis information campaign about the “dirty bombs,” using a 2010 photo from the European Union country’s Agency for Radioactive Waste titled “Ukraine’s capacities to create the dirty bomb.” The photo shows bags containing smoke detectors bear ing inscriptions in Slovenian read ing “radioaktivno,” or radioactive. The Slovenian government says the detectors contain a radioactive source but it isn’t one of those list ed below the photo in the Russian Foreign Ministry release. Slovenia’s government said on Twitter that its radioactive waste is stored safely and is not used for dirty bombs.

While continuing to issue unsub stantiated claims that Ukraine is planning provocations, Putin also

is still sending signals that he’s open to negotiations with Kyiv. The latest message came via Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embalo, President of Guinea Bissau, who visited Kyiv to meet with President Volodymr Zelenskyy.

“I was in Russia with President Putin, who asked me to forward you what we spoke about, something he thinks would be very important. He wishes and thinks that a direct dia logue should happen between your two countries,” the Guinea Bissau leader said.

At a press conference, Zelenskyy responded that a prerequisite for talks would be Russia’s recognition of Ukraine’s territory, borders and sovereignty.

The two sides have managed lim ited cooperation on certain issues, such as the exchange of prisoners of war and repatriation of remains.

On Wednesday, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, reported on Telegram that Russian forces had handed over 10 Ukrainian servicemen held as pris oners of war. They also turned over the body of an American volunteer, US Army veteran Joshua Alan Jones, who Yermak said fought for Ukraine and died in combat.

US State Department spokes man Ned Price confirmed the re patriation, without naming Jones. Price said the US “is appreciative of Ukraine for including recovery of this individual’s remains in its negotiations with Russia.”

On the battlefront, Ukrainian officials said fighting in more than 40 villages killed at least two civil ians and sustained the terror that forces people into air raid shelters each night.

Russian forces launched five rockets, 30 air strikes and more than 100 multiple-launch rocket system attacks on Ukrainian tar gets, the Ukrainian armed forces

Sunak makes Parliament debut as

By Jill Lawless & Danica Kirka The Associated Press

LONDON—Rishi Sunak faced the opposition in Parliament for the first time as Britain’s prime minister Wednesday, promising to restore economic stability after his predecessor’s tax plans triggered market tumult.

Sunak ripped up more of predecessor Liz Truss’ flagship policies, reinstating a moratorium on fracking for shale gas that Truss had lifted. Plans for large-scale deregulation of the economy, part of Truss’ vision to unleash economic growth, are also under review, Sunak’s spokeswoman said.

Sunak, who took office Tuesday, has appointed a government that mixes allies with experienced ministers from the administrations of his two immediate predecessors, Truss and Boris Johnson as he tries to tackle Britain’s multiple economic problems. One of his first acts was to delay a key economic statement by more than two weeks, until November 17, so the government can use the most accurate possible forecasts as it seeks to tackle the costof-living crisis.

“We will have to take difficult decisions to restore economic stability and confidence,” Sunak told the House of Commons. “We will do this in a fair way.”

“I will always protect the most vulnerable. We did it in Covid and we will do it again,” he said.

Opposition politicians focused on the baggage his new government carried: ministers from the Cabinets of Johnson— who quit in July after a slew of ethics

scandals—and Truss, whose government lasted just seven weeks.

A package of unfunded tax cuts Truss unveiled last month spooked financial markets with the prospect of ballooning debt, drove the pound to record lows and forced the Bank of England to intervene— weakening Britain’s fragile economy and obliterating Truss’ authority within the Conservative Party.

Sunak is seen by Conservatives as a safe pair of hands they hope can stabilize an economy sliding toward recession—and stem the party’s plunging popularity.

Sunak brought in people from different wings of the Conservative Party for his Cabinet. He removed about a dozen members of Truss’ government but kept several senior figures in place, including Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace.

He faces a backlash for reappointing Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who resigned last week after breaching ethics rules by sending a sensitive government email from a private account. She used her resignation letter to criticize Truss, hastening the then-prime minister’s departure.

A leading light of the Conservatives’ right wing who infuriates liberals, Braverman is tasked with fulfilling a controversial, stalled plan to send some asylum-seekers arriving in Britain on a one-way trip to Rwanda.

Sunak denied an allegation by Labour leader Keir Starmer that he had made a “grubby deal” with Braverman in return for her support in the leadership contest.

general staff said.

A Ukrainian official reported that a Russian strike hit a gas sta tion in the city of Dnipro, killing two people, including a 25-year-old pregnant woman in a car with her husband. He was reported seriously hurt in the attack late Tuesday. Ukrainian saboteurs attacked a police station in the southern port and industrial city of Kherson with grenades on Wednesday, Russianinstalled officials reported on so cial media. There were no immedi ate reports of casualties.

Missiles struck buildings and neighborhoods in the southern port city of Mykolaiv on Tuesday, though it remained unclear if there were any casualties, according to lo cal authorities. More strikes were reported early Wednesday.

The sole food distribution point in Mykolaiv allows each person to receive free bread once every three days. Many must walk long distances.

“Bread and canned food is all I eat. It’s almost winter already, and it’s terrifying,” Anna Bilousova, 70, said. For 74-year-old Olena Mo tuzko, getting the food is an ordeal because she has a disabled husband she must leave alone for hours.

Others are trying to survive by going underground at night.

A 73-year-old woman spends her days in her home, cooking and washing, and every evening heads to a small makeshift sleeping area in a basement with family mem bers. She has been doing that every night since the war began in late February.

Valentyna, who asked that her last name not be used for security reasons, describes the sound of incoming attacks as “very scary.”

“My nervous system can’t cope with it,” she said, sitting in her makeshift bedroom.

axes more Truss policies

UKRAINIAN soldier flashes a victory sign in Bakhmut, the site of the heaviest battle against the Russian troops in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, on Wednesday, October 26, 2022. AP/EFREM LUKATSKY

Jobs of the future

TheFirst Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production in the textile industry. The second industrial revolution gave us the assembly line, high volume industrial production and mass consumption. The third industrial revolution used electronics and information technology to automate production.

Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum, coined the term “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” at the WEF meeting in Davos in 2016. He said this is where advances in technology have made it possible for the virtual and physical aspects of manufacturing to work together more smoothly. Schwab argued these technological changes are drastically altering how individuals, companies and governments operate, ultimately leading to a societal transformation similar to previous industrial revolutions.

According to the “Future of Jobs 2020” report by the World Economic Forum, the dual impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Covid-19 will displace 85 million jobs by 2025. However, the report estimated that 97 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to the new division of labor between humans, machines and algorithms.

The WEF report said the pace of technology adoption is expected to remain unabated and may accelerate in some areas. The adoption of cloud computing, big data and e-commerce remain high priorities for business leaders, following a trend established in previous years. However, there has also been a significant rise in interest for encryption, non-humanoid robots and artificial intelligence.

Despite the current economic downturn, the report said majority of employers recognize the value of human capital investment. About 66 percent of employers surveyed expect to get a return on investment in upskilling and reskilling within one year. However, this time horizon risks being too long for many employers in the context of the current economic shock, and nearly 17 percent remain uncertain on having any return on their investment. On average, employers expect to offer reskilling and upskilling to just over 70 percent of their employees by 2025.

In the Philippines, the Fourth Industrial Revolution gives us an opportunity to re-evaluate our education system, training and skills development programs so we can help our workers adapt and thrive in the future.

President Marcos’s initiative to create a demand-driven scholarship program to help address skill shortages in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry is a timely move in the right direction. The President recently ordered the Department of Information and Communications Technology to coordinate with the private sector to determine their skills needs. The government, he said, could then provide scholarships for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses to qualified beneficiaries, which can help fill out identified industry requirements (Read, “PBBM moves to revitalize support to STEM scholars for ICT industry,” in the BusinessMirror, October 26, 2022).

The Department of Labor and Employment has also advocated for more students to take up STEM courses amid the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is marked by the introduction of new technologies in workplaces such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and robotics. DOLE said the emerging industries from the said revolution would require more workers with STEMrelated skills and expertise.

Two of the most in-demand jobs in the future are data analysts and data scientists. That’s because data science experts are desired in almost every field. A great number of companies and government entities depend on big data to better serve their customers and constituents.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a fundamental change in the way we live, work and relate to one another. It is enabled by advanced technology that integrates the physical and digital worlds in ways that create both huge promise and potential peril. For example, its threat to increase unemployment among those unprepared may drive economic inequality in society. How to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, humancentered future will be the biggest challenge that policy makers and industry leaders will have to confront.

Jobs generation: A tool for fighting inequality

sonny M. angara

Better Days

RecenTly, Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI) released the latest commitment to Reduce Inequality (cRI) Index, which gauges the performance of countries in bridging the gap between the rich and poor according to three main dimensions or pillars—public services spending, the progressivity of taxation, and labor policies.

The CRI index was first run in 2017 in support of the global adoption two years prior of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which is on reducing inequality within and among countries (Goal 10). At the time, Oxfam was already sounding the alarm on a global inequality crisis characterized by a situation where only eight individuals owned as much wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion people.

With the most recent version of the index, the highlight was more on how the Covid-19 pandemic actually deepened or exacerbated this inequality crisis. Utilizing data from 2020 to 2022, the latest index covered the performance of up to 161 governments and showed that

most were unable to mitigate the grave effects of the pandemic on poverty reduction and anti-inequality progress.

For instance, according to the report, roughly half of low- and lowermiddle-income countries actually cut their health spending throughout the pandemic. Meanwhile, up to half of all the governments covered cut social protection spending, while up to 70 percent reduced their public expenditures for education. Notably, while the economic downturn meant that governments had difficulties keeping tax revenues up, 143 out of the 161 countries did not raise tax rates on the rich. In fact, despite significant increases in the incomes of the wealthy, 11 governments ac-

One area, however, that needs more attention is on enacting reforms that will encourage investments and structural change in our economy so that more high-paying jobs are created and that better entrepreneurial opportunities are available across the country.

tually cut their taxes. On the other hand, some two-thirds of the countries covered did not increase their minimum wages in line with expanding gross domestic product (GDP).

Unfortunately, the Philippines’s CRI performance was dismal, as we ranked 102nd out of 161 globally and 19th out of 25 in East and the Pacific. Furthermore, we were 106th in terms of public services spending, 104th in terms of taxation, and 92nd when it comes to labor rights and welfare. These rankings put us second from the bottom, ahead only of Lao PDR, among the nine Asean member-countries included.

Inequality was already of significant concern for the Philippines prior to the pandemic, given that we have long had difficulties with reducing poverty and spreading wealth and prosperity to the countryside. This is not to say, however, that steps were not taken to address these issues. In

the past decade for instance, critical programs and policies were enacted and implemented including conditional cash transfers (which were found by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies to be effective in terms of improving education and health outcomes among beneficiaries), universal health care, and free college tuition.

One area, however, that needs more attention is on enacting reforms that will encourage investments and structural change in our economy so that more high-paying jobs are created and that better entrepreneurial opportunities are available across the country. We could improve our performance in terms of the pillars listed in the CRI, but if our economy remains unable to create these much-needed employment and livelihood opportunities, then inequality will remain a problem throughout the country. In short, we make good on our commitment to reduce inequality, when we ensure that more high-paying jobs are available for all.

Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years—9 years as Representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and 9 as Senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 250 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.

E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com| Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @sonnyangara

The economics of oneness: Its impact on humans and the natural environment

thomas L. Lazaro III

eaGLe WatCH

AS the government eases pandemic restrictions with signs of recovery in the horizon, we are faced with twin challenges: the post-covid fallout and the Russia-Ukraine war. In a previous column, we talked about facing these challenges by recognizing the potentials of our nation and build on our various capitals: human, natural, physical, financial, and social.

Out of all these capitals, social capital is probably the most neglected and least understood. It refers to the network of relationships among people who live in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. It also refers to the society’s shared values, norms, and trust. Sadly, we have had a history of divisiveness and fragmentation rooted in economic inequality, social injustice, corruption, bad governance, and social media disinformation. Here, we shall look at how social capital affects human and natural capital.

Studies show that the level of trust among people and the government is highly correlated with economic growth. Trust is an important element in building human capital that drives health, knowledge, wisdom, skills, and motivation, which are important to the attainment of wellbeing and happiness.

In a study conducted by International Care Ministries (ICM) that covered ultra-poor communities in Visayas and Mindanao, social trust is an important driver of health seeking behaviors and plays a particular

role for diseases that are stigmatized such as tuberculosis (TB). The study reveals that family and other relatives are dominant drivers of a TB patient’s participation and trust on rural health unit (RHU) attendance (Lau et al., SSM-Population Health, 2020).

Another study of ICM across 150 ultra-poor communities in the provinces of Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Palawan, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Zamboanga del Norte reveals that building social capital can influence people’s perception of their own health (Hung and Lau, BMC Public Health, 2019).

Interestingly, another ICM study in ultra-poor communities in Visayas and Mindanao reveal that trust in religious leaders and institutions had an impact on ICM’s child nutrition interventions program among vulnerable populations. This suggests leveraging pre-existing trust in these institutions can be an avenue for building human capital (Lau et. al., BMJ, 2020).

Social capital had also its impact on natural capital. Communities, especially rural ones, may be abun-

dant in natural capital, such as land, crops, and other natural assets. However, these communities often do not have the skills on managing these assets and turning them into productive use. The study by MDPI Sustainability Foundation in the province of Quezon found out that participation in natural resource management can provide both tangible and intangible benefits that led to sustainable and long-term rewards (Valenzuela et. al., Forests, 2020). It confirmed that the community’s participation in mangrove restoration projects in the province increases social capital, which in return effectively run proper natural resource management leading to livelihood opportunities.

Meanwhile, a research result from UPLB Center for Strategic Planning and Policy Studies (CSPPS) conducted in Bukidnon shows that social capital had a positive relationship with environmental governance. People were found to have higher propensity to collectively participate in the management of natural resources with good environmental governance propagated by local leaders

“Eagle Watch,” A19

Is the world on the verge of nuclear Armageddon?

LiTo

ThERE is a troubling issue that the Russian Defense Ministry has cited about the ongoing Ukraine conflict that deserves serious thought for it could lead to zero hour for a nuclear Armageddon. This is the possibility that Ukraine will detonate a “dirty bomb” that could lead to the conflict spiraling out of control. The said accusation has since then been denied by Ukraine as absurd. But there are troubling scenarios that deserve a second look.

For instance, Russia’s Defense Ministry pointed to two Ukraine groups ordered to create the so-called “dirty bomb” and are now said to be at the concluding stage of the task. Also, the ministry cited “contacts between the Office of the President of Ukraine and representatives of the United Kingdom regarding the possible reception of technologies to create nuclear weapons.” Ukraine has stockpiles of radioactive substances that can be used for creating the “dirty bomb.” It has three plants, the Yuzhnoukrainsk, Khmelnitsky and Rovno nuclear power plants with nine storage pools for spent nuclear fuel.

“Ukraine has got a motive to use the “dirty bomb,” as well as scientific, technical and production capacities to create it. Ukraine expects “dirtybomb” provocation to intimidate the population, increase the flow of refugees, and accuse the Russian Federation of nuclear terrorism,” according to a briefing paper of the Ministry of Defense, which said that it has arranged moves to counter the possible provocations of Ukraine and the means and forces are alerted to operate amid radioactive contamination.

To bolster its assertion, the Defense Ministry referred to the announcement of Ukraine President Zelenskyy to re-establish Ukraine as a nuclear-armed State at the Munich Security Conference in February. Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on NATO countries to launch a strike at the Russian Federation since the beginning of the special military operation. Zelenskyy said: “What does NATO have to do? We need pre-emptive strikes, so that they’ll know what will happen to them if they use (nukes). And not the other way around, don’t wait for Russia’s nuclear strikes.”

In an interview with a Canadian TV channel on October 22, Zelenskyy urged the world to strike the Kremlin if Russia launches attacks at the “decision-making centers” in Bankovaya Street where the Office of the President of Ukraine is located.

These developments do not augur well for the “health and safety” of the world as they can trigger a nuclear Armageddon, and perhaps it is best for the leaders to take a step back from the precipice of this radiation disas-

No dirty bomb should be detonated, leaders need to look at common grounds and come to the table and possibly discuss new paradigms on conflicts. We need the soothing voice of Guterres: “The idea that any country could fight and win a nuclear war is deranged. Any use of a nuclear weapon would incite a humanitarian Armageddon. We need to step back.”

ter and discuss new modes of dispute resolutions that would lead to peace dividends, like turning tanks into agricultural implements, and thereby solve the hunger pangs of children in Africa and Asia. The call from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, for instance, to take out the threat of nuclear Armageddon, could be a step in that direction.

For Guterres, to initiate the first step in that direction, away from the zero hour of nuclear Armageddon, there is a need to step back from the precipice. We should allow cooler heads to have a voice in the ongoing Ukraine conflict so that other more important matters that threaten civilization can be pursued vigorously. There is the problem of climate change, for instance, that needs to be addressed.

Imagine the untold disasters that had been wrecked on many places in the world. There are videos of cars floating in flash floods that hit Singapore, of tsunamis laying to waste ports and agricultural lands in Japan, of rampaging waters destroying houses and ports in Pakistan, of hurricanes hitting US states, of communities in the Philippines submerged. The climate change initiative needs to be addressed fully. The risk of a nuclear Armageddon should be taken into account.

No dirty bomb should be detonated, leaders need to look at common grounds and come to the table and possibly discuss new paradigms on conflicts. We need the soothing voice of Guterres: “The idea that any country could fight and win a nuclear war is deranged. Any use of a nuclear weapon would incite a humanitarian Armageddon. We need to step back.”

Observing/Understanding/Negating Cultures

Tito Genova Valiente annoTaTions

Last October 21, 2022, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote speech for the conference organized by the Philippine Cultural Education Program (PCEP), titled “Re-Thinking and Re-Imagining Philippine Culture-based Education: Critical Engagement, Affective Investment, Decolonial Practice.” For the event, I was given the task to talk on this subject matter: “Teaching Human Rights Through the Arts: A Creative- Critical Culture-Based Pedagogy. Following hereunder is an abridged version of the speech.

DOcultures reflect the notions and actions of human rights? That question is old, outdated, incomplete; instead, we should focus on these points of examination: Do cultures subvert human rights? Do cultures negate human rights? Do cultures affirm human rights? Do cultures work against human rights?

We can popularize our inquest and ask, “Are Philippine cultures friendly to human rights?”

The point in all this is not to fall into the trap of one-to-one correspondence, where we say: here is culture and there is human right. Now, let us find the relationship between the two.

Now to the more interesting aspect of this session, the definition of culture per se. Culture is an anthropological enterprise.

Going through the modules on cultural education, there seems to be one definition that best answers the spirit of the said kind of education. This is E.B. Tylor’s classic definition of culture, the one that says: Culture or Civilization, taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.

The definition is ancient, taken as it is from the English anthropologist’s book, Primitive Culture, written in 1871. It is a definition that is wholly characterized by a culture (singular) that is evolutionary and yet static. In that book, society is pictured as a totality, which cannot correspond to a real society, where

conflicts are not only natural but needed to generate a dynamism for growth and identity.

Let me refer you to a book I have read: Charles King’s Gods of the Upper Air. How a Circle of Renegade Anthropologists Reinvented Race, Sex, and Gender in the Twentieth Century

The book is compelling and entertaining, because, as cultural educators would discover, the study of cultures is compelling and fun.

Charles King writes: “On board, Sonoma, was a twenty-three year old Pennsylvanian, slight but squarebuilt, unable to swim, given to conjunctivitis…. She had left behind a husband and a boyfriend in Chicago, and had spent the transcontinental train ride in the arms of a woman.”

This young woman who would turn out to be everyone’s idea of an ideal anthropologist is Margaret Mead.

Charles King continues: “She could not have known it at the time, but there among the welcoming feasts and the reef fishing, on humid afternoons and in the lashing winds of a tropical storm, Mead was in the middle of a revolution. It had begun with a set of vexing questions at the heart of philosophy, religion, and the human sciences: What are the natural divisions of human society? Is

morality universal? How should we treat people whose beliefs and habits are different from our own?”

At the core of the substance of human rights is equality.

Fiona Bowie in her introduction to the chapter on Sex, Gender, and the Sacred in the book, “Anthropology of Religion,” says: “The “myth of equality” in Western societies disguises the extent to which sex and gender remain key organizing principles.”

Bowie in the same chapter would say: “Women were never absent from the ethnographic record, but their lives were filtered through and interpreted by men.” How do we use ethnographies, the description of cultures, what we consider as our reliable source of information about cultures?

Will the status of women change if we also change our definition of culture? Ward Goodenough’s concept of culture can help: “Culture is not a material phenomenon; it does not consist of things, people, behavior, or emotions. It is rather an organization of these things.” Here, we see an opportunity to attempt at decolonization.

To understand ourselves we need to see how the colonized body remembers events. We need to shake off ruins and museums, which are tombstones to dead histories.

What we need is a living appreciation of our culture, not merely the artefactual.

Consider cosmology, a domain unexplored because we always think the sacred is untouchable.

The philosopher, Freya Matthews, posits: “A cosmology serves to orient a community to its world, in the sense that it defines, for the community in question, the place of humankind in the cosmic scheme of things…who they are and where they stand in relation to the rest of creation.”

Decolonization begins as we look at the rituals around us. Why do myths preserve the dominance of men over women? Why do rituals magnify other beings as subalterns?

It is not the definitions of cultures that are at fault but the disciplines that we subject our pedagogical lens to. Ethnography as an approach is already being questioned. To describe cultures is to be dialogical, to blur the line between the observer and the observed. Culture after all is not always constructive; it can be destructive, like the cultures of poverty, the cultures of impunity, the cultures that declared women should be muted.

The task will not be easy. It is like the journey of the proverbial hero, where in the quest, he or she meets oppositions and in his return, goes through what Maurice Bloch calls “rebounding violence.” Will there be closure in this search for teaching through cultures? I doubt it. As colonized bodies, we will remain suspended between the false glory of the past and the dreamy captive, the facile imagination of a reinventing future.

E-mail: titovaliente@yahoo.com

Russia may again block Antarctic marine protections

By Nick Perry | The Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand—Delegations from Russia and Ukraine are among those meeting in Australia this week to decide the future of Antarctica’s pristine waters.

Conservationists say new marine protected areas and rules to prevent overfishing are desperately needed, but that Russia could use its veto-like powers to once again block progress.

Achieving the required consensus for action among this diverse group of 27, which also includes China, the United States and the European Union, has always been an immense challenge.

Minister Jacinda Ardern makes a rare visit by a world leader to Antarctica, to see firsthand the scientific research taking place and to mark the 65th anniversary of New Zealand’s Scott Base.

that are responsive to calls for planning and implementing programs and projects to protect the natural resources (Paunlagui et. al., UPLB ISSPPS, 2003).

The studies and programs cited above intend to create “micro” social capital, which is more of smaller peerto-peer groups and relationships, or what we call a bonding social capital. A bonding social capital refers to connections with some shared demographic characteristics such as family, relatives, and kinship.

How can this be translated to a “macro” or national level? Moving forward, the government must foster trust and leverage on existing social capital in communities in order to enhance human capital. Trust among people, from the smallest unit of society, which is the family, and to their leaders, is key

in addressing health issues, especially in poverty stricken rural areas. A healthy population provides better quality labor. On the other hand, communities can be motivated if local leaders can provide the proper guidance needed to achieve a common goal in protecting the environment. This can also be the case in other aspects of governance that directly impact the lives of the people, which can lead to bridging social capital wherein people are connected regardless of their social status and demographics.

Clearly, human and natural capital can be a nation’s greatest asset such as the case of the Philippines. The country is both labor and natural resource rich. However, it would be hard to build on these capitals without true unity and oneness as a nation.

Mr. Thomas L. Lazaro III is

at the Department of Economics of Ateneo

University.

And when two of the members are at war—and relations between China and many Western nations have deteriorated—consensus looms as an even bigger obstacle. Just this month, Russian bombing in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, partially destroyed Ukraine’s Antarctic research center.

Yet despite the enormous political hurdles, some remain hopeful that scientific arguments will win through. The US is paying more attention to the region under President Joe Biden, and this year has sent a relatively high-level delegation led by Monica Medina, an assistant secretary in the State Department.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Medina said Antarctica was “a really fragile, crumbling part of the planet that needs all our help to withstand the challenges we face with climate change.”

The meeting in Hobart in the Australian island state of Tasmania is the first in-person gathering of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resource in three years, after the Covid-19 pandemic kept meetings online.

It comes as New Zealand’s Prime

The two-week meeting in Hobart began Monday with a mass walkout when the Russian delegates started speaking. Kostiantyn Demianenko, who is leading the Ukrainian delegation, said they were grateful for the international support and that Russia had no right to be at the table.

“A state that kills the civilian population, destroys the air and ground civilian infrastructure of another country and defiantly violates the basic provisions of international law should definitely be limited in its right to participate in the activities of international organizations such as CCAMLR,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Still, he acknowledged, Russia remained a member of the group.

He said that back home, Ukraine was trying to rebuild its National Antarctic Research Center in Kyiv, although ongoing drone attacks made that difficult.

“Cracks in the walls, broken windows, destroyed equipment led to the impossibility to use these facilities for work,” he wrote.

Russia’s delegation did not respond to a request for comment.

Medina said the US backed the walkout because it condemns the war in Ukraine, but it remains hopeful for progress in Hobart.

“Right now, Russia is blocking consensus on adoption of three MPA (marine protected area) proposals,

The meeting in Hobart in the Australian island state of Tasmania is the first in-person gathering of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resource in three years, after the Covid-19 pandemic kept meetings online. It comes as New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern makes a rare visit by a world leader to Antarctica, to see firsthand the scientific research taking place and to mark the 65th anniversary of New Zealand’s Scott Base.

but China is as well,” Medina said. “So we are here trying to work through the issues with both countries. Not one-on-one necessarily, although we will be trying with the People’s Republic of China to work through the issues informally.”

She said Russia had been using what amounts to its veto power to block progress not only in Hobart but also at a number of international forums. “It can block consensus. That is a huge impediment to our ability to move forward on some things here, but other things do go ahead in a sort of ordinary course of business,” Medina said.

Some hope the group could make progress on other agenda items, including new rules on krill fishing and reaching agreement on fishing for valuable Antarctic toothfish, marketed as Chilean sea bass.

Andrea Kavanagh, who directs the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s Antarctic and Southern Ocean protection work, said the problem with krill fishing around Antarctica has been that it’s almost all concentrated in one small area.

She said the depletion of the

small, shrimp-like creatures affects predators including seabirds, penguins, seals and whales. She said the fishery doesn’t necessarily need to be reduced, just spread out.

Kavanagh said Norway is the biggest fisher of krill, which is used for human health supplements and feed for aquariums and salmon farms.

“It’s not a food security issue,” Kavanagh said. “Krill is used for luxury products.”

Russia last year used its veto-like powers to reject the toothfish catch limits proposed by the commission’s scientists. That led to Britain taking its own action by issuing licenses without CCAMLR approval, putting it offside with many other members.

Medina said Britain had been trying to sell some of the toothfish in America but the US had refused to buy it. But she said it was not up to the US to tell Britain to stop its fishing.

She said Britain’s fishing was “within the bounds of what had been permitted in the past, and should not in any way be controversial other than the fact that Russia has blocked it.”

One bright spot of the meeting so far has been that discussions with China appeared to have been more positive than in previous years, said Kavanagh. It was also helpful to have high-level support from the US and resume face-to-face discussions, she said. She pointed out the group had managed before to get Russia on board, back in 2016 when it created a marine protected area twice the size of Texas in the Ross Sea.

Countries should not interpret consensus as a veto power, Kavanagh added, but rather should offer counterproposals so everyone works toward a compromise.

But in recent years, she said, “nobody’s offering counterproposals that are legitimate. It’s all just ‘No’.”

PBBM DANGLES PERKS TO BANKS FOR HOUSING

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. said he wants to provide more incentives to private banks so they will help address the country’s 6.5 million housing backlog before the end of his term.

I think we can, there should be sufficient incen tives… [an] arrangement for the private banks to come in,” Marcos said during his meeting with Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DH SUD) Secretary Jose L. Acuzar on Wednesday.

A lso at the meeting were Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe M. Medalla, and the heads of the Bureau of the Treasury, Pag-IBIG, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Phil ippine National Bank (PNB) and Land Bank of the Philippines.

He said the incentives can be included in his pro posed financing system for the housing program to be crafted by the government together with the private banking sector.

T he Office of the Press Secretary said representa tives from several private banks, namely BDO, Metro bank, Union Bank, Ayala Corporation, and China Bank have expressed support for the housing program.

M arcos stressed the importance of getting the pri vate sector on board the project since it will involve massive financing.

A cuzar earlier said they are targeting the construc tion of 1 million houses a year or a total of 6 million houses by 2028.

He said they already identified the potential areas, where the said “in-city” houses will be built.

T he project is expected to remove all informal sec tors in the next six years while helping boost the econ omy, according to DHSUD.

T he agency has been lobbying for an annual P36billion allocation for next year, which it will use as interest subsidy for the implementation of the said housing program.

I f granted by Congress, the amount is expect ed to help reduce the monthly payments of home buyers.  Samuel P. Medenilla

Currency declines to worsen food, energy crisis, says WB

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

W hile the prices of most commodities declined, the depreciation of most cur rencies against the US dollar increases the cost of purchasing these goods, said the World Bank’s latest Commodity Mar kets Outlook report.

Majority or 60 percent of oil-importing emerging-market and developing econo mies saw higher domestic pump prices while almost all or 90 percent of these economies saw more expensive wheat prices.

“ The combination of elevated com modity prices and persistent currency depreciations translates into higher in flation in many countries,” said Ayhan Kose, Director of the World Bank’s Pros pects Group and EFI Chief Economist, which produces the Outlook report.

“ Policymakers in emerging market and developing economies have limited room to manage the most pronounced global inflation cycle in decades. They need to carefully calibrate monetary and

fiscal policies, clearly communicate their plans, and get ready for a period of even higher volatility in global financial and commodity markets,” Kose added.

T he Philippine peso is the worst per forming currency among the Asean-5, depreciating by around 13.48 percent, according to recent data shared by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

T he data showed the Malaysian ringgit depreciated by 11.73 percent; Indonesian rupiah, 7.95 percent; and the Vietnamese dong, 6.66 percent.

Net oil, food importer

THE Philippines is also a net oil and food importer. The country’s food self-suffi ciency ratio is not at 100 percent for all commodities, which the Philippine Sta tistics Authority (PSA), “indicates inad equacy of food production to cope with the demand of the population.”

Although many commodity prices

have retreated from their peaks, they are still high compared to their aver age level over the past five years,” said Pablo Saavedra, the World Bank’s Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions.

“A further spike in world food prices could prolong the challenges of food insecurity across developing countries. An array of policies is needed to foster supply, facilitate distribution, and sup port real incomes,” he added.

T he World Bank report noted that while global rice prices declined 4 per cent in the third quarter, it remained 6 percent higher than a year ago.

T he report said the US Department of Agriculture expects global rice produc tion to decline 2 percent in 2022 to 2023, reflecting lower crop yields in China due to dry conditions and to lower planted area in India.

T he Washington-based lender said these shortfalls may be compensated by Thailand and Vietnam, which are expected to raise production by 1.2 percent each; India, Thailand, and Vietnam are the world’s three dominant rice exporters.

However, as global rice consumption is expected to remain broadly unchanged, the supply shortfall will reduce the stocks-touse ratio for rice to 0.34, marginally lower than the past two seasons but considerably higher than the low of 0.18 in 2006.

“ Rice prices have been broadly sta ble during the past five quarters since retreating from a seven-year high in 2021Q1 [first quarter of 2021] amid heightened pandemic-related concerns about global supplies and discussion of export restrictions, most of which did not materialize,” the report stated.

This is in contrast to the sharper and more sustained price spike of 201011, which resulted from trade restric tions by key exporters (notably India and Thailand) and aggressive buying by major importers (Indonesia and the Philippines),” it added.

T he World Bank said since the out break of the war in Ukraine, energy prices have been quite volatile but are now ex pected to decline. After surging by about 60 percent in 2022, energy prices are projected to decline 11 percent in 2023.

Despite this moderation, energy pric es next year will still be 75 percent above their average over the past five years.

T he price of Brent crude oil is expected to average $92 a barrel in 2023—well above the five-year average of $60 a bar rel. Both natural gas and coal prices are projected to ease in 2023 from record highs in 2022.

However, by 2024, Australian coal and US natural-gas prices are still expected to be double their average over the past five years, while European natural gas prices could be nearly four times higher.

Coal production is projected to sig nificantly increase as several major ex porters boost output, putting climatechange goals at risk.

Identified solutions

MEANWHILE , Department of Agricul ture (DA) Senior Undersecretary Do mingo F. Panganiban said interagency solutions have been identified by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), the Internation al Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Trade Organiza tion to address these concerns.

A mong these solutions are providing immediate support to the vulnerable by strengthening the safety nets of vulner able households, as well as facilitating trade and supply of food by releasing stocks based on agreed rules and doable diplomatic solutions to address food avail ability and affordability in the short run.

Panganiban also cited: boosting pro duction by providing affordable farm in puts and identifying the private sector as the primary actor and working capital; as well as investing in climate-resilient agriculture by supporting resilient in vestments in agricultural capacity and developing climate-smart technologies.

T he DA official attended the 50th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in Rome on October 1013, 2022. The CFS, established in 1974 and reformed in 2009, is the foremost inclusive international and intergovern mental platform for all stakeholders to work together to ensure food security and nutrition for all.-

DBM begins work on digitalizing government procurement process

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has begun ef forts to digitalize the government’s procurement process.

T he DBM said the digitalization will start with the pilot testing of the revised Procurement Reports, considered as a milestone towards improved planning and monitoring by Procuring Entities.

T his, Budget Secretary and concurrent Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) Chairperson Amenah F. Pangan daman said, is similar to the data-sharing agreement with the Securities and Ex change Commission (SEC) that  aimed to fix bottlenecks and address delays in pro curement.

The work we’ve done here today, in furtherance of the UN’s sustainable de velopment goals, is also an affirmation of our commitment to improve the procure ment process and pursue E-governance as we move closer to the finalization of the revised procurement reports. Our shared efforts signify our belief that the conduct of proper procurement should be guided by bureaucratic efficiency, transparency, and service to the people,” Pangandaman said.

P angandaman described the auto mated procurement reports as a source of “clear and real-time picture of an in stitution’s procurement performance by generating diagnostics that will help it adjust and set priority action plans for improvement.”

Execu

tive Director Rowena Candice M. Ruiz also underscored the integrity of procurement and competition in the market as two crucial areas to consider in government procure ment.

It’s very important for us, in understand ing what we do in government, not only in open, transparent, and accountable public procurement, but also making sure that ev erything that we do, we look into how this would affect the integrity of procurement, competition in the market, which is very, very critical at this point in time as we all try to really rebound from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Ruiz.

A part from the automated procure ment reports, Secretary Pangandaman noted that the DBM is working toward the development and implementation of the Budget and Treasury Management System (BTMS).

A s a centralized database, the BTMS will facilitate the generation of vital infor mation of government financial transac tions; enable real-time mapping of trans actions, from purchase to payment; and allow expedient and accurate financial management, improved data governance, and enhanced oversight control.

The key objective of the BTMS,” Pan gandaman said, “is to achieve the future state of Public Financial Management where all spending agencies would capture government transactions at source using the BTMS as the sole accounting and fis cal reporting system.” Cai U. Ordinario

THE further depreciation of currencies among developing economies, including the Philippines, could worsen the global food and energy crisis, according to the World Bank.

Two binary plants to supply 46MW power in 2023–DOE

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

THE additional geothermal power capacity that will come online starting next year will help the country achieve its renewable energy (RE) target, the Department of Energy (DOE) said Thursday.

DOE Secretary Raphael P.M. Lotilla said during the 3rd Philippine International Geothermal Conference and 19th Annual General Assembly Meeting of the National Geothermal Association of the Philippines (NGAP) that “the DOE envisioned more geothermal capacity to be added in the next succeeding years.

“As a matter of fact, by 2023, we are expecting additional capacities from two binary power plants the 29 megawatts (MW) Palayan Binary Power Plant located in Manito, Albay and the 17 MW Tiwi Binary Geothermal Project located in Tiwi, Albay,” Lotilla said.

Meanwhile, the 20-MW capacity from the Tonawon Geothermal Project located in the Province of Sorsogon is in the pipeline, he added.

“All these would significantly

contribute to our [RE] targets in the power-generation mix to achieve 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040,” the DOE chief said. To date, Lotilla said, the country is now at 22 percent.

CREZ process

THE DOE has issued a policy that would increase the percentage of the utilization of RE for on-grid areas, including geothermal, from 1 percent to 2.52 percent. The increase in the utilization of RE in the country’s power generation mix would encourage more investors and end-users to develop and utilize domestic energy sources, Lotilla said.

He recognized that geothermal exploration is expensive and has a long gestation period of about four to six years. Uncertainty in develop-

ing geothermal sites is also high as only about 59 percent of drilled wells have sufficient resource for power generation.

“With geothermal energy’s exclusion from the FIT [Feed-In-Tariff] and in the absence of specific programs to spur its development, there was hardly any new geothermal capacity addition apart from what I have earlier mentioned,” Lotilla noted. As such, the energy chief said there is a need to scale up investments in the RE sector, including exploration and development of geothermal energy resources.

He cited the “competitive renewable energy zones,” or “CREZ,” as one way to help achieve the country’s goals of scaling up renewable energy generation on the power system.

The CREZ process identifies the most economic renewable energy resource areas so that transmission planning and expansion can accelerate their development.

Negros Island tragedy

THE CREZ initially identified 25 high-quality solar and wind resources across the Philippines with an estimated total capacity of 152,097 MW including the potential capacity coming from geothermal resources at 365 MW.

“We desire to avoid the tragedy

of Negros Island where geothermal power is displaced by solar power and left stranded for lack of adequate transmission lines,” he said.

Further, the DOE conducts “open and competitive selection process” in identifying areas to tender or bidding. The DOE selects pre-determined areas with sufficient data that will enable the investors to “hasten” development. With assistance from the Asian Development Bank, the DOE is working on a “Geothermal De-risking Roadmap for the Philippines” to identify, evaluate and recommend geothermal pre-development stage de-risking strategies to assist the DOE in assessing and prioritizing policies and regulations that can increase geothermal development in the Philippines.

“In other countries various schemes for resource risk mitigation have made significant contributions to the development of their geothermal resources,” Lotilla said. “While we aspire that the ‘Geothermal Derisking Roadmap for the Philippines’ project would result in new geothermal capacity development within the next five years, this project will require all our collective efforts today, as a country, as we have unique circumstances compared to those countries with existing geothermal risk mitigation facilities.”

Century Properties launches Nuliv

By VG Cabuag @villygc

CENTURY Properties Group Inc. (CPG) unveiled last Thursday a new sector called Nuliv Group to develop luxury projects, including townhouses and other low-rise structures in key growth areas in the country.

“New standards in living and lifestyle inclinations have developed post-pandemic and we intend to address these changes in homebuyers’ needs,” CPG President and CEO Marco R. Antonio said. “While Nuliv will continue Century’s legacy of serving the needs of the premium and luxury market, it will do so via new product offerings wherein majority will be townhouses and other low-rise structures–which is in contrast with its historical roots of doing mainly high-rise condominiums.”

“As a result, this new product offering will be faster to develop,” Antonio said.

Nuliv’s maiden project is a townhouse community that features

a low-density of 22 multi-storey houses and lots on an exclusive road behind the Acqua Private Residences at the foot of the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, Mandaluyong City.

Nuliv President Monica L. Trajano said the “Nuliv Townvillas at Acqua” is planned “akin to all these principles and provides the same generous indoor and outdoor living spaces one would likely find in suburbia, but all within and integrated into the thriving Acqua community.”

“It also offers a paramount in-city living experience and assured value appreciation since the houses and lots are located within Metro Manila,” Trajano said.

It features two types of properties: three-storey houses with 227 square meters (sqm) of gross floor area (GFA); and, four-storey houses with 312 sqm of GFA. The number of units for each type is six for the three-storey homes and 16 for the four-storey homes. Unit prices range from P40 million to P60 million, which will have a lot size of about 150 square meters.

The stacked design allows for freer movement within the house while also enabling homeowners to transform the spaces into functional areas meant for different purposes— from family areas and seating nooks to home offices and personal gyms, according to CGP. Each unit will be delivered standard bare and completed with premium finishes, the company said.

And then what’s coming next is the TownVillas at Azure North in San Fernando, Pampanga, Trajano said.

“We’re looking at house and lot. it’s really veering away from our typical Century Properties vertical high rises and looking at house and lots, townvillas, low rise up to mid-rise buildings depending on the location and the market,” she added.

Total capex for the two projects is pegged at P1.5 billion and revenues of about P3 billion, Trajano said.

“In the city, land is always scarce. If there is an opportunity to do incity, yes. Right now, the next offering is in San Fernando, Pampanga. It will come in the next quarter. That’s

ATI touts travel hub in south

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

a 109 units of town villas there [with] different price points.” Trajano said the firm is “working on that.”

“We will announce it when we’re ready,” she said.

Meralco to supply RE power to firm

THE Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) signed a 20-year Power Supply Agreement (PSA) with Terra Solar Philippines, a unit of Prime Infra-led Terra Renewables Holdings, Inc., for the supply of 850 megawatts (MW).

Of the 800MW mid-merit supply, 600MW will be available by February 26, 2026, while additional 250 MW will be delivered starting February 26, 2027 at a headline and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) rate of P5.80 per kilowatt-hour, which was based on assumptions at the time when the competitive challenge for the unsolicited proposal was launched.

“The rate for this renewable energy supply offer is very competitive and lower than fossil-powered generation plants, especially at this time when fuel prices are skyrocketing. This PSA between Meralco and Terra Solar is very strategic as we ensure availability of adequate and cost-competitive power for our more than 7.5 million customers in the coming years,” said Jose Ronald V. Valles, Meralco first vicepresident and head of regulatory management.

Terra Solar’s 850MW mid-merit supply can approximately power 1.55 million houses per year (average of 200 kilowatt-hour a month), while displacing an annual consumption of approximately 1.4 million tons of coal or 930 million liters of oil.

Paramount importance

THE project is a combination of 2,500MW to 3,500MW solar photovoltaic (PV) system and approximately 4000 megawatt-hour (MWh) to 4500-MWh energy storage. Through this system, Terra Solar’s sites can store excess energy when electricity is produced and supply it back to the grid when necessary, providing stable power

to customers and communities.

Terra Solar is the first to offer the combination of solar PV and energy storage in such a large scale in the Philippines, shifting the nature of a solar plant from usual peaking to one which provides mid-merit capacity.

“This contract with Meralco is our response to help meet the increasing demand for power through a more cost-efficient and sustainable manner. We applaud Meralco for its drive to decarbonize the energy industry and ensure reliable quality power supply to support its customers,” said Enrique K. Razon Jr., Prime Infra chairman.

“Meeting the power supply needs is of paramount importance to sustain the economic growth of the country, particularly following the challenges we faced through the pandemic and will continue to face in light of the economic headwinds the world is facing today,” Razon added.

The PSA signing marks the culmination of the competitive selection process (CSP) the renewable energy project underwent per regulations of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Cements commitment

THE Meralco Third-Party Bids and Awards Committee (TPBAC) earlier this year administered two rounds of CSP for the offer, both of which failed due to lack of challengers.

Since there were no outstanding disputes, the TPBAC advised Meralco that it may enter into direct negotiation for the contract capacity requirement, pursuant to the Revised CSP Rules.

“In addition, this PSA forms part of our compliance to the DOE’s Renewable Portfolio Standards policy and at the same time cements our commitment to source up to 1,500 MW of our power requirements from renewable energy,” added Valles. Lenie Lectura

A

SIAN Terminals Inc. (ATI) said last Thursday that the Batangas Passenger Terminal (BPT), dubbed as the country’s biggest and most modern interisland travel hub, is ready to support the revival of Philippine tourism.

In a statement, the company said the port is “more than willing and capable of supporting government’s programs to reinvigorate local tourism as the sector recovers from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.”

The listed port operator said

the terminal is ready to accommodate the influx of passengers during the All Saints Day and All Souls Day holidays this weekend.

It has partnered with the government to implement the Oplan Byaheng Ayos in the Batangas port.

ATI said BPT’s facilities include the following: an expansive and fully-airconditioned passenger lounge; orderly ticketing offices; clean and gender-neutral restrooms; provisions for free Wi-Fi connection and clean drinking water; and, mobility features for the elderly and differently-abled, among others.

It also has overhead digital

boards advising passengers on the schedule of departing vessels, their designated boarding gates and other relevant announcements.

The BPT directly connects mainland Luzon to famous island destinations such as Mindoro, Romblon, Masbate, Iloilo, Boracay and Palawan and other Visayas and Mindanao locations through fast-crafts and domestic roll-on/ roll-off vessels calling the port.

The first phase of the terminal’s development can comfortably accommodate around 3,500 passengers at any given time, with its capacity increasing to nearly 6,000 passengers upon completion of its Phase 2 by next year.

‘BIR must ensure due process in tax cases’

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

THE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means on Thursday asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) “to always ensure due process in favor of the taxpayer” so that tax cases will not be dismissed by courts.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda issued the statement after the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) made public last Wednesday a decision on a tax-deficiency case against a condominium builder. The case outcome effectively erased P50 million in alleged tax deficiencies for failure of the bureau to “personally inform” representatives of the firm.

“Not following due process to the very extreme leads tax cases open to litigation. When tax dues are litigated, we don’t get to collect them immediately,” Salceda said. “The government already loses, even when it wins the case in the end.”

The decision was on a 2008 deficiency case against a Quezon City-based condominium firm. The full court sustained the resolution of its Second Division that the IBM Plaza Condominium Association Inc. of Bagumbayan, Quezon City, was not liable to pay the P50 million tax. This was because the BIR didn’t send the taxpayer a Notice of Informal Conference (NIC).

The court explained that the notice is part of due process required by Revenue Regulations 22-44 in relation to Section 228 of the Tax Code.

Salceda said he “strongly” reminds BIR officials “to make sure every process is according to the law, regulations and standards of due process.”

“Nothing should be left to chance,” he added.

Meanwhile, the lawmaker asked the BIR to “undertake an effort of codifying its own revenue regulations” so that “old or obscure RRs are not set aside, only to be invoked later by an erring taxpayer.”

“It will be good for both the government and the taxpayers if we were following just one codified set of rules,” adding that he hopes to push the BIR to do this before his 2nd term as Committee on Ways and Means chairman ends.

Also, Salceda said that efforts to simplify the payment of taxes all align with the goals of the “Ease of Paying Taxes Act,” which the House has already approved on third reading.

The lawmaker believes Senators will discuss the bill by November.

“We could have it by the end of the year, at least in [the] bicameral if not yet as enacted law,” he said.

Salceda said the measure will make tax procedures simpler, hopefully reducing litigation and disagreements between tax authorities and taxpayers.

The “Ease of Paying Taxes” act will make taxpayer rights clearer, so that the BIR doesn’t violate them, the lawmaker said.

“A BIR that is a stickler for due process to the last detail is a BIR that is more immune to tax cases,” Salceda said. “That’s good for everybody, taxpayer and government alike.”

Banking&Finance

BTr to auction off ₧215B in debt papers

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE national government intends to raise P215 billion from debt papers in November, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

This is higher than the P200 billion set in October. National Trea-

surer Rosalia V. de Leon said the increase is because there are five weeks

Housing goals a domino of payments—DHSUD

FILIPINOS wanting to avail of the government’s housing program must religiously make their payments to ensure the access of other aspiring homeowners to the facilities made available by the government and the private sector.

In a news briefing last Thursday, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino L. Acuzar said if only one homeowner fails to pay their dues, some 10 other Filipinos may not be able to access funding for their dream of being homeowners.

Kailangan pag kumuha sila ng bahay, magbayad sila. Kasi isang bahay na hindi magbabayad, 10 Pilipino ang hindi makakabahay [If they avail of the program, they have to pay. Even if one fails to make payment, 10 Filipinos would be able to have a home],” Acuzar said.

“ Kasi ang ginagamit nating sistema, sistema sa ibang bansa. Sa ibang bansa po, hindi po ginagamit yung pondo ng gubyerno sa pabahay; ang laging ginagamit, pribadong pera [We are using the system being used in other countries. In other countries, government funds are not used to fund housing; what they are using are private funds],” he explained.

However, Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) CEO Marilene C. Acosta said in the briefing that she is confident that many would be able to make their payments.

Acosta said that currently, the repayment for Pag-IBIG loans, especially among those who availed of low-cost housing is quite high at 90 percent. This, she said, is a good indicator that Filipinos would make their payments.

She said this is also one indicator that proves it is possible for banks to lend to low-income groups. Because of this, Acosta said Pag-IBIG Fund is already near its pre-pandemic nonperforming loan (NPL) level.

Pag mataas ang loan performance, tuloy-tuloy, magiging sustainable [ang housing finance].

Kunwari, nagpautang kami ng piso, 30 centavos lang ang ma-kokolekta

namin, mababa,” Acosta said.[If the loan performance is high, it would be continuous; [housing finance] will be sustainable. Suppose we loan a peso, we could only collect 30 centavos: that’s too low.]

The President, Acuzar, and representatives from Key Shelter Agencies (KSAs), including Acosta, as well as Government Financial Institutions (GFIs) had dinner in Malacañang together with major banks to discuss the 6 million homes the government intends to build in the medium term.

A statement from the Palace said the dinner was attended by representatives from BDO Unibank Inc., Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Union Bank of the Philippines, Ayala Corp. and China Banking Corp.

These banks, Malacañang said, expressed their support for the President’s housing program and said they will help in the crafting of the financing system to carry it out.

In his remarks, the chief executive noted the indispensable support of the private banking sector in his administration. “I think…there should be sufficient incentives: [an] arrangement for the private banks to come in,” the President was quoted in a statement as saying.

Acuzar expressed optimism that this can be done by building in-city, mix-use residential hubs to cater to minimum-wage earners and middleclass families.

The DHSUD chief said his program would need P36 billion a year for the next six years in cooperation with private lending institutions.

In order to pull off the extensive program, the chief executive said a system should be put in place to find the country’s cash flow that will support the endeavor and, at the same time, incentivize private entities that will take part in the building and financing aspects.

The housing program is not only seen to address the housing backlog, said Acuzar, but also vital in tapping the big economic pump-priming potential of the housing industry.

He said the department has already identified potential areas for the development of settlements and townships. Cai U. Ordinario

in November.

The amount for November covers P75-billion worth of Treasury bills and P140 billion-worth of Treasury bonds to be auctioned off next month. The borrowing program is the same throughout the year except for June and March when borrowing reached P235 billion. The program set for November 2021 was also at P200 billion.

Based on the borrowing program for November, the BTr said the gov-

ernment aims to raise P15 billion from 91-day, 182-day and 364-day T-bills on each auction date set for November 3, November 9, November 16, November 23, and November 29.

In terms of bonds, the government aims to raise P35 billion each from 3-year bonds to be auctioned on November 4 and 5-year bonds on November 10.

The BTr said the same amounts will be raised for 12-year bonds on November 17 and 20-year bonds on

November 24.

This year, the government is set to borrow a total of P2.21 trillion, of which 75 percent will be sourced locally while the remaining 25 percent will come from foreign sources.

The country’s debt-to-GDP ratio slightly eased to 62.1 percent in the second quarter of the year from 63.5 percent in the first quarter. However, this remained above the internationally-recommended 60-percent threshold for a healthy economy.

‘Food prices stable with tariffs on MDM’

By Andrea San Juan

THE Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (Pampi)

has proposed to extend the 5-percent tariff on mechanically deboned meat (MDM) of chicken and turkey from 2023 until 2025.

Representing Pampi, Jerome D. Ong cited keeping the national economy afloat and helping temper the price increase on food as among the reasons behind the local meat processors’ petition to extend the lower tariff rates on chicken and turkey MDMs.

“Pampi’s petition is intended primarily to support the administration’s determined efforts to keep the national economy stable and help control inflation, especially food inflation,” Ong said during a public hearing before the Tariff Commission last Thursday.

Ong said a stable economy will ensure that processed meat manufacturers under as well as those outside of Pampi would be able to continue producing food for the country at affordable prices.

The Pampi official also noted that the 5-percent tariff on MDM helps keep prices of processed meat products “as reasonable as possible.”

“This tariff has been in place for the past 15 years and during those years as most consumers know, pric-

es of processed meat products using MDM as main raw material have been relatively stable,” Ong added.

In fact, Ong stressed that the 5-percent tariff for the past 15 years has contributed to the growth of local processed meat manufacturers, especially small and medium enterprises.

“This is so because MDM is a versatile product that has diverse applications in food manufacturing from hotdogs to canned loaves to siomai [Chinese dumpling],” said Ong.

Aside from economic stability, Ong read the petition saying petitioner also cites other crucial reasons why retaining the 5-percent tariff is “not only necessary but also imperative as well.”

Among these, Ong said, is that “5-percent tariff supports the continued development and growth of the processed meat manufacturing sector even if it is on the high end of the tariffs levied on raw materials in manufacturing because at present, tariff on manufacturing currently ranges from 0 to 3 percent unlike in MDM with a tariff of 5 percent, it ensures the domestic processed meat products using MDM will be competitive in both the domestic and international markets.”

Ong also pointed out that the 40-percent original tariff rate of MDM does not apply in the case of

MDM because the product is not commercially produced locally.

“While petitioner recognizes that high tariffs such as the original MFN rate of 40 percent of MDM is resorted to, to protect domestic industries from foreign competition, it should not be applied in the case of MDM because the product is not commercially produced locally,” Ong stressed.

With this, the PAMPI representative said retaining the 5 percent tariff on MDM is “not prejudicial” to any party. In fact, he said it will benefit all sectors of the economy, the government, manufacturers, all partners in the value chain and “above all” the Filipino consumer.

“Therefore, we humbly request the Commission to recommend to [National Economic and Development Authority] NEDA and the President the approval of this petition to continue and retain the 5 percent tariff on MDM chicken and turkey for the period starting January 1, 2023 up to December 31, 2025.”

Former President Rodrigo R. Duterte issued Executive Order (EO) 123 last year that extended the lower tariff rates on chicken and turkey MDMs until December 31,2022. The tariff rate on chicken MDM will revert to 40 percent starting January 1 next year, based on the EO.

OPTIMISM

Your Association as a Change Agent

YOU must have heard these terms before: change agent, change champion, change ambassador, or change catalyst. It means someone within or outside the organization who promotes and enables a new way of improving things, e.g., business model transformation, management restructuring, process reengineering, or digital adoption.

In his latest “Thinking Ahead” e-newsletter article, “A Culture of Change Agents,” futurist Gihan Perera wrote: “In a tight labor market, if you don’t build a culture for change, they will find somebody else who does. Change and innovation are everybody’s responsibility. The best leaders create a culture where change is energizing and change agents thrive.”

Gihan enumerated six team characteristics which could determine

how your organization stacks up in relation to change and innovation. The first three are not good indicators on reactiveness while the next three are positive ones that connote proactivity:

1. Resistant. Team members actively resist change. They always look for reasons for change not to work, seek reasons not to change, undermine every change process, and criticize setbacks with “I told you so” attitude.

2. Reluctant. Team members have to be pulled kicking and screaming into responding to

change, unless it’s a change that restores the status quo than making real progress.

3. Compliant . Team members only do what they are told, don’t take any initiative and just keep chugging along. They will change, but only if you ask them to and not because they want to.

4. Engaged . Team members take initiative rather than do what they’re told. They identify opportunities to change and innovate, and are keen to contribute to change initiatives.

5. Empowered. Team members feel confident they have the skills, knowledge and authority to initiate change themselves, and exercise good judgment in initiating change when opportunities arise.

6. Inspired. Team members believe they are part of a team that does work which matters, where

their passion aligns with the team’s purpose, and they actively create change that makes a difference.

A post on the Michigan State University website lists five qualities that effective change agents must have:

1. Flexibility. Tapping into the creativity of others by connecting with people (inside and outside of the organization) of different generations and backgrounds to gain a deeper understanding of perspectives, experiences, and personalities.

2. Diversified Knowledge. Besides staying abreast of industry developments, gaining new knowledge through master and professional certificate programs, for example, can help support change agent development.

3. Prioritization. It’s often helpful to tie specific priorities to the overall business goals to stream-

line decision making and create a clear picture of how the company is measuring up to expectations.

4. Accountability and Responsibility. To lead effectively, executives and managers need to ultimately hold themselves responsible for their team’s performance.

5. Effective Listening Skills: Leaders who listen will develop stronger relationships with their people by gaining trust. This trust will help in getting buy-in for change. So, how does your association stack up as a change agent?

Octavio B. Peralta is currently the executive director of the Global Compact Network Philippines and founder and volunteer CEO of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, the “association of associations.” The PCAAE is holding its Associations Summit 10 (AS10) on November 23 and 24, 2022. E-mail: bobby@ pcaae.org.

Octavio Peralta

World

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe M. Medalla remains confident that the banking system is sound, stable and capable of supporting economic growth. During the recent “The Asset 17th Philippine Summit” in Taguig City, Medalla also encouraged banks to continue building up capital as this strengthens their capacity to absorb risks, remain resilient and ensure the safety of their customers’ deposits.

Photo courtesy of the Bangko sentral ng PiliP nas

Theme parks, all-in weddings and more

There’s more to Kuala Lumpur than towers and caves

By Jt Nisay

LONG years and fresh, bright paint define the character of pre-war buildings along Jalan Dang Wangi, a road lined up with modern retail businesses in the city center of Kuala Lumpur.

One that stands out in particular takes a corner location, featuring an Instagrammable wall art of Malaysian public market on the side and teal-colored window panels out front. It’s a cafe, of course, with clean industrial interiors of mosaic tiles and stylish droplights hanging from a naked ceiling. Yet the most interesting of the design showcase is the logo of the shop—called Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock—which shows three men of different skin color, smiling side by side.

“Our shop is named after these persons, who represent the Malay, Chinese and Indian people,” said the hospitable store manager during our little chat, pointing to the logo on the store’s menu.

“Three races, one nation,” she added. “That’s Malaysia.”

A destiNAtioN for ‘more meANiNgful vAcAtioNs’

EsTAbLIsHMEnTs and public spaces were adorned with the Jalur Gemilang, the Malay name of the Malaysian flag that stands for “Stripes of Glory,” when Tourism Malaysia Manila and Cebu Pacific hosted recently a media trip to Kuala Lumpur. The decorations were placed in anticipation of the massive festivities of Malaysia’s 65th anniversary of independence.

Seeing flags everywhere at every turn showed how much the event meant for Malaysians, coming off two years of muted celebrations due to the pandemic. Moreover, as someone who was on his first trip since the global health crisis began, the sights served as a constant yet refreshing reminder that I was in a foreign land and not in the Philippines for a change.

According to Yazlina Azlin Yahya, director of Tourism Malaysia Manila, Malaysia is proving to be a popular destination for those looking to shake off their travel rust, including Filipinos.

“Travelers now prefer less-crowded places and

re-visit nature-based attractions as they seek longer and more meaningful vacations,” she said, adding the trend applies to Filipino tourists who want to experience more and at a slower pace after the pause in travel for the past couple of years.

Following the reopening of its borders, Malaysia set its initial target for this year of international tourist arrivals at 2 million and tourism receipts at RM8.6 billion. But with offerings and attractions that meet the demands of pandemic travelers, the target was surpassed within two months. The benchmark has now been reset to 9.2 million international tourist arrivals and RM 26.8 billion in tourism receipts, with the focus on high-yield tourists.

Yahya said that the pre-pandemic inclinations of Filipino tourists remain unchanged today. Most still travel as a group with families, and frequent the usual attractions such as Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers and batu Caves, along with Melaka and Penang for food and shopping.

but as our media group discovered from the trip, there is so much more that Kuala Lumpur can offer. There’s riding a cable car through the clouds, exploring sprawling theme parks, and getting married at the fraction of the cost and time as compared here with the help of a one-stop-shop for all things wedding.

theme pArks gAlore for everyoNe to eNJoy AROUND an hour bus ride away to the north of Kuala Lumpur, perched atop Mount Ulu Kali in the Titiwangsa Mountains at 1,800 meters elevation, sits Genting Highlands. bringing the area to life is Resorts World Genting (RWG), which presents a plethora of sights and activities worth the visit.

RWG features wide-ranging leisure and entertainment facilities as a premier integrated resort. Genting Highlands Premium Outlets, for instance, make for quite the shopping destination with its assortment of top brands, while scenic cable car rides up the mountains take guests to the area’s different attractions.

The newest development at RWG is Genting skyWorlds Theme Park, an outdoor amusement park that’s eight years in the making and launched only in

February.

Covering over 26 acres or 10.5 hectares, Genting skyWorlds presents 26 rides in the foggy cold across nine “worlds,” or special-themed areas suited for guests of all ages. Some sections are inspired by films such as Ice Age and Rio, as the park was originally designed to be a movie-inspired theme park by 20th Century Fox. These and a few other properties were retained after the group settled issues on licensing deals with 20th Century studios. Aside from the rides, guests are also treated to various regular live acts, featuring a handful of Filipino performers. According to Jade Tan, RWG Theme Park marketing manager, they have noted the Filipino market’s interest in visiting theme parks. They are hoping to attract Filipino tourists with Genting SkyWorlds’ new offerings and RWG’s complete services.

Even more sizeable at 88 acres or 35.6 hectares is another amusement attraction on the southwestern side of Kuala Lumpur.

sunway Lagoon Water Park promises the “ultimate theme park experience” with 90 attractions across six adventure zones.

It takes an entire day or more to navigate all the offerings of Sunway Lagoon. Children and adults alike can enjoy the wet and wild attractions of the Water Park, feel the thrill of adventure at the Amusement Park, or come alive at the frightening show at the Scream Park that features visual effects and live actors. There’s also nickelodeon Lost Lagoon, Asia’s first Nickelodeon-themed land.

sunway Lagoon forms part of the bandar sunway township by the conglomerate sunway Group. bandar sunway is an 800-acre or 324-hectar masterplanned development with leisure and entertainment offerings such as Sunway Lagoon and the Sunway Pyramid shopping center. There’s a range of accommodation options as well, along with education and health-care establishments.

It’s easy to envision Filipino families visiting these theme parks that are part of integrated developments, providing them with all their accommodation and shopping needs.

Today’s Horoscope

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Nolan Gould, 24; Julia Roberts, 55; Bill Gates, 67; Annie Potts, 70.

HAppY BIRTHDAY: Reward yourself. Plan to do something this year that makes you happy. Refuse to let negativity stand between you and what you desire most. Speak up, ask and you shall find out how to make your life better and your relationships more meaningful. Work toward a happy home life, an affordable lifestyle and less stress. Take the initiative and do things for yourself. Your numbers are 6, 14, 23, 27, 31, 35, 47.

aARIES (March 21-April 19): Follow the money and refuse to let anyone talk you into something you don’t need or want. Use your intelligence to devise a plan to save money that will make you a hero among your peers. HHHHH

bTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Be careful with your cash. Emotional spending won’t make you feel better when debt mounts. Take a course in money management or find a way to cut your overhead and ease stress. Pay attention to your health and well-being. HHH

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Channel your energy and enthusiasm into something constructive. Don’t waste time getting all worked up over something you cannot change. Take care of unfinished business before you move on to something more pleasurable. HHH

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Pampering will lift spirits and make you feel good about who you are and how you look. By spending time with someone of interest, you’ll discover pastimes that put a smile on your face. Make self-improvement your thing. HHH

eLEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Kick back with friends or a group who shares your concerns. What you do to contribute will bring you closer to the life you want to live. Choose participation over leaving the work to others. HHHHH

fVIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Refuse to fold under pressure. Use your charm and drive to get things done and gain support. You will make a difference in how others reach out and help. Choose a peaceful and playful way to get your way. HH

gLIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Look for excitement, and you’ll find some. A day trip, educational pursuit or conversation with someone who makes you think about what’s possible will pay off. Make an attempt to ensure you get a seat at the table to voice your opinion. HHHH

h

SCORpIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Be part of the solution, not the problem. Stand up and be counted, voice your opinion and be the one to make a difference. Address debt and other issues dragging you down. Adjust to make life easier and more affordable. HHH

iSAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Keep working toward your goal, regardless of temptation or interference. Refuse to let someone sidetrack you with false information. Share with those you know and trust. Put your energy where it counts. Don’t pay for someone else’s mistake. HHH

jCApRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Keep your thoughts to yourself until you have all the facts. Getting into an argument won’t solve anything. Do something that brings you joy. A change at home that adds comfort, convenience or efficiency is encouraged. Profess your love to someone special. HHH

kAQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Stick to the facts and shed light on a situation that makes you uncomfortable. Avoid places that risk your health or doing things that may result in injury. Don’t let anyone coerce you into something scandalous. HHHH

l

pISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Refuse to let anger surface. Bide your time, take notes and verify facts before you take on someone looking for a fight. Pay more attention to personal growth, looking your best and caring for money matters. HH

BIRTHDAY BABY: You are empathetic, insightful and forceful. You are helpful and resilient.

H: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. HH: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. HHH: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. HHHH: Aim high; start new projects. HHHHH: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

DAVID TUFFS

by David Steinberg

Dreaming of Korean showbiz

PARKS,

CONTINUED FROM B4

GETTING MARRIED IN MALAYSIA

AMALFI Coast or Marrakech may take the cake as dream wedding destinations, but Kuala Lumpur stakes its claim as an overseas venue to be considered. The Malaysian capital is particularly enticing for couples looking for a degree of grandeur without the grand cost.

In Quill City Mall at the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Magica Events & Functions Hall offers seven grand event spaces styled with high-end faux floral arrangements. The group provides all-in wedding services, from venue rental to lights and sounds and entertainment services. Even catering is covered—all for only MYR20,000, or P250,000 for hundreds of guests.

“Malaysia offers huge potential as a wedding destination,” Yahya said. “Malaysia has magnificent hotels and resorts as well with competitive prices as a value-for-money destination. Gorgeous beaches, cities, highlands and million-year-old rainforests can also lend a perfect backdrop to your big day. Being a multi-ethnic society, a couple can even get married in traditional costumes of the three main races in Malaysia and the ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak.”

FROM SNEAK PEEK TO GETTING THE COMPLETE EXPERIENCE

KUALA Lumpur proves that its diversity extends beyond the race and culture of its people. It also covers the manifold attractions and activities within and around the capital—all waiting to be discovered by tourists primarily fixated on taking a photo in front of the Petronas Tower or Batu Cave.

In August, Tourism Malaysia and Cebu Pacific announced their collaboration to get more Filipinos to fly once more to Kuala Lumpur. Vaccinated travelers to Malaysia enjoy an easy, quarantine-free travel process, with the only requirements for entry being proof of vaccination, along with registration on the MySejahtera App.

“We are very happy to collaborate with Tourism Malaysia once again as we work toward the recovery of the travel industry,” said Carmina Romero, director for corporate communications at Cebu Pacific. “We believe this partnership is very timely as we see greater interest and confidence among Filipinos to fly abroad, following the easing of travel restrictions in and out of the Philippines.”

Cebu Pacific offers daily flights between Manila and Kuala Lumpur. The company recently announced it will also be resuming twice-a-week flights to Kota Kinabalu starting October 31.

“I would like to warmly welcome all our Filipino friends again to Malaysia as there are more things to see and do for everyone,” said Yahya. “No matter how much advertising, videos and pictures conceptualize Malaysia, these are only a sneak peek of what we have to offer.”

Korean cinema is hot nowadays in the country. You might say it has always been steaming in our midst for, at least, the last 10 years. But, no, this is not about that hotness. I am talking of the heat that the mention of South Korea and its films has generated among the shakers and movers in the industry.

The attention the Korean film industry and its films has been getting lately began from the house of politics itself—from the august halls of the Senate. Somehow, when the word “Senate” is mentioned, I always think of Cicero and Seneca. In this case, that is not the kind of Senate I wish you to imagine, but the kind of Senate we have. You know, the odd kind, the place that is capable of producing opinions, like, let us ban foreign films, i.e., South Korean films, as a solution to a local failure.

The local film industry has always been a favorite whipping boy of cultural observers, putative leaders and moralists. Filipino films have been blamed for crimes, such as rape and murder; to them have been attributed the low IQs and the distorted EQs of our people. Film directors, producers and writers have been placed on the same level as the educational institutions tasked with the pedagogy of the nation. It is as if producers come to the table and engage scriptwriters, cinematographers and directors in order to present lesson plans on good manners and right conduct. Naah.

If we are to understand film as an industry, and one that is connected to capital, then there is only one indicator necessary to measure the success and failure of the medium, and that is profit. Now, if we are talking of film as art, then we shift to other indicators. There is thus a need to disaggregate film and the film industry we are talking about. The issue is so dense that I cannot even decide where to begin as I track the dispute. Out of the blue (in the sense of the words coming from nowhere), a senator—a former actor whose career was not noted for good films— spoke of how the influx of Korean (I suppose, “South”) films has robbed local filmmakers and their films of opportunity. To what? To shine as a piece of art? To profit, as a business proposition? Or for the actors to be rich at the expense of the “fooled” audience?

When a film earns a lot of moolah in the box-office even if it is a piece of s%^t, does it mean it has falsified its way into the heart and mind of the audience? If so, can we have the same kind of dubious reasoning when it comes to any film that earns mightily from the box office?

The one position that we should think of having is this: never compare Filipino films with South Korean films, in the same way that when we talk of films

and their power to earn millions, we cannot look to Hollywood. We can never be Hollywood. We can never be like South Korea. This position was tenable in the ‘60s when we had a bit of wealth and when our intellectuals were mentors to our Southeast and East Asian nations. Not now, not when South Korea has leapt into being a tiger and we have remained as cubs abandoned by our more forward-looking and forward-thinking neighbors like Malaysia and Thailand.

The greatest sin of those who are defending South Korea as a model for growth of our film and the industry to which it belongs is the sin of presumption, that if we only pay more attention to our local practices in film production and film distribution, then we can be like Korea. Wrong. There is more to South Korean films than sales and marketing, preproduction, production and post-production, as there is more to Korea when compared with the Philippines. It has been a long journey of tribulations for South

Korean films. There was a period under the Japanese when their films were subjected to censorship.

Where under the Japanese censorship was the norm, under their own leaders long after the Japanese had left censorship also became enforced. It was in the 1990s, though, when the first wave of successful South Korean films became popular. Observers point to the end of military regimes as one of the main reasons for these film ideations and productions. By the end of the 90s, the South Korea domestic box-office reported that they had exceeded the screening of Hollywood films. There was a reason for this commercial success, and this was the imposition of screen quota laws aimed at limiting the public screening of foreign films in South Korea. This so-called screen quota meant placing restrictions as to the number of days per year that a foreign film could be shown at a theater.

There was even a time when the screen quota figured in the free-trade negotiations between the United States and the Korean government, with the latter reducing its annual screen quota for domestic films from 146 days to 73, according to reports available online. The reduction of films allowed some 63 days for presentation, which allowed more foreign films to be shown. So, you see, South Korea had also experienced the same control either imposed on them or enforced by other industries.

With films recognized as having given help to trade, it might as well be supported by chaebols or large conglomerates. It was sometime in the ‘90s that this network of cooperation began with South Korean films and names like Hyundai, Samsung, Daewoo, etc. entered into our consciousness.

Like the expanded distribution of Japanese films, particularly anime, in Southeast Asia and in other parts of the world in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, South Korean films came with South Korean cars, appliances, fashion and cosmetics. It came with poreless, flawless skin. Once more, cinema or film— or art in general—has been employed as a “soft power” before the hard version comes, which is cultural colonization and economic domination.

At this point in our social and economic life, it is best we look at the good cinemas we produce from the peripheries, the so-called regional cinema. These are films that are not sponsored by multinationals because they critique the social and economic nexus in which commercial films locate themselves with material wealth. This could be our model. Enough of the comparison because such an act never produced beauty, only second-hand copycats even without

ONCE again, media giant GMA proves that it remains at the forefront not only in delivering innovative and trendsetting programs, but also in producing world-class adaptations of foreign series after its primetime soap Start-Up PH was praised by the producer of the original hit Korean drama.

According to Yu Sang-won, “We are pleasantly surprised at how well the Philippine version of Start-Up was produced. It was impressive how GMA Entertainment Group put in the effort to satisfy both the original fans and the local audience.”

The South Korean producer also commended the K-drama vibe of Start-Up PH through its creative shots and iconic scenes: “The overall look, feel and the cinematography of the local version are similar to that of the original version, so Filipino fans will feel familiar.”

Moreover, he recognized the exceptional portrayals of Alden Richards as Tristan and Bea Alonzo as Dani.

“The local production team creatively devised and adapted the story to meet the expectations of the local audience. This goes the same with the cast. Alden Richards and Bea Alonzo add their own charm to the characters,” Yu Sang-won added.

Alden, in turn, expressed his gratitude to the Start-Up producer for appreciating the local remake: “Our sincerest gratitude to Mr. Yu Sang-won for the nice feedback for our show. It’s really an honor for us to do the Filipino adaptation, Start-Up PH. We hope that we can also inspire a lot of local audiences here in the Philippines as much as the Korean version did all over the world.”

Meanwhile, Bea is happy because all their hard work is paying off: “This is validation, parang pat on the back for us na kahit paano, they liked our project. We worked hard for this. And masaya rin ako hindi lang sa reaction nila, but also sa reaksyon ng mga tao sa social media, especially the fans of Start-Up Korea because napapanood nila ’yung Philippine

adaptation.”

Positive feedback from the viewers and netizens also keep pouring in for the remake, especially now that things are getting better and sweeter between Dani and her fake pen pal, Dave (Jeric Gonzales). Will Tristan remain in denial of his feelings for Dani or will he finally fight for his love?

“Start-Up PH is so damn good. Nakaka-hook nang todo ang story and the execution is amazing. Bea Alonzo is excellent as always, nanlalamon talaga sa acting! Jeric Gonzales is also so perfect for the role, gayang-gaya niya si DoSan. Nakakakilig sila ni Bea,” commented a fan of Team DaDa (Dani and Dave) on Twitter.

Gina Alajar is a crowd favorite as Lola Joy because she can always pull off iconic episodes from the original version and make them even more touching.

An avid viewer commented on Facebook: “Lagi akong naiiyak sa mga eksena nina Dani at Tristan na kasama si Lola Joy. Lalo ’yung kina Lola Joy at young Good Boy bago siya sumakay ng bus—ang dami kong iniluha sa eksenang ’yun. Galing ni Ms. Gina at ng buong cast! Ang ganda ng execution at halatang pinag-aralan talaga nila.”

Start-Up PH airs weeknights at 8:50 pm on GMA, and 11:30 pm from Monday to Thursday and at 11 pm every Friday on GTV. Viewers abroad can also catch the program via GMA Pinoy TV.

IT’S been more than 15 years since Sam Milby debuted in Philippine entertainment. And it shows. Not that he has aged considerably looks-wise, but that reluctance to fame when he started has now worn off. When Sam was starting, I could see how uncomfortable he was with the fans who would want to take a picture with him. But the last time I saw him, he gamely interacted with people, cracking a joke or two with them, while posing for selfies with his admirers.

While the inconveniences that attend this kind of fame are familiar, not every actor chooses to handle it the same way. Sam seems to now regard his fame the way a seasoned swimmer does a riptide. Fight it and it’ll wear you down until you drown. Go with the flow (or, rather, just be relaxed about it and accept it as part of your chosen job) and the universe will respect your chillness.

That ease has inarguably translated into confidence in Sam, as he has definitely grown much as an actor. In fact, a few years ago, I unabashedly declared that he is one of the country’s most underrated actors.

Proof of his thespic talent is highlighted every night in A Family Affair, the ABS-CBN soap that also stars Ivana Alawi, Gerald Anderson, Jake Ejercito and Jameson Blake. In the show, Sam plays his role with a nuance that would make you root for him but at the same time be suspicious of his character’s true intentions. His role is one of the factors that keep the suspense of the show.

Sam, along with his A Family Affair costar Gerald, are on the cover of the digital magazine Flex

Aimed to end toxic masculinity and instead promote “modern masculinity,” Flex is now on its second issue with KD Estrada featured on the cover. It actually features a novel concept that instead of reading a magazine, one can devour

“video articles” instead.

This means vignettes and video features on different topics about modern masculinity, and an interactive segment where people can vote for upcoming personalities to be featured in Flex. Of course, there are the exclusive interviews with Gerald and Sam.

Asked during its launch what Sam could “flex,” he answered that it’s the longevity of his acting career as well as his relationship with beauty queen Catriona Gray.

He disclosed that in both, he experienced growth. His journeys in both his love life and career are far from perfect, he admits, but “if wala kang pagsubok na pinagdadaanan, you have no growth. So it’s knowing and accepting the mistakes you made and growing from them, and always being humble and seeking out and wanting to keep growing. That’s what I want to do. I want to keep growing. Kahit nasa 60s, 70s na ako, you’re never going to stop growing. I’m really content with my life right now. I’m happy.”

However, don’t expect Sam to be more open about this love life on social media and, uhm, flex it. He still wants to maintain a level of privacy about this aspect of his life. On what’s next for the couple, Sam says he and Catriona are enjoying each other’s company and are grateful everyday for finding each other.

Flex magazine is now available on the Star Magic YouTube channel.

Sam Milby has already eased into showbiz

‘START-UP PH’ LAUDED BY KOREAN PRODUCER OF ORIGINAL HIT SERIES

WHEN a film earns a lot of moolah in the box-office even if it is a piece of s%^t, does it mean it has falsified its way into the heart and mind of the audience? If so, can we have the same kind of dubious reasoning when it comes to any film that earns mightily from the box office?

FROM right: Jeric Gonzales, Bea Alonzo and Alden Richards

SAM MILBY (left) and Gerald Anderson

Filinvest REIT recognized by Asia CEO Awards for leadership in sustainability

FILINVEST

REIT (FILRT), the real estate investment trust backed by Filinvest Land, was the only REIT company honored at the recent awarding ceremony for the prestigious 13th Asia CEO Awards 2022.

FILRT was named a Circle of Excellence Awardee for Best Sustainability Company of the Year during the awards night attended by renowned and influential business leaders from different industries. FILRT has won this award for two consecutive years, the only back-toback winner for the category.

The award recognizes organizations that achieved important success in environmental progress and demonstrated leadership and commitment to sustainability. Asia CEO Awards also considers accomplishments that drive environmental progress and impact global sustainability. FILRT, the country’s first sustainability-themed REIT listed on the bourse, gained this recognition after a thorough evaluation by the Asia CEO Awards’ esteemed board of judges.

“We are proud to once again receive the Circle of Excellence Award for Best Sustainability Company of the Year from Asia CEO Awards. Our consistent win since our company was listed in the stock market shows our steadfast commitment to leading the charge for sustainability in the REIT and BPO industries. This would not have been possible without the hard work of our teams, the support of our tenants, shareholders, and partners who are taking this journey towards green and sustainable offices with FILRT,” said Maricel Brion Lirio, president of Filinvest REIT Corporation.

FILRT boasts of a portfolio that consists of 17 Grade A (highest quality) office buildings, which include green and sustainability-themed features. Of these, 16 are in Northgate Cyberzone in Filinvest City in Alabang. Filinvest City, a 244-hectare mixed-use and integrated city is the first and only central business district (CBD) in the Philippines to receive LEED® v4 Gold for Neighborhood

Development Plan certification thanks to its township-wide green and sustainability features. Filinvest City is also the first CBD in the Philippines to receive a three-star Berde certification.

Two of the FILRT properties in Filinvest City, namely Axis Tower One and Vector Three, are among the country’s few LEED Gold-certified developments. Rounding up the portfolio is Filinvest Cyberzone Cebu, a 1.2-hectare joint commercial development of FILRT with the Cebu Provincial Government.

Office buildings inside Northgate Cyberzone, a PEZA-accredited IT park, are cooled by the country’s largest district cooling system (DCS). The DCS can realize efficiencies on power consumption by up to 40 percent and water consumption by up to 20 percent. It also helps the buildings within Northgate Cyberzone, and consequentially its locators, to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.

The company said FILRT has embarked on a long-term journey towards transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy. To date, 26 percent of the total energy

consumption of FILRT buildings is on 100 percent renewable energy. Advocating for a greener lifestyle, all FILRT properties also have bicycle parking facilities to help reduce the use of motorized vehicles and encourage greener modes of transport. Electric jeepneys likewise ply the streets of the neighborhood to offer low-carbon transport for the commuting public.

“Our energy management approach revolves around the two key focus areas of energy efficiency and using renewable energy whenever economically feasible. We are committed to moving forward with a wider breadth of sustainability features and solutions sought after by multinational BPOs and ROHQ companies. We strongly believe that the future of the offices sector lies in sustainability. This is why the Filinvest group is committed to creating green and sustainable developments. FILRT’s growth strategy is founded on green, high-value assets that attract tenants who share Filinvest’s journey towards a future in real estate where environmental sustainability is embedded in everything we do,” added Brion-Lirio.

NHMFC head calls on real estate developers to collaborate in addressing housing crisis

Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino: Zero ISF 2028 Program.”

Under the leadership of DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar, the government’s housing sector aims to build one million homes per year over a period of six years.

Tobias said NHMFC’s support to DHSUD’s Zero Informal Settlers 2028 Program is through its Housing Loan Receivables Purchase Program or HLRPP. “This is NHMFC’s allocation of a liquidity facility for housing originators to ensure continuous production of affordable housing units,” he remarked.

NATIONAL Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC) President Renato L. Tobias enjoined the Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP) to continue working with the government’s key shelter agencies in addressing the country’s housing crisis.

In his keynote message during the OSHDP Affordable Housing Summit 2022 recently held in Bohol, Tobias expressed his firm commitment to contribute to the Department of Human

“The NHMFC’s unique role as the government’s primary secondary institution serves the Filipinos by catering to the most pressing needs of our nation — safe, decent, sustainable and affordable housing for the Filipino families,” he stressed.

He emphasized the need to build not just affordable and decent homes, but to build homes that can withstand natural disasters. It is a fact that the Philippines is one of the most vulnerable to climate change.

Tobias also expressed his appreciation to OSHDP for organizing the summit. The event was attended by more than 300 real estate industry players from all over the country.

Transport & Logistics Philippines 2022 trade show back in hybrid format at World Trade Center Manila

THE country’s

to 22, 2022.

The three-day trade show kept up the tradition of showcasing the latest in the transport and logistics industries, while facilitating interaction and networking opportunities for thousands of manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers across the Philippines and the region. It also focused on the country’s thriving storage

and supply chain industries presented by Global-Link MP Events International Inc.

Among the major exhibitors were Prime Quest Transport Solutions, Yaletrak Philippines, Hyundai, Sojitz Fuso Philippines Corporation, Versatemp Corporation, and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation. The products that were displayed included forklifts, lithium battery forklifts, motorized pallet trucks, petroleum products, trucks, vehicle camera systems, wing vans, and diesel engines. Services like transport management systems, freight, and telematics and many, many more.

Transport & Logistics Philippines 2022

Hybrid Edition facilitated insightful talks and plenary sessions. The Procurement and Supply Institute of Asia (PASIA) facilitated seminars such as Transportation & Logistics Issues and Challenges for the Local Landscape, Assessing your Warehousing & Logistics Performance - Benchmarking from the Best Practices, and many more. Other technical sessions facilitated by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ICCPI) include Growing the Philippine Blue Economy: Logistics and Maritime Transport, Challenges for National and International Shipments, and many more.

Transport & Logistics Philippines 2022 Hybrid Edition not only marked the return of this trade show to a physical site. It also came at a time when transport and logistics industries play important roles in the country’s economic recovery.

Public transport remains a crucial issue especially as Filipinos return to their normal routines. The logistics sector, on the other hand, serves as a backbone of the local economy amid the robust growth of e-commerce. The government is also getting into full swing on efforts to improve transport and logistics infrastructures through its Build, Build, Build program.

Transport & Logistics Philippines 2022 Hybrid Edition was organized by Global-Link MP, a subsidiary of Singapore’s MP International Pte. Ltd and a part of the Pico group, an awardwinning events and brand activation agency with foothold in 41 cities globally. The online component will be facilitated through VX Events, GlobalLink’s hybrid events platform.

BUILDRITE Construction Chemicals, one of the leading construction chemical companies in the country, joins this year's PhilConstruct Expo, Hybrid Edition 2022 at the SMX Convention Center this coming November 3 to 6. You can visit their booths at I16-I20 to check out their products and get a free consultation.

Buildrite will be officially launching two new innovative products – Readycrete: Ready-Mix Concrete in a Bag and SmartBond Flex: The First Flexible Tile Adhesive.

With the lack of accessibility to highquality ready-mix concrete, small to medium projects are forced to mix their own concrete on-site. This is the primary cause of concrete problems, such as concrete segregation, honeycombs, spalling, and insufficient compressive strength. To address this particular need, Buildrite launches Readycrete, the Philippines’ first ready-mix concrete in a bag. With this, all projects can now order ready-mix concrete in a bag regardless of the quantity needed or the location of the jobsite, providing a costefficient solution for construction projects.

For finishing projects, SmartBond Flex is the first ever flexible tile adhesive in the Philippines. The flexibility of the tile adhesive addresses a very specific problem that causes tiles to pop out – movement of tiles and substrate. Aside from excellent adhesion, tiling also requires a tile adhesive with excellent flexibility to withstand the movements of tiles and substrate during thermal expansion and contraction, including the structural movements caused by traffic and external factors.

SmartBond Flex tile

adhesive acts as a movement absorber or dampener, which then prevents the tile adhesive from cracking or losing adhesion. Buildrite continues to seek advancements in construction chemical technology, staying true to its vision of bringing about a future where the Philippines can achieve world-class standard construction chemical products and methodologies.

With the addition of Readycrete and SmartBond Flex to its product portfolio, the company will continue to develop more innovative solutions and educate people about cost-efficient, reliable, and sustainable construction chemical products and methodologies.

For more information on Buildrite Construction Chemicals, visit their website, www.magnaprime.com.ph, and follow their Facebook Page, @BuildritePhils.

To learn more about construction chemicals, you can follow their YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/

NOW IN THE PHILIPPINES. ODDS Technologies Limited, Corporation (OTLC) now in the Philippines. Go Negosyo Mentor and Business Consultant Voltaire Magpayo welcomes Liu Yang, President of OTLC, a Japanese based IT development company which is set to open an office in Makati City. “We are excited to start our business here in the Philippines knowing fully well that the country is in full steam for its digitalization and innovation” said by Mr. Yang.

NHMFC President Renato L. Tobias keynotes the OSHDP Affordable Housing Summit 2022 attended by real estate industry players from all over the country.

IQMK GLOBAL TURNS TWO. IQMK recently celebrated its 2nd year anniversary with the theme “TWOgether & BEYOND.” The company’s 2nd anniversary marks the beginning its vision to be on target for the upcoming years. The theme means two years together with the people behind IQMK and will continuously be together towards the company’s vision. To achieve the vision, the company will start focusing on global expansion, more effective and remarkable products to be launched and an upgraded software system for the company.

FROM left, Filinvest Development Corp. (FDC) and Filinvest REIT Corp. (FILRT) Head of Investor Relations Patricia Pineda, FILRT President Maricel Brion Lirio, FDC Chief Sustainability Officer Mark Mulingbayan, Filinvest Cyberparks Inc. Leasing Head Sarah Salvador-Velasquez.

Buildrite Construction Chemicals to launch ‘first in the Philippines’ products at PhilConstruct 2022

Editor: Jun Lomibao

HARMIE, NOT CHANELLE VICTORIOUS IN PRADERA

with bogeys on Nos. 11, 13 and 14.

Both dropped shots on the tough par-four 16th with Constantino closing out with a two-over card for an even 216 and Avaricio holing out with a birdie for a 76 and a 217.

Springs legs, both last April, and the sixth stop of this year’s LPGT here last June where she routed the field by six.

HARMIE CONSTANTINO stayed out of harm’s way—but not Chanelle Avaricio when it mattered most—to post a one-stroke victory in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Pradera Championship despite a closing 74 Thursday in Lubao, Pampanga.

Constantino fought back from two shots down with nine holes to go, birdying the par-five 12th for the second straight day as Avaricio hobble with a spate of bogeys to pull off the big reversal and win for the first time outside of Eagle Ridge-Aoki.

“ I just avoided making mistakes and making more putts than anyone else,” said Constantino, who took control by two as the two-day leader fumbled

It was Constantino’s third victory, worth P168,750, in a young pro career she launched with two victories in bubble setup last year, both at Eagle Ridge-Aoki. But she failed to figure in title chases in the succeeding Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (LPGT) events until she was able to put it all together in the last nine holes coupled with Avaricio’s uncharacteristic windup.

My game was pretty consistent despite the wind conditions and course setup, which was a little bit harder, with pins on tough spots,” Constantino said. “But I stayed patient.”

She later admitted she had no expectations this week, saying she didn’t have a great season.

I just went out there and tried to play well, play good golf,” she said.

A t wo-over round actually isn’t a good score to close out a big championship but Avaricio simply lost her touch, rhythm and focus with those string of costly bogeys that foiled her drive for a fourth championship after topping the Hallow Ridge and the Caliraya

Ababa goes superb to snatch men’s lead entering final round

JHONNEL ABABA went low to deal with the high wind that blew the bids of a slew of contenders and sizzled with a tournament-best 67 to shoulder past halfway leader Tony Lascuña and closer to snapping a spell on the Philippine Golf Tour.

The multi-titled ace from the noted Davao golfing clan surprisingly made it look easy at the Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club when most of his rivals scrambled trying to come up with the right club selections in a wind-blown day in Lubao.

H e set up birdie chances on the unreceptive surface and birdied all four par-5s and added two more on Nos. 6 and 16 that more than made up for his lone mishap at the parthree 15th.

My game was just super— driving, tee-shot and putting. It’s also so nice to hit shots on the well-maintained fairways and when I look at greens, the holes seem to be so big and I felt it’s so easy to make birdies,” said Ababa in Filipino, whose back-to-back 71s and five-under card netted him a 54-hole aggregate of seven-under 209 and a two-shot cushion over Lascuña and Guido Van der Valk heading to the final round of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Pradera Verde Championship.

I also dealt with the wind pretty well and stayed positive all day. I just hope to do it again tomorrow (Friday),” Ababa said.

T he Calatagan pro, whose campaign is backed by the Borough Lasik Center, has not won since ruling the ICTSI Del Monte Championship in 2019 after coming off a prolific season when he won five titles, including four in Philippine Golf Tour Asia and the inaugural ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational, in 2018.

But it won’t be easy to break the slump as Van der Valk bucked what he termed as a “dull” backside stint to shoot a second straight 70 that proved enough to tie him at second with Lascuña, who settled for a 72, at 211, while Keanu Jahns sneaked into contention with a gutsy 71 for a 213.

“Irons no good,” rued Van der Valk,

the Splendido Taal leg winner, who actually shot four birdies against a double bogey at the front to put himself back into contention. “But I had a very boring backnine—one three-putt bogey and a birdie. Other than those, a lot of birdie putts missed, so, I got to hit the iron a lot better because it’s been pretty bad in the week.”

Hope I can get in the lead and stay unlike today (yesterday) where sadly I didn’t quite keep it up but Jhonnel played really well,” added the Manila-based Dutch ace.

Despite squandering the lead he anchored on a solid 70 Wednesday, Lascuña was more than satisfied salvaging an even par round and staying just within striking distance off his fellow Davaoeño.

“ It’s tougher out there with the wind blowing from all over and the greens just wouldn’t bite. But overall, I think my game was okay and I believe that I still have a chance. I’ll just have to prepare and try to enjoy the game Friday,” said Lascuña, a four-time Order of Merit who is due for big win after back-to-back finishes at Eagle Ridge-Aoki and Riviera.

Two down halfway through the P2 million season-ending championship put up by ICTSI in a flight behind Lascuña, Van der Valk and Art Arbole, Ababa tied for the lead with a birdie on the first par-5 (No. 3) coupled with Lascuña’s bogey on the fourth.

Birdies on the sixth and ninth kept Ababa on top but with a new co-leader in Van der Valk, who hit back-to-back birdies from Nos. 3 and 8 to negate a double bogey miscue on the seventh.

But while Ababa sustained his charge with three more birdies, including on the last two par-5s (Nos. 12 and 18), against a bogey for a 33-34, Van der Valk settled for a backside 36 for a 70 and stayed at joint second for the second straight day, this time with Lascuña, who birdied the 14th for a 72 after wresting control with 69-70.

A rbole succumbed while playing in the featured threesome, fumbling with eight bogeys and a double bogey against three birdies for a 79. He tumbled to joint 16th at 220 with Sean Ramos, who rallied with a 71, Dino Villanueva, who turned in a 75, and Mars Pucay, who stumbled with a 76.

The former Alabama State U star looked headed to re-stamping her class in her LPGT return after clinching a spot in Stage II of the Ladies Professional Golfers Association Q-School. But after a blistering opening 67, she fumbled with a 74 and barely held a one-stroke lead heading to the last 18 holes of the P1.25 million championship.

But she even hiked her lead to two going to the last nine holes but as Constantino toughened up with a clutch birdie on the 12th and a brave run of pars, Avaricio wavered and ran out of holes in her last-ditch bid to force a playoff. She settled for the P108,750 runner-up prize.

Gretchen Villacencio rallied with the day’s best 71 to snare third place honors at 218 worth P93,750, while Pamela Mariano carded a 74 and tied erstwhile third-running Florence Bisera, who limped with a 76, at 219.

Sarah Ababa finished sixth with a 221 after a 72 while amateur Mafy Singson, who humbled the pros at Splendido Taal last May, battled back with a 72 after an 80 to salvage joint seventh at 222 with Korean Kim Seoyunb, who shot a 73.

S unshine Baraquiel, the Highlands leg winner last year, skied to a 77 and wound up ninth at 224 while amateur Rev Lizbeth Alcantara ended up 10th at 224 after a decent 73.

Young FiberXers put to acid test vs Tropang Giga

CONVERGE goes for a third straight win as the FiberXers take on the TNT Tropang Giga on Friday in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

D espite the streak, FiberXers head coach Aldin Ayo wants more consistency from his wards when they clash with the Tropang Giga starting at 3 p.m.

We still have a lot of problems with consistency, but it will take some time,” Ayo said. “Fortunately, we beat

Cool Smashers turn lights off Akari gals’ bid

CREAMLINE turned off Akari’s glare early in the match to churn out a 23-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 victory and stay unbeaten in four matches in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference eliminations at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City Thursday.

Ced Domingo produced a 14-point game she laced with five blocks that highlighted the Cool Smashers’ defense upfront that neutralized the Chargers’ hitters to move closer to another semifinals stint in pursuit of a record grand slam feat.

The girls sort of became careless

San Miguel Beer the last time, but there are still a lot of things that we have to work on.”

Converge is coming off a 106-102 victory over San Miguel Beer to post a mini streak in the conference.

The FiberExers and Tropang Giga are sporting 3-2 win-loss cards and are expected to rely heavily anew on their reinforcements.

Converge’s Miller is averaging 33.4 points, 15.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 4.0 blocks in five games, while his counterpart, Cameron, Oliver has norms of 29.6 points and

in the first set, but what’s important was they recovered,” Creamline Coach Sherwin Meneses said. “Akari’s no pushover, but we managed to make adjustments in the last three sets.”

The Chargers uncorked four consecutive points to stun the Cool Smashers and snatch the opening. But Creamline regrouped and swept the next two in emphatic fashion.

T he Open Conference and Invitational champions also dominated the fourth but the Chargers saved three match points to close within 21-24, until Tots Carlos blasted in a kill off a missed receive and a shaky setup to wrap

13.6 rebounds also in five outings.

A ljun Melecio waxed hot for Converge with a career-high 18 points and seven assists while Jeron Teng had 13 points in their win over San Miguel Beer.

T NT Coach Chot Reyes, meanwhile, said their 108-98 win over Blackwater in their previous game boosts their chances against Converge’s young but explosive lineup.

We want to make sure that we are in the best level of fitness knowing our upcoming opponent

up the victory that came on the heels of their four-set wins over PLDT, Petro Gazz and Cignal. Yeliz Basa led Creamline with 18 points while Jema Galanza backed their Turkish import and Domingo with 12 hits and 17 excellent receptions. Kyla Atienza posted 18 excellent digs and 12 receptions in another superb defensive game.

P risilla Rivera scored 13 points while Erika Raagas added 10 points for the Chargers, who bounced back from an opening day loss to the HD Spikers with a straight win over the UAI-Army Lady Troopers but dropped their next three matches.

really loves to run and push the ball very hard,” Reyes said. “It will test our endurance and our stamina—we need to match their constant pace for 48 minutes.”

B arangay Ginebra San Miguel (32) goes for its fourth victory when it collides with winless Terrafirma (0-6) at 5:45 p.m.

T he Dyip are coming off a humiliating 76-130 beating at the hands of the Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons. They haven’t won in 22 games since last season’s Governors’ Cup. Josef Ramos

at the PSC offices inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

PSC Chairman Noli Eala and Ilocos Sur Governor Jeremias “Jerry” Singson signed the memorandum of agreement for the national championships. With them were Singson’s Executive Assistant Atty.

Jannah Singson and PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy.

Singson said they expect the Batang Pinoy to spark Ilocos Sur’s overall economic recovery program from the pandemic.

“ The Batang Pinoy is part of the One Ilocos Sur’s 10-point agenda,” Singson told BusinessMirror. “Through sports, we will start the economic recovery of the province as well as tourism heading to other sectors.”

that’s why I’m very honored to do it in the Province of Ilocos Sur from where the Ealas come from,” Eala said.

Seventeen sports are in the program but nine will be played face-to-face—archery, athletics, badminton, chess, cycling, table tennis, swimming, weightlifting and demonstration sport obstacles sports.

A rnis, dancesport, judo, karate, muay, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu will be played online.

By Josef Ramos

E ala thanked Singson for accepting the hosting chores while stressing that the Batang Pinoy is the first multi-sport competition during the waning pandemic.

The Batang Pinoy National Championship is actually going to be the first major PSC-organized competition under my watch and

A lso present during the ceremony were Ilocos Sur Provincial Administrator Marlon Tagorda, Special Assistant to the Governor in Sports Jester Singson and PSC Regional Coordinator Edwin Llanes. Some 10,000 athletes, coaches, sports and local government officials and parents and chaperones are expected to converge in the nationals which will be primarily be played at the Quirino Sports Complex with Vigan City as main hub.

P SC records show 144 cities and 81 provinces are fielding entries to the nationals where 600 events are featured.

CREAMLINE’S Jema Galanza soars high as she tries to break Akari’s defense.

ILOCOS Sur Governor Jeremias “Jerry” Singson and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala sign the memorandum of agreement for the Batang Pinoy National Finals. With them are Singson’s Executive Assistant Atty. Jannah Singson and PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy. NONIE REYES

HARMIE CONSTANTINO snatches her third vic tory in a young pro career she launched with two victories in bubble setup last year, both at Eagle Ridge-Aoki.

Motoring

TRENDY AND THEN SOME

Story & photos

by Randy S. Peregrino

WHEN Volkswagen rolled out its smallest SUV TCross, the global market accepted it with a resounding sales fig ure. Achieving approximately 300,000 units sold globally two years after debut, despite the effects of the pan demic, we could not agree more. Also, the timing could not have been more perfect when Volkswagen Philippines brought in the subcompact SUV last year to respond to public anticipation and to present the new model with the brand’s global “refresh” campaign. We finally got behind the wheel when Volkswagen Philippines recently hosted a test drive event. The destinations were two countryside restaurant stops in Tagaytay. With over 150 kilometers of city, highway, countryside, and winding roads, the entire drive episode perfectly represented the vehicle’s purpose-built. As a bonus, we could not get over the poster variant in the trendy and unique Tribu body color assigned to us.

Styling and interior

VOLKSWAGEN is one of those auto makers coherent in design signatures, inside and out. From the front end’s straightforward grill and headlamps alignment, the flanks’ sharp belt lines, all the way to the rear’s taillights. In terestingly, the front bumper’s com bination of grill and foglamps with metallic accents seemingly looked like a secondary fascia. Those dark

lower panels all over complement the multi-spoke rims.

The interior, of course, has all that trademark elements. But Volkswagen veered away from its usual monochro matic theme and utilized body-colored dash panels to bring that ecstatic aura along with two-toned accents. It is like a constant reminder of the vehicle’s unique and radiant color and how it denotes trendiness. Volkswagen claims that these fresh shades adopt the im portance of aesthetics by combining young urban fashion with its style and functionality. Even the snug seats have a new sporty design to match the overall interior layout. We also like the panoramic sunroof as a plus factor for the vehicle’s segment.

With a 2,651 mm wheelbase, the T-Cross has the longest in its class. Moreover, there is still 329 liters of luggage space at the back, which can expand further to 1,319 liters with the rear seats folded. We like how everything is in place inside, i.e., the available rear air-conditioning with USB charging ports. Even the controls are clustered with easy access, and the touchscreen infotainment system has an easy navigation interface.

Drivability

VOLKSWAGEN Philippines offers the T-Cross in 180 MPI AT S and the180 MPI AT SE variants. Both grades come with a EURO 6 1.5-liter gaso line engine paired with a six-speed Tiptronic AT generating 111 hp and 145N-m maximum torque. According to Volkswagen, these figures are ideal for achieving optimum fuel efficiency while providing enough power to keep up on pace and cruise.

This engine is tamed but respon sive enough when played right. By default, the throttle response leans toward the economy side, and we find this suitable for city setup or cruis ing along freeways where the gear constantly upshifts to lower engine RPMs. The throttle needs further depress of the accelerator pedal to respond by downshifting the gear to obtain more torque. In short, it does the job of delivering the right amount of power whenever needed. As to that seemingly feeling of delay in throttle response, while some may find it a power lag, we reckon it is there to yield that smoother torque registration.

Now, this is when the Sport/man ual mode comes in handy for spirited driving, necessitating constant and more torque. The torque registration becomes more aggressive and steadier in certain selected gears to get to the needed optimum rpm range before up shifting. Likewise, the 1.5-liter engine becomes alive in this drive mode with

‘Revenge spending’ up in the air

quicker throttle response. We found the sweet spot toward the midrange engine rpm. Within that range, over taking became faster and tackled as cents better. On the other hand, the manual mode also aided in engine braking scenarios whenever needed.

Excellent handling and safetyfeatures

WHEN it comes to the vehicle’s behav ior on the road, it is no surprise that the T-Cross handled well every road condi tion we galloped. As expected for a small crossover platform, the nimbleness was always present and impressively benign on curves. For its size, the T-Cross was stable on freeways with lesser road noise, as if we were driving a bigger car. The steering response was good on constant curves as well. The damper’s amount of stiffness is just right to provide the nec essary good handling and road stability but absorbs the rough paths.

The T-Cross earned its five-star safety rating in the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the Aus tralasian NCAP, and Latin NCAP with its myriad of standard safety features and strong body structure. There is an electronic stabilization program (ESP), cruise control, tire pressure monitoring system, and additional safety features (for the SE variant). Additionally, there are six airbags, a rear camera, rear park distance control (PDC), and autonomous emergency braking (AEB), among others.

IS300h Premier (P3,398,000) and the IS 350 F-Sport (P4,178,000).”

Toyota’s October treats

BEAT the heat as Toyota rushes to its treats up to October 31.

IT is barely 90 days before Christ mas.  That means almost every car buff is itching to buy that dream car before December 25 comes along.

And to those with cars already, the garage can always accommodate another.  But, of course.

With “revenge spending” renting the air after the two-year pandemic that made us home buddies aka woe ful prisoners, the auto industry will surely surge, what with customer de mand huge enough to recoup precious cash sadly lost in the interregnum.

Thus, new models and promotions galore will come bursting sooner or later to greet the merriest season of the year.

Lexus leads

THE LDS (Lexus Driving Signature) is the latest thrust of Lexus to fortify the brand’s mantra of “union between man and machine.”

“In its purest essence, it pursues linear operation faithful to the driv er’s intentions with the goal to am plify confidence, comfort, and overall love of driving,” said Jade B. Sison, the main front act of Lexus president Raymond T. Rodriguez.

Listen to Jade: “ THE Lexus IS was born from the LDS philosophy. It has earned popu larity through its high-level driving performance—and the fun of driv ing a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan.

“There is no greater satisfaction in

a vehicle that tackles the corners with aplomb. The Lexus IS 350 F Sport now comes standard with a Limited-Slip Differential (LSD).

“When paired with the 3.5-liter V6 motor that develops 315ps at 6,600rpm and 380Nm at 4,800 to 4,900rpm, the sophisticated LSD delivers power to the rear wheels in such a manner that will boost the confidence of every driver.

“Complementing this sporty and aggressive LSD are its 19-inch forged alloy wheels. Lightweight with a high rigidity appearance, it is 10 percent lighter than the previous F-Sport alloy wheels.

“The Blind-Spot Monitor (BSM) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Automatic Braking (RCTAB) now come standard with the Lexus IS 350 F Sport. These safety features are an essential addi tion to Lexus Safety System +2, a suite of safety features which include a PreCollision System (PCS), Dynamic Ra dar Cruise Control (DRCC), Automatic High Beam (AHB), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), and Lane Departure Alert (LDA). Lexus’s advanced safety systems go beyond human perception, to care for you and your passengers, intuitively and intelligently.

“After 30 years as a luxury au tomotive brand, Lexus has estab lished a unique identity, design language, and recognition in the overall luxury space.

“The Lexus IS’s three variants are the IS300h Executive (P3,038,000),

It starts with the Innova J diesel M/T being pegged at only P12,787 per month. Or you can have it at P178,650 down payment, with a free one-year insurance and a three-year LTO reg istration, and no chattel mortgage at 60 months to pay.

A cash purchase gains a P20,000 savings for both the E A/T and M/T variants.

Here’s Toyota’s Sunshine Cabrera:

“ MODELS Vios G, E, or XLE each comes with a five-year warranty, with the XE CVT available at only P8,212 per month, plus an option of an all-in down payment of only P115,350 that includes a discount of  P45,000.

“For the Raize, you pay only P10,110 a month and Veloz P13,210 a month.

“The Rush, Corolla Altis, Wigo, Avanza, Veloz, Hilux, Hiace and For tuner models also come in huge dis counts until Oct. 31 to include a oneyear free insurance.

“Get a P35,000 rebate for a Wigo trade-in for Vios or Innova, P30,000 for a Vios to Raize, and P20,000 for an Avanza to Veloz.

“Lite Ace owners can get a mainte nance package of 40kms, too.

“Visit https://toyota.com.ph/pro mos/ SharedSmiles for more details.”

PEE STOP Cheers to the highly-suc cessful Viking Nordic Feast recently hosted chiefly by Volvo at the Sofitel Philippines Plaza for the benefit of the Chosen Children Village Founda tion.  Take a bow, Atty. Albert Arcilla, for the well-attended event for the benefit of abandoned children in the metropolis. Mabuhay!

Editor: Tet Andolong

THIS 1.5-liter MPI gasoline engine gets the job done

THESE body color-matched interior panels bring the trendy character inside the cabin

THE trendy T-Cross subcompact SUV in radiant and unique Tribu color