DOH logs 2,300,000 minutes in conference calls, telemedicine over Cisco Webex
The COVID-19 pandemic posed substantial health and safety challenges for every industry and organization that expedited major transitions to digital solutions, but none has more urgently done than in the healthcare industry......»»
Philippine calls for stronger action on climate change
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual has called for stronger sustainable trade and development initiatives to address climate change during the second ministerial meeting of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate on the sidelines of the 13th World Trade Organization ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates......»»
‘Our lives stopped’: Relatives plead for Israel hostages
Moran Betzer Tayar, wracked by anguish about the kidnapping of her nephew and his wife by Hamas fighters on October 7, summed up her feelings during a press conference: "On Saturday morning, our lives stopped." The 54-year-old, speaking in Paris on Wednesday, is on a European tour with other relatives of hostages snatched by the Palestinian militant group during a raid that killed more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians. Israel's retaliation has so far killed more than 6,500 people, including 2,704 children, Hamas says. The Islamists are still believed to be holding more than 200 hostages. It is the plight of these people that Betzer Tayar -- who says she is "worried sick" and cannot eat -- and her compatriots are desperate to keep in the public eye. She told a press conference organized by the Council of Jewish Institutions in France how her relatives were snatched from Kibbutz Nirim, where community members were reportedly besieged for nine hours in one of dozens of attacks staged on 7 October. 'They got me' Two sisters -- Shani and May Yerushalmi -- joined Betzer Tayar to describe how their sister, Eden, was taken from the bar where she was working. "She called us, screaming, saying that terrorists were shooting at them," said Shani Yerushalmi, describing the attack at a rave party where 270 people were killed. Eden hid among bodies of her friends in a car, her sister said, before trying to use a bush as cover. "She told us she could hear the terrorists coming," Shani Yerushalmi said. "We knew it was the last moment with her. Her last sentence was: Shani, they got me." She played the screams of her sister, recorded on her phone, to the gathered journalists. Another of the women on stage, Ofir Weinberg, described how her cousin Itay Svirsky was taken from Kibbutz Beeri, where Hamas fighters killed at least 100 people, according to Israeli authorities. Messages began to pour into the family WhatsApp group on 7 October -- the calls for help and the progress of the attackers documented minute by minute. "I can't even begin to describe the feeling you have when you feel like you're losing your family one by one," said Weinberg. The families have had no news of their loved ones since the Hamas attack. The Israeli army has confirmed only that they are among the hostages taken to Gaza. They are asking for the Red Cross to be allowed to visit their relatives to answer the most basic questions -- whether they are still alive, where they are, and whether they are hurt. But political questions remain taboo. Those caught in the middle of the tragedy decline to speculate on the best course of action for their loved ones: a ground invasion of Gaza or a ceasefire and negotiations. "We're not representing the country... We don't tell Israel what to do," said Ofir Weinberg. "I don't have the answers. I'm just a citizen." The post ‘Our lives stopped’: Relatives plead for Israel hostages appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Marcos calls command conference on West Philippine Sea
President Marcos convened yesterday his security and defense officials for a command conference at Malacañang where they discussed the disruption by the Chinese of a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, wherein one of its ships slightly hit a Philippine Coast Guard vessel during a “dangerous and provocative” maneuver......»»
Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms
Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms in a new regulation, its trade minister said Wednesday, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses. Calls had grown in recent months for a regulation governing social media and e-commerce, with offline sellers seeing their livelihoods threatened by the sale of cheaper products on TikTok Shop and other platforms. Indonesia is one of the world's biggest markets for TikTok Shop and was the first to pilot the app's e-commerce arm. "Now, e-commerce cannot become social media. It is separated," Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan told a news conference in the capital, Jakarta, adding that the trade regulation came into force on Tuesday. Hasan said social commerce platforms would have a week to comply with the new rule. "Any government would protect local small businesses," he said, describing the regulation as a way to ensure "equality in business competition". The regulation means social commerce companies are now "prohibited to facilitate payment transactions in its electronic system", according to the regulation document seen by AFP. "Social commerce can place ads like TV, but it mustn't be transactional. (They) can't open shop, can't directly sell," Hasan said, without mentioning TikTok by name. Companies that did not comply would be warned first and would finally have their license to do business in Indonesia revoked, he said. Laws in the archipelago nation did not cover direct transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram before the new regulation. The new regulation is yet another setback for TikTok, which has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations in recent months over users' data security and the company's alleged ties to Beijing. "Other countries are banning, we don't, we're regulating," Hasan said. Indonesia is now the first country in the region to act against the platform's growing popularity in social media commerce. The ministerial-level regulation -- an amendment to a trade regulation issued in 2020 -- did not need approval by lawmakers. TikTok Indonesia said the company was "deeply concerned" about the policy, which would impact millions of sellers and creators using TikTok Shop. "We respect local laws and regulations and will be pursuing a constructive path forward," it said in a statement. Meta -- which owns Facebook and Instagram -- did not respond to a request for comment. 'Markets are quiet' Hasan appeared to confirm the companies would have to choose between separate social media and e-commerce licences. "It's clear... there are no permits for social commerce. If (they) want social commerce, please, only for promotion and ads. If (they) want to sell, there are e-commerce (permits)." The regulation also sets a minimum price of $100 for certain foreign goods bought from Indonesian sellers on e-commerce platforms, according to the regulation document seen by AFP. Some offline sellers at the Tanah Abang market in Jakarta applauded the government's decision. "The government should... dare to innovate given the current situation, where markets are quiet like this," said Stevanie Ahua, a 60-year-old wholesale denim jeans seller. She said her revenue had dropped by 60 percent in recent months as buyers turned to online shops. Others such as 29-year-old cookie baker Panji Made Agung in Bali said he was disappointed by the ban. "For sellers like me, TikTok can be used for soft selling. We can become influencers and sellers at the same time," he said. Experts said the transaction ban would hit the coffers of social media platforms such as TikTok, which takes a commission from every sale. "They will definitely incur losses," said Tauhid Ahmad, executive director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. Indonesia's e-commerce market is dominated by platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada but TikTok Shop gained a significant market share since launching in 2021. Indonesia, with 125 million users, is TikTok's second-largest global market after the United States, according to company figures. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the years ahead. The post Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms
Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms in a new regulation, its trade minister said Wednesday, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses. Calls had grown in recent months for a regulation governing social media and e-commerce, with offline sellers seeing their livelihoods threatened by the sale of cheaper products on TikTok Shop and other platforms. "This trade regulation has been in force (since yesterday)," Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan told a news conference in the capital Jakarta. He said social commerce platforms would have a week to comply with the new rule. "Any government would protect local small businesses," he said, saying the regulation was passed to ensure "equality in business competition". The regulation means social media firms will not be able to conduct direct transactions but only promote products on their platforms. "Social commerce can place ads like TV, but it mustn't be transactional. (They) can't open shop, can't directly sell," he said, without mentioning TikTok by name. Laws in the archipelago nation did not cover direct transactions through social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook or Instagram before the new regulation. The new regulation is yet another setback for TikTok, which has faced intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations in recent months over users' data security and the company's alleged ties to Beijing. "Other countries are banning, we don't, (we're) regulating," Hasan said. Indonesia is one of the world's biggest markets for TikTok Shop and was the first to pilot the app's e-commerce arm. But Indonesia is now the first country in the region to act against the platform's growing popularity in social media commerce. The ministerial-level regulation -- an amendment to a trade regulation issued in 2020 -- did not need approval by lawmakers. Chinese technology giant and TikTok owner ByteDance and TikTok Indonesia did not respond immediately to a request for comment Wednesday. But a TikTok Indonesia spokesperson told AFP on Monday the ban would harm as many as six million local sellers who market their products on the platform. Meta -- which owns Facebook and Instagram -- did not respond to a request for comment. 'Markets are quiet' How the ban will work exactly remains unclear but experts said it could mean social media firms would have to obtain a separate approval for their e-commerce arms. "It could be that their license will be rearranged," said Tauhid Ahmad, executive director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. Offline sellers at Tanah Abang market in Jakarta applauded the government's decision. "The government should... dare to innovate given the current situation, where markets are quiet like this," said Stevanie Ahua, a 60-year-old wholesale denim jeans seller. She said her revenue had dropped by 60 percent in recent months as buyers turned to online shops. Others like 29-year-old cookie baker Panji Made Agung in Bali said he was disappointed by the ban. "For sellers like me, TikTok can be used for soft selling. We can become influencers and sellers at the same time," he said. Indonesia's e-commerce market is dominated by platforms such as Tokopedia, Shopee and Lazada but TikTok Shop gained a significant market share since launching in 2021. Indonesia, with 125 million users, is TikTok's second-largest global market after the United States, according to company figures. TikTok's chief executive Shou Zi Chew visited Jakarta in June, pledging to pour billions of dollars into Southeast Asia in the coming years. The post Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pope ‘talks Ukraine peace’ with new Russian envoy
Pope Francis met on Monday with the new Russian ambassador to the Vatican, who said they discussed the pontiff's efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. Ivan Soltanovsky, a long-time diplomat, presented his formal accreditation to the 86-year-old head of the Catholic Church, according to a Vatican statement. They "discussed, in particular, the mission of the papal special envoy to Ukraine, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, aimed at solving a number of humanitarian issues", Soltanovsky told Russia's official TASS news agency. "They agreed to continue an honest and open dialogue with the Holy See, traditionally built on the basis of mutual respect," the diplomat added. Earlier this year the pope appointed Zuppi, the head of Italy's Bishops' Conference, to lead a peace mission to try to stop the war in Ukraine. Zuppi has since visited Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington, where he met with US President Joe Biden. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested last week the cardinal would return to Moscow. During a roundtable event, he said, according to TASS: "The efforts with the Vatican, whose envoy is going to come again, are continuing. "We are ready to meet with everyone, we are ready to talk to everyone." Pope Francis regularly calls for peace in Ukraine, although in the early months after Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022 he drew criticism for not naming Moscow as the aggressor. He paid a rare personal visit to the Russian embassy to the Holy See the day after the invasion to "express his concern for the war", the Vatican said at the time. The post Pope ‘talks Ukraine peace’ with new Russian envoy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
More heavy weapons, Ukraine pleads
Ukraine’s leaders have renewed calls on Western allies to increase deliveries of heavy weapons as 32 kamikaze drones from Russia attacked Kyiv overnight into Sunday. Air defenses shot down 25 of the attack drones with debris falling in several districts, damaging an apartment in a multi-story building, as well as road surfaces and power lines, Sergiy Popko, head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, wrote on Telegram. Popko added that one person was injured. Russia also said Sunday that it destroyed three military speedboats carrying Ukrainian soldiers in the Black Sea which Moscow claims were headed toward annexed Crimea. The attacks follow President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement in a cabinet conference on Saturday that slow weapons deliveries were hindering his troops’ counter offensive. New Defense Minister Rustem Umerov also called for more heavy weapons during the same conference. “We need them today. We need them now,” he said. “Ukrainian warriors today are sacrificing their lives for the core values of democracy and freedom. They need back up from you, dear partners. And this back up is weapons,” Umerov added. Deputy Intelligence Chief Vadym Skibitsky said Saturday that more than 420,000 Russian soldiers are deployed in occupied territories in the east and south of Ukraine. The figure “does not include the Russian National Guard and other special units that maintain occupation authorities on our territories,” he said. Ukraine launched its counteroffensive in June after stockpiling Western weapons, but has made limited gains as its troops encounter heavily fortified Russian defensive lines. Meanwhile, Russia’s forces in Ukraine have organized several days of voting in four regions — Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — that Moscow claims to have annexed. Hastily arranged mobile booths have been placed despite a gruelling Ukrainian counteroffensive and amid widespread reports that locals have been forced to take up Russian passports. Kyiv has denounced it as a sham and called on allies to condemn the “fake” vote. Its SBU security service warned it has a list of “collaborators” helping organize the voting, promising punishment. But Kremlin-installed officials pressed on with the vote, seeking long-term office in areas Kyiv has vowed to re-capture. WITH AFP The post More heavy weapons, Ukraine pleads appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Road rage
Those with sharp memories and local crime story buffs will never forget three road rage cases that hogged print and broadcast news headlines toward the end of the 20th century and into the millennium. These high-profile cases involving detainees Inocencio Gonzales, Rolito Go, and Jason Ivler ended in their conviction and sentencing to long prison terms, with their names forever etched in the annals of heinous crimes recorded in the country. A brief refresher. On 2 July 1991, a De La Salle University engineering student was driving on a one-way street in San Juan City, Metro Manila, when he ran into construction firm executive Rolito Go, plying the road from the opposite direction. After a brief altercation, Go shot Eldon Maguan in the head, who died in the aftermath. Go served 25 years in prison before he was released. Seven years later, in the middle of a heated argument over a parking slot, real estate developer Inocencio Gonzales Jr. lost his cool, which led to the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman and the wounding of two younger children with her and her husband at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City on 21 October 1998. Gonzalez was meted a 14-year prison term. In 2009, a nephew of music celebrity Freddie Aguilar, Jason Ivler, shot dead a son of former Malacañang official Renato Ebarle Sr. after a tiff on a Quezon City road. An earlier road incident in 2004 that snuffed the life of another Malacañang official, Nestor Ponce, also pointed to Ivler as the accused in Ponce’s death. A Quezon City court found Ivler guilty of the murder of Renato Ebarle Jr. and sentenced him to 40 years in jail. There are no available statistics on road rage incidents in the Philippines, but observers have noted an alarming increase in recent years. But in the United States, statistics show 413 people were hurt in road rage shootings in 2022, or a 135 percent increase from 2018. US traffic experts say confrontational driving is more often the case that could be caused by traffic conditions, inconsiderate motorists, and high stress levels among motorists with ages ranging from 19 to 39. Not too long ago, two road rage incidents that have gained public attention because of social media posts that had gone viral involved men in uniform. In the viral video of an incident in Quezon City, Wilfredo Gonzales, a policeman dismissed from the service for grave misconduct in 2018, was shown brandishing a gun and threatening a cyclist in a traffic row. Even more controversial was a press conference conducted by the QC police days later that suggested they were “lawyering” for Gonzales, a former QC policeman. The PNP has no mandate to host such a press conference, it was later learned. In a separate incident, a Pasay City policeman, SSgt. Marsan Dolipas was also shown in a video post holding down an armed Angelito Velasquez Rencio, who said he was an Intelligence agent, after a traffic dispute in Makati City when the latter allegedly sideswiped the policeman. Both incidents prompted the usual calls for an investigation. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Rafael Tulfo have called for a Senate probe into the escalation of road rage cases in the country. It is interesting to note that even President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. filed Senate 2923 when he was still a senator back in 2011. The bill “hopes to once and for all stomp rood rage as on unnecessary and reprehensible evil, and define such as a circumstance that could aggravate, or even qualify, on offense occasioned by it. The incidents involve public order and safety, particularly “road sharing,” a concept that they said is often ignored or alien to many Filipino motorists, added the senators. For his part, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, whose jurisdiction includes the control of the PNP, said: “For the sake of a peaceful and orderly society, we cannot allow a culture of impunity. We cannot allow bullies to intimidate people with deadly weapons. There must be consequences here.” Still, the incidents persist. Behavioral scientists attribute road rage to several reasons: A need to control other drivers who violate their space, unchecked anger or aggression, huge egos, or a need to be dominant. Others think the rise in incidents lately came about by the advent of Covid-19 when stress levels reached abnormally unreachable heights caused by depression, the loss of jobs or loved ones to the pandemic, and the inability to cope with such. Solutions have been suggested. Push for continuing driver anger management education. Discard the “it’s the other driver’s fault” excuse. Don’t allow anyone to push your “rage buttons” by staying calm and collected when an altercation appears to be headed your way. Yield to others. These may be easier said than done, but why not take the chance? As an anger management expert said: Realize road rage is ridiculous, life-threatening, and not something you have to participate in — ever. And you can arrive at your destination safe and sure. The post Road rage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Biden calls Putin loser
President Joe Biden said Thursday in a press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has already lost the war in Ukraine. “There is no possibility of him winning the war in Ukraine,” Biden said during his visit to Finland to congratulate the newest member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In Moscow, Putin fired back, telling journalists Thursday that if Ukraine were to be admitted to NATO, it would “in general make the world much more vulnerable” and boost global tensions. Biden pledged in Helsinki that Ukraine would one day join the western military alliance, despite NATO leaders failing to give Kyiv a timeline at a key summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force said Friday it had downed 16 Iranian-made drones launched by Russian forces overnight, in the fourth consecutive night of aerial attacks by Moscow. “The Russians attacked Ukraine with 17 Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack drones from the south-east direction. As a result of military operations... 16 Shaheds were destroyed,” the air force said in a statement online. WITH AFP The post Biden calls Putin loser appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Reds’ no longer in power, says AFP spox
The Armed Forces of the Philippines declared that the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front in the country has significantly declined with only one remaining active guerrilla front operating in Northern Samar. In a press conference on Monday, AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar, reported that the members of the CPP-NPA-NDF have “tremendously reduced” to around 1,800 members—from a peak of 24,000 rebels in the mid-80s. "Indeed, we have achieved strategic victory as far as countering the communist insurgency is concerned," Aguilar said. AFP chief, Gen. Andres Centino, has earlier announced that the AFP is now shifting from internal security operations to external defense operations, following the government’s gradual triumph against the communist insurgents. Aguilar said around 400 out of 1,800 active NPA members have already been identified and now facing criminal charges. These 1,800 active communist rebels, with some holding key positions in the CPP-NPA-NDF, are all subjected to focused military operations. Hence, Aguilar advised the rebels to surrender instead. "They should think of getting back to their families and to the folds of the law,” he said. Aguilar said more than 600 NPA members were either killed in combat operations or voluntarily surrendered to the government—the number further reduced from more than 2,400 members back in 2008. “The military operations are now focused in Northern Samar to prevent and suppress the violence that could be coming from this remaining active guerrilla front,” he added. Aguilar underscored that the dismantling of the politico-military structure of the CPP-NPA-NDF “is the key objective of the AFP” to achieve the country’s total victory against communist rebellion. “This can only be achieved when the CPP is no longer capable of mounting atrocities or violent activities that will harm our community and disrupt our progress,” he added. "Now, this also calls for the clearing of all affected barangays or even those threatened to make sure that when this shift is focused on territorial defense operation, there will be no ISO problem to look back on, and by that—we expect that with the guidance and direction given by the President, we will be moving for you will be shifting to TDO. All of us are united towards that purpose," Aguilar said. According to Aguilar, the AFP is not abandoning its mandate for peaceful resolution of the local communist armed conflict as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s "bringers of peace" and as a potent instrument of unity. The AFP is also open to recommending amnesty for those insurgents who will surrender to the government, he added. The post ‘Reds’ no longer in power, says AFP spox appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Fed official calls for increase to bank capital requirements
A senior Federal Reserve official has proposed raising capital requirements for large US banks as part of a "comprehensive" series of measures to tighten banking regulation and supervision. The proposals announced Monday by the Fed's vice chair for supervision, Michael Barr, cover a wide range of issues aimed at strengthening oversight of banks with more than $100 billion in assets. This would include mid-sized institutions, which came under significant stress earlier this year after a bank run spurred by concern about how lenders like Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) had managed their interest rate risk. "A threshold of $100 billion would subject more banks to our most risk-sensitive capital rules compared to the current framework," Barr told a conference in Washington in prepared remarks. The current rules only apply to firms that are internationally active or have $700 billion or more in assets, he said. "Our recent experience shows that even banks of this size can cause stress that spreads to other institutions and threatens financial stability," he said. The proposals are equivalent to "requiring the largest banks hold an additional two percentage points of capital," he continued. Capital requirements are the financial buffers banks must hold to guard against potential losses. "By strengthening capital standards, we are ensuring that businesses have credit to grow and hire workers, and deal with the ups and downs in the economy," Barr added. Other proposals he put forward include introducing a long-term debt requirement for all large banks. "Long-term debt improves the ability of a bank to be resolved upon failure because the long-term debt can be converted to equity and used to absorb losses," he said. The post US Fed official calls for increase to bank capital requirements appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AI to stay relevant in BPO, group claims
As artificial intelligence is causing global worry over the loss of jobs for humans, executives of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines maintain that AI would bring more benefits than harm, particularly to their industry. CCAP president Mickey Ocampo said artificial intelligence would be more helpful, than detrimental, to the BPO industry. He said the country’s contact center and business process management sector continues to evolve amid the emergence of new technologies, particularly Generative AI, which is quickly being incorporated into various tasks across the information technology and business process management or IT-BPM industry. “The impact of a generative AI will come within the next, maybe, two to four years. This will allow our country to develop using upskilling our people. Generative AI will increase productivity as at a certain level we will be able to handle more calls or more non-voice inquiries. AI will also generate additional jobs,” he said during Daily Tribune’s Straight Talk program last Tuesday. Ocampo said their group is confident the sector could easily keep its position as the world’s top provider of voice and business process outsourcing services and it’s being the “heart of customer experience (CX)” with the adoption of Generative AI, which critics say could either be a boon or a bane to the BPO industry. “Generative AI can be used to automate and enhance various aspects of customer interactions. Some examples are chatbots and virtual assistants. There are automated email responses for faster adaptability. To illustrate, in the past, when an agent needed to respond to a customer’s call, he had to look at the CRM and backtrack or even go to the knowledge base. Now, these things are automated, further enhancing agent productivity,” Ocampo said. CCAP managing director Rosario Cajucom-Bradbury said Generative AI will have an impact on client business, in the way services are delivered and in the corporate services of providers, namely, human resource and finance, among others. She said the use of Generative AI Assist working alongside agents when handling calls will increase their efficiency, productivity, and resolution in delivering customer service. “Thus, the call agent is provided the opportunity to have more focused active listening and genuine empathy rather than being preoccupied with navigating the system for resolution. Filipinos’ innate trait of service orientation combined with the power of Generative AI will enhance the employee’s experience at work which would translate to an even more satisfying customer experience — therefore helping the Philippines retain being the ‘heart of CX’ and at the same time meeting or even exceeding growth targets,” Bradbury explained. Additional 1.1M jobs Ocampo said with the use of Generative AI by CCAP members, they can generate an additional 1.1 million jobs for Filipinos until 2028, covering all types of BPO services, namely, finance, insurance, medical, and health, and overall cost-based customer service for fast moving and consumer goods. “And if we go back to the generative AI, new job roles are created. Generative AI will be useful to the end users and the consumers and the business. We will continue to upskill our workforce to cope with AI,” Ocampo said. The aggressive target is part of the 2028 IT-BPM Roadmap, which was launched in the third quarter of 2022, coinciding with the start of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. It also sets a target of 2.5 million full-time employees (2.3 million to be accounted for by CCAP-member firms) and a 40-percent countryside expansion. In 2022, the contact center sector employed 1.4 million individuals, which was 87 percent of the 1.6 million total employment in the local IT-BPM industry. Ocampo said the impact of Generative AI would be reflected in the sector’s figures in two to four years, clarifying that the emerging technology was not factored in when the IT-BPM Roadmap was set “because it surfaced just about seven months ago although AI had already been widely used across the industry.” These and more interesting issues and developments would take center stage in the upcoming Contact Islands Conference 2023. With the theme “The Philippines, the Heart of CX,” the conference is set to once again facilitate a world-class delegate experience and an excellent venue for the exchange of views, coaching, networking, and benchmarking for the sector’s leaders and decision-makers. The conference is set for 26 to 28 July at the Dusit Thani Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City Cebu. The post AI to stay relevant in BPO, group claims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Culture wars put American companies on the defensive
Boycotting a beer, attacking products celebrating the LGBTQ community, and criticizing shareholders for promoting diversity: In the face of growing criticism from conservatives, American companies are backtracking on progressive corporate initiatives. For Bud Light beer, it was a partnership with a transgender influencer that triggered the ire of right-wing consumers, and calls for a boycott. Typically, such a protest has little impact, but this time in-store sales have seen a slump, with Bud Light even losing its position as the best-selling beer in the United States to Modelo Especial in recent weeks, according to Bump Williams Consulting. Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bud Light's parent company, quickly launched a marketing counteroffensive with a more typically patriotic ad featuring American landscapes, followed on Wednesday by a campaign highlighting its employees. The Target discount retailer, for its part, chose to withdraw certain items marketed for Pride Month due to threats against employees. And at annual shareholder meetings, the number of resolutions opposing companies' inclusion of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria -- particularly on diversity -- has more than doubled in the past three years, according to the Sustainable Investment Institute (SII). - Reaction to Trump - While such resolutions usually garner very few votes, they are nevertheless having an impact. Larry Fink, the head of asset manager BlackRock, which has promoted sustainable investments in recent years, recently told a conference in Colorado that he has stopped using the term "ESG" because it has become too politicized. This new vigilance extends to the world of sport: after some players voiced reluctance over wearing rainbow symbols, the National Hockey League decided that teams should no longer wear special jerseys supporting LGBTQ rights because they had become a "distraction." "The tension of navigating between groups of people that think very, very differently has always been there," said Alison Taylor, a specialist in corporate ethics at New York University. But the situation has changed as political life has become increasingly polarized, she added. Corporations "got involved in controversial questions in 2017-2018, when there was a lot of organized resistance to Trump -- this seemed like a really good way to attract young people and generate shareholder value," she said. While the prospect of affecting real change on issues like abortion and gun control no longer seems possible in the political arena, young people have come to believe they can bring pressure to bear via business, according to Taylor. - Lobbyists at work - Unlike their elders, for whom political involvement boils down to the ballot box or party donations, younger people "are more inclined to bring their politics into how you invest, into how you shop, even into your office," said David Webber, a specialist in investor activism at Boston University. The sharp reactions to some company initiatives have been amplified by political leaders including Florida governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis, who targeted Disney over some of its progressive positions. And DeSantis is not alone. "Conservative organizations," financed in part by companies in the oil and gas sector, "started a campaign to pass legislation in different states to target ESG practices," Webber said. So far, the results have been mixed. "Some companies may, at least, back away from some of the rhetoric on ESG. But we've seen very little serious reallocation of assets," he said. Driven by customers, shareholders and employees, companies have no choice "but to be involved in some political issues," Daniel Korschun, a marketing specialist at Drexel University, told AFP. However, "people really start to react negatively when they feel like they're being pushed too far," as was the case in the Bud Light controversy, he added. "There's a very delicate balance between advocating and pushing too hard," he said. In response, "many managers are pulling back for the moment until they can figure out this new terrain that they're in," he added. jum-da/nro/tjj © Agence France-Presse The post Culture wars put American companies on the defensive appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Job at first sight
After obtaining my undergraduate degree from the vaunted “Royal” university, I was to teach the social science courses at its then College of Architecture and Fine Arts upon the invitation of my former boss at the Office for Student Affairs who learned that I was pursuing graduate studies. In the teaching field, I deemed it my “job at first sight,” to be rekindled as if I never left. Its absence from my life for over four decades had made my heart grow fonder, as they say, and this is very true in my case. So, I found myself applying for a lecturer position to teach a discipline I feel I know best as a pracademic. At least, if my dream will come true, it’s going to be a departure from the “spoon feed” learning modality of my first teaching job. Ideally, both the students and the teacher must benefit from the learning experience in what Karl Popper calls “critical rationalism.” It does not puzzle me a bit how it can feel like I still love to teach though I am three times older than when I first taught. With a student number beginning with “79,” a stubborn sense of purpose seems hard to overcome. In a range of possible linguistic terms, I choose to call this “grit” or, as applied in my case, that one never really gives up on a dream. God willing, if accepted, I can share the entire intellectual horizon of PA (public administration) as a field through the lenses of theory and practice. As Francis Bacon said, “Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.” The whole province of public policy has seen the best of lights from the perspective of those who, in fact, make the policies. Congress is my second home. The post Job at first sight appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pope’s peace envoy visits Ukraine as fighting rages
Pope Francis' peace envoy to Ukraine, Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, began a two-day visit to Kyiv on Monday for talks with officials about the war with Russia, the Vatican said. The visit came as Russia claimed it had repelled "a large-scale offensive" by Ukrainian forces in the Moscow-occupied Donetsk region. Zuppi, from the Sant'Egidio Catholic community which specialises in diplomacy and peace efforts, would "listen in depth to the Ukrainian authorities about possible ways to achieve a just peace", the Vatican said. Francis regularly calls for an end to the war in Ukraine but Vatican's attempts to mediate in the conflict have yet to yield any results. Last month the pope named Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops' conference, "in the hope, which the Holy Father has never given up, that this can initiate paths of peace", the Vatican said at the time. In an interview broadcast Sunday by Italian public broadcaster Rai, Francis said that "with peace, you always benefit, perhaps not much but you benefit. With war you lose everything". Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican, Andrii Yurash, on Monday, tweeted that his country "welcomes (the) interest of the Vatican to the bloody war". He said he was sure "close acquaintance" with the consequences of war would "help for sure in finding appropriate answers in (the) name of (a) just peace". Vatican News, the Vatican's official media outlet, said Zuppi's trip to Kyiv could be followed by a visit to Moscow, saying the Kremlin had already agreed to receive the cardinal, although no date had been confirmed. In the first few months after Russia invaded its neighbour in February 2022, the pope faced criticism for not blaming Moscow explicitly. Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin said recently that Zuppi's mission was not aimed at mediation, at least not yet, but seeking to "favour a climate that can lead to paths of peace". Pope Francis hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month, and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal a few weeks earlier. Shmyhal said afterwards he had invited the pope to visit Ukraine and also asked for help to return children forcibly taken to Russia. Vatican watchers suggest Francis is unlikely to go unless he can also travel to Russia to speak to President Vladimir Putin. The pope revealed in March that he had offered to go to Moscow to negotiate peace, but had been rebuffed. The post Pope’s peace envoy visits Ukraine as fighting rages appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China warns ‘NATO-like’ alliances could lead to conflict in Asia-Pacific
China's defense minister warned Sunday against establishing NATO-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a "whirlpool" of conflict. Li Shangfu's comments came a day after US and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides. "Attempts to push for NATO-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations," Li told a security conference in Singapore also attended by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Li said these alliances would "plunge the Asia-Pacific into a whirlpool of disputes and conflicts". Li did not name any country, but his comments echoed long-held Chinese criticism of the United States seeking to shore up alliances in the region. The United States is a member of the AUKUS alliance, which groups it with Australia and Britain. Washington is also a member of the QUAD group, which includes Australia, India and Japan. "Today's Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques," Li said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit. "We must not forget the severe disasters brought by the two world wars to peoples of all countries, and we must not allow such tragic history to repeat itself." Conflict fears On Saturday, Austin called for top-level defense dialogue with Beijing to prevent miscalculations that could draw both superpowers into conflict. "The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid the misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict," Austin said. Austin and Li shook hands and spoke briefly for the first time at the opening dinner on Friday, but there was no substantive exchange. The United States had invited Li to meet with Austin on the sidelines of the conference, but the Pentagon said Beijing declined. A member of China's delegation told AFP that the removal of US sanctions on its minister is a precondition for talks. There have been some signs of improved dialogue between the two nations. CIA Director William Burns made a secret trip to China last month, a US official announced on Friday. And Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will travel to China on Sunday for a rare visit. However the US and Chinese militaries have also engaged in dangerous encounters in two of the most sensitive areas in the region -- the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. US and Canadian warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the waterway that separates self-ruled Taiwan from China. The United States on accused a Chinese Navy ship of sailing in an "unsafe manner" near the US vessel, the destroyer Chung-Hoon. China claims Taiwan as its territory -- vowing to take it one day, by force if necessary -- and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the island. The Taiwan Straits encounter followed what the US military said was an "unnecessarily aggressive maneuver" by one of Beijing's fighter's near one of Washington's surveillance planes in the South China Sea last week. "We remain concerned about the PLA's increasingly risky and coercive activities in the region, including in recent days," said Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder, who is traveling with Austin, following Li's speech. A senior US defense official also told reporters: "Actions speak louder than words, and the dangerous behavior we’ve seen from the PLA around the Strait, in the South and East China Seas, and beyond really says it all." In his speech Saturday, Lloyd outlined Washington's extensive partnerships in the region, which it calls the Indo-Pacific, and held talks with his counterparts from allies and partners. "America’s partnerships are bringing the region closer together to help keep it free, open, and secure," he said. The post China warns ‘NATO-like’ alliances could lead to conflict in Asia-Pacific appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Comelec to adhere SC’s status quo order on Rosal
The Commission on Elections on Thursday said that it will comply with the Supreme Court’s Status Quo Ante Order decision that effectively reinstates Carmen Rosal as mayor of Legazpi City, Albay a day after the poll body certified her disqualification as “final and executory.” “The Commission on Elections, through the Clerk of the Commission, received from the Supreme Court its Status Quo Ante Order in the Carmen Rosal Disqualification Case. As we have consistently committed, the Commission on Elections will abide by and comply with any order, ruling or directive of the Highest Court of our Land,” Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said. Comelec’s statements come as the Supreme Court acted on the two petitions for certiorari under Rule 65 in relation to Rule 64 of the Rules of Court assailing the Comelec resolutions that disqualified Rosal as candidate for mayor of Legazpi City, Albay in the 2022 polls. The assailed resolutions — dated 4 October 2022 and 4 May 2023 in SPA 22-032 (DC) — directed the Special City Board of Canvassers of Legazpi City to proclaim second placer Alfredo A. Garbin Jr. as the duly-elected mayor of Legazpi City. The SC en banc — in its Status Quo Ante Order dated 11 May 2023 given by authority of Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, upon the written recommendation of the Member-in-Charge — deemed it necessary and proper to consolidate the two petitions docketed as G.R. 266775 (Oscar Robert H. Cristobal v. Comelec, Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr., Joseph San Agustin Armogila, and Carmen Geraldine Rosal) and G.R. 266796 (Carmen Geraldine Rosal v. Comelec, Joseph San Agustin Armogila, Alfredo A. Garbin Jr. and Oscar Robert H. Cristobal); require respondents Comelec, Garbin, Armogila, Rosal, and Cristobal to file a consolidated comment within 10 days from notice; and issue a status quo ante order requiring the parties to observe the status quo prevailing before the issuance of the Comelec resolutions. Armogila and Rosal were candidates for councilor and mayor of Legazpi, respectively, in the 2022 national and local elections. Armogila filed a petition for disqualification against Rosal before the Comelec on the grounds of vote buying under Section 68(a) of the Omnibus Election Code and violation of the prohibition on release, disbursement, and expenditure of public funds under Section 261(v) of the same law. A ’status quo ante order’ calls for a return to previous affairs, which effectively sets aside the poll body’s decision to disqualify Rosal over violation of Section 68(a) of the Omnibus Election Code, or on ‘giving money to influence, induce and corrupt the voters.’ Rosal announced on Wednesday that he filed a petition before the Supreme Court to stop the poll body’s execution of their decision to disqualify her. In a press conference, she questioned Comelec on their ruling which said that she violated a provision on the Omnibus Election Code on ‘calling the decision ‘arbitrary.’ Her husband, disqualified Albay Governor Noel Rosal, insisted that the act in question – the cash assistance payout to tricycle drivers – was not vote buying as it was part of the ‘ayuda’ mandated in Bayanihan 1. The post Comelec to adhere SC’s status quo order on Rosal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
McDonald’s profit climbs as consumers digest price hikes
McDonald's reported another strong quarter of profits on Tuesday, as affordability concerns boosted sales while the chain gingerly increased prices. The fast-food giant pointed to a policy of "strategic menu price increases" that resulted in modest pushback in some cases, executives said, while diners continued buying from the restaurant as they grapple with cost-of-living pressures. "We have to be very disciplined on where we take pricing," Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski said on a conference call with analysts. McDonald's works with outside experts to identify -- by item and restaurant -- where to lift prices, said Kempczinski. "When you go off-script and you start to take pricing in areas that would not be suggested" by models, the company can see "more resistance," he said. But profits in the first quarter jumped 63 percent to $1.8 billion on a four percent increase in revenues to $5.9 billion. Comparable store sales surged 12.6 percent. Chief Financial Officer Ian Frederick Borden said cost pressures are on a "downward trend" in the United States, although inflation remains elevated. While inflation in Europe has not yet moderated in a meaningful way, he added, some improvement is expected in the second half of the year. Kempczinski said the company's base-case expectation calls for a "mild recession" in the United States, with a slightly weaker outlook in Europe. As guests confront higher prices, the chain is seeing modest changes in consumer behavior, such as skipping french fries or ordering fewer items. "We perform well in good times and in bad and so that's what gives us optimism as we go through the rest of the year," Kempczinski said. Shares dipped 1.0 percent to $290.16 in afternoon trading. The post McDonald’s profit climbs as consumers digest price hikes appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Anji Salvacion releases new single ‘Paraiso’
Anji Salvacion presented a glimpse of her pop singing prowess in her new single “Paraiso.” Produced by Exale and written by Annie Lux, “Paraiso” goes beyond the straightforward parameters of a love song and instead promotes self-esteem. “Self-confidence right now is very hard to achieve because everybody in this generation is competing with each other,” she said. “I just want to remind everyone that it’s not about competing against one another. It’s about going at your own pace. That’s what the song really means to me — embracing yourself, your body, your beauty, your skin, your everything, your personality. That’s what it’s all about,” Anji explained. In a media press conference, the Pinoy Big Brother: Kumunity Season 10 big winner further stressed that, “I like to explore and experiment with different sounds. I believe that ‘Paraiso’ is the perfect song to introduce the new me.” The song, Anji’s Tarsier Records debut single, displays her evolving musical style, vocal power and artistic development. “When I first heard the song, I felt excited because it’s really empowering. I really love the lyrics of the song,” she said. “It made me dance, but at the same time, it made me so nervous,” Anji continued. “The lyrics are so beautiful, even the beat. I don’t know if I’m going to deliver this well.” [caption id="attachment_123268" align="aligncenter" width="525"] ANJI Salvacion calls for self-love in her new song ‘Paraiso.’[/caption] She added: “‘Yung pag-record namin sobrang nakakatuwa siya because when I first heard the song it made me confident about myself. It made me love myself even more so I want everyone to love themselves even more. If you’re hearing this everyone, love yourself.” The singing star of Siargao disclosed having butterflies in her stomach on the first day of the recording session with Annie and Exale. Since she was used to only working with Rox Santos, head of ABS-CBN Music and Jonathan Manalo, creative director of ABS-CBN Music, she said that “I was really nervous because it was my first time to work with different people… but everyone in Tarsier was so chill and so welcoming, especially Miss Annie.” Anji competed in Idol Philippines’ first season in 2019 before signing up for Pinoy Big Brother. Then, she made her debut in the music industry by releasing three soundtracks, including “Buo,” “Keeps on Coming Back” and “Don’t Be Afraid.” The post Anji Salvacion releases new single ‘Paraiso’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
WHO, Red Cross seek aid access amid Sudan fighting
The Red Cross and the World Health Organization on Tuesday urged Sudan's warring parties to guarantee humanitarian access for those in need as the death toll in the fighting neared 200. Explosions rocked the capital Khartoum on the fourth day of fighting, despite growing international calls for an end to hostilities. "All parties must ensure unrestricted and safe access to health facilities for those injured and everyone in need of medical care," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference. The United Nations currently has no access in or out of Sudan. Spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci said the UN had about 800 international and 3,200 national staff in the country. "We are of course worried for the security, they cannot operate in a regular way," she said. Nearly one-third of the Sudanese population -- almost 16 million people -- needed humanitarian aid at the start of this year. "We have thousands of volunteers who are ready, able, and trained to perform humanitarian services" in the country, said Farid Aiywar, the Sudan head of delegation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). "Unfortunately, due to the current situation, they are not able to move," he told reporters in Geneva via video link from Nairobi. Aiywar called on all parties to allow humanitarian aid corridors to operate. Civilians are staying indoors but electricity and water have been cut and food supplies are short. Tedros said supplies the WHO distributed to health facilities before the outbreak of violence were now exhausted. He said Khartoum hospitals receiving injured civilians were reporting shortages of staff and lifesaving medical supplies, while they were also being hampered by fuel shortages and cuts to power and water. "There are disturbing reports of some health facilities being looted and others being used for military purposes," he said. "It is also reported that some hospitals are already closed, or on the brink of closure, due to attacks, and a lack of medical personnel and medical supplies. "I urge all sides to heed the calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, to silence the guns and to work towards a peaceful resolution." The post WHO, Red Cross seek aid access amid Sudan fighting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»