BusinessMirror September 13, 2021 by BusinessMirror

DEBT PAYMENTS SOAR

Monday, September 13, 2021 Vol. 16 No. 334

P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 20 pages |

TO P834.3B AT END-JULY VIETNAM RICE SUPPLY WOES MAY IMPACT PHL By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

@joveemarie

THE first train set for the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) was installed at the weekend, and San Miguel Corp. said it is now working “round the clock” to meet its timeline for a test run by 2022. The threecar train set from South Korea was put along the tracks of the MRT-7's Tandang Sora station in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. ROY DOMINGO

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE national government’s debt payments as of endJuly reached P834.33 billion, rising by over a third compared to the same period in 2020.

As amortization payments continued to outpace interest payments, the government’s debt service bill during the seven-month period ended up 37.2 percent higher than last year’s P608.26 billion.

Cumulative amortization payments from January to July this year ballooned to P566.77 billion, surging by 56.9 percent from P361.2 billion last year. See “Debt,” A2

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.0500

HE chairman of the House Com m it tee on Way s and Means has warned against possible rice price increases over the coming months as Vietnam, the country’s main source of imported rice, suffers rice supply pressures. With this, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Sarte Salceda recommended that the mechanization component of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) under the rice tariffication program be rolled out faster to improve farm yields and reduce wastage. According to Salceda, Vietnamese farmers shift to more high-value varieties of rice while accepting a decline in export volumes. “The implications of these developments in Vietnam are certain. If we don’t do anything

with domestic supply and source diversification, we could see higher rice price inflation,” said the lawmaker in a statement. Citing the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), Salceda said Vietnam’s rice exports in the first seven months only reached about 3.5 million tonnes, down 12.7 percent over the same period in 2020. “We should never depend on Vietnam’s rice exports for our supply in the first place. Vietnam is a society that is becoming more affluent. The result of higher purchasing power is greater food consumption. That means fewer volumes available for export,” Salceda said. Salceda noted that Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) also showed rice prices rising in the first seven months of 2021, although with limited supplies due to the ongoing health crisis. Continued on A2

Global recovery seen to spur FDI flows into PHL By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

ONG -TER M investments made by foreign investors in the country are expected to rise in the coming months as economies and logistics normalize in other parts of the world, a local economist said. In his note following the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) announcement of the Philippines’s foreign direct investment (FDI) numbers, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) economist

“The worst for the FDI data and other major economic data could have been seen already at the height of the lockdowns.”—Ricafort

Michael Ricafort said the worst is likely over for the country’s FDI. “[The] pickup in FDIs in recent months may reflect some easing and normalization of supply chains and logistics locally and worldwide as economies further re-open, thereby allowing more FDIs to flow into the country,” Ricafort said. “Thus, the worst for the FDI data and other major economic data could have been seen already at the height of the lockdowns,” he added. FDIs are investments made by foreign players to the Philippines in the hopes of long-term return. Since

these are in the country for a longer term compared to their short-term counterpart, the foreign portfolio investments (FPIs), FDIs usually create jobs for Filipinos and have a multiplier effect on the economy.

1st-half flows: $4.3B

THE BSP reported on Friday that FDIs to the country hit $4.3 billion in the first semester of the year. This represents a 40.7-percent increase from the $3.1 billion net inflows in the same period in 2020. Continued on A2

n JAPAN 0.4562 n UK 69.2742 n HK 6.4354 n CHINA 7.7525 n SINGAPORE 37.2756 n AUSTRALIA 36.8768 n EU 59.1891 n SAUDI ARABIA 13..3456

Source: BSP (September 10, 2021)

News A2 Monday, September 13, 2021

BusinessMirror

Batanes isolated, Pampanga towns flooded after 2 storms

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HE province of Batanes remained largely isolated and some areas of Pampanga are still swamped in flood waters, the government said on Sunday, as it sustained the relief efforts in the aftermath of the twin typhoons that lashed Luzon and the Visayas, killing at least 17 people.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that telecommunication signals in four of the six towns and municipalities of Batanes are still down. Floods in some areas of Pampanga, including the 17 villages of Macabebe, have not subsided yet as a result of the heavy rains brought by Typhoon Kiko. Landslides were also reported in some areas of La Union and in Apayao, still due to the typhoon which pummeled Northern and Central Luzon, affecting at least 2,780 families or 11,145 individuals while forcing the preemptive evacuation of 1,742 families or 5,112 persons. The NDRRMC said that while Kiko spawned flooding and landslides, minimal damage was initially reported, in contrast with Typhoon Jolina which has killed

17 people, although most of the casualties are still being verified. At least 24 others have also been reported injured and seven others are still missing. Jolina affected mostly Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol region and Regions 6, 7 and 8 where severe flooding occurred in Laguna and in Leyte, Samar and Antique. As of Sunday, the NDRRMC said Jolina has damaged at least P628,041,674 in the area of agriculture while another P57, 261,053 in the area of infrastructure. At least 8,924 houses were also damaged, most of them in Region 8. At least 81,048 families or 313,373 individuals were affected while another 3,367 families or 13, 061 persons were preemptively evacuated.

LGUs may use QRF for Covid response till Sept ‘22 By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

OCAL government units (LGU) will now be able to use their Quick Response Funds for their Covid-19 response until next year. This after President Duterte is-

sued Proclamation No. 1218 late Friday, which extended the period of the State of Calamity nationwide due to Covid-19 from September 13, 2021 to September 12, 2022. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) welcomed the development, which will

allow LGUs to continue to access much needed funds for their evergrowing Covid-related expenses. “This will benefit most especially the LGUs because they can use their calamity funds to respond to the continuing national emergency,” Interior spokesperson Jonathan Malaya

told BusinessMirror in an SMS. Aside from the access of calamity funds, Proclamation 1218 will also allow concerned government offices to monitor and control the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities during its effectiveness. In Proclamation No. 1218, Duterte enjoined government agencies and LGUs “to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate disaster response aid and measures in a timely manner and curtail and eliminate threat of Covid-19.” He also instructed the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to extend aid to relevant government offices to ensure peace and order during the pandemic. Despite the government’s ongoing mass vaccination efforts, quarantine measures are still expected to persist until next year as Covid-19 cases continue to rise. As of Friday, only 16.1 million of the country’s over 100 million population are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. In its latest monitoring report, the Department of Health (DOH) registered 21,411 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday. This brings the total number of Covid-19 cases detected in the country to over 2.2 million.

Debt . . .

Continued from A1

Likewise, interest payments rose by 8.3 percent year-on-year to P267.56 billion from P247.06 billion. Amortization refers to the repayment of loan principal over time, while interest payment refers to a payment determined by the interest rate of an account. For July alone, state debt payments slightly fell to P60.54 billion this year from P60.91 in the same month in 2020. Amortization payments in July slid by 1.05 percent to 1.51 billion from P1.53 billion last year. On the other hand, interest payments went down to P59.03 billion from P59.38 billion. This year, the government has programmed P1.29 trillion for its debt service, with P758.32 billion allotted for principal amortization and P531.55 billion in interest payments. In 2020, the government spent P962.47 billion to service its debts as it needed to keep up with more financial obligations to fund its war chest against the Covid-19 pandemic. As of end-July this year, the national government’s outstanding debt has already piled up to a new record high of P11.61 trillion, swelling by 26.7 percent from P9.16 trillion a year ago.

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Comelec plans to host ‘e-rallies’ for free for bets on its platforms By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

HE Commission on Elections is now eyeing to hold “e-rallies” as an alternative to physical sorties of national candidates for the 2022 National and Local polls. This is among the provisions of the proposed “new normal manual,” which was presented by the poll body before Congress last week. Comelec Planning Department director Esmeralda T. Amora said among the provisions of the manual is for the Comelec Education and Information Department to hold free live streaming of “erallies” for presidential, vicepresidential, and senatorial candidates as well as party-list organizations. She noted the e-rallies will be held every night starting Feb. 6, 2022 at the official social media channels of Comelec. Each night, the said channel will feature the following: three presidential and three vice presidential 10-minute slots; five senatorial 3-minute slots; and 10 party-list 3 minute-slots. “During each livestream, the candidate will be allowed to see live comments to his livestream. The candidate may

or may not respond to live comments, Amora said. The e-rallies must contain the disclosure that it is a political meeting, is compliant with minimum health protocols, and provide relevant date, time and location information. No more than two candidates must be physically present in the same location at the time of the livestream. “Candidates may receive inplatforms gifts and game currency, but shall not be allowed to give gifts to livestream audiences, nor to run promotions and campaigns that will awardin-platform or game currency to platform users and livestream audiences,” Amora said. She said gifts and gamecurrency received by the said candidates in event need not be reported in their Statement of Contribution and Expenditures (SOCE). The recording of the e-rally must be submitted to the Comelec Education and Information Department within 72 hours after its airing. Comelec is expected to hold the televised raffling of the said slots for interested parties on Jan. 8, 2022. The poll body said the provisions of the manual, including that of e-rallies, are still being finalized.

VIETNAM RICE SUPPLY WOES MAY IMPACT PHL Continued from A1

“Part of what keeps inflation tame despite higher meat and transport prices is because rice inflation is actually negative in some cases. Average rice prices in August declined by 0.4 percent year-on-year. Imagine what happens to inflation when that ticks up even just a bit. The poor spend around 20 percent of their income on rice,” Salceda said. Salceda said the government should fast-track the RCEF programs to respond to these developments. “Last quarter, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) completed the implement at ion of t he mec h a n i z at ion component, which is 50 percent of RCEF, just for 2019 and 2020. So, they were actually catching up on a backlog early this year,” Salceda said. “[Agriculture] Secretary [William] Dar is responding very proactively to the rice situation. With

faster implementation of RCEF, we are poised to see the largest harvest of rice next year. We are also diversifying our imports to include Pakistan and India. But we can definitely push harder,” he added. Meanwhile, Salceda said he will continue to push for land consolidation with land condonation as a complementary policy to mechanization. “Farm mechanization works best when you are dealing with big-enough tracts of land. It’s cost efficient that way. I filed House Bill No. 9955 which would increase the landholding limit to 24 hectares; promote investments in the agriculture sector by condoning the loans of agrarian reform beneficiaries [ARBs], which will allow more productive use of agrarian reform land to sale, lease, or joint venture with farmers; and open a low-interest loan facility to help farmers repurchase mortgaged agrarian reform land,” Salceda said.

Global recovery seen to spur FDI flows into PHL Continued from A1

The economist said the economic foundations of the country would still make the Philippines a good long-term investment stop for global players as they start investing again after the pandemic. “The improved economic and credit fundamentals of the Philippines in recent years, amid attractive demographics, with the 12th largest population in the world at about 110 million, would make the Philippines a compelling investment destination,” the economist said.

However, he warned that despite having this, the rapid rise of Covid cases in the country may hold back investor plans towards the country. “Offsetting risk factors are the relatively higher new Covid-19 local cases among record highs amid threats from new coronavirus variants [especially the Delta and Lambda variants] that are more contagious and could lead to risk of further lockdowns and travel restrictions, [and] thereby could slow down economic recovery prospects, including FDIs,” Ricafort said.

Nation BusinessMirror

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Monday, September 13, 2021 A3

Banana farm tiff a DAR concern

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

GRARIAN Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones is asking agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of the Davao-based Marsman Estate Plantation Inc. (MEPI) to resolve a long-standing issue with the banana exporter through continuous dialogue and negotiations.

Castr iciones sa id in a rad io inter v iew t hat t he President ia l Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) decided last September 1 to “uphold and continue” the leaseback agreement between MEPI and the majority ARBs under the Davao Marsman Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose

cooperative (Damarb MPC). “The important thing is that [the ARBs] continue to receive their benefits from a business organization [that] entered into an agreement with them originally,” he said. “[The council members] had a discussion and we talked about how

to resolve this motion. The first group, Damarb MPC—which is composed of more or less 700 farmers, and they are the majority—wants to set aside the first resolution [that] revoked the AVA [agribusiness venture arrangement] with MEPI. However, this other group opposed it and they are composed of

only a few ARBs,” he added. Castriciones warned that if the minority ARBs still opt to separate and claim their lands [that] are scattered across the plantation; then it would affect the whole plantation, which is one of the major banana exporters of the country. “If this minority will separate, the lands that they have are located in different areas, i.e., some in the middle, some on the sides, which are separate. So, what happens is that if the land is given to them, there won’t be any value or meaning to the business and will affect the majority of the ARBs,” he said. “The majority though voted that the first resolution should be set aside because it will affect the majority of the ARBs. Furthermore, the ARBs and MEPI already have a new agreement which basically says they will continue with their

agribusiness venture agreement (AVA). The decision is not only favorable to MEPI but also to Damarb MPC [members]. The two [parties] want to continue with their AVA agreement,” he added. Castriciones said the “will of the majority” will be followed and what the minority insists cannot be done “because the majority of the farmers will benefit as well as the corporation, which entered into this agreement with the beneficiaries.” He added that even if the minority ARBs oppose the deal, they will continue to receive the same benefits that the majority beneficiaries are getting. Last month, the Damarb MPC disclosed that it has decided to extend its lease agreement with banana exporter MEPI. “ T he f a r me r - me mb e r s h ave recognized the importance of having a

lease contract with a stable company, which has become more significant these days as they face the challenges brought about by the pandemic that is affecting not only the country but the entire world,” Damarb MPC Chairman Hernando Rivero said. Rivero said 697 or about 92 percent of the 762 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of MEPI agreed to extend their respective contracts of lease while the other 164 ARBs chose to become independent banana growers. “The other 164 ARBs who chose not to lease their lands to MEPI, like the members of Marsman Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative and later Marsman Individual Farming Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative opted to acquire the land through the ‘voluntary offer to sell’ scheme of DAR and to become independent growers,” he said.

Magat Dam remains intact—NIA official By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

A THE 39-year old Magat Dam located in Municipality of Ramon, Isabela.

N official of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said last Sunday the 39-year-old Magat Dam remains intact and that no major deformities or damages were observed in the past several days. Acting Manager Carlo C. Ablan of the Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (Mariis) Dam and Reservoir Division pointed to the modern equipment in place in the Maris as a source of assurance. Ablan cited they also installed new instruments such as Dam Deformation

Monitoring System serving as an online monitoring tool, which produces data points every 30 minutes for the covered structure. He explained that any abnormalities on the structure will be tracked right away and be acted upon even before the dam breaks. Moreover, Ablan said NIA ensured that it has an existing contingency plan for the Magat Dam located in the Municipality of Ramon, Isabela. Ablan issued his statement after the Regional Committee on Dam Safety (RCODS) held a virtual meeting last September 1.

The meeting was attended by officials and representatives from the following: Cagayan Valley Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council; Department of Agriculture (DA) Region II; NIA-Region II; NIA-Mariis; Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa); Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region II; Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region II; National Housing Authority (NHA) Region II; Isabela State University; and, concerned Local Government Units (LGUs). During the meeting, the revised “Protocol on Dam Discharge and Flood

Warning Operation for Magat Dam” was discussed by Acting Head Edwin J. Viernes of the Flood and Forecasting and Instrumentation Section of NIAMARIIS and a Technical Working Group under the Regional Committee on Dam Safety (RCODS) was directed to be created to review and finalize the project proposal on the “Ensemble Technique for Rainfall Runoff Forecasting.” The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Region II and the RCODS approved the crafting of the contingency plan proposed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) in case of a breach in the Magat Dam.

Economy BusinessMirror

Monday, September 13, 2021 A5

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EXCLUSIVE

No housing crisis, DHSUD chief says By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

HE housing sector is not experiencing a crisis despite the challenges of helping Filipinos attain their dreams of owning a home, according to the chief of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

DHSUD Secretary Eduardo D. Del Rosario told the BusinessMirror that amid financial constraints, the DHSUD has already accomplished 84 percent of its Philippine Development Plan (PDP) target this year. In the first six months of the year, DHSUD and the Key Shelter Agencies (KSAs) were able to finance and produce 87,204 housing units out of the 124,322 PDP target. “ T he Housing Sector is not experiencing a crisis but there are challenges for us to adequately address the country’s housing need,” Del Rosario told the BusinessMirror. “In fact, it remains vibrant despite the Covid-19 pandemic” Based on t he DHSUD d ata obtained by the BusinessMirror, a total of 456,850 housing units have been financed and completed by the government between 2019 and the first half of 2021. The target is 528,809 between 2019 and 2021. Del Rosario said the total housing units financed and constructed reached 224,987 units in 2019. This is a 99.89-percent accomplishment rate. In 2020, the DHSUD Chief said a total of 144,659 housing units were financed representing 80.72 percent of the 179,215 unit target. DHSUD earlier said lockdowns affected construction of government housing projects last year. He added that the latest report from the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) showed it earned P16.1 billion during the first six months of 2021. This represented a 14 percent higher than the same period in 2020.

“We are also in close coordination with the private developers to continuously craft policies, rules and regulationstomaintainavibranthousing sector and we remain optimistic that together, we can hurdle the challenges,” Del Rosario told BusinessMirror. “Housing is capital intensive and needs funding from the government, as well as the private sector for DHSUD to perform at the optimum level, especially in relocating ISFs [informal settler families] living in danger zones to safer grounds,” he added. Del Rosario said closing the housing backlog is difficult since this means allocating a budget of P50 billion annually. But, he said, the housing sector only receives 10 percent or around P4 billion to P5 billion annually. Apa r t f rom t he budget a r y constraints, efforts to increase housing production to around 15 percent became a real challenge during the pandemic. Del Rosario said pre-pandemic, the government is able to increase housing production by 15 percent annually between 2016 and 2019. This, Del Rosario said, is where the private sector’s help is much needed. He said the concentration of housing development is in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon as well as other urban centers nationwide such as Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. Nonetheless, Del Rosario said the private sector has been very active in these areas. However, he admitted that Metro Manila does not have enough land to build more housing units.

This is the reason for DHSUD’s efforts to encourage vertical housing projects in Metro Manila. The government, Del Rosario said, is also turning to the private sector in terms of land banking because they have more financial head room to spend on this. “Maganda ang housing sector, masyadong active at masasabi natin na, despite the Covid-19 situation, marami tayong mga kababayan ngayon ang bumibili at nangangailangan ng pabahay [The housing sector is vibrant despite the Covid-19 situation. There are a lot of Filipinos who are buying and are in need of houses],” Del Rosario said. “Siguro, nakita nila it’s better [to] buy housing units (than) just saving it [money] in their banks [Maybe they saw that it’s better to buy housing units than just parking money in banks],” he added. During the pre-State of the Nation Address (SONA) briefing, Del Rosario said this target could even be exceeded given that the department has been able to assist 928,000 Filipinos to have their own home as of March. Del Rosario said this represents 82 percent of the target. With housing construction continuing even after March 2021, he said more homes will be included in the list which could allow the DHSUD to exceed the PDP target of 1.1 million houses by 2022. Del Rosario said overall, the DHSUD considered shelter or housing as a right. But also recognize that not all Filipinos would like to be homeowners. He noted that a recent survey showed that 81 percent of Filipinos would like to have a house of their own while 19 percent would prefer to rent. Del Rosario said housing construction is an important ingredient in the country’s recovery from the pandemic. He noted that building homes will not only meet the needs of Filipinos but also boost economic activity. Housing construction, he said, is a pump primer of the economy. Del Rosario said housing construction has 80 allied sectors and “hundreds of thousands of the workforce” are involved in building homes. The sector’s link to several industries as well as employing workers are crucial in the country’s recovery from the pandemic.

Buffets to make a ‘raging’ return, post-pandemic By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM

Special to the BusinessMirror

UFFETS will return. That’s the prediction of hospitality industry veteran Bruce Winton, when asked at a recent webinar what changes in hotel operations will remain or expire as soon as the pandemic is over. “[The] buffet will come raging back, I can assure you this, especially in our market. I think you’ll see these managed buffets and modified buffets going away and the big Smorgasbord just coming back… a nd t h at ’s wh at t he con su mer really wants,” said Winton, MultiProperty Vice President for Marriott International Philippines. He added, events will also return, but maybe on a smaller scale. “It will be a long time before people want to gather with 2,000 other people potentially in an indoor food and beverage event or venue.” What will remain will be the digital innovations undertaken by the hotels and “and some of the partnerships that have sprung up [with] third-party logistics companies (i.e., food deliveries) as there’s a lot of win-wins there.... But I do think the traditional hotel/resort experience will come back very similarly to what it did before, with just an escalated focus on health and safety.” Winston spoke at the recent Hotel Outlook webinar hosted by property developer Santos Knight Frank and

the British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines.

Remaining in touch with clients IN the same event, Megaworld Hotels Group Genera l Manager Cleofe Albiso said their hotels are ready to spring to action when less restrictive quarantine statuses are announced by the government. “We have tried to survive given the programs that we keep on preparing that in case we are on GCQ (general community quarantine), this is what we’re going to implement. If the government allows us to operate our restaurants, and food outlets with 30-percent capacity, and then all these are just going to be prepared and switched on in case we have the go-signal to do it.” Looking at a six- to 12-month time frame, she said, “We’re going to take it in paces…. We have tried to stay in touch with our clients—it is very pertinent now that we proactively inform our guests of…travel restrictions [and] travel requirements, or antigen testing. We have our social media platforms, to keep them informed. And we also make sure that we remain flexible. There’s so much fluidity in the rebooking options, especially in the changing classifications of the quarantine.” Malacañang recently announced it will put Metro Manila under GCQ starting September 16 and pilot-test a new four-level alert system for localized lockdowns.

WTTC forum rescheduled ALBISO also expressed confidence that the inclusion of Richmonde Hotel in Iloilo will help boost the palatability of their parent firm’s Real Estate Investment Trust (MREIT). “The structure where the hotel is, is a mixed-use structure, where part of it is occupied by office spaces, leased by our BPOs (business process outsourcing offices), and half of it is our hotel facility, Although our contribution may not be major to the total aggregate leasable area that the MREIT is offering…this definitely will help boost of the Philippine economy, there will definitely be more projects in the future, and of course, that means jobs for the Filipinos.” MREIT Inc. recently announced it trimmed the size and price of its initial public offering to just 844.3 million common shares at P16.10 each, from its initial plan of 1.1 billion shares at P22 per share. Megaworld had earlier touted the IPO to be the largest in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Tourism Undersecretary Verna Esmeralda Buensuceso said the World Travel and Tourism Council general assembly to be hosted by the Philippines will likely be moved to the first quarter in 2022. “We would like to make sure that international borders are a bit more easy to navigate so that we get to have more people coming in because we’re expecting about 650 delegates on ground and about 30,000 more who will be participating in the digital platform,” she said.

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Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Monday, September 13, 2021

Fish import service fee set at ₧500/ton

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

he government is requiring traders to pay a service fee of P500 for every metric ton (MT) of fish they will import under the government’s small pelagic fish importation program, based on the supplemental guidelines issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA). This means that the government will earn as much as P30 million under the program, which allows eligible and accredited traders to bring in 60,000 MT of fish to beef up domestic supply. The DA has also required importers to ship their allocated volume from the country of origin within 20 days after receiving the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC) for their shipments. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Administrative Order (AO) 24 which outlined the supplemental guidelines for the small pelagic fish importation program he approved last month. The additional rules, Dar said, were issued “to provide for a clear and efficient implementation” of the fish importation program, which allows the sale of imported fish in local wet markets. The agriculture chief said the import volume would be auctioned off among registered traders. “Qualified importers who are interested to participate in the auction shall pay [a] five hundred pesos (P500) service fee for every MT of volume awarded,” Dar said in AO 24 dated September 9. “The imported small pelagic fish must be shippedout from the port of origin within 20 days from the receipt of SPS-ICs by the importer. As proof thereof, the importer shall submit a bill of lading to DA-BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources].” Dar has also ordered the resumption of registration

of fish importers for wet markets. However, they will only be allowed to register within five working days from the issuance of AO 24 or until September 15. The newly registered fish importers will be qualified to participate in the program. “Only importers compliant with the qualifications and requirements under FAO [Fisheries Administrative Order] 259 shall be registered,” he said. AO 24 also indicated the small pelagic fish species that traders could import—round scads (galunggong), big-eye scads (matambaka/salay-salay), mackerels (alumahan/hasa-hasa/tangigue/tulingan), sardines (tamban/lapad/tunsoy/manamsi), round herrings (tulis/dilis bahura/tamban), and anchovies (dilis/ bulinaw). AO 24 will remain in force until the arrival of the last shipment under the importation program.Earlier, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Board of the Philippines (FAB) urged the government to liberalize the fisheries industry and allow the entry of more imported fish products to help the Philippines achieve food security. The group argued that the long-term solution to the country’s fish supply woes is to “open up” the fisheries sector. Last month, Dar greenlighted the purchase of 60,000 MT of imported small pelagic fishes, such as galunggong, to augment the country’s supply prior to the closed fishing season.

PHL rice inventory falls to 3-year low

he rice inventory of the Philippines, the world’s sixth largest consumer of the staple, fell to its lowest level in nearly three years in August, based on the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Latest PSA data indicated that nationwide rice inventory as of August 1 declined by 11.6 percent to 1.587 million metric tons (MMT), 208,000 MT lower than the 1.786 MMT recorded last year. “Likewise, rice stocks inventory declined by 27.5 percent compared with the previous month’s level of 2,177.68 thousand metric tons,” the PSA said in its report published recently. Historical PSA data showed that the total rice inventory as of August 1 was the lowest since the 1.168 MMT recorded in September 2018. Figures from the PSA also indicated that the country’s rice stocks contracted for the fourth consecutive month in August. The PSA said households accounted for bulk, or 47.6 percent, of the

Duterte. . .

continued from A12

Yang in turn was cited in contempt by Blue Ribbon chairman Sen. Richard J. Gordon for repeatedly claiming his only link to Pharmally was his having introduced the start-up to four Chinese suppliers.

Duterte attacks senators

Also at the weekend, Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon deplored Duterte’s penchant for diverting issues hounding his administration by attacking senators even as he keeps defending controversial parties called to account on the multibillion-peso “deficiencies” in pandemic fund use. In a radio interview, Drilon aired

latest rice inventory while the commercial sector (warehouses, wholesalers and retailers) accounted for 41.1 percent. The remaining 11.3 percent was stored in National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses. Rice inventory in households reached 751,070 MT while those in the commercial sector and NFA warehouses reached 648,400 MT and 178,840 MT, respectively, based on PSA data. “Year-on-year, rice stocks in all sectors contracted compared with their respective levels in the previous year. Stocks in households, commercial warehouses/wholesalers/retailers, and in NFA depositories declined by 11.9 percent, 11.2 percent and 12.3 percent, respectively,” the PSA said. The agency reported earlier that palay production in the January-toJune period reached 8.799 MMT, 413,000 MT higher than the 8.386 MMT recorded a year ago. Output during the period eclipsed the previous record of 8.713 MMT posted in 2018, historical PSA data analyzed

by the BusinessMirror showed. In the same report, the PSA said the total corn inventory as of August 1 declined by 3.4 percent to 707,650 MT from last year’s 732,180 MT. “Similarly, corn stocks dropped by 23.4 percent from the previous month’s level of 924.25 thousand metric tons.” The PSA said 84.7 percent, or about 599,530 MT, of the total corn inventory were held by commercial warehouses/wholesalers/retailers while households accounted for the remaining 15.3 percent or about 108,130 MT. “With reference to the previous year’s level, corn household stocks climbed by 12 percent. On the other hand, stocks in commercial warehouses/wholesalers/retailers dropped by 5.7 percent,” it said. “In comparison with the previous month’s level, corn household stocks rose by 9.8 percent. However, stocks in commercial warehouses/wholesalers/retailers dropped by 27.4 percent.” Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

disappointment that instead of chasing erring officials linked to “premeditated plunder or planning to raid government coffers,” the President would rather hurl “assorted intrigues and false allegations” against senators. Alluding to Duterte’s raking up his alleged close ties to convicted pork barrel queen Janet Napoles, Drilon said, “no charges were lodged against me.” On former Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog, whom he admitted is a relative, Drilon asked, “has evidence ever been shown that we discussed drugs? General Garbo was a former regional director of Region 6, maybe for over a decade. What’s my relation to that?” Duterte linked Drilon to the Iloilo airport controversy. “Who brokered the sale? That was bought via public bidding that was supervised by former Sec-

retary of Justice Raul Gonzalez, along with the Department of Finance and National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management and Department of Trade and Industry,” Drilon added, partly in Filipino. Way back in 2007, when he was not in the Senate, a public bidding was held “and the P1.2 billion project was awarded in accord with approved agency estimate,” said Drilon, noting that the Privatization Council was on top of the project. The senator blasted attempts to link him to malls built in his home province. “The malls in our place— SM, Megaworld, those of Sen. Cynthia Villar. I’ve nothing to do with those. I have no investment there—not even one peso. It’s so dismaying that these are being hurled at us.”

Monday, September 13, 2021

The World BusinessMirror

China sends health team to Fujian after 20 Covid infections reported

hina’s National Health Commission sent a special team to the city of Putian in eastern China’s Fujian province after Covid-19 cases were reported, according to broadcaster CGTN.

The nation recorded 20 new local cases yesterday, all from Fujian and including 19 in Putian, the commission said in a statement Sunday. The province also found 18 asymptomatic cases, 17 of which were in Putian, according to the statement. The new outbreak comes less than a month after China quelled its most widespread resurgence of the coronavirus since the initial Wuhan outbreak. Putian has identified a few local communities and villages as highand medium-risk, and is conducting nucleic acid tests on all 101,000 residents of the Fengting area, according to a statement on the city government’s website on Sunday. Local authorities have also advised residents not to leave the city without good reason such as seeking medical treatment, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Provincial and intercity shuttle buses operating from Putian have been suspended. Public facilities such as libraries and sport stadiums have also been closed as part of the measures to control the outbreak, according to CGTN.

Key developments: Bangladesh reopens schools

Students in Bangladesh returned to in-person classes on Sunday after a shutdown of more than a year.

Those in higher grades will have classes five days a week, while others will return once a week, according to Education Minister Dipu Moni. “The government will shut the schools again if the coronavirus cases surge,” she said. “But there are little chances of Covid infections going up again.” Bangladesh on Saturday recorded 1,327 new virus cases, the fewest daily count since May, taking the tally of infections to more than 1.52 million. The death toll climbed by 48, the lowest since June, to 26,880.

Mauritius plans booster shots in October

The tourism-dependent nation of Mauritius plans to roll out a booster-dose vaccination campaign from next month after taking into account recent studies and situation prevailing in other countries, Le Dimanche/L’Hebdo reported. An additional dose is imperative for better efficiency and protection, the report said, citing Catherine Gaud, a senior advisor at the health ministry. Vaccines used in the Indian Ocean island so far are AstraZeneca’s Covishield, Sinopharm, Covaxin, Sputnik and Johnson & Johnson.

Spread of the coronavirus slows in Germany

The spread of the coronavirus

slowed in Germany on Sunday. The number of people newly infected rose by 7,345—some 3,108 cases less than a week ago. The death toll fell to eight on Sunday, compared with 21 a week ago. The country recorded in total 4,077,640 Covid-19 infections.

HK plans new vaccination campaign for elderly

Hong Kong plans to launch a door-to-door vaccination drive in a bid to increase inoculation rates among the territory’s elderly, according to the South China Morning Post. Patrick Nip Tak-Kuen, Secretary for the Civil Service who oversees the vaccination drive, said on a radio program that government workers will go door-todoor to visit seniors and promote appointment-free vaccination days, according to the SCMP. He said that Hong Kong’s elderly are the group with the lowest vaccination rates. Fewer than 30% of residents over 70 have gotten their first dose, while about 64% of Hong Kong’s eligible population have received them, according to the report. The vaccination program targets to inoculate at least 70% of the eligible population.

New Zealand, Australia get vaccines

New Zealand has secured half a million doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Denmark, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Sunday. It’s the country’s second deal to boost local supplies, after buying 275,000 Pfizer shots from Spain last week. So far enough doses have been administered to cover 42.3% of the population, according to Bloomberg’s vacc ine t rac ker. News of the agreement came as New Zealand recorded another

20 local cases of Covid in the past 24 hours. Separately, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the nation has secured 1 million doses of the Moderna vaccine from European Union countries. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization now recommends Moderna for everyone aged 12 years or older, according to a government press release. The vaccine was approved for use in the country last month, where Pfizer and AstraZeneca shots are also available. So far, enough doses have been administered to cover 44% of the population.

Australia’s NSW to ease restrictions for vaccinated

Australia’s New South Wales recorded 1,262 new Covid cases over the past 24 hours, lowering the seven-day moving average for the first time in a week, according to Bloomberg calculations based on government data. From Monday, lockdown restrictions will ease somewhat for fully vaccinated people in most parts of the country’s largest state. Victoria recorded 392 new local cases. Authorities are concerned about the spread of the virus in regional parts of the state, after some restrictions were eased on Friday. No new cases were recorded in Queensland.

Moscow cases jump as schools open

Moscow new daily Covid-19 infections jumped to the highest since Aug. 19 at 1,940 as schools opened in September and vacation season is over, according to the government’s virus response center. Moscow had daily infections record in June at 9,120, but the city administration handled t he wave w it hout loc kdow n. Bloomberg News

Pope meets Hungary’s Orban at start of 4-day Europe trip

UDAPEST, Hungary—Pope Francis arrived in Hungary on Sunday on his first foreign trip since undergoing intestinal surgery in July, kicking off a four-day pilgrimage with an awkward meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who represents the type of populist, nationalist leader Francis frequently criticizes. Orban, whose anti-migration policies clash with Francis’ call for refugee welcome, greeted the Argentine pope at the Museum of Fine Arts and the two went into a private meeting attended also by the Hungarian president and Vatican officials. A photo of the encounter released by Orban’s office showed the prime minister leaning into shake the hand of Francis, whose face wasn’t shown. Francis is only spending seven hours in Budapest before moving Sunday afternoon onto a four-day tour of neighboring Slovakia. The lopsided itinerary suggested that Francis wanted to avoid giving Orban the political boost that comes with hosting a pope for a proper state visit ahead of elections next

spring. Vatican and Hungarian officials have insisted Francis isn’t snubbing Hungary, noting that the Hungarian church and state only invited him to close out an international conference on the Eucharist on Sunday. Organizers expect as many as 75,000 people at the Mass in Heroes’ Square, which went ahead with few coronavirus restrictions even as Hungary, like the rest of Europe, is battling infections fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant. Despite pleas from the Hungarian Chamber of Doctors, congress organizers decided not to require Covid-19 vaccinations, tests, masks or social distancing for attendance. Organizers, however, said they had ordered 30,000 masks to distribute as well as hand sanitizer, and urged all attending to be prudent, but few in the crowd wore masks. During the flight from Rome, Francis seemed in good form two months after having 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed for what the Vatican said was a severe narrowing of his large intestine.

The 84-year-old pope stayed so long greeting journalists at the back of the plane that an aide had to tell him to get back to his seat because it was time to land. Francis said he was happy to be resuming foreign trips again after the coronavirus lull and then his own post-operative recovery. “If I’m alive it’s because bad weeds never die,” he quipped about his health, quoting an Argentine dictum. Orban has frequently depicted his government as a defender of Christian civilization in Europe and a bulwark against migration from Muslim-majority countries. Francis has expressed solidarity with migrants and refugees and criticized what he called “national populism” advanced by governments like Hungary’s. He has urged governments to welcome and integrate as many migrants as they can. After meeting with Orban, Francis presided over a joint encounter with his own bishops, and then Christian and Jewish leaders. Hungary’s large Jewish population was devastated during the clos-

ing months of World War II, with more than 550,000 Jewish deaths. The vast majority were deported within a two-month period in 1944 with the assistance of Hungary’s fascist Arrow Cross Party, and most were sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp in occupied Poland. More Hungarians died in Auschwitz than any other nationality, and more Hungarian Jews perished in the Holocaust than from any country other than Poland and the Soviet Union. Hungary’s government under Orban has been accused of trafficking in veiled antisemitic stereotypes, largely aimed at Hungarian-born American financier and philanthropist George Soros, whom the government frequently accuses of meddling in the country’s internal affairs. Government leaders have often referenced a “network of globalist elites” covertly working to subvert its power. Last year, one government spokesman pointed to a “Soros cabal” aiming to influence Hungary’s politics through the funding of civic organizations. AP

Queen offers ‘thoughts and prayers’ on 9/11 anniversary

ONDON—Queen Elizabeth II marked the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks by offering her sympathies to the victims, survivors and families affected by the atrocity. In a message to US President Joe Biden, the British monarch remembered the “terrible attacks” on New York and Washington, D.C. “My thoughts and prayers—and those of my family and the entire nation—remain with the victims, survivors and families affected, as well as the first responders and rescue workers

called to duty,’’ she said. “My visit to the site of the World Trade Center in 2010 is held fast in my memory. It reminds me that as we honor those from many nations, faiths and backgrounds who lost their lives, we also pay tribute to the resilience and determination of the communities who joined together to rebuild.’’ The ties between the two nations were marked with a special Changing of the Guard ceremony at Windsor Castle in which “The Star Spangled Banner” was played. Hundreds gath-

ered inside and outside the walls of the castle to watch. The US national anthem had also been played at Buckingham Palace 20 years ago on Sept. 12, 2001, a mark of solidarity with the United States. US Charge d’Affaires Philip Reeker thanked the queen for the gesture. “Speaking for the United States, we have no closer ally and no closer friend, in good times and in bad times, and we are very much reminded of that today... through the enduring relationship between our two countries,” he said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also remembered the attacks, issuing a statement ahead of the anniversary saying that the terrorists had failed to “shake our belief in freedom and democracy.” “They failed to drive our nations apart, or cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear.” Sixty-seven British nationals were among the almost 3,000 people killed when hijacked planes crashed into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington and a field in Pennsylvania. AP

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Biden embraces message of unity on 9/11 anniversary

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden participate in a wreath ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks at the Pentagon in Washington on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, standing at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial site, which commemorates the lives lost at the Pentagon and onboard American Airlines Flight 77. With the President, not shown, are Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley and his wife Hollyanne Milley. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

EW YORK—From an urban memorial to a remote field to the heart of the nation’s military might, President Joe Biden on Saturday paid tribute at three hallowed places of grief and remembrance to honor the lives lost two decades ago in the 9/11 terror attacks. The solemn day of commemoration offered frequent reminders for Americans of a time when they united in the face of unimaginable tragedy. That fading spirit of 9/11 was invoked most forcefully by the president at the time of the attacks, George W. Bush, who said, “That is the America I know,” in stark contrast to the bitterly divided nation Biden now leads. Biden left the speech-making to others, paying his respects at the trio of sites in New York, Pennsylvania and outside Washington where four hijacked planes crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people, shattering the nation’s sense of security and launching the country into two decades of warfare. Biden wiped away a tear as he stood in silence at the site where the World Trade Center towers fell, and looked up at the haunting sound of a jet plane under clear blue skies reminiscent of that fateful day. In a grassy field in Pennsylvania, Biden comforted family members gathered at a stone boulder near Shanksville that marked where passengers brought down a hijacked plane that had been headed for the nation’s capital. At the Pentagon, Biden and his wife, Jill, took a moment of silence before a wreath studded with white, purple and red flowers on display in front of the memorial benches that mark the victims of the attack at the military headquarters. Delivering Bud Light and appreciation to the Shanksville Volunteer Fire Department, which responded to the crash of United Flight 93, Biden praised Bush’s comments in his only public remarks of the day, saying the Republican “made a really good speech today—genuinely,” and wondered aloud what those who died that day would think of today’s rancor. Gesturing to a cross-shaped memorial made of steel from the twin towers adjacent to the firehouse, Biden ref lected: “I’m think ing what, what would the people who died, what would they be thinking. Would they think this makes sense for us to be doing this kind of thing where you ride down the street and someone has a sign saying ‘f- so-and-so?’” It was a reference to an explicit sign attacking Biden last week in New Jersey as he toured storm damage that was displayed by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Biden expressed incredulity at recent comments by Trump, whom he accused of abandoning the nation’s ideals during his time in office. “Everyone says, ‘Biden, why do you keep insisting on trying to bring the country together?’’’ the president told reporters. “That’s the thing that’s going to affect our well-being more than anything else.” In a frequent refrain of his presidency warning of the rise of autocracies, he added, “Are we going to, in the next four, five, six, ten years, demonstrate that democracies can work, or not?” At ground zero in New York City, Biden stood side by side with former

Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton at the National September 11 Memorial as the names of the dead were read aloud by their loved ones. Each man wore a blue ribbon and held his hand over his heart as a procession marched a flag through the memorial before hundreds of people, some carrying photos of loved ones lost in the attacks. Bush, delivering the keynote address in Shanksville, lamented that “so much of our politics have become a naked appeal to anger, fear and resentment.” “On America’s day of trial and grief, I saw millions of people instinctively grab for a neighbor’s hand, and rally for the cause of one another,” Bush said. “That is the America I know.” Alluding to domestic turmoil, including the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, Bush said that “the dangers to our country can come not only across borders but from violence that gathers within.” He added that while they have little cultural similarity to the 9/11 attackers, “they are children of the same foul spirit, and it is our continuing duty to confront them.” Vice President Kamala Harris also spoke at the Flight 93 National Memorial, echoing the theme of unity as she praised the courage of those passengers and the resilience of Americans who came together in the days after the attacks. “In a time of outright terror, we turned toward each other,” Harris said. “If we do the hard work of working together as Americans, if we remain united in purpose, we will be prepared for whatever comes next.” Biden was a US senator when hijackers commandeered four planes and carried out the attacks. He was Obama’s vice president in 2011 when the country observed the 10th anniversary of the strikes. Saturday’s commemoration was his first as commander in chief. It is now Biden who shoulders the responsibility borne by his predecessors to prevent another strike. He must do that against fears of a rise in terrorism after the hasty US withdrawal from Afghanistan, where those who planned the Sept. 11 attacks were sheltered. In remarks at the firehouse Biden defended the withdrawal, which culminated with a massive airlift to evacuate more than 110,000 Americans and allies—but still resulted in many being left behind for an uncertain future under Taliban rule. “Could al-Qaida come back? Yeah. But guess what, it’s already back other places,” Biden said. “What’s the strategy? Every place where alQaida is, we’re going to invade and have troops stay in? Cmon.” Rather than deliver formal remarks, Biden released a taped address late Friday about the anniversary in which he spoke about the “true sense of national unity” that emerged after the attacks, seen in “ heroism everywhere—in places expected and unexpected.” “To me that’s the central lesson of Sept. 11,” he said. “Unity is our greatest strength.” Biden became the fourth president to console the nation on the anniversary of that dark day, one that has shaped many of the most consequential domestic and foreign policy decisions made by the chief executives over the past two decades. AP

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph Republic of the Philippines

Monday, September 13, 2021

Name and Address of Employer: LEMCON (PHILIPPINES) INC. Unit 41 Laguna Technopark SFB4,, Biñan City, Laguna

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Regional Office No. IV-A 4th Flr. Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. Parian, Calamba City Telefax No.: (049) 545-7362

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

Mr. PARTRAJ SINGH British

Project Director Coordinate the efforts of various workers in order to ensure that required task can be accomplished.

Php80,000.00+++/month

September 13, 2021

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP)

Notice is hereby given that the following employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s. Name and Address of Employer: MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Binakayan-Pulvorista, Kawit, Cavite

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Job Description

Salary Range

Ms. TRAN NGUYEN PHUONG DUNG Vietnamese