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Catch awesome adventures at 7-Eleven: Pokémon teams up with convenience store giant for special merch and more

7-Eleven Philippines and The Pokémon Company Partnership Press Conference. From left to right: Niantic Emerging Markets Senior Manager Joyce Mak, 7-Eleven Division Head of Marketing Communications Valerie Gayle Uy, and The Pokémon Company’s Corporate Officer of Asia Business Development Susumu Fukunaga

In its constant pursuit to foster community, 7-Eleven has mastered collaborating with popular brands that can stir excitement among its customers. This month, 7-Eleven goers can jump on another awesome adventure as a legendary partnership is making noise in regions far and wide: that between the convenience store giant and one of the most beloved media franchises in the world, Pokémon.

A brand that’s captured the hearts of many with its range of video games, animated series and films, trading cards, and mobile apps, Pokémon’s zest for exploration will definitely provide an irresistible thrill for fans of the franchise and 7-Eleven alike. The partnership was launched last Sept. 13, 2024 with a ribbon-cutting held at 7-Eleven Centris 1 in Quezon City. Present at the milestone occasion were representatives from 7-Eleven Philippines, The Pokémon Company, and Niantic, Inc., the company of the mobile game Pokémon GO.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony outside the Pokémon-themed 7-Eleven Centris 1, Quezon City. From left to right: Niantic Emerging Markets Senior Manager Joyce Mak, The Pokémon Company’s Corporate Officer of Asia Business Development Susumu Fukunaga, 7-Eleven Operations Director Francis Medina, Host Myrtle Sarrosa, 7-Eleven General Merchandise Division Head Jun Ang, Strategic Merchandise Division Head Armi Cagasan, and 7-Eleven Division Head of Marketing Communications Valerie Gayle Uy

Both brands kicked things off by wrapping 7-Eleven Centris 1 in Quezon City in full Pokémon decor, with 7-Eleven Arnaiz Avenue in Makati and 7-Eleven St. Theresa Casa Rosario in Cebu to follow in the next few months. To add to the fun, 7-Eleven Centris 1 has also been turned into a PokéStop in Pokémon Go along with the rest of the Philippine 7-Eleven stores. Customers can now venture to the branch nearest to them for the full Pokémon experience by channeling their inner trainer and catching their coveted Pokémon through the Pokémon GO app.

Valerie Gayle Uy, 7-Eleven Division Head of Marketing Communications, speaking on the exciting future of the partnership

Gamers can then take a break from playing and enjoy their go-to 7-Eleven products wrapped in Pokémon-themed packaging. There’s Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur for Crunch Time; Pikachu and Snorlax for 7-Fresh Siopao; Meowth for Big Bite; Jigglypuff for Fundae; Gyarados for GULP; Eevee, Flareon, and Jolteon for the small, medium, and large cups of City Cafe respectively; and Umbreon for Prima. The themed packaging is currently available in 7-Eleven Luzon stores, but will be implemented across the country from October.

Susumu Fukunaga, The Pokémon Company’s Corporate Officer of Asia Business Development, expressing gratitude for the Philippines’ warm welcome and passion for Pokémon

Fans of the trading card game have it extra special as Pokémon Trading Card Game Booster Packs are up for grabs in 1,500 7-Eleven stores nationwide. There’s a surprise for every fan too. For every purchase of one Booster Pack, which starts at P259, buyers will receive one limited edition Pokémon 7-Eleven Promo Card. Definitely an extra treat for fans to engage with the community and collect, train, battle, and trade in the spirit of the franchise.

Joyce Mak, Niantic Emerging Markets Senior Manager, thanking the Filipino fans for their commitment to Pokémon Go over the years

Experience the 7-Eleven and Pokémon partnership today as they’ll be up for a limited time only. Prepare to embark on a great journey and become the very best of them all at 7-Eleven.

Cheers to 40 years with 7-Eleven and like us on 7-Eleven Philippines Facebook, follow @711ph on Instagram, and @711philippines on Twitter and TikTok for more information.

 

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Amazon hit with US labor board complaint over ‘joint employment’ of drivers

REUTERS

Amazon.com has been accused by a U.S. labor board of illegally refusing to bargain with a union representing drivers employed by a contractor, the agency announced on Wednesday.

The complaint from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claims that Amazon is a so-called “joint employer” of drivers employed by the contractor, Battle Tested Strategies (BTS), and used a series of illegal tactics to discourage union activities at a facility in Palmdale, California.

BTS drivers voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union last year, becoming the first Amazon delivery contractors to unionize.

The NLRB in a complaint issued on Monday said Amazon broke the law by terminating its contract with BTS after the drivers unionized, without first bargaining with the Teamsters.

The board had said in August that it had found merit to the union’s claims that Amazon exerts control over BTS drivers and should be considered their employer under federal labor law. The NLRB at the time said it would issue a complaint unless Amazon settled the case.

The board said last month it planned to issue a second complaint involving a different group of Amazon drivers.

In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Eileen Hards said the NLRB did not include many of the Teamsters’ claims in its complaint, showing that the union was “misrepresenting the facts.”

“As we’ve said all along, there is no merit to any of their claims. We look forward to showing that as the legal process continues and expect the few remaining allegations will be dismissed as well,” Ms. Hards said.

Amazon has said in the past that it does not have enough control over drivers’ working conditions to be considered their joint employer.

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien said in a statement that Amazon is trying to reap the benefits of drivers’ labor without taking responsibility for their well being.

“This decision brings us one step closer to getting Amazon workers the pay, working conditions, and contracts they deserve,” Mr. O’Brien said.

Joint employment has been one of the most contentious U.S. labor issues over the last decade, and the NLRB’s standard for determining when companies qualify as joint employers has shifted numerous times since the Obama administration.

Business groups favor a test that requires direct and immediate control over workers, while unions and Democrats back a standard that covers indirect forms of control.

The case will be heard by an administrative judge in Los Angeles, who is scheduled to hold an initial hearing next March. The judge’s decision can be reviewed by the five-member NLRB, whose rulings can be appealed to federal court.

A ruling that Amazon is a joint employer under federal labor law could be applied in cases involving other Amazon contractors and force the company to bargain with drivers’ unions.

The board, meanwhile, is facing claims by a growing number of companies, including Amazon, that its structure and in-house enforcement proceedings violate the U.S. Constitution.

Amazon has filed a lawsuit against the board seeking to block it from deciding whether the company must bargain with a union representing workers at a New York City warehouse. A federal appeals court on Monday temporarily blocked the NLRB from ruling while it reviews Amazon’s claims. – Reuters

 

China urges UN Security Council to de-escalate Middle East crisis

SMOKE rises over Beirut’s southern suburbs after a strike, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon, Oct. 1, 2024. — REUTERS

HONG KONG – China called on the United Nations Security Council to take “urgent actions” to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East as Israel launched fresh air strikes in Lebanon.

China’s permanent representative to the U.N., Fu Cong, said during a Security Council briefing on Wednesday, that it needed to make clear and unequivocal demands to stop the cycle of violence over the Israeli-Lebanon conflict.

“The Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,” the official Xinhua news agency reported Mr. Fu as saying, noting that all parties concerned “must return to the track of political and diplomatic solutions”.

Israel’s latest missile strikes in central Beirut come after Iran fired more than 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday. Israel has also sent infantry and armored units into Lebanon with reports of fighting with the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

Iran said on Wednesday its missile volley – its biggest ever assault on Israel – was over barring further provocation, but Israel and the United States promised to hit back hard.

Iran’s missile attack and Israel’s pledge of retaliation have raised concerns that the oil-producing Middle East could be caught up in a wider conflict.

Warning that the current situation is “hanging by a thread,” Xinhua cited Mr. Fu as saying that any “passive procrastination would be irresponsible, and any rhetoric of condoning further military adventurism would send a wrong message”.

Mr. Fu said the spreading Middle East conflict had already caused an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, with Gaza having become a “hell on earth,” and over 1.2 million people displaced in Lebanon.

China’s Foreign Ministry has urged all parties and especially Israel to immediately cool things down to prevent the situation getting out of control. Beijing has also said it opposes any violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty. – Reuters

Thousands in North Carolina still without water days after Helene’s destruction

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Rajesh Balouria from Pixabay

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina – Tens of thousands of North Carolina residents remained without running water on Wednesday, six days after Hurricane Helene slammed into Florida and carved a destructive path through much of the US Southeast, killing more than 180 people.

The powerful storm inundated the western part of the state with catastrophic flooding, destroying pipes, damaging water plants and cutting off power.

One-fifth of the 1 million residents in the western half of North Carolina either had no water at all or low system pressure on Wednesday, according to an online state database. About 1 million homes and businesses across five states remained without electricity, according to website Poweroutage.us.

In hard-hit Asheville, the municipal water supply system, which serves more than 150,000 people, was badly damaged. Many residents have been warned to expect dry faucets for days or even weeks while pipes are repaired; those with water have been urged to boil it before consuming.

A steady stream of people were filing on Wednesday into Pack Square Park, where the city had set up a food and water distribution hub.

A dozen volunteers distributed drinking water from a makeshift tap system with PVC pipes attached to a tanker truck. Nearby, volunteers distributed donated ready-to-eat meals and plastic water bags to those who had no containers or jugs.

David Shoham, a professor from East Tennessee State University who was waiting for supplies, has been without water and power since Friday.

He had filled up his bathtub ahead of the storm but has since drawn down his reserve after washing dishes.

“It’s just the reality,” he said. “There’s nothing we can do about it individually. We just have to trust that our institutions are going to step up and get services restored. Yeah, it’s frustrating. But who am I going to complain to? The man upstairs?”

Jordan Lance, owner of Buxton Chicken Palace, and three of his chefs filled multiple buckets and containers, hauling them away in a wagon. The group is preparing hot meals three times a day at a nearby food hall.

“We’re gonna be doing big batches of jambalaya coming up, steaming some rice, getting some hot food out for folks,” Mr. Lance said. He got choked up when asked how his business would fare without running water, possibly for weeks.

People in North Carolina obtain their water from a patchwork of sources, depending on where they live. In major cities, water comes from large water plants, while in remote areas some residents are served by small neighborhood systems or rely on private wells.

Water distribution sites have been set up at several locations. Both the county and the city paid for private supplies of water to be trucked in, and the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have supplied drinking water for distribution around the area.

 

DESPERATE FOR WATER

Helene came ashore in Florida late on Thursday as a powerful Category 4 hurricane before turning its fury on much of the Southeast, as flash floods destroyed homes and ripped victims away from their families.

The storm washed out both the main pipes and backup pipes at North Fork, one of three water treatment plants serving the Asheville watershed, officials said. Another plant, DeBruhl, could not be reached after the storm blocked the access road with debris.

Both the state’s National Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are helping to return the plants to normal operations, city officials said. The system’s third main plant, Mills River, was struggling at reduced capacity.

At least 61 people died in Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, according to authorities.

That elevated the death toll to at least 189 people in six states, according to CNN.

Rachel Simpson, 33, felt lucky to have weathered the storm with only minor damage to her Asheville home.

But she said it has been difficult with no water to bathe, wash clothes or flush toilets.

“The city says it’ll be at least four weeks before the water comes back on,” she said. “Right now we’re getting by the best we can. All the water we have now we’re getting from friends.”

Harrison Fahrer, 37, co-founder of the west Asheville brew house Cellarest Beer Project, knows his problems pale in comparison to those of people whose houses and businesses didn’t survive. But he’s not sure how he’ll make it without water.

“You turn on the spigot and all it does is hiss,” he said. “If we can’t brew, we can’t pay our bills, our loans, our rent, utilities.”

 

BIDEN, HARRIS SURVEY DAMAGE

As search-and-rescue teams continued to comb through wreckage for the missing and deliver water, food and aid to residents, President Joe Biden visited the state to survey the washed-out roads, smashed bridges and felled power lines.

Vice President Kamala Harris, in the middle of a presidential campaign against Republican former President Donald Trump, traveled to Georgia on Wednesday, two days after Trump visited the state.

The water crisis has impeded businesses, hospitals and schools in and around Asheville as locals try to get back to normal.

“The biggest concern for getting students back to school is water,” Asheville City Schools Superintendent Maggie Fehrman said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Without water, we just simply cannot bring students back or staff back into our building.” – Reuters

Melania defends abortion as Donald Trump says states should decide, Guardian reports

FREEPIK

LOS ANGELES – Melania Trump writes in her upcoming memoir that a woman has the right to an abortion, The Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday, while her husband, Donald Trump, backs the ability for U.S. states to restrict the procedure.

“Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body?” Melania Trump writes in her memoir that is due to be published four weeks before the Nov. 5 election, in which her husband faces Democrat Kamala Harris.

“Restricting a woman’s right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same as denying her control over her own body. I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life,” she was reported as writing in the memoir.

The Guardian said it has obtained a copy of the book, titled “Melania,” that is due to be published on Oct. 8. A spokesperson for the former first lady did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Donald Trump, a Republican, had previously signaled support for a national ban beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy but in April said political considerations were paramount in the first presidential election since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, ending a nearly 50-year federal right to the procedure.

Mr. Trump says abortion laws should be decided by the states and backs exceptions to a ban on abortion in the case of rape, incest and to protect the mother’s life.

Polls show the presidential election is a tight race with seven battleground states likely to decide the outcome.

Democrats see abortion rights as a popular issue for Harris to use against Mr. Trump. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted from August 21-28 found a majority of voters, including 34% of Republicans, want the next president to protect or increase abortion access.

“Sadly for the women across America, Mrs. Trump’s husband firmly disagrees with her and is the reason that more than one in three American women live under a Trump Abortion Ban that threatens their health, their freedom, and their lives,” a Harris campaign spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Mr. Trump takes credit for the Supreme Court overturning the Roe v. Wade decision in 2022, which had protected a right to abortion at up to around 24 to 28 weeks, because justices appointed by Trump swung the vote. – Reuters

Argentina budget cuts spark student protests

Image by David from Pixabay

BUENOS AIRES – Hundreds of thousands of Argentine students protested in the streets on Wednesday against sharp spending cuts at public universities by President Javier Milei’s libertarian government.

The protests were organized after the administration threatened to veto a law Congress passed weeks ago to guarantee university funding, as Argentina faces an economic crisis with annual inflation close to 240% and over half of its population in poverty.

“The government has a systematic, methodical and gradual plan to destroy public education,” Ricardo Gelpi, head of the University of Buenos Aires, said in a statement.

Mr. Milei’s government has repeatedly justified cuts, deriding public universities as sites of “socialist” indoctrination, but the institutions have a strong reputation among Argentines.

After the protest, Mr. Milei’s office doubled down, pledging to veto the “irresponsible” push to boost spending on national universities as well as any proposal that “threatens the fiscal balance.”

Mr. Gelpi said Mr. Milei’s administration does not care about education and that the cuts represented a small fraction of the country’s economic output.

The head of Argentina’s FUA university federation, Piera Fernandez, told the crowds that public university education is “fighting for its survival,” adding that spending on education and science is an investment, not an expense.

In April, a protest that drew hundreds of thousands of students and teachers forced Mr. Milei to reconsider a cut in the higher education budget. University authorities later said the government did not make promised improvements.

Argentina’s Ministry of Human Capital said in a statement that the government’s commitment to public universities remained “firm.”

“Public university education was never defunded,” it said.

According to the University of Buenos Aires, university teachers and non-teaching staff have lost around 40% of their purchasing power since December, and deterioration continues.

“If the law is vetoed, the consequences would be very serious,” added UBA graduate and teacher Florencia Rivero, saying it would affect wages, research and other fundamental activities. “So let’s hope it doesn’t happen.” – Reuters

PFA holds Franchise Expo in SM Bacolod

Get ready to explore boundless franchise opportunities! Organized by the Philippine Franchise Association — the country’s pioneer and the only internationally recognized franchise association, the Franchise Negosyo para sa Negros Expo is finally here, opening tomorrow, Oct. 4, at SM City Bacolod, North Wing Atrium! This highly anticipated two-day event runs from Oct. 4-5, 2024, and is set to be the ultimate destination for aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners, and franchise enthusiasts across the region.

The expo will feature over 30 exhibitors, proudly representing over 200+ brands from the food, retail, service, and allied services sectors, all in one place for you to explore. Whether you’re looking to invest in a franchise or thinking of expanding your existing business, this event is designed to provide essential insights and connections.

Participating brands are 7-Eleven, Ate Rica’s Bacsilog, Buko Twist, Canadian Tourism and Hospitality Institute, Carrier, Cocolo Express, Famous Belgian Waffle, Figaro, Francorp, Gamot Publiko, Grainsmart Cafe, Kurimi, Livingwater, LT&G Credit Line, Macao Imperial Tea, Master Siomai, M-Gas, Miguelitos Food Service, Miguelitos Ice Cream, Minute Burger, Mister Donut, Mitsubishi, MLhuiller, Momo Egg Drop, Moonleaf, Mr. Lemon, Mr. Potato, Oryspa Spa Solution, PLDT Enterprise, Potato Corner, Seaoil, Shell, Siomai House, The Hungry Pita, The Lemon Co., The Shawarma Shack, U-Franchise Sales and Management, Union Bank, and Villa Tuna.

Exciting Seminars Await!

Visitors can also participate in a series of powerful seminars that will equip them with the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in the franchise world:

How to Invest in the Right Franchise (FREE seminar)

A seminar for would-be franchisees that is aimed to educate the public on wise franchise investment. Meant for people looking to start a business or diversify their investment via franchising such as OFWs, existing and aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners, etc.

How to Franchise Your Business (Paid seminar)

A seminar for existing business owners looking to expand their brand via franchising, this seminar will discuss the steps in turning a local business into a successful franchise.

Franchise Forum: From Micro to National — Scaling Strategies for Business Success (FREE seminar)

A forum aimed to equip participant, especially the MSMEs, with the knowledge and tools needed to scale their businesses from a micro level to a national level. This seminar will feature top-notch industry leaders:

Ms. Sherill Quintana, Founding President and CEO of Oryspa

Mr. Marco Antonio Soliman, President and CEO of LT&Credit Line

Mr. Walther Buenavista, President and CEO of Shawarma Shack

Learn from the best in the industry and hear their success stories in this exclusive forum!

6 STEPS to a Better Business Seminar (FREE seminar)

With Coach Joo Caparas, you will discover the best strategies to unlock potential growth, increase profitability, build a winning team, and maximize your time with ActionCOACH’s 6 Action-Oriented Steps to a Better Business.

This is an incredible opportunity to learn, grow, and be part of the flourishing franchise ecosystem. Whether you’re taking your first steps as an entrepreneur or aiming to scale your business, the Franchise Negosyo para sa Negros Expo promises something for everyone.

The future of your business journey begins here! See you at SM City Bacolod tomorrow for an event that could change the way you do business! Registration to the expo and most of the seminars is FREE and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to register online to reserve seats for the seminars as spots are limited.

Franchise Negosyo para sa Negros is made possible with the support of DTI Region VI, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), SM City Bacolod, SM Supermalls, GCash for Business, PLDT Enterprise, Park Inn by Radisson Bacolod, Carrier The Air Authority, Grainsmart Café, Living Water, Miguelitos Ice Cream, Macao Imperial Tea, Mitsubishi Motors, Francorp, U-Franchise, Shell, UnionBank, Net 25 Eagle Broadcasting Corp., BusinessWorld, Business Mirror, Mega Mobile (Inquirer Mobile), Asia Journal / Balikbayan Magazine, The Philippine Star, and Philippine Daily Inquirer.

For more information, visit our website https://www.pfa.org.ph/event-details/negros.

 

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Verde Island Passage, the ‘Amazon of the Ocean,’ eyes World Heritage Site status

The Verde Island Passage (VIP), known as the “Amazon of the Ocean” for its highest concentration of marine shorefish biodiversity, is now poised to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

“We believe that this status would not just spotlight the VIP… It would also add another layer of protection to secure the VIP’s very important ecosystems,” Martha Vergara, OIC Deputy for oceans and climate at the Center for Energy, and Development (CEED) said during the media conference last Friday.  

The VIP is situated in a strait that separates the islands of Luzon and Mindoro, where over 1736 overlapping species coexist in just a 10 sq. km area.  

According to an analysis by Prof. Kent Carpenter, a marine biologist, and other scientists who studied the waters of countries within the Coral Triangle, discovered that the VIP is the epicenter with “the highest concentration in the world of marine species,” Mr. Carpenter said. 

It is also home to 50% of marine species in the Indo-Pacific region, he added 

Apart from its rich biodiversity, the VIP is also a lifeline for two million residents who rely on it for fishing and tourism. 

According to CEED, the strait generates about P12 Billion in annual income from fishing alone, which residents of the provinces of Batangas, Marinduque, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon rely on.   

Despite its ecological and economic significance, the VIP is facing increasing threats from various anthropogenic activities, including those caused by the shipping industry, energy expansion, fossil fuel extraction, and climate change. 

“They put pressure on the fragile ecosystems in the VIP,” Ms. Vergara said.  

The following anthropogenic activities, along with the devastating 2023 Mindoro oil spill, have resulted in damages worth P41.2 billion, according to CEED.  

Designating the VIP as a World Heritage Site will not only affirm its global significance but also rally support for its protection, CEED said.

 

No fisherfolk left behind

As the bid for the VIP to become a World Heritage Site is underway, the issue of poverty among fishermen should also be addressed, a community advocate said.  

“It’s a prerequisite to help alleviate poverty in the island and all the communities in the VIP to secure its protection,” Gela Petines, Founder of Batang VIP said during the media conference last Friday.  

Ms. Petines is a community advocate for Barangay San Andres, a community in Isla Verde, Batangas.  

Despite the community living near the center of marine shorefish biodiversity, Ms. Petines said many households still fall below the poverty line, earning less than P5000 a month.  

“It is the center of the richest marine biodiversity but why is it also home to the poorest of the poor, it does not make any sense,” she said.  

The poverty on the island has been further worsened by the drastic decline in fishermen’s catch in recent years, forcing them to sail farther and into deeper reefs. 

The decline in fish catch has been caused by the surge in the island’s population, climate change, pollution, industrial activities, and typhoons, Maximo Bayuba, fisherman and the Vice President for external affairs for Bukluran ng Mangingisda sa Batangas said.  

“Noong una nakakahuli kami in one-night mayroong 25 kilos hanggang 30 kilos. Ngayon ang nahuhuli namin at nahuhuli ng mga anak ko ay meron lang higit isang kilo, meron lang maiuulam ang isang pamilya [At first, we used to catch 25 to 30 kilos in one night. Now, what my children and I catch is just over a kilo, barely enough for one family’s meal,” Mr. Bayubay said.  

Some fishermen in VIP even practice compressor fishing, where they dive to at least 40 feet underwater, taking in air from an air compressor powered by their boat. 

This fishing practice is discouraged on VIP due to the risk of decompression sickness or illness, which could potentially lead to death. 

“It is not something that they want to do, it is just out of necessity,” Ms. Petines said.  

In a 2021 report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), fisherfolk recorded the highest poverty incidence at 30.6%.  

This is followed by sectors such as farmers (30%), children (26.4%), and individuals residing in rural areas (25.7%). 

“These sectors had the highest proportion of individuals belonging to families with income below the official poverty thresholds compared to the other basic sectors,” PSA said in a statement.  

Ms. Petines also noticed that the dropout rate in Brgy. San Andres is notably high.  

In her conversation with the children, they usually say “Marunong na akong mangisda [I already know how to fish],” prompting them to leave school as early as Grade 3, often around the age of 10.  

If VIP becomes a World Heritage Site, Ms. Petines and Mr. Bayubay hope for support to help communities transition to sustainable livelihoods that are both financially and environmentally sustainable. 

This is in light of potential stricter fishing regulations to protect VIP’s marine biodiversity.  – Edg Adrian A. Eva

Freeport Area of Bataan gears up to lead Asia’s blockchain industry

BW FILE PHOTO

The Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) is poised to become one of the key blockchain hubs in Asia, with significant developments already underway. 

The FAB is a 1,700-hectare trade hub located in Mariveles, Bataan, serving as the Philippines’ center of trade and a key transit point for domestic, regional, and global shipping. 

Apart from being a trading hub, it is also a manufacturing center for various global industries, such as lenses, luxury brand accessories, sports equipment, and more, providing nearly 40,000 jobs within the region.  

Under the mandate of RA 11453, the FAB is positioned to become the country’s hub for emerging and future technologies like blockchain.  

“We also look to the future as allowed by amended charter, apart from manufacturing. We now additionally cover Bataan as a home for the global blockchain industry,” Mohammed Hussein Pangandaman, CEO of the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) said during the 2nd day of the 2024 Global Block Chain Congress held in Bataan.  

Five years after the implementation of RA 11543, Mr. Pangandaman highlighted key developments, including the release of the Offshore Digital Assets License (ODAL) Policy last year. 

The key points of the ODAL policy include the licensing of blockchain-related industries based on the nature of their activities, divided into three categories.  

Class 1 includes digital asset exchanges, trading activities utilizing blockchain technology, and similar operations. 

Class 2 covers digital asset token offerings, and crowdfunding activities such as Security Token Offerings, Initial Exchange Offerings, Utility Token Offerings, and related activities. 

Class 3 encompasses allied activities that use technology to facilitate the transfer, storage, or generation of virtual assets, as well as payment solutions and digital wallet service providers, among others. 

Meanwhile, the accreditation of local service providers is also included in the ODAL Policy such as customer support, R&D and technical support, cybersecurity services data center, and similar activities aimed at supporting blockchain-related operations.  

“Starting this year, we have already accepted applications for the Offshore Digital Assets License (ODAL) and have already approved a Class 1 license and a local service provider,” Mr. Pangandaman said.  

Mr. Pangandaman also emphasized the development of office spaces in FAB, aiming to provide essential services such as virtual office addresses, phone numbers, hot desks, and temporary workspaces for emerging industries. 

“Work is now ongoing so that we can begin to offer you, office spaces around the middle part of next year. We have allocated half of our fourth-floor building for virtual offices and co-work spaces,” he added.  

Improved internet connectivity was also boasted as the rollout of the underground fiber optic cable network was already completed.  

“And we are now working to activate it with a bandwidth that will be responsive to the requirements of your industry,” Mr. Pangandaman said. 

Mr. Pangandaman noted that with the help of citizens and dialogue among various stakeholders, the AFAB’s mission of creating an environment where blockchain industries can thrive within a regulated network can be achieved. – Edg Adrian A. Eva

PH aviation sector catches up with “under-investment” in airport development

YOUSEF ALFUHIGI-UNSPLASH

The country’s aviation industry is catching up on the “significant under-investment in airport development over the years,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said on Tuesday. 

Mr. Bautista said the projects from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will secure a sustainable future, and position the Philippines as the leading regional player in the aviation sector by 2028. 

“The Philippine aviation industry is on the cusp of a significant transformation,” he said. 

The recent developments in the aviation sector will produce economic growth for the nation, he added. 

“Airport expansion and upgrading primarily hinges on a continued rise in passenger traffic as well as those that exhibit growth potential measured by increased tourism and economic activities.” 

The rehabilitation efforts at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will be followed by modernization of Tuguegarao, Bacon, Loakan, Daet, Cauayan, Vigan, and Candon airports, according to DOTr. 

Catbalogan, Dumaguete, Kabankalan, Calbayog, Zamboanga, Mati, M’lang, Jolo, Siargao, and Tandag airports in Visayas and Mindanao will also undergo improvements.  

“The rehabilitation and modernization of airports will lead to increase in passenger capacity, while generating employment and tourist arrivals,” the department said. 

Mr. Bautista cited the ‘critical initiatives’ of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on upgrading the country’s air navigation management. 

With the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), improvements in communications, navigation, surveillance/air traffic management (CNS ATM) systems will commence next month. – Almira Louise S. Martinez

IMF trims Philippine growth forecasts

People shop for school supplies at a market in Quezon City, July 28, 2024. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

By Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson, Reporter

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) trimmed its economic growth forecasts for the Philippines as elevated inflation is likely to continue weighing on domestic demand.

The multilateral institution cut the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) outlook for this year to 5.8% from 6% previously. It also now sees GDP expanding by 6.1% in 2025, a tad lower than the previous forecast of 6.2%.

The IMF’s growth estimates fall short of the government’s 6-7% and 6.5-7.5% GDP forecasts for this year and 2025, respectively.

“The downward revision from our July forecast mainly reflects our view that private consumption is going to grow slightly with less momentum,” IMF Mission Chief Elif Arbatli Saxegaard said at a press briefing on Wednesday.

“I would like to highlight that the downgrade is very small and reflects the fact that the first-half private consumption growth was lower than what we had anticipated, and this might be in part driven by the high food prices.”

The Philippine economy grew by 6.3% in the second quarter, the fastest growth in five quarters. However, household spending continued to be “anemic” as it rose by just 4.6% in the second quarter from 5.5% a year ago.

“With the ongoing efforts, including non-monetary efforts to reduce food prices and especially rice prices, we do think that this will be supportive of consumption growth going forward,” Ms. Saxegaard said.

She said that risks to the growth outlook are tilted to the downside, with risks stemming from an anticipated slowdown in major economies, commodity price volatility, supply shocks and geopolitical tensions.

“On the upside, an easing of global financial conditions or faster-than-anticipated private investment, for example, linked to the public-private partnerships or larger foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows could stimulate higher growth,” she said.

Ms. Saxegaard also noted its growth projections for the Philippines remain one of the highest in the region.

“It’s 6.1% growth for 2025 is a very respectable growth rate… so it’s a very small adjustment reflecting the outturn in the first half.”

She also noted that the Philippine economy “holds significant potential” in its natural resources, blue economy and demographic dividend.

“In our view, what will be very critical for the medium term is the potential to unlock this medium-term growth potential through comprehensive and well-sequenced structural reforms.”

Meanwhile, the IMF sees headline inflation averaging 3.3% in 2024 and 3% in 2025.

These are slightly lower than the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) full-year forecasts of 3.4% and 3.1% for this year and in 2025, respectively.

“That would be supported by lower food and core inflation remaining well within the target,” Ms. Saxegaard said.

Ms. Saxegaard said that risks to the inflation outlook remain tilted to the upside due to recurring commodity price shocks and any potential supply shocks.

“We believe that the decisive monetary tightening and other measures have helped mitigate inflationary pressures in the Philippines, recent tariff cuts on imported rice and other non-monetary measures helped reduce food prices and should further reduce headline inflation by the year end,” she said.

‘GRADUAL REDUCTION’
The IMF said that the Philippine central bank can begin gradually reducing interest rates.

“With inflation already coming down to within the target band, also with inflation expectations coming down, and the opening of a small negative output gap, we do think that a gradual continued reduction in the policy rate is appropriate. That’s our current advice,” she said.

At its Aug. 15 meeting, the BSP began cutting interest rates for the first time in nearly four years. It reduced the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 6.25% from the over 17-year high of 6.5%.

“The data-dependent approach and careful communication around policy settings will help manage expectations and uncertainty and more frequent supply-side shocks,” Ms. Saxegaard said.

IMF Representative to the Philippines Ragnar Gudmundsson said that the BSP should also take into account that there are still both upside and downside risks to inflation.

“This is why the data-dependent approach is very important. So, yes, there is loosening, but caution is still necessary in the coming months because of an uncertain environment,” he added.

Marcos signs law imposing 12% VAT on Netflix, Amazon

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday signed into law a bill taxing nonresident digital service providers (DSP) including Netflix and Amazon. — REUTERS

By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday signed into law a bill taxing nonresident digital service providers (DSP) including Netflix and Amazon, from which it expects to collect P100 billion in the next five years.

Republic Act No. 12023, which amended the National Revenue Code of 1997, imposes a 12% value-added tax (VAT) on foreign digital service providers. A 5% VAT will also be slapped on registered foreign players providing services to the government.

The law covers online search engines, online marketplaces, cloud services, online media and advertising, online platforms, and any digital content providers.

However, digital services sold on a subscription basis to educational institutions recognized by the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, and state universities and colleges will be exempted from the VAT policy.

“For the next five years, we estimate to collect P105 billion from this measure,” Mr. Marcos said in a speech during the ceremonial signing event in Malacañang. “This is enough to build 42,000 classrooms, more than 6,000 rural health units, 7,000 kilometers of farm-to-market roads.”

“With this law, we say that if your presence in the Philippine market is as real as your profits, then your tax responsibilities should also be equally tangible.”

The law requires nonresident DSPs to register for VAT payments if their gross sales or receipts for the past year have exceeded P3 million.

Under the law, 5% of VAT collections will be used for the development of the local creatives industry for five years.

Concerned agencies should come up with the law’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) within 90 days of the law’s effectivity.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue should also establish an implementation system 120 days from the effectivity of the IRR.

Under the law, foreign DSPs should designate a representative office or agent in the Philippines.

At a briefing for Malacañang reporters, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui, Jr. said the government expects to generate more than P100 billion in revenues from VAT collections under the new law, citing revenue data of Google, Netflix, Spotify, and Amazon from website Statista.

“The thing is, since Statista is also limited, the DSPs there are not complete, so the revenues could be bigger,” Department of Finance Director Euvimil Nina Asuncion said at the same briefing.

Senate President Francis Joseph G. Escudero said there are currently no pending revenue-generating bills except the measure imposing an excise tax on single-use plastics.

The government aims to generate P4.27 trillion in revenues, including P3.83 trillion from tax collections, this year.

“The 12% tax though results in significant tax revenues may not still be enough to cover the rising needs of the government given a 10.1% increase in the proposed budget next year,” Leonardo A. Lanzona, who teaches economics at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in an e-mail.

He said the BIR’s P100-billion revenue projection from the digital services VAT may not be met as consumers may adjust or lessen their spending on digital services.

Before the law’s passage, Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto had said the government had no plans to introduce new taxes apart from the reform measures that were pending in Congress at that time.

BIR’s Mr. Lumagui said the new law should not automatically translate to price increases since the Philippines is actually a laggard when it comes to imposing VAT on digital services.

In Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have started imposing a VAT on nonresident DSPs since 2020. Thailand followed suit in 2021.

“Note that they already have this in other countries. They have been complying — actually, we are late in the game, in collecting from our nonresident digital service providers,” Ms. Asuncion said, noting that the law would have no significant impact on the digital economy.

The digital economy’s share to the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) went down to 8.4% last year from 8.6% in 2022, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This was the digital economy’s lowest share to GDP since 2018.

In terms of gross value added, the digital sector grew by 7.7% to P2.05 trillion in 2023.

Mr. Lanzona said the new law would have an impact on gig workers, potentially worsening the country’s employment and unemployment figures.

It could also lead to piracy of more digital content, he added.

The new VAT law is “just the latest regressive step in the country’s tax system, which is increasingly skewed towards indirect consumption taxes and away from more progressive direct taxes on income and wealth,” said IBON Foundation Executive Director Jose Enrique “Sonny” A. Africa.

“The impact of consumption taxes like VAT on consumers is cumulative and should not be dismissed so lightly,” he said in a Messenger chat.

He explained the share of consumption taxes like VAT and excise taxes in total BIR tax revenues has increased from 26% in 2008 to 31% in 2023, “corresponding to higher prices paid by consumers.”

“Corporate taxes, however, fell from 37% to 22% over that same period, corresponding to increased corporate profits,” Mr. Africa said.

“The added burden on poor and middle-class consumers whose incomes are stagnant and whose savings are falling amid rising prices is grossly insensitive,” he said.

Consumer group SUKI Network said that even though the 12% VAT will be imposed on digital service providers, companies usually pass the charges on to consumers.

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