BusinessMirror September 22, 2022

The GFSI index showed that the Philippines, which had an overall food security score of 59.3, placed 67th out of 113 countries included in the index by Economist Impact and Corteva Science.

In the Asia-Paci c region, the Philippines ranked 13th out of 23 countries, behind Azerbaijan and Thailand. The GFSI index showed that the Philippines had a better food security score than India (58.9), which placed 14th, and three Southeast Asian neighbors— Myanmar (57.6), Cambodia (55.7) and Laos (53.1).

The GFSI index measures four aspects of a country’s food security, namely, food a ordability, availability, quality and safety, and sustainability and adaptation.

The Philippines scored 71.5 in terms of food affordability, 55.2 in terms of availability, 65.3 in terms of quality and safety and 41.8 in terms of sustainability and

“Theadaptation.country performs best in A ordability, owing to steady consumer prices, a low proportion of the

IN his rst ever engagement with the United Nations, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. called for harnessing new technology and international cooperation to stop climate change and other global threats.

Speaking in person during the High-Level Debate of the 77th UN General Assembly last Tuesday (New York time), Marcos said climate change is now the “greatest threat” for the international community.Scienti c experts have attributed climate change to extreme

weather such as long droughts and super typhoons, which are now devastating many parts of the world.“There is no other problem so global in nature that it requires a united e ort, one led by the United Nations,” Marcos said.

He noted international solidarity will be crucial for holistic water conservation and biodiversity protection amid the challenges posed by climate change.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. introduced himself as “Ferdinand Marcos” in his rst speech before the UN, omit-

WHILE the Asian Development Bank (ADB) retained its growth forecasts for the Philippines this year and next year, higher commodity prices are expected to push up infl ation this year.

In the Asian Development Outlook Update (ADOU), ADB maintained its 6.5 percent and 6.3 percent GDP forecast for the Philippines in 2022 and 2023, respectively.However, commodity prices are expected to post faster growth at an average of 5.3 percent this

year compared to the 4.9 percent estimated in July. Infl ation expectations for 2023 were kept at the bank’s July forecast of 4.3 percent.

“Infl ation is expected to remain elevated over the rest of the year due primarily to supply-side factors, including elevated global commodity prices. Bad weather has constrained the domestic supply of some agricultural commodities, and petitions for additional transport fare increases have been submitted by transport groups to the government,” ADB said in its report.However, infl ation is expected

to slow to 4.3 percent in 2023 as global oil prices start to ease. In the Philippines, this has already been observed as inflation in Au gust slowed to 6.3 percent.

Based on the Philippine Statis tics Authority (PSA), the slowdown in inflation from the 6.4 percent posted in July was in transporta tion. Inflation posted by the sector slowed to 14.6 percent in August from 18.1 percent in July.

Gasoline prices also slowed to 31.2 percent in August from 45.4 percent in July while the increase in diesel prices slowed to 70.9 per cent in August from 91.3 percent in July this “Inflationyear.is forecast to deceler ate to 4.3 percent in 2023 as global oil and non-oil prices start to ease. e cumulative policy rate adjust ment will also contribute to slow ing inflation,” the report stated.

In terms of GDP growth, ADB said this will be driven mostly by consumer spending as economic activities in the domestic economy continue increasing.

e Manila-based multilateral development bank said mobility

UNGA...

ting the extension of his name “Junior.”

“Mister President, Excellencies. I am Ferdi nand Marcos, and I am the President of the Re public of the Philippines,” Marcos Jr. opened his speech during the General Debate of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, Wednes day, 3am (Philippine time).

The presiding o cer of the UNGA intro

Pascual, US counterpart discuss minerals, power, infra investments

Liberalization Act,” Pascual stressed.

duty-free privileges to several Philippine-made products exported to the United States.

population under the poverty line, relative ease of agricultural trade and a good food safety-net programme,” the GFSI report, which was pub lished recently, said.

TRADE

Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual and United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo agreed to pursue key investments in power generation, mineral processing and infrastructure in the Philippines, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In his meeting with the US Secretary of Commerce, the Philippines’ Trade chief shared his intention to attract more US investments in power generation, especially in renewable en ergy—geothermal, solar, and wind power for the Philippines.“Thisisinline with the Philippine govern ment’s plan to address the energy supply and the rising cost of traditional power generation in the country through untapped resources,”

duced him as “Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, President of the Republic of the Philippines.”

Most leaders who spoke at the same ses sion did not mention their names during their speech after being introduced by the UNGA President. In the past two speeches of President Duterte in the UNGA delivered virtually, Duterte also did not state his name in the introduction.

DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza told BUSINESSMIRROR that the DFA drafted the speech of the President but the nal draft was approved by Malacañang.“Asforthepart about his introduction, you

the DTI said in a statement on Wednesday.

During the meeting, Pascual, who is among the Cabinet secretaries joining President Marcos Jr. in his six-day US visit, also agreed to an “in frastructure business matching” between the Philippines and the US.

In terms of exports, the Trade chief also sought the US Secretary of Commerce’s sup port for the reauthorization of the US General ized System of Preferences (GSP) that provides

have to ask Malacañang,” she said.

Lead by example

IN his statement at UNGA, Marcos said industri alized nations “should lead by example” by im mediately cutting down their greenhouse gas emissions as stipulated in their obligations un der the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

The nations, he said, should also extend climate nancing and technology transfer for adaptation for the most vulnerable and devel oping countries, including Philippines.

As for mineral resources, the Philippines expressed its interest to explore investment opportunities in green metals in partnership with United States rms since the Philippines has abundant resources of nickel and cobalt which are key inputs for battery manufactur ing, and copper, which is an important input for the production and manufacture of technology products.“These investments are timely as we pro mote the e-vehicle industry and production of high technology products in the Philippines,” Pascual said.

The Philippines intends to add value by processing these mineral resources instead of simply exporting ores, he said.

Pascual also underscored the importance of key policy reforms that enable 100-percent foreign ownership in key sectors such as tele communications, shipping, air carriers, railway, and “Attractingsubways. foreign investments into our country is a top priority of the new Administra tion. We will build on recent policy reforms, particularly amendments to the Foreign Invest ments Act, Public Service Act, and Retail Trade

“The Philippines, for example, is a net car bon sink, we absorb more carbon dioxide than we emit. And yet, we are the 4th most vulner able country to the e ects of climate change,” Marcos said. He said he hopes the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November will yield “concrete steps” to stop the said “collec tive “Wedisaster.”must seek solutions that preserve our planet. These solutions must transcend our time and win the future for the succeeding gen erations,” Marcos said.

UN role ASIDE from climate change, Marcos warned of the threat posed by “geopolitical polarities and sharpening strategic competitions,” which have even led to violations of the UN charter.

He said the UN must stand rm on its ideals and continue to facilitate the peaceful resolu tion of these con icts. “These behoove us to uphold the ideals that led to the establishment of this parliament of nations, and to reject any attempt to deny or rede ne our common un derstanding of these principles,” Marcos said.

He also noted existing inequalities and inequities among countries still persist, which was worsened by the “digital divide and bal

Closure...

28.6 billion in housing rent,” he said.

“POGOs also actually hire Filipinos directly. So, we stand to lose 70,000 Filipino jobs that are directly hired by POGOs at least. POGO em ployees also spend around P950 million daily in Philippine stores. Their commissaries spend P11.4 billion annually from Filipino caterers,” he added.Also,the House leader said a blanket ban on a speci c sector, when there are laws that already exist to prevent abuses in any kind of business, will be seen as arbitrary.

“That will hurt our reputation with inves tors not just in the gaming sector. We will be known as a country that burns down houses just to kill the rat inside,” he said. Salceda said the government can still generate revenue at least P5 billion from the POGOs.

“I foresee growth in government income from POGOs. I think a total tax take of at least P5 billion this year is possible, up from P1.2 billion from last year,” he said.

“The BIR commissioner has made a similar observation of industry growth during Congres sional hearings as well. It’s de nitely worth keeping legal, fully-compliant companies. Whether it’s worth it is already a settled policy question: we always want legal businesses and we always hate illegal businesses. I will de nitely not advocate for a position of banning an entire legal industry because of the illegals who are also hurting the legal industry participants,” he added.Salceda said when Singapore was debating on the merits of keeping its petroleum re ning industry, due to concerns about pollution and other e ects, its policy response was to keep re ning within special re ning zones isolated from much of the city-state and these are called “scheduled premises.”

“The analogy and the solution will probably be similar here. POGOs do not extract natural re sources or revenues from our country. They can be kept within controlled and heavily regulated

Moreover, Pascual highlighted the coun try’s participation in the US-led Indo Paci c Economic Framework (IPEF), noting that the Philippines aims to further closely engage with the United States in promoting and generating investments while advocating labor rights, en vironment and good governance.

The previous administration stressed in May that IPEF’s broad themes of the IPEF are gener ally aligned with the Philippines’s economic and development priorities: advancing resil ience, sustainability, inclusiveness and compet itiveness are consistent with the Philippines’s interest and development objectives.

The IPEF was launched on May 23, with the US and 12 other partners including Australia, Brunei Darussalam,India, Indonesia, Japan, Ko rea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singa pore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Fiji also became a member on May 26.

The economic framework has four pillars namely Trade; Supply Chain; Clean Economy; and Fair AccordingEconomy.tothe United States Trade Rep resentative (USTR), the 14 framework partners represent 40 percent of global GDP and 28 per cent of global goods and services trade.

looning debt burdens” in some countries.

The UN could also serve as a venue to correct such “injustice,” which became more apparent during the pandemic, “when the richer nations immediately received vaccines at the expense of the have-nots.”

Fair international system

ADDRESSING the issues will require the imple mentation of the 2030 Sustainable Develop ment Goal and making cutting-edge technol ogy accessible to more people, according to Marcos. “We need to rea rm the wisdom of the founders of our United Nations. This means transcending our di erences and committing to ending war, upholding justice, respecting human rights, and maintaining international peace and security,” Marcos said.

“Our work must also focus on ensuring that the international system remains fair not only for all states, but more importantly for all peoples,” he added. Marcos was accompanied by First Lady Maria Louise Araneta Marcos, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos and House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, when he delivered his 21-minute speech at the UN Headquarters. With a report by Malou Talosig-Bartolome

spaces. And we have a potential global advan tage in that we recognize them as taxable enti ties, unlike other countries that consider them a gray area,” he said.

Salceda said his proposal is to keep POGO operations within POGO-speci c zones that are ringfenced from the rest of the country.

“New licenses will be in these zones, and ex isting licenses will be allowed only to complete their leases. Any o shore gaming that operates outside such zones will be considered illegal and o shore gaming outside these premises can be arrested in agrante delicto—without need for much further investigation. That way, we also limit needless interaction with the sec tor, and can keep its clientele as exclusively for eign,” he added.

Ill e ects

FOR his part, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said there now exist indications that online gambling operations have undermined the government’s war against illegal drugs, graft and corruption, money laundering and alarming gambling-related crimes.

Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, had denounced in a privi lege speech in November 2019 or in the 18th Congress that the loosely-regulated in ux of large number of Chinese tourists-turned POGO workers in the country would only create social and security concerns for the country.

“I had long held that, prior to the spread of Covid-19 virus in March 2020, that there are serious e ects on the POGOs online gambling operations [on] our war against money laun dering, criminality, graft and corruption and illegal drugs,” he said.

As early as November 2019, Barbers said the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group’s data indi cated 31 KFR cases involving Chinese nationals from 2017 to 2019, and most of the cases trans pired in the vicinity of the so-called “Entertain ment City” where casinos and on-line gaming are located.Asidefrom abduction cases, crimes such as murder, he added prostitution, torture, extor tion, usurious loan-shark, suicide, and illegal drug tra cking involving Chinese nationals

“The country’s weakest performance is in the Sustainability and Adaptation category, with its ’weak’ score of 41.8 due to exposure risks to the agricultural water supply, land de terioration and threats to marine biodiversity,” it added.TheGFSI pointed out that the Philippines “needs” to strengthen its sustainability and adaptation policies “to protect the agricultural sector and natural resources from the negative impacts of climate change.”

“The Philippines has implemented envi ronmental-economic accounting measures and adopted disaster risk reduction strategies at the national and local level. However, despite these signi cant improvements, the overall category score is still considered ’weak,’” it said.

“The country must make greater e orts to improve scores on all indicators and sub-indica tors in the Sustainability and Adaptation pillar, particularly those focused on protecting natural resources,” it added.

The report indicated that the Philippines’s strengths lie in ensuring farmers’ access to agri cultural inputs and in establishing a foundation of strong farm infrastructure. Furthermore, the country has “strong” nutritional standards that help consumers, according to the report.

The country’s highest score was in food a ordability as it had “good” to “very good” scores in change in average food scores, pro portion of population under the global poverty line, agricultural and food safety-net programs.

A score of 70 to 79.9 is considered good while a score of 80 to 100 is very good.

The Philippines scored 74 in change in aver age food costs, 82.7 in proportion of population under global poverty line, 49.8 in inequality-ad justed income index, 74.7 in agricultural trade, and 73.2 in food safety net programs.

“Price consistency on the consumer side and ease of trade enables food to remain af fordable,” the report said.

However, the report emphasized that the Philippines lags behind in terms of agricul tural research and development. The report also pointed out that the country has “excessive dependency on food aid.”

The Philippines ranked 81st globally in terms of agricultural research and development but still falls in the “very weak” score bracket or a score range of 0 to 39.9 owing to declining budget for research and development.

“This is because the country’s public spend ing on research and development has steadily declined since the beginning of the reporting period. In addition, access to agricultural tech nology, education and resources is low,” the report said.

transpired in said period.

Very recently, Barbers said, an alarming rise in cases of kidnapping, murder, torture and ex tortion between and among “captive” Chinese POGO workers and their employer-handlers was reported.Hesaid the kidnappings and other forms of criminality are allegedly being perpetrated by private protective agents employed by private security rms or by rogue but active law en forcement agents that are said to be under the employ of some POGO rms in the country.

The solon from Mindanao said there had been indications in the past that Chinese drug syndicates are utilizing online gambling fa cilities as “fronts” for their illegal trade based on police reports. The danger of online gambling on the other hand, Barbers said, is founded by its potential capacity to “revolutionize” or reinvent the money laundering processes that undoubtedly promotes illegal drug trade and other organized crime activities.

“This is because the nature of the Internet, including other Apps such as the Dark Net, al lows transactions to occur almost instanta neously and with anonymity, thereby allowing the criminal launderer to avoid detection. The online gambling being operated by POGOs may even be worse than the traditional casino gam bling operations,” he said.

In 2019, Barbers said Pagcor records indi cate there were only 12 POGO rms that were given franchises. But these rms allegedly il legally “farmed-out” their franchises to other rms resulting to the mushrooming Chinese POGO rms and workers in the country, he said.

Barbers said Pagcor justi ed POGOs pres ence and operations by saying and projecting that said rms could generate more than P37 billion annually to nance local infrastructure and socio-civic development projects.

However, latest reports said that this year, the government, through the BIR, was only able to collect P3 billion from the POGO operations.

For its part, the DOJ is currently investigat ing the presence of some 200 POGO rms ille gally operating in the country.

POGO or similar online gaming operations is strictly prohibited or banned in China.

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573 & Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

The Nation

MILITARY

officials and the provincial government of Davao Oriental have de clared the province as insurgencyfree during a meeting of the provin cial peace and order council (PPOC) on AMonday.statement from the Army’s 10th Infantry Division said the council unanimously approved Resolution Number 1 series of 2022 that de clared Davao Oriental as already clear of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels following the dismantling of three rebel guerilla fronts.

These are the Guerilla Fronts South, North and 18, which were dismantled on April 18, 2021, June 20, 2021 and September 15, 2022 re spectively. All three NPA fronts have previously operated in Davao Oriental.

At least 108 rebels were also neu tralized and 109 firearms were seized by security forces in the province from the third quarter of 2019 up to Wednesday.Brig.Gen.Oliver Maquiling, com mander of the 701st Infantry Brigade, said the successful counterinsurgency campaign was due to the convergence of government agencies in imple menting various peace and develop ment programs in Davao Oriental.

Governor Corazon Malanyaon, the military said, viewed the clearing of the province of NPA rebels as very timely, especially now that Davao Oriental is aggressively promoting its tourism potential.

“We have what it takes to be a pre mier tourist destination, and Davao Oriental is worth visiting. But we also have to consider that the tour ism industry is too sensitive to peace and order,” Malanyaon said.

Major Gen. Nolasco A. Mempin, 10th Infantry Division commander, commended the overwhelming sup port of Davao Oriental and the aggres sive actions initiated by the military that paved the way for the defeat of communist rebels in the province.

“We are now witnessing history. All of our provinces here in Davao Re gion were declared insurgency-free. Now, I urge everyone to continue our efforts and not rest on our laurels. We will continue to push further to wards the attainment of sustainable development in the whole region,” Mempin said.

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crisp in Remulla disclosed that he is scheduled to meet with the Chinese ambassador to the Phil ippines and other officials today, Thursday, September 22, 2022, to discuss the planned deportation of at least 40,000 Chinese employees of Philippine Offshore Gaming Opera tions (POGOs), who may be staying in the country illegally following the closure of their firms.

The meeting between officials of the Department of Justice (DOJ) led by Remulla and Chinese embassy of ficials will be held at the DOJ’s main office in Manila, according to DOJ spokesperson Jose Dominic Clavano.

Clavano said it would be the first time Remulla and Chinese of ficials would meet and tackle the issues hounding POGO operations in the country.

“He will meet with the Chinese ambassador tomorrow [Thursday] afternoon to speak about the can celled POGO companies as listed by the Pagcor [Philippine Amuse ment and Gaming Corporation]. There must be a coordinated effort between the two countries to bring

them back to China given that they have no more basis to stay here in the Philippines,” Clavano said.    Clavano noted that there are 175 canceled POGO companies with varying number of employees, bring ing estimated the number of Chinese nationals due for deportation to at leastDuring40,000.Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance on the budget of the Department of Justice, Remulla noted that China observe protocols that needed to be followed before accepting the deportees, thus, the need to meet with Chinese em bassy officials to ensure that these rules will be followed.

‘Logistical challenge’

MEANWHILE, Bureau of Immigra tion spokesman Dana Krizia Sando val admitted that the deportation of such a huge number of Chinese nationals would be a logistical chal lenge for the agency.

“We will, however, as in the past, coordinate with their embassy for the arrangements,” Sandoval said.

Gatchalian pushes POGO probe

DISMAYED by lower-than-expected revenue collection from POGOs, Sen ator Sherwin T. Gatchalian is pushing for a Senate inquiry to measure the economic costs and benefits of POGO

operations in the country.

The senator reminded “the gov ernment allowed POGOs in the country precisely for the purpose of generating additional revenue.”

“If we are not able to realize this, then we must have a careful review of POGO operations to determine whether they should remain in the country,” Gatchalian stressed.

He recalled news reports cit ing former Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III projecting in October 2021 that total revenue collections from PO GOs for the year 2022 to 2023 could reach P76.2

However,billion.recentdata showed rev enues from POGO operations in the country are not likely to even hover near this amount as revenue collec tion in the first quarter reached only P1.55

Also,billion.taxcollections from the in dustry reached only P3.91 billion in 2021 compared to P7.176 billion in 2020 and P6.424 billion in 2019.

Vowing to thoroughly review the legitimacy of POGOs in the country, he said the upcoming inquiry would also verify if it is really advantageous to theMoreover,government.headded, “We will also verify if they are paying the right taxes, as well as how many most of them were allowed to illegally enter the country.”

“Aalamin natin kung nagbabayad ba sila ng tamang buwis at kung gaano karami ang nakakapasok na iligal sa bansa,” Gatchalian added.

Citing concerns “due to the grow ing incidence of crimes attributable to the POGO industry,” he noted, “both national and local authorities are ramping up their efforts to curb these crimes and maintain peace and order in the country, which entails additional costs for the country.”

He asserted, “Clearly, any economic benefit that we derive from POGO op erations should substantially outweigh any social cost that we must bear in exchange for their presence in the country,” referring to the reported rise in criminality attributed to POGOs.

Ban POGOs–Sen. Binay SEN. Nancy Binay, for her part, aired serious doubts POGOs are advanta geous to the country, as the lawmaker even vowed to back a move to pass a law banning POGOs.

“Is it worth it?” Binay asked, cit ing growing concerns hosting for eign gambling operators is likely to backfire.Thesenator affirmed she would have “no qualms supporting the move to ban POGOs if it poses no benefit to the country, noting reports they are even linked to illegal activities.”

“Kung hindi sulit ang kinikita mula sa

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s participation in 77th United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York City was a symbolic act that would play a significant role in advancing peace and stability not only in the Southeast Asian region but in the Philippine’s sphere of influence, House Speaker Martin G. Romual dez on Wednesday said.

In a news statement Romualdez said Marcos’s remarks showed “how we all need to work together to ad dress the urgent problems plaguing the globe in this generation...[And] that we need to act fast if we want humanity to survive.”

“The UN has long been an in dependent arbiter and an effective facilitator of the international dia

logue between and among nations. It continues to be our country’s honor to be part of this global family of na tions that has continued to remain faithful to its mission of fostering world peace,” said Romualdez, who accompanied President Marcos in his visit to the US.

Marcos delivered the Philippine national statement before members of the UN at its 77th General Assem bly held in its global headquarters.

The Chief Executive stressed, among others, the importance of the UN in enforcing and applying international law, as well as cham pioning international dialogue and“Presidentcooperation.Marcos’s call for global unity resonates with each one of us who fear what the tec tonic shifts in the world today may bring in the coming century. The President’s words struck a chord

in every Filipino household. He verbalized what an average Fili pino family would want to tell world leaders: please get your acts together so that we keep families all over the world feeling safe and secure for generations to come,” Romualdez

“Reaffirmingsaid.the principles that the UN stands for means we also reaffirm our commitment to pur sue dialogue and cooperation as a peaceful means to settle conflict and disputes. And this is crucial to the peace and stability in our region,” he Romualdezadded.said Marcos’s impas sioned speech before the UN also reaffirmed the country’s commit ment to honor its obligations under international law.

“By reaffirming the ideals of the UN, we also recognize that the Phil ippines is a part of a bigger world

community and, as such, must adhere to the principles mutually agreed upon by members of the UN,” RomualdezRomualdezsaid.also said he has “never been prouder” to be a Filipino after listening to Marcos’s historic address at the UNGA.

“I have never been prouder to stand as a Filipino in the company of world leaders. It was a great experi ence to see and hear our President spell out, in clear terms, what we as a people expect from the parliament of nations,” Romualdez said, referring to the reaffirmation made by Presi dent Marcos of the ideals upheld and promoted by the UN.

President Marcos’s recent visit to the US is part of a series of inter national travel that aims to bring in much-needed investments into the Philippines after ill effects of the pandemic.

By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

IT is high time that government prioritize the passing of a law that will finally legalize motor cycle taxi services in the Philippines, representatives of civil society, the government, and an industry player said on DuringWednesday. theKapihan sa Manila Bay, The Passenger Forum Conve ner Primo Morillo and Infrawatch

Convener Terry Ridon, Land Trans portation Office Director Alex Aba ton, and Move It General Manager Wayne Jacinto agreed Congress should pass the Motorcycle Taxi Bill into law to properly regulate the operations of motorcycle taxis in the “WhilePhilippines. motorcycle taxi compa nies are making a mess by arguing among themselves, we should re main focused on the real issue on the table—that we need an actual law for the motorcycle taxi sector. That is the first order of the day,” RidonMotorcyclesaid.  taxis are currently operating under a pilot study, as they have yet to be legally recog nized as a form of public trans portation. Lawmakers from the previous Congress have started the ball rolling to legalize them,

but that was halted due to the pandemic. Fornow, the government has limited the operation of motorcycle taxis to three companies, which are required to provide the government necessary data to prove that they are a safe mode of transportation to the Onepublic. ofthem was Move It, which was recently acquired by Grab. The acquisition earned the ire of some groups in the civil society, deeming it to have been illegal under the pilot program.“Thelaw will ensure the safety of their operations. We first need to create the law instead of argu ing about the pilot program. We should support one another in pushing for the law. For as long as a law is not passed, the sector will look like the wild, wild, west,” RidonMorillosaid. agreed, saying motor cycle taxis could help address the transport crisis in some parts of the“WePhilippines. arestillat the mercy of the discretion of the government and we believe that it is high time that we pass the motorcycle taxi law. We think this should be a prior ity of the new Congress to provide commuters with more options,” he said.

In February, months before the change in the members of the Congress, the House of Represen tatives unanimously approved on third and final reading House Bill 10571, which consolidated 18 bills that aim to legalize motor cycle services as a form of public transportation. UnderRepublic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, motorcycles are prohibited to be used as public transport.

“At the end of the day, we need a law. Congress can be the one to pro vide the guidelines,” Abaton said. “It’s about time that we recognize this mode of transportation because there is a need for it.”

Morillo noted that the pilot study should have formed meaningful re sults by now. He believes motorcycle taxis can be a viable and safe mode of transportation with proper training of riders and the implementation of safetyJacintoprotocols. noted that for Move It, drivers undergo “rigorous training and skills assessment.” Insurance is also provided for both riders and passengers. “MoveItis the smallest player and we aim to provide our riders with a means to earn, while offering pas sengers a safe mode of transporta tion,” he said.

Deprived of Lib erty (PDLs) in the Quezon City Jail Male Dormitory (QCJMD) can now continue their basic education through the first Senior High School (SHS) program to be offered by the Schools Division OfficeThe(SDO).Quezon City government last week signed a memorandum of understanding with the QCJMD, SDO and the Fernando C. Amor solo Senior High School.The signing was attended by QC Assistant City Administrator for General Affairs Atty. Rene Grapilon, QCJMD War den JSupt Michelle Ng Bonto, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Brian Ilan, and Fernando C Amorsolo Senior High School Principal Mr. Larry M. Castro.

PERSONS

Cookery and Commercial Cooking; Information and Communications Technology (ICT)—Animation and Computer Programming and Shield ed Metal Arc Welding (SMAW).

Upon graduation, the PDLs can obtain a National Certificate Level II (NC II) once they pass the competen cy-based assessment of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).

“Ang ating mga institusyon tulad ng QC Jail ay nagsisilbing pangalawang tahanan ng ating mga mamamayan na nagbabagong-buhay. Habang narito sila, tinutulungan natin sila ng ibaibang kakayahan o skills na magaga mit nila sa kanilang reintegration sa komunidad,” the mayor added.

“Karapatan ng bawat mamama yan ang magkaroon ng maayos na edukasyon. Dito sa lungsod, hindi tayo papayag na maging hadlang ang katayuan o sitwasyon sa buhay para hindi makapag-aral. Sa QC, ang edukasyon ay pantay, inklusibo, at bukas para sa lahat,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a news statement issued on Wednesday.

Under the MOU, the school, with the assistance of the QC Govern ment, will offer the Technical, Voca tional and Livelihood (TVL) Strand specializing in Home Economics (HE) —Bread and Pastry Production,

For her part, Bonto expressed gratitude and appreciation for the continuing support given by the city government for their institution that boosts the capability and morale of their personnel and PDLs.

The K to 12 program is a new pro gram over and above the Alterna tive Learning System (ALS) pro gram for Elementary and Junior High School competencies. The city government is also prioritizing the inclusion of technical, vocational and livelihood training and other aftercare initiatives that aim to positively transform the lives of PDLs to become productive QCiti zens upon their release.

POGO lalo pa’t dumarami ang krimen na konektado dito handa kami magpasa ng batas para sa total ban ng POGO,” Binay vowed.

In a news statement, she cited police reports connecting POGOs to rising cases of kidnappings, acts of violence, extortion and even murder with POGOs as victims.

The senator recalled a September 7 Philippine National Police report, noting it had recorded 27 kidnapping cases so far this year, 20 of which were

BinayPOGO-related.addedshe is looking for ward to the upcoming Thursday hearing of the Senate Ways and Means Committee to measure the economic benefits of POGO opera tions vis-à-vis its social costs.

“Dapat pag aralan ang pros and cons ng operasyon ng POGO at tingnan kung kung may silbi ba ito sa bansa,” the senator said, Citing Secretary Diokno’s assurance the country can move forward without POGOs as it has already seen a de cline in revenue generation.

It was recalled that during the Development Budget Coordination Committee briefing at the Senate, the finance chief cited how the total revenues from the industry dipped to an estimated P3.9 billion in 2021, down from the P7.2 billion recorded in the previous year. envoy

By Rene Acosta @reneacostaBM

THE Philippine National Po lice (PNP) said on Wednes day it has already arrested eight of the 14 suspects who could possibly be involved in the hazing of a 19-year-old college student in Davao City.

But PNP Public Information Of fice chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Augus tus Balba said police investigators are still conducting a deeper probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of the victim identified as August Ceazar Saplot.

Saplot’s lifeless body was found at Purok Santo Niño, Sison Village, Upper Mandug, Buhangin District, DavaoSaplotCity. sustained serious inju ries in the different parts of his body. He was with another Vic tim, 18-year-old Michael Angelo Ligaya, who survived the hazing and is now undergoing treatment at a local Followinghospital.aninvestigation, the police identified 14 suspects, eight of whom have been arrested, including the so-called president of the Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho) fraternity, Alpha Delta Chapter, identified as Jeremiah Moya,The23.other suspects were identi fied as Leji Quibuyen; John Lloyd Sunagang; Harold Flauta; John Steven Silvosa; Ramel Gamo; Gil bert Asoy Jr.; Roseller Gaentano; Ryan James Ranolo, at-large; Harold Gocotano, at-large; John Bacacao, at-large; Cherie Norico, at-large; Kadjo Matobato, at-large; and George RecoveredRegalado.evidence from the crime scene were a leather belt color black and two applica tion forms for Akrho fraternity membership.

“Tulong-tulong tayo sa pagligtas para sa kapakanan ng mga biktima ng krimen. I enjoin our stakehold ers to actively participate so we can protect our children and the youth against those who inflict harm on them. We will definitely look closely into this case and find justice for the victims and their families,” PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said.

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE country remains on track to attain its target to register 99.5 percent of the population in the Civil Registry System by 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

At a media briefing on Wednesday, PSA Philippine Identification System Registry Office Officer in Charge Deputy National Statistician Fred S. Sollesta said this was the commitment of the PSA in the 2015-2024 Civil Reg istration and Vital Statistics Decade. Sollesta said based on the results of the recent Census of Population and Housing, birth registration na tionwide increased to 96.8 percent in 2020 from 95 percent in 2015.

Even without the PhilSys Birth Registration Assistance Project [PBRAP], our registration improved. But if our intervention, PBRAP, is im plemented, we are on track to fulfill

our commitment by 2024 that at least 99.5 percent of the births of Filipinos are registered,” Sollesta said.

T he implementation of the PBRAP is one of the major programs of the PSA, which seeks to ensure that all births of Filipinos are registered in the Local Civil Registry Offices (LCROs) for their legal identity.

Additionally, their respective Cer tificate of Live Births (COLBs) will enable them to be enrolled with the Philippine Identification System (Phil Sys) for the issuance of their Philippine Identification (PhilID) card.

Sollesta said if 96.8 percent of births are registered in the country, only 3.2 percent of the population does not have birth certificates. This translates to about 3.52 million Fili pinos out of 110 million people.

In 2015, if there were 95 percent birth registration in the country, some 5 percent are not. Given the 100 million population at that time, this would translate to around 5 million

Filipinos without birth registrations.

A s of last week, Sollesta said LCROs have received birth records for verifi cation through the PBRAP and reached 489,957 submissions. This represents 24.5 percent of the 2 million annual target for the PBRAP.

Of this number, a total of 360,996 have been verified and 113,991 remain unverified by the PSA.

Birth registration is part of the Sus tainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Goal 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to jus tice for all and building effective, ac countable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Under SDG 16.9, by 2030, coun tries must provide legal identity for all, including birth registration. Un der this indicator is a target of in creasing the proportion of children less than 5 years of age whose births have been registered with a civil au thority by age.

PSA target to register 99.5% of population by ’24 on track toportsupgradeConstruction,oflocaldevolvedLGUs–DBM shopping

THE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has clari fied that construction of local ports has already been devolved to local government units (LGUs).

T he DBM issued the statement following its disapproval of the requested funding for 36 ports and docks by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the 2023 National Expenditure Pro gram (NEP).

“ Per Section 17B item 8 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines, and pursuant to the Mandanas-Garcia Case Ruling, the construction of local ports has already been devolved to LGUs,” DBM said in a news statement is sued on Tuesday.

Further, the DBM said, under Section 17 of the Local Government Code of 1991, infrastructure facili ties, including traffic signals and road signs and similar facilities, have also been devolved to LGUs.

DBM also said the construction of adequate transportation facili ties; fish ports; and infrastructure facilities intended primarily to service the needs of the residents of the municipality including, but not limited to fish ports, among others, have also been devolved to local governments.

By Andrea E. San Juan

THE Department of Trade and In dustry (DTI) said it has already received advisories from some manufacturers of Christmas products, noting that there will be price adjust ments in October or November.

I n a televised interview last Thursday, DTI-Consumer Protection Group (CPG) Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo advised consumers anew to stock up on noche buena goods as early as now if they can afford to do so, while prices of Christmas goods are not yet moving.

However, Castelo unveiled that some manufacturers have already told the DTI that there will be price adjustments on some of the Christmas goods. These price adjustments, she added, might take effect in October or November.

“Meron na kasing mga notices na na receive ang DTI kaya ang advice natin ay habang hindi pa tumataas ang presyo, bumili na sila kung kaya nila,” Castelo said on Thursday.

“So ngayon merong mga advisories from manufacturers ng Christmas products natin na medyo gagalaw ’yung preso niya. Hindi pa naman ngayon, sa October or November pa ’yung effec tivity,” Castelo added.

T he good news here, she said, is while the prices of some products

will increase, there will also be goods whose prices are expected to fall.

Makers of ham, mayonnaise and sandwich spread notified of price in creases. San Miguel/Magnolia signi fied some decrease on cheese,” Castelo told the BusinessMirror on Tuesday.  S till, Castelo said consumers should wait for the Price Guide that the Trade department will release for the Noche Buena products, which will be out by the last week of October or early November.

In an earlier interview, the trade official shared some tips on how to save money as the holiday season ap proaches, one of which is to stock up on holiday goods as early as now since majority of the Christmas products have long shelf-life.

This, she stressed, noting that most, if not all, consumers do not notice that prices are gradually increasing in the middle of the Christmas rush.

Castelo also encouraged consumers to check the “promo packs” or the “bun dles” which she said could help buyers save. Based on computations, she added, consumers could save from P20 to P70 if they buy bundled products.

In November 2021, the DTI re leased a price guide of noche buena products including ham, keso de bola, cheese, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, pasta-spaghetti noodles, elbow and salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, to

mato sauce, and all-purpose cream.

T he noche buena SRP list last year showed that 110 shelf-keeping units (SKUs) retained their prices in 2020, while 20 SKUs saw price reductions. Moreover, the list included the SRPs for Christmas products in a variety of sizes to allow the public to shop accord ing to their preferences and needs.

To avoid panic buying and ensure value for money, the DTI advised the public last year to create a shopping list and refer to the noche buena SRP bul letin prior to visiting their preferred supermarket. Intermsofthe basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs), Castelo underscored DTI’s crucial role in as suring that prices remain stable amid the economic challenges.

T he trade undersecretary noted, “Ang pinakamalaking tulong talaga na binibigay sa consumers, we are able to temper kung ano man ’yung increases nila hindi tayo pumapayag ng more than 10 percent na taas. Otherwise kasi ‘pag hindi ’yan covered ng DTI, basta na sila magpresyo ng gusto nila.”

Castelo stressed that the products included in the suggested retail price (SRP) bulletin are tempered or the price increases are regulated.

She added that since the DTI just increased prices last August, “medyo hindi pa muna natin pagagalawin ’yung presyo in the next few weeks siguro.”

Meanwhile, the DBM said the Devolution Transition Plans of DOTr, the Department of Agricul ture, and the Department of Public Works and Highways also identified a number of programs, activities and projects that were assigned and for devolution to LGUs.

T hese include the development of locally funded social and tour ism ports; operation of municipal fishports in the city or for proj ects that cut across two or more barangays; and the construction/ improvement of access roads lead ing to airports/seaports.

T he DBM, in a presentation on the 2023 Budget Forum, stated that the Supreme Court Ruling on the Mandanas case stated that LGUs share in national taxes is not lim ited to “national internal revenue taxes” collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

T he ruling stated that the “just share” of local governments includes collections (customs duties) by the Bureau of Customs and other col lecting agencies.

T he agency also stated that pursuant to this, Executive Order No. 138 was released in June 2021 and stated that the full devolu tion of certain functions of the executive branch of government to local governments. Cai U. Ordinario

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz  @joveemarie

THE Makabayan bloc on Wednesday filed a resolution to restore State Universities and Colleges’ (SUC) budget cuts, and urged Congress to allocate funds for safe schools reopening.

In filing House Resolution 403, Ka bataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene D. Brosas and Act Teachers Rep. France Castro said in the proposed 2023 na tional budget, SUCs are about to re ceive a total budget of P93.08 billion, a decrease of P10.89 billion or 10.48 percent from this year’s total budget of P103.97 billion.

T he lawmakers said 81 out of 116 SUCs are set to incur cuts in their overall budget. Alongside this, 115 schools are set to sustain cuts in their operating budget, 83 schools are set to sustain cuts in their capital outlay, and 17 schools are set to sustain cuts in their personnel services.

“Cuts in operating costs will ad versely impact the capacity of SUCs to safely reopen their campuses for

full face-to-face classes amid the Co vid-19 pandemic. SUCs have also been given limited fiscal space for capital outlay, which they strive to augment with their own revenue-generating sources,” the resolution read.

L awmakers also urged Congress to provide an immediate supple mentary budget necessary for the safe reopening of schools and to add funding for it in the 2023 national education budget.

There is also a need to provide an immediate supplementary budget to facilitate further the safe reopening of schools through funding of Proper Ventilation of Learning Spaces, OnCampus Health Facilities and Sup plies, Hiring of Human Resources for Health, Support for Private Educa tional Institutions, Medical Fund for Free Treatment, Internet Allowance for Teachers, Devices for Teachers, Compensation for Work Rendered in Excess of Teaching Hours and Addi tional Compensation for Co-curricu lar Activities, Hazard Pay for Teachers and Education Personnel, and Student Aid,” the resolution added.

Manuel said he believes that the chal

lenges that SUCs face are further com pounded by the insufficient funding for capital and equipment outlay given to schools affected by natural disasters like recent typhoons and earthquakes.

For years, our constituents have called for greater state funding for education. An additional budget is needed for our learning institutions to regain their public character and provide ample support for student services and faculty development.

If our state universities and colleges are to be expected to perform duties at their duties, they must be funded accordingly,” said the resolution.

In a joint statement, 20 SUC admin istrators said there is also a budget cut for the Free Higher Education Program under the proposed budget for SUCs in 2023 amounting to P1.8 billion.

Cuts in operating costs will ad versely impact the capacity of SUCs to safely implement face-to-face classes while Covid-19 still lingers,” said the statement. SUCshave also been given limited fiscal space for capital outlay which they strive to augment with their own revenue-generating sources.

This is also amidst widespread dam ages wrought to several SUCs by ty phoons and earthquakes from which they have not yet fully recovered. This necessitates more funding for learn ing spaces, acquisition of equipment, and restoration of damaged facilities, among others,” it added.

T he SUC administrators said an additional budget is needed for learn ing institutions to regain their public character and provide ample support for student services and faculty devel opment.Ifour state universities and col leges are to be expected to do their duties, they must be funded accord ingly. We call for the restoration of budget cuts to our SUCs as these cuts only add to the challenges that SUCs face,” the statement added.

Eating up funds

MEANWHILE , House Deputy Mi nority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Castro revealed that allocations for programs and projects of the gov ernment have consistently declined with more debt service eating up the national budget.

Enrile returns to Senate

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

FORMER Senate President Juan

Ponce Enrile, now Chief Legal Counsel of President Ferdi nand R. Marcos Jr., went back to the Senate on Wednesday as a resource person of the Committee on Consti tutional Amendments and Revision of Codes tasked to review provisions of the 1987 Constitution and pro posed amendments.

Staying for two hours, Enrile, 98, exchanged views with senators led by presiding committee chairman Senator Robinhood Padilla, sharing his recollection of the September 21,1972 declaration of martial law during the term of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., stressing it was “done to deter the rise of com munism in the country.” He was then defense secretary and chief implementer of martial law.

A t Wednesday’s Senate panel hearing, Enrile confirmed support ing pending proposals to restore provisions of the 1935 Constitution in any new charter amendments, cit ing the one that subjects all judges to confirmation by the Commission on HAppointments.eassertedthat the 1935 Constitu tion was better than the present one in terms of “ensuring accountability,” because then, Congress could hold people accountable “for every peso that it appropriates.”

Moreover, Enrile recalled that dur

ing his incumbency, “Only a few pros ecutors were bad eggs,” ruing that now corruption is “rampant” with govern ment having “virtually no control” over how the funds appropriated are spent.

Summing up the hearing, Padilla, chairman of the Senate Commit tee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, noted that “the panel gained more inputs on strengthening the Philippine Con stitution, including beefing up the country’s defense against the threat of invasion and rebellion.”

Padilla also acknowledged gaining insights from the resource persons led by Enrile; human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares; Demosthenes Donato of Tanggulang Demokrasya Inc.; and Pro fessor Malou Tiquia of Publicus Asia.

Padilla added: “Ang araw na ito ay kontrobersyal. Itong araw merong nagse celebrate, may ibang klase rin ang sele brasyon. Hihingin natin ang opinyon ninyo katulad ng opinyon at paglalahad na binigay sa atin kanina [ni dating Sen. Enrile],” Padilla told Colmenares, Do nato and Tiquia at the hearing, after listening to Enrile’s views.

(“Today is a controversial day because different groups commemorate it differ ently. We are asking for your opinions, in the same way that we sought those of former Senator Enrile).”

Padilla was referring to the 50th an niversary of the declaration of martial law in 1972, where Enrile played a major role. Colmenares was among those who opposed the declaration in 1972.

PBBM seeks member-countries’ support in PHL’s bid for UN Security Council seat

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Mar cos Jr. on Wednesday sought the support of United Nations (UN) member-countries for the Phil ippines’s bid to regain its non-per manent seat in the Security Council.

I appeal for the valuable support of all UN member-states for the Philippines’s candidature to the Se curity Council for the term of 20272028,” Marcos said.

He explained the country is ready to bring its experience to the coun cil of successfully brokering a peace agreement with Islamic rebels, which

ADB. . . continued from a2 restrictions are expected to continue easing as the country’s vaccination rate and booster short coverage rises.

Consumer confidence is also robust as a central bank survey in July showed upbeat consumer sentiment for the next 12 months on an improved em ployment outlook.

The normalization of socioeco nomic activity will usher the Phil ippine economy to a steady, prepandemic pace of expansion,” said ADB Philippines Country Director Kelly Bird.

“

The recovery in tourism and private investments, coupled with sustained public spending on large infrastructure projects and remit tances from overseas Filipinos, will bolster the country’s economic re covery this year,” Bird said.

However, according to the report, downside risks to the growth outlook could come from a sharper slow down in major advanced economies, heightened geopolitical tensions, and possibly sustained elevated global commodity prices due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Baby businesses

IN the ADOU, ADB said more busi nesses have reopened and increased their capacities, which bodes well for jobs and Economicinvestment.activityhas increased to the point where 623 new businesses have been in operation for less than 42 months. These, ADB said, are called baby businesses.

led to the creation of the Bangsam oro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“ The peace that we have forged after many decades of conflict among warring factions and clansmen dem onstrates that unity is possible even in the most trying circumstances,” Marcos said.

He noted the country was able to succeed in the said endeavor through inclusive dialogue with all stakehold ers. The strategy, he said, makes use of building partnerships with its neighboring countries in the Asean.

Accountable security council

IN his speech, Marcos stressed the

important role of the UN in resolv ing international conflicts by creat ing conditions to allow countries to “thrive in peace.”

P rohibiting nuclear weapons worldwide, he said, is a step towards creating such peaceful conditions.  We need the United Nations to continue to work. And we, the Phil ippines, are determined to be part of that solution,” Marcos said.  Marcos is pushing for a “more in clusive Security Council,” which can be held accountable by an empowered General Assembly.

T he UN Security Council is com posed of 15 member-countries. Of which, China, France, Russia, the

United Kingdom and the United States are permanent members and have the power to veto the body’s resolutions.

T he remaining 10 other mem bers are elected by the UN General Assembly with each having a twoyear term.

C urrently, the 10 non-perma nent members of the UN Security Council are Albania, Brazil, Ga bon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates.

Philippines has previously be come a non-permanent member of the council in 1957, 1963, 1980 to 1981 and 2004 to 2005.

0.9 percent in the first semester of 2021. It was the most significant contributor to the country’s GDP growth in the period.

Services output grew 8.7 percent in the first half, with a broad-based expansion noted across the sector. This contributed to a steady increase in overall employment, with an addi tional 5.7 million jobs generated from July 2021 to July 2022, two-thirds of which were in services, mainly in wholesale and retail trade.

Infrastructure upgrades, includ ing for bridges, expressways, ports, and railroads, continue to be one of the top priorities of the government. Public spending on infrastructure this year and next is planned at up to 6 percent of GDP to help improve the country’s business environment andAmongcompetitiveness.thegovernment’s flag ship projects supported by ADB are the Malolos Clark Railway Project and South Commuter Railway Proj ect, both part of the North–South Commuter Railway System, which will provide safe, fast, and effi cient transportation to link Metro Manila to northern and southern LuzonConstructionprovinces.of the Malolos Clark project started during the pandemic, while civil works contracts for the South Commuter project are expect ed to be awarded soon.

relax pandemic restrictions, thanks in part to vaccination drives and de clining COVID-19 mortality.

However, the continuing invasion of Ukraine has heightened global uncertainty, worsened supply dis ruptions, and unsettled energy and food markets.

More aggressive monetary tighten ing by the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank is denting global demand and rattling financial markets. Meanwhile, sporadic Cov id-19 outbreaks and new lockdowns have slowed growth in the PRC, the region’s largest economy.

ADMINISTRATION Sen. Chris topher Lawrence “Bong” Go affirmed full support for the nominations of Department of For eign Affairs (DFA) envoys and Armed Forces officers’ promotions, paving the way for the nominees’ confirma tion Wednesday by the Commission on Appointments.Confirmedwere Philippine Ambas sador to Japan Mylene de Joya GarciaAlbano, two career officials and the ad interim appointments of 50 flag/gen eral and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

During the commission’s delibera tions on Wednesday, Go affirmed that Albano, as a representative of Davao City’s second district, displayed her “ded ication, credibility and trustworthiness as she fulfilled her duties as legislator.”

G o also affirmed support for the nomination of Career Min ister Val Simon Taganas Roque, and Consul General Voltaire dela Cruz Mauricio.

I appeal that in the performance of your duties, you remember to build on the independent foreign policy former President Duterte…,” Go said, adding, “With your competence, intellect and experience, I trust that our country’s interests will always be at the forefront of your work, Madam Ambassador,” Go told Albano.

I n supporting the nominations of the AFP senior officers, Go assured, “It is with great pride and honor that I relay my heartfelt gratitude and ap preciation to our uniformed officers for their invaluable service to the Filipino nation.” Butch Fernandez

A study by the ADB showed a to tal of 13,532 baby businesses have been born and have been in opera tion for less than 42 months in 14 countries in the region, including theThePhilippines.largestnumber of these busi nesses was found in China with a total of 2,884 followed by Indonesia with 2,773; Thailand, 2,159; Viet nam, 1,146; and India, 1,130.

These businesses accounted for 7.7 percent of the total employment created by established businesses. The average number of employees per business was estimated at 8.9 employees per baby business.

Infrastructure SPENDING on recreation, travel, and restaurants bounced back in the first half of 2022, with household con sumption rising 9.3 percent, from

ADB is also financing the Edsa Greenways Project, which aims to improve the pedestrian experience along the main Edsa thoroughfare in the capital and the Metro Ma nila Bridges Project, which seeks to help solve traffic congestion in the metropolis.

Regional

THE region’s economy is expected to grow 4.3 percent this year, compared with the bank’s projection in April of a 5.2-percent expansion, according to an update of the ADOU, released on TWednesday.hegrowthforecast for next year has been lowered to 4.9 percent from 5.3 percent, while the region’s infla tion forecast has been raised. Exclud ing the PRC, the rest of developing Asia is projected to grow by 5.3 per cent in both 2022 and 2023.

Domestic consumer spending and investment are driving growth as economies in the region continue to

T he Top 10 list was rounded up by three personal care brands and one lone homecare brand. Detergent brand “Surf” ranked third, regis tering 5.6 billion CRP. Meanwhile, the “Palmolive” brand of ColgatePalmolive Philippines Inc. received 5.2 billion CRP to get the fifth spot, whereas the “Safeguard” (4.2 billion CRP) and “Cream Silk” (4.1 billion CRP) brands took the ninth and tenth spots, respectively.

Coronel was quoted in the state ment as saying that the combination of high penetration and frequency are the top two drivers of brand growth.

“In fact, 88 percent of brands in the

country have achieved growth this way during the last 10 years,” she said. “ These FMCG brands have been successful in finding more shoppers and reaching them at the right mo ment to win their households over via their shopping baskets.”

Niche source

KANTAR Philippines Client Director Nino Nierva said during the online briefing on Tuesday that 10 percent of purchases were mostly in physi cal “outlets.E-commerce is a niche source of purchase for Filipino shoppers, given that it mostly caters to Metro Manila

and for those with stable internet ac cess,” Nierva said. “There’s no impact yet in the brick-and-mortar stores.”

Des Deocareza-Lozano, director of the Worldpanel Division of Kantar Philippines, said during the briefing that e-commerce for FMCG is less than 1 percent of the total FMCG market in the Philippines.

“As the economy reopens and mo bility is increasing, e-commerce has to differentiate itself,” said DeocarezaLozano. “E-commerce must learn how it can overcome barriers like data cost and delivery charges.”

A ccording to Kantar, brands can grow “if FMCG companies are able

to use different levers to maintain a constant level of penetration amidst a growing population, such as in the Philippines.”Niervawas quoted in the state ment as saying that manufacturers behind these brands “should get to know the behaviors of their target consumers better, be more present in places where they shop and com municate effectively with them to create more moments where they can catch their attention.”

They must also find ways to inno vate and address the emerging needs of consumers or offer more categories for them to choose from,” he added.

WHEAT LANG:

WAR WHITTLES WISHES FOR WITH OF COMMODITIES

By Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas @jearcalas Reporter

with of the Philippines University

While the Sherman Brothers were inspired by the Cuban missile crisis for their song, the crisis in Ukraine has prompted Leopardas to embrace the word “smaller” its definition growing big on her as days passed by.

Before Russia’s armed incursion into Ukraine, her pancakes were about 5 inches thick. Now, they’re half that. She admitted trimming a cup of her mango shake from 360 milliliters (ml) to 250 ml.

The prices, however, re mained the same: P20 (a quarter and a dime) for a mango shake and P10 (a dime, a nickel and three pennies) for the pancake.

The shrinking pancakes and cut servings of shakes meant smaller daily income for Leopardas, 37, mother of three. She’s mulling over raising the prices for her products that have been as popular as her among locals and tourists frequenting Lualhati Park, Coron

Boulevard.“Iftheprices of our raw ingre dients will continue to increase then we will have no choice but to increase our prices as well,” Leop ardas told the BusinessMirror “It’s the only way for us to survive because we cannot shut down our business.”

Worrying increase

ACCORDING to Leopardas, the prices of sugar and flour, the main ingredients for her prod ucts, have increased since March, the early days of the RussiaUkraine conflict.

She said she uses 5 kilograms to 10 kilograms of sugar and as much as 10 kilograms of flour daily. Leopardas noted that flour prices have risen 50 percent to P60 (a dollar and a nickel) per kilogram in March while sugar prices con tinued to escalate beginning P85 ($1.49 at current exchange rates) per kilogram that month at local retailers. In January, she said a kilogram of sugar would slash P65 from her purse.

“Asukal talaga ang pinakama sakit sa bulsa ,” she said when asked what’s the most expensive ingre dients they are using every day. [It is really the sugar that hurts my pocket the Leopardasmost.]frets over the pos sible dwindling number of her customers if the ingredients of her products remain expensive.

Kahit naman tinatangkilik pa rin ng mga tao ang aming paninda dahil nakasanayan na nila ito, nakakaba hala rin kasi syempre pag tataasan mo ng tataasan ang presyo, hahanap din yan ang mga customers ng ibang mas mura [product],” she said.

[Even though people still buy our products because they are

familiar with them, it’s still con cerning because if you keep in creasing prices, your customers will eventually look for cheaper alternatives].

Anxious seller

THE cups and thickness of pan cakes may have shrunk, but Leopardas’s faith in customers’ patronage remains super-sized. However, spiraling costs shakes her resolve.

Kung patuloy pa rin ang pagtaas ng mga bilihin, wala kaming choice kundi taasan na ang presyo [ng paninda] dahil di naman puwedeng isarado ang tindahan; dahil dun lang kami kumukuha ng pangkain nam ing ,” she said when asked how she managed to keep up with the price increases.[Ifthe prices of commodities continue to rise, we don’t have a choice but to raise our prices as well because we cannot afford to close our store as this is our only source of Accordingincome.]toLeopardas, they were able to build their own house and even send her kids to school be cause they were earning between P20,000 and P40,000 monthly from 2007 to 2018. Currently, she said they’re earning just P5,000 ($86.75 at current exchange rates) to P10,000 ($173.50) monthly.

In 2018, Leopardas said she sold approximately 500 pieces of mango shake cups for P10,200 at P20 each; and 300 pieces of pan cakes for P5. Her average daily sales have hit P10,500.

These days, she’s able to sell 200 pieces of 10-peso mango shake, 20 pieces of 20-peso mango shake and a hundred pieces of 10-peso pan cakes with an average daily sales of P3,400.

Getting difficult

LEOPARDAS said money is tight and balancing the budget for the business and the family has be comeOnedifficult.thingLeopardas said she does is to make sure she doublechecks the prices, whether in creasing or decreasing, especially of products coming from Manila. This is the best way to determine whether buying the product would lead to profit.

She also spends for rent of a kiosk that the local government manages.After11 years, she converted the bamboo shed into a living area. It was difficult, at first, because an open canal nearby sends bad odor during summer and one risks fall ing into it during heavy rains. She couldn’t count on her fingers the times her children went home with cuts and scrapes after falling into

the knee-deep Nonetheless,hole.with revenues shrinking, Leopardas couldn’t complain.Sodoher fellow street ven dors and baked-goods sellers who also rent spaces in the same municipal lot.

What they couldn’t complain about is the rising costs to run their micro-scale businesses.

Some said they had no choice but to adjust prices of their prod ucts because of the price increase of flour caused by the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.

Evident challenges

THE challenges are evident dur ing the pandemic and after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukraine war, notably in small food in dustries like online baking busi nesses and street-food vendors. These small businesses were hardly operating due to lock down measures the government imposed beginning 2020 and in termittently in 2021. They were struggling to get back on track when the Ukraine war began.

Ma. Socorro B. Bautista, 22, started her baking business in the

first month of lockdown on May 1 last year. Bautista, a third-year BS Hospitality Management stu dent at Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), said that since they were not allowed to go outside to buy their favorite pieces of bread, she baked goods for her family’s snacks.

Like some Filipinos, Bautista started baking as a hobby but later realized she could make a business out of it. Among the baked goods she sells are cakes, cupcakes, cook ies and banana breads, mostly to neighbors in Malabon City.

In time, neighbors started or dering cakes since commercial bakeshops were closed during the start of the lockdown in March 2020. Bautista’s business later sold over Facebook where she got more clients in Metro Manila.

She was raking in P20,000 to P40,000 a month depending on the season. Last March, she clocked a revenue of P40,000. She said that from April to June, however, reve nues declined to P25,000 a month.

She said she uses her earnings mainly to keep the business go ing and whatever’s left goes to her daily allowance and personal

expenses, and for water and elec tricity bills.

But like other startups, Bau tista’s business addressed the problems of costly raw materials, problematic supply chains and ris ing number of competitors.

High prices

FOR a year now, it’s been difficult finding reasonably-priced supplies in Malabon City, Bautista said. In fact, the price of flour increased by 25 Thepercent.all-purpose flour she used to buy from the Malabon Public Market cost only P48 per kilo gram last year but climbed to P60 per kilogram in June this year.

Hence, the prices of her products also

“Itincreased.didn’treally affect my sales since I explained to my clients why a sudden increase happened. They are still willing to order for a high price that’s why I make sure to give them quality products,” she said. Bautista advised her clients about her price increase when they messaged her on her Facebook page.

To keep customers satisfied de spite the price increase, she said

she ensures a top-quality product is delivered.Theprice of Bautista’s banana loaf bread increased from P100 in May to P120 in July. Her custom ized cakes, made according to size, had the biggest increase. She only sets a starting price for these cakes as the price may vary depending on the design and base of the cakes that clients want.

Before, her clients could buy a customized 6-by-6 cake at a start ing price of P1,200, which is now P1,300. A 7-by-6 customized cake that she used to sell at P1,550 now costs at P1,600. Bautista said she’s not selling cupcakes now because of the very low profit she earned from them recently. She kept her profit margin for all her baked goods at 20 percent.

The increase in the prices of eggs and sugar adds worries to the young baker. Bautista said the P50-per-kilo price of sugar last year is now at P90 per kilo; an egg’s price doubled to P10.

International trade

RUSSIA’S armed incursion into Ukraine is the primary reason behind

24. TOAN TRAN DUY CUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

25. TRINH THI HOAI THU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

26. TRINH VAN YEN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

27. VI THI DUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

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

BIG EMPEROR TECHNOLOGY CORP. Eastfield Center, Cbp1, Macapagal Blvd., Barangay 76, Pasay City

28. HAN, SANGCHUL Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

29. JEGAL, DOHYEON Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

30. KIM, YUSIN Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

31. PARK, JUNHO Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

32. PARK, SUNGRYUNG Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description: Handles the concerns of the people who buy their company’s products or services.

33. YOON, JUYEOL Mandarin Customer Relations Officer

Brief Job Description:

Basic Qualification: Able to Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in mandarin, with related bpo experience.

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in mandarin, with related bpo experience.

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in mandarin, with related bpo experience.

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in mandarin, with related bpo experience.

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

Basic Qualification: Has excellent problemsolving and communication skills in mandarin, with related bpo experience.

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

37. HAN, ChineseLEISpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

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

38. JIANG, ChineseKUNSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

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

39. LI, ChineseYONGSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensuring all cables are neatly tied and bundled according to safety regulations

40. LIU, ChineseXIANGDONGSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensuring all cables are neatly tied and bundled according to safety regulations

41. PANG, ChineseQIANGSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensuring all cables are neatly tied and bundled according to safety regulations

42. REN, ChineseMINGYUSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensuring all cables are neatly tied and bundled according to safety regulations

43. WANG, ChineseHAIYONGSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

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

44. XIE, ChineseGUANGHUASpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

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

45. YANG, ChineseMINGSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensuring all cables are neatly tied and bundled according to safety regulations

46. ZENG, ChineseTAOSpeaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: Ensuring all cables are neatly to

47. ZHANG, PANFENG Chinese Speaking Cabling Infrastructure Technician

Brief Job Description: network performance and troubleshoots areas as

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field 1-2 years of experience.

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field 1-2 years of experience.

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

Basic CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin English and Mandarin Chinese; Strong Public Speaking Skills

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

Basic CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin English and Mandarin Chinese; Strong Public Speaking Skills

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

Basic CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin

English and Mandarin Chinese; Strong Public Speaking Skills

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

Basic CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin English and Mandarin Chinese; Strong Public Speaking Skills

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field 1-2 years of experience.

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field 1-2 years of experience.

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

Basic CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin

English and Mandarin Chinese; Strong Public Speaking Skills

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

Basic CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin Public

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

Basic Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in business management or related field 1-2 years of experience.

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

48. ZHANG, SIHAO Chinese Speaking Cabling CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin CommunicationExcellentQualification:OralandWrittenBothin

Basic

Basic PhpSalarycomputerproficientorganizational18-50Qualification:y/o,goodskills,inrelevantapplicationsRange:30,000-Php59,999

Basic PhpSalarycomputerproficientorganizational18-50Qualification:y/o,goodskills,inrelevantapplicationsRange:30,000-Php59,999

Basic PhpSalarycomputerproficientorganizational18-50Qualification:y/o,goodskills,inrelevantapplicationsRange:30,000-Php59,999

Basic PhpSalarycomputerproficientorganizational18-50Qualification:y/o,goodskills,inrelevantapplicationsRange:30,000-Php59,999

METRO

Brief Job Description:

84. YANG, STANLEY Senior Adviser

Basic PhpSalarycomputerproficientorganizational18-50Qualification:y/o,goodskills,inrelevantapplicationsRange:30,000-Php59,999 PhpSalaryexperience.Range:30,000-Php Specialist

Brief Job Description: Assistant operations manager performs various functions in support of the senior manager of the department in ensuring a smooth flow of the company’s operations.

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

85. HAW SE FIN Burmese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

86. HLAING PYAE Burmese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

87. LU SWAN PHU Burmese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquires

88. CHEN, CHIHENG Chinese Customer Service Representative Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

89. CUI, BIN Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

90. DENG, GUANGHAI Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

91. DING, GUHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

92. HUANG, BANGMAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

93. JIA, ChineseYONGJUNCustomer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

94. KONG, DEHAO Chinese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job ManagingDescription:incomingcalls and customer service inquiries

Basic PhpSalaryleadershipcommunicationgraduate,mentioned,inAtleastQualification:3yearsexperiencethejobpositioncollegewithgoodandstrongskills.Range:500,000andabove

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 Qualification: to Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Salary Range: Php 30,000

132. VAN THUY

Brief Description:

133. THI

Brief Job Description:

134. THI THUY Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

135. HOANG THI NGOC VI Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

136. HOANG THI THUONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

137. HOANG VAN VIET Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

138. HUA THI TIN Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

139. LE THI CAM TU Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing Incoming calls and customer service inquires.

140. LE VAN CONG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

141. LUONG VINH QUY Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

142. LY HONG NHUNG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquires

143. LY VAN KHANG Vietnamese Customer Service Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing incoming calls and customer service inquiries

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, Chinese Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, and Chinese

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

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read, and write Chinese language. Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

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

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

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to Speak, Read, and Write Chinese Language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic Qualification: Able to speak, read and write Chinese language Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php

Basic Qualification:

152. MA, ChineseXIAOSHUANGCustomerService

Brief Job Description: Customer support

153. SUN, ChineseLINGYUNCustomer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and

154. WANG, ChineseZHENGQIANGCustomerService

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

155. JEFRY IndonesianADIANTOCustomer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

156. HENG YUN KIAT Malaysian Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

157. LOW HOW LAM Malaysian Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

158. WILLIAM HAN YEOW KHONG Malaysian Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

159. NANG MAY NWET YI Myanmari Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

160. BUI NGOC VietnameseMANHCustomer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

161. CHUNG TRANH HAO Vietnamese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

162. DAO THUY VietnameseLINHCustomer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

163. DO ANH VietnameseTUANCustomer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer application with good oral and communication

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in computer applications with good oral and written communication skills

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

Basic Qualification:

164. LAM A VietnameseNHI Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services.

165. THI BE THAM Vietnamese Customer Service

Brief Job Description: Customer support and data base services

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

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

Basic Qualification: Knowledgeable in Computer Application With Good Oral and Written Communication Skills

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

166.

Brief Job Description: various customer

196. FIRMANSYAH Customer Representative

Brief Job Description:

197. RAMADHAN RUMASORENG

Brief Job Description: Managing various customer issues.

198. ILHAM

BriefCustomerNACHROWIServiceRepresentativeJobDescription: Managing various customer issues.

199. IVAN CustomerGUNAWANService Representative

Brief Job Description: Managing various customer issues.

Basic Qualification: Range: 30,000 -

Basic Qualification: Range: 30,000 - 59,999

Basic Qualification:

Salary Range: Php 30,000 - 59,999

Basic Qualification: Range: 30,000

Basic Through,Qualification:extensive Range: 30,000 ULUL AZMI Representative

Basic Through,Qualification:extensive & fluency in english and any multilingual language.

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

Basic Through,Qualification:extensive & fluency in english and any multilingual language.

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

Basic Through,Qualification:extensive & fluency in english and any multilingual language.

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

Basic Through,Qualification:extensive & fluency in english and any multilingual language.

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

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer

208. JIANG, PENG Mandarin Technical Support

Brief Job Description: and maintaining

209. XIN Mandarin Technical Support

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer

210. QIU, SIJIAN Mandarin Technical Support

Brief Job Description: Monitoring and maintaining computer systems and networks

STC BUILDERS AND DEVELOPMENT CORP. 38 Atok St., 1, Santo Domingo, Quezon City

211. CHEN, YANGTAI Construction Technician

Brief Job Description: Assist to prepare site for all substation construction and perform all manual labor functions

Basic ReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritingin Mandarin Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999

Basic ReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritingin

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

Basic ReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritingin Mandarin

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

Basic ReadingProficientQualification:inSpeaking,andWritingin Mandarin

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

Basic PhpSalaryFluentQualification:inChineselanguageRange:30,000-Php59,999

212. ZHAO, JUN Construction Technician

Basic Through,Qualification:extensive & fluency Through,Qualification:extensive Through,Qualification:extensive Technical Support

Brief Job Description: Operates an ATR aircraft for commercial flight

Basic Qualification: Licensed pilot Salary Range: Php 30,000 - Php 59,999 STECONFER PHIL CORP. Unit 203 A 2nd Flr., One Felicity Center Commonwealth Ave., Holy Spirit, Quezon City

213. RODRIGUES DOS SANTOS, HENRIQUE JORGE Vice-president And Contract Manager

Brief Job CommercialDescription:andadministrative management of the project.

Basic Qualification: Civil engineer with more than 15 years of work experience in rail track works, commercial and administrative management.

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

SUPREME CHENGHAO MANAGEMENT OPC Level 26-a Rufino Pacific Tower, 6784 Ayala Ave., San Lorenzo, City Of Makati

214. CHEN, GUICAI Mandarin Technical Consultant

Brief Job Description: Develop, analyze and implement testing procedures, programming and documentation.

215. LI, SHAOBO Mandarin Technical Consultant

Brief Job Description: Develop, analyze and implement testing procedures, programming and documentation.

216. LI, ZHONGAN Mandarin Technical Consultant

Brief Job Description: Develop, analyze and implement testing procedures, programming and documentation.

217. WANG, MandarinZHENHUATechnical Consultant

Brief Job Description: Develop, analyze and implement testing procedures, programming and documentation.

THERMAX

Basic Qualification: At least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, software engineering or another related field; fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: At least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, software engineering or another related field; fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: At least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, software engineering or another related field; fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: At least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, software engineering or another related field; fluent in Chinese language.

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

Basic Qualification: Range: Php 90,000 - Php 149,999

Basic Generated: Sep DOLE-NCR Building, 967 Maligaya DOLE National Capital Region have any information on

Agriculture/Commodities

PHL seeks UN help to boost food production

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Mar cos Jr. said the Philippines will seek the assistance of the United Nations to modernize its food production.

I n his speech before the 77th Session of the United Nations last Tuesday (New York time), Marcos said he hopes the UN will be able to help in increasing the productivity of Filipino farmers and fishermen.

We look forward to forging cooperation with the UN and our partners to boost agricultural pro ductivity and food security,” Mar cos Jr. said.

H e said his administration decided to prioritize local food supply after the pandemic and conflict in Ukraine disrupted the international supply chain, which led to spikes in the prices of some imported food items.

To attain food self-sufficiency and security, we are providing in novative solutions and financial

support to farmers and fisherfolk to adapt new technologies and con nect to national and global value supply chains.”

He said these solutions also are also aimed at enabling the Philip pines to meet the UN 2030 Sus tainable Development Goals (SDG), which include ending hunger and achieving food security.

“ We need to take concrete steps towards a modern and resilient ag riculture,” he said.

“ Food is not just a trade com modity nor is it just a livelihood.

It is an existential imperative, and a moral one. It is the very basis of human security.”

In his State of the Nation Address last July, the president identified ag riculture as a priority sector which he wants to beef up during his term to stabilize food prices.

T he concurrent Agriculture sec retary said he wants to boost the production of agricultural products by providing farmers access to fi nancing, cheap fertilizer, pesticide, seeds, feeds, and fuel.

H e also wants to improve the

SRA urged to allocate sugar for local food exporters

By Andrea E. San Juan

BUSINESS sector representa tives are again appealing to the Sugar Regulatory Admin istration (SRA) to allocate a portion of the 150,000 metric tons (MT) of imported refined sugar solely for the use of local food exporters.

T he Philippine Chamber of Com merce and Industry (PCCI), Philip pine Food Processors and Exporters Organization Inc. (Philfoodex), and the Philippine Exporters Confed eration Inc. (Philexport) are also pushing for the inclusion of a busi ness sector representative in the SRA Board.

“ We again appeal to SRA for a [refined] sugar allocation which is only .3 percent of the 150,000 met ric tons approved for importation this season,” Ruben See, Philfoodex President said, adding that requests have been sent to SRA and the De partment of Agriculture (DA), but no action has yet been taken.

PCCI, Philfoodex and Philexport have been making the request for sugar allotment, which they said would make local food exporters competitive, over the last five years.

O ver the past five years, the three business groups have been requesting for sugar allocation for local food exporters so they can compete in Asean.

L ast week, the SRA board issued two Sugar Orders (SOs). Under SO 1, the SRA board allocated all raw sugar production for the current crop year for domestic use.

Under SO 2, the 150,000 MT

of refined sugar imports would be equally divided between industrial users and consumers.

SO 2 defined industrial users as food, confectioneries, biscuits, bread, candies, milk, juice, and bev erage manufacturers that use refined sugar in the production of their fin ished products for sales exclusively in the domestic market.

The sugar importation should be done through the Philippine In ternational Trading Corp. to ensure monitoring and accounting for the release of imported sugar,” PCCI said.

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.

Apart from the sugar allocation request, PCCI has proposed to the SRA the designation of a representa tive from Philfoodex to participate in the SRA Board consultative meeting.

Paul Cuyegkeng, chairman of the PCCI Agriculture Committee, said that the proposal is “essen tial” to strike a balance between the needs of farmers, millers, and food manufacturers, which are mostly micro, small, and medium

enterprises (MSMEs). “ We believe that all sectors must be heard. Our local food proces sors and manufacturers, which are mostly MSMEs, have long been bur dened with the high cost of refined sugar and sadly, they are not able to compete with our counterparts in Asean, whose sugary-made prod ucts are sold way cheaper than ours,” Cuyegkeng said.

T he committee said the govern ment should engage the private sec tor to determine the requirements of these small merchants and consider them in the import request in order to continue operations.

distribution of agriculture prod ucts through the construction of a national network of farm-tomarket roads, and expansion of the Kadiwa Centers of the Depart ment of Agriculture.

Marcos said the measures will be contained in a comprehensive plan of the DA, which is expected to be finalized in the next planting season.

The government has allocated P12 billion to extend the country’s rice buffer stock capacity next year from 9 days to 15 days to boost the country’s resilience amid the looming “global

food crisis.”

In his message for the 2023 Na tional Expenditure Program, the president said the fund will be used by the National Food Authority (NFA) for the procurement of un milled rice from local farmers.

He said the P670 million will be allocated to establish a rice and corn seed buffer stock under the Depart ment of ThisAgriculture.istoensure...enough sup plies of these seeds to be used during calamities and emergencies affecting rice and corn productions.”

Cebu farmers receive cargo truck from DAR

By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Tuesday said it recently turned over to a group of farmers from Barangay Talavera in Toledo City, Cebu a multi-cab delivery truck.

T he Talavera United Farmers Association (TUFA) will use the vehicle to transport food supplies to the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP) and other private buyers and consumers.

T he provision of the truck is part of the national government’s Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program being implemented by DAR.

The program reflects the commitment of DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III to the national goal of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Jr. to improve farmers’ lives through the provision of various support services,” DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Grace B. Fua said in a news release.

A n agreement was earlier signed among DAR, Bureau of Jail Management (BJMP) and Penology and TUFA specifying that the BJMP will directly buy its food requirements from TUFA based on the current market price.

T he DAR reserves the right to monitor and evaluate the operation and management of the truck, while TUFA, as the grantee, will assume the obligation of yearly registration fees, insurance, taxes, permits and other charges, and maintenance of the truck.

The delivery truck worth P300,000 will be used to deliver vegetables, rice, corn, fruits, root crops, poultry, and other farm produce for BJMP and for the cooperative’s other buyers,” Fua said.

Fua explained that both the truck and DAR’s partnership with the BJMP are part of the EPAHP program to provide marketing support to farmers’ produce.

She said 83 farmers would benefit from this project, which could help increase their household incomes through improved production and access to markets.

It will also minimize postharvest losses and enhance the quality of goods that will be sold to the markets,” she added.

T UFA President Orlando Plaza who received the delivery truck during simple rites thanked DAR for supporting the farmers.

“ Because of the partnership of the DAR and EPAHP, we now have a steady market for our products and could now demand fair pricing for our agri-produce,” he said.

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has recently turned over to a group of farm ers in Tanza, Cavite, a P12-million solar-powered irrigation system (SPIS) to boost the farmers’ food pro duction capability through irrigation using the power of the sun.

In a news release, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the provi sion of irrigation is one of the pri mary goals of the DAR, an agency mandated to distribute land to the landless and help farmers with small landholdings cope with the chal lenges of farming in remote areas.

Atty. Milagros Isabel A. Cristobal, DAR Undersecretary for Support Ser vices Office, said two SPIS worth a total of P12 million were turned over by DAR to the Tres Cruses Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and Farmers Association Inc.

T he SPIS projects are situated in Sitio Gugo, Barangay Tres Cru zes, Tanza, and Barangay Baliwag, Magallanes, Cavite. The project was implemented by DAR in partner ship with the National Irrigation Administration.

Energy solution, low-emissionagriculture

FOR his part, James Arthur T. Dubon gco, DAR-Cavite Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II, said SPIS offers a viable, low-tech energy solu tion for irrigated agriculture.

He said the project also provides a reliable source of energy in remote ar eas, contributing to rural electrification,

reducing energy costs for irrigation, and enabling low-emission agriculture.

SPIS runs on solar energy so that bringing water to farmlands will be much more affordable than the tra ditional diesel and gasoline-powered engine pumps,” he added.

Dubongco said the project can irrigate 32 hectares of agricultural lands primarily benefitting 34 agrar ian reform beneficiary households and other neighboring farmers.

T he project was implemented un der the Climate Resilient Farm Pro ductivity Support (CRFPS) project of the department.

sustainableEnvironment-friendly,

DANILO ARNES, President of Tres Cruses Agrarian Reform Beneficiary and Farmers Association Inc. lauded the DAR for the support and assis tance, adding that “tapping the solar energy is environmentally friendly and provides farmers with a sustain able source of water for their palay and high-value crops.”

A rnes proudly expressed the as sociation’s appreciation for being provided with the SPIS and assured the department that they will pre serve and properly use the SPIS.

“ We can plant anything when there is water,” he said.

I was talking to market vendors, they said they would buy our veg etables because it is clean as com pared to rain-fed or vegetables that were irrigated from the creek,” he added.

Jonathan L.

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi will soon decide whether to extend a food dole out that has cost India $44 billion since the pandemic, or ease the strain on gov ernment finances and food supply.

Modi’s been giving away 5 kilo grams of wheat or rice every month to 800 million Indians since April 2020 in a program worth about 1.5 trillion rupees annually. The plan, which was started during the pandemic to supplement the nation’s longstand ing sales of subsidized grain, is set to expire at end-September.

T he finance ministry isn’t in favor of extending the program as it adds pressure on a budget deficit that’s just starting to narrow from a record during the pandemic, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The ultimate decision will be made by Modi’s office, which is also looking at other options such as keeping the freebies for at least another quarter until the festival season and local elections run through, the people said, asking not to be identified dis cussing private deliberations.

Modi faces an unusual predica ment; handing out free food to alle viate the plight of millions in one of the world’s fastest-growing econo mies, highlighting the government’s struggle in spreading the benefits of a booming India beset by high unemployment, income inequality and populist politics.

Stopping the food program will not be an easy choice for Modi. His Bharatiya Janata Party is seeking to retain power in Gujarat, Modi’s home state, along with Himachal Pradesh,

where assembly polls will take place by the end of this year.

“If you stop these, then it will certainly have some negative impact on people’s voting preferences,” said Sanjay Kumar, a professor at the Cen tre for the Study of Developing Soci eties in New Delhi. A sizable number of voters who benefited from the free food plan voted for the ruling BJP in elections in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s most populous state, earlier this year, Kumar added.

Popular, expensive

WHILE the food policy is without doubt very popular, it’s very expen sive to sustain and increases the need for an abundant supply of cheap grains. This year, India has had to re strict exports of wheat and rice after

erratic weather hurt harvest, adding to pressure on food prices, and rat tling global agricultural markets.

R unning the food scheme for another six months would drain another 700 billion rupees from the budget, the people said. That could pose a risk to the government’s target to further narrow the fiscal deficit to 6.4 percent of gross domestic prod uct in the fiscal year ending March 2023 from 6.9 percent previously and a record 9.2 percent in the first year of the pandemic.

“It’s a huge dilemma for Modi,” as he has to take the decision based on factors such as balancing economy, setting an example to end freebie culture in the country and sacrificing electoral dividend from this scheme, said Arati Jerath, a New Delhi-based

author and political analyst. “It’s re ally a tough call for him.”

It’s also possible that the prime minister’s office would cut the size of the freebies given, the people said.

T hese are big decisions, “which the government will take a call on,” Food Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said on Monday. “At the moment I can’t say anything.” A spokesperson for the finance ministry declined to comment when asked to confirm its position on the issue, while the Prime Minister’s office did not respond to an email seeking a comment.

Food prices

“CONTINUATION of this scheme could lead to depleted food grains stocks by next year,” according to ICICI Securities Ltd. analysts led by Prasanna Ananthasubramanian.

One option for the government would be to “take a leaf out of cen tral banks and ‘taper’ the free food grains scheme,” they said.

T he decision on the program could also affect inflation. The prices of rice and wheat, which make up about 10 percent of India’s retail inflation, are seeing an uptick due to lower pro duction amid a heatwave and patchy monsoon. Price gains in the South Asian nation have hovered above the central bank’s 6 percent ceiling since the start of the year.

I f the program comes to an end, consumers would have to buy the grains from the market, poten tially boosting prices further and posing a fresh challenge to central bank’s efforts to cool inflation.

SACKS of refined sugar at a wholesale store in New Delhi, India, on May 25, 2022. BLOOMBERG NEWS

A FARMER pours water on himself while working at a wheat farm in the Ludhiana district of Punjab, India, on Sunday, May 1, 2022. A blistering heat wave has scorched what fields in India, reducing yields in the second-biggest grower and damping expectations for exports that the world is relying on to alleviate a global shortage. BLOOMBERG NEWS

The World

UK government borrowing swells ahead of Truss tax cut program

By Andrew Atkinson

THE UK government borrowed al most twice as much as officially forecast in August, raising ques tions about the sustainability of the public finances even before Prime Minister Liz Truss’s plans for a multi-billion pound giveaway in a mini-budget on Friday.

The budget deficit last month was £11.8 billion ($13.4 billion), £5.8 billion more than the Office for Budget Responsibil ity expected in March. Runaway inflation drove debt-interest costs to £8.2 billion, the highest for any August on record. Monthly borrowing also overshot market forecasts by roughly 50 percent.

The deterioration in the deficit comes as Truss plans a massive package of support for households facing rising energy costs and a growth plan that will see cuts to pay roll and corporation taxes. The plans to be unveiled this week are expected to reveal that the government will borrow as much as £200 billion more over the next two years.

The national debt is already at levels not seen since the early 1960s, at £2.43 trillion or 96.6 percent of GDP. Inflation is adding to the burden, as about a quarter of government bonds are linked to the re tail prices index.

Of the £8.2 billion of in debt costs in August, £4.7 billion reflected the impact of the RPI, the ONS said.

“I have pledged to get debt down in the medium term,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng said: “However, in the face of a major economic shock, it is absolutely right that the government takes action now to help families and businesses, just as we did during the pandemic.”

Truss has promised over £30 billion of tax giveaways in a bid to turbocharge the economy, and earlier this month pledged additional support for households and businesses struggling with soaring gas and electricityKwartengcosts. isdue to set out the details on Friday, with Bloomberg Economics pre dicting the cost will put debt on an “unsus tainable path.”

“The key elements of Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng’s September 23

fiscal event will be tax cuts and more detail on energy crisis support. The government also looks set to pivot from fiscal conser vatism toward efforts to stimulate longrun economic growth. With tax cuts alone unlikely to deliver that goal, our concern is that the package will keep inflation above 2 percent for longer and shift the public finances onto an unsustainable path,” said Dan Hanson of Bloomberg Economics.

The government finances were res cued by a series of past revisions, which lowered borrowing in the financial year to date by more than £8 billion, leaving borrowing in line with OBR projections at £58.2 billion.

The figures will fuel criticism that Truss is putting the public finances at risk and stoking inflation. In his mini-budget on Friday, Kwarteng is expected to reverse a payroll tax increase that took effect in April and cancel a planned rise in corporation tax set to take place in 2023. Both were pledges made by Truss during her campaign to suc ceed Boris Johnson.

UK borrowing bonds have underper formed peers recently, with investors de manding 3.25 percent of yield to hold 10year gilts—around the highest in 11 years.

The OBR had forecast the deficit, which ballooned to more than 14 percent during the coronavirus pandemic, would fall to below 4 percent of GDP this year. Howev er, it now seems certain to be higher than lastTheyear.prime minister and her chancellor argue that lower taxes will lift economic growth and generate tax revenue. That ar gument was called into question this week by the IPPR think tank, which pointed out that Britain has the lowest level of business investment in the Group of Seven, despite a sharp fall in corporation tax over the last 15 years.

“If Kwarteng manages to spur growth, our analysis shows the public finances on a stable footing,” Dan Hanson of Bloomberg Economics said in a report Tuesday. “But if we are right that the government’s measures will not sustainably alter the trajectory of the economy, stabilizing the debt burden would require a fiscal tightening of a little over 1 percent a year.” Bloomberg News

First public global database tracking fossil fuels launched

By Drew Costley AP Science Writer

AFIRST-OF-ITS-KIND database for tracking the world’s fossil fuel pro duction, reserves and emissions was launched on Monday to coincide with climate talks taking place at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The Global Registry of Fossil Fuels in cludes data from over 50,000 oil, gas and coal fields in 89 countries. That covers 75% of global reserves, production and emis sions, and is available for public use, a first for a collection of this size.

Until now there has been private data available for purchase, and analysis of the world’s fossil fuel usage and reserves. The International Energy Agency also main tains public data on oil, gas and coal, but it focuses on the demand for those fossil fuels, whereas this new database looks at what is yet to be burned.

The registry was developed by Carbon Tracker, a nonprofit think tank that re searches the energy transition’s effect on financial markets, and the Global Energy Monitor, an organization that tracks a va riety of energy projects around the globe.

Corporations, investors and scientists already have some level of access to pri vate data on fossil fuels. Mark Campanale, founder of Carbon Tracker, said he hopes the registry will empower groups to hold gov ernments accountable, for example, when they issue licenses for fossil fuel extraction.

“Civil society groups have got to get more of a focus on what governments are planning to do in terms of license issuance, both for coal and oil and gas, and actually begin to challenge this permitting process,” Campa nale told The Associated Press.

The release of the database and an ac companying analysis of the collected data coincide with two critical sets of climate talks at the international level—the UN General Assembly in New York beginning on September 13, and COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in November. Data like

what’s being released in the registry could arm environmental and climate groups to pressure national leaders to agree to stronger policies that result in less carbon emissions.Andwe’re in dire need of carbon reduc tions, Campanale said.

In their analysis of the data, the develop ers found that the United States and Russia have enough fossil fuel still underground untapped to exhaust the world’s remain ing carbon budget. That’s the remaining carbon the world can afford to emit before a certain amount of warming occurs, in this case 1.5 degrees Celsius. It also shows these reserves would generate 3.5 trillion tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than all of the emissions produced since the Industrial Revolution.

“We already have enough extractable fos sil fuels to cook the planet. We can’t afford to use them all—or almost any of them at this point. We’ve run out of time to build new things in old ways,” said Rob Jackson, a Stanford University climate scientist who was not involved with the database.

“I like the emphasis on transparency in fossil fuel production and reserves, down to specific projects. That’s a unique aspect to theJacksonwork.”compared the global carbon budget to a bathtub.

“You can run water only so long before the tub overflows,” he said. When the tub is close to overflowing, he said, govern ments can turn down the faucet (mitigat ing greenhouse gas emissions) or open the tub’s drain more (removing carbon from theTheatmosphere).databaseshows that we have much more carbon than we need as a global com munity, Campanale said, and more than enough to overflow the bathtub and flood the bathroom in Jackson’s analogy. So in vestors and shareholders should be holding decision makers at the world’s largest oil, gas and coal companies accountable when they approve new investments in fossil fuel extraction, he said.

‘Our world is in peril’: At UN, leaders push for solutions

By Jennifer Peltz The Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS—The world’s problems seized the spotlight Tuesday as the UN General Assembly’s yearly meeting of world leaders opened with dire assessments of a planet beset by escalating crises and conflicts that an aging international order seems increasingly ill-equipped to tackle.

After two years when many leaders weighed in by video be cause of the coronavirus pan demic, now presidents, premiers, monarchs and foreign ministers have gathered almost entirely in person for diplomacy’s premier global event.

But the tone is far from cel ebratory. Instead, it’s the blare of a tense and worried world.

“We are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction,” SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres said, adding that “our world is in peril— andHeparalyzed.”andothers pointed to con flicts ranging from Russia’s sixmonth-old war in Ukraine to the decades-long dispute between Is rael and the Palestinians. Speak ers worried about a changing climate, spiking fuel prices, food shortages, economic inequality, migration, disinformation, dis crimination, hate speech, public health and Prioritiesmore.varied, as did pre scriptions for curing the human ity’s ills. But in a forum dedicated to the idea of bringing the world together, many leaders sounded a common theme: The globe needs cooperation, dialogue and trust, now more than ever.

“We live in an era of uncer tainty and shocks,” Chilean Presi dent Gabriel Boric said. “It is clear nowadays that no country, large or small, humble or powerful, can save itself on its own.”

Or, as Guterres put it, “Let’s work as one, as a coalition of the world, as united nations.”

It’s rarely that easy. As Guterres himself noted, geopolitical divi sions are undermining the work of the UN Security Council, interna tional law, people’s trust in demo

cratic institutions, and most forms of international cooperation.

“The divergence between devel oped and developing countries, be tween North and South, between the privileged and the rest, is be coming more dangerous by the day,” the secretary-general said.

“It is at the root of the geopoliti cal tensions and lack of trust that poison every area of global coop eration, from vaccines to sanctions to trade.”Whileappeals to preserve largescale international cooperation— or multilateralism, in diplomatic parlance—abound, so do different ideas about the balance between working together and standing up for oneself, and about whether an “international order” set up after World War II needs reordering.

“We want a multilateralism that is open and respectful of our differences,” Senegalese President Macky Sall said. He added that the UN can win all countries’ support only “on the basis of shared ide als, and not local values erected as universal norms.”

After the pandemic forced an entirely virtual meeting in 2020 and a hybrid one last year, dele gates reflecting the world’s coun tries and cultures are once again filling the halls of the United Nations headquarters this week. Before the meeting began, leaders and ministers wearing masks wan dered the assembly hall, chatting individually and in groups.

It was a sign that despite the fragmented state of the interna tional community, the United Na tions remains the key gathering place for global leaders. Nearly 150 heads of state and government have signed on to speak during the nearly weeklong “General Debate,”

Oil spikes after Putin orders partial mobilization in Ukraine

By Yongchang Chin

O IL jumped after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobiliza tion to hold onto occupied territo ries in Ukraine, an escalation that could lead to further disruption to energyWestsupplies. Texas Intermediate surged above $85 a barrel af ter fluctuating earlier in the session. Russia will take neces sary steps to defend its sover eignty and will defend territory with all available means, Putin said. The Kremlin has moved to stage sham votes on annexing the regions of Ukraine it still controls.Tension is escalating in Ukraine ahead of a decision by the Federal Reserve on monetary policy. The central bank is expected to raise interest rates by 75 basis points

on Wednesday, and put numbers on the “pain” it’s been warning of when it publishes new economic projections.Crudeis on track for its first quarterly loss in more than two years as concerns over a global economic slowdown weigh on the outlook for energy demand. The Fed decision will be followed by other central banks from Europe to Asia, which are also expected to increase borrowing costs.

“If the Fed delivers another hawkish surprise this week, it could mean further downside for oil prices,” said Charu Chanana, market strategist at Saxo Capital Markets Pte. in Singapore. “Over the medium term, oil demand is still expected to remain strong as a tough European winter could mean more gas-to-oil switching, while Russia-Ukraine tensions are also on the rise.” Bloomberg News

a high number that illustrates the gathering’s distinction as a place to deliver their views and meet privately to discuss various chal lenges—and, they hope, make someGuterresprogress.made sure to start out by sounding a note of hope. He showed a photo of the first UNchartered ship carrying grain from Ukraine—part of a deal between Ukraine and Russia that the UN and Turkey helped broker—to the Horn of Africa, where millions of people are on the edge of famine. It is, he said, an example of promise “in a world teeming with turmoil.”

Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine topped the agenda for manyThespeakers.conflict has become the largest war in Europe since World War II and has opened fissures among major powers in a way not seen since the Cold War. It also has raised fears of a nuclear ca tastrophe at a large power plant in Ukraine’s now Russia-occupied southeast.Meanwhile, the loss of impor tant grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia has trig gered a food crisis, especially in developing countries, and infla tion and a rising cost of living in many nations.

As Jordan’s King Abdullah II noted, well-off countries that are having unfamiliar experiences of scarcity “are discovering a truth that people in developing coun tries have known for a long time: For countries to thrive, afford able food must get to every fam ily’sLeaderstable.” in many countries are trying to prevent a wider war and restore peace in Europe. Diplo

mats, though, aren’t expecting any breakthroughs this week.

In an impassioned speech to the assembly, French President Emmanuel Macron said no coun try can stand on the sidelines in the face of Russia’s aggression. He accused those who remain si lent of being “in a way complicit with a new cause of imperialism” that is trampling on the current world order and is making peace impossible.Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova’s country has long de pended on Russia for oil and gas. But Slovakia has provided military aid to neighbor Ukraine, she noted. “We, the members of the UN, need to clearly side with victim over aggressor,” she said.

Brazil’s President Jair Bol sonaro called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, protection of civilians and “the maintenance of all channels of dialogue between the parties.” But he opposed what he called “one-sided or unilateral” Western sanctions, saying they have harmed economic recovery and have threatened human rights of vulnerable populations.

Neither Ukraine nor Russia has yet had its turn to speak. The assem bly has agreed to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to speak by video, over objections from Russia and a few of its allies.

Zelenskyy’s speech is expected Wednesday, as is an in-person ad dress from US President Joe Biden. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to take the rostrum Saturday.

Edith M. Lederer, chief UN correspon dent for The Associated Press, contrib uted to this report.

Putin sets partial mobilization in Russia, threatens enemies

By Karl Ritter The Associated Press

K YIV, onPresidentUkraine—RussianVladimirPutinWednesdayannounced

a partial mobilization in Russia as the war in Ukraine reaches nearly seven months and Moscow loses ground on the battlefield. Putin also warned the West that “it’s not a bluff” that Russia would use all the means at its disposal to protect its Theterritory.total number of reservists drafted in the partial mobilization is 300,000, officials said.

The Russian leader’s televised address to the nation comes a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold votes on becoming integral parts of Rus sia. The Kremlin-backed efforts to swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to esca late the war following Ukrainian successes.Thereferendums, which have been expected to take place since the first months of the war that be gan on Feb. 24, will start Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.

Putin accused the West in engaging in “nuclear blackmail” and noted “statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading Nato states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia.”

“To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Rus sia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of Nato countries and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to pro tect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal,” Putin said.

He added: “It’s not a bluff.”

Putin said he has signed a decree on the partial mobilization, which is due to start on Wednesday.

“We are talking about partial mobilization, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant ex perience,” Putin said.

Russian Defense Minister Ser gei Shoigu said in a televised inter view Wednesday that conscripts and students won’t be mobilized— only those with relevant combat and service experience will be.

He said that 5,937 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine so far. Western estimates of Rus sian military losses stand at tens of thousands.Shoigu’supdate on Russian losses is the third time the Rus sian military offered death toll numbers to the public. The last update came in late March, when

the Defense Ministry claimed 1,351 Russian soldiers were killed in Ukraine.Putinsaid the decision to par tially mobilize was “fully adequate to the threats we face, namely to protect our homeland, its sover eignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated ter ritories.”Earlier Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Russian plans to stage referendums in occupied regions in eastern and southern Ukraine as a “noise” and thanked Ukraine’s allies for condemning the votes scheduled to start Friday.

Four Russian-controlled re gions announced plans Tuesday to start voting this week to be come integral parts of Russia, which could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war fol lowing Ukrainian successes on theFormerbattlefield.President Dmitry Med vedev, the deputy head of Russia’s Security Council chaired by Putin, said referendums that fold regions into Russia itself would make re drawn frontiers “irreversible” and enable Moscow to use “any means” to defend them.

In his nightly address Zelen skyy said there were lots of ques tions surrounding the announce ments but stressed that they would not change Ukraine’s commitment to retake areas occupied by Rus sian

“Theforces.situation on the front line clearly indicates that the initiative belongs to Ukraine,” he said. “Our positions do not change because of the noise or any announcements somewhere. And we enjoy the full support of our partners in this.”

The upcoming votes, in the Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions are all but certain to go Moscow’s way. But they were quickly dismissed as illegitimate by Western leaders who are backing Kyiv with mili tary and other support that has helped its forces seize momen tum on battlefields in the east and

“Isouth.thank all friends and partners of Ukraine for today’s mass principled firm condem nation of Russia’s attempts to stage new sham referenda,” Zelenskyy said.

In another signal that Russia is digging in for a protracted and possibly ramped-up conflict, the Kremlin-controlled lower of house of parliament voted Tuesday to toughen laws against desertion, surrender and looting by Russian troops. Lawmakers also voted to introduce possible 10-year prison terms for soldiers refusing to fight. If approved, as expected, by the upper house and then signed by Putin, the legislation would strengthen commanders’ hands against failing morale reported among soldiers.

Asian shares decline ahead of Fed decision on interest rates

By Yuri Kageyama AP Business Writer

TOKYO—Asian shares most ly declined Wednesday as investors looked ahead to a widely expected interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve as it works to squash the highest inflation in decades.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 dipped 1.4 percent to finish at 27,313.13. Australia’s S&P/ ASX 200 dropped 1.6 percent to 6,700.20. South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.9 percent to 2,347.21. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 1.7 percent to 18,460.71, while the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.2 percent to 3,117.18.Global tensions are adding to uncertainties. Russian-controlled regions of eastern and southern Ukraine have announced plans to start voting this week to become integral parts of Russia.

The Kremlin-backed efforts to

swallow up four regions could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently blasted what he described as US ef forts to preserve its global domina tion and ordered officials to boost weapons

“Asianproduction.equitiestraded in a de fensive mode on Wednesday. There were some geopolitical tensions concerning Russia and Ukraine, where the separatists are to hold a referendum in some regions, and traders were expecting an update from Putin,” Anderson Alves at ActivTrades said in a commentary.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 in dex fell 1.1 percent on Tuesday to 3,855.93, as more than 90 percent of stocks and every sector in the benchmark index lost ground. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1 percent to 30,706.23. The Nas daq composite also fell 1 percent, to 11,425.05.Theselling came as traders

waited to see how high the Fed will raise interest rates at its meeting that ends SmallerWednesday.company stocks fell more than the broader market.

The Russell 2000 index gave up 1.4 percent to 1,787.50.

“The market is certainly brac ing for the worst and you’re see ing a little bit of selling pressure coming in,” said Paul Kim, CEO of Simplify ETFs.

Bond yields mostly edged high er. The yield on the 10-year Trea sury, which influences mortgage rates, rose to 3.56 percent from 3.52 percent from late Monday and is trading at its highest levels sinceThe2011.yield on the 2-year Trea sury, which tends to follow expec tations for Fed action, held steady at 3.95 percent, hovering around its highest levels since 2007.

Stocks have been slumping and Treasury yields rising as the Fed raises the cost of borrowing money

in hopes of slowing down the hot test inflation in four decades.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell blunt ly warned in a speech last month that the rate hikes would “bring someThepain.”Fed is expected to raise its key short-term rate by threequarters of a point for the third time at its meeting on Wednesday. That would lift its benchmark rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to a range of 3 per cent to 3.25 percent, the highest level in 14 years, and up from zero at the start of the year.

Beyond that, investors will be focused on what Powell has to say, both in the Fed’s latest interest rate policy statement and during an afternoon press conference, for clues as to whether the central bank remains primarily focused on lowering inflation, or if there’s a hint the Fed is giving more con sideration to the impact of higher rates on the economy.

AN image of the ‘Brave Commander’ ship carrying grain from Ukraine is displayed on screens as Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the 77th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. AP/MARY ALTAFFER

Malaysian parents plead help for scam victims after son died

By Eileen Ng The Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malay

sia—The parents of a Ma laysian man who died after falling prey to a human trafficking scheme appealed Wednesday to the government to rescue other scam victims trapped in Myanmar and Cambodia, saying they hoped there would be no more fatalities.

Malaysia’s government has pledged to rescue Malaysians caught in what is said to be “mod ern slavery” in the region, includ ing in Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia. The victims are often young people in search of employment or romance, like Goi Zhen Feng. The 23-year-old went to Bangkok in January to meet a woman he had only contacted online who he described as his girlfriend, his father Goi Chee KongZhensaid.Feng, who planned to graduate as a teacher this year, failed to return for his mom’s birthday in February. He made his first—and last—call to his parents in March to say he’d been beaten up for allegedly faking sick and need ed 80,000 ringgit (about $17,500) so he could be hospitalized for an illness, the senior Goi said.

Following a tip-off by another Malaysian victim who had re turned to the country, Goi said he believed Zhen Feng was taken to KK Garden in Myanmar’s My awaddy township near the Thai border to work for companies en gaged in online scams. Malaysian officials said KK Garden is a casino and entertainment complex in the Myawaddy village of Shwe Kokko that involves Chinese investment and is suspected of being a hub for organized crimes.

The family discovered Zhen Feng died in May under a fake name in a Thai hospital in Mae Sot, across the river from the Myanmar complex. He was hospitalized in intensive care for a month and his cause of death was reported to be infection in his heart and lungs, Goi

“Wesaid.are slowly accepting the re ality that my son is dead,” Goi told a news conference organized by the opposition Justice Party. “We hope the government will rescue all the victims in Myanmar and Cambodia.”Theforeign ministry says 148 out of 158 reported victims of job scams in Cambodia alone have been rescued, and it’s trying to

track down victims in other coun tries: 12 in Thailand, 28 in Laos and 54 in Myanmar.

Over 30 Malaysian families ral lied this week outside the prime minister’s office, calling for gov ernment intervention as more cas es surface. The youngest reported victim to be rescued was 14.

Sim Chon Siang, a Justice Party lawmaker, has helped more than 50 scam victims. He said Shwe Kokko was like a maze with 20 blocks of buildings, based on victim and source accounts. He said each block has 52 rooms, with up to eight people crammed in one Victimsroom.included people from Africa and other Asian nations who were lured to the guarded complex and immediately be given new names, Sim said. Generally they made to work long hours in a confined area scamming others, with some beaten up if they failed to show results, he said.

Some made it back home after their families paid ransoms, but many are afraid to share their ex perience for fear over their safety, SimTwoadded.Malaysians at the press conference Wednesday shared their stories of being tricked to work in Shwe Kokko.

A 30-year-old man, who de clined to be named for fear of re taliation, said he was hoodwinked by a Malaysian he befriended on WeChat, a Chinese messaging app. He was offered 50,000 Thai baht (about $1,300) a month for an easy job and flew to Bangkok in mid-July.Hesaidhe was taken to Mae Sot and crossed the river into Myanmar where armed men in military outfits escorted him to the complex. He said he saw some 200 Malaysians in the complex during his stay there, where he was made to work 15 hours dai ly recruiting people for the op erations. After his family paid a 40,000 ringgit ($8,760) ransom, he was let off with a warning: “Don’t look for trouble.”

His experience was echoed by a 29-year-old single mother who was desperate after losing her job due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She said a Malaysia agent took her to Thailand, then to Mae Sot and KK Garden. She escaped more than three months later after pleading for her life and paying a ransom.

“I hope my son is the first and last (Malaysian) to die due to such scams,” Goi said.

Man sets himself on fire in protest of Abe funeral

By Mari Yamaguchi The Associated Press

TOKYO—A man set him self on fire near the Japa nese prime minister’s of fice in Tokyo on Wednesday in a n apparent protest against the state funeral planned next week

for former leader Shinzo Abe, officials and media reports said.

The man, believed to be in his 70s, sustained burns on large parts of his body but was conscious and told police that he set himself on fire after pouring oil over himself, Kyodo News agency reported.

A note was found with him

China dials down Taiwan rhetoric; US, Canadian navies transit strait

BEIJING—China toned down its rhetoric on Taiwan on Wednesday, saying it is inevitable that the self-governing island comes under its control but that it would promote efforts to achieve that peacefully.

The comments came one day after the US and Canadian navies sailed through the strait between China and Taiwan.

They don’t appear to signal a change in policy as much as a broader attempt to calm the waters on multiple fronts in the run-up to a major meeting of the ruling Communist Party next month.

“I would like to reiterate that… we are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and utmost efforts,” Ma Xiaoguang, the government spokesperson on

Taiwan, said when asked about growing concern that China might resort to force.

China conducted major mili tary drills around the island last month in response to a visit by senior US lawmaker Nancy Pe losi, the speaker of the House of Representatives.China’sDefense Ministry for the second time in recent weeks noted the sailing of US warships through the Taiwan Strait but re frained from calling it provocative, as it had earlier this year.

Chinese forces monitored

the USS Higgins, a guided-mis sile destroyer, and a Canadian frigate, the HMCS Vancouver, spokesperson Col. Shi Yi said in a statement. He added that the military will resolutely de fend national sovereignty and

territorial integrity.

The US Navy said in a statement that Tuesday’s joint maneuver “demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific.” AP

48 Americans exploited pandemic to steal $250-M from food program

By Amy Forliti The Associated Press

MJanuary,mentuntilsaidindicatebok,kickbacks.forsubmittedshethosedirector,Future’sformittedFeedingsponsoredclaimedtionnewstorneyfloor,”luxuryfendantsweregrams.Agriculture’sthroughreimbursementacrosstothatdefendantsincomegram$250relatedTuesdayotherMinnesotachargededINNEAPOLIS—UnitStatesauthorities48peopleinwithconspiracyandcountsinwhattheysaidwasthelargestpandemic-fraudschemeyet,stealingmillionfromafederalprothatprovidesmealstolow-children.FederalprosecutorssaythecreatedcompaniesclaimedtobeofferingfoodtensofthousandsofchildrenMinnesota,thensoughtforthosemealstheUSDepartmentoffoodnutritionproProsecutorssayfewmealsactuallyserved,andthedeusedthemoneytobuycars,propertyandjewelry.“This$250millionistheAndyLuger,theUSatforMinnesota,saidataconference.“Ourinvestigacontinues.”ManyofthecompaniesthattobeservingfoodwerebyanonprofitcalledOurFuture,whichsubthecompanies’claimsreimbursement.FeedingOurfounderandexecutiveAimeeBock,wasamongindicted,andauthoritiessayandothersinherorganizationthefraudulentclaimsreimbursementandreceivedBock’sattorney,KennethUdoisaidtheindictment“doesn’tguiltorinnocence.”Hehewouldn’tcommentfurtherseeingtheindictment.IninterviewsafterlawenforcesearchedmultiplesitesinincludingBock’shome

that said, “Personally, I am ab solutely against” Abe’s funeral, K yodo reported.

A Tokyo Fire Department offi cial confirmed that a man set him self afire on the street in Tokyo’s K asumigaseki government district and that he was alive when he was taken to a hospital by ambulance, but declined to give further details, including the man’s identity, mo tive or condition, citing the sensi tivity of what was a police matter.

Police called it an attempted suicide and refused to give further details because the case involved

and offices, Bock denied stealing money and said she never saw evi dence of Earlierfraud.thisyear, the US Depart ment of Justice made prosecuting pandemic-related fraud a priority. The department has already taken enforcement actions related to more than $8 billion in suspected pandemic fraud, including bring ing charges in more than 1,000 criminal cases involving losses in excess of $1.1 billion.

Federal officials repeatedly de scribed the alleged fraud as “bra zen,” and decried that it involved a program intended to feed children who needed help during the pan demic. Michael Paul, special agent in charge of the Minneapolis FBI office, called it “an astonishing display of deceit.”

Luger said the government was billed for more than 125 million fake meals, with some defendants making up names for children by using an online random name generator. He displayed one form for reimbursement that claimed a site served exactly 2,500 meals each day Monday through Fri day—with no children ever getting sick or otherwise missing from the program.“These children were simply invented,” Luger said.

He said the government has so far recovered $50 million in money and property and expects to recover more.

The defendants in Minnesota face multiple counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and bribery. Luger said some of them were arrested Tuesday morning. Authorities announced 47 indictments at the news conference. A 48th person, who according to a criminal com plaint was scheduled to board a one-way flight to Ethiopia on

no criminal intent. Police also de clined to comment on a report that a p olice officer was caught in the fire.

The incident underscores a growing wave of protests against the funeral for Abe, who was one of the most divisive leaders in postwar Japanese politics because of his revisionist view of wartime history, support for a stronger military, and what critics call an autocratic approach and crony ism. More protests are expected i n coming days, including the day of the funeral next week.

It also is an embarrassment for

Tuesday evening, was arrested sometime after the prosecutors’ pressAccordingconference.tocourt documents, the alleged scheme targeted the USDA’s federal child nutrition programs, which provide food to low-income children and adults.

In Minnesota, the funds are ad ministered by the state Depart ment of Education, and meals have historically been provided to kids through educational pro grams, such as schools or day care

Thecenters.sitesthat serve the food are sponsored by public or non profit groups, such as Feeding Our Future. The sponsoring agency keeps 10 percent to 15 percent of the reimbursement funds as an administrative fee in exchange for submitting claims, sponsoring the sites and disbursing the funds. But during the pandemic, some of the standard requirements for sites to participate in the federal food nutrition programs were waived. The USDA allowed forprofit restaurants to participate, and allowed food to be distributed outside educational programs. The charging documents say the defen dants exploited such changes “to enrich themselves.”

The documents say Bock over saw the scheme and that she and Feeding Our Future sponsored the opening of nearly 200 fed eral child nutrition program sites throughout the state, knowing that the sites intended to submit fraudulent claims.

“The sites fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day within just days or weeks of being formed and de spite having few, if any staff and little to no experience serving this volume of meals,” according to the indictments.

police, who have stepped up secu rity for an event expected to be attended by about 6,000 people, including US Vice President Ka mala Harris and other dignitaries.

Police were also partly blamed for insufficient protection of Abe, who was shot to death by a gunman who approached him from behind as he was giving an outdoor cam paign speech in July.

P rime Minister Fumio Kishida is in New York for the annual UN General Assembly meeting of world leaders. He gave a speech Tuesday expressing disappointment over

One example described a small storefront restaurant in Willmar, in west-central Minnesota, that typically served only a few dozen people a day. Two defendants of fered the owner $40,000 a month to use his restaurant, then billed the government for some 1.6 mil lion meals through 11 months of 2021, according to one indict ment. They listed the names of around 2,000 children—nearly half of the local school district’s total enrollment—and only 33 names matched actual students, the indictment said.

Feeding Our Future received nearly $18 million in federal child nutrition program funds as administrative fees in 2021 alone, and Bock and other em ployees received additional kickbacks, which were often dis guised as “consulting fees” paid to shell companies, the charging documents

Accordingsaid.toan FBI affidavit unsealed earlier this year, Feeding Our Future received $307,000 in reimbursements from the USDA in 2018, $3.45 million in 2019 and $42.7 million in 2020. The amount of reimbursements jumped to $197.9 million in 2021.

Court documents say the Min nesota Department of Education was growing concerned about the rapid increase in the number of sites sponsored by Feeding Our Future, as well as the increase in reimbursements.Thedepartment began scru tinizing Feeding Our Future’s site applications more carefully, and denied dozens of them. In response, Bock sued the depart ment in November 2020, alleging discrimination, saying the major ity of her sites were based in im migrant communities. That case has since been dismissed.

the Security Council’s failure to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine because of Russia’s per manent veto and called for reforms t hat would allow the UN to better defend global peace and order.

The planned state funeral for Abe has become increasingly unpopular among Japanese as more details emerge about the governing Liberal Democratic Party’s and Abe’s links to the Unification Church, which built close ties with party lawmakers over their shared interests in conservative causes.

IN this photo provided by US Navy, The Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) transits the Taiwan Strait with guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) while conducting a routine transit on September 20, 2022. China toned down its rhetoric on Taiwan on Wednesday, September 21, saying it is inevitable that the self-governing island comes under its control but that it would promote efforts to achieve that peacefully. The comments came one day after the US and Canadian navies sailed through the strait between China and Taiwan.

MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 1ST CLASS DONAVAN K. PATUBO/US NAVY VIA AP

GOI CHEE KONG shows a picture of his son Goi Zhen Feng, who died after falling prey to human trafficking syndicates, during a press conference in Petaling Jaya, outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The parents of Goi Zhen Feng appealed Wednesday to the government to rescue other scam victims trapped in Myanmar and Cambodia, saying he hoped there would be no more fatalities.

AP/VINCENT THIAN

Great merchant of PHL investment opportunities editorial

‘Icannot

see the Philippines in the future without having the United States as a partner.” With this statement at the new York Stock Exchange, President Marcos signaled his desire to strengthen the longstanding alliance between the Philippines and the US. Playing his role as merchant of Philippine investment opportunities, the chief Executive explained how his administration is ramping up efforts to open the economy and accelerate post-pandemic recovery.

“Bouncing back from the pandemic, the Philippine economy has seen robust growth since last year and has returned to its path toward upper-middle-income country status, achievable within the next few years. In the near-term, our top priorities are protecting the purchasing power of families by managing inflation, reducing the scarring effects of the pandemic, and ensuring sound macroeconomic fundamentals,” the President said.

“Despite external headwinds, the Philippine economy’s resilience, reinforced by sound policies and decisive leadership, makes us confident about our future,” he said, as he invited American investors to help transform the pandemic-affected economy by investing in big-ticket projects. The US is the country’s third largest trading partner and second major source of foreign direct investment applications in 2021.

The Philippines has kept its sovereign credit rating intact throughout the pandemic, and doing business in the Philippines is an opportunity to reap the benefits of a vibrant economy, Marcos said. He enumerated some sectors that are open for American investments: Information technology and business process outsourcing; medical products and devices; electric vehicles and batteries; agribusiness; and telecommunications infrastructure and services.

The President described the country’s massive economic potential, saying the Philippines is one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies. It has the youngest population in Asia, which gives the country an advantage over other nations in the region; it offers a high-quality and English speaking labor force; a large consumer market; and a wide range of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

Now is the best time to invest in the Philippines, he said, citing the recent passage of laws that liberalized policies for foreign investments, including the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, which lowered corporate income tax rates and rationalized fiscal incentives. The President said the government also reduced the minimum paid-up capital requirements for foreign retailers and foreign startups bringing in advanced technology, as well as allowed full foreign ownership of companies providing public services.

The lead convenor of the President’s Private Sector Advisory Council, Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz, backed the Chief Executive, telling American investors that the Philippines is the “right” investment destination. “Now, more than ever, with the dawn of a new era of digital progress, and an environment that has never been more enabling and conducive for business, the Philippines is ripe and open for investment,” Aboitiz said in a speech at the New York Stock Exchange.

“So, we are here today to support our President and his genuine efforts to revitalize (the Philippine-US) relationship. We support his efforts to assure you of the integrity, of the stability, and the solidarity of his administration and the Philippine economic system, which is not without wounds but neither without the determination to heal them,” he added. Aboitiz also expressed optimism that the Philippines will become the “next big thing in Asia,” given the current decisive and action-oriented leadership style of President Marcos.

The President earlier called on Filipinos living in the US and other nations to become “ambassadors” to help bring in more investments and tourists for the country’s economic recovery. He made the appeal while addressing the Filipino community at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center last Sunday. Over 1,500 Filipinos attended the event, which was the first of scheduled activities during his six-day visit in the US (Read, “PBBM urges overseas Pinoys to be the PHL’s ‘ambassadors,’” in the BusinessMirror, September 20, 2022).

“All of you… can do as much as our diplomats could by inviting your employers to visit the Philippines not just to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of our country and our people but also to explore possible trade investment opportunities there,” he said.

The President said they could also help the country by investing not only in properties, but also in local businesses. “This will all contribute to create much-needed jobs and build a better life for all our people. And if you know someone who is interested to open a business in the Philippines, let our embassies or our consulates know so we can pursue and finally close the deal. As I said, every little bit counts.”

Evolve or die

OUTSIDE THE BOX

PrESIdEn t John F. Kennedy is said to have remarked after his razor-thin victory (Kennedy 49.7 percent vs ni xon 49.6 percent): “If I see 10 people on the street, I know that five did not vote for me.”

That is how the winner-take-all presidential system works. But what some of our political pundits do not understand is this: A parliamentary/ proportional representation system of government does provide an Angela Merkel and a Mahathir Mohamad. Now, say the name of the current prime ministers of Germany and Malaysia without looking it up. Hint: Olaf Scholz and Ismail Sabri Yaakob, respectively.

The UK has a new prime minister, Mary Elizabeth Truss, unelected to that position by the people but selected by her Conservative Party colleagues. Sweden just had an election. Eva Magdalena Andersson had served as prime minister for one year and her Social Democrat party received the most votes with a 30.3 percent share. But the next prime minister will be Ulf Kristersson from the third-place “Moderate Party,” which received 19.1 percent of the vote, as he forms a coalition with the opposition parties.

There is no need to revisit the last

election as has been done about every 15 minutes for the past six years both here and in the US. However, casting an eye around the globe we can see that the natives are not happy with their government’s policies and with their leaders who, if not the architects, implemented those economic policies.

Boris Johnson was carrying a 24 percent approval rating when he was asked to leave 10 Downing Street in July. But his low numbers, while bad, puts him in familiar company.

Joe Biden is the “Best-Of-TheWorst” with 43 percent approval. Justin Trudeau of Canada can muster only 40 percent, while French President Emmanuel Macron barely breaks the 30 percent mark. Other global leaders can’t even get to that threshold. Kishida of Japan—28 percent, Scholz of Germany—27 percent, and Yoon Suk-yeol in South Korea with 19 percent approval should perhaps consider a career change.Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Who-

When the fundamentals of life change, every organism must evolve or die and virtually everything has changed since January 2020. “Evolution” demands/necessitates low level instability as the animal or institution adapts. You cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

ever battles monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster himself. And when you look long into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.”

Global GDP growth was 6.56 percent in 1964. Three major declines occurred with the two oil price shocks and the Global Debt Crisis. However, the trend since 1964 has been consistently lower with a pre-21st century average of 3.7 percent and year 2000 onward average—ending in 2019— of 2.9 percent.

In the process of fighting the economic decline “monster,” the policymakers have become the monsters.

Economic decline is a process that takes many years. Events such as the market crashes of 1929 or 2008 are moments of panic. The trend counts and the central banks have been trying to fight the trend for decades.

For the first time in those decades, central banks are tightening their monetary policy while governments continue to spend money as if nothing has changed.

The interest rate on the US 10year bond is at a 12-year high as the Fed raises rates against a 40-year

high inflation rate. However, increased expenditure by the government only fuels the inflation fire. When the money supply is completely absorbed by new government debt and public deficit spending is kept at record high levels, rate increases are insufficient because “new money” is constantly being added to the economy.When the fundamentals of life change, every organism must evolve or die and virtually everything has changed since January 2020.

“Evolution” demands/necessitates low level instability as the animal or institution adapts. You cannot make an omelet without breaking a few

Theeggs.economic universe has only two options: dynamic stability— the ability of a system to return to a steady state of operation after adjusting to significant disturbances —or “Nobody saw it coming” sudden instability followed by systemic collapse.Theuniverse is good either way as collapse is a perfectly acceptable evolutionary solution to get rid of the “useless” and replace it with “better.”

For the past 2,000 years the financial center of the world moved from China to India, then to Europe and the US and is headed back to the Chinese sphere of influence including Southeast Asia where better government policies allow for evolution.

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.

Global investors cut exposure to China on rising risks

By David Ramli | Bloomberg Opinion

GLoba L investors in private equity and venture capital funds say they are rotating away from c h ina as clients are reassessing risks because of the country’s rapidly changing environment.

Investors are paring their holdings in the once-booming economy, despite their conviction that longterm growth will continue, according to speakers from Partners Capital, Hamilton Lane and others firms, which collectively invest billions of dollars across the region, at the SuperReturn Asia conference in Singapore on Tuesday.

The world’s second-biggest economy is at a critical juncture as economic pillars from technology to real estate face earnings pressure, regulatory scrutiny and difficulties in going public overseas. President Xi Jinping’s campaign for “common prosperity,” a slogan embodying his push to balance wealth distribution, along with the country’s stringent Covid restrictions have dented growth, prompt-

ing investors to seek opportunities elsewhere in the region, including India. “We represent people and they define the kind of risk they want us to take,” said Emmanuel Pitsilis, managing director and co-head of Asia Pacific at Partners Capital, at the conference. Even though the firm believes in the rise of China, “there’s been a rotation and a desire from clients to diversify away from China,” he said.

The firm has switched from a program that’s heavily weighted toward China and venture-oriented programs to one that is much broader spread across different sectors and more geographically diverse, Pitsilis said. But the caution on China isn’t resulting in a retreat from Asia. For sovereign wealth fund GIC Pte’s head

The world’s second-biggest economy is at a critical juncture as economic pillars from technology to real estate face earnings pressure, regulatory scrutiny and difficulties in going public overseas.

President Xi Jinping’s campaign for “common prosperity,” a slogan embodying his push to balance wealth distribution, along with the country’s stringent Covid restrictions have dented growth, prompting investors to seek opportunities elsewhere in the region, including India.

of Asia, private equity, Kevin Looi, the rotation away from China has helped highlight the region’s other giant:“IndiaIndia.has been a bit overshadowed by China historically but if you look at the mood in India it’s very buoyant,” he said. “There are good reasons for that, a supportive government, good investment policy, India’s also benefiting from the re-

alignment of supply chains.” The city-state of Singapore is also benefiting from the changes. The number of private equity firms in Singapore rose to 428 as of June from 336 at the start of 2021, according to Ravi Menon, managing director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Hehasalso seen an uptick in India. “Last year, growth in PE, VC investments in India outpaced most major economies, including China,” MenonMingchensaid.  Xia, managing director and co-head of Asia investments at Hamilton Lane, said another shift seen is that money put toward growth and venture capital deals are starting to go into buyout funds, where investors can better control how portfolio companies operate and eventually sell.

“You need to be very cautious on business models that are still lossmaking,” he said. “They can generate very big growth but they’re still losing money” and may therefore struggle to raise future rounds of funding, he said.

John Mangun

Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua

With ceremonies over, King Charles III faces biggest task

By Danica Kirka | The Associated Press

LONDON—The

cannons have sounded, the bells have rung and the mourners have paid their respects.

Now King Charles III faces the task of preserving a 1,000year-old monarchy that his mother nurtured for seven decades but that faces an uncertain future. The challenge is immense.

Personal affection for the queen meant that the monarchy’s role in British society was rarely debated in recent years. But now that she’s gone, the royal family faces ques tions about whether it is still relevant in a modern, multicultural nation that looks very different than it did when Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952.Amid a global re-examination of the history of colonialism and slavery that has seen protesters tear down or deface statues in British cities and universities like Oxford and Cam bridge change their course offerings, an institution that was once the sym bol of the British Empire is likely to face renewed scrutiny.

Charles will try to “maintain con tinuity” while also signaling that the royals are prepared to change, said Anna Whitelock, a professor of his tory of modern monarchy at City University London. But he faces a raft of “Whatquestions.placedoes a monarchy have in a multi-faith, multi-ethnic society?” Whitelock asked. “And is it the right rallying point for the na tion? And should it be the monarch representing the UK abroad? What does it say about us? Is it a bastion of tradition that people should ap plaud? Or is it actually a check on progress that actually doesn’t rep resent the inclusive, diverse society that people would hope that Britain would now become?”

And there is another, more per sonal, question lurking in the back ground: Is a 73-year-old white man the best person to confront those issues?Charles waited longer than any other heir to take the throne and in many ways embodies the modern ization of the monarchy. He was the first monarch not educated at home, the first to earn a university degree and the first to grow up in the everintensifying glare of the media as deference to royalty faded.

He has been lauded as an early advocate of the environmental move ment and won praise for working to improve the lives of young people in underprivileged communities.

But he also has a reputation, per haps undeserved, as a somewhat stuffy older man who is more at home on the polo field or one of his country estates than the soccer-mad cities of modern Britain.

Charles also alienated many peo ple with his messy divorce from the much-loved Princess Diana, and by straining the rules that bar royals from intervening in public affairs, wading into debates on issues such as environmental protection and architectural preservation.

As the UK mourned his mother, it quickly became clear that Charles was ready to be a more personal mon arch. He has made a point of wading into the crowds of well wishers, stop ping to shake hands and exchange a few words, more like a US presiden tial candidate appealing for votes than a king who inherited the crown from a line of ancestors stretching back to 1066.

One woman even kissed him— a level of familiarity no one would have dared with Elizabeth.

At Monday’s state funeral for the late queen, Bertram Leon embodied the challenges facing Charles.

A proud Briton whose roots stretch back to the Windrush genera tion of immigrants who came to the UK from the Caribbean after World War II, Leon was at Westminster Abbey to represent the St. Lucian community in honoring the queen. Now he expects Charles to take the monarchy in a new direction.

“The king is actually going to change, perhaps modernize the mon

archy in the image that he thinks in the current day,” Leon said, his Brit ish Empire Medal pinned to his chest. “We can’t live back in the 1920s, ‘30s or ‘50s, when Elizabeth took over. We are now in the 21st century, and I think things are going to be regarded and looked at a bit different.”

In addition to being king of the United Kingdom, Charles is head of state for 14 “realms” that retained the monarch as their sovereign af ter gaining independence from the former British Empire. It is in these far-flung nations, which stretch from Australia and New Zealand to the Caribbean that Charles may face his firstThechallenges.pressures were clear earlier this year when Prince William and his wife, Kate, faced calls for a royal apology and reparations for slavery during a trip to Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas to celebrate the queen’s 70 years on the throne.

During that visit, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the royals that his country was “mov ing on,” a few months after Barbados severed its ties with the monarchy.

The royals have also faced criti cism from within after Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, gave up royal duties and moved to California. In a widely publicized interview with US television host Oprah Winfrey ear lier this year, the couple alleged that palace had been insensitive toward Meghan, who is bi-racial, and that a member of the royal family had asked about the color of their first child’s skin before he was born.

Charles sought to address the ten sions at home and abroad in his first address as “Whereverking.you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavor to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life,” he said.

Charles also confronted concerns about how he would conduct himself as king.Thelaws and traditions that gov ern Britain’s constitutional monar chy dictate that the sovereign must stay out of partisan politics, but Charles has spent much of his adult life speaking out on issues that are important to him, particularly the environment.Hiswords have caused friction with politicians and business lead ers who accused the then-Prince of Wales of meddling in issues on which he should have remained silent.

The question is whether Charles will follow his mother’s example and muffle his personal opinions now that he is king, or use his new plat form to reach a broader audience.

“My life will, of course, change as I take up my new responsibilities,” Charles said. “It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.”

The king has been clear that he intends to slim down the monarchy, limiting the number of working roy als and reducing the expense of sup porting them.

But for 10 days, Britain spared no expense as it honored Elizabeth, who became a comforting symbol of stability over the tumultuous years of her long reign.

All the spectacle that has become synonymous with the royals was on display as uniformed members of the royal family walked solemnly behind a gun carriage carrying the queen’s coffin away from Buckingham Pal ace, cannons and church bells sound ed in lament and world leaders filled Westminster Abbey for her funeral.

At UN, hope peeks through the gloom despite a global morass

By Ted Anthony | AP National Writer

UNITED NATIONS—The head of the United Nations had just warned of a world gone badly wrong—a place where inequity was on the rise, war was back in Europe, fragmentation was everywhere, the pandemic was pushing onward and technology was tearing things apart as much as it was uniting them.

“Our world is in big trouble. Di vides are growing deeper. Inequali ties are growing wider. Challenges are spreading farther,” Secretary-Gen eral Antonio Guterres said Tuesday morning as he opened the general debate at the 77th UN General As sembly. And he was, on all counts, incontrovertibly correct.

Yet barely an hour later, here were two UN delegates—one Asian, one African—grinning and standing in the sun-dappled lobby of the UN Secretariat Building, thrilled to be there in person on this particular morning as they snapped photos of each other, laughing along the way as they captured the moment.

Hope: It can be hard to find any where these days, much less for the people who walk the floors of the United Nations, where shouldering the world’s weight is central to the job description. After all, this is an institution that listened last year as the president of the not-yet-at-war nation of Ukraine described it as being “like a retired superhero who has long forgotten how great they once

Andwere.”when world leaders are trying to solve some of humanity’s thorni est problems—or, to be frank, some times to impede solutions to those same problems—it’s easy, from a dis tance, to lose sight of hope through the haze of negative adjectives.

Yet beneath the layers of existen tial gloom Tuesday—and this is no doubt a pandemic-exhausted group of people representing a world in a really bad mood from so many dis quieting challenges—there were signs of brightness poking through like persistent clovers in the side walk

“Forcracks.each and every one of us, the UN is a unique platform for dialogue and for cooperation,” Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said. Philippines Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. spoke of his country being an “optimistic” na tion for whom “solutions are within our collective grasp.”

And David Kabua, president of the ocean-besieged Marshall Islands—a man who has little reason to express optimism these days—came to the United Nations and spoke of “this iconic hall, the symbol of human ity’s hope and aspiration for world peace, prosperity, and international cooperation.”“Ashumanity strives to defend freedom and build lasting peace, the UN’s role is indispensable,” said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.There were many other such moments Tuesday. Taken together, they are noteworthy: There seems a collective sense—echoed by leader after leader in different, sometimes oblique ways—that even when it

disappoints or falters, the United Nations must be a place of hope amid the cold-eyed pragmatism.

Why is that? Part of it is the un swerving commitment since the UN’s very beginnings to the prin ciple of multilateralism, a $10 word for playing nicely with each other. And to play nicely when your feuds are ancient or bloody or seemingly insurmountable—to even try—re quiresThat’shope.always been true, though. There’s also something else, some thing unique to this year, to this mo ment. In the frightening early pan demic days of 2020, the UN General Assembly was all virtual, and leaders stayed home and made videos. Last year, despite a theme of “Building Resilience Through Hope,” the hybrid General Assembly produced spotty leader attendance and little sense of the world congregating.

Now, though the pandemic per sists, the UN grounds are alive with people from most of the planet’s backgrounds and traditions, inter acting and talking and generally do ing what the United Nations was built to do—take nations and turn them into people, as the late Sen. William Fulbright used to say.

Even when nothing is in session, they’re doing what the whole outfit was designed to do—figuring out, bit by bit, what the world should look

“It’slike.the only place in international organizations where there is this effort to define what is collectively shared,” says Katie Laatikainen, a professor of political science and in ternational relations at Adelphi Uni versity in Garden City, New York, who studies the United Nations.

“They’re working to figure out what it means to be part of the in ternational community,” she says. “They’ve learned the language of ap pealing to the ‘we,’ and it encourages others to define the ‘we’ and commit to theGuterres‘we.’” made sure to infuse that sensibility as he opened the proceed ings with his doom-saturated speech. He told of a ship called the Brave Com mander, loaded with Ukrainian grain and—helped by the warring nations of Ukraine and Russia—headed for the Horn of Africa, where it can help prevent famine.

It flew under a UN flag, and Guterres said it and the dozens of ships that followed were not only carrying grain; they were carrying “one of today’s rarest commodi ties”—hope.“Byacting as one,” he said, “we can nurture fragile shoots of hope.”

So, no: Hope is not absent at the United Nations this week. That much is certain. It’s contained, it’s muted, it’s tentative. But it is there, gossamer though it might be—even if some might find the notion naive. “Our opportunity is here and now,” said the president of the General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi of Hungary.

The world, after all, is not an easy place. Was it ever? As the second secretary-general of the United Na tions, Dag Hammarskjöld, under stood that. “The United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven,” he said, “but in order to save us from hell.” Ted Anthony, AP’s director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation, has been writing about international affairs since 1995 and has supervised UN General Assembly coverage since 2017.

Russia hurries to tighten grip on occupied Ukraine, ups stakes

ThE

Kremlin is moving hastily to stage sham votes on annex ing the regions of Ukraine its forces still control, after Kyiv’s military drove Russian troops from large areas of territory taken in their seven-month-old invasion.

The so-called Donetsk and Lu hansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, announced Tuesday they’ll hold their votes from Sept. 23-27. Ukraine and its allies denounced the referendums as illegal and few countries are likely to recognize theInresults. Moscow, officials said they’d grant the regions’ requests to be annexed if they made them. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, who’s now deputy head of the Security Council, said the annexation would be “irreversible” and enable Russia to use “all possible force in self-defense” in the newly-acquired territory.

The move threatens to escalate the bloody conflict even further, potentially giving President Vladi mir Putin the formal legal basis to use nuclear weapons to defend what Moscow would consider Russian ter ritory. Annexation, even though it’s sure to be rejected internationally, would likely torpedo any future peace talks, as Russia has said it won’t cede territory it considers its own while Kyiv has refused to give up any land taken by Moscow.

‘Ultimatum’ to Kyiv W ITH Ukrainian forces continuing their advance across several fronts, the Russian president made the de cision early this week to go ahead with the votes, which had been on hold amid the deteriorating security situation, according to people famil iar with the discussions, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential matters.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz slammed the votes as a “sham” in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. “The return of imperialism is not just a disaster for Europe. This is also a disaster for our global peace order, which is the antithesis of imperialism and neocolonialism,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Ma cron said the proposed votes were “a provocation.”

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan called them “an affront to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that underpin the international system.” He told reporters, “Russia is rushing to hold these referenda in response to Ukraine’s gains on the battlefield, as well as to prepare for potential mobilization measures.”

The Russian leader is laying down another ultimatum to Kyiv and its US and European allies with the implicit threat of nuclear escalation, said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the R.Politik research group.

“The ‘annexation’ will give Putin the legal pretext that he needs to threaten the use of nuclear weapons for the ‘protection’ of Russian ter ritory,” she said on Twitter, noting that the threat of using the weapons would be aimed at forcing Ukraine to capitulate before Russia actually firedRussianthem. officials have hinted at possible use of nuclear weapons in the conflict before. Actually firing them would risk a direct conflict with the US and other nuclear-armed powers, something both sides have sought to avoid.

US President Joe Biden over the weekend said any use by Russia of chemical or tactical nuclear weap ons would draw a “consequential” response. “They’ll become more of a pariah in the world than they ever have been,” he told 60 Minutes. “And depending on the extent of what they do will determine what response wouldUkrainianoccur.” officials dismissed the annexation moves as illegitimate, vowing to press ahead with their offensive to drive Russian troops out of the country. “The enemy is afraid,” Andriy Yermak, head of the presidential office said in Telegram. “The threat can be liquidated only withAnnexationforce.” would help the Krem lin reassure supporters there worried by its hurried retreat from other ter ritories in the face of the Ukrainian

The sudden moves to hold the votes in areas where fighting is still widespread and Russian forces control only part of the regions planned for annexation underlines the Kremlin’s des peration to find a way to counter Ukraine’s sudden battlefield successes. Moscow had originally planned to hold the votes earlier this month, but put those plans on hold as Ukrainian counterat tacks threatened to push its troops back.

advance in the last few weeks.

“We’re absolutely certain of the results of the referendum and de termined to carry it out as soon as possible,” Denis Pushilin, Russianbacked head of the Donetsk sepa ratist republic, said on his Telegram channel as he made a televised ap peal to Putin to accept the region as soon as possible.

By making the occupied zones formally part of Russia under the country’s laws, the votes may also al low the Kremlin to deploy conscript troops there, in addition to the cur rent force of contract soldiers and military contractors. The Kremlin so far has avoided full mobilization, aiming to limit the impact of the war on the broader population.

But with the annexation refer endums, Russia is “moving at full speed to create the legal basis for partial mobilization,” said Igor Gir kin, a former Russian intelligence colonel who became a commander of the Moscow-backed separatist forces in Donbas in 2014. Russia’s parliament also rushed through amendments Tuesday to stiffen penalties for surrender, desertion and other breaches of duties in an apparent effort to boost discipline in the Theranks. useof relatively inexperi enced draftees to bolster Russia’s overstretched forces isn’t likely to have a major impact, said Samuel Cranny-Evans, an analyst from the Royal United Services Institute in London.“ForRussia, enlisting conscripts to fight in Ukraine would help to

alleviate one of its problems; man power,” Cranny-Evans said. How ever, the Russian army would face “significant” problems in training the recruits, he said.

The sudden moves to hold the votes in areas where fighting is still widespread and Russian forces con trol only part of the regions planned for annexation underlines the Krem lin’s desperation to find a way to counter Ukraine’s sudden battlefield successes. Moscow had originally planned to hold the votes earlier this month, but put those plans on hold as Ukrainian counterattacks threatened to push its troops back.

Authorities in the occupied zones are struggling to ensure ba sic services and security and tens of thousands of residents have been displaced, making organizing a true plebiscite all but impossible. Occu pation officials said they may use online voting, a technique that has been widely seen as a tool for fraud in Russian elections.

So far this month, Ukraine’s military has retaken about 10% of the land held by Russia, routing Moscow’s forces in the Kharkiv re gion in the northeast and pushing on the Kherson area in the south. These have been the biggest set backs for Russia since it pulled troops back from around Kyiv in the spring and led many observers to suggest the tide may be turning in the Ukrainewar.  detained hundreds of people for collaborating with the occupation authorities after the Rus sian retreat and has threatened them with long prison terms.

Russian military bloggers and influential pro-Kremlin figures have been urging Putin to massively expand the scale of the struggling offensive in Ukraine, which the Kremlin continues to call a “special military operation.” Otherwise, Rus sia risks more reverses faced with a much larger Ukrainian force that’s getting billions of dollars of advanced Western weaponry, they’ve warned. Putin last week vowed to pursue the attack on Ukraine despite the severe losses, saying he’s not “in a hurry” and is ready to step up attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

Imported meat prices to rise on peso, global supply woes

their customers.

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

SARI-SARI STORES

By Dennis D. Estopace Senior Editor

FILIPINO

meat consumers must brace for a possible price increase of imported meat products by at least 10 percent in the coming months due to continuous weakening of peso and tightening global supply.

M eat Importers and Traders Association (Mita) President Emeritus Jesus C. Cham said the increase in imported meat prices is brought about by the decline of Philippine peso against the US dollar.Simple calculations show that prices would increase by at least 10 percent because our exchange rate has weakened by that level. We are now seeing quotations of P58 [to a dollar]. Before we were just talking about P50 to P51, so that is about 10 percent already in dif ference in foreign exchange,” Cham

told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.Theweakening of peso against the dollar was abrupt. It is too fast. And we do not know how low it can get further,” Cham added.

C ham said meat importers and traders are crafting their own ways to work around the possible increase in prices, which could be felt by consum ers in December.

C ham explained that some importers are absorbing the in crease in costs while some are forced to pass on the increase to

A P10 increase per kilogram is not a 10-percent increase if our base is about P200 to P250 per ki logram for kasim and pigue. So for me, prices of imported meat would easily increase between P10 to P20 by December,” he said.

T he Philippine peso closed at a new all-time low against the US dollar on Wednesday at P58.

F urthermore, Cham warned that the impending reversion of the pork tariff to its original 30-percent and 40-percent rates would exacerbate the situation of imported meat products. The current lower pork tariff rates will expire on December 31.

C ham added all these problems are on top of the persisting chal lenges that meat importers are facing, such as delayed shipments, due to global logistical problems.

C ham said Mita will write to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the concurrent agriculture sec retary, to issue another executive order (EO) that would extend the lower pork tariff rates by at least three more years.

“ I think at this time either the

President should issue an EO to extend the current tariff or the Department of Agriculture will petition the Tariff Commission to maintain the current tariffs,” he said.Other countries have already reduced their tariffs because they are seeing prices of pork abroad increasing. South Korea has re duced to zero, Japan is at almost zero and Vietnam is near zero,” he Cadded.ham said the price of pork dressed carcasse in the world market is now ranging between $3 and $4 per kilogram, about the same level as it was during the height of the Covid-19 pan demic in 2020.

The only difference this time is the exchange rate,” he added.

T he country’s meat imports in January to August rose by 7 per cent year-on-year to over 850,000 metric tons (MT) due to higher pork purchases from abroad, the latest government data showed . (Related story: https://businessmirror growth-bai/) ucts-lamb-drive-meat-imports-com.ph/2022/09/19/pork-prod

ELECTRONIC commerce (e-commerce) may be here but it wouldn’t dislodge the neighborhood mom-and-pop store out of the top spot for pur chasing the top 10 FMCG brands in the past decade and in the coming years, a study by the local business of Kantar Group Ltd. revealed.

K antar Philippines Inc. Cli ent Manager Bea Coronel said that as they “see things normal ize, consumers are returning to sari-sari stores.”

“ We did see the shift during the pandemic to e-commerce but the biggest channel still are sarisari stores,” said Coronel during a news briefing on the top 10 fastmoving consumer goods (FMCG) brands for the last decade.

Food brands dominated the list, comprised of food and bev erages as well as personal and homecare products.

C laiming the top and most coveted position in Kantar’s rank ing of Brands of the Decade in the Philippines is the instant noodle brand “Lucky Me” of Monde Nis sin Corp. According to Kantar’s

study, Lucky Me was bought by almost all Filipino homes at 98.4 percent and was chosen by local shoppers 31 times per year over the past decade, giving it a total of 9.4-billion Consumer Reach Points (CRP).

K antar ranks successful FMCG brands based on their CRP. Ac cording to a statement from the marketing research firm, this measure combines: population or the number of households in the country; penetration or the per centage of households purchasing the brand; and, consumers’ choice or the frequency of the brand be ing chosen by Filipinos over the course of 12 months.

Penetration, frequency IN second place is coffee brand “Nescafé” by Nestlé Philippines Inc., with 7.3 CRP. Other food and beverage brands in Top 10 listing are: “Silver Swan” (5.4 billion CRP), ranked fourth; “Bear Brand” (4.9 billion CRP) securing the sixth spot; “Milo” (4.9 billion CRP) landing on seventh; and, “Ajinomoto” (4.6 billion CRP) making its way to number eight.

Continued on A5

Upson postpones maiden stock offering to Q1 2023

By VG Cabuag @villygc

Globe shifts to hybrid power for cell towers

By Lenie Lectura @llectura

net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe.

Upson

International Corp., a retailer of computer products, on Wednesday said it has decided to defer its planned initial public offering (Ipo) to the first quarter of 2023.

t he company has already secured an approval for its iPO from the securities and Exchange Commission and is set to conduct the offer next month, but upson said the decision to postpone it to next year was aligned with the views of their underwriters, First Metro investment Corp. and rCBC Capital OperationalCorp.updates covering nine months of the year, to include third quarter financials, would enable investors to better estimate a full-year performance, it said.

“We are encouraged by the in-

terest and support we’ve received from the public with regard to our upcoming initial public offering. We remain committed to deliver on our growth and expansion plans. We continuously aim to be every Filipino’s partner of choice for their digital future,” u p son President and CEO a rlene t sy said. upson, which operate computer stores such as Octagon Computer superstore, Micro Valley and Gadget King, was supposed to offer to the public up to 789.47 million common shares priced at up to P5.50 per

share. t he offer will also include 98.68 million in common shares to be issued by a selling shareholder at up to P5.50 per share, with another 98.68 million common shares as overallotment option.

net proceeds from the offer could reach up to P4.15 billion, which upson earlier said it will use for store network expansion and general corporate purposes. it can raise up to P5.43 billion, assuming the overallotment option is fully exercised.

upson plans to use the proceeds for the expansion of its store network and to open 250 branches or an additional retail space of 25,000 square meters from 2022 to 2026. it will prioritize areas with the highest return potential and those where tech products are not readily available.

t he company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the secondary shares by the selling shareholder. upson had originally intended to conduct its offer from september 5 to 9, and to list on the Philippine stock

Exchange on september 16.

t h e retail business has foot traffic as a fundamental growth driver. Yet, despite the pandemic years of 2020 to 2021, u p son’s revenue growth was driven by its market’s adaptation to online education and work-from-home. t he ‘return to normal’ for the rest of the year gives us confidence that the pre-pandemic sales growths will continue to define the opportunities at hand,” s y said.

t he company’s updated prospectus following the adjusted timetable for the i P O will highlight its market performance for the third quarter of 2022. i n a u gust, up son was able to reach a new milestone by opening its 200th store, from its initial 183 stores by the end of December 2021.

t he company said it still aims to open 250 stores or an additional retail space of 25,000 square meters from 2022 to 2026, with an aggressive rollout in the next three years.

GlOBE telecom, inc. will utilize hybrid sources of energy for its cellular towers in northern lu zon, southern lu zon and Metro Manila.

it said on Wednesday it will tap solar-plus-storage plant or solar and diesel genset or a combination of both to energize its cell towers in off-grid and bad-grid sites.

“ t hese hybrid power alternative sources are combinations of different technologies. t hese include a hybrid power plant or a mini-grid, which often contain a renewable energy component such as a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, supported via a second form of generator and/or storage such as a diesel genset and/ or battery storage system.

a nother technology is the advanced solar Hybrid Generator set which uses solar power as an initial power source before shifting to the battery (rectifier) and diesel genset,” Globe said in a statement.

Globe said these hybrid sources provide power for connectivity and access to digital services in rural areas that currently use diesel gensets due to limited or lack of access to a stable power supply. t hey are being piloted in off-grid tower sites and locations that suffer from power outages on a regular basis.

t he move is meant to reduce Globe’s operational greenhouse gas emissions.theshift to hybrid power is part of Globe’s climate action strategy. We continue to move towards decarbonizing our operations in support of the company’s commitment to achieving

i n 2019, Globe started its decarbonization journey by buying renewable energy bundled with verified carbon offsets through power purchase agreements aligned with the Philippines’s policy on renewable energy. to d ate, it has 14 key facilities running on 100 percent renewable energy and looks to add more sites this year, aligned with the government program on access to renewable energy for end-users. at the same time, Globe has deployed over 8,500 green network solutions such as fuel cell systems, direct current hybrid generators, free cooling systems, and lithiumion batteries to achieve energy and resource efficiency in its cell sites. t hese solutions use cleaner fuel with lower emissions, consume less diesel fuel, and provide energy-efficient heat removal.

By Andrea E. San Juan @andreasanjuan

Australian firm sacgasco, operating as nido Petroleum in the Philippines, said it is planning to get a drilling rig in early 2023 as it eyes new offshore oil developments in the Philippines, according to the Department of trade and industry (Dt i)

t he Dt i said that the australian firm plans to conduct an extended well test on the revitalization of the old Cadlao Oilfield, which is covered by service Contract (sC) 6B in the Palawan basin. a successful test would lead to the redevelopment of the Cadlao Oilfield.

t his project, the Dt i said, will be followed with a plan to drill the “exciting” nandino Prospect, through sC 54 a , also offshore Palawan and to conduct an extended well test as the basis for more to fully developing a discovery at nandino.

“sacgasco said the initial investments for the oil projects in sC 6B and sC54 a are in the order of $15 million each for the drilling and testing of oil production with a follow-up investment of between $10-50 million for each project,” the trade department said in a statement on Wednesday.

sacgasco Managing Director Gary Jeffery said there are “massive” opportunities to develop oil and gas in the Philippine territory. Jeffery said, “our highest desire is to explore frontier areas with large potential near the Malampaya Gas Field that supplies natural Gas to Manila and surrounding areas.”

t he company is also involved in sC 14C2 which includes potential for redevelopment of the West linapacansOilfield.acgasco’s managing director noted that the size of the prospects in sC 58 is “such that successful drilling would dramatically change the Philippines’s energy picture for the“Ourbetter.”vision is well-aligned with the new administration’s goal of increasing the level of energy production in the Philippines as the country’s energy demand far exceeds reliable supply as stated by President Marcos during his sOna [state of the nation address].”

representatives of sacgasco were initially part of the business delegation to the recently-concluded Pacific Business Mission to the Philippines last august but they had to delay their plans for a few weeks due to the threat of Covid-19, the Dt i said.

However, the Philippine Department of trade and industry’s overseas trade office in sydney said it is ready to provide whatever assistance it needs so the company can make it happen in the Philippines.

t h e tr ade department noted that the Philippine government prioritizes the equilibrium price for energy and assures continued support for foreign investments as the Board of investments, with endorsement from the Department of Energy (DOE), guarantees enhanced incentives focused on energy-related projects to achieve efficiency, cost reduction, ensure continuous supply of petroleum products, and enhance environmental

Meanwhile,protection.according to the Downstream Oil industry Deregulation act of 1998, such incentives include additional deduction for labor expenses, minimum tax and duty of 3 percent and value-added tax on imported capital equipment, unrestricted use of consigned equipment, exemption from taxes and duties on imported spare parts, among others.

Jeffrey said they are pushing through with their visit on september 19-24 and will be meeting with their local partners, the DOE and other stakeholders.

DTI: Sacgasco to invest in oil projects revenues set to rise’

ME t rO Pacific to llways Corp. (MP t C ) expects its digital ventures arm to contribute at least 10 percent to its overall revenues within the next five years, as its portfolio companies beef up their operations.

r o drigo E. Franco, the president of MP t C , said MP t Mobility is expected to drive “meaningful contribution” to its parent company’s revenues by 2028, banking on the growing demand for digital solutions for mobility.

“ r i ght now, i think MP t Mobility contributes less than 5 percent to the entire MP tC revenues. But with the investments we are making in the business, our goal is to raise that contribution to 10 percent in three to five years—and that’s not easy because the expressway business is

growing rapidly,” Franco said during a press conference late tuesday.

MP t Mobility houses several business ventures, namely: Dibz, Byahe, s p ot On, Easytrip, MP t DriveHub, s avvice, and Drive and

Dine.Dibz

is a parking solution that enables drivers to search, pre-book, and pay for their perfect space for a hassle-free parking experience, while Byahe is a transportation company that operates modern jeepneys in different parts of the country.spot

On provides advertising solutions in the expressways operated by MP tC , while Easytrip is the electronic toll collection system of theacompany.travelcompanion app, MP t DriveHub is an app-based plat-

form that provides expressway users with solutions that help them plan out their trips, top up their r F i D tags, and check latest traffic supdates.avvice, meanwhile, is a fullservice solutions provider that offers fleet services, maintenance facilities, traffic auxiliary, roadway system, and general services.

l a stly, Drive and Dine is the company’s real estate and retail arm, offering expressway users pit stop facilities for dining and shopping.“theMP t Mobility business will have to step up and grow their revenues,” Franco said, noting that his group expects the ventures to create “meaningful contributions to the overall revenues” of the company with their growth. Lorenz S. Marasigan

Banking&Finance

Lender adds sustainability in plan to grow revenues

By Bianca Cuaresma @BcuaresmaBM

LOCAL commercial lender

China Banking Corp. (China Bank) is seen to put its efforts more on sustainability as part of its overall strategy to achieve its business goals.

In a recent event, China Bank said their strategy now includes sustainability and revenue growth as “strong interlinked components” that go hand-in-hand to sustain corporate performance, protect the environment, and create stakeholder value.

The bank said it positions its sustainability initiatives through three key priorities or channels—through its people, through its financing activities, and through risk management.

“Being aware of the impacts of climate change to the Bank, we are currently putting more emphasis in conducting a vulnerability assessment of our asset portfolio to transition and physical risks, and reviewing our risk appetite statement to include climate change risks,” China Bank Chief Finance Officer Patrick D. Cheng said.

So far, China Bank said it has

established a sustainability team, raised $150 million through its maiden green bonds, arranged sustainability-themed capital market deals, and developed an environment & social risk management framework to protect its assets from climate change risks.

“We believe that the Bank’s revenues should not be gained at the expense of poor governance, which is why we evaluate projects on a longterm basis,” Cheng said.

However, the bank official said there are challenges in fully implementing a sustainable portfolio.

“For example, while the bank highly supports the use of renewable energy, we cannot simply terminate its funding to fossil-fueled projects as it generates more than 70 percent of the country’s energy needs,” Cheng“Wesaid.believe that proper education and financing should be available to companies as we wish to transition into a low-carbon economy. In addition, there should be a collaboration between the public and private sectors as it recognizes that the shift to renewable energy should be in phases,” he added.

Rakuten to pick Goldman, Daiwa for banking unit IPO

ADB: Asia CBs to hike rates vs strong dollar, inflation

By Cai U. Ordinario @caiordinario

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said central banks in the region are expected to continue raising interest rates on the back of the strong dollar and the need to curb inflation.

In a briefing last Wednesday, ADB’s Abdul Abiad said both headline and core inflation have been on the rise in most economies in the region leading to a “broadening of price pressures” that require tightening monetary policy.

Based on the latest inflation print, the Philippines’s core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items that are in the headline inflation, steadily rose to 4.6 percent in August 2022 from 3.9 percent in July 2022 and 2.8 percent in August last“Coreyear. inflation in several of our economies has also already been on

the rise. So in other words, you’re already seeing a broadening of price pressures. And so it is actually critical that Central Banks stay ahead of the curve and continue tightening policy. One of the lessons from what the US Fed went through is that it’s pretty costly if you do fall behind the curve,” said Abiad, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department Director of Macroeconomics ResearchAbiadDivision.saideven if CBs have tightened monetary policy in the region, some countries still are not able to keep up with the rise in inflation. This also indicates that

further tightening is expected in the“Someregion.countries, even though they’ve reached policy rates, they haven’t raised it by enough to keep pace with inflation with higher inflation expectations, and therefore real rates have either stayed the same or have actually declined slightly for some, although for many others, real rates have increased,” Abiad said.

“So we definitely expect policy rates to continue rising in inflation as I am to both lean against inflationary pressures to counter currency depreciation and outflows and basically just safeguard financial stability,” he added.

In terms of the Philippine peso, Abiad said, the currency is performing near the regional average indicating that it was doing better than most currencies in the region. This, he said, is despite the peso depreciating by around 13 percent.

The only issue with the Philippine peso is the strong dollar, which is expected to continue causing currencies in the region to further depreciate. The strong dollar is being affected by the continued rise in interest rates by

the US Federal Reserve.

Abiad said he expects that the US Federal Reserve is poised again to hike interest rates “by at least 75 basis points” this week. This will again put pressure on currencies in the region to depreciate further.

On Wednesday, the Philippine peso closed at P58 to the greenback, another all-time low. On Tuesday, the peso closed at P57.48 to the US dollar.“The Philippines is not at the extreme end. It’s actually very much close to the average for the region. So much of the depreciation in the Philippine peso reflects not so much weakness in the peso but strength in the dollar. And so it’s really again driven by the Fed tightening,” Abiad said.In the Asian Development Outlook Update, ADB said real policy rates declined in India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, bucking the regionalThetrend.report stated that this was due to an increase in policy rates that are less than the increase in the expected inflation. “Real interest rates, however, are low or even negative in many economies.”

RAKUTEN

Group Inc. has chosen Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Daiwa Securities Group Inc. as lead managers for its banking unit’s initial public offering, people familiar with the matter said, as the online retailer chases fintech growth to counter mounting losses.

Rakuten is preparing to list its banking unit with a valuation of around 300 billion yen ($2.1 billion) to 400 billion yen in an IPO as early as December, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named as the matter is private. Deliberations are ongoing and details of Rakuten Bank Ltd.’s offering, including bank manager lineup and size, could still change, they said.

A spokesman for Rakuten declined to comment, as did representatives at Goldman and Daiwa.

The bank’s planned listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange is part of a push by Rakuten to expand in financial services. Stiff competition from Amazon.com Inc. is capping the Japanese company’s core e-commerce revenues, while aggressive promotions for its mobile unit are saddling the company with losses.

Rakuten’s fintech segment is increasingly driving growth at a company that remains largely moored in Japan, despite its ambitions to expand overseas. The company’s credit card, bank, securities and insurance businesses together constituted its

biggest earner of operating income in the April-June quarter. Rakuten is separately preparing to list its securities unit.

“It makes sense for Rakuten to raise money to help the banking unit grow further - the combination of its e-commerce operations and fintech makes the company a strong, attractive player in Japan,” said Morningstar analyst Kazunori Ito.

Hiroshi Mikitani, the company’s chief executive officer and founder, had bet big on wireless services by building a fourth mobile network in a saturated market controlled by NTT Docomo Inc., KDDI Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp.’s wireless unit SoftBank Corp. That costly wager has resulted in continued losses at a company that had for years held its own against Rakuten’sAmazon.quarterly operating loss widened from a year ago, prompting S&P Global Ratings to slap the company with a negative credit outlook. The Japanese company’s nonfinancial unit is expected to be “deeply negative” of free operating cash flow in the coming 12 to 18 months, as improvement in its mobile business is further delayed, S&P

Thesaid.mobile unit’s losses are a result of “miscalculations that cannot be reversed, and more cash will be needed over the long term,” Ito said. Bloomberg News

Insurer giant AIA in talks to buy MediCard, sources say

AIA Group Ltd. is in advanced talks to acquire MediCard Philippines Inc., people familiar with the matter said, as the insurance giant seeks to boost its presence in Southeast Asia.

AIA and MediCard are finalizing the details of a transaction and could reach an agreement in the coming weeks after the Hong Kong-based insurance company outbid other insurers and investment funds, the people said. A deal could value the Philippine company at more than $350 million, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private.

No final decision has been made and talks could still fall apart, the people said. A representative for AIA declined to comment, while a representative for MediCard didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The closely held health-care company has been working with a financial adviser on the potential sale that could value the business

at $300 million to $400 million, Bloomberg News reported earlier this year.

While AIA posted a 15 percent decline in new business value for the first half of this year as Covid lockdowns dented insurance sales in mainland China, the profitability of new policies showed positive growth in June. Its shares have dropped about 9 percent this year in Hong Kong, valuing the company at about $108.5 billion. In the Philippines, AIA provides life and general insurance services.

MediCard is the only health maintenance organization in the Philippines that was founded and managed by doctors, according to its website. Since its inception in 1986, the company has grown from providing health care to individuals and families to serving large local and multinational corporations. It has nearly one million members and over 54,000 accredited doctors in more than 1,000 hospitals and clinics across the country. Bloomberg News

Indonesia wants its citizens to lead domestic crypto exchanges

INDONESIA will require its domestic cryptocurrency exchanges to be mostly led by its citizens as it tightens rules to protect consumers. At least two-thirds of directors and commissioners on crypto bourses must be Indonesians residing in the country, said officials from the trade ministry and commodity futures trading regulatory

agency at a parliamentary hearing in Jakarta on Tuesday. “That way, at least we can stop them from fleeing the country if any problem arises,” said the agency’s acting head Didid Noordiatmoko. He didn’t say when the revised regulation would be issued.

The government is tightening the rule as authorities in Asia struggle to

Fed to hike and hammer home hawkish message

THE Federal Reserve is poised to raise interest rates to the highest level since 2008 and forecast further increases as Chair Jerome Powell leads efforts to curb harmful inflation.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is expected to raise rates by 75 basis points on Wednesday for a third straight meeting, delivering the most aggressive tightening since Paul Volcker led the central bank in the early 1980s.

The decision, as well as quarterly forecasts, will be announced at 2 p.m. in Washington. Powell will hold a press conference 30 minutes later.

Markets will home in on policy makers’ projections of monetary tightening in the “dot plot” for year’s end and 2023, reflecting Powell’s strategy that rates will need to be higher for longer.

While investors are pricing rates peaking near 4.5 percent next March, Fed officials have been vague about their terminal rate plans.

“Markets are going to be focused mostly on the dots,” said Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpont Securities. “We are getting a

pulling back of the curtain of what the Fed is thinking longer term.”

Rates FED leaders will probably debate the possibility of a 100 basis-point hike at the meeting after core consumer prices rose by more than expected in August. Markets are putting odds of such a hike at nearly 20 percent, with one Wall Street forecaster, Robert Dent of Nomura Securities, even calling it a likely outcome.

At the last meeting in July, Powell left the door open to such a move when he said “we wouldn’t hesitate to make an even larger move than we did today if the committee were to conclude” that was“Iappropriate.thinkit’saclose call,” said Roberto Perli, head of global policy research at Piper Sandler & Co. “A good discussion is in order here. They have been behind the curve systematically. They have to think getting in front of the curve would be good.”

Summary of economic projections

THE updated Summary of Economic

Projections will include policy makers’ first forecasts for 2025. While most of the investor focus will be on the rate forecast for this year and next, projections may also show the FOMC expects to keep rates higher for longer, with rates coming down only to 3.6 percent in 2024 and 2.9 percent in 2025.

Powell has emphasized the Fed is trying to reduce growth to below its long-run trend to lower demand in line with Covid-constrained supplies.

Reflecting this, the committee is likely to slash its growth estimates for 2022 and 2023 and could edge up its unemployment rate estimates for 2023 and 2024, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

With inflation persisting more than expected, the Fed could project inflation returning to its 2 percent target only in 2025.

FOMC statement

THE Fed is likely to reiterate that recent indicators of economic growth have softened while continuing to pledge “ongoing” increases in interest rates

get crypto founders to cooperate with investigations. For example, Do Kwon, co-founder of the Terraform Labs ecosystem that’s at the center of the $60 billion crypto collapse, has left Singapore as South Korean prosecutors seek Interpol’s help to arrest him.

Indonesia’s Deputy Trade Minister Jerry Sambuaga detailed other planned revisions to the rule.

Minimum capital requirement for crypto exchanges will be gradually doubled to 100 billion rupiah ($6.7 million) in line with their growth. Exchanges will be banned from reinvesting crypto assets and users’ money must be stored in third-party bank accounts were among the planned revisions to the rule. Bloomberg News

without specifying the size. Some economists say the statement could include that the pace of increases will slow at some point, reflecting Powell’s public comments in July and at the Fed’s Jackson Hole conference in August.

Following last week’s disappointing consumer price index, which showed core inflation, excluding food and energy, accelerating, the committee could also choose to voice more concern on inflation, said Derek Tang, an economist at LH Meyer in Washington.

“Watch for upgrades to the wording on inflation: for example, inflation is higher and moving further away from our objective,” he said.

Dissent

MOST economists expect a unanimous decision this month, with the FOMC keeping a united front behind Powell’s fight against inflation. If there is a dissent, it’s most likely to come from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, who has dissented as a hawk this year, or Kansas City Fed President Esther George, who has dissented in a dovish direction. Bloomberg News

Union wants high pay for low-paid bankers

GERMANY’S

biggest service sector union is demanding that lenders including Deutsche Bank AG and Commerzbank AG step up pay for low-paid employees to help them deal with rampant inflation and surging energy costs.

Verdi wants employers to make two lump sum payments of 1,500 euros ($1,486) each to staff in back-office units where pay is often barely above minimum wage, union official Jan Duscheck, who’s also a member of Deutsche Bank’s supervisory board, said in a post on Twitter Wednesday.“Thereare low-paid employees in the banking industry as well,” Duscheck wrote. “For them, the financial situation is getting increasingly tight.”

The demands could add to cost headwinds for the coun-

try’s lenders, which have so far benefited from higher lending income as central banks raise interest rates to combat inflation.

Commerzbank Chief Executive Officer Manfred Knof said at a conference Tuesday that he’s sticking by his financial targets for 2022 and 2024, not least because ample government help has helped to ensure a benign outlook for credit defaults.

Eurozone inflation hit another all-time high in August as consumer prices jumped 9.1 percent from a year ago. Soaring energy prices were the biggest driver of the “Commerzbankincrease.and Deutsche Bank have been making surprisingly high profits so far this year,” Verdi said in a brochure published online. “So money can’t be the problem.”

This March 9, 2022 photo, shows a building carrying the A i A logo. People familiar with the matter said the insurance giant is negotiating for the acquisition of MediCard. CREDIT: BloomBERg NEws

Health& Fitness

Expert calls for concerted effort to fight HIV as cases are on the rise

By Rory Visco Contributor

The year 1981 marked the first known appearance of a disease that did not have a name, no clear origin and with no known procedure on how to test it, much more treat it. And the saddest part of it all is that patients die in a span of a few months.

e v entually, it was identified to be a human immunodeficiency virus or simply h I V, which wreaks havoc on one’s immune system, making the hu man body susceptible to an array of infections, even some forms of cancer.

If not treated early and effectively, h I V infection over the years can be come more advanced, leading to what is called Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or simply AIDS, which can inflict infections and other severe long-term medical problems.

And don’t even attempt to take it lightly because AIDS has already

claimed the lives of 40.1 million peo ple more than 40 years ago, making it a truly major global public health issue.

HIV: what is it really? Accor DI n g to Dr. Sybil Lizanne Bravo, Division c h ief, Infectious Disease, c l inical Associate Professor, Department of o b stetrics and g y ne cology, UP c o llege of Medicine, dur ing the recent webinar titled “ h I V sa Panahon ng c o vid-19” organized by the University of the Philippines to gether with UP Manila n I h n a tional Telehealth c e nter and in cooperation with UP Philippine g e neral h o spi tal, h I V is an infection that attacks the immune system, specifically the white blood cells, and weakens an individual’s immunity against the so-called “opportunistic” infections, those that happen or are more severe in people with weakened immune sys tems than those with healthy ones such as tuberculosis, fungal infec tions, severe bacterial infections,

select types of cancers.

Up to now, there’s still no known cure For h I V which can progress to AIDS if not treated. But with ad vanced medical care, AIDS can now be suppressed through proper medical care and prevent the infection from spreading, allowing h I V-infected people to live long, healthy lives and protect their partners through effec tive h I V treatment.

There are two h I V types, the most common being h I V1 while h I V2 is the rare one. There are also many risk factors like having multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infection, even acci dental needle stick injuries, among others. Most common symptoms in clude sore throat, fever, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, chills, fatigue, rash, and muscle aches. There are three stages: acute h I V infection on the first stage, followed by chronic h I V infection, then AIDS, which is the third stage.

Testing can be done through r a pid h I V Diagnostic Algorithm (r h I Vda), while the other is a confirmatory test that combines two or three r a pid Di agnostic Test ( r D T) formats done in parallel or in sequence.

How is HIV in the country during the pandemic?

cU r ren TLy, t he Philippines has the fastest-growing h I V epidemic in Asia so that’s really shocking news, accord ing to Dr. Bravo. She said there was a 237-percent increase in annual new h I V infections from 2010 to 2020, and AIDS-related deaths increased by 315 percent.

“We see that the estimated number of people living with h I V will triple in about eight years or by 2030 and reach more than 330,000 so that’s really bad news,” she said.

According to the h I V/AIDS and A r T r e gistry of the Philippines as of July 2022, there were 1,346 total reported cases in July 2022, with 41

average cases per day from January to July 2022. There were 1,273 males and 73 females infected, with 399 having advanced h I V disease, and 70 total reported deaths. The top four re gions are Metro Manila, c a labarzon, c e ntral Luzon and the Visayas region, and male-to-male mode of transmis sion is the highest at 65 percent, with eight cases among newly diagnosed pregnant women.

“In the P g h , t he peak was in 2019 just before the pandemic with 40 pa tients in one year. n o w, during the pandemic, it slowed down, which we attributed to decreased testing and delivery in tertiary centers,” Dr. Bravo pointed out.

With the h I V situation now in this pandemic, Dr. Bravo said they noted lower condom use in the general population from 26 percent down to 17 percent, and amid community re strictions, there was still a sustained elevated level of high-risk behavior, particularly among men who have sex

with men

“Because(MSM).ofthe pandemic, there were disruptions in service delivery where h I V testing decreased since many primary-care facilities and ter tiary-care institutions were converted to c o vid-19 hospitals, so treatment rates really dropped,” she continued.

e v en if the h I V situation in the country can be quite depressing, Dr. Bravo said there is still hope in re versing the trend of new infections by reducing new cases to below 7,000 this“Withyear.

all sectors working handin-hand, we should be able to achieve the ‘90-95-95’ (90 percent prevention coverage, 95 percent diagnosis cover age, 95 percent treatment coverage) plan of the World h e alth o r ganiza tion to prevent this epidemic from becoming the worst in the history of all infections. We should also revive h I V care facilities and diagnostics and hope to be able to reverse the h I V epidemic,” she said.

By Roderick L. Abad Contributor

A S the work-from-home (WF h ) a r rangement is now back, a neurolo gist and sleep specialist cautioned the public to not convert their bedrooms into their interim workstations because it triggers sleeplessness.

Dr. Deborah Bernardo made this timely reminder given that the Fiscal Incentives r e view Board (FI r B) tempo rarily extended the WF h set up for the information technology-business pro cess management (IT-BPM) sector, not to mention a recent survey that shows that Filipinos rose to the 4th spot as being the most sleep-deprived people globally. To help them regain their healthy sleeping habits, she pointed out that all activities related to their job and their gadgets must be removed in their own private space at home to achieve the optimum amount of time they need for slumber.Failing to do so, she warned, could make them sleepless and, much worse, result in depression and anxiety, among other mental health problems, as well as physical challenges like obesity, diabe tes, hypertension, and breast and pros tate cancer.

“People are not aware that they do not have enough sleep, so they don’t make it a priority in their schedules,” Dr. Ber nardo told reporters during the webi nar hosted by the business community Bounce Back Ph and health and wellness company Wellspring Philippines last September 13.

For her, the bedroom should be a “sanctuary for sleep and sex only. It must have a comfortable, chilly room tempera ture and slow relaxing music. Ambient lights must be replaced by night mode, and all other electronic gadgets must be turned off at least an hour before snoozing off.”

Effects of sleep deprivation

STATISTI c S s how that many Filipinos suffer from chronic sleep inefficiency. o n e of them is c a sey c h ing, the chief operating officer (c oo) o f Wellspring.

“When we lack sleep, we tend to not

function optimally. Because you are stressed, you wake up not well-rested— and that hampers productivity in gen eral,” she noted.

This problem did not only affect her but the entire family as well. This could be attributed to anxiety that “was high, especially during the pandemic. We were concerned about the senior members of the family and the babies.”

Apart from hardworking top execu tives, mothers, whether stay-at-home, single, employed, and entrepreneurial, are also not spared from sleep depriva tion. Just like Vanna r e yes, a resident mom of Madiskarte Moms P h , s he also experienced sleeplessness that, eventu a lly, had an impact on her personal ties. “ you can struggle in your relationship with friends. I must be more attentive to my children. Alone time with your significant other is important; intimacy can decrease if it is set aside and is often overlooked because of the loaded respon sibilities and worries,” she shared.

Start good sleeping habits early on SL e e P e xperts like Dr. Bernardo recom mended that adults need to have seven hours of sleep at a minimum. Less hours of sleep, especially in mid-life, she said “can contribute to dementia in the future. Start as soon as possible in improving your sleep.”

r e yes could not agree more about de veloping a healthy bedtime habit as early as possible, particularly for the younger generation.“Letyour kids know that sleep is very important in their lives. I collect their gadgets before they sleep. When it’s lights off, it’s light’s off,” she stressed, while citing her advice to her three chil dren. “ yo u can succeed in life if you have a good foundation in sleep.”

To help get a good sleep, a drastic change in mindset is required, suggested gigster Mark Darwin Balaswit. h e s aid: “Filipinos wear this badge of honor for sleeplessness, but it needs to stop. Why not do something about it and consider alternative solutions like Wellspring melatonin gummies, exercising, and eating healthy?”

r e yes said that melatonin found in

Wellspring gummies relaxes her more and makes her “willing to fight the day with a more agreeable mindset.”

Gummify your sleep pattern

S L ee P L e SS n e SS s eemed to run in their blood, especially at the height of the pandemic. The c h ing family kept on thinking about their businesses, hence, they suffered from bouts of anxiety and lack of sleep.

But it did not bring their spirits down. It led them to look for something that would remedy not only their well-being but also their means of livelihood—the Wellspring melatonin gummies.

“We were the first to use Wellspring melatonin gummies and we continue to do so when the need arises. These gummies have helped relieve us of our anxieties and sleep deprivation,” the c oo r

Bringingelated.this Food and Drugs Admin istration-approved melatonin gummy to the country, she personally witnessed how it addressed the sleep problems of “young adults who suffer from anxiety, mommies, and freelancers who have to do the extra hustle to make a living.”   Wellspring melatonin gummies, she reiterated, are “not sleeping pills, but they are there to relax you. Mela tonin for example is produced by the body and has now been developed and manufactured in vitamin form. It can alleviate fatigue and let you sleep natu rally and deeply.”

Aside from melatonin and vitamin B6, this sleep-inducing product contains other ingredients with added benefits like the Passiflora extract. It is the only brand in the market today that comes in three variants: the Melatonin Sleep Aid g u mmies with passion fruit extract to help relax promote calm before bed time, Wellspring n i ghttime with c o lla gen and h y aluronic acid for better sleep and glowing skin, and e x tra Snooze e x t ra Strength Melatonin with L-theanine and Lemon Balm gummies for an added dose of relaxation for that extra good night’s“Manysleep. people nowadays opt to take gummies because they’re easier to swal low, and taste better,” c h ing boasted.

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

P ro S TAT e c ancer is the fifth leading cancer site and third leading cause of cancer deaths among Filipino males, the Department of h e alth (D o h ) s aid, citing the 2020 data from the g l obal c a ncer o b serva tory (g co). September is Prostate c a ncer Awareness Month.

Meanwhile, the Philippine c a n cer Society in 2015 said that about six in 10 cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 or older. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 66 years

“Theold.chances of developing prostate cancer increase as you get older,” said Dr. Jaime g a lvez Tan, a trustee of h e althJustice Philippines, a non-government organization.however,Dr. g a lvez Tan noted that prostate cancer can be detect ed early through testing such as using a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or through a digital rectal exam (D r e ).

T he prostate is a small gland in the pelvis that’s found only in men. It’s located between the pe nis and the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis.

Dr. g a lvez Tan added that pros tate cancer may be defeated by regular screening.

“And there are multiple treat ment options,” Dr. g a lvez Tan said, citing radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, brachytherapy, cryother apy, cancer.leastplace.shouldsmokingrisks fromultrasoundand high-intensify focusedtherapy.hesaidthattoavoidhealthanytype ofcancer,shouldbestoppedornotbestartedinthefirsthestressedthatsmokinghasat70chemicalsthatcancause

Smoking and prostate cancer

S TUDI e S s hown that men with prostate cancer who smoke may be more likely to die from prostate cancer than nonsmokers.

An article of h a rvard h e alth Publishing titled “Smoking tied to more aggressive prostate cancer,” a research published by an Austrian team in 2018, stated that another reason to quit smoking is the fact that in addition to raising your risk of heart and lung disease, as well as cancers of the bladder and kidney, smoking could boost the odds that you will develop aggressive pros tate cancer that metastasizes, or spreads through your body.

Published in 2014, the research showed that smokers had a 24 percent higher risk of death from prostate cancer than nonsmokers.

But it left an open question—Did the men who died from these other causes also have high-grade pros tate cancers that had not yet been detected? e x perts suspected that since smoking kills in different ways, some of those who pick up the habit simply may not live long enough to die from prostate cancer.

“After roughly six years of fol low-up, the data told a clear sto ry: prostate cancer patients who smoked were nearly twice as likely to die of their disease (89 percent higher risk) than nonsmokers. In addition, the risk that their can cers would spread was 151 percent higher, and there was a 40 percent higher risk that their prostatespecific antigen levels would rise again after surgery, signaling the cancer’s return,” the article stated.

Prostate cancer does not nor mally cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the urethra. This normally results in problems asso ciated with

Symptomsurination.canalsoinclude hav ing a sudden need to urinate, pain during urination, frequent urina tion especially during the night, the flow of your urine is weak and irregular, having problems begin ning urination, feeling that your bladder is not empty after urina tion, and less commonly, blood in your urine.

sensitive skin.

hAV e y ou ever wondered what c et aphil means? c e t” comes from c e tearyl Alcohol, a hydrating agent. Mean while, “phil” comes from a g r eek word meaning love. In essence, c e taphil is the love of moisturizing and soothing skin.

A T o TA L o f 160 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) housed at the Bureau of Jail Management in Taguig c ity benefited from the medical mission recently conducted by St. Luke’s Medical c e nter Foundation Inc. (SLMc FI) in coordination with St. Luke Medi cal c e nter (SLM c )

The medical mission is part of 10th year anniversary of SLM c F I.

A team of doctors with various spe cialties, nurses, and staff, generously g ave their time to render medical servic es to a total of 160 preselected patients.

Treated PDLs and guards headed by the Jail Superintendent Lloyd F. g o nzaga expressed their gratitude as SLM c is the first hospital to have held a medical mission at the BJMP in Taguig c i ty since the imposition of e n hanced c o mmunity Quarantine ( e c Q ) last

Outreach programs S I nce it was founded on August 28, 2012, SLM c F I has held annual medical missions to serve marginalized patients.

These outreach programs play a vital role in the continuing mission of SLMc ’s growing commitment to improve the quality of health-care services.

“The commitment to provide medical services for our patients does not limit itself to our admitted patients. We go beyond, and this kind of project is a tes tament to SLM c ’s proactive and prag matic approach to continue giving qual ity health care to everyone, especially t o communities with limited access to it,” said Dr. Benjamin c a mpomanes, President of SLM c F I who spearheaded and attended the event.

The event was also attended by Dr. Bernice c navarro (head of outpatient Services), Isabelo Urmatam, Jr. (Associate

Director for Medical Social Services and outpatient Services), Leia Michelle regalaTeodoro (SLMcFI’s Program Director), nina Mirrela c. Bautista (SLMcFI’s Foundation Manager) and Lalyn eso Vitalez (SLM cFI’s r esource Development Manager).

o n top of medical consultations for illnesses such as hypertension, asthma and arthritis, the beneficiaries also re ceived products and some necessities t hat they can use for their everyday personal hygiene donated by the SLM c Women’s Board and U n I LAB.

SLM c F I is a non-stock, non-profit organization and serves as the corporate social responsibility arm of St. Luke’s Medical c enter.

e s tablished on August 28, 2012, SLM c F I is guided by its core programs: Medical Social Service, Medical out reach, Medical Scholarship and Medical r ese arch.  Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

That the word comes from a chemical should be no surprise: c e taphil built its success on a product that filled a genuine der matological need. In 1947, a phar macist created an effective skin cleanser that did its job, without fuss or frills. That product was the c e taphil c l eansing Lotion, and is now known today as the c e taphil g e ntle Skin c l eanser.

This iconic product is made for all skin types and all ages, and hy drates as it cleanses after just one use. It soothes and replenishes the skin’s moisture, preserving its natural barrier. It has been clini cally tested to be gentle at removing dirt, makeup, and impurities. The c e taphil g e ntle Skin c l eanser is hypoallergenic and fragrance-free.

Today, the brand has expanded to a line-up that includes a spec trum of everything you could want: moisturizers, cleansers, skin brightening, sun care, and baby care. c e taphil is committed to en suring that users will always have gentle yet effective skincare that is proven to strengthen and protect

That is why the brand is the authority in skincare: c e taphil understands that healthy skin, despite skin sensitivities, is inte gral to overall healthy life. e v ery product works.   o ne such product is the c e taphil Moisturising Lotion which is an ex ample of the brand’s ethos of never settling when it comes to skincare: an improvement is always possible. It has been reformulated, with new ingredients like glycerin (to help prevent dryness), niacinamide (to strengthen the skin barrier), and panthenol (to soothe and restore dryForskin).those with very dry skin, the c e taphil Moisturising c r eam is ultra-rich and clinically tested to accelerate skin repair. It instantly rehydrates skin and maintains hy dration for 48 hours after a single application, restoring the skin bar rier with complete recovery after onecweek.etaphil continued its practice of partnering with dermatologists to ensure that the c e taphil Mois turising line fulfills its promise of serving users with patients with sensitive skin. The product was studied in-vitro, evaluated across 23 clinical subjects, and tested on nearly 1,000

clinically proven to fight the Five Signs of Skin Sensitivity: you no longer have to worry about a weak ened skin barrier, dryness, irrita tion, roughness, and tightness. A single application provides 48-hour hydration and immediate relief.

To celebrate the re-formula tion of the c e taphil Moisturising line, c e taphil welcomed guests to the Sensitive Skin Lab last August 31 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater, B g c . T he lab is a sensorial and educational event for the benefit of users to know what products should be used to target specific skin issues. Attendees were encouraged to learn why having healthy skin is the gateway to a healthyAlongmindset. withthe c e taphil Mois turising Lotion and Moisturising c r eam, other products that were highlighted were the g e ntle Skin cleanser and c e taphil Sun SPF50+.

In keeping with c e taphil’s standing as the leader in the sensitive skin space, guests were able to chat with key Dermatologists about their spe cific skin needs and the ingredients needed to target these.

The new and improved c e taphil Moisturising Lotion and Moistur izing c r eam are now available in Mercury Drug, Watsons stores, su permarkets nationwide, and at the official c e taphil Philippines stores in Lazada and Shopee.

Smoking is tied to more aggressive form of prostate cancer–study

St. Luke’S Foundation medicaL miSSion at BJmp taguig city

Pinoys told to not work in bed to avoid sleeplessness

Parentlife

Value goals: Discipline, respect and determination—Part II

CHANGING THE GAME IN CHILDREN’S NUTRITION ONCE AGAIN

AS restrictions ease up, children have finally started going back outside, meeting their peers, and experiencing face-toface classes. After over two years spent indoors, an important question on the minds of parents is: “How can I prepare my kids physically and mentally for these changes?’’

ACOUPLE of weeks ago, I shared many of my worries as a parent, as well as the concerns of parents I encounter during my classes and talks. I also shared how those worries brought me to my “value goals” for my children during their formative years, which I enumerated in part to serve as an example. The best is for parents to sit down and decide on their own list of priority values. Mine is a wish to have good kids—but then it could be asked: What does “good” really mean? As far as my husband and I are concerned, we want to hone in our children values that would set the pace for a happy and fulfilled life.

Now, let me share my personal experiences on how I continuously impart the three values of discipline, respect, determination to my children. First, it was important to reflect on how I learned those values myself. Then, I researched on play-based or activitybased ways to demonstrate this. The fascinating thing is when they eventually teach you about this value in the context of their world today.

DISCIPLINE

I LEARNED discipline primarily from my extended family, especially from my Grand Aunt “Sakopo” who tutored me from pre-K to grade school. The study routine she employed was ensuring an understanding of the topic, then drilling through practice exercises, and reviewing the next day on the way to school—all of which paved the way of my enjoying the process of learning.Second and more importantly is the context that both my Grand Aunt and Aunt Daisy gave me on why discipline is important. They told me discipline in studying was the best practice on how you would eventually produce good and rewarding work in the future. I saw my Aunt Daisy start from a management trainee in Citibank, then work consistently hard to become an expatriate to many countries (Hong Kong, New York, Malaysia and China), and then promoted to director—the highest position given to any Filipina at the time. I could not forget when she brought home her brand-new car Nissan Maxima with power windows (very new at that time) after being promoted for the first time.

For my own kids, I try to develop a rhythm of “happy discipline” through routine, but also making it fun through varying the activities every month. Every day, from their time as babies to their preschool years, we had time blocks set for learning, free play, art, active reading and nurture/role-play. So once a month, I would find activities on web sites, like Crayola.com, then stock up on learning tools available. I believe my kids today have brought this fun discipline in many facets of their lives including

husband and I to be more disciplined with our health like exercise and nutrition. It is fun to see how my daughter recently researched and lined up a skin-care routine for me.

RESPECT

I LEARNED respect early with my grandmother teaching me to respect everyone around us, especially the household help. She emphasized picking up after myself or helping with chores so that the help wouldn’t have to do as much. I see my grandfather treat and joke with them like family. I believe this is why my nanny loved me like her daughter, and why my children always show respect and gratitude to the people around them.

I admire my father greatly not just for verbally teaching but also physically demonstrating respect for our family ancestors, as a way to show our gratitude to them. He would require us to visit the Chinese cemetery for as long as I could remember and tell us stories of our great grandparents. This tradition carries on with my children.

Today, I love how my children teach me about being more open to diversity. Marcus points out the non-acceptable terms. Meagan teaches me more about

respecting the various definitions or non-definition of

DETERMINATION

MY teacher on determination is definitely my father. I always love listening to his life stories from when he started working at 17...from packing boxes to doing show windows for retail stores to eventually starting his own business.

For me, I teach determination from the context of my child’s deepest wants. I don’t think determination can be dictated without a deep intrinsic motivation. So I employ a lot of patience and support to that hungry sparkle in my child’s eyes. When my daughter joined a spelling bee for the first time in grade school, she told me she wanted to do well. I guided her in reviewing the words and made it fun by using our windows as a white board for challenging words. I would also expose them to biographies of great people related to their current interests. Yao Ming’s book really inspired Meagan when she was into basketball in Grade 5. Today, I love how my kids peg their wants, lay out their plans, and put all their energy in pursuing their dreams.

In the coming months, I hope to devote one article a month to share tips on building other values for our children. n

“The first five years of life are crucial for physical growth and brain development,’’ said Dr. Jose Rodolfo Dimaano Jr., medical affairs director for global health-care brand Abbott’s nutrition business in Pacific Asia. “To best prepare children to maximize their learning, and with the world opening up again, parents must ensure children continue to receive quality nutrition that supports stronger immunity, better cognition, and faster brain connections. We believe that with good nutrition, children will be able to grow healthier and live fuller lives.”The result of decades of research in pediatric nutrition, the brand’s new Similac GainSchool was unveiled at a media launch held recently at Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City. The new Similac GainSchool now improves on the brand’s previous formulation and adds five of the most abundant types of HMOs that proportionally make up 60 percent of total HMOs found in nature, scientifically designed for even better immunity, and less sicks days.

The breakthrough formulation also includes the PRODI-G Nutrient System which contains gangliosides—or complex lipids naturally found in the brain—and other essential nutrients for brain development. Gangliosides are important nutrients that support better neural connections, cognitive development, and performance IQ.

The launch included a series of expert-led talks on the importance of leveling up immunity and cognition, followed by a panel discussion on how parents can help their children thrive in a post-pandemic world. The talks highlighted the critical role parents play in supporting children’s growth during an important window of their development.

“As a parent, I always want to find ways to help my daughters thrive,’’ said Bianca Gonzalez-Intal, one of the celebrity moms who participated in the panel discussion.

“I want my girls to make the most out of every opportunity this new world has for them to grow and develop into independent, empowered women. That’s why I’m thankful for Abbott and the new Similac GainSchool for helping me provide good nutrition to help raise my girls to be stronger, smarter, and healthier kids ready to take on the world.’’ More information is available at www.similac.com.ph.

By Perry Zurn American University

KIDS are naturally curious. But various forces in the environment can dampen their curiosity over time. Can anything be done to keep kids’ curiosity alive? For answers to this question, The Conversation turned to Perry Zurn, a philosophy professor at American University and author of three books on curiosity, including Curious Minds: The Power of Connection, which was released in September 2022.

1. IS CURIOSITY ABUNDANT AT BIRTH? Curiosity is a natural capacity, present in nonhuman animals as well as in humans from a very young age. Beings of all sorts seek information, explore their environments and innovate new ways of solving problems. Creatures big and small, from elephants to bees, engage in exploratory foraging as they discover new territory and resources, while monkeys—and even cells and viruses—innovate new behaviors.

Among human beings, most people—scholars and nonscholars alike—have a sense that children are especially curious. Psychologist Susan Engel validates this sense in her book The Hungry Mind. Engel observes children’s curiosity at work in different environments, from preschool nature walks and middle school science labs to asking questions around the dinner table. Her research confirms that children are bursting with curiosity, expressed in the things they touch, the way they talk and how they interact

with others. But what happens to that curiosity as we age? Some people I meet bemoan the loss of their childlike wonder, while others are proud to have maintained or expanded it. What might explain the difference?

2. WHAT KILLS KIDS’ CURIOSITY? While research clearly shows children have a high interest in asking questions, that interest may dull over time, particularly in school settings. One study found that preschoolers ask an average of 26 questions an hour at home, but less than two per hour at school. Another study showed that fifth grade students, on average, expressed curiosity—via question asking, directed gazing or object manipulation—less than once every two hours. Why? Many things can dampen curiosity. Internet search engines and smartphones that give immediate answers limit children’s ability to sit with their questions and stew over their problems. Parenting styles that emphasize the value of questions only as a means to an end—such as correct answers— limit children’s capacity to cultivate questions for their own sake. Lastly, when schools train children to ask only specific kinds of questions in specific sorts of ways, it can limit their opportunities to innovate by constraining their interest and inquiry into narrow channels.

3. HOW GOOD ARE K-12 SCHOOLS AT FOSTERING CURIOSITY? Since teacher training focuses on conveying content and cultivating basic skills, teachers may not know how to facilitate curiosity.

To make matters more complicated, educators are often up against impossible odds of growing class sizes, reduced resources and increased pressure to achieve generalized, measurable outcomes. As a result, many teachers teach “compliance” more than “curiosity,” as Ta-Nehisi Coates puts it, reflecting on his time as a student in Baltimore schools. In his experience, it was more important for students to behave and learn the assigned material than for them to explore their interests and go out on a limb. This is especially harmful for students whose creative intelligence is already less likely to be encouraged, such as students of color and students with learning differences, including autism, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder or dyslexia.

As astrophysicist and Black feminist author Chanda Prescod-Weinstein emphasizes in her recent book, The Disordered Cosmos, not everyone is encouraged to reach for—or understand—the stars. She sees Black women as being especially discouraged from their academic and scientific aspirations.

4. HOW CAN PARENTS PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN’S CURIOSITY? Paying attention to each child’s own style of curiosity, and instilling in them a sense of pride in that style, will do much to equip kids to maintain curiosity. While children are naturally curious, they may express and pursue their curiosity in different ways. Research indicates there are multiple dimensions or styles of curiosity. One study I was involved in, for example, led

by communications scientist David Lydon-Staley, showed that people who browse Wikipedia have a tendency either to be busybodies—clicking on radically different pages; or hunters—clicking on closely connected pages. Does your child like to know everything about a few things? Or a few things about everything?

5. WHAT ROLE CAN COLLEGES PLAY? If people are to have the curiosity and creative imagination necessary to address pressing problems the world over, we will have to rethink what happens in the college classroom, and what happens beyond it.

Fellow philosopher of curiosity Lani Watson argues that however much colleges and universities tout a central commitment to curiosity, they continue to rely primarily on “answers-oriented education.”

Over and over again, the written exam, the multiple choice test or the position paper are the gold standard by which students demonstrate that they have learned and what they have learned.

Asking better, more insightful and more creative questions is rarely prized in educational settings except as a means to other ends—higher grades, more published papers, more discoveries or innovations. The rising social pressures to work longer hours on classes, jobs and internships, and a declining investment in a liberal arts education, make questioning itself an endangered art. Few students have the time or encouragement to get curious for curiosity’s sake. THE CONVERSATION kids curious—5 questions answered

PHOTO BY TIM

ONMOSSHOLDERUNSPLASH

FROM left: Host Bianca Gonzalez-Intal, pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Anna OngLim, pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition consultant Dr. Mary Jean Guno, and medical affairs director for Abbott’s nutrition business in Pacific Asia Dr. Jose Rodolfo Dimaano Jr.

Ford Island Conquest heads to Pampanga for test drive event

Stay G to Get Lucky as GCash Extends Lucky Load Promo to October for chance to win P100K

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The first self-storage in Manila Bay is now open to serve customers who need extra storage

area and beyond and I plan to open more branches in the coming months” says Sofia Palaganas, the founder of One Storage.

FORD Philippines’ Ford Island Conquest test drive event is making its next stop in SM City Pampanga on September 23-25, 2022. Fresh from its successful run in Ayala Malls Solenad last month, the Ford Island Conquest goes up North to reach customers in the province and nearby areas. The three-day Ford Island Conquest in SM City Pampanga will feature a dynamic display, on-road test drive, and the much-anticipated waterwading course to allow customers to see and experience the features of Ford vehicles led by the next-gen Ford Ranger and CustomersEverest.who will make a reservation at the three-day event are entitled to pick a prize when they reserve the next-gen Ranger and Everest, as well as the Territory, Mustang, and Explorer.

Over P2 million worth of cash discounts and prizes are up for grabs for customers, with cash discount of as much as P100,000. Other prizes include cash discounts of P10,000, P20,000, P30,000, three-year Scheduled Service Plan (SSP), various premium Ford merchandise, and next-gen Ranger and Everest accessories packs.

Customers who will avail of a financing program through partner banks EastWest or BPI for the nextgen Ranger and Everest, Territory, Mustang, and Explorer will also get an additional P15,000 cash discount.

“The Ford Island Conquest heads to its third location this month, allowing us to reach more customers and give them the opportunity not only to see our vehicles, but to test drive them and experience their features and capabilities,” shares Mike Breen,

managing director, Ford Philippines. “The Ford Island Conquest is also designed to be a fun weekend event for the family, so we would like to invite all Ford enthusiasts and fans to visit SM City Pampanga to be up close and personal with our amazing Ford vehicles.”TheFord Island Conquest in SM City Pampanga will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with the test drive activity open until 6:00 p.m. For safety reasons, children below 12 years old are refrained from joining the test drive activity. Customers who are going to test drive the vehicles are also advised to wear the appropriate footwear.

The event is open to the public and admission is free. Visit www.ford.com. ph/events/ford-island-conquest/ or check out Ford’s social media channels for more details.

Ingram Micro Philippines celebrates 13th anniversary; bolsters its best workplace journey in the better normal

enjoyed exciting prizes and were treated to performances by Unique Salonga and OPM legend Bamboo Mañalac.

Ingram Micro Philippines also launched its campaign called Greatness Anywhere, to promote their commitment to being a Great Place to Work amidst the workplace revolution brought on by the impact of COVID-19.

ONE of the growing essentials in urban living is having extra storage space. In recent years, we have seen the rise of enterprises offering storage facilities. Now on its soft opening, One Storage is the first self-storage facility inside a mall, conveniently located at B1 Transport Terminal, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard corner Aseana Avenue (near McDonald’s), Parañaque City.

The facility is equipped with a top-notch security system, Door Alarm System, 24/7 CCTV with infrared vision, facility access via unique PIN code, and 24/7 storage access including holidays.

Being the only self-storage in the Manila Bay area, One Storage promises suitable space, quality service, and world-class solutions to clients’ storage needs. More branches will open in the coming months to cater to the growing demand for storage space in Metro Manila.

“During the pandemic, I saw that there was a need for more storage space in my own home and in our office. I had files and things that I didn’t need on a daily basis but could not throw away. Current self-storage companies were far from my home, so I created One Storage, a place where one can store their goods in the most accessible yet secure place - the shopping mall! We are the first storage company in Manila Bay, catering to the different residents and offices in the

Clients are given full access to their stored items day or night by using a Unique PIN Code. They will also find that each One Storage unit is clean, well-ventilated, and pest-controlled to ensure the best possible service.One Storage goes the extra mile with service subscriptions that are affordable and flexible with monthly payments packaged with insurance coverage. Their staff is multilingual and can speak English, Filipino, Mandarin, and Hokkien. There are even packing items such as boxes, sticky tape, or locks on hand and available!

Palaganas adds, “We want to serve individuals whose houses are full and need extra storage after decluttering, or renovation. In the same way, our full range of services caters to various businesses such as those with many documents or files that cannot be thrown away or those with inventory or supplies that they need to store.”

One Storage is a subsidiary of the Gramans Group of Companies, headed by Palaganas as its Chief Operations Officer. With nearly 30 years of experience, the Gramans Group is involved in international and domestic freight forwarding, brokerage, international sourcing, wholesale trading of construction items, fashion, and medical supplies, and real estate.

For more information, please contact One Storage at 0917 630 7232, or send emails at onestorage.ph@gramansgroup. com. One Storage official website is www. onestorage.ph. Please follow One Storage on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ onestorageph/), Instagram (https://www. instagram.com/onestorageph/), and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/onestorage-philippines/).

INGRAM Micro, a global technology and supply chain company, celebrated 13 years in the Philippines in its first hybrid event called 13est Workplace Ever 13th Anniversary Celebration, recently held at the Hilton Manila Grand Ballroom.

The event was a commemoration of more than a decade of Filipino excellence and continued commitment to helping companies “realize the promise of technology.” It also marked three straight years of recognition as one of the Best Workplaces in the Philippines by Great Place to Work.

“This year’s anniversary celebration was extra special as it was the first time we were able to celebrate with our employees in a

hybrid setting since the start of the pandemic,” shared Eric de Pedro, Vice President, Global Business Services and Philippines Country Leader. “It was amazing to see the joy and energy of our employees being together in the same room and bonding in a way that is totally different from just celebrating with teammates across the laptop screen. All of us were affected by the pandemic in many ways, and as we slowly shift to better normal, we want to treat our employees to experiences we know they will appreciate.”

The variety show-themed, month-long celebration began in May and culminated with the hybrid anniversary celebration in June. Hosted by Robi Domingo, employees

“As we embrace a better normal mindset, our evolving workplace is defined by balancing safety, flexibility, purpose, and collaboration,” De Pedro quipped. “Through meaningful actions, instead of just day to day transactions, we are able to foster trust and genuine care that goes beyond the screen. We look forward to creating more new shared experiences, in the office and at home.”

As a global leader in technology and cloud solutions and the business helping power the world’s biggest technology brands, Ingram Micro has the ability to serve 90 percent of the global population, with sales in 200 countries covering six continents. The momentum continues as Ingram Micro accelerates its efforts on business transformation and digitalization, and the Manila facility plays a pivotal role in its unrelenting growth.

Discover how Ingram Micro can help you realize the promise of technology. More at www.ingrammicro.com.

CCP partners with Philippine PEN for 1st hybrid Philippine PEN Congress for literary community

THE Cultural Center of the Philippines hosted the Philippine Center of International PEN as it held its first hybrid congress at the CCP Main Theater Lobby on September 20.

The Congress aimed to provide a venue for the literary community to promote truth and freedom of expression through discussion and performance.

The event started with a keynote presentation from National Artist for Literature Gémino Abad, followed by an openFreeforum.the Word!, a mini-festival for global audiences, featured readings and performances from esteemed local and international artists such as Nanding Josef, screenwriter Veera Tyhtilä, director Adjani Arumpac, playwright Guelan Luarca, among others.

A book sale was held by independent and academic publishers, among them Ateneo de Manila University Press, UST Publishing House, and several others. Free the Word! also coincided with the

launch of LUNA, a semi-annual literary journal featuring new Filipino writing.

The event was open to everyone for free. Certificates of attendance were given to PEN members who attended the keynote presentation and open forum, whether in person or online.

FROM left, Vice President for GBS Eric de Pedro; Director for Digital Operations Dave McFarland; Senior Vice President

GBS Jana Vondran; Director for Human Resources Sam White and Director for Professional Services Kanishka Sinha.

ONE Storage Self-Storage is located at B1 Transport Terminal, Ayala Malls Manila Bay branch

Envoys&Expats

PHL, France double-down on regional stability, defense, security strategies

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

INcelebration of France and the Philippines’s diplomatic relations, defense experts from both countries discussed their evolving linkages toward stability in the region.

Manila-based think-tank Strat base ADR Institute, under the spon sorship of the French Embassy, host ed on September 14 the “Revolution izing the Philippine Defense Posture with France in the Indo-Pacific.”

Ambassador Michèle Boccoz emphasized that the two countries “share a common commitment to de fend international law and multilat eralism in the Indo-Pacific. This…is marked by a growing cooperation in defense and security, as well as in the fight against climate change.” Both republics are exploring the

possibility of holding coordinated patrols in their exclusive economic zones and expanding the coopera tion between both forces.

Boccoz said her country also wants to have an active role in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) modernization program.

In May this year, France offered to help train, build and maintain the AFP’s first-ever submarine force.

Officials of the Philippine Navy earlier pointed out that they are interested in having a submarine force to beef up its naval capabilities.

Amid growing threat of foreign aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the Indo-Pacific, Stratbase pointed out that it will be prudent and strategic for the Philip pines to link up with France in the areas of defense and security.

Professor Victor Andres Manhit of Stratbase believes that France, as one of the major superpowers in the world, will be vital in establishing stability in the Indo-Pacific by ex panding its role and providing solu tions to regional challenges.

“France has redirected its dip lomatic initiatives and policies to promote a multipolar order founded on the rule of law and multilater alism,” Manhit said. “It envisions a region wherein states advance shared democratic values, and gov ernments abide by international law—particularly, the United Na tions Convention on the Law of the Sea [or ManhitUNCLOS].”pointed out that the two countries increasingly share con cerns of similar nature due to the

consequences of strategic shifts in the region: “[Continued] engage ment with France in the defense and security sectors will enable us to build a credible defense posture in theUnderWPS.”the AFP modernization program “Horizon,” the current administration has started pro curing new military capabilities— including multirole fighter planes, offshore patrol vessels, corvettes, light tanks, and land-based missile systems.Inthe last phase of the program (Horizon 3 2023-2028), the AFP is looking to heighten its proficiency in preventing and addressing external threats. In such a perspective, the Philippines is planning to acquire its very first submarine.

With an expertise and knowhow based on years of experience, France—its embassy shared—has demonstrated its ability to fully support a partner-nation in creat ing and autonomously operating submarines.

Japan, UNDP provide aid to former Bangsamoro combatants

AN initiative was launched to promote the decommis sioning and normalization aspects of the Bangsamoro peace pro cess by addressing the challenge of small arms and light weapons (SAL Ws), while providing socioeconomic aid to ex-combatants and members of private-armed groups (PAG).

The Assistance for Security, Peace, Integration and Recovery for Advanced Human Security in the Bangsamoro Region initiative, or ASPIRE, will be implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philip pines, with financial contribution worth $5 million from the Japanese government, in consultations with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), the Moro Islamic Lib eration Front (MILF), and the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC).

Among its targets, the project aims to address SALWs in the re gion with a component on effective provision of socioeconomic support for former combatants, communi ties and PAG members. This will go along with raising awareness on the dangers of possession of small arms. With this, the Bangsamoro Transi tion Authority and UNDP Phils., via OPAPRU, eye to promote the normalization process by graduated small-arms control and their even tual

Ambassador Michèle Boccoz

I am very pleased to…open the symposium organized by [the] Naval Group and Stratbase, with the support of the French Em bassy in the Philippines. I have just returned from Paris where I took part in the traditional Am bassadors’ Conference, which al lows us each year to take note of the roadmap that [President Em manuel Macron] assigns to our diplomacy.Itwasa very important mo ment, marked by gravity, as we enter the seventh month of Rus sia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This war on our Eu ropean soil, which we thought unthinkable, has shown us that conflicts are always possible, and that democracy is a good to be cherished and cultivated.

France’s Indo-Pacific strategy aims, precisely, with our partners in this area, to keep the multilat eral order, the rule of law, freedom of navigation, and to create condi tions for economic development that preserves ecosystems and ourFranceplanet.is an Indo-Pacific na tion. Two million of our citizens live in this area, which accounts for 93 percent of our exclusive eco nomic zone. To protect its assets, France deploys 8,000 military personnel in this area and carries

out naval patrols, particularly in the South China Sea.

It is also at France’s initiative that the European Union has ad opted an Indo-Pacific strategy, which complements our national strategy. It is in this spirit of com plementarity that the [president of our republic] wanted to orga nize a ministerial forum on the Indo-Pacific during the French presidency of the EU. This was held in Brussels on February 22, with the Philippines represented at ministerial level. The exchang es between ministers were very fruitful, which enabled an ambi tious roadmap to be drawn up in manyMoresectors.specific, in the field of security and defense, the EU an

nounced the extension of the con cept of a coordinated maritime presence in the northwestern In dian Ocean. This will enable the EU to further support stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region, optimize naval deploy ments, promote coherence of Eu ropean action [as well as] facilitate information exchange and coop eration with Indo-Pacific part ners, including…joint maritime exercises and port calls.

This ambition in the Indo-Pa cific area assigned by our authori ties allows us today to strengthen our exchanges, particularly politi cal, in the wake of the elections in the Philippines and in France, where two new governments took office almost simultaneously.

This political reinforcement comes at a particularly crucial time in the region, as evidenced by the events of this summer, which we observed and analyzed closely. They have strengthened France’s determination to act jointly with the Philippines to build a new stage in our partnership, particu larly in the strategic field.

Without wishing to betray any great secrets, this is what Presi dent Macron [had the opportu nity to say to President Marcos… Our two leaders gave] the neces sary impetus to strengthening our relations, which will be reflected in ministerial visits in the com ing

Inmonths.theface of growing threats, we are convinced that we must now write a new chapter in the history of our relations. This is why we wanted to celebrate 75 years of Franco-Philippine rela tions in order to remember what we have been able to do together to better project ourselves into our common future.

We are two democracies in the Indo-Pacific and, faced with the same challenges, we must increase our ambitions and strengthen our relations in all areas. More spe cifically, I see three areas for im mediate joint investment:

First, our strategic and military relations must be strengthened, which is the purpose of this sym posium. Second, our agricultural relations; and finally, our rela tions in the energy field. In each of these three areas, it is a ques tion of strengthening security and predictability—two pillars which are essential for the stability of our societies and the economic development in Europe and Asia.

Thank you very much. Maram ing salamat!

MUTUAL COMMITMENT ON MARITIME AFFAIRS ASSERTED

In a ceremony, Ambassador Ka zuhiko Koshikawa of Japan and UNDP Phils. Resident Represen tative Dr. Selva Ramachandran launched ASPIRE with Member of the Parliament Ali Salik, who repre sented Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Region through an exchange of letters. The event marked the parties’ commitment to the work toward peace and stabiliza tion in the said area.

ASPIRE will cover targeted vul nerable communities to address the issue of sporadic conflicts caused by the use of private SALWs.

The reduction and management of SALWs, as well as the disband ment of PAGs, are stipulated in the Annex on Normalization as vital parts of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the Phil ippine government and the MILF. With transitional security being one of the most critical issues in imple menting any peace agreement, the decommissioning of former combat ants and gradual reduction of loose firearms will be pivotal in the period of transition.

Koshikawacollection. expressed his con fidence over the collaboration: “As this project will be a big step, as the first large-scale and comprehensive project to tackle the issue of private SALWs, I am grateful that Japan can support it.” “With the Japanese [aid, this project will allot technical sup port to deal with SALW challenges by a component on the effective provision of livelihood support for ex-combatants], and for PAG mem bers in Bangsamoro,” said Dr. Ram achandran.Thegovernment of Japan has been a steadfast supporter of the Philippines for the attainment of sustainable development and lasting peace in Mindanao, and a commit ted development partner of UNDP. According to the Embassy of Ja pan, the project will be implement ed by UNDP Phils. across targeted vulnerable communities with more than 6,000 residents to address the issue of sporadic conflicts caused by SALWs.Thecountry, it said, has been con tributing to the Bangsamoro peace process for more than two decades. To date, more than $500 million in projects have been undertaken under the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Develop ment, or Japan,J-BIRD.itsembassy in Manila conveyed, remains committed to support the progress of the peace process and furthering development in Mindanao.

THE Delegation of the Euro pean Union to the Philippines and the EU member-states’ embassies will present Cine Europa 25 from September 15 to October 30,Dr.2022.Ana-Isabel Sanchez-Ruiz, dep uty head of the country’s EU delega tion, opened the film festival on Sep tember 14 in SM Seaside, Cebu City.

“Film is deeply rooted in Europe’s culture, which we are very proud about,” explained Dr. Sanchez-Ruiz. “It mirrors our identity, and speaks a lot about our heritage, and what we Cebuare.” has been one of the pioneer host-cities of the film festival when Cine Europa was brought outside Manila in 2001.

For the past 25 years the delega tion considers Cine Europa as the ”hallmark cultural event of the EU to the Philippines.” Beyond showing European films, this program has become a platform to strengthen cultural relations and collaboration with Philippine cultural institutions and other partners.

With the pandemic easing up, the silver anniversary edition of Cine Europa will follow a hybrid format, which will open doors both physically and virtually to every Filipino, while endeavoring to ensure the safety and health of everyone.

In its silver year, Cine Europa brings no less than 30 films from

15 EU member-states for free. These may be watched onsite in select venue partners in Cebu City, Metro Manila, Iloilo and Palawan, or online upon signing up at www.cineeuropaph.com.

The EU Delegation thanks its con stant and valuable venue partners such as SM Cinemas and SM City Cebu Seaside as hosts of this year’s festival’s opening, the Film Develop ment Council of the Philippines, the National Parks Development Com mittee, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which will feature Cine Europa films in their indoor and outdoor venues.

The delegation, the EU mem ber-states’ embassies, together with Cultúr Éireann, Irish Film Institute, Goethe-Institut, Insti tuto Cervantes de Manila and the Philippine-Italian Association have curated a set of award-winning films showcasing different genres that will attract every viewer. This year, it has particular emphasis on young people, in celebration of the European Year of Youth 2022, and with the guest participation of a Ukrainian film in solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

Visit Cine Europa’s venue-part ners’ locations to watch all the films, or register via www.cineeuropaph.com to enjoy them online at the comfort of home. The festival is also on Face book at Cine Europa PH, and Insta gram at @cineuropaph.

U NDERSECRETARY [Jaime Victor] Ledda, Brigadier General [Caroline] Sala hun, Admiral [Bertrand] Dumou lin, Commander [Rear Admiral Jose Renan] Suarez, Executive Vice President Alain Guillou of the International Development of Naval Group, Professor Dindo Manhit, ladies and gentlemen, my dear friends:

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo (right) exchanges views with Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt of Norway on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York on September 19. Both highlighted the strong ties between their countries, while affirming the primary importance they place on maritime affairs. Manalo cited the Royal Norwegian Government for its firm commitment to support the peace negotiations in the Philippines. The two sides exchanged views on international affairs, as they explored ways of promoting bilateral cooperation.

‘Revolutionizing PHL defense posture with France in the Indo-Pacific’

BANGSAMORO Region’s Member of the Parliament MP Ali Salik (from left), Ambassador Kazuhiko Ko shikawa of Japan and UNDP-Philippines Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran UNDP PHILS.

SPORTS patron and telco tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan welcomed Ernest John “EJ” Obiena home in a recent visit at his Makati City office and asked the world No. 3 pole vaulter to be “an example and a catalyst for the youth.” I thank EJ for his service. He brings such great honor to the country and to Philippine sports,” said Pang ilinan as he hosted Obiena at the PLDT Inc. headquarters. “I hope that he becomes an example and a catalyst for the youth, so that they would emulate what he is doing.”

Donning the red-and-white Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation jacket, Pangilinan and Obiena had a chance to catch up and discuss what’s next for the world-class athlete who’s in town for a three-week vacation.

training at the world pole vault center in Formia, Italy, where he’s under the keen eyes of legendary Ukrainian coach Vitaly Petrov. Pangilinan is the chairman and trustee of the MVPSF.

It’s important to us that we support our athletes,” said Jude Turcuato, Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart Communications Inc, and Executive Director of MVPSF. “By engaging with them, we can inspire Filipinos with the values of sports and contribute to nation-building.”

Thank you very much for believing in me,” said Obiena, who’s back home for the first time since December 2019. “I’m very honored to be a part of this group, this family.”

O biena scooped one gold medal after another in his recent European outdoor campaign—including a victory over world and Olympic champion and world record holder Armand Duplantis at the prestigious Wanda Diamond League leg in Brussels.

e thanked the MVPSF for providing some of the crucial support that he needed in his

sked about his formula of success, Obiena said: “Enjoy your sport. It’s going to be tough, but it becomes easier when you’re happy doing something you love.”

DRAGONS WREAK HAVOC IN MOA

By Josef Ramos

THE Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons spewed fire—lots of it—to melt the Blackwater Bossing, 133-87, in the opener of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Bay Dragons are a guest team in the import-laden confer ence but neither were they bullied nor shoved around in their PBA debut, flashing a fluid game on both ends to send a strong message that they’re dead serious about their participation in Asia’s first professional league.

PACQUIAO VS. EX-SPARMATE IN RIYADH

FORMER eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao returns to the ring in an attempt to rekindle his glory days and perhaps remain relevant as a sporting-cumpolitical icon.

The 43-year-old Pacquiao will battle French superstar Jaber Zayani in a ring konfrontasi that was formally signed early last week at the former senator’s Makati City residence.

I personally negotiated with the senator together with my team and after months of talks, we finally agreed to a face off next year,” said Zayani who was accompanied by Filipino business manager Nico Rojas. “He already signed the contract so it is a go.”

Z ayani said Pacquiao, through the help of Luis “Chavit” Singson, agreed to a non-sanctioned eight-round bout using the regular eight-ounce gloves that is tentatively set mid-February at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh.

“Call it an exhibition or some thing but when the senator signed the deal, I told him to prepare well because I’m going to give him a real fight. He then told me, ‘you better be prepared,’” Zayani said.

A n ative of Saint-Martin-d’Hères in Isère, France, the 31-year-old Zayani once served as Pacquiao’s sparmate when the Filipino boxing icon trained for his 12-round world welterweight bout opposite Keith Thurman in July 2019.

Z ayani, who signed a five-year multi-million promotional deal with Saudi Prince Al-Walid Ben Talal, is an unbeaten lightweight contender in 18 fights with 11 knockouts. Talal has assigned Abdullah Al Murad, through their entity Elite Sports Athletes, to be at the forefront of the event.

“I was honest with the senator that I’m looking at this as my biggest break which I will surely maximize,” Zayani said. “I aim to create a buzz and become a household name. Sure, the organizers are calling this an exhibition but for me, it’s a chance to exhibit my talent as a future world champion.”

Just last month, Pacquiao signed up for a six-round exhibition match against Korean youtuber DK Yoo on December 10 in Seoul. Pacquiao then agreed to take on Zayani when the deal was presented to him by his longtime trainer Nonoy Neri.

Myles Blake Powell, a former Philadelphia 76ers point guard, waxed hot from all over and scored 41 points—almost a third of his team’s produc tion—on 14 of 28 shooting from the field. He also grabbed eight rebounds. Itwas great…after two months of preparation, those tune-up games, we showed everything on the floor tonight,” the 6-foot-2 Powell said. “Our coaches did a great job, but it’s a team thing though.”Hehad 14 points in the first quar ter which the visitors dominated, 3619. The Bay Dragons went on with the onslaught for a 64-36 halftime lead before posting a seemingly unreach able 97-65 advantage heading into the fourth period.

Glenn Robertson Yang finished with 22 points, five rebounds and seven assists while Zhu Songwei and Kobey Ketavong Lam had 13 points apiece for the Bay  Dragons, who’re us ing their PBA stint in preparation for the East Asia Super League (EASL).

The EASL is a regional league that features champion teams

ONE Warrior Series

MARTIAL arts—or the art of fighting—is part of the Filipino DNA. Even in pre-colonial times, early Filipinos indulged in numerous traditional sports. Archery, arnis, wrestling, darts, track and traditional martial arts were among the popular competitive pastimes.

From north to south, different forms of combat using strength, skills and wiles—from eskrima to sikaran to

from the different professional leagues in the continent—including Philippine Cup top two San Miguel Beer and TNT Tropang Giga. The EASL starts next month.Hayden Joel Blankely finished with 11 points and 7-foot-5 Chuanxing Liu added nine points, 13 rebounds and two blocks also for the Dragons, who limited the Bossing to a 47 of 85 shooting.

The Dragons made 31 of 46 field goals and nailed 16 of 39 three-point attempts. They missed only three of 26 free throws.

The Bossings, on the other hand, went 21-of-60 from the field, 11-of-33 from beyond the arc and were a sore 12-of-29 from the free throw line.

“Our No. 1 goal is to win the EASL championship, but we have to perform here [PBA] because this league will help us in our EASL campaign,” Hong Kong Coach Brian Goorjian said.

We would like to get into the PBA playoffs and bring the energy to EASL,” Goorjian said. “Our approach here is one game at a time and win as many games we can. I know there are tough competitions ahead of us.”

Rookie Renato Ular led Blackwater with 13 points and 14 rebounds, while import Cameron Krutwig debuted also with 13 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists. Former TNT Tropang Giga big man Troy Rosario, Blackwater’s acquisition from TNT, was in uniform but was benched by his coaches. Gab Banal, also a former Tropang Giga, was scoreless in 17 minutes.

The Bay Dragons take on the NorthPort Batang Pier on Saturday in the same venue.

Red Lions survive Stags’ 2ndcomeback,mightybookwinin4games

SAN BEDA weathered a San Sebastian College rally from 23 points down to carve a 78-71 victory and rediscover its winning ways Wednesday in the National Collegiate Athletic Association seniors basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Red Lions improved to 2-2 wonlost to tie their victims and climb at the upper half of the standings.

Determined to rebound from last Saturday’s stunning 81-89 loss to Lyceum of the Philippines University, San Beda spung to an early 25-2 lead.

The Stags stormed back behind Jessie Sumoda, Ken Villapando and rookie Rhinwill Yambing to cut the deficit to 57-59 entering the payoff period but that was the best they could muster.

San Beda coach Yuri Escueta gave credit to James Kwekuteye, who led the Red Lions with 20 points, three steals and three rebounds, for his hustle to complement his scoring.

“ I know he can score but one thing I appreciate is his defensive side,” said Escueta on Kwekuteye. “He’s doing his job defensively by getting rebounds. Offensively, he’s trying to look where his open teammates are, he’s trying to read the defense, a plus as he makes good decisions on offense.”

Peter Alfaro added 11 points and three rebounds, Tony Ynot had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists, and JB Bahio had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds to go with two blocks and two steals for San Beda.

Baguio City LGU, advocates count people on bicycles

CYCLING advocates and the local government (LGU) of Baguio City counted cyclists in seven areas in the city earlier this week to establish baseline data on the number of residents using bicycles for daily transport that could help local policymakers make informed decisions on transport route network planning.

The count was undertaken before the World Car Free Day which is being celebrated Thursday, September 22.

suntok-sipa to bunong braso—have entertained generations of Filipinos across centuries. These combat sports have been the purest expressions of the Filipino soul.

L ast weekend, a TV reality series called “Globe Presents ONE Warrior Series: Philippines” debuted on Philippine television. It follows the adventures of 16 mixed martial artists (MMA) culled from different parts of the Philippines as they test their skills and grind it out for a $100,000 contract (roughly six million Philippine pesos), the right to belong to ONE’s global roster and the joy of fighting in ONE Championship’s return to the Philippines this December.

The winner after 12 episodes will also be accepted into the legendary martial arts brotherhood of Team Lakay.

Originating from the ONE Warrior Series that starred MMA legend Rich Franklin as he goes from country to country in search of the world’s next martial arts superstar, this standalone new series is focused solely on the Philippines as a mother lode of martial arts talents, with no less than the Philippines’s most storied MMA guru, Mark Sangiao, as head coach.

Joining him as coaches of two teams of Warriors who will compete against each other are Team Lakay fighters Joshua Pacio, the reigning ONE Strawweight world champion and former ONE Flyweight world champion Geje Eustaquio.

“ The data will essentially be a treasure for the LGU,” said Eugene Valbuena, focal person of bike-related activities of the Office of the Mayor of Baguio City. “It can be incorporated into the Smart Mobility project that the Hon. Mayor [Benjie Magalong] is aggressively pursuing.”

Valbuena said the count would be utilized for data analytics, gender sensitivity program of the city, bicyclist population, identify leisure, bike to work, and for sports, infrastructure

development, as well as a tool for future decision-making road use particularly, oriented walking and cycling programs of the LGU.

Thee data will also be a tool for comparison vis-a-vis carbonized transport system and non-carbonized system of mobility, he added.

The three-day count was a citizenled collaborative capacity-sharing effort organized by Daily Cycle Movement Baguio and Team Next Generation-WAEWA Baguio Cycling

Team Passion coached by Joshua “The Passion” Pacio is made up of Arjay Ortega, Ariel Lampacan, Jun Montilla, Norman Agcopra, Joker Oliveros, LA Lauron, JM Guntayon and Marvin Malunes. Team Gravity, with Genil Francisco, Adonis Sevilleno, Joevincent So, Noy Francisco, Ely Fernandez, Sheraz Qurashi, Mcleary Ornido and Christian Laurio is coached by Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio.

The competitors are top prospects from across the Philippines. Some have been members of national teams, others are international medal winners or local champions in mixed martial arts or boxing competitions. All have shown drive, determination, guts, bravery and a desire to excel in a sport that expresses their collective soul.

E ach of the Warriors has a touching, even heartwrenching story to tell of how they wish to become better persons, rise out of poverty and provide for their families by pursuing martial arts.

I nspired by other athletes such as Filipino MMA folk hero Eduard Folayang who overcame abject poverty through dedication, hard work, humility and a relentless drive to excel, the 16 hopefuls have dealt with adversity in their respective ways. ONE Warrior Series for them is their “way out,” a ticket to the fulfillment of their fondest dreams.

Community. Thecount were held in La Trinidad, M. Roxas, Irisan, Loakan, Marcos Highway, Military Cut-off Road and Leonard Wood Road during peak hours in the morning and afternoon.TheMobility Awards hailed Baguio City as one of the most bikefriendly cities in the Philippines earlier this year.

Head coach Mark Sangiao is happy with how the 16 have been doing so far, noting however, that some may need to learn or relearn their martial arts values. The task is challenging for the coaches as well, he shared, since “the 16” have different backgrounds, learned from different coaches and have their own individual beliefs and attitudes. During the 12 challenging weeks, Coach Mark said he had to reteach proper values to the competitors—humility and “no shortcuts” being the most important.

A fter one week of intense, gritty and eye-opening competition, OWS has already eliminated one Warrior from the show. Only 15 competitors remain and every week will be a tiring, challenging, back-breaking and soul-trying ordeal for all.

I n the end there can only be one. The drama and excitement of the remaining episodes have already started to thrill and delight MMA fans who are thankful they can watch this different-flavor sport on free TV instead of just basketball or volleyball.

O ne Warrior Series airs at 9:35 pm every Sunday on GTV up to November 27. OWS PH can also be accessed through watch.onefc.com , the ONE Super App and on the ONE Championship Philippines Facebook page.

ERNEST JOHN “EJ” OBIENA pays Manuel V. Pangilinan a visit.

JAMES KWEKUTEYE is the main man for San Beda on Wednesday.

FORMER senator and eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao (left) and unbeaten lightweight contender Jaber Zayani (right) simultaneously sign the contracts. PHOTO BY JABER ZAYANI

FILIPINO HERITAGE NIGHT Philippine Consul General Neil Ferrer (second from right) and Miriam Ferrer (fifth from left), who are wearing a special Philippine-inspired shirt designed by LeRoid David, attended the Filipino Heritage Night of Major League Baseball team San Francisco Giants at the Oracle Park in San Francisco recently. The event was held during the home team’s game against the reigning World Series champions Braves. The annual celebration of Filipino culture and heritage— organized by the Giants organization in partnership with the Filipino American Arts Exposition and the Filipina Women’s Network—was headlined by a ceremonial first pitch by California’s Filipino-American Attorney General Rob Bonta, a demonstration by Filipino martial arts group Legacy and an on-field performance by Filipino dance company Kariktan. SAN FRANCISCO PCG PHOTO

MYLES POWELL throws his weight around for the visiting Bay Area Dragon. COURTESY RUDY ESPERAS

Team in collaboration with the convenors of the Mobility Awards— Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, The Climate Reality Project Philippines, MNL Moves, 350.Org Pilipinas and Pinay Bike Commuter