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GenAI: A gamechanger for lasting customer relationships

IN BRIEF:

• GenAI is transforming customer experience (CX) by redefining how we perceive and design it.

• GenAI allows companies to use technology to support human-led activities, thereby enabling people to be fully oriented towards tackling the challenge of answering customer needs.

• By driving a digital and technological revolution in CX, GenAI is placing businesses in a position to realize long-held aspirations for the highest level of CX personalization.

Generative AI (GenAI) is more than a mere buzzword or fad; it’s an exciting new avenue that businesses are exploring to help reinvent customer experience (CX). In the push toward a more digitalized society in the 2010s and 2020s, customers have not only become more well-informed, but now also expect their experiences and interactions to be more personalized, efficient and engaging, regardless of the channel they are using. This has prompted organizations to rethink their CX strategies and explore how new technologies can transform customer experience.

GenAI early adopters have already leveraged the technology’s transformative power, avoiding the pitfalls of usual tech trends or fads by focusing their deployment strategies to create real, tangible business outcomes. According to the 2023 EY Innovation Realized Survey, nearly half of the C-Suite respondents cited sales and marketing as the function with the highest priority for deploying GenAI. However, there has also been a movement pushing for GenAI to play a pivotal role in the future of CX interactions, with three significant areas for transformation:

• Personalization at scale, where we can leverage AI to design hyper-personalized experiences for our customers

• Automation and efficiency, where we leverage on AI’s ability to manage routine and repetitive tasks

• Innovation and engagement, where AI can analyze behavior to predict and anticipate the needs of tomorrow and even leverage customer insights to create new ideas for products and services.

It must be noted that the intent is not to replace human resources with AI, but instead create a collaborative environment where AI turns humans into superhumans. With AI’s help, companies can redefine existing roles and lay the groundwork for a working model of the future where human ingenuity and creativity is at the forefront of the work we do in the field of CX transformation.

GENAI’S ROLE IN TODAY’S BUSINESS LANDSCAPE
GenAI is now at the center of CX’s future, enticing businesses with new possibilities and opportunities to answer the complex challenges of today’s world. GenAI technology is already reshaping the business landscape by enabling companies to analyze and synthesize large datasets without the need for the heavy workloads that characterized yesterday’s analytics. This also extends to AI being able to integrate consumer preferences such as purchase history and individual interests into strategic considerations. By leveraging AI-driven analytics suites, businesses would no longer be required to spend considerable effort and manhours on data collection and analysis.

Businesses can then focus their efforts on the next step of CX: personalization. People can focus their efforts on the actual design and implementation of personalized and targeted marketing and product or service suggestions and work towards driving real engagement with their target consumer bases. AI’s ability to not only analyze data, but make recommendations based on that analysis, helps businesses continuously adapt their approaches and strategies to the changing needs of their customers, ensuring that every interaction and touchpoint feels uniquely tailored and special.

GenAI also offers considerable benefits in terms of operational efficiency and decision-making. By automating routine, time-consuming tasks such as customer data analysis and insights generation, business leaders can allocate their human resources to more strategic, creative, and customer-facing roles. This reorientation of people will lead to a more concerted effort to provide customers with the care and attention they deserve and create a more responsive and customer-centric approach. As organizations continue to integrate GenAI into their workflows, they will be able to build upon these examples and further innovate new ways to maximize both their people and GenAI, enabling themselves to deliver more value to their customers.

As an example, a sports company aiming to revolutionize its marketplace and deepen consumer connections faced challenges in realizing its vision. Partnering with EY professionals for enterprise data and AI solutions, they were able to work together to address a range of CX transformation objectives, such as customer segmentation, churn prevention, and market strategy refinement. Utilizing AI-powered tools, they focused on a particular opportunity to optimize product substitutes. This strategic focus on personalization not only tripled their e-commerce sales but also captured market demand exceeding $1.5 billion, enabled by an innovative app feature.

PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE NEW AGE OF CUSTOMER TOUCHPOINT
GenAI can also be used to redefine specific touchpoints across the customer journey, primarily through its ability to automate certain actions and interactions. AI chatbots are already being trained to engage in meaningful, context-rich dialogues with customers. Where we would once have needed customers to queue up to speak to agents, AI bots would be able to meet customers, analyze customer asks and sentiments to determine the assistance needed, and, if doable, assist the customer in utilizing self-service to solve simpler problems.

The benefits are numerous, both for the customer and for the agent who is at the frontline of customer interactions:

• The AI chatbot initiating contact and analyzing the customer’s situation already cuts down significantly on the response time as encoding of the problem is already automated

• AI analysis of the customer situation lets it identify who the call should be routed to and prevent customers from being passed around between lines

• AI’s effect on follow-up or repeat calls are tangible as AI will be able to detect unresolved issues or reasons for calling

All these will have the knock-on effect of reducing stress and pressure on agents, meaning they will be happier, more productive, and more responsive to the needs of the customer, which in turn means happier customer relationships.

STRATEGIES AND CHALLENGES
It should be noted that the implementation of GenAI, while promising in its potential, is not without its challenges. Ensuring data privacy, developing the requisite skill sets, and seamlessly integrating AI into existing systems are just some of the challenges businesses must overcome. It must be stressed that upholding transparency with customers on the use of AI in our business is a key element to ensuring that the implementation does not fall through. It is also essential to avoid common pitfalls, such as overlooking the customer experience or underestimating the importance of human oversight in AI-driven processes.

Furthermore, as businesses embark on their GenAI journey, they must navigate the complexities of aligning AI initiatives with the broader organization. This does not just extend to operational, strategic, or technical integration, but also cultural adaptation. GenAI is a gamechanger, as much so for the employees of the business as for their customers because it impacts the way that work is done.

Managing the change and the resistance to it will be a fundamental challenge to its implementation, which is why it is important for the business to establish clear communication channels and training programs right from the top. Only through effectively navigating these implementation challenges can businesses unlock the full potential of GenAI and transform it into a core driver of customer satisfaction and business success.

THE CX REVOLUTION
GenAI is set to be the newest driver of the digital and technological CX revolution. When done right, GenAI can enable businesses to deliver a modern and innovative customer experience that is personalized and uniquely emblematic of their company’s brand.

However, while GenAI is a technology filled with untapped potential, it is still not without its risks. It remains imperative that businesses implement the technology properly, correctly, and responsibly. Misuse of GenAI can lead to detriments just as large and impactful as the potential gains.

With that in mind, the question we should ask ourselves at this crossroads is: Are we content to let potential remain potential? Or are we ready to take steps into a great unknown in pursuit of something greater than what we have today?

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. The views and opinion expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of SGV & Co.

 

Marnelli Eileen J. Fullon is a business consulting partner of SGV & Co.

Lawmakers told to focus on industry buildup as Congress resumes session

BW FILE PHOTO

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

PHILIPPINE lawmakers should push measures that will raise farm output, boost local manufacturing and develop the renewable energy (RE) sector as Congress resumes session this week, economists and analysts said at the weekend.

“Congress should focus on enhancing productivity by using science and technology in boosting local industries, modernizing agriculture and pivoting toward renewable energy sources,” John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, said in a Viber message.

Senate President Francis G. Escudero on Saturday said the Senate would scrutinize a proposal to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) amid persistent power failures nationwide.

It would also prioritize changes to the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act. One key feature of the bill is lowering taxes on domestic and foreign companies.

“There should also be a public education program to explain that foreign manufacturing investment in the country and especially those ensconced in low value-added enclaves do not mean Filipino industrialization,” Jose Enrique A. Africa, executive director of think tank IBON Foundation, said in a Viber message.

He said the House of Representatives should fast-track debates on House Resolution 8, which seeks a framework to boost the country’s capacity to enforce renewable energy projects and focus on industry development rather than foreign investment.

“Progressive lawmakers can take the lead in pushing an official declaration of national industrialization as the country’s major strategy for structural transformation and economic development,” Mr. Africa said.

Energy Undersecretary Sharon S. Garin told senators last week her agency is trying to encourage more battery companies to set up shop in the country to fast-track the country’s RE development targets.

“The approach for now shouldn’t be to enact more laws but to ensure current laws impacting the manufacturing sector cohere with one another and align towards the same goal which is to boost the sector’s productivity,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University Policy Center, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

He added that proposals against political dynasties are unlikely to prosper in Congress.

“Lawmakers will never kill the goose that lays the golden egg for them,” Mr. Yusingco said. “The status quo keeps their families in power, so they will never be inclined to change it.”

Renato B. Magtubo, a former congressman and chairman of Partido Manggagawa, said in a Viber message that Congress should boost support for farmers through modern machinery.

“The government needs to establish a strong link between agriculture and industry sectors to promote robust agricultural production,” he said.

Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo, said the most pressing issues for ordinary Filipinos remain to be the lack of access to quality, high-paying jobs, the spiraling costs of goods and poverty.

“They should seriously begin considering alternative policies… especially ones that tackle sociocultural inequalities,” he said via Messenger chat. “Addressing these institutional gaps could nominally bolster productivity and opportunities for Filipinos.”

Philip Arnold “Randy” P. Tuaño, dean of the Ateneo School of Government, said the state should look at more long-term reforms in politics and the economy, noting state silence on proposals to strengthen political institutions.

REFORMS
“Proposed legislation on strengthening the political environment… is just as important,” he said via Messenger chat. “Reforms on the political environment include strengthening political parties, further electoral modernization and others are important in laying the foundations for long-term institutional maturity in the country.”

Congress will reopen on Monday after a two-month break, in time for President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s third state of the nation address.

The House of Representatives earlier said it would prioritize the proposed 2025 national budget and amendments to laws that reformed farmers’ land ownership and liberalized the power industry before it goes on a break again in September.

Lawmakers should also prioritize measures that seek to boost local industries such as agriculture, address poverty, inflation and food insecurity, said Maria Ela L. Atienza, a University of the Philippines Political Science professor.

“The quality of services like health, education and welfare also needs more attention,” she said in a Viber message.

Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said they would focus on passing the remaining priority bills.

Priority measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) do not address issues faced by ordinary Filipinos such as poverty and the lack of quality jobs, Mr. Juliano said.

“The entire package reeks of trickle-down economics, which belies a lot of the failures and missed opportunities of the Philippine economy,” he said.

Most of the priority bills focus on infrastructure, investments and tax administration, ignoring much-needed reforms in education and human capital development, Leonardo A. Lanzona, an economics professor at the Ateneo, told BusinessWorld.

“There is also a need to work on improving the education and health sectors as these crucially affect the future of the country,” he said via Messenger chat. “Investing in people should be the focus of these priorities.”

Put AI to good use in midterm polls, data experts tell Comelec

An artificial intelligence (AI) sign is seen in this illustration taken on June 23, 2023. — REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION

By Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) should use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the integrity of the midterm elections next year amid worries about potential disruptions, analysts said.

Instead of trying to police the use of AI on social media, the agency should establish clear guidelines for candidates and supporters, Sam V. Jacoba, founding president of the National Association of Data Protection Officers, said in a Viber message last week.

The rules should include transparency requirements, data protection and guardrails on AI’s influence on voter behavior, he said.

“AI is a tool that the Comelec can use to make our elections clean, transparent and efficient,” he said. “Banning its use for elections will stifle innovation and will not be the best way to harness its potential for good governance.”

He said AI could be used to detect if a candidate is ineligible or clean the voter database.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said they don’t plan to ban AI in next year’s elections.

“It was exaggerated to the point that I was asking for a ban on AI, although I honestly believe and the Commission En Banc believes that that cannot be done,” he told BusinessWorld by telephone at the weekend.

He said there are certain aspects of AI that are “so good” and certain facets that are evil. He added that the Comelec would issue the rules on AI and ethics by August.

He said deepfakes should be prohibited because it misrepresents the facts.

“The problem with this is that social media will be included [in the potential ban]” he said. “That’s a very touchy issue because there may be a very thin line between constitutionality and unconstitutionality.”

Mr. Garcia said the Comelec would partner with social media platforms after the release of the guidelines.

“We are requiring the candidates to submit social media accounts that they are going to use,” he said. The election body could then ask social media platforms to remove unauthenticated accounts that promote a candidate.

Mr. Garcia said they might not have enough manpower to monitor social media and AI use during the campaign for local and national positions. They might have to seek the help of citizen’s and interest groups, stakeholders and IT experts.

The Comelec has kept the Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the National Movement for Free Elections as citizen’s arms for the 2025 elections.

On July 20, the election body introduced a task force that would monitor fake information against the Comelec, its officials and the election process.

The Philippines has yet to pass a policy similar to the European Union’s AI Act, though the Trade department has launched a national AI roadmap.

Ronald B. Gustilo, national campaigner at Digital Pinoys, said not all AI-generated materials are bad.

“The Comelec should let candidates and supporters use AI-generated materials, as long as these are law-abiding and comply with existing rules and regulations,” he said in a Viber message. He agreed that deepfake videos meant to malign candidates should be banned.

Allan S. Cabanlong, regional director for Southeast Asia at Global Forum on Cyber Expertise, said it would be difficult to trace the origin of deepfake videos.

“There is a corresponding penalty in the Cybercrime law, although there is no cybercrime definition,” he said by telephone. Still, the law covers deepfakes since these involve altering data, he added.

Philippines, China agree on resupply mission arrangement

MEMBERS of a military detachment stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the West Philippine Sea, March 29, 2014. — REUTERS

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

THE PHILIPPINES and China have agreed on a “provisional arrangement” for resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed on grounded vessel at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, its Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Sunday.

In a statement, the agency said the arrangement was finalized during a bilateral consultation mechanism in Manila on July 2.

“Both sides continue to recognize the need to deescalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation and agree that the agreement will not prejudice each other’s positions in the South China Sea,” it said.

Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita C. Daza did not immediately reply to WhatsApp messages from reporters seeking more details on the deal.

Manila and Beijing resumed talks to ease tensions in the South China Sea after accusing each other of raising tensions in disputed shoals and reefs in the waterway.

Chinese Coast Guard forces with bladed weapons on June 17 boarded Philippine rubber boats and looted several rifles stored in gun cases, actions that Manila’s military chief Romeo S. Brawner, Jr. said only “pirates” do.

A Filipino Navy officer on a rubber boat lost his right thumb after the boat was rammed by a Chinese Coast Guard rubber boat.

The Philippines and China have agreed to set up new lines of communication to improve their handling of sea disputes after both countries resumed talks on easing tensions in the waterway, the DFA said last week.

Earlier this month, Manila signed a pact with Tokyo that eases the entry of equipment and troops for combat training, saying they want stability in the region amid growing tensions with Beijing.

Beijing maintains it has sovereignty over most of the South China Sea based on its old maps and has deployed hundreds of coast guard vessels deep into Southeast Asia to assert its claims, disrupting offshore energy and fishing activities of its neighbors including Malaysia and Vietnam.

China has refused to recognize a 2016 international arbitral ruling that voided its claims for being illegal.

Marcos told to tackle human rights in third state address

PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. Should tackle human rights and how he plans to curb impunity in his third State of the Nation Address before Congress, according to a human rights lawyer.

“We hope that he mentions something about his government’s policy direction on respect and protection of human rights,” Ephraim B. Cortez, president of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), said in a Viber message at the weekend.

“We hope to hear him announce his government’s decision to abolish the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC),” he added.

The task force has been accused of branding dissenters and state critics “communists.”

During her visit to the Philippines earlier this year, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan urged Mr. Marcos to abolish the task force to allow more inclusive peacebuilding platforms.

“We expect a concrete policy that will tend to curb human rights violations in the Philippines and ease the climate of impunity, not some motherhood statements praising its own human rights initiative like the human rights super body,” Mr. Cortez said.

He asked Mr. Marcos to review the government’s counter-insurgency policies and counter-terrorism measures to ensure respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

He said peace talks should be pursued with the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front to end the armed conflict.

Human rights group Karapatan said the military’s counterinsurgency campaign has led to civilian deaths.

“The frenzied campaign by the military to accumulate ‘achievements’ in the counter-insurgency drive has led to hundreds of civilians being killed and falsely portrayed as NPA combatants slain in gunbattles with soldiers,” Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina E. Palabay said in a statement at the weekend.

She cited a recent Supreme Court ruling on red-tagging, which the tribunal said threatens one’s life, liberty and security.

The human rights situation in the Philippines has been under the UN radar since ex-President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Mr. Duterte’s centerpiece policy killed more than 12,000 Filipinos from 2016-2022, mostly urban poor.

The war on drugs is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The University of the Philippines-Diliman’s Project Dahas said it had counted more than 700 drug-related deaths under Mr. Marcos’s term.

The President has called his anti-illegal drug  campaign “bloodless.”

Mr. Marcos has also vowed to block the ICC’s investigation, which he said violates Philippine sovereignty.

9 of 10 Pinoys get scam texts

ABOUT 95% of Filipinos regularly receive text messages from scammers despite a law that mandates Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card registration, according to the Computer Professionals’ Union (CPU).

The group in a statement on Sunday said 92% of respondents in its recent survey of 880 mobile phone subscribers thought the law has been a failure.

About 30% who receive scam texts fall victim to phishing, theft of personal information or money, or viruses on their devices.

CPU said 74% thought there has been no proper response from the government and telecommunication companies to help scam victims.

“With its rushed implementation and a lack of preparation, the SIM Registration Act faced issues from its first weeks —registration servers going down, a large wave of registration with fake IDs and an ever-growing risk of leaking the personal info of millions of subscribers,” it added.

The National Telecommunications Commission did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana

Farm damage hits P10.3M

WATHANYU CHOMCHUEN-UNSPLASH

AGRICULTURAL damage from the recent tropical depression and southwest monsoon had reached P10.33 million, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In its latest bulletin, the agency said the combined effects of Tropical Depression Carina and Butchoy had affected about 873 rice, corn and high-value crop farmers, based on initial reports from the Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga regions.

The state weather bureau said in an 11 a.m. bulletin on Sunday that Carina had been raised to a tropical storm and was last seen 545 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora province.

It was moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

Carina was expected to reach severe tropical storm category by Monday.

Tropical Depression Butchoy left the Philippine area of responsibility on July 20. — Adrian H. Halili

Marcos told to tackle wages

WORKERS make customized pet plushies at a factory in Angeles City, Pampanga, March 10, 2023. — REUTERS

SENATE President Pro-Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” P. Estrada, Jr. on Sunday urged President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to fix wage issues and state efforts to assert Philippine sovereignty in the South China Sea in his address to Congress on Monday.

“Given that workers’ wages are not enough to keep pace with the rapid increase in the prices of goods, I want to hear from the President about the government’s programs that will protect workers and our economy,” he said in a statement in Filipino.

Earlier this month, the Metro Manila Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) approved a P35 minimum wage hike for workers in the National Capital Region.

Senators and labor groups have called it a paltry increase that won’t help workers deal with spiraling prices.

“I also hope to hear about the government’s intensified efforts to defend our sovereignty and rights over our territory, particularly regarding the West Philippine Sea,” Mr. Estrada said. “It is crucial to maintain peace and order in the region while asserting our interests.” — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Gov’t urged to help POGO workers

THE GOVERNMENT of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should help workers in the offshore gaming sector find jobs if these gambling outfits are outlawed, a Philippine senator said on Sunday.

“In recreating the Philippine economy without Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) as a source of income, the government needs to lay down transitory mechanisms, such as the employment of affected Filipino nationals,” Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian said in a statement.

“We will ensure that legislating a total ban on POGOs will include a provision for safety nets for workers who would be adversely affected by the ban.”

Senators have been pushing a total ban of POGOs — mostly Chinese gambling firms that operate online casinos targeting Chinese clients — after many of them were linked to crimes.

Mr. Gatchalian said the government should provide upskilling and reskilling programs for these workers in case POGOs are banned.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on Thursday warned that shuttered POGOs could cause job losses and hurt the commercial property sector.

Last week, the Finance department said it could forego about P13 billion in tax and gaming revenues from POGOs, adding that more investments would come in if crimes linked to these outfits are cut. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

12 drug suspects arrested

STOCK PHOTO | Image by rawpixel.com from Freepik

COTABATO CITY —Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested a drug den owner and 11 others in an entrapment operation in General Santos City on Friday.

PDEA agents caught the suspects sniffing crystal meth in a secluded area in the village of Fatima in General Santos City.

Aileen Tan Lovitos, director of PDEA-12, told reporters on Sunday that the drug den owner was arrested after selling P81,600 worth of crystal meth to their agents.

The suspects will be charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

PDEA agents also seized drug sniffing paraphernalia during the raid, she said. — John Felix M. Unson

House ready to act on SONA legislative agenda — Speaker

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez — PHILIPPINE STAR/KRIZ JOHN ROSALES

THE HOUSE of Representatives will back any legislative priorities Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will mention in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said on Sunday.

Mr. Marcos is expected to mention the need to prioritize laws enabling economic development, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, he added.

“The President’s SONA will provide a clear roadmap, and the House is prepared to translate this vision into tangible legislative outcomes,” he said in a statement. “The SONA will set the tone for our legislative agenda, and we are more than ready to take the necessary actions to achieve our shared vision for a better Philippines.”

The chamber would also deliberate remaining Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) bills while eyeing to accomplish the proposed 2025 national budget before September, Mr. Romualdez said.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is expected to submit next year’s proposed P6.352-trillion national budget on July 29, a week after Mr. Marcos’ state address and a comprehensive review of the Cabinet, said Mr. Romualdez.

Zambales Rep. Jefferson F. Khonghun said in a separate statement that he expects Mr. Marcos to mention the need for laws that would support micro, small, and medium enterprises, spurring the creation of more jobs for Filipinos.

Regional development through the construction of infrastructure projects would likely be mentioned by Mr. Marcos, citing the need to strengthen interregional connectivity between provinces, Lanao del Sur Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong said in the same statement.

In a separate statement, Bohol Rep. Kristine Alexie Besas-Tutor urged Congress to also prioritize social bills aside from the economic bills set by LEDAC.

“I appeal for a Social Agenda because it is urgent and necessary to improve the quality of life of Filipinos especially the vulnerable and neglected sectors,” she said on Saturday. “Among these vulnerable and neglected sectors are children, PWDs (persons with disabilities), families of OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), seniors, women, workers, and MSME (micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises) entrepreneurs.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

Malixi clinches US Girls’ Junior Championship in record margin

RIANNE MALIXI — USGA/ MIKE EHRMANN

FILIPINA ace Rianne Malixi made sure the US Girls’ Junior Championship wouldn’t slip through her fingers again.

A year after a stinging one-hole loss in her first trip to the 36-hole championship match, a wiser and hungry Ms. Malixi turned in her best golf in the final push to clinch the crown in record fashion over American Asterisk Talley, 8 and 7, Saturday in Tarzana, California.

The 17-year-old Philippine pride sizzled on a hot day at the El Caballero Country Club, gunning down 14 birdies without a bogey in 29 holes to finish off her rival with plenty to spare.

“It’s like my best game so far. I know I played well in a lot of the pro events, but this is the best one so far,” said Ms. Malixi, only the second player from the Philippines to win the tournament after Princess Superal 10 years ago.

Ms. Malixi was highly motivated to go all the way after a numbing 1-down setback to Kiara Romero in last year’s championship in Colorado.

And she did it in the grandest of styles. Her 8 and 7 clincher eclipsed the old winning cards of 7 and 5 that Nancy Lopez and Michelle McGann in 1974 and 1987, respectively, when the final was contested over 18 holes.

“It was such a heartbreak last year because I was so close. After that US trip I just practiced a lot. I spent a lot of hours training in Manila. I sacrificed a lot of my social time, school time. Not only me, but my dad (Roy) also sacrificed a lot of time for me just to accompany me. My family had their share (of sacrifices) and I’m just really grateful for everything,” she said.

More than erasing the stigma of her tough loss in 2023, this triumph earned for Ms. Malixi an array of prizes that include exemptions to the US Women’s Open and US Women’s Amateur next year as well as the 2024 and 2025 US Women’s Amateur competitions.

“It’s huge, I know,” said Ms. Malixi with a wide smile. “It’s hard for me to comprehend right now because everything just came in so quickly. I know being a USGA champion means a lot. Being able to do that is a huge honor for me, and I’m very grateful.”

The prospect of reconnecting with reigning Fil-Japanese champ Yuka Saso in the US Women’s Open excites the Philippines’ top junior golfer.

“I played with her (Ms. Saso) six years ago. She was 17 or barely 18. We played golf together in a tournament (in the Philippines). It was fun,” said Ms. Malixi. — Olmin Leyba

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