The Philippines has done its part, it’s time for the West to step up in the West Philippine Sea

October 4, 2024 | 12:01 am

SHIPS from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and the Philippines at the 4th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity on Sept. 28, 2024. — PFC CARMELOTES/PAOAFP

A June 2024 survey by OCTA Research saw 76% of Filipinos seeing China as the “greatest threat” to the Philippines. And indeed, the Philippine defense budget reflects this, with significant increases in recent years. The General Appropriations Act pegs Philippine defense spending rising from P204 billion in 2023 to P238 billion in 2024. That the defense budget is projected to expand by another 6.4% in 2025 could only be gratifying.

Yet, compare that with United States’ defense spending being 3.38% of its GDP. Singapore’s defense budget is around 2.5% of its GDP, followed by South Korea at 2%, and Japan increasing its defense budget to 1.6% (from its formerly flat spending of around 1% for the past couple of years). Philippine GDP currently P26.55 trillion, this means that the country’s defense spending share to GDP is only at 0.896% (see “The existential importance of Philippine defense spending,” Rocio Salle Gatdula, Manila Times, Sept. 15).

Although the Constitution does prioritize spending for education, nevertheless, Article II.IV does mandate that: “The prime duty of the Government is to serve and protect the people. The Government may call upon the people to defend the State and, in the fulfillment thereof, all citizens may be required, under conditions provided by law, to render personal, military or civil service.” So clearly more must be done.

Indeed, the government admirably undertook the upgrade in defense industry standards, modernized regulations, and established linkages through various trade and investment frameworks, signed the Arms Trade Treaty, and enacted the Strategic Trade Management Law. Yet with the upgrade of capabilities is the need for our legal framework to maintain consistency with such developments. Our rules of engagement must be responsive to our defense capabilities, ensuring not merely the upholding of human rights in relation to combatants and civilians, but also to align the Philippine response to the variety of potential political and military scenarios that could ensue.

Speaking of legal frameworks, a recent report (“Investing in Narratives: How Beijing promotes its development projects in the Philippines”) by AidData found China resorting to thousands of troll accounts, PRC-sponsored journalist training in China to socialize Filipino journalists to Beijing’s perspectives, as well as heavy reliance on mainstream and social media.

This should be enough for the government to initiate prosecution for violations of CA 616, PD 79, and the Revised Penal Code (including updating the laws on treason to cover “peacetime” scenarios). Also, prosecutions for possible violations of tax laws, media, lawyers’ ethics, and others.

Quite significant in the aforementioned report is that Chinese objectives circle around three main narratives involving development financing assistance to the Philippines: that cooperation with the People’s Republic of China is a win-win, its rise is inevitable, and Asia should be led by Asians. China’s propaganda thus emphasizes its investments, focusing on infrastructure projects and their economic benefits.

Which leads us therefore to the fact that, in the same way it is axiomatic in domestic economics that citizens vote daily with their wallets, so the same is true in international relations.

And here we see the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) announcing that it is expecting applications within the year for six expansion projects by Chinese locators valued at around P4.6 billion. Many of these are for expansion projects of existing registered business enterprises, construction, and energy. There are now reportedly 189 Chinese Registered Business Enterprises in PEZA, which have generated P47.3 billion in investment and 46,501 direct jobs.

For the Philippines, total external trade reached $17.37 billion in July, up from $16.62 billion a year earlier. Of the total, imports accounted for 64%, while exports made up the remaining 36%. This means that the Philippines had a trade deficit of $4.87 billion in July and $29.9 billion for the first seven months of the year.

Our main export market remains the United States, with $1.06 billion in goods. Japan followed with $872.43 million, then China with $791.29 million, Hong Kong with $744.82 million, and South Korea with $305.17 million.

China was the Philippines’ largest supplier of imported goods in July, with shipments valued at $3.08 billion. Indonesia followed with $947.55 million, Japan with $893.54 million, South Korea with $810.32 million, and the United States with $675.58 million.

Matters certainly are not improved when the EU, for example, would suspend a few years back our GSP (generalized system of preferences) privileges due to alleged “human rights” abuses, while not doing the commensurate acts to China (not exactly the most compliant in terms of human rights). The point is that while our allies laud the Philippines’ stand against China, declaring our common allegiance to the rule of law and the international legal order, yet it is those same countries that continue to have China as their main trading partner. This is unfortunate considering a substantial amount of their trade passes by our seas.

In the recent 60 Minutes piece on the West Philippine Sea, this exchange involving Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro occurred:

Gilbert Teodoro: If China were to take the Sierra Madre, that is a clear act of war on a Philippine vessel.

Cecilia Vega: And you would expect American intervention…

Gilbert Teodoro: And we will react. And naturally, we would expect it.

It was a good answer. But the question actually should not have been asked of Teodoro but of our American allies and the West in general.

The discussion that we should be having is not what the Philippine response is — we’ve been doing already all that we can — but rather (considering the admitted common stakes we all have involving our area in the world) is what is the West prepared to do and commit to protect our common interests and values?

Jemy Gatdula is the dean of UA&P Law, as well as a Philippine Judicial Academy law lecturer for constitutional philosophy and jurisprudence.

https://www.facebook.com/jigatdula/

Twitter @jemygatdula

Motivating employees with nonmaterial rewards

October 4, 2024 | 12:01 am

We can’t afford to pay high salaries and benefits. This results in an average attrition rate of 15% per annum. How do we solve this? — Water Lily

CONTRARY to the general belief, employee motivation is not about giving cash or material things. It’s a misinterpretation of the old carrot and stick method that evolved when farmers raised donkeys. Lazy donkeys were enticed with carrots or beaten with sticks.

This method entrenched itself in the minds of early managers, who thought that people could be treated like donkeys. Such a theory, even if proven ineffective, persists today with new managers displaying old thinking. It happens all the time because managers are not creative and they don’t positively communicate with people on a regular basis, except when castigating them.

In my more than four decades of experience in human resources (HR), I’ve long realized that money is not everything. If money is the only motivator for employees, then it’s only a matter of time before they move to another company with a higher offer, resulting in high turnover.

That’s happening in many organizations. Fortunately, there are people who are not attracted solely to high pay for whatever reason. However, you need to know how to identify and cultivate them.

MANAGEMENT BY KINDNESS
Aside from material things, some workers find work meaningful and satisfying, with the help of nurturing employers, thereby ensuring corporate growth and profitability. So, how do we motivate people without paying them good money? There are many ways. To summarize them all would point us to a common denominator — management by kindness.

Here are ten examples:

One, give workers a sense of ownership. If it does not adversely affect product quality, allow workers to stamp their names or insert a “calling card” inside the box containing the products which they made. It makes them fully responsible for product quality.

Two, be accessible and readily visible to all. Do management by walking around, not as a “snoopervisor” but as a boss offering assistance to all who may need them. Make visits casual and “accidental” and not viewed as routine.

Three, listen carefully to ideas and complaints. Don’t rush a judgment. Take time without appearing to delay the process. If necessary, ask for more details in a separate face-to-face meeting. Don’t require people to put it down in writing. Many loathe writing.

Four, offer employees the chance to work near home. Daily traffic is a hassle. It robs many of productive hours. If people work near home, you’ll take away their commuting stress and give them time to be with their families.

Five, organize an annual skills Olympics. If you’re in a fast-food restaurant, conduct a time-based competition in fried rice making, veggie-slicing, pizza dough making (and catching). For administrative work, you can showcase people skills in customer service.

Six, remove discriminatory practices. Ban exclusive perks. Allow everyone to enjoy executive dining, executive elevators, and even executive parking. Generally, executives have drivers who can easily park their cars somewhere.

Seven, establish an honesty bakeshop with concessionaires. If not, allow the workers to buy bread at a special volume discount for family consumption. This requires only a small space inside the cafeteria and need not incur costs for the company.

Eight, invite the workers’ families to company parties. It’s easy to create theme parties for this purpose. One example is Halloween or Christmas parties for kids. Give prizes or other freebies for participants.

Nine, allow employee flexible work hours. This will vary with the company’s business and the specific tasks that must be performed. Focus on productive results rather than the workers’ physical presence or hours they spend in the office.

Ten, empower people to make simple decisions. Document their best practices that you can share with other workers who are similarly situated. Over the long term, this can help them develop an interest in problem-solving as well.

EXPIRY DATE
You will only be limited by your creativity. You can create your own “management by kindness” policy to fit the workers’ specific needs and wants. Experiment, monitor, and adjust as the need arises. Be dynamic. These examples are not written in stone.

Treat your workers as valuable assets.

But do more than lip service. In due time, your organization should obtain impressive results. Once again, you’ll realize that money is not everything. But I must warn you that kindness has an expiry date. Be aware of this every step of the way.

Send your comments or questions to elbonomics@gmail.com or via Facebook, LinkedIn, or X. Receive free insights that we may publish in this space. Anonymity is guaranteed.

Fashion designer Hedi Slimane leaves LVMH’s Celine

October 4, 2024 | 12:01 am

PARIS — Fashion designer Hedi Slimane has left LVMH’s Celine brand, the company said on Wednesday, marking the latest high-profile departure from a fashion label as the industry grapples with a sales downturn.

LVMH has named Michael Rider as Mr. Slimane’s successor. Mr. Rider, who will start his new job early next year, worked alongside former Celine designer Phoebe Philo at Celine for over a decade.

Mr. Slimane’s departure will intensify speculation about upheaval in the industry, where a number of top designers have moved jobs. One of the most coveted roles, creative director of Chanel, remains unfilled after the departure of Virginie Viard in June.

Creative directors most often depart when they no longer have a positive impact on sales, said Luca Solca, an analyst with Bernstein.

“I don’t think this is an exception,” he said of Mr. Slimane’s exit, noting that, like artists, creative directors tend to produce variations on a theme, which can become predictable.

Mr. Solca said Mr. Slimane had done well at the label, likely more than doubling brand revenue to around 2.5 billion euros.

Mr. Slimane could not be reached for comment.

Mr. Slimane joined Celine in 2018, quickly making his mark at the historic fashion house with his distinctive rocker-chic aesthetic.

He is also known for the skinny silhouettes that he offered when he was at Dior Homme and at Kering’s Yves Saint Laurent, famously inspiring Karl Lagerfeld to slim down to fit into his Dior designs.

The designer rarely granted interviews and maintained tight control of all aspects of brand image, shooting advertising images himself and holding fashion shows outside of the traditional calendar.

At Celine, Mr. Slimane sought to update the brand’s French bourgeois aesthetic for a younger audience, with ad campaigns featuring model Kaia Gerber in cropped tops and faded jeans, accessorized with a baseball cap and small, leather purse.

He also introduced a menswear line at Celine, as well as fragrances and makeup.

LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault set ambitious targets for Mr. Slimane, telling investors shortly after he joined that LVMH aimed to grow annual revenue at Celine to between 2 billion to 3 billion euros within five years, from close to 1 billion euros ($1.10 billion) at the time.

In January, at LVMH’s annual results presentation, Mr. Arnault said that Celine was enjoying “great success” thanks to Mr. Slimane, and topping 2 billion euros in sales.

The company does not break down revenue by brand in its published earnings statements.

Growth in sales in the luxury goods industry in general has slowed sharply this year, as middle-class shoppers in China hold off on purchases due to the property slump and job insecurity.

Barclays analyst Carole Madjo noted during a recent trip to China that Celine was facing “brand fatigue” and was likely to be underperforming in the country.

The change follows other moves at LVMH, including its investment in one of the industry’s strongest performers in recent years, Moncler.

It said this week it had sold off streetwear label Off-White, founded by the late Louis Vuitton menswear designer Virgil Abloh. — Reuters

Salmon completes $30-million funding round

October 4, 2024 | 12:01 am

SALMON Group Ltd. has completed its $30-million Series A-2 equity financing round, which will help fund its lending business and the launch of new products in the Philippines, it said on Thursday.

“Salmon’s mission has always been to drive financial inclusion, and the Philippines is one of the most exciting markets globally for unlocking access to credit. With this latest investment round, we are positioned to scale our operations even further, bring new products to market, and deepen our partnerships across the financial ecosystem,” Salmon Co-Founder Pavel Fedorov said in a statement on Thursday.

“The recent success of the Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna), Inc., with its exceptional growth and market-leading return on equity, is a testament to the potential of combining innovation with a strong commitment to local communities,” Mr. Fedorov added.

Part of the proceeds will help raise the capital of Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna) to P1.2 billion by end-2025, subject to regulatory approvals, Salmon said.

Some will also go to marketing in retail locations in the country and the expansion of its online offerings.

Salmon’s latest equity funding round saw participation from the International Finance Corp. (IFC) and Lunate of Abu Dhabi, with both committing amounts in excess of their pro-rata allocation rights, it said.

“This new investment round underscores the confidence that global institutional investors have in Salmon’s ability to continue delivering transformative financial solutions in the Philippines and beyond,” Salmon said.

As of end-May, the Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna) saw its revenues surge by 432% year on year to P66 million.

The bank’s loans also jumped by 648% to P400 million in the period from P54 million last year.

On the funding side, deposits soared by 439% to P440 million from P82 million.

The rural lender’s equity climbed by 1,075% year on year to P385 million in June following a capital injection from Salmon.

Salmon received its banking license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas through its acquisition of a 59.7% controlling stake in Rural Bank of Sta. Rosa (Laguna) in January. — AMCS

Philippines rises to 48^th in Peddling Peril Index

October 4, 2024 | 12:00 am

The Philippines improved a notch to 48^th out of 200 countries and territories in the fourth edition of the Peddling Peril Index (PPI) by the Institute for Science and International Security. The PPI measures countries and territories’ enforcement capability to monitor exchange of conventional weaponry and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The country scored 807 out of 1,300 possible points, the ﬁfth highest in the East and Southeast Asian region.

How PSEi member stocks performed — October 3, 2024

October 4, 2024 | 12:00 am

Here’s a quick glance at how PSEi stocks fared on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

US Marines prepare for military drills with Filipino counterparts this month

October 3, 2024 | 9:39 pm

Balikatan — PHILIPPINE STAR/ WALTER BOLLOZOS

US MARINES and sailors arrived in Manila on Thursday to gear up for joint military exercises with their Filipino counterparts on Oct. 7 to 24 as part of their six-month stint in Southeast Asia, according to the US Defense department.

In a statement, the agency’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service said the visit to Manila of the Marine Rotational Force in Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA) seeks to boost interoperability with allied forces in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We train together to strengthen our relationships and collective capabilities, and the intent of MRF-SEA is to cultivate and reinforce the common values and capabilities between our partners and to preserve a rules-based international order,” Colonel Stuart W. Glenn, commanding officer of the force, said in a statement.

He said the deployment of US Marines in Southeast Asia is aimed at building upon “cooperative relationships” with regional allies and partners.

“The Marine Corps is committed to preserving the freedom of the region and its people,” Mr. Glenn said.

The training exercises will involve ground and aircraft combat, combat medical care, military operations in urban terrain and at sea (amphibious operations), the US Defense department said.

“If the intention of joint military exercises is to strengthen Philippine-US interoperability for humanitarian disaster response, counterterrorism, combatting international crimes and other nontraditional security concerns, it is vital for Philippine capability building,” Rommel C. Banlaoi, president of the Philippine Society for International Security Studies, said in a Viber message.

“But if its intention is to counter China, the exercises will only cause regional anxieties,” he added.

Tensions between the Philippines and China have worsened in the past year as Beijing continues to block resupply missions to Second Thomas Shoal, where Manila has a handful of troops stationed at a beached vessel.

Washington had left its Typhon missile system in the Philippines after joint exercises in April amid Chinese demands to withdraw it from the Southeast Asian nation. The US does plan to pull it out and is studying its use in a regional conflict, Reuters earlier reported.

China and Russia have criticized the move, saying it could fuel an arms race in the region.

Manila is considering all security options that would deter Chinese aggression in the waterway, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo C. Teodoro, Jr. earlier said.

The US Army flew the Typhon, which can launch missiles including SM-6 missiles and Tomahawks with a range exceeding 1,600 kilometers (994 miles), to the Philippines in April in what it called a “historic first” and a “significant step in our partnership with the Philippines.”

The Philippines is open to acquiring the Typhon midrange missile system, Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II said last month, as he sponsored the 2025 budget of the Defense department.

“The MRF-SEA is commendable since while it’s reinforcing allies in maritime Southeast Asia, it also involves Thailand, which despite being in mainland Southeast Asia and affected by Chinese presence, is industrialized enough to not be dependent on it,” Hansley A. Juliano, who teaches political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, said in a Facebook Messenger chat.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero earlier told foreign journalists that the Senate aims to ratify Manila’s reciprocal access agreement with Tokyo before the year ends.

The military pact, which was signed in July, eases the entry of equipment and troops for combat training from Japan and to ensure stability in the region amid growing tensions with China.

The Philippines has a visiting forces agreement with the United States and Australia. Tokyo, which hosts the biggest concentration of US forces abroad, has a similar deal with Australia and Britain, and is negotiating another with France.

A United Nations-backed tribunal based in the Hague in 2016 voided China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea for being illegal. Beijing has rejected the ruling. — John Victor D. Ordoñez

Marcos says authorities monitoring Taal Volcano

October 3, 2024 | 9:36 pm

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Thursday said authorities were monitoring the situation around Taal Volcano south of the capital after a minor eruption on Oct. 2.

The volcano had been silent after its phreatomagmatic eruption on Wednesday, according to Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

It had not detected any quakes within 24 hours since it spewed a plume of steam that was more than 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) high.

“When the volcano erupts or the storm comes or if there’s an earthquake or whatever, they know what to do,” Mr. Marcos told reporters in Pasig City, referring to local authorities. “What we have to do is to monitor the situation and continue to see where are the areas, because not every situation is the same.”

Taal, located about 70 km south of Manila, is one of the world’s smallest active volcanoes, and some of its previous eruptions had affected the capital and air travel.

The agency’s chief Teresito Bacolcol on Wednesday described the eruption as phreatomagmatic, where magma interacts with water and produces a plume of steam. He added that there was no need for people to evacuate yet.

The volcano sits inside a large lake near the town of Tagaytay in Cavite province.

Mr. Bacolcol said the alert level remained at the lowest on the scale and there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Despite standing at only 311 meters (1,020 feet), it can be deadly and an eruption in 1911 killed more than 1,300 people.

In July 2021, thousands of people were evacuated after it spewed a kilometer-high plume of gas and steam.

A year earlier, Taal volcano shot a column of ash and steam as high as 15 km into the sky, forcing more than 100,000 people to abandon their homes and triggered widespread disruption in the capital.

The Philippines lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a belt of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes strike. I also lies along the typhoon belt in the Pacific and experiences about 20 storms each year. — KATA

VP’s ratings at risk after dodging fund misuse raps

October 3, 2024 | 9:35 pm

VICE-PRESIDENT Sara Duterte-Carpio’s popularity would continue to suffer if she keeps ignoring allegations of confidential fund misuse, a congressman said on Thursday.

In a statement, Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr. said public officials should be transparent in public spending and face congressional scrutiny.

Her office did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

Ms. Duterte refused to attend congressional hearings on her office’s 2025 budget, and a separate House of Representatives probe of her alleged misuse of P125 million in secret funds in 2022. State auditors disallowed P73.3 million of the funds.

She earlier accused congressmen of using House hearings to revive old issues against her.

“People expect public officials to be transparent in the use of government funds,” Mr. Gonzales said in mixed English and Filipino. “That’s why it’s not surprising to see her ratings drop as she continues to skip questions about her fund spending.”

Ms. Carpio’s approval rating fell to 60% in September from 69% in June, according to a Pulse Asia Research, Inc. poll. Her trust ratings also dropped by 10 points to 61%.

“I expect it to drop further,” Mr. Gonzales said. “The people are angry about her fund usage, especially as she continues to skip congressional hearings to explain irregularities.”

Congressmen last month cut her budget by 64% to P733 million, noting that her social projects are already covered by the budgets of the Health and Social Welfare departments. — K.C.L. Basilio

Duterte allies seek Senate reelection

October 3, 2024 | 9:34 pm

REELECTIONIST Senators Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go, friends and allies of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, are seeking extension of their terms as they formalized their bids for the 2025 midterm polls.

Mr. Dela Rosa, who served as a Mr. Duterte’s police chief, and Mr. Go, former Special Assistant to the President, filed their certificates of candidacy (CoC) on Thursday at the Manila Hotel, under the endorsement of the former chief executive.

The May 2025 elections will be a litmus test of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s popularity and a chance to consolidate power and groom a successor, which the influential Duterte family has signaled it is determined to stop after an acrimonious falling out.

Though 317 seats in the House of Representatives and thousands of regional and city posts are up for grabs among 18,000 positions, the attention is on 12 spots in the 24-seat Senate, a high-profile chamber with outsized influence and typically stacked with political heavyweights.

Mr. Dela Rosa, often regarded as the chief architect of Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs when he was police chief, said he would continue his advocacy for peace and order, and national defense. He would also lobby for mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

“I will continue my fight against illegal drugs and criminality, and for national defense and security, we will situate that our national defense posture should be credible enough against foreign invaders,” he told reporters after filing his CoC.

The war on drugs is currently under probe by the International Criminal Court due to the thousands of extralegal killings between 2016 and 2022, most of whom were urban poor. The former police chief said he received calls from the tribunal but admitted he is ignoring the court.

Health and food security will continue taking center stage among the platforms of Mr. Go, who is the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography. He is also the main proponent of the Malasakit Centers program.

When asked if Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte would run for Senate, Mr. Go said the Filipinos should just wait and see until the last day of filing on Oct. 8, Monday.

Under the same banner, film star Philip Mikael R. Salvador also filed his CoC for a senatorial seat. Mr. Salvador said he would also push for peace and order in the upper chamber if he won.

Among his platforms include allowing drug addicts to undergo rehabilitation, but clarified he is not against Mr. Duterte’s deadly war on drugs. In 2016, he tried to run as vice governor of Bulacan but was excluded from the voters’ list days before the local polls.

In a September 2024 Social Weather Stations survey, Senators Dela Rosa and Go fell to the 11^thto 13^th spot from their March 2024 ranking of 5^th, and 10^thto 11^th, respectively. The SWS poll showed admin-endorsed candidates dominated the list of 12 preferred senatorial prospective candidates.

MARCOS ALLIES TAKE LEAD
A separate public opinion poll, likewise, showed politicians allied to the Marcos administration dominated the so-called Magic 12 for next year’s Senate race in the latest issue of the Philippine Public Opinion Monitor, conducted by WR Numero Research.

ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin T. Tulfo, who is running for senator under a coalition led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., topped the September 2024 survey.

He was followed by former Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III with 39.3% and radio personality Bienvenido T. Tulfo with 36.1%.

They were followed by former President Duterte with 32.4%, Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” S. Cayetano with 30.4%, former senator Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao with 30.2%, and Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. with 29.3%, who were all tied at ranks 4^th to 7^th.

Also among those that could potentially win a senate seat were former senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson (24.4%), Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios R. Marcos (23.7%), Mr. Dela Rosa (23.2%), former senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan (23.1%), and Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid (22.3%), who ranked 8^th to 12^th.

Meanwhile, cardiologist Willie T. Ong and Senator Go closely trail in 13^th (21.9%) and 14^th (21.5%) places, down from their 11^th (25.6%), and 9^th (29.5%) spots in the March 2024 survey, respectively.

The September poll saw Mr. Ben Tulfo, brother of the most preferred senate bet, enter the top three. Mr. Lapid also broke into the top 12 after ranking 17^th in March with 22%.

The poll was conducted a month before the filing of certificate of candidacies for the midterm elections next year.

Six of the people in the Magic 12 are part of the Marcos-led Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas such as Mr. Tulfo of ACT-CIS, Mr. Sotto, Ms. Cayetano, Mr. Pacquiao, Mr. Revilla, and Mr. Lapid. Mr. Lacson and Ms. Marcos, who were initially part of the list endorsed by the President, decided to run as independent candidates.

Only Mr. Pangilinan of the Liberal Party was able to enter the lineup among opposition personalities.

Major opposition groups such as the Liberal Party and Koalisyong Makabayan earlier told BusinessWorld that they would not, in any way, build bridges with the opposition-posturing movement of Mr. Duterte, whose six-year term was marked by activist killings and deaths under his bloody anti-drugs campaign.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 5 to 23 with a sample of 1,729 adults aged 18 and older. It has a margin of error of ± 2% at a 95% confidence level. At the subnational level, the margin of error is ± 6% for the National Capital Region, ± 5% for North and Central Luzon, ± 5% for South Luzon, ± 6% for Visayas, and ± 5% for Mindanao, all at the same 95% confidence level. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Agri damage from Julian at P36M

October 3, 2024 | 9:33 pm

Typhoon-Julian-aftermath — Office of the Civil Defense conducts an aerial survey on the damages caused by typhoon Julian in Batanes on October 3, 2024. — YUMMIE DINGDING/PPA POOL

AGRICULTURAL damage due to Super Typhoon “Julian” (international name: Krathon) was estimated at P36.34 million, according to preliminary data from the Department of Agriculture (DA).

In a bulletin on Thursday, the agency said the damage covered 1,526 metric tons (MT) of crops across affecting 1,000 farmers.

Reported damage spanned 577 hectares of farmland from initial reports from Ilocos Norte and Cagayan.

Damage to corn was reckoned at 1,514 MT spanning 559 hectares of agricultural land. Total value lost was estimated at P35.75 million.

“Most of the damage and losses on corn are in the vegetative and maturity stages,” the DA said.

The Agriculture department added that damage to high value crops was estimated at P595,300 from Ilocos Norte. Initial volumes were estimated at 2 MT spanning 18 hectares.

The DA said that P143.26 million worth of agricultural inputs, including rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, are available in the regional field offices in Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos Region.

“Best possible efforts are also being undertaken by the department to carry out assistance and appropriate interventions for the farmers affected by the situation,” the agency added.

The state weather bureau said that Julian had re-entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility and expected to make landfall over Taiwan. It has since been downgraded into the typhoon category. — Adrian H. Halili

DoE studying load profile forecast

October 3, 2024 | 9:32 pm

THE Department of Energy (DoE) is looking at studying how to forecast the country’s load profile due to the expected significant shift on major users of electricity.

Speaking at a forum in Makati City on Thursday, DoE Director for Energy Policy and Planning Michael O. Sinocruz said that the outlook on electricity per capita is projected to increase.

“Based on the projection, by around 2040 or before 2040, there will be a significant shift for the major user of electricity will be industry, based on the development plan of the government… not anymore household, but rather industry,” Mr. Sinocruz said.

“We are looking at whether to study further, because if industry will be the major user of electricity, there will be a change in the load profile of the country. Meaning to say, there will be more manufacturing plants running 24/7,” he added.

Mr. Sinocruz said that the country may need more baseload capacity if the industrial sector is to lead as the major power user.

“So, my team is now studying how to forecast the load profile based on the changes in terms of the demand of electricity by the different sectors,” he said.

Data from the DoE showed that residential customers consumed 36,968 megawatts (MW) in 2023, higher than commercial and industrial sectors which used 26,236 MW and 29,493 MW, respectively. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera