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Strong demand for aviation workers triggers training push

LUFTHANSA TECHNIK PHILIPPINES

THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it is studying ways to build up the pipeline of aviation-industry workers due to strong global demand.

Transport Undersecretary Roberto C.O. Lim told reporters on the sidelines of a forum on Friday that the talent shortage is global across multiple aviation trades, including “pilots, air traffic controllers, mechanics, radio specialists, maintenance workers, and ground handling equipment operators.”

He said the shortage is also being felt in the Philippines, where aviation personnel are being offered overseas jobs.

“We should develop our human capital by producing more and also by improving their quality,” he added.

He cited the need for government and established private colleges to produce more talent and modernize the curriculum.

“The curriculum needs to be modernized so that it is responsive to the needs of the industry,” he said.

“And we have engaged the industry to organize ourselves and identify a roadmap of how to fill those gaps,” he added.

He said the training colleges will be able to cover what employers usually teach graduates when they come on board, making the transition to the workforce “more efficient.”

He said that the department is still organizing industry representatives ahead of the release of a roadmap.

“But at least the stakeholders know that the government is there; it recognizes the problem, trying to understand and identify solutions, and trying to be an enabler because the colleges themselves have to do the actual change in the curriculum,” he said.

“So we are still building the roadmap and making sure that we have the Filipino youth that will find it attractive to go into this sector,” he added.

He noted the need for another 250 air traffic controllers.

“We need to fill in that gap because the training of air traffic controllers is long because they need to have the experience,” he added.

He said that the government is also studying an initiative that will help bring back Filipino aviation personnel working overseas, including retirees, who could participate in mentorship programs “to share their valuable knowledge,” he added.

He said the DoTr and Clark International Airport Corp. are studying the creation of an aviation campus and could invite overseas aviation colleges to conduct remote training in the Philippines. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

PHL farm trade deficit widens 13.8% in Q2

REUTERS

THE deficit in the trade of agricultural goods expanded 13.8% year on year in the second quarter to $3.07 billion, according to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

In a report, the PSA said overall trade — or the sum of exports and imports — rose 14.3% to $6.79 billion during the quarter, against a 14.7% decline a year earlier.

Agricultural exports rose 14.7% to $1.86 billion for the three-month period, accounting for 10.2% of total exports.

Edible fruit and nuts as well as peel of citrus fruit and melons took up the largest share of farm exports, valued at $543.62 million or 29.2% of the total.

Agricultural products shipped to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries accounted for 8.8% of total exports at $227.24 million.

The top ASEAN exports were animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils and their cleavage products; prepared edible fats; and animal or vegetable waxes amounting to $91.74 million.

Malaysia was the Philippines’ top export market for farm goods during the second quarter, accounting for $95.22 million or 41.9% of all ASEAN farm exports.

It added that trade to the European Union (EU) consisted of 18.6% of overall agricultural exports, amounting to $358.93 million.

“Among the EU member countries, the Netherlands was the country’s top destination of agricultural commodities worth $179.77 million, or 50.1% of the total agricultural exports to EU member countries for this quarter,” the PSA said.

Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products, prepared edible fats and animal or vegetable waxes were the top agricultural exports to the region.

The PSA also reported that the import of agricultural goods rose 14.1% year on year to $4.94 billion in the three months to June.

In April, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. issued Administrative Order No. 20 instructing the departments of Agriculture, Finance, and Trade and Industry to simplify the administrative procedures for agricultural imports, as well as remove non-tariff barriers.

Cereals remained the top agricultural import for the second quarter at 26% of the total, valued at $1.28 billion.

For the period, imports of agricultural goods from ASEAN were valued at $1.86 billion or 16.4% of total imports. Cereals were the top commodities imported from ASEAN.

“Vietnam was the leading supplier of agricultural products to the Philippines among ASEAN member countries,” the PSA said, with $686.60 million.

It added that imports from the EU amounted to $450.29 million or 24.6% of farm imports by value in the quarter.

Spain was the top EU supplier of farm goods, accounting for $122.27 million or 27.2% of overall farm imports.

Meat and edible meat offal were the top imports from the EU, followed by dairy, eggs, honey, and edible products of animal origin. — Adrian H. Halili

Power spot prices fall in August on ample supply

BW FILE PHOTO

ELECTRICITY PRICES at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) fell in August with supply ample in the face of strong demand, the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) said.

“Despite the increase in demand, available supply was higher for this specific billing period; hence, there was a wider supply margin mainly because the hydropower plants’ contributions increased from 6.7%…to 10%,” Arjon B. Valencia, manager of corporate planning and communication at IEMOP, said via Viber.

According to preliminary data, IEMOP said the system-wide average price declined 0.4% month on month to P5.94 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in August.

The operator said that available supply rose 4.5% month on month to 19,718 megawatts (MW). Demand during the period rose 1.4% to 14,186 MW.

WESM prices in Luzon rose 5.5% month on month to P6.24 per kWh.

IEMOP added that supply rose 2.4% from a month earlier to 13,657 MW. Demand rose 0.4% to 10,180 MW.

The average rate in the Visayas dropped 7.6% month on month to P6.93 per kWh.

The grid’s available supply rose 7.7% month on month to 2,268 MW. Demand climbed 4.6% to 1,982 MW.

Mindanao WESM electricity prices fell 27.8% month on month to P3.37 per kWh.

Supply rose 10.9% from a month earlier to 3,794 MW, while demand rose 3.7% to 2,025 MW.

IEMOP operates the WESM, where energy companies can buy power when their long-term contracted power supply is insufficient for customer needs. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera

PHL franchise brands sign P750 million in firm deals at Melbourne trade show

SIX FRANCHISE brands participating in the Franchising & Business Opportunities Expo in Melbourne booked P750 million in firm deals, according to the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA).

“We were able to hit P750 million in terms of closed deals, just for the six brands alone,” according to Sherill R. Quintana, chair of the council of past presidents of the PFA.

She was speaking on the sidelines of the Franchise Asia Philippines 2024 International Franchise Conference on Monday.

The companies that joined the Melbourne expo were Avocadoria, Bench, Cabalen, Miguelitos Ice Cream, Oryspa, and Shawarma Shack, which all have international operations.

“Majority of them are food concepts … leveraging Melbourne being a culinary capital, where the people are into a lot of very curated food concepts,” she said.

The PFA is seeking the government’s support in helping franchise brands go international.

“(We support creating) more global Filipino brands. So far, only about 1% or 1.5% of franchise brands have an international presence,” PFA Chairman Chris Lim said.

“But slowly, with more investment … we want to accelerate that,” he added.

He said that franchise brands from Thailand and Malaysia have been very aggressive in joining international trade shows.

“They bring in big delegations. And that’s partly supported not only financially but as well as connection-wise by their government,” he said.

“So that is something that we’d love to continue working on with the Department of Trade and Industry and with all the PTICs (Philippine Trade and Investment Centers) to help more of our brands go international,” he added.

Ms. Quintana said that PFA brands will also be joining the Fine Food Australia Expo set to take place on Sept. 2-5 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

Bangsamoro gov’t authorized to enter into foreign-aid deals under new ODA guidelines

@BANGSAMOROGOVT

THE Intergovernmental Fiscal Policy Board (IFPB) approved on Tuesday guidelines authorizing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to contract its own official development assistance (ODA) funding deals.

The guidelines are expected to help bolster the region’s access to foreign assistance and support its development, the Department of Finance said.

Having separate ODA guidelines for the Bangsamoro could help unlock opportunities for infrastructure development and socioeconomic programs, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, who co-chairs the IFPB, said during the signing.

“Beyond financing, this will provide the BARMM with access to knowledge, technology transfer, capacity-building, and a wealth of experience from experts and development partners around the world,” Mr. Recto said.

Last year, BARMM received $579.83 million in foreign grants and loans to support the region’s peacebuilding and livelihood efforts, according to the National Economic and Development Authority’s 2023 ODA portfolio report.

The region’s share was 5.44% of the P10.65 billion in total ODA received by the Philippines last year.

The approved guidelines authorize the Bangsamoro government to contract loans, either in cash or in kind, from foreign governments or their agencies, instrumentalities, and multilateral institutions or organizations.

ODA guidelines allow the Bangsamoro government to borrow for investment and social, and economic development projects, in the absence of other financial instruments on the capital markets. Such packages must also contain a 25% grant element.

Foreign assistance cannot be used on projects required by law to be handled by the private sector, or for supporting private corporations that have access to commercial credit, according to the guidelines.

It also lists the Bangsamoro government instrumentalities that may participate in the ODA loan process.

The guidelines also detail the procedure for approving BARMM ODA deals, in coordination with the National Government (NG).

Bangsamoro Minister of Finance, Budget and Management Ubaida C. Pacasem, who also heads the IFPB, called the guidelines “a step on the ladder” towards achieving fiscal sustainability

Created under Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the IFPB recommends fiscal policy adjustments and other tax collection measures to the NG to ensure that BARMM’s financial needs are met. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Newly proclaimed ecozones in Iloilo, Batangas valued at P1.05 billion — PEZA

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said that the recently proclaimed economic zones by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will involve combined investment of over P1 billion.

In a statement on Tuesday, PEZA said that Proclamation Nos. 668 and 670 will result in the creation of an IT (information technology) center in Iloilo and the expansion of the LIMA Technology Center in Batangas, respectively.

“In collaboration with other government agencies and industry partners, PEZA furthers its commitment in eco-zoning the Philippines towards inclusive and sustainable development,” said PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga.

The first proclamation designated a 200-square-meter site in Iloilo as the Grid IT Center. It involved an initial investment of P193 million and was completed in 2019.

“The new ecozone already expects three companies engaged in the IT-business process management sector to locate, with an estimated P10 million to be invested and 250 workers to be employed,” PEZA said.

Meanwhile, the second proclamation designated an additional 31.35 hectares as the expansion site for LIMA Technology Center. It cost P856 million and is expected to be completed by the first quarter.

“This expansion is expected to further amplify Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc.’s contributions and better enable PEZA to execute its commitment to sustainable economic progress and national development,” the investment promotion agency said.

According to PEZA, LIMA Technology Center currently hosts 169 locators who invested P100 billion, creating 65,000 jobs.

In a separate statement, PEZA said it signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding with the Philippine Guarantee Corp. (Philguarantee) on Monday to help facilitate access to financing for investors.

“This allows for more businesses, especially investors and small and medium enterprises, to find greater opportunities in securing financing and managing risks for their operations,” PEZA said.

“Through these efforts, our organization is committed to supporting industrial and economic growth while ensuring a thriving integrated business ecosystem,” Philguarantee President and Chief Executive Officer Alberto E. Pascual said. 

“We are bullish that the integration of PEZA’s investment promotion strategies and digitalization initiatives with Philguarantee’s financial security mechanisms will lead to a stronger and more dynamic business environment,” Mr. Panga said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile

S. Korean aid agency in tie-up to expand livestock forage

DAR.GOV.PH

THE Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) said that it has entered into a partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency to improve forage production for livestock.

In a statement, the PCC said that the program will employ drones to survey land in aid of developing a strategy for sustainable forage production.

The PCC added that the project will run between 2025 and 2027, with the aim to develop the capacity of PCC technical staff and local government units.

The projects will be headed by the PCC’s Livestock Engineering Section and Production Systems and Nutrition Section. — Adrian H. Halili

Climate crisis seen as test for digitalization promises

PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD PHOTO

ASIA-PACIFIC economies must bolster the use of digital technology to support economic growth while addressing the climate crisis, the Philippine representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said.

“The true promise of digital transformation lies in its potential to address the most pressing challenges of our times, such as climate change, inequality, and poverty,” Millicent Cruz-Paredes, ambassador of the Philippines to Thailand and Philippine representative to ESCAP, told a forum on Tuesday.

“Our efforts must focus on building a robust digital infrastructure that supports the demands of a growing digital economy while being mindful of the environmental impact.”

She cited the need for governments to deploy digital solutions to the problem of climate and sustainability.

“Digital solutions must be seamlessly integrated into our strategies for climate resilience and sustainability, ensuring that they contribute to reducing carbon emissions and protecting our most vulnerable communities from the effects of climate change,” she said.

Businesses should also be encouraged to promote sustainable practices and adopt green technology to support growth and environmental protection, Ms. Cruz-Paredes said.

The region must focus on enhancing digital skills to ensure inclusive digitalization, she added.

The Asia-Pacific remains one of the most vulnerable regions to climate disasters, with average annual losses estimated at $1 trillion, according to ESCAP data.

The region is also home to both large- and small-scale emitters, with the latter being the most exposed to climate catastrophes.

In its latest Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Report, ESCAP noted the correlation between a country’s digital transformation and its energy transition.

“Notably, digitalization is enabling all infrastructures to become steadily smarter, enhancing efficiencies in energy consumption and supply and facilitating the integration of renewables throughout the lifecycle of infrastructure from the design, construction, operation and management stages to reusing infrastructure waste,” ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said in the report. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

Senate gives 2nd reading approval to RCEF bill raising allocation to P30B

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE SENATE on Tuesday approved on second reading a bill seeking to raise the annual allocation for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to P30 billion from P10 billion until 2031.

Senate Bill No. 2779 allocates P9 billion from the RCEF to the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization and sets aside P6 billion to develop and grow “high-quality inbred rice seeds.”

In May, the House of Representatives approved its version of the measure, which sought to restore the National Food Authority’s power to import rice during national emergencies. House Bill No. 10381 increased RCEF to P15 billion from P10 billion.

In the Senate measure, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will be given the power to declare a food security emergency due to shortages or “extraordinary” increases in rice prices.

In emergencies, the DA may sell the NFA’s rice reserves in areas suffering shortages or “extraordinary” high prices of the grain, replenish the inventory with domestic rice, and import rice if no domestic grain is available.

The Secretary of Agriculture will be given the authority to designate the importing entity, while the NFA remains barred from importing rice.

Farmers tilling two hectares of land or less may also tap an P8-billion cash aid fund under the amended RCEF.

The fund also allocates P2 billion in credit assistance to rice farmers at minimal interest rates, with the program managed by the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines.

The measure also provides P1.4 billion from RCEF for the construction of solar-powered irrigation systems, and another P1.4 billion for composting facilities.

The Rice Tariffication Law of 2019 had deregulated rice imports, allowing private parties to import while paying a 35% tariff on grain brought in from Southeast Asia. The tariff generates the funds for RCEF. The tariff has since been reduced to 15%.

The law also removed the NFA’s authority to import, restricting it to buying domestic grain to maintain an emergency inventory of rice for use during calamities.

The Senate’s amendments to the rice law also include setting parameters for NFA inventory at “15 days during harvest season and 30 days during lean season,” to be maintained in order to ensure food security in the event of emergencies.

A Rice Industry Development Program Management Office under the DA would also be established to maintain a national database of grain warehouses, with the power to regularly inspect these warehouses. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Creamline eyes ‘three-peat’ crown while Akari battles for first title

CREAMLINE COOL SMASHERS — PVL

Games Wednesday
(PhilSports Arena)
4 p.m. — Cignal vs PLDT (Battle for third)
6 p.m. — Akari vs Creamline (Finals)

CREAMLINE shoots for its breakthrough “three-peat” championship while Akari eyes its first crown as the two collide in a no-tomorrow showdown Wednesday in the Premier Volleyball (PVL) League Reinforced Conference at the PhilSports Arena.

Another championship for the Cool Smashers, who escaped past the Cignal HD Spikers, 20-25, 26-28, 25-18, 27-25, 15-13, in the semis Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena, would extend the Cool Smashers’ dynastic reign as they will collect a league record ninth championship in 12 finals appearance.

This will also be Creamline’s 15th straight podium finish, another league mark.

For Akari, which edged PLDT, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15, it will try to snatch one from Creamline for the former’s first crown since joining the league two years ago.

Gametime is at 6 p.m.

Expect the battle to be waged between the protagonists’ talented imports in Americans Erica Staunton of Creamline and Oly Okaro are expected to rage a battle after their semifinal magnificence with the former unloading 38 points and latter 39 hits.

“I’m just trying to do everything to help the team,” said Ms. Staunton.

Michele Gumabao, one of the Cool Smashers’ charismatic leaders, for her part, vowed to provide help in whatever ways she can.

“If I can’t score, I make sure I’ll help in other ways like defense, or just encouraging my teammates,” she said.

PVL Notes: Choco Mucho captain Maddie Madayag has been tapped by Kurobe Aqua Fairies to play in the Japan leagues where she would join another Filipina Jia de Guzman (Denso Airybees) newly naturalized Japanese Jaja Santiago-Minowa. — Joey Villar

Gilas boys rout Indonesia at FIBA U18 Asia Cup in Jordan

GILAS PILIPINAS BOYS — FIBA.BASKETBALL

GILAS Pilipinas youth unleashed a gripping second quarter run to drub neighbor Indonesia, 75-48, for a flying start in the FIBA Under 18 (U18) Asia Cup late Monday night at the As Salt Arena Complex in Amman, Jordan.

The Filipinos had a hard time pulling away in the opening salvo with a close 15-14 score before launching a searing 23-2 barrage in the second period that took the fight out of the Indonesians heading home.

World No. 25 Gilas led by as many as 36 points even without star guard Andy Gemao, who was ruled out of the tournament on the eve of the opener due to a metacarpal bone fracture injury following a tune-up against Iran.

Still, the Nationals proved to be too good to handle for their Southeast Asian rivals with Wilham Lawrence Cabonilas showing the way with 19 points, eight rebounds, a steal and a block in only 19 minutes of play.

Nicolash Drei Lorenzo and John Earl Medina added 12 and 11 points, respectively, as seven more players racked up the scoring board in their easy 27-point victory.

It was a commanding repeat win for Gilas over Indonesia after an 87-64 win in the SEABA Qualifiers, which the team swept with an average winning margin of 27.3 points to qualify in the Asian tourney.

At 1-0 in Group D, Gilas has the host and FIBA No. 51 Jordan (0-1) next early today before wrapping up the group campaign against No. 27 New Zealand (1-0) late evening in a bid to finish on top for an automatic quarterfinal ticket. Second and third-ranked squads still need to go through qualification.

Mentored by Josh Reyes, Gilas is aiming for a semifinal finish in the FIBA Asia to punch a ticket in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland.

Meanwhile, Halmaheranno Aprianto Lolaru Hady scored 12 points as the lone bright spot for Indonesia gearing up for a tough duel against New Zealand that just beat Jordan, 71-62. — John Bryan Ulanday

Blu Girls finish in fifth place at U18 Softball World Cup

BLU GIRLS U18 — WBSC

THE PHILIPPINES smashed Ireland, 4-0, yesterday to salvage some measure of pride with a fifth-place finish in the World Baseball Softball Confederation Under 18 (U18) Women’s Softball World Cup in Dallas, Texas.

Callie Christian imposed her will at the mound as she pitched a shutout by allowing just a hit and a walk while fanning out six batters that capped her solid effort for the Cebuana Lhuillier Blu Girls. “I am incredibly proud of our girls for their determination and hard work throughout the tournament. They played with heart and displayed the exceptional talent that Philippine softball has to offer,” Amatuer Softball Association of the Philippines Chief Jean Henri Lhuillier.

“We will be with the girls every step of the way as they prepare for the next World Cup. This experience will only make them stronger and make them grow, as they’ll definitely be back hungry for more,” he added.

Host United States and Canada claimed the two spots in Group C, joining Japan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Mexico, the Czech Republic, and China in the finals set next year. — Joey Villar

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