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DPWH, NLEX open phase 1 of Philippine Arena interchange

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and NLEX Corp. are set to open this week the first phase of the Ciudad de Victoria Interchange Overpass Bridge and Bypass Road project in Bocaue, Bulacan which provides direct access to the Philippine Arena.

The Arena is the venue for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2019 opening ceremony on Nov. 30.

“Wala pang isang taon, [the completion is] ahead of schedule po, kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa buong team ng DPWH… Especially now, with SEA Games, andami pong pupunta dito (It took less than a year and is ahead of schedule. I thank the team at DPWH for allowing the use of the project my the many people attending the Games),” Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said in his remarks during the launching of the Philippine Arena Interchange Tuesday.

“Initially, the section from Philippine Arena to the southbound side of North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) will open on Nov. 29, while the southbound section (from north of NLEX) going to the Philippine Arena will open on Nov. 30 only for the SEA Games Opening Ceremony to give way to the remaining works of the interchange project,” NLEX Corp. said in a statement.

The Philippine Arena Interchange project includes an 80-lineal meter (four-lane) overpass bridge crossing NLEX, connecting Bocaue Municipal Hall, NLEX, Ciudad de Victoria, and Bocaue-Sta. Maria Bypass Road.

Another feature of the project is a 324-lineal meter four-lane bypass road connecting the Manila North Road and the Sta. Maria to Bocaue Bypass Road.

NLEX Corp. said the Interchange also has a “northbound entry and exit toll plaza and soon, a southbound toll plaza for better accessibility.”

The first phase of the project, with a contract value of P260.82 million, was started on Jan. 29, 2019 and targeted for completion on Nov. 24.

“The new interchange aims to improve mobility and accessibility within the Bulacan road network particularly in Bocaue, Sta. Maria, Pandi, Norzagaray, Angat, and other nearby towns,” NLEX Corp. said.

Mr. Villar said further: “May second phase pa po, may P600 million pa for the second phase, so mas lalong luluwag ang area ng Bocaue. ‘Yan ang commitment natin sa lahat ng Bolakenyo na tatapusin namin lahat ng projects sa lalong madaling panahon, especially during the term of President (Rodrigo R.) Duterte.”

The P600 million second phase of the project, which was started on Aug. 6 and targeted for completion on Nov. 27, 2020, features a 1.40-kilometer road from Ciudad de Victoria to Manila North Road; a 1-kilometer road from Ciudad de Victoria to Sta. Maria Bypass Road; and 1.62-kilometer road from Ciudad de Victoria to Marilao Road.

NLEX Corp. President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said: “NLEX is keen on supporting the government’s infrastructure plan as it also provides travel convenience for motorists using the expressway system and opens up opportunities for local communities.”

NLEX Corp. is controlled by Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is one of the three Philippine units of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd. The two others are PLDT, Inc. and Philex Mining Corp. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., maintains interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin

Labor department official sees wage hike for NCR happening in early 2020

MINIMUM WAGE earners in the National Capital Region (NCR) will have to wait until early next year before they see an increase in their daily pay, based on the estimated time needed to process a wage petition.

Labor Undersecretary Ana C. Dione said the estimate is based on the first anniversary of the last NCR wage order on Nov. 22 and the time it will take the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board of the National Capital Region (RTWPB-NCR) to arrive at a ruling.

“I doubt within 2019 (there will be an increase) kasi sisimulan pa nila yung deliberation so baka sa 2020 na… Depende sa pace nila (It might be in 2020 when we get a wage hike ruling. It depends on their pace),” she said when asked by BusinessWorld Tuesday.

“There are periods they will have to observe.”

According to the National Wages and Productivity Commission’s (NWPC) Guidelines No. 1 series of 2007, the duration of hearings is set at 45 days from the date of the first hearing related to the wage determination. A new wage order takes effect 15 days after its publication.

Ms. Dione said that the hearings will begin next month for the NCR.

NWPC Wage Order No. NCR-22 is the latest wage order, which marked its anniversary last week. The wage-setting process involves consultation with the labor and employer sectors.

Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said during a briefing Tuesday that a new wage order for domestic workers and maids in NCR is expected soon as the NCR wage board has determined a new minimum salary.

The last wage order issued for NCR domestic workers was dated Dec. 16, 2017 setting the monthly minimum wage of P3,500.00.

“It is now P5,000 for our kasambahay (domestic workers). It is way below my expectation… I spoke with the (NWPC) Director (Criselda R.) Sy and I suggested if we can peg our minimum wage for our kasambay at P6,000. But of course we cannot dictate to our Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board,” he said, adding that the wage order can be issued at any time. — Gillian M. Cortez

Iloilo court suspends PECO property expropriation pending Supreme Court ruling

PECO FACEBOOK

AN ILOILO Regional Trial Court has suspended the expropriation proceedings of MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE) over the assets of Panay Electric Co. (PECO), the city’s former power franchise holder.

In a three-page order on Nov. 18, Judge Daniel Antonio Gerardo S. Amular of RTC Branch 35 ordered the suspension, noting a pending petition for review before the Supreme Court.

MORE filed the petition with the High Court questioning the decision of a Mandaluyong court which declared as unconstitutional Sections 10 and 17 of Republic Act No 11212, which had granted the company MORE franchise as distribution utility in Iloilo.

“As it now stands, there is a pending petition for review on certiorari before the Second Division of the Honorable Supreme Court filed by plaintiff in connection with the decision of RTC, Mandaluyong, declaring Section 10 and 17 of Republic Act 11212 as void and constitutional,” according to the order.

“Wherefore, foregoing considered, the Court resolved to suspend further proceedings in this case in the interest of judicial fairness, respect to the Honorable Supreme Court and for practical considerations,” it added.

The court also cited the SC, which has held that the issue of constitutionality “would be like a prejudicial question to the expropriation as it would be a waste of time and effort to appoint evaluation commissioners and debate the market value of the property sought to be condemned if it turned out that the condemnation was illegal.”

The court also denied for lack of factual basis the motion to inhibit the judge.

PECO Administrative Manager Marcelo U. Cacho said the company was pleased with the Iloilo court ruling.

“We are glad that the RTC of Iloilo has deferred to the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land. We cannot but agree with the Honorable Judge Amular that the issue of constitutionality of the expropriation has to be resolved first,” he said in a statement.

The Supreme Court on Aug. 14 denied MORE’s request for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction against the Mandaluyong court decision and required PECO to comment on the petition.

It also required Judge Marie Yvette Go of Iloilo RTC Branch 37, in a separate notice, to comment on the urgent motion of PECO which had stated that the judge issued an order on Aug. 14 granting a writ of possession in favor of MORE, even though the Mandaluyong court rendered its decision in July.

PECO supplied power to Iloilo for 95 years and was last granted a franchise for 25 years in 1994. It filed an application for franchise renewal in July 2017 prior to the expiration of its legislative franchise in January. MORE was granted the franchise in February. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

More space needed at sea for wind turbines, European wind industry says

COPENHAGEN — The European offshore wind industry needs an area equivalent to the size of Ireland to install enough turbines to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, a target for most EU members, a leading industry group said in a report.

Fighting climate change is a top priority for the European Commission’s new head Ursula von der Leyen, who has set out a “European Green Deal” intended to achieve “climate neutrality” — adding no greenhouse gases to the atmosphere beyond what can be absorbed — by 2050.

“Today we have 20 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind in Europe and the European Commission, not the industry, is saying we need to have between 230 and 450 GW by 2050,” WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told Reuters, pointing to EU calculations from 2018.

With only 20 GW of offshore wind installed in Europe, annual installations would need to accelerate sharply from today’s 3 GW per year.

However, one key hurdle is finding space for new wind farms as at least 60% of the North Sea is not available due to exclusion zones based on environmental protection or industries such as fishing, shipping and the military.

“The governments’ current and perhaps restrictive approach to maritime spatial planning risks resulting in them spending much more money on offshore wind than perhaps they had to,” said Dickson.

“Today maritime spatial planning is based on silos, you do fishing here, the shipping lanes here, offshore wind here… there’s no multiple use,” he said, adding 450 GW would take up 3% of the North Sea in terms of space, about the size of Ireland.

In addition, capital investment in offshore wind and grids would need to rise from around 6 billion euros ($6.6 billion) a year in 2020 to 23 billion euros by 2030 and thereafter up to 45 billion euros per year, according to the report.

The International Energy Agency last month released its first report on offshore wind potential, outpointing it could become Europe’s top source of power generation. — Reuters

Chile urges copper mining companies to stay calm amid unrest

SANTIAGO — Chile, the world’s top copper producer, reassured jittery mining companies on Monday, saying it would do everything possible to provide a business-friendly environment even as a month of riots across the country have left more than 20 dead and billions in damages.

Chile’s copper mines have mostly maintained production and kept operations running normally in the face of the unrest, with only scattered incidents reported.

But top miners, including Poland’s KGHM Polska Miedz SA, have recently expressed concern about longer-term prospects as the country assesses rewriting its constitution and overhauling tax laws to quell protests. Mining Minister Baldo Prokurica acknowledged their concerns.

“Chile is… resolving these issues through its institutions, and as such, we will do everything possible to give [miners] security and assure them certainty,” Prokurica told Reuters.

Though the worst of the violence has simmered, the Chile protests show little sign of letting up despite measures taken by President Sebastian Pinera.

While most mines are in remote areas, managers and analysts worried that continued unrest could hurt operations that make Chile responsible for around 28% of global production.

To date, however, miners have reported only minimal impacts on operations. — Reuters

Senate counterpart bills on property valuation reform re-filed

THREE bills proposing to reform the real property tax system have been re-filed in the Senate.

Senate Bill Nos. 246, 519, 894, respectively authored by Senators Panfilo M. Lacson, Juan Miguel F. Zubiri and Ramon B. Revilla, Jr., proposed to establish a uniform valuation standard, in line with international standards.

All bills propose to develop and implement uniform valuation standards for use by appraisers and assessors in creating the Schedule of Market Values in their jurisdictions, for approval by the Secretary of Finance.

“At present, more than 23 government agencies undertake real property valuation with conflicting assessments. It is estimated that LGUs assess real property lower than the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) by 13–94%,” Senate Majority Leader Zubiri said in the explanatory note of his bill.

He added that zonal values used by the BIR are lower that the values used by private appraisers.

Two of the bills also proposed to strengthen the Bureau of Local Government Finance by authorizing it to develop the valuation standards, jointly with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and review Schedules of Market Values and recommend their approval by the Secretary of Finance.

The BLGF is to be tasked to formulate a program for the regular revision of schedules of market values every three to five years.

Mr. Zubiri’s version, meanwhile, proposes to create the National Valuation Authority, instead, to exercise the same functions.

The measure forms part of the administration’s comprehensive tax reform program (CTRP). It is also among the four packages outlined by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in his fourth State of the Nation Address.

Its counterpart, House Bill No. 4664, which will be known as the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act if passed, was approved by the House of Representatives on final reading Monday.

The House version proposes to adopt a market-based SMV as basis for local and national real property taxation.

The measure nearly hurdled the 17th Congress after securing third reading approval in the House of Representatives, but failed to make it out of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means before sessions adjourned last June 3.

Other remaining packages of the CTRP are proposals to reduce corporate income tax to 20% by 2029 from the current 30% and remove redundant fiscal incentives; increase excise tax on alcohol products, electronic cigarettes and other vapor products; and simplify the tax structure for financial investment instruments.

All said bills have been passed by the House on third and final reading; but remains pending in the Senate.

So far, tax reforms that have been enacted during the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte are Republic Act No. 10963, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law, which slashed personal income tax and increased or added levies on several goods and services; RA 11213, the Tax Amnesty Act, which grants estate tax amnesty and amnesty on delinquent accounts left unpaid even after being given final assessment; and RA 11346, which will gradually increase excise tax on tobacco products to P60 per pack by 2023 from the current P35. — Charmaine A. Tadalan

Sensible thinking and environmental stewardship

Over the years there has been an outpouring of indignation over the world’s use and reliance on plastic. When we look at the visuals in the news and on social media — the floating “island” of plastic, marine life choking on plastic, etc. — the impact is undeniable.

After much has been said and hyped, it did not take long for governments, including our own, to propose legislation that would ban or regulate the use of plastic and move towards sustainable alternatives. Here in the Philippines — and largely as a reaction to the 2015 report on plastic pollution by the Ocean Conservancy and the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment that ranks the Philippines as the world’s third largest contributor to ocean plastic — several lawmakers have filed bills seeking the total banning of single use plastic.

Such solution seems logical and sensible. Bans and tax measures may contribute to the reduction of plastics that potentially clog our waterways and sewage systems.

However, the adoption of drastic steps to control plastics does not come without economic repercussions and, ironically, environmental impacts as well.

Most consumers in the Philippines fall in the D and E economic segments. They are used to buying in tingi or in sachets. This “tingi economy” enables low-income consumers to afford necessities such as toiletries, pharmaceuticals, beverages, cosmetics, food items, and many others. This type of economic exchange has been sustaining the country’s micro economy for decades and is even used as an economic indicator showing trends in product demand of many industries.

A typical example is our friendly neighborhood supermarket routinely wrapping fresh meats, fruits and vegetables using cling-wrap plastics. Should the proposal to ban single-use plastic prosper, all the packaging changes in the above-mentioned products will have a major economic impact in the country. It’s not that easy, is it?

Furthermore, we seem to have forgotten what has driven the shift to plastics in the first place. Plastic, decades ago, was the revolutionary alternative to paper, tin, and glass. It became the more practical, cheaper, and more environmentally sound alternative over other materials available then.

And this holds true up to now. The production of plastic bags requires fewer resources (land, water, CO2 emissions, etc.) than that of paper or cotton bags. In a 2018 study published by The Danish Environmental Protection Agency, a paper bag must be used at least 43 times for its per-use environmental impacts to be equal to or less than that of a typical disposable plastic bag used one time, while an organic cotton bag must be reused 20,000 times to produce less of an environmental impact than a single-use plastic bag.

A plastic ban appears to be a stop-gap solution to solving the plastics problem. There is also not much discussion regarding systematic solutions, which is necessary in approaching such a multi-dimensional problem.

We should employ a holistic approach in tackling this issue, taking into consideration both the economic and environmental aspects. All stakeholders — big corporations, small businesses, government, and consumers — should be involved and must take action.

The sweeping vilification of plastic will not solve our current woes. Smart public policies can be made to address the change in paradigm for both the industry sector and the citizens’ behavior with regards to sustainability. Simply banning single-use plastics without meaningful, significant, and complementary action from all stakeholders is like plugging a leak when the whole dam is about to break.

Fortunately, stakeholders are starting to embrace the value of sustainability. Coca-Cola, for instance, introduced its PlantBottle packaging technology — producing a fully recyclable PET plastic bottle made partially from plants. It is also investing in a P1-billion state-of-the-art recycling facility in the Philippines to collect, sort, clean, and wash post-consumer PET plastic bottles, turn them into new bottles, and bring them back into the value chain.

Unilever, on the other hand, has committed to help collect and process around 600,000 tons of plastic annually by 2025. Here in the Philippines, it has partnered with the City of Manila for its “Kolek Kilo Kita para sa Walastik na Maynila Program.” The extensive plastic waste collection program seeks to improve the city’s plastic waste management while providing livelihood programs through incentivized waste segregation and collection.

As for the government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has become very active in coastal clean-up operations as part of rehabilitation of the Manila Bay. Partnerships are forged with the private sector through their Adopt-an-Estero program. Citizens are also tapped into DENR’s efforts through the hiring of “estero rangers” to help address indiscriminate waste disposal and improve garbage collection. These efforts can be upscaled and replicated in different parts of the country.

While it is noticeable that the shift towards sustainability is now gaining momentum, the country’s capacity to recycle should also be upgraded. Coupled with sensible policies anchored on environmental stewardship, we could effectively address plastic waste and other types of pollution.

 

Carmelo Bayarcal is a Convenor of Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST), which is an environment project of the Stratbase ADR Institute.

Shooting from his misogynist, parochial hip

Rodrigo Duterte’s management style — if you can call it that — seems to be an extension of his parochial authoritarianism as long-time mayor of Davao City. His focus on crime fighting, which seems to have been the main problem when he became mayor may have worked well at the time. However, to run a whole country of over a hundred million people, in almost a hundred provinces and almost 2,000 towns requires more thinking and strategizing since there are a myriad more stakeholders and competing interests. And whether he cares to pay attention to it or not, a more complex national and global environment. But Rodrigo Duterte has the habit of talking before he thinks; and because as president his word is considered a decision or policy statement, he has to backtrack every so often. Or his minions need to reinterpret his language the next day to the point of absurdity.

Where he is demonstrably consistent is in his constant parading of machismo by denigrating women, especially strong, assertive ones (e.g., detained Senator Leila de Lima, Retired Justice and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Vice-President Leni Robredo, etc.); and in publicly issuing orders to kill, kill, kill. Methinks he perhaps doth protest too much.

For instance, recently the President ordered a stop to the importation of rice. Just a day or so later, having heard the objections of stakeholders including the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director-General of National Economic and Development Authority, he had to reverse himself: a typical example of announcing a policy decision before he had done his study and consultations. His campaign promise to ride a Jet ski to Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal and to plant the Philippine flag there, of course, was just talk. He has more than once said that we cannot risk offending China, our powerful neighbor.

The President’s job offer to Vice-President Leni Robredo may have been just a macho dare; but he underestimated the Vice-President, thinking that she wouldn’t dare take the difficult and dangerous job. Well, she did. And he got caught off-guard. So, day after day, the Office of the President and/or his spokesman announced new orders and decisions on the job description for the new “drug czar.” Also, no, it wasn’t for a drug czar, just co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs. And yes, she was to be a member of the Cabinet. Then, later, no, she could only attend meetings where the illegal drug problem was on the agenda. And still later, no, she could not attend Cabinet meetings because he couldn’t trust her. Finally, it was explained that because she was a member of the opposition and she met with international groups like the United Nations and representatives of the US government and could therefore not be trusted, he fired her.

This is the decision-making process under this president. Shoot first and study and think later.

It is a good thing that when it comes to the economy, he basically leaves the economic cluster (Secretaries Carlos Dominguez, Ernesto Pernia, and Ramon Lopez) in his Cabinet alone. Fortunately, they have been making responsible decisions. The Secretary of National Defense is no pushover, so there is generally peace and order, except for isolated cases of kidnappings and killings in the usual Southern areas.

I don’t know if the President appointed Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to head management of the Southeast Asian Games, as if he doesn’t have enough to deal with. No wonder it is such an embarrassing mess, whatever excuses they are trying to give.

When she accepted the “drug czar” job, Vice-President Leni Robredo proceeded to do her research and consultation with professionals, officers, stakeholders, and experts in a position to provide information and insights to help her understand the problem. Unlike the President, she does her homework before shooting her mouth off. She was, of course, guided by a principle of preventing more and more deaths due to the “drug war.” She had been searching for new approaches and cooperators in order to accomplish her goals. She also consulted international agencies since she was quite aware that the drug problem is “transnational,” and that much of the illegal drug source is outside the country. However, our parochial president could not see the point of including “outsiders” in her consultations. Did he, for instance, ask his friend Xi Jin Ping to do something about the illegal drugs being produced in and shipped to our country from main supplier China? Certainly China’s Supreme Leader for Life would have enough power and wherewithal to at least reduce the volumes?

The lack of study and paucity of thinking has it seems to me, led to lame brained decisions to opt for bilateralism as preferred by the powerful China vs. the multilateralism needed by a poor and small country like the Philippines in dealing with the competing claims for the West Philippine Sea. After all, we had international law behind us following the favorable UN Arbitral Court ruling. Duterte went so far as to ensure that the issue was not on the agenda at ASEAN meetings. We have become China’s spokesman at the ASEAN!

If enough study and thinking had been done before proceeding with the shooting drug war, we would have concluded that priority attention should have been given to the supply problem (drug producers and wholesale dealers) rather than small fry user-addicts. Where is Peter Lim today? The President had promised publicly to kill the man whom he had identified as a drug lord. Instead, we have victimized thousands of users, mainly young and poor.

Apparently, instead of helping clarify the thinking, the implementing agencies just obey. That doesn’t help at all.

We need more thinking, more studied inputs into presidential policy making. Duterte is President of our country. Not just our mayor.

 

Teresa S. Abesamis is a former professor at the Asian Institute of Management and Fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines.

tsabesamis0114@yahoo.com

The indestructible cockroach

It is said that if the world were to be destroyed in the aftermath of a nuclear war and every living thing were to be annihilated, one creature will survive. The cockroach.

In a parallel sense, pundits predict that in the aftermath of the current partisan war in Washington D.C. between the Democrats and the Republicans over the impeachment of President Donald Trump, when the smoke of battle has settled and the leaders of both parties will be on their knees, one person will probably remain standing. Trump.

Trump has been called many unflattering things by the media, the Democrats, and some self-respecting Republicans. The Lyin’ King. A megalomaniac. A legend in his own mind. The bankruptcy tycoon. A low blow specialist. Captain Blowhard.

In a recent column, I likened Trump to the indestructible cockroach. He is a survivor.

No insult, no criticism, no sarcasm seems to affect him. He simply insults and criticizes right back. And there is no subtlety in his language. He is vicious, crude, foul, inelegant and (unfortunately for his enemies), he has a talent for attaching memorably ridiculous nicknames to those who cross him.

Worst of all, he also has the exasperating ability for claiming credit for his enemies’ achievements and claiming victory in the wake of defeat — in spite of being figuratively beaten to a pulp (“You should see how their fists are swollen from banging my pretty face!”).

The ability to turn defeat into a victory should, otherwise, be considered a positive trait. But there is nothing admirable about a person who shamefacedly refuses to concede being wrong and lies and foists “alternative truths” in the face of undeniable facts.

Trump is like the kid who wants to prove that he is “the world’s greatest slugger” by swinging his baseball bat many times at a ball — but missing every time. The kid finally gives up and declares that he is “the world’s greatest pitcher.”

Trump is so obsessed with being regarded as “the best,” he simply insists that everyone else is inferior, to the cheers of sycophants, then quickly changes the subject and launches a counter attack against his detractors, concentrating on their vulnerabilities and resorting to lies and dirty tactics.

What is remarkable is that in spite of non-stop pummeling in US media (at least in the leading newspapers and TV networks, with the exception of Fox News and conservative talk shows), Trump continues to hold a tight rein on the Republican Party and the seeming loyalty of its leaders. Even more remarkably, he has kept the support of his voter base.

The support of the GOP leaders may be due to their need for political survival. Thus, it is likely subject to erosion (it is said that politicians have no permanent enemies and no permanent allies, just permanent self-interests). But what has baffled observers is the adamant loyalty of Trump’s voter base.

Trump once bragged that he could shoot a man in the middle of Manhattan and not lose a single supporter.

Even the shadow of Vladimir Putin behind Trump’s bluster — such as his claim that Ukranian operatives and not the Russians meddled in the 2016 US presidential elections (a red herring belied by the entire US intelligence and security apparatus) — has not fazed Trump’s base and the Republican leadership. If former President Barack Obama and the Democrats were the ones similarly beclouded, the GOP and Trump loyalists would be screaming “Treason!”

It could be said that among Trump’s supporters (aside from Russian dirty tricks specialists and paid trolls) are neo-Nazis and white supremacists like the Klu Klux Klan, but not all Trump believers are from the far right. Thousands of them are average Americans who probably felt disaffected by the “socialist leanings” of the past Obama administration and have been carried away by Trump’s Make America Great Again rhetoric. Thousands are average families striving for their share of the American Dream and are encouraged by the economic gains under Trump. And thousands are ordinary folks fearful of the “immigrant invasion” that Trump has been unjustly warning against.

I know of some Filipino-Americans who are prepared to break long-standing friendships in defense of Trump. They claim that Trump has made America “great again” — without specifying how the US became “un-great.” They have also ignored international media feedback that Trump is a pariah among world leaders. Even more baffling is the anti-immigrant attitude of these people who are also immigrants themselves.

Whatever their reasons, the current impeachment hearings initiated by the Democrats do not seem to have eroded Trump’s base.

One possibility is that the basis for the impeachment process may be too esoteric for many Trump supporters to appreciate. Betting on this and taking advantage of the lack of clarity, GOP strategists have resorted to the classic Joseph Goebbles mantra, “a lie repeated often enough will be taken for the truth.”

It is almost certain that the House of Representatives, with its Democratic majority, will vote to impeach Trump. But it is just as certain that a two-thirds vote cannot be mustered in the Republican-controlled Senate and he will be acquitted.

As a consequence, Trump’s supporters are smugly predicting a second term for him, in spite of the scandals. Does that mean that Trump will remain indestructible like the cockroach? Does that mean that there will no retribution for his alleged sins?

Not necessarily, some knowledgeable quarters aver.

The Senate line-up of the Republicans, including reelectionist majority leader Mitch McConnel in Kentucky, is reportedly facing stiff competition in their respective bailiwicks, and the GOP control of the Senate could be snapped in the 2020 elections the way they lost their hold on the House in the last mid-term polls.

If this happens, even if Trump wins a second term, the impeachment posse could still go after him. Recall that President Richard Nixon had won a second term in the November 1972 elections — by the largest margin of victory in a US presidential contest — but the Watergate hounds still went after him relentlessly until he was forced to resign in August 1974.

The harsh reality for politicians is that they cannot stay in power indefinitely and the US president can only serve two terms. Trump will eventually have to step down. Then, as the cliché goes, the Piper must be paid.

The harsh reality is that even cockroaches can be squashed.

 

Greg B. Macabenta is an advertising and communications man shuttling between San Francisco and Manila and providing unique insights on issues from both perspectives.

gregmacabenta@hotmail.com

Old dogs and new tricks

By Tony Samson

BECAUSE OF better nutrition and health care, the average life span of individuals has increased. There are more old people around, and they seem to be occupying all the rocking chairs in the mall. Still, the life expectancy for the Philippines is among the lowest, ranking 123rd in the world as of 2018. The top country in life expectancy is still Japan at 83.7 years for both sexes. (Can you pass the sushi?)

The life expectancy for Filipino males is age 66.2 and much higher for females at 72.6 years. Why do women outlive men in the Philippines? This is not a political question.

Digging further, a Filipino male that reaches age 60 can live further up to 75.7 years. If he reaches 70, he statistically lives up to 82.2 years. Anyway, the population pyramid favors those with higher income due to access to better health care and a less stressful lifestyle, except for being stuck in traffic and playing word games.

Organizations peppered with those eligible for retirement are getting to be more common. (It’s like Grandparents Day out there.)

Certain cultures prize the ancients for their accumulation of knowledge and life’s lessons, whether reading the weather or fortune’s whimsical moods. However, in the throwaway society we live in, knowledge is as quickly obsolete as last year’s gadget and killer app. The value of an old person (50 is the new 70) depreciates as fast as old technology — slow, limited in features, and inadequate data storage. (Everything’s in a cloud with me.)

Even soft attributes like connections and personal relationships with customers and decision-makers decline in value as companies reorganize or are gobbled up by smaller organizations. Contacts disappear into early retirement. The average occupancy period for senior positions is shrinking, sometimes to less than a month — she talks too much.

Only owners seem exempt from being ignored or rushed out the door due to advanced age. And even they are elbowed out of real management by the younger generation conversant with debt leverage and big data.

Getting old in a company no longer means being the fount of experience. Older people are seen as no longer in tune with the times. In corporate ecology, recycling is not a virtue. New vocabulary is preferred.

The corporate elder is portrayed as a dinosaur, even if that symbol for obsolescence lived for a hundred million years before it became extinct. This ecological life span is over a thousand times longer than homo sapiens. But the latter in its millennial version is likely to retort to this little trivia — so who is still striding the earth, Mr. T-Rex?

Young managers are brought in for their forward thinking and familiarity with new technology. They are expected to be energetic and impatient with the status quo. They walk the hallways looking for slow-moving objects to eat for lunch.

In sports, the rookies are closely watched for their potential for stardom. After they become established stars, the commentators lose interest as they become candidates for legendary status. When they pass 30, they are characterized as tired and needing to be rested while younger legs take over. Teams in competition are compared for their average ages with the younger group given the advantage. “Veterans” are trotted out only to stabilize the game. They are quickly sat down when the pace of the game leaves them clutching their shorts and taking short breaths.

Neophytes are no longer expected to be deferential. Their mandate to change things (hopefully for the better) entails getting rid of anybody eligible for a loyalty award.

How boring is the tale of the banishment of the old guard by newcomers? Masters of the universe no longer offer false assurances (we value your contribution to the company’s past successes) to placate incumbents. Their offices are being measured for renovation for other occupants.

You can’t teach old dogs new tricks even when these still barking canines may still have tricks of their own. Sharing lessons may be the key to bridging the generation gap. Oldies share their Sun Tzu moves as newbies offer their insights on bit coin wallets and blockchain programs.

But then again, dogs whether young or old, keep their tricks to themselves… except when directing the fastest way to the exit.

 

Tony Samson is Chairman and CEO, TOUCH xda.

ar.samson@yahoo.com

Amazing customer experience

By Raju Mandhyan

YOU KNOW they say that it is more fun in the Philippines. Yes, and I’d like to add that there is also love and great service in the Philippines. Here we have fun, share love, and serve wholeheartedly.

The aspect of serving wholeheartedly dictates that you, the business and service provider, must continuously stand behind your product through full utilization and optimal enjoyment of your client.

I was once with a bunch of colleagues flying back to Manila from Cebu and while at the airport, we walked into to a place called The Toast Box. I ordered a tuna sandwich and lemonade. Upon ordering, I wondered aloud if my sandwich came with some potato chips on the side. The waitress, Janice, replied that it did not come with chips but added that she would be happy go buy some for me from another establishment nearby. I was a bit taken back and then amazed. Taken aback over their policies and amazed at how she could leave without the manager’s approval. Nevertheless, I said, “Well, that would be nice of you. Can you get me a small bag of Lay’s Salt-and-Vinegar-flavored chips?” but before I could pull out my wallet, she disappeared out of the door in a flash. She was gone like the wind. She was actually gone for quite a while, considering that Mactan Airport in Cebu, Philippines is not so big.

When she eventually came back, I thanked her and inquired gently about what took her so long. She said she had to step out of the airport premises for the chips. I was blown away! I knew there was the issue of not seeking permission and even some risk from not following policy in the adventure she took. But I did greatly appreciate the natural and amazing desire to serve and care.

Not all businesses lean back as much to serve customers as The Toast Box did for me, but we must stretch as far as possible, as often as possible, in the service of our clients. Only when we go the extra mile do we end up setting new standards of sales and service excellence.

Thus, in the area of sales and service here are three takeaways to create an amazing customer experience:

• Serve with the commitment to quality. Never cut corners or expect your customers to compromise.

• Deliver the proverbial extra mile whenever and wherever possible to set new standards of performance.

• Stand behind your products and services consistently as far as you can like some of the world’s best brands and services.

Following these principles allows us to continuously surpass standards of sales and service excellence and create new benchmarks for building and sustaining relationships with our customers. We will constantly and consistently fill the needs of a changing world and raise the standards of life. Our businesses, small or big, will become the beacons of amazing customer service.

And, here’s also hoping Janice did not break any company rules but added a notch on their pride and their brand. In my humble opinion, she very well did.

 

Raju Mandhyan author, coach and learning facilitator.

www.mandhyan.com

Peso drops as BSP chief says another cut possible

THE PESO depreciated on Tuesday due to developments in the US-China trade negotiations, as well as comments from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno that a rate cut is still possible within the year.

The local unit closed at P50.90 against the greenback on Tuesday, weakening by 14.5 centavos from the P50.755-to-a-dollar close on Monday, according to data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines.

The peso opened the session at P50.72 versus the dollar. Its weakest point for the day was at P50.90, while its intraday best was at P50.66 against the greenback.

Dollars traded inched up to $1.296 billion from the $1.203 billion on Monday.

Analysts attributed the peso’s decline to both local and global factors.

Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion, chief economist at UnionBank of the Philippines, Inc., said the slight depreciation came after continued worries about the US-China trade deal.

“The continuing trade talks between the US and the PRC (People’s Republic of China as both sides agreed to stay in contact, are generally positive, but the conclusion of the Phase 1 deal still remains to be seen…which may be putting downward pressure on the peso even as the deal is seemingly moving forward,” Mr. Asuncion said in a text message.

Reuters reported that major trade negotiators from the world’s two biggest economies discussed through a phone call on Tuesday morning.

China’s Commerce Ministry said the two sides talked about “trying to hammer out” the preliminary phase one deal for their 16-month-old trade war.

Meanwhile, the trader said the peso’s weakness came after the BSP chief said a rate cut before the year ends is still on the table.

“The peso weakened after Gov. Diokno commented that a policy rate cut is still being considered for the December BSP policy meeting, defying market expectations of no adjustments for the rest of the year,” a trader said in an e-mail.

Mr. Diokno told reporters on Monday that another rate cut is possible if conditions warrant further easing.

“The BSP will always be data-dependent so we will evaluate…every time we have a policy meeting,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Financial Education Stakeholders Expo at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

The BSP governor was commenting about an S&P Global Ratings’ report which said they expect one more rate cut in 2019.

The BSP has cut rates by a total of 75 basis points (bps) this year, partially dialing back the 175-bp in hikes it fired off last year in the face of multi-year high inflation.

At present, rates for the overnight reverse repurchase facility, as well as overnight deposit and lending, stand at four percent, 3.5% and 4.5%, respectively.

The Monetary Board will have its last policy meeting for the year on Dec. 12.

Asked on S&P’s rate cut expectation, Mr. Diokno said. “Pwede ’yun, pwede ’yun (It is possible).”

For today, Mr. Asuncion sees the peso playing around the P50.70-51 band, while the trader gave a forecast range of P50.80-51. — L.W.T. Noble with Reuters

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