F Diokno said the weakening of Philippine peso against the dollar has an upside, as the national government will be able to reduce its budget deficit by P7.6 billion for every peso-worth of depreciation. PESO EXCHANGE RATES US 56.8570 ■ JAPAN 0.3929 ■ UK 65.3628 ■ HK 7.2432 ■ SINGAPORE 40.4273 ■ AUSTRALIA 38.3046 ■ SAUDI ARABIA 15.1316 ■ EU 56.6694 ■ KOREA 0.0408 ■ CHINA 8.1586 Source BSP (September 14, 2022) S “USDA,” A BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business www.businessmirror.com.ph P. | | 7 DAYS A WEEK■ Thursday, September 15, 2022 Vol. 17 No. 342 ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS 2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year 2021 Pro Patria Award PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY 2018 Data Champion EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS DOF: PESO DECLINE MEANS LOWER BUDGET DEFICIT SEN.
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14, 2022.
Budget
Management’s report, Angara welcomed increases in the budgets of education, health,
“ e impact of the depreciation actually is favorable to the budget.
Imported rice arrivals in August alone rose by more than 50 percent year-on-year to 380,244.5 MT from 228,353.97 MT.
ment side and that is mainly on debt servicing,” Diokno said. “We cannot spend what Congress has not authorized. e net effect of a P1 depreciation is P7.6billion reduction in our budget deficit,” Diokno added.
B C U. O @caiordinario
would decline to 12.41 MMT from this year’s estimated volume of 12.54 MMT as yield falls to 4.1 MT per hectare from 4.15 MT per hectare.ePhilippines’s rice imports in January to August have reached MMT and are poised to surpass the 2.777 MMT it imported in 2021. (Related story: january-august/phl-rice-imports-jump-by-64-in-businessmirror.com.ph/2022/09/08/https://
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anew its total rice import forecast for the Philippines this year to a record level of 3.4 million metric tons (MMT), from an earlier estimate of 3.2 MMT.
In its monthly global grain report, the USDA increased its total rice import forecast for the Philippines this year by 200,000 MT due to “large purchases from Vietnam.”enew import forecast for the Philippines, the world’s secondlargest buyer of rice, is 15.25 percent higher than the 2.95 MMT
2023
e national government’s budget deficit or the difference between expenditures and revenues as of end-July stood at P761 billion, or 9.11 percent lower than the P837.3-billion budget deficit recorded in the same period of last year.For July alone, the national government’s budget deficit also narrowed to P86.8 billion this year
S “DOF,” A USDA forecasts PHL rice imports to hit record 3.4 MMT C A BSP ‘MOST AGGRESSIVE’ IN HIKING POLICY RATES
At a Senate Committee on Finance hearing on Wednesday, Diokno told lawmakers that the depreciation of the peso is “actually favorable” for the country, as it would result in “higher” revenue for the Furthermore,government.Diokno expounded that the additional revenues would help reduce the government’s budget deficit, he added.
A P1 depreciation would mean a higher revenue for the government. It would involve about P10 billion additional revenues with little adjustments on the disburse-
HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is now considered the “most aggressive” Central Bank in the region in terms of hiking policy rates leading to an increase in the country’s two-year bond yields, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).Inits latest Asia Bond Monitor, the Manila-based multilateral development bank said the yields increased by an average of 74 basis points (bps) for bonds with maturities of two years or less. e largest increase in yields, ADB said, were in one-year tenor bonds at 134 bps, followed by the 6-month tenor at 111 bps.
e fi nance chief also told lawmakers the current administration intends to “borrow less” compared to its borrowing spree at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic,
of rice it imported last year, based on USDA Historicaldata.USDA data showed that if the 3.4 MMT rice import forecast materializes this year, then it would be the fi rst time in the Philippines’s history that its rice imports breached the 3-MMT level.Likewise, the USDA hiked its rice import forecast for the Philippines next year to 3.3 MMT from an earlier estimate of 3.1 MMT on the back of a projected “smaller” domestic staple production.eUSDA projected that Philippine rice output for 2023
e latest data from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) showed that the country’s rice imports during the 8-month period was about 64 percent
“ e rise in yields at the shorter end of the curve was largely driven by the monetary policy tightening stance of the BSP,” ADB said. “ e BSP has become the most aggressive central bank in the region, raising rates consecutively since May for a total of 175 bps. e moves were largely in response to rising infl ationary pressure.”However, there was a decline in yields for bonds whose maturities reached three years or longer. ADB said the yield curve fl attened, the spread of the 10-year over the 2-year maturity fell from 262 bps on June 15 to 132 bps on Augustis,15.ADB noted, was the largJuan Edgardo Angara (back to the camera) presides over the hybrid hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance on the proposed national budget on Wednesday, September After hearing the Department of and agriculture, and the calamity fund despite the small increase in the 2023 national budget. In the same hearing, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno (below) presented the current state of the country’s economy and updates on its fiscal performance and borrowing efforts. JOSEPH VIDAL/SENATE PRIB
from P121.2 billion last year as revenues outpaced expenditures.
T HE United (USDA)DepartmentStatesofAgriculturerevisedupward
higher than the 1.66 MMT recorded a year ago.
For 2022, the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee expects a lower budget deficit at P1.65 trillion, or 7.6 percent of the country’s GDP.
BPI data indicated that 5,920 MT of rice entered the country on September 1, bringing to 2.725 MMT the total rice import volume from January 1 to September 1. e agency said 137 eligible traders and importers brought in rice from Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan,
long-term bond yields in emerging East Asia declined between June 15 and August 24 amid mounting risks and a dimming economic outlook, even as fi nancial conditions eased
ursday, September 15, 2022A2 News BusinessMirror www.businessmirror.com.ph C A USDA... C A
In upholding the CA’s ruling, the SC agreed that AMPI failed to comply with the requisites for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction.“Without necessarily preempting the RTC’s ruling in the main case, this Court fi nds that petitioner’s right, for purposes of the preliminary injunction, is not clear and unmistakable. It is not a right in esse [actually existing]. At best, petitioner’s right was merely speculative,” the Court pointed out.
DOF...
is prompted AMPI to intervene in the case and also seek an injunction, also granted by the QC RTC.
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SIM
Ukraine.eregion’s bond market saw record-high issuance in the second quarter of this year, driven mostly by the PRC’s efforts to stimulate the economy. Regional bond stock rose to $22.9 trillion at the end of
HE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is eyeing to boost annual housing construction by 400 percent to address the prevailing shortage of homes.DHSUD Assistant Secretary Avelino D. Tolentino disclosed they want to increase the current housing production rate per year from its current average of 200,000 to 1 million under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino program.“We’re now aiming for 6 million housing units during this administration, over the period of six years,” Tolentino said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
Both are typically signals that investors expect slower economic growth.Currencies in the region continued to depreciate against the US dollar amid the weaker outlook.
DHSUD is also coordinating with local government units (LGU) to secure land for urban housing developments.
June.Issuance in economies belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) rose 10.3 percent, expanding the bloc’s share of regional bond issuance to 17.5 percent.
In its September 28, 2012 ruling, the CA ordered the dissolution of the preliminary injunctions issued by Judge Afable Cajigal of QC RTC Branch 96, saying that the AMPI and RDMSI have “no clear legal rights” to request for an injunction.
e Primary BAC was tasked to handle procurements exceeding P50 million, including the LTO-IT project, a more comprehensive automation program, which includes the driver’s license project.
est decline among emerging East Asia’s bond markets. e bank said the outstanding stock of LCY bonds totaled $194.3 billion at the end of June.
House okays onregistrycardbill2ndrdng eyes 400% housing build hike
ADBmodestly.saidyields of 10-year local currency government bonds dropped while yield curves fl attened, according to the latest issue of Asia Bond Monitor
as it strives to reduce the debt-toGDP ratio to below 60 percent by 2025. “ is year the total national government debt is expected at 62 percent of GDP,” Diokno said.
“In pursuit of prudent debt management and domestic capital market development, around 75 percent of our borrowings will come from domestic sources. is strategy will minimize the country’s foreign-exchange risks resulting from ongoing global uncertainties,” Diokno added.
The new mass housing initiative aims to nally address the backlog in housing requirements.Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Tolentino said the country will need to build an additional 6.5 million houses to address housing needs from 2017 to 2022.
AMPI, in its petition with the SC, argued that all bidders, whether prospective or qualified, have a clear and unmistakable right to demand that the bids and awards committee conducting the bid is duly authorized to do so. It claimed that as a prospective bidder, it has the right to “expect government agencies and BACs to comply with existing applicable laws and not to be subjected to retroactively applied department orders and issuance, to the prejudice of the paying prospective bidders.”
“WeDBM.aim to strengthen our efforts in capacitating and empowering them to autonomously deliver essential services to their constituents,” Pangandaman said.
“In the present case, petitioner, being a mere prospective bidder, did not have any clear and unmistakable right,” the SC added.
e form shall include an attestation that the person appearing before the seller is the same person who accomplished the document and that he presented valid identification cards. e PTE or its authorized seller shall not sell a SIM card if the end user refuses to comply with the registration requirement, which applies also to foreigners. Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
Lawmakers, led by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, are pushing for stricter SIM card registration and hope their efforts will bear fruit this time as spam text messages have contained even the private information of mobile phone users such as their names. Related story in A14. ey said the leaking of such information violates the Data Privacy Act.
Diokno also revealed that local government units (LGUs) have surplus money while the national government is in debt.
“Market optimism over a milder US Federal Reserve tightening supported a modest improvement in fi nancial conditions,” said ADB Chief Economist Albert Park. “But this seems to have been shortlived, as the Fed has been pretty clear in recent weeks that further interest rate hikes are likely. Financial conditions in the region may continue to Financialtighten.”conditions in emerging East Asia eased moderately from mid-July to mid-August,
At present, only SIM cards for postpaid mobile subscriptions are required to beUnderregisteredthebill, every public telecommunications entity (PTE) or authorized seller shall require an end user to accomplish and sign in triplicate a numbered registration form issued by the PTE.
“For the January–July period, the Philippines also recorded negative outflows from its government bond market, though positive inflows were noted in the months of May, June, and July. is led the Philippine peso to depreciate significantly versus the US dollar by 9.1 percent year-to-date through 24 August,” ADB said.
e DOTC SBAC issued on December 24, 2010 a new invitation to bid for the project, prompting RDMSI to seek a TRO against DOTC as it questioned the legality of its issuance. e court granted RDMSI’s petition for TRO.
e country’s rice imports from ailand as of September 1 reached 139,651.375 MT while those from Pakistan reached 139,095.675 MT. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas
“ e truth of the matter is that the local government has a surplus position. ey are in surplus. ey are not spending their money. It is the national government that is paying the debt, not the LGUs,” he said.
AMPI insisted that its right as a prospective bidder starts from its actual purchase of the Terms of Reference and other bidding documents. Based on the records, the LTO published an invitation to bid for the supply and delivery of Philippine Driver’s License Cards through its BAC. RDMSI and AMPI subsequently purchased P84,000 worth of bidding documents and TOR for the project.
“Despite the limited fi scal space, we tried to increase some of the budget allocations for LGUs,” Pangandaman added.
In a 17-page decision made public on September 5, 2022 and penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, the SC’s Second Division affi rmed the ruling issued by the Court of Appeals (CA) on September 28, 2012, reversing and setting aside the preliminary injunctions issued by QC RTC Branch 96 in favor of prospective bidders Amalgamated Motors Philippines Inc. (AMPI) and Realtime Data Management Services
However,hikes.ongoing and renewed risks have continued to weigh down investor sentiment, including concerns about persistent infl ation, faster-than-expected US monetary tightening, lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, a greater-than-expected slowdown in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and the protracted fallout from the Russian invasion of
“If we give subsidies to our bene ciaries, they will have the capability to pay for their amortization since their monthly payments will go down,” Tolentino explained.
e DOTC then issued a special order no. 2011-181 creating the DOTC Primary BAC and the Sec-
The agency is seeking funding support from Congress to make housing a ordable by providing “interest support” to their bene ciaries.
e LTO-BAC, however, deferred the procurement after then Secretary of Transportation and Communications Jose de Jesus ordered a comprehensive review of the project’s terms of reference as several issues were raised against the project.eproject was eventually suspended as De Jesus issued an order creating a DOTC Special BAC to handle the bidding for the drivers’ license project.
ailand and Vietnam. Bulk of the country’s rice imports or about 2.226 MMT came from Vietnam, followed by Myanmar’s 201,799.28 MT, based on BPI data.
THE Supreme Court has dissolved the writ of preliminary injunction issued by the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City enjoining the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) from pursuing its P8.2-billion procurement of a new information technology solution for the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the component of which includes the supply and delivery of driver’s license cards.
THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading House Bill 14 requiring the registration of all postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to lessen mobile phone-enabled illegal activities.
SC dissolves RTC injunctions vs DOTC in P8-B license card project
Meanwhile, the ADB said the
Likewise, the SC did not give merit to the claim of AMPI that it stands to lose billions of pesos should the bidding process be allowed to continue only to be nullified“Asideeventually.from failing to explain how it will suffer such a huge amount of monetary loss, this Court has ruled that easily quantifi able damages cannot be considered grave and irreparable,” the SC said.
BSP ‘MOST AGGRESSIVE’ IN HIKING POLICY RATES C A
“That is why the program of our President Bongbong Marcos is to produce one million housing units per year,” Tolentino said. Samuel P. Medenilla
ondary BAC for all procurement of goods, infrastructure projects, consultancy services of the DOTC, whether locally or foreign-funded.
’Free cash’ CITING Commission on Audit fi ndings, Diokno said LGUs have “free cash” or amount available for appropriations amounting to P341 billion last year.
Inc.AMPI(RDMSI).filed the petition before the SC insisting that the CA erred in setting aside the injunction issued by the QC RTC.
B J R. S J @jrsanjuan1573
Govt
when equity markets rallied, risk premiums narrowed, and portfolio inflows returned amid speculation that the United States Federal Reserve would slow the pace of interest rate
ADB said the Philippines continued to “suffer from negative investor sentiment” leading to foreign investor outflows from its stock market each month from March to July.
budget.Ofthe total budget of LGUs next year, about P820.27 billion is for the National Tax Allotment, adhering to the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling, while P28.88 billion is for local government support fund, according to the
e Office of the Solicitor General (OSC) then petitioned the CA to set aside the trial court’s issuance of injunctions in favor of AMPI and RDMSI.
e bank said the decline in yields for longer-term bond maturities was largely due to “market expectations that the United States [US] Federal Reserve would adjust its monetary policy tightening stance to be less aggressive.”
Also at the hearing, Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) disclosed that the LGUs have a total budget of P962.2 billion next year, which accounts for 18.3 percent of the P5.268trillion proposed 2023 national
The PBB is designed to encourage improved performance and better accountability. It also aims to pro mote accountable public service, and keep track of improvements and in novations in the delivery of public goods and services.
MAKATI
“I also reiterate this to Congress —House of Representatives—if you give us [additional] P100 billion we will be able to solve the problem in six years,” she added.
It aims to address the leading causes of fire in the city and ensure quick and unhampered response to fire
Fluss said Israel is fostering gov ernment-to-government and busi ness-to-business relations through investments, citing for instance, the support of Israeli companies in developing the ICT infrastructure backbone of the Philippines as well as their relationships with local telcos.
The Middle Eastern country is home to Viber and Waze, apps that are popular in the Philippines.
It was added that because of the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, the addi tional IRA that the LGUs will receive from the NG would be P755 billion. However, the devolved functions to the LGUs would involve P1.4 trillion.
According to Duterte, she already approached President Marcos about her additional budget proposal.
“This is the largest business del egation from Israel to the Philippines since the pandemic started, which at least for me, marks the new normal, and the return of face-to-face inter actions. These interactions are very much needed in order to create fur ther collaborations between Israel and the Philippines,” Fluss said.
“We would like to present to you our plan in succeeding years of the Marcos administration and that to invest heavily in flexible learnings options. Of course, we will pursue the building of classrooms, pursue the recruitment of best of teachers but we will innovate and look for other solutions because the prob lem 10 years ago is still our problem
4th class municipalities,” she added.
By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM
“This for me, is the most chal lenging public office I have ever held, and hopefully will hold in my entire career as a public servant,” Remulla told his former colleagues in the CA screeningRemullacommittee.added:“And today, I seek the affirmation of this honorable commission to see me fit and ready to serve our people in this capacity.”
A
national platform that can create a sense of friendship and warmth so that peace and stability prevail in the region,” said Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina via video teleconference.
The DepEd’s Office of the Sec retary (OSEC) practically accounts for the entire budget of DepEd (99.9 percent) with an allocation of P709.70 billion. The proposed 2023 allocation for the OSEC will increase by P77.93 billion or 12.3 percent from 2022, which is almost equivalent to the overall growth in the DepEd budget.
Brawner joined 22 other senior military and Army commanders during the 46th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) wherein he also held discussions with US Army in the Pacific (USAR PAC) Commanding General Gen. CharlesIPAMS,Flynn.thelargest annual gath ering of Army chiefs in the Indo-Pa cific region, aims to promote peace and stability in the region through mutual understanding, dialogue and“Thefriendship.IPAMS is a similar multi-
“We are all here at this seminar because we believe in increased coop eration, increased transparency, and respect for the national sovereignty of other nations,” Flynn stressed in hisTheremarks.USand the Philippines are set to hold bigger bilateral military exercises next year, with the preplanning of these trainings having been wrapped up this year.
taries breezed through their confirmation Wednesday at the Commission on Appointments (CA)—Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ben jaminTheAbalos.twonew Cabinet members were promptly confirmed following their endorsements by the com mission’s screening panels that vetted them and gave the thumbs up to former Cavite Congressman Remulla and former Mandaluyong MayorSecretaryAbalos.Remulla of the Depart ment of Justice (DOJ), a former CA member promptly got the nod of the Committee on Justice and Judicial Bar Council of the CA, chaired by Senator Francis Tolentino.
The Escudero-led panel endorsed the ad interim appointment of Aba los for plenary deliberations after a lengthy discussions on the effect of the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling increasing the internal revenue allotment (IRA) for LGUs, while devolving some services of the NG agencies to LGUs. Escudero pointed out that early this year, the projected IRA of LGUs will go down in 2023 and 2024 by approximately 15 percent because it is based on the internal revenue collections of the NG three years ago, or in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country and the rest of the world.
“So initially po, lumapit na kami sa Pangulo at sinabihan ko po ang Pangulo na if you give me P100 bil lion, I will solve all the problems of basic education and that is what I want,” she added.
Likewise,incidents.Belmonte encouraged QCitizens to take safety precautions to prevent fires in their homes and participate in fire drills.
Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
Appnext, Roamability, Sequans, Radcom, FirstPoint, Talamoos, Drivenets, Radware, and Axonius are some members of the Israeli in vestment delegation.
“If the Department of Education is given the budget that it is request ing, we will be able to open more pro grams to address the learning prob lems of our students,” Duterte said, in answer to queries of Act Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro.
Several Israeli tech companies joined the Economic and Commercial Mission to the Philippines, ranging from organizations that offer Inter net of Things solutions, streaming, over-the-top platforms, roaming, mobile marketing, cloud analytics and protection, and cyber security.
THE Department of Education (DepEd) has asked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Congress for an additional P100 billion to “solve all the problems of basic education” in the Philippines.
today. We should think outside the box already with regard to basic education,” she said.
Duterte also called for the lifting of a DBM memorandum ordering the DepEd to build only classrooms in 5th and 6th municipalities.
By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM
“We would like to seek your sup port in our stand of the lifting of the provision for basic education and classroom building in DBM NBM 138 series 2021, this is the order for the DepEd to build only classrooms in 5th and 6th municipalities because as a former mayor I believe even Davao City cannot address classroom short age in our city, the same with 1st to
were Atty. Alex Lopez, Dr. Eliseo Ruiz, Chief and Executive Officer and former Central Luzon State University (CLUS) president; As sistant Secretary Antonio Molano, Councilor Joey Amzola; Councilor Pablo Ocampo; Manila Police Dis trict Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, and officials from other local govern
The 2023 proposed total ex penditure program of the DepEd amounts to P710.66 billion which is P77.33 billion or 12.2 percent higher than the spending level of P633.32 billion in 2022.
“I am proud of what we have achieved and I am confident that we will continue to do our best to serve the people of Makati,” Binay said.
THE Philippines and Israel are expected to strengthen their bilateral relations, particu larly in the areas of information and communications technology (ICT) and innovation, officials of both na tions said on Wednesday. Israeli Ambassador to the Phil ippines Ilan Fluss said the relation ship of the Philippines and Israel has evolved from its long history of bilateral political support to one that focuses on “technology and“Myinnovation.” priorityand mean effort as ambassador is promoting the estab lishment of bridges of innovation and technology between our two coun tries,” he said during Israel Connect, an investment forum led by Israel’s Economic and Commercial Mission to theIsraelPhilippines. isfastbecoming a global hub of innovation and start-ups, thanks to its recent technologi cal breakthroughs in areas such as agriculture and water, medical devices, smart mobility, cyberse curity and ICT.
Among the attendees of the event
Makati City LGU workers to receive PBB from national govt–Mayor Abby Binay QC preventionforcecreatesmayortaskonfire Guidebook to boost Philippine farm yield
“Dahil sa sunud-sunod na mga in sidente ng sunog sa ating lungsod, lu mikha tayo ng task force upang pagaralan ang mga hakbang na pwedeng gawin para maiwasan itong maulit [Because of the series of fire incidents in the city, we created a task force to be able to study measures to prevent such incident from happening],” Bel monte said.
Tomer Heyvi, who heads the Is raeli Economic Mission, noted that these companies are bullish on op portunities in the Philippines.
“This is a strong validation of our efforts to promote clean, honest, and efficient government. We will continue to uphold these values as we work towards mak ing Makati an inclusive, livable, and sustainable city for all,” the mayor said.
“What are your plans Sec. Boy ing?’ he asked. “We have here our senators and congressmen so when the budget season comes, probably we can support the plans of the DOJ Secretary on how we will be able to correct and improve our Bureau of Corrections, the Bilibid in particu lar,” Ejercito Remulla,said.in turn, suggested that the government abandon Bilibid in Muntinlupa City and in stead build regional penitentiaries across the Acknowledgingcountry. the huge fi nancial burden that the proposal entails, Remulla suggested that a “lease and transfer” scheme be tween the local government units
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
“[We are] describing our class room shortage as a situation of a quicksand, which due to the meager budget given to the construction of classrooms annually, we can not even address the requirements due to enrollment increase and the shortage keeps filling us year in and year out,” she said.
The remaining 0.1 percent or P1 billion of the DepEd’s 2023 pro posed expenditure program will be shared by its six attached agencies. While the DepEd will have a bigger budget in 2023, the allotments for all attached agencies will decline to a total of P597 million or 38.5 percent from 2022 levels.
“They see the Philippines as an op portunity—as a market where they want to grow in. Information technol ogy and mobile are one of the sectors that we see much interest in,” he said.
Sara Duterte to PBBM, lawmakers: Give DepEd addl P100B to fix education woes
Agencies, departments, and LGUs are judged based on four di mensions of accountability: Perfor mance Results, Process Results, Fi nancial Results, and Citizen/Client Satisfaction Results.
The Nation
This means, Binay said, that Makati City Hall employees will be receiving an additional bonus
this year as reward for their ex emplary work and dedication as civilTheservants. announcement was released by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Govern ment Performance Monitoring, In formation, and Reporting Systems.
www.businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, September 15, 2022 A3BusinessMirror
The Task Force on Fire Preven tion and Preparedness consists of different departments in the city government together with utility companies such as Meralco and water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad that will create policies and programs on fire prevention.
message to the launching on Monday of the book “Leave Nobody Hungry” authored by Virginia R. Rodriguez, a former reporter of the Manila Bulletin.
To qualify for the grant, the LGU must attain a total score of at least 70 points, and achieve at least a rating of 4 for at least three criteria based on the PBB scoring system.
“The performance-based bonus for City Hall employees is well-de served,” Binay said.
ment units, nongovernment orga nizations; businessmen, students and media personalities.
“This is a matter that I think that the DILG, the Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management should address before we reach 2023,” Escudero said.
TWO Marcos Cabinet secre
For his part, Department of In formation and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary David Almirol agreed, saying that the Philippines can learn and take on Israeli partners for development of e-government in the country. He admitted to Israeli business
It was introduced in 2012 to re ward and encourage exemplary per formance among public servants.
At the same time, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ben jamin Abalos Jr. faced members of the CA Committee on Interior and Local Government led by Sen. Francis Escudero.
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
Asia-Pacific region Army chiefs gather for IPAMS
PHL, Israel bolster ties on ICT and innovation
“I call on our companies and local partners—we should bring not only the very best of technologies but also aspects of knowledge transfer and job creation. This will make long-term partnerships beneficial for all par ties,” he said.
men that his task to promote e-gov ernment is fraught with challenges, including outdated infrastructure and systems, lack of training and transparency, red tape, scattered databases, and analog processes.
At the hearing on Remulla’s ad-in terim appointment, Sen. Joseph Vic tor Ejercito asked the DOJ Secretarydesignate on his plans to reform the New Bilibid Prison, which he noted, still suffers from the continuous pro liferation of illegal drugs and illegal activities committed by syndicates inside the National Penitentiary.
During the budget hearing of the DepEd, Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte said the amount would help the agency address education problems includ ing poor math, reading, and science skills of Filipino students.
RMY commanders from the Asia-Pacific region, with Phil ippines represented by Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Ro meo Brawner Jr. met in Bangladesh to thresh out issues in the region by way of dialogue and cooperation.
Manila
Two Marcos Cabinet men hurdle CA confirmation
A total of 366 LGUs nationwide are eligible to receive the PBB for fis cal year Binay2021. said that more than the monetary value of the bonus, she is glad that Makati has been recognized as a model LGU in terms of good gov ernance and public service.
“We need the strength of the private sector. We need to privatize the approach and speed of imple mentation, we need to privatize the solidification of the platforms to unify our strengths—private and government,” he said.
Almirol said the government in tends to “bid out” specific contracts for e-government services to the private“Whatsector. we’re doing right now is we’re mapping up the inventory of what we have and also we’re iden tifying the strengths of the private sector,” he said.
The former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman and Mandaluyong City mayor shared his visions for the De partment of the Interior and Local Government—among them raising LGUs’ capacity “for accountable, ef fective and responsive governance,” among others. “I am committed to put to work my experience to lead the Department of the Interior and Local Government to the best of my ability,” Abalos told the CA panel.
THE launching of a book that tackles modern technology and organic methods to boost farm production was successfully held recently at the Maynila Ball room of the Manila Hotel in Intra muros,PressManilaSecretary
is given to employees based on their contribution to the achievement of the LGU’s targets and commitments for the fiscal year.
The PBB is a top-up bonus, which
FOLLOWING several fire inci dents in the city this month, Quezon City Mayor Joy Bel monte has ordered the creation of a task force on fire prevention, which will also be tasked to work with the City Council to craft a local Fire Safety Code.
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
She said that such is the approval to the hardworking and dedicated public servants who have always put the interests of the constituents first.
City Mayor Abi gail Binay on Wednesday proudly announced that the city government is the lone lo cal government unit (LGU) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to qualify for performance-based bonus (PBB) from the national government.
Remulla in the past held positions as Cavite governor and as a mem ber of the House of Representatives representing Cavite. He won a fresh mandate as congressman during the recent elections. However, on May 23, 2022, Remulla accepted Presi dent Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s offer to head the DOJ.
The Indo-Pacific region is current ly beset by a host of security issues that include territorial squabbles over portions of the East and South China Seas, with China at the center of these tiffs.
The DepEd has proposed a total P810 billion for 2023, but the pro posal was slashed by the Depart ment of Budget and Management (DBM) to P710 billion.
Almirol added that the govern ment is open to implementing egovernment projects in any mode, including public-private partnership (PPP) and unsolicited proposals.
“I would like to offer and to present this book to all the Filipino farmers so they can use my humble suggestions in expanding their knowledge in mod ern farming…and for the students as their reference in their studies,” said Rodriguez. Her book tackles the food crisis agenda of the President, includ ing “Masagana 150.” launched in
(LGU) and the National Govern ment (NG) be established, wherein LGUs will fund the construction of their regional prisons and the na tional government will lease these facilities for about 30 years.
Cruz-Angeles also thanked Ro driguez for writing the book and ex pressed confidence that it will serve as guide to farmers for bountiful harvest.
Atty. Trixie CruzAngeles gave an inspiring virtual
For her part, Rodriguez said her desire to help the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who is also the concurrent Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), inspired her to author the book.
The IPAMS is co-hosted by the Bangladesh Army and the USARPAC.
Mayor Benja min Abalos Sr., during the cer emonial signing held during the flag raising ceremony at the Mandaluyong City Hall Execu tive Building on September 12, recalled that San Andres is among the municipalities in the Bicol region famous for their abaca products in the early 1950s.
“Perhapsproducts.that will be one of sev eral areas where we can help Mayor Mendoza with. Of course there’s also the focus on improving local gover nance and delivery of public service through the use of today’s technol ogy,” Abalos said.
Tripping
The partnership, according to
Chairman Joey Sarte Sal ceda gave the assessment during his sponsorship speech of the New Agrar ian Emancipation Act, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s flagship mea sure for the condonation of unpaid amortization and interest payments on some 1.18 million hect ares of agrarian reform land.“CARP without adequate support services and with limited capital or entrepre neurship among farmerbeneficiaries is shown to have reduced agricultural productivity in CARP lands by as much as—34.1 percent compared to baseline. This has resulted in almost P418 billion in lost productivity for all CARP lands every year [for the 10.3 million hectares of CARP land],” SalcedaArguingsaid.for President Marcos’s SONA proposal, Salceda added that condo nation of ARB debts could result in increase in pro
POWER generation companies reported to the Energy Regu latory Commission (ERC) that the unplanned outage of Sual Units 1 and 2 and Masinloc Units 1 and 2 that led to last Monday’s “red alert” notice originated from the tripping of transmission lines.
“As we have shown, there are dif ferent kinds of thresholds, many food threshold, merong poverty threshold, just to see how sensitive the results are, especially the change over time,” he added.Basedon the current estimates, the per person poverty threshold is P28,871, and he said that stories that pertained to an P18 per meal threshold in order to not be consid ered food poor, is correct based on the food threshold estimated at P8,379 perHowever,month. this was based on the food menu identified by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). The FNRI based their computation on the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) of 2,000 kilocalories on average.
“We look at Mandaluyong City as a benchmark to improve our exist ing local policies which can help San Andres, as a third-class municipality, develop to a better local government in this new normal,” Mendoza said.
“We can quarrel on what exactly is the standard [but] we will not be able to agree on that standard kasi magkakaiba,” Balisacan said.
A breakfast meal is composed of scrambled egg, coffee with milk, and boiled rice/corn mix while lunch is composed of boiled monggo with malunggay and dried dilis as well as boiled rice/ corn mix and banana.
“The purpose here is not so much what is a threshold that can afford to achieve a decent life. It’s not a methodology that we pre scribe for example determining minimum wage or decent wage,” Balisacan said.
SIPS
“For the concerned 1.18 million hectares, that’s P33.57 billion in added productivity and P54.02 billion if you add in support services. The proxy used for the study was just high-yield seeds. For all condoned land, you just need 4.7 billion in additional annual expenses on high-yield seeds. For every one peso in support you spend as gov ernment, you get back P4.35 in additional valueadded. That’s a very attractive proposition,” Sal ceda
A4 BusinessMirror www.businessmirror.com.ph Economy Thursday, September 15, 2022 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
SENATE Energy Committee Vice Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, urged the Department of Energy (DOE) for aggressive implementation of solutions to ad dress the issue.
There were seven generating units with a total capacity of 3,401 mega watts (MW) that were on unplanned outage, and three generating units with a total of 226MW deration.
Tripping of power transmission lines
The agency said it would verify the reports submitted by the NGCP and that of the power generation
“Noting the fact that 58 percent of the capacity on outage was due to the September 11 Bolo-Nagsaag 500kV transmission line tripping incident, the ERC will look into the cause of the tripping and actions taken by the NGCP to repair the subject line, including the reasons why the generating units were not able to get back online with the res toration of the transmission line,” the ERC said.
For the long term, Gatchalian further proposed the energy depart ment must ensure timely construc tion of power generation plants in the country to ease any possible tightness in supply in the future and address any spike in electricity de mand and address any delay caused by permitting by fully implementing the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act.
Gatchalian demands solutions
Gatchalian also reminded the NGCP of its obligation to fully con tract the required reserves as man dated by a DOE circular.
MEANWHILE , the Indepen dent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said elec tricity spot market prices dropped by P1.66/kWh to P7.27/kWh for the August billing period due to an increased supply margin equivalent to 844 MW. The lower market price also resulted in an uptick in gins,”mitigatingity cost but also,will not only save on our electricelectricityupreiteratestheance ofpricesedgeneratorhigherthetomandtinuouslySeptember,precedingtheergyaging about 14purchases in the spot marketcustomeraverpercent of their enconsumptionascomparedto8.3percentpurchasesinthemonth.However, forthefirst 10 days ofpeak demand hasconrisenfromJuly.PeakdeinLuzonincreasedby187MW11459MW,whileintheVisayas,demandpeakedat2225MW,by34 MW.“The recentplannedandforcedoutageshavealsoresultinanincreaseinspotmarketandveryrecently,anissuredandyellow alertsinLuzon grid.As such,IEMOPtheimportancetosaveandefficientlymanageourconsumptionthatimmediately help inreducedsupplymaritsaid.
T
Dinner is composed of fried fish or boiled pork, a vegetable dish, and boiled rice/corn mix while snacks are composed of bread or boiled rootBasedcrops.on this menu, the Phil ippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said, they will check the average monthly price to compute the price of food items.
The Neda chief also said the country also has a real potential in the manufacturing sector, if it will be able to reduce the cost of energy and make telecommunica tions more affordable and reliable forBalisacanall. said the amendments in the Public Service Act could make this possible. He added that the country’s growth in the manufac turing sector could also be driven by the country’s competencies in the IT-BPO sector.
“The best way to guarantee productivity for the newly emancipated and newly granted land is to make sure that the support ecosystem exists for their farmer owners. That is the kind of support that Samahang Nayon and Kilusang Bayan programs can provide,” he added.“Naturally contiguous or proximate land should be organized under ‘farmer association areas’ or farmer cooperative areas revival of PD 175, as implemented by LOI No. 23 s. 1973, which created SN and KB, with an assigned agribusiness management consultant,” SalcedaSalcedaproposed.saidthe SNs and KBs will be granted credit surety, be allowed to do relending programs, be pri oritized for distribution of machineries and other capital goods for agriculture.
ductivity of between 23.8 percent as the market can now allocate the land more efficiently and 38.3 percent if productivity-enhancing interven tions are increased.
month to compute the monthly per capita food threshold. This is multi plied by 12, which is the number of months in a year to get the annual per capita food threshold.
worsens, a red alert, which points to severe power deficiency that may lead to rotating power interruptions, is declared.Butthere were no reported brownouts in the franchise area of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) because it has advised early on its Interruptible Load Pro gram (ILP) participants of possible manual load dropping (MLD). The ILP participants may run their fa cilities to allow more grid capacity to serve other customers.
For his part, San Andres Mayor Leo Mendoza, along with members of the municipal council and depart ment heads, said his delegation made the 14-hour trip to Mandaluyong City over the weekend.
Further, the government should also ensure that the Grid Operating and Maintenance Program (GOMP) or the schedule of planned outages of power generating plants as well as transmission facilities is followed, Gatchalian said.
“We assure the public that the DOE is verifying the cause of the forced outages as there appears to be no fuel supply constraints.
August spot market price drop
THE city government of Manda luyong has forged a sisterhood agreement with the Munici pality of San Andres, Catanduanes in a bid to create seamless exchanges in best practices between the two local governmentMandaluyongunits.
THE NGCP, for its part, said earlier that the activation of System Integ rity Protection Scheme (SIPS) did not lead to the red alert incident. “SIPS [was conceived] so as not to worsen the problem. As part of that precau tion to maintain the integrity of the grid, Sual and Masinloc was discon nected,” it said.
This provision, Salceda said, will allow the Presi dent to grant the land without the need for a differ entSalcedalaw. also called for the revival of Samahang Nayon (SN) and Kilusang Bayan (KB) under Presi dential Decree No. 175, as implemented by LOI No. 23 s. 1973 during the term of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
IN order to address poverty and hunger, the economic team high lighted the importance of growth drivers. Finance Secretary Benja min E. Diokno said some of these sectors include agriculture, min ing, manufacturing, construc tion, tourism, and even the cre ativeBalisacanindustries.said currently, the main economic driver of the Philip pines is the Services sector, which accounts for around 60 percent of the economy followed by Industry, which accounts for over 20 percent, and the rest is accounted for by the agricultureHowever,sector.hesaid, there is a lot of room to grow in the Industry sec tor which includes Manufacturing, Mining, and Construction. Balisacan said there was “so much potential,” particularly in mining.
The red alert status for the Lu zon grid took effect at 1 p.m. last Monday. It was lifted from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the grid was placed on yellowWhenalert.reserves fall below ideal lev els, a yellow alert is placed over the grid. When supply-demand balance
“Such power interruptions are unacceptable at a time when the country is in dire need of a steady sup ply of energy as we all work toward sustaining the country’s economic recovery. The DOE must ensure a steady supply of energy necessary for our businesses and organizations, particularly MSMEs [micro, small and medium enterprises] and our learning institutions, to implement unrestricted operations especially during summer,” he said.
On late Tuesday, the ERC issued an advisory stating that the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) had told the agency that the reason why the Luzon grid was placed on red alert was because of “major generation inadequacy.”
SUAL 1 and 2, for instance, tripped due to an “external fault after BoloNagsaag 500 kilovolt [kV] line of NGCP trip that caused the system underMasinlocfrequency.”2and 3 units, mean while, were “affected by double out age of Bolo-Nagsaag 500kV Line 1 and Line “Worthy2.”to note is that four out of the seven generating units reported that the outages were due to the trip ping of Bolo-Nagsaag 500kV trans mission lines 1 and 2 on September 11 at 7:25 a.m. On the other hand, the remaining three generating units were already on outage prior to the occurrence of the grid tripping inci dent,” said the ERC.
Salcedaadded.also proposed a provision that would enable Marcos to distribute the 52,000 hectares of public agricultural land that he promised to grant to landless farmers in his SONA.
companies, including the actions done to get it back online.
This is multiplied by 30.4 or the approximate number of days per
“All power plants should be built on time and generation companies should follow the maximum al lowable days that plants can be on outage,” Gatchalian said in reiter
blamed for ‘red alert’ notice Balisacan: Neda revisits ‘methodology’ of estimating PHL poverty estimates Salceda defends PBBM condonation of unpaid ARB land amortization and interest payments Mandaluyong City and San Andres, Catanduanes forge sisterhood pactABALOSBALISACANSR.
A team from the DOE will con duct actual physical spot checks and validate the condition of the trans mission lines and the affected power plants,” the energy chief said.
Citing data from the environment department, Balisacan said the coun try has only mined six percent of its mining potential. This leaves a sig nificant room for growth, especially if the country can promote sustain able mining Balisacanpractices.saidMelbourne, Aus tralia, one of the best cities to live in the world, was once a min ing town. He said this city could become a model in terms of how prosperous cities can emerge from mining towns.
On the other hand, the generat ing units indicated in their reports that the reason for the unplanned outage was due to the tripping of NGCP’s two transmission lines.
ating solutions to rotational power outages that were proposed to the previousDOE Secretaryadministration.Raphael Lotilla, for his part, said his office would also validate the reports.
In a Senate budget hearing on Wednesday, Socioeconomic Plan ning Secretary Arsenio M. Bali sacan explained the intricacies of estimating poverty, particularly the thresholds. He also assured senators that the government adjusts these estimates for inflation.
HE House Committee on Ways and Means on Wednesday said that the country’s agricul tural sector is losing P418 billion annually in foregone gross value-added in the agriculture sector due to lack of support, capital, and capac ity among the agrarian reform beneficiaries who farm some 10.3 million hectares of land distrib uted under the Compre hensive Agrarian Reform Program.HouseWays and Means
Also, he said the DOE must en sure the full implementation of the Transmission Development Plan (TDP) designed to ensure the build out of the grid infrastructure to pre vent stranded power plants.
T
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
Mendoza, aims to bring mutual benefits to both the people of Mandaluyong City and the people of San Andres.
Growth drivers
Based on this, the National Food Bundle, which is used to compute for the national food threshold, is composed of food consumed in four meals—break fast, lunch, dinner and snacks— that meet the RENI.
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
“Only a few Mandaleños knew that the region is a big exporter of abaca products to Europe back then,” Abalos said.
Meanwhile, Abalos said that they could help San Andres with their abaca
HE National Government (NG) is now in the process of examining the method ology of estimating the country’s poverty estimates, particularly the computation of poverty thresh olds, according to the National Economic and Development Au thority (Neda).
“There were plenty of far-sighted policies and pronouncements in the first Marcos administra tion, especially in agricultural productivity. They can be reviewed and revived, for the wisdom in many of them, like KBs and SNs, remains relevant,” he added.
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
But under the able leadership of Olivarez and the dedication, com mitment and cooperation of the lo cal officials and constituents, the city was able to hurdle challenging times. It has been named among the wealthiest cities in the country.
‘Parañaque, A Mega City by the Bay’ legacy book to be launched today at Solaire Resorts
National Police (PNP) chief General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. ordered the PNP Civil Security Group and police regional offices to conduct an inventory and accounting of all private security personnel working as “bodyguards” to very important people (VIP), including foreigners, following reports of involvement of some of them in illegal and criminal activities.
continued from a14
In co-sponsoring the bill, Dela Rosa explained that besides the scammers, he sees the measure as necessary to fight terrorism.
The book is divided into seven chapters. Like the first edition, it takes the readers back to the city’s earliest history. There is a chapter on arts and culture that incorporates the city’s customs and tradition, art and fashion, and cuisine.
Act shows the principal objectives of the bill, dela Rosa said: “In order to deter the proliferation of Sub scriber Identity Module [SIM] or electronic communication-aided crimes, such as, but not limited to: terrorism, text scams, unsolicited, indecent or obscene messages, bank fraud, and massive disinformation, all Public Telecommunications En tity shall require the registration of SIM as pre-requisite to the activa tion
Butch Fernandez
The agency also drafted a memo randum to all its employees urging them to still strictly adhere to the minimum health protocols.
the health of traffic enforcers and street sweepers.
By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie
By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga
Over the weekend, suspects blocked the car bearing a Malaysian national who came from a casino es tablishment in the southern part of Metro Manila while it was traveling
are 162.7 million subscribers of Globe, Smart and DITO telecom munications, warned: “These 162.7 million subscribers are the potential pool of victims and we could just imagine the disaster it will bring if we don’t do anything to stop these perpetrators.”
The book features the Bagong Parañaque as envisioned by thenmayor Olivarez when he took his oath of office in 2013.
Thethereof.”bill’sgoal to prevent terrorism activities, said Dela Rosa, is anchored on the data from the Philippine Na tional Police, from January 2019 to February 2021, there have been 14 bombing incidents involving impro vised explosives devices (IED) that used cellphone as switching or trig gering mechanism according to the PNP’s Philippine Bomb Data Center.
Azurin said private security pro tection agents must be covered by an “Authority to Deploy Protection Agents” issued by the chief of the PNP, which is valid for one year or the deputy chief for operations, which is valid up to six months, and SDDO issued by the SOSIA.
She added that the event also conducted the oath-taking and induction of the newly elected officers of the ARBO Federation/ Alliance and the officers of the Barangay Agrarian Reform Com mittee (BARC) and the award ing and recognition of progres sive ARBOs as strong and active partners of DAR in realizing its programs and projects to uplift the lives and welfare of the ARBs in the community and for being big brothers and sisters for small fledgling cooperatives within the district.“This is our strategy that puts together all the banner programs of the agency which could be ef fectively implemented through a federation and alliance of the AR BOs and strengthening the BARC Officers,” she said.
“We will use it [confidential fund] against sexual grooming involving students and teachers, recruitment to terrorism, criminal activities in cluding active shooter copycats and illegal drugs involving DepEd per sonnel,” she Makabayansaid. bloc lawmakers were the only ones in line to interpellate on the budget of the OVP but were not allowed to put forward questions or clarifications. AssistantMinority Leader and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Bro sas said this is a clear disregard for the Filipino people’s right to scrutinize
“The PNP CSG-SOSIA, in coor dination with Police Districts in the National Capital Regional and other Police Regional Offices where
PHILIPPINE
ARBsinstitutionalProgram][Comprehensivegovernmentfarmer-beneficiariesmobilization.convocationeventMapanatagTungoatAgraryo:Dubbed(ARBO).as“MagsasakangKabalikatsaPagbabagoPagpapaunladngKanayunansaMaginhawa,MatatagatnaPamumuhay,”theisanARBOsummitandcumsupportservices“WebroughttogetherDAR’swithotherofficialsandCARPAgrarianReformstakeholdersandotherpartnerstoshowourthemagnitudeofsupport
W ITH the continuous threat of bloodbloodpromotiontransferredfundsstillcomplacent,saidofadmissiontheretimeofpandemic.”prioritymovepromotionhasdepartment’scontrolononIloiloAppropriationsslashbillionexpressedIloiloofsecretarycommunicablemonkeypoxCovid-19,andotherdiseases,aformeroftheDepartmentHealth(DOH)andnowlawmakeronWednesdayconcernontheP4.2or71.21percentbudgetindiseaseprevention.HouseCommitteeonViceChairmanandRep.JanetteGarinhascalledtheDOHtoputapremiumthecountry’spreventionandofcommunicablediseases.Garinsaidthefundingforthediseasepreventionbeentransferredtothehealthprogram,saying,“ThisisconsideredasawrongasthecountryisstillinBasingonthe assumptionshealthexpertsthatbythistowardstheendoftheyearwouldbeanincreaseintheinthehospitalbecauselowCovidboosterrate,Garinthisisnotyetthetimetobeastheviruswouldmutate.“Weareindireneedofandthesefundsweretothehealthofficeandtothecenterandothervoluntaryservices,laudable pero mahirap po kasi iexplain sa taumbayan tinapyas communicable diseases, marami pa tayong challenges, my point is the pandemic is not yet over bakit natin tatapyasan ang control and prevention disease,” Garin said.
Jonathan L. Mayuga
The book would not be complete without a chapter on Project: ELO (Express Lane Operation), which has now been upgraded to fully utilize advances in information technology, an innovative platform now being replicated in other LGUs.
The 304-page coffee table book project titled “Parañaque, A Mega City by the Bay” is foremost a leg acy book on what the local gov ernment under the leadership of former mayor now Parañaque Rep.
DAR Tarlac Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Jocelyn Ramones said the intervention of support services to the farmers is one of the top priorities under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III.
House committee swiftly terminates deliberations on OVP’s ’23 allocation
Edwin L. Olivarez has achieved from June 2013 to June 2022 au thored by Melandrew T. Velasco, a veteran writer and publisher who has authored 42 books, includ ing historical biographies, insti tutional coffee table books, and books for local government units (LGU), a news release said.
the budget of government offices.
The first paragraph of Section 4 of the proposed SIM Registration
It adds that at least 39 Filipinos died and 206 were injured in those cases, he noted. “But I want to tell you that these are not mere statis tics. They are people—a parent to a child; a son or a daughter; a brother or a sister,” the senator stressed.
“We are talking about P500 mil lion which could have been used to give cash aid to low-income families or education subsidies for struggling students,” she said.
The transformation of Parañaque as a megacity city is an ongoing pro cess and it was during the tenure of former Mayor Edwin Olivarez when it was given the needed push.
Preying on jobless ALSO at Tuesday’s plenary, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva did not hide his dismay over the proliferation of text scams, which he said, prey on poor unemployed individuals.
Estrada recalled that as early as 2001, law enforcement agencies have called for the institutionalization of the registration of prepaid SIM cards as a crime prevention strategy.
ng DOH ay para sana sa program ng
At one point during interpella tions of Senator Poe, no less than Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri reported that he had received at least 10 unwanted text messages in just that one session day.
“The PNP is launching a crack down on unauthorized security per sonnel in POGO establishments and other industries that have become notorious for illegal activities and violence,” he added.
that will be provided to them,” Ra monesRamonessaid. said stakeholders from Pilmico Food Corporation, Phil ippine Carabao Center, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Office of the 1st District Representative signed the memo randum of understanding between the DAR-Tarlac to fully support and mobilize various programs of the DAR for the ARBOs.
of Education [DepEd],” he said.
THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday en couraged its field personnel to con tinue wearing face masks outdoors and in open spaces.
The activity also highlighted the unveiling of the product devel opment “Tinapay Ti Uno Bun Mak ing Competition” and the showcase of a whole range of products and services of the ARBOs in the 1st district of Tarlac.
sweepers face the risk of acquiring respiratory illnesses in the perform ance of their duties.
Earlier, the OVP vowed to be transparent in the utilization of its budget for next year.
Order (EO) No. 3. Under the EO, the wearing of face mask in open spaces and noncrowded outdoor areas with good ventilation is now optional provided that physical distancing will be ob served at all Dimayuga,times.however, said that the wearing of face mask serves as protection not just against the Covid-19 virus but also from traf fic-related air pollution that affects
www.businessmirror.com.ph Thursday, September 15, 2022 A5BusinessMirror News
By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM
Gabriela Party-list was supposed to question the OVP’s proposed P500 million confidential fund as this is the first time the office will be given a so-called black budget.
The journey has not been easy with the Covid-19 pandemic in terrupting an otherwise smooth
“As [a gesture of] courtesy by the House of Representatives to Vice President Sara Duterte, therefore, I move to terminate the budget brief ing on the Office of the Vice Presi dent,” Libanan said.
The ease of doing business in the city through Project ELO is a model for other local government units.
Minority Leader Marcelino Liban an of 4Ps party-list made the motion to terminate the budget delibera tions in less than 10 minutes.
He said traffic enforcers and street
PNP orders crackdown vs private security men working as ‘goons’ of VIPs and POGOs
As a legacy book, it presents the nine-year accomplishments of Olivarez who now represents the city’s first district in the House of Representatives.Topicssuchas infrastructures for development, an environmentfriendly and livable city, good gover nance, peace and order, social welfare services, education, and employment and livelihood are discussed in the pages of the book.
“This representation is par ticularly upset by recruitment text scams or smishing because they feed on the desperation of unemployed Filipinos who are tricked to part with their personal information and money in order to land a nonexistent job,” the senator said, ruing that “unfortunately, these acts are made possible, thanks to the ano nymity in SIM card ownership—an anonymity that has been exploited by Villanueva,criminals.” noting that there
At the same session, Senator Ronald dela Rosa also delivered a co-sponsorship speech, and thanked Sen. Grace Poe, chairper son of the Committee on Public Services, for fast-tracking the re port on the bill that was originally vetoed by then President Rodrigo Duterte and then revived by law makers as digitally enabled scams soared the past few months.
One of the suspects, reportedly in the company of a Chinese national, has been arrested by the police on Monday, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Ben jamin “Benhur” Abalos.
MMDA urges field personnel to continue wearing face mask
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco @claudethmc3
In his co-sponsorship of SB 1310,Villanueva noted that with unemployment rate at 5.2 percent this July, jobless individuals need real opportunities and not scams.
This innovation is under the Busi ness Permits and Processing Office headed by Atty. Melanie S. Malaya, who also served as editor-in-chief and co-publisher of the book along withProjectMTVi.ELO plays a vital role to ensure the financial health of the city. It provides an atmosphere conducive to business locators and investors in the city.
VP Duterte’s proposed P2.3 bil lion budget includes P500 million in confidential funds.
Azurin issued the order in the “wake of reports” of involvement of licensed protective agents in “violent incidents involving their protectees,” some of whom are foreigners doing business in the country.
This was the reminder of MMDA acting Chairman Carlo Dimayuga III following issuance of Executive
there are known POGO [Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations] are likewise directed to conduct inspec tion of all private security personnel performing security duties in these establishments, including watch men, security guards and protective agents,” the PNP chief said.
“To protect their well-being, we highly encourage them to continue wearing face mask because their health is of utmost priority of the agency,” added Dimayuga.
“I support President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. on option al wearing of face mask outdoors, but with regards to MMDA traffic enforcers on the field, I encourage them to still wear masks as preven tion from pollution emitted by ve hicles along major thoroughfares,” Dimayuga explained.
naman po ang programa
Duterte also defended her office’s P500 million confidential fund.
THE City of Parañaque and Media Touchstone Ventures Inc. (MTVi) will launch today, Thursday, a sequel to the book “From Pueblo to Mega City by the Bay” at The Forum, Solaire Resorts and Ca sino in Parañaque City.
along the highway in Makati City and robbed him of P8 million.
DAR holds ARBO summit in San Manuel, Tarlac
growth trajectory.
Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his part, hailed Duterte for exem plary“Youleadership.haveexhibited once more your exemplary brand of leadership by showing up at the House Com mittee of Appropriations hearing to defend the budget of the Office of the Vice President and the Department
“As a general rule, licensed pro tective agents must be covered by Special Duty Detail Order [SDDO] from the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies [SOSIA], authorizing them to carry firearms and per form bodyguard duties for their protectees,” the PNP chief said.
Reports have claimed of a spike in criminal activities, especially kid napping, which is being attributed to Chinese nationals and perpetrated also against their compatriots in the operations of POGOs.
THE House of Representatives Committee of Appropriations on Wednesday swiftly termi nated the P2.3 billion budget de liberations of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2023.
Pagbati, Sunduan, Caracol, and Lambat festivals.
Held last September 9 at the Cultural Center in San Manuel, the event was attended by around 600 farmers belonging to various agrarian reform beneficiary orga nizations
na ang
Garin preventiononbudgetflagscutsdisease
“We are pouring P500 million worth of confidential funds to the OVP while many Filipinos struggle to make ends meet. Most Filipinos don’t even have enough money to travel and see their family amid rising public trans port fares, while some can easily fly home using a chopper. This is why we are very critical when it comes to these confidential funds which we have no idea where and how it is being used. The Filipino people deserve transparency. We deserve to know where our money is going,” she said.
T HE Department of Agrar ian Reform (DAR) re cently held a farmers’ summit in San Manuel, Tarlac to present the various support services provided by govern ment agencies, private organi zations, and the local govern ment units to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
Senators fast-track SIM card registry bill
Also included are the famous Bulungan sa La Huerta, Sayaw ng
Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, excellent communication skills in chinese, both spoken and written, previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.
Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read write and type fluently in MANDARIN language.
Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999
20th, 21st Floor, Tera Tower, Bridgetown Along C-5 Road, Ugong Norte, Quezon City 31. NGUYEN THI HONG Advisor I, Customer Service Brief Job Description: Provide customer service for Google clients
29. TRAN KHAI LUAN Gaming Support Specialist
Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language.
17. KIM, MandarinJINHYUKCustomer Service
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
20. LEE, MandarinHOJUNECustomer Service
30. CABRERA, GEOFF MYKO Advisor I, Technical Support
INC. Unit 3701, 3801 The Orient Square, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig 22. GOUDRA, SURESHGOUDA Mechanic Specialist Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forcompiling (complex) mechanical equipment in the workshop and ensuring proper operations of (complex) mechanical equipment / installations of equipment. Basic Qualification: Minimum, 3 years’ experience working in an international dredging and land development industry. Minimum of 4 years’ experience in a technical environment, working with excavators, bulldozers and dump trucks and various heavy equipment. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 23. CHANG, MANFRED ING-PAI Package Manager - Soil Improvement Brief Job Managers,Description:monitors,and supervises the execution of the Soil Improvement work scope according to the contract to realize the project in a safe, timely, qualitatively optimal and costefficient manner. Basic Qualification: Extensive Project Management experience of at least 5 years in an International Dredging, Land development and soil improvement projects. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 24. MARSKAMP, JEROEN WILLEM Superintendent Brief Job ManagesDescription:andsupervises the execution of a part of the project according to the contract in a safe, timely, qualitatively optimal and cost-efficient manner. Basic Qualification: Minimum 3 years extensive work experience with an international dredging company. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 25. SLOOT, RONALD OTTO Superintendent Brief Job ManagesDescription:andsupervises the execution of a part of the project according to the contract in a safe, timely, qualitatively optimal and cost-efficient manner. Basic Qualification: Minimum 3 years extensive work experience with an international dredging company. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 CGI (PHILIPPINES) INC. 2/f One World Square, Mckinley Hill, Pinagsama, City Of Taguig 26. ROGGEN, NICO Multilingual Service Desk Member Brief Job Description: Provides technical support in Dutch language. Basic ExcellentQualification:inwritten and verbal communication in Dutch and proficient knowledge of the English language. Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 COLDSTREAM MARKETING SOLUTION INC. 603-4 Eastfield Ctr., Moa Comp. Macapagal Ave., Barangay 76, Pasay City 27. LAI MEE WEN Gaming Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, excellent communication skills in chinese, both spoken and written, previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 28. MICHELLE ONG CHING PEI Gaming Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
CONCENTRIX SERVICES CORPORATION 18th,
18. KU, BON MandarinJUNGCustomer Service
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
BOSKALIS PHILIPPINES
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE BusinessMirrorA6 www.businessmirror.com.phThursday, September 15, 2022 ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE 3O BPO INCORPORATED 2/f Lcs Bldg South Super Highway, San Andres Cor Diamante St., 087, Barangay 803, Santa Ana, City Of Manila 1. KRISTIANSEN, THOMMY Customer Service Agent Norwegian/swedish Brief Job Description: Customer Service Agent interacts with the customer on behalf of the organization. Provide information about the products and services, responds to customer complaints as well. Basic Qualification: Fluent in English,Norwegian/ Swedish Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 8 STONE BUSINESS OUTSOURCING OPC 5/f To 10/f, Tower 4 Pitx #01, Kennedy Road, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 2. LI, XIANGYU Mandarin Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking. Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 3. NANG EI EI PHYU Mandarin Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Build sustainable relationship of trust through open and interactive communication in mandarin speaking. Basic Qualification: Knows how to recommend potential products or services to management by collecting customer information and analyzing customer needs. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 ACCENTURE, INC. 7f, Robinsons Cybergate Tower 1, Pioneer St, City Of Mandaluyong 4. CASTELLANI, OLIVIER Business & Technology Delivery Senior Manager Brief Job Description: Business & technology delivery senior manager. Basic Qualification: Manage end-to-end implementation of core banking system Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 5. SRIVASTAVA, TARANG Sdo ManageBriefExecutiveJobDescription:F&Aclientin different industries and have the ability to manage across towers viz-Order to Cash, Record to Report, Accounts Payable Basic Qualification: 12-15 years driving core F&A and 6-10 years driving SalarytransformationRange: Php 500,000 and above ANOC99 CORPORATION 5/f To 10/f Ayala Malls Manila Bay Building D., Macapagal Blvd. Cor. Aseana Street, Tambo, City Of 6.ParañaqueLI, FEIFAN Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires. Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write chinese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 AVANZADO OUTSOURCING SERVICES CORP. Unit 25d, 2/f Zeta Ii Bldg., 191 Salcedo St., San Isidro, City Of Makati 7. REN, ZONGZHI Hr Specialist Brief Job Description: Handles HR operations. Basic SalaryHandlesQualification:HRoperations.Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 8. REN, TrainingYI Supervisor Brief Job Description: Part of the TAS Learning & Development Team. Basic Qualification: Part of the TAS Learning & Development Team. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BAOLONG TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP LIMITED INC. 24th-27th/f Century Diamond Tower, Kalayaan Ave. Cor. Salamanca St., Poblacion, City Of Makati 9. CHEN, XIAOJUN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaker Brief Job Description: The Customer Service Representative – Mandarin Speaker is responsible for all aspects of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele. To do well in this role, you need to be able to remain calm when customers are frustrated. Basic communicationandinRequiredQualification:tobefluentMandarin(WritingSpeaking),Strongskills, Preferably have employment experience in related field, Must have GOOD PERSONAL ETHIC Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 10. HUANG, HUANING Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaker Brief Job Description: The Customer Service Representative – Mandarin Speaker is responsible for all aspects of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele. To do well in this role, you need to be able to remain calm when customers are frustrated. Basic communicationandinRequiredQualification:tobefluentMandarin(WritingSpeaking),Strongskills, Preferably have employment experience in related field, Must have GOOD PERSONAL ETHIC Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 11. LI, JUNLIANG Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaker Brief Job Description: The Customer Service Representative – Mandarin Speaker is responsible for all aspects of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele. To do well in this role, you need to be able to remain calm when customers are frustrated. Basic communicationandinRequiredQualification:tobefluentMandarin(WritingSpeaking),Strongskills, Preferably have employment experience in related field, Must have GOOD PERSONAL ETHIC Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 12. LI, ZHILIN Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaker Brief Job Description: The Customer Service Representative – Mandarin Speaker is responsible for all aspects of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele. To do well in this role, you need to be able to remain calm when customers are frustrated. Basic communicationandinRequiredQualification:tobefluentMandarin(WritingSpeaking),Strongskills, Preferably have employment experience in related field, Must have GOOD PERSONAL ETHIC Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 13. LYU, MING Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaker Brief Job Description: The Customer Service Representative – Mandarin Speaker is responsible for all aspects of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele. To do well in this role, you need to be able to remain calm when customers are frustrated. Basic communicationandinRequiredQualification:tobefluentMandarin(WritingSpeaking),Strongskills, Preferably have employment experience in related field, Must have GOOD PERSONAL ETHIC Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 14. SUZANA Customer Service Representative - Mandarin Speaker Brief Job Description: The Customer Service Representative – Mandarin Speaker is responsible for all aspects of customer service functions for the company’s Chinese clientele. To do well in this role, you need to be able to remain calm when customers are frustrated. Basic communicationandinRequiredQualification:tobefluentMandarin(WritingSpeaking),Strongskills, Preferably have employment experience in related field, Must have GOOD PERSONAL ETHIC Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center, Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City 15. HUANG, ZIH-JHU a.k.a. HERMIONE HUANG Mandarin Customer Service Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires. Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 16. KIM, MandarinHYUNGSEOKCustomer Service Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires.
CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC. 25/f Ayala North Exchange, Tower 2, 6796, Ayala Ave. Cor. Salcedo & Amorsolo Streets, City Of Makati
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read write and type fluently in MANDARIN language.
Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.
Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 CRONYX INC. Flr. No. 4th-10th, Yinhope Bldg., Dela Rama Cor. Zoili Hilario St., Seascape Village, Ccp Complex Subd., Zone 10, Barangay 76, Pasay City 32. YANG, ZHONGWEN Chinese Speaking Data Entry Clerk Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and SalarywrittenRange: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 CY TECHLABS INC. L2-l5 14th Floor Pse Tower, 5th Avenue Corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of 33.Taguig BARRY MAH YEW KHEONG Business Development Manager Brief Job Description: The business development manager is expected to identify and develop new business opportunities in order to generate more revenues and help the business grow. Basic ExperienceQualification:insales, marketing and related field. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 DATACLICK INTERNATIONAL CORP. E. Rodriguez St., Roxas Blvd. St., Barangay 3, Pasay City 34. CHIN KAM WEI Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic SalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwrittenRange: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 35. ERIC NG WEI SHENG Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic SalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwritten.Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 36. LIU, CustomerYANANSupport Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic SalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwritten.Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 37. LY DIN CustomerPENHSupport Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic SalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwritten.Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 38. NG LI CustomerFEN Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic SalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwritten.Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 39. NGUYEN ANH QUOC Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic SalaryspokenskillsExcellentQualification:communicationinChinese,bothandwritten.Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic computer navigation skills and PC knowledge. Ability to work as a team member, as well as independently Salary
19. KWAK, MandarinBYUNGJUCustomer Service
Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.
Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.
Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read write and type fluently in MANDARIN language.
Brief Job Description: Offer full range of customer service to employer and clients.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read write and type fluently in MANDARIN language.
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
skills
Basic Qualification: Range:
21. WANG, MandarinZHANCustomer Service
Brief Job Description: Associate degree in related technical discipline with six years of related technical experience preferred. Relevant technical expertise related to program (i.e. hardware, software, networking, data storage, troubleshooting, repair). Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly
Basic Qualification: At least college level and able to speak, read write and type fluently in MANDARIN language.
Basic FluentQualification:and/ornative speaker in English and French. Solve problems that are generally unstructured and require extensive use of conceptual thinking skills. Ensure service delivered to our customers meets contractual Key Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’). Greet customers in a courteous, friendly, and professional manner using agreed upon procedures
Basic Qualification: A passion for delivering excellent customer service, excellent communication in chinese, both spoken and written, previous experience in a similar role in the offshore/ online gaming industry or less experience but a good attitude and motivation to learn.
Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, implementing procedures to support players, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php
managers / officers.
83.
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.
product
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
Consultant
NGUYEN THANH LUAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative
M AND J SOLUTIONS PROVIDER INC. Ub 111 Paseo De Roxas Bldg., Paseo De Roxas, San Lorenzo, City Of Makati 84.
and write fluently (korean, english and
TRAN DAT Vietnamese Customer Service Representative
89,999 68. PARK, JUNG MUN Korean Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends in korean through blogs, micro blogs and forums. Basic
59,999 46. VOONG QUANG YEN Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
NGUYEN LUONG HAI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php Qualification: PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php CollegeQualification:graduate,speaks PhpSalarymandarin).Range:60,000-Php CollegeQualification:graduate,speaks PhpSalarymandarin).Range:60,000-Php CollegeQualification:graduate,speaks ProficientQualification:inspeaking, PhpSalaryadvantage.Range:30,000-Php 59,999
59,999 65. YOU, JIA Chinese Speaking Program Designer Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services. Basic
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English respective language the position applied an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.
59,999 47. VU THI CustomerLINHSupport Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
59,999 48. WONG KIAN HAO Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
and write fluently (korean, english and
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
skills in Chinese, both spoken and
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential
59,999 44. TRAN HIEU XUAN BINH Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.
skills in Chinese, both spoken and PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 49. ZHONG, CustomerXIAOMEISupport Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic ExcellentQualification:communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 DYNAMIC STUDIO TECHNOLOGY INC. 5th To 8th/f & 10th/f Platinum Tower Building, Aseana Ave. Cor. Fuentes Street, Baclaran, City Of Parañaque 50. BAI, LIANG Chinese Speaking Admin Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 51. HSU, ChinesePEI-YUSpeaking Admin Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 52. MELIANA Chinese Speaking Admin Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 53. WU, ChinesePO-HSUNSpeaking Admin Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 54. YANG, QUANYOU Chinese Speaking Admin Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 55. HUANG, JUNHUA Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 56. HUANG, SHENGGUI Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 57. YANG, DI Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 58. ZENG, GUANGWEN Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 59. ZHANG, YANG Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php 59,999 GAO SHOU TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, INC. 52/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 60. NGUYEN THI DIEM HANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services. Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for, Fluent n Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantage.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 INFOVINE INC. 9/f Y Tower, Moa Complex, Coral Way Drive Cor. Macapagal, Barangay 76, Pasay City 61. ERIC LAU JUN JIE Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services. Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 62. LEE WENG SING Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services. Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 63. ONG KOK KIONG Chinese Speaking Business Development Associate Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services. Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and
OSEI, ROBERTA Business Development
77. BUI VAN SON Vietnamese
language
59,999 64. NGUYEN THI AI LOAN Chinese Speaking Program Designer Brief Job Assist/helpDescription:customers, give customers information about product and services. Basic Qualification: With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php
and write fluently (korean, english and PhpSalarymandarin).Range:60,000-Php 89,999 JAN DE NUL (PHILS.), INC. 302 3rd/f Aseana Power Station Macapagal Blvd., Cor. Bradco Ave. Aseana City, Tambo, City Of Parañaque 69. VAN AERDE, BERT MARC J. Financial Manager Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forsupervising, managing, and coordinating the administration on complex dredging projects worldwide. Basic Qualification: Must have work experience of at least 5 years on international dredging PhpSalaryprojects.Range:150,000- Php 499,999 JDB MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY CORP. 107 T & D House, Magallanes St. 069, Barangay 655, Intramuros, City Of Manila 70. MAK, KAM FAI Strategic And Facilitation Officer Brief Job Description: Your primary function is to help the company and its Chinese clients to generate more income for the company. Basic Qualification: Must be fluent in Chinese PhpSalarylanguage.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 JFG GENERAL TRADING INC. 284 B&c Marina Bldg., Pablo Ocampo Ext., San Antonio, City Of Makati 71. YU, AIJUN E-commerce Specialist Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forthedesign and execution of strategy to promote the products and services Basic KnowQualification:howtospeak, write and read English; with 3 to 5 years work PhpSalaryexperienceRange:30,000-Php 59,999 JIANGSU DIBANG CONSTRUCTION PHILIPPINES CORPORATION Unit 2106-a West Tower, Psec Exchange Road, Ortigas Center, San Antonio, City Of Pasig 72. LIU, ZHENGXIN Equipment Installation Specialist Brief Job Description: Working as per the requirements of the clients and performing all kinds of general installation Basic PhpSalaryConstructionWithBothFluentQualification:inEnglishLanguageWrittenandOral;WorkingKnowledgeinRange:30,000-Php59,999 73. MENG, NENG Equipment Installation Specialist Brief Job Description: Working as per the requirements of the clients and performing all kinds of general installation Basic PhpSalaryConstructionWithBothFluentQualification:inEnglishLanguageWrittenandOral;WorkingKnowledgeinRange:30,000-Php59,999 JIU ZHOU TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL, INC. U-2801 28/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 74. LIN, ChineseLI-HSIUCustomer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services. Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999 75. LIN, ChineseYUNG-SHANCustomer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Attracts potential customers by answering product and service queries; suggesting information about other products and services. Basic
customers by answering product and service questions; suggesting information about other products and services.
questions;
Brief Job Description: Handles administrative senior
Brief Job Description: Attracts potential answering and service suggesting information about other products and services.
78. DO HOANG LAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative
89,999 67. LEE, DONG JUN Korean Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends in korean through blogs, micro blogs and forums. Basic
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE BusinessMirror A7www.businessmirror.com.ph Thursday, September 15, 2022 40. NGUYEN THI DUNG Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic ExcellentQualification:communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 41. PENG, CustomerXIUMIAOSupport Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time. Basic ExcellentQualification:communication skills in Chinese, both spoken and PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php 59,999 42. PHAM DINH QUYNH Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywrittenRange:30,000-Php
76. HUYNH KHANH
81.
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in english and their respective native for the position applied for; fluent in chines/mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantage.Range:30,000-Php 59,999
82.
59,999 J-NA ALLOUT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS CORP. 3/f Lipams Bldg., #48 President Avenue, B. F. Homes, City Of Parañaque 66. GWAK, YUN SEONG Korean Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Track main industry trends in Korean through blogs, micro blogs and forums. Basic
With at least 6 months customer service experience/ good in oral communication and
request and inquiries from
native
skills in Chinese, both spoken and
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
79. DUONG DANG DU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative
Brief Job ConductingDescription:regularin
depth analysis of our company’s policies and processes to ascertain strengths and shortcomings. Analyzing and reformulating existing and promising business contracts to maximize turnover. Scrutinizing the market to elucidate client’s need competitor’s activities and promising avenues that have not yet been explored. Inspecting company finances to identify trends and asset reasonable targets. Crafting short and long-term factional plans in consultation with the directors. Communicating strategies with staff to obtain their buy-in. Basic PhpSalaryandstrategiccommunicativealignmenttostatisticalofdecisivenessacumentrendsofcompletenegotiateabilityconsultanta/financeadministrationDegreeQualification:inbusinessquantitateeconomicsorsimilarextensiveexperienceasbusinessdevelopmentorequivalenttodraftdecipherandbusinesscontractsunderstandingcontemporarymarketsolidbusinesssupplementedwithconcretegrasproutineandadvancedprocedurescapacitymotivatestafftoensurewithvisionsversatileandasantitwispeakerenglishspeaker.Range:60,000-Php89,999 MC CONNELL DOWELL PHILS., INC. Level 4 Nol Tower, Commerce Ave., Alabang, City Of Muntinlupa 85. COMERFORD, ANTHONY MICHAEL Lead E&i Commissioning Strategist Brief Job Description: Ensure conformity of all commissioning activities with the construction and commissioning team to achieve company standards Basic TertiaryQualification:Qualification in the Relevant Engineering Discipline, Min of 10 Ys’ Experience in Engineering & Construction Industry With Significant Exposure to E&I Projects and/or Projects & Commissioning Engineering Salary Range: Php 500,000 and above MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. 4th-11th Flr. Nexgen Tower, C4 Rd. Edsa Ext., Barangay 76, Pasay City 86. KHAM SU OO Burmese Customer Service Representative Brief Job ManagingDescription:Incomingcalls and customer service inquires. Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 87. PHAR KYIT Burmese Customer Service Representative Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 88. PANG, YONGJIAN Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Read, and Write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 89. SUN, LINGZHI Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
skills in Chinese, both spoken and
reading and writing in english and their respective native language for the position applied for; fluent in chines/mandarin is an
Ghanaian
59,999 43. SUI, CustomerLIGUOSupport Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
skills in Chinese, both spoken and
LINH Vietnamese Admin Support Specialist
and their
80. LE VAN THOAN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative
Basic ProficientQualification:inspeaking, reading and writing in English and their respective native language for the position applied for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is an PhpSalaryadvantageRange:30,000-Php 59,999
Basic ExcellentQualification:communication PhpSalarywritten.Range:30,000-Php
skills in Chinese, both spoken and
for
Customer Service Representative
customers by
for. Fluent to Chinese Mandarin is
59,999 45. TRUONG DUC CANH Customer Support Specialist Brief Job Description: Being the voice of our players within our fast-growing online/ offshore gaming platform, stay on track with the game updates, proceduresimplementingtosupportplayers, work creatively across multiple projects and platforms at the same time.
skills in Chinese, both spoken and
Maintain accurate sales record
119. ZHAO, MandarinWEIWEITechnical Support
118. ZHOU, YA Mandarin Operations Specialist
112. ZONG-YI
record
Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forthepreparation of the overall network planning plan, and follow up the market dynamic information to improve the plan.
Description: Manage large of amounts of incoming calls and handle customers concerns.
Proven experienceprofessional Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999
Basic Qualification: Diploma in engineering.mechanical
134.
Basic Qualification: 100 vacancy/college graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in mandarin and English speaking
Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
137. VERA EKA LESTARI It Specialist
LIN,
Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales
AI
Brief Job MaintainDescription:theoperations of electronic gaming devices
Description: Work close with projects, construction and operation teams.
Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 GIA Mandarin Operations
116. WANG,
Brief Job MonitoringDescription:andmaintaining computer systems and network
Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Brief Job Supervise,Description:monitoroperation off all software operated electrical.
Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: 100 vacancy/college graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in mandarin and English speaking
Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
EDWARD COLIN Sr. Project Director - A&a
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Brief Job Description:
ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE ESTABLISHMENT / ADDRESS No. NAME OF FOREIGN NATIONAL , POSITION AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION QUALIFICATION AND SALARY RANGE BusinessMirrorA6 www.businessmirror.com.phThursday, September 15, 2022 90. PHANG SIAW YAN Malaysian Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 91. PHUNG THI HONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 92. TO THI HUE Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 93. VO VAN DAI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 94. VY VAN NGHI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 MPOTECH DIGITAL SYSTEM INC. 2/f 331 Bldg., Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Bel-air, City Of Makati 95. BENNY WIJAYA Indonesian Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems. Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 96. DEDY SAHPUTRA SITEPU Indonesian Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems. Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 97. KURNIAWAN Indonesian Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems. Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 98. VALENTINO PATONA Indonesian Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Provide product/services, information, answer questions and resolve emerging problems. Basic Qualification: Graduate 4 years bachelor degree with critical thinking and problem solving skills. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 NOKIA SHANGHAI BELL PHILIPPINES, INC. Penthouse W Fifth Bldg., 5th Ave. Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 99. FU, FANG Head Of Su International Business Group Brief Job Description: Run the daily business of mobile networks for the international business group whose business is predominantly in the Philippines; part of sales experience market management structure and interface for multiple customers and/or customer teams; owner of the end to end customer strategy and customer satisfaction; sales management of the nokia-wide portfolio for the sales unit, creates and executes sales unit specific business portfolio sales strategy, in coordination with business groups; supports breakthrough into targeted customers by ensuring alignment with market, and attending specific relevant regional external events. Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree; excellent communication skills; technical Salaryexpertise.Range: Php 500,000 and above OAMPI INC. 8/f 6780 Ayala Ave., Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati 100. LLANEZA GONZALEZ, HUMBERTO Spanish Content Moderation Analyst Brief Job Description: To organize by its community of users provide service support in variety of areas. Basic QuestionQualification:andanswer flatform using English and Spanish Language Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 OMNIWEALTH ENTERPRISE INC. 17th Flr. Citibank Square Bldg., No. 188 Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Eastwood City Cyberpark 3, Bagumbayan, Quezon City 101. AGUSTINA JULIAWENY Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs. Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies. Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 102. ERLINA Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs. Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies. Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 103. HA BA QUAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs. Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies. Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 104. LAU GIA PHAN Customer Service Representative Brief Job Description: Manage large amounts of incoming calls. Generate sales leads. Identify and assess customers’ needs. Handle customer complaints. Follow communication procedures, guidelines and policies. Basic Qualification: Must be a College graduate; Can Prepare product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information; Can contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed; Can Manage large amounts of incoming calls Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 PACIFIC SEA BPO SERVICES, INC. 16/f Pbcom Tower, 6795 Ayala Ave. Cor. V.a. Rufino St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 105. FEBRIAN DANIEL ANDRESON Data Analyst Officer Brief Job MultilingualDescription:customer support, specifically for other Asian language Basic Qualification: Must Be 21 Years Old and Above; Graduate of Any Vocational or Bachelor’s Degree Course; at Least 1 Year Experience as Data Analyst or Customer Service; With Good Oral and Written SalaryCommunicationRange: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 PHILIPPINE FULL DEGREE COMMUNICATIONS CORP. 10/f Alphaland Makati Place, 7323 Ayala Ave. Cor. Malugay St., Bel-air, City Of Makati 106. CHOU, MandarinKUAN-HUNGCustomer Service Brief Job MaintainsDescription:customerrecords by updating account info Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 107. HSU, MandarinWEI-CHUCustomer Service Brief Job MaintainsDescription:customerrecords by updating account info. Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 108. HUANG, MandarinYEN-CHIHCustomer Service Brief Job MaintainsDescription:customerrecords by updating account info. Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 109. A SIU HEN Mandarin Operations Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 110. DANG DUC HAI Mandarin Operations Specialist Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 111. LI, TSUNG-CHIEH Mandarin Operations Specialist
114. TANG
Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Qualification: Proven experienceprofessional Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 124. MIYAKE, JapaneseJINLanguage Teacher Brief Job Description: Teaches Japanese language to Japan bound trainees & enhancing the Japanese language skills Basic Qualification: Proven experienceprofessional Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SHIMIZU PHILIPPINE CONTRACTORS, INC. King’s Court Bldg. 1, 5/f 2129 P. Tamo St., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati 125. SHIMAMURA, NAMI Senior Administrator Brief Job Description: Manage the president’s and the general manager’s schedule/ support the president and general manager with translation and/or creation of various documents. Basic PreferablyQualification:japanese national/ able to read, write and speak english and japanese fluently. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 SHOPEE PHILIPPINES INC 37/f Seven/neo, 5th Avenue E-square Crescent Park West Bgc, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 126. CHOONG KAI SHUIN Assistant Manager - Shopee Xpress Brief Job Description: Observe daily operation activities Basic Qualification: Min 3 yrs exp in e commerce claims and SalaryinvestigationRange: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 127. LEE, Associate,YI-KUANBusiness Development - MarketplaceMandarin Relationship Management Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:inmaintaining good relationship wit top marketplace Basic Qualification: B.s Deg business mandarin speaking Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 128. ARORA, Associate,ARJUNShopeexpress (support Claims, Security And ResponsibleBriefInvestigation)JobDescription:forviewing ShopeeXpress cases Basic Qualification: Min 3 yrs exp in e commerce claims and SalaryinvestigationRange: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 129. JAIN, CategorySHREYANSHManagement Brief Job Description: Establish growth w partner Basic Qualification: B.S /M.A Business Ad Finance economics Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 130. WU, QIONG Relationship Management Lead Brief Job Description: Build team with growth mindset Basic Qualification: B.S Deg business Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999 STECONFER PHIL CORP. Unit 203 A 2nd Flr., One Felicity Center Commonwealth Ave., Holy Spirit, Quezon City 131. RASOOL, MUHABAT Track Officer Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:inrailassembly, coordinate activities and work teams Basic Qualification: At Least 10 Years of Work Experience in Railways, Construction, Metallurgy, and Civil Works Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SURESTE PROPERTIES INC. The Executive Offices, Solaire Resort & Casino, 1 Asean Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, City Of
Brief Job
Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Brief Job Description: Report on a daily basis operation of call center activities performing customer-oriented telephone activities & various background operation duties
Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales
Brief Job MaintainDescription:theoperations of electronic gaming devices
Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information
113.
Basic Qualification: Can speak Mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 TIN KHON Mandarin Operations Specialist
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SAGISAG INC. 18/f Gt Tower International, 6795 Ayala Ave.,, Bel-air, City Of Makati
115. TRAN
Specialist
138. CHAU TRONG NHAN Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer
Basic ProficientQualification:inwriting, reading and speaking in both Vietnamese/MalayBahasa/Thai/Chinese/English/
122. QIN, MandarinSIXI Speaking Quality Support
Brief
Brief Job ResponsibleDescription:forthemanagement of logistic distribution and warehousing.
Basic Qualification:
Mandarin Operations Specialist
THERMAX INSTRUMENTATION
Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record
141. PHUNG THI THU YEN Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer
Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information
Brief Job MaintainDescription:theoperations of electronic gaming devices
117. ZHANG, PING Mandarin Operations Specialist
VPC CORPORATE SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED 11/f 100 West, Sen Gil Puyat Ave. Cor., Washington St., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati
Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 143. TRUONG VAN THANG Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information
121. XIONG, WarehouseTONGSupervisor-mandarin
120. LUO, PlanningLEIMINGSupervisor
At least 1 year related experience, proficient in computer. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 SAKURA JAPANESE LANGUAGE SCHOOL INC. 3/f Miki Mari Bldg., Sta. Cecilia Rd., Talon Dos, City Of Las Piñas 123. AIDA, JapaneseHIROYUKILanguage Teacher Brief Job Description: Teaches Japanese language to Japan bound trainees & enhancing the Japanese language skills
140.
142. TRAN QUANG THANG Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information
Salary Range: Php 60,000 - Php 89,999
Salary
LUONG THI HOA Mandarin Operations Specialist
132.ParañaqueHOBBS,
133.
139. LE VAN CU Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer
Basic Qualification: At least bachelor’s degree with a 2years experience preferably in warehouse environment; fluent in mandarin/ basic language
Brief Job
Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information
GIANCHANDANI, JAGDISH RAMESH Distributed Control System Operation Incharge
Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 PHAN VAN THONG Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer
Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information
Basic Qualification:
Salary
135. ERMA APRIANI It Specialist
Brief Job Description: Maintain
Brief Job Description:
Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 144. TRUONG XUAN DAT Vietnam-speaking Customer Service Officer Brief Job Description: Prepares product or service reports by collecting and analyzing customer information Basic Qualification: Foreign language speaking Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 WNS GLOBAL SERVICES PHILIPPINES, INC. 9/f 1880 Bldg., Eastwood City Cyberpark, Bagumbayan, Quezon City 145. GAIND, POORNIMA Senior General Manager - Operations Brief Job Description: Client management, service delivery, and People management. Basic Qualification: Minimum requirement of at least 3 years with relevant experience as a Group Manager or as a Sr. Group Manager. Salary Range: Php 150,000 - Php 499,999 YULON FINANCE PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 17/f The Curve, 32nd St. Corner 3rd Avenue Bonifacio Global City, Fort Bonifacio, City Of Taguig 146. CHIOU, YI-CHING a.k.a. CORRINE CHIOU Credit Division Head Brief Job Description: Oversee the entire credit operations. Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Business or any related course, solid and extensive experience in credit investigation and evaluation, fluent in Mandarin and English. Salary Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999 *Date Generated: Sep 14, 2022 Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at DOLE National Capital Region located at DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya St., Malate Manila, within 30 days after this Pleasepublication.inform DOLE National Capital Region if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.
Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 FANGCHUN Mandarin Operations Specialist
TRI7 SOLUTIONS, INC. Unit 9-a 9/f Marvin Plaza Bldg., 2153 Don Chino Roces Ave., Pio Del Pilar, City Of Makati
Brief Job Description: Maintain accurate sales record
Basic Qualification:
JEFRI BIN ALIAS Malay Language Customer Service Representative
Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
record
136. JEANNY SAHARA It Specialist
Salary
Basic Qualification:
Basic Qualification: At least bachelor’s degree in business or in a related field and a 2years experience in planning discipline.
Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999
accurate sales record
Basic
LIMITED Unit 3, 9/f Galleria Corporate Center, Edsa, Ugong Norte, Quezon City
VERTEX DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 1439 Adriatico Cor. Sta. Monica St., 072, Barangay 669, Ermita, City Of Manila
Basic Qualification: 100 vacancy/college graduate with experience in maintain gaming devices, fluent in mandarin and English speaking
Basic Qualification: Can speak mandarin Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 PHILIPPINES FIBER OPTIC CABLE NETWORK LTD., INC. Unit 2802-2803, 28th Floor, The Podium, Adb Avenue, Wack-wack Greenhills, City Of Mandaluyong
Maintain accurate sales record
next“Tomonth.alsoaddress the tightness of our sugar supply, the Sugar Board passed an importation program to serve both the industrial users and consumers. This import program is just a stopgap measure because we expect supply from the mills to flow into the market as refineries
A KEY intergovernmental fo rum on fisheries and aqua culture has endorsed new voluntary guidelines governing the transfer of fish between ships, in a move aimed at curbing the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing that threatens the sustain ability of global stocks.
City Veterinarian of Cagayan de Oro Dr. Perla Asis, DM ex pressed her gratitude for the Quail Eggs Livelihood Kit. “The City Veterinary Office appreci ates the project of Pilmico to distribute these livelihood kits to the beneficiaries that would help them earn additional in come. This project will be a good opportunity for the beneficiaries to recover from the loss brought by the AsideASF.”from the Quail Eggs Livelihood Kit, Pilmico also partnered with AFI and Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Microfi nance (RAFI-MFI) for “Padayon sa Pagbusay (Paddle Unceasingly),” a rehabilitation project for fami lies affected by Typhoon Odette in Cebu and Bohol.
Forum endorses guidelines for transfer of fish between ships
importation in order to maintain a balanced supply and demand of sugar for domestic consumption,” accord ing to SO 2, a copy of which was ob tained by the BusinessMirror SO 2 stipulated that the import program “shall be open and available for consumption by all industrial users and consumers.”
The guidelines will support the FAO Agreement on Port State Mea sures, the first binding interna tional agreement intended to deter and eliminate IUU fishing, which entered into force in 2016, and the updated Global Record of Fishing Vessels, Refrigerated Transport Ves sels and Supply Vessels.
Soybeans gain most in more than a year on supply-squeeze surprise
The objective of the Voluntary Guidelines for Transshipment is to assist states, regional fisher ies management organizations (RFMOs), and other intergovern mental organizations by provid ing standards for developing their policies and regulations that gov ern transshipment, with a view to integrating these in regulatory frameworks for sustainable fisher ies Themanagement.guidelines can support fishers, fish processors and oth ers in the sector who act respon sibly and in accordance with their fishing authorizations, while helping authorities to monitor and rebuild stocks, conserve marine biodiversity and build sustainability in the long-term.
SOYBEAN
It defined industrial users as food, confectioneries, biscuits, bread, candies, milk, juice, and beverage manufacturers that use refined sugar in the production of their finished products for sale ex clusively in the domestic market.
‘Sugar import program is a stopgap measure’
“These fishes, however, are among the inland water resources that have experienced a fast decline due to several factors, such as overfishing, declining water quality, siltation, and illegal fishing,” BFAR said in a statement.
The disruption threat comes as the outlook for 2022-23 US soybean output and ending stockpiles fell short of expectations after drought took a toll on the plants, according to the USDA report.
Soy and grains are being scruti nized because of their role in the price of food. Inflation has ripped across the globe as Russia’s war with Ukraine strains the supply of key farm commodities and adds pressure on the other major ship pers to produce big harvests. Other potential threats loom, including a possible US freight-rail strike later this“It’sweek.obviously a concern, espe cially in North America at a time when we are beginning to harvest our crops and it’s a very intense ship ping period,” USDA chief economist Seth Meyer said in a Bloomberg Tele vision interview on Monday about the labor woes.
The two SOs were personally signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the chairman of the SRA board as he is the concurrent Agri culture Secretary. The documents were also signed by Alba, Ma. Mitzi V. Mangwag (sugar millers’ represen tative), Pablo Luis S. Azcona (sugar planters’ representative) and Senior Agriculture Undersecretary Domin go F. ThePanganiban.twoSOswere filed by the SRA with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR), UP Law Center on Tuesday after noon, together with SO 1. SO 2 will take effect three days after it has beenUnderfiled.SO 2, the 150,000-MT
The agency said the management of indigenous freshwater species, through sustainable programs and initiatives, is crucial and necessitates several focused strategies to resolve concerns and problems pertaining to their promotion and protection. This is where its National Inland Fisheries Technology Center (NIFTC) steps in.
TransshipmentDivision.involves the di rect transfer of fish from one vessel to another, regardless of its loca tion, before the cargo is recorded at its final destination.
BFAR wants to revive native fish species via breeding technology
“Through the NIFTC, we have already developed breeding methods for some of our indigenous freshwater fish species in partnership with the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute. Reviving the population of these indigenous species by breeding them in captivity, after all, is harnessing the uniqueness of our natural water ecosystems and biodiversity,” said BFAR OIC-Director Nestor Domenden.
as the holiday season is approach ing. “The most critical element in the recipe is the one that you dont have,” Meyer said.
Pilmico’s CSR footprint Asia,SoutheastreachesChina
Meanwhile, consumers, based on SO 2, shall refer to wholesalers and traders engaged in selling sugar in bulk to retailers and retailers refer to individuals selling sugar in small quantities to the general public for consumption.
Alba said the first import pro gram for crop year 2022-2023 under Sugar Order (SO) 2 is a “temporary solution” to the tightness in the country’s sugar supply as the pro jected raw sugar output remains lower than the anticipated demand. He added that the SRA expects local sugar refineries to begin operating
www.businessmirror.com.ph Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, September 15, 2022 A9BusinessMirror
second consecutive crop year that the Philippines allocated all its raw sugar output for domestic use due to lackluster output.
futures climbed 5.4 percent, the most in more than a year, after a closely watched crop report signaled shockingly tight
“Beanssupplies.stole the show today,” Jake Hanley, senior portfolio strate gist at Teucrium Trading, said after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its lat est supply-and-demand estimates. “Current expectations show usage exceeding production for the third crop season in a row.”
al, regional and global efforts to curb IUU fishing.
Through the NIFTC’s Indigenous Freshwater Fish Hatchery, the agency has established breeding techniques for various freshwater fish species as a result of holistic, innovative, and data-driven research and development.
“In fact, some sugar mills have already started milling and we will soon see a steady supply of sugar. Nevertheless, SRA is regularly moni toring the supply and demand situa tion so we can act accordingly.”
The Voluntary Guidelines for Transshipment, developed by Members of the Food and Agri culture Organization of the Unit ed Nations (FAO) and presented at the 35th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI35), which closed last September 9, “aim to regulate, monitor and control transshipment to support sustainable fisheries and further close loopholes that enable fish derived from IUU fishing to enter the market,” said Manuel Barange, Director of FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture
are expected to be in full operation by next month,” he said in a state ment on Wednesday, a day after the board issued SO 2.
It can take place in various lo cations, including ports, coastal waters and the high seas. While transshipment can be essential to reduce operating costs and maxi mize sustainable fishing opportu nities, if not properly regulated it can be used to disguise illegallycaught fish, undermining nation
Agriculture/Commodities
“These initiatives are crucial steps toward achieving food security and realizing the goal of the new administration of making the nation self-sufficient in food.”ThePhilippine Statistics Authority reported last month that the country’s agricultural output contracted by 0.4 percent in the first half, mainly due to the anemic performance of the crops and fisheries subsectors.
Brazil can still rebuild global soybean supplies, Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at USbased StoneX, tweeted on Monday. “But only if it has normal growing weather. What if La Nina challenges its production? That’s what end users have to worry about now.”
“These guidelines are a powerful tool with the potential to make a meaningful contribution to combat ing IUU fishing,” said Barange. Under the guidelines, it is rec
The value of crops produced in the first half fell by 2.2 percent, while that of fisheries declined by 3.9 percent. Palay fell by 2.2 percent, while corn recorded a 0.6-percent contraction during theTheperiod.output of coconut, mango, sugarcane, pineapple, coffee and tobacco also recorded lower values.
Ensure that all vessels involved in transshipments provide a declara tion containing specific data about the quantities of fish, the species and any bycatch.Sharetransshipment data such as vessel lists, notifications, autho rizations and declarations, observer and inspections reports, infractions and sanctions.Establish reporting proce dures to collect and cross-refer ence information on the quantity of fish landed by species, product form, area, and country of origin for processed fish.
Chicago soybeans for No vember settled the trading day on Monday up 5.4 percent at $14.8825 a bushel, the biggest increase since late June 2021 and highest price in about 11 weeks.
BFAR, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, noted that freshwater species are an essential component of inland waters and contribute significantly to the environment’s biodiversity.
Meyer said the possibility of a rail labor stoppage will need to be moni tored carefully. Along with produc ers trying to move their product, a strike would hurt consumers right
COFI had tasked the FAO Sec retariat with undertaking global studies on transshipment to sup port the development of these Vol untary Guidelines. The research found that a lack of regulation, monitoring and control increases the risk of fish caught through IUU fishing entering the seafood supply chain, jeopardizing the sustainable management of fisheries.
ILMICO and Gold Coin Group, the Aboitiz Group’s food subsidiary, strength ens its commitment to giving back to the communities it serves through various corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, andAsChina.Pilmico brings its quality products to the different regions in Asia, they are also taking the mission of Feeding Humanity to greater heights. Their various CSR initiatives previously held in the Philippines have now reached com munities across Asia where Gold Coin is “Pilmicopresent.hasserved as a partner for several communities from the many initiatives we have done in the Philippines. And now that we can finally do the same for Gold Coin, we are glad and excited to lend a helping hand. As the com pany continues to expand our reach across different regions in Asia, this means more opportunities for us to reach out to more com munities,” said Pilmico Corporate Social Responsibility Manager Ma. KatrinaPilmicoBayog-Mercado.livesoutthe Aboitiz Group’s greater purpose of advanc ing business and communities through its flagship project Pilmico Livelihood Kit, where they provide livelihood opportunities to farmers and
Theentrepreneurs.companypartnered with the Aboitiz Group’s CSR arm, Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI) for the Quail Eggs Livelihood Kit. The project aims to aid swine raisers from Caraga, Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte who were greatly affected by the African swine fever (ASF). A Memoran dum of Agreement (MOA) sign ing event was held last July 19, at the City Veterinary Office of Cagayan de Oro.
Soybeans are crushed to make cooking oil, fed to animals raised for meat, and also used in baked goods, processed foods and alterna tive fuels. Tight US supplies will put additional pressure on No. 1 grower Brazil to make up the difference. But the outlook is already clouded by the likelihood of a weather-roiling La Nina extending into next year and potentially making droughts more severe in parts of the South American nation.
SUGAR
Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief David John Thaddeus P. Alba said the 150,000 metric tons (MT) of refined sugar approved for importation is a “stopgap measure” that will help ease the sugar supply crunch.
refined sugar imports would be equally divided between indus trial users and consumers. The eligible participants for the im port program are all duly regis tered SRA international sugar traders in good standing for crop years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 and with renewed registration for crop year 2022-2023. (Related story: mt-of-sugar/)oks-importation-of-150000-com.ph/2022/09/14/pbbm-https://businessmirror.
BFAR said it aims to achieve its goal of carrying out its mandate regarding the country’s fisheries sector. It will focus on modernizing fishing, fish farming, and processing equipment and facilities, innovating through the promotion of unconventional production system, and intensifying existing programs,
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), represented by Assistant Secretary for General Administration and Regional Operations Cluster Maria Liavel C. Badillo-Crisostomo (third from right, lower photo) joins the national simultaneous bamboo and tree planting kick-off ceremony marking President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 65th birthday on September 13 at San Mateo, Rizal. With the theme “Buhayin ang Pangangalaga sa Kalikasan,” the President (seventh from right, top photo) led the planting of over 8,000 seedlings and bamboo planting stocks in Calabarzon. PHOTO BY JEROME SAJISE DOLE/IPS
The SRA board issued two Sugar Orders last Tuesday: SO 1, which allocated all raw sugar output in the current crop year for domestic use, and SO 2, which authorized the importation of 150,000 MT of refinedUndersugar.SO1, the SRA projected that total raw sugar output in crop year 2022-2023 may reach only 1.876 million MT, about 154,000 MT short of the estimated total demand of 2.03 million MT. This is now the
ommended that states and RF MOs Ensureshould:that vessels involved in transshipments are authorized by the relevant flag, coastal or port state and that vessels notify the rel evant authorities before conducting any type of Adopttransshipment.transparent report ing procedures to facilitate the verification of authorizations and transshipment data, allowing for effective monitoring, control and surveillance actions.
Bloomberg News
By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas
such as mariculture parks and Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL).
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In the second quarter alone, the value of production in agriculture and fisheries at constant 2018 prices fell by 0.6 percent. Crops and fisheries pulled down the performance of the sector in April to June.
“After taking into consideration all comments, inputs and informa tion the SRA deems it necessary to adopt additional, responsive, preemptive measures to ensure domes tic supply and manage sugar prices, in order to achieve the foregoing policy declarations through timely government intervention by way of
THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said it is revitalizing indigenous freshwater species to increase the output of the fisheries subsector through aquaculture.
DOLE JOINS PBBM’S 65TH BIRTHDAY BAMBOO PLANTING EVENT
The director of the city’s health commission, Yang Xiaoguang, said while the trend was falling, people should remain vigilant as cases are still being found in the community.Abouthalf the city, home to 21 million people, has started to allow residents to leave their homes or residential compounds. However, most non-essential businesses including entertainment venues, and schools remain shut. At least seven of the most populated dis tricts remain locked down.
The Fed has already raised its benchmark interest rate four times this year, with the last two increases by three-quarters of a percentage point. The federal funds rate is currently in a range of 2.25 percent to 2.50 percent.
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Markets honed in on a 0.6 per cent rise in such prices during August from July, double what economists expected, said Gargi Chaudhuri, head of investment strategy at iShares.
While countries like Singapore and Australia used to pursue virus elimination, they’ve since shifted to living with it like the US and Europe, leaving China increasingly isolated as it continues to priori
Expectations for a more ag gressive Fed also helped the dol lar add to its already strong gains for this year. The dollar has been surging against other currencies in large part because the Fed has been hiking rates faster and by bigger margins than many other central banks.
The lockdown in the western Xinjiang region’s Yining city, also known as Ghulja, has started to ease slightly, after outrage erupt ed on social media by residents suffering from a lack of food and access to medical treatment for weeks. Officials apologized for their mishandling of delivering supplies and necessities, and said that people in some neighbor hoods can leave their homes or residential compounds starting from Tuesday. Only essential ser vices in low risk areas are allowed to resume, such as restaurants and supermarkets, while most of the city’s businesses and schools remain shut. Bloomberg News
China Covid cases hold below 1,000 amid tighter restrictions
“The Fed can’t let inflation per sist. You have to do whatever is necessary to stop prices from go ing up,” said Russell Evans, man aging principal at Avitas Wealth Management. “This indicates the Fed still has a lot of work to do to
would hike its key short-term rate by a hefty three-quarters of a percentage point at its meet ing next week. But the hope was that inflation was in the midst of quickly falling back to more normal levels after peaking in June at 9.1 percent.
bring inflation down.” Higher rates hurt the economy by making it more expensive to buy a house, a car or anything else bought on credit. Mortgage rates have already hit their high est level since 2008, creating pain for the housing industry. The hope is that the Fed can pull off the tightrope walk of slowing the economy enough to snuff out high inflation, but not so much that it creates a painful recession.
EW YORK—The Dow Jones Industrial Aver age sank more than 1,250 points Tuesday, its steepest selloff in more than two years, af ter a government report showed that inflation is maintaining a surprisingly strong grip on the USTheeconomy.S&P 500 sank 4.3 per cent, its biggest drop since June 2020. The Dow fell 3.9 percent and the Nasdaq composite closed 5.2 percent lower. The sell-off ended a four-day win ning streak for the major stock indexes and erased an early rally in European markets.
projected to rise sharply.
The World BusinessMirrorThursday, September 15, 2022 Editor: Angel R. Calso • www.businessmirror.com.phA10
The hotter-than-expected reading has traders bracing for the Federal Reserve to ultimately raise interest rates even higher than expected to combat inflation, with all the risks for the economy that entails. Fears about higher rates sent prices dropping for ev erything from gold to cryptocur rencies to crude oil.
Treasury yields leaped immedi ately on expectations for a more aggressive Fed. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which tends to track expectations for Fed actions, soared to 3.74 percent from 3.57 percent late Monday. The 10-year yield, which helps dictate where mortgages and rates for other loans are heading, rose to 3.42 percent from 3.36 percent.
The thinking was that such a slowdown would let the Fed downshift the size of its rate hikes through the end of this year and then potentially hold steady through early 2023.
Mostrates.of Wall Street came into the day thinking the Fed
The S&P 500 fell 177.72 points to 3,932.69. The drop didn’t quite knock out its gains over the past four days. The index is now down 17.5 percent so far this year.
year’s United in Science report shows climate impacts heading into uncharted territories of de struction.”“Yeteach year we double-down on this fossil fuel addiction, even as the symptoms get rapidly worse,” he added. The report, drawn from data compiled by several UN agencies and partners, cited a 48 percent chance that global temperature rise compared to pre-industrial times will reach 1.5 degree Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) in the next five years. There’s a 93 percent percent chance that one year in the next five will see record heat. It comes amid fresh warnings
UN report sums up climate science: World heading in wrong direction
Tuesday’s report dashed some of those hopes.
GENEVA—With weather disasters costing $200 million a day and irreversible climate catastrophe looming, the world is “heading in the wrong direction,” the United Nations says in a new report that pulls together the latest science on climate change.
Bond prices also fell sharply, sending their yields higher, after a report showed inflation decel erated only to 8.3 percent in Au gust, instead of the 8.1 percent economists expected.
HINA’S Covid-19 cases held below 1,000 for a third day in a row as authorities ag gressively prosecute their zero tolerance strategy in the lead up to a key Communist Party meet ing next month.
AP Business Writer Damian J. Troise contributed. Veiga reported from Los Angeles.
Dow falls 1,250 points as markets shudder on dashed inflation hopes
tize preventing deaths at any cost. The outbreak in Chengdu, which has been largely locked down since the beginning of the month, is easing, with new cases holding below 50 for the past three days—down from a peak of 200 at the end of August. The city reported 35 cases for Tuesday.
“Right now, it’s not the journey that’s a worry so much as the des tination,” said Brian Jacobsen, senior investment strategist at Allspring Global Investments. “If the Fed wants to hike and hold, the big question is at what level.”
All but six of the stocks in the S&P 500 fell. Technology and other high-growth companies fell more than the rest of the market because they’re seen as most at risk from higher
The UN report says such “losses and damages” can be limited by timely action to prevent further warming and adapt to the tem perature increases that are now inevitable. Questions around compensation for the damage that poor nations suffer as a result of emissions produced by rich coun tries will play a major role at the upcoming UN climate talks in Egypt this fall. AP
UN Secretary-General Anto nio Guterres cited the floods in Pakistan, heat waves in Europe, droughts in places such as China, the Horn of Africa, and the United States—and pointed the finger at fossil“Therefuels.is nothing natural about the new scale of these disasters. They are the price of humanity’s fossil fuel addiction,” he said. “This
“This piece of data just ham mered home that the Fed isn’t going to have the data to do anything differently than con tinue on their rate-raising path for longer,” said Tom Martin, senior portfolio manager with Globalt Investments. “It just in creases the chance of an actual recession.”Manyof the data points within the inflation report were worse than economists expected, includ ing some the Fed pays particular attention to, such as inflation outside of food and energy prices.
FLOATING boat docks sit on dry ground as water levels have dropped near the Callville Bay Resort & Marina in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on August 30, 2022, near Boulder City, Nevada. The United Nations says weather disasters costing $200 million a day and irreversible climate catastrophe looming show the world is “heading in the wrong direction.” AP/JOHN LOCHER
Tuesday’s data puts hopes for such a “soft landing” under more threat. In the meantime, higher rates also push down on prices for stocks, bonds and other in vestments.Investments seen as the most expensive or the riskiest are the ones hardest hit by higher rates. Bitcoin tumbled 9.4 percent.
To be sure, the stock market’s losses only return the S&P 500 close to where it was before its recent winning streak. That run was built on hopes that Tuesday’s inflation report would show a more comforting slowdown. The ensuing wipeout fits what’s be come a pattern on Wall Street this year: Stocks fall on worries about inflation, turn higher on hopes the Fed may ease up on rates and then fall again when data undercuts those hopes.
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from scientists last week that four climate “tipping points” will likely be triggered if that temperature threshold—set in the 2015 Paris climate accord— is passed.Manygovernments are already trying to address the threat of more severe weather due to climate change, and data show that deaths from natural disasters are down in recent years. Yet the economic cost of climate-induced catastrophes is
The Dow lost 1,276.37 points to 31,104.97, and the Nasdaq dropped 632.84 points to 11,633.57.
The inflation figures were so much worse than expected that traders now see a one-in-three chance for a rate hike of a full percentage point by the Fed next week. That would be quadruple the usual move, and no one in the fu tures market was predicting such a hike a day earlier.
The World Meteorological Or ganization, in the latest stark warning about global warming, said weather-related disasters have increased fivefold over the last 50 years and are killing 115 per day on average—and the fall out is poised to worsen.
The nation reported 958 cases for Tuesday, compared with 915 on Monday. That included 18 in Beijing, which has seen flareups in a number of colleges and a high school in recent days. All of the capital’s cases were already in quarantine. Nationwide infec tions have fallen steadily from the most recent peak of 3,424 on August Officials17. have been tightening Covid containment measures, particularly around the capital, ahead of the meeting of top lead ers where President Xi Jinping is expected to secure a precedentbreaking third term. Areas near Beijing have been locked down, rules around virus testing tight ened and domestic travel discour aged over the next month.
China watchers have been grad ually downgrading expectations for the dismantling of Covid Zero, with Xi emphasizing his commit ment to the approach in recent months and officials enforcing more lockdowns this year than at any time during the pandemic.
By Stan Choe & Alex Veiga AP Business Writers
Arhirova reported from Kyiv.
A UKRAINIAN soldier holds up the Russian flag to demonstrate in Izium, Kharkiv region, Ukraine on Tuesday, September 13, 2022. Ukrainian troops piled pressure on retreating Russian forces Tuesday, pressing deeper into occupied territory and sending more Kremlin troops fleeing ahead of the counteroffensive that has inflicted a stunning blow on Moscow’s military prestige. AP/KOSTIANTYN LIBEROV
In his nightly address, Zelen skyy also pledged to restore nor malcy in the liberated areas.
In the face of Russia’s largest defeat since its botched attempt to capture Kyiv early in the war, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said troops were hit ting back with “massive strikes” in all sectors. But there were no im mediate reports of a sudden uptick in Russian Ukrainianattacks.President Volody myr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces were carrying out “stabiliza tion measures” across recaptured territory in the south and east, and rounding up Russian troops, “sabo teurs” and alleged collaborators.
“It will likely take years for Rus sia to rebuild this capability,” the British officials said.
Putin’s previous actions “have restricted his room to maneuver,” so he “wouldn’t be able to put any thing meaningful on the table.”
It was not yet clear if the Ukrai nian blitz, which unfolded after months of little discernible move ment, could signal a turning point in the nearly seven-month war.
As the advance continued, Ukraine’s border guard services said the army took control of Vovchansk—a town just 3 kilome ters (2 miles) from Russia seized on the first day of the war. Russia has acknowledged that it recently withdrew troops from areas in the northeastern region of Kharkiv.
abandoned, charred tanks. In one video, border guards tore down a poster that read, “We are one people with MomentumRussia.”hasswitched back
But even if Putin were to sit down at the negotiating table, Zelenskyy has made it clear that Russia must return all Ukraini an territory, including Crimea, Gallyamov said.
Irish leaders attended a service of reflection at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast despite tense relations between Dublin and London over Brexit. Since Britain left the European Union in 2020, the UK and the EU have been wrangling over trade rules for Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK that shares a border with a member of the bloc.
the influence of natural gas on the way that prices are set. Natu ral gas is used to power industry, heat homes and offices, and gen erateEvenelectricity.beforeRussia started its war against Ukraine, many EU member states had been calling for a thorough and structural reform of the bloc’s energy mar ket because they believe that the influence of gas in setting wholesale electricity prices is disproportionate.“Thecurrentelectricity market design...is not doing justice to con sumers anymore,” von der Leyen said. Raf Casert in Brussels
Amongmonths.Kharkiv’s battle-scarred apartment buildings, one man who returned to feed the birds struck a defiant tone, saying that the suc cess of the Ukrainian counterof fensive would likely prompt harsh Russian retaliation against civil ian targets. But he said the Kremlin would not succeed in intimidating ordinary Ukrainians.
Since Saturday, the Kharkiv regional police have repeatedly reported that local law enforce ment officers have found civilian bodies bearing signs of torture across territories formerly held by Russia. It was not possible to verify their statements.
Reports of chaos abounded as Russian troops pulled out—as well as claims that they were surren dering en masse. The claims could not be Ukrainianconfirmed.Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar said Kyiv is trying to persuade even more Rus sian soldiers to give up, launching shells filled with flyers ahead of their“Russiansadvance.use you as cannon fodder. Your life doesn’t mean any thing for them. You don’t need this war. Surrender to Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the flyers read.
By Elena Becatoros & Hanna Arhirova The Associated Press
Hundreds gathered around Hillsborough Castle near Belfast, the royal family’s official residence in Northern Ireland, in the latest out pouring of affection following the queen’s death. The area in front of the gates to the castle was carpeted with hundreds of floral tributes. Charles and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, got out of their car to wave to the crowd and sometimes used both hands to reach out to villagers, including schoolchildren in bright blue uniforms. Charles even petted a corgi—famously his late mother’s favorite breed of dog— held up by one person, and some chanted “God save the king!”
That split fueled three decades of violence known as “the Troubles” involving paramilitary groups on both sides and UK security forces, in which 3,600 people died. The royal family was touched personally by the violence: Lord Louis Mountbatten, a cousin of the queen and a much-loved mentor to Charles, was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb in 1979.
Ukraine intensifies pressure on fleeing Russian forces
Casket of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Buckingham Palace
“It is very important that to gether with our troops, with our flag, ordinary, normal life enters the de-occupied territory,” he said, citing an example of how people in one village had already begun receiving pension payments after months of occupation.
One who stood in the rain waiting for the hearse to pass, retired bus driver David Stringer, 82, recalled watching the queen’s corona tion on a newsreel as a boy.
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and forth before, and Ukraine’s American allies were careful not to declare a premature victory since Russian President Vladimir Putin still has troops and resourc es to tap.
The World
“Our proposal will raise more than 140 billion euros ($140 billion) for member states to cushion the blow directly,” von der Leyen said in a “State of the European Union” address to the EUWithassembly.winter approaching, the 27 EU member countries are strug gling to contain an energy crisis
“I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life,” Princess Anne said in a statement. “It has been an honor and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys. Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been both hum bling and uplifting.”
For talks to be possible, Pu tin “would need to leave and
She said that a “deep and com prehensive reform of the electric ity market” is required to reduce
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In a Facebook post, the head of the police force’s investigative department, Serhii Bolvinov, cited testimony from Balakliya resi dents and claimed that Russian troops “always kept at least 40 people captive” on the premises.
In a sign of how far Northern Ireland has come on the road to peace, representatives of Sinn Fein attended commemorative events for the queen and meeting the king on Tuesday.
“In our social market economy, profits are OK, they are good. But in these times it is wrong to receive extraordinary record revenues and profits benefitting from war and on the back of consumers. In these times, profits must be shared and channeled to those who need it the most,” she said.
By Jill Lawless & Mike Corder The Associated Press
Melitopol has been occupied since early March. Capturing it would give Kyiv an opportunity to disrupt Russian supply lines between the south and the eastern Donbas region, the two major ar eas where Moscow-backed forces holdMelitopolterritory.Mayor Ivan Fedorov wrote on Telegram that the Rus sian troops were heading toward Moscow-annexed Crimea. He said columns of military equipment were reported at a checkpoint in Chonhar, a village marking the boundary between the Crimean peninsula and the Ukrainian mainland.Inthe newly freed village of Chkalovske in the Kharkiv re gion, Svitlana Honchar said the Russians’ departure was sudden and“Theyswift.left like the wind,” Hon char said Tuesday after loading cans of food aid into her car. “They were fleeing by any means they could.”Some Russians appeared to have been left behind in the hasty retreat. “They were trying to catch up,” she said.
Meanwhile, military analysts sought to understand the blow sustained by Moscow.
“It’s a great shame,” he said. “I mean, I didn’t think about her every day, but I always knew she was there, and my life’s coming to a close now and her time has finished.”
“Scotland has now bid our Queen of Scots a sad, but fond farewell,” said Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. “We will not see her like again.”Charles had returned to London from Northern Ireland, where his visit drew a rare moment of unity from politicians in a region with a contested British and Irish identity that is deeply divided over the monarchy.Thenew king is making his own journey this week, visiting the four nations of the UK–England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
But the country’s officials were buoyant, releasing footage showing their forces burning Russian flags and inspecting
In the wake of the retreat, Ukrainian authorities moved into
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Alex Maskey, a Sinn Fein politician who is speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, said the queen had “demonstrated how individual acts of positive leadership can help break down barriers and encour ageCharlesreconciliation.”responded that she had tried to play a role “in bringing to gether those whom history had separated, and in extending a hand to make possible the healing of long-held hurts.”
A deep sectarian divide remains, a quarter century after Northern Ireland’s 1998 peace agreement.
“This is unacceptable to Mos cow, so talks are, strictly speak ing, impossible,” he said.
The setback might renew Rus sia’s interest in peace talks, said Abbas Gallyamov, an independent Russian political analyst and for mer speechwriter for Putin.
contributed to this report/AP
BusinessMirror Thursday, September 15, 2022
British intelligence said that one premier force, the 1st Guards Tank Army, had been “severely de graded” during the invasion, along with the conventional Russian forces designed to counter Nato.
that could lead to rolling blackouts, shuttered factories and a deep re cession. Russia has already cut gas supplies partially or entirely to 13 memberEuropecountries.hasalso been hit by a drought said by experts to be the worst in 500 years.
The coffin traveled to London from Edinburgh, where 33,000 peo ple filed silently past it in the 24 hours at St. Giles’ Cathedral after it had been brought there from her cherished summer retreat, Balmoral. The queen—the only monarch many in the United Kingdom have ever known—died there September 8 at age 96 after 70 years on the throne.
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Von der Leyen, dressed in a blue top and yellow jacket in Ukraine’s national colors, also said that the 27-nation bloc’s electricity mar ket must be reformed to properly tackle the energy-price hike crisis that is hurting European busi nesses and households.
The coffin will be taken by horse-drawn gun carriage Wednesday to the Houses of Parliament to lie in state for four days before Monday’s funeral at Westminster Abbey.
“Today means so much to me and my family, just to be present in my home village with my children to witness the arrival of the new king is a truly historic moment for us all,” said Hillsborough resident Robin
be replaced by someone who’s relatively untarnished by the current situation,” such as his deputy chief of staff, the Mos cow mayor or the Russian prime minister, Gallyamov said.
Putin “will strike so we don’t have water, electricity, to create more chaos and intimidate us,” said Serhii who only gave his first name. “But he will not succeed be cause we will survive, and Putin will soon croak!”
People parked their cars along a normally busy road, got out and waved as the hearse, with lights inside illuminating the flag-draped coffin, made its way into London. In the city, people pressed in on the road and held their phones aloft as it passed.
The military C-17 Globemaster carrying the casket touched down at RAF Northolt, an air force base in the west of London, about an hour after it left Edinburgh. UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, Defense Secre tary Ben Wallace and a military honor guard were among those at the base for the arrival.
Still, not everyone was welcoming the new king.
RUSSELS—A top Europe an Union official unveiled Wednesday a plan to cap the revenues of electricity producing companies that are making ex traordinary profits due to the war in Ukraine and climate change, saying the proposal could raise $140 billion to help people hit by spiraling energy prices.
ONDON—The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II returned to Bucking ham Palace on Tuesday evening, making its way through a driz zly London as crowds lined the route for a glimpse of the hearse and to bid her a final farewell.
The counteroffensive has pro voked rare public criticism of Pu tin’s war in Russia. Some of the war’s defenders played down the idea that the success belonged to Ukraine, blaming instead West ern weapons and fighters for the losses.
Russian troops were also pull ing out from Melitopol, the second largest city in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, the city’s preoccupation mayor said. His claim could not immediately be verified.
Thousands outside the palace cheered, shouted “God save the queen!” and clapped as the hearse swung around a roundabout in front of the queen’s official London residence and through the wrought iron gates. Her son, King Charles III, and other immediate family members waited inside.
WhileCampbell.therewas a warm welcome in Hillsborough, the British mon archy draws mixed emotions in Northern Ireland, where there are two main communities: mostly Protestant unionists who consider themselves British and largely Roman Catholic nationalists who see themselves as Irish.
several areas to investigate alleged atrocities committed by Russian troops against civilians.
HARKIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian troops piled pressure on retreating Russian forces Tuesday, pressing deeper into occupied territory and sending more Kremlin troops fleeing ahead of the counteroffensive that has inflicted a stunning blow on Moscow’s military prestige.
On Tuesday, regional police al leged that Russian troops set up “a torture chamber” at the local police station in Balakliya, a town of 25,000, that was occupied from March until last week.
The retreat did not stop Rus sia from pounding Ukrainian positions. It shelled the city of Lozova in the Kharkiv region, killing three people and injur ing nine, said regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov.AndUkrainian officials said Russia kept up shelling around Eu rope’s largest nuclear facility, where fighting has raised fears of a nuclear disaster. The Nikopol area, which is across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, was shelled six times during the night, but no injuries were imme diately reported, said regional Gov. ValentynStrikesReznichenko.havealso continued unabated on the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest and one that has been hammered by artil lery for
For some Irish nationalists, the monarch represents an oppressive foreign power. But others acknowledge the queen’s role in forging peace. On a visit to Northern Ireland in 2012, she shook hands with Sinn Fein deputy leader Martin McGuinness, a former IRA commander—a once-unthinkable moment of reconciliation. On Tuesday the new king shook hands with Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O’Neill.
He said he would draw on his mother’s “shining example” and “seek the welfare of all the inhabitants of Northern Ireland.”
Before being flown to London, the queen’s oak coffin was carried from St. Giles’ Cathedral to the strain of bagpipes. Crowds lining the Royal Mile through the historic heart of Edinburgh broke into applause as the coffin, accompanied by the queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, was driven to Edinburgh Airport.
“These companies are making revenues they never accounted for, they never even dreamt of,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France.
EU chief proposes electricity market reform, revenue cap
On the Falls Road in Belfast, a nationalist stronghold, several walls are decorated with murals of Bobby Sands, an IRA member who died while on a hunger strike in prison in 1981, and others killed in the Troubles.“No,he’s not our king. Bobby Sands was our king here,” said 52-yearold Bobby Jones. “Queen never done nothing for us. Never did. None of the royals do.”
By Lorne Cook & Samuel Petrequin
Decent work in the Philippines is defined as jobs that allow workers to earn more than the minimum wage, with duty hours of at least 40 hours per week. This also means workers are formally employed; they have full-time or permanent jobs; and are not in vulnerable employment.
The Delaware judge overseeing the case ruled last week that Musk can include new evidence related to Zatko’s allegations in the high-stakes trial, which is set to start October 17.
E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stock-market information and technical analysis provided by AAA Southeast Equities Inc.
Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who heads the Judiciary Committee, said Zatko has detailed flaws “that may pose a direct threat to Twitter’s hundreds of millions of users as well as to American de mocracy.”“Twitter is an immensely power ful platform and can’t afford gaping vulnerabilities,” he said.
The Philippines posted a gross domestic product growth of 7.4 percent in the second quarter of 2022, according to the Philip pine Statistics Authority. The encouraging news is that all the major economic sectors posted positive growth during the period. And we are on course to achieve the GDP growth target of 6.9 per cent this year.
The PSA earlier said the country’s unemployment rate slowed to 5.2 percent in July, the slowest since October 2019 when the jobless rate was at 4.5 percent. Economists, however, said the figures failed to impress as underemployment in creased in July and manufacturing, where decent jobs can be created, saw a decline in employment generation. (Read, “Unemployment slows, but jobs creation weak,” in the BusinessMirror, September 9, 2022).
“I am here today because Twitter leadership is misleading the public, lawmakers, regulators and even its own board of directors,” Zatko said as he began his sworn testimony.
Even so, “that doesn’t mean that Musk won’t use Zatko’s allegation that Twitter was disinterested in removing bots to try to bolster his argument for walking away from the deal,” said Insider Intelligence
Whistleblower: China, India had agents working for Twitter
Note that liquidity has nothing to do with the misleading “Cash is King” mantra. This is about being able to get in and out of an investment without major price distortion.
“In the Philippines, 43 percent of workers in sectors with a strong urban com ponent such as electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, are found in good quality jobs, compared to only 6 percent of rural workers in the agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing sectors,” the report said. It added that in the Phil ippines, individuals with secondary and tertiary education are four to five times more likely to have a good quality job than those with no education.
In a statement, Twitter said its hiring process is “independent of any foreign influence” and access to data is managed through a host of mea sures, including background checks, access controls, and monitoring and detection systems and processes.
Zatko was the head of security for the influential platform until he was fired early this year. He filed a whistleblower complaint in July with Congress, the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the Securities and Exchange Com mission. Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement
TrustButus.”the reality is that all of a sud den, liquidity can come with a price, a lower price, if the market says so and you never argue with Mr. Mar ket. Ask those that bought oil above $115, Ethereum above $3,000, the euro above 1.18, yen below 110, or Intel shares above $50.
There are people in government who are in a position to prevent Filipino work ers from being exploited by big business, but they have no compunction to act. Need we wonder why we have 6.54 million Filipinos who are underemployed? Our leaders should realize that the effects of underemployment are similar to those of unemployment— higher poverty levels.
These were some of the troubling revelations from Peiter “Mudge” Zat ko, a respected cybersecurity expert and Twitter whistleblower who ap peared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to lay out his allegations against the company.
The growing misery of underemployment editorial
WAShINGTON—Twitter’s former security chief told Congress on Tuesday there was “at least one agent” from China’s intelligence service on Twitter’s payroll and that the company knowingly allowed India to add agents to the company roster as well, potentially giving those nations access to sensitive data about users.
Unknown to Twitter users, there’s far more of their personal informa tion disclosed than they—or some times even Twitter itself—realize, Zatko testified. He said Twitter did not address “basic systemic failures” brought forward by company engi neers. The FTC has been “a little over its head,” and far behind European counterparts, in policing the sort of privacy violations that have occurred at Twitter, Zatko said.
OUTSIDE THE BOX
Back in the good old days, money was real money and what separated the men from the boys—and the small furry creatures—was leverage, written in big, bold, capital letters.
ment, expecting the profits made to be greater than the interest pay able.” Essentially, the two meanings are combined in the financial world. Using leverage used to be what sepa rated the “real men” from the “small furryWithcreatures.”enough borrowed capi tal, maximum advantage can be achieved. The prime example is the “leveraged buy-out” (LBO), the ac quisition of a company (by another company or by management) using a significant amount of borrowed money to meet the acquisition cost. American businessman Mal colm McLean bought Pan-Atlantic Steamship Corporation (now Maersk SeaLand) in 1955 by borrowing $55 million.In1982, former US Treasury Sec retary William E. Simon and his in
analyst Jasmine Enberg.
At some point we will see the li quidity trigger pulled because every thing is in place for that to happen. The “real men” are ready to make some real money from the small furry creatures.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Repub lican from South Carolina, said one positive result that could come out of Zatko’s findings would be bipartisan
In an ideal world, when the economy continues to grow, the workers should get to enjoy their fair share of the prosperity pie. Sadly, the labor situation in the Philippines is far from ideal. Just ask the millions of “endo” workers how vulner able they feel—they have no job security, no social protection, no sick leave and vacation leave, no 13th-month pay, no benefits.
Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma admitted that the quality of jobs in the country remains a challenge for the DOLE. He said they are working closely with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to upskill workers. He also confirmed coordination with the Commission on Higher Education, Depart ment of Education, and TESDA, as part of the implementation of the Philippine Qualifications Framework Act to address jobs mismatch in the country.
The bad news: Underemployment figures are moving in the wrong direction.
La Haine is a French film that won Best Director at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. In it, a man falls from a 50-story building and as he falls, repeats constantly for reassurance: “So far so good…So far so good…So far so good.”
by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.
See “Whistleblower” A13
Zatko told lawmakers that the social media platform is plagued by weak cyber defenses that make it vulnerable to exploitation by “teen agers, thieves and spies” and put the privacy of its users at risk.
John Mangun
“They don’t know what data they have, where it lives and where it came from and so, unsurprisingly, they can’t protect it,” Zatko said. “It doesn’t matter who has keys if there are no “Twitterlocks.”leadership ignored its engineers,” he said, in part because
www.news.businessmirror@gmail.comThursday, September 15, 2022 • Editor: Angel R. Calso Opinion BusinessMirrorA12
“their executive incentives led them to prioritize profit over security.”
But now it is 2022 and the game is changing because conditions are shifting. From a peak of $400 billion in 2007, the LBO value volume fell to $40 billion in 2011. This jumped to about $150 billion in 2021. With interest rates increasing to an un known high, leverage will become less attractive and may be replaced by the new ‘L’: Liquidity.
Zatko’s allegation that Twitter was more concerned about foreign regulators than the FTC, Enberg said, “could be a wakeup call for US lawmakers,” who have been unable to pass meaningful regulation on social media companies.
‘IN those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri were real small furry creatures from Al pha Centauri.”—Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
One issue that didn’t come up in the hearing was the question of whether Twitter is accurately count ing its active users, an important metric for its advertisers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is trying to get out of a $44 billion deal to buy Twitter, has argued without evidence that many of Twitter’s roughly 238 million daily users are fake or malicious accounts, aka “spam bots”.
The next financial ‘L’ word
This is complicated but I will do my best to make sense. “Without major price distortion” is the critical phrase. From here on, as short-term
Sen. Nancy Binay asked the Department of Labor and Employment on Monday what it is doing to address the increased rate of underemployment. She cited the latest PSA report saying the number of underemployed Filipinos rose to 6.54 mil lion in July from 5.89 million in June.
Senator Joel Villanueva on Friday said the drop in unemployment from 6 percent to 5.2 percent in June is a positive indicator in jobs recovery, even as he expressed concern over the rising number of underemployed Filipinos. “We still face a precarious jobs situation which requires aggressive intervention,” Villan ueva said. “We need jobs that are secure and pay decently, not temporary, informal and insecure, especially amid rising prices due to inflation.” (Read, “Villanueva flags rising number of underemployed Filipinos,” in the BusinessMirror, September 9, 2022).
Archimedes was a Greek math ematician, physicist, engineer, as tronomer, inventor, and designer of weapons such as “The Claw of Archi medes,” which even the name alone could strike fear in the Carthagin ian hearts. He is also credited with the most famous “leverage” quote in physics. “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”
vestor group acquired Gibson Greet ings, the greeting card company, for $80 million, of which only $1 mil lion was contributed by the inves tors. Sixteen months after the deal, Gibson did a $290 million IPO and Simon made approximately $66 mil lion. Maximum advantage through maximum borrowing is maximum leverage.Theearly 2000s were the gold en age of LBO as US interest rates dropped from 6+ percent down to one percent in 2004. How can you not make a fortune when you can borrow money for almost free?
As leverage is a formidable finan cial tool (ok, it’s really a weapon) for making profits, so also is liquidity.
During the hearing, Musk tweeted a popcorn emoji, often used to suggest that one is sitting back in anticipa tion of unfolding drama.
rates go higher, investors will move from “riskier” to “less riskier,” which creates outflows of capital from the former. What this does is create a mismatch between the liquidity terms offered to the investor and the actual liquidity of the underly ing investments. The Fed is saying, “Buy government bonds/stock mar ket/commodities. You can always sell out and we will protect the prices.
Separately on Tuesday, Twitter’s shareholders voted overwhelming ly to approve the deal, according to multiple media reports. Shareholders have been voting remotely on the is sue for weeks. The vote was largely a formality, particularly given Musk’s efforts to nullify the deal, although it does clear a legal hurdle to closing theZatko’ssale. message echoed one brought to Congress against an other social media giant last year.
But unlike that Facebook whistle blower, Frances Haugen, Zatko hasn’t brought troves of internal docu ments to back up his claims.
“A lot of the jobs seem to be generated in the informal sector as underemploy ment is up by 1.2 percentage points. July is also harvesting season so jobs are expected to be plentiful during this month,” Ateneo Eagle Watch Senior Fellow Leonardo A. Lanzona Jr. told the BusinessMirror. “My sense is that people were willing to work—which led to the higher labor force participation rate, and were amenable to do so even at low compensation—which resulted in the high underemployment.”Arecentreportby the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific said that less than half of the Philippine workforce is employed in a quality job. In the report, “The Workforce We Need: Social Outlook for Asia and the Pacific,” UNESCAP said only 40 percent of working Filipinos have decent jobs. These workers earn more than twice the income of those with poor quality jobs in the Philippines (Read, “Only 40% of Pinoys have quality jobs—UNESCAP,” in the BusinessMirror, September 7, 2022).
The word leverage means to “use something to maximum advantage” as in “I’m gonna make him an of fer he can’t refuse” because I’m the Godfather. Another meaning is to “use borrowed capital for an invest
By Marcy Gordon, Matt O’brien & Barbara Ortutay AP Business Writer
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O’Brien reported from Providence, R.I.; Ortutay reported from Oakland, California.
As the child develops his or her thinking, the experiences of learn ing the lessons are imposed upon the social environment where playing is
young learners master that capacity to think, the rest of learning oppor tunities follow and the infinite learn ing potential is unleashed.
Moreover, the use of MT reinforced pupils’ motivation and made them feel more comfortable and confi dent. This experimental study has discovered that MT as a medium of instruction in early childhood class room is very effective in improving pupils’ learning abilities.
The above studies (and many more available) may help guide the reshaping of the educational lin guistic landscape in the country, which has provided opportunity for MTs to take important spaces in the early education curriculum as an educational reform that is both long overdue and promising. May those who will meddle with the use of MTB-MLE be guided not by opinions and emotions but by em pirical evidences.
Ablan stayed in the rugged moun tains of Ilocos Norte. The economy of the provincial government need ed to be sustained. He had no ac cess to Commonwealth money and was unable to pay the officials and other people who had followed him. He then requested Quezon to send money in order for them to buy food and to pay the people. Because of the difficult situation, President Quezon
legislation to set up a tighter system of regulation of tech platforms.
Governor Roque B. Ablan Sr.: A hero, wherever he is buried
Ablan came from a very simple family amid the nobility in his surroundings. He was born in Ilocos Norte carrying with him the coura geous ideals of Pedro Mateo, Saral
Norte, every 9th of Au gust, the Ilocano community immor talizes the heroic deeds of a valiant man and one of the foremost Filipino patriots of World War II—former Governor Roque Blanco Ablan Sr. The celebration include many activi ties to bring to life his memory and honor; to remember his selfless sac rifice and dedication to ideals, people andGovernorcountry.
Ablan went on fighting, and was last seen at the battle of Bumitalag, Piddig, Ilocos Norte on February 5, 1943. Was he slain there or captured by the Japanese and executed? No body knows. Since then, Ablan was nowhere to be found. President Que zon would write a personal letter to him in 1944 (on board the submarine Stingray in August 1944) congratu lating Ablan for his loyalty. Ironically, by the time the Stingray arrived in Pagudpud, President Quezon was already dead. Perhaps history buried Ablan in the soul and spirit of the province of Ilocos Norte where he will reside forever in loving memory. Truly, Ablan is a hero, wherever he is buried.
Zatko also revealed Tuesday that he was told about a week before his firing that “at least one agent” from the Chinese intelligence service MSS, or the Ministry of State Security, was “on the payroll” at Twitter.
most conducive in the company of other diverse learners. The teacher, being a new authority in the experi ence, becomes the facilitator for the transformation of children wanting to play to children wanting to learn to know, to do, to be, and to live to gether. Growth, development and learning theories have evolved to guide the teaching and the learning. What looks simple to adults may be a burden to these children. Hence, the use of internal resources that they have may be the best strategy to use in making them see the big ger world around them towards the lighting of their fire and not filling of their cup. The MTB-MLE remains to be the most effective foundation for their learning, after all it is the language of their thinking. Once the
Dr. Jose further stated: “But Japa nese pressure mounted as Ablan’s forces faced serious shortages and losses. His own wife and son were eventually cap tured as narrated by his son, Roquito. Even Madamba, thinking Ablan was dead, eventually gave himself up. The Japanese raided Ablan’s camps and capital and pushed Ablan deeper into
In Nigeria, a study conducted by Awopetu investigated the impact of MT on the learning abilities of preschool children in one of the states in Nigeria, the nation of over 200 ethnic groups and more than 400 na tive languages. The study concluded
continued from A12
Here are some research evidences to prove that.
Entrepreneurs’Dr.FootprintsCarlE.Balita
Hen common-sense isn’t common, the use of empirical evidence must guide our decisions, especially for poli cy formulation of matters vital to the nation. Recently, there were questions raised over the use of the mother tongue-based multi-lingual education (MTB-MLe) in our early childhood basic education curriculum. amid the ocean of opinions, there are em pirical evidences from local and foreign studies that may awaken the judgmental conclusions of the emerging opinionated “experts” med dling with the discussion of a very sensitive issue where the future of our learners, and our nation, rests.
Ilocanos turn nostalgic whenever young politicians quote the former Governor Roque B. ablan, Sr. in their speech es. His inaugural address, delivered on new Year’s day in 1938, was a landmark in Iloko oratory. an excerpt: “I know that the prime duty of the government is to protect life, property and honor of the gov erned. I know our present situation, and if the past administration had been too good and fair and just, I, on my part, pledge to strive more, to devote most of our time in banishing FEAR…Might will never defeat the law. I will not allow the agents of the law and peace to be negligent in the enforcement of the law; I will not allow them to be lenient in their duties; I will stress the fair and right application of laws equally. In my conviction, the law is for all, be they my friends or not.”
Thursday, September 15, 2022 Opinion A13BusinessMirrorwww.news.businessmirror@gmail.com
ogo Ambaristo, Don Claro Caluya and Teofilo Ildefonso (Piddig), Juan and Antonio Luna (Badoc), Gregorio Aglipay (Batac), and many other he roes who gave their lives for the sake of liberty. He endeavored to survive amidst life’s hardships. As a selfsupporting student, he also felt the responsibility to serve his people. He became a student leader and wrote in newspapers; entered public service and became the youngest governor of Ilocos Norte.
He made sure that there was a smooth coordination between the guerilla fighters in the free areas and those in the mountains to enable them to advance more than the Japa nese. Mrs. Manuela R. Ablan worked with women volunteers to organize an auxiliary service to support the fighting men and take care of their families. Thus, his headquarters was called “Malacañang of the North” in keeping with the memory of the free Philippines alive.
The author is the Secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan of the municipal government of Piddig, Ilocos Norte and an ardent lover of history and culture.
Whistleblower . . .
The Japanese rule in the Phil ippines surprisingly brought some good developments. Drama, music and painting flourished because of theirButencouragement.therearealways harsh reali ties of war. And the Ilocanos might ily united against the enemy. Ordi nary peasants, indigenous peoples and citizens of all walks of life came together to fight as one—to defeat theThefoe. Philippines has produced many heroes. In the annals of his tory, these men faced insurmount able odds to defend the family and home, to fight for ideals, beliefs and above all our own country. However, very few Ilocano heroes have been given due recognition, and many of them are from the Spanish colonial period or during the Revolution against Spain. Unfortunately, these brave souls were not given attention or recognition.ManyWorld War II heroes have been forgotten. There are a handful of historians and writers who tried to document their deeds for the fu ture generation. But as time goes by, the honorable and selfless actions of these Ilocanos face the risk being forgotten.InIlocos
There were pressing problems and social issues during his incumbency as governor. He tackled the problems of lawlessness and massive unem ployment. He established a branch of the Philippine Normal School in Laoag, thereby helping the teachers break out from poverty. He initiated beautification and encouraged the or ganization of credit cooperatives. He also believed that greater authority be given to local government units for they know very well their own problems.Hisaccomplishments were etched in the hearts of his constituents. Because of these, he won a second term in 1941, the year when the war broke in the Pacific. Consequently, his administration was tested—he needed to respond to the needs of his constituents. It was the dawn ing of a “Dark Age” in the province, because the arrival of the Japanese would mean destruction and threat to the lives of the Ilocanos.
and 95 percent of the provincial gov ernment—all the officials and most of the employees, down to the lowly clerks —evacuated to the mountains to keep the Ilocos Norte provincial government in operation. In so doing, Ablan became the first Filipino provincial governor to openly declare resistance, knowing the dangers and difficulties they might face. Through his action, he became an inspiration to his people.”
What we need to know about the Mother Tongue
A quasi-experimental study was conducted by Santiago and Dag dag in Isabela, Philippines to test the effect of mother tongue-based multi-lingual education on the aca demic achievement, metacognition, learning processes, and self-efficacy of Ilocano Grade 3 pupils in Sci ence learning. Findings indicated that children who are taught using mother tongue have higher mental flexibility processing power and spontaneity and higher self-esteem and academic achievement. MTBMLE learners feel more comfortable in asking and answering questions, sharing thoughts, and doing things
In South Africa, an empirical research study was done in an at tempt to determine whether moth er-tongue subtitling would improve learners’ comprehension of science. In this study by Mahlasela, it is concluded that mother-tongue sub titling improves comprehension in physical science as a Grade 12 con tent subject in secondary education. This study adds to the ever-growing number of schools of thought that mother tongue teaching in South African schools is practical and could be beneficial. An even wider scope for intervention studies of this nature should be explored where mothertongue subtitling for other second ary education is also implemented andInevaluated.Lithuania, a revival of interest to use MT in the English classroom is stipulated by necessity to improve language accuracy, fluency and clar
W
ity. A paper by Mykolas examined students’ perceptions of the use of MT and translation in various lin guistic situations. The activities that help raise learners’ awareness of the language use are described. The findings demonstrate that all learners need a support of MT in English classes, but the amount of the native language needed depends on students’ proficiency in English.
Ablan went on fighting, and was last seen at the battle of Bumit alag, Piddig, Ilocos Norte on Feb ruary 5, 1943. Was he slain there or captured by the Japanese and executed? Nobody knows. Since then, Ablan was nowhere to be found.
He said he was similarly “sur prised and shocked” by an exchange with current Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal about Russia—in which Twitter’s current CEO, who was chief technology officer at the time, asked if it would be possible to “punt” con tent moderation and surveillance to the Russian government, since Twitter doesn’t really “have the abil ity and tools to do things correctly.”
Still, Zatko came off as a convinc ing whistleblower that has “a lot of credibility in this space,” said Ari Lightman, professor of digital me dia and marketing at Carnegie Mel lon University. But he said many of the problems he raised can likely be found at many other digital technol ogy“Theyplatforms.avoid security protocols in a sense of innovating and running really fast,” Lightman said. “We gave digital platforms so much autonomy at the beginning to grow and develop. Now we’re at a point where we’re, ‘Wait a minute.... This has gotten out of Amonghand.’the assertions from Zatko that drew lawmaker attention was Twitter’s apparent negligence in deal ing with governments that sought to get spies a job inside the company. Twitter’s inability to log how employ ees accessed user accounts made it hard for the company to detect when employees were abusing their access, ZatkoZatkosaid.said he spoke with “high confidence” about a foreign agent that the government of India placed at Twitter to “understand the nego tiations” between India’s ruling party and Twitter about new social media restrictions and how well those ne gotiations were going.
In a study by Perez and Alieto in the Philippines, students with high level of proficiency in the mother tongue perform well in mathemat ics. This study lends proof that mother tongue (MT) as medium of instruction, contrary to beliefs overrating English and devalu ing mother tongues, is a plausible choice as language of instruction. The study provides empirical result that points to an academic gain that is possible when children’s mother tongue is utilized as Language of Learning (LOL). The study found that when the children are taught in a language known to them, they can make sense of the concepts dis cussed in the classroom.
on their own; and MTB-MLE learners foster higher critical thinking skills and control of their learning. The purpose of using MT in school should be to facilitate the communication of ideas sensitive to the prevailing cultures of the learners, and not to bring back the exact language and cultures of the past. In the case of the Ilocano learners in the study, their MT which is Ilocano, borrows some Tagalog and even English words for teaching and learning Science. Basi cally, teaching in the language easily understood by the learners, which is exactly their MT, is the best way to facilitate communication that even tually leads to successful learning.
To his honor, the old Bucaneg Street in Laoag was renamed Gov. Roque B. Ablan, Sr. Avenue. Other places were also named after the great governor, such as: the Ilocos Norte Provincial Hospital is called the Gov. Roque B. Ablan, Sr. Memo rial Hospital; the current SM Hyper market adjacent to the Marcos Hall of Justice was originally called the Gov. Roque B. Ablan, Sr. and Ilocano Heroes Hall; three schools—one in Laoag City, one in the municipality of Solsona and the other in the munici pality of Burgos; three barangays in Ilocos Norte—one in the municipal ity of Burgos, another in the munici pality of Sarrat and one in Batac City were named after him. One baran gay in Calanasan, Apayao was also named after him. There is a shrine dedicated to Ablan in Barangay 22, Laoag City, which was established by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Also, the locals call one road in the municipality of Vintar as Roque Ablan Sr. Pass because, according to them, it was one of the places where Governor Ablan was last seen. The locals also said that Governor Ablan Sr. had a house in Brgy. Cabayo and that one of the locals kept the pajamas that the late governor left there.
“We need to up our game in this country,” he said.
A child enters the school not as a tabula rasa (blank slate) but as a young being with experiences and capability to think. The learner’s simplistic thinking process is then exposed to instructions to deliver learning experiences. The concept of language learning is introduced along with curricular goals for vari ous subject areas. And there is a mesh of cognitive challenge imposed upon a learner whose only wanting is to play. The achievement of the learning outcomes is now competing with the major task a learner needs to achieve in life—thinking. The language of that thinking is the mother tongue.
the mountains. Governor Ablan parted from his family in December 1942, head ing for Cagayan to confer with Governor Marcelo Adduru, also a key resistance figure. One writer recorded his parting words: “How I hate myself for having one life to give to my country. But don’t cry. I will be back when liberty returns to our people.”
that using MT in early childhood classroom was effective in foster ing children’s learning abilities. The major finding of this research is that the students in the experimental group, where the medium of com munication and instructions was mostly MT, performed better than their counterparts who communi cated mostly in English. The effect of the MT on the quality of learn ing abilities could be attributed to the fact that the pupils didn’t need to do any mental translation of all concepts, which were presented in the Yoruba language and not in English in order to gain sufficient meaning of the concepts presented.
Picture of Governor roque B. Ablan Sr. and wife, Mrs. Manuela r. Ablan
By Jayson Lorenzo Antonio
authorized Ablan to print his own money, with the district auditor and the provincial treasurer. There were emergency war notes that bore their signatures and which adopted vari ous means to prevent counterfeiting. These speak of the ingenuity of Ablan and his men. The money they printed were widely used as a legal tender in the free areas of Northern Luzon.
In China, a study of students of a comparative linguistic course in a teacher education program were asked to design a series of tasks for Chinese learners of English in local schools. The study found out that by making explicit reference to learners’ conceptual understanding of the MT, and by raising their conscious aware ness of similarities and differences between Chinese and English, learn ers’ existing schema can be activated. The use of MT increases learning efficiency and smoothens learning process since it enables us to learn a new language without at the same time returning to infancy and learn ing to categorize the world all over again. Taking advantage of what stu dents have already known conceptu ally, strategically, and linguistically allows a “cumulative development” and “intellectual continuity” in lan guage development.
For feedback, please send e-mail to drcarlbalita@ yahoo.com.
Dr. Ricardo T. Jose, professor at the Department of History of the University of the Philippines, said: “As the Japanese approached Laoag, Governor Ablan consulted with mem bers of the provincial government, explaining his determination to resist the Japanese invaders and keep the civil government functioning. Before the Japanese occupied Laoag, Ablan
Many of Zatko’s claims are uncor roborated and appear to have little documentary support. Twitter has called Zatko’s description of events “a false narrative ... riddled with in consistencies and inaccuracies” and lacking important context.
SeaSoned
He met Lt. Feliciano Madamba, leader of a group of Filipino soldiers, who was also against the Japanese forces. They worked together, with Ablan heading the civil government and Madamba in charge of the mili taryAccordingoperations.tosources, Ablan sent a message to President Quezon: “I am happy to report to your Excellency that despite the occupation of Laoag and San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, our government is still functioning and our people have not alienated a bit of their allegiance to your leadership and to the Philippine Govern ment and to the United States… Not a single provincial official or mayor has submitted to the Japanese. We prefer to be simple citizens than puppet officials under the Japanese rule.”
The government, Move as One said, should “adopt a proper service contracting program and speed up its Thisimplementation.” wasbackedby Jose Regin F. Regidor, a research fellow at the University of the Philippines-Dili man National Center for Transpor tation Studies, who said the Libreng Sakay Program “is not sustainable since there is the same poor qual ity of service and there is limited funds to cover most cities in the country.”
Libreng Sakay budget-wise–DOTr‘untenable’chief
Senator Jinggoy Estrada said a SIM registration Law will be “a valuable crime prevention strat egy and cyber-defense capabil ity,” adding it will effectively arm the Philippines against crossborder crimes use SIM cards.
The senator said this “gives us almost 4.95 billion spam text messages that we receive on a monthly basis. Multiply by 12 months, that is a whopping 59.4 billion chances of being scammed thru these pester ing text messages! And it only takes one inadvertent click out of these 59.4 billion text attacks in a year for your mobile secu rity to be compromised or for you to be scammed!” Continued on A5
Without funding for next year,
T
In co-sponsoring timely Sen ate plenary passage of SB 1310 to thwart SIM card-enabled crimes, Estrada noted that “these text scams and spams surpass a mere breach of privacy and safeguard fromEstradaintrusions!” cited a report the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) obtained that “leads indi cating that the source of person alized text scams or unsolicited text messages are based abroad.”
“We should understand though that while Libreng Sakay provided much appreciated transport relief
recurring expenditure item.
The DOTr earlier said it will ap peal for the inclusion of the Libreng Sakay in its budget for 2023. Move As One Coalition earlier recommended the removal of the “flawed free ride program,” while expanding the number of pub lic transport units to address the transport crisis.
It noted that the Free Ride Pro gram of the government is not a “genuine” SCP, as it should include greater involvement of local gov ernment units in collecting fares, micro-financing, and co-imple menting the program, among many others in Move As One’s list.
The SCP was first introduced through Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act. It was then extended through general appropriations as a means to cushion the effect of the pandemic on both commut ers and Underdrivers. theprogram, transport service providers and workers will pay operators and drivers based on the maximum number of trips made per week, with or without passengers, and in compliance with agreed-upon performance indica tors. PUV operators will also receive a one-time incentive of P5,000 per unit to cover “pre-operating costs” while operational incentives will be given on a weekly basis.
Requiring registration of all SIM cards in the country to help not only in crime investigation and solution of law enforcement agencies, will help improve the government’s cyber-defense ca pabilities as well, he said.
As of February 2022, at least 98.8 percent of Filipinos aged 16 to 64 own any kind of mobile phone, adding: “By estimates, let us compute it this way—we are 110 million Filipinos to day. Assuming that 55 million out of the 110 million Filipinos who have one mobile number, receive an average of three spam text messages per day— that is 165 million spam-scam text messages a day, that have already evaded the blocking capabilities of both Globe and Smart telecommunications.”
the SCP is expected to run only un til December 31, 2022.
SENATORS FAST-TRACK SIM CARD REGISTRY BILL
Libreng Sakay or Free Ride Pro gram, which allows commuters to ride the Edsa Busway without pay ing their fares, is a sub-component of SCP. “Weare more than willing to col laborate with the OVP on Libreng Sakay as we did several weeks back, dedicating five OVP buses for Li breng Sakay in Metro Manila, Cebu and Davao,” Bautista said.
ing with its international coun terparts. Estrada noted that “as what our law enforcers have said in our public hearing, this text scam modus operandi has been around as far back as 20 years.”
By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan
A14 Thursday, September 15, 2022
HREE senators pressed for quick passage of the subscriber identity module (SIM) card registration bill that Congress is rushing amid the alarming rise in digi tal-enabled SIM scams.
DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista admitted on Wednesday that the long-term implementation of its Libreng Sakay Program, which provided farefree public transport rides to millions of commuters, is “untenable.”
When asked for comment on the seemingly disproportionate allotment of Vice President and Department of Education Sec retary Sara Duterte for her own Libreng Sakay Project versus the transport department’s zero budget for the same program, Bautista said the funding for the agency’s initiative is hinged on the “prerogative of the Depart ment of Budget and Management in accordance with government’s fiscal priorities and with due ap proval from Congress.”
during the pandemic, its long-term viability is untenable considering the constraints to the national budget,” Bautista said. Duterte, during the House Com mittee on Appropriations hearing on Wednesday, proposed the allo cation of P32.5 million to operate satellite offices and procure vehi cles for her Libreng Sakay Project. Last month, the DOTr sought P12 billion to continue its Service Contracting Program, which also houses the Libreng Sakay Program, in 2023. However, the budget was not included in the national expendi ture program, since it was a non-
The DICT is now coordinat
Marta o rtega, the daughter of i nditex’s founder and controlling shareholder, replaced Pablo i sla as executive chairman in a pril. i sla had already handed over the chief executive officer position to o scar g arcia Maceiras in n ovem ber. Bloomberg News
“We are acquiring licenses through an existing company. The company that we are acquiring is al ready a license holder. We are work ing with the BSP on the acquisition. if ever, we will be the first case in the Philippines,” said Stern, who is based in the“Butcountry.weareworking with the BSP on the (license) application process. The acquisition party is talking directly with the BSP.” a dvocacy group i nfrawatch Ph earlier said it has secured a statement from the Securities and e xchange c ommis sion to caution the public against investing in Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
The opening of Jollibee Phila delphia marks its 85th location in n orth a merica which came at the heels of the opening of its Times Square location last a ugust 18. i n the coming months, it is slated to open more stores in c alifornia and Florida in the US, and British c olumbia in c anada.
Binanceforensics.offers support to gov ernment agencies for technical training, including cybersecurity.
I
Supply chain T H e textile giant has a different cost and supply chain structure from competitors, with about half
Phinma energy corp., which was renamed to ac energy Philippines and later to acen corp., won in the competitive auction to supply Meral co 200 megawatts (MW) for P4.7450 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for 10 years
cumstances, so if there is a change in circumstance in one supplier, the same should apply to others,” said acen President eric Francia.
in the case of the i lijan natural gas plant, questionable and unilat eral notices of gas restrictions, which caused the deration or the ceasing of delivery of available capacity, had severely affected the plant’s net gen eration capacity, forcing it to source for costly replacement fuel from the Wholesale electric Spot Market. SPPc and SMec are only seek ing partial adjustment in price so the plants can continue supplying to Meralco.
Corp. said on Wednesday its power supply deal with the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) should also be tweaked should the regulators decide to amend the power supply agreement (PSA) between Meralco and the power units of San Miguel Corp.
The company has no office in the Philippines and only uses thirdparty companies that employ Fili pinos for its technical and support services.Stern said that Binance thinks that the Philippines can be the big gest cryptohub in the world in the next few years.
“a nywhere in the world you can access our site through dot com. We are only operating on a peer to peer model. We are working with the central bank on our rollout (of local operations) once we have our licensing. We have to discuss with
H
o M eg R o W n fast-food chain Jollibee Foods c orp. on Wednesday said it marked another milestone in its n orth a merica expansion with the opening of its first branch of its flagship brand in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States.The said Jollibee branch is lo cated at 7340 Bustleton avenue, Philadelphia and was opened ear lier this month.
Thatenerale.measure of profitability hit a seven-year high in the first half and the company predicts it will be roughly stable on a fullyear basis.
“The Sec and the BSP should also prohibit local banks from transact ing payments to Binance, to deter further money transfers to the platform,” he said. Binance offers products and services such as cryp tocurrency exchange, peer-to-peer trading, spot and margin trading, cryptocurrency derivatives such as futures and options and cryptocur rency loans. it also wants to tap the billions of dollars sent back home by overseas Filipino workers.
inance , a cryptocurrency trading platform already under fire from the regula tors, said it is already securing its licenses from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to operate legally in the Kennethcountry.Stern, Binance Phil ippines general manager, told re porters that the company is in the process of acquiring a company that has both Virtual a sset Service Provider (Va SP) and e lectronic Money i ssuer ( eM i ) licenses from the central bank.
i t has been a goal of ours to open a location in Philadelphia for some time and we are honored to be a part of this extraordinary city. We are truly humbled by the warm and joyful welcome we re ceived on opening day, and we are grateful to be part of this dynamic city full of rich history, culture, and incredible food.”
The retailer said currency swings will increase sales by 0.5 percent this fiscal year and reaf firmed that online purchases will account for more than 30 percent of total sales by 2024.
Meralco, South Premiere Power corp. (SPPc), and San Miguel energy corp. (SMec) await the decision of the energy Regulatory commission (eRc) on the temporary rate relief petitions they filed.
Philippine market.”
n D i T ex S a is increasing prices by more than surging inflation rates, making the owner of the Zara fashion chain a standout among retailers get ting hit by higher costs and shaky consumer demand.
business receiving money from the public,” Terry L. Ridon, the group’s convenor, said in his earlier email.
Higher prices helped earnings before interest and taxes rise to 2.43 billion euros ($2.43 billion) in the six months through July, the a rteixo, Spain-based company said Wednesday. That compares with the 2.36 billion-euro average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.Theshares rose as much as 6.1 percent early Wednesday in Madrid.Bykeeping customers shop ping while countering higher costs through price increases, the world’s biggest clothing re tailer is pulling further ahead of rivals. Data compiled by UBS from thousands of websites across 20 regions show that the average price of a Zara clothing item was up 12.2 percent in July—above inflation in many global mar kets—compared with last year.
a s in its previous opening in different US locations, Jollibee Philadelphia drew a crowd during the opening day with customers lining up for dine-in and even for drive-thru in the early hours of theJollibee’smorning.c hickenjoy was re cently crowned the “best chain fried chicken in a merica” by e ater. com, a global food website under Vox“JollibeeMedia. Philadelphia store is very special to us because it is our first location in the whole of the
“Whatever the decision will be, we hope that our regulator as well as Meralco, will treat all suppliers fairly and consistently. We have the same contract and similar sets of cir
Binance noted that around 78 per cent of Filipinos remain unbanked. crypto asset holders, estimated to be around 4.3 million, are now bound to surpass the number of credit card holders, it said. VG Cabuag
Jollibee opens first Philadelphia branch
“Just look at the adoption rate in the Philippines, we have already surpassed credit card adoption in just a few years since it has been here. There is high potential in the
or until December 25, 2029.
Malampaya gas field as reasons for the temporary relief. coal prices aver aged $176 per metric ton (MT) in the second half from just $99/MT in the first half of 2021. average coal price in 2019 and 2020 was only at $69/ MT. coal prices have recently reached unprecedented levels, as high as $440/MT, as triggered primarily by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Zara owner’s profit jumps as price hikes outpace costs
its products sourced from what it calls proximity markets -- notably Spain, Morocco, Portugal and Tur key. i t has also seen an increase in dollar-denominated revenue with the growth of sales in the US, which became its second-largest market last year. The dollar this month strengthened to an almost two-decade high against the euro.
i t is clear that i nditex is suc cessfully feeding through input price inflation in a selective way and is not taking significant pain through the gross margin,” said a nne c ritchlow, an analyst at So ciete g
state of Pennsylvania, and we are deeply grateful for the apprecia tion of Philadelphians who came and made our opening day mem orable. Serving new markets has always been an exciting mission for us and it has been integral to achieve our goal of becoming among the top five restaurants in the world,” Maribeth Dela c ruz, president of Jollibee g roup n orth a merica, said.
B
“The main issue is Binance’s lack of license and registration to oper ate in the country. For as long as or remains unregistered, it has no
First-half sales reached 14.8 billion euros, up 25 percent from a year before and ahead of ana lysts’ estimates. i n the first six weeks of the third quarter, sales climbed 11 percent relative to the same period a year earlier.
By Lenie Lectura @llectura
Binance securing licenses from BSP
SPPc has asked the eRc for a rate increase from January to May, of P0.80 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from P4.30 to P5.10/kwh for its 670 MW of contracted baseload capacity from the i lijan plant, and an average of P4/ kwh, from P4.30 to P8.30/kwh, for SMec ’s 330 MW contracted baseload capacity from the Sual plant.
The joint petitions cited steep coal prices, spiraling fuel prices amid the Russia-Ukraine war, and natu ral gas supply restrictions from the
That compares with a 5.6 per cent increase at rival Hennes & Mauritz a B. a ssociated British Foods Plc, owner of the Primark budget apparel chain, warned last week that profit will decline in the next fiscal year as rising energy costs squeeze consum ers and the strengthening of the dollar weighs on its costs. i n the US, Macy’s cut its forecast for full-year profit and revenue last month, citing tighter consumer budgets and an inventory glut.
the BSP on how do we roll it out in the Philippines. Those talks are happening now,” Stern said on the sidelines of a seminar on block chain
He declined to disclose the name of the company that Binance is ac quiring.atthe moment, there are 29 eM i license holders for banks and 42 eM i holders for nonbanks. The BSP has imposed a three-year moratori um on the issuance of new licenses.
ACEN
By VG Cabuag @villygc
BusinessMirrorEditor: Jennifer A. Ng Companies B1Thursday, September 15, 2022
‘ERC ruling on power deals should apply to all suppliers’
From zero
They added that from April to July of this year, Home Credit has already provided consumer financing of over P5 billion to almost half a million Filipinos to support their mobile device pur chases, half of which were female customers.Thesocial finance facility is expected to promote greater fi nancial inclusion for Filipinos in support of the mobile seg ment and is expected to not just increase connectivity but to also improve lives by enabling greater access to essential services like online banking, financial litera cy, online education and entre preneurial activities.
“Citifinancing.haslong been committed to accelerating financial inclu sion in the Philippines, from our support of microentrepreneurs and now through this social finance facility which aims to make much needed financial ser vices more accessible to Filipi nos, specifically women, through the use of mobile devices. We are confident that the expan sion of this program will further enable progress for those who need it the most,” Aftab Ahmed, Citibank NA Philippines branch’s CEO, said.
“We also have a lot of govern ment security, especially today that a lot are buying government security, which we can sell to help [fund infrastructure invest ments],” he added.
During the hearing at the Upper House, Senator Joel Villanueva said 7 out of 10 farmers and agriculture workers do not have financial ser vice accounts. He said this highlights
SSS President and Chief Execu tive Officer Michael G. Regino said the state pension fund is now in talks with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) regarding the possibility of investing in infra structure programs and projects.
“Anchored on our mission to provide innovative wealth solutions to make de cisions easier and lives better, our part nership with COL further expands our reach in helping more Filipinos achieve broader diversification in terms of asset classes and geographies as they build and grow their wealth portfolio,” said Aira Gaspar, President and Chief Ex ecutive Officer of Manulife Investment Management Philippines, the country’s first stand-alone trust Corp. backed by a leading multinational financial ser vices“Throughgroup. this new partnership with Manulife Investment Management Phil ippines, we will be able to provide our customers with access to a wider selec tion of funds, including global market funds, industry-specific funds, and other thematic funds. Fund Source customers now have more convenient and versatile investment options. COL has always been for the empowerment of the Filipino in vestor, and we are fortunate to be able to partner with Manulife in doing so”, added Dino Bate, President and Chief Execu tive Officer of COL, one of the leading online financial services provider in the Philippines.
“We’refast.”looking at the details on how to be able to invest in the Philippine infrastructure plan. We have to be in sync with the direc tion of the government,” he said.
Balisacan said the National ID will also allow farmers to get an official ID, which will increase their access to social services.
Under the law’s IRR, the SSS may invest bonds, securities, promissory notes or other evi dence of indebtedness of the Phil ippine Government, or any of its agencies or instrumentalities to finance domestic infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, ports, telecommunications and other similar projects.
The SSS may venture into vari ous investment areas using a por tion of its reserve fund known as the investment reserve fund (IRF)
Among Home Credit’s key thrusts for this year includes broadening access to responsible finance, championing financial literacy and empowerment and promoting innovation and digital inclusion.
LOCAL
BSP to hasten Natl ID database creation
She pointed out that a checking account brings prestige and glamor to the entrepreneur, especially from the suppliers.
“It will also enable you to develop a special relationship so the bank can recognize you more,” Pagulayan explained.
MANULIFE
During the budget hearing at the Senate last Wednesday, Private Sec tor Member of the Monetary Board Bruce J. Tolentino said printing of the National ID is also being hastened. Tolentino noted this is because the registration for the National ID has
However, such investment is subjected to certain conditions: the instruments issued by a gov ernment agency must be guar anteed by the national govern ment or any government financial institution or acceptable multi lateral agency; the SS must have the priority over the revenues of the infrastructure projects; and the investment shall not exceed 30 percent of the state pension fund’s IRF, according to the law.
THE
Citi CredittocredithikeslineHome
The DBM noted that the digita lization of government processes and transactions was discussed by several senators and the govern ment’s economic team during the committee hearing. The DBM added that the digitalization program of the government “will surely afford many Filipinos quick and responsive service
MIM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.) Inc. (Manulife Philippines). It ac quired its trust and other fiduciary busi ness license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2017 and started operations in September 2017. It operates under the brand name of Manulife Investment Management, the global wealth and as set management segment of Manulife FinancialEstablishedCorp.in 1999, COL is the lead ing online financial services provider in the Philippines, with over 500,000 customers and P102 billion in customer assets. Manulife unit, COL ink deal for UITF investors This July 29, 2022, photo courtesy of Manulife investment Management and Trust Corp. shows COL Financial Group inc. President and CEO Conrado “Dino” F. Bate and Manulife investment Management and Trust Corp. President and CEO Macaria Trinidad “Aira” F. Gaspar. CREDIT: ManulIfE InvEsTMEnT ManagEMEnT anD TRusT CoRp.
By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio
The target of the National ID is to cover 50 million by the end of the year and 92 million by 2023. Balisacan said government is pri oritizing beneficiaries of social protection programs as National ID “Theregistrants.[National ID is] the only ID that will be required; and that will facilitate their access (to various ser vices),” Balisacan said.
SSS to invest in infra projects in 2023
THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has pro posed a P12.47-billion fund for the transformation and digita lization of government processes and transactions as part of the 2023 nationalDuringbudget.theDevelopment Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) briefing at the Senate last Wednes day, DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pan gandaman said that the allotted fund under the 2023 National Budget “emphasizes the importance of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the new normal.”
“For startups, we encourage them first to open an account in BPI under the name of their enterprise,” Pagulayan said. “It helps them establish a name in their business, especially a checking account.”
Regino said Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno broached the idea of investing in such projects. At present, the SSS has no in vestments in any infrastructure program or project of the govern ment, he added.
and Regulations) has been crafted and it’s been prepared by the agen cies and now, it’s undergoing consul tation,” she said. “So hopefully, in a few weeks, we’ll have the IRR. And we’ll push for the digitalization.”
“This upsizing of the social finance facility by Citi underlines how Home Credit Philippines has lived up to its mission to deliv er trusted financial services for Filipinos,” Home Credit Director and Treasurer Zdenek Jankovsky said during a news briefing. “We continue to innovate our prod ucts, processes and services to push for financial inclusion in theThisPhilippines.”transaction contributes to Citi’s $1-trillion commitment to sustainable finance by 2030, specifically supporting the so cial finance criteria of economic inclusion, which is to improve access to credit and financial services in vulnerable or under served communities, including micro, small and medium enter prise
Duringdelivery.”thehearing, Finance Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno said the increase in the national govern ment’s revenue collection is driven by the “full reopening of the economy complemented by the digitalization of our revenue agencies.” Jasper Em manuel Y. Arcalas
counts.Asof August 12, PSA data showed 71.713 million Filipinos have com pleted Step 2 of the National ID registration process. Step 2 gath ers biometric information from registrants.Ofthisnumber, a total of 18.633 million Filipinos completed Step 2 between January and August 2022. This is 53.5 percent of the 34.9 mil lion target for the first three quarters of the year.
BPI can extend SMEs financing starting at P300,000 ($525.83 at current exchange rates) to a maximum of P15 mil lionMeanwhile,($262,913.55).BPI recently introduced the loan products called “Ka-Negosyo” to help small and medium enterprises.
C Consumer Finance Philippines Inc. (Home Credit) on Wednesday said Citi Philippines, the largest foreign bank in the country in terms of asset base, has increased its credit facility to the consumer financing firm to P820 million from the P420 million approved and drawn last May.
Philippine startups were able to generate more than $1 billion for funding in 2021, posting a hefty 179-percent increase from the previous year, according to the “Philippine Venture Capital Report 2022.”
In 2021, Philippine startups raised over $1 billion for fund ing in 2021, a 179 percent increase from the previous year, the report added.
percent in 2021, indicating that bank accounts more than doubled during the 2-year period.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi nas (BSP) will fast-track the creation of a database for the National ID, which an official said supports financial inclusion and good governance.
the state pension fund’s 65th an niversary in Quezon City recently.
significantly contributed to an in crease in bank-account ownership amongAccordingFilipinos.toTolentino, only 29 percent of adult Filipinos owned formal financial accounts in 2019. But, he said, this increased to 56
Investment Manage ment and Trust Corp. (MIMT) announced it recently part nered with COL Financial Group Inc. (COL), to provide COL clients access to its distinctive unit investment trust funds (UITFs) covering onshore and offshore investment strategies and diverse asset classes like REITs, preferred securities, equities, and fixed income.
Govt digitalization budget needs ₧12.47B, DBM says
Banking&Finance
A statement from the DBM said that about P4.24 billion of the pro posed P12.47-billion digitalization fund would go to the Department of Information and Technology (DICT) for its ICT systems and infrastruc ture development. The Department of Finance will receive P3.56 billion that will be used in improving the national government’s revenue col lection system.
“For 2023, we have a total bud get for ICT and digitalization, 12.47 billion. This is across the national government agencies. And for the 2023 budget, we included a section on digital payments of government financial transactions,” Panganda man told the Senate Committee on Finance.Sheexplained the move is related to the Executive Order 170 (Adoption of Digital Payments for Government Disbursements and Collections) signed by then President Rodrigo Duterte. Pangandaman assured lawmakers that the government’s digitalization of frontline agencies is “well“Theunderway.”IRR(Implementing Rules
“Infrastructure is not limited to DWPH (Department of Public Works and Highways) projects; it [can] be improvement of broad band, communication and satel lites. Anything to improve the overall infrastructure of the Phil ippines. We definitely would want to invest in that because that will be the one that will give us the best returns as a nation,” he added.
In July, GSIS revealed that it plans to continue investing in infrastructure not only to gen erate higher returns for the benefit of its members but also to support the country’s eco nomic growth. (Related for-revenue-generationveloso-eyes-more-infra-deals-ph/2022/07/29/new-gsis-chief-https://businessmirror.com.story:)
the importance of ensuring that financial inclusion efforts include farmers.Villanueva noted that since the Department of Agriculture is receiv ing a hefty budget allocation, farm ers can access more funds. However, the solon said, accessing these would mean having official financial ac
“We have enough funds so we can allot. We have funds from eq uity. If we feel that in the future we need more for the infrastruc ture fund, we would sell some of our stocks in the capital market and move to infrastructure,” he told reporters on the sidelines of
Allies HOME Credit Philippines CEO David Minol said during the briefing the firm “remains com mitted to provide credit access to all Filipinos through our con sumer finance services and solu tions.”“We are their ally and we will continue to come up with ways to serve them through responsible lending as they build their home, lives and dreams.”
THE Social Security System (SSS) is keen on investing in infrastructure projects as early as next year to expand its revenue stream by diversifying its investment portfolio.
As to how much the SSS is will ing to invest in infrastructure programs, Regino pointed out that the agency has “enough funds” and may even sell some of its stock in vestments if necessary to pursue infrastructure investments.
By VG Cabuag @villygc
BusinessMirror Editor: Dennis D. Estopace • Thursday, September 15, 2022 B3www.news.businessmirror@gmail.com
“The pandemic pressures saw to it that e-money ownership accounts have almost quadrupled and, work ing with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), we are now at the BSP: speeding up the printing of the IDs as well as the processing of the datasets that will ensure that those who now have the biometrics can be issued the ID and the ID number as programmed by the Neda [National Economic and Development Author ity],” Tolentino said.
BPI open to financing local startups, notes need for hand-holding
Home Credit executives said that as of end July, it has already served 8.7 million customers all over the country through a selec tion of financing products.
startups can also avail of the financing programs of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), one of the lender’s executive said.
She said startups require special guidance because it is a chal lenging industry. She added BPI will give them guidance on how to spend the financial resources properly.
“As a big bank, BPI has the right solutions for clients right now,” Pagulayan said.
By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas
stipulated under the implement ing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.
IN the same Senate hearing, Socio economic Planning Secretary Arsen io M. Balisacan also said the National ID registration has led to the creation
By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario
H
Rhodora Adelaida C. Pagulayan, BPI business banking distribution head, said in a recent online forum that the Ayala group’s banking unit is open to extending financial loans to startups as it recognizes their importance to the digital economy.
Regino said SSS’s possible venture into infrastructure in vestments would depend on the approval of the Department of Finance, the state-run pension fund’s mother agency. Nonethe less, Regino is optimistic that they will start investing in infrastruc ture next year, noting that Diokno “moves
of accounts with the LandBank of the Philippines from zero to 8.3 million.
He said that this is the stage “where our approach now shifts to making sure we have mitiga tion strategies in place.”
Concepcion reminded the pub lic to always make sure that they remove their face masks only in outdoor settings and where there
For more details, just go to the Borough Lasik Center Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bor oughsight.ph) or Instagram (@boroughsight.ph). You can also e-mail through info@boroughsight. com or go to https://www.boroughsight.com.ph.
Dr. Heredia said they first started with a multi-specialty clinic at a time when compe tition was tough. They later decided to focus on the eyes and transferred first to the Mall of Asia’s South Wing in 2006 and then to the North Wing in 2016 with a separate eye clinic.
DR Aranzamendez, for his part, said that Bor ough Lasik Center, is more of a family-oriented clinic where they give a personal touch to their service aside from having a more affordable pricing scheme for their fees.
New study shows Covid-19 vaccines are effective as boosters vs severe outcomes
“It was hoped that this information would be helpful for decision-makers, especially in this part of the world and other lower-income countries where there are so many limitations on supplies and access,” Dr. Ong-Lim said dur ing an international roundtable discussion titled “Understanding Covid-19 vaccine effec tiveness” organized by the Philippine College of Physicians, together with the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Public Health and the Indonesian Society of Respirology.
“We will continue to let 1Com munity 2Gether improve our ser vice quality because we believe that true excellence lies not primarily within the walls of our hospital but also by improving our communi ties,” he said.
vaccinated with a fourth dose of either the AstraZeneca vaccine or a mRNA Covid-19 vaccine from February to April 2022.
As such, the two doctors, together with their other partners, invested in state-of-theart technology and top-class equipment and learned the newest techniques to make sure that Borough Lasik Center offers services that are comparable to other institutions.
Dr. Rontgene Solante, one of the review’s authors, said: “Cur rent vaccines are still effective in protecting the vulnerable popula tions. Instead of focusing our re sources on getting variant specific booster vaccines, it is important that all governments and all coun tries will focus on how to increase vaccination coverage and how to increase uptake of booster vacci nation in the population.”
These include stocking up on medicines against the fatal coro navirus, which he believes is a more practical move.
Come and visit Borough Lasik Center located at the Wellness Zone of SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. Clinic hours are from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chat via Call (02) 8502-1088 or 0917-7072306 for appointments.
On September 12, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) 3 allowing the voluntary wear ing of face masks in outdoor set tings, especially in open spaces and non-crowded places with good ventilation.Suchprotective facial gears, however, must still be worn in indoor, public, or private estab lishments, including public trans portation by land, air, or sea and in outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Mitigation plans needed WITH the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate, Concepcion em phasized the importance of ways to alleviate the impacts of the en suing health crisis.
“We opened our Davao clinic and it’s doing really good. Imagine that there’s no one offering laser eye surgery in Davao so they were excited when they learned that there’s going to be a clinic that offers laser eye surgery. We’re glad to have partners there in Davao who helped us put up the clinic and make the vision a re ality,” he said.
“Many of the doctors here, we’ve been to gether for the longest time. Many of us trained together to become more competent, and more importantly, we all understand the vision of Dr. Heredia in making eye-related medical procedures as affordable as possible without sacrificing quality,” he said.
This was the reminder of the Department of Health (DOH) to the public after memes on “kid ney for iPhone” trended on social media.“Iwould like to remind our fel low Filipinos to not join social me dia groups that sell their organs, or we call it internal organs,” DOH Officer-in-Charge Undersecre tary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
HE Asian Hospital Manage ment Awards 2022 (AHMA) recognized The Medical City South Luzon’s (TMCSL) entry for the Community Involvement Cat egory titled “1Community 2Gether Year 2 - Beyond Borders,” with its Excellence Award during the Hos pital Management Asia 2022’s Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony held on September 8 at the Centara Grand Convention Center at Cen tral World, Bangkok, Thailand.
By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
This can be done by signing up as organ donor cardholders and providing consent to organ donation.
With regards to effectiveness, this happens more in a real-world setting, she said. This is done outside of clinical trials working on a broad population demographics, with vari ous schedules and intervals. Despite provid ing less-controlled data, its value is really to monitor how the vaccines work in a realistic scenario.
In receiving the award, Dr. Cesar Ramon G. Espiritu, TMCSL President and CEO, emphasized that this accomplishment was made possible through the active participation of all TMC SL medi cal and non-medical staff.
The two doctors had a recent gathering with members of the media to give them a bird’s eye view of what Borough Lasik Center is all about. By meeting the media, both Dr. Here dia and Dr. Aranzamendez opened their eyes to Borough’s vision, which is laser-focused on making Borough a premier eye surgery clinic in the country that will help patients explore the best solution to achieve optimum vision.
There were 267 entries from 102 hospitals in 12 countries across the Asia-Pacific region which created a challenge for the judges to choose the eventual winners. TMCSL’s winning entry is a testament to its active engagement with both the industrial and residential commu nities that it serves.
Professor Guy Thwaites, Di rector of the Oxford Clinical Re search Unit in Vietnam and one of the study’s authors said: “Booster dose data is critical for informing ongoing vaccination strategies as we transition from pandemic to endemic, whether that is an annual vaccine for most people, or every six months for those considered to be more vulnerable. This ex pert review of data can reassure governments and the public that viral vector and mRNA Covid- 19 vaccines offer great booster pro tection against serious outcomes in the ongoing battle against Omi cron, particularly because that protection also shows very little sign of waning, even after a threemonthAstraZeneca’speriod.” vaccine is a “vi ral vector” vaccine, which means a version of a virus that cannot cause disease is used as part of the vaccine, so if the body is exposed to the real virus later it is able to fight it. This vaccine technology has been used by scientists over the past 40 years to fight other infectious diseases such as the flu, Zika, Ebola and AstraZenecaHIV.and its global partners have released over three billion vaccine doses to more than 180 countries, and approximately two-thirds of these doses have been delivered to low- and lower-middleincome countries. The vaccine is estimated to have helped save over six million lives during the first 12 months of use since December 2020.
Togetherness and shared val ues with their communities are among the cornerstones of TMC SL’s growth and development. With this recognition from HMA 2022, TMCSL lives up to its promise of be ing one of the most trusted names in health-care delivery.
By roderick l. Abad Contributor
“We try to keep abreast of the latest tech nologies to keep us updated with our offerings.
The Medical City South Luzon bags 2022 AHMA for community involvement
Are vaccines really effective?
“We should ensure that we have enough supply of antiviral pills, especially Paxlovid, which are cur rently out of stock in the country. This will become crucial as people start moving around without masks outdoors,” he pointed out.
The government, however, is doing ev erything it can to increase coverage, and continues to embark on a massive awareness campaign that focuses on the vaccines’ safety and effectivity against the virus and even against its variants.
A newly published review showed that any three-dose sched ule including the AstraZeneca vaccine was highly effective at protecting against severe Omicron outcomes (84.8 percent to 89.2 percent). The review further con cluded that a fourth dose booster is likely to add a significant level of additional protection, with a recent real-world study from Asia demonstrating no cases of severe outcomes due to Omicron in people
Borough Lasik Center believes that people should have access to affordable yet quality eye solutions and services (complete eye check-up, doctor consult, even surgery) to help them see better again regardless of economic status.
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Health&
The annual award is a presti gious acknowledgment presented to healthcare organizations that have made significant achieve ments and performed exception ally well in specific areas of orga nizational excellence.
an extraordinarily strong relation ship with the local government furthered by the latter’s recogni tion of TMCSL as a major Covid-19 referral center in the city of Santa Rosa and one of the first private hospitals certified as a vaccina tion site for Covid-19. This is a testament to its commitment to serve its patients, health workers andSeveralneighbors.medical missions were initiated by TMCSL’s doctors and allied medical staff—during the Taal Volcano Eruption in Janu ary 2020, TMCSL Eye Center’s Balik-Linaw since late 2019 and Mabuhay Deseret Foundation tieup for Cataract Surgery patients since 2020, and other community outreach programs (flood victims’ donation,TMCSLetc.).also expanded its reach via community and corporate partnerships with onsite Covid-19 vaccination, Covid-19 related diag nostic tests, and Annual Physical Examination services. TMCSL’s community partners also took ad vantage of the Home Care Program and Mobile Clinic services as well as virtual (online) consultation.
Fitness BusinessMirrorThursday, September 15, 2022B4
M ANY people, Dr. Ong-Lim said, think that the terms efficacy and effectiveness are the same but they are entirely different concepts.
Editor: Anne Ruth Dela Cruz
N OW, they have a clinic in Davao which, Dr. Heredia said, is slowly outperforming Manila.
As for the level of protection provided by AstraZeneca’s vac cines, Dr. Mungall said that boost ing with AstraZeneca’s vaccine and mRNA Covid-19 vaccines provide equally high protection against Omicron-related severe outcomes, including hospitalization and death, even as new subvariants of the virus emerge.
Clients in Davao may visit Door 8 & 9, JJ’s Commune, Loyola Street, Barrio Obrero Bajada, J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City. Call (+632) 9177110705 for appointments.
In order to keep pace with the latest in eye surgery procedures, Dr. Heredia said they reg ularly attend conventions, mostly in Europe.
The number of Covid deaths in the country was relatively low in the last month compared to the same period in 2021, due mostly to the hybrid immunity or immu nity from both vaccination and infection.Evenif scientists believe that natural immunity is more robust than vaccine immunity, they still think that getting vaccinated and boosted would be the best strategy in contracting the virus.
This may have been prevented by organ Unfortunately,transplantation. theDOH said organ donation from brain dead patients remains dismally low in theToPhilippines.heighten Filipino con sciousness on the benefits of or gan sharing, a presidential proc lamation is being proposed to be issued designating the month of September of every year as “Na tional Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month.”
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N the Philippines, vaccination coverage continues to be a challenge considering the archipelagic nature of the country, where bringing vaccines in far-flung areas in the provinces continue to be a monumental task.
DR Ong-Lim said there are lot of concerns whether the vaccines’ effectiveness is durable so there were a lot of worries. She said the ef
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is good ventilation. He advised them to keep wear ing them in public transportation and health care facilities, and when around vulnerable members of the population, such as the el derly and young children.
“We are moving to a new phase, one where Filipinos can manage their own risks,” said Joey Con cepcion, founder of Go Negosyo.
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Efficacy is about outcomes determined dur ing a clinical trial, which means there is tight control on the number of people involved in the process, and a strict vaccine schedule.
Length of vaccines’ effectivity
In fact, we will attend a convention in Europe next month, which will also be an opportunity for us to train,” he added.
For him, Filipinos know how to reduce their risk of catching Covid-19 given the result of a survey conducted earlier this year that showed their willingness to constantly don face masks for their protection and that of their families even if they are not re quired to do so.
World Health Organization (WHO) data from 2017 show that deaths caused by various endstage organ diseases involved up to 230,000 Filipinos.
“Business was kind of slow; there was no so cial media back then so we just relied on word of mouth. We also relied on doctors to bring in their patients so that helped,” Dr. Heredia said.
Davao clinic
Family-oriented clinic
HE Philippines is now en tering a new period of the pandemic with the govern ment’s recent approval of the vol untary use of face masks outside or in open-air areas, according to the country’s entrepreneur czar.
Selling of internal organs is illegal, bad for your health, says DOH
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HE selling of internal or gans is illegal and has ef fects on the sellers’ health.
The DOH, she said, only en courages organ donation of de ceased relatives, including those who have been declared legally and medically brain dead to help others in need of transplantation.
HEN Dr. Ches Heredia, DBPO and Dr. Ricky Aranzamendez, DBPO, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, respectively, founded Bor ough Lasik Center some 16 or 17 years ago, Dr. Heredia’s vision was to give quality service while also trying to make eye surgeries and other eye-related procedures more affordable to the public.
“The data from a clinical trial is critical when seeking regulators’ approval, whose view is to make sure that the formulations are safe and work as they are claimed to be working, before they are used on the general public,” she explained.
Under the EO, which will be effective immediately, those who still have to complete their pri mary Covid-19 vaccination, senior citizens, and immunocompro mised individuals remain “highly encouraged” to don face masks.
T HOUGH the study contained a lot of data, Dr. Ong-Lim said they just highlighted three specific points. One, all boosted Covid-19 vaccines showed high effectiveness against Omicron-related severe disease and death in the elderly as well as the general population. She said they looked at around 52 studies, and about 252 data points were compiled, where the first group looked at the impact of the vaccines on the general population and compared that to elderly people at over 60 years of age. Regardless of the platform used, the effectiveness for the two groups was quite high (84.2 percent for the general population and 87.4 percent for the elderly) in terms of protection against severe disease andAlso,death.the study showed that all studied ho mologous vaccine schedules are as effective as one another at protecting people against Omicron-related severe disease and death. “This is another reassuring piece of informa tion. Whatever vaccine an individual receives, whether an mRNA or inactivated platform for primary and boosters of the homologous (same vaccine brand) vaccine, vaccine efficacy ranges from a low of 75.8 percent, to a high of 91.1Finally,percent.”even those who received heter ologous or mixed (different vaccine brands) schedule of vaccines, vaccine efficacy regis tered were mostly on the mid-80 percent ef ficacy to as high as 98-percent efficacy.
fectiveness of the current vaccines in preventing infections and mild symptoms drop off pretty quickly in the first three months after booster vaccination to as low as 31 percent.“Butwhat’s reassuring is that for severe disease, which is the outcome we are trying to prevent when the vaccines were formulat ed, the level of protection was quite impressive and persists for a long period of time, retained for three months and beyond,” she said.
The DOH discourages incen tivized organ donations, where living organ donors who are not related to the recipient are moti vated by financial rewards. This system creates a risk for both the donor and the recipient, exposing them to further injury.
According to Dr. Anna Ong-Lim from the University of the Philippines and a member of the Technical Advisory Group of the De partment of Health, the study was conducted because there was a need to better understand how well boosters work and how safe they are based on a broad range of settings and using various vaccine platforms and also looked at outcomes during the Omicron period, which started last year and up to year 2022. The focus, she added, were on the more severe outcomes or those that ended up in hospital ization and death.
1991, as amended by Republic Act No. 7885, where organ and tissue donations from donors who have been declared brain dead has been allowed.Human transplantable organs include the kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, intestines, and pancreas, in addition to human tissues such as eye tissues (corneas, sclera, etc.), bones, skin, and blood vessels.
Community Involvement C OMMUNITY involvement has been one of TMCSL’s strengths since 2019 under the leadership of Dr. Espiritu. It has established
This policy, likewise, directs the Department of Health to up date the MPHS guidelines.
The strict implementation of minimum public health standards (MPHS), including physical dis tancing will also continue.
“We must be diligent in prac ticing common-sense health protocols like having good ven tilation, physical distancing, and handwashing. I think we have had enough practice in the last two years to know how to keep ourselves from being infected,” he noted.
PRIOR to the green light for the optional wearing of face masks, Concepcion had earlier recom mended the continued observa tion of anti-Covid measures.
He cited, however, that man dating the people to get jabs may not be practical at this time as the focus has shifted to nursing the economy back to its healthy state.
Other mitigation strategies will also depend on whether the President follows through with his plan to extend the State of Public Health Emergency until end of this“Thisyear.will affect how the new vaccines will be purchased. If the manufacturers can secure Cer tificates of Product Registration for their vaccines and sell these through drug stores or we continue with an Emergency Use Authoriza tion, all this must be cleared soon once the President makes his deci sion,” Concepcion stressed.
Dr. Bruce Mungall from Astra Zeneca, on the other hand, empha sized the risk-benefits balance of vaccines, particularly in protect ing against severe outcomes. He said various studies on safety aside from effectiveness were made to study adverse effects of multiple vaccines. The studies showed that the risk of adverse events is gen erally lower with a second dose of the vaccine. “As more studies come through, what we are looking at are they are just as low when it comes to the third dose. These means we are not seeing any additional cu mulative risks thus far. If we can prevent Covid-19 from even hap pening through vaccination, we can also prevent many of these risks from happening as well.”
Vergeire also cited Republic Act No. 7170, otherwise known as the Organ Donation Act of
Dr. Heredia said Borough has always tried to be innovative by bringing in the latest in terms of equipment, technology and techniques. He added that the clinic will be bringing in a new machine soon so that Borough will be one step ahead of the competition.
Other strategies
The DOH, through the Philip pine Organ Donation and Trans plantation Program and the Phil ippine Network for Organ Shar ing, continues to sustain advocacy and educational campaigns on deceased organ donation.
PHL enters new pandemic chapter with end of outdoor mask mandate
“Once your kidney is ripped, there is a risk for you. You go through an operation then you will take medicines for you to maintain so that your body can process and function well because you removed one of your kidneys,” Vergeire explained.
While inoculation remains a challenge nationwide, the Go Ne gosyo founder is supportive of the government’s vaccination efforts.
Borough Lasik Center: Making eye-related procedures available to every Filipino
Just recently, a new study on the effective ness of Covid-19 vaccines was presented. The study accessed the respected International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) Vaccine Infor mation and Epidemiology Window (VIEW) Hub global database, an online, interactive map-based platform for visualizing data on vaccine use and impact and maintained by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which contains 334 studies on vaccine effectiveness. After consolidat ing all the data, around 22 leading infectious disease experts from across Asia and Latin America were consulted to review the data, and the findings were then published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Committed to a healing environment
Efficacy vs. Effectiveness
A S one of the biggest hospitals in Region 4A, TMCSL has a mission to provide compassionate, ethical, and efficient healthcare through continuous innovations and excel lence in medical services.
By Rory Visco | Contributor
“We’re very happy with where we are despite the pandemic which, truthfully, worked well for Borough, but we are more excited to where we are going,” he said.
future. Future studies with larger sample sizes— including children with a wider diversity of diagnoses and exposures to early adversity or trauma—will help researchers like us to better understand how meditation affects the brain and body in children.
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However, there have not been enough computer science graduates in recent years to fill these jobs.
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This study, led by medical student Aneesh Hehr, is important because meditation techniques such as focused attention on the breath or mindful acceptance are popular in school settings, and are increasingly used to help children cope with stressful experiences. These might include exposures to trauma, medical treatments or even Covid-19-related stress.
Understanding how these techniques work is also essential for optimizing how they could be applied in health-care settings, such as coping with needlerelated procedures or for helping children manage the negative effects of stress and trauma.
WHEN computer science courses are delivered through career and technical education in high school, the courses can help students with learning disabilities feel better about their ability to succeed in STEM. The classes also help the students see the usefulness of computer science.
This is what we found in a recent study with our coauthors—education scholars Michael Gottfried, Jennifer Freeman.
One possible explanation might be that students
Our study focused on a relatively small sample of 12 children with active cancer, as well as survivors who may have experienced significant distress over the diagnosis, treatment and uncertainty about the
Researchers know a lot about what is happening in the brain and body in adults while they meditate, but comparable data for children has been lacking. Understanding what is happening in children’s brains when they meditate is important because the developing brain is wired differently from the adult brain.
“We are excited to launch ‘Usapang Nanay’ on MomCenter Philippines. Our goal in MomCenter has always been to connect and make moms feel less alone in their motherhood journey. We want to let them know that there is a community supporting them, talking about the real issues and concerns that they are dealing with. Just like myself and all moms out there, we are all trying to be the best for our kids. This show is just the beginning of MomCenter’s journey to tackle the reality of motherhood. In doing so, us moms get to learn together,” said Emmelyn Cruz, head of Studios of Gushcloud Philippines.
We used national survey data from more than 20,000 students across the country to dig into this connection between computer science and science, technology, engineering or mathematics, a group of subjects generally known as STEM.
A FREE online resource and community for Filipino moms, MomCenter Philippines, has recently launched its new talk show for moms by moms, called “Usapang Nanay.” MomCenter is owned and managed by Gushcloud Philippines, a global technology-driven digital talent and media company with concentration on influencer marketing, entertainment and commerce.
Exciting recent studies have begun to examine how participating in mindfulness and meditation-based programs can shape brain functioning in children.
attitudes are linked to persistence in both computer science and STEM more generally. This makes it important for educators to encourage students to study, and stick with, computer science and STEM and make sure these students have access to these courses.
These findings are also important because caregivers and health-care providers often use distraction methods like iPads or toys to help children cope with pain and distress, such as medical procedures. However, those techniques may largely rely on the prefrontal cortex, which is underdeveloped in youth.
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Computer sCienCe benefits students with learning disabilities—but not always for the long term
The show aims to feature different motherhood and parenting styles with the hopes of inspiring, educating and entertaining fellow moms. The first episode of “Usapang Nanay” is available on the MomCenter Philippines official YouTube page.
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By Jay Stratte Plasman The Ohio State University
By Hilary A. Marusak Wayne State University
At the moment, students with learning disabilities are underrepresented in computer science fields in college and the labor market. Specifically, fewer than 8 percent of students in undergraduate computer science programs have any disability. This is compared with about 19 percent of all undergraduates.
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In our study, we compared a simple form of distraction—counting backward from 10—with two relatively simple forms of meditation: focused attention to the breath and mindful acceptance. Children in an MRI scanner had to use these techniques while watching distress-inducing video clips, such as a child receiving an injection.
Our findings underscore the need to understand precisely how meditation techniques work.
THE CONVERSATION
We still have a great deal to learn about how meditation affects brain development in children. This includes what types of meditation techniques are most effective, the ideal frequency and duration, and how it affects children differently.
Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • Thursday, September 15, 2022 B5 Parentlife BusinessMirrorwww.businessmirror.com.ph
We also found that—within career and technical education programs—students with learning disabilities were just as likely to take computer science courses as students without learning disabilities. All our findings were still evident even after we took into account key student characteristics, such as family income, first language, gender and racial or ethnic identity. Students with learning disabilities in our study are those who have a disability that affects their learning to write, read, spell or perform mathematical calculations.Computer science is one of the fastest-growing fields in the current economy. Employment experts predict a 13 percent increase—about 667,000 new jobs—in these computer occupations from 2020 to 2030. That’s more than three times the rate of anticipated overall job growth.
PHOTO BY JOSEPH CHAN
This means that stress and emotion regulation techniques that rely on the prefrontal cortex may work well for adults but are likely to be less accessible to children. Meditation techniques may not be dependent upon the prefrontal cortex and may therefore be more accessible and effective for helping children manage and cope with stress.
THE CONVERSATION
ENJOY A NEw kINd Of HEALTHY
HILDREN actively meditating experience lower activity in parts of the brain involved in rumination, mind-wandering and depression, our team found in the first brain-imaging study of young people under 18 years old. Over-activity in this collection of brain regions, known as the default mode network, is thought to be involved in the generation of negative self-directed thoughts—such as “I am such a failure”—that are prominent in mental disorders like depression.
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In our work, we found that—compared with other students with learning disabilities—those who took computer science courses in a career and technical education program were more likely to believe they could succeed in STEM. They were also more likely to believe STEM was useful for future employment or college options.
inspiring pinoy moms on meaningful, practical motherhood
Meditation holds potential to help treat children suffering from traumas, difficult diagnoses or other stressors
We found that meditation techniques were more effective than distraction at quelling activity in that brain network. This reinforces research from our lab and others showing that meditation techniques and martial arts-based meditation programs are effective for reducing pain and stress in children with cancer or other chronic illnesses—and in their siblings—as well as in schoolchildren during the Covid-19 pandemic.
science coursework and a feeling of STEM community membership. We found this connection for general education students but not for students with learning disabilities.Another possible explanation may be that students with learning disabilities start high school with lower levels of STEM confidence and less of a sense that computer science will be useful to them in the future. Just participating in computer science courses may not be enough to make up the difference in this regard.One important next step will be to look at the factors that help students with learning disabilities keep studying computer science and STEM. For example, does a positive attitude toward STEM actually lead students with learning disabilities to study computer science or pursue careers in the field? We plan to explore such a question in future work.
A big question that remains is why students with learning disabilities don’t persist in computer science fields in college and, ultimately, pursue careers in the field. Even though computer science courses in high school help develop confidence and a sense of purpose, that may not be enough to encourage them to stick with it longer term.
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In celebrating the group’s 16 years of commitment to the annual Brigada Eskwela, Peter Perfecto, PHINMA Corporation Vice President for Public Affairs and PHINMA Foundation Vice President, lauded the volunteers across their different strategic business units saying, “We thank the employees, the volunteers, the scholars and their families, and the different communities who wholeheartedly dedicated their time for our participation in the annual Brigada Eskwela. Their spirit of volunteerism stems from the PHINMA family’s shared commitment of making lives better through our businesses and by working with and for the communities we serve. The same culture is what has built “1PHINMA” and its generations of making lives better.”
Dela Cruz presented the organization’s vision for 2030, saying that “these and other relevant advocacies define our strategic relevance in a world that is slowly emerging and vibrant despite the prevailing learning crisis.”
This year alone, over 800 volunteers from the PHINMA Group participated in the Brigada Eskwela. The school improvement initiative this year involves repairing and cleaning 40 public schools across the country. PHINMA also donated masks, gloves, alcohol, cleaning materials and school supplies in preparation for the resumption of face-to-face classes.
DBP Executive Vice President for Operations Fe Susan Z. Prado attributed the rise in DBP’s first half net profit to the 29% increase in gross margin which reached P3.09 billion, despite being weighed down by the hefty provision for credit losses totaling P2.8 billion, with net income before provisions reaching P6.41 billion or a yearon-year increment of 85 percent.
PHINMA Hero, PHINMA’s employee engagement program coordinated this year’s group-wide efforts as part of the conglomerate’s “1PHINMA” thrust. theiryou’rebecausetheycertainlysatisfiedhavehaveBrigadachanceexperientialBrigadanoteworthyforandcreditsPresidentRobertoM.Laviña,PHINMAFoundation’sandDirectorofPHINMAInc.,thePHINMAemployees'strongspiritcultureofvolunteerismasthereasonthegroup’s16-yearcommitmenttoandachievementsduringtheannualEskwela.“BrigadaEskwelaisahands-oneventthatgiveseveryoneatobepartofthesolution.IhavejoinedEskwelamanytimesandeveryoneIworkedwithinthisvolunteeractivityconfirmedthattheyareextremelywiththeexperience.Volunteerswillgettheirhandsdirty,literally,whenjoinBrigadaEskwela.Butthat’sokay,youknowthatthroughthisactivitymakinglivesbetterforstudentsandfamilies,”addedLaviña.
JAPANESE IT FIRM TO OPEN OFFICE IN MAKATI. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Secretary Mabel Sunga Acosta (right) and Department of Trade and Industry Small Business Corp. Director Voltaire “Bong” Magpayo welcome Dr. Hisayuki Nagatome, chairman of the Junca Global Partner Inc. (JGPI), a Japan based IT company. JGPI will soon be opening its first branch in Makati to serve the information technology needs of the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). “We are excited to operate in the Philippines and help empower your micro enterprises to be fully digitalized and globally competitive,” said Dr. Nagatome who also plans to open another branch in Mindanao in the future.
National Capital Region, Central Visayas, and Central Luzon.”
emphasis on the implementation of the EDCOM II Act or Republic Act (RA) 11899 which he sponsored during the 18th Congress, embarking on a comprehensive evaluation on the Philippine education system, undermining the short term, midterm and long term challenges of the sector. EDCOM II was created after PISA 2018, a study which revealed that among 79 countries, Filipino students ranked the lowest in Reading, and second to the lowest in Science and Mathematics.
“This initiative marks our strengthened commitment to have environment-friendly operations where all our practices are geared towards protecting the environment,” remarked ACI Executive Director Antonio Peñalver.
team members are encouraged to minimize use of, and, if necessary, properly dispose of, singleuse plastics. It also encourages the company to establish meaningful partnerships with recycling organizations like Envirotech, which contribute towards environmental protection.
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian and members of the Philippine Academy of Teachers, Administrators and Practitioners in Education (PATAPE).
The event, which centered on the theme “Reinventing Education for Relevance and Quality,” is the academy’s annual gathering and coincides with the induction of its recently elected National Board and Regional Chapter Leaders for the year Over2022-2023.theyears, PATAPE has pursued programs to provide quality professional development among teachers and education stakeholders, while influencing education legislation and policies. PATAPE, through its 3,000-strong membership across the country, advocates to reinvent the education system and pushes for more responsive programs to develop 21st century skills for students, teachers and school administrators to be more competitive in the academic arena as the Philippines grapples with an education crisis exacerbated by the global pandemic.
It is estimated that 1.5 tons of plastic waste is collected yearly from all ACI project sites. Under the established Policy Against Single-Use Plastics,
Aboitiz Construction partners with Envirotech effective plastic waste management program
The PHINMA Group has been mobilizing its employees, scholars, and their families to participate in DepEd's Adopt-A-School Program even before the institutionalization of Brigada Eskwela in 2008. Volunteers from across its network have engaged in various initiatives from repairing classrooms and building walkways and sheds to renovating gardens and donating school supplies.
PHINMA Inc Director and Foundation President Mr. Roberto Laviña extended help and volunteered during the Brigada Eskwela activity in San Isidro National High School in Makati City.
“DBP re-affirmed its commitment to help hasten the economic recovery of the country by intensifying its development lending activities,” Herbosa said. “Its solid financial performance in the first half of the year puts it in a prime position to bolster its support to the various priority programs of the national government.”
Herbosa reported that the Bank’s total loans from January to June 2022 grew to P494.15 billion, reflecting a 13 percent growth from the P436.02 billion recorded last year, adding that “about 55.33 percent or P273.43 billion were released to bankroll projects in the infrastructure and logistics sector, majority of which are located in the
Gatchalian, who sits as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, in his keynote speech presented the Summary of Proposed Immediate Solutions for the First 100 Days prepared for the Department of Education (DepEd). The key immediate priorities included the opening of schools to enable face-to-face classes, implementation of Republic Act 11713 or Excellence in Teacher Education Act, implementation of career progression policy, refining K-3 curriculum to focus on literacy and numeracy, and reinventing Local School Boards (LSBs) to make them accountable for learning performance.
DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said the growth of the Bank’s net income is attributable mainly to the significant increase in loan volume and interest income and lower cost of funds.
Herbosa said total deposits reached P731.90 billion, which represent 82 percent of the P895 billion target by year-end, with low-cost deposits increasing by P9 billion.
He also stressed the importance of listening to the academic communities such as PATAPE and proposed a National Education Summit, as he believes education issues should be addressed through a bottom-up approach.
Development Bank of the Philippines’ (DBP) net income for the first six months of 2022 surged to P2.76 billion, showing a hefty increase of 131 percent from the P1.19 billion recorded during the same period last year. This came as the Bank ramped up lending activities in support of the national government’s economic recovery program, a top official said.
PHINMA celebrates 16th year of volunteerism, contribution to DepEd’s annual Brigada Eskwela
DBP is the sixth largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy – infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); the environment; and social services and community development.
SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian spoke to education stakeholders from the Philippine Academy of Teachers, Administrators and Practitioners in Education (PATAPE), during its 5th General Assembly at the Novotel Manila Araneta City in Quezon City last August 27, 2022.
The hybrid event, which was participated in by teachers and some DepEd representatives onsite and online via Zoom, will be the first of a series of activities for PATAPE for the year. Inducted for SY 2022-23 were Dr. Dela Cruz, President; Dr. Edith T. Puente, Vice-President for Internal Affairs; Rey Anthony Napay, VicePresident for External Affairs; and Dr. Liza Monje-Reotutar, Secretary. Dr. Marlene Montero was inducted by Dr. Dela Cruz as President for Bulacan, Quezon City and Caloocan City School Administrators Association.Organizers extend their gratitude to King Sue Ham, Prestiz, Organique Professional and RAFFORDS.
“We are very thankful for this partnership and we will do our best to maximize this opportunity to work with you in turning plastic wastes into useful products,” said Envirotech President Winchester Lemen.
PHINMA has helped at least 10,907 students and 247 teachers from public schools and has planted no less than 280 native trees in the past 10 PHINMA’syears. different strategic business units (SBUs) used to roll out their respective annual Brigada Eskwela activities independently. For example, PHINMA Education Holdings Inc, the PHINMA Group's education arm, has been organizing
He said the Bank opened two more branch-lite units in Aroroy, Masbate and Jose Panganiban in Camarines Norte for the first half of the year, expanding DBP’s branch network to 145 including 14 branch lite units, which are situated mostly in underserved and far-flung areas of the country.
DBP 1st half net income surges to P2.76-B
STATE-OWNED
all their community efforts such as Brigada Eskwela, tree planting, and typhoon relief under its program called Helping Hands.
line with its commitment towards environmental sustainability, Aboitiz Construction Inc. (ACI) has partnered with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. (Envirotech) to better manage plastic waste across all ACI project sitesOnnationwide.August 5, a virtual signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) was led by ACI Executive Director Antonio Peñalver and Envirotech President Winchester Lemen, and was moderated by ACI Reputation Manager Jana De UnderLeon.the MOA, Envirotech commits to processing and recycling collected plastic waste by turning them into useful items like school chairs, bricks, and planters.
Thursday, September 15, 2022B6
Gatchalian proposes solutions for education sector at PATAPE Event
ABOITIZ CONSTRUCTION INC. (ACI) recently signed a memorandum of agreement with Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. to collect and recycle plastic wastes from ACI project sites nationwide. Clockwise from top-left: ACI Reputation Manager Jana De Leon, Envirotech President Winchester Lemen, and ACI Executive Director Antonio Peñalver
“They say that it takes a village to raise a child. We are all here because we all believe that alone we can do so little, and together we can do so much. And with the theme ‘Tugon sa Hamon ng Ligtas na Balik-Aral,’ we are thankful that we have the PHINMA Group continuously supporting Brigada Eskwela. With our theme this year, we would like to highlight the country’s collective efforts from various partnership engagements in creating a conducive learning environment for the students, teachers, and non-teaching personnel,” said Dr. Medarlo De Leon, Principal of Dagupan City National High School, one of the Group’s Brigada Eskwela school beneficiaries this year.
DTI SB CORP. HAS NEW ACTING PRESIDENT AND CEO. The Small Business Corporation (SBCorp) Governing Board recently welcomed Robert C. Bastillo (seated, 2nd from left), as their new Acting President/CEO, and Member of the Board of Directors. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary and SBCorp Governing Board Acting Chairperson, Blesila A. Lantayona (seated 2nd from right), eagerly expressed the Board's support to Bastillo to continue SBCorp's mission and vision for inclusive growth among Filipino Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the Marcos Jr. Administration and the recovery of MSMEs from the pandemic under SBCorp's RISE UP Lending Programs. In photo, standing from left to right are Directors Jacob S. Vasquez, Avelino L. Andal, Arnulfo V. Galdo, Voltaire B. Magpayo and Joe Jay T. Doctora. Sitting from left to right are SBCorp OIC-Board Secretary Atty. Livian May Sanchez-Llorito, Acting President/CEO Bastillo, DTI Usec and Acting Board Chairperson Lantayona, and Director Elvira L. Go. Not in photo are Directors Manuel B. Bendigo and Dir. Annie F. Candelaria (Department of Finance).
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PHINMA
PACUCOA Commissioner Dr. Nestor V.
Corporation, a proudly -Filipino conglomerate with businesses in education, construction materials, property development and hospitality, celebrated its 16th year of commitment and contribution to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) annual Brigada Eskwela.
He said DBP’s outstanding loans for social infrastructure and community development projects as of end June 2022 totaled P98.49 billion, while outstanding portfolio for other developmental initiatives covering finance and insurance, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, accommodation, and food services as of same period amounted to P65.20
PATAPE President and Former
“Thebillion.Bankalso provided P48.69 billion in loans for the agriculture sector in support of the government’s food sufficiency program, as well as P52 billion for environmentrelated projects and P31.58 billion for the MSME sector,” Herbosa said.
Gatchalian capped the list with an
This is a level-up initiative by ACI as it already mandated a policy against single-use plastics on all its sites and facilities last year.
Representatives from the De partment of Agriculture, Depart ment of Migrant Workers, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Office of Public and Cul tural Diplomacy, Office of Civilian Authority, the United Nations and other international organizations also participated.
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of the United Nations and Interna tional Organizations, who repre sented Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo.
HE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) hosted the cer emonial exchange of notes among the Japanese government, the World Food Programme (WFP) as well as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on August 31.
RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently conferred the Order of Sikatuna on Turkish envoy Artemiz Sümer at the Malacañang Palace.“During her farewell call…we con ferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross) Silver Distinction on H.E. Artemiz Sümer, the outgoing Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines,” Marcos said in a Facebook post.
“It is essential to defend our environmental defenders as part of our conviction to protect the environment,” Ambassador Peter MacArthur said. “I’ve been deeply touched by the stories of these in dividuals—including the rangers of Masungi Georeserve, who put their own safety at risk for the sake of protecting the forests and water shed areas on which we all depend.”
With an investment of €18.4 million (P1.06 billion), the effort is part of the EU’s larger €66 million (P3.83 billion) Access to Sustain able Energy Programme (ASEP). Work on the electrification of households in remote villages in Mindanao is being implemented since 2019 by Napocor, with tech nical support from the WB.
Ridulme also expressed grati tude to the WB and EU for support ing the ASEP’s implementation, particularly during the challenging times of the pandemic. He shared that, drawing inspiration from the project, Napocor will also be handing out SHS in its small-power utility group areas using national government funds.
Harpaz emphasized the histori cally close and warm relations be tween the state and the republic, as he congratulated the expansion of the Israeli Embassy in Manila which recently opened two new offices: the Economic and Trade
Other topics discussed were the solar-powered irrigation project, the agriculture internship program in Israel for Filipinos, and the dairy programs.TheIsraeli delegation empha sized building bridges of innova tions between the two countries in the areas of water and agriculture
PBBM confers Order of Sikatuna on exiting Turkish ambassador
Shabtay, Deputy Chief of Mission Nir Balzam, as well as the embassy’s political and consular staff.
The EU Delegation’s Head of Cooperation Christoph Wagner stated during the ceremony that “[we are committed to supporting the Philippines’s thrust in promot ing renewable energy and improv ing] energy access. We are proud to have financed this action that reached vulnerable and isolated communities directly, providing a sustainable solution to a basic need such as access to electricity.”
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EU electrifies Mindanao villages via solar energy
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Deputy Director General for Asia and the Pacific at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Rafael Har paz, who once served as the states’ former envoy to the Philippines from 2018 to 2021, headed his country’s delegation. Assistant Secretary Al fonso Ferdinand Agbayani Ver of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of Middle East and African Affairs (OMEAA) led the Philip pineTheside.JCM on September 5 re viewed the ties binding both coun tries and highlighted main areas of cooperation: agriculture, trade and economy, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Israel, innovation and technology, defense, and tourism.
Mission, as well as the Office of the Defense Attaché. He highlighted the partnership during the pan demic, including the early vaccina tion of all Israel-based OFWs, and the deployment of Israeli medical teams to Manila who shared their local experiences both on the vac cination campaign and the clinical treatment.Ambassador Ilan Fluss shared that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. asked Israel to enhance its dealings in agriculture: “We are happy to share our expertise in the [said field] with the Philippines to address productiv ity and food security.”
Last month at the 2022 Inter national Ranger Awards, the Inter national Union for Conservation of Nature-World Commission on Pro tected Areas recognized Masungi rangers from the Bayog Ranger Sta tion for their remarkable resilience in the face of dangers while fulfilling theirMacArthurduties.
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Prior to her designation, she served as ambassador of the transcontinen tal country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos/PNA
“The project has been successful in many ways: We have provided sustainable, safe, and clean energy in isolated households in these ar eas, and have increased photovolta ic technology talents through pro fessional training to our ECs,” said Officer in Charge Atty. Melchor P. Ridulme of Napocor.
WAGNER
“We are grateful for Ambassador Sümer’s efforts [that strengthened our nations’ ties],” the president said. “We also wish her well as she completes her tour of duty…”
ated the diplomat for bolstering her country’s bonds with the Philippines during her watch.
also highlighted Canada’s efforts in supporting in novative climate finance tools and helping with green technology: “[We have recently announced a contribu tion of $3 million, or about P123.9 million, to support the Philippines’s efforts in strengthening its climatefinance mechanisms, while helping] improve the resiliency and environ mental security of Filipinos.”
WB Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand Ndiamé Diop said that electrifica tion is essential for poverty alle viation and inclusive growth, as he pointed out that the financial in stitution is gratified for being able to contribute to the government’s last-mile electrification campaign.
to face, there are success stories that we need to share,” Borje said. He reiterated that it was encourag ing to see efforts to battle climate change happening at the local level, especially since those have been effective.Cuna, in a relayed message from Secretary Ma. Antonia YuloLoyzaga of the Department of En vironment and Natural Resources, emphasized the need to focus on policy reforms for sustainable con servation. He also shared the en thusiasm and commitment of the DENR, the National Museum of the Philippines, and the FFP to use sci ence in reevaluating the protected areas’ suitability while enforcing plans relative to ecosystem func tions and services.
“It is really important for us to be self-affirming…[We know that,] while we have challenges…
and the Philippines conducted their 12th joint commission meeting (JCM) and political dialogue in Manila to discuss their bilateral relations.
Among environment champions
Desk Officer Mor Ben Moshe from Israel MOFA’s Southeast Asia Department-Asia and the Pacific accompanied Harpaz, together with Head of Economic and Trade Mission Tomer Heyvi, Defense Attaché Raz
2Go,” a digital platform that will connect farmers to markets, allow ing them to sell their produce at competitive prices.
The diplomatic order is awarded by a Philippine president to individu als for “conspicuous service in foster ing, developing and strengthening relations between their country and theThePhilippines.”chiefexecutive also appreci
Radio Television Malacañang, on its Facebook page, shared a short video of the event and noted Turkey’s support of the Bangsamoro Region’s peaceSümerprocess.was appointed envoy of Turkey to the Philippines in 2019.
The remaining amount of $2 mil lion (P112.5 million) of the contri bution will be used by FAO to imple ment a humanitarian initiative that will support the restoration of the livelihoods and the enhancement of the resilience of 20,000 smallscale coconut farmers and fishers affected by “Odette” in Regions 7, 8 and“Many13. Japanese…feel the suffer
BusinessMirror
Japan donated $6 million (P337.5 million) to support the FAO and the WFP’s new initiatives for farm ers and fisherfolk affected by Su pertyphoon Odette (international nameTargetRai).recipients are approxi mately 4,000 small-scale coconut farming and fishing households in Regions 7, 8 and 13, as well as 7,500 smallholder fisher and farmer fami lies in the Bangsamoro Region. $4 million (P225 million) will go to WFP to support a two-year project that aims to improve the livelihoods, food security and nutrition of farm ers and fisherfolk while strengthen ing their inclusion in the agricultural value chain through improved mar ket linkages and enhanced agricul turalTheproductivity.organization will also intro duce farmers to the use of “Farm
“There are still more than 1 mil lion households in the Philippines without access to electricity…in re mote and isolated [areas] or islands of Mindanao,” said Diop. “Govern ment leadership, public financing and off-grid renewable energy solu tions are [key to bringing electric ity in] remote and impoverished households and communities.”
AMBASSADOR Kazuhiko Koshikawa (seated, from left) and WFP Philippines Country Director Bren da Barton sign the memoranda of understanding. DFA-OPCD PHILIP ADRIAN FERNANDEZ
THE president recognized Ambassador Artemiz Sümer for her efforts in bolstering Turkey’s ties with the Philippines. FACEBOOK: BONGBONG MARCOS/PNA
Said SHSs were installed in bene ficiary households of electric coop eratives (ECs) in Bukidnon, Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Sur, Cotabato and South Cotabato.
Napocor, as ASEP’s implemen tation agency, conducted the bulk procurement of SHS. It facilitated delivery and installation of 30,500
Some 10,000 SHS had already been installed in a prior imple mentation phase, cofunded by the WB-managed Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid.
PHL, Israel expand dealings in broad political dialogue
VER (left) and Harpaz
HE European Union (EU), the World Bank (WB) and the National Power Corpo ration (Napocor) held a ceremony in Davao City late in August with the turnover of 30,500 solar home system (SHS) units.
units to households within fran chise areas of the five affiliate ECs: Bukidnon Second Electric Coopera tive Inc., Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative Inc., Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc., South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative Inc., and Cotabato Electric Coop erative Inc..
ISRAEL
Envoys&Expats
technologies, cyber security, infor mation and communications tech nology, connectivity, and more. Also included in the agenda were topics of counterterrorism and the expansion of defense Regionalties.and international topics discussed during the JCM, according to the Israeli Embassy, were bilateral political relations, developments in the Middle East and the Abraham Accords, Iran, as well as the West Philippine Sea, among others.
Canada envoy, environment champions gather to protect Masungi Georeserve
who participated in the luncheon meeting at the georeserve in Baras, Rizal were Climate Change Commis sion Secretary Robert E.A. Borje, En vironment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna, as well as Interior and Local Gov ernment Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez.Headsof environmental orga nizations Forest Foundation Phils. (FFP) and Wild Bird Club of the Phil ippines, as well as the leaders of the Kaksaan Ne Dumaget De Antipolo Inc., Rizal Province’s Youth Development Council, the Knights of Rizal, and the Buhay-Ilang Research Group, also attended the event.
THE Embassy of Canada in the Philippines and the Masungi Georeserve Foundation re cently cohosted an environment champions’ meeting to discuss ways to jointly address the conservation of the threatened Masungi land scape, restoration of the surround ing watershed, and protection of environmental defenders.
OMEAA’s Deputy Assistant Sec retary Shirlene Mananquil, Acting Director Mary Grace Perpetua and Assistant Director Nonito Cabrera Jr., with Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv’s Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Reichel Quinones, graced the gathering.
DFA hosts signing program of Japan-aided WFP, FAO projects for ‘Odette’-hit farmers, fisherfolk
ing and pain of Filipinos as their own, since we are both disaster-prone na tions,” said Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa. “We strongly hope that this sense of solidarity from [our] people will reach many Filipinos on the“Theground.”benefits of both projects nourish the country’s long-term so cioeconomic well-being and shield the most vulnerable from economic shocks that follow on the heels of both natural and manmade disas ters,” said Deputy Assistant Secre tary Noemi T. Diaz from the Office
The SHS is mainstreamed in the systems of ECs in terms of connec tion, billing, collection, operation, and maintenance. With the formal turnover of the SHS equipment, the beneficiary-households have now become members, consumers and owners of the ECs, and will have the same rights and obliga tions as those connected in the electric cooperatives’ distribution system.Each SHS package includes a 50watt peak solar panel, charge con troller with lithium-ion batteries that can power at least four LED bulbs, radio, torchlight, and USB ports to charge gadgets.
“Food is a pathway to peace. The linkage between conflict and hun ger is undisputed…” remarked WFP Country Representative Brenda Bar ton. “With the devastating effects of the global food, fuel and fertilizer [crises, which are] pushing millions of people across the world to the edges of hunger and desperation, we see Japan once again step forward to help the UN and governments buffer theJapan,impact.”WFP and FAO work closely with the Department of Agriculture, the Philippine Coconut Authority, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Bangsamoro ministries in implementing both projects. TheJapanese envoy signed both memoranda of understanding with Barton and Sheila Wertz-Kanoun nikoff, country representative (ad interim) of FAO Philippines in the presence of representatives from the Philippine government.
Acidre. “Alex’sfeat underscores the kind of dizzying heights the country has
1980 (combined age, 39 years and 54 days), Jim Courier and Monica Seles in 1992 (29 years, 246 days), Marcelo Rios and Martina Hingis in 1998 (39 years and 275 days).
The $10 million fine is the maximum allowed by NBA rule.
JRU fell to 0-2 in a tie with idle Emilio Aguinaldo College at the bottom of the standings.
insensitive language with the intent to demean or denigrate.”
with my personal philosophy or my values.... This moment is an opportunity for me to demonstrate a capacity to learn and grow as we continue to build a working culture where every employee feels comfortable and valued.”
Rookie Kobe Monje also played big for the Knights with a crucial rebound after William Sy missed his second free throw and converted a layup with 28.1 seconds left that gave the defending two-time champions the lead.
“Our aim is for this tour to again put into track our Olympic Program for training local athletes and talents as kiteboarding will be a permanent event beginning with the 2024 Paris Olympics,” he added.
needed vacation after a golden run in his strenuous European outdoor sortie, he won’t be alone—the world No. 3 pole vaulter brought along his girlfriend, German long and triple jumper Caroline Joyeaux.
With five gold medals to his name and an exclamation point win over world champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis in one outing, he too has given us bragging rights in the world stage.
No. 3 Lucie Havlickova of the Czech Republic during the US Open“Alex,finals. who spent the whole year playing at the professional level, was a masterclass in her return to juniors as she did not drop a single set in six matches,” the resolution said.
EW YORK—The National Basketball Association (NBA) has suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year, plus fined him $10 million, after an investigation found that he had engaged in what the league called “workplace misconduct and organizational deficiencies.”Thefindings of the league’s report, published Tuesday, came nearly a year after the NBA asked a law firm to investigate allegations that Sarver had a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents over his nearly twodecade tenure overseeing the franchise.
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Alcaraz bested 21-year old Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals, then disposed of Francis Tiafoe in the semis before defeating Casper Ruud, 23 in the final. Swiatek has a 37-match win streak and eliminated Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter final and semis, respectively, before defeating Tunisian Ons Jabeur. The world of tennis is wide open and belongs to these youngsters now. They are, ‘tis said, the youngest pairing of world No.1’s since January 2004 when the top men and women tennis players were both under 22. They are the fourth youngest pair ever after John McEnnroe and Tracy Austin in
Obiena capped a hectic five-nation, 21-day outdoor season campaign with
“We’re just blessed we pulled this one off,” he added.
This year, the group is bringing these extreme athletes to four exotic and pristine beaches. They are at Kingfisher in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, from October 15 to 17; Sicogon Island in Carles, Iloilo, from January 13 to 15; again in Sicogon Island from February 10 to 12 and Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan, from March 3 to 5.
The PKA is under the Philippine Sailing Association headed by Ernesto “Judes” Echauz and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.
A new era has truly dawned on the world and super novas are being hailed in the world of sports. What a stunning turn of events it has been for the world at large in these last recent days. What an exciting future for sports—Philippine sports especially—since Hidilyn Diaz won gold, our boxers scored silver, our women’s football team got a ticket to the World Cup, and Alex and EJ scored their coups in their respective sports.
Fran Yu calmly nailed three of four free throws in the final 13.5 seconds to secure Letran’s win.
“EJ has a tough 18-month training stretch coming up, all the way to Paris Olympics,” Laffery said. “So it’s important he gets some real down time to relax and heal after the amazing season he has just concluded.”Obiena’s parents—Emerson and Jeanette—and a party from the Philippine Sports Commission are expected to welcome them at the airport. They will proceed to the PSC to meet new agency chairman Noli
HE Philippine Kiteboarding Association (PKA) is all geared up in the Amihan season with the eighth edition of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Philippine Kiteboarding Tour.
HE House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a resolution paying tribute to Alexandra “Alex” Eala’s historic US Open girls’ singles victory—the firstever Filipino to do so—in Flushing Meadows, New York, on Sunday. House Resolution (HR) No. 362 was filed by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose M. Dalipe, House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos, Tingog party-list Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A.
The study also concluded that Sarver used demeaning language toward female employees, including telling a pregnant employee that she would not be able to do her job after becoming a mother—made off-color comments and jokes about sex and anatomy—and yelled and cursed at employees in ways that would be considered bullying “under workplace standards.”
On the court she left behind, a couple of youngsters now sit on the throne. Spanish teenager, Carlos Alcaraz, 19, is the new World’s No.1 in men’s tennis. A new girl in town, Iga Swiatek from Poland, 21, is the new Women’s World No.1. No Serena, no Nadal, no Djokovic no Federer. Alcaraz, by the way, is the youngest ever world No. 1 in the history of men’s tennis.
EJ BRINGING CAROL HOME
W HEN Ernest John “EJ”
This vacation, Lafferty stressed, is something Obiena badly needs as he reboots for 2023—a qualifying year for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
ItalymorningarrivesObienaThursdayfromforamuch-
The report said Sarver “repeated or purported to repeat the N-word on at least five occasions spanning his tenure with the Suns,” though added that the investigation “makes no finding that Sarver used this racially
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Swiatek impresses no less. She has had a 37-match win streak and won three majors at the age of 21. She has won her last 10 finals. She is the first female player to score three Grand Slams before turning 22 after Maria Sharapova. The Queen—Serena Williams—however, still tops them all, with her four major trophies won before turning 22.
By Jovee Marie Dela Cruz
Kurt Reyson fired a career-high 31 points, including a key three-pointer in the final five seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, 89-89.
OK, let’s get real. Alcaraz got under the brightest tennis spotlight, thanks to Djokovic’s unvaxxed status and the Wimbledon ban. But winning three five setters, swinging through two won matches till 3 a.m., saving a match and winning the final is serious business. He is the most impressive teen-ager in tennis today.
“To introduce his amazing and beautiful country to his girlfriend, Caroline Joyeaux,” Obiena’s confidante and Coach Jim Lafferty told BusinessMirror on Wednesday.Thelast time Obiena was in the country was in December 2019 for the 30th Southeast Asian Games where he easily won the men’s pole vault gold medal at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium. He flew to his training base in Formia, Italy, after that and never got the chance to slip in a trip home because of travel complications wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A brave new world
Sports BusinessMirror B8 | Thursday, sepTemBer 15, 2022 Editor:mirror_sports@yahoo.com.phJunLomibao
The resolution recounted the journey of Eala in the world of tennis before her great win in the recent US Open.
ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA and his girlfriend, German long and triple jumper Caroline Joyeaux, are featured in this photo published by Olympic.com during a break in the athletes’ schedule middle of last year.
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Indeed, the kids have it. So let’s not forget our own “Little Star” twinkling up there with the big stars. Alex Eala, 17, gave us a rush early Sunday morning (September
Eala was ranked 10th seed in the tournament and climbed up the ladder by defeating higher ranked players, including 8th seed Taylah Preston from Australia and 9th seed Victoria Mboko from Canada.
11) when she scored that upset win against No. 2 seed Lucie Havlickova to win the 2022 US Open Girls’ singles title.
“We’re excited to bring back the tour after two years of absence due to the global pandemic,” PKA President said. “Since our silver medal feat in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, we have set our eyes on other global events.”
“Kurt played a good game, 9 out of 14 (field goal shooting), he didn’t force his shots,” Tan said. “His free throws were 7 out of 7. It’s time for him to step up.”
THERE’S a new order in the world, what with the longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passing on and ending an era. And her eldest son, Charles, the former Prince of Wales, now beginning his reign as Charles III. There’s a new order too in the world of sports, most recently in the world of tennis. The erstwhile queen of the sport, Serena Williams has retired, and last was seen
ETRAN slipped past Jose UniversityRizal(JRU) in overtime, 101-97, to open its “three-peat” bid on a high note in the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
LETRAN’S Andrey Guarinio steals the ball from Jose Rizal University’s John Amores.
a golden leap at the Gala dei Castelli in Bellinzona, Switzerland, on Tuesday, hiking his harvest to six gold, one silver and one bronze medals for the season—the brightest of them was his victory over pole vaulting wonder Armand Duplantis at the Wanda Diamond League’s Memorial Van Damme in Brussells.
But not after at almost 41, she still managed to beat younger players on the outdoor hard courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York before eventually bowing out.
NBA suspends, fines Suns owner for ‘workplace misconduct,’ attitude
He competed at the Tokyo Olympics in August last year but still didn’t manage to steal a short visit to their home in Tondo. He flew back to Italy to resume training
Sarver said he will “accept the consequences of the league’s decision” and apologized for “words and actions that offended our employees,” though noted he disagreed with some of the report’s findings.
“I take full responsibility for what I have done,” Sarver said. “I am sorry for causing this pain, and these errors in judgment are not consistent
COURTESY OF RUDY ESPERAS
Kiteboarding body welcomes ‘amihan’ season with 4 events
By Josef Ramos
King Caralipio had a doubledouble of 14 points and 11 rebounds with three steals and three assists, Brent Paraiso added 13 points and four steals and Yu had in 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals for Letran.
Worldseedmatchintense2ndandJunior
Formed in early 2013, and with the full support of ICTSI, the PKA has been conducting national kiteboarding tour competitions across the country in some of the best destination spots for the sport.
at his legendary Coach Vitaly Petrov’s world pole vault center in Formia.“Itwill be great for EJ to come back and reconnect with his family and friends,” Lafferty said. “And he should be with Caroline.”
Having conquered the French Open in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2020, she is the first Filipino to win a Grand Slam Singles title. What pride she has instilled in us with her Meanwhile,achievement.EJObiena, no longer a teen-ager, nor at the beginning of his second decade, but still a young, young man at the peak of his form, has brought us glory as well in a sport very different from that of tennis. His most recent achievement at the Golden Fly Liechtenstein cemented his reputation as our golden boy of pole vault without question.
THE HOUSE of Representatives adopts a resolution on Wednesday paying tribute to Alexandra “Alex” Eala. TROI SANTOS PHOTO
Knights beat Bombers in OT to open defense of NCAA title on high note
Each leg features three main competition disciplines—Race, Hangtime (longest on air trick) and Freestyle.TheRace is further subdivided among Men, Women, Masters Class (40 to 54 years old) and Grand Masters (55 and above) categories, plus a Novice division for new participants of the sport.
She went on to beat in an
Sarver, the league said, cannot be present at any NBA or Women’s NBA team facility, including any office, arena, or practice facility; attend or participate in any NBA or WNBA event or activity, including games, practices or business partner activity; represent the Suns or Mercury in any public or private capacity; or have any involvement with the business or basketball operations of the Suns or Mercury.
Reyson, who had 10 points bridging the fourth quarter and overtime, received praises from Tan especially in terms of his maturity.
The Freestyle and Hangtime competitions, are divided into the men and women divisions.
Alcaraz’s youth is especially refreshing and intriguing. Compared to other world No.1’s, his achievement at 19 is one for the books. Djokovic won his first major when he was 20 at the 2008 Australian Open. Federer was 21 when he won at Wimbledon in 2003.
reigning in another court—the fashion walkway at New York Fashion Week.
achieved in tennis and her exemplary performance, which is one of the greatest in Philippine sports history, deserves utmost commendation and distinction for the honor and glory it brought to the country,” the resolution“Resolvedsaid.by the House Of Representatives, to congratulate and commend Alexandra “Alex” Maniego Eala for being the first Filipino to win the Junior Grand Slam Girls Singles Title in the 2022 US Open Tennis.”
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“It’s all about heart and luck,” Knights coach Bonnie Tan said. “I’m happy for the win. Going into the game, we’re blindfolded—we didn’t know how to win, we even didn’t know who’ll be our first five.”
John Amores led the Bombers with 19 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists while Agem Miranda chipped in 18 points, six assists and five boards.
A copy of the resolution will be sent to Eala.
The PKA already organized more than 20 events across the country with more than 200 participants, local and international superstars, joining the tour.
Congress hails Eala’s US Open win
SARVER
OnEala.Friday, Obiena and Joyeaux will travel to Tagaytay City for a lunch treat from Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and members of the POC Executive Board.