Business groups vow to aggressively expand green economy programs
Philippine business groups will prioritize the expansion of “green” economy interventions to ensure environment-friendly operations and sustainable economic recovery from the raging health and economic crisis......»»
EAM Jaishankar, Singapore PM exchange views on deepening engagement in fintech, digitalization, green economy
New Delhi [India], March 26 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong exchanged views on deepening engagement in fintech, digitalization, the green economy, skills development and food security. EAM Jaishankar concluded his visit to Singapore on March 25. He was on an official visit to Singapore from March 23-25, the first leg of his visit to Singapore, Philippines and Mala.....»»
'There s today momentum in India which has to be experienced to be believed': Jaishankar in Singapore
Singapore, March 23 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said there's today momentum in India which has to be experienced to be believed and the country is going to be a much bigger economy in the coming years. Jaishankar, who reached Singapore earlier today as part of his three-nation visit, said apart from increase in ease of living and ease of doing business, India is ramping up its infrastructure.....»»
SamPan: Making her mark
Samantha Panlilio, eldest daughter of Jose Marcel “Jocel” Panlilio, is embarking on an ambitious career path to revitalize and expand the family’s real estate investments as chief operations officer of both the family’s publicly listed Boulevard Holdings Inc. and Puerto Azul Land Inc., even as she sets a parallel course to build her own beauty line, photography studio, and a furniture business under the brand “House of Marrakesh.”.....»»
Business groups laud passage of Salt Industry Development Act
Business groups Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) welcomed the approval of a law that aims to revive the salt industry which is seen to support economic growth and help create jobs......»»
'There s today momentum in India which has to be experienced to be believed': Jaishankar in Singapore
Singapore, March 23 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said there's today momentum in India which has to be experienced to be believed and the country is going to be a much bigger economy in the coming years. Jaishankar, who reached Singapore earlier today as part of his three-nation visit, said apart from increase in ease of living and ease of doing business, India is ramping up its infrastructure.....»»
Aboitiz Group raises 2024 capex
The Aboitiz Group is poised to expand its various business units this year, supported by a substantial increase in capital expenditures......»»
Microsoft CEO hits out at ‘dominant’ Google in US trial
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told a US court on Monday that Google's dominance of the search engine market made it very hard for rivals to emerge, hitting out sharply at the business practices of his company's archrival. Nadella spoke to a courtroom in Washington DC, where lawyers from the US Department of Justice are attempting to persuade a federal judge that Google has illegally paid billions to Apple and others to preserve its monopoly. Microsoft's Bing has been trying since 2009 to build market share against Google, but Nadella said it could never compete against the search engine behemoth, largely due to its arrangements with Apple. "You can call it popular, but to me it's dominant," Nadella told a Google lawyer during tense cross examination. The three-month trial is the biggest US antitrust case against a big tech company since the same department took on Microsoft more than two decades ago over the dominance of its Windows operating system. Nadella broadly backed the government's contention that Google's intake of data from being the world's preeminent search engine created a network effect that only made Google a more powerful tool to advertisers and users. "It becomes even harder to break through when you don't have (market) share," Nadella said. 'Defaults matter' Nadella said distribution was key to a successful search engine and that his company was prepared to pay Apple dearly to give Bing the default status on the iPhone. "Defaults are the only thing that matters" and arguments by Google that users will easily switch to another app were "bogus," Nadella said. "It would be a game changer (for Bing) to be a default on Safari," he added. Apple instead stuck with Google and receives billions of dollars every year from the search engine giant with a generous revenue sharing deal, earlier testimony has revealed. With his approaches rebuffed by Apple, Nadella said that Bing has remained a very small player. The company has continued to invest in Bing, Nadella said, awaiting a possible "paradigm shift" or some sort of government intervention to restructure the business. The CEO also testified that despite some early "exuberance," he no longer believed the emergence of ChatGPT would reshape Google's dominance of the search business. Microsoft earlier this year moved aggressively to integrate the AI technology into its Bing search engine, creating some expectation that Google's singular position was under threat. Nadella said he was now worried that Google would be able to use its dominance in search to strongarm content providers that are key to training generative AI models. "I worry a lot in spite of my enthusiasm that this vicious cycle can become even more vicious," Nadella said. The post Microsoft CEO hits out at ‘dominant’ Google in US trial appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
At the EV forefront: Meralco to electrify 25% of vehicle fleet by 2030
The Manila Electric Company has committed to aggressively push the development of vital infrastructure necessary to advance the Philippines' adoption of electric vehicles through the company’s network and capabilities. Leading by example, Meralco will electrify 25 percent of its own vehicle fleet by 2030. It has so far converted 156 or 7 percent of its fleet to EVs and installed 39 EV charging stations to serve the daily operational needs of its sector offices and business centers. These EVs were showcased during the Meralco Power Academy’s three-day “Giga Summit on Sustainable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Future Grid” recently held in Makati City. Through its green mobility unit Movem Electric Inc., Meralco has also deployed 247 EVs and installed 139 charging stations in collaboration with private sector partners and institutional clients. The post At the EV forefront: Meralco to electrify 25% of vehicle fleet by 2030 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Restaurant Gerry’s still not feeling pre-pandemic sales
lockdown forced restaurant owners nationwide to rethink their business models as dine-in business was brought to a standstill. But despite the full-swing reopening of economic activities, the industry has yet to return to its pre-pandemic level. A flicker of hope, though, the restaurant space is pinning on revenge dining that will see an industry resurgence in major cities like Hong Kong and New York. Commented Francis Villaluz, Gerry’s vice president for marketing, “Still, the sales are not as much as in 2019. Though we see an improvement compared to 2021 and 2022.” He added the restaurant chain would aggressively open 15 more branches this year and next year, adding to their more than 90 branches that have been ushering customers their infamous crispy pata and sisig, among other delectable dishes. According to the Philippine Franchisers Association, the food industry is the segment in the retail business to be the first to recoup from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic due to improving food traffic and revenge travel. “If we have 15 restaurants, with a mix of free-standing and mall-type branches in mind to be opened this year, seven will be opened toward the end of the year while the rest are set to be unveiled by 2024,” Villaluz revealed. He said the mall-type branches have fewer investments, as no land acquisitions are needed to open those edifices. Millions of investments “But sizes still vary. For a mall-type, the rough investment is about P15 million for a 200 meters restaurant. The price for investment includes franchise fees, furniture, and staff training. While for a free-standing, P20 million is the usual cost because it is like putting up a multi-story house,” he said. He said they are not yet unveiling other food products for their offerings but will stick to what Gerry’s is known for — Filipino food and some fusion of international cuisines. “There are many steps involved in rolling out types of cuisines, such as proper training for cooks. It will be hard to introduce new products if other branches cannot follow. We are careful about that,” Villaluz said. “Our sisig and crispy pata, plus cold beer, has been on our menu since day one of 1997. But we are balancing it by ensuring that we have enough pork, seafood, and vegetable delicacies that should be on our customers’ tables,” he added. Villaluz said Gerry’s still caters to various Filipino family events after rebranding from the OG (original) Gerry’s Grill to Gerry’s three years ago. “Though our OG customers still see us as the Gerry’s Grill, they know that we offer drinks and pulutan. Families are coming in even if the other tables beside them are drinking barkadas. I guess they have embraced our rebranding efforts,” he said. He said as the country still reels from inflation, they have imposed a minimal price surge to avert further losses. In an earlier interview, the restaurant’s president Gerry Apolinario said the Covid-19 pandemic had forced them to close 20 stores in 2020. Last 2022, various Gerry’s branches were opened in Panglao, Bohol, San Fernando, Mexico in Pampanga, and Sierra Valley in Marikina. Towards the end of the year, Villaluz said they will open Gerry’s branches in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Sumulong Highway in Antipolo; Ilagan, Isabela; Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig City; in SM City Balanga, Bataan; in Estancia Mall in Pasig; Robinson’s Gapan, Nueva Ecija; in Catarman, Samar; in Tacloban; SM City Sto. Tomas, Batangas; in Taft Avenue; Carmona, Cavite and other provinces outside the National Capital Region. The post Restaurant Gerry’s still not feeling pre-pandemic sales appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Inflation rate declines to 6.1 percent
The continuing decline of the inflation rate of the country is “encouraging” news for the Philippine economy, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday. The Chief Executive said this in a video message after data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Tuesday that the inflation rate last month stood at 6.1 percent, slower than the 6.6 percent recorded in April. Marcos pointed out that the inflation rate's downward trend for the fourth consecutive month is very welcome as it is coupled with the improving employment rate in the country. “Today we received encouraging news that our inflation rate has now gone down – our headline inflation rate has gone down from 6.6 percent to 6.1 percent, and our employment figures are also improving,” Marcos said. “It appears that we have embarked on the correct path, making the right decisions. Our policies seem to be effective in revitalizing and reinvigorating our economy," Marcos added. The Chief Executive also noted that the country's growth rate remains "favorable" and perhaps "one of the best in the world," adding that the Philippine economy continues to expand and thrive. Aside from fully opening up the industries and businesses, the Marcos administration has also been aggressively promoting the use of modern technology to push forward the digital transformation of the country. It is coupled with the passage of relevant legislation such as the Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business Act, which entices entrepreneurs to open up their businesses in the Philippines by facilitating business and non-business transactions including the issuances of permits and licenses. The law also holds government officials accountable for any graft and corruption and irregularities while dealing with entrepreneurs who want to invest in the country. Under the law, for simple transactions, the processing period should be within three days while for complex transactions, processing must be within seven days. For highly technical transactions, the processing should be complete within 20 days. "So it seems that what we're doing is right. Let's continue with our efforts so that we can witness a return to a favorable situation," Marcos said. The post Inflation rate declines to 6.1 percent appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PPA reports P4.5-B net income
The Philippine Ports Authority recorded more than P4.5 billion in net income for the first four months of the current year, up by 35 percent during the same period last year. January to April net income totaled P4.522 billion against the P3.344 billion in the first four months of 2022, according to PPA data. Broken down by month, the PPA’s net income were P1.4 billion in January, P1.1 billion in February, P749 million in March and P1.3 billion in April. The Port Management Offices of National Capital Region South, Batangas, Davao, Northern Luzon and Bataan/Aurora were the top five revenue earners of PPA. The five PMOs’ income also improved from their earnings in 2022. The PPA said its revenue performance in the first four months of 2023 beat the agency’s pre-pandemic income before tax of P4 billion for the same months in 2019. Meanwhile, PPA reported that 12.83 percent or P1.2 billion of its 2023 capital outlay of P9.7 billion has been released to various operating units as of 30 April, with P884.85 million or 70.83 percent of it disbursed. PPA has been aggressively expanding public port infrastructure. Last year’s 62 projects included the construction of port operational areas and passenger terminal buildings, installation of LED lights, dredging of entrance channels and renovation of port buildings. The top five infra projects completed were the expansion of the Port of Abra De Ilog in Occidental Mindoro; construction of breakwater in the Port of Nasugbu in Batangas; improvement of the Port of Isabela in Isabela City, Basilan; construction of the Passenger Terminal Building at the Port of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro; and construction of a back-up area at the Port of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. Some 30 new infrastructure projects aim to greatly help in the country’s ease of doing business, travel and connectivity in the next years, as part of the Marcos administration’s Build, Better, More program, a continuation of the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure development of the Duterte administration. Earlier, the PPA reported that it remitted P4.44 billion in 2022 revenues to the Bureau of Treasury, nine percent higher than the P4.08 billion it remitted in 2021. The post PPA reports P4.5-B net income appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Elevating Filpino’s online selling experience
With nearly one in three e-commerce sellers in Southeast Asia venturing into live selling, tech-enabled express logistics company Ninja Van Philippines is gearing up with TikTok Shop to empower Filipino live sellers to optimize the fast-growing social commerce platform for business growth. Kicking off with an event dubbed "Going Viral on TikTok Shop: Secrets to Boost Sales and Achieve Success Your Way," Ninja Van and TikTok Shop brought together business leaders and social media marketing experts to share insights and best practices for live selling on TikTok Shop. Keyword-rich product page Social media marketing coach, AdsLevelUp CEO, and Founder Jungie Gumiran underscored the importance of optimizing product pages to help convert ads and page views to sales. "Your product page should tell everything a customer needs to know to help them decide to buy," he said, highlighting that a good product page on TikTok Shop should contain relevant keywords, customer reviews, return policies, and all applicable promos and coupons. An optimized product page should also have rich and engaging content to improve the audience's interaction with a brand. According to Gumiran, a brand should find its "character and voice," which should translate to its videos and even the choice of influencers. Gumiran also shared different types of video content that TikTok Shop sellers can utilize in improving content quality, urging them to "aggressively test and scale" on the platform to see what will work with their audiences. "Whether using text bombs or user-generated testimonials, experiment to see what works best for you," he added. Creator matching For TikTok Shop Seller Acquisition Manager Gregorio Gabriel Jr., sellers should take advantage of the platform's disruption on the traditional customer journey through shoppertainment. "From its usual linear progression, shoppertainment has blurred and jumbled all the stages of the consumer journey," he shares. The post Elevating Filpino’s online selling experience appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name
Anyone who had come of age in the late 1970s and the 1980s would surely know about the most famous names and faces of the younger set of the era known for the coming of age of feminism and women’s lib. The 1960s may have ushered in a cultural revolution but it was in the succeeding decades that the cataclysmic events of the decade that was, in the Philippines, would manifest in the ways and attitudes of Filipino women. I mention this phase in our history because I am sharing my thoughts on one woman whom many consider as one of the country’s most powerful, influential and successful. She is Katrina Ponce Enrile. I may not privy to the growing-up years of Katrina Ponce Enrile, and I would not have the advantage of seeing her from the point of view of someone old enough to observe the growth of a child, but as a teenager, I would occasionally read about her and see her on photographs published in newspapers and magazines, although not too frequent. I just knew she was not only well-bred and beautiful in the mestiza sense being the daughter of a striking beauty of a mother (and the granddaughter of a handsome playboy of a paternal grandfather), but that, she too was brilliant. I would assume that she got her brains from her father, one of the wonder boys of the Marcos administration. Katrina would, in time, be mentioned in juicy gossip now and then, but it was her smarts in enterprise and management that she would eventually be recognized, this notwithstanding the controversial stories that one occasionally heard of her family members. [caption id="attachment_134172" align="aligncenter" width="525"] KATRINA Ponce Enrile has always lived up to her parents ‘ expectations.[/caption] ‘Treat everybody with respect’ But to imagine her childhood and teenage years, one would suppose that for all the comforts that she might have enjoyed while living first in Urdaneta and then Dasmarinas Village, she had had to assert herself, she had once been overheard to say: “At 10, I had to fight a little bit harder to be heard” -- which was expected if one were the only daughter of a famous lawyer of a father and a lovely talented mother, herself a respected stage actress. But no matter that she had to deal with being the daughter of awe-inspiring parents, what she had been showered with, aside from her parents’ affection, was well-meaning advice. For one, it was from her dad and mom that she first heard the word of wisdom. “Treat everybody with respect — everybody. Because you don’t know what fate will bring you or them. People that you meet when you are going up, you also meet when you are going down.” No wonder that years later, as a businesswoman, she was very thoughtful in making decisions whether she was dealing with other top businessmen, her executives or the employees who served the family company at her beck and call. “I always think of how my actions and decisions would affect others,” she said in an interview with the Daily Tribune Lifestyle. No, for all the feisty woman that we know her to be, Katrina, was not advised to be aggressively pro-active when facing a conflict. The legendary Juan Ponce Enrile, instead, cautioned his daughter: “Never throw the first punch. But if they throw the first punch, then…” This, she would take to heart whenever she had had to face corporate, social or emotional bullies, not that she is one to attract people prone to violating her rights. [caption id="attachment_134173" align="aligncenter" width="525"] As the only daughter of Juan Ponce Enrile, the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley.[/caption] One imagines her father might have preferred her to be a boy, JPE being a man’s man, but to which she would have retorted: “Dad, I don’t have to be a boy to be what I am now… Girls can do it too.” Call it outright confidence, or chutzpah, or maybe it’s Pinay pride, but Katrina is not one to be cowed. And yes, she could lead and fight and attack, but as her father would most likely say: “Only if they attack first.” Self-assured executive What I have heard of Katrina, especially from my dear friend, Carol Mercado, who was her classmate at St. Paul College, is her signature confidence. “From our youth, when she could be stubborn, she has matured steadily into a self-assured executive no wonder that she has accomplish much as an entrepreneur. “It’s a paradox that while she may have been underestimated at times and even flat out rejected, she knows how to overcome these challenges because she is one creative person and she is not one to easily bow down or to say no. But then, she is not even outright assertive. She could be very charming and before any nemesis would know it, she has gotten what she wants without lifting a finger.” It would seem that the lady would have aimed for political eminence, being the daughter of the powerful JPE, but to everyone’s surprise, she had chosen to create a name outside of her inherited box (or confines), so to speak. While she takes pride in being an Enrile, she has not taken advantage of her family name as though an amulet that would do wonders for her. Instead, she has chosen to rely on the old-fashioned values of industry, respect for others, commitment and determination. She might as well be girl scout, except more courageous, daring and trailblazing. Flexing her risk-taking muscles In her 20s, when her friends were disco dancing, she was, to use another friend’s words, “flexing her risk-taking muscle and sharpening her foresight for the first time — pivotal experiences that would shape her business sense now admired by many.” She surprised everyone when, at 26, she bought properties in Palawan. “It was a big joke to many,” she recalled. “They could not see any reason I should take the risk and invest in a place where no one dared go. It was then no man’s country and perceived to be mosquito-infested.” Today, Palawan is a safe haven from the pandemic, and, of course, an investors’ paradise. On the other hand, her parents saw a promise in her, someone who would play a key role in the family enterprises. They appointed her as Group Treasurer even before her 30th birthday, and with it the added role of overseeing the many concerns of the JAKA Group of Companies. It is quite a daunting responsibility given its extensive industrial reach –- food manufacturing and product distribution to marketing and logistics; forest plantation management; safety match manufacturing, property management and development; as well as IT, security and financial services. It would seem that, for a “beginner” in the big league, it was beyond Katrina’s grasp, and yet she lived up to her parents’ expectations. [caption id="attachment_134175" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SOME of Delimondo’s best products.[/caption] In time she would qualify as the firm’s COO and eventually CEO. Not one used to trumpeting her achievements, Katrina candidly shared: “I was able to turn around the company, helping navigate it through the debilitating Asian Financial Crisis in the mid-1990s. And when the peso devalued in 2008 to 2009, when we had [a] one dollar denominated loan which I had to quickly deal with, I was able to restructure our company and keep it afloat.” Soon, she would be trusted to manage JAKA’s investments, which “allowed me to dream of bigger things, this in the midst of an economic crisis and the pressure to survive it.” Her baby Delimondo When shopping in a supermarket or a grocery, the Filipino consumers, especially those who take their corned beef seriously, would pick the Delimondo brand. They would also put the brand’s Bolognese Pasta, Luncheon Meat, Yellowfin Tuna spreads and aromatic oils in their cart or shopping bags. Katrina confides, “Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture.” Her was a one-woman team that managed the brand’s marketing, sales and R&D. To introduce it to the market, she gave away cans of their initial recipes for free. “I wanted to offer something deliciously different, one that I enjoyed from my travels abroad.” [caption id="attachment_134174" align="aligncenter" width="525"] SHE is most proud of her baby, Delimondo.[/caption] It wasn’t long before investors would come in too aware that Delimondo operates its own plants that produce and package its own products. The company would soon expand and offers its manufacturing services to other products all the way to exporting them. In time and with Katrina at the helm, JAKA shifted to investing in other companies. But if her JAKA performance is impressive, anyone should take a look at her other achievements. To cite one, as the Philippines Overseas Telecommunications Operations director and CEO/president. She led the efforts to renew the company’s franchise that would allow it to provide the Philippines satellite services. For another, as director and president, she has brought into the Montemar Resorts Development Corporation and Montemar Beach Club Inc. not only her management expertise, but her exposure to top international resorts as a frequent guest. No wonder that Manila’s well-heeled consider these resorts as standard-bearers of local luxury travel. [caption id="attachment_134171" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ‘Delimondo was my baby and was purely our family’s venture,’ said Katrina.[/caption] Transforming the upper east corner of Luzon Katrina also sits as the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority’s vice chairperson. In this role, she envisions making the province a model destination that easily rivals the country’s capital. “They’re considering appointing me as administrator. Once that post is confirmed, I will be fully committed to transforming the upper east corner of Luzon into another business area that the Philippines will be proud of.” As part of her vision, she plans to build a stronger point of economy with the available freeport and expand its potential by constructing an airport. To attract investors, she plans to boost incentives to encourage more players to relocate. “We plan to make smart cities there. I plan to make it very green. I plan to protect the lush forests. It’s really also known as the rice granary of the Philippines. I plan to push the transition from GMOs (genetically modified organism) to non-GMOs. I know that that will be a hard task but I plan to do it. I want to give the Filipinos healthy food for the next generations to come,” she states. Worthy and deserving As the only daughter of the most famous native son of Cagayan, Katrina brings to her new job an affection for the province and Cagayanos and the whole Cagayan Valley. She may have grown up in Manila, travelled the whole world, but her heart has always remained in the home of her father, Juan Ponce Enrile, and it is among his people, relatives and townsmen that she intends to pursue her next dream. There is no stopping this feisty Cagayanon. For her home province, she is out to conquer the world. But then, I must insist that this is not about being her father’s daughter, although there is no denying the great influence of JPE on Katrina becoming the woman that she has become -- strong-willed, passionate, forward-thinking. Still, Katrina could only thank herself most for being herself. That she accepted the challenges that came her way and faced them head on using her own gifts and advantages – which undoubtedly brought her to her destiny, one that she has arrived at and one that she has yet to fulfill. Indeed, if the women’s movement has reached this far, and women today now enjoy key positions in government, private sector and civil society, this may be attributed to the generations of women who have looked toward the future and embraced their destinies as key players in the affairs of humanity. Katrina is one of these women and we wish her all the best. No one could be more worthy of the challenge and deserving of the honor. The post Katrina Ponce Enrile: A woman worthy of her name appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Jobless rate improves at 4.7%
The unemployment rate went down to 4.7 percent in March from 4.8 percent in February, the Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA reported on Monday. Fewer Filipinos were, however, employed in March at 51 million, down by 216,000 compared to February as people looking for work decreased by 274,000, as revealed Monday in the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Labor Force Survey. National Statistician and Civil-Registrar General undersecretary Dennis Mapa said the decline was likely influenced by the shift of priorities among young workers. “The figures are not statistically significant based on percentage growth rates. One reason could be that more people aged 15 to 24, who had part-time jobs, opted out of the labor force to go back to schooling. Employment is very dynamic.” The employment rate remained higher among men at 95.7 percent compared to 94.6 percent in women. However, the unemployment rate improved in women at 5.4 percent in March from 5.3 percent in February, higher than the 4.3 percent in men. Meanwhile, the underemployed or those looking for better jobs, decreased among men at a 12.7 percent growth rate compared to 9.1 percent for women. Family workers better off Underpaid family workers were also fewer at 4.32 million from 4.79 million month-on-month. Salaried workers increased to 61.6 percent from 60.9 percent, mostly in the private sector with 23 million more workers from 22.72 million. “While employment rate was down, you could say there were more high-quality jobs because more people had regular pay, including those previously underpaid family workers who, perhaps, shifted to the private sector,” Mapa said. Government workers decreased to 4.45 million from 4.60 million, while owners of family or farm business were also fewer at 929,000 from 1.04 million. More workers in construction The construction industry attracted the most workers with 286,000 new hires month-on-month, followed by transportation and storage and mining. Meanwhile, the biggest drop in employment was seen in the wholesale, retail and repair of vehicles with 289,000 fewer workers, followed by those in agriculture and accommodation services. “Again, some people, perhaps, shifted job sectors or companies did not hire in certain months. There might be more agricultural workers in the coming months with the harvesting season, and we’ll still have to correlate the current data with the agricultural production figures this week,” Mapa said. Workers in corn and fruit production dropped by 607,000 in March compared to the level in the same month last year. Between February and March this year, most Filipinos or 14.54 million were employed in elementary occupations, such as crop farming, building and laundry services. The other biggest employers were in the services and sales, and skilled agriculture, forestry and fishing sector. Opportunities in digital tech, infra Arsenio Balisacan, secretary of the National Economic and Development Authority, said Monday more jobs await Filipinos through the government’s recent policies on foreign investments, infrastructure projects and technology education. “In a region where our neighbors are also aggressively competing for investments, we must leverage on these changes to the country’s policy regime by ensuring that we urgently address on-the-ground concerns related to the ease of doing business,” Balisacan said. He explained, “Investors must not be kept waiting — we must create an enabling regulatory environment that makes it easy for them to set up shop, expand, and generate the high-quality jobs we need.” The Public Services Act opens up the Philippines to more companies as it grants full foreign ownership of companies in industries, including transportation, energy and telecommunications. Its implementing rules and regulations have been released last month. Meanwhile, the government approved 194 infrastructure flagship projects in March for public-private partnerships to improve and expand the country’s energy, transportation and agriculture. For upskilling Filipino workers, the government implements the Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act to allow foreign entities to help create technology courses and conduct training on digital technologies. “Regulatory reforms, strategic investments in human capital, a flourishing innovation ecosystem — these are some of the much-needed elements that will enable us to sustain the gains we see in our labor market as we work towards raising overall welfare and meeting our medium-term socioeconomic goals,” Balisacan said. The post Jobless rate improves at 4.7% appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Global firm expects steady BPO growth
Asia is becoming a development center for information technology which will help the business process outsourcing or BPO industry grow further in the Philippines, an executive of India’s Tata Consulting Services said. “Now, every industry is adopting information technology. And technology is going to be at the center of most of the growth that we will see in the next decade. There was an era where it was Western-led. For the next decade, it will be Asia,” Shiju Varghese, country head of Tata onsultancy Services Inc. for the Philippines, said last week on the Daily Tribune’s show Straight Talk. Varghese said the BPO industry in the Philippines has skyrocketed, with 1.3 million workers, $30-billion annual contribution to the national income, and projected growth of 8 percent to 10 percent each year, according to a report by Nexford University in Washington D.C., United States. At least 1,000 BPO firms are doing business in the Philippines and comprise 15 percent of the global BPO sector, data from the university showed. Resilience plus perks Aside from the English-speaking population, Varghese said the BPO growth has been driven by the stable political environment, one-stop business centers, Filipinos’ resilience and incentives from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority for foreign firms to expand operations overseas. Citing figures from the World Bank, Varghese said the Philippine economy is expected to grow by 5.6 percent this year which will further attract BPO firms. He said, however, the Philippines could face stiff competition with Indonesia. “The Philippines is definitely growing and is one of the leading now. I think we just need to be careful about Indonesia as, probably, a market.” Consultancy firm Outsource Asia says Indonesia’s major advantages are its low labor cost and population as the fourth largest in the world. To ensure the Philippines’ strong position in the global BPO sector, Varghese said the government must aggressively promote education on science, technology, engineering and math or STEM and create the proper learning environment. “So STEM education adoption is extremely important. We need to make our people available for that growth.” The post Global firm expects steady BPO growth appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Business groups to aggressively expand green economy programs
Philippine business groups will prioritize the expansion of “green” economy interventions to ensure environment friendly operations and sustainable economic recovery from the raging health and economic crisis......»»
Business groups vow to aggressively expand green economy programs
Philippine business groups will prioritize the expansion of “green” economy interventions to ensure environment-friendly operations and sustainable economic recovery from the raging health and economic crisis......»»
Cleanfuel Strengthens Retail Network in Southern Manila
Now serving with the newest technologies implemented to create high-tech fuel for your vehicles, Cleanfuel, believes in the resiliency of the Filipino people that would bring and sustain solid economic recovery amid health crisis. Their recently opened retail station at Doña Soledad in Parañaque City shows a testament that the company remains upbeat in expanding their network footprints in Southern portion of Metro Manila. “While 2020 is a challenging year, Cleanfuel has remained optimistic riding in the resiliency of Filipinos towards economic recovery. This is the reason why Cleanfuel Group of Companies continues to invest and opened more stations as a testament and commitment to its people to provide top-notch fuel to every motorist,” said Atty Bong Suntay, President of Cleanfuel. “The opening of the new station in Doña Soledad is in line with Cleanfuel’s goal to expand its reach and strengthen its customer base in the Southern part of Metro Manila,” Suntay said. Situated at the busy thoroughfare of Doña Soledad Avenue Extension at Barangay Don Bosco in Parañaque City, the new station offers a top-notch fuel and lubricants including Clean91 (Unleaded), Premium 95 gasoline, and Euro-4 diesel. It provides access to both public and private motorists from Better Living going to Moonwalk, connecting in the bustling intersection of eastern Parañaque. In addition, the second district of Don Bosco is the primary residential Barangay of Ninoy Aquino International Airport and one of the 16 Barangays in Parañaque City. Key factors of the city’s progress include banks, shopping malls, restaurants, residential properties, and commercial manufacturing. Motorists heading towards the busy streets of Doña Soledad Avenue Extension from east-west and northern side of Parañaque can gas up to experience Cleanfuel’s brand mantra: Quality fuel for Less! Further, Cleanfuel Doña Soledad station will become a key driver of growth to more than 60,000 population of Barangay Don Bosco. As the city relies on shopping centers as part of major contributors, the company sees that the opening of Cleanfuel Doña Soledad will further strengthen and boost economic confidence. “We’re grateful and honor to inaugurate Cleanfuel Doña Soledad as our first station to open in these unprecedented times. The economy in the City of Parañaque has been growing consistently with massive projects in property and commercial manufacturing,” the company’s chief executive said. Suntay adds that in the next coming months Cleanfuel is adding more stations not only in NCR but also in provinces to provide quality fuel for business and opportunities for others. “We intend to leverage our business aggressively and expand our retail network across the country, focusing on Mega Manila and Northern Luzon,” concludes Suntay. Cleanfuel is expected to open more stations in coming weeks in Ortigas Avenue Extension in Pasig and mega branch in Mabalacat Pampanga as part of the long-term business expansion plan. Aside from expansion, the company has extended its support by providing fuel subsidy for the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr’s) Free Bus Ride for Health Workers Program and drive relief donations to northern provinces, which include Pangasinan (Villasis, Binalonan, Pozorrubio) and San Fernando (La Union) and other cities in Metro Manila......»»
BREAKING NEWS | 2 climate activists found
Rights group Karapatan and other groups confirm that environmental activists Eco Dangla and Jak Tiong are "no longer in the hands of their abductors, bruised but alive." The post BREAKING NEWS | 2 climate activists found appeared first on Bulatlat......»»
PH media slam Chinese foreign ministry’s claims of manipulating WPS reports
Philippine media groups criticized the Chinese foreign ministry for suggesting that recent reports on Chinese harassment of Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea involved video manipulation and sensationalism to portray the Philippines as a victim. The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) expressed offense.....»»