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Opening injury

On the eve of the Celtics’ opener at the Q, All-Star Gordon Hayward noted how he and his teammates are “coming together nicely.” He acknowledged that the process was going to be slow, what with only four returnees from last season’s roster that made the East Finals, and two of five projected starters not even 21 years of age. Still, he expressed confidence that they would do just fine. “We have a lot of guys that can do multiple things, so a lot of versatility both offensively and defensively,” he said. “We have a lot of smart basketball players, too, and that’s going to help us, especially early on.”

Fast forward five minutes and 15 seconds into the first quarter of the Celtics’ set-to against the Cavaliers yesterday, and everything Hayward expected with reason suddenly became moot. Moments earlier, he appeared to have a clear path to the basket, only to be met in the air by LeBron James; the incidental contact off the block attempt was enough to make him land on his left foot awkwardly, and it was clear from the scene that he suffered from a broken ankle (or, per head coach Brad Stevens, a dislocated ankle and a fractured tibia). For those following the match on television, the broadcast thankfully showed the extent of his injury just once; in good taste, producers instead saw fit to reflect the reactions to the unfortunate turn of events. And it was clear from the hushed murmurs of the crowd, the prolonged silence of announcers Mike Breen and Reggie Miller, and the emotional state of fellow players that what they saw and experienced was too gruesome for comfort.

Hayward would be escorted from the court in a stretcher and, around half an hour later, moved to a nearly hospital before being flown back to Boston. Considering the extent of his injury, it’s fair to say the Celtics’ chances of claiming the championship, let alone moving past the Cavaliers in the conference, have suffered greatly. The good news is that he will recover; as hideous as the mishap looked, he can find solace in enough examples of players who have gone through a similar situation and thereafter thrived. The bad news that no one really knows when.

Creditably, the Celtics overcame the shock and actually battled to the end against the heavily favored Cavaliers. No doubt, they were propelled by the prospect of winning one for their fallen teammate, as they will be for the foreseeable future and until he returns. That said, they lost; will and resolve can do only so much in the face of superior talent.

To be sure, determination has invariably been a hallmark of the Celtics’ competitiveness. With or without Hayward on tap, they will always be prepared to show their best, in equal parts because their legacy demands them to and because Stevens knows how to squeeze the most of the assets at his disposal. Then again, they swung for the fences in the offseason precisely because they thought they were due. The time appeared to have come. It’s now postponed, indefinitely.

 

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.

High-value coconut products drive shift away from copra

DAVAO CITY — Coconut farmers in Davao, the top producing region in the country, have been moving away from copra production in favor of growing opportunities in value-added products.

Migdonio C. Clamor, Jr., executive director of the Davao Region Coconut Industry Cluster, Inc. (DRCICI), said growers can now sell practically all coconut components.

Meanwhile, making copra, the dried coconut meat from which oil is extracted, is a tedious and laborious process. 

“There are companies that have been producing coconut textile, sugar both from sap and shell, and other products,” Mr. Clamor said at a forum earlier this month.

DRCICI, established in 2009 that provides various services to coconut industry stakeholders, is helping farmers connect with these buyers as well as set up small-scale production systems for value-added goods.

He added that technologies are available to produce these new products at the farms.

DRCICI is preparing to pilot one technology in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, but Mr. Clamor did not provide details.  ”

Meanwhile, Mr. Clamor said the industry continues to require more government assistance to address the decline in coconut production.

“There is a need to cover more areas,” he said, noting that this will be one of the main concerns that will be raised during a coconut forum scheduled in Davao City in November.

Mr. Clamor explained that the impact of typhoon Pablo (international name: Bopha) in 2012 was not adequately responded to, as the rehabilitation program has helped only about 10% of the affected coconut farms.

An estimated six million fruit-bearing coconut trees were toppled by typhoon Pablo, the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Mindanao in about two decades.

Davao Region produced 1.89 metric tons (MT) of coconut in 2016, the highest among all regions, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. However, last year’s output was 16% lower than the 2.25 MT produced in 2015.

“We need to address this to fill in the gap.” — Carmelito Q. Francisco

A high carbon tax is irrational

Political science masquerading as climate science insist that the gas that we humans and our animals exhale, the gas that is used by trees, flowers, fruits and other crops to grow and feed the world — carbon dioxide or CO2 — is a pollutant that must be over-taxed and over-regulated.

Far from the truth. CO2 is a useful gas, not a pollutant.

Since it is useful, the optimal carbon tax for coal in particular is not P10/ton, not P20, not P600, but zero. However, a zero tax on coal is unpopular from the world of climate alarmism, so we classify these tax rates as follows: P0 tax is optimal, P10/ton is rational, P20/ton is compromise, P600 is irrational.

Recently, eminent economist Dr. Ciel Habito made a follow-up paper, “The case for the carbon tax” and insist that the carbon tax for coal should be raised from the current P10/ton to P600/ton.

To support his claim, he used some ridiculous numbers that are peddled by the watermelon (green outside, red inside) movement. Here are two:

(1) “Dominated by CO2 (72%), GHGs trap heat… .”

Wrong. CO2 is 400 ppm or only 0.04% of all greenhouse gases (GHGs). About 95% of GHGs is water vapor — the clouds, evaporation from the seas, oceans, lakes, rivers, stomata of leaves, etc. The remaining 4%+ are methane, nitrous oxide, others.

(2) “CO2 averaged about 280 parts per million (ppm) for the last 10,000 years…In 2015… 400 ppm for the first time…. now triggering much more frequent extreme weather events.”

This is perhaps 5% geological science and 95% politics.

The Minoan, Roman, and Medieval Warm Periods (when there were no SUVs, no coal plants, no airplanes) were much warmer than the Modern Warm Period (mid-1800s to roughly 2000). There were wild swings in global warming and global cooling cycles regardless of the CO2 level. How would one call this — “much less frequent extreme weather events than today?” Garbage.

Climate change (CC) is true. All skeptics recognize climate change, recognize global warming. Planet Earth is 4.6 billion years old and there were climate change all those years because climate change is cyclical (warming-cooling-warming-cooling…) and natural. Global warming is true, and so is global cooling.

It is political science that masquerades as climate science to say that there is no climate cycle, that there is no global cooling that takes place after global warming.

BACK TO COAL POWER.
From the recent energy and economic experience of our neighbors in Asia and some industrial countries in the world, the hard lessons are these: (a) Countries that have coal consumption of at least 2.1x expansion over the past two decades are also those that experienced fast GDP growth of at least 3x expansion.

Prominent examples are China, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and even Pakistan. And (b) Philippines’ coal consumption is small compared to its neighbors; its 2016 use is just nearly 1/2 of Malaysia and Vietnam’s, just 1/3 of Taiwan’s and almost 1/5 of Indonesia’s, 1/6 of South Korea’s, 1/9 of Japan’s. (see table)

A high carbon tax is irrationalI have repeatedly argued that CO2 is a useful gas. For those who insist that CO2 is a pollutant, they can certainly help curb further CO2 emission even without legislation and carbon taxation through the following:

• Stop breathing too often; more exhalation means more CO2 emission.

• Stop adopting pets (if any), stop eating chicken, pork, meat because these animals exhale CO2.

• Stop using their cars, not even jeepneys or buses, they emit CO2; skateboards and bicycles only.

• Stop riding airplanes and motorized boats, they emit CO2; solar planes or big kites and sailboats only.

• Stop connecting from the grid and from Meralco because 48% of nationwide electricity generation comes from coal; no gensets either. Use only solar-wind-biomass + candles at home.

• Tell their friends, business associates, family members, to do the same so that there will be more people emitting less CO2.

The Habito proposal of more expensive electricity via P600/ton carbon tax on coal is dangerous because while the Senate version of TRAIN adopts a P20/ton excise tax, the P600 can spring up somewhere during the final and Bicameral Committee meeting. The proposal should be exposed as based on political science, not geological or climate science.

 

Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. is the head of Minimal Government Thinkers and a Fellow of Stratbase-ADRi.

minimalgovernment@gmail.com

How PSEi member stocks performed — October 18, 2017

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

What is the ‘true’ cost of a plate of food across countries?

TDF yields steady despite offer’s undersubscription

By Melissa Luz T. Lopez,
Senior Reporter

YIELDS on term deposits stood steady yesterday, with the sideways move driven by tempered demand for the instruments.

The 28-day tenor went back to an undersubscription this week, while demand for the week-long term deposits just matched the amount offered by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Banks wanted to place P131.455 billion under the term deposit facility (TDF), logging below the P140 billion that the central bank placed on the auction block and down from tenders worth P166.956 billion tallied a week ago.

In particular, yields inched downward for the week-long tenor, while interest rates for the month-long instruments stood barely changed.

Demand for the seven-day term deposits totalled P43.893 billion, slightly higher than the P40 billion which the BSP wanted to sell although lower than the P64.076-billion bids posted a week prior. Market players sought for returns ranging from 3.25-3.38% to average at 3.3402%, down from the 3.3554% fetched during the Oct. 11 auction.

On the other hand, bids for the 28-day tenor dipped to P87.562 billion, logging below the P100 billion which the BSP placed on the auction block and the P148.378 billion in tenders received a week ago. With the lower offers, the average rate moved to 3.4927%, little changed from the 3.4925% seen previously.

The TDF is currently the central bank’s main tool to shore up excess money supply in the financial system, as the platform allows banks to park funds which they cannot deploy for loans in exchange for a small return.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo previously said rates have been moving closer to the 3% benchmark set by the central bank, adding that the reduced auction amounts have been calibrated to achieve this purpose.

Starting October, the central bank reduced the weekly auction volumes to P140 billion, split between P40 billion in week-long notes and P100 billion under a month-long tenor.

Another set of P140 billion worth of term deposits will be placed on the auction block next Wednesday.

More ease on the loose

Most taxpayers are familiar with two types of books or accounting records — those that are prepared manually, and those that are generated by a computerized system. Some may not be aware that there is also another type referred to as loose-leaf records. In simple terms, these are a computer-aided form of manual recording. They involve the recording of transactions through encoding of details into a computer and generating copies by printing them out using an approved loose-leaf format to be bound as the bookkeeping record of the taxpayer. Similar to manual or computerized books and accounting records, the loose-leaf type needs to be registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The BIR has observed that when the venue for filing applications for Permit to Use (PTU) Computerized Books of Accounts/Computerized Accounting Systems and Accreditation of Cash Register Machines, Point of Sales and other Receipting Software was transferred to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) at the BIR National Office, the relocation caused confusion as to whether the applications for PTU Loose-leaf Books of Accounts/Invoices/Receipts and other Accounting Records should likewise be filed with the NAB.

The venue and the procedures for the issuance of PTU loose-leaf documents has long been provided under Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 13-82. Under the Circular, all such requests shall be filed with the office of either the Revenue District Officer or Regional Director. The RMC further mandated that the request shall be forwarded to the field personnel of the Revenue District Office (RDO) having jurisdiction over the taxpayer for appropriate investigation.

The applications for such permits are approved by the Regional Director through the Legal Division and the RDO then records the approved PTU for compliance with the taxpayer’s secondary registration. Thus, the processing of the PTU takes a number of days considering the geographical location of these two BIR offices which in some cases could be very far from each other.

In line with the government’s promise to ensure ease of doing business, the BIR issued RMC 68-2017 dated Aug. 10, declaring that the processing of said PTU shall now be done at the RDO where the principal place of business of the taxpayer is registered.

RMC 68-2017 stressed that the documentary requirements for applying for a PTU covering loose-leaf books of account and other accounting records remain the same. The guidelines require a duly accomplished Application for PTU Manual Loose-leaf/Computerized Books of Account/Official Receipts or Sales Invoices (BIR Form 1900). In addition, the following documents must be submitted: (1) company profile documents (photocopies of the BIR Certificate of Registration and BIR Form 0605 proving payment of the Annual Registration Fee for the current year; (2) location map of the business office; (3) inventory of previously approved unused invoices and receipts, if applicable; and (4) sample format of journals and ledgers (for loose-leaf books of account) and/or particular accounting record (for loose-leaf accounting records).

However, under the new RMC, the investigation previously required to be conducted by the BIR after the filing of the PTU application has been replaced with the submission of a Sworn Statement declaring the books, invoices/receipts and other accounting records to be used, together with the serial numbers of principal and supplementary invoices/receipts. The PTU applicant must also state in the Sworn Statement a commitment to permanently bind loose-leaf forms within 15 days after the end of each taxable year or upon termination of its use.

What about those corporations with registered branches? RMC 68-2017 states that the duly approved PTU issued to the taxpayer’s Head Office shall also cover all identified registered branches and shall be valid in their respective RDOs at the time of the issuance of the PTU. A certified true copy of the PTU must be furnished to each branch authorized to use the approved loose-leaf records. The PTU shall be updated in case additional branches are set up subsequent to the issuance of the permit.

It may be noted that under Revenue Regulations 7-2012 (i.e. the amended regulations on primary registration, updates and cancellation), the RDO is mandated to process and issue simultaneously the Certificate of Registration (COR), and Authority to Print (ATP), as well as to register the books of account of taxpayers immediately after registration and upon submission of complete required documents within the time prescribed by the BIR Citizen’s Charter. The BIR must ensure that the COR, ATP and books of account are issued and registered, respectively, upon commencement of the taxpayer’s business.

The simultaneous business registration process was reiterated by the BIR in RMC 43-2016 which provides that the application for ATP, registration of manual books and issuance of the COR can be simultaneously done in one day or eight working hours in line with the government’s aim to ease doing business in the Philippines.

RMC 68-2017 is yet another positive step towards easing business in the Philippines. It is good that the BIR is coming up with simpler rules for those who wish to comply. After all, taxation is coercive in nature and taxpayers have the onerous duty to contribute to the national coffers for public expenditures. The least that the state can do is to use taxpayers’ money efficiently so that the greatest benefit is gained by the people and to collect taxes with optimum ease on the paying public. Taxpayers are the clients of the BIR, and every customer deserves to be treated like a king.

The views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Isla Lipana & Co. The content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for specific advice.

Elizabeth K. Adaoag-Belarmino is a Senior Consultant at the Tax Services Department of Isla Lipana & Co., the Philippine member firm of the PwC network.

(02) 845-27 28

elizabeth.k.adaoag@ph.pwc.com

Nation at a Glance — (10/19/17)

News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.

Part II of JobStreet.com’s ultimate guide for fresh job seekers

Recruiters can be very fickle‑minded when they are looking for the perfect applicant. The key here is to present yourself as one. We’ve already discussed the many ways you can make yourself highly desirable to employers during the job searching phase of your career.

However, that is only half the battle. The next thing to keep in mind is the resumé you’ll be handing out to prospective future employers. The resumé, also known as the piece of paper that can somehow make‑or‑break your application.

According to a Seek Asia study in 2016, it takes only six seconds for recruiters to view an applicant’s resumé. For you to get to the interview part of the application process, you have to impress the recruiters in those six seconds. The question is how?

Most fresh graduates looking for a job right out of college commit the mistake of putting so much details in their resumés. Preferably, a resumé is just a one‑page that succinctly lists your basic details, experience, and skills.

Unsure of what to include, the fresh graduate ultimately puts what is not needed and forgets to include the most crucial ones—those that will separate him from the rest of the applicants. Check out these resumé templatesif you’re unsure where to start.

What to include

The first thing to remember about your resumé is to include contact details. These should be displayed prominently: address, email, and your contact number. The next is your educational background, where you should focus on your college education.

The same goes for the achievements part of your resumé. Anything before college is optional. Include the awards you got from contests and from your alma mater and should be relevant to the field you’re angling to be a part of.

For the character reference, be sure to include only professionals that you trust will give you a fair review once recruiters contact them. These people should be professionals, your mentors during your college years or your supervisors during your internship.

Highlight your experience and skills

Being a fresh graduate doesn’t make you lack experience, you just have to know what to label as “experience.”

College life wouldn’t be complete without extra curricular activities, the organizations and clubs that caught your interests and joined. Do not forget to also include the seminars and conferences you attended that are relevant to the professional filed you want to be a part of, include the dates and places where these were conducted.

The same goes for the “skills” section of your resumé. Include the ones that you think will give you an advantage over the other applicants for a position you’re eyeing. If you have certifications for these skills, much better.

A cookie‑cutter is not needed

During the course of your job searching, you might find yourself applying for different positions or even different fields. The key here so that your application won’t meet an untimely end is to customize your resumé based on the position you’re eyeing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the application process is long and tedious. Do not expect to receive an interview notification right after passing your resumé. Recruiters are most likely reviewing the submitted resumés to determine which ones warrant an interview. Regularly check your email for updates because you wouldn’t want to miss an interview invitation.

The final obstacle is ahead

The subheading is a misnomer, there are actually a couple more obstacles ahead. There will be second, third, or even fourth interviews, not to mention tests and exams.

And if you do get hired, once you sign those contract papers, the next obstacle will be the requirements. We’re pretty sure that by now, you’ve heard all kinds of horror stories about them: the long lines for the NBI clearance, the even longer lines at the clinic for medical exams, the impossibility of getting valid IDs for fresh graduates, and a lot more.

But in the end, it’ll all be worth it: you’ll take the job and it’ll be the start of a new journey.

About JobStreet.com

JobStreet.com is a leading online job board presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. JobStreet.com currently services over 230,000 corporate hirers and over 15 million jobseekers in its database. To view jobs, click this link.

For more information about this article, or to schedule an interview with JobStreet.com Philippines, please call Mark Nichol Turija, Content Marketing Specialist, at 286-6222.

Women Who Code Manila fights workplace discrimination a line of code at a time

Every meet‑up with Women Who Code (WWCode) Manila starts with an introduction. Who are you? What experience do you have with coding? Why do you want to learn to code? And through these brief discussions, the attendees found out that they were not alone in facing discrimination in working for or even applying for a job in the field of computer programming and web development.

“During one of our meet‑ups, someone said that they had tried to apply as a web developer in a company and was denied because the company only hires men for that job. She was discouraged even further when the person in‑charge told her that they only hire women for sales,” Michie Ang, director of WWCode Manila and co‑founder of Tecsoft Apps told SparkUp in an interview after an HTML coding session last August. “Someone else had the experience of searching for web development jobs in a job site—let’s not say which—only to find that most companies specify that they only hire men. And then if you’re hired, there’s a possibility that you’ll have a lower salary than your male counterpart, or that you’ll start at the same salary but the man has a higher chance to get a salary raise.”

WWCode holds regular meet‑ups in different venues to provide a space for people who are interested in coding. There, experienced and newbie coders alike can code together, share their experiences and gab with their new found friends. It’s less of a coding tutorial and more like a group study session. Everyone else goes at their own pace and at the end of the day, they share what they’ve learned with the group. Meet‑ups tend to be an hour long and about a specific coding language like HTML, JavaScript, CSS and Python.

“There’s still discrimination. We still have an unconscious bias that when you say coding or engineering, those are fields for men,” Ms. Ang explained. “WWCode Manila is here to explore what the situation really is like in the Philippines.” WWCode Manila started January this year, and is a chapter of the larger Women Who Code network—which is currently 60 cities and 20 countries strong. The network aims to encourage tech professionals to reach their career goals, especially since women in tech face issues such as a high quit rate and a lower chance for promotion.

But why is it important to have women in programming‑related jobs? The answer, Ms. Ang said, has a lot to do with the reason why you program in the first place. “Programming is all above solving problems, and you find better solutions when you have a diverse team who can look at the problem from different perspectives,” she said. “If you’re a team of just one group of people then you might miss a problem or two because it doesn’t concern you, but concerns other people. Maybe the person who could find that problem and come up with a solution is a woman, because it’s relevant to her experiences.”

“I’m not saying that the programming team has to made up solely of women,” Ms. Ang added. “There has to be a mix of genders, backgrounds, age, etc. If you’re trying to solve a problem, it’s better to have a lot of solutions in order for you to create the best solution available. If you’re trying to build a product, a team that is diverse will have a better understanding of that product.”

Women in the Philippines also have another hurdle in learning to code: the prevailing image that it’s our role to stay at home and take care of the children. Ms. Ang recalled one meet‑up when the security guard of the building asked her about Women Who Code and showed interest in learning to code. “But she didn’t have any time because she works from Monday to Saturday, and dedicates her Sundays to taking care of her family,” Ms. Ang said. “I told her that she’s welcome to join us when she finds time. I also had a similar conversation with a waitress who had the same problem.”

That’s why in their upcoming Hackathon this November 24, there will also be a kiddie hackathon for coders with children. “Some interested participants have children who they can’t leave behind, and we hope to teach them too. We’ve also realized that women rarely join hackathons in the Philippines, and we want them to join this one so they can boost their confidence. So that next year they’ll join hackathons that aren’t specifically catered for women.” Men can join the WWCode November hackathon, an event where coders and programmers dedicate a day or two solely to programming, as mentors.

“Programming gives so many opportunities to everyone, and can be used in different fields,” Ms. Ang said. “We hope to reach and help more people. Together we will change the face of the Philippines in the technological field.”

Interested coders, whether new or experienced, can check out WWCode Manila’s MeetUp and Facebook page future study group sessions and events.

Cemented contributions

According to Oxford Business Group (OBG), the effects of the sustained economic growth of the Philippines have been obvious in the construction industry, which has been getting a lot of mileage out of what the group called “pent-up demand” and “a positive outlook for future growth.”

“This favorable momentum has driven the industry to one of the country’s highest growth rates, with data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reporting growth of 11% in 2014, 10.4% in 2015 and a jump to 14.6% in 2016,” OBG said.

Growing this much has allowed the industry to make bigger pecuniary contribution to the economy — from P802.9 billion in 2014, or 6.3% of the gross domestic product (GDP), to P1 trillion in 2016, or 7% of the GDP.

To keep up with the demand of the construction sector, cement producers have accordingly expanded their production capacities.

“Data from the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines showed that cement consumption reached 25.9 million metric tons in 2016 from 15.6 million metric tons in 2011 largely due to robust public and private construction spending caused by the positive economic environment,” Holcim Philippines pointed out in an e-mail to BusinessWorld.

But the first half of 2017, in the words of Republic Cement President Renato C. Sunico, was “a challenging season for the cement industry in the Philippines.”

“First, the market demand was not as expected due to delayed projects, both in the private and public sectors. Second, there was increased competition from cement imports. Lastly, there were higher input costs e.g., coal. So really, there were headwinds from multiple fronts, which resulted to lower-than-expected performance from the industry,” Mr. Sunico told BusinessWorld.

For its part, Holcim Philippines said: “Last year’s volumes were significantly higher due to pre-election infrastructure spending, and industry prospects remain positive with the government’s commitment to step up investments to increase competitiveness and boost the economy.”

OBG said the vast majority of cement comes mainly from a small number of domestic producers and only a fraction is shipped in from companies overseas.

“While foreign-produced cement is not subject to import tariffs and is often cheaper — particularly material sourced from Vietnam and China, which produce at a lower cost and currently maintain excess capacity — there are some non-tariff trade barriers that benefit local companies. These include quality control checks, packaging requirements and price controls that discourage dumping of oversupplied products at cost into the Philippine market,” OBG said.

The Philippines, the group noted, imported 3.8 million tons of cement and clinker from Vietnam in 2016, with the majority of the imports going to remote locations in Visayas and Mindanao, which are far from domestic supply points and therefore susceptible to shortages and higher prices.

Since the announcement of the current administration’s bold program, dubbed “Build, Build, Build,” which seeks to modernize the country’s poor infrastructure, cement producers have begun to build themselves up.

“The administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ Program will certainly drive cement demand,” said Ignacio Mijares, president of CEMEX Holdings Philippines, Inc. “CEMEX Philippines is fully supportive of the government’s plan to usher in the ‘Golden Age of Infrastructure’ starting from 2017 up to 2022. The company remains bullish about the growth prospects from the many infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships.”

He continued, “In fact, CEMEX Philippines is in the works of expanding its capacity by 1.5 million tons through the construction of a new integrated cement production line in its Solid Cement Plant.”

Holcim Philippines, meanwhile, is investing $54 million or roughly P2.8 billion over the next two years to increase its cement production capacity from the current 10 million metric tons to 12 million metric tons to meet the demand from the government as it starts to construct its flagship infrastructure projects. This billion-peso initiative is also a continuation of the company’s debottlenecking of its sites in 2016, which had raised its capacity to its current level from 8.5 million metric tons.

“As our president and CEO Sapna Sood said in our disclosure last July, the investments show Holcim Philippines continued commitment to the development of the country and to serving our customers better,” the company said. It added that the investments are an assurance that the company would continue to reliably supply essential building materials as cement demand increases due to the government infrastructure projects coming on stream.

When asked about how the cement industry would fare as the year concludes, Mr. Mijares said, “Improvements in public sector construction are starting to be realized in the second half of this year, now that government spending seems to be underway. This, plus the recurring private construction should bode well for demand of cement.”

Laying down the groundwork to progress

Holcim Philippines, Inc.

From its inception in November of 1964, Holcim Philippines, Inc. has evolved as much as the country it had helped build. As a leading provider of construction solutions for much of the Philippines’ leading builders, the company has had a hand in laying down the foundation of what makes the cityscapes of the country what it is today.

Initially incorporated as the Hi-Cement Corporation, the company merged with the Davao Union Cement Corporation and the Bacnotan Cement Corporation in 2000. With the merger, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved a change in the company’s corporate name to Union Cement Corporation.

Just two short years afterwards, Union Cement acquired the Alsons Cement Corporation, leading to another identity change and taking on the name it is known as today.

Holcim Philippines, Inc. currently employs over 1,700 employees in four plants spread across the archipelago. The company is involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of cement, dry mix mortar products, and clinker. The company’s major plants in La Union, Bulacan, Davao City and Misamis Oriental account for an annual cement production capacity of 10 million metric tons.

Part of this success is the company’s wide reach and solid reputation.

“Holcim Philippines’ success is built on our strong customer focus, product excellence, innovative solutions and sustainability commitments and performance, and responsible corporate citizenship. These have allowed us to continuously fulfill our commitments to our customers and have a positive impact on development in our country and stewardship for our planet,” Holcim told BusinessWorld.

“Our construction solutions are bannered by our cement offerings. Over the year, we have continued to advocate the benefits of using the right cement for the right applications for better performance and cost effectiveness. For example, our general purpose cement Excel is ideal for structural applications while our masonry cement WallRight is best used for finishing and plastering. Builders who use these for their specific applications are able to realize savings and have better performance,” Holcim said.

Given its long history of evolution and innovation, progress plays a key role in Holcim’s business. The company employs state-of-the-art technologies in its ready mix concrete operations in Taguig and Parañaque. As a member of the global building materials leader LafargeHolcim Group, it also has access to its rich resources of world-tested technical expertise and solutions portfolio, allowing Holcim to introduce innovative building solutions in the country.

“An example is our SuperFastCrete (SF-Crete), a type of concrete that hardens and develops strength in less than 24 hours which is ideal for quick road repairs in urban areas. This building solution was accredited by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and has been used in repairing sections of EDSA and C5 during the Holy Week break this year and 2016. It is a part of our portfolio of road solutions that we are rolling out in the country that can help local builders complete their projects faster and within budget,” Holcim said.

It is in the name of progress that the company also proved its commitment to the highest standards of sustainable operations and manufacturing excellence, with its plants certified under ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System) and OHSAS 18001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).

“Holcim Philippines’ commitment to sustainability is another differentiator that has allowed us to make a positive impact in our communities and take good care of the environment. Holcim Philippines along with the rest of the LafargeHolcim Group has set ambitious quantitative targets, through the Group’s 2030 Plan, its strategy for sustainability that is a major strategic pillar,” Holcim said.

It added: “The LafargeHolcim’s 2030 Plan will contribute to 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By 2030, we have developed action plans and integrated programs in four major areas: climate, circular economy, water and nature, and people and communities. It carries out the vision of LafargeHolcim that the construction sector of tomorrow will be innovative, climate-neutral and circular in its use of resources, and respectful of water and nature.”

Towards that vision, Holcim is laying down the groundwork for the Philippines’ ascent towards global recognition on the economic stage. To support the government and the Philippine construction industry’s efforts to improve the country’s infrastructure, the company pledged to raise its production capacity to 12 million metric tons by 2019.

“While raising our cement production capacity, Holcim Philippines is introducing more innovative, globally proven building solutions and services to help the country build faster, cost effectively and sustainably,” Holcim stated. — Bjorn Biel M. Beltran

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