GCash builds a digital ecosystem where women can thrive

March 8, 2024 | 5:50 pm

More than half of GCash users are women who benefit from digital financial innovations

In its mission to boost financial inclusion in the Philippines, leading finance app GCash is paving the way to create a digital ecosystem where women, along with their businesses and families, can thrive.

According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), 43.62% of women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) were established in 2020 as the world was compelled to embrace digitalization due to mobility restrictions caused by the pandemic.

“GCash is at the forefront of providing financial services to all Filipinos, especially the underserved sectors. With this mission, we see our financial solutions benefiting Filipinas wherever they are, with women comprising 55% of the 94 million individuals who have tried GCash. We’re also proud to say that over half of the social sellers we empower with cashless payment solutions are women,” said Martha Sazon, the trailblazing woman president and CEO who’s been leading GCash towards its financial inclusion goals.

“GCash believes in empowering women as they thrive in managing businesses in this digital age. In line with our advocacy of increasing the participation of women in the tech-industry, women comprise almost half of GCash employees, and nearly half of our leadership team are women changemakers. These women are all part of the company’s mission of championing financial inclusion for all Filipinos,” added Sazon.

GCash Pera Outlet (GCash PO) has been an invaluable ally for enterprising women across the country. 66% of GCash PO owners are women who use the service to further expand their small businesses, like sari-sari stories, while helping provide additional income for their families. Aside from providing digital tools to better manage women-led enterprises, GCash has also been providing starting capital and a lifeline for women through its suite of digital lending products. 2 in 3 of the more than 3.9 million unique borrowers empowered by GCash credit affiliate FUSE Lending are women. These are done through innovative lending solutions like GCredit, GLoan, and GGives.

With the help of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Paleng-QR Ph program, GCash can provide thousands of women market vendors across the country with access to cashless payment solutions, fair lending, and ways on how they can grow their funds.

Through the digitization of payments, GCash contributes to building a financially inclusive Philippines in collaboration with its like-minded partners from both the government and the private sector. Its partners recognize the role of GCash in creating an efficient, inclusive, and secure digital payments ecosystem that supports the diverse needs of individuals and companies.

Aside from fund transfers and real-time payments, millions of registered GCash users benefit from digital financial products and services like savings accounts, investments, cash loans, and insurance, as well as affordable and accessible remittance services for Filipinos abroad.

GCash, through GForest, also supports women farmers in line with its commitment to leverage technology for the betterment of women’s lives. In partnership with organizations like the HOPE Foundation and Philippine Coffee Board Inc. (PCBI), GCash has provided livelihood to about 2,500 women farmers, representing an impressive 33% out of all local farmers supported by GCash, surpassing the 23% national gender ratio average.

“We believe that women play an important role in driving sustainable economic growth, especially as we continue to shift to a more digital society. As we continue to pursue our mission of Finance for All, we will make sure nobody gets left behind in reaping the benefits of a digital economy,” noted Sazon.

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South Korea to improve young doctors’ pay, denies healthcare is in crisis

March 8, 2024 | 5:25 pm

SEOUL – South Korea will move quickly to improve pay and working conditions for young doctors, the government said on Friday, tackling a key demand by medical trainees who have walked off the job, but denying there was a full-scale healthcare crisis.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said the current practice of forcing young doctors to work 36 hours at a stretch was partly responsible for their protest walkout and must be changed.

“We will start the trial as soon as possible,” he said, adding that the government would consider limiting to 24 hours the period that resident doctors and interns must work continuously.

From this month, trainee doctors in paediatrics will receive an allowance of 1 million won ($757) from this month, and the government plans similar payments for other trainee doctors, he added.

It will start with those in essential specializations such as emergency medicine and general surgery and will allocate additional government budget, he said.

More than 10,000 medical interns and resident doctors are protesting a government plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000 a year to tackle a shortage of doctors it fears in one of the world’s fastest-ageing populations.

President Yoon Suk Yeol has spearheaded a package of medical reform plans and taken a hard line against the protesters, moving to suspend their medical licenses for defying return-to-work orders.

While he said their action had created “chaos” in major hospitals that employ trainee doctors as a key share of their staff, officials said on Friday the situation has stabilized, partly because other doctors and nurses took on extra work.

“To suggest, as some have done, that we have a healthcare crisis, is an exaggeration,” added Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo.

On Friday the government began allowing nurses to perform some procedures restricted previously to doctors, such as CPR and giving some medicines.

A national body of nurses welcomed a government plan to more clearly define their jobs and certify physicians’ assistants who have performed procedures normally beyond the tasks of nurses.

The government and police will investigate reports of striking doctors said to have harassed colleagues who stayed on the job or returned to work, Han added.

US to build temporary port to deliver Gaza aid

March 8, 2024 | 3:07 pm

Israel-Palestinian-Gaza — A Palestinian man walks past the remains of a tower building which was destroyed by Israeli air strikes, amid a flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence, in Gaza City May 13, 2021. — REUTERS FILE PHOTO

WASHINGTON – The US military will build a temporary port on Gaza’s Mediterranean coast to receive humanitarian aid by sea, President Joe Biden said in his State of the Union speech on Thursday.

Planning for the operation, initially based on the island of Cyprus, does not envision deployment of U.S. military personnel in Gaza.

Mr. Biden’s announcement came as he seeks to cool anger among many in his Democratic Party over his support for Israel in its offensive in Gaza since Oct. 7, given the steep toll on civilians in the Palestinian enclave.

Senior administration officials who had briefed reporters on the plan before the speech also said Hamas was delaying a new deal with Israel on a six-week ceasefire and the release of hostages because the Islamists who rule Gaza have not agreed to free sick and elderly captives.

The deal “is on the table now and has been for more than the past week,” said an official, referring to stalled negotiations in Egypt, adding that the temporary ceasefire was needed “to bring immediate relief to the people of Gaza.”

Hamas blamed the stalemate on Israel’s rejection of its demands to end its offensive and withdraw its forces.

Mr. Biden’s decision to order the construction of the temporary port came amid U.N. warnings of widespread famine among the enclave’s 2.3 million Palestinians after nearly five months of fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas.

Large swaths of Gaza have been destroyed and most of its population displaced by intense Israeli bombardments and fighting ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Israel says Hamas’ incursion claimed 1,200 lives and saw the Islamists abduct 253 hostages.

In his speech, Mr. Biden said more than 30,000 Palestinians had been killed. “Most of whom are not Hamas,” he added. “Thousands and thousands are innocent women and children.”

SEA DELIVERIES TO GAZA

Mr. Biden told Congress he was directing the US military to lead an emergency mission to set up a “temporary pier” on the Gaza coast to receive ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.

“No US boots will be on the ground,” he added.

Washington will work with European and regional partners and allies to build an international coalition of countries that would contribute capabilities and funds, the officials said.

An Israeli official said Israel “fully supports the deployment of a temporary dock” on Gaza’s coast and the operation would be carried out “with full coordination between the two parties.”

Sigrid Kaag, the U.N. humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, welcomed Washington joining the initiative developed by Cyprus to create a maritime corridor to deliver goods to Gaza.

“We welcome this. At the same time I cannot but repeat – air and sea is not a substitute for land and nobody says otherwise,” Ms. Kaag told reporters earlier on Thursday after briefing the U.N. Security Council behind closed doors.

Although Israel is increasing the number of aid-bearing trucks allowed into Gaza and the United States and other countries have been airdropping supplies, the assistance getting in it still insufficient, one of the US officials said.

“We’re not waiting for the Israelis” to let in more aid, the official added. “This is a moment for American leadership.”

The temporary port would increase humanitarian assistance to Palestinians and officials there would work with U.N. and humanitarian aid organizations that “understand the distribution of assistance within Gaza,” the official said.

The operation would “take a number of weeks to plan and execute”, the official said, adding that the required US forces are in the region or would soon begin moving there.

The operation would build on a Cypriot initiative that calls for gathering humanitarian aid in the island’s port city of Larnaca, 210 nautical miles from Gaza, officials have said.

That would permit Israeli officials to screen shipments before they head to Gaza.

While the temporary port will initially be military-run, Washington envisions it becoming a commercially run facility, the official said. – Reuters

Slower, but strong US job growth expected in February

March 8, 2024 | 2:51 pm

office-95311_1280 — STOCK PHOTO | Image by 12019 from Pixabay

WASHINGTON – US job growth likely slowed in February after two straight months of robust gains, but the labor market probably remains too strong for the Federal Reserve to consider cutting interest rates by June as currently anticipated by financial markets.

The Labor Department’s closely watched employment report on Friday is also expected to show the unemployment rate unchanged at 3.7% for the fourth consecutive month and the annual increase in wages only slowing marginally. The labor market is supporting the economy, which is outperforming its global peers.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell told lawmakers this week that rate cuts would “likely be appropriate” later this year, but emphasized they “really will depend on the path of the economy.”

“There really is no slowing this labor market down materially,” said Ryan Sweet, chief economist at Oxford Economics. “The Fed can wait and they are most likely going to wait longer than what we anticipate. We currently have a cut in May, but it looks like they may take their time.”

Nonfarm payrolls likely increased by 200,000 jobs last month after surging 353,000 in January, according to a Reuters survey of economists. Estimates ranged from 125,000 to 286,000. Payrolls increased 333,000 in December.

January’s employment gains were the largest in a year and were partially flattered by below normal end-of-year layoffs, a boost that is expected to be lost in February. That is likely to be offset in part by mild temperatures last month, which are expected to have led to more hiring at construction sites.

If payrolls come in well below expectations, economists said the slowdown should be read in the context of January’s surge.

“February payrolls could fall well short of our forecast of 130,000 without looking truly ‘soft,'” said Lou Crandall, chief economist at Wrightson ICAP in New York.

Economists will also be watching to see if the December and January payrolls counts are revised down. February’s anticipated job growth would be below the monthly average of 255,000 in 2023 and the 287,000 reported for the same month a year ago. Payroll gains would, however, be double the roughly 100,000 jobs needed per month to keep up with growth in the working age population.

Despite a rash of high-profile layoffs at the start of the year, employers are generally holding on to their workers having struggled to find labor during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though labor supply and demand are falling back into balance, amid a rise in immigration, some sectors of the economy remain desperate for skilled workers.

CONDITIONS STILL TIGHT

There were 1.45 open jobs for every unemployed person in January, still above the average of 1.2 during the year before the pandemic, government data showed this week. The Fed’s Beige Book report also showed “difficulties persisted attracting workers for highly skilled positions” in February.

Job growth last month was likely led by acyclical sectors such as education and healthcare, which are still rebuilding headcount that was reduced during the pandemic. Leisure and hospitality hiring is expected to have picked up after losing speed in January. Employment in that industry is just above pre-pandemic levels.

“The pandemic may be in the rear-view mirror, but reopening forces are still influencing the U.S. labor market and the ability of the economy to withstand higher policy rates,” said Michael Gapen, chief economist at Bank of America Securities in New York. “This informs our view that the economy can continue to grow, with low rates of unemployment and falling inflation.”

There had been concerns that job growth was too concentrated in a few industries, fears that were allayed by January’s employment report. Economists will be keen to see if the breadth of employment gains continued to widen in February.

With the labor market still fairly tight, wage growth remains elevated. Average hourly earnings are forecast to have increased 0.3% after rising 0.6% in January. That would lower the year-on-year increase in wages to a still-high 4.4% in February from 4.5% in January. Wage growth is likely to continue trending lower as fewer people are job-hopping.

Milder temperatures last month likely resulted in the average workweek rebounding after being shortened by winter storms in January. The average workweek is forecast rising to 34.3 hours from 34.1 hours in January. That, combined with the anticipated solid job gains, is expected to push up total hours worked considerably, which would bode well for economic growth and productivity in the first quarter.

“This is indicative of an economy that is chugging along just fine,” said Dan North, senior economist at Allianz Trade North America in Baltimore. “It doesn’t ask for any interest rate cuts.” – Reuters

Hong Kong issues new national security law bill with tougher jail terms

March 8, 2024 | 2:41 pm

HONG KONG, March 8 (Reuters) – Hong Kong on Friday published its draft of a new national security law, a document some lawyers said broadened what could be considered sedition and state secrets, with tougher penalties for any one convicted of those crimes and several others.

The draft, which also includes new laws encompassing treason, espionage and external interference, is being closely watched by foreign diplomats and businesses who fear it could further dent freedoms in the financial hub already subjected to a China-led crackdown on dissent that has sent many pro-democracy politicians and activists into jail or exile.

The Legislative Council started debating the bill on Friday amid tight security, and several members of the largely pro-Beijing body told reporters they expected the bill to be passed into law before mid-April.

Hong Kong leader John Lee had earlier urged lawmakers to pass the bill “at full speed”.

“The geopolitics have become increasingly complex, and national security risks remain imminent,” a government statement said.

Some lawyers analyzing the draft said, at first glance, elements of the revised sentences for some listed offences are similar to Western ones but some provisions, such as those for sedition and state secrets, are broader and potentially tougher.

The bill includes sentences of up to life imprisonment for treason, insurrection and sabotage, 20 years for espionage and 10 years for crimes linked to state secrets and sedition.

The European Union, in a statement to Reuters, said it had made clear in a diplomatic note its “grave concerns” over the far-reaching provisions in the bill on “external interference” and the law’s extra-territorial reach.

The draft bill, however, noted some rights provisions.

“Human rights are to be respected and protected, the rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press and of publication, the freedoms of association … are to be protected” the bill read.

Some investors said the desire to fast-track the bill was concerning.

“The fact they are rushing through article 23 shows concern about public opposition. The business community is going to be unhappy unless there are guard rails protecting individual rights,” Andrew Collier, managing director at Hong Kong-based Orient Capital Research told Reuters.

Simon Young, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, also said the broad definitions of crimes, especially those linked to foreign interference and collusion, could prove challenging to firms.

“It may well be that businesses or groups that have some connection with foreign governments might fall under the radar as an ‘external force'”, Young said.

CONCERNS OVER FREEDOMS

Hong Kong has long been a business, academic and media hub for China and the region, but in recent years critics say the rule of law and freedom of information have been undermined.

Hong Kong and Chinese officials have said the draft was similar to laws in some Western nations and that it was necessary to plug “loopholes” in the national security regime.

That regime was bolstered in 2020 by another law imposed directly by China which at the time said it was aimed at restoring stability after pro-democracy protests a year earlier.

The debate on the Hong Kong bill coincides with a move by China’s top lawmakers to create a slew of new national security laws in order to safeguard the mainland’s sovereign interests.

The Hong Kong bill proposed extending police detention for those arrested, without charge, for up to 14 days with a magistrate’s approval and potentially limited access to lawyers, compared to 48 hours currently.

The sentences for sedition, defined as inciting disaffection or hatred towards authorities through acts, words or publications, have been expanded from two to up to 10 years for offences in collusion with foreign forces.

Critics, including media advocacy groups, had earlier called for sedition to be scrapped, noting its potential use to silence freedom of expression and the media.

The bill proposes a jail term of up to 3 years, up from one year, for possessing a seditious publication and police have the right to search any premise to seize and destroy such material.

The definition of state secrets also appears quite broad, some lawyers said, saying it includes military, security and diplomatic secrets as well as classified social, economic and technological information involving China and Hong Kong governments, and their relationship. – Reuters

Philippine jobless, underemployment rates rise in January

March 8, 2024 | 2:36 pm

By Lourdes O. Pilar, Researcher

THE COUNTRY’s jobless rate and job quality worsened to six-month high in January due to the loss of seasonal jobs during the holidays, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.

Preliminary data from the PSA’s latest Labor Force Survey showed the unemployment rate in January climbed to 4.5% from 3.1% in December. However, this was lower than the 4.8% recorded in January last year.

It matched the jobless rate logged in September and the largest since the 4.8% share in July.

This translated to 2.15 million unemployed Filipinos in January, up by 548,000 from 1.60 million in December

Year on year, the ranks of jobless Filipinos dropped by 228,000 from 2.38 million in January 2023.

PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa expected unemployment data to rise month on month in January due to the loss of temporary jobs during the last quarter.

“The data showed were not unique. During the last quarter, there were lots of activities that helped the unemployment drop, particularly in the retail trade, such as bazaars, online selling, and stores. In January these activities stopped,” he said during the press conference.

The job quality in January deteriorated as underemployment rate went up to 13.9%, picking up from 11.9% in December. On a year-on-year basis, it was lower than 14.1% a year ago.

It was the biggest share of employed Filipinos who wanted additional hours of work at their current job, an additional job, or a new job with longer working hours to the total employed population since the 15.9% in July 2023.

In absolute terms, January’s number of underemployed Filipinos increased by 384,000 month on month to 6.39 million.

On an annual basis, it slipped by 260,000 from 6.65 million in January last year.

Likewise, employment rate inched down to 95.5% in January, lower from the 96.9% seen in December and the 95.2% in January 2023.

This was equivalent to 45.94 million employed Filipinos, lower than the 50.52 million in the previous month and 47.35 million in January 2023.

The country’s labor force reached 48.09 million in January, slipping by 4.03 million from 52.13 million in December. On a year-on-year basis, it was down by 1.64 million from 49.73 million.

This translated to a labor force participation rate (LFPR) — the share of labor force to the total population 15 years old and over — of 61.1%. This was lower than the 66.6% recorded in December and January 2023’s 64.5%.

The services sector remained the top employer in January with an employment rate of 60.2%, followed by agriculture (21.4%) and industry at (18.4%).

The average Filipino employee worked for 42.1 hours a week in January, higher than 40.6 hours in December and 39.5 hours from a year ago.

Cid L. Terosa, a senior economist at the University of Asia and the Pacific, said that unemployment and underemployment rates rose in January because January is a lean month for business and production activities.

“It is possible that those who were temporarily employed during the last quarter of 2023 to cope with brisk business and production activities have been laid off. Also, businesses are less keen on hiring people on a full-time basis at the start of the year when operations and activities are slower,” Mr. Terosa said in an e-mail interview.

“Seasonal factors have faded and now we see unemployment back to its typical high of 4.5%. We did expect this to happen. We are, however, also cautious of the El Niño impact especially for agriculture jobs,” said Union Bank of the Philippines, Inc. Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion said in a separate e-mail interview.

Month-on-month job losses were recorded in agriculture and forestry (down by 2.68 million), wholesale and retail trade (down by 1.22 million), construction (down by 549,000), accommodation and food service activities (down by 389,000), and manufacturing (down by 273,000).

Meanwhile, wholesale and retail trade recorded the biggest job losses annually after shedding 1.51 million employees. It was followed by agriculture and forestry (down by 854,000), public administration and defense (down by 226,000), manufacturing (down by 151,000), and information and communication (down by 49,000).

Mr. Terosa sees the jobless rate will slightly improve in February as business and production start to pick up.

“We expect jobless rate to average between 4% and 5% in the coming months amid elevated interest rate and weather-related impact on job opportunities,” Mr. Asuncion said.

Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, 68

March 8, 2024 | 2:35 pm

AKIRA TORIYAMA, the creator of popular manga and anime Dragon Ball, passed away on March 1, according to the official Dragon Ball website.

A statement was released on the morning of March 8th, 2024, informing fans and followers of the franchise that Mr. Toriyama passed away “due to acute subdural hematoma.”

“It’s our deep regret that he still had several works in the middle of creation with great enthusiasm. Also, he would have many more things to achieve,” it said.

“Thanks to the support of many people around the world, he has been able to continue his creative activities for over 45 years. We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”

“We inform you of this sad news, with gratefulness for your kindness during his lifetime.”

A private funeral service was held with Mr. Toriyama’s family and very few relatives, according to the website. His family is not accepting flowers, condolence gifts, vists, offerings, or interviews.

In the meantime, a commemorative gathering has yet to be confirmed.

Born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, in 1955, Mr. Toriyama is best known for creating Dragon Ball in 1984. Goku and his friends have become iconic anime characters since, with the franchise now deemed one of the biggest of all time to come out of Japan, including the likes of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super.

Most recently, Mr. Toriyama actively worked on the manga and the 2022 film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. He is survived by a wife, a son, and a daughter. – Bronte H. Lacsamana

MWC 2024: Globe conquers world’s biggest mobile industry congress

March 8, 2024 | 1:04 pm

Ernest Cu, Globe Group President and CEO, speaks at the GTI Summit during Mobile World Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain on Feb. 27, 2024.

Tackles transformative connectivity, sustainability at global stage

Leading telco and digital solutions platform Globe raised the Philippine flag at the biggest stage of the global mobile industry over the past week, sharing its innovative, market-first initiatives that enable inclusive and sustainable connectivity to uplift the Filipino.

The Globe delegation to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024 in Barcelona had a hectic week with industry partners from around the globe, sought after for talks and discussions on the latest mobile industry trends and an outlook on what’s to come.

Ernest Cu, Globe Group President and CEO, led the Globe contingent of senior leaders to the annual event, the flagship mobile industry and tech gathering of GMSA, the global association of mobile operators. This year’s GMSA put a spotlight on 5G, Artificial Intelligence, sustainability, cybersecurity, and the digital future for mobile, among others.

“The Mobile World Congress is an opportunity to not just learn about the latest technologies and trends shaping the mobile industry. More so, it’s a chance for Globe to share to the world our industry-leading efforts to take telco to another level and embed sustainability at the very core of our operations. We are proud to have our top-level delegates engage in various events, waving our flag on the global stage,” said Cu.

Cu was invited to speak about the future of 5G at the GTI Summit on Feb. 27, where he talked about Globe’s strategic approach to 5G. Globe was the first telco to launch 5G commercially in the Philippines in 2019 and continues to expand coverage across the country.

Even as 5G adoption in the Philippines is still in its nascency, Cu said Globe is exploring applications of the technology in the areas of healthcare, education, finance and entertainment, aligned with its pursuit of digital enablement.

“While we believe that 5G adoption and use will take some time to emerge and fully scale, we are actively resolving key challenges of this technology through making 5G more accessible through affordable connectivity offers and devices, and exploration of new applications. In 2023, we delivered the Philippines’ first 5G standalone network slicing function for high-bandwidth activities, and the country’s first Private 5G standalone network,” said Cu.

Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe, speaks at a session on “Can Telcos Harness ESG for Sustainable Growth?” at the Mobile World Congress 2024 on Feb. 28, 2024.

Meanwhile, Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe, put a spotlight on Globe’s sustainability efforts, including green network strategies, sustainable supply chain and digital inclusion.

In a session on harnessing ESG for sustainable growth, Crisanto talked about how Globe’s innovation and sustainability strategies roll up to its overall corporate strategy, contributing to the company’s overall brand value, including its ESG scores.

“Globe is at the forefront of integrating sustainability in the way we do business. In line with our Net Zero roadmap, we have placed sustainability at the core of our operations, implementing green network strategies and sustainable supply chain engagements to support global decarbonization targets,” Crisanto said.

Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe, joins a panel discussion led by STL Partners and Red Hat during the Mobile World Congress 2024 on Feb. 27, 2024. — Photo from LinkedIn via Veronica R

In a panel led by STL Partners and Red Hat on “Realizing Value from Enterprise Net Zero Ambitions,” Crisanto spoke about Globe’s holistic approach to achieving Net Zero, in line with its 2050 commitment.

Rebecca Eclipse, Globe’s Chief Transformation and Chief Experience Officer, at a panel discussion at the Digital Operations Transformation Summit at Mobile World Congress 2024 on Feb. 27, 2024

Rebecca Eclipse, Globe’s Chief Transformation and Chief Experience Officer, meanwhile, joined a panel discussion at the Digital Operations Transformation Summit at MWC, where she talked about AI adoption and how it can benefit the telco business.

“AI, when used strategically and responsibly, can revolutionize the telco business in a multitude of ways, from data analytics to customer experience. We in Globe are exploring this technology to improve the way we do business so that, ultimately, we can better serve our customers,” said Eclipse.

Other Globe leaders took part in various events during MWC week.

Darius Delgado, Vice-President and Head of Globe’s Consumer Mobile Business, speaks at Amdocs’ “The Great Indoors Podcast” at the Mobile World Congress 2024 on Feb. 26, 2024.

Darius Delgado, Vice-President and Head of Globe’s Consumer Mobile Business, was a guest at Amdocs’ “The Great Indoors Podcast.”

Dennis Abella, Vice-President for Operations Systems Support Program Delivery at Globe, speaks about Zero Touch Operations and Service Assurance Automation in a fireside chat with MYCOM OSI, a leader in Network Assurance and Service Experience Assurance for Communications Service Providers. — Photo via MYCOM OSI

Dennis Abella, Globe Vice-President for Operations Systems Support Program Delivery, talked about the impact of Zero Touch Operations and Service Assurance Automation in a fireside chat with MYCOM OSI, a leader in Network Assurance and Service Experience Assurance for communications service providers.

In the same session, Eric Guiao, Globe Senior Director for Technical Assistance Center at Globe, gave a sneak peek into Globe’s journey in the automation of the Globe network and its service operation centers, and how the company has been enhancing customer experience through Service Assurance.

Garret Silao, Vice-President for Security Operations in Globe, meanwhile, joined the GSMA CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) Roundtable and spoke about how Globe has been boosting its cybersecurity efforts in the face of evolving threats.

Globe’s engagements in MWC 2024 affirm its position as a Filipino brand well regarded in the global community and a leader in innovation, new tech adoption and sustainability.

To learn more about Globe, visit globe.com.ph.

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China’s top legislators pledge to safeguard sovereignty, security interests

March 8, 2024 | 12:09 pm

BEIJING – China’s top legislators on Friday vowed to enact a slew of new laws to “modernize China’s system and capacity for national security” and safeguard the country’s sovereign interests.

The roughly 170-member National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), gathering at the annual meeting of parliament in Beijing, pledged to enact legislation including an emergency management law and atomic energy law.

They also said they would revise laws on national defense education and cybersecurity this year, according to a work report delivered by the NPCSC’s chairman and the Communist Party’s third-ranked official, Zhao Leji.

The annual legislative plan had an increased focus on national security, in line with President Xi Jinping’s growing focus on preventing internal and external threats in response to intensifying geopolitical competition.

China’s cybersecurity law, enacted in 2016, is a cornerstone of its big tech regulation. Beijing has in the past three years tightened regulation over how its companies store and transfer user data, citing national security concerns.

The separate Supreme People’s Court work report also vowed to “apply the concept of overall national security” to its work this year.

During most of Zhao’s address, Xi did not open the work report. But while Chinese Supreme Court chief Zhang Jun read out his work report, Xi had an animated discussion with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Wang Huning, the Party’s fourth-ranked official in charge of Taiwan policy.

Other new legislation to be formulated this year includes a financial stability law and private sector promotion law, and the legislative body plans to revise existing laws on mineral resources, unfair competition, public bidding and civil aviation. The lawmaking body also plans to draft an environmental code.

The formulation of laws on private sector promotion could be a positive signal for private firms after confidence weakened amid tough legislation on anti-espionage and restrictions on overseas data transfers enacted in recent years, but the work report did not give further details.

The NPCSC report also took on an international focus, vowing to “strengthen legislation in areas involving foreign affairs and develop a system of laws for extraterritorial application.”

“We will use legal means to stand up for our country in the international arena and resolutely safeguard our sovereignty, security and development interests,” Zhao said in the NPCSC report.

The Hong Kong government published the draft of its national security bill, Article 23, on Friday. The NPCSC work report vowed to “see that the legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security are properly implemented” in “special administrative regions” such as Hong Kong, without mentioning the Chinese-controlled financial center by name.

The NPCSC also pledged to expand interactions with foreign parliaments this year, including hosting seminars in China for foreign parliamentarians and their staff. – Reuters

After Tesla, Polestar quits Australia auto lobby as emissions fight escalates

March 8, 2024 | 12:06 pm

SYDNEY – Electric vehicle maker Polestar Australia quit Australia’s major automotive lobby on Friday, a day after Tesla did the same, in protest over the organization’s criticism of proposed federal vehicle emissions regulations.

In a letter to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Polestar Australia, part-owned by China’s Geely Automobile, said the FCAI’s commentary against the proposed regulations did not represent it and had “irrevocably damaged” public trust in the policy.

To get more electric vehicles on the road and cut emissions, Australia has proposed vehicle efficiency standards that will penalize car makers who import emissions intensive models and reward those who bring in cleaner vehicles.

Delaying or making the standards less stringent, as the FCAI has called for, would keep Australia a dumping ground for old technology vehicles and force the emissions burden elsewhere in the economy, Polestar Australia added in the letter.

“The brand cannot in good faith continue to allow its membership fees to fund a campaign designed to deliberately slow the car industry’s contribution to Australia’s emissions reduction potential,” head of Polestar Australia, Samantha Johnson, said in the letter.

Tesla quit the FCAI on Thursday and resigned from its board, accusing it of making false claims about the proposed standards and their affect on car prices.

In response to questions about the exits, the FCAI said on Friday it could not support a standard that met the needs for the owners of premium vehicles while leaving others with fewer choices and higher prices.

The FCAI said its members represent more than 50 brands. Its chair and two deputy chairs are from Mazda 7261.T, Toyota 7203.T and Mitsubishi Motors 7211.T, respectively.

Australia’s center-left Labor government opened consultation on the standards in February, and also released a “preferred model” for the new standards.

It aims to introduce the new standard in 2025, which will become more stringent each year, with the aim to hit average vehicle emissions intensity similar to the US by around 2028.

Russia and Australia are among the only developed countries without fuel efficiency standards.

The FCAI said earlier this week the government’s preferred option would raise prices and limit options, especially for the pick-up trucks popular in the country. – Reuters

X factor: Twitter ban hits businesses, news in Pakistan

March 8, 2024 | 12:01 pm

KARACHI, Pakistan (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – From business owners fretting over lost clients to journalists seeking new sources, Pakistanis want the government to restore regular access to the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, which has been blocked for nearly three weeks.

Authorities have blocked X – either partially or fully – since Feb. 17 after protests swept the country over allegations of vote rigging in a general election, according to the Netblocks global internet monitor.

When users try to access X, they often see this message: “Something went wrong, but don’t fret – let’s give it another shot”.

But Shaista Ayesha, who runs Karachi-based social enterprise SEED Ventures, is fretting.

“We do our social media postings through X, and connect with other organizations and funders so there is definitely social media outreach loss and one avenue of strategic visibility gone,” Ayesha told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

She said she had not yet calculated the financial cost of the X ban, which is just the latest in a series of internet restrictions linked to the Feb. 8 election. The vote was marred by a mobile internet shutdown on polling day and unusually delayed results, leading to accusations of vote tampering.

The United States, Britain and the European Union have separately expressed concerns about the electoral process and said reported irregularities should be investigated.

The US State Department has also condemned the internet shutdowns and urged the federal government to lift restrictions and respect freedom of expression.

On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court summoned the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the federal information ministry to answer a case filed by a resident of the capital challenging the disrupted access to X.

The case is scheduled to be heard next week.

Initially, the PTA denied any knowledge of internet restrictions but in a similar case in the high court of Sindh province on Monday it said that the interior ministry had issued instructions to suspend mobile phone services on polling day.

Jibran Nasir, a lawyer who filed one of many petitions over X disruptions and slow internet speeds in the Sindh high court, warned that such state-imposed shutdowns could start dictating “how we are to live our lives and what freedoms we can enjoy”.

On Feb. 22, the Sindh court ordered the government to restore access to X immediately, but Nasir said the block continued, leading to a contempt case against authorities. The case was adjourned until March 20.

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS

Just over 45% of Pakistan’s population of 241 million people have access to the internet and nearly 72 million – or almost 30% – use social media, according to research site DataReportal.

X had 4.5 million users in Pakistan in early 2024, meaning that the social media platform’s advertising reach in the country was equivalent to 1.9% of the population.

Hisham Sarwar, a popular tech guru who runs several digital marketing companies in Pakistan, said small businesses were making losses because the shutdown had hit social media marketing.

“The absence of (X) has resulted in panic as it takes time to create content on Meta platforms,” he said, referring to Facebook and Instagram.

Nor is TikTok a viable alternative, Sarwar said, as the platform has not rolled out a service for businesses in Pakistan. X offers a better return on marketing investment for companies like his, he said.

To circumvent the restrictions, many Pakistanis have turned to virtual private networks that encrypt data and obscure where a user is located, according to VPN service providers.

Farieha Aziz, co-founder of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy group, said she used VPNs to access X, which she said was crucial to get “real-time information on everything that is blocked by authorities on mainstream media outlets like election irregularities, arrests of journalists”.

But she said that internet speeds had been slowed down, meaning it was taking longer to connect, and the government was also believed to be trying to block VPNs.

Neither the PTA nor the information ministry responded to requests for comment on allegations of blocking VPNs.

Journalist Omair Alavi said that since the blackout he had not been able to use X to break news, share updates or find sources.

“I get news updates from (X) and embed links in my stories,” said the Karachi-based reporter at the Voice of America broadcaster. “Social media is an integral part of our lives and banning it is making things worse.”

Lahore-based environment lawyer Ahmad Rafay Alam said he worried that the X shutdown would cause him to miss important weather updates in a country hit hard by climate disasters, including floods, droughts and deadly heat.

But, taking a grim glass-half-full approach, he could see one silver lining to the blackout.

“Frankly, the ban is also relief from the overwhelmingly bad news about the climate crisis.” – Reuters

‘I couldn’t move’: Japanese male office workers experience simulated menstrual pain

March 8, 2024 | 11:59 am

stomach-pain-6615937_1280 — STOCK IMAGE | Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

TOKYO – Male office workers at a telecoms firm in Tokyo have experienced simulated menstrual pain to help them become more sympathetic toward female colleagues ahead of International Women’s Day on Friday.

EXEO Group workers winced at a company event on Thursday as a “perionoid” device sent electric signals via pads placed below the navel to stimulate the lower stomach muscle and induce a cramping sensation.

“I couldn’t move. It hurt to the point where I couldn’t stand,” said 26-year-old Masaya Shibasaki after using the device jointly developed by researchers at Nara Women’s University and startup Osaka Heat Cool.

“I now understand women have to work while fighting this pain every month. It’s actually amazing how women can do that. I really respect them,” Mr. Shibasaki said.

EXEO said it wants to create an environment where its more than 90% male workforce can be more supportive of female peers, including when it comes to taking menstrual leave.

Companies in Japan are legally required to allow women to take menstrual leave. However, there is no requirement for the time off to be paid and surveys showed around half of female workers never take it.

“We hope those who experienced (menstrual pain) today go back to their workplace and speak about how they felt, and spread their understanding,” said EXEO public relations officer Maki Ogura. – Reuters